The Reason Revealed
When the Awakeners first appeared, chaos swept not only through Korea but across the entire world. No one could understand why such people had suddenly emerged. The Awakeners who arrived with the new year possessed power ordinary humans could not even dream of—power so overwhelming that calling them superhumans felt like an understatement.
And then there was the mysterious energy the Awakeners wielded.
That force, which rose like blue haze or mist, was more than merely impressive. It was astonishing. It could even deflect and stop bullets.
With power like that in their hands, the Awakeners began acting as if the world belonged to them. Of course they wanted to use what they had gained. That state of affairs continued for months.
Then the National Safety Group was established under The Absolute, Kang Jung-gil. As they began suppressing those who committed major crimes, the Awakeners gradually reined in their wilder behavior. The situation in Korea drew international attention.
As time continued to pass, the Awakeners themselves began forming factions. Clear differences in power emerged among them, and organizations centered on guilds started to take shape.
Ironically, that development proved beneficial. It made negotiations with the government possible, and the favorable results of those talks gradually restored stability.
This was not limited to the United States. Europe and the nations of East Asia followed the same path.
Africa and the Middle East, however, remained mired in deep turmoil—situations so complex that easy solutions seemed unlikely.
And so the world’s leading scholars gathered once more to debate why beings like the Awakeners had appeared. No conclusion had been reached when an incident finally revealed the reason for their existence.
The grotesque life-forms called monsters burst forth in an instant from twisted air, turning the surrounding area into a living hell. Even the soldiers rushed to the scene found them difficult to suppress.
Bullets simply bounced off them, as if the creatures were protected by some kind of barrier.
In that situation, the only ones who could face the monsters were the Awakeners. Astonishingly, the energy the Awakeners wielded was capable of shattering the defensive barriers the monsters wore around their bodies.
The shocking appearance of these creatures and the process of subduing them were reported worldwide at lightning speed. Videos uploaded to social media racked up enormous view counts and became the talk of the day.
Another point of fascination was how closely the monsters’ appearances resembled the creatures of fantasy mythology.
They looked exactly like the monsters people had seen in fantasy novels, films, and games.
The monsters that had appeared in the world were yet another shocking event, arriving just as the chaos surrounding the Awakeners was finally beginning to settle.
But when research teams from every nation studied the gems obtained by defeating these monsters, they began issuing one astonishing announcement after another.
Just as the announcement made in Korea a week later would do.
These gems, it turned out, contained an incredible amount of energy.
How incredible? A single small gem held enough power to supply electricity to the entire downtown area of Seoul.
Of course, how long that supply could be maintained was the real question. Still, the energy from a gem taken from a monster believed to be an orc—roughly fifty millimeters in size—was estimated, when converted into electrical energy, to be capable of powering downtown Seoul for about three hours.
The announcement made a week later shook the entire nation.
At a time when talk of developing new energy sources to replace oil was already widespread, the energy contained in the gems these monsters carried was simply staggering.
And the announcements were not limited to Korea.
Similar findings emerged one after another around the world, and the globe trembled once more.
The announcements from the research teams studying the gems were nothing short of astonishing.
“Seong-min, if what they’re saying is true, those gems the monsters carry hold enough energy to power all of Seoul for more than an hour?”
“From the announcement, it seems that way.”
“My god…”
Hye-suk was so stunned she could not close her mouth.
The mere appearance of the monsters had already been a massive shock, but the announcement a week later was even more staggering.
“So if we keep hunting those monsters, we won’t have to worry about oil or energy anymore?”
“Probably.”
According to the researchers, that was exactly the case. They had said that utilizing the energy in these gems would create an innovative new energy source capable of replacing oil.
“Monsters suddenly appearing is terrifying… but that part is good news, at least…”
“Hearing that announcement, I finally understand.”
“Understand what?”
“Why beings like the Awakeners appeared in this world.”
“Because of those monsters?”
“That’s how it looks. The only reason they could suppress monsters that bounce bullets was because the Awakeners stepped in.”
Seong-min was right.
Against monsters that modern weapons could not touch, the Awakeners’ power worked. Their energy shattered the protective barriers that shielded the creatures.
“It’s scary…”
“What is?”
“There’s no guarantee those monsters won’t keep appearing. And it looks like they actually will…”
“That’s why the Awakeners are here.”
“I guess that’s how we have to look at it?”
“Of course.”
Only after seeing the monsters did Seong-min become certain.
The Awakeners had appeared because of those monsters.
And he was far from the only one who thought so.
Why had the Awakeners appeared? The scholars who had been divided on the question now found their opinions converging. The Awakeners were beings who had arrived first in order to deal with monsters like these.
In religious circles, the prevailing view was that God, taking pity on humanity, had sent the Awakeners as a form of providence.
Looking at the current situation, it was hard to think otherwise.
In truth, as the days passed, the creatures called monsters continued to appear.
Each time, Awakeners stepped forward to confront and fight them.
With no way of knowing where the monsters would emerge, the Awakeners or guilds based in those regions took action.
In Korea as well, the guilds that had established themselves in each area moved, while the Awakeners of the National Safety Group formed the core of the response.
Did The Absolute, Kang Jung-gil, step in himself? He did not.
The situation had not yet become serious enough to require him. If creatures like the orc-like monster kept pouring out, it might have been different—but fortunately, that was not the case.
The ones that appeared afterward resembled goblins, or jelly-like creatures.
Monsters that looked like the slimes of fantasy mythology, secreting mucus as they moved. They sprayed acid, and any living thing they swallowed melted horribly as it was digested. Even so, five Awakeners were more than enough to suppress these mucus monsters without difficulty.
By eliminating the monsters that appeared from time to time, they continued to obtain gems.
And research into those gems progressed rapidly.
The government allocated a special research budget, and the National Assembly passed emergency funding for the studies.
Korea was not alone. Globally, the potential of the energy contained in these gems was considered limitless.
Experiments to extract the energy from the gems and commercialize it moved forward.
As the raw material for an energy source that could replace oil, the support and research were only natural.
As a result, major waves were also rolling through the Awakener community.
At last the Awakeners themselves understood why they had appeared in the world, and talk began circulating about the need to prepare for the future. It was not only the Awakeners who said so—ordinary citizens felt the same.
Considering the rampages and casualties caused by monsters bursting from dimensional rifts, proper systems and preparations had to be put in place.
Already, with the appearance of the Awakeners, both the military and the police had begun reorganizing.
Special recruitment notices targeting Awakeners had been issued, complete with generous benefits and support. Those selected underwent a month of training and education. Such a short period was possible because priority was given to those already serving as police officers or with experience in special units such as reconnaissance, the Marine Corps, or Special Forces—career professionals received preferential treatment.
That was only the example of the police; other agencies and the military followed the same approach.
In fields like combat, security, and national defense, Awakeners had become indispensable.
“I’m really jealous.”
“Of what?”
Min-hyeok asked, peeling open a kimbap roll and looking curiously at Kim.
“The Awakeners. They’re about to rake in the money, aren’t they?”
“Why?”
“Because of the gems they get from the monsters.”
“Hey, those are national assets that go to the government.”
“Yeah, that’s what I heard too.”
At Park’s and Min-hyeok’s words, Kim grinned.
“Min-hyeok, you and the others don’t get it. That’s how it is now, but do you really think Awakeners are going to risk their lives for free? If more of these monsters keep showing up, the Awakeners will start demanding their rights.”
“Hmm… you think so?”
“Now that you mention it, that could happen.”
“Those monsters did look pretty vicious.”
The other team members agreed.
“Seong-min, what do you think?”
Seo asked, quietly eating the sandwich Hye-suk had made while listening to Seong-min.
“I’m sure that’s right. It’s work that puts your life on the line—moving without any compensation wouldn’t make sense.”
“See? I was right.”
“I told you my thinking was correct~!”
“What are you all talking about?”
When Team Leader Jeong approached and asked, Min-hyeok filled him in on the conversation.
“Kim’s right. Even we get paid for doing Gombang work. Expecting people to hunt monsters—and obtain the raw material for a new energy source that might decide the nation’s future—without any compensation would be strange.”
“Oh~!”
Park let out an exclamation of admiration.
“What is it?”
“They’re already discussing it, apparently.”
“How?”
“There’s an article saying the government will officially discuss providing appropriate financial compensation to Awakeners who contribute to hunting monsters.”
“I knew it…!”
Kim nodded as if he had expected exactly that.
“Wow… lucky them.”
“Lucky?”
“Come on. If you become an Awakener, you get superhuman strength and you’ll probably make good money from now on. It’s enviable.”
“Why envy that?”
“We’re making good money too~!”
“More importantly, that’s work facing those monsters. You think the money just falls from the sky?”
“Min-hyeok, is what you’re earning now not enough?”
“Heh… no, it’s not.”
Even running just two jobs a day brought in at least four hundred thousand won. That was two million a week. A month of Gombang work earned over eight million won—being short on money would be strange.
Of course, Seong-min was earning at least ten million, so the point applied even more to him.
“Do you think the monsters will keep coming out?”
“Wouldn’t they?”
“Anyway, those monster gems are going to turn the world upside down again.”
In many ways, it was an era of upheaval.