Shin Jonghak sighs, it is truly unexpected for him to be separated from Yeonha!

Yeonha's frustration simmers beneath the surface as she turns her gaze towards Jonghak, her eyes flashing with a mixture of irritation and concern. "Where the hell did you go?" she demands, her tone sharp with reproach.

Jonghak scratches the back of his head sheepishly, his expression sheepish as he meets Yeonha's gaze. "Sorry, I don’t pay much attention to the ongoings of the Transcendent Plane," he admits with a shrug. "I didn’t know about the Rookie Tournament… The first time I arrived here, I didn’t see any Rookie Tournament, okay? Give this old man a break."

Yeonha sighs, shaking her head in exasperation. She knows Jonghak well enough to understand that his lack of awareness isn't intentional, but it still frustrates her nonetheless. "Well, you missed quite the spectacle," she remarks dryly, gesturing towards the empty colosseum around them. "I just defeated Monsen in a battle that shook the entire arena."

Jonghak's eyes widen in surprise, a hint of admiration flashing in their depths. "Seriously? You took down Monsen?" he asks, impressed despite himself. "That's no small feat, Yeonha. I knew you were strong, but I didn't expect you to be that strong. Monsen is a prodigy and had a great level of fame in his own plane."

A faint blush dusts Yeonha's cheeks at Jonghak's praise, though she quickly brushes it off with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It was nothing," she replies modestly, though a small smile tugs at the corners of her lips. It feels good to be praised. "But enough about that. What have you been up to while I was busy winning battles?"

Jonghak chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Oh, you know, the usual," he says evasively, though Yeonha can tell he's hiding something. "I panicked at first when I didn’t see you after I ripped the ticket. I thought you spawned somewhere else.”

"Alright, Jonghak," Yeonha says with a sigh, relenting for the moment. "Let's get out of here. I don't know about you, but I could use a break from this… ball."

Jonghak nods in agreement, offering Yeonha a lopsided grin. "Lead the way, Yeonha," he says, falling into step beside her as they begin to walk towards the exit of the ball. "I'm ready for some peace and quiet. I don’t mesh well with this Transcendent so the sooner we are out, the better."

As they make their way through the crowd, a voice cuts through the air, interrupting their retreat. "Hey, hey… Where are you going, friends?" Loki's voice rings out, drawing their attention.

Hermes steps forward, a knowing look in his eyes. "Leave them alone, Loki," he says firmly, glancing at Jonghak and Yeonha with a reassuring nod.

Jonghak, undeterred by the attention, turns to face Loki directly. "If you excuse us," he says, his voice steady despite the gazes of all the gods in the ball now directed at him, "I and my friend here have more urgent business to tend to, so we’d like to go now."

But that won’t be too easy for Jonghak… He recognizes most of the major Gods among Transcendent are present in this Ball… Though Jonghak doesn’t fear them, it will be annoying if he makes an enemy of every one of them so he has to be diplomatic.

Loki takes a step forward, “Surely, you can stay a bit longer even if just a teeny bit ‘short-kind’ of longer. The champion not being in the party ruins what this is all about. Surely, you can allow that, Spawn of Lucifer? It is not like you have a ‘Guild’ of your own, isn’t it? Surely, you can allow a pantheon or two to throw their sales pitch. Right? Right?”

Loki, the mischievous trickster god, stands before Jonghak and Yeonha with an air of casual confidence. His appearance is striking, with fiery red hair cascading in wild curls around his shoulders, framing a face that exudes charm and cunning in equal measure. His emerald green eyes gleam with otherworldly mischief, and a playful smirk dances across his lips as he regards the pair.

He's dressed in elaborate attire befitting his status, wearing a tailored suit of deep crimson that seems to shimmer with an ethereal light. Adornments of gold and silver embellish his outfit, adding to his regal demeanor. Around his neck hangs a pendant fashioned in the shape of a serpent, a subtle nod to his notorious reputation as a shape-shifter and master of deception.

Despite Loki's jovial facade, there's an undeniable edge to his presence, a hint of unpredictability that keeps others on their toes. His gaze flickers between Jonghak and Yeonha, assessing them with a mixture of curiosity and amusement, clearly enjoying the opportunity to stir up trouble in the midst of the festivities.

And Jonghak doesn’t like this one bit… He glances at the Chief Gods of the other Pantheons. Odin from an elevated podium is sitting beside Zeus who is enjoying the company of his wife Hera. They show a façade of disinterest, but they are definitely watching the drama unfold between Jonghak and Loki.

Then there is Hunab Ku from the Mayan Myths casually sitting by a large sofa, not to mention Amon Ra who is transformed into his humanoid form, conversing with the priestly sub-domains of other myths. The ‘Rookie Tournament’ might be more of a big deal than Jonghak imagines.

Yeonha furrows her brow in confusion at Loki's words, turning to Jonghak with a questioning gaze. "What does he mean by 'Spawn of Lucifer'?" she asks quietly, her voice tinged with curiosity and concern.

Jonghak lets out a soft sigh, shaking his head slightly. "It's nothing, Yeonha," he murmurs, trying to downplay the significance of Loki's remark. "Just a jab from the trickster god. It's not worth worrying about."

But Loki, ever the instigator, lets out a hearty laugh at Jonghak's response. "Oh, but it is a big deal, my dear Jonghak," he interjects, his tone dripping with amusement. "The spawn of Lucifer, ignorant of their true heritage for millennia, only to awaken to it when the end of reality beckons. It's quite the dramatic tale, wouldn't you agree?"

Jonghak's jaw tightens slightly at Loki's words, his patience wearing thin. Before he can retort, however, a booming voice cuts through the air from a distance. "Loki, enough of your games!"

All heads turn to see Thor, the thunder god of Norse mythology, striding purposefully toward them with a stern expression etched upon his rugged features. His powerful presence commands attention as he approaches, his eyes flashing with irritation as he addresses Loki.

"Leave them be," Thor continues, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "We have more important matters to attend to than your petty taunts. Save your mischief for another time."

Loki rolls his eyes playfully at Thor's reprimand, though there's a hint of begrudging respect in his expression as he relents, stepping back with a theatrical flourish. "As you wish, Thunderer," he replies with mock deference, though his eyes still twinkle with mischief. "But don't think this is over, Jonghak. We'll have our fun eventually."

With that, Loki disappears into the crowd, leaving Jonghak and Yeonha to exchange a relieved glance as Thor approaches them, offering a nod of gratitude for his intervention. And as quickly as he arrives, Thor leaves them be.

Jonghak's frown deepens as he mulls over the events that just transpired. Loki's words echo in his mind, stirring a sense of unease within him. Something has shifted in the Transcendent Plane, something significant enough to prompt the gods to organize a tournament for rookies like Yeonha. It's a puzzling development, one that he can't quite wrap his head around.

Yeonha's voice breaks through his thoughts, pulling him back to the present moment. "Maybe we should stay a while longer," she suggests, her tone thoughtful. "We might be able to gather some information about what's going on. It wouldn't hurt to be informed, right?"

Jonghak considers her suggestion carefully, weighing the potential benefits against the risks. Despite his discomfort with the gods and their machinations, he knows that understanding the current situation is crucial if they are to navigate this unfamiliar territory safely.

"You're right," he concedes with a nod, a determined glint in his eyes. "Let's stick around for a bit longer and see what we can learn. Knowledge is power, after all."

As they navigate through the bustling crowd of gods and mythological beings, Jonghak guides Yeonha to a quieter corner of the ballroom, where they can converse without interruption. Leaning against a nearby pillar, Jonghak begins to explain the intricacies of the Transcendent Plane to Yeonha, his voice low but earnest.

"Here in the Transcendent Plane," Jonghak starts, his gaze fixed on Yeonha as he speaks, "everyone possesses power beyond mortal comprehension. It's a world where gods and mythical beings roam freely, each with their own abilities and agendas."

Yeonha listens intently, absorbing every word as she comes to terms with her newfound status as a Transcendent, not that it surprises her but it as much just gals her there are so many powerful beings to actually exist.

"Being a Transcendent means you have the potential to shape reality itself," Jonghak continues, and his tone is grave. "But it also means you'll attract the attention of others, both allies and adversaries alike. That's why events like this ball can be useful for you, Yeonha. It's an opportunity to forge alliances and gather information, to navigate this world with caution and purpose. Even I have my own acquaintances here…"

"Thank you, Jonghak," she answers softly.