Hero Tower - Seoul, South Korea
On the 103rd floor of the Heroes' Association headquarters in Seoul, Yun Seung-Ah was intently observing the records of a recent incident. The room she was in was spacious, filled with high-tech screens displaying ongoing missions, data on villains and reports on heroes' activities.
However, what really caught his attention was a video obtained without authorization, footage captured by the National Museum's security cameras, showing a battle between Cube cadets and a Djinn.
Yun Seung-Ah hesitated for a moment, aware that she could get into trouble if she was discovered. Nevertheless, the words of an agent from the Association echoed in her mind, encouraging her to continue.
'Traces of mana with electrical and light attributes were detected at the scene.'
She wasn't just interested in seeing Chae Nayun defeat the Djinn with a single blow, nor did she want to find out who had eliminated all the monsters outside the museum with electricity. Although it was intriguing information, his real interest lay in the light attribute mana.
This attribute was extremely rare and valuable. Heroes who possessed it played crucial roles in suppressing Djinns, since most of these creatures had an affinity with darkness.
If traces of this energy were detected in the museum, it meant that one of the three cadets involved in the combat possessed this exceptional ability.
Yun Seung-Ah, who always emphasized the importance of attributes, couldn't ignore this discovery. Someone in that scene deserved his attention.
The video showed three cadets: Kim Suho, Chae Nayun and another young man with an ordinary appearance, nothing special at first glance. The latter was talking to Kim Suho moments before the confrontation. When the Djinn appeared, he discreetly stepped back and just watched the fight.
However, something unusual happened.
Seeing Kim Suho being forced to retreat, the young man hid and began to perform strange actions. First, he unloaded his gun, leaving only a single bullet in the barrel. Then he made peculiar movements in the air, as if he were manipulating something invisible.
About a minute later, he reloaded his gun and went into battle.
What happened next was even more mysterious.
As Chae Nayun prepared his final attack, the Djinn, realizing the imminent danger, tried desperately to flee. But before he could even begin his escape, a gunshot echoed through the museum.
The shot exploded as soon as it hit the target's shoulder, creating a wave of light that illuminated the area. The intense white light overloaded the security cameras, freezing the recording for three seconds.
By the time the footage returned to normal, everything had been resolved. The Djinn was dead, and a deep diagonal cut marked the ground.
Most assumed that the glow had come from Kim Suho, but Yun Seung-Ah was skeptical. As talented a swordsman as Suho was, his mana shouldn't have generated that explosion of light. No matter how many times she reviewed the scene, the light had to have come from that boy's shot.
Kim Suho himself said so in his report:
'Chae Nayun and Kim Hajin were essential in the fight. Without them, I would have been in serious trouble.'
Could Chae Nayun be the bearer of the light attribute? It didn't seem likely. Her fighting style was long-distance, and even if she had used a sword to kill the djinn, there was no record of her possessing such an affinity.
If she had something like that, that man Chae Joochul would have spread it to the four corners of the world by now.
So there was only one suspect left.
Kim Hajin.
The name made Yun Seung-Ah frown as she tried to remember it. He was the cadet who had chosen a firearm over a sword or magic. At the time, she had considered this choice ridiculous, but now...
There was a reason for it.
A thundering sound interrupted her thoughts.
"Knock!"
The door to the room was slammed open.
Yun Seung-Ah turned around, startled, and her heart almost stopped when she saw who was there.
A small figure stood in the doorway, someone who to anyone might look like a child. However, this "child" carried an overwhelming presence.
Aileen, the Human Dragon.
At just 1.53m tall, Aileen possessed an overwhelming power that belied her appearance. Her sharp gaze locked onto Yun Seung-Ah, who swallowed.
Her face turned pale, and she jumped in horror.
"U-Unni?"
"I knew you were here. Get out."
"A-ah, wait! I can explain! I..."
"Shut up and follow me."
Yun Seung-Ah's body moved on its own against his will.
Aileen's unique gift.
This power allowed her to turn anything she said into reality. But as powerful as it was, it demanded a high price. Her small, underdeveloped body and the constant backsliding of magical power were the consequences of overusing this ability.
Still, it was a frighteningly broken Gift.
"Unni, I'm a hero too! Please give me a break!"
Yun Seung-Ah tried to argue, while small drops of sweat trickled down his forehead.
"Only heroes from the Association are allowed access to this room."
Aileen kept her expression serious, her eyes glittering as if ready to issue another order.
"I know! I'm leaving on my own! Just let me go!"
With no other choice, Yun Seung-Ah turned and tried to leave as quickly as possible.
"You'd better hurry before I throw you out of the window."
In the end, Yun Seung-Ah was thrown out of the recording room.
Aileen sighed, shaking her head as she watched the smoke left by her sister's escape.
Inside the empty room, the video continued to play.
On the screen, the crucial moment of the battle was repeated. But now, without Yun Seung-Ah there to watch, the recording continued for the next few seconds.
It was then that something unusual happened.
The camera caught a detail that had previously gone unnoticed.
A cadet was flying in the sky, coming from exactly the same direction as where the black lightning had fallen moments before on the Djinn who had tried to attack Chae Nayun.
...
A little way from the Heroes Association building, in one of the luxurious buildings of the "Desolate Moon Guild", also located in Seoul, a yellow-eyed young man was staring at his desk cluttered with papers with a gloomy expression.
The scattered documents contained detailed information about a single individual, but to his dismay, nothing there seemed to be of any use.
"Damn! Nothing... There's nothing on that little shit here."
With a sudden movement, he swept the papers onto the floor, not caring about the mess or who would have to clean up afterwards.
The information was useless. Basic data about Theo Sagan's origins was there - orphan, family killed in a plane crash, raised in an orphanage. There was even a record confirming that he had a physical Gift. But none of this helped him with what really mattered.
"Who cares that you were an orphan? So what if your family died in an accident? What's with this information that you lived in an orphanage? Who cares if you were someone with a physical gift?"
Shin Jonghak's eyes flashed with irritation as his fingers closed tightly on the edge of the table.
"A piece of shit like you has nothing, but still doesn't realize his place. A wretch who doesn't see the discrepancy in our existences."
He gritted his teeth. The mere existence of Theo Sagan bothered him.
Shin Jonghak, grandson of a great revered hero, heir to one of the world's greatest guilds, a fourth generation chaebol. He had all these qualifications, a glorious lineage, wealth and innate talent.
But still, none of that was enough to make the woman he loved look at him.
"No... I know she likes me."
He muttered to himself, his voice laden with conviction.
"This is only happening because of that bastard. He thinks that just because he knows how to do a few stupid tricks he can talk to anyone."
No, it wasn't just anyone.
It was Chae Nayun.
The only woman who had the right to be by his side.
Both were descendants of renowned heroes, both belonged to influential chaebol families. It was only natural that they should be together. It was bound to happen.
And then...
"I need to find a way to get her away from that little shit."
His mind worked quickly, trying to come up with a plan. But how? His investigation team were a bunch of incompetents, bringing back only trivial information that anyone could find on the internet.
Shin Jonghak massaged his temples, his frustration only growing.
He needed a reliable source.
"Yoo Yeonha..."
The answer came almost naturally to him.
She was the only person with the resources and intelligence to find out anything really useful about Theo Sagan.
Without wasting any time, he leaned back in his leather chair and activated his smartwatch, quickly navigating to Yoo Yeonha's contact.
But before he clicked to call her, his fingers hesitated in the air.
Memories of their last interaction surfaced.
The day of the first, Anti-Monster Combat Training.
Yoo Yeonha's messages, his firm and categorical response refusing any involvement in investigations into Theo Sagan.
Shin Jonghak gritted his teeth, turning off his watch immediately.
"Grr! I don't need it."
His expression contorted in determination.
"I'll do it myself."
If necessary, he would turn the United States itself upside down until he found something dirty about Theo Sagan.
"Uh?!"
His face changed as he saw the door to his room open.
"Young Master..."
"Speak soon, I have no time for flattery or idiocy."
The man approached like he was stepping on eggs.
"...During my investigation into the people who lived with him in the orphanage. I found someone who had information about Theo Sagan."
Shin Jonghak frowned, his expression turning from irritation to a mixture of surprise and interest.
"Someone from the orphanage?"
He straightened up in his chair, crossing his arms as he looked at the subordinate in front of him. The man seemed hesitant, which only increased his impatience.
"Just say it. I don't have time to beat around the bush."
The investigator swallowed before continuing.
"During my investigation into the people who grew up with him in the orphanage, I met someone who claims to have information about Theo Sagan."
Jonghak narrowed his eyes, leaning forward.
What kind of information?"
The man hesitated for a second, as if trying to choose the right words.
"I don't know exactly yet. But this person said that... if he's well rewarded, he can reveal everything he knows. He said that even you will surely find this information cheap."
Shin Jonghak laughed softly, a disdainful smile appearing on his face.
"Hah... Of course. There's always a rat willing to sell information for the right price."
He leaned an elbow on the arm of his chair, tapping his fingers against his temple in a slow rhythm.
"And who is this person?"
"A former resident of the orphanage. He left the place a year before Theo Sagan, and from what I found out, he didn't follow a very.... Honorable. He has a criminal record, petty crimes, nothing big, but enough to make him vulnerable to a good bribe."
Jonghak let out an impatient sigh.
"Tsk. A useless worm, but maybe he's good for something. Where is he now?"
"He works for the "New Big Apple" Guild in New York. I've already arranged a meeting."
Jonghak's eyes sparkled with satisfaction. At least he doesn't seem so useless.
"All right."
He stood up, grabbing his coat.
"Prepare a car for us to go to the portal. Let's see what this rat has to say."
...