Chapter 9: Registration Test (1)
Special Disaster Security Management Association. It was a grand name, but no one actually called it that. The organization was more commonly known as the Awakeners Association.
Awakeners who had been granted a Celestial’s Stigma could apply to the association and get an identification card.
After the gates opened and the country was nearly destroyed, public authority weakened to the point where the cards became practically useless. Nevertheless, many Awakeners still stood in line at the association’s headquarters in Yeouido for their registration test.
“Wow, it’s crazy crowded here.”
People from all over the country had one simple reason to queue up.
Good guilds only scout those who have identification cards.
To put it simply, it was like listing a product at an auction house.
One-star and two-star Awakeners who scored well in the test received scout offers from large guilds with great conditions.
I don’t really plan on joining a guild, though.
Kwon Oh-Jin had a different reason for coming all the way here.
“Since there’s still some time left before my turn, I might as well sell the Starstones.”
He headed toward the Starstone Exchange office attached to the association’s headquarters. He then handed two bags of Starstones to an employee at the counter who gave him a professional smile. The Startones he had collected with Lee Shin-Hyuk were in one bag, while the ones from the gate yesterday were in the other.
“Based on the rates as of today, November 8, 2020, this will be 1.44 million won. Would you like to be paid in cash?”
“Please transfer it to my account.”
Getting the amount in cash felt more satisfying, but there was always the risk of losing it.
No way I’m risking over a million won.
“After income tax deduction, it’ll be 1.15 million won.”
“Damn.”
“Pardon?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Why the hell are you taxing me twenty percent, you damn highwaymen?
He was seething with frustration but held himself back with incredible patience.
“Haa.”
He would have loved to sell it off the books to avoid taxes, but an illegal sale like that could end very badly for him.
Even drugs aren't regulated as strictly as Starstone exchanges are.
Even though the association’s authority had hit rock bottom, it was still the country’s largest organization. If one got in trouble with them, it wouldn’t just end with a slap on the wrist.
Kwon Oh-Jin clicked his tongue as he grabbed the receipt. All he had left now was the mutant’s Starstone.
I should wait for the right moment to sell this one.
International rates determined the prices of regular Starstones, but mutant Starstones were different. Kwon Oh-Jin figured gathering some intel first before selling it would be smarter.
After finishing the sale, he noticed it was almost his turn for the registration test.
“Let’s do this.”
Kwon Oh-Jin made his way back to the headquarters.
“Awakener number fifty-seven.”
He stood up when he heard his number being called out in the waiting room.
“Yes.”
“Which constellation are you affiliated with?” the employee asked, filling out a form in front of them like a machine.
“The Lyra constellation.”
“The Lyra…”
The employee cocked their head and scanned through a nearby chart. Their eyes widened in shock.
“Huh?”
Bang!
The employee jumped up from their seat. “Could you say that again? Which constellation are you with?”
Having anticipated such a reaction, Kwon Oh-Jin calmly repeated himself.
“The Lyra constellation. L-y-r-a.”
“L-Lyra, as in…”
Kwon Oh-Jin nodded with a slight smile. “Yes. I’m an apostle of Vega the Weaver.”
The employee’s jaw dropped in shock.
“Please wait here for just a moment!”
The employee hurriedly turned and sprinted off somewhere. Murmurs filled the room. As all eyes fell on him, Kwon Oh-Jin clicked his tongue.
Although he had anticipated such a reaction already, experiencing it firsthand made him chuckle in disbelief.
So this is the prestige that comes with the North Star.
In truth, he had internally debated whether or not to reveal that he was an Awakener of Lyra. Mentioning even just one of the twelve Zodiacs was known to cause quite a stir; he could only imagine the chaos that would ensue after revealing himself as one of the few North Star apostles in the whole world.
The thought of the endless hassle that would follow almost made him consider living as a hidden underdog character, like the protagonist of some mass-produced otherworldly novel.
That would be a stupid move, though.
The name of Vega carried power, after all. Giving up the immense authority that came with being an apostle of the North Star was not an option for him, especially considering how little foundation he had to begin with. It wasn't just money; he lacked influence, information, and authority. He still had too many things to prepare for the future, and to solve that, he needed the power that came with being an apostle of the North Star. He had to become someone no one could ignore.
Upon returning, the employee who had run off earlier politely asked, “Um… We apologize for the inconvenience, but could you come this way?”
Their mechanical and professional demeanor from before was completely gone.
That’s right. This is the power of authority.
Kwon Oh-Jin smirked and nodded.
“Please follow me.”
The employee led the way for Kwon Oh-Jin, while those around them stared and whispered among themselves.
“What’s going on?”
“What’s happening?”
Ignoring all of them, Kwon Oh-Jin continued to a door with a sign that read "VIP Room."Click!
The employee opened it. “You can wait inside.”
Kwon Oh-Jin nodded. “Alright.”
He then stepped inside.
“Huh?”
Inside was a young man with short blond hair. He seemed somewhat arrogant.
“Who’s this?” the man asked the employee as if addressing a servant.
“Oh, Awakener Park Jung-Woo, you’ve arrived. Um, due to some circumstances, I had to bring this gentleman here.”
“What circumstances?”
“Well…”
As the employee glanced nervously at Kwon Oh-Jin, a phone inside the room rang.
“I-I have an urgent matter to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now!”
“Wait, explain—”
Bang!
The employee hurriedly closed the door, almost as if running away.
As an awkward silence settled over the room, Kwon Oh-Jin frowned at the guy named Park Jung-Woo.
Who the hell is he?
Park Jung-Woo was sitting on the sofa, glaring at Kwon Oh-Jin. He seemed to think he owned the place.
Kwon Oh-Jin briefly considered striking up a conversation but quickly decided against it.
He’s probably a rookie from some big guild.
He had heard that Awakeners already affiliated with a guild would sometimes still go through the registration process to boost their reputation. Considering he was in the VIP room, he was likely one of those cases.
More importantly…
Kwon Oh-Jin’s gaze shifted to the table in the corner of the room. Various snacks were laid out on it, almost like a dessert buffet. The mini-fridge next to it was also stocked with all kinds of drinks, including alcohol.
These are all free, right?
He figured the refreshments were probably set out for them to enjoy while they waited.
A fucking buffet. I can’t believe it.
He had only seen such luxury in pictures and had never experienced such pleasures himself.
A shiver ran down his spine.
How much does all this even cost?
A glance was enough to tell that the cakes and cookies on fancy plates looked absurdly expensive. It was impossible to resist—no, he had no intentions of holding back. How could he pass up the chance to stuff his belly for free?
He filled an empty plate with as many snacks as possible. Not knowing when the staff would return, he hastily shoveled the sweets into his mouth.
Munch.
“Heheh, this is awesome.”
He didn’t particularly like sweets, but it didn’t matter. The best things in life were free.
“… Ha.”
Park Jung-Woo chuckled as he watched Kwon Oh-Jin stuff himself.
After clearing three plates' worth in no time, Kwon Oh-Jin looked around for a bag.
I gotta pack up the rest and take it with me.
The snacks were there to be eaten; taking them wouldn't cause any issues.
Hehe, Ha-Eun is gonna love this.
Song Ha-Eun rarely got to eat treats like these, so she would surely be thrilled.
Thinking about Song Ha-Eun’s smile once she saw the treats, he lost himself in his imagination. However, Park Jung-Woo suddenly slammed his foot onto the table, bringing him back to reality. Frowning, he glared at Kwon Oh-Jin.
“What are you, some kind of beggar?”
Kwon Oh-Jin set down the cake in his hand and looked up, meeting Park Jung-Woo’s sharp glare. His lips slowly curved into a smirk.
“Hmmm.”
He leaned back comfortably on the sofa and crossed his legs.
“You're quite the bold one,” he said coldly. “It's refreshing to see youth so full of spirit these days.”
His tone wasn’t the only thing that changed. As if a switch had been flipped, Kwon Oh-Jin’s expression, gestures, and even the aura he exuded instantly transformed. The messy glutton from earlier now had a mysterious presence akin to that of a powerful hidden master.
“What the hell are you talking about—”
“Do you know who I am?”
Park Jung-Woo flinched.
“Who are you?”
“Haha. I suppose taking it easy for a while can lead to such mistakes.”
Kwon Oh-Jin crossed his arms leisurely and chuckled like an old man.
“Even so, I would have thought you’d recognize me when they escorted me to this room.”
Growing more anxious, Park Jung-Woo nervously clenched his fists.
Who is he?
The way he carried himself with such confidence made him seem like someone famous, yet no one came to mind.
He talks like some old man…
Come to think of it, Park Jung-Woo had heard somewhere that high-level Awakeners, beyond the level of nine stars, could regain a younger appearance.
Sh-Shit…
Gulp.
Park Jung-Woo tightened his grip in unease. It dawned on him that Kwon Oh-Jin wouldn’t have been escorted to the VIP room if he was just some ordinary Awakener.
“What guild are you affiliated with?”
“I-I’m…”
“Your tone.”
“… What?”
Kwon Oh-Jin’s gaze sharpened, contradicting his gentle smile. “You’ve been talking informally since earlier, haven’t you?”
“…!”
A chill ran down Park Jung-Woo’s spine. The eerie sight of Kwon Oh-Jin's piercing eyes shining through his half-closed eyelids made Park Jung-Woo almost reflexively jump up from his seat.
W-What the hell?
It was as if he was staring into a vast, endless black sky. How could a person’s entire presence change so drastically with just a mere shift in their gaze? It was hard to believe this was the same person who had been stuffing his face with cake moments ago.
“I-I am from the Pandinus Guild, sir.”
“Pandinus, huh.”
Pandinus was a famous guild consisting of Awakeners of Scorpio. It easily ranked among Korea’s top ten guilds.
Their guild master’s name was Kang Chan-Hyuk, right?
Also known as the Thousand Venom Stingers, Kang Chan-Hyuk was a famous master and one of Korea’s top thirty Awakeners. However, calling him a representative of the country's Awakeners would be a bit of an overstatement.
“Ah, so you’re in Chan-Hyuk’s guild,” Kwon Oh-Jin replied. He then nodded and stared into the air, seemingly reminiscing.
“D-Do you know the guild master personally?”
No, not at all.
“We used to have meals together, go to saunas, and whatnot.”
“S-Saunas…?”
“Haha, that young boy has grown up to be a full-fledged guild master, hasn’t he?”
Park Jung-Woo’s face grew increasingly pale.
“I should grab a drink with him sometime soon. Could you pass along my regards when you see him? Just tell him it's from Kwon Jin-Oh.”
“I-I… um…” Park Jung-Woo trembled in fear. He could barely get any words out.
Thud!
He dropped to his knees and bowed.
“I deeply apologize for not recognizing such an esteemed figure!”
“Haha, don’t worry about it. Youths tend to make mistakes.”
Kwon Oh-Jin smiled warmly and patted Park Jung-Woo lightly on the shoulder.
“N-No! I’ve made an incredible mistake…”
“Hmm. Well, if you feel that way, could you do me a little favor?”
Park Jung-Woo bowed even deeper. “Anything! Just say the word!”
Kwon Oh-Jin casually extended his hand and pointed at the table still laden with cakes and other snacks.
“Could you grab a bag and pack up the rest of that for me?”
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