Chapter 22: Initiating Control!

“Un- unbelievable.” Minister Hosik Jeong’s eyes widened in shock.

He wasn’t the only one.

All the Awakeners guarding the conference room for his protection showed emotions ranging from bewilderment to utter astonishment.

“I honestly thought we’d be hit by their attack without fail. I never imagined there would be a Defense Ticket.”

He was, after all, the Minister of the Awakening Bureau.

As the commander of the Awakeners, he should have been well-versed in matters related to Awakeners and the Tower.

Yet even he had no knowledge of the Defense Ticket’s existence.

Which was only natural.

Defense Tickets were an extremely rare commodity.

Even I, climbing the Tower on Very Hard Difficulty, only obtained one after overcoming the trials of the Union Floor, the 5th Floor.

It wasn’t an item that the Minister of Awakening from a backward Awakener nation like South Korea would know about.

Especially this one.

[Attack Reflection Ticket]

Not just for simple defense, but a reflection ticket that bounces back attacks from other countries, delivering twice the force in retaliation.

“At this point, I think I’ve proven the point I made earlier. What do you say?”

A sudden Japanese attack.

But through my Defense Ticket, I struck back instead.

In other words, had it not been for me, Japan’s attack might have caused a disastrous 72-hour ban on Tower climbing.

This alone should have more than proven my worth.

‘…I’ve heard reports on Kim Si-won’s feats and his combat record. I never expected it to be this severe, though…’

His trailing off suggested he’d already made up his mind.

“The terms you want, the pardon for past incidents, can be fully arranged. But what exactly do you mean by full support…?”

Contracts were like that by nature.

Everything had to be clearly defined without ambiguity.

Having met numerous guild officials and members, Hosik Jeong wanted to clarify this point precisely.

“When I say full support, it simply means you won’t interfere with what I’m doing.”

“Interference, you say?”

“For example, even if there’s an attack against Japan…”

“…”

“You’re asking us to turn a blind eye and observe passively.”

Full support.

It sounded grandiose, but what I actually wanted was nothing more.

Just for the government not to obstruct my work—that was the cooperation I sought.

“An offer I can’t refuse. I can’t give you a definitive answer from my position, but I expect a positive reply.”

Because this guild matter was huge, even the Minister of Awakening Bureau couldn’t provide a firm answer.

But one thing was certain.

The government couldn’t reject my proposal.

Why?

Because they had already angered Japan.

If one were to sum up the relationship between South Korea and Japan, it would be a classic case of bully and bullied.

They turned a blind eye to Japan’s illegal occupation of Dokdo.

They remained silent amid historical distortions concerning the Japanese colonial era and Comfort Women.

They had often suffered diplomatic losses and frustrations.

But what could they do?

They lacked the power.

If Japan retaliated using rewards obtained from the Tower, South Korea had no means to counter.

That’s why 50 years of quiet endurance had passed.

But now, I had counterattacked Japan’s strike and dealt a severe blow.

What came next, no matter how much they blamed me, couldn’t be swept under the rug.

The government was already standing on the edge of a cliff; they had no choice but to take my outstretched hand.

“And one more thing.”

But my demands didn’t end there.

If anything, this was an additional request—something the government could do.

“What is it…?”

“It’s time to clear the filthy slander pinned on me.”

***

In the past, powerless and forced to endure, it was time to shed that filthy stigma.

“(Live) Major Announcement from the Awakening Bureau”

A blue standby screen adorned all channels.

This was a sign indicating a major announcement from South Korea’s Awakener command center, the Awakening Bureau.

Major announcements.

Yet no citizen believed it was truly important.

It was only natural since the Awakening Bureau’s and government’s status in South Korea wasn’t high.

That was the case in any country, wasn’t it?

No, South Korea’s situation was especially dire.

The main reason, among many, was the incompetent response during the Daegeukbyeon Incident.

At that time, competent Awakeners were taken by nearby China and Japan.

China and Japan, in particular, favored nefarious methods like kidnapping and threats.

At least if they were stolen, it would be less frustrating.

But the real reason South Korea lost Awakeners to other countries was due to the government’s poor response.

In their attempt to control Awakeners under state authority, they made countless reckless moves.

Most Awakeners, tired of the forced servitude rhetoric, quickly cut ties and fled to China and Japan, who promised better treatment.

Although South Korea’s territory was small, it produced an unusually large number of Awakeners, a potential advantage lost as it fell behind as a latecomer.

Did state control strengthen afterward?

Not at all.

Due to the rapid proliferation of guilds, control became impossible.

The initial response was poor, and the subsequent ones no better.

A country that could have risen as an Awakening Powerhouse was instead dragged down to the bottom.

Of course, the government then, and afterward, and now, were different.

The ruling party’s failure leading to opposition power shifts was a standard political cycle.

But even regime changes brought no improvement.

Sadly, the South Korean political scene lacked suitable figures.

Fifty years passed.

The flower that had only been preparing to bloom was plucked, and the chance to become a powerhouse vanished forever.

During that time, public distrust grew immensely.

So, no matter how noisy a major announcement was, it barely gained attention.

“Good day, citizens. I am Hosik Jeong, Minister of the Awakening Bureau.”

Standing before the camera was the Minister himself.

By now, a familiar figure due to successive incidents.

“The government is well aware of your concerns. Due to the recent incident, large guilds, including the Shinhwa Guild, suffered near-annihilation, resulting in enormous national losses. Therefore, the President has ordered the capture and severe punishment of the main culprit.”

The culprit was already confirmed to be Kim Si-won.

The problem was whether the current government had the power to capture him.

They could mobilize the military to suppress him somehow.

But at what cost?

No matter how much modern weaponry they deployed, Kim Si-won had defeated over a thousand Awakeners and was already untouchable.

Was it wise to expend national power and the military just to capture one man who wielded national power-class Awakening?

Most believed the government wouldn’t make such a reckless move.

“During the investigation of suspect Kim Si-won, we uncovered an unexpected fact: the recent battle was an act of self-defense.”

The guild’s indiscriminate attack on Kim Si-won as he returned from the Tower.

He had only acted to protect his own life.

“Some might say he went too far. But anyone who inspects the intense scene would disagree. It was a battle where lives were at stake, and the sacrifice of Awakeners was inevitable.”

Hosik Jeong’s words were a thorough defense of Kim Si-won.

Kim Si-won acted in self-defense; the killings and damages from the battle were irrelevant.

And that was what everyone expected.

But soon, unexpected truths began to surface.

“During the investigation, we encountered an unforeseen revelation.”

Not from an investigation, but from ‘someone’s’ testimony.

“In the past, Ha Yeon Lee accused Kim Si-won of being an atrocious domestic abuser. But that was false. Kim Si-won mortgaged his home and shop to raise one billion won for his wife’s Awakening. After achieving Awakening, Ha Yeon Lee suddenly turned hostile, spreading rumors and slanders to ruin him completely in pursuit of capturing Chulwoo Shin, a prominent Awakener in South Korea.”

A husband who struggled to gather a billion won was turned into a despicable abuser.

Further details described harassment using Chulwoo Shin’s and Shinhwa Guild’s names, supported by evidence.

Some might think this was fabricated by a government cowed by Kim Si-won.

Skeptics won’t believe any evidence, no matter what.

What mattered was that the government officially proved Kim Si-won’s innocence and that he had been wrongfully accused, generating shifting public opinion.

Ultimately, public opinion is power.

When those with power fan the flames, it inevitably becomes a tide.

Though some doubted now, it was only a matter of time before the slander was lifted.

The Awakening Bureau’s major announcement that afternoon stirred the nation.

But soon, that uproar was drowned out by another commotion.

Freetalk.

An adult site popular among both ordinary people and Awakeners.

There, the most famous BJ, “KSW,” began a broadcast.

“This is a warning to Japan.”

On the black screen appeared Kim Si-won, the very center of ongoing attention.

“Hand over Ha Yeon Lee. If you surrender her peacefully, no further disasters will occur.” His tone was calm.

But precisely because of that, it was all the more terrifying.

The cold rage felt like walking on thin ice.

“If you still intend to keep Ha Yeon Lee despite this warning…”

He deliberately trailed off to build tension, “…you will face a rage beyond your control.”

He continued calmly.

The video ended.

Just about a minute-long broadcast.

Yet its impact was tremendous.

A single individual, Kim Si-won, had declared war on Japan.

Not South Korea, but Japan—one of the world’s top four powers.

Japan’s response was:

“Prime Minister Yamada Goro expressed regret to the South Korean government.”

“Stop fabrications and provocations that portray victims as perpetrators. Ha Yeon Lee is now a Japanese citizen. Protecting one’s nationals is a state’s duty. One of the world’s top three Breakers, Ikeda Kaito, is furious. He vows to tear Kim Si-won apart for slandering his lover.”

“The Oni Guild warned that if Kim Si-won’s side shows any sign of provocation, they will mobilize every possible measure. South Korea will not be safe either.”

It was the same as always.

A “Do what you can, if you dare” posture.

Understandable.

This was no longer just a personal matter between Kim Si-won and Ha Yeon Lee.

It was a matter of national pride between Awakening Powerhouses.

If Ha Yeon Lee were handed over easily, it would damage Japan’s pride and national dignity.

Had they refused from the start, it might have been different.

But since things had progressed this far, there was no turning back.

Japan also intended to use this opportunity to pressure South Korea fully.

And on that day.

Everything changed.

[Congratulations!]

[Kim Si-won of South Korea has cleared Very Hard Difficulty Floor 6 (Japan).]

[First to achieve the 3-Star Objective on Very Hard Difficulty Floor 6.]

[Acquired dominion over Japan’s Tower 6th Floor by clearing Very Hard Difficulty.]

[Kim Si-won appointed as administrator of Tower Floor 6.]

[Administrator Kim Si-won has enforced entrance conditions on Floor 6.]

[All Awakeners from Japan are denied entry to Floor 6.]

[Congratulations!]

[Kim Si-won of South Korea has cleared Very Hard Difficulty Floor 7 (Japan).]

[First to achieve the 3-Star Objective on Very Hard Difficulty Floor 7.]

[Acquired dominion over Japan’s Tower 7th Floor by clearing Very Hard Difficulty.]

[Kim Si-won appointed as administrator of Tower Floor 7.]

[Administrator Kim Si-won has enforced entrance conditions on Floor 7.]

[All Awakeners from Japan are denied entry to Floor 7.]

From Floor 4 to 9 (except the 5th Floor), Japan faced the catastrophic disaster of losing control over the Tower.