11:48 PM, Awakened Management Bureau Field Response Team 1 Office. The spacious office was brightly lit despite the late hour.
"Team Leader, would you like a snack?"
"Ah, yes. Just bring me an energy bar, please."
Diligent public servant Jung Bin had volunteered for duty tonight. It wasn't that there was overtime work or urgent tasks, but it was a customary practice at this time of the year.
—We're almost there. In just 12 minutes, we'll be able to see the new rankings! I'm really curious about how the system has calculated the rankings.
Today was the day all hunters eagerly awaited— the ranking update day. With one hand in his pocket and a paper cup in the other, Jung Bin bit down a couple of times on the edge of the cup.
Once a year, the system assigns rankings to all the awakened based on their abilities and achievements. New hunters and veteran hunters alike awaited the ranking update day. The new ranking served as proof of their abilities and influenced their chances of joining new guilds or getting new advertisements.
However, there were often cases where hunters who didn't get their desired rankings caused disturbances, so the Awakened Management Bureau was on high alert during this period. The two anchors on the screen pointed at the data.
—While the exact calculation method of the system's ranking is not disclosed, it is understood that it considers not only the hunter's grade but also their activities throughout the year.
—That's why an A-grade awakened can be ranked higher than an S-grade. There have been many hunters who emerged like comets and showed remarkable activities over the past year. This year's rankings could see significant changes.
—Nevertheless, experts predict that there will be no major changes within the top 20. Let's look at the expected rankings.
1. Lee Sa-young (S)
2. Matthew – Mok Tae-oh (S)
3. Jung Bin (S)
4. Gyu-gyu – Ban Gyu-min (S)
5. Honeybee – Yoo Chae-hyun (A)
6. Doctor – Nam Woo-jin (A)
7. I Am An Artisan – Hong Ye-seong (S)
8. Ham Seok-jeong (A)
9. Song Jo-heon (S)
10. Shield Guy – Bae Won-woo (A)
.
.
.
—Oh, the expected rankings are… the same as the current rankings. They predict no changes at all?
—Yes, that's right. It has been like this for the past two years as well.
'Familiar faces.'
"Team Leader, here you go."
"Ah, thank you."
Jung Bin and the team members started eating their energy bars while standing in front of the monitor. After checking the expected rankings, the team member asked,
"Do you think the rankings will stay the same, Team Leader?"
"Hmm… Yes."
For the past two years, the top 10 rankings hadn't changed. The higher-ranked hunters were more active, meaning their innate abilities had a greater impact, so as the panelists said, there would likely be no change in rankings this year.
The real shift happens in the mid-tier rankings. Everyone thought so, and Jung Bin agreed.
"Unless Honeybee obtains an S-grade weapon, it seems the rankings will stay the same this year."
Just as he finished folding the empty packaging into a note, there was a pop, like a firecracker going off in the air. Startled, Jung Bin looked up at the suddenly appearing white screen.
[RANKING CHANGE!]
[Would you like to check it right now?]
It was a sound he hadn't heard in nearly two years. The alert sound only played when there was a change in the rankings. Upon checking the new rankings, a slight crack appeared on Jung Bin's face.
Rank 4. He had been 2nd even when J was around. After J's death, he briefly rose to 1st, but with Lee Sa-young's arrival, he was pushed back to 2nd. The "eternal second place" title bothered him, but with the emergence of another S-grade, Matthew, he was pushed down another spot.
And now, he was pushed down to 4th. There were only two possibilities for this change:
A new 1st or 2nd place emerged, or the existing 1st and 2nd places died. Either scenario would have significant repercussions. And soon, Jung Bin faced an entirely unexpected third situation.
[Region: South Korea]
1. J
2. Lee Sa-young ▼1
3. Matthew ▼1
4. Jung Bin ▼1
5. Gyu-gyu ▼1
6. Honeybee ▼1
7. Doctor ▼1
8. I Am An Artisan ▼1
9. Ham Seok-jeong ▼1
10. Song Jo-heon ▼1
11. Shield Guy ▼1
Everyone dropped one rank in the expected ranking, with the new 1st place being…
A name everyone knew, J.
It had been eight years since that day, but his name could still be heard everywhere— in documentaries about the West Sea rift, in history books about the Day of the Rift, and even in childish internet arguments about who the world's strongest was.
He was believed to have died in the West Sea rift eight years ago. No one saw his body, but the rift closed, and his name disappeared from the hunter rankings. Since a closed rift never reopened, everyone assumed he was dead.
But now, J suddenly reappeared in the rankings.
What this meant was…
—Oh? Wait, what is this!
—Hold on. The 1st place…
—Has the 1st place changed?
—J?
J was alive.
And he was likely still in the West Sea rift.
'In the worst-case scenario… the West Sea rift might have reappeared.'
The smile vanished from Jung Bin's face. The team member, having checked the rankings, stuttered.
"T-T-Team Leader."
Jung Bin grabbed the suit jacket hanging on the chair and strode toward the door. The team member hastily followed.
"No, Team Leader! This… Did I see it right?"
"How many people can move right now?"
"Uh, excluding those on standby at the scene… about ten in total."
"Leave the minimum personnel and have everyone head to Incheon. Also, mobilize all standby personnel."
"Incheon?"
"Yes. To the West Sea rift."
"Understood!"
"The Director will issue guidelines for media response. Those remaining should respond accordingly…"
Before he could finish his instructions, his pager buzzed. He glanced to confirm understanding with a gesture and pressed the receive button.
[Director Ham Seok-jeong]
The calm voice of a middle-aged woman flowed through the speaker.
—Team Leader Jung.
"Yes, Director."
—Thank you for working late. Did you see the rankings?
"I did. We're about to depart for Incheon."
—Alright. I trust you know what to do.
"Yes. We will verify if the West Sea rift has reappeared, and if J and other hunters are still alive, we will conduct a search in the vicinity."
—If J is not in the West Sea. And if the rift hasn't reopened…
A brief silence followed. Ham Seok-jeong, the Director of the Awakened Management Bureau, spoke firmly.
—Find him at all costs.
"Understood."
—By any means necessary.
***
Incheon, in front of the memorial.
Jung Bin hurriedly fixed his tousled hair after jumping out of the helicopter. His target was the memorial.
There was already someone there, standing tall with a head much higher than others. Recognizing him from a distance wasn't difficult. Jung Bin paused for a moment to catch his breath and approached the dark figure.
"Lee Sa-young."
"…"
Lee Sa-young, hands in his pockets, stared intently at the top of the memorial. At a glance, he seemed calm, but Jung Bin sensed something.
'He's really lost it.'
The sinister aura, whether not yet subdued or intentionally left unchecked, was palpable. It was so overwhelming that a weak person might faint. Jung Bin signaled to his team members to prevent anyone from approaching.
The team spread out seamlessly. No journalists or regular hunters should approach someone in this state. The oppressive pressure, sharp enough to tear a person apart, weighed down the air. Jung Bin stood three steps back, watching Lee Sa-young. Eventually, Lee Sa-young spoke.
"Rift?"
He probably meant if they had come to check the rift. Jung Bin replied cautiously, not letting his guard down.
"Yes, that's correct."
"It's not open."
"…"
Lee Sa-young pointed to the calm sea with a defiant chin gesture. Under the moonlight, the waves gently broke. His gaze remained fixed on the topmost letter on the memorial.
Originally, the West Sea rift was managed jointly by the Rift Management Bureau and the Awakened Management Bureau. It was too large and left too many scars to be handed over to a single guild. Besides, no guild would bid for it. After the disaster in the West Sea, who would want to keep a ticking time bomb?
But one day, Lee Sa-young suddenly demanded ownership of the West Sea rift in exchange for sharing the research results from the Pado Guild's research lab. The government, already seeing it as a headache, handed over the bomb without hesitation.
Since then, Jung Bin had harbored a small question.
'Why did Lee Sa-young take ownership of the West Sea rift?'
And now. Why was Lee Sa-young here? Was it to check for anomalies in the guild's rift? Or was it because of the anger of losing the top spot to J?
"Once you confirm, go back and manage your hunters."
"…"
It was a clear dismissal. The gas mask's gaze shifted slightly from the memorial to the empty air. He must be seeing the same thing as Jung Bin.
+82 [CH.1]"J has entered the chat"
J had appeared on the channel.
Could he be nearby? Having confirmed the safety of the rift, it was time to carry out the second mission. Just as he moved his finger slightly to give the command,
"Stop before I break your fingers."
A languid voice murmured.
"Tell Ham Seok-jeong."
"…"
"The ownership of the West Sea rift belongs to the Pado Guild."
"…"
Lee Sa-young slowly turned to face Jung Bin. Ah, Jung Bin suddenly realized.
"Everything that comes out of the rift…"
Lee Sa-young said,
"Is mine."
For this day…