-Keeeeeek!
The fire began to spread quickly through the branches surrounding the dagger.
The small spark had soon grown into a huge raging flame, burning down the entire area.
The bugs were rolling on the floor in a desperate attempt to put out the fire.
But even after the trees that were supposed to be firewood disappeared, the fire did not go out.
-Kii… … .
The dagger fell down with a final thud.
Only then did the flames begin to slowly die down.
Several notification windows quickly popped up.
[‘Chungilpum Dagger Sleep’ has been defeated!]
[Calculating public value.]
[Defeat a target stronger than you to receive additional rewards!]
I checked the public service that came to me.
For a full-size product, quite a lot has come in.
While collecting the spirit from the body, Shin Soo Ah approached and spoke urgently.
“Mr. Kangrim, hurry. The monster might come again.”
I nodded, thinking that no demon greater than Daggerjam would appear.
As we went down with Shin Soo-ah, there were only bloodstains everywhere, and no one was in sight.
I looked closely to see if I could find any corpses, but it seemed like the bees had eaten them all.
Shin Soo-ah let out a sigh of relief as she finally reached the first floor.
“Whew, it’s outside now… … .”
The moment Shin Soo Ah pushed the door open with all her might and went outside.
She stood there and looked at the scenery before her.
“… … Where is this place?”
Clearly, this was a building erected in the middle of the city.
Then, when I came out, it would have been normal to see the road.
But what we now see before us is a space like the lobby of a luxury hotel.
Unlike the scene of the disaster that unfolded inside the building, it was a clean and well-organized space.
When I looked back, the building we had escaped from was nowhere to be seen.
Even if you come down to the first floor, it is connected to here.
Last time, I was fighting a worm inside a building, and I was rescued and forcibly transported here.
Looking around, I saw that there were hardly any people in the lobby.
It seemed that only a few people were able to escape on their own.
“Huh? You guys… … ?”
And among those few people, Dokgo Jun was included.
Dokgo Jun seemed quite surprised to see us.
He began to talk to himself with a confused expression.
“Why? Wasn’t it a story about becoming stronger through the sacrifice of a comrade? Why did you survive? It’s also strange that the heroine, Shin Soo-ah, left me… … .”
It seemed like Dokgo Jun still couldn’t distinguish between the second dimension and reality.
Shin Soo-ah looked at Dokgo Jun as if she was dumbfounded and said.
“If we were to be precise, you would be playing a supporting role as a villain who betrays his friend and survives alone.”
“what?”
Villain supporting role. It’s a word that fits well.
Dokgo Jun looked quite embarrassed after hearing that.
It was as if he had heard the secret of his birth.
His monologue began to get faster.
“No, that can’t be true. But what Shin Soo Ah said is true… … . There’s no way I’m a supporting villain… … .”
The condition has gotten worse than before.
I thought it would be better to keep some distance.
While I was motioning for Shin Soo Ah to leave, people started appearing from all over the place.
It was as if I had teleported.
“Hey, where am I?”
“There were monsters just a moment ago… … .”
Most of them were embarrassed or had injuries here and there.
He seemed even more surprised as his wounds began to heal little by little.
At that moment, someone’s voice was heard clearly in the midst of the commotion.
“It seems like everyone in this area is here.”
A small but clear voice.
At that voice, everyone stared at the center of the hall.
There was a man standing there.
He was wearing a black suit with black gloves, and the middle part of his face was completely black.
The man was wearing a reddish oriental mask.
She was a bit small in stature and build, and her voice sounded like that of a young woman.
Someone shouted at him.
“Hey, what are you? Where the hell am I?”
The woman bowed her head slightly and continued speaking.
A calm and composed voice was heard.
——————
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“I’m late in introducing myself. My name is Annabi, a deputy from the Central Branch of the Fate Protection Agency. I’m in charge of you all.”
Although he introduced himself politely, it didn’t seem to be enough to calm the people’s agitation.
People began to gossip among themselves.
“What is the Fate Protectorate?”
“Where is this place?”
As people’s questions poured in, Annabi clapped her hands loudly to cut off her words.
“It would be faster to first look at the outside situation.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a large screen appeared in the center of the hall.
It was in the middle of the city we knew so well.
The only difference is that the devil is swarming around.
There were the bug-like things we had dealt with earlier, and there were also beasts that looked like wolves.
“When the earthquake happened, you all probably heard that they were calculating your abilities based on your four pillars of destiny. You have been given a chance to awaken.”
And among the people running around in confusion, people in black suits were killing monsters.
They were all wearing masks similar to Annabi.
It was a sign of belonging to the Fate Protection Agency.
“And those who awakened their powers before you created an organization called the Fate Protection Agency. To protect the citizens from the tragedy that would come one day.”
People were blankly watching the messengers deal with the demons.
As if it were a scene from a movie, lightning struck and the demons fell with each flash of the sword.
“The director had a premonition that the world would fall into chaos with the appearance of the Demonic Realm. And at the same time, he said that everyone would have a chance to awaken.”
Annabi spoke in a firm voice.
At first glance, it felt like there was a strong belief.
“Therefore, we would like to recruit, educate, and manage talented individuals among the taste buds.”
Just hearing it, it sounded like an introduction to a pseudo-religion.
If I hadn’t seen the sights outside, I would have believed that.
Then a woman hesitated and said.
“Well, if it’s management… … ?”
“The opportunity for awakening has come to all humans, but most humans do not know what their abilities are. It cannot be helped. Humans originally do not know their own destiny.”
Just as humans have a destiny, but they are not aware of it.
Humans were given special abilities, but most people were unaware of them.
Annabi continued speaking quietly.
“Therefore, we would like to gather and manage those among the taste buds that we judge to have talent.”
“… … .”
“For those who respond, we will provide guidance on their fortune and abilities and help them grow in the future.”
People just listened quietly.
There were quite a few people who looked at me with blank expressions.
In the meantime, Dokgo Jun quietly raised his hand.
“So, are we going to lock them in here and start killing each other, and then let the last one out or something?”
At those words, people began to stir again.
Annabi answered in a mechanical voice.
“We don’t do such inefficient things. Our goal is to nurture you and raise as many Awakened as possible.”
“Hmm… …. Then it’s not dangerous?”
“It’s dangerous.”
Annabi said as if it was a given.
“This is not a school. We don’t have enough time to safely grow you over a long period of time.”
“Are you going to climb the tower?”
Ignoring Dokgo Jun’s words, Annabi continued her explanation.
“That’s why we will train you as quickly and efficiently as possible, and you may die. However, we will support you in a way that will prevent you from dying as much as possible.”
But those words were not enough to reassure people.
Only a few people look calm.
“I just want to go back! Please send me back!”
“What the hell is this, without any agreement! This is kidnapping!”
As a few people began to protest, others soon followed suit.
Dokgo Jun, who was looking at the sight, muttered as if it was pitiful.
“You idiots… … . A special opportunity has come.”
Annabi didn’t really try to appease people.
He just continued his explanation quietly.
“First, please confirm your abilities, and then I will continue the explanation. Please excuse me for a moment.”
As she took out something like an amulet from her bosom and burned it, fortune-telling began to appear before people’s eyes.
It was familiar to me, but others could not help but be surprised.
“What, what is this? This is my ability?”
“… … Inilpum? What is this?”
People were quite confused after seeing their fortunes.
Dokgo Jun, who was standing next to me, had the corners of his mouth turned up.
Annabi stared blankly at the people for a moment before speaking.
“You must have realized your own abilities. You can understand them as what the world commonly calls superpowers, magic, and such. Have you all confirmed them?”
People didn’t answer.
Annabi, who understood that silence was affirmation, continued speaking.
“Is there anyone who still wants to give up the opportunity?”
Although the discontent didn’t seem as severe as before, there were still some worried faces.
A man raised his hand hesitantly.
“I… I want to give up. If I give up, you won’t kill me or anything, right?”
“no.”
Annabi flatly denied it.
Then the man’s face brightened.
“Then give up right now… … .”
“But you have to pay a penalty.”
The face inside the red mask seemed as frozen as that mask.
Annabi’s voice flowed out without any highs or lows.
“Training here is dangerous, but it’s also chaotic outside. I think everyone is aware of that.”
“… … .”
“You were also brought here because we judged you to be more talented than others.”
Annabi looked up at the man standing in front of her, her hands on her back.
“But if you want to leave here, it means you want to go outside and be protected. You don’t want to get involved in any fights.”
The man hesitated and stepped back.
Annabi spoke more firmly.
“You have volunteered to be protected by others. Do you think someone like that really needs power?”
When Annabi lightly moved her hand forward and waved it, the man flinched and a panicked voice was heard.
“Oh, Sajuchang… …?”
“He who has no will to fight has no use for ability.”
A mechanical voice flowed out from under the red mask.
“If you leave here, I will strip you of your powers.”
