#48 You Are the One I Know...
A-rank Awakener ranking No. 3, codename Vape, slowly entered Seoul's massive domed stadium. The street air had been heating up since morning.
1st Quarter Awakener Test
His shoulders were tense with anticipation. The world obsessed over S-ranks and SS-ranks, but in reality, there were barely forty humans on that level across the globe. It was the A-ranks who formed the true backbone of operations—and among them, No. 3 Vape stood on the cusp of promotion to S-rank today.
"Heh heh..."
With an arrogant smirk, he sauntered into the dome, basking in the stares directed his way.
Vape's face lit up with smug satisfaction at the murmurs.
Not just A-ranks, but B- and C-ranks filled the area, their envious gazes adding to Vape's thrill.
Heh heh heh. Talent! It all came down to talent. In this era where more Awakeners outnumbered non-Awakeners, only a tiny fraction ever touched A- or S-rank.
Drunk on the attention, Vape's eyes caught a man standing awkwardly among the C-rank crowd, staring right at him.
Hmph, my popularity's something else.
Vape strode over and planted himself in front of the man. "Want an autograph?"
[......?]
The guy did look a bit dazed. Dressed in a sharp black suit with his hair slicked back, it screamed an obvious attempt to mimic SS-rank King—a classic low-rank mistake.
"Imitating SS-ranks is fine, but at C-rank, standing out matters first."
The man tilted his head, staring blankly at Vape's kindly advice.
"Just look at me."
Vape popped his pipe into his mouth. Topped with a bowler hat and draped in a brown coat like a British gentleman, complete with shiny brown shoes—his whole vibe was detective chic.
Puff—
He took a long drag, and smoke billowed out. The haze coalesced from the pipe, shaping into a burly, muscle-bound man. It was like watching a genie emerge from a lamp.
[Ho ho.]
The man before him blinked with genuine interest.
"Heh heh. Cool, right?"
[Yeah.]
The man nodded vigorously.
Just then—
"What're you doing, bro?"
[Hey, check this guy out.]
Vape whipped around to find SS-rank Awakener King standing there. King grabbed the man's arm right away.
"Bro, this is the C-rank line. Newbies go that way."
"K-K-K-K-King!"
Vape stammered, his eyes flicking to the formerly dopey-looking man—who was, of course, Theo.
"You called me bro...?"
[Dude, you're cool.]
Theo flashed a thumbs-up.
"Ah, Kang-ho hyung!"
King suddenly waved toward the distance. Choi Kang-ho, cradling Seol-a and whispering while pointing things out, glanced over and waved back.
"Ch-Ch-Choi Kang-ho!"
Vape felt like he might faint.
Soon enough—
"Kyaaah! King-nim!"
"King-nim!"
"Choi Kang-ho-nim!"
Fan clubs swarmed from all sides. In the distance, Kang-ho hurriedly averted his gaze and bolted.
"Hahaha! Bro! Where you going?!"
King laughed heartily as fans encircled him and Theo for photos. Ever gracious, he struck poses one by one. Spotting Vape awkwardly sandwiched in the middle, King grinned.
"Come here."
"Huh?"
Vape blinked in shock, then his eyes welled up.
"Y-Yes...!"
He thought: I could die happy!
"No escaping that mess."
Kang-ho slipped away from the fans to the second-floor lounge. There sat Im Cheol-bae and the others.
"Oh, Kang-ho."
Cheol-bae greeted him warmly. Park Jun-woo, beside him, waved too.
"Kang-ho's here."
"Yeah."
Kang-ho nodded casually and took the seat next to them. This was the VIP section for guild masters.
"Where's Ho-young?"
"That bow nerd's down there."
Park Jun-woo pointed. Below, Kim Ho-young chatted with what looked like his disciple. Today featured debuts and SS-rank promotions from Sword God, Bow God, and Mercenary Guild alike.
"What brings you here for once?"
At Park Jun-woo's question, Kang-ho gave a wry smile and pointed below at King and Theo.
"Sending those two for the test."
"With King?"
"Yeah."
"Who's the other?"
"Just some kid I ran into."
"Theo, right? What's his power?"
Kang-ho opened his mouth slowly. "Raises bones to fight."
"Oh ho, a new type?"
"Seems like it."
Awakener abilities varied wildly—from smoke manipulation to zapping electricity from body parts. Nothing was too outlandish, making these tests like rookie drafts.
"Ah, senior."
Kang-ho turned to see Lee Hyuk bowing.
Baekya Guild's master. Other guild leaders settled in around them.
"Master. All well?"
Lee Hyuk bowed to Park Jun-woo too.
"Yeah, my Hyuk."
Park Jun-woo smiled warmly.
"Hyuk's grown a lot."
Im Cheol-bae grinned.
"Thanks to you all, senior."
Lee Hyuk smiled back. They laughed, but true closeness eluded them. The Big 3—Baekya, Mercenary—were rivals by nature, even with Lee Hyuk as Park Jun-woo's disciple. Scrutiny only intensified. Cheol-bae knew that all too well.
Gazing afar with a wistful look, he thought: Time for me to...
Maybe step back from the front lines like his old friends.
Retirement's calling.
Only then could they age as true friends. Kang-ho eyed him, smiled wryly, and patted his shoulder.
Today's SS-rank promotees: four in total. With Pyro's mana core scrapped recently, S-rank rankings had shifted up one each.
"That's Broken down there?"
S-rank No. 1, Broken from the Four Great Sects' Fengyun. He chatted with King.
"And over there... Lebadon's fourth son."
Kang Tae-hoon stood grim-faced. S-rank No. 2, codename Rune Master.
Kang-ho stared, sighed softly, and looked away.
"Jet too?"
S-rank No. 3, spear-wielding Jet from Colosseum, also up for promotion.
"That's our new prospect."
Cheol-bae pointed to S-rank No. 4, codename Forte. All young blood.
"Generational shift."
Cheol-bae muttered wryly. "The old guard's era is ending."
"You've clapped enough—time to bow out's one way. Heh heh. Wrap it up quick and join us for soju."
Park Jun-woo chuckled. Seol-a, nestled in Kang-ho's arms, pointed curiously everywhere, gazing up at him.
Kang-ho buried his nose in her hair. Fresh shampoo scent. Her long, flowing locks were too precious to cut, so he'd wrapped them around her neck like a scarf. She looked like she'd donned a silver-haired hoodie backward.
"Lots of people here, huh?"
Nod. Seol-a nodded.
Kang-ho pulled a thick, dried jerky strip from his pocket and pressed it into her hand.
Suddenly, he sensed an ominous mana surge from the stadium entrance.
He's here.
Kang-ho rose slowly. A man strode in from the entrance—over two meters tall, vivid brown hair and eyes, looking 60s but with a body that screamed youth. His sharp gaze scanned, locked on Kang-ho.
Whoosh!
Instantly, he was beside Kang-ho.
Kang-ho extended a hand. "Long time, Carron. Maybe pick up flying—or at least the plane habit?"
Carron, World Rank No. 3.
"Hahaha. Running still suits my constitution."
"Hey, Carron."
Cheol-bae waved. Carron shook his hand, bowed politely to Park Jun-woo, then eyed Lee Hyuk.
"New face?"
"Nah, that's Baekya's new guild master."
Carron smiled. "Fresh blood."
Lee Hyuk, tense, shook his hand in bewilderment.
Carron marveled at the first-floor scene. "Korea never ceases to amaze! This Eastern mystery—how does it breed such powerhouses? Beyond me."
Envy in his eyes, he turned to Kang-ho. "Got a daughter now, Mr. Choi Kang-ho?"
"Hm... Something like that."
Kang-ho lifted Seol-a slightly. She chewed the jerky, eyeing Carron. He smiled at her diamond eyes.
"The world's changed, so you have too. Glad it looks positive."
"No big deal."
Carron grew serious. "Actually—"
Kang-ho met his gaze and stepped away. "Let's go outside."
In the stadium's private lounge, Kang-ho eyed the black magic stone Carron offered.
"Thought you might recognize this."
"Hm."
It resembled an Eternal Crystal shard. Kang-ho gripped it, infused mana.
Zing—
◈ Essence of the 3rd Dimension 'Demon Realm' contained within primordial power.
Sure enough. Kang-ho fixed Carron with a stare. "Where'd you get it?"
"A Belgian ranker went berserk recently. Belgium rarely has high-rankers or gates these past years—pure peace."
True enough. Gates plagued Korea disproportionately, the most active since 50 years ago.
"Anyway..." Carron sighed deeply. "Had to kill an old comrade myself."
"......"
"Likely from a raid dungeon suspected to be the Demon Realm."
Kang-ho nodded slowly. "Figures."
He met Carron's eyes directly. "Why bring it to me?"
"You are the one I know..."
Carron continued slowly.
"...strongest Absolute Being."
"......"
"I might not resist temptation and touch it." Desire flickered briefly in Carron's eyes, then vanished. He squeezed them shut and stepped back twice. "If I rampage... Belgium might cease to exist."