When All Eyes Were on Me
The National Awakening Selection Hall was wrapped in tense silence.
My group—unofficially formed with Elaina and Toni—stood in the third row from the front. We were just a few moments away from our turn to approach the Awakening Crystal, the mysterious artifact said to awaken hidden human potential.
And just as the tension began to settle...
> Swoooshhh!
A figure flashed through the air like a gust of wind, jumping straight from the stage and appearing right in front of me.
I hadn't even raised my head before he was already standing there—tall, charismatic, and clad in the fluttering black coat of the Association.
> Liam. The Vice Director.
> "Oho… Look who we have here," Liam smirked, eyes narrowed with amusement.
Yet the magic pressure he radiated froze the entire room in silence.
All eyes locked onto me.
I kept my head down, praying no one would recognize me. But that prayer shattered in an instant.
> "Really, now? The strongest Hunter in the nation sneaking around like a thief? Don't tell me you're shy," Liam teased, half-mocking.
I sighed.
> "...Fine."
Slowly, I pulled down my hoodie...
And removed the mask.
In a heartbeat, the room exploded.
> "ZEON SMITH?!"
"No way! The legendary Hunter?!"
"He was in line with us? ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Some participants jumped back in shock. Others stared as if a K-pop star had just teleported in front of them.
Liam burst out laughing at the reaction.
As for me?
I just stayed quiet and casually walked toward the empty VIP seat in the front row.
> My seat. Guild 404's leader.
> "Well, since the secret's out... might as well sit," I muttered.
> "Alright, alright! Let's continue the selection!" Liam raised his hand energetically.
But I could feel the dagger-like stares from the other four guild leaders.
One of them even slammed his table softly—just loud enough to show his irritation.
> "Unbelievable. Shows up when the event's nearly over," grumbled Nino, leader of Garuda Prime.
---
Meanwhile…
In the third row, two people were completely frozen.
> "I... I don't believe it. So Zeno is... Zeon Smith?" Elaina stared wide-eyed.
> "And we... we trash-talked him TO HIS FACE…"
Toni looked like he was about to choke.
---
On stage, Liam was still grinning.
> "The irony. The nation's strongest Hunter sneaking around like a chicken thief."
> "I OVERSLEPT, OKAY?!" I shouted in frustration.
> "Yeah, yeah, you're the most consistent liar I know," Liam laughed, patting my back.
"So? Found anyone interesting?"
I paused.
> [If I just recommend someone now and hand them over to the Association,
I can skip all the recruitment drama. Hmm… tempting.]
> "If I recommend someone right now, and you take them into the Association directly... is that allowed?" I asked.
Liam nodded without hesitation.
> "Of course! A recommendation from Zeon Smith? That's straight into the gold list!"
But then...
> THUD!!
The VIP table shook.
Nino had slammed it harder this time.
> "Are you kidding me, Liam?! You're the Association's Vice Director!
You can't just take Zeon's word alone—we all deserve a say!"
The tension rose again.
Liam calmly raised a hand.
> "Relax, Leader Nino. I was only joking."
> "Now then, let's resume the selection," he added smoothly, strolling back to his seat.
---
Time passed.
The Awakening trials continued.
But me?
I didn't recommend anyone.
> "Ugh… I feel like throwing up. Can this be over already?"
I groaned, slumping with my head in my hand.
And finally...
> "The selection event has concluded.
Thank you to all participants!"
The hall erupted.
Some cheered, some looked disappointed, and others cried with joy.
I immediately stood up.
> "Alright, I'm outta here!" I shouted, pulling up my long cloak.
> "Thanks for showing up!" Liam waved from across the room.
I activated my flying cloak artifact, blasting into the sky like a jet.
Unfortunately...
> "Eh… this cloak doesn't have brakes?!"
> "NOOOOO—!!"
I crashed hard into the outer wall of Guild 404 Headquarters.
To make matters worse...
> I slammed right in front of Nina.
Guild 404's official vice manager.
Glasses. Impeccable suit.
Clipboard permanently attached to her hand.
> "200 million rupiah. From your personal funds," Nina said, emotionless.
I winced, nearly fainting.
> "Nina... please help me first... don't throw the bill right away…"
---
The next day, in my private room—which looked more like a cave than a leader's office—I lay sprawled across the sofa, wearing my dusty old hoodie.
The holographic TV echoed across the room.
> "Today's headlines: Shocking! The 'Thousand Lies' infiltrated the Awakening Selection disguised as a participant and secretly judged everyone!"
My eyebrow twitched.
> "Thousand Lies...? Is that my new nickname now?"
> "Nina, please turn it off before I pass out from secondhand embarrassment."
Standing across from me, clipboard in hand, was the scariest person after an S-Rank monster:
> Nina.
Guild 404's vice director.
Treasurer. Secretary. Tactics manager. And… living billing machine.
> "Why? Isn't that the perfect image for you?" Nina replied flatly, not even glancing up.
> "At least… there's no bad rumors, right?" I asked carefully, hugging a pillow like a lost child.
Nina nodded... but then fired the next bullet with zero warning.
> "No bad rumors. But there's something else."
I squinted instantly.
> [Uh-oh. Bad feeling.]
> "The Hunter President has requested your presence.
He wants to discuss the strange C-Rank dungeon that appeared in East Java."
I shot upright.
> "What?! Why me? We have other members! Don't we have a full investigation division?!"
> "President Heri personally requested you," Nina said without mercy.
I slumped back into the couch and yanked a blanket over my head.
> "But I'm scared to go outside... You know how many people are after me.
I can't even buy coffee at the corner store without being tailed by gossip drones!"
> "Maybe... if I had the Mask of Lies… it could save me."
The Mask of Lies — a rare Guild 404 artifact. One-time use.
It hides the wearer's face, voice, and aura entirely.
> "Relax. No one's brave enough to attack the leader of Guild 404 in public," Nina replied coolly.
> "You haven't seen my new memes online…"
Nina closed her clipboard.
> "You depart in two days. Destination: Surabaya City.
The Association's research branch needs you on site."
> "Ah... two days, huh…"
I stared up at the ceiling.
> [Two days until possible destruction, death traps…
or maybe… free lunch?
Who knows.]