The Beacon's Trembling Light
A short while later, Guro Digital Complex high-rise building.
"Gahhh! She's coming!"
The man covered his eyes, which had been peering toward Yeouido, and ducked under the desk. The ability of Lighthouse, forcibly enhanced by someone, pierced through Guro all the way to Yeouido, revealing the National Assembly building ablaze in vivid detail.
"The crazy bitch who set the National Assembly on fire is coming!"
Lighthouse—Kim Ji-hwa—fell into terror as he recalled the intruders who had assaulted his territory just the day before yesterday. It was time for the kaijin transformation! In broad daylight, while Ji-hwa slept, they had smashed through the window and invaded. In an instant, they turned him into a monster and subjugated his organization. Then, they issued all sorts of commands to Ji-hwa—now the kaijin .
—When you return, light the beacon fire, so prepare lunch accordingly.
'Who the hell lights a national building on fire as a beacon?!' Even with the emergence of New Seoul, to Ji-hwa, Seoul was still the capital. Though his territory was limited to Guro, he never destroyed or tampered with the nation's foundational structures. The man once called 'Chairman' in Guro by the monsters of irrationality had regressed to his days as an overworked office drone.
Crash! The sound of shattering glass made Ji-hwa bury his head between his knees.
Only one person matched the memory of someone breaking into the top floor of this 20-story building through the glass window.
"Huh? Where'd he go?"
Ji-hwa's heart plummeted at the voice carried on the cold wind. It was definitely that guy's voice.
"Kim Ji-hwa~ You're not trying to play hide-and-seek with me right now, are you?"
'Please just disappear!'
Kim Ji-hwa clamped his hands over his ears. So he didn't hear the crackling of flames.
Snap.
The finger snap that made his heart quiver. Instinctively, Ji-hwa kicked the desk and leaped out.
"Hah, huff!"
As expected, azure flames burned atop the desk. The high-end ebony desk turned to ashes in an instant.
"Kaijin No. 3 has talent as the seeker but sucks at hiding."
"H-Hiiik!"
Ji-hwa trembled violently at the sight of Phoenix lounging casually on the chairman's chair. A slender white hand landed on his shoulder.
"Don't scare him. He's your subordinate, right?"
"G-Ga-eul-nim...!"
Ji-hwa looked up at Ga-eul with sparkling eyes, like she was his savior. Ga-eul averted her gaze from his demonic eyes—black sclera and white irises reversed—and turned to Phoenix.
"No, I didn't mean to startle him on purpose..."
"Can't blame him for the trauma after thinking about how you killed him."
Deok-bae sauntered over and plopped onto the sofa. That only amplified Ji-hwa's trauma, making his body shake even more.
"At least he died quickly the first time, so it should hurt less if it happens again?"
"Try dying yourself to know how it feels."
As Deok-bae snarked, Phoenix pressed her middle finger and thumb together. Just as she channeled mana to flick it, Ga-eul shot her a glare. Phoenix rubbed her fingers together awkwardly and pushed off the floor with her foot.
Screeech.
The chair scraped across the marble floor right up to Ji-hwa. Ji-hwa's intense trembling transmitted through her hand to Ga-eul.
"Hey, . How far can you see now?"
"G-Guro and Yeongdeungpo districts in full! If I push it, about an 8km radius!"
"Not bad. We can accelerate your growth a bit more."
Phoenix pulled a monster core from her pocket. Unprocessed cores sparkled in the sunlight.
"Time for 'weird candy' grinding, then."
"Y-Yes!"
Ji-hwa, who had been shaking, switched to an eager posture, snorting like a dog waiting for treats, even dropping to his knees.
Phoenix handed him a core with a reluctant expression. Ji-hwa inhaled its scent like a drug before popping it into his mouth.
"...So, are your subordinates prepped well?"
"Hah, yes! They still see me as 'Chairman' and aren't suspicious at all."
Deok-bae recalled the past few days at the sight of Ji-hwa fawning over Phoenix—save for his fear of death.
Phoenix had flown straight to this floor upon entering Guro and assaulted Ji-hwa. Glass shards from the broken window rained on the sleeping man, and Phoenix grabbed him by the collar, making him writhe in pain. She declared that was essential talent for her.
Pl-Please spare my life, guk.
His strong-weak-strong-weak personality led him to try overpowering her with force, but her grip was too strong, and he accidentally killed him without realizing.
—So I made him a kaijin with a B-rank monster core I picked up on the way.
Suddenly turned from Guro's chairman to kaijin, Ji-hwa panicked but submitted quickly. Before awakening his ability, he was just a cog in the company machine; he couldn't resist Phoenix's massive irrational violence.
"Hmm. Did they follow my orders properly?"
"Yes! They were confused at first, but everyone's hunting monsters smoothly. Caught a D-rank yesterday too. The flame mages you awakened follow orders best."
"Good. Keep growing them. They'll be frontline grunts for Cheonghwa-dan."
"Th-Then if my subordinates are grunts, what about me...?"
Ji-hwa fidgeted, eyes full of expectation. Phoenix sighed and promised.
"Figure out the 'meeting' location this time, and I'll make you an executive position."
"Thank you, Captain!"
Ji-hwa bowed deeply and left the room. Deok-bae couldn't comprehend watching him.
"Why's that guy so thrilled? Is being an evil org executive that great?"
"Even if she stole the whole org, he wants to be above his subordinates. Under the boss, everyone's an employee, but even employees have ranks."
"...That's not it."
Ga-eul shook her head.
"He's doing it because he knows you'll kill him again otherwise. He's scared."
"Hmph. I see."
"I see? You killed him and now say that?"
Ga-eul snapped. Phoenix tilted her head.
"Huh? Why? I tried negotiating with first, didn't I? He ignored it and sent his goons to kill me."
"That doesn't make killing him okay!"
"...Saying that with your face creates a huge disconnect, but fine, I'll explain."
Phoenix spun the chair toward Ga-eul and stopped.
"The place where future Cheon Ga-eul suffers a horrific fate is right here in Guro. The vagrants who picked you up are 's refugees. You got crushed under him for years. I'm preventing that now? Result-wise."
"Result-wise, sure. But."
Ga-eul clenched her fists and glared at Phoenix.
"Even if so, treating killing like it's normal and preaching world peace? I see it as a contradiction. Even for a villain."
"...Hmph."
Phoenix snorted and leaped out the broken window. Blue wings unfurled behind her—she was heading to the rooftop again.
"Haa."
Ga-eul released her tension and collapsed, legs giving out. Deok-bae rose from the sofa.
"Why try convincing her? She's not the type who listens."
"I know. Talking to her just makes me feel weirder."
Phoenix's sincerity terrified Ga-eul. It wasn't false villainy; she truly saw human lives as insignificant.
"You okay, Deok-bae? She bullies you a ton."
"...As a kaijin, I can't refuse orders. I've given up."
Deok-bae shrugged. He'd abandoned everything since bursting his former comrades with his own hands.
"I'm more curious why she hasn't killed you yet. What are you to her? Past-life lover or something?"
"How should I know? She claims to know the future."
Ga-eul tousled and yanked her hair. She'd fallen for the angelic savior at S University parking lot. Phoenix was a killer in angel's guise.
"Why'd I make that stupid bet..."
Ga-eul resented her past self, bewitched by Phoenix. The absurd bet: Awaken an ability, and she'd send her to New Seoul. Ga-eul still hadn't awakened.
"......You don't know others' hearts."
I lay back on the railing where I sat. The sky was thick with dark clouds, threatening rain any moment.
"Already gloomy, and now the sky's overcast too."
I reached my hand toward the sky. Phoenix's hand was porcelain-white and beautiful.
"So much blood will stain this hand ahead."
Those blocking the path, those to fight, those who must die. Dozens sprang to mind instantly. They wouldn't let go of the Cube shards—God's fragments seeding ruin—unless I severed their hands myself.
That's why Cheon Ga-eul's objections felt so awkward and strange.
I can die for you.
Appearance aside, the essence was the same. As a masquerade, Cheon Ga-eul followed my opinions without question. She'd have died for real if I ordered it.
No. Snap out of it. This Cheon Ga-eul isn't the woman you knew.
She's human from before her horrific past. And the one who made her that way? Me.
Understand. You have to understand.
I stood on the railing. The setting sun in the west hadn't dipped below the horizon yet.
"Whew."
I'll think about my relationship with Cheon Ga-eul later. Right now, focus fully on the intel from the black market.
"It's starting, as expected."
Seoul Reclamation Operation. Four days until the execution date—April 15th—that Baek Sang-woo sold me.
Same time, New Seoul Government Building.
"This way, please. Fire Fist Hero Lee Seung-hyung."
Guided by the security chief, Seung-hyung walked the corridor. From the moment he entered, people who'd noticed him whispered about him.
Shock. Envy. Admiration. Hatred. Their voices and emotions stabbed deeper at Seung-hyung.
"......Whew."
Seung-hyung took a deep breath to calm his boiling heart. He had to meet the man ahead with composure.
"In here."
The security chief pointed to the small room beyond the door. Seung-hyung entered with familiar steps.
"You're here."
Seon Ui-cheol, pen in hand in the small office, closed the folder and stood.
Though short enough to reach Seung-hyung's chest, he was New Seoul's pinnacle.
"Sit."
"Yes."
Seon Ui-cheol naturally took the head seat; Seung-hyung sat beside him.
"First, congrats on S-rank."
"Thank you."
Seung-hyung bowed. A week since his promotion, this was their first face-to-face. Or not—Seon Ui-cheol frowned at the name tag on Seung-hyung's chest.
"Still clinging to your maternal surname?"
"...It's Father's will too."
Originally Lee Seung-hyung, he'd taken his maternal name per his late father's will after the Pyongyang incident. Seon Ui-cheol still hated it.
"People's imaginations are wild. Uncle and nephew with different surnames—some even call you a bastard child."
"......."
Seung-hyung stayed silent—a wordless protest to get to the point. Seon Ui-cheol clicked his tongue and swiped his smartwatch screen.
"Sign."
"No."
Seung-hyung met Seon Ui-cheol's eyes. Seon Ui-cheol flashed his sharp triangular glare and yelled.
"Sign!"
"I refuse. I'm a Hero Association hero, not under the Republic of Korea government."
"Relying on the Association to throw a tantrum?"
Even a pan-national group like the Hero Association couldn't fully ignore a government's influence—especially in Korea, where government power still outstripped it post-Pyongyang, as Association support waned.
"This is our chance to reclaim Seoul! With the neural line linking Seoul, New Seoul, and Busan, we rise again!"
"I understand the intent. Deploying me to monster-infested Seoul to revive it. But."
Flames ignited in Seung-hyung's eyes.
"Does the President truly aim to save Seoul's refugees? Or more the gains from 'reclaiming' Seoul?"
"I won't deny it."
Seon Ui-cheol didn't flinch at the S-rank hero's pressure.
"National morale boost, cores from scattered monsters across Seoul, a President who succeeded in reclamation. Immense gains."
He tapped the armrest and continued.
"But those are side benefits. The ultimate goal: making this nation, Republic of Korea, strong and prosperous."
Wrath crept into Seon Ui-cheol's voice.
"Understand staying silent despite knowing China fired missiles? How long must we suffer between China and Japan, ignored? Reclaim Seoul, and the world watches us again."
His finger pointed at Seung-hyung.
"Like how you're eyed for Round Table vacancy."
"...Absurd."
The fire in Seung-hyung's eyes died.
"I'm just a rookie who couldn't even save one person. Cancel this operation centered on me."
Seung-hyung closed the screen. Seon Ui-cheol nodded as if expected.
"Fine. But remember."
Seon Ui-cheol twisted his lips into a smirk.
"In four days, you'll be at the vanguard of the Seoul assault force."
"That won't happen."
Seung-hyung stood abruptly and left. Their talks always ended short, just hurting feelings.
"......."
Seung-hyung slipped past the security chief's glance and exited the building aimlessly. New Seoul's sky matched his heart—gloomy and overcast.