Fired Characters from an Idle Game

25. Tower Raid – (1)

The fact that Kang Sena was considerably shaken was evident from her very first greeting.

‘Oh my, if it isn’t Nam Jooyeon, the guardian deity of Seoul, the Dragon King and Maestro?’

Or something to that effect.

Kang Sena, who would normally have greeted me that way, merely bowed her head slightly when she saw me. Her complexion was a ghastly blue.

It seemed that Seo Yerin’s disappearance had been a considerable shock to her.

“Did she disappear from here?”

“Yerim’s walkie-talkie, along with the belongings of other missing Awakened, were found here. Something must have happened around this point, no doubt about it.”

Kang Sena gnawed at her lip, scanning the surroundings.

Apart from a few traces of battle, the area was unnervingly pristine.

“Doesn’t look like we’ll find anything that could be a clue. Especially not without CCTV footage right now.”

It was already a park with scarce foot traffic, and the disappearances happened during the eruption of the rifts, while civilians were holed up in bunkers.

In the current situation, it’s near impossible for Kang Sena to grasp any clues. Not that she could expect any meaningful investigation results from the Bureau investigators, either.

“What could Seo Yerim have been doing here?”

“Well… Sector 7, which Yerim leads, does have Seoul Forest as its jurisdiction, but there wasn’t necessarily a reason for the team leader to come personally.”

“…Hmm.”

“According to another team’s Awakened, the Seoul Forest Awakened weren’t responding, so she apparently came here herself… If that’s the case, something definitely happened here. Nam Juyeon, do you have any Calamities with investigation skills?”

“I do have Lucyben.”

I nodded, summoning the 3-Star Calamity, Faded Wraith Lucyben, to survey the area.

Soon, Lucyben discovered some sort of clue not a few meters away.

“…Lightning?”

Lightning-shaped marks spread across the nearby foliage.

The areas where the marks passed were strangely charred black.

“This… seems like the work of a Calamity.”

Kang Sena’s expression darkened.

Was she imagining the worst-case scenario for Seo Yerim? In reality, Kang Sena’s concerns weren’t too far off the mark. Though I didn’t tell her, the reality was that the 5-Star Calamity, Northern Sea Tempest Miriene, had taken Seo Yerim.

“…I’ll head back from here. I’ll inform the Bureau about the situation…”

Kang Sena babbled, glancing at me.

“Nam Juyeon.”

“Yes. I have to help. She’s an S-Class Awakened, like you said, right?”

I threw in a jest, hoping to lighten the mood, but Kang Sena only offered an awkward smile.

“…Thank you. It’s a relief that at least you’re here, Nam Juyeon.”

I wasn’t particularly expecting a thank you.

“Uhm.”

That wasn’t the reaction I’d anticipated.

*

After Kang Sena returned to the Bureau, I remained at the scene.

I moved to a nearby public restroom, making sure no eyes were watching, and then summoned Selene. The stench emanating from the men’s room caused Selene’s brow to furrow ever so slightly.

I disregarded it and asked,

“Selene, what exactly did Mirien do? You were right there.”

“…I am not a mage, so I cannot know precisely the magic Mirien wields. However, it was clear that the lightning she unleashed struck the woman.”

“She didn’t kill her, did she?”

“No. Had Mirien truly intended to kill, the woman would have disintegrated upon being struck. But that did not happen, and Mirien herself transported the woman.”

“…To induct her into the Ascendant Order, then?”

“Likely.”

In any case, things have become complicated.

Mirien seems to be acquiring Awakened Ones from all over, and her aim is to seize their Calamities to build her forces.

A Calamity already exceedingly dangerous in its own right is now amassing an army.

Whatever the case, this was a perilous situation.

“If Mirien manages to gather her full force, what do you think she’ll do?”

“She will conquer the world. And then she will offer that world to our Lord.”

“…”

Certainly.

A Calamity follows the will of its master.

The ultimate goal of all masters is to become the absolute ruler, governing the world. Mirien is merely faithfully following her own criteria for that purpose.

However, I have yet to determine a compass for this drastically changed world. And I’m not crazy enough to agree to let my subordinate destroy the world.

Not yet, anyway.

“Selene, can you track Mirien?”

“I apologize, Lord. I possess skills in stealth, but not in tracking.”

Hearing those words, I recalled my memories from the game.

Selene is a Calamity specialized in combat, even among 5-stars. Life skills, like synthesis, and skills such as tracking or investigation, are practically nonexistent for her.

“Then Selene, how did you find Mirien last time?”

“I received assistance from the Hellfire Hounds.”

Come to think of it, the Hellfire Hounds seemed to have skills related to tracking.

In truth, tracking-related skills were close to useless within Disaster Order and were thus ignored, but now that the game has become reality, they are useful in many ways.

The reason Selene asked me some time ago if she could accompany the Hellfire Hounds was all for tracking purposes, then.

“So, couldn’t we just have the Hellfire Hounds track Mirien?”

“Mirien isn’t an imbecile, either. The moment I grasped her aim, she would’ve erased her tracks with ruthless care. Not that I’m defending that magic wench, but if Mirien sets her mind to seclusion, no soul in this world could find her. Unless it was someone like Karne, specialized in pursuit and assassination, that is….”

“…Then what about heading straight to the tower?”

If Mirien’s whereabouts are shrouded in mystery, shouldn’t we just march directly to the heart of the matter?

“It is fraught with peril, Lord.”

“Perilous or not, according to your words, Mirien wouldn’t directly harm me, would she?”

“That is true, however….”

“And Celene, you wouldn’t dare fabricate a lie to me, would you? Or have you been untruthful this whole time?”

“Absolutely, utterly not, my Lord.”

It seemed I was getting a grasp on how to manage Celene.

I shrugged and turned my head, gazing towards Mirien’s tower.

Though Yeouido was a fair distance from Seoul Forest, the 21st-century Tower of Babel, soaring as if to touch the heavens, was clearly visible.

“And there’s nothing to fret about. I intend to have you accompany me, Celene. If necessary, you can safeguard me, no?”

“…Yes, My Lord. I shall give my life to protect you.”

“However… the problem here is the eyes of the people.”

The vicinity of Mirien’s tower was already under the control of the police and military.

A forbidden zone where one couldn’t recklessly enter, and shouldn’t.

But what do you know, I possessed the power to cut through their ranks.

The label of an S-Class Awakened, more potent than a member of parliament or even the president when it came to emergencies.

I lifted my phone and pressed a name in the directory.

The ringtone didn’t last more than three times.

[…Nam Juyeon?]

Yoo Junseo, Director of the Awakened Management Bureau, answered the phone with a mixture of disbelief and anticipation.

This was the first time I had directly called the Director. As such, a certain tension could be sensed in Yoo Junseo’s voice from beyond the receiver.

What words would this unpredictable S-Class Awakened utter?

Yoo Junseo seemed to be apprehensive.

And that apprehension was on track to be, for the most part, spot on.

“Yes. This is Nam Juyeon. I have an urgent request to make.”

[…Ah, yes. An S-Class esteemed one’s request is to be granted, of course. However, perhaps in the future you could adhere to procedures and protocols a bit more…]

“I will be breaching the tower in Yeouido as of now. Clear out the police forces.”

There was a sound like someone choking on the other end of the line.

*

Of all the Awakened in the Republic of Korea, over fifty percent were clustered in Seoul. Combined with the surrounding metropolitan area, that number swelled to nearly seventy percent, an exorbitant concentration within a single region.

The Awakened in the provinces, in contrast, were woefully few. Each emergence event brought with it staggering loss of life, but the media diligently suppressed such truths.

“Those sons of b*tches, now they’re on about the Miracle on the Han River, patting themselves on the back and carrying on like there’s no tomorrow.”

The Awakened of Daejeon felt the same way.

Exhausted, they yearned to escape to Seoul, and dozens had already left to do so. Barely two hundred Awakened remained to defend the vast swathe of land that was their metropolitan city. And even then, you’d be hard-pressed to find thirty percent of them who were truly capable.

Meanwhile, the authorities were solely focused on finding ways to shackle them.

The seeds of dissent were already sown; it was inevitable that the Awakened would take action.

They desired a new nation, one for the Awakened. Weary of the endless fight, they established a new community, occupying an abandoned city on the outskirts of Daejeon.

“They’re talking about a Seoul Republic, right? Well, we’ll be the Daejeon Republic, then.”

What had started as a joke was swiftly becoming reality.

Like warlords in history, the Awakened had become the de facto rulers of Daejeon.

Amassed together, they possessed a fighting force capable of defending at least one entire district.

Awakened Jeon Tae-min was one such member.

He was not affiliated with the Management Bureau, nor was he the government’s lapdog, yet he was a powerful Awakened nonetheless, wielding two 3-Star Calamities.

Daejeon, having weathered the third emergence event with particular ease thanks to his efforts, proposed Jeon Tae-min as the leader of their new republic, a title he wasn’t inclined to refuse.

“Honestly, isn’t Jeon Tae-min more impressive than Seoul’s Dragon King? That guy gets all the support in the world while we built ourselves up from nothing.”

“That’s right.”

“Those Seoul b*stards already have two 4-Star Calamities appearing, they’ll crumble soon enough. And when the Management Bureau comes begging for our help, we won’t give them the time of day.”

“True enough.”

“How about we invade Seoul with our guys during the fourth or fifth emergence? By then, our people will be packing plenty of 3-Star Calamities, we might even be able to take on the army!”

“Speak sense. It’s not time yet.”

Awakened Jeon Tae-min chuckled at his subordinate’s sycophantic flattery.

He glanced at the news article on his phone, featuring a video of S-Rank Awakened Nam Ju-yeon summoning a Storm Dragon. It was certainly an impressive sight, but it left Jeon Tae-min unmoved.

“Hey, is a 4-Star Calamity really that scary? If we organize our people and fight together, it might not be impossible, right?”

Jeon Tae-min tossed the question out casually.

But as he refreshed the page, a new news article appeared.

[S-Rank Awakened Nam Ju-yeon Announces Tower Raid on Yeouido]

“Huh?”

Jeon Tae-min clicked his tongue inwardly.

The Tower of Yeouido. He, too, had seen the video of soldiers brutally slaughtered as they attempted to approach it.

To declare an assault knowing that… he had to be kidding.

“Hey, this S-Class b*stard, he’s trying to kill himself, or what? You see this?”

Jeon Tae-min turned to his subordinate, soliciting agreement.

But no reply came.

Jeon Tae-min felt a prickle of unease. Hadn’t this guy been fawning all over him just a moment ago?

Why the silence? It was only then that he sensed something amiss and turned around.

His subordinate’s neck was twisted.

A tongue lolled, limp, from the gaping maw.

“…”

Was it true, that shock could steal a person’s voice?

Someone approached the stunned Jeon Tae-min from behind.

“Ugh!”

Jeon Tae-min didn’t even offer resistance before collapsing.

No, his wrist was seized, preventing a full fall, and he hung suspended from the desk.

Then, he felt an icy touch on his wrist. Slender, snow-white fingers were taking the cell phone he’d been holding.

“…Y-you!”

But Jeon Tae-min’s eyes widened.

More shocking than his own horrified face was the expression of utter bewilderment etched on the intruder’s face.

Her gaze was fixed on the phone screen Jeon Tae-min had been viewing moments before.

[S-Class Awakened, Nam Ju-yeon, Declares Yeouido Tower Assault]

The woman, Mirien, the Storm of the North Sea, lingered on the article.

Then, her rose-pink lips parted, and a tremulous voice escaped.

“The… Actor is… coming for me…?”

The owner of that beautiful voice was, clearly, more shaken than Jeon Tae-min, who faced imminent death.