Chapter 152

That night, I stayed awake until dawn.

I wasn’t the only one; Kwak Han-mook was the same.

At my request, he had tied my wrist with a prayer bead bracelet.

It was a restraint I could break if I wanted to, but I still wanted a safety measure in place.

After tying the beads, Kwak Han- mook escorted me back to my room.

"Sweet Chestnut, stop thinking useless thoughts and go to sleep early. You won’t grow if you don’t."

After confirming that I had climbed into bed and pulled up the covers, he returned to his own room and spent a long time on the phone with someone.

It was likely Samra.

Since androids do not sleep and collect information 24 hours a day, they would have grasped the situation immediately.

I stared at the ceiling alone, organizing the chaos in my head.

"So you’ve gained the Awakening ability."

The Pudding Slime on my chest spoke in a tone that suggested it wasn’t particularly pleased.

"It would be better to grow the power of a god than to raise subordinates."

While saying it was inevitable ’if Roasted Chestnut wanted it’, the slime subtly emphasized the uselessness of Awakening.

I let the Pudding Slimes words go in one ear and out the other.

I had no desire to listen to the advice of a slime that had once suggested pulling out eyeballs.

Judging by recent events, growing the power of a god carried a significant risk.

As I was now, there was a high probability that I would be unable to handle the power and lose my humanity.

Furthermore, on top of the Trial Meteorites, the threat of Outer Gods had been added to the situation.

To face this, it was clear that my subordinates needed to become stronger than they were now.

Therefore, Awakening was the most appropriate and necessary ability for my current situation.

However, despite thinking that, I couldn’t bring myself to use the ability immediately.

It was because I was afraid.

At the very least, for tonight, I didn’t want my eye color to change again.

I slowly lowered my gaze.

Seeing the prayer beads wrapped around my wrist brought a small sense of relief.

I tried speaking to the system window in my mind.

’Can’t you do something about this? I’m being pushed too far right now.’

The system window remained silent, as usual.

Then again, if the system window knew a way for me to coexist with a divine ego, it would have taught me long ago.

Since it seemed the system window wanted me to become a god while maintaining my sanity.

I looked back up at the ceiling.

Thinking back, things had been strange for a while.

I had been abnormal ever since I discussed the contract with Director Jang Seok-yoon and the Agency for Trial Response.

According to the original plan, I intended to calmly threaten him with the contract.

But at that time, I was steeped in arrogance.

Mocking the act of a mere human trying to bind a god, I showed Jang Seok-yoon what a god truly was.

I didn’t even feel cautious about revealing the Young God; I simply used it as a convenient tool.

It was the same after that.

I wasn’t in my right mind when I visited CEO Cha at Pasung.

Despite that, without even realizing it, I had peered into the mind of the delusional researcher at PTB without hesitation and shattered their psyche.

From the moment Je Hyeon-oh entered the Trial, it seemed I had been completely consumed by the Young Gods ego.

My entire attention was focused only on the subordinate who came to find me.

I had even agreed with the dangerous thought that CEO Cha should be thrown away as a toy for venting anger.

It was no different after the Trial was closed.

Looking at CEO Cha, who was injured so severely that blood pooled around him, I viewed it simply as him paying a price.

I only plotted ways to find out what CEO Cha was hiding.

Perhaps CEO Cha... had noticed my state.

Given his Unbeliever trait and sharp intuition, it was entirely possible.

Moreover, he had said things that poked at me unusually.

CEO Cha had directly stirred the parts I had tried to cover up.

"I guess playing god suits you. You haven’t even looked for a way to return to being human."

It wasn’t just because of my desire to stop the destruction of Earth.

Everything I possessed now...

It was something I could only obtain because I had become a god.

I didn’t want to go back to being human.

Even though I tried to ignore it, CEO Cha kept prodding me, and eventually, everything I had suppressed exploded at once.

I had already defined him as a foreign entity within The Cell-X.

I had tentatively tested whether he remembered playing with me, but I concluded he was a different being from the CEO Cha I had liked.

That was why I wanted to understand, even just a little.

Why on earth he acted that way toward me, and why he wanted me to be human.

But CEO Cha told me nothing.

His attitude was that I shouldn’t care about the reason and should just accept what he gave.

While pouring everything out unilaterally, he acted as if his own body meant nothing, even while enduring electric shocks...

At that moment, I truly couldn’t contain my anger.

’And after that, he was severely injured by Lieutenant Colonel Je...’

The moment our eyes met kept flashing back to me.

I felt that the reason CEO Cha was so clearly overwhelmed in the battle with Je Hyeon-oh was because of me.

Lost in thought for a while, I picked up the phone lying beside me.

Though my wrist was tied, I could still scroll through my call list.

I stopped at one of the few entries.

Pasung, Director Mok Sae-hwa.

I stared at the only contact I knew at Pasung for a long time.

The next day, I reported to the Special Task Force office at the TRA.

The TRA had been fully restored, as if its side had never been ripped open.

I heard that Samra had provided a lot of technical assistance for the restoration, and the building seemed even better than before.

The Special Task Force office, in particular, felt strangely more polished, even though it was the same as before.

Except for Je Hyeon-oh, who had not yet emerged from the Trial, I gave a brief explanation about the god and subordinates in front of Samra and the captains.

Mo Hae-in looked bewildered, but she understood well enough.

Kwak Han-mook summarized it in one sentence, as if it were no big deal.

"You’re saying we just have to serve you well as our Master, right?"

Because of what I had done to him last night, I felt my ears turning red.

I desperately made excuses to Kwak Han-mook and Mo Hae-in.

"No, it’s absolutely not like that. It’s just that I can exert influence over the captains in some way..."

When I emphasized that dangerous situations could arise, Mo Hae-in nodded slowly.

Since she had been briefed on last night’s events, she knew what I meant.

Next, I opened up in more detail about the situation I was currently facing.

I had to coexist with the Young God, but at this rate, I was on the verge of being eroded.

I had to find a way to maintain my balance.

Although I snapped back to my senses after seeing the blue lightning Kwak Han-mook created, that wasn’t a means I could use repeatedly.

The mere act of sealing a god within a physical body was already pushing things too far.

I had already gone as far as tattooing the prayer beads because I couldn’t handle it; it wouldn’t be good to keep tampering with the seal.

In fact, Kwak Han-mook had seen blood. If we pushed further, something truly terrible might happen.

"For now, I’ll try my best to prevent my eye color from changing. If I start acting strange, please just hit me."

And I also planned to find my own way to coexist with the Young God inside me.

When it came to problems regarding gods, seeking an answer from a god was the most correct approach.

However, Dominic was obviously excluded, and the Administrator was ambiguous.

I felt they wouldn’t understand the very concept of wanting to maintain a human ego.

That left only Mr. Black Block...

Though it felt a bit unsettling, he seemed like a decent option.

Since he held an interest in my existence itself.

He would likely be the most positive about my attempt to coexist with the Young God.

I planned to try communicating with Mr. Black Block by cooking something once I entered a Trial soon.

While I was lost in these thoughts, Kwak Han-mook rustled as he tried to open a bag of snacks.

Mo Hae-in reached out and snatched the bag away.

Because whenever he opened one, he popped the bag one out of three times.

Once the opened snacks were placed in front of him, Kwak Han-mook paused while reaching for a potato chip and glanced at the Pudding Slime.

Perhaps because I called it a pet.

The Pudding Slime seemed curious about what he was eating.

Fortunately, it was only curious and didn’t try to poke the snacks with its body.

Kwak Han-mook lamented while eating.

"Captain Mo. Do you know how hard it was for me last night, serving Master Chestnut?"

"Captain Kwak..!"

"Sweet Chestnut is just too bold for his own good."

Kwak Han-mook teased me with a giggle. Mo Hae-in brushed off his words and called me.

"Trainee."

She looked at me intently and asked.

"Are you okay?"

"Ah, I’m fine."

I didn’t expect to hear a question worrying about me, so my reaction was a bit slow.

I swallowed the words that were tickling the back of my throat.

I wanted to ask Mo Hae-in about the meteorite.

But since it was likely a sensitive matter for her, I shouldn’t mention it rashly.

I was waiting for the most natural opportunity to arise.

Mo Hae-in observed me for a moment and then spoke calmly.

"It seems Lieutenant Colonel Je will emerge from the Trial around this afternoon. Let’s all gather this evening to celebrate the move."

With those words, the meeting ended, and Mo Hae-in was the first to stand up.

Kwak Han-mook also disappeared with her, saying he would finish his work quickly and come by in the evening.

He seemed so busy lately, he couldn’t even enter a Trial.

Consequently, Je Hyeon-oh had to enter Trials more frequently, meaning he was also relentlessly busy.

Only I, the trainee, was free.

To be precise, I was someone who would become a trainee.

"Here is the contract for the Agency for Trial Response."

As soon as we were left alone, Samra presented the contract to me.

Samra had drafted the contract on behalf of Director Jang Seok-yoon, who was on an overseas trip due to the establishment of an international organization.

The contents of the contract were exactly as I wanted.

Some parts had become even more favorable, which seemed to be Samra’s doing.

The basic condition was the preservation of the Special Task Force, ensuring an appropriate salary and a reasonable level of freedom, and so on.

Furthermore, I could terminate the contract at any time if I wished.

I intended to maintain the rank of trainee.

I was already a conspicuous existence; I didn’t want to stand out even more by suddenly becoming a captain as Jang Seok-yoon had suggested.

And in reality, there was a need for me to actually receive training.

I still didn’t properly know how to salute or how to fire a gun.

I wanted to receive formal training, complete the trainee period, and then be promoted sequentially.

Samra watched me intently as I signed the TRA contract.

As soon as I finished signing, he collected the contract calmly and swiftly.

"I look forward to working with you, Samra."

At my greeting, Samra gave a slight smile.

If not for the holographic color, no one would have guessed he was an android.

However, Samra’s smile quickly vanished.

It was because I had said I would complete the training courses like the other trainees.

"Mr. Han Goyo, there is no need for you to complete the trainee education course."

Samra opposed it, calling it unnecessary, but I wanted to receive the training.

The Creator had provided me with only filtered information.

Since training for trainees starts from the very basics, I might discover facts I didn’t know while attending the classes.

Samra eventually agreed to follow my opinion, and they continued the conversation.

"We are currently tracking the connection between the Outer Gods and the Trial Meteorites."

In response to the meteorite at The Cell-X, existing meteorites that had fallen to Earth almost hatched or exploded.

Fortunately, by closing The Cell-X, the chain reaction vanished, and the crisis was averted.

However, there was a high possibility that similar cases would occur in the future.

Samra judged that the chain reaction of the meteorites was related to the Outer Gods.

Certainly, there is a difference between a Trial where a god exists and one where they don’t, but...

The reason why it affected other meteorites remained unknown.

Suddenly, a problem I had seen in PTB came to mind.

[Correct! Samra Man-sang ’chose for himself’.]

Since he was no longer an NPC, he might not know, but I asked anyway.

"Samra. Do you happen to know about ’escaping’?"

To that, Samra answered immediately.

"I do not."

I blinked for a moment.

Strangely, it felt as if Samra was lying.

He wasn’t the type of being to tell lies.

Just as I was seized by a strange feeling of unease, Samra asked me a question.

"What was the reason for purchasing a keychain when you visited Pasung?"

"...Ah."

"I believe it is an unnecessary item that deviates from your consumption patterns, Mr. Han Goyo."

"That is..."

I felt awkward.

Samra was asking because he considered it an anomaly, but the reason for the purchase was far too trivial.

In the end, I fumbled in my pocket and pulled out the keychain.

It was a keychain made of mother-of-pearl.

"I bought it because it reminded me of you, Samra. But I thought it seemed too useless..."

I had impulse-bought it when it caught my eye while shopping for a get-well gift for CEO Cha.

It was because the shimmering mother-of-pearl resembled Samra’s holographic light. But after buying it, I wondered what I would even use it for.

It was completely useless for a cutting-edge android, and an awkward gift for an adult man who wasn’t a machine.

I had brought it while preparing for work today, but I had decided to just keep it sealed in my pocket.

Samra did not take the mother-of-pearl keychain I offered, but simply looked down at it.

"What is the reason for giving a gift?"

"Does there always have to be a reason to give a gift?"

I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment.

"According to statistics, gifts have a purpose and a reason."

"I just bought it because I thought of you, Samra."

As I awkwardly tried to put the keychain back, he reached out and took it.

Then, he held it up to the light.

After observing the reflection of the mother-of-pearl, Samra looked back at me.

The sight of an android holding a keychain was so amusing that I couldn’t help but laugh.

Smiling, I joked with him.

"I’m only giving this to you, so it’s a secret."

For a while, Samra silently collected my physical reactions and stored them as data.

Then, he spoke in a quiet voice.

"This is not for the sake of humanity."

"..."

I wondered if a single mother-of-pearl keychain was too small a thing to be ’for the sake of humanity.’"

I quickly promised him a better gift next time.

"Next time, I’ll give you an item that you can actually use."

"This is sufficient for now."

And then, Samra slowly curled his lips into a smile

"Because it is something Mr. Goyo gave it to me."

I froze for a moment.

"Samra, just now..."

Looking into the holographic eyes that seemed to ask what was wrong, I slowly continued.

"...Nothing. I just misunderstood for a moment."

I must have misheard.

Anyway, I was glad that Samra seemed to like the mother-of-pearl keychain.

Next time, I really wanted to give him a useful item.

’I need to earn Star Shards quickly.’

And before the trainee education course began.

I received a shocking communication.

- Kid!!

The Administrator, who had suddenly initiated a video call, looked pale as he shoved a newspaper toward me.

Pressing the newspaper close to the screen, he screamed.

- You-didn’t-agree-to-this-did-you-? Day-News-!?

I stared at the newspaper, stunned.

There was a photo of me in the paper.

It was a photo of me in the experimental subject clothing from PTB, with a flushed face, glaring straight ahead.

It looked like the moment right after I had shouted at CEO Cha.

And below the photo was a massive headline.

It was on the front page...

<(Exclusive) Birth of a Young God!>

[The appearance of the most intriguing Young God in Akasha’s history!]

[Everything you need to know about the Young God born in ■■■■■]

[Including thrilling shock footage!]

[Only on Day News! Exclusive coverage by reporter Sa Gong-yeon!]