Master's Token (2)
Eugene lay blankly on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Just in case it was a dream, he pinched his cheek hard. A sharp sting spread across his skin.
It's real.
He stared quietly at the ring on his right hand.
How do you use this thing again?
In the game, it had just been data in the item inventory. But now it was different.
At that moment, a shimmer of light bloomed before Eugene's eyes. Scattered rays gathered in an instant at one point, soon forming a familiar translucent window floating in the air.
"…Status window?"
It was far too familiar. And why wouldn't it be? This system had originally been granted only to the game's guardians.
Yet here it was, floating before his eyes, filled with his information.
Whether the system had warped to fit reality, or some other reason was at play, he couldn't say. Eugene thought for a moment, then shook his head.
No need to overcomplicate it. Whatever the cause, this was undoubtedly good news. It was the clearest proof that he'd shed the lifelong label of unawakened, finally grasping the power he'd so desperately craved.
—Master… Can you hear my voice?
"Gah!"
The sudden voice nearly sent Eugene tumbling off the bed. Pale-faced, he frantically scanned his surroundings.
Nothing but the status window hung in the air. No sign of Aria anywhere.
—Thank goodness. It seems your mana has reached the ring.
"Aria? Is that you? Where the hell are you right now?"
—I am in the deepest part of the dungeon. Breaking the seal by force has left me temporarily bound, but through Master's Token, I can at least convey my voice like this.
Eugene calmed his pounding heart and let out a sigh of relief. Not a ghost, then. The ring must function like some kind of walkie-talkie.
"So you're stuck there forever? Can't come out again?"
—I apologize. To leave, I require Master's power. Your mana is currently insufficient, so I cannot exit. Breaking the seal again will take more time as well.
Aria's dejected voice echoed in his ears.
'My power, huh…?'
Eugene glanced at the status window.
[Mana: 1]
No wonder it was lacking. In summary: Aria needed his power to emerge, but he couldn't provide it yet.
Which meant, conversely…
"If you can't come out, does that mean I can't go in either?"
At his question, the black gem on his finger gleamed brightly.
—No! Master can enter anytime. The method is surprisingly simple. Simply infuse the ring with mana while focusing your will, and a door to the dungeon will open directly.
"Infuse mana into the ring…?"
Eugene sat on the edge of the bed and stared at his right hand.
After Aria vanished and the Black Abyss Gate sealed shut, he'd thought entry was impossible forever.
Apparently not. But there was one fatal issue.
He had no clue what mana even was. A lifelong unawakened didn't exactly come with a manual.
'Just focus, I guess?'
Eugene closed his eyes and poured all his concentration into the ring. He felt a faint tremor from the gem—then it fizzled out like a deflated balloon.
No matter how hard he tried, no door appeared. No reaction at all.
"What the…?"
Eugene muttered in disbelief, and Aria's voice came through the ring.
—Ah… Master. Your mana is still insufficient, it seems.
Eugene stared helplessly at his hand. A creator god in name only, unable to even cross the dungeon's threshold.
—Master, please don't be disheartened.
Aria's calm voice continued from the ring.
—Your body is like an empty vessel right now. You have mana, but not nearly enough to twist space and form a door.
Eugene let out a long sigh. Was this truly the opportunity heaven had granted him?
He stared blankly at his palm, then clenched it into a tight fist.
The reason didn't matter. This was a golden chance, like a dream come true. His last shot at rewriting a life defined by unfairness.
'If I really have power now…'
Eugene fiddled with the ring on his finger. A deep-buried wish rose from his heart—a single, desperate longing he'd harbored for ages.
"Aria. Is there a way… to wake someone who's been unconscious for years?"
—Of course. Once your mana is sufficient and you can access the dungeon's healing facilities, reviving the not-yet-dead is a trivial matter.
At those words, Eugene felt a blockage in his chest shatter. Doctors had always shaken their heads, claiming no hope, trapping him in despair. But now?
Finally, a ray of hope.
Eugene grabbed his coat from the corner. He had to see Sua in the hospital right now. Only by facing his sister could he truly believe this wasn't a dream.
Korean Awakener Association. Seoul Headquarters.
A massive screen displayed satellite photos. The gathered executives wore grave expressions.
"You think this makes sense? Two gates vanished simultaneously in mere minutes."
Association President Choi Cheolseung's words made the analysis team leader wipe cold sweat as he replied.
"Analysis confirms it. Right after the Black Abyss Gate opened, an S-rank irregular gate overlapped above it. But both closed in under a minute."
Choi Cheolseung pointed to a spot on the screen. A majestic peak that should have towered there was gone, as if a massive hole had been punched through it.
"Explain that."
"It appears to be fallout from someone slaying an S-rank beast that burst from the irregular gate. The dragon's corpse was found bisected on-site."
A heavy silence fell over the analysis room.
S-rank beasts were national disasters, requiring teams of top-rankers to risk their lives. Yet someone had ended it in one overwhelming strike, reshaping the terrain entirely.
And the one who cleared the Black Abyss. World #1 Yuseorin might handle an S-rank beast, but the Abyss was another level—a sanctuary no human force could breach.
"Mobilize every available resource immediately. Scour all CCTV and vehicle dashcams within a 10km radius of the site!"
Choi Cheolseung's command thundered through the room. The association went into high alert.
An unidentified powerhouse capable of shaking the world. With ally or enemy unknown, this was the Awakener Association's worst-case scenario.
An transcendent force beyond control or contact. That alone was enough.
"Find even one witness—Awakener or civilian, doesn't matter! Comb every inch around the site if you have to!"
Urgency bled into the president's voice. Uncovering the truth was secondary. First, identify who it was and track their location.
If possible, pull them to the Korean Association's side by any means. Whatever conditions they demanded—funds, VIP treatment, identity protection, autonomy—he'd grant them. Even bend laws if needed.
He was prepared for that much. One such being could upend global power balances.
The era had changed. National strength wasn't defined by conventional weapons or economy anymore. Before gates, beasts, and Awakeners, true hegemony hinged on the strongest Awakeners possessed.
In this age, an enigma that erased a mountain. That cleared the Black Abyss. Not mere S-rank or special talent—this was beyond. A national strategic asset, perhaps more perilous and valuable than nukes. A living catastrophe.
'Must secure them, no matter what.'
The president clenched his fist, suppressing his burning impatience.
'By any means necessary… absolutely.'
Losing them wasn't just missing talent. If another nation reached out first, Korea would forfeit negotiation leverage and future power balances.
A matter tied directly to the nation's fate.
Right now, the association's top priority was singular: find that unidentified monster first, before anyone else.