NOVPUBFar away, Inside the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter, capable of carrying more than eleven people comfortably ,Alex and Alexa sat near the windows, watching the ocean below. The helicopter's blades roared loudly, cutting through the wind as they neared Elarion Isle.
Suddenly, Alexa's eyes caught movement on the water. "There!" she pointed. "A boat!"
Alex leaned forward, squinting. His eyes widened in recognition. "It's the Eternal Return Guild," he said,
Without hesitation, Alexa turned to the pilot. "Bring us down a little! Get us closer!"
The helicopter descended smoothly, the waves below rippling from the gusts of wind. When they were low enough, Alexa grabbed hold of the thick ropes attached to the side of the helicopter. She tossed them down, watching as the ropes unraveled and reached the deck of the boat.
"Get ready to pull them up!" Alexa shouted, securing her grip. Alex nodded, standing by to help as the members of the Eternal Return Guild grabbed hold of the ropes, preparing to be lifted up one by one.
Inside the helicopter, the engine hummed steadily as Alex looked around at the worn faces of the Eternal Return Guild members. He leaned forward. "What's going on? Where's Daewon and—"
Before he could finish, Fumiko interrupted him, her voice sharp. "Let's go far away first!"
Alex blinked. "Wait, why?" Alexa asked, confused.
Suddenly, a massive shockwave blasted through the air, shaking the helicopter violently. The pilot struggled to keep control as everyone grabbed onto their seats, knuckles white from the grip. The entire helicopter trembled as if struck by a giant's fist.
"What the heck?!" Alexa shouted, eyes wide as she looked out the window. The whole island seemed to shake, trees bending as if hit by a storm. "What is going on?!"
The second-in-command, catching his breath, spoke up. "We need to go back now! It's Daewon... he's going all out."
The pilot didn't hesitate. He pulled the controls, and the helicopter banked sharply, moving away from the danger zone.
Alex and Alexa exchanged glances, "Damn it, Daewon, you really did it!" Alexa whispered, fists clenched.
Fumiko, still catching her breath, looked at them seriously. "We don't know who he's fighting... but we're not safe. This is the second time, but it feels different. His opponent... seems stronger this time."
Silence filled the cabin as they flew away, the echoes of the shockwave still ringing in their ears.
Hours later, the helicopter finally touched down on the rooftop of the Awakeners' Association. The wind from the rotors blew their hair wildly as Alex and Alexa led the exhausted Eternal Return Guild members inside to rest. After making sure they were settled, the two wasted no time and headed straight for the chairman's office.
Pushing the doors open, Alexa's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What are you all doing here?" she asked, seeing the room crowded with top rankers.
Seoha, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, sighed dramatically. "Damn Daewon! How dare he fight him first?! I'm so jealous... huuuhuu!" he whined, clearly frustrated.
Alex raised an eyebrow, ignoring Seoha's antics. "Grandpa?"
The chairman was standing by the window, hands clasped behind his back, staring outside with a deep frown. He barely turned to look at them when they walked in.
Alex and Alexa moved closer, their eyes widening as they saw the screens in the building. "What?! But how?!" Alexa gasped, disbelief clear in her voice.
The chairman finally sat down, rubbing his temple. "What's going on in Elarion Isle… it's being live broadcasted worldwide," he said, voice heavy with concern.
Alex frowned. "But you shut off the live broadcasting, right? Global System shouldn't be streaming anything."
Just then, Tae Hyun entered the room, catching his breath. "It's not the Global System," he explained, shaking his head. "It's being live-broadcasted by someone else. Looks like a non-awakened is risking their life to film it, paid by the medias... it's not regulated."
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Inside White Moon Academy, the atmosphere in Nathan and Elshienne's classroom was calm until their professor suddenly stood at the front, clearing his throat. "Class is dismissed for today," he announced with a firm nod.
A wave of surprise washed over the students as they glanced at each other, murmurs spreading quickly.
"Class dismissed? Just like that?" one student whispered.
"Looks like something happened," another muttered, eyebrows raised.
A few students even joked, nudging each other. "Maybe another beast attack?"
"Or the professor just wants an early break," someone chuckled.
Before the conversations could grow louder, the door swung open, and Nayoung burst into the room, panting heavily. Her eyes were wide with excitement as she hurried over to Elshienne, waving her phone. "Look at this, guys! Something's going on! Hurry!"
Elshienne blinked in surprise, leaning closer as Nayoung practically shoved the screen in her face. Nathan raised an eyebrow, moving closer to see what the commotion was about.
On Nayoung's phone, a live broadcast was playing, the shaky camera capturing the chaos of a massive fight. The headline read: "LIVE BROADCAST: KANG DAEWON VS. HAN SEO ON ELARION ISLE!"
Gasps filled the room as more students crowded around, eyes glued to the screen.
"Wait... Han Seo? Who is that?"
"Elarion Isle? Isn't that the place that just got announced as a new landmark?"
"And he's fighting Daewon? Are you serious?"
Nathan's eyes narrowed, his fists clenching slightly. Elshienne's expression shifted from confusion to curiosity. "Han Seo...?" she whispered.
Nayoung nodded eagerly. "It's going viral! Everyone's talking about it!"
"Breaking News! The world is still buzzing after the recent Global System announcement of a newly discovered landmark—Elarion Isle. The hidden dungeon was cleared by an unknown individual named Han Seo, marking the first solo clear of its kind in years. But that's not all." 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
Gasps rippled through the students.
"A solo clear? On a new landmark?" someone whispered in disbelief.
Elshienne leaned closer, her eyes focused. "Han Seo... who is that?"
Nathan's eyes narrowed, watching every detail. He stayed silent, but there was a gleam of curiosity in his gaze.
The holographic screen on Nayoung's phone flickered, shifting to a shaky live broadcast. The camera view showed dense forests, blurred by movement and heavy breathing from the person filming. Mana fluctuations were so strong that even through the screen, they could feel the energy pulsing. Leaves trembled, and shockwaves cracked through the forest, sending flocks of birds scattering in the sky.
"What you are seeing now is a live, unauthorized broadcast directly from Elarion Isle," the anchor continued. "Sources confirm that the individual streaming this is not affiliated with any guild or association. Reports suggest it's a non-awakened risking their life to capture the event. And what event is that, you may ask?"
The camera zoomed in shakily, catching two figures clashing in the middle of a decimated clearing. Trees were uprooted, the ground was cracked and scorched, and bursts of mana flared with every collision.
"No way…" Elshienne murmured, eyes wide.
Nayoung nodded rapidly. "I know! It's crazy!"
"Who is Han Seo to be fighting Kang Daewon head-on like that?" another student asked, disbelief clear in their voice.
The anchor's voice grew more intense. "That's right, viewers. What you are witnessing is a live battle between Kang Daewon, the Guild Master of Eternal Return, and the mysterious Han Seo, who recently cleared the hidden dungeon. Experts are already speculating—just who is this Han Seo? And why is Daewon going all out?"
Nathan finally spoke up, voice low. "I think I know who that is…"
Elshienne turned to him, eyes questioning. "You do?"
Before Nathan could answer, the screen zoomed in closer, capturing Daewon's massive double-headed hammer swinging with earth-shattering force. But just before it landed, a flash of white hair moved—so fast it was almost a blur.
"Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates on this unprecedented event!"
The screen shifted back to the anchor, his expression intense. "History is unfolding right before our eyes. Who is Han Seo, and how did he end up facing one of Korea's strongest hunters? More updates soon."
Nayoung pulled back, eyes shining with excitement. "Did you guys see that?!"
Elshienne was still processing it. "Han Seo… could it really be...?"
"Yeah, It's him"
