Chapter 72: The Genius Awakener's Livestream (1)

“A-A f-five star?!" Han Jun-Man exclaimed. "Oh-Jin, didn’t you reach four stars just two months ago?!”

“I did.”

“What the...” Han Jun-Man's jaw hung open in disbelief.

Kwon Oh-Jin lifted his shirt to reveal the Stigma on his chest.

It feels kinda awkward undressing in front of Gorilla, but... there's no better way to prove this.

A short gasp escaped Han Jun-Man’s lips as he saw the five distinct strokes etched clearly beside the Stigma. “Wow. I-I can’t believe you became a five-star in just two months.”

Kwon Oh-Jin had become an Awakener of the Stigma of Lyra around November last year. It was now June, so in just over half a year, he had ascended to five stars—and this wasn’t just any Stigma but the North Star's.

“... This isn’t even something I could publish on the news.” Han Jun-Man sighed deeply, pressing his forehead.

There were rumors that the association’s earlier announcement of Kwon Oh-Jin reaching four stars in less than six months was fabricated. If they revealed he was a five-star now, nobody would believe it. They would instead dismiss it as an outright lie, leading to even more distrust.

“Well, it’s not like there was never an Awakener who reached five stars within six months before, right?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.

“Sure, but that’s only been the case with lesser Stigmas where advancing is relatively easy.”

No one with the Stigma of the twelve Zodiacs or something higher had reached a five-star this quickly.

The closest was probably the Abundance Star among the Seven Stars.

“In any case, it’s probably best to keep this a secret for now,” Han Jun-Man urged.

Someone who broke the hundred-meter record at 9.58 seconds would be hailed as a world champion, but someone who did it in six seconds would face suspicion instead.

“That’s a shame.”

Fame and recognition were powerful tools. In the past, the Starlight Lake Guild had unhesitatingly dismissed Choi Jong-Cheol, a high-ranking six-star executive, solely on Kwon Oh-Jin’s complaint, although he was a mere three-star Awakener at the time.

That’s the power of fame,

Kwon Oh-Jin mused.

If he could prove he had gone from four stars to five in just two months, he would surely secure even greater renown.

Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to grab a winning lottery ticket? But I’ll just have to go with Jun-Man’s advice for now.

Even if Kwon Oh-Jin posted a photo of the five strokes etched on his chest or a video demonstrating his might, people would likely call it edited. Humans were naturally skeptical of anything that defied their norms.

“Alright, I’ll come back in a week,” he said, deciding to focus solely on recovery for now.

***

While Kwon Oh-Jin's weapons were being made, he followed Riarc's advice and stuck to resting and eating well to restore his strength. He bought and consumed anything considered nutritious, including protein shakes made from blending chicken breasts, vegetables, salmon, nuts of all kinds, and supplements.

Who knew eating could be so torturous?

he wondered.

He had been practically fasting before but now stuffed himself with at least four thousand calories a day across more than five meals.

After a week, he stood shirtless in front of the mirror and couldn't help but marvel at his physique.

The results speak for themselves.

The once prominent outlines of his ribs had entirely vanished as he grew as bulky as a fitness model.

“

Whoa

, so this is really possible in just a week. Riarc might have been right."

His balance between mind, body, and technique seemed far greater, resulting in enhanced strength and stamina.

It’s a shame my mana circuits are still a bit lacking, but that’s not something that can be fixed without increasing my star level.

Song Ha-Eun opened the bedroom door. “Oh-Jin, I’ve organized the gear you’ll need for the gate—” Her jaw dropped mid-sentence. “Y-You...”

He struck a bodybuilder pose, flexing his arms into an O-shape. “

Haha!

What do you think? Much better than before, right?”

“... Gulp.”

Her face flushed red, and she fanned it with her hand. “I-It’s kinda hot in here.”

It is June, yeah, but I don’t think that’s why you’re feeling hot.

“

Hehe

, why are you suddenly sweating so much?” he teased, stepping closer to her.

“Ahhh!”

Song Ha-Eun dashed out of the room.

Huh, amusing reaction.

Her initial panic lasted only a moment before she exhaled sharply and boldly approached him. “You little brat... stop messing with me! You think this is enough to faze me?

Huh?

”

She placed her trembling hands on his shoulders and began massaging his bulging muscles. “Wow. Damn, this is... insane.”

Emboldened by the moment, her hand ventured from his shoulder to his chest.

“How far are you planning to go?” he asked.

This woman...

“Hold still.”

Looking excited, she continued to move her hands over him and laughed bizarrely.

“H-Hehehe. Haha.”

Her expressions conveyed a mix of pride and satisfaction.

“I sure did a good job raising you,” she said, nodding to herself.

“If anyone overheard, they might think you actually raised me.”

“I pretty much did. Anyway, keep eating well and grow strong, okay?” She gave a cheeky grin and smacked his butt a couple of times.

How dare she just casually slap my butt?

he thought. “This is sexual harassment.”

“What an audacious claim.”

“Fine. Then I’m going to touch you too.”

She flinched. “W-What?”

Her shoulders tensed, and she forced a cough as she turned around. “

Ahem!

Well, well. Did you really want to touch my butt that badly?”

She swayed her hips right in front of him as if provoking him.

“

Haha!

Go ahead, if you dare...”

Grab.

“Hmm.”

Not bad,

he remarked internally.

“Kyaaah!

Y-You actually touched it, you cunt!”

“What, you told me to go ahead.”

“I-I didn’t really mean it!

Geez

, you little brat!”

Huffing and puffing, she pinched his side, but it was more ticklish than anything.

“

Oh

, really now?” Kwon Oh-Jin didn't plan to let that slide. He pinched her back.

“

Hahaha!

Th-That tickles!”

“Hey, you started it.”

“You little...!”

They continued to pinch each other back and forth, laughing playfully, until Vega's voice echoed through the apartment. “

So,

when exactly do you plan on leaving?”

She sat on top of Riarc’s head with narrowed eyes and crossed legs, impatiently tapping her foot. “It’s baffling to see you laughing and goofing around so casually, given the perilous battle that awaits. A true warrior should calm their mind and prepare solemnly before entering combat...”

Vega mumbled on like an elder scolding the immature youth. She was clearly unamused by their playful fight.

Song Ha-Eun turned to Vega with a smirk. “

Ha

. If you’re jealous, just say so.”

“J-Jealous...?!”

Crackle!

Vega’s silver hair sparked with lightning as she floated into the air. “What a bold and insensitive reply to my words of wisdom!”

“

Uh-huh

, sure.”

“How dare you?!”

Kwon Oh-Jin watched as Vega and Song Ha-Eun bickered back and forth.

The two of them have gotten pretty close.

Vega had been spending more time with them lately, allowing them all to bond more. On top of that, Song Ha-Eun wasn’t the type to be intimidated by a Celestial.

Kwon Oh-Jin stepped in to break the two up. “Alright, let’s get going.”

He strapped on the wire shooter he had received from Han Jun-Man the previous day. Then, he grabbed a small, flashlight-sized metal rod. As he infused it with mana, it transformed into a long spear with a crescent blade.

“Damn, this is nice.”

One of the most inherent issues of spears—portability—had been easily resolved.

“Are you heading out to hunt?” Riarc asked.

“Yup. Wanna come along?”

“

Grrr

. Of course. A warrior never shies away from battle.”

Riarc bared a toothy grin as he stretched.

“Then let’s get going,” Kwon Oh-Jin said.

All four of them exited the house and headed to the parking lot, where they got into Kwon Oh-Jin’s car.

About five hours later, they arrived at the gate in Busan.

“Wow, it’s packed,” Song Ha-Eun said. She shook her head as she observed the crowd gathered near the gate. “I didn’t know we had so many five-star or higher Awakeners in Korea.”

“Well, people are bound to go nuts over rumors of double the Starstones,” Kwon Oh-Jin replied. He had expected there to be a lot of people.

“But can we even hunt with this many people?”

“I heard it's massive on the inside, with tons of monsters too.”

I’m sure it’ll be fine if we go deeper into the gate,

he thought.

“Alrighty then! Let’s go!” Song Ha-Eun grinned and strode confidently toward the gate, with Riarc and Vega following closely behind.

Kwon Oh-Jin let out a small chuckle.

I can’t believe a Celestial, a Star Spirit, an Awakener of Draco, and the apostle of the North Star are all in one party. Even the old timeline might not have witnessed such a group.

As they approached the gate, an energetic voice caught their attention.

“Hello, viewers! This is Jerry Kim, your favorite gate-clearing streamer, reporting live! I’m here today at the infamous gate where Starstones are found in duplicates!

Haha!

Some of you said I’ve been coming here too often, but come on! How could I not?”

Jerry Kim, a handsome young man with orange-dyed hair, stood nearby and held up a large bag with a bright smile. “This right here? It's a month’s worth of Starstones! You can't tell me not to come here!

Haha!

”

He puffed out his chest and chuckled as he talked to his camera. “Does everyone gather this many Starstones? No, of course not. Only someone like me can pull this off!”

Kwon Oh-Jin cocked his head at the scene. “What the hell?”

“You don’t know Jerry Kim?” Song Ha-Eun asked.

“Jerry Kim?” Kwon Oh-Jin scratched his head.

I feel like I’ve heard that name before...

“Yeah, he’s super famous. He’s a six-star Awakaner of Sagittarius. Goes on solo hunts inside gates while streaming it online.”

“

Oh

.”

Sagittarius was a powerful constellation of the prestigious twelve Zodiacs. If he was a six-star Awakener of Sagittarius, any guild would have killed to recruit someone like him, yet he was merely livestreaming without being affiliated with any group.

“Do online streamers make a lot of money?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.

“Well, yeah. Popular streamers make a lot of money, but I think it’s more about fame since you get thousands of viewers worshipping you live.”

Makes sense. A six-star Awakener of the Zodiacs wouldn't be streaming because he’s short on cash.

The idea of livestreaming intrigued Kwon Oh-Jin.

“Don’t even think about it," Song Ha-Eun muttered. "There are upsides, but the downsides are brutal. One slip of the tongue and you’re canceled for life.”

“True.”

Building fame took time and effort, but you could also lose it all in the blink of an eye. He might have considered it if he were still desperate for money, but there was no reason to do so anymore.

“Forget it. Let’s just head inside,” Song Ha-Eun said, taking the lead.

“Yup.”

Thus, the party of four entered the gate.