Calamity Grade
I settled the matter with the representative of the White Dragon Guild exactly as you instructed. In exchange for properly punishing Lee Dong-hoon and Cho Seung-je, the White Dragon Guild has agreed not to interfere any further. Above all, with solid evidence and witnesses, the louder this incident gets, the more damage the White Dragon Guild will have to shoulder themselves.
“Thank you, Director.”
When I expressed my gratitude to Director Lee Won-hyung, he offered a benevolent smile in return.
“It was an excellent decision. Rather than holding the entire White Dragon Guild accountable and creating lasting enmity, drawing a reasonable line and leaving them an exit was the wise choice. After this, they will be convinced that the Management Bureau stands behind Hunter Ahn Humin.”
“In other words, they’re unlikely to try anything foolish.”
“The White Dragon Guild’s representative, Cha Seong-woo, may be hot-blooded in ability, but his mind is as cold and sharp as ice. He draws a clear line between personal and professional matters, and he won’t hesitate to cut out anyone who might harm the guild. If it’s Cha Seong-woo, he’ll know exactly what’s best for the guild.”
“That’s a relief. I hate dealing with annoying problems too.”
I moistened my lips with my tongue.
“Director. I’m sorry, but could I ask one more favor?”
“Of course. Whatever you need, just say the word. I’ll do everything in my power within the limits of what the government and the Bureau can provide.”
“It’s about So Hong-min, the deputy from Public Security Division 3.”
“Deputy So Hong-min from Public Security Division 3?”
Hearing the name of Division 3, had he expected a request concerning its chief—my brother-in-law Jang Gi-jun?
Lee Won-hyung looked slightly startled when an unexpected name left my lips, turning to stare at me.
“I’d like you to investigate his family, friends, and other close associates. As quickly as possible.”
“An investigation itself isn’t difficult, but may I ask the reason? Please don’t misunderstand. It’s not that I won’t proceed without one. Knowing the reason simply allows us to classify and focus the investigation more clearly and efficiently.”
How could I possibly explain this? If at all possible, I wanted to keep the fact that I could have prophetic dreams hidden.
Even though we were currently cooperating, there was no guarantee the Bureau would always be on my side.
“The truth is, I have a friend I can’t easily reveal to others. He works as an informant in the underworld. I met him for drinks a few days ago, and he told me to watch out for a man named So Hong-min among my brother-in-law’s subordinates. He said the man might be a spy sent by the Black Snake Clan.”
“Is that information reliable? How did your friend come across such intel…?”
“We’ll have to verify whether it’s true or not. I hope it’s just baseless worry, but hearing something like that from a guy who has nothing to do with my brother-in-law left me feeling uneasy. Is that possible?”
“I’ll launch a discreet internal investigation immediately. Ah, one more thing, Hunter Ahn Humin.”
Lee Won-hyung spoke in a slightly excited tone, as if something had just occurred to him.
“Yes?”
“If you have the time, would you be willing to spare some for me? There’s a place I’d like to show you.”
“To me?”
“Yes. You won’t regret it. I’m certain you’ll like it too.”
“……?”
The place we arrived at with Lee Won-hyung was a military facility located on the outskirts of Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.
“This is…”
“Correct. This is the Awakening Management Bureau Headquarters—the Pyeongtaek base.”
Until now, the place where we had spoken was merely the reception office at the Tower’s Awakening Management Bureau branch. The actual headquarters was located separately like this.
I stared out the window, utterly captivated by the sight of the headquarters.
Besides awakened individuals wearing the Bureau’s uniform, soldiers in military fatigues, tanks, military helicopters, armored vehicles, and fighter jets were easily visible.
To an outsider, it would have been perfectly reasonable to mistake it for a military base.
However, given the nature of the Bureau’s work, gates often required rapid coordination with the military for operations. That was why soldiers and related facilities were permanently stationed here.
“In addition to training and administrative facilities, the headquarters also provides various amenities and entertainment venues for agents and soldiers who find it difficult to leave the base. If you’re ever interested, Hunter Ahn Humin, please feel free to use them. They boast some of the best facilities in the country, and the prices are quite affordable. Naturally, your family members are welcome to use them as well.”
“Ah, yes. I’ll take a look around when I have some free time.”
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they had essentially built an entire city here.
The car continued driving for another twenty minutes before arriving at the Central Command Headquarters.
But?
The vehicle didn’t stop. Instead, it kept moving and slowly entered what appeared to be a warehouse.
“Please wait a moment.”
Once the car came to a complete stop, Lee Won-hyung got out and manipulated a panel installed on the wall. A heavy metallic clank followed by a low humming mechanical sound began, and he returned to the vehicle.
“What did you just do?”
“It’s an authentication procedure. To descend below this point, you must input codes provided by myself, the Minister of National Defense, and the VIP. Of course, the codes refresh every minute.”
“Is it really okay for someone like me to enter a place this strictly guarded?”
“Of course. The person who originally suggested inviting you here wasn’t me, but the VIP.”
“The VIP… you mean the President?!”
Not just anyone, but the President himself had invited me… The scale had grown so enormous that my mind was struggling to keep up.
Regardless, the elevator carrying the vehicle descended rapidly underground.
“How far down does this go?”
“All the way to the fourteenth underground floor.”
That depth would probably withstand a direct nuclear strike without flinching.
Just what on earth had they hidden that required sealing it so deep underground?
When we reached the fourteenth underground floor, bright lights illuminated the corridor. The car drove for another minute before stopping in front of a massive door.
“We’ve arrived. From here, we’ll proceed on foot.”
As we exited the vehicle, Lee Won-hyung once again received the freshly updated codes from the Minister and the President, then entered them into the wall panel.
Wooooooong…….
With the correct code entered, the locking mechanism released. The enormous door split open to both sides, revealing what lay within.
“Please go inside. You, wait here.”
“Understood, Director.”
“Can’t your secretary come with us?”
“No. The VIP has only granted access to this place for myself and Hunter Ahn Humin today.”
“I’m fine. Go ahead.”
Leaving behind Secretary Kwon Si-young, who had driven us all the way here, Lee Won-hyung and I began walking.
Upon entering, I saw an enormous space large enough to easily fit four or five soccer fields, with rooms installed at regular intervals.
But these weren’t rooms meant for humans to live in.
“Are all those things inside the rooms… items?”
“Before that, there’s something I must explain first. This place is the Bureau’s First-Class Vault. Have you ever heard of it?”
“First-Class Vault? No, not at all……”
“It’s only natural that you haven’t. This is a state secret known only to a select few. Since the appearance of the Tower and awakened individuals, countless items have been discovered and created over the past several decades. Many of those items strengthened awakened people, helping them conquer more difficult floors and climb the Tower. However, some items did not. The Bureau classifies and manages such items separately under the category of Calamity Grade.”
Cursed items that grant immense power at the cost of driving the user into uncontrollable frenzy, regardless of their will.
To summarize Director Lee Won-hyung’s explanation:
There existed a type of cursed item that granted great power but forcibly drove its user into a berserk state against their will. Those were known as Calamity Grade items.
“The higher the item’s power and danger level, the higher its Calamity Grade. For example, a Calamity Grade 1 item can grant an A-class hunter power equivalent to an S-class hunter. At around Calamity Grade 10, it can turn an A-class hunter into a monster rivaling an SSS-class.”
“An A-class into an SSS-class?”
“Yes. That’s why hunters all over the world who obtain Calamity Grade items frequently go berserk or fall into corruption, causing numerous incidents. Even now. Our country was no exception. Each time, the Bureau and the guilds worked together to resolve the problems, and the confiscated Calamity Grade items are stored here.”
“Didn’t the guilds strongly oppose it?”
“Not at all. In fact, they were the ones who suggested it first. To them, Calamity Grade items were double-edged swords. Leaving them alone created headaches, but keeping them would draw scrutiny from other guilds and the public. In the end, having the Bureau store them was more reassuring than letting another guild take possession. Of course, we provided appropriate compensation to the guilds that assisted in the operations.”
“I see… But why did you bring me here?”
Surely they hadn’t called me here just to show off their collection of rare items?
However, Director Lee Won-hyung’s answer was something I had never even considered.
“As an apology for our previous rudeness, the VIP, representatives from both ruling and opposition parties, and myself unanimously agreed to present one of the items stored here to you as a gift, Hunter Ahn Humin.”
“R-really?!”
“Yes. However, there is one condition. You may not choose a cursed item. For any other items, feel free to pick whichever catches your eye. If you wish, we can exchange it for another. We simply ask that you refrain from selling it elsewhere.”
I had never intended to sell it anyway, and Lee Won-hyung had probably said it half-jokingly, but being allowed unlimited access to Calamity Grade items was an incredibly generous benefit.
“Even a Grade 10?”
“Yes. Though I must note that we have not yet succeeded in lifting the curse on any Grade 10 item. While many cursed Calamity Grade items remain here, we have also managed to purify a few after investing astronomical sums and years of effort. Those items have not yet been assigned to a user and can be used at any time.”
“Aren’t you trusting me a bit too much? What if I take it and flee to another country?”
“In that case… well, I suppose I would pound the ground in regret. But what can be done? It would be my fault for misjudging a person. Still, if we fear an unseen future and do nothing, we can never change anything. Moreover, if you did such a thing, your family would be terribly disappointed in you.”
If you do nothing, you cannot change anything.
He was right. Because I had done nothing, I ended up having that prophetic dream about losing my brother-in-law.
And above all, when I imagined how disappointed my grandfather, sister, and brother-in-law would be if I acted so cowardly, running away overseas with something like this didn’t seem worth it.
After all, even without any of this, I was already so strong that I myself couldn’t fully grasp the extent of my power.
“That… does sound frightening.”
“Hahaha!”
I toured the First-Class Vault with Director Lee Won-hyung, examining the items.
It really wasn’t easy to lift the curses on Calamity Grade items.
When I asked Lee Won-hyung, he told me that even for a Calamity Grade 1 item, purifying the curse required roughly 100 billion won and three long years.
And since not a single Grade 10 had been purified yet…
According to him, with the current capabilities of awakened individuals and South Korea’s technology, purifying a Calamity Grade 10 item would require approximately 12 trillion won and two hundred years.
In short, it was impossible.
If something like this ever leaked outside, it wouldn’t end with just a single uproar.
While I was carefully examining the items…
“Could I take a look at the cursed items too? Just looking.”
“Looking is fine, but is there any point? It would only make you anxious over something you can’t have.”
“It’s just for curiosity’s sake. No big deal.”
Yet among everything I saw, one necklace instantly captured my full attention.
The options and performance are completely insane, but it’s a cursed item. Ah, could it be?!
“Director?”
When I called out to Lee Won-hyung, he immediately guessed my intention and firmly refused.
“No. No matter how much you ask, Hunter Ahn Humin, cursed items are—”
“That’s not it. I was wondering if I could take a cursed item if I manage to lift its curse.”
“Well… Pardon? What did you just say?”
“I asked if I could take it if I lift the curse. If possible, I’d like to try.”
“Do you truly… possess a curse purification skill?! Even then, an ordinary purification skill would never be enough……”
“Well, nothing to lose. Let’s give it a shot. Why not?”
I slowly reached out toward the cursed Calamity Grade 10 necklace.
Divine Fire of Nyx — Curse Purification
EX-class and they kicked me out of the guild without knowing.