Returnee's S-Rank Management Guide

Chapter 254 : The Era of Awakeners (1)

The Era of Awakeners (1)

First of all, in Damian's case, I had left him with Ardan.

It seemed Ardan had a lot he wanted to say to Damian in his own right.

"Oh my, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Well, he's someone quite closely related to you, too."

Come to think of it, the events of Ji Yeon-hwa obtaining the ultimate magic stone, and Yuria's heart being acquired, leading to her awakening — both could be traced back to Damian as the root cause.

"In your case, he's almost like your nemesis, isn't he?"

"Well, that's true, I guess."

Hwang Yeon-ji nodded as she replied.

But it didn't seem she particularly wanted to speak to Damian.

"Sure, if he hadn't been around, I would've either died or become a monster — but those are things that never happened, after all."

As Ji Yeon-hwa said that, she glanced briefly at Shin Ah-yeon before checking her own condition.

Unlike her past self who resembled a young girl, she had now grown to look like someone in her late teens or early twenties, and there was a good deal of Ji Yeon-hwa's own features showing through.

Of course, her hair color and such were still completely different.

"Well, for Yeon-ji, your age has become more than ten years younger, after all."

"Age isn't what matters, you know?"

"But when you were awakening the demon blood, you were so nervous you'd go back to your original form."

"Hmph, that's only because there's nothing good about going back to being Ji Yeon-hwa."

At those words from Yeon-ji, Shin Ah-yeon let out a thoughtful "hmm," looking at Yeon-ji.

Apparently, she didn't think the statement was particularly wrong.

Still, from my perspective, Yeon-ji's words sounded oddly off.

'When it's just the two of them, she wants to be called Ji Yeon-hwa.'

She might try to deflect as if it's some kind of derogatory term, but I know that Yeon-ji cherishes the existence of Ji Yeon-hwa.

She once denied it, but after the battle with Sol Mayer, she had reclaimed the name.

"Anyway, Damian isn't what's important right now."

The two hottest issues at the moment were as follows.

One related to our demonic zone raid, and the other was that a way had been opened for ordinary people to become awakeners.

"Actually, it's the latter that's catching the hottest reaction among the public."

The demonic zone might be fascinating, but it probably wouldn't hit home for most people.

Of course, the appearance of demons and the castle that floated in the sky had drawn the world's attention together.

But even so, the castle in the sky and the "threat" of the demons were mostly distant matters for most people.

No one could imagine that it would lead to despair.

So, most people focused on the new opportunity and benefit that the "awakeners" represented for them personally.

"Already, there are reportedly over 100,000 applicants just from Korea."

It seemed Yeon-ji had already looked into this, as she let out a sigh.

A hundred thousand.

That number could never have come out if people thought it was mere human experimentation.

"Haa, while we were focused on the demonic zone raid, they really blew up the situation."

Sure enough, during the time we were conquering the demonic zone, Jin Su-hyuk had spectacularly set things in motion.

He massively promoted the plan to gather ordinary people and turn them into awakeners, and ultimately succeeded.

'That number is roughly 3,000.'

It was enough to make my head spin.

Naturally, they wouldn't be properly awakened.

These were awakeners created by an incomplete technique made using divine art.

If these people carelessly went around acting like awakeners, it would amount to tightening the noose around their own necks.

"Given that so many succeeded, it's understandable that 100,000 would apply."

Clearly, Shin Ah-yeon found this part troubling as well, judging by her grim expression.

As a mage, she would understand better than anyone how dangerous this situation was.

"... Can't the government just block this at the national level?"

Shin Ah-yeon spoke while watching the news on TV.

The broadcast showed footage about the whereabouts of the castle soaring into the sky.

Attempts had reportedly been made to approach the castle with various fighter jets and aircraft, but due to the turbulent air and huge magic power field that formed around the castle, it was said to be nearly impossible.

"If they try to block it, people will think the government is stopping ordinary folks from becoming awakened."

"What if they explain that it's not sound, and that there are side effects?"

"They'll call it propaganda. Jin Su-hyuk probably teamed up with successful ordinary cases to preemptively counteract such government actions."

With "successful" cases already present, it would be awkward to block them.

Rather, for the government, possessing independent technology to create awakeners was a significant advantage.

'Even with the demon threat well-known, it appears there are internal disagreements.'

There were plenty of Jin Su-hyuk's agents within the government.

And that wasn't limited to Korea.

It was likely the same all around the world.

'There's nothing we can do about this.'

Ah-yeon and Yeon-ji surely understood the reasons things had come to this as well.

Because the world's crisis wasn't visibly apparent yet.

That alone was the reason.

To the naked eye, the world still looked peaceful—who would think everything would be overturned so suddenly?

The demon's castle shooting up into the sky wasn't a "threat."

It was just something bizarre.

No matter how much we tried to talk about what could happen because of it, the facts wouldn't change.

"For now, that castle's direction is likely toward Korea."

"Well, of course. He has to move it to where Jin Su-hyuk is."

"At this rate, it'll take at least a week for it to reach Korea."

It took longer than I expected, but a week wasn't that long either.

Even without 'pilot' Damian, the castle would come to Korea, where Jin Su-hyuk was.

Then, that's when terraforming would probably begin.

"Maybe we should just go ahead and burst in first?"

"That would be simplest."

Attack Jin Su-hyuk before the world even knows.

It was the most straightforward strategy I could think of then.

"The problem is, he's sure to anticipate that."

Perhaps for that reason, Jin Su-hyuk's current whereabouts had become unclear again.

Ever since we returned from the demonic zone, there had been no external activity at all.

"If we try to find him by the source..."

"Miracles are the manifestation of phenomena, not convenient magic, you know?"

"Yes, that's true."

Perhaps Ah-yeon already knew but said it anyway, a sign of how frustrated things were.

'One week.'

The time it would take for the castle to reach Korea.

Jin Su-hyuk would probably show himself then.

And, that very day—

Would become the enormous inflection point that decided humanity's future.

***

"Well now, this is rather a surprise."

Jin Su-hyuk grinned as he looked at the demon standing before him.

"To think Park Jung-woo would take Damian away."

"... I didn't think he'd go that far."

"Those who have much to protect can't just die as they please. He simply made use of that psychology."

As he said, if Damian were the type who could self-destruct out of anger, Jung-woo wouldn't have dared that move.

If he had tried to drag Damian away, only for Damian to kill himself, his heart would have exploded and burned up the entire star.

But Jung-woo knew Damian wouldn't choose that.

So he beat him up and dragged him to Korea.

"Sebin."

Jin Su-hyuk spoke to the demon before him, Sebin.

With Damian now taken away, that demon had become the focal point for the demons.

"You brought the heart, right?"

"Of course."

While Park Jung-woo was fighting Damian, Sebin's role was to retrieve Cade's heart.

That was the only reason he was in the castle from the beginning.

He recovered Cade's remains as the ground collapsed and collected the heart from Cade's broken body.

A new demon's heart, merging Owen's talent and Cade's strength.

A "divine heart" made by sacrificing an awakener with unique talent, and the top-rank demon once called the Blade of Malice.

"I've already delivered it to the transplant recipient."

"Can it all be adjusted within a week?"

"At this point, yes. The influence of the castle is already spreading worldwide."

It wasn't a fully transformed demonic zone, but the demons' strength had clearly grown.

It was probably due to the influence of the "heart" radiating from the castle.

'Does it have a similar effect to the Demon King's heart?'

It was a fascinating subject.

The massive castle's power source, made by sacrificing countless lives, was a replica of the Demon King.

Its output might even surpass the Demon King's heart.

If it bursts, it could destroy the world.

"So that's why my heart is resonating too?"

"You, all the more so. After all, your heart was made with such resonance in mind."

Jin Su-hyuk placed his hand on his chest.

His heartbeat was not much different from an ordinary human's.

But what lay there was the divine heart.

If he could utilize the "demon god's heart" inside the castle, he might even become a god himself.

"Park Jung-woo..."

But there was a variable.

After the broadcast of the demonic zone raid succeeded, there was much more talk about demons.

Naturally, their "awakening procedure" derived from demon technology was also now in the spotlight.

"What a nuisance."

Because of that, Jin Su-hyuk had to go into hiding again.

That would likely remain the case until the castle arrived.

Now was not the time to face them.

Jin Su-hyuk found this both amusing... and truly humiliating.

This was the first time in his life that he had ever had to turn his back and hide from another.

It meant he had found no way to deal with his opponent.

"... The demonization is proceeding as planned, correct?"

At that, Sebin asked Jin Su-hyuk.

There was a hint of suspicion in his voice, but Jin Su-hyuk chuckled.

"You're doubting me only now?"

"We never trusted you from the start. We only believed in your cause and ideals."

"Then keep believing in that alone. My intentions haven't changed. If they had, I wouldn't have any reason to hide now."

Since that wasn't wrong, Sebin nodded and turned away.

He was probably going to see the one who had received Cade's heart.

'Yes, my goal hasn't changed.'

Jin Su-hyuk's goal was always to make this world one where only the awakened could survive.

However, that didn't necessarily mean his goal was to transform the world into a demonic zone.

It just happened to be the easiest way for now.

That was all.

***

"How is Hunter Baek Hojun's condition?"

I asked carefully, and the doctor smiled reassuringly.

"There is no danger to his life. It's just that he pushed his body and mind to the limit, so he can't regain consciousness yet."

That brought me some relief at last.

Baek Hojun had suffered the most in these events, without doubt.

Thanks to him single-handedly holding off Cade, everyone else had been able to survive.

If it weren't for him, others might have sustained much greater injuries as well.

'Even though I'd planned and recruited people with that in mind, Cade's strength was beyond my expectations.'

He could even keep up with Alencia's speed.

At that time, Cade would have been the demon closest to the Demon King.

"He should naturally regain his senses in about two weeks at most."

"... Two weeks, you say."

"Yes. So you really don't need to worry."

The doctor probably meant that as reassurance, but for me, it was hardly welcome news.

If Baek Hojun couldn't open his eyes for two weeks, it meant he wouldn't be able to participate in the decisive battle a week from now.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Now I'm doubtful if Cade's heart will go to Kang Min-gi.

I think it will go to the Swork King instead, since he's probably more compatible with the heart.

28 chapters left.

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