TLTS~22

Chapter 22

Rumors began to circulate that the identity of the “Legendary Chair” had been half-revealed.

[We’re not fooled anymore~ Legendary Chair, my foot lol]
└ “It’s true. The Seoul Guild officially reported it” (link attached)
└ “Why is this considered true;;”
└ “What’s going on;;”
└ “No way, it’s real???”

The Seoul Guild had published a groundbreaking official article titled “Successful Contact with an L-Rank Awakened One.”

[Seoul Guild establishes friendly ties with Legendary Chair – unprecedented achievement!]
[Seoul Guild: ‘Protecting the L-Rank Awakened One’s safety is our top priority….’]
└ ??? : “Seoul’s info is weak; we’ll find them first.”
└ “ㅋㅋㅋ Still, it’s Seoul ㅋㅋㅋ”
└ “But this is unexpected. Seoul used to be a total underdog lol.”

The Seoul Guild, usually perpetually at the bottom of the rankings, had finally pulled off something significant.

Soon, countless speculations started flying.

[How did they find them? They said there were no entry logs at all.]
└ “They weren’t found—they were chosen.”
└ “The article says the Legendary Chair contacted Seoul Guild first.”
└ “???? Why?????”
└ “Not Busan, not Daegu, not Incheon… why Seoul??”
└ “No one knows.”

Additional tidbits surfaced.

[The lack of entry logs suggests great stealth skills.]
└ “Even a rookie seems insanely strong.”
└ “This is the Legendary One. Dare we doubt?”
└ “Mom! I want to be a Legendary One too!”

The popularity of the Legendary Chair—or Legendary Brother—spread nationwide, spawning a fandom called the “Legendary Squad.”

[Legendary Brother, take me!]
└ “No cutting in line, you’re number 3,322,344th disciple.”
└ “If a rookie is like this, what about high-level players?”
└ “Seoul pride is dizzying lol.”

Meanwhile, rulers from other regions felt the pressure. They began offering increasingly specific incentives and launched massive publicity campaigns.

[Busan Guild: ‘Will provide an elite raid support team for the Legendary Chair.’]
[Daegu Guild: ‘Promise of advanced cultivation and raid support systems for the Legendary Chair.’]
[Incheon Guild: ‘Contract fee of 1 billion won, other conditions negotiable.’]

The full-scale war to claim the Legendary Chair had begun.

[Where is Legendary Brother right now?]
└ “Probably planning the 11th floor raid.”
└ “Isn’t Daegu Guild better for raising potential?”
└ “No, it’s the Tower Department.”
└ “Money’s in Incheon, isn’t it better to go there?”

“Tower Department” (어탑부) had become slang among Korea’s top Awakened Ones. It meant that the ultimate top-ranked Awakened Ones inevitably go to Busan. To succeed as a player, going to Busan was considered standard.

[Legendary Brother is probably still doing something insanely impressive.]
└ “Seoul Guild has a dedicated team leveling them up hard.”
└ “Whatever they’re doing is beyond imagination.”

At that moment, the Legendary Brother, Lee Chae-ri, was eating cereal with a child-sized spoon.

“My worth. Incredible.”

Proud, Chae-ri absentmindedly rubbed her nose.

The “Fake” Legendary Chair: Height approx. 190 cm.
Other than being a slender, extraordinarily handsome man, little was known.

[There’s a rumor he’s stunningly handsome.]
└ “Two employees fainted when he opened the door.”
└ “No photos released, yet what chaos.”
└ “People say you’re left speechless when you see him.”

At that moment, the internet was ablaze with the “Sbida face” meme.

The buzz even reached Kim Ha-seon and Lee Ji-seok’s living room.

“Honey, did they reveal the Legendary Awakened One’s identity?”
“Yeah. Apparently handsome.”
“How handsome can someone be to turn the country upside down?”
“They say a Seoul kindergarten teacher fainted after seeing him.”
“Wow. Was that real?”
“Not sure, but the teacher did take sick leave.”

Chae-ri proudly shrugged.

‘Our Davis really is handsome. Absolutely.’

The cereal tasted especially crunchy today. But toast would be better—she wished someone would make it.

Lee Ji-seok asked:

“Chae-ri, have you seen someone called Sbida at kindergarten?”
“Um?”

She almost nodded, but held back with L-level patience, shaking her head instead.

Ji-seok had already stopped looking at the newspaper. His half-lidded gaze startled Chae-ri.

‘Did I look suspicious?’

She nearly dropped her spoon.

“Chae-ri.”
“Yes?”
“Do you like handsome people?”
“Yes.”

It was a natural answer. After becoming a child again, she understood: she was drawn more to beauty than in her senior year of high school. Purely captivated by appearance.

Ji-seok set the newspaper aside.

“Am I handsome?”

“Cough!”

She couldn’t answer. In fact, Ji-seok was just an ordinary man.

‘Move, lips! This is your prime!’

It took immense willpower to suppress her instincts.

“Ve-very handsome, yes sir!”

Fortunately, despite the rough pronunciation, her answer was fine.

Kim Ha-seon smiled:

“You’re lucky Chae-ri said that about you.”

Apparently, it wasn’t awkward at all.

‘Phew. That was close.’

She wiped her non-sweating forehead.

‘I should ask Phyraion to make a potion for becoming a social master.’

A few hours later, Seoul Sullivan Kindergarten.

“F-Fire!”
“Fire!”

The alarm sounded at 3:30 PM. Flames erupted in the building. This was no ordinary fire.

“It’s not normal fire.”
“It’s magic!”

Seoul Guild leader Choi Deok-gyu rushed to the scene to take command.

“Which lunatic cast a fire spell?”

Given the scale, the culprit was likely a ranked player. The suspect list was short. For now, suppression took priority over pursuit.

“Has Eom So-young arrived?”
“S-she’ll be here soon!”

She was a tank-type, excellent at rescue and damage absorption, able to enter the magical flames.

“What about the magical circles and mana stones?”

To suppress a magic fire this large, water-element magic must be amplified using circles and stones.

“All ready. Water mages are prepared.”

“Good. Let’s put out the fire.”

Water magic could indeed douse the flames. But the amplified magic could injure civilians with even stray droplets.

Choi Deok-gyu quietly removed his shirt, revealing his muscular upper body.

“Attach a support team. Funnel the water fragments toward me.”

“B-but Guild Leader! Eom So-young hasn’t arrived yet…”
“No time! If it spreads, are you going to take responsibility?”

He was an active tank. Even semi-retired, he had no choice.

“Who can stop artificially amplified magic?”

Only he and Eom So-young could handle it.

“Th-there are people inside!”
“Wait. I’ll go in…!”

At that moment, the flames parted.

Someone emerged, step by step, facing the red inferno as if pushing back the fire itself.

Cradling a small child, not a single strand of hair or dust was burned.

Everything else was still a fiery hell, but the ground he stepped on remained calm.

“Y-you are…!”

Choi Deok-gyu almost blurted Sbida.

An L-Rank Awakened One: Davis.

He carefully set the child down, then stepped forward.

“All children are safe.”

He produced a bottle with blue liquid.

Refined magical energy radiated from it.

“Throw this. The fire will soon be extinguished.”

Choi Deok-gyu hesitated. A single glass bottle against the raging inferno seemed impossible.

Yet this was L-Rank Awakened Sbida.

He closed his eyes and threw it.

‘This can’t possibly work…’

Bang.

The bottle hit the floor. Compressed water shot up in a violent column, suppressing the flames. Red fire turned to steam and vanished. The air, color, and temperature changed instantly.

Silence fell.

Not a single mage or rescuer moved, all staring at the man’s back.

“All credit goes to the Guild Leader.”
“Excuse me?”

Reporters rushed in for interviews.

“I plan to push you forward, Guild Leader.”

“What do you mean?”

Davis glanced behind him. There, Chae-ri was stepping off a yellow bus.

Watching her tiny legs walk confidently, how could he not be moved? How could anyone be so admirable?

‘She is undoubtedly the best child in the world.’

Regardless, Davis, chief advisor of the Legendary Squad, had plans for Chae-ri swirling in his mind.

“Seoul Guild will become the best.”
“For…?”
“To give the Guild Leader power.”

For Chae-ri.

The Legendary Squad’s strategist, Davis, began moving in earnest.