Chapter 344: Pantheon (3) |
A streamer.
A profession that had recently gained popularity in the information age, with the rise of video platforms and the growth of the content creation industry.
A market that was quickly becoming oversaturated, as more and more people, lured by the potential for high income, jumped on the bandwagon.
“…That restaurant was… disappointing. It looked good, but it tasted like it was overloaded with MSG. I’ll give it a 4 out of 10! I had high expectations, but the rumors were… exaggerated.”
Hong Doo-sik, a young man talking to his smartphone, attached to a selfie stick, was one of those streamers.
His main content was… finding hidden culinary gems.
He didn’t actually know much about food, but he was confident in his ability to… talk the talk.
‘Why aren’t the viewers coming in today? Should I try something more… stimulating?’
His average viewer count barely reached double digits, and the views on his poorly edited videos were abysmal.
“Now, for dessert! We’re going to visit a crepe stall that’s been getting some buzz on social media. Let’s see what it’s like…”
It was an ordinary day, just like any other.
A boring and uneventful day, so mundane that he was considering quitting and getting a part-time job.
Yes.
Until ‘it’ happened.
Crackle—!
A sudden spark, like a high-voltage current.
“Huh…?”
A tingling sensation ran through his body as he heard the strange noise.
He stopped in his tracks, goosebumps rising on his skin.
He wasn’t the only one who reacted.
The others around him also stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky, their faces filled with confusion.
He followed their gaze.
Crackle—!
A bolt from the blue, as they say.
Bright sparks flickered and danced in the clear, sunny sky.
‘Wait, is that…?!’
A chill ran down his spine, his mind snapping back to reality.
It was clearly a supernatural phenomenon.
A large-scale manifestation of power, without any prior warning!
Which meant…
‘An Awakened terrorist attack!’
A wave of panic washed over him.
Thanks to the recent activities of vigilantes like Hahoe Mask and Phantom, the public order in Korea, especially in Seoul, had improved significantly.
That was one of the reasons he had chosen outdoor activities as his main content!
Crackle! Crackle—!
The sparks in the sky grew larger and more intense.
He was an ordinary person, with no connection to the supernatural world… but he instinctively knew.
That if ‘that’ exploded, he would be vaporized, leaving no trace behind.
‘I haven’t even had a girlfriend yet!’
His thoughts raced, a jumbled mess of regrets and what-ifs.
And yet, he instinctively turned his camera towards the sky, capturing the unusual phenomenon.
He wasn’t sure if it was a streamer’s instinct, a desire to document everything, or a primal urge to leave behind a record of his final moments.
Flash—
And then, a blinding golden light erupted from the center of the sparks.
And then,
[“Rooooar—!”]
…A deafening roar, accompanied by an overwhelming presence,
…swept through the area.
Rumble—
“Aaaagh!”
“Kyaaa!”
“What the—?! What is that?!”
A fierce gale, a sudden storm, plunged the surroundings into chaos.
And it wasn’t just the immediate vicinity.
Everyone who could see the massive figure, everyone who could hear its roar, was affected.
Hong Doo-sik stared up at the sky, his body trembling, his mind blank, as he felt the oppressive aura emanating from the creature.
A massive being, dozens of meters long, its body covered in golden scales, its wings flapping powerfully as it soared through the air.
“A dragon…?”
He had never seen one in real life, but the name came to him naturally.
It was a familiar creature, a staple of games, movies, and other media.
But there was one thing that bothered him—.
‘What’s that?’
…A large, spherical orb held in the dragon’s mouth.
It was also something he had never seen before, but he somehow knew its name.
“…A Dragon Orb?”
He was confused.
It looked like a Western dragon, but it was holding a Dragon Orb, an item associated with Eastern dragons. What kind of… hybrid was this?
‘Hmm, no, wait. That’s just my preconceived notion…’
He didn't actually know anything about dragons. He had only seen them in movies and games.
Now that he was facing the real thing…
His mind, clouded by preconceived notions, suddenly cleared.
“A-a real dragon?! Here?!”
His brain finally caught up with the situation.
In short,
A dragon.
A real, live dragon,
…had appeared in the sky above Seoul.
-???
-Wait, is this real?
-Holy crap, it’s a dragon! It’s on the news!
-What the—?!
His chat window was also in chaos, the messages scrolling rapidly.
The viewer count was increasing exponentially.
Everyone was shocked by the dragon in his video.
‘…This is a good spot.’
Not too far, not too close, and with no obstructions, it was the perfect location to capture the entire creature on camera.
His initial fear was quickly replaced by a surge of excitement, a sense of opportunity.
‘This is… my chance!’
The first footage of a real dragon! It was the scoop of a lifetime!
He gulped, his hand tightening around his smartphone.
Logically, he should be running away… but he was past the point of caring about his own safety.
‘My streaming career starts now!’
‘This is huge! I have to capture this!’
‘Jackpot! If I upload this to social media…’
And he wasn’t the only one.
Countless people, ignoring their own safety, were filming the dragon, their cameras pointed towards the sky.
As befitting the information age, the news spread like wildfire, not just throughout Korea…
…but across the globe, thanks to the internet.
Carried by the majestic image of Horus, the Gold Dragon.
____________________
‘As expected, it’s effective.’
It had been a bit… impulsive to summon Horus so suddenly.
And to use 「Elder Dragon’s Heart」 right away, revealing his adult form…
‘But this was the most effective method.’
Shock and awe.
Any awakened individual with a decent level of power would instinctively know, upon seeing a dragon soaring through the sky,
…that it didn’t belong here.
That it was impossible for such a creature to exist on Earth.
It wasn't a demi-human like a vampire, werewolf, or undead, a creature derived from humans.
It was a completely different species, its very essence otherworldly.
A dragon, the apex predator of countless dimensions.
‘Harris would have also been a good choice, but Horus is more… visually impactful.’
There was no comparison between a slender, humanoid elf and a massive dragon, dozens of meters long.
It had achieved its purpose.
But there had been a few… minor side effects.
The office where he had been meeting with the Pantheon representatives.
“…”
“…Huu…”
Those who had witnessed the Gold Dragon’s sudden appearance, their faces filled with awe and wonder just moments ago, were now wiping the sweat from their brows, their expressions weary.
Unlike before, the number of people in the room had doubled.
And their gazes were mostly focused on a single point in the corner of the room.
Munch, munch.
A small, childish munching sound echoed through the heavy silence.
A small boy, sitting on a high chair, his little legs dangling, casually eating snacks, oblivious to the stares of the adults around him.
Horus, the Gold Dragon.
He was the true star of the show, overshadowing even Heinrich.
“…I apologize again for the commotion. I acted hastily and caused unnecessary trouble.”
Heinrich, seeing everyone’s attention focused on Horus, bowed his head apologetically.
Naturally, the sudden appearance of a massive dragon in the sky above Seoul couldn't be ignored.
“Ha… Haha…”
“…It’s alright. It’s over now.”
“It can’t be helped. We should have informed you sooner.”
It had been… chaotic.
Alarms blared, magic barriers activated, and Awakened combat units, including Guardians, swarmed the area.
Even Yoon Ji-yoon, the Lightning Empress, one of Korea’s top three awakened individuals, had rushed to the scene, her body wreathed in lightning.
Of course, Horus had also suppressed his aura and deactivated his transformation, minimizing the energy leakage.
After all, this was Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
If he had unleashed his full power, it would have been a disaster!
Most of the civilians here had low resistance to supernatural energy. It could have been a catastrophe.
‘My goal was to attract attention and make headlines… but I didn’t want to cause any serious damage. And Heinrich was there as well, so it should have been fine.’
There had been some damage, but it wasn’t severe.
Though the people involved in the cleanup would have a lot of work to do.
“That child… was the dragon…?”
“To think a creature from another world would come to Earth… Perhaps another Great Calamity is upon us.”
“It’s hard to believe… Such a small body, containing such immense power… I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”
“…Cute.”
Regardless, everything had gone according to plan.
No one doubted Heinrich’s claim of being an otherworlder anymore.
Not the people in this room, nor anyone else who had witnessed the event.
____________________
Pantheon US Headquarters.
“Pfft—!”
Scribe, enjoying a leisurely tea time, suddenly spat out her tea, her eyes wide with shock.
“What… is that?”
She stared at the monitor, where a large and magnificent creature, holding a mystical orb in its mouth, flapped its massive wings, its presence overwhelming.
It was footage from the other side of the world.
“A dragon…? Why is it on Earth…?”
And in Seoul, Korea, no less.
The exact location where Heinrich, the Saint of Auterica, and the Pantheon investigation team were supposed to meet!
An ominous premonition, a chilling sense of unease, crept into her heart.
Her instincts, honed through years of experience, screamed at her.
‘…Wait, this is…’
Something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
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