Ding!
【The Flame Emperor 「Balrox」 has been eliminated.】
On the TV screen in Ha-min's studio, he could see the fallen Balrox. Its massive chest had been blown wide open. Its magic core has exploded! It was the same phenomenon as last time, with「Avalon」in Korea.
And Ha-min's eyes were glowing red.
Whoosh—
His eyes, brimming with red magic power.
He had just executed 「Absolute Command」.
As a result—
Ding!
Ding!
▶ Unique Trait
―Name: Absolute Command
―Level: Lv.2
―Command List: 2
―Uses Remaining: 0/2 (Unavailable)
Allows the user to issue an absolute command to a target.
Command List
1. Annihilate
2. Summon (Compendium)
He had used up all remaining uses of 「Absolute Command.」
And what's more astonishing—he had eliminated 「Balrox」 from hundreds of kilometers away.
Just then, the flustered voice of the TV announcer came through.
【J-just as I was saying, Balrox has fallen. Let me repeat—Balrox has fallen.】
Everyone was taken aback by the sudden turn of events.
Is this really over?
Everyone was dumbfounded.
【And currently, through multiple 「Breakers,」 the elimination of Balrox has been confirmed...】
Anyone could see it — this was a carbon copy of the last 「Avalon」 incident in Seoul... no, it was exactly the same situation all over again.
Which meant it was already irreversible for people to notice.
'There was no other choice.'
Just then —
Clap, clap, clap!
He heard applause from behind.
"Loy-al! Hamin-nim is truly amazing, I must say."
It was Bellamon. Bellamon, who had witnessed Ha-min's 「Absolute Command」 right beside him.
"Amazing? It's just a skill carrying me."
"That is not so. A power of this caliber is something only Hamin-nim can wield across the entire dimension."
Ha-min knew it too. He knew just how frightening this power was.
But now, people would know that the last 「Avalon」 incident had been no coincidence either — someone had intervened. Back then, they might have had their doubts, but this 「Balrox」 incident confirmed it for good.
Ha-min had factored that in before taking action. Of course, he wasn't unaware of the consequences. But still, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing. This was clearly a major crisis.
That final burst of flames from 「Balrox」 — even at a glance, it was clearly no ordinary threat.
If he had left it alone, not just the site, but all of Tokyo could have turned into a sea of fire. People would have died, and —
Truth be told, even before using 「Absolute Command」, Ha-min had his doubts.
Could it really reach all the way across the sea to Japan, through a TV screen?
But the result? Success. A resounding success.
Giiiiing — !
Red magic power swelled in Ha-min's eyes. At the very least, any being that entered his field of vision could not escape. If judged purely by strength, 「Balrox」 was a more powerful entity than 「Avalon.」
Though both were calamity-class magic beasts of the same rank, 「Balrox」 was considered to possess a higher grade than 「Avalon.」
【The scene is more chaotic than ever right now. The flames rising from Balrox's corpse are still burning fiercely, and firefighters are struggling to contain them.】
【The police, Self-Defense Forces, and Breakers deployed to the scene are focusing their efforts on rescuing civilians.】
'There shouldn't have been major casualties...'
In this Tokyo 「Magic Rift」 incident…
It had taken a long time for Ha-min to know what was happening. No, to be honest, he hadn't known about it at all. In fact, 「Magic Rifts」 were one of the common occurrences these days, and Ha-min didn't bother checking every single one of them.
In most cases, they would have been handled properly anyway. Last time in Seoul and this time in Tokyo were very exceptional cases.
Fortunately, the breaking news alert had let Ha-min find out about it — and even that was only because Bellamon happened to turn on the TV.
He had managed to stop it somehow, but the Tokyo city center on the screen was already close to being a sea of fire.
It was due to the aftermath of the battle with 「Balrox」 — but the problem was that even the creature's corpse was still giving off scorching flames!
Crackle!
Even at a glance, it was clearly an immense heat. Truly, a colossal magic beast worthy of being called the Flame Emperor.
On the TV screen, Japanese 「Breakers」 were desperately putting up barriers to prevent the fire from spreading, and healers were tending to the wounded.
If it hadn't been for Ha-min's intervention, many of those people might have already turned to ash and disappeared.
Gulp.
Ha-min swallowed dryly.
'What a vicious bastard...'
A magic beast that still burned even after death. It was yet another reminder of just how powerful the monsters from the 「Demon King's Tower」 truly were.
Anyway —
└ There's no doubt about it. It's a new Awakened!! I'm sure of it!
└ Right! 100%. That 「Avalon」in Seoul last time was that guy's work too!!! I'm sure of it!
└ Whoa, that's insane? What kind of ability did they even use?
└ A general-class in one hit? Are you kidding me?
└ Big scoop! A new hero has appeared!
└ They're somewhere at the scene! Find them, quick!!!
└ So that means they're Japanese?
└ Who knows! That's why we need to find them!
People had started to notice. He had expected this, but they were fast. However, something even more sensitive than Ha-min had anticipated came up.
And then —
└ But why bother helping Japan?
└ Japan's number one when it comes to poaching our 「Breakers」, you know.
└ Last time, that prospect went over on their own feet, didn't they?
└ But seriously, who is it? Are we sure they're the ones who helped us?
└ What if it's actually a Japanese 「Breaker」? And back during 「Avalon,」they were the one helping us?
└ Japan helping us? No way.
└ If they helped them, shouldn't the Korean government be getting paid for this?
└ lololol you never know with this world
└ Helping them for free. What a pushover!
└ Whoa, they just helped Japan for nothing!!!! Are you insane!!!
└ At the very least, they're pro-Japanese. That much is certain.
Posts condemning this had already been flooding the community. Since this was the age of the Infinite Tower competition, it was rare for anyone to help out another country's affairs.
Helping for free, at that...
Moreover, relations between Korea and Japan were already strained over various issues.
Not just the historical events from long ago — in the era of the 「Demon King's Tower」, the two countries had been locked in fierce competition as well.
In particular, Japan's immense financial power had lured many 「Breakers」 over to their side.
The most definitive case was the incident three years ago involving Korea's super-rookie 「Breaker,」Ahn Dae-yeop. That event sent bilateral relations plummeting to an all-time low.
Of course, Ha-min was well aware of all this. He was, after all, a Korean through and through. That incident had left a deep impression on him as well, and those feelings still lingered.
It was an event that had stirred anti-Japanese sentiment to its peak — not just for Ha-min, but for the entire nation.
But even so, this was about saving lives.
So what, was he supposed to just stand by and watch?
Save the people first — thats what Ha-min was thinking. If he didn't have the power, that would be one thing. But he did.
Through the screen, Ha-min saw Japanese civilians fleeing in terror. What fault did any of those individuals have? The anger from the Ahn Dae-yeop incident still remained, but that was no reason to turn a blind eye to the tragedy unfolding before him.
But that was Ha-min's view. Not everyone felt the same way. Even right beside him...
"Still, it's a bit disappointing, I must say."
In the wake of the Japan incident, interest in the newly appeared unidentified 「Breaker」and their abilities exploded worldwide.
People didn't even know their name yet. No, to be honest, they hadn't even confirmed their existence. But even so, they were certain that someone was out there. The media felt the same way...
People began referring to this potential figure simply as 「The One.」
【Is The One the hero from the last 「Avalon」 incident?】
【Their nationality — Korean? Japanese? Their identity remains a complete mystery! Nothing has been revealed yet.】
【The Korean government and national team members have stated they cannot confirm anything regarding the incident.】
【The Japanese government has issued a gag order on official comments regarding this incident.】
Before anyone knew it, the media and news outlets had started mentioning 「The One」 as a matter of course.
And then, another hypothesis emerged!
【The possibility that 「The One」 and 「K」 are the same person is open!】
「K」?
That name, suddenly surfacing. It referred to none other than 「K」 — the one who had been breaking tower records day after day.
└ lmao are they gonna say Balrox had a heart attack too now? You Japanese idiots?
└ I told you! This is that 「K」 guy's skill~
└ Whoa, who is it really? Seriously? Taking that thing out in one hit?
└ Could it be a manipulation type? Monster manipulation skill... you know, that one.
└ It's gotta be Korean, right? That's why they're 「K」?
└ lmao this is a Korean. 100%.
└ Ah, this is great. Finally our country!!!
└ Bartender, give me a tall glass of national pride! Let's go!!
└ Still hung up on the fact they helped Japan. Apologize!!!
└ Dokdo is our land!!
The community had already long since concluded that everything was 「K」's doing. On top of that, everyone was convinced that 「K」 was Korean.
A sudden world record and an unidentified ability user with a mysterious trait. Honestly, it was suspicious no matter how you looked at it.
Because of that, Koreans' national pride mode was blazing for the first time in a while!
Korean Awakened channels and communities were practically in a festival atmosphere.
Whenever someone posted things like:
└ But we still don't know who it is — isn't this a bit premature?
And in response...
└ Get lost, you pro-Japanese bastard!
└ That's a North Korean!
└ He's a spy. Let's report him!
└ Get that bastard!
└ What does some basement-dwelling loser know!
That single comment would get bombarded from all sides.
Whoa, that's brutal. What did they even do wrong...
In the end, people became fully convinced that all of this was 「K」 's work.
"Well... come to think of it, the nickname 「K」 isn't so bad."
Ha-min said, rationalizing it in his own way. That's not really the point right now, though...
"I've liked it from the very beginning, I must say."
Bellamon, who was eating ramen again, chimed in from the side.
Even as the whole world was turned upside down, Ha-min and Bellamon remained utterly unbothered.
...
Just then —
Ding!
【Magic stones and experience rewards cannot be obtained from 「Mana Rifts.」】
A notice about the rewards appeared. The content was identical to last time with 「Avalon.」
"Ugh! Damn it! This is really too much, I must say. Ha-min-nim even used a precious skill..."
Bellamon snapped.
But Magic Rifts weren't part of the tower system — rewards only came from clearing the tower itself. This was common knowledge, so Ha-min had more or less expected it.
"Don't get too worked up. At least people were saved because of it."
"We should be billing the Japanese government for this reward, I must say."
That would be a disaster. To do that, he'd have to reveal his identity — and he couldn't do that unless he was out of his mind. It was a shame, but it was better for Ha-min to just let this one slide.
Just then —
...
Ding!
【Settlement of rewards for conquering 「Balrox」 is in progress.】
As expected — even if there was no experience or magic stones, there were still separate rewards.
【Settlement complete.】
It was faster than last time.
"Ooh!! Hamin-nim, the rewards are here, I must say!"
"Haha, is that so?"
Still, since this was the second time, Ha-min remained calm.
And he had a rough idea of what to expect.
【Item rewards for conquering 「Balrox」 will be distributed.】
'Just as I thought!'
Finally, what he'd been waiting for had arrived!
...
【「Unique Trait Enhancement Rune」 x 1 has been deposited into your inventory.】