After leaving Hye-Rin, still confused by my response, I quickly made my way to my apartment. The night grew darker, and the city lights of Seoul began to illuminate the sky. My steps felt light, though inside my head, my thoughts were wrestling.
Rank evaluation at the association tomorrow, huh? Is it even necessary? I scoffed as I loosened the mask covering part of my face. If I go, I'll attract attention. If I don't, it'll raise suspicion. What should I do? Author, I don't feel like thinking right now... Oh, I mean, 'I'.
Once I reached my apartment, I threw myself onto the half-broken couch. My place was small, simple, far from luxurious. But it was enough to hide someone like me who, well, is just too cool and powerful to be ignored. I glanced at the small mirror on the opposite wall. My hair was a mess, much like my life right now.
"Heh, it seems peace is no longer my lifestyle," I smiled sarcastically. The amazing Taemin is going to face more trouble again. But, oh well...
I sighed deeply, trying to imagine tomorrow's evaluation. Thoughts of punching machines, strength tests, magic tests... Ugh, this is going to be a hassle. If I'm too strong, they'll get suspicious. If I'm too weak, well, that's just embarrassing for someone as super OP as me.
After mulling over this dilemma for a while, I decided, "Alright, I'll go tomorrow. But I'll hold back my strength. What's the point of showing off like a self-proclaimed hero?" With that decision, I chose to sleep early, saving my energy for tomorrow's 'show'.
A bright morning (or at least I hoped it was) greeted me as I stepped into the Awakener Association building. The place was grand, but it felt like I was entering an idol concert venue. The waiting room was filled with other awakeners, all clearly eager to show off their strength. If they knew I was here, some might sulk, or worse, ask for an autograph.
I approached the receptionist with a relaxed expression, handing over my ID card. "I'm here for the rank evaluation," I said, keeping a calm demeanor, though honestly, I was feeling a bit lazy.
The receptionist typed something into her computer and then, without much fanfare, handed me a badge. "Number 57. Room next door," she said flatly. Wow, what a lackluster welcome. Where's the hospitality?
I entered the evaluation room, where various high-tech gadgets were waiting. The equipment looked like a cross between a gym and an alien laboratory. On one side, there was a digital punching bag, while on the other, a futuristic treadmill connected to a giant monitor.
Honestly, this all looked like a scene from the anime 'One Punch Human'. The only difference is that there's no Saitama here to break the machines. Except, well… me.
"Participant number 57, Taemin," called an instructor who looked dead serious. Like a robot programmed without the ability to smile.
I stepped forward casually, waving at a few people staring at me. "Yo! Can't wait to see me wreck these machines?" I grinned playfully, making a few other awakeners frown.
The instructor didn't seem amused. "We'll start with the physical strength test," he said, pointing to the punching machine. The device looked tough, probably used to being hit by talented awakeners.
Alright, Taemin. Remember, don't go all out. Just give it a 'nice' punch. I got into position, took a deep breath, and hit the machine with half my strength.
BOOM!
The sound of the impact echoed through the room, while the numbers on the screen flashed: 85,000. Pretty high, but still within the 'human' range for an awakener. I clapped my hands, pretending to be impressed with myself. "Wow, that was just a warm-up."
The instructor stared at the numbers on the screen without reacting. "Strong, but you could do better."
Yeah, if I wanted to break this machine, I thought, smirking to myself.
"Next, the speed test," he said, pointing to the advanced treadmill next to me. Seriously, all this equipment looked like it was from the future.
I hopped onto the treadmill, starting with a casual jog. The speed numbers on the monitor began to rise slowly, reaching 400 km/h. Hold back, Taemin, don't go beyond human limits. Hold back, like you hold back from buying fried food while dieting.
After a few minutes, I slowed down, and the instructor looked at the monitor again. "Impressive speed. Still within the acceptable range."
I almost laughed. Acceptable? If I were serious, this machine would probably turn into a giant fan.
"We'll move on to the magic test," he said, once again without any enthusiasm, as if I were a grade-schooler taking a pop quiz.
This part made me a little nervous. My magic, especially after awakening, was far stronger than what people knew. I stood in front of the target, raised my hand, and chose the most basic wind spell.
"C'mon, just a gentle breeze, Taemin," I muttered to myself. Calmly, I cast a small spell, and a light breeze flowed from my hand, gently hitting the target. The screen next to the target showed the result: C-rank magic.
"Good," the instructor commented. C-rank? Good? That's like calling ramen without toppings the best ramen ever. But fine, let them stay calm.
"Lastly, the endurance test," the instructor pointed to a large impact machine that looked like a mechanical version of Thor's hammer.
I sighed deeply, preparing myself to get hit by the big hammer. Alright, this might look cool, but I've got to pretend it hurts to avoid drawing too much attention.
WHAM!
The hammer slammed into my body hard, but I held back from reacting too much. The result on the screen showed a B+ endurance level, enough to impress regular folks, but far from my real ability.
The instructor nodded once again. "Your results are decent. We'll send you the final evaluation and your rank within a few days. Thank you for your participation."
I grinned, waving my hand like a hero who just won a battle. "Alright, call me again if you need a demo of my secret techniques." I left the evaluation room with a satisfied smile. Well, not bad. I managed to hold back.
After yesterday's brain-draining evaluation, I returned to my regular office job routine. Who said being an awakener is glamorous and action-packed? In reality, it's far from that. Most days are filled with... well, an ordinary life.
I sat at my simple desk, surrounded by colleagues who seemed busy with their own tasks. A pile of documents waiting to be reviewed and emails to respond to greeted me with a sarcastic smirk. Honestly, this job felt more complicated than facing a Dungeon Break monster.
"Taemin, is the presentation file for this afternoon's meeting ready?" My boss, Mr. Kim, snapped me out of my daydream.
I turned lazily and gave him a half-hearted smile. "Almost ready, sir. Just finishing up the final touches. Want me to add some laser effects and a dramatic soundtrack to make it more epic?" Humor was essential to survive this monotonous work environment.
Mr. Kim glanced at me with a blank expression. "Just the slides and key points, no need for anything fancy."
Ugh, this guy has no sense of humor. I turned back to my computer screen, typing a few more points for the presentation. Yet, in the back of my mind, I couldn't stop thinking about my rank evaluation results, which still hadn't come out.
"Taemin, you just came back from the association, right?" Jungmin, one of my coworkers and a close friend, made me turn around.
"Yeah," I answered without much enthusiasm. "Rank evaluation, but still waiting for the results. You know how slow the bureaucracy is at the association, right? They're like snails running a marathon."
Jungmin chuckled, "Haha, don't worry, maybe it'll be out soon. You're already rank B, right? If you move up to A, you're treating us all to dinner."
I shrugged, "We'll see. But if I suddenly become S-rank, maybe I'll quit this job and become a full-time hero."
"If you're S-rank, you'll be rich in no time. Just fight monsters, then get a fat paycheck every month," Jungmin added, patting my shoulder.
I laughed inwardly. If they knew my true strength, they might've already put a statue of me in front of the association's building. But honestly, I prefer staying low-profile. Like a hero who pops up out of nowhere and disappears just as fast. Dramatic, right?
Three days had passed since the rank evaluation, and I was still stuck in the monotonous grind of office life. Every time a new email came in, I hoped it was the rank report, but it always turned out to be more work or yet another meeting invitation that made my head spin. Come on, association, have you forgotten about me already? I was totally awesome yesterday!
As I sipped on my now nearly cold coffee, I checked my phone. Still no notification from the association. Great, still nothing. I had mentally prepared myself for a B or C rank, anyway. Whatever, as long as I stayed under the radar.
The days dragged on at an agonizingly slow pace, just like the endless hours of work. I glanced at the clock on my computer screen. It was still only 10 AM. How did it feel like it should already be the afternoon? I let out a long sigh.
"Taemin, you look exhausted. Tired?" Jungmin noticed my change in expression.
I swiveled my chair toward him, "Not really. Just bored. You know, being in the office for too long drains your energy."
Jungmin nodded. "Yeah, I get that. Maybe you need a break. I heard there's a new Dungeon Break around Incheon. How about we check it out?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Since when are you interested in Dungeon Breaks?"
Jungmin laughed. "Not me, but you're an awakener. Who knows, there might be a good opportunity there. I just want to see you in action."
I gave him a small smile, "Now that sounds fun. But if I step in, I might look too cool, and then everyone will start becoming my fan."
Jungmin shook his head, "You're too much, man."
In the middle of our conversation, my phone suddenly buzzed. A notification from the association. "Oh, finally," I muttered quietly.
I opened the message carefully. On the screen, there was a notification saying the rank evaluation results were out. With a slightly held breath, I clicked the link provided. Okay, here we go. Whatever the result, I have to stay cool...
Rank: B
I stared at the screen. B? Oh, come on! Seriously, B? I felt a little relieved that I had managed to hold back my true power, but still a bit annoyed. I was kind of hoping for a small mistake that would bump me up to A-rank, or maybe even S-rank. But whatever, this is good. At least I wouldn't attract too much attention.
I closed my phone and turned to Jungmin, who was looking curious. "Rank B," I said casually, as if it wasn't a big deal.
"Wow, congrats! That's no small feat. The association is definitely going to be watching you more closely now," Jungmin said, smiling proudly.
I nodded but laughed inside. Watched? Hopefully not. I'd rather keep working here, watching anime and eating candy at my desk. Being too famous would just be a hassle.
Days at the office passed by as usual, filled with monotonous tasks, light conversations with Jungmin, and occasional talks about Dungeon Breaks happening outside. But none of that was as interesting as daydreaming while staring at the sky through the window.
"Taemin, the presentation for this afternoon's meeting is ready, right?" Mr. Kim approached me with a serious expression.
I turned around casually. "Yes, sir. The slides are polished like diamonds. Just need to add a spotlight to make them really shine." I chuckled, while Mr. Kim, once again, gave me a flat look.
"Don't get too creative," he said before walking away.
Ah, office life. No matter how strong you are out in the world, here, the boss is still the boss. I turned back to my computer screen, continuing my work with a bit of boredom. At least I have something exciting to hold onto now. Rank B, huh? Well, it's a start.
Night had fallen, and the Golden Lion Guild headquarters looked calm from the outside. However, inside the conference room, the tension was thick. Guild master Kang Hyun-jae stared at a large board at the front of the room, where a map of South Korea was spread out, marked with red dots indicating suspicious activities across the country.
"This is more than just a coincidence," Hyun-jae muttered in a heavy voice. "The increased cult activity, the disappearance of awakeners around these locations. And the strangest thing—there's no trace left after they vanish."
In the corner of the room, Jung Min-seok, Hyun-jae's right-hand man, folded his arms and stared at the monitor. "Do you think this is the work of one of the dark guilds?"
Hyun-jae shook his head slowly. "No, this is more than just bandits or rogue guilds. It's more organized… and more dangerous."
Choi Soo-jin, head of the intelligence division, stepped forward. "We found the same symbol at several locations. A black crescent shape. Based on the information we've gathered, this symbol points to something called the Black Crescent Cult. They're a secret group that worship demons and are involved in sacrificial rituals."
Soo-jin pressed a button on the remote, and the screen in front of them displayed images of the black crescent symbol carved into the walls of several mysterious sites they had investigated. "We don't know how large their network is, but it's clear that this is no ordinary group."
Min-seok frowned. "So this isn't just a small cult. They might be connected to the demon world?"
Soo-jin nodded. "From the testimonies we've gathered, those involved with this cult possess strange powers, like demonic abilities. The rituals they perform also involve using the blood of missing awakeners."
The atmosphere in the room grew even tenser. Kang Hyun-jae looked around at everyone present. "We can't let them grow any further. The Black Crescent Cult must be stopped before they trigger something catastrophic."
Soo-jin stood straighter, arranging the reports in her hands. "We've identified several hotspots where their activity is most concentrated. One of them is in the northern part of Seoul, near the old ruins in Mount Bukhan. We're considering sending an investigative team there."
Hyun-jae nodded. "Make a plan of action. Send our best team. If we find concrete evidence of their connection to demons, we'll need to act quickly."
"Understood, Master," Soo-jin replied.
The room fell into silence as everyone stared at the map and the ominous symbol. Outside, the night wind blew gently, as if carrying a message from the shadows that were beginning to move. But for Golden Lion, they knew this wasn't just an ordinary investigation this was the beginning of something bigger, and possibly far more dangerous than they anticipated.
Before the meeting adjourned, Min-seok turned to Soo-jin. "If this cult is really that dangerous, we can't underestimate their power. Be careful when sending the team."
Soo-jin gave a thin smile. "I'll make sure the team is the most prepared."
Outside the guild headquarters, the moon hung low in the sky, its light obscured by dark clouds. Long shadows enveloped the empty streets, as if signaling that something or someone was watching from the darkness.
Elsewhere, Taemin was walking towards his apartment, reflecting on the rank evaluation he had just completed. However, an odd feeling began to creep over him, as if he was being followed by an unseen shadow. Yet, his thoughts were soon distracted by something else a fateful encounter that was about to happen.