115

Chapter 115 — After the Applause

The National A-Rank Evaluation was over.

Yet the attention surrounding Subin Vans had only grown.

The morning after the final, the Association headquarters was filled with reporters, guild representatives, government officials, and Awakeners who had come for entirely different reasons but had all found themselves talking about the same person.

The Sword God.

Subin walked through the main entrance with Simple Edge at his waist and immediately regretted coming at this hour.

“Subin!”

“Over here!”

“Are you planning to join a guild?”

“Will you accept an international expedition?”

“Is Han Yerin your girlfriend?”

Subin kept walking.

He had learned that answering one question simply created five more.

Beside him, Yerin covered a smile with her hand.

“You're avoiding them.”

“Yes.”

“You're the champion. You can't avoid them forever.”

“I can try.”

She laughed.

“You're terrible at fame.”

“I never wanted it.”

“That doesn't mean you won't have to deal with it.”

Before Subin could respond, Director Kang appeared.

“Both of you. Conference room.”

Yerin immediately became serious.

Subin followed.

Inside the conference room, Min-seok, Ara, Jae-hyun, Seo Jin-ho, and several senior Association officials were already waiting.

Director Kang activated the display.

A world map appeared.

Several locations were highlighted.

Subin looked at it carefully.

“What happened?”

Director Kang didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he changed the display.

The highlighted locations multiplied.

“There have been a significant number of dungeon changes over the past week.”

Ara leaned forward.

“How many?”

“Thirty-seven confirmed.”

The room became quiet.

Min-seok frowned.

“That's a lot.”

“It is.”

Director Kang enlarged the map.

“Twenty-one are classified as normal fluctuations. Nine have shown accelerated mana growth. Five have changed classification.”

Jae-hyun looked at the screen.

“From what to what?”

“B to A. A to A+. And in one case…”

Director Kang paused.

“From A+ to an unknown category.”

Subin's eyes narrowed.

“Unknown?”

“We haven't established the upper limit yet.”

Ara looked at the map.

“Where?”

Director Kang pointed.

“Central Asia.”

Another location appeared.

“Another is in northern Europe.”

A third.

“South America.”

Then a fourth.

“East Asia.”

Subin studied them.

“They're spread across the world.”

“Yes.”

“Is there a common pattern?”

Director Kang shook his head.

“Nothing reliable.”

Subin nodded.

That answer didn't surprise him.

The world had been changing continuously since the awakening.

Dungeons were ecosystems.

Mana density affected monsters.

Monsters affected mana flow.

Mana flow affected environments.

The process had no reason to remain uniform.

Director Kang changed the display again.

A list appeared.

International Dungeon Cooperation Proposal

Several foreign organizations had requested joint exploration teams for newly evolving dungeons.

Jae-hyun immediately spoke.

“Why are we discussing international cooperation now?”

“Because the Association expects the next stage of dungeon development to exceed national boundaries.”

Min-seok leaned back.

“So we're going overseas?”

“Eventually.”

Subin remained silent.

Director Kang looked at him.

“You're not required to participate.”

“I know.”

“But we would like you to.”

Subin looked at the map.

“Why me?”

“You have experience with rapidly evolving dungeon ecosystems.”

Ara nodded.

“Blackstone. Greenfall. White Valley.”

Director Kang continued.

“You've also demonstrated an unusual ability to adapt to unfamiliar environments.”

Subin considered the proposal.

“What exactly would we be doing?”

“Not conquering.”

Director Kang emphasized the word.

“We're still learning. The purpose would be reconnaissance, environmental analysis, and cooperation with foreign Awakeners.”

Subin nodded.

That sounded more reasonable than another large-scale dungeon raid.

Then Jae-hyun spoke.

“If Subin goes, I'm going.”

Director Kang looked at him.

“Why?”

Jae-hyun smiled.

“Because I'm not finished competing with him.”

Min-seok laughed.

“You really are obsessed.”

Jae-hyun ignored him.

Ara raised her hand slightly.

“I'd also like to participate.”

Yerin looked at Subin.

“So would I.”

Subin looked around the room.

It was becoming a team again.

Not the same team as White Valley.

Something larger.

Director Kang noticed the expressions.

“I expected that.”

He changed the display.

“There's one more reason this group is being considered.”

A photograph appeared.

It showed a large structure in a remote region.

It looked like a dungeon entrance.

But it wasn't.

The entrance was surrounded by enormous black crystals.

Subin stared at it.

“What is that?”

“We don't know yet.”

Jae-hyun frowned.

“Then why are you calling it a dungeon?”

“We aren't.”

Director Kang zoomed in.

“It's been classified as a Mana Anomaly.”

Ara stood.

“That isn't a dungeon.”

“Correct.”

“Then what is it?”

Director Kang shook his head.

“We haven't determined that.”

Subin looked at the image.

The black crystals weren't simply storing mana.

They appeared to be connected to one another through thin lines of glowing energy.

It reminded him of Greenfall.

Not the structure itself.

The way the mana seemed to circulate.

Subin pointed at the screen.

“That's not an anomaly.”

Everyone looked at him.

Director Kang asked, “What do you think it is?”

“I don't know.”

Subin stood.

“But the mana is moving.”

Ara examined the image again.

“I can't see it.”

“It's subtle.”

He pointed toward the center.

“The outer crystals aren't storing the mana. They're transferring it.”

Director Kang's expression became serious.

“To where?”

“I don't know.”

Subin looked at the map.

“But whatever is receiving it is probably farther underground.”

The room became silent.

Director Kang turned off the display.

“We aren't sending anyone there yet.”

Subin nodded.

“That is probably correct.”

Jae-hyun frowned.

“You're not curious?”

“I am.”

“Then why not go?”

“Because curiosity isn't a reason to enter an unknown environment.”

Jae-hyun smiled.

“You're learning restraint.”

“Maybe.”

Min-seok laughed.

“That's terrifying. He's becoming sensible.”

Yerin smiled.

“Don't worry. It won't last.”

Subin looked at her.

“Why?”

“Because you'll find another sword.”

“That is possible.”

Everyone laughed.

---

Later that afternoon, Subin entered the Association training hall.

He expected it to be empty.

Instead, Seo Jin-ho was waiting.

“You won.”

“Yes.”

“You became champion.”

“Yes.”

Jin-ho smiled.

“And now?”

Subin drew Simple Edge.

“Now I train.”

Jin-ho nodded.

“Good answer.”

Subin began practicing.

Basic cuts.

Basic thrusts.

Footwork.

Nothing advanced.

Jin-ho watched carefully.

“You're avoiding your strongest techniques.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don't want to depend on them.”

Jin-ho smiled.

“That is probably the correct direction.”

Subin stopped.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Why hasn't Simple Edge awakened?”

Jin-ho's expression changed slightly.

“I don't know.”

“It says the final requirement is Choice.”

Jin-ho was silent.

Subin continued.

“It reached 99.99% compatibility a long time ago.”

“And yet it refuses to awaken.”

“Yes.”

Jin-ho thought for a while.

“A sword can't make the choice for its swordsman.”

Subin looked at him.

“What does that mean?”

“You've spent months trying to understand the sword.”

Jin-ho stepped closer.

“Maybe the final step isn't understanding the sword.”

“Then what is it?”

“Understanding why you hold it.”

Subin became silent.

Jin-ho didn't elaborate.

He simply stepped away.

“Don't force it.”

Subin nodded.

He returned to training.

This time, every movement felt slightly different.

Not stronger.

Not faster.

Just more deliberate.

---

That evening, Yerin found him outside the training hall.

“You're still here.”

“Yes.”

“Director Kang said we're getting three days off.”

“I know.”

“And you're training.”

“Yes.”

She sighed.

“Dinner?”

Subin looked at her.

“Again?”

“Yes.”

“Sure.”

Yerin smiled.

They walked toward the elevator.

Then the doors opened.

Ara was inside.

She looked at them.

Then at Subin.

Then at Yerin.

“Oh.”

Yerin raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Ara stepped aside.

“Coming?”

“Yes.”

The three entered.

The elevator began descending.

Ara looked at Subin.

“So.”

“So?”

“You're going overseas.”

“Possibly.”

“Would you take me if the Association allows it?”

Subin nodded.

“If you're assigned.”

Ara smiled.

Yerin glanced at her.

“You're very interested in this mission.”

“Of course.”

Ara looked at Subin.

“Greenfall changed the way you fight. I want to see what another evolving environment does.”

Yerin crossed her arms.

“I suppose that's a reasonable reason.”

Ara smiled.

“Were you worried I had another reason?”

“No.”

“Good.”

The elevator doors opened.

Min-seok was standing outside.

He looked at the three of them.

Then sighed.

“Why do I feel like Subin's life is becoming complicated?”

Subin walked past him.

“It isn't.”

Min-seok followed.

“It definitely is.”

Yerin laughed.

Ara smiled.

Subin looked at them.

For the first time, he realized that he no longer disliked having people around him.

The sword remained his path.

That hadn't changed.

But the people walking beside him had become part of the journey.

And perhaps that was another kind of growth.

---

Three days later, the Association released the official international mission proposal.

The destination was announced.

Northern Kazakhstan.

A newly discovered Mana Anomaly had begun expanding.

Initial estimates placed its surrounding monster levels between 100 and 160.

Several foreign A-rank teams had already been invited.

The Association would send its own representatives.

Han Yerin.

Subin Vans.

Kang Min-seok.

Choi Ara.

Lee Jae-hyun.

And two senior Association A-rankers.

Subin read the mission details.

The final line caught his attention.

Objective: Determine the nature of the Mana Anomaly and establish whether it represents a new type of dungeon ecosystem.

Subin closed the document.

The world was getting larger again.

This time, however, he wouldn't be entering alone.

He looked toward the window.

Yerin was talking with Ara.

Min-seok was arguing with Jae-hyun about training.

The Association staff were preparing equipment.

Everything felt strangely ordinary.

That was what Subin liked about it.

The future didn't need to announce itself with a grand declaration.

It simply arrived.

And when it did, he would draw his sword.

For now, there was still one unresolved matter.

Simple Edge.

The golden line had appeared twice.

Its awakening condition was almost complete.

But Subin understood that forcing it would be meaningless.

When the right choice came, he would know.

Until then, his sword would remain simple.

And that was enough.

Status

Name: Subin Vans

Level: 40

Rank: A

Class: Sword God

STR: 71

AGI: 70

VIT: 63

INT: 36

Mana: 45

Sword God Foundation: 100%

Personal Sword Path: 99.9%

Sword Intent: 98.5%

Weaponless Sword: 92%

Intent Transition: Refined Application

Boundary Cutting: Intermediate Application

Decision Transition: 50%

Decision Space: 59%

Adaptive Decision Loop: 61%

Environmental Flow Integration: 79%

Unified Flow: 31%

Class Evolution: 89%

Simple Edge Compatibility: 99.99%

Subin dismissed the status window.

His next destination was no longer another floor beneath Earth.

It was another country.

And perhaps, eventually, another world.

For the first time, the journey ahead felt larger than a single sword.

Yet the sword remained in his hand.