Shadows of the First Generation
"Haha. Thanks."
"...Hmph."
Jin So-wol let out a deep sigh and rummaged through her bag. Out came a red cigarette pack and her phone.
Fwoosh.
She put a thick cigarette between her lips and lit it with a flame flickering to life at her fingertip.
"Fhew."
"You can smoke here?"
Twenty years ago, places like PC bangs let you smoke inside. Was it still okay these days? I had no idea.
"What's the big deal? This whole building's mine. And technically, isn't this outdoors?"
"Uh... yeah?"
It was an outdoor terrace, after all. Still, the fact that this building smack in the middle of Gangnam belonged to her was wild. But considering she was basically the big boss of Cheonma Group, it didn't feel like empty bragging.
"Want one?"
"No thanks."
I'd quit smoking right after getting out of the army—about twenty-five years ago now.
Jin So-wol kept the cigarette in her mouth, her face lost in thought as she fiddled with her phone.
"If it's Abyss origin... yeah, there's one."
She said that and showed me her phone screen.
Sato Akashi (S)
An Eastern man with a thick jawline beard and a fur hat. His sunken eyes and sharp nose gave him a rugged, masculine look. His slightly tanned skin only amplified it.
'Looks kinda familiar... maybe from the board meeting?'
"He's the guy who holds shares in our Japan operations. Not certain, but judging by the unique ability he uses, we can assume he's Abyss-born."
"Oh ho."
Hearing he was a 1st gen awakener made him sound pretty damn strong.
"If this guy fought you, who do you think would win?"
"Ha! Who do you think would win?"
Jin So-wol frowned, her pride clearly stung. Fair enough—she'd sucked up every last drop of that supposedly mighty Cheonma-jun's power with her absorption ability. She had to be strong.
"He's the self-proclaimed king ruling Hokkaido thanks to his 1st gen status. But his actual power? Can't even touch the 2nd gens."
"Hmm... I see."
Jin So-wol didn't think much of this Sato Akashi guy.
"But aren't most 1st gens supposed to be strong?"
"Who said that?"
"Just rumors I've heard. They've had their mana cores longer, after all."
"Hmph! They're just lucky bastards."
She talked like she wasn't one herself.
"Aren't you a 1st gen too?"
"Ha! Me?"
She laughed in disbelief and stubbed out her cigarette in the small plate in front of her.
"I'm 2nd gen. Awakened about... ten years ago."
"Really?"
That tracked. From what I could tell, she hadn't been prominently involved with Cheonma Group for that long.
Jin So-wol grinned at my reaction, clearly amused, and kept going.
"How many 1st gen awakeners do you think are still alive?"
"Well... around three million?"
Sujin had told me that back during the Great Cataclysm, 1st gens made up about 0.1% of humanity. World population was around six billion in 2003, so six million. After twenty years, half dead would leave three million. Something like that.
"Nope. Not even ten thousand."
"What?"
Way fewer than I'd thought. But if Jin So-wol said it, it had to be true.
"Most 1st gens died right after returning from the otherworld. They only had their mana cores—otherwise, no different from regular humans. Probably even worse off, since their minds weren't right after coming back."
"Hmm. Got it."
"So what do you think the ones who survived here are like?"
Jin So-wol tossed the question at me out of nowhere. She already had a fresh cigarette pinched between her fingers, wearing a strange smile.
"Uh... the strong ones?"
"Nope."
Fwoosh.
She lit the new cigarette and shook her head.
"There's even a saying: 'The good 1st gens are the dead ones.' The ones still alive? They hid behind the righteous ones up front. Used powerless non-awakeners as meat shields to survive. And plenty are even worse."
Come to think of it, Sujin had a similar vibe—clear hostility toward 1st gens. I'd picked up on it here and there from others too.
"And those kinds of guys are crawling all over Cheonma Group. What do you think would've happened if we'd just left things after Cheonma-jun got taken out?"
"Hmmm."
What would it have been? Cheonma Group started as a thug gang built on Cheonma-jun's brute force. Lose that center overnight? Pure hell. Everyone killing each other to become the new boss.
"Not that that's the only reason I'm doing this, of course."
Jin So-wol shrugged with a sly smile. She wasn't exactly a saint herself, but she seemed to mean she was the lesser evil.
"Anyway, this Sato guy's one of them. I'll reach out, but don't expect him to play nice."
"Hm."
"If you really need it, at least here's his address."
Bzzz.
My phone vibrated faintly, like she'd sent a text. I checked—latitude and longitude marked somewhere in Japan.
"This is... Hokkaido, right?"
"Yep."
Jin So-wol finished her second cigarette and stood.
Her heels clicked as she headed out, tossing one last line over her shoulder.
"Better contact him quick. Bad rumors floating around about 1st gens lately."
"Bad rumors?"
"Some psycho's hunting them down. Personally, I think they're just killing each other, but..."
With a small smirk, Jin So-wol slipped out of the restaurant.
"Hm..."
Sato Akashi. From her reaction, he wouldn't come running just because I asked nicely. Guess that meant a trip to Japan myself.
"Japan, huh..."
I'd never been, even before getting dragged to Jellun. Never traveled abroad at all, really. Back then, relations weren't great, and it was pricey anyway.
"Exchange rate's tanked lately, though."
A quick search confirmed it—way down. Cost of living seemed comparable too.
'Maybe I should go.'
Main goal was meeting this 1st gen, but why not make it a trip?
"Heh heh. Overseas travel."
Never thought my first international trip would come at this age.
"What's Japan famous for? Sushi? Ramen?"
I got all excited, browsing stuff, when—
"All done eati— Oh my!"
"Huh?"
"What if someone sees you smoking here?!"
The server came over yelling.
"Wait, no, that wasn't me..."
Turned out smoking wasn't allowed after all.
'Damn it...'
I ended up paying for the dish Jin So-wol had used as an ashtray just to get out of there.
"Japan?"
"Yeah."
With all the money rolling in, I suggested to Sujin we take a trip abroad together. Skipped the details—too annoying—just called it a vacation.
Plan was to split off for a day or so once we were there.
"Hmmm..."
But Sujin seemed lukewarm.
"Japan's kinda..."
"Gasp."
Did she have some grudge against Japan or something?
"I've been too much lately. Even before you came back, I went for a week."
"Oh, that's what it was."
"Don't. How about Europe? France to start, end in Italy—a full continent tour! Sounds fun, right?"
"Europe's a bit..."
First trip abroad to Europe felt daunting. Not scared or anything. Just... no.
"Tch. Fine, go solo then. Or take Yelena."
"Yelena?"
What kinda nonsense was that?
I'd been pumped to farm while Sujin and I had fun.
"Huh? Sujin. Soo-hyeok. What're you talking about?"
Yelena wandered over from the living room TV. Nothing good on, apparently—some magical girl anime with them hopping around.
"It'd be easier with Yelena. You don't even speak Japanese."
"What's that supposed to mean."
"I good at Japanese. Better than Korean."
"......"
"Perfect! Don't worry about me—just you two go."
This was going sideways. It was supposed to be a family trip to celebrate the cash.
"Mm. Japan. Good. I'll go with."
"'Go with' my ass..."
"Don't want? Soo-hyeok?"
"......"
Part of me wanted her to house-sit. But Japanese skills? Useful.
'Heard the subway's a nightmare there.'
"...Fine. Let's go together."
"Hee hee. Trust only me, Soo-hyeok. I know Japan roads perfect."
"Tch. Good, then."
Ding.
A text—from Jin So-wol.
"...Better this way."
Since Yelena spoke Japanese well, I could treat her like a walking translator.
I pulled up the map, marked Sato Akashi's spot, and showed her.
"Hey, we gotta stop here midway, so plan the route smart."
"Huh? Soo-hyeok. This deep in Hokkaido boonies. No need go."
"Got business there. Gotta drop by."
"Okay."
Yelena didn't pry further and started plotting a Hokkaido itinerary. Probably just lazy to ask, but it worked for me.
All I had to do was book flights.
"Let's try first class for once."
No luck—the route was too short. Booked the priciest seats available instead. Two of 'em.
"Heh heh."
First overseas trip in life. Laughable at my age, but my heart was racing anyway.
Deep in the mountains, fierce snow flurries whipped about.
Snow in July? Unthinkable weather.
Even up in Japan's northernmost reaches, this was too much for summer.
"......"
A man in a bulky fur hat and thick winter coat warmed himself by a bonfire. Sunken eyes, prominent nose. Oddly swarthy skin.
This was Sato Akashi—Yamaoto-gumi's boss dominating Hokkaido, with stakes even in Cheonma Group.
"Kumicho, a guest."
"Awakener?"
"No. Non-awakener."
"Ho ho, braving this snow? Impressive."
Akashi raised a brow and flicked his hand casually.
At his order, the subordinate brought forward a young woman.
"A-are you Sato Akashi?"
Her voice trembled before him. Her fingertips had already frozen stiff.
"Impressive indeed. Punching through my domain as a non-awakener."
The freak July weather in Hokkaido wasn't natural. It was a disaster wrought by Sato Akashi's unique ability.
"So. Why seek me out?"
"P-please, lift the bounty on my brother!"
Clatter!
She dropped the furoshiki from her bosom. It spilled crumpled wads of cash.
"Hmm, lift a bounty? Even as boss, that's tricky. Can't ignore the men's face."
"They all follow your orders! Take the money—all of it. Please..."
A sinister smile curled Akashi's lips at her plea.
"I've got plenty of money. This pittance means nothing."
He kicked the pile straight into the bonfire.
"N-no!"
"Ugh. Still don't get it? Money's not what I want. Burning this trash—what's the big deal?"
"Th-then what..."
Akashi leered at her, eyes sticky with lust.
"Gotta spell it out? That'll cost extra."
"U-ugh..."
Tears welled in her eyes.
But she was powerless. Yamaoto-gumi's grip here was absolute.
"......"
As the hesitating woman began to move her hand—
Whoosh.
The bonfire lighting the cabin snuffed out in an instant.
In the darkened center of the cabin, blue ghostly eyes gleamed coldly.