A great hall carved from living ice.
Dozens of the strongest awakened humans from Europe.
A thousand burning eyes focused on Siheon.
The pressure almost crushed him.
Seraphina stood at his side, hand subtly gripping his sleeve.
She looked nervous, but her presence steadied him.
Her mentor—Ulfric Gunnarsson, the "Northern Fang"—stood at the front like a glacier carved into a man.
He spoke first.
"Tell us who you are."
Siheon took a deep breath.
"I… don't know everything yet. But I'll tell you what I've learned."
Whispers rippled instantly.
"Then talk," Ulfric demanded.
Siheon began slowly.
"I'm Baek Siheon, a normal Korean university student. Or… I thought I was."
He felt Seraphina's shoulder brush his.
"But recently I found out that I have two systems—one from Heaven and one from Hell."
Gasps.
Shock.
Fear.
Ulfric narrowed his eyes.
"That's impossible."
"Yeah," Siheon muttered. "Tell that to the voices in my head."
Both systems perked up indignantly.
〈Celestial Ascension System〉
Please phrase that more respectfully.
〈Demonic Sovereign System〉
Call us hot. That will confuse them.
Siheon continued.
"Someone named Lilith contacted me earlier. She said I'm… something called the 'Balance Sovereign.'"
Murmurs broke out.
"Is that a myth?"
"I thought it was a prophecy."
"Impossible… that being was erased from history!"
Ulfric slammed his axe on the ground to silence them.
"And what do YOU believe?" he asked Siheon.
Siheon hesitated.
"I don't know yet.
But I feel something waking up inside me. Something old."
Ulfric studied him—long and hard.
Then—
A smile.
Cold. Approving.
"…Good. Then you'll train here."
Siheon blinked.
"Huh?"
"Your presence threatens the equilibrium of the continents.
Which means you need strength—fast.
And I will forge it into you."
Seraphina stepped forward.
"Mentor, go easy on him—"
"No."
She pouted.
"You never go easy on anyone!"
"It builds character."
Siheon sighed.
Ulfric pointed at him.
"Training starts now."
"But—I just arrived!"
"Good. You're warmed up."
"But—"
Seraphina whispered: "Don't argue. He once trained an S-rank back from the dead."
"…BACK from the—?"
Before he could finish—
Ulfric swung his axe.
Siheon dodged instinctively—barely.
Ulfric's grin widened.
"Fast reflexes. Good.
Let's see if you survive the next five minutes."
"THE NEXT WHAT?!"
Seraphina sighed dreamily.
"Yep. This is exactly how he trains people."
Siheon ran for his life as Ulfric charged again.
But as he moved, a flicker of ancient instinct awakened in his muscles—fluid, sharp, precise.
The systems synced for a split second.
Something inside him began to bloom.
Ulfric's eyes widened.
"…Interesting."
Seraphina whispered:
"He's… awakening."
And far away—
Somewhere in the Celestial Bureau—
Lilith smiled in the shadows.
"Good… very good.
Awaken quickly, my Siheon.
The real war is about to begin."