Chapter 64: The Devil Chaos King
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 64: The Devil Chaos King
As the ratio of Awakeners had increased recently, public security had been fluctuating, repeatedly improving and then deteriorating.
Statistically, an increase in Innate Awakeners led to better security, while an increase in Acquired Awakeners led to its decline.
Experts attributed this to differences in education, lack of skill proficiency, or a failure in self-objectification.
"There's a certain Hunter who's been the hottest topic among Acquired Awakeners lately, isn't there?"
"Ah, are you talking about the one with the flowing white hair?"
"The man responsible for the recent surge in tanning rates and gym profits among men in their twenties!"
"It's none other than Baek Tae-yang!"
On TV, they were linking the hottest figure of the moment, Baek Tae-yang, to that very subject.
The theme was: 'Acquired Awakeners worsen public security? Then what about Baek Tae-yang?'
Unbeknownst to the public, a certain level of discrimination between Innate and Acquired Awakeners existed within the world of the Academy Pure Love Diary.
It was like the gap between the old money who had walked the elite path and the nouveau riche who had won the lottery.
Their status might be similar, but the environments they grew up in were so vastly different that discrimination was inevitable.
The government did not take this issue lightly.
When Awakeners fought and shed blood, it wasn't the losers who suffered—it was the ordinary citizens.
If a conflict escalated from individuals to factional warfare and turned into a free-for-all...
'Everyone dies. You can't even prepare for something like that.'
PD Kim Sa-don knew exactly how much weight this program carried.
In the first place, the program Find the Hottest Potato! Awakener Harvest Festival! had been created under government pressure.
'If perception could be improved just by applying pressure, everyone would have been getting along a long time ago.'
The ultimate goal of this program was to broadcast that doing good deeds wasn't a matter of being Innate or Acquired, but a trait of the massive group known as 'Awakeners.'
By focusing on the 'criminal' as an individual rather than the 'Awakener' as a group when crimes occurred, they aimed to strengthen the collective consciousness of Awakeners.
The intent was good, but everything after that was the problem.
'Please, just one person...!'
No matter how much he searched, he couldn't find any heartwarming stories about Acquired Awakeners.
There were some, but they were far too trivial to put on a national broadcast.
If they touted something an ordinary person could do as a 'heroic deed,' they risked a backlash for exaggeration.
Kim Sa-don saw a very short lifespan for this program.
This was because most good deeds were performed by Innate Awakeners, while most crimes were committed by Acquired Awakeners.
Even with a magnifying glass, it was hard to find a hot figure among the Acquired ones.
'I can handpick the criminals, but...'
Just as it seemed the show would only reinforce discrimination, a breakthrough appeared.
"Oh, wow. Look at that humble attitude despite clearing an S-Class Gate."
"I know, right? Usually, someone that age would be bragging... but he went straight home just to maintain his strict self-discipline!"
"We have some photos. Shall we take a look?"
"Whoa... A greatsword in one hand... a halberd in the other... He's truly magnificent. Even as a man, I'm falling for him."
"Oh my, imagine how I feel as a woman! Look at the chains wrapped around his hands... Is that so he won't lose his grip on the greatsword?"
Baek Tae-yang had appeared like a comet.
He had perfectly exploited the gap left by the fall of Kim Min-su, the rising star of the Innate Awakeners.
The timing was truly impeccable.
Just as the 'Min-su's Scream' meme was circulating the internet, the photos of Baek Tae-yang 'After Clearing the S-Class Gate' were released.
It had been a while since the S-Class Gate was cleared, yet the photos were suddenly released right when Kim Min-su's reputation was hitting rock bottom?
'This is definitely intentional.'
It was clear they had held onto the photos, waiting for the perfect moment.
Otherwise, there was no way the photos would have such perfect post-processing!
They were on a different level from the snapshots taken by reporters with flashing bulbs.
It felt as if someone who had worked in the photography industry for decades had captured reality itself onto the screen.
PD Kim Sa-don was not a man stupid enough to kick away the opportunity in front of him.
'I'll use this chance to mold the image of Acquired Awakeners to match Baek Tae-yang.'
An image of someone who looks like a delinquent on the outside but is actually kinder and more upright than anyone else!
'We're going with the Bad Boy style...'
If he could ultimately make people feel that 'All Awakeners are good and strive to protect human life,' then what?
Discrimination might ease up, and they might actually get along.
'If that happens, my life will be a golden path on a flower palanquin.'
He would make sure to recruit Baek Tae-yang for this program.
PD Kim Sa-don's eyes sparkled.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"That damn bastard!!!!!"
Crash!
Unable to contain his rage, a man slammed his chubby hand into the TV.
"What? He's cool? He's what?"
The TV continued to spew nonsense.
—Especially in Wonderland...
—...Ah... that... truly... impress... ve...
From the impact, the TV screen flickered with static, emitting sound only intermittently.
With an expression that said he couldn't stand to hear any more bullshit, the man fumbled with the remote.
Click—
He turned off the TV and let out a deep sigh.
He didn't know when things had started going so wrong.
As the image of Innate Awakeners plummeted recently, the situation had suddenly turned bizarre.
He knew exactly where the cause lay, but frankly, it was absurd.
"Are they just going to ignore everything we've done to protect them? How much have we done for them, and they turn their backs on us just like that!"
"Calm down. This is why they call the public 'dogs and pigs.' You throw them some feed, and they start oinking and eating right away."
"How can I stay calm! Those uneducated bastards are desperately trying to fix their image!"
"He hasn't said anything yet."
"If it weren't for that loser Kim Min-su—"
What did you say?
Shiver!
The heated atmosphere turned ice-cold in an instant.
Those who had been raging despite being told to calm down all prostrated themselves.
A single sentence overwhelmed and subjugated the entire room.
"The Chaos King..."
Honestly, they thought 'Chaos King' was a deeply embarrassing name.
It wasn't like a gaming nickname from their childhood; what kind of name was 'Chaos King'?
However, no one voiced that complaint.
One does not simply talk back to the leader of this group because they dislike his alias.
Did I not clearly tell you not to use the word 'lo.ser.'?
"Y-You are correct!"
When the Chaos King was angry, one had to lie flat on the floor.
So flat that their chest pressed against the ground, reminiscent of a piece of old, stuck-on gum.
Furthermore, Kim Min-su is the figure we put forward as our representative... Do not use such wicked language... I suppose.
""We will keep that in mind!""
No one could defy him.
'Noble,' the vested interest group of Innate Awakeners that had existed for a long time.
No one knew who created it or what its purpose was; it was a group shrouded in mystery.
However, all those with vested interests among the Innate Awakeners were members.
In fact, everyone except for the most recent recruits followed the Chaos King unconditionally.
No one questioned him.
From why he was the leader to why they had to call him 'The Chaos King' of all things.
Since he allowed no questions, the members of Noble had given up on doubting him.
They decided to focus solely on the fact that following his words would bring them great fortune.
First of all, the identity of the Hunter who has been stealing skills recently is exactly as you all expected... It is I.
Everyone's eyes filled with shock.
Since they were prostrate, they couldn't see each other's faces, but they knew.
Could it be that they were witnessing the beginning of a legend?
The truth about the Skill Hunter, whom even 1st-Grade Hunters couldn't properly identify.
'The Skill Hunter only targets Acquired Awakeners.'
In truth, this was only possible because Noble had intentionally suppressed the information.
They had wondered why he was putting so much effort into confusing the information networks of 1st-Grade Hunters, and it turned out...
'It was his will all along...!'
The man who had been hitting the TV just moments ago was deeply moved.
Those bastards who became Hunters by sheer luck after awakening by chance, without even receiving proper character education.
He had been agonizing over how to crush them, and the King was simply stealing their skills entirely!
He wasn't even curious about how the skills were stolen.
The members of Noble focused all their attention on the result.
The image of the icon we were pushing recently has been completely ruined... I believe the cause of this was weakness.
""We are sorry!""
Actually, they had nothing to be sorry for.
It was just that Kim Min-su had been crying and wailing in the streets, bringing shame upon himself.
Calling it 'weakness' felt a bit vague, but no one cared.
The authority to steal skills was the most important thing right now.
'If we have that power...!'
They could grind the noses of those Hunter bastards who had received higher ranks than them despite being mere Acquired Awakeners.
They were truly arrogant.
They should have been content scavenging corpses in low-level dungeons that suited their image, but how dare they!
This wasn't just one person's thought.
Noble was a group that desired thorough discrimination and the persecution of Acquired Awakeners.
The conflict between Awakeners was thicker and deeper than the general public imagined.
This power comes with many restrictions. Therefore, when I share it with you, I can only give you a degraded version. I will give you one chance. Our target is Baek Tae-yang.
""Understood!""
Was it finally time to reveal their power to the world and run wild?
Everyone's blood began to boil.
They had already been looking unfavorably at Baek Tae-yang, whose popularity was skyrocketing.
To think an opportunity to teach him a lesson would just roll into their laps like this.
And this act can be considered quite devilish... Therefore, from now on, I shall be The Devil Chaos King.
"Yes, we understand, Devil Chaos King!!!"
Make sure to include the 'The'!!!
"Yes, The Devil Chaos King!!!"
Everyone bit the inside of their cheeks until they bled to hold back their laughter.
But a ridiculous title like that? They were more than willing to play along.
As long as they could possess greater power and seize ultimate authority.
'This is nothing.'
One member stole a glance at The Devil Chaos King.
He was obscured by shadows, so he couldn't be seen clearly, but a slight double chin caught the member's eye.
'I kind of want to pull on it.'
It was the kind of chin fat that triggered a strange impulse.