Free Web Novel“[Deokseon: Any plans to come?]
[Deokseon: Not coming to the academy again today?]
[Deokseon: Hello? If you’ve read this, reply]
[Deokseon: Did you break your finger???]
[Deokseon: Are you sleeping..?]
[Deokseon: Teacher, did you give up on your entrance exam?]
[Deokseon: You’re not even reading this now, damn]
[Deokseon: Or did you block me..?]”
Hojin’s phone buzzed. Each time Deokseon pinged him, the screen lit up and then went dark again. Since watching the teaser, Hojin had holed up in his room for three days straight. His parents were abroad and couldn’t bother him—except for Deokseon.
“[Deokseon: If you don’t reply, I might get mad]
[Deokseon: I’ll never see you again]”
Hojin flinched, seeing Deokseon’s messages in the preview pane.
I’m not in the mood to reply... he thought. In truth, he didn’t know what to say. After some deliberation, he sent a single word.
“[Hojin: Why]
[Deokseon: Damn, so you’re alive it seems]
[Deokseon: What is it]
[Deokseon: Tell me. Before I break into your house]”
And again he lied. He didn’t want to meet anyone right now.
“[Hojin: I’m sick]
[Hojin: I’ll sleep]”
His chest felt tight and he was depressed. He felt unbearable shame at how worthless he was.
I was so happy just because Roy leaned on me. I wanted to be a great hyung for him....
He was pathetic. Not an Awakener, his place was taken by someone else. Hojin hugged his knees and buried his face, sinking into gloom. It was the aftereffect of Godslighting. Only the skill caster’s presence could soothe his anxiety—but Roy surely didn’t know this. Hojin himself didn’t even realize he’d been affected by a skill, so he found it impossible to seek help. The more he needed someone by his side, the more perfectly he cut himself off from the outside. Alone, he fell into an endless cave.
Roy doesn’t need me anymore.
I’m nothing.
Because I’m not an Awakener.
He realized he had grown distant from Roy ever since Taeeon, an Awakener, appeared. Before that, it had always been the two of them. At some point Taeeon wedged between them, and now Yeonwoo too had shown up to claim Roy.
If... if I became an Awakener again, could things go back to the way they were?
Of course, you couldn’t just choose to awaken—but there were always loopholes. Hojin picked up his phone and typed “how to awaken” into the search bar. Perhaps many shared his dilemma, because information poured in effortlessly.
[Title: Muggles, here’s awakening tips, write them down]
Just do one of these regularly and you’ll definitely awaken. I awakened this way, and even though I’m not in a Big Three guild, I joined a guild you’ve heard of.
It can be tough to get Awakener blood, but figure it out yourselves. (By the way I got mine on Tomato Market.) Try this routine for exactly one month. You’ll thank me later.
[Title: Awakening is surprisingly easy]
Meet a blood fiend. In a crisis your adrenaline spikes 100×.
[Title: I started my Awakener era by going to church]
N years unchurched. Why didn’t I think to go sooner? I regret the days I missed. When I was atheist I always told church kids God doesn’t feed you. But even if He doesn’t feed you, He at least grants prayers. I can’t name the exact church to avoid specificity, but if you want something badly, it comes true. I got fired, sank into depression, and was holed up at home—then a new church opened in my neighborhood and I went out of spite. It’s private, invitation-only, but they let me in because I looked pitiful. They told me to start easy with 100 days of prayer. I joked and prayed to become an Awakener. On exactly the hundredth day, I really awakened. Believe it or not, your call. But please don’t doubt I sincerely wrote this. Anyway, guys, let’s pray. It costs nothing, so why not? Amen for real.
└ It’s not evangelism
└ It’s true
└ lol he’s living earnestly
└ Maybe your church’s location is bad. At mine there are many Awakeners besides me
└ Oh really? lol I’m curious where that is lol
└ Sorry, can’t tell. But the deacon said our church’s prayers are especially effective
└ It’s not a cult
└ (Photo) Here it is
└ ??
└ Whoa, this guy’s for real?
└ This is why it’s real
└ It’s real
└ Then write your nickname and current time on a Post-it and repost and I’ll believe you
└ Why would I do that?
└ Look lol it’s a lie
└ (Photo) There, happy?
└ Uh... it’s real..?
└ Believe it or not, your freedom
Hojin scrolled with a serious expression and suddenly stopped.
...Church?
He recalled a few days ago hearing something similar from a stranger: an awakening sanctuary. They said many awakened through prayer. Hojin jumped down from his bed and dashed to his wardrobe.
What was I wearing then?
He rummaged wildly through his pockets and found a business card.
☆★☆ Awakening Potion ☆★☆
Hey, you can awaken too!
100% refund if no awakening
Right, that was one. He’d picked it up at the prelims at Roy’s request. It looked similar at a glance, but it wasn’t the one he was looking for. He rifled through his clothes again. After a moment, he found the card he wanted.
You have been seen! You have been recorded!
Amazing miracles are happening
☆Gu☆Won☆ Church☆
Found it.
He’d reluctantly kept it, unable to throw it away. He was glad he hadn’t discarded it. Back then he’d felt an inexplicable aversion; now that card felt like a lifeline.
✧
Thus he arrived at Guwon Church. Hojin had counted down the days until Sunday so he could come. His heart raced and he arrived far earlier than the first service. He wandered nearby until he had no choice but to enter the convenience store across the street. He waited for someone to appear, and through the glass he saw a familiar face: the woman who’d given him the card. Hojin jumped up and tapped on the window.
Knock knock!
She must have heard him, for she turned and her eyes went wide when she recognized him.
““I—I’ll come out...!””
Whether she heard his voice or not, Hojin hurried outside.
“Hello.”
“Oh my. You’re the student who told me the art supply store, right? You’re Hojin?”
“Yes. I’m Kim Hojin.”
Her recognition put Hojin’s mind at ease.
“Are you here for worship?”
Hojin rolled his eyes and nodded slightly.
“Oh my goodness! You came at just the right time. You said it’s your first time at church, right?”
“Yes. So I’m not sure what to do...”
“Don’t worry. Our New Heaven Lord will love you no matter what you look like. You really came at the right time.”
At that, Hojin felt a lump in his throat. He took it to mean that even if he wasn’t an Awakener, it was okay. When his face crumpled as if he’d burst into tears, the woman patted his shoulder. frёewebηovel.cѳm
“It’s okay. If you want to cry, you can. He loves us as we are. He'll stay by your side even more when you’re suffering.”
“Sniff...”
Her words were so comforting that Hojin finally broke down and cried. Weeks of festering wounds from feeling abandoned by Roy had burst open.
“I—I want to awaken too. Sniff. If I pray, will He hear me? I—me too...”
Hojin stood at the church entrance, tears streaming down his face. She looked so pitiable that the worshippers approaching her all stopped to wipe their own eyes. The woman comforted Hojin, then gave them a gentle nod.
“It’s okay. You came well. Our New Heaven Lord never ignores the earnest. So you too will be answered. Especially if it’s awakening.”
At those words Hojin calmed somewhat, wiped his tears, and nodded.
“I want to pray right away. Please teach me how.”
“Of course. I’ll guide you step by step. Shall we move inside?”
Hojin nodded, his head bowed. After crying so much he felt too shy to lift his face. The woman smiled softly and led him in. At the worship hall entrance, security guards controlled ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ entry. Though he wondered at first, he soon understood: to prevent disturbance to the service. Only the invited could enter. Then she said she’d introduce him to a brother, and Hojin’s head shot up.
““Yes?””
Desperate as he was, he had no intention of making friends. The woman must have sensed his nervousness, for she answered with a warm smile.
“He’s the brother who awakened last week. I think he can help you. Oh—look, here he comes.”
“Deacon, hello. And this is...?”
“This is Brother Hojin, who’s new today. You said you came to pray for awakening, so it’s perfect timing. Listening to his story will help you greatly.”
At the word “awakening prayer,” the man’s face lit up. Since his own Awakener determination, he’d been eager to share his experience.
““Certainly! Just the chance to help brings me joy. Please let me assist you, brother.””
