Acquaintances in Daejeon - (1)
South Korea, excluding the capital region, was effectively in a state of anarchy. The government agencies, represented by the Awakened Management Bureau, had already lost control beyond a few key areas in the capital region. Local governments, which should have handled provincial affairs, had long since ceded authority to city-affiliated Awakened—except in major cities like Busan. As a result, news from the provinces felt like distant, vague tales to those in the capital, and even the media outlets based in Seoul rarely covered them in depth.
“…Hah.”
Perhaps that was why the reality of South Korea, now laid out before me, felt so startling. The moment I passed through the ironclad checkpoint and entered Chungcheongbuk-do, the scenery transformed completely. Gripping the steering wheel, I couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
‘To think the world had fallen this far in just five months.’
Maybe it was because I’d spent too long holed up in Seoul. The moment I left the capital region, the landscape’s rapid decay felt utterly alien. Broken signs, cracked roads, streets devoid of any people—it reminded me of the post-apocalyptic games I used to enjoy. And all of this damage stemmed from the disasters I had unleashed. Even if I hadn’t known at the time, I couldn’t completely escape responsibility.
“…”
…Or so I thought. It occurred to me that I’d already paid more than enough for that responsibility. Even just listening to the hushed conversation from the back seat made that clear.
“…Mirien, you must not cause any trouble this time. If you ruin My Lord’s expedition, I will personally rip out your heart.”
“There’s a saying for moments like this.”
“What is it.”
“Mind your own business.”
“Would you mind turning your face this way for a moment?”
“Why.”
“I intend to sew that insolent mouth of yours shut.”
The Scorched Saint, Selene. The Storm of the North Sea, Mirien. These two great disasters were currently riding in the back seat of my sedan. I had originally planned to bring only Selene, but fearing the consequences, I’d brought Mirien along as well. And surprisingly, the two of them were now bickering. I couldn’t tell whether they got along or not.
“…You two. I told you not to fight.”
“Actor, that woman keeps picking on me. Scold her.”
“Magic brat, do not bother My Lord. Do you wish to die?”
“…”
What could I even say? This must be what parenting felt like. Sensing my discomfort, Mirien fell silent, and Selene cautiously asked me,
“By the way, My Lord, do you intend to bolster your forces by subjugating nests before confronting Karne?”
“I’d rather avoid fighting if possible, but some friction will be inevitable if I’m to meet her.”
Though I’d received a tip from Selene, I still didn’t know Karne’s exact personality. I had no idea what the Mother of Ill Omens was thinking, abandoned in her base, or what her ultimate goal might be. However, considering Mirien’s report that she had already harvested tens of millions of lives to build an army of subordinates, Karne didn’t seem like the type to quietly listen and clear up misunderstandings. If anything, she’d likely cause an incident even larger than the previous Tower of Rebellion eruption.
Right now, there was only one thing we needed to do.
“We’ll subjugate the provincial nests, gather disasters, and craft equipment.”
“Equipment, My Lord?”
Disaster synthesis could also yield equipment. In my case, having quickly obtained a 4★ disaster, I hadn’t needed equipment much, but things would be different going forward.
“We need to get that Elixir for you somehow, Selene.”
“…My Lord.”
Selene’s expression was one of genuine emotion. She wasn’t in peak condition. To heal the internal injuries caused by the flames, we needed to obtain the 4★ consumable item, the Elixir, just like in the game. Fortunately, with Mirien—whose synthesis aptitude was high—now part of the base, obtaining the Elixir shouldn’t be too difficult.
“Anyway, this is for all of us. So stop fighting and cooperate as much as possible.”
“Okay.”
“Yes, My Lord. I shall accompany you even to the Abyss.”
“Like I said, our base is the Abyss.”
Even though the scenery outside the window was grim, chatting peacefully with the two disasters in the back seat made it feel like we were on a trip. Of course, that oddly lighthearted atmosphere was shattered the next moment by a massive harpoon that flew into the middle of the road.
Crack!
“…Hmm.”
Honestly, I wasn’t that surprised. The harpoon had landed far ahead. It wasn’t meant to attack us—just to block passage.
“…My Lord, there appears to be an assailant. May I deal with them?”
“Actor, there are exactly eleven of them. They’re on that barricade over there. One lightning strike and I can clean them up.”
Mirien and Selene each offered terrifying suggestions. I shook my head and replied,
“No, that won’t be necessary.”
I recognized the harpoon’s shape.
[2★ Coral Reef Hunter uses the skill 「Harpoon Throw」.]
It was the skill of the 2★ disaster, Coral Reef Hunter. And there was no way a wild disaster would be roaming a perfectly intact urban area. Sure enough, several figures emerged from beyond the barricades lined up along the road. They were Awakened wearing crude outerwear and masks.
“Stop! This is Daejeon Clan territory!”
“…Hah.”
Now that reality had become a game, even embarrassing terms like “clan” or “guild” rolled off the tongue without shame. It still felt strange.
*
Daejeon was home to the largest Awakened group in Chungcheong Province. Since they hadn’t chosen a formal name, they were called the Daejeon Clan after the region and served as the ruling class that effectively controlled the city. The provinces had already lost government power, after all. It was my first time witnessing a society centered around Awakened.
“From here onward is our territory.”
The Awakened guiding me was a seasoned man who possessed a 3★ disaster. “There’s also a market. You can buy and sell goods here using experience coins.”
Fortunately, my reputation seemed to carry weight even in the provinces. The Daejeon Clan wasn’t so insular that they’d turn away an S-class Awakened at the door. When I expressed my intent to subjugate nests, they arranged a meeting with their clan leader.
“And… this is where the clan leader is.”
The Daejeon Clan had taken over the government office building as their base. Then where had all the original civil servants gone? I didn’t bother asking. The answer would likely be grim.
The interior of the building was chaotic. Partitions were set up everywhere, and most entrances, including the windows, were boarded up with wooden planks.
“Tight security.”
“It’s only been less than a month since it got like this. Some strange person recently broke into the base and killed over a dozen people. They weren’t even caught. Thank goodness the clan leader drove them off.”
“Hah…”
“By the way, you’re not carrying any weapons or belongings, are you?”
“I’m not.”
Thankfully, they didn’t conduct a body search. I discreetly touched the 5★ equipment, the Shell of the Dead God, tucked in my inner pocket. It felt like walking alone into the enemy’s jaws, but with this gear, I shouldn’t suffer any major harm.
[5★ Scorched Saint Selene casts the skill 「Ashen Veil」.]
[5★ Storm of the North Sea Mirien casts the skill 「Shadow Swimming」.]
Above all, two 5★ disasters using stealth skills were following right behind me. The man didn’t notice and guided me without suspicion to a large room on the seventh floor.
“Brother Jeon Tae-min, I’ve brought the S-class Awakened I mentioned.”
“Let him in. Just him.”
A gruff voice came from beyond the door. I carefully turned the handle and stepped inside. There sat a man with a large eyepatch over one eye—Jeon Tae-min. Broad shoulders, a menacing face, and a tattoo covering one arm. His appearance wasn’t much different from the thug who had threatened me during the first eruption. If that guy had survived, he might have ended up in Jeon Tae-min’s position.
While I was lost in such idle thoughts, Jeon Tae-min rested his chin on his hand and spoke.
“So, you’re the S-class? You look way too clean for your own good.”
His voice was filled with hostility. He seemed quite wary of a famous Awakened from Seoul suddenly showing up in his territory. I nodded, keeping my expression as neutral as possible.
“What do you want?”
“Nest subjugation.”
Jeon Tae-min’s brow furrowed, as if he’d already received a report from his subordinate.
“I refuse. The nests belong to us.”
“…You’re turning down an offer to subjugate them in your place?”
“Hah, you’re just a kid. Keeping the nests around brings more benefits than getting rid of them. Sure, they erupt sometimes and kill a few people, but those are non-Awakened. Not our problem.”
Jeon Tae-min sneered at me, twisting his lips. He seemed to have a personality as foul as his looks.
“Get lost. I’ll at least feed you before you go, so if you’re hungry, head to the cafeteria downstairs and drop my name.”
“…”
What to do? I had no intention of leaving quietly just because he told me to. Then I’d have to show him the difference in power. But before I could act, Jeon Tae-min’s face drained of color in shock.
“…You, you’re—!”
He wasn’t looking at me. His gaze was fixed on a single point behind me, his eyes wide with terror.
[5★ Storm of the North Sea Mirien cancels concentration on the skill 「Shadow Swimming」.]
At some point, Mirien had canceled her stealth skill and was now standing beside me. I couldn’t bring myself to blame her.
“Th-that woman! Why is she here?!”
Jeon Tae-min recognized Mirien. His reaction was like a PTSD episode—he tumbled off his chair, clutching his shoulders as he trembled violently. It was a far cry from how relaxed he’d been just moments ago.
“…What happened, Mirien?”
When I looked at her for an explanation, she scratched her cheek awkwardly and flashed a cute smile.
“Actually, I came here a while ago and killed a few people.”
“…”
Her words reminded me of what the Awakened who had guided me on the first floor had said.
‘Some strange person recently broke into the base and killed over a dozen people. They weren’t even caught.’
“…”
It was you?