Chapter 2
80 years ago, a Great Fissure opened in the skies above Seoul.
Monsters poured down from the sky, and humanity’s awakening began.
Several years passed like that.
The first-generation Awakeners, including the Sword Saint Kim Yuseong, succeeded in sealing the Great Fissure after strenuous efforts and reclaimed Seoul in a matter of years.
However, perhaps because the seal was incomplete, a trace of the Great Fissure, like a dark cloud, remained in the skies of Seoul.
Because of this, Seoul became a city of ash, where the sun did not shine for even an hour a day.
In a self-deprecating expression, it was the city of shadows where more Vitamin D was consumed than coffee.
People joined forces to restore the ruined Seoul.
One would not think the population would increase just by rebuilding the city, but a paper was published stating that the closer one was to the traces of the Great Fissure, the higher the probability of awakening, and countless people flocked to Seoul.
At that time, the ‘Bureau of Superpowers’ was created to manage the city and the Awakeners.
The ‘Hunter Association’ was formed to confront monsters, and the ‘Production Guild’ was established to support Awakeners.
The first-generation heroes established the Hero Preparatory School with the goal of nurturing successors.
Other academies began to emerge one after another, guilds became active, and private corporations launched aggressive reconstruction projects.
Yes, what I want to talk about now is one of those private corporations, the Hyeonseong Group.
“Damn, this is high.”
I was currently climbing the clock tower in the plaza where I first woke up.
To be precise, it was a bizarre piece of architecture built by the Hyeonseong Group to commemorate the successful reconstruction of Seoul.
Its official name was ‘Grayroot.’
I had borrowed a tracksuit supplied exclusively to Dispel.
The DSP logo was simply stamped on the shoes and clothes, and it was even engraved on the portable LED light.
The clock tower was a landmark, but there was no admission fee.
It was a policy of the Hyeonseong Group, and besides its exterior, the interior had only minimal structures, so there was nothing to see other than the night view.
“Why didn't you build an elevator? What were you doing, not writing that one line……”
After climbing about two-thirds of the way, I glanced out of a small window.
A Seoul completely different from the Seoul I had lived in.
Due to the city's characteristics, there were not many tall buildings, but because it was built as a planned city, the view was quite spectacular.
“I’ll need to familiarize myself with the geography.”
Anyway, the reason I was climbing this clock tower was simple.
It was because the fortuitous encounter hidden by the Phantom Thief was concealed at the very top.
The reason I mentioned the Hyeonseong Group earlier was that the Phantom Thief's true identity was Cha Jaehee, the founder of the Hyeonseong Group.
The motif I used when setting up the character was a dark hero.
He was the kind of character where the tycoon Cha Jaehee personally became a villain to implement justice for the city he loved.
“Ha, it’s ridiculously high.”
I started climbing the stairs again.
According to the rules, entry to the clock tower was restricted after sunset, but when I showed the DSP letters on my zip-up jacket and said it was for an investigation, the guard let me in.
It was impersonation.
I knew.
But what could I do when I knew for a fact there was a fortuitous encounter right there?
“And it’s easier when there aren't people watching.”
A while later, I reached the observation deck at the top.
Structurally, it was the floor right below the clock.
For reference, the giant clock of the clock tower was fixed at the time the Great Fissure was first observed.
It was one of my flimsy settings, to commemorate the beginning of the age of Awakeners.
“It should be around here……. Found it.”
I discovered a passage in the ceiling leading to the back of the clock.
It was a narrow and high hole, but as I was an Awakener after all, I managed to hang on with both arms and climb up.
“Gack……!”
Dust immediately assailed me as I climbed up.
In front of me, the mechanical parts of a clock that had never even operated were packed tightly.
I forcefully moved the mechanical parts.
I touched the big ones, wondering if the clock's hour and minute hands would move, but there was no fear of the fixed time moving.
Soon, after being covered in a cloud of dust, I found a toolbox behind the large parts.
Thanks to the detailed description I had written, it caught my eye quickly.
A guitar-sized box that looked like it had been placed there to maintain and repair the machinery.
There was no lock, so the wooden lid was easily lifted.
CREAK-.
“The setting notes were definitely reflected.”
As expected, the equipment used by the Phantom Thief was inside the box.
First, there were suspenders, or braces, made of dark brown leather.
[Suspenders of the Brilliant Manager: Suspenders made from the leather of an Amphithere, a spirit beast that has long been revered as a protector of humans. When worn, it affects the increase in stat proficiency. It stretches arbitrarily in proportion to the user's magic power, and its clips can be fixed to any object.]
An item created under the assumption that ‘the Phantom Thief would have used it as a substitute for a rope.’
It had one or two effects attached for Lee Eunho’s benefit.
As it appeared, it was a very useful item, but my attention was drawn more to the information window than the item itself.
“Can I check the information from the setting notes directly?”
It made sense, as the characters in the novel could not see item information windows.
They did not even know about the existence of stats, so there was no way they could see an information window.
“I guess you could call it a kind of advantage. Since I’m an ignoramus who can’t even distinguish a common potion. ……But how do I wear this.”
These suspenders, they were the kind of design that only the rich young masters of a gifted school for those under 15 would wear.
“It’s a good thing the Hero Prep student uniform is a dress shirt, at least.”
Next was a piece of clothing so jet black that I almost mistook the box for being empty.
[Cloak of the Alluring Hermit: A cloak woven from the hair of a Banshee, an evil spirit that feeds on human souls. When worn, it increases the Dark attribute and decreases the Light attribute. The Banshee's hair uses the wearer's mana on its own to restore the cloak to its original form from any damage. By pulling up the hood, one can obtain a partial stealth effect where the body is not specifically identified even by those in front of you.]
An item clearly configured for the character of the Phantom Thief.
It was long enough to cover the knees slightly.
Next to it was a revolver pistol.
“The design on this is killer.”
According to the settings, it was a classic model made 70 years ago by the production guild ‘Mystic Arrow’ in a limited run of ten, a revolver MA6 that used .32 inch bullets.
The reason for the limited run of ten was to commemorate the 10th anniversary after the Great Fissure.
As an aside, it was almost the same age as this clock tower.
“This is probably the classic model most coveted by collectors.”
Even without any special abilities, it was a limited edition with a stunning appearance and a deep-rooted symbolism.
Furthermore, it would be famous as the model used by the Phantom Thief.
“I’ll have to sell it. This will be enough to get my seed money.”
Now, the last thing left in the box was a single old book.
I tilted the book and flipped through the pages with my thumb.
It was a handwritten account of the Phantom Thief Cha Jaehee’s life, but honestly, I was not interested in the contents; my purpose was the ability I would gain through it.
[The will of the renowned great phantom thief imbues you.]
[You have learned the ability, ‘Stow.’]
[Strength and Stamina increase by 0.3.]
A system message, kindly attached with a modifier.
The fact that the message was visible even though I was not using any coins felt a bit strange.
It was a feeling as if I had entered a game.
I focused on the ability I had acquired.
<Abilities (1)>
[*Stow]
Stores objects in contact with the user up to the user's body weight.
Stow, in other words, an inventory.
This was exactly why I had only created it as a setting and had not described it.
The setting of the protagonist alone using an inventory could have caused a serious balance collapse.
“Of course, there’s no problem with me using it.”
Abilities were settings bestowed upon characters on a case-by-case basis, so there was no concept of a grade.
Unless passed on through a special method, perfectly identical abilities did not exist.
“Naturally, it’s meaningless to rank the abilities against each other.”
I put the items into my inventory.
When I touched them with intent, they vanished before my eyes like magic.
Then I neatly cleaned up and descended the clock tower.
The guard, who I thought might have been relieved a little later, was still there.
He was just yawning constantly, not even a hint of suspicion.
“They probably won’t even check the CCTV unless a real incident occurs.”
I left the plaza and moved towards what looked like the main street.
***
Seoul’s District 2 was the core area of Seoul.
It was where the Bureau of Superpowers headquarters was located, and though the concept of districts was different, it was roughly in the position of Jongno.
The location of the Republic of Korea’s administrative government in this world was Suwon.
For 80 years since the Great Fissure occurred in 1959, Suwon had been serving the administrative role.
After the sealing of the Great Fissure, Seoul was politically divided by treaties with other nations.
It was a choice made to efficiently manage Awakeners, centered around the Bureau of Superpowers.
“Basically, it was an excuse to cram the Awakeners, who are practically human weapons, into Seoul.”
It was also a pretext for including Korean as one of the global common languages.
In a society where awakening was also considered the evolution of mankind, it would be impossible not to set foot in Incheon Airport to follow the traces of the Great Fissure.
As an aside, the population of Seoul was 37.77 million.
The resident population of Gyeonggi Province outside Seoul was close to 100 million.
“No wonder I don’t have a home.”
To be precise, the residence of the character before I was superimposed.
At first, I had hoped, since there was no address in the personal information registered in the Dispel network.
Next, I thought it might be the devoted reader’s petty revenge for the crappy ending.
However, after realizing my setting that there were many homeless people wandering the slum areas on the outskirts of Seoul and the fact that I was entering through the social consideration program, I had no choice but to accept it.
“Ji Seokhyeon, a delinquent youth from a slum area who accidentally becomes an Awakener and becomes a target for academy education support as part of social consideration.”
A very neat self-introduction.
In addition, it was also the ultimate reason why I, an extra, was trying to enter Hero Prep.
I planned to use my definite identity as a student to weave the minimum relationships necessary for survival in this world.
Judging from the treatment I received at the Dispel branch office, a Hero Prep student had advantages in many areas.
“Of course, I don’t plan on staying enrolled for long.”
I was walking down the unusually bustling main street of District 2 when I stopped in front of a building.
“It looks like a large coffee shop……”
As instructed at the Dispel branch, it was a three-story building with a sign that read ‘Giant Needle.’
This place was a directly managed store of the production guild Giant Needle, and it had been tailoring the clothes used at the Hero Preparatory School for decades.
For preparatory students, clothing was provided for free.
In the first place, the Hero Preparatory School did not require monetary payment for any expenses, including tuition.
I looked at my own clothes, let out a sigh, then took out my admission certificate and entered the building.
Then, an employee approached me first and acknowledged me.
“Hello, Mr. Ji Seokhyeon. We’ve been waiting for you.”
A face I certainly did not know.
As I followed the employee's guidance, I asked, ‘When exactly did I come here before?’, and they answered precisely, not only the date but also the time, saying I had stopped by twice to get my measurements taken.
I had felt it earlier when my identity was verified, but it seemed my existence had been superimposed onto some character.
A character never mentioned in the novel.
The reason why I was made to possess a completely unrelated extra, despite them knowing my laziness, was still a mystery.
Did they think I would naturally approach the main characters…….
The employee guided me to the third floor.
There was a designer who seemed to be a guild member, who checked my admission certificate and then left to get my clothes.
I leaned my body against a sofa that looked plush at a glance.
“I’m tired……”
I had been sitting there for about a minute or two.
A woman of my age, wearing a student uniform, came out of a private fitting room with the designer.
“I’m sorry, it was a sudden request.”
“Not at all. A request from the Hyeonseong family is always welcome.”
At the words Hyeonseong family, I shifted my gaze without a hint of hesitation.
A clear voice that, if a charm stat existed, would surely be rated 19 or higher.
Abundant hair reaching her waist, simply tied up for the fitting.
Above all, an aura no less than Do Minyeong’s…….
“……”
I read the embroidery on her jacket and was certain.
A main character and the great-granddaughter of the Phantom Thief Cha Jaehee.
……It was Cha Yeri.