###
A tense atmosphere settled in the Japanese Prime Minister’s residence.
“Minister of Foreign Affairs.”
“…Yes, Prime Minister.”
“What are the demands from the United States?”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs swallowed nervously.
“…There are no demands.”
“Is that the conclusion you’ve brought to me?”
“I have no excuses.”
The United States had suddenly adopted a sharp stance.
There was no way such a change lacked purpose.
Even not stating their purpose was simply another form of diplomatic pressure.
Such was the nature of international relations.
“Damn it! What about the other ministers? Has no one heard anything?”
Silence.
This was not a moment to speak carelessly.
It was no ordinary problem.
They had to deflect the public outrage over the disaster onto Korea.
But that path had been blocked.
“What is the public opinion like?”
“…The cabinet is facing harsh criticism.”
Even this was putting it mildly.
The people’s resentment had reached the point of mockery.
Japan’s reputation had become a laughingstock.
└ When is Korea going to apologize?
└ Haven’t you seen the U.S. statement? Our cabinet jumped to the wrong conclusion.
└ Other countries are already apprehending traitors, but Japan is just staying quiet.
└ Korea even decapitated an S-rank Awakened.
└ Neighboring country: Rapidly adopting detection technology! Our country: Endless meetings in conference rooms!
└ Looking at Korea’s crisis response makes our cabinet’s ‘we’ll consider it’ disease even more embarrassing.
The Prime Minister rubbed his forehead.
“Damn it. We were blaming Korea and got smacked by our ally instead….”
“…”
The fury in the Prime Minister’s voice was palpable.
The ministers remained silent.
The confusion was shared by both the ministers and the public.
└ Why is the U.S. siding with Korea? We’re supposed to be their ally.
└ I’m telling you, the cabinet made a mistake.
└ What are you talking about? The dungeon anomalies are definitely Korea’s doing.
└ The U.S. defending a t*rrorist nation? Unbelievable.
└ Has Japan’s diplomacy always been this pathetic? The Minister of Foreign Affairs should resign!
└ Blaming a neighboring country after 4,000 of our people died? The dungeon anomalies are entirely due to Japan’s incompetence.
└ To hell with my superiors. Anti-Japanese leftists, stop rewriting history.
The United States and Korea, of all nations.
The most trusted ally and the least liked neighbor.
This made the shock to the Japanese people even greater.
In trying to shift blame, they had unwittingly exposed the harsh truth to the entire world.
An international embarrassment.
“We intended to quell public opinion, but we’ve only added fuel to the fire.”
“Does anyone here not know that? Are you mocking me?”
“I-I apologize.”
“I asked for countermeasures!”
Like any dependent ally, Japan heavily relied on the United States for exports, defense, and more.
They couldn’t confront them recklessly.
Nor could they lash out at Korea again, fearing another blow from the U.S.
Only one option remained.
The root of the problem had to be addressed.
“This collapse—was it caused by… that strange dungeon? Find a solution immediately!”
The Japanese Awakened Management Bureau and the Paranormal Task Force were under fire.
“The Paranormal Task Force’s incompetence is why this mess has spiraled out of control!”
“We’re sorry….”
What can Japan do?
Even other developed nations were at a loss.
“We can’t let public opinion continue to boil over. We’ll all lose our positions at this rate!”
“If we formally pay Korea and request the dispatch of their experts—”
“Are you insane?! If we grovel to Korea now, there’ll be riots!”
The public had already been riled up.
Most citizens firmly believed the dungeon anomalies were Korea’s fault.
Unable to contain himself, the Prime Minister slammed the table.
“Stop talking nonsense and bring me a fundamental solution! Unless you want the entire cabinet replaced!”
“Understood!”
The damage was done.
It was too late to tell the public, “We were wrong~”
“We will not bow to Korea. Never!”
“Understood!”
###
<Today, a t*rrorist attack occurred in a Korean town in Japan. The victims were an elderly Korean-Japanese coup…>
Kang Hyun clicked his tongue.
“Chaos everywhere, huh? All because of the dungeon anomalies.”
“Everything feels like it’s falling apart.”
“Tsk, the Abyss is playing everyone perfectly.”
The Abyss Legion Commanders loved their schemes.
That was Kang Hyun’s evaluation.
The current situation was no different.
Why did the anomalies begin in one specific country?
It was a test—a deliberate effort to sow international discord.
“The enemy is the Black World Tree, yet they’re busy fighting amongst themselves.”
Earth was no different from Thea of the past.
Kang Hyun was tired of saying it.
During the invasion of the World Tree, Thea had also fallen into disunity.
Kang Hyun, back when he was Kyle, had unified the people and the strong through overwhelming support and strength.
‘Earth also needs to unify into a single alliance.’
But for now, they were too weak.
The only solution was to grow stronger, and fast.
“Let’s hit the dungeons.”
“Yay! D-level zone unlocked! Open up!”
As he prepared to cast spatial warp—
Beep-beep.
“Yes, Chief Choi?”
Chief Choi called with some interesting news.
“E-Rank Blessing Effect?”
<Yes, we’re about to find out. However, they’ve requested additional data.>
Finally, the truth was beginning to emerge.
<So, if you’re going to clear dungeons anyway, could you venture into an area outside the current Blessing zone?>
“Sure, where do you need it?”
<Thank you. Anywhere close, as long as it’s outside the zone.>
Kang Hyun casually headed to Seongnam.
“Aww, I was looking forward to the D-zone….”
“We’ll clear the D-zone tomorrow.”
He swiftly completed the dungeon.
At this point, E-zones were a walk in the park.
[Perfect Clear! (Solo)]
[A tremendous achievement! You have completely…]
[Special rewards are granted for achieving a ‘Perfect Clear! (Solo)’.]
[You receive a ‘Bronze Box (+2)’.]
He set the reward aside for now.
His mana reserves were far higher than expected.
“Wow, at this rate, I can clear four dungeons today.”
“Really?!”
That’s the power of D-rank mana.
That’s the power of a Dragon Heart.
He could finally call himself a Word Mage with pride.
“Since it’s an experiment, more data is better. Let’s hit all four zones.”
“But won’t all those Perfect Clear notifications draw attention?”
“Let them.”
“It’s going to attract a ton of aggro.”
Four Perfect Clears in one day.
He’d previously managed three in a row, consuming elixirs to replenish his mana.
But that was back when he was F-rank.
This time, he was set to break his own record again.
“Doesn’t matter. The aggro from Perfect Clears is already maxed out.”
“Fair point.”
He was significantly stronger now.
Even if a powerful assassin came for him, he could at least escape unscathed.
“Given how grim things are nationwide, let’s give people something to cheer for.”
“Wow! You’re amazing, Master!”
But Kang Hyun didn’t realize the ripple effects his actions would cause.
[An Awakened has achieved a ‘Perfect Clear!(Solo)’ of an E+-rank dungeon, completely halting the World Tree’s invasion!]
[To honor their achievement, a ‘Blessing’ descends upon the surrounding area. Everyone, please celebrate!]
[An Awakened has achieved a ‘Perfect Clear!(Solo)’ of an E+-rank dungeon…]
[An Awakened has achieved a ‘Perfect Clear!(Solo)’ of an E+-rank dungeon…]
He was only looking forward to four consecutive random loot boxes.
###
President Kwon Dong-chul of Korea
As always, today was another day of misery for him.
It was the day of his national apology and press conference.
“I wished I wouldn’t wake up this morning….”
“What are you saying, sir? You are the hope of this country.”
“Doesn’t seem like the people think so.”
The current administration was experiencing a steep decline in approval ratings.
The dungeon anomalies and the Ghost crackdown were to blame.
Dungeon anomalies were natural disasters.
Governments always took the blame when calamities struck.
But the Ghost crackdown was a man-made disaster, and the impact was far greater.
“It’s my fault for failing to root out the traitors in parliament.”
“No, sir. The opponent was too formidable.”
President Kwon wasn’t incompetent, but Park Cheol-woong was exceedingly capable.
One of only two S-rank Awakened in the country.
And as the leader of the Rank 5 guild, Palan, he was effectively a warlord.
“Even so, I never thought he’d have such deep roots in government affairs.”
“Not all of them are traitors, sir. Most were simply blinded by the money Palan handed out.”
“And where do you think that money came from? It’s demon money. They’re all traitors.”
“…”
His secretary fell silent.
At times, President Kwon found himself entertaining extreme thoughts.
‘If only Ghost would just eliminate all the corrupt lawmakers…’
If he could rid the government of those scoundrels, regardless of party affiliation,
governing the country would be so much easier.
“At least the concessions from the United States are a relief.”
“Thanks to that, the opposition has quieted down a bit.”
The sudden shift in U.S. diplomacy was puzzling.
They had recently been offering Korea several concessions.
‘But why…?’
The U.S. had subtly hinted at their desire—information on “EX”.
But asking for only a single piece of information didn’t justify the sheer scale of what they were offering.
Lower tariffs, increased funding for U.S. forces, and fast-tracked treaties that had been stalled for years.
‘Has the U.S. reassessed EX’s value internally? Why the sudden interest?’
Even President Kwon didn’t know EX’s identity. It was a top-secret matter.
‘Part of me wants to hand over just the information and secure active support… No, I can’t.’
Shaking off the temptation, Kwon Dong-chul focused on his duty.
As much as he wanted to ensure political survival, he couldn’t sell out his country’s future.
“You must deny everything when questioned by reporters.”
“Is that how you address a president?”
“My apologies.”
“No, I understand. It’s the unfortunate reality.”
Apologizing to the nation.
This occasion was incredibly important.
What if he answered incorrectly?
His political career could be at stake.
That’s how precarious the atmosphere in Korea was.
President Kwon Dong-chul arrived at the press conference.
The session began, and sharp questions were fired immediately.
“Government corruption is a direct reflection of leadership incompetence. What is your response to the lawmakers who supported the Ghost crackdown?”
“The Prosecutor General resigned following the Ghost incident. Was this just scapegoating?”
“Over 3,000 people have already died due to the anomalies. What is the government’s plan to address this?”
“Why has the administration failed to present any concrete solutions to the anomalies?”
Kwon Dong-chul silently cursed to himself.
‘Damn it. Are these all opposition-aligned journalists?’
The questions were far too pointed to be impartial.
It was clear they had come prepared to attack.
In some ways, this was inevitable.
The president’s approval ratings had already plummeted.
‘They’re just aligning themselves with the tide. This is hell…’
If he made a mistake here, it could lead to impeachment.
Thus, he had to stick to noncommittal answers.
“We are closely examining the situation.”
“We will devise appropriate measures.”
“We will carefully assess the circumstances and announce our stance at the appropriate time.”
Kwon Dong-chul felt a deep sense of futility.
‘Am I the president, or a parrot?’
Even so, he couldn’t step down.
This was no time to allow governance to come to a halt.
Even if he went down in history as the worst president, he had to resolve the anomalies.
The country was on the brink of collapse.
“Why have you ignored Japan’s request for aid?”
“Are you refusing international assistance? The current administration has a responsibility to address Japan’s crisis!”
Kwon Dong-chul’s expression nearly cracked.
Did they expect him to admit Korea was responsible?
‘Crazy b*stards.’
The anomalies weren’t Korea’s fault.
As the U.S. had stated, Korea was the first victim.
Other countries had already uncovered defectors in their ranks,
confirming that the anomalies were caused by invasions orchestrated by demons.
And yet they wanted him to admit responsibility?
That would be selling the nation down the river.
‘But that’s not their real intent.’
It was just rhetoric meant to provoke.
If he refuted it, they’d attack him again.
International aid was a powerful justification.
‘Hah…’
There was no choice but to respond like a puppet.
He prayed for the session to end quickly.
Suddenly, one of his aides approached the podium and whispered in his ear.
“Are you being handed answers during this session?”
“The president isn’t a puppet of his officials!”
“What are you doing in a forum meant for transparency?”
The attacks intensified.
It was such an unusual move that even the ruling party’s officials were taken aback.
But Kwon Dong-chul didn’t send the aide away.
Ignoring the noise, he focused on the report.
“So, this is what it was about….”
After hearing the report, Kwon Dong-chul’s eyes lit up.
‘So this is what the U.S. was after!’
It was a relief to have figured it out now.
Had they remained in the dark and handed over EX’s identity carelessly….
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, sir. The final experiment has been completed.”
“Experiment?”
“Just now, an Awakened security agent achieved four consecutive Perfect Clears.”
“F-Four in a row?”
“We’ve also confirmed the effects of the Blessing.”
Four consecutive Perfect Clears—EX had set yet another record.
“However, according to the Awakened Management Bureau, they didn’t request such extreme measures.”
“Wait, so you’re saying…?”
Would EX deliberately push themselves to the limit, timing it for this moment?
It didn’t seem likely.
“It seems EX was mindful of your press conference, sir.”
For a moment, Kwon Dong-chul’s expression was blank.
“…I see.”
He dismissed the aide.
After some thought, he placed both hands on the podium.
His shoulders and hands now exuded renewed vigor.
“Do not worry, citizens. Korea is safe.”
His voice was filled with confidence.
“The Perfect Clear Awakened will protect our nation.”
That day, the effects of the E-rank Blessing dominated the front pages of newspapers.
