Awakeners have quite a few rules they follow, rules that have been written in blood from the early days of gate occurrences to now. Among them is the protocol for encountering unidentified creatures within gates. If they come across a creature without any known information, they are to exclude it immediately, no matter how harmless it may seem.

This makes sense—after all, it could suddenly turn hostile and attack, potentially endangering both them and their comrades. Naturally, even S-rankers like Aika and Kong, and former S-ranker Yoojin, adhered to this.

—However,

"Captain. We'll head back first."
"Good. The five of us will exit as late as possible. In the meantime, spread the word subtly about the 'Saintess.'"
"Understood."

Today, the elite S-rank gate assault team directly defied that protocol.

The creature they encountered in the boss room, an unidentified entity called the “Saintess,” was not only left alive but was even being sent out into modern society beyond the gate.

It seemed like an odd decision, but the assault team had two solid reasons.

The first reason was the potential utility of the Saintess. According to the testimony of the Lord God religion followers, she had predicted the occurrence of the S-rank gate.

If that turned out to be true, then the damage from future gates could be reduced a hundredfold or even more. They could prevent situations where gates appear in cities, endangering civilians.

The second reason…

"[Captain, are you sure this is alright? It could spark some controversy.]"
"[I'd rather leave her behind, but… look at this.]"

-*Hesitation.*

"Um, could you please… not cling to me like that?"
"……."

The Saintess, who couldn’t be touched like a ghost, was, in turn, sticking to Yoojin like glue.

Leaving her behind in this state wasn’t an option. Not only would it be problematic to abandon a future S-rank within a gate just to detach the Saintess, but it was also clear that Yoojin was already on edge, worried that his mind might get scrambled.

"[That makes sense.]"
"[Yes. It will be controversial, no doubt… but… hmm.]"

Of course, the risk of taking the Saintess, an unidentified creature, outside was still significant.

To the U.S., this could be perceived as an act of terrorism. They might cry, “The damn Vietnamese are spreading poison in America!” Even if the government didn’t see it that way, the media surely would, as reporters worldwide were always hungry for sensational stories.

'Guess we don’t have a choice. Take the heat, Yoojin.'

"[Change of plans. Prioritize spreading Yoojin’s achievements, make it as sensational as possible.]"
"[Wait, then what about the Saintess…?]"
"[Just inform High Priestess Ray Ellington discreetly. She’ll likely cooperate enthusiastically.]"

Thus, Kong gave a covert order, telling his deputy, who was returning ahead of him, to focus on boosting Yoojin’s reputation over spreading word about the Saintess.

After all, Yoojin’s accomplishments were no small feat. Nearly all the monsters in the gate had been defeated by him alone, aside from the initial entry. It could practically be considered a solo clearing.

There were arguments to be made regarding the boss, but regardless…

Accomplishing this feat just seven weeks into his academy training, a full year faster than Aika’s record, was unprecedented.

Once this got out, it would be front-page news worldwide. Journalists, like hungry dogs, would be clamoring to tear apart the story of Yoojin’s success.

Kong planned to use this distraction to quietly handle the Saintess’s extraction. Kong had always been one for practical solutions.

"[Leave it to me!]"

“Ahem, ahem. The Vietnam Liberation Army will make an official announcement first. This gate was cleared by the awakened Seo Yoojin…."

Thanks to this plan, the Vietnamese awakener team was thrilled.

“Promote Yoojin-nim? The primary hero in the necromancer’s defeat, the benefactor of Vietnam? We’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time.”

The praise for Yoojin spread to journalists, who eagerly devoured it.

"Only five people cleared the gate?"
"Every monster for ten hours fell to his katana, and he defeated the boss entirely on his own?"
"Is this even believable?"

Of course, the journalists were initially skeptical, laughing it off as something straight out of a kids' cartoon…

"There’s bodycam footage. Dozens of angles. All in high-definition."
"……Long live Yoojin!"

Any skepticism evaporated in the face of evidence.

With countless awakener witnesses and recorded footage, Yoojin’s solo performance was undeniable. Although the video footage exceeded ten hours, it was enough to silence any doubts.

The name Seo Yoojin quickly swept across the world.

- *Shock! Seo Yoojin solos S-rank gate… Breaks the world’s youngest record.*
- *Unprecedented difficulty: Seo Yoojin’s gate, speculated to be higher than S-rank.*
- *Seo Yoojin surpasses Aika Ninomiya: Possible shifts in S-rank awakener rankings.*

The S-rank gate, or possibly higher, that appeared in the U.S. capital of Washington, which even elite awakeners found hard to survive, was defeated by Yoojin’s small, elite team. Yoojin had even proposed the audacious plan himself and executed it successfully. And in the end, after a thirty-minute solo fight with the dungeon boss, he had cleared it.

The news, reminiscent of a blockbuster movie synopsis, spread like wildfire. How did other countries react?

- *R/awakener - Seo Yoojin is officially an American from today.*
- *Time to repay Korea for their support during the Korean War.*
- *George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, Benjamin Franklin… and now Seo Yoojin.*

America was ecstatic.

The gate had opened in the capital, Washington, causing much anxiety, but they now celebrated their miraculous survival, all thanks to Yoojin.

The news sent a wave of cheers across the nation, with some Americans even suggesting Yoojin deserved to be on the dollar bills alongside historical figures.

Yoojin’s feat, surpassing Aika’s achievements, elevated his standing to new heights in the U.S.

"What’s Japan’s response? Anything newsworthy?"

At the same time, the Americans were curious about Japan's reaction. The country, known for boasting about its S-rank awakeners, probably wouldn’t be too pleased to see the emergence of a powerful new S-rank candidate.

"It seems like…"

- *Thread: Talking about Yoojin-chan*
  
  (Screenshot of Yoojin’s S-rank gate clearing footage)
  "Seeing Aika-chan and Yoojin-chan fighting back-to-back was so moving I almost cried."
  
  >>119
  "This is destiny. They’re definitely getting married."
  
  >>141
  "I’ve been an Aika fan for 20 years, but I have to acknowledge Yoojin-kun."
  
  >>159
  "I’ve been a fan since his elementary school days, so I know him well (this sounds super creepy)."
  
  >>159
  "Even the creepy uncle agrees, lol."

"They love it?"
"…What?"

Japan had a different perspective. Since the Winter Terror incident, they had fully embraced Aika-Yoojin as a couple.

After all, if their beloved treasure found an impressive partner, there was no room for jealousy.

If anything, they were thrilled. To them, it was only right that a suitor for Japan’s treasure, Aika, would achieve such a feat. Even Japan’s prime minister gave his approval.

As for other countries, apart from Vietnam and Korea, it was mostly just “Damn, Seo Yoojin again?” Everywhere else reacted with weary admiration for his recurring miraculous feats.

Vietnam hailed him as a hero, while Korea continued its daily ritual of revering him, business as usual.

"Some of the American awakeners who returned earlier leaked information about the Saintess…."
"The Saintess? What is that? Does it attract more views than Seo Yoojin?"
"No."
"Then forget about it."

Thus, talk of the Saintess faded into obscurity, just as Kong had planned.

- *Murmur, murmur.*

"Well then… it’s about time for the hero to make his appearance."

As a result, a huge crowd gathered near the gate, creating an endless stream of people.

They were all there to witness a moment that would be etched into the history of awakeners, if not humanity itself: Seo Yoojin’s triumphant return after clearing the S-rank gate.

- *Ssss… flash.*

'He's here!'

Right on cue, a bright light shimmered at the edge of the gate’s boundary. The ominous crimson hue that had filled the gate dissipated into thin air, and sunlight poured down, illuminating the once-darkened sky.

This phenomenon signified the gate had been cleared and that the MVP of the assault team had returned.

The crowd held its breath…

"……."  
-*Step, step.*

One figure emerged, wearing worn-out sneakers and sweat-soaked sportswear, his exceptionally handsome face illuminated as he stepped out of the light.

"He’s out! He’s finally out!"
"There are so many camera flashes; I can barely get a shot…."
"Just snap anything! Something will come out!"

-*Click, click.*

A storm of flashes exploded around him.

The flashes came so quickly and simultaneously that his face was almost obscured by the glare.

"[Kong. I’ll take the spotlight for now; I’m counting on you for everything else.]"
"[It doesn’t look promising… but good luck.]"

Yet the man of the hour,

 Yoojin, moved without concern, walking with bold, almost arrogant steps.

"Good afternoon. I am Seo Yoojin, an A-rank awakener from Korea."
"……."

-*Silence.*

He stopped in front of a podium filled with microphones, and as Yoojin opened his mouth, the crowd fell silent.

After all, a gate assault wasn’t truly over until the MVP of the mission, the hero everyone came to cheer for, had spoken.

"With this announcement, I declare the completion of the S-rank gate assault."
"The credit goes to A-rank awakener Seo Yoojin and five others."

At the 12-hour mark since the assault team entered, Yoojin declared the end of the gate.

'As expected of Seo Yoojin. Despite having accomplished the most, he still acknowledges his teammates…'

-*Grin.*

"To be honest, I did most of it. I probably could’ve handled it alone, actually."

"?!"

But this time, he sounded a little more boastful than usual.