Though flustered, Soohyeok didn't bother calling Oh Shinwoo again.
It wasn't something that could be solved with a conversation anyway. He had only called earlier out of frustration over the sudden situation—more like a childish tantrum than a proper complaint.
Instead, he continued scrolling through online comment sections on his smartphone.
Ridiculous as it was, even though he was embarrassed, he couldn't help but keep reading—because they were talking about him.
And, of course, not all the comments were positive:
L Isn't No-Name kind of full of himself? Level 8? No one in Universal 8 history has ever gotten a rank above Level 5 at the start.
L Nah, I don't think so. If they were lying, it'd be exposed fast. No way Vice President Oh Shinwoo is dumb enough to make that up.
L But seriously, no one even knows who No-Name is. Does he even exist? Maybe he's just a fictional character made up by the Association.
L Classic conspiracy theory.
L Not really a conspiracy. Honestly, I think No-Name is a total fraud.
No-Name, or Soohyeok, hadn't revealed himself by choice.
No one knew who he was.
Many reporters and producers tried to uncover his identity, but none of the people involved in the incident were talking. One network even tried to bribe a survivor with a suitcase of money, only to be kicked out on the spot.
Not a single person forgot the grace of being saved.
The Association employees were managed directly by Oh Shinwoo.
Even the KR Guild, including Kim Ingyu, remained silent.
Thanks to that, Soohyeok felt a strange kind of reassurance—that the world wasn't entirely corrupt after all.
"I mean… I'm grateful, but still…"
Lying in bed, Soohyeok slowly set his phone down and closed his eyes. A strange feeling washed over him.
This wasn't the first time he had gained fame.
Back on the Hwan Continent, he had fought and beaten renowned masters, ultimately becoming the Martial Emperor.
Back then, fame followed him everywhere—naturally, inevitably.
So you'd think he'd be used to it by now.
But somehow, this felt completely different from his time in the other world.
The reason was simple.
The scale and speed were unmatched.
And now, the feedback came instantly, in real time.
"Ugh. I just acted out of anger… Then Vice President Oh Shinwoo had to pour oil on the fire…"
Grumbling, he checked the news again on his phone before burying himself under the blanket.
It was going to be a sleepless night unless he forced himself to clear his head.
***
After revealing the truth, Soohyeok and Sooah formed a temporary alliance.
The first rule of their pact: fool their parents.
It wasn't just a matter of getting scolded—they were genuinely worried one of them might faint from shock if they found out.
The second rule: quickly raise his license to at least Gold rank.
Gold was the badge awarded to Awakened ranked Level 9 and above.
It symbolized elite ability—essentially proof that the person was powerful and safe.
After the Dimensional Alliance became active and proper training systems were established, mortality rates among Awakened had dropped significantly.
And even among them, deaths among Level 9 or higher hunters were extremely rare.
Most casualties occurred among lower-ranked Awakened.
That was the logic they planned to use to convince their parents.
The third rule: don't overdo it.
Sooah had already realized that Soohyeok had become someone far beyond her control.
Level 6 at first awakening, Level 8 in a single day, and now even a trending name—No-Name.
It was too late to stop him, but that didn't mean she would just stand by and watch him get hurt.
Soohyeok, for his part, promised with full sincerity to be careful.
Only then did Sooah feel truly reassured and chose to stand by his side.
They had crossed a major hurdle.
But that brought about another one:
The matter of No-Name.
Soohyeok operated solo.
And on the internet, rumors began to circulate that No-Name had solo-player clearance.
So far, Baek Mu-hak had been Korea's only certified solo player.
Soohyeok was now the second.
Which meant: if any Awakened besides Baek Mu-hak approached a portal alone and entered, they would be immediately identified as No-Name.
And naturally, the more people knew a secret, the easier it was to leak.
From Soohyeok's point of view—especially since he hadn't told his parents yet—it was the last thing he wanted.
So he took a slightly absurd but effective step:
He bought a mask.
A plastic one modeled after a famous American robot hero, sold at a kids' stationery store.
After entering a few portals wearing the mask, a new set of rumors began circulating online:
L I heard No-Name is a fan of Iron Robot.
L My friend swears he saw him—sounds legit.
L So No-Name is real then?
L Definitely a real person. Not sure about the power level though.
It was a bit embarrassing—but better than having his identity exposed.
As Soohyeok continued making public appearances in the mask, suspicion around No-Name's existence began to fade.
And though some still doubted his skills, even those voices went quiet after a little more than a month.
During that time, Soohyeok had solo-cleared more than 20 portals.
The record wasn't made public, but a guy walking around in a robot mask wasn't exactly low-profile.
Among all Awakened—especially the active hunters—he couldn't help but stand out.
Naturally, people began focusing on his performance.
L I don't think we need to question No-Name anymore. He's the real deal.
All eyes were turning toward the strange new name: No-Name.
***
Five years ago.
Countless dimensions that were once believed to exist only in imagination suddenly connected.
The world was in shock.
And the first contact with an alien race—the Demons—was anything but pleasant.
In less than a month, one-third of the American continent was destroyed after the demons first appeared.
Modern weaponry and chemical arms had little effect.
While they worked to a limited extent against lesser demons and demon soldiers, the true power of the archdemons—those who could be considered actual devils—was enough to utterly crush everything in their path.
Then, another dimensional gate opened, and the Angels appeared. Bearing the white wings described in scripture, they did not view humanity with compassion. They simply hated demons.
It felt as though Earth had become the battleground of a massive war.
Just as three hundred million demon troops led by the 72 Archdemons, and fifty million angelic warriors under the Twelve Archangels, raised their weapons and prepared to clash—
Dimensional gates opened all across the world, marking the beginning of a global transformation.
In truth, Earth wasn't even a particularly attractive world for demons.
It lacked abundant mana and didn't have hardy, slave-worthy beings raised in harsh environments.
So rather than clash directly with the angels, the demon army turned their attention elsewhere.
The angels, in turn, pursued the demons to protect other worlds.
There were hundreds of confrontations and several large-scale battles.
Unlike Earth, there were worlds the demons did desire. The angels fought fiercely to prevent those lands from falling.
Natives from these dimensions, seeking to protect their own worlds, joined the angels. Their combined power eventually became known as the Dimensional Alliance.
And then, from Earth—dismissed as weak and inferior—emerged a new kind of being: the Awakened.
It was the moment when Earth, once merely a protected world, gained the power to fight.
Even the angels who had looked down on Earth rejoiced, saying that the grace of God had finally reached humanity.
Either way, a powerful new force had joined the Dimensional Alliance.
Thus began a new era of change.
For over a year, rivers of blood were shed.
By the second year, with help from the Alliance, the bloodshed began to lessen.
By the third, fourth, and fifth years, stability finally arrived on Earth.
The transformed world no longer felt strange.
All of humanity began to follow the flow of this new age, adapting as if entering a new epoch.
The Awakened—now mankind's final line of defense—were no different.
Humans are social creatures who prioritize stability and structure.
Thus, the World Awakening Council was established.
A law was swiftly passed stating that any nation with even a single Awakened had to join the Council.
Later, countries with many Awakened formed their own national Awakener Associations.
That marked the end of the effort to regulate and stabilize the world.
After that, the focus shifted to profit.
Businesses sprang up.
Awakeners represented an entirely new profession—one Earth had never known before—and they were few in number.
On top of that, monsters from other worlds provided rare materials that opened doors to advances in science and technology.
The mysterious mana stones they dropped offered potential beyond even nuclear power. The scent of money was everywhere.
Quick-witted entrepreneurs, ambitious Awakened, and powerful corporations all jumped in.
On Earth, money is power.
No matter how powerful an Awakener is, if they misuse their power or act violently, they can be killed by the military, the police, or even stronger Awakeners—or by the World Awakening Council itself.
But money? That's different.
With money, you can buy influence, sway public opinion, and even take lives.
Everyone knew that, and the competition was fierce.
Now, five years later, three major guilds dominate South Korea:
Baekdu, Cheonhae, and Imoogi.
Of these, Baekdu is indisputably at the top.
Its president, Yeo Hyungsook, and vice president, Lim Sayul, are both Level 12 Awakened. Many of Korea's top-ranked Awakened gather under the Baekdu name.
Even though many of them are individually strong, the reason they flock to Baekdu so fanatically is simple:
Baekdu has no dark secrets.
From the very start, Yeo Hyungsook refused investment from large corporations and avoided political alliances. He built Baekdu alone, eventually turning it into Korea's number one guild.
He was born and raised in an ordinary household—something that made his achievement seem even more impossible.
And behind him stood Lim Sayul, a brilliant strategist.
Before the Portal Impact that opened the gates to other dimensions, Lim Sayul was born into a middle-class family. Through his own abilities, he was accepted as the top student at Korea's most prestigious law school, Daehan University, and was even offered a position at a major law firm.
But after awakening, he chose instead to join Yeo Hyungsook and open Baekdu's doors.
It was an extraordinary decision.
As a renowned scholar and a standout from the very start, Lim Sayul received offers from countless corporations—many of them far more promising than Baekdu.
Even international organizations sought him out.
But he chose Yeo Hyungsook, and together they built the powerhouse guild known as Baekdu.
Their story of friendship and rise to the top remains one of South Korea's most legendary true stories.
And now, after overcoming countless threats and crises to stand at the summit, these two found themselves facing an unexpected new dilemma.
"Ah, damn it… Seriously…"
Sigh…