The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 178: Chapter 179: Celebration

After leaving the Awakener Assessment Center, Ares and Ji Won walked toward a restaurant located in one of the more expensive districts of Seoul.

Ji Won had originally suggested finding somewhere inexpensive, but Ares had other plans.

The restaurant stood inside a modern high-rise building surrounded by luxury stores, corporate offices, and several high-end hotels. Its entrance was framed by enormous glass panels, while a discreet silver sign displayed the restaurant’s name above the doors.

Even from outside, it was obvious that this wasn’t an ordinary restaurant.

The interior was spacious and sophisticated, with polished marble floors, dark stone walls, elegant pendant lighting, and large windows overlooking the city. The tables were arranged with enough distance between them to provide privacy, while several private dining rooms were separated from the main area by tinted glass partitions.

The customers were dressed accordingly.

Business executives.

Celebrities.

Wealthy families.

High-ranking Awakeners.

Even a few guild representatives could be seen sitting at the larger tables.

Ji Won slowed down as they entered.

"Tae Ho..."

Ares glanced at him.

"Hm?"

"Are you sure about this place?"

"Yes."

Ji Won looked around again.

"This is expensive."

"Yeah."

Ares smiled faintly.

"We’re celebrating aren’t we."

Ji Won sighed.

"That’s true but..."

A hostess approached them with a polite smile.

"Good evening. Do you have a reservation?"

Ares shook his head.

"No."

The hostess glanced at the two of them before checking the available tables.

"Certainly. We have a table available on the upper floor. Please follow me."

They were guided through the restaurant and toward an elevator.

The upper floor was quieter than the main dining area, with fewer tables and larger windows overlooking the city below. Several private dining rooms occupied one side of the floor, while the remaining tables were positioned near the windows.

The hostess led them toward a table overlooking the city.

"Please make yourselves comfortable."

She placed two menus on the table.

"Your server will be with you shortly."

After bowing politely, she left.

Ji Won picked up the menu.

His eyes immediately widened.

"...Tae Ho."

"What?"

"Look at this."

Ares glanced at the menu.

Ji Won pointed toward one of the dishes.

"This costs 280,000 won."

Ares raised an eyebrow.

"That’s expensive."

"That’s what I said!"

Ji Won quickly turned several pages.

Ares looked at the menu.

Several premium dishes cost hundreds of thousands of won, while some of the restaurant’s special courses were priced at well over a million won per person.

Ji Won slowly closed the menu.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else."

Ares laughed.

"Too late."

"Why?"

Ares pointed toward the waiter approaching their table.

"We’re already here."

Ji Won sighed.

"I knew I shouldn’t have let you choose the restaurant."

Ares smiled.

"Relax."

The waiter arrived and stood beside the table.

"Good evening. May I take your order?"

Ares looked toward Ji Won.

"It’s your celebration."

Ji Won hesitated.

Then he smiled.

"Alright."

He opened the menu again.

"We’ll have the premium beef platter, the seafood course, the chef’s special steak, two bowls of rice, assorted side dishes, and the restaurant’s signature soup."

The waiter nodded.

"Would you like anything else?"

Ji Won looked toward Ares.

Ares shook his head.

"That’s enough."

The waiter bowed slightly.

"Very well. I’ll have those prepared."

He left.

Ji Won leaned back.

"I can’t believe I’m actually eating here."

Ares looked at him.

"You’ve never been here?"

"Never."

Ji Won shook his head.

"Honestly, I’ve never even considered coming somewhere like this."

"Why?"

"Because of the prices."

He glanced around the restaurant.

"Places like this aren’t meant for someone like me."

A few minutes later, the first dishes arrived.

The premium beef was presented on a large heated grill built directly into the table, while several carefully prepared side dishes were arranged around it. Fresh vegetables, sauces, seafood, soup, and other dishes soon covered the table.

The presentation was noticeably different from the inexpensive restaurants they usually visited.

Everything was carefully arranged.

Even the smallest side dishes looked as though they had been prepared individually rather than simply placed onto a plate.

Ji Won stared at the table.

"This is ridiculous."

Ares picked up his chopsticks.

"In a good way?"

"In a very good way."

They both laughed.

Ji Won poured two glasses of soft drinks.

He lifted his glass.

"Then..."

Ares raised his own.

"Congratulations."

Ji Won smiled.

"To becoming an A-Rank."

Their glasses touched.

CLINK.

Ji Won took a sip.

Ares did the same.

For a moment, Ji Won simply looked at the food in front of him.

Then he smiled.

"It still doesn’t feel real."

"What doesn’t?"

"Being A-Rank."

He looked down at his hand, where the Crimson Oath Ring remained.

"Just a little while ago, I was still E-Rank."

Ares nodded.

"And now you’re A-Rank."

"Yeah."

Ji Won laughed quietly.

"I still can’t believe the reassessment actually went that well."

"You deserved it."

Ji Won looked at him.

"Thanks."

They began eating.

The conversation remained relaxed for a while, with Ji Won occasionally commenting on how good the food was and Ares quietly enjoying the meal.

Eventually, Ares looked across the table.

"So, what are your plans now?"

Ji Won paused with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth.

"My plans?"

"Yes."

"Honestly..."

Ji Won lowered his chopsticks.

"I don’t really know yet."

Ares waited.

Ji Won looked toward the city through the window.

"Everything happened so quickly. I spent years thinking about surviving from one hunt to the next, paying rent, dealing with my debts, and trying to cover my father’s hospital expenses."

He smiled faintly.

"Then I met you."

Ares raised an eyebrow.

"And now I’m suddenly an A-Rank Awakener."

Ji Won laughed.

"So I haven’t really had time to decide what I want to do with all of that."

Ares nodded.

"Then what are you considering?"

"For now, I’ll probably keep hunting."

"D-Rank Gates?"

"Mostly."

Ji Won nodded.

"I’m already familiar with them, and they’re still profitable enough for me to earn a decent amount without taking unnecessary risks."

He thought for a moment.

"But now that I’m A-Rank, I want to start challenging C-Rank Gates more seriously."

Ares listened.

"I don’t think I’ll immediately jump into an A-Rank Gate just because the Association says I’m strong enough."

Ji Won laughed.

"I’d probably get myself killed if I did that."

"That’s a reasonable conclusion."

"I want to gain experience first."

He continued.

"I’ll probably spend some time hunting D-Rank Gates, improve my equipment, and learn how to use the strength I’ve gained properly."

He looked down at the Crimson Oath Ring.

"The ring gave me incredible power, but I’m still learning how to control it."

Ares nodded.

"That’s important."

"Eventually, I’d like to join a stronger party."

Ji Won looked thoughtful.

"Not permanently, necessarily. I just want to experience different types of dungeon operations and learn from stronger Awakeners."

Ares smiled.

"That sounds sensible."

"And if I get the opportunity to participate in a high-level Gate expedition, I’d like to try."

He paused.

"But I’m not going to rush into it."

Ji Won looked toward Ares.

"My biggest priority is still my father."

Ares nodded.

"Of course."

"Now that I’m A-Rank, I should be able to earn enough to pay for his treatment without worrying about every single bill."

He smiled.

"After that, I’ll probably save enough money to improve our living situation."

Ares looked at him.

"You could move somewhere better."

"Eventually."

Ji Won laughed.

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