WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: DereKimchi

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Abandoned Tank is a Disaster-class Awakener ◈

Chapter 10

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Korean Awakeners Association Headquarters, Grand Auditorium.

This was not a space normally used for regular briefings.

The Association had completely redecorated the central stage and even installed huge electronic displays on both sides.

Large letters appeared on the screens.

『South Korea, First in the World to Clear the 31st Floor』

Cameras filled the room.

National broadcasters and cable channels were present, along with Awakener-specialist outlets and foreign news agencies.

Association officials and representatives of sponsoring companies filled the front rows as well.

And at the center of it all.

Park Gang-sik stood backstage, looking over the scene with a satisfied smile.

The atmosphere surrounding the Association had not been good recently.

Kang Seong-un's naturalization as an American citizen.

The public criticism shortly before that.

And his blatant claim that the Association had abandoned him.

For a time, Kang Seong-un's name had covered the news and internet.

There had been plenty of criticism aimed at the Association as well.

But.

The public was nothing but pigs and dogs.

When new news came out, they quickly forgot the old.

And today, there was news more powerful than anything else.

The world's first clear of the 31st floor.

South Korea had once again placed its name at the very top.

What better card could there be to turn things around?

Shortly afterward, the host's voice rang out.

“Chairman Park Gang-sik of the Korean Awakeners Association is entering.”

Clap clap clap clap!

Park Gang-sik slowly walked to the podium.

Click, click!

Dozens of flashes went off in succession.

With the expression of someone used to it, they faced the cameras.

“First, I am deeply honored to deliver this happy news to the people.”

Their voice was calm.

But an undisguised smile rested on their lips.

“On this historic day, South Korea's Vanguard has become the first in the world to successfully clear the 31st floor of the Tower.”

Reporters' hands tapped rapidly over their keyboards.

“This result once again proves that the strength of South Korean Awakeners and the systematic training system built over the past several years are among the best in the world.”

Park Gang-sik paused.

As if waiting for that moment, the display behind them changed.

The 31st-floor Vanguard appeared on screen.

The faces on it were familiar, yet unfamiliar.

After Kang Seong-un left, the Vanguard had undergone a major reorganization, and young Awakeners had filled the empty spaces.

And among them, one person stood out in particular.

Park Jun-hyeok.

Park Gang-sik's smile widened slightly.

“In particular, a large number of Awakeners from the new generation joined this Vanguard.”

Park Jun-hyeok's name and profile appeared on the screen.

“Among them, Awakener Park Jun-hyeok has shown remarkable growth in a short period, breaking through to the 30th floor and proudly earning a place in the 31st-floor Vanguard.”

Murmurs rose from the press section.

The cameras turned toward Park Jun-hyeok, seated in the front row.

As if he had rehearsed it, he dipped his head slightly.

Park Gang-sik watched him with satisfaction.

For this day, they had spared no Association support.

High-grade relics.

Rare consumables.

Priority access to strategy guides.

Joint raids with top-ranked parties.

They had poured resources into Jun-hyeok that ordinary Awakeners would struggle to receive even after years of effort.

As a result, Park Jun-hyeok had risen quickly.

And now, at last, he stood before dozens of cameras as a member of the Vanguard.

“Recently, some have expressed concerns about a generational shift in South Korea's Awakener community.”

At last, the main point.

The reporters' eyes changed.

“However, I believe this 31st-floor clear has provided a sufficient answer to those concerns.”

One reporter raised a hand.

“Chairman. Should we understand this generational shift as being related to Awakener Kang Seong-un, who recently became an American citizen?”

Park Gang-sik laughed inwardly.

“It would not be appropriate to speak about a specific individual.”

Of course, the words were about a specific individual.

“Tower clearing must never rely on a single hero forever.”

Click.

“Past contributions should be respected. But past records do not guarantee present competitiveness forever.”

The sound of reporters typing grew faster.

Park Gang-sik added more force to his words.

“South Korea has already moved on to a new generation.”

The display once again showed the young Vanguard members, including Park Jun-hyeok.

“Younger.”

“More capable.”

“And new talents continue to emerge.”

Park Gang-sik raised his head.

“South Korea's Tower-clearing efforts will not stop just because one person is gone.”

That was the image Park Gang-sik wanted to create.

Kang Seong-un had left.

But South Korea had broken through the 31st floor.

The result proved who had been right.

Another reporter raised a hand.

“Then how do you evaluate America's recruitment of Awakener Kang Seong-un?”

It was a sensitive question.

But Park Gang-sik did not hide their smile.

“America's choice is for America to judge.”

That was what they said, but they deliberately added more.

“However, South Korea had already been considering shifting his role from active frontline service to training the next generation.”

Quiet laughter rose from around the room.

“I don't know what decision America made, but every country may have different standards for the talent it needs.”

America had paid a high price to bring in someone South Korea had intended to use as an instructor.

All sorts of provocative headlines were already being written to repeat that blatant message.

But that was not the end.

“Some have also argued that Awakener Kang Seong-un's public remarks seriously damaged the Association's reputation.”

Their eyes turned cold for a moment.

They still remembered that broadcast.

The words accusing them by name of ruining the Association.

But today was not the place to show anger.

Park Gang-sik smiled calmly.

“I find it regrettable.”

“Regrettable?”

“Yes. It is regrettable in itself that an Awakener who represented South Korea for so long would make such statements over personal emotions.”

Personal emotions.

With those words, Kang Seong-un's criticism became not a structural accusation, but the venting of a disgruntled retiree.

“If anything, this incident has convinced the Association that we need an even faster generational transition.”

Several reporters nodded.

“If an organization cannot accept change, it stagnates. No matter how outstanding someone may have been in the past, shouldn't they know when to make room for a new era?”

“Then do you mean Kang Seong-un's departure may actually be beneficial in the long run?”

“Well, did I say that?”

Park Gang-sik smiled softly.

Laughter broke out among the reporters as well.

At that moment, Park Gang-sik was certain.

They had taken control of the mood.

Only a short time ago, reporters had relentlessly questioned the Association's personnel policy.

Why had they let Kang Seong-un go?

Why had the conflict gone this far?

Why had they let America take him?

But now, things were different.

They had broken through the 31st floor.

Young blood had risen.

Even the Association chairman's son, Park Jun-hyeok, had joined the Vanguard.

With results in hand, they could create any explanation they wanted.

‘This worked out even better.’

Park Gang-sik thought amid the barrage of flashes.

With one old name gone, they could put new faces at the front.

The Association's achievements, which had been overshadowed by Kang Seong-un's enormous name, would now fully belong to them.

One reporter asked the final question.

“Chairman, how do you foresee the Tower competition between South Korea and America going forward?”

Park Gang-sik pretended to think for a moment.

Then they answered confidently.

“South Korea has currently broken through the 31st floor.”

After a deliberate pause.

“America has yet to pass even the 25th floor. Wouldn't it be too harsh on America to compare it to the world's strongest Awakener nation?”

Low laughter spread through the room.

“I believe numbers show the gap more accurately than words.”

Click!

A flash went off.

“South Korea will not stop moving forward.”

Park Gang-sik glanced at Jun-hyeok's face on the display.

“On the contrary, we will move even faster with new blood.”

Applause broke out.

Clap clap clap clap clap!

The officials smiled.

The reporters wrote their articles.

And they looked down at the scene from the podium.

It was perfect.

The Association's judgment had been right.

Their own judgment had been right as well.

South Korea would rise even without Kang Seong-un.

In fact, now was when it would really begin.

They were certain the kingdom they had built had grown even more secure.

[The 25th-floor International Ranking has been updated.]

The Tower's system voice rang through the press conference hall.

“...?”

They stopped speaking.

One by one, the reporters looked into the air as well.

‘The 25th floor?’

It was a fittingly coincidental floor.

The very floor they had just mentioned while mocking America.

Murmurs spread among the reporters.

“A 25th-floor record?”

“Which country cleared it?”

“China?”

Everyone naturally assumed it had to be China, which held second place.

But.

[A new first-place record has been registered.]

[1st Place. America: Kang Seong-un Party (4 minutes, 52 seconds)]

The moment they saw the nationality and name.

“...?”

Park Gang-sik's smile froze.

The press conference hall also fell silent in an instant.

Four minutes and fifty-two seconds.

Someone rubbed their eyes, thinking they had read the numbers incorrectly.

“F-four minutes?”

“Wait. Four minutes and fifty-two seconds means they cut more than twenty-seven minutes off it.”

The murmuring quickly grew louder.

The reporters, who had just been celebrating South Korea's clear of the 31st floor, all reached for their laptops at once.

But the real shock was not the time.

“Kang Seong-un?”

Someone muttered.

At those words, the noise in the press conference hall grew once again.

“It says America's Kang Seong-un Party.”

“Is it someone with the same name?”

“What do you mean, same name? How long has it been since he became an American citizen?”

“Then, that Kang Seong-un?”

The Awakener Park Gang-sik had just said lacked active competitiveness.

The person South Korea had supposedly considered shifting into an instructor role.

The has-been America had taken away.

The man they had all mocked together had shattered South Korea's world record as soon as he entered under America's banner.

And he had not merely beaten South Korea's existing record of thirty-one minutes.

He had opened such an enormous gap that calling it a record felt ridiculous.

Click! Click! Click!

This time, the flashes poured down on Park Gang-sik.

“Chairman!”

“What do you think about that record?”

“Doesn't this contradict your statement that Awakener Kang Seong-un lacks active competitiveness?”

“Under America's banner, he cut more than twenty-seven minutes off his own record set in South Korea!”

Their temple twitched.

But they quickly regained their composure.

They could not falter here.

“Now, now, calm down. It's nothing significant.”

They spoke firmly.

The reporters quieted for a moment.

They continued with a composed expression.

“Kang Seong-un is an Awakener who has already cleared the 25th floor before. If he used a Retry Ticket, he would have made use of the existing strategy guide.”

“But it was 4 minutes and 52 seconds.”

“Can an Awakener with prior clearing experience truly be considered under the same conditions as people attempting it for the first time?”

Park Gang-sik raised one corner of his mouth.

“Kang Seong-un must have found some kind of underhanded trick that gave him an advantage in setting the record.”

A trick.

It was the perfect word.

This was not proof of skill, but the result of running through a floor he already knew.

All Park Gang-sik had to do was change the frame.

“And the important thing is not the record for the 25th floor.”

Park Gang-sik gestured toward the display behind the podium.

『South Korea, First in the World to Clear the 31st Floor』

“Tower competition is not about who can run through lower floors again more quickly.”

Park Gang-sik's voice regained its strength.

“What matters is who climbs higher.”

South Korea was on the 31st floor.

America had only just passed the 25th.

South Korea was still overwhelmingly ahead.

Just as Park Gang-sik was about to take control of the mood again, the system voice rang out once more.

[The hidden trial of the 25th floor has been completed.]

This time, the entire press conference hall froze.

It was a different kind of silence from when the 25th-floor world record had been replaced.

A record was still only a number.

No matter how absurd a record of 4 minutes and 52 seconds was, Park Gang-sik could somehow diminish its significance by bringing up Retry Tickets and prior clearing experience.

But a hidden trial.

That was something Park Gang-sik was hearing for the first time.

‘What?’

The Tower had appeared in the world five years ago.

Throughout that time, South Korea had climbed the Tower from the front.

South Korea's name was attached to most floors called first-in-the-world clears, and the Association had used that fact like a medal proving its system and ability.

Yet there was a secret South Korea had failed to uncover even as it reached the 31st floor.

America, which had only just reached the 25th floor, had found it.

More precisely, Kang Seong-un, the man they had just mocked as a has-been, had found it.

“A hidden trial?”

“The 25th floor had something like that?”

The press section began to stir.

Their eyebrow twitched.

‘The conditions must have been different.’

They tried to attach a rational explanation somehow.

A hidden condition.

Coincidence.

A special retry method.

Anything would do.

They thought the situation could still be contained.

“That is...”

But before Park Gang-sik could continue the explanation, another system message rang out across the world.

[The challenger who overcame the hidden trial inherits the throne of the 25th floor.]

[America's Kang Seong-un Party has been registered as the new Guardian of the 25th floor.]

“...”

The smile vanished completely from Park Gang-sik's face.

[Following Throne Inheritance, the unique authority of the 25th-floor Guardian is unlocked.]

[The first authority is revealed.]

[Throne Toll: Raid Parties from other nations passing through the 25th floor must pay a toll to the Guardian. The toll is automatically calculated based on a portion of the clear rewards obtained on that floor.]

When people were shocked beyond belief, they sometimes had no reaction at all.

That was exactly how the press conference hall reacted now.

“Uh...”

Even as everyone stared blankly at this astonishing information unlike anything they had ever experienced.

[The second authority is revealed.]

[Throne Approval: Only those approved by the Guardian may challenge the hidden boss of the 25th floor, Karganon, King of the Black Swamp.]

[Defeating the hidden boss, Karganon, King of the Black Swamp, grants a special reward.]

[This reward is calculated separately from ordinary floor-clear rewards.]

At last.

“Damn!”

“Breaking news!”

Shouts of shock broke through the silence.

“Then South Korea has to pay a toll too?”

“And to challenge the hidden boss, we need Kang Seong-un's permission?”

“Chairman!”

Dozens of cameras turned toward Park Gang-sik at once.

Click, click!

Only moments ago, this had been an event celebrating the world's first clear of the 31st floor.

Park Gang-sik had called Kang Seong-un a has-been there.

They had mocked America for taking someone South Korea did not need.

They had confidently declared that South Korea would grow even faster because it had a new generation.

But that has-been had gone to America and immediately shattered South Korea's 25th-floor record with 4 minutes and 52 seconds.

And that was not all.

He had been appointed the Guardian of the 25th floor itself.

From now on, whenever South Korean Awakeners passed through the 25th floor, a portion of their rewards would go to Kang Seong-un.

If they wanted to defeat the hidden boss?

They needed permission.

Permission from Kang Seong-un, the has-been they had mocked.

“Chairman!”

One reporter raised a microphone.

“You just said that Awakener Kang Seong-un was no longer needed in South Korea, correct?”

Park Gang-sik's mouth stiffened.

“But now South Korea is in a situation where it must pay a toll to Awakener Kang Seong-un.”

Click!

“Do you still feel the same way?”

No answer came.

The huge display behind them still carried its brilliant message.

『South Korea, First in the World to Clear the 31st Floor』

Park Jun-hyeok's face was displayed prominently beneath it.

But no one was looking.

“Change the headline!”

“Write about Guardian Kang Seong-un first!”

“Get America on the line!”

The reporters rose from their seats.

The press conference Park Gang-sik had prepared so grandly was ruined.

The 31st floor, Park Jun-hyeok, the generational shift, none of it drew attention anymore.

There was only one name the world would remember today.

Kang Seong-un, Guardian of the 25th floor.

Clench!

Park Gang-sik gripped the podium.

Only moments ago, they had been certain.

That South Korea could rise without Kang Seong-un.

That was true.

It could rise.

But from now on, it would have to pay Kang Seong-un a toll, ask for his permission, and crawl beneath the throne he occupied.

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