Chapter 26: The Divide Between the Ordinary and the Awakened
Translated by Vine | Proofread by Lust
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Bahamute had been repeatedly warned by various officials that a rift was brewing between ordinary people and the Awakened.
Right now, with the ongoing reconstruction efforts, there was no shortage of resources, and everyone—ordinary people and the Awakened alike—seemed satisfied. But humans, by nature, were creatures of greed.
Once the reconstruction ended, and life returned to a peaceful routine, people would inevitably start to seek more. That ambition, unchecked, could easily spiral into conflict.
“For now, things are fine. But later, discrimination could explode into a serious issue.”
Was it going to be discrimination against the Awakened or against ordinary people?
In the worst-case scenario, mutual hatred and violence could ensue.
Bahamute sensed that if this issue wasn’t resolved properly now, it would lead to deep regret in the future.
“What do you think, Yuna?”
And so, Bahamute summoned Choi Yuna, the person he trusted most, to the temple to hear her opinion.
Whether she liked it or not, Yuna was the one Bahamute relied on most. And as the leader of the Bahamute Cult, she couldn’t ignore this ticking time bomb.
“This needs to be resolved. Yes, it has to be. Even if you, my lord, think it’s okay, I can’t let it slide.”
“Is that so?”
With a resolute expression, Yuna insisted that this issue must be addressed. Although she usually followed Bahamute’s guidance, she wasn’t willing to back down this time.
“Can you explain why?”
“Of course.”
Yuna then recounted her experiences from her time in a survivor camp to Bahamute, detailing the conflict between ordinary people and the Awakened.
The emergence of mutated zombies had inflamed the tensions, ultimately leading to the collapse of the camp she was in. The survivors scattered, each looking for a way to survive. Yuna, in a state of despair, had fled to Namsan.
“This isn’t too different from the current problem. If this conflict escalates, we could face the same fate.”
Yuna may have exaggerated a bit to persuade Bahamute, but he understood the point well. If these conflicts weren’t addressed in time, they could come back to haunt them.
The current focus on rebuilding Gyeongju had simply distracted people from these underlying issues. But once the reconstruction ended and peace returned, the embers of discord could ignite a wildfire.
“I want to resolve this conflict before it fully erupts.”
“After hearing you out, I agree. We need to solve this.”
Even if Yuna’s argument was intense, her stance on swiftly addressing the issue was reasonable.
Bahamute had heard similar concerns from Yuna and his advisors. He knew that resolving this conflict was essential.
‘But… I don’t have the power to solve it. How should I handle this?’
However, Bahamute lacked the wisdom to find a solution.
He wasn’t an all-knowing dragon, as often depicted in fantasy tales, nor did he possess near-omniscient wisdom.
Essentially, Bahamute was just a gaming enthusiast turned shut-in. The only reason he had managed to avoid any major disasters thus far was because he knew his limitations well and focused on gathering as much expert advice as possible.
But even the experts found this issue challenging, leaving Bahamute with a growing sense of unease.
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“The method for Awakening requires hunting a zombie, right?”
“Yes.”
The Awakening process was simple: any ordinary person could become Awakened by defeating a zombie.
Choi Yuna, like many in the Bahamute Cult, had bravely fought zombies to Awaken.
There might be other Awakening methods, but this was the only one they knew. Therefore, they had to consider solutions that utilized this process.
“But right now, finding a zombie in the city is nearly impossible. Could we issue an order to capture zombies for Awakening practice?”
“That would be difficult. The current expedition teams are already stretched thin, liberating nearby villages and gathering supplies for the Cult. Capturing zombies would only add to their burden.”
“That’s… problematic.”
It was ironic that Bahamute’s efforts to rid Gyeongju and its surroundings of zombies for the sake of peace had led to this situation.
While he had achieved peace for the city, the lack of zombies was now hindering the growth of new Awakened members.
Sure, zombies still wandered in from roads leading to Gyeongju, giving the expedition teams some to fight, but capturing them was another story.
“Moreover, this method is extremely challenging for children, the elderly, and the disabled. Our Awakened are mostly young or middle-aged because of it.”
“I see.”
Zombie-hunting wasn’t feasible for the weak or elderly.
Hearing this reality, Bahamute closed his eyes and nodded heavily.
“Then we need to find a new Awakening method—one that doesn’t rely on zombies.”
“Is that even possible, my lord?”
“We have to try everything we can. Fortunately, we still have resources.”
So, Bahamute decided to pursue a new Awakening method.
Yuna’s survival camp had ultimately fallen because they hadn’t had enough time to resolve their conflicts.
But this time was different.
The conflict hadn’t fully emerged yet. The experts were still issuing warnings, meaning they still had time to prevent it.
“The feared conflict hasn’t occurred yet, and we have enough time to act.”
“But… isn’t this too difficult for you, my lord?”
“If we try enough methods, we’re bound to find one that works.”
Exploring new Awakening methods wasn’t limited to the Bahamute Cult.
On online communities, challenges to discover non-combat Awakening methods had already begun to pop up.
However, despite numerous attempts, no one had succeeded.
Yuna, aware of this, felt a pang of concern for Bahamute. But seeing the dragon who stood before her—a being far beyond mortal limitations—she held onto hope that he might find a way.
“Yuna, for now, try to mediate between the Awakened and the ordinary people. With you as their leader, they’ll be less likely to voice complaints.”
“Understood.”
Yuna accepted Bahamute’s solemn command without any objection, bowing her head.
As Yuna left the temple, Bahamute’s serious expression melted, and he let out a long, weary sigh.
‘How am I really supposed to do this?’
In front of Yuna, he had maintained a confident facade. But in truth, he’d made a promise without any clear basis for fulfilling it.
‘This is the part anyone could handle if they were in my position. But creating a new Awakening method… If only I’d left a few zombies around… No, that might have just created a new threat.’
Creating something entirely new was indeed a daunting challenge.
Bahamut wasn’t omniscient like a dragon from legend, nor did he wield boundless magical power.
If he could have made Awakened individuals appear with a mere snap of his fingers, he would’ve done it already.
‘This is tough. I’m not really a dragon by nature—I’m just a shut-in who’s been managing this cult like a simulation game.’
Yet he knew that ignoring reality would lead nowhere.
“Good morning, Bahamute.”
“Ah, you’re here?”
That morning, several cult members arrived, as they did every day, to collect fresh water and charged batteries from the temple.
To Bahamute, it was a routine interaction, but today, something was different.
“Wait, did… did I just Awaken?”
“What?”
One of the laborers suddenly shouted in surprise, claiming he’d Awakened.
There had been no sign, no battle with a zombie. He had simply been carrying a water container, yet he’d Awakened.
“What did you say?”
“I… I Awakened! I’m an Awakened now, Bahamute!”
Bahamute, astounded, asked the worker for confirmation. The man, nearly in tears, declared that he was indeed Awakened.
Bahamute could sense the
shift in the man’s energy—it was true.
“Do you know how it happened?”
“I… I don’t know. I was just carrying the water container here in the temple.”
“In the temple, while carrying a water container?”
Just carrying a container shouldn’t trigger Awakening. If that were the case, people would’ve Awakened left and right already.
‘Could it be… the power of this temple itself?’
If actions couldn’t explain it, then it had to be the place. Bahamute realized it might be the temple he had built that caused the Awakening.
“How long have you been working here?”
“We rotate weekly, so today marks my seventh day.”
“Then tomorrow, new people will come, and one of them might also reach their seventh day, right?”
“That’s correct.”
Bahamute quickly came to a conclusion.
“Then we’ll observe tomorrow. Congratulations on your Awakening.”
“Thank you, Bahamute!”
The worker, elated, bowed deeply and left to share the news with his colleagues, who gazed at him with envy.
‘Awakened… I’m an Awakened!’
The next day, as Bahamute had anticipated, another worker Awakened in the temple.
‘All according to my master plan!’
It might’ve been a fluke, an accidental discovery, but Bahamute wasn’t about to let that dampen his spirits.
To everyone else, he proudly claimed it was all part of his grand design.
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