Phantom's Defiance
"We have to stop them!"
Ga-eul shot to her feet, shouting. "Ji-hwa! Why can't we get through? Someone—anyone—tell them to stop that thing!"
"...We can't reach the Captain. The mana interference is too intense."
Phoenix and Snow Flower Princess were exchanging even more dazzling blows. Moths conjured from Phoenix's right hand swarmed the ice petals of the flower, shattering them. The clashing mana of two S-rank powerhouses was disrupting communications entirely.
Snow Flower Princess was unleashing her mana extravagantly, and Phoenix matched her blast for blast. Gwanak Mountain's summit was now more unstable in its mana flow than during the dimension gate outbreak. No signals got through the smartwatches.
"Th-then what about Deok-bae? He escaped from those heroes earlier, right?"
Deok-bae on the screen had his rock skin deactivated, looking utterly drained. The spirit stone embedded in his chest was empty of mana.
"Ji-hwa! If we mobilize the Cheonghwa-dan members... Ngh!"
Ga-eul dropped her head. Cheonghwa-dan had very few combat-ready members. Most regular members were D-rank at best or powerless civilians. They might hold for a moment, but they'd be slaughtered soon after.
"...But those aren't the ones Architect was guarding. From their condition, they're just refugees hiding in the shadows. The contract with Architect—"
"People are dying right now, and that's what you have to say?!"
Ga-eul grabbed Ji-hwa by the collar. Ji-hwa replied in a cold voice.
"Don't misunderstand, Ga-eul. Cheonghwa-dan's top priority on the surface is repelling the heroes invading to reclaim Seoul..."
Thwack! Ga-eul's fist smashed into Ji-hwa's jaw. Ji-hwa's head snapped halfway around.
"Are you insane?! How can anyone just stand by and watch that?! Fine! I'll go myself!"
"What makes you think you can go with no power?"
Ga-eul shook Ji-hwa by the collar and shoved him away. Ji-hwa fell flat on his ass.
"If I have no power, I just sit and watch?! I have to do something—tell people to run, contact Phoenix, anything!!"
Ga-eul panted furiously and turned toward the door. Ji-hwa sprang up like a coiled spring, blocking the entrance.
"Get out of my way!"
"...I'm a kaijin, Cheon Ga-eul. Phoenix's eyes, bound to carry out her orders above all else. Have you forgotten?"
Ji-hwa's demon eyes flared with a green glow in the pupils.
"Phoenix ordered me to protect you with my life. You can't leave the barrier."
"I said move!"
Ga-eul shoved at Ji-hwa and grabbed the doorknob. She cracked the door open just a sliver, but Ji-hwa's body blocked it like a statue.
"You can't go!"
"Move!"
Ga-eul kneed Ji-hwa in the groin. His demon eyes flickered for a moment, but he regained composure.
"I... must... follow... Phoenix's... orders...!"
He gritted his teeth, biting his lip, holding the door.
Ga-eul backed off, panting, scanning the room. Fortunately, there was a window on the opposite side.
Whoosh! Ji-hwa was suddenly behind her as she reached for the window.
"Let go!"
Ji-hwa's hands clamped her forearms. Ga-eul thrashed, trying to kick, but Ji-hwa was an ability user—a kaijin. Even a weak one outclassed a normal human physically.
"Hah... hah."
Ga-eul slumped, breathing raggedly. Ji-hwa didn't release her grip.
"......."
Ga-eul's head drooped. Even now, people were dying while she was held back. Phoenix had said if she had power, she wouldn't be attacked by monsters or villains.
The screen showed people dying in agony. What made them so different from her? She'd survived in Seoul by luck, gained Phoenix's interest for some uncertain future potential, and lived.
Phoenix had promised to be her shield. But watching Phoenix these past days, she knew she protected only "Cheon Ga-eul"—not innocent massacre victims. There had to be a reason, like with Ga-eul.
No one was protecting them. Ga-eul felt grateful yet resentful of Phoenix's barrier shielding her here.
Phoenix had said to wait just a bit. She'd even stopped by in kaijin form—she cared that much about Ga-eul's safety.
But leaving would betray Phoenix massively.
Still...
'If I had power...'
Things she wanted to protect. As an actress, as a daughter. As a human.
She couldn't abandon them here, or she'd lose something forever.
Ga-eul swallowed tears and lifted her head.
"So let—"
—Do you really have to go?
Her face reflected in the film-covered translucent glass. In it, Ga-eul wasn't gripped by Ji-hwa—her arms were bound by iron chains. Naked without even a sackcloth. Wounds and bruises everywhere. Shackles and stakes restraining her whole body. Just like the future Phoenix described that Cheon Ga-eul might face.
—Obey Phoenix and hide here. Close your eyes, ears, hold your breath until it's all over.
The whispering Ga-eul beyond the glass sounded sweet. Phoenix's invincible barrier. Safe inside, no fear of death like at S University. At least "Cheon Ga-eul" was secure.
The Ga-eul beyond sneered.
—What can a powerless woman do? Act in front of killers? Sell your body? What guts makes you step up? Think Phoenix trusting you means the world loves you? No.
More hated Ga-eul than loved her. Hate comments from her smoking scandal, humiliations as a celebrity, envy and jealousy as Lee Seung-hyung's counterpart. Maybe some dying out there were anonymous haters stabbing her online.
Even so. Nevertheless.
"If a person's gonna save another, what reason do we need?!"
Ga-eul bellowed from her soul's depths.
—...Yeah?
—...Yeah.
The chains binding the glass Ga-eul snapped. Her reflected eyes rippled gray.
—That's all it takes, right?
The Ga-eul beyond crossed her hands in an X before her face. Slowly sliding them down from her forehead, a black-and-white mask appeared behind.
—New stage. New audience. New genre.
Gray mana surged from Ga-eul's body. Ji-hwa instinctively recoiled from the massive flow.
Boom!
"Gah?!"
The mana burst from Ga-eul hurled Ji-hwa back to the door.
Swish. Ga-eul swept her hand over her face. An alien sensation covered it.
In the glass, Ga-eul wore a black-and-white mask.
—Ready for your close-up, actress Cheon?
"Of course."
Ga-eul pulled down the mask with her hand. Her eyes gleamed gray.
"I'm always ready."
Masquerade leaped out the window.
* * *
Seon Ui-cheol sat alone in his office, listening to music. His relaxation time with an LP record—a relic from the old era—filling the room.
♩♬♪♪
The classical melody he cherished most among Schubert's lieder: Erlkönig, No. 18.
"Cheon Ga-eul?"
He racked his memory. The actress Lee Seung-hyung had screamed himself hoarse over. Already dead, funeral held.
Such a woman emerging from Yeouido National Assembly.
His decision took less than a second.
"Then."
"Kill her."
Seon Ui-cheol leisurely lifted his herbal tea cup.
***
Ability users instinctively grasp how to wield their power upon awakening. A superhuman sense for "mana" beyond human senses. Euphoria as accumulated mana surges through veins like an explosion.
Awakening levels vary. Some like Gwanggeom start at D-rank and climb to S. Others like Haneulseong awaken at A and stay there forever.
Cheon Ga-eul's mere awakening aftershock blew Kim Ji-hwa away. Too potent for carelessness—beyond what Ji-hwa could handle.
Her original first awakening should have been C-rank. But it exceeded A-rank, reaching the limit of her talent.
Phoenix. A spirit with purer mana than anyone, despite different attribute.
Ga-eul, once ordinary, spent a week with Phoenix, unconsciously absorbing her mana influence. Breathing near a spirit radiating pure mana accumulated it in Ga-eul's body.
The last piece: mental awakening. Triggered not by her crisis, but refusing to look away from others'—she awakened.
A-rank ability user. Illusionist with 88% illusion affinity.
Her mana pattern shook all of Seoul.
* * *
"New mana pattern detected! Ability user! ...S-rank? No, A-rank!"
The operator corrected the mistake.
A new ability user in Yeouido. First awakening strong enough for mana scan detection: unequivocally A-rank density.
"Who the hell is that?!"
"Cross-checking database!"
Not registered hero—must be villain. A hidden one finally revealing? Or a refugee awakened by monster attack?
Moments later.
NO MATCHES FOUND
Sin Jin-gwang gripped his baton tightly at the result.
"A brand-new awakener?!"
Headquarters erupted. Reporters in the briefing room buzzed.
A-rank mistaken for S at first glance by a veteran operator. Highest initial awakening in Korea since Snow Flower Princess—after her S-rank debut.
Top priority acquisition. Promising talent to snag before villain path. Seoul still had hidden gems.
But with current ops, secure them now? Sin Jin-gwang pondered.
One S-rank hero out of action, the other tied by mystery villain. Guro heroes routed, Gangnam ones still facing hellhounds.
No achievements. Only humiliation of heroes kidnapped.
'This can't go on.'
Sin Jin-gwang moved briskly.
"Anyone nearby?!"
"Pine Tree Unit members are!"
Sin Jin-gwang froze. Of all things, the Pine Tree Unit detachment on presidential secret orders was close.
He didn't know the orders. Nor did he have authority or power to stop them.
"......Keep tracking the mana! When A-Team enters Anyang, assemble deployable heroes!"
Waiting anxiously for A-Team's return, Sin Jin-gwang prayed the Pine Tree Unit wouldn't label this A-rank a "spy"—for his own record's sake.