“Y-you... You? I remember you, troublemaker? Is this you kind of what you got here?” Hough points with his finger at her, almost spitting those words out.

“Who knows? Whatever you found out, or experienced, I hope you would wait for any reasonable topic, or voice it out later than now. I will make sure it will remain confidential if we understand each other, mister Hough?” Mi-Yung tells this man, who is known to be rather talkative and... a bit crazy.

“Y-you meant that? I would do it anyway. So much mess happened this time, and I even injured my fingers... Freaking frick. Get lost right now! I will do my own research regarding you, telling me what to do. I don't want to see an Assembly rat talking down on me any longer.” Hough jerks his hand, no longer paying Mi-Yung any attention as he turns around.

Similarly, to him, Mi-Yun turns around too, while abandoning any other ideas of solving some issues that could arise with Hough. She walks fast in the direction opposite the mirror wall. A gate is open to any ending participant of the Awakening, which leads to another place.

“Mi-Yung?” William mumbles as weakness envelops his mind. He feels tired, and a continuous rise of exhaustion makes his whole body unable to work properly.

“Don't worry, I will take care of you,” she says in the resolution which only convinces William that something strange is going on. Whatever it is, he is clueless about that, nor the strange screen that still lingers before his eyes. It goes and floats there before him. A System, or so the Hough called it. A thing he knows, but understands utterly nothing about it. Even the topics and documents in the library talked nothing of it.

For some reason, he is stuck with it now, while nothing indicates it could go away. In fact, it won't, but that doesn't bother him at the moment. What does matter is the continuous pressure on his mind, which feels as if a voice or murmuring noise is constantly talking inside his head.

Beyond the mirror, Seong has a flustered expression on her face as she tries to calm her mind. “That was Mi-Yung, wasn't it?” she cries out to the friends at the table.

“It's pretty sure it was. I would recognize her from a dozen of miles. Heheheh,” Cloud replies with a frown on his face. “It seems she is rather keen on going with her, being his full proxy. Whatever deal that kid will get, will have to go through the motion of herself. I would like to see what organization would dare to cause trouble for her. Bhehehe.” Cloud guesses, while the wondering faces of his friends are at least pleased by his words.

Though, a person on his left is not that sure about them. “Does brother Cloud know something about this kid?” Rey asks after being in deep thoughts for a long time. He never voiced anything prior to this for a couple of hours. Seeing and looking at the window was his only passing time in this sort of situation.

“Not one bit. You should ask Mi-Yung since she is... his proxy, that's my guess.”

“Of course she is. He shouldn't be her child, that would... That would.... no...” Seong says in return, but before finishing her sentence, she slaps her palms around her face. No longer wanting to imagine the unimaginable.

Her worry or words are met with silence from other members of the Assembly, as Cloud is more intrigued by Rey's words.

“What does young brother Rey think of this? The Crimson is rare, to begin with, but in no shape or form that should be strange as this. What caused such havoc? Even the time went for almost 10 minutes, which is longer than it should ever be.”

“Cloud... I have no idea, though. I will have to question Hough for a hint. We are only observers here, with no qualifying quality to get to know anything at the moment. The only thing we can do is to guess through our experiences.”

“What? I am asking you because you should know more than all of us combined. Since you don't know, that is rather disappointing. If I am being honest...”

“Ugh.. who do you think I am? All-knowing? All-seeking?” Rey looks at Cloud with a bothersome look. One which goes along when one is unhappy but expectant to look better.

“You are one of the 3 Rank 8s who works closely with the Emblem Institution. Of course, I would guess a better answer from you...” Cloud tells as he sees fit. Honesty is best, and he is a prime example of this saying.

“That? That doesn't even matter. Have you seen something similar in the Awakening before? I am sure I never did.”

“It's been less than a decade since this machine got perfected and I...”

“... Are you seriously starting the topic about that? You... specifically?” Ray shot a mocking glance at Cloud, who remains silent since he knows he is right.

“Alright. I guess you are right, but I still believe there could be more to this than that. Not exactly like this, but a lot of strange happenings are underway when the rank-ups are included. You should understand it quite well, as well as myself and everyone included in this room. Rank up from the 0 to 1 isn't exactly strong for the Walkers, but it's the very beginning of the Emblem.”

“Give me a minute then... You are mumbling so much nonsense, that I am unable to think straight.” Rey argues, while still figuring out more about this distinct Awakening.

It takes very little time since the many people besides the table want to hear his opinion, which doesn't come very often. “I am... guessing that his Emblem was... perhaps is flawed, or the exact opposite. The release of the Arcanite and surroundings Vectors was way too strong, and it went for a long time than usual. Enveloping the whole machine for dozens of feet wide isn't that farfetched to imagine. It was the quantity that wasn't anything but shocking. It also resembles the rules... that you were privy to, Cloud, but I guess that doesn't matter, considering this is rank 1 we are talking about.” Ray says in meaning, while Cloud only sneers at his response.

“Fine. I won't ask too much then. Screens are telling 75, which is already quite nice, so I bet he can even join the academy if his System and Emblem are anything strange like his Awakening.” Cloud says at last, while the lady on his right only nods as she keeps hugging his right hand.

None of their guesses could be considered right or wrong, since not even Rey could see beyond the veil of crimson.

Inside the gate, that leads through a tunnel.

Mi-Yung is pulling William's tired body towards the next destination without any need for a stretcher. She can manage at least this much since she is so helpful to him.

“W-what happened?” William utters in a try to remain awake. The conversation is the best medicine for not falling asleep. He would feel better unconscious if he is honest with himself.

Hearing his weak voice, Mi-Yung smiles and asks a question instead of answering. “What do you think?”

“Have I done... well in the Awakening?” is William's best question that he needs to hear the answer to.

“Depends on what you think is well. Average, poor, or piss-poor, it doesn't really matter if you ask me. If you ask to be the best, that is not at least true. Officially speaking, that is.”

“I see... Are you seeing this screen as well?” William says while pushing his arm forward.

“Screen? Are you seeing the System?” Mi-Yung asks while doubt is in her mind. Fresh Rank 1 Walkers shouldn't usually see the System. It needs time to fuse with the acquisition of the brand new strength through the Emblem. It takes around a day, or up to a week, to see the System for the first time. The quality, talent, and affinity of the Emblem make it different when it comes to the number of days.

This is only the case, in the forceful Awakening of course. The regular kind is more streamlined, and less... forceful, or however it could even be called. The System is also put in place, where the regular Awakening is finished. Unlike that, the process that William went through. This one isn't the least bit pleasing, and almost everyone ends up being carried on stretchers.

“Is this the System? I thought... I didn't even know what to expect...” William helplessly admits, not noticing her surprise or doubts. This leads her to question William a bit more, so she could be sure about it.

“Is it showing a screen of unknown symbols?”

“It... is a bit like a computer screen with no fluff around whatsoever. There is only some text of strange symbols.”

“Let me drag you to the next location, where I will explain it to you better. I didn't think it would be possible to Awaken the System so soon, and doing so when I carry you shouldn't be that pleasant to you as well.”

“ Alright... I guess that is fine, too. What does it even mean to be Awakened? Is it the change of the Emblem, or whatever they did to me?”

“Your Emblem has already changed on the physical level. I guess you can be called someone like me, whose Emblem also went through physical changes. That is rare to see.”

“At this point... I don't care what is rare or not...” Wiliam mutters as he doesn't have the strength to talk any longer.

Mi-Yung notices it, and soon enough, they enter the end of the tunnel, where is an elevator. Much to William's disappointment of not ascend the hundreds of stairs back to the surface.

Dragging him inside, there is institution personnel already awaiting them. Seeing Mi-Yung, the 2 medics are hesitant to do anything, so they left them be since they have no choice over the proxy. One of the two medics presses a single key that is inside, which enables the elevator to start its ascend.

“Are you feeling good? At least you are conscious.” Mi-Yung asks again, to know whether he is awake or not. He still rests on Mi-Yung's shoulder, which is naturally soft, but that.. is perhaps something else. Not like he notices it.

“I am forcing myself to remain awake. Thanks for worrying about it. It was painful... so damn painful. I am so glad I don't have to do it ever again.”

“Not like the path forwards is any better, though.” Mi-Yung mumbles in a self-mocking tone.

“Wh..”

“Oh, we are here. Let's go.” Without continuing, Mi-Yung shoves William's arm around herself a bit better and opens the door with her free arm. Letting the medics do their job, which is this time simple. Going with the elevator back down to await the next haggard walker.

The elevator ends up in a building with a bright hallway that forces the pair to close their eyes. The underground isn't that bright after all, but adjusting to it in a couple of seconds is all it took to be over.

Before them is another corridor, but much better looking since it's built recently on the surface. The clean and shiny surface of the tiles sets a nice path forwards, with clean white walls, which resemble a hospital.

Apart from the absurdity of many hurrying people who go left and right, this is a very calm place.

“What is this place?” William asks in wonder.

“A recovery place.”

“R-recovery...”

“Another freaking one? Not a single luck is down there for not a single Walker who could at least walk straight and steady?” A loud and firm tone of a chubby lady enters the face of Mi-Yung and William.

.

“H-hello, miss Rachelle.” Mi-Yung says with a forced smile. Unwilling to talk more to this lady in front of her.

“You? You are from the Assembly? What are you doing here?” Rachelle asks in surprise, but it doesn't matter to her either way. Whether one is from the Assembly or Outside, the care for the human body remains the same. For the most part, that is. After all, the humans of the Assembly aren't the same as the regular humans.

“I am taking care of my problem, miss Rachelle.”

“You a proxy for this young man?” Rachelle asks with a doubtful look since she knows some information about the incoming patients.

“He has an injured hand. What about the rest? Is the head alright?” she continued without a chance given to Mi-Yung at all.

“I am fin..” William tries to argue, but before he can, a hand grabs his mouth, and Rachelle looks at him with a deadly stare.

“No bit of this is fine. Don't talk when the adults are speaking, child.”

She utters the world, with no intentions of backing down.

“He is tired, some nauseous feeling, or something. A room for rest is all he needs for a couple of hours.” Mi-Yung argues with a little lie, in hopes of getting this over with.

“His Emblem is still active? What's up wit..?”

Fortunately, before Rachelle has a chance to voice anything else, a man stumbles Rachelle's talk, as he says in a hurry. “Head nurse, number 31 has another episode!”

“Again? Bloody man, I bet he needs a slap on his face.” She replies in resolution and strides forth without another glance at the new arrivals.

“Lucky me.” Mi-Yung chuckles behind their disappearing back before feeling great to get this over with.

“Fold the shirt around your right hand, at least. Some may have some seconds thoughts about it, in this place.”

“I tried.. it gets destroyed...”

“Destroyed?”

“Well, it disappears into ashes, my poor shirt...” William says in sadness while glancing down at his right hand.

“Oh well. Before doing anything else, let's find the room first. I am not comfortable with the institution here, but this will do.” Mi-Yung decides and forces one personnel of the Institution to get her a key to one of the rooms meant for any Walker in a mild condition. It goes well since she can be rather persuasive if she wants to.

“Heheh. Easy.” Mi-Yung sneers, as she opens the door with the number 143 on top.

Inside is a regular-looking room, with a table and chair, and a clean bed aside. There is also an open window that lets the fresh air from the outside.

It is past the middle of the day, but not like the two arrivals care enough about it. The end of the Awakening hasn't even ended, and who knows if there are going to be any issues?

Forcing William onto the bed, he lays there willingly, much to his protest that is met with Mi-Yung's piercing gaze.

“I will rest. Rest, alright?” he argues.

Laying on his back, he pulls his numb hand on his stomach. The emblem is facing the ceiling since it hasn't ceased the strange flow of the VEctors inside, that goes outside a couple of inches.

“Your Emblem is active... So is your System?” Mi-Yung says, after taking a seat on the chair before the bed.

“I kind of... figure that out already... What am I supposed to do now?”

“Since it is so soon... it shouldn't be that different from later. I hope. With your awakened Emblem, you should pull it closer towards the screen, and it will solve itself.”

“Hand... Emblem?” William utters while putting his right hand above his head to see. As he is laying on his back, he could see the shimmering screen in front of him in striking dark green. His hand is much heavier than ever before, with sore muscles, and the stinging pain makes it more painful than any cut, broken bone, or anything he has ever felt.

As he puts the hand back onto his stomach, he looks more closely at the details that are noticeable when he is stationary. Still, he couldn't understand a thing. Not like he knows a lot of languages, so he assumed this System to be somewhat... strange and not meant to be read.

Alas, whether his hands feel like hundreds of bricks, he has to do something about it. Like forcing his hand upward in a single motion shouldn't be that hard.