[Title: I Owe My Life to the GodRanker]

(Video)

“Right now, the church that’s gone crazy is right in front of my house.

Today, I almost died naturally, but the GodRanker saved my pathetic life.

How can I ever repay this favor...

Hallelujah Gong-men.”

“What's that thing? It looks fucking awful.”

“Another Blood Fiend in Seoul??”

“What is this shit? I saw it using fire, so it really is the Ranker??? But he sent that huge thing down with one shot....”

“A legendary GodRanker fan cam is born.”

“I came because I heard GodRanker appeared.”

“Gong’s hermit-like seclusion was to build up momentum.”

“Maha’s prophecy hit the mark today.”

[Title: That Damn Iro-i Iro-i]

“Simply a god.”

[Title: As of Today, I Withdraw My Support for the GodRanker]

“Starting today, I break off my support relationship and become one with Iro-i.

Any attack on Brother Gong will be considered an attack on me.”

“I second that.”

“Did Iro-i give permission for this?”

“ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ”

[Title: I Heard Special Team 1 Was Also on Scene]

“What was Kang Saeon doing?”

“I got front-row seats to the GodRanker one-man show.”

“Damn, I’m °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° so jealous.”

“Why are those two together? Did Iro-i get brought into the Detention Bureau??”

“Common sense says Kang Saeon must’ve gone to handle the cleanup.”

[Title: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility]

“They shouldn’t be celebrating the first S-rank elemental. A monster S-rank showed up too.

Korea is screwed.”

“Everything’s a first in our country haha, good or bad, no discrimination haha.”

“Should I emigrate....”

“Right now, is this the time to praise? GodRanker or not, we’re fucked.

Overseas, they’re calling our country a dangerous travel destination, LOL.”

“Korea: (Pre-shutdown notice) Thank you for all the love you’ve given us.”

“I’m glad Iro-i was nearby at that time, but how can everyone be so nonchalant if this keeps happening?”

“Our country is naturally complacent about safety.”

The world was turned upside down by the appearance of another strange creature, not a Blood Fiend. Some called it a monster, others called it a devil. The video showing the church collapsing, a black whirlwind swirling, and then being consumed by flames spread across social media worldwide before anyone could react. Governments and research institutes tried to analyze it, but none identified its true nature. They interrogated the cult researchers arrested on site, but even they didn’t know.

When the official announcement seemed delayed, the Detention Bureau put Je Gal-bi forward to divert attention—parading him in interviews with an award for meritorious service. Gal-bi eagerly bit the bait. Expecting to be thrown into a containment facility for attempted murder, he was overjoyed at receiving an award instead. After all, the Detention Bureau’s meritorious service award was basically a free pass into the Bureau. And since it wasn’t entirely untrue, he accepted it proudly, grinning from ear to ear.

[Title: Seogak High Student Infiltrates Cult Facility, Prevents Harm, Earns Meritorious Service Award]

(Photo)

“Seogak High’s Je Gal-bi infiltrated an illegal research facility, prevented damage, and protected citizens’ safety, earning a letter of appreciation from the Detention Bureau.”

“Isn’t this that thing that went crazy when GodRanker showed up?”

“So who the hell is this nobody?”

“He’s called Gal-bi.”

“Tastes good.”

“I don’t know exactly what it is, but is this that...? The bear does the trick and the money goes to the landlord.”

Unexpectedly, another reaction exploded elsewhere. Everyone knew the GodRanker caught the creature—everyone, that is, except the Detention Bureau, which was promoting an unheard-of kid as the top hero. Criticism flooded in.

“Wasn’t it the GodRanker who caught that monster? Detention Bureau, explain this;;”

“What the hell is this....”

“Hmm, looks like retirement’s coming soon.”

“I can’t even express how absurd this is lol. Is Gal-bi a Flame-type too? If not, why is the Detention Bureau doing this bullshit? I don’t get it.”

“Do they?”

“If I were the GodRanker, I’d be dying to emigrate.”

“This hell-country pace, pushing us to emigrate.”

“Seeing how the Detention Bureau works lately, Korea really might collapse... sigh.”

“And they even gave a meritorious service award lol. Stop shifting the point—figure out exactly what that creature in Mapo-gu was and give us facts and a plan.”

Then a netizen’s eyewitness account completely changed public opinion.

[Title: Guys, I Heard GodRanker Was Eating Gukbap in Busan That Day..?]

“Title says it all.”

“????”

“What is this rumor?”

“Is my reading comprehension lacking? I don’t get it... So the GodRanker caught the devil in Seoul, but at that time he was eating gukbap in Busan?”

“There’s got to be a reason the Detention Bureau suddenly released that article haha.”

“GodRanker has a twin...?”

“I have no idea now;; Gong must step in himself.”

“(Photo of GodRanker eating gukbap.jpg)”

“;;;

“That’s GodRanker?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Crazy.”

“In my theory, is there zero chance the student from Bukak High was the real one?”

“Eek.”

“So it was a nationwide scam?”

“Finally makes sense;; GodRanker never acknowledged being S-rank in the first place.”

The impact of the kukbap rumor was huge. The fake-GodRanker controversy led to pilgrimages to a post from two months ago.

[Title: Why Do I Feel Like Iro-i Is a Bubble?]

“He went to school with an S-rank but it’s not that he’s hiding power—he just can’t use it. Honestly, I don’t know if he’s even good-looking;;

If he were real S-rank, we’d gasp like with Baek Eun-seong or Do Min-guk...”

“I’m here for the pilgrimage.”

“Heh...”

“He was a classmate but I’ve never seen him use his skill properly.”

“If it’s true, that’d be epic.”

“The Iro-i fans lost their minds then, now they’re all dead??”

“Sorry, we were confused;;”

“I agree about not knowing if he’s good-looking. Honestly, even B-rank could look that good.”

“Look at how different the comments were two months ago lol.”

“In Gal-bi’s interview he said >>‘I was hanging out near the church with a friend’<< and stumbled into something suspicious? Then the real GodRanker must’ve been in Seoul with Gal-bi?”

“Then what the hell was in Busan?”

“Now it makes sense. I always wondered why GodRanker never joined a guild—he didn’t refuse, he couldn’t. Afraid of being exposed.”

“Definitely.”

“Crazy;; Gal-bi was in my class, I need to call him.”

“Teacher’s review plsㅠㅠ”

“Introduce me...”

“If I line up here, can I see the real GodRanker?”

“Why line up here? Queue at Dak galbi instead.”

“First win for dak-galbi mention.”

“Now I get why the Detention Bureau pulled that stunt lol. The real GodRanker must’ve declined being exposed. To him, the meritorious service award is just paper scraps....”

At first attention focused on the Detention Bureau, then on Gal-bi, now it was all on the GodRanker. Old comments and classmates’ revelations confirmed the Bukak High student was fake. Now the debate raged over who the real GodRanker was.

[Title: So Who’s the Real GodRanker?]

“We know Bukak High’s was the fake GodRanker. Anyone know who the real one is? Seogak High, step up.”

“Are all Seogak High students gone? Suddenly vanished.”

“Is this territoriality...?”

[Title: Could the Real GodRanker Be ‘One-Second Cat’?]

(Photo)

“Self-declared Flame-type + name starts with Iro and ends with i + looks zero tier lol.”

“But what did they show us? Nothing.”

“Iro-i from Seogak High is famous for mouthy Flame-type.”

“Is he from Seogak High?”

“No idea? But the girls are already going nuts.”

As a result, the victim was Roy.

‘Is this what trolling is...?’

Team-killed, Roy was dumbfounded. Since the Detention Bureau interfered in his life, nothing went right. Now his plan was completely derailed.

‘The Busan Gong-i was claiming credit for his own achievements. The real issue is the producer...’

If his identity was exposed now, the rest of StarHero shooting was sunk. Who’d watch a show with no excitement, no emotion, no tension? Whether he quit or stayed, it would harm the program. This was the worst kind of nuisance.

And that wasn’t all. He still hadn’t grown close to Han-gyeol. In a world where he didn’t know when another Blood Fiend might appear, he couldn’t leave that fool brother alone. Not to mention, he wasn’t ready to come out to his family. His parents had no idea he was the instigator of the Salvation Church incident.

“Roy~”

“Yes, Mom.”

“You won’t do anything dangerous like that again, right?”

“...Of course not.”

Watching the Salvation Church rampage video that played nonstop on TV, Roy lied convincingly. Since the Apgujeong Blood Fiend incident, his family’s worry had peaked. His mother even started looking for a shaman to perform a ritual. They might actually do it at this rate.

‘If I get caught, I have to confess myself. But not now.’

There was only one way: spread misinformation to deepen confusion. Not a permanent solution, but enough to buy time until filming ended. Logging into the Awakeners’ community, Roy clicked the icon to write a new post. From now on, his work would be fabrication and hateful comments.

“Iro-i from Seogak High is a notorious zero.”

“One-second cat’s stats are all in their face.”

“They say the real GodRanker changed his name??”

“Is the real GodRanker stupid? His name’s all over Awakening24, why would he enroll under that?”

“They say the real GodRanker is an adult now.”

“I’m friends with Gal-bi but not with One-second cat.”

“Seogak High’s Iro-i? They say he was a show-off who changed his name before enrolling.”

“Face-wise, Park Yeon-woo is way more handsome than that One-second cat...”

As a result:

“Your account has been suspended for violating community guidelines.

Ban duration: Until 3000-12-31.”

His account was permanently banned.

✧

By Hojin.

‘Nickname “Former First Regiment Commander.” Why’s he so eager to take down our Roy?’

The country was in uproar. Between the devil-shaped creature at my church and the fake-Gong debate, there was no peace. But Hojin, knowing Roy was truly S-rank, was delighted. His brother was finally out in the world. Yet the Detention Bureau’s baffling moves shocked him first, and Gal-bi’s audacity shocked him second. Then came the crowd eager to defame Roy, stoking his fury.

‘Especially “Former First Regiment Commander.” Anyone that malicious isn’t normal.’

Judging keyboard battles pointless, Hojin trailed “Former First Regiment Commander,” relentlessly reporting him until finally winning.

‘Nothing special, just running his mouth.’

I’ll protect my Roy.