《I Became a Childhood Friend of the Middle Boss》 Chapter 1 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 0 Chapter 0 Prologue: Reincarnation Fifth grade of elementary school, the first day of the new semester. A girl who became my classmate stands up. Naturally, all eyes were on her. ¡°Hello, Yeon Ha-neul speaking.¡± Endlessly bright blue hair. Red eyes contrasting with that color. And above her head, long, occasionally twitching rabbit ears. Lastly, a round rabbit tail. She was ¡®Ain¡¯. ¡°¡­.¡± The moment I laid eyes on her. Suddenly, I realized my past life. This world was the world from a game I used to enjoy in my past life. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± The protagonist Kang Han-byeol stepping into the Hunter Academy City to become a hunter in an action RPG game. ¡ºBrave Hearts¡». In the game, due to a tender heart, there was one cowardly swordsman who couldn¡¯t fully utilize his talent. Stats of the Divine Sword, Dogyeonwoo. Rabbit, Dogyeonwoo. ¡°¡­What the heck?¡± A softie who doesn¡¯t know how to hate people! A pushover who¡¯d rather suffer than see others get hurt! A crybaby who never once thought to resist even when bullied! ¡°Am I really that pathetic?¡± Recalling memories from my past life, I found myself utterly pitiful. If I hadn¡¯t realized my past life, I would have continued living like that, evolving into a hindrance to the protagonist party. ¡°Why did I live like that?¡± Still, I¡¯m fortunate. Now, I can change. I no longer wanted to live like a fool. The issue lies in the game exuding a youthful school vibe but with a dark storyline. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Despite having 44 possible endings, a considerable portion of them being bad endings, with the occasional world destruction. Moreover, the girl who triggered my recollection of past life was also a problem. ¡°Hobbies include reading and listening to music. ¡­I also enjoy watching dramas. I hope we can get along well in the coming year. Please take care of me.¡± If you ask if she is the heroine, she is not. She was the villain. But not just any ordinary villain. In a life filled with misfortune and despair, she was the mid-boss aiming to destroy the world. One of the bad ending flags in the game. The witch of calamity, that was her. I had become her ally. ¡°This is insane¡­.¡± It seems like we need a plan. For both me and her. Chapter 2 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 1 Chapter 1 Rabbit Affected by the genes of gates and monsters, Ein was born as a being with distorted genes. As a result, their genes did not match those of their parents. ¡°That¡¯s why Ein is rejected.¡± How many parents in the world can truly love a child who doesn¡¯t even look like them, whose genes are different? Ein¡¯s eyes even resembled those of a monster. Therefore, Ein was often called the monster¡¯s child and silently avoided. Being abandoned right after birth was common. It wasn¡¯t any different for Ein. The fact that she lived in an orphanage was common knowledge among students of the same grade. ¡°In a way¡­. it¡¯s not hard to understand why Yeonha becomes the witch of calamity in the game. She must have lived being rejected from a young age.¡± I recalled a scene from the game. Yeonha, feeling pessimistic about her situation and desperate about the world, transforming into the witch of calamity. ¡°Yeonha¡± ¨DIn this kind of world, I¡¯ll make it disappear. With skin burnt by the sun, tears streaming down her face, Yeonha¡¯s hair dyed pitch black. The game¡¯s story branches depending on the outcome of the battle with her, the mid-boss. If the protagonist, Kang Hanbyeol, kills her, the story continues with the Academy City in ruins. On the contrary, if Kang Hanbyeol dies, it leads to a bad ending. That bad ending vividly remained in memory even after reincarnation. ? ? ? ? ¡°©¤Bad Ending©¤¡± One of the 44 endings. The endlessly splitting sky eventually engulfs the world, erasing all existence, including itself, in a bad ending. ¡®The owner of that ending was Dogyeonwoo, or rather, me, from elementary school¡­.¡¯ It was an event not mentioned in the game. Looking at her after introducing herself, I couldn¡¯t help but fall into deep contemplation. Right there was a potential disaster with the capability to bring about the world¡¯s destruction. Fortunately, she was unaware of her power and hadn¡¯t awakened as the witch of calamity. So, if I killed her now, I could eliminate the future danger. ¡°¡­.¡± If you want to survive in this world. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. You must kill her before the sky becomes the mid-boss. It¡¯s an extremely calculated, mechanical, cold, and efficient solution. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it. I didn¡¯t want to kill her for the sake of an uncertain future that had yet to unfold. I know it¡¯s foolish. But I also had beliefs. ¡®Let¡¯s change our way of thinking.¡¯ If the future hasn¡¯t happened yet, there¡¯s plenty of room to change it. Killing her outright is not the only solution. On the contrary, the yet undecided Yeonha can be either a protagonist or an antagonist according to my will. Her talent must be remarkable, without a doubt. If only I could transform her into a protagonist¡­. ¡®I can enhance my power.¡¯ The strategy difficulty of this game is absolutely not to be underestimated. So, if I put all my efforts into her, I could lower the difficulty. To achieve that, I had to find a way to get close to Yeon Haneul. And then, the opportunity presented itself. ¡°Since we¡¯ve finished introductions, I¡¯ll now assign seats! Girls will sit where they want, and then boys will sit next to them.¡± It was a chance to sit next to Yeon Haneul. * * * Once the girls had all chosen their seats, The homeroom teacher explained, ¡°Boys, you can sit wherever you want in the order you draw. At this time, the girls next to you can reject up to three times.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Boys can keep selecting seats until the girls allow it. However, if after circling the classroom a seat is still not decided, you will be pushed to the back of the line.¡± ¡°Teacher! Does this mean boys always have to wait for the girls¡¯ choice!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Since the girls sat first this month, next month boys will sit first.¡± The possibility of becoming partners with someone you like. Some might find the homeroom teacher¡¯s seating arrangement romantic, but contrary to appearances, it was far from romantic. ¡°Alright, boys, draw your lots!¡± How likely was it that you would end up with the one you liked? Just as the sound is heard when you clap your hands together, there is no guarantee that the one you like will reciprocate your feelings. ¡°I¡¯m number 9. There¡¯s no one else but me to sit next to Yeon Haneul, so I¡¯ll just wait patiently.¡± One must consider the possibility of rejection and not being chosen. Those who inflate their expectations and mistakenly believe they have the right to choose their partner will be sorely disappointed. ¡°Number 1, go choose your seat!¡± And now. The eager boy, filled with anticipation, moved. ¡°Hmm¡­ where would be good?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Acting like he was carefully considering, number 1¡¯s steps were resolute as he headed towards a particular spot. He might think he¡¯s fooling everyone with his nonchalance, but it was evident in his voice and movements. Even I could tell from behind, the girls in their seats must have noticed his act. ¡°Window seat must be nice, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Perhaps number 1 was oblivious. Just as he was judging the girls, they were also judging him. ¡°Oh, this spot looks good.¡± After circling towards the window, number 1 placed his hand on a girl¡¯s seat. ¡°That girl is¡­ Kim Suji.¡± Not to be compared with our prestigious family, but a female student from a reputable household. She excelled in both academics and sports, making her quite popular. Number 1 had his eyes set on her. But as mentioned earlier, having a target doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll hit it. ¡°May I sit here?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Teacher, I decline.¡± ¡°Why, though¡­.¡± Number 1 was greatly perplexed. Being rejected in front of others made him blush with embarrassment. ¡®¡­Poor guy. Wait, is it even allowed for a teacher to be this wicked?¡¯ Number 1 would come to a profound realization. That things don¡¯t always go as planned, and forming a relationship with someone you like is not easy. Thus, he would awaken from his dream, learning the bitterness of reality. ¡°Suzi only has two chances left. Number 1, choose another spot.¡± That¡¯s why romance isn¡¯t always romantic. ¡®Or maybe it is, considering you only have three chances to reject.¡¯ If it were truly realistic, there would be no limit on rejections. Meanwhile, Number 1¡¯s reaction to being rejected was far from smooth. ¡°May I sit here?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Can I sit here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Can I sit here¡­ please?¡± ¡°Why? Am I easier than Suzi?¡± Everyone wants to be the first choice of the person they like. No one wishes to be the second. Let alone be seen as a substitute for someone else, or be compared. Number 1, eagerly eyeing the female students as if trying to catch any one of them in a rush, did not appear charming. ¡°Number 1, walk around the classroom and stand at the back.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± In the end, Number 1 couldn¡¯t find a seat. Even though he was supposed to be the one making the choice. Number 1, unchosen by anyone, had to return with a tear-streaked face. ¡°Next, Number 2! Choose a seat.¡± In such a situation, Number 2 took the stage. By learning from Number 1¡¯s failure, Number 2 seemed to have already awakened to reality. Merely attempting to sit next to Kim Suzi could result in rejection, just like Number 1, leaving one out of the female students¡¯ good graces. I could see him sneakily glancing at Kim Suji, able to catch him looking away. ¡°Can I sit here?¡± That¡¯s how Number 2 chose his seat. The girl next to him carefully scanned Number 2 from top to bottom. Then, she abruptly turned her head. ¡°Hmph! Sit if you want, don¡¯t if you don¡¯t.¡± Judging solely by appearances is not advisable, but still, first impressions are crucial. New school year, new semester. Students who know nothing about each other aside from their self-introductions can only judge each other based on first impressions. Number 2 met the criteria. ¡°Next, Number 3!¡± ¡°Can I sit here?¡± ¡°¡­Sorry, I¡¯ll look elsewhere.¡± On the other hand, there were cases like Number 3, where rejection followed the first impression. Yet, people¡¯s ideal types vary. Number 3 got permission from another girl to sit next to her. ¡°Number 4! Choose a seat!¡± Meanwhile, Number 4 passed other seats and headed towards where Kim Suji was. ¡°May I sit next to you?¡± ¡°¡­Sorry. Teacher, I¡¯ll decline.¡± ¡°Suji, you only have one turn left now.¡± Despite witnessing Number 1¡¯s failure, Number 4, as if oblivious to fear, challenged bravely. And bravely fell. ¡°Next, Number 5!¡± Kim Suji¡¯s rejection count was now one. If she rejects one more time, the next person in line can sit next to her, whoever it may be. The question is, who will face rejection? ¡°Next, Number 6!¡± ¡°Next! Lucky Number 7!¡± No one was willing to sacrifice themselves when there was no gain. ¡°Next, Number 8!¡± ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t know!¡± But someone had to. Like a tree must be chopped to fall, or a door must be knocked to open. Number 8, with a face that bet big money at a gambling table, strode confidently towards Kim Suji. And then. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll decline.¡± ¡°Ugh! What¡¯s wrong with me!¡± ¡°Suji can¡¯t decline anymore.¡± ¡°Number 8! Quickly come behind me!¡± ¡°Hey! It¡¯s so much fun watching from the back!¡± Number 8 ended up losing in gambling. With a face that had lost all his money, he had to go to Numbers 1 and 4 who gestured like ghosts. And so, as Number 8 passed. ¡°Number 9, please choose your seat!¡± Now it was my turn. I walked towards the window side. ¡°Is he trying to sit next to Suji?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so jealous.¡± ¡°Lucky guy. He¡¯s going to sit next to Suji.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he Geongu? The cowardly one from Shingyeong?¡± ¡°That scaredy-cat?¡± Voices of male students whispering behind could be heard. ¡®They are all paying attention to me.¡¯ Meanwhile, the girls in front were all staring at me. Kim Suji, who was sitting by the window, was also discreetly glancing at me. It seemed like everyone expected me to sit next to her. ¡®Yeah, not happening.¡¯ By the window side of the classroom, at the back. I caught sight of a pair of rabbit ears that were not obscured by people. There was Yeonha there. With her impressive pale blue hair, she was bowing her head. A face that seemed to think she was never chosen by anyone and had no right to choose someone. ¡®She seems to be eagerly waiting for this time to end.¡¯ She looked so melancholic that one could involuntarily think such thoughts about her. ¡°¡­.¡± Towards her. I took a step forward. ¡°¡­Geongu, right? I know your name. I can¡¯t refuse, so sit here. Let¡¯s get along well for a month as members of Myeongga¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°What? Where is he going now?¡± ¡°Why is he going over there?¡± Passing by a bewildered Kim Suji. Ignoring the astonishment of the people. Only Yeonha came into my view. Finally. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I arrived at Yeonha¡¯s seat. She was taken aback as I stopped without passing by, her face showing surprise. Confusion was evident on her suddenly raised face. I spoke to her. ¡°Can I sit next to you?¡± ¡°Next to me?¡± ¡°Yes, next to you. If you dislike it, feel free to refuse. I¡¯d prefer it if you didn¡¯t though.¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± To survive in this world. To reach the desired ending. I¡­ ¡°¡­No. You can sit.¡± Becoming the middle boss¡¯s childhood friend. Chapter 3 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 2 Chapter 2 The opening ceremony had ended. From Noble mtl dot com With my bag in hand, I rose from my seat and looked for Yeonha. She was organizing her locker. With her small, round tail sticking out, she leaned into her locker, quite impressively. ¡°Should I wait until she finishes organizing and ask her to go home together?¡± Staring intently at her rabbit tail, I pondered for a moment before deciding. ¡°No. Let¡¯s get closer first before going home together.¡± Haste makes waste. I might just burden Yeonha unnecessarily and make her treat me with difficulty. I was content with being Yeonha¡¯s partner for today. Still, I should at least say goodbye. ¡°I¡¯ll head off. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Passing by Yeonha, I said. At that, she flinched. She pulled her head out of the locker and turned to look at me. In her red eyes gazing at me, there seemed to be a sense of wariness. ¡°Why¡­¡± Was there something she wanted to say? Yeonha bit her lip repeatedly. Then, as if hesitating, she asked. ¡°Why did you sit next to me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Was that what you wanted to ask? I felt there was no need to hesitate. Almost involuntarily, I let out a chuckle and decided to answer Yeonhae¡¯s question. There was no reason not to answer. ¡°I want to get closer to you.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± That¡¯s the only way to recruit her. Concealing the underlying intention, I replied. Yeonhae seemed surprised by my words, standing there with her mouth slightly agape. ¡°What does that mean¡­¡± ¡°Just as I said.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I sat down because I wanted to get closer to you. Why, is that a problem?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­ Why would you want to get closer to me? Not that it would happen, but¡­ Do you by any chance¡­¡± Yeonhae couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. She stuttered and hesitated. ¡°I¡­ well¡­¡± ¡°Just wanted to get closer, what¡¯s the reason if you ask¡­ well, if I had to specify, maybe because you remind me of Mongshili?¡± ¡°Huh? Mongshili?¡± ¡°Yeah, I have a rabbit at home. His name is Mongshili, he¡¯s a male.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, I like rabbits.¡± ¡°So, the reason you want to get closer to me now is because of¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re like Mongshili.¡± ¡°Male, you say. Am I a male?¡± ¡°But rabbits have ears, you know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a rabbit!?¡± ¡°I know that! When did I ever say you were a rabbit?¡± ¡°Okay, but¡­ really¡­¡± From being startled, to puzzled, to bewildered, to flabbergasted¡­ Her expression changed rapidly. Her reactions were quite amusing. As I casually said what came to mind to conceal my true feelings, I chuckled lightly. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll go. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­.Goodbye, see you tomorrow.¡± She bid farewell properly this time, despite looking perplexed. I waved to her and finally left the classroom. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± I decided to calmly organize the memories of my past life. I was so disoriented that there had been no opportunity for me to think about it until now. ¡°Even so, it¡¯s hard to believe. That I have been reincarnated, and the world I¡¯ve been reborn into happens to be a world inside a game¡­¡± Nevertheless, I had to accept it. Putting that aside. ¡°Is it impossible to check my status?¡± My thoughts drifted elsewhere. In the game, players could check their character¡¯s information through the status window. However, in this world, there was no such thing as a status window. Therefore, it was difficult to objectively assess one¡¯s status and even harder to confirm one¡¯s gifts. ¡°¡­¡± Still, you never know. Quietly, I muttered to myself about the status window, making sure no one else could hear. [Personal Information] Name: Do Gyunwoo (Male, 12 years old) Alias: Rabbit Affiliation: Laon Elementary School [Possessed Gifts] Instinctual Evasion [Physical Abilities] Stamina: 37 Strength: 34 Endurance: 32 Agility: 43 Magic Power: 30 Luck: 25 Remaining Points: 0 It was a message I¡¯d only seen in games. I couldn¡¯t look away from the floating status window. Swiftly, I scanned the contents. ¡°Not bad, quite decent.¡± People of the Divine Sword lineage start learning swordsmanship once they take their first steps. As a member of the family, I did the same. Since I can remember, from a very young age, I held a sword and learned how to wield it. Perhaps due to that influence. The status window reflecting my current state showed quite impressive figures. The numbers were unbelievably high for a fifth-grader. Thir-ty, se-ven-ty, fi-ve, huh¡­. ¡°Have I been living with these stats all this time?¡± In front of family members, feeling intimidated for no reason, getting bullied like a fool. The more I think about it, the angrier I get. ¡°Why did I live like that?¡± Seriously, really, truly¡­. I can¡¯t live like that anymore. ¡ª In my past life, my family environment was harsh. The woman who gave birth to me in a drunken mistake would often lament her life in alcohol, and my father was frequently absent. Eventually, divorce was inevitable. I ended up in my mother¡¯s care. ¡°If I make a lot of money later, I¡¯ll come back for you. Can you wait quietly here until then?¡± ¡­. On a day when the snow fell heavily. I was abandoned. I became an orphan. ¡°If this was going to happen, why did you even give birth to me? Liar¡­.¡± In my past life, parents were not just objects of resentment for me. But it was different for me in this reincarnation. ¡°I¡¯m back from school!¡± ¡°Did you come back, Geonwoo? You¡¯re back early.¡± ¡°Today was the opening ceremony at school.¡± ¡°How was your homeroom teacher? What do your classmates seem like?¡± My mother welcomed me warmly as I returned from school. Her kind smile warmed my heart. My mother in my past life didn¡¯t smile at me like that. ¡°She didn¡¯t even try to look at my face if she thought it was unpleasant.¡± Recalling my past life isn¡¯t a pleasant experience. Only memories related to the game come to mind, along with unwanted memories I want to forget. So, I might have been sentimental without realizing. ¡°Why the long face? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing. I¡¯m just grateful.¡± I hugged my mother tightly. She seemed momentarily surprised but then comforted me. ¡°Did you miss Mom that much?¡± ¡°I just felt like seeing you today.¡± ¡°Nothing happened?¡± ¡°Nothing at all.¡± ¡°You should tell me if something¡¯s wrong.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t had lunch, so I¡¯m hungry. I¡¯ll prepare something quickly. Just wait a bit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go play with Mongshil then.¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± I felt a bit embarrassed and awkward. Yet, feeling my mother¡¯s warmth, I felt a sense of calmness washing over me. The chaotic memories quieted down. ¡°I am not the me from my past life.¡± And I am not the Geonwoo from the game either. I am just Geonwoo. I must not get lost in memories of my past life. After letting go of my mother from the embrace, I resolved to keep my heart steady. Then, I went to see Mongshil. ¡°Mongshil, Hyung¡¯s here.¡± Squeak! My pet, the white rabbit Mongshil. I handed some hay to Mongshil, who we brought out from our midst. Crunch, crunch. Mongsil quietly enjoyed my touch and ate the hay I offered. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy getting close to you.¡± Huh? Rabbits are sensitive creatures. It takes a long time to get close to them. Especially with Mongsil, it was even more difficult. Having been a rabbit prepared for hunting in the Shingeom Dogga, it was inevitable for her to have a high guard against people. Back then, feeling sorry for Mongsil, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to kill her, so I decided to raise her, leading to where we are now. ¡°And that incident led to our family members mocking me as ¡®Rabbit.¡¯¡± A coward who couldn¡¯t even hunt a single rabbit, unable to become a lion. The nickname ¡°Rabbit¡± carried that meaning. I let out a bitter smile. Anyway. ¡°It must be difficult to get close to her, right?¡± Yeonhaneul is like a rabbit-like person. She must have similar traits to a rabbit. ¡­Perhaps that¡¯s not the case? It seemed so earlier. Thinking like that, it seems I need to pay attention to getting close to her. ¡°Since there¡¯s nothing to do at school anyway, might as well invest some time, right?¡± Delicately, like taming a rabbit. With that mindset, I decided to approach her. And thus, hunt the rabbit. No, recruit her. ? In the Shingeom Dogga leading to the Swordsmanship Clan, there exists a swordsmanship symbolizing the clan. Beast King Style («FÍõÁ÷). Named after the lion that reigns above all beasts, this swordsmanship, based on the concept of joy (¿ì), combines various qualities such as change (׃), strength (Ç¿), sharpness (¼â), supremacy (Ò†), in pursuit of the ultimate swordsmanship. It was also a swordsmanship that transformed the late-blooming Dogyeonwoo into a top swordsman. Knowing that¡­ ¡°Mom! I¡¯m going to the swordsmanship hall!¡± ¡°Already? Isn¡¯t it too early?¡± ¡°I want to go and practice first.¡± I couldn¡¯t afford to be lazy in training. After lunch, I headed straight to the swordsmanship hall. In regions with a large population, the Shingeom Dogga operated swordsmanship halls everywhere. Those who wanted to learn swordsmanship, or become hunters, could pay tuition fees at the swordsmanship hall and receive education. ¡°Of course, unless one is a disciple of the Divine Sword Sect, they cannot learn the complete Suwang Style.¡± At the Swordsmanship Hall, they taught the universal form. But even with just that, it was so popular that it attracted attention wherever it went. ¡°It¡¯s not very crowded since we¡¯re here early.¡± On days when I was to learn the complete form, I would have individual lessons with the assigned instructor, and on other days, I would attend classes with others. Today belonged to the latter. As a result, there were already a few people in the training hall when I arrived. ¡°¡­.¡± They nodded respectfully and exchanged eye greetings upon seeing me. Returning their greetings, I unpacked my gear and lifted my wooden sword. ¡°Hoo¡­.¡± After taking a deep breath, I swiftly moved, lowering my sword. Then, returning to my original posture, I waited for the right moment once more. £¼Suwang Style Basic Form 1£¾ The Hunter¡¯s Stance Let¡¯s assume there¡¯s prey in front of you. The lion patiently waits for the moment when the prey lets its guard down to hunt. After holding their breath and waiting calmly, finally, the moment the prey relaxes. At that instant, they strike swiftly. I quickly extended my front paw and swung the sword with force. Once I grasped the desired sensation to some extent, I reduced the time between movements. Again and again, three times¡­. Swish! The sound of the wooden sword cutting through the air echoed. Focusing on that sound, I repeatedly struck with the sword in my hand. Striking down, striking down, continuing to strike down while trying to memorize the muscle movements. ¡°Nice.¡± Was striking down always this enjoyable? Was sweating like this always so satisfying? An indescribable sense of fulfillment washed over me. Today, my concentration was exceptionally sharp. So, as I continued to wield©¤. ¡°What¡¯s up? Why are you here so early?¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s with the scaredy-cat?¡± ¡°They say he came early to practice?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Three identical faces. Their words shattered my focus. I stopped swinging the wooden sword and calmly stared at the approaching guys. ¡°I¡¯m getting angry.¡± I was finally concentrating well. I was immersed in the world inside my head. But now, I was disturbed and felt irritated. No, it wasn¡¯t just because of that reason. There was a more fundamental reason. ¡°Have I been whining to these guys all this time?¡± The triplets in front of me were the main culprits who had been bothering me all along. Guys who received my cousin¡¯s fortune telling. Thinking about it made me more annoyed. ¡°What good does practicing alone do?¡± ¡°Shall we be your sparring partners?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Shall we help?¡± The triplets were provoking me. I had only one response. ¡°Shall we go easy then? Like it¡¯s a real fight.¡± Chapter 4 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 3 Chapter 3 Woongeum-dong, Wooeun-dong, Woodong-dong. Born on the same day, at the same time, they could sense what each other was thinking. They understood each other well to that extent, and their interests perfectly aligned. ¡°I¡¯m going to become a Hunter when I grow up.¡± ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± They decided to achieve their dream together, coincidentally dreaming the same dream. However, becoming a Hunter was not an easy profession as they thought, and it required a significant amount of money. ¡°What do we need to do to become Hunters?¡± ¡°First, we need to learn how to handle mana. And we need to learn how to handle weapons.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen a swordsmanship school nearby! We can learn there!¡± First and foremost, to become a Hunter, they needed to acquire the basic skills of a Hunter. For that, it required tuition fees. If you are from a prestigious family, you naturally acquire basic etiquette from your lineage, but for the triplets who were not born into such a family, it was inevitable. ¡°What about after that? How can one obtain a Hunter License?¡± ¡°You have to enter the Academy City.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°You need to graduate from the High Academy there to obtain a Hunter License.¡± Furthermore, to be recognized as a legitimate Hunter, one needed to possess this license. The method of obtaining the license varied depending on one¡¯s age. Those who hadn¡¯t graduated high school had to complete the 3-year High Academy program in the Academy City. Elementary and middle school academies did not apply. However, regardless of the academy chosen, the tuition fees were exorbitant. ¡°Even the cheapest academy in the Academy City costs 10 million won per semester¡­¡± ¡°Still, I don¡¯t want to attend such a place.¡± ¡°Here, the dormitory fees are separate.¡± Moreover, the cost of living in the Academy City was high. Living in that city for over a year incurred significant expenses. Even attending a low-cost academy required a minimum of 60 million won. ¡°¡­¡± For three individuals, that would amount to a minimum of 180 million won. Considering other expenses like living costs in the Academy City, dormitory fees, device management fees, etc¡­ Even the most careless of them knew that they could potentially ruin the household. That¡¯s why they turned to sponsorship. ¡°Look here! Talented individuals receive sponsorships. With sponsorship, you don¡¯t have to worry about money!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s find a place that sponsors.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, didn¡¯t the instructor mention once that he sponsors from the Swordsmanship Hall! Under the name of Shin-geom Do.¡± That was the only way. The triplets decided to strive to catch Shin-geom Do¡¯s eye. And then, an opportunity presented itself. ¡°You want sponsorship?¡± A boy who introduced himself as a cousin of Do Geon-woo approached them upon hearing the news. Subsequently, he promised sponsorship. However, there was a condition. ¡°You go to school with Geon-woo, right? Then you¡¯ll have a lot to do with him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you understand what I mean?¡± Poke at Do Geon-woo, the Swordsmanship Hall¡¯s protege. They couldn¡¯t possibly miss the meaning behind that. ¡°So, will you sponsor us?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll talk to my dad about it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I trust you.¡± The triplets accepted the offer. There was no way she could refuse from the start. If she rejected his proposal for no good reason, she would be out of his sight. At the same time, they were not secretly fond of Dogyunwoo either. ¡°Is he really from the Shin-Gum Do?¡± ¡°A crybaby, a coward¡­ How could he be from the Shin-Gum Do?¡± ¡°Irritating, frustrating, annoying.¡± The Dogyunwoo they saw in the swordsmanship hall seemed to dislike wielding a sword. It was unpleasant for him to be forced to wield a sword as if against his will. And that wasn¡¯t all. He was always scared during sparring, didn¡¯t know what to do if he accidentally hit his opponent, and occasionally even cried when hit. ¡°I don¡¯t like him. Can¡¯t stand him.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± Simply because he was from the Shin-Gum Do, Dogyunwoo received attention from the instructors, enjoyed a luxurious environment for free, and learned the complete style of swordsmanship as if it were natural. For the triplets, his presence was enough to make them feel comparatively deprived. Therefore, they didn¡¯t hesitate to torment him. ¡°Dogyunwoo! Let¡¯s spar later!¡± ¡°Go first and get our wooden swords!¡± ¡°Make sure not to hurt yourself!¡± Of course, they knew the limits. ¡°You get it? You need to be careful.¡± ¡°You might get hurt if you¡¯re not careful, right?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s call it a day for today.¡± Even if Dogyunwoo didn¡¯t resist and foolishly endured, he was still from the Shin-Gum Do. That fact should not be forgotten. If a problem arose later due to forgetting that, it could lead to a big trouble. They also couldn¡¯t completely trust Dogyunwoo¡¯s cousin who promised to sponsor him, and they were unsure of how far he could protect him. So, they had to stay within certain boundaries. The triplets tormented Dogyunwoo while keeping an eye on the cousin. They pondered how they would bother him today¡­ ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°Next.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Something¡­ Something was different today. Wueundong and Wudongdong stopped doubting their eyes. The moment Wugumdong and Dogyunwoo¡¯s spar began, it ended. Before Wugumdong could do anything, he missed the sword from Dogyunwoo¡¯s attack, allowing the attack to continue. Once on the hand, once on the chest. The sequence flowed so smoothly that it seemed like a single movement. ¡°Next. Who¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s me.¡± At first, I dismissed it as a coincidence. Just a brief slip-up by Woogeumdong. With that thought, Wooneedong left, only to soon find himself in the same situation. ¡­! ¡°Next.¡± When I came to my senses, I was lying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. It was lying there, just a short distance away. ¡°Cough!¡± Thud! In that moment of daze. Someone collapsed beside me. It was Udongdong. ¡°Hey, you too?¡± ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± Their eyes met. Their gazes spoke to each other. That they didn¡¯t understand the situation. But seeing Dogyunwoo looking down at them, they had to admit. ¡°This won¡¯t end with just one round, will it? Come on, grab your swords and get up.¡± Dogyunwoo, sounding somewhat different. ¡°There¡¯s still a long way until class starts. I¡¯ll keep you company until then. As always.¡± They felt like they saw a different figure behind him than usual. Not a trembling rabbit in fear, but a rabbit with red eyes gleaming. No, it was a lion. ¡°If you feel like you can¡¯t do it alone, we might as well team up as three.¡± ¡­¡± The lion was smiling. * * * I wasn¡¯t particularly weak. I was simply afraid that swinging my sword might accidentally hurt my opponent, that¡¯s all. So I just let them take the lead, without any thoughts of rebellion. ¡°Slow, clumsy. Weaker than I thought.¡± Fragile, as if it would break with a single blow. That¡¯s how they appeared in my eyes. Weak, meek, and with a timid nature, I couldn¡¯t swing the sword. But I realized, upon awakening to my past life. The human body isn¡¯t as fragile as I thought it would be. It was just my misconception. ¡°¡­Tsk!¡± ¡°The one who fell should quickly pick up the sword and come in.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The arm doesn¡¯t break even when hit. The shoulder doesn¡¯t shatter even when struck. Even poking the throat doesn¡¯t kill. The vitality of a person is surprisingly tough. ¡°How pathetic it was.¡± Pathetic and utterly pitiful. Quietly chewing over my past self in my mind, I spoke to the fallen ones on the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s go for another round. Get up.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± They groaned. Rolling on the floor, struggling to get up, it seemed quite agonizing for them to stay in place. But I didn¡¯t know better. They won¡¯t die from this. Moreover, they were characters that appeared in games. ¡°Stop whining and get up.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Or should I leave you in that state?¡± The extras, who had an unflattering nickname like Kerberos, had a certain status, although they were just the type to pick fights with stronger players and end up as tourist attractions. Yet, they wouldn¡¯t just drop out after a few rounds of sparring. Although their hands might be swollen to the point where it was difficult to grasp a sword, there would still be strength left to wield it. I forced them to stand up. ¡°Why are you doing this to us? Are you crazy!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough now!¡± ¡°We were wrong!¡± ¡°Get into position.¡± They shouted desperately. Ignoring their pleas, I assumed the stance. In response, they twisted their faces and clumsily gripped the sword. There were many openings in their stance. £¼Basic Stance of the Water King ¨C Type 2£¾ The Stance of Fierce Advance In that case, the basic stance should be enough. I stepped forward the moment their composure wavered. The sword, maintaining its horizontal position with the ground, moved outward from within my arm. The horizontally drawn trajectory deflected their swords all at once. ¡°I suggested we go at it for real, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± And it didn¡¯t stop there. I kicked the abdomen of one of the triplets with one foot. The guys, who had been screaming in pain from my hand strikes, now couldn¡¯t even make a sound properly and staggered back. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°My, my ribs¡­!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Shall we go for another round?¡± How many rounds had it been by now? I gave up counting in the middle; I wasn¡¯t sure. I aligned myself with the triplets and asked for their opinion. They vigorously shook their heads. ¡°S-stop! We were wrong!¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Have you guys never done this to me?¡± If they had any conscience, they would know. That they were receiving the same treatment they had given me. That¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t properly argue back. Their feeble attempt at a defense was¡­ ¡°D-do you think we¡¯ll get away with this?¡± ¡°Right! Do you think we can get away with it!? Think carefully!¡± ¡°Are you doing this because someone is behind us?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was truly an out-of-the-blue threat. It seemed like they still hadn¡¯t grasped the situation. It was so absurd that I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. I chuckled at them, deciding to wake them up to reality. ¡°Who exactly is behind you guys? Oh, could it be my cousin?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What, do you think he¡¯ll protect you?¡± These guys were seriously delusional. My cousin, Do Seungwoo. He had only instigated them because they were useful to him, nothing more. A long-term pawn he could discard without hesitation if they became an obstacle. Their value was just about that much. ¡°Even if I bear this burden, do you really think that guy would watch my back?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t want to get involved for no reason, so I¡¯ll cut ties at an appropriate point.¡± They must know the truth as well. Unable to respond to them, I decided to offer them a piece of advice. ¡°And in case you¡¯ve forgotten, I am undeniably a member of the Do family.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°While I may lose face, if I go begging and pleading to the family, removing your names from the sponsorship list wouldn¡¯t be a difficult decision.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Did you think he could get away with it while I couldn¡¯t? That¡¯s out of the question.¡± One knows, the other two are clueless. I clicked my tongue audibly. And then, it happened. ¡°What are you all doing right now?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Unknowingly, it was time for class. The martial arts instructor who entered the training hall quickly caught on to the situation and approached with a stern expression. ¡°I must have explicitly told you not to spar without permission. Yet here you are, engaging in fights under the guise of sparring!?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do Gyung-woo, not only are you failing to be a model member of the Do family¡­¡± ¡°But they started the argument first.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Should I have just stood there silently and taken the insults? Isn¡¯t that what being a member of the Do family entails, as you said?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be right, would it? You know that, right? As someone who has learned Do martial arts, sir.¡± The instructor stared at me intently. But when I brought up the family, his face turned to one of confusion. As someone teaching Do martial arts, he couldn¡¯t directly challenge the family¡¯s authority, especially in front of a member of the family. Ultimately, the instructor averted his gaze from me and turned his anger towards the triplets. ¡°Did you guys start the argument?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± If the triplets strongly denied it here, the situation would become troublesome. The instructor, who felt subtly threatened by me, might have lashed out in anger without realizing it. But I was confident that wouldn¡¯t happen. ¡°If those idiots have a shred of sense, they wouldn¡¯t dare mess with me.¡± That was the message I had conveyed just a while ago. The difference in position between them and me. Therefore, I waited without a worry for their response. Finally, they opened their mouths. My expectations were not met. ¡°We were the ones who started the argument!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! We were the ones who cursed!¡± ¡°Gyunwoo did nothing wrong!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Look at this. I chuckled at the instructor who was dumbfounded by the unexpected response. * * * The next day, I headed to school. Even though there was plenty of time before class, Yeonha was already there. ¡°So, she comes early like me.¡± Yeonha, reading a book while basking in the morning sunlight piercing through the window. Her fair, blue hair shimmered along with the dust particles floating around, creating a mysterious sight. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Watching her for a moment in a daze, I approached Yeonha. As I placed my bag down and greeted her, she perked up like a rabbit, peeking out from the book. ¡°¡­Hello.¡± Like a rabbit emerging from its burrow, she lifted her head from the book and timidly opened her mouth. Then, she went back to reading, sneakily glancing at me. Chapter 5 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 4 Chapter 4 Student involvement in classroom management to raise awareness of being part of the class and cultivate a sense of responsibility through autonomous activities. Having been in charge of the environmental cleanup department until last year, I joined the library management department with Yeonha. The library management department was responsible for organizing books donated by students to the class. ¡°Do you all have books from home? Leave the books with Haneul and Gyunwoo, and the two of you can start making a list.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Consultation time. The homeroom teacher seemed inclined to delegate the task of representing the work to me and Yeonha, who voluntarily joined the library department. There was no dissatisfaction with that thought. It was a chance to get closer to Yeon Haneul. ¡°But how do we compile the list?¡± ¡°The teacher should have a template. I¡¯ll go get it later.¡± ¡°Alright, please.¡± According to Yeon Haneul, it seemed like she had some experience as she had been in charge of the library last year. From Noble mtl dot com Thanks to her, all I had to do was follow Yeon Haneul¡¯s instructions. ¡°Books, we just need to hand them over, right?¡± ¡°Here they are. Check off my name. My name is Inginam. My surname is In, and my name is Ginam.¡± ¡°Inginam¡­ You¡¯re number 28 on the attendance list, right? Confirmed your name.¡± While Yeon Haneul wrote down the books submitted by students on the list, I put identification number stickers on those books and placed them on the shelves. And during spare moments, I organized the books in the classroom. ¡°You were in seat 1 when choosing, right? Your name was Inginam. Now that I think about it, Inginam with no popularity.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Except for when going to the restroom, I guarded the seat even during break time. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± As a result, I had many opportunities to converse with Yeon Haneul. Now, to some extent, the guard was down, and I even initiated conversations first. ¡°Why did you apply for the library?¡± ¡°I wanted to get closer to you.¡± ¡°You keep saying that, but¡­ do you like teasing me?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Seriously, you¡­¡± Yeon Haneul shot me a sharp glance while grumbling. As someone who answered the question honestly, I felt a bit unjust. Whether she liked it or not. She spoke again. ¡°Do you like reading books too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not particularly fond of books. I prefer web novels over books.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see. I thought you liked books too¡­¡± For a moment, there was a drooping rabbit ear. It seemed she was disappointed because I wasn¡¯t a book lover. ¡®Did I say I liked books?¡¯ Seeing her reaction, I wondered if it would be better to just change the subject now. However, she quickly regained her composure and murmured. ¡°¡­I read web novels too.¡± ¡°Really? What do you read?¡± ¡°Just¡­ various romance fantasies. But I don¡¯t read them often¡­ I just occasionally read ¡®Gidamu.¡¯¡± ¡°You don¡¯t purchase the ownership rights, huh.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much pocket money¡­¡± It¡¯s 100 won for one chapter of a book. Well, from Yeonha¡¯s perspective, that could also feel burdensome. I decided not to dwell on her situation and chose to change the subject instead. ¡°You like watching dramas too?¡± ¡°Huh? How did you know?¡± ¡°You mentioned it when you introduced yourself.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ you remembered. Yes, I watch dramas with the director and other teachers every day.¡± ¡°What are you watching?¡± ¡°Well¡­ today it¡¯s ¡®Luxury House.¡¯¡± ¡°My mom and younger sister find that one interesting too.¡± ¡°Oh, really? It¡¯s quite popular. But you have a younger sister?¡± ¡°She¡¯s seven years old now.¡± ¡°A seven-year-old watching that drama? It¡¯s for adults¡­¡± ¡°How do you watch it then?¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Emotions were clearly visible on her face. As the topic shifted to dramas, I noticed Yeonha¡¯s eyes sparkling. Her bunny ears were perked up. ¡°I want to touch them.¡± Are they softer than cotton? Rabbits have nerves concentrated in their ears. That¡¯s why they don¡¯t like being touched on their ears much. I suppose Yeonha would be the same. Even if we become closer, I wouldn¡¯t dare touch her ears without permission. I silently lamented that, deciding to continue engaging in conversation. ¡°Don¡¯t you watch it?¡± ¡°I do watch occasionally next to her, and it¡¯s indeed quite entertaining.¡± ¡°Is that so? The teachers say the same. What¡¯s so entertaining about it?¡± ¡°When you watch it, you feel¡­ like even if a dead person comes back to life, as long as it¡¯s entertaining, it doesn¡¯t matter, you get that feeling. Maybe because it¡¯s a melodrama?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the charm of melodramas. Melodramas don¡¯t really care about coherence.¡± ¡°Still, some level of coherence should be maintained. Stories like that should at least¡­¡± ¡°Kid, do you know how difficult it is to create a melodrama? It¡¯s not easy at all. Calculating and making it is what makes it a melodrama.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°Yes. And then¡­¡± Yeonha goes on a tirade. I patiently listened to her dissecting melodramas. As I listened, her arguments subtly made sense. Well, I¡¯m not in a position to criticize how trashy I¡¯ve become. After all, I¡¯ve been reborn in a world inside a game. ? sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He¡¯s a strange kid. Yeon Haneul couldn¡¯t help but harbor such thoughts about the boy sitting next to her. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Dogyeonwoo of the Shingum Do clan. Although she had no friends, she knew about him. It was strange not to know. Being part of the prestigious Shingum Do clan, Dogyeonwoo, embodied in the Shingum Do, was of such high status that he belonged to the top ten families. ¡°Why would such a person approach me?¡± That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled. There was no reason for him, with no background like herself, to strike up a friendly conversation. ¡°Maybe he doesn¡¯t have any friends either?¡± Of course, she had considered that possibility. Yeon Haneul was aware that despite being from a prestigious family, Dogyeonwoo was timid and teary, unlike typical members of such families. It was a well-known story throughout the school. That he was being bullied. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case¡­¡± Nevertheless, she dismissed the thought. The students who bullied Dogyeonwoo were only a few. Those who would dare to bully someone from a prestigious family either had a background to support it or were merely acting on someone else¡¯s orders. The other students refrained from getting involved, choosing to remain bystanders. Her situation was entirely different. That¡¯s why, while she was grateful for Dogyeonwoo reaching out to her, she was secretly worried. ¡°Is it okay to talk to me?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but fear that associating with her might subject him to even worse bullying than he already faced. She had grown accustomed to such situations and could endure them now. But he wouldn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t want him to suffer because of her. If she was the only unhappy one, that was fine. So, the best course of action was¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll just ignore him.¡± Even though she had inadvertently been drawn into the situation. Yeon Haneul resolved to distance herself from Dogyeonwoo from now on. However, her resolve crumbled during the very next lunch break. It was because he suddenly spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s go have lunch.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s lunchtime, aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± ¡°Well, um¡­ I am eating¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anyone in the class, so let¡¯s have lunch together. Or do you have someone else to eat with separately?¡± ¡°¡­No, I don¡¯t.¡± If it was lunchtime, he had always eaten alone. Yeon Haneul heard a sound he hadn¡¯t heard since elementary school and lost his train of thought. He couldn¡¯t figure out what to refuse. His momentary hesitation tacitly accepted his offer. He had made the decision on his own. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°W-wait¡­!¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± He had to refuse quickly now. Yeon Haneul regained his composure, almost getting caught up in the situation. Then he boldly took hold of his sleeve as he stood up from his seat. He looked bewildered. Yeon Haneul mustered up the courage and¡­ ¡°W-well, if we go now, there will be a long line because it¡¯s crowded. So, so¡­ let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± This fool, this idiot, this blockhead. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to flatly refuse his kindness. She sat Do Yeonwoo down and lowered her heated head. And then came the long-awaited lunchtime. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, it is.¡± Yeon Haneul had lunch with Do Yeonwoo. She could keenly feel the gazes pouring in from the people. It must have been the same for him. Yet, he continued to enjoy his lunch without a care. But she couldn¡¯t tell if the food was going into his mouth or nose. Gradually adapting to the stares, she could finally savor her lunch. ¡°¡­It¡¯s delicious.¡± Was it always this delicious? Was it because she hadn¡¯t had cafeteria food in a while? She couldn¡¯t tell. She didn¡¯t know. She just cleaned her plate of food that day. The weather was nice, so she took a walk. And then she realized. ¡°Oh, this isn¡¯t right¡­.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± Without realizing it, I began to enjoy it as well. Yeonha avoided my gaze abruptly. ? After recalling memories from my past life, a month had passed imperceptibly. As time flowed smoothly, my school life went on very smoothly. I had also become somewhat close with Yeonha. ¡°I read the book you lent me before, it was surprisingly interesting.¡± ¡°Really? I told you, it¡¯s interesting. How about reading this one too?¡± ¡°What kind of book is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a story about¡­¡± During break time, Yeonha pretended to read the book, glancing at me from time to time. I could vaguely guess the reason why she was doing that now. It was a signal for me to start a conversation. Sure enough, as soon as I spoke, she put the book down and responded. ¡°Would you like to watch a video of Mongshil that I took yesterday? It¡¯s a video of Binky.¡± ¡°Binky? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°When rabbits are in a good mood, they happily hop around. It¡¯s fascinating and fun.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ll watch.¡± I played the smartphone video. Yeonha leaned towards me, watching the video of Mongshil jumping and shaking its head mid-air. ¡°Wow¡­ it jumps really high.¡± ¡°Mongshil is quite impressive.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, you always talk about Mongshil. Because you keep saying Mongshil, I start missing Mongshil too.¡± ¡°Then, do you want to go see him?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Perked up. Yeonha moved her rabbit ears slightly. With a slightly surprised expression. I raised my head from the smartphone, facing her, and invited her. ¡°What are you going to do after this?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­ just chilling.¡± ¡°Then, how about going to see him today?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Now that we even eat lunch together, inviting her to my place shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I harbored such vague expectations and awaited her response. Upon receiving unexpected advice, she displayed various reactions with rabbit-like ears. Then, she subtly glanced at me and fidgeted her fingers. A passive voice flowed out. ¡°Um, hey.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°If you hang out with me, you might also become a target. So¡­¡± ¡°But am I not already being bullied?¡± It was a lie. I am not being bullied anymore. Should I say, instead, that I am the one bullying now? ¨DD-Dogyunwoo! Run away quickly! ¨DIf our eyes meet, you¡¯ll die! ¨DDon¡¯t leave me behind! Let¡¯s go together! Lately, the triplets trembled and avoided me whenever they saw me, and at the swordsmanship hall, it was routine for me to be brutally defeated as their sparring partner. ¡°From the start, if you and I become targets together, wouldn¡¯t that mean we¡¯re not really being targeted?¡± ¡°¡­¡± But the younger Yeonhaneul, unaware of this fact, seemed to forget what she wanted to say for a moment. Soon, as if she was about to cry, Yeonhaneul¡¯s face faintly twitched, but then she smiled as if to say, ¡°When did that happen?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really strange.¡± ¡°Me? How so?¡± ¡°Just¡­ everything.¡± With a clicking sound. She covered her mouth to hide her laughter. I saw her laughing like that for the first time. It was a sight that stayed in my memory involuntarily. ¡°Alright, I want to see it too.¡± That¡¯s how we became friends. Chapter 6 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 5 Chapter 5 Promise After school ended, we headed straight home. Shortly after, the young sky standing in front of the gate opened its mouth like a person in a trance. There was no sign of it closing. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Is this really your house?¡± ¡°Well, is it quite big?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that big¡­.¡± Young sky hesitated in response. To some extent, I understood why she reacted that way. The house was indeed quite spacious. Compared to the one-room apartment where I lived in my past life, it was on a different scale. ¡°To me, it¡¯s just average.¡± But as someone who had lived in this house since birth, I didn¡¯t feel any particular excitement. Instead, it felt ordinary. Relatives lived in even better houses than this one. Of course, I was aware of that. I decided to be cautious not to appear as if I were showing off to her, who was already overwhelmed by the house. ¡°So, you really have a garden in your house¡­.¡± ¡°You have a garden at your place too.¡± ¡°We¡¯re from an orphanage. The people over there are the staff, right?¡± ¡°Yes, they are the servants.¡± ¡°Wow¡­. Wealthy people indeed hire people like in dramas.¡± ¡°We are not that wealthy¡­.¡± ¡°Well, you came from a prestigious family.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It feels like we¡¯ve come to a luxury house.¡± Honestly, it wasn¡¯t to that extent. But Young sky seemed to feel like she was on a drama set. She looked around the garden with wonder. Then, she straightened up as if embarrassed. ¡°Is it okay for me to be here?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the problem in coming? Just come over to hang out.¡± ¡°Still¡­. Do your parents know that I¡¯m coming?¡± ¡°Only Mom knows. Dad is working at the clan at this time, and my younger sister is at the martial arts hall.¡± ¡°So, your mother is at home right now?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­What did your mother say?¡± ¡°She seems happy about it since you¡¯re coming. Oh, she asked if you like tteokbokki.¡± ¡°What if I tell her now¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you like tteokbokki?¡± ¡°I love it, a lot. I can handle spicy food really well. I¡¯m not picky about it at all.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± It seemed like Young-ha was worried about meeting my mother. She nervously fidgeted her feet as she followed behind me. I didn¡¯t pay much attention to her reaction. I understood her concerns, but my parents were not the type to be overly concerned about such things. They didn¡¯t discriminate against people based on financial status or family background. The only concern was¡­ ¡°I didn¡¯t mention that she¡¯s an Ain, but it should be fine, right?¡± That was the main worry. From Noble mtl dot com Not informing the family about that. It was strange to mention it in the first place. She wasn¡¯t hiding her relationship or planning to get married, so there was no need for her to specifically mention that she was an Ain. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really okay.¡± The Shin Geom Do family, which I belonged to, had a long history of producing Hunters. For those living ordinary lives, Ains might be unfamiliar, but for us living in the world of Hunters, Ains were very familiar beings. Ains, who were often discriminated against in society, excelled in physical abilities and were mainly active as Hunters. Hence, my father would sometimes bring Ain colleagues home. So, there was no need to worry. ¡°Mom, we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Come in!¡± With that thought in mind, I opened the door. My mother, who had already been informed by the servants that we had arrived, was waiting in the entrance hall. Smiling brightly, she greeted Young-ha next to me. ¡°Hello¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°She¡¯s Young-ha. She¡¯s my partner in class with Gyung-woo.¡± Blushing, Young-ha awkwardly greeted her. My mother glanced at her and then smiled broadly as before. ¡°Right, come on in. Gyung-woo must have some interest in you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Please, get along well with our son.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. In fact, Gyenwoo¡­¡± ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I heard Gyenwoo was coming, so I hurriedly prepared tteokbokki. Would you like some? Do you like tteokbokki? It¡¯s not spicy. He¡¯s not good with spicy food.¡± ¡°Oh, I like it! I¡¯m not good with spicy food either.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great. Since I also prepared fried foods, have them together with tteokbokki.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Then wash your hands clean and wait in Gyenwoo¡¯s room. He¡¯ll guide you if you follow him.¡± Under mother¡¯s welcome, Yeonha¡¯s face brightened. Soon, mother called a servant to guide Yeonha. To follow her, I quickly took off my shoes. ¡°Gyenwoo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± At that moment, mother called me. I turned around to see mother standing behind me, tilting her head. With a stern expression, mother sighed as if resigned. Then she spoke. ¡°Since you brought the child home, he must be a good kid.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t see that child through other people¡¯s eyes, judge him as you see him now. Got it? Don¡¯t hurt him for no reason.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I understand.¡± A warm tone tinged with concern. Having heard those words from mother, I nodded. She was indeed our mom. ¡ª ¡°Is this Mongshil?¡± ¡°Yeah. Mongsoon is in the younger brother¡¯s room.¡± ¡°I see.¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. We set down our bags and admired Mongshil. Just then, Mongshil, who was sound asleep within us, sensed something and opened his eyes. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Mongshil stared at Yeonha intently. It seemed like he found Yeonha, whom he saw for the first time, fascinating. I opened our door. ¡°Ah, here it comes.¡± ¡°Mongsil, come here.¡± ¡°Can I touch it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Mongsil came out to us. Seemingly in a good mood, it hopped around us. When Yeonha reached out a hand, it willingly accepted the touch. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really cute.¡± ¡°I thought it would be shy, but it¡¯s surprising. Do you like it?¡± ¡°It seems to like you more than me, though?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°But it only comes to me.¡± Yeonha bragged proudly. Deciding to call Mongsil over, I stuck out my tongue at her. ¡°Mongsil, come here.¡± ¡°Mongsil likes me more.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t it coming?¡± However, even when I called, Mongsil showed no particular reaction. It just glanced at me briefly while sitting on Yeonha¡¯s lap. Then, it suddenly turned its head away. Even offering hay was of no use. ¡°Can I try giving it some?¡± ¡°Sure, here you go.¡± ¡°Oh, it eats well.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Strangely, when Yeonha offered the hay, Mongsil actively started eating it. ¡®It doesn¡¯t recognize its owner.¡¯ Mongsil wasn¡¯t usually like this. Watching Mongsil playfully teasing Yeonha, I was at a loss. ¡°Why is it acting like this? Is it sulking?¡± ¡°Um, well¡­.¡± Then, noticing Mongsil circling around Yeonha, I realized. ¡°That¡¯s a mating behavior.¡± Although it can sometimes be a sign of affection, this felt different. The way it was clinging to Yeonha¡¯s arm was reminiscent of a mounting position. It was clear. That rascal Mongsil had fallen for Yeonha. ¡°Can you please get it off¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s neutered. It¡¯s a male, but not a real male.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it in that sense!¡± ¡°Are you misunderstanding me because I¡¯m a rabbit?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hear such nonsense. Please, just let go quickly¡­¡± ¡°Mongsil, come here.¡± Creak! Mongsil, without even recognizing her owner, bared her front teeth. Is she considering me, of the same gender, as a mate competitor? It was unbelievable. ¡°Hey, is this how you treat your big brother?¡± Still, when I grabbed her by the scruff and lifted her up, she behaved quite well. Mongsil was looking at me with eyes that seemed to say, ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not working. She¡¯s been inside the house. She didn¡¯t react like this after being neutered. Why is she responding to you?¡± ¡°How would I know that? She wouldn¡¯t come out with us, would she?¡± ¡°Sometimes, if she¡¯s in a good mood, she might dash out.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ I wish she hadn¡¯t¡­¡± It seems like being courted by a rabbit was quite a shock. Approaching me with quick steps, she grabbed my shoulder abruptly. Then, she cautiously hid behind me and peeked at Mongsil¡¯s condition. ¡°She¡¯s not coming out, right? Right?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not. Even if she¡¯s feeling good, she usually doesn¡¯t jump out.¡± ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll be satisfied with just seeing Mongsil in photos.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s just enjoy her through photos. Or do you want to see Mongsuni later? Mongsuni probably won¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she kind of threatening you not to approach her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, probably?¡± ¡°Why probably?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never brought a girl home, how would I know.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ you¡¯ve never brought one home.¡± Before we knew it, the tension in the air seemed to have eased somewhat. As she muttered something under her breath, she let go of the hand she had on my shoulder. Around that time, Mother entered the room. ¡°Hey, you guys, come and eat tteokbokki!¡± ¡ª ¡°Even the rich eat tteokbokki.¡± ¡°We eat instant tteokbokki too, don¡¯t we? People all live the same way.¡± ¡°But I doubt they put beef brisket in tteokbokki.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s delicious. Your mother seems to be really good at cooking.¡± Leaving Mongsil in the care of the servants. Yeongha and I ate the tteokbokki that Mother had made. It seemed like Mother¡¯s skills were at play. Unlike usual, the tteokbokki had brisket, fried food, and various ingredients, making it very delicious. Yeongha was impressed. ¡°Since I brought dessert, go ahead and eat. Hanuel, do you prefer milk or juice?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll have milk, please.¡± ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t bother you then, have fun playing.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Thank you.¡± After eating the tteokbokki, Mother brought up a roll cake. Other sweets were also prepared. ¡°Your mother is truly kind. She¡¯s beautiful. I want to be like her when I grow up.¡± ¡°You should tell that to our mom directly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing. You tell her later.¡± Yeongha seemed unaccustomed to receiving such treatment. As soon as Mother left the room, she whispered quietly to herself. Then, she looked at her stomach and eyed the dessert. ¡°I can¡¯t eat all of this¡­.¡± If you¡¯re full, you don¡¯t have to eat. It seemed like she couldn¡¯t refuse Mother¡¯s kindness. I smiled at her. ¡°Just eat as much as you can. Or you can take it home when you leave.¡± ¡°¡­Is that okay?¡± ¡°Of course, it is.¡± Yeongha¡¯s eyes widened. The idea of being able to take it to the orphanage seemed to excite her. Her ears perked up noticeably. ¡®Would she be happy if I did a backflip?¡¯ I briefly observed her reaction, wondering if she might start bouncing around. But there was no reaction I was hoping for. Suddenly, a thought struck me. ¡®Come to think of it, how is her status window?¡¯ I realized I hadn¡¯t checked Yeongha¡¯s status window until now. It required considerable mental effort to view someone else¡¯s status window. It never became a habit. ¡®But I should check it once.¡¯ Yeongha is a character in the game, a significant character who will turn into a mid-boss in the future. She¡¯s also someone I plan to bring into the party someday. It¡¯s necessary to check her stats. I met her eyes and silently uttered in my mind. ¡®Status window.¡¯ Those words served as a signal, and in front of his eyes appeared her status window. [Personal Information] Name: Yeon Haneul (Female, 12 years old) Alias: Rabbit Monster Affiliation: Laon Elementary School [Possessed Gifts] Fission [Physical Abilities] Stamina: 30 Strength: 28 Endurance: 30 Agility: 32 Magic Power: 75 Luck: 20 Remaining Points: 0 Must be because she¡¯s an Ein. Yeon Haneul¡¯s physical abilities were quite high. Even if one were to consider her as a member of a prestigious family, her stats were outstanding. Especially her magic power. ¡°75¡­¡± As far as I know, there weren¡¯t many characters in the game with magic power exceeding 70. Moreover, Yeon Haneul was only twelve years old now and had never handled mana before. Nevertheless, the fact that the magic level was 75 could be interpreted as having boundless potential when looking into the future. ¡°Seems like my internal mana is truly abundant. That¡¯s why I could devastate the Academy City area in the game¡­¡± Magic referred to abilities related to mana, such as internal mana quantity, mana efficiency, resistance, and so on. In other words, just because the magic level was high, it didn¡¯t mean one could hastily conclude that the internal mana was abundant. However, generally, higher magic levels did correspond to higher internal mana quantities. And if one had never dealt with mana before, the role of internal mana in magic would likely be significant. ¡°¡­¡± Yeon Ha-neul was like a rough gem. A gem that could shine depending on how I cut and polish it. I gazed at her intensely. Whether my gaze became burdensome or not, she asked, showing a hint of wariness. ¡°Why? Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?¡± ¡°You have chili powder on your nose.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Just kidding.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°In truth, there¡¯s a bit on the corner of your mouth.¡± ¡°A lot? Where? Here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wipe it off. Stay still.¡± I reached out my hand towards Yeon Ha-neul. She hesitated for a moment, then resignedly turned her face towards me. ¡°Ha-neul.¡± ¡°Is it all gone?¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± ¡°Hurry up. But why?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take care of each other from now on.¡± ¡°¡­You seem so out of the blue.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, it is.¡± The tteokbokki sauce on her lips. I wiped off the red sauce for her. Indeed, I had done well to get closer to Yeon Ha-neul. Chapter 7 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 6 Chapter 6 The first experience of visiting a friend¡¯s house was when I was in first grade of elementary school. It was not long after starting school. Back then, Yeonhae quickly became friends with a girl who sat in the front row, as luck would have it, they had similar personalities and interests. ¨DDo you want to come to my house later? ¨DReally? Can I? ¨DOf course! As the conversation flowed towards going to that friend¡¯s house, Yeonhae, who was excited, had an unforgettable experience. ¨DMom! I brought a friend! It¡¯s Haneul! ¨DOh, hello. ¨D¡­Yeah, come on in. At that moment, the friend¡¯s mother standing in the entrance did not miss the chance to scan her from head to toe. And that gaze ultimately settled above her head. ¨DYou shouldn¡¯t stay too long since you have to go to the academy later. ¨DHuh? But there¡¯s no academy today¡­ ¨DThey called and said to come to the academy. They want to increase the number of days for elementary students. ¨DOh¡­ ¨DSo, you understand, right? Your parents probably wouldn¡¯t like it if you come home late. ¨DYes¡­ I¡¯ll just play a little longer. Yeonhae, who had grown up in an orphanage since she was young, was sensitive to detecting an atmosphere of rejection. She realized that her friend¡¯s mother was not warm towards her. Therefore, she read the situation that day and left home early. ¨DMa¡¯am, I¡¯ll be leaving now. Goodbye. ¨DGoodbye! ¨DAlright, be careful on your way back. Yeonhae bowed her head. Her friend¡¯s mother gave a formal farewell and abruptly closed the door. Soon, she could hear voices coming from beyond the door. ¨DDon¡¯t hang out with that kind of kid. You should be with good kids, how can you be friends with someone like her? ¡°Mom! The sky is being nice¡­¡± ¡°Listen to me, Mom. I¡¯m telling you not to play with that kid from now on, they come from a different background. Do you think we sent you to that school so you could play with a child like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°There are so many well-off kids, why would you choose to play with someone like that?¡± On that day, Yeonhae left in a huff. Later, she told the daycare teachers that she had fun at a friend¡¯s house. ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°¡­Mom shouldn¡¯t play with you.¡± ¡­ From Noble mtl dot com The next day, she naturally drifted apart from that friend. ¡°Is it okay?¡± With that memory in mind, Yeonhae visited Dohyunwoo¡¯s house, subtly worried. But to her relief, that day she was able to play at his house without any concerns. ¡°I should go now. The tteokbokki was delicious!¡± ¡°Was it? Well, that¡¯s good. Next time, I¡¯ll make something even tastier for you.¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to do that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing it because I want to.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Dohyunwoo¡¯s mother didn¡¯t look her up and down or give her a disdainful look. Consistently wearing a friendly smile, she engaged with Yeonhae. Unaccustomed to such kindness, Yeonhae felt awkward. ¡°Oh, right. Mom, could you pack the dessert we had earlier for me to take home? Haneul wants to have it at our place.¡± ¡°Oh, really? You should have told me earlier.¡± ¡°No! You don¡¯t have to do that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t mind.¡± At that moment, Dohyunwoo unexpectedly spoke up. Yeonhae, who was too embarrassed to ask if she could pack food herself, was taken aback. She quickly clapped her hands. But Dohyunwoo¡¯s mother didn¡¯t acknowledge his words. ¡°Dohyunwoo, tell them in the kitchen to pack a fresh one, not the one we ate.¡± ¡°Okay, I will.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Thank you.¡± Dohyunwoo disappeared into the house. Yeonhae didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Haneul.¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Looking at her like that, Dohyunwoo¡¯s mother spoke in an affectionate tone. ¡°Please continue to be close with Gyung-woo in the future.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Gyung-woo rarely brought friends home. Seeing that he brought you here, it seems like he quite likes you. Lately, he seems more lively, too.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of you that he¡¯s like this? Thank you. So, I¡¯m bribing you to continue being close with Gyung-woo in the future. Don¡¯t feel too pressured.¡± ¡°¡­No. It¡¯s Gyung-woo who¡¯s being close with me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that between friends? If you get along well and are close, that¡¯s what being friends is all about.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± There was a very compassionate look in her eyes. No other emotions could be found in Mrs. Do Gyung-woo¡¯s eyes. Yeon Ha-neul looked up at her, feeling a strange sensation once again. After a while, Do Gyung-woo, who had disappeared inside, returned with an envelope in hand. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± It was quite thick. Yeon Ha-neul accepted the substantial envelope and once again expressed gratitude to the two. ¡°Then come over again next time.¡± ¡°Sure, come to see Mong-sil again. Or you can come to see Mong-soon.¡± ¡°Just come over to see Gyung-woo.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll come over again next time.¡± Next time. Those words felt very unfamiliar. Yeon Ha-neul awkwardly held back, then turned her back at Do Gyung-woo¡¯s house. Her ears twitched lightly. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re really a nice person.¡± She seemed to know where Do Gyung-woo¡¯s personality came from. She wanted to become a kind and affectionate person like his mother. That day, she hummed a tune on her way back to the orphanage. ¡°Did you have a good time?¡± ¡°Yes, I had a lot of fun! And this was given to me by a friend¡¯s mother!¡± That¡¯s how she enjoyed delicious roll cake with the people living in the orphanage. ¡ª ¡°Really!? Gyung-woo brought a girl home?¡± A family dinner conversation. Father showed great interest upon hearing Mother¡¯s story. ¡°He brought her while I was at home¡­ I wonder who she is.¡± ¡°She seems to be someone Gyung-woo likes.¡± ¡°What did she look like?¡± ¡°She was a girl with pretty sky-blue rabbit ears.¡± ¡°Rabbit ears? Was she Aine?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Seems like Gyungwoo would like her.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I liked rabbits, but that didn¡¯t mean I was close to Yeonhae because of it. I made a puzzled face and looked at my parents. Upon seeing my expression, my parents seemed to interpret it differently. ¡°Why, feeling embarrassed?¡± ¡°You could bring a friend home, what¡¯s there to be embarrassed about?¡± I decided to stay silent. No matter what I said, my parents would tease me. If it were before I recalled my past life, I might have fallen for their jokes like a child, but not anymore. ¡°By the way, where does Aine live then?¡± ¡°She lives near the daycare center.¡± ¡°I see. Treat her well. Aine is¡­¡± ¡°Do you really need to say that? Showing such consideration among friends can be harmful.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to what Dad says.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± I nodded. I knew how Aine would be treated in society even without Father¡¯s advice. But I didn¡¯t feel sorry for her. ¡°Just treat her like a friend, that¡¯s all.¡± I intended to treat her as an equal human being. Of course, there was a bit of ambition in recruiting Yeonhae as a colleague. It was at that moment that my younger sister chimed in. ¡°I wanted to see Rabbit Unni too¡­ so sad. Bringing her when I¡¯m not here.¡± The troublemaker of our house, Doeun. Doeun seemed displeased that Yeonhae came to our house while she was at the swordsmanship hall. She pouted with a sullen face. We were well aware of the subtle schemes she orchestrated. Especially Mother¡¯s eyes were sharp. ¡°Is there any connection between removing the carrots from curry and that?¡± ¡°¡­ Hush.¡± ¡°You should finish all the carrots. They¡¯re so delicious. Even if rabbits want to eat them, they can¡¯t because there aren¡¯t any, you know?¡± ¡°So, these carrots are for the rabbits¡­¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Mom was upset.¡± ¡°hahahaha¡­.¡± Today, as well, there was no peaceful resolution to the dispute between Mother and Yeeun. Yeeun, with a sullen face, had to chew on a mushy carrot tightly clenched in her hand. Father let out a bitter smile. ¡°Ugh, carrots taste bad¡­.¡± ¡°Things good for your body often don¡¯t taste good.¡± ¡°I hate Mom.¡± ¡°Oh really? I prepared chocolate for you to have as a snack later, but if you don¡¯t need it¡­.¡± ¡°Wow! Our mom is the best!¡± At the mention of chocolate, Yeeun cheered with a look of disbelief. We burst into laughter at Yeeun¡¯s swift change of attitude. Soon, I called out to Father. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Yes? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°After dinner, could you please check my form? Let¡¯s spar for a bit.¡± ¡°Spar? What¡¯s the occasion?¡± I couldn¡¯t just practice the basic stances every day. Sometimes, it was necessary to assess my shortcomings by directly exchanging blows with a partner. ¡®And I have something to ask Dad.¡¯ I waited for Father¡¯s response. Eventually, Father, who seemed puzzled by the unexpected request, spoke up. ¡°Shall we do that then? How about taking a break after dinner before exercising, as exercising right after a meal can upset your stomach.¡± ¡°That sounds good. Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Where should we measure your progress?¡± Father readily agreed to the suggestion. Meanwhile, Yeeun couldn¡¯t have possibly missed eavesdropping on our conversation. ¡°I want to spar with Dad and Brother too!¡± ¡°Yeeun, you¡¯re still too young for that. When both spar, wear protective gear to avoid injuries.¡± ¡ª Unable to resist Mother¡¯s insistence, we always had to wear protective gear and use wooden swords instead of real ones during our sparring sessions. ¡°Geonu, what¡¯s gotten into you? You always ask me to spar first.¡± ¡°I just wanted to see how much I¡¯ve improved. I also wanted to show you, Dad.¡± Father, putting on the protective gear, spoke up as if surprised. Indeed, it made sense. ¡®It¡¯s always been Dad suggesting we spar, not me.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to tire out Father, who had worked hard all day at the clan, for no reason. I was afraid of getting hurt or hurting someone while sparring. Before recalling my past life, I had never brought up the idea of sparring with my father for that reason. But judging by my father¡¯s reaction, it seemed like there was no need to be cautious. ¡°So you finally want to play with me now that you¡¯re in fifth grade?¡± ¡°Is this considered playing?¡± ¡°Of course. What leisure can I find after working late? Being lovey-dovey with your mom, playing with Yeeun, and sparring with you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± If I had known it would be like this, I would have sparred with my father more often. I never expected him to enjoy it this much. ¡°So, what exactly are you trying to ask me for?¡± ¡°How did you know what I was going to ask Dad for?¡± ¡°You, who never mentioned sparring before, suddenly asking for something made me think there must be another reason.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Without telling Mom, what are you secretly asking me for? Since I¡¯m on Mom¡¯s side, I might not be able to fulfill all your requests.¡± ¡°I wanted to ask Dad because I thought Mom might find it dangerous¡­.¡± ¡°What. Let me hear it.¡± I had planned to speak up at the right moment. Since my father had caught on to my intentions, it seemed like I should speak now. With a protective headband on, I pointed a wooden sword at my father and said, ¡°I want to experience real combat.¡± ¡°Real combat?¡± ¡°Yes. I want to try killing monsters.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°My other cousins have already experienced it, but I haven¡¯t yet. However, as someone who is not a hunter, I can¡¯t face monsters recklessly¡­ So I was hoping Dad could help me.¡± ¡°Why all of a sudden this urge? Just because you haven¡¯t had real combat doesn¡¯t mean you should be impatient.¡± ¡°Still. I felt like I can¡¯t stay like this anymore. I don¡¯t want to be mocked as a rabbit anymore.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± ¡°I want to change now.¡± In five years. Five years later, I will enter the Academy City and face numerous crises with the main character Kang Hanbyeol. To do so, I needed to confront monsters and hone my sense of real combat. People my age from noble families had already experienced real combat. Compared to them, I was far behind. ¡°So I have to catch up somehow.¡± That¡¯s why I asked my father for help. It was something I couldn¡¯t do alone without my father¡¯s assistance. ¡°Did you start thinking about this because of what happened at the swordsmanship hall?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I heard about you fighting with the kids from the swordsmanship hall. They said they were heavily injured and that you didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Has that become a change in your state of mind?¡± ¡­Perhaps it was a provocation from the swordsmanship instructor. He might have harbored discontent towards me, who wielded the family name as a threat. However, regardless of the instructor¡¯s intentions, judging by my father¡¯s demeanor, he seemed unlikely to scold me for that matter. Rather, he seemed to be testing my sincerity. ¡®Is he trusting me? There¡¯s no reason for me to act without thought.¡¯ Although not spoken directly, I somehow sensed that. If that was the trust I was being given, then I felt the need to honestly convey my feelings in response. How should I start? I carefully chose my words. ¡°I was taught that the sword of the Divine Swordsmanship School is meant to protect and save those in need. It¡¯s something that must never be forgotten.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. The reason our family is praised by the people is because we have not neglected that role.¡± ¡°So, I thought I should wield the sword according to the teachings of the family. Even if others harass me, I shouldn¡¯t just swing it to vent my emotions. After all, those people are the ones I must protect, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But.¡± If I hadn¡¯t recalled my past life, I probably wouldn¡¯t have had such thoughts. The life I lived in my previous existence. And also, the future I was yet to experience greatly influenced my thoughts. ¡°Before protecting others, shouldn¡¯t one protect oneself first?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°How can someone who can¡¯t even protect themselves protect others? I suddenly had that thought.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s why you fought with the kids.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I fought. Not foolishly being taken advantage of, but to protect myself. From now on, that¡¯s how I intend to live.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°To do that, I need to become stronger. To the extent that I can protect myself fully without being belittled by others, so that I can protect others. That¡¯s why I want to experience real battles.¡± I must come first at all times. I had no intention of changing that thought, even if it might seem selfish. With that in mind, I expressed my thoughts. For a while, my father remained silent. Then, after a moment, my father¡¯s shoulders moved up and down as if he chuckled. He seemed to be smiling. ¡°Well, your thoughts aren¡¯t entirely wrong. It¡¯s not a bad thing that you¡¯ve found a reason to want to become stronger. It seems you¡¯ve changed a lot without me realizing.¡± ¡°So, will you help me?¡± ¡°As your father, of course, I should help. But there¡¯s a condition.¡± ¡°What condition?¡± ¡°Prove that you¡¯ve built up enough skill to experience real battles. That¡¯s why I suggested a sparring match. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re right, Father.¡± Unconsciously, my father took the lead and prepared for the sparring match. I quickly adjusted my stance as well. As my father had said, I intended to earn recognition of my skills through the sparring match. If that¡¯s not possible, then I¡¯ll have to devote myself to training to build my skills. Not being acknowledged by my father means I haven¡¯t reached a level where I can engage in real combat yet. ¡°Just one strike.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t use mana and won¡¯t move more than five steps, so feel free to attack as you wish.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t use Suwangryu either?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll stick to the basics.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It was a sparring session similar to usual. But I have never succeeded in landing an attack on my father. Even if the opportunity to attack him arises, I hesitated to strike, fearing I might accidentally harm him. I was afraid. I was terrified. Truly foolish, in a way. ¡°Come on. Show me what you¡¯ve got.¡± In that sense, there was a hidden meaning behind my father setting these conditions. If you truly intend to face a monster, do not hesitate to strike someone with a sword. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± I took a deep breath. Unlike before. Now, I am resolute and will not hesitate. £¼Basic Form 1 of Suwangryu£¾ The Hunting Stance To prove it to my father. I lunged forward immediately. Gathering strength, I brought down my wooden sword. Naturally, my father blocked it and countered, hitting my wooden sword with force. Thud! I did not resist that force. Instead, I used it to step back and turned my body to the side. Then I swung my arm widely. £¼Basic Form 2 of Suwangryu£¾ The Stance of Fierce Advance From the inside of the left shoulder to the outside. A horizontal trajectory cuts through the air. Thud! Once again, my father blocked it. It was within the expected range. I extended my steps forward as they were, narrowing the distance with my father. At that moment, the posture with the arm pushed back behind the right shoulder reappeared. ? Basic Form 3 of the Water King Style Posture of Rotation I put strength into the foot that moved forward. Twist the waist to the left. The force of swinging the neck sword increased. From Noble mtl dot com From the outside to the inside of the right shoulder. The sword that had been deflected bounced back horizontally, aiming for my father¡¯s sword. Clang! Now is the time. Naturally, the distance between my father and the sword decreased as I closed the gap. I must widen the distance. In that case, the action my father must take now is to step back. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I did not miss that moment. ¡°¡­!¡± Not giving space to swing. As my father stepped back, I quickly moved forward. At the same time, I raised the neck sword, which was prepared in the posture of rotation, from bottom to top. The swords clashed. ¡°Krrrk!¡± This time, it was not my sword but my father¡¯s that was pushed back. For a moment, my father¡¯s posture faltered. A gap appeared on the right. ? Attack Form 3 of the Water King Style Lion Iron Whip Heavily like swinging a club. Quickly like cracking a whip. Injecting mana into the neck sword, I struck my father¡¯s right hip. Thud! With that, the match was over. I quickly widened the distance. When my father, who was hit on the hip so hard that it made a thud, turned around, I was already gone from that spot. ¡°This, this guy¡­ even if he had to hit, he could have hit a bit more gently, did he really have to hit so hard?¡± ¡°I want to earn recognition from Dad.¡± ¡°Wow. You¡¯ve grown so much that now even Dad can hit without hesitation.¡± Wearing protective gear, it wouldn¡¯t hurt that much, but my father kept tapping my back as if to say, ¡°Look at this.¡± I chuckled at his actions. Then, he patted my back. ¡°So, are you going to admit it now?¡± ¡°Yeah, you disobedient child.¡± My father pursed his lips. Chapter 8 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 7 Chapter 7 Instinct to Evade It was a Saturday off from school. After having lunch, my father and I left the house. ¡°We¡¯ll be back! Probably by dinner time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Come back safely without getting hurt.¡± ¡°Yes, I will. I¡¯ll be back.¡± My mother, upon hearing that I was going to compete, couldn¡¯t shake off her worries. But she didn¡¯t stop me. There were parts where she was convinced by my father, and she decided to support me in my endeavor to become stronger. I reassured her not to worry, then turned away from her. ¡°Shall we go then?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go now.¡± Our destination was the closest branch of the Regulus Clan from our house. Also my father¡¯s workplace. I rode in the car my father drove towards that place. How much time had passed like that? A building came into view. At the top, a blue sign resembling a lion was sparkling. ¡°Is that the building?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s where I work. First time coming here, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. I roughly knew the location but never visited.¡± The Regulus Clan, which could be considered the origin of the Sacred Gear System. The clan established by the prestigious family during the Great Upheaval had expanded its branches throughout the nation. This place was one of them. ¡°And my father is also the leader of this clan.¡± That was why I had come here. To enter dungeons, gates managed by the government, or monster habitats, one needed a hunter license. As someone without that license, there was nothing I could do. However, things were different if your father was the clan leader. You didn¡¯t have to abide by restrictions. You could exercise some flexibility using your father¡¯s authority. ¡°For example, entering the gate owned by the clan.¡± That was exactly where I was headed. To confront the monsters inside the gate in real combat. Eventually, my father parked the car. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get out. Don¡¯t forget your sword.¡± ¡°Here it is.¡± Of course, I hadn¡¯t forgotten. I raised the sword high so my father could see it. ? According to the game¡¯s setting, this world had become highly unstable after the Great Upheaval. As a result, dimensional distortions occurred frequently, impacting the world. Monsters emerged from these distorted dimensions, which then solidified into dungeons. Gates were born from this phenomenon as well. As dimensions distorted and met with distortions from other worlds, gates were created, forming a new world. ¡°If this phenomenon isn¡¯t resolved in time, the world within the gate will explode and spill into reality.¡± Commonly known as an Outbreak. Players had to keep this in mind along with the storyline. Gate outbreaks occurred randomly in the city of academies, and unlike dungeons, there was a time limit to conquer these gates to avoid affecting the ending. ¡°So, to reach the desired ending, one had to pay attention to the gate erosion rate.¡± As a result, in my past life, I often launched the game to check if any gates had appeared. In that sense¡­ ¡°Looking beyond just a simple game content, gates could be considered quite an intelligent feature.¡± Keeping players engaged in the game. Injecting freshness for players tired of the storyline. Assisting in character growth, and more. Gates served various functions. One of the charms of the game. Moreover, by conquering gates, one could obtain gate keys. ¡®With that key, you could tackle a gate you¡¯ve already conquered.¡¯ It must have been the game developers¡¯ consideration for players to enjoy tackling the gates they had already conquered. That aspect was properly reflected in the world I was reborn into. ¡°Let¡¯s go get the gate key first. It¡¯s essential.¡± ¡°Where is the gate key?¡± ¡°We keep it stored in the warehouse.¡± Regulus Clan¡¯s Songpa District branch. My father and I descended into the underground where the warehouse was located to retrieve the gate key. During that process, we encountered the people working alongside my father. ¡°Wow! Is this the branch manager¡¯s son? So adorable!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ he looks so gentle. Doesn¡¯t seem to take after the branch manager, thankfully.¡± ¡°Why is it lucky not to resemble me? Are you openly mocking me now?¡± ¡°Hello¡­ I¡¯m Dogyunwoo.¡± Cheeks pinched, touched, poked¡­ Encountering fiercely loyal clan members led to some rough experiences. When a muscular man embraced me, it left me feeling incredibly gloomy. ¡°¡­ ¡° ¡°Dogyun, are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­ No.¡± Only after being touched by people could I finally break free. I never wanted to experience that again. Fortunately, the people I met after that belonged to a relatively normal category. ¡°You look kind. How old are you?¡± ¡°The branch manager¡¯s son, in this world¡­ Tell the truth! You were picked up, right!?¡± ¡°Well, Lady Song was a beauty.¡± ¡°Wanna take a picture with me?¡± ¡°I want to put you in my pocket and take you with me¡­.¡± ¡­Relatively normal. Politely greeting those people, I quickly made my exit. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Oh, Dogyun.¡± ¡°Are all hunters like that?¡± ¡°Well, um¡­ not all, but there are some.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡° ¡°Dogyun, try to understand. It¡¯s not easy to stay sober when risking your life fighting monsters every day.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­.¡± It sounded like an excuse, but I decided to let it go. Finally, we arrived at the warehouse. The woman at the warehouse reception warmly welcomed us. ¡°Hello, Director Ji. I heard about the story yesterday. You¡¯re going to enter the gate with Ad, right?¡± ¡°Yes, do you have the key?¡± ¡°Yes, please wait a moment. I¡¯ll bring it out soon.¡± The woman went into the warehouse. And shortly after, the woman returned from the warehouse, holding out a small box. It was slightly larger than my hand. ¡°This is the key you requested. Please check if it fits.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ it fits. Thank you. Can you also tell me the room I reserved?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Room 2.¡± ¡°Room 2¡­ Thank you for letting me know. Well then, good work.¡± ¡°You too, Director Ji.¡± The business in the warehouse was finished. Father, having checked the contents of the box, turned his body at the reception. I quickly followed behind him. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± ¡°We need to go to the room with the artificial gate. We¡¯ll go to Room 2.¡± The gate key couldn¡¯t just be used as is. Just like there¡¯s a door when you have a key. To activate the gate key, there needed to be a slot to insert it into. That slot was the artificial gate. Man-made, a kind of artifact. However, creating an artificial gate required a huge cost. ¡°With maintenance and management fees added¡­¡± As a result, only large clans like the Regulus Clan could afford to have an artificial gate. According to Father, there are said to be three artificial gates here. I walked along the corridor listening to Father¡¯s story. ¡°So, what grade is the gate I¡¯ll be entering? White? Gray?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a white grade.¡± Meanwhile, gates could be classified into seven grades based on their color. White, gray, yellow, green, red, blue, and finally black. The difficulty of conquering the gate increased from white to black. The gate I would enter today was the lowest difficulty, white grade. Soon, we entered the room marked with the number 2. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You must have seen it once at the main house, but that¡¯s the artificial gate.¡± It was a vast space made up of square tiles on the floor. There were hardly any items decorating the space. But on the opposite wall of the door, there was one massive door. A circular-shaped iron door. In the center of that iron door, there was a keyhole. ¡°Now, we are going to enter this gate. Are you really prepared? Think carefully even now. Once you go in, you can¡¯t come out until you conquer the gate.¡± My father spoke to me as I gazed up at the gate, as if urging me to reconsider my thoughts. But my response remained unchanged. ¡°I¡¯ve already thought enough. It¡¯s okay. And if I can¡¯t conquer it, you¡¯ll do it for me, right?¡± ¡°That brat¡­ Fine, I got it. As you say, if you can¡¯t conquer the gate, I will. Don¡¯t push yourself. Don¡¯t get Mom mad for no reason.¡± As if resigned, my father chuckled softly. Then, he took out a box from his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s activate the gate then.¡± The handle part was a white key. My father took the key out of the box and inserted it into the artificial gate. And as he turned the key to the right, a white ripple spread out from the keyhole. Wiiing Dimensions distorted. The iron gate was dyed white. The gate had been activated. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go inside. I¡¯ll enter first, so you come in about 10 minutes later.¡± ¡°Yes, be careful.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Once the gate is activated, it will maintain this state until the gate is conquered from the inside. And the key transforms into the gate, so without conquering the gate, it cannot be turned back into a key. I watched as my father entered the gate, and after a few minutes, I took a step forward. A bright white light enveloped me. * * * The overlapping world created when distorted dimensions meet, the gate. The exact reason was not revealed, but system messages that seemed to come out of a game were displayed in the gate. ¡®It¡¯s natural since it¡¯s a world based on a game.¡¯ Now I knew the reason, and that¡¯s why I no longer harbored doubts. When the light-drenched vision returned, a message was floating in front of me. [Entered the gate.] [White Gate: Pink Crystal Cave II] Below that message, conditions for conquering the white gate were displayed. [The conquest conditions are as follows:] [Slay the monsters.] [Goblin (Rank. 01) x 15] Mission to subdue 15 Rank 1 goblins. Perhaps due to being a white-grade gate, the strategy conditions were very straightforward. After confirming the message, I immediately looked around. ¡°Where are the goblins¡­.¡± The world surrounded by pink crystals was surreal. In that world, I, on high alert, headed towards the direction where the sound was coming from. Father was there. ¡°You came.¡± ¡°Have you captured all the goblins?¡± ¡°Yes, these are all the ones here.¡± Goblins, their weapons released, tied with ropes, lying on the ground. I counted the number of goblins struggling under my father¡¯s feet. Exactly 15. It matched the number of goblins specified as the condition for conquering the gate. By defeating these creatures, the gate conquest could be completed. ¡°Then let¡¯s start right away.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re ready, let¡¯s do it. Since you can¡¯t face a group from the start, shall we begin with one?¡± I positioned myself at a distance from the goblins. Father scanned the goblins and cut the rope of the smallest one. ¡°He¡¯s the weakest among the group. But don¡¯t let your guard down. You know as well, goblins are¡­¡± ¡°Crafty creatures, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Don¡¯t forget that.¡± Having knowledge from the game and learning about monsters as a Sword Master, I responded to my father and gazed at the freed goblin. Keyeak? The creature looked back at Father as if unable to comprehend the situation. Father silently pointed towards me with his chin. The goblin¡¯s head turned back, and its gaze fixed on me. At that moment, it seemed to understand. Keyeak! Even if it was just a faint hope. The only way for it to survive was to confront me. Its face transformed, and it charged. Picking up the fallen fist axe, it swiftly closed the distance. It felt like it had just risen without any stumble moments ago. ¡°Whew¡­.¡± It was that desperate. All living beings struggle until the moment they face death in order to live. No different just because they are monsters. They resist to the end to avoid death. That¡¯s why, in order to kill them, one must be prepared to possibly die in return. That is the reality of combat. I took a deep breath, twisted my body, and swung my right leg back. £¼Basic Form 5 of Suwangryu£¾ Posture of Penetration Stepping forward, arms stretched back as far as possible, in a thrusting stance of the Divine Sword. Based on that stance¡­ £¼Attack Form 4 of Suwangryu£¾ From Noble mtl dot com Lion¡¯s Return Needle Manifesting inner mana, activating mana circuits from the legs, waist, heart, to the right hand holding the sword. At the same time, mana flowing outward envelops the blade. Like so¡­ Kieeek! Shifting weight onto the forward foot, twisting the waist, and forcefully thrusting the right arm back while gathering strength. Releasing the power gathered from holding my breath. As the elbow moves in a straight line, the blue-glowing sword cuts through the air. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, subtly twisting the wrist to add rotational force. That strike¡­ Fwoosh! I plunged it with all my might into the mouth of the leaping goblin. ¡­eeek¡­. The goblin hung in midair, pierced through to the back of its neck by the sword. As if about to move its limbs, it met its end without a sound. ¡°First one down.¡± Chapter 9 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 8 Chapter 8 Joining the party of the protagonist Kang Hanbyeol in the game, Do Gyounwoo was subject to certain constraints. As a result, players, aside from being forced to include Do Gyounwoo in party formation, generally avoided adding him to the party. This was because those constraints significantly hindered Do Gyounwoo¡¯s performance. ¡°His gift was both an advantage and a disadvantage.¡± Do Gyounwoo¡¯s gift, the instinct to evade. The instinct to evade prompted him to move instinctively when sensing a life-threatening situation, helping him avoid danger. For Do Gyounwoo, a nimble swordsman, this gift was extremely useful. One could also view it as a gift that reflected Do Gyounwoo¡¯s timid and delicate nature quite well. That¡¯s why it became a constraint. [Do Gyounwoo refuses the command.] [Do Gyounwoo evades the attack.] Controlling instincts was not easy. The instinct to evade was no exception. The manifestation of the survival instinct to evade sometimes led Do Gyounwoo to defy the player¡¯s commands and move as he pleased. He would often ignore attack commands and opt for evasive actions instead. From the player¡¯s perspective, it was frustrating dealing with Do Gyounwoo¡¯s defiance. ¡°Do Gyounwoo.¡± ¨C Sorry for causing you trouble for no reason¡­ If you knew, you should¡¯ve fixed it. However, once Do Gyounwoo underwent an awakening event in the latter part of the story, his evaluation completely changed. ¡°Do Gyounwoo.¡± ¨C I don¡¯t want to die like this. I don¡¯t want to be protected by others anymore. I¡­ I will fight. From that point on. Do Gyounwoo gains control over his gift and no longer succumbs to fear. Moreover, the player can now fully utilize Do Gyounwoo¡¯s abilities. The awakened Do Gyounwoo¡­ ¡°It¡¯s said that characters who awaken late are ridiculously strong.¡± There¡¯s no other way to put it. Despite variations in Do Gyounwoo¡¯s performance due to players¡¯ training, fundamentally, he effortlessly evades most attacks and takes down enemies. It was even said that¡­ With just Do Gyounwoo well-developed, the latter part of the game becomes much easier to progress through. As exaggerated as it may sound, it was somewhat true. Hence¡­ ¡°If you wait until the latter part of the story, it¡¯s too late. How can you wait for that?¡± I thought that the awakening, which usually happens in the latter part of the story, could be brought forward to the present. It might be impossible in the game, but in the real world, it would be entirely achievable. There isn¡¯t even a condition that awakening is possible only in the latter part of the story when I control my instinct to evade. If it¡¯s about how to awaken, it¡¯s not difficult. £¼Water Dragon Style Attack Form 3£¾ Lion Iron Blade Pushing myself to the limit. I swung my sword at the two goblins rushing towards me. *** When facing goblins for the first time, my impression was, ¡°This should be manageable.¡± Observing the movements of the smaller creatures than me, I didn¡¯t feel any danger. In reality, I could easily kill that creature. ¡°Two should be doable as well.¡± Facing two goblins wasn¡¯t much different from before. Just watch carefully. Though my focus was divided, in the end, it was just a matter of following with both eyes. One goblin per eye. Having the goblins in sight, I measured the distance and swung my sword. As a result, with one slash, I could split them vertically. Their bodies scattered blue blood as they fell to the ground. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Turning away from that sight, I said to my father, ¡°Next, please.¡± ¡°¡­Take a break.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with this level.¡± ¡°Stubborn¡­ 3 more to go.¡± Exhaling as if resigned, my father released three goblins tied up. Kicking the wobbling creatures without a hint of sympathy, he forced them towards me. Kieeek! Perhaps having fought twice already, the creatures quickly grasped the situation. They exchanged glances, picked up weapons from the ground, and charged towards me. ¡°Is this a disruption tactic?¡± Recalling the two previous battles. To prevent them from entering my sight, I widened the distance, scattering them in all directions. Then, he enveloped me. ¡°I can¡¯t see the remaining two.¡± Focusing on the one in front, I couldn¡¯t move hastily as I was concerned about the others in different directions. And then, it happened. ¡°¡­!¡± For a moment, it felt like an electric current running down my spine. Simultaneously, my body tried to move on its own, regardless of my will. ¡°The Gift has been activated!¡± It was the instinctive evasion sensing danger and reacting instantly. Astounded by the sensation that was hard to describe in words, I swiftly entrusted my body to that feeling. Swish! A throwing knife flew from behind. While concentrating on the one in front, one of them had stealthily moved behind me and hurled a weapon. I dodged the knife and caught sight of the one making a frustrated expression from a distance. ¡°I¡¯ll take you down first.¡± I immediately turned around. Without hesitation, I ran towards the one who had lost their weapon. Kieeek! At that moment, a sound came from behind. Two goblins were chasing after me, revealing their backs. ¡°It¡¯s okay now.¡± Once bitten, twice shy. As I took the next step, I spread my internal mana around. Sensory net. The mana spread out in a ripple, detecting the presence of mana within a certain radius. I could pinpoint the location of the two following me from behind. Since they were a considerable distance away, I didn¡¯t worry about being caught. Of course, it was a sufficient distance for them to throw weapons. Swish! Still, there was no need to worry. The instinctive evasion had been triggered. The current that started from my neck swiftly passed through my entire nervous system. I adjusted my course according to the instinct¡¯s call. Their attacks ended in vain. And thus¡­ £¼Basic Form of the Water King Style: Form 2£¾ The Stance of the Fierce Tiger I killed the target I had been aiming for. Thinking of it as a free-for-all, I slashed the neck of the one who lunged at me horizontally. Instantly slowing down my running speed, I pivoted on one foot as an axis to change direction. *Keyeok!* I ended up facing the guys who were chasing me from behind. I aimed my sword at the guys who were slowing down their speed belatedly. ©¤©¤!! Compressing the mana within my body, I rotate it. Then, I infuse the mana that escaped from my heart into the mana circuit contained in the joint necessary to swing the sword. Furthermore, I envelop the sword with mana. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 1£¾ Lion¡¯s Roar Decapitation A slashing strike that seems like tearing apart. I released the energy imbued in the sword. *Shi-ik!* The form of the strike is not smooth. It is a technique that leaves uneven wounds on the target hit by the jagged and sharp strike. A strike that slows down recovery. ¡­Kiaaah! As the strike engulfed the goblins, it tore them apart as if devouring them. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Next, I¡¯ll take on the four.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± ¡ª Increasing from three to four made no significant difference. As long as I remained vigilant and fought, I could handle them adequately. ¡°Having more foes is getting annoying.¡± Of course, it did require a fair bit of mental strength. As I aimed at one, I had to be alert in case others attacked me, which consumed more mental energy than physical. ¡°I can¡¯t go on like this.¡± After finishing the fourth battle without realizing it, I wiped the sweat off my forehead and got lost in thought. For the game¡¯s protagonist, the awakening comes when they realize that without fighting tooth and nail, neither they nor their comrades could survive. It meant they were pushed to their limits physically and mentally. Hence, I needed to push myself even further into a corner than I am now. ¡°Now, is this the final one? I¡¯ll go right ahead.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush.¡± ¡°I think I can do it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down and get hurt. It¡¯s the final stretch, so be more careful.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Father offered his advice. I nodded to Father and kept an eye on the remaining goblins. Five of them. They were at least a head taller than those we had faced before. ¡°These ones might be a bit different. They are the ones who have been observing you fight closely, turning their heads as they watch you.¡± Even if Father hadn¡¯t said that, I could sense it. These goblins were different from the others, starting from their gaze. The untied ones seemed to have been waiting, stood up as if on cue, picked up their weapons, and headed towards me. Soon, the battle commenced with them¡­ Key-yaah¡­ While it was quite a long battle fighting off the five, I managed to gradually reduce their numbers and gain the upper hand. Finally, the last goblin met its end, pierced by my sword. [Successfully conquered the gate.] At that moment. As that message popped up¡­. Whoosh! Particles of light gathered before me, transforming into a key-like form. It was the gate key that Father had inserted into the artificial gate. ¡°¡­.¡± The key fell into my hand. It was deemed that the gate had contributed the most to the conquest by me. Unlike in the game where gate keys automatically belonged to the protagonist, in this world, they belonged to those who significantly contributed to the conquest. The gate key in my palm looked different from when Father first took it out, with the handle now transparent. ¡®¡­I guess I can¡¯t use it again until the cooldown is over.¡¯ Having activated the gate once, the power stored in it had been depleted. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a permanent depletion. Each gate key would absorb mana from the atmosphere while idle and automatically restore its power. ¡®What should I do¡­.¡¯ That¡¯s why my focus was not on the depleted key, but elsewhere. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t be like this¡­.¡¯ I hadn¡¯t fully awakened yet. Lost in that thought, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to move from where I stood. Could there be more goblins around? Even though I knew there shouldn¡¯t be, I found myself glancing around unnecessarily. However, naturally, as expected. There were no goblins left at the conquered gate. I had to accept reality. ¡°¡­.¡± I never imagined the plan would go awry. They tried to push me into a life-or-death situation to stage an awakening event, but I never expected it to end before I could fully immerse myself in that situation. It was because I was stronger than anticipated. Then, my father approached. ¡°Why are you staring blankly like that? Can¡¯t believe you conquered the gate and still can¡¯t trust it?¡± My father spoke with a tone that seemed impressed. ¡°To be honest, I was quite surprised.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I thought you could handle up to four, somehow. But to effortlessly deal with not just four, but five.¡± ¡°hahahaha¡­.¡± My father shook my shoulders. I awkwardly laughed as I swayed under his touch. Even though I successfully finished the actual combat, I couldn¡¯t be happy as I didn¡¯t achieve the most important goal. Soon, my father pointed behind me. ¡°There¡¯s still some time left before we agreed to use the artificial gate, but there¡¯s nothing more to do here, so let¡¯s tidy up and go back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Give me the key.¡± As we conquered the gate, in the direction my father pointed with his thumb, there was a dimensional door that hadn¡¯t been there just a moment ago. By stepping through that door, I would return to the world I originally belonged to. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s the matter?¡± In other words, I was postponing my chance to awaken to a distant future. I didn¡¯t know when that moment would come. It could be in the near future, or it might even be towards the end of the story. I couldn¡¯t leave it to chance. I had to achieve it now, at this moment when the threshold of limitation was low. That¡¯s why I spoke up, hiding the gate key. ¡°Are there no other gates?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It feels like there¡¯s something more to realize, and I feel reluctant to just go back home like this since there¡¯s still time. Shouldn¡¯t we try conquering another gate in the meantime?¡± Something a bit more challenging. At my words, my father blinked. Chapter 10 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 9 Chapter 9 It feels like something is dawning on me. Upon hearing what I had to say, Father didn¡¯t outright oppose it. ¡°Yes? Please help me a bit.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Father was also a swordsman. He knew well that enlightenment doesn¡¯t come whenever one desires. In the end, Father raised the white flag. ¡°Sigh¡­ Alright, I understand. When pushing forward, one must push all the way; cutting things off vaguely will lead to no gain. Instead, if I see it as risky, I¡¯ll intervene at any time. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you, Dad.¡± ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s start with the gate.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the key.¡± I handed the key to Father. Soon enough, we stepped through the dimensional door. When I came to my senses after a brief lapse, we were standing in front of the artificial gate, carrying our burdens. ¡°I¡¯ll return the key and go borrow a new one. What about you? Will you stay here and rest?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll come along.¡± Inside the room, there was a place where hunters who conquered the gate could take a short break. While waiting for Father, it seemed like I might inadvertently take a break. Unless I needed to corner myself, that couldn¡¯t happen. I decided to turn away from the sweet temptation and follow Father. Eventually, we arrived at the warehouse. ¡°Chief, you¡¯re back already? There¡¯s still quite some time left¡­.¡± ¡°hahahaha, things turned out this way by chance.¡± The receptionist who had just rented the key to Father a while ago spotted us and tilted her head in puzzlement. Then, as if understanding the situation, she spoke with a tone of regret. ¡°Oh, I see¡­ It seems it was too much for you to handle in practice. But it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s quite surprising to see someone at your age engaging in real battles.¡± ¡°I think there might be a misunderstanding right now¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll do better next time. I¡¯ll be rooting for you. Fighting, sir!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The receptionist struck a fighting pose, looking at me with a wide smile on her face. Perhaps she mistakenly thought I had failed in conquering the gate. From Noble mtl dot com I decided to correct that misconception. ¡°If this were a real game, you played well.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I conquered the gate.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Director?¡± ¡°Gyunwoo is right. It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°¡­How old is Ad?¡± ¡°He turned 12 this year. He¡¯s in the fifth grade.¡± ¡°So¡­ Are you saying a fifth grader has conquered the gate?¡± ¡°To the members of the clan, it¡¯s not that surprising. It happens occasionally. It¡¯s not unheard of.¡± Even though it was not a common occurrence¡­ The lips of the employee moving silently seemed to say just that. My father and I decided not to pay attention to the employee¡¯s reaction anymore. My father draped his arm over the reception desk. ¡°So, what I mean is.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Please go ahead, Director.¡± ¡°Since there¡¯s still time, can we borrow another gate key?¡± ¡°Normally, you need to inform us a day in advance to rent a key¡­¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± ¡°But for you, Director, of course it¡¯s possible. I will take care of it.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you. I should treat the department staff to a dinner next time for their hard work.¡± ¡°Rather than a dinner, perhaps a bonus¡­¡± ¡°So, what I mean is.¡± ¡°Yes, Director.¡± ¡°Can we rent something a bit more challenging than this?¡± My father handed the box containing the gate key to the receptionist. I seized the moment to intervene. ¡°Please make it gray.¡± ¡°No, white will do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It seems even a gray grade is possible. My father pushed me away with his hand as I approached the employee. The employee gazed blankly at us before turning to my father. She had decided to listen to him. ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± The receptionist processed the paperwork and disappeared into the warehouse. Before long, she returned with the box in hand. ¡°It might be a bit more challenging than what you rented earlier. It¡¯s a white grade, and the conquest conditions are enclosed inside the box.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ This should be manageable. Thank you.¡± ¡°Good luck then.¡± ¡°Gyunwoo, let¡¯s go.¡± Father nodded as he read the paper in the box. I quickly picked up the box and obediently followed my father as he turned around. Meanwhile, I didn¡¯t forget to voice my opinion. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the gray grade have been okay? It seems like it¡¯s at a level where you could face a Rank 2 monster¡­¡± ¡°Son.¡± ¡°Yes, Dad.¡± ¡°Dad, do you have something to make Mom angry? If what we¡¯re doing now gets out, it¡¯s my life that¡¯s at stake with your mom.¡± ¡°Well, if we¡¯re going to die anyway¡­¡± ¡°Are you really my son?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Carrots are what Mongshil likes. Rank 2 is still a bit much for your skills. Maybe you could manage to fight, but it¡¯s too risky.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s a shame, but there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start from the white grade and work our way up. Not all whites are the same. Don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be the same as before.¡± Father¡¯s judgment wouldn¡¯t be wrong. I probably didn¡¯t have the ability to reliably tackle the gray grade yet. I decided to follow without further objection. On the other hand, my father seemed uneasy about me tackling this gate. It wasn¡¯t long before. ¡°Oh, Hong Chul!¡± ¡°Team Leader? Who¡¯s next to you?¡± ¡°This works out well. I was thinking it would be better to have one more supporter with us even if we didn¡¯t plan on it. Do you have time?¡± While heading towards the artificial gate. Father called out to a clan member passing by in the corridor. When the man holding a pickaxe was called, he turned around. ¡°I do have time¡­ But what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°My son is planning to tackle this gate in real combat this time. But this time it¡¯s a bit challenging, so I thought it would be better to have a supporter right by his side, just in case.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I should help, being the Team Leader¡¯s son. Hello?¡± ¡°Hello¡­¡± A supporter specialized in magic assisting hunters with healing and buffs. Father decided to bring a supporter along in case I got injured. I introduced myself as Baek Hong Chul to the man. After that, we found the gate. ¡°We¡¯re going in right away this time. Be careful as monsters might rush in as soon as we enter.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s activate the gate.¡± Father inserted the gate key. We stepped into the gate. [You have entered the gate.] [White: Pink Crystal Cave III] I looked around, avoiding the message. ¡®Is this the same world where I fought a while ago?¡¯ A cave made of blue cliffs. Pink crystals growing there. And finally, the monsters¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± It happened right then. Out of nowhere, a current ran through my body. Sensing the instinct to dodge, I immediately moved my body. Thud! An arrow was stuck right where I was. ¡°¡­¡± I lifted my head towards the direction the arrow came from. I could see goblins hiding in the shadows of the blue rocks. There were also those hiding behind the crystals. Their numbers were considerable. Scurry, scurry¡­ Before I could count them all, Those who launched a preemptive attack started coming down from above. That was also when the message appeared. [The strategy conditions are as follows.] [Slay the monsters.] [Goblin (Rank. 01) x 4] [Goblin Scout (Rank. 01) x 7] [Goblin Archer (Rank. 01) x 3] [Goblin Mage (Rank. 01) x 1] In total, 15 of them. Not only regular goblins but also goblins with professions were mixed in. ¡®I must be crazy¡­.¡¯ I should probably cancel. Grey-grade enemies are still too much for me. As soon as I landed on the ground, I licked my lips while watching the goblins scatter around me. ¡®The instinct to dodge is kicking in.¡¯ My gift was telling me. If you want to live, run away quickly. Even though I orchestrated the situation I desired, once I found myself in that situation, regret overwhelmed me. * * * Lately, my son has changed. Doyeongwoo, who used to react vividly when teased, now became so bold that he no longer cared about his own pranks. He even teamed up with Doeun to play tricks on himself in return. Seeing his son, who used to obediently follow his parents¡¯ words and rarely express his own opinions, behave like this, his father couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. It wasn¡¯t a bad change. It was a good change. ¡°Lately, he¡¯s become quite bold.¡± Although he hadn¡¯t said it before, Doyeongwoo¡¯s father, Dosangjun, was secretly worried about him. His son had undoubtedly grown up to be good and righteous. But growing up too kind and righteous, he ended up hesitating to hurt others, putting others before himself, and becoming reluctant to hurt others. From the age when he could wield a sword, he didn¡¯t fit into the competitive environment of the Shingeom martial arts, where the same generation competed against each other. As a result, he was constantly pushed out of competitions and mocked by the family members. When he first held a sword, he used to smile happily as if born to wield it, but eventually, every time he held a sword, he would burst into tears. Dosangjun wanted to help his son in any way he could as a father, but it didn¡¯t go well. He would briefly show a bright face only when he wielded a sword with him, but his face would quickly darken when they went to the swordsmanship hall or the main house. However, it was when Doyeongwoo entered the fifth grade that his father noticed a change. ¡°A girl he likes in class must be the reason for the change.¡± His wife, who looked like a rabbit but was actually a fox, said so. Dosangjun thought there must be another reason for Doyeongwoo¡¯s change. He was a child who hesitated to wield a sword for fear of hurting others. There must be another reason why a child like that began to wield a sword confidently. Dosangjun was certain. ¡°Hello, Mr. Gyunwoo. I am the swordsmanship instructor teaching Gyunwoo at the swordsmanship hall.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Gyunwoo¡¯s instructor.¡± The swordsmanship hall Doyeongwoo attended. It was around that time that he met a swordsmanship instructor who taught Doyeongwoo and the students at that swordsmanship hall. By chance, he visited the swordsmanship hall and was able to hear about Doyeongwoo from the swordsmanship instructor. ¡°That¡¯s what it is¡­¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes, please go on.¡± Not long ago, Gyung-woo had a major fight with the kids. Do you happen to know about it? ¨C Gyung-woo? ¨C Ah, judging by your reaction, it seems Gyung-woo didn¡¯t mention it. Gyung-woo got into a fight with the kids under the guise of a sparring match. The kids were unfairly treated, and Gyung-woo, trying to stop the fight, threatened the instructor by invoking his family name. Do Sang-joon couldn¡¯t help but doubt the words of the swordsmanship instructor. ¨C Our child wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. If he did, there must have been a reason. ¨C I understand your feelings, sir, but¡­ Although recently Gyung-woo was said to have changed, he was still kind, righteous, and considerate of others. He was never the type to harm others without reason. Do Sang-joon trusted his son. Therefore, he did not simply believe the instructor¡¯s words but interrogated him about the undisclosed facts. As a result, Do Sang-joon could uncover facts he had been unaware of. ¨C So, Gyung-woo¡­ was being harassed by those kids? ¨C I¡­ Father, not harassed, but¡­ the kids were just lightly teasing each other. Isn¡¯t it natural for kids their age to play around, absorbed in their own strength? ¨C Is it still just playing around? The swordsmanship instructor had been turning a blind eye to some kids who had been bothering Gyung-woo under the guise of playing around. Upon learning this fact, Do Sang-joon couldn¡¯t fathom how the instructor had allowed it. But upon calm reflection, he could somewhat understand. ¨C Did you quietly ask others in the family to intervene? ¨C ¡­ ¨C Who was it? It was because Gyung-woo had little power in the family that he ended up in such a situation. Yet, that child had been foolishly enduring it so that those around him wouldn¡¯t get hurt because of him. When Do Sang-joon¡¯s thoughts reached that point, he could no longer contain his anger. That day, he informed the family and dismissed the swordsmanship instructor. ¨C Father! I, I was wrong! I won¡¯t let this happen again¡­ ¨C There won¡¯t be. Leave. Go ask for forgiveness from my eldest brother, not me. Despite not having much power in the family, he wasn¡¯t entirely powerless to the extent that even a regular instructor couldn¡¯t challenge him. And he called his third brother to vent his frustrations over the phone. [He went a bit too far with the prank. Yeah, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll apologize. I¡¯ll tell Seungwoo not to do that from now on.] The third brother apologized obediently. However, Dosangjoon could tell that the third brother¡¯s apology was merely formal. [Given Gyungwoo¡¯s personality, it must have been quite difficult.] ¨DIs that what you call it now? [Then what else should I say?] In the sound coming through the phone, clear mockery was embedded. Having received an apology from his brother, Dosangjoon no longer had a reason to be angry, so he had to suppress his anger. Meanwhile. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¯ He was extremely pleased that Dogyungwoo had decided to no longer be taken advantage of. Proud, dignified. He was proud of his son. That¡¯s why¡­ ¨DI want to experience a real battle. ¨DA real battle? ¨DYes. I want to kill monsters. When Dogyungwoo brought up that idea, Dosangjoon wanted to support his son, who had firmly resolved to change. That¡¯s why he had brought him to the gate, knowing it was dangerous. And Dogyungwoo showed off his skills so brilliantly. ¡®He¡¯s doing better than expected. I thought the kid would panic and flounder, but he¡¯s calmly handling it.¡¯ Up until a certain point, Dogyungwoo was expected to have a promising future to the extent of being called a prodigy. Indeed, at that time, Dogyungwoo was like that. He learned faster than anyone else, and he knew instinctively how to wield a sword correctly. As if his talent had not gone anywhere, Dogyungwoo demonstrated the skill that was once admired as that of a prodigy. He conquered the gate alone without even needing help. ¡®But this is still too reckless.¡¯ Having overcome long hesitation, he possessed skills that were not inferior to those of his peers in the same generation. Perhaps he might even surpass them. But that¡¯s a speculation about the future, not about the present. Dogyungwoo is twelve years old. He still has a long way to go. ¡°Pant, pant¡­!¡± Do not be hasty like this. Watching Dogyeonwoo facing a group of goblins, Dosangjun gritted his teeth. Dogyeonwoo managed to kill one and was breathing heavily. ¡°Your skills are still not enough to handle them alone.¡± An arrow shot by a goblin archer narrowly missed Dogyeonwoo¡¯s elbow. If Dogyeonwoo hadn¡¯t dodged in time, he would have been in big trouble. Dosangjun, seeing him struggling to barely kill one, felt a belated regret. ¡°Just because of what Gyenwoo said¡­¡± He said as if realizing something. So Dosangjun brought Dogyeonwoo to this second gate, thinking it was the right decision, but he was wrong. At some point, Dogyeonwoo only seemed eager to run away from them and couldn¡¯t muster the courage to attack properly. Dosangjun could see the fear in his face. ¡°Chief, wouldn¡¯t it be better to intervene now? It seems like he¡¯s completely drained¡­¡± ¡°¡­I suppose so.¡± At that moment, Baehongcheol, who had entered the gate with them, spoke up. He also noticed that Dogyeonwoo had lost his will to fight and was fleeing. Dosangjun had no choice but to agree. ¡°Is this the end?¡± Although he was avoiding well, the sight of Dogyeonwoo now reminded him of a prey being chased by a predator in fear. Once Dogyeonwoo had lost his composure, Dosangjun couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch anymore. Furthermore, the goblins were skillfully cornering him, preventing him from escaping. Their hunt was nearing its end. Reading the situation, Dosangjun decided to intervene now. ¡°Gyunwoo might be quite disappointed. But not to the point of despair. Even though he couldn¡¯t conquer the gate alone, at his age, what he¡¯s done is truly remarkable.¡± And he had managed to evade the attacks of the group. That alone was a significant achievement. Dosangjun decided to encourage the discouraged Dogyeonwoo and moved closer. By that time, Dogyeonwoo found himself trapped. Having nowhere to run, he leaned against a crystal behind him. ¡°Hongcheol, prepare a protection spell.¡± ¡°It can be activated at any time.¡± ¡°Then, when the goblins attack, we strike. I¡¯ll take out the wizard first, and you protect Gyunwoo while dealing with the archers¡­¡± Just then. Dosangjun, who was giving instructions, suddenly stopped talking. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Chief? Why the sudden change? Should I activate the protection spell?¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Intuitively, Dosangjun sensed that something around Dogyeonwoo had changed. He didn¡¯t know what that something was, but it was clear that the flow was heading in a completely different direction from what the goblins expected. Dosangjun, with an inexplicable certainty, looked at Dogyeonwoo. Immediately after. £¼Water Dragon Style Attack Form 4£¾ Lion¡¯s Roar As if knowing the direction of the attack. Doyeongwoo dodged the charging attack and leaped into the goblin crowd. Phusuk! Death was instantaneous. Struggling due to the goblins¡¯ resistance, Doyeongwoo pierced through the goblin in one breath, a movement incomparable to his previous actions. * * * I know it too. To deal with the goblin horde, I must first take out the archers and wizards sniping me from behind the horde. But the situation was hindered by the goblins holding swords. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Kuk¡­!¡± Even if I wanted to approach, I couldn¡¯t. It was quite frustrating being blocked by swordsmen protected by archers and wizards. The coordination of the seven was solid. Whenever I found a gap, regular goblins filled it. But the enemies I faced were not just goblins. ¡°My body is moving on its own again!¡± Gift, the instinct to evade, was active. ¡°Escape from here quickly.¡± ¡°You will die if you stay here.¡± The instinct to evade warned me and kept trying to move my body. Every time, I had to fight against my instincts and face the enemies. ¡°Listen to me, please!¡± It felt like something was holding my body back, preventing me from moving forward. Conversely, when I turned towards the goblins, my feet moved readily. It didn¡¯t end there. Kieak! At an unbelievable speed. As I tried to escape from the goblins, the instinct to evade responded, forcing me to run. But this couldn¡¯t go on like this. £¼Water King Style Attack Type 1£¾ Lion Formation¡­ Darn it! I seized the opportunity to attack the goblin archers, but hesitated for a moment. It was my instinct to dodge that got in the way. Is now the time for this? Should I just run? Gift seemed to be urging me to do so. Because of my hesitation, they ended up giving me a chance to attack them instead. ¡°Pant, pant¡­!¡± This is driving me crazy. Seriously driving me crazy. It felt like my body was about to split into two, torn between will and instinct. I felt like my mind was on the verge of collapsing. Nevertheless, I clenched my teeth, resisting the instinct to dodge. Swish! That¡¯s how I managed to kill one goblin by a hair¡¯s breadth. I barely killed the goblin warrior and felt the strength drain from me. Sweat trickled down my chin, my legs trembling. My head was throbbing. Thwack! At that moment, I heard the sound of the wind. No, it wasn¡¯t the wind. In the midst of my distraction, a goblin archer had shot an arrow at me. I let myself be guided by the instinct to dodge, narrowly avoiding the attack. ¡°Ugh!¡± But due to exhaustion, I couldn¡¯t avoid it completely. My elbow stung for a moment. As I lowered my head to inspect my elbow, I saw a red line forming. The thickness of the line increased, blood trickling down. By then, fear started to creep in. ¡°¡­¡± Could I really die if I make a mistake? I couldn¡¯t shake off that thought. From then on, I found myself unable to boldly confront them. I could only rely on my instinct to dodge and think about fleeing from them. And then, I found myself cornered. ¡°¡­Nowhere to run.¡± Unknowingly, I had been led into a trap. Leaning against a rock, I felt a sense of defeat as goblins closed in from both sides. Run away quickly. The instinct to dodge was speaking. ¡°But where to?¡± The son-in-law was surrounded by crystals, and the bastards were setting up an encirclement. There was no way out except the path where goblins carried bows on their backs. It seemed impossible to break through the encirclement and go that way. Krrrk, krrrk. ¡°¡­.¡± There was no answer. The bastards seemed to be making unpleasant noises as if saying so. Meanwhile, the distance was closing. ¡°Damn it.¡± Damn it. I only curse. Words that could express my emotions rushed into my mind like a flood. Am I going to die like this? I don¡¯t want to die. Why did I do this? For what reason? Am I really going to die? I don¡¯t want to, I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t want to die here. I don¡¯t want to die, I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die, I don¡¯t want to die! What is my dad doing? If this continues, I might really die. Save me. Please. I don¡¯t want to die. I made a mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have talked about lowering the story difficulty. No, I can¡¯t. Get lost! Even if I don¡¯t do it, Ganghanbyeol will conquer the story on its own. I just need to live comfortably, right? Do I need to do this? I am a person of Shingyeom Dogga, right? I can live comfortably without getting involved. I don¡¯t need to become Ganghanbyeol¡¯s comrade. Even if the future changes, it¡¯s not my business. Ganghanbyeol will solve everything anyway! I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die. I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind. I don¡¯t want to die, I don¡¯t want to die. It¡¯s like eating without taste. So please go away! Go! Go, please! I thought it would end up like this, I shouldn¡¯t have realized my past life. Why did I have to be born as Dogyeonwoo¡­. It was right at that moment. I suddenly felt gazes. ¡°¡­.¡± Pink crystals filled with crystals. In those crystals, I was reflected. ¡°That¡­ is that me?¡± My face reflected in the crystal was grotesque and pitiful. Shoulders were hunched, tears streaming down in fear. ¡°¡­.¡± Sinister, ugly, and unattractive. Countless reflections in the crystal, showing a version of me that I despise, were staring back at me. As I continued to meet that gaze¡­. ¡°I¡¯m getting annoyed.¡± Irritation arose. What? Did I just recall my past life for no reason? I want to slap the me who was foolishly thinking in panic a while ago. Absolutely not. Realizing my past life allowed me to see how stupidly I had been living all this time. If I hadn¡¯t recalled my past life, I would have lived with such a face and crouched down for a long time. Silence. I don¡¯t desire such a life. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. To overcome my weakness, to push myself to the limit to become stronger. But to forget all that and try to return to being a cowardly weakling consumed by fear, anger surged from within me. I took a long breath, sorting through my emotions. ¡°Hoo¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t want to die like this. Of course, I didn¡¯t want to run away either. So, there was only one answer. ¡°Killing those guys.¡± I couldn¡¯t survive without killing the ones in front of me. That¡¯s what real combat is. That¡¯s what a hunter¡¯s life is. Whether I die or the monster dies, one of us must die for sure. So¡­. ¡°Listen to me.¡± Don¡¯t resist. I muttered those words silently. Did Gift hear those words? Crack! It felt like electricity surged through my body. That sensation was pushing me. To move forward. To fight to live. It seemed to be saying that. Feeling that urging sensation, I took a step forward. [You have acquired a skill.] [Instinct Control Lv 1] The message popped up then. Finally, I got what I wanted. Chapter 11 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 10 Chapter 10 After checking the status window for the first time, a message log visible only to players appeared before my eyes. And so¡­. [You have acquired a skill.] [Instinct Control Lv 1] I wasn¡¯t flustered even when I received the sudden message. I had been waiting for this moment. ¡°I finally got Instinct Control.¡± A skill that allows you to control your instincts, as the name suggests. The evaluation of Do Gyun-Woo in the game could be divided into before obtaining Instinct Control and after obtaining it. If Do Gyun-Woo before acquiring the skill was like a rabbit nibbling on grass, then after obtaining the skill, he could be described as a carnivorous rabbit that had tasted blood. ¡­No, perhaps a lion. Although a suitable analogy didn¡¯t come to mind, Instinct Control was undoubtedly a skill that was indispensable when discussing Do Gyun-Woo¡¯s abilities. ¡°Indeed, the hardships were worth it.¡± I could directly experience that as Do Gyun-Woo. My body felt light as a feather. With just one step, I was moving further as if someone were pushing me from behind. The instinct to evade, which concluded that the only way to survive was to kill those in front of me, was drawing out all the power I possessed. It is said that when a person becomes aware of danger, they can suddenly exhibit extraordinary strength that they couldn¡¯t unleash in ordinary times. It was a similar principle. Moving forward¡­ ¡°I can instinctively know.¡± Not only was I aware of the dangers in front of me, but I was also being informed of dangers I was unaware of. Swish! Even without looking back, I knew. I immediately twisted my body and dodged the arrow that was coming at me. And at that moment. Keyak! A horde of goblins attacked. They had been waiting for the moment when I changed direction. £¼Beast King Style Attack Form 3£¾ The charging enemies were four in number. 3 Goblin Swordsmen, 1 Regular Goblin. And a Goblin Wizard casting spells from behind them. Lastly, 2 Goblin Archers seizing the opportunity from the sides. Having captured their formation in an instant, I held my sword horizontally. Lion¡¯s Iron Whip Like wielding a whip of iron. The mana entwined in the sword emitted a silvery light, bending like a whip. Keyeak¡­! The goblin inspector on the far right was struck and his side was slashed. In an instant, his waist burst open, scattering armor and flesh in all directions. Not stopping there, the silvery sword strike leaped along with him, taking down the goblins next to him. One after another, they fell. The ordinary goblins barely survived, thanks to the goblin inspector turning into a shield, lessening the damage. And then¡­ Hwaryuk! Fire fell from above. Instinctively sensing danger and evading, I swiftly grabbed the throat of a fallen ordinary goblin to shield it from the flames, then discarded it without hesitation. Keyeeeak! The goblin screamed as it burned in the fire. I killed the one writhing on the ground and targeted the one who started the fire. Far away, a goblin sorcerer was chanting a spell. ¡°First, I need to eliminate the sorcerer.¡± That guy was the most annoying. I immediately sprinted toward him. Keyeak! Keyeak! But those who understood my intentions blocked the path to protect the goblin sorcerer. Swoosh! There were goblin archers providing cover fire. However, as I mastered the instinct to evade, such suppression did not work on me. I raised my sword to the side, deflecting the arrows. Eventually, I faced off against the goblins who moved to protect the sorcerer. Kirk, kirk. If I keep going like this, I¡¯ll face a counterattack. Despite that, I did not hesitate and continued forward. When there was little distance left between me and the one at the front¡­ ¡°Hoo.¡± I caught my breath and lowered my stance. In a posture resembling drawing a sword from its sheath, I manifested mana within my body. £¼Supreme Dragon Attack Style Type 5£¾ Concentrating mana at the tip of the sword. Activating the mana circuits within the joints for propelling forward and swinging the sword. I charged ahead. Fierce Lion Assault Moving forward with the momentum of the ground, utilizing that power to launch an attack technique. The form of the attack was not predetermined and could be used as a combo move depending on the caster¡¯s ability. I¡­ ¡°4 Combo.¡± Swiftly swinging the sword, I quickly changed direction with my front foot, advanced again, repeating the attack, thus executing four strikes. *Kiiing¡­ Eek¡­?* Crack! Swoosh! Thud! As the Lion¡¯s Roar attack continued without pause and spread through combos, the attack power increased proportionally. Having swiftly killed four goblins, I turned towards the goblin wizard whose ear was severed by my sword. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to kill the wizard first like this.¡± *** What on earth had happened? Dosangjun felt like what was unfolding before his eyes was unreal. ¡°What¡­ am I witnessing right now?¡± It felt like he was dreaming. It was that sudden and unexpected. Just a while ago, Dogyunwoo, who was fleeing from goblins in terror, was now fighting them without a hint of fear, single-handedly subduing over ten of them. ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m not seeing things. Right now, Dogyunwoo was disrupting the group¡¯s coordination, using the enemies¡¯ numerical advantage to sow confusion in their attacks. From a distance, it seemed like Dosangjun was just toying with them. ¡°Did he¡­ smile?¡± It was probably not a mistake. Dogyunwoo¡¯s lips were slightly upturned as he dodged attacks like dancing among the goblin horde, showcasing magic and enjoying the situation. It was a different face from what he had shown a while ago. At that moment, Baek Hongcheol approached absentmindedly. ¡°Captain, what in the world is he doing?¡± ¡°Well¡­ he¡¯s my son.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking about that right now. I mean, what kind of kid fights so well like that? Are all the people from the Myeongga family like that?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s highly unlikely.¡± He must be surprised himself. Having seen Dogyunwoo for the first time today, Baek Hongcheol was even more astonished than Dosangjun. Dosangjun paused for a moment in thought as he was questioned persistently, then soon turned his head sideways. There was no need to dwell on the thought. How could that be common? Even among the elite of the clan, it was extremely rare to find someone with skills equal to Gyounwoo¡¯s age. Not to mention¡­ ¡°He¡¯s dodging all attacks. He intuitively knows where the attacks will come from.¡± The tactics Gyounwoo was displaying now were extremely reckless and dangerous. If done wrong, he could easily be surrounded by goblins and attacked from all directions. On top of that, goblin archers capable of long-range attacks and wizards were constantly looking for openings. However, Gyounwoo was effortlessly avoiding all those dangers. It almost seemed like he had eyes on the back of his head. ¡°Even with detection spells, you can¡¯t reflexively dodge like that. What on earth has he realized?¡± Without taking his eyes off that scene, Dosangjun tried to grasp the change happening within him. A plausible guess came to mind. ¡°Is it a Gift?¡± Gift, the innate characteristic of the soul. Perhaps he had finally unlocked a Gift that he had been unaware of in a life-or-death situation. Without that, he couldn¡¯t explain the change he was witnessing. ¡°Did you push yourself this far to awaken your Gift?¡± It was truly absurd. Dosangjun wondered if his son had always been this fearless. The more he thought about it, the more his tongue tied itself up. On the other hand¡­ ¡°So this is how much he wanted to change.¡± Dosangjun could sense how serious Gyounwoo¡¯s determination was. And then it happened. ¡°Ma, Manager Ji, that¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even without Baek Hongcheol pointing it out, Gyounwoo could see the phenomenon he had caused. Dosangjun¡¯s eyes widened. From Noble mtl dot com £¼Beast King Style Attack Form 5£¾ Goblins advancing to protect the goblin wizard, while the goblins in the front reinforced their defense. Gyounwoo was preparing to charge at them with an attacking posture. Shortly after, mana flowed from his body, making a sound like friction with the air, and he discharged electricity. Crackle! He hadn¡¯t seen it wrong. Faint blue currents were sparking around Gyounwoo. And. Roaring Lion Strike. When Dogyeongwoo unfolded the Water King Style, the faint current swelled explosively as if exploding, emitting light. The light moved along with Dogyeongwoo, creating a blue flash. ¡°¡­.¡± Four times in a row like that. A path of flashing blue light emerged. Dosangjun doubted his own eyes, parted his tightly closed lips. ¡°Byeokrae¡­.¡± There was no mistake. It was Byeokrae. A phenomenon where mana in the process of unfolding the Water King Style causes friction between the atmosphere and mana circuits, transforming into a blue current. Various factors such as precise posture, speed, the amount of force applied to the sword, the degree of activation of mana circuits, etc., combined to create this phenomenon. ¡°Wow¡­. The swordsmanship of the Divine Sword Style is truly amazing. Can a kid that young really evoke Byeokrae?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Dosangjun, denying Baehongcheol¡¯s question, couldn¡¯t maintain his composure. As far as he knew, no one had ever evoked Byeokrae at Dogyeongwoo¡¯s age. Even those called geniuses couldn¡¯t evoke Byeokrae at that age. The youngest to evoke Byeokrae were the two generations of Gaju at the age of 14. ¡°He¡¯s breaking that record by two years already?¡± Dosangjun couldn¡¯t believe it. But even now, the blue current was still surging before his eyes. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 1£¾ Lion¡¯s Roar. Although incomplete compared to earlier, Dogyeongwoo was wrapping himself in the blue current and wielding his sword. In the end, Dosangjun had to admit. ¡°What on earth has he realized¡­.¡± In admiration of his son¡¯s growth, Dosangjun couldn¡¯t continue his words. ¡°Did we need him after all, Chief?¡± ¡°Yeah, it seems so.¡± In the end, Dosangjun watched Dogyeongwoo¡¯s battle, forgetting reality. The goblin mage¡¯s head flew off, and the tide completely turned in his favor. Eventually¡­. All the goblins breathed their last. [Captured the Gate.] I wielded the sword frantically. Blocking and dodging incoming attacks, I responded to the situation accordingly each time. In the midst of it all, I had no time to remember how I fought. [Conquered the gate.] In the midst of the chaotic fight, when my senses returned, that message floated in my mind. Even my instinct to dodge stopped working from that moment on. ¡°Pant, pant¡­.¡± At that moment, as if the reins were loosened, I fell to the ground unable to overcome the recoil. My body felt weak. I gasped for air while staring at the blue ceiling. Then, another message appeared. [Physical body has surpassed its limits.] [Stamina has increased by 1.] [Strength has increased by 1.] [Agility has increased by 1.] ¡°If I were to improve, it should have been during battle, why now¡­?¡± I sighed. The game ¡°Brave Hearts.¡± Unlike other games where you receive points to invest in physical abilities as your level increases, in this game, there were no levels. Instead, you could enhance your physical abilities through experiences like training, battles, or academy classes. So, improving physical abilities was not easy. ¡°It was part of the thrill, though.¡± Meanwhile, ¡°Brave Hearts¡± aimed for repeated plays, allowing you to transfer existing data to the next playthrough. As a result, the abilities of the protagonist and companion characters increased with each playthrough. ¡°As a result, the strategy¡¯s difficulty decreased significantly¡­¡± Therefore, in this world outside the game where repeated plays were not possible, I had to focus on becoming even stronger. I must become as strong as possible. I dismissed the messages that came to mind. Around that time, particles of light gathered in the air I gazed at. Whooosh! The gate key fell to the ground. I checked it with my eyes before lying back down on the ground. I didn¡¯t want to get up. It was then that my father approached. ¡°Hey, son. Are you alive?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel alive. I can¡¯t move my body well right now.¡± ¡°Well, after moving like that, it¡¯s understandable.¡± My father gave a wry smile. I found myself smiling too. Before I knew it, I blinked blankly at the sound my father made. ¡°By the way, I was really surprised when you summoned the Thunderbolt. You might be the youngest one to do it now.¡± ¡°Me? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You summoned the Thunderbolt.¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°Yeah, you. Didn¡¯t you know? Moving around, emitting flashes of lightning.¡± ¡­¡± I summoned the Thunderbolt. I immediately recalled the battle I had just engaged in. ¡®It does seem like that¡­¡¯ Though it was just a brief moment, it felt like flashes of blue light were bursting around me. I had thought it was just mana flickering around as I focused on the goblins, but I didn¡¯t realize it was Thunderbolt. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can do it again. My memory is fuzzy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your body remembers from the experience. If you train hard, you¡¯ll be able to do it again. Well done, really.¡± My father patted my head. Feeling dazed due to the unclear memory, I nodded gently. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll be fine if I follow Dad¡¯s advice.¡¯ Was it my instinct to dodge that triggered it? I don¡¯t know. As I regained my strength, I decided to practice with a sword in hand. Then suddenly, I remembered. ¡°But Dad, what about Mr. Hongcheol?¡± ¡°Hongcheol? He¡¯s working over there.¡± ¡°Working?¡± ¡°He came into the artificial gate, so we need to make sure he can be taken back outside.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± My father pointed with his chin. Turning my head in that direction, I soon spotted Baehongcheol sitting crouched over, rummaging through goblin corpses, searching for something diligently. Eventually, he pulled a blue gem from the goblin¡¯s heart. ¡°Let¡¯s rest a bit and go help him. If we leave him to work alone, he¡¯ll get really upset.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Unlike in games, in this world, defeating monsters didn¡¯t automatically drop mana stones or other items. I had to collect it by hand. So, even though we conquered the gate, it wasn¡¯t completely over yet. My father and I decided to take a short break and then get up from our seats. ¡°Can¡¯t we take that gem?¡± ¡°If you touch it and a message appears, then you can take it outside. But the chances of a message appearing are slim, right? I¡¯ve never heard of anyone getting that gem from this gate.¡± ¡°Then we just have to search the bodies.¡± ¡°Sometimes goblins carry pouches. Those guys are real scavengers. If you find any, let me know.¡± Unfortunately, there were no goblins with pouches in sight. As I pulled out the gem from the goblin, it turned into ashes and disappeared. The goblin¡¯s blood that was on my hand also turned into ashes and fell to the ground. Because the gem was the foundation that gave goblins existence. Meanwhile. ¡°Huh?¡± I caught a momentary glint of light from the pile of ashes. There was something other than the gem. So, I rummaged through the ashes and found something in my hand. After brushing off the ashes on the surface, a stone sparkled. ¡°Dad! Here¡¯s a Lawstone!¡± Unlike the blue-tinted gemstone, this one had a yellow hue, slightly smaller than the gemstone obtained earlier. It was a Lawstone. In the game, when you killed a monster, there was a chance for it to drop. ¡°In the game, you could exchange gems for money, or use them as materials to make artifacts.¡± And Lawstones contained principles, which could be absorbed by a character attuned to them to convert into abilities. Or they could be used as materials like gems. It was the same in this world. I held up the Lawstone in my hand to show my father and Baek Hong-cheol. ¡°Well found. Lawstones don¡¯t come out as easily as gemstones.¡± ¡°What¡¯s special about a Lawstone that comes from a goblin archer? Hmm¡­¡± My father and Baek Hong-cheol approached me and carefully examined the Lawstone. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then they kindly informed me about the types of Lawstones that typically came from goblin archers. ¡°Well, without attunement, there¡¯s no clear way to know.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to go out and check gradually.¡± However, until it was attuned, the Lawstone¡¯s true nature remained unknown. It was mere speculation. ¡°In the game, players could freely check item information.¡± Of course, even without attunement, I could verify the identity of the Lawstone. When I focused my eyes on the Lawstone, a message appeared in my field of vision. [Lawstone of Lowest Agility] ¡ô Consumable Classification ¨D Law Stone ¡ô Detailed Description ¨D Contains power that contributes to the agility of the target. ¡ô Detailed Effects ¨D For individuals with agility below 60, agility increases by 1 when absorbed. It was a law stone that enhanced physical abilities. Although it would be fine as a skill too, this wasn¡¯t bad either. Lost in thought, I held the law stone in my hand. ¡®How can I consume this.¡¯ Upon reflection, it was loot I obtained by killing a goblin. Maestones are handed over to the Regulus Clan, but I wanted the law stone for myself. Hence, I pondered ways to persuade my father to obtain the law stone. However, that became unnecessary. It was when Baek Hong-cheol spoke. ¡°If the law stone responds, how about just giving it to Gyun-woo? After all, Gyun-woo obtained it all by himself, so he should at least keep something as a memento.¡± ¡°Hong-cheol, are you good at socializing? Thank you.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll promote me?¡± ¡°No, not that. I¡¯ll treat you to meals or something later.¡± ¡°I guess I should aim for something expensive.¡± The Baek Hong-cheol my father brought was a very astute person. Thanks to him, I could obtain the law stone without needing to take action. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re thanking me already? Let¡¯s see if the law stone responds. Infuse it with mana.¡± I quickly infused mana into the law stone to see if it responded to me. In truth, I already knew the result. ¡®It will respond to me, of course.¡¯ Unlike a law stone imbued with skills, a law stone that enhances physical abilities responded to anyone. So, even though I already knew the true nature of the law stone, I pretended not to know and quietly awaited the outcome. And finally¡­ ¡°Oh, it responded. This law stone is now Gyun-woo¡¯s. Absorb it well.¡± The law stone responded, sparkling with light. My father patted my shoulder, and I tightly gripped the law stone. Chapter 12 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 11 Chapter 11 Training [Illustration] Was it because of the Gift that my body was so sore? My strength didn¡¯t flow well through my body, and whenever I tried to move, I could feel a sharp pain. In the end, that day, I had to lean on my father halfway back home. Of course, my mother who was waiting at home wouldn¡¯t have failed to question us. ¨DIt¡¯s good that there are no serious injuries, but why does it feel like I can¡¯t even lift a spoon? ¨DAh, you¡­ no, dear. It¡¯s all like that at first¡­ ¨DTell me honestly. Otherwise, I might not be around tonight. ¨D¡­. As expected, my father told my mother that he had almost killed me by putting me in danger. ¨DGyunwoo, you¡¯re the same. ¨D¡­I was wrong. Of course, I felt guilty too. Still, despite my poor physical condition, my father didn¡¯t scold me harshly. ¨DI wanted to see the goblins too¡­ I went without permission and got hurt. Meanwhile, Yeeun grumbled after hearing the story late at the dinner table that day. Knowing this, my father and I had to lighten Yeeun¡¯s mood with a cake we bought on the way home. If a cake could change the mood of our sulking family member, it was as good as a bargain. And¡­. ¨DUgh¡­. ¨DGoodness, the fever is up to 38 degrees. The day after the real battle. I had to endure a severe cold. When I woke up that morning, my body felt heavy, and chills ran through me. A recoil, a force I rarely tapped into, came in full swing as my instinct to evade kicked in. I never expected the recoil from using my evasion instinct to be so intense. ¡°I should try to avoid maximizing my evasion instinct as much as possible¡­¡± If I didn¡¯t regulate my Gift properly, it seemed like my body wouldn¡¯t recover. Throughout that day, I received care from my family, vowing to myself. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Perhaps it was thanks to resting deeply that day. My condition had significantly improved from the day before. Now, my temperature had returned to normal, and moving my body was no longer difficult. But I couldn¡¯t purely rejoice in that situation. ¡°The weekend flew by.¡± Suddenly, a new week had begun. Monday morning. Having spent the whole Sunday in bed, unable to enjoy a typical weekend, I reluctantly had to go to school. ¡°If I had even a slight fever, I could have stayed home today¡­¡± Is there really anyone who enjoys going to school in this world? At least I wasn¡¯t one of them. In my past life, I felt the same way. As a child, I disliked going to school, and as an adult, I detested going to work. Especially on Mondays, the start of a new week, I felt extremely gloomy. ¡°Come to think of it, if I add my past life, I¡¯m basically attending elementary school twice.¡± Darn it, why did I think about that. Recalling memories from my past life made it easier to understand lessons, but I couldn¡¯t feel happy about it. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Laon Elementary School, 5th grade, Class 3. As soon as I entered the classroom and sat at my desk, I collapsed onto it. Was it because I still had a cold? Or was it because I came to school? I felt no energy in my body. I let out a sigh while lying face down. At that moment, a thud came from the adjacent seat. ¡°Why are you like that? Are you in pain?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Hey, Nayoung.¡± I raised my head. Nayoung, who had placed her bag on the desk, was looking down at me with concern. Seeing her for the first time in two days, I managed a wry smile. Then I urged her to sit down quickly. In response to my gesture, she sat down without taking out the books from her bag. ¡°I was a bit sick yesterday. I had a bad case of the flu.¡± ¡°Out of the blue? How did it happen? Did you take medicine? Are you okay now?¡± Yeonnari asked in surprise. Her eyes widened and her ears perked up at my unexpected reaction. She seemed so startled that she bombarded me with questions. I found myself oddly pleased by her reaction that I hadn¡¯t anticipated. ¡°Well, actually, I had a real battle over the weekend.¡± ¡°A battle? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Fighting monsters.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Is it okay for us at our age? Isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m from the Shingeom Do, so. All my peers have fought, but I hadn¡¯t done it yet.¡± ¡°Still¡­ It must have been very dangerous. Did you get hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°I got grazed in a few places, but most of it was healed with healing magic.¡± ¡°Why most? Shouldn¡¯t it all be healed with magic?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Healing magic is, in a way, borrowing future recovery abilities. So, it¡¯s not good to rely too much on it. If the wounds are not hindering daily life, it¡¯s better to wait for them to heal naturally.¡± ¡°Let me see.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°¡­Here.¡± Yeonnari leaned towards me. As if she was going to check where I was injured, she examined me here and there. I reluctantly showed her the shallow yet long wound on my arm. Yeonnari touched the wound and then spoke. ¡°I have a bandage and ointment in my bag. Should I get that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. The wound has already healed, so no need. But why do you carry those with you?¡± ¡°I used to get hurt quite often.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Although not so much lately.¡± She avoided going into detail, but I could vaguely sense the reason for her frequent injuries. Even though it seemed like the teasing had stopped as we entered fifth grade, it appeared that there were times in the past when she got hurt from being teased. I decided to pretend not to notice, respecting her reluctance to talk about it. At that moment, she rummaged through her bag and took out a bandage and ointment. ¡°Come here. I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°It will heal faster this way, quickly now.¡± Yeonnari spoke as if scolding me. Unable to resist her insistence, I extended my arm with the wound for her to treat. She grabbed my arm and started applying ointment to the wound. ¡°Normally, you should disinfect it too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already healed, why bother¡­¡± ¡°Tsk. Just listen to me.¡± ¡°Fine, you do it yourself.¡± It¡¯s okay even if you don¡¯t put it on for real. I quietly looked down at her, who was bowing her head, showing her rabbit ears. She was so focused on looking at the wound that she didn¡¯t even notice my gaze. Not long after that¡­ ¡°Okay, all done. Finished.¡± Yeong-ha raised her bowed upper body. On the wound, there was a band-aid with a white rabbit drawn on a pink background. * * * ¡°So, how did you end up catching a cold?¡± ¡°Well, you know¡­¡± After that. I briefly explained how I ended up catching a cold. After hearing the whole story, she let out a relieved sigh. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re feeling better now. Be careful not to get hurt in the future. How are you feeling now?¡± ¡°How do I look to you?¡± ¡°You seem a bit low on energy.¡± ¡°Yeah, I feel that way too.¡± ¡°Did you take your medicine?¡± ¡°I took it in the morning. This one¡¯s for lunch.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to take it later.¡± ¡°Then remind me when the time comes.¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡± Almost falling onto the desk, I took out the medicine from my pocket and shook it. Yeong-ha, who had opened a book to read during the ceremony, glared at me with her lips pursed. Soon, she relaxed her expression as if she had no choice. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll remember it for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that if you remind me.¡± ¡°If you need help, just tell me. Since you really look like you¡¯re in pain, I¡¯ll make an exception for today.¡± Making an exception for today¡­ As I leaned my head against the pencil case, I paid attention to Yeong-ha¡¯s words, which were spoken with force. My gaze soon turned to the rabbit ears proudly displayed above her head. ¡°¡­¡± At that moment. Curiosity and mischief surged within me. ¡°In that case¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, just tell me if you need something.¡± ¡°Then, can you let me touch your ears?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Young-haneul, who was tilting her chin as if bragging about granting my request. Right after that, she seemed to pause as if the accident stopped upon hearing what I said. She stared at me intently. ¡°W-what did you just say?¡± A flustered expression crossed her face. ¡°Touch my ear, please.¡± Finding her reaction amusing, I decided to push on with it. I thought, ¡®If it doesn¡¯t work out, then so be it, but if it does, that¡¯s fine.¡¯ ¡°Touch my ear? Why?¡± ¡°I feel empowered when you touch it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it since the first time I saw you, that I wanted you to touch it once.¡± ¡°Are you meeting me for this?¡± ¡°What are you saying? I met you because it¡¯s you. Why would I have met you to touch your ear? Besides, ears have earlobes too.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Can I touch it?¡± She blushed in surprise, then used both hands to grab the elongated ear and pressed it against her head. I suppressed the urge to laugh at her visible reaction. Part of me felt regret. ¡®Judging by how embarrassed she is, I should probably give up on the touching.¡¯ Maybe I should have gotten a bit closer and talked more. I decided to brush off whatever she might say next as a joke. But her hesitant words went beyond my expectations. ¡°If, if you let me touch¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Will it really empower me?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Of course?¡± ¡°Why the doubt?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t touched it yet.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°No. If you touch it, it¡¯ll empower me.¡± Young-haneul¡¯s expression was creasing. I quickly backtracked on what I said to try to change her mind. Did my efforts pay off? ¡°¡­Okay, I¡¯ll let you touch it. Go ahead, touch.¡± Guarding against me, Yeonhae¡¯s lips, pressed against her own ear, gave permission. ¡°Really? Can I really touch it?¡± ¡°In return, you must promise not to say anything else. Just say you don¡¯t like it¡­ that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, nothing like that will happen. I promise.¡± ¡°And just touch it for a moment. Don¡¯t touch it for too long, okay?¡± Yeonhae emphasized repeatedly. I nodded my head without hesitation. There was no reason not to take the opportunity to touch the rabbit¡¯s ear, which was larger than Mongshil¡¯s. Eventually, I stiffened my shoulders and reached out my hand towards her, who was hunched over. Finally, my fingertips touched the rabbit¡¯s ear. ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s soft, fluffy.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ don¡¯t rub it too hard, just touch it gently. It¡¯s sensitive there.¡± ¡°I might get addicted to this.¡± ¡°Still, you can¡¯t. Stop now¡­ Ah!¡± Yeonhae made a disgusted sound. Ignoring that sound, I continued to touch the rabbit¡¯s ear aimlessly. * * * Embarrassing. Too embarrassing. Yeonhae, who had allowed Dogyeonwoo to touch her ear until the ritual began, couldn¡¯t lift her head properly due to shame. ¡®Why is he so good at touching?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like that when she touched herself. Even when people in the orphanage occasionally touched her out of curiosity, it wasn¡¯t like that. Was it because he raised rabbits? When Dogyeonwoo touched her ear, there was a different feeling. Was it because he raised rabbits? Was it because he raised rabbits? Was it because he raised rabbits? Was it because he raised rabbits? Was it because he raised rabbits? Was it because he raised rabbits? Was it because he raised rabbits? Was it because he raised Embarrassed to death, Yeonha didn¡¯t even notice that Dogyeon was propping his chin up and yawning during the class. ¡°Annoying.¡± Of course, he wasn¡¯t really annoying. If he had been, she wouldn¡¯t have let him touch her ear from the start. ¡°But it seems like you¡¯ve perked up a bit.¡± Yeonha covered her mouth with a hand holding a sharp pencil and smiled gently. Dogyeon, who seemed lackluster just this morning, now looked better after touching his ear. Although not fully focused on the class, he wasn¡¯t nodding off during class anymore. To tell the truth, Dogyeon was just trying to perk up as lunchtime approached, and he couldn¡¯t sleep now just because he had been sleeping too much since yesterday. She, who had lost her composure in embarrassment, attributed all of this to herself. And somehow, that made her feel good. ¡°Should I let him touch it occasionally in the future?¡± She even had such a thought. That was precisely when Dogyeon approached her. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°Huh? When did I?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been staring since earlier.¡± ¡°I, I wasn¡¯t staring¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Maybe it was my mistake.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Was it because she had been staring too intently? She ended up getting caught by Dogyeon. She was taken aback when Dogyeon unexpectedly spoke to her during class, and hastily changed the subject. Without pressing further, Dogyeon moved on with a slight hmph. Yeonha felt that Dogyeon¡¯s response was oddly mature. ¡°Is it because he seems so relaxed?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure. Occasionally, Dogyeon emitted an atmosphere of someone the same age as hers. On the other hand¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, how about you and me becoming hunters together?¡± ¡°What?¡± Very occasionally, or rather, frequently. Dogyeon would blurt out random things, creating a mischievous atmosphere that would bewilder people. Just like now. ¡°¡­.¡± Becoming hunters together. For something as crucial as deciding a person¡¯s future, it was a surprisingly casual tone. Yeonha blinked, unsure of how to respond. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Perhaps realizing his explanation was lacking, Dogyeon added belatedly. ¡°I think you have the potential to be a hunter.¡± ¡°Do you think I have talent? How do you know?¡± ¡°I can tell because I¡¯m from a prestigious family.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It seemed like a lie for some reason. She was curious about what he might say, so she decided to step forward and listen. ¡°First of all, being an Ain, your physical capabilities will surpass others.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ any other reasons?¡± ¡°You seem likely to handle magic well. When I see the mana you naturally emit, it feels quite dense.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve never intentionally emitted mana¡­¡± ¡°All living beings unconsciously emit mana.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I can sense it because I know how to handle mana.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It didn¡¯t seem entirely true to her¡­ Yeon Haneul narrowed her eyes, trying to uncover his thoughts. But she couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking. In the end, she returned to the initial topic and pondered about Do Gyunwoo¡¯s proposal. ¡®A hunter¡­.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something she hadn¡¯t considered. Twelve years old. In seven years, when she turned nineteen, she would have to leave the orphanage. At her current age, with the slim chance of being adopted as an Ain, she needed to prepare to live on her own in seven years. In that sense, being a hunter could be seen as the most financially rewarding and favored profession for her to pursue. In reality, for an Ain to live what society would deem a successful life, the choices were extremely limited. ¡®It¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t thought about it¡­¡¯ Of course, Yeon Haneul had also considered it. If she were lucky enough to receive sponsorship, becoming a hunter could potentially reduce the costs needed for training. However, there was one issue¡­ ¡°Can I really do it?¡± That was the question. As someone who had not gone through mandatory mana control training in middle school, she had never dealt with mana before. It made her uneasy. Would she really be able to do it? Moreover, hunters had to engage in life-and-death battles against monsters. It was natural for her to worry if she would be mentally strong enough to handle such fights. In response, Do Gyunwoo seemed unfazed. ¡°You can do it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I can assure you. Once you become a hunter, you¡¯ll be with me anyway.¡± ¡°That¡­sounds about right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right by your side, so don¡¯t worry even if you can¡¯t do it. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± What aspect of himself made him so confident? She stared blankly at a friend she knew yet couldn¡¯t quite understand. But strangely, when she listened to his words, it really felt like it would turn out that way. For some reason, a corner of her heart felt secure, and trust settled in. She felt like relying on him, wanting to believe and lean on him. Yeon Ha-neul fidgeted with her rabbit ears, responding with an indifferent tone as much as possible. ¡°Okay then, you¡¯ll be responsible.¡± Chapter 13 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 12 Chapter 12 All this time, I had been waiting for an opportunity to persuade Yeon Ha-neul. ¡°I can¡¯t let her talent go to waste.¡± Perhaps Yeon Ha-neul would decide to pursue a career in handling mana and becoming a hunter around middle school age. So, the time she spent until then felt like a waste. Moreover, she had no background, her talent hadn¡¯t fully blossomed, yet she would enter the Academy City. ¡°Even though her magic level is 75, her growth potential is limited, so I need to boost it during her growth phase.¡± To lower the difficulty level of the story and strengthen the protagonist¡¯s party. And to create a world after the ending where I can live comfortably. I was determined to train Yeon Ha-neul during the remaining 5 years before she entered the Academy City. So, this time, with gained instinctive control, I subtly suggested to Yeon Ha-neul, and¡­ ¡°Okay then, you¡¯ll be responsible.¡± At first, she seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then she accepted the proposal. Internally, I rejoiced at the response I had hoped for from her. At that moment, she tilted her head. ¡°But to become a hunter, you need to graduate from the Academy in the City. Are you planning to enter the middle school academy as soon as you become a middle school student?¡± ¡°If you plan to solidify your basics, that¡¯s not a bad idea, but I don¡¯t intend to go to the middle school academy. To become a hunter, you only need to graduate from the high school academy.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going to the middle school academy?¡± ¡°I am from a family of divine swordsmen, so actually, learning from there is more helpful than what you learn there.¡± One advantage of attending the elementary and middle school academies in the Academy City is the ability to lay the necessary foundations for being a hunter from an early age. Furthermore, the connections gained while studying there cannot be ignored. However, as a person from the Shin-Geom Do clan, there wasn¡¯t much advantage for me. ¡°It¡¯s more like wasting time learning swordsmanship.¡± It wasn¡¯t just me who thought that way; everyone from prestigious families capable of producing hunters had the same mindset. So, even if I entered the middle academy, it was unlikely that I would encounter individuals from distinguished lineages. I had been diligently training for five years with plans to enter the high academy. ¡°So, I have to go to the middle academy alone¡­¡± Upon hearing my thoughts, Yeon-Haneul murmured sadly. But she was mistaken. ¡°I can¡¯t just let you go alone.¡± I decided to correct Yeon-Haneul¡¯s misunderstanding. ¡°You should attend the middle school with me and then enter the high academy.¡± ¡°Me too?¡± Yeon-Haneul¡¯s eyes widened. Her face lit up instantly, and her bunny ears perked up. I could roughly gauge her emotional state from that. Hence, I decided to affirm what she might be doing now. ¡°I promised to take care of you, so how could I let you go alone?¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­ I thought you wanted me to go to the academy first. But can I go to the high academy without learning the basics?¡± ¡°So, we need to start practicing now.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the swordsmanship hall together to build up our stamina. You can also train separately.¡± ¡°Are you saying to enroll in the swordsmanship hall? Well, I mean, I¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s run by our family; why would you need to pay?¡± ¡°Is it really okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Yeon-Haneul asked hesitantly. I reassured her once again. From Noble mtl dot com If I asked my father, he would arrange for Yeon-Haneul to attend the swordsmanship hall for free. ¡°If Yeon-Haneul shows talent, she¡¯ll automatically receive sponsorship without me having to say anything.¡± That way, Yeon-Haneul¡¯s financial situation would improve significantly. She wouldn¡¯t need to wear old clothes to school like she does now. It was during those times. ¡°Why are you being so kind to me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much to offer you¡­¡± Yeon-Haneul asked hesitantly. I could vaguely understand why she brought up that question. ¡°She might feel guilty for only receiving and wonder if she deserves sympathy.¡± Having lived a life similar to hers in a past life, I made such a rough guess. But I didn¡¯t just give; I didn¡¯t sympathize with her either. ¡°I want to see your potential in the future.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Someday, when you become a famous hunter, maybe I¡¯ll be able to see your potential? That¡¯s the reason if I had to say why. There¡¯s no other reason.¡± For me, supporting her was a very profitable deal if it could bring her in as a colleague. She had nothing to worry about. Just as she received something from me, I also received something from her. I wonder if my intentions were conveyed. ¡°You¡¯re really strange.¡± Yeongha lightly burst into laughter. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± ¡°Still¡­ But if I go to the swordsmanship academy, can I learn the sword like you?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯ll mainly learn physical training at the swordsmanship academy.¡± ¡°Then¡­ is that it?¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll have to learn magic.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I told you. In my view, you seem to have talent in that area.¡± Unless I was being foolish, I had no intention of raising her, with a magic power level of 75, as a swordsman. ¡°So, how do I learn magic? Won¡¯t they teach it at the swordsmanship academy?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to find a separate teacher. Anyway, I was planning to find a teacher myself because I also want to learn magic.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s learn from the same teacher.¡± Of course, it was a lie. I pretended to be looking for a teacher for myself so that I could find a teacher to teach magic to Yeongha. And there was someone in mind for that teacher. ¡®He¡¯s probably traveling the country enjoying himself at this time.¡¯ I didn¡¯t need to worry about finding him. My father would take care of it. * * * Just like stamina is important in everything, it¡¯s important for a wizard as well. Opinions might differ among wizards, but at least I believed so. ¡°Just having a high magic power level isn¡¯t enough. If stamina doesn¡¯t support it, that power won¡¯t be utilized properly.¡± I wanted a resilient wizard who could engage in battles for a long time and, if needed, protect their own body. But a wizard who unleashes powerful magic and collapses due to lack of stamina? Such a wizard would only be a burden in the party I envision. That¡¯s why¡­ ¡°Since we¡¯re on the subject, how about starting today, we do some stamina training together?¡± ¡°Are we going to the swordsmanship hall starting today?¡± I persuaded Yeonha, who was about to go home after finishing school. She, who was organizing her bag on the desk, tilted her head with a smile. ¡°Well, I can, but today is my day off from going to the swordsmanship hall. Instead, it¡¯s a day for personal training at home.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ So you want us to train at your place?¡± ¡°Exactly. How about training together at my home facilities? I¡¯ll show you how to train from now on.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I dislike it, but it hasn¡¯t been long since I visited your house. Won¡¯t your mom feel uncomfortable if I come over again so soon?¡± ¡°My mom always welcomes you.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°Should I ask my mom?¡± ¡°Of course, she¡¯d say to come.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Well¡­ nothing. Let¡¯s go then.¡± Seeming to seriously consider whether to go to our house or not, she quickly made a decision when I tried to take out my smartphone. In no time, she glanced at me and spoke. ¡°But if we train, we¡¯ll sweat, so it¡¯s better to bring a change of clothes, towels, and things to wash up¡­¡± ¡°Most things should be at my place, so you don¡¯t need to bring anything. You can wash up at home after training.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It might be okay to shower at your place, but I probably won¡¯t have clothes to change into.¡± ¡°You can wear my clothes. They should fit you well. And if you look carefully, you might find underwear that I haven¡¯t worn yet¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Is it really that unpleasant to wear my clothes? Yeonha cut me off with a stern expression. I was momentarily taken aback by her sharp rejection. Whether we go or not. ¡°Hmm, what should we do¡­ Should I stop by home and bring a change of clothes?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That would take a long time¡­¡± Without paying attention to me, she was deeply lost in thought. Then, as if she remembered something, she clapped her hands softly. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I remembered I had gym clothes! Just in case, I used to keep a change of clothes in the locker.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± Yeonha took out a bag with underwear and school gym clothes from the locker. I decided not to ask her why she kept extra clothes in the locker and just let her enjoy her preparedness. I should just let her be happy. ¡°Shall we go now?¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Before we knew it, we were leaving the classroom. Walking and chatting with Yeonha, the path back home didn¡¯t feel dull. Suddenly, our house came into view. ¡°Mom, I brought Ha-neul to play¡­¡± Passing through the front door, I opened the entrance. ¡°Toe! Kki! Eon! Ni! Da!¡± ¡­ From the other end of the corridor, I could see Yeeun rushing towards us with a loud thump. ¡°Hey, Gyunwoo, is she your younger sister? Her name is Yeeun, right?¡± ¡®She seems really excited¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­Why are you silent?¡± Yeeun¡¯s eyes sparkled like a predator spotting its prey. In that state, there was no way to calm her down. I had no choice but to evade or brace for impact. I quickly shifted my body to the side. After all, it wasn¡¯t me but Yeonha that Yeeun was hunting. ¡®So, Ha-neul¡­¡¯ Have fun with Yeeun in my place. As I stepped aside, Yeeun leaped up from her spot with outstretched arms, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. ¡°Toe! Kki! Eon! Ni! Da! Ah! Ah! Ah!¡± Yeeun gave a hearty laugh and fell right onto Yeonha. And not comprehending what had happened, she¡­ ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± ¡°Wow! Those are really rabbit ears! Amazing!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Wait, don¡¯t touch there¡­!¡± Yeeun collapsed on top of Yeonha. Yeonha let out a groan. ¡ª ¡°Mom warned you not to act recklessly. What if Ha-neul got hurt because of your mistake? Quickly apologize to Ha-neul.¡± ¡°Unnie, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s okay. Are you hurt anywhere? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± If it weren¡¯t for Mom¡¯s intervention, Yeonha would have likely been subjected to all sorts of teasing while pinned down by Yeeun. It was fortunate it ended here. At that moment, I felt Yeonha¡¯s gaze after receiving an apology from Yeeun. It was a somewhat displeased look. ¡°Why are you like this?¡± ¡°You¡­ knew everything, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you avoid it even though you knew?¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It seemed rather cruel that I had left alone without any explanation, probably to avoid getting tangled up with Yeeun. There was no room for excuses. But I had to act that way to survive. If not, I would have collapsed on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll remember¡­¡± As if to warn me. The younger Yeeun whispered close to my ear. ¡®Yes, remember.¡¯ However, honestly speaking, it didn¡¯t feel like a threat at all. It wasn¡¯t scary in the slightest. It felt more like playing a prank. I quickly changed my expression and smiled politely at her mother, then spoke to her. ¡°Starting today, I¡¯ll train with Hanee. Is the training ground outside available for us to use now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve finished cleaning earlier, so it¡¯s okay to use¡­ Training with Hanee? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Hanee wants to become a hunter too. So, I decided to teach her.¡± ¡°What?¡± She said Hanee was coming over to play, not to train. Perhaps that¡¯s why her mother looked surprised when she heard me. ¡°Well¡­ I guess Hanee was pestering you to become a hunter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She sighed, furrowing her eyebrows. Her mother¡¯s gaze fell on me. While her mother¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong, why did it feel like there was a lack of trust in me? I felt unsettled. Meanwhile, her mother turned her head towards Hanee. ¡°I¡¯ll respect Hanee¡¯s decision, but being a hunter is not a simple profession. Have you really thought about it seriously before deciding?¡± ¡°¡­¡± In a sharp and stern tone. Yet tinged with concern. Her mother asked Hanee. Living a normal life, meeting her father, and becoming a respectable person from a prestigious family, her mother knows well how challenging and arduous the life of a hunter can be. ¡®She must be asking if Hanee made the decision lightly.¡¯ My mother was someone who cared deeply about others. Even if my mother didn¡¯t worry, Hanee was well aware. She didn¡¯t simply decide to become a hunter at my persuasion. She carefully considered and judged before making a decision. To her surprise, she lifted her head absentmindedly blinking at her mother¡¯s concern. ¡°I¡¯ve thought it through before deciding. I know how dangerous being a hunter can be. But I feel it¡¯s right for me, and I believe I can do well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was Moore so pleased? Yeonha¡¯s lips gently curved upward, her eyes forming into crescents. ¡°Also, Gyoun mentioned he would help me become a hunter. I might have been anxious if I were alone, but with Gyoun by my side, I feel at ease. So, please don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°¡­In that case, I¡¯m relieved.¡± It felt awkward hearing it up close. I turned my head slightly. On the other hand, my mother¡¯s voice sounded much softer. ¡°To be honest, I was worried if Gyoun could manage well in the Hunter¡¯s City alone, but having you by his side puts me at ease. Later on, take good care of Gyoun for me.¡± ¡°Yes, leave it to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why am I feeling so uneasy? I was at a loss for words and ended up staying silent. Chapter 14 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 13 Chapter 13 The training ground outside the house had been cleaned by the servants a while ago, so it was ready for use at any time. After hearing about it from my mother, I decided to go to the training ground. And that¡¯s when it happened. ¡°I want to train too!¡± ¡°You, Yeeun?¡± Yeeun, who had been quietly observing the atmosphere and keeping her place all this time, suddenly raised her hand. Seeing her excited demeanor, I felt that rejecting her outright might turn the household into a sea of tears. ¡°Um¡­¡± It seemed like my mother was also pondering the same thing. Soon, she sent me a look, seeking my opinion on what to do. ¡®No choice.¡¯ With Yeeun pleading like that, it would be exhausting if she turned into a sulky child. I agreed to play with Yeeun and sought permission from Yeonha. ¡°Hey, Yeonha, is it okay if Yeeun joins us?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine with it. I also want to play with Yeeun, you know?¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s a relief¡­ Yeeun, instead of interrupting Heaven¡¯s training, should you quietly train beside?¡± ¡°Yeah! I can do it quietly!¡± Thanks to Yeeun¡¯s obedient acceptance, she also joined the group. Once we finished preparing, we headed to the training ground. ¡°Let¡¯s change into our training clothes and meet outside. Do you know where the training ground is?¡± ¡°Yeah, I saw it on the way here. But where should we change into our clothes?¡± ¡°Since Yeeun needs to change too, let her change in her room.¡± ¡°Sis! Come here! Let¡¯s go to my room! Is Mongsooni in the room!?¡± ¡°Huh!? Wait a moment¡­!¡± ¡°She¡¯s really¡­¡± Yeeun was getting flustered. Yeeun impulsively grabbed Heaven¡¯s hand and rushed upstairs. My mother and I lightly chuckled at the disappearing girls. Afterward, I also went upstairs to change into my clothes. ¨C Sis! This is Mongsooni! -Wow, she¡¯s really gentle. Yeeun¡¯s room was right next to mine. No matter how loud Yeeun spoke, her voice could be heard all the way to my room. Occasionally, Heaven¡¯s voice could be heard. ¡®They seem to be having fun.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know what they were doing in the room. While changing clothes, I could hear giggling from the next room. ¨C Hey, don¡¯t touch there¡­ Eek! ¡®¡­What are they doing?¡¯ Heaven let out a squeak. It seemed like it would continue for a while. Dressed in training gear, I decided to wait outside. ¡°Mongsil, I¡¯m going to train.¡± Did Heaven know I was there? Or was she just happy to see me? Excitedly, I said to Mongsil, who was jumping up to leave the training field before I did. Unfortunately, due to raising the fences recently, Mongsil couldn¡¯t escape the training field until I left the room. ¡®What should I start teaching first? Maybe I should let her run around the training ground to warm up her body first?¡¯ Eventually, coming out to the training ground. As I lightly did warm-up exercises, I pondered on what to teach Heaven first. ¡®I should focus on basic physical training and maybe teach swordsmanship in the spare time.¡¯ I also briefly pondered on teaching mana control methods. But influenced by my teachings, I might unintentionally instill bad habits. I resolved to stop worrying. ¡®I can advise on swordsmanship, but my expertise in mana is lacking. It¡¯s better to leave teaching mana control to a professional instructor.¡¯ So, I put the mana control on hold. I made plans like that, eagerly waiting for the two people to come out soon. And not long after that¡­ ¡°Sorry we¡¯re a bit late, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Yeonnaneul and Yeeun appeared. Yeonnaneul, in his gym clothes, immediately apologized upon arrival. ¡°What were you doing that made you come just now?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s because of Yeeun¡­.¡± I felt like I already knew the reason without asking. It must have been because of Yeeun¡¯s antics that we ended up being late. So, I just nodded vaguely and decided to start the training. At that moment, Yeeun threw a topic. ¡°Oppa! Do you know about that?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°You know, Haneul unnie is really amazing! I saw her changing clothes¡­!¡± ¡°Yeeun, you don¡¯t have to say things like that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeeun was about to speak, Yeonnaneul suddenly covered her mouth with her hand. I lost my words looking at her pouting lips. Soon, Yeonnaneul and I locked eyes. She was smiling. ¡°Why are you like that? Not going to train?¡± ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s train.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± A nuance as if saying to pretend not to have heard. Feeling an implicit threat from Yeonnaneul, I decided to shift my attention away from the topic. And then, we started the training. First, it was ten laps around. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°You run better than I thought.¡± Is it because she¡¯s an Aein? Although Yeonnaneul fell behind me, she maintained a good pace. She seemed to have a good sense of exercise. * * * I had confidence in my own way when it came to exercise, but I didn¡¯t realize how tough it could be to use muscles that weren¡¯t usually used. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± After hours of continuous training, Yeonnaneul, massaging the back of her thigh, made sounds of pain. Experientially, it felt like there would be bruises on the buttocks and legs used for squats when I woke up tomorrow morning. ¡°You¡¯re doing well for your first time. Let¡¯s increase the weight to 40 next time and try.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work out then, you can always lower it. To become a hunter, you have to do that much.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Squatting with 40kg weight. That weight wasn¡¯t significantly different from her own body weight. Yeonhae stared sharply at Doyeongwoo, who seemed to be joking. She hoped it was just a joke. Anyway, she decided to wash off the sweat from training. That was the plan before she was stopped. ¡°Since dinner is ready, go wash up, have dinner, and then go. You must be hungry after training, right?¡± Doyeongwoo¡¯s mother, who came out of the kitchen, suggested she eat dinner before leaving. Taken aback by the unexpected offer, Yeonhae waved her hands in refusal. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay! I can eat at home.¡± She couldn¡¯t impose any further. So, despite her repeated refusals, Yeonhae couldn¡¯t resist Doyeongwoo¡¯s mother. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite. If I send you home without having dinner at this late hour, what will your family think of me? So, at least for my sake, have dinner at home before you go.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°Great! Let¡¯s have dinner together, Unni!¡± Doyeongwoo¡¯s mother was truly affectionate. Nodding her head, Yeonhae soon followed Doyeeun into the bathroom. ¡®It¡¯s a really luxurious house¡­¡¯ There was only a shower room at the orphanage. But in Doyeongwoo¡¯s house, there was a large bathtub like the ones seen in dramas. Yeonhae immersed herself in the tub, feeling like she had stepped into a world from a drama. In reality, it wasn¡¯t as big as she imagined, but for someone like her, who rarely soaked in a bathtub, it was enough to create that illusion. ¡°Hey! Hey!¡± ¡°Eek! Yeunie, you¡­¡± At that moment, Doyeeun splashed water. Feeling comfortable in the warm water, Yeonhae quickly joined in the playful act. Taking care of children her age at the orphanage was part of her routine, so becoming friends with her wasn¡¯t difficult. However, Doyeeun was more energetic than the kids at the orphanage, requiring quite a bit of energy to keep up with her. Meanwhile¡­ ¡°Despite her young age, how can she train like that just because she¡¯s from a prestigious family?¡± Doyeeun not only had energy but also exceptional stamina. It was hard to believe she was only seven years old, performing training of a similar intensity to hers. Yet, as she playfully splashed water at her, she displayed a typical behavior of someone her age. ¡°Hey! Hey!¡± ¡°Hey! Hey!¡± Bump, bump, just like that. After playing with Doe-yeon, who still had energy even after training, Yeon-haneul washed up. By the time she came out of the bathroom, Dogyeonwoo had finished his bath and was sitting at the table. Yeon-haneul sat next to him. ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Dad?¡± ¡°He said work might run late, so he¡¯ll eat out before coming home.¡± Listening to the conversations at the table, Yeon-haneul ate shabu-shabu. She had only seen shabu-shabu in dramas; it was her first time trying it. Really, without exaggeration. Due to the nature of shabu-shabu that should be eaten right away, it wasn¡¯t a favorite at the orphanage. ¡°Eating meat and vegetables together like this is so delicious.¡± So, her first taste of shabu-shabu stirred her emotions. She might not have known, but those sitting around her could see her ears twitching like a rabbit as she savored the food. ¡°There¡¯s more, so eat a lot. We¡¯ll add knife-cut noodles later and make fried rice, so you can have that too.¡± ¡°Wow, really?¡± ¡°We all eat well in our house.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo, could you pass me more meat?¡± ¡°Mom! Please give me more meat!¡± Goodness¡­ knife-cut noodles and fried rice. Shabu-shabu is truly a perfect dish. Yeon-haneul¡¯s heart was naturally uplifted. And then, it happened. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hey, Unni!¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, thank you.¡± As her plate was empty, she was about to refill it when Doyeeun, who was serving food, used tongs to transfer food to her plate. Kind. Yeon-haneul accepted the food she was given and expressed her thanks. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± Was it because someone else had filled it for her? The food seemed even more delicious. She savored the carrots, lettuce, mushrooms, and carrots in her mouth. ¡°Eunnie, what if you only take meat and give Haneul only vegetables and carrots?¡± ¡°Hmm? Did I do that?¡± ¡°This kid really¡­ can¡¯t do it. From now on, eat as Mom gives you.¡± ¡°Mom is a devil¡­¡± ¡°So, are you the devil¡¯s daughter?¡± The two argued. Yeon-haneul, the one in question, didn¡¯t pay much attention. ¡°Eunnie doesn¡¯t eat vegetables well. Vegetables are tasty when you eat them¡­.¡± She just thought so. Yeon Haneul finished the food on the plate. At that moment, Do Yeongwoo¡¯s hand reached out. ¡°Here. Have some meat.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ Thank you.¡± Do Yeongwoo picked up a piece of meat with tongs and handed it to her. Yeon Haneul accepted the food and unconsciously smiled at him. Indeed, food given by others always seems tastier. That day, she had dinner like that, then rode back to the orphanage with Do Yeongwoo¡¯s mother. ¡°Haneul, did you have fun? Did you enjoy yourself?¡± ¡°Yes, I had a great time! And today, I had shabu-shabu at a friend¡¯s house! It was incredibly delicious!¡± Shabu-shabu, I want to have it again. ? Even after that, Yeon Haneul¡¯s training continued steadily. After school, she would either learn basic swordsmanship at the swordsmanship center I attended or focus on physical training. On days when I didn¡¯t go to the swordsmanship center, we would train together at home. ¡°It seems like she¡¯s coming to eat dinner, not to train.¡± It felt like the audience had changed, but having motivation was good. However, there was a problem. ¡°I need to find that person quickly¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t just let her focus solely on physical training without teaching her magic. I needed to find a teacher who could teach her magic. ¡°Where on earth could they be?¡± In the game, instructors mainly taught elemental magic to academy students. The Seven-Colored Witch, Hong Yena. At this time, before becoming an academy instructor, she was known as the Rainbow Witch and traveled the country. I was searching for that person. So, I asked my father, but there was no news yet. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to wait.¡± But we would meet soon, I was sure of it. At this time, she wasn¡¯t in a position of such high esteem to refuse a request from the noble family. Whether she liked it or not. So, I decided to wait quietly for the right time to come. Soon, my thoughts drifted elsewhere. ¡°I want to learn before going to the Academy City, if possible¡­¡± Despite having learned instinct control some time ago, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it wasn¡¯t enough. At times, I wanted to learn one more skill that could help control instincts and manage the instinct to evade. It was the skill of courage. ¡°That¡¯s something I must learn no matter what.¡± A skill to resist the decrease in abilities caused by the pressure emitted by existence. Courage also had the effect of enhancing concentration and evasion rate when one felt a threat to life. For me, who engaged in battles through a combination of evasion instinct and instinct control, it could be considered a skill that complemented well. ¡°What should I do?¡± The issue was that acquiring the courage skill was quite challenging. At the training ground after dinner. Today, having not fulfilled the training quota due to taking classes at the swordsmanship hall, I pondered while loosening up my body. ¡°Indeed, the problem lies in the conditions.¡± In the game, acquiring courage required several conditions. First, the character aiming to acquire courage must not include any other characters in the party besides the strong star unconditionally. In that state, The character seeking courage had to engage in a battle alone with an opponent emitting pressure. Until courage was acquired, the strong star should not intervene in battles. ¡°In that sense, the presence of the strong star may not be a necessary condition. I ended up in the party because I had to play as the strong star in the game.¡± A skill is the crystallization of effort that a character can acquire by meeting specific conditions or experience points in certain situations. Therefore, in this world with high freedom unlike the game, it would be possible to acquire courage even without the strong star. However, the conditions for acquiring courage did not end there. At that moment, the character aiming to acquire courage could probabilistically obtain it by evading the opponent¡¯s attacks. The probability increased proportionally with the opponent¡¯s high attack power. ¡°Do all these conditions really exist?¡± Acquiring courage in the game was indeed very difficult. Perhaps it was easier for Dogyeonu, who had learned instinct control. Hence, I pondered. ¡°It might be easier to acquire it while I¡¯m still weak¡­¡± It was similar to instinct control. It would be better to learn courage when I was at a low point. The issue was that it was not easy to face opponents emitting pressure. Let alone facing them alone. Rushing in recklessly could easily lead to death. ¡°I might as well ask Dad for help.¡± I suddenly thought about it. If someone like my father had the skills, perhaps he could emit pressure. But pressure was a force that could intimidate or weaken the opponent. ¡°¡­¡± Could my father really emit pressure with intimidation? I was skeptical. It seemed unlikely for my father to do so. No matter how well I persuaded my father, it was clear he found it odd. If it continued like this, I would have to tell him the fact that I had lived a past life and that this world was a reflection of the game I used to play in my past life. He might not believe me, and I didn¡¯t really want to tell him in the first place. ¡°How, is there no way?¡± So I had to find another way. I pondered while swinging my sword. And then, it happened. ¡°This one, he¡¯s lost in thought right now. The sword¡¯s movements are not consistent.¡± ¡°Dad?¡± Just as the saying goes, a tiger reveals itself when it speaks. My father, who said he would be late today due to a busy schedule, appeared at the training ground. Judging by his clan uniform, it seemed like he had just finished work and come home. ¡°Welcome back. Have you had dinner?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t eat because I wanted to have the dinner your mom prepared at home. But then I saw Gyungu on my way here and decided to drop by.¡± I could tell from my father¡¯s face and voice that he was quite tired. Yet, he approached me cheerfully. ¡°So, what were you thinking? Is someone bothering you again?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing now. I was just¡­ thinking about how to train.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to hear. If anyone bothers you or acts unfairly, make sure to tell me. Don¡¯t suffer in silence.¡± ¡°Yes. If that happens, I¡¯ll give them a good beating.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ um¡­ Can¡¯t you just tell me and let me handle it with my authority?¡± ¡°As someone from the Swordsmanship School, wouldn¡¯t it be better to resolve it with a sword?¡± ¡°¡­Be gentle, be gentle.¡± ¡°Depends on the situation.¡± I joked around. Upon which, my father chuckled lightly. Yet, there was a sense of urgency in his final words. ¡°By the way¡­ Gyungu, the person you asked me to find a while ago, contacted me today.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Yeah. They said they were in a remote mountain area in Gangwon Province where communication wasn¡¯t good. Once they finish their current work there, they¡¯ll come find you.¡± Finally, I found Hong Ye-na. According to my father, she would visit within a month, even if delayed. ¡°However, if she¡¯s not impressed with your skills, she won¡¯t accept the proposal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. If I lack talent, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it, right?¡± Of course, that wouldn¡¯t happen. I didn¡¯t know, but I was certain that Hong Ye-na would show interest in Yeonhae. As someone specialized in magic, she wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore Yeonhae¡¯s talent. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s fine¡­ You must have your own thoughts. And that¡¯s that.¡± ¡°Yes. What is it?¡± Meanwhile, it seemed like my father had one more piece of news to pass on to me. His face darkened slightly. Next week, there seems to be Parents¡¯ Day, so I might have to go back to the family home¡­ Are you okay with that? ¡­ You don¡¯t have to go if it¡¯s uncomfortable. I¡¯ll make sure to handle it when I go. Come to think of it, May is not far away. Parents¡¯ Day is coming soon. People from the Shingeom Do clan would gather at the family home to strengthen their bonds. ¡®Bonds my foot.¡¯ Strengthening bonds was merely a superficial pretext. In reality, it was just a chance for the grandchildren to show off their skills and be evaluated by the grandfather. It was a show for the grandfather. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about what others think.¡± ¡­ And I¡­ I would often show an embarrassing sight at the annual show-off gathering. Each time, I faced the ridicule and mockery of the family members. That¡¯s why my father said, ¡°Do as you please.¡± If it¡¯s uncomfortable, there¡¯s no need to go. Perhaps, through the incident I caused at the swordsmanship hall not long ago, my father didn¡¯t hesitate to tell me that. ¡°Father¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I was grateful for my father¡¯s consideration. If it had been me before realizing my past life, I might have followed my father¡¯s words out of fear. But now, recalling my past life¡­ ¡®Should I run away?¡¯ Absolutely not. That thought never crossed my mind. The moment I didn¡¯t attend the family gathering, I would face even more ridicule. Furthermore, my influence in the Shingeom Do clan would diminish if I didn¡¯t participate. ¡®I can¡¯t let that happen.¡¯ Despite knowing that, I couldn¡¯t avoid attending. Moreover, this was also an opportunity. ¡®Perhaps I can create a situation to gain courage there?¡¯ Above all, there was a crucial reason why I had to attend that gathering. I asked my father, ¡°Will Doseungwoo also be there at the gathering?¡± ¡°He probably will.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­What are you thinking?¡± My cousin will be there too. That alone was reason enough. I lifted the corners of my mouth. Chapter 15 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 14 Chapter 14 Do Seungwoo May, the month of family. The weekend with Parents¡¯ Day. After having a late lunch, our family headed to the ancestral home of Shin Geomdo. Shin Geomdo¡¯s ancestral home was located in Gwanak-gu, about an hour¡¯s drive from our house. ¡°Since we¡¯re going to see grandfather, you should behave quietly there, especially you, Yeeun. Don¡¯t try to climb the lion statue like you did last year.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do that anymore!¡± ¡°Right, be good.¡± Driving the car, Father warned Yeeun sitting in the back seat. Yeeun nodded without a word, but it was hard to predict what would happen. She had a track record of causing trouble. Feeling uneasy, Father also spoke to me. ¡°Gyunwoo, make sure to watch over Yeeun so she doesn¡¯t cause any trouble. You can do that as her older brother, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t cause any trouble¡­¡± ¡°And you, don¡¯t even think about causing any problems. Please, I beg you.¡± ¡°When have I ever done that?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t, but¡­ considering what you¡¯ve been up to lately, I can¡¯t help but worry.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t worry.¡± I replied like that. When have I ever caused trouble? Even upon careful consideration, nothing came to mind. If anything, the only thing that came up was the incident with the triplets¡­ ¡°Could that be considered a problem? It was just a fair competition.¡± From Noble mtl dot com It wasn¡¯t a violation of the law, nor was it beyond the boundaries of ethics. It was just something I did within my limits. Could that be called a problem? ¡°No, it couldn¡¯t.¡± After a brief moment of contemplation, I came to a conclusion. I did not cause the accident. The fact that I was upright was evidence of that. Even if Father didn¡¯t know what he was worrying about, nothing to worry about would happen. Soon, I shifted my gaze from the rearview mirror to see Mother sitting in the passenger seat. Mother had her lips sealed. ¡°You¡¯ve been silent since earlier.¡± To avoid any unnecessary attention in a gathering of the family, Mother had gotten up early in the morning and dressed up to the nines. However, no matter how much makeup she put on, it was impossible not to notice the stiff, unnatural look on her face. Even Yeun seemed to be sneaking glances ever since she got into the car. That¡¯s how different Mother was acting from her usual self. ¡°¡­.¡± As a result, silence filled the car at some point. Father was focused on driving, and Yeun was just looking out the window. Mother kept her eyes fixed ahead. ¡°It¡¯s always been like this.¡± In fact, it was not the first time. Whenever we attended a family gathering, we would display this kind of behavior. Attending family gatherings was something we disliked, felt uncomfortable with, and found nerve-wracking. I had never seen it as a pleasant sight before. Even in my past life before realizing the truth. ¡°¡­.¡± I absentmindedly stared out the window with a sword in my lap. And then I silently hoped for a traffic jam or some car trouble to make us arrive at our ancestral home late. So being in this silence felt like going back in time. The atmosphere inside the car was stifling. Feeling uneasy, I broke the awkward silence and spoke up. ¡°Come to think of it, we had our meal before leaving, but didn¡¯t have any coffee, did we?¡± ¡°Huh? Uh, right. But why bring out the coffee now?¡± ¡°Yeun, don¡¯t you feel like having some cake?¡± ¡°Cake? Brother, did you bring cake?¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you want any coffee?¡± ¡°Huh? What are you suddenly talking about?¡± Except for me, my family members all widened their eyes like rabbits. I glanced at my family members who were caught off guard by the sudden topic. ¡°We have over an hour to drive, so how about stopping at a caf¨¦ on the way for some coffee? And maybe have some cake too.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°After getting all dressed up for once, we should catch some fresh air on the way. Right? What¡¯s the harm in being a bit late?¡± What¡¯s the harm in being late? Anyway, by now, it was clear that we would end up boasting and picking on each other about how we¡¯re doing with our relatives once we arrived. I¡¯d rather go late than rush. Being a bit late for dinner is fine. That¡¯s how I persuaded my family. At first, my family just blinked blankly at my words¡­ ¡°Should we go that route then?¡± Starting with a smirk from Father, Ye-eun and Mother readily agreed. ¡°I¡¯m going to have ice cream! I¡¯ll find a place that looks delicious!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have dinner later, so pick one to eat. Ye-eun, see if there¡¯s a nice place over there, and Mom, I¡¯ll look around here.¡± The silence that had settled in the car earlier vanished as if it was a lie. Before I knew it, my family was laughing and chatting cheerfully. ¡®Yes, this is how it should be.¡¯ I felt content watching that scene. It was nice to see Ye-eun and Mother competing to find a caf¨¦. ¡°Should I look for one too?¡± ¡°You focus on driving.¡± ¡°Stay strong, everyone.¡± Father chimed in before I knew it. I cheered on the three of them, then suddenly had a thought and checked my smartphone. There was a message from Yeon Ha-neul. [Yeon Ha-neul]: I¡¯m heading to the mountain now¡­ [Yeon Ha-neul]: (Photo) It was a photo of a hiking trail sign. I chuckled as I read the text from Yeon Ha-neul. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®She said she wouldn¡¯t be home today, so I jokingly told her to climb a mountain or practice at the swordsmanship hall, and she really went climbing.¡¯ It was a half-joking comment. She always complained but in the end, it was endearing how Yeon Ha-neul followed my words. I replied to her. [Me]: The mountain I mentioned before? [Yeon Ha-neul]: Yeah, it¡¯s behind our house and super high! [Me]: It¡¯s just the hill behind the neighborhood, though. [Yeon Ha-neul]: (¨D¡°¨D;) A reply came quickly. Seemed like she hadn¡¯t climbed the mountain yet. [Me]: Don¡¯t you have to reach the summit for that? [Yeon Ha-neul]: It¡¯s really high here, though? [Me]: You have to become a Hunter. [Yeon Haneul]: ¡­¡­. [Me]: If you do it, it¡¯ll all work out. ? [Yeon Haneul]: Isn¡¯t it too much to say it¡¯s not your own business? [Me]: When you reach the top, take a certification shot so I can see. [Yeon Haneul]: Hmph! [Yeon Haneul]: (£þ£Þ£þ) [Me]: But did you really go alone? [Yeon Haneul]: I came with the Director. He was thrilled when I said I¡¯d go to the mountain. For a few minutes, Yeon Haneul and I exchanged messages. Soon after, she said she was going up the mountain and the communication ceased. Around that time, Yeeun and her mother¡¯s showdown reached its conclusion. Her mother emerged victorious. * * * After enjoying a pleasant time at the cafe, when we arrived at the main house, we were an hour late from the appointed time. Nevertheless, we got out of the car without a care. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± ¡°How have you been? And the others?¡± ¡°Except for Mr. Dowoon¡¯s family, everyone else has gathered.¡± ¡°Is the eldest brother still not here?¡± ¡°Then, please follow me inside.¡± The household staff followed us. They took our luggage, and the highest-ranking manager guided us. ¡°You can use this room. The keycard should be on the desk inside.¡± ¡°Thank you for showing us around.¡± ¡°No problem. We¡¯d appreciate it if you could join the dinner gathering without delay.¡± ¡°Of course. We can¡¯t afford to be late when Father is attending. But do you know where the others are right now?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the others, they should be gathered in the study discussing.¡± ¡°The study on the second floor, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then we should head there too. They¡¯ll probably say something about us being late.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now. Please feel free to call me if you need anything.¡± The manager opened the room for Father, Mother, Yeeun, and me and then left. We each went into our rooms. ¡°Leave the luggage there.¡± ¡°Alright, understood. We¡¯ll take our leave as well.¡± I was planning to stay just for the day, so I didn¡¯t have much luggage. I asked the servants to put my belongings in one corner and then sent them away. At that moment, my parents entered the room. ¡°Gyeonwoo, we are going to the study to meet relatives. What are you going to do now?¡± ¡°Mom, I can go with you and dad, or you can spend time together. Just make sure to come to the dinner on time.¡± Until the dinner, I was free to spend my time as I pleased. I could stay quietly in the room without socializing with relatives. However, showing such behavior in a gathering meant for building camaraderie would likely lead to exclusion. Although I might face scolding from adults, Nana and Yeeun would probably tolerate it to some extent. Of course, I had no intention of doing so. ¡°If we just stay in the room, it will be boring, so we¡¯ll go to the training ground. Yeeun, do you want to come too?¡± ¡°Yeah! I want to go too!¡± ¡°Since there will be cousins at the training ground, let¡¯s go there to socialize, right?¡± ¡°Sounds good? Shall we do that?¡± The main house¡¯s training ground had various facilities not found at home. So, while I was here, I planned to use those facilities. It was an opportunity to train my body. ¡°Then we¡¯ll go check it out.¡± ¡°Sure, see you later. And don¡¯t play too rough with the kids there.¡± ¡°As long as I don¡¯t provoke them.¡± ¡°Trust you, son.¡± After talking with my parents like that, Yeeun and I headed to the training ground. The training ground was on the basement¡¯s second floor. ¡°They are all working hard.¡± As I descended to the training ground, I exchanged glances briefly with my cousins. We had been competing since childhood, and even now, we were still in competition, so we didn¡¯t need to exchange greetings properly. Moreover, today was a day to showcase our skills to the family members, so most of us were focused on training. ¡°What are you going to do, oppa?¡± ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see.¡± I decided to train as well. I looked around the training ground¡¯s facilities. ¡°Wow¡­ What¡¯s that? Was it here before? Oppa, the doll is moving!¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s probably made by Yeonseong Namga. It¡¯s not available in stores; it must have been here at the main house.¡± On one side, a doll made of iron was moving on its own, engaging in a sparring match with the cousins. The joints moved smoothly. ¡°So, they have this even at this time.¡± Although it was slightly different from what I knew, it was a training doll used at the academy where Kang Hanbyeol trained. It was made by Yeonseong Namga, belonging to the Shigamun, along with the Divine Sword Do. ¡°That looks fun too!¡± On the other side, cousins were stepping on the floor where the lights quickly turned on and off. It seemed like the difficulty varied depending on the color of the light. ¡°It does look interesting.¡± Apart from that, there were many facilities that caught my interest. So, it was inevitable to ponder over what kind of training to undergo initially. And at that moment. ¡°Late, aren¡¯t you? What were you doing that made you late?¡± A guy who was training to face randomly popping targets on the floor walked towards me. My cousin, Do Seungwoo. The troublemaker who had been bothering me all this time. ¡°Glad you made it here on your own.¡± In truth, the moment I entered the training ground, I was already looking for Do Seungwoo. And I planned to approach him when the right opportunity arose. But he came to me himself. Saved me the trouble. ¡°How have you been? Is Yeeun doing well?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t been well because of you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°How about you, have you been well?¡± In the past, I might have flinched, but now I didn¡¯t want to. ¡ª Since Do Seungwoo and I were the same age, we had been involved with each other since we were young, often being compared by the family members on who was superior. Because of that, Do Seungwoo and I couldn¡¯t become close despite the attempts. ¡°It¡¯s hard to become close when we¡¯re always compared. It¡¯s weird to get close. It¡¯s rather strange.¡± Still, we managed to maintain a somewhat appropriate relationship without hurting each other¡¯s feelings too much. Contrary to my hopes, Do Seungwoo viewed me as an enemy to be defeated and resented me. He used to openly embarrass me whenever he had the chance when we were young. Each time, I couldn¡¯t properly respond to Do Seungwoo¡¯s provocations and ended up crying like a fool. As such antics repeated¡­ ¨DHe¡¯s always crying. Doesn¡¯t he ever think of fighting back when he¡¯s angry? I would if I were him. ¨DHe¡¯s the son of a lion? How did such a thing come out of our family? Even if I understand, I can¡¯t understand. What will other families think if he keeps acting like that? They¡¯ll just mock our family. ¨DBorn in the belly of a commoner with only a face to show, that¡¯s why he looks so pathetic. ¨DBringing shame to the family. ¨DEven claiming to have lion¡¯s blood¡­ I found myself in a situation where I was being ridiculed by the people of the family. On the other hand, Doseungwoo, while tormenting me, diligently raised his status. ¡°Well, that should be enough for now¡­¡± And so, he became a rising star in the family, someone to look up to. Yet, for some reason, he didn¡¯t stop tormenting me. He despised me terribly. ¡°Really, what did I do wrong?¡± I felt helpless. Unjust and angry. But before realizing my past life, I couldn¡¯t muster the courage to stand up to him and fell into self-deprecation. Truly foolish. ¡°A real fool.¡± I cursed myself inwardly. Perhaps he continued to torment me even though there was no longer a reason to look down on me and do so. So if I continue to fall for his tricks like this¡­ ¡°It will continue even in the Academy City.¡± According to the game¡¯s flow, five years later, Doseungwoo and I will enter the same academy where Kang Hanbyeol is studying. There, I will be bullied by him, suffering great shame that doesn¡¯t befit a member of a prestigious family. ¡°And then, I will meet Kang Hanbyeol, who will confront those who tormented me.¡± In the game, Kang Hanbyeol meets Dogyeonwoo, who was bullied by students, and starts to fight against them, including Doseungwoo¡¯s gang, led by the Three Stooges. And during the midterm exams of the first semester of the first year¡­ By defeating Doseungwoo, who comes out as the boss, Kang Hanbyeol was able to officially recruit Dogyeonwoo as a colleague. In that sense¡­ Doseungwoo could be seen as playing a role in bringing Kang Hanbyeol and Dogyeonwoo closer. Even so¡­ ¡°Just keep being a victim like this? Until meeting Kang Hanbyeol? For the next five years?¡± Absolutely not. Why? Why? Seriously, why? Question marks filled my mind. I had no intention of following the story if it didn¡¯t suit me. ¡°You couldn¡¯t stand it because of me? Did I do something wrong to you?¡± ¡°I missed you so much.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t find out it was you who stirred things up with the twins?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He was no longer just a child, and he had to maintain his dignity because he was receiving attention in the family. But as someone who had nothing to lose in the family, I had no need to maintain my dignity. I said it outright. In that moment, he was at a loss for words and silently stared at me. His eyes narrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re talking about. Twins? Who are you referring to?¡± ¡°There are triplets in the Swordsmanship Institute.¡± ¡°Ah, those kids, right. Were they in the same school as you? Come to think of it, I remember hearing such stories.¡± ¡°What stories?¡± ¡°That you got into a fight with those kids at the Swordsmanship Institute and caused a scene? I found it surprising to hear that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that from you. I thought you knew how to live with whatever comes your way when faced with something like that, but still, getting into trouble with those kids made you angry, right? Well, it¡¯s understandable. If someone from the prestigious Do School gets into trouble even with insignificant kids, then there must be a problem¡­. You did well; I would have done the same.¡± The guy chuckled. I could see the animosity reflected in his narrowed eyes. Perhaps mine were the same. My own resentment and animosity towards myself and the guy must have been evident. ¡°What¡¯s with you not attacking back and just taking hits and dodging in sparring? You¡¯ve changed a lot.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks to someone.¡± ¡°Now you can properly face me. When can you spare some time for a sparring session? I won¡¯t go easy on you then.¡± The awaited words finally came out. I responded with a smile of repentance. ¡°Oh, really? Shall we do it right now then?¡± Chapter 16 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 15 Chapter 15 Do School¡¯s main house, 2nd floor library. However, it was merely a library in appearance; in reality, it was nothing more than an entertainment venue to alleviate boredom. Most of the attendees at the banquet had gathered there to enjoy themselves. ¡°Great! I won again!¡± ¡°Ah, come on, stop taking it all. Don¡¯t we need to make a living too?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go have a smoke.¡± ¡°Is there something stronger than this?¡± People excitedly gambling at the baccarat table, making loud, vulgar remarks. Those openly smoking cigarettes or pipes, spreading the smoke around them. Even though the banquet had not yet begun, people drinking heavily at the bar set up in one corner of the library. From Noble mtl dot com And so on. ¡°¡­.¡± In the library, you could see people indulging in the pleasures of the moment. ¡°Ugh, the smell of cigarettes¡­.¡± ¡°Why do those people really¡­ smoke indoors like that?¡± Entering the study, Han Ji-ae, the mother of Do Gyeon-woo, wrinkled her face at the smell of tobacco. Do Sang-joon glanced at the people smoking on one side and immediately cast a protective spell over her. The smoke veered away from her. ¡°No more smell now?¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no one like you after all.¡± Han Ji-ae¡¯s eyes rounded. Do Sang-joon took her hand and pulled her closer to him. A smile played on his lips. ¡°Shall we go meet some people?¡± ¡°The Second Elder is over there, and the Second Brother is there.¡± ¡°Right, the eldest brother hasn¡¯t arrived yet, let¡¯s go meet the Second Brother first.¡± Soon, the two turned to greet those who maintained some semblance of friendliness towards them. They were welcomed warmly and offered seats. Of course, they didn¡¯t forget to be cautious. ¡°We understand that you two have a good relationship, but if Do-husband sticks close to Dongseo, we can¡¯t talk freely among ourselves.¡± ¡°Right, if Do-husband is around, husbands will overhear. It makes it hard to get close¡ª¡± ¡°hahahaha¡­ is that so?¡± Do Sang-joon didn¡¯t miss the implication behind their laughter. It meant to leave Han Ji-ae behind. But he couldn¡¯t do that. ¡°How do I know what might happen to Ji-ae when I¡¯m not around?¡± It was a few years ago. Han Ji-ae had suffered a great humiliation while trying to interact with the women of the New Moon Guild to be of help to him. Was she just a woman who married well just because she had a pretty face and no real background? Seeing her hurt by those words and returning home in sorrow, he couldn¡¯t leave her alone. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s my fault¡­¡± ¡°Why apologize and all that? Let¡¯s go over there and have a drink together.¡± Anyway, they must have seen everyone they needed to see. To comfort her melancholy, they decided to spend time together. And then it happened. ¡°Sang-joon, long time no see. How have you been?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He had avoided mixing words, pretending not to know until now. It was Do Beom-joon, Do Sang-joon¡¯s third brother, who initiated the conversation. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a while. Why are you here?¡± Do Seung-woo¡¯s father. Not long ago, he had been an unwelcome figure due to his continuous harassment of Do Seung-woo, his son. The resentment in his voice was unmistakable. In response, Do Beom-joon let out a wry smile. ¡°We settled it over the phone, but I felt it necessary to meet in person. I warned Seung-woo not to do it again from now on.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Now that he¡¯s heard a word, he probably won¡¯t bother Kyungwoo anymore. But is Kyungwoo okay?¡± ¡°My son is doing fine even without his brother¡¯s concern, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. I was concerned that what Seungwoo did might have traumatized Kyungwoo¡¯s personality.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a need to go to the hospital because of this, let me know. I¡¯ll introduce you to a good doctor in that field. Anyway, Seungwoo¡¯s actions have caused regret. I¡¯ll apologize on his behalf.¡± Doh Beomjoon suddenly reached out his hand. It was a gesture of reconciliation, suggesting they stop arguing about this matter and make amends. ¡°Huh, what? Apologize?¡± However, Do Sangjoon had no intention of accepting Doh Beomjoon¡¯s apology. He waved his hand dismissively, glaring at Doh Beomjoon. ¡°If you want to apologize, do it directly to Kyungwoo. I¡¯m not going to do it on your behalf.¡± ¡°What¡­ What are you suggesting?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t slyly try to influence the situation. What exactly are you trying to do?¡± It was a gathering of family members. Do Sangjoon knew that they were all pretending to focus on their own tasks while subtly eavesdropping on conversations. And he was aware that Doh Beomjoon was intentionally fueling the friction between Do Seungwoo and Do Kyungwoo, undermining Do Kyungwoo. Knowing this, Do Sangjoon couldn¡¯t help but feel angry. ¡°If that¡¯s your answer, there¡¯s nothing I can do. I won¡¯t offer any help. If you need my strength later on, contact me.¡± ¡°I know there won¡¯t be any need for help from you, so I understand that.¡± Regardless of Do Sangjoon¡¯s feelings, Doh Beomjoon turned away as if to say he had done all he could. And just as he was about to leave¡­ ¡°Doh Beomjoon, Sub Lord!¡± The attention of those in the study was subtly directed towards the two men. A man in the uniform of the Regulus Clan entered the study and approached Doh Beomjoon. ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± The man who seemed to be with Doh Beomjoon whispered something to him. Soon, his expression changed. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Do Sangjoon had a bad feeling about the mocking look in the man¡¯s eyes. His intuition was correct. Doh Beomjoon raised his voice as if to make sure everyone heard. ¡°It seems like the parties involved intend to resolve the matter from the last time amongst themselves, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It seems like our sons had a duel at the training ground.¡± ¡°Kyungwoo¡­ had a duel?¡± ¡°I heard that Kyungwoo challenged Seungwoo to a duel first. I find it hard to believe my Kyungwoo would do that, but the information should be accurate.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well, come to think of it, Kyungwoo is also from the Shin-Geom-Do clan, so it¡¯s not surprising. One should know how to protect their dignity. It seems he inherited the lion¡¯s spirit as well.¡± Do Kyungwoo is fighting with Do Seungwoo. Dosangjun paled at the mocking words from Dobumjun that made Dobomjun¡¯s shoulders shake. He had been told not to cause trouble, yet he ended up causing trouble. ¡®Why do I have a bad feeling¡­¡¯ Dosangjun mumbled. Having seen Dogyunwoo¡¯s skills before, he no longer worried about Dogyunwoo¡¯s abilities. ¡°¡­.¡± The problem was the recent change in Gyunwoo¡¯s personality; Dosangjun was deeply worried about what Gyunwoo might do. He was concerned about having to clean up after Gyunwoo. His expression darkened gradually. ¡°Why? Worried?¡± Dobumjun misunderstood the reason for his change in expression. He smirked and taunted, addressing others, ¡°We might witness a match if we go now. It¡¯s a lucky break. Anyone interested in watching Seungwoo and Gyunwoo spar?¡± ¡°Oh, that sounds good!¡± Dobumjun encouraged. Starting with those who were already tipsy, a few people got up. His scheme was obvious. By making a public spectacle of the two¡¯s match, it was an attempt to diminish Gyunwoo¡¯s influence. Of course, the success of his scheme hinged on Gyunwoo losing. ¡°Everyone¡¯s going, but are you not coming to watch, Sangjun?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go too.¡± ¡°Good decision. I understand your feelings, but they said they would handle it themselves, so let¡¯s not interfere.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°This match will settle everything. You know what I mean, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t forget your words.¡± ¡°Pretend you¡¯re tough.¡± At that point, Dosangjun decided to simply give up on his thoughts. The situation had escalated beyond his ability to salvage it. On one hand, he was irritated by Dobumjun¡¯s disregard for his own son. ¡®In a way, this is a stroke of luck.¡¯ In a sense, it was an opportunity. If Gyunwoo could overturn the opinions of the family members and defeat Doseungwoo, Gyunwoo¡¯s evaluation would rise significantly. It wasn¡¯t all turmoil. Thus, he intended to follow the others to the library. Naturally, he didn¡¯t forget to take Han Jiae with him. Dosangjun called out to her, who had been away talking to Dobumjun. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It will be interesting¡­ right?¡± ¡°Seungwoo troubled Gyunwoo, didn¡¯t he?¡± And he froze in his seat. ¡°What on earth are you talking about? Why does it feel like the first time I¡¯ve heard this?¡± ¡°W-well¡­.¡± ¡°You seem to be aware.¡± Han Ji-ae was smiling. But her smile wasn¡¯t a real one. To survive, Do Sang-jun instinctively called her by a nickname, but it had no effect. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± I was dead. Do Sang-jun trembled in fear. ? The master of Shingeom martial arts, Do Seung-woo. He still vividly remembered memories from several years ago. ¨DTeach one, enlighten ten, seems like you know how to unfold the sensory martial arts. ¨DThank you! Before Do Seung-woo was known as a master. At that time, the one who carried the family¡¯s expectations wasn¡¯t him, but someone of the same age, Do Gyun-woo. He once showed such prowess in swordsmanship that he received high praise from the family head grandfather. Perhaps because of that, his personality back then was more proactive and full of confidence. ¨DHmm, that kid was born¡­. ¨DAlready mastered the breathing technique? ¨DHe¡¯s quite exceptional. If Do Seung-woo became a master through effort, a acquired talent. Do Gyun-woo was a natural-born genius from birth. There was a difference in their talents. The difference was so enormous that it created an insurmountable gap. Being compared and competing with him all his life due to being of the same generation and age, Do Seung-woo felt despair. ¨DWhy can¡¯t you even do that much! Born as my son, how can you not keep up with that kid!? Learning the basics of sensory martial arts and starting the direct family members¡¯ competition that had to be presented to the family. Do Seung-woo was constantly compared to him, facing harsh criticism from his own parents. ¨DYou can do it. You must. ¨C And yet, can you fall asleep? ¨C Is that all you can do!? ¨C Are you really my son!? The memories of that time were dreadful. Do Seungwoo was dragged by his father, trying to surpass Dogyeongwoo by reducing even his sleeping time. Despite his efforts, he could not defeat Dogyeongwoo. The more he tried, the more he irrationally despised Dogyeongwoo. ¨C If only you weren¡¯t here¡­. I wouldn¡¯t be like this. Do Seungwoo harbored resentment, fueled by evil. In truth, Do Seungwoo knew. Dogyeongwoo had done nothing wrong. Yet, Do Seungwoo could not bring himself to blame his parents, nor could he blame his own talent. To resent them would be to deny his own existence. Therefore, subconsciously, he blamed Dogyeongwoo to protect himself. He resented, blamed, and abhorred. It was a twisted self-consciousness. The incident occurred right at that time. ¨C S-Seungwoo! During the first evaluation match. Do Seungwoo found himself dueling with Dogyeongwoo as if fate had embraced evil. A duel with wooden swords. In that duel, he was injured by Dogyeongwoo¡¯s attack. ¨C W-What do I do. There¡¯s blood¡­. Dogyeongwoo was young and inexperienced. He did not fully comprehend how dangerous his attack was or how much harm it could cause to his opponent. What he had merely understood in his mind was different when seen directly with his eyes. Dogyeongwoo was at a loss seeing blood flow from Do Seungwoo¡¯s elbow due to his sword. ¨C This is! On the other hand, Do Seungwoo remained composed. He immediately seized the opportunity. Do Gyounwoo failed to respond properly. He only focused on defending himself and did not attempt to attack further. As a result, ¨D¡­I won. Do Seungwoo achieved his first victory. When he belatedly regained his senses, Do Gyounwoo was lying beneath him. ¨DP-please, stop¡­ ¨D¡­ Protecting his face with raised arms, whimpering. Do Gyounwoo, who had been touted as a prodigy in the family, was now pleading. At that moment, Do Seungwoo felt a strange sense of pleasure and fulfillment as he looked at Do Gyounwoo. From then on, ¨DI thought you were a prodigy, but you¡¯re no different from the others. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¨DEveryone¡¯s a genius when they¡¯re young. I knew it would come to this. ¨DThat¡¯s how commoner¡¯s kids are, what¡¯s new. Do Gyounwoo ceased to be a prodigy. As if awaiting his downfall, the family members mocked him, leading to his current situation being referred to as ¡°Rabbit.¡± And from that point on, Do Seungwoo continued to elevate his own evaluation. ¨DYou can¡¯t even kill one rabbit, you¡¯re really pathetic, huh? Do Seungwoo provoked Do Gyounwoo. Having gained the psychological upper hand over him, Do Seungwoo unleashed all the suppressed emotions. ¨DD-don¡¯t talk like that. ¨DWhat¡¯s wrong with talking like that? ¨DHuh? ¨DWhat are you going to do? Fight? ¨D¡­ ¨DI¡¯m fine with it, let¡¯s fight. Let¡¯s do it again. I¡¯ll knock you down like back then. Do Gyounwoo couldn¡¯t say a word. He had completely surrendered to Do Seungwoo. ¡°From now on, crawl on your own.¡± ¡­ A coward who was extremely fearful of causing harm to others. To Doseungwoo, Dogyeongwoo could no longer be his rival. However, Dogyeongwoo¡¯s existence in itself stimulated feelings of inferiority from the past. No, he was unconsciously afraid of Dogyeongwoo. ¡°It¡¯s trying to crawl up!¡± Could it be that Dogyeongwoo was overcoming his weakness, not reverting to his childhood? And then, his own position would be shaken, and life would come back to being compared to Dogyeongwoo. Doseungwoo secretly harbored such assumptions unconsciously. That¡¯s why¡­ ¡°Do not let him rise again, crush him mercilessly.¡± He was determined to bring Dogyeongwoo down in front of his family, crushing his influence to the ground. But things took a different turn. ¡°¡­!?¡± As if reading his thoughts, Dogyeongwoo dodged the attack. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable! How on earth¡­¡± Doseungwoo couldn¡¯t understand. Each time his black sword seemed to touch him, it barely grazed him, slicing through the air. Then came his attacks. Each time, Doseungwoo hastily brought his sword to block the strikes aimed at him. Clang! Swords clashed. It was also when Doseungwoo¡¯s and Dogyeongwoo¡¯s gazes met during their fast movements. Doseungwoo glared at Dogyeongwoo. Dogyeongwoo¡¯s gaze was indifferent. ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± A gaze that seemed to say there was nothing special. Doseungwoo felt an unfamiliar discomfort in his gaze. No, it was a kick of inferiority. The inferiority that had been hidden all this time rose upon looking into Dogyeongwoo¡¯s eyes. ¡°This brat¡­!¡± Don¡¯t ignore me. Doseungwoo clenched his teeth, holding back the words that were about to burst out. He struck Dogyeongwoo¡¯s sword and immediately assumed the Suwangryu stance. £¼Suwangryu Attack Form Type 3£¾ At that moment, Dogyeongwoo also responded. He adjusted his stance in line with Doseungwoo and stepped one foot back. Mana surged in his swordsmanship. Lion Iron Armor In the world that Doseungwoo gazes upon, his swordsmanship unfolds, flying from right to left towards Dogyeonwoo. A strike like a whip of iron bends, aiming for Dogyeonwoo¡¯s side. ©¤©¤!! As Dogyeonwoo¡¯s blade points towards the ground, he raises the sword in a perpendicular direction. His right hand on the hilt moves downward, while the left hand below moves upward, changing the grip. Thus¡­ From Noble mtl dot com £¼Water King Style Defense Form 2£¾ Lion Iron Armor Activating the mana circuit in the lower body, firmly holding the ground to prevent the feet from leaving. Activating the mana circuit in the arms, deflecting the impact downwards through the body, a defensive form. Although easy to learn as part of Form 2, it was a highly challenging swordsmanship. It was almost like cutting flesh and taking bones. In fact, Form 2 was a swordsmanship meant to progress towards another defense form. ¡°Gah¡­!¡± However, Dogyeonwoo unfolded the Lion Iron Armor to block the attack. Doseungwoo clicked his tongue in frustration. Flesh Slashing Bone Breaking. If Dogyeonwoo gave in like this, it would be Doseungwoo¡¯s turn to take his bones. ¡®What attack form can follow the Lion Iron Armor¡­¡¯ Doseungwoo quickly turned his head. A situation where he could face a counterattack. His mind calculated the possibilities more urgently than ever. Thus, the calculated possibilities were two. ¡®Form 3 Lion Iron Edge.¡¯ And Form 4 Lion Whirlwind. Dogyeonwoo had no other attacking form to use in this situation. ¡®Which one will it be?¡¯ Doseungwoo observed Dogyeonwoo¡¯s movements, preparing to respond accordingly. At that moment, Dogyeonwoo moved. Dogyeonwoo¡­ didn¡¯t unfold his swordsmanship. Instead, he suddenly delivered a spinning kick, striking Dosungwoo¡¯s chest. Caught off guard by the unexpected attack, he was pushed back. Right after¡­ ¡°Slow.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± A smirk formed on Dogyunwoo¡¯s lips. Dosungwoo¡¯s face twisted. Having been struck in the chest and pushed back, he quickly adjusted his stance to defend. However¡­ ¡°Too slow.¡± Him stepping back. Dogyunwoo stepping forward. Dogyunwoo took one step faster. In an instant, he spun around Dosungwoo and brought down his sword. ¡°¡­!¡± He needed to put up a defense. But his thoughts didn¡¯t follow. Above all, his body didn¡¯t comply. He couldn¡¯t stop it. It was unbelievable. Denying reality. Yet Dogyunwoo¡¯s sword relentlessly descended towards him. ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± A sharp impact struck the back of his head. Dosungwoo tried to withstand the impact. But as he took a step, he immediately lost balance and crumbled. Consciousness faded. No strength entered his body. ¡®No¡­¡¯ Dosungwoo tried to move his lips. But he couldn¡¯t as intended. Only his eyes moved, capturing Dogyunwoo at the end of his sight despite the situation. Soon, his vision flipped upside down, and Dogyunwoo¡¯s figure turned upside down. In that state¡­ ¡°Sleep well, it was nothing special.¡± Dogyunwoo¡¯s smirk appeared. His words faded away in the fading consciousness. Eventually, consciousness was cut off. Chapter 17 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 16 Chapter 16 The top floor of the Shingeom Dogga main house was a space designed for the head of the family. ¡°Hmm.¡± The head of the family, Doyeik, was there. Despite being at the peak of all the lions, he did not neglect his training, even on the day of the banquet. After swinging his sword vigorously, he washed his sweaty body. And then¡­ ¡°Refreshing.¡± With a wet towel on his head and only a towel around his waist, Doyeik entered the sauna. Phew. He spent time in the scorching heat that an ordinary person could not bear, not even controlling his mana. Even though sweat flowed endlessly, there was not a hint of disturbance in his breathing. In that state¡­ ¡°It seems everyone has gathered.¡± Without spreading his sensory net, Doyeik expanded his senses to grasp the relatives in the main house. Unlike ordinary people, handling mana and sensing the movements of those who had trained with swords since childhood was not a difficult task for him. Soon, he withdrew his senses. ¡°Since everyone seems to be here, I should start preparing as well.¡± The banquet will begin shortly. Even though the troublesome offspring had arrived, as the head of the family, he couldn¡¯t be late for the annual event because of his position. At that moment, the head secretary arrived. ¡°Sir, the banquet is scheduled to begin shortly.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯ll be out in a moment.¡± The head secretary relayed the message from outside the door. Doyeik gripped the towel on his head and got up from his seat. As he opened the door, the heat and steam from the sauna escaped. ¡°I will assist you in preparing.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Even in that heat. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The secretary, wearing frost-covered glasses, gestured to the servants behind him. The servants approached Doyeik and handed him his clothes. Doyeik took the clothes and put them on. Then, he asked the secretary. ¡°Did any issues arise with all the children gathered in one place?¡± ¡°There were no significant issues that required your attention, sir.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°However¡­.¡± The chief secretary paused for a moment. Doyeik remained silent, casting his gaze. Soon, the chief secretary spoke up. ¡°I heard that the two young masters have engaged in a noticeable dispute.¡± ¡°A dispute? Nothing significant. So, who was it that fought with whom?¡± ¡°It was Do Beomjun, the Sub Lord, and Do Sangjun, the Regional Chief.¡± ¡°Sangjun?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± His fifth son, Do Sangjun. A pitiful child who, despite his noble blood, had no talent and foolishly established a family with an ordinary person. Upon hearing Do Sangjun¡¯s name, Doyeik couldn¡¯t help but find it unsurprising. Due to going against the family¡¯s wishes and marrying, Sangjun knew his place and lived a humble life. Given his recent clash, it was inevitable that Doyeik would take an interest in his son¡¯s quarrel. ¡°It seems that the dispute has reignited due to the confrontation between the two from last time.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Soon, Doyeik understood. As the head of the family, he couldn¡¯t be unaware of the conflicts within the family. He recalled a recent incident where Do Beomjun and Do Sangjun clashed over their children¡¯s issues. ¡°The lad who used to live inconspicuously and quietly now shows such behavior due to his children¡¯s problems getting entangled. So, what happened then?¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Even if Sangjun had initiated it, he couldn¡¯t match Beomjun¡¯s influence. Doyeik asked, anticipating the answer. However, the chief secretary¡¯s response was completely different from what he had expected. ¡°By chance, when Do Seungwoo and Do Gyunwoo were about to engage in a duel, things shifted towards the parties resolving the issue themselves.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do Beomjun set up the stage, took everyone present to witness the duel between the two young lords.¡± ¡°Oh, how did that happen?¡± It was a completely unexpected turn of events. Doyeik clicked his tongue in disapproval. ¡°Sangjun is going to face a great humiliation.¡± Considering the current trend. With Beomjun and Seungwoo premeditating, Sangjun and Gyunwoo were set up for disgrace. Sangjun fell into a trap. Doyeik decided to no longer concern himself with the inevitable outcome. If the chief secretary hadn¡¯t spoken up immediately after. ¡°However, it is said that it was Do Gyunwoo who first proposed the duel.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do Gyenwoo has challenged Do Seungwoo to a duel.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°After seeing Do Seungwoo, Do Gyenwoo¡­.¡± Do Gyenwoo proposed a duel. Upon hearing the secretary¡¯s words, Do Yeiik couldn¡¯t help but doubt his ears. ¡°That kid¡­ said that?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m certain.¡± Rabbit, Do Gyenwoo. Once known as a promising figure in the family, he became the subject of contempt within the family due to his frail and timid nature. Do Yeiik couldn¡¯t believe that he had challenged Do Seungwoo to a duel. ¡®What is he thinking?¡¯ Do Yeiik got lost in his thoughts. Curiosity soon followed the thoughts. ¡°If we go now, will we be able to see it?¡± ¡°Most likely, by the time Lord Gaju arrives, it will already be over.¡± ¡°Then we must go see the outcome.¡± The outcome seemed predictable. However, the curiosity arose as to what exactly led Do Gyenwoo to challenge Do Seungwoo. Finally, Do Yeiik started to move his feet. * * * Any being is bound to reveal a vulnerability at the moment of attack. That is the moment of the hunt. I aimed for that moment¡­. ¡°Grow well, it was nothing special.¡± I pierced Do Seungwoo¡¯s side. The Suwangryu Defense Form 2 is fundamentally designed to defend against the opponent¡¯s attack with equal or greater force, so if one does not properly assess the opponent¡¯s skill, it cannot be used efficiently. However, I could compensate for this flaw with the instinct to evade. The instinct to evade helped regulate the distribution of power. [Skill level has increased.] [Instinct Control Lv 1 ¡ú 2] The level of Instinct Control has increased. As I brushed away the message that immediately popped up, I looked down at Do Seungwoo. Do Seungwoo was lying on the ground, showing his back. In a way, he seemed stuck. ¡°I didn¡¯t intend for it to end like this¡­.¡± Seeing Do Seungwoo lying unconscious on the ground, I felt a sense of regret wash over me. ¡°I haven¡¯t ruled out pretending it was a mistake and cutting off an arm or a leg¡­ But even so, that was not a viable option. It was beyond what I could handle. Even if the Divine Sword School emphasized competition, our family was not so obsessed with it as to cause turmoil within the clan or, most importantly, disregard human life. ¡°So I had planned to delay and toy with him instead, but damn it. I lost control of my strength. It was all because in the heat of the moment, I let my emotions get the best of me. ¡°Could I really not suggest we start over? Should I try suggesting it when he wakes up?¡± Do Seungwoo¡¯s excited expression overlapped with the face of the person who had tormented me in the past. Just looking at that face made me angry. Unknowingly, I gripped the sword with excessive force in my hand. And this was the result. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get up?¡± I prodded the person lying on the ground with the tip of my foot. He didn¡¯t even flinch. Suddenly, fear crept in. ¡°¡­Could he be dead?¡± Though I had struck with the blade, there was still no assurance. A wrong strike could indeed be fatal. Moreover, this was the first time I had used a blade to knock someone unconscious. Naturally, fear consumed me. ¡°Hey, get up. Get up, quickly.¡± I tapped his body with the sword. Still, he didn¡¯t regain consciousness, so I smacked his cheeks a few times. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be dead.¡± Smack! ¡°Get up, quickly.¡± Smack! ¡°Don¡¯t make me a murderer.¡± Smack! ¡°Seungwoo? Will you get up?¡± Smack! ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Oh, there was a reaction. When Do Seungwoo¡¯s cheeks turned red, he furrowed his brow. Only then could I finally breathe a sigh of relief. Realizing that confirming he was breathing was all that mattered, I noticed how I had forgotten this simple fact in a moment of agitation. That was when. ¡°Ah?¡± Grabbing the back of his neck and lifting him halfway up, I soon realized that something was flowing from his lower body. It was urine. His lower garment was damp enough for anyone to notice, with puddles spreading on the ground. Since the floor of the training ground was not dirt but a light yellowish color, it was vividly visible. ¡°Oh, he wet himself¡­.¡± Oops, did I say that too loudly? I belatedly observed the reactions of the people who had been watching the training. ¡°¡­.¡± People were gaping. Fainted, slapped, urinated ¨C it was Doseungwoo who had wet himself, yet his face looked as if he himself had received the blow. I looked at them and gulped. ¡°Looks like everyone saw it.¡± Well, with a puddle this big, it¡¯s impossible not to see. Without the need for me to announce it, people had already seen it. ¡°Ew, disgusting.¡± I instinctively stepped back. Before I knew it, Doseungwoo¡¯s urine had spread all the way to my feet. ¡°¡­At this rate, I might not be able to suggest another training session.¡± In any case, Doseungwoo¡¯s survival was confirmed. I let go of his neck and decided to return to Yeeun. Just then. ¡°hahahaha! Perhaps the training is already over, and there¡¯s nothing left to watch?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Regardless of who won or lost, let¡¯s encourage both as adults.¡± Suddenly, the training ground door creaked open, and adults started pouring in. Among them, I saw my father and mother. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I watched them approach and tilted my head. ¡°Seungwoo, well done. Gyenwoo, keep in mind that you lost¡­?¡± Gradually, they walked towards the training ground, looking at me and Doseungwoo. ¡°S-Seungwoo!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The eyes of the third elder, who was leading the people at the front, widened, and he let out a very surprised sound. His face contorted severely. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what it was.¡± I understood the situation and let go of Doseungwoo¡¯s neck. He collapsed once again. After that, what happened was¡­ It was complete chaos. ¡°What on earth did you do to make the child end up like this!?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Do Beomjun, Do Seungwoo¡¯s father. The third eldest uncle, who would often pick fights for no reason, was now flushed with anger, pacing back and forth. Then he tried to corner me somehow to resolve the situation. He was trying to invalidate the match by accusing me of using cowardly tactics. ¡°Hyung, what are you doing to the child right now! Are you out of your mind!? It was you who said not to interfere regardless of the outcome of the match! Don¡¯t you remember!?¡± ¡°Step aside! Do Sangjun!¡± Naturally, Father physically blocked the third eldest uncle from threatening or approaching me. And then, a physical altercation ensued as a natural progression. ¡°Hey, calm down a bit, will you!?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not moving from here!?¡± ¡°They say all the kids who were watching agreed that the match was fair!¡± ¡°Tch¡­! What do those young kids know, telling us to believe that!?¡± Apart from not using fists, the two of them pushed and pulled each other, even rolling on the ground in a sudden burst of aggression. ¡®¡­This is a complete mess.¡¯ I had no choice but to silently watch the scene. There was no way for me to intervene in the fight between the fathers. Meanwhile¡­ Another fight broke out elsewhere. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s say the match was fair! But what about hitting the child even after the match is over! What are we supposed to do about that!? Can¡¯t you see the child¡¯s swollen cheek!? That kid is a total thug!?¡± ¡°What? What did you say? Sir, please say it again. Did you just call my son a kid? A thug?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare hit our mother!¡± My mother and Do Seungwoo¡¯s mother. Even the mothers got into a fight. Both of them, eyes wide open as if refusing to back down, argued fiercely. And when one mother grabbed the other by the hair, Yeeun stepped in. ¡®Our mother is quite scary¡­.¡¯ It was strange to see my mother with a fierce expression and shouting. When we were at the main house, my mother would bow her head and act meekly towards others, so I never expected to see her like this. But leaving that aside¡­ ¡°Hey! Do Beomjun! Are you my brother!?¡± ¡°What did this guy just say!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! He called you a thug! Whether the child is from a lowly background or not!¡­.¡± ¡°What about your son being no different? The kid seems to have inherited your traits, that¡¯s why I always felt like giving him a good smack whenever I saw him, right? It¡¯s okay, Gyunwoo! You did well!¡± From Noble mtl dot com It was a complete mess. There was chaos like no other. It was so confusing whether this place was a martial arts sanctuary or a martial arts market. ¡°How can we calm this situation?¡± It seemed like the members of the clan had no intention of calming the situation. Instead, they seemed to be enjoying the chaos. It seemed like there was no hope of getting any help. I let out a sigh. And that¡¯s when it happened. ¡°What¡¯s going on here right now!¡± Suddenly, a roar erupted, filling the training ground to the brim. In the voice tinged with authority, there was a force that seemed to intimidate people. ¡°¡­.¡± After the roar subsided, Everyone fell silent. They all turned their heads in the direction where the sound came from, as if on cue. I did the same. ¡°It¡¯s a complete mess, no dignity at all.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A tall old man was approaching. The head of the Shin Sword Clan, the grandfather. ¡®Why is the grandfather here?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just me having that thought; probably everyone present was wondering the same. However, the grandfather seemed to have no intention of answering our questions. As soon as he approached us, the grandfather furrowed his brow. ¡°There¡¯s chaos like no other, chaos. Are you all really from a prestigious clan, acting like this? I¡¯m ashamed just looking at you.¡± Chapter 18 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 17 Chapter 17 Known as the strongest swordsman of the prominent clan of the era, the head of the clan, who ruled over all the clan¡¯s lions, had an additional title affixed to his name. Beast King. ¡°I came out of curiosity, but I never expected to witness you fighting like this.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°How did you grow so old without considering your manners?¡± In front of the title that demanded respect, reverence, and awe from all members of the clan. No one present dared to utter a word. At that moment, my father and the third eldest uncle, who had been rolling on the ground until then, quickly stood up and bowed their heads. Mother and Doseungwoo¡¯s mother also promptly stood beside them. ¡°If people from other clans were here besides our family, they would have probably mocked us not as descendants of lions, but as offspring of dogs.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°Did all you big shots want to disgrace the Shingeom Dogam by fighting like that? If you wanted to fight so badly, you should have fought with swords like a noble sword family! I am utterly disappointed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are no different. If your siblings were fighting so disgracefully, instead of just watching silently, you should have stopped them or intervened. But you just watched without saying a word? You are no different from them.¡± ¡°I apologize, Lord Gaju!¡± The head of the Shingeom Dogam in those days. Suwang, Doyeik. With the appearance of the grandfather who seemed to stand like a mountain in front of them, the situation was quickly resolved. Everyone, without exception, could not lift their heads in front of the grandfather. ¡®The sense of intimidation is no joke.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t lift my head either. I felt like I was being crushed by an unknown force. That feeling was not a misconception. [Exposed to Pressure.] [All abilities decrease by 10%.] The grandfather emitted pressure. Reading the message that appeared before me, I inwardly clicked my tongue. Even though he didn¡¯t fully reveal his momentum, the decrease in abilities was significant. ¡®He could easily be considered one of the strongest in Korea in the game.¡¯ The game ¡°Brave Hearts.¡± In this game, almost all stories take place in a school city with the protagonist Kang Hanbyeol, mainly centered around students. As a result, the world outside the school city, international affairs, and characters were not specifically addressed. The grandfather, the head of the Shingeom Dogam, could be said to fall into that category. However, he was casually mentioned in scenes related to the Shingeom Dogam. Each time, the grandfather was described as someone who wouldn¡¯t be out of place among Korea¡¯s top ranks. Having glimpsed a part of the power the grandfather displayed, I had no choice but to acknowledge it. ¡°So, why did you fight?¡± At that moment, the grandfather let out a deep sigh and probed into the situation. The tense atmosphere that had surrounded us just a while ago had vanished in an instant. [Escaped from Pressure.] [Decreased abilities are restored.] The grandfather had lifted the pressure. I discreetly cleared the message with my eyes and slowly raised my head. Around that time, the third eldest grandfather seemed to be responding to Grandfather as if seizing an opportunity. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not that¡­.¡± Blah blah, blah blah. The third eldest grandfather explained the sparring between me and Doseungwoo. The explanation was somewhat biased. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not like that¡­.¡± At that moment, Father seemed to interrupt the third eldest grandfather¡¯s words as if he couldn¡¯t accept them. ¡°Sir, look at Seungwoo¡¯s face.¡± ¡°Sir, Gyungwoo for no reason¡­.¡± Doseungwoo¡¯s mother and my mother tried to intervene quickly. As the situation seemed to flow similarly to a little while ago¡­. ¡°Enough, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Grandfather, with his thick eyebrows furrowed, completely cut off the conversation. It was an order from the head of the family. Father, Mother, the third eldest grandfather, and Doseungwoo¡¯s mother fell silent. ¡°Rather than hearing the story from you all, it might be better to hear it from the parties involved. Gyungwoo.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes, Grandfather.¡± It seemed like this would happen since Grandfather arrived at the training ground. I, when called, did not hesitate and walked up to Grandfather. ¡°Did you indeed challenge Seungwoo to a sparring match and win?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It felt like staring at a mountain. Up close, Grandfather¡¯s presence felt even more imposing. I was momentarily overwhelmed by that presence but quickly regained my composure. Then I spoke. ¡°Yes, I did request the sparring match first and it¡¯s true that I won.¡± ¡°Okay, then how did you win? Did you perhaps use unfair means¡­?¡± ¡°Just when I showed an opening, he struck me from behind, causing me to faint.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain in words¡­ but there were many people who witnessed the sparring, so if you ask them, you can get a more detailed account.¡± I answered honestly. I knew the explanation was lacking, but this was the best way to respond. To my response¡­. ¡°Is that so?¡± Grandfather¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. ¡°Well, considering you were focused on the sparring, it¡¯s understandable that you might not know. As you said, you can ask the other children about this matter.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why did you touch the one who fainted after the sparring ended?¡± ¡°We needed to confirm whether Seungwoo was dead or alive.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t react at all when she fainted, so I got scared and touched her.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, I slapped her.¡± I answered honestly. Upon hearing my response, I could see the third grandfather glaring at me. Next to him, Doseungwoo¡¯s mother was also giving me a similar look. I ignored their gazes. Meanwhile, having heard my words, the grandfather said¡­ ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Interesting, very.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Now, suddenly, my shoulders shook, and I burst into laughter out of the blue. From that laughter, Doseungwoo¡¯s parents seemed to sense an unfavorable turn. In that moment, the two of them seemed to be about to protest. ¡°Sir! Do you really believe what I said¡­?¡± ¡°When did I give you permission to speak?¡± However, they couldn¡¯t continue their argument in response to the grandfather¡¯s question. ¡°It was settled between the parties through a duel, and from what I¡¯ve heard, there doesn¡¯t seem to be any issue, so let¡¯s end it here.¡± ¡°But sir¡­?¡± ¡°Do you intend to keep embarrassing yourselves like this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You should just admit it. Or should I ask your son?¡± ¡°What? Sir, what do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°Seungwoo, it¡¯s time to wake up. I know you¡¯re conscious now.¡± ¡­Wait, wasn¡¯t he unconscious just now? Upon hearing the grandfather¡¯s words, I turned my head abruptly. The eyelids of Doseungwoo, who had been keeping his eyes shut, trembled. He soon opened his eyes, detached himself from his mother, and stood up respectfully. ¡°¡­Sir.¡± ¡°Tell the truth. Do you think Gyounwoo used dishonorable tactics? Do you think you won because of that?¡± ¡°¡­No, sir.¡± The grandfather was the head of the family. Even if Doseungwoo hated me, he couldn¡¯t risk his life to stubbornly lie in front of his grandfather. Faced with the grandfather¡¯s authority, his responses came instinctively, contrary to his will. And so, Doseungwoo had no choice but to admit defeat, his face contorted in defeat. ¡°Even though your son has admitted, will you continue to insist?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bring this matter up again.¡± With that, the situation was resolved. The third grandfather lowered his tail, and Doseungwoo¡¯s mother reddened her eyes as she ground her teeth. ¡°You¡¯ve all worked hard coming here today. Now that it¡¯s time for the banquet, let¡¯s save the unfinished stories for there.¡± Soon, the grandfather looked around. Then, suddenly, he turned to me. ¡°After the banquet, we¡¯ll assess your skills in the evaluation match.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± With those words to me, Grandfather left with the people at the table and headed to the training ground. The density of people in the training ground decreased. It was then that Mother approached. ¡°Gyunwoo?¡± Mother¡­ was smiling. *** I was dead. I couldn¡¯t erase the thought as I looked at Mother, with her hair disheveled like a mountain, smiling face. Not only that. There were scratches on Mother¡¯s elbows, and the jewelry attached to her clothes was torn off, swinging loosely. Seeing her in that state. ¡°Do you know what you did wrong?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± I couldn¡¯t make any excuses. I folded my arms, withdrew my smile, and bowed my head in front of Mother, whose face had turned cold. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What did you do wrong?¡± ¡°I challenged Doseungwoo to a duel, involving Mom and Dad.¡± ¡°And you think that was wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was an endlessly cold voice. I shrank at that voice. I had never had such a falling out with Mother before. No. ¨DIf only you hadn¡¯t been born¡­. It was a common occurrence in my past lives. Hearing what Mother said to me, I recalled a distant past memory that I had long since forgotten. My life wouldn¡¯t have been ruined! Because of you, because of you¡­! If only a person like you wasn¡¯t born¡­ In my past life, my mother would drink and often spew such words while crying. In severe cases, she would even hit me. ¡°I was wrong, I was wrong, so please stop hitting me now. I¡¯m sorry for being born, I was wrong¡­.¡± In such situations, there wasn¡¯t much a young me could do. At most, I could hunch my body to minimize the blows or ask for forgiveness even when I hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. That was all I could do. And then, my mother would come to her senses, embrace me, and say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m truly sorry¡­.¡± In my past life, my mother cried a lot. Perhaps that¡¯s why even after hitting me, her tears wouldn¡¯t stop. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Every time, I would tightly hug my mother. I despised the mother who hit me, but I knew I had no one else to rely on besides her. As for the father figure? I didn¡¯t even know what happened to him after he left with another woman. That¡¯s why I comforted my mother. ¡°I was completely wrong.¡± So please don¡¯t abandon me. I patted my mother¡¯s back, silently praying earnestly. But my wishes went unanswered. ¡°When I earn a lot of money in the future, I¡¯ll come back to get you. Can you wait here quietly until then?¡± Ten years old. In the end, I was abandoned at an orphanage. Even if my mother sweet-talked me, I was old enough to know the truth. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll wait.¡± Nevertheless, I fell for it. In the end, I realized that no matter how much I held onto my mother, it was all in vain. ¡°Take care.¡± Even though my past mother abandoned me, she never once referred to herself as ¡°mom,¡± not even once. Perhaps she didn¡¯t know. And since then, how did I live? ¡°I don¡¯t have parents, so I have no dignity, huh?¡± Living without anything to lose, without anything to fear, I just carried on. Yet, being abandoned by my mother, the only memory that remains is unforgettable. To the extent that it was engraved even in my past life. I projected the specter of my past mother onto the one who scolded me, my current mother. My mother, my past mother, was speaking to me. ¡°What you did wrong¡­!¡± ¡°If only you hadn¡¯t been born¡­!¡± How should I seek forgiveness? Should I confess my wrongdoings after birth to be forgiven? It was when I tightly shut my eyes. ¡°I¡­ I was angry because you didn¡¯t tell me that Kyungwoo had been bothering you all this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Something rested on my head. I opened my eyes to a gentle touch caressing my head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± In front of me was my mother. She had a face that seemed neither to cry nor to smile. Immediately, she embraced me. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not knowing all this time¡­ I was wrong.¡± ¡°¡­Mother?¡± As if she would comfort me. She hugged me, her arms tightening around me. Her shoulders trembled as if sobbing. I could only stand there dumbfounded. ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what it was.¡± Before I knew it, a smile crept onto my face. In an awkward position, I cautiously reached out my hand that had been fumbling in the air and placed it on my mother¡¯s back. Whispering to her, who was apologizing repeatedly for her mistake, I said, ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be sorry. For not speaking up. I won¡¯t do that again.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo¡­.¡± Before realizing my past life, my heart needlessly worried about others, so I suffered alone just to avoid causing my parents any concern. But upon reflecting on my past life, it seemed that such a heart had caused even greater pain in my parents¡¯ hearts. I patted my mother¡¯s back, reflecting on my past life and feeling remorse. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± And I expressed my gratitude to my parents. Thankful that my father was my father, and my mother was my mother. ¡°Oh¡­ Mom, don¡¯t cry¡­.¡± ¡°Okay, Ye-eun, let Mom hug you. Come here.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Oh, my beautiful child.¡± ¡°Mom, when you were arguing earlier, did I do the right thing by siding with the eldest grandmother of the third eldest grandfather? I did well, right?¡± ¡°Really? You did that? You did well.¡± ¡°I poked them hard!¡± ¡°¡­Before dinner, go wash your hands in the bathroom. You did well.¡± ¡­My emotions, returned. * * * Though I promised not to cause a scene, I ended up causing one after all. Nevertheless, it was somehow resolved. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Anyway¡­ I was going to scold them too, but if it¡¯s like this, what¡¯s the point of me stepping in. It¡¯s unavoidable.¡± To Dosangjun, the three people, supporting each other with their thin and delicate arms, looked lovely. He even thought about joining them to share the warmth of family. ¡°Oh dear¡­.¡± But time passed. By then, they had let go of their embrace. Dosangjun had no choice but to welcome his wife, who, despite her disheveled appearance, had a relieved expression on her face. Soon, his gaze fell on the scar on her arm. ¡°Are you okay? It must sting a lot, I can heal it with a spell¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I want this scar to heal on its own.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of pride for a mother.¡± His wife, Han Ji-ae, reached out to stop Dosang-jun as he was about to cast a spell. Then she smirked as if she were showing off. Dosang-jun was taken aback. ¡°Well, at the very least, I can use a cleanliness spell to tidy up your hair¡­.¡± ¡°And I am doing just that, dear.¡± ¡°Huh, why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to cut my hair.¡± ¡°What? Why all of a sudden, your hair?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want my hair to be grabbed again.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°It feels uncomfortable when my hair is long. So, I¡¯ve decided to cut it this time.¡± ¡°I like long hair¡­.¡± ¡°Huh? What did you just say?¡± Dosang-jun tried to persuade Han Ji-ae. However, he quickly turned his head sideways upon seeing her gaze. ¡°No, anything would suit you, even short hair.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± A smile spread across Han Ji-ae¡¯s face. Dosang-jun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. But his crisis was not completely over yet. She changed the subject. ¡°And you know you were wrong too, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already over, but I know we won¡¯t be sharing a bed for a while.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean¡­.¡± ¡°For a while, you¡¯ll sleep in Ye-eun¡¯s room. You¡¯ll have to manage on your own.¡± ¡°No, honey¡­.¡± ¡°Kids, you¡¯re unbelievable. Hurry up, freshen up, and let¡¯s go to the dinner party.¡± ¡°Honey?¡± Leaving the dumbfounded Dosang-jun behind, Han Ji-ae took Doh Geon-woo and Doh Ye-eun and left the training ground. ¡°Ugh, really¡­.¡± Before he knew it, Dosang-jun was left alone at the training ground. Soon, he let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Why does my son forgive easily while I don¡¯t?¡± It¡¯s so unfair. Dosang-jun sighed. Chapter 19 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 18 Chapter 18 Dinner Gathering [Illustration] The time for the dinner gathering was approaching. People from the Shingeom Do family were entering the dining hall right on schedule. ¡°They are really pouring in.¡± Having freshened up in the private room, I sat quietly observing the scene. Seven immediate family members, who were obliged to attend as the grandchildren of the grandfather. In addition, five relatives from the side branches also attended. With a total of twelve families gathering, the number was staggering. As a result, the stream of people entering the dining hall was incessant. ¡°Even if we calculate four people per family, there must be at least 48 attendees.¡± In reality, the actual number of attendees would be much higher. Although I had attended the family¡¯s annual event a few times, each time I couldn¡¯t help but be awed by the sheer size of the family. Indeed, it was the Shingeom Do family with a history spanning over 200 years. ¡°So, they must belong to the Ten Noble Clans.¡± Eventually, as the line of people diminished and few seats remained vacant. ¡°Ah.¡± It was around the time when the dinner was about to start that I could see people entering the dining hall, glancing around. It was the Dosungwoo family. In the past, they would have engaged in conversations with those around while taking their seats, but not this time. ¡°They seem embarrassed.¡± Ignoring the gazes around them, they swiftly made their way to their designated seats guided by the servants. Just a while ago, embarrassed by their conduct in the training ground, they couldn¡¯t even lift their heads properly. But coincidentally¡­ ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Dogyunwoo¡­.¡± Their assigned seats happened to be directly across from where our family was seated. Dosungwoo¡¯s face creased. Especially Dosungwoo¡¯s expression was a spectacle. That guy growled at me. Meanwhile, I, in a kind gesture, showed concern for such a guy. ¡°Didn¡¯t get seriously hurt, did you? Do you know how shocked I was earlier? I never expected you to faint from just one attack from behind.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°You need to build up your stamina a bit.¡± Silence. It was clear that Doseungwoo was clenching his teeth. Meanwhile, I broke into a wide smile. ¡°By the way, did you change your underwear properly?¡± ¡­! Doseungwoo¡¯s face turned crimson, his eyes widening as if he could kill me any moment. But I wasn¡¯t afraid, and it seemed the people eavesdropping on our conversation felt the same way. ¡°Do you really need to change your underwear? You can just make it disappear with a cleansing spell.¡± ¡°Ah, but it still feels awkward. Would you wear the same underwear every day then?¡± ¡°But the clothes you¡¯re wearing now are the same as before¡­¡± Laughter echoed from all around. The mockery, starting from the immediate family, spread all the way to where the distant relatives were seated. Those who didn¡¯t have a good relationship with Doseungwoo¡¯s family or could stand up to their influence burst into laughter. ¡°Heh¡­¡± The Doseungwoo family all blushed, grinding their teeth at the sound. Even if they stood up to the mockery, they knew it would only make things worse. ¡®If I had lost, our family would have faced such humiliation.¡¯ Doseungwoo looked pitiful. But that was all. Before realizing my past life, I might have empathized with how Doseungwoo was feeling, but now, I simply felt relieved that it wasn¡¯t my family facing the disgrace instead. And then, it happened. Thud. ¡°¡­!¡± A loud sound, as if someone had slammed the floor with a cane, reverberated in an instant. The chatter that was circulating around the banquet hall came to an abrupt halt at the sound that seemed to have originated right by their ears. Everyone turned their heads in the direction of the door. ¡°Is everyone gathered here. Quite a turnout.¡± ¡­! The head of the Shinjung Do Clan, Doyeik. Grandfather stood there. ¡°But why aren¡¯t you all sitting down? Do you plan to keep standing there?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ No, Grandfather.¡± Even though Grandfather must have grasped the situation from outside. He pretended not to notice and addressed Doseungwoo¡¯s family. Upon which, the Doseungwoo family hastily took their seats, flustered. Grandfather passed by them, taking his seat at the head, and spoke to the guests. ¡°I¡¯m hungry, so let¡¯s eat.¡± The dinner party began. ? The reason why the noble families prospered in the game was because the game¡¯s worldview was set in an era about 200 years after a great upheaval, and also because a certain ideology provided a foundation for the existence of noble families. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That ideology was to ¡®create superior hunters¡¯. That was it. A time when the world faced destruction once due to the great upheaval. The survivors strongly desired beings who could protect them from monsters. Those beings were the hunters. Hunters who conquered gates, possessed the strength to fight monsters were revered as heroes. Thanks to their existence, the world could be rebuilt. Yet, people still feared. Having already faced destruction once. And there was no guarantee it wouldn¡¯t happen again. To create superior hunters. As long as monsters exist in this world. As long as gates exist. True peace does not come. Humanity had to continue fighting to avoid extinction. To create superior hunters. That¡¯s why they were not satisfied. In the face of threats to humanity, they sought to strengthen the hunters¡¯ power in the new world. To create superior hunters. It was a global epidemic, a madness that spread. People did not hesitate to do anything to create more and superior hunters. Noble families were the result of such a process, a manifestation of madness. A frenzy to ensure the hunter lineage continues, to strengthen existing lineages, and to increase their numbers. A symbiotic relationship between ordinary people who want to live in a safe world and hunters who seek eternal power. That¡¯s how the noble families prospered. And the outcome¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not just one grandma.¡± I didn¡¯t attend the dinner party. It was quite absurd to realize that I had five grandmothers in my past life, forming a complicated family tree I would have found unbelievable. Hence, making my direct lineage seven. ¡°And our father is the fifth among seven siblings, now the son of the youngest fourth grandmother¡­.¡± Truly, the family tree was unbelievably intricate. As I mentally traced the genealogy, the servants served me food one after another, which I quietly savored, refraining from vocalizing my thoughts as praising the intriguing and delicious dishes might turn into a jest. On the other hand, Yeeun was different. ¡°Oppa, this is delicious.¡± ¡°¡­Would you like to try mine too?¡± ¡°Really? Can I?¡± For the first time, tasting lamb and expressing admiration, Yeeun whispered to me. Yeeun¡¯s eyes sparkled. Finding her adorable, I immediately cut and placed the remaining meat on her plate. ¡°Gyunwoo, Yeeun.¡± Mother seemed to be hinting with her lips moving as if to speak, but we pretended not to hear. ¡°What does it matter what others say? If Yeeun wants to eat.¡± There was no need to be cautious about such matters. Perhaps Mother also thought so, as she no longer reproached us. ¡°By the way, who is Grandfather talking to now?¡± I subtly glanced at the head seat of the table where Grandfather was sitting in a row. The family members were assigned to separate tables, and in the case of direct descendants, they were seated close to Grandfather according to birth order. Since our father was the fifth, we were seated somewhere in the middle. However, with many members from other families, the distance between us and Grandfather was quite significant. Consequently, the conversation took longer to reach us. ¡°¡­Yes, continue to strive in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Grandfather had just finished his conversation with the eldest grandfather¡¯s family. With six members in that family alone, exchanging brief updates already took a considerable amount of time. ¡°At least that¡¯s over quickly.¡± If more people who were either attending the current academy city or had special reasons for not being present were added¡­. It was a dreadful thought. Around that time, Grandfather engaged in a conversation with the second eldest grandfather¡¯s family. Following that, the person to converse with Grandfather was the second eldest grandfather¡¯s second child, and eldest daughter, Dohsieun. ¡°Next is¡­ our Sieun.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± With striking blue eyes, Grandfather was particularly fond of Sieun, the most impressive girl among his grandchildren. ¡°¡­.¡± The moment had come for her. As if on cue, the members of the prestigious family paused their movements as if in agreement or anticipation. To the extent of caution and admiration, she was considered the most promising among the third generation of the Hyeon Singum Do clan. She was also a character in the game, Doshieun. ¡°Well, knowing that makes me quite pleased.¡± The lightning flower of the Hyeon Singum Do clan. In the academy where Kang Hanbyeol would attend, she was the strongest student council president reigning over the academy when he was a first-year student. The mediator between me and Do Seungwoo. After graduating from the academy, she would join the Regulus Clan in the Academy City, becoming a supporter who would assist Kang Hanbyeol. I had never been involved in anything negative with her, yet recalling information about her made me feel inexplicably close to her. And then, it happened. ¡°I heard news that you triggered the sign of the Thunder Bomb.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± At the words her grandfather directed at Doshieun, a commotion swept through the room for a moment. ¡°The Thunder Bomb?¡± ¡°Shieun triggered the Thunder Bomb?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­.¡± ¡°What could a middle schooler¡­.¡± Forgetting to lower their voices, those who had been eavesdropping couldn¡¯t contain their astonishment. It was understandable. Triggering the Thunder Bomb was not something that could be done just because one belonged to the Hyeon Singum Do clan. It was an area that required a certain level of accomplishment in the Suwangryu. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s her, it¡¯s quite plausible.¡± The fact that she had done it at the age of fourteen was naturally astounding to people. Of course, knowing Doshieun¡¯s abilities, it wasn¡¯t as surprising to me. The fact that she was to be my ally only promised a bright future. Meanwhile, amidst the murmurs of the people, the conversation between the grandfather and Doshieun proceeded smoothly. ¡°You¡¯re still young, yet you¡¯ve already achieved such a feat. Truly remarkable.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you. I will strive to deliver good results to you soon, Grandfather.¡± ¡°Yes, I am looking forward to it. If you make the Thunder Bomb yours, you will become the youngest person to trigger it after the 2nd head of the family.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s too much for me.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s within your reach. I hope to see you grow into a lion who can surpass that person.¡± ¡°I will do my best.¡± Despite receiving praise from her grandfather, Doshieun maintained a calm demeanor without showing any emotional disturbance. Her grandfather chuckled, amused by what was so delightful. Soon, their conversation came to an end. The grandfather turned his attention to Doshieun¡¯s younger sibling, and she¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Cityeun suddenly turned her head. She was quietly staring in my direction. ¡°What¡¯s there?¡± I looked around at the thought. There was nothing noteworthy. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yet she continued to gaze in this direction. For some reason, it felt like her gaze was directed right at me. ¡°Could she be looking at me?¡± It might be my imagination, but I couldn¡¯t shake that feeling. ¡°Sister, hello?¡± Did she catch me staring at her? I lightly nodded towards her. ¡°¡­.¡± Cityeun also turned her head. After that, she averted her gaze and quietly started eating. ¡°I should finish my meal too.¡± I¡¯ve hardly had a chance to talk with her before, but next time, I should at least try to strike up a conversation. With that thought in mind, I decided to wait for our family¡¯s turn to eat. ? Before long, when Grandfather asked about the recent whereabouts of the Dosungwoo family, ¡°Come to think of it¡­.¡± As if a thought suddenly struck him, Grandfather spoke to the people around him. ¡°Not long ago, there was news about that Tuigwi (ô^¹í) fellow.¡± Tuigwi. There was only one person Grandfather referred to as Tuigwi without hesitation. ¡°Is it that person?¡± A hunter who, despite living in the same generation as Grandfather, was considered an outsider. Tuigwi, Seo Jungjin. A figure also appearing in the game. ¡°He said something amusing. Truly¡­ I didn¡¯t expect that from him.¡± That person was often mentioned in the game. Well¡­. ¡°I don¡¯t know what got into him, but he took on a disciple.¡± Because he was Kang Hanyeol¡¯s master. Chapter 20 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 19 Chapter 19 The prologue of ¡°Brave Hearts¡± begins with Tu-gwi Seo Jeong-jin searching for an orphanage to recruit a disciple. From Noble mtl dot com And at that orphanage¡­ ¡°Seo Jeong-jin¡± ¡°You possess the talent of a hunter.¡± He meets Kang Han-byeol. In the game, their encounter was described as follows: ¡°Although it was regrettable for the children, there was no child that captivated Seo Jeong-jin¡¯s heart. He reluctantly turned away from that place.¡± ¡­(omission)¡­ ¡°Seo Jeong-jin suddenly stopped in his tracks. Ignoring the orphanage director¡¯s doubts, he turned his body towards the garden.¡± ¡°There was no specific purpose. No, if anything, it was a feeling. He simply followed his instincts.¡± ¡­(omission)¡­ ¡°Beyond that, there was something he sought. Seo Jeong-jin was drawn by an indescribable, unknown feeling.¡± ¡°Hence, that meeting was a mere coincidence, yet in a sense, it could be called inevitable.¡± A man who lived crazed by killing monsters, resembling a bandit. A boy who lost his family in an accident and closed off his heart, living alone. In a world where spring petals fluttered, their first encounter was incredibly memorable. So much so that it remains vivid in memory. ¡°Seo Jeong-jin¡± ¡°I will make you the greatest hunter.¡± That¡¯s how Seo Jeong-jin adopted Kang Han-byeol and taught her everything he had achieved. From then on, the scene of a lifeless Kang Han-byeol living with Seo Jeong-jin, training, and rapidly growing into a protagonist-like figure quickly passed by. Years passed like that¡­ ¡°Seo Jeong-jin¡± ¡°I have nothing more to teach you. The rest, you must awaken to on your own as you venture out into the world.¡± The year Kang Han-byeol turned 17. Seo Jeong-jin issued the retirement order. ¡°Kang Han-byeol¡± ¡°I express my gratitude to Master. I will do my best to make sure that as Master¡¯s disciple, I can let the world know of Master¡¯s greatness as a hunter without shame!¡± The prologue ends there. After that, Kang Han-byeol heads to the Academy City and enrolls in the academy. The game begins at that point. Building a foundation to quickly grow by learning all sorts of combat skills from Seo Jeong-jin. Also, overcoming past pains, showing a resilient character that doesn¡¯t yield to obstacles. *** ¡°They must be in the midst of a lively adventure by now.¡± Recalling the prologue of the game, I forced a bitter smile. Although I wished to meet Kang Han-byeol and help her grow, sadly, I had decided to suppress that desire. Until the main story begins, Kang Han-byeol could be left in Seo Jeong-jin¡¯s care. ¡°If I were to meet Kang Han-byeol, I might unintentionally influence her character development and disrupt the story.¡± It was different from Yeon Ha-neul. Yeon Ha-neul appeared as a mid-boss with a separate ending, yet had minimal impact on the story. Even if Yeon Ha-neul¡¯s story were detached, it wouldn¡¯t significantly alter the overall story flow. On the contrary, approaching Kang Han-byeol, the protagonist intertwined with all stories, required special attention. At least for now, when Kang Han-byeol¡¯s character is evolving, it¡¯s better not to interfere. That was my judgment. ¡°Managing the heavens alone is overwhelming, and I¡¯m busy with my own growth. How can I spare the attention?¡± Of course, that was also a reason. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Regardless, I was curious about Kang Han-byeol¡¯s news and had tried to inquire through my father, but it seemed to be in vain. Meanwhile, the people at the banquet seemed quite unsettled. ¡°Lord Gaju, is that really true?¡± ¡°The Ghost Master took in a disciple¡­¡± ¡°The Ghost Master?¡± ¡°Which family does the child belong to?¡± When asked about the rising powerhouse among the hunters of the same generation as the grandfather, the existence that was inevitably mentioned along with the current leaders of the Ten Clans was none other than Tugwi. People couldn¡¯t help but be curious when they heard that Tugwi had taken on a disciple. To this, the grandfather replied, ¡°It seems he was called Strong Star. Two years ago, he adopted that child from an orphanage and took him on as his disciple.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s from any family. Maybe Tugwi didn¡¯t have ties to any other family. He didn¡¯t like being tied down, so he might have adopted a child with no background for that reason. Or, maybe he just wanted to raise a child who hadn¡¯t been influenced by anyone.¡± ¡°How old is this child?¡± ¡°They say he turned twelve this year.¡± ¡°Then¡­ some of the kids here will probably end up competing with him in the Academy City.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s likely.¡± ¡°Between ten and fourteen years old.¡± The eldest grandfather, who was considered the most likely successor as the next head of the Shingeom Do-ga. When the eldest grandfather spoke, the grandfather nodded. Then he turned his gaze to the audience. ¡°He told me this. He said to me, ¡®Let¡¯s see which is stronger, my disciple or the child from our family.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It may be a childish and obvious provocation, but we can¡¯t just ignore it. I believe our family should be far superior to any other. Naturally, even more so than his disciple.¡± By this point, it was unmistakable. I could anticipate what the grandfather would say next. ¡°So, I have high expectations for you who will be competing against his disciple.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I hope you will show a demeanor befitting the status of the Shingeom Do-ga.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I will keep that in mind, Grandfather¡­¡± Sure enough. The grandfather smiled as he gave his instructions. Between ten and fourteen years. The expressions of those who would meet Strong Star in Academy City were not so good. They reluctantly responded. ¡®Perhaps similar situations are unfolding in other families.¡¯ I followed suit with their responses. But I was not flustered. As someone who knew the flow of the game, I knew this situation was bound to happen. Perhaps Tugwi had not only taken on a disciple from the Shingeom Do-ga but had also provoked other families by doing so. As a result, Strong Star would garner the attention of the noble family from the moment he entered the school. ¡®Getting involved with people from the noble family, constantly getting into disputes¡­¡¯ Should we say it¡¯s the fate of the protagonist who never has a moment of peace? Naturally, as a member of Strong Star¡¯s party¡­ Damn. ¡°If it¡¯s Si-eun, I believe she will do well.¡± ¡°I will strive to live up to the expectations.¡± ¡°And Seung-woo.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± It occurred to me that Grandfather had originally intended to praise Seung-woo. At that moment, Grandfather called him. The one called stood up straight with his back straight. ¡°As a student of the Tugwi and the same age as that child, you will have many occasions to be involved with him. Show your true self.¡± ¡°¡­Yes! I will show my true self!¡± Pleased to receive Grandfather¡¯s approval, Seung-woo confidently replied, patting his chest. ¡®I might end up losing to Ganghanbyeol and losing my place in the family¡­.¡¯ I sighed without knowing my fate. I chuckled as I watched him. He continued to boast even more. ¡°My father taught me something, sir!¡± ¡°Oh? Shall we hear what Beom-jun taught you?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The third eldest grandfather raised an eyebrow. Seung-woo, emboldened by Grandfather¡¯s approval, spoke up. ¡°They say even a lion exerts all its strength to catch a single rabbit! Like that, I plan to fight with all my might, no matter who the opponent is!¡± ¡°Well, perhaps being overconfide¡­¡± Pffft! ¡°¡­.¡± Oh no. He had to stop blabbering like that. Seung-woo¡¯s overly confident babbling was amusing and bewildering, so I ended up just sipping my drink without reacting. As a result. ¡®Oh, darn¡­. I messed up.¡¯ When I barely managed to hold back my laughter, all eyes were on me. Grandfather was also looking at me. ¡°Did something funny happen?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s have a laugh together.¡± Not only did he interrupt what I was about to say, but he also burst into laughter in the middle of speaking. Grandfather kindly asked, but if I responded too lightly in this atmosphere, it would likely upset him. ¡°You, again¡­.¡± Father let out a small sigh. And then, feeling embarrassed for me, he tried to explain the situation. ¡°Sir, Gyunwoo was just drinking water¡­.¡± ¡°I asked Gyungwoo.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Gyungwoo, I wish you¡¯d tell me.¡± Father¡¯s words didn¡¯t have any effect. Grandfather, with his gentle face, was still waiting for my response. ¡®Oh well, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ There was no helping it. Just let it be as it may. When the spirit moves you, it moves you. I decided to be honest. ¡°Seungwoo said something funny.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Grandfather tilted his head in curiosity. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t seem upset. Instead, he seemed eager for my response, urging me to continue. I proceeded with my explanation. ¡°They say when a lion catches a rabbit, it exerts all its strength. But if a large lion says it will fill its belly with just one rabbit, would it really exert all its strength? It seems a bit strange to me.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ ¡° ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If a lion is willing to exert all its strength to catch just one rabbit, isn¡¯t the situation quite dangerous?¡± ¡°My lord! Dogyunwoo, that¡¯s nonsense¡­¡± ¡°I never asked you anything, Seungwoo.¡± ¡°I¡­ I apologize.¡± ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°In my opinion¡­ Yes, at the moment a lion tries to catch a rabbit, it¡¯s as good as over for the lion. But the lion confidently says it will do it, which is why it¡¯s amusing to me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If I have offended you in any way, my lord, I sincerely apologize.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even if it leads to trouble, let¡¯s speak our minds. Ignoring Father¡¯s objections, I confidently spoke to Grandfather even as others sighed in the background. Grandfather listened to my words without any visible reaction. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Ha ha! Quite amusing indeed!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Suddenly. Grandfather burst into hearty laughter. The laughter filled the dining hall so much that it silenced the family members who were watching Grandfather with concerned expressions. Soon, Grandfather¡¯s laughter subsided. ¡°Indeed¡­ Your words make sense. If a lion, aspiring to be the king of beasts, goes all out to catch a single rabbit, it may mark the end of the lion¡¯s life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As you contemplate the words you spoke today, consider if they apply to me as well.¡± ¡°Um¡­ There¡¯s probably no need for that¡­ Master, you are still in good health.¡± ¡°I appreciate you saying that. However, I find the proverb about constantly reflecting on oneself to guard against weakness quite valuable.¡± ¡­I didn¡¯t mean it that way. Grandfather, who added his own twist to my words, seemed quite pleased with himself. In that moment, it was hard to come up with a response. ¡®It seems I¡¯ve gained Grandfather¡¯s favor, so I¡¯ll just leave it at that.¡¯ There was no point in explaining further. I decided to let it slide. Meanwhile, feeling a sudden gaze on me, I looked towards the table opposite. ¡°Do Gyeonwoo¡­.¡± The third eldest and Do Seungwoo were both blushing intensely. Their stares felt piercing. ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t offer an explanation after all.¡¯ It felt good to let them figure it out on their own. So, I continued to enjoy my meal while sensing their gazes. *** Before long, it was Grandfather¡¯s turn to ask about our family¡¯s well-being. Unlike the other relatives, Grandfather didn¡¯t engage in much conversation with our family. ¡°Is everything okay with the branch in Songpa District?¡± ¡°Remember to take care of the little one¡¯s health.¡± Since my parents were somewhat estranged, and there were no significant topics to pique Grandfather¡¯s interest in our family, this was always the case. My parents politely answered his inquiries without showing much emotion and ended the conversation. My mother seemed relieved as the conversation ended smoothly. Eventually, it was my turn. ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t mentioned it yet. I¡¯m considering holding the evaluation match at the gate this time.¡± Grandfather turned his gaze towards me and suggested as if for the audience. This caused a stir among the people. ¡°Holding it at the gate¡­¡± ¡°What about the grading?¡± The age range for participants in the evaluation match was set from 8 to 16 years old. It was an age with many shortcomings. Those with children in that age group expressed their concerns. In such a situation¡­. ¡°I¡¯m going for the yellow.¡± ¡°Yellow?¡± ¡°Lord, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡± When Grandfather stated that he would target the high yellow gate after the white and gray ones, people couldn¡¯t help but feel awkward. Upon this, Grandfather chuckled. ¡°I am not unaware of your thoughts, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The evaluation tournament will take place in the gate targeted by the hunters of the family, ensuring safety. However, that doesn¡¯t mean safety can be completely guaranteed. So, it¡¯s up to each individual to decide whether to participate in this evaluation tournament.¡± ¡°Each individual¡¯s decision?¡± ¡°Instead¡­.¡± Grandfather paused for a moment and then pointed to those who were of the age to participate in the evaluation tournament. I was among them. ¡°For those who meet my expectations in the tournament, the family will give out one of the treasures we possess.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Giving out a treasure owned by the family. It was quite a radical condition. It was enough to surprise everyone. I was almost in a similar state of shock. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did he decide to go all out this time after hearing about the return of the spirit?¡± I don¡¯t even know. There was a good chance that the news of the spirit taking on an apprentice had ignited Grandfather¡¯s competitive spirit. And then it happened. ¡°But, Gyung-woo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± While explaining about the evaluation tournament. Out of the blue, Grandfather called me. Our eyes met in an instant. ¡°I really hope you participate. I want to see with my own eyes how you defeated the spirits and how much you¡¯ve grown all this time.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Caught. It seems like I was caught, after all. Though Grandfather¡¯s tone was gentle, there was an undeniable sense of command in his words. It was an order from the head of the family. I had to comply with that order. ¡°Yes, please watch over me.¡± ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll be expecting great things from you.¡± Perfect timing. I was already racking my brain to acquire the courage skill. [The target¡¯s caliber is too high.] [Unable to view the status window.] However, if one were to ask a grandfather with such high caliber that even checking the status window is impossible, one might gain courage. To do so, attracting attention from the grandfather was a crucial opportunity. That opportunity could not be missed. ¡®Besides, if done well, one might even secure a treasure from the family report¡­¡¯ Killing two birds with one stone, there was no better deal. I raised the corners of my mouth. And so, as the dinner party came to an end¡­ ¡°Then let¡¯s change seats.¡± The evaluation round began. Chapter 21 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 20 Chapter 20 Evaluation Round As the dinner party came to an end, People returned to their assigned rooms for a brief rest. Then, at the appointed time, they gathered at the central entrance on the first floor. Finally, the grandfather, who descended the stairs last, scanned the crowd. ¡°Are these all the people here?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Except for those staying in their rooms due to poor health, everyone else has come out.¡± ¡°I see. Then let¡¯s head to the artificial gate. If there¡¯s anyone who might be late or has a change of heart and wishes to participate in the evaluation round, tell them to come to the artificial gate.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± The manager in charge of all the household staff reported the headcount. The grandfather, nodding slowly, followed the manager¡¯s guidance. My family and I, along with other members of the family, soon followed the grandfather. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°You¡¯re staying in your room as well¡­?¡± ¡°How can I wait in my room when Geonyu is participating?¡± As my parents descended the stairs, they murmured to each other. Internally, Father seemed uneasy about Mother, an ordinary person, entering the gate. But Mother remained resolute. Under the protection of the hunters of the prestigious family, just observing shouldn¡¯t be too risky. Plus, you¡¯re there, right? ¡°Mom! I¡¯m here too!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Fine, got it. Then, stay close by my side, okay? Yeeun, don¡¯t fool around at the gate.¡± ¡°Yes, Mom.¡± In the end, Father had to raise his hand. I chuckled as I heard Mother respond following Yeeun. ¡°hahahaha. They seem close.¡± I wonder if Grandfather heard too? As Grandfather, who was walking ahead of us, smiled slightly, we could hear him say something that felt like a gentle scolding. Glancing back at us subtly, it seemed he was right. ¡®Before, they wouldn¡¯t even give us the time of day¡­¡¯ In the past, our family wouldn¡¯t have bothered to listen to our words. No, our family would have just kept their mouths shut, unwilling to be involved even a bit. But now, by defeating Doseungwoo, I seemed to have sparked a change in the family¡¯s emotions and caught Grandfather¡¯s attention. ¡®Not bad. No, good.¡¯ As my standing within the family grew, their spirits rose accordingly. With every step up in the family hierarchy, it seemed to invigorate them. Another reason surfaced for me to shine in this upcoming evaluation match. How much time had passed since then? ¡°The gate seems to be running smoothly.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Shingum Do-ga Headquarters, Basement 3rd Floor. We could enter the room where the artificial gate was installed. It was evident that the gate was operational, as it was tinged with yellow. At that moment, a hunter guarding the artificial gate approached us and explained. ¡°As the attack was launched in sync with the start of the banquet, unless something unexpected happens, by now they should have completed setting up the stage and be waiting inside.¡± ¡°Alright, good job.¡± It meant that they had to some extent eliminated the dangers within the artificial gate. After receiving the report from the hunter, Grandfather placed his hand on the yellow dimension. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s all go in.¡± After saying that, Grandfather entered the gate. Soon after, others followed suit. In an instant, our sight was enveloped in yellow¡­ [Entered the gate.] [Yellow: Domain of the Lord IV] Whoosh! When our sight returned to normal, We were suddenly hit by a strong wind blowing from the other side. ¡°The wind is no joke.¡± It was hard to open my eyes. Urgently brushing off the messages with my hands, I raised both arms to block the wind. Only after the wind calmed down could I take in the world before my eyes. I lowered my raised arms. ¡°¡­.¡± Beyond that. A vast jungle spread out. It was only then that I realized I was standing on a cliff right now. Below my feet, thick grass and steep cliffs caught my eye. The height of the cliff was considerable. Amidst that¡­ [The strategy conditions will be delivered sequentially.] [Descend the cliff.] A message appeared in front of me. It was the first strategy condition. ¡°Descend this cliff¡­.¡± ¡°How do they expect us to descend here?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± By that time, it seemed like others had also checked the strategy conditions. The faces of the participants in the strategy session turned pale as they peered down the cliff. Undoubtedly, it was terrifying. I was momentarily taken aback as well. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the evaluation match now.¡± Nevertheless, the grandfather remained unfazed and calmly began speaking. *** ¡°You must have confirmed through the messages, but the conquest of this gate starts with you descending the cliff you¡¯re standing on.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°After descending the cliff, the gate will reveal the next strategy condition. According to the gate¡¯s strategy conditions, you must break through the jungle over there and head to the lake at the center.¡± The grandfather pointed with his finger. People¡¯s heads turned naturally. ¡°That lake.¡± Even amidst the lush and dense trees in the jungle, the lake was clearly visible. Under the sunlight, the lake sparkled, displaying its presence vividly. It was a view worth pure admiration if not for coming to conquer the gate. ¡°In that lake resides the Sovereign. It¡¯s a Rank 3 monster that one typically faces underwater, unseen beyond the lake¡¯s edge.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not suggesting you challenge the Sovereign by diving into the water, considering your abilities.¡± Grandfather chuckled. The participants who agreed to the evaluation let out relieved sighs. Naturally, I felt the same. ¡°We¡¯re not even students of the High Academy yet, and they want us to fight in the water; that¡¯s truly absurd.¡± Grandfather continued speaking. ¡°Considering your abilities¡­ the first hunters who entered have captured the Sovereign and sealed it on the surface to prevent it from entering the water.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve also weakened the Sovereign¡¯s power and placed debuffs. So, as you weaken it further, in its weakened state, you just need to kill the Sovereign as it surfaces. With this setup, you should be able to conquer it easily.¡± No one responded. Fighting on the surface already demanded significant difficulty. It was only marginally less challenging than entering the water, just a slight difference. Moreover¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not just about facing the Sovereign.¡± I estimated the distance from the cliff to the lake. It seemed like I would expend quite a bit of stamina on the way to the lake. Considering the possibility of encountering monsters hidden in the forest added to the challenge. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The hunters have already taken care of most of the monsters that might pose a threat to you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°There might be some monsters they overlooked¡­ but if that happens, we¡¯ll promptly come to your rescue.¡± Grandfather gestured to one side. The hunters had already set up seats for the family members to observe. Grandfather took a seat on the main seat and gazed at the massive screen floating in the air. The screen, divided into dozens of sections, displayed various parts of the forest. ¡°This is one of the artifacts used for communication within the gate. Through this artifact, we can monitor the forest in real-time and watch over you. There, young one.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± ¡°Give that to the children.¡± When Grandfather instructed a hunter, he brought a box near the seating area. Then, other hunters took items out of the box and distributed them to the participants of the evaluation. It was a choker with a camera. Named ¡®Screen Choker.¡¯ ¡°I see this here.¡± It was an artifact worn around the neck by students of the Academy in the Academy City when they had classes in the artificial gate. It could be considered a video transmission device. ¡°During the evaluation, you must wear it at all times. This way, we can closely monitor your performance during the evaluation and, most importantly, track your location. That¡¯s the ¡®Gate Watch,¡¯ which monitors mana levels and heart rate.¡± Next, they received a wristwatch made of sweat-resistant material. This, too, had appeared in the game. ¡°If you encounter any issues, we will immediately locate you through the artifact you¡¯re wearing and send nearby hunters to assist.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Since safety is guaranteed, don¡¯t worry needlessly and focus on conquering the gate. Be careful not to damage the artifact inadvertently.¡± Even without Grandfather¡¯s reminder, people handled artifacts as if they were precious items. After that. We learned how to use the artifact from nearby hunters. ¡°The evaluation match will last for 3 hours, so make sure to set the timer.¡± ? ¡°After defeating the boss, the person who contributes the most to the conquest among you will be given the gate key. When that happens, don¡¯t take the key outside; instead, hand it over to a nearby hunter and don¡¯t forget to leave.¡± The gate generated near the key. Therefore, if one wanted to change the location where the gate was created, it was necessary to move the gate key to the desired location. Grandfather had advised this in preparation for returning after the evaluation match. If the gate key was taken away, the gate would be fixed in that location, requiring spectators to move to the lake. ¡®Grandfather would be furious. Not just Grandfather, but others would be annoyed too¡­¡¯ If one didn¡¯t want to incur the family¡¯s displeasure, it was essential to remember. Of course, hunters waiting near the lake would prevent this from happening. For the record, the fixed gate would remain for 24 hours from the moment the gate key was taken. If 24 hours passed, the gate would completely disappear, and what would happen after that was unknown to anyone. ¡°Participants, stand at the edge of the cliff.¡± Anyway, after all the explanations were done. The time for the evaluation match was approaching. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Listening to Grandfather¡¯s voice, I bid farewell to my family. ¡°I¡¯ll be off then. Don¡¯t worry, just watch over and wait for me.¡± ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t get too confident in your skills. I know you won¡¯t, but¡­¡± ¡°Of course not. Do you think I would?¡± Father chuckled. Having verified my skills before, he didn¡¯t seem particularly worried. Mother, on the other hand, was different. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Be careful not to get hurt. Promise me, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry.¡± Overwhelmed by the world of the gate, Mother repeatedly gave her words of advice. Understanding Mother¡¯s feelings, I nodded my head. And Eunyeong¡­ ¡°I wish¡­ I could turn eight soon and participate in the evaluation match with my brother.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be back, Eunyeong.¡± ¡°Yeah! Stay strong, big brother!¡± Those who entered elementary school this year, whether direct or indirect relatives, all hesitated and eventually gave up on participating. Eunyeong, on the other hand, occasionally got excited watching the monsters reflected on the screen. She was a fearless younger sister. I stuck my tongue out at Yeeun and balanced on the edge of the cliff. ¡°Everyone must have set their timers, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then, when the starting signal drops, press the timer.¡± Including myself, there were a total of 17 participants in the assessment. We gazed down below the cliff at a certain distance. And then. Shoo! A hunter fired a gun towards the lake. Red smoke cut through the air. It was the signal marking the start of the assessment. We immediately activated the gate watch with the set time limit. 03:00:00 The remaining time was displayed on the watch. After confirming the artifact¡¯s operation, I tightly held the rope descending down the cliff. ¡°H-How do I go down this¡­.¡± By that time, others were also grabbing onto the rope, preparing to descend the cliff. Some hesitated. Trying to go down the cliff, their bodies didn¡¯t move as easily as they thought. ¡®Don¡¯t be afraid.¡¯ To not become like them. I tried to avoid looking down as much as possible and planted my feet on the steep cliff. Thankfully, going down once wasn¡¯t too difficult; afterwards, it was easier. Having somewhat gotten used to the sensation, I let go of the rope while relying on the safety harness attached to my body. My body swiftly descended. ¡°I-I give up!¡± At that moment, a voice was heard from above. It seemed like the first elimination had occurred. As I heard the fading sound, I manifested my inner mana. ¡®It¡¯s okay.¡¯ The instinct to evade was kicking in. Entrusting myself to the gift, I grabbed the rope at the right timing. Then, I swung in the air, pressing my body against the cliff. And as my feet touched the cliff, I leaped down again. ¨D¨D! The sound of the wind was fierce. It made my consciousness dizzy. However, the instinct to evade was holding onto my consciousness, indicating the right time to move. I reduced the time it takes to descend a cliff by repeating an action I had just taken. Eventually, with not much ground left¡­ Thud! I stepped on the rocks on the cliff like stairs to prevent a fall. Activating the mana circuit in my lower body, I leaped from the remaining height. The impact of the fall was absorbed through the two legs I placed on the ground. And so¡­ ¡°More manageable than I thought.¡± I landed safely. [I will now convey the next strategy condition.] [Break through the jungle and move to the Lake of Acquisition.] It was then that the message appeared. After reading the contents, I jumped into the jungle that unfolded before my eyes. Chapter 22 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 21 Chapter 21 The jungle was dense with greenery. The leaves and branches, grown so thick as to obscure the sky, blocked the sunlight, making it darker as one delved deeper inside. ¡°I need to be prepared for a surprise attack¡­¡± To acclimate to this darkness. Running through the jungle, I raised my body¡¯s abilities with internal mana and adjusted the distribution of mana within my body, focusing on enhancing my eyesight. My vision became sharper. Having quickly completed my adaptation to the darkness, I peered into the shadows. It was right at that moment that the attack came. Swish! Crack! Electricity flowed along the trunk. Instinct to evade kicked in. I immediately hit the brakes with my front paw and spun my body around. It was a close call. Thud! A moment ago, a boulder fell in the direction I was running. The ground was deeply dented by a boulder larger than a fist. If my reaction had been delayed, my head would have burst open from hitting the rock. ¡°Really vicious.¡± I turned my head towards where the rock had fallen. Around that time, as I twisted the detection net, the monsters lurking in the forest since I entered it began to rustle secretly. Kiki! Ookiki! Hiding in the darkness of the forest. Monsters in the form of lure monkeys with bright eyes on the trees. The moment I acknowledged their presence, a message appeared before my eyes. [Encountered monsters.] [Packet Ape (Rank. 01) x 7] Monsters that carry tools in their pockets, which they can throw at the opponent to attack, and I can throw back, the ¡®Packet Ape.¡¯ I recalled the information about them. ¡°There are many, but it shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡± In the game, once they throw all the tools in their pockets, their attack power significantly decreases. From then on, they were nothing more than aggressive monkeys. The information I learned from the Divine Sword School was not much different. Therefore. Kii! Ookiki! Kiki! I did not curse the disadvantage of the terrain that they were on the trees. I simply relied on my instinct to dodge the relentless attacks and avoided them. ¡°Avoiding is not difficult.¡± It was fast but monotonous attacks. For me, who was accustomed to instinctive evasion and adept at adapting, they were not a threat at all. And so, I became bold. Ting! Knowing that once they run out of throwing tools, they will try to escape as they become weaker, just like in the game. Occasionally, monsters fled during battles in the game, so it was not strange at all that it happened in this place where the game was reflected into reality. Ookiki? I couldn¡¯t leave it at that. Chasing those who were good at climbing trees and agile was not easy. It was beyond my capability at the moment. So, I seized every opportunity to counterattack while dodging their assaults. Kang! From Noble mtl dot com If you can sense it, you can strike. As soon as I sensed it with my evasion instinct, I hit back with a stone using my sword. ¡°It seems doable, right?¡± After a few strikes, I started to get the hang of it. I wrapped the internal mana around my sword and raised the stone high into the sky. ©¤©¤! The stone, flying in the same direction it came from, made a cracking sound and returned. Ukki!? Thud! There stood Packet Ape in that spot. Unaware of what had happened, he took the hit from the stone and fell under the tree. Crunch! Grrr¡­. There was a sound of something breaking. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to die. But it didn¡¯t matter. The guy who had fallen to the ground could be caught at any time now. ¡°Oh, is this how it¡¯s done?¡± Recalling the sensation from earlier, I swung the stone again. Clank!? ¡­Crunch! This time, it hit the mark once more. Another one fell to the ground. Judging by the lack of sound, it seemed he met his end instantly. Anyway¡­ ¡°Home run.¡± Even monkeys fall from trees. I witnessed not just one, but seven monkeys falling from the trees. And what happened next was¡­ Clank¡­ Cling¡­. ¡°I should¡¯ve learned transformation, too.¡± I put an end to those buried in the ground like stones thrown at us. Helpless, they had to watch as my sword pierced their hearts. ¡°It wasn¡¯t difficult to deal with them¡­ but it did consume quite a bit of mana.¡± There¡¯s no time to extract mana stones. The hunters lurking around, watching us, will take care of them. I absorbed the mana in the air to replenish my internal mana. Then, I checked the time. 02:26:11 Approximately 34 minutes have passed. Considering there¡¯s still a long way to go to reach the Lake of Sovereignty, the depletion of stamina will be even more severe than this. ¡°Can I kill him in this state?¡± I was skeptical. Even if the ruler is weakened, one cannot ignore the 3rd rank. ¡®I must preserve as much stamina and mana as possible to reach the ruler¡¯s lake¡­ Huh?¡¯ At that moment, something rolled out of the guy¡¯s pocket. It was a red fruit shaped like an apple. ¡°This is¡­.¡± I knew this fruit. Not from what I learned in my family, but from having seen all the endings of this game in my past life. [Fruit of Vitality] ¡ô Consumable Classification ¨DFruit ¡ô Detailed Description ¨DA fruit enjoyed by Puckit Apes, also used as an ingredient for potions. ¡ô Effects ¨DWhen consumed, restores 50 HP. It was the fruit I knew. ¡®Come to think of it, in the game, you could often find this fruit near the places where these guys appeared.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just this fruit. There was a blue fruit too. That¡¯s when the idea struck me. ¡°I should do some farming for a bit.¡± I made up my mind on what to do next. After collecting the fruits¡­. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t remove the mana stones, the bodies won¡¯t disappear, so¡­ it¡¯s a bit grim, but it must be done this way.¡± Rip. I tore open their pockets. Their pockets were stretchy, making it easy to hold the fruits. ¡°Monsters are living beings too¡­ sorry.¡± I felt a pang of conscience, but what could I do. First things first, I need to take care of myself. I gathered their bodies in one place, and on each one, I left boldly written letters on their chests. [Remove] [the] [mana] [stones] [please] [.] ¡°If I do this, they¡¯ll understand.¡± During the process, when the hunters take out the mana stones, the pocket I acquired will disappear. In that case, the fruits inside will surely fall out. So, I took action. ¡°If this were a game, the monsters would die, leaving only the loot and disappearing, so they probably didn¡¯t even think to use the pocket like this.¡± Of course, among the loot of the Packet Ape, there was his pocket. But I couldn¡¯t be certain that the pocket would always appear, so I had no choice but to take this approach. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll make good use of your pockets.¡± The corpses leaning against the trees. Some corpses had their eyes half-open, some had their eyes closed, and some had their heads crushed. I wished them peace and left. ¡°I¡¯ll head towards the Lake of Acquisition and look for fruits that catch my eye along the way.¡± Or maybe I¡¯ll look for monkeys. Having plucked the Fruit of Vitality, I decided to entirely rely on tree branches to move. *** At that moment, on the cliff. People were leisurely watching the evaluation battle while receiving the attention of servants. It was a scene contrasting with the children fighting for their lives in the jungle. Of course, for parents with children participating in the evaluation battle, it was different. They couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the screen. ¡°What should we do¡­ Is he dead?¡± ¡°He defended well with his body mana just before. He might feel a bit dizzy, but he¡¯s not dead.¡± ¡°Even if they weaken the monsters, isn¡¯t it useless if the apes gather in groups and roam around?¡± Twenty minutes had passed since the evaluation battle began. By that time, most of the participants in the evaluation battle had entered the edge of the jungle and encountered monsters. The 1st Rank monster attacking by riding trees, the Packet Ape. The participants who were ambushed by them were in disarray. Even those who had experienced real battles and achieved some success in the Royal Capital ultimately found themselves flustered in front of the trial of the Yellow Gate. Nevertheless, there were a few participants who stood out without yielding in such situations. ¡°There are many unnecessary movements, but they are handling it quite wisely.¡± ¡°Even if their attacks are fast, as long as there are shelters to protect the body, it¡¯s not a problem.¡± The master of the Divine Sword, Do Seung-woo. He held up his shield to block attacks, hiding behind rocks or trees to protect himself. When the attacks stopped, he counterattacked. ¡°He¡¯s skilled in wall walking.¡± ¡°My son learns fast. I taught him recently.¡± The head of the Shingeom Dojang, Doyeik. Doyeik praised his skills. At that moment, Doseungwoo¡¯s father, Dobumjun, beamed with satisfaction. ¡°So, Seungwoo lost in the match because he underestimated his opponent, Geonyu¡­.¡± He was proudly showing off his son to those around him. ¡°Oh.¡± People¡¯s gazes shifted to the screen where Dosieun was shining. Rays of light were shooting up. No, it was a blue lightning. Thunderclap. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 5£¾ The lightning flower, Dosieun. As she poised herself for battle, she kept an eye on the Pakit apes leaping from the trees. Immediately after, Dosieun vanished, leaving only a streak of light. What!? Unfolding a graceful spell incomparable to Doseungwoo¡¯s magic. Dosieun left a scar on the tree with the streak of light and ascended the tree in an instant. And then. Lion Roar Attack Four consecutive strikes. As she moved like lightning, she split the Pakit apes in two. People couldn¡¯t help but admire her, adorned in the blue lightning. ¡°It¡¯s Thunderclap! Without a doubt, it¡¯s Thunderclap.¡± Doyeik couldn¡¯t help but be amazed either. Although the lightning was not yet thick, Dosieun was invoking Thunderclap. He burst into laughter. But his laughter didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Seungwoo and Sieun, both have improved significantly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the head of the Dojang.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the head will be pleased to hear.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s also a concern. We¡¯re just at the edge of the forest now¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Doyeik stroked his beard. He was delighted with his grandchildren¡¯s skills, yet calmly assessing the situation. ¡°Delaying time against those guys, depleting stamina and mana, will make it hard to fight the Warlord later. I¡¯m worried if the kids are even considering distributing their energy wisely.¡± ¡°Seungwoo will¡­ do well.¡± ¡°I wish it were so¡­.¡± Doyeik¡¯s words trailed off. Packet Ape was not just one of the monsters emerging from the jungle. In the future, even more formidable and powerful monsters would appear. But were his grandchildren considering that and distributing their stamina accordingly? He felt the urge to ask his grandchildren directly, as they appeared on the screen. ¡°Well, they¡¯ll figure it out when the time comes.¡± Answers would come with time. Doyeik came to that conclusion and decided to observe the skills of his other grandchildren. Just then. Thud! ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± A sound resembling baseball betting. Doyeik searched for the source of the sound on the screen. It was Dogyunwoo¡¯s screen. Thud! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­Crack! ¡°¡­.¡± Dogyunwoo was deflecting the rocks thrown by Packet Apes with his sword. The deflected rocks accurately intercepted the ones perched on the trees. They tumbled to the ground. ¡°What is he doing right now?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Doyeik, unable to comprehend the situation, asked others. But no one had an answer. [Home run.] His voice streamed from Dogyunwoo¡¯s perspective on the screen. Family members contorted their faces grotesquely upon hearing the sound. ¡°¡­.¡± It was unbelievable even seeing it with their own eyes. Once could be a coincidence. But Dogyunwoo had realized that coincidence multiple times now. If coincidences repeated, it was undoubtedly inevitable. He was aiming for the ones in the trees with his own skills. ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± Accepting the situation up to that point. Doyeik couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he witnessed Dogyunwoo¡¯s actions. It was a sigh of a positive nature. ¡°He¡¯s got a good instinct.¡± The surroundings were dark, and the attacks were so fast that they were hard to see. Despite that, Dogyeongwoo was avoiding the attacks as if they were nothing, accurately striking back at the guys. Doyeik¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°L-Lord, Seungwoo is facing a new monster right now¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s focus on Gyeongwoo first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Seungwoo will do fine even without us watching.¡± Doyeik cut off Dobeomjoon and continued to gaze at Dogyeongwoo. By that, the people in the audience could tell where the Lord¡¯s attention was directed. It wasn¡¯t Dosieun or Doseungwoo. It was Dogyeongwoo. ¡°Why don¡¯t you all watch together? Let¡¯s see what that boy will show us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Doyeik shrugged. Around that time, Dogyeongwoo was demonstrating the act of taking out the Pocket Apes¡¯ pockets. ¡°From what I see, Gyeongwoo doesn¡¯t seem interested in the assessment match¡­ but is he really not interested now?¡± ¡°Beomjoon.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you see the boy¡¯s intentions in your eyes?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Look at the fruit Gyeongwoo is holding in his hand.¡± Dogyeongwoo was cutting a red fruit. Dobeomjoon let out a forced laugh at the sight. Only then did he seem to understand why Doyeik was interested in Dogyeongwoo. Because Dogyeongwoo was foolish. ¡°Eating a fruit without knowing what it is, what a careless child. Don¡¯t you know touching things without proper understanding can be dangerous¡­ How on earth did Sangjoon teach¡­¡± ¡°Is your eye just for show?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Or do you lack a brain? Is it because you don¡¯t know what Gyeongwoo has eaten, Sub Lord?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Receiving Doyeik¡¯s scolding, Dobeomjoon snapped back to reality. Only then did he seem to realize the true identity of the fruit Dogyeongwoo was eating. ¡°The Fruit of Vitality¡­¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t hesitate to eat the fruit. Seems like Sangjoon taught him well.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t teach him, Gyeongwoo¡­¡± ¡°No need to be modest. If not you, then who else would have taught him?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And what you taught him was probably not just the Fruit of Vitality.¡± Dobeomjoon¡¯s face wrinkled. Dostangjun with a gloomy face. Ignoring their reactions, Doyeik lifted the corners of his mouth. [Found.] ¡°I found the fruit of vigor.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± On the screen, Doyeongwoo was picking blue fruits hanging from a tree. Just like a moment ago. Without going through any verification process, Doyeongwoo casually put the fruit in his mouth. ¡°Did you instantly think of the existence of the fruit upon seeing the Pakit apes? Even hunters don¡¯t think as well, but you adapt quite nicely to the situation.¡± Chapter 23 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 22 Chapter 22 As expected, my prediction was correct. [Fruit of Vigor] ¡ô Consumable Classification ¨DFruit ¡ô Detailed Description ¨DA fruit that Pakit apes enjoy eating, also used as an ingredient for potions. ¡ô Effects ¨DWhen consumed, recovers 50 Mp. The fruit could be found where Pakit apes appeared. Similar in appearance to the Vitality Fruit but with a different color, a blue fruit. I plucked the fruit hanging from the tree. Crunch. As I bit into the Fruit of Vigor, sweet juice flowed out. ¡°The Vitality Fruit had a refreshing texture, but this one is more substantial.¡± It felt like tasting sweet fever reducers. In a game where you could use fruits on a character by manipulating the character slot, it was an experience you couldn¡¯t have elsewhere. Overflowing with juice, I could sense my mana replenishing. ¡°Let¡¯s head towards the lake like this.¡± As I licked the juice off my fingers, I picked the fruits visible nearby and put them in my pocket. It seemed like I wouldn¡¯t need to worry about stamina and mana consumption at this rate. Thud! I ran along the tree branch and leaped onto the branch of the tree right in front of me. By jumping through the trees like that, I aimed to shorten the time it took to reach the lake. ¡°I¡¯ve spent time looking for fruits. I need to make up for that time somehow.¡± Since I had to jump through the trees, I couldn¡¯t ignore the mana consumption. From Noble mtl dot com Every time, I ate the fruit of vitality to replenish my mana. Swish! Crack! S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Occasionally, hidden Pakit Apes would throw stones at me when I jumped. But it wasn¡¯t a threat. Thunk! ¡­Huh!? My instinct to dodge kicked in. In midair, I deflected the stone thrown by the ape with my sword. ¡°No need to chase after those guys.¡± Even without turning back, the result was a hit. Stepping on a branch far below the one I was aiming for, I didn¡¯t even glance in the direction the stone flew. If it hit, that was good enough. After all, the conquest condition of this gate was not to defeat all monsters, but simply to subdue and collect them. Yet, going to kill them would only waste time and effort. Thud! I didn¡¯t hesitate and turned around. Gradually, the ecology of the jungle changed. ¡°The trees are lower. The leaves are broader. The ground feels sticky.¡± The world inside the gate often diverged significantly from common sense, to the point where tropical and cold climates coexisted. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for the surrounding environment to suddenly change. ¡°In games, when the environment changes, the monsters that appear also change¡­¡± I suppressed my movements and moved forward. Since the likelihood of encountering monsters other than Pakit Apes was high, I had to be attentive to my surroundings. Not long after that¡­ Croak, croak. I spotted the monsters. Frogs resembling those with yellow hats were hopping around on the ground. ¡®Are those guys also present at this gate?¡¯ I could confirm the identity of the ones below my feet through memories of my past life. Mud Kero. In the damp environment, a monster belonging to a strong axis even among Rank 1, where all speeds increase by one level. ¡®Do I have to pass through those guys to head to Lake Sureung?¡¯ However, the annoying aspect of Mud Kero was not the only thing. They could spit out mucus in their mouths for long-range attacks, and their attack accuracy was high. Getting hit by their mucus would often lead to paralysis with a certain probability. They were quite bothersome creatures. ¡®Even if I¡¯m confident in dodging, the problem is not knowing how far their habitat extends¡­¡¯ Even if their attacks weren¡¯t strong, paralysis was a pain. Fortunately, there was a solution. ¡®I¡¯ll have to find an antidote while moving through their habitat.¡¯ In the marshy area where Mud Kero mainly resides, there is a flower that grows by absorbing the essence of those creatures. A white flower blooming in the mud. The roots of that flower had a detoxifying effect that could cure paralysis. So, I decided to search for that flower. From now on, I planned to move while looking for that flower. Right at that moment. Kero-kero. ¡°¡­.¡± Sensing a presence, I raised my head. Under the broad leaves, hiding beneath a tree trunk, was a Mud Kero, inflating its cheeks attached to the tree pillar. [Encountered a monster.] [Mud Kero (Rank. 01) x 1] Its amphibian eyes stared at me. ¡°Damn.¡± Come to think of it, Mud Kero was known to be adept at hiding in the jungle environment according to its setting. I cursed. At that moment, the battle began. The creatures below also reacted. [Encountered a monster.] [Mud Kero (Rank. 01) x 4] ¡ª ¡°¡­Damn.¡± The battle was not easy. The two of them constantly fired mucus to block my movements, and one, who was sharp-witted on the subject of amphibians, backed me into a corner. The other two tried to restrain me with their long tongues. ¡°Are you doing this to show off to kids? Isn¡¯t the difficulty level too high?¡± Perhaps middle schoolers might not know, but for someone as young as me, still in elementary school, it was quite a challenging evaluation battle. ¡°Or maybe I¡¯m just unlucky?¡± That could be a possibility. Mud Kero was a monster that acted alone without forming groups. Yet, by sheer bad luck, I happened to encounter five of them who were acting alone. ¡°Is my luck low? In the game, luck affected critical hit rates, evasion, drop rates, and more¡­¡± Perhaps in a world where the game became reality, luck stats could influence other aspects as well. ¡°But I can¡¯t just raise my luck¡­¡± I clicked my tongue. Raising luck stats wasn¡¯t easy, and for someone like me with an instinct for evasion, it wasn¡¯t a top priority. Strength, agility, muscle power, endurance, mana. I had placed luck stats at the bottom of my priority list. Anyway, I somehow managed to finish the battle. ¡°They¡¯re grumbling over there.¡± Kero kero¡­ It was an impossible play in the game. Realizing that their coordination wasn¡¯t as good as I thought, I disrupted them. As a result, they crumbled under their own kind¡¯s attacks. ¡°If they keep it up, they might get along.¡± I chuckled as I looked at the tangled tongues of those guys. They couldn¡¯t untangle their tongues and were stuck in place. ¡°Let me take a quick verification shot.¡± Kero kero¡­ I left them be. If I were to cut their tongues as they were, they would keep fighting until they met their end from bleeding. It was too much hassle. So, after taking a picture, I turned around without any regrets. Soon, I found the flower I had been looking for. ¡°I found it.¡± A white flower growing in the mud. After confirming the flower¡¯s information, I carefully dug up the roots. Then, I roughly cleaned the roots and gulped them down. ¡°It¡¯s bitter¡­¡± [Eaten Mud Root Sprout.] [For the next 30 minutes, paralysis resistance increases by 11%.] [When taking Mud Calamus in duplicate, you can increase paralysis resistance by up to 15%.] The extent to which paralysis resistance increased varied depending on the state of the flower. I raised my paralysis resistance by taking other Mud Calamus. ¡°This should do the trick.¡± If I raise my paralysis resistance by 15%, I won¡¯t be affected by Mud Kero¡¯s paralysis. From then on, I searched for Mud Calamus and proceeded through the forest. How far had I gone? ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If only I could move properly¡­¡± Just as I was moving forward. I saw a person down below. ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± That person was engaged in combat with what seemed to be a Mud Kero wearing a crimson hat. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ Ruddle Kero. A 2nd rank monster. In the game, a character typically needed ability scores of over 50 to deal with opponents at a certain level. ¡®Whoever it is, they¡¯re in for a tough time.¡¯ As Grandpa had explained beforehand. Most monsters in the Gate were weakened. Ruddle Kero seemed to be no exception. Although he might look like he¡¯s sweating, blood continued to seep from his moist skin. Visible were deep cuts from a blade in several places. He was close to death. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Indeed, he was a 2nd rank monster. Even though he was weakened, his combat sense was undeniable. ¡®It seems he¡¯s been affected by paralysis over there.¡¯ Meanwhile, the relative who had turned his back on me seemed unable to move his body properly to fight. ¡®What should I do.¡¯ Even if I didn¡¯t intervene, surely nearby hunters would come to help at the right moment. ¡°Um¡­¡± But just passing by didn¡¯t sit right with me. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ I made up my mind to help the unknown relative. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t come!¡± Ruddle Kero was focused on that relative. He didn¡¯t notice my presence. I took advantage of that and planned to approach him to end his life in one go. Therefore¡­ ¡°Hoo¡­.¡± Preparing to jump, gathering mana at the tip of the sword. Rolling my eyes, I assessed my position and Radul Kero¡¯s position, while also finding a route to get there. A few trees caught my eye. If I stepped on those tree trunks and went down, I could fall to the desired location. £¼Dragon King Attack Style Type 7£¾ Unleashing a spell. Exploding the mana gathered on the soles of my feet, I stepped on the tree trunk I marked a while ago and fell to the ground. The guy still hadn¡¯t noticed me. Lion¡¯s High Fall An attack that increases in power proportionate to the falling height. The mana gathered at the tip of the sword reacts. Mana spiraling in a helical shape rapidly inflates, enveloping me. Kiiiiing! The sound of the wind tearing apart was heard. The sound was as ominous as a lion roaring. And around that time. ¡­Kero? [Encountered a monster.] [Radul Kero (Rank. 02) x 1] He heard the sound too. But when he raised his head, it was already too late. I delivered a sword strike like a torn wind to his forehead. ©¤! The mana that enveloped the sword and me now covered him. A storm of mana. A storm resembling a lion¡¯s claw ravages him. First, the forehead explodes, and he is torn apart from top to bottom. With that. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± ¡°You, you¡­.¡± Radul Kero met his end. Excluding the situation where the walls were splattered with the guy¡¯s flesh and blood, I breathed a sigh of relief. I consumed a fair amount of mana. Crunch. I harvested the fruit of vigor and ate it. Then, I turned to look at a relative who was in a mess because I couldn¡¯t deploy the barrier in time. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? Have some of this to eat¡­.¡± ¡°Do Gyeonwoo¡­.¡± Since I had already taken the initiative, I was planning to share the mud ointment that relieves paralysis and some fruit as well. ¡°Oh, shoot.¡± After confirming the identity of the other person, I furrowed my brow instinctively. ¡°What, it¡¯s you?¡± Do Seungwoo. Seeing the guy with Radul Kero¡¯s eyeball perched on his head like a hat, I couldn¡¯t help but click my tongue. Then, I immediately withdrew the pouch I was going to give to him. Meanwhile, he scratched his face a lot too. ¡°When did I ask for your help?¡± ¡°Who was the one trembling in fear and saying not to come, even though I warned you not to come?¡± ¡°¡­Even if you didn¡¯t come, I could have handled it alone. But you rushed in and aimed for the fatal blow¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± I had rescued Do Seungwoo. It didn¡¯t feel particularly good. No, it was the worst. I had made a huge mistake. To make up for that mistake, I quickly glanced around. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I feel bad for taking your final blow, so I¡¯m going to lure some monsters here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll create a situation similar to the one before, so this time, you fight alone.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t interfere this time, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± ¡°¡­Are you joking?¡± ¡°Why would I joke with you? We¡¯re not on those terms.¡± Right then, Mud Kero was over there. I picked up a nearby rock and threw it towards him. Kero? An attack that didn¡¯t cause any real impact. Mud Kero jerked his body around. He had spotted us. [You have encountered a monster.] [Mud Kero (Rank. 01) x 1] ¡°Then I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± ¡°Hey! Hey! Wait, stop! Stop!¡± ¡°What should I stop for? That guy already recognized you, didn¡¯t he? I¡¯m leaving. Goodbye!¡± ¡°Hey! Do Gyung-woo!¡± I can¡¯t kill a relative with my own hands. So, I seek the monster¡¯s help. Isn¡¯t this what they call a hit-and-run murder? ¡°Well, he¡¯s no match for me, and if things get dangerous, the hunters will come to my aid.¡± Still, I feel good. My steps were lighter than ever. ¡°Come back! You jerk!¡± From behind, Do Seung-woo¡¯s voice shouting something was heard. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t make out who he was calling for, and it wasn¡¯t clear. On one hand, it was foolish. ¡°If you shout like that, what will happen? Will all the monsters nearby come running?¡± Of course, I don¡¯t know. Let him deal with it. Rather, isn¡¯t it good that I can pass by without encountering any monsters? I left without ever looking back. Chapter 24 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 23 Chapter 23 At that moment, on the cliff. The members of the family watched Do Gyung-woo leave without hesitation, leaving Do Seung-woo behind. On one hand. ¡°Hey! Do Gyung-woo!¡± The sound of Do Seung-woo¡¯s cries echoed vividly. In another scene, his tearful, pleading figure was captured. ¡°Come back! You jerk!¡± As if to say you shouldn¡¯t be like this. Like a person betrayed by someone they believed in, Do Seungwoo wore a face of betrayal. Yet, he seemed to not give up on the faint hope. [Isn¡¯t it? This joke has gone too far¡­] However, unlike Do Seungwoo¡¯s wishes, he eventually had to face reality. The monster that Do Gyunwoo had lured, as well as the monsters that responded to his call, appeared one after another. [Kero?] [Oh, don¡¯t come¡­ Don¡¯t come!] [Kero?] [If I could only move properly, someone like you¡­ Damn!] Ironically, despite his name Sujae, Do Seungwoo was filled with fear. His face did not resemble that of a brave lion but rather that of a prey facing a predator. ¡°Don¡¯t chase me!¡± Do Seungwoo showed a pathetic sight as he fled from the monsters. Facing them while still partially paralyzed was reckless, yet somewhat a wise decision. Even so, the spectators watching the screen couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°A lion being chased by a frog¡­ Seungwoo isn¡¯t all that.¡± ¡°He runs well. Yes, that¡¯s how you can save your life. Run, run, quickly.¡± The family members mocked. Unable to stand by while his and Seungwoo¡¯s honor was at stake, Do Beomjoon couldn¡¯t stay silent. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°My Lord! We must capture Do Gyunwoo immediately and punish him! Look at how he¡¯s blinded by competition, bringing monsters to kill Seungwoo! Even if our family encourages competition, this has gone too far!¡± ¡°What do you think, Sangjoon?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Do Beomjoon pleaded with a flushed face. Do Yeeik just chuckled. Then, he asked for opinions from Do Sangjoon, who was watching the family and the evaluation match. ¡®Gyunwoo again¡­¡¯ Do Sangjoon sighed inwardly. No matter how many times he had warned his son not to cause trouble, his son pretended to listen but never took it to heart. Truly an exasperating child. But just as children surpass their parents, Do Sangjoon had to resign himself to his fate and had no choice but to support Do Gyunwoo. ¡°I think it¡¯s fine at this level.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Similar incidents have occurred many times in competition matches. Even more severe things have happened.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°To be honest, Gyoun did not intend to kill Seungwoo. He was aware of our presence and assumed there were hunters nearby, so he played a prank lightly, knowing we were watching.¡± ¡°A prank? A prraank!? Dosangjun, you¡­!¡± ¡°And Seungwoo said it himself. Even if Gyoun hadn¡¯t helped, he could have killed Radel Kero on his own. The justification was given by Seungwoo first.¡± ¡°Justification¡­¡± As if finding it amusing. Doyeik repeated those words quietly and shrugged. ¡°Sangjun, your words seem to be correct. We can¡¯t just stop the evaluation match over something like this and needlessly scold a kid who has been doing well so far.¡± ¡°Gyoun would appreciate hearing that.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± Doyeik raised his hand to Gyoun. Only then did Sangjun feel relieved. His wife, Han Jiae, who had been anxious and unable to join the conversation on the side, could also relax. ¡°He really¡­¡± Fearlessly eating fruits and flowers growing in the gate. Engaging in dangerous battles against monsters. She, who could only watch the screen with Gyoun, had to worry time and time again. But she quietly resigned herself, being a parent who could only support him. ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt, don¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°I want to eat those fruits too¡­ Mom, if I go to my brother later, can I try eating those fruits too?¡± She clasped her hands together and begged. Meanwhile, Doyeik whispered quietly, watching Gyoun advancing into the forest. His eyes shone brightly and never left Gyoun. ¡°If I didn¡¯t see it wrong¡­¡± Doyeik fell into thought, recalling the swordsmanship Gyoun had shown a while ago. A short while ago, he had unleashed the Attack Form 7, leaping from a high place to save Seungwoo. At that moment, although fleeting. ¨DCrack! In the spiraling wind. Gyoun unleashed a blue current. It was undoubtedly¡­ ¡®A Thunderbolt.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t have misjudged it. Replaying that scene over and over. Doyeik silently stared at Gyoun on the screen. At some point, the gaps between the trees were getting wider. The color and characteristics of the ground had also changed. The sound of mud keros swelling and popping was no longer audible. ¡°The jungle is coming to an end.¡± I quickly grasped the situation. The mud keros were moving away from their habitat, getting closer to the lake. Before long. ¡°There it is.¡± A massive lake came into view. I landed on a tree that grew at the edge of the jungle¡¯s end. Around that time, a message popped up. [Next strategy conditions are being delivered.] [Slay the ruler in the lake.] It seemed like we had arrived at our destination. ¡°The first ones here¡­ 5 people, I suppose.¡± I swiftly scanned the number of people and assessed the situation. They were either stepping on floating platforms on the water or leaping around, battling monsters. It seemed unfamiliar to fight on the water¡¯s surface. ¡°Well, that¡¯s understandable.¡± Just stepping on the water was challenging enough, let alone fighting monsters in that state. Even stepping on the platforms was not easy. If they misplaced their center of gravity, they could easily tip over with the platform. They were showing some skill, especially considering their older age. Among them¡­ ¡°Si-eun is there too.¡± Si-eun stood out. Without using the platforms, she was leaping around on the lake¡¯s surface, facing off against the monsters. £¼Attack Form 5 of the Water King Species£¾ Lion¡¯s Roar A sudden attack ensued. She advanced, causing a water spout, and swung her sword at the monsters. Kiiik! Monsters in a form resembling children, with no facial features. Those covered in blue scales were cut down by Si-eun¡¯s sword. Riding on that momentum, Si-eun dashed toward the center of the lake. Ki-eek! There was a ruler there. Similarly, a female monster covered in scales, with blue skin. The creature was dripping blue blood, its left arm and tail severed. Must have been the hunters¡¯ doing. Clearly, the creature was exhausted. Yet, with ease, it wielded the sword of the ruler with the spear in its right hand. As she prepared to strike again. Shaaah! ¡°¡­!¡± The ruler, with gills on its mouth, let out a strange sound. Immediately, the surface became rough. New monsters suddenly appeared in the direction Dosieun was about to rush towards. ¡°Summoning subordinate monsters.¡± No, they were created. In the game, monsters leading to bosses could summon subordinate monsters. I frowned. ¡°Even if the ruler is weakened, approaching with subordinates won¡¯t be easy.¡± In reality, others couldn¡¯t even dare to approach the ruler. Dosieun, for once, had a chance but retreated as new subordinate monsters appeared. Meanwhile, it was also possible to infer Dosieun¡¯s and others¡¯ conditions. ¡°¡­Everyone seems tired. Some even seem unable to move due to paralysis.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Dosieun was no exception. With her skills, there was no need to clear the distance to the lake¡¯s outskirts. It was worth trying to approach the ruler while dealing with the subordinate monsters. However, her step back indicated she was running out of strength. Moreover, judging by Dosieun¡¯s movements a while ago, it seemed she, too, was affected by paralysis. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Can I face the ruler and its subordinates alone? I could dodge their attacks with my Gift and seize opportunities, but I couldn¡¯t predict when that would be. Before that, the probability of my stamina and mana running out and me collapsing from exhaustion was high. Especially considering the combat while walking on water. It was too reckless. ¡°In the end, I need help from those over there.¡± I reached a conclusion. As soon as I caught my breath, Dosieun, as well as other relatives, needed to cooperate to resume the battle. The problem was convincing people older than me, with higher status and pride, to collaborate. It was highly unlikely. ¡°How do I persuade them?¡± With no monster presence around, I sat comfortably on a branch, watching the battle unfolding in the lake, pondering. Crunch. With that, she ate the fruit of vitality. As much as she needed to fight against the rulers, she had to store up her stamina¡­ ¡°Ah.¡± At that moment, a single thought flashed through her mind. Without the need for further contemplation, the method to persuade them was already in her hands. *** Having somewhat detoxified by raising her physical abilities with internal mana, it seemed that the paralysis poison of the 2nd rank monster, Radul Kero, was much stronger than she had thought. Occasionally, when Dosi-eun swung her sword, she felt a tingling sensation in her body and bit her lip. ¡®¡­right shoulder, left leg. I can¡¯t delve deep into the crowd like this. If only I could move my body properly¡­¡¯ She couldn¡¯t exert strength as intended, and it was a situation where the paralysis-induced mana circuit could potentially trigger a mana explosion. Dosi-eun assessed her condition and took a step back before the paralysis set in. Kiiik! ¡°¡­.¡± As a result, the path she had painstakingly cleared was blocked by the ruler¡¯s subordinates. It was a scenario that had already occurred several times. Her face darkened. ¡®Is there no way.¡¯ Nevertheless, she did not give up. While other relatives stepped forward to confront the monsters, she tried to recover her stamina and mana as much as possible. ¡®¡­I have to go in now.¡¯ But even that was short-lived. The condition of the other relatives was even worse than Dosi-eun¡¯s. After straightening the strands of hair clinging to her cheek, she decided to return to battle as the situation intensified. Swoosh! As she urged herself forward, a storm loomed. Realizing Dosi-eun¡¯s advance, her relatives cleared a path and cheered her on. She sprinted down the path they had cleared, heading towards the ruler. But even that path was being held from the middle by the ruler¡¯s subordinates. £¼Imperial Attack Form 6£¾ Narrowing her blue eyes, Dosi-eun didn¡¯t miss the movements of those trying to block her. She extended her left leg forward, pressing the brake on the surface, and swiftly twisted her body. Swoosh! Due to the friction she caused, a wave suddenly surged upwards. The splashing wave obstructed the view of the monster in front. At that moment, her sword gleamed. Rampant Lions Amidst the waves, a blade shimmering with a blue light precisely slashed the man¡¯s throat. Swish! His head rose into the air. As his throat vanished into the air, losing balance, his body collapsed onto the water, passing Cityeun. And she moved towards the others. Swish! Clang! Unrestrained chaos without adhering to any form. Only focusing on the enemy in front of her, she moved tirelessly according to the situation, rotating her body to enhance the attacking power of her sword with precise swordsmanship. Cityeun¡¯s dance above the water cut off the men¡¯s breath in a single strike. ¡°Hoo¡­.¡± After catching her breath, she prepared to clear the remaining path. That was when. Keyeek! ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± Despite assigning her relatives to guard the rear. Her relatives had unknowingly been pushed back to the outskirts of the lake by the enemies. Cityeun licked her lips. If she continued to leave her rear vulnerable to the enemies, she would have to focus on the ruler from the rear. The burden grew heavier. She had no choice but to act. £¼Water Dragon¡¯s Attack Form Type 3£¾ Although the ruler was nearby. Regretfully, Cityeun decided to turn back to tidy up her rear. Lion¡¯s Iron Blade Her sword struck the monster. With the sound of bones breaking as if hit by an iron club, the man slid face-first into the water and flew far away. There was no need to confirm; it was an instant kill. She proceeded to deploy her techniques to kill the others. But at the moment she raised her sword. ¡®My body¡­!¡¯ Her right shoulder suddenly made a creaking sound, halting her movement in mid-air. Paralysis struck. What was misfortune for her turned into fortune for the bastards. Kiiing! They charged in unison. Barely breaking free from the paralysis, she quickly prepared to face them. But she was a bit late. ¡°I can handle one. But the other two¡­¡± While dealing with one of them, the other two would surely take advantage of the opening to attack. She clenched her teeth in frustration. Nothing could be done. At least minimize the impact¡­ Thud! Then, Doh Si-eun sensed a presence. Someone was swiftly approaching from behind. Moments later, the figure passed by her. ¡°I¡¯ll take the left, you take the right.¡± A voice brushed past her ear. Doh Si-eun couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning. Yet, contrary to her thoughts, her body moved almost instinctively. When the unknown figure suddenly moved to the left¡­ ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s it.¡± Her body automatically veered to the right. Directly towards the monster in front of her. Thwack! Kiiii¡­ Doh Si-eun plunged the sword in. Having taken out one of the three, she turned around to identify her helper. By then, that figure had already brought down the other two. ¡°¡­Dogyeonwoo?¡± The one from the family who was called a coward, ridiculed as ¡°Rabbit.¡± Taking in the unexpected presence. Doh Si-eun¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Unfazed by her reaction, Dogyeonwoo casually brought up the topic. ¡°Sis, care to team up with me?¡± Chapter 25 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 24 Chapter 24 ¡°Cooperation?¡± ¡°Yes, cooperation.¡± A short haircut that swayed as if brushing against the shoulder. Facial features hinting at mixed blood and eyes as blue as a lake spreading around. Despite having engaged in fierce battles, the city of Eun, who hadn¡¯t lost her delicate beauty, looked puzzled as if questioning the sudden proposal of cooperation in the midst of it all. Well, considering I interjected in the middle of the battle with a proposal of cooperation out of the blue, it was indeed reasonable for her to find it strange. ¡°Leaving that aside¡­ Are you really just fourteen? You do have a mature side to you.¡± In the case of Eun in the game, she remained calm and charismatic in any situation, showing no emotional fluctuations. Perhaps due to being depicted as more mature and rational than Kang Hanbyeol, she exuded a certain aloofness and distance in her demeanor. It felt somewhat refreshing. Anyway. ¡°Let¡¯s talk somewhere else after leaving this place, shall we?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, let¡¯s do that.¡± I shrugged my shoulders and gestured towards the edge of the lake with my chin. It was where the ruler and his subjects were active on the water¡¯s surface. Although we had defeated some nearby individuals, their numbers seemed to have replenished, and they were stealthily approaching us as we conversed. It wasn¡¯t a suitable time for a conversation. Hence, we decided to leave the spot and continue our conversation elsewhere. [Encountered Monsters.] [Minions (Rank. 01) x 6] Monsters slightly smaller than me blocked the path, resembling children. ¡°Move aside.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the ones over there.¡± However, when Eun and I joined forces, the opponents couldn¡¯t stand a chance. We defeated them and ascended from the lake to the grass field. Their pursuit ceased. ¡°They won¡¯t come out of the water, so we can talk comfortably now.¡± ¡°Tell me. About this cooperation?¡± ¡°Exactly as it sounds.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you and I join forces, we could bring down the ruler, right? You¡¯ve fought before, so you know. It¡¯s tough to face the ruler alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s bring him down together.¡± I plopped down on the grass. Then, he gestured for her to sit beside him. But she didn¡¯t respond to the invitation; she simply gazed at me in silence. After a moment, she spoke up. ¡°I find it difficult to handle it alone. But even if we cooperate, the situation won¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Because of the people around the Sovereign? They will prevent anyone from approaching the Sovereign?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Dosieun nodded. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was troubling her. From Noble mtl dot com It was a concern I also had in mind. ¡®We are not enough on our own.¡¯ Just the two of us. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about what I say because I say it with careful consideration.¡± ¡°What?¡± I shifted my gaze behind her. She sensed my gaze and turned around to look. Relatives who had been dealing with subordinates were now approaching us. People who, like me, had been observing from a distance slowly revealed themselves one by one. They all seemed weary, no matter which side they were on. ¡°We are not suggesting cooperation between just us. It¡¯s about cooperating altogether.¡± ¡°Then¡­.¡± ¡°The role of dealing with the Sovereign¡¯s subordinates will be entrusted to those people.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We just have to deal with the Sovereign.¡± Brushing off the dirt on my backside, I stood up from my seat. It was time to persuade them now. Addressing those coming up the grassy field, I spoke. ¡°Brother, sisters.¡± ¡°Oh, Gyungwoo. I saw you fighting with Sieun earlier¡­¡± ¡°How about cooperating with us?¡± ¡°What?¡± Confused expressions on the faces of my relatives. Eventually, upon hearing my proposal, they frowned as if displeased. ¡°Why should we? Who do you think you are?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yes, I expected it to turn out like this. * * * At that moment, on the cliff. Participants in the assessment were gradually reaching the lake. By then, the majority of the screen watched by the clan members had shifted to a lake with a sovereign. ¡°It seems like everyone is struggling.¡± Someone let out a sigh. In response, some of the onlookers nodded their heads in agreement. ¡°Even if the sovereign has been weakened, wasn¡¯t it too much for the children to handle?¡± ¡°The children have little experience fighting in the water, and with so many monsters around, it¡¯s difficult for them to approach the sovereign.¡± Even in City Eun¡¯s case. She, the first to reach the lake, had tried various methods to approach the sovereign. However, she had not achieved significant success and had only managed to briefly engage with the sovereign and weapons. But what about the others? They couldn¡¯t approach the sovereign, only dealing with subordinate monsters and occasionally helping or receiving assistance from City Eun. It was reasonable for the clan members to mention the high difficulty level. Moreover, ¡°The kids seem very tired. They must have consumed quite a bit of energy pushing through the forest to get to the lake.¡± ¡°Si-eun is also affected by paralysis, so how must the other kids be feeling.¡± ¡°Trying to face the sovereign in that state, the situation can¡¯t be any different¡­¡± Participants in the first forced march at the gate were all exhausted. Unmistakable fatigue was evident on the faces of the kids on the screen, and the sound of them breathing heavily could be heard. [Pant, pant¡­!] ¡°Ugh, stop it, please¡­.¡± [¡­Phew!] Suddenly, some participants slipped on the platform, lost concentration, and fell into the water while walking on the surface. [¡­.] Morale was dropping. Those who reached the lake chose to stay away and observe the situation without participating in the battle at any moment. As the situation unfolded, ¡°My Lord.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Those who had been watching the assessment all along had no choice but to advise Doyeik. ¡°The kids don¡¯t seem to be in good shape. How about lowering the difficulty level?¡± Doyeik¡¯s eldest son, Doujun. He, who was being considered as the next probable head of the Doyeik family, stepped forward as the representative. ¡°It¡¯s not that the kids are weak. I just wanted to suggest improving the situation considering the children¡¯s physical condition.¡± ¡°Agreed, my Lord.¡± ¡°I also think so.¡± Dooyun spoke in a polite tone to avoid causing unnecessary offense. At his words, others perked up. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Doyeik let out a short sigh. He, too, couldn¡¯t help but have similar thoughts like the others. ¡®Were those kids too much to handle¡­¡¯ Grandchildren not yet seventeen. Considering their age, it could be said that they had already shown enough skill. So, there was no disappointment. Just a lingering sense of regret. ¡°Seo Jungjin took on disciples.¡± Without the backing of a prestigious family, he had risen to prominence solely through his own abilities, dominating an era as a hunter. Tough Guy, Seo Jungjin. The world believed Seo Jungjin, consumed by battles, was beyond the reach of leaders of current top clans like Doyeik, but he didn¡¯t see it that way. Surely, when it came to wielding a sword, he would surpass him. But in ¡®combat¡¯, it was different. It couldn¡¯t be rashly guaranteed. ¡°He¡¯s a monster.¡± Lacking the talent to be hailed as a genius in any field, ironically, he could train himself indiscriminately across disciplines. Thus, he didn¡¯t confine himself to one weapon, but handled all kinds, displaying a prowess that transcended all combat and production fields. Though he might not have reached the pinnacle in any one field, an individual who had reached a certain level in all fields could be called Tough Guy. The reason Doyeik couldn¡¯t easily guarantee superiority in a battle where he had to pour out everything he had achieved was because he was not certain of his advantage. That¡¯s why. ¡°If a disciple trained by that monster is to surpass him, undoubtedly, a monster greater than him will emerge.¡± While Doyeik held considerable curiosity for Seo Jungjin¡¯s disciple, he couldn¡¯t help but be wary. If by chance the talent of that disciple combined seamlessly with Seo Jungjin¡¯s efforts and dedication. ¡°¡­.¡± Truly, a hero leading an era would be born. A hero surpassing the authority of the top clans. In that case, a new order might establish itself in this country. It was a situation that the established top families did not wish for. Of course, more than such concerns¡­. ¡°I absolutely don¡¯t want to see my grandchildren lose to that guy¡¯s disciple.¡± In truth, that sentiment weighed more heavily. Doyeik harbored a fierce competitiveness akin to Seo Jungjin. In that sense. His grandchildren and Seo Jungjin¡¯s disciple could be seen as extensions of his and Seo Jungjin¡¯s competition. As a result, driven by his competitive spirit, Doyeik had organized this evaluation match. ¡°Please prepare the inventory, sir.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s probably for the best.¡± However, it seemed that his enthusiasm had gone too far. Doyeik reproached himself as he watched the declining descendants. In the end, he decided to modify his plan by instructing the hunters to reduce the difficulty of the evaluation match. And then it happened. ¡°Wait.¡± Doyeik reversed his decision. His gaze was fixed on the screen illuminating the outskirts of the lake. ¡°¡­¡± The participants who had reached the lake were all gathered in one place before him. At the center was Dogyunwoo. [Stick with me.] Dogyunwoo¡¯s voice sounded self-assured. Unlike the participants with clouded faces, Dogyunwoo¡¯s face clearly stood out. His face filled most of the screen captured from the participants¡¯ perspective. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± Having seen the same screen multiple times, Doyeik let out a sigh. Soon, the sigh turned into a bitter laugh. A smile crept onto his lips. ¡°It seems like the kids have something in mind; let¡¯s observe and judge based on that.¡± How confident he was to say that. Doyeik decided to check the confident face of Dogyunwoo. * * * ¡°If it were Sieun, well, I could accept it. She has the skills to lead and engage in battle. But Dogyunwoo, you haven¡¯t shown us anything. Why should we help you? What should we believe in?¡± ¡°Agreeing to cooperate altogether is fine. I also think that¡¯s necessary. But cooperating to approach the leader through you is a bit much.¡± ¡°Where do you get off being so upset at your young age? Just because you beat Doseungwoo, you think we should bow down to you again?¡± ¡°We did bow down. But trying to compete with us based on that isn¡¯t right.¡± ¡°Are you completely ignoring this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The relatives who were my age or younger watched quietly. The older relatives openly expressed their anger. ¡®One at a time, keep calm¡­.¡¯ I bit my tongue inwardly. Having been ridiculed as Rabbit in the family for a long time, when I suggested cooperation, I expected some discontent. It was somewhat anticipated. Therefore, I could calmly accept the situation without losing composure. I had, of course, prepared a solution. ¡°In my heart, I¡¯d prefer settling things with swords rather than words, but that¡¯s not feasible.¡± I quickly checked the status windows of my relatives; they seemed exhausted from the start. If I decided to challenge them, winning the duel wouldn¡¯t be difficult. However, trying to make them understand, engaging in duels one by one, would be a waste of time and energy. 00:52:34 Time was running out. So, I decided to persuade them not through a duel but by something else. ¡°If I don¡¯t fight the Lord, then who will?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that, we¡¯ll handle it among ourselves¡­¡± ¡°Do you even have the strength to fight the Lord? With that body of yours?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is the strength to fight the Lord still within you? Is the paralysis completely gone now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Upon my words, the relatives who were angry just moments ago fell silent, unable to respond. Even the latecomers understood that they were weakened now. ¡°See, it¡¯s not there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, cooperate with me.¡± I laid down the card that could persuade them: Packet of Ape. I poured out its contents for them to see. Swoosh. Fruits of vitality, fruits of energy, and roots of Mudweed emerged. I gazed at my relatives staring intently at them and said, ¡°I¡¯m not asking for help for free. If you cooperate with me, I¡¯ll give you these. Honestly, wouldn¡¯t you all regret it if you didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°With just stamina, with just mana, and as long as you don¡¯t fall into paralysis, you could do better than now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You must be thinking that way, right? Isn¡¯t that true?¡± I didn¡¯t miss the wavering in my relatives¡¯ eyes. They took the bait. My words hit the mark. I decided to continue. ¡°So, let¡¯s consume these to regain strength and show the elders watching over us a respectable appearance. Time is limited, and if we continue to show a pathetic sight, it will end like that.¡± Swoosh! ¡°Uh?¡± I casually tossed the fruit of vitality to someone nearby. He reflexively grabbed and displayed a perplexed expression. ¡°Have it, if you want to fight.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I urged for a decision. Upon that, he, who had been hesitant, boldly bit into the fruit of vitality. Crunch. A sound of biting into the fruit echoed. As the sound spread through the silence, it stirred people¡¯s hearts. I continued to throw the fruits to further incite their impatience. People caught the fruits. ¡°Stick with me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Cooperate with me.¡± That was the end of it. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Crunch. Relatives who had been cursing me just a while ago began to stand by my side. Soon, I extended the roots to Dosieun, who had been quietly observing the situation. ¡°Eat too, sis. It¡¯ll be tough to fight without the paralysis being resolved.¡± ¡°¡­.Thank you.¡± Dosieun also seemed definitively ready to cooperate with me now. She chewed on the roots. Whether it was the bitterness or something else, she subtly grimaced. She quickly gulped down. ¡°Paralysis seems to have disappeared with this.¡± I confirmed the paralysis was lifted and closed Dosieun¡¯s status window. Meanwhile, relatives who reached the lake also decided to cooperate with me. ¡°Is this the fruit of vigor?¡± ¡°I want to resolve the paralysis¡­.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll eat it well.¡± ¡°Do Gyeonwoo, you¡­?¡± ¡°Are you alive?¡± Among them was Do Seungwoo. Covered in mud from head to toe, he was almost unrecognizable. ¡°So, will you cooperate too?¡± ¡°¡­.Damn.¡± His condition wasn¡¯t great. In the end, he had no choice but to cooperate as well. The more words at your disposal, the better. I willingly handed over the roots. ¡°Alright, pay attention. I will now explain the plan.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Perhaps because they received a reward from me, they obediently followed my instructions. I meticulously explained the strategy to conquer the boss. ¡°And Si-eun noona.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Noona, restrain the boss¡¯s left side. I¡¯ll cover the right side instead.¡± ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°The left side. Don¡¯t forget.¡± I specifically reminded Do Si-eun. Upon agreeing, she expressed doubt. ¡°But does it have to be the left side?¡± Do Si-eun blinked her blue eyes, asking. I replied as if it were obvious. ¡°Because you¡¯re stronger than me, noona.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Relatively, the left side might pose more challenge than the right. So, I¡¯m asking you to put in some effort instead.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± ¡°Can you do it? I¡¯ll count on you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The boss had lost its left arm. Therefore, the defense on the left side was inevitably weak. Hence, I would guard the right side, and she would guard the left. It was a highly rational decision. In any case, thus it began. [Encountered a Monster] [Boss ¨C Rank 03 x 1] [Minions ¨C Rank 01 x 17] The boss conquest was about to commence. Chapter 26 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 25 Chapter 25 Splish splash. Running on the water¡¯s surface. The mana spread throughout the soles gently pushes away the water as they lift off, creating ripples that spread across the lake. Splish splash. Each time, the sound of the water splashing echoes in the ears. Splish splash. The sound is not singular. Expanding one¡¯s senses and listening carefully, one could hear others creating the sounds of running on water. Splish splash, splish splash, splish splash¡­ Even without looking at them, their presence could be felt. A moment later. Kiiii! From Noble mtl dot com The distance to the monsters at the forefront was so close that a confrontation seemed imminent. ¡°Sukwoo, hyung.¡± The battle was about to begin. I opened my mouth as I watched those revealing their fighting spirit. ¡°Oh, Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave the command of the subordinates to you, hyung. Nuna and I have to deal with the leader, so we can¡¯t focus on that side.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll support you from behind.¡± Doseokwoo was the oldest among those participating in the evaluation. He was being recognized in his own way. If Doseokwoo commanded, others would follow without question. With that judgment, I slowed down and fell back behind the others. Dosieundo also slowed down. Eventually. ¡°Split them to the sides!¡± ¡°Clear the way first!¡± The battle began. From Doseungwoo to my peers, we shouted at the front. They each faced their subordinates, creating a path for those behind to move forward. ¡°Push them back!¡± ¡°Keep running!¡± Soon after, a second battle erupted. People grabbed their subordinates as they had done moments before. And so, a path was formed. There was the leader ahead. ¡°Nuna, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I signaled to Dosieun. Soon, we increased our speed, which had been lagging, and dashed down a path free of obstacles. Thud! The sound of water crying was rough. As a result, our field of vision quickly receded. Passing by people and subordinates, our sight now only contained the enemy. Clang! Just as we recognized him, he also recognized us. In the moment when the distance was short. He forcefully swung his spear downwards. The wind and water currents generated by that force surged towards us. Thud! We immediately changed direction. As agreed beforehand, I veered right, while Dosieun went left. Consequently, the enemy¡¯s gaze was scattered. Clang! Right and left. As he turned his head back and forth, trying to keep up with our movements. Meanwhile, we exchanged opinions with our gazes, positioning ourselves on either side of the enemy. Nod. Dosieun nodded. It meant she would attack first. I nodded back at her, deciding to match her pace. Shortly after, she bent her body and accelerated. £¼Water Monarch Attack Form 3£¾ Lion¡¯s Steel Whip Swinging her sword like a steel whip. Dosieun, who had imbued her sword with mana to extend its length, wielded her sword. Mana, channeled through the blade, delivered an irregular attack to the enemy. Crack! However, the enemy only hesitated momentarily, then turned his body, deflecting the attack with his spear. Afterward, he swiftly continued the spear¡¯s trajectory to counterattack her. I seized that moment. £¼Water Monarch Attack Form 1£¾ Lion¡¯s Backstab I launched a backstab at the enemy who showed his back. The sound of the backstab cutting through the air was as if a lion was roaring. Keeik! He evaded the attack. As he slipped away like a shadow, he glared at me and ground his teeth. But that was short-lived. Thud! Seizing the moment when his gaze shifted to me, Dosieun swiftly closed the distance to him. Once again, her blade gleamed. Thud! I too reacted instantly, slipping into the fray. I leaped into the midst of the clash between Suryeong and Dosieun, blades and spears mingling. Ping! Dosieun¡¯s sword rebounded. His spear fell. My sword deflected that spear. She brandished the sword she had wielded. He hastily stepped back, spinning in the opposite direction of the clock. Twirling, he deflected my attack with the spear he had gathered, evading the strike. Simultaneously, he drew a wide arc with his foot and thrust the spear forward. Swish! The spear swiftly struck. The transition between offense and defense was seamless. This made it difficult to approach easily. Yet, we held the upper hand. Clang! No need to rush. She and I parried his attacks, catching our breath as we turned around. Meanwhile, he had no time to catch his breath, constantly moving to block us. ¡­Keeik. He had no time to catch his breath without the help of his subordinates. As our exchanges increased, he grew increasingly fatigued. ¡­! Finally, he exposed a vulnerability. We did not miss our chance. Instantly, we condensed mana into our swords. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 2£¾ Lion¡¯s Claw Marks Infusing mana into the sword, we engraved fierce claw marks on the enemy, as if a beast had torn through them. Their thoughts were in sync. Phwoosh! Almost simultaneously. From different directions, N and Dossie each sliced into his flank. ¡°Ugh, his skin¡¯s tougher than I thought.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not skin, it¡¯s scales.¡± ¡°Same difference.¡± Kii¡­ick¡­. Unfortunately, the wounds weren¡¯t deep. But the wounds resembling lion claw marks were harder to heal. He couldn¡¯t help but bleed during the battle. And then he would die. In the end, he couldn¡¯t defeat us. ¡°Rank 3 isn¡¯t anything special.¡± ¡°Complacency is dangerous.¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t Nuna think the same way?¡± ¡­¡­. In this state, They pressed forward. Suren was seething with anger. Not only had he, the ruler of the lake, been bested by mere humans, but he also now found himself dragged to the surface to be at the mercy of these human pups. Moreover, the humans who had brought him up had cut off his arms and tail to match their strength against his, inflicting severe bleeding wounds. ¡°How dare, how dare those humans¡­!¡± Among the monsters were those who didn¡¯t just act on instinct but could think and strategize, and Suren, taking the form of a human woman, was one such case. Hence, Suren not only felt one-dimensional anger about his situation but also a sense of humiliation. ¡°How dare they¡­!¡± Were the humans really daring to challenge the ruler of this lake like they were hunting rabbits? As Suren surrendered to those emotions, he wanted to tear apart and kill the human pups attempting to approach him. Yet, weakened as he was, their skills were not to be underestimated. Especially the woman with blue eyes. ¡°She¡¯s different from the others.¡± Though they had only clashed a few times, Suren could gauge her considerable skill from that alone. So, he kept an eye on her¡­. ¡°Who the hell is this guy!¡± There was another. A man shorter than the woman. His skill was on par with hers. ¡°Annoying bastard!¡± He knew when to strike and retreat. The man, while facing the woman, either seized the opportunity or swiftly took her place when she stepped back to catch her breath, disrupting her. Each time she tried to respond, he skillfully avoided attacks as if tiptoeing on the edge, almost touching the line between provoking and not provoking his emotions. It was like he knew where the attack would come from. ¡®Even if my arm doesn¡¯t get severed¡­¡¯ And it didn¡¯t stop there. Persistently, the man relentlessly delved into his left arm, as if there was no limit to his cowardice. In that sense, the man was a much more annoying and dangerous opponent than the woman. Despite her reluctance, Su-ryeong had no choice but to face the man. Right at that moment. £¼Water King Style Attack Type 2£¾ Lost in his thoughts, the man allowed the woman¡¯s surprise attack to happen. The Lion¡¯s Roar. Su-ryeong reacted belatedly. The blade that had entered under his armpit shattered scales, tore flesh, and just before reaching the bone, he twisted his body to narrowly avoid a fatal blow. But the situation was not good. Thud! Left and right. Two humans were rushing to continue this flow of events. They were aiming to finish it. Shaaah! Su-ryeong screamed as his throat was torn. He couldn¡¯t die like this. Even if he died, they would definitely die too. Enveloped in intense emotions, Su-ryeong pushed the pain aside. Swish! The clash of swords, spears, and blades resumed. With all his might, Su-ryeong swung the spear to separate the two clinging humans and threatened them with a long reach. ©¤©¤! The sound of the wind intensified. In the fervent movements, there was no moment of calm in the tumult. Swish! Swing, thrust, strike. Humans dodged, blocked, deflected, and stood their ground without retreating. Sounds of wind, water current. Mixed with these sounds, the clang of metal reverberated. The declaration of not yielding an inch spread like a shockwave. Kiiiiing! Exhausting their own lives, The commander squeezed out the last remaining strength and launched a relentless attack. Every step they took back, the two humans were retreating. Krrrk. Humans were also reaching their limit. Their movements were becoming sluggish. The end of the seemingly endless dance of metal was in sight. The commander was determined not to let them retreat. So, they aimed towards the man first¡­ Right at that moment. £¼Water King Style Defense Form, Type 3£¾ As the man turned his sword diagonally, cutting through the surface with a continuous motion from the tip to the edge. ©¤! A water storm raged fiercely. Within the storm, the blade emerged. Following the trail made by the sword¡­ Lion Screen Where the water storm and the continuous motion mana met, a screen rose, blocking the way. Kiiing!? The screen concealed the man. Unable to sense beyond the screen due to the aura, the commander, losing sight of the target in front of them, swung the spear relying on instinct. Swish! The spear sliced through the screen horizontally. However, the man was nowhere to be seen. He had moved from that spot. Nevertheless, the man was nearby¡­ £¼Water King Style Attack Form, Type 5£¾ At that moment, the presence of a woman was felt. The commander quickly turned around. As the woman took a big step forward, lowering her stance, she pulled the sword towards her body. And then, right after that. Crack! A blue lightning bolt sparkled. A thick stem shot up into the sky. Lion¡¯s Roar An incomparable lightning bolt that surpassed the sporadic sparks from a moment ago. She charged through the water¡¯s surface like a lightning bolt. Dangerous, she must be avoided. A warning bell rang in the mind of the commander. But there was no way out. £¼Water Dragon Style Attack Form 5£¾ There was a man in her way. He too was in a similar stance. And¡­ Crack! A lightning bolt also shot up from the man. The clear blue lightning bolt soaring into the sky seemed as if a dragon was ascending. The sound of the lightning bolt crackling through the air seemed like a dragon¡¯s roar. No, it was a lion. Lion¡¯s Roar The lion moved. The man, wrapped in the blue lightning bolt, swung the sword he pulled from inside his body outward. *** Dogyeongwoo and Dosieun simultaneously attacked. Even though it seemed to be their first time coordinating, their synchronization was seamless. The commander found it difficult to respond properly to the two¡¯s coordination. ¡°¡­Impressive.¡± At the cliff¡¯s edge. Those watching the scene could only express genuine admiration. There was no one trying to deny the muttered words. ¡°I want to look down from above.¡± ¡°If you ask someone at the scene, it might be possible. I¡¯ll make sure to tell them.¡± Do Yei Ik was absorbed in the spectacle. It was regrettable for him to watch the battle of the two through the screen. Though it was not as good as seeing it in person, he decided to adjust the screen to view it from various angles. After a moment, a few screens shook, and the shooting angle changed. His gaze shifted to one of the screens. A smile crept up on his lips. ¡°They make a good pair.¡± A scene of the battle filmed in mid-air. Do Gyun Woo and Do Si Eun¡¯s movements were clearly visible. With only their heads visible, they were repeatedly meeting and parting around the center like dancing, resembling a spinning top fight. And then. [Swoosh!] Finally, their swords clashed. It was Do Gyun Woo who bent the side of the leader. It was an attack that occurred almost simultaneously. ¡°hehehehe. I think I understand now why Gyun Woo can beat Seung Woo.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Those who witnessed Do Gyun Woo¡¯s skill could not refute his words. Contrary to the concerns of those who thought Si Eun was a burden, she was now demonstrating a skill that was no less than hers. ¡°Tsk¡­. How did that guy¡­.¡± Do Seung Woo¡¯s father, Do Beom Joon, had to finally acknowledge Do Gyun Woo¡¯s skill. Unable to control his expression, he twisted his face. Then, he either found it unbearable to continue watching the screen or got up from his seat. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll go smoke a cigarette.¡± ¡°It seems like it¡¯s about to end now, just wait a moment.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Although Do Beom Joon tried to leave, wanting to escape, Do Yei Ik held him back. Unable to defy the patriarch¡¯s orders, he had to stay and watch the battle, even though his pride was hurt. [Crackle!] From Noble mtl dot com Meanwhile, as Do Yei Ik predicted, there were signs that the battle was coming to an end. As the flow created by the leader with all his might was disrupted by Do Gyun Woo¡¯s defensive stance, the opponent was pierced. [£¼Soo Wang Ryu Attack Form 5£¾] Do Si Eun, in a charging posture. As she moved, a lightning strike exploded. ? Lion¡¯s Roar ? Like a bolt of lightning striking. Around her, lightning blossomed. The blue lightning shooting up into the clear sky seemed as if watching flowers bloom. ¡°¡­.¡± People were mesmerized by the spectacle. She, who had only shown signs of wallowing in obscurity, had now perfectly triggered the wallow. ¡°hahahaha! You finally did it!¡± The achievements of the two families were being reproduced. Doyeik burst into laughter as he watched the flower blooming on the water¡¯s surface, coloring the screen white. And at that moment. ¡°Um, over there!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Someone pointed to a different screen. A screen showing a lake from a distance. On that screen, the lightning flower rising above the surface was clearly visible. And also from the left. ? Crack! ? ¡°¡­.¡± People doubted their own eyes. It couldn¡¯t be. It was unthinkable. The wallow caused by Cityeun somehow reaching over there. As if denying that thought. ? Crack! ? A powerful lightning bolt shot up from the left. The water where Dogyun stood. There, a fierce blue current enveloping him fiercely bloomed into a flower. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening¡­.¡± The surface reflecting the world like a mirror. Above that surface, two clusters of flowers emitting blue light bloomed. To the viewers, the scene appeared as if two lightning bolts falling from the sky pierced the earth. ? Lion¡¯s Roar ? The flower eventually transformed into a fierce lion, roaring with all its might. Two lions pounced on the sovereign. [Keiii¡­.] From bottom to top, the wall of lightning surged. The sovereign split into three streams under the blades wielded by the two. The body of the one who couldn¡¯t even leave a final word didn¡¯t sink beneath the water but floated on the surface. And thus, the sovereign met its end. ¡°We have captured the gate.¡± A message appeared before the people at the gate. ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t just one person!¡± Ignoring the message, Doe Yieuk gazed at Doe Gyunwoo in the fluttering lightning with joy. His laughter didn¡¯t cease. ¡°I always thought you were just a rabbit, but you¡¯re a lion cub too.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Well, if you shed the blood of a divine sword, you can¡¯t be born as a rabbit. Doe Yieuk¡¯s shoulders trembled without even remembering to maintain his composure. Meanwhile, due to his words¡­ ¡°Achieved the feat of gaining recognition from the Divine Sword Guild.¡± ¡°Acquired the title ¡®Lion Cub.¡¯¡± Doe Gyunwoo received the messages. Chapter 27 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 26 Chapter 26 Since the incident with the lightning wall before. I made every effort to reproduce that phenomenon, but sadly, I didn¡¯t achieve much success. I could barely emit a current when I concentrated, but it wasn¡¯t at a level I could use in combat. Crackle! But now, I think I know. How to summon the lightning wall. ¡®My body moves smoothly.¡¯ Proper breathing, the unity of sword and self, maximization of senses, precise posture and movements, swift body control, appropriate mana manifestation, ideal activation of mana circuits, and so on. When all elements harmonized perfectly, swordsmanship unfolded naturally. I could see how crude and clumsy my previous swordsmanship had been. It was a profoundly mysterious feeling. I gazed at the world as it was. Crackle! The world flickered vividly in green. The mana I shed, the breath I exhaled, the currents swayed by my presence, all transformed into a green current. Crackle! As I charged forward, the current charged with me. The electrified current writhed more fiercely, causing friction and intense contortions. And when I reached a certain speed. Kuoo. The sound of thunder changed. It became rougher. Kuaaa! A sound akin to a lion¡¯s roar. The thunder sweeping around me surged fiercely towards the opponent. The same occurred on the opposite side. The thunder of Dosieun charged towards me. Kieeek! Thus, two lightning bolts struck down towards Dosieun, delivering a swift blow. My sword and Dosieun¡¯s sword sliced through the thunder, cutting the enemy diagonally. Kiiii¡­. The body of Dosieun, divided into three parts, collapsed askew. As if signaling the end of the evaluation battle, a message popped up. [Achieved a feat worthy of recognition from the Divine Sword Guild.] [Acquired the title ¡®Lion Cub.¡¯] [Achieved the feat of defeating a boss monster at a young age.] [Acquired the title ¡®Boss Baby.¡¯] [Conquered the gate.] ¡°¡­What is this?¡± In the game, one could acquire an epithet by achieving specific accomplishments or receiving certain evaluations from people. So, I could roughly guess why I suddenly gained an epithet. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because the people watching the evaluation battle had a different opinion of me.¡± It was even mentioned in the message. I gained Grandpa¡¯s recognition. It seems I must have shown a side that Grandpa likes. ¡°Well, even I think so.¡± With self-praise, I decided to confirm the epithet. Lion Cub and Boss Baby. Since the condition for acquiring the epithet was a condition in itself, it was an epithet that had never appeared in the game centered around Kang Hanbyeol. [Lion Cub] ¡ô Origin of the Epithet ¨C Praise sent by the current head of the Shin Sword Do, Toe Yeeik, to Toe Gyounwoo, who showed skills befitting the Shin Sword Do. ¡ô Effects ¨C Receives a certain amount of attention from those who know the status of the Shin Sword Do. ¨C Increases the effect of the skill named ¡®Suraengryu¡¯ by 10%. First, Lion Cub. For me, who uses Suraengryu, this epithet that increases the effect of Suraengryu by 10% seems quite useful. ¡°If I equip this epithet and walk around, will I be called Lion Cub?¡± Although it¡¯s an epithet filled with praise, hearing it might be a bit irritating. Still, the effect was worth it. Next, Boss Baby. [Boss Baby] ¡ô Origin of the Epithet ¨C Epithet reflecting the achievement of killing a boss monster at a young age. ¡ô Effects ¨C When engaging in combat with a boss monster, the probability of becoming the top priority target increases significantly. When engaging in combat with a boss monster, all physical abilities increase by 10% of their original values. It might not be of much help in normal situations, but when facing a boss monster, this boost seemed invaluable. The effect was remarkably outstanding. ¡®By 10% of the original physical abilities¡­¡¯ In the game, there were a few titles related to boss monsters. However, titles that increased all physical abilities by 10%, unrestricted to boss monsters like the effect of Boss Baby, were rare. ¡®Although it¡¯s a bit disappointing to only raise abilities by 10% from the original, it¡¯s better than nothing.¡¯ However, there was a problem. I furrowed my brow. ¡®If I equip this, will it draw aggro from the boss monster?¡¯ Given the significant effect, the price was high. Being able to become the top priority target meant I had to be prepared for considerable danger. While it would match well with Guardian classes primarily responsible for drawing aggro in a party, it didn¡¯t seem like a good fit for me, who needed to focus on dealing damage. If my instinct for evasion could help to some extent, it might improve the situation. ¡®I should use it based on the circumstances, not recklessly.¡¯ After typing a message with my hand, I called up the status window. Then, I fell into deep thought. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± [Would you like to replace the title ¡®Rabbit¡¯ with the title ¡®Lion Cub¡¯?] [Yes / No] Only one title could be equipped. Therefore, to equip Lion Cub, I needed to replace the title I currently had equipped. In other words, I had to release the title Rabbit, representing the spirit of the game. Hence, I couldn¡¯t help but ponder. The effect of Rabbit was not to be underestimated. [Rabbit] ¡ô Title Origin ¨DA term referring to a swordsman who does not fit the style of the Divine Sword Do. ¡ô Effect ¨DAttracts a certain level of attention from those familiar with the Divine Sword Do. ¨DIncreases evasion rate by 30%. Even if the attention mentioned in Rabbit¡¯s effect was not positive, I couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that it raised my evasion rate by 30%. With a luck stat of 25, releasing Rabbit would significantly decrease my evasion rate. ¡®But I can¡¯t raise my luck.¡¯ Boosting the luck stat was difficult, so it was better to spend that time improving other physical abilities. Above all. ¡®I must not forget my weapon.¡¯ In the game, Dogyeongwoo¡¯s strength lay in his combat skills utilizing his instinct to evade. Even to maximize his gifts, he couldn¡¯t afford to sacrifice his evasion rate. I came to a conclusion. ¡°Well, can¡¯t help it.¡± [Yes / No (Select)] It was a shame about the Lion Cub¡¯s effect. As usual, there was nothing but a Rabbit among the aliases he wore. ¡°The Lion Cub is needed for attack power, or it might be better to use it for family gatherings.¡± I closed the message. Around that time, Dosi-eun approached me. ¡°Were you looking at the message saying you conquered the gate?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah?¡± ¡°For that, you seem to be staring into space for too long¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯ve been looking at the messages I received from the gate.¡± People living in this world were unaware of the effects of aliases. They simply accepted it as a means to elevate the status of a hunter or as a promotional tool to imprint an image on people, since it wasn¡¯t a game where the system emerges but reality. I shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°I see. And¡­ here.¡± ¡°Nuna, this is¡­¡± Dosi-eun, who could only see messages provided by the gate, didn¡¯t find it significant. Then she handed me something. ¡°It¡¯s the gate key. Even if it falls, it should come to me.¡± ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡± She judged that she had made the biggest contribution to the conquest, even so, she found it strange to hand me the key. Then Dosi-eun said¡­ ¡°If you hadn¡¯t proposed cooperation, we couldn¡¯t have conquered the gate.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what the gate will think, but I think that way. So, I¡¯m passing the key to you.¡± Thank you, it¡¯s all thanks to you. She gently brushed back her flowing hair and smiled softly. Seeing that smile, I couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I received the key from Dosi-eun. Regardless of how those watching us as artifacts would perceive it, she had decided to pass on the credit for finishing this evaluation match to me. And it was at that moment. Thud! The sound of water was heard first. A woman landed at the center of the lake where only the two of us stood. Judging by her Regulus Clan attire, she seemed to be a hunter affiliated with the clan. ¡°Congratulations on conquering the gate.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As our eyes met, the woman lightly bowed her head in greeting. Soon after, she brought up the matter as she raised her head. ¡°If you pass me the gate key, I will deliver it to the lord for you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Come to think of it, it was agreed to hand over the gate key to a nearby hunter after conquering the gate. I nodded my head. ¡°Yes, here you go.¡± ¡°Then I have received the gate key. I will also report that it was Master Doyeonwoo and Miss Dosi who led the conquest of the gate.¡± ¡°Yes, please take care of it. But how should we leave?¡± The gate to leave this world is always generated near the gate key. When she takes the gate key, the gate¡¯s location moves as well. I inquired, keeping in mind where the gate might have been generated nearby. In response, she pointed to one side. ¡°The gate is currently over there. I plan to make sure everyone who participated in the evaluation battle leaves before leaving, so you don¡¯t need to worry about returning. If you need an escort, I can¡­¡± ¡°No, we can go on our own. It¡¯s not like we are in such bad shape that we need assistance, right?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± The gate was located on the outskirts of the lake. Hunters who had been hiding all this time were now supporting those who participated in the evaluation battle, taking them to that location. We decided to follow them. But before that, there was something I wanted to ask. ¡°I have one question.¡± ¡°Yes, please go ahead, Master Doyeonwoo.¡± ¡°When it comes to the loot obtained from the evaluation battle, how does ownership work?¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Due to the rush of the evaluation battle, there was no time to collect loot from monsters. It was somewhat regrettable. I wanted to at least collect loot from the overseer. ¡°The gate boss¡¯s body is floating right in front of us, we can¡¯t just leave it like that. Plus, the overseer is at Rank 3, right?¡± I glanced at the overseer¡¯s body. The body of the being separated into three rivers was floating on the sealed surface, refusing to sink. It looked quite appetizing. ¡°As for the loot obtained from the clan¡¯s gate, ownership typically belongs to the clan¡­ Please wait a moment. It seems like it would be best to make an inquiry.¡± Whether she sensed my intentions or not, the woman glanced briefly at the overseer¡¯s body. Then, she attempted to make contact using a communication artifact¡­ ¡°Ah, Commander. It¡¯s not that I¡­¡± [If you want it, take it.] ¡°¡­¡± [The spoils belong to the victor.] Before she could finish her sentence, Grandpa¡¯s voice suddenly flowed. We froze on the spot, never expecting Grandpa to receive a message. It seemed like he had been watching us all along. ¡°Uh¡­ The Lord has granted permission. The ownership of the spoils belongs to the one who defeated the monster.¡± Well, good things happen to those who deserve them. Having received Grandpa¡¯s approval, I decided to search the monster¡¯s remains. ¡°That¡¯s great. Then we¡¯ll take the spoils of the monster. Since you fought alongside us, Sister¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± At that moment, Dosi-eun relayed to me that she was conceding the ownership of the spoils to me. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, take it.¡± There was no reason for me to refuse. ¡°Then I¡¯ll gratefully accept it.¡± Soon, I cut open the monster¡¯s chest and retrieved the mana stone from within. The mana stone was tightly fused with the creature, requiring effort to extract. After removing the mana stone, I pondered, ¡®Is there anything else besides mana stones?¡¯ I watched as the creature¡¯s body disintegrated into mana particles. Then, I noticed a form trying to sink into the water. Swiftly, I caught it. [Intermediate Body Ability: Law Stone] ¡ô Consumable Classification ¨DLaw Stone ¡ô Detailed Description From Noble mtl dot com ¨DContains power that contributes to the recipient¡¯s body ability. ¡ô Detailed Effect ¨DUpon absorption, gain 1 residual point. Residual points can be used for body abilities below 80. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°A Law Stone? It¡¯s rare to come across one. You¡¯ve obtained something good. Try to sense it outside.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you so much, noona.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Doh Si-eun didn¡¯t know. How rare the yellow gem I held in my hand was. It was a jackpot. That was all I could say. ¡®It was worth the effort, really.¡¯ A gem that didn¡¯t raise specific stats but could enhance desired ones was extremely valuable. Moreover, it was intermediate level. ¡®I should save this gem to use it when the time comes.¡¯ Considering that it wasn¡¯t easy to grow once the physical ability score exceeded 70, it could be handy to use it then. ¡°Let¡¯s go now, noona.¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s.¡± I happily took the gem. It was time to leave the gate. And just then. ¡°Oh, by the way, Gyun-woo.¡± Doh Si-eun called out to me as she walked ahead. I stopped and turned back. Could it be that this noona¡­ ¡°Are you asking for the gem? Sorry, but this one¡¯s mine now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± An unnecessary unease crept in. What if she snatched the gem from me? I displayed caution, like guarding a bag on my waist, showing my wariness. She seemed to be at a loss for words. After a moment, she sighed and spoke. ¡°Congratulations.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For causing the explosion earlier. I forgot to mention it. It was really impressive. Saw it again.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you. You were impressive too, noona.¡± Well, she wasn¡¯t the type to give and take. I let my guard down. As we exited the gate, supporters waiting outside approached. They thoroughly examined my body. ¡°It seems like there aren¡¯t any major injuries. We¡¯ll treat what we can and lightly touch the parts that can heal naturally.¡± The supporters¡¯ healing magic quickly mended the wounds. They said that the remaining wounds would disappear completely with time. Not long after that¡­ ¡°Well done, everyone! Especially impressed by Si-eun and Gyun-woo¡¯s skills.¡± Moore, along with other adults, including a grandfather who was laughing cheerfully, emerged from the gate. There were family members, too. I tried to approach the family, but¡­ ¡°Mom, Ab¡­!¡± ¡°Truly splendid! You¡¯ve broken the record of the 2nd generation head!¡± ¡­! Grandfather blocked the way, then suddenly pulled me into a tight hug. Even I, who was being embraced by my grandfather for the first time, was surprised, and everyone around seemed equally astonished. ¡®Is this because I caused a commotion? He seems extremely pleased¡­.¡¯ While in my grandfather¡¯s embrace, I could see people around me either unable to close their mouths or widening their eyes. ¡°But don¡¯t let this get to your head, remain humble, and strive endlessly,¡± Even though Grandfather must have felt my gaze, he continued, patting my back without flinching. I just stayed still. ¡®How long has it been since I last received praise from Grandfather?¡¯ I pondered deeply. Back when I was young, mocked as ¡°Rabbit¡± after a failed rabbit hunt. Perhaps that¡¯s when Grandfather¡¯s attention started to drift away. It felt refreshing nonetheless. Being recognized by the family again did uplift my spirits. Meanwhile, ¡®Status Window.¡¯ I decided to seize this opportunity. Quietly activating the status window, I manipulated the screen discreetly so that Grandfather wouldn¡¯t notice. [Change the alias ¡®Rabbit¡¯ to ¡®Lion Cub¡¯?] [Yes / No] I changed the alias. With this, Grandfather¡¯s favor towards me would only grow. I spoke up. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Well then¡­ Head.¡± ¡°Yes, Gyenwoo. Why the formality?¡± ¡°May I enter the viewing room?¡± To my question, Grandfather responded coolly. ¡°Of course! Why ask?¡± Chapter 28 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 27 Chapter 27 Courage By the time the evaluation battle had ended, it was well past midnight. ¡°Conquering the gate must not have been easy, everyone must have truly worked hard. I hope this experience has been helpful for you. Now, those who need to return, go back, and those who need rest, rest comfortably.¡± Grandfather issued the dispersal order to the people gathered in front of the artificial gate. Only then did the people breathe a sigh of relief. Soon, showing signs of exhaustion, they greeted Grandfather and slowly left one by one. ¡°Stay here with Sieun and Gyungwoo. Let¡¯s report right away. It¡¯s best to receive gifts promptly.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anyone among you who wants to come along, feel free to do so. However, you cannot enter the report room.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Grandfather took the first step. Remaining in place, Dahee and Dosieun quickly followed behind him. Then, some people quietly followed us, curious about what treasure we would choose. Naturally, there were family members as well. ¡°Well done. I watched from the cliff, didn¡¯t see anything to criticize. It seems the Wall Thunder can now be properly utilized.¡± ¡°Oh, Father.¡± ¡°But how come you didn¡¯t take any fruits?¡± Father, resting his chin on my shoulder. While praising my skills, Father seemed curious about my knowledge of the fruits growing in the gate. I decided to vaguely respond. ¡°I¡¯ve read about them before. They looked similar to what I saw in the book, so I thought they might be the same. I was lucky.¡± ¡°As long as you know what you¡¯re eating, it¡¯s fine. Still, be cautious when eating without emotions. Among the flora and fauna self-grown in the gate, there are cases where things look similar but are entirely different.¡± Father cautioned gently. Knowing Father¡¯s concerns, I decided to pretend to accept his advice, despite having emotional abilities. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be careful from now on¡­.¡± As I was about to agree¡­. ¡°¡®I thought they might be the same¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Mother was smiling softly. I lost my words to continue. ¡°So you had to eat it to confirm?¡± ¡°Um, Mom¡­.¡± Father discreetly stepped back. My mother came close to me and tightly grasped my shoulders. No, she was pinching me hard. The voice coming from behind was sharp and relentless. ¡°Did you have stomach issues from eating something wrong, or did you think you could handle poison?¡± ¡°Pakkit Ape seemed fine eating, so I thought there wouldn¡¯t be any poison¡­¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± ¡°You should eat cautiously, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fortunately, there were people around, so my mother didn¡¯t scold me loudly. I could breathe a sigh of relief when my mother let go of my shoulders. Then, I felt someone¡¯s gaze. Doh Si-eun had a curious expression on her face as she looked at me. ¡°Why are you like that?¡± ¡°Because it seems like you get along well with your family.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same with your sister?¡± ¡°We¡­ are¡­ probably just ordinary, I guess.¡± Maybe because we had collapsed the fruit tree together. Unlike before when she was quiet, she now sporadically engaged in conversation with me. It was at that moment. ¡°I want to eat fruit too!¡± Yeeun suddenly chimed in, hugging me from behind. ¡°Oppa, are there any fruits left? I want to try them too¡­¡± Yeeun¡¯s eyes sparkled brightly. Yeeun clung to me, begging. ¡®Just as I expected¡­¡¯ I let out a bitter smile. Luckily, I had one fruit of vigor left, saved for the fight with the leader. ¡°Here, take this. I saved it for you.¡± ¡°Wow! You¡¯re the best, Oppa!¡± I took out the fruit from my waist bag and handed it to Yeeun. Yeeun¡¯s face lit up with joy. ¡°It¡¯s sticky but super sweet!¡± ¡°Do you want to try the fruit of vigor too?¡± ¡°Huh? Are you giving it to me? Thank you, Unni!¡± Yeeun eating the fruit looked both adorable and heartwarming. Doh Si-eun, who was walking alongside me, also took out a fruit from her waist bag. Thanks to her, Yeeun could taste the fruit of vigor as well. Before long, just a little while passed. We arrived at the vault. ? The vault, located at the deepest level of the main building, was protected by layers of overlapping barrier magic, solid as a fortress. Just from what I could perceive, not to mention what went unnoticed, the security level was formidable. ¡°Most of the treasures kept in the main house are related to the history of the Divine Sword Guild and symbolize the family. As it is such an important place, not many besides the head of the family have accessed the vault throughout history.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now you¡¯ve become part of that select few.¡± With those words, Grandfather channeled mana into the iron door, then placed his hand on the lion-shaped door knocker. He then pushed the knocker left and right. ¡°¡­It was a sliding door.¡± The vault¡¯s mechanism activated. Two iron doors creaked as they slid open left and right. Soon, a breeze swept in from inside. ¡°The mana is dense.¡± A wind imbued with mana. It was the energy emanating from the treasures stored in the vault. I tried to peer beyond the iron door, sensing the thick mana. Inside was empty. ¡°An concealment spell prevents you from looking in from the outside. If you want to confirm, you¡¯ll have to go inside.¡± Grandfather clarified. Then, he rummaged through his belongings. ¡°Si-eun, Gyun-woo.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ¡°Wear this as you enter. It will signal to the vault that you are approved individuals.¡± A necklace engraved with the family crest. Cityeun and I put on the necklaces handed to us by Grandfather. ¡°Can we go in now?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll wait here. Choose one treasure inside and come out.¡± ¡°Can we really pick anything?¡± It was a given, but ownership of the treasures bestowed by the family was not entirely mine. Excluding items like elixirs or consumables, the treasures were considered lent by the family. However, Grandfather offering treasures kept at the main house was quite radical. As Grandfather mentioned earlier, the vault was likely filled with treasures symbolizing the family. ¡°In the game, there was mention of a sword that could kill an opponent in one strike from the Divine Sword Guild¡¯s treasures¡­¡± If so, I might be able to acquire the legendary item mentioned in the game settings. I asked my grandfather again to confirm. And then my grandfather said, ¡°Officially speaking, once a word is spoken from the giver, it cannot be taken back. You can bring out anything you desire from the vault.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°However.¡± My grandfather¡¯s gaze was fixed on me. ¡°I hope you choose the treasure that is most essential to you. Although I doubt you would do otherwise, if you were to select a treasure that doesn¡¯t match your level, I might end up disappointed in you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I hope you choose wisely.¡± In truth, I didn¡¯t expect much. I knew my grandfather wouldn¡¯t just hand over such a treasure to us. Without being greedy, I decided to choose a treasure I had marked beforehand. ¡°By the way, the security magic inside will inspect the treasure you take out. So, do not even think about sneaking out any treasure other than the ones I¡¯ve permitted.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Well, I had a slight hope, but as expected. Sadly, it seemed I would have to abandon the idea of taking out a treasure secretly. I avoided my grandfather¡¯s penetrating gaze as if he could see through my thoughts. ¡°Well then, take your time inside and carefully examine everything.¡± * * * The moment we set foot inside the vault, the security magic that had concealed its presence surged. But thanks to the necklace¡¯s effect, the security magic scanned our bodies and then vanished as if to say, ¡°When did this happen?¡± It had granted us access. After a few steps from there. ¡°Oh, there it is.¡± The vault, which had been hidden by concealment magic, revealed itself. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Despite the space, the number of treasures stored inside wasn¡¯t vast. Yet, each visible treasure exuded such grandeur that the sense of emptiness didn¡¯t even cross our minds. Captivated by the extraordinary aura emanating from the treasures, I felt entranced by something. Seeming to share a similar sentiment, Doeun let out a sigh of admiration. ¡°Shall we take a closer look?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s.¡± We couldn¡¯t afford to remain lost in awe. Gathering our wits, we decided to explore the vault. Quietly following behind me, Doeun marveled at the treasures. ¡°The Thunder Essence is also here.¡± [Thunder Essence] ¡ô Consumable Classification ¨DElixir ¡ô Detailed Description ¨DConcentrated inner energy of Thunder Spirit. ¡ô Detailed Effects ¨DUpon absorption, all attacks consuming internal mana are converted to lightning attribute. ¨DUpon absorption, the character¡¯s affinity attribute changes to lightning attribute. ¨DUpon absorption, gains extraordinary resistance to lightning attribute attacks. Additionally, converts the absorbed attacks into Mp. ¨DUpon absorption, lightning¡­ The Thunder Essence, rare even in the game. I averted my gaze from the bead that seemed to contain lightning. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want it, but¡­ I don¡¯t really need it.¡± Now that I can use the Thunderbolt, the effects of the Thunder Essence didn¡¯t appeal to me. Moreover, although it was difficult to obtain, the Thunder Essence was not entirely unattainable. If I ever needed the Thunder Essence, I could think about it then. ¡°It¡¯s unpredictable when I¡¯ll receive another report from the main house, and I can¡¯t choose treasures that can be found elsewhere.¡± According to the game¡¯s story, I was supposed to receive the report again. Considering that, twice. Therefore, as my grandfather advised, it was wiser to choose something only obtainable from the main house. For example, a sword. ¡°Oh, the gate key is over there. Probably the gate key that the strong star receives in the game, right? Hmm¡­ Blue wasn¡¯t even available in the game.¡± Passing by where the gate key was placed, I ventured further inside. Then, I found the swords. ¡°¡­¡± Swords hanging on the wall. I carefully examined the appearance of each sword from a distance. ¡°There¡¯s even the Sword of Soowang.¡± The Suwang Sword, representing the qualifications of the head of the Divine Sword Guild, hung in the center of the wall. ¡°Ah.¡± Soon, a sword caught my eye. [Su-yeon Sword (Water Smoke Sword)] ¡ô Equipment Classification ¨DOne-handed sword ¡ô Detailed Description From Noble mtl dot com ¨DOne of the swords favored by the 2nd head of the Divine Sword Guild, Domingeon. ¨DBorn anew in the protection of the water spirit king Undine on the Red Gate Island ¡®V¡¯, shedding its old appearance and taking on a new form. ¨DTests its owner. ¡ô Detailed Effects ¨D+3 Stamina, +3 Strength ¨DWhen worn, consumes internal mana to create water droplets. ¨D(Unlock condition: Strength 50 or higher) The Su-yeon Sword, filled with the meaning of dense water vapor, symbolizes the misty fog of water droplets. It was a sword that also appeared in the game. ¡°It¡¯s the sword symbolizing Sister Si-eun.¡± I gazed at the sword that seemed to ripple like water vapor and let out a bitter smile. Seeing that Si-eun had the Su-yeon Sword since her appearance in the game, I couldn¡¯t help but think she must have obtained it around that time. Deciding to call out to her, I spoke as I looked at the sword on one side. ¡°Si-eun, would you like to come over here?¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°What do you think of this sword?¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± I pointed to the Su-yeon Sword. As Si-eun noticed the sword, she let out a gasp. Unaware of my presence, she gazed at the Su-yeon Sword intently. ¡°They say you can instinctively recognize the martial art that suits you best at a glance. Is she communicating with the sword?¡± Si-eun seemed oblivious, but from the moment she saw the Su-yeon Sword, she couldn¡¯t close her mouth. Her blue eyes were wide open. I carefully chose my words while observing her reaction. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem like a really good sword? It converts internal mana into water droplets, so it should go well with your Thunder Raiment.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± In reality, in the game, Dosi-eun had indeed used the power of the Water Sword to greatly amplify the Thunder Raiment. The Thunder Raiment and the sword had good compatibility. At that moment, she turned to me. ¡°Will you¡­ choose this sword?¡± A trembling voice. And eyes that were wavering in blue. Dosi-eun might not have noticed, but I could see the anxiety on her face. To the extent that she clearly wanted the Water Sword. Seeing her face, one I had never seen in the game, made my heart race. ¡°Honestly, if someone uses the Water King¡¯s techniques, wouldn¡¯t this sword be worth coveting?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ true¡­¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think it suits me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Unlike my sister, I don¡¯t have that much internal mana. So, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll handle the Water Sword well.¡± It was my honest sentiment. The Water Sword was indeed a good sword, but it felt burdensome for me to use. With my magic level slightly over 30, a combat style that consumed a lot of mana didn¡¯t suit me at all. Above all, ¡®I can¡¯t take away this sister¡¯s fate.¡¯ That was the main reason. If it was a fate that the antagonist would obtain, it would be different, but I didn¡¯t want to take the fate of those who would stand on the side of righteousness with the Strong Star. Just in case I mistakenly affected the game¡¯s story by devouring their fates. ¡°I actually think the Water Sword suits you better, sister. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­Okay. No, great. Really great.¡± So, I decided to give the Water Sword to Dosi-eun. She couldn¡¯t pull herself together. Her stumbling words, not befitting the name ¡°Lightning Flower,¡± were quite amusing. Soon enough, she smiled so brightly it seemed dazzling. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re thankful, take good care of me.¡± ¡°How would I take care of you?¡± ¡°Whether in the Academy City you¡¯ll go to in a few years from the family, or anywhere else, if I ask for help, you help me.¡± ¡°Oh, sure. If I ever need help, I¡¯ll let you know. I¡¯ll help as much as I can, as long as it¡¯s nothing bad.¡± ¡°Really? Is that a promise?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t even realize she was smiling. Cityeun could not hide her joy as she held the Suyeon Sword in both arms. ¡°But what about you? If you¡¯re also searching for a sword¡­ I¡¯ll help you find it.¡± ¡°Thank you, but there¡¯s no need for that.¡± I refused Cityeun¡¯s consideration. Then, I took a few more steps away from the wall where the Suyeon Sword was hung. ¡°I¡¯ve already found mine.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± If Cityeun had a sword symbolizing her, there was a sword that held even more significance to Dogyunwoo than her. The sword symbolizing Dogyunwoo¡­ no, symbolizing me. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Finally, I raised the corners of my mouth, gazing at that sword. ¡°With this sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­?¡± A sword with a single edge. A plain black sword, devoid of any ornamentation, symbolizing me. I took the sword off the wall and tilted it under the light. ¡°Definitely.¡± A sword scattering a bluish light depending on the angle one looked at it from. It was the Gunchung Sword. Chapter 29 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 28 Chapter 28 In the game, Dogyunwoo, along with Ganghanbyeol, solves the issue intertwined with the Divine Sword Doga and, as a reward, obtains the Gunchung Sword. The Gunchung Sword could be considered the weapon that best suited Dogyunwoo in the game. To elevate Dogyunwoo, who specialized in aquatic species, to a higher level. ¡°So this is the only sword I can choose in the game.¡± There were other swords in the game that were not mentioned. However, none seemed to fit me as well as the Gunchung Sword. Above all, I felt drawn to it. Zing. Was Cityeun feeling the same way? From the moment I recognized the Gunchung Sword, no other sword caught my eye. It created an illusion as if only I and the sword existed in the world. It felt like the sword was calling out to me. No, was it me calling out to it? ¡°The sword is crying.¡± It was not a misconception. The sword gripped in my hand seemed to be pleased, trembling slightly, and conveying a clear sound. At that moment, I was certain. There was no other sword for me but this one. I read the information on the Military Blue Sword. [Military Blue Sword] ¡ô Equipment Classification ¨C One-Handed Sword ¡ô Detailed Description ¨C One of the swords favored by Doh Min-geon, the 2nd generation master of Shin Sword Do. ¨C Made by fermenting the horn of the Brained Beast for 100 days, there is only one of its kind in the world. ¨C Tests its owner. ¡ô Detailed Effects ¨C Stamina +3, Agility +3 ¨C When worn, can be transformed into a Reverse Blade Sword by consuming internal mana. ¨C When worn, raises the level of all skills named ¡®Water King Style¡¯ by 1. ¨C Skill ¡°Current Affinity¡± ¨C (Unlock condition: Agility 50 or higher) As expected, it did not disappoint. The Military Blue Sword boasted performance that was on par with the Water Lotus Sword. No, to me, the Military Blue Sword surpassed it. While the Water Lotus Sword converted mana into water droplets and used it as a conductor to freely enhance the attack power of the Water King Style, the Military Blue Sword simply raised the Water King Style to a higher level just by being equipped. For someone like me who preferred minimal mana consumption, the Military Blue Sword was more appealing. Moreover¡­ ¡®How do I let the mana flow?¡¯ There was also a Reverse Blade Sword mode where the positions of the blade and back of the blade were reversed. Fearing to harm others symbolized by Dogyeonwoo¡¯s weakness, in a game where reducing the opponent¡¯s HP to 0 did not always lead to death, it was an unnecessary feature. However, in a world where the game became reality, the story changed. Reducing the opponent¡¯s HP to 0 meant actually killing them. So, as I was to face many enemies upon entering the Academy City, I needed a weapon that could subdue without killing. The Military Green Sword suited that purpose. ¡°Ah, so this is how it flows.¡± I wasn¡¯t particularly keen on being as reckless as the Dogyeonwoo in the game. If there comes a time when I must kill someone, I will do so to reach the desired ending. But if the enemy doesn¡¯t need to be killed, and there¡¯s no reason to kill, I preferred not to. I wasn¡¯t a calculated killing machine moving murderously for the future to the point of being comfortable with murder. Living like that would eventually isolate me from people. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s done.¡± Finally, after several attempts. I changed the Military Green Sword into a Reverse Blade Sword, carefully running my finger over the originally bladed part. It was dulled enough to be used as a striking tool like a blunt edge. Conversely, the bladed part was sharp, causing a slight cut on my fingertip with just a touch. ¡°With this, I can strike those who provoke me freely. Still, I need to be careful not to accidentally hit vital areas.¡± The Reverse Blade Sword is still a sword. Believing it safe to swing with the blunted edge could potentially kill someone. After licking the blood off my fingertip, I returned the Military Green Sword to its original state. Then, I put it back in its sheath. ¡°Sis, we¡¯ve picked everything, let¡¯s head out.¡± ¡°Sure, everyone¡¯s waiting outside.¡± Me too, Dosiun. Excited to have the desired sword in hand, we were both in high spirits. Our steps were light as we left. Outside, grandfather and the others were waiting. ¡°Have you picked the most essential thing? Oh, both of you chose swords.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Amidst the people¡¯s gaze, Grandfather turned away from their eyes and received the swords we brought back from the viewing. ¡°Su-yeon Sword and Military Green Sword. Both are excellent swords. Somehow, both of you ended up choosing swords favored by the two main benefactors.¡± ¡°Yes, benefactor.¡± ¡°Treat them well. They¡¯re here.¡± Grandfather handed over the swords. Dosiun and I received the swords back, not forgetting to express our gratitude to grandfather. Meanwhile, ¡°Benefactor.¡± ¡°Yes, Gyenwoo. What is it?¡± With a pleased look, I brought up a matter to grandfather. The purpose of my visit to the ancestral home was to seize the opportunity I had been waiting for. ¡°I got a new sword, and I was happy to see the lord after a long time.¡± ¡°So?¡± As if saying, ¡®Look at this guy.¡¯ Grandfather, twitching one eyebrow, interjected. I awkwardly accepted his words. ¡°So, I wanted to receive a lesson from you by trying out your sword, grandfather. Could you teach me?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I request this of you.¡± Behind grandfather. Father, mother, and others showed signs of astonishment. They had not anticipated me bringing up such a request. ¡°You want me to teach a lesson to my grandson¡­ hahahaha, now that I think about it, it seems I have never shared a sword with you guys.¡± Meanwhile, grandfather was quite intrigued by my request. Stroking his beard, grandfather¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Alright then. There¡¯s nothing I wouldn¡¯t do as a grandfather for my grandson¡¯s enlightenment.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you, lord!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s getting late, and considering the hardships you faced inside the gate, it might be tough to spar with you right away. So, let¡¯s do it tomorrow morning.¡± Grandfather readily agreed. I turned my gaze away from the family and others who were staring at me with tongues wagging, and bowed my head to grandfather. ¡°This will give me the courage I need.¡± ¡ª I asked the lord for a lesson. The story spread through the ancestral home in no time, circulating among the people¡¯s conversations. It was said that members of the family, who were about to leave the ancestral home without even eating breakfast, stayed behind to witness the sparring between me and grandfather. According to rumors, even the servants were showing interest and looking for excuses to watch the sparring. Everyone was at a loss. Upon which, father said, ¡°I, as well as my other siblings, find it difficult to face the lord, so much so that we dare not request a spar, and here you are, my grandson, boldly asking for it, causing quite a stir.¡± ¡°So, father, you¡¯ve never sparred with grandfather before?¡± ¡°¡­I did a few times when I was young. The lord wanted to test my skills, so we sparred.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never requested a spar yourself.¡± ¡°Right, Yongseok. Among our siblings, only the second brother and the fourth sister have ever requested a spar.¡± ¡°So, father¡­ you were a coward.¡± ¡°Son.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no foolish gamble like entering a losing game in this world. I don¡¯t engage in losing games.¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­ I acknowledge that.¡± ¡°Did someone who¡¯s like that come to me and pester me to date?¡± ¡°Oh, you! When did I ever do that? I wasn¡¯t the one who followed¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°¡­I followed you because I liked you. Son, sometimes as a man, you must be prepared to face a challenge, even if you might lose. That¡¯s how you can achieve victory.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± ¡°Yet, if there¡¯s losing, there¡¯s winning in equal measure. Even if I lose during the day, at night¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no holding back in front of the kids.¡± ¡°I win all day and night!¡± ¡°Hmph! Anyway, even if our generation doesn¡¯t understand, among your cousins, you¡¯re the first to challenge the patriarch to a duel. So, everyone will be surprised. Truly remarkable, fearless¡­ my son.¡± Though the conversation veered off track, I could hear such sentiments. In any case. ¡°Are you warmed up?¡± ¡°Yes, Patriarch. I am ready.¡± I headed to the training ground with my grandfather to exchange swords. ¡°¡­¡± The spectators of our duel occupied a corner. Ignoring their presence, I drew the military sword. ¡°I can offer you the first move. If you wish, I can offer even more.¡± Grandfather held the practice sword in his hand. Then he offered me the first move. But I shook my head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to offer me the first move. I want to experience the sword you wield with sincerity.¡± ¡°¡­You seem to need to learn the difference between courage and recklessness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not being reckless.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if I duel with you, will there be anything more than defeat? And even if I receive instruction, at my current level, the teachings I can receive will be conventional.¡± ¡°¡­Knowing that, why did you ask me to teach you a move?¡± Grandfather¡¯s gaze turned stern. An edge of irritation crept into his voice. Nevertheless, I continued undeterred. ¡°Because you are incredibly strong.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are the strongest in our country.¡± ¡°Hmph¡­ Don¡¯t speak so hastily. I am just one of them. Anyway, go on.¡± ¡°Rather than receiving instruction, I thought it might be more beneficial to learn firsthand through experience. When will I ever have the valuable experience of facing a strong swordsman like you?¡± ¡°So, you mean to raise the threshold of facing a strong opponent by receiving my sword?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly.¡± To be honest. It was to gain courage under the pressure from my grandfather. But still, there was something to be learned by receiving my grandfather¡¯s sword with my body. I waited for my grandfather¡¯s response. Soon, my grandfather chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong in what you said. To become stronger, you must experience that world. Your thoughts truly please me. If you are to be a lion of the Divine Sword Guild, that¡¯s how it should be.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Yes, very well. Since you ask, I shall show you the world as I see it.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you, Grandmaster.¡± ¡°Thank me after you¡¯ve received my sword. Don¡¯t regret it afterwards.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t go all out. If I did, the world I show you might become hell for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will show you the sword within the limits you can almost bear.¡± My grandfather paused. At that moment, the tide turned. A tremendous pressure arose. It was also when the message appeared. [Exposed to pressure.] [All stats reduced by 80%.] ¡­Did I see it wrong? From Noble mtl dot com I doubted my eyes. But even as I continued to stare at the message, the numbers remained unchanged. ¡°Where are you looking?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Look at me straight.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If this were a real battle, your head would have rolled by now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re afraid. Yet, if you don¡¯t face that fear, you can¡¯t move forward. Look at me.¡± ¡­Breathing was not easy. It felt like something was pressing down on my shoulders, making my body wilt. At the same time, my body trembled. The instinct to dodge was kicking in. ¡°Damn it.¡± I gritted my teeth. To not lose sight of the military green sword, I clenched my hands, now soaked in sweat, with all my might. I raised my head, determined to face my grandfather no matter what. Grandfather looked like a giant. That giant gave a warning. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡± Grandfather¡¯s wooden sword comes in. I need to avoid that wooden sword¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± What is this? Why is the wooden sword in front of me? ©¤©¤©¤! I can¡¯t keep up with the accident. So, I can¡¯t make a judgment. So, I can¡¯t move. In that case¡­ Crash! I have no choice but to leave it to my instincts. *** Bang! Whizz! Thud! Thak! Thud! Thud¡­ Making a loud noise, Doyeongwoo, who floated in the air and spun a few times, crashed onto the ground. Then, he hit the outer wall of the training ground and finally stopped rolling. ¡°¡­.¡± It happened in the blink of an eye. People couldn¡¯t say anything about what they saw with their own eyes. No, they were unsure if they even saw it. By the time most of them regained their senses, Doyeongwoo was already being confronted by Doyeik, who was swinging his sword. Doyeik¡¯s movements were beyond the scope of cognition. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± But as time passed, the awe they felt faded. They mocked as they looked at Doyeongwoo lying on the ground. ¡°I knew it would end like this.¡± ¡°Why rush in if you knew you¡¯d lose like this?¡± ¡°When the master said he¡¯d go easy, you should¡¯ve just listened.¡± ¡°You talk big and end up looking like that? Truly embarrassing.¡± ¡°Trembling in front of the master, are you a lion or a cub?¡± At the age of twelve, Doyeongwoo, who raised a storm, broke the record of the two masters. Those who had secretly looked down on him, now openly ridiculed him. Even so, they were determined to undermine Dogyun-woo¡¯s worth. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Doyeik showed no interest in their chatter. His thoughts were solely focused on Dogyun-woo lying on the ground. ¡®I was going to pin him to the wall.¡¯ Doyeik looked at the wall in front of him, tracing the path Dogyun-woo took when he was struck by his sword and flew, hitting the ground. What could be inferred from that was¡­. ¡®He reacted to my sword.¡¯ At the moment when he swung his wooden sword. In a fleeting moment, Dogyun-woo deflected the sword, taking his attack and dodging in that direction. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­.¡± And the loud fall must have been to soften the impact. That¡¯s how the attack was evaded. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± A mere twelve-year-old. Responding to his attack. Doyeik couldn¡¯t help but let out a dry laugh in disbelief. Before he knew it, a smile crept onto his lips. ¡°What a truly fearsome little guy.¡± Have I ever seen such a cute lion cub? He murmured softly. ? An attack beyond cognition. I couldn¡¯t make any judgments as I gazed at the wooden sword that had almost reached me. ¨DCrack! I could only move my body as instinct dictated, evading the attack. In the moment of being attacked. I couldn¡¯t remember how I moved. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± When I came to, I found myself lying face down on the training ground. I blinked my eyes. Then, I slowly raised my head to assess the situation. ¡°¡­.¡± People were murmuring as they stood at a distance. I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re saying. But given the situation, there was one thing I could guess. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it.¡± I must be the laughingstock, stumbling out without even properly countering the first move. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you try countering yourself.¡± I wanted to say that in my mind, but I had neither the worth to engage nor the strength to do so. After just one attack, my energy seemed drained. I felt like I had no strength left in my body. But lying down was uncomfortable, so I flipped over to see the ceiling. That¡¯s when Grandpa approached. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Well, you seem fine by the way you¡¯re talking.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, I missed my last attack, so you couldn¡¯t have been hurt anywhere. Even if you were, it would just be a minor scrape from rolling around.¡± Grandpa chuckled as if it wasn¡¯t his concern. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to chuckle along. ¡°Well, you seem to have some energy left, want to take another hit from the sword?¡± ¡°¡­¡± To ask me to take that attack again. I couldn¡¯t see my own face, but I was probably wearing a bug-eaten expression right now. At that, Grandpa chuckled softly. ¡°Or should we just call it quits?¡± But in a situation where I couldn¡¯t muster the courage, it wasn¡¯t something I could just end. I pondered with a complex mind. Just then, a message popped up. [Acquired a Skill.] [Courage Lv 1] [Courage Lv 1] ¡ô Skill Classification ¨DCondition Activated ¡ô Detailed Effects ¨DPreserves up to 5% of the ability points declining due to pressure. ¨DWhen exposed to pressure, concentration and evasion rate increase by 5%. ¡°Ah¡­ Thank goodness.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be thankful about?¡± If it was going to come, it should have come sooner. I confirmed that I had gained courage and let out a sigh of relief. The grandfather who couldn¡¯t see the message seemed puzzled. To such a grandfather¡­ ¡°I think we don¡¯t need to go on anymore, right? Thank you for teaching me a lesson.¡± I expressed my gratitude to the grandfather in a voice that came from my heart. The grandfather clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough. If you¡¯re feeling fine, let¡¯s play one more round. Next time, go easy on me than before.¡± ¡°No, sir! Thank you!¡± I had already obtained what I wanted. There was no need to tremble anymore while facing the grandfather¡¯s sword. I politely declined. In the end, the grandfather had to step back reluctantly. But he didn¡¯t completely give up. His eyes were set on the spectators of the match. ¡°But I can¡¯t end it like this after promising to teach you. Feelings! It¡¯s fine with anyone. If anyone is willing to face my sword, come forward!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Make sure everyone who participated in yesterday¡¯s evaluation match comes out.¡± The spectators of the match looked as if they had been struck by lightning, all with shocked faces. I smirked as I watched them. ¡°How pathetic.¡± You should experience it firsthand. Chapter 30 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 29 Chapter 29 It was impossible to refuse the grandfather¡¯s offer to teach. I had to receive at least one lesson. As a result, those who came to watch my match ended up facing off against the grandfather. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°Running away is also a tactic! But if you keep running aimlessly without a purpose, you¡¯ll end up being preyed upon by the predator.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± The eldest grandfather and the second eldest easily received the grandfather¡¯s sword and stepped back. Next was the third eldest, Dobumjun. Seungwoo¡¯s father received a scolding from the grandfather and bowed his head. His ears were turning red, perhaps out of embarrassment. ¡°Next!¡± Soon, the third eldest grandfather took his turn and turned back. Auntie walked out to the training ground, her shoes clacking. Grandfather frowned. ¡°Are you planning to fight in those shoes?¡± ¡°Did you expect something like this to happen? If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have worn high-heeled shoes.¡± Unlike the uncles, Auntie found it relatively less difficult to deal with grandfather. Perhaps that¡¯s why she nonchalantly took off her shoes, neatly arranging them to the side. ¡°I fight without shoes, so you should take that into account.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Auntie polished her shoes diligently. While grandfather chuckled, he didn¡¯t seem entirely displeased. Soon after, the swords of the two clashed. ¡®¡­Impressive.¡¯ It seemed grandfather understood to some extent why he was lenient towards Auntie. Auntie¡¯s swordsmanship was splendid. Combining agility with illusion, her swordsmanship pushed back grandfather¡¯s movements as if sealing them. The first uncle, the second uncle, the third uncle, none of them could push back grandfather as much. ¡°You¡¯ve improved a lot.¡± ¡°To catch up with my brothers, I have to do this much, right?¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still far from beating me.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Grandfather swung his sword widely, clashing with Auntie¡¯s sword. Auntie¡¯s hand holding the sword recoiled, interrupting the swift flow of her swordsmanship. The illusion vanished. Grandfather¡¯s sword moved through that gap, reaching near Auntie¡¯s neck. ¡°You must know what was lacking.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lesson. Thank you.¡± The match was over. Auntie humbly bowed her head and moved to where she had placed her shoes. ¡°Wow¡­ Oppa, I want to learn swordsmanship like Auntie too! It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s quite remarkable.¡± Yeeun, who was complaining of being sleepy just a while ago, now had eyes shining. I understood that feeling too. I was becoming interested in illusion swords after watching Auntie¡¯s swordsmanship. ¡®Is it father¡¯s turn now?¡¯ And eventually, Father stood before grandfather. ¡°Dad! Be strong, Dad!¡± Yeeun cheered loudly. In response, father could be seen smiling faintly. Clang! The competition had begun. Father swiftly engaged. Unlike Grandfather¡¯s elegant sword, Father¡¯s lacked flamboyance but was pristine. His movements were precise, showing immediate adaptability. However, after a few exchanges, he started to be pushed back by Grandfather. Just when it seemed to be ending¡­ ¡°What are they talking about?¡± Though the words were indistinct from afar, it seemed like Father and Grandfather were exchanging words as their swords clashed. Soon after, Father¡¯s movements shifted. Ching! Father used Grandfather¡¯s sword to create distance through a recoil. Then, he dashed towards Grandfather, relentlessly attacking without pause. Ching! Father¡¯s actions became bold. There was no hesitation in his thrusts. Delving deep into Grandfather¡¯s defense, he pushed to prevent Grandfather from wielding the sword. ¡°Why is Dad acting like this?¡± Could it be that Grandfather¡¯s earlier words had triggered a change in his mindset? Such questions arose. But that was the extent of it. Swish! Before Father¡¯s sword could reach, Grandfather¡¯s sword had already touched Father¡¯s neck. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve lost.¡± ¡°But your skills haven¡¯t dulled.¡± ¡°I¡¯m constantly rolling in the field every day.¡± Father acknowledged his defeat. Only then did Grandfather sheath his sword and exchange a few words with Father. Returning to his place, Father wore a somber expression. ¡°I never knew you could handle a sword so fiercely as if you¡¯ve changed like a different person.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve realized that now? I¡¯m still the same person when it comes to it.¡± ¡°Dad! I was cheering for you to win, what now if you lose!?¡± ¡°Oh dear, our daughter! Did you? I¡¯m sorry for losing. And thank you for your support.¡± As Mother and Yeeun spoke, Father¡¯s face softened a bit. Yet, Father still seemed deeply pondering something. I asked Father about it. ¡°What did the elder say?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Earlier, it seemed like you were talking to the elder, and your movements changed since then. Is something going on?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing. Kids need not worry about it. Let¡¯s just watch the competition to the end.¡± Father abruptly turned my head as he spoke gently. ¡°If you say it like that, you can¡¯t escape it.¡± I tidied up my messy thoughts. I was curious about the conversation we had, but out of consideration for Father, who didn¡¯t want to answer, I decided not to press him. Not long after that¡­. ¡°Next is¡­ Si-eun.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Please take care of me.¡± As Father¡¯s generation passed, it was the turn of the next generation. Grandfather smiled as he saw Si-eun, who appeared at the training ground. ¡°Show me all the strength you have. Where do you want to test your granddaughter¡¯s prowess?¡± ¡°Before that, I have a request.¡± ¡°A request? Alright, speak.¡± ¡°I want to experience one of your moves, just like Gyun-woo did.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Why is she acting like that? It¡¯s not about gaining courage. I stared intently at Si-eun. The people around us also showed bewildered reactions. ¡°Please. I want to awaken myself through my own body as well.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Nevertheless, Si-eun didn¡¯t care about the gazes around her and made the request. Grandfather did not refuse. ¡°Alright, fine. Where shall we begin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Si-eun grasped the Su-yeon sword. ¡®How did she move like that?¡¯ Grandfather, who had been holding the sword, switched it to a wooden sword and assumed a stance. I tried not to miss even the slightest movement as I observed Grandfather¡¯s sword. But in the blink of an eye, I lost sight of Grandfather. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®When was¡­¡¯ A distance of about ten steps away. Grandfather, without any sign of using mana, had reached right in front of Si-eun in just one step. I saw it and felt it that way. And he swung the sword down. Basic Form 1, the Hunter¡¯s Stance. With a simple downward strike. Thud! Clang! Thump! ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just as I said a little while ago. Dosi fell without any response. The woman who received Grandfather¡¯s sword momentarily floated above the ground and was thrown back into the wall behind her. The onlookers were speechless, unable to close their mouths. On the other hand. ¡°This time, you flew properly. Perhaps you avoided it after all¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Grandfather, watching Dosi coming down as if stuck to the wall, muttered incomprehensible words. For a moment, it seemed like Grandfather¡¯s gaze was directed at me. It might have been my misconception. I just had that feeling. ¡®Sieun noona indeed can¡¯t lose to Grandfather.¡¯ Meanwhile, I worried about the staggering Dosi getting up. She leaned on people for support and walked towards Grandfather. ¡°You¡¯ve learned well.¡± ¡°Yes, it was a pleasure to spar with you. Just in case, go to the supporter and have your sword checked.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Staggering. That¡¯s how Dosi left with her family. ¡°I hope she¡¯s not hurt. She shouldn¡¯t be someone who gets hurt¡­¡± Should I send her a message later? I pondered while looking in the direction she left. But then I tried to focus on watching the next people¡¯s sparring. ¡°Sir, I request your teachings¡­¡± ¡°Would you like to receive my sword as well?¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°Come, try receiving it once.¡± Suddenly, the person following Dosi received Grandfather¡¯s sword and flew back. ¡°Next! You, come try receiving it.¡± ¡°Next!¡± And then, even after that¡­ For some reason, Grandfather slammed his grandchildren into the wall as people were hit by the sword and thrown into it. Amidst people getting hit by the sword and thrown into the wall¡­ ¡°Next! Good, Seungwoo.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do my best¡­¡± ¡°You, try receiving it once.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was Doseungwoo¡¯s turn. My lips naturally curled up. ¡°Seungwoo is really soaring high.¡± I couldn¡¯t just stand and watch this. I had to keep this moment safe to cherish later. I took out my smartphone to capture Seungwoo¡¯s sparring match on video. Right when I pressed the record button. Bang! Whirrr! Thud! ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± The guy who took a hit from Grandfather¡¯s sword had his feet leave the ground and float into the air. Then, just like others before, he made a strange noise as he flew through the air and crashed into the wall. ¡°Oh.¡± Was it due to the repeated impacts in the same spot? The training ground wall had a slight dent. Seungwoo was stuck nearby, unable to move. His family had to rush to get him out. ¡°Did I capture it well?¡± I recorded every scene. Seungwoo was flying so fast that it was hard to focus properly, but I decided to be satisfied with this level. ¡°I can¡¯t be the only one seeing this.¡± I have to show Young-haneul, too. I tried to message her. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Finally, I realized. Since arriving at my ancestral home yesterday, I hadn¡¯t checked her message. I had been too preoccupied with fighting Seungwoo, competing, and receiving teachings from Grandfather. In the message that came in after the date changed, there was a message from her. [Young-haneul]: Am I at the summit now? [Young-haneul]: (Photo) [Young-haneul]: Ta-da! A proof shot Young-haneul had sent a photo. It was a selfie with the sunset over the mountains in the background. Embarrassedly, Young-haneul was making a peace sign. ¡°Ah, goodness¡­¡± Come to think of it, I did ask her to take a proof shot and send it. But I meant to capture the mountain summit, not take a selfie. Seems like there was a misunderstanding. Leaving that aside. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± The photos came out quite well. As I sweated my way to the top, it was evident that my sky-blue hair was sticking to my cheeks. The shy rabbit ears were quite adorable too. ¡°¡­I should save this.¡± I saved that photo. Then, belatedly, I replied to her. [Me]: Sorry, just saw your message. Had something to do at home, so I was busy. [Me]: The photo came out nicely. At that moment, the ¡®1¡¯ mark disappeared. Yeonha-nyeo had read my message. [Yeonha-nyeo]: It¡¯s okay ^^ [Yeonha-nyeo]: What¡¯s the harm in being a day late [Yeonha-nyeo]: It could happen [Yeonha-nyeo]: We¡¯re not anything special ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± The message was suddenly deleted. I blinked my eyes. [Yeonha-nyeo]: It¡¯s okay ^^ [Yeonha-nyeo]: What¡¯s the harm in being a day late [Yeonha-nyeo]: It could happen [Yeonha-nyeo]: (Message deleted) [Yeonha-nyeo]: The nursery kids were playing a prank! [Yeonha-nyeo]: Don¡¯t misunderstand! It seemed like a message sent in a hurry, causing quite a fluster. ¡°Are you playing with kids at the nursery right now?¡± I tilted my head in confusion. Even if the nursery kids were playing a prank, was there a need to delete it? I decided to simply respect Yeonha-nyeo¡¯s thoughts. [Me]: Okay ? [Yeonha-nyeo]: Anyway, I sent it [Yeonha-nyeo]: So you should too ¡°A selfie? Do I have something to send¡­.¡± I rummaged through the gallery. Since she had sent me a photo, I felt like I should send one back. ¡°Ah, this should do.¡± Luckily, I had a photo I took yesterday. I sent the photo from the gallery. [Me]: (Photo) [Me]: Here¡¯s a selfie for you. It was a selfie we took in front of the mud castle where our tongues got tied at the gate yesterday. [Yeonyaenul]: Where is this? Looks like a forest¡­ [Yeonyaenul]: Weren¡¯t you at your family home? [Me]: It¡¯s at the gate. The artificial gate at the family home. [Yeonyaenul]: Wow¡­ I¡¯ve never seen anything like this. [Yeonyaenul]: But nothing ordinary? [Me]: Ordinary? What¡¯s that? [Yeonyaenul]: Um¡­ [Yeonyaenul]: Something worthy of a profile picture? [Me]: I don¡¯t usually take those. [Yeonyaenul]: If not those, then¡­ [Me]: Look at this instead. [Me]: (Video) [Yeonyaenul]: What¡¯s this? Who is it? [Me]: My cousin. And it continued. Yeonyaenul and I exchanged texts, sharing the unfinished stories from yesterday. *** I realized this time. Whether Dogyeonwoo intended it or not. In the future, the son will continue to cause trouble. Just the recent incident at the family home was proof of that. ¡°Isn¡¯t Seungwoo challenging you to a duel, speaking boldly to the lord¡­. Even if the kid has changed, he¡¯s changed too much.¡± It had only been two days since the incident. Dogyeonwoo¡¯s actions were not just a one-off. Especially, he went as far as displaying his martial arts skills in front of the family members. By breaking the record of the 2nd strongest head of the clan in history, he achieved the record of being the youngest head. As a result, it left a deep impression on the members of the clan. It was a good thing that the evaluation of the son, who was once mocked as a ¡°rabbit¡± for not being able to hunt even a single rabbit, had changed, but he couldn¡¯t just be happy about it. ¡°The more outstanding you are, the more enemies you attract.¡± To a lion, a small rabbit is nothing more than a target that doesn¡¯t even catch its attention. As Dogyeonwoo had told the head of the clan, lions almost never go all out to hunt rabbits. But if the target becomes a lion cub, the story changes. Especially if that lion cub shows exceptional traits. He would only appear as a threat to his own position. It was obvious that he would face their restraint. Perhaps there would be those who would scheme against him even before he became fully grown. ¡°I can¡¯t just stand by and watch that happen.¡± Not only the people of the clan. In the future, Dogyeonwoo would go out into the world and encounter numerous enemies. As a father, Dosangjun believed it was his duty to protect his son from being hunted by them. But he knew well. ¡°It can¡¯t go on like this.¡± He was inadequate to protect Dogyeonwoo, who was rapidly growing in strength, with his own power alone. If it was challenging to deal with his brothers, he certainly had no power to face other predators. The title of head of the Regulus Clan could provide for the family, but it was not enough to protect them. To protect them, a higher position was needed. ¨D¡±Is this all the power you have? At this rate, you won¡¯t be able to protect Gyungwoo.¡± The head of the Shingeom Doga, Doyeik. Dosangjun¡¯s father saw through his son¡¯s worries accurately. At that moment, Dosangjun was taken aback. ¡°You used to say. You don¡¯t want to fight with your brothers, you¡¯re satisfied as long as you have your family. Is that still your unchanged belief?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your son¡¯s weakness must have come from you. But in my view, that child seems determined to live as a beast rather than just surviving by grazing on grass. Yet, is your mindset still the same?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Do you think you can handle and protect that child?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have the confidence to handle it, entrust the child to me. I will be the shield that protects the child and pass everything on to him.¡± ¡­! Upon hearing that far. Dosangjun, who had been hesitating all along, could finally come to a conclusion. Like engaging in combat with a monster, as if trying to defeat the enemies threatening Dogyeonwoo. He swung the sword fiercely. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your skills haven¡¯t rusted, after all.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°To protect, one must snatch.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Doyeik seemed satisfied. Dosangjun engraved the last words he received in his heart. Then, he repeated them over and over. ¡°To snatch to protect¡­¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± In this dog-eat-dog world, one might really have to do that to survive wholly. Regardless of being carnivorous or herbivorous. To snatch to protect. To fight to live. Even if the opponent is one¡¯s own brothers. ¡°¡­They¡¯re all sound asleep.¡± ¡°The kids must have been really tired.¡± On the way back home from the ancestral house. Dosangjun, who stopped driving at a red light, looked back at the back seat. He saw Doyeongu sitting and sleeping with his head on Doyeeun¡¯s lap. The sight was endlessly endearing. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t want to lose it. ¡°I have something to tell you. I might be coming home later from now on.¡± ¡°Is it because of the conversation with your father earlier?¡± ¡°Yes, something like that.¡± An observant wife she was. He nodded to Han Jiae, who was in the passenger seat, asking. ¡°I¡¯ll climb as high as I can, aim for a promotion.¡± ¡°Are you eyeing your father¡¯s position?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure about that¡­ I¡¯ll definitely climb higher than now.¡± ¡°So, coming home late now to increase your performance.¡± ¡°Yes, something like that. Luckily, with what I¡¯ve done so far, I might secure the sub-lord position by the end of this year.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll support you. I need to properly support you as well.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that¡­¡± ¡°Where does it say that only you have to protect our children? Isn¡¯t a mother a parent too? No, I¡¯ll fight too.¡± ¡°¡­Alright, then I¡¯ll rely on your support.¡± ¡°I was already thinking about when to go, but I should go get a haircut later.¡± ¡°Jiae.¡± ¡°Why, Sangjun Oppa?¡± ¡°¡­Are you really going to cut it?¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°No, anything you do looks good. And it¡¯s almost summer, so it¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll be refreshing. Short hair suits you, yeah¡­¡± The signal changed. With a smile that failed to reveal his true feelings. Dosangjun drove the car. Chapter 31 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 30 Chapter 30 Letter The weekend spent at the family home was fulfilling. As a result, even though it was Monday, my steps to school couldn¡¯t help but feel light. Upon arriving at school, I first looked for Yeonhae. ¡°Seems like Haneul hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡± By the classroom window, at the back. Yeonhae¡¯s seat was empty. Seeing no bag, it seemed she hadn¡¯t come to school yet. I wanted to tell her about what had happened at the family home, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I decided to wait for her to arrive at school and pass the time on my smartphone. ¡°Oh?¡± I received a message from Dosieun. It seemed like she sent it on her way to school. ¡°What¡¯s up with this sister?¡± Since we hadn¡¯t contacted each other for a while, it was surprising. But I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s okay. Thinking of her limping away from the training ground, I checked the message. [Dosieun]: Did you have a good weekend? [Dosieun]: Let¡¯s spar next time. [Cityeun]: ? The animated emoji sparkled like Cityeun, not the Cityeun I knew, but lively and cute. Does she like these emojis? Thinking of her making the same expression as the emoji made me chuckle involuntarily. On one hand, it was obvious. ¡°Does she really want to challenge me like that?¡± There was no reason not to accept Cityeun¡¯s suggestion; after all, there was hardly anything we couldn¡¯t do. Our levels were similar, so we could help each other a lot. [Me]: Yeah, sure ? From Noble mtl dot com [Me]: But are you okay, Nuna? Not hurt? I sent a message to Cityeun. It seemed like she was texting too, as the ¡®read¡¯ indicator disappeared quickly. [Cityeun]: I¡¯m feeling better as time passes. [Cityeun]: Thanks for worrying. [Cityeun]: ¡­Are you okay? [Cityeun]: ? I felt sorry for Cityeun, but I couldn¡¯t adapt to the emojis. Suppressing a chuckle, I continued texting with her. Before I knew it, the conversation kept flowing. ¡°Who are you texting with?¡± ¡°Oh, hey.¡± It was when Yeonhae arrived at school. She sat down, placed her bag down, and looked over my smartphone. Raising my head, I noticed her with her lips slightly pursed. Seeing the rabbit ears after two days was quite pleasant. I casually replied, ¡°I was texting with my cousin.¡± ¡°Your cousin? The guy from the video you sent me? The one flying with the wings?¡± ¡°No, not him, my cousin sister.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. I thought you didn¡¯t get along well with your cousins, but I guess there are some you do get along with.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve become close to this sister recently.¡± ¡°Oh, really? How old is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s two years older than us, 14. You might see her at the academy city too.¡± ¡°¡­Is she pretty?¡± ¡°Hmm, pretty, right? Quite.¡± Most characters in the game boasted attractive appearances. The city, me included. By the time one enters the academy city, they would have grown just like illustrations. Yeonnaneul was no exception. So, I could answer her question right away. ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡° However, Yeonnaneul seemed upset by my answer. Her eyes narrowed, her voice devoid of any emotion. Above all, her rabbit ears perked up once, then drooped. ¡°Must be nice. Becoming friends with a pretty unnie.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ well, yeah. Being pretty doesn¡¯t exactly put food on the table¡­ Or does it, actually?¡± ¡°You seemed like you were about to say something else, just finish what you were saying without bothering with someone like me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡° With a snort. Yeonnaneul quickly turned her head. Naturally, her rabbit ears also shook vigorously. ¡®Why is she acting like this?¡¯ As if trying to ignore me, Yeonnaneul took out a book from her bag and started reading. Yet, she kept stealing glances at me. I was taken aback by her reaction. It seemed like she was upset, but I couldn¡¯t figure out why. ¡®Is it because I said she¡¯s pretty?¡¯ That can¡¯t be it. What does it have to do with Yeonnaneul getting upset if my cousin praised her beauty? Still, you never know. I cautiously added. ¡°You¡¯re pretty too.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty too. Especially your rabbit ears¡­¡± Thump thump thump! ¡­Did I just ask for trouble? Out of the blue, Yeonnaneul, with her rabbit ears shooting up to the sky, smacked me with a thud. ¡°Why did you suddenly hit me?¡± ¡°Because you said something like that!¡± ¡°Did I do something wrong? Even if I did, is hitting me like this necessary?¡± ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s not you who¡¯s at fault, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m sorry for hitting you out of the blue. Even so, if I say that in front of everyone, what will happen? Not a single word about me being pretty.¡± ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t say those things in the future¡­¡± ¡°Who told you not to say it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± What in the world is this rhythm? I shrugged and gazed up at the light sky. Her face was blushing red. ¡°See, this¡­ It¡¯s about the atmosphere, the mood. Um¡­ What am I even saying¡­ Anyway, don¡¯t do it when there are other people around.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, okay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just pretending to be indifferent, right?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Lies.¡± Yeonha, who was putting rabbit ears on her head with her hands. I chuckled at her rambling. Her reactions were truly amusing. ¡°Well, at least it feels like the tension is easing.¡± To cool down her reddened face. Yeonha fanned herself with her hand. I handed her a notebook from the side. Then I handed her what I had brought to school today and placed on the floor. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°A sword I brought from home.¡± ¡°A sword?¡± ¡°Yeah. Since you¡¯re also learning swordsmanship, I thought it would be nice for you to have your own sword for personal practice.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A sword wrapped in black cloth. Her eyes widened like a rabbit¡¯s. I unraveled the cloth so she could see the sword and raised it up. Shing. As the sword was drawn from its sheath, Yeonha and the classroom scenery were reflected in the chilly air. ¡°If we¡¯re going to learn, isn¡¯t it better to learn with a good sword? The sword used in the Swordsmanship Hall isn¡¯t bad, but still, it¡¯s not as good as the ones delivered to our home.¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°Yeah, for your personal practice.¡± ¡°Thank you. I always receive things. I¡¯ll make good use of it.¡± Yeonha cautiously accepted the sword. She carefully checked the sword¡¯s condition like I did and smiled broadly. That was when it happened. ¡°Can we see it too!?¡± ¡°Me too! I want to see too!¡± ¡°I want to touch it!¡± The kids in the classroom had been watching us all along. Some of them even came up to me and earnestly made requests. Most of them were children born in ordinary families, showing curiosity about the sword. I could vaguely understand their feelings. ¡°After all, it¡¯s not like it¡¯ll wear out from being seen, and there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t show. Instead, just look. You might cause trouble if you touch it for no reason.¡± ¡°Wow! Thank you so much!¡± I raised the sword high so that all the children could see. In an instant, the children flocked around me. ¡°Are you going to be a Hunter too?¡± ¡°Have you also trained in swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Oh, me¡­.¡± ¡°Wow, that sounds amazing!¡± As the children cheered for the sword, they also showed interest in Yeonha, who seemed quite taken aback by the unexpected attention. Despite her slight discomfort, she shyly answered the questions, not entirely unwilling. ¡°Unintentionally, is Yeonha finally starting to interact with half the kids?¡± A smile bloomed on Yeonha¡¯s face. Her appearance was truly lovely. Bringing the sword to school was a good idea. I looked at her, engaging in conversation with the girls, as if admiring her. It was then that the homeroom teacher entered. ¡°Gyeon, Woo, Ya?¡± ¡°Oh, teacher.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to bring a sword to school. And a real one at that¡­ it¡¯s dangerous, so put it away quickly, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Luckily, being a person of high swordsmanship, I didn¡¯t get upset. ¡°Why did you have to be assigned to our class¡­ Other teachers said they had well-behaved students, what¡¯s so well-behaved about them. Let¡¯s endure for just one year. Sigh¡­.¡± As the homeroom teacher sighed, I decided to pretend I didn¡¯t hear. ¡ª Yeonha and I had lunch quietly. And then, to aid digestion and pass the time until afternoon classes started, we took a walk around the school grounds. Today was no different. Then, a call came from my father. ¡°Oh, Gyeon.¡± ¡°Dad? What¡¯s the matter at this hour?¡± ¡°Well, you see, Hong Ye-na, the Witch of Five Colors, just contacted me.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± I stopped in my tracks upon hearing the name. There was a bench nearby. ¡°Let¡¯s go sit over there, under the sky.¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s.¡± [Is Ha-nyul sitting next to her? They¡¯re always together.] ¡°We were eating and taking a walk.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me that!?¡± [A very nice moment.] Ha-nyul¡¯s soft voice pierced through. I seated her on the bench and took the seat next to her. It was a good spot. The tree shade blocked the direct sunlight, and the breeze was refreshing. From there, we could watch the children playing below. ¡°What¡¯s this about Hong Yena and Hunter?¡± ¡°They said they came up to Seoul today and can be seen tomorrow. Do you have time tomorrow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the day I go to the Swordsmanship Institute¡­ It¡¯s not a day for formal lessons, so skipping a day should be fine.¡± ¡°Should we say we¡¯ll meet tomorrow then?¡± ¡°Just a moment. Ha-nyul, do you have time tomorrow?¡± ¡°Tomorrow? I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Ha-nyul is okay too. Then let¡¯s meet tomorrow.¡± ¡°Alright, got it. Make sure to say that.¡± After thanking my father, I hung up the phone. Ha-nyul, who had been quietly sitting there, asked. As Ha-nyul leaned forward, her bunny ears moved along. ¡°Was that about the instructor we talked about before?¡± ¡°Yes. It was a call asking if we could meet tomorrow.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re meeting tomorrow¡­ Who is this person?¡± ¡°Her name is Hong Yena, deeply knowledgeable in the five elemental magics. She¡¯s known as the Witch of Iridescence.¡± ¡°She must be remarkable?¡± ¡°Handling one element is challenging, let alone five. So, she¡¯s truly exceptional.¡± When Gahng Hanbyeol entered the Academy City, she was called the Witch of Seven Colors. But that was something Ha-nyul couldn¡¯t mention. Yet, Ha-nyul seemed worried about it nonetheless. ¡°Learning from such a person¡­ Can I do well?¡± ¡°You can. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ll try my best, me. But¡­ why are you touching my ears?¡± ¡°It¡¯s to calm you.¡± ¡°Not me, you must be calming yourself.¡± Ha-nyul gazed at me intently. But even though she grumbled, she didn¡¯t say to stop touching. I decided to touch her ears enough so that she wouldn¡¯t dislike it. ¡°Now that lunchtime is almost over, let¡¯s rest here for a bit before going.¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do that.¡± Feeling the wind and watching the kids playing on the playground from under the shade, I touched the rabbit ears. It seems like this isn¡¯t peace. We sat on the bench like that, and as the time for afternoon classes approached, we headed back to the classroom. ¡°What¡¯s the fifth period?¡± ¡°Ethics.¡± ¡°Why do we learn that? I¡¯m a moral person even without learning it.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡­¡± ¡°Where can you find someone as kind as me?¡± ¡°Are you confident you¡¯d get a perfect score without studying?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Having such a conversation, we searched the desk drawer to take out the ethics textbook. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was a letter in the drawer. Holding the letter, I examined the front and back of the envelope. There was no name written on it. ¡°Who put this in? I don¡¯t think I saw it before lunch¡­¡± The letter envelope was extremely plain. It only had three stickers stuck at the entrance. Gold, silver, bronze heart stickers. ¡°Heaven, are you teasing me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Heaven?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ uh, yeah¡­ what did you say?¡± ¡°Are you teasing me or not?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not¡­¡± ¡°¡­ ¡° What¡¯s up with this kid again? With my gaze fixed on the letter, Yeonha was causing a stir. Chapter 32 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 31 Chapter 31 A letter from an unknown sender. I wonder if someone is playing a prank. Come to think of it, children often play pranks on each other through letters. I¡¯ve received a few in my past life and in my current one. Was it called a ¡°letter of luck¡±? This letter supposedly originated in England and so on and so forth¡­ Depending on the letter, the contents varied, but the format was generally similar. After reading the letter, you had 24 hours to write the same content in a letter and send it to someone else, or misfortune would find you. I think it was when I was in elementary school. Reading that letter made me so scared that I vividly remembered writing letters to others in a hurry. ¡°Maybe this is also one of those. Even though they might be in 5th grade, they¡¯re still playing pranks like this¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ Who would send a letter like this, let alone through mail? They wouldn¡¯t prepare an envelope just to play a prank. Plus, they even attached a heart sticker¡­¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± It made sense. I nodded my head. Meanwhile, I glanced at Yeonha. ¡°Why has she been like that since earlier?¡± Yeonha seemed restless. While her bunny ears kept twitching, her gaze was fixed on my letter. Her voice also sounded somewhat unnatural. It seemed like she was trying not to show anything, but even the most insensitive person would notice that something was off about Yeonha. ¡°She must be curious about the letter.¡± In truth, I was curious too. To dispel the doubts about who sent the letter and for what purpose, I decided to tear open the envelope. At that moment, she looked surprised. ¡°Are you going to open it here?¡± ¡°Then where should I open it?¡± ¡°Judging by the sticker, the person who wrote you the letter probably wanted to read it alone in a quiet place¡­¡± ¡°Just read it when you want, what¡¯s the big deal. Should I be considerate of someone I don¡¯t even know?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s class time now, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ethical enough to not need to attend class.¡± ¡°Oh, okay¡­.¡± Removing the sticker was not easy. I tore the envelope haphazardly. Three heart stickers were torn apart. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± As if desperately wanting to become the letter itself. Yeonha muttered. Ignoring her reaction, I took out the letter from the envelope. The contents of the letter were concise. ¡°After school, I¡¯ll be waiting for you on the rooftop. There¡¯s something I really want to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± There was no sender indicated. Only two sentences were written. The handwriting was elegant, and judging by the polite content of the letter, it didn¡¯t seem like a prank. Leaving that aside. ¡®¡­If we¡¯re going to see it, we might as well see it together, why sneak a peek?¡¯ A rabbit¡¯s ear twitching beside me. Unable to resist the curious gaze of Yeonha, I handed her the letter. ¡°Well. If you¡¯re curious, read it yourself.¡± ¡°Can I read it? Isn¡¯t it rude to the sender¡­.¡± She was already reading the letter despite saying that. So engrossed in reading, she even crumpled the letter in her hand. ¡°As I thought¡­.¡± From Noble mtl dot com Eventually, Yeonha moved her lips. It was a hint of suspicion. I asked her. ¡°What do you think? Why do you think they¡¯re calling me to the rooftop?¡± ¡°¡­What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I was the one who asked the question first. Why answer a question with another question. Puzzled, I got lost in my thoughts. Just as Yeonha had her suspicions, I had mine. This letter¡­. ¡°Is it a duel after all?¡± ¡°What?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but think so. If not, who would send me a letter? Above all¡­. ¡°If someone asks you to come to a rooftop that¡¯s not easily noticed, is it anything other than a challenge to fight?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°In that case¡­ is the reason the sender isn¡¯t indicated on the letter because it¡¯s not just one person?¡± ¡°Well, um, it¡¯s just that¡­.¡± ¡°Haneul, what do you think?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you have the same thought?¡± ¡°Ah, um¡­ Similar. Very slightly.¡± Yeonhaneul agreed. I held firm in my thoughts. ¡®The timing is also exquisitely right.¡¯ On the other hand, there was another reason behind my deduction. A few days ago, I had showcased my archery skills in front of all the family members. As a result, I became engraved as a competitor in their eyes. Perhaps they took measures to restrain me. ¡®People wouldn¡¯t resort to cowardly acts to hold me back, but you never know.¡¯ The person waiting on the rooftop was likely someone influenced by the family. So, I needed to be prepared just in case. ¡°Haenul, lend me a sword later.¡± ¡°Huh? Why a sword?¡± ¡°I might need to use it. I¡¯m sorry you gave it to me to use, but I might need it first.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s okay¡­ Shall I fight with the sword?¡± ¡°If necessary.¡± ¡°¡­Can¡¯t we just not go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious who requested it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± If someone from the family was pulling strings, I had to find out the mastermind. Therefore, it was necessary to meet the individuals waiting on the rooftop. Yeonhaeul interjected at that moment. ¡°Hey, there.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Have you ever thought this letter might have been written for a different purpose?¡± ¡°Is there any other purpose besides this?¡± ¡°For example¡­ someone sending you a confession out of admiration¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the type to be popular, right?¡± In the game, Dogyeonwoo was depicted as a slender young man, fitting the image of a soft, cowardly crybaby. He wasn¡¯t quite muscular enough to give off a manly vibe. Moreover. ¡°He seems to easily get scared and cry, lacking confidence in his voice.¡± If I were a woman, I wouldn¡¯t like a character like Dogyeonwoo. Of course, I shouldn¡¯t equate myself with the enlightened character from my past life and the game¡¯s Dogyeonwoo, but it hadn¡¯t been long since I realized my past life. Just about three months now. It wasn¡¯t enough time for schoolmates to realize I had changed. Most likely, the majority still saw me as a coward. So, her assumptions were meaningless. ¡°¡­You¡¯re more popular than you think.¡± ¡°Really? Thanks for saying that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a lie, though¡­¡± I was grateful for her consideration not to hurt my pride. Listening in on ethics class from the back of the classroom, I absentmindedly played with her rabbit-like ears, which had a complicated look. ? He¡¯s not the type to be popular. That¡¯s what Dogyun said, but it was solely his opinion. ¡®Is he only like this to me¡­ No, maybe he¡¯s just not interested in school life?¡¯ Yeon Haneul had no friends except Gyoun, but she still had ears to listen. She knew how the girls at school thought of Dogyun. ¡°Doyun seems different, don¡¯t you think? So mature?¡± ¡°We¡¯re different from the other guys in our class. Should I say he seems relaxed? It¡¯s like he¡¯s overflowing with confidence, knowingly or unknowingly.¡± ¡°We were in the same class last year, and he¡¯s definitely changed from before. I knew him, and he was never this polite.¡± Mature, relaxed, confident, and polite. Regardless of how he was before, since becoming a 5th grader in elementary school, Dogyun had been receiving such evaluations. Unlike the boys who played mean pranks or teased to show affection to girls, Dogyun, who was much more mature, naturally stood out. ¡°I think Doyun is okay too.¡± ¡°You too, Suji!?¡± Kim Suji, who was popular in the class, was acknowledged as well. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. It¡¯s not just because she¡¯s my friend, but she¡¯s much better than the other guys. Only I know, but she¡¯s so caring and subtly takes care of others¡­¡± Yeon Haneul also acknowledged it. Being close to him, she knew more details about him than the other girls did. It brought about a subtle sense of superiority. On the other hand, Dogyun¡¯s background was also another factor that drew people to him. ¡°And he¡¯s from the Shingeom Do family. Just being from a prestigious family makes him seem different, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I think I know what you mean. Even when he¡¯s quiet, you can feel his dignity, right?¡± ¡°Compared to him, other guys seem childish¡­ How can they be so different at the same age?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know before, but lately, it feels like he¡¯s living in a different world.¡± ¡°I thought the same. When I saw him bring out the sword earlier, I thought, ¡®Oh, he¡¯s living in a different world than us.¡¯ It made him look¡­ cool.¡± Children who grew up in ordinary households. For those young ones with limited boundaries, hunters or monsters were considered as extraordinary beings seen only on TV. However, the extraordinary being was in the same class as them. To those leading mundane lives, Shingyeom Do, with his mysterious existence living in a different world, inevitably became the subject of curiosity. The mystique of him living in another world had the potential to act as a charm. ¡°¡­You know, you¡¯re more popular than you think.¡± Yet, for some reason, he didn¡¯t like undervaluing himself. So, he ended up revealing it in secret. ¡°Oh, really? Well, thanks for saying that.¡± Shingyeom Do understood his empty words. It was a complex feeling for her. ¡®I wish he¡¯d just play with me without knowing how popular he is¡­ but I also want to show him how popular he is¡­¡¯ The feeling of wanting a different Shingyeom Do just for herself. And the desire for him to grow into everyone¡¯s Shingyeom Do. Yeonnaneul was torn between conflicting emotions. As time passed, it suddenly became after school. ¡°Today, you go ahead. I have something else to do.¡± ¡°¡­Really? You¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°I have to, then. I¡¯ll give you the black one tomorrow.¡± Shingyeom Do got up, gathering his belongings. Yeonnaneul hesitated as she watched him, carrying a black sword on his shoulder. In her heart, she wanted to persuade him not to go. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, see you tomorrow.¡± But trying to hold him back made her feel like she was becoming a bad person. Surely, the other person had mustered the courage to call Shingyeom Do out. However, if she were to hold him back, she would end up hurting the feelings of the person waiting for him. In the end, with a heavy heart, she had no choice but to let him go. ¡°¡­¡± Even though he had packed everything. Her feet hesitated to take the first step. Yeonnaneul stared intently at the bag on the desk, lost in thought. Thoughts intertwined endlessly. ¡®Was he called out to confess after all?¡¯ ¡®Shingyeom Do probably thinks that would never happen¡­¡¯ ¡®So, if he doesn¡¯t have the thought, he will reject, right?¡¯ ¡°But what if I accept the confession?¡± ¡°Will the two of us start dating?¡± ¡°Then, will I no longer be able to be by Geonwoo¡¯s side?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± No, I really don¡¯t want that. A shadow fell over Yeonha¡¯s face. Her bunny ears drooped. Was the backpack this heavy? She couldn¡¯t spread her shoulders wide. At that moment, her thoughts took a different turn. ¡°But what if¡­ what if, as Geonwoo said, that¡¯s the real battleground?¡± ¡°You never know.¡± ¡°What would happen then?¡± ¡°Will Geonwoo be okay¡­?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s Geonwoo, he won¡¯t get hurt, right?¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s not just one person?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be tough alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to go and help too.¡± ¡°It might be more dangerous than I thought.¡± ¡°In case of emergency, someone should call the teacher or report it to the police.¡± ¡°To do that¡­ ¡° In case of the unexpected, she had to secretly follow. Her thoughts made a leap like that. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This isn¡¯t about peeking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m worried about Geonwoo.¡± Yeah, that¡¯s right. As a friend of Do Geonwoo, isn¡¯t that something I can do? Yeonha briskly prepared herself. Was the backpack this light? She hopped like a rabbit towards the rooftop. *** After school. I went up to the rooftop. Opening the door, the sky stretching over the fence surrounding the surroundings caught my eye. ¡°Has he not come yet?¡± I lifted my foot under the sky. Approaching the fence, I could look down at the students leaving school. Even Yeonhaneul must be among that group. Thinking that way, Hwaaak. I unfolded my detection net. Mana waves formed around me spread throughout the rooftop. Soon, a presence was caught in my detection net. ¡®Three people.¡¯ They were gathered in one place. So, I spoke to the ones hiding behind the water tank. ¡°Come out quickly. It¡¯s not safe there.¡± Did they hear me? A noise came from the direction of the water tank. ¡°You go out first!¡± ¡°Why does it have to be me!?¡± ¡°In times like this, the eldest should go out!¡± A quarrelsome exchange of words. It felt like I had heard it somewhere before. Do I know these people? If I check their faces, I¡¯ll know. I warned those who showed no sign of coming out. ¡°If you don¡¯t come out quickly, I might just tear down the water tank with you in it.¡± ¡°W-Wait! I¡¯ll come out now!¡± Only then did they react. The ones behind the water tank hurriedly emerged. I recognized their faces. ¡°Geum Eundong?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right! Gyeonuya, we! Uggeumdong!¡± ¡°Ueundong!¡± ¡°Udongdong!¡± The triplets who tormented me relentlessly. Extra villains in the game who called themselves Cerberus. Seeing them, my brows furrowed. I quickly grasped the situation. So¡­. ¡°Did Dosungu ask you to harass me again?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Or is it another cousin?¡± ¡°What are you talking about!?¡± ¡°Or maybe you felt wronged and planned revenge?¡± ¡°You seem to be misunderstanding something¡­.¡± ¡°It worked out well. Just as I hoped.¡± In truth, the idea of knocking these guys down didn¡¯t excite me much. But they were offering me a perfect opportunity, so I was grateful. I unraveled the cloth wrapped around my sword and approached them. ¡°Hey! Why do you have a sword?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your deal!?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not planning anything!¡± ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± It seemed the triplets, unlike me, didn¡¯t have weapons on them. Did they think they could take me down even without weapons if they ambushed me together? I decided to make them regret underestimating me. ¡°It¡¯s a shame there¡¯s no Military Blue Sword.¡± They were perfect for testing out the reverse blade mode of the Military Blue Sword. Unfortunately, it couldn¡¯t be helped. I resolved to knock them down with the blunt side of the sword. With that in mind, I drew my sword when¡­ ¡°Kyungwoo! Please help us!¡± ¡°Help us, please!¡± ¡°We¡¯re begging you!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± In a flash. The triplets flattened themselves on the ground. I couldn¡¯t help but feel dumbfounded. ¡®What kind of trick is this?¡¯ Chapter 33 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 32 Chapter 32 The Gold-Silver-Copper Triplets, owners of Ussi Castle. They were the ones who provided the opportunity for Strongbyeol and Dogyunwoo to become friends in the game, known as Doseungwoo¡¯s hunting dogs. However, it seemed they didn¡¯t like being called that, as they preferred another alias. And that alias was¡­ ¡°Ugeumdong & Ueundong & Udongdong¡± ¨C If we were to speak for ourselves! ¡°The Gates of Hell!¡± ¡°Cerberus!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Cerberus of Geumgang Academy!¡± Uh¡­ It was exactly like that in the game. Taking on a dedicated pose as well. Although the Triplets were considered minor extras in the role of villains, they were quite a memorable character. During the game¡¯s peak popularity, there were even challenges on social media where people mimicked the Triplets¡¯ lines and poses. But even so¡­ ¡°He wasn¡¯t just a pushover.¡± Despite the Triplets calling themselves Cerberus and carrying on, they were quite coordinated in combat. And cunning. In the battle between Kang Hanbyeol and the Triplets. For players with clumsy controls, losing to them and getting stuck in the early stages of the story was a common occurrence. To the extent that they would come to the ¡°Brave Hearts¡± community, complaining loudly. I¡¯m not sure if they were the Gates of Hell, but they were definitely the gates of the early stages. ¡°So, don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± I decided not to let my suspicions go. Even though these cunning individuals may outwardly kneel before me, who knows what they might be thinking inside. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°How can I know if their kneeling was to gain momentum?¡± Perhaps the reason they are contorting their bodies like that is to conceal something in their embrace. Or maybe, while I¡¯m focused on them, others might be lurking somewhere, ready to attack. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any other presence, but¡­¡± I extended my senses once more. It seemed like only these guys were on the rooftop. Just then. ¡°Huh?¡± I sensed a presence hiding behind the rooftop door. It was a familiar presence. I couldn¡¯t be mistaken. ¡°Yeon Haneul? Didn¡¯t she go home?¡± Why is she here? I turned my gaze towards the rooftop door. Peeking through the crack in the door were white rabbit ears. It was Yeon Haneul. The only person in this school with rabbit ears was her. ¡°I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s there, but regardless, besides these guys, there¡¯s no one else around¡­¡± I turned my gaze back to the triplets once again. What could be their intention in summoning me? Even if just to confirm that. ¡°As expected, it might be best to make you faint.¡± ¡°What!? What does that mean¡­?¡± ¡°How do you know what kind of schemes you three are up to by pretending like that?¡± ¡°No, hey¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you need to be completely incapacitated.¡± ¡°We have no intention of fighting¡­!¡± ¡°If you have something to say to me, do it after waking up.¡± Making someone faint is not difficult. Just hit them in the neck. Thanks to having made Doseungwoo faint before, I had somewhat mastered the technique. I was about to strike the neck of those who were extending their heads¡­ It was then that the triplets spoke in unison. ¡°If it¡¯s about making something happen, we¡¯ll do it all!¡± ¡°So, please make a request!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one left now!¡± ¡°Support us!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Upon hearing the request for support, I lowered the sword I was holding. It seemed like I needed to listen to their story. ¡ª To prove that they had no intention of harming me, the triplets, who placed their hands behind their heads, began their story. ¡°So¡­ ¡° Cutting out unnecessary words. I summarized their story. The point was brief. ¡°Was it that you were abandoned by Doseungwoo?¡± It could be said so. According to the triplets, after being ridiculed at the swordsmanship institute a while back, Doseungwoo¡¯s contact with them dwindled. And yesterday, out of the blue, he contacted them to say that he would no longer support them. But that wasn¡¯t all. ¡®Doseungwoo took measures so that he couldn¡¯t attend any swordsmanship institute¡­¡¯ It seems Doseungwoo had been banned from enrolling in any swordsmanship institute run by the Sin-Geom Do. ¡®I¡¯ve been cast aside by Doseungwoo.¡¯ It was something that hadn¡¯t happened in the game. Of course. There was never a story involving triplets and me. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t reasonable for Doseungwoo to be disappointed in the triplets due to that incident, nor was it understandable why he would turn against me. There was just an excessive sense of dealing with it, and it was questionable why the triplets would now turn against me. There was only one deduction that came to mind. ¡°Is it because he lost to me?¡± Two days ago, Doseungwoo lost to me. There was a possibility that he took out his frustration on the naive triplets. The timing was perfect, almost too perfect. Anyway, so¡­. ¡°Since he can¡¯t get support from him, will he now seek support from me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you like this! Please, I¡¯m begging you!¡± ¡°I know you have no shame!¡± ¡°We want to become hunters!¡± The out-of-control triplets came looking for me. No, perhaps it¡¯s better to say they summoned me through a letter. I sighed as I looked at the guys who had put their hands on their heads defenselessly. ¡°So, can¡¯t you just say it straight? Why did you write a letter and ask me to come to the rooftop?¡± ¡°I thought you might ignore it¡­.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you write your name?¡± ¡°It was in the same context! We thought you might ignore it if you saw our names.¡± ¡°The handwriting was quite nice though?¡± ¡°Because our handwriting is hard to read, we asked the best writer in the class to do it for us.¡± ¡°Still, you didn¡¯t write your name, but you implied it was us!¡± ¡°What? How?¡± ¡°You put stickers at the entrance of the envelope. Three stickers of different colors.¡± ¡°Gold! Silver! Bronze! If you saw that, you should have realized it was us! You¡¯re so¡­sorry, my bad! Forget it!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­the stickers were hearts?¡± ¡°We wanted to express our hearts!¡± ¡°Our hearts! Accept them!¡± ¡°No, I refuse.¡± The triplets groveled to cater to my taste. Openly trying to win my favor by any means necessary. Their chattering made me restless and pensive. ¡®What should I do¡­.¡¯ I didn¡¯t particularly hope for the story to unfold as it was. But I also didn¡¯t want to interfere with the story, causing an uncontrollable butterfly effect. In that sense. Even if the future of the triplets, who didn¡¯t play a significant role in the story, changed, it wouldn¡¯t have a major impact. ¡®Even if these guys¡¯ futures change, there won¡¯t be a bad ending.¡¯ So the situation of the triplets is none of my business. Quite amusing. As someone who holds personal grudges against them, all I have to do is mock their predicament. How enjoyable it is to witness the faces of those who have lost their future and are in despair. I can hold my nose high without lifting a finger. It feels truly refreshing. But then again. ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t feel refreshed at all. Instead, I felt uncomfortable. It was as if sweet potatoes had tangled themselves inside my heart. It seemed like I couldn¡¯t become a bad person after all. ¡®This fool¡­ No, a moral person.¡¯ Was I like this in my past life? I don¡¯t really know. Even if I had realized my past life, I didn¡¯t think I could stoop so low as to ruin someone¡¯s life. ¡°Gyeonwoo, please¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The triplets sniffled tears. In the end, after much contemplation, I decided to accept their plea. ¡°Stop crying and get up.¡± ¡°¡­.Huh?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hear me? Get up.¡± ¡°Uh, uh!¡± The triplets were taken aback. I hastily got up from my seat and pointed at each of them as they stood at attention. ¡°Gold, silver, bronze. From today onwards, you are under my command, my lackeys. If you want to receive my support, listen to me well. If I tell you to buy bread, buy it, if I tell you to bark like a dog, bark like one¡­.¡± ¡°Lackeys? What kind of lackeys among friends of the same age!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Seungwoo didn¡¯t say that!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s at least call them subordinates!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Continue what you were saying.¡± ¡°Should we buy bread?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± It¡¯s actually turning out well. Let¡¯s think positively. As I watched the groveling ones, I decided to change my perspective. ¡®Just as I was looking for people to manipulate, these ones might not be that bad.¡¯ The academy city that serves as the stage for the game. Not only the Academy but also many people in the academy city would be useful to prepare for incidents that occur across the city. If they were triplets, they would be suitable for the role. It may not be of much help, but it was enough to entrust them with a delicate task. ¡°I will talk to my father, so you can continue to visit the swordsmanship hall as before.¡± ¡°Thank you! Seriously, you¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°But if by any chance Doseungwoo plans to use you as spies with this scheme¡­ then I really might die. No matter how good I am, betrayal is unforgivable.¡± ¡°That will never happen!¡± ¡°We are not spies!¡± ¡°I swear allegiance! Allegiance! Allegiance!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see how well you do from now on. Ttomani Gold, Silver, Bronze.¡± ¡°Are we really going to be called that?¡± ¡°For us, it¡¯s Woo-Geum-Dong, Woo-Eun-Dong, Woo-Dong-Dong as names¡­¡± ¡°Should we add ¡®Dong¡¯ at the end?¡± ¡°Ttomani Gold, Silver, Bronze. Let¡¯s make it easy, easy to remember your names. Alright?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let me decide your names after seeing how loyal you are. Now, allegiance.¡± ¡°Allegiance! Allegiance! Darn it¡­¡± And so. I acquired three mongrel dogs. I should raise them well from now on. *** Thank goodness, really. The situation took an unexpected turn. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± Peeking through the door crack without being noticed, Yeonhaeel, who sighed with relief, looked at the rooftop. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ a triplet again.¡± Woo-Geum-Dong, Woo-Eun-Dong, Woo-Dong-Dong. The triplets were known for their rough and tough personalities. At any rate, they were not girls. Knowing the identity of the person who wrote the letter to Do Gyunwoo put her at ease. She felt that she could continue to be by Do Gyunwoo¡¯s side in the future. When such thoughts crossed her mind. ¡°Why am I like this?¡± She was captivated by a strange sense of relief. An emotion that couldn¡¯t be described in words. As she focused on that emotion, her face flushed, and her heart raced. Her mouth was about to curl up. ¡°No, don¡¯t curl up!¡± Unfamiliar yet not entirely unpleasant feeling. It tickles the heart, leaving it in a fluster. Strange, strange, strange. Embarrassing, awkward, shameful. Once engulfed in this feeling, it seems impossible to control oneself. Becoming someone else. No, becoming something else. It¡¯s both thrilling and frightening. ¡®Don¡¯t be conscious of it.¡¯ To shake off that feeling, Yeonhae threw her head back vigorously. She pressed her ears against her head, covered her face with her hands to calm the fluttering in her chest, and tried to keep her lips from curling up. ¡°Calm down, Haneul. Haneul, calm down. Let¡¯s calm down¡­.¡± Yeonhae closed her eyes to submerge into darkness. She repeated the same words to herself as if soothing her own soul. And then it happened. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Lost in her emotions, Yeonhae was caught off guard by Dogyeong. Startled by the sound from behind, Yeonhae turned around. He was staring at her with a puzzled expression. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going home? You didn¡¯t have to follow me.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­.¡± What should she say? She couldn¡¯t hesitate in this situation. She had to speak quickly. Or doubts would arise. Yeonhae, too flustered to think clearly, blurted out the first thing that came to mind. ¡°Well, the thing is! In case of an emergency, like needing to report to the police or inform a teacher, I thought someone should be there¡­.¡± ¡°Even though I could handle it on my own?¡± ¡°Well, you never know! And you mentioned before. A skilled hunter must be prepared for the worst-case scenarios.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± What a fool, an idiot, a blockhead! Does that even make sense? Realizing how absurd her excuses sounded, Yeonhae mentally tore at her hair like a rabbit¡¯s ear. But surprisingly, her excuse was swallowed. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not entirely wrong. There¡¯s some sense to it.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± Dogyeong nodded seriously. Yeonhae, inwardly relieved yet slightly annoyed, quickly agreed to avoid any further suspicion. And then he quickly changed the subject. ¡°So, um, everything resolved well?¡± ¡°Well, they said they wanted to be my bread shuttles.¡± ¡°Bread shuttles? Um, I see¡­¡± ¡°Is there anything you want to eat?¡± ¡°Huh? Why is that?¡± ¡°Just tell me if there¡¯s something you want to eat in the future. They¡¯ll order and buy it for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You can also indulge in them.¡± ¡°Oh, um¡­ if such a situation arises.¡± ¡°And here, I¡¯ll return this sword to you. Luckily, I¡¯ve never used it.¡± Dogyeonwoo confidently claimed to have obtained the bread shuttle as if not ashamed to look up at the sky. Yeonnaneul found his behavior absurd yet amusing and cute. Soon, he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Since we¡¯re done with what we needed to do, let¡¯s go home. You don¡¯t have any other plans, right?¡± ¡°Yeah! No, I don¡¯t!¡± Yeonnaneul beamed a wide smile. As she had been doing since becoming his partner, she walked home with him today as well. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 34 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 33 Chapter 33 The Witch of Five Colors [Illustration] Elemental magic that transforms mana into natural elements and creates magic or imparts properties to it. All elemental magic derives from the seven basic elements. The seven elements can be classified into general elements and special elements. General elements include fire, wind, lightning, earth, and water. Special elements include light and darkness. Beings with mana have a high affinity for one of these elements, and depending on the relationships that element has with others, they have varying affinities for different elements. This relationship can be explained using a coin. Arrange the general elements around the coin in the following order: earth, lightning, water, fire, wind. Just like the arrangement of elements on a coin, the polarity of each element is determined by the direction of the arrows. Water is strong against fire, fire is strong against wind, wind is strong against earth, earth is strong against lightning, and lightning is strong against water, intertwining the relationships of the five elements. Affinity creates differences in order connecting one element to the next element. For example, a person with an affinity for the water element holds the second-highest affinity for lightning and fire elements. Affinities for earth and wind elements follow. So, where do we place the special elements, light and darkness? Light and darkness are the two sides of a coin. These two elements strongly repel each other. Since the front and back of the coin do not meet, a being with an affinity for the light element has an extremely low affinity for the darkness element. The reverse is also true. However, beings with affinities for light and darkness elements have equal affinities for regular elements. If we were to represent this with a coin. It can be said to be complete. ¡°That¡¯s why there were elemental magics that were easy to learn for characters and some that were difficult.¡± No, let me correct that. Should it be good to learn even if it¡¯s difficult? Unless a character is talented in magic, it was better not to think about mastering any attribute other than affinity. Even if one did, it was only up to the attribute directly adjacent to the affinity attribute. Just that alone required an immense amount of time and cost. Making a mistake could lead to being stuck learning elemental magic until the end of the story and becoming a worthless character. In that sense. ¡°When playing the game, I never thought about it, but Hong Ye-na is truly remarkable.¡± Hong Ye-na, the seven-colored witch who appears as an instructor teaching magic in the game. It was a scene where we could see how talented she was in mastering the seven elemental magics. Today. Yeo and I are going to meet her. ¡ª After class was over. From Noble mtl dot com Yeo and I grabbed our bags and headed out of school. ¡°Miss Rainbow Witch said she¡¯d be here around 4, so let¡¯s go and wait for her first.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay. Is Yeeun at home?¡± ¡°At this time, she¡¯s probably at the swordsmanship hall.¡± Still known as the Rainbow Witch, Hong Ye-na. We decided to wait for her at home, snacking and resting. Or should I just take a nap and relax.¡¯ Then suddenly, that thought crossed my mind. When manifesting mana within the body, one tends to feel fatigue. In severe cases, dizziness or even fainting may occur. I, being accustomed to handling mana, wouldn¡¯t encounter such issues, but I couldn¡¯t predict how a novice like Yeonha would fare in handling mana for the first time. Getting some sleep to alleviate fatigue didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. So I asked, ¡°Should I just sleep until the Witch of Five Colors arrives?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yeonha, who was walking beside me, stopped in surprise. She blinked her red eyes as if to confirm what I said. I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Just tell Mom that when the Witch of Five Colors arrives, wake me up and say I¡¯m resting in my room. I¡¯m tired from classes all morning, and if I were to manifest mana in that state, the fatigue would be quite¡­¡± ¡°Um, well, there¡¯s¡­ a mental preparation¡­¡± ¡°What mental preparation? You sleep on the floor. I¡¯ll sleep on the bed.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ right. But isn¡¯t it usually the other way around? Men sleep on the floor, and women sleep on the bed¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s my room.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ right.¡± ¡°Just kidding. I¡¯ll sleep on the floor, you sleep on the bed. Or you can go sleep in Yeon¡¯s room.¡± My bed was big enough for two to sleep comfortably, but it might make Yeonha uncomfortable. I decided not to insist, considering her feelings. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Um¡­¡± Yeonha seemed hesitant. Shortly after, she sighed and replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. If I sleep at your house, I might be too nervous to fall asleep. Plus, I might not have much time to sleep¡­ I¡¯ll just stay in your room until the Witch of Five Colors arrives.¡± ¡°Really? Then let¡¯s just hang out in the room.¡± I decided to respect Yeonha¡¯s choice. And so, we continued walking and arrived home. ¡°Mom! We¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°You¡¯re back? Since the teacher is coming later, just relax in the room. I¡¯ll bring some snacks up later.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help!¡± ¡°Could you help me with some things?¡± Mother greeted us warmly. Yeonha, feeling guilty for always being on the receiving end, followed Mother to help. Mother seemed pleased as if she had gained a daughter of her own. ¡°Then, does that mean Yeon isn¡¯t like a daughter?¡± If Yeonha had overheard, she would have been upset. Leaving behind the pondering trio, I headed up to my room. ¡°Mongsil, I¡¯m back.¡± Huff! ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think I can bring it out today because of Haneul. You won¡¯t shine again, will you?¡± Sigh¡­ Extending hay into our shelter, I watched Mongshil eat the hay. And then, as we spent time quietly, Yeonha brought snacks. ¡°Since Madam is interested in baking, she suggested we bake together next time.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Baking is one of Mom¡¯s hobbies. I do it with her occasionally, so let¡¯s do it together when we have time.¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m really looking forward to it.¡± Leaning against the bed, sitting so close our shoulders touched, We ate snacks, played games, and passed the time. And before we knew it, time flew by. ¡°Gyunwoo, Haneul! Since the teacher has arrived, will you come down?¡± ¡°Yes! We¡¯ll be right down!¡± Before we knew it, it was 4 o¡¯clock. Hong Yena seemed to arrive right on time. Yeonha and I, upon Mother¡¯s call, immediately went downstairs. Hong Yena was in the living room, conversing with Mother. ¡°The illustration from the game doesn¡¯t look much different.¡± A woman in a wide-brimmed hat. Depending on how one saw it, it could remind them of someone who had traveled or even a witch¡¯s hat. Underneath the hat, golden hair flowed, and a distinctively cynical face was revealed. Her appearance was not much different from the Hong Yena in the game. Perhaps the only difference was that she wasn¡¯t dressed in an instructor¡¯s uniform. She was wearing a white shirt with a black cape. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± We greeted Hong Yena. Even though she would have noticed our gaze long before, It wasn¡¯t until she had a sip of the coffee Mother gave her that she finally turned her eyes towards us. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who called me? If you¡¯re from the Divine Sword Guild, you should quietly wield your sword, not try to learn magic. Such greed, especially at your age¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And to ask to learn together with a friend¡­ It¡¯s not child¡¯s play¡­¡± Turning away, crossing her legs, Hong Yena. The look in her eyes as she gazed at us seemed displeased. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡± She was inherently cynical, showing no interest in those without talent. Above all, she was irritated by her own interrupted journey. Considering the timing, it was about time for her to master light attribute magic. So, we didn¡¯t look elegant. ¡°I was forced to bring you here, but it doesn¡¯t mean I intend to teach you. I¡¯ve mentioned it over the phone as well, but if you don¡¯t have the aptitude for magic, you¡¯ll be sent back as is.¡± Hong Ye-na spoke as if it was a definite outcome. However, I was convinced that what she foresaw wouldn¡¯t come to pass. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go check right away. I¡¯ll guide you to the training grounds.¡± Though I acted cynically now. Once Yeon Ha-neul¡¯s talent is recognized, the attitude will significantly change. I smiled brightly and said. ¡ª When I first received a tutoring request from the Magic Guild. Hong Ye-na didn¡¯t want to come, deep down. However, rejecting the request from the Magic Guild, one of the Ten Great Families with significant influence in this country, was not something she could afford to do. She had to at least pretend to listen. ¨DSigh¡­ Can¡¯t help it. Hong Ye-na decided to pause her stroll for a moment. Magic is the manifestation of one¡¯s thoughts in the world, so to enhance the perfection of magic, it was necessary to refine one¡¯s thoughts concretely. As she roamed around seeking to master light magic, she had to set aside her regrets. Yet, she couldn¡¯t suppress a sense of discomfort. ¨DOf course, when people around you praise you, you start thinking you¡¯re something. So, it¡¯s obvious to think you might have talent for magic. Although she had graduated from the High Academy a while ago. Having lived in the Academy City for over three years, Hong Ye-na had seen many people from prestigious families. Most of them believed that their background of birth and upbringing defined them, and they belonged to a class of unparalleled arrogance and conceit. Just born with a silver spoon in their mouth. ¨DDid he say Do Gyun-woo? He must be one of them. Hong Ye-na didn¡¯t doubt it. Based on the information she had gathered personally after receiving the Magic Guild¡¯s contact, she could roughly guess about Do Gyun-woo. ¨DRabbit¡­ Meaning so timid that he can¡¯t even hunt a single rabbit¡­ No talent in swordsmanship, thus in a lowly position within the family¡­ Is that why he¡¯s thinking of doing magic? Or is he planning to learn both swordsmanship and magic to gain the family¡¯s recognition? Nonsense. At that moment, Hong Yena chuckled. Talents were crucial in any field, but magic was a realm where talent was second only to spirit magic. Lacking talent in swordsmanship, she couldn¡¯t casually step into the field of magic with a light heart to learn. As someone who buried her life in magic, she found Do Gyunwoo even more displeasing. Moreover, ¡°Adding another girl, too?¡± Teaching an ordinary person who had never manifested mana before. Hong Yena felt like she was being belittled. On one hand, she could clearly anticipate Do Gyunwoo¡¯s intentions. ¡°She probably nagged her dad to take classes with her crush. Wanting to show off in front of that girl.¡± How shameless of the young one. For nearly 30 years, she disregarded romance and delved only into elemental magic, making her quite uncomfortable. ¡°Don¡¯t use magic as a tool for love.¡± Don¡¯t make me a tool for your romance. Some haven¡¯t even experienced love¡­ Holding back her emotions, Hong Yena glanced at Do Gyunwoo and Yeon Haneul, who had come out to the training ground. After assessing the two¡¯s potential, she decided to meet with friends she usually contacted and go for a drink. Perhaps fate would bring them together. Of course, it was all in her mind. If Do Gyunwoo could read her thoughts¡­ ¡°Give up. You¡¯ll be better off. At least until I graduate from the academy.¡± That¡¯s what he would say. But Hong Yena, unaware of the future known only to Do Gyunwoo, resolved to focus on her tasks at hand. ¡°The qualities I need to assess in you are the most basic. Internal mana levels, mana resistance, mana compliance, adaptability, control, recovery speed, manifestation speed, efficiency, and so on¡­ Things necessary for handling mana.¡± ¡°Can you check all that with a mana crystal?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t use a mana crystal. It¡¯s inconvenient to carry around, and it tends to malfunction or break at the slightest mishap. Some pretentious parents and kids boast about having abundant internal mana due to it¡­ Not very trustworthy.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask, though?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t hold back, do you?¡± The most common artifact used to measure magical power is the mana crystal. Since it measures mana unconsciously emitted by the individual, it¡¯s convenient for assessing the mana of those who don¡¯t know how to manifest it. However, due to measuring unconsciously emitted mana, it was an artifact prone to errors. Its accuracy was significantly low. Also, there were limits to what could be measured with a mana crystal. Hence, Hong Yena decided to use a different artifact. She took off the hat she was wearing. ¡°I¡¯m going to use this.¡± ¡°That thing?¡± To reveal what was inside the hat, Hong Ye-na turned the hat inside out to Do Yeon-woo and Yeon Ha-neul. Upon which, the two approached and peered into the hat. Naturally, there was nothing inside the hat. ¡°It¡¯s called the Magic Animal Hat. I made it¡­¡± ¡°Your naming skills are terrible.¡± ¡°Kick.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As she tried to boast about the artifact she had made, Do Yeon-woo made a biting remark, and Yeon Ha-neul suppressed a laugh. Hong Ye-na closed her mouth. ¡®He¡¯s been at it since earlier¡­ Should I just smack him once?¡¯ She struggled to compose herself. Then she continued speaking. ¡°It may look like an ordinary hat, but it¡¯s definitely an artifact. If you put your hand in while the artifact is activated, the hat will analyze the magic of the person putting their hand in and create an animal that matches it.¡± ¡°But Yeon Ha doesn¡¯t know how to manifest mana?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to manifest mana. The hat will automatically help draw out the mana from your body even if you don¡¯t know how to manifest mana. The method is similar to measuring magic power with a magic gauge. Since explaining verbally might not be clear, I¡¯ll show you directly.¡± Hong Ye-na infused mana into the hat she held in her hand. The artifact was activated. A white light filled the previously empty hat. ¡°Put your hand in and shake it. As you do, the lights will gather, creating an animal that best suits your magic state.¡± At that moment, the light clump in her hand no longer changed. The measurement was complete. Taking her hand out of the hat, Hong Ye-na threw the solidified light into the sky. ¡°And by pulling it out like this, the animal will be complete.¡± Phew! The solidified light burst, revealing a giant bird. With crimson feathers fluttering, the bird flew over the heads of the three. As Hong Ye-na extended her arm, the bird neatly folded its wings and perched on her arm. ¡°This little one shows my magic state.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°The larger the manifested animal, the more accurately it can estimate the amount of mana in the body. And the higher the manifestation rate of the animal, the more you can grasp mana concentration, adaptability, and mana efficiency.¡± Hong Ye-na converted the mana she used to manifest the bird back into her body. The bird perched on her shoulder turned into particles of mana and disappeared. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn to try. Who wants to go first?¡± ¡°Yeon Ha, you go first.¡± ¡°Me first? I don¡¯t know how to manifest mana¡­¡± ¡°The Rainbow Witch said it. You don¡¯t need to know how to manifest mana.¡± ¡°Still¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can do it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well, then, you go first.¡± Surprisingly, it was Do Yeonwoo who took the lead. Do Yeonwoo released his Light first. Not wanting to delay any longer, Hong Ye-na extended her hat to the hesitating Light. At the same time, her gaze swept over the Light. ¡®Even though I can¡¯t know for sure, this one seems to have a lot of mana in their body. At first, I thought they were brought here to cause trouble, but could it be that they were brought here for their unexpected potential?¡¯ One might wonder if a mere twelve-year-old could really assess the mana levels of others. Perhaps it was just a lucky guess. Deciding not to dwell too deeply on it, she resolved to confirm the Light¡¯s potential. ¡°I¡¯ll put my hand in.¡± ¡°Go ahead, don¡¯t be scared, just put it in.¡± The Light placed their hand inside the hat. She stirred their hand around vigorously in the light. After a while, she seemed to have finished measuring. ¡°Ah. It seems like it¡¯s not changing anymore.¡± It appeared that the Light¡¯s measurement was complete. ¡°It¡¯s done with the measurement. Don¡¯t let go of what¡¯s in your hand, pull it out from the hat.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes. Eight!¡± The Light withdrew their hand from the hat. She threw the light object far away. Soon, the light burst out around them¡­. Whoosh! ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Unbelievable.¡± A gigantic elephant emerged. The enraged elephant let out a powerful roar. In the face of such an utterly surreal sight, Hong Ye-na involuntarily cursed. ¡®What in the world is this? An elephant?¡¯ Chapter 35 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 34 Chapter 34 ¡°Damn it.¡± Why is there an elephant in the training ground? No, is that really an elephant? It seems much fiercer than I thought. Was Ivory always this intimidating? If it pokes me¡­ no, if it stomps on me, I¡¯ll die, won¡¯t I? I got caught up in the whirlpool of thoughts when I saw the animal pulled out from under the hat by Yeonha. I was that out of it. ¡°I knew Yeonha had a high magic level, so I expected a big animal to come out of the hat, but¡­¡± I never expected an elephant to come out. Of course, its appearance didn¡¯t pose any harm. Since there was enough space for one elephant in the training ground. Thinking about it, maybe it¡¯s a relief that it wasn¡¯t a dinosaur that came out. Although who knows if a dinosaur might come out of the hat. The only problem is¡­ Pufffff! ¡°Why is it so violent?¡± The fact that the elephant is going crazy. It¡¯s kicking with its hind legs, swinging its long trunk wildly, and roaring loudly. But that¡¯s not all. Whoosh! ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± It even lifted a weight training apparatus with its trunk and suddenly hurled it towards us. In the sudden situation, my eyes widened, and Yeonha screamed. But the instinct to dodge was silent. It means it¡¯s not dangerous. I pulled her close to me just in case she might get hurt, keeping my eyes fixed on the front. The weight training apparatus was flying towards us. Right at that moment. £¼The Cradle of Mountain Wind£¾ As if met by a gentle tailwind. The speed at which the apparatus was flying noticeably decreased. It was Hong Ye-na using magic to stir up the wind and slow down the speed. ¡°Why so violent? The mana that makes up one¡¯s existence has a rough and fierce temperament because it belongs to the robust category. Although it may look calm on the outside, it reveals a surprising temperament, right?¡± ¡°What!? I¡¯m not like that! Gyungwoo, I¡¯m not that kind of person!¡± ¡°The witch is just messing around. It¡¯s simply because of a rough temperament due to the mana.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true that temperament is influenced by the nature of mana. Mana encompasses elements like the subconscious, memory, emotions, psyche, and personality, as discussed in magic studies.¡± ¡°But do you have to say that now?¡± Hong Ye-na, manipulating the wind with a gesture. She safely lowered the apparatus that had been suspended in the air to the ground. But that was not enough to put our minds at ease. Whoosh! The elephant, in a frenzy, noticed our presence. Beyond just throwing objects, it was now charging at us. ¡°We need to restore him to mana quickly, right!?¡± ¡°I want to, too. But it¡¯s not easy.¡± ¡°Why not just stop the artifact?¡± ¡°Once an animal is taken out of the hat, it is considered to exist independently of the artifact, so even if we turn it off, it¡¯s useless. The artifact has stopped responding earlier.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°So, what should we do?¡± ¡°Although the animal and the hat exist independently, the animal and the person who created it are consciously connected. So, that person needs to sever the conscious link and restore it to mana. The issue is¡­ the sky, did you say?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! The sky above.¡± ¡°Do you think you can be conscious of the pass?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You who don¡¯t know how to handle mana can¡¯t possibly be conscious of that. Sorry, my mistake. I didn¡¯t know you had such a vast amount of mana.¡± ¡°Is there no other way?¡± ¡°There are, two. One is to wait until that guy exhausts the mana maintaining his existence. But from what I see¡­ your mana seems quite abundant. It might take quite a while to wait. Allowing him to rampage for that long might result in considerable damage¡­ ¡° ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Gyun-woo, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°How about killing or subduing the elephant?¡± ¡°That elephant isn¡¯t a real living being. So as long as there is mana sustaining its existence, it will continue to revive even if it dies. Subduing¡­ not impossible, but it might be quite a struggle.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ any other options?¡± ¡°A method to forcibly sever the pass.¡± At that moment, the elephant¡¯s front leg fell above their heads. Hong Ye-na frowned and formed a contract with the water elemental. The barrier she erected blocked the front leg in mid-air. However, unable to overcome its weight, the barrier started to crack. ¡°What kind of animal is this strong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a simple animal. It¡¯s a being composed of mana, so it¡¯s stronger than an ordinary animal and has some resistance to magic. Even so¡­ it¡¯s astounding. It seems the wind barrier can¡¯t hold it back. Then, by adding the element of water to strengthen the barrier¡¯s nature and intensity, and attacking with the element of earth to knock it down¡­¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the method to forcibly sever the pass?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Knocking it unconscious.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Maintaining the barrier with her outstretched right hand. And with her left hand, Hong Ye-na gestured into the air. Her manifested mana transformed into water, seeping through the cracked barrier. As a result, the barrier restored itself, turning blue. In that state, she spoke. ¡°Fortunately, the pass is connected to a shallow part of the consciousness. Just redirecting the consciousness elsewhere weakens the link of the pass.¡± ¡°So, knocking it unconscious. So that Han-ee can¡¯t even be conscious of the pass.¡± ¡°By doing so, when the weakened pass automatically severs, this guy will be restored to mana. It¡¯s the most effective method.¡± I cut off the connection by making Yeonhaneul faint. As Hong Ye-na said, there was no other effective way. And if I chose that method, I had to make Yeonhaneul faint. Because Hong Ye-na had to face an elephant. ¡®¡­There¡¯s no other way.¡¯ ¡°Gyeonwoo¡­.¡± With a military sword hanging on my waist, I placed my hand on it. I looked at Yeonhaneul. Her red eyes were shaking. Soon, she forced a bitter smile as if resigning. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with just that. I don¡¯t want to bother you because of me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So please. Make me faint.¡± Actually, my heart wouldn¡¯t allow that. Yeonhaneul was offering herself as a sacrifice. I¡­ ¡°¡­.Alright.¡± I decided not to break her will. Since she had made up her mind, I made up mine too. I drew the military sword. The navy blade reflected the light shining from Hong Ye-na¡¯s magic behind me, scattering a navy-colored light. That light fell on her face. ¡°Sky, it¡¯s been enjoyable all this time.¡± ¡°¡­.Huh?¡± ¡°Perhaps I will never forget the days spent with you.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ hey, Gyeonwoo? Why are you talking as if you¡¯re going to kill me? You¡¯re just going to make me faint, right?¡± ¡°You go first. I¡¯ll follow later.¡± ¡°Hey, this is a joke, right? That¡¯s what it is, right? Right?¡± ¡°I have no choice but to do this to protect our home. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s cruel. I trusted you¡­.¡± ¡°I swing down the sword. Close your eyes.¡± ¡°How could this¡­! How?¡± It¡¯s a joke. Pretending to strike Yeonhaneul with the sword, I held her tightly so she couldn¡¯t escape. Then, I pressed the back of her head with my hand. ¡°¡­I wasn¡¯t trying to kill you, you know?¡± ¡°Why would I kill you? I was just playing a joke.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really¡­ I hate you, I really do.¡± Falling for my sword motion, she reflexively shut her eyes tightly under the pale sky. Realizing the situation, she tried to raise her head from my embrace. I tightened my grip on the hand pressing against her nape. ¡°Don¡¯t open your eyes. Keep them shut.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Listen quietly to my voice. Can you hear me?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°Focus on that sound. If you can¡¯t concentrate, count the beats of my heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The key is diverting Yeonha¡¯s consciousness. There¡¯s no need to knock her out. To prevent her from focusing on the pass, just redirect her attention elsewhere. So, I opted for the easiest way to divert her consciousness. By engulfing her in the shock of betrayal, rendering her unable to focus on the pass. And I continued to lead her on in that state, pulling her into my chest. ¡°By making you see an elephant, you keep thinking about it and become conscious of it. So, if I make you shut your eyes so you can¡¯t see the elephant, and increase my heartbeat to shift your thoughts elsewhere¡­¡± I can break the pass. My prediction was spot-on. I stroked her head and glanced at her back. Whoosh¡­ The form of the elephant was dispersing. It was being reduced to mana. Soon, without leaving a trace, the elephant that had been there disappeared as if it were a lie. Only then did I release the hand that held Yeonha. Yet, Yeonha, in the same position as before, still had her eyes tightly shut. I spoke to her. ¡°The elephant is gone. You can open your eyes now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At my words, Yeonha opened her eyes and raised her head. Her light blue hair cascaded down, revealing her face. ¡°Is she angry because of me? Could it be?¡± Yeonha¡¯s face was so crimson it seemed on the verge of exploding. Moisture welled up in her red pupils. ¡°Haneul, are you okay? I¡¯m sorry, did I go too far with the joke? It was to redirect your consciousness, but¡­¡± ¡°175 beats.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I counted¡­ 175 beats.¡± ¡°Oh, um¡­ you counted well.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Yeonha once again bowed her head deeply. And then, he didn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°Are you crying by any chance?¡± Watching that figure, I felt sorry. I tried to bow to her to apologize, lowering my waist to look up at her face. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll apologize.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to, don¡¯t look. And don¡¯t apologize. I¡¯m not mad.¡± ¡°Then why won¡¯t you look at me¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I just don¡¯t want to show it right now. Just let me be like this a little longer.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± As if not wanting to show her face, Yeonha kept avoiding me. I gave up making eye contact and instead gently tapped her shoulder. I waited for her to calm down. ¡°Some were struggling to block them, while those ones were shouting from behind, oh my¡­¡± Meanwhile, Hong Ye-na grumbled as she looked at us. But I was focused on Yeonha, so I didn¡¯t listen properly. *** While Yeonha was composing her emotions, I instructed Hong Ye-na to clean up the mess caused by the elephant¡¯s rampage. ¡°Why do I have to clean up¡­¡± ¡°If you think about it, it was an incident with the witch¡¯s artifact, and earlier, she admitted it was her mistake. So shouldn¡¯t the witch take responsibility and clean up?¡± ¡°You¡¯re always quick with your answers. Alright, I¡¯ll clean up then.¡± Hong Ye-na didn¡¯t seem pleased. But perhaps she realized she wasn¡¯t entirely blameless, so she eventually followed my instructions. With a gesture, she moved the devices that were randomly scattered back to their original positions. Soon, I asked her, ¡°So, how was Haneul?¡± ¡°¡­Considering her ability to summon an elephant, the substantial amount of mana within her body, her high mana efficiency to sustain her existence for a long time, her resistance and cohesion against mana to withstand my magic, and her high level of imagination and control to the extent of high materialization rate¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hong Ye-na¡¯s gaze turned to Yeonha, who was waiting for her evaluation with a stern expression. I could catch a glint in Hong Ye-na¡¯s eyes. At that moment, I anticipated what she was about to say. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll admit it. You are destined to become a wizard. I¡¯ve seen many people, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone with such talent at your age. Even if it¡¯s influenced by the base monster, to think you¡¯ve inherited such talent, even though the probability of talent being inherited from a different parent is close to 0%¡­ Is it because of the influence of the magic community? Still, to have such talent and belittle even the people of the magic community is remarkable.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°It seems worth teaching you. No, overlooking the talent of someone like you would be akin to ignoring the advancement of magic. I¡¯d rather say I¡¯m eager for it. When you become a famous wizard someday, can I have a hand in it, to teach you, even if just a little?¡± As expected, it turned out this way. In the realm of magic, Hong Ye-na¡¯s strict praise could be considered the highest compliment one could receive. The rabbit ears of Yeonhaneul, who received that praise, shot up to the sky. Her red eyes widened, and she responded enthusiastically. ¡°No! I will ask you! Please be my master! Please teach me magic!¡± ¡°Alright, I will pass on all that I know to you.¡± Yeonha nodded. Hong Yena, pleased with her answer, softened her expression. I, too, felt uplifted. What brought joy to Yeonhaneul brought joy to me as well. ¡°Is it settled then? From now on¡­¡± ¡°I said I would take Haneul as my disciple, but when did I say I would take you as my disciple?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you want to learn magic from me, you must also prove your aptitude.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Trying to be smart, but it didn¡¯t work out. I clicked my tongue briefly. Ignoring my reaction, Hong Yena picked up the fallen hat and reactivated it. ¡°Well, I also wanted to check it out.¡± Summoning an animal that matches one¡¯s magical state is quite intriguing, sparking human curiosity. Moreover, in the game, the Magic Animal Hat only appeared as a background in Hong Yena¡¯s instructional lab and had never been used as an artifact. As someone deeply immersed in the game in a past life, I was even more intrigued. ¡°I wonder what will come out¡­¡± I reached into the hat, imbued with a white light. Mana flowed from my palm, mixing with the light and starting to coalesce. I swirled my hand around until the sphere grew as large as possible. At one point, the sphere I held in my hand did not change. The measurement was complete. Taking it out of the hat¡­ ¡°Go! I choose you!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but utter that line in a moment of nostalgia. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, only in my mind. I couldn¡¯t embarrass myself by saying it out loud. Anyway, as I threw the sphere. Whoosh! The concentrated power of light spheres far away exploded. A dazzling light spread around. ¡°¡­¡± After a while, as the intensity of the light decreased and my eyes adjusted. I could see a figure walking out of it. Thud! The beast standing on your feet. The animal that almost resembles a lion was flicking around a mane that seemed to be flourishing around its head. The creature roared. Krrrk! A sound that seemed to shake one to the core. Upon hearing that sound, I confirmed the identity of the animal. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a lion.¡± There was no doubt it was a lion. Summoning the king of the savannah, a lion. Could it be that I have a knack for magic? My lips involuntarily curved upwards. However. ¡°Huh?¡± I completely confirmed the exposed identity of the animal and twisted my face. Kwung? ¡°A rabbit?¡± The body was that of a lion, but the head was that of a rabbit. *** ¡°Well¡­ You¡¯ve summoned a peculiar creature.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Quite an imaginative creature.¡± ¡°No, can something like this come out? Does it mean the artifact is malfunctioning¡­.¡± ¡°It just means your magical state couldn¡¯t fully embody a lion.¡± A lion with the head of a rabbit. Or should we say, a rabbit embodying the body of a lion. As they looked at the creature emerging from the hat, Dong Geon-woo, Hong Ye-eun, and Yeon Ha-neul couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered. Contrary to their reactions, the indescribable creature made a sound. Kwung? ¡°¡­.¡± Swishing the lion¡¯s tail. The rabbit covered in the lion¡¯s mane wiggled its head. It was a creature that didn¡¯t exude any dignity at all. Rather, it evoked laughter. Pffft! ¡°Oh, don¡¯t laugh. Yeon Ha-neul, I said don¡¯t laugh?¡± ¡°S-Sorry! But, it¡¯s just¡­ How can you not laugh at this!¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather a rabbit came out, why did something like that come out¡­.¡± Yeonnah and Hong Ye-na couldn¡¯t hold back their laughter. They burst into laughter, whether Dogyeong-woo showed a disgusted reaction or not. Meanwhile, Hong Ye-na observed the animal Dogyeong-woo had summoned seriously. ¡°Even though there are flaws in the head, overall, the balance isn¡¯t bad.¡± If we just look at the head. The animal he summoned had a balance ratio fitting for a male lion. One could see that the abilities related to mana were balanced. However, compared to a typical male lion, it was slightly smaller in size. ¡°When it¡¯s said that the size of an animal is closely related to the amount of internal mana, it seems that the internal mana is not that abundant. But is it ambiguous to conclude that it¡¯s on the lower side?¡± The amount of internal mana is innate. The ways to increase it postnatally are limited. In that sense, Dogyeong-woo¡¯s internal mana level was difficult to reach a high level as a magician. ¡°Well, since he said he has no intention of switching to a magician, it can¡¯t be considered a problem. It¡¯s not bad to use magic as a support for swordsmanship.¡± Hong Ye-na pondered Dogyeong-woo¡¯s potential in this way. To be honest, it didn¡¯t impress her. ¡°If he¡¯s going to learn magic to support swordsmanship, not only me but others can teach it too. It¡¯s better for me to focus on one disciple. But if there¡¯s merit in teaching¡­¡± The fur color of that animal is white. Hong Ye-na noticed that point. ¡°A white rabbit¡­ No, a white lion.¡± The color of an animal¡¯s fur was an indicator of the affinity a person had for certain elements. Water was considered in the blue spectrum, lightning in the yellow spectrum, flame in the red spectrum, wind in the green spectrum, and earth in the brown spectrum as representative common elements. And darkness was in the black spectrum as a representative special element, while light was in the white spectrum. In Dogyeong-woo¡¯s case, he had a high affinity for the light attribute. ¡°If Ha-neul had an affinity for the dark attribute, does this kid have an affinity for the light attribute?¡± Not many people had an affinity for special elements. However, quite coincidentally, Hong Ye-na had encountered children who had affinities for both light and dark attributes. This made her ponder. Because they still had affinities for attributes she hadn¡¯t mastered yet. Especially to enhance her understanding of the light attribute, she had been traveling across the country. ¡°If I teach them, maybe I can enhance their understanding of the light and dark attributes. Just from briefly observing Ha-neul, if I say I won¡¯t teach that kid, he might even withdraw his vow to become a disciple¡­¡± With that thought in mind, Hong Ye-na came to a conclusion. She said to Dogyeong-woo, whose cheek she pinched, ¡°Hey, did you say you want to learn magic to assist swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I can make time to teach you while teaching Ha-neul. Okay, I¡¯ll teach you. You may be mediocre, but it seems like you have potential.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Thank you. I¡¯ll count on you from now on.¡± At first, she thought he was a child with the inherent arrogance of a noble family. But seeing him display tactics to turn Yeonnah¡¯s consciousness, he didn¡¯t seem like a dictatorial person. So, Hong Ye-na decided to teach him as well. ¡°Since he has a high affinity for the light attribute, he might become proficient in handling the five common elements. It depends on the effort put in.¡± And thus. Hong Ye-na accepted one disciple and one student. Chapter 36 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 35 Chapter 35 From Noble mtl dot com 5 Years ¡°The sky summoned an elephant?¡± ¡°Suddenly I heard a crying sound and wondered what it was, but later found out it was an elephant. How surprised I was when I heard that¡­ Fortunately, there were no casualties.¡± The topic of conversation at the dinner table that evening was, of course, Yeon Ha-neul summoning an elephant. Father burst into hearty laughter upon hearing the story while Mother, still feeling a bit uneasy, shook her head. Meanwhile, Ye-eun¡¯s response was predictable. ¡°Doing fun stuff when I¡¯m not around again¡­ I want to summon an animal too!¡± I chuckled at my younger sister, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Next time the Witch of Iridescent Colors comes, I¡¯ll ask her.¡± ¡°No. If you summon a dangerous animal like an elephant, what¡¯s the point? The Witch of Iridescent Colors said that animals coming out of a hat have similarities to the person¡¯s personality.¡± ¡°While personality does play a role, the impact is¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident I¡¯d summon a kind and gentle animal like myself!¡± ¡°I hope our daughter isn¡¯t lying.¡± ¡°I really am kind¡­¡± ¡°Good kids don¡¯t be picky eaters.¡± ¡°Ugh, blame it on me being like you, Mom?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly targeting me? What did I do?¡± ¡°Mom, you got worse after cutting your hair! You weren¡¯t like this before!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I got worse, I¡¯ve become stronger. And was I not like this before?¡± ¡°hahahaha¡­¡± A sign of harmony in the family, probably. Today, there was no excessive quarreling between Mother and Ye-eun. At times like this, it¡¯s best to quietly focus on eating so as not to disturb the two. Father seemed to have the same idea as me. As our eyes met at the dining table, we felt a sense of camaraderie. ¡°Son, Dad actually thinks long hair is nice.¡± ¡°I do too, uh¡­ Yes?¡± ¡°But sometimes, sacrifices are necessary to maintain the peace of the family.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Recognize the sacrifice I make for you.¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­.¡± Why is it that a different intention is read in Father¡¯s eyes? It seemed like the communication between me and Father was not sufficient. I gave up on conversing with eyes and spoke to Father. ¡°Dad, so, you know. Heaven has caught the eye of the Rainbow Witch.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it myself but¡­ Heaven¡¯s talent must be remarkable. Not only did the Rainbow Witch, who was so strict when contacted by phone, offer to teach Heaven for free, but she also said she would accept her as a formal disciple¡­¡± ¡°Does that mean Heaven¡¯s future is highly anticipated?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then, can the family sponsor her?¡± Truth be told, I had been waiting for an opportunity to speak. I had been holding back on speaking because Heaven hadn¡¯t shown any talent worthy of sponsorship from the Yeon family. But now, becoming a disciple of the Rainbow Witch, she had proven her worth. A legitimate reason for sponsorship had been established, so there was no need to hold back anymore. ¡°Sponsorship¡­ So that¡¯s what you were aiming for.¡± With that in mind, Father¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t bad. After a moment of thought, he showed a positive response. ¡°Now that she has become a disciple of the Rainbow Witch and with my recommendation, she can receive sponsorship from the Divine Arts Foundation. Even if not, since I heard the orphanage where she lives is in a poor financial state, I was thinking of ways to help. It¡¯s good. If we support Heaven, both Heaven and the orphanage can receive assistance from the foundation.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll only know when you try, but it should work out.¡± Heaven, as well as the orphanage she lives in, will be able to receive sponsorship. Heaven will be delighted to know. Even I felt excited listening to Father¡¯s words. At that moment, Father brought up another topic. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But we should also hear the story of the Rainbow Witch.¡± ¡°The Rainbow Witch? Why?¡± ¡°For a Hunter to formally take on a disciple means they are willing to become their guardian and generously support them. So, before the family sponsors Heaven, we should first ask the Rainbow Witch how far she intends to support.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°Given her personality, she might not want to be associated with our family and may choose to support Heaven entirely on her own. In that case, well¡­ we¡¯ll just have to sponsor the orphanage where Heaven lives.¡± ¡°Please ensure Heaven is not financially disadvantaged.¡± ¡°Right, I got it. Don¡¯t worry. Whether it¡¯s me, the Rainbow Witch, or that child, we all want to support their future generously.¡± Rainbow Witch Hong Ye-na. I hadn¡¯t considered the possibility of her sponsoring Heaven. But it wouldn¡¯t be bad if she did. Either way, I hoped Heaven would become a wizard in a rich environment. That way, my power would increase. ¡°Heaven won¡¯t turn dark.¡± The young sky must not bring despair to life. The catastrophic division of the young sky, engulfing and destroying the world, was out of the question. I was determined not to let her evolve into a mid-level boss. ¡°By the way, you¡¯ve also decided to learn magic?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I plan to focus on magic that complements swordsmanship¡­¡± ¡°That means you¡¯ve shown potential after all¡­ I only heard that the heavens summoned an elephant, didn¡¯t hear what you summoned.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Come to think of it, that¡¯s right. Gyungwoo, what did you summon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! What did you summon, brother!?¡± ¡°¡­A white lion.¡± ¡°Oh, not just a lion, but a white-furred white lion? Did you pick an albino? I might not know much about magic, but if you picked an albino, it must be remarkable. Maybe you¡¯re more talented than the heavens? Maybe in the future, the Grand Magician will come out of the Divine Sword Guild because of you!¡± ¡°I did bear one good son.¡± ¡°If you learn magic, teach me too!¡± ¡°hahahaha¡­.¡± I held my words back as much as possible. *** Thus, as I began to learn magic from the iridescent witch. Time flowed busily. At the age of twelve. Father gathered the family and made a shocking announcement. ¡°The official announcement is scheduled for a week from now, but it¡¯s confirmed that I¡¯ll be inaugurated as the Sub Lord of the Regulus Clan. I met the Lord at the main house today and received his blessing on the way back.¡± ¡°Congratulations. You¡¯re finally becoming a Sub Lord.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you for taking care of things behind the scenes. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have collapsed midway. I¡¯m really grateful, there¡¯s no one else like you.¡± ¡°What? Sub Lord? Dad, what does that mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what it means, but congratulations, Dad!¡± Since Father¡¯s visit to the main house during the family¡¯s moon, he seemed to be returning home late more often. It turned out it was because he was busy filling his achievements to become a Sub Lord. I couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered. It was something that didn¡¯t exist in the game. ¡®How did this happen?¡¯ In the game, there was only a brief mention of it. Father was depicted as someone who didn¡¯t seek the Lord¡¯s position, avoiding competition with his siblings, sticking to his position as the head of the branch, and dedicating himself to the family. It was hard to believe that such a father became a Sub Lord. ¡®Could it be because of me?¡¯ It seemed like my realization of my past life had brought about a change in Father¡¯s mindset. I was worried. Father becoming a Sub Lord meant that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to compete with his siblings to take the Lord¡¯s position. However, contrary to my worries, my father showed a cheerful demeanor. ¡°Everyone back at the house has been down because of me, right? From now on, stand tall and walk with strength. You can even make mistakes like Gyeonwoo! I¡¯ll cover for you.¡± ¡°But I haven¡¯t made any mistakes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your perspective.¡± It felt unjust to be seen as a problem child by my father. But if it was a decision my father had made after careful consideration, I had no intention of opposing it. In a way, it was a fortunate turn of events for me. ¡®As long as Dad aims to be the head of the family, I might as well benefit from it. Whether in the family or the academic city.¡¯ So, I congratulated my father. If my father aimed to be the patriarch, I was willing to support him. ¡ª What adorned my twelve-year-old majesty was none other than circumcision. In medical terms, it was called a circumcision procedure. A circumcision is a surgery that involves cutting off the foreskin covering the glans of the penis¡­ ¡®¡­Is it really necessary?¡¯ Just imagining the detailed process made me shudder involuntarily. I regretted being born a male for no reason, feeling resentful. As someone who had once hunted whales in a past life, the reality of having to experience it again made my head spin. ¡®But if I become a hunter, at least I won¡¯t have to go to the military twice¡­ should I comfort myself with that¡­¡¯ Of course, whale hunting was a choice, not an obligation. It could be done or left undone. In reality, my father did not force me into it, despite my unease. ¨DCircumcision? Well, it¡¯s probably better to do it than not. Perhaps my father empathized with my feelings as a fellow man. He said so. But my mother had a different opinion. ¨DNo, you must do it. You absolutely must. ¨DMom, most of the kids in my class haven¡¯t done it yet, these days¡­. ¨DJust because the others haven¡¯t done it, you won¡¯t either? Since when did you start following others? ¨D¡­. ¨DI understand your feelings perfectly well. It¡¯s probably scary and unpleasant for you right now. But when you grow up and become an adult, there will come a day when you¡¯ll be grateful to me. So, let¡¯s go to the hospital, okay? ¨D¡­You say you understand even though you¡¯re a woman? ¨DAs someone who gave birth to you and Eunyi, enduring the pain of childbirth twice, can¡¯t I understand that much? ¨D¡­. ¡°Kyungwoo, trust your mother. It might be uncomfortable later on. Nowadays, they say there are no hygiene issues¡­ But if you don¡¯t do it, it will be bothersome to maintain cleanliness.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± ¡°Also, it¡¯s good to become popular with women.¡± ¡°Kyungwoo, that¡¯s a lie¡­¡± ¡°Keep quiet.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°At least your mother has a preference. Even if you may think you¡¯re clean, women might not.¡± ¡°¡­Alright, I got it. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Mother¡¯s will was firm. I, who had been hesitating in my choice, ultimately had no choice but to make a decision. It was never my intention to gain popularity. Having experienced whaling in my past life, I was not swayed by my mother¡¯s persuasion. It was also because it was undeniably easier to manage. And there was Yeonhaneul¡¯s opinion as well. [Me]: What do you think? [Yeonhaneul]: So men do that kind of thing¡­ I never knew (@?@;) [Yeonhaneul]: Wait! I¡¯ll ask the headmaster and come back! (A moment later)¡­ [Yeonhaneul]: You don¡¯t have to, but it¡¯s better to do it! [Yeonhaneul]: It might be painful and scary, but stay strong¡­ [Me]: Sigh¡­ Alright¡­ In any case, thus it was. That day, I found myself riding in the car my mother drove, heading to the urology department. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kyungwoo. It won¡¯t hurt at all once you¡¯re under anesthesia, and it¡¯ll only take 30 minutes. After it¡¯s done, let¡¯s go eat something delicious together.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± In a world where magic and science had advanced. Strangely enough, when it came to vasectomy surgery, this world was similar in standards to the past world. It seemed not entirely implausible. The only difference from the past was that the vasectomy surgery in this world approached a 0% chance of side effects. So the perception of vasectomy surgery in this world was quite positive¡­ Having researched information on the internet beforehand, I involuntarily sighed. ¡°Mr. Dogyeonwoo, please come in.¡± But now there was no turning back. I bid farewell to my mother, walked confidently into the operating room, undressed, lay on the bed, and waited for the surgery. Eventually, the surgery commenced. ¡°Wow, this is serious.¡± ¡­Teacher, that¡¯s s*xual harassment. Today, I had to endure the embarrassment of being stripped by men I had never seen before and undergo surgery. ¡°I will make you into a man today.¡± ¡°Young man, become a legend.¡± ¡°When you leave this operating room, you will feel like you¡¯ve been reborn.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Numb below due to anesthesia. I blankly stared at the ceiling, simply hoping for this time to pass quickly. And so. Snip snip¡­ Reborn in this world, twelve years later. My member truly saw the outside world. ¡°The sound is quite eerie¡­.¡± ¡ª It is said that Doh Yeonwoo is going to catch a whale. According to the headmaster¡¯s story, he is going to become a man. Yeonnuel, who still doesn¡¯t quite grasp the meaning, is once again only aware of the difference between men and women. ¡°So that¡¯s what comes off¡­.¡± Having grown up in an orphanage. Yeonnuel helped the orphanage teachers wash the bodies of younger children than herself. Every time, she naturally encountered ¡®it¡¯. Taking on a protruding shape unlike that of a woman, ¡®it¡¯ sometimes made her think it was cute. She also found it fascinating. But the fact that ¡®it¡¯ would be ¡®that way¡¯ was too shocking. ¡°Goodness, they cut it¡­.¡± Even as a woman herself, she shuddered at the mere thought. Wondering how Doh Yeonwoo, who had to undergo circumcision, must be feeling. Yeonnuel couldn¡¯t help but worry deeply about him undergoing the surgery. They said there was no chance of anything going wrong with the surgery, but she couldn¡¯t shake off her anxiety. So, she lit an incense stick and prayed. ¡°Please¡­.¡± Keep Yeonwoo¡¯s manhood safe and sound. Please let Yeonwoo become a man. Fortunately, the surgery was successful. The tumor that had been hiding inside the shell finally revealed itself to the world. I¡­ was no longer afraid. Hmm¡­ ¡®Once the anesthesia wears off, it¡¯s going to hurt¡­.¡¯ Just the thought of it was frightening. It seemed best not to engage in too strenuous activity until my condition improved. I decided to pause my training for a while and focus solely on resting. I gently touched my pants with my hand, checked the paper cup protecting my penis, and slowly took a step. Walking was quite uncomfortable. My mother, upon seeing me in that state, chuckled as if finding it amusing. ¡°Our son, you endured it without crying. Well done. Shall we go have a delicious lunch together?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Today, I found my mother annoying. Following my mother, who was paying attention to my gait, I went to have lunch. Afterward, we spent some time at a caf¨¦, sipping drinks. When we returned home, Yeeun and Yeonha were waiting for us. ¡°Big brother! Did the neutering go well!?¡± ¡°Are you okay, Gyunwoo?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not neutering, it¡¯s a vasectomy. But Yeonha, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°I came to see how you were doing. So, how did the surgery go? What happened?¡± ¡°See for yourself.¡± To satisfy the curiosity of Yeeun and Yeonha easily. I protruded the pants area that rose like a mountain due to the paper cup. Yeeun found it fascinating, while Yeonha seemed to sympathize as if feeling sorry. ¡°Big brother, cool! It¡¯s like a lion living in your pants! It looks like laser beams might shoot out from there!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m raising a lion. It¡¯s Lion King Gao Gaiger.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not here¡­.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? How long are you going to keep this up?¡± ¡°Until the wound heals. They said to wear it for about 2 weeks.¡± ¡°It must be tough and uncomfortable until then. Does it hurt? Are you okay? Did you take your medicine?¡± ¡°¡­I had some pain, so I took it on the way here. It¡¯s bearable for now.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t push yourself too hard. Remember to take your medicine properly from now on. Is there anything I can do to help?¡± ¡°Then¡­ can you support me?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Big brother! I¡¯ll help too!¡± Yeonha willingly lent her shoulder. I put my arm around her shoulder and staggered towards home. Meanwhile, Yeeun also offered to assist and hung onto my waist. The height difference between Yaeun and me didn¡¯t offer much support, but I was grateful for her consideration nonetheless. ¡°If someone saw her¡­ they might think she had survived a war.¡± I heard my mother mumbling from behind, sounding bewildered. Supported by the two, I entered the house. And so. ¡°Hmph.¡± I became a man. Chapter 37 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 36 Chapter 36 ) [Illustration] Time passed from then on. It was the year Yaeun turned 13, in the 6th grade of elementary school. Yaeun had become an elementary school student. Starting this year, she could participate in the evaluation battles held by the direct descendants of the Shingeom Dogas. And. ¡°Be grateful that you can learn from me, who has mastered the six elements.¡± Hong Yena had become a witch of the six colors. Proving her mastery of light attribute magic at the Hunter Association, she exuded a great deal of arrogance. ¡°You¡¯ve been using me as a research subject all this time, and now you say that?¡± ¡°¡­So you¡¯re learning for free from me. But even at your age, don¡¯t you have any respect for your teacher?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one who became a disciple, I¡¯m in a position to receive paid private lessons. I may be receiving instruction for free, but¡­¡± ¡°That big mouth of yours¡­ If you didn¡¯t have talent in swordsmanship, you probably had a talent for provoking people with your words.¡± From Noble mtl dot com Meanwhile, I learned magic under her, achieving some results. Of course, I couldn¡¯t compare to Yeonhae. ¡°Master, is this the right way?¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You¡¯ve only learned the basics, and I haven¡¯t finished explaining¡­ And you try to follow just from a demonstration?¡± Hong Yena was so surprised she couldn¡¯t close her mouth. As Yeonhae learned to manipulate mana, she showed rapid growth. Within just a year, she displayed remarkable results in dark attribute magic. And within two years, she began studying other elemental magics as well. ¡°She¡¯s really¡­ amazing.¡± Should we call her Yeonhae, who will turn into the calamitous witch in the game? It seemed that even in jest, one wouldn¡¯t dare to face her magic. * * * Fourteen. Youngja and I became middle school students. Thanks to my father¡¯s efforts, we were able to enroll in the same middle school, in the same class. We ended up at a prestigious middle school like Totmani Gold, Silver, and Bronze. As a result, I often played the role of raising the triplets. ¡°Today¡¯s lunch seems a bit lacking. Should we buy something from the school store?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ What¡¯s on the menu today? Oh, there¡¯s not much meat side dish. It¡¯s not just Yeeun who¡¯s picky, even you should know that, Mom.¡± ¡°So, are you not going?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go. But the school store might be crowded¡­ and the weather is hot¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they there for times like this?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give them a call. Just try not to pick up.¡± ¡°¡­You have no mercy for them.¡± ¡°Oh, they picked up. Hey, Totmani Gold.¡± [To me, the name Okumdong sounded¡­ Wait, what¡¯s going on?] ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch together later.¡± [Oh? What¡¯s up with you? Alright, then we¡¯ll come to your class¡­] ¡°So, bring something to eat.¡± [You wouldn¡¯t be that kind of person.] ¡°Haneul, is there something you want to eat? Even if it¡¯s not available at the school store.¡± ¡°Hey! If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s order delivery! Delivery!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I remember the Castella I had last time was delicious. I want that and strawberry milk.¡± ¡°Totmani Gold, did you hear that?¡± [At home, I¡¯m the beloved eldest son, why am I being treated like this¡­] ¡°I¡¯ll send you the menu through chat. I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Even if they don¡¯t always take my words right away. With the sponsorship involved, the triplets couldn¡¯t refuse my requests. In the end, they bought food from the school store for us. ¡°Hey! Let¡¯s eat!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the rush today?¡± ¡°We had PE before lunchtime. So, we sneaked out in the middle.¡± ¡°During the time when Eundong hyung sneaked out to the school store, I and Geumdong hyung acted as if Eundong hyung was Eundong. The teacher didn¡¯t even realize there was a change.¡± ¡°Thanks for the effort. Haneul, here.¡± ¡°Thanks, Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ We¡¯re the ones who bought the food, why are you thanking him¡­¡± ¡°Totmani Gold. What are you saying to Haneul right now?¡± ¡°Who cares who bought it! As long as it tastes good! Right, Geumdongi hyung!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Geumdongi hyung!¡± ¡°Y-yeah! Hey, enjoy your meal! Is there anything else you want to eat? I¡¯ll go get it quickly.¡± ¡°Hey, if they say something when I¡¯m not around, let me know. I¡¯ll straighten them out.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ no, there¡¯s no need for that. I really appreciate all of you.¡± By the way, Yeonhaneul noticeably changed as she entered middle school. Her hair grew longer, and as her baby fat started to disappear, she showed signs of becoming an adult. Whether it was from training in swordsmanship at the martial arts school or learning magic and etiquette from Hong Ye-na, her body¡¯s curves became more defined without any excess fat. Some people who had harbored resentment towards Ain or had ignored her when she was in elementary school were momentarily captivated by Yeonhaneul. She just¡­ um¡­ became more beautiful. ? A year passed, and she turned 15. Second year of middle school. It was the year Do Si-eun, now 17, entered the Academy City. ¡°I guess we won¡¯t see her face for a while once she¡¯s in the Academy City.¡± ¡°True. It was fun competing with you in the assessment. And sparring with swords.¡± At the beginning of the year, at a gathering of the noble families. I congratulated Do Si-eun on entering the High Academy. It might be difficult to meet her for a while. Because life in the Academy City would be so busy. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of longing. It seemed she felt the same way. That¡¯s why she brought it up. ¡°Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°Yeah, sis.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the Academy City.¡± As I was about to part ways with Do Si-eun. She suddenly reached out her hand. In response to her feelings, I held her hand. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you. I¡¯ll apply to the academy you attend in two years.¡± ¡°The Geumgang Academy? If that happens, we¡¯ll be able to see each other often. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± There were two years left until I entered the Academy City. In other words, it meant there were two years left until the story of the game began. Two years. It felt long, yet in a way, it seemed short. I declared my ambition to Do Si-eun and dedicated myself even more from that day on. And then, one day¡­ ¡°Why are you working so hard?¡± As Yeonha carried a heavy straw bag and swung a sword, she asked me. There was only one thing I could say to her. ¡°I want to become stronger.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re already strong. After Siae entered the academy town, you were said to be the strongest among the relatives who didn¡¯t enter the high academy. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°Still not sufficient. I want to become stronger, more and more.¡± With my current skills, I might be able to handle incidents happening in the academy town. Experiencing such incidents and growing through them wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing. But my life is not a game. If I die, I can¡¯t go back to a save point or start over from the beginning. Once I die, it¡¯s over. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t be satisfied with this state. I wanted to become stronger, more and more. Even if the growth rate is slow and there are limits to training in this way. Despite seeming meaningless, as the training accumulated, it would become meaningful to me in some way. I believed without a doubt. ¡°So, how strong do you want to become?¡± ¡°Well¡­ strong enough to prevent the destruction of the world?¡± ¡°Are you in your second year of middle school or what?¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that too harsh?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s joking around here?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t a joke; it was sincere. But Yeonha, who didn¡¯t know the future of this world, seemed to brush off my words as those of a middle schooler. I reluctantly decided to present a realistic goal that she could understand. ¡°Who do I know that¡¯s regarded as the strongest among people?¡± At that moment, only one person came to mind. After some thought, I spoke up. ¡°I want to become stronger than my grandfather.¡± ¡°You mean your grandfather? The head of the Shingum Do, who is called the Water King.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I want to become strong enough to defeat my grandfather.¡± ¡°To want to be stronger than an otherworldly being, that¡¯s quite an extraordinary goal.¡± ¡°Well, one should aim high. There¡¯s no law saying you can¡¯t achieve it.¡± ¡°True, indeed.¡± Water King, Water King, Water King¡­ Yeonha repeated the name of my grandfather several times. Then, with a wide smile, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll support you from the side. So you can become someone stronger than the Water King.¡± ¡°What are you saying? You should train too.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m a magician, you know?¡± ¡°Is stamina not important for a wizard?¡± ¡°My master said it¡¯s still sufficient.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t be the only one suffering.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ You¡¯re really¡­¡± Where is this kid trying to take me? I can¡¯t save the world alone. I needed Strong Star, his comrades, various skills, and the Empyrean. I had no intention of letting her go. In the end, that day, Empyrean had to train with me. Time passed, flowed¡­ ¡°Will I be entering the Academy next year?¡± At 16, I was at the end of my middle school years. Hong Ye-na mastered dark attribute magic, becoming known as the Witch of Seven Colors. And. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Mongsili died. ? Born as a hunting hound in the Divine Sword Guild, Mongsili was quite old. Considering a rabbit¡¯s lifespan and the visible decline in strength as the days went by, Mongsili¡¯s death was imminent. I was well aware of it and had mentally prepared for it. But it was just my misconception. ¡°It¡¯s been enjoyable all this time¡­¡± Waking up in the morning, Mongsili lay there as if peacefully asleep, but in reality, dead. No response no matter how much I called, Mongsili, stiff and motionless, eyes closed, felt strangely unfamiliar. As the reality of Mongsili¡¯s death sank in, I felt a sense of loss. Yes, a sense of loss. I experienced the agony of having my heart torn apart by a mere rabbit that was nothing more than a speck. ¡°Mongsili must have gone to a better place where you took good care of her.¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t cry¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s bury Mongsili in a good place where she can frolic freely.¡± Realizing my past life after five years. I burst into tears for the first time. Returning to being Do Gyun-woo before realizing my past life, I cried like a baby. After crying my heart out, my mind finally calmed down, but the spot where Mongshil used to be still felt empty. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeonhaneul was worried about me. I tried to put on a bright smile so as not to worry her. But it¡¯s been almost 5 years since I¡¯ve known Yeonhaneul. She must have understood my feelings. She couldn¡¯t help but watch my every move. Then, as if trying to lighten my mood, she spoke up. ¡°Can I touch your ear?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Flutter, flutter. Yeonhaneul folded and unfolded her ear with her hand. I silently gazed at her. ¡°Mountain rabbit, rabbit, where are you going¡ª¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Uncharacteristically, Yeonhaneul sang a lullaby while tapping her ear with her hand. It was absurd, funny, and cute. Part of me suddenly wanted to touch her ear. I want to touch it. I want to touch it. I want to touch it¡­ ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ll just take your heart.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°If I touch your ear, I might think of Mongshil.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ Then there¡¯s no choice.¡± I politely declined to keep memories of Mongshil. Yeonhaneul looked disappointed. That was when it happened. ¡°I was going to let you touch my tail too¡­¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± She blurted that out. And then¡­ I succumbed to temptation. I reacted without thinking. ¡°Can I touch your tail?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You just said you were going to let me touch your tail.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I mean, you look a bit down. But thinking of Mongshil¡­¡± ¡°Wanna try touching it once?¡± ¡°You have no dignity.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mongshil will understand.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ so that¡¯s how it is.¡± The coldness in Yeon Haneul¡¯s eyes slightly thawed. Nevertheless, I paid no heed to her reaction and waited for her response. Eventually. ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re really that kind of person. Fine, touch it. It¡¯s not like touching it will wear it out. If you touch my tail, I¡¯ll feel energized, right?¡± ¡°Then, here¡¯s a carrot.¡± As if there was no other choice. Yeon Haneul let out a small chuckle and willingly allowed it. Soon after, she turned away from me, presenting her backside so her tail was visible. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°Is this so impressive?¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it impressive?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really understand your feelings. What¡¯s so good about this?¡± A cute, round rabbit tail protruding above her skirt. I slowly reached out towards the white fur ball. ¡°You probably already know, but tails are more sensitive than ears. So, don¡¯t just touch it randomly, okay? If you hurt me¡­ I¡¯ll make sure you can never touch it again.¡± Was that a promise to let me touch it again next time? I decided not to ask. I didn¡¯t want to risk Yeon Haneul withdrawing if I asked for no reason. ¡°When have I done that?¡± ¡°Sometimes when you touch my ears.¡± Listening to Yeon Haneul¡¯s grumbling. My hand was gradually approaching the white tail. ¡®Finally, I get to touch it.¡¯ According to the psychology I read before. Cats usually let people they are fond of touch their ears. And they let people they completely trust touch their tails. So, it¡¯s safe to say that Yeon Haneul trusts me completely. ¡®It feels like a new beginning.¡¯ My five years were not in vain. Overwhelmed with emotion, I ventured into an unexplained territory. I felt a soft touch at my fingertips. ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, Yeon Haneul shivered slightly and arched her back. To help her get used to the touch, I gently wrapped my hand around her tail. Then I softly stroked it. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really soft. Much softer than the ears, right?¡± ¡°Wait¡­! Geonyu! Just a moment¡­¡± ¡°Why? Does it hurt?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t hurt¡­¡± ¡°Then should I keep touching it?¡± ¡­Silent, Yeonhae, who was about to say something. From my position behind her, I couldn¡¯t see her face as she bowed her head deeply. But since there was no instruction not to touch, I decided to continue. ¡°Oh, just as I thought.¡± ¡°Why are you¡­ doing this?¡± ¡°I was curious. Rabbit tails might look round, but they are actually just curled up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, I wondered if your tail was the same, and it was just like Mongshil. The tail was curled up. If you pull it, it stretches like this¡­¡± ¡°Eek! What are you¡­¡± ¡°It stretches out like this.¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t stretch it¡­ It¡¯s, it¡¯s embarrassing¡­¡± ¡°Stretching it out, the tail is quite long. And very thin.¡± ¡°Stop touching¡­¡± ¡°It feels like touching a fluffy feather.¡± Yeonhae¡¯s voice gradually faded. I watched her shiver and gently touched her tail to make sure she wasn¡¯t in pain. ¡°P-Please stop now¡­¡± ¡°Thank you, Haneul.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, it feels like my gloomy mood has flown away.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t be mad if you say that.¡± ¡°Then, can I touch more?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really¡­ Next time, next time I¡¯ll let you touch it. Stop here for now.¡± It¡¯s regrettable, but there¡¯s nothing I can do. Still, where is the promise that I will let you touch it again next time? From Noble mtl dot com I released the hand that was touching the tail. Only then did Yeonhae slump over the desk, looking exhausted. ¡°Because of you¡­ What is this¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, did it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know! I won¡¯t say.¡± ¡°You will let me touch it next time too, right?¡± ¡°¡­Based on what you¡¯re doing.¡± * * * Time continued to flow. When it became the winter of my 16th year, We passed the entrance exam for Geumgang Academy. It was just a written exam after all. But nonetheless, time flew by in the blink of an eye from that point on¡­ ¡°The day has come.¡± As the seasons changed, I turned 17. Chapter 38 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 37 Chapter 37 ) [Illustration] It has been five years since I realized my past life. In those five years, many changes occurred in my body. I grew taller, my shoulders broadened, and my baby fat disappeared, defining my features. The soft hairs around my lips grew thick enough to require shaving every few days, my Adam¡¯s apple protruded, and my voice became deeper and more mature. ¡­I caught a whale. There were various other changes as well. ¡°I look somewhat similar to the game¡¯s Dogyunwoo. No, a bit different?¡± I feel like I¡¯m taller than Dogyunwoo. Even my once soft face seems to have become more refined. After working tirelessly for five years, I deserved to see some results. I hoped I hadn¡¯t grown exactly like the game¡¯s Dogyunwoo due to some game mechanism, but rather better than his initial stats. Standing in front of the mirror, getting dressed, I once again observed my changes and felt a sense of pride. Of course, there were regrets too. ¡°I wanted to have skin like burnt wood, and muscles all defined and sculpted¡­¡± Although I had changed from the game¡¯s Dogyunwoo, my physique remained unavoidable. While I had aimed to build a body that would be popular among women as a man, my efforts did not bear fruit. The saying that hard work pays off seemed to be a lie. Exaggerating it, I might end up being seen as a man who needs protection by women. After reincarnating, I came to realize the harsh and cruel reality for the first time. ¡°Should I burn my skin before entering the academy¡­ Since I¡¯m at it, to differentiate myself from the game¡¯s Dogyunwoo, dyeing my hair blonde and getting a piercing wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea¡­. Perhaps that way, I could give off a slightly more mature image. No, if I do that with this face, will I be called a parasite?¡± It was truly a dilemma. I found myself lost in contemplation as I stared intensely at the mirror. It was then that a voice from downstairs reached my ears. ¡°Gyeonwoo! The sky has arrived! It¡¯s time for you to come down now!¡± ¡°Oh, has it gotten this late already? Yes! Just a moment!¡± Lost in gazing at the mirror, I hadn¡¯t noticed time slipping away. Before I knew it, the appointed time for Yeonha to come to our house had arrived. I hastily buttoned up my shirt and grabbed the luggage I had packed the night before. Of course, I didn¡¯t forget to take the military blue sword. ¡°I¡¯m coming down now!¡± To take the entrance practical exam for the Geumgang Academy. Today, we depart for the Academy City. ? Academy entrance exams are usually divided into a written and practical test. The written test is not held at the academy itself in the Academy City, but rather at the level of special cities and metropolitan areas. This was considered a gesture of consideration from the Academy City to prevent exam candidates from all over the country from having to come to the Academy City, wasting time and money. Superficially, at least. ¡°In reality, it¡¯s a message saying not to come to the Academy City if you can¡¯t even pass the written exam.¡± The Academy City was located in an area with unstable mana flow and dimensions. As a result, the appearance of gates, dungeons, and monsters was frequent, and various mysterious phenomena occurred, making it an unsafe place. In other words, it could be considered a suitable place for nurturing excellent hunters or conducting research on skills. Therefore, the Academy City did not take kindly to external exposure in order to maintain security and prevent leaks of confidential information. The reason for conducting the written exam outside the Academy City could be understood in that context. Candidates who, caught up in the desire to become hunters, applied impulsively without any preparation. And to reduce the number of incompetent applicants by eliminating those who lacked the basic knowledge and qualities required for hunters. ¡°After sieving out the incompetent ones, the practical test is held in the Academy City.¡± Naturally, Yeonha and I were not among the incompetent ones. We took the written exam last autumn and received notice of passing in the winter. And now, as the year changed to January, it was time for us to take the practical exam. That¡¯s why we were leaving for the Academy City today. ¡°Did you pack everything? We¡¯ll be spending two weeks in the Academy City, so make sure you haven¡¯t forgotten anything.¡± ¡°I double-checked everything yesterday. Yeonha, you nag so much, I had to check multiple times.¡± ¡°When did I nag?¡± ¡°And if we did forget something, we can just buy it in the Academy City.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Well, Gyeonwoo, don¡¯t try to save money just because the cost of living in the Academy City is high. Make sure to use the card Mom gave you.¡± ¡°Actually, that card is mine¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like your dad can¡¯t earn money, right? Yeonha, you¡¯re the same. As the Seven-Color Witch said, don¡¯t hesitate to use the sponsorship funds. Use them when you need to. It¡¯s money that¡¯s meant to be used.¡± ¡°Yes, I will! Thank you.¡± Walking me to the front of the house, my mother solemnly entrusted me and Yeonha with the departure preparations for the academy city. The worry in her eyes about us leaving to a distant place where her gaze had always reached was evident. I tried to alleviate her concerns by smiling brightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to worry. Can¡¯t you trust me? I can do well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried because I can¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± My mother cut in sharply. I was at a loss for words due to the sense of betrayal. ¡°You should have shown me a trustworthy attitude all this time. Reflect on it with your hand on your heart.¡± ¡°Even if I reflect with my hand on my heart, I still believe I was a filial and good son¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s your perception.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t feel reassured watching what you do. Sigh¡­¡± Was my credibility really this low? I shifted my gaze to Father standing behind Mother. I had hope that Father would understand me. Father forced a bitter smile. ¡°Yeah, you should have been a bit more careful with your actions.¡± ¡°When did I ever act carelessly?¡± ¡°Gyunwoo, you don¡¯t realize it, which makes it even more frustrating.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even though I say this, it seems like you won¡¯t understand¡­ Don¡¯t cause any trouble in the academy city. Don¡¯t make your dad cover for you.¡± Surely Father wasn¡¯t on my side either. ¡°Oppa! I¡¯ll miss you! You have to buy something delicious from the academy city for me!?¡± ¡°Sure, Yeuni, you¡¯re the best. Mom, Dad aren¡¯t needed.¡± Yet, there was no one but my younger sister Yeuni. Leaving behind the tongue-tied parents, I embraced Yeuni in her pajamas. Yeuni patted my back. After bidding farewell to my family like that. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going.¡± ¡°Yes, let us know once you arrive.¡± ¡°If you want anything specific to eat when you come back, tell us. Haneul too. We¡¯ll prepare what you want to eat.¡± ¡°Yes, we will! Gyunwoo, trust me on that!¡± ¡°Oppa! Unni! Do well on your exams!¡± The morning air was chilly. Yeonha and I turned our backs on our family, facing the cold air. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely come back after passing.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting, Mom! Dad!¡± Meeting her husband was destiny. Han Jiae had no hesitation in thinking so. ¨DAre you okay? Oh¡­ ¨DYes, thank you for saving me¡­ In her youth, as Han Jiae walked down the street, she suddenly found herself engulfed in a dimensional distortion phenomenon, attacked by a monster. The person who saved her at that moment was her husband, Do Sangjun. The two fell in love at first sight during that encounter. Their relationship quickly grew close, they longed for each other, and pledged eternity to one another without anyone taking the lead. However, love was not smooth sailing. ¨DWhere have you been? Before getting married. ¨DWhat? Oh¡­ just as a company clerk¡­ ¨DOh my, really? Quite unexpected. I thought you were hanging out at bars or something. ¨DSister-in-law, what is this about¡­ ¨DSo, how does it feel to catch a man and rise in status? Feeling proud? Exciting? I wouldn¡¯t know, coming from a prestigious family. ¨D¡­ ¨DLooks like you¡¯ve settled for someone quite unimpressive. What was the youngest master thinking marrying you¡­ Seems like they couldn¡¯t see well. Do Sangjun was from the Shingeom martial arts family. One of the most influential Ten Gates in the country, known as the foremost martial arts family, Shingeom. To Han Jiae, who was born into an ordinary family, it was a family too prestigious. Despite her efforts to adapt to the atmosphere of the family and become a part of the Shingeom martial arts family, she struggled to fit in and faced disdain from the family members. Nevertheless, in order to prevent Do Sangjun from being in a difficult situation, she had to belittle herself endlessly, endure, and tolerate. That was her mistake. ¨DGot it, Gyunwoo? Don¡¯t fight with your cousins, get along with them, okay? ¨DYes, Mom! Her mindset also affected Do Gyunwoo. When facing the family members, Do Gyunwoo became more cautious in his actions, avoiding tarnishing his dignity even if it meant avoiding conflicts with them. Just as there is a sense of hierarchy in the animal world, there is inevitably a sense of hierarchy among humans, who can be considered rational and social animals. For a Shingeom martial arts family that seeks to produce outstanding martial artists through intergenerational competition, it was a given. Therefore, Do Gyunwoo¡¯s attitude towards the family members was a sight of lowering his own rank. In a world where children are heavily influenced by emotions rather than rationality, it was extremely detrimental. ¨C Teaching one awakens ten, seems to know how to unfold the sense of royalty instinctively. ¨C Thank you! Doyeongu seemed to possess a talent worthy of being called Shin Dong from the Jadoeik among the Jadoeik. That talent made him walk a tightrope within the consciousness of his family¡¯s hierarchy. But then, he slipped off the tightrope as if misstepping, causing a commotion. ¨C S, Seungu! During the first evaluation match. Doyeongu, in the midst of a bout, ended up hurting his cousin, Doseungu. ¨C Oh, what should I do? There¡¯s blood¡­ ¨C This! Doyeongu was greatly taken aback. Doseungu did not miss the opportunity to strike back. As a result, in front of all the members of the family, Doyeongu suffered the shame of being beaten by Doseungu. At that moment, Han Ji-ae wanted to intervene to stop Doseungu. But it was not her place to intervene in the evaluation match. She had to fervently hope for the evaluation match to end. And when the evaluation match finally concluded. ¨C Gyeongu! ¨C Mom¡­ ¨C Look at yourself, what is this¡­ Seeing her son return covered in tears, Han Ji-ae didn¡¯t know what to do. As she watched her son cry bitterly, tears welled up in her eyes too. Then, Doseungu¡¯s mother arrived. ¨C Dongseo! Isn¡¯t this too much!? ¨C What? Hyung, what¡¯s¡­ ¨C If Gyeongu had cut off your arm or gotten a scar on your face from swinging the sword wrongly, what would have happened? Be careful around kids from now on! Understood!? An eye for an eye is not the solution. While Doyeongu had cut Doseungu, the wounds Doseungu inflicted on Doyeongu were not insignificant. Both had engaged in a fair match, so there was no need to dwell on right or wrong. Even though the anger was still smoldering. Do Seung-woo¡¯s mother suddenly said those words. Han Ji-ae was taken aback and couldn¡¯t help but feel angry. ¨DHyungnim, then what about Seung-woo and Gyun-woo¡­.? ¨DAre you going to answer my question now? However, Han Ji-ae couldn¡¯t argue. Do Seung-woo¡¯s mother held a certain influence within the family, and she didn¡¯t want to provoke any retaliation unnecessarily. ¨D¡­I apologize. I will control myself. ¨DDong-seo, straighten up for real! In the end, Han Ji-ae ended up apologizing. Not only could she not voice her child¡¯s injustice, but apologizing in front of that child felt utterly shameful and humiliating. Above all, she felt terribly sorry towards her son. ¨DGyun-woo, Mom is sorry¡­. ¨DNo, it¡¯s okay. Mom, don¡¯t cry. Do Gyun-woo was incredibly kind-hearted. Becoming the person he and Do Sang-jun wished for ¨C kind, upright, considerate of others, willing to yield ¨C Gyun-woo forgave and comforted his mother, who couldn¡¯t forgive herself for her own ugliness. Han Ji-ae ended up relying on her son¡¯s kind heart. That shouldn¡¯t have happened back then. Even if there was a fight, she shouldn¡¯t have sided with Do Seung-woo¡¯s mother. ¨DWhy didn¡¯t you tell me? Because she showed her weakness. Knowing that the gentle-hearted Do Gyun-woo would worry about her, Han Ji-ae endured the torment from her cousins without causing him distress. Upon facing that truth. As a mother, Han Ji-ae felt guilty. It was her fault. Hence¡­. ¨DYour son is so disrespectful, isn¡¯t he? Seems like he takes after you. I¡¯ve wanted to slap him every time I see him. It¡¯s okay, Gyun-woo! Good job hitting him! When that child improved her situation alone and brought Do Seung-woo down. Han Ji-ae faced a similar situation from the past and resolved not to make the same mistake this time. A mother, a parent, is a shield and sword that must protect their child without expecting anything in return. Even if the world doesn¡¯t stand by their side, parents must stand by their children. Believe, support, and cheer for me. At that moment, Han Ji-ae praised Do Gyun-woo¡¯s actions, regardless of right or wrong, to not crush his spirit. She stood up to Do Seung-woo¡¯s mother and confronted her. Ironically, it was then that she truly seemed like a mother. ¡°I¡¯m going to cut my hair.¡± She decided not to forget that determination. Even if the world turned against them, she would stand by Do Gyun-woo. Of course, she believed he wouldn¡¯t make a serious mistake. Her son was a good person. ¡°But still¡­ I feel really uneasy when I see that child.¡± On the other hand, she couldn¡¯t shake off that thought. Looking at Do Gyun-woo¡¯s actions, it was incredibly risky. So far, things hadn¡¯t gone terribly wrong. Parents always worry about their children, but her son was especially worrisome. In some ways, she worried more than about the troublemaker Do Yee-eun. But when she heard that her son was entering a city academy beyond her reach, she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. ¡°Thankfully, there¡¯s Haneul. If I had sent that child to the city academy alone, I would have lived in constant worry.¡± Do Gyun-woo¡¯s childhood friend, Yeon Haneul. Having her by his side brought relief. ¡°So, Haneul.¡± Cheering for the children venturing out into the world in the distance. Han Ji-ae smiled gently. ¡°Please take care of Gyun-woo by his side. I entrust him to you.¡± ¡ª ¡°But, you know. I¡¯ve been curious about something since earlier.¡± ¡°Yeah, what is it?¡± ¡°When did we start calling our mom and dad ¡®mother¡¯ and ¡®father¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, that? Last time, even after knowing my mom and dad for 5 years, they kept feeling uncomfortable when I called them ¡®aunt¡¯ and ¡®uncle¡¯.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Although my mom and dad said I could call them like real parents and be comfortable, how could I be comfortable like that? So, we compromised and decided to call them ¡®mother¡¯ and ¡®father¡¯.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s what it was.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other meaning, so don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± ¡°Misunderstand what?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know, it¡¯s fine. But it¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s hurry. The twins will be waiting at the station.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just being late, so what? Do we have to rush because we feel sorry for the little rascals waiting for us?¡± ¡°Well¡­ then?¡± ¡°We have a lot of luggage, let¡¯s take our time. They can wait. It¡¯s okay to be late.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve known you for five years, but you¡¯re truly calm.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I was thinking of changing my appearance when I go to the High Academy, what do you think?¡± ¡°¡­Why? What¡¯s all this sudden change for? Trying to impress girls in the academy city?¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? People are scary¡­¡± ¡°Hmph, I don¡¯t know! So, how are you planning to change?¡± ¡°First, dye my hair blonde¡­¡± ¡°Black hair suits you better.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t finished speaking yet, listen to the end.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ and?¡± ¡°Get piercings, do a suntan to darken my skin¡­¡± ¡°Kyungwoo.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If I dye my hair yellow, wear revealing clothes that show my chest and legs, get piercings all over, weird tattoos, and tan my skin, do you think it¡¯ll suit me?¡± ¡°No, it definitely won¡¯t suit you. You¡¯re not planning to do that, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you what I want to say to you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but you¡¯re fine just the way you are now. And what will your mom think?¡± ¡°¡­Would she dislike it?¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Would you get kicked out of the house?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just stay as you are. Don¡¯t try to change for no reason. You¡¯re not good at decorating yourself, so just listen to me.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ alright, I¡¯ll just live like this.¡± ¡°Good thinking.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With such a back-and-forth conversation. We moved forward into the world. Chapter 39 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 38 Chapter 38 Academy City The academy city where the game takes place. In my past life, Mara Island was located at the southernmost tip of Korea, but in the world I was reborn into, there stood the academy city at the southernmost tip. ¡°Hey, Gyenwoo! Over there! Look over there!¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. I see it now.¡± ¡°The fact that it¡¯s an island made by people is truly amazing¡­.¡± Listening to the captain¡¯s announcement that we would soon be able to see the academy city. As I and Yeonha stood on the deck like everyone else, we caught sight of the academy city. The vague figure at the edge of the horizon was gradually revealing its true form. ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing it in person too. It¡¯s worthy of Hyunee¡¯s admiration.¡± Listening to Yeonha¡¯s excitement. I recalled the description of the academy city in the game. An artificial island made up of 25 administrative districts, like a shrunken version of Seoul. A comprehensive institution for educating outstanding hunters. A paradise for Korean hunters with autonomy ensured by hunters. A lawless land of powerful individuals, with dark aspects embedded within. ¡°I¡¯ll have to spend three years in a place like that from now on.¡± As someone who loved this game in my past life, my heart fluttered with excitement, yet I couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious thinking about the hardships to come. Nevertheless, I decided to enjoy this moment purely for now. But it seemed the triplets were not faring well. ¡°Uwek¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡±. Since boarding the ship from Jeju Island, the triplets had been suffering from severe seasickness. The ones who followed us onto the deck were only vomiting repeatedly without even getting a proper look at the academy city. Hanging onto the railing as if they were about to die, scattering vomit into the sea, their appearance was pitiful. I couldn¡¯t help but sigh as I watched them. ¡°You haven¡¯t been on the ship for that long, why are you struggling so much?¡± ¡°Have you ever experienced seasickness?¡± ¡°Experienced it¡­?¡± ¡°Have you experienced it¡­ Uwek!¡± Pathetic, truly pathetic. It¡¯s embarrassing that such kids want to become hunters. Or are they like that because they¡¯re kids? I clicked my tongue in disapproval. ¡°If those who want to become hunters can¡¯t even endure seasickness, what will they do?¡± ¡°So Hyunee said she¡¯d cast a spell to help with seasickness¡­ Ugh!¡± ¡°You said not to cast it¡­ Ugh!¡± ¡°One shouldn¡¯t rely on magic¡­ Uwek¡­.¡± When I took a plane from Incheon, I recognized it from the time I ate a lot at the airport lounge. They really pour out a lot. Drip, drip! To the point where seagulls were flying around the triplets as if rumors of a great restaurant had spread. ¡°Gyeonu, it seems like the kids are struggling too much. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to cast a spell on them now?¡± ¡°When have I ever said something wrong? We should reduce the attitude of relying on magic. What will you do if you end up in a situation where you can¡¯t use magic, or if magic fails? Are you going to fight or die because of seasickness? Those who wield swords in the first place, they shouldn¡¯t rely on magic, right?¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m not a stickler¡­¡± Yeonnaneul seemed worried about the triplets, but it was fine. They wouldn¡¯t die from that level of difficulty. I knew the triplets¡¯ stamina, and if they really felt like they were going to die, they wouldn¡¯t even have the strength to say that. They were guys who had rolled and grown under me for five years. And I¡¯m not a stickler. ¡°I¡¯m just saying the obvious.¡± You shouldn¡¯t rely on magic. You should improve yourself without relying on magic, and you should know how to train yourself. That¡¯s how you become strong. I don¡¯t know if you can improve seasickness without relying on magic. There¡¯s no ill will towards the triplets. Really, none at all. If anything, I had grown fond of them by now. So, scolding them is just that, yeah. ¡°No, why did you decide to take a boat¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have money¡­¡± ¡°We should have just used a warp gate¡­¡± Meanwhile, even after the triplets found some stability, they didn¡¯t stop grumbling. To them, taking the boat seemed quite dissatisfying. ¡°Well, I can understand that.¡± Should I call it immigration? For security purposes, you could only enter the Academy City via Jeju Island. At this point, there were mainly three transportation methods available for immigration. One was taking a boat like us, the other was taking a plane. The last one was¡­ ¡°If we had just used the warp gate, we wouldn¡¯t have had such a hard time¡­¡± ¡°We were counting on using the warp gate¡­¡± ¡°The warp gate¡­¡± The warp gate that the triplets were mumbling about incessantly. An artifact created by the surviving humans after the Great Upheaval, the warp gate was always mentioned along with the development of the world. By reducing the distance between coordinates to 0 and leaping through dimensions to the designated coordinates, you could instantly enter the Academy City by using the warp gate. ¡°The cost is not insignificant, though.¡± Of course, the cost was not a burden for me, a direct descendant of the Shingeom family. The triplets, who were sponsored by that family, and Yeonnaneul, sponsored by the Seven-Colored Witch Hong Ye-na, also had the conditions to use the warp gate. Nevertheless, there was a reason why I decided to board a ship and enter the Academy City. ¡°Kang Hanbyeol did the same.¡± In the game ¡°Brave Hearts,¡± Kang Hanbyeol, who received guidance from Tuigwi Seo Jungjin, descends to the world and concludes the prologue by boarding a ship to the Academy City. ¡°Kang Hanbyeol¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s the Academy City!¡± At that moment, players could tour the Academy City through Kang Hanbyeol. Just like what we are seeing now. I chose to board the ship to witness scenes like in the game. Above all¡­ ¡°Haneul said she wanted to board a ship.¡± It was something that happened last year. While preparing for exams together, Yeon Haneul, who was younger than me, suddenly mentioned wanting to see the sky and the sea. ¡°The Academy City is an artificial island. So, if you live there, you¡¯d see the sea a lot, right?¡± ¡°Probably. Why?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never been to the sea, so I want to see it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never been to the sea?¡± ¡°Yeah, never been once. When would I have gone to the sea?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve only seen it in pictures or videos.¡± As I became close with Yeon Haneul and our childhood friend, and as she became a part of our family for over five years, Whenever our family went on trips, we often took Yeon Haneul with us. But then, I heard her words and realized that I had never gone to the sea with her. ¡°I saw a picture of the Academy City floating above the sea before, and it was incredibly beautiful. I even thought, ¡®Is there a place like that in our country?¡¯¡± ¡°¡­The Academy City¡¯s dimension is unstable, and the state of the atmosphere is different from here. That¡¯s why a different environment is created.¡± ¡°Right, so it seems like a mysterious place. Oh, I really want to go. See the sea, board a ship, and see the scenery from that picture. But I have to pass the exam first.¡± ¡°Then you must pass.¡± ¡°Yeah, I have to.¡± That memory remained vivid in my mind. I boarded the ship to fulfill Yeon Haneul¡¯s wish. And it seemed like I did the right thing. ¡°The scenery is so beautiful. Even the color of the sea has changed now. It¡¯s really different from the surroundings.¡± Yeon Haneul was delighted. That was enough. The triplets were not a coincidence. I called out the names of those sitting on the floor. ¡°Ttomani Gold, Silver, Bronze.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to be lying down, you might as well buy something to drink inside.¡± ¡°Why are you¡­ when people are struggling¡­.¡± ¡°Heaven, is there something you want to drink?¡± ¡°Me? Um¡­ Since the sea breeze is blowing and the weather is a bit chilly, I want something warm and sweet. Is there something like warm strawberry milk? If not, something with strawberry or chocolate would be nice.¡± ¡°Got it? I¡¯ll go for hot chocolate. Oh, something warm.¡± Yeonnaneul no longer had any particular resistance to feeding the triplets. She had become so accustomed that the menu came out naturally. Meanwhile, the triplets who received the order looked crestfallen. ¡°Heaven has fallen too¡­.¡± ¡°Looks like a lifetime of shuttlecock¡­¡± ¡°Should we quickly get some mint chocolate on a whim?¡± ¡°Stop the nonsense and just go get it quickly. And if you get mint chocolate, you know, right?¡± At that moment, I should really dive into the sea. It¡¯s not that I hate mint chocolate. It¡¯s just not my taste. Anyway, I chased away the triplets and approached Yeonnaneul. Then, she lightly clinked. ¡°Even though you act so indifferent, you¡¯re actually worried about the twins and telling them to rest inside, right? You should have just told them to go in and rest, without fussing over it¡­. Was it awkward?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡­No. Really not. Yeonhaneul was misunderstanding on her own. I decided to leave her misunderstanding instead of correcting it. To correct it, I would have to talk a lot, and it might seem like making excuses. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just enjoy the view.¡± ¡°Yeah! By the way, it¡¯s cold out here¡­.¡± ¡°Why not warm it up with magic?¡± ¡°You said not to rely on magic.¡± ¡°But you can.¡± ¡°Why am I allowed to do it?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m right here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a magician, and I¡¯m a swordsman. If one side is at a disadvantage, the other¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is. Oh, but now my hands are starting to itch¡­.¡± ¡°Then warm up with magic.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Or should I go in and melt my body?¡± ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll just drink the warm drink the twins bring and melt while looking at the sea.¡± ? The triplets brought the drinks. After that, they just handed over the drinks, saying they would rest inside, and then left. Sip. Drinking the hot chocolate they gave. I brought up the status window. [Personal Information] Name: Do Yeon-woo (Male, 17 years old) Nickname: Rabbit and 2 others [+Detailed Info] Affiliation: Laon Middle School [Possessed Gifts] Instinctive Evasion S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Physical Abilities] Stamina: 37 ¡ú 65 (62+3) Strength: 34 ¡ú 59 Endurance: 32 ¡ú 55 Agility: 43 ¡ú 71 (68+3) Magic Power: 30 ¡ú 48 Luck: 25 ¡ú 32 Remaining Points: 1 [+Detailed Information] The accomplishments of the past five years were recorded. Physical strength, muscle power, endurance, and agility had greatly increased. Although the amount of mana in the body hadn¡¯t increased significantly, mana efficiency had improved. Luck hadn¡¯t risen much since it required relatively less attention. Nevertheless, it was a proud achievement. However, there was some regret. ¡°If only the right environment had been provided, I could have achieved more¡­¡± As each ability surpassed 50, the rate of growth slowed down. The required experience points increased, pushing the limits higher. Consequently, the usual training alone couldn¡¯t push the abilities further. ¡°Still, training in the Academy City and experiencing the game¡¯s story will surely lead to further growth.¡± It was bound to happen. Deciding not to dwell on it too much, thoughts drifted elsewhere. ¡°I still haven¡¯t met Kang Hanbyeol.¡± In the game, Kang Hanbyeol enters the academy through a special admission agreement between Seo Jeongjin and the chairman, not through the entrance exam. Being already noticed as a disciple of the Two-Return, he gained even more attention. If it¡¯s the protagonist¡¯s fate, then it¡¯s fate. By now, he might be rolling under Seo Jeongjin¡¯s guidance, unaware if there¡¯s an exam. Unfortunately, meeting Kang Hanbyeol would have to wait until after entering Geumgang Academy. It seemed like a bit more waiting was necessary. ¡°What are you thinking about so deeply?¡± At that moment, when I was lost in thought, Yeon Haneul suddenly spoke up. I decided to brush it off casually. ¡°¡­I was thinking about the exam. The practical exam at Geumgang Academy is known to be tougher than at other academies.¡± ¡°Are you getting nervous now? Weren¡¯t you saying Geumgang Academy was a piece of cake before?¡± ¡°I never said it was a piece of cake.¡± ¡°Still, you gave off the vibe that you¡¯d get in no matter what. You said, ¡®You and I are strong, so we¡¯ll pass the exam no matter how tough it is.¡¯ You even said the Triplets couldn¡¯t make it, but we will. Are you changing your tune now?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ll make it.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing to worry about. No matter how tough the exam at Geumgang Academy is, we¡¯ll do well. Right?¡± ¡°Yeah, right.¡± Even though there was no guarantee of passing, Yeon Haneul showed no doubt in my assurance. Seeing her playfully banter, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. It was precisely at that moment that someone approached us. ¡°Are you two also going to take the exam at Geumgang Academy?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I think I just heard about Geumgang Academy. If not, I¡¯m sorry.¡± A woman approached us with a friendly smile. Despite it being our first meeting, she approached us without hesitation. ¡°I see her here.¡± I knew about her. She was a character who was part of Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s party in the game. The self-proclaimed ¡°Insider¡±, Goeunbi. I never expected Goeunbi to be on the same boat as us. With that crazy thought in mind, I opened my mouth right away. ¡°You¡¯re applying to Geumgang Academy, right? Are you applying there too?¡± Might as well get to know each other now. According to the game¡¯s setting, Goeunbi, a ranger-type character, was known for her cheerful and sociable personality, making her a well-known figure among Geumgang Academy students. But she still had her moments. ¡°Goeunbi.¡± ¡°Hey, how am I an insider? I don¡¯t have many friends, do I? I¡¯m an outsider, an outsider!¡± That arrogance. I, in my past life, was dumbfounded by that message. How many friends does one need to consider themselves as such? It was to the extent that she was known by nicknames such as the self-proclaimed ¡°Insider¡±, the affectionate arrogant one, or the boastful one. As inferred from that, in the game, she played the role of gathering information for Kang Hanbyeol, who was not well-informed about her surroundings. ¡°Great! I¡¯m applying there too. It¡¯s nice to meet someone applying to the same academy here. I¡¯m Goeunbi. Let¡¯s get along well from now on.¡± Since she approached me first, it was a good thing for me. I was already planning to approach her anyway. ¡°I¡¯m Doyeongwoo. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Your name is Doyeongwoo. If we meet in the exam, let¡¯s cooperate then.¡± ¡°That depends on the exam content. If we end up as opponents, we can¡¯t help it, but if not, let¡¯s not hold each other back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I mean. Let¡¯s have a friendly competition! Instead of holding back to beat the opponent, let¡¯s encourage each other.¡± Goeunbi responded enthusiastically with a cheerful face, nodding vigorously at my words. It was just like how she was in the game. ¡°If we compare her to an animal, she¡¯d be a friendly, cute puppy.¡± I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought that way; in the game community, Goeunbi was described as a Welsh Corgi, one of the breeds of dogs, so much so that even those unfamiliar with the game knew about it. There was a famous meme where a brown-eared Goeunbi, holding a bone labeled ¡®information¡¯, wagged her tail to receive praise from her owner. ¡°She even had a ¡®woof!¡¯ speech bubble.¡± When I recall that screenshot, I couldn¡¯t help but feel closer to Goeunbi. But¡­. ¡°He seems to be shy around strangers.¡± Unlike me, Yeonhaneul was hiding behind me, covering his face. Goeunbi¡¯s smile, which broke down people¡¯s guard, seemed to have no effect on Yeonhaneul. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t mind and was talking to Yeonhaneul. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you tell me your name too? Actually, my eyes have been on you since I first boarded the ship. Because I like pretty people! Your hair is really beautiful. It¡¯s not dyed, right?¡± ¡°¡­Call me Yeonhaneul. Hello.¡± ¡°Yeah, hello! By any chance, can I touch your ear? Oh, rabbit ears¡­.¡± ¡°Um¡­ sorry.¡± Swoosh, and when Goeunbi tried to close the distance, Yeonhaneul completely hid behind me. Yeonhaneul was using me as a shield, pushing against my back. Then he whispered to me. ¡°Help me out a bit. I find it hard to deal with such lively and sparkling people!¡± ¡°Just treat her like you treat me¡­¡± ¡°How do I treat you? You¡¯re close to me, but she¡¯s meeting you for the first time. Besides, she¡¯s a style that¡¯s too burdensome for someone like me¡­¡± ¡­There was an otaku here too. From Noble mtl dot com Oh, is he really an otaku? I rolled my eyes upon hearing Yeonhaneul¡¯s whisper. I reluctantly decided to step in and explain the situation on behalf of Yeonhaneul. ¡°Um¡­ he¡¯s a bit shy, that¡¯s why. And Ain¡¯s ears are sensitive, so you shouldn¡¯t touch them carelessly. The tail is the same. Please understand.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I didn¡¯t know that and was going to touch them as I pleased, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Goeunbi wasn¡¯t completely clueless. She understood Yeonhaneul¡¯s attitude and tried to be less burdensome. After exchanging a few more words, she waved her hand and stepped back. ¡°Well, I have the others with me, so I¡¯ll head back now. Gyunwoo, Haneul, see you next time!¡± ¡°Sure, see you next time.¡± ¡°¡­Bye, take care.¡± Finally, the ship arrived at the port. The futuristic building emitting a sense of near future and the world tree obscured by clouds in the distance were looking down on us. [This passenger ship is docking at the Academy City. We sincerely thank all passengers who used this passenger ship today. Please be mindful of any forgotten items and disembark according to the crew¡¯s instructions. Lastly, we wish all exam takers good luck.] Chapter 40 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 39 Chapter 39 Geumgang Academy where Kang Hanbyeol attends. Geumgang Academy was an educational institution with such a reputation that it ranked first in the annual Academy City Academy Evaluation, and even 5th in the world rankings. ¡®Was it 5th in the world rankings?¡¯ That¡¯s how prestigious Geumgang Academy was. But how was that possible? Would it make sense with Korea¡¯s capabilities? If I were a person from the world I lived in my past life, I might find it strange. However, there was a reason that anyone would understand once they heard it. That reason was simply¡­ ¡®Because it¡¯s a Korean game!¡¯ That¡¯s right. With that one word, it was understandable. Since the game was developed in Korea, it wasn¡¯t strange for Korea¡¯s status to be set high. Perhaps that¡¯s why Korea was recognized as one of the top five hunter nations in the world. Of course, internally in the game, there were settings that could be accepted as a plausible worldview. Korea was depicted as a country with a narrow territory, which allowed it to quickly recover its territory from monsters during the great upheaval. ¡®As a result, they could accumulate the power to plan an Academy City¡­¡¯ And so, nearly 150 years had passed since the founding of the Academy City. Geumgang Academy, where I was applying, was a place with a long history intertwined with the city¡¯s history. Anyway. ¡°Where should we go from here¡­?¡± As I disembarked at the pier with Yeonha and the triplets, we decided to head to Geumgang Academy to receive our exam tickets. Nearby at the station, people like us heading to take the exam were bustling around. I carefully examined the station sign where people were lining up. ¡°Yeonha, see if there¡¯s a station sign that says 23.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking at it now. There¡¯s 19 over there, so 23 should be¡­ Ah, found it!¡± Geumgang Academy was located in District 23, equivalent to Gangnam District in Seoul. I turned my head towards the station sign pointed at by Yeonha. The sign had a large ¡¯23¡¯ written on it. ¡°Let¡¯s go stand in line over there.¡± Dragging our luggage, we headed towards the station. Thanks to the reduced train intervals during the exam period in the Academy City, the line moved quickly, and before we knew it, we were able to board the bus. [Please get on.] A familiar mechanical sound I had heard even in Seoul. There were quite a few empty seats. As I looked around at the empty seats, I gestured to the two-seater behind me for Yeonha to sit. ¡°Yeonha, let¡¯s sit there.¡± ¡°Okay, sure.¡± Placing Yeonhaneul by the window. I took the seat next to her. After a while, the bus departed. [The next stop is¡­.] Scenes passed by outside the window. We quietly gazed out the window. Before long, we emerged from a tunnel. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± The urban landscape came into view. Yeonhaneul and I couldn¡¯t help but marvel. On the hillside where the bus was running, buildings unseen in Seoul were standing. And amidst the buildings, an evergreen tree stood out. It was a landscape where the blue sky, gray buildings, and greenery harmoniously intertwined. Moreover, the river sparkling below added to the beauty. ¡°Isn¡¯t that river like a painting?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, it¡¯s the Painting River.¡± ¡°It¡¯s truly beautiful like a painting¡­. The water seems incredibly clear, unlike the Han River we see in Seoul.¡± A river crossing the heart of the academy city. The Painting River, along with the evergreen trees growing in the center, symbolized the nature of the academy city. Yeonhaneul seemed captivated by the view. I was no different. ¡®It¡¯s indeed beautiful to see up close. However¡­.¡¯ I stared at the black dots scattered in the sky. Difficult to notice from afar, but if observed up close, these points would tarnish the aesthetics of the academy city. Just the ones visible amounted to eight. ¡®Gates.¡¯ There must be more gates scattered in the sky above the academy city. If these are not conquered, and the gate erosion rate rises. ¡®The path to destruction will be sealed.¡¯ The scenery I was currently admiring would then transform into a dreadful sight. Monsters would infest the evergreen trees. The Painting River would turn into a river tainted with people¡¯s blood, with corpses floating. Being someone who knows the game¡¯s ending, I couldn¡¯t just admire the view. ¡°¡­.¡± For a long while. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the sky. The practical exam for Geumgang Academy was scheduled for a week later. But the reality was different. The exam started the moment we received our admission tickets. ¡°I¡¯ll check the examinee¡¯s name.¡± ¡°Do Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°Let me see, Do Gyunwoo¡­ your number is¡­¡± ¡°The number is¡­¡± Geumgang Academy, with over 10,000 students across all departments. We regretted our choice to explore the campus firsthand as we got off at the main entrance. The grounds of Geumgang Academy were vast, too vast even though the academy itself was expansive. After wandering the paths, we barely managed to reach the admission office. ¡°Gyunwoo Do, student, identity confirmed. Before issuing the admission ticket, please submit the pledge form first. If you haven¡¯t brought it, go back there and fill it out.¡± ¡°Here it is.¡± Not only at Geumgang Academy but at all academies, applicants had to submit a handwritten pledge form. To put it briefly, the pledge form stated that examinees taking the practical exam were responsible for all unforeseen events except for disasters, accidents, and terrorism during the exam. ¡°It¡¯s about nailing down the responsibilities in advance for a test where life and death are at stake. Even if you die during the exam, the academy won¡¯t take responsibility.¡± Incidentally, according to information, some people, surprisingly, withdrew their applications at the moment they had to submit the pledge form, feeling the fear of death. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not hard to understand.¡± One might have thought oneself resolute, but when that moment arrived, people¡¯s hearts could change. Would someone who volunteered for military training feel the urge to withdraw upon hearing an instructor say, ¡°If you feel unprepared, you can leave even now¡±? But I submitted the pledge form to the staff without any anxiety. ¡°If you have a will, please hand it in.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t write a will.¡± ¡°Writing a will isn¡¯t mandatory, but¡­ just in case, if you plan to submit it later, write it behind and come back.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that.¡± ¡°¡­Alright, then go get your admission ticket.¡± Why would I write a will? I didn¡¯t consider writing a will because I wasn¡¯t worried about dying during the exam. Soon, I received my admission ticket. ¡°Is this an artifact?¡± Slightly smaller than a fist. I examined the admission ticket that looked like a badge. Apart from the word ¡°Geumgang¡± on the surface, nothing else was written on it, which was the reason I arrived at the academy city a week early. ¡°If you want to hear the exam instructions at the scheduled time, please go to Room 102.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Room 102 was right next door. Having completed the task of getting the admission ticket, I turned around at the reception. Then, I spotted Yeonha. It seemed like she had also finished her registration. ¡°Did you get your admission ticket?¡± ¡°Yes, here. They said to go to Room 102 if we¡¯re going to listen to the instructions.¡± ¡°I heard too. Let¡¯s go and find a seat.¡± ¡°Are the twins not waiting?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll come on their own. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Um¡­ okay.¡± There wasn¡¯t much time left until the exact hour. We headed to Room 102 to listen to the exam instructions. Shortly after, the briefing began. [Some of you may already know, but the exams are actually starting today, not next week.] ¡°Please display your exam admission tickets. Oh, attach them close to your heart. That way, we can accurately measure your vital sign.¡± The staff raised the admission tickets for everyone to see. Yeonha and I attached our tickets as he instructed. ¡°From this moment on, you must keep your admission tickets on until the practical exam ends. We need to ensure your well-being and be able to locate you in case of an emergency.¡± ¡°To be precise, we hope you won¡¯t remove the admission ticket from your body for more than an hour. If you do, you will be disqualified. Of course, before that¡­¡± After a brief pause, the staff continued speaking. ¡°You need to prove your eligibility. The qualification of being an exam candidate.¡± ¡°You have received your admission tickets, but you have not yet received your exam numbers for the practical exam. Look at your admission tickets now. Your exam number won¡¯t be written; it will only say ¡®Geumgang.¡¯¡± ¡°Until the day before the practical exam, you must evoke your exam number from your admission ticket. Yes, like this.¡± The staff tilted the admission tickets. Soon after, beneath the word ¡®Geumgang,¡¯ the number appeared. ¡°You should continue to wear your admission ticket from the moment your exam number appears. Now, how do you display your exam number¡­¡± ¡°The admission ticket contains questions to assess your basic abilities before the practical exam. You need to solve these questions.¡± ¡°Randomly, 30 questions of varying difficulty will be presented from our question bank. Once a question is displayed, it will remain until you solve it or until the date changes. If you encounter a question you can¡¯t solve, waiting for the date to change and displaying a new question is also an option.¡± ¡°Just one question. By solving just one question out of the 30, you can obtain your exam number.¡± But wouldn¡¯t that diminish the differentiation among exam candidates? No one responded with a smile to the staff¡¯s remark. ¡°The color of your admission ticket changes based on how many questions you solve. 5 turns it gray, 10 turns it yellow, 15 turns it green, 20 turns it red, 25 turns it blue, and 30 turns it black.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Depending on the color, you will receive bonus points. Whether you want to receive them or not is up to you.¡± ¡°By the way, your exam number is not confirmed until the day of the exam. It will be confirmed the moment the exam day arrives. Then, your exam location will appear on your admission ticket.¡± ¡°Just make sure to arrive at the exam location on time.¡± ¡°That concludes the briefing. We wish you all the best.¡± With that, the staff finished speaking. And then, they descended from the platform. *** Prove your eligibility as an exam candidate. The qualification exam held annually by Geumgang Academy was well-known. If you were preparing for the entrance practical exam, there was hardly anything you didn¡¯t know. Therefore, I didn¡¯t panic and instead thought about the exam content. ¡®This year, it¡¯s about solving the problems in a different way¡­¡¯ Last year, it was said that the exam was about making a plant seed grow and finding the exam number. However, even though the exam type was different, it seemed like the criteria evaluated by Geumgang Academy remained the same. ¡®Whether you brainstorm alone or cooperate with others, you should solve the problems within a week and keep your exam ticket¡­¡¯ I looked around. Some people left immediately after hearing the explanation. They were confident they could solve the exam alone. ¡°Did you come alone by any chance? I came alone too. Shall we team up?¡± On the other hand, there were those who tried to form a team on the spot to cooperate. Of course, there weren¡¯t many who rushed, and most of those trying to form a team were already in groups. ¡°¡­.¡± If you knew about the qualification exam, there were plenty of opportunities to gather a team beforehand. Through connections with influential families, cooperating with acquaintances, or using communities and social media. There were various ways to form a team. ¡°What should we do now?¡± Yeonhaneul spoke at that moment. She was asking about the plan of action. ¡°Hey! Doyeongwoo! What should we do!?¡± ¡°I think we can cooperate.¡± ¡°Of course, we should work together, right?¡± Before I knew it, the triplets had gathered as well. Seeing their expectant faces, I made a decision after some deliberation. ¡°No, let¡¯s just do our own thing.¡± ¡°Huh? No, why?¡± ¡°They say the problems come up randomly, so why bother cooperating. It¡¯s not like solving one together, we¡¯d have to solve two together. That would just waste more time.¡± ¡°They seem to be cooperating though¡­¡± ¡°They either lack the confidence to solve the problems alone or to keep their exam tickets, or they¡¯re simply following others. But do we lack the ability? Are we lacking in confidence? No, right?¡± For those who had prepared to become hunters all this time, the qualification exam was not that difficult, just asking for qualifications. There seemed to be no need to cooperate. Unless you were just going to remember the exam number, it was only a loss for those trying to gain extra points. ¡®If I solve other people¡¯s problems, I might not be able to solve mine, and then I won¡¯t get many extra points.¡¯ Time is not infinite. One week until the practical exam. Until then, the situation requires solving as many problems as possible to gain extra points. There was no time for cooperation. Moreover¡­ ¡°Our accommodations are different from yours. The distance seems quite far, so if we cooperate, we¡¯ll have to spend time joining every day, right?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ That¡¯s true.¡± During the exam period in the academy city, lodging facilities rake in a fortune from test-takers coming from all over the country and even from various countries. As a result, the competition to book a room was fierce. Because of that, the triplets ended up reserving a different accommodation from the one where Nayoung and I were staying. ¡°Let¡¯s just handle this individually. I hope none of us fail the exam without solving a single problem.¡± ¡°Ugh, well, I guess we can¡¯t help it. Got it! Let¡¯s meet on the day of the exam then.¡± They reluctantly agreed. Meanwhile, With no reason to stay here any longer and the need to unpack, we decided to part ways like this. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Haneul.¡± ¡°Yeah, you know where the lodging is, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Nayoung and I headed to the lodging. And that¡¯s where the problem arose. ¡°We¡¯re here to check in.¡± ¡°Yes, may I have your names, please?¡± ¡°Doh Gyunwoo and Nayoung.¡± ¡°Let me check¡­ Oh, um¡­¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Well, it seems like we¡¯re experiencing a system error on our end. It shows that both of you have reserved the same room.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What does that mean? Do Nayoung and I have to share a room? Before I could react, ¡°Yeesss!?¡± Oh, that startled me. Nayoung let out a surprised cry. Her rabbit ears perked up. Chapter 41 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 40 Chapter 40 Exam Ticket [Illustration] ¡°I deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused. It was a clear mistake on our part for not checking the computer system in advance.¡± The hotel owner, who had received the news from the front desk staff, came to us and politely apologized. After that, the front desk staff all bowed their heads in unison. ¡®What¡¯s going on¡­¡¯ Seeing their embarrassed expressions, I clicked my tongue. To think that our reserved room had been double-booked. It was quite a ridiculous situation. During this time when the city of academies was bustling with people coming for exams, it was not unheard of for occasional system errors to occur due to the surge in accommodation reservations. Although the city of academies was known for leading in science and magic, I had jokingly brushed off the idea of such mishaps happening. Little did I know that such a thing would happen to me. ¡®Even if that¡¯s the case, I didn¡¯t choose a place with poor facilities, and I even selected a reputable location in District 23, yet an IT error occurred?¡¯ It didn¡¯t make sense. But then again, the city of academies was a place where common sense didn¡¯t always apply. With a combination of the city¡¯s unique atmospheric mana and dimensional instability, occasionally inexplicable phenomena occurred beyond common understanding. Perhaps even the IT error happened for such reasons. ¡­Could that really be possible? ¡®Am I just unlucky?¡¯ Such thoughts crossed my mind unnecessarily. My current luck index was 32. Younghaen¡¯s luck was even lower than mine. So, it was conceivable that our intertwined low luck might have led to this situation. ¡°Hey, maybe we¡¯re just not meant to be.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s gotten into you all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Just kidding.¡± Of course, even if the guess was correct, I had no intention of distancing myself from Younghaen. I would rather bear the misfortune. In place of the absent-minded Younghaen, who found herself in the same room, I decided to talk to the hotel owner. ¡°So, what will you do to make up for this?¡± ¡°¡­We will immediately process a refund for the accommodation fees you both paid and provide complimentary use of our hotel services. Additionally, we will also offer discount coupons that can be used at commercial facilities in District 23¡­¡± ¡°Is there only one room available now? Even if we have to pay extra, can¡¯t we book another room?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Besides the reserved room, we are fully booked, so it seems difficult to arrange another room.¡± From Noble mtl dot com Upon hearing the hotel owner¡¯s explanation, it was mentioned that due to the large number of people here for exams, they had not been able to prepare extra rooms as usual. In the end, there was only one room available. I sighed. ¡®Even if I try to find a room now, everywhere will be fully booked.¡¯ It was a predictable situation. Even if by some stroke of luck there was a vacant room, it would be quite a hassle to find it. There was no better option than staying in the one remaining room. At that moment, the owner added, ¡°Fortunately, our hotel has spacious beds, providing enough room for two people to sleep comfortably. Additionally, there is extra space on the bed, so if you wish, we can adjust the size for you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± If that¡¯s fortunate, is it really fortunate? After making up my mind, I quickly decided to ask Yeonha about her preferences. ¡°Yeonha, what do you think?¡± ¡°Well, what should I think?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to share?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Hesitation lingered on Yeonha¡¯s face as she couldn¡¯t make a decision right away. Finally, she spoke up. ¡°Yeah¡­.¡± * * * For a studio apartment, the room was surprisingly spacious. It seemed like there wouldn¡¯t be any issues living together for a week. ¡°The bed seems adequate as it is¡­ There¡¯s no need to increase the bed size, right? That would just reduce the space for our luggage.¡± I placed my suitcase in a suitable spot and sat on the edge of the bed. As Yeonha entered the room¡­. ¡°This is crazy, crazy, crazy¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She still hadn¡¯t fully regained her composure. No, her state worsened since we took the elevator together. ¡°¡­.Even so, how can two grown adults share a room and sleep together? Not for a day, but a whole week. This is insane, insane, insane. What if something happens¡­?¡± ¡°Hey, we¡¯re not technically adults yet, right? Well, once we enter high school, we¡¯re legally recognized as quasi-adults¡­.¡± ¡°This is like something out of a drama. No, dramas these days don¡¯t unfold like this!¡± ¡°How do they unfold these days?¡± ¡°First, they just¡­! You wouldn¡¯t¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± ¡°¡­.No, you wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± After playing the fool alone for a bit, Yeonha suddenly shot me a cold, piercing stare. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Feels like I¡¯m being ignored.¡¯ That gaze seemed to scratch at one¡¯s pride subtly. Feeling annoyed, I decided to retaliate. ¡°Ouch! Why are you suddenly doing this!? You wouldn¡¯t really¡­. I, I¡¯m ready¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of delusion you¡¯re having, but can you please stop now?¡± I tightly grabbed the rabbit ears. Startled by the sudden strong stimulus, she struggled to break free from me. I continued to torment her until she collapsed onto the bed, unable to move a muscle. ¡°You really¡­ ¡° ¡°Well, really.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell Mom.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then one more time¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Sigh, you should have started like that from the beginning¡­ Did it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°Hmph, I don¡¯t know!¡± After a brief scuffle, things calmed down. Her eyes, raised from the bed, were moist with tears. Unlike a little while ago, I cautiously touched her ears. She quietly accepted my touch. ¡°We used to sleep together when we were kids, why make a big deal out of it now?¡± ¡°We were elementary school students back then. Is it the same as then? Plus, Eunyi slept with us back then.¡± ¡°If you become a hunter, you might end up sleeping on the street or living with people of different genders, who knows.¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true but¡­¡± ¡°Do you not like sleeping with me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t like it, there¡¯s nothing I can do. I can just sleep somewhere else.¡± ¡°Somewhere else? Where?¡± ¡°I could stay at the sauna, or crash with other guys. There are plenty of places to stay.¡± It might not be without its discomfort, but if that was the solution, then so be it. I thought about spending time in a way that wouldn¡¯t burden Yeonhae. And then it happened. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike it¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just as I was about to get up from my seat. Yeonhae tightly held onto my clothes and wouldn¡¯t let go. As if creeping in, she said. ¡°It¡¯s not that I dislike it¡­ really, really, really, it¡¯s not that I dislike it¡­¡± Yeonhae nudged her head against my forearm. Beneath her light blue hair, her blushing face peeked through intermittently. ¡®Is she doing this because she¡¯s afraid I might leave?¡¯ Looking down at her like that, I felt an urge to play a prank for some reason. ¡°So, is it okay then?¡± ¡°What? No, okay is¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice? Then do you dislike it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nice¡­ Huh? Oh, no, that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s nice like that¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, oh, ah, yes.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re teasing me right now.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really¡­¡± Just a moment ago, she was hesitating. Now, the younger sky was looking up at me with a puzzled face. Her hand that was holding onto my collar was now pinching my arm. I was taken aback by the situation. ¡°So, you want to sleep with me?¡± ¡°What? When did I say that? It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to sleep with you, but I¡¯m okay with it¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I meant.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Not at all¡­¡± ¡°Or are you really going to the goblins? You can have the room to yourself, we¡¯ll meet at the exam hall later.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is that okay?¡± ¡°¡­Not at all?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be cramped with them.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Their room must be really dirty, right?¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°You can tell by their personalities.¡± ¡°They probably won¡¯t clean the room.¡± ¡°And they probably won¡¯t bother with ventilation or laundry¡­¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Compared to that, this room is much spacious. Even if I use it alone, there¡¯s space left.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a studio apartment though?¡± ¡°¡­Just go to them if you want, do as you please. I don¡¯t know anymore.¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll stay here, whatever.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Where else would I go other than here? It¡¯s better for me to share a room with you than with the goblins, right? Isn¡¯t that so?¡± ¡°You should have said that earlier¡­¡± ¡°Hey, Haneul, I¡¯m in pain right now, can you stop pinching me?¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m exaggerating, right?¡± As if seeking revenge for playing a joke. Not only did she pinch my arm, but she also tickled me relentlessly. Now, her hand was even reaching my side. ¡°You¡¯re being too annoying right now¡­!¡± ¡°Hmph, when did I?¡± Cowardly. I hadn¡¯t even touched the rabbit¡¯s ear until I raised my inner mana. I writhed my body to break free from the firm grip. In the process, I didn¡¯t hear the faint muttering from the next room. ¡°If I knew it would end up like this, I would have brought some nice clothes¡­ Instead of just worrying about the exam and packing plain stuff.¡± ¡ª ¡°I¡¯m going to wash up! Just try to peek.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t peek.¡± Unpacking the luggage from the suitcase, Yeonhae swiftly grabbed the clothes to change into and rushed into the bathroom. Soon after, she poked her head out from inside, emphasizing to me repeatedly. ¡°Just try to peek, just try to peek, just try to peek¡­.¡± Yeonhae, with determination in her red eyes, Her piercing gaze was fixed. I chuckled at her reaction. ¡°I¡¯m not looking, I said I won¡¯t look, I won¡¯t look, okay?¡± ¡°Really, really, you won¡¯t look for real?¡± ¡°If you keep saying that, you might just find yourself storming into the bathroom in anger.¡± ¡°Just try to do that¡­.¡± She spoke as if she were letting her guard down, but there was a subtle hint of nervousness in her demeanor. Yeonhae shut the bathroom door with a determined face. I tried to turn my head away from the bathroom she entered. Tried to turn away. But then, my gaze froze. ¡°¡­.¡± The bathroom directly in front of me while sitting on the edge of the bed. The bathroom wall happened to be made of semi-transparent glass. As a result, Yeonhae inside appeared as a blurry silhouette¡­. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Haneul.¡¯ I didn¡¯t see anything. I only caught a faint silhouette that was barely distinguishable. No, I didn¡¯t even see the silhouette. I quickly turned away to avoid seeing the bathroom. Swoosh. After a while, the sound of water was heard. That sound seemed to create an inexplicable tension. ¡°I tried not to be conscious of it, but I keep becoming conscious of it unconsciously¡­¡± I let out a sigh. Although I had been trying to remain indifferent, I was just as bewildered by the situation of having to share a room with her. I was just not showing it. If I felt embarrassed, then Yoonha would feel even more embarrassed. So, even though I was trying to act nonchalant around her, I never expected to be taken by surprise out of the blue. ¡°Don¡¯t be flustered by such trivial matters. Even if you become an academy student right away, there will be a lot of experiences of homelessness or living alone, so getting flustered over something like this¡­¡± Still, except for extreme cases, sharing the same bed would not happen. I scratched my face as my thoughts spiraled out of control. I needed to regain my composure somehow. ¡°I should wait until Yoonha finishes washing up and then resolve this.¡± At that moment, my exam ticket attached to my chest caught my eye. I took off the exam ticket. ¡°I was told to do it this way.¡± I infused my body¡¯s mana at the bottom of the part labeled ¡®Geumgang¡¯. As a result, the mana I infused at the bottom rose up as translucent pieces. ¡°¡­¡± Maintaining a certain range on the exam ticket. The mana turned into floating pieces. There seemed to be dozens of them. ¡°Are these pieces supposed to be matched?¡± There was no explanation regarding the problem. It seemed that examinees had to directly look at the problem and deduce. I examined the floating pieces and paid attention to their shapes. Some pieces seemed naturally inclined to fit together. It was a three-dimensional puzzle. Convinced, I reached out towards the pieces. ¡°The puzzle fits.¡± Two pieces merged. There was no visible seam as if the pieces had been one from the beginning. I continued to match the pieces in that manner. The tiny pieces that were as small as fingertips gradually grew in size. It seemed like almost half of the pieces out of the dozens had been reduced. The real problem arose then. ¡°There are too many pieces with the same shape.¡± I furrowed my brows. The pieces had no subtle differences between them. I tried overlapping them to confirm, and they matched perfectly. ¡°Can I just ignore these identical A, B, C pieces?¡± And there are D, E, and F pieces that can be combined into three pieces. In this case, would it be possible to complete the puzzle with any combination? Of course, that was unlikely. ¡°There¡¯s no way the test would be this easy.¡± I decided to refresh my thoughts. There must be a different approach. Without relying on the naked eye¡­ ¡°Ah.¡± Why was I only looking with my naked eye? Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. Immediately, I manifested my internal mana to enhance my vision. It was to see mana phenomena that couldn¡¯t be confirmed with the naked eye. ¡°My thoughts were right.¡± Although they appeared as simple pieces on the surface, they contained mana circuits inside. Even if the pieces had the same shape, the mana circuits inside were all different when examined closely. It was like a double puzzle. ¡°It was a problem to solve using both the naked eye and mana perspective.¡± Then there was no need to hesitate anymore. Different-shaped pieces should be viewed with the naked eye, and same-shaped pieces should be matched using the mana circuits. Of course, it was possible to solve the puzzle by only looking at the mana circuits. But recalling the overall pattern of mana circuits through scattered pieces was not easy. ¡°There¡¯s no need to make it more difficult than it is.¡± It was a test that asked for basic qualifications. Surely, the Gyeonggang Academy did not intend to create problems like that. Only the basic abilities needed to be shown. Before long. ¡°¡­Done.¡± I completed the three-dimensional puzzle. A form with many facets was slowly rotating in the air above the exam ticket. It strongly resembled a diamond. No, it must be a diamond. ¡°¡­¡± The symbol of the Gyeonggang Academy was indeed a diamond. My internal mana activated, and I stared blankly at the diamond emitting a blue light. The feeling of having my mana nested inside was indescribable. At the bottom of the exam ticket, where there was a blank space, my exam number appeared. I checked my exam number. ¡°Congratulations on solving the problem.¡± ¡°Oh, my goodness.¡± At that moment, seemingly out of nowhere, Yeonahee approached from behind. A subtle fragrance emanated from her, dressed in a white gown. ¡°When did you arrive?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while. But I was waiting, not wanting to disturb you while you were solving the problem.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I converted the mana I had sprinkled on the exam ticket back into my body. The diamond, shimmering with a blue light, turned into particles of mana and disappeared. Yeonahee seemed disappointed. ¡°Oh, you should have left it a bit longer. It was beautiful.¡± ¡°The mana consumption was quite subtle. And I need to take a bath now.¡± ¡°Well, then, there¡¯s nothing we can do. I¡¯ll solve some problems while you¡¯re bathing.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°You have to be out in an hour. We need to keep attaching the exam tickets now.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Now that I think about it, there was an advantage to sharing the same room. While one person was bathing, the other could make sure the exam tickets weren¡¯t stolen. Having entrusted the exam ticket to Yeonahee, I decided to go take a bath. ¡°Oh, my goodness.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. Half-exposed in the bathroom, I said to her, sitting on the bed, ¡°Don¡¯t peek.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t peek!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Really? I trust you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I would peek, so stop worrying and go bathe¡­ Whoa¡­¡± Splash. Hmm, oh, ah, yes. I hummed a tune. From Noble mtl dot com Chapter 42 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 41 Chapter 41 The morning air is chilly. The young sky felt the cold on her legs, causing her body to shiver. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± It was so cold. Her forehead wrinkled involuntarily from the cold, and slowly, she started losing consciousness. Yet, despite the fatigue from the previous night, the young sky didn¡¯t want to wake up. ¡®Just a little more¡­.¡¯ The alarm hadn¡¯t gone off yet. It meant she could sleep a little longer. So, instead of opening her eyes, the young sky groped for the blanket with her eyes closed. She tried to pull it over. ¡°Hmm?¡± But for some reason. There was no sign of the blanket being pulled over. It felt like it was firmly laid on top of something. ¡®¡­What¡¯s this?¡¯ A faint annoyance crept in. The young sky¡¯s eyebrows twitched. However, the desire to sleep further prevailed over rational thought. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Giving up on covering her legs with the blanket, she curled up her body. Then, following her instincts towards where warmth was felt, she moved. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s warm.¡¯ Something warm was felt. Just a slight touch made her body warm and comfortable. A smile appeared on the young sky¡¯s face. Rustle, rustle. She wanted to feel this warmth more. The young sky pressed her body closer. Her fingertips touched something solid and wide like a wall. She delved towards that place. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± The feeling of her body getting pleasantly warm. Above all, the solid, low, and rhythmic sound seemed to calm her mind without any irritation in her ears. Rustle, rustle. Meanwhile, the leg sticking out from the blanket found a warm spot outside. There was an empty space in something harder than what her fingertips touched. Quickly, the young sky slid her leg into that space. Unfortunately, the space wasn¡¯t wide enough for both legs to fit comfortably. Regrettably, there was no other choice. Instead, she placed the remaining leg on top of something. The leg with a larger area of bare skin could feel the warmth more directly. ¡®Ah, this is so nice.¡¯ The corners of Yeonhaneul¡¯s lips turned up. She decided to snuggle into something¡¯s embrace and drift off to sleep just like this. It was at that moment that she went crazy. ¡®¡­Wait.¡¯ Snuggle into something¡¯s embrace? In that instant. Her dozing consciousness snapped back. ¡°¡­.¡± She blinked her eyes several times. No matter how much she tried to deny reality, the presence in front of her didn¡¯t disappear. Softly. In the distance, where the sound of breathing could be heard. Doh Yeonwoo was sleeping soundly. He was so close that she could see his sleeping face clearly. It was only then that she realized the situation. ¡®I¡¯m going crazy, I¡¯m going crazy, I¡¯m going crazy¡­!¡¯ She was snuggled up to Doh Yeonwoo! She was so startled, she didn¡¯t know what to do. Perhaps luckily, he was asleep and unaware of the situation. ¡°¡­.¡± With that realization, the turmoil settled. Yeonhaneul, unlike a little while ago, calmly gazed at Doh Yeonwoo¡¯s face. His eyelashes were really long. Although she had seen him from the side before, it was the first time she was looking at him so closely from the front. ¡®His skin is really nice.¡¯ His face was so clean and bright, not a single blemish in sight. He looked good even without makeup. She had always thought this, his skin seemed to have inherited from his mother. ¡®He¡¯s going to tan this beautiful skin¡­¡¯ It¡¯s a shame to tan such good skin. Even though he was a childhood friend she had known for five years, Doh Yeonwoo was still unknowable. Her gaze soon shifted to his lips. ¡®¡­Beautiful.¡¯ Is it because of his bright complexion? His lips were particularly red. As she kept staring at those lips, it felt like her consciousness was being drawn in. Almost absentmindedly, Yeonhaneul reached out her finger to touch his lips¡­. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At that moment, Do Gyunwoo and Yeo Naha locked eyes. In the empty air, Yeo Naha¡¯s hand hesitated awkwardly, and her mind seemed to freeze. Immediately after. ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°What, what¡¯s wrong!? Why are you like this!?¡± Yeo Naha let out a sudden scream. Startled, her rabbit ears shot up, trembling in sync with her movements. In the midst of it, her rabbit ear accidentally brushed against Do Gyunwoo. Meanwhile. ¡°Haneul, over there! Ah¡­.¡± Thud! Yeo Naha pushed Do Gyunwoo¡¯s chest and tumbled under the bed. ¡°Ouch¡­.¡± ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine¡­.¡± Yeo Naha couldn¡¯t bring herself to look up. It wasn¡¯t the pain from falling that held her back, but rather the overwhelming embarrassment and shame that kept her from meeting Do Gyunwoo¡¯s gaze. ¡ª I couldn¡¯t get a proper night¡¯s sleep last night. As a result, I only managed to doze off in the late hours. It wasn¡¯t because I was tense from sleeping with Yeo Naha. There was a more fundamental reason behind it. It was the environment typical of the Academy City. ¡°It should have been quiet enough to sleep.¡± In crowded places, people unconsciously release mana that naturally circulates around them. Wills, emotions, thoughts, remnants, etc., imbued in mana, drift around and mix with the pure mana present in the atmosphere, creating ruptures in dimensions. Monsters emerge from these ruptures. However, this was the Academy City. A city primarily populated by those who can manipulate mana. The mana unconsciously released by them is more stimulating than that of ordinary people. Even if the residual mana is not that potent, meddling with the unstable atmospheric mana of the Academy City, coupled with the influx of people arriving for exams starting yesterday, inevitably increased the frequency and scale of ruptures. As a result, *Kieeek!* I couldn¡¯t sleep properly. The presence of monsters in the middle of the night and their unsettling noises made it hard to relax. ¡°Still, luckily I didn¡¯t have to wake up and go deal with them¡­.¡± Such incidents were so frequent in the academy city that there were people prepared to handle emergencies. Moreover, the hotel where we were staying was enchanted with protective magic to prepare for most situations. Thanks to that, I didn¡¯t have to worry about being attacked by monsters. It was just noisy outside. ¡°If I have to live in this city in the future, do I have to listen to the sounds of monsters every day and live like this?¡± I hoped that the soundproofing in Geumgang Academy¡¯s dormitory was good. Taking a deep breath, I changed my clothes and pinned on my exam badge. Then I called out to Yeonhae. ¡°Yeonhae, you can come out now. I¡¯ve changed my clothes.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah¡­.¡± Shortly after, Yeonhae, who had changed her clothes first, awkwardly emerged from the bathroom. She was still embarrassed after falling off the bed and hitting her bottom. She couldn¡¯t meet my eyes. ¡°How long are you going to be like this?¡± ¡°Give me a little time¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you 10 seconds to change your mood.¡± ¡°Okay. Can you count down for me?¡± ¡°10, 9, 8¡­.¡± ¡°Phew¡­.¡± ¡°¡­3, 2, 1. Done.¡± ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you count in between?¡± ¡°I thought I didn¡¯t need to since you were here. Let¡¯s go eat breakfast.¡± I was also surprised by what happened in the morning, but I decided to act as if it was nothing. I had to think of it as trivial, so Yeonhae would too. I decided to treat it as a minor incident. A very minor incident¡­. To distract my thoughts, I went with Yeonhae to have breakfast. At the same time, we decided to discuss our schedule. ¡°Since we¡¯re not solving the same problems, let¡¯s act separately.¡± ¡°In terms of time, that¡¯s better¡­ but how about having dinner together? Maybe lunch too if possible.¡± ¡°Not a bad idea. Shall we do that? We¡¯ll decide on lunch based on the situation, and have dinner together.¡± ¡°Yeah, sounds good.¡± After that conversation, Yeonhae and I infused our mana into the exam badge to check the problems. Then, unlike the questions we solved yesterday, points appeared in the air. ¡°What are we supposed to do with these points?¡± Similar points also appeared on her exam badge as she sat across from me. However, the number and distribution of the black points were different. It was then that she opened her mouth. ¡°Gyeonu, try looking at it with mana vision.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a similar problem to yesterday.¡± Upon hearing those words, I focused my senses and manifested my inner mana, once again examining the dots. Only then could I uncover the black dots disguised as white dots. [??????????????????????????] [???????????????????????] [????????????????????] ¡°Is this¡­ Hey, do you have paper?¡± ¡°Right here.¡± In the game, to make players feel as if they had entered the game world, they were tasked with solving cipher puzzles using various characters. Recalling memories from a past life, I immediately transcribed the dots onto paper. ¡®¡­Braille.¡¯ I was undoubtedly correct. Around that time, she seemed to have reached a similar conclusion as me. ¡°Hey, can you search for a Braille dictionary on the internet¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for one right now. Ah, found it. I¡¯ll send you the link.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± It saved the trouble of searching for a dictionary. I deciphered the Braille through the link Yeonha sent me. The interpretation was as follows: [Where the footsteps of heroes converge] [The founder of the most precious gem] [Beneath the unchanging glory] It was a highly abstract phrase. Translating it was not straightforward. However, the first sentence was familiar. As a veteran of ¡°Brave Hearts,¡± I had no doubt about what that sentence indicated. I recalled a brief mention from the game. ¡°Curator of the Hall of Honor.¡± ¡°Welcome, students. Please come in, to where the footsteps of heroes converge, the Hall of Honor.¡± The Hall of Honor, a content that reviewed gameplay records in the game. Naturally, there must be a Hall of Honor in this world too. Consumed by these thoughts, I quickly shared with Yeonha. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s telling us to solve the problem in a specific location.¡± ¡°A specific location? Did you interpret it?¡± First, just the first sentence. I think I can roughly guess the rest. If it¡¯s related to the first one¡­ ¡°Could you also take a look at mine? I am the oldest superintendent of the Gemstone Society.¡± ¡°Gemstones refer to the students of Geumgang Academy. And the latter part¡­ is probably the Brilliant Cafe inside Geumgang Academy.¡± After that, it wasn¡¯t difficult to pinpoint the exact location. Yeongha and I stood up from our seats. From now on, we had to move separately. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Hall of Fame.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll go too. I¡¯ll contact you later.¡± ? The Hall of Fame located in Sector 23. I moved forward without hesitation. ¡°I must be right.¡± The most precious gem is subjective. However, considering the intention of the questioner, the most precious gem can only be a diamond. A diamond is a metaphorical representation of Geumgang Academy. Therefore, the founder of the most precious gem refers to the founder of Geumgang Academy. Connecting the first and second sentences implies finding the founder of Geumgang Academy in the Hall of Fame. ¡°Where is it¡­.¡± Naturally, the founder is no longer alive. In this case, it means to find traces of the founder in the Hall of Fame. On the other hand, the clues to those traces are continued in the third sentence. ¡°Beneath the unchanging glory¡­.¡± In the Hall of Fame, glory refers to achievements. Or the person who achieved those accomplishments themselves. In other words, glory points to the founder. The fact that the founder remains unchanged means¡­. ¡°It must mean finding traces that remain unchanged over time.¡± There is much to infer here. It is unlikely to be faded or worn-out paintings or photos over time. The probability is high for memorials or statues. At this point, pay attention to ¡°beneath.¡± ¡°Taking ¡®beneath¡¯ literally, it couldn¡¯t be just a memorial with a face showing.¡± In the same vein, busts or statues showing only the upper part of the body should be excluded. To show the entire body, only a full-body statue is required. Coincidentally, there was only one full-body statue of the founder here. ¡°¡­Is this it.¡± I stood in front of that full-body statue. If my guess is correct, there should be a clue related to the problem here. At that moment. ¡°¡­Sticker?¡± My gaze went down to the foot of the mannequin. Someone had played a prank; there was a sticker under the foot. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± There was mana imbued in the sticker. It was a type of artifact. As I infused mana into my body to activate the artifact, text appeared on the sticker. [Confirming exam number¡­.] [Exam number confirmed.] [Geumgang 1532] [Clear!] [Color: White(2)] ¡°¡­So, that¡¯s how it is.¡± It seemed like solving a code to find the designated location and authenticate the exam ticket. There didn¡¯t seem to be separate questions to solve. To confirm this, I decided to display the questions on the exam ticket. If I had solved the current question correctly, a new question would appear. ¡°¡­The question has changed.¡± It was a different question from before. The third question appeared. It seemed that solving the second question on the exam ticket was properly reflected. Therefore, there was no need to stay here any longer. Having finished my business, I decided to move on to solve the new question. ¡°This should do it.¡± The third question involved removing unnecessary parts from the Strengsth magic formula that enhances physical strength. The fourth question involved identifying errors in the formula and correcting them for precise activation. The fifth question was a coordinates problem. However, unlike the second question, an additional task requiring physical abilities had to be performed at the coordinates visited. That¡¯s how I completed up to the fifth question. [Confirming exam number¡­.] [Exam number confirmed.] [Geumgang 1532] [Clear!] From Noble mtl dot com [Color: White(4) ¡ú Gray(5)] The exam ticket turned gray. It was due to the bonus points acquired. ¡°Do I have to solve 25 more questions to dye the exam ticket black?¡± The road ahead was still long. With a bitter smile, I decided to continue solving the problems. Meanwhile, at this moment. ¡°¡­The number of followers is increasing.¡± There were people treading on my heels now. People like hyenas. In their eyes, I seemed like a tempting rabbit holding the exam ticket. As the color of my exam ticket changed, and as time passed, the gazes aiming at me were increasing. ¡°¡­¡± It was perfect timing. I was already itching to stretch my body. Not having many chances to wield a sword, I didn¡¯t know how much I missed it. Now is the time to swing the sword a bit. ¡°More, more, keep increasing.¡± The hyenas were waiting eagerly as if watching a rabbit plump up. I decided to shake my hips to make them unable to resist and rush towards me. And then, days passed. [Checking exam number¡­.] [Exam number confirmed.] [Golden 1532] [Clear!] [Color: Red(24) ¡ú Blue(25)] The exam ticket changed to blue. As the hyenas were about to go on a hunt, I decided to shed the rabbit¡¯s disguise. ¡°Roar! No, was it Grrr?¡± [Would you like to change the alias ¡®Rabbit¡¯ to ¡®Lion Cub¡¯?] [Yes (select) / No] Chapter 43 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 42 Chapter 42 Qualification test questioning the qualifications of examinees. The qualification test does not just demand the ability to deduce and solve problems from examinees. It demands more than that. If one only focuses on solving problems to get an exam number and earn extra points, there are things one might not notice. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s up with them? They¡¯re in blue.¡± ¡°Just yesterday, they were in red, and they changed again in a day.¡± ¡°How did they solve it all the way over there?¡± ¡°As the remaining problems decrease, the difficulty increases¡­.¡± Long term, up to a week, short term, within a day. Until the day before the practical exam, from a week before, examinees freely challenge themselves, and the key to the exam is to have solved at least one problem on the exam ticket by the day of the practical exam. Until then, the exam number remains in an undecided state, not confirmed. It is only on the day of the practical exam that the exam number, which the examinee is wearing on the exam ticket, is finally confirmed. ¡°But why are they always together? They act separately when solving problems.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± In other words, the ownership of the exam ticket remains uncertain until the day before the practical exam. Therefore, it is not impossible to take away someone else¡¯s exam ticket and wear it. It was a flaw in the qualification test. Examinees who fail to solve problems or feel their limits at some point inevitably pay attention to this flaw and may fall into taking others¡¯ exam tickets. ¡°Should we follow them secretly?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just in case.¡± However, it is unlikely that they did not notice the flaw at Geumgang Academy. Yet, leaving it as it is implies a deliberate intention. ¡°Oh, are they moving too?¡± ¡°Darn, we targeted them first¡­.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let them take it from us!¡± From the outset, Geumgang Academy explained the necessity of always carrying the exam ticket on one¡¯s person. Even though it was impossible not to notice the fact that a large exam ticket was visible. In the end, it was also part of the exam and what was required of examinees. To conquer the gate, slay monsters, and protect the nation and humanity as hunters. If one truly wants to become that hunter, they must show the ability to take or protect the exam ticket. Therefore, the vigilance of examinees could only increase as the day of the practical exam approached. Unlike ordinary examinees¡­. ¡°Are there no companions with them?¡± ¡°I watched for two days, but didn¡¯t see anyone. They seem to be just the two of them.¡± ¡°They¡¯re practically asking to have it taken from them.¡± A man with a gentle face and a woman with rabbit ears were boldly walking down the streets of Zone 23, wearing blue exam tickets. As if they had no worries about their exam tickets being taken. To the test-takers who sought to steal others¡¯ exam tickets, they could only seem like tempting prey. Of course, they were not lacking in intelligence. ¡°Hey, but they are wearing blue.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°If they¡¯ve answered 25 questions, could they be stronger than us?¡± ¡°Definitely¡­ Perhaps the reason they¡¯re both here is because they¡¯re confident in their abilities.¡± Although the exact extent of their abilities was unknown, the test-takers who had been following them for a few days were starting to realize that their speed in solving problems was extraordinary. Thus, such thoughts were not unwarranted. But that was all. ¡°With only two days left, what can we achieve?¡± ¡°We finally have a chance to get our test numbers and bonus points. Are we going to give up? I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Even if those guys are strong, it doesn¡¯t matter. We can overpower them in numbers.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not just us targeting them; others are too.¡± ¡°If we cooperate, we can make it work somehow.¡± ¡°Who gets to own the exam ticket can be decided later.¡± ¡°They are going, are you not going?¡± Pressing time, overwhelming numbers, irrational camaraderie, group mentality, and more. The test-takers were pushed by these factors and had no choice but to make decisions. They saw this as an opportunity. Meanwhile, the exam ticket was worth money. ¡°I came here to earn pocket money. I¡¯m not really interested in passing.¡± ¡°How much can we sell the blue one for?¡± ¡°How much did you agree to receive?¡± ¡°Me? The client said they would generously reward me with a good sum.¡± ¡°The truly wealthy just buy exam tickets with money.¡± As demand exists, so does supply. Every year in the city of academies, there are people who see exam tickets as a means to make money. Most of them came to the city with dreams of becoming hunters, only to realize their limits in skills, leading to despair or falling behind others. Yet, they could not leave the city of academies and struggled at the bottom. They couldn¡¯t afford to miss this opportunity either. Hence. ¡°They turned into the alley!¡± ¡°But that¡¯s a dead end.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also a secluded place¡­ If we follow them now, we can block the path and surround them, right?¡± The enemy of an enemy is a friend, they say. Naturally, the ragtag group and the test-takers, whose interests coincided, chased after the two. Unaware of this, the two entered an alley out of sight of others. It was like rabbits going into a burrow. It was a golden opportunity for them. ¡°Such fools.¡± The time to hunt rabbits was approaching. Hyenas were openly chuckling. Surrounding the alley, each of them took out a metal plate. ¡°Device On.¡± To easily carry weapons. Humanity, which had passed about 200 years since the Great Revolution, invented the technology to compress perfectly and preserve weapons made of mana alloy without damage. The crystallization of that technology is the Device. As they chanted the activation spell, the metal plates transformed into weapons, regaining their original form. And so. ¡°The one who takes it first is the owner!¡± Each of them brandishing weapons leaped into the rabbit hole swiftly. However, what awaited them was a dead end. ¡°W-what is this¡­?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t this the place!?¡± ¡°Who said someone came in here!?¡± ¡°Someone did come in here¡­.¡± ¡°Where did these guys go?¡± ¡°Quick, find them!¡± As if disappearing into the ground. No matter how hard they looked with their eyes or rubbed them, the rabbits were nowhere to be seen. They were visibly flustered. It was right at that moment. ¡°Who are you looking for over there?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A voice came from above their heads. Startled by the sudden sound, they slowly raised their heads. ¡°Me? I¡¯m right here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Above the wall they were facing. The rabbits were looking down at them as if they were kings of the mountains. Then, a man with a gentle face suddenly leaped from wall to wall and landed in the alley¡¯s entrance. ¡°Right in front of you now.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The tables had turned. Now, trapped in a place with no way out, it was not the rabbits but the hyenas. But the rabbits were not afraid just because the hyenas blocked the way. After all, they were just rabbits. The hesitance of the hyenas was short-lived. ¡°Take them out!¡± ¡°That one¡¯s twitching!¡± They came to their senses and moved. The hyenas, easily surpassing twenty, trying to hunt down a single rabbit, were quite comical with no sense of balance. Of course, that rabbit¡­ ¡°Roar.¡± It was merely in appearance that it resembled a rabbit. ? Unaware that they were being lured, they were beyond foolish. Yet, in their foolishness, they did not even gauge their own and their opponent¡¯s abilities before targeting us. ¡°Do they not realize they¡¯re outnumbered?¡± In a brawl among ordinary folks, that might be the case. But in a fight among mana users, numbers did not hold much significance. Just as one hero saves the world, strong power overwhelms quantity. Mediocre fighters wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the sky. To make that known. ¡°Device on.¡± I pulled out a metal plate from my pocket. A device compacted for hunters to carry weapons easily. The device, which did not decrease in weight but only in volume, regained its original form in response to activation. I drew the military green sword. Right after. Swish! The one who rushed at me first swung the sword heavily. The blade had rubber padding attached to it. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t kill, but it would surely hurt if it hit. Of course, I had no intention of letting it hit. ¡°The attack is too straightforward and honest.¡± Lacks distinctiveness in swordsmanship. Feels like they only learned the basics. I couldn¡¯t afford to be hit by such a sword. There was no need to rely on evasion instinct. That¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t using the Identification Rabbit but the Lion Cub, which enhances the power of beast-type species. My current agility stat was 68. With the effect of the military green sword, it rose to 71. To me, who entered the realm of agility in the 70s, their attack seemed slow. I simply stepped aside and avoided the attack, then struck the back of their waist with the sharp edge of the sword. ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°This kid¡­!¡± In the midst of one person falling down. Meanwhile, the one who rushed in aimed from behind. It was a bit late to wield the military sword. However, without swinging the military sword, a strike with the scabbard was enough. ¡°¡­!¡± As skilled as a scabbard, I swung without a worry. I struck the man¡¯s cheek. ¡®Looks like his face turned pale¡­.¡¯ It¡¯s fine, he won¡¯t die from that. If he dies¡­ I should make a quick exit. Meanwhile, without giving time to check the fallen man¡¯s condition, they continued to rush in. ¡°It¡¯s just one person! Charge ahead!¡± ¡°Hoo¡­.¡± It¡¯s quite a task to consciously strike over twenty people with a sword. I infused mana into the military sword. Switch to reverse blade mode. The positions of the blade and the back of the blade switch. ¡®This makes fighting easier.¡¯ Now, it might be a bit fun. I blocked one person¡¯s attack while dodging two others. ¡°¡­What!?¡± Their eyes widened in surprise. It seemed like a counterattack. It may have looked slow to me. The movements of the three were far behind the triplets. ¡°Cough!¡± Meanwhile, the military sword, now in reverse blade mode, struck one man¡¯s chest. His bones are likely broken, making it hard to breathe. He¡¯s incapacitated. I turned my gaze away from that man and attacked the two whose coordination had crumbled. Thud! The impact feels great. The man who couldn¡¯t withstand the attack hit the wall beside him. Then, he lost consciousness and slid down the wall. As if struck by an anesthetic gun. Is this the beginning of the incident? ¡®I¡¯m the culprit.¡¯ And she was the culprit too. ¡°It¡¯s smoldering!¡± ¡°Coordinate attacks!¡± The space is narrow to swing the sword. Avoiding those who come through that gap, I landed behind the guys who kicked the wall with their feet and then kicked the wall again. Then, hitting the back of their heads, I looked up at Yeonha¡¯s figure restraining them from above. £¼Air Bullet£¾ First-rank Wind Elemental Magic. A bullet of non-lethal shot created by Yeonha¡¯s index finger aimed at the guys. While she was protecting me, she also controlled the situation to prevent the guys from escaping the alley. And then it happened. ¡°This is cowardly¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± A guy who seemed to join the fray late appeared behind Yeonha. The situation was too close for Yeonha to respond with magic. But she was skilled in martial arts. Unlike a mage who only knew how to use magic, she was also proficient in handling weapons. ¡°Device on.¡± ¡°¡­What!?¡± Yeonha dodged the attack by turning her body. Suddenly, she was holding a huge iron hammer in one hand, even bigger than herself. As she swung the iron hammer¡­ Crack! A loud noise echoed above. I was hit by her iron hammer and could see the guy tumbling down below. I jumped straight from the ground. Thud! Swish! Thump! Plop! Before the guy¡¯s head hit the ground, I rotated my body and struck his side. I sent him flying towards a pile of trash bags. ¡®He shouldn¡¯t die like this.¡¯ I smirked at the guy buried inside the trash bags in an odd posture. Yeonha seemed more intense than me. ¡°Thanks, Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ sure.¡± Even saying that so calmly. With a determined face, I decided to deal with the remaining guys. There were still quite a few left. I need to jump a bit higher. I charged my mana circuit. Zap! ¡°¡­Spark?¡± ¡°Wait, that¡¯s¡­!¡± Even though I realized it, it was too late. I should have known who I was dealing with. I smirked at them. ¡°Divine sword¡­ Dogma¡­¡± ¡°You could die if you get hit wrong.¡± Blue mana sparks. Wall thunder. It envelops my sword. ¡°So don¡¯t die, for my sake.¡± £¼Su Wang Ryu Attack Form 6£¾ Lions Roar A swordsmanship freely wielded to face the enemies in front of me. As the rotations continued, the sword grew stronger, overwhelming them. * * * From Noble mtl dot com ¡°So don¡¯t die, for my sake.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah, that was cool. Truly¡­ awesome¡­¡± After the situation was resolved. Yeongha, who came down, spoke with a visibly sly expression. Her lips seemed to be suppressing a smile. ¡°It¡¯s like a scene from a drama¡­ Kick¡­¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± ¡°Ha ha! What are you doing¡­!¡± No doubt. Yeongha was teasing me. I couldn¡¯t just stand there and take the teasing. I pinched her face and playfully tugged on her rabbit ears. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Who said I was teasing?¡± ¡°You tease me all the time.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I can, but you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Wow, such a double standard.¡± Yeongha was dumbfounded. I shrugged at her and decided to end the teasing. And then, he looked down on those who had fallen and succumbed to us. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Moans could be heard from all around. Those who were in such a state had clearly suffered greatly at our hands. ¡°It wasn¡¯t us, it was you, right, Guenwoo? It¡¯s all because of your swordsmanship that things turned out this way.¡± ¡°Did you not wield the hammer?¡± ¡°Still, you had fewer enemies than me, right?¡± Yeonha-neul rustles. But no matter how you look at it, the fact remains that she fought alongside me, wielding the hammer. Trying to hide it is futile. The condition of the man who was just moments ago thrust into a pile of garbage cannot lie. Regardless. It was time to clean up. ¡°Heaven, can¡¯t you use magic to remove their exam tokens?¡± ¡°If you use the elemental magic of the wind, it¡¯s possible. But why do you ask?¡± ¡°Why? Obviously those who targeted us should pay the price, right?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah¡­ I see. You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Use magic to bring them to me.¡± I pleaded with Yeonha-neul. Yeonha-neul, with a somber face, complied without uttering a word. Whoosh! Suddenly, the wind whirled around us. Following her command, the wind tore the exam tokens attached to the fallen ones¡¯ chests. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°My, my exam token¡­.¡± Though they tried to hold onto their exam tokens, they were utterly powerless at the moment. Before long, the lost exam tokens began to gather around me one by one. ¡°¡­.¡± The gazes of those who had lost their exam tokens all turned towards me. I smiled as brightly as I could. ¡°If you were prepared to steal from others, you should have been prepared to be stolen from, right?¡± ¡°W-what are you trying to do¡­.¡± ¡°Just watch helplessly from there.¡± ¡°Guenwoo, that¡¯s what villains do¡­.¡± ¡°I may become one, but I won¡¯t be a villain.¡± ¡°Yeah, right¡­.¡± There were about 30 exam tokens, to the point where I had to embrace them with one arm. I threw those exam tokens with all my might. Whoosh! Even though I didn¡¯t say a word, she, understanding my intention, lifted the wind. The exam papers rose to that height. Then, they began to fall. Having captured them with my eyes, I thrust my sword consecutively. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 12£¾ Lion¡¯s Soaring Leap A swordsmanship combining joy and sorrow. Firmly planting oneself on the ground with two unshaking legs. Infusing mana into the arms holding the swords, fiercely piercing the falling objects. If the number of attacks exceeds twelve. Crackle! The mana I shed so far gathers, taking the form of a lion. Now, that lion soared high. ©¤©¤©¤©¤!! The lion¡¯s form, now possessing physical strength, swallowed the exam papers. Torn to shreds. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°My, my exam papers¡­.¡± ¡°H-How¡­.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± Glittering dust scatters. The dust doesn¡¯t settle on the ground but is carried away by the wind somewhere. I decided to comfort those bewildered by the scene. ¡°Congratulations on being eliminated before even taking the exam.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t have the talent to be a Hunter, so it¡¯s fortunate you were eliminated early, right? I hope you find your way forward.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± At my words. They were moved and shed tears. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± Even the sky was amazed. * * * Two days passed since then. [Checking exam numbers¡­.] [Exam numbers confirmed.] Chapter 44 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 43 Chapter 43 Opening Illustration It had been a week since Yeonha and I arrived in the Academy City. During this time, we had grown somewhat accustomed to sharing the same room. Only somewhat. Although we had known each other for five years, living in the same space revealed aspects we hadn¡¯t noticed before, leading to changes in how we cared for each other. Especially between individuals of different genders. As a result, there were several incidents. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t so bad after all.¡± In a way, the week allowed both of us to understand each other much better than in the five years we had known each other. It might sound absurd, but it seemed like we learned more about each other during that week than in the five years we spent together. Of course, it was only possible to spend that week together because of the five years that had laid the foundation. In that sense. ¡°Should I brush your hair for you?¡± ¡°What?¡± On the morning when the practical exam day arrived. Having finished preparing to leave for Geumgang Academy, I sat in front of the dressing table and asked Yeonha, who was brushing her hair. In response, she made a puzzled expression in the mirror. ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± Whenever I see you combing your hair, I always wanted to try it once. Could we do it as a commemoration of the time we¡¯ve spent together? There seems to be no connection between combing hair and the memories of us living together¡­. Plus, if someone hears about it and misunderstands? Why? We did live together. We spent time together. Same thing, isn¡¯t it? It feels very different to me. And speaking of living together in the past tense makes it sound like we got divorced. We haven¡¯t even¡­ gotten married yet! No one would think that way¡­ But I do? I sometimes don¡¯t understand you, Gyungwoo. Why? It¡¯s actually something I want to say. I sometimes don¡¯t understand you. Stopping combing, taking a deep breath, looking at myself in the mirror, under the clear sky. It seems like the week we spent together didn¡¯t hold any meaning. Then let¡¯s compromise on having slept together. Um, don¡¯t you think that might be even more misinterpreted? But it all makes sense. Not sleeping together, not living together. Let¡¯s compromise on having spent time together. Same thing, isn¡¯t it? Different, different, it¡¯s quite different, isn¡¯t it? There was a book she lent me before. In that book, women were likened to Venus, and men to Mars. Back then, I didn¡¯t quite understand, but now, with just one word differing between us, I think I can comprehend. There surely exists an incomprehensible distance between men and women, just like Mars and Venus are apart. It¡¯s not just between men and women; it seems that in order for people to understand each other, they must bridge such gaps. So, it¡¯s not allowed? My head isn¡¯t a toy, you know? I¡¯m good at combing. I¡¯ve combed Yeeun¡¯s hair a few times. I¡¯m good at tying it up too. Hmm¡­ So? I¡¯ve even groomed Mongshil¡¯s fur¡­ Am I a rabbit? You¡¯re my clear sky. Hmph¡­. You really want to comb that badly? Like a carrot. Even so, when I insisted, Yeonhae eventually gave in with an expression that said she had no choice. Finally, with a fleeting glance, Yeonhae raised the comb she held in her hand. It was a signal to take it. Alright. But just for a bit, okay? I might be late for the exam fixing my hair because of you. Okay, got it. Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t ruin my hair by combing it wrong. Still, you never know. I stood behind her, receiving the rain she was catching in her hands. As I touched her flowing hair, I noticed her ears twitching like a rabbit¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t mess up my hair. Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s nervous anyway?¡± ¡°Oh, really? Then I¡¯ll comb it.¡± The hair on my palm was incredibly soft. No matter how many times I saw it, her hair, as light as the sky, always held a mysterious charm. Her hair like that¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ Am I hurting you?¡± I combed carefully. Gradually, she relaxed, subtly tense about entrusting her hair to me. ¡°How¡¯s that? Refreshing?¡± ¡°The term ¡®refreshing¡¯ feels a bit off, but you¡¯re good at this.¡± ¡°But you have quite a few white hairs, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Oh, was your hair always like this?¡± ¡°You scared me¡­ Don¡¯t joke around.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± After finishing the grooming like that, we headed to Geumgang Academy. ¡ª Since there were so many applicants for Geumgang Academy, the first practical exam was held in various locations. Naturally, we couldn¡¯t just go to any test site to take the practical exam; we had to go to the designated place based on our exam number. ¡°The grounds are vast, I was worried about getting lost, but luckily they¡¯ve marked the way to the exam hall.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ We are¡­¡± ¡°Sunyang Hall is over there. Let¡¯s go.¡± Coincidentally, we ended up taking the practical exam in the same place. Arriving at Geumgang Academy, we followed the directions given by the academy staff. As we neared the practical exam site, the crowd bustling in front of the main gate gradually diminished. Finally, we entered Sunyang Hall. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There are quite a few people.¡± Room 105 of Sunyang Hall. Stepping into the practical exam site, I glanced at the others who had arrived earlier. They were also looking at me. But one gaze stood out. ¡°Gyunwoo¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. What¡¯s there to be scared of?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about being scared, it¡¯s about being cautious.¡± ¡°I know that too.¡± Yeon Haneul must have felt that gaze and gently grabbed my sleeve. Moving forward as if to shield her, I tried to find the reason why their gazes lingered on us peculiarly. Soon, I could figure out the reason. ¡°Is it because of our exam papers?¡± Yeon Haneul and I answered all the questions, staining our exam papers black. As a result, we started attracting attention from other examinees. Intermittently, we could hear whispers among them. ¡°All 30 questions answered?¡± ¡°Wow, in black¡­¡± ¡°Why did we end up being assigned with those guys of all people?¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t get involved with them.¡± Surprise, admiration, lamentation, and more. Examinees were talking like that. However, among them, there seemed to be a group who knew about us. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If it¡¯s black, they must be from a prestigious family, but who exactly?¡± ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t the one with rabbit ears¡­ an apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch?¡± ¡°The Seven-Colored Witch had an apprentice? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it¡­¡± ¡°Hey, is the Seven-Colored Witch our friend? If we¡¯re going to be hunters, we should know how to address them with ¡®nim¡¯ after their name.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I heard from the Mado Institute that the witch¡¯s apprentice was going to take the academy entrance exam this time. Darn, they applied to Geumgang Academy.¡± ¡°Then who¡¯s the one next to them? They¡¯re also in black¡­¡± Hong Ye-na was gaining more fame as the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch. She was scheduled to become an instructor at the academy starting this year. Because of that, it seemed like Yeon Haneul was quite well-known. ¡°Ugh¡­ embarrassing¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? Just enjoy it. You¡¯ll become even more famous in the future, won¡¯t you?¡± Ironically, Yeon Haneul seemed unfamiliar with examinees recognizing her. I chuckled at her reaction. ¡°Where, should I listen to what they¡¯re saying?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but be curious. I decided to eavesdrop. ¡°They must be talking about the person next to them, right? The one who¡¯s been friends with the Seven-Colored Witch¡¯s apprentice since childhood.¡± ¡°Ah ¨C that person?¡± Yes, me. The childhood friend of the mid-boss. ¡°Looking at the sword on their waist, it seems to match, doesn¡¯t it? Them.¡± ¡°Who exactly are they?¡± ¡°The Swordsmanship Clan, they¡¯re from there!¡± ¡°Where is the School of Swordsmanship?¡± ¡°At the Divine Sword Do.¡± ¡°¡­The Ten Gates?¡± ¡°Is that person from the Divine Sword Do?¡± Yes, that¡¯s me. I am currently the most anticipated rising star in the Divine Sword Do, alongside Dosieun. ¡°Dosieun of the Divine Sword Do. No doubt about it.¡± ¡°Even though I heard that this year¡¯s student council president at the Geumgang Academy is from the Divine Sword Do, Dosieun is a new name to me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know Dosieun? Didn¡¯t he train at the Swordsmanship Hall?¡± ¡°Why? Is he famous?¡± ¡°Very famous! Haven¡¯t you heard the story about how he couldn¡¯t catch even a single rabbit and became a laughingstock in his family?¡± ¡°Oh! The Rabbit of the Divine Sword Do!¡± ¡°That story is quite famous. Whenever the kids at the Swordsmanship Hall didn¡¯t want to train, the instructors would always mention how they shouldn¡¯t end up like that¡­¡± ¡­I didn¡¯t realize my story was that famous. Suddenly, I felt upset. ¡°But still, the Rabbit is an old tale.¡± ¡°When did it change? Hopefully for the better.¡± Yes, I wanted to hear this story. I tried to control my emotions. ¡°They say it¡¯s not like the old days, but honestly, the Rabbit¡¯s story is so strong that it might actually be true.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t had a chance to officially show your skills. Isn¡¯t the Rabbit¡¯s story oddly well-known?¡± ¡°Maybe the prestigious families are well aware?¡± ¡°They seem skeptical too¡­¡± ¡°But now, they say he¡¯s not called the Rabbit anymore, but by a different name?¡± ¡°A different name? This is news to me.¡± ¡°Are there other names besides the Rabbit?¡± ¡°One thing¡¯s for sure, people from the Divine Sword Do are now calling him that.¡± The gazes of the examinees were fixed on me. I proudly straightened my shoulders under their scrutiny. My praise was heard. ¡°Young Lion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Young Lion.¡± ¡°Is that¡­ an insult or a compliment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably a compliment. If it were an insult, they would have said ¡®rabbit cub.¡¯¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Young Lion an insult? If it was a compliment, wouldn¡¯t they say ¡®lion cub¡¯?¡± ¡°Young Lion, Lion Cub, Young Lion, Lion Cub, Young Lion¡­¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Young Lion. Strangely, that one seems to stick in the mouth.¡± ¡­Damn. Hundreds of people repeating the same words. I grimaced. Unknowingly, I reached for the sword. ¡°Gyeonwoo, no! Stop! Hold back!¡± ¡°I was planning to loosen up before the exam, and this turned out well. Just let them be¡­¡± ¡°Why do you need a sword!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sword meant for cutting, so I¡¯ll cut with it.¡± ¡°If you keep going like this, it will be murder¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can fight with wooden swords.¡± ¡°When did I ever tell you to enjoy yourself? What will you do if you act like this!¡± ¡°Are you and I the same?¡± ¡°Still, calm down. Be good, be good¡­ What¡¯s the point of causing trouble and getting disqualified?¡± Phew, I bear it as Yeonha restrains me. Instead, I decide to remember their faces. If I meet them in the exam, I won¡¯t let them off easily. *** ¡°Hey, Do Gyeonwoo!¡± ¡°Over here! Here!¡± ¡°So, you were also here with us!¡± In the exam room, there were the triplets. They greeted us warmly, waving their hands, happy to see us after a week. Approaching them, I noticed the red exam tickets pinned to their chests. ¡°Still, not completely colorless.¡± The triplets¡¯ exam tickets were red. They must have worked hard in their own way while being separate from us. It was worth the five years of hard work. Although not mentioned in the game, the triplets who appeared in the game might have also received the red tickets. Or perhaps, I need to play a more cunning game than now. ¡°What¡¯s with that face?¡± ¡°Why does it look like you¡¯re praising a piece of crap?¡± ¡°It¡¯s oddly unpleasant.¡± ¡°Anyway, congrats on not taking the exam and not getting disqualified. If you got extra points, that¡¯s good. Looking around, there don¡¯t seem to be many red tickets.¡± ¡°Are you really saying that?¡± ¡°Wow, black¡­ How did you really solve it? Isn¡¯t it because Haneul helped you?¡± ¡°For now, it seems like there¡¯s no one else in this exam room besides you guys.¡± ¡°It does seem that way.¡± Even without the triplets telling me, I had already assessed the examinees around me. Although there was still some time left before the start of the first practical exam, it seemed like, for now, besides me and Yeonha, there was no one else who had answered all the questions. It was then that Goeunbi approached. ¡°Wow, we were in the same exam room! Meeting here again. Do you remember me?¡± ¡°I remember your name. You¡¯re Goeunbi, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! You didn¡¯t forget. I remember your names too. Gyenwoo and Haneul, correct?¡± I never imagined Goeunbi would be in the same exam room. Meeting her again filled me with joy. She seemed to feel the same. Then, she let out a smile. ¡°But turns out, both of you are quite famous. I overheard people talking earlier and was genuinely surprised. Did I do something wrong to you guys?¡± ¡°No, there was something wrong. Last time, Haneul tried to touch my ear.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Was I rude back then? I did apologize last time, but if I upset you, I apologize again. Sorry, Haneul.¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t worry. Gyenwoo is just joking right now. If you weren¡¯t upset, there¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? Well¡­ then, can I try touching it once?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Such a pity¡­¡± Hidden behind me, Yeon Haneul still seemed hesitant around Goeunbi, but nevertheless, he spoke up. Goeunbi appeared disappointed by Yeon Haneul¡¯s sharp response. But Goeunbi was Goeunbi. As if to say, ¡®When was I ever like that?¡¯, she quickly regained her composure and changed the subject. ¡°But Gyenwoo, if you¡¯re from the Sipga clan too, there are two people from the Sipga clan here. I overheard people talking earlier, and they mentioned that the person over there is also from the Sipga clan.¡± ¡°Really? Who?¡± There¡¯s someone from the Sipga clan here? Curious about what Goeunbi brought up, I looked in the direction she pointed. ¡°Over there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You see the guy in the black suit? He¡¯s quite tanned.¡± ¡°Oh, him.¡± ¡°They said he¡¯s from the Euihyeong Yongga. Do you know him? He seems to have been glancing at you since earlier.¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know him. Not yet.¡± ¡°But you seem familiar to him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors.¡± ¡°I see.¡± With his hair styled up and a short sports cut, sharp and fierce eyes, a black suit that stands out with its color against the times, muscles and small scars subtly visible beneath the suit, and finally, skin that captivates women, resembling a sun-kissed glow. He emitted an aura that could be seen as bandit-like, yet also pirate-like. ¡®He was in the same exam room as me.¡¯ The person from the Ten Gates had no choice but to be closely involved with the protagonist, Kang Hanbyeol, and that man was one of those characters. No, he held quite a significant role rather than just being a character consumed for the plot development. Like me and Goeunbi, that man was a character that players could nurture, a member of Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s party. ¡°Oh, looks like you¡¯re coming this way?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± One of the Ten Gates, the Yongga of Euihyup. The direct heir of that family, Yong Haerang. ¡°Do you have business with me?¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± Yong Haerang got along well with Kang Hanbyeol, so much so that calling him Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s soul companion wouldn¡¯t be strange at all. ¡¸Kang Hanbyeol & Yong Haerang¡¹ ¨DKang Hanbyeol! ¨DYong Haerang! ¨DCross! There were many similarities in their personalities to the extent that such scenes existed in the game. To the point where in the community, the two shared a friendship¡­ ¡®Let¡¯s stop thinking about that. Maybe because of the past life, memories don¡¯t come back easily. Yeah.¡¯ Anyway. I quite liked Yong Haerang. Despite personal preferences varying on the passionate character, he was a dealer with quite respectable performance. Above all¡­ ¡®Now, that¡¯s a real man.¡¯ Look at that skin and muscles! How cool. If Yong Haerang wasn¡¯t a comic relief character, fiercely aggressive, simply ignorant, and not entirely disinterested in love, he would have surely been very popular. If Kang Hanbyeol wasn¡¯t the protagonist, he might have been instead. ¡°You¡¯re the one who solved all the problems and got the highest score in the Divine Sword Exam, right? You must be strong to do that. Nice to meet you! I¡¯m Yong Haerang.¡± Yong Haerang extended his hand. I decided to respond to Yong Haerang, who held a black exam ticket. ¡°Nice to meet you. Seems like you¡¯re pretty capable too, being a black rank?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all about talent and hard work! How about a spar next time we get the chance?¡± ¡°¡­Sure, if the opportunity arises.¡± I knew it, but still. To casually suggest a spar in the first meeting was quite aggressive. The problem is that pretending to be friendly is a scary thing. I didn¡¯t have much intention of competing with Yongha, so I naturally looked forward to the distant future. ¡°If I become friends with him, it could spell trouble. He might keep pestering me to compete.¡± Regardless of my personal preferences, forming human relationships is clearly a different matter. Avoiding unnecessary headaches seemed like the best solution. ¡°Being friends with Yongha and competing is something for the strong to handle.¡± Rolling over is the protagonist¡¯s role. Not being the protagonist, I¡¯ll roll along appropriately and take what I can get. ¡°It¡¯s a relief not to be the protagonist.¡± It feels really good. Feeling content in this way, I conversed with Yongha. Not long after that, ¡°Anyone entering the exam room from now on will be considered disqualified! We will begin the test now!¡± The first practical exam had begun. Chapter 45 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 44 Chapter 44 An instructor wearing a red badge labeled ¡®Evaluator¡¯ on his left arm. The people following the instructor had green badges printed with ¡®Assistant¡¯. Judging by their school uniforms, they seemed to be students. They must have been selected from the students of Geumgang Academy to assist the evaluators and invigilate the exam. ¡°Is Sieun also wearing that badge and assisting with the exam?¡± I recalled the recent contact I had with Doh Sieun. She had been busy from before her inauguration, preparing for the role of the student council president and even becoming an assistant for this year¡¯s practical exams. Though she seemed to be absent here, she must be working somewhere like those assistants. At that moment, the evaluator spoke up. ¡°Bring that over.¡± At his words, Several assistants went outside, and after some struggling, they pushed a cart inside, carrying something with a groan. ¡°A device?¡± A small metal box. With their strained expressions, it seemed like they had compressed the size while maintaining the mass, resembling a device. Soon, more assistants joined to laboriously lift the cart. ¡°¡­.¡± It¡¯s not like they were pantomiming. Watching them move small boxes around was somewhat comical. But no one dared to burst out laughing at the sight. ¡°Their gaze is fierce.¡± The assistant officials standing behind them were wide-eyed. Those who seemed to hold higher positions seemed to convey this message with their eyes. ¡°If you laugh, you know what will happen. You¡¯ll be done for.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll remember those who laugh.¡± ¡°Wait until you¡¯re admitted, juniors.¡± Their gaze was exactly like that. As a result, for test-takers who didn¡¯t want to be out of favor with their seniors even before passing, it was crucial to suppress their emotions desperately. ¡°Pfft!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Then, someone burst into laughter. At that moment, the threat that was directed towards all the test-takers shifted towards the one who had burst into laughter. And what happened next was¡­ Bubbling. The test-taker couldn¡¯t withstand the threat, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed. The evaluator clicked their tongue at the sight. ¡°To think someone who aspires to be a student at Geumgang Academy faints at this level of pressure, they must really underestimate us. Disqualified. Assistant! Take them away!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As if they had been waiting for that moment. The assistant officials, answering with a resounding voice, dragged away the collapsed test-taker. ¡°I wonder if Saeun would be like that too¡­¡± Saeun, being the student council president, probably wouldn¡¯t be moving those boxes. But she might still be acting like the assistant officials, eyes wide open. Even though it¡¯s hard to imagine the kind of threat the student council president would emit, I can¡¯t help but think that there might be a high number of failures in the exam hall where she is present. ¡°Starting now, we will activate the device, so everyone please move back.¡± Around that time, the evaluator infused mana into the small box. Whoosh! The small box reacted. The box enveloped in light rapidly expanded in size. Before long. ¡°¡­.¡± In the place where the small box was, now stood a massive iron gate. It was about the size of a three-story building. As I raised my head to inspect the gate, I noticed something peculiar. ¡°¡­The gate is divided.¡± The massive iron gate had seams at regular intervals. By observing this, one could deduce that smaller gates were connected above the small gate, and even larger gates were connected above those. And so, the iron gate was made up of five doors. It was the assessment officer who explained it back then. ¡°As you can see, this gate consists of five doors. Test-takers, you just need to open this gate with your hands.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you can open even one door, you pass the first round of the exam. If you can¡¯t open any, then pack up and go back. During your stay permitted in the Academy City, you can tour around the city. Travel agencies will be waiting for test-takers at the main gate.¡± Was that supposed to be a joke? No one laughed after hearing the assessment officer¡¯s explanation. Meanwhile, assistant officers were installing additional iron gates. ¡°Please choose a door you like. The assistant officers in charge will evaluate you no matter which door you choose. The exam will continue until the start of the second round, so feel free to try as many times as you want. Just make sure to follow the order.¡± And so, the exam begins. At that moment¡­ ¡°Wowww!¡± Numerous test-takers in the exam room rushed towards the iron gates scattered around, trying to secure a quick turn. Iron gate-opening exam. The iron gates were not only tall but also quite thick. Hence, even opening one door seemed to be quite a challenging task. ¡°Ughhh!¡± As the exam began, the test-takers who had rushed to claim the iron gates first were all struggling. Even with their faces turning red, the iron gates remained shut despite their efforts. ¡°It¡¯s been 1 minute. Please make way for the test-takers waiting behind.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Ten minutes had passed since the exam started. Not a single person had managed to open a door yet. ¡°Why won¡¯t it open!?¡± Those who failed to open the doors and got pushed back in line grumbled and vented their frustration. The next person, and the one after that, were no less discontent. ¡°It¡¯s not opening easily, huh.¡± The line was just too long. I, still not in line, watched from the back as the test-takers ahead struggled with the exam. ¡°Well, it¡¯s understandable.¡± Even the smallest door seemed to be at least 2 meters high. Unless it was a business, opening that door required drawing upon bodily mana to enhance physical abilities. ¡°Open up, damnn!¡± However, the test-takers trying to open the door were not doing it well. The mana they manifested to enhance their strength seemed to be flying away into the air instead of staying within their bodies, the distribution of mana on their arms was far from uniform. From that, one could speculate¡­ ¡°Is this a test to see how well one can utilize internal mana?¡± I muttered as thoughts came to mind. Yeongha nodded in response. ¡°It seems not just about that. If it was merely about assessing control over internal mana, wouldn¡¯t one iron door have been sufficient? Five seems excessive.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I think they might be evaluating comprehensive mana abilities. When that person just touched the iron door, I observed changes occurring, like measuring the amount of internal mana. Perhaps the iron door is measuring various elements as well?¡± When it came to interpreting mana, Yeongha excelled more than me. I nodded at her words and continued to observe the situation. At that moment, the examinee who opened the iron door appeared for the first time. Kugugu. ¡°Examinee number 6321, 1 piece. Pass.¡± ¡°Great!¡± The examinee holding a grey admission ticket was delighted. Although they only opened the first iron door, since no one had managed it until now, all eyes naturally focused on them. Subsequently, more successful examinees emerged. ¡°Examinee number 282, 1 piece. Pass.¡± ¡°Examinee number 4389, 2 pieces. Pass.¡± ¡°Examinee number 3256, 1 piece. Pass.¡± ¡°Examinee number 1875, 2 pieces¡­.¡± Unlike the examinees who failed in their haste to open the door, those patiently waiting for their turn calmly opened the iron doors with confident faces. ¡°Don¡¯t rush to open the door first! I knew it would be like this from the start. Well then, I¡¯ll leave!¡± The line began to shorten rapidly. By then, Yongha and Sinna eagerly joined the line. ¡°Watching others open the door helped me figure out some tricks, and I can¡¯t keep waiting, so I should try too. Gyounu, Haneul! See you next time!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go too!¡± Goeunbi and the triplets also moved. ¡°Should we start lining up too?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that.¡± Yeongha and I decided to wait and find a line that seemed about to move quickly. ¡®Opening three doors is the current record.¡¯ With that thought in mind, I looked for Yongha. Yongha, who had lined up before us, was about to have her turn soon. Before long. ¡°Next! Examinee number 6666.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yongha¡¯s turn had arrived. As if itching from waiting, he adjusted his joints with a crackling sound and walked toward the door. ¡°¡­.¡± With a background as a descendant of the Yisung clan and perhaps due to his black admission ticket. The eyes of the test-takers were focused on Yonghaerang. Even the invigilators showed interest in him, and the evaluators were about to step forward to assess his abilities. ¡°Hoo.¡± With both palms pressed against the iron gate, Yonghaerang concentrated without being conscious of those gazes. A moment later. ¡°Pasha!¡± Letting out a loud shout. Yonghaerang, who opened his eyes, finally began to push the iron gate. Kugugu¡­. However, contrary to people¡¯s expectations, the mere act of the first iron gate opening did not feel refreshing at all. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± But I realized belatedly. Right now, Yonghaerang. ¡°Crazy¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pushing it open with just your strength right now?¡± He was showcasing a sight of opening the door purely with sheer force, without a hint of manifesting internal mana. Sounds of amazement erupted from all around at Yonghaerang¡¯s feat. Kugugu¡­. At that moment, veins on his arms, visible outside his black uniform, twisted vividly and swelled up. And the second gate shook. Witnessing that scene. ¡°¡­.¡± I could see the evaluator, seemingly forgetting what to say, unable to close his mouth. ¡°Kkyuk!¡± However, Yonghaerang encountered an obstacle at the third iron gate. The third gate did not budge. It was only then that Yonghaerang finally unleashed his mana explosively. ¡°Pasha!¡± Wind blew around Yonghaerang. It was the physical force exerted by the mana he manifested with strong determination. That mana altered the current. Kugugu. ¡°¡­.¡± With a smoother sound than before, the third gate trembled. No, not just the third gate¡­. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s moving¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even the fourth iron gate was responding. The eyes of the people widened at the muttered words filled with astonishment. ¡®Impressive.¡¯ I was no exception. Indeed, could I be considered a person from the prestigious medical community? The power of Yonghaerang was unparalleled. And so. ¡°Examinee number 6666¡­ 4 subjects, passed.¡± Yonghaerang, for the first time in this examination room, opened the fourth iron door. The evaluators, while acknowledging his abilities, wore expressions of disbelief. ¡°Sigh¡­. What a relief.¡± Meanwhile, Yonghaerang wiped the sweat off his chin with the back of his hand, gazing up at the iron door he had opened. His face seemed refreshed, as if he had exerted all his strength. Then, he swiftly turned around. In the direction his steps were taking him¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± For some reason, I was there. Yonghaerang smiled at me. Approaching me, he said, ¡°You can handle this much too, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± With those words, Yonghaerang lightly patted my shoulder and walked past. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Is he considering me a rival? Even though I¡¯m avoiding being his sparring partner with that guy¡­.¡± It was a completely uncomfortable situation. As for myself, I could only earnestly hope for a strong competitor to appear quickly and divert Yonghaerang¡¯s attention. Since then, there were examinees who managed to open the iron doors up to the fourth. Very rarely. They all came from prestigious families, who had been training relentlessly since childhood to become hunters. Thus, compared to other examinees, they were able to demonstrate sufficient skills. ¡°Talent is crucial for a hunter, but the environment and effort supporting it cannot be ignored.¡± Moreover, those from prestigious families had a high likelihood of possessing talent. Even if someone not born into a prestigious family had talent, it was nearly impossible to surpass their talent, time, environment, and effort to the same extent. The difference between those from prestigious families and those who were not was thus established. ¡°In a way¡­ that difference is determined from birth.¡± Unfortunately, that¡¯s how the world works. Unfair and unjust. Some are blessed without wanting it, while others desperately wish for it but never receive it. Some have natural talent and environment, while others do not. Those born into prestigious families continue to enjoy authoritative lives and rule, while those who are not live under their influence, supporting them, and also being exploited. Especially in a world striving to create superior hunters. ¡°Now it¡¯s Goeunbi¡¯s turn.¡± However, that doesn¡¯t mean the world is completely blocked in that way. Even though it¡¯s very narrow. There is a way up. Depending on having a very special talent or compensating for the difference with one¡¯s firm determination and effort. Even if the skills of the prestigious family members are striking now, in three years, when they graduate from Geumgang Academy, the outcome could be different. ¡°Whoosh!¡± A prime example of this is Goeunbi. Not being from a prestigious family, she is currently just a ranger who is slightly better than average, but depending on the progression of the story and the player¡¯s abilities, she was a character showing noticeable growth. ¡°So, it was quite satisfying to raise her.¡± Such a girl was opening an iron gate. Using her body¡¯s mana to boost her physical abilities, she forcefully opened the iron gate. And so. ¡°Ah, out of breath¡­¡± Goeunbi, wearing a green exam badge, opened up to the third iron gate. Considering she wasn¡¯t from a prestigious family, her grades were quite decent. ¡°You did well.¡± I silently praised Goeunbi. Then I found the triplets opening the iron gates in succession. ¡°If the three of us join forces, it¡¯s a piece of cake to open all the gates¡­¡± The triplets achieved the same grades as Goeunbi side by side. I roughly read their lips and clicked my tongue. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s cheating.¡± Anyone would open all the gates if three joined forces. Still, considering their coordination, three were much stronger than one. It would have been nice if they opened up to the fourth, but evaluating the triplets as a group, it wasn¡¯t all that bad that each of them opened up to the third. Meanwhile, before we knew it¡­ ¡°Next examinee! Please come forward.¡± The people in front all disappeared, and it was my turn with Yeon Haneul. The assistant called us without distinguishing the order. I said to Yeon Haneul, ¡°Go on, Yeon Haneul.¡± ¡°Um, why do I have to go first? And am I supposed to be your Pok¨¦mon? Treating a person like a Pok¨¦mon¡­¡± ¡°Yeon Haneul, I¡¯ve decided on you.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± She didn¡¯t accept any refusals. I lightly tapped Yeon Haneul on the back. Finally giving up on arguing, she headed towards the creaky iron gate. ¡°¡­¡± Just like Yonghaelan did a while ago. The sounds in the exam room subsided. The test-takers were so engrossed in giving their attention to Yeonhaneul that they almost forgot about the exam itself, and even the proctors glanced at her. The evaluators swiftly turned their bodies and took steps towards her. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Haneul, stay strong.¡± Yeonhaneul felt burdened by all the attention she was receiving. Unable to breathe behind me, she kept looking back at me or took deep breaths repeatedly. I cheered for her. Before long¡­ ¡°I will take the test.¡± Yeonhaneul, done with her deep breaths, reached out her hand to the iron gate. ¡°Hoo.¡± Yeonhaneul exhaled evenly. As her mana manifested in response, it swirled around her body. Mana, spreading from the center of her palm, wrapped around the entire iron gate. ¡°¡­.¡± The density of the mana was evident just by looking at it with the naked eye. People seemed astonished by its density. I could hear the sound of people gasping around me. ¡°Ready.¡± At that moment, Yeonhaneul pushed the iron gate. Creak. The first iron gate smoothly slid open without a creak. Creak. The second iron gate was no different. Even though it seemed like she didn¡¯t exert much force, it moved smoothly. Creak. ¡°¡­.¡± The third iron gate was the same. People¡¯s eyes widened. Even the evaluators had their mouths agape. Creak. In no time, the fourth iron gate was pushed open. People¡¯s faces stiffened. ¡°Hoo.¡± Only then did Yeonhaneul exhale the breath she was holding and stopped pushing the iron gate. But it didn¡¯t end there. ¡°Hoo.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± After regulating her breathing, Yeonhaneul started opening the iron gate again. The half-opened iron gate twitched and creaked. The fifth iron gate responded. Kugugu¡­. Though less smooth than before. The fifth iron gate also moved. From then on, she pushed the iron gate with each step, exerting force. And thus. ¡°Huah.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeonha opened all five iron gates successfully. Having stepped beyond the iron gate, she turned back. ¡°I¡¯ve opened the gate.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± With a shy face. Yeonha spoke to the evaluator. In response, the evaluator, who couldn¡¯t gather his thoughts for a while, replied in a trembling voice. ¡°Testee 5,5784¡­ 5 gates, passed.¡± ¡ª Chapter 46 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 45 Chapter 45 Once the test number is confirmed, the information recorded on the test ticket is automatically saved in the database. The instructors in charge of the practical exam could freely access the information stored in that database. ¡°How many testees were eliminated in the qualification exam?¡± ¡°14.2%.¡± ¡°14.2%¡­. That was about the same as last year. They were screened reasonably.¡± ¡°Yet, there are still that many testees. There are quite a lot this year too.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s Geumgang Academy.¡± Geumgang Academy, Practical Exam Management Office. The instructors who didn¡¯t enter the first practical exam room checked the situation of the testees and chuckled. Despite the screening in the written and qualification exams, the number of testees still exceeded 10,000. Although it was an annual occurrence, from the perspective of managing the practical exam, there was nothing to do but be amazed. ¡°So, how many candidates are taking the first exam?¡± ¡°¡­13,492.¡± ¡°About 4 to 5 times the number.¡± Even just in the combat department at Geumgang Academy, there were over 10,000 students. Therefore, at least 3,000 students were enrolled per grade. The number of first-year incoming students scheduled for this year was roughly estimated to be around that, so it can be said that four to five times the admission capacity of examinees took the practical exam. If it¡¯s just in the combat system, but if you add non-combat and administrative systems, the number of examinees will increase even more. Therefore, there was no choice but to give them various discriminative evaluations in detail. The qualification exam was one of them. ¡°What¡¯s the score distribution of the candidates?¡± ¡°About 34% are white. Among them, 60% only solved one question.¡± ¡°The majority of them will naturally be screened out during the exam. What about the other colors?¡± ¡°Grey 22.8%, yellow 17.7%, green 12.3%, red 8.4%, blue 3.6%, and finally black at 1.6%.¡± ¡°There are quite a few black candidates.¡± ¡°Even with 1.6%?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it means there are around 200 of them, so it¡¯s quite a number, isn¡¯t it.¡± ¡°These guys are definitely going to pass.¡± The qualification exam only tested qualifications; it did not solely determine the examinee¡¯s success. However, by solving all the questions carefully crafted by the instructors to provide discrimination, one could expect that those who obtained a black exam ticket had the ability to pass in the end. Unless an unforeseen event occurred. At that moment, someone spoke up. ¡°The first practical exam has started.¡± Dozens of screens installed in the control room were projecting each exam room. Through the screens, the instructors could see the examinees lining up in front of the iron gates. [Squeak!] ¡°¡­.¡± Soon, they began pushing the iron gates. The instructors watched them quietly, then one by one, they started to speak up. ¡°It won¡¯t open?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t open any of them.¡± ¡°They¡¯re eliminated.¡± ¡°The mana control is sloppy.¡± ¡°They must have white exam tickets.¡± The first practical exam of opening the iron gates. The five gates were designed to open only when specific conditions were met. At this point, the condition for opening the first gate did not require a high level of difficulty. What the instructors demanded first was how well one could control their internal mana while enhancing their physical abilities. They just needed to show that level. Yet, the examinees shown on the screen were struggling, unable to handle their internal mana properly. ¡°Can they become hunters like this?¡± Those who can¡¯t even open the first gate don¡¯t have the qualification to set foot in this world. They would just die if they did. The instructors clicked their tongues in disapproval. [¡­th examinee. Pass with 1, pass.] [Pass with 2.] On the other hand, even the successful candidates who opened the iron doors failed to capture the instructors¡¯ attention. The first iron door was merely a test of basic qualities. The second iron door was similar. To demonstrate the qualities of a great hunter, one had to open at least up to the third door. And it was at that moment. [Crash!] ¡°¡­Where is that sound coming from?¡± The instructors, upon hearing the loud noise, turned their heads towards a single screen. In that screen, an examinee dressed in black was opening the iron door. ¡°¡­Is he opening it with sheer strength?¡± ¡°Who is that guy, really?¡± The instructors were astonished to see him open the second iron door with pure physical strength alone. However, they deduced and understood his identity through the attire he was wearing. ¡°If he¡¯s wearing that attire, he must be from the Medical Dragon Clan.¡± ¡°If his surname on the black exam sheet is ¡®Yong¡¯¡­ Ah, it¡¯s this guy. Yong Haerang.¡± One of the Ten Gates, the Medical Dragon Clan. A person from a clan that minimizes reliance on weapons and instead employs combat skills based on physical prowess was expected to show remarkable abilities. Nevertheless, even though he managed to open up to the fourth door without utilizing mana, it was still quite a surprising feat. But unfortunately¡­ ¡°Even if he were to manifest mana at the end, is opening up to the fourth door his limit?¡± Yong Haerang, despite opening up to the fourth door, failed to open the fifth door. It was an inevitable outcome. ¡°To open the fifth door, one¡¯s internal mana must support it. Still, what he accomplished is quite remarkable.¡± The amount of internal mana was considered an innate quality that was difficult to improve through effort alone. It was an exceedingly valuable trait. The purpose of the fifth door was to find examinees possessing such a quality. In reality, no matter how exceptional a person may be, without a substantial amount of internal mana, they would be unable to progress beyond the fourth door. ¡°That kid is¡­¡± ¡°Upon investigation, he¡¯s from the Black Magic Ogre lineage.¡± ¡°It seems even those from the clans within the Ten Gates find it challenging to open the fifth.¡± As a result, while examinees like Yong Haerang occasionally emerged who could open up to the fourth door, those who could reach the fifth door had yet to appear. And then it happened. ¡°Hmph, nothing special.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Someone opened the fifth iron door. The instructors all turned to look at the screen where the figure appeared. ¡°What is the name of that examinee?¡± ¡°I will look it up right now.¡± A woman with flowing red hair. As she turned around, her black exam badge was reflected on the screen along with her golden eyes. ¡°She is Min Arin from the Mado Minga!¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°¡­So it was Mado Minga.¡± ¡°It seems that the granddaughter favored by the head of Mado Minga is that child.¡± Mado Minga, one of the ten noble families. The instructors confirmed her background and then showed signs of recognition. It was widely known among them that she possessed significant talent and had applied to the Golden River Academy. No, she was not the only one known in such a manner. There were two more noble families. [May I go now?] [Examinee number¡­, 5. Passed.] A woman blinked her green eyes, her face showing little emotion. She was also from one of the ten noble families, wearing a black exam badge. Cha Eun-sol of the Circulating Cha family. ¡°What. Is this the end?¡± Similarly, another woman wearing a black exam badge pursed her lips. With wavy gray hair and purple eyes. Nam Yoori of the Yeonsung Nam family. Her family was also part of the ten noble families. ¡°From Mado Minga to Circulating Cha, Yeonsung Nam¡­ to produce talents like them, it¡¯s truly remarkable.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what they did, but it¡¯s impressive indeed.¡± Cha Eun-sol and Nam Yoori, along with Min Arin, were the examinees that the instructors paid attention to. They admired and rejoiced purely at the talents of these three individuals. The determination of the three noble families to create superior talents was intimidating, but their presence benefiting humankind and entering the Golden River Academy was something to be celebrated. At that moment, another person who opened the fifth iron door appeared. [The door is open.] A shy woman. The instructors turned their gaze towards her, with her rabbit ears. ¡°Test number 5784? Who is this?¡± ¡°Is she also from a prestigious family?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look it up right away!¡± ¡°Where did she come from?¡± ¡°Wait, with those rabbit ears¡­.¡± ¡°For now, her name is Yeonha. She¡¯s not from a prestigious family, but instead¡­ huh?¡± Although Yeon Ha lacked the attention compared to Min Arin, Cha Eun Sol, and Nam Yuri, she was undoubtedly also a subject of interest. Being famous as the Seven-Colored Witch and having become a mentor at Geumgang Academy this year under Hong Yena, her presence drew attention. ¡°¡­.¡± The instructors¡¯ gaze shifted to Hong Yena, who was quietly observing the practical exam in a corner. When their eyes met hers, ¡°Oh, why are you like this?¡± Hong Yena smiled faintly with a puzzled expression. The instructors had nothing but praise to offer her. ¡°So, you¡¯re a student of Instructor Hong Yena.¡± ¡°Where did they find such a person?¡± ¡°Now I understand how she showed such skills.¡± As the instructors lifted her spirits, Hong Yena responded playfully. ¡°I suppose I have good luck with students. It¡¯s all thanks to Haneul¡¯s good work.¡± Yeon Ha opened all the iron doors. ¡°Wow¡­ what¡¯s with her?¡± ¡°Who is she? Even the direct disciples of the Medical Association¡¯s Iron Gate couldn¡¯t open all the doors¡­.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the Seven-Colored Witch¡¯s apprentice.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although everyone in the exam room seemed surprised by this, I had actually predicted the outcome before she opened the doors. I could see her status window. ¡°If she couldn¡¯t open the iron doors with those stats, it would be evidence of negligence in training. If that were the case, I would have been in trouble.¡± Murmurs filled the room. Listening to the commotion, I checked Yeon Ha¡¯s status window. [Personal Information] Name: Yeon Ha (Female, 17 years old) Title: Apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch and 1 other [+Detailed Information] Affiliation: Laon Middle School [Gift Possession] Division [Physical Abilities] Endurance: 30 ¡ú 54 Strength: 28 ¡ú 52 Resilience: 30 ¡ú 53 Agility: 32 ¡ú 56 Magic Power: 75 ¡ú 84 Luck: 20 ¡ú 27 Remaining Points: 0 The magic power figure was 84. That pretty much said it all. Even before the game story began, possessing a magic power figure like mine, Yeonha was a monster. ¡°If one of the stats exceeds 80, they are considered strong among active hunters, but she¡­¡± I once again examined Yeonha¡¯s magic power and clicked my tongue. ¡°Ugh, embarrassing¡­¡± Yet, she seemed oblivious to how much of a monster she was. Yeonha dashed over and, without letting go of the hand clinging to my shoulder from behind, tried to shield me. I spoke to her. ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? Everyone thinks highly of you for that. Enjoy it with confidence, okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as you make it sound. And she keeps staring at me so intensely, it¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± ¡°She? Who¡¯s she?¡± ¡°There, she¡¯s the one.¡± Yeonha let out a groan. I turned my head towards where she gently pointed. ¡°¡­Yongha?¡± ¡°Yeah, that guy. He¡¯s still watching us.¡± Yongha was among the test-takers. He stood with his arms crossed, showing his white teeth and looking at us. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to go to the second exam room?¡± I never expected Yongha to still be lingering around the exam room. I felt uneasy. ¡°You¡¯re not staring at me, are you?¡± ¡°No, ever since I opened the iron gate, it feels like your gaze is following me.¡± ¡°Then you must be trying to acknowledge my strength and suggest we become sparring partners.¡± ¡°Spar partners? What¡¯s that? Just the sound of it doesn¡¯t feel right¡­¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking?¡± ¡°Anyway, I find guys like him burdensome. His eyes feel like they¡¯re devouring me!¡± ¡°Even if he devours you, I¡¯ll devour him, so don¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Just what it means.¡± That only I can torment you¡­ Wait, no. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. ¡°Why are you suddenly stopping mid-sentence? What does that mean?¡± If I hand over Yeonha to Yongha as my sparring partner instead of me, then maybe I could feel at ease. It seemed like a reasonable solution. Making Yeonha a temporary measure until Kanghanbyeol appears. ¡°Sorry to Heaven, but surprisingly, not a bad idea.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I looked down at Yeonha, who was strangely persistent in questioning me. The examiners called for me at that moment. ¡°Test-taker number 1532! Aren¡¯t you coming!?¡± Since Yeonha¡¯s turn was over, it was now my turn. I couldn¡¯t stay like this forever. ¡°I¡¯m going to take the test.¡± ¡°Tsk, without telling me¡­ Good luck on the test.¡± Grumbling. Yeonha shot me a look of discontent. Yet, she didn¡¯t forget to cheer me on. Encouraged by her support, I walked towards the iron gate. ¡°It looks huge from here.¡± I didn¡¯t realize how big it was from behind. The iron gate was indeed massive and towering. Standing in front of the iron gate, I felt like a tiny existence. But to enter the world of hunters, I had to open this iron gate. ¡°Hoo.¡± Preparing to manifest my mana. I placed my hands on the iron gate. And as I manifested my mana, I exerted force on the hand pushing the gate. Kugugu. The first iron gate was pushed open lightly. Then, the second gate responded as well. Kugugu. The second gate moved. From then on, more force was required. It was astonishing to open the second gate with just my physical strength and mana. Kugugu. Yet, I didn¡¯t give up. I enhanced my physical abilities further. As the third gate began to shake momentarily, it started to open. Putting more strength into it there¡­ ¡°It moved.¡± The fourth gate showed a slight movement too. Hearing the creaking sound of the gate, I took a deep breath and pushed the gate again. Then, the fourth gate squeaked. It was trying to open. Kugugu. If I exert more force here, maybe I can open the fifth gate too. I drew out mana from within me, which I had rotated several times, enhancing my physical abilities as the azure mana danced around me. ¡°¡­Dammit.¡± However, there were limits to raising physical abilities. If I tried to infuse more mana, my muscles and nervous system could burst. In the end, even if I opened all the gates, it would only be a loss for me. There was no guarantee that I could open them all, and this test wasn¡¯t just about this. Ultimately, this was it. ¡°Too bad.¡± Opening up to the fourth gate was already a great achievement. Young Hanuel could open the fifth gate because his mana levels were high, but for me, with lower mana levels, the fourth gate was the maximum. ¡°If only my mana levels were a bit higher, I could have opened it.¡± I did well. Yet, the regret remained. I attempted to collect my mana from within. It was right at that moment. Crackle! A sudden sound reached my ears. A sound akin to static. Crackle! The sound kept resonating. Despite my efforts to push with all my might, trying to force open the fifth iron door that wouldn¡¯t budge, I unknowingly found myself looking down at the floor, then raised my head. ¡°¡­.¡± In front of me, an iron door appeared. And I could see mana sparking around. ¡®Wall lightning? No, it¡¯s not wall lightning.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t electricity. It was a spark caused by mana with conflicting properties colliding due to their opposing natures. Seeing that spark, a question arose in me. ¡®Why are they conflicting?¡¯ There was no reason for mana to conflict. The mana swirling around me was the mana I had released. For a conflict to occur, there needed to be mana with properties that repelled against mine. However, atmospheric mana is fundamentally uncontrolled by anyone and doesn¡¯t possess any specific properties. There was no reason for my mana to conflict with atmospheric mana. Furthermore, for my mana, which has a strong affinity for the light attribute, to conflict¡­ ¡®Ah.¡¯ It dawned on me suddenly. Just a while ago, Yeonha opened five iron doors by releasing a vast amount of mana externally. Her mana had a high affinity for the darkness attribute that conflicted with the light attribute. Her mana lingering in the atmosphere was now conflicting with mine. ¡®So that¡¯s it.¡¯ Crackle. The mana I had externally released to open the fifth iron door was continuously creating sparks by conflicting. Crackle! It was a situation where the mana could explode uncontrollably, regardless of my will. Dangerous. I needed to immediately stop the manifestation of internal mana and move away. Crackle! Even my instinct to dodge was heightened. The current flowed down my spine. I immediately controlled the forced manifestation of the instinct to dodge with my instinct control skill. ¡®Maybe it¡¯ll work¡­¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure if it would go as I thought. There was no certainty of success. I understand when I try. So, I decided to try. Sizzle! ¡°Exam candidates! Quickly gather your mana! Otherwise, an explosion¡­!¡± Boom! Without raising physical abilities any further, I recklessly manifested mana within my body, stimulating a contradictory phenomenon. The sparks grew larger and faster. It was noticeable to others as well. Only then did the evaluators, taken aback, shout to stop me. I ignored their voices. Boom! The sparks exploded. I did not move from my spot. ¡°This level of explosion can be blocked by my endurance stats.¡± But whether I can block an even stronger explosion, I do not know. So, instinct to evade. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, listen to me.¡± I pleaded with my instinct to evade. Was my wish granted? Crackle! The instinct to evade responded. At that moment, a surge of strength emanated from my body. The instinct sensing danger had lifted the restrictions on the power in my brain. Grrr¡­. I immediately pushed the iron door. The fifth iron door trembled. Just a little more here. Crackle! Grrr¡­. It moves. Ever so slightly, the fifth iron door began to move. Grrr¡­. I gritted my teeth. With legs firmly planted on the ground, I exerted all my strength to open the iron door. Boom! Mana exploded in the surroundings. I paid no attention to the explosion and focused solely on opening the iron door. And so¡­ ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Opening the fifth iron door, I stepped through to the other side. Chapter 47 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 46 Chapter 46 Deungjeongno Dogyeonwoo of the Shingeom Do. Rumors about him were abundant, yet nothing was definitively confirmed. Due to his young age to venture out into the world, he had been solely active within the Shingeom Do, refraining from external engagements. Rumors, by nature, carry a certain consistency, allowing one to grasp the essence to some extent through their flow. However, the rumors surrounding Dogyeonwoo lacked any coherence, making it impossible to discern the essence. ¡°Who is he? Seems quite friendly with the Seventh Witch¡¯s apprentice.¡± ¡°Oh, could it be him? The one who¡¯s known the Seventh Witch¡¯s apprentice since childhood. So¡­¡± ¡°The one from the Shingeom Do? What was his name¡­¡± ¡°Number 1532¡­ Dogyeonwoo.¡± ¡°He was from the Shingeom Do.¡± ¡°Then, is he the one with her? The prodigy of the Shingeom Do¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s a different person. His name was probably Doseungwoo¡­ Oh, his exam number was 2368.¡± ¡°What color was his exam badge?¡± ¡°Sky blue.¡± ¡°So, what about his?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ black.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s considered a prodigy in the Shingeom Do, doesn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s the most talented among his generation? But now, Dogyeonwoo¡¯s grades are even better than that prodigy¡¯s?¡± ¡°Well¡­ that could be possible. Even if one excelled as a prodigy in the past, they could fall behind as they grow older. We usually call someone a prodigy who has worked hard and shown improvement. When talent is added, they become a genius. Prodigies aren¡¯t inherently special.¡± ¡°And although their skills are commendable, if they lack distinctiveness, they¡¯re called prodigies by default. Was 2368 in that category?¡± ¡°If he truly had exceptional talent, he would have been known by a distinctive name like Dosieun of the same family, like a flash in the pan.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave the prodigy talk there. So, what are the examinees with black badges called?¡± ¡°Rabbits.¡± ¡°Young lions.¡± ¡°Are you insulting me now?¡± ¡°No! They call him a young lion at the Shingeom Do.¡± ¡°What nonsense! It¡¯s rabbits.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°¡­So, which is it?¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Rabbit.¡± ¡°Young lion.¡± ¡­ The answers from the instructors were conflicting. Some called Doyeonwoo a rabbit, saying he was a coward who fell behind in the New Sword Competition. Others denied the rumor, stating he was acknowledged by the head of the New Sword School and called a young lion. Then there were those who argued that the nickname was derogatory, while others countered it was a form of praise. And so¡­ ¡°A rabbit?¡± ¡°A young lion?¡± ¡°Calling him a young lion! Doesn¡¯t ¡®young lion¡¯ sound too derogatory?¡± ¡°I heard through reliable sources that the head of the New Sword School referred to him as a young lion.¡± ¡°¡­Hot-tempered.¡± Rumors about Doyeonwoo were extreme and inevitably divisive. In the end, the instructors present knew nothing about his talents and skills. ¡°We are now attempting to open the gate.¡± ¡­ Hence, the instructors focused on Doyeonwoo to definitively verify the truth behind the only rampant rumor. Through the test of opening the iron gate, they hoped to uncover even a fraction of the truth. They had no reason to doubt. Moments later. ¡°¡­He¡¯s opened up to the fourth gate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Isn¡¯t this quite impressive? Even the Dragon¡¯s Den of the Medical Association has only reached the fourth gate, and the New Sword School is known for its swordsmanship.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to have a high mana level, but since it¡¯s a school of swordsmanship, they won¡¯t use techniques that consume a lot of mana anyway¡­¡± ¡°The basics seem well-established. Muscle response isn¡¯t bad either. Seems like he hasn¡¯t neglected his training.¡± Doyeonwoo opened the fourth gate without showing any signs of struggle. The instructors who glimpsed his abilities showed no negative reactions. And at that moment. [Clang¡­] ¡°¡­¡± The gate that seemed like it wouldn¡¯t budge suddenly began to stir. The instructors, who had been watching over the other examinees, were taken aback and couldn¡¯t take their eyes off Doyeonwoo. ¡°Wait¡­ what am I witnessing?¡± ¡°¡­Did it move?¡± It wasn¡¯t a trick of the eye. All the gates were moving. The instructors¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°How did that move?¡± ¡°Was there a high amount of mana in their body?¡± ¡°No, that wouldn¡¯t be it.¡± ¡°If there was a high amount of mana in their body, the fifth iron gate would have reacted from the beginning.¡± ¡°So how on earth¡­.¡± The fifth iron gate, designed to open only when supported by a certain amount of mana within the body. The instructors couldn¡¯t find an explanation for the phenomenon they were denying. It was beyond their comprehension. ¡°¡­.¡± Therefore, the instructors¡¯ gazes naturally turned to the seven-colored witch, Hong Ye-na. They believed she might know something about her disciple¡¯s childhood friend. ¡°How is that even possible?¡± ¡°Does Instructor Hong Ye-na not know anything about that child? I heard they were very close, even like siblings.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I heard a story somewhere that Instructor taught magic to Do Yeon-woo¡­.¡± The instructors questioned Hong Ye-na more persistently than before. She, who was quietly observing from a corner as someone not involved in the test management, couldn¡¯t hide her awkward expression. It was a stark contrast to when she talked about Yeon-ha. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not particularly close with Yeon-hee, so I don¡¯t know much. I only taught her a little bit of magic.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hong Ye-na tried to remain clueless. She didn¡¯t want to get involved if possible. But the instructors¡¯ eyes remained on her. They were urging her to explain. ¡®Well, I guess there¡¯s no helping it.¡¯ In the end, she couldn¡¯t avoid their gaze and had to offer her own interpretation. ¡°I still think I know how they managed to open the fifth iron gate.¡± ¡°What was the reason?¡± ¡°Did you see the spark a moment ago? That was a phenomenon caused by conflicting mana with a rebellious nature.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, there was something like that. But why did it conflict? There shouldn¡¯t have been any conflicting elements there.¡± ¡°I briefly taught her, and I know that her mana has a high affinity for the light attribute.¡± ¡°Is it okay to reveal this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not classified information.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Please continue.¡± ¡°Yes, I will. And my disciple has an affinity for the dark attribute. However, when Haneul displayed a high density of mana within her body, the remnants lingered in the air instead of dissipating.¡± ¡°So, they conflicted? But what does that have to do with opening the fifth iron gate?¡± ¡°From here, it¡¯s just my speculation¡­.¡± Hong Ye-na deliberately drew out her words. She needed to carefully choose what to say and what not to say. She had to be cautious. ¡®If I make a mistake, Haneul might get involved because of Do Yeon-woo.¡¯ To open the fifth iron door, a certain level of internal mana is essential. However, the fact that the door has been opened means that either the standard of internal mana has dropped, or Do Gyunwoo¡¯s internal mana has increased enough in a short period to meet the standard. Since it is difficult to increase internal mana, the latter is naturally unlikely. So, if the standard has dropped, that means¡­ ¡°Perhaps the internal mana of the heavens somehow caused a malfunction in the iron door.¡± That possibility could not be ignored. It was a situation where there could be suspicions that Young Sky and Do Gyunwoo might have engaged in misconduct. Of course, they would not have engaged in misconduct. But to prove that would be quite a hassle. Misunderstandings could also arise. ¡°You can¡¯t just slap a label on a bright future and suggest they cheated in the exam.¡± Although she didn¡¯t like the idea of having to defend Do Gyunwoo in her heart, Hong Yena had to dispel the doubts of the instructors to protect Young Sky. ¡°Could it be that an explosion caused by conflicting forces boosted propulsion?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Similar to the nature of the Big Bang when light and darkness clashed and the universe was born¡­ Hong Yena wrapped nonsensical and absurd statements in scientific terms, leaving the instructors bewildered. ¡°Huh? But it kinda makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡± While inspiration dawned on her, she decided to focus on the immediate situation at hand. Fortunately, her efforts were recognized. ¡°Well, that seems plausible.¡± ¡°There¡¯s some logic to it.¡± ¡°Conflict between light and darkness¡­ chaos. Is this something for a research paper? Or something I¡¯d like to explore¡­¡± ¡°Light in darkness, darkness in light¡­¡± ¡°Luminescence.¡± ¡°The brightest light often exists in the darkest places¡­¡± Some instructors muttered as if they had realized something from her words. However, some seemed to agree while raising objections to the exam. ¡°Is it permissible to use external factors in an exam that purely assesses magical power? It seems to go against the rules¡­¡± ¡°Since the exam only required pushing the iron door with one¡¯s hand, it may not be unreasonable to say that rules weren¡¯t violated, right? The child didn¡¯t use any doping. In a way, that¡¯s also a skill, a talent.¡± Although she was just an observer of the exam, Hong Yena immediately countered. This led the instructors to take sides or start expressing opposing views. Debates erupted among the instructors. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, the Chief Supervisor spoke up. The instructors did not object but waited for the Chief Supervisor¡¯s judgment. ¡°As Instructor Hong Yena pointed out, it¡¯s difficult to consider the examinee as breaking the rules. However, before making such a judgment, wouldn¡¯t it be wise to first confirm if there is anything wrong with the iron door?¡± The Chief Supervisor asked solemnly. Upon hearing his decision, Hong Yena felt a sense of unease within her. ¡°Could someone go and check the iron gate, please?¡± ¡°I will go.¡± The head supervisor assigned a staff member for the task. There was no need to wait long for the results. [There seems to be nothing wrong with the iron gate.] ¡°I see.¡± The staff member who went to inspect the gate reported the results through the screen. Only then did Hong Ye-na relax her tension. However, doubts lingered in her mind. ¡°If the iron gate didn¡¯t malfunction, how on earth did it open?¡± Could it be that, in an instant, her mana levels increased, or even her mana efficiency and density rose, allowing her to open the gate? It was an unbelievable scenario. It wasn¡¯t like her brain¡¯s limit had been released, and some superhuman power had surged. Surely¡­! Was it implying that she recklessly threw herself into danger for the sake of her own body? Did she really believe that? ¡°Seriously¡­¡± She glanced at Do Yeon-woo, shaking her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t he a complete lunatic?¡± Even after knowing him for five years, she couldn¡¯t comprehend. Thanks to Do Yeon-woo, she felt like she was aging. She just wanted to live comfortably now. She thought it might be better to step down from her position as a staff member now and travel around instead. ¡ª Beyond the iron gate, there was nothing. Just a wall. As I turned my body from the wall, I was immediately met with countless gazes. ¡°It¡¯s as if the sky¡¯s mood is somewhat understandable.¡± ¡°¡­¡± From the other side of the iron gate I had crossed. People were staring at me as if they had made some kind of agreement. Their eyes, wide open without a word, made me uncomfortable. ¡°Stop staring.¡± Was it because of my mood? For some reason, it felt like more eyes were on me than on the young Ye-na receiving the attention. ¡°¡­¡± Deciding to leave quickly, I passed through the iron gate once again. Staying in the examination room like this, I wouldn¡¯t lose my focus. Even for that, I needed to receive the pass judgment from the evaluator. ¡°Evaluator.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Yes, examinee.¡± ¡°Am I approved?¡± ¡°¡­I forgot. Examinee number 1532, 5 items, approved. But is everything okay? You were involved in the explosion earlier¡­¡± ¡°As you can see, I seem fine, right?¡± ¡°Still, if you feel any discomfort, go to the infirmary for treatment.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± I knew my body well. There were no injuries. Although there were traces of the explosion on my clothes, even those could be removed with cleansing magic. Nodding my head to the evaluator and bidding farewell, I approached Yeonhae. She immediately started worrying. ¡°No injuries, right? Do you know how surprised I was earlier? No, if the iron door didn¡¯t open, that should have been the end of it. Why did you persist? What if you accidentally triggered mana overflow?¡± ¡°I never intended to go that far, and I was confident I could handle it. And if I stopped midway, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to open it up to the fifth one, right?¡± ¡°Still, wasn¡¯t it unnecessary to push yourself so hard? Even if you had only opened up to the fourth, it wouldn¡¯t have affected your approval, right?¡± ¡°On the other hand, the coins you receive after enrollment might decrease accordingly.¡± ¡°Goodness, how much of a difference could it make?¡± ¡°Still, the more, the better, right?¡± Not only the Geumgang Academy but also almost all academies in the Academy City issued a unique currency called coins and used it in various ways. For example, at the Geumgang Academy, you could use coins to purchase items or services sold within the academy, make reservations, or gain priority in course registration. So, it was best to receive as many coins as possible when you could. ¡®When else could I easily obtain coins?¡¯ That was the reason I had been aiming to enroll with high grades. Above all¡­ ¡°Haneul, think about it carefully.¡± ¡°Huh? About what?¡± ¡°If I only opened the iron door up to the fourth after you opened up to the fifth, how do you think people would perceive it?¡± ¡°Wow, they¡¯d think I¡¯m impressive?¡± ¡°Objectively speaking, that might be the case. But wouldn¡¯t you feel overshadowed by comparison with me?¡± ¡°Uh, well, that¡¯s¡­ um¡­¡± ¡°¡®Dogyeonwoo opened up to the fourth, but still can¡¯t beat Yeonhae.¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t you hear comments like that?¡± ¡°Did you do something risky just to avoid looking weak in front of those people?¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yeonhae understood well. I nodded contentedly. Then her eyes narrowed sharply. ¡°You seem like you¡¯re not that way, but subtly childish. Is that why you enjoy being in the spotlight?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it better than being underestimated?¡± ¡°Goodness¡­¡± Yeon Haneul seemed incredulous, but to me, it was a serious matter. ¡®Just because we¡¯re here, should we just ignore nonsense like whether we¡¯re cubs or lions, young or old, praised or insulted? Absolutely not.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t stand things that seemed trivial. To prevent any further leeway, it was necessary to draw a line. So, when the opportunity presented itself, I seized it without hesitation. ¡°Anyway, since we passed the first test, let¡¯s take a break somewhere until the second test begins.¡± ¡°Great idea. I¡¯ve been wanting to leave this place quickly too.¡± There was no longer any reason to stay here. I decided to leave the exam venue with Yeon Haneul. And that¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Do Gyunwoo! Gyunwoo!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why is he calling me? From a distance in the crowd, Yonghae was walking towards me, calling my name. Looking at his intense gaze, I felt a sense of foreboding. ¡°You did a great job enjoying the test! Your childhood friend was nice too, but I still prefer you¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Haneul, watch out!¡± ¡°See? You¡¯re uncomfortable too, right?¡± ¡°Hey! Where are you going? How about having a meal together and chatting!?¡± I¡¯m sorry, but I couldn¡¯t hear him. Quickly, before Yonghae could catch up, I left the exam venue with Yeon Haneul. ¡ª ¡°The second test is scheduled for 2 o¡¯clock, so feel free to rest until then and come to the designated location.¡± ¡°Where do we need to go?¡± ¡°All successful examinees from this exam venue should come to Dimension Room 105. You¡¯ll be taking the test at the artificial gate, so you need to wear these in advance.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± The assistant waiting outside the exam venue informed us about the practical part of the second test. After expressing our gratitude, we received the items distributed by other assistants. It was lunch prepared by Geumgang Academy and the artifacts used at the gate. ¡®Gate Watch and Screen Choker.¡¯ We knew how to use the artifacts without needing further instructions, having used them frequently in the evaluation battles at the Divine Sword Dojang. After ensuring that the artifacts were functioning properly, we turned around. ¡°Where should we eat?¡± ¡°True. Is there a quiet and serene place to have lunch around here?¡­ Oh, where are the Triplets?¡± ¡°They said they¡¯ll eat first among themselves, so let¡¯s meet at the second examination site.¡± ¡°I ditched because I didn¡¯t want to take the drink shuttle.¡± ¡°Oh, really. My strawberry milk¡­¡± ¡°If we see a vending machine or store on the way, let¡¯s buy from there.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Oh, look, there¡¯s a vending machine.¡± It feels lacking with just lunch boxes and water. Yeona and I bought drinks from a vending machine we saw on the way. Then we decided to find a suitable place to have lunch. ¡°Is that spot okay?¡± ¡°Luckily, the bench is empty.¡± Exam students who finished the first practical exam were occupying every available spot, making it hard to find a place. Still, fortunately, one was empty. We quickly rushed to that spot and sat down to prevent others from taking it. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± It was a famous spot with a view of the lake. Sitting on the bench, we quietly enjoyed the view of the lake. ¡°It¡¯s really impressive.¡± A lake of this size was occupying two more spots on the premises. Realizing the grandeur of Geumgang Academy, I forced a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m hungry, let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°Here, this is yours. Chopsticks are here too.¡± ¡°Thanks. Oh, I forgot to bring tissues.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have them in my bag.¡± We opened the lunch boxes. Despite the time that had passed since they were made, the lunch boxes, enchanted to preserve, still retained warmth. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a lot of meat?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just looking for meat.¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the foundation of a meal.¡± ¡°Well¡­ okay, I admit.¡± The meal was rich and substantial. Without needing to bring anything extra, it seemed like we could face the second practical exam with a full stomach. We finished lunch as it was. ¡°Is it that delicious?¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°It suits my taste perfectly.¡± ¡°Do you want some of my meat?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. You need it for strength.¡± ¡°Still, if you want some of mine, just say. Oh, I brought jelly.¡± ¡°I can have it after eating rice.¡± ¡°Is this vending machine good at making strawberry milk?¡± ¡°¡­Can it go well with rice?¡± ¡°This one. Do you drink it in one gulp?¡± ¡°Eating snacks while having a meal¡­.¡± ¡°Strawberry milk isn¡¯t a snack.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°¡­Meat?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather say it¡¯s a carrot.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s a carrot. My favorite.¡± As we enjoyed the view of the lake, our eyes were delighted, and our mouths were happy while eating. We spent time sitting on the bench even after having lunch. Until it was almost time for the second exam to begin. ¡°You should get your artifacts ready.¡± I took out the Gate Watch and Screen Choker I received from the assistant. I put them on. But Yeonha struggled. While the Gate Watch was on her wrist, she repeatedly failed to put on the Screen Choker around her neck. Yeonha frowned. ¡°Ugh¡­ my hair keeps getting in the way, I have to put it back again.¡± It couldn¡¯t be helped. I decided to help Yeonha. ¡°Give it here. I¡¯ll put it on for you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ then I¡¯ll ask for your help.¡± ¡°Tilt your head a bit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not head, it¡¯s hair.¡± ¡°Anyway.¡± Yeonha handed me the Screen Choker. She held her long hair with both hands, lifting it to reveal her neck. Standing behind her, I naturally could see the faint hairs on her neck. My gaze lingered on them subtly. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, not doing it?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°What were you thinking just now?¡± ¡°I was thinking about the test later.¡± ¡°Lie. You had a strange thought, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Just. Your neckline was pretty.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put on the choker. Stay still.¡± ¡°Uh, okay¡­.¡± As my hand touched the delicate nape of her neck, she flinched for a moment. Waiting for her tremble to subside, I carefully fastened the choker around her pure white neck from behind. ¡°Is the length okay? Not too tight?¡± ¡°A little tighter¡­ I think it¡¯s okay to tighten it a bit more.¡± ¡°How about this much?¡± ¡°¡­A little snugger.¡± ¡°Then, like this?¡± ¡°Yes, this feels good. Thank you.¡± ¡°Now that it¡¯s on, it reminds me of a collar on a fluffy pet.¡± ¡°¡­Out of the blue?¡± ¡°I remember putting a collar on my pet once, I hope I didn¡¯t tighten it too much¡­ I feel oddly sorry now.¡± ¡°Um, could you please not talk as if you¡¯re putting a collar on me? It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s starting to feel strangely nice.¡± ¡°If your pet could talk like you, it would probably say to tighten it securely, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a rabbit, you know!?¡± ¡°Should I write your name on it too? ¡®Yeongha¡¯, right. I¡¯ll even add my name and address on the back.¡± ¡°Are you going to keep teasing me? I¡¯m getting annoyed.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stop teasing. So, let me take a bit of the mana. I¡¯m sorry.¡± When Yeongha manifested her mana, her hair began to stand on end. I immediately removed my hand from her neck. ¡°Are you really going to be angry?¡± ¡°Instead, would you like me to put on my choker?¡± ¡°What? Hmm¡­ not a bad offer.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Why? You said I should go first. Turn around.¡± ¡°Okay, do as you please.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tighten it firmly. So you can¡¯t even breathe, can¡¯t think of anything else. So you won¡¯t tease me again.¡± ¡°¡­Are you telling me to die?¡± ¡°Well, you should¡¯ve been good to me.¡± ¡°You were good to me. Hey, it¡¯s too tig-¡° ¡°Alright, let me try it. Lovely, cute, and dear Yeongha.¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing coming from your mouth!¡± ¡°Lovely, cute, and dear Yeongha.¡± ¡°Lovelycuteanddear¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no sincerity in your words. Again.¡± ¡°Lovely¡­ cute¡­¡± ¡­I feel like my instinct to dodge is about to kick in. I wish it would kick in. ¡°Oh! I feel like I¡¯m going to open my eyes.¡± ¡°I¡­ feel like I¡¯m going to close mine¡­.¡± And so it continued for a while. We spent time by the lakeside and headed to take the second practical exam. [Entered the gate.] [Grey: Foggy Mountain Trail III] Chapter 48 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 47 Chapter 47 Grey Gate, Foggy Mountain Trail III. As I entered the gate, I looked around. ¡°Sea? Paved road? For now, it seems like there are no monsters nearby¡­¡± Me and other examinees, including Yeonha, were all standing on a two-lane road. To the sides of the road, vast sandy beaches and the blue sea came into view. If you listened closely, you could hear the sound of waves mingling among the sounds of horses. ¡°Where does this road lead to?¡± I then shifted my gaze along the road I was standing on. Behind me, the road was cut off in the middle, leaving only a blank white world. It meant that this gate did not reflect the world behind it. And in front of me¡­ ¡°A mountain?¡± Beyond the crowded road filled with examinees, a mountain covered in fog loomed. [I will now explain the conditions for clearing.] [This gate has already been cleared.] ¡°¡­¡± A message appeared before my eyes. Seeing that the gate had been cleared, it seemed like the test was not about clearing the gate. Then, a sound came from above. [I will now explain the details of the second practical exam.] ¡°¡­¡± Tiny wings fluttered in the sky, and spherical objects flew around. It was an artifact for transmitting images. Screen Eye. The sound was coming from there. [The road where all the exam candidates stand leads to the Misty Mountain.] Upon hearing these words, the people who had shown a flustered expression all turned their heads towards the mist-covered mountain. Nana and Yeonha also gazed at the mountain they had discovered a while ago. [At the peak of the Misty Mountain, an exit to the gate has been created. You must find your way to the exit at the peak of the Misty Mountain.] ¡°¡­.¡± [Depending on the time it takes to reach the exit, grades will be given differentially. Grades based on time will be calculated in 30-minute intervals, such as Grade 1 in 4 hours, Grade 2 in 4 hours and 30 minutes, Grade 3 in 5 hours, Grade 4 in 5 hours and 30 minutes.] Screens scattered around spoke. Listening to the explanation, I grasped the key point. So¡­. ¡°It¡¯s a battle against time.¡± Looking into the eyes of the exam candidates, it seemed like I wasn¡¯t the only one thinking that. They were preparing to run. Some exam candidates had already set off. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s reckless!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that guy cheating!?¡± [Until the start of the second practical exam, exam candidates are requested to wait within the lines marked on the ground. Any candidate who steps out of the line will be penalized without exception. So, come back immediately if you have stepped out.] The candidates who had been rushing ahead hurriedly returned inside the lines. The screen characters flying in the sky then proceeded with the explanation. [The second exam will begin shortly. Please quickly set the timer function on the gate watch.] ¡°¡­.¡± [Then we will start the countdown. 10, 9, 8, 7¡­.] As the sound of counting to 10 seconds was heard, the exam candidates no longer held any conversation. Only the sound of waves crashing from the sidelines could be heard, tension filling the air. [¡­5, 4, 3¡­.] Within that moment, I prepared to run. I channeled my inner mana, warming up my body. Finally, the countdown came to an end. [¡­1, 0.] The screen characters buzzed. [The second practical exam begins.] The exam candidates started running. * * * sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Don¡¯t dawdle in front, move aside!¡± ¡°Hey! Did you just hit me!?¡± The road wasn¡¯t narrow, but there were so many exam candidates. With everyone running in one direction, it was difficult to pass those ahead, and the road situation could only end up in a standstill. Because of this, while running on the road, you could hear disputes breaking out among the exam candidates. ¡®There seems to be no answer to this.¡¯ I sighed as I watched the students blocking the path and running ahead of me. They filled the space so densely that it seemed difficult to break through. However, just following them wouldn¡¯t lead to high scores. At that moment, Yeonha spoke. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°The second test. What exactly are the evaluators demanding from us in this test?¡± Although only 10 minutes had passed since the test began. The girl running alongside me didn¡¯t seem out of breath at all. Compared to the training she had undergone for five years, running on the road was an easy task for her, and she was almost sprinting to keep up with the students ahead of her. I was no different. ¡®Leaving that aside, what do you think?¡¯ Lost in thought for a moment at Yeonha¡¯s question, I spoke up. ¡°Since the first test was to confirm magical abilities, the second test is probably intended to test our physical stamina.¡± If it was a test of climbing a mountain, surely it was to assess physical endurance. So, including us students, we were running while conserving our energy instead of sprinting recklessly. The journey to the Misty Mountain was long, and to reach the summit from there, we needed to conserve our strength as much as possible. ¡°I also think so. But is that the only thing they demand? They mentioned it during the test briefing. The top grade must be achieved within 4 hours.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°If we keep running at this pace, can we reach it within 4 hours? Even assuming we don¡¯t stop for a break.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but it will be tough.¡± I replied without hesitation. Even before Yeonha raised the question, I had been pondering the issue. At this rate, we wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve the top grade. That was also why I thought there was no answer to this. In that sense¡­ ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re not just testing physical stamina, but also observing how we reach the summit.¡± I agreed with Yeonha¡¯s thoughts. Come to think of it, Screen Eye had also mentioned something about the test earlier. ¡®In any way, reach the top.¡¯ It could be said that blindly running on the road was not the only solution. We needed to come up with a different approach. ¡°The problem is how to arrange that.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Should we sweep them all aside? Then maybe we can lead the race.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that just waste time on fighting?¡± To achieve the top grade, Yeonha and I racked our brains. And it was at that moment. ¡°What, what¡¯s that!?¡± ¡°Are you flying?¡± Someone shouted, sounding surprised. Right after that, I could witness something quickly passing through the sky above the running road. I focused on that sight. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± A woman flying on a staff, her red hair fluttering wildly. She seemed determined to fly straight to the top of the mountain in one breath. ¡°¡­Minarin.¡± As far as I knew, there was only one female student with red hair who could pull off such a feat among the examinees, possessing high magical power and abundant mana. She was Minarin from the Mado household. ¡°So she was in the same exam hall.¡± She was a member of Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s party, a character in the game who was powerful, had strong self-esteem, and always had the obsession of being superior to others. Because of that, she clashed with Kang Hanbyeol a lot in the early stages of the story. ¡°If I clear Minarin¡¯s episode, I can recruit her as a party member, and her personality will change. She¡¯ll become a character who says one thing and does another, a shy and awkward character.¡± Of course, failing to clear the episode would lead to a bad ending. Soon, my thoughts drifted elsewhere. ¡°Come to think of it, in the game, did Minarin take the top spot in the entrance exam?¡± That¡¯s how I remembered my past life. Minarin would probably fly through the sky like that, achieve a grade of 1 in the second practical exam, and excel in other exams as well. As I looked away from her, who was getting farther, I opened my mouth. ¡°Hey, Sky.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you fly like that too?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not impossible. I could fly in a different way from her.¡± ¡°What way?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t see it clearly from afar, but it seemed like she used buoyancy magic to make herself and the staff lighter than air, maintained that state unchanged, and used acceleration magic. She also seemed to have added fire elemental magic as propulsion. In simple terms, it¡¯s like attaching boosters to a hot air balloon, I guess?¡± ¡°¡­You explain it well while running. But did you figure all that out from just a brief glance?¡± ¡°If you examine the overall structure of the spell formation, you can roughly grasp the idea. And I¡¯m using buoyancy magic myself right now. That¡¯s why running isn¡¯t difficult for me.¡± ¡°You were using it without me knowing?¡± ¡°You said before that it¡¯s better not to rely too much on magic.¡± ¡°Still, you could have at least told me.¡± ¡°I just did now.¡± ¡°Fine, you¡¯re good at it.¡± ¡°Are you sulking?¡± ¡°Finish what you were saying.¡± ¡°Right, where did we leave off¡­¡± ¡°How can you fly?¡± ¡°Oh, that. I was just thinking of flying with wind elemental magic.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s do the same.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I can fly alone, but it might be challenging to fly together with you. If I make a mistake, we could end up flying upside down. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Otherwise, a headache was bound to strike. I decided to abandon the idea of flying with her magic. ¡°So, you can do it alone then?¡± ¡°I should be able to manage on my own.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave you be and head to the mountain peak first. No need to accommodate me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that. It¡¯s only meaningful if we go together.¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t make it to the top grade?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be content just passing. Besides, I don¡¯t want to stand out if I get the top grade alone. I prefer not to draw attention if possible.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ll conserve your energy strategically?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about conserving energy¡­ It¡¯s about saving it strategically. Think about it. What if there¡¯s an unexpected variable on that mountain? That¡¯s why I¡¯ll save my internal mana just in case.¡± ¡°That actually makes sense.¡± Truth be told, I wasn¡¯t keen on spending hours climbing the mountain alone. I hoped for a companion by my side. So, I was grateful for Yeonhae¡¯s presence. ¡°Oh? Gyenwoo, look over there!¡± At that moment, Yeonhae pointed to the right. I followed her finger. Oh! Beyond the guardrail, the sea spread out. Suddenly, the sea was frozen. And atop the frozen sea¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Someone seemed to be lightly running as if stepping on solid ground. It was a petite woman. ¡°So she¡¯s in this exam too.¡± With gray hair and purple eyes. Enhancing my vision with internal mana, I could easily discern her features and realize she was also a character in the game. ¡°She¡¯s Nam Yuri of Yeongseong.¡± ¡°Oh, so she was from the Ten Clans. That¡¯s how she can freeze the sea? Freezing the sea isn¡¯t easy. To freeze the sea with magic, the process is intricate, and for a scale like this, it must consume a substantial amount of internal mana¡­¡± ¡°She probably didn¡¯t freeze the sea in the way you think.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°She might have altered the water molecule arrangement. Yeongseong¡¯s magic is developed in that aspect. Ah, alchemy. That¡¯s what it is to me.¡± From Noble mtl dot com Nam Yuri of Yeongseong. She was quite a troublesome figure. Becoming an enemy or an ally depending on the flow of the story. ¡°For now, it¡¯s best to avoid getting tangled up with Nam Yuri as much as possible.¡± Whether through the story or personality, getting involved with Nam Yoori was quite burdensome. Avoiding her was the best strategy. ¡°Right now, everyone else is following her across the sea!¡± ¡°They¡¯re bound to fail.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If she doesn¡¯t pique her interest, she¡¯s merciless towards her opponent. But do you think those nonchalantly boarding buses are the kind to catch her interest?¡± ¡°¡­Do you know her?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only heard rumors. Look over there.¡± ¡­ As Nam Yoori passed by, the frozen sea rapidly began to collapse. The students following behind suddenly fell into the sea as the icy floor crumbled beneath them. Nam Yoori showed no interest in those who fell into the sea, continuing ahead without a second glance. ¡°Don¡¯t try to take advantage of her. If you make a mistake, you might face even harsher retaliation than that. Remember that.¡± ¡°Uh, okay¡­¡± Perhaps we might encounter her during the exam. To prepare for such a situation, I warned Yeonhae to be cautious. It wasn¡¯t the time for us to leisurely watch others. We needed to find a solution. But¡­ ¡°Damn it.¡± I furrowed my brows. The road was already jammed enough. ¡°Why do you keep pushing like this!¡± ¡°Hey! Come here!¡± ¡°Ah, I told you not to cut in like that!?¡± ¡°Wanna fight!?¡± A scuffle broke out up ahead. The scuffle quickly spread to the surrounding students. ¡°This is a mess, a total mess¡­¡± Suddenly, some of them took out devices and started fighting with swords. A large-scale battle among the students erupted on the two-lane road. I, too, gripped my military sword. ¡ª Madomin¡¯s Mina Rin. Flying up into the sky, she watched the distant scenery of the ground. She could see the surprised students who noticed her, and the people running around on the bustling road. ¡°Will running like that make a difference?¡± Min Arin chuckled lightly. Even if they ran as fast as rabbits, when viewed from above, they would seem no more than mere turtles crawling. Slow, too slow. To the eyes of the small griffin in the Madu village, those who couldn¡¯t even fly and merely ran on the ground appeared endlessly feeble. They couldn¡¯t become her opponents. Hence, she was superior. Special. Indeed, there was no one among people of the same age who surpassed her. She felt a certain superiority. ¡°¡­Black exam tickets?¡± In Min Arin¡¯s eyes, two examinees suddenly appeared. Wearing black exam tickets. ¡°Who are they?¡± Min Arin felt a slight interest in those with the same exam tickets as her. She decided to lower her altitude to get a better look at their faces. ¡°A man and a woman¡­.¡± From afar, she couldn¡¯t scrutinize the two individuals closely, but the man with black hair seemed to have a fairly balanced face. He might be handsome. At least, that¡¯s what she thought. And the woman next to him¡­. ¡°Rabbit ears?¡± The woman was an Ain. Whether her hair was white or blue, it was hard to tell, but her noticeable hair was waving in the air, and rabbit ears were shaking along with it. ¡°If she¡¯s an Ain with black exam tickets and skills, there¡¯s only one person I know.¡± Min Arin could quickly deduce their identities from their features. She was quite famous among magic specialists. To be precise, the famous one was not her but the person she had as a master. In any case, as a resident of Madu village, she couldn¡¯t be unaware. ¡°She is a disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch.¡± Mastering the seven elemental magics, admired by many sorcerers, Hong Ye-na, the Seven-Colored Witch. She knew that this disciple of the respected magician, who was of the same age and had applied to Geumgang Academy, was someone she admired endlessly. Min Arin confirmed the disciple of the sorceress she revered and ignited a sense of competition. ¡°No matter what, I am superior.¡± Now that she had confirmed her presence. She couldn¡¯t afford to be complacent. Regardless of why the disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch was racing on the road, she was determined to reach the summit of Mount Angae before anyone else, even before her. And so¡­. ¡°The top spot in the entrance exam is mine.¡± She would prove her superiority. Min Arin decided to increase her output, raising her altitude once again. It was at that moment. Whoosh! A gust of wind blew from behind. Mana could be felt in the wind. Minarin quickly turned around. There was a being chasing after her through the sky at a rapid pace. ¡°That person¡­¡± Black hair, green eyes. Despite spreading mana around her, the woman who showed no signs of a magic circle seemed to be not a sorceress. A spirit user. If that was the case, she seemed to know her identity. ¡°She¡¯s from the Circulating Chaga.¡± A spirit clan belonging to the Ten Clans, along with the Magic House, Circulating Chaga. Minarin realized her identity and decided to shake her off quickly. And in that moment of trying to increase her output. ¡°What!?¡± The direct descendant of the Circulating Chaga accelerated. It was an astonishing speed. The woman who had almost caught up with her quickly surpassed her in an instant. Unlike herself, who had to adjust her magic, the woman could simply command the spirit, which meant there was no casting time. The difference between magic and spirit manipulation. But still. ¡°She¡¯s overtaking me?¡± She didn¡¯t want to fall behind like this. Even if the opponent was from the Circulating Chaga, she couldn¡¯t accept being surpassed. ¡°Just watch.¡± Increasing the output of her magic, Minarin flew after her. Thoughts about the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch vanished into the recesses of her memory. Chapter 49 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 48 Chapter 48 The already bustling street was further congested with battles breaking out in various places. In front, behind. ¡°That brat!¡± ¡°You hit me!? You know who I am¡­!!¡± ¡°Who threw a dagger just now!?¡± Amidst the battle raging all around, shouts and clashing metal sounds never ceased. Myself and Yeon Haneul were swept up in the flow. Shiik! A blade came at me from the edge of my vision. Facing the examinees in front of me, I swiftly turned my body, narrowly avoiding the attack. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Confusion flickered across the face of the attacker who failed to land a blow through thin air. I swung my sword before they could make their next move. ¡°I¡¯ll strike you with the blade too.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s a blade¡­!¡± Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a reverse-edge sword. The one who couldn¡¯t finish their sentence collided with my sword, flying back and hitting the guardrail hard. Today¡¯s test is as good as over. By the time I come to my senses, the exam will likely be finished, and even if not, making it to the peak of the Misty Mountain with a body with broken bones would be impossible. ¡°Congratulations on failing.¡± With that, I turned away from the guy leaning against the guardrail, his head bowed. ¡°We need to get rid of that guy first!¡± ¡°Be careful! Shin-Geum Doya!¡± Meanwhile, some guys nearby seemed to have marked me as their primary target and rushed towards me, attacking in unison. With no corner to evade to. Thud! ¡°¡­What!?¡± I rushed towards the least threatening one. The guys next to him crowded in, trying to resist against me. Even in that situation, I didn¡¯t falter and untied the sheath at my waist. Thwack! I blocked the falling sword with the sheath. Simultaneously, I leaped from the ground, stepping on the marked guy¡¯s knees and stomach. ¡°I¡¯ll make good use of this.¡± ¡°Cough!¡± As I leapt further into the air, my vision spun around. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything in mid-air!¡± ¡°Attack now!¡± That¡¯s what you think. I rotated my body in the direction of the hand holding the sword. Mana surged from my heart, enveloping my body and the blade. £¼Water Dragon Style Attack Form 1£¾ Lion¡¯s Roar The military blue sword gleams. I unleashed the mana imbued in the blade and shot downwards at the oncoming crowd. Like a fool. ¡°They gathered on their own.¡± I tried to adjust the trajectory of the True Strike, but in reality, it was hard to say I had control given the chaotic situation. The True Strike that grazed through the crowd splattered blood, shattered the ground, and sent shrapnel flying. ¡°I can¡¯t see ahead! Dust in my eyes¡­!¡± ¡°aaah! Blood! Blooood!¡± ¡°That bastard killed someone!¡± ¡°No one died.¡± During the entrance practical exam at the Geumgang Academy, examinees are allowed to inflict injuries on each other in combat. They might receive negative evaluations, but as long as they don¡¯t abandon the Hunter¡¯s Way, killing is permissible. It was even written in the pledge. So, I wielded my sword without hesitation against them. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyone, though.¡± Nevertheless, despite facing my blade, they seemed unfamiliar with the real sense of combat. Those who saw blood lost their composure and fell into panic. I passed by those kinds of people. £¼Air Bullet£¾ On one side, Yeonha was using magic to repel examinees. As the situation somewhat settled, she quickly caught up to me. ¡°There¡¯s a good side to the battle. The path is clear now.¡± ¡°But if this situation continues, won¡¯t it exhaust our stamina? There will be more things to worry about too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± As if to prevent being overtaken, the leading runners who had filled the road without gaps, scattered. Yeonha and I swiftly passed through them without missing the chance. ¡°It¡¯s not just us.¡± Even examinees who had not revealed their skills so far were seizing the opportunity and advancing. That¡¯s how the lead was changing. Around that time. ¡°Gyeonwoo! Look over there!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Yeonha pointed ahead. Various vehicles were parked on the road. Motorcycles, cars, taxis, buses, the types were quite diverse. ¡°Could we possibly make use of those?¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Even without the key, it seems like we can drive if we use mana¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s your mana, the power should be sufficient.¡± On the verge of a long journey, with no owners in sight and vehicles that seemed like they would run smoothly. Perhaps it was the work of the evaluators. My thoughts and Yeonha¡¯s thoughts aligned. ¡°Let¡¯s consider my mana as the power source. But hey, do you know how to drive?¡± ¡°Just step on the accelerator, right? Ignore the traffic rules.¡± ¡°Which one is the accelerator?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll figure it out when you step on it.¡± ¡°I feel uneasy about this¡­¡± Yeonha made a groaning sound. But to reach the summit of the foggy mountain as quickly as possible, we had to somehow make use of those vehicles. At that moment, a student who was ahead of us got on a motorcycle. Vroom. The motorcycle engine roared to life. The student rode off swiftly on the motorcycle. ¡°Our idea was right.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s quickly catch one and ride. Others have started moving too.¡± ¡°But what should we ride?¡± ¡°A taxi would be the best option, right? Or do you want to ride the motorcycle? You can sit behind.¡± ¡°Driving¡­ Can I really entrust it to you?¡± ¡°You sit behind and just say, ¡®Brother, go fast.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯re not going to ride all the way to the afterlife, right?¡± After confirming that the student who rode the motorcycle could drive the vehicle with mana, the students were speeding up to secure the remaining vehicles ahead of others. We also rushed towards them with determination. Vroom. The students started getting on vehicles and driving one by one. ¡°Get out of the way! I got on first!¡± ¡°Block that brat from going!¡± A fight broke out in some places. The students threatened each other, positioning themselves between motorcycles or small cars with the least mana consumption. In some cases, they even completely blocked the road, preventing them from moving forward. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ In that situation, it seemed difficult to even get into a car, let alone drive, and it didn¡¯t seem easy to break through the road if one did drive. Even if we managed to break through, we would have to control the cars chasing us from behind. Screech! Thud! Moreover, hastily driven vehicles by the students led to hitting guardrails or causing rear-end collisions. If such incidents occurred throughout the drive, it was evident that the road situation would be paralyzed. ¡®So, motorcycles are cool¡­¡¯ It seemed like a situation where one would have to intervene amidst a group of people wielding knives to claim a single motorcycle. A sigh escaped involuntarily. At that moment. ¡®A boat?¡¯ Something caught the eye on the sandy beach beneath the guardrail. It was a sailboat. The boat was anchored on the sandy beach. ¡°Oh my, let¡¯s ride that.¡± ¡°That? What is that?¡± ¡°That boat over there.¡± ¡°A boat?¡± There are too many competitors on the road. But it¡¯s different on the sea. I leaped over the guardrail. ¡°You know how to drive a boat!?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know how to drive a car. Can¡¯t we just go with the wind?¡± ¡°So, in the end, you¡¯re telling me to drive.¡± ¡°Sis, come on! If you were a real man, you¡¯d go out to sea.¡± ¡°And what if I¡¯m not a man?¡± ¡°From today, you are a man.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be.¡± Going down the hill under the guardrail, passing the sandy beach. First, I boarded the sailboat. After cutting the rope tied to the stake with a navy blue sword, I climbed aboard. ¡°Oh my, magic, please.¡± ¡°Ugh, fine.¡± ¡°Setting sail, Yeonhaneulho!¡± ¡°Can you please not put my name on the boat?¡± Yeonhaneul reluctantly granted my request. As she conjured up the wind with magic, the sail unfolded, and the boat began to move at a rapid pace. With no obstacles blocking the way ahead, it seemed like we could sail smoothly. ¡°Hey! Dogyeonwoo!¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo! Oh my!¡± ¡°Give us a ride too!¡± It was right at that moment that we heard voices calling out to us. We could see triplets on the side of the road we were heading towards. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s only you guys!¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Wait there! We¡¯ll be right there!¡± ¡°Will you take us too!?¡± Driving down the road, the faces of the triplets waving their hands gleamed brightly. They looked as if they were confident that we would give them a ride. But that was a far-fetched idea. I had no intention of letting them aboard. ¡°Oh heavens, ignore those little rascals.¡± ¡°Huh? There¡¯s even space to accommodate them¡­.¡± ¡°Exams are about relying on your own strength, not seeking help from others.¡± ¡°¡­Is that what you¡¯d do?¡± ¡°And they are weaker than us, they need more training. When else would they train if not now?¡± ¡°Wow, pretending not to hear what I said at all. So what¡¯s your real intention?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand seeing them in a good light.¡± ¡°Yeah, that seemed likely.¡± ¡°Alright, Captain Nuna, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with Captain Nuna, Captain Nuna¡­.¡± Yeonha-nyul grumbled but eventually followed my lead. The boat drifted further away from where the triplets were. ¡°Hey! Where are you going! Don¡¯t leave us!¡± ¡°We¡¯re right here!? Don¡¯t go!¡± ¡°We want to go out to the sea too!¡± The wailing of the triplets echoed like a reverberation. Despite the sound, we didn¡¯t look back and continued towards the sea. ? Starting from the second exam held at the Gate, the instructors couldn¡¯t monitor all situations unfolding in every exam venue. Due to the disconnect between inside and outside the Gate, communication devices were non-operational. The instructors had to focus solely on the Gate they were stationed at. But even that was a challenge. ¡°Move the screens closest to the starting point. There aren¡¯t many examinees left there, and those who remain are practically eliminated.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s practically impossible without a miracle happening.¡± ¡°Still, we need to keep an eye on the situation, so we¡¯ll leave a few.¡± Observing all examinees heading towards Mt. Angae was practically impossible. The Gate was vast, and there were a considerable number of examinees. The number of evaluators and assistant evaluators was far from sufficient. There weren¡¯t enough screen devices either. ¡°The density of examinees is increasing in the section with vehicles.¡± ¡°They¡¯re engaging in battles as we anticipated, leaving their cars behind.¡± ¡°Arrange the screens around that area and assign one to each of the examinees who went ahead. What about the examinees from the famous families? Don¡¯t leave out even one from the Ten Noble Clans.¡± ¡°What about the students of the Noun Masters?¡± ¡°Only examine the examinees with a crimson exam ticket. The rest won¡¯t have any significant differences compared to the other examinees anyway.¡± Given the circumstances, the evaluators had no choice but to observe the examinees differentially based on certain criteria. Among them, the ones who received teachings from renowned scholars or were from prestigious families were the main focus. Especially the disciples of the Ten Noble Houses. ¡°How are the Ten Noble House members doing?¡± ¡°They are all progressing smoothly. We will display them on the central monitor one by one.¡± In their case, they were assigned screen eyes even before the exam began. They had the backgrounds and skills to justify it. The evaluators constantly brought their images to the largest screen in the center. The figure currently appearing on that screen was also an examinee from the Ten Noble Houses. [They rely on such contraptions; they lack spirit. If they were born as men, they should have the courage to leap with their own feet! Where do they think they¡¯re going with those contraptions?] Yongha of the Uihyeop Yong Clan. Clad in black attire, he passed by the examinees without a hint of interest in the vehicle, as if he intended to climb the Misty Mountain on foot. Though there was a way to go by car, he seemed determined to ascend the mountain on his own two feet. [Spirit! Spirit! It¡¯s all about spirit!] ¡°¡­Who is that guy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s from the Uihyeop Yong Clan.¡± ¡°Or in other words, the Spirit Yong Clan.¡± The evaluators couldn¡¯t help but find his actions perplexing. However, in the Uihyeop Yong Clan, individuals like Yongha, who were filled with spirit, were born sporadically. In the world of hunters, it was said that the Uihyeop Yong Clan, aiming to produce excellent hunters, sometimes ended up creating outstanding fools. [Pshaw!] ¡°¡­He split a bus in half with a single punch.¡± ¡°Ignorant, but quite impressive.¡± Yet, one couldn¡¯t disregard that fool. Fools born in the Uihyeop Yong Clan¡­ had a high probability of rising to become one of the leading hunters of their generation. The current head of the Uihyeop Yong Clan attested to this, and Yongha was also showing some potential. Hence, he was an exceptional fool. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the other examinees.¡± ¡°The Mado Minga and Sunchon Chaga disciples are nearly close to the Misty Mountain.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s focus on that direction.¡± ¡°However, their speed is too fast for the screen eyes to keep up.¡± ¡°Instead, we have a screen choker; let¡¯s use that screen.¡± The evaluators promptly decided to focus on the Mado Minga and Sunchon Chaga disciples, who were the likely top two contenders. The screen changed. The image displayed by the two people on the screen was blurry. They were cutting through the clouds. ¡°All I can say is impressive. How many people at that age can fly for so long like that?¡± ¡°If nothing unexpected happens, one of them will take first place.¡± ¡°At the moment, it looks like the candidate from the Circulation Department is the frontrunner.¡± The judges did not express any disagreement. Just as they had given extra points to Yoo Haeng and Yonghae earlier, they now turned their attention to the examinee currently in third place, who was following the two. [It¡¯s boring just to keep running.] ¡°¡­.¡± Yeo Seong Namga¡¯s Nam Yoori. She was showcasing a feat of running on a frozen sea. The judges couldn¡¯t help but admire. ¡°To freeze the sea¡­.¡± ¡°She may not have flown in the sky, but she¡¯s truly remarkable.¡± Her remarkable point was that she could freeze the sea without showing any signs of fatigue even as time passed, breathing as if it were natural. Contrary to appearances, it meant minimal mana consumption and excellent mana efficiency. The judges each bit their tongues. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Dogyeonwoo from the Divine Inspection Department. Currently in fourth place.¡± ¡°He¡¯s also a disciple of Instructor Hong Ye-na.¡± ¡°Show the screen.¡± The screen changed again. This time, the screen showed the sea. A boat was cutting through the water at a fast pace on that sea. It was Dogyeonwoo and Yeonhae on the boat. ¡°It seems like Instructor Hong Ye-na¡¯s disciple is manipulating the wind to move the boat forward.¡± ¡°Compared to the examinees we saw earlier, there¡¯s a somewhat ordinary feel, but it¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°However, in this situation¡­.¡± ¡°Dogyeonwoo¡¯s examinee is only taking advantage of the circumstances.¡± Even if they were to give extra points to Yeonhae, who displayed skill in sailing, they couldn¡¯t give any extra points to Dogyeonwoo. The judges, feeling regretful, decided to observe the other examinees. Just then. [Screams] At the moment they were about to switch the screen. A monster suddenly appeared from the direction the ship was heading, reminiscent of a sea lion. ¡°Gyunwoo!¡± ¡°Keep driving as you are, Yeonhee.¡± It seemed as if he was aware of the monster¡¯s appearance. Gyunwoo, who was at the bow, drew his sword and stepped forward towards the creature. ¡ª ¡°We have encountered a monster.¡± ¡°Brutal Sealion (Rank. 02) x 1¡± Even before the message appeared, I had foreseen its approach. ¡°I wondered who was chasing us, turns out it¡¯s this one.¡± At some point, my instincts for evasion had been warning me of danger. So, I could remain calm. ¡°A Rank 2 monster¡­¡± Brutal Sealion. I gazed at the creature, roughly the size of the ship we were on. For a Rank 2 monster, at least one of its physical attributes needed to exceed 50 to be a somewhat formidable opponent. Stamina 65, Strength 59, Endurance 55, and Agility 71. With four attributes exceeding 50, it was not a suitable match for me. Above all¡­ ¡°The environment favors me.¡± As the creature emerged above the water, I observed the deck made of the sea itself. The battlefield was the sea. Perfect for lightning-fast attacks. Hence¡­ ¡°Gyunwoo!¡± ¡°Keep driving as you are, Yeonhee.¡± Comforting the worried Yeonhee, I drew my military sword as the creature approached closer. ¡°Do I need to help? It¡¯s a Rank 2 opponent¡­¡± ¡°I can handle it alone. Be prepared for any sudden attacks, trust me and move forward at full speed.¡± ¡°Fine¡­ I understand.¡± There was no need to deviate the ship to avoid the creature. Even if we deviated at this point, collision with the creature would be inevitable. I reassured Yeonhee while scratching the ground with the tip of my military sword. Clang. The sound of the blade scraping against the ground echoes. I summoned the mana within me. Ki-yaaah! The creature waited for us to approach, its mouth gaping wide open. Once our stomachs entered its territory, it planned to tear us apart with its long, sharp fangs. Naturally, we had no intentions of letting that happen. Clang. The distance was narrow, and the path was set. I leaped onto the deck immediately. Kiii-yi-yi-yik! The unpleasant sound of the Military Blue Sword scraping against the ground reverberates. The sound intensified due to the friction caused by my running speed¡­ Crackle! Lightning ignited. The lightning formed by the blade quickly emerged along the track I had carved on the wet deck, shooting up from the entire surface soaked in water. The lightning formed on the blade rapidly expanded, enveloping the entire sword. Grasping the gathered lightning in my hand. £¼Combat Style of the Water King: Form 10£¾ Lion Jincheon A swordsmanship blending speed and strength. Leaping from the bow, I swung the sword that had been pointing downwards with all my might. ¡ª Ki-yaaah! Simultaneously, the lightning turned into a track and shot up into the sky. A blue lightning strike sliced through the creature from its chest down to its shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Soaring through the air, I could witness from above the creature howling and thrashing below. But Lion Jincheon is a two-strike sword technique, striking upwards and then downwards. The Military Blue Sword still had lightning lingering on it. But I didn¡¯t stop there¡­ £¼Military Blue Sword: Current Concentration£¾ With an agility exceeding 50, I used the second skill of the Military Blue Sword that had been unlocked. Current Concentration. A skill that condensed some of the lingering current around into the sword. Crackle! Thanks to that skill, the power of the Thunderous Wall wrapped around the Military Blue Sword became stronger. When swinging the Military Blue Sword in this state, not only does the attack power increase more than usual, but the lightning attribute is also added. And. £¼Military Blue Sword: Current Discharge£¾ Upon reaching an Agility of over 60, the third skill of the Military Blue Sword is obtained. When using Current Discharge, I could shoot out condensed currents. Twisting my body in mid-air to adjust my posture, I struck down with the Military Blue Sword as if I was about to unleash a lightning bolt. ©¤©¤©¤!! Kyaahhh! The final attack of Lion Jincheon. A blue lightning strikes down on him. His body burns from the attack, turning into particles of mana and disappearing. I grabbed the risen mana stone. Around that time, the ship passed below. ¡°You see, I told you to drive straight, right? When monsters lose their mana stones, they turn into mana and vanish without leaving a corpse.¡± ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t say ¡®you see.¡¯ If the timing had been a bit off, the ship might have capsized, right?¡± ¡°You just have to think about it when the time comes.¡± Thanks to swinging the sword at him considering the timing of the passing ship, I could safely land on the ship from mid-air. Then, to boast to her, I displayed the mana stone. ¡°Here, I got something. By the way, I didn¡¯t give you the fare, did I? Take it. I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. After the test, sell it and buy me a meal.¡± ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s see.¡± ¡°Buy me strawberry milk.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not seriously just going to buy strawberry milk, right?¡± ¡°Should I get chocolate milk too?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just kidding.¡± ¡°Hmph, just make sure to buy something delicious.¡± And so, we headed towards the Misty Mountain. Chapter 50 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 49 Chapter 49 The Misty Mountain is visible. As the cycle of cars competed fiercely for the lead, Minarin found herself entering the high altitude of the Misty Mountain. ¡°The mist is too thick.¡± Minarin furrowed her brows. The fog covering the mountain spread around, blocking her vision. She couldn¡¯t see clearly ahead. ¡°Where did the cycle of cars go?¡± With this limited visibility, finding them was challenging. Minarin gave up searching for the vanished figure in the fog and instead decided to focus on flying. She had to be extra cautious as she didn¡¯t know what might suddenly appear. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t see anything.¡± Meanwhile, the closer they got to the Misty Mountain, the denser the fog became. Now, there was almost no difference between eyes open and closed. Her sight was just hazy. Fog here, fog there. Flying continuously through the fog made her sense of direction blur. ¡°¡­¡± How far up had she come? Was she really going upwards? Could she truly be certain of that? Or was she actually descending? Unable to perceive anything, she found herself unable to be sure of anything. ¡°Is it impossible to dispel the fog?¡± While she couldn¡¯t clear all the fog covering the entire Misty Mountain, she believed she could at least dispel enough fog to secure her vision. Minarin gestured, activating magic promptly. ¡°Dam¡­¡± But it was short-lived. The fog dispersed for a moment, only to quickly gather back around, filling in the lightened area. Minarin, feeling frustrated at the situation not going as planned, bit her lip as if in annoyance. But she had to control her emotions. Emotions certainly enhanced magic, but they made it equally challenging to control. A skilled magician had to maintain rational judgment by controlling emotions, enabling them to master magic. ¡°Hoo.¡± Recalling her family¡¯s teachings, Minarin halted her flight and began to meditate. In a situation where she didn¡¯t even know where she was flying, moving aimlessly would be futile. ¡°If dispelling the fog is impossible¡­ then let¡¯s use detection spells.¡± Minarin spread the waves of mana. The waves emanating from her analyzed the surrounding space. Only then did she realize. ¡°¡­It was a barrier. There was a reason I couldn¡¯t dispel the fog with magic.¡± The fog surrounding us was not just ordinary fog. It was a magical fog that distorted people¡¯s sense of direction, leading them to wander off the path. A kind of barrier magic. The magic was mixed with natural fog, making it hard to detect. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to dispel the magic spread across the entire mountain with my own power¡­. In that case, I have no choice but to find the designated path to exit the barrier.¡± There were broadly two types of barrier magic. One completely enclosed existence without entrance or exit, while the other twisted the path leaving only the entrance and exit. In this case, it seemed to be the latter. So, I had to find the way. ¡°Flying through the sky won¡¯t get me to the top of the fog-covered mountain.¡± Even though the surface could be sensed with a detection spell, the upper air couldn¡¯t be sensed. There was no path in the upper air. Therefore, flying higher would only lead to aimless wandering. From Noble mtl dot com With that in mind, Minarin, who had been flying in the upper air, released the magic and landed on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of using my body much, but I have no choice.¡± She landed around the middle of the mountain. Minarin stretched and then spread her detection spell on the ground, beginning to search for the path leading ¡°up.¡± ¡ª The fog was dense. While it was fine to enter the foggy mountain, as we climbed, the fog thickened, making it difficult to see. ¡°Hey, Gyungwoo! Are you there?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here.¡± The fog was so thick that even the nearby sky was not visible. As a result, we had to call out to each other passionately as we climbed the mountain. In such a situation¡­ Key-ye-eek! [Encountered a monster.] [Goblin (Rank. 01) x 3] We had to face the monsters popping out from the fog on the other side. ¡°Watch out, Haneul! It¡¯s goblins!¡± ¡°I just confirmed it now!¡± Normally, we could sense their presence even from a distance. But in the situation of wandering through the fog, we couldn¡¯t detect them approaching closely. In fact, they were in the same predicament. Kiex? [Encountered a monster.] [Cobolt (Rank. 01) x 1] ¡°Oh heavens, one more! I¡¯ll take care of this one!¡± ¡°Please do!¡± Since they couldn¡¯t see well, they didn¡¯t recognize our presence. As a result, sometimes we or they unexpectedly ran into each other. At that moment, whoever made the first move based on a split-second judgment gained the upper hand. Swiftly. I took a step back and swiftly slit the cobolt¡¯s throat that I had spotted. Then, deftly pivoting on my foot, I swiftly dealt with the goblin that had crept up behind me. Kiex¡­! The remaining two were left to Young-haneul to handle the fight. However, the dangers we faced in the mist were not just monsters. There were traps too. Crack! Whoosh! From somewhere, artificial sounds could be heard, and suddenly the sound of wind intensified. Turning my head in the direction of the noise, I shouted loudly. ¡°It¡¯s a trap! Watch out!¡± The mist violently twisted, and within it, a log charged towards us. Urgently, I rolled my body to the side. The log passed where I had been standing, crashing into a tree in that direction before coming to a halt. I nearly died if I hadn¡¯t avoided it. I clicked my tongue. ¡°Between the mist, monsters, and traps¡­ climbing a mere mountain isn¡¯t easy. Oh heavens, are you hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. But doesn¡¯t the mist seem thicker now than before?¡± ¡°It does. It was barely possible for you to roughly locate our position with your ears, but now it seems impossible. Don¡¯t stray too far from me.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been finding our way with your ears all this time?¡± ¡°Your ears are long, so they stood out.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ well, I guess seeing is better than not seeing.¡± ¡°What about the barrier? How¡¯s that going?¡± ¡°It seems impossible to dispel. By examining the structure of the spell, it seems to be activated through mediators scattered throughout the mountains.¡± ¡°So, unless we destroy those, we can¡¯t dispel it. Trying to locate and break them might just waste time.¡± ¡°Right. The evaluators wouldn¡¯t want that kind of situation.¡± ¡°So, we have to continue like this¡­ the mist seems unbeatable?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been trying since earlier, but it¡¯s not going as smoothly as I thought. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Why apologize for that?¡± I had expected it wouldn¡¯t be as simple as just climbing the mountain, but indeed, nothing in this world comes easy. Unfortunately, I decided to give up. I will continue to climb the mountain through the mist without expecting any miracles. I knew the way. I lifted my head. ¡°I should follow that flow.¡± While some parts of the barrier covering the misty mountain caught my eye, I could see the flow of mana. Even in the thick fog obscuring my vision, the mana emitted a blue light. The light was not flowing aimlessly but consistently moving in one direction. ¡°If I share the same thought as the sky, it must be flowing towards the direction of the exit of the barrier.¡± That exit would be the summit. The path leading upwards. In a situation where even the sense of direction was fading, the only signposts to find the ridge path of the mountain were the dozens of beams of light passing overhead. As long as those signposts were there, I was confident I wouldn¡¯t lose my way. ¡°How much time is left?¡± ¡°There¡¯s 1 hour and 27 minutes left now.¡± ¡°Even though we don¡¯t know how long it will take to reach the summit, we need to pick up the pace.¡± ¡°Is it safe to do that in this situation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have a great intuition. Sky, you just follow closely behind me. Don¡¯t get separated by mistake.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay. Your intuition has never been wrong in dangerous situations, so I¡¯ll trust it.¡± ¡ª If the process of entering the ridge path of the misty mountain was to solve the examinee¡¯s problems and evaluate their physical strength, the journey from the ridge path to the summit existed to evaluate different elements. ¡°Have we been going around in circles from earlier?¡± ¡°Is this the right path!?¡± ¡°Are we really going up now?¡± First, the ability to distinguish direction and find a way within the barrier, relying on a sense of direction. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything ahead¡­¡± ¡°Hey, where are you guys!?¡± ¡°They say we need to maintain the detection net, how do we do that!?¡± Second, the ability to extend the detection net around and perceive spatial structure and presence, as well as the ability to maintain the extended detection net for a long time. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a trap! Be careful!¡± ¡°Kieak!¡± Third, the ability to respond momentarily to unexpected attacks. And so on. From the examinees climbing the trail, many elements could be evaluated. In fact, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that the pass/fail outcome of the second practical exam was decided in this process. Therefore, the evaluators¡¯ attention naturally turned to the examinees on the trail. ¡°40% of the examinees have entered the foggy mountain trail.¡± ¡°Turn the screen towards them to monitor the examinees. And are the cameras installed throughout the foggy mountain functioning well?¡± ¡°All cameras are currently operating perfectly without any issues!¡± Although the mountain was shrouded in fog. The screen displaying the trail was not as foggy as the actual site. A significant portion of the fog on site was also a magical illusion, and the video transmission artifacts on site were excluding that particular fog and capturing the scene. ¡°Hmm, looks like they¡¯re all struggling.¡± Thanks to that, the evaluators could observe the examinees even in the fog. Then, on the largest screen in the center, a young girl from Mado Village, Minarin, appeared. [Gasp, gasp¡­. Why is the mountain so high? Isn¡¯t this too much¡­?] ¡°That examinee¡­ seems to have poor stamina.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Minarin was panting heavily as she ascended the mountain. Her steps were unsteady. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was noticeably different from when she flew to the foggy mountain. ¡°Well, she must have consumed quite a bit of internal mana. By this point, she¡¯s bound to feel exhausted.¡± ¡°And the altitude is high. At this point, she might be suffering from altitude sickness.¡± As altitude increases, oxygen becomes scarce, leading to various symptoms. The boundary magic covering the foggy mountain was manipulating the examinees¡¯ subconscious to make them perceive the altitude as higher than it actually was, increasing the likelihood of experiencing those symptoms. Minarin¡¯s current condition reflected this. In such a situation. [Thud!] [Huh?] Her judgment was inevitably impaired, making her vulnerable to illusion magic. The evaluators took note of that as well. The logs rushing towards her from the side were nothing but illusions. If it were an ordinary student, they would have been startled and speechless in this situation. [¡°It¡¯s so difficult that it¡¯s making me want to die. It¡¯s really annoying.¡±] However, Minarin was not an ordinary student. Having seen the apparition, she moved forward without hesitation, her steps unsteady. The logs passed right through her without causing any harm. ¡°Still, it¡¯s Madomin Village.¡± ¡°Judging by her condition, it seems like she¡¯s unaware that her subconscious has been exposed to magic, but the apparition recognized her at first sight.¡± ¡°Even though she¡¯s under a spell that¡¯s draining her strength and causing altitude sickness, she doesn¡¯t seem to realize it.¡± The evaluators immediately recognized Minarin, who had seen through the illusion, and gave her high marks. At that moment, an instructor changed the subject. ¡°So, is the current first place held by a student from Madomin Village?¡± ¡°No, upon checking the exam seat positions, Minarin is currently in second place.¡± ¡°Then, the first place must be taken by a student from Sunchun Chaga, that child.¡± ¡°Oh, here she comes now.¡± The large screen in the center changed. Instead of Minarin wiping sweat off her hand, Cha Eun-sol from Sunchun Chaga appeared. The student with striking green eyes¡­ [Chomp.] ¡°¡­What is she eating right now?¡± ¡°She seems to be enjoying it¡­¡± Cha Eun-sol was eating a sausage. The evaluators watched in disbelief as she casually ascended the mountain while eating sausage. ¡°Even in the fog, she shows no signs of struggling. Madomin Village¡¯s student seemed to be contemplating for a moment, though.¡± ¡°She¡¯s also distinguishing illusions well.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to have altitude sickness symptoms either. If she climbed that height, her stamina should have been affected, but she¡¯s remarkable.¡± ¡°Could it be because she¡¯s a spirit user?¡± ¡°Perhaps the spirits living in the foggy mountains are guiding her.¡± ¡°Well¡­ with help from spirits, barrier magic might not be very effective. She¡¯s doing well to be in first place.¡± [Chomp.] ¡°So, what are you eating?¡± ¡°It looks like sausage.¡± ¡°It does look like sausage.¡± ¡°Where did the sausage come from?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it brought from outside?¡± ¡°Well, since bringing in food isn¡¯t prohibited, let¡¯s overlook it. Devices, potions, and other tools are allowed for entry, so what¡¯s the big deal with sausages?¡± [Chomp.] ¡°But¡­ you eat quite a lot.¡± ¡°A big eater, huh.¡± It was known among the evaluators that those who succeeded the name of the Circulating Tea were generally emotionally expressive. However, if they were to see Cha Eun-sol, who was eating sausages with an almost expressionless face, their perception might shatter. Quite eccentric. That¡¯s what the evaluators thought. ¡°So, who¡¯s in third place?¡± ¡°In third place is a examinee from Yeonseong Namga.¡± ¡°And fourth place is¡­ Oh, an examinee from Singeom Do and Hong Ye-na¡¯s disciple.¡± ¡°Tied for fourth place.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve just entered the Welcome Zone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s showing on the screen now.¡± And so, Cha Eun-sol¡¯s mukbang passed by. The screen transitioned once again. Do Gyun-woo and Yeon Ha-neul were climbing up a steep mountain path. No, they were running up. Without any signs of breathing difficulties. ¡°Did they drink a potion or something?¡± ¡°Even with a potion, it must be tough¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a spell that touches the subconscious?¡± ¡°No, who would cast that? Even examinees from the Mado Minga seem unaware of magic itself.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s Hong Ye-na¡¯s disciple.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Is that examinee with the vigorously shaking rabbit ears really so knowledgeable about magic? The evaluators sighed. And at that moment. [Clack! Wooooosh!] The trap was activated. A pile of logs, a mix of illusion and reality, surged towards Do Gyun-woo and Yeon Ha-neul. ¡°Gyun-woo!¡± ¡°Just trust me and follow.¡± ¡°Can they distinguish between illusion and reality?¡± ¡°The number of activated traps is too high, isn¡¯t it? And some of them have real entities mixed in.¡± ¡°You could get hurt if you make a mistake.¡± The evaluators focused at that moment. Soon, their eyes widened. Dogyeonwoo¡­ ¡°No, what¡­¡± Without hesitation, avoiding the real entity but passing through the illusion excessively, he was escaping the trap zone. ¡°How did you recognize it as an illusion without even looking properly?¡± Minarin was different from Chaeunsol. They at least saw the illusion. But Dogyeonwoo didn¡¯t pay any attention to the illusion. As if he knew it was an illusion even before seeing it. ¡°¡­¡± As if answering their questions, Dogyeonwoo¡¯s voice flowed from the screen. [See, I have a good sense.] ¡°Yes, yes. You did great.¡± ¡°¡­Why do I feel like I¡¯m being treated like a kid?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trust only child Dogyeonwoo¨D.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Those who followed the name of Shin Sword Doga were generally as serious and careful as wielding a sword. But Dogyeonwoo seemed to be an exception. Chapter 51 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 50 Chapter 50 Illustration Even in the fog where nothing is visible, spreading the detection net allowed a certain degree of awareness of the surroundings. And I had a gift. Even if I wasn¡¯t aware, an instinctive sense of danger that helps me instinctively avoid dangers immediately. Focusing on the instinct to dodge. Crackle! ¡°Be careful! Something¡¯s coming!¡± It¡¯s not difficult to sense danger. It doesn¡¯t matter if you can¡¯t see ahead. Feeling as though the current was flowing along my spine, I immediately turned to the right. Crack! Currur¡­. I heard the sound of a tree snapping, and a massive boulder was rolling down from the misty distance. However, it posed no threat to us who had already deviated from the predetermined path. We passed by the rolling boulder and continued forward. Ddalkak! Piyung! Pajik! Once again, my instinct to evade kicked in. Something was flying towards us at high speed. I shouted briskly, ¡°Heavens, shield!¡± ¡°Uh, okay!¡± Yeonhae seemed unfazed by the situation, but still, one never knows. Without blindly attempting to dodge, I struck down the things flying at us with my sword. Ting! It was an arrow. The arrows were flying at intervals from the same direction. There must have been traps set up ahead that automatically fired arrows. At least one, if not more. As we had to pass through there, the continuous firing of traps became irritating. Yeonhae seemed to have reached the same conclusion. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that.¡± Yeonhae extended her shield and stepped forward. She reached out her right hand towards the direction the arrows were coming from. Around her, a magic circle floated, and from her palm, a magical rune materialized in the air. Chichik! Light gathered in front of the magic rune. The black light emitted from the mist turned into a sphere the size she couldn¡¯t hold in one hand. £¼Black Launcher£¾ A 1st-rank dark-elemental magic. A magic that compresses dark mana into a sphere and shoots it straight from the palm in a linear direction. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Until the traps ceased to function. Yeonhae unleashed her magic. With each spell leaving her hand, the air seemed to burst. ¡°It seems they won¡¯t work anymore.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s keep going.¡± Thanks to her, the traps were rendered powerless. We swiftly passed through that place, preparing for another danger. Thunk! ¡°Here it comes.¡± A sound echoed from somewhere. Having sensed the danger through past experiences, my senses were on high alert. Immediately after, the mist on both sides trembled. Whoooom! From Noble mtl dot com Logs came crashing down. Nevertheless, I did not react. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Even though I was aware of this, my instinct to dodge did not register. It wasn¡¯t a danger. It was not real but an illusion. Having encountered illusions several times while climbing the Misty Mountain, I advanced without hesitation into the illusion. Whoooom! At times, reality was intertwined with the illusion. But nothing changed. If the instinct to dodge was triggered, it was real; if not, it was just an illusion. ¡°I have no use for illusion magic.¡± I affirmed. I will not be deceived by things like illusions. However, even the instinct to distinguish illusions was not invincible. Thunk! ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Hey, Gyungwoo!¡± The instinct to dodge does not activate unless it becomes a danger. As a result. ¡°¡­Dammit.¡± Such incidents also occurred. I inadvertently stepped on a trap. Traps that did not pose a threat to life before triggering were not the target of the instinct to dodge. Especially for traps that were not mines but sent the person who stepped on them flying in the direction they were walking, there was no way to respond. Soaring into the mist-filled air, I involuntarily cursed. I hope nothing happens here. Swish! Crackle! As expected, it couldn¡¯t be that easy. In my vulnerable state in the air, something flew at me from all directions. Having sensed the danger with my instinct to dodge, I mentally recalled the swordsmanship I could use in this situation. ¡°I guess that¡¯s better.¡± I soar through the air. My face turns towards the ground. I release as much tension from my body as possible. ¡°Hoo.¡± It¡¯s not to let go of my hands. It¡¯s to evade the attack. I regulate my breathing and envelop my whole body with internal energy. ?Suwang Style Defense Form 6? Lion¡¯s Whirlwind A swordsmanship blending swiftness and flow. Something that had been shooting through empty space finally reaches me. Instinctively evading, I twist my body towards the direction of the incoming attack. Then, I bring forth my military green sword. Clang! The military green sword fails to match the force. The sword is pushed back in the direction of the attack. Naturally, my body turns as well. With nowhere to land, my body falling through the air begins to spin. Crack! A lightning-like wall of thunder strikes. The mana on the military green sword clashes with the ambient mana. In that moment¡­ Clang! I receive a second attack. Rotational force applied in the opposite direction. I rotate at an even faster speed, and the thunder from the military green sword intensifies. The thunder flashes in the mist. Clang! Three times. Clang! Four times. Clang! Five times. At some point, the thunder wraps around my body, extending along the direction of the sword¡¯s rotation. Crackle¡­ Crack! Encountering the thunder swirling around me, something flying disappears. It no longer reaches me. By then, the ground is drawing near. Thud! Crackle! I safely landed on the ground. But my swordsmanship was far from over. Sarja Seonryu was not only a defensive swordsman but also a counterattacker. I quickly had to release the gathered energy of the Wall Thunder that had gathered on the Military Blue Sword. I raised my sword above my head. Krrr! Thick strands of Wall Thunder surged forth. The lion¡¯s roar echoed. As the mist above my head dispersed, a glimpse of the blue sky appeared momentarily. Crackle¡­. Only then did the Military Blue Sword calm down. The Wall Thunder, swirling around me, seemed to be dissolving into the air. I could handle this much. £¼Military Blue Sword: Current Convergence£¾ The second skill of the Military Blue Sword. I absorbed the dissipating Wall Thunder. It seemed wise to reinforce the Military Blue Sword while taking the 2nd test. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that¡­.¡± I looked around. By spreading the detection net to the ground, I could identify traps that were invisible to the naked eye. Those were the traps I had stepped on earlier. ¡°You¡¯re making me nervous¡­. I should¡¯ve checked the ground more carefully.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong? Did you hurt yourself somewhere? Let me see! I can cast healing spells¡­.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not hurt.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the traps I stepped on earlier.¡± Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. I approached Yeonhaneul, who was close enough to recognize faces, and said, ¡°How can we make use of this?¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I mean, what if we¡­?¡± Yeonhaneul¡¯s mouth fell open at my explanation. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Could it work? We don¡¯t have time, and if this method could save us some time¡­.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not impossible, but¡­ it¡¯s still too reckless¡­.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s you and me, can¡¯t we do it? At least lean on me for now.¡± ¡°¡­Are you really gonna do it?¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Think about it again.¡± ¡°Just hurry up and lean on me.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± I hunched over, showing my back. The younger Yeonha, who had been in conflict until then, seemed to finally resign herself. She cautiously grabbed my shoulder and pressed her body close. ¡°Ready!¡± ¡°Eek! Where are you touching right now!?¡± ¡°Your butt. I have to grab it to lift you up.¡± ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s so annoying how confidently you say that.¡± ¡°More importantly, get ready. Heaven will handle the explosion and landing for you.¡± ¡°Got it, you better run well.¡± ¡°And hold on tight. What will you do if you fall while you¡¯re at it?¡± ¡°Uh, okay¡­.¡± The explosion is the butt. No, it¡¯s art. *** Summit of Mount Angae. The examiners, who were recording the arrival times of the test-takers, glanced at the ¡®Gate Clock¡¯ installed near the gate. ¡°¡­.¡± 03:22:18 3 hours 22 minutes 18 seconds. It meant that much time had passed since the start of the second practical exam. ¡°They should be arriving soon.¡± The remaining time to achieve a grade of 1 in the exam is now 37 minutes and 42 seconds. While not a single test-taker had reached the summit yet, it was about time for at least one person to appear. The examiners waited for that moment. Not long after. Rustle. The bushes on one side shook. The first test-taker appeared. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was Cha Eun-sol, from the Circulation Department. 3:29:57 ¡°Ah, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± After several hours of climbing to the peak, one might have expected some sense of accomplishment. Cha Eun-sol, with her green eyes, showed a rather indifferent response. Yet, a hint of fatigue was visible on her face. No matter how much help she received from the spirits, weariness was inevitable. The evaluators welcomed her. ¡°Test taker number 11586, Grade 1.¡± ¡°Congratulations on being the first to arrive. Test taker number 11586 is in first place.¡± ¡°May I leave now?¡± ¡°Yes. The second round of the test is over, so you may exit the gate. Perhaps the assistants outside will brief you on the third round scheduled for tomorrow¡­?¡± Not happy about becoming first, and abruptly thinking of leaving. The evaluators, though smiling wryly, understood Cha Eun-sol¡¯s feelings. She must be tired and just wanting to rest deeply. They tried to make way for her to pass through the gate. And that¡¯s when it happened. 3:34:38 Rustle. The second test taker emerged. The evaluators¡¯ eyes turned towards the test taker coming out of the bushes. ¡°I-I¡¯ve arrived¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± With leaves sticking to her hair, and hanging onto a staff as if clinging for dear life, the test taker. It was Mina, from the Mado Village. Trembling all over, she seemed overwhelmed by having reached the peak, unlike Cha Eun-sol. But it didn¡¯t last long. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not in first place¡­?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I, Mina¡­?¡± Mina, standing among the evaluators, spotted Cha Eun-sol and was taken aback. Her eyes were shaking visibly even from a distance. Soon, her gaze changed. ¡°Ugh.¡± Mina clicked her tongue in frustration. Then, she firmly grasped her staff, swaying her body, and took steps towards Cha Eun-sol. ¡°You, hey.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mistake this as a win. The test isn¡¯t over yet.¡± Ignoring the presence of the evaluators, Min Arin suddenly turned to Chae Eun-sol, who had a sausage in her mouth, and said as if shooting an arrow, ¡°In the third test, I will¡­¡± ¡°So, can I go back now?¡± Ironically, Chae Eun-sol remained indifferent to Min Arin¡¯s reaction. ¡°Are you ignoring me!? Just because you came first, you look down on me, but next time, I¡¯ll definitely be first¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, you can be first.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to. It¡¯s unnecessary.¡± ¡°No, what¡­¡± ¡°I said passing is enough.¡± ¡­¡± Who is this girl? Min Arin lost her words as she looked into the green eyes, unable to grasp what she was thinking. It seemed like her existence meant nothing to her. Thinking this way made her uncomfortable, bruising her pride. She was about to express her anger when¡­ ¡°Anyway, can we leave now?¡± ¡°Wait! Hold on!¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± Chae Eun-sol briskly turned around. She left through the gate. ¡°She¡¯s ignoring people¡­¡± ¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Watching Chae Eun-sol leave through the gate, Min Arin ground her teeth. Now, as if forgetting her fatigue, she briskly entered through the gate. And she left as well. ¡°¡­She¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Yeah. We haven¡¯t even talked yet.¡± ¡°Still, well¡­ at least she passed.¡± ¡°She did pass as a first-grade.¡± The evaluators, dumbfounded, watched Min Arin disappear through the gate. However, with the arrival of the third test-taker, all thoughts about her vanished. 03:48:52 ¡°Ah, it was more fun than I thought!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeonsung Namga¡¯s Nam Yoori. Unlike Chae Eun-sol and Min Arin, she didn¡¯t show any signs of exhaustion. She even brightened up as if she had been so happy. With the monster¡¯s blood splattered all over. ¡°Examinee, are you injured¡­?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, this isn¡¯t my blood! How could human blood be blue?¡± ¡°I know, but the condition right now¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no injury?¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± An examinee standing at around 160cm. With grey hair, pale skin, and wearing all white, the blood splattered on her stood out even more. As a result, her sunny smile felt somewhat eerie. Feeling uneasy, the evaluators changed the subject. ¡°Examinee number 1145, Grade 1.¡± ¡°You passed. When you exit, assistants will explain the 3rd practical exam to you.¡± ¡°Yes! Thank you!¡± Nam Yoori left through the gate. The evaluators finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°What on earth happened? With blood splattered like that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a kid before.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to find out too much. From experience, those types are quite dangerous. It¡¯s better not to get too involved.¡± ¡°We should watch carefully.¡± ¡°Is Grade 1 the end of this?¡± ¡°How much time is left?¡± The evaluators checked the remaining time. 03:56:11 There¡¯s only about 3 minutes left to achieve Grade 1. Once that time passes, the examinees will receive Grade 2. ¡°There¡¯s not much time left now.¡± ¡°Will there be more?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scanning, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be nearby.¡± ¡°Are there only 3 Grade 1s?¡± Having such a conversation. The evaluators stared at the gate clock, counting down. 03:57:23 About 2 minutes left. 03:58:07 Only about a minute remained. The chances of an examinee showing up were extremely slim. And with less than a minute left. 03:59:12 ¡°It looks like it¡¯s over for three of them.¡± ¡°Regrettable, but that seems to be the case.¡± The evaluators¡¯ attention shifted to the examinees who could receive a grade two. 03:59:20 From Noble mtl dot com Now 40 seconds left. 03:59:30 Now 30 seconds left. 03:59:40 Now 20 seconds left. That¡¯s when the unexpected happened. Boom! Boom! Boom! Bang! ¡°What, what is that!? What¡¯s that sound?¡± ¡°Did someone trigger a trap!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pretty massive trap if it is!?¡± Somewhere, a massive explosion occurred. Startled evaluators turned their heads at the sound. ¡°¡­¡± 03:59:48 Black smoke, born from the explosion in the fog, writhed. White fog and black smoke intertwined and swirled. Whoosh! 03:59:50 And within that, something was shooting up towards the evaluators. 03:59:52 ¡°¡­¡± The evaluators widened their eyes. Initially thinking it was debris from the explosion, they prepared protective magic. 03:59:53 As the evaluators spread out their detection nets, they could discern that the ones plummeting towards them were the examinees. 03:59:54 ¡°¡­¡± Who on earth are these people? What kind of scheme have they concocted? The evaluators couldn¡¯t comprehend. 03:59:55 Those examinees who were incomprehensible. Now, they were visible to the naked eye. 03:59:56 ¡°Heavens, now¡¯s the time!¡± ¡°Uh, yeah!¡± ¡°¡­¡± A young man carrying a woman with rabbit ears on his back. The two were about to collide with the ground. 03:59:57 ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± ¡°We need to assist with the landing¡­.¡± ¡°¡­No, there¡¯s no need for that.¡± Suddenly, a fierce wind blew. 03:59:58 The examinee with rabbit ears had conjured up the wind with magic. Thus, they nullified the impact before colliding with the ground. 03:59:59 They landed safely. Gate Clark¡¯s alarm went off right at that moment. 04:00:00 Beep beep beep! The sound indicating that four hours had passed. The evaluators listened to the sound, gazing at where the sand smoke swirled. ¡°¡­What are they doing?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Soon, the sand smoke cleared. The evaluators could see two people lying on the ground. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re alive, right¡­?¡± ¡°See, I told you I could do it¡­¡± Test-taker 1532, Do Gyunwoo. And test-taker 5784, Yeon Haneul. Second-round practical exam, Grade 1, passed. Chapter 52 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 51 Chapter 51 Criminal Investigation Jumping into the air with a trap that propels you in the direction of movement while causing an explosion to increase speed. In this reckless manner, we swiftly shortened the remaining distance and flew to the summit of Fog Mountain. Thanks to this reckless method, Yeon Haneul and I were able to reach the summit in time. As we set foot on the ground, the Gate Watch automatically stopped, displaying the time taken to start the test and reach the summit. 04:00:00 It took exactly 4 hours. If we were even one second late, we would have received a Grade 2 instead of a Grade 1. After checking the time, I relaxed and collapsed onto the ground. ¡®This is not something I can do twice¡­¡¯ Experiencing the feeling of flying blindly through the fog like a missile without any means of control, not knowing what might happen, was enough for me. I no longer wanted to be a missile. Yeon Haneul seemed to share a similar sentiment. ¡°I, I won¡¯t do it again¡­. No, I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to¡­.¡± ¡°Me neither¡­.¡± ¡°I thought I was going to die of fear. Do you know how difficult it was to time the deceleration and landing?¡± ¡°Yeah, it was tough.¡± Yeon Haneul, who had somehow rested her head on my stomach, almost tearfully spoke. I comforted her by patting her head. We lay down for a moment and then got up. The evaluators who determined the grades were waiting near the gate. ¡°Examinee 1532, examinee 5784, both of you received a grade of 1.¡± ¡°Can we leave now?¡± ¡°Yes. Leave your gate watch and screen choker over there when you exit. The assistant evaluators waiting outside the gate will explain the third exam.¡± Feeling hungry and wanting to rest quickly, Yena and I listened to the evaluators and left the gate. ¡°¡­.¡± The dazzling light disappeared. When we came to our senses, we found ourselves standing in front of an artificial gate. An assistant approached us. ¡°Thank you for your hard work today. The third practical exam will be tomorrow morning. You both need to come to the designated location on time.¡± The assistant handed us a printout. The printout contained the schedule and location of the third practical exam. 9 a.m., Dimension Hall 206. ¡°Yena, where are you going to be?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be in Dimension Hall 206. How about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there too. That¡¯s good.¡± We could take the exam together tomorrow. After confirming the exam location, we decided to leave soon. ¡°The exam¡¯s over, let¡¯s go back to the hotel. I really want to wash up quickly.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you used purification magic?¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s different to wash up yourself. It feels weird if you only use magic.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. But it¡¯s evening now¡­ Yena, are you hungry?¡± ¡°Hungry? Come to think of it, it¡¯s been quite a while since lunch¡­ I am hungry.¡± ¡°How about grabbing a meal on our way back to the hotel? We can wash up later.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t want the hassle of washing up again. I feel like having something other than hotel food.¡± ¡°What do you feel like eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most difficult answer, you know?¡± ¡°Well¡­ then something delicious!¡± ¡°Se-eun mentioned a place near the main gate that serves delicious rice soup, especially their ox bone soup.¡± ¡°Ox bone soup? Hmm¡­ not bad, but is there anything else?¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Then there¡¯s the blood sausage rice soup that¡¯s delicious¡­¡± ¡°Do you want rice soup? Or is that all you know?¡± ¡°Koreans love rice. Why not rice soup? It¡¯s warm and tasty.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ alright, let¡¯s go for rice soup. Let¡¯s go where you want to eat.¡± ¡°Wait, let me ask Se-eun if there¡¯s anywhere else besides there.¡± She might be busy working as an assistant, so I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll reply to my message. Still, with a slight sense of hope, I decided to send a message to Doseeun. ¡°Huh? You read it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Um¡­.¡± Fortunately, City Eun checked not long after I sent the message. I read the reply she sent. [City Eun]: Wanna grab a meal together when you¡¯re free? (Emoji of a cat holding a fish and wagging its tail) ¡°¡­Wanna eat together? How about it? I¡¯ll introduce you to Si-eun.¡± ¡°What? Um¡­ Sure, sounds good.¡± * * * Gumgang Academy and History, along with the Brilliant Cafe located on the premises. In the game, this cafe provided players with various information. ¡®About monsters appearing in certain dungeons, or specific items being auctioned¡­¡¯ In addition, lingering at the cafe could lead to unexpected encounters with characters or receiving quests from the characters present there. ¡®There was also a request board where quests could be undertaken at any time.¡¯ In a way, Brilliant Cafe could be seen as content that helps players not only with the game¡¯s story but also in developing the protagonist Kang Hanbyeol and his party. We were currently at that cafe. ¡®It¡¯s quite a fancy restaurant for a cafe. It could easily be called the old salon of the aristocrats.¡¯ A luxurious three-story cafe. Surrounded by ivy and shrubs growing along the outer walls, the cafe had a garden inside that was no different from the outside. City Eun, who had promised to have dinner together, was waiting there. She greeted us. ¡°Welcome. Must have been tough with exams, right?¡± ¡°Long time no see, sis. We agreed to have a meal together when you came to the academy city, and now we¡¯re finally doing it.¡± ¡°True. Sorry, I¡¯ve been busy lately, finding time was hard.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. I know being the student council president keeps you busy. I also had a hard time finding time due to my qualification exam.¡± It had been five years since I became close with City Eun. She had grown a lot taller compared to back then. ¡°Now I¡¯m a bit taller.¡± Not only that, her demeanor had changed. No, refined would be the word. She exuded a much calmer and more mature aura than before, reminiscent of a refined knight, almost indistinguishable from the illustrations in the game. ¡°Thanks for understanding.¡± City Eun smiled then. Is it because we¡¯re cousins? Unlike the girl from the game, the girl I had known for five years often showed a sweet smile. Soon, her blue eyes turned to Yeonhae, who was beside me. ¡°You¡¯re Haneul, right? The disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch. Gyeonwoo told me about you from time to time.¡± ¡°Hello, unnie. I¡¯m Yeonhae. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you too.¡± ¡°Just speak comfortably. Gyeonwoo does that too. I prefer it that way.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ if unnie is okay with it, I¡¯ll do that.¡± It was the first meeting between Dosi-eun and Yeonhae. The two who had known each other through me greeted each other properly. ¡°I was worried Haneul might be shy, but thankfully not.¡± Perhaps because I had occasionally talked about Dosi-eun. Contrary to my expectations, Yeonhae showed no particular wariness towards her. Instead, she called her unnie without hesitation, treating her warmly. Her gaze towards her was very friendly. I felt proud for no reason. ¡°Come to think of it, we didn¡¯t order anything. Are you hungry? Order whatever you want to eat. I¡¯ll pay.¡± ¡°Wow! Unnie, I¡¯ll eat well!¡± ¡°What¡¯s good here?¡± ¡°Everything they sell here is good¡­ I often eat this one.¡± ¡°¡­Cheese cutlet?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s delicious here.¡± Brilliant Cafe offered meals in addition to drinks. We looked at the menu. ¡°I¡¯ll have the cheese cutlet.¡± ¡°What about you, Haneul?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try the same thing as unnie.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with¡­ this one.¡± ¡°Pork cutlet?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good too.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have this one.¡± ¡°Choose your drinks too, kids.¡± After deciding on our orders. We chatted until the food we ordered arrived. ¡°So, during the first exam, were you really glaring at the test-takers from behind, telling them not to laugh?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah¡­ I mean, you can¡¯t make people who are working hard a laughing stock.¡± ¡°They must have been really nervous.¡± ¡°There weren¡¯t many¡­ right?¡± ¡°Did you count?¡± ¡°About¡­ 14?¡± ¡°They must have been really nervous.¡± ¡°Oh, that makes sense.¡± ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t think I have much, right? Unni, in our exam room, it¡¯s more than that¡­.¡± ¡°Oh my, lies¡­.¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Yoo and Yeonha are exam-takers, and Dosi is a proctor, so their conversations mainly revolve around exam-related topics. Then, the food they ordered arrived. ¡°Wow, the cheese is stretching out so much?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why students who come here also post on SNS showing how much the cheese stretches. It seems to reach the ceiling too.¡± ¡°Even to the ceiling? Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you a photo next time. Oh, your number¡­.¡± ¡°Unni, give me your number. I¡¯ll save it.¡± Yeonha and Dosi exchange phone numbers instead of just having dinner. With their numbers in hand, I quietly put a bite of steak in my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± I understand why Kang Hanbyeol likes the steak at this caf¨¦ from the game. If I pass, I might visit here often. Putting that aside. ¡°Si-eun unni, how about cheese tonkatsu¡­.¡± Although it may seem rude to Dosi, it doesn¡¯t quite match her image. Seeing her cutting the cheese tonkatsu with elegance would probably make me chuckle. Then, our eyes met. ¡°Wanna try one?¡± Without realizing my own feelings. Dosi smirked and soon offered me a piece of the just-cut cheese tonkatsu. I held back a laugh and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you one too. Here.¡± ¡°Oh, let¡¯s exchange too.¡± One for Dosi, one for Yeonha. I passed my share to the two, receiving the cheese tonkatsu. ¡°This is delicious too.¡± As I took a bite of the tonkatsu, the cheese inside stretched without breaking. It seemed like it might be too much to eat at once, but the savory taste of the cheese made it enjoyable. ¡°That was delicious. I feel like I¡¯ll come here often.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoyed it. When you come here, it¡¯s best to avoid lunch and dinner times as much as possible. It¡¯s hard to find a seat then.¡± Due to exams, Yoo, Yeonha, and Dosi couldn¡¯t stay long. So, we decided to stay put and spend time sipping our drinks. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. ¡°Nuna, you know¡­.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re an assistant, don¡¯t you know anything about tomorrow¡¯s exam?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t oversee exams, so we don¡¯t know anything about them. We only find out right before the exam. Even if we knew, we couldn¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°So, I could give you some advice about the exam.¡± ¡°What kind of advice?¡± ¡°Considering the types of the exams we had today, for the third exam¡­¡± ¡­.¡± Dosi-eun drew the Sooyeon Sword from her waist. On a bright day, her face reflected in the young sky. ¡°I thought they might ask about this.¡± Dosi-eun manifested her inner mana. Mana imbued the Sooyeon Sword. ¡°¡­Droplets?¡± Droplets formed around the blade. Blue droplets, red droplets. Droplets of different colors floated around us. ? January nights are long. Exam number 3452. As the examinee finished the 2nd practical exam and left the Geumgang Academy, it was already dusk, turning into a pitch-black night. ¡°Another exam tomorrow¡­.¡± From Noble mtl dot com The examinee sighed. The Geumgang Academy¡¯s entrance exams consisted of up to 5 rounds. Having received the lowest grade in the 2nd exam, the examinee couldn¡¯t be sure if they could endure until then. Worries loomed large. ¡°It¡¯s too difficult¡­.¡± Tired. Hungry. Clueless. At least, let¡¯s go back to the dorm and rest for tomorrow¡¯s exam preparation. Passing under the lights of tall buildings. The examinee headed towards the most run-down lodging in district 23. Why choose a lodging so far from the Geumgang Academy, with poor security and in a neglected area? There were two main reasons. It was cheaper. They didn¡¯t have much money. As an examinee who didn¡¯t receive much sponsorship, they had no choice but to stay here. ¡°Are there really so many cockroaches? What kind of academy city is this¡­.¡± As I crossed a certain street, the atmosphere around me changed. I passed under dimly lit streetlights. There was no one around except myself. The atmosphere was eerily dark. It felt like someone was watching. Following. Thud. No. It wasn¡¯t just a feeling. The exam taker clearly heard a sound. ¡°¡­.¡± Someone was watching. Following. The exam taker quickly turned around. There was nothing there. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go back quickly.¡± For some reason, it didn¡¯t feel right. Instincts rang alarm bells. The exam taker picked up speed from before, not looking back, and started running. Hoping it was just their imagination. Thudthud. But the footsteps continued to chase. The sound of shoes hitting the ground echoed through the maze-like alleyways. Thudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthud. When the sound abruptly stopped. ¡°¡­.¡± Running in a half panic, the exam taker found themselves at a dead end. Then, a sound came from behind. Thud. It was that sound again. Finally, it had chased them here. With a fearful expression, the exam taker slowly turned around. ¡°¡­.¡± There was a woman. Dressed provocatively, she smirked at the exam taker. ¡°W-who are you¡­?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m the villain who will devour you.¡± The woman ran her tongue over her fingers. Right after that. Around the examinee, countless threads were spread out. Chapter 53 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 52 Chapter 52 Every year at this time, in the Academy City, almost every academy conducts an entrance practical exam. For those living in the world of hunters, it was common to pay attention to the exam where outstanding talents, not just the offspring of prestigious families or the disciples of masters, gathered. Among them were those who had their hunter qualifications revoked for abandoning the duty of a hunter or committing serious crimes, referred to as ¡®villains.¡¯ Women were also part of this category. ¡°The nights in the Academy City are very different from the ¡®outside world.¡¯ In unseen places, crimes like this happen all too often.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°For villains like me, it¡¯s not a bad environment to live hidden. Well, there are those who enforce the law, but as long as we don¡¯t catch their eye, it¡¯s fine. Besides, they don¡¯t usually come to places like this.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Who knows what might happen. Haven¡¯t you heard such words while preparing to come to the Academy City?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The night streets of the Academy City are dangerous, especially the slums. Seeing you here at this hour, seems like you haven¡¯t heard of it before.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Or maybe you dismissed it as mere rumors and didn¡¯t believe.¡± Academy City, District 23. A narrow alley shrouded in the shadows of high-rise buildings, far from the bustling streets. A woman who unfolded a barrier magic that repelled people¡¯s footsteps looked quietly at the examinee. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better not to struggle. You might get cut if you do.¡± The examinee was tied to invisible threads and suspended in the air. The threads tightened even more when the examinee struggled. The threads, like cutting into flesh and skin, left wounds akin to paper cuts. Blood slowly oozed out from there, flowing along the threads. Drip, drip, drip¡­. Like the sound of raindrops falling on a spider¡¯s web. Droplets of blood fell. The woman caught the blood in her palm, licked it as if to taste. ¡°It¡¯s corrupt. Tasteless. I didn¡¯t expect much from a yellow examinee badge, and as I anticipated, it¡¯s just as I expected. The mana soaked in blood is nothing special.¡± As if she had eaten something dirty. The woman spat out the blood remaining in her mouth onto the floor. The examinee, consciousness fading from the attack, weakly opened their mouth. ¡°Why¡­.¡± Her voice was soft, lacking strength. The words couldn¡¯t even fully form. Yet the woman could infer the unfinished part of the sentence. ¡°Why are you treating me like this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no particular reason. I happened to have nothing to do lately, feeling bored, irritated by the noise in the city. If I had to give a reason, maybe to vent frustration? Just killing time?¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°Why? Did you expect there to be a reason? Sorry, but the reason is that there is no reason. You don¡¯t hold any value that requires a reason. Just¡­ yeah. You just had bad luck.¡± ¡°Sob¡­.¡± ¡°But if you really wanted to find value, your appearance fits my taste, could be prettily adorned, and above all¡­.¡± The woman swiftly brought down her hand with nail art. Instantly, the examinee, tied to a thread, descended to a position almost eye-level with the woman. She reached out her hand. ¡°It¡¯s because of this.¡± Her finger tapped the examinee¡¯s exam ticket. ¡°I became curious about how talented the examinees applying to Geumgang Academy, rated as the best in the Academy City, are. Someday, you might become my enemy, or perhaps you might fall into our side. So, as a villain, I wanted to confirm your qualifications.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, I need your body.¡± ¡°My¡­ body¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, your body.¡± ¡°What does that mean¡­.¡± ¡°If I possess your body, maybe I can closely observe the examinees. Perhaps even the instructors at Geumgang Academy wouldn¡¯t imagine I¡¯d infiltrate in such a way.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°Originally, in an academy with many people, there were some lax points in security. With over a thousand examinees coming and going from outside, could they even notice my presence?¡± ¡°P-please, spare me¡­.¡± The examinee¡¯s pupils trembled. Joy spread across the woman¡¯s lips as she lifted the examinee¡¯s chin with her hand. ¡°No.¡± The woman took out a bead from her pocket. Placing the bead in her mouth. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Forcing a kiss on the examinee, she pushed the bead onto their tongue. The examinee tried with all their might not to swallow the bead, but they couldn¡¯t resist the woman¡¯s strength. In the end, the examinee swallowed the bead. Immediately after. ¡°Ah¡­. Ah, ah, ahh, ahhhhh!¡± The examinee screamed so loudly that it seemed to echo around. It was a sound as if their soul was being torn apart, facing annihilation. ¡°Screaming like that won¡¯t help. No one can hear inside the barrier. Well, not that it matters.¡± The woman silently watched the examinee scream in agony, spewing blood. And then, after a moment. ¡°¡­.¡± The examinee¡¯s screams abruptly stopped, limbs going limp as the head slumped to the ground. But that was only for a moment. Creak, creak. With eerie sounds, the examinee¡¯s joints creaked. ¡°It¡¯s working well.¡± When the examinee raised their head, the eyes that had lost their light suddenly sparkled again. The woman gazed at the examinee¡¯s face and a smile played on her lips. The examinee mirrored her expression and spoke. It was a tone just like hers. ¡°Well, this turned out to be quite interesting when I was already bored. I should go enjoy feeling like a student, see if there are any fun-looking kids around, and come back.¡± The woman responded to the words. The conversation between the two continued. ¡°Focus on the promising ones. Those from the Ten Families or prestigious lineages.¡± ¡°And what about the disciples of the Named?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I heard that it¡¯s the age for the disciples of the Wanderer to apply to the academy¡­.¡± ¡°Did they apply to the Geumgang Academy?¡± ¡°They are the Wanderer¡¯s disciples, so wouldn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°It would be nice to see if we can.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t kill them for no reason.¡± ¡°Because they¡¯re still young?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we have anything against the Wanderer, and we can¡¯t just eliminate a sprout that hasn¡¯t grown. Killing would be a waste. What if that sprout turns out to be a real threat?¡± ¡°True. Waiting for growth is exciting and interesting.¡± ¡°What kind of child is it?¡± ¡°I want to make them a doll.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not your taste?¡± ¡°Then we just kill them.¡± ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°I wonder. What kind of kids are there?¡± ¡°No one knows my true identity, right?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t. How could they know? The owner of this body died a long time ago.¡± ¡°That my soul resides here?¡± ¡°No one would ever notice, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s no way anyone would notice.¡± A high-ranking member of the Ma-in-hoe, one of the Six Demons. ¡°No, no, absolutely not.¡± The Doll Ghost, Lee Gahyeon. In the darkness, she declared. * * * Red water droplets and blue water droplets. The droplets bumped into each other, but instead of dispersing or getting scattered, they floated around undisturbed. ¡°Is this related to the test?¡± What does Dosi want to say? What was the intention behind creating the water droplets? As I examined the floating droplets closely, I lightly touched the blue one. ¡°It¡¯s not changing its shape?¡± It felt like I was pushing a ball. The droplet touched by my finger moved towards Dosi sitting in front of me. The droplet maintained its form without dispersing. This time, I touched the red droplet. ¡°This one changes?¡± The surface of the droplet trembled. Upon the impact of my finger, the droplet split into smaller droplets. ¡°Why is that?¡± I got lost in thought, focusing on the droplets of different colors. ¡°Ah.¡± The realization didn¡¯t take long. This is¡­ ¡°So, it¡¯s a matter of whether the droplet is affected by mana or not.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Even Yeonha realized it. She accepted my words. Upon that, Dosi agreed. ¡°The blue droplet¡­ when touched by a finger, it disperses.¡± Dosi, after touching the blue droplet, manifested her internal mana. With her mana-infused finger, she touched the blue droplet again. The blue droplet reacted similarly to the red droplet I touched earlier. ¡°When you infuse mana and touch it, like this, it receives strength and disperses, as it did when you touched the red droplet.¡± ¡°Conversely, when you infuse mana on your finger and touch the red droplet, it doesn¡¯t disperse but pushes back.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Manifesting internal mana, I touched the red droplet. The red droplet, unlike before, only trembled momentarily on the surface, then without dispersing into smaller droplets, moved in the direction of the applied force. ¡°If you look at it in a certain way¡­¡± ¡°When considering a water droplet as a monster, is it only susceptible to physical attacks, or does it also succumb to magical attacks? I¡¯ve heard the Master mention such monsters before.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me when I¡¯m speaking.¡± ¡°Tsk, what¡¯s wrong with speaking first?¡± Yeonha stuck out her tongue. Feeling somewhat mischievous, I poked her side under the table. ¡°Eek! Gyunwoo, you¡­¡± ¡°Why are you startled?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You don¡¯t have to worry, Nuna.¡± Yeonha¡¯s ears perked up like a rabbit. I sensed her gaze flickering towards me from the side. But it didn¡¯t scare me at all. Ignoring Yeonha¡¯s gaze, I changed the subject. ¡°So, what do you think? Do you believe this will come up in the exam?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think it might.¡± Dohsieun converted the mana bestowed by Suyeon¡¯s Water Orb into her body. Following suit, the water droplets floating around also transformed into mana particles and flowed towards her. ¡°Almost every year in the entrance practical exam, they ask if you can freely switch between manifesting mana within your body and not, like turning a light switch on and off.¡± ¡°Oh, it wasn¡¯t about fighting monsters that are only vulnerable to one type of attack. I thought it was¡­¡± ¡°Ha-nyi, you¡¯re not entirely wrong. Fundamentally, it¡¯s about being able to freely switch between manifesting mana within your body to fight. It has been a question in previous exams as well.¡± ¡°Is it about assessing situational judgment, mana manifestation speed, reaction speed, etc.?¡± ¡°Yeah, those are crucial abilities for a Hunter. It might not be in the 3rd test, but maybe in the 4th or 5th.¡± Dohsieun had never missed the top spot since entering the academy. Given that it was advice coming from her, it was worth heeding. I decided to keep it in mind. ¡°Thanks for letting me know, Nuna.¡± ¡°As your cousin, it¡¯s only natural. And as a senior. Don¡¯t worry about passing both exams; I hope you achieve excellent grades.¡± * * * As they exited the Brilliant Cafe, night had already fallen. Upon this, Dohsieun warned, ¡°The night in Academy City is quite different from the ¡®outside world,¡¯ so be careful. Don¡¯t casually stroll down dark paths, as you might run into unsavory characters due to bad luck. It¡¯s best to stick to well-lit streets, especially around the slums.¡± ¡°Got it, Nuna. I¡¯ll be cautious.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure Gyunwoo doesn¡¯t stray down strange paths.¡± ¡°¡­Are you assuming I¡¯d do that?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t go?¡± ¡°If you live in Academy City for a while, you might accidentally¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Got it, Nuna.¡± It¡¯s regrettable to cut off Do Si-eun, who speaks bluntly. To progress the game¡¯s story, there will come a time when we have to enter the slums. Unable to confidently say I would enter the slums, I forced a bitter smile. By the way, people living in the Academy City referred to the area outside as the ¡®outside world¡¯ or ¡®mainland¡¯, distinguishing it from the Academy City. They considered the Academy City a separate world. In reality, Korea, with a high ratio of civilians to Hunters, who basically have their own world in the Academy City, had different laws and ways of living. ¡°Well, I still have things to do, so I¡¯ll head back.¡± ¡°Enjoyed the meal, Nuna!¡± ¡°Sis, see you next time!¡± And so, I parted ways with Do Si-eun. We made our way to the hotel. It seemed best to go back, quickly shower, and get some rest to prepare for the exam tomorrow. ¡®Only three exams left now¡­.¡¯ Suddenly, I recalled the exam schedule. Starting from the third exam, we wouldn¡¯t return to our lodgings in the middle like today; instead, we would have our meals at the gates. So, if by any chance there were to be a switch in the examinees during the exam. ¡®It should only be today.¡¯ I was convinced. Knowing the game¡¯s story, I could anticipate what would happen during the practical exam. Surely, by now, an annoying villain, whom examinees would have to face, had taken possession of one of the examinees¡¯ bodies. And¡­. ¡®To gauge the examinees¡¯ abilities, they will try to infiltrate the exam.¡¯ With a significant number of examinees failing in the first and second exams, it was a perfect opportunity for the villain trying to gauge them. Knowing that future. ¡°Ha-neul.¡± ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Be careful from tomorrow onwards.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If there¡¯s someone threatening you, don¡¯t go easy on them at that time.¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly saying this?¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Just take care of it. I¡¯ll allow it.¡± It was only natural to prepare. To face one of the main villains of this game, the Doll Ghost, Yi Ga-hyun. ¡°Um¡­ Do I need your permission?¡± ¡°Of course. Because I¡¯m your master.¡± ¡°Geez¡­.¡± Yeong Ha-neul was at a loss for words. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But still, she didn¡¯t deny it. Chapter 54 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 53 Chapter 53 Rabbit Hunt The day of the 3rd practical exam dawned. We left the hotel on time and headed to the bus stop. The bus was waiting in front of us. ¡°Wow¡­ there are so many people, can we even get on?¡± ¡°If only we had left 10 minutes earlier.¡± ¡°It feels like we should¡¯ve left an hour earlier, not 10 minutes.¡± ¡°Well, we can¡¯t change that now. Let¡¯s just get on.¡± The bus heading to the academy grounds was packed with exam takers for the 3rd practical exam. We couldn¡¯t find a seat and had to squeeze through the students. Luckily, there was one handle nearby to grab onto. I held onto the handle to avoid being swept away by the inertia. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± The problem was that there was no available handle for Yeonha to hold onto nearby. She was being pushed around by people, struggling to maintain her balance. I said to her, ¡°Yeonha, lean on me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous if you don¡¯t. I¡¯ll support you from behind, so lean on me comfortably.¡± ¡°But¡­ then you¡¯ll have a hard time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an ordinary person, and I¡¯m an examiner, what¡¯s hard about it? Your weight is nothing, I can handle it without breaking a sweat¡­¡± ¡°Just one verse will do, do you really have to go all the way to the second verse? I¡¯m not heavy at all, you know?¡± ¡°Who said you¡¯re heavy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what that sounds like.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what it sounds like.¡± ¡°Anyway! Let me take the burden.¡± Yeonha cautiously leans on me. She gently places one hand on the midpoint between my chest and stomach, gripping the edge of my clothes. Then, the bus suddenly came to a stop. Kki-eek! ¡°Ahh!¡± My body leans forward. I quickly grip the handle tightly, supporting my body to prevent my feet from slipping off the ground. At the same time, I hold the young Haneul with my other hand to prevent her from falling. She, who was staggering, was led into my arms. ¡°Haneul, are you okay?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah¡­ Thank you¡­.¡± Unlike a moment ago. Haneul, who was clutching my chest with both hands in shock from the sudden stop of the bus. Because she was so close to me, I couldn¡¯t check on her condition. Long rabbit ears swayed before my eyes, and I could only see the top of her head. ¡°Is something happening up front? You almost got hurt.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah¡­.¡± ¡°Why are you just saying ¡®uh, yeah¡­.¡¯? Are you really okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, so¡­.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t whisper in my ear¡­. It tickles because your breath keeps reaching me, sounding like a whisper.¡± ¡°Hey, your ear is right in front of me, what can I do?¡± ¡°Because my ear is sensitive, that¡¯s why, don¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah¡­.¡± Haneul¡¯s ears twitch. As she presses closer, she almost buries her face in my chest. ¡°But am I ticklish too?¡± It¡¯s not just Haneul whose breath is close. Her breath was tickling my neck, almost teasingly. It wasn¡¯t unbearable, but it felt strange. ¡°Is it because it¡¯s my neck?¡± The neck is a vulnerable spot for any creature. If the neck is bitten, one can¡¯t move, and if the neck is broken, one dies. Humans are no different. So, I might be feeling a sense of vigilance about giving my vulnerable neck. Yet, my instinctual reflex to dodge is absent. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Maybe Haneul knows there¡¯s no intention to harm me.¡± I speculate. To shake off the strange feeling, I looked out the window. ¡°Huh?¡± It was then that I heard the test-takers inside the bus grumbling. ¡°It¡¯s annoying from the morning, damn¡­.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to date, you should do it where no one can see you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll definitely make them fail.¡± ¡°Did you come to take the test or to date?¡± ¡°Where do students find time to date¡­¡± ¡°But we¡¯re students too.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pass. If we pass, something will come out of it¡­¡± Sounds of lamenting life, cursing someone, or suppressing tears sadly resonated. Judging by their whispers, it seemed like someone was having a romantic rendezvous inside the bus. ¡°Whoever they are, they better break up.¡± Those kinds of students couldn¡¯t focus on studying. Oh, tsk tsk. Instead of voicing it out loud, I silently shared a sense of camaraderie with them. ¡ª The bus entered the academy grounds. Having disembarked at the final stop, we decided to head towards the Dimension Hall where the 3rd round practical exam would take place. Then, someone called us from behind. ¡°Haneul! Gyunwoo!¡± ¡°Oh, Eunbi.¡± It was Go Eunbi. She appeared as if she had just gotten off the bus stop, waving her arms vigorously. She had a bright face even early in the morning. ¡°¡­Do you like her?¡± ¡°Why do you suddenly ask that?¡± ¡°Just¡­ because I think you¡¯re close. You haven¡¯t even met her a few times¡­ You usually don¡¯t show much interest in others.¡± ¡°Did I do that?¡± ¡°Yeah, you did. So, it¡¯s a bit surprising.¡± Yeona nodded with a look of suspicion. As someone unaware of the existence of the game, it might have seemed strange for me to be friendly with Go Eunbi, whom I had barely seen. Unable to tell the truth, I decided to deflect the question skillfully. ¡°She seems like a good person at first glance. So, I thought it¡¯d be fine to get to know her. Don¡¯t you think the same way?¡± ¡°¡­She doesn¡¯t seem like a bad person. She seems to care because she knows I¡¯m reserved.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Even though she looked puzzled. Yeona half-heartedly agreed, possibly finding some common ground. She no longer probed further and averted her gaze from me. Around that time, Go Eunbi approached us. ¡°Hi! You guys being here means you did well on the test yesterday, right? Are you going to take the 3rd round exam?¡± At a peculiar hour, not even 9 a.m., feeling tired from taking exams the day before. Go Eun-bi, with a lively face, approached, speaking cheerfully. ¡°Hello¡­.¡± It seemed difficult to respond to her. Quietly, Yeon-ha, who had hidden behind me, greeted in an awkward tone. Becoming an obstacle to her, I forced a bitter smile. ¡°Hello, are you going to take the exam too? They said we¡¯d have it at the Dimension Hall. Where are you taking yours?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also at the Dimension Hall. From what I know, those who applied for the combat system seem to take it at the Dimension Hall. Which room are you in?¡± ¡°We¡¯re in room 206.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯m in 206 too!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be taking the exam together.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s great! If anything, help me out a lot.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you quite capable too?¡± ¡°Well, still, it¡¯s incomparable with you guys who have the black admission ticket. Oh, by the way, when you saw me earlier, you seemed to be talking about something, was it about me?¡± ¡°Yes, we were talking about you. You seem friendly. Even the sky acknowledged it. Right?¡± ¡°What should I say to that¡­.¡± ¡°Huh? Really? Thank you for the compliment! You both look like a perfect couple too!¡± ¡°You seem to have many friends.¡± ¡°Me? Oh, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t have many friends!¡± Go Eun-bi waved her hand as if what was said was absurd. Anticipating her reaction, I shrugged lightly. Indeed, Go Eun-bi was undoubtedly a flatterer. We continued conversing in this manner as we found the exam venue for the 3rd practical test. ¡°After confirming your exam number, candidates may enter the gate.¡± Dimension Hall 206. Following the guidance of the assistants, we completed the procedures to participate in the exam. Then, we stood in front of the artificial gate. The dimension radiating a yellow light filled the gate. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­Sure.¡± I stepped into the gate. Yeon-ha followed, and lastly, Go Eun-bi entered. The sight was engulfed in a yellow hue. [Entered the gate.] [Yellow: Hotel of Fantasia IV] [Strategy conditions are being delivered.] [This is a gate that has already been conquered.] When that message popped up, I was standing in a clearing in the forest, surrounded by test-takers. ¡°The Hotel of Dreams?¡± Clearing the message that came to mind, I tried to find Yeonha and Goeun who were following after. Although the area was bustling with test-takers, finding Yeonha wasn¡¯t difficult. Because her rabbit ears stood out. ¡°There she is.¡± Just then, near where I was standing, I saw rabbit ears poking out above the heads of the test-takers. I pushed through the crowd of test-takers and went out. ¡°Haenul, Eunbi.¡± ¡°Oh, Gyenwoo.¡± ¡°I was just looking for you, did you find your way here okay?¡± ¡°Haeni stood out.¡± The two greeted me. Especially Yeonha seemed relieved when she saw me. As if afraid of getting swept away in the crowd, she cautiously grabbed onto my sleeve. At that moment, Goeunbi spoke up. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s moving!¡± The test-takers around us began to move somewhere. It seemed like the proctors up ahead were guiding the way. ¡°Let¡¯s follow.¡± We decided to join the procession. After walking along the path in the forest for a while, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I caught sight of a roof beyond the trees in the forest. The building that had been obscured by the roof was gradually revealing itself. The proctors seemed to be leading toward that building. Soon, as we emerged from the forest, we could fully see the building. ¡°A hotel?¡± It was a building that involuntarily brought such a thought to mind, appearing quite old. The evaluators were waiting in front of the building by the dried-up fountain. Among them, the evaluator at the front checked the time and spoke. ¡°As it is the appointed time, I will now explain the third test.¡± Upon hearing this, the murmurs of the test-takers quieted down, and they listened attentively to the evaluator¡¯s explanation. ¡°In the forest surrounding the Hotel of Dreams, monsters ranging from Rank 1 to Rank 2 reside. Among them is a monster called the Ghost Rabbit. Instructors, please show the Ghost Rabbit to the test-takers.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± One of the evaluators pulled out a brown rabbit from the cage on the floor. With its ears caught and hanging in mid-air, the rabbit had a long horn sprouting from its forehead. Following suit, other evaluators each picked up rabbits of different colors, one after another. At that moment, a message appeared before my eyes as I observed them. [Encountered a Monster.] [Ghost Rabbit (Rank. 01) x 1] [Red Ghost Rabbit (Rank. 01) x 1] [Yellow Ghost Rabbit (Rank. 01) x 1] [Blue Ghost Rabbit (Rank. 01) x 1] ¡°Those are Ghost Rabbits. Other than the horn you see now, they appear as ordinary rabbits,¡± explained the evaluator, signaling. As he spoke, the evaluators who were holding the ears of the Ghost Rabbits let go. As soon as the rabbits¡¯ ears were freed, their bodies turned semi-transparent and disappeared. ¡°In this manner¡­¡± ¡°¡­,¡± ¡°They can use protective colors that are difficult to confirm with the naked eye. In that case, ¡®normal¡¯ attacks won¡¯t work. Without using protective colors, ¡®other¡¯ attacks won¡¯t work.¡± A Rank 1 monster, the Ghost Rabbit. It was a monster I was familiar with. ¡°Whether in games or in evaluation battles of the Divine Sword Guild, I¡¯ve faced these enemies before.¡± Naturally, I knew that depending on the rabbits¡¯ state, either physical or magical attacks would be effective. I could also understand from the evaluator¡¯s explanation what ¡®normal¡¯ and ¡®other¡¯ meant. A ¡®normal¡¯ attack referred to physical attacks, while ¡®other¡¯ attacks meant magical attacks. Nevertheless¡­ ¡°Seiun¡¯s prediction was correct.¡± It was a test to see if one could freely switch the manifestation state of internal mana. However, listening to the evaluator¡¯s explanation, it seemed like they were asking more than just that. ¡°Students, you are to hunt the Ghost Rabbits residing in the forest and bring their Mana Stones to the fountain. We will¡­¡± The evaluator headed towards a large scale. It was an artifact used to measure the energy contained in Mana Stones. Placing the stone on it, the evaluator measured the mana within, displaying the value on the scale. ¡°In this manner.¡± [3Gg] ¡°We will measure the value of the marbles based on various criteria such as weight, size, damage ratio, energy, etc. The marble I measured now is assessed as 3Gg according to our standards. By the way, ¡®Gg¡¯ stands for the initials of ¡®Geumgang¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Every examinee can receive one chip for every 10Gg.¡± The evaluator showed the chips. They looked like chips you would see in a casino. ¡°The 3rd practical exam and the 4th practical exam will be conducted at the same gate. The venue for the 4th practical exam is the Illusion Hotel behind me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°At 7 p.m. tonight, there will be a banquet for you at the Illusion Hotel. Collect the required chips by then and book a room for the night.¡± The room grades based on the number of chips are as follows. Saying so, the evaluator sent a message to our enchanted gate watch. [Illusion Hotel Room Grades] ¨DStandard: 10 chips ¨DSuperior: 20 chips ¨DDeluxe: 30 chips ¨DPremier: 40 chips ¨DSuite: 50 chips Chapter 55 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 54 Chapter 54 Hunt rabbits to gather marbles and exchange them for chips to book a room. That could be said to be the essence of the 3rd practical exam. ¡°Let the exam begin now!¡± With that, the evaluator who finished explaining the exam shouted loudly. The examinees standing in front of the fountain immediately started running into the forest. ¡°Oh, heavens, let¡¯s go too.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s. We might fall behind if we stay here.¡± ¡°Eunbi, what do you plan to do?¡± ¡°For now, I¡¯ll act with you!¡± We couldn¡¯t stay there as we were. We entered the forest. Ahead of us, other examinees were meticulously searching the surroundings. Then, a ghost rabbit hiding under a tree stump suddenly popped out. ¡°There¡¯s the rabbit!¡± ¡°You fool! Why would you say that!?¡± ¡°Move aside! I¡¯ll catch it first!¡± ¡°It¡¯s running away now!¡± A brown rabbit with horns. The ghost rabbit swiftly darted away like an arrow. The examinees chased after it, but soon, from the other side of the forest, the sound of them losing the rabbit and grumbling could be heard. ¡°How did it disappear in a flash like that?¡± ¡°Why is the rabbit so fast?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a rabbit, it¡¯s a monster.¡± Besides their grumbling, similar sounds could be heard from various places. Everyone seemed to be struggling. The ghost rabbit was a monster skilled at concealing its presence and hiding. ¡°Plus, it even uses camouflage.¡± I turned my gaze to one side. Several examinees were approaching the ghost rabbit, tearing at the grass to eat. Squarely. The rabbit seemed unaware that it was being surrounded. And then, it happened. ¡­Kyuung? Suddenly, the ghost rabbit¡¯s ears perked up. Someone who had been distracted eating grass had sensed something. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°He noticed us! Quickly, catch it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s escaping that way! Block it!¡± The examinees also understood the creature¡¯s reaction. They hastily ran out, having stealthily approached. But the ghost rabbit used its camouflage to blend into the surroundings. Thus, it concealed its appearance. ¡°When the ghost rabbit uses camouflage, we must give up on finding it with the naked eye.¡± The examinees tried to locate it, but it had already slipped through the encirclement. I could see the bushes around the examinees shaking. And not just there¡­ Rustle! The bushes in the direction we were in shook one after another. The guy was trying to pass through where we were. ¡°He¡¯s come to us on his own.¡± I unfolded my detection net. Even though one couldn¡¯t spot a guy cloaked in protective colors with the naked eye, the detection net, capable of sensing mana¡¯s presence, could easily pinpoint him. ¡°He¡¯s caught.¡± The guy was right nearby. Rustle! Immediately after, the bushes in front of me shook, revealing a hole opening from inside out. It was the guy coming out. Having sensed the guy through my detection net, I gathered mana at the tip of my foot, measured time, and swept through the air. Thud! ¡­Plop! There was a sensation of something touching the tip of my foot. A Ghost Rabbit. It felt like I had brushed its side. Caught off guard by the unexpected attack, the guy slammed into a wooden pillar. Kyaah¡­ [You¡¯ve encountered a monster.] [Ghost Rabbit (Rank. 01) x 1] The guy¡¯s protective colors dissipated. The guy, now visible, had lost consciousness and collapsed on the ground. Thump! I swiftly ended the guy¡¯s life. As I pulled out a mana stone, the guy¡¯s body turned into mana particles and disappeared. ¡°¡­How small.¡± I checked the size of the mana stone. The mana stone tinged with a blue hue seemed to be only about two fingers in size. ¡°I wonder how much this is worth.¡± It was smaller than the mana stone shown as an example by the appraiser earlier. Considering that stone was valued at 3Gg, this one wouldn¡¯t likely be valued higher, maybe around 1-2Gg. ¡°If the value of a mana stone from one Ghost Rabbit is estimated at 2Gg, does that mean one needs to hunt 5 rabbits to get a chip?¡± And to secure a room with that chip, even the lowest standard room required catching 50 rabbits. ¡°For the highest suite room, it would be 250 rabbits¡­¡± Finding Ghost Rabbits wasn¡¯t easy, and amidst the competition among examinees hunting them, it seemed doubtful if one could catch 250 of them. Moreover, considering the share of the Heavenly Sky, it would require hunting 500 rabbits. Of course, there was no need to struggle to catch 500 of them. After all, the passing condition for the third exam was to catch any room, be it standard or suite. However¡­ ¡°If you can choose any room, why do different grades require different numbers of chips?¡± There is only one thing that can be considered. The evaluator explained that the 4th practical test would take place in a hotel. I didn¡¯t know what test would be conducted, but I also didn¡¯t know if the 4th practical test would provide differentiation or discrimination to each examinee based on the room grade. I couldn¡¯t comfortably book a Standard room right now to pass. I had to collect chips somehow to be able to book a Suite room. For that to happen¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t chase after small rabbits like other examinees.¡± It was not easy to find them, and dealing with agile and quick rabbits was inefficient in terms of investment return. I had to aim for a big win. Either snatch the chips from other examinees or¡­ ¡°Hunt the leader of the rabbits.¡± The evaluator clearly stated. In this forest, monsters belonging to up to Rank 2 appear. If so, there was a high possibility of higher-ranked entities of Ghost Rabbits appearing. ¡°If it¡¯s that damn crystal.¡± Rank 2 monster, the leader Ghost Rabbit. If that thing could be hunted, it would lessen the burden of collecting chips. The problem was¡­ ¡°It seems like I¡¯m not the only one aiming for the leader.¡± Some examinees seemed to have reached a similar conclusion to mine. Those who had stopped hunting rabbits were quietly observing the situation. They were waiting for the appearance of the leader Ghost Rabbit. ¡°¡­¡± It seemed like I would have to compete with them to fight the leader Ghost Rabbit. Meanwhile, even after obtaining the crystal. After the leader Ghost Rabbit fell, I would become their prey once I obtained the crystal. Even if I said I had no intention of becoming prey, defending the crystal would be a burden. I needed a plan. ¡°I could have hit it earlier¡­¡± At that moment, Goeunbi caught my eye. She was the one who shot an arrow at the Ghost Rabbit that appeared in the nearby bushes. However, the sensitive Ghost Rabbit easily dodged it. Jumping up from its spot, it nonchalantly ate grass as if nothing had happened. ¡°This time, for sure¡­ Argh!¡± Goeunbi seemed to get irritated by the actions of that Ghost Rabbit. She shot another arrow. Swish! The guy seemed to have shot an arrow, calculating the direction the guy was fleeing, but the guy was a step ahead. Swiftly, the guy who appeared to move to the right turned his body to the left. The arrow made of mana pierced into the ground on the right. ¡°Oh, why isn¡¯t it working?¡± Go Eun-bi pouted her lips. She reloaded the arrow on the bow and aimed at the guy tearing off nonchalantly. I approached her. ¡°Don¡¯t aim by looking at the feet when you shoot.¡± ¡°What?¡± Go Eun-bi, who was aiming at the ghost rabbit, looked puzzled. She looked up at me with a questioning expression. I reached out my hand over her shoulder and pointed at the ghost rabbit. ¡°You shot when that guy was about to move to the right.¡± ¡°Right. But it seems like he caught on quickly and turned left instead¡­¡± ¡°He was lured into thinking you were aiming right. It was a fake.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ A really clever monster.¡± ¡°So, to counter those types, it¡¯s good to cultivate a habit of focusing on the eyes before the feet. It¡¯s about reading the eyes.¡± ¡°Eyes?¡± ¡°Yes, eyes.¡± I pointed to my eyes. Go Eun-bi blinked her eyes. ¡°Feet might lie, but eyes usually don¡¯t. When any being moves, even for a moment, they tend to shift their gaze towards the direction they intend to move. It applies to animals, monsters, everything.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Shooting the arrow to estimate where the ghost rabbit might flee was a good move. But next time, pay attention to the eyes, not the feet. It¡¯s still there. Reload your arrow.¡± ¡°What? Uh, okay.¡± Go Eun-bi shook her head in confusion. Aiming at the ghost rabbit scratching its neck with its foot, she pulled the bowstring. ¡°Breathe deeply.¡± ¡°Phew, phew.¡± ¡°From now on, focus on the ghost rabbit¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m watching.¡± ¡°Where do you think it will move?¡± ¡°Um¡­ like this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shoot randomly. Keep observing the guy while paying attention.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°A gap will appear eventually.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°It might take 1 second, 2 seconds. Even for a moment, the guy will glance at the direction he plans to flee. Aim to shoot at that moment.¡± Go Eun-bi is like a sponge-like character. Following Kang Han-byeol, she has high potential for rapid growth, quickly understanding and grasping things. So, the advice I would give her is to provide a general direction. And then¡­ Swish! Goeunbi released the bowstring. An arrow flew. Thump! Simultaneously, a Ghost Rabbit leaped. Dressed in camouflage, as if about to jump left, it swiftly switched direction to the right. The arrow made of mana¡­ ¡°Ah! Hit! I got it, Gyunwoo!¡± Pierced the Ghost Rabbit¡¯s side. Instant kill. The Ghost Rabbit hit by the arrow in mid-air released its camouflage and fell to the ground with a thud. ¡°Well done, you¡¯ve got skills.¡± ¡°Thanks! I feel like I¡¯ve learned something thanks to you!¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t forget that feeling.¡± Goeunbi seemed so delighted to have hit the Ghost Rabbit. She grabbed my arm without hesitation and bounced up from her seat. I chuckled as I looked at her. Then, I made a suggestion. ¡°You seem to need your bow, can I help?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Just tell me!¡± ¡°Okay, what I¡¯ll do is¡­¡± ¡°Hey¡­ guys? Could you not talk privately without me?¡± ¡ª The mana stone of a Rank 1 Ghost Rabbit is set at 1~5Gg. For special individuals like Ghost Rabbits of the same rank but with different colors, it was 5~10Gg. So, mathematically speaking, by subjugating anywhere from as few as 10 to as many as 100 Ghost Rabbits, one could pass the test. Only in a Standard Room, though. ¡°Are the pass rates looking good?¡± ¡°They are coming out decently.¡± ¡°Most are in Standard Rooms.¡± ¡°Superior Rooms are occasionally there.¡± Superior, Deluxe, Premier, Suite. To book a higher-grade room, one needed to hunt more Ghost Rabbits than that. For a Suite Room, a minimum of 50 to a maximum of 500. Naturally, it was a challenge to hunt that many in the competitive arena among examinees. That¡¯s why most people choose the easy path, not the difficult one. ¡°Hmm¡­ Most people seem to meet only the minimum requirements just to pass.¡± The passing criteria for the 3rd practical exam was simply to obtain a room. If one simply aimed to pass, there was no need to aim for a high-grade room. Even by securing the lowest grade room, one could pass. However, in the end, it would diminish one¡¯s own value. If one had a brain, they would know. ¡°Even a little thought would reveal that the 4th exam is related to the room grade¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s shortsightedness.¡± ¡°Even if they know, it might still be the case. It¡¯s hard to collect chips.¡± The 4th exam would take place at the foundation of this gate, the Dreaming Hotel. The difficulty of the exam would vary depending on the room grade. So, in a way, the 3rd exam was also a test for examinees to determine the difficulty of the 4th exam themselves. No matter how high their performance in the 4th practical exam, the score difference due to difficulty could not be compensated for. Examinees who chose lower-grade rooms were, in a way, lowering the evaluation they would receive in the 4th exam. ¡°This exam evaluates depth of improvement, so I suppose we can¡¯t give high scores like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also one of the qualities necessary for an excellent hunter.¡± ¡°But not everyone turns out like that.¡± Of course, very, very rarely. It¡¯s just the way of the world. Like Cha Eun-sol of the Circulation Division. [Room, please. Standard.] [¡­Examinee, will you not regret this?] [No, I just want to rest quickly.] [Really¡­ You won¡¯t regret it?] [Room, please.] Cha Eun-sol was holding out ten chips at the hotel desk. The evaluators pursed their lips as they watched Cha Eun-sol on the screen. ¡°Why would that examinee¡­ act like that while carrying a black exam ticket¡­¡± ¡°Indeed¡­¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem to have any regrets?¡± ¡°Looks like everything is a bother to him.¡± Cha Eun-sol was an exception in this case. Examinees who accurately understood the essence of the exam were striving to obtain a higher-grade room as much as possible. Sometimes, without hesitation, even resorting to plundering. ¡°Look at the mana stone he¡¯s holding!¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t go there!¡± [Give us one each. Okay?] The size of a marble is not small. It¡¯s a size that can fit in a pocket. However, it takes 10Gg of marbles to make one chip. If you want to exchange for more chips, you need to have more marbles. As a result, it was difficult to store them and they often attracted attention from examinees. Also¡­ [We know you¡¯ve been exchanging chips.] ¡°Hand them over if you don¡¯t want to get hurt.¡± Chips were small and light, making them easy to store. The issue was that in order to exchange chips, you had to come to the fountain in front of the hotel. During that process, there were times when examinees hiding in the alleys would attack. ¡°That guy stole mine!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let that jerk go!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s snatch them and divide them one by one!¡± However, it couldn¡¯t be considered entirely good to snatch chips from others. Ultimately, even the examinees who obtained chips had to enter the hotel to get a room. During that process, they could be retaliated against by examinees filled with resentment from having their chips stolen. So, the best way was to acquire marbles through legitimate hunting, but realistically, hunting hundreds of ghost rabbits was almost impossible. Only up to Rank 1. ¡°Some examinees are just watching instead of hunting in the forest.¡± ¡°They must be waiting for that guy.¡± ¡°Most of them seem to be from prestigious families.¡± ¡°The exam tickets are also green or higher.¡± Monsters up to Rank 2 appear in the forest surrounding the Dreamy Hotel. Among them are Rank 2 monsters, superior to ghost rabbits. They appear in areas where mana flows densely as the ghost rabbits vanish. Leading quite a number of subordinate entities. The value assigned to the marbles of such creatures was at least 20Gg or more. ¡°Isn¡¯t that value too high?¡± ¡°After all, life is a gamble!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t luck also necessary for excellent hunters?¡± ¡°¡­What are you guys talking about? It¡¯s because that creature is that threatening.¡± If examinees wanted to book a Sweet Room, the best option was to hunt the boss ghost rabbit that appeared probabilistically. And at that moment. ¡°They appeared.¡± Finally, as the mana of the ghost rabbits that had accumulated in the air and left remnants was stimulated, it caused a rift in space. From that rift, the chief ghost rabbit emerged with its subordinate entities. [Kwaaah!] ¡°They¡¯re always frightening to see.¡± ¡°Monsters that destroy innocence.¡± A bipedal ghost rabbit incomparable to the rank 1 ghost rabbits. A physique with an upper body disproportionately larger than its lower body, and muscular build. And a scar crossing one eye as if it had been through countless battles. It let out an enraged cry, as if to settle the grudges of its subordinates. [Kwaaah!] ¡°By the gods! I feel sluggish¡­!¡± ¡°Pressure! Get your act together!¡± The examinees rushed forward to kill such a being. However, it was a rank 2 creature. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And a strong one among rank 2 creatures at that. It was inevitably a formidable opponent for examinees who had just turned 17. For ordinary examinees. [Water Dragon Style, Form 7] Examinee number 1532. Dogyeonwoo of the Divine Sword Dojang. He was not an ordinary examinee. [Lion¡¯s Roar] From Noble mtl dot com Dogyeonwoo, leaping down from a nearby tree, was engulfed in a blue lightning bolt. Soon, a spiraling lightning bolt descended upon the head of the chief ghost rabbit. ¡°¡­Impressive.¡± ¡°He handles wall lightning with ease. Other examinees of the Divine Sword Dojang don¡¯t seem to reach that level¡­¡± An attack that pierced the being¡¯s defenses completely. With one strike, the chief ghost rabbit vanished. [One acquired.] Do Gyenwoo was clutching his crystal in the dispersing chaos of the barrier stones. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve drawn some aggro.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Even the examinees who were scared of the boss are coming to their senses.¡± ¡°From now on, it¡¯ll be a problem.¡± Just obtaining the crystal wasn¡¯t enough. He had to be able to protect it from the swarming examinees. The evaluators were watching closely to see how Do Gyenwoo would break through that encirclement. And then Do Gyenwoo¡­ ¡°¡­What?¡± The evaluators¡¯ eyes widened. ¡ª ? He had acquired the crystal of the Ghost Rabbit Boss. As a result, examinees were narrowing the encirclement to snatch the crystal. I had to fight with a crystal that wouldn¡¯t fit in my pocket in hand. It was going to be burdensome in many ways. That¡¯s why¡­ ¡°Go Eunbi!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As the examinees focused on me, I called out to Go Eunbi, who was approaching stealthily. She waved her hand holding a bow to signal her position. Towards her¡­ ¡°Take this!¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± I threw the crystal in my hand. The examinees, closing in on me, were taken aback by the unexpected turn of events. ¡°Chase, quickly!¡± ¡°The crystal is over there!¡± The examinees hurriedly turned around to grab Go Eunbi. But by then, it was already too late. ¡°Oh heavens! Receive this! My heart!¡± ¡­! Go Eunbi tied the crystal to an arrow and suddenly shot it into the sky. Swoosh! The arrow with the crystal soared through the air, swiftly departing its original place. Drawing an arc, the arrow plummeted beneath a certain tree. ¡°The heavens must have received it well.¡± I chuckled at the sight. There should be no need to worry. The young heavens will live up to expectations. So, I¡­ ¡°Where should I start collecting chips?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We need to collect quite a lot. So, hand over some chips.¡± I must repay the debt to the ghost rabbits. From now on, I am the leader rabbit. Chapter 56 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 55 Chapter 55 Rank 2 monster, Leader Ghost Rabbit. It was appearing not only where Dogyunwoo was but also in the forests around the Mirage Hotel. The evaluators watched examinees fiercely battling the Leader Ghost Rabbit by moving their screen eyes. [You have excellent muscles! It must be evidence of hard training.] [Kwaaah!] [But my muscles won¡¯t lose either! It¡¯s worth watching this fight!] Yonghaerang of the Medical Dragon School. He, holding a knuckle-shaped device, fearlessly rushed at the creature, unleashing a barrage of punches. [Come on!] [Kwaaah!] [Pasha! That¡¯s spirit! Determination!] Like reaching into a bonfire to pick up chestnuts. Yonghaerang¡¯s fists moved so fast that the screen couldn¡¯t keep up. The Leader Ghost Rabbit¡¯s fists were the same. ¡°Passion¡­ overflows, yes¡­¡± ¡°This year, the Medical Dragon School seems particularly fierce.¡± ¡°It feels like we¡¯re watching the strongest in the world fighting, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I think I understand how you feel. I get it as a fellow man.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a woman, Instructor.¡± ¡°Where do men and women matter among men? A man is a man.¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡± There was something about the battle of Yonghaerang that ignited a fire in people¡¯s hearts. So much so that when they came to their senses, the exam control room was filled with heat, sweat dripping down the evaluators¡¯ necks. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next examinee.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The evaluators, not accustomed to the heat, quickly switched the screen. As the evaluators watched Yonghaerang finally defeat the Chief Ghost Rabbit, they sighed as if feeling regret. But that was only for a moment¡­ [When the Muscle Rabbit charged with its protective color¡­ It¡¯s truly horrifying just to think about it. Oh, gives me goosebumps.] Their attention shifted to Minarin of Mado Village that appeared on the screen. The Chief Ghost Rabbit was lying nearby. ¡°What on earth¡­ did it do?¡± ¡°I know, right.¡± Had it been set on fire? The Chief Ghost Rabbit had lost its white fur and turned into a charred lump. Smoke was rising around its body. [Phew, it¡¯s quite a task to retrieve the magic stone.] Minarin poked the corpse with her staff and retrieved the magic stone. At that moment, examinees were approaching her from the edge of the screen. She noticed their presence. ¡°I should run away quickly.¡± ¡°Those examinees could have killed me too, right? It¡¯s not easy to escape.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t pick up the magic stones dropped by the ghosts who appeared with him.¡± Contrary to the evaluators¡¯ expectations¡­ [Hmm¡­] Minarin glanced around the examinees and tapped the ground with her staff. The magic stones, including the one in her hand, floated up from the ground. ¡°If you can take it, go ahead.¡± [¡­] ¡°I, will take it from Minarin.¡± Hmph, making a sound. Min Arin provoked the examinees. She engaged in battle with the examinees while floating her marble in the air. The result was her victory. [Hmph, it¡¯s nothing special.] Min Arin, holding the examinees¡¯ marbles, moved on her staff. The marbles followed her. ¡°It¡¯s so neat the way she manipulates them.¡± ¡°The firepower is strong too. Impressive.¡± ¡°If she can transport marbles like that, she can save herself the trouble of exchanging chips like other examinees.¡± The evaluators did not express any disagreement with Min Arin¡¯s skills. The screen transitioned at that moment. [Kwaaah!] ¡°I¡¯ll handle the attacks, so please deal with the leader!¡± Unlike Do Gyunwoo, Yong Haerang, and Min Arin, those appearing on the screen were in a party facing the entity. Among them, a woman standing at the back of the party caught the evaluators¡¯ attention. ¡°That examinee is¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cast a buff for increased attack power!¡± A blonde with braided hair, blue eyes. A female examinee with an exotic appearance was assisting the examinees with magic using a scepter in her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors that the Princess of the Grace Empire supported us, could she be that examinee?¡± ¡°What¡¯s her¡­ I mean, her title?¡± ¡°Is it necessary to address her so formally? Her imperial ranking isn¡¯t that high, and if she enters the Diamond Academy, she¡¯ll become our student.¡± ¡°And this is not Korea.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Korea, but Hwan, Won, Do, Shi.¡± ¡°Her name is here. If you remove the middle names¡­ it¡¯s Lisa Grace.¡± Appearing in this world at the time of the Great Upheaval 200 years ago, Grace, the imperial family from the otherworld, appeared with the World Tree. The evaluators pondered how to treat her while observing the imperial family from that world. ¡°Her skills aren¡¯t bad, though.¡± ¡°Compared to the disciples of the Ten Families, she lacks impact.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Unlike those who have been training tirelessly since childhood to become Hunters, she grew up in a greenhouse.¡± ¡°Why on earth would she want to become a Hunter? She could just live comfortably in the imperial position.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°There must be a good reason for that. The reason to become a hunter.¡± ? At that moment. The young sky perched on a tree caught the falling bundle. ¡°Oocha!¡± Truly¡­ Docenwoo¡¯s idea was truly ingenious. He never expected this plan to work. After checking the mana stone inside the bundle, Young Sky let out a bitter smile. It was then that the sound was heard. ¡°It¡¯s here! It fell this way!¡± ¡°It must be around here!¡± Students passed below the tree. It seemed like examinees who had been observing the situation from afar were now searching for the bundle to snatch it. ¡°Hmm, what should I do¡­.¡± If he stayed here any longer, they would surely discover his location. He had to move to avoid being caught. However, Young Sky had to keep accepting the bundle sent by Goeunbi. Each time he accepted it, they would chase after him, increasing in numbers. ¡°I have to deal with this first and then leave.¡± In that case, it would be better to reduce their numbers before it became too many. Moreover, they probably had chips or mana stones. Already burdened with collecting the chips of three people, if he could obtain theirs, the burden would lessen. Having made that decision, she deliberately revealed her presence. Yaaah! Young Sky spread her mana throughout her body. The examinees who were searching the surroundings felt that energy and rushed towards her. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over there!¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one opponent!¡± The examinees shouted. Young Sky looked down at them with a nonchalant gaze. In no time, she leaped off the branch like a rabbit. Her bright blue hair swayed as she landed gracefully. ¡°Here she comes!¡± ¡°She¡¯s coming on her own.¡± ¡°Her exam ticket is black! Be careful!¡± Wearing shorts underneath, she didn¡¯t worry about revealing her skirt. The sky above watched over the examinees below. Whoosh! At that moment, someone triggered magic. A fireball was descending. Heat engulfed the surroundings in an instant. She remained unfazed. ¡°Device on.¡± Gripping tightly to prevent the bundle from falling. As it fell from the tree, she infused mana into the metal plate held in her right hand. The metal plate, now recognizing the activation command, restored the device to its original form. She swung a massive iron hammer with all her might, larger than her own height. ©¤©¤©¤!! The fireball exploded. Embers scattered, engulfing her. However, wearing a shield around her body, she remained unscathed. In no time, she broke through the flames, standing on the ground. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Fall, they fall!¡± The faces of the examinees were visible. She deactivated the device. ¡°Device off.¡± The iron hammer transformed back into the metal plate. Though the weight of the device remained the same, with the disappearance of the large iron hammer, she could easily adjust her falling posture. From the position of swinging the hammer, she pulled the hand holding the device behind her shoulder. ¡°Device on.¡± ¡­! The metal plate reverted to the iron hammer. Naturally assuming a striking position, she swung the iron hammer towards them with force. Crack! Examinees struck directly by the hammer collapsed along with the crumbling ground. Sand and smoke obscured the surroundings. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Amidst the suffering moans of the examinees within, without hesitation, she relentlessly wielded the iron hammer, pinpointing their positions with the detection spell. The examinees, trapped in the sand and smoke, had no choice but to fall prey to the sudden appearance of the iron hammer. The rabbit hunt is not fun at all. Rabbits, being highly vigilant, are a challenge to approach, and their small size and agility make chasing them difficult. Moreover, they are not just simple rabbits; they are monsters capable of concealing their presence, using camouflage to block physical attacks. While there was nothing he couldn¡¯t handle, he didn¡¯t want to wander through the forest day and night just to hunt rabbits that didn¡¯t provoke him in any way. It was a waste of time. Furthermore, to capture a Sweet Room, he had to hunt dozens, if not hundreds, of rabbits through simple calculations. ¡°No, I hate it. It¡¯s not fun at all. I didn¡¯t sign up to hunt rabbits here. I applied because they said there would be plenty of fun once I entered the Academy. I¡¯ve killed Ghost Rabbits to the point of getting bored when they were in my family¡­¡± Of course, there are various types of Ghost Rabbits, including monsters belonging to the upper ranks. A 2nd rank monster, the Ghost Rabbit Boss. It would surely pique his interest and provide adequate stimulation. However, it was a monster that only appeared under specific conditions. Waiting quietly for a creature that could appear anytime, anywhere was not in his nature. So¡­ ¡°Thanks! I¡¯ll make sure to use the mana stones and chips you¡¯ve collected well!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°G-Give it back¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that was fun!¡± Somewhere in the forest. Yeong-sung Namga¡¯s Nam Yoori launched a surprise attack on the examinees hunting Ghost Rabbits in a party. Although the examinees tried to resist her using numerical superiority, it was futile. She overwhelmed the situation by transforming her body or wielding a giant scythe. ¡°Device off.¡± Nam Yoori reverted the oversized scythe back into a metal baton. Putting it in her back pocket, she rummaged through the pockets of the fallen examinees. Humming a tune. ¡°Found it! You¡¯ve gathered quite a lot, huh?¡± If she continued to plunder chips like this, it would be less effort to secure a higher-grade room. After checking the loot, Nam Yoori smiled brightly. ¡°That¡¯s ours, give it back¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s mine now.¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± ¡°Are you begging me now?¡± ¡°¡­¡±. ¡°Don¡¯t ever beg me. I really hate that.¡± The bright smile vanished from her face. Nam Yoori¡¯s expression turned stern. Her seemingly affectionate words carried a warning. Intuitively sensing it, the examinee no longer pleaded with her and instead cast his gaze down. Finally, Nam Yoori regained her momentum. ¡°If you want it back, then take it from me with your own strength. I¡¯ll be waiting!¡± Turning her face as if flipping over the palm of her hand, Nam Yoori bid farewell to the test-takers who couldn¡¯t contain their bodies. She left to attack other test-takers. Crack! ¡°Hmm?¡± At that moment, a light flashed from one side. Nam Yoori, who had stopped in her tracks, turned her head towards the flashing light. ¡°¡­.¡± Someone adorned with a blue current was facing off against the leader Ghost Rabbit. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Impressive.¡± Although he pierced the leader Ghost Rabbit¡¯s abdomen, he brought him down with a single strike. Not stopping there, the main character continued to single-handedly bring down the test-takers gathered around. Nam Yoori was impressed by his skills. She didn¡¯t know who he was. But every time he wielded his sword, she could infer his identity from the scattering blue current. ¡°A practitioner of the Divine Sword School.¡± Yekroe, the pinnacle of swordsmanship in the Divine Sword School. Witnessing Yekroe for the first time, Nam Yoori involuntarily averted her gaze. ¡°If he has a black test badge¡­.¡± Nam Yoori also had keen ears. Among the test-takers with black test badges, there was only one practitioner of the Divine Sword School. ¡°He¡¯s Rabbit.¡± Rabbit, Dogyunwoo. A lion unable to even hunt a single rabbit. His story was famous. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like it at all¡­.¡± Recalling his story, Nam Yoori murmured quietly. From her perspective, the one toying with the test-takers single-handedly didn¡¯t seem like a mere rabbit. If that¡¯s considered a rabbit¡­. ¡°A mutant?¡± Undoubtedly a mutant rabbit. Not a feeble rabbit, but a swift, lion-like rabbit. ¡°It would be more fun to play with him!¡± It would be far more stimulating than hunting boring rabbits. Thrilling. To the point of feeling alive. It was a moment when Nam Yoori became interested. Her violet eyes sparkled. Chapter 57 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 56 Chapter 56 As expected, seizing battles rather than defending seems to suit me better. ¡°I feel at ease not having to worry about anything. Isn¡¯t it great?¡± Having handed over all the masak and chips to Yeonhae, I had nothing to lose. In contrast, the examinees who possessed the masak and chips had to be on guard. The difference¡­ ¡°Roar. There¡¯s a lion cub here.¡± ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± I overwhelmed the situation. Even if the examinees gathered to launch a joint attack to hunt down the leader Ghost Rabbit, I was not their match. Already, six had fallen. The rest couldn¡¯t become my opponents. Swish! Crash! At that moment, my instinct to evade kicked in. Following my instinctual call, I turned my body and struck the flying dagger. Then, I pounded the ground. £¼Attack Form of the Water King Style: Type 5£¾ Lion¡¯s Fierce Strike A charging assault in a straight line. Approaching the one who threw the dagger in one breath, I raised my sword. Crash! A wall of thunder surged upward. My sword shattered the opponent¡¯s weapon, and the wall of thunder slashed diagonally, knocking the opponent unconscious with a controlled strike to avoid killing. Crash! I turned with my heel. There were other examinees around. It was time to bring down all remaining foes with Lion¡¯s Fierce Strike. In a 6-hit combo¡­ ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll take good care of it.¡± The exam takers were all knocked down. Confirming that there were no enemies around, I put the military police sword back into its sheath. Meanwhile, Goeunbi was rummaging through the belongings of the fallen exam takers. ¡°Eunbi, how¡¯s it going? Any loot?¡± ¡°Ta-da! I got 4 chips and some marbles!¡± Goeunbi showed me the loot. It was quite a decent haul. ¡°Good job. Let¡¯s keep the chips for now and show the marbles to the heavens.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t have many packages to wrap the marbles in, what should we do?¡± ¡°Do we need to worry about packages?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°We have plenty right here.¡± I pointed to the fallen exam takers to help Goeunbi understand. But she didn¡¯t seem to get it. She tilted her head. ¡°We just need to strip them of their clothes. Wrap the marbles in the clothes and send them off.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Did I hear wrong? Gyungu, what did you say?¡± ¡°I said we should strip them of their clothes.¡± ¡°So, I didn¡¯t hear wrong¡­ Gyungu, how about we find another way?¡± ¡°Do we need to find another way? There are plenty of clothes spread out here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I understand your feelings, Eunbi. I wouldn¡¯t have even dreamt of such thoughts a few years ago.¡± ¡°What happened a few years ago that made you change like this?¡± ¡°It was all to survive. Bittersweet.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you from a noble family of the Divine Sword Guild? Was your family so ruined that you had to steal others¡¯ clothes to wear?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Our family is doing well.¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­ I was just talking nonsense, I¡¯m so flustered right now. Please continue.¡± ¡°What I realized a few years ago was¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°To survive in the law of the jungle, you have to devour before being devoured. Especially in the world of hunters, it¡¯s even more so.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°If those guys were in our shoes, they might have tried to strip you and me of our clothes, right?¡± ¡°Hey, Gyungu?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t your persecution complex a bit strong?¡± ¡°People who tried to steal someone else¡¯s marbles couldn¡¯t even steal our clothes?¡± ¡°By saying that, it¡¯s not entirely unreasonable¡­¡± ¡°And these guys lost to me.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°If they lost, they should all have been taken from me.¡± ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you here to become a villain, not a hunter? Maybe you¡¯ve come to the wrong academy?¡± ¡°In the animal world, the winner always takes everything from the loser.¡± ¡°We are not animals, we are humans. We have reason, we live by the laws of society as humans. We are not animals¡­¡± ¡°So, you can¡¯t afford to lose even once. It¡¯s all over once you lose.¡± ¡°Wow, you sound convincing, but it¡¯s all nonsense.¡± ¡°Grr.¡± ¡°Are you trying to roar like a lion now?¡± Go Eun-bi was dumbfounded. I shrugged at her helplessness and approached the students. ¡°Really going to strip?¡± ¡°Have you not heard such talk before?¡± ¡°What other nonsense are you going to say?¡± ¡°People leave their names behind after death¡­¡± ¡°Do tigers leave their skin?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Monsters leave mana stones.¡± ¡°Anyway, they¡¯re humans¡­¡± ¡°Those trying to harm me are either beasts or monsters.¡± ¡°¡­Am I human?¡± ¡°For now.¡± ¡°Gyun-woo, don¡¯t scare me¡­ Why am I ¡®for now¡¯?¡± ¡°After a hunting dog catches a rabbit¡­¡± ¡°So you were planning to abandon me¡­ Argh, that¡¯s cruel. I¡¯m not a dog.¡± ¡°But you do look like a Welsh Corgi.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that a compliment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all in how you take it.¡± ¡°Are you saying I have short legs? I¡¯ll have a word with the heavens.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop fooling around. Help me undress quickly.¡± ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know! Fine!¡± Still, I had a conscience. We only stripped the upper garments of the students, packed the mana stones and chips, and decided to send them off as a bundle. There was no time to strip them completely. Only a few nearby were undressed. ¡°Do you know where Yeon-hui is?¡± ¡°I just checked.¡± ¡°Then send it to Yeon-hui.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Go Eun-bi shot the arrow up. Somewhere around here, the recipient Yeon-hui would receive it well. Before long, we decided to find the chief ghost rabbit. Finding them was not difficult. Kwaaah! ¡°There.¡± Whenever the chief ghost rabbits appeared, they roared loudly. So, if you listened carefully, you could sense their presence. I decided to move around to find the one who had just appeared nearby. Surely the examinees who heard the sound would be heading towards it. It was a race against time. So, to hasten my steps¡­ ¡°Eek! What, what are you doing!?¡± ¡°Stay still. You might fall.¡± I swiftly lifted Goeunbi and wrapped her around my shoulders. She, who suddenly found herself hanging on my shoulders, flailed her arms and legs. ¡°Do you have to go this far!?¡± ¡°If I worry about you, we¡¯ll be late. It might be uncomfortable, but endure it a bit.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not¡­¡± ¡°Swinging a sword is uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be heavy¡­¡± ¡°I can run even with the sky on my back, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°If you put it that way, it sounds like the sky is heavier than me¡­ And Inuyasha? Carry and run.¡± ¡°What are you saying.¡± ¡°Kyungu, sit!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time to fool around. I¡¯m running.¡± I manifest my mana. With a leap, I rush towards the direction where the chief ghost rabbit roared. Not long after, I saw it. Kwaaah! ¡°Gack!¡± It was fighting the examinees. I gently set Goeunbi, who had been clinging to my shoulders, on the ground. ¡°I feel like throwing up¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic. I¡¯ll go ahead and deal with it, so Goeunbi, you follow slowly.¡± ¡°Okay¡­.¡± Goeunbi staggered. But I didn¡¯t think she would be exhausted from this. The status window was telling me so. [Personal Information] Name: Go Eun-bi (Female, 17 years old) Alias: Self-proclaimed ¡°Assa¡± Affiliation: Doan Middle School [Gift Possession] (Unlocking Condition: Magic Power 60 or above) [Physical Abilities] Endurance: 47 Strength: 45 Resilience: 36 Agility: 43 Magic Power: 38 Luck: 44 Remaining Points: 0 Though not comparable to Nana Yeonhae¡¯s, it was not a bad set of stats. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d run out of strength at this level. I entrusted Go Eun-bi with the rear guard and charged straight into the battlefield. ¡°Who are you, miss?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be dealing with you, so scram!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t steal!¡± The examinees who were already engaged in a fight with the boss Ghost Rabbit grumbled irritably. I ignored them. ¡°What ¡®steal¡¯?¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The one who strikes first holds the upper hand. Feeling the threat in the guy¡¯s fists, I swiftly bypassed the examinees who hesitated to approach rashly. I rush straight towards him. [Encountered a monster.] [Leader Ghost Rabbit (Rank. 02, Field Boss) x 1] [Ghost Rabbit (Rank. 01) x 6] [Blue Ghost Rabbit (Rank. 01) x 2] [¡­.] He also noticed me. His face contorted grotesquely as he howled to kill my spirit. Kwaaah! Something that can be called a presence. His pressure touched my nerves. But it didn¡¯t affect me. [Exposed to pressure.] [All stats decrease by 3%.] [Skill ¡®Resilience Lv 5¡¯ activated.] [Preserves decreased stats by pressure up to 13%.] [Decreased stats are restored.] [Through skill ¡®Resilience Lv 5¡¯, concentration and evasion rate increase by 13%.] The effect of the resilience skill was applied. I could confront him without my stats decreasing. And it¡¯s not just about resilience. [Title ¡®Boss Baby¡¯ activated.] [When engaging in combat with a boss monster, the probability of becoming the top priority target increases significantly.] [When engaging in combat with a boss monster, all physical abilities increase by 10% of the original values.] A specialization, Boss Baby, tailored for facing boss monsters. Having changed the title in advance to hunt the Leader Ghost Rabbit, I could clearly see its effects. Physical abilities are increasing. [Physical Abilities] Endurance: 65(62+3) ¡ú 71.2(68.2+3) Strength: 59 ¡ú 64.9 Stamina: 55 ¡ú 60.5 Agility: 71(68+3) ¡ú 77.8(74.8+3) Magic Power: 48 ¡ú 52.8 Luck: 32 ¡ú 35.2 Remaining Points: 1 [+Detailed List] The whole numbers of Endurance, Strength, Stamina, and Magic Power have each increased by one. It¡¯s not just a change in the decimal, but holds a special meaning. There¡¯s a significant barrier between 59 and 60. Even if it¡¯s temporary, I have overcome that barrier. ¡°Moreover, my Endurance is now over 70.¡± Strength overflows. Fatigue dissipates. Breathing lengthens. I can store strength in my muscles for longer than before. Kwaaah! At that moment, his fist came flying. Fast. But that¡¯s all. It¡¯s not so fast that my eyes can¡¯t follow, nor is it too fast for me to react. My eyes never miss the path of the incoming fist. Moreover¡­ Crackle! Instinctive evasion kicked in. A weak current coursed through my body. It didn¡¯t seem threatening. Nevertheless, I activated it just in case. Even without relying on instinct, I could dodge his attack. And so, I delved deep into his embrace. £¼Attack Style #4 of the Water King School£¾ Lion Roar I thrust the military blue sword into the sternum between the man¡¯s massive pectoral muscles. In the process of piercing, the attack, with added rotational force, swiftly pierced through the man who was desperately trying to protect himself. Phoosh! A single strike. With just one blow, the man met his end. From the wound made by the military blue sword, I extracted a marble. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Why? Even my stuff is being taken?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The chieftain Ghost Rabbit vanished. Turning away from the man, I blankly asked the examinees standing behind me. They nodded their heads slightly. It seemed they had no intention to fight me. If that was the case, there was no need to fight. I tossed the marble to Goeunbi. ¡°Goeunbi, please take care of this.¡± ¡°Got it! Heavens! Please accept this too! It¡¯s my heart!¡± Goeunbi shot an arrow. The marble of the chieftain Ghost Rabbit swiftly moved away from its place. ¡°Why do you keep offering your heart?¡± ¡°I want to be close to the heavens!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The heavens are beautiful, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ll give you that.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°True, but now let¡¯s move.¡± ¡°Huh? Already? Just a bit of rest¡­.¡± ¡°If you linger, others might snatch it. Come here quickly.¡± ¡°Again¡­ are you going to carry me?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll carry you around.¡± ¡°To think you¡¯d consider carrying me like a pack mule, you¡¯re tougher than you look, contrary to appearances.¡± Just like a little while ago, I slung Goeunbi over my shoulder. Then, I roamed the forest in search of the chieftain Ghost Rabbit. Not long after¡­. Boom! ¡°Ah! It¡¯s a signal. It¡¯s the signal flare I gave to the heavens. No doubt about it.¡± In the distance, blue smoke billowed up. It was a signal the three of us had agreed upon in advance. Having collected enough stones, Marsuk and Chip signaled it was time to head back. ¡°We¡¯re finally done. Ah, my shoulders are stiff.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ I¡¯m heavy?¡± ¡°You would know best.¡± ¡°Hey! Erase that memory and throw a punch!¡± Goeunbi lightly tapped me with a punch lacking force. I quietly took the hit. Anyway, that¡¯s how we gathered Chip. Chapter 58 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 57 Chapter 57 Icebreaking In the lobby of the elusive hotel. As Goeunbi and I entered the lobby, we could spot Yeonha standing by the window. She was admiring the garden outside when she noticed our approach and perked up like a rabbit. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Oh, sky, did you receive my heart well? I put in a lot of effort to gather that! We did well, right?¡± Goeunbi rushed to Yeonha, confidently taking the seat next to her. Then, she gently embraced her, running her fingers through her hair. ¡°Good job¡­¡± ¡°Oh, nice! It feels so healing.¡± Yeonha, caught off guard by the sudden embrace, seemed surprised but didn¡¯t push Goeunbi away. She just awkwardly accepted her antics. ¡®It seems Yeonha likes it.¡¯ It felt like praising a puppy asking to be petted. Because Goeunbi was shorter than Yeonha, it made her look even more so. Or was it just my perception? ¡°Yes, yes, good job¡­¡± ¡°Yeonha, you worked hard too!¡± Yeonha cautiously stroked Goeunbi¡¯s head with a hand that hesitantly roamed the air. Upon feeling Goeunbi¡¯s head, she suddenly relaxed and quietly enjoyed the touch. I chuckled as I watched that sight and took a seat across from her. ¡°No one was tailing you?¡± ¡°There were, quite a few. Do you know how hard it was for me to deal with them?¡± Continuing to stroke Goeunbi¡¯s head, Young-ha looked at me with a somewhat sulky expression. It seemed like Goeunbi was asking me for praise, just like she did to Young-ha. Her face was just so adorable. ¡°Still, I believed you could handle it well. Without you, I wouldn¡¯t have even thought of this plan. Good job. Any injuries?¡± ¡°None. And you?¡± ¡°None for me either.¡± ¡°Me neither!¡± ¡°Chip? Did you change them all?¡± ¡°I changed them all before you guys arrived. Eunbi, hold on a moment.¡± ¡°Oh, sure¡­¡± Young-ha gently detached Goeunbi from her and placed the chips from her hip pocket onto the table. We counted the chips. ¡°133 in total.¡± Indeed, we had gathered quite a lot. It felt rewarding to dash through the forest. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s divide the chips as promised.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Fifty chips were needed to book a Sweet Room. I sent five rows of ten chips each to Young-ha and three rows to Goeunbi, enough to book a Deluxe Room, two grades below the Sweet Room. It was because she had promised to only take enough chips to book a Deluxe Room. ¡°This is Eunbi¡¯s share. But are you sure this will work?¡± ¡°Yes. It might take a bit longer, but we could book a room higher than the Deluxe Room¡­¡± With just seven more chips, we could book a Premier Room one grade higher. To confirm once more, Young-ha and I asked Goeunbi. She answered, twirling her brown hair. ¡°I¡¯m fine with this. I¡¯m content. I know my abilities well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°With your help, you might be able to book a Sweet Room. But I might not be able to reach the level to book a Sweet Room, and if I aim for the highest grade room and fail the 4th practical exam, it could be a disaster. So, I¡¯m satisfied with this. Thank you for your concern!¡± Just as she had initially said, Goeunbi politely declined again this time. Her words made sense. I might not know what the 4th practical exam was, but it was undoubtedly an exam where one chose the difficulty level themselves. Instead of blindly choosing a difficult test, one needed to know how to adjust to their own level. ¡°If Eunbi¡¯s level might not be suitable for a Sweet Room, she could at least book a Premier Room one grade lower¡­¡± But if that was Goeunbi¡¯s intention, then it was to be respected. I decided not to insist any further. The gaze of Yeonhaneul also seemed to agree. She spoke up. ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then there¡¯s no way around it. So, what should we do about this?¡± Me 50, Yeonhaneul 50, Goeunbi 30. Even distributing the chips like that, we still had three chips left. We didn¡¯t need them anymore. ¡°Yeah. What should we do? Just leave them here, or give them to someone else? Maybe they¡¯ll need help from that person later on.¡± ¡°Or what about giving them to the twins? They seem to be struggling to collect chips too¡­ ¡° ¡°That won¡¯t work. How can we give what they¡¯ve struggled to collect to someone else?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± What to do with these chips? There was no need to ponder. I grabbed the chips in front of me. And with force, I smashed them. ¡°If they¡¯re not needed, they should be destroyed. Why should we care about others? Tell the twins to toughen up a bit.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really¡­¡± ¡°Turns out you¡¯re a wicked person, huh?¡± Yeonhaneul and Goeunbi exchanged glances. I decided to act like I hadn¡¯t heard anything. ? At the lobby desk, there was an evaluator collecting chips. After submitting the chips to the evaluator, we were assigned rooms. ¡°Congratulations to all three examinees on passing the third round exam. Here, take your room keys.¡± The evaluator handed us our room keys. Each of us took the key assigned to our respective rooms. ¡°When you enter your room, you¡¯ll find an information sheet on the table. It contains the rules you must abide by during your stay at the Hotel of Dreams today. Be sure to familiarize yourselves with the information. If you violate the rules, consequences will follow.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It will also be mentioned on the information sheet, but please make sure to attend the banquet at 7 p.m. There will be an explanation about the fourth practical exam at the banquet. Failure to attend will be considered as forfeiting the exam.¡± The evaluator warned us. After listening to his explanation, we nodded and headed towards the elevator. The elevator door opened. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°About the exam?¡± ¡°Yeah. What kind of exam are we here to take at this hotel?¡± ¡°True¡­.¡± As the elevator ascended, we watched the floors change, lost in thought. There was no corner untouched by my thoughts. Before I knew it, the number on the elevator display stopped at ¡®6¡¯. ¡°I¡¯ll head off for now! You both really worked hard today. Let¡¯s team up again if the opportunity arises.¡± ¡°Sure, take care.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± Go Eun-bi, who had booked the deluxe room, got off the elevator. As the doors closed, both Yeon Ha-neul and I waved our hands to her. The elevator continued without stopping until it reached the top floor where the suite rooms were located. ¡°Where should I go?¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a floor guide over there.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m on the right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on the left.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s part ways here. The banquet is at 7 p.m., so how about resting in our rooms until then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in agreement. Shall we meet here 10 minutes before? Or should I come to you?¡± ¡°Why bother coming to my room. Let¡¯s just meet here.¡± ¡°Okay. I guess we can shower in our rooms too?¡± Considering that the third practical exam is scheduled until 7 p.m., the fourth practical exam will likely be held afterward. So, it¡¯s time for a break until then. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After checking the floor guide, Yeon Ha-neul and I decided to spend our time freely. I moved to the right corridor to get to my room. ¡°Is this it?¡± My room was at the end of the corridor. Using the key received at the desk, I opened the door and stepped inside. ¡°It¡¯s incredibly spacious.¡± The room was divided into a bathroom, toilet, bedroom, and a living room. Even with multiple people, there was ample space left. It was a luxury to have it all to myself. ¡°I bet Ha-neul will be surprised.¡± Her reaction involuntarily came to mind. I chuckled and calmly looked around the interior. There was nothing lacking in the room. It seemed to have almost everything one would need for daily life. Truly befitting a suite room. ¡°¡­There¡¯s even this.¡± In the bathroom, there were shampoo, body wash, towels, a gown, disposable toothbrush, razor, and¡­ There was even something resembling Vitamin C. ¡°I guess I won¡¯t need this.¡± This was also provided at the hotel where Yeon Ha-neul and I stayed. But I never got a chance to investigate further due to her keen observation. At times, she could disappear without a trace. Surely, what the sky has cast down is the youth. Since then, I have never seen it. ¡°¡­.¡± But now, the youth is gone. Finally, I removed the wrapping paper to satisfy my curiosity. And I made a water balloon. ¡°Oh¡­.¡± The water balloon grew endlessly. Trying to fill it with more water seemed like it would burst into a disaster. I closed the tap just in time and let the water flow out. Curiosity satisfied. There seem to be many wonders in the world. Although many thoughts came to mind, the moment I tried to express them, the realization tended to fade. But I can say this much. The truth was far away yet very close. As a still underage, I peeked at a fragment of truth and decided to keep that realization in my heart. ¡°By the way, what is this painting?¡± Coming out of the bathroom, I approached a painting hanging on the wall opposite the bed. The painting depicted an old man with a head reminiscent of a musician from the Baroque era. ¡°Ugly.¡± His skin was as pale as a sick person¡¯s, and he was extremely thin. An unimpressive old man. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t age like this.¡± Staring through the portrait. I made a promise to myself. Fortunately, with the blood of the royal family flowing through me, I won¡¯t age like that. I won¡¯t hesitate to train. I may not become a muscular old man like the grandfather, but I¡¯ll age gracefully. Engaged in a staring contest with the old man in the portrait, I turned around. ¡°Is this a guide?¡± There was a coated paper on the table. I checked the contents. [Guide to the Fantasia Hotel] 1. All examinees staying at the hotel must attend the banquet at 7 p.m. The banquet will be held in the Grand Ballroom on the 5th floor of the hotel. 2. An improvised grocery warehouse is available on the hotel¡¯s basement 1st floor. Examinees are encouraged to use the improvised grocery warehouse at their discretion. The use of the grocery warehouse is free of charge. 3. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., passage is restricted unless otherwise instructed. Examinees must not leave their rooms during this time. Depending on the situation, they may face elimination or point deductions. The items provided in the room were freely available¡­ There was nothing strange to be found. If there was anything puzzling, it was the existence of restricted access times. Is it related to the Fourth Trial? I don¡¯t really know. ¡°Let¡¯s think after washing up first.¡± * * * Ding-dong. By the time I finished washing off the sweat from darting through the forest, the doorbell rang. I had a hunch about who it might be. ¡°Probably Haneul, I guess.¡± Roughly drying my hair, I put on clothes and opened the door. To no surprise, Haneul was standing outside. She looked up at me and asked. She seemed a bit flustered for some reason. ¡°¡­Were you showering? Can I come in later?¡± ¡°I just finished showering. Just need to dry off. Why did you come over?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t even had lunch yet. There¡¯s a grocery store downstairs, so I thought we could go together.¡± ¡°I was actually planning to go visit you. Come in, wait inside.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Also, I keep feeling awkward. Can you help me with the buttons?¡± ¡°Buttons? What buttons?¡± ¡°The buttons on my shirt.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t think about it in a rush. But why make a fuss about this? We¡¯ve seen each other in the Academy City all the time.¡± ¡°Could you please refrain from making comments that could be misunderstood if others hear? What do you mean by ¡®seen each other¡¯¡­¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve seen my upper body.¡± ¡°That, that was a mistake¡­¡± ¡°Was it? How many times has it happened?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Are you still sneaking glances at me now?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°My childhood friend turned out to be a pervert.¡± ¡°Why am I the pervert!¡± ¡°Anyway, come in and wait. The living room is quite spacious.¡± ¡°Ahem! I¡¯ll excuse myself.¡± Teasing Haneul was fun. With a flushed face, I ushered the flustered Haneul into the room. She waited for her in the reception room and finished dressing up. ¡°Let¡¯s go see if there¡¯s anything to eat. After that, we can get some rest.¡± ¡°What if we miss the reception time?¡± ¡°You make sure to wake me up so we don¡¯t miss it.¡± ¡°Even when I was in elementary school, middle school, I used to wake you up all the time¡­ How would you survive without me?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t survive without you.¡± ¡°¡­Cheesy, just words.¡± ¡°But what floor did they say it was on?¡± ¡°They said the grocery warehouse is on the basement 1st floor.¡± Nara and Yeonha took the elevator down to the basement 1st floor. Soon, they headed towards the makeshift grocery warehouse. ¡°Wow¡­ It¡¯s bigger than I thought? I thought it would be like a middle school store¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s almost like a mart.¡± It felt like stepping into a warehouse-type store. From Noble mtl dot com I thought we might find simple ready-to-eat retort food, but we could also look at frozen meat and fish. It truly lived up to its name as a makeshift grocery warehouse. As we scanned the food in front of us, we were purely amazed. ¡°They might have your favorite strawberry milk.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I should look for it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s browse around first.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± There were shopping carts nearby. I pulled the shopping cart and carefully looked around the shelves. ¡°If it becomes a no-passing time, we might not be able to go outside, so we should at least stock up on food.¡± ¡°Even with the reception later?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you get hungry at night?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I do get hungry. I just gain weight.¡± ¡°Hunters are naturally active, so eating snacks at night won¡¯t make you gain weight.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Put in everything you want to eat, everything.¡± ¡°You sound like you¡¯re treating me to all of this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll treat you today.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll enjoy it¡ª. Oh! Is that the dairy section over there?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be looking at which ramen to choose, so go ahead.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Is strawberry milk really that good? Yeonha, with her rabbit ears perked up, dashed off upon spotting the dairy section. I pushed the shopping cart towards the ramen section, leaving her behind. ¡°There are so many types of ramen here¡­.¡± There was someone there before us. The woman standing in front of the shelf seemed deeply lost in thought. ¡°¡­I think it¡¯s here.¡± Her striking blonde hair and blue eyes. With her long hair braided and resting on her left shoulder, the woman exuded elegance and an exotic aura. It was only natural. She was the princess of the empire. Grace Lisa. She was a character in the empire of Grace who had crossed over from one world to another. ¡°But how do you eat this? 550ml of water? 2 and ? cups? Hmm¡­¡± Lisa Grace. She was a character who played a significant role in the story, right after Strong Star in the game. She could even be considered the main heroine. ¡°That was just her role; Strong Star had someone else she liked.¡± At the same time, she was a party member belonging to the support class. Heading towards her¡­ ¡°It worked out well. I should talk or walk over. She¡¯s not as dangerous as Nam Yuri.¡± I changed my steps. She was narrowing her blue eyes while looking at the recipe attached to the shelf. ¡°Jjapaghetti¡­ How do you make this? Mix Jjapaghetti and Neoguri? ¡­Neoguri? Can it be¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not real Neoguri.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is Neoguri. Jjapaghetti is this.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Neoguri is ramyeon.¡± ¡°By the way, it¡¯s just the name that¡¯s Neoguri. It doesn¡¯t actually have Neoguri in it.¡± According to the game¡¯s setting, a life as a princess receiving care left her with almost no immunity or experience in living. ¡°It¡¯s said that things will get better as the story progresses, but not now.¡± At a point where the story hadn¡¯t even begun, she was no more than a plant just out of the greenhouse. There was plenty of room for me to dig in. ¡°Thank you for letting me know. So, if I pack it like this, it should be fine.¡± ¡°But I think Jjapaguri might need more than just that.¡± ¡°Huh? What else¡­?¡± ¡°You need to add chaeutgal.¡± ¡°Chaeutgal?¡± ¡°I think frozen meat is over there.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I need to add that too¡­¡± ¡°Can you measure the water properly?¡± ¡°550ml? There¡¯s a measuring cup in the room, so if I use that¡­¡± ¡°You have to get the water right.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You also have to time it well. Ramyeon gets soggy if you miss the timing.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± ¡°Can you do it? I can¡¯t stand insomnia.¡± ¡°¡­I think making ramen might be difficult for me.¡± Swoosh. Lisa was about to put back the ramen packets I had picked out on the shelf. I stopped her in her tracks. ¡°I was just about to have some ramen too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you have someone to eat with?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, that works out. Since we¡¯re in this situation, how about we have ramen in my room before you go?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make Jjapaguri.¡± Lisa blinked her blue eyes. She was trying to figure out my intentions. I was about to push forward like this¡­ When it happened. Far away¡­ ¡°Ky, woo, ya?¡± Yeonha, holding a strawberry milk and chocolate milk, was approaching. But for some reason, she seemed angry. ¡°Why is she acting like that¡­?¡± I don¡¯t think I did anything wrong. It¡¯s oddly uncomfortable. I cautiously took a step back, wary of her. ¡°Ha, Haneul¡­ Have you picked everything out?¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Have you picked everything out?¡± ¡°Before that.¡± ¡°Ha, Haneul¡­?¡± ¡°Stop fooling around.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll make Jjapaguri?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the issue, but there was something before that. Why do you keep pretending not to know?¡± ¡°¡­How about we have ramen in my room? Oh, Haneul, this kid can eat with us too¡­.¡± ¡°Ky, woo, ya?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Luckily, the savior appeared at that moment. ¡°Haneul! Kyunwoo! Nice to see you guys here again! Are you also looking for something to eat? How about we eat together this time? Oh, there¡¯s a lot of ramen here!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you guys going to eat ramen? I can make it delicious¡­ Haneul, how about ramen in my room before you go? I¡¯ll make rice and eggs! Kimchi too!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­But why is the atmosphere like this?¡± Chapter 59 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 58 Chapter 58 ) [Illustration] ¡°Listening to the story, it seems Gyunwoo was wrong. How can you suddenly ask a stranger, ¡®Do you want to eat ramen in my room?¡¯ Even kidnappers wouldn¡¯t do that these days.¡± ¡°Sorry, was it too sudden? He¡¯s not usually like this, but sometimes he acts out. I¡¯ll apologize on his behalf.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not bothered at all, so there¡¯s no need for an apology. It¡¯s okay. And please don¡¯t get too angry with him. I think he was trying to help because I didn¡¯t know how to make it¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I had pure intentions¡­¡± ¡°Gyun, Woo, Ya?¡± ¡°Gyunwoo was wrong!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I thought it would be fine since Yeon Haneul would eat with us in the room, but¡­ Well, fine, I admit it. My eagerness to create an opportunity to get closer to Lisa led me to rush things. She must have felt surprised and burdened by my sudden proposal. Nevertheless, things worked out well. Thanks to Goeunbi. ¡°Wow, your hair color is really pretty. Did you dye it?¡± ¡°Oh, I inherited it from my grandmother.¡± ¡°Your grandmother?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡± Goeunbi skillfully adjusted the mood. Not only did she stop there, but she also led the situation to what I desired. ¡°Since we¡¯re just standing here and I¡¯m hungry, how about we have a meal together while chatting? Did Gyunwoo suggest eating ramen in his room? I agree!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡­¡± ¡°Is there someone else you promised to eat with?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­ It seems like the three of you know each other well, so I¡¯m afraid I might ruin the mood.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°Haneul, what do you think?¡± ¡°I¡­ Yeah, sure. Let¡¯s eat together.¡± ¡°Great! So, what should we eat?¡± ¡°She mentioned earlier that she wants to have jjapaguri.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine with anything!¡± ¡°Jjapaguri? It was popular for a while, but hearing about it after a long time makes me crave it. Shall we go with that?¡± ¡°I have to include the tenderloin.¡± ¡°Oh, indeed, the young master from a wealthy family eats differently!¡± ¡°You must eat meat. I saw it earlier; it seems like the meat is over there. I should go and look for it.¡± Younghae, who had been eyeing me all along, let out a sigh as if in resignation. He seemed to have a lot to say to me, but with Goeunbi and Lisa present, he seemed to reluctantly let it go. It was fortunate for me. I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. ¡®I used to be terrified when he got angry¡­¡¯ And the scariest moment is when you feel like you¡¯ve done something wrong even though you don¡¯t know what it is. When you try to rectify the situation by admitting fault without knowing what it is, only to face a counterattack like, ¡®What did you do wrong?¡¯ It¡¯s the beginning of a vicious cycle, a series. ¡°Goeun, thank you.¡± I felt grateful to Goeunbi for helping me so that the link in the vicious cycle wouldn¡¯t form. So, after quickly grabbing some snacks for the night, I followed them without a word. My shopping cart was filled to the brim with food. And so, we gathered food. ¡°I think we¡¯ve got everything to eat, so should we head to Gyoun¡¯s room!? I was curious about what the sweet room looks like! Oh, should we introduce ourselves over a meal?¡± After leaving the makeshift grocery warehouse, we headed to the elevator. I voluntarily carried the luggage. By then, Younghae, who seemed to be displeased with me, also seemed to have relaxed. ¡°Why are you carrying everything alone? You look heavy. Give me one too.¡± ¡°I can handle it, so it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Give it when I ask, quickly.¡± ¡°Then give me the lightest one.¡± Younghae, who got on the elevator, reached out her hand with a stern look. Pretending not to be able to resist her coercion, I handed her one of the bags I was holding. Then the two of us stepped out. ¡°Why, then we look like the bad ones. We should carry some too!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s been tough with me taking care of everything since earlier, so I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll carry some too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessary¡­. But I won¡¯t refuse. Well, Eunbi, you carry the heaviest one. Lisa¡­ you carry this one.¡± ¡°Huh? Gyoun? Why am I the only one being treated like this? Isn¡¯t this too much?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a joke. Carry this.¡± The elevator stopped, and the door opened. We entered my room. ¡°Wow! The room is really spacious! It¡¯s incomparable to my room, right? It¡¯s so nice!¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°We can eat in the inner parlor. The ramen¡­¡± ¡°Give me the bags. I¡¯ll cook.¡± ¡°You do cook well. Then I¡¯ll ask for your help. If you need any help, call me.¡± ¡°Then just set the table.¡± Go Eun-bi marveled at my room, while Lisa scrutinized the room somewhat nervously. Yeona, who volunteered to cook ramen, rummaged through the cupboard to find the utensils. Wearing a pink apron, she began cooking. Having finished setting the table in the living room, we quietly waited for her. Suddenly, Lisa spoke up. ¡°Come to think of it, there¡¯s a portrait hanging in this room too.¡± ¡°Huh? A portrait? There was one in my room as well. But the one in Gyunwoo¡¯s room looks scary. It might be unsettling to sleep with that in view, right?¡± ¡°Do you have them in your rooms too?¡± ¡°In my room, there was a portrait of a kindly-looking woman.¡± ¡°I had a deer in mine!¡± Lisa booked the Premier Room. Go Eun-bi booked the Deluxe Room. It seemed like there were portraits across from the beds in both their rooms as well. ¡°There was one in my room too. It was of a somewhat scary-looking grandmother¡­ So, I found it unsettling and just took it down altogether. Gyunwoo, you should do the same.¡± Yeona, who was cooking ramen, also chimed in with a sly grin. I got lost in my thoughts. ¡®Is it not that the paintings differ by room grade, but rather by room?¡¯ Something felt off. But I had to stop thinking. Because Yeona had finished cooking. ¡°Eat up. I even added beef.¡± ¡°Wow! The smell is amazing! It looks so appetizing just by looking at it, right? Yeona is really good at cooking.¡± ¡°It looks really delicious. But¡­ this isn¡¯t the ramen I know, is it? This is¡­ Jjapaguri?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Jjajangmyeon, it¡¯s Jjapagetti.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Jjapagetti.¡± ¡°Mixing Neoguri ramen with Jjapagetti makes it Jjapaguri.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so tasty!¡± ¡°Here, Yeona.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Go Eun-bi was the first to reach out and dish out some Jjapaguri. After that, I filled a plate with food and handed it to Yeona. Her face lit up. Meanwhile, Lisa was staring in amazement at the way we were dishing out the food. Well, she probably hadn¡¯t experienced eating like this before coming to the academy city. I understood. I also extended my hand to her. ¡°Give me your plate. I¡¯ll serve you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ thank you.¡± Lisa handed me the plate gratefully. I served her food as well, taking care of my own portion. ¡°It tastes good. Han Yu is good at cooking.¡± The way each person ate was different. I took a mouthful and savored it. ¡°Mm! It¡¯s delicious, so delicious¡­.¡± Goeunbi seemed to be expressing the taste through her body, reveling in delight. ¡°If it¡¯s lacking, don¡¯t hesitate to tell me. I can make more.¡± Yeon Haneul calmly chewed as if savoring it. ¡°It¡¯s my first time trying it, and it¡¯s really delicious.¡± Lastly, Lisa, who had tucked her hair behind her shoulders to avoid staining it, ate carefully. While cutting the noodles, she covered her mouth with her hand. ¡°Come to think of it, we were so focused on eating that we forgot to introduce ourselves. Shall we do self-introductions now? I¡¯ll go first. My name is Goeunbi. I live in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul¡­.¡± Under Goeunbi¡¯s lead, self-introductions proceeded as they ate. In order, it went Goeunbi, me, Yeon Haneul, and then Lisa. Before they knew it, it was Lisa¡¯s turn. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the late introduction. I¡¯m Lisa Evangel, supporting the supporter lineage¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Following Lisa¡¯s self-introduction, several middle names followed her last name, Evangel, in a noble manner. And when her name ended with ¡®Grace¡¯¡­ ¡°If it¡¯s Grace¡­.¡± ¡°A noble¡­.¡± Goeunbi and Yeon Haneul were left speechless. Realizing that the girl who had eaten Japaguri with them was the princess of the Grace Empire, they were visibly taken aback. It was enough to change their demeanor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t know you were a princess and acted so casually¡­. I apologize if we were impolite.¡± The two hurriedly showed their respects. Lisa gave a bitter smile. She lowered her head. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do that. Even though I am a princess, right now I am also a student like you preparing for the exams, right? This isn¡¯t Grace here. So please, treat me as a friend, as an equal. I ask of you.¡± ¡°Right. What¡¯s the use of formalities? We¡¯ll be classmates once we enter the academy, and skill will be more important than status, right. Just be comfortable.¡± ¡°Geonyu¡­ You don¡¯t seem that bold¡­.¡± ¡°Still, even if you¡¯re a princess¡­.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m from the Shin¡¯Geom Do family, should I be formal with you?¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s a different story.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. Then let¡¯s be comfortable. But still¡­ is it okay?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Then me too! Princess, I mean, Lisa, feel free to speak comfortably!¡± ¡°I find it easier to speak this way¡­ Is it okay if I continue like this?¡± People who hold authority often have a sense of privilege and elitism. Those born with authority, who naturally expect to be revered by others, especially tend to have such traits. However, the character Lisa Grace was outside the usual category. She did not care about social status, emphasized duty more than privilege, and was someone who loved the Grace Empire, her motherland. Go Eun-bi and Yeon Ha-neul could sense her character and felt reassured. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat a snack, anyone want some!?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we just eat?¡± ¡°Oh! Rice and snacks are different!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯ll go get it.¡± ¡°Ah, Gyun-woo, I¡­¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°I¡¯ll also bring strawberry milk. What would you two like to drink?¡± ¡°Yeah, thank you.¡± After that, we continued the conversation comfortably as Lisa desired. It was during this that the incident occurred. ¡°Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.¡± Lisa, enjoying a conversation while eating snacks, got up to go to the restroom. And when she returned. ¡°Um¡­ What¡¯s this on the sink?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It seems she forgot to put it away after playing with it. Lisa was holding something that looked like a vitamin C pill with the wrapper peeled off. It swayed in the air. We were enveloped in silence. ¡°That¡­ Is that it? I¡¯ve never seen it before. So it looks like that¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What did you do with that? Curious? Tell me, Gyun-woo! Come on!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on with that?¡± ¡°Gyun, woo, ya?¡± Go Eun-bi chuckled. Lisa smirked. Yeon Ha-neul was smiling. I avoided eye contact and answered. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a water balloon.¡± Really. Not lying. ¡°Oh, really? It was a water balloon. It reminds me of the time when I made water balloons as a child and got scolded by my nanny for secretly throwing them at people. I miss those days¡­.¡± Only Lisa believed me. We, who had been chatting for a while, each went back to our rooms to take a rest. There was still some time left before the banquet began. After bidding farewell to Yeonha, Goeun, and Lisa, I decided to close my eyes for a moment. How much time had passed since then? ¡°Gyunwoo, wake up.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to go to the banquet.¡± When I opened my eyes, Yeonha was there. She had come up onto the bed to wake me. I rubbed my eyes and got up. ¡°What time is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 6:30. Hurry up and get ready.¡± ¡°Just 10 more minutes¡­.¡± ¡°Are you planning to keep sleeping?¡± ¡°What do I need to get ready? I can just go as I am.¡± ¡°Not even going to wash your face?¡± ¡°I can handle it with a cleanliness spell.¡± I used the cleanliness spell. Being able to wash your body with just one spell, it might be one of the most indispensable spells invented by humanity throughout history. It didn¡¯t consume much mana. ¡°Oh, wait.¡± Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. The cleanliness spell removed dust, grease, bacteria, and other things on the skin. So, if one used this spell well. ¡°Could it remove anything?¡± I brought up the thought. ¡°You¡¯re relying on the cleanliness spell too much¡­. If you keep doing that, you¡¯ll become lazy. And you don¡¯t even feel like you¡¯ve washed with magic. Your hair is still messy.¡± ¡°Haneul.¡± ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡± ¡°If we could strengthen the cleanliness spell, could we use it for combat purposes? Like removing monsters or something¡­.¡± ¡°The idea doesn¡¯t seem bad, but it might be challenging, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Basically, the cleanliness spell is meant to be used on oneself. Beings with mana all inherently resist mana, have mana resistance. They don¡¯t resist their own magic. So, if you use the cleanliness spell on others, its effectiveness decreases.¡± ¡°If we use the cleanliness spell on monsters, they¡¯ll resist it.¡± ¡°Yeah, wouldn¡¯t they? Plus, if it¡¯s a cleanliness spell modified for lethality, they would resist it even more. Resistance grows stronger the more power there is.¡± ¡°So, if we modify a spell with higher mana resistance than the monsters¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­. Wouldn¡¯t the efficiency be low?¡± ¡°Why? It consumes less mana, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°The target of Cleansing Magic is the impurities on the surface of the skin, so it consumes little mana. It¡¯s nothing like erasing existence.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°In that case, I think it¡¯s better to develop magic with low mana consumption and strong killing power. Still, the idea isn¡¯t bad. Putting that aside, we¡¯re running late. Let¡¯s tidy up quickly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s bothersome¡­¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Just sit still there. I¡¯ll sort it out for you.¡± ¡°Thanks if you do.¡± I thought it was a groundbreaking idea, but it¡¯s a shame. Feeling somewhat regretful, I entrusted my head to Yeonhae. She touched my head and tidied it up with magic. ¡°Alright, done. Let¡¯s go, quickly.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± It¡¯s almost time for the banquet to begin. Having finished dressing up, I left the room with Yeonhae. The banquet hall was bustling with the examinees who arrived earlier. ¡°Examinees, please take one of these.¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Help yourselves to the beverages.¡± An assistant standing at the entrance distributed cards and pens to us. Another assistant carrying trays of drinks passed by us, offering cups. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Taken aback, I checked both sides of the card. The back was painted with a background reminiscent of a trump card. On the front, there was a symbol drawn. What are we supposed to do with this card? I decided to look around while waiting for the evaluators¡¯ instructions. The banquet hall was adorned with appetizing foods and small tables scattered around for people to sit and eat. Seeing examinees nibbling on food here and there, it seemed permissible to eat freely. ¡°¡­¡± However, most weren¡¯t trying to fill their stomachs but observing the trend like me, sipping on the drinks in their cups. ¡°Tastes good.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s sweet with a little fizz. But this isn¡¯t alcohol, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably non-alcoholic.¡± Yeonhae and I also sipped the drinks. It was a champagne-like beverage. The sip was smooth, the taste delightful, and before we knew it, our cups were empty. ¡°Would you like another?¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Every time that happened, the assistant holding the tray refilled our cups. Standing still felt awkward, so we received new cups. ¡°Oh! Dogyeonwoo! And¡­ Yeonhaneul!¡± ¡°¡­So, even they were in this exam room.¡± It was then that Yonghaerang struck up a conversation. Approaching us cheerfully, as if he had just woken up, he greeted us. Yeonhaneul quickly hid behind me. ¡°We meet again. Did you get a good room?¡± ¡°I got a suite. How about you?¡± ¡°I got a suite too! The room is quite spacious! I was practicing there and almost overslept! I almost ran late, right? Hey, Yeonhaneul back there, you got a suite too, right?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m in a standard room.¡± ¡°Haneul¡¯s in a suite.¡± ¡°Oh, Gyunwoo, you¡­¡± ¡°As expected! I thought you¡¯d be in a suite too! Are you looking forward to starting at the academy?¡± Yonghaerang laughed energetically. His eyes revealed a competitive spirit. He seemed restless, as if eager to compete with me and Yeonhaneul. ¡°Anyway, when the time comes, we could spar in my room¡­ or yours, or just a friendly match¡­¡± He subtly suggested a match. Naturally, I pretended not to understand and declined. ¡°Oh, I have to clean my weapons later. I didn¡¯t maintain my sword after sparring with the ghost rabbits during the day.¡± ¡°Then how about with Haneul¡­¡± ¡°I, I also have to clean my weapons¡­¡± ¡°He says he¡¯s quite tired. Haneul, right?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is. Can¡¯t be helped. Haneul, take care of yourself. As a man, you should take care of your health! Health! Or should I share some herbal medicine I brought from my hometown? It¡¯s good for enhancing vigor and recovering vitality¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just take your good intentions.¡± ¡°Haneul will graciously accept. I¡¯ll take it on his behalf later.¡± ¡°When did I agree to that!¡± Yeonhaneul protested in a low voice and hit my back. But in the medical school of the Yong clan, there were plenty of good tonics and medicinal herbs. Since Yonghaerang offered willingly, it was better to accept. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s good for building muscle¡­¡¯ Of course, I wasn¡¯t selfish or bad enough to monopolize it. I also planned to share with Yeonhaneul. At that moment, the evaluators took the stage. ¡°We sincerely congratulate those who passed the 3rd practical exam. This banquet is prepared for the examinees who worked hard yesterday and today, taking the exams. So, please set aside your worries about the exam and enjoy the banquet with peace of mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡± An evaluator with a friendly face spoke kindly. ¡°Enjoy the banquet comfortably¡­.¡± It was hard to believe those words at face value. Even Yeonha or Yonghaerang, along with other examinees, seemed to share similar sentiments. In such circumstances¡­ ¡°The 4th practical exam is nothing out of the ordinary. You just need to enjoy this banquet, spending a day at the hotel. In fact, the 4th practical exam can be seen as a way to relieve mental fatigue in preparation for the 5th practical exam. Just enjoy it.¡± The evaluators were spouting nonsensical words. The examinees in the banquet hall couldn¡¯t help but feel restless. ¡°However, even if we tell you to enjoy the banquet comfortably after competing until now, it might be hard to enjoy it when feeling awkward around each other. Therefore, although it won¡¯t affect your grades, we have prepared a simple ice-breaking game for you to bond with each other.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°As you entered the banquet hall, you must have received these cards from the assistants. From now on, each examinee should walk around the banquet hall until the end of the banquet, having a brief introduction with 10 examinees!¡± The evaluators played lively music. Thump thump, thump thump. Suddenly, the atmosphere turned tense. I started to wonder if I came for an exam or a training camp. ¡°Are we going to end up having a campfire by the end? Forcing fake tears while telling our parents at home that we love them¡­.?¡± I sipped on my drink. Chapter 60 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 59 Chapter 59 ¡°Of course, even if we tell you to introduce yourselves randomly, you might have many concerns about how to talk about yourself, what kind of conversation to have when meeting someone. That¡¯s why we have prepared question cards to make you feel less awkward.¡± Having come to take an exam where we compete to get into the academy, it was absurd to suddenly be asked to build camaraderie with competitors. It felt ridiculous to me. Examinees seemed to share a similar sentiment, with murmurs heard here and there. ¡°And on top of that, saying the 4th practical exam is just a way to relieve fatigue in preparation for the 5th practical exam¡­.¡± It was hard to believe those words. I couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. Nevertheless, the evaluators continued their explanation without addressing such doubts. ¡°On the tables in the banquet hall are the cards I am holding right now. These cards contain questions that can be used as topics of conversation. Each examinee should engage in a conversation with their partner based on the question on the card. After exchanging 10 cards, you should get the card you received at the entrance signed by your partner.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Moreover, the self-introduction must be done in a 1:1 setting, lasting at least 5 minutes. We have prepared this rare opportunity for you to build camaraderie with your potential peers, so please don¡¯t ignore this effort and just collect signatures if you find it bothersome.¡± No wonder the tables were small. It seemed to prevent multiple people from introducing themselves at once. Meanwhile, a cardholder was placed on the table where the evaluators were. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the self-introductions! Mini-games will also be held during the banquet, so we hope for the active participation of the examinees. Although it won¡¯t affect your exam grades, instead, Golden River Coins will be given as prizes. Golden River Coins can be used in various ways once you get into the academy and start living here.¡± Indeed, it was truly a banquet. Eating and drinking comfortably, laughing and chatting, enjoying the camaraderie. There was no sense of tension. No hidden intentions could be found in the words, actions, or gazes of the judges. ¡°Is there really no ulterior motive?¡± Even when I extended my senses, there was no response, no instinct of avoidance triggered. It meant there was no danger nearby. It didn¡¯t seem like they were waiting for us to let our guard down to launch a surprise attack. ¡°Am I just overly suspicious¡­?¡± I took a sip of my drink. The music filling the banquet hall was lively and cheerful. Having delicious food and drinks naturally lifted my spirits. My sense of vigilance dulled. In that moment, test-takers began to pair off and head towards the tables in the banquet hall. ¡°Since there¡¯s no way to know by thinking, let¡¯s start with getting signatures first.¡± I decided to start moving as well. Naturally, the first person to get a signature from was Yeon Haneul. Right at that moment. ¡°Haneul, let¡¯s team up¡­¡± ¡°Do Gyunwoo! Let¡¯s do it together!¡± ¡°Gyunwoo!¡± Just as I was about to turn to Yeon Haneul. Yong Haerang suddenly grabbed my arm. I hadn¡¯t anticipated his strong grip, and found myself being pulled towards him. ¡°¡­Haneul, I should team up with someone else.¡± When I looked back, I saw Yeon Haneul reaching out towards me. She had a bewildered look on her face as she stared at me. I probably looked the same. With a wry smile, I waved to her. ¡°Hey, it hurts. I¡¯ll walk by myself, so let go of my hand.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I¡¯m not good at controlling my strength. My bad.¡± I had to get signatures from 10 people anyway. Though it wasn¡¯t my intention, I decided to start with Yong Haerang¡¯s signature. We found an empty seat and sat down. At that moment, an assistant carrying a tray came over and replaced our glasses. ¡°Can I offer you another drink?¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this tasty?¡± ¡°Yeah, suits my taste.¡± ¡°But this won¡¯t fill you up! Even for my muscles, I feel like I should eat something, can I eat while doing this?¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s for the muscles, then yes, you should eat. I was hungry too, so I should eat something.¡± ¡°Meat! Meat! A man is all about meat!¡± ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°You know a thing or two. Do Gyung-woo, you¡¯re indeed my perfect rival¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, not really.¡± Just drinking beverages felt lacking, and it was time for dinner. We got up from our seats, quickly filled our plates with food, and returned. As I chewed on the sliced meat, I took out cards from the card case. ¡°I¡¯ll shuffle.¡± ¡°Should I draw first?¡± ¡°Sure. Go ahead and draw.¡± I placed the shuffled cards in the center of the table. Yong-hae, who was tearing into a chicken leg, drew the top card. ¡°What do you think are the 3 elements of an excellent Hunter?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°No need to ponder. It¡¯s obviously tenacity, passion, and boldness that an excellent Hunter should possess, right!?¡± ¡°A typical answer.¡± ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°I¡­ talent, background, effort?¡± ¡°Hmm, a conventional answer. I thought you¡¯d think differently.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to think differently about? Ultimately, whether it¡¯s you or me, we¡¯re here because of talent, background, and effort. But if I were to add one more element¡­¡± ¡°Tenacity, perhaps.¡± ¡°Maybe luck.¡± ¡°Well, can¡¯t deny that. Luck is an important factor too.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s end the first question with this, shall we draw the second question? I¡¯ll draw this time.¡± ¡°Sure, come on! Hand it over!¡± Hand over what? Yong-hae spreads his chest wide open. His dobok was split up to the chest, revealing the muscles underneath. With his skin tanned, the muscles seemed even more distinct. ¡®¡­enviable.¡¯ I withdrew my gaze and placed my hand on the card. ¡°The place in Hunter City you most want to visit? Hmm¡­¡± ¡°You can answer this right away. If nothing comes to mind, shall I go first?¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± ¡°I want to go to the Battle Arena!¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s so you.¡± The Battle Arena was where students from the Academy in Hunter City mainly competed against each other. It was a fitting choice for Yong-hae. Meanwhile, it was now my turn to answer. ¡®The place I most want to visit is¡­.¡¯ There were many places that came to mind. But among them, choosing the place I wanted to go to the most wasn¡¯t an easy task. ¡°The sky is up there.¡± At that moment, Yeonha appeared in my sight. She was chatting with one of the triplets. Looking at her¡­ ¡°I choose Heart Land.¡± The answer popped out. ¡°Heart Land? Is it a theme park?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Even though it¡¯s a must-visit spot in the Academy City¡­ surprising. I thought you¡¯d want to go to the Battle Arena. Heart Land, Heart Land¡­¡± Well¡­ Since Yeonha wanted to go. She said she wanted to ride the carousel. ¡°Great! Let¡¯s go together if you pass! After that, we can also go to the Battle Arena!¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Sorry, I promised to go with someone else. I¡¯ll look for another person.¡± ¡°Ugh, then let¡¯s just invite that person along too¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re out.¡± ¡ª I finished my conversation with Yongha. I signed Yongha¡¯s card, and she signed mine in return. ¡°Here you go! Signed it.¡± ¡°Take yours too.¡± I received my card back. Yongha¡¯s name was roughly written in bold letters at the top of the signature line. It seemed like the person signing below would have a hard time. ¡°I¡¯m off to find someone else! See you next time!¡± ¡°Sure, take care.¡± Yongha, who had turned away from me, left with confident steps. Just as she had done with me earlier, she grabbed a student she met on the way and disappeared somewhere. I expressed my condolences to the student. ¡®But now, instead of dwelling on this, I should also look for my next opponent¡­¡¯ I found Yeonha. She seemed to be engaging in conversations with the triplets, taking turns. ¡®Looks like I¡¯ll have to wait quite a bit for it to end.¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be helped. Deciding to put off signing Yeonha¡¯s document for later, I went in search of someone else. Having just finished a conversation or perhaps seeking someone who was also without a conversation partner, I roamed around. ¡°Are you looking for someone to talk to?¡± At that moment, someone approached me. Seemingly like me, they were also looking for a conversation partner. I turned my head at the sound coming from behind me. The person was short, requiring me to lower my gaze slightly. Looking at that person¡­ ¡°Oh, yes. I was just looking for¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t finish my sentence. The person who approached me happened to be someone who had tried to avoid getting involved with me. ¡°Really? I was looking for someone too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Great. It works out. Let¡¯s talk.¡± Matted gray hair that seemed genetically altered and purple eyes. With hair nearly reaching down to her hips and a smiling face, she unintentionally evoked an image of a fluffy sheep with a gentle temperament. However, she, Namyuri of Yeonseong Namga, was far from such an image. ¡°Was she also in the exam hall? But this meeting doesn¡¯t seem random; it feels intentional¡­¡± As someone familiar with Namyuri¡¯s true self, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy and flustered about this unexpected encounter. Contrary to my feelings, she seemed curious about me for some reason. Otherwise, her lips wouldn¡¯t be curved up like that. It was a habitual gesture she made when she found something interesting in a game. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯m Namyuri of Yeonseong Namga! You¡¯re from the Shingyeok Do, right? I saw you causing explosions while hunting rabbits in the forest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I heard that when the swordsmanship of Shingyeok Do reaches a certain level, mana friction ignites to form a current. It was fascinating and cool to see it firsthand. I want to know the exact principle behind it.¡± Namyuri released the hand holding her cards and extended one towards me. ¡°You want to play with me? Here, take my card. Will you give me yours? Oh, by the way, I didn¡¯t ask for your name.¡± ¡°¡­Dogyun.¡± ¡°Got it! So, you¡¯re Dogyun!¡± I hadn¡¯t expected her to approach me first, but now that it had happened, there was no turning back. As someone who had no intention of turning her into an enemy, I knew that eventually, we would have to become friendly. Though the plan was accelerated sooner than expected, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing to know in advance. The situation actually seemed favorable. ¡°She seems friendly towards me.¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t let my guard down. Namyuri was unpredictable. There was no guarantee that her friendliness would last. I had to be wary of sudden changes in her attitude overnight. She was dangerous and temperamental. ¡°As skilled as she is.¡± I eventually concluded my thoughts and exchanged glances with Nam Yoori. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do it.¡± ? ¡°Where is Gyunwoo¡­¡± Being delayed by receiving the triplets¡¯ signatures, I ended up wasting time. Yeonha stood up and headed to find Gyunwoo who must be somewhere in the banquet hall. It wasn¡¯t difficult to find him. ¡°Oh, there he is.¡± He just caught my eye. I could sense where he was. Is it the intuition of childhood friends? Or is it because I unconsciously wander around looking for him when Gyunwoo is not around? I don¡¯t really know. ¡°It¡¯s Gyunwoo. Yeah.¡± I felt oddly proud. In the bustling banquet hall, I was glad to find him without any confusion. That familiar back of his head over there looked incredibly cute. ¡°But¡­ he¡¯s talking to someone else.¡± Meanwhile, as Yeonha was walking, she spotted someone sitting across from Gyunwoo. A woman with wavy, long gray hair and purple eyes that were quite striking. ¡°¡­She¡¯s pretty.¡± It wasn¡¯t clear from her sitting posture, but she seemed shorter than Yeonha. She looked petite and cute. As she gazed at her¡­ ¡°Who initiated the conversation?¡± Yeonha suddenly became curious. Was it Gyunwoo who started the conversation, or was it the woman? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder about what expression Gyunwoo was wearing at the moment, or what kind of person that woman was. Despite knowing it was nothing special, she couldn¡¯t help but be curious. ¡°Let¡¯s get closer and observe.¡± Of course, without revealing it outwardly. There was nothing good about making it obvious. It would only make people around tired. She didn¡¯t want to appear that way. So, Yeonha quietly approached to observe the situation. ¡°Oh! Yeonha!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± It was when Yonghaerang called out. Startled by the loud voice, Yeonhaneul¡¯s rabbit ears perked up. She slowly turned her head to look at Yonghaerang. ¡°Are you also looking for a partner? Great, I was just looking for one too.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Yonghaerang was approaching. Judging by the cards in hand, it seemed like he was pointing to himself as a conversation partner. ¡®Uh-oh¡­ He¡¯s not my type¡­.¡¯ This was going to be a problem. Yeonhaneul found it difficult to deal with someone who seemed assertive, even more so than Goeunbi, who appeared to have many friends. ¡°How about teaming up with me?¡± Yeonhaneul was internally panicking. If she continued like this, she felt she would be caught up with him and go through various hardships. ¡®I need to say something¡­.¡¯ Yeonhaneul frantically racked her brain while watching him approach. Then, she noticed a student standing to the side eating food. ¡®Ah.¡¯ She was a calm-looking woman. Yeonhaneul intuitively sensed something. ¡®She seems like someone I could get along with.¡¯ Making that judgment, her body moved involuntarily. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Sorry! I already agreed to team up with someone¡­. Right?¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? That¡¯s a shame¡­.¡± Yeonhaneul briskly ran over to her and casually linked her arm. Then she apologized to Yonghaerang, sending a silent plea to understand her words. ¡°Huh?¡± Failing to grasp the situation, the girl blinked her green eyes, fork in her mouth. Chapter 61 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 60 Chapter 60 ) [Illustration] Nam Yoori, who possessed multiple branching points, could become either the antagonist or an ally of the protagonist Kang Hanbyeol depending on the player¡¯s choices. Because of this, Nam Yoori didn¡¯t have just one exclusive ending, but two. One as an enemy, the other as a comrade. ¡°The problem is, no matter which ending you choose, it all leads to a bad ending.¡± It even extended to a destruction ending. In a story where Nam Yoori succumbed to the persuasion of the mains, dropped out of the academy, and turned into a villain. ¡°Nam Yoori¡± ¡°What? Is this all you can do? Have you been using me all this time, Master? Not fun at all?¡± Nam Yoori destroys the male protagonist and turns all the people of the clan who oppose her into chimeras. With her chimera army, she invades the world alongside the mains. The world fails to stop the chimera army and meets its demise. ¡°Then the words ¡®bad ending¡¯ naturally come to mind as Nam Yoori suddenly meets a fatal end.¡± On the other hand, in a story where she becomes an ally. ¡°Nam Yoori¡± ¡°Kang¡­ Han¡­ Byeol¡­?¡± Due to an experiment by the male protagonist, Nam Yoori horrifically transforms into a chimera. Gradually losing herself, she tears apart and devours Kang Hanbyeol, leading to the complete loss of herself and the destruction of the world. This was known as the Hanbyeol Devouring Ending. ¡°But the devouring ending doesn¡¯t activate unconditionally. It only happens if one becomes a party member and makes the wrong choices at the branching points.¡± Thus, I intended to bring Nam Yoori in as an ally rather than an enemy. Unlike the moment when turning into an enemy confirms the destruction ending, when becoming an ally, it was not a definite outcome. With every branching point in mind, I aimed to steer the story away from the Hanbyeol Devouring Ending. With that determination, I engaged in a question game. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll pick.¡± Nam Yoori hums a tune. Swaying lightly to the rhythm, she reaches out for a card. ¡°Picking from the top every time is boring, so this time, I¡¯ll pick from the middle. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°You¡¯re flexible. Thank you.¡± Nam Yoori is moody. That¡¯s why she¡¯s unpredictable and shouldn¡¯t be controlled. Interfering or trying to control her even slightly while she¡¯s closed off could easily provoke resistance. She might show hostility if she perceives an attack. Even if she¡¯s accepted as an ally, one must never forget and always be cautious. ¡°Reality is different from games.¡± Unlike in games where once you join a party, you remain a party member forever, reality doesn¡¯t work that way. You can leave if you change your mind. That¡¯s why you need to manage it consistently. In that sense, Nam Yuri was picky yet paradoxically simple. ¡°It seems like only boring questions are coming up, so I¡¯ll shuffle the cards.¡± ¡°I was thinking the same thing! Seems like we¡¯re on the same page.¡± Nam Yuri acts on impulse to seek fun and stimulation. She doesn¡¯t like mundane and repetitive tasks; she prefers things that are fresh and outside the norm. If you understand the psychological basis of her, it¡¯s simpler to gain her favor than anyone else¡¯s. Shuffle, shuffle. ¡°Oh, shuffled well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite good at shuffling cards.¡± ¡°Shuffling? What¡¯s that? Is it fun?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you next time if the opportunity arises.¡± ¡°Really!? Then I¡¯ll be looking forward to it!¡± Even the slightest interest is fine. As long as you provide something interesting enough to catch Nam Yuri¡¯s attention, that¡¯s all that matters. By adding a bit of variation to her daily life, you can win her favor. By steadily accumulating her favor as a colleague, she will follow even the most reckless orders. So, I deliberately shuffled the cards in a flashy manner to attract her attention. She seemed excited with just that, her purple eyes sparkling. ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick.¡± ¡°What did it say?¡± ¡°If we play rock-paper-scissors, what do you think you¡¯d choose first?¡± ¡°What would I choose?¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Scissors for now?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with rock.¡± ¡°What! How reckless! What if I win!?¡± ¡°Who asked you to answer. I don¡¯t engage in fights I can¡¯t win.¡± ¡°Cancel! I¡¯ll choose paper!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll choose scissors.¡± ¡°Cancel again! I¡¯ll go with rock!¡± ¡°If we keep going like this, it won¡¯t end. How about we try it out for real?¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do it! It¡¯s been a while. I¡¯m definitely going to win.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll play just one round. No objections if you lose. Rock, paper, scissors!¡± ¡°I won!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s not over yet?¡± ¡°Huh? I won by choosing paper.¡± ¡°I have to win in Muk-Chi-PPa.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is these days. Come on, quickly.¡± ¡°Ah! Rock, paper, scissors! Oops!¡± ¡°I won. It¡¯s my turn now.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to come at me, be prepared to dodge¡­!¡± ¡°Rock, paper, scissors.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the cowardice in playing like this!¡± ¡°The world of competition abides by a cold law, you know? Would you call it cowardice if a monster suddenly attacked?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Fine, I¡¯ll admit it. But only one more round!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s agree to move on to the next question after getting signatures from others. We¡¯ll play again when we meet at the Academy.¡± ¡°Just one more time¡­ Alright, is that a promise?¡± ¡°Should we also bet on lunch then?¡± ¡°Betting lunch? Wow, that sounds fun!¡± ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn. Pick one.¡± ¡°If you could make one wish come true, what would it be?¡± ¡°What do I want to wish for?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything right now¡­ Oh! I want to play rock, paper, scissors with you!¡± ¡°A simple wish.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°¡­Do you have to call me that way?¡± ¡°You can call me ¡®Yuri¡¯ if you want!¡± ¡°Your wish to be fulfilled¡­¡± ¡°Am I being ignored?¡± ¡°I want to graduate from the Academy.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t even enrolled yet. Do you really want to become a Hunter?¡± ¡°That way¡­ I feel like I could live comfortably without any worries. Maybe you wouldn¡¯t understand. This time, I¡¯ll pick.¡± ¡°No, I think I know what you mean. You just need a Hunter¡¯s license to live freely in the New Continent, right? That¡¯s not for me¡­ What did you pick?¡± ¡°If you could be someone else for a day, who would you want to be?¡± ¡°Who would you want to become?¡± ¡°¡­A man with well-defined muscles, blonde hair, and sun-kissed skin that accentuates the muscles.¡± ¡°So specific? Why would you want to be that kind of man?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s manly.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still young and naive. You¡¯ve never felt attracted to someone, have you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re the same age, though.¡± ¡°But my mental age is higher.¡± ¡°What? You seem younger than me¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Anyway, if you ever feel attracted to a man, you¡¯ll understand the appeal of muscles and blonde hair.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case¡­¡± ¡°You were like that when you were young.¡± ¡°So, what are the factors that attract Gyunwoo to Isung?¡± ¡°I¡­ ¡° ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s play the question game.¡± ¡°Oh! Where can we find that?¡± ¡°When you start liking someone from Isung, tell me.¡± ¡°For sure, promise!¡± ¡°So, what kind of person do you want to be?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Gyunwoo?¡± ¡°You seem to be speaking vaguely now¡­.¡± ¡°No! I want to be Gyunwoo because I¡¯m curious about what Gyunwoo is thinking in his head!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move on. Your turn.¡± ¡°I pick!¡± ¡°What did you get?¡± ¡°When you feel down or annoyed, what do you do?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Since you can¡¯t just kill a random person, enter the artificial gate and kill monsters until you feel relieved.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°You¡¯re good at creepy stuff.¡± ¡°But what else do I know besides solving things like this? Gyunwoo?¡± ¡°I¡­ just swing my sword or meditate.¡± ¡°Oh, very knightly of you.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a knight. And¡­¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Take a walk. When you go outside and walk, the fresh air seems to clear your mind. Or find and eat delicious food.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You should try it later too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll consider it. Next!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my turn now.¡± ¡°What did you get this time?¡± ¡°For sweet and sour pork, do you prefer crispy or saucy?¡± ¡°Which side does Gyunwoo choose?¡± ¡°I¡­ You go first.¡± ¡°I¡­!¡± And so, we continued our conversation. ¡ª ¡°It was enjoyable chatting! Here, take this!¡± ¡°Your card is here as well.¡± Thanks to Nam Yoori¡¯s friendliness, our conversation took place in a warm atmosphere. After finishing all ten questions, she had a joyful expression on her face. She handed me a card with her signature on it. It read ¡®Yongha¡¯ underneath. ¡°It was challenging to write because of the person in the first box, but it was quite fun nonetheless!¡± ¡°You could have written in the third box instead of the second¡­ Well, if it was fun for you, then that¡¯s what matters. Well, I should be going now.¡± ¡°Okay! Goodbye! And don¡¯t forget our promise?¡± ¡°Got it. Let¡¯s see after passing.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Now, I only needed signatures from 8 more people. After shaking hands with Nam Yoori, I decided to look for someone else. ¡°Oh, right. Of course.¡± ¡°Why?¡± At that moment, as if suddenly remembering something, Nam Yoori called out to me. I stopped in my tracks and turned around. She was holding a cup she had received from a passing attendant. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to inform you especially because I hope Gyunwoo passes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Nam Yoori gently shook the cup. The drink inside the cup also swayed. Soon, she took a sip. ¡°This drink contains ingredients that affect the central nervous system. It¡¯s in very small amounts, so no one seemed to notice.¡± ¡°¡­Is it poisoned?¡± ¡°Well¡­ It depends on the perspective. It¡¯s not the kind of poison Gyunwoo would think of. If it were that type of poison, wouldn¡¯t Gyunwoo have noticed? Just like me, Gyunwoo, too, from a young age, has been ingesting minimal amounts of poison to build tolerance, as many from prestigious families do.¡± Nam Yoori said with a bright tone. It wasn¡¯t entirely incorrect. Not all prestigious families did that, but many did. The Shingyeo Do family was one of them. Even though Mother didn¡¯t desire it, the food served at family gatherings contained poison. It was only in minimal amounts that wouldn¡¯t harm life, but the effects of the poison could be unpredictable at times. Being required to attend the gatherings regularly, Yaeun and I had to ingest the poison each time. As a precaution, Mother ensured that Yaeun and I wouldn¡¯t fall victim to the poison by administering minimal doses of it in our meals. ¡°Mother is now having it with us, though.¡± Mother attended the family gatherings and, reluctantly, had to eat the meals, taking the antidote provided by the family beforehand. However, was it after cutting off her head? Mother, starting from that time, abruptly learned to manipulate her inner mana to extract the poison, no longer needing to take the antidote. Anyway. ¡°If it¡¯s not poison, then what is it?¡± I decided to hear Nam Yuri¡¯s answer. She opened her mouth. ¡°It seems to contain drugs from the benzodiazepine class, generally like diazepam, triazolam, and lorazepam.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If I say it like this, you wouldn¡¯t understand?¡± ¡°Tell me in simpler terms.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a drug that induces sleep. Just think of it as a sleeping pill.¡± ¡°You should have said that from the beginning¡­. But if it¡¯s a sleeping pill type of drug, I would have noticed.¡± ¡°It must be a drug developed independently by the evaluators for this test. Although it¡¯s independent, if we analyze the combination, it seems like it was advised by our family.¡± ¡°If it was advised by the Yeonsung Namga, then it¡¯s possible I wouldn¡¯t have noticed.¡± ¡°Since we are quite famous in this field.¡± ¡°Is there no effect other than inducing sleep?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what my analysis shows. But the effect is a bit strong. Due to slow absorption and minimal amount, we may not know now, but as it accumulates bit by bit, the effects will start to show towards the end of the banquet.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s not just in the drinks.¡± ¡°No way¡­.¡± ¡°It was in all the food provided at this banquet hall.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It was even in the makeshift food storage. Aren¡¯t you curious about what the evaluators are up to?¡± No, not at all. I had a flustered expression. I didn¡¯t expect that there would be drugs in the food and drinks at the hotel. ¡°I need to get rid of the drugs first.¡± I tried to manifest my internal mana. At that moment, Nam Yuri asserted. ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°This is not a typical combination, so you won¡¯t be able to remove it the way you know. Among the examinees, maybe only I know?¡± ¡°Then since you shared information about the drug, could you also share the combination?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not fun.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Even though I don¡¯t like the family, I can¡¯t casually reveal the knowledge that is essentially the family¡¯s property, right? It¡¯s also difficult to express in words. And since it¡¯s not life-threatening, let¡¯s just accept it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to detoxify?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not going to, you know? Because that¡¯s more interesting. I look forward to what the evaluators are plotting.¡± Nam Yuri was this kind of character. A character who, in pursuit of the ¡®thrill,¡¯ sometimes puts herself in risky situations. That¡¯s why predictions were impossible. She was different from Gyeongwoo, who tried to avoid danger as much as possible in the game. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡± Knowing Nam Yuri¡¯s personality, trying to persuade her was pointless. I decided to be satisfied with the information I got from her. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± ¡°Good luck on the exam!¡± Nam Yuri waved her hand. As I turned away from her and left, my mind was consumed with thoughts. ¡°What exactly is she planning?¡± For the test takers, without a clue. What reason could there be for the examiners to give sleeping pills to the test takers to make them fall asleep? ¡°If the goal is to make us sleep, they could just recommend sleeping pills. Why didn¡¯t they inform us?¡± One answer came to mind. To catch us off guard. ¡°Then why?¡± What could be the reason to catch us off guard? Releasing monsters in the hotel out of the blue to ambush the test takers? ¡°If that¡¯s the case, they could just wait for us to sleep and then ambush us.¡± There was no need to give sleeping pills. In fact, it would be risky to give sleeping pills. Test takers who fall into a deep sleep cannot respond to external situations. If they were attacked by monsters in that state, they would meet their demise. Of course, the examiners couldn¡¯t possibly have considered such a situation. ¡°So, it¡¯s not an external ambush, but an internal one¡­.¡± What could an internal ambush be? My thoughts spiraled. ¡°4th practical exam, different graded rooms, sleeping pills in the food, portraits that don¡¯t match the room¡¯s atmosphere¡­.¡± And this place, the Hotel of Dreams. The pieces of the puzzle slowly came together. ¡°¡­.¡± I reached one conclusion. The 4th practical exam is¡­. ¡°Something seen in a dream.¡± I was half convinced. The likelihood was high. I needed to inform Yeon Haneul quickly. I wandered around, searching for her somewhere in the banquet hall. ¡°Where could Haneul be?¡± Chapter 62 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 61 Chapter 61 ¡°I go by Yeonha. Thanks for aligning with my words a while ago.¡± ¡°I was also looking for a partner. I¡¯m Cha Eun-sol.¡± The woman who revealed herself as Cha Eun-sol exuded a mysterious aura. Looking into her green eyes, it felt as if one was standing in a forest filled with lush greenery. It seemed like facing the immense nature. ¡°¡­I feel calm.¡± Around Cha Eun-sol, it was quiet and serene, as if disconnected from the world. Yeonha, standing in her world, found that atmosphere very appealing. ¡°I didn¡¯t know silence could be this comforting.¡± To a stranger, Yeonha, who tended to be reserved, surprisingly did not hold back with Cha Eun-sol. Even though Cha Eun-sol might not talk much, it was not uncomfortable, and somehow, Yeonha could understand her thoughts. Cha Eun-sol felt the same way. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn, Eun-sol.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Although she didn¡¯t show it outwardly, she felt a sense of closeness. Their shared preference for quietness made conversations flow smoothly without any awkwardness. ¡°If tomorrow were a holiday, what would you like to do?¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°¡­I think I¡¯ll sleep in.¡± ¡°Me too. And?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to enjoy the natural scenery¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I feel like eating something delicious. Yum.¡± ¡°You enjoy culinary delights?¡± ¡°Yeah. Actually, that¡¯s partly why I came to the academy city.¡± ¡°To explore the gourmet scene of the academy city?¡± ¡°Yum yum.¡± ¡°I know a few great places to eat. Want me to share?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°My friend also enjoys food adventures and often tags along.¡± ¡°Please do. I¡¯ll take note.¡± ¡°Then¡­ here¡¯s my number. I¡¯ll contact you after leaving the gate.¡± ¡°Yeah. This is my number.¡± ¡°There¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Would you like to have a meal together next time?¡± Yeona spoke shyly. She had mustered up the courage to ask. Chaeunsol, who had been sipping on his drink, looked at her quietly. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± After gulping down the food, she nodded. Yeona¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± ¡°Yeah. So, what about you?¡± ¡°Me? What are you going to do on your day off?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Well¡­ maybe watch a drama you haven¡¯t seen in a while? Or read a book.¡± ¡°A drama?¡± ¡°I enjoy watching dramas.¡± ¡°I watch them occasionally too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. They have those delicious restaurant ads in them.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean product placement?¡± ¡°Yeah, that. That¡¯s why I watch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s interesting how you watch it that way¡­¡± ¡°Shall we pick the next question?¡± ¡°Oh, sure. It¡¯s my turn.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your favorite snack?¡± ¡°I like this.¡± ¡°Sausage?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s tasty. And nutritious. ¡­Want one?¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have a snack?¡± ¡°I have this.¡± ¡°Oh, jelly. It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°I have it whenever I need some sugar. It¡¯s tasty. Here, take one.¡± ¡°Enjoy.¡± Exchanging sausages and jelly, Yeona and Chaeunsol wrapped up their conversation warmly. ¡°I¡¯ll get in touch after leaving the gate.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll contact you too.¡± With Chaeunsol¡¯s signature, Yeona smiled and got up from her seat. ¡°It feels like a good lover. I hope I can see you at the academy.¡± Yeon Haneul wished earnestly. Fortunately, there was no need to worry. Since Cha Eun-sol was also wearing a black admission ticket like herself, there would be no chance of failure. ¡°That person must also be from a prestigious family, right?¡± Being an outsider to the news of prestigious families, Yeon Haneul did not know Cha Eun-sol¡¯s identity. She could only speculate. Soon, she decided to find someone to receive the remaining signatures from. That¡¯s when she met Go Eun-bi. ¡°Haneul! Are you also looking for someone to talk to right now!?¡± ¡°Ah, Eunbi.¡± ¡°Then, want to join me?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± ¡°Great! Duel! My turn! Draw!¡± ¡°¡­Do we really have to do it like that?¡± ¡°Haneul, are you a dog person or a cat person?¡± ¡°Um, Eunbi¡­ It seems like you asked without even looking right now¡­¡± ¡°For your information, I like both!¡± Unlike Cha Eun-sol, Go Eun-bi was very lively. But Yeon Haneul was gradually getting used to her atmosphere. ¡ª According to the game¡¯s settings and mana theory, Beings that harbor mana and possess a soul each have a mental world called a Sim Sang (ÐÄÏñ) world. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Sim Sang world is a world where the subconscious, dreams, emotions, desires, and other mental elements of the soul are reflected, and it can be said to be the essence that forms one¡¯s identity. Among the monsters, there were those who infiltrated that world to launch attacks. Commonly, monsters classified under the dream demon (‰ôħ) category, such as succubi and incubi. ¡°In the 4th practical exam, you will fight them in the Sim Sang world.¡± Dealing with them was tricky. To confront them, one had to first realize they had been drawn into the Sim Sang world, and be aware of the fact that they were under attack by them. By doing so, one could regain control over the Sim Sang world while pulling them out. Naturally, they were not idle. They constantly tried to mesmerize in the Sim Sang world. ¡°In the game, there were limits to the system, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to be aware of the Sim Sang world and fight them¡­¡± But in this world free from the limits of the system, it was different. They could infiltrate my Sim Sang world and mesmerize me in various cunning ways. Since I was a player in a past life, my perspective was completely different. I had to pull myself together. ¡°It would be good to find a way to be aware in the subconscious world.¡± If they know they¡¯re coming to infiltrate, all we have to do is prepare. Thinking of a few countermeasures, I looked for Yeon Haneul. ¡°Great! Duel! My turn! Draw!¡± ¡°¡­Do we really have to do it like that?¡± ¡°Is the sky a dog person or a cat person?¡± ¡°Hey, Eunbi¡­ It seems like you¡¯re asking without even looking right now¡­¡± ¡°For your information, I like both!¡± Yeon Haneul was chatting with Go Eunbi and drawing cards. It seemed like the question game had started not long ago. I debated whether to wait for the two of them like this and provide information. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s tell them later. For now, I have to go get some signatures.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be too late to tell them later. There was still plenty of time left for the reception. I decided to wander around the reception hall to find someone to talk to or search for. [I have confidence as strong as one power! All students who think that, please come up on stage! This mini-game will be breaking steel plates! The student who breaks the most steel plates will receive 3 Gold Coins as a prize!] Meanwhile, a mini-game was being held on stage. As time passed, even the students who were showing caution seemed to be enjoying the game comfortably by now. ¡°They¡¯ll regret it if they get hit in their dreams.¡± I didn¡¯t know if it was a clever trick by the evaluators to make them lower their guard. Students who hadn¡¯t passed yet were already climbing on stage to collect coins as if they had already passed. ¡°No one can leave me out with their strength!¡± From Noble mtl dot com Among them was Yong Haerang. He had a triumphant look on his face, having a blast at the reception. ¡°He¡¯ll¡­ well, he¡¯ll manage just fine on his own.¡± There was no need to worry about Yong Haerang. Deciding to pay no attention to him, I started a question game with the students. As time passed. [Congratulations on 1st place! The student will receive 3 Gold Coins as a prize¡­] ¡°Yay! Thank you!¡± By the time Yong Haerang took 1st place, only one signature was left. I went to meet Yeon Haneul. ¡°Haneul, have you collected all the signatures?¡± ¡°Oh, Gyunwoo. I was just looking for them¡­ I only have one left now.¡± ¡°I just need one more too. Want to do it together?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Yeon Haneul also had just one person¡¯s signature left. We immediately took the empty seats nearby and sat down. Meanwhile, there was a noticeable distance between her and me, filled with unspoken words. While I shuffled the cards, she chatted away. ¡°I started dating a new friend. We seem to have similar tastes and personalities. We agreed to grab a meal together if we both get accepted into the academy.¡± ¡°Really? What¡¯s the occasion? You usually keep your distance from new people. Did you really hit it off that well?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange even for me. It¡¯s just¡­ the atmosphere and vibe were really nice.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ is that so?¡± As cautious as a rabbit, Yeonha didn¡¯t easily open up, taking a long time to warm up to others. ¡®Her standards for judging people are high.¡¯ Even I had to take my time to get close to her. It was surprising to hear that she opened up from the first meeting. She seemed like a pretty decent person. But then. ¡®Is she better than me?¡¯ For some reason, I felt like my place in Yeonha¡¯s heart was diminishing. Of course, I knew it couldn¡¯t be true. I also knew it was childish. Yet, I couldn¡¯t help but ask. I drew a card. ¡°Was that person a man or a woman?¡± ¡°Are you Eunbi? Just flipping cards onto the table without reading them.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I did read the card?¡± ¡°So, is that your question?¡± ¡°¡­Since the point of this game is to converse with 10 questions, let¡¯s just move on flexibly.¡± ¡°Are you trying to ask me if¡­¡± ¡°So, was it a man or a woman?¡± ¡°Why? Curious?¡± ¡°Oh, answering a question with a question is cheating.¡± ¡°It was a man.¡± ¡°What was he like?¡± ¡°Lie. It was a woman.¡± ¡°Seems like a good person.¡± ¡°Yeah, they are. I¡¯ll introduce you next time if the opportunity arises.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Oh, but¡­ she¡¯s really pretty¡­¡± ¡°Why does that matter? You¡¯re beautiful too.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t compare yourself to her just because you¡¯re not lacking in beauty.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­ But yeah, thanks.¡± Well, there¡¯s no way a man could break through Yeonha¡¯s defenses all at once. Since we¡¯re not even the same gender, it seemed unnecessary to compete over who could capture her heart more. I raised the corner of my mouth. At that moment, Yeonha reached out towards the deck of cards. ¡°I¡¯ll pick this time.¡± ¡°Sure. ¡­Huh?¡± ¡°¡­I saw you playing around with that girl with gray hair earlier, do you know her?¡± ¡°Why are you flipping without reading?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be flexible.¡± ¡°Is that a question?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the girl with gray hair¡­ Ah, you¡¯re talking about Nam Yuri.¡± ¡°Nam Yuri?¡± ¡°She¡¯s from Yeonseong Namga. Why, was there a student who froze the sea yesterday?¡± ¡°Oh, the one from the Ten Clans. But what was the conversation about?¡± ¡°She¡¯s flipping the cards again¡­ ¡° ¡°You said let¡¯s be flexible.¡± ¡°Okay, since you¡¯re not getting caught, let¡¯s be moderately flexible. We talked about Nam Yuri¡­ We played a question game like this.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Flipping again¡­ How about this?¡± ¡°Are we being flexible?¡± ¡°This is our first time doing this together.¡± ¡°Alright then. So, are we just playing the question game without any emotions?¡± ¡°Why are you flipping the card again¡­ ¡° ¡°Flex-i-bil-i-ty. I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Oh, okay¡­.¡± ¡°Answer the question, quickly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tough question. Can you play the question game without any emotions?¡± ¡°I can.¡± ¡°It just¡­ It seemed different each time depending on the question. Somehow, we ended up playing rock-paper-scissors.¡± ¡°Rock-paper-scissors?¡± ¡°The question was, if we were to play rock-paper-scissors now, what would you choose first?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. So, it led from just talking to actually doing it?¡± ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°No, just thought it was fun.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The atmosphere must¡¯ve been nice.¡± ¡°Alright, fifth question. What do you think you¡¯d choose?¡± ¡°Scissors.¡± ¡°Rock.¡± ¡°Rock!¡± ¡°Rock.¡± ¡°I won, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Well, can we finish with rock-paper-scissors? To win, we have to play ¡®muk-chi-ppa¡¯¡­.¡± ¡°Muk, chi.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, I won.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s play again.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to. You¡¯ll keep insisting until you win.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time, let¡¯s do it next time.¡± ¡°¡­Alright then.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the sixth question. Hmm, what should I ask this time?¡± ¡°Oh, right. By the way, Nam Yuri mentioned something to me.¡± ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± ¡°She said the food we had at the hotel had sleeping pills in it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°So, in my opinion¡­.¡± It worked out perfectly. While playing games with Yeonha, I shared my speculation. Soon, her eyes narrowed. ¡°It¡¯s like an exam in a dream¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m convinced of that.¡± ¡°Considering your words, that seems to be the only possibility. Even though we have the highest grade room, it might be very challenging.¡± ¡°We should prepare then.¡± ¡°To be able to realize it¡¯s a dream?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°How? Is there a good method?¡± ¡°There are several methods¡­ marking your body. Marking that this is a dream.¡± ¡°So, if we see the mark unconsciously in the dream, we can realize it.¡± ¡°Right, give me your hand. I¡¯ll write it. If it¡¯s on your hand, you can easily see it.¡± ¡°Then give me your hand. I¡¯ll write it for you.¡± ¡°Here.¡± Luckily, there was a pen. At that moment, we reached out our hands to each other and decided to mark them. ¡°However, even if we realize it, we might not be able to wake up from the dream with this. We have to find a way to solve it ourselves.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I have an idea.¡± ¡°Another one?¡± ¡°Listen closely.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The night sky gives its ears to the rabbit. I whispered into her ear so others wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sorry. Keep going. I can take it.¡± ¡°So, what I¡¯m thinking is¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Every time I whispered, Yeonha flinched. I couldn¡¯t help it. I continued speaking regardless of her reaction. Chapter 63 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 62 Chapter 62 The Hotel of Dreams [Illustration] ¡°With this, we conclude the banquet! Remember, exam candidates, you are not allowed to leave your rooms after 10 p.m. Rest well after a hard day today.¡± ¡°Tomorrow, until 1 p.m., we will call for the gate to the banquet hall. So, please have your check-out ready by then!¡± The banquet came to an end. Exam candidates left the banquet hall with those they had become friendly with during the question game. Yeonha and I followed them. ¡°Guyou! Haneul! See you tomorrow!¡± ¡°Thank you for the advice. Good luck on the exam.¡± ¡°Wishing you both good luck on the exam.¡± ¡°See you both tomorrow.¡± Nearby, there were Goeunbi and Lisa, who had received advice on the 4th practical exam from me. The two thanked us and went back to their assigned rooms. We climbed more stairs, heading to the top floor. ¡°Remember my advice?¡± ¡°I do. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Then, have sweet dreams.¡± ¡°Guyou, you too.¡± Arriving at the floor with the Sweet Room. After exchanging words of encouragement, we soon parted ways in the hallway. I entered the room. Then I approached the portrait hanging on the wall across from the bed. ¡°Perhaps this is the monster I need to defeat.¡± Even in the game, there were monsters that used pictures as mediums. Monsters of that kind were commonly treated as part of the background until they revealed their true identities. Attacking them was futile. ¡°¡­.¡± So, in the game, one could only face the monster after it revealed its true form. But in the real world with more freedom, it wasn¡¯t an issue. I could dispose of this picture before it revealed its true identity. ¡°Maybe if I burn the portrait, I might just die right there.¡± In that case, there would be no need to fight it in the surreal world. I could easily pass the Level 4 practical exam. But I also had to consider the possibility of things not going as planned. In case luck wasn¡¯t on my side. ¡°If it¡¯s a monster that uses objects as mediums, it could potentially transfer to another object in the room.¡± That could happen too. If I made a mistake, finding the monster in the surreal world could become more challenging. It would be a headache in many ways. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no other choice.¡± Uncertainty in gambling is dangerous. I decided not to get rid of the portrait. Instead, I took the portrait off the wall and headed to the bathroom. I placed the portrait in the bathroom, turned on the faucet. Drip¡­ A thin stream of water fell onto the portrait from the faucet. The water was sucked into the bathtub drain as I opened the stopper. ¡°This should work.¡± I couldn¡¯t know for sure what form the monster would take in the surreal world or where it would hide. So, I needed to prepare clues to find it. If my hunch was right, the monster would surely be where the sound of water was heard. ¡°Preparation is complete with this.¡± Now, all I had to do was sleep. I turned off the lights, lay on the bed. Closed my eyes, and fell asleep. Gradually, my consciousness faded away. * * * Pitter-patter. The sound of rain strikes my eardrums. ¡°Here is¡­.¡± When I came to my senses, I found myself standing under the roof of a building. The sky, covered with dark clouds, was pouring rain heavily. And the academy city lay in ruins. The world tree, a sight in any part of the academy city, was revealing twisted branches. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­.¡± Broken, collapsed, and demolished buildings caught my eye everywhere. Cars were overturned, and the roads were filled with endless cracks. Not a single person was seen walking the streets. There was no sign of life. ¡°Oh, right.¡± At that moment, I realized. The world had come to an end. ¡°¡­.¡± It felt like just yesterday when I took the entrance exam for the academy, but time had swiftly passed. Three years felt incredibly short. During that time, I tried my best to avoid a bad ending and reach the desired outcome. But there was one thing I couldn¡¯t avoid. And this was the result. I had failed. ¡°¡­.Dammit.¡± Where did it all go wrong? Why did it turn out like this? I don¡¯t know. All I could do was dwell on guilt and helplessness. ¡°If only I had done a little better, or simply from the start¡­.¡± It was at that moment my eyes fell on the writing on my left palm. There was writing on my palm. ¡°¡­.Ah, right.¡± Clarity washed over me. This was my dream. No, would it be more accurate to call it a dream shown by the monster? Seeing the writing on my palm, I shed the emotions I had felt just before. ¡®I almost fell for it.¡¯ I might forget that this place is a dream again at some point. I manifested my mana within to resist. By doing so, I could resist to some extent the tricks of the monsters that might be lurking somewhere in the dream. Anyway. ¡®It won¡¯t be easy to find him with the rain pouring down like this.¡¯ I chuckled bitterly. I thought I could find the monster by heading towards where the sound of water could be heard, but it seemed he wasn¡¯t going to be caught so easily. ¡®Can¡¯t help it. Have to find him myself.¡¯ He must be hiding nearby to deceive me. I decided to explore the dream. Thump! I sensed a presence at that moment. Amidst the sound of rain, a noise like someone landing on the ground mixed in. I was about to unfold my detection net. ¡°¡­¡± But there was no need for that. The owner of the noise unexpectedly leapt down and landed in front of me. I took in that presence with my eyes and lost my words. ¡°Why is the sky¡­?¡± ¡°I was looking for you, Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Getting drenched in the pouring rain. Yeonha was approaching me without a care in the world. Her red eyes flickered between her black hair. ¡®Wait, black hair?¡¯ If it was black hair, it was the appearance Yeonha took on in the game when she transformed into the Witch of Calamity. From Noble mtl dot com That was the moment. ¡°I was looking for you, Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°Where were you?¡± ¡°Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°Why run away?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you like us?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yeonha was not just one person. Everywhere my eyes landed. There was a Yeonha with black hair. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine¡­ The number kept increasing. ¡°¡­Sh*t.¡± Countless young skies expanding endlessly. It¡¯s a scene I¡¯ve seen in a game. Only then did I realize that I had entered some dream. ¡®Is this a young sky ending¡­¡¯ An ending where the world collapses as the young skies exponentially increase. I clicked my tongue, watching the girls approaching me with animosity. I reach for my military sword. Immediately after, countless young skies rushed towards me. ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡ª ¡°Now, male students, draw lots!¡± It feels like I just had a sweet dream. Young skies woke up upon hearing the homeroom teacher¡¯s voice. ¡°¡­¡± 5th grade, first day of school. The seats were being rearranged. Based on the order in which male students drew lots, girls were assigned to sit next to them. ¡®I probably won¡¯t have anyone sitting next to me¡­¡¯ Because I might block the view in front of the person behind me due to my height. Most of all, because I didn¡¯t want to draw attention to myself. Young sky, sitting in the back corner by the window, didn¡¯t pay attention to the moving male students trying to find their seats. He thought no one would willingly sit next to him, as he was already being avoided at school. Surely, the remaining person would sit next to him with a very displeased expression. The prediction came easily. It¡¯s always been like this. ¡®I won¡¯t be chosen.¡¯ So don¡¯t get your hopes up. Yeon Haneul suppressed his feelings and desperately wished for the hellish time to end. ¡°Ah.¡± At that moment, Yeon Haneul happened to open the palm of his hand, which he had been clutching tightly against his knee. There was writing on the palm. ¡°Hey, Haneul, don¡¯t fall asleep.¡± ¡°¡­Huh.¡± He stifled a laugh that came out involuntarily. Crooked handwriting. The moment she laid eyes on it, Yeon Haneul realized that she was in a dream world. ¡°I am dreaming of the day I first met Gyunwoo.¡± Manifesting her inner mana, Yeon Haneul gently smiled. Having resigned herself to the fact that she would never be chosen by anyone, she now confidently lifted her head. Then she spotted Doh Gyunwoo in front of the blackboard. ¡°Gyunwoo, you¡­ You showed me that I, too, can be chosen by someone.¡± That day was a very memorable day in Yeon Haneul¡¯s life. It was the day that marked a turning point in her life. Perhaps Doh Gyunwoo wouldn¡¯t know. He had met her and been saved from the despair of having to make choices and be chosen for a year to come. ¡°Gyunwoo at 12¡­ Seeing him like this, he¡¯s truly adorable. I want to pinch his cheeks.¡± Recalling that emotion, Yeon Haneul waited for Doh Gyunwoo to walk over to her side. Finally, it was Doh Gyunwoo¡¯s turn. ¡°Please choose a seat for number 9!¡± ¡°Gyunwoo, I¡¯m here.¡± Doh Gyunwoo hesitated. He headed towards the window seat. Knowing she would be chosen, Yeon Haneul looked at him intently, unlike before. ¡°This time¡­ should I reject him as a joke? I wonder how Gyunwoo will react.¡± Doh Gyunwoo is coming. He¡¯s coming. He¡¯s coming! He¡¯s coming! He¡¯s coming! Even after spending five years as childhood friends, Yeon Haneul¡¯s heart raced at the thought of him choosing her. ¡°I should tell him to sit down quickly, without even jokingly rejecting him.¡± If Doh Gyunwoo sat next to her, she would speak to him warmly this time. Yeon Haneul vowed. But he¡­ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°May I sit next to you?¡± ¡°¡­Gyeonwoo, huh? I know your name. I can¡¯t refuse, so go ahead and sit. Let¡¯s get along well for a month as members of the noble family.¡± ¡­¡± Without facing himself, Do Gyeonwoo sat next to Kim Suji. He should have said something that should have been said to him. ¡°¡­So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Do Gyeonwoo and Kim Suji smiled at each other and chatted. They looked good together. Yeongha-neul watched the scene with a bitter smile. ¡°So, this is how you attack me.¡± Despite knowing it was a dream. Yeongha-neul was engulfed in a melancholic emotion. She stood up from her seat. ¡°Device on.¡± I need to shatter this absurd dream. Yeongha-neul swung the sledgehammer. Chapter 64 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 63 Chapter 63 The exam students seemed unaware. In reality, within the foundation of this gate¡¯s dreamlike hotel, monsters lurked in every room. Monsters belonging to the Monma species. Mostly creatures that hide in the pictures in each room, concealing their existence in the world of symbols, they are active between 10 PM and 6 AM. Guests who fall asleep during that time become their prey. ¡°Are the exam students all in their rooms?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve cast alarm spells in the corridors, so we¡¯d immediately know if any students come out of their rooms.¡± ¡°I¡¯m checking with the screen eye, but there¡¯s none as of now!¡± ¡°The assistant guardians stationed on each floor have reported the same.¡± ¡°They must all be fast asleep after the banquet, right?¡± ¡°Yes, probably deep in dreams.¡± Unbeknownst to the exam students, the 4th practical exam was about subduing the monsters hidden in the rooms. And in their world of symbols. The examiners induced the situation by adding a sleep-inducing substance to the food consumed by the students in the hotel. It was a drug that accumulated in the body, so subtle in dosage and minimal in effect that it was hard to detect, yet it was a substance that could lead to addiction and decay if accumulated. Moving forward, the evaluators eased the tension of the examinees with delicious food, lively music, and games, disrupting their focus and fueling their doubts, ultimately luring them into complacency. It was all to create conditions where monsters could infiltrate the minds of the examinees in the simulated world. ¡°But¡­ Can we really do this? Conducting exams unexpectedly without informing the examinees of anything¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°After all, didn¡¯t the examinees agree by signing the pledge? The explanations regarding the exam might not be sufficient, and the Gyeonggang Academy does not take responsibility for issues arising from it; the responsibility lies solely with the individuals.¡± ¡°Who would read all of that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pledge to take responsibility for one¡¯s life; one should read it all. What if someone signs the pledge without thinking?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. If you¡¯re going to become a Hunter, you should be prepared to die at any moment. That includes the exam.¡± ¡°But there will inevitably be objections to the exam¡­¡± ¡°There will be those who raise objections. But didn¡¯t we really not inform them about the exam at all? It seems like we¡¯ve scattered some clues.¡± ¡°How many would have noticed that?¡± ¡°It seems like only a few examinees from Yeonseong Namga did.¡± ¡°And we even lied that passing the 4th practical exam by spending a day at a hotel would guarantee success.¡± ¡°Lies¡­ will surely lead to objections.¡± If the 4th practical exam were to be made public, it would undoubtedly spark controversy. Hence, there were evaluators expressing concerns about the exam. At that moment, the overseeing supervisor spoke up. ¡°When did we lie?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The examinees who spend a day at the hotel are indeed supposed to pass the practical exam. However, the condition is that they must spend the day ¡®safely.¡¯ Setting that aside, stop gossiping and focus on the exam. Continuously chattering will only stir up more controversy.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± An exam testing the examinees¡¯ mental fortitude. As the 4th practical exam took place in the simulated world, the role of the evaluators was significantly diminished. However, their role was more crucial than ever. The supervisor reminded the evaluators of this fact and urged them on. ¡°The ones entering people¡¯s dreams show them unpleasant dreams to shatter their minds and take over their bodies. Go around your assigned areas and rescue the examinees who have fallen victim to that.¡± ¡°Yes, understood!¡± While the Academy did not take responsibility for the deaths of the examinees, those who could be saved still needed to be rescued. From now until 6 a.m. The supervisor and evaluators had to stay up all night to monitor the condition of the examinees. It would be an extremely challenging day for both the examinees and themselves. The supervisor dismissed the evaluators. Then, almost as a complaint, he muttered to himself. ¡°Why did the chairman plan such an exam¡­?¡± In truth, the supervisor shared the same doubts as the evaluators. If the goal was to evaluate the examinees¡¯ mental resilience, it could have been done in a different way. There was no need to go this far. The difficulty level of the exam was too high. It felt as if¡­ ¡®It¡¯s like preparing them for what lies ahead.¡¯ It¡¯s an absurd situation. However, it was hard to dismiss if the one who planned the test was none other than So Hye-ryul, the director of Geumgang Academy, also known as the Witch of the Stars. The supervisor was lost in thought. * * * The younger skies, no, the witches of disaster, were closing in on me. Attacking me from all sides without discrimination. Shooosh¡­ Swish! ¡°Ugh!¡± They even fell from above. Due to the sound of rain, I noticed late and hastily dodged her attack. At that moment, the ones nearby rushed towards me. ¡°It never ends for real.¡± Their attacks were relentless. No time to catch my breath properly. I frantically blocked, countered, and evaded their swords. ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Meanwhile, she multiplied. Appearing from somewhere, they surrounded me from a distance. As if to prevent me from escaping, or perhaps waiting for their turn to fight. ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°¡­Stop calling me.¡± They multiplied again. When I looked around again, their density in the space had increased. Filling every gap around me. ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± With black hair clinging to my wet cheek. The rain-soaked women flashed crimson eyes. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands¡­ Perhaps an infinite number of gazes were fixed on me. Shortly after, bows appeared in their hands. As they pulled the bows. ¡°What kind of dream is this for real.¡± Flames lit the arrows as they were pulled by the women. All the arrows they released were aimed at me. It couldn¡¯t be a situation where I wasn¡¯t dreaming. ¡°Though I am actually dreaming.¡± But that doesn¡¯t mean I can ignore it. I couldn¡¯t foresee how the pain experienced in dreams would affect me. The death in dreams could even lead to death in reality. Bloodshed! ¡°¡­.¡± Arrows of flames soared through the air. I must avoid it. But there¡¯s nowhere to escape. They were everywhere. If that¡¯s the case, I have no choice but to block. Yet, with my skills, I couldn¡¯t manage to stop the infinite arrows flying from all directions. If this world were truly real. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Swish! ¡°I can do this.¡± This is my dream. A world based on my subconscious. It materializes as I imagine. Whiiiiing! Just as the conviction that the impossible is possible stems from the consciousness that believes in magic. I rotated with a mindset to perform magic, filled with conviction. The military blue blade roared fiercely. The wind from the military blue blade instantly turned into a massive vortex in the dark sky, meeting rain and transforming into a typhoon. ¡°¡­It¡¯s working.¡± Something that would have been impossible in a game. The arrows of flames were blocked by the wall of the typhoon and couldn¡¯t get inside. The ethereal beings were also entangled in the typhoon, making them invisible around. As I entered the eye of the typhoon, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°But I can¡¯t stay here forever.¡± I had only bought time for a brief rest. The situation hadn¡¯t changed. I needed to find and kill the one hiding somewhere in this world who had thrown me into this dreadful nightmare. Meanwhile, that person would undoubtedly be looking for an opportunity to kill me too. So, if my thoughts were correct. ¡°That person is definitely among the ethereal beings, waiting for the right moment. ¡­But it feels awkward to call them ethereal beings.¡± The likelihood was high. That way, I could catch a glimpse of an opportunity to be killed among them. The problem is that finding that person among the constantly splitting ethereal beings is almost impossible. ¡°I¡¯m not particularly inclined to kill them one by one¡­ It doesn¡¯t sit well with me.¡± Even though it¡¯s all happening in a dream, I still didn¡¯t want to kill her with my own hands. No, I can¡¯t kill her. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to convert my military straight sword into a reversed sword while fighting with those women. Even though I knew it was foolish, I just couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t follow the split even if I killed the heavens. Even if I unleash a wide-area attack using my dream world¡­ if even one person survives, they would exponentially multiply. Killing the heavens is an inefficient act.¡± I was a coward. So, as a coward, I decided to overcome the situation in my own way. There was a way. ¡°I¡¯ll use my instinct to dodge.¡± It was a strange thing. My Gift only sporadically activated to deal with the women attacking from all directions, not continuously. Although I was clearly in danger, my instinct to dodge did not perceive it as a threat as I had thought. Judging from that. ¡°I¡¯m aware of whether the instinct to dodge attacks in my dream world actually affects me or not.¡± It was akin to distinguishing between illusion and reality in the second practical exam. However, the sporadic activation meant I perceived it as a threat that could actually affect my life. There was only one threat that could actually affect me. In other words¡­ ¡°The heavens attacking me with an attack that could trigger my instinct to dodge are the real threat.¡± I was certain. If I just paid attention to the activation of my Gift, I could locate the monsters without killing those women. Given their large numbers, it would take quite some time. ¡°No, there¡¯s another way.¡± Suddenly, a thought came to mind. If this also went according to my thoughts, it might be possible to shorten the time. Whoosh¡­ After finishing my thoughts, I escaped from the dispersing storm. Outside, those women, who seemed to have increased since a while ago, were waiting for me. ¡°Kyungwoo.¡± ¡°Kyungwoo.¡± ¡°Kyungwoo.¡± ¡°Kyungwoo.¡± ¡°Kyungwoo.¡± ¡°Kyungwoo¡­.¡± ¡°Hey, Yeonha.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Unlike the Yeonha I knew, these women had dyed their hair black. Their skin was also tanned. There was something I really wanted to say to those women. From Noble mtl dot com I spoke up. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going overboard?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°You told me not to dye my hair or burn my skin, so why are you doing it? Aren¡¯t you being hypocritical for telling me what not to do?¡± ¡°Kyungwoo.¡± ¡°Kyungwoo.¡± ¡°Kyungwoo¡­.¡± ¡°So, if you did it, then I¡¯ll do it too.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to dye and burn too.¡± There are things I can¡¯t do in my dreams. I ran my hand through my hair. Sadly, even though I couldn¡¯t see it directly, I could feel that my hair had turned yellow. And the eyes of those in front of me widened significantly. Next, my skin¡­ ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°Black hair.¡± ¡°Protect them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll do it.¡± It¡¯s my dream, my body. If no one is going to take responsibility for my life, no one can interfere. Having burned my skin like those girls, I decided to get my ears pierced. I got a tattoo on my forearm. When I rolled up my sleeve, a vulgar rabbit was engraved on the burnt skin. ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Gyunwoo¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Come back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Are you the only one turning black? I¡¯ll turn black too.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± ¡°Think of your mother.¡± ¡°Now, even muscles¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Decisive!¡± ¡°Oppose!¡± ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°¡­Sh*t.¡± Even though it¡¯s my dream, I can¡¯t do as I please. I had to give up on the idea of becoming a muscular man that the girls rushed at me for. But there was one thing I couldn¡¯t give up on. I imagined it. The imagination became reality. ¡°Heaven.¡± ¡°This is my dream.¡± Splitting isn¡¯t your privilege. Did you think only you could split? I can split too, you know?¡± One, two, three, four, five, six¡­ I was growing exponentially. ¡­! Their faces showed confusion. I raised the corners of my mouth. ¡°Now things are finally getting balanced.¡± Chapter 65 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 64 Chapter 64 After finally finding the monster that was disturbing his inner world, he immediately changed the dream as soon as his identity was exposed. It was too late. ¡°Here is¡­.¡± Yeonnah-eul, who was hitting Gyounwoo¡¯s butt in the classroom, was standing in the middle of the middle school playground. ¡°Is this a memory from middle school this time¡­.¡± His presence was not felt. It seemed like he would have to find him again. Yeonnah-eul resigned himself to it and decided to see what dream he was showing. The sound was heard at that moment. ¡°Ha-nuel.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± It was Dokyeonwoo¡¯s voice. Yeonnah-eul turned around in the direction of the sound. The girl who caught his eye lost her words. Her mouth widened. Even her rabbit ears shot up high. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Thank you for coming.¡± Dokyeonwoo was holding a bouquet of flowers. Under his feet, candles were flickering, forming a large heart around him. Rose petals were scattered, and balloons were rolling around. Yeonnah-eul could only ask him while looking at herself, who was smiling softly. ¡°What¡­ are you doing right now?¡± ¡°Just doing something.¡± An expression asking if it was necessary. Dokyeonwoo shrugged his shoulders. Then, a sound was heard from above. ¡°Confess quickly!¡± ¡°You guys are really amazing!¡± ¡°Haneul is so lucky!¡± ¡°Guys! Gyounwoo confessed to Yeonnah-eul! Look at them!¡± ¡°Gyounwoo! You¡¯re a true romantic!¡± ¡°Instead of confessing, study!¡± ¡°You guys! Be prepared for demerits!¡± ¡°hahahaha, I¡¯ve been through that too¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice. Youth is enviable.¡± Students outside the window were laughing gleefully. The students inside the building seemed to be gathered by the windows. From the principal to the vice principal, the teachers seemed to be looking down. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Looking up at them, Yeonha felt dizzy. Meanwhile, Dogyeonwoo knew or didn¡¯t know her feelings. ¡°Ha-nyeo, I¡¯ve wanted to say this for a while. Now I can finally say it.¡± ¡­. Dogyeonwoo, focusing solely on his emotions, had put her in a dilemma. Blushing, he scratched his cheek. Soon, he knelt on one knee, offering a bouquet to Yeonha. ¡°Ha-nyeo, I like you. No, I love you. There¡¯s only you for me. So¡­ will you go out with me? I¡¯ll treat you well.¡± Dogyeonwoo confessed earnestly. Outside the window, people leaned out and whistled. ¡°Date! Date! Date! Date!¡± ¡°Dogyeonwoo, your leg must hurt! Hurry and catch it! It¡¯s not polite to keep bouncing like that!¡± ¡°Congratulations on your first day as a couple!¡± ¡°Heh, it¡¯s the birth of the official school couple.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great time, indeed.¡± People were seizing the moment. A mood was being created where one couldn¡¯t help but accept the confession. In that atmosphere. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it, Ha-nyeo?¡± ¡°I hate ittt!¡± Yeonha screamed in frustration. In her hand, a metal baton was clenched. ¡°I¡­ hate it? No, why?¡± ¡°I hate public confessions!¡± Device on. Yeonha swung the iron hammer. With all her might. ¡ª The scene changed. Dogyeonwoo, nearly beaten to a pulp, and Yeonha, who had demolished the middle school building, were in the school corridor. ¡­. It was a familiar sight. It felt like a middle school hallway. ¡°What are they trying to show this time¡­?¡± Yeonha closed her eyes. Could it be a confession in the hallway this time? To avoid getting caught up in the situation like a little while ago, she quickly walked through the hallway to find a monster or something. ¡°Wow, they really suit each other.¡± As she was heading towards the main staircase, Yeonha could hear the students in the hallway murmuring. They all were looking towards the main staircase. ¡°Who are they?¡± Yeonha passed by the students. Soon, she could see a man and a woman having a conversation on the main staircase. Familiar faces. ¡°What are you doing after this?¡± ¡°Nothing. Why?¡± ¡°Then, want to come over to my place today? No one¡¯s home except for Mongshil.¡± ¡°Why would I come to your place?¡± It was Dogyeonwoo and Kim Sooji. Kim Sooji, standing on the stairs, was looking down at Dogyeonwoo with a smile in her eyes. Dogyeonwoo was smiling too. Even from afar, it was evident that the relationship between the two was not ordinary. ¡°¡­¡± Yeonha stood frozen in place, watching the scene. At that moment, she heard the students¡¯ voices. ¡°There¡¯s no separate couple of Sun and Moon.¡± ¡°Dogyeonwoo is from the Shingeomdo family, and Sooji is from the Myeongga family, so there¡¯s no way they¡¯d be at odds.¡± ¡°Love is pouring out of Dogyeonwoo¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°What about Sooji?¡± ¡°How long has it been since they met?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a week, right?¡± ¡°Did Sooji confess first? I liked Sooji first¡­¡± ¡°But wasn¡¯t Dogyeonwoo supposed to like Yeonha?¡± ¡°Oh, that rabbit freak? He did like her. That¡¯s why he even publicly confessed. But what did that rabbit freak do to Dogyeonwoo?¡± ¡°How hurt must his pride have been when he got rejected during the confession.¡± ¡°Sooji took advantage of that opportunity.¡± ¡°Hey! There¡¯s Yeonha over there! Shh!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hey, did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°So what? She severed ties with Dogyeonwoo, right? If that¡¯s the case, shouldn¡¯t we be worried about not receiving the protection of the Shingeomdo family anymore?¡± ¡°¡­¡±. Through the murmurs of the students. Yeonhaneul could sense the situation turning around. ¡°This must be a dream. Don¡¯t get too excited.¡± Yeonhaneul bit her lip tightly to suppress her emotions. She clenched her fist holding the metal plaque tightly. And at that moment. ¡°¡­Gyeonwoo¡­?¡± Yeonhaneul¡¯s eyes met with Do Gyeonwoo¡¯s. The corners of his mouth stretched long as he looked at her. As if to say¡­ ¡°Oh, they¡¯re about to kiss.¡± ¡°They¡¯re being quite obvious about it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Do Gyeonwoo placed his hand on Kim Suji¡¯s cheek on the stairs. She closed her eyes and offered her lips. He too closed his eyes, ready to meet her lips with his¡­ Smack! At that moment, something snapped in Yeonhaneul¡¯s heart. Device on. She swung the sledgehammer. * * * A man with sunburnt skin and yellow-dyed hair, endlessly fighting with women with rabbit ears. They were entwined, creating chaos in the dream world. The clashing of weapons echoed endlessly throughout the world. ¡°It¡¯s a catastrophe.¡± The intruder in the man¡¯s dream felt deeply perplexed. Things were going awry. Disguised as endlessly dividing women, they were waiting for a chance to kill him, but he never expected that he would counter like this, using his own dream. The numerical advantage became meaningless. On some level, he understood his intentions. ¡°He¡¯s trying to minimize the time and cost of finding me, hiding himself.¡± Discussing reality within a dream was somewhat amusing. Realistically, it was nearly impossible for the man to find himself hidden among those women alone. On the other hand, he was always in a position to find him. So, he split himself to find him and to create confusion for himself. It was a clever maneuver. But it only achieved half-baked results. The man might achieve one purpose, but he couldn¡¯t achieve another. ¡°Even if you create a doppelganger, do you think I won¡¯t find it?¡± He was a dreamer. Being able to stimulate dreams, there was no way he couldn¡¯t discern the man¡¯s dream. Though momentarily taken aback by the man¡¯s unexpected maneuver, he precisely identified the man among those filling the world. ¡°Even if it¡¯s all just a dream, are you so attached to that girl that you can¡¯t bring yourself to kill her? Foolish and weak.¡± Unaware of what he had noticed, the man diligently interacted with the women, searching for himself. But he was here. No matter how hard he searched from there, he would never find himself. He sneered at the foolish man. In the end, nothing had changed. He just needed to wait for the right moment to strike. And that moment was now. ¡°I have seen enough. I have understood all about a man¡¯s swordsmanship.¡± Finally deciding to begin the hunt, He charged towards the man along with the women nearby. ¡°Kyung-woo.¡± ¡°Kyung-woo.¡± ¡°Kyung-woo.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± A sense of defeat spread across the man¡¯s face as he engaged in combat with the three women. £¼Defense Form 6 of the Water Dragon Style£¾ Lion¡¯s Trust The man hastily adopts a defensive stance. But it was within his expected range. £¼GroundQuake£¾ The key to the defensive stance the man was about to unfold was to directly receive the shock of the sword, convert it into rotational force, and create a whirlwind centered around himself. By doing so, he deflects the attack. So, all he has to do is attack directly without being blocked by the sword. Just like crumbling the ground he stands on. ¡°¡­What!?¡± The man¡¯s rotation failed. As the ground collapsed, losing his footing, he made a startled sound. ¡°Now.¡± He snickered among the women. Then, manipulating the women beside him, he launched a coordinated attack, not giving him a chance to respond properly. ¡°Argh!¡± The man was completely cornered. Just a moment ago, he who used to easily dodge attacks was now frequently exposing himself to them after being hit once. The opportunity to kill him had arrived. ¡°This is it.¡± He didn¡¯t miss the chance. Having firmly gained the upper hand, he immediately blended into the crowd of women. ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± Raising a huge iron hammer above his head, He tried to strike the man down. It was right at that moment when he felt that something was amiss. ¡°¡­!?¡± The man¡¯s eyes flickered. His gaze was fixed on him. A smirk appeared on his lips. It was no mistake. Certainly, there were women around, but Beneath the blonde hair, a sharp gaze was solely directed at him. ¡°eeek!¡± He must kill him now. It¡¯s dangerous. Feeling an unknown sense of unease, he swung the iron hammer while making a growling sound. Swish! The iron hammer fell. The man. Thud! Unlike his previous reluctance to kill her, The man instinctively moved, delving into his embrace, and stabbed with a sword without hesitation. ¡°¡­Gah!¡± Shwooosh! The sword pierced his chest. Dropping the iron hammer from his hand, he couldn¡¯t contain his shock while looking at the sword stuck in his chest. However, his cry was drowned out by the rain and didn¡¯t spread far. He was bleeding. The blood was turning pale. ¡°How in the world did you¡­?¡± How did you recognize me at all? In a disbelieving tone, he asked the man who, after being attacked, could no longer maintain her appearance. The man responded indifferently. ¡°Well, since the heavens wouldn¡¯t really try to kill me.¡± Chapter 66 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 65 From Noble mtl dot com Chapter 65 The scene changed. Yeonhaneul swung the iron hammer. The scene changed again. Yeonhaneul swung the iron hammer. Once more, the scene changed. Yeonhaneul swung the iron hammer. Yeonhaneul swung the iron hammer. Yeonhaneul swung the iron hammer. Yeonhaneul swung the iron hammer. : And the scene changed. * * * The monster was agile. Whenever Yeonhaneul tried to find him, he immediately changed the dream. Then, he hid in the newly changed dream and played hide and seek with her again. It was a cycle of hiding, seeking, chasing, and fleeing. ¡®How many times has it been now¡­¡¯ If she could just catch him once, she could end this cycle. But he didn¡¯t give her that chance. She had lost count of how many times it had changed. Yeonhaneul, who had stopped counting at some point, was feeling exhausted. Unknowingly, she was being influenced by the nightmares he continuously showed her. It was his scheme to wait for her to weaken and then kill her. ¡®It changed again.¡¯ Yeonhaneul could somewhat guess his nature. He was patient and prioritized his safety in any situation. Dealing with such a person was not easy. He would not reveal himself until he was certain of his safety and victory. ¡®I have to find and kill him before he changes the dream.¡¯ In the end, to catch him, she had to create a situation to draw him out or strike him down. Or perhaps, destroy the dream world with the hidden one. If it was his power, it was possible. ¡°¡­.¡± Above all, there was a gift. So, although it might be burdensome, if she set her mind to it, there was nothing she couldn¡¯t do. However. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to use the gift.¡± Yeon Ha-neul hesitated. Even though she had realized a way to remedy the situation long before, she couldn¡¯t quite make up her mind. Then, the scene changed. ¡°Ha-neul, what are you thinking?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was where they had lunch with Do Yeon-woo after the first test. By the waterside of Geumgang Academy. Yeon Ha-neul was being asked a question by Do Yeon-woo, who was standing right next to her. His face seemed genuinely curious about her. But she wasn¡¯t fooled. ¡°What kind of girl is it this time? Are you trying to provoke me by showing off who you¡¯re dating?¡± Yeon Ha-neul clenched the metal pen. She was ready to pull out the hammer at any moment. Then, Do Yeon-woo smirked. ¡°What? What are you talking about? Who would I be dating?¡± ¡°Why? Are you just flirting then? You¡¯re not officially dating yet?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of joke you¡¯re playing¡­ We¡¯re dating, you and I.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Do Yeon-woo lightly touched Yeon Ha-neul¡¯s forehead with an incredulous look. She blinked her red eyes in disbelief at the unexpected words she heard. And he emphasized once more. ¡°We are dating. You and me.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Did you dream it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a dream.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°This dream isn¡¯t bad at all¡­.¡± Yeon Ha-neul murmured absentmindedly. Do Yeon-woo chuckled and reached out his hand. She stared at that hand intently. ¡°¡­What does this hand mean?¡± ¡°What do you think? Let¡¯s hold hands.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We came out for a date and a walk. You don¡¯t dislike holding hands, do you?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± Yeonhaneul shook her head vigorously. Then, she cautiously reached out her hand and held his. A smile spread across her face. ¡°Shall we continue walking then?¡± ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s.¡± They had to find the guy who must be hiding somewhere in their dreams. Even though his intentions were unclear, Yeonhaneul decided to hold hands with Dogyeonwoo to relieve some of the accumulated fatigue and walk along the lakeside. It was then that they heard the sound. ¡°Dogyeonwoo¡­? Who¡¯s that?¡± It was a familiar voice. She turned her head and swallowed hard. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing here? Why are there two of you?¡± The person who looked exactly like her approached with a distinct and unpleasant expression on their face. No, it wasn¡¯t just a resemblance; it seemed like a complete copy of herself. Yeonhaneul was too shocked to react as she looked at her. ¡°Who are you to be next to Dogyeonwoo? How dare you impersonate me!?¡± She pushed Yeonhaneul forcefully. Yeonhaneul couldn¡¯t resist the force and ended up letting go of Dogyeonwoo¡¯s hand. In the meantime, the imposter grabbed his hand. ¡°Dogyeonwoo, I¡¯m the real Yeonhaneul.¡± ¡°Haneul, what¡¯s going on¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s an impostor. It seems I was made into a gift without my knowledge.¡± ¡°Really? No wonder things felt strange earlier¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not a doppelganger.¡± She clung tightly to Dogyeonwoo, pointing at Yeonhaneul. Confusion crept into Dogyeonwoo¡¯s eyes. Yeonhaneul, witnessing the scene, couldn¡¯t deny the existence of that seemingly copied entity even though she knew it was a dream world. But she wasn¡¯t the only one duplicated. ¡°Dogyeonwoo! That¡¯s a fake!¡± ¡°The real one is here! Don¡¯t be fooled!¡± ¡°I¡¯m Yeonhaneul! Who are you guys?¡± ¡°Dogyeonwoo, you can tell, right? I¡¯m the real Yeonhaneul.¡± ¡°Stay away from Dogyeonwoo!¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯m the original. Please believe me.¡± ¡°Kyungwoo, I¡­¡± ¡°Who is the real one!?¡± In appearance, voice, personality, and way of speaking, beings completely identical to Yeonha appeared from somewhere. Their numbers continued to grow. As they swarmed around Kyungwoo, they insisted that each of them was the real one. However, Kyungwoo couldn¡¯t distinguish and was simply being swayed by them. ¡°¡­No.¡± Yeonha, who was separated from them, shook her head and said. ¡°I¡¯m not a doppelganger, I¡¯m not.¡± As if trying to convince herself. Yeonha desperately denied. ¡°I¡¯m the real one.¡± Yeonha contorted her face as if she would burst into tears at any moment. But no matter how much Yeonha pleaded, the words she uttered were no different from those claimed by the doppelgangers right in front of her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Yeonha!¡± ¡°Kyungwoo! I¡¯m here!¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was no way to prove herself. No, there was one way. Yeonha activated the device. ¡°Device on.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s simple. Just kill them all. She just had to kill every single one in front of her until she was the only one left. That would prove it. No one would misunderstand then. ¡°Device on.¡± It seemed like they had the same idea. They also took out sledgehammers. Yeonha and the others engaged in battle. Crack! Yeonha killed Yeonha. Thud! Yeonha killed Yeonha. Thump! Yeonha killed Yeonha. Yeonha killed Yeonha. Yeonha killed Yeonha. Yeonha killed Yeonha. Yeonha killed Yeonha. : *** ¡°¡­.¡± Yeonhaneul opened her eyes. Once again, she was in a dream. ¡°It seems endless like this.¡± Now she didn¡¯t even bother to look around. With a desolate tone, Yeonhaneul decided to shatter the dream world itself. It was something she could resolve by using her own mana and gift. She activated her gift. £¼GIFT: SPLIT£¾ It¡¯s fine. No need to worry. After all, it¡¯s just a dream. Even if she activated her gift, it was only happening within the dream. It wouldn¡¯t reflect in reality. Even if it did. ¡°I-I can just kill them.¡± Yeonhaneul split. The exponentially increasing versions of her destroyed the dream world. They all chanted the same words. ¡°I am real. I am real. I am real. I am real. I am real. I am real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. However, just relying on intuition to kill him outright wasn¡¯t feasible. Therefore, I deliberately left an opening, waiting for my reflexes to kick in. And my intuition was right. Feeling the reflexes kick in, I could thrust the sword into him without hesitation. ¡°Now you show your true form. It was quite a journey finding you.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The monster I perceived could no longer maintain the appearance of a young man. The one who had been casting spells on the street had transformed into an old man in the blink of an eye. The old man from the portrait. ¡°Now that I have you completely in my grasp, you won¡¯t be able to change the dream midway, nor can you transform back to the sky.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°With a frail body lacking muscles, you won¡¯t stand a chance against me, what will you do?¡± I gripped the military sword and tensed. At that moment, the old man who was staring at me suddenly chuckled and retaliated. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about this body? If you lack muscles, can¡¯t you just create them?¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was right after he said that. I doubted my eyes. ¡°As someone who knows how to fuel dreams.¡± Thud! ¡°You don¡¯t think I can¡¯t even create a single muscle, do you?¡± Boom! ¡°As long as it exists within the dream.¡± Swoosh! ¡°My desires come true as I wish! I can become anything!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Starting from the facial muscles, the old man¡¯s muscles, which had been writhing, suddenly swelled rapidly. Expanding massively as if there were no limits, like a balloon, no, like the vitamin C in a hotel room. As a result, the clothes he was wearing tore apart. In just a brief moment, the frail-looking old man transformed into a muscular giant. Shooosh! ¡°Even like this, do you think I look weak? Look at these muscles!¡± ¡°¡­Are you going to kill me?¡± The old man was so gigantic that even when he raised his head to look up, his face was out of sight. The sound emanating from his body as he spoke was not drowned out by the rain. In front of the old man, I was as insignificant as an ant crushed underfoot. I was purely in awe. But there was no fear. Not even a hint. ¡°I have to kill since it¡¯s a kill. With such a big target, hitting it should be easy.¡± I raised the military blue sword above my head. At that moment, an old man lifted his foot as if to trample me. ¡°Die crushed underfoot just like this!¡± ¡°This is my dream. So.¡± What the old man wished for was not something only allowed for him. It is also allowed for me. What I wish for comes true. More clearly than an old man who is nothing but an unwelcome guest in my dream. ¡°Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re a monster?¡± Recalling the setting of the game. I imagined as vividly as possible. ¡°Outside the Academy City airspace, you know.¡± There is an ultimate weapon capable of easily overthrowing the Academy City. A crystallization of the science and magic of this era, created along with the magic engineering of the Grace Empire. ¡°There is an artificial satellite that can easily kill someone like you.¡± The director of Geumgang Academy, a member of the Contribution Society that has a significant influence on the Academy City at the same time, Star Witch, So Hye-ryul¡¯s staff. Starlight Road. Imagining it floating somewhere in space, I lowered my sword. Right after that. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤!!!! A hole suddenly opened in the sky pouring rain. From within it, a beam of light that annihilated the surrounding area fell. The giant pillar of light engulfed the old man completely. ¡°¡­You¡¯re dead.¡± The old man vanished, consumed by the light without even a scream. The world was dyed pure white. Chapter 67 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 66 Chapter 66 ¡°¡­.¡± When I opened my eyes, I saw the ceiling. I was lying on the bed. ¡®Have I returned?¡¯ For a moment, I entertained the thought that this might be a dream. But it was unlikely. In my dream, I vividly remembered annihilating the old man on the Starlight Road. My imagination was so detailed that I even got entangled in it, causing my memory to lapse midway, but defeating him was certain. This world is not a dream but reality. I rose from the bed. ¡°Oh, my body¡­¡± Was it because I hadn¡¯t slept well? My neck was stiff, my shoulders were tense. My limbs felt numb. I lightly stretched on the bed, looking around. ¡°I must have passed the test with this, right? I don¡¯t really understand since no one explained anything.¡± The room remained unchanged. That¡¯s what I thought. Thump! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Suddenly, a noise came from the bathroom. It sounded like someone slipping and falling on the floor. Locking the door and with vague memories, I became alert to the fact that there was someone else besides me here. ¡°Is it him?¡± My mind sharpened. Come to think of it, I had placed the portrait that hung on the wall across from the bed in the bathtub before going to sleep. There was no doubt that the old man hidden in the portrait was in the bathroom. ¡°I thought I had completely killed him, but was he still alive? Come to think of it, I never saw him drop the marble.¡± From Noble mtl dot com I reached for the military sword. Quietly drawing the sword from its sheath, I cautiously moved my feet to muffle any sound. Quickly, I opened the bathroom door. ¡°Grr¡­!¡± ¡°As expected, it¡¯s you.¡± [Encountered a monster.] [Dream of the Sweet Room (Rank. 03) x 1] As expected, he was in the bathroom. His Baroque-era musician-like hair was soaked in water, falling like seaweed almost covering his face. Connected as if one with the portrait, the old man with a legless body was propped up on the floor. His trembling arms trying to stand up. It seemed like he was doing a plank. ¡°You should support your body with your feet. You can¡¯t hold that posture for long. It won¡¯t even have any exercise effect.¡± ¡°Groan¡­!¡± ¡°See? You should have brought your feet out together.¡± Contrary to the appearance in the dream, the old man looked frail, just like when I first saw him in the portrait. Even when wrestling with a child, his arms were so skinny that there was no muscle on them to lose. With those arms, there was no way he could even lift his body. Not to mention. ¡°It seems like the injuries suffered in a dream are affecting reality as well.¡± He didn¡¯t look well at all, as if he could die any moment. Underneath his stomach spread on the bathroom floor, blue blood mixed with water was flowing down the drain, and every time he coughed, thick blood came out of his mouth. There was no sense of danger from the Rank 3 monster at all. It must have been due to the attack I suffered in the dream. ¡°Anyway, I have to completely kill this guy to pass the test.¡± Since this place is reality, not a dream, he couldn¡¯t exhibit the power he showed in the dream. Originally, he couldn¡¯t even match the level of a Rank 1 monster. So, without any hesitation, I decided to kill him. I raised my military sword. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± At that moment, feeling his life in danger, he urgently tried to stop me. Desperation filled his face. ¡°P-Please, spare me just this once¡­ I won¡¯t do this kind of thing again. I¡¯ll beg like this¡­ Please¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was once a person like you before becoming a nightmare. So, can¡¯t you see my circumstances as a former human?¡± ¡°A person?¡± ¡°Yes! I was also originally a person! But then¡­ Please, spare this old man just once¡­¡± ¡°But now you¡¯re a monster.¡± It¡¯s not funny that a monster is begging for its life from me. Humans and monsters cannot coexist. Monsters that covet the mana of existence are enemies of humanity. And hunters are beings who kill the enemies of humanity to protect humanity. If one truly wants to become a hunter, they must not forget this principle. ¡°P-Please show mercy¡­ *cough*!¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll show mercy. Die.¡± Gyaaahhh! You! ¡°Now you¡¯re making sounds like a real monster.¡± You, too, will someday die like this¡­! ¡°A loser only knows how to talk. I will never die, but even if I do die, you won¡¯t live to see it.¡± You! Youuu¡­ *gasp*! Even if he may look like an old man, even if he was once a human, a monster is a monster. I stabbed him repeatedly with the military sword until he died. And at one moment, his body turned into particles of mana and vanished. ¡°He¡¯s really dead now.¡± In the spot where he disappeared, a large mana stone fell. I picked up the mana stone, closed the faucet that had been running, and locked it. The portrait locked in the bathtub was empty, devoid of anything. He had completely vanished. * * * What should I do with this marble? I pondered as I left the bathroom. ¡°Should I submit it to the evaluators?¡± To prove that I passed the fourth practical exam, I needed to show them his marble. The issue was when to show this marble to the evaluators. The current time was approximately 3 a.m. The restricted hours at the Dream Hotel were from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. ¡°Do I have to stay in the room for at least another 3 hours like this?¡± I thought at that moment. Someone knocked on the door from outside. ¡°Assistant here. Please open the door.¡± Did they suspect me of taking him down? The timing was too perfect. Upon hearing the person knocking on the door, I opened it. An assistant with a green stamp stood in front of the door. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°First, I apologize for conducting the exam without proper explanation. And congratulations on passing the fourth practical exam.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The assistant apologized politely. As the assistant was not the one in charge of the exam but rather one of the evaluators, and I had already caught on to the content of the exam beforehand, I didn¡¯t voice any complaints. Instead, I asked the question that came to mind. ¡°How come there¡¯s no mention of me taking down the monster?¡± ¡°The signboard with the room number in front of the door turned black and then returned to its original state. Turning black indicates that the monster was active.¡± It all made sense. Satisfied with the assistant¡¯s explanation, I nodded. ¡°We are recording the results of the fourth practical exam at the banquet hall. Test-taker 1532, with evidence of obtaining the marble by killing the monster and banishing the nightmare, should bring the portrait and report to the banquet hall. In case test-takers¡¯ minds are contaminated, supporters are also operating mental clinics at the banquet hall. If you feel mentally unwell, please visit the clinic as well.¡± ¡°Is it okay to go there during the restricted hours?¡± ¡°The restricted hours do not apply to those who have passed. If you have no further questions, I will take my leave.¡± The assistant lightly bowed and left. I decided to head to the banquet hall to report my exam results. ¡°But first, I should clean this up.¡± Water dripped from the portrait soaking in the bathtub. I roughly wiped the portrait with a towel, got ready, and headed straight to the banquet hall. The banquet hall was chaotic. ¡°I should have just said it was an exam!¡± ¡°The cockroaches are out, the cockroaches are out, the cockroaches are out, the cockroaches are out!¡± ¡°Really¡­ this isn¡¯t a dream, right? This is actually reality, right? Ugh¡­.¡± ¡­¡­. Test takers who were furious about having to take the exam unexpectedly without hearing any explanation. Test takers appealing to the psychological shock of not being able to forget what they experienced in their dreams. Test takers who, even after waking up in reality, couldn¡¯t shake off the doubt that they might still be in a dream. They were running wild in the banquet hall. ¡°Well, it¡¯s understandable to get excited after something like this happened so suddenly.¡± There were also test takers who, without sympathizing with them, were barely holding onto their sanity. But even they were not in such a good state. ¡­¡­. Their complexions were uniformly dark or pale, and their gazes seemed to avoid meeting eyes, pointing downwards as if afraid to make contact. Occasionally, test takers were seen biting their lips hard until they bled or trembling uncontrollably. And then, it happened. ¡°eeek!¡± ¡°It seems like they weren¡¯t in a good state after all, maybe they had their bodies taken away.¡± ¡°They¡¯re possessed by a nightmare! Quickly, subdue them!¡± A test taker who had just entered the banquet hall suddenly wielded a sword. It was someone whose body had been taken by a monster. Fortunately, the commotion was brought under control by the attendants, with only minor injuries. The test taker who was stabbed by the sword received treatment from the supporters present. ¡°I wonder if I would have ended up like that too if I hadn¡¯t noticed the exam or had been attacked by that guy in the dream.¡± I wished for the test takers¡¯ swift recovery. I walked towards the evaluator who was recording the exam scores. I handed over my identification card and portrait. The evaluator, after confirming my test number, informed me of the test results. ¡°Test taker number 1532, passed the 4th practical exam, Sweet Room grade. But¡­ why is the picture wet?¡± ¡°I soaked it in the bathtub.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me? What did you say?¡± ¡°I put it in the bathtub and soaked it in water. I thought it might help me easily find monsters in my dreams that way.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ Do you understand? About the exam content¡­¡± ¡°Vaguely.¡± I shrugged my shoulders. That was my final answer. The evaluator looked at me, somewhat surprised. I ignored that reaction. ¡°I¡¯m tired from taking the test and not sleeping properly. Can I go back now?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, you can go back now. We¡¯ll set up the gate for exiting from here starting at 11 a.m. The explanation for the 5th test will be held in Dimension Room 305, so please gather there by 2 p.m.¡± ¡°Is that so. Yes, understood.¡± It seemed like I hadn¡¯t slept due to battling with that guy in my dream, but it worked out well in the end. If you had a schedule at 11 a.m., you had plenty of time to sleep well. Having finished my tasks, I decided to go back to my room to rest comfortably. It was when I had taken a few steps. Thud! Suddenly, someone pushed through the test-takers and rushed towards me. Rabbit ears, shining blue hair. ¡°¡­Yeonha?¡± She made a face as if she was about to cry and spread her arms. Caught off guard by her abrupt appearance, I instinctively caught her. ¡°¡­Yeonha?¡± ¡°Is it really you, Kyeongu?¡± Yeonha hugged me tightly, burying herself in my arms. As she pressed her face against my chest, her rabbit ears shook back and forth. ¡°Why is she acting like this? Did she have a bad dream?¡± Yeonha, burying her face in my chest, even trembled slightly. Realizing that something was not right, I gently stroked her head and back to calm her down. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s really me. Did I come out in your dream too?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± ¡°What did I say? What kind of dream was it?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± ¡°Really? Even if you don¡¯t want to talk about what the dream was, a dream is just a dream. Forget about it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Yeonha gripped my clothes tightly. Deciding not to probe further and upset her, I chose not to ask any more questions. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to talk to me about it. She must have had a dream she really doesn¡¯t want to talk about.¡± Respecting Yeonha¡¯s wishes, I continued to reassure her. ¡°Can you hear my heartbeat? Concentrate on the sound while listening. Don¡¯t dwell on unnecessary dreams.¡± ¡°¡­Your voice sounds clearer in my ears. So, I¡¯ll focus on your voice.¡± ¡°Okay, Yeonha, do what makes you comfortable. Is there something you want to hear?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only you for Yeonha.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only you for Yeonha.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not ¡®Yeonha,¡¯ it¡¯s ¡®Yeonha is.¡¯¡± ¡°There¡¯s only you for Yeonha.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°As much as you want. There¡¯s only you for Yeonha.¡± Somehow. I felt like I knew what kind of dream she had. I repeated my words several times. Yeonha gradually showed signs of calming down, perhaps because of those efforts. She raised her head from his embrace. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think I am getting a bit better.¡± ¡°Should I do more for you?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Please, keep going, just keep going.¡± Tears stained her face under the fading sky. She forced a smile. I smiled back at her. ¡°Before that, let¡¯s go report the results. We might end up disqualified if we keep lingering here after the exam time.¡± ¡°Yeah. And there¡­ Gyungu.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Could you¡­ stay with me just for tonight?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°After waking up, I had to fight monsters again and the room would become a mess¡­ I feel like I might have bad dreams if I sleep in that room again. So, could you stay with me just for tonight?¡± Blushing, she lowered her head and gently tugged at my sleeve. As if embarrassed, she hesitantly swayed her body side to side. ¡®¡­I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ Momentarily taken aback by her request, I decided to grant it. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s sleep together tonight. Let¡¯s also go ask for permission for that part.¡± ¡°Thank you, really.¡± She felt relieved. I took the relaxed her and headed towards the evaluator. The evaluator, as if worried, spoke up. ¡°Test-taker 5784. You don¡¯t seem to be in a good state. How about trying counseling at the mental health clinic?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­.¡± ¡°The supporters assisting with this exam are skilled in mental health. It might be helpful to talk about what¡¯s on your mind¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯m really feeling better. So, I think I don¡¯t need counseling.¡± The evaluator¡¯s words made sense. But Yeonhui seemed reluctant to receive counseling at the mental health clinic. She abruptly cut off the evaluator and replied with a stern face. I could only praise her decision. ¡°Haneul couldn¡¯t sleep properly, so she¡¯s tired. If she gets a good rest, she¡¯ll feel better.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what the test-takers think¡­ then I won¡¯t insist anymore. Test-taker 5784, you have passed the 4th practical exam, Sweet Room level.¡± ¡°But I think Haneul would feel more at ease if I¡¯m with her¡­. To help her relax, could we sleep in the same room, even just for tonight?¡± ¡°Are you suggesting to share a room?¡± ¡°She mentioned that her room was a mess from fighting monsters. She also said she might have bad dreams if she sleeps there¡­¡± ¡°¡­It could trigger memories. Understood. I¡¯ll allow it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The judge was not entirely inflexible. He considered Yeo-Haneul¡¯s condition. Yeo-Haneul and I decided to return to our room, exchanging thanks. ¡°Make sure to pack your things so we can leave right after waking up. Or should I go instead? You can just tell me where your stuff is¡­¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll go get them. I can¡¯t rely on you for everything. Is there a pillow¡­ there?¡± ¡°I have plenty of pillows in my room. Or you can just use my arm as one.¡± ¡°Chii, stop teasing. I¡¯ll use a pillow.¡± We took the elevator up. The shadow that had been on Yeo-Haneul¡¯s face had significantly faded. Then, she abruptly changed the topic. ¡°Hey, you know¡­¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo, how do you feel about a public confession?¡± ¡°A public confession?¡± ¡°You know, confessing in front of others. With candles on the floor, rose petals, balloons¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do you think of that kind of confession?¡± Why is she suddenly talking about this? I cautiously observed Yeo-Haneul, lost in thought. Her gaze didn¡¯t waver. ¡®A public confession¡­¡¯ In my past life, I would have welcomed it. I thought I could show my sincerity to the other person. It was quite eventful and would leave a lasting impression in memory. ¡®After leaving the orphanage and working just to make money, I never had the courage to like someone. Playing games in my spare time was my solace.¡¯ But now, I was different. Thinking back on my past life, living as Dogyeonwoo, I had a lot on my mind. I spoke up. ¡°Everyone may have their own thoughts, but I consider a confession as a formal procedure to confirm feelings when both sides have some affection. You should be confident that the other person likes you before confessing.¡± ¡°I agree with that.¡± ¡°So, if someone suddenly confesses to me when I don¡¯t like them, wouldn¡¯t it feel burdensome and uncomfortable? Especially if it¡¯s in front of others.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I think the same way.¡± Yeo-Haneul strongly agreed. Empowered by her response, I continued confidently. ¡°So, if you¡¯re sure the other person likes you, a public confession might not be so bad.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re scolding them with a confession. You¡¯re going to date anyway. So, if you¡¯re going to receive a confession, a public one that can leave a lasting impression and earn recognition from others might not be a bad idea. It¡¯s romantic, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± But why did Yeo-Haneul bring up this topic? I inwardly chuckled. ¡°Does he prefer a public confession?¡± First, that question arose in my mind. ¡°¡­Could it be that he received a public confession in his dream? From whom?¡± Secondly, that question came to mind. It won¡¯t work. Even if the heavens don¡¯t want to talk about it, I still must ask this one thing. I tried to speak to her. Just then, she cut me off. ¡°Haneul, in the dream¡­.¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Yeonhae¡­ From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Don¡¯t even think about things like public confessions in dreams. Never, ever, ever.¡± With a firm gaze, she stared at me, emphasizing repeatedly. ¡°¡­you don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°N-n-no, I really hate it!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to receive it.¡± ¡°Even under the assumption that we like each other?¡± ¡°I feel like my affection would diminish the moment I receive it.¡± ¡°Is it that serious? No, why?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ cough! It¡¯s just that, I really dislike public confessions to that extent.¡± ¡°Anyway, you dislike it.¡± ¡°Mood-setting, romantic gestures are enough for just the two of us¡­ No need for public declarations, right?¡± ¡°Okay, okay, got it. I¡¯ll remember.¡± ¡°Yes, remember it well.¡± Yeonhae expresses her thoughts as if teaching a lesson. I nodded in agreement with what she said. Soon, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened. We stepped out onto the floor with the suite rooms. ¡°So, from whom did you receive it?¡± Yeonhae didn¡¯t reveal it until the end. ¡ª The patrol officer, who was patrolling the hallway with the suite rooms, stopped in front of a certain room. Checking the room¡¯s occupant on the layout, it was the room of test-taker number 5784. The door was halfway open. ¡°This is just¡­¡± Through that gap, a part of the interior was revealed. Feeling a strange sensation, the assistant who peeked inside couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. Items in the room were strewn about as if a burglar had been there. ¡°Could this be the work of a nightmare?¡± The assistant had a duty to check on the examinee¡¯s condition. He quietly stepped inside. ¡°¡­¡± The state of the room was much worse than what he had seen from the entrance. The window leading to the balcony was shattered, and everything inside the room was in shambles. As if struck down with a hammer. Meanwhile, blood trickled in the bathroom, where water was running. Judging from the bluish hue of the blood, it seemed to be that of a monster, not a human. ¡°It seems the nightmare has been dealt with, so it doesn¡¯t appear to be a nightmare-induced mess¡­¡± The aide speculated based on the traces. Soon, he muttered with a stiff face. ¡°Then, did they create this mess fighting the nightmare?¡± It seemed too extreme for that. The assistant felt a sense of unease. Chapter 68 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 67 Chapter 67 The Battle for Plunder [Illustration] The bed in the Sweet Room was wide enough to comfortably accommodate two people, yet it felt cramped to me. Perhaps because Yeonha had drawn the distance closer between us. ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ too close?¡± Even when staying at a hotel in the Academy City, I never slept like this. Lying on the pillow, Yeonha was within arm¡¯s reach when she stretched out. Her face, hidden in the darkness of the room illuminated by moonlight from the terrace, faintly revealed itself. Her hair, bearing the same color as her name, shimmered mysteriously, and her red eyes gleamed. ¡°Here she goes again¡­¡± The night sky closed the distance a little more. Now, it was a distance where breaths could reach each other. As I inhaled, a subtle fragrance filled the air. It was the scent from her, who had showered in my room¡¯s bathroom a while ago. ¡°¡­.¡± A fresh yet sweet scent. Whenever that scent tickled my nose, I couldn¡¯t help but think of the night sky involuntarily. ¡®It¡¯s not right.¡¯ My gaze kept wandering towards the night sky. I needed to shut my eyes, but closing them only fueled unnecessary imagination. At this rate, I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep well. I tried to create some distance. Then, as I tried to step back, she reached out her finger, firmly grasping my sleeve to prevent me from moving away. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just stay there.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± A faint tremor resonated from beyond the vague darkness. Upon hearing such a sound, it was impossible to refuse. I decided to hold my ground. As a result, the night sky slowly approached, cautiously burying herself in my embrace. She buried her face in my chest, gently embracing me. ¡°¡­Just stay like this, for tonight.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Finally extending my arms to her, I awkwardly placed my remaining arm on her back. Since I was sleeping at the gate, the clothes weren¡¯t as thin as pajamas, but still relatively thin. Her contours felt uncertain. If I felt awkward with my arm around her, she, almost pulling me closer, must have been feeling my contours more keenly. Yet, there was no sign of embarrassment. ¡®She¡¯s not usually like this¡­.¡¯ The experiences in her dreams seemed to have taken a toll on the night sky mentally. As I tried to understand her emotions, I patted her back. ¡°I won¡¯t go anywhere, I¡¯ll stay here, so sleep tight.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you. Goodnight.¡± Her touch became firmer. Her knees and toes brushed against my legs. Gradually, legs entwined with legs. In this way, she embraced me, creating a comfortable position. However, it was an uncomfortable position for me. ¡°¡­.¡± Quietly, I let out a sigh. I shifted my hips slightly backward. That day, the night sky fell into a deep slumber, and I couldn¡¯t sleep peacefully. ¡°Still, it¡¯s a relief that you slept well.¡± ? The day broke. Perhaps due to skipping breakfast and sleeping in, the condition of the night sky had improved significantly. It seemed she had realized what she had done the previous night. ¡°Uhm, did you sleep well, Geonyu?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She slipped out of my embrace and, with a flushed face, greeted me in the morning, tightly holding the blanket in one hand and running her fingers through her hair with the other. I expressed my true feelings to her, avoiding eye contact and looking away. ¡°Look at me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you think I slept well?¡± ¡°You¡­ look very tired¡­.¡± ¡°Because of whom?¡± ¡°Sorry¡­.¡± I felt like I was just keeping my eyes closed. My consciousness hadn¡¯t sunk deep, just repeating the cycle of sleeping and waking. There was no way I had slept well. I gazed at the night sky with a clearly displeased expression. She seemed apologetic, unable to lift her head. ¡°Well, it seems like things are better now, so it¡¯s fine.¡± I absentmindedly toyed with the rabbit ear-like hair that hung limply. The night sky flinched. I chuckled at her reaction. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get ready to check out. We need to head out to the gate for the explanation of the 5th test. Haven¡¯t had breakfast yet, need to fill our stomachs. If we eat now, it¡¯s practically lunchtime. Do you want to shower first?¡± ¡°No, you go ahead. I¡¯ll go get our food.¡± ¡°Really? Alright, I¡¯ll count on you.¡± Starting today, the 5th practical test will be conducted for three days. I couldn¡¯t just laze around in bed like this. The night sky and I quickly prepared and headed down to the banquet hall. The gate to the outside was open in the banquet hall. We originally returned to the real world and headed to Dimension Room 305 where the 5th practical exam explanation was taking place. ¡°There are so many people here.¡± Dimension Room 305, with desks arranged in a tiered fashion. Dimension Room 305 was spacious, like connecting several lecture rooms, with a high ceiling. As we entered, we could see examinees who had arrived early and taken their seats. There seemed to be more examinees from other exam venues than the ones we had seen at the Mirage Hotel. ¡°Let¡¯s find our seats and wait. Otherwise, we might not find a place to sit.¡± ¡°Yeah, there seems to be an empty seat over there. How about sitting there?¡± Yeonnah found an empty seat. I sat with her at that seat, deciding to wait for the exam explanation. After a while, the appointed time passed. ¡°¡­.¡± Evaluators entered from below. The examinees, who had been silently staring at them, stirred greatly upon recognizing the leading woman. ¡°That person is¡­.¡± Even from afar, it was clear that she was a woman with a small stature and a young-looking face. However, contrary to her appearance, she exuded a calm and mature atmosphere. Dressed neatly in a suit, clicking her heels confidently as she walked up onto the stage, there was no flaw in her demeanor. As the evaluators followed her, it also gave an impression that one couldn¡¯t approach her recklessly. She exuded authority. In reality, she was quite mature, and definitely not someone one could approach recklessly. ¡°Hello, examinees.¡± At that moment, the woman took the microphone. With her striking yellow eyes, she smiled broadly and spoke. ¡°First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and congratulations to all the examinees who have applied to Geumgang Academy and have come to this place. As some of you may already know, I am the director of Geumgang Academy, So Hye-ryul. The reason I am here is to¡­ I was curious about the talents that have applied this year. So, I deliberately persuaded the evaluators planning your exam to let me come out. Please, take care of me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The woman introduced herself as the director. The examinees gathered here to enter Geumgang Academy couldn¡¯t possibly not recognize her. No, even if they hadn¡¯t seen her face living in the Academy City, she was a well-known figure whose name they must have heard at least once. ¡°It¡¯s surprising to think that someone who looks so young is actually from the same generation as grandfathers. Even if I know it¡¯s just a game, it¡¯s still astonishing. She must be managing with mana. But why do grandfathers¡­ No, maybe when you reach that age, looking dignified and gracefully aged might be better than looking young.¡± The Witch of the Stars, So Hye-ryul. She not only held a strong influence in the governance of the Academy City as a member of the Council of Contribution but was also a globally recognized magician. Above all, she was the owner of Starlight Road, an artificial satellite floating outside the waiting area of the Academy City, which I had used in my dreams to kill monsters. ¡°That¡¯s why I became a member of the Council of Contribution. It¡¯s such a devastating power for one person to wield that it was necessary for the Council to monitor.¡± So Hye-ryul had a strong presence, often appearing in the game. Mainly, she subtly asked Strong Star to resolve incidents or took care of the aftermath of incidents caused by Strong Star. However, there were some ambiguous aspects to treating her as a complete ally. ¡°She must have hidden a lot.¡± So Hye-ryul helped Strong Star because she had something to gain, not simply out of pure intentions to assist. If it served her purpose, she didn¡¯t hesitate to put Strong Star through trials. One could say she had a calculating nature. Meanwhile, she too. [As she finally decided to make an appearance, I will personally explain the details of the 5th practical exam.] She was one of the owners of a bad ending. And quite a troublesome one at that. To unlock a new story route, it was a must to watch it. And so, her thoughts became more profound. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the exam for now.¡± Putting aside thoughts about the game. I decided to listen to the explanation. [In the 5th exam, there will be no division of participants, and all examinees will compete at a single gate. The reason for explaining it here is that the position summoned upon entering this gate is set randomly. Therefore, we needed to gather here to explain, that¡¯s why you are all here. Now, examinees, please check your exam tickets.] When So Hye-ryul instructed the evaluators, each of them raised exam tickets of different colors. ¡°The essence of the 5th practical exam, which will last for 3 days, is really simple. Once you enter the gate, you will snatch the opponent¡¯s exam ticket and engage in a three-day battle of theft.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°However, if the value of exam tickets is equal, it can reduce tension, simplify the exam, and above all, make it less fun, don¡¯t you think?¡± Less fun. The Director casually spoke controversial words in an official setting. But no one questioned it. That¡¯s how much she was a dangerous figure who shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly. ¡°So, we decided to differentiate values based on the color of the exam tickets you possess. Hey, could someone display the screen on the gate watch?¡± I glanced down at my wrist, where the gate watch was strapped. There was a message on the watch. [Value Scores Based on Exam Ticket Colors] ¨C White: 10 points ¨C Yellow: 20 points ¨C Green: 30 points ¨C Red: 50 points ¨C Blue: 70 points ¨C Black: 100 points ¡°The value scores based on the exam ticket colors are as shown on the gate watch. At this point, regardless of the color, your exam ticket will be worth 100 points. So, you need to accumulate a total value score of over 200 points, including your own exam ticket. And on the second day, at 10 p.m., the gate watch will reveal the location where the gate is set. The evaluators will be waiting for you there from 9 a.m. on the third day.¡± The details of the 5th practical exam were also being transmitted through the gate watch. As I listened to So Hye-ryul¡¯s explanation, I scrolled down the message. Additional information was written there. [The exam will take place for 3 days starting from the moment of entrance into the gate. The exam will conclude at 9 a.m.] [Examinees holding admission tickets must wear at least one admission ticket at all times. In this case, they must prioritize wearing the most valuable ticket over others.] [Once a day, a box containing essential survival items will be distributed. The distribution location will be randomly assigned.] [At 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24 hours, examiners¡¯ ticket locations will be transmitted around them through the Gate Watch at 3-hour intervals. The value will not be reflected.] [¡­.] Reading the message, I could roughly grasp the situation. It was exactly as So Hye-ryul had initially said. ¡°Survive at the gate for 3 days, engaging in a fierce battle to snatch and steal admission tickets.¡± Even if your admission ticket is snatched, it doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re eliminated. It seems like I can¡¯t afford to let my guard down for a moment. On the one hand, it seemed like as long as I safeguarded my admission ticket well, even collecting just 100 points would be enough to pass. Of course, gathering 100 points wouldn¡¯t be easy. ¡°¡­.¡± Examinees who had passed up to the 4th practical exam weren¡¯t going to have it easy. Nevertheless, I was confident in my abilities. ¡°If everyone else has gathered their points, there¡¯s no way I won¡¯t gather mine.¡± There¡¯s no need to worry too much. I decided to already start diverting my attention from the sky that seemed to be spinning like a wheel. I subtly reached for her admission ticket. At this, she was taken aback. ¡°What, what are you touching right now¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll borrow your admission ticket for a bit.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The black admission ticket attached to the left chest of the sky that seemed to be spinning. Ignoring her reaction, I peeled off the admission ticket. Then, I attached it next to my admission ticket. ¡°What¡­ are you doing right now?¡± ¡°My admission ticket 100 points, your admission ticket 100 points. With this, I¡¯m passing.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Sky, you make sure to gather your 200 points on your own.¡± ¡°Is this fun?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The sky was dumbfounded. I nodded with a smirk. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll attach one for you too.¡± ¡°Sigh, because you¡¯re a real kid¡­.¡± ¡°Just stay still. It¡¯s hard to be sweet.¡± ¡°While you sneakily¡­.¡± ¡°What do you mean by sneakily?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing, you wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°¡­I feel strangely upset.¡± ¡°If you frown, wrinkles will appear. Just keep doing what you were doing, little Doyeong.¡± ¡°Tsk. Alright, you pass too.¡± I peeled off the exam tickets from my clothes and stuck them on Yeonhae¡¯s clothes. She looked at me with a childish pout, but a smile broke out on her face. It was right at that moment that we heard the sound of So Hye-ryul¡¯s scolding. [¡°Hey, exam-takers! Why don¡¯t you go somewhere else for your lovey-dovey stuff instead of here?¡±] Pathetic. Who would dare to show affection shamelessly in a place where exam instructions were being given? ¡®Fail the exam for sure.¡¯ It seemed like other exam-takers had similar thoughts to mine. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Occasionally, whispers could be heard. ¡°If only they fail for sure¡­.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t those the ones we saw on the bus yesterday?¡± ¡°Wow¡­ so unfair. Seriously¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m envious¡­ no, I¡¯m dying from jealousy.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll probably start dating as soon as they get into the academy¡­.¡± ¡°Will they form a couple as soon as they enter the academy?¡± ¡ª [¡°First, exam-takers wearing black exam tickets, please enter!¡±] All the instructions were done. As So Hye-ryul pulled aside the curtain covering the stage with a circular artificial gate, it revealed a center glowing in yellow. Soon, the exam-takers with black exam tickets stood up from their seats and walked onto the stage. ¡°Haneul, let¡¯s go too.¡± ¡°Yeah. Once we enter the gate, we¡¯ll probably have to act separately.¡± ¡°Why? Are you worried because I won¡¯t be there?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who shouldn¡¯t worry just because I¡¯m not by your side?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, there won¡¯t be any need for that.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yeonhae and I also lined up to pass through the artificial gate. At that moment, she pursed her lips and pinched my side. Although it didn¡¯t hurt, I pretended it did. ¡°Anyway, do well once you¡¯re inside. Don¡¯t get hurt anywhere. If someone even tries to harm you¡­¡± ¡°If they try to harm me?¡± ¡°Definitely kill them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t kill them, just remember their face. I¡¯ll come find them later and finish the job.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Hearing that makes me feel secure. You take care too.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Before long, the line shortened, and it was our turn. We stood in front of the artificial gate. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± This was the final test. Thinking about what lay ahead, I stepped through the gate. If my prediction was correct¡­ ¡°In this test, Lee Gahyun will start to act more actively.¡± One of the six leaders of the Mine Council. Doll Witch, Lee Gahyun. According to the game¡¯s lore, she infiltrated the entrance exam pretending to be an evaluator to assess the examinees¡¯ abilities. This was her only chance to do so. ¡°It¡¯s also an opportunity for me to hunt Lee Gahyun.¡± Soon, I was engulfed in light. Chapter 69 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 68 Chapter 68 Whether by natural phenomena. Or artificially. Transforming their hearts into special crystals like monster-held Mana Stones, Mines that have moved beyond the realm of humans. They have an instinct to seek mana like monsters, and the Mine Council is a group gathered solely to follow that instinct, devoid of ideologies, beliefs, or values. In the game, they were the enemies entangled in the story. Among them, Doll Witch Lee Gahyun. As one of the six leaders of the Mine Council, she appeared frequently and was a considerable headache as a villain. ¡°Lee Gahyun¡± ¡°You are a disciple of the Dark Arts. I was curious about how your face looked, so I secretly infiltrated the entrance exam, but I regret not seeing you then¡­ Seeing you now, it¡¯s nice. Your face is exactly my type. I thought you would look rugged like a Dark Arts practitioner, but this is quite unexpected, isn¡¯t it? Hm¡­ I want to make you a part of my collection. Igahyeon enjoyed decorating and possessing beautiful people according to her taste like dolls. Thus, she fell for Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s appearance and pursued opportunities to approach him persistently. ¡®He keeps appearing because his face fits my taste¡­ When I first played the game, I wondered how such an implausible development could happen.¡¯ Meanwhile, Igahyeon¡¯s abilities were formidable. She could split her soul and possess others¡¯ bodies. As a result, she concealed her identity, approached Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s group, and put them in danger. Eventually, she progressed through the story and engaged in battle with her true self. ¡®Igahyeon.¡¯ ¡°But what should I do? Unlike the clone, I am incredibly strong. The player had to engage in a fierce battle. As her true self, not the soul-split clone, displayed powerful skills. As a result, in the process of killing her, the potions collected so far might be wasted, or party members might die. ¡®Or the game over screen might appear as Kang Hanbyeol dies.¡¯ In the game ¡®Brave Hearts.¡¯ If a party member dies, it cannot be reversed, leading to restricted endings or reaching an ending resulting from the death of a specific party member. In that sense, avoiding bad endings and wanting to live happily in this world posed a challenge for me. It was an unsettling development. Especially if Kang Hanbyeol were to die¡­ ¡®Straight to Igahyeon¡¯s ending.¡¯ Then, a destruction ending awaits. Igahyeon becomes the leader of the Mind Council, and everyone with a beautiful appearance becomes her doll. As collections with extinguished souls. As all characters appearing in the game have significant appearances, they cannot escape the fate of becoming dolls. ¡®Igahyeon.¡¯ ¡°My beautiful dolls. So, which doll¡¯s body shall I inhabit today? In the game¡¯s ending, there is a scene where Igahyeon passes by a place where people packaged like toy boxes are displayed. With her gaze roaming the display shelves in a state of complete undress, one by one, characters are reflected in her eyes. Among them, there was me, Do Gyunwoo. Finally, she stops in front of Kang Hanbyeol, who is in the toy box with closed eyes. ¡®Igahyeon.¡¯ ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve decided. Today, I¡¯ll inhabit Hanbyeol¡¯s body. Hanbyeol, I¡¯ll dress you up beautifully.¡± With that, the screen fades to black, and a message appears. [Beautiful people became dolls, while those who were not beautiful became slaves in the world.] [As the master of that world, Ih Hyeon ended up killing every living being once he felt old age creeping in.] ¡°Those who are not beautiful are not worth living.¡± ¡°Growing old is not beautiful.¡± With those words, Ih Hyeon turned himself into a doll. She became a doll. Now, in this world, only she and the dolls exist. The world has perished. ©¤ Bad Ending ©¤ Destruction ending by Ih Hyeon. As someone who wanted to avoid that ending, I couldn¡¯t miss the chance to lower the difficulty of the battle that would eventually come between her and me. So¡­ ¡°I have to kill her here.¡± Before the game¡¯s story begins. Eradicate a part of Ih Hyeon¡¯s soul. That way, weaken her. I made a vow. *** [I entered the gate.] [Yellow: Honrim Island V] When I opened my eyes, I was in a forest. Thick bushes surrounded me, and through the branches overhead, I could see the blue sky. The wind gently rustled. Shooosh. Along with that wind, a sound reminiscent of waves crashing reached my ears. It seemed like there was a sea nearby. [This is a conquered gate.] ¡°Is it on the outskirts of the island?¡± Clearing the message that popped up with my hand, I deduced my current location. Since the sound of the waves was likely the edge of the gate, I decided to head in the opposite direction. ¡°Are they all taking their positions?¡± The examinees must spend three days on this island, snatching and protecting their exam tickets to avoid being robbed. Without guaranteed safety, I couldn¡¯t rush recklessly. I needed to secure a place to seize the opportunity to snatch the exam ticket, explore a route to escape quickly after snatching it, and establish a base on the island. First come, first served. If someone knows how to ¡°hunt,¡± they will surely be moving like that. But I had no intention of doing so. ¡°I can¡¯t settle in one place as I need to find Iga-hyun.¡± As long as I didn¡¯t know where Iga-hyun was, I had to search for her. Furthermore, I didn¡¯t know her face. Not that I didn¡¯t know the face of the doll-like Iga-hyun, but I didn¡¯t know the face of the examinee she had possessed. It was inevitable. In the game, it was only mentioned in passing through the characters¡¯ lines. During the entrance exam, there was a strange examinee who pretended to be an evaluator and evaluated the examinees, and that examinee, who must have passed for sure, mysteriously disappeared from the academy. And she only mentioned it later with her own mouth. That she was that examinee. ¡°If I go inside the island, I¡¯ll probably run into examinees a lot.¡± So I had no choice but to rely on that clue to find Iga-hyun. I decided to head towards the center of the island for now. Surely, the examinees would be active around that area. There was a high chance she would be there, and even if she wasn¡¯t, I could hear rumors about her. ¡°Did Haneul fall somewhere else?¡± Meanwhile, I looked around almost in sync to find Yeon Haneul, who had entered the gate with me. Unfortunately, she seemed to be nowhere nearby. I had to give up on finding her. That was when I thought so. Rustle. I heard a sound of something moving. Stopping in my tracks, I spread out my detection net to sense any presence. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like a person¡­¡± The sensation caught by the detection net was faint, unrefined, and rough. There was no sign of mana manifestation, meaning that the mana flowing naturally from the body was like that. A monster the size of a small animal. It posed no threat to me. £¼Mana Bullet£¾ Still, I couldn¡¯t ignore it. Just sensing it made me nervous. I raised my index finger, pointing at the bushes where the guy could be hiding. Mana condensed at the tip of my finger. With a light flick of my finger, the mana shot out like a bullet. And so, four shots. I attacked the bushes. Whoosh! The guy couldn¡¯t dodge my attack. A sound came from the bushes where the mana bullets flew. I spread out my detection net again and saw that the guy¡¯s mana was still active, unmoving in its place. Seemed like he had lost consciousness. I decided to confirm his identity. ¡°What¡¯s this? It was you?¡± I could see a monster lying flat on the ground, knocked out. [Encountered a Monster] [Pikatail (Rank. 01) x 1] Pikatail, a Rank 1 monster. With very short ears and a tail as long as a mouse¡¯s, it was a creature halfway between a rabbit and a mouse. Considered one of the weakest among Rank 1 monsters. Although it could run away swiftly with its long legs, it seemed unable to escape my magic. ¡°Guess luck is on your side too.¡± Foaming at the mouth and twitching, the creature looked pitiful. But it was a monster. I aimed a mana bullet towards its tiny head. Pew! From its head to its chest, the creature was blown away. The mana core, the foundation of its existence, fell to the ground. The creature turned into mana particles, leaving no trace behind. I picked up the fallen mana core. ¡°They said you could exchange these mana cores for Geumgang coins depending on the quantity obtained in the test¡­¡± Every little bit helps. I put the mana core in my pocket. It was right at that moment that my evasion instinct kicked in. Zap! Electricity passed through my spine. I swiftly twisted my body as my instinct to dodge called out. Beyond the dense forest. Swish! ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± Something swooped down in a spiral. It was a massive scythe. That scythe passed the spot I was in, slicing through the tree trunk behind me. I almost split in two like the tree trunk, slipping and falling from the base. Swish! Thud! The giant scythe that soared into the sky returned to its original place like a boomerang. I focused on that direction. I unfolded my detection net. ¡°¡­This time it¡¯s a person.¡± Someone was approaching from the shadowy side of the forest. Their aura was refined and imposing. The opponent was another examinee like me. ¡°The question is who¡­?¡± The aura drew closer. I drew my navy blue sword. Among the examinees wearing black exam badges, only one came to mind as worthy of using the giant scythe. I wanted to think of another examinee, but her presence was deeply ingrained within me. Gradually, the figure of my opponent faintly appeared in the darkness. ¡°There¡¯s no luck or logic. Why of all places do I meet her here?¡± It was the figure of a woman wielding the giant scythe. A glimpse of gray hair was visible. With that, I was certain. The person walking towards me in the forest. ¡°As soon as I realized you were an examinee, I took a swing at you, and well, turns out you¡¯re a tough one, huh?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Nice to see you! Meeting here of all places?¡± She was Nam Yoori, a examinee from Yeonseong South. She stumbled happily, holding the giant scythe on her shoulder. But I couldn¡¯t just be happy to see her. I knew her character well. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. She might attack me.¡± Nam Yoori, who sought the thrill of feeling alive, found that thrill most intensely when she struggled for survival. So, she enjoyed killing living beings or putting herself in danger. In a situation where she and I were competing for exam badges, I could predict what she might be thinking. She would want to engage in the competition with me to feel that thrill. Naturally, I wanted to avoid it. She had no intention of fighting with her. ¡°¡­Right. Saw her yesterday, and here she is again today. Coincidence, isn¡¯t it? Well, could there be such a thing as a coincidence that feels like a lie?¡± ¡°Is that so? Seems like we might have some kind of fate. Or perhaps, could it be destiny? I think that would be nice too!¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ahahahaha¡­¡± ¡°Ahahahaha?¡± ¡°You were looking for the checkpoint too, right? Let¡¯s work hard, pass the exam, and meet at the academy. Then I¡¯ll go look for the checkpoint too.¡± I tried my best to act nonchalant and guide the conversation smoothly. Just as I was about to leave. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Damn it, Nam Yuri wasn¡¯t fooled. She called out to me. When I turned around, her violet eyes seemed to devour me with their intensity. ¡°You¡¯re not going with me?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to take mine? Not going to steal it?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°My exam ticket. We¡¯re in the middle of an exam. But we¡¯re just going to meet like this and part ways? Not even taking the test? Boring, right?¡± Nam Yuri puffed out her chest to show the black exam ticket. I opened my mouth to try to persuade her in any way possible. ¡°Didn¡¯t we promise yesterday?¡± ¡°Yeah! When we meet at the academy, we said we¡¯d settle who pays for the meal with rock-paper-scissors, right? Don¡¯t worry! I have a good memory, so I haven¡¯t forgotten!¡± ¡°But if you and I end up fighting, one of us won¡¯t get into the academy, and we won¡¯t be able to keep our promise, right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that. Seriously, you were worried about that? Now that I think about it, you worry a lot, don¡¯t you, seriously? You don¡¯t need to worry about that kind of thing!¡± Nam Yuri smiles brightly. She grips the scythe she had under her armpit and says, ¡°Even if you manage to take the exam ticket from me, with your skills, you could steal others¡¯ tickets and make up 200 points! So, you don¡¯t need to worry about not passing!¡± ¡°¡­Why are you assuming I¡¯ll be the one getting it taken from me? Don¡¯t you think you might get yours taken?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± At my absurd question, Nam Yuri chuckled. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re amusing, Gyeonwoo.¡± The smile fades from Nam Yuri¡¯s face. There¡¯s a sharpness in her violet eyes. The corners of her mouth curve up. ¡°I¡¯m strong, aren¡¯t I? Even if Gyeonwoo is strong, it¡¯s obvious I¡¯ll win, right?¡± Nam Yuri takes a combat stance. It seems inevitable that I won¡¯t be able to avoid it. I too prepared my stance. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll have to see if yours gets taken. You better get ready to score 200 points.¡± Chapter 70 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 69 Chapter 69 An exam to wrestle for the test ticket. For oneself, who had hidden in the exam hall to assess the abilities of the test-takers, it was nothing short of an opportunity. Feeling stifled observing the test-takers quietly, Cha had already thought there was no point in being here, seeing only the usual suspects around. ¡°The ability of the test-takers that can be grasped in the 3rd and 4th tests was limited. Originally, as the 4th test took place in their dreams, they gained no income. Above all, due to their large number and the division of personnel for the test, it was impossible to see them all. But this test was different. With all test-takers participating, the freedom of the test was exceptionally high. [Entered the gate.] [Yellow: Honrim Island V] Doll-like girl, Lee Ga-hyun. She, with the yellow test ticket attached to her body, was very excited about the situation. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s being conducted on the island.¡± Entering the gate and opening her eyes in the forest, Ga-hyun cleared the message. Her eyes scanned the surroundings. It seemed like no one was nearby. From Noble mtl dot com Outwardly, at least. ¡°¡­Many eyes on me.¡± Even if she restrained her emotions as much as possible, she was still a test-taker. Now, those about to enter the new world would not be accustomed to ¡®hunting¡¯ people. Ga-hyun, who had no qualms about killing people, could feel their hesitant gazes. ¡°In the position of being hunted¡­ Nice. It¡¯s not bad to be the one hunted.¡± On the other hand, Ga-hyun somewhat enjoyed the situation she unexpectedly found herself in upon entering the gate. Since becoming a Six Horse, no one dared to touch her, so she never expected to be targeted like this. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It felt like a long time. It feels like getting younger. She licked her lips with her tongue. ¡°Who will make me fall first?¡± Humming a tune, she confidently walked through the forest as if daring someone to try and catch her, deliberately showing vulnerability as if she hadn¡¯t noticed their presence. That¡¯s how they seduced them. Bang! ¡°You¡¯re first?¡± At that moment, someone fired a gun. Hearing the sound of the bullet being fired, Lee Ga-hyun¡¯s lips curled into a long smile. She drew two short swords from her waist and deflected the bullet flying towards her head. It was a rubber bullet. ¡®How cute.¡¯ Lee Ga-hyun chuckled inwardly. She dashed straight towards the direction from which the rubber bullet had come. Bang! Bang! Bang! The opponent, dodging her attacks and launching a counterattack, seemed greatly bewildered. Gunshots echoed in succession. However, guns are delicate weapons. Even a slight tremor can throw off the aim. The rubber bullets fired by the opponent passed by Lee Ga-hyun even when she didn¡¯t bother to dodge them. ¡®Quite disappointing for someone who tried to take me down first.¡¯ Elimination. Lee Ga-hyun decided to take down the opponent without the need to watch further. She threw the short sword gripped in her left hand. ¡°¡­Argh!¡± As the attack didn¡¯t land, the opponent, belatedly trying to evade, got the short sword stuck in their shoulder. Startled by the sudden attack, the opponent fell from the tree. A thud sounded. Lee Ga-hyun, slowing down, approached the fallen opponent on the ground. One of the opponent¡¯s arms was broken. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°You need to learn how to stay calm. Eliminated. I¡¯ll take this.¡± She doesn¡¯t kill. It¡¯s difficult to move around if you catch the evaluators¡¯ attention for no reason. Lee Ga-hyun, unfazed by the opponent¡¯s groans of pain from the broken arm, tried to take the exam slip without a second thought. £¼Mana Crasher£¾ It was precisely then that the examinees who had been hiding revealed themselves. They had taken advantage of the moment when her attention was on the fallen opponent. ¡®They know how to read the situation.¡¯ Of course, it didn¡¯t work on Lee Ga-hyun. Dodging the sword strike that flew from behind, she dealt with the nearby examinees first. The battle didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Mom, this can¡¯t be real¡­.¡± ¡°How can it be yellow¡­.¡± After several rounds of back and forth. The students who challenged Lee Gahyun were all writhing on the ground. Each of them had a face that expressed disbelief. She evaluated them in that state. ¡°You, and you, and you, and you too.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You all failed.¡± With a tone that seemed almost teasing, the students¡¯ faces contorted. However, they couldn¡¯t move their bodies due to unbearable pain. Lee Gahyun grabbed the exam papers attached to their bodies. ¡°It seems there are no more others.¡± She had gathered the minimum scores required to pass the exam. But Lee Gahyun¡¯s purpose was solely to assess the students¡¯ levels. She left her seat to evaluate the other students. By considering themselves as prey, they were caught off guard. ¡°You too failed.¡± In reality, they didn¡¯t even realize they were the ones being hunted. Lee Gahyun, with their exam papers attached to her body, licked her lips with regret. ¡°There are no students meeting my standards.¡± As it was the final exam, the students they encountered were relatively skilled. However, they did not meet expectations. There was no one who appeared beautiful and strong enough to set their soul on fire. Hence, their motivation dwindled. ©¤©¤!! The sound of a clash was heard at that moment. The recording device in the direction of the sound shook violently. Lee Gahyun suppressed their presence as much as possible and headed towards the source. ¡°You¡¯re trying to run away in fear right now! Is that how a man behaves!?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Two students were fighting. The battle was flowing in favor of one student. Lee Gahyun focused on that student. ¡°That kid is¡­.¡± A male student with a sallow complexion. On the back of his black uniform and on the left side of his chest, the characters ¡®‚b¡¯ and ¡®Áx¡¯ were engraved. With just that, Lee Gahyun could discern his identity. ¡°He¡¯s from the Yongga clan of the Euihyeop martial arts lineage.¡± Unexpectedly coming across a student from that prestigious clan, Yi Gahyun¡¯s eyes sparkled. She observed his battle. ¡°Quite skilled, aren¡¯t you?¡± There are no tricks in his attacks; they are straightforward. However, the power emitted so uprightly is unbelievably destructive. One wrong move could lead to defeat. Knowing this, opponents who tried to evade his attacks ultimately found themselves unable to block them and fell. The bond of battle was formed. In that moment, Yi Gahyun, who had been quietly watching, moved to personally confirm his skills. ¡°Though you showed promise during the fight, it was still a good match. Your exam paper is going to be in my hands¡­ Ugh!¡± As the direct descendant of the Yoo Clan clashed, Yi Gahyun, who had managed to approach him without being noticed, leaped up from the ground and delivered a kick. He, whose guard was down due to the lack of vigilance, belatedly noticed her presence. Raising his arms just in time, he was able to fend off the incoming attack from outside his field of vision. However, pushed back by the force, he staggered. ¡°What cowardly act is this?¡± Through the raised arms forming a guard, the man¡¯s eyes flashed as if irritated. Undeterred by his momentum, Yi Gahyun continued with the next attack. Closing in by pounding the ground, she swung the dagger held in both hands. ¡°So, you want to fight me? Fine, I¡¯ll correct that attitude.¡± The student from the Yoo Clan responded. The knuckle guard in his hand transformed into a gauntlet, enclosing his arm. The blade failed to cut his arm. Instead, as he deflected the blade, he sent a punch towards Yi Gahyun. ©¤!! The fist headed straight for her face. Yi Gahyun turned her face to the side. As the fist passed by her cheek, the wind generated by the punch left a long cut on her face. ¡®It was a face I liked. That punch was like a real blade. Is this what people from the Yoo Clan are like?¡¯ Droplets of blood scattered at the edge of her vision. Yi Gahyun, confirming his skills firsthand, smirked. ¡°You pass.¡± ¡°What!?¡± As if questioning what she meant, the face of the Yoo Clan¡¯s student contorted. Once again, Yi Gahyun did not respond. She struck with a kick again. Thud! Swish! Thump! The student from the Yoo Clan reacted. He raised both arms horizontally, creating a barrier of mana. Iga-hyun¡¯s attack was blocked by the barrier, causing no harm. Nevertheless, she had a different intention. Whoosh! Using the barrier as a foothold, she leaped into the air. Spinning in mid-air, she landed far from her original position. ¡°Well then, do your best on the test.¡± ¡°Hey! Where do you think you¡¯re going instead of fighting? Come back, right now! Are you going to sneak away until the very end like a coward?¡± Iga-hyun turned her back on him without a trace of regret and ran away. Only then did he realize her intentions and cursed under his breath. He tried to chase after her, but the distance between them could not be closed. In the end, he lost sight of her. ¡°Let¡¯s fight fair and square!¡± Meanwhile, the examinee who almost had his admission ticket stolen had slipped away during the commotion. ¡ª Nam Yoo-ri wields a massive scythe classified as a Side weapon. The advantages of the scythe lie in its long reach that can block the opponent¡¯s approach and its ability to attack a wide range at once. In the game, she utilized tactics that capitalized on these advantages. However, it would be inaccurate to say that she relied solely on the scythe. The scythe was just one of her tactics. Swish! Using herself as the pivot, Nam Yoo-ri swung the scythe like a windmill. A whirlwind of blades emanated from her, blocking any approach. Those who rushed towards her had no choice but to change direction hastily. ¡°Ahahahaha! You¡¯re just going to keep running like that!? You can¡¯t win against me by just running away!¡± It¡¯s not running away, it¡¯s avoiding. I mentally retorted to Nam Yoo-ri¡¯s taunts as I distanced myself. Then, as if her rotation was slowing down. ¡°Is it because of this that you can¡¯t come near me!? Then I¡¯ll give you a chance for a fair fight!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Utilizing the remaining centrifugal force, Nam Yoo-ri sent the scythe flying towards me. The scythe, released from her hand, drew a large circle in the air. Swish! If it hits directly, it will tear the body apart. Given the wide attack range, it¡¯s precarious to try to dodge by changing direction. But it¡¯s not impossible to evade. Nam Yoo-ri must be anticipating my movements. Of course, I have no intention of following her plan. I dashed forward recklessly towards the flying scythe. Crack! My instinct to dodge kicked in. Gift detected the optimal evasive route and advised me. I trusted Gift¡¯s signal and lowered my stance. Swish! The scythe passed above my head. Strands of hair, cut by the scythe, fluttered down into the air. If I hadn¡¯t lowered my head in time, it would have been severed. My gallbladder felt icy. But thanks to that, a path forward opened towards Namyuri. Now, she was unarmed. There was no need to worry about Sid¡¯s restraint. Without stopping my stride, I ran towards her. £¼Water King Attack Type 2£¾ Lion Gaze I infused compressed mana into the blade of the Blue Frost Sword. The blue mana, nestled in the jet-black blade, sharpened fiercely. Preparing to wield the sword, I now gazed at Namyuri, who was running out of options. She looked at me and smiled. ¡°Gyungoo, you don¡¯t think I can¡¯t fight without Sid, do you? I can do this too.¡± Namyuri¡¯s lips curled up. It was also the moment her hair, wriggling as if alive, became animated. ¡°Hair, you know, despite looking thin and fragile, can surprisingly withstand a tremendous amount of force. With all of a person¡¯s hair, you can hang weights of up to 5 tons.¡± Waves of silver-gray hair. Hair divided into two strands intertwined and fused. The hair turned into a large fist bigger than Namyuri¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s why my hair can block a sword.¡± This was the reason Namyuri didn¡¯t rely solely on Sid. In the game, her regular attacks were twofold. One was wielding Sid, and the other was turning her hair into fists to strike when not holding Sid. ¡°That¡¯s why, while one aspect is appreciated, it becomes troublesome when it¡¯s an enemy.¡± Fists made of hair surged. I dealt with attacks coming from both directions simultaneously. Swish! I stepped and twisted my body. Sending out one fist, I swung the sword towards the other. As Namyuri said, fists made of her hair could block most swords. But it¡¯s limited to normal attacks. The emblem of Lion Joheun on the navy sword couldn¡¯t stop it. As evidence. ¡°Your hair, is it cut?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Nam Yoori¡¯s fist was cut off. A bunch of hair fell to the ground. Confusion crossed her face. But she quickly regained composure, raising her remaining fist to block me. The emblem of Lion Joheun was unable to cut through the vanished navy sword this time. ¡°Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo overlooked the fact that I am a Shin-geom Do practitioner. Indeed, with Shin-geom Do¡¯s swordsmanship, it¡¯s possible to cut my hair too.¡± Nam Yoori¡¯s hair trembled. Soon, new hair grew from the section where it was cut. Yet, she seemed visibly upset by the fact that her hair was cut. The purple gaze looking at me sharpened. ¡°I won¡¯t let my guard down now.¡± Nam Yoori raised a hand. I remained cautious of her movement. Swish! Turning towards the sound, I saw the side that Nam Yoori had thrown returning towards us. The side landed neatly in her hand. ¡°Gyunwoo, be careful not to die.¡± As if implying things would be different this time. She warned me with a face that now held a hint of a smirk. Her momentum was noticeably more ominous than before. Even her hair bristled backwards. It was clearly dangerous. Instincts of evasion were heightened. Nam Yoori was aiming to attack me with the intent to kill. Yet, I remained unfazed. After all. ¡°Isn¡¯t the fight over with this?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Nam Yoori¡¯s exam paper had been taken. The reason we were fighting had now vanished. I showed her exam paper to make her realize the same. Only then did her eyes widen. ¡°Ah.¡± Nam Yoori let out a short sound. She, who had realized multiple times that there was no exam ticket pinned to her chest, seemed to loosen up as if feeling disappointed. ¡°Now that I think about it, you took it when you cut my hair.¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s the answer.¡± Nam Yoori quickly grasped the situation. I simply nodded my head. However, I was also worried. ¡°But how should I handle this?¡± It was good that I had taken Nam Yoori¡¯s exam ticket, so she wouldn¡¯t exert any more pressure. The problem was, as long as she had this exam ticket, I had to consider the possibility of her trying to reclaim it by challenging me again. In fact, she could do it right now. Thinking about that, having her exam ticket became burdensome for me. ¡°Holding onto this could mean being chased around by her for three days for no reason.¡± That was not an option. So, I only had one choice. ¡°Let¡¯s just throw it away altogether.¡± Nam Yoori wouldn¡¯t bother paying attention to me in her pursuit of her exam ticket. There was no better option than that. As I was about to put my thoughts into action, she suddenly spoke. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped! I want to keep fighting, but it seems like I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s going to be hurt more if we keep fighting, right? A win is a win, so let¡¯s leave it at that!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cleanly give up my exam ticket.¡± Nam Yoori turned the key, larger than herself, back with a metal clank. She revealed that she had no intention of engaging in further combat. I couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious. ¡°So¡­ you mean you¡¯re not planning to come back to reclaim it?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you wish for, I¡¯ll do it, but isn¡¯t that a bit petty? It¡¯s not fun at all. Then what¡¯s the point of us fighting like this?¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Also, if I carry around this black exam ticket, everyone will be cautious and treat me differently, making it less fun. It¡¯s not bad either. Taking the test in a situation where my score is lower than others might be interesting.¡± Nam Yoori unexpectedly made a valid point. Truly, she was unpredictable. Even though I knew her personality, I couldn¡¯t predict her actions perfectly. I agreed with a wry smile. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s leave it at that! Do well on the exam and let¡¯s definitely meet at the academy next time, okay!? I¡¯ll go gather my scores now! It was fun playing with you!¡± ¡°Alright, goodbye. Let¡¯s agree not to run into each other for the next three days.¡± Nam Yoori waved her hand and disappeared with a relieved expression on her face. I waved back at her, breathing a sigh of relief. Anyway. ¡°Have I met the passing criteria for now?¡± By obtaining Nam Yoori¡¯s exam ticket, my total score became 200 points. Upon entering the gate, they achieved the minimum score in less than an hour. Chapter 71 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 70 Chapter 70 ) [Illustration] All examinees entered the gate. Scattered across the island, they were all watching for opportunities to snatch each other¡¯s exam tickets. In such a situation, there were only two types of people conspicuously moving around. Those who were confident enough in their abilities not to fall prey. Or those who failed to grasp the essence of the test. ¡°Bothersome.¡± The top spirit magic school in the country. Cha Eun-sol of the Circulating Tea Pavilion belonged, strictly speaking, to the former. She didn¡¯t have absolute confidence in her abilities, but she didn¡¯t think she was weak enough to be taken advantage of by examinees. Above all, she didn¡¯t want to use her brain and found it bothersome. Sugar crash. Calorie consumption. ¡°I must cherish my sugar and fat.¡± She had to spend three days on this island. In situations where getting food was difficult, it was best to minimize energy consumption. Cha Eun-sol gently stroked her growling stomach, indicating hunger. Then, to check her condition, she grabbed her belly. ¡°My belly¡­ can¡¯t grab it.¡± Cha Eun-sol¡¯s voice trembled. The thickness of her increasing belly fat was too thin. It wasn¡¯t expanding as well as usual. It seemed like it had decreased by 1mm. For her, who had a body that didn¡¯t gain weight easily even when eating, 1mm was a significant number. Of course, it might just be her perception, and she might not have actually lost weight. But the fact that she felt it was the problem itself. ¡°To protect my precious belly fat.¡± To fill the void in her heart. Cha Eun-sol took out a sausage from her pocket and put it in her mouth. ¡°Yum yum.¡± The sausage was dark in color. It tasted like chocolate. As the sweet flavor spread in her mouth, Cha Eun-sol¡¯s face softened. Whenever she felt a lack of sweetness, she enjoyed eating this sausage. In addition, the sausages she always carried had various flavors. They were perfect snacks, rich in calories and nutrients. ¡°I should have one more.¡± This time, it was cheddar cheese flavor. Cha Eun-sol nibbled on another sausage in place. ¡°Seems like more people are targeting me.¡± Meanwhile, Cha Eun-sol was identifying test-takers lurking around her. The spirits informed her even when she did nothing. ¡°¡­.¡± Their gender, appearance, numbers, weapons, and even the color of their test admission tickets. Cha Eun-sol knew and felt it all. Crash! Hence, when they launched a surprise attack, Cha Eun-sol remained unfazed. ¡°One white, three yellow, one green.¡± Total score: 100 points. If she could just snatch their test admission tickets, she could meet the passing criteria. Cha Eun-sol stirred up the wind. Whoosh! ¡°¡­What!?¡± The wind spirit responded to her call. The wind swirled around Cha Eun-sol, deflecting the flying attacks. Not stopping there, she lifted the test-takers hiding in the trees into the sky. Helpless against the wind, they let out startled cries. She paid no heed to their cries. ¡°You, too, lend a hand.¡± Meanwhile, some test-takers stood on the ground. One tried to flee when his situation turned dire. To prevent his escape, Cha Eun-sol borrowed the power of the earth spirit. Swoosh! As she raised her hand to the sky, a hand emerged from the ground. The test-taker who found himself on that hand didn¡¯t know what to do. He tried to jump off belatedly, but it was a moment when the spirit of the wind was moving. Floating in the air, he struggled to get away somehow. But it was no use. Without a second thought, the wind snatched away the exam papers of the students. ¡°I¡¯ve got them all.¡± He spread his hands towards the sky. Exam papers fell heavily onto Cha Eun-sol¡¯s palm. She sent them far away so they wouldn¡¯t be chased. Then she spoke towards a certain place. ¡°You won¡¯t come?¡± The student who was watching Cha Eun-sol noticed not only those who were carried away by the wind, but one more person. Naturally, she was aware of the remaining person as well. Realizing that he had been discovered, the person walked out from behind the tree obediently. ¡°You were so pretty, so I was watching you, but you¡¯re a user of the circulation charm, huh? No wonder your skill in handling spirits is quite remarkable¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was a woman with a yellow exam paper. She approached as if to strike up a friendly conversation. Cha Eun-sol didn¡¯t respond. She could tell that despite the outwardly friendly attitude, it wasn¡¯t genuine. Her heart was not pure. That¡¯s how special her eyes were. Above all¡­ ¡®Is her body and soul not in harmony?¡¯ That was the moment. The woman drew her twin swords. She rushed at her suddenly. ¡°Shall we see for ourselves how good you really are?¡± The woman grins. Cha Eun-sol raised the wind as she had done a little while ago. The wind tried to grab hold of her. Thump! But the woman dodged the wind¡¯s touch with agile movements. She also created a barrier around her body. ¡®Lend me your strength.¡¯ Cha Eun-sol waved her hand. The earth spirit responded. Rocks resembling wedges emerged behind her. She expelled all of them. Crack! Thud! The woman protected her face with her twin swords and deflected the rocks. I avoided being kicked away. Some of them brushed past my legs and waist, causing shallow cuts. Blood flowed from the wounds. ¡°Is that all right?¡± As if numb to the pain. The woman praised Cha Eun-sol without showing any sign of pain. Meanwhile, she had approached close to Cha Eun-sol¡¯s face. ¡®¡­strong.¡¯ For the first time, Cha Eun-sol stepped back. Emotions crossed the woman¡¯s face, which had been consistently expressionless. She summoned the power of the earth spirit to make rock pillars rise from the ground. Whoosh! The rock pillar blocked the woman. The woman, who had been running towards Cha Eun-sol, hesitated for a moment. But that was short-lived. Her eyes narrowed, and a smile played on her lips. The mana-infused twin swords emitted light. Clang! ¡°¡­!¡± The woman¡¯s twin swords pierced through the pillar. The pillar crumbled down. She could now face Cha Eun-sol, who had been protected within the rock pillar. Cha Eun-sol¡¯s green eyes widened, allowing a close distance. ¡®Didn¡¯t expect this?¡¯ The woman, Lee Ga-hyun, observed Cha Eun-sol¡¯s reaction. She thought Cha Eun-sol would be flustered. But she quickly composed herself and asked with an unwavering gaze. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Cha Eun-sol¡¯s gaze was fixed on Lee Ga-hyun¡¯s eyes. No, not her eyes. Her gaze was looking at her own soul within this body. Lee Ga-hyun instinctively realized it. Right at that moment. Whoosh! ¡°¡­!¡± From behind Cha Eun-sol. A fireball was wavering. Anticipating her breakthrough, she had prepared it in advance. Surprise flickered on Lee Ga-hyun¡¯s face as she belatedly noticed the fireball. Swiftly! Cha Eun-sol dodges the blade of Yi Ga-hyun and twists her body. The fireball behind her hits Yi Ga-hyun directly. A pillar of fire shoots up. In that moment, she widened the distance. ¡°Those eyes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yi Ga-hyun emerges from the pillar of fire. Having just blocked the attack to minimize the damage, she looks into Cha Eun-sol¡¯s green eyes and says, in a tone that seems intrigued, ¡°They¡¯re not ordinary eyes, huh?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Eyes that see what can¡¯t be seen¡­ Beautiful and valuable. I like it. It¡¯s to my taste. I¡¯d want to make it part of my collection right away.¡± Yi Ga-hyun licks her lips with her tongue. Cha Eun-sol feels uneasy meeting her gaze. ¡°But I can¡¯t cause any trouble, and being a person of the Circulating Tea House, I can¡¯t rashly make you mine. There might be potential for further development, but to eliminate that potential is also¡­¡± I don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s saying. Cha Eun-sol doesn¡¯t let her guard down. Then, Yi Ga-hyun claps her hands. ¡°For now, you pass.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I expect great things from you.¡± Yi Ga-hyun unexpectedly turns around and leaves her place. Cha Eun-sol stands still, watching her back. ¡°¡­.¡± If she wanted to follow, she could. She¡¯s suspicious. Would it be okay to let the author go like this? Cha Eun-sol pondered. Soon, she made a decision. ¡°Too much trouble, really.¡± She has already gathered the necessary points anyway. She doesn¡¯t want to exert herself further. It¡¯s just draining her energy. Cha Eun-sol decides to forget about women as she eats a chocolate-flavored sausage. ¡ª After obtaining Nam Yoo-ri¡¯s exam ticket. I openly wandered around the island, facing the exam-takers. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t find any news about Lee Gahyun. ¡°Will this be worth 350 points?¡± In the end, the only income I had from knocking down exam-takers was the exam ticket I obtained. I pinned the newly acquired exam ticket to my clothes and looked up at the sky. ¡°I guess I should stop here for today.¡± Unknowingly, the day was fading. Monsters become ferocious at night. Moving any further was dangerous. If one had a mind, by now they would stop hunting and start preparing to stay up all night. I decided to do the same. ¡°Let¡¯s go find a place to rest.¡± I didn¡¯t seek a comfortable place. Such places were bound to be crowded with exam-takers, so I had to stay alert all night. Therefore, I decided to find a place where I could hide my body adequately and where no one¡¯s footsteps would reach. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely for monsters to come to their territory. But if I go too deep, I might also be in danger¡­ It¡¯s better to catch them near the boundary.¡± I stepped into the forest. The forest was very dark. As the sky gradually turned blue, the darkness in the forest deepened. It was difficult to see into the distance. Crunch! ¡°¡­¡± It was then that I sensed a presence. Something was circling around me. ¡°¡­A person, perhaps.¡± It wasn¡¯t the presence of a monster. It seemed like exam-takers who had entered the forest before me were targeting me. ¡°They¡¯re not visible here.¡± They were on the trees. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the darkness, I could only sense their movements, swift and seamless, but their forms remained unseen. Likely, they were in the same situation. £¼Light£¾ To illuminate the darkness around me, I unfolded a 1st-rank light elemental magic, creating a sphere made of light. A sphere, the size of a clenched fist, floated above my palm, illuminating the dark forest. It was a magic distinct from simply concentrating mana to glow, it was different from Radiation magic. ¡°I can¡¯t see them.¡± Then, I raised my palm higher. A sphere the size of a clenched fist floated above my palm, illuminating the dark forest that concealed it. Unfortunately, the light didn¡¯t reach where they were. So, they could only know my location. But that was fine. I decided not to turn off the light. ¡°Just lure them in like this.¡± They weren¡¯t just one, but several. It was more efficient to take them all out at once rather than dealing with them individually. I decided to lure them in and kept walking. Crunch! They were coming after me. Now, they were openly revealing their presence. Trying to instill fear. On the other hand, they were cunning. ¡°¡­Three of them, huh.¡± Alternating in revealing their presence. They were driving me into a corner. Guiding me to turn in response to their presence. Of course, it was possible because I was playing along. Finally, they seemed to have cornered me and let out a laugh. The sound echoed. ¡°You¡¯ve fallen into our trap!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even realize you were being lured!?¡± ¡°How foolish!¡± ¡­It was a sound that seemed familiar. At that moment, I could anticipate who they were. Sure enough. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Hand over the admission ticket!¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll spare your life!¡± The three who leaped down from the trees were triplets. My comrades. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it. But what are these guys up to?¡± I chuckled in disbelief. Chapter 72 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 71 Chapter 71 ¡°What are you guys up to?¡± I gazed at the guys surrounding me from three directions with a composed posture. Meanwhile, there was no way those guys wouldn¡¯t recognize me holding the flashlight. ¡°¡­Dogyeongwoo?¡± ¡°Why is it you, Gyeongwoo¡­.¡± ¡°What? It was Dogyeongwoo?¡± ¡°Yeah, it was Dogyeongwoo.¡± The triplets straightened up, looking puzzled. Confusion appeared on their faces. Well, that makes sense. ¡°Say it again now.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What? Are you going to tell me to hand over the exam ticket if I don¡¯t want to die? How stupid.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. Why would we say something like that to you?¡± ¡°Right. Why would we do that to you? It was dark, we couldn¡¯t see well.¡± ¡°If you were Dogyeongwoo, you should have said so in advance.¡± ¡°Then should you have said you were thugs in advance?¡± ¡°Anyway! Gyeongwoo! It¡¯s great to meet you like this!¡± ¡°You¡¯re also planning to spend the night here, right? Great! We were looking for you too!¡± ¡°If we act together from now on, it¡¯ll be a piece of cake to gather exam tickets with you around!¡± The triplets desperately flatter. It seemed like they were trying to cover up the slip of the tongue from earlier. ¡°No way. Are these guys trying to act cute?¡± No matter how much of a mistake it was, I had no intention of letting it slide. A dog that doesn¡¯t recognize its owner deserves a good scolding. I drew the military police sword from its sheath. ¡°Hey! Hey! Hey! Hold on!¡± ¡°Why are you drawing your sword!?¡± ¡°We apologized!¡± ¡°Why draw it. You guys suggested a showdown. Fine, let¡¯s do this. I¡¯ll see how good you are after a while.¡± ¡°Hey, why are you doing this!?¡± ¡°We said we were wrong, didn¡¯t we!?¡± ¡°Do we really have to do this!?¡± ¡°Well, do we really have to? So, you guys better draw yours quickly too.¡± ¡°Seriously¡­ Are you sure you won¡¯t regret this.¡± ¡°Gyeongwoo, there are three of us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different from the old days.¡± Whether they sensed that I had no intention of sheathing the sword. The attitude of the triplets changed completely. Each of them drew their swords and adjusted their stance. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Well, this turned out well! Weren¡¯t we already quite discontent!?¡± ¡°We looked like puppies wagging our tails all this time, didn¡¯t we!?¡± ¡°Do Seungwoo didn¡¯t act like that!¡± ¡°What? What did you just say?¡± ¡°¡­Still, you¡¯re better than Do Seungwoo.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! Even so! It¡¯s okay if our treatment changes a bit now.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been your lackeys for how long! 5 years, 5 years!¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°But what?¡­ Are you asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Just like how the minimum wage goes up every year, we want our treatment to improve!¡± ¡°Right! Let¡¯s get better treatment!¡± The triplets shouted in unison. I could only laugh. But there was some truth in what they were saying. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong. I¡¯ve been quite overbearing all this time.¡± ¡°Yeah, Gyunwoo. We¡¯re not saying we won¡¯t be your lackeys anymore, right?¡± ¡°Just let¡¯s change a few things.¡± ¡°Finally, you understand our hearts!¡± ¡°Yeah, okay. I¡¯ll do as you say. But first, hand over my exam ticket.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it then.¡± ¡°In the end¡­ words aren¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°If you want rights, you have to fight for them. Is that what you mean?¡± ¡°Alright. Fine, take it! Don¡¯t come crying to us after losing it!¡± The triplets attacked from three directions. Their coordination was exceptional. But unfortunately¡­. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve grown.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± I couldn¡¯t be their opponent. I took the exam ticket from the triplets, who were lying on the ground as I pleased. It was a 50-point red exam ticket. Three of them, totaling 150 points. ¡°Hey! Why are you taking that!?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already collected them all!¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t do that! Give it back!¡± ¡°If you were trying to take my exam ticket, you should have been prepared to lose yours as well. Who¡¯s to blame? But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t take the exam tickets you¡¯ve earned.¡± ¡°Take something else instead, you rascal¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s worth 100 points to us!¡± ¡°Please, Gyungwoo¡­.¡± The triplets pleaded. I ignored their words. ¡°Goblin gold, silver, bronze.¡± ¡°Goblin gold!¡± ¡°Goblin silver!¡± ¡°Goblin bronze!¡± ¡°Do I wish for your growth? So¡­.¡± Though the triplets might misunderstand, I felt warmly towards them. In a way, they were like childhood friends as dear as the sky. The memories of being bullied by them in elementary school had become distant reminiscences. So¡­. ¡°Study hard. I¡¯ll give you your exam papers, take them!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± I forcefully sent the triplets¡¯ exam papers flying into the darkness. Shock spread across their faces. ¡°Gyungwooooo!¡± ¡°Hey, you rotten guy!¡± ¡°That lunatic for real!¡± The triplets hurriedly got up to chase after the exam papers. Even though the exam papers had already disappeared into the darkness. I turned away from them. ¡°This is all for your own good.¡± There¡¯s no friend like me. Since the triplets seemed too preoccupied searching for the flying exam papers, I decided to personally make use of the shelter they intended to use. This is true friendship, isn¡¯t it, give and take? ¡ª The sun sets, and the sky darkens. The first night on Honrim Island was approaching. The sporadic sounds of revelry and clanging metal had suddenly ceased, indicating that most of the examinees engaged in fierce competition had begun preparing for the night. ¡°There can¡¯t be anyone who¡¯s collected more than me, right?¡± The small griffin of Mado Village. Minarin felt the same way. Adding her exam papers, she, who had collected nearly 300 points in total today, also decided to find a safe place to spend the night. £¼Owl Eyes£¾ The path was too dark. I couldn¡¯t see what was ahead of me. While I could use Light magic to illuminate the darkness, revealing my position to the enemy was not an option. Minarin unfolded a Third-Rank magic to enhance her vision to peer into the darkness. Now, she could peer into the darkness that stretched far ahead. ¡®Somewhere around here, I must have marked a spot for myself¡­¡¯ Moving towards the sound of waves crashing, Minarin surveyed the surroundings of the forest. There should have been traces of her markings nearby. ¡®Found it.¡¯ Before long, Minarin spotted an arrow that was only visible to her eyes. She followed the arrow on foot. It was then that Inyeong came into view. ¡°¡­.¡± Hair as white as snow, even visible in the darkness. It seemed to have a hint of blue. And something long shaking above her head. They were rabbit ears. ¡®¡­The apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch.¡¯ Minarin immediately identified the individual. It seemed that the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch was capable of spending a day in this forest. She seemed to be searching for a good place to rest. ¡®Should I just pass by, or¡­¡¯ Should she pick a fight? Minarin pondered, hiding behind a tree. Her opponent was the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch. Undoubtedly, she would demonstrate extraordinary skills unlike those encountered by examinees so far. It could lead to a fierce battle. In that case, both she and her opponent would inevitably consume a considerable amount of energy. ¡°Mmm¡­.¡± Yet, there were three potential gains to be made. First, the Black Exam Ticket was valued at 100 points. Moreover, being the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch, she wouldn¡¯t have only her own exam ticket. She would likely have taken exam tickets from other examinees as well. ¡®If I can get what she has¡­ the top spot in the entrance exam is as good as mine.¡¯ And secondly, there was no need for Minarin to compare herself to the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch. Though the Hunter lineage was diverse, among them, ten lineages were the most prominent. Magic, swordsmanship, spear techniques, alchemy, dark magic, white magic, spirit magic, archery, martial arts, shield techniques. Minarin belonged to the magic lineage. The apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch is highly likely to come from a magical lineage. It¡¯s the same lineage. ¡°I¡¯ll probably keep competing with her while attending the academy.¡± At the same age, she had competitors like Hyeokma Oga and the direct descendants of Gwangmyeong Castle, but they were from different lineages, so there was no comparison as pure sorcerers. However, the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch is different. She and the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch would likely be compared by people in the world for being the same age and from the same lineage. Perhaps even after graduating and becoming a hunter, they might be compared for a lifetime. Of course, Min Arin was confident she wouldn¡¯t lose even when compared to her. She had tired of competition within the family, and it was an ongoing process. She wouldn¡¯t lose to her. Yet, the assumption that she would be compared to someone for a lifetime disturbed her. Pride, dignity were at stake. Griffin was always a majestic being, descending from high in the sky to the world alone. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of being on the same level as someone else. So, by taking her down here, she could eliminate any chance of that happening in advance. Finally, three. ¡°If I just pretend not to notice¡­ It feels like I¡¯ll definitely avoid it, right? Me, Min Arin?¡± She could maintain her dignity. It seemed that the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch hadn¡¯t noticed her presence. In such a situation, if she decided not to fight her, it would be like admitting defeat. Some might think it was petty pride. But from a magical perspective, petty pride was the foundation of magic itself. Magic that materializes imagination, therefore, the more concrete the imagination, the stronger the will to materialize, the higher the realism it holds. But if she backed down now? Her subconscious might perceive her as inferior to her. It would create a magical superiority between her and the witch¡¯s apprentice. Even the slightest thought could influence magic. Min Arin couldn¡¯t ignore it. That¡¯s why. ¡°Well, might as well greet her warmly, right?¡± Min Arin made up her mind. It was an opportunity while the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch hadn¡¯t noticed yet. She activated magic through the wand in her hand. £¼Fire Rush£¾ A huge fireball appeared in the air. It was a second-class elemental magic of fire, considered superior in size, power, and speed to the commonly known fireball. Min Arin immediately cast the spell. Whoosh! Fire Rush swiftly flew, illuminating the darkness. The flames engulfed the tardily alerted apprentice of the seven-colored witch. Watching where she had been consumed by fire, Minarin murmured, ¡°¡­Did I eliminate her?¡± She uttered words that shouldn¡¯t have crossed her lips. And then, it happened. ©¤©¤©¤!! The flames flickered violently. The flames that had been engulfing the surroundings turned into embers in an instant, scattering into the night sky. ¡°¡­.¡± Within them, the apprentice of the seven-colored witch appeared unscathed. Her gaze, holding a massive hammer larger than herself, fixed on Minarin. Instantly, she pounded the ground. ¡®Hurry¡­!¡¯ The apprentice of the seven-colored witch charged. Was it magic she had used? Or was it due to her being an Ein? She rapidly closed the distance. In the darkness, her crimson eyes left traces, leaving long lines behind. £¼Fire Rush£¾ Closing the distance like this is dangerous. Minarin quickly unfolded the magic she had cast a while ago. Once again, a massive fireball engulfed the apprentice of the seven-colored witch. Whoosh¡­ Sizzle! ¡°That was risky. You almost got hurt.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Without evading, the apprentice of the seven-colored witch swung her hammer. The flames dispersed with just one move from her, turning into embers and dissipating. ¡°What kind of power is that!?¡± Almost like physics is akin to magic. Minarin, witnessing her extinguishing magic with the swing of the hammer, was taken aback. It seemed like she couldn¡¯t avoid a struggle. Chapter 73 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 72 Chapter 72 It¡¯s unbelievable. It shouldn¡¯t be happening. ¡°I¡­ lost?¡± Minarin, who was staring up at the starry night sky while stuck on the forest floor, couldn¡¯t believe the situation she found herself in. Initially, the battle was evenly matched. No, she had a clear advantage as the one who initiated the attack. However, the tide clearly turned as the close combat began. Unlike her, the witch¡¯s apprentice in shades of seven not only showed proficiency in magic but also in martial arts. ¡°If there¡¯s someone threatening me¡­ Gyu warned not to be lenient.¡± Muttering incomprehensible words. Without hesitation, the witch¡¯s apprentice in shades of seven swung the iron hammer, breaking through the barrier and not giving Minarin a chance to cast her magic properly. With swift movements, she launched a kick and proceeded to attack. In the midst of that, she fell victim to her magic, getting thrown back by the explosion. ¡°Now, hold on¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to feel a lot of pain.¡± Before Minarin could react. The witch¡¯s apprentice in shades of seven on the ground leaped lightly into the night sky, leisurely taking to the air. She held the iron hammer with both hands pulled back behind her shoulders. Anticipating what would happen next, Minarin, too surprised to even protest, tried to resist with wide eyes. But it was futile. ©¤©¤©¤©¤!! With all her might, the witch¡¯s apprentice in shades of seven brought down the iron hammer. Minarin took a direct hit from that attack and plummeted to the ground. Having briefly lost consciousness, she regained it, lying there utterly powerless to move. She had lost. There was no room for doubt. ¡°This¡­ must be a dream¡­¡± Yet, she denied reality. She couldn¡¯t accept it. She was Minarin. A prodigy hailed as the most exceptional in the current generation of the magical community. The granddaughter receiving immense love from her grandfather, who ruled as the head of the magical community. The little griffin of the magical community. Expected to become a leading figure, stirring up fortune in her generation. She couldn¡¯t afford to lose confidence. ¡°Me¡­ I, lost? I lost? Me, Mina Rin?¡± Unacceptable. Unbearable. The battle was far from over. She had to get up quickly. Mina Rin gritted her teeth, trying to rise with determination. From Noble mtl dot com S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But frustratingly, her body simply refused to obey. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± It was precisely at that moment when the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch approached. Mina Rin¡¯s mouth fell open in despair. ¡°Trying to force movement might damage your mana circuits. It¡¯s better to recover your strength as it is.¡± Beneath the night sky with stars and moons shining. The apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch spoke, her white hair fluttering in the wind. Snap! Mina Rin looked up at her. Surely, she must have been through a fierce battle, but she didn¡¯t seem to have many injuries. Thinking so, Mina Rin gnashed her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ look down on me¡­.¡± Infuriating. Her pride was hurt. Mina Rin felt a mix of emotions towards the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch. Yet, the apprentice, who knew nothing of her feelings, gently reached out to her. ¡°I¡¯ll take this. You¡¯ve really collected a lot.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± The apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch took the exam ticket from Mina Rin. Mina Rin tried to push her away. But unable to move, all she could do was watch as her exam tickets, attached to her clothes, were being taken off one by one. Even her exam tickets were being taken off. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ take them¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I said, don¡¯t take them¡­.¡± Mina Rin pleaded, her voice trembling. She had never experienced defeat before. She had never felt a sense of loss. Born feeling superior all her life, she now felt defeat and humiliation for the first time. She never imagined she would abandon her pride and plead like this. Nevertheless, to her, her collected exam tickets were precious. Especially, she did not want her exam tickets to be taken away. Those exam tickets were nothing short of her pride itself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t grant that request.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be off then. Wishing you a swift recovery and a pleasant journey.¡± However, the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch did not heed Minarin¡¯s plea. Having collected all her admission tickets, she promptly left. Minarin could only gaze at the night sky where she had disappeared. ¡°I¡­ I am, Minarin¡­¡± I¡¯m the top student. The night sky looking down at her was disgustingly beautiful to the point of being offensive. Minarin finally shed tears. *** There was a monster attack last night. Already unable to sleep deeply from spending the night alone, I had to fight several times. Fortunately, I had the instinct to dodge; others must have had a hard time staying awake all night. ¡°I should start moving.¡± And so, the second day on Honrin Island dawned. Having breakfast at the place the triplets had prepared for me, I decided to explore the island like yesterday. But I couldn¡¯t just wander around aimlessly. I checked the time on my Gate Watch on my wrist. 08:58:23 Just about a minute left until 9 a.m. I waited for that moment. Finally, the time changed to 9. Beep! The Gate Watch beeped at three-hour intervals, and a message appeared on the screen. I checked the message. [09:00:00] [All admission tickets within a 500m radius are displayed.] Points appeared on the grid-like screen. The densely clustered points in the center of the screen indicated the admission tickets I possessed. So, I focused on the locations of the points around me. ¡°It would be easier to obtain clues from Iga Hyeon if I move to crowded areas.¡± I decided on my course of action. I chose to move towards the location with the most points marked. Of course, the score does not entirely represent the position of the test-takers. What the score reflects are the test tickets. There might be someone like me who possesses a large number of test tickets. But that doesn¡¯t matter. ¡°Everyone will flock there anyway to get their test tickets, so why bother.¡± It¡¯s a simple logic. By now, test-takers nearby would have started heading there. Perhaps someone is even on their way to where I was. In that sense, waiting could be a solution. But I didn¡¯t want to wait idly when there was a place with more scores gathered. Eventually, I arrived at that place. ¡°They¡¯re right in the midst of a battle.¡± There were quite a few test-takers. They were scattered around, engaging in a fierce competition. On one hand, the competition looked different from yesterday. ¡°This guy¡­!¡± ¡°Hand over your test ticket!¡± Perhaps because the exam would be over by tomorrow, their actions became more daring. Most of them were not holding back. Furthermore. ¡°There are more people forming groups now.¡± While yesterday it was sporadic, today the numbers were significant. Witnessing test-takers forming groups and competing was a common sight in various places. It seemed that forming a group was deemed better for snatching or protecting test tickets. I found it welcoming. ¡°I don¡¯t have to search for them one by one.¡± I leaped into the chaotic melee with a metallic clang ringing in my ears. The test-takers, who were too focused on their opponents to notice my presence, were greatly surprised. ¡°You, you¡­!¡± ¡°The Sword Master of the Divine Blade¡­¡± Instead of speaking, swing your sword. Having fallen from the tree and landed on the ground, I swung my sword before they could even finish their sentences. The test-taker at the forefront couldn¡¯t withstand the blow and was thrown back. ¡°How many darn test tickets does he have!?¡± ¡°Be careful! It¡¯s the Sword Master of the Divine Blade!¡± ¡°We need to stop him first!¡± ¡°You little¡­ If you¡¯ve had enough, just leave!¡± The test-takers who were engaged in a group fight quickly united due to my intervention. They aimed their weapons at me and rushed towards me as if surrounding me. I swiftly scanned the surroundings without getting nervous about the numerical disadvantage. Ignition! Flames rose in the air. Exam candidates in the rear were casting spells. Some were nocking arrows on their bows, while others were loading cartridges. ¡°I should handle the rear first.¡± Immediately, I put my thoughts into action. I swiftly pushed past the candidates in front of me and moved forward. They couldn¡¯t keep up with my speed. Of course. Their agility score was mostly around 30, while mine was 71. There was a difference of at least 30 or more. ¡°What!?¡± ¡°Block him! Quick!¡± Exam candidates who realized my intentions shouted urgently. But they couldn¡¯t stop me. Even if they attacked me from the rear¡­ Crack! I just needed to dodge instinctively. I dodged the attacks of the candidates, manifesting mana within me. Blue mana enveloped my body. Blue currents flickered around me. £¼Combat Style of the Water King Type 6£¾ Lion Rampage A sword technique that defies formality. The first sword bends the staff of the candidate trying to cast a spell. The second sword deflects the bullets and strikes the candidate holding a gun. The third sword shatters the bow of the candidate trying to switch to a dagger. And the fourth, fifth, and so on¡­ As the swordplay was about to end, I unleashed a series of sword techniques. £¼Combat Style of the Water King Type 5£¾ Lion¡¯s Roar I step on the brake with one foot. I pivot widely with the other foot, changing direction. Having cleared the rear, it was time to strike the front. I leaped towards the candidate standing on the path my toe pointed to, in a stabbing stance. ¡°Urgh!¡± 1st Strike. Followed by a change in direction, 2nd Strike. Continuing without stopping until all remaining examinees fell to the ground, I unleashed my strikes. Traces from the wall mines were left where I had passed. ¡°Hoo.¡± Before I knew it, the situation was under control. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t catch the examinees who were battling from afar. As soon as they recognized my skills, they fled without a fight. I decided to forget about them and collect the examination slips of the fallen examinees. But first. ¡°We should gather them when we can.¡± There were wall mines floating around. I decided to absorb the residual currents using the power of the Military Blue Sword. £¼Military Blue Sword: Current Condensation£¾ The wall mines clung to the Military Blue Sword. Intermittently, blue currents sparked from the jet-black blade. After the sparks subsided, I returned the Military Blue Sword to its sheath. Then, I collected the examination slips. ¡°Now, how many points is this?¡± The examination slips held by those who fell to me were quite numerous. After confiscating all their slips, it seemed to total around 600 points. I clicked my tongue in disbelief. But I must not forget my purpose. ¡°Is I Ga-hyun not around here¡­.¡± A short while ago, when I surveyed from the tree, I couldn¡¯t find any examinee who seemed to be I Ga-hyun. It seemed like a dead end here. I had no choice. Still, I had to keep searching. If I roamed where people gathered, I might find her. I decided to change my location. Then, the Gate Watch rang. Beep! ¡°Huh?¡± Why is it ringing this time? I checked the Gate Watch. [Supplies are being distributed.] Supplies were distributed once a day. There was no set time, and the locations where supplies dropped from the sky were random. Today, it seemed like it was distributed at this time. I looked up at the sky. ¡°¡­.¡± Parachutes attached to wooden crates were gently descending from the sky. I searched for the wooden crate closest to me. ¡°I should go get that.¡± In reality, if it was supplies, I had gotten some yesterday as well. There was enough water and food. But having more wouldn¡¯t hurt. Above all. ¡°People will gather to get the supplies.¡± Surely, everyone on Hornim Island would have started moving. There was no reason for me not to go. I quickly started moving my feet. Chapter 74 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 73 Chapter 73 ) [Illustration] The parachute got caught in a tree. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Running through the forest following the parachute, I picked up my pace. Before long, I could spot the wooden crate swaying in the air. ¡°Did I arrive first?¡± I spread out a detection net around me. I didn¡¯t sense any human presence. It seemed like I was the first to arrive. As someone who hoped for examinees to gather, it was disappointing. But waiting would do. Before that. ¡°Should I check what¡¯s inside?¡± I cut the parachute strings hanging from the wooden crate. The crate thudded to the ground. Upon opening it, the supplies inside greeted me. ¡°Everything is here.¡± Choco bars, pound cake, cup ramen, combat rations, first aid kit, compass, sanitary pads, underwear for both men and women, and socks. Everything needed to survive on the island was provided. Among them, I pulled out a water bottle. ¡°Ah, refreshing.¡± Even though I wasn¡¯t particularly thirsty, the cool water was a welcome relief. Although I had a water bottle hanging from my waist, the water inside was lukewarm. On the other hand, the water droplets on the surface of the bottle I retrieved from the box gave a cold sensation as they ran down my hand. I unscrewed the cap and took a sip of water. It was a refreshing feeling in my stomach. ¡°I found it! Over here!¡± ¡°Wow, we¡¯re the first ones here¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was at that moment that three exam candidates emerged from the bushes. They had come here chasing supplies and were taken aback to see me sitting on the box, drinking water. ¡°The first prey has arrived.¡± I thought to myself as I closed the water bottle. Sensing the presence of the exam candidates, I calmly observed them. ¡°¡­¡± Each exam candidate held a weapon, eyeing me cautiously. It seemed like they knew who I was. Yet, the reason I didn¡¯t run away and stood my ground was because of the wooden box I was sitting on. The supplies were tempting, making me reluctant to leave. ¡°But I don¡¯t seem to have the courage to attack recklessly¡­¡± I had no desire to engage in an unproductive standoff. Although Yi Ga-hyun seemed to be absent among them, I couldn¡¯t just let them go peacefully. I decided to confront the exam candidates. But there was still one more person. ¡°Is the person coming this way with you guys too?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Another person was approaching behind the exam candidates. They didn¡¯t question my words, but the rest of their group would. Once that person arrived, I planned to take their exam ticket. ¡°Hey guys! Found any supplies? Huh?¡± ¡°¡­Go Eun-bi?¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo! You¡¯re here too!¡± The exam candidate who emerged from the bushes was none other than Go Eun-bi. With brown hair covered in leaves, she looked extremely delighted to see me. If there had been a puppy tail wagging on her behind, she would have been shaking it joyfully. I sheathed my sword at the sight of her. The thought of taking the exam ticket vanished completely. ¡°What¡¯s up, Eunbi, it was you? So, are they your classmates?¡± ¡°Yeah! They¡¯re a classmate from middle school, we met during the second round of exams, got close, and then yesterday at the banquet¡­¡± Goeunbi affirmed. She turned around and awkwardly introduced each of the test-takers one by one. It was a moment to see how high her sociability was. I chuckled. ¡°You really have a lot of friends.¡± ¡°Oh, having many friends isn¡¯t a big deal. This is just average.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any friends.¡± ¡°Oh, come on! How can you say you have no friends when I¡¯m here? And what about Haneul?¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Well, I only have two. Probably not more than you, right?¡± ¡°Oh, you must have more and you¡¯re just teasing me now, right? Anyway¡­ Gyungu, how many points did you get? I¡¯m at 180 now¡­ And that¡¯s a black exam ticket, right? Where did you get it from?¡± ¡°From Nam Yuri.¡± ¡°Oh, the person from Namga who¡¯s good at drawing?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ That¡¯s really impressive. Gyungu, I knew you were strong, but you beat that person too.¡± Goeunbi admired as she looked at the exam ticket I was holding. Meanwhile, her gaze was wandering elsewhere throughout our conversation. It was towards the supplies behind me. Soon, she approached me, clasping her hands together, speaking in a coquettish tone. ¡°So, Gyungu?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Goeunbi¡¯s intentions were clear. It was evident she was about to suggest something. Nevertheless, I decided not to be the first to suggest, pretending to be clueless. I needed to think about how and where to pull off a prank. ¡®¡­Not a bad idea?¡¯ A suitable prank came to mind. I smirked. ¡°We¡¯re friends, right? We are friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Well, for now, we are friends.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re trying to pull that off again. Do you forget how well we clicked during the third exam? How good our chemistry was?¡± ¡°We did get along pretty well back then. So?¡± ¡°Looking at all those supplies behind you, could you share some with a friend? Huh? Kind and cool Gyungu.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s quite a lot to move alone, so¡­ I guess there¡¯s no harm in sharing with Eunbi.¡± ¡°Really!? Gyungu, you¡¯re the best! Thank you! I¡¯ll treat you to a meal next time!¡± ¡°But those people behind you, they¡¯re your friends, not mine.¡± ¡°¡­Can you just take care of my share?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of your share.¡± ¡°Gyungu, please don¡¯t do that¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shake my arm, don¡¯t cling to me. Isn¡¯t it already quite considerate of me not to snatch away their exam papers and let them go? Give up.¡± ¡°How can it really not work out? Huh?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t work out, but¡­¡± ¡°What should I do then? Just tell me! I¡¯ll do anything as long as it¡¯s not weird!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t regret it, right?¡± ¡°Why do you look like you¡¯ve been waiting?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯ll do anything as long as it¡¯s not weird, right?¡± ¡°I fell for it. It was just a joke from the beginning!¡± ¡°You already said you would, so it¡¯s useless to back out now.¡± ¡°Am I being fooled right now!?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°You jerk! You jerk! So what is it!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing much.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like nothing much though¡­¡± ¡°Write your name big with your butt. Slowly. Since there are three of them, write it three times.¡± ¡°Hey, Gyunwoo? I¡¯m a middle school student. I¡¯ll be a high school student this year.¡± ¡°Yeah, so?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid, why should I write my name with my butt?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the harm in doing it? Eunbi, every time you move your butt, you can feed one of them.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Twice for two, thrice for three. Just by momentarily setting aside your embarrassment, you can save three people.¡± ¡°But my butt is precious¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to become a hunter?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the role of a hunter?¡± ¡°To kill monsters.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°¡­To save people?¡± ¡°Right now, you¡¯re trying to ignore the duty of saving that person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a fallacy.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re feeling a sting right now, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Choose, Eunbi.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Will you live alone, or will you live with them?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Go Eunbi struggles with conflict. Soon, she took a deep breath as if she had made up her mind. She turned away from me. ¡°Hey, guys¡­ Could you go somewhere out of sight for a moment?¡± ¡°Uh, Eunbi¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon¡­ I promise.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Eunbi, you¡¯re so pitiful, what should we do¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Anyway¡­ Gyungwoo is kind, so he won¡¯t treat me badly.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°Guys, I¡¯ve enjoyed being with you all this time. See you later. And please¡­ don¡¯t look. I don¡¯t want to show you the embarrassing sight of me shaking my butt.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s with the sudden mood change?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just surrendering to food¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s even a sanitary pad inside.¡± ¡°¡­Surrendering to a sanitary pad¡­ Please, don¡¯t look.¡± Eunbi wiped her eyes with a handkerchief she had taken out from who knows where. The students who were in the room disappeared into the forest, crying. Now, there was only her and me around. She had a stern expression on her face. ¡°Are all the farewells done?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± ¡°Then, go ahead.¡± I sat down on a wooden box. Eunbi nodded gently, sticking her butt out. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Eun.¡± ¡°Eun.¡± ¡°Bi.¡± ¡°Bi.¡± ¡°Two more times like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never even shown my dad three times¡­¡± ¡°Come on, other students might come. We¡¯re short on time, hurry up. Go.¡± ¡°Go¡­¡± Rustle, rustle. Eunbi shook her butt and wrote her name in the air. Very loudly and repeatedly, three times. It would have been more fun if a puppy tail was wagging, but unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t, which was regrettable. It was also regrettable not being able to see the face blushing with embarrassment, bowed close to the ground. ¡°If I get a chance, I should try asking the heavens. But shaking a rabbit tail might not even cause a stir¡­¡± Still, it should be entertaining. Most likely, if I even dared to speak, I would get hit with a heavy hammer from the sky, feeling like my head would explode. Anyway, I decided to be content with this. I lightly clapped my hands to signal Go Eun-bi to stop. ¡°Well done. If I had a smartphone now, I would have recorded it.¡± ¡°You were going to record this? Wow, seriously¡­ Oh no, my youth is all gone¡­ Mom, what am I going to do¡­.¡± It seemed like Go Eun-bi made a sobbing sound. She sat crouched at the spot where her name was written with her bottom, burying her head into her knees. She seemed unable to lift her head due to embarrassment. I decided to comfort her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Eun-bi. I¡¯m the only one who will remember today¡¯s events. If I don¡¯t say anything, no one will know. I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°And when the day comes for you to get married, I¡¯ll go to the wedding hall and tell people. My classmate Go Eun-bi once wrote her name with her bottom. It was really fun back then, but I regret not being able to share it with the people here, especially the man you¡¯re marrying.¡± ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t! Then I won¡¯t send you a wedding invitation, Gyenwoo.¡± ¡°You can just show up without an invitation. I¡¯ll make sure to generously contribute to the congratulatory gift.¡± ¡°Congratulatory gift? Oh¡­ right, you were from a wealthy family.¡± ¡°Well, there was that kind of thing back then anyway. We¡¯ll all laugh it off together.¡± ¡°Hey, Gyenwoo? I don¡¯t want to become a laughingstock like that.¡± ¡°Oh, I should say this to your future husband. He hasn¡¯t seen it, right? I have, but in the past.¡± ¡°No! Punch the memory and forget it!¡± Go Eun-bi suddenly stood up and punched me. Her punch was as light as a feather. I didn¡¯t dodge and took her punch. *** I couldn¡¯t gather all the supplies alone, and it must have been time for lunch. Go Eun-bi, her friends, and I decided to have lunch together. After knocking down the test-takers who came to get supplies, we found a suitable spot. ¡°Oh! There¡¯s a valley over there. How about eating there?¡± ¡°We needed boiling water anyway, so we can get it from there.¡± ¡°I should wash up lightly before eating! I was feeling so uncomfortable because I couldn¡¯t even wash my face properly!¡± ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t wash up?¡± ¡°And did you wash up? Well, Gyenwoo, you could just wash with the water you eat¡­.¡± ¡°How can you wash with water? There¡¯s a Clean Magic, use that to wash.¡± ¡°If you wash with Clean Magic, you won¡¯t feel like you¡¯re washing! You have to wipe it yourself to wash! You should wash up too!¡± Go Eun-bi seemed like a helpless puppy. Having discovered the valley, she blinked her eyes and urged me to wash. I reluctantly took off my top, rolled up my sleeves, and entered the valley. The water had risen. We washed ourselves lightly with our backs turned to each other. ¡°Look, there are examinees over there.¡± ¡°True. Since there¡¯s water on this side, they must have come to rest. Or maybe they came to eat?¡± Meanwhile, near the valley, besides us, other examinees sporadically appeared. They also noticed us. ¡°¡­.¡± However, without much reaction, they turned their backs on us. Implicitly, we agreed not to engage in a tug-of-war during meals and to pretend not to notice each other. Even though I had no intention of blindly attacking, I decided to relax for a moment. Filling our stomachs was the priority. Upon returning to the water¡¯s edge, we decided to have lunch. There was an ample supply of provisions, so there was no need to worry about food. ¡°There¡¯s three-minute curry and rice? Here¡¯s instant rice too. We can make a meal out of this!¡± ¡°Since we also have meatballs, let¡¯s eat¡­ I¡¯ll have cup ramen, will you each have one too?¡± ¡°Ramen sounds good! Let¡¯s eat! Let¡¯s finish it all!¡± Each of us took on a role and began preparing lunch. Go Eun-bi cooked the rice, and I boiled water from the stream. The examinees¡¯ tasks were to pour water into the ramen, heat up the curry and meatballs, and keep track of time. Before long, we were eating lunch. ¡°Ah, so delicious. These meatballs are amazing.¡± Go Eun-bi expressed her delight after tasting the meatballs. I slurped up the cup ramen. Indeed, ramen eaten inside the gate was tastier than the usual one. Soon, under Go Eun-bi¡¯s lead, we decided to belatedly introduce ourselves. ¡°Once we eat together, we¡¯re friends! We¡¯ll probably see each other at the academy, so let¡¯s at least say hi! Everyone knows me, so Gyung-woo and you guys¡­.¡± ¡°Hello, my name is¡­.¡± ¡°I am¡­.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Do Gyung-woo. Pleasure meeting you. Let¡¯s get along well from now on.¡± I exchanged brief introductions with the three examinees. Since Go Eun-bi confidently called them friends, they must be good people. I decided to remember their names. Having thus eased our guard against each other, we agreed to exchange information as we roamed the island. In the midst of that, the information I desired unexpectedly came from Go Eun-bi. ¡°Come to think of it, there was someone like that. Acting as if they were examiners, challenging examinees to fights as if evaluating them for elimination or passing. So if you fail, they take your exam ticket, but if you pass, even if you win, they don¡¯t take your ticket? Their skills seemed above average, so we watched from afar and ran away¡­.¡± No doubt. She was talking about Yi Ga-hyun. I became interested in her words. ¡°What did that person look like?¡± ¡°Hmm? Well¡­ first of all, it was a woman. Her exam ticket was yellow. Come to think of it, it¡¯s strange that someone with that skill level had a yellow ticket. Did she mess up a qualification test due to bad luck? Oh, she deviated off course. She seemed to handle dual swords, was quite skilled in martial arts¡­.¡± ¡°Where are we right now?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t know. We ran away in the middle of it all. Even if I did know, by now, wouldn¡¯t that person have gone somewhere else? Oh, but judging by their actions, it seems like they are looking for people who have collected a lot of exam tickets.¡± ¡°Eunbi.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± When Go Eunbi said that much, I could think of a way to find Lee Gahyeon. No, a way to lure her in. ¡°If I can¡¯t find her, I¡¯ll just make Lee Gahyeon come to me, right?¡± If the necessary ingredients were there. I had collected a large number of exam tickets, and Go Eunbi was good at spreading rumors. So, it should be enough to lure Lee Gahyeon out from wherever she was. ¡°Do you want to make a deal with me?¡± ¡°A deal? What kind of deal out of the blue?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you get a lot of exam tickets.¡± I raised the corner of my mouth. Chapter 75 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 74 Chapter 74 The Final Night All the necessary scores have been attained. With this level, meeting the minimum requirements to pass the exam and even ranking high should be achievable. Thanks to the examinees from Mado Village. ¡°Attacking from behind all of a sudden¡­ I almost got seriously injured.¡± Last night, a few hours ago. Yeon Haneul was ambushed by the examinees from Mado Village. I don¡¯t know how flustered she must have been at that moment. Just thinking about it made me angry. Ambushing isn¡¯t cowardly. In an exam where taking each other¡¯s tickets is fair game, ambush can be a strategy. In such a situation, it¡¯s actually the person who got ambushed that¡¯s at fault. But there¡¯s a limit to everything. The magic unleashed by the examinees from Mado Village was exceptionally deadly. If a person not suited for magic, it could lead to serious consequences. They might even die if luck wasn¡¯t on their side. Given the circumstances, she had no choice but to respond somewhat emotionally. That¡¯s why she failed to control her power a little. From the start, her opponent wasn¡¯t someone to be underestimated, who could regulate their power as casually as other examinees. ¡°That kid was strong. If I hadn¡¯t pushed forward before, it would have been hard to guarantee victory.¡± Perhaps she might have lost. Yeonha-neul acknowledged the examinee from the Mado Min-ga clan to that extent. On one hand, she was quietly anxious. ¡°Am I¡­ going to be okay?¡± Yesterday, she was too angry and tired to think clearly. Reflecting calmly on what happened yesterday, she might have made a big mistake. Her opponent was an examinee who had offended the Mado Min-ga, one of the Ten Families. By defeating her and taking all the exam tokens, there was a possibility of retaliation at the family level in the worst-case scenario. It was unlikely to happen, but the mere possibility was the issue. For Yeonha-neul, who lived with subtle worries, it was only adding to her unease. To shake off her anxiety, she decided to chant a spell. ¡°It¡¯s fine, if anything happens, Gyeon-u will find a way to help.¡± Gyeon-u would solve everything. In Yeonha-neul¡¯s heart, there was infinite trust in him. As long as he was around, she wasn¡¯t anxious. Naturally, a smile crept onto her face as she thought of his face. Even the rabbit ears seemed to perk up happily. But it was short-lived. ¡°By the way, where is this guy?¡± Yeonha-neul grumbled as if discontent. Having collected a sufficient number of exam tokens, she no longer needed to actively engage in the competition. So, she had been searching for her childhood friend Gyeon-u around the island since morning, but not a single clue was found. She had been confident that she would be able to find her childhood friend anywhere in the world, but even the rabbit ear radar was of no use. ¡°Sigh¡­ another ambush.¡± Yeonha-neul only encountered examinees aiming for her exam tokens. As she left behind the fallen examinees, she continued to move forward. ¡°If possible, it would be nice to meet Gyeon-u at the place where the supplies are being distributed right now¡­¡± A while ago, supplies had been distributed. All examinees participating in the test were on the move to secure the supplies nearby. Yeonha-neul was no exception. She, too, was chasing after the parachute dropping nearby. ¡°It seems like I arrived first.¡± Eventually, she spotted the supplies. And the person she met there was not the one she was expecting, Do Gyunwoo, but Lisa Grace. ¡°¡­Lisa?¡± ¡°Oh, Heavens!¡± Lisa, with her tousled blonde hair resting on her shoulders, showed great delight. Even Yeon Haneul, who had been wary of the examinee¡¯s approach, relaxed her face. The two of them engaged in a friendly conversation right there. ¡°Haneul, did you come to look for supplies too? If it¡¯s alright with you¡­ could you share some with me as well? If you have any injuries, I can treat them. I can also cast buffs.¡± ¡°Yeah, Lisa, you take some too. I won¡¯t be able to carry everything alone anyway. And as for treatment¡­ I don¡¯t have any serious injuries, and I can use some healing magic myself, so I¡¯m fine. Buffs are fine too.¡± ¡°Is that so? Still, let me know anytime. Haneul, you haven¡¯t had lunch yet, right? Would you like to have it together if it¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that. I¡¯m fine with it too. Well, let¡¯s start by organizing what we¡¯re going to take.¡± The two of them worked together to gather the necessary supplies from the box. By then, they could sense the presence of other examinees. Yeon Haneul¡¯s rabbit-like ears, capable of capturing even distant sounds, could hear their footsteps. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Others are coming this way, what should we do? Should we knock them out?¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Knocking them out could be a solution, but what if they end up not being able to leave this place? Other people might keep chasing us too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Lisa suggested. It was a reasonable suggestion. Yeon Haneul agreed with her opinion and quickly decided to leave the spot. ¡°Lisa, can you make us run faster and use magic to reduce the weight of our luggage?¡± ¡°Yes, I have just the right thing. I¡¯ll also use Silence magic to minimize footsteps noise.¡± Lisa clapped the stone floor. Particles of different colored light fell from above the heads of the two. It was a buff. ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two gathered their belongings and got up. They ran in the direction where fewer examinees were gathered. Midway, they heard the sound of them dismantling the supply boxes behind them. ¡°Someone came and took it first!¡± ¡°No! There¡¯s still some left!¡± ¡°I discovered it first. Move aside.¡± ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s too late!¡± From the sounds, it seemed like the examinees were arguing over the supplies. Soon, the sound of metal could be heard. A battle had broken out. All the examinees¡¯ gazes were fixed on that spot. Taking advantage of the distraction, the two slipped away to find a safe place. * * * ¡°There¡¯s a variety of food here. But do you know how to eat the sky? Three-minute crispy chicken? The cooking method¡­¡± ¡°Just put it in boiling water and heat it up. Since there¡¯s a stream over there, you can go fetch water from there. I¡¯ll take care of the cooking, just a favor for the water.¡± ¡°Sure, leave it to me.¡± Settled in a quiet forest. Yeongha and Lisa divided roles to have lunch. Cooking was Yeongha¡¯s role. Using the water brought by Lisa, she cooked the food that came as rations and set the table on a large wooden box. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really delicious. If I hadn¡¯t met you, I¡¯d be enjoying a choco banana all by myself.¡± ¡°You saw it too, it¡¯s easy to make. You could¡¯ve done it even without me, right?¡± ¡°Still, with cup ramen, you would¡¯ve had to eat tasteless food if I wasn¡¯t there to get the water right.¡± Lisa eats the cooked cup ramen. Eating carefully and neatly, without the sound of the noodles, she seemed to exude elegance. ¡®She really is like a princess¡­ No, maybe a princess?¡¯ Yeongha, sitting across from her, admired inwardly. Whether putting curry-soaked rice in her mouth or nibbling on the crispy chicken, elegance could be glimpsed from Lisa. She could feel that she wasn¡¯t just an ordinary person. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. ¡®Would Gyungwoo like that kind of style?¡¯ Even to another woman, Lisa seemed pretty, making Yeongha wonder what men would think. Then, she remembered Gyungwoo being the one to speak to Lisa first. Perhaps he liked the orphaned, elegant style like hers. ¡®Should I try a different hairstyle¡­¡¯ Yeongha absentmindedly twisted her hair with her fingers. Changing her hairstyle wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea. A bit neat and elegant. ¡®Would Gyungwoo like it?¡¯ Yeongha imagined in her mind. If she changed her hairstyle, Gyungwoo might say something like this. ¡°Whatever you do, Yeong, it suits you. Beautiful.¡± Even without looking, it was obvious. It¡¯s not just a daydream. He would definitely say that. It¡¯s certain. ¡®Gyahh!¡¯ Just thinking about it made her feel ticklish and her face flushed. Yeongha squirmed in embarrassment, kicking the air with her feet. ¡°Yeongha, why are you suddenly like this?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing¡­ Just¡­ the food is delicious.¡± Lisa asks with a puzzled expression. The younger Yeonha closed his reddened face deeply, coming to his senses. Soon, the two filled their stomachs while chatting away. ¡°So, what are we going to do now? Are we going to search for Gyenwoo?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the plan. Since we¡¯ve collected all the admission tickets, we will search for Gyenwoo and collect more tickets along the way. And you, Lisa?¡± ¡°I managed to gather some on my own, but¡­ as a supporter, there¡¯s a limit to how much I can collect alone. If it¡¯s okay with you, can I go with you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that. But if you¡¯re with me, we may not be able to collect as many, is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s okay.¡± Lisa proposed forming a party. As Yeonha, there was no reason to refuse the party proposal, so he accepted it. From the start, she was someone that Do Gyenwoo had his eye on. As he seemed to want to get closer to her, she decided to help him as well. ¡°There¡¯s definitely a reason behind Gyenwoo¡¯s sudden actions. There must be a clear motive for wanting to get close to Lisa. It¡¯s not just a simple liking for the opposite s*x.¡± He had known Do Gyenwoo for five years. Except for his family, Yeonha, who had spent more time with him than anyone else, could naturally read his thoughts. For some reason, he seemed to be interested in Lisa and hoped for her success. His wish was soon his own. He wanted to help and make things happen. Anyway, Yeonha roamed around the island with her to find him. And that¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Yeonha? Why the sudden reaction?¡± ¡°I heard a sound from over there.¡± Yeonha¡¯s rabbit ears perked up in response to some sound. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± ¡°Hear what?¡± ¡°I heard from someone I know that a test taker from the Divine Examination Guild is currently sweeping through the admission tickets. They say he¡¯ll have the highest score.¡± ¡°How high is it?¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s over 1,000¡­¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s no joke. Isn¡¯t he going to be first in this exam?¡± ¡°Probably. We don¡¯t know how things will turn out from now on.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Think about it. If he just snatches the admission tickets, he can pass the exam and even become the first. So everyone is flocking to him.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s from the Divine Examination Guild. Can he win?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know that. If several join forces to fight, will there be no chance of winning?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a wrong point.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m planning to go there as well. Everyone is heading that way, and if we¡¯re hunting, we should do it there too. Do you want to come too?¡± The test taker from the Divine Examination Guild. Without a doubt, it refers to Do Gyenwoo. ¡°Oh, there are test takers over there. Are we going to engage them? Then, I¡¯ll cast a buff¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Sky?¡± Yeonha paused in her steps. Lisa called out, looking puzzled. Without responding to the call, she approached the students who were engrossed in conversation. Then she asked them. ¡°Can I hear more about that story?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s being drawn to Gyungwoo?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And are you too?¡± ¡°¡­Uh, no.¡± Because she appeared out of nowhere. The students blinked their eyes, unable to continue speaking. Soon, they raised their heads high. But it was already too late. ¡°So, Gyungwoo has enemies.¡± With gleaming red eyes, Yeonha drew out a hammer. ¡°H-Hey, Yeonha¡­ Now that I see, you¡¯re quite strong¡­.¡± Lisa trembled as she watched Yeonha, who effortlessly crushed the students. * * * Goeunbi¡¯s role is deception. Deceiving others does not suit her nature, but to achieve high grades in the exam, it¡¯s unavoidable. It must be done when necessary. Requested by Doh Gyungwoo, Goeunbi diligently carried out her role by wandering around the island. ¡°Found them¡­ There are five.¡± Hiding her presence and blending into the terrain. Goeunbi observed the students. As someone who enjoys socializing, she had a deep understanding of human relationships. ¡°¡­.¡± How relationships interact, whether the connections are strong or weak, if the structure is horizontal or vertical, what roles each member plays, who the central figure is, and so on. With just a brief observation, Goeunbi could roughly grasp the dynamics of the relationships. ¡°They haven¡¯t known each other for long. Looks like that guy might be the leader.¡± After making that judgment. Goeunbi cautiously approached them at an opportune moment. Sensing her presence, they showed signs of wariness. Rustle. ¡°Who¡¯s there! Come out now!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll come out! Don¡¯t be on guard! I have no intention of fighting with you guys! I just came to suggest working together!¡± ¡°Working together?¡± With hands spread wide to show no weapons were held. Goeunbi, emerging from the bushes, spoke words she had held in her mouth for so long. ¡°Do you also know about the aspirant of the Divine Sword Guild? The one with the black exam badge! Currently, that person is knocking down anyone nearby and taking their exam badges. So everyone is moving to take that person down, would you lend your strength too?¡± ¡°The aspirant of the Divine Sword Guild? How strong must that person be to gather people?¡± ¡°I observed from afar earlier, seemed to have scored over 1,000 points. There might be more exam badges not displayed on clothing, adding those, wouldn¡¯t it be even more?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The first place in this exam will undoubtedly be theirs. We¡¯re all in a frenzy because of that person?¡± The leader of the group already understood. The rest followed the leader without a word. Thus, Goeunbi only directed her gaze towards the leader and explained the situation. ¡°So, I hope you¡¯ll lend your strength too. If we manage to knock down that person alone, there¡¯s a chance to gain over 1,000 points in exam badges, right? Even if we share, it would be quite a profit¡­¡± ¡°Where is that guy right now?¡± ¡°Head towards 7 o¡¯clock from here. You should find them that way.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Was the reason the exam badges gathered there?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the message that came around 3 o¡¯clock? Yes, all the exam badges held by the Divine Sword Guild aspirant alone. Then I¡¯ll step back now. I have to go tell people nearby, not just you.¡± In fact, whether the opponent believed fully was not important. It was crucial to spread rumors secondarily through them. Among those affected by rumors, someone would surely try to confirm the truth, and through that one person, credibility would be attached to the rumors. Goeunbi, adept at conversing effortlessly with strangers, was about to turn away like this. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± But the opponent was not easily swayed. He called Goeunbi to a halt. She replied, concealing her tension. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Whether your words are true or not doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re only interested in the exam badges you have. So, if you don¡¯t want to be at our mercy, drop the exam badges you have and leave.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any exam badges! How would you know if you don¡¯t check? They were taken from me by the Divine Sword Guild aspirant earlier. That¡¯s why I¡¯m wandering around as a messenger. I have nothing left to be taken.¡± ¡°Even if you say that, how can I be sure you¡¯re not hiding them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the exam rules. Aspirants must have at least one exam badge attached to their body. I really don¡¯t have any, so I¡¯m not wearing any.¡± ¡°Fine, then get lost, quickly.¡± Fortunately, it was within the expected range. Knowing this, Goeunbi and her friends handed all the exam badges to Dogyeon and were wandering around the island. In the end, they obtained nothing and disappeared in the direction she had pointed out just a while ago. Only then could she breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Ugh, let Gyoun take everything.¡± Indeed, deceiving others did not suit her at all. Stabbed in the conscience. If Do Gyunwoo hadn¡¯t generously offered to take care of the compensation, she would have flatly refused. Go Eun-bi lightly touched her face, steadying her heart, and then set off to deceive other test-takers once again. Chapter 76 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 75 Chapter 75 Rumors spread rapidly through those who had been targeted by Do Gyunwoo. Test-takers who had lost their admission tickets called upon other test-takers to help them retrieve the stolen tickets. ¡°It¡¯s the fault of the examinee from Shingeom Do!¡± ¡°He took all of our admission tickets!¡± ¡°Do you know how much he¡¯s collected by now!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s said to be at least 1,000 points! 1,000 points!¡± Test-takers from all corners of Honrim Island began to gather in one place. Whether to recover their stolen tickets or to aim for the top spot. Their purposes for moving were different, but at the heart of their actions was Do Gyunwoo. ¡°Hmm, Do Gyunwoo of Shingeom Do¡­.¡± By evening, it was no exaggeration to say that stories about him had spread throughout the entire island. Iga-hyun couldn¡¯t have missed it. Perched high in a tree, observing the flow of test-takers heading towards one place, she became curious about him. ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t checked the examinees from Shingeom Do yet.¡± Iga-hyun licked her lips with her tongue. According to the rumors, Do Gyunwoo is called by two contrasting nicknames. One meaning ¡°cowardly rabbit.¡± The other carrying a significant and profound nuance of a lion cub. Whichever it was, her sentiment remained the same. ¡°How cute.¡± Whether a rabbit or a lion cub. The nickname attached to the people of Shingeom Do was a surprisingly cute one. It was bound to pique her interest. Moreover, considering that Do Gyunwoo was apparently knocking down test-takers left and right, he seemed to possess considerable skill. That skill, along with that nickname. It was beyond imagination. The contrast in images is stark. ¡°Shall we go see just how strong this rabbit is?¡± Who on earth is Do Gyunwoo? Iga-hyun was extremely curious. She followed the flow of examinees to find him. At that moment, he was in the field, engaged in a fierce battle with the examinees. ¡°¡­.¡± He had dark hair and a slender face, a handsome and gentle young man. He appeared quite obedient to his parents, diligent, and seemed like a model student who had never strayed from the path, at least in Iga-hyun¡¯s view. ¡°He seems like a face worth seeing cry. It must be rewarding to teach him one by one.¡± A face that evoked a sense of superiority. However, with just a change in his gaze, he showed a completely opposite face. ?Attack Form 12 of the Water King Style? Lion, Bi Seung Despite being clearly outnumbered. Do Gyun-woo faced the examinees without a hint of fear. No, he overwhelmed them. Confidence overflowed from his face as he skillfully evaded all their attacks. A face that seemed to enjoy superiority. One might unknowingly fall into inferiority just by being captivated by that face. ¡°¡­s*xy.¡± To think there could be a face where superiority and inferiority coexist. Iga-hyun was struck by a lightning-like shock. Crackle! Indeed, lightning was striking. Every time Do Gyun-woo displayed his swordsmanship, blue currents burst around him with fierce roars. Lightning strike. At barely 17 years old, he was already showcasing such proficient lightning strikes, confirming his skills without a doubt. ¡°Passing, definitely passing. He¡¯s totally my type. Even if he gains a reputation, I must make him part of my collection.¡± Perched on a tree, Iga-hyun swung her legs in the air. She licked her lips, swallowed saliva. She felt possessive after a long time. But she had to endure. Do Gyun-woo was not yet complete. Wouldn¡¯t it be more satisfying to turn him into a doll only after he fully ripens? She had to endure. She had to endure. She made an effort to cool her eagerness to rush in immediately. And she compromised. ¡°Not just watching, I also want to assess his skills directly¡­ I should go say hello.¡± Iga-hyun barely suppressed his excitement and stood up from the branch he was sitting on. She, too, was about to leap into the fierce melee where the wall of flames shot up. But she quickly changed her mind. ¡°No, that won¡¯t work. I want to play alone, but we can¡¯t enjoy it together, can we?¡± Iga-hyun looked up at the sky. The sun was slowly setting. Soon, the sky would be dyed dark blue, and night would fall. By then, the monsters would become ferocious, and the commotion below would temporarily subside. So¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll aim for that time.¡± Iga-hyun murmured. The night was anticipated. * * * As the test-takers who had been coming relentlessly without a proper break started to retreat as the day faded on the field. By then, I felt my stamina depleting. From Noble mtl dot com Even with drinking the potion obtained as supplies and getting treatment from Goeunbi¡¯s friend, there was a limit to how much I could fight. [Physical Limit has been exceeded.] [Stamina has increased by 1.] [Strength has increased by 1.] [Endurance has increased by 1.] [Mana has increased by 1.] [Luck has increased by 1.] You might recall the message that all stats except for Agility, which had the highest growth threshold, had increased by 1. Having pushed my body to the limit, I decided to recover my stamina at this moment. That¡¯s why I came to the campsite agreed upon with Goeunbi. ¡°Geonyu, you¡¯re here? You¡¯ve been through a lot¡­¡± ¡°¡­Goeunbi, you too. Everyone¡¯s been through a lot.¡± Goeunbi and her friends all had weary faces. My face probably wasn¡¯t much different. We felt a sense of camaraderie with each other. But when we quickly had dinner and checked the income we earned today, everyone¡¯s spirits rose as if it were a lie. ¡°Wow, are these all exam tickets!?¡± ¡°Even if we split them among five people, how much does each one get?¡± In addition to the exam tickets I had pinned to my clothes, there were many more in my bag. Among them, there were black and blue ones. As a result, everyone except me couldn¡¯t help but admire. I chuckled. ¡°Eunbi, you distribute them as you see fit. Don¡¯t forget to take care of my share.¡± ¡°Calculating the value is also a task. Got it. But Gyungwoo, can you really take an equal share with us? You¡¯ve worked the hardest.¡± ¡°Where did I work the hardest? We all worked hard together. Eunbi, your role and others¡¯ roles weren¡¯t easy either.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­ Thank you! I¡¯ll take them gratefully!¡± ¡°Gyungwoo, thank you!¡± Goeunbi was delighted. Others were the same. I silently nodded in response. Then I got lost in thought. ¡°In the end, Iga-hyun didn¡¯t show up.¡± Once I had collected a certain number of exam tickets, my focus was elsewhere. The Doll Ghost Iga-hyun. Today¡¯s skirmish in the field was to lure her out. But she didn¡¯t come to evaluate me as I had expected. She didn¡¯t show up at all. She did show herself. ¡°Surely¡­ that was Iga-hyun.¡± At some point during the skirmish, I felt eyes on me from afar. Someone was watching from a distance. Enhancing my vision to confirm their identity, I could see a woman with a yellow exam ticket. She resembled the sketch Goeunbi described. It was undoubtedly Iga-hyun. However, she only watched from afar and never appeared before me. ¡°¡­Maybe she doesn¡¯t think she can fight me properly in that situation.¡± It was regrettable for me. But it was certain that Iga-hyun had taken an interest in me. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been observing me for so long. Considering her personality, she would undoubtedly reappear. If I anticipate that moment¡­ ¡°There¡¯s only tonight.¡± The exams will be over tomorrow. If she comes looking for me within that time, tonight is the only option. Or maybe early dawn. Meanwhile, other examinees also had little time left. Those who were trying to retrieve their admission tickets, who had not yet met the pass requirements, or who wanted to improve their scores would be aiming for the final night. One could say that the reason they had retreated from the field a while ago was for this purpose. They were storing up strength to prepare for the battle at night. Beep! At that moment, the Gate Watch rang. I checked the message. [21:00:00] [Displaying all admission tickets within a 500m radius.] Location notifications every 3 hours. After confirming the location of the admission tickets, I couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. Goeunbi reflected my feelings. ¡°Wow¡­ We¡¯ve collected quite a lot. Our locations are plastered with dots. And¡­ around us too¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± In places beyond our detection net. Examinees were setting up defenses all around, waiting for the second round. It was as if enemies were laying siege from all directions. The second round would be even more intense than the battle on the field. The thought of getting a good night¡¯s sleep had to be abandoned. It would truly be a noisy night. ¡°I guess Lee Gahyun is nearby too.¡± Among the scattered dots, there would be some pointing to her. While preparing for the examinees¡¯ ambush, her presence also had to be taken into account. To make matters worse, the signs of trouble were increasing. Beep! An hour had passed since the location notification was sent. 10 p.m. Once again, the Gate Watch rang. [22:00:00] S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Notifying the set locations of the gates. The gates will be operational from 9 a.m. tomorrow.] [From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow, evaluators waiting in front of the gates will assess the scores. All examinees are requested to arrive at the gates within the specified time.] [The exam will conclude at 9 a.m. tomorrow. All examinees are requested to cease the skirmishes after 9 a.m. If not, they may face disadvantages in the exam.] I scrolled down the message. At the bottom, along with the entire Honrim Island map, the location of the gates was marked. I checked the location of the gate and furrowed my brow. ¡°Gyeongwoo, the gate¡¯s location¡­¡± ¡°I checked it too.¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯ll figure something out.¡± ¡°Gyeongwoo, I trust you. You¡¯ll surely find a way.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s prepare ourselves for the worst.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ seems like there¡¯s no way out.¡± Of all times, the gate was set not far from the campsite. That meant a lot more examinees could gather here than now. To finish the exam, inevitably, one had to head towards the gate, and the examinee tickets would follow suit. In that case, the likelihood of a battlefield forming around the gate was high. ¡°So, don¡¯t even dream of resting well tonight. Do your sleeping outside.¡± ¡°Summing up the situation¡­ people will be flocking around Gyeongwoo in hopes of seizing the last chance for a turnaround. Those trying to get near the gate, those hunting them down¡­ and even those hunting the hunters¡­¡± ¡°In short, just assume all examinees on the island will come our way.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re screwed! We¡¯re done for! What do we do¡­?¡± Go Eunbi looked distressed. Whether her or the others, they seemed lost in the face of the situation that had befallen them. But being lost in thought wouldn¡¯t solve anything. I reassured them. ¡°We¡¯re not done for. We¡¯re not finished yet. We¡¯ll get through this. We need to be prepared.¡± ¡°Gyeongwoo, I¡¯ve been thinking, how about sneaking away when we spot an opportunity? If it gets darker around us, examinees might not realize we¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°Can we break through the surveillance net around us?¡± ¡°¡­Should we dig and hide underground?¡± ¡°Stop giving up and face it. We won¡¯t be the only ones under attack; they¡¯ll fight amongst themselves too. They¡¯re not immune to enemies lurking everywhere. So, pull yourself together, and let¡¯s take turns resting when we can.¡± ¡°They said not to dream earlier.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just talk. How can we fight without rest? It¡¯s better to have two guards on watch at all times. And Eunbi, I have a request for you.¡± ¡°Huh? What is it?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Given the uncertainty of how things would unfold, we needed to be fully prepared. I whispered to Go Eunbi. And so, the night of the final exam arrived. Chapter 77 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 76 Chapter 76 10 p.m., a night illuminated by the moon. The gate location was set. Upon receiving a message through the gate watch, Chae Eun-sol proceeded towards the darkness of Honrim Island. Even though monsters lurked in the darkness, and the path was hard to see, it was not a problem for her. As long as she had the help of the spirits. Without experiencing any particular danger, she was able to find the gate. ¡°Ah, here it is.¡± Passing through this gate would allow her to return to her original world. In her heart, she wanted to leave through the gate and comfortably laze around in her lodgings. However, as long as she was taking the exam, that was out of the question. Instead, Chae Eun-sol decided to camp nearby and be the first to leave once the exam was over. She looked around. ¡°That tree looks nice.¡± Choosing a place where she wouldn¡¯t be attacked by monsters or fellow examinees in the middle of the night. Chae Eun-sol decided to create an environment where she could sleep comfortably. She awakened the spirits woven into the island¡¯s ambient mana. ¡°Please.¡± The spirits responded. The earth spirit created a holey, earthen bed that she could crouch into. The wind spirit gathered leaves to use as a makeshift bed and laid them down. The fire spirit lit a fire to warm the surroundings. Other spirits exerted their powers for her as well. ¡°Thank you.¡± Even the lowest-ranking spirits, lacking a clear sense of self, knew how to express gratitude, albeit faintly. It was not to be taken for granted that they obeyed her commands. Chae Eun-sol thanked them and crawled into the bed. She lay down on the soft ground covered with leaves. She closed her eyes. ¡°Sleep well.¡± Tired and drowsy. Thinking about what to eat once the exam was over tomorrow. Chae Eun-sol fell into a deep sleep. *** The night on Honrim Island was growing deeper. Examinees in the forest were increasing gradually after the gate location had been set a while ago. Everyone was flocking to where the gate was located to pass the exam. Because of that, a sense of foreboding filled the air. ¡°¡­¡± To protect their own admission ticket. To snatch away the opponent¡¯s admission ticket. They, who had settled in their positions at a certain distance from each other, were tense, anticipating the imminent, possibly final, battle over the admission tickets. In the blink of an eye, the forest could turn into a battlefield over a trivial matter. And if a battle erupts that engulfs the entire forest, there was only one person who would be the target of them all. Dogyunwoo, a test taker from the Divine Sword Academy, rumored to have collected the most admission tickets. Surely, the battlefield unfolding around him would be nothing short of chaotic. ¡°We can¡¯t let it go that way.¡± Unperturbed by anyone¡¯s interference, Lee Gahyun, who wanted to personally assess Dogyunwoo¡¯s skills, found himself in an uneasy situation. ¡°What should I do with them¡­?¡± Gahyun, looking down at the test takers from a tree, narrowed her eyes. Those trying to disrupt her and Dogyunwoo¡¯s battle were nothing but a thorn in her side. So, she had to put them in a situation where they wouldn¡¯t even dare to face her. ¡°Ah, that should work.¡± A wide grin spread across Gahyun¡¯s lips. Monsters lurked in the forest, and as test takers flocked in, other monsters followed along. Currently, the forest was a mix of monsters and test takers. Moreover, due to the mana unconsciously released by them, the ambient mana became extremely unstable. Crackle! Krrr. Causing dimensional ruptures. Monsters emerging from those ruptures were intensifying the crisis. She decided to take advantage of the situation. ¡°You¡¯ll have to put in some effort.¡± Gahyun¡¯s eyes turned crimson. Her eyes emitted a red light. A characteristic of Ains and Mains, the red eyes reminiscent of monsters. She pierced the darkness with those eyes, directing them at the monsters in the forest. Krrr! Kieeek! Main¡¯s compulsion was activated. The monsters, hearing her voice, collectively let out cries. Their cries echoed through the forest, as they rose from the darkness. ¡°aaargh!¡± ¡°M-monsters! Monsters are¡­ Gah!¡± Monsters pounced on the test takers. Their screams, under the monsters¡¯ assault, reverberated in all directions. In an instant, the forest turned into a battlefield, and a war of life and death broke out. ¡°Should I go now too?¡± Igahyeon¡¯s face was filled with satisfaction. In no time, she leaped into the unending darkness filled with screams. Thus began a night where no one could sleep. ? Unexpectedly, attacks from exhausted students who yawned were not uncommon. With those around us constantly on edge, holding each other in check, we couldn¡¯t rush into things. Thanks to that, the attacks were few and far between. We took turns standing guard, allowing each other to recover from fatigue. But as someone who had to stay alert for Igahyeon, I couldn¡¯t easily fall asleep. With eyes closed but ears open, I was ready to respond at any moment. It was then that the commotion was detected. Krrr! Kieek! The monsters¡¯ cries rang out. As night fell, the beasts, now more ferocious, were howling fiercely, their cries echoing throughout the forest. It wasn¡¯t just their voices. ¡°Screaaam!¡± ¡°Support! Who, who can use healing magic¡­?¡± ¡°aaah! Go there! Go there! Go there!¡± ¡°These guys are attacking in groups¡­!¡± Amidst the students¡¯ screams and shouts, the whole forest was tumultuous. Not far away, the sounds of their fighting could be heard. The monsters, who had been lurking in the darkness, had now gone hunting. To some extent, it was expected. Those driven by the instinct to seek mana couldn¡¯t leave a gathering of people undisturbed. It was rather strange that they hadn¡¯t moved until now. But one thing was for sure. ¡®Isn¡¯t this too excessive?¡¯ The creatures were seething from all directions. As if all the monsters in the forest were on the move. It was hardly believable. It was rare for individuals with strong instincts, sometimes not hesitating to prey on their own kind, to move on such a large scale. In such cases, there were three main possibilities to consider. The first was that the large-scale movement of the creatures was to avoid a natural disaster. The second was if the creatures had a tendency to form groups. ¡°No. It¡¯s neither of those.¡± I denied two possibilities. I couldn¡¯t grasp at all what kind of sudden natural disaster might occur in the forest, nor did I sense any signs of it. Furthermore, monsters that form groups belong to the same species, but judging by the sounds coming from the forest, it seemed like their species was not just one. Therefore, there was only one possibility to consider in this situation. The third. ¡°It¡¯s all a scheme by Lee Gahyun.¡± When a higher being capable of exerting dominance over monsters appears. Excluding monsters that fundamentally form groups, monsters are strong-willed independent individuals. If such individuals move in groups, it can be assumed that there is a being belonging to the upper echelons within that group. Naturally, the larger the group, the stronger the being in the upper echelons must be in terms of dominance. However, the highest-ranked beings emerging from the yellow gate, the Honrim Island, are of Rank 3. It is clearly impossible to dominate at the current level. It is impossible. To clarify the situation, it is contradictory to assume that there must be a being of a higher rank than Rank 3. But when Lee Gahyun¡¯s existence is mentioned, everything falls into place. As a non-human entity, she can dominate monsters. Surely, it was her doing. From Noble mtl dot com There was no one else. ¡°Gyunwoo! Get up quickly! Monsters are everywhere right now¡­!¡± ¡°I know too. Tell the kids to grab the necessary items quickly.¡± At that moment, Goeunbi rushed into the tent and urgently spoke. Armed with the military sword, I got up from my seat and gave her instructions. Stepping outside the tent and surveying the surroundings, I could see faint lights shimmering in the darkness. It was where the examinees were camping. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± ¡°N-no, I don¡¯t want to!¡± ¡°R-run away, quickly!¡± The panicked voices of the examinees under attack by monsters could be heard from there. It was clear they were under monster assault. Judging by the proximity of the sounds, they would soon be rushing towards our campsite. We couldn¡¯t stay here any longer. We had to leave. ¡°Gyunwoo, everyone¡¯s packed up.¡± ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s make a run for a safe place too.¡± Goeunbi wore an anxious expression. Her friends were no different. Fear had gripped them in a situation where monsters were everywhere. Understanding their feelings, I calmly said: ¡°Let¡¯s get out of the forest for now.¡± And right at that moment¡­ Thud! Suddenly, a presence was felt from behind, and the ground shook violently right after. Something had fallen. ¡°¡­.¡± We turned around. Dirt and dust rose from where the moonlight had settled. Within that, the outline of a large monster could be seen. [You have encountered a monster.] [Mauler Baboon (Rank. 02) x 1] Mauler Baboon. A monster with a face like a mix of a baboon and a gorilla, possessing huge arms and hands that created a disproportionate body. It had a examinee trapped in one hand, with only their upper body visible. ¡°Hel-help me¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The examinee, trapped in the monster¡¯s grip, unable to break free, pleaded desperately to us in pain. Then, the monster reacted first. ¡°Hel-help¡­?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Aah¡­.¡± ¡°Ho-how¡­?¡± Struggling to follow human language, the monster stuttered, shoulders trembling. Shortly after, the monster raised the hand holding the examinee above its head. ¡°Just¡­ like¡­ this¡­?¡± Crack! The examinee was slammed onto the ground. A sound of something breaking echoed. As the monster raised the hand holding the examinee, their teeth fell out with a clatter, blood streaming down. Not satisfied, the monster struck them again. ¡°Or¡­ like¡­ this¡­?¡± Crack! ¡°Just¡­ like¡­ this¡­?¡± Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack¡­! It happened in an instant. Before we could intervene, the examinee perished. ¡°Dea-dead¡­?¡± The monster let go. The examinee, head smashed, collapsed to the ground. The monster chuckled, blood on its fingers. The man¡¯s gaze turned towards us. ¡°Wha¡­t¡­ are¡­ you¡­ gu¡­ys¡­?¡± ¡°Gye, Gyunwoo¡­.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡­. The people behind us flinched under the man¡¯s gaze. Goeunbi¡¯s friend let out a frightened gasp at the tragedy unfolding before her eyes. The man seemed to be enjoying our reactions, never losing his smile. ¡°Gyunwoo, it¡¯s a level 2 monster. Not something we can take lightly. Especially at this hour¡­.¡± ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Goeunbi tried to stop me from stepping towards the man. But I didn¡¯t stop. The fact that he was a level 2 monster and that it was nighttime posed no threat to me. There was no way I couldn¡¯t defeat him. ¡°Al¡­one¡­.¡± The moment the man blinked, I sprinted forward, kicking the ground. The startled man swung his fist. Crack! My instinct to dodge kicked in. Having narrowly avoided the massive fist, I leaped straight towards the man. In the meantime, a friction-inducing Thunderbolt soared into the night sky, scratching the ground. £¼Supreme Dragon Attack Form 10£¾ Lion Thunderclap Kwaaah! The Thunderbolt-infused strike left deep wounds on the man¡¯s right arm and chest. With a pained cry, he hastily stepped back. Descending from the air, I launched the next attack on the man. Crunch! The Lion Thunderclap¡¯s second strike. The embedded Thunderbolt wasn¡¯t as deep this time. The man raised his left arm to block the attack. But my target was his eyes. £¼Supreme Dragon Attack Form 2£¾ Lion Gaze Before the man could grab me. I landed on the guy¡¯s shoulder and swiftly slashed his eyes with my cold military sword. Kwaaah! He lost his sight. With that, victory was mine. Equipped with the instinct to dodge, I couldn¡¯t fall prey to the blind man¡¯s attacks. His fists only met empty air, inflicting wounds upon himself. And as I sought my chance¡­ S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 4£¾ Lion¡¯s Spit The moment he showed an opening, I stabbed the sword into the wound I had inflicted on him moments ago. ¡°Pl¡­ please¡­¡± ¡°How? Like this?¡± The man, deeply wounded, could no longer move his body. In that state, he begged pitifully. Of course, I couldn¡¯t grant his plea. ¡°Or like this?¡± Kwuk¡­ ¡°Like this?¡± I thrust my military sword into him. It wasn¡¯t until death was imminent that he closed his mouth. Thus, the man turned into particles of mana, leaving behind a mana stone, and vanished. ¡°There, I told you not to worry, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± I tossed the mana stone to Goeunbi. Receiving the mana stone reflexively, she had a bewildered expression. ¡°You¡¯ve been keeping it well. I¡­¡± ¡°I?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone else I have to deal with.¡± Turning away from Goeunbi, I looked up at one side. A familiar presence was sensed from the tree darkened by the night. ¡°Don¡¯t hide, just come out. I know you¡¯re all there.¡± ¡°Oh, caught red-handed, huh?¡± Doll Ghost Iga Hyeon. As if she had been waiting for me to realize her presence, she revealed herself. A female examinee wearing a yellow exam badge descended on a thread from the sky. As she landed on the ground and waved her hand, the thread connected to her fingertips snapped, dissolving into the ambient mana. ¡°Hello? Nice to meet you.¡± Borrowing the body of the examinee. Iga-hyun smiled and greeted. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to have fun with me, noona?¡± ¡°We¡¯re the same age, though.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I meant we were the same age. Hey, let¡¯s have fun¡­!¡± Iga-hyun couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. It was because I had just rushed at her. He couldn¡¯t afford to be relaxed against her. I swung my military sword. She quickly crossed her twin swords to block the incoming attack. ¡°Tsk! Seems like you¡¯re impatient now?¡± ¡°I am a bit impatient.¡± ¡°Well, then you won¡¯t be popular with girls, kid.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, I¡¯m unpopular. Damn it.¡± ? Harassing someone in a group is nothing but a cowardly act. It¡¯s utterly unjust. A man shouldn¡¯t stoop so low. Do Yeon-woo has become the target of the examinees, currently surrounded by them. Yong-hae-rang, upon hearing the news, couldn¡¯t ignore his plight. ¡°Hold on until I get there! Wait for me, Do Yeon-woo!¡± To help his friend Do Yeon-woo. Yong-hae-rang scoured the forest, following the rumors that he was currently isolated. Unfortunately, by the time he arrived in the forest, it was getting dark, and there were so many examinees that he couldn¡¯t pinpoint his presence. ¡°Psst! Where are you! Do Yeon-woo!¡± He had no choice but to search the forest. Even as the night grew darker and the monsters became more ferocious, Yong-hae-rang never gave up on the search. If Do Yeon-woo was in danger, was his own risk insignificant? He didn¡¯t care about the danger. Falling monsters and examinees in his path, he set out to find Do Yeon-woo. It was amidst this chaos that the monsters in the forest launched a large-scale attack. ¡°Why are these guys suddenly¡­?¡± Fighting off the charging monsters. And at the same time, rescuing the examinees. Yong-hae-rang found himself caught up in the situation. ¡°¡­¡± Something was happening. Yong-hae-rang instinctively sensed that an unexpected change had occurred. He quickly licked his lips. Given the circumstances, Dogyun was now in even deeper trouble. His martial arts friend was in danger. ¡°I must find him quickly. Out of my way! Don¡¯t hinder me! Shoo!¡± He swung his weapon at the emerging monsters. Yonghaerang dashed through the darkness. As if calling out to Dogyun somewhere, he roared as if to be heard. ¡°I¡¯m going! Dogyun! I, Yonghaerang! As a man, I can¡¯t turn away from a friend in trouble! Wait for me!¡± Yonghaerang ran off somewhere. Where he was running off to was unknown. He simply relied on his instincts as he ran. By running like that, he would eventually be able to meet Dogyun. As if the Earth were round. Chapter 78 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 77 Chapter 77 He couldn¡¯t move his body at all. It would have been nice if he could use magic, but his internal mana was depleted, and the state of his mana circuit was not good either. If he forced magic, it could cause permanent damage to the circuit or even mana explosion. Minarin, pinned to the ground, gazed sadly at the sky, waiting for her strength to recover somewhat. In the process, she ended up losing track of time. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Leaning on her staff. By the time Minarin crawled out of the pit, the sun had set without her noticing, and the sky was turning dark blue. She had been lying buried underground for over half a day. It was quite painful for her. With only 20 hours left for the exam, and having lost all her admission tickets, she was in a dilemma about whether she could even enter the academy. Time was running out. She had to somehow score at least 200 points in the time remaining. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m Minarin. 200 points? Ha, I can¡¯t even gather that much?¡± Having cried her heart out in the pit, tears no longer flowed. Crying doesn¡¯t guarantee a solution, and one must not give up until it¡¯s over. Giving up on magic that turns imagination into reality only limits imagination. Minarin bravely gathered her resolve. She decided to search for test-takers. A Gate Watch, chiming every three hours, indicated the location of test papers around her. [21:00:00] [Displaying all test papers within a 500m radius.] ¡°¡­I should go here.¡± Perhaps due to the exams ending the next day, test-takers were congregating in one place. It was a golden opportunity for Min Arin. She moved her restless body towards the area packed with test papers. ¡°There are so many gathered here. Isn¡¯t that nice?¡± Unfolding her detection net, she could spot test-takers scattered all around. Min Arin brushed aside her red hair, her yellow eyes gleaming. Confidence radiated from her lips. If she could get their test papers, surpassing 200 points would be a breeze. ¡°What, what!?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be taking your test papers, thank you.¡± However, she was a solo magician. She couldn¡¯t handle them all. Moving around at night in the forest where monsters dwelled was also risky. Min Arin stealthily prowled the outskirts of the forest like a cat, ambushing test-takers who were few in number and far from other groups. ¡°It feels like I¡¯ve turned into a thief.¡± Such thoughts crossed her mind, but she had no choice but to conceal the situation. Pride was wounded, shame engulfed her, it was humiliating, but what could she do? Survival came first. Dignity could wait. Min Arin pushed aside her thoughts and focused on collecting test papers. After tirelessly wandering through the forest without rest, she managed to gather 200 points. ¡°There, who am I after all? I¡¯m Min Arin.¡± In a way, Min Arin was simple. She proudly held her head high, forgetting the hardships she had endured thus far. She strived to collect more test papers for her grades. ¡°Why are these guys suddenly¡­?¡± Monsters in the forest attacked. Caught in the chaos with other test-takers, Min Arin had no choice but to get involved. It wasn¡¯t the time to snatch test papers. Quickly deciding, she took down the attacker from behind. ¡°¡­¡± Her yellow eyes scanned the battlefield. Two test-takers needed saving. There are five monsters around. Monsters with a hyena-like appearance had surrounded her. [Encountered Monsters] [Shadow Hyena (Rank. 01) x 5] They were monsters that rested in the shadows during the day and became active at night. ¡°Hah.¡± Min Arin let out a scoff as she read the message that appeared before her. She ran her hand through her red hair with a sigh. ¡°How do you think the likes of you can do anything to me? Who do you think I am¡­.¡± Min Arin flicked her finger. A flame erupted behind her. Startled by the sudden blaze, the men stepped back. With the flame at her back, she pointed her staff at them. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me.¡± * * * Lee Ga-hyun, who inhabits the examinee¡¯s body, cannot fully exert her original power. Furthermore, her soul is not complete and only exists as a part. Yet, she cannot be ignored. I checked her status window while dealing with Lee Ga-hyun and the swordplay. From Noble mtl dot com [Personal Information] Name: Park Ji-hee (Lee Ga-hyun) (Female¡¤17 years old) Alias: Lee Ga-hyun¡¯s Soul Doll Affiliation: Mi-yang Middle School [Possessed Gift] Flexibility [Physical Abilities] S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Endurance: 35 ¡ú ?7 Strength: 31 ¡ú 52 Durability: 30 ¡ú 5? Agility: 33 ¡ú ?4 Magic Power: 27 ¡ú ?? Luck: 12 ¡ú 27 Remaining Points: 0 As expected. The stats had increased to match Yi Gahyun¡¯s soul. Unfortunately, some numbers were blurred, making it impossible to confirm completely. There must be a gap in abilities between Yi Gahyun and me. Or there could be other reasons. ¡°At least it¡¯s better to consider her equal to me.¡± In reality, Yi Gahyun was effortlessly responding to my attacks. She showed no signs of panic in the face of my relentless strikes. Instead, she was even smiling, finding something enjoyable in the situation. It was then that she spoke up. ¡°Why do you keep looking elsewhere? When you¡¯re with me, you should focus only on me. It¡¯s upsetting, you know?¡± ¡°Gulp!¡± In the brief moment my gaze shifted to the status screen, Yi Gahyun took advantage of the distraction and swiftly aimed for my abdomen. Her attack trajectory suddenly changed, and I instinctively parried with my sword. At that moment, another sword I held in my other hand came into view from the side. Clang! Fortunately, my evasion instinct kicked in. I narrowly grazed the blade and attempted a counterattack. ¡°Your reflexes are unbelievably good. I¡¯ve never seen someone dodge so well like you.¡± But Yi Gahyun was quicker. Before I could fully stop my rotation and position myself, she dashed towards me out of the blue. As she approached with lowered stance in my field of vision, I saw her tongue lightly licking her lips, and her arms extended behind her moved like whips. ¡°Your swordsmanship is truly powerful and fast. Among the swordsmanship families, you are worthy of being rated as the best.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°But, listen.¡± A blade shot out from the right. I swung my sword to block it. Then another attack from the left. Followed by another from the right. Lee Gahyun relentlessly pressed on me with her twin swords, just as I had done moments ago, leaving me no room to launch a counterattack. ¡°If you don¡¯t even give a chance to swing, what¡¯s the use? Especially for those of you who pride in the Beokroe style, isn¡¯t it about upright movements and balanced control of strength?¡± Hence, in Suwangryu, there are defensive, offensive, unique, and special techniques. Ignoring her taunts, I moved like a whirlwind, taking steps as if drawing a spiral. £¼Suwangryu Defense Form 5£¾ Lion¡¯s Dance of Defense Initially, the modest step widened slowly. The range of rotation increased gradually. Focused on pressing me, she didn¡¯t notice. ¡°What is this¡­? When did¡­!¡± ¡°In Suwangryu, there are not only speed and strength but also fluidity and flexibility in techniques. It would be troublesome to judge our swordsmanship arbitrarily.¡± By the time Lee Gahyun realized that she was being led into a dance by my intention, the situation had already turned around. While I blocked attacks from the center of the whirlpool, I was outside of it, and she, who was outside, was now at the center. Our positions had reversed while she was being led into attacking me. Now, she was in a position to defend rather than attack. Confusion flickered on her face. Meanwhile¡­ Crackle! Around the whirlpool created by Lee Gahyun and me, blue currents crackled. Beokroe. It was the manifestation of Lion¡¯s Dance of Defense. The currents flowed along the whirlpool towards her standing position. ¡°Argh!¡± Despite Lee Gahyun sensing danger and trying to break free from the whirlpool¡¯s flow, it was futile. Unnoticed by her, the Beokroe current had already stuck to her. No matter where she tried to flee¡­ £¼Suwangryu Offensive Form 1£¾ Lion¡¯s Roar I couldn¡¯t avoid the attack of the Water Dragon clan. The Wall of Thunder created by Yoonmu, the lion, had the effect of attracting other Walls of Thunder. But it was once per my level. When I launched a True Spear in the direction where Iga Hyun disappeared, the True Spear automatically adjusted its course and flew towards her. ¡°¡­!¡± Iga Hyun blocked the True Spear in surprise. Unable to withstand the force, she collided with a wooden pillar behind her. And then. *Splurt!* Watching us clash swords in a dazzling display, Goeunbi suddenly shot an arrow. Iga Hyun, who wasn¡¯t on guard, unexpectedly allowed the attack. The arrow pierced her left arm. Examining the arrow stuck in her arm with a grimace, she muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t like interference¡­¡± Iga Hyun pulled out the arrow and tossed it aside. As she manifested mana within her body, the wound quickly healed. Her gaze turned towards Goeunbi and her friends behind me. ¡°Would you mind leaving since you¡¯re also a hindrance?¡± At Iga Hyun¡¯s words, the forest rustled. The sound of monsters barking was rapidly approaching. Even without expanding our senses, we could tell that monsters from the vicinity were converging towards us. ¡°Gyeonu! Quick, run¡­¡± Goeunbi¡¯s words were cut short. Monsters resembling hyenas emerged from the nearby bushes. [Encountered Monsters.] [Shadowkin (Rank. 01) x 4] Starting with them, monsters appeared one after another, surrounding us. Iga Hyun, outside the encirclement, looked at us as if amused. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They won¡¯t harm you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But they might not know about them?¡± It seemed like Iga Hyun was trying to use them to restrain my group. For me, who had to protect them and fight, it was definitely a disadvantageous situation. Therefore, I made a bold decision. ¡°Goeunbi, take the kids and run.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stay here for no reason. More monsters might gather. So, you guys avoid it.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°He said it. The monsters are after you, not me. So, don¡¯t worry about me and prioritize your safety.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°And it¡¯s not just about running away. Remember what I asked of you earlier? I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ll follow.¡± It was not beyond my expectations that Lee Gahyun might be stronger, or that unforeseen circumstances could arise, rendering me unable to protect the group. In anticipation of such a situation, I had informed Goeunbi in advance. Thus, she, who initially seemed to resist, eventually acquiesced as if resigned. ¡°I¡¯ll clear the path, so make your escape through that opening!¡± I dashed forward like a lightning bolt, annihilating the monsters in my path. Those around us gasped and hastily retreated. A breach appeared in the encirclement. ¡°Now¡¯s the time!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, guys! Gyungu! Don¡¯t push yourself too hard!¡± Goeunbi led the group through the path I had opened, swiftly evading my blade and the pursuers behind her. I soon turned my gaze to where they had disappeared. Lee Gahyun was smiling mischievously. ¡°Now, it¡¯s just the two of us left?¡± ¡°Good. Now I can kill you in peace.¡± ¡°My, isn¡¯t that too harsh even if you¡¯re angry? You¡¯re not going to take my exam admission ticket or kill me, are you?¡± ¡°I really am going to kill you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rule against not killing, right? I¡¯ll just kill you and then take the ticket, simple.¡± ¡°Strange, isn¡¯t it? I thought members of the Shin-Geom Do were supposed to avoid unnecessary killing¡­ You seem exceptional?¡± ¡°I do avoid indiscriminate killing. But you seem exempt from that category.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a human target, it¡¯s even more so. Right? Indoll Gwisin, Lee Gahyun.¡± Lee Gahyun¡¯s eyes widened. Her face visibly tensed, and the upward curve of her lips dropped. ¡°How did you know?¡± It was a chillingly cold voice. She narrowed her eyes at me, asking as if threatening. Her demeanor was far from friendly. I replied casually, ¡°How did you know? Curious?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re curious, come at me. Don¡¯t try to evaluate my skills as if you¡¯re just seeing a fight. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know if you planned to run away midway? It won¡¯t work, fleeing from me.¡± If I let Lee Gahyun slip away in this situation, I would never find her again. So, even if it meant getting rid of her, I had to throw a bait to keep her in place. That bait was none other than her true identity. ¡°You¡¯ll be better off without regrets.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t run away.¡± Lee Gahyun¡¯s eyes glowed red. With an unmatched vigor compared to before, she closed the distance between us. I chased after her and swung my sword. [Exposed to Pressure.] [All stats decrease by 8%.] [Skill ¡®Strength Lv 5¡¯ is activated.] [Preserve up to 13% of the decreased stats due to Pressure.] [Decreased stats are restored.] [With Skill ¡®Strength Lv 5¡¯, focus and evasion rate increase by 13%.] * * * The movements of the monsters are unsettling. Creatures with different appearances, temperaments, and ecologies are attacking the examinees without conflicting with each other, creating a grim situation. ¡®What in the world is this¡­¡¯ There is no doubt that something unusual has occurred in the forest, unbeknownst to them. Yeon Haneul, who came here following Dogyeonwoo¡¯s news, couldn¡¯t hide her confusion. Her rabbit ears twitched, catching the sounds coming from all directions. She couldn¡¯t hear Dogyeonwoo¡¯s voice. ¡®Where is he right now?¡¯ There are too many monsters. It seems like all the monsters on Honrim Island have gathered here. It might not be just a rumor. Monsters are drawn to mana. It¡¯s instinct. So, the mana unconsciously emitted by the examinees, the mana that intensifies their emotional fluctuations and is vigorously released, the mana that makes them cast spells and linger in the air can only stimulate the monsters¡¯ instincts. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that they are flocking here. ¡®There are too many signs around, can¡¯t even find them with the detection net.¡¯ With that, Yeon Haneul couldn¡¯t help but worry about where Dogyeonwoo might be. She felt impatience building up inside her, and one by one, she struck down the monsters rushing towards her with a sledgehammer. ¡°Heavens! Are they really here!? Could it be where Kyungwoo took shelter¡­?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not possible. Kyungwoo must still be in this forest.¡± The creatures swarmed in as a group. Lisa swiftly unfolded a barrier in front of her, blocking the creatures¡¯ approach. Meanwhile, Yeonha cast a spell within the barrier, incinerating the creatures in an instant. They swiftly darted into the darkness. ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow me for no reason. There¡¯s no need to risk yourself.¡± ¡°¡­No. If Kyungwoo is truly in this forest as Yeonha said, we must help. It¡¯s dangerous for Yeonha to go alone.¡± Kyungwoo is definitely here. Yeonha, who had known him as a childhood friend for five years, was certain. ¡°No matter how much he wants good grades, Kyungwoo wouldn¡¯t turn against all test-takers to snatch their admission tickets.¡± Yeonha knew. Kyungwoo is not the type to recklessly provoke others. If he did provoke someone, it could be seen as having a highly calculated motive behind the action. Therefore, there must be a reason behind his provocation of the test-takers and engaging in this battle for admission tickets. He is aiming for something. ¡°What is he aiming for?¡± Yeonha pondered. Looking at the results, he ended up becoming the target of the test-takers. Rumors spread, and the test-takers surrounded him. However, viewed from a different perspective, he might have drawn them in as his targets. ¡°To draw someone in?¡± She came to a single conclusion. One thought led to another. ¡°Why draw them in? Who is this person, really?¡± She knows about Kyungwoo¡¯s relationships. There aren¡¯t many people he has connections with among the test-takers. Himself, the triplets, Goeunbi, Lisa, Yonghaerang, and Kyungwoo¡¯s cousin, Doseungwoo. Yet, there¡¯s no need to go to such lengths to draw them in. There are various ways to attract someone. Choosing such a method implies viewing the other party as lacking in closeness. ¡°So why draw in someone with whom there¡¯s no closeness?¡± Only one thought came to mind. To fight that person. ¡°Why? For what reason?¡± When sorting out her thoughts, There is a reason for Kyungwoo to fight someone with whom he has no closeness. It¡¯s incomprehensible. ¡°¡­.¡± But he was like that occasionally. Even though it seemed like something he could understand, the existence that he couldn¡¯t comprehend was his childhood friend, Dogyeonwoo. During the five years he had known him. From time to time, he would casually engage in incomprehensible acts. This incident could be one of those. At first, she had doubts about him, but now she, who had come to accept it, looked back on her memories. ¡°So, what should I do then¡­?¡± Yeongha-nyul pondered from there. As Dogyeonwoo harbored a secret and wouldn¡¯t say anything, she could only act based on her own judgment. Eventually, she reached a conclusion. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to pierce the veil.¡± ¡°What? What did you just say?¡± ¡°If we find Dogyeonwoo, let¡¯s not approach him and just observe for now. The person Dogyeonwoo is dealing with is probably related to this commotion.¡± ¡°Haneul, what is that supposed to mean¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s likely a formidable opponent. So, let¡¯s pierce the veil.¡± With determination in her crimson eyes. Yeongha-nyul peered into the darkness. * * * Meanwhile, Lisa and Yeongha-nyul were not the only ones disrupting the flow of examinees. Namyuri from Yeongseong Namga. The girl who had her exam ticket taken by Dogyeonwoo was also in the forest. ¡°Wow! Half monster, half exam ticket!¡± She didn¡¯t come to find Dogyeonwoo to retrieve her own exam ticket. Nor was it to take back the exam ticket stuck to his body. She had simply come to hunt the examinees entangled with him. Thanks to that, she was able to gather a large number of exam tickets in a short period. She had collected all the scores needed to pass the exam with plenty to spare. Then, the monsters living in the forest began to attack. ¡°Why are they doing this? I don¡¯t understand!¡± Namyuri was puzzled. But she didn¡¯t dwell on it. For her, it would be nice to be able to kill monsters without hesitation. She could feel the stimulation of being alive. Unlike the fleeing examinees, she gleefully killed the monsters that came her way. The blood that splattered from them onto her gray hair and white dress didn¡¯t bother her at all. Then, a sudden thought crossed her mind. ¡°Could it be that they gathered because of Dogyeonwoo? Being around Dogyeonwoo seems to guarantee endless fun!¡± Ahahahaha, ahahahaha. Excited by the stimulus of being alive, Nam Yoori laughed crazily and ran through the forest. She pushed against the flow of test takers and ventured deep into the woods. And then. ¡°Ah¡­ If this continues, I won¡¯t be able to collect exam tickets, only hunt monsters.¡± From Noble mtl dot com Mado Min Village¡¯s Mina Rin. ¡°Do-yeon Woo! Just wait a little!¡± Uiheup Yongga¡¯s Yong Haerang. ¡°I have to help Do-yeon.¡± Self-proclaimed expert, Goeunbi. ¡°Heaven! It¡¯s a Rank 2! Be careful!¡± Princess of the Otherworld Empire. Lisa Grace. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can kill them alone. It¡¯ll be over soon.¡± Apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch, Yeon Haneul. ¡°Ahahahaha! I wonder what will come out if we go deeper here?¡± Yeonseong Namga¡¯s Nam Yoori. By chance, the main characters of the game were gathering around Do-yeon. ¡°Noisy¡­¡± Circulation Chaga¡¯s Cha Eunsol. Except for her. Chapter 79 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 78 Chapter 78 Almost all test takers settled in the forest. Naturally, the evaluators¡¯ focus could only be on that place. They observed the dark forest through Gate Eye, which was activated for this test. It didn¡¯t take them long to notice the changes happening in the forest. [Krrr!] [Ahhhhh! Who, who¡¯s there¡­!] ¡°Don¡¯t panic! If you respond calmly, you can deal with it¡­ Shhing!¡± On the screen, test takers were either fleeing or trying to fight against monsters and creatures driven by their instincts, attacking them. The images on dozens of screens were almost identical. There were frequent interruptions and breaks in the middle of the test. When the screen froze, it meant that a gate-eye flying high in the sky around the examinees¡¯ necks had been destroyed. In the case of the former, it could be seen as the examinee facing death. ¡°¡­.¡± Such incidents were happening throughout the forest. The evaluators couldn¡¯t contain their unease. ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ too dangerous?¡± Until now, examinees who had been preparing themselves were expected to engage in fierce battles on the eve of the final test. As a result, it was anticipated that even monsters drawn to their mana would get involved, leading to chaos on the battlefield. Since setting up gates in the dense forest was meant to incite confusion, it could be said that this was the situation they desired. However, the situation unfolding in the forest was far beyond their expectations and had reached an uncontrollable point. They couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch. The supervisor overseeing the 5th practical exam spoke with added strength, ¡°As the monsters¡¯ behavior seems unusual, I will immediately deploy evaluators and assistants to the scene! Those at the scene should prioritize rescuing the examinees and identify the cause of the situation.¡± ¡°Supervisor, with our current staff, rescuing so many examinees will take time¡­¡± ¡°If the number of rescued examinees falls short, they will cover for it. They may have been caught off guard due to lack of practical experience and a lack of focus, but if they come to their senses and coordinate, they can defeat them. So, you all need to be their focal point. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes! Understood!¡± Once the evaluators were deployed to the scene, they would quickly clear the outskirts of the forest. The issue lay in the central part of the forest. It would take time for their efforts to reach the center. The supervisor, unable to shake off his worries, remained with the evaluators, staring at the screen. ¡°If the examinees come out to the outskirts, it will be easier to rescue them¡­ Are the examinees from the Divine Inspection Department still fighting?¡± ¡°Yes, I will display it on the central monitor.¡± The largest screen changed. The examinee from the Divine Inspection Department, Do Gyunwoo, was shown in a video engaging in a battle with a female examinee. The supervisor grimaced with displeasure. ¡°To think he¡¯s only focused on taking the exam ticket in this situation¡­¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Do Gyunwoo had achieved the highest score in this exam. Therefore, the supervisor and evaluators had been keeping an eye on him. But the sight he presented now was only disappointing. It seemed like he didn¡¯t know whether to prioritize his own safety or the exam ticket. Foolish hunters die early, and he showed no signs of foolishness. It was at that moment the supervisor thought so. ¡°However, that examinee is quite remarkable. She¡¯s fighting on par with an examinee from the Divine Inspection Department.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± One of the evaluators sighed. The supervisor¡¯s gaze shifted to the female examinee fighting with Do Gyunwoo. She was the one holding the yellow exam ticket. ¡°It is indeed unexpected.¡± The supervisor commented briefly. The female examinee, Park Ji-hee, had not yet shown her true colors. She had only recorded average grades like other examinees who had obtained yellow exam tickets. However, it seemed that there had been a change in her state of mind, as she demonstrated a stark contrast in her abilities during the 5th exam. She even evaluated other examinees as if she were an examiner herself. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It was exceptional for an examinee with a yellow exam ticket to demonstrate such skills. The proctors took notice. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat intrigued by the two examinees they had been watching engaging in a battle. They simply hoped that they would control their emotions and cultivate the ability to assess the situation. Then, from the screen, the voice of Do Gyun-woo flowed. [The target of the Mine Conference is the execution.] [¡­.] [If it¡¯s a six-legged horse, even more so. Isn¡¯t that right, the doll-like girl, Lee Ga-hyun?] With Do Gyun-woo¡¯s decisive words, The proctors momentarily doubted their ears. They couldn¡¯t understand what they had just heard. ¡°What¡­ did he say?¡± ¡°Mine? That¡¯s nonsense.¡± ¡°We must have misheard.¡± ¡°He must be cursing at us. Even so¡­ his words were harsh.¡± The proctors were at a loss. Why would the doll-like girl, Lee Ga-hyun, be mentioned here? It was nothing but nonsensical talk. They didn¡¯t believe Do Gyun-woo¡¯s words and tried to laugh it off. [¡­How did you know.] ¡°¡­.¡± Until Park Ji-hee spoke. The control room was enveloped in an awkward silence. ¡°¡­Is it a joke?¡± ¡°It must be a joke.¡± ¡°A joke that suits a examinee from the Divine Sword Sect.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The proctors dismissed it as nonsense. They didn¡¯t want to accept the fact that Mine had infiltrated the exam. But they had to. Because Park Ji-hee¡¯s eyes had turned red. ¡°Mine¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Unless it¡¯s Albino Aine, even if genes are corrupted due to mana, red eyes won¡¯t manifest in humans. Yet, the fact that they manifested red pointed to her being Mine. ¡°How could Mine¡­.¡± ¡°So, she really is the Doll Ghost!?¡± The control room was thrown into chaos. The fact that Mine, and even Doll Ghost Lee Gahyun, infiltrated the exam room left the examiners speechless. However, they were academy instructors and hunters at the same time. In this world, encounters with Mine were not uncommon. Dealing with them was part of a hunter¡¯s life, their destiny. The shock didn¡¯t last long. The supervisor, who changed his expression as an instructor and hunter, instructed the examiners. ¡°Pinpoint the exact location of the Doll Ghost! Inform the examiners on-site immediately, and tell those closest to her to engage with her at once!¡± Why was the Doll Ghost here? What was her purpose? And how did Shin Geomwoo of the Divine Sword Guild uncover the Doll Ghost¡¯s identity in the first place? It was all a mystery for now. But the questions were not crucial. What mattered was to bring her down and manage the situation unfolding. There was no time to ponder. The supervisor pushed aside the questions that arose in his mind for now. * * * She may be just a clone of Lee Gahyun, but she¡¯s strong nonetheless. Since revealing her identity, she didn¡¯t hesitate to unleash Mine¡¯s vigor. Her blade swung fiercely. Ping! The glint of moonlight on the blade vanished quickly, disrupting my vision. The blade that surely slashed with the military sword was suddenly thrust back at me, threateningly. It felt like being trapped in an ant hell. As if haunted by a ghost. There must be a certain form and pattern within what seems like a simple attack. If I continue this confrontation as it is, I¡¯ll end up falling to her in the end. Right at that moment. Swish! Lee Gahyun swung her right hand back with force. Accustomed to exchanging blows, I instinctively moved my body. Her lips caught my eye. ¡°¡­!¡± A smile crept upon Lee Gahyun¡¯s lips. Something was amiss. Vague unease engulfed me. But I was already swinging the military sword down. I couldn¡¯t retract the sword, or I¡¯d be vulnerable. It was inevitable. I had to push through. I exerted force on the military sword. Swish! The military sword deflected off the shield Lee Gahyun unfolded in front of her right hand. She wasn¡¯t holding the sword. ¡°Then where¡­!?¡± A question flashed through my mind. Meanwhile, a blade she held in her left hand was coming at me. I had to parry. When I made that judgment. Crack! Electricity grazed past the back of my neck. Instinctively, evasion beckoned me to look back. I yielded to the instinct¡¯s call, twisting my body with my right foot to dodge the descending blade. As I glanced back, a sword flew towards me from the darkness. It was the sword Lee Gahyun had wielded. Ping! I swung the military sword to knock away the falling sword. However, as if connected to something, the sword returned to Lee Gahyun¡¯s hand. Eunsa (ãy½z). It was entwined with threads boasting a strength like steel, as if it could snap. It was the main weapon of the puppet girl. ¡°I thought you hadn¡¯t noticed, but you¡¯re quite adept at evading, huh? Sharp instincts.¡± Perhaps because she had shown it to me once. She no longer tried to conceal the Eunsa. When she released the sword from her grip, the sword connected to the thread extending from her fingertips dangled in the air. ¡°Well then, shall we see if you can evade this too?¡± As Lee Gahyun waved her crossed hands. The swords, which had hung weakly in the air, suddenly sprang to life, aiming at me. Swoosh! It wasn¡¯t just swords flying towards me. Threads emerging from other fingers were also targeting me. In the darkness, lines catching the moonlight faintly revealed themselves. Enhancing my vision with mana, I could see the mana entwined in the threads. ¡°I can avoid it.¡± Relying on my instinct to dodge, I saw the lines tinged with a blue light. I swung my sword, cutting the threads or twisting my body to evade. I lunged toward her, who was unarmed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you watch your back?¡± I approached her, narrowing the distance, but she showed no sign of being flustered. Like a commander, she crossed her hands in front of her chest. Snap! The sound came from behind at that moment. The trees tied with silver threads were falling overhead. I sprang from my position, leaping in sync with the falling trees. I climbed onto a fallen tree on the ground to avoid the danger. ¡°Fighting here would put me at a disadvantage.¡± There were too many terrain features around her that she could use as silver. I could now spot the blue lines drawn here and there among the trees, perhaps set as traps. If I had passed without noticing the silver threads, I could have been torn apart. ¡°It¡¯d be best to change the location.¡± I mentally scanned the map of the forest. After a day of skirmishes in the woods, I was well-versed in the surrounding geography. It wasn¡¯t difficult for me to think of a favorable location. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 11£¾ Lion Shatter A sword technique blending strength and supremacy. Leaping from the tree trunk I had been standing on, I forcefully struck the ground. The mana imbued in the sword cleaved the ground, causing it to collapse. ©¤©¤©¤!! It was a technique that consumed quite a bit of mana, but its destructive power was equally immense. Igahyun retreated to avoid the aftermath of the attack. It was the direction I desired. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 5£¾ Lion¡¯s Roar I dashed towards Igahyun. With each straight line I advanced in, the power of the Lion¡¯s Roar increased. Creating a trail like lightning, I swiftly caught up with her. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 6£¾ Lions Rampant Not giving Lee Gahyun a moment to think, I relentlessly unleashed my attacks. In terms of weapon performance, the Military Blue Sword excelled. When I aimed to strike with the Military Blue Sword, her twin swords couldn¡¯t easily parry. ¡°Kuk!¡± The composure vanished from Lee Gahyun¡¯s face. Furrowing her brow, she widened the distance to turn the tide. It unfolded as I had hoped. ¡°Here¡­¡± ¡°Now, can¡¯t bring down the trees?¡± We stood on the field. This was where we clashed yesterday, becoming targets for examinees in a battle for conquest. ¡°I was wondering where you were leading me, but was it here all along? Did you think I wouldn¡¯t handle silver threads properly here?¡± Lee Gahyun snorted. The silver threads at her fingertips spread out on the ground. ¡°But unfortunately, what now? My silver threads can do this too.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Lee Gahyun raised her hand sharply. At that moment, the ground in front of her tore apart. Chunks of soil, maintaining their form, fell over my head. ¡®I didn¡¯t anticipate this.¡¯ I never imagined. While in the game Lee Gahyun could throw terrain features using silver threads, digging up the ground was never mentioned. But the field was more advantageous to me than the forest. On the field, with open surroundings, I could swing my sword freely from anywhere, not needing to consider obstacles. Crack! Instinctively dodging, I avoided the falling chunks of soil and leaped across the field. Lee Gahyun also rushed towards me. Shiiik! Lee Gahyun swiped the air with her hand. Strands of threads crossed in an X shape, attempting to block my path. Merely slashing wouldn¡¯t cut it. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 2£¾ Lion¡¯s Stance Shake Pulling out the mana from within my heart. I swung my black blade, cutting through the threads imbued with mana. The threads that slipped from her hands turned into mana and dissolved into the air. Ping! I opened my hand, extending the silver threads, blocking Eunsa¡¯s punch. Eunsa parried my sword. Right after, she delivered a roundhouse kick to my side. Avoiding a fatal blow, I defended and was pushed to the side. She followed up with a sword strike to keep the momentum going. Ping! The twin swords clashed with the military sword. The metallic clash reverberated in the surroundings, filling the air. Hwaaack! The night sky lit up at that moment. From Noble mtl dot com Light burst out unexpectedly. ¡°It seems Eunbi safely evacuated the children and came to help.¡± It was Goeunbi who shot the arrow. A signal flare. Hwaaack! Once again. The night sky flashed for an instant. The light from the explosion on the field illuminated the surroundings brightly. Under the light, the blood vessels on Eunsa¡¯s red eyes and face were vividly visible. £¼Water Dragon Style Attack Form 3£¾ Lion¡¯s Iron Piece Igahyun paid no attention to the light illuminating the night sky. It seemed as if it didn¡¯t matter, as if it was simply written by examinees to illuminate the darkness of the forest. In fact, there was some truth to that. Even if expecting something different, just illuminating the darkness was enough. ¡°The next time the light bursts.¡± Igahyun pierced my abdomen. Lowering my stance, I struck the ground. Once again, a fierce battle unfolded. Chyurk! Igahyun¡¯s blade grazed my cheek. The grazed cheek stung. It seemed like I allowed her attack to inflict a minor wound. I did not fret. If you are afraid of this level of injury, you cannot become a hunter. From the start, the wounds received while sharing a sword with her were not just a few. So, I continued to wait for the right moment. And then. Whoosh! An arrow, gleaming with light from somewhere, shot up into the night sky. Reaching its threshold, the arrow exploded, scattering light across the night sky. Anticipating this moment, I dug into the ground with my slanted military sword. £¼Third Form of the Water King¡¯s Defense Style£¾ Lion¡¯s Barrier As the earth sprang up in all directions, mana flowed down from the sword, creating a barrier. Under the unending night sky, the barrier concealed my presence. ¡°You¡¯re using similar tactics!¡± Igahyeon, to find me, sliced through the barrier with silver threads. But I had already left the place, moving behind her. ¡­! Confusion spread across Igahyeon¡¯s face. Facing her. I engaged in combat with her, releasing the pent-up power of the military sword. ©¤©¤©¤©¤!! The blue current roared. It felt like it could tear the world apart. Freed from the military sword, the raging wall of power howled fiercely, surging up and illuminating the night sky in blue. £¼Military Sword: Current Emission£¾ Shall we try to block this too? I released the pent-up power from the military sword towards Igahyeon. The wall of power, incomparable to Lion¡¯s Roar, engulfed her at lightning speed. ¡°aaargh!¡± Igahyeon screamed. Although she tried to break free from the power, her paralyzed body wouldn¡¯t easily comply. As if determined to leave no trace, the power supported and consumed her body. ¡°To think that¡­ I¡­¡± But Igahyeon was resilient. Though clearly struck a fatal blow, the power couldn¡¯t completely obliterate her. The thickness of the blue lightning decreased. She seemed to have reached a point where she could endure the pain with a sardonic laugh. I was certainly not going to just stand still. £¼Water King Style Attack Form 3£¾ Lion Iron Before the wall of thunder completely disappeared, I rushed towards Lee Gahyeon, who was struggling to stand in the lightning. ¡°What!?¡± The lightning that had been surrounding Lee Gahyeon vanished. I swung my military sword like a whip. The whip-like strike sliced her throat before she could react. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± With a gasp. As if in disbelief. Lee Gahyeon¡¯s head, separated from her neck, floated up into the night sky. The head remained in the air and did not fall to the ground¡­. ¡°You thought it would end with cutting the throat?¡± ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Lee Gahyeon¡¯s head did not fall. A silver thread connecting the severed head and neck prevented the fall. Her eyes facing the ground, her mouth towards the sky, her head looked at me and burst into laughter. ¡°It¡¯s a joke.¡± The silver thread hanging in the air shrinks. Lee Gahyeon¡¯s head is drawn towards the thread and lands on the severed section. As if the head being cut was a lie, the seam is filled smoothly. ¡°You have two lives?¡± Thud, thud. A sound like bones twisting came from Lee Gahyeon. It was not an illusion. Her lower abdomen was writhing and transforming. As her hips enlarged, her legs turned into spider legs, multiplying into eight. ¡°Once as a human. And¡­.¡± Lee Gahyeon smiles slyly. In no time, Lee Gahyeon was in a position to look down on me. With her lower body transformed into a spider. ¡°I thought it would end with one time, but you must have been quite disappointed. What will you do? It seems like you don¡¯t have much strength left to fight me. In contrast, I have fully recovered.¡± Lee Gahyeon proudly spread her arms wide. Then she spoke to me. ¡°It¡¯s not too late even now. If you tell me how you figured out my identity, I¡¯ll be lenient and let you pass without killing you. You are to my liking, and I really don¡¯t want to kill you if I can help it. No, how about you come over to our side now?¡± ¡°Come over to our side¡­ What, are you asking me to become a villain?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the correct answer.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are someone who will make use of anything available, cunningly scheme, and not hesitate to kill when making decisions. Wouldn¡¯t you fit better as a villain?¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°Why do you find it absurd? Your personality suits that of a villain. If you come over to our side, I will patiently teach you everything, from one to ten, no, even beyond that. Let¡¯s have fun together, okay?¡± ¡°Spiders are not my cup of tea.¡± ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll prepare a doll that fits your taste. Just say the word.¡± ¡°I have no intention of playing with you.¡± ¡°Will you keep saying that? I am giving you a chance right now.¡± ¡°Should I give you a chance too?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to die gracefully or painfully?¡± ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t listen, do you? I¡¯m showing consideration for you after all this time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a person¡¯s consideration, but a demon¡¯s, right?¡± ¡°Well, fine. If you wish to die, so be it. After killing you, I¡¯ll turn you into a doll and keep you as part of my collection for life.¡± A fierce glint shone in Iga-hyun¡¯s eyes. I didn¡¯t back down in front of her, who had undoubtedly grown much stronger than before. Although I had almost exhausted my strength and didn¡¯t have much left, I was confident I could still win. Above all. ¡®Perfect timing.¡¯ I had a reliable ally. I looked up at the night sky. A circular magic circle appeared in the night sky. ¡°When did that¡­?¡± Iga-hyun seemed to finally catch on. She tried to move her spider legs to escape from under the magic circle. However, the magic activated much faster. ?Dark Raid? A third-rank dark elemental magic that bombards the area under the magic circle depending on the caster¡¯s skill. The magic circle emitted light, and from within it, black flames poured down like a downpour. ¡°aaargh!¡± Iga-hyun, who had grown in size with multiple points of impact, screamed in agony. She struggled to escape from the magic circle, blood flowing freely. Then, she furrowed her brows fiercely and glared up at the night sky. ¡°Was it you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Near the fading magic circle, A woman with flowing pale blue hair was floating. Yeonnahyi. She silently gazed down at the ground, her crimson eyes shining. Unresponsive to Iga-hyun¡¯s words, her attitude seemed as if she didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°Fortunately, you found your way here.¡± ¡°Thanks to Eunbi¡¯s signal flare, it was easy to find you. Remember, it was the signal we agreed upon during our rabbit hunt.¡± Yeonnahyi landed in front of me. Standing in front of me as if protecting me, she asked in a displeased tone, ¡°Did you really think I would come?¡± ¡°I believed you would come.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I shrugged. There was no way Yeonnahyi hadn¡¯t heard the rumors of me becoming a target for examinees. If she had heard those rumors, she would undoubtedly come to help me. The opposite held true as well. If she had heard that she was a target, I would have gone to help her. That¡¯s the kind of relationship we had. Childhood friends who trusted each other without doubt, sending unwavering support. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I can breathe easier now.¡± ¡°If you were going to get into this mess, you should have told me. Then there would have been no need for me to go through the trouble of finding you.¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll try to tell you next time.¡± ¡°Just trying? Device on.¡± Yeonnahyi pulled out a hammer with a snort. I approached her. ¡°So? Just knock them out?¡± ¡°Since the opponent is not a person but a mine, deal with it without hesitation. You might get hurt if you hesitate.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry. But you¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± ¡°Do you see any wounds on my cheek? They did this to me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Hani, give him a little scolding.¡± Snap. Yeonnahyi gritted her teeth. She ignited her fighting spirit. Meanwhile, I stood by her side. As long as she was by my side, I would never give up. ¡°I can¡¯t show a pathetic sight in front of Hani.¡± Chapter 80 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 79 Chapter 79 It was time to prepare for battle once again. Suddenly, particles of light descended from the sky above me and Yeonha. £¼Vigor Boost£¾ Shimmering blue particles seeped into my skin. Following the mana circuit within, a refreshing energy circulated through my body, invigorating me. The speed at which mana surged in my body increased. It was a buff magic. I turned around to find the person who cast the buff. Lisa Grace was clutching her chest, breathing heavily. ¡°Ha, Heaven¡­! What if something happened to you by going alone? How could you just dash out like that and not realize how flustered I¡¯d be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for leaving you alone. I must have been absent-minded and couldn¡¯t pay attention¡­¡± ¡°I know your intentions, Heaven. I want to help Gyungwoo too. But please be more careful next time.¡± ¡°Okay, I will.¡± As Lisa spoke with a hint of resentment, Yeonha bowed her head and apologized. Listening to their conversation, it seemed they were quite close. ¡°It looks like Heaven, who spotted the signal flare, forgot about looking after Lisa and came straight to me.¡± Even though I hadn¡¯t witnessed it firsthand, I could vividly picture Yeonha fretting about me in her mind. Quietly chuckling to myself, I glanced at her. ¡°Did you worry that much about me?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ would I not worry then?¡± Avoiding eye contact, Yeonha abruptly turned her head. Her reluctant response alone revealed how much she had worried about me. Meanwhile, Lisa, having caught her breath, cautiously observed Lee Gahyeon. ¡°By the way¡­ what is that creature resembling an Arachne? Could it be¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mine.¡± ¡°Why would a mine be here¡­?¡± ¡°Why else would a mine be here? To scout us out.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Lisa quietly accepted the situation, perhaps having already suspected it. She pounded the ground with her fist. ¡°Leave the healing and buffs to me. I¡¯ll assist both of you.¡± ¡°I beg of you.¡± Lisa cast a healing spell. Through the medium of a gemstone, the activated healing magic thoroughly treated the wounds accumulated from the battles with Lee Gahyun. I felt the long-standing wound on my cheek healing. Furthermore, she cast various buffs on me, enhancing my abilities as a warrior. ¡°What¡¯s this? I¡¯m all healed up too. My mana has been greatly restored.¡± ¡°Do you think you can stand against Mine just because you received those buffs? This body of mine must be different from the one you faced earlier, right?¡± It was a surprisingly pleasant turn of events that Lisa joined as a supporter. I provocatively said to Lee Gahyun. She smirked with a face that said nothing had changed. But the pleasant surprises didn¡¯t end with Lisa. ¡°I¡¯ve arrived, Dogyunwoo! You were fighting against a strong opponent, even though you might not know what it is!¡± ¡°Yonghaerang?¡± Suddenly, two monsters were thrown into the field from the forest. Following them, Yonghaerang appeared. Clad in black attire, he greeted me warmly without hiding his joy. And from another direction. ¡°Oh, Gyunwoo Gyunwoo! We meet again like this? I sensed a strong presence and came over, only to find out Gyunwoo Gyunwoo was dealing with the monsters. Huh? No, not monsters¡­ Ah! It¡¯s Mine! I don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s going on, but the situation seems to be quite interesting, doesn¡¯t it? Hm¡­ Seems like being by Gyunwoo Gyunwoo¡¯s side never lacks excitement.¡± Yeonseong Namga¡¯s Nam Yuli also showed up. Her pristine white dress was stained with monster blood, and her cheerful smile seemed more like madness, eerie. Lastly, from yet another direction¡­ Rustle. As if the bushes were being shaken, someone stepped into the field. With fiery red hair, an impressive female examinee from the Magic Tower Academy stood there. ¡°¡­Arachne? You¡¯re not the type of monster that comes out of this gate¡­ And you guys¡­?¡± Mado Minga¡¯s Min Arin. For some reason, she also appeared on the scene. Soon, her yellow eyes widened, taking in Mine and me. She exclaimed suddenly. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Does she know me? Well, being part of the Ten Families, she must have heard about other same-generation members. Given Min Arin¡¯s strong pride and perfectionism, it was likely she had gathered information on her peers. ¡®Even so, her reaction makes it seem like she¡¯s looking at an enemy¡­¡¯ While Min Arin¡¯s response was puzzling, Mine and I were in a standoff with Lee Gahyun. I decided not to pay unnecessary attention to it. Anyway. ¡°Lucky me.¡± Yeonnah and Lisa, along with Yonghaerang, Nam Yoori, and Mina Rin, gathered. If we classify the monster that Ee Ga-hyun transformed into as a phantom, it would be around Rank 3. While I could have taken it down alone, having reinforcements made me feel more secure. So, I infused mana into my voice and spoke to the people gathered around me. ¡°Some may have already noticed, but our opponent is a Mind of the Mind Conference. You must have heard about the Flesh Horse, Doll Ghost Ee Ga-hyun as well. That Mind is his phantom.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s not let our guard down.¡± The people¡¯s gazes changed. As disciples of a prominent figure, as the princess of the empire, and as members of a distinguished family, they could not be unaware of the Doll Ghost. Hence, they showed a sense of duty not to fear, but rather to see the Mind as a hunter¡¯s enemy. ¡°Just bringing in a Mind isn¡¯t the case, and it¡¯s the Doll Ghost¡­ You really¡­¡± ¡°Everyone¡­ be cautious.¡± ¡°Oh, the Doll Ghost, is that so?¡± ¡°A Flesh Horse of the Mind Conference? This will be interesting!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even gather my exam tickets properly, and now I have to fight the Mind of the Mind Conference¡­ Why is my fate like this?¡± It was a chance to prove one¡¯s worth in the world and build a reputation. We couldn¡¯t miss that opportunity. To bring down Ee Ga-hyun. Our goals were aligned. ¡ª Having informed Yeonnah of Do Gyunwoo¡¯s whereabouts, Goeunbi¡¯s role could be considered finished. Yet, unlike the friends she had sent ahead, she didn¡¯t try to escape into the forest but remained in place. ¡°While Gyunwoo and Haneul are fighting, I can¡¯t just run away alone.¡± It had only been a few days, but these friends had grown on her. Do Gyunwoo, despite his unexpected quirks, turned out to be surprisingly thoughtful, showing subtle consideration beneath his outward demeanor, taking care of people well within his boundaries. From Noble mtl dot com Yeonnah, unlike her indecisive self, was someone with a firm personality. Though she might have had some fear of people, covering it up at first, gradually opening up showed her acceptance and sense of accomplishment. Above all, they were cute and pretty. Goeunbi didn¡¯t want to leave such friends behind. ¡°I want to be close with Gyunwoo and Haneul even at the academy.¡± If she left like this, she might just be seen as one of those who took the test together. After entering the academy, without any substantial contact, their relationship might fade away. She didn¡¯t want that. ¡°Let¡¯s find something I can do.¡± Friendship should be mutual. A friendship cannot be established if one side only receives without giving back. There is giving and receiving, and the same goes for the opposite. It¡¯s a way where we help and support each other. Go Eunbi, who wanted to help the two, approached the field as quietly as possible, suppressing any movement. ¡°¡­.¡± For some reason, it was unclear. Do Gyungwoo and Yeon Haneul were not ordinary examinees; they were in a battle with a being that was half human from the waist up and half spider below. Not realizing her opponent was a mage, Go Eunbi judged them as a monster. Meanwhile, not only the two but also other people were engaged in combat with that monster. ¡°Lisa is there too.¡± Princess Lisa Grace of the otherworldly Empire, who shared ramen at the dreamy hotel. Yonghaerang of the Medical Dragon Clan. Minaarin of the Magic Folk Clan. Namyuri of the Dragon Star Clan. They were all familiar faces. It was strange not to know them since they were so famous among the examinees. ¡°Good.¡± With their arrival, the two¡¯s coordination would undoubtedly improve. While inwardly relieved, Go Eunbi didn¡¯t let her guard down completely. Surveying the situation from the bushes, she climbed a nearby tree. ¡°I want to join the fight up there, but I¡¯ll only be a hindrance with my current skills. So, I must help in the way I can.¡± It seemed like the opponent was too preoccupied with fighting the group to notice her. If that was the case, there was only one thing she could do. Quietly holding her breath, she planned to shoot an arrow at the opponent¡¯s abdomen at a crucial moment during the battle. Girik. An arrow made of mana wouldn¡¯t do. It could get her exposed. Go Eunbi took an arrow from her quiver and nocked it on the bow. She gazed down at the field. ¡°Hey! Watch your heads! If you lose your head by accident, I won¡¯t know!¡± Namyuri hurled a massive sickle. The sickle spun around, cutting the spider threads hanging in the night sky as it circled around the opponent. In the meantime, she ran towards the opponent without a weapon in hand. Her right hand, spread horizontally on the ground, was covered in red scales. £¼Partial Transformation: Right Hand of Yeom Yongja (Ñ×ýˆ×Ó)£¾ Beside Namyuri¡¯s petite frame was a massive hand, the origin of which ¨C lizard or dragon ¨C was unknown. The hooked, black nails seemed to glow red as if heated, flames flickering at their tips. Nam Yuri dug her nails in with force. The man dodged the attack and stepped back. Right at that moment. ?Blast Hammer? ?Explosive Fist? Yeon Haneul and Yong Haerang rushed in from both sides of the man who was retreating. Almost simultaneously. Yeon Haneul swung a hammer using the wind as propulsion. Yong Haerang delivered a compressed mana-infused punch to the man. ¡°aaargh!¡± The attacks hit home. A sound of something snapping echoed from one side, while an explosion erupted from the other. The man, screaming in pain from the impact, seemed greatly enraged. ¡°These pests!¡± The man¡¯s hand gestured into the air. Around him, a spiderweb-like structure appeared, enveloping the area. At that moment, Mina Rin ignited flames. Whoosh! The flames in the air spread out along the spiderweb, quickly engulfing it. The flaming spiderweb shape soon melted into the night sky with a thud. ?Royal Water Dragon Attack Form 6? Lions Roar Dogun Woo took advantage of the gap and rushed towards the man. He darted around, wielding his sword at the man. Following him, Nam Yuri, Yeon Haneul, and Yong Haerang attacked from all sides. Lisa, under Mina Rin¡¯s protection, buffed the group, while Mina Rin prepared long-range magic attacks. Even though it was their first time coordinating, their teamwork flowed smoothly. And as they pressed the man. ¡°¡­.¡± Goeunbi suppressed her tension, waiting for the chance to strike the man¡¯s weak spot. There was only one opportunity. The moment the man realized her presence, she would no longer be able to exploit his weakness, and any assistance she could offer would vanish completely. Failure was not an option. She aimed at the man, pulling the bowstring to its limit. ¡®If I can just momentarily distract the man¡¯s focus¡­¡¯ Do Gyeon-woo would exploit that gap. Go Eun-bi, without doubt, believed him and met his eyes. Unable to focus on the attacks coming from all directions, he concentrated on him. It seemed he had no hesitation in blocking his attacks. ¡°Now!¡± Go Eun-bi aimed for that moment. She released the bowstring. The arrow flew, cutting through the night sky. Although she seemed to have gained some insight, her attention was fixed on the arrow released from the bowstring, leaving no room for reflection. However, the sensation of releasing the arrow vividly seeped into her body. [Acquired a skill.] [Sharpshooter¡¯s Eye Lv 1] [Sharpshooter¡¯s Eye Lv 1] ¡ô Skill Classification ¨DPassive ¡ô Detailed Effect ¨DIncreases accuracy by 5%. * * * As Yi Ga-hyun transformed into a mine, she could lay traps in the air. Although it was annoying to deal with, she didn¡¯t cause significant damage. Nam Yoo-ri threw her sickle to cut them down, while Min Ah-rin set them on fire. ¡°With this, the traps won¡¯t be a threat, and we can fight comfortably.¡± If Yi Ga-hyun¡¯s traps were sealed, she would no longer pose a threat. As a mere projection and not her actual body, she couldn¡¯t possess another power. To maintain our momentum, we relentlessly unleashed our attacks. Facing her head-on, I attacked from the sky and alongside Yonghaerang, diverting her attention. Nam Yoo-ri alternated facing her each time I retreated to catch my breath, Min Ah-rin cast spells from a distance, and Lisa managed our condition. ¡°Do you think you can survive this¡­ if we keep this up?¡± As Yi Ga-hyun, who had to fight without a moment¡¯s rest, must have felt a sense of impending doom. Initially appearing relaxed, she showed signs of weariness as we persistently attacked her. She even resorted to threats in desperation. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°My soul is connected to the main body. If I die like this, my memories will be transmitted to the main body. Then, they will know exactly how I died.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I might become the target of the Mine Conference, but you won¡¯t regret it, right? It might be harsh on you¡­ It¡¯s not too late even now. Let me go as I am. Then, I will make you forget what you have done today.¡± Eunsa unfolded and slashed Nam Yoori, warning us while embracing herself as if fixing something. I responded incredulously. ¡°Your soul is connected to the main body, so you will share memories. But isn¡¯t that when you physically go through the gate?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Igahyeon was trying to deceive us. The world inside and outside the gate is disconnected. Whether from inside to outside or vice versa, interference in the world was impossible. The reason the communication equipment connecting the inside and outside does not work is the same. The soul is no different. As long as one is within the gate, the avatar Igahyeon and the main body Igahyeon cannot share souls. That¡¯s why I wanted to kill the avatar at this opportunity. ¡®If I kill Igahyeon¡¯s avatar here, the main body won¡¯t even realize it.¡¯ It was an excellent opportunity for me. On the other hand, when Igahyeon¡¯s lies were exposed, she gnashed her teeth in frustration. ¡°So you knew even that¡­.¡± ¡°So, stop trying. There¡¯s no way for you to survive.¡± ¡°Gah!¡± There was no more time for words. I dodged left and right. Igahyeon, trying to regain strength within the avatar, glared at me. ¡°Why is there no way for me to survive? Eventually, I just have to get out of here. Even if I can¡¯t kill you, do you think I can¡¯t break through your encirclement?¡± ¡°Then try to break through, where?¡± Igahyeon was clearly cornered. If she were to die like this, her soul would not go to the main body but would come to me. It seemed like she was trying to prevent that from happening at all costs. I could sense her determination in her eyes. Right after that, she rushed towards me. ¡°Move, quickly!¡± Eunsa rushed towards me. Multiple threads tried to cut me. Unsheathing my sword, I cut the threads and advanced towards her. She tried her best to push me away. Swoosh! But I had no intention of fulfilling Igahyeon¡¯s wish. Knowing that if I got closer, the surrounding Eunsa would attack, I did not back down. The moment I stepped aside, she would immediately leave the field, hiding her presence. If that happened, all the efforts made so far would be in vain. I must cut off her breath like this. I blocked her, rejecting the instinctual urge to move away for safety. I shifted my body to cut through her clothes and delve into her embrace. Yeonsa, Yonghaerang, Nam Yuri, Minarin, all seemed to have read my mind, creating openings for me to explore. From behind, Lisa unleashed healing magic, soothing the wounds that appeared on Yeonsa as she brushed past. So, I was narrowing the remaining distance, getting closer to her. And then, it happened. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Something was flying through the night sky behind Lee Gahyun. It looked like an arrow. Amidst the loud noises around and the mana being undetectable, it was too late to realize what was happening. ¡°Was it Eunbi who shot it?¡± The question was brief. Whoever had intervened could be checked later. The crucial point was that an arrow had flown from outside perception and pierced Lee Gahyun¡¯s side. ¡°What!?¡± Lee Gahyun, avoiding my sword, noticed the arrow flying belatedly. The arrow was heading towards her eye. Surprised by the unexpected attack, she twisted her waist to the side. I didn¡¯t miss that moment when her gaze was momentarily captivated. £¼Military Blue Sword: Current Discharge£¾ It releases accumulated electric energy from the Military Blue Sword. Thick, blue currents fiercely envelop the Military Blue Sword. I released the accumulated energy from the sword. ©¤©¤©¤©¤!! In front of me, the energy discharged rapidly, expanding the air explosively. The sound of the explosion reverberated incessantly as the blue pillar shot up into the sky, illuminating the upper atmosphere brightly. The sight flashed blue and dazzling. ¡°aaah!¡± Amidst the thunderous sound as if lightning struck, Lee Gahyun¡¯s scream echoed. Her scream gradually subsided, eventually drowned out by the noise of the energy discharge. [Physical Limit has been surpassed.] [Agility has increased by 1.] [Mana has increased by 1.] [The level of the skill has increased.] [Instinct Control Lv 5 ¡ú 6] Chapter 81 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 80 Chapter 80 The agility stat that had not reached the threshold increased by 1. The battle between Yi Gahyun¡¯s avatar and the enemy had provided a considerable amount of experience. ¡°If I raise it by just 1 more, will my agility stat reach 70?¡± Since the thresholds for agility at 69 and 70 differed, it would require accumulating a much greater amount of experience, but it was a very rewarding task. Meanwhile, the mana stat had also increased, finally reaching 50 after lingering in the 40s. Having crossed a barrier, it meant that there could be a different accomplishment in handling mana in the future. Considering the events that would unfold at the Geumgang Academy, it was advisable to raise the mana stat as much as possible. Leaving that aside. ¡°I need to find Yi Gahyun¡¯s soul stone.¡± Defeating Yi Gahyun was not the end of it. Just as mana stones dropped from monsters, soul stones emerged from witches. Until confirming that, one could not recklessly guarantee her life or death. Chiik¡­ I silently stared at where Yi Gahyun had been hit by the lightning. The lightning that had illuminated the world had faded, leaving behind heat and smoke rising in the air. ¡°The final blow you delivered was impressive. I thought that sword wasn¡¯t ordinary, but I didn¡¯t expect it to hold such power. Let¡¯s spar with that sword next time.¡± ¡°Oh, it was fun! Really fun! I could¡¯ve dealt the finishing blow, you know? But I held back because you¡¯re a good opponent. Wasn¡¯t I good?¡± ¡°Everyone, is anyone injured? If so, I can treat you.¡± Yong Haerang, Nam Yuri, Lisa, and others who had fought alongside me approached. Yeon Haneul naturally stood by my side. I thanked them for their help and did not divert my gaze from the rising smoke. Then, Yong Haerang asked, ¡°But why do you look so serious when it¡¯s all over?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t conclude it¡¯s over until the soul stone appears.¡± ¡°Oh, right, there was a soul stone. Well, since there¡¯s no sign of life, she must be dead.¡± Even so, one couldn¡¯t be at ease until confirming with their own eyes. Yong Haerang and the others seemed to agree with my words. We decided not to converse further and waited for the smoke to dissipate. In the midst of it all, Mina-rin flicked her finger, stirring up a gust of wind in the vicinity. ¡°Hmph, just collecting the smoke should do the trick. Are you trying to just stand there and watch?¡± Grumbling to herself. Mina-rin, who had been standing apart from us, controlled the wind and swiftly gathered the smoke. Occasionally, as if expressing her displeasure, she glanced in my direction. ¡°Did I do something to upset her?¡± I was genuinely curious. In the game, the relationship between Do Gyun-woo and Mina-rin wasn¡¯t bad. To be precise, for Mina-rin, the introverted and timid Do Gyun-woo was someone outside her scope of interest. Not to be ignored, but not someone who showed any particular interest either. It was merely a relationship that came about as a result of mingling with Kang Han-byeol. So, her gaze was secretly unsettling to me. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s any resentment¡­ I should ask her about it next time.¡± It¡¯s better to clear up misunderstandings. There¡¯s nothing good about harboring animosity between those who will be entangled in the game¡¯s story going forward. I decided to seize the opportunity soon and quickly took in the scene where all the smoke had dissipated. ¡°¡­.¡± Iga Hyun, with his lower body reminiscent of a spider, was crouched on the ground. His fur had been scorched off by the wall flame, leaving only a charred upper body in human form. The area of his chest that had taken the brunt of the attack was deeply gouged. There was no blood coming out. Whether the wall flame had burned up his insides or he was empty like a shell, was uncertain. It felt like if touched, it would crumble into ashes. I reached into it and scratched my head. ¡°¡­.Nothing here.¡± Normally, the core of existence, the mana stone and soul stone, resided in the heart. However, even after rummaging through Iga Hyun¡¯s insides, there was nothing to grasp. I could only feel the rib cage protecting the heart, which crumbled to ashes as soon as my hand touched it. My hand, taken out from his corpse, was covered in thick layers of ashes. ¡°Heavens, please examine the lower body.¡± ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll check.¡± ¡°Seems like things are going wrong. I¡¯ll help too!¡± Yeon Ha-neul and Nam Yu-ri, holding the device, demolished Iga Hyun¡¯s lower body. They were trying to find the soul stone amidst the scattering ashes. Lisa also joined in. Soon, she raised her head with a dark expression. ¡°I checked for any condensed magical reactions in the vicinity to see if anything fell around, but there¡¯s no detection.¡± The absence of soul stones around meant that ultimately Iga Hyun hadn¡¯t died; he had escaped just before dying. He slipped away unnoticed. The sense of impending doom was undeniable. ¡°Even when it seems like I¡¯ve killed everyone in the game and do one thing well, damn it¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t let her slip away like this. I had to capture her somehow. Fortunately, there was a clue to where she might have fled. ¡°She must be heading towards the gate to escape.¡± With her mana depleted even in her enchanted state, Lee Gahyun wouldn¡¯t have much strength left. It was obvious that she would return to her original world to preserve her soul and relay information about us to her main body. Luckily, the gate was set near the forest where we were. She was undoubtedly heading for the gate. ¡°We need to hurry to the gate.¡± I had to arrive before Lee Gahyun. I made a decision and spoke to the people around me. ¡°I¡¯m going to chase Lee Gahyun from now on. So, I need your help.¡± ¡°If a friend asks for help, how can we refuse! Sure, Dogyeonwoo! What do you need help with?¡± ¡°What? What? What? I¡¯m not usually one to be asked for favors, but it seems like something fun is going on, so I¡¯ll help out specially!¡± Yong Haerang and Nam Yoori readily agreed. Yeon Haneul and Lisa nodded in agreement. I instructed them. ¡°It¡¯s an urgent situation, so I won¡¯t explain in detail. I¡¯ll jump from a high place, using wind and force as propulsion to fly to where the gate is. Nam Yoori, can you raise the ground?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible with alchemy! I roughly understand what Dogyeonwoo is thinking! We just need to create a high jump platform, right? Luckily, there¡¯s a pile of ashes, so I can make it sturdy. Leave it to me!¡± Stepping on the ashes, Nam Yoori clapped her hands and brought them to the ground. Immediately, light spread from her, creating a platform. The mineral components scattered on the ground reacted, and a steep structure rose from the center of the platform created by Nam Yoori. ¡°God, please give a hammer to Yong Haerang. Yong Haerang, run with me to that point, carry me on the hammer, and throw me to where the gate is. Do you know the location of the gate?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that, but just throw me somehow by instinct! Don¡¯t worry!¡± ¡°¡­Right, you¡¯re bad with directions. God, please let her know the location of the gate. And when I fly over, create wind that I can use as propulsion.¡± ¡°Are you trying to do something dangerous again¡­ Just create wind? What about an explosion?¡± ¡°If you cast magic simultaneously, the effect will be diminished. So, ask Min Arin for the explosion. Min Arin, will you help?¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Why should I do as you say? Just because we fought together once, don¡¯t order me around. I don¡¯t even know what to believe and help you with, and if it¡¯s a runaway mine, I can catch her alone.¡± Min Arin, with her eyes narrowed, retorted sharply. Unlike the people I had a connection with, she, whom I met for the first time today, was not very friendly. ¡°Min Arin¡¯s personality is like this¡­ stubborn, with a high nose as a member of a prestigious family, strong competitive spirit, not used to receiving help from others, and always trying to solve things on her own. That¡¯s Min Arin¡¯s character.¡± In the game, her character changed from a shy timid girl to Min Arin after the first semester of the first year ended. ¡°How should I persuade Min Arin¡­ Would it be better to touch her pride?¡± Knowing the flow of the game, I wasn¡¯t particularly upset by Min Arin¡¯s attitude. Instead, I started to think about how to persuade her. But there was no need for that. Before I could say anything, Yeon Haneul convinced her. ¡°Are you not going to help?¡± ¡°¡­Ugh! If you help, it¡¯ll be fine! Just help! So, get rid of that!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeonnah lifted the sledgehammer she was about to hand over to Yongha to above her head. Then, turning her body towards Minarin, she unexpectedly decided to cooperate with her. Knowing her personality, it was nothing short of surprising for me. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Minarin isn¡¯t the type to act so composed when threatened, right?¡± Strange. Was there something between the two of them? I wanted to ask Yeonnah about it, but the urgency of the situation left no room for that. I decided to take it lightly. ¡°Then, Minarin, you can take on the role of flying with Haneul.¡± ¡°Ugh, fine. If my body were healed, I wouldn¡¯t be in this situation¡­¡± ¡°Flying is fine. But how will you land? It¡¯ll be tough to cushion the fall from a considerable height.¡± ¡°I had considered that. Lisa, can you cast a spell that will protect me from the impact of a fall?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I think that¡¯s possible. Yes, I will cast it.¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lastly, even Lisa lent her strength. With the protective spell from her, I stood in front of the sculpture with Yongha, wielding the sledgehammer. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± ¡°Yeah, just trust me!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I ran towards the sculpture. Yongha closely followed behind me. Soon, we leaped onto the sculpture and raced to the top. Before long, we reached the summit. ¡°Dogyunwoo!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I planted my foot on the sledgehammer Yongha was swinging with all his might, propelling me up into the night sky. ¡°Fly, Dogyunwoo! Pasha!¡± Below, Yeonnah and Minarin unleashed the magic they were casting. Strong winds and explosions pushed me high and far away. Meanwhile, Lisa¡¯s protective spell kicked in, shielding me from the damage caused by the propulsive magic. Crack! It was close to activating the Gift. My vision was instantly pushed back, my body spinning uncontrollably, my mind on the brink of dizziness, yet in that situation, I instinctively focused on evading death. Instinctively, I fought desperately to avoid death at all costs. No matter how much one may claim to be a skilled puppeteer, there are limits to what can be achieved through a puppet¡¯s physical abilities. Moreover, the performance of a doll containing a soul was notably lacking. Even if reinforced with one¡¯s own power, the potential possessed by the doll was beyond Igahyeon¡¯s control. Despite believing that the doll was capable enough to confront examinees, little did he know that not only would his true identity be exposed, but he would also be cornered by their joint attack. ¡°If I had faced them in person, or at least confronted them with my collection¡­¡± He wouldn¡¯t have fled like this. However, in the world of hunters, where death could come at any moment, such assumptions were meaningless. A single mistake, and facing death due to sheer bad luck, that was the essence of a hunter¡¯s life. A mine that violated the hunter¡¯s principles would particularly bring death closer. It was his own fault for not anticipating being cornered despite being aware of this. Hence, boasting of mental victory was not the way to go. It was far more beneficial to struggle frantically to survive in that time. Snap! ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± That¡¯s why Igahyeon found himself inside the body of a monster belonging to the weakest class, Rank 1, Picatail. A Rank 1 monster resembling a mix of a rabbit and a mouse. Just before a lightning bolt struck from the night sky, she had extracted a soul stone from the body and transferred her soul into the nearby Picatail¡¯s body. For her, who displayed obsessive attachment to a beautiful human form, the situation was nothing short of disgraceful and shameful. Snap! ¡°I have to escape before they notice.¡± It was not a pleasant appearance. How pitiful it was to struggle to live in such an unattractive form. She was disappointed in herself. It was pathetic. She felt like committing suicide. Yet, the reason she was running was that she was a puppet, not her true self. ¡°If my soul were to pass on to them, the me outside would be incomplete, imperfect.¡± Imperfection was not beautiful. The idea that her true self would become incomplete due to the puppet¡¯s death was even more intolerable than the current situation. That¡¯s why she was fleeing like this. Snap! ¡°Luckily, the gate is nearby, and Picatail is fast.¡± For Igahyeon, this was a relatively fortunate situation. If she could escape through the gate, she could establish contact through the connection path linked to her true self¡¯s soul and summon her true self. She would be complete. Meanwhile, she could also convey the events experienced at the gate to her true self. Snap! ¡°I¡¯m not disappointed for not seeing the disciple of Tugwi, but it wasn¡¯t a profitless endeavor. It¡¯s not just the disciple of Tugwi who needs to be cautious; other kids also possess significant potential.¡± One day, when they grow up to be hunters, they could become dangerous enemies. Or they could become reliable allies. Especially, the young swordsman, Dogyeonwoo, who pushed himself to this extent. Snap! ¡°Hmm, that kid is really something¡­¡± His potential is immeasurable. Although his mana seemed limited, he compensated for it by possessing sharp reflexes and combat instincts. He knew how to use his wits, and at times, he didn¡¯t hesitate to resort to any means to achieve his goals. He¡¯s a character suited for a villain. Snap! ¡°How can I twist that kid into becoming a villain¡­¡± His innocent face unintentionally evoked a protective instinct. Unfair. It aligns perfectly with his taste. Snap! ¡°I want to groom that kid as my partner. If I get bored, I could turn him into a part of my collection.¡± Truly an unexpected gain. Igahyeon was willing to leave this world, even if it meant informing Dogyeonwoo¡¯s whereabouts to the main body. She was soon about to emerge from the forest when she spotted a gate. Snap! ¡°Just need to get through that!¡± Night was turning into day. Soon, the night would pass. Not much time left. Igahyeon forcefully pounded the ground with the strength of a rabbit¡¯s legs. Around that time, a woman near the gate caught her eye. Snap! ¡°Move out of the way, you¡¯re in my path!¡± The woman had long hair. Judging by her attire, she didn¡¯t seem to be an evaluator. A student. No need to fear then. Igahyeon swiftly passed her, heading towards the gate. However, there were five things she overlooked due to her eagerness to return to her original world, neglecting to observe her surroundings properly. ¡­Snap? ¡°¡­Huh?¡± One, the fact that the woman stood alone in the forest teeming with monsters. Two, there were monster corpses or mana stones scattered around the woman. Three, it indicated the woman was quite skilled. Four, the heart of a woman who cannot sleep is deeply wounded. Lastly, five. The woman was Cha Eun-sol. Lee Ga-hyun finally realized her identity as she turned her body towards him, looking into her green eyes. Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, his mind was paralyzed. And Cha Eun-sol¡­ ¡°So, that¡¯s how it is with you?¡± She asked, her green eyes shining. But he didn¡¯t attempt to answer. To her, who had already grasped the situation through the spirits living in the forest, it was an unnecessary question. Yet, the question was asked to foreshadow the events to come. ©¤©¤©¤©¤!! Cha Eun-sol¡¯s hair fluttered. A fierce wind blew from behind her towards Lee Ga-hyun. Crack! Lee Ga-hyun couldn¡¯t withstand the wind. He barely escaped with his life. Collapsed on the ground, he lifted his head. ¡°Crack, it¡¯s noisy.¡± Cha Eun-sol was slowly approaching. Her eyes seemed to be saying that she wouldn¡¯t spare him. Crack¡­ ¡®Is this the end¡­¡¯ Facing a spirit, with her potential matching that of examinees who had fought so far, there was no way for him to escape. With this body, it was impossible. Lee Ga-hyun resigned himself to seeing her coming to kill him. It seemed like this was the end. That was what he thought. Crack? ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ A presence was felt above his head. A powerful energy was descending. With Cha Eun-sol in front of him, Lee Ga-hyun absentmindedly looked up at the night sky. As time passed under the stars and moon, dawn was breaking in the sky. From that sky¡­ £¼Beast King Style Attack Type 7£¾ Lion Roar Shingum Do-ga¡¯s Do-gyeonu. He was falling down. His lips moved. It seemed as if he was saying this. ¡°Found it.¡± ¡­he said. Doyeongwoo, falling towards himself, was showing a refreshing smile. It¡¯s unfair how he confidently wears a face that involuntarily makes you want to torment him. It rather makes you want to be tormented. Tap¡­. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± A face where elegance and mischief coexist. Truly, it¡¯s his taste. Since he¡¯s going to die anyway, wouldn¡¯t it be better to die by the hands of someone who fits his taste? She, who pursues beauty, suddenly leaped towards Doyeongwoo. Squeezing out the remaining strength she had, she sent her resolve to him. You truly fit my taste. I want to make you part of my collection. You, pass. ¡°¡­!¡± Doyeongwoo¡¯s face flinched. His face stiffened. But that too was short-lived. He struck back and opened his mouth. ¡°Yes, you fail.¡± A blue lightning bolt shot up. Igahyun left behind a soul stone and vanished. Chapter 82 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 81 Chapter 81 Post-Admission Test Gossip Finding Igahyun wasn¡¯t difficult. Because she, who had been pushed to the brink of death, hadn¡¯t refined her mana enough, she emitted the unique energy of a mage. Above all, there were only two presences detected near the gate, including her. Thanks to that, the trouble of checking each one individually through the status window was lessened. £¼Attack Style No.7 of Suwangryu£¾ Lion¡¯s Roar As soon as I confirmed her identity, I unfolded my swordsmanship without hesitation. Igahyeon, who transferred her soul into the body of a Rank 1 monster, Picatail, could not escape death this time. Her body was torn apart by the falling sword strikes, disappearing as it shredded into pieces, revealing the soul stone. Thus, her end was not only pitiful but also lacking in honor. ¡°From the start, an honorable death for a villain like her does not exist, but¡­.¡± In a way, as the death of a villain, it didn¡¯t seem so bad. Of course, the Igahyeon I killed was nothing more than a clone. As long as the original exists, her death is not the end of it. When I eventually confront her original self in the near future, she will not die so insignificantly. It will be a fierce battle. I decided not to boast just because I defeated her clone. I picked up the soul stone lying in the grass. ¡°Is this the soul stone.¡± Smaller than a fingertip. The soul stone, shaped like a sphere, emitted a bright light. It seemed as if a rainbow was embedded in a transparent blue crystal. [Incomplete Soul Stone of Doll Ghost Igahyeon] ¡ô Consumable Classification ¨DSoul Stone ¡ô Detailed Description ¨DA soul stone with a part of the soul of the Doll Ghost Igahyeon, a member of the Ma¡¯in Council, embedded in it. ¨DIt has value as a material for equipment production, but in its incomplete state, one should not expect much. ¡ô Detailed Effects ¨DWhen used as a material for equipment production, there is a 2% chance that the equipment being crafted will have a probability of a body enhancement option. (Success rate: 2% / Failure rate: 98%) It was indeed Igahyeon¡¯s soul stone. After double-checking in the status window, I could finally relax. Having killed her clone and weakened the abilities of her original self, my goal of lowering the difficulty level of future storylines was achieved. I soon turned my gaze to a new direction. The timing was truly perfect. I never expected her to be here. Among the two presences I first sensed, excluding Lee Gahyeon, there was one other individual. A female examinee with emerald eyes as precious as jewels was standing facing the gate. She was a key figure in the game. ¡°I only saw you from afar during the second test; this is the first time we¡¯re meeting face to face.¡± One of the main party members of the protagonist Kang Hanbyeol. A prominent family in the lineage of the Spirit Magic Clan, belonging to the Ten Great Families. Cha Eunsol, the lazy genius of the Cha clan. I approached her, who had assisted in capturing Lee Mine, thanking her. ¡°Thanks for your help. Because of you, we were able to catch Lee Mine who escaped easily.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cha Eunsol stared at me wordlessly. Her eyes were bright, and translucent animals surrounded her. Green eagles, red mice, yellow foxes, blue deer, and more¡­ The variety of animals was vast. They were spirits lending her their power. They seemed ready to attack me at any moment if she commanded them to. ¡°There have been mentions of many spirits gathering around Cha Eunsol, but seeing it like this, she¡¯s truly remarkable.¡± The capability of a Spirit Master depends on how many powerful spirits they command. How much love they receive, how well they synchronize with them, and how skillfully they can manage them are all crucial. In that regard, Cha Eunsol¡¯s ability was so outrageous that even someone like me, who knew little about Spirit Magic, could recognize it. In a different sense from Nam Yoori, she was a monster so far beyond human that one might question if she was truly human. ¡°And that monster could potentially destroy the world if she were to lose control.¡± In the game, there was an ending related to Cha Eunsol. Naturally, it was a bad ending. And one that led to destruction. Recalling the ending in my mind, I decided it was time to introduce myself. ¡°I am Dogyunwoo. If I say I¡¯m from the Shingeom Do Clan, you¡¯ll understand, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± From Noble mtl dot com Cha Eunsol remained silent. She continued to gaze at me quietly. With her lips tightly sealed, her face illuminating, it was impossible to read her emotions. It felt threatening. But knowing her personality, I wasn¡¯t nervous. ¡°Care to share your name as well?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As indicated by her title, ¡°lazy genius,¡± Cha Eunsol was exceptionally talented but disliked showcasing her abilities. She was inherently lazy. As a result, she found everything bothersome, disliked moving her body, preferred spending time leisurely, and enjoyed eating and sleeping. Unless provoked, she didn¡¯t show hostility. In reality, she wasn¡¯t a dangerous individual. As if nothing had happened. ¡°I am Cha Eun-sol.¡± Yi Ga-hyun was now dead and gone. While calming the spirits, Cha Eun-sol extinguished the radiant gleam in her eyes. Then, she abruptly turned away from me. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy. I¡¯m going to finish sleeping.¡± As if she couldn¡¯t care less, Cha Eun-sol flew up into the sky. She flew away at a rapid pace and soon disappeared into the distance. ¡°¡­That¡¯s Cha Eun-sol for you.¡± There would have been many questions about what had happened in the forest and why Main was here. Without expressing any doubts, she chose to leave. Perhaps she didn¡¯t want to get entangled in something that could become bothersome. So, she left without asking or investigating. On one hand, there was likely a reason behind her prioritizing her feeling of sleepiness in that action. I chuckled while looking at the dawning sky. ¡°Finally, you show up.¡± Around that time, I felt presences approaching where I was. It was highly probable that they were evaluators. The evaluators who had observed the test as Gate Eyes couldn¡¯t have missed the situation. Perhaps they had just arrived after tidying up the chaos in the forest. A moment later. ¡°Sorry for being late, examinee! Are you injured anywhere?¡± ¡°The Doll Ghost isn¡¯t visible. Where did it escape to now!?¡± As expected, the evaluators appeared. Covered in the blue blood of monsters, their hair disheveled from running, they urgently asked. I casually replied, ¡°It¡¯s already dead.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I killed it, so it¡¯s gone now.¡± ¡°Wait, what¡­ Is that true? Did the Soul Stone come out as well?¡± The evaluators, especially the person who seemed to be the supervisor of this test, were bewildered. They found it hard to believe that I had dealt with Yi Ga-hyun. To prove the defeat, I showed them the Soul Stone in my hand. ¡°If it¡¯s the Soul Stone, it¡¯s right here. Okay?¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­.¡± The Soul Stone shimmered with ignorance. After confirming the Soul Stone in my palm, the evaluators were all speechless. Then, the supervisor, who made an effort to compose himself, stuttered as he spoke. ¡°Well, nevertheless, it seems we should verify if that¡¯s really the Soul Stone of the Doll Ghost. Examinee, could you hand over the Soul Stone to us for verification?¡± Unlike me, who could check the item¡¯s information, others could confirm it emotionally. So, the supervisor¡¯s idea of thoroughly examining the soul stone to avoid being deceived by Iga Hyun and confusing it with another spirit stone was appropriate. However, I had no intention of complying. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that doesn¡¯t seem possible. After all, it¡¯s the loot I obtained.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not saying we¡¯ll take it, just that we¡¯ll check it briefly and return it¡­¡± ¡°I know, but it¡¯s valuable, and there might be another manifestation of the Doll Maiden. I¡¯m anxious.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, would it be alright if I entrusted the soul stone to another instructor?¡± ¡°Another instructor¡­ Who exactly are you referring to?¡± ¡°The Seven-Colored Witch.¡± ¡°¡­Hong Yena, the instructor?¡± ¡°Yes, although she¡¯s not in charge of evaluations, isn¡¯t she here to observe the exam? I¡¯ll have her take care of it.¡± How could I entrust the soul stone to any of the evaluators present here, in case there might be a spy from the Mine? At times like this, it was best to entrust it to someone trustworthy. In that sense, the Seven-Colored Witch, Hong Yena, was a suitable candidate. ? I will entrust the soul stone to Hong Yena. The evaluators did not oppose my decision. In the end, I had to find her, the one who had set out to evacuate the examinees. Perhaps due to the restless movements in the middle of the night, she looked tired. ¡°Do you have to bother me like this to feel satisfied? You could just ask the other instructors, not me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a witch present, why would I leave it to someone I don¡¯t know? Please, I¡¯m asking you.¡± ¡°Hmm. It doesn¡¯t make me feel good that I¡¯m trusted by you at all.¡± Despite grumbling outwardly, Hong Yena couldn¡¯t resist my request and accepted the soul stone. After brushing her short golden hair, she flashed me a look and disappeared beyond the gate. ¡°Is this finally settled?¡± Since Hong Yena had the soul stone, there was no need to worry. The question was how things would unfold after the emotional assessment of the soul stone was over. ¡°Director So Hye-ryul will probably find a way to fix things after the assessment, but¡­¡± Considering Director So Hye-ryul¡¯s personality, it seemed plausible, but it couldn¡¯t be entirely certain. Now, I had to patiently wait to see how she would react. Meanwhile, there was still some time left until the exam concluded. It wasn¡¯t over yet. The evaluators ran through the forest, shouting to inform everyone. ¡°All chaos has been resolved, so let¡¯s proceed with the exam as planned! Examinees, please check the information relayed through the Gate Watch. And examinee 1532.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Examinees who fought alongside the examinee may be hearing the story by now, but please do not disclose the incident of defeating the Doll Maiden. This applies even after the exam ends. It¡¯s not just to alleviate the examinees¡¯ and the world¡¯s anxiety, but also to prevent examinees from becoming targets of the Mine Council. Do you understand my words?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡± At that moment, the supervisor who had been watching over me gave me advice. I simply nodded without a word. It was something I had hoped for as well. As the game¡¯s story progresses, it was inevitable that I would become entangled with the Guild at some point, but I did not wish for it to happen now. ¡°Even so, I can¡¯t forever conceal the fact that I killed Lee Gahyun.¡± It was inevitable. Sooner or later, the truth would come to light in this world. When that time comes, Lee Gahyun would become aware of my existence. Therefore, I had to hope for delays as much as possible and strengthen myself to be able to confront her physical form when the time comes. First, I had to finish the exam. Conveniently, a message related to the exam had arrived on the Gate Watch. [Please proceed with the exam.] [End time is 9 a.m.] [There are no changes to the location of the set gate.] [Time remaining until the end of the exam] [03:34:27] Reading the message, I fell into deep thought. ¡°What should I do¡­¡± In reality, passing the exam was as good as guaranteed. With the exam tickets pinned to my clothes, I was easily surpassing 200 points. Even though the exam tickets I had set aside for the fight with Lee Gahyun were in Goeunbi¡¯s possession, the number I currently had was more than enough. My grades were likely to be secured. There was no need to snatch exam tickets from other examinees. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t have the energy for that¡­¡± I had used up a considerable amount of stamina and mana. I hadn¡¯t slept properly and was exhausted from fighting. Given my physical condition, it seemed better to rest comfortably until the exam ended. And it was at that moment. ¡°Ah! Found you! Gyenwoo!¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ You guys are here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved it ended well.¡± ¡°Dogyenwoo! I heard the story! They say you defeated her in the end!?¡± ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Goeunbi, Yeonhaneul, Yonghaerang, and Lisa, who had helped me defeat Lee Gahyun, emerged from the forest. Those who saw me showed welcoming faces. I, too, was glad to see them. However, Minarin and Namyuri were nowhere to be seen. ¡°Where are Minarin and Namyuri? Didn¡¯t they come with you guys?¡± ¡°Minarin said she¡¯s going to collect exam tickets for the remaining time, so we parted ways. Namyuri¡­ She said, ¡®Since there¡¯s no more Gyeonwoo here, and things seem settled, I¡¯m leaving! Bye, guys!¡¯ and she left.¡± Go Eunbi explained the situation. Her imitation of Namyuri¡¯s tone was witty. Soon, she handed me the baggage she had been holding. ¡°And I brought all the exam tickets! Here, Gyeonwoo, these are the ones you collected.¡± ¡°Oh, you kept them well. I was regretting not bringing these, so thanks.¡± ¡°Come on! Thanks to you, I collected a lot too!¡± I took the baggage Go Eunbi handed me. Inside were the exam tickets I had collected so far. With this, it seemed like I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the exams anymore. Then, Yeonha asked, ¡°You really collected a lot¡­ So, what are you going to do now?¡± Yeonha, marveling at the baggage. With her one question, the others turned their gaze towards me. ¡®It seems like I have to make a decision.¡¯ Everyone seemed to be waiting for my opinion. Even Yongha said, ¡°Hmm, as much as I¡¯d like to challenge you right now, we¡¯re not in the best condition, so we¡¯ll have to postpone it to next time.¡± Receiving their gazes, it felt both awkward and not unpleasant. I spoke up, ¡°It seems like everyone has collected the necessary exam tickets, and we must be exhausted from fighting, so let¡¯s find a place to rest peacefully.¡± ¡°Agreed! I¡¯m in favor!¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°If you say so, we have no choice.¡± ¡°I agree too.¡± The four of them readily agreed. Although they hadn¡¯t shown it until now, they seemed secretly tired as well. Well, after fighting fiercely in the middle of the night, they couldn¡¯t help but be tired. With an appropriate number of people and everyone being exceptionally skilled, we settled in an inconspicuous spot, taking turns to rest. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Gyeonwoo?¡± ¡°Hey! Do you know how much we suffered looking for exam tickets because of you!?¡± ¡°Do you understand the pain we went through searching for exam tickets in the middle of the night!?¡± ¡°Ah, be quiet¡­ Are you guys alive? Aren¡¯t you tired? Shouldn¡¯t you rest too?¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s no way we¡¯re not tired. I¡¯m so sleepy I could go crazy right now.¡± ¡°Can we rest there too?¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s only Gyeonwoo! Thank you!¡± ¡°It went well. Let¡¯s start with the lookout first.¡± ¡°¡­Was there a hidden agenda behind this?¡± ¡°If you think so¡­¡± ¡°Oh my¡­ I came all the way for nothing.¡± Midway, the triplets also showed up. Thanks to them, the burden of standing guard decreased significantly. I assigned them to keep watch while I slept with the others. The shade was cool and the breeze was refreshing, making it easy to fall asleep. As time passed. [The exam is now over.] ¡°All examinees, please proceed to the gate with your exam tickets.¡± ¡°The exam has concluded. Engaging in combat among examinees post-exam may result in penalties.¡± Finally, the exam came to an end. Upon hearing the Gate Watch¡¯s alarm, we gathered our belongings and got up. Evaluation officials were checking exam tickets in front of the gate. We stood in line, waiting our turn and approached the officials. ¡°Examinee number 1532, you have passed. You¡¯ve worked hard during the exams. Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, you will likely be the top scorer in the 5th practical exam.¡± ¡°Is that so? Can I leave through the gate now?¡± ¡°Yes, you may leave. However¡­¡± Now, I could return to my original world. I planned to wash up at the hotel in the Academy City, lie down in bed, and rest. Just as I was about to confirm my pass and leave through the gate. The evaluator added. ¡°Examinee 1532¡­ No, Examinee Do Gyoun.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They said to have you meet the director as soon as you exit.¡± The director of Geumgang Academy. The Witch of the Stars, So Hye Ryul. Finally, she made her move. Chapter 83 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 82 Chapter 82 As I exited the gate, a woman in a suit was waiting for me. She had a stern air about her, even towards herself. She greeted me, handing over her business card. ¡°Excuse me, are you Doh Yeongwoo, the exam candidate? I¡¯m Oh Seung-a, the secretary of the chairman. You might have heard about it at the gate, but could you spare some time?¡± Secretary of the Chairman¡¯s Office, Oh Seung-a. She was a character who had been mentioned a few times, although she had never appeared directly in the game. Mainly through So Hye-ryul¡¯s mouth. ¡°So Hye-ryul.¡± ¡°Seung-a, I have a favor to ask¡­¡± ¡°So Hye-ryul.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, Seung-a, the secretary, will take care of it.¡± ¡°So Hye-ryul.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s guidance, leave it to Secretary Oh Seung-a.¡± As can be understood from So Hye-ryul¡¯s lines, Oh Seung-a took care of her trivial matters, faithfully following orders. ¡°I¡¯ll be meeting her often in the future, so I should remember her face.¡± Black hair falling to her shoulders and elegant features. Although there was no separate illustration design in the game, she was quite beautiful. It shouldn¡¯t be hard to remember. I replied to her, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m free now.¡± ¡°Thank you. Then let me guide you to the chairman¡¯s office.¡± From now on, I am going to meet So Hye-ryul. I decided to follow Oh Seung-a. It seemed like I had to say goodbye to the people who had come out of the gate with me here. ¡°You all did well in the exam. I have to go for an investigation now. The results haven¡¯t come out yet, but you all must have passed. See you at the academy.¡± ¡°Thank you! See you next time!¡± ¡°Yeongwoo, you worked hard on the exam! Take the investigation well! I¡¯ll contact you soon!¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s meet at the academy.¡± Yong Haerang, Go Eunbi, Lisa, and the triplets hope to meet again. Yeon Haneul seemed to be following me. ¡°Yeongwoo, I also want to go with¡­¡± ¡°Haneul, don¡¯t wait for no reason, go back to the hotel. You won¡¯t be able to stay with the chairman alone if you come along, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sorry, but the person the chairman called is only Doh Yeongwoo, the exam candidate.¡± ¡°You heard that, right? You must be tired, so go rest first.¡± ¡°But¡­ Alright, I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. See you later.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t put your hand on your head. Your hair will get messy.¡± The younger sky, as if reluctant to part with me, reluctantly nodded. I placed my chin and hand on her head. Though she pouted as if displeased, she didn¡¯t push away my touch. After caressing her like that, I followed Oh Seung-ah. And thus, we arrived at the office of the headmaster. ¡°Headmaster, this is Oh Seung-ah. I have brought the examinee, Do Gyun-woo, here.¡± ¡°Yes, come in.¡± The headmaster¡¯s office was located on the top floor of the office of education, inside Oh Seung-ah¡¯s secretary¡¯s office. When Oh Seung-ah knocked on the door, So Hye-ryul¡¯s voice could be heard from inside. ¡°You may enter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Oh Seung-ah opened the door to the headmaster¡¯s office. I stepped inside through the door she opened. ¡°Welcome, Do Gyun-woo. Or should I call you Do Gyun-woo, the student whose acceptance is all but confirmed?¡± ¡°¡­Hello, Headmaster.¡± So Hye-ryul, the Witch of the Stars. She welcomed me warmly as she sat on the sofa, sipping coffee. She gave me a bright smile. ¡°Come, have a seat. Seung-ah, the secretary, please bring some snacks and drinks so that Do Gyun-woo can enjoy them during our conversation.¡± ¡°Understood, Headmaster. Do Gyun-woo, what would you like to drink?¡± So Hye-ryul, seated in the main seat. She gestured to the seat next to her. I sat in the seat she indicated and asked Oh Seung-ah. ¡°A cola, please.¡± *** A cola with floating ice cubes was served. So Hye-ryul suggested I help myself to the snacks on the table without hesitation. Feeling a bit hungry, I accepted her offer and reached for a cookie. It was a rare delicacy not easily found in stores, fitting the dignity of a headmaster. Of course, to someone like me from the Divine Gate, it wasn¡¯t that rare. ¡°Delicious.¡± Unlike snacks from convenience stores, it had a less pronounced taste of artificial flavoring and a deeper richness. Enjoying the texture that melted gently in my mouth, I ate as my hand moved on its own. Drinking the cold cola, the refreshing sensation cooled my body. So Hye-ryul smiled at me and chatted cheerfully. ¡°The performance Do Gyun-woo showed in the exam was actually known to us through evaluations from the judges beforehand. In the first test, he used the conflicting effects of mana with opposing attributes to open five iron gates, in the second test, he reached the summit of the Misty Mountain within the time limit by reverse-utilizing an explosion trap, and in the third test, he teamed up with two others to gather chips. As for the test I designed for the fourth round, he anticipated and prepared for the exam content in advance, right?¡± So Hye-ryul, with legs crossed, wearing a snug suit. She was small in stature, narrow-shouldered, and lacked the dignity befitting a director. Yet, an aura that couldn¡¯t be taken lightly surrounded her. From her lips came a recounting of my past performances in the exams. Listening to my story directly from her was somewhat unsettling. At the same time, I could tell she was observing me, perhaps aware that she was the one behind the planning of the 4th practical exam. ¡°I expected that your performance would catch the director¡¯s eye, naturally. Maybe not just me, but even Haneul, Yongha, Minarin, Nam Yuri, Chaeunsol, and Lisa were being noticed. Did Eunbi¡­ notice? Since we acted together in the 3rd practical exam, she might have figured it out. By the way, the 4th practical exam was planned by So Hye Ryul¡­.¡± It seemed unusually picky. From Noble mtl dot com I could finally understand. Then, as she finished her lengthy tale alone and took a sip of her iced Americano through a straw, she set the cup down and spoke. Her tone remained composed. However, the content of her words was sharp. ¡°And not only did you find and defeat the mine that infiltrated the exam hall in the final 5th exam, but I was truly surprised to hear that you defeated it. Moreover, it was one of the Mine Council¡¯s six horses, the Doll Ghost Girl Yi Gahyun, that you defeated. It was quite intriguing.¡± ¡°It was a clone, and besides me, others also helped. That¡¯s how we could defeat it.¡± ¡°Even though it was a clone, no one has ever managed to defeat the Doll Ghost Girl¡¯s clone? She is adept at concealing her identity and was a highly vigilant mine. Yet, an examinee who is not even a student managed to defeat her and secure the Soul Stone¡­. Do Gyungwoo can hold his head high with confidence. His skills are such that he wouldn¡¯t be out of place as an active hunter right now.¡± ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡± ¡°However.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite fascinating, isn¡¯t it? How on earth could Do Gyungwoo, a mere examinee, figure out the identity of the Doll Ghost Girl whose body he took over? If you check the footage on Do Gyungwoo¡¯s screen choker, it seems he knew about the Doll Ghost Girl even before she transformed into a mine¡­.¡± I¡¯m really curious, won¡¯t you tell me? Although So Hye Ryul trailed off without finishing her sentence, her smiling eyes seemed to be saying just that. Contrary to appearances, she was trying to read my inner thoughts. ¡°I had anticipated this outcome.¡± I wasn¡¯t surprised. It was a situation I had been prepared for from the start. By finding and defeating Yi Gahyun, there was no way she or the evaluators wouldn¡¯t suspect me. Despite anticipating that I would be under suspicion, I didn¡¯t hesitate. To weaken the real Yi Gahyun, and to instill vigilance about mines in the instructors of Geumgang Academy who would face various incidents in the future. What should I say? But I couldn¡¯t reveal my true intentions. In a world based on a game I enjoyed in my past life, claiming to know the future events would be foolish. Even if there was a need to mention it, there had to be absolute trust. I couldn¡¯t trust her to that extent, considering her ambiguous position as either antagonist or protagonist. I spoke the words I had thought out. ¡°I just bluffed about the Doll Ghost Girl being there.¡± ¡°It was a bluff?¡± ¡°Yes. The situation was oddly strange at that time. The monsters on different papers were moving as if following someone¡¯s orders, without any clashes, and when Yi Gahyun controlled the monsters while facing me, I had a hunch that she might be a mine.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But she looked like an examinee on the outside, right? So I thought about which mine I know could disguise themselves as someone else¡­.¡± ¡°The Doll Ghost Girl came to mind.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. So I prodded it out of curiosity, and it turned out to be the Doll Ghost Girl.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± I acted as nonchalant as possible. Sohyeryul narrowed her eyes and stared at me intently. ¡°To be caught off guard like this, you were quite lucky. Or should I say unlucky in this case?¡± Sohyeryul quipped. Having reigned as the director for a long time, spanning several decades, she was a seasoned individual. She was not one to take my words at face value. It was clear she harbored suspicions about me. Nevertheless, I maintained my composure. ¡°Well, I do have a bit of bad luck.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± From what I knew, Sohyeryul was a character who didn¡¯t hesitate to use any means necessary to achieve her goals, even willing to sacrifice others at times. She manipulated both good and evil without hesitation. Thus, in the game, she supported Kang Hanbyeol while also subjecting him to trials. That was the kind of person she was. Therefore, what mattered to her at the moment was not how I knew about Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s identity. ¡°It¡¯s probably about whether I¡¯ll be of help to her plans or not.¡± I could read Sohyeryul¡¯s intentions. Sure enough, she didn¡¯t deviate from my expectations. ¡°In that case, I suppose that¡¯s how it is.¡± Sohyeryul withdrew her suspicious gaze as if to say, ¡°When did I doubt you?¡± She had judged that I could be of assistance and decided to use me. For me, it was a good thing. She saw value in me, just as she did with Kang Hanbyeol in the game, so in the future, I would handle the aftermath of the incidents without worry. ¡°I can go about my business without concern.¡± Of course, she would try to take advantage of me to the fullest. It didn¡¯t matter. It was fine. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I could handle enough to navigate through the game¡¯s story. Soon, Sohyeryul changed the subject. ¡°Though Student Dogyeonwoo may already be aware, we won¡¯t publicize this incident. We want to protect the honor of Geumgang Academy, but above all, we want to protect the students. If this incident were to leak outside, not only Student Dogyeonwoo but also those involved and even the academy students would attract excessive attention. There may be gains, but there will be more losses.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you understand. However, we won¡¯t ignore Student Dogyeonwoo¡¯s efforts and keep silent. We plan to compensate Student Dogyeonwoo and those involved in this incident with a certain amount of Geumgang Coins. We need to discuss the exact amount, but you can receive it without regret. And¡­.¡± Sohyeryul took something out of her pocket and placed it on the table. It was a soulstone. ¡°This is the soulstone of the Doll Ghost Girl, emotionally sealed through Instructor Hong Yena. Although it¡¯s not in the best condition, a soulstone remains unchanged. All rewards obtained in the tests belong to Geumgang Academy, and depending on their value, they are exchanged for money. Soulstones are no exception. However, since this incident doesn¡¯t necessitate strict adherence to the rules, we will show flexibility and allow you to choose between monetary value or Geumgang Coins. Which one would Student Dogyeonwoo prefer?¡± ¡°Is it impossible to receive the soulstone?¡± As I mentioned earlier, I would prefer not to deviate from the rules, but¡­ in reality, this is also for Student Dogyeonwoo¡¯s benefit. The Doll Ghost Girl can share consciousness with her avatars. Through the soulstone, she can also share consciousness. Currently, it¡¯s being magically blocked, but if Student Dogyeonwoo were to possess it, the Doll Ghost Girl would recognize his presence and likely target him. So, I think it¡¯s better for me to handle this appropriately.¡± Sohyeryul persuaded me with a convincing argument. If I possess Igahyun¡¯s Soulstone, I will definitely not let her go unnoticed. In a way, her Soulstone to me was no different from the misfortunes that lay ahead. ¡°Still, receiving her Soulstone for money or coins doesn¡¯t appeal to me¡­.¡± It would be nice to have plenty of Golden Coins to spend at Geumgang Academy. However, as I had agreed to receive separate coins as compensation for defeating Igahyun, there was a tinge of regret. So, I decided to negotiate. ¡°Then, is there another form in which I can receive the Soulstone, not money or coins?¡± ¡°Another form?¡± ¡°Like Law Stones or Artifacts.¡± ¡°You seek a reward that can substantially strengthen yourself. Hm¡­.¡± Receiving a reward from So Hye-ryul was not a common occurrence. I couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. She pondered over my request without showing any displeasure. Eventually, she made a decision. ¡°Student Dogyeon Woo was from the swordsmanship lineage, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, how about this? I think you¡¯ll like this.¡± So Hye-ryul took off a ring that was on her finger. It was a silver ring with a blue gem embedded in it. ¡°This is¡­.¡± ¡°This is an Artifact that has been of great help to me until I reached this position. I no longer need it now that I¡¯ve reached a certain level. In terms of its effect¡­.¡± So Hye-ryul explained about the Artifact. I listened attentively to her words and checked the information on the status window. [Ring of Clarity] ¡ô Equipment Type ¨D Accessory (Ring) ¡ô Detailed Description ¨D Ring of Star Witch So Hye-ryul ¨D Contains the power to purify impurities in the body¡¯s mana, enhancing mana efficiency. ¡ô Detailed Effects ¨D For mana levels below 80, Mana +4 ¨C When worn, it increases the power of all skills below level 8 that consume mana by 20%. ¨C When worn, it decreases the mana consumption of all skills below level 8 by 20%. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± It was an artifact that hadn¡¯t been mentioned in the game before. Among other effects, the fact that it increases the magic power by 4 is remarkable. For someone like me who was struggling due to low magic power, there was no better artifact than this. It¡¯s a shame that there are restrictions. ¡°How about it? Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes, I love it.¡± There¡¯s no need to consider anything else. I was captivated by the Ring of Clarity. Sohyerul observed my reaction and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on whether it suits me in the future. I¡¯ll be counting on you, Student Dogyeon.¡± ¡ª After putting on the Ring of Clarity, my magic power stat rose to 54. As I checked my status window, I couldn¡¯t help but raise the corners of my mouth. With that expression, I left the president¡¯s office. After being escorted by Secretary Oh Seung-ah and arriving at the secretary¡¯s office, I could see Yeon Haneul standing next to the door. ¡°Did something good happen? You¡¯re smiling so brightly.¡± ¡°Oh, Haneul. Were you waiting for me? You should¡¯ve gone back first.¡± ¡°I was planning to do that at first¡­ but I just wanted to wait.¡± Yeon Haneul peeled herself off the wall and approached my side. I felt grateful to her for waiting for me. ¡°So why were you smiling?¡± ¡°I received this from the president.¡± ¡°A ring? Oh, it¡¯s an artifact.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ring that enhances mana efficiency.¡± ¡°You got something good. Well done. You always complained about lacking mana in your body, although I didn¡¯t think it was that lacking when I observed you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not making much sense, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a wizard, and you¡¯re a swordsman. Anyway, congratulations on your acquisition.¡± She held my left hand and closely examined the Ring of Clarity on my ring finger. Then, she genuinely expressed her joy. ¡°The president will give you guys something too. Not an artifact, but he mentioned giving you Adamantine Coins.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Others will be thrilled. How many Adamantine Coins will he give?¡± ¡°He said he¡¯ll let you know later¡­ but you can expect to receive a generous amount.¡± ¡°It was worth the effort. That being said, let¡¯s go back to the hotel soon. I¡¯m tired. I want to wash up.¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go. I¡¯m tired too.¡± ¡°Since you waited for me, I¡¯ll take a bath first. I¡¯ll clean the tub too.¡± ¡°Alright. Go ahead. Aren¡¯t you hungry? I brought these snacks from the director¡¯s office. Want some?¡± ¡°Wow, snacks? Thanks, I¡¯ll enjoy them.¡± ¡°There are a few more, so feel free to finish them all. It¡¯s my way of saying thanks for waiting.¡± Yeonnah ate the snacks I offered and kept twitching her rabbit-like ears. As she eagerly accepted the snacks from the bag, she looked adorable and lovely. It was like feeding a rabbit. ¡°Oh, right. Earlier, Eunbi asked if we¡¯re free for dinner tonight.¡± ¡°Tonight? Why?¡± ¡°She suggested a get-together for those who took the exam together. Seems like quite a few will join¡­ What do you think? Will you go?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going?¡± ¡°Well, among the people we know, there are the twins, Lisa, and Yongha.¡± Planning a get-together like this, Eunbi truly is a social butterfly. I nodded as I listened to Yeonnah¡¯s story. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. It¡¯s a chance to get to know them better, so we shouldn¡¯t miss it.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll let Eunbi know.¡± ¡°But how will you tell her?¡± ¡°When you left earlier, the ones remaining exchanged numbers. I even created a group chat.¡± ¡°Hmm, Yeonnah¡­ You made lots of friends while I wasn¡¯t around.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re closer to them than I am. I¡¯ll invite you to the group chat now.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks.¡± And so, as the entrance exams came to an end, we returned to the hotel. In the evening, under Eunbi¡¯s lead, we had a great time with the people we met during the exams at the get-together. ¡°Wow¡­ There are so many people here?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a true socialite. I guess everyone here is Eunbi¡¯s friend?¡± ¡°Yeonnah! Gyunwoo! Over here!¡± ¡°Oh, Gyunwoo! I saved your seat!¡± ¡°Both of you, come on. It¡¯s refreshing to meet here. What would you like to drink, Yeonnah?¡± ¡°Hey! Why are you so late!?¡± ¡°We tried to contact you but got no response!¡± ¡°Should we be late?¡± And so, during the allowed stay in the academy city, we rested. The day to return home dawned. Chapter 84 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 83 Chapter 83 After the entrance exam for Geumgang Academy was over, quite some time had passed. The doppelg?nger, created by splitting his own soul, had not returned. If it were in this world, one should have been able to share sight, memory, sensation, and location through the paths inherent in the soul, but even that was impossible. Unless the doppelg?nger was inside the gate, by now, he had to be aware. Lee Gahyeon had to accept reality. ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± For some reason unknown, it seemed her doppelg?nger had been exposed. And faced death. The reason she couldn¡¯t detect the Soul Stone was likely due to someone concealing it from her detection. Naturally, the probability was high that this someone was affiliated with Geumgang Academy. ¡°How did I get caught¡­?¡± Somewhere in the academy city slum. Sitting on the stairs with her buttocks, she gazed sadly at the night sky. She touched the ground with her hand, and her red shoes seemed as if they were about to come off, shaking her legs as if about to kick them off. Unlike the mainland, the night sky of the academy city was densely packed with stars. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have made a mistake¡­¡± How on earth was she exposed? Who noticed? Above all, who killed her? A test taker? The academy¡¯s instructors? Lee Gahyeon paid no attention to the gazes of those groping for her in the darkness, lost in thought. However, in a situation where she couldn¡¯t know how the Geumgang Academy entrance exam had proceeded, with limited information, she knew nothing. In the end, her mind was in turmoil. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Lee Gahyeon embraced herself, hugging her legs tightly. Burying her face between her knees, she sobbed, her shoulders trembling. Tears flowed, smudging her makeup, knowing they made her look pitiful, yet she cried and laughed. Beauty is perfection. But having lost a part of her soul, she was now an imperfect being. Therefore, she was not beautiful. She couldn¡¯t bear that fact. From now on, there would forever be an irreplaceable void in her soul. No matter how she beautified herself, even if she entered a beautiful doll, that fact wouldn¡¯t change. She harbored so much resentment towards whoever had made her like this. In her heart, she wanted to find them and kill them. But since she couldn¡¯t identify the other party, and Geumgang Academy was keeping their lips sealed, it was an impossible task. And she, too, had to remain silent. Because she couldn¡¯t let the world know that she was no longer beautiful. If you want to keep it a secret, don¡¯t tell anyone. Especially those who are adored as gods of the flesh alongside you. The moment your imperfections are exposed, they¡¯ll sneer and mock you. ¡°Who are you? Who are you¡­.¡± Honestly, I feel like going crazy. It¡¯s maddening. Unable to suppress the sadness and hatred, uncontrollable emotions are trying to surface. Those emotions lead to self-harm. Yi Gahyun realized she was pinching her own arm with her nails. Nail marks appeared on her uncovered skin beneath the red dress fabric. ¡°No, this is not right.¡± No matter how overwhelming emotions may be, they shouldn¡¯t be allowed to harm oneself. It¡¯s an ugly thing to do. She was on the brink of getting hurt. Struggling to regain composure, Yi Gahyun touched the area where nail marks were left. However, the emotions couldn¡¯t be contained and were still bursting out. ¡°¡­.¡± Emotions burn through her body. She wants to destroy, shatter, and kill something visible right now. Yi Gahyun is consumed by impulsiveness. It was then that the people who had been watching her from the darkness appeared. ¡°Pretty sister, why are you crying there? Did you get betrayed by a man?¡± ¡°To get betrayed by scum like that. If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°The pain caused by meeting the wrong man should be healed by meeting a good man! How about it? Want to go there with us and have a fun change of mood?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Emerging from a dim place, Yi Gahyun found herself surrounded by men who didn¡¯t seem well-mannered, near the steps where she was sitting. They looked down at her, each revealing sinister emotions. She stared at them blankly, responding with a smile as if in agreement. ¡°Sure, maybe a change of mood is needed.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Feisty, huh? I knew it since I saw you in that outfit¡­¡± There¡¯s nothing more dreadful than being courted by those who are not beautiful. Especially when makeup smears, revealing an unattractive face, it¡¯s embarrassing, shameful, and makes you want to disappear. Even without that, Yi Gahyun wanted to relieve an irresistible impulse. Standing up with thoughts different from what they expected, she reached out to touch the man who approached her. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even after his head was severed, the man remained alive for a brief moment. His head, spinning round and round, let out a short sound as his eyes widened. His head rolled down the stairs where Yi Gahyun stood, stepping on it. Swoosh! Blood gushed like a fountain from the side of the man¡¯s neck where a head was belatedly attached. In the extremely sudden situation, the stiffened men finally sensed the crisis. ¡°R-Run¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Where are you running off to, playing with me?¡± They faced an opponent they couldn¡¯t handle. Realizing the gap in abilities, the men, unable even to mourn their fallen comrade, desperately tried to flee. Yet, they could not escape death. For the invisible thread had already encircled them. Swoosh! As the men touched the thread, they cleanly fell apart, meeting their demise. Those who had just realized the thread¡¯s existence saw Lee Gahyun herself manipulating it to end lives. Their bodies either dropped to the ground or rolled down the stairs, decorating the area like a sea of blood. ¡°Tasteless, disappointing.¡± From Noble mtl dot com Lee Gahyun skimmed the blood splattered on her face with her fingers, then licked it with her tongue. The source of the blood was unknown, but the mana contained within was meager. She subtly furrowed her brow, observing the stairs where blood flowed like a red carpet. ¡°Still, I feel somewhat relieved.¡± Tap-tap. Descending the stairs, stepping on the dark red blood with crimson shoes, she murmured to herself. ¡°I wonder who killed me? Was it a disciple of the Tu¡¯gui? An academy instructor? Or maybe¡­¡± Another student. She muttered to herself. With the sound of her heels echoing, she vanished into the darkness of the slum. ¡ª Dogyeongwoo left for the Academy City to take the entrance practical exam. He thought it would be fine since he would only be away for two weeks, but as time passed, his family felt his absence more keenly. ¡°I wonder how much I¡¯ll miss him once he enters the academy.¡± Dogyeongwoo¡¯s father, Dosangjun, let out a bitter smile. Though he had mentally prepared for the day his son would grow up and leave his embrace, it seemed he was still not fully ready. Well, perhaps it was only natural. He had watched that tiny clot grow for 17 years, even nurtured it with his own hands, so it was not easy to let him go so easily. For him and his wife Han Jiae, those 17 years were a culmination of time, memories in themselves. Now standing alone in the world, he felt proud and dignified yet also filled with a sense of loss. While he felt this way, Han Jiae yearned for their son daily. ¡°Is he doing well on the exam¡­ I can¡¯t help worrying if he¡¯s gotten hurt somewhere.¡± ¡°You know how skilled Gyenwoo is by now. Where would he possibly get hurt? He¡¯s more likely to cause accidents than be involved in one. Plus, Haneul is by his side, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°True¡­ It¡¯s somewhat reassuring having Haneul next to him. If Gyenwoo were alone¡­¡± Starting from five years ago. Han Jiae, who had stuck to short hair, often received swordsmanship lessons from him. On that day, as she was learning swordsmanship from Doh Gyenwoo, she expressed her concerns about him. As always, Do Sangjun tried to comfort her, who was worrying. Yet, the hearts of parents worrying about their child could not be helped. However, neither she nor he could completely let go of their worries about their son. Fortunately, the fact that they didn¡¯t have no contact with him at all was a relief. They communicated with him through social media. [Sonny]: Arrived at the academy city. : [Sonny]: Perfect score on the qualification exam! [Sonny]: (Photo of a black exam ticket) Since leaving for the academy city, Do Gyenwoo had been updating them once a day on how things were going. He seemed to be taking the exams smoothly and making progress. However, after sending a message that he was going to take the 3rd exam, the contact was cut off. From the 3rd to the 5th practical exam, they were conducted consecutively at a gate where smartphones were not allowed. ¡°Hope nothing happens to Gyenwoo.¡± ¡°No news is good news.¡± Hoping for the exams to end soon. Han Jiae and Do Sangjun eagerly awaited the day their son would contact them. Finally, a message arrived from their son. [Sonny]: I did well on the exam. The results haven¡¯t been announced yet, but I¡¯m sure I passed. And the evaluators say I¡¯ll be first in the 5th exam. [Me]: Really? You must have worked hard taking the exam. Everything went smoothly, right? [?Our Lady?]: You¡¯re not hurt anywhere, right? You¡¯re coming home on Sunday, right? [Sonny]: Yes, everything¡¯s been resolved. [Son-nye-mi]: I still have some days left on my stay permit in the academy city, so I¡¯ll rest a bit more here and go back on Sunday. [Son-nye-mi]: I¡¯m not injured! [Daughter-nye-mi]: Oppa-bba!!! Bring something tasty on your way back!!! And well done on your exams! After receiving a call from Do Gyun-woo after a few days, Do Sang-jun and Han Ji-ae could finally breathe a sigh of relief. They were reassured that he did well on his exams and, most importantly, that he was healthy. Meanwhile, he also sent them pictures of him having fun with friends he made during the exams. [Son-nye-mi]: (After-party picture) [Son-nye-mi]: Celebrating the end of exams with the kids S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Me]: Oh, are those people there the new friends you made this time? [?Our Lady?]: They¡¯re all pretty and handsome^^ But our son is the best! [Son-nye-mi]: Not all of them¡­ There¡¯s Go Eun-bi, a friend who has a lot of friends. She brought them all. Despite worrying that Do Gyun-woo might not make many friends due to not showing much interest in others apart from a few people, it seemed that their concerns were unfounded. Do Sang-jun and Han Ji-ae were pleased to see the friends their son made during the exams. They were preparing to welcome their son back from the academy city. ¡°Yes, hello?¡± ¡°Hello. Are you Do Gyun-woo¡¯s father?¡± ¡°Yes, but who is this?¡± Do Sang-jun received a call. He felt puzzled being addressed as Do Gyun-woo¡¯s father by the person on the other end of the line. Soon, puzzlement turned into astonishment. ¡°I am So Hye-ryul, the director of Geumgang Academy where Do Gyun-woo will be attending in the future.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± So Hye-ryul, the Witch of the Stars. Why would she, who held significant influence not only in the academy city but globally, be calling? Do Sang-jun doubted his ears. Yet, he couldn¡¯t shake off the unease. ¡°Really¡­ Are you the director?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°The Director for some reason¡­.¡± The accumulated experience of five years was strongly signaling to him. It seemed like his son had been involved in something significant. The prediction was unexpectedly accurate. [In fact, during this exam, student Dogyeonwoo¡­.] ¡°¡­.¡± In summary, So Hye-ryul¡¯s phone call was roughly like this. The infamous Lee Gahyun, also known as the Doll Ghost, took the examinee¡¯s body and secretly sneaked into the exam. His son Dogyeonwoo discovered her true identity during the 5th exam and took action against her. Geumgang Academy decided to offer him a token of appreciation for his actions. However, the fact that he had dealt with Lee Gahyun will not be disclosed to the public. This is not only to prevent the academy¡¯s reputation from being tarnished but also to ensure that his existence remains hidden from Lee Gahyun¡¯s true self. Nevertheless, it seemed necessary to explain the situation to his parents, his guardians, and seek their understanding, so he made the phone call. ¡°hahahaha¡­. Gyenwoo¡­ did that¡­.¡± [Yes, your son is truly remarkable.] ¡°hahahahaha¡­.¡± Do Sang-jun was almost beside himself. Even if Dogyeonwoo had caused an incident, he had handled it quite drastically. To think he would commit an act that could make him a target of the Doll Ghost. It was so astonishing and absurd that all he could do was laugh bitterly. ¡°Son, you didn¡¯t say there was any problem¡­.¡± Was the message that everything had been resolved meant to be taken in this way? Do Sang-jun shook his shoulders. If this rascal of a son indeed entered the academy, what kind of trouble would he cause there? As the one who would have to deal with it, only sighs welled up in him. ¡°Do you have to make things so difficult for me?¡± Truly, a troublemaker of a son. Chapter 85 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 84 Chapter 84 Illustration After the Geumgang Academy entrance exam had ended, quite some time had passed. On the way back home from the Academy City, they used the Warp Gate that the triplets had sung about so much. Just by traversing the blue dimension, we were able to arrive at the high-speed terminal station in an instant. ¡°Wow¡­. We really arrived so quickly?¡± ¡°It was worth spending the money.¡± ¡°So true. It¡¯s worth the money.¡± ¡°What are you saying? You guys act like you¡¯re the ones who paid. Didn¡¯t I use the warp gate because the family sponsored you too?¡± ¡°Ah, the mighty dogyeon!¡± ¡°Truly the great hope of the Shingyeom Do!¡± ¡°Loyalty! Loyalty! I¡¯ll be loyal forever!¡± ¡°By the way, Heavens, are you feeling okay? No queasiness or anything?¡± ¡°Yeah, I feel fine. How about you, Gyunwoo?¡± It was almost unbelievable that we had been in the Academy City just a while ago. Both I and Yeonha and the triplets were greatly surprised. Among those who pass through the warp gate, some occasionally feel a sense of unfamiliarity when dimension shifting, causing a kind of queasiness, but none of us experienced that. On the other hand, we got off at a station near our homes by taking the subway. Since we all lived in the same neighborhood, it felt like we were heading home. However, we had to part ways with the triplets as our directions diverged. ¡°Gyunwoo! Heavens! See you next time then!¡± ¡°Go in and rest well!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard studying for the exam!¡± ¡°Yeah, good luck going in.¡± ¡°Take care, guys.¡± The triplets waved their hands as they walked away dragging a large suitcase. Yeonha and I watched them leave, then walked home. ¡°It¡¯s a hilly path, isn¡¯t the suitcase heavy? Here, let me carry it for you.¡± ¡°I enchanted it to be lightweight¡­ But still, I¡¯ll leave it to you. Thank you. Is your mother at home? How about Ye-eun?¡± ¡°My dad came home early today because I was coming.¡± ¡°It seems like your father really missed you. I¡¯ll come to give you guys some souvenirs from the Academy City soon, okay?¡± ¡°Or how about going to our house for dinner?¡± ¡°I have the caregivers waiting for me at the orphanage. I¡¯ll have dinner with them.¡± ¡°Right, that¡¯s true. Got it. Make sure to come by so that my family, including Heavens, can see you. Can you make it tomorrow? Or the weekend.¡± ¡°I can come tomorrow or the weekend.¡± ¡°Then come tomorrow and the weekend.¡± ¡°What? If that¡¯s the case, it might be better to just live at your place.¡± ¡°Really? Want to live at our place? We have plenty of rooms.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Mom and Dad, and Ye-eun would probably like that, right? Everyone likes you.¡± ¡°¡­And you?¡± ¡°Do I have to say it?¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± ¡°Or maybe you want to live in my room?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The rabbit cage in my room was shared with Mongshil until she passed away last year, but we can get a new one.¡± ¡°You really¡­ find teasing me that amusing?¡± ¡°Yes! If you become my pet rabbit, I¡¯ll provide free room and board 365 days a year. I¡¯ll take care of your bathroom needs, clean you up when you¡¯re dirty, take you to the salon once a month, and occasionally bring you fresh carrots. How about it? Intrigued? Neutering too¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll just raise a new rabbit.¡± Yeonha-neul accepted with a smile. I dragged the carrier in my hands, rattled by her response. Then, as if she remembered something, she spoke up. ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We stayed in the same room, didn¡¯t we? You didn¡¯t tell your mom and dad?¡± ¡°You kept nagging me not to say anything.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go and accidentally spill the beans. It¡¯s our little secret. Got it? I don¡¯t want Mom and Dad to get the wrong idea or be upset for no reason.¡± ¡°Wrong idea¡­ It was the hotel¡¯s mistake that we ended up in the same room. And do you really think Mom and Dad would be upset with you?¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s embarrassing.¡± ¡°Then at the Dreamland Hotel, we must never talk about how we snuggled in the same bed¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare mention that! Got it? Don¡¯t, don¡¯t, don¡¯t say it, really!¡± Yeonha-neul perked up her floppy rabbit ears as if pointing them towards the sky. With a grim expression, she stared at me and earnestly pleaded. She even pinched me. Unable to move my hands, I had no choice but to accept. Eventually, it was time for us to part ways as well. ¡°Here¡¯s your carrier.¡± ¡°Thank you. How did I end up carrying this for you?¡± ¡°Well, someone who pinches someone who¡¯s already done a favor must be a bad person, right?¡± ¡°Hmph, you were the one at fault. And it was just a light pinch, right?¡± ¡°If I had hurt you, I would¡¯ve been hurt, right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, baby bear. I¡¯m sorry. So don¡¯t sulk. It was the teacher¡¯s mistake. Got it?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Anyway, I should go now. See you next time¡­ No, see you tomorrow. Go home and rest well. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°Sure, you rest well too. See you tomorrow.¡± Even though we had been practically inseparable for two weeks, even though we had spent five years together when it came down to it. Parting ways with Yeonha-neul was still regrettable. Turning away from her, leaving that regret behind, I soon found my way to the house where my family was. ¡°It feels like I¡¯m seeing them after a long time.¡± I had only stayed in the academy city for a mere two weeks. Yet, the time spent there was so dense that it felt like I had been away from home for a long time. I wanted to quickly reunite with my family. I opened the front door. And right at that moment. ¡°I¡¯m back¡­!¡± ¡°Welcome back! Oppa! I missed you!¡± ¡°¡­I missed you too.¡± Yeeun, who turned 12 this year. As soon as Yeeun, who was waiting at the entrance, saw me, she rushed towards me. I chuckled at Yeeun, who was rubbing her face on my stomach with a tight hug. I patted Yeeun¡¯s head. ¡°How was the academy city? The academy? Did you see anything interesting? Were the exams fun? How was the food? Oh, and my gift!?¡± ¡°Yeeun-ah. What if your brother is tired and you cling like that? And you should ask one thing at a time. Your brother is feeling awkward right now. Gyunwoo, did you have a good time?¡± ¡°I did, Dad! Haven¡¯t seen you for a while, you seem to have grown bigger?¡± ¡°Dad, Mom. I¡¯m back.¡± As Yeeun bombarded me with questions, Mother and Father approached from behind. Their faces clearly showed joy at seeing me. I seemed to feel the same way. ¡°Are you hungry? I¡¯ve set the table with your favorite things. Go wash up quickly and come out. Let¡¯s talk over dinner. But, Hanui didn¡¯t come with you? Come have a meal with us and then go¡­.¡± ¡°Today, they said they¡¯re having lunch with the teachers at the daycare center. They¡¯ll come tomorrow to give souvenirs.¡± ¡°I guess Hanui wanted to see them too. Then, we should have a family meal today.¡± ¡°Hanui, you really don¡¯t need to bring souvenirs¡­.¡± ¡°Leaving that aside, are you going to keep Hanui standing like this? Come on, let¡¯s all go inside. Let¡¯s get ready to eat. I¡¯m hungry too.¡± ¡°Brother! Give me the luggage! I¡¯ll carry it for you!¡± Yeeun grabbed my carrier and hurried down the corridor. Mother followed, scolding Yeeun not to run. Father smiled at the sight of the two and turned away. Finally, I also tried to follow Father into the house. At that moment, Father called me. I had a bad feeling about it. ¡°By the way, Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°A call came from the chairman.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You probably know what the call was about, and you said there was no problem with me, right?¡± ¡°That¡­ well¡­ it¡¯s been resolved¡­.¡± Father shrugged his shoulders. I didn¡¯t know that Sohyeryul had explained the situation to Father. I said in a casual tone. ¡°I thought it might be worrying if we just talked on the phone¡­ So I wanted to see you in person to talk. hahahaha¡­ Sorry for not saying it earlier.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course. But¡­ does Mom know too?¡± ¡°Would I make your mom worry? It seems to have been resolved somehow, and I was planning to tell her when you returned.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll talk to her later.¡± ¡°Yeah, that would be good. But still, try not to get into trouble, you rascal.¡± ¡°Yes, hahahaha¡­.¡± ¡°¡­It seems like you¡¯re going to keep getting into trouble in the future, right?¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not sure about human affairs, so I don¡¯t think I can give a definite answer.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Just so.¡± ¡°Even if you get into an accident, don¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how it should be.¡± ¡°Son, there¡¯s no ¡®that¡¯s how it should be,¡¯ right?¡± Fortunately, my father restrained himself appropriately and didn¡¯t scold me harshly. With a heavy heart, I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. But the reason my father didn¡¯t scold me was that there was someone else to scold besides him. It wasn¡¯t until the evening meal that I realized this fact belatedly. ¡°So, what happened?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­ well, it turns out that test-taker was Mine¡­¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Mine?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Wow! So, does that mean you¡¯re strong enough to fight Mine¡¯s demonic horse? That¡¯s really impressive!¡± ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just a doppelg?nger¡­¡± ¡°Dop, pel, g?nger?¡± I couldn¡¯t escape from my mother¡¯s scolding. Even though it was a rare meal at home, I couldn¡¯t eat properly as I was too busy being cautious of my mother¡¯s gaze. Time passed, and two weeks later. I passed the entrance exam for Geumgang Academy. ¡ª Geumgang High Academy 145th Class Announcement of Admission Exam Results ¡ù The admission scores are the combined results of the written exam, qualification exam, and 1st to 5th practical exam scores, along with qualitative evaluation scores. ¡ª Taebaek Mountain, Gangwon Province. Due to the frequent appearance of monsters, a house made of wood stood deep in the mountains where people rarely set foot. Despite the spacious interior of the house, only the minimum tools necessary for living were provided. Two men dressed in traditional clothing sat facing each other. However, their sitting postures were different. The elderly man, who appeared to be over seventy, sat cross-legged, while his grandson, a young man of becoming age, knelt with perfect etiquette. ¡°How long has it been since you became my disciple?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been five years this year, Master.¡± The elderly man, who seemed to have lived a rough life with scars on his face and body, inquired. Although the young man was not short in stature, sitting down, he seemed significantly smaller, like a mountain in size. His voice carried a weighty resonance, not light at all. If someone were seeing him for the first time, they would be startled once by his bandit-like appearance and then again by his tiger-like voice. However, to the young man who had received teachings from him, it was all too familiar. The young man replied calmly, ¡°Five years¡­ it might not be short, but it¡¯s not that long either.¡± As if reminiscing about the days spent with the young man. The old man muttered with a tone of deep thought. Soon, as if he had made a decision, he spoke. ¡°I have nothing more to teach you. The rest, you must learn by experiencing it firsthand in the world.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me last time that I still have much to learn?¡± ¡°There is indeed much to learn. However, I have judged that it¡¯s not beneficial for you to keep learning without fully digesting what you have learned so far. What you lack now is practical experience and the ability to see the world with discerning eyes.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s practical experience, dealing with monsters living on the mountain would be enough¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that kind of practical experience. I mean the practical experience of dealing with people. Have you faced anyone other than me so far? It¡¯s time for you to experience dealing with other people as well. At your age, you should go out into the world, meet various people, and gain experiences. That¡¯s the way to cultivate a discerning eye, Hanbyul.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± The old man, known in society as Seo Jeong-jin, called his disciple. The disciple, Kang Hanbyul, responded to the call. ¡°Go to the Academy City.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There will be peers aiming to become hunters like you. Interact with them, feel what you can at your age, experience what you can, and broaden your horizons.¡± ¡°Are you telling me to go to the academy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But you said I missed the timing for the entrance exam and should just wait to apply next year¡­¡± ¡°Tsk! After setting the mood, must you say it like that?¡± ¡°Were there any academies left where I could still apply for the entrance exam?¡± ¡°No, there weren¡¯t. All entrance exams have already concluded.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°I have a friend I knew from my hunter days who is now the director of a certain academy. I asked him to help you attend the academy.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. I will write a recommendation letter for you, so take that and go see him.¡± ¡°Which academy is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Geumgang Academy.¡± Since losing his family in an accident at a young age and entering an orphanage, Kang Hanbyul had been ignorant of the ways of the world. Thus, curiosity was abundant, and he showed a deep interest in the world below the mountain. Seo Jeongjin could see his eyes sparkling. ¡°So, pack your things now and head down the mountain.¡± ¡°Today? Master, isn¡¯t it too sudden to leave like this?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve made up your mind, you should leave right away. And I intend to leave as well.¡± ¡°You too, Master?¡± ¡°This house was built to teach you. If you¡¯re no longer here, shouldn¡¯t I also go somewhere? I¡¯m not the type to be tied down to one place. I ended up spending five years here just to teach you.¡± ¡°¡­I see. Where do you plan to go, Master?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I plan to wander aimlessly around the world. Enough talk, go pack your things quickly.¡± After finishing their conversation, the two stood up. They packed their belongings to leave the house where they had lived for five years. Since they lived almost like hermits, there wasn¡¯t much to pack. Before long, they walked out carrying the bags they had when they first arrived at this house. ¡°The Geumgang Academy is known as the top academy even in the city of academies. There must be many strong kids there. It will definitely be a good experience.¡± ¡°There will be kids stronger than me, right?¡± ¡°The world is vast, so who knows. If they are from the Ten Clans, they might pique your interest.¡± ¡°If they are from the Ten Clans¡­ they are the descendants of your colleagues, right? From now on, I¡¯ll be competing with them.¡± ¡°Why? Are you worried?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m really looking forward to it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good attitude. Then go down the mountain.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming down with me, Master?¡± ¡°I plan to go in a different direction after seeing you off. It wouldn¡¯t be cool for the master and disciple to descend together.¡± ¡°¡­That makes sense.¡± Leaving the place they had lived for five years wasn¡¯t easy, but unfortunately, they had to say their goodbyes here. Where there is a meeting, there is also a parting. Having heard Seo Jeongjin¡¯s teachings, Kang Hanbyeol gathered his resolve and bowed his head to bid farewell to him. ¡°I express my gratitude to you, Master. I will do my best to make sure that being your disciple is not something to be ashamed of, and to let people know that you were a great hunter!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be expecting it.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be going!¡± With Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s determined ambition, Seo Jeongjin smiled as he watched his departing disciple. He never forgot the conversation they had one day. ¨DAs a hunter, my talent was mediocre. ¨DWhy, Master? Why? ¨DI handled all kinds of weapons well, but I never excelled in any field. ¨D¡­ ¨DWhether it was swordsmanship, archery, magic, martial arts, or any other field, I could be top tier, but I could never be the best. There were people who excelled more than me in one field, like the Sword Master Dogga. That¡¯s why people consider me inferior to the heads of the Ten Clans. ¨DThere¡¯s no way you¡¯re weak, Master! You¡¯re strong! ¨DIn a life-or-death battle, you never know who will be stronger. Of course, as people say, if it¡¯s just a competition in one field, I would be below them. But Hanbyeol, you¡¯re different. ¨D¡­. ¨DHanbyeol, you possess a talent. A talent that can absorb everything I have achieved and then move forward. You have the potential to excel in every field you desire. Perhaps, meeting you was meant for me to pass on all my skills to you. ¨DMaster¡­. ¨DSo, I want to ask you a favor. If someday you make a name for yourself in the world, I would like you to let people know. That you were my disciple. I may not have become the best, but I want to hear that I had the best disciple. And that my skills were not surpassed by anyone. ¨D¡­Yes, I will make sure to do that. When I become a Hunter, I will proudly say that I am your disciple! ¨DGood, I entrust it to you. It seemed like it had been not long since they had taken Kang Hanbyeol, who lived only because he was afraid of dying, from the orphanage. Five years had passed since then. The disciple who was once trapped in the past now sought to move towards the future. Seo Jeongjin was content with his growth and was trying to descend the mountain himself. It was at that moment when Kang Hanbyeol called out from a distance. ¡°Master!¡± Seo Jeongjin stopped in his tracks. Turning around, he saw Kang Hanbyeol, who had suddenly prostrated himself on the ground. He shouted, ¡°Thank you for raising me all this time! Father!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Father. Seo Jeongjin had no children. Hearing a term he had never used in his lifetime, a part of his heart felt touched. ¡°Son.¡± Kang Hanbyeol rose from his position. He bowed his head once again. Unknowingly, Seo Jeongjin found himself smiling at him. Kang Hanbyeol gently shook his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s meet again someday, son.¡± He infused his voice with mana. It must have resonated in Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s ears. Seo Jeongjin felt awkward at the thought of looking at his face and turned away without a second glance, descending the mountain in the opposite direction. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Kang Hanbyeol kept bowing his head until Seo Jeongjin was out of sight. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Finally, he straightened his shoulders with determination and proceeded on the path he had to take. And thus, Kang Hanbyeol, Seo Jeongjin¡¯s disciple who drew the attention of the world, finally descended. Chapter 86 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 85 Chapter 85 Dormitory Move-In After passing the Geumgang Academy. I made an effort to spend time with my family as much as possible. As I would be leaving for Seoul and living in the academy city, it would be challenging to see my family for a while. I wondered if I was the only one who felt that way, as my family also tried to stay home as much as possible. ¡°Do you have anything you want to eat? Or should we go out since Dad said he¡¯d be back early today?¡± ¡°Oppa! I went to the martial arts center, let¡¯s take Mongsoon for a walk together!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here. I took some days off next week, where should we go to have fun?¡± Mother didn¡¯t make plans with anyone other than going to Pilates, and Yeeun came back home after finishing at the martial arts center to play with me. Father, who used to work late due to overtime, started coming home earlier. Thanks to that, we could have dinner together, play games, take trips, and make joyful memories. [Eunbi]: Hey, how are you all doing? I miss you guys! (¨R?¨Q) [Chubby Geum]: (Picture of the triplets doing 1 person 1 chicken) [Chubby Eun]: We¡¯re eating chicken! [Chubby Dong]: Make sure you enjoy your dinner too kekeke [Eunbi]: Wow, what¡¯s this!? Can you eat a whole chicken by yourself? [Me]: What if a hunter can¡¯t finish even one? To become a hunter, you must at least do 1 person 1 chicken. [Eunbi]: But won¡¯t you gain weight doing that? [Me]: Don¡¯t train as much as you eat? [Eunbi]: ^^; [Me]: Train as well as having fun [Eunbi]: Yes¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve been eating too much and gaining weight lately so I¡¯m trying to lose it¡­ [Me]: I¡¯ll design a training course for you. Will you follow it as is? [Goeunbi]: Huh? Really? Then, that¡¯s great for me! Is it the course taught at the Divine Sword Academy? [Me]: I modified it a bit. I¡¯ll send it via text. [Ttommani Geum]: Please, sir. [Ttommani Eun]: Don¡¯t cross that river. [Ttommani Dong]: Don¡¯t cross it, please.?? [Me]: Sigh. [Ttommani Geum]: Loyalty, loyalty! [Ttommani Eun]: Loyalty, loyalty! [Ttommani Dong]: Loyalty, loyalty! [Yeon Haneul]: I feel like I¡¯ve gained weight lately, so I¡¯m trying to eat less TnT [Goeunbi]: Oh, my comrade! [Me]: Why are you holding back? Eat more. [Yeon Haneul]: No, I really gained weight. [Me]: Doesn¡¯t seem like that to me. [Yeon Haneul]: Really? Seriously? If I see you tomorrow and say my face looks chubby, is that not allowed? [Goeunbi]: Hey, Gyenwoo? The way you treat Haneul and me seems a bit different?? [Me]: Haneul does well even without me saying anything. [Goeunbi]: That¡¯s too much. *sob* [Goeunbi]: By the way, what part of the chicken does Haneul like when eating? [Yeonnah-eul]: I like chicken legs! [Me]: I prefer chicken breast. [Yonghaerang]: Dogyunwoo! We think alike! Firm chicken breast is what makes a man! : [Lisa]: I¡¯m sorry. I just saw the message. [Lisa]: I also want to eat chicken¡­ From Yeonnah and the triplets to the friends made during the entrance exam, it seemed like everyone was spending their time similarly. And before we knew it, the day to leave for the academy city was approaching, just a few days before the entrance ceremony. ¡°We¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting for you, Mom, Dad. And Yeun.¡± ¡°Take care, both of you. If you get sick, don¡¯t endure it, make sure to go to the hospital, and don¡¯t skip meals.¡± ¡°Yes, let us know once you arrive.¡± ¡°Oppa! Unni! Have a safe trip!¡± Early morning at the end of February. Family members who had come outside on a chilly day bid farewell to me and Yeonnah. We said our goodbyes to our families and made our way to the station where the triplets were waiting. Unlike when we went to take the entrance exam, we had more luggage with us this time. ¡°Give me the carrier. I¡¯ll carry it for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You have a lot of luggage too. I can handle it on my own.¡± ¡°Is it really okay to walk on this slippery ground because of the snow? Be careful.¡± ¡°Yes, Dogyunwoo, you too.¡± ¡°If you knew this would happen, why didn¡¯t you accept Dad¡¯s offer to drive us earlier?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ I just wanted to take a walk around the neighborhood.¡± ¡°I think I understand that feeling. You¡¯ll miss them a lot. Once you start living in the academy city, you might not see them for a while.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be back during the holidays anyway.¡± As we chatted back and forth while walking towards the station, our breath formed mist in the cold air. ¡°There they come!¡± ¡°Yaaay! Dogyunwoooo!¡± ¡°Are you late again?¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the complaint?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that¡­ Our words were not meant to convey that¡­.¡± ¡°Yesterday, there was a lot of snow, wasn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°They should have come more slowly since the road was slippery! Ahahahaha¡­¡± Joining the triplets in front of the station, We moved to the Academy City through the warp gate at once. ? Students of Geumgang Academy are obliged to live in the dormitory. Unless there is a special reason, they couldn¡¯t find separate accommodations. As a result, we had to live in the dormitory on the grounds until graduation. The reason we arrived at Geumgang Academy a few days before the entrance ceremony was precisely for that. ¡°We need to move into the dormitory before the entrance ceremony to unpack.¡± Since it would be chaotic once the semester began, we had to organize our belongings in advance. Carrying bags and dragging suitcases, we headed towards the dormitory location. ¡°I thought the grounds were huge when I first came here.¡± ¡°Exactly¡­ It would be difficult to leave once you start living here. I understand why the senior students in the administration department ride bicycles or kick scooters inside the grounds and rarely go outside.¡± Just walking around could count as exercise. That¡¯s how vast the grounds were. Moreover, the dormitory was deep inside, so we had to walk quite a bit. It wasn¡¯t too difficult for us who entered the combat department, but for students entering departments that didn¡¯t require physical activity like Yeonhaneul said, it seemed quite challenging. ¡°If I knew it would be like this, I would have come through the back gate. I should use the back gate from now on.¡± I regretted belatedly. Nevertheless, we were gradually getting closer to the dormitory. I noticed other students pulling suitcases in the same direction as us. Soon, the dormitory area came into view. ¡°Wow¡­ Is that the dormitory? It looks like an apartment.¡± ¡°Even with over 10,000 students in the combat department, it¡¯s still huge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯ll be living¡­.¡± Looking up at the distinctive buildings, The triplets exclaimed in admiration. And they weren¡¯t the only ones. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Yeonhaneul also stopped in her tracks and stared blankly at the buildings. Her rabbit-like ears twitched back and forth. She seemed excited. I understood her feelings. ¡°It must be exciting to have a room for the first time since birth.¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yeonhaneul, who had lived in an orphanage, never had her own personal space. She used to share a room with girls her age. Under the patronage of the seven-colored witch Hong Ye-na and the divine sword Do-ga, the orphanage did not see significant changes even after its expansion. The decrease in the number of people sharing rooms was the only noticeable difference. Of course, she could have had a room to herself if she wanted, but that wasn¡¯t her wish. ¡°Do you not have your own room?¡± ¡°The headmaster agreed to give me a separate room as thanks for my contribution to the orphanage¡¯s expansion. But I don¡¯t want any special treatment.¡± To Yeon Ha-neul, the people at the orphanage were precious family. She didn¡¯t want any rifts in those relationships over trivial matters. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t hesitate to decline the offer of getting a room. ¡°I used to want a room before, but now I don¡¯t think about it much. Because I¡¯ll become a hunter next. Hunters earn a lot of money, so I can get a room then.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to buy a house by then?¡± ¡°Oh, that would be nice too. A garden, a spacious house, that sounds good.¡± ¡°And raising rabbits there wouldn¡¯t be bad either.¡± ¡°¡­I have no intention of raising rabbits?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Huh? In my house?¡± ¡°Why not? Can¡¯t I raise them at your place?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± I remember that conversation vividly. I was well aware of Yeon Ha-neul¡¯s admiration for a room of her own. ¡°Let¡¯s go get a dorm room quickly. You said you want to decorate your own room.¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± I woke Yeon Ha-neul up. She suddenly came to her senses, flashed a warm smile, and ran towards me. We continued walking together. ¡ª In the combat division and beyond, In the Gyeonggang Academy, where the number of students easily exceeds ten thousand, there are twelve dormitories. Gyeonggangseok, Cheongok, Hongok, Geumnokseok, Hwangok, Seongnok, Namok, Chwiok, Jasujeong, Gamnamseok, Danbaekseok, Noksongseok. Dormitories with different names provide varying services and facilities in the order mentioned above. As can be inferred from this, students cannot freely choose the dormitory they want. Dormitory assignments are strictly based on the grades students achieved in the previous semester. ¡°Is it because it¡¯s Chwiok? There¡¯s an emerald on the dormitory plaque, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°As far as I know¡­ that gem probably has a protective spell on the dormitory.¡± ¡°Are there others in different dormitories as well?¡± ¡°As far as I know, yes. The magic inherent in the gems must have had different effects, right?¡± ¡°To differentiate even in protective magic¡­ It¡¯s all about skills, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°In the world of hunters, skill-based hierarchy is prevalent. It¡¯s not surprising. Come on, let¡¯s go inside.¡± Of course, for us who haven¡¯t even had the entrance ceremony, there wouldn¡¯t be any previous semester grades. Instead, for new students like us, the previous semester grades are replaced by middle school records and entrance exam scores. However, the dormitories available for assignment were limited to the lower five: Chwiok, Jasujeong, Gamnamseok, Danbaekseok, and Noksongseok. If you wanted to live in a better dormitory, it meant not being satisfied with the current state and striving for further improvement. ¡®They probably intend for us to be less capable than the typical 2nd or 3rd years.¡¯ For those like Na Yeonha, who showed excellent results in the entrance exam, she was assigned to the top dormitory, Chwiok, out of the five. The triplets, Goeunbi, Lisa, and Yongha, who ranked in the top 20%, were also assigned likewise. Perhaps Minarin, Nam Yuri, and Cha Eunsol, who are unaware of the news, would have been assigned to similar dormitories. Anyway. ¡°Student Dogyeonwoo, Student Yeonha. And students Ugeumdong, Ueundong, Udongdong. You just need to take the key cards here.¡± Upon arriving at Chwiok dormitory, we completed the move-in process at the 1st-floor desk. We then took the elevator to go to our rooms after receiving the key cards. To use the elevator, you had to authenticate the key card on the machine installed in front of the door. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Anyone can come and go on the 1st floor, but you need a key card from the 2nd floor onwards.¡± ¡°It must be for security. Hey, Yeonha, which floor should I press?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go for the 14th floor.¡± ¡°We prefer the 7th floor!¡± ¡°But we¡¯re still sharing rooms even after coming to the academy¡­.¡± ¡°A triple room side by side¡­.¡± It seemed that the dormitory was divided by gender, with men using odd-numbered floors and women using even-numbered floors. My room was on the 15th floor. Following Yeonha and the triplets¡¯ instructions, I pressed the elevator button. The triplets, who confirmed they were assigned to the same room at the desk, had gloomy expressions. ¡°We¡¯re also in the top 20%¡­.¡± ¡°Why a triple room instead of a single room?¡± ¡°This is too much.¡± ¡°They must be differentiating based on grades even within the same dormitory.¡± ¡°Darn it, this skill-based system¡­.¡± ¡°If we knew this, we should have lowered our grades to get into Jasujeong dormitory¡­.¡± ¡°Then we would have gotten a single room.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it more convenient for you to share a room? You¡¯ve been together in the same room since you were in your mother¡¯s womb until now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we need more single rooms.¡± ¡°Dogyeonwoo, you don¡¯t understand us.¡± ¡°We also need personal space¡­.¡± ¡°Did you ask your mother not to give birth to triplets?¡± ¡°Wow¡­ Dogyeonwoo, you crossed the line?¡± ¡°He¡¯s really being sarcastic now.¡± ¡°Is he cursing our mom right now?¡± ¡°Your mother has never been cursed at. Come on, let¡¯s get off now.¡± The elevator stopped on the 7th floor. I quickly ushered the grumbling triplets out. Waving them off vaguely, I pressed the button and closed the doors. Soon, I stood on the floor with the room under the clear sky. ¡°The 14th floor is different from the corridor. The floor the twins got off earlier seemed ordinary.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ the walls and lighting are beautiful. Well, I¡¯ll go check it out then.¡± ¡°Contact me later.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yeonha got off the elevator. She swiped the card key on the machine installed in the corridor and went inside. Watching her disappear down the hallway, I felt a sense of regret. ¡°Do I have to authenticate on each floor? At this rate, even if I can go down to the men¡¯s floor, I might not be able to go down to the women¡¯s floor.¡± I often wanted to visit Yeonha¡¯s room or eat the food she made. Sadly, it seemed like that wouldn¡¯t be possible. I sighed as I turned my gaze away from the closing door. [15th floor.] Soon, I arrived at the top floor. Just as Yeonha had done earlier, I swiped the card key on the machine in the corridor and passed through. ¡°Let¡¯s see, where¡¯s my room¡­¡± The room was at the far end. I unlocked the door with the card key and opened it. The first thing that caught my eye was a package placed in the entrance. ¡°Thankfully, it arrived safely.¡± It was a package from my father back home, timed for my move into the dorm. After checking the names written on the three boxes, I stepped into the room. I set down the luggage I brought and looked around the room. ¡°Not bad at all.¡± It was smaller than my room back home. Still, it seemed comfortable enough for me to use alone. With a bed and a bathroom, as well as a fridge, and a modest kitchen area. ¡°I wonder if I¡¯ll cook here¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll use the microwave over there more. Or just make cup noodles with a kettle.¡± It wasn¡¯t bad to have these options. Since I¡¯m not bad at cooking, I might end up using them occasionally. I turned on the faucet in the kitchen to check the water flow. Then, I walked towards the sunny spot. Dampening the curtains, I opened the door and stepped onto the balcony. ¡°¡­I like it here.¡± The lighting was good, and the scenery was beautiful. From the 15th floor building, the view of the academy grounds bathed in sunlight was visible. Feeling refreshed by the cold wind brushing against my face as I walked by. Not bad. I quietly enjoyed the view. This was where I would be living until the end of the semester. Chapter 87 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 86 Chapter 86 In the distance, the academy city came into view. Under the sky with wispy clouds passing by, the sight of the artificial island floating above the sea was fully revealed. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± The blue surface shimmered like jewels reflecting the sunlight. The landscape of the academy city created by lush greenery and cliffs. Elegantly crafted buildings blending harmoniously with nature. Above all, a towering giant tree standing at the center of the artificial island, piercing through the sky. ¡°That¡¯s the academy city.¡± Strongbyeol, who was on the deck, couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the view of the academy city. Leaning on the railing, he gazed at the academy city in a daze for a while. This was now his place to live. The thought of living in that splendid city made the corners of his mouth curl up. [This passenger ship will dock at the academy city. Today, once again, using this passenger ship¡­] Eventually, the ship docked at the pier. Having heard the announcement, Strongbyeol quickly gathered his belongings and disembarked from the ship. As soon as his feet touched the pier, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Along with the distinctive salty sea smell, there was a fresh scent of the cool breeze. The smell of the academy city. To him, who had trained in the mountains for nearly five years, it was refreshing. It seemed unforgettable. ¡°But how do I get to the Geumgang Academy?¡± Suddenly, Strongbyeol blinked his eyes. He had only thought about coming to the academy city, without figuring out how to get to the Geumgang Academy. But he wasn¡¯t worried. ¡°Well, somehow I¡¯ll figure it out. Maybe I should ask those people over there.¡± Just like when he came to the academy city, he could ask people for directions. When he was about to retire, he had a smartphone given by his master. If necessary, he could search for information or find his way with a map. For now, Kang Hanbyeol decided to follow the students who seemed to be his peers. ¡°Are they taking the bus?¡± Before long, the bus stop came into view. Kang Hanbyeol asked around and was able to find out which bus to take to Geumgang Academy. The location of Geumgang Academy was in Academy City, District 23. He stood at the bus stop, waiting for the bus to arrive to take him there. It seemed like the bus would come in 10 minutes. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Training by running there yourself isn¡¯t a bad idea! It¡¯s diligence!¡± Perhaps disliking waiting for the bus, A male student standing at the same bus stop suddenly blurted out those words and dashed outside. With his bangs raised, the male student in a sporty hairstyle was wearing a black uniform. Soon, he was dragging a suitcase in both hands and disappeared into a tunnel on the hill. Onlookers seemed at a loss for words as they watched the tunnel. ¡°Training¡­ isn¡¯t a bad idea, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kang Hanbyeol pondered seriously. Soon, he lowered his head. Although he wanted to walk around Academy City, he had to resist the urge. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t show up sweaty when meeting the headmaster.¡± It was regrettable, but there was no other way. Anyway, he could explore Academy City anytime. Comforting himself, Kang Hanbyeol decided to continue waiting for the bus. Eventually, the bus arrived at the bus stop. [Boarding.] The bus Kang Hanbyeol boarded passed through the tunnel where the male student in a black uniform had disappeared moments ago. As the bus passed through the tunnel, the scenery of Academy City unfolded outside the window. And so, he headed towards Geumgang Academy. * * * I opened the wardrobe. Inside the wardrobe, my Geumgang Academy uniform tailored in Seoul was hanging. ¡°It should fit me even without trying it on.¡± On the left chest of the gray blazer jacket, a sentence symbolizing Geumgang Academy was embroidered. A sentence reminiscent of a dragon clutching a diamond. Inside the jacket, a red tie and a beige vest were hanging. The navy slacks could be seen. On the wardrobe floor lay a few unworn dress shirts and a couple of socks. ¡°Three sets should be enough for now. I can always buy more if I run short.¡± As it was the uniform worn by academy students, the sleek uniform seemed stylish on the outside, with various magical treatments applied to adapt to the temperature and resist wear. It came with basic features like heat resistance, cold protection, and waterproofing, even boasting self-repair abilities. Considering the uniform as a kind of artifact didn¡¯t seem strange at all. Naturally, the price was expected to be exorbitant compared to regular uniforms. For someone with limited financial means, even buying one set could be challenging. ¡°Add the entrance fee, tuition, and all the necessary supplies¡­¡± The costs were no small matter. Especially in a pricey academy city, factoring in the cost of living made it even more burdensome. Unless one received sponsorship, it would be a heavy burden for an average family to bear. Of course, as a direct descendant of the Shingeom Do family, this did not apply to me. Even buying additional uniforms didn¡¯t pose the slightest burden. After inspecting the ordered uniform in the wardrobe, I closed the door. ¡°I should unpack my belongings first.¡± Since the room had been cleaned the day before in preparation for move-in, there didn¡¯t seem to be a need for cleaning. I started unpacking and organizing my things from my bag and suitcase. I also opened the delivery box. Removing the tape was not easy, and since there was no cutter in the room, I cut it with a navy sword. ¡°If Dad saw me, he¡¯d probably say, ¡®How can you use the family¡¯s treasure as a cutter?¡¯ or something.¡± My father¡¯s reaction involuntarily came to mind. With a wry smile, I took out the clothes from the delivery box. Since they were already unpacked, I could neatly put them in the drawer without the need for further sorting. ¡°I should also put on the bedsheet.¡± Pillows, pillowcases, blankets, and bed sheets on the mattress. I unwrapped the bedding and put the sheet on the mattress. Since I usually left this to the housekeeper or my mother when at home, it was a first-time experience for me since birth. However, with memories from a past life of living alone, I could tidy up the bed without difficulty, ensuring no creases. ¡°Perfect.¡± It felt oddly satisfying. Feeling accomplished, I praised myself and flopped down on the bed. As my feet, which had been dangling, touched the ground, a sense of lethargy crept in. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to just take a nap like this. That¡¯s when I thought so. Buzz. The phone rang. Feeling the vibration from my pocket, I took out my smartphone. It was a call from Yeonhae. ¡°Hey, Yeonhae.¡± [¡°Hello? Have you finished packing?¡±] ¡°I¡¯m almost done. Why?¡± [¡°Eunbi contacted me. She suggested going shopping in the city together when we have time. What do you think?¡±] ¡°Eunbi? That works out well. I was planning to buy something in the city anyway. Let¡¯s go. We can have dinner out and come back.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll let Eunbi know. Let¡¯s meet on the first floor in 10 minutes.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ending the call with Yeon Haneul, I got up from the bed to get ready to go out. Stretching lightly to loosen up, I went downstairs when the time came. The people we agreed to meet in the lounge were waiting. ¡°Gyunwoo! Over here! Here!¡± ¡°Long time no see. How have you been?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Go Eunbi, Lisa Grace, Yeon Haneul. Their appearances made them easily noticeable, so even without Go Eunbi waving her hand vigorously, she was easy to spot. I approached them. The triplets were also seated at the table. Yong Haerang was not in sight. ¡°What about Haerang? Didn¡¯t he say he would come to the academy town today too?¡± ¡°Yes, I did get a message saying he got off at the dock a while ago, but¡­¡± ¡°There has been no contact since then. He didn¡¯t even answer my calls. Left a message like this in the group chat.¡± Lisa smiled gently. Go Eunbi, as if to show me something, showed me her smartphone screen. I looked at the screen. [Me]: What time will everyone arrive? [Yong Haerang]: Running there [Me]: Huh?????? [Me]: You¡¯re not saying he¡¯s running all the way from the dock, are you??? [Lisa]: We¡¯re on the bus. Should arrive in about 20 minutes. I hadn¡¯t checked the group chat as I was busy organizing things in the room. It was hard to guess from the short messages, but it seemed like Yong Haerang was indeed running here. It was quite like him. ¡°He must be running as part of his training.¡± Even without seeing it, I could guess. By now, he must be somewhere in the Academy City, dragging his suitcase and running. Sweating profusely, he must be running around like crazy, not even having the chance to catch his breath. I couldn¡¯t tell when he would arrive. I wonder if he¡¯ll be able to make it to Geumgang Academy today. Yongha was terrible with directions. ¡°If we can¡¯t reach him, there¡¯s nothing we can do. Let¡¯s leave Hayang behind and go by ourselves.¡± ¡°Well, yeah. This isn¡¯t my fault. It¡¯s Hayang¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Still, it would be nice if we could contact him. I¡¯m a bit worried. He¡¯s coming along fine, right?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ He should be okay, right? He¡¯s the type who would thrive wherever he ends up¡­¡± ¡°Heaven¡¯s words ring true. No need to worry about Yongha.¡± We couldn¡¯t wait for Yongha, who we had no idea when would arrive. So, we decided to head into the city by ourselves to do some shopping. Speaking of which¡­ ¡°Why have you been giggling since earlier, making it awkward for us?¡± I turned my head towards the triplets with cheerful faces, not engaging in the conversation. They chuckled in response. ¡°The room is actually quite nice, contrary to what we expected.¡± ¡°It seems like coming to the Academy was a good decision.¡± ¡°There were three beds. hehehehe.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a triple room, so naturally there would be three beds. You¡¯re stating the obvious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what we meant.¡± ¡°There was only one bed each?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t bunk beds!¡± Listening to the triplets, they explained that back home, due to the narrow room, they had to sleep on the bunk beds where the bed would come out when you opened the bottom drawer. But upon entering the dorm room, they were moved to see separate beds laid out according to the number of occupants. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Was that the only reason you were so touched?¡± ¡°Doyeong! Was that it?¡± ¡°Have you ever used a triple bed?¡± ¡°Have you ever fought over sleeping on the first floor when you were young?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know, being pampered.¡± ¡°We¡­ were desperate every time to sleep comfortably.¡± ¡°Do you understand the war we went through just to sleep!?¡± ¡°Later, when we go to the city, we¡¯ll have to find items to decorate our beds.¡± ¡°I brought my own pillow, but considering this as a fresh start, I should buy a new one.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to bring my dolls!¡± Ignoring my presence. The triplets were having a blast amongst themselves, finding joy in something. I could somewhat understand their feelings. Even though it was in a past life, there was a time when I longed for my own place to sleep. In the daycare where many lived, it was common to yearn for something. ¡°So, when I left the daycare and got my own place with a bed for the first time, I was happy like them. It was a rental, though.¡± If it¡¯s a memory, it¡¯s a memory. I decided to let the triplets enjoy themselves. Meanwhile, Yeonha was now among them. ¡°I feel like I understand your hearts. I¡¯m happy too because I have my own room now. I want to decorate it according to my taste quickly.¡± ¡°Hana! You get it!¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d understand!¡± ¡°Of course, you only have childhood friends, right?¡± The triplets flocked around Yeonha. Before they could get closer to Yeonha, I slipped in between them. ¡°Why bother about childhood friends when it¡¯s about us. She¡¯s my childhood friend, right?¡± ¡°Dogyeonwoo! We also spent time with Hana¡­¡± ¡°Geumdong, shh! Look at her eyes!¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Y-yes! We¡¯re just friends! Elementary and middle school classmates! Just people we know from the neighborhood!¡± Standing in front, I glared at the triplets. Only then did they quickly step back, coming to their senses. ¡°Are these guys bothering Hana?¡± I clicked my tongue softly. At that moment, I felt a gaze behind me. Yeonha was staring intently. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing, just¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± What¡¯s so good about it? Yeonha didn¡¯t say anything and fidgeted slightly. * * * Coincidentally, the admissions office was located on the way to downtown. We headed to the admissions office first. ¡°Ugh¡­ I don¡¯t want to go¡­¡± Administrator, in front of the admissions office. Yeonha couldn¡¯t lift her feet and groaned helplessly. From her expression, tone, posture, and atmosphere, she clearly showed that she didn¡¯t want to go in any way. Feeling awkward standing in front of people and hating being in the spotlight, she had every reason to dislike it. In fact, I felt the same way. ¡®How did things end up like this, really¡­¡¯ Neither I nor Yeonha intended this. We just did our best to get high grades on the entrance exam. But somehow, we ended up as the top two students, taking first and second place in the admission rankings. It was to the extent of gaining a reputation. Yeon Haneul carried the title of the top student, while I held the title of the second student. [Second Student] ¡ô Origin of the Title ¨C Refers to a student entering the Geumgang Academy as the second student. ¡ô Effects ¨C During the first year of study, the student receives considerable attention from both fellow students, instructors, and academy officials. ¨C During the first year of study, there is a slight increase in learning efficiency in classes. As seen, the title seemed more focused on honor than its effects, which were valid only for the duration of the first year of study. There seemed to be almost no use for it. Anyway, the results were in for the top and second students. We were to represent the new students at the entrance ceremony, take the new student oath, and were informed to come to the admission office for a briefing. ¡°Min Arin was the top student at the entrance ceremony in the game¡­¡± And following the game¡¯s storyline, Kang Hanyeol attended the entrance ceremony, witnessed Min Arin taking the new student oath as the student council president, and things took a different turn from the entrance ceremony. I had no intention of following the story, but things changed from the entrance ceremony, making me feel uneasy. Where did things start to go wrong? ¡°Do Yeon and Min Arin¡¯s backgrounds overlap, and did Min Arin lose to Do Yeon?¡± Even though Yeon Haneul¡¯s skills were excellent, Min Arin was not someone to easily fall behind. As far as I knew, she also achieved quite high scores in the practical exam. Her performance in the practical exam would have been even higher. Yeon Haneul didn¡¯t have many opportunities to showcase her skills while being with me. Yet, for her to miss the top spot, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°It¡¯s spilled milk already, what can we do.¡± Changing the top student wouldn¡¯t have a significant impact on the story. It¡¯s not like the world is ending. It¡¯s unrelated to a bad ending. I decided to move on positively. ¡°Stop sulking and let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I comforted the sulking Yeon Haneul and headed into the admission office. I found the department in charge of the entrance ceremony and inquired about the new student oath. ¡°Please have the students wait behind the stage 30 minutes early. This is what the students will recite at the entrance ceremony. Since they might be nervous, we give this to them to practice. Shall we try it here first?¡± Fortunately, as we recited the oath, it seemed like there would be no difficulty. Yeo Hanuel and I recited the contents written in the oath as instructed by the faculty. ¡°Oath. I pledge my name and soul¡­.¡± ¡°Yeo Hanuel, your voice is shaking, be careful at the entrance ceremony.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t much of a problem for me, but the issue lay with Yeo Hanuel. Yeo Hanuel, after heeding the faculty¡¯s advice, showed a lack of confidence. After a few more practices, we left our spots. ¡°If only I could turn back time to the practical exam.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. If it¡¯s you, Hanuel, you¡¯ll do well.¡± ¡°¡­Do you really think so?¡± Yeo Hanuel lets out a deep sigh. Even the tips of his rabbit ears drooped. I comforted her in that state. ¡°And I¡¯m here, you know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not taking the oath alone, I¡¯m doing it with you, so what¡¯s there to be nervous about? If you make a mistake, I¡¯ll take care of it, so don¡¯t be scared.¡± ¡°¡­My hair is a mess.¡± Her chin dropped. I placed my hand on Yeo Hanuel¡¯s head and lightly patted it. She pursed her lips but didn¡¯t bother to move my hand away. Soon, it seemed like her mood lightened. ¡°So, do you really trust only me? If you make a mistake, will you resolve it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not make mistakes on purpose.¡± ¡°Tch, I have no intention of doing that either.¡± Yeo Hanuel chuckles softly. I removed my hand from her head and headed towards the entrance. Before long, Goeunbi, who was waiting outside, called out to us. ¡°Hey, come quickly! If we leave now, we can catch the bus right away! We need to go grocery shopping!¡± ¡ª Chapter 88 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 87 Chapter 87 Geumgang Academy, Office of the Director. Guided by Oh Seung-ah, Kang Hanbyeol entered the director¡¯s office. Sohyerul, who was sitting on the guest sofa, greeted him warmly. ¡°Welcome. Must have been tiring coming here, right?¡± ¡°Hello! I am Kang Hanbyeol, who received teachings from Master Seo Jeongjin¡­!¡± ¡°No need for such introductions. Jeongjin was contacted, and news of having a disciple has spread among those who should know. So, Kang Hanbyeol, the student, come over here and have a seat.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes!¡± So Hye-ryul smiles kindly and sets down the cup at the corner of her mouth. She gestured for him to take a seat. Kang Hanbyeol, who was about to greet loudly to show respect to the Master¡¯s colleague, promptly took his seat. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°No, not yet. I came straight here. I plan to eat after this.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. You must be very hungry. Shall I bring some snacks?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, just be honest.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯d like to have something to eat.¡± ¡°Then how about we chat over some refreshments? Oh Seung-ah, head to the secretary¡¯s office, please.¡± ¡°Yes, Director.¡± ¡°What drink would you like? We have most things here, and if not, we can go get it.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Do you have cola?¡± ¡°Yes, we do. I¡¯ll bring cola for your drink.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have another iced Americano.¡± ¡°Alright, understood.¡± Oh Seung-ah heads out to prepare the refreshments. Silence fills the Director¡¯s office. ¡°¡­¡± So Hye-ryul quietly smiles at Kang Hanbyeol. Unable to speak first, Kang Hanbyeol sat stiffly with his back straight. Her gaze made him uncomfortable inwardly. Meanwhile¡­ ¡°If she¡¯s the Master¡¯s colleague, she must be¡­ young. But still, incredibly youthful.¡± Kang Hanbyeol was amazed internally. So Hye-ryul, sitting on the guest seat, seemed to have an age that was beyond imagination. She possessed an almost mystical beauty. Given her petite stature, if they had met without knowing, he might have thought she was of his age. It was then that she spoke up. ¡°Oh, you must have thought about my age just now, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something I come across often, so now I can tell what people are thinking just by looking at their faces.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. As long as you don¡¯t say it out loud, it¡¯s fine. Right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Was she implying that speaking out loud would lead to something happening? Kang Hanbyeol felt a strange question looking at her yellow eyes. She didn¡¯t want to solve the question. At that moment, Oh Seungah, the secretary, came back and offered some snacks. ¡°Please, help yourself.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. I will enjoy it!¡± It was a thirsty ride from the pier to Geumgang Academy. Kang Hanbyeol drank a cola with floating ice. The refreshing sensation hit her throat. ¡°Indeed, this taste!¡± Having lived mostly in the mountains, she had to rely on nature for food. As a result, she didn¡¯t have many opportunities to eat processed foods like cola. Sometimes she would go marketing with Seo Jungjin in the city, but even then, the stimulating taste of processed foods like cola felt insufficient to Kang Hanbyeol. So, being in a situation where she could have as many snacks as she wanted made her feel excited. ¡°If you need more, I¡¯ll bring it, so don¡¯t hesitate to eat.¡± ¡°Then, can I have another glass of cola!?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll bring a fresh one.¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯ll drink more, so I¡¯ll just bring a whole bottle.¡± It was a brand of snacks she had never tasted before. She kept reaching for the snacks. Kang Hanbyeol spoke comfortably as if addressing her superior, forgetting about her dignity. So Hye-ryul watched him eat without touching the snacks. ¡°Even student Dogyeonwoo likes cola, and it seems Kang Hanbyeol student does too.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°A while ago, there was a student who had a meeting with me like Kang Hanbyeol student. He enjoyed it just like Kang Hanbyeol student. He took the remaining snacks when he left, so it should be fine for Kang Hanbyeol student too.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, take it with you when you leave. I¡¯ll let Secretary Oh Seungah know.¡± ¡°Thank you, Director!¡± A bright smile appeared on Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s lips. It was a face that showed no signs of wariness towards people. Pure, innocent, and simple. ¡°I couldn¡¯t figure out what student Dogyeonwoo was thinking, but this child is different.¡± How can I use him? So Hye-ryul sipped her straw quietly. After roughly evaluating Kang Hanbyeol, she brought up the main issue. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to Kang Hanbyeol student, but even if Kang Hanbyeol student is Jin-i¡¯s disciple and has a recommendation from him, it¡¯s not possible to enroll just like that. Jin-i¡¯s reputation is great, and even though I have some connection with him, Kang Hanbyeol student didn¡¯t apply for the entrance exam or take it, so we don¡¯t know her capabilities, right? It¡¯s also lacking in fairness.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, it puts me in a difficult position. Even though I¡¯m the director, it¡¯s not something I can handle lightly. I¡¯m sorry for bringing you this far, but¡­¡± It seems like admission will be difficult. So Hye-ryul tried to shake Kang Hanbyeol by saying things she didn¡¯t mean. She was curious about how he would react. If he were to kneel down and ask for a favor, she thought she might use him as she pleased. Having received teachings from Master Tu-Gwi Seo Jeong-jin, he was worth utilizing. Moreover, upon hearing more, his gift¡­ Right then, he asked in confusion. ¡°Didn¡¯t you call me the ¡®Strong Star Student¡¯ a little while ago?¡± ¡°¡­Did I?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean you have intentions of accepting me as a student of Jeol Academy?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Also, before leaving, I heard from the Master that this would be enough as compensation. So, why isn¡¯t it working? Then I should return this to the Master¡­¡± With a puzzled expression, Kang Han-byeol took out a box from his bag. As he placed the box on the table, So Hye-ryul¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. Only then did she adjust her evaluation. ¡®Seems like Jeong-jin¡¯s disciple is right. He¡¯s not just going along with it. Was he deliberately not revealing his full potential?¡¯ He was not a na?ve person. Surprisingly, he knew how to strategize. It would be difficult to simply exploit him. That¡¯s why it was intriguing. So Hye-ryul crossed her legs and decided to give up on trying to deceive him unnecessarily. ¡°No, you¡¯re right. I do have the intention of accepting the promising student, Strong Star. It¡¯s not like this has never happened before, so if I push it through with the Director¡¯s authority, I can admit you as a special case. The issue is whether Strong Star has a legitimate reason to enroll besides this.¡± ¡°By ¡®besides this¡¯ you mean¡­¡± ¡°Skill.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Being a disciple of Tu-Gwi and this item don¡¯t necessarily indicate the skill of a Strong Star student, right? At Geumgang Academy, skill takes precedence over a student¡¯s background and qualities. But although it¡¯s unlikely, if the skill of a Strong Star student does not meet the criteria, what will be the position of me and Geumgang Academy later on? People won¡¯t see Geumgang Academy as a place where anyone can enter just because of its reputation or donations, right?¡± ¡°How can I prove it?¡± They were on the same page. So Hye-ryul found herself looking directly at Kang Han-byeol, who had stopped eating snacks. There was no trace of confusion. He, who had been smiling confidently, now met her gaze with a serious expression. She illuminated her yellow eyes. ¡°Instead of an entrance exam, we will have a separate test to see if Strong Star has the skill to study at Geumgang Academy. Inside an artificial gate.¡± ¡°Artificial gate?¡± ¡°Have you ever been inside one?¡± ¡°¡­No, I¡¯ve only lived in the mountains with the Master until now.¡± ¡°Experience in defeating monsters? Ah, you were in Taebaeksan, right? If you lived there, you must have faced many monsters.¡± ¡°Well, yes¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°The test inside the artificial gate also involves defeating monsters. You seem to have enough practical experience, so there¡¯s no need to worry. Secretary Oh Seung-ah.¡± ¡°Yes, Director.¡± ¡°Take Strong Star to the dimensional gate for the test. Do you remember¡­ the gate?¡± ¡°Yes, I remember it in gray. The gate key reservation is also completed.¡± ¡°Good job. I¡¯ll be here, so I¡¯ll leave the evaluation of the test to Secretary Oh Seung-ah.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Then, Student Kang Hanbyeol.¡± ¡°Yes, Headmaster.¡± ¡°Please follow Secretary Oh Seung-a. I wish you success.¡± So Hyeryul reached out towards the box in front of her. The girl who brought the box wished Kang Hanbyeol good luck. Upon this, he tried to get up from his seat to go take the exam. Suddenly, as if a thought had crossed his mind, he laughed coolly and opened his mouth. ¡°The snacks are so delicious, but¡­ can I take them to eat?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. To take an exam, you need to fill your stomach well. Just like last time with Student Dogyeon¡­ Indeed, at that age, you need to eat a lot to grow. Eating looks good on you.¡± ? In the academy city where Geumgang Academy is located, the 23rd district is bustling with activity. We got off the bus at the back gate and set foot in one of the busiest places nearby. Eungwang-dong Rodeo Street in the 23rd district. Various commercial and entertainment facilities lined the streets on both sides. Perhaps because it was an academy city, people of our age were bustling around everywhere. ¡°Most of them seem to be buying things they need for living alone.¡± People with disheveled appearances were carrying bags in both hands. There were groups of us walking around together, as well as individuals. In nearby commercial facilities, posters like ¡®Must-have items for academy students!¡¯, ¡®Top 10 essentials for living alone!¡¯, ¡®Limited sale of essential items for living alone¡¯ were seen. In front of some restaurants, there were signs saying ¡®10% discount for 23rd district academy students¡¯. The street was vibrant with energy. ¡°There are so many shops here¡­ it¡¯s hard to decide where to look around.¡± ¡°Wait. I heard from a senior that there¡¯s a place nearby where prices are relatively low and there are many pretty things. We should go in this direction!¡± ¡°You already know a senior even before enrolling, impressive. You¡¯re quite the insider.¡± ¡°Oh, I just happened to come across that senior? And it¡¯s not that I know more seniors than you, it¡¯s Dogyeon, right? Since you¡¯re in the same year¡­ ¡° ¡°I¡¯m not close to him.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ right, that could be the case.¡± ¡°Do you think I have no friends right now?¡± ¡°Huh? No? I never thought about it? And it¡¯s okay not to have friends! It¡¯s fine! We have each other for you, right?¡± ¡°Would Dogyeon have friends with his personality?¡± ¡°Of course, he¡¯d probably be blunt with those connected to the Divine Examination.¡± ¡°We, who tolerate his personality, are the real deal. Who else would put up with him if not us?¡± ¡°What did you say, you guys?¡± ¡°Oh! Eunbi! Isn¡¯t that over there!?¡± ¡°It looks like it! Let¡¯s go check it out quickly!¡± ¡°Gumdong hyung! Eundong hyung! Let¡¯s go together!¡± I didn¡¯t want to get scolded. The mischievous triplets quickly ran away. I didn¡¯t bother to chase after them, instead, I walked slowly. Walking beside me, Yeonhaneul chuckled for some unknown reason. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°The twins just crack me up. Well, there probably isn¡¯t anyone who mirrors your personality like me, right? So, in a way, I¡¯m Buddha, Buddha.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Huh? Did you just hit me? Hey!¡± ¡°Hey, I did too.¡± When I lightly tapped Yeonhaneul with my hip, she pushed me back. We playfully hit each other¡¯s hips while walking down the street. It seemed Lisa wanted to join in too. She hit my hand with her hip. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, it looks fun¡­ If you felt bad, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Is this it? It¡¯s dull.¡± ¡°We¡¯re attacking from both sides. Let¡¯s fight back, hey!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡­Cowardly. When Yeonhaneul hits with her hip from the left, Lisa hits from the right. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I was pushed around, getting hit on both sides. ¡°Three of you are having fun without me! Let me join in too!¡± ¡°You should find the way. Find your path.¡± Go Eunbi seemed displeased but had no choice. After giving me a look, she had to focus on finding the way. Then, she poked my ribs¡­ ¡°Hey! Hip attack!¡± Suddenly, as Go Eunbi walked ahead, she pulled back and playfully poked my side. She had a happy look on her face, triumphant in her prank. I sighed. ¡°You¡¯re childish, really. You wanted to play like that? Fine, take it. Hey.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± If Go Eunbi wanted to play like that, there was no stopping her. I swung my hips like a swing, aiming for her hip as she walked ahead. It wasn¡¯t a hard hit, but she jumped in surprise. Her reaction was quite amusing. I moved my hips again. Moving rhythmically from back to front. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Eek! Stop it now!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, so stop it¡­!¡± Goeunbi hurriedly turned her hands behind her to cover her hips. In that position, she leaped forward as if to widen the distance. I burst into laughter watching her run as if protecting her hips. Then, I felt a gaze from the side. ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Having fun?¡± ¡°¡­No. I¡¯m bored now.¡± Yeonhae was looking at me. Her gaze felt icy. ¡®What did I do wrong?¡¯ Even after careful consideration, I couldn¡¯t figure it out. At times like this, it¡¯s best to just stay quiet. I decided to seal off my hips. My hips stood straight as if saying, ¡°When did I ever slouch?¡± Chapter 89 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 88 Chapter 88 ) [Illustration] ¡°Hey, guys, over here!¡± ¡°This place feels like a fancy dollar store.¡± We arrived at a household goods store. As we rode the escalator up, a vast store spread out before us. We proceeded to look around the store. Goeunbi was very excited. From the moment she entered the store, her eyes sparkled constantly. ¡°Hey, guys, look at this! It¡¯s a machine that makes milkshakes! There¡¯s also a machine here for making waffles!¡± ¡°¡­Weren¡¯t we here to buy necessities for living alone? Why are you looking at those things?¡± ¡°Because they¡¯re necessary for living alone!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yeah¡­.¡± ¡°There are tools for making triangular kimbap! Oh, I¡¯ll definitely use these often!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Wow, there¡¯s a ramen pot too? I might need this when living alone, right?¡± Goeunbi seemed determined to buy everything in the store. I was bewildered. ¡°Can you really buy all that? You might end up with no money for donations.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ true. What should I do? I¡¯m really torn¡­ Should I skip a meal?¡± I don¡¯t understand why she¡¯s torn. I regained my composure and watched her pondering, shaking my head. ¡°Let¡¯s just buy what you really need.¡± ¡°But I need everything?¡± ¡°Yeah, just buy everything and live on, even if it means going hungry.¡± ¡°¡­Your eyes seem to look at me pitifully.¡± ¡°I know it well.¡± ¡°But what should I do about this dilemma? Oh Heavens, show me the right answer! If I have to choose only one from all these, what should I buy!?¡± ¡°Huh? Um¡­.¡± ¡°Oh Heavens, don¡¯t ponder seriously. These are things you can live without even if you don¡¯t buy them.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s harsh.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll buy a waffle maker or a ramen pot. We might not use the shaved ice machine much due to the season, and we can make triangular kimbap even without the tools. But with a waffle maker or a ramen pot, besides making waffles or ramen, we can use them in various ways, right?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s a very vibrant response. You¡¯re full of vitality, Heaven. By the way, besides waffles, what else can you make with a waffle maker?¡± ¡°If you make glutinous rice cakes or mung bean pancakes with it, it¡¯s easy and really delicious. Oh, I should get one too.¡± Goeunbi exclaimed as if lost in thought. Yeon Haneul placed the waffle maker in the basket on his arm, regardless of the conversation. I held the basket for him instead. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll hold it for you.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay¡­.¡± ¡°Instead, you choose my living essentials. You¡¯re good at picking things.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Okay, then. I¡¯ll choose for you.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ Yeon Woo, you¡¯re so sweet.¡± ¡°So, Eunbi, you¡¯re not getting that? The waffle maker seems useful.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too different from what you said earlier?¡± ¡°Everyone has something to choose here, right? Let¡¯s go to a different section.¡± ¡°Wow, you ignored what I said. Anyway, I should get one too. And let¡¯s go check out the electronic products! I want to buy something there!¡± ¡°Why there?¡± ¡°To buy a beam projector.¡± ¡°¡­What are you going to use that for?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use it to play games or watch anime when I¡¯m bored.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yeah¡­.¡± Goeunbi is quite generous. I decided to keep in mind the personality that was not revealed in the game. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, this isn¡¯t sponsorship money; I¡¯m using my own pocket money to buy this.¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± ¡°Heaven, Lisa! Let¡¯s have parties in the room watching anime together from now on!¡± She picked out a beam projector. Soon enough, we found the cleaning supplies aisle as Yeonha-neul suggested. ¡°I definitely need to buy this and this¡­ Oh, I need to get this too.¡± ¡°Heaven, do we need a magic sponge?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a sponge there? Then, Eunbi, could you help us each get one?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a magic sponge?¡± As Lisa put household items in the cart following Yeonha-neul¡¯s advice, she asked. She squeezed the sponge Eunbi brought with her hands. ¡°You wet this and use it; you can clean even stubborn dirt with it. It¡¯s useful for cleaning the kitchen or bathroom.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s fascinating. It looks like a simple sponge at first glance.¡± ¡°Lisa, keep this too.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a toilet cleaner. It¡¯s much easier to use than a toilet brush.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ so I have to clean the toilet from now on¡­¡± Lisa accepted the toilet cleaner. Holding the stick part in her hand, she had a deeply melancholic expression. To her, who had lived relying on others, it was all unfamiliar. ¡°Can I do this well¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll learn step by step from now on. Even if you don¡¯t think you¡¯re good at it, you¡¯ll get better as you live on.¡± ¡°Heaven, can I ask for advice if there¡¯s something I don¡¯t know while living alone?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry and tell me anytime.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s consider Heaven as our teacher.¡± ¡°¡­That sounds good. I¡¯ll count on you, Teacher Heaven.¡± ¡°Really¡­ don¡¯t mess around for no reason, Gyunwoo.¡± Yeonha-neul, holding the basket in both hands, pinched my exposed side as she leaned over. I subtly distanced myself. A while later. After finishing our business in the cleaning supplies aisle, we explored another corner. There were triplets in the doll section. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°We were searching for a good doll to cuddle in bed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a souvenir for coming to the academy city.¡± ¡°We¡¯re contemplating what to get.¡± The triplets seemed determined to buy dolls. Normally, they would be focused like this during training, but their eyes while choosing a doll seemed different. However, it wasn¡¯t just them whose eyes seemed different. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡®Why are they like this.¡¯ Go Eun-bi, Lisa, and Yeon Ha-neul. Even they, who had found the doll corner, were staring with keen interest. They seemed determined to buy a doll. Seeing others behave the same way made me feel like I was the odd one out. ¡®It seems like they¡¯re going to spend a lot of time here.¡¯ My prediction was not wrong. Everyone except me was focused on choosing a doll. ¡°The Shiba Inu is cute. But we already have a Welsh Corgi doll in the room¡­ They probably won¡¯t fight even if we put them together, right?¡± Do dolls even fight each other? They aren¡¯t even real living dogs. I shifted my gaze away from Go Eun-bi. ¡°Wow¡­ They only sell the Goraepduck doll at the Academy City. It¡¯s cute.¡± Lisa was looking at a yellow duck doll with her hands on her head. Its eyes were big, but I couldn¡¯t understand why the pupils were so small. It looked dumb at first glance, but the more I looked at it, the more endearing it became. On its head, there were three strands of hair. I thought it over from my past life; maybe Goraepduck is not balding after all. ¡®If it evolves into Goldeok, it will become completely bald.¡¯ Instead of evolving into a smart Goldeok, maybe it gave up its hair. To gain something, you must be willing to pay an equivalent price. The basic principle of alchemy applied to Goraepduck and Goldeok as well. Anyway, after much contemplation, it seemed like Lisa had made up her mind to buy the duck doll. She hugged the doll tightly. Meanwhile, Yeon Ha-neul was examining various rabbit dolls nearby. ¡°Ha-neul, are you getting one too?¡± ¡°Yeah, it seems like everyone¡¯s buying one for commemoration, so I¡¯m thinking of getting one too. How about this?¡± Yeon Ha-neul took out a rabbit doll from a shelf at eye level. She showed me the doll. With a smile on its face, holding a carrot sword and wearing black sunglasses, it was a peculiar rabbit doll. ¡°It looks strange.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it resembles you?¡± ¡°This? It doesn¡¯t resemble me at all. Do I look like this?¡± ¡°I think it does resemble you¡­. Yeah, looking at it like this, it does.¡± Yeon Ha-neul nodded her head while holding the rabbit doll next to my face. I couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll choose this one. Gyun-woo, you¡¯re not going to pick one?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hold and sleep with dolls.¡± ¡°Still. Wouldn¡¯t it create a nice atmosphere in the room if we put them there? You¡¯ve only been choosing functional and necessary items since earlier, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in decorating rooms¡­.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t work. Let¡¯s buy one now. I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡± ¡°Why suddenly talking about buying one?¡± ¡°Oh, come on, just choose one quickly. You can choose more if you want. I can easily buy it with my allowance. I¡¯ve saved up a lot.¡± ¡°Use that money for whatever you need. Still, since you¡¯re offering, should I choose one?¡± A doll¡­. I, who had never bought a doll for myself in my past life or present life, was lost in thought. I was grateful that Yeonhae was offering, but truth be told, I wasn¡¯t really interested in dolls. But then, at that moment, there was a doll that caught my eye. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go with this one.¡± ¡°Is it the one next to the doll I picked? Did you choose it randomly?¡± ¡°I did look at other dolls, but this one caught my eye the most.¡± ¡°You really like rabbits, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It looks just like you.¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Huh?¡± It was a rabbit doll with flower petal hairpin on its head. I brought the doll to her face as Yeonhae did a while ago. ¡°Yeah, it really does resemble you.¡± ¡°¡­Do I look like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how I see you.¡± Yeonhae gazes at my doll. Then, she shifts her gaze towards the doll that she said resembled me a while ago. Soon, she softly muttered. ¡°They make a good pair.¡± ¡ª The long shopping spree came to an end. By the time we left the home goods store, it was already evening. Feeling hungry from all the shopping, we decided to have dinner. I took them to a place Cityeun had recommended before. ¡°Even in this alley, there are places like this. It must be a hidden gem unless you live in the academy city.¡± ¡°The omelette rice sauce is really delicious. It suits my taste. The presentation is also nice¡­.¡± ¡°Cityeun knows hidden gems because she¡¯s picky about food.¡± ¡°I thought I¡¯d take you to a rice soup place, but luckily there was a proper place.¡± With omelette rice as the main dish, the restaurant also served tasty pasta. Goeunbi, Lisa, and Yeonhae, who shared the table with me, all praised the food. On one side, the triplets, each sitting at a separate table, were eating. ¡°Didn¡¯t Dogyeonwoo say he¡¯ll treat us?¡± ¡°The food is delicious, let¡¯s order more!¡± ¡°They also have potato fries, should we order some?¡± Unlike us, savoring our food, the triplets were focused on clearing their plates. ¡®Even if I burst, I won¡¯t know.¡¯ Glancing at them, I chuckled. Since I had a lot of luggage, I planned to take a taxi back, but I might as well ask the triplets to come along while they digest their food and maybe train. With that thought, I devoured the half portion of omurice. It was then that Goeunbi brought up a new topic. ¡°By the way, did you hear about this? I overheard it at the dorm earlier, looks like Tugwi¡¯s disciple is enrolling this year. Through special admission.¡± The topic was about the protagonist of the game ¡°Brave Hearts,¡± Kang Hanbyeol. Just like the rumors and information she inquired about in the game, she seemed quick to catch his news. I eavesdropped on their conversation. ¡°Special admission? I heard they didn¡¯t have to take an entrance exam before, so they just get admitted?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but people say there might be some sort of deal between Tugwi and the chairman. In fact, Tugwi¡¯s disciple went to meet the chairman today. While rumors about Tugwi¡¯s disciple were rampant, if they end up as our fellow students, we might get to see their face, right?¡± ¡°Although I was young back then, the Grace Empire received a lot of help from Tugwi. I also received help. If Tugwi¡¯s disciple enrolls as our peer, I¡¯d love to meet them if given the chance.¡± The game ¡°Brave Hearts.¡± If Kang Hanbyeol went to meet So Hye-ryul, it meant the game story had just begun. ¡°No, it should be called a tutorial.¡± Having lost her family in an accident and plunged into despair, Kang Hanbyeol, upon meeting Tugwi Seojungjin, gained a new life. Descending from Taebaeksan to the Academy City marked the prologue. Getting admission approval from So Hye-ryul was akin to the tutorial players encountered before playing the game. ¡°They must be tackling the gates by now to prove their skills.¡± In the tutorial, players learned basic controls like how to move the character, engage in combat, and pick up dropped loot. Since it was just a tutorial, the difficulty level wasn¡¯t high. It was rare for Kang Hanbyeol to die in the tutorial, considering her abilities. She would surely pass So Hye-ryul¡¯s admission test safely. I wasn¡¯t overly concerned. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d like to meet them too.¡± The day to see Kang Hanbyeol was approaching. Meeting the protagonist was something to look forward to. ¡ª The Grey Gate, the goblin¡¯s den. Summoned to the damp and humid cave, Kang Hanbyeol had to conquer the gate as per the instructions provided. Three attack conditions were relayed in order. In the process, he had to endure attacks from Rank 1 Goblins and Rank 2 Hobgoblins several times. Ultimately, he had to defeat the Rank 2 boss monster, Hobgoblin Chieftain, living deep in the lair. Kiryuk¡­ ¡°Hoo¡­.¡± The strategy was executed without delay. Kang Hanbyeol remained calm and used the narrow space to kill the creatures. And finally, he could subjugate the boss monster. Although the pressure from them was an issue, he managed to subdue them somehow. At that very moment. [Gate Conquered.] As the message appeared before his eyes, particles of light gathered. The light particles transformed into a gate key and fell into Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s palm. He lost strength and showed the transparent gate key to Oh Seung-ah. ¡°Is it over with this? It¡¯s my first time conquering a gate, and it¡¯s fascinating and fun. Here, the gate key.¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need to see more of your abilities. I will report to the director.¡± He hadn¡¯t planned to conquer the gate. It was difficult for a first-year student with average skills to conquer a solo Gray-rank gate. Moreover, wasn¡¯t it his first time entering a gate? So Oh Seung-ah only intended to roughly assess Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s abilities. If he couldn¡¯t handle it, she was ready to help. From Noble mtl dot com But she didn¡¯t have to step in. He had only used the potion she had given him beforehand. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have plenty of opportunities to compete against the prestigious family members who are enrolling this time. As a disciple of Master Tugwi, is this the level I should be at?¡± Oh Seung-ah received the gate key. With such skills, even the directors opposing Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s special admission to the academy would have to acknowledge it. He passed. After coming out of the gate, So Hyeryul, who received the report, reached the same conclusion as her. ¡°Congratulations on getting into Geumgang Academy, Kang Hanbyeol.¡± Meanwhile, information was updated in the status window invisible to Kang Hanbyeol. [Acquired a Skill.] [Determination Lv 1] Chapter 90 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 89 Chapter 89 Golden River Academy, Office of the Principal. Sohye-ryul welcomed Kang Hanbyeol back, who returned after proving his skills. Having received a report from Oh Seung-ah beforehand, she knew how he had performed in the artificial gate. ¡°I had some expectations, but I never thought he would single-handedly conquer the Gray Gate. I thought he would receive help from Oh Seung-ah in the middle. But to bring down a Rank 2 boss monster alone is impressive. He must have been under immense pressure from that monster¡¯s presence¡­¡± ¡°At first, I was startled, but then I realized there was no reason for me to be. The mountains where I lived with the master had many stronger beings than that. Comparing him to them made me feel at ease, and the pressure weighing me down disappeared from the middle onwards.¡± ¡°¡­It seems battling a boss monster granted him resistance to pressure. Many hunters strive tirelessly to gain such resistance, but to acquire it after a single battle with a boss monster is remarkable.¡± Sohye-ryul was purely amazed. Curiosity sparkled in her yellow eyes, and her gaze roamed. She leaned forward. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sohye-ryul¡¯s searching gaze. Feeling her gaze, Kang Hanbyeol sensed an unfamiliar uneasiness. It felt as if his soul was being laid bare, not just his clothes stripped off. He subtly moved back from her as she drew near. Then he changed the subject. Only then did the tension ease. ¡°So, does that mean I passed?¡± ¡°If you passed, then yes. With that level of skill, even the Principal won¡¯t openly express dissatisfaction. However, complete satisfaction may still elude us. Do you know how many tests the students who enter our academy have to go through?¡± ¡°No, not really¡­¡± ¡°From the written exams taken on the mainland, the qualification exam testing the students¡¯ eligibility, to practical exams up to the 5th level, a total of 7 tests. We select and screen students from there. Sometimes, we even look at the middle school transcripts of the applicants.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Compared to that, Kang Hanbyeol took the tests in a simplified manner. There may still be some who don¡¯t fully understand or oppose this decision. It¡¯s a bit awkward to say this to a student like you¡­ Jinjin has many enemies, and some might not like the fact that Kang Hanbyeol is Jinjin¡¯s disciple.¡± Sohye-ryul smiled slyly. To Gwi Seo-jin. His reputation for making enemies on both sides due to his quirky personality and barriers was well-known. Kang Hanbyeol, who had received teachings from him, was well aware of this. That¡¯s why Kang Hanbyeol calmly tried to figure out her intentions even when his master was mentioned. ¡°What should I do then? Should I take additional tests for them to understand?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for more tests. Even if you do that, they won¡¯t be convinced.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°How about doing this instead? Solve the missions they propose to earn their recognition. That way, they won¡¯t have anything to say. Of course, I will adjust the difficulty level as needed. I¡¯ll make sure to provide appropriate rewards as solving missions might interfere with your academy life. It doesn¡¯t seem bad for Kang Hanbyeol, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sohye-ryul suggested in a mild tone. As she said, it wasn¡¯t a bad proposal. However, Kang Hanbyeol felt suspicious. ¡®What¡¯s on her mind?¡¯ Judging by the flow of the conversation and her attitude, Sohye-ryul¡¯s proposal was intentional. It was undoubtedly her plan from the beginning to entrust him with a mission. ¡°¡­.¡± There was a hidden agenda. However, it was impossible to grasp So Hye-ryul¡¯s true feelings while she quietly smiled. It seemed she had no intention of revealing her inner thoughts even if asked. ¡°She¡¯s a colleague of the master, and doesn¡¯t seem like a bad person from my gut feeling¡­.¡± In such a situation, one could only rely on their instincts in the end. Kang Han-byeol finally spoke after contemplating. ¡°Yes, I will follow Director Lee¡¯s instructions.¡± ¡°Good decision. I will contact you separately later.¡± It wasn¡¯t without any reward, so he decided to accept the proposal. So Hye-ryul clapped lightly with a friendly face. Soon, she took out a card from her pocket and placed it on the table. ¡°Director Lee, what is this¡­?¡± ¡°This is the dorm key where Kang Han-byeol will stay for a semester. A student who was supposed to enroll had to cancel due to unavoidable circumstances, leaving one room available.¡± The card had a base color close to olive green. On the front was the emblem of Geumgang Academy, and on the back was the room number written with Peridotite. ¡°The dormitory assigned to Kang Han-byeol is called Gamnamseok Dormitory. It¡¯s the third dormitory out of the 12 in the academy. Among the 5 dormitories assigned to freshmen, it¡¯s the third highest. I wanted to assign him to the highest dormitory, Chwiohk Dormitory, even considering his connection with Jung Jin, but unfortunately, there were no vacancies.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s fine because I won¡¯t have to sleep outside, right?¡± ¡°Thank you for saying so. With Kang Han-byeol¡¯s abilities, he may be assigned to a higher-ranked dormitory from the second semester onwards. Since you must be tired from coming from afar and need to unpack, I hope you rest well in the dormitory. I will handle the enrollment process, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you! Director Lee!¡± ¡°I hope you do well in the future.¡± After finishing the business, Kang Han-byeol got up. He gathered his belongings placed on one side and left the director¡¯s office. Left alone in the office, So Hye-ryul¡¯s gaze fell on the box on the table. ¡°¡­.¡± It was a box sent by Jung Seo-jin. One of the assets he donated as a condition for admitting Kang Han-byeol. So Hye-ryul opened the box. Click! Inside the box, besides concealing spells and various security spells, there was a single key. ¡°¡­.¡± An entirely black key. So Hye-ryul cautiously reached out to check the key and murmured softly. ¡°Thank goodness it arrived safely.¡± * * * In her previous life, she lived simply, only buying what was truly necessary. She had to save every penny of her meager salary, as she had no desires. At most, how much money did I spend in a month just to play games? Back then, I didn¡¯t care about money, started to crave material things a bit, and never imagined I would end up buying so many things just to live alone. After dinner, having explored the nearby shops, I was carrying paper bags up to my shoulders. ¡°In reality, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap. Even if I only had a coffee pot, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem living alone. The dormitory also has a refrigerator and a microwave.¡± I didn¡¯t harbor any romantic notions about living alone, so I had intended to buy only what was truly necessary, but somehow, things turned out like this. It was all because I got swept up in the cheerful atmosphere of the people enjoying their shopping. ¡°Heaven even took care of this and that.¡± Not only Yeonha, but Goeunbi and Lisa also joined in and helped me choose the items I needed. The three of us deliberated like we were decorating our own rooms with great enthusiasm. ¡°Hey, Gyenwoo, you should get this too.¡± ¡°A diffuser? Do we really need it?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s essential.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do without it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s necessary.¡± ¡°¡­Then let¡¯s just pick one at random.¡± ¡°How about this scent? It¡¯s called Lemon Herb.¡± ¡°A refreshing scent like Lemon Herb is nice, or what about a sweet fragrance?¡± ¡°Oh! I use this brand at home, I recommend it! The fragrance is really nice!¡± In my past life, I didn¡¯t use a diffuser. I wasn¡¯t sure if it would spread fragrance even if placed at home, and since it was a consumable that needed to be replaced once used up, I felt the money spent on it could have bought me a bowl of rice soup instead. Even in my reincarnated form, my thoughts were similar. Although my mother left it in my room, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. But these three spent tens of minutes choosing a diffuser as if it were of utmost importance. In the end, I had to take drastic action. ¡°Let¡¯s just buy everything.¡± ¡°Is it too much to carry all the luggage?¡± ¡°Wow, as expected of a rich kid¡­¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the luggage be heavy?¡± I could spend as much money as I wanted. I confidently swiped the sponsorship card my father had given me. And it was the same afterward. ¡°Shampoo seems to be available in the dormitory, but do I still have to buy it?¡± ¡°Yeah, I have to buy it.¡± ¡°Shampoo should be of good quality!¡± ¡°Hair is life, you know.¡± ¡°¡­You guys figure it out.¡± Shampoo, body wash, and so on. I bought what the girls wanted, took out my sponsorship card each time. Then, my father called. [Dad]: Son, what on earth are you buying so much of¡­ [Me]: It¡¯s for the kids. [Dad]: Kids? Besides the heavens, who? The twins? Are they girls, by any chance? [Me]: Yes. [Me]: The ones I was with in the photos from the after-party. [Dad]: Swipe that card generously, don¡¯t go around eating cheap food with them. [Dad]: Buy their meals too. [Me]: I already did that earlier. [Dad]: Well done. With my father¡¯s approval, I found myself draped in plastic bags. Not just me, everyone who shopped together was in the same situation. We all had so much luggage that we were struggling to figure out how to get back. So, I made a decision. ¡°It¡¯s not going to work. Let¡¯s take a taxi.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the better choice? It¡¯s not easy to solve with magic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all for taking a taxi.¡± ¡°Us too!¡± ¡°The transportation costs in the academy city are outrageous, especially for taxis, right? Ugh¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cover the taxi fare, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Oh? Really? Then I¡¯ll make sure we ride comfortably without holding back! Thank you!¡± There was no one who opposed. Eunbi, who was fretting over the taxi fare, quickly changed her expression. I chuckled at her change of attitude. We soon headed to the roadside to catch a taxi. There were plenty of taxis waiting, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to catch one. ¡°Wow, they sure have a lot. Must be students starting school?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re heading to Geumgang Academy.¡± ¡°Nice school to get into. Got it.¡± The taxi driver quickly got out of the car and opened the trunk for us as soon as he saw us. We put our luggage in the trunk as much as possible and decided to carry the rest with us. ¡°Ha-Neul, you go in first.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± ¡°Gyun-Woo, have a safe ride!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll repay you next time.¡± Yeon Ha-Neul, Go Eun-Bi, Lisa. The three of us carrying luggage carefully entered the taxi one by one. I closed the door after Lisa got in and moved to the front passenger seat. Then, the triplets shouted. ¡°Hey! Gyun-Woo! What about us!?¡± ¡°Can we get in too!?¡± ¡°Should we take the taxi behind!?¡± The triplets holding the luggage in their arms. I told the dogs waiting for the owner¡¯s command. ¡°You guys, come on over.¡± ¡°What!? What¡¯s that supposed to mean!?¡± ¡°Hey, kidding, right? Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Say something, Gyun-Woo!¡± ¡°If you come running as you are carrying the luggage, it will be good training.¡± The triplets looked at me as if I was out of my mind. It was a look of being lost in thought. No, should I say it was a look of betrayal by the owner. But I was sincere. The triplets needed training. In that sense, it seemed to be beneficial training for them. There was no ill will. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be back before the day is over.¡± ¡°Hey! Are you serious about that¡­!?¡± ¡°Please head to Geumgang Academy.¡± ¡°Hey, this crazy lunatic!¡± The triplets yelled something. Sadly, I couldn¡¯t hear them properly in the taxi. As the taxi quickly moved forward, they disappeared from view through the rearview mirror. It seemed like they were going to chase the taxi, but then they seemed to give up. ¡®Train hard.¡¯ Would the triplets truly understand the hopes for their growth? One day, when they achieve success, they won¡¯t be able to leave me out. I silently cheered for them. Meanwhile, Lisa, sitting in the back seat, seemed worried. ¡°But is it really okay to leave them like this?¡± ¡°I¡­ will just keep quiet.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t say anything because I¡¯m getting this for free.¡± I glanced at the rearview mirror. The young sky outside the window. Goeunbi¡¯s chuckle. Lisa leaning her head out between the driver¡¯s seat and the passenger seat. Observing their reactions, I shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine. They follow orders well even if they complain. It¡¯s rewarding to train them.¡± ¡°¡­Is that really training?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± Though uncertain. Reluctantly, Lisa accepted without further questioning. The taxi driver chimed in. ¡°hahahaha, students might not know, but that¡¯s how men bond. It¡¯s a way for men to build camaraderie.¡± ¡°Is that so? They seem like troublemakers.¡± ¡°You know your stuff. They are troublemakers.¡± It¡¯s not like that. But I chose to stay quiet and quietly looked out the window. In the meantime, Lisa engaged in conversation with the taxi driver. ¡°I have a friend who acts like that too. When we drink, if one of us gets drunk, whether intoxicated or not, we leave each other on the street and go home.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you need to stay sober.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± The taxi driver was a chatterbox. We, tired from moving all day, listened dryly without participating in the conversation. Lisa, who claimed never to have taken a taxi before, had a hard time. Still, thanks to her efforts, we were able to arrive comfortably at Geumgang Academy. ¡°Well then, have a good time at the academy!¡± ¡°Yes, goodbye¡­.¡± Getting off at the dormitory site. Despite showing signs of exhaustion, Lisa confidently faced the taxi driver. Only after the taxi vanished did she let out a deep sigh. ¡°Why¡­ didn¡¯t anyone say anything?¡± ¡°Ahem. Good job.¡± ¡°Yeah, good job.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Good job, good job!¡± Lisa sent us a resentful glance. We awkwardly changed the subject. We headed towards the drunken dormitory. Perhaps because it was late at night. As we walked, every dormitory we passed had bright lights on. The figures of people either catching the breeze on the veranda or living in their rooms could be vaguely seen. Then, one dormitory caught my eye. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ The jewel attached to the dormitory sign emitted a bright yellow-green light even from a distance, making it unmistakable. It could be mistaken for an emerald, but it wasn¡¯t an emerald like the one on our dormitory sign. It was olivine, peridot. Without even looking at the dormitory¡¯s name, I could tell it was the Olivine Dormitory just by the light of the jewel. ¡®By now, she should be in the dormitory.¡¯ According to the flow of the game. After passing So Hye-Ryul¡¯s test, Kang Han-Byeol would receive admission permission from her and also be given a regular quest. Regular quests not only added fun to the game for players but sometimes played a role in advancing the main story. Coincidentally, he was assigned to the vacant room in the Olivine Dormitory. The dormitory I was looking at right now. ¡®Should I go see her face?¡¯ At this time, Kang Han-Byeol would probably be unpacking in the dormitory. I hesitated, then shook my head. ¡®It would be strange to visit her out of the blue, and it might negatively impact the story.¡¯ In the game, Kang Han-Byeol, assigned to the Olivine Dormitory, would meet and get along with his roommate. A party member of Kang Han-Byeol and a character belonging to the Guardian lineage, Dr. Park. With a tendency to be verbose, he helped Kang Han-Byeol, who had been ignorant of the world while living in the forest with Toogwi Seo-Jungjin, adapt to the Academy City. Even though it didn¡¯t have a huge impact on the story, his role couldn¡¯t be ignored. From Noble mtl dot com I made sure not to interfere with their meeting, fearing I might unintentionally disrupt their encounter. ¡°Why were you looking at that dormitory?¡± ¡°Oh, I just¡­ saw the jewel sparkling.¡± Yeona asked, seeming curious. I vaguely responded to her question, passing by the Olivine Dormitory and heading towards our drunken dormitory. And every time the elevator stopped, we exchanged farewells. ¡°Today was really enjoyable! Let¡¯s meet again tomorrow or the day after if we have time! Good night!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get off here. You all worked hard today. Rest well.¡± Goeunbi and Lisa got off. Soon, Yeonhaneul also got off. ¡°I think I¡¯ll head back now. What about tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Since there seems to be a cafeteria in the dorm, let¡¯s have breakfast there as soon as we wake up.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get in touch when we wake up. Let¡¯s have breakfast together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll wake up¡­ If you¡¯re hungry, go ahead and eat first. Or wake me up with a call.¡± ¡°Got it. If you¡¯re not up by 10, I¡¯ll call, so make sure to pick up. Okay?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s like setting a 10 o¡¯clock alarm. There¡¯s no need to set an alarm, really.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not an alarm, you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask. Good night.¡± ¡°Really¡­ You too, sleep well.¡± They promised to have breakfast together in the morning. I closed the elevator door. She waved at me until the door was completely shut. I did the same. [15th floor.] S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After a while, the elevator stopped. I stepped out into the corridor as the door opened. I walked straight to my room. That was when I met Yonghaerang. ¡°Hey! Dogyeonwoo! How have you been?¡± ¡°Yonghaerang? When did you arrive?¡± ¡°I got here about an hour ago¡­ The estate is quite vast. Didn¡¯t expect to get lost even after coming here!¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s totally something you would do.¡± Whether he had just finished showering or not. Yonghaerang had a damp towel around his neck, wearing thin clothes that exposed his arms and legs. His muscles were always defined. ¡°His biceps are impressive.¡± Even without flexing, there was no sagging under his arms. His muscles were solid and bulging. Thicker than my own arms. If Yonghaerang flexed his arms, the difference would be even more apparent. ¡°¡­Jealous.¡± Even though I didn¡¯t neglect training, why weren¡¯t my arms bulging. The difference in physique was cruel. I silently complained to myself. ¡°But why did you come out into the corridor? Where are you headed?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a training facility here, so I thought I¡¯d do some light training before bed. How about coming along?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m tired from being out and need to organize my things. Let¡¯s do it together next time.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a shame, but it can¡¯t be helped. Are those things you bought with the kids?¡± ¡°Yeah. Quite a few, right?¡± ¡°Even though it seems like a lot¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to use them all even by the time I graduate.¡± ¡°Well, it just happened that way. You might end up like this soon too. You¡¯ll realize you need more things for living alone than you think.¡± ¡°I feel the same looking at you. That¡¯s why I prefer not to go out shopping. Training seems more beneficial to me.¡± ¡°What if you don¡¯t go out to shop? Just live like this?¡± Yongha might be capable of that. Being on the top floor, the room was equipped with most things, so living there wasn¡¯t inconvenient. As if negating my thoughts. ¡°Why should I just live like this?¡± ¡°What? Then how should you live?¡± Yongha replied casually. ¡°In this day and age, with the world being what it is. You can easily live through the internet without going outside to shop, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°There are online shopping malls that deliver the next day upon ordering¡­ Oh, I heard people in the Academy City mostly use Akamarket. It might be better to try ordering from there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say? Sorry, I couldn¡¯t hear you well, can you repeat?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not that kind of character.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Yongha looked puzzled. I regretted inwardly. ¡°Gosh, if I knew this would happen, I would¡¯ve just ordered online.¡± Why didn¡¯t I think of that? Most of all, it hurt my pride that Yongha didn¡¯t even think of a thought that crossed my mind for a moment. Chapter 91 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 90 Chapter 90 Gamlamseok Dormitory. Kang Hanbyeol headed towards the room with the number matching the card. As the green light illuminated on the sensor on the doorknob, a sound of the lock unlocking came from inside. Click. Seems like this is the right room. Hanbyeol gently pulled the doorknob and stepped inside the room. ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t it nice?¡± He dropped the bag off his shoulder to the floor and let out a sigh of admiration after releasing his hand from the carrier. Compared to the house he lived in at Taebaek Mountain, the room was quite narrow. On one side of the wall were a wardrobe and a bookshelf, while on the opposite wall was a two-tiered bed, leaving little room to move around. In terms of width, it might be enough for two adult men to lie side by side. Nevertheless, Kang Hanbyeol didn¡¯t mind. Rather, the facilities in the room were much better than the house he had lived in before. ¡°Wow¡­ the water pressure is good too.¡± Due to living in the mountains, he had faced issues with the water supply system. At times, the water flow was weak, requiring him to wash with trickling water, and while doing the dishes, there were occasions when the water wouldn¡¯t come out, forcing him to go out to the stream midway to wash. Above all, the problem was the bathroom. The toilet getting clogged was a common occurrence, and he had to unclog it repeatedly every time it happened. Naturally, there was no one else to turn to, so Kang Hanbyeol had to handle all of it on his own. ¡°If the toilet flushes well¡­ then it probably won¡¯t clog easily.¡± Someone who knows how to handle mana to a certain extent can also manage the natural physiological processes of a human with mana. However, using such methods in the long term only harms the body¡¯s organs and further distances one from being a human. Eating, sleeping, and excreting can be considered the basic needs of a living being. Even humans, who combine emotions, reason, and thought, are no exception. To suppress these needs is to essentially give up on being oneself. It means becoming a different being, potentially one that cannot understand human desires and emotions. To borrow the words of his master, it could be said that it¡¯s a monster disguised as a human. ¨DNever forget that you are human. The words of Master Seo Jeongjin. Kang Hanbyeol followed his teachings. Magic originates from imagination, and diverse imagination stems from emotions. Without suppressing desires and losing emotions, humans cannot expect diverse imagination. Even to achieve magical feats, one must know how to set limits. Satisfied with the bathroom inspection, he returned to where he had left his luggage. ¡°I wonder where the roommate who shares the room with me is.¡± He glanced towards the two-tiered bed upstairs. Clothes were laid out downstairs. Seeing a suitcase nearby, it seemed like his roommate, sharing the same room, had arrived first. Since they weren¡¯t visible in the room, they were probably outside. It seemed like greetings could be postponed. With that judgment, Kang Hanbyeol decided to begin unpacking slowly. ¡°I do want to use the bed downstairs, but there¡¯s no choice. I¡¯ll use the one upstairs.¡± Unfortunately, the bed downstairs was already taken by the roommate. Kang Hanbyeol, feeling regretful, decided to use the upper bunk bed. After climbing onto the top bunk, he placed his personal items on the shelf attached to the wall. Among them was a photo taken with his master, Sabu, most recently. Looking at that photo, he made a resolution. ¡°Just wait and see. I will prove that there is no one stronger than Sabu in this world.¡± Tugwi Seo Jeongjin, who was regarded as one step below the leaders of the Shigamun. His disciple, Kang Hanbyeol, dreamed of becoming the strongest and changing the public perception. After a while, Kang Hanbyeol got off the bed and finished unpacking. Since he didn¡¯t bring many things, it didn¡¯t take long to organize. With nothing else to do, he went out to the veranda to feel the night breeze. ¡°So, I¡¯ll be spending 3 years here.¡± Lights were visible in the darkness. They were lights from another dormitory. Kang Hanbyeol gazed at the scenery absentmindedly. It was during this that the door opened. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re my roommate. Hello?¡± The male student wearing round glasses greeted Kang Hanbyeol, holding a bulky bag in both hands. He seemed sociable. ¡°Hello! Let¡¯s have a good semester together! I¡¯m Kang Hanbyeol.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Park Sa. I specialize in Shield Techniques. Let¡¯s get along well.¡± ¡°If you specialize in Shield Techniques, you must be aiming to be a Guardian, right? I think we¡¯ll get along well.¡± ¡°Thanks for saying that. What discipline are you entering? It feels like Sword Techniques for you¡­¡± ¡°Right, for now, I¡¯m in Sword Techniques.¡± ¡°For now?¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a discipline that suits me better, I¡¯m considering changing disciplines.¡± ¡°Maybe in the Middle Academy, but it¡¯s better to stick to one discipline and focus on it¡­ Or you could major in multiple disciplines. Oh, sorry. I¡¯m being too nosy for a first meeting.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Feel free to speak your mind. I¡¯ll do the same.¡± They shook hands in front of the second-floor bunk bed. The two exchanged their full names. True to his aspiration to be a Guardian, Park Sa was taller and broader-shouldered than Kang Hanbyeol, looking sturdy. However, his physique was not bulky but rather lean. The glasses on his face gave off an intellectual vibe. He was different from the typical image known for Guardians. He was a person with a twist. At that moment, he adjusted his glasses. ¡°By the way, your name is Kang Hanbyeol, right? From what I remember, wasn¡¯t there another person with the same name as you, who was also Tugwi-nim¡¯s disciple? Could it be¡­¡± ¡°Yes, he is my master.¡± ¡°¡­I was right after all. My roommate is Tugwi-nim¡¯s disciple¡­¡± With his eyes obscured by the shining glasses. The doctor, who had figured out Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s identity, raised his eyebrows as if showing interest. He openly expressed his goodwill. ¡°It seems like I¡¯m lucky. Let¡¯s get along since we¡¯ve met like this. By the way, it hasn¡¯t been long since you arrived, right? You probably haven¡¯t visited the market yet.¡± ¡°The market?¡± ¡°Since you can¡¯t send all your household items from home to the dormitory, you need to buy necessities separately. So, this is a trip to buy things necessary for living alone in the city¡­. Do you need to buy anything too?¡± ¡°Hmm, I haven¡¯t thought about it¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m planning to go back to the city tomorrow to buy what I couldn¡¯t get today. If you have time, why don¡¯t you come along? I can guide you.¡± ¡°Oh? Really? That would be nice.¡± The doctor persuasively insisted. As Kang Hanbyeol wanted to explore the Academy City, he had no reason to refuse. He readily accepted. ¡°Shall we have breakfast tomorrow morning before we head out? If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I might not be good at explaining, but I know a lot of miscellaneous things. About the Academy City, the Geumgang Academy, or the students entering this year. I¡¯ll share what I know within my scope.¡± ¡°Really? Then, do you know who the strongest person is at the Geumgang Academy?¡± Kang Hanbyeol didn¡¯t know much about the world of the Academy City. The doctor¡¯s words piqued his interest. On the other hand, the doctor responded cheerfully. As he had a liking for explaining things, he enjoyed it. ¡°If we talk about the strongest person here, it¡¯s none other than Director So Hye-ryul, who is known as the Star Witch.¡± ¡°What about among the students?¡± ¡°Among all grades, it¡¯s this year¡¯s City Eun, the student council president. A prodigy of the Divine Inspection Department. Both in terms of reputation and skills, no one dares to challenge him. Even the top ten families in the same grade seem to defer to City Eun, who was originally ranked first.¡± ¡°Being ranked first means¡­ they are the strongest in this academy, right?¡± ¡°Exactly. To exaggerate a bit, you could say they are the top among students in the Academy City. Because they are the top-ranking student in the best academy in the Academy City.¡± ¡°What about among the first-year students?¡± ¡°Well¡­ We don¡¯t have enough information about the first years to make a definitive judgment. But based on the entrance exam results, the top and second positions are likely candidates. Following them are those belonging to the top ten lineage.¡± ¡°Who are the top and second positions?¡± ¡°The top is Yeon Hanul from the Magic lineage. She¡¯s famous as the disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch.¡± ¡°Magic lineage¡­ Is there no Swordsmanship lineage? And who is the second?¡± ¡°The second is from the Swordsmanship lineage. Just like City Eun, he¡¯s from the Divine Inspection Department.¡± ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± Seo Jeongjin was often compared to the heads of the top ten families in the same generation. He was usually considered an equal or slightly inferior. Therefore, as a disciple, Kang Hanbyeol couldn¡¯t help but be interested in them. Especially in the head of the Divine Inspection Department. ¨DIf you had to pick the most cautious opponent to engage in a life-and-death battle, I would choose Doe Yeeik from the Divine Inspection Department. That¡¯s what the current head of the Divine Inspection Department says. He¡¯s so unpredictable. ¨DMore so than the Master? ¨DOf course, I¡¯m more unpredictable! But if I try all sorts of tricks, he can handle it with just his swordsmanship. There probably isn¡¯t anyone in this world who can match him in swordsmanship. Seo Jeongjin spoke highly of the head of the Divine Inspection Department, Doe Yeeik, to that extent. Because of this, Kang Hanbyeol felt a sense of rivalry towards those in the Divine Inspection Department who would live in the same era as him. Gang Hanbyeol listened carefully to the name coming out of Dr. Park¡¯s mouth. ¡°It¡¯s Do Gyunwoo. Until the entrance exam, I was mocked with names like Rabbit or Lion Cub, but this time, entering as the second-ranking student, I¡¯ve proven to everyone my undeniable ability. In my opinion¡­ his potential might even surpass Do Si-eun, the student council president. Or maybe more than that.¡± ¡°¡­His name is Do Gyunwoo.¡± Do Si-eun and Do Gyunwoo. To remember them, Gang Hanbyeol repeated their names silently in her mind. The moment of meeting them awaited her. ¡ª ? The morning of the entrance ceremony dawned. I had to wake up to the morning call from Yeonhae in the sky. My voice was groggy. ¡°Hello¡­?¡± [Did you sleep well? It¡¯s time to get up. Get up now.] ¡°¡­Heaven. What time is it now?¡± [What time is it¡­?] ¡°Just let me sleep for 10 more minutes¡­ so wake me up in 10 minutes.¡± [Sigh¡­ I knew you¡¯d say that. Just 10 more minutes?] ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Yonghae had barged in last night. He couldn¡¯t sleep because he was excited about the entrance ceremony tomorrow¡­ no, that guy dragged me to the gym. In the end, I had to sweat it out with him until dawn. Having moved my body so vigorously, it was inevitable that I would be tired. In a dazed state, I explained to Yeonhae and immediately lost consciousness. I intended to sleep deeply for 10 minutes, but 10 minutes felt too short. Then, she called me again. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± [10 minutes have passed. Get up now.] ¡°Just 5 more minutes¡­¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re already late.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you sleeping now? Don¡¯t sleep. Don¡¯t. Get up. Gyunwoo? We need to go to school.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t go to school anymore¡­¡± ¡°Get up, Gyunwoo. We need to go to the academy.¡± ¡°I want to graduate quickly¡­¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t even started school yet.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re so kind. Gyunwoo, you have to get up. If you keep sleeping, you¡¯ll be late.¡± ¡°¡­Yeonhae.¡± [Hmm? Are you up? Why?] ¡°Your voice is pretty.¡± [¡­Hmm? Ah, what are you saying so early in the morning! You startled me!] ¡°It sounds like a lullaby in my ears¡­¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t sleep! Open your eyes!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave the enrollment oath to you¡­.¡± ¡°No. You can¡¯t¡­. Dogyun-woo, please don¡¯t do this. Wake up¡­.¡± ¡°Goodbye, everyone. I will break free from all the restraints and constraints of this world¡­.¡± [¡­Looks like you¡¯re awake. Are you teasing me?] ¡°I woke up while talking to you. Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yeah. I did.¡± Switching the phone to speaker mode, I stretched and got up. As I pulled back the curtains, a bright sky fitting for the enrollment ceremony stretched out before me. ¡°The weather is nice today.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem too cold, which is nice. Go wash up quickly.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll do that. Where should we meet?¡± ¡°At the elevator. I¡¯ll wait around the time you come out.¡± ¡°Got it. See you later.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to wear your uniform.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± One, two, three¡­. Counting to ten in my mind as if leaving a lingering feeling, I hung up the phone. She didn¡¯t like it when I hung up quickly. For some reason, even though she wouldn¡¯t directly confront me, she would sulk or pout if I hung up abruptly. ¡®If I count to ten before hanging up, maybe she¡¯ll treat me a little better that day.¡¯ Having known Yeonhae-nim for five years, I discovered this aspect as well. She had a complex psyche. If there were such a thing as Yeonhae-nim psychology, wouldn¡¯t there be followers after me. I lightly chuckled and washed myself thoroughly in the bathroom. After drying my hair and body, I sprayed on some body spray. It was a body spray that Yeonhae-nim, Goeunbi, and Lisa had persuaded me to buy. ¡°The scent is quite nice.¡± I¡¯m not sure who picked out the fragrance. Before using it, I hadn¡¯t paid much attention, but now that the scent emanated from my body, it felt refreshing. It seems worth the money, given its quality. Soon, I changed into my uniform. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Hmm¡­ Looks good.¡± Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I carefully checked my outfit. White dress shirt and red tie. On top of that, a beige vest. As an old-timer in the game, wearing a school uniform in the game made me feel strange. Not bad. No, good. After a while, I turned my body in the mirror and put on black boots before heading out. [Hello?] ¡°Hey, I¡¯m outside now.¡± [Got it. I¡¯ll head out too then.] I called Yeonhae and walked towards where the elevator was. When I pressed the button to go to the 1st floor, the elevator stopped right below. The door opened, and Yeonhae was standing there. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why are you like that?¡± ¡°No¡­ the uniform suits you well.¡± ¡°Really? Thanks.¡± ¡°Yeah, it looks pretty.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not the first time you¡¯ve seen it, right? You saw it last time when we tried on uniforms together¡­?¡± ¡°What I saw then and what I see now are different. And back then, it wasn¡¯t tailored either.¡± For female students, they could choose to wear pants or a skirt. The pants were similar to the ones I was wearing, and the skirt was a bright pink like the one Yeonhae was wearing. She had black stockings on below. Meanwhile, she wore a red ribbon around her neck instead of a red tie. I gazed at her for a while. She, too, stared back at me piercingly. Her red eyes scanned me from top to bottom as if scanning me. ¡°Your tie is loose. You should tie it properly.¡± ¡°My neck feels tight, so I left it like this.¡± ¡°You have to take an oath at the entrance ceremony later, it wouldn¡¯t look good if you keep it like that.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll fix it when we get there¡­¡± ¡°¡­Okay, that¡¯s enough. You look neat. And did you spray some body spray? It smells nice.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Before I could finish my sentence. Yeonhae, who had come closer, reached out and adjusted my tie. After she smelled me up close and checked my condition again, she seemed satisfied. As she came closer and smiled after smelling me. ¡°It still feels a bit tight¡­¡± ¡°Just for today, let it be.¡± I touched the warmth of the lingering late summer sky on my neck. I wanted to loosen my tie, but unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do so as she seemed to notice. Eventually, the elevator came to a stop. We headed towards the restaurant on the first floor. ¡°It¡¯s nice that there aren¡¯t many people.¡± ¡°Because we left an hour early.¡± As seniors and juniors entering the school, we had to go through a rehearsal for the entrance ceremony. That¡¯s why we had woken up an hour early to come and have breakfast. We looked around the quiet restaurant, picked up our trays, and got our food. There were two types of breakfast. A typical Korean meal with fried eggs, sausage stir-fry, kimchi, soup, rice, and so on. A Western meal with scrambled eggs, toast, morning bread, cereal, bacon, various jams. Apart from these two types, there were also different kinds of cup noodles in a corner. Of course, the thought of having cup noodles for breakfast never crossed my mind. I chose the Korean meal, while Yeonha chose the Western meal and we found our seats. ¡°Taking an oath at the entrance ceremony¡­ I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± ¡°Are you still saying that? Accept it now. It¡¯ll get better if you go and practice.¡± ¡°Will it really? Do you think so?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m too nervous to eat.¡± ¡°Can I have the morning bread then?¡± ¡°¡­You eat well in the morning.¡± ¡°People live by eating, you know.¡± There was also a drink bar. While having breakfast, I got up and brought a drink for Yeonha to have. ¡°Here, have this.¡± ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s nice that the tea is warm.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get up when it¡¯s time to sit.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Before we knew it, we had finished breakfast. We sat by the window, sipping our drinks, and chatted away. The reason we weren¡¯t going straight to the rehearsal was that there was still some time left and also because the class assignments were about to be announced. ¡°In three minutes, they¡¯ll announce the class assignments.¡± ¡°I¡­ hope we end up in the same class.¡± ¡°It would be nice if that happens¡­¡± Yeonha was hoping to be in the same class as me. Unfortunately, the chances were slim. Since the number of classes exceeded 50. ¡®One class has 50 students¡­¡¯ Even if we assumed the minimum number for the entire first grade, it would be over 2,500 students. Among them, it was almost miraculous for us to end up in the same class. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been in the same class since 5th grade elementary school, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true. But Haneul, this time¡­¡± ¡°Are you hesitating again? Or don¡¯t you want to be in the same class as me?¡± ¡°¡­No. Of course, I want to be in the same class as you.¡± Yeonhaneul glared at me sharply. I lowered my head to avoid provoking her. Then, I quickly urged her. ¡°Let¡¯s pray for another miracle like we¡¯ve had before this time.¡± ¡°Yeah. Please¡­ Miracle, happen¡­¡± Yeonhaneul, who had placed her smartphone on the table, clasped her hands together. Her gesture was adorable. I secretly took a picture of her while she closed her eyes and prayed. Finally, it was time for the class assignment results to be announced. We logged into the Geumgang Academy website and searched for the class assignment notice. Clicked on the ¡®Check Results¡¯ button. An information entry field appeared. [Name]: [Date of Birth (8 digits)]: [Check Results] I entered my name and date of birth. Now, all that was left was to press the check results button. ¡°When I count to three, we¡¯ll check simultaneously. Got it?¡± ¡°Got it. But even if we do that, the results¡­¡± ¡°Hush.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s press while praying for a miracle.¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± Yeonhaneul took a deep breath. We placed our smartphones on the table, leaned our heads together, and bowed. Soon, she signaled. ¡°Miracle, please happen. One.¡± ¡°Miracle, happen¡­¡± ¡°Two. Please, please, Miracle¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Three! Miracle, please!¡± Almost simultaneously. We pressed the results inquiry button. Could it be that the server had a problem due to others checking their classes? The screen remained blank without any change. ¡°Please, let a miracle happen¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeonha prayed silently. And shortly after, the screen changed, revealing the class assignments. We quickly checked our classes. [Cheering for your year. Student Dogyeonwoo has been assigned to Class 17 in Grade 1.] [Cheering for your year. Student Yeonha has been assigned to Class 8 in Grade 1.] ¡°¡­.¡± Silence fell. I watched Yeonha, who couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the screen. ¡°A miracle¡­ didn¡¯t happen¡­.¡± Yeonha¡¯s pupils trembled. With a quivering voice, she said, ¡°I need¡­ diapers¡­.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her ears drooped like a rabbit¡¯s. Yeonha choked on her words. Chapter 92 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 91 Chapter 91 Entrance Ceremony ¡°Why¡­ aren¡¯t we in the same class¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve always been in the same class until now¡­.¡± Yeonha¡¯s ears were folded in half. She wore a dead expression and let out a long sigh. A melancholic voice flowed from her as she gazed down at the table. Even when I was in 6th grade of elementary school, in 7th grade, 8th grade, and 9th grade of middle school, we were in the same class¡­ I even went as far as asking the principal and Chiseong to make sure we were in the same class every night¡­ ¡°Oh¡­ is that so?¡± ¡°Yesterday, I even prayed while pouring purified water in my room. I did it again when I woke up in the morning¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± She prayed to become my classmate. I never imagined that Yeonha would be making such efforts behind my back. In my mind, I could see her kneeling in front of the veranda where the moonlight shone, fervently praying with her hands clasped. The thought of my significance to her made me feel awkward yet proud. On one hand, I found it cute how she must have believed a miracle had happened for us to be in the same class all this time. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better not to reveal it. Let¡¯s keep it a secret for life.¡± Although I felt sorry for deceiving Yeonha, making her believe her prayers reached the heavens. In reality, the reason we had been in the same class all this time was due to the influence of our families. By utilizing the power of the Shingeom Dogga, it wasn¡¯t difficult for us to enter the same middle school and be in the same class. Since the elementary and middle schools we attended were sponsored by our families, we couldn¡¯t refuse. So, every year, I would ask my father, and he would gladly make it happen. The reason I didn¡¯t tell her about this was because of her reaction. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m relieved. We¡¯re in the same class again. Take care of me this year too, Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°Of course. Take care of me this year too.¡± ¡°It seems like we¡¯re destined to be in the same class. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I already knew the outcome, so I wasn¡¯t worried, but Yeonha was different. She was restless and anxious on the day the class assignments were announced. But once she confirmed we were in the same class, her anxious face turned into a joyful one, bright and radiant with a smile. At that moment, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell her the truth. ¡°Don¡¯t tell the heavens. That¡¯s the secret to getting good grades.¡± ¡°Alright, is there even a need to explain? Just let the heavens be pleased.¡± Sometimes, it was good to keep things unsaid, and being overly explanatory wasn¡¯t classy. So, I kept it a secret. ¡°I wanted to ask my dad to ensure we were in the same class at the academy as well¡­¡± Unfortunately, that was impossible. While our elementary and middle schools were completely under the influence of our families, the academies in the city of academies were entangled with various families and interest groups besides the Shingeom Dogga. The Geumgang Academy was no exception. Apart from the Shingeom Dogga, it received sponsorship from other Ten Clans. Therefore, using the power of our family conspicuously would have been noticed. She could have faced restrictions, and most importantly, there was a possibility of being out of the sight of Chairwoman So Hye-ryul. She was known as one of the strongest figures in the Academy City, someone who couldn¡¯t be easily touched even in the New Inspection Department. Though it was unlikely, one had to consider the scenario where she might inform that she would no longer accept the support of the family. Unlike its early days, the Geumgang Academy, which now stood out as the top academy in the Academy City, could operate smoothly without the support of the New Inspection Department. Ironically, other families might try to intervene without even realizing it. ¡°Why¡­ how¡­¡± Young Yeon-ha, who was unaware of such circumstances, was still looking gloomy. I comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed. After all, morning classes are the only ones scheduled, and in the afternoon, you can attend classes independently, right? We can have lunch together, attend classes together. So, don¡¯t worry about being in a different class from me.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± Yeon-ha pursed her lips. However, unless the outcome could be changed, she too had to eventually resign herself. As she sought confirmation, she asked decisively. ¡°Will you really have lunch with me?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t have any special plans, let¡¯s eat together. For breakfast, for dinner too.¡± ¡°Will you attend afternoon classes together?¡± ¡°It might be difficult to attend all together, but let¡¯s try to attend together whenever possible.¡± ¡°Fine¡­ Got it. Is it a promise?¡± After hearing my answer, Yeon-ha seemed to gather some strength. Her bunny ears gradually perked up. Yet, despite her revived spirit, she still seemed worried about being in a different class from me. I, too, felt a bit concerned. ¡°Will she be fine even without me?¡± I¡¯m not particularly sociable, but Yeon-ha was even more introverted than me. She was cautious, shy, and not the type to initiate conversations. I worried if she would be able to establish good relationships with her classmates in the same class. ¡°At least it would be nice if she got along with someone she knows, like Ha-nya¡­.¡± I don¡¯t know in which classes the people in the group chat were placed. By now, they must have received their class assignments and would be chatting about it in the group. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Perhaps there might be someone who ended up in the same class as Yeon-ha. It was at that moment when I was about to check the chat. ¡°Oh, found you. Haneul! Gyun-woo!¡± ¡°Thankfully, you haven¡¯t left yet.¡± ¡°Are you two here to have breakfast too?¡± Goeun-bi and Lisa, who noticed us, approached with trays in hand. The two, dressed in the Geumgang Academy uniform, looked like illustrations from a game. They soon took their seats beside us. As Goeun-bi sat next to Yeon-ha, she casually brought up a topic. ¡°Have you checked your class assignments too? Which classes are you both in? I¡¯m in Class 8!¡± ¡°I¡¯m in Class 12.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯m in Class 8.¡± ¡°Wow! Seriously? Haneul, you¡¯re in Class 8 too? Then we¡¯re in the same class!? We can hang out together from now on!¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s enviable to be in the same class. Gyungwoo, which class are you in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in Class 17. I never thought I¡¯d be in the same class as Haneul, but fate brought us together like this.¡± It was lucky that Goeunbi was in the same class as Haneul. If it was her, Gyungwoo felt like he could entrust Haneul to her without any worries. ¡°I knew someone¡­¡± ¡°Is it so great to be in the same class as me? Haneul is the pretty one here!¡± ¡°Ah! Eunbi, don¡¯t do this¡­!¡± Haneul also seemed relieved to be in the same class as Goeunbi. Normally, she would have been flustered by Goeunbi¡¯s skinship, but today she was quietly enduring it and found it amusing. Although she verbally rejected it, her face showed a different expression. I chuckled as I watched the two closely attached people. Meanwhile, Lisa, who was sitting next to me, seemed envious of the two. ¡°It must be really nice¡­ I wish I could be in the same class as someone I know¡­¡± Lisa expressed her regret. Letting out a sigh, she poured milk into her cereal. The elegance showed as she stirred with a spoon. I said to her, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t know anyone in your class, there are probably good people there, right?¡± ¡°Thank you for comforting me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just comforting.¡± ¡°I hope there are indeed good people in my class, as Gyungwoo said.¡± Although Lisa seemed skeptical. In my past life as a gaming enthusiast, I knew who she would end up in the same class with. ¡°If things go as in the game, she¡¯ll end up in the same class as Kang Hanbyeol.¡± Not only the protagonist of the game, Kang Hanbyeol, but also Dr. Park, were assigned to the same class. As a result, Lisa would become close to them, and she would be the female character most involved in the incidents caused by Kang Hanbyeol. The reason players treated her as the main heroine in the game was because of this. ¡°Well, Kang Hanbyeol never harbored romantic feelings for anyone.¡± Well, there was one exception, just one person. His childhood friend, Nuna. Kang Hanbyeol liked her, so in the game, he didn¡¯t develop romantic feelings for the women he became friends with; he saw them as comrades. As a result, the term ¡®heroine¡¯ used by players referred to female characters who were close to Kang Hanbyeol or had a liking for him, significant to the story, without considering whether a romantic relationship would develop. In any case, Kang Hanbyeol never dated anyone until the end of the game. Anyway, I subtly reassured Lisa, ¡°I can assure you, don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll meet good people. You¡¯ll have to endure a lot though¡­¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re encouraging me, right?¡± Lisa had nothing to worry about. I subtly hinted at the future to her as if passing on compliments. She seemed puzzled as to how to react. ¡°By the way, what about the others? Do you know which class they¡¯re in?¡± ¡°They should be in the group chat.¡± ¡°¡­It seems like a lot has piled up.¡± I entered the group chat to check which classes others were in. Scrolling down, I could find the information. After reading the contents, I left a message. From Noble mtl dot com [Yonghaerang]: I¡¯m in Class 5. Doh Yeonwoo! What about you? [Ttommari Geum]: We are in Class 22! The three of us are in the same class again this year! [Ttommari Eun]: A miracle has happened! [Ttommari Dong]: How is this possible? We¡¯re in the same class again lol : [Me]: Get a clue, Geum Eun Dong [Ttommari Geum]: ???????? [Ttommari Eun]: It¡¯s starting from the morning¡­ [Ttommari Dong]: Why the fuss? Even if we¡¯re not in the same class as Haneul? * * * Central Hall of the Cultural Center where the entrance ceremony was taking place. Yeonwoo and I went there to rehearse for the entrance ceremony. As we entered the central hall, people preparing for the ceremony were bustling around. At that moment, someone who appeared to be a staff member approached us. ¡°Hey students. Judging from your ties, you seem to be freshmen entering this year. Are you the students in charge of representing the freshmen?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. We came for the rehearsal. Where should we go?¡± ¡°I was just looking for you. Please follow me backstage quickly.¡± As soon as the staff member finished speaking, they hurried off to attend to other matters. We passed through a space capable of accommodating over 10,000 people and headed towards the backstage. People were bustling around even in that place. ¡°The atmosphere is chaotic.¡± Not only instructors and staff, but also sporadic students could be seen. They seemed like seniors performing on stage during the entrance ceremony. Turning our gaze away from them, we approached a nearby staff member. ¡°You¡¯re the freshmen representatives, right? The top and second in entrance exam scores. We¡¯ll start rehearsal soon, so please wait.¡± After a brief explanation to the staff member, we decided to practice or do something for the remaining time by sitting on chairs in a corner. ¡°¡­145th intake of Geumgang Academy, Yeon, Hah, Neul. Ugh¡­ Nervous. Trembling.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at it now without stuttering. What¡¯s there to be nervous about?¡± ¡°Well, now there¡¯s no one around, but later, we¡¯ll have to swear in front of a lot of people. Just the thought of it is dreadful¡­ I want to graduate quickly¡­¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t even enrolled yet, you know?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ that was something I said to you.¡± Ignoring the people around us, Yeon and I repeatedly rehearsed the oath we would swear during the entrance ceremony. Having practiced for days, it had now become second nature to us, without needing to look at it. Yet, she still seemed uneasy, unable to shake off the tension. In that situation, [We will now begin the rehearsal. We have limited time, so we¡¯ll skip the national anthem and patriotic songs. We will also skip the speeches by the chairman, student council president, board of directors introduction, and instructor introduction. The performance in the middle will be delayed due to stage preparation. For now, let¡¯s start with the freshmen oath, so freshmen representatives, please come to the stage.] We were the first to be called out for the rehearsal. Yeon immediately looked distressed. ¡°Why are we first¡­ Why are we the ones starting this¡­¡± ¡°If you think about it, it¡¯s better this way. It¡¯s better to finish quickly and rest than to wait for our turn and get more nervous.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a rehearsal, no need to be nervous.¡± Whether it¡¯s the first or the last turn, what needs to be done remains the same in the end. Reluctantly, Yeon got up from her seat following me. We walked onto the stage and stood at the podium. Then, we took the microphone and began to recite the oath confidently. [Geumgang Academy, 145th intake, Do, Gyun, Woo.] [Geumgang Academy, 145th intake, Yeon, Hah, Neul.] ¡°Student Yeon, your voice is a bit soft, please speak louder during the entrance ceremony. Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± During the oath recitation, Yeon, unlike me, bit her tongue, stuttered, and her voice quivered. As her voice only murmured within her mouth, it was hard to hear. Due to this, she couldn¡¯t avoid the criticism from the instructor leading the rehearsal. Whether she realized her mistake or not, her face darkened. Descending from the podium and returning backstage, she couldn¡¯t hide her worry. ¡°What if I¡¯m like this at the entrance ceremony¡­? And my voice is naturally soft, how am I supposed to speak loudly¡­¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve spoken closer to the microphone. Don¡¯t just let your voice come from your mouth.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I did that¡­¡± ¡°Just think of it as talking comfortably to me like you are now. Your voice is louder than before.¡± ¡°Gyunwoo.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Could you speak for me instead since I¡¯ll just be moving my lips?¡± ¡°Syncing my lips?¡± ¡°Yeah. Please¡­¡± ¡°Will that work?¡± ¡°What should I do? I can¡¯t do it¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can do it. You used to make people stumble during exams.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different from this! Ugh¡­ Aren¡¯t you nervous at all? Aren¡¯t you worried about making a mistake and embarrassing yourself?¡± ¡°Even if you mess up the freshman oath, it won¡¯t lead to the end of the world, so what¡¯s there to worry about?¡± In this world, there were several flags that could lead to ruin if you made the wrong choice. The person right in front of me, Yeonhaneul, was one of the flags leading to ruin. Just a freshman oath couldn¡¯t possibly create anxiety. Even if you mess up, the world won¡¯t end. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just the freshman oath; most things in the world were like that. With that in mind, I didn¡¯t feel nervous about most things. ¡°Yeah. The world won¡¯t end, but I¡¯ll probably embarrass myself¡­¡± But it seemed like Yeonhaneul didn¡¯t quite grasp that idea. She responded pessimistically. It was at that moment. ¡°Gyunwoo, Haneul.¡± ¡°¡­Nuna?¡± ¡°¡­Sieunie unni?¡± My cousin, Doh Sieun. This year, she became the student council president and walked towards us. We greeted her warmly. ¡°I saw you guys practicing just now. Haneul seems very nervous.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Nuna saw us too¡­¡± ¡°Can I give you a tip?¡± ¡°A tip? What is it? I¡¯m all ears.¡± Even though she must be busy as the student council president. It seemed like she was worried about the nervous Haneul on stage. As she was about to give advice, Haneul perked up, listening intently like a rabbit with its ears pricked. ¡°I get nervous and anxious too when I have something important to do like you.¡± ¡°You get nervous too, Nuna?¡± ¡°Yeah, I get nervous. I¡¯m worried I might make a mistake while giving a speech at the entrance ceremony.¡± ¡°What do you do at those times, Nuna?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Dosieun nodded with a blank face. She was nervous too. It was quite unexpected considering her usual image. ¡°Could she have lied on purpose out of consideration for Haneuri?¡± That thought crossed my mind for a moment. But knowing her personality, it didn¡¯t seem likely that she would lie about something like this. It was hard to believe, but even the student council president seemed tense. I became curious about how she would ease her tension. So, I listened carefully. ¡°¡­Think about what you want to do after it¡¯s over. Whether it¡¯s eating something delicious as a sign of working hard today or buying something you want¡­¡± ¡°Is that all, unnie?¡± ¡°Yes, surprisingly, it¡¯s nothing special, right? But in its own way, it seems to be effective. Rather than worrying about making mistakes, thinking about what to do afterwards makes the mind more at ease and comfortable.¡± ¡°¡­No, unnie. I think your advice is better than what Gyunwoo suggested. I¡¯ll take it into account. Thank you so much!¡± Contrary to my expectations, Dosieun¡¯s advice wasn¡¯t anything extraordinary. Still, as she said, it seemed to have some effect. It was helpful advice. However. ¡°Heaven¡­ Doesn¡¯t it seem like there¡¯s a significant temperature difference in how you treat me and Siaeun unnie?¡± My advice wasn¡¯t that bad either. Yeonaheul took Dosieun¡¯s hand, shaking it and helping her up. Her long ears were twitching like a rabbit hopping around. It was quite pitiful to see. As time passed from that moment. [We will now begin the entrance ceremony for the 145th class of Geumgang High School Academy.] Finally, the entrance ceremony began. Chapter 93 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 92 Chapter 92 ) [Illustration] As the time for the entrance ceremony approached, people flocked to the central hall. In an instant, the hall was filled with students in school uniforms. Watching countless students from behind the stage, we were overwhelmed. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel nervous about this.¡± Standing on the stage, he felt the weight of all eyes on him, which made him feel a certain pressure. Moreover, not only were they present, but also clan scouts and media personnel were in attendance. The entrance ceremony was being broadcast through the cameras installed in the central hall. Cityeun, who had mentioned feeling nervous just a while ago, could understand the anxiety. In such a situation, Yeonha could hardly keep calm. ¡°What do I do, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Yeonha?¡± ¡°Is there no rabbit hole around here?¡± ¡°Why suddenly looking for a rabbit hole?¡± ¡°To hide in. Sorry, I can¡¯t do it. Going out in front of so many people, I feel like I¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°People do that without dying.¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m not¡­ human¡­ no, I don¡¯t want to be human.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not human, then what are you?¡± ¡°Rab, rabbit¡­. Ouch!¡± ¡°Pull yourself together, Yeonha.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not alone in taking the oath, I¡¯ll be right next to you. So don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll stick by your side.¡± ¡°¡­Will you be my rabbit hole?¡± ¡°Well, then¡­ if you really can¡¯t handle it, come hide inside my clothes as a last resort.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll leave that as a last resort.¡± I dropped the hand that Yeonha had raised between her rabbit ears. She, who turned her gaze towards me from the central hall, seemed to gradually calm down. ¡°If you stand here, you might obstruct the passing people, so let¡¯s go over there.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­.¡± Continuing to watch will inevitably make one self-conscious. It¡¯s not good for Yeonha. I took her wrist and led her to a place where the situation offstage was less visible. Then, I made her sit on a chair, stood in front of her, blocking her view. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sit?¡± ¡°I find it more comfortable like this.¡± ¡°If someone aspiring to be a hunter struggles this much, it¡¯s not right. After we finish the freshmen oath later, you can sit comfortably. Let¡¯s keep practicing until then.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­. Thank you, really.¡± What exactly is she thankful for? I looked down at Yeonha, who had her hands on her crossed legs, and smiled. After that, we spent the remaining time practicing the oath. [We will first swear allegiance to the flag. Students and guests, please rise and face the Taegeukgi in front of you¡­.] Before we knew it, the entrance ceremony had begun. I, with my back turned to Yeonha, looked up at the stage. The familiar accompaniment and voice I had heard in my past life echoed through the hall. Next, we will have the national anthem. Only the first verse will be sung. Next is the school anthem. The event proceeded as explained in the briefing. For the school anthem performance, senior students who had been assigned roles took the stage and sang. The students had to sing along in tune with the lyrics displayed on the screen. After the formal event concluded, So Hye-ryul walked out onto the stage. ¡°Hello, everyone. I sincerely congratulate you on being accepted to Geumgang Academy. I am So Hye-ryul, the director of this academy.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Becoming a hunter is not easy. It¡¯s tough. Even if you work hard, your efforts may not always be rewarded. Hunters are those who live a life where they don¡¯t know when, where, or how they might die. Perhaps you are already aware of this. Yet, today, you are taking your first step into the world of hunters. As someone who lives in this world, I congratulate you, support you, and respect you.¡± With a small stature, So Hye-ryul stepped onto the platform to deliver her speech. Despite her youthful appearance, she exuded a mature aura and didn¡¯t romanticize the idea of being a hunter. She shared only the harsh realities with the students who were entering to become hunters. Although she didn¡¯t peek beyond the stage, it seemed like the students were listening to the speech with a sense of solemnity. ¡°You are excellent. However, there are many people in the world who are more excellent than you. As you spend the next three years at the academy, you will come to realize and accept this. Some may receive recognition, while others may face disappointment. Anyone can make an effort. The importance of effort cannot be overlooked, but it doesn¡¯t guarantee a reward. Above all, those who work hard cannot always defeat those who are talented.¡± It was a line that also appeared in the game. So Hye-ryul¡¯s speech hinted that, unlike the youthful academy genre portrayed in the game, the world view was not entirely bright. For me, who had first encountered this game in a previous life, this scene left a lasting impression in my memory. Seeing that scene firsthand now brought a fresh wave of emotions. However, unlike in the game, where you face her head-on on the stage, here, you had to see her profile from the backstage. As her speech came to an end, ¡°Nevertheless, I salute you all. Until the moment of graduation, keep honing yourself like a diamond that becomes more beautiful with each polish. I hope that you will learn a lot at the academy and be able to venture out into the world.¡± With those words, So Hye-ryul bowed in farewell. Amidst the solemn atmosphere, a light round of applause broke out. She listened to the applause, turned, and descended from the stage. ¡°Huh?¡± At that moment, her gaze briefly paused. It felt like her yellow eyes were looking at me. ¡°Hello?¡± Just in case, I nodded, and she lightly bowed in return. Soon, she, wearing high-heeled shoes, disappeared to the other side with her secretary, Oh Seung-a. ¡°It seems I caught So Hye-ryul¡¯s eye.¡± Well, considering how many mistakes I made in the exam, it would be strange if I didn¡¯t catch her eye. I decided to wait and watch the rest of the entrance ceremony until it was my turn. Before long, it was Do Si-eun¡¯s turn. ¡°Next, we will have the student council president¡¯s speech.¡± Swinging the pink tassel. With a sword at her waist, Do Si-eun, bathed in the spotlight, walked onto the stage. Her blue eyes seemed to scan the audience. ¡°Hello. I sincerely welcome the new students to their enrollment. In the future, you will accumulate various experiences here at this academy and progress in the city of academies. In that process¡­¡± The sound of rustling fills the air. Though it wasn¡¯t a tremor, there seemed to be a mysterious allure in the sound that captured people¡¯s gaze. Standing on the platform, Dosi-eun¡¯s profile looked different from what I was used to seeing. There was a sense of immaculateness in everything, a thoroughness, as if she held a strict measure even towards herself without exception. It suited the title of Student Council President. With her back straight and standing tall, Dosi-eun exuded that kind of aura. ¡°¡­It¡¯s the same as the one she showed in the game.¡± But this wasn¡¯t her true self. Unlike what was seen on stage, Dosi-eun, upon closer inspection, was surprisingly vulnerable, had a somewhat awkward side to her, and was a forgiving and generous person. There probably weren¡¯t many who knew this side of her, maybe even including myself. I felt a sense of superiority from the audience watching her in the main hall. A smile crept up my lips involuntarily. [¡­As the newly appointed Student Council President this year, I also want to walk the path with all of you for the first time. I hope this year will be meaningful and fulfilling for each of you. This concludes Dosi-eun, the 143rd Student Council President of Geumgang Academy. Thank you.] Before long, Dosi-eun finished her speech and turned away from the platform. Soon, as she descended from the stage, our eyes met. She grinned at me. It seemed like she was saying, ¡°You were nervous, huh?¡± That was what she was nervous about? Feeling baffled, I silently moved my lips after her. ¡°Well done. Noona, you were amazing.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± A smile lit up her blue eyes. * * * The waiting time exacerbates anxiety. Since Dosi-eun finished her speech and left the ceremony hall for an appointment. Yeong-haneul anxiously awaited her turn. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± She wished the time wouldn¡¯t come. She wished time would just stop right there. Consumed by anxiety, Yeong-haneul was now on the verge of blurting out random things. ¡°Gyunwoo, sing for me.¡± ¡°What? Why suddenly a song?¡± ¡°You know, that one. That one.¡± ¡°How would you know if I just say ¡®that one¡¯? What is it even?¡± ¡°Could you be my hero, baby~.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Put up the caf¨¦ sign here as well.¡± ¡°You¡­ have really lost it now.¡± ¡°I wish you had lost it instead. Can¡¯t you knock me out with your sword? Switch to the Reverse Daybreak Sword!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have a principle of not drawing my sword for trivial matters. I have my beliefs too, you know.¡± ¡°Stop trying to act cool and say weird things!¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying what I want to say to you. Control yourself a bit.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Control yourself!¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± From Noble mtl dot com Dogyeonwoo playfully struck Yeonha¡¯s neck with a hand that lacked strength. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her head followed suit. She moaned, rubbing her completely unharmed head and neck. ¡°Feeling more composed now?¡± ¡°Than earlier, I suppose¡­.¡± ¡°Still trembling?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather see the world end than keep trembling like this.¡± ¡°¡­But let¡¯s not go as far as ending the world.¡± Of course, she didn¡¯t genuinely wish for the world to end. It was merely a figure of speech. She never had the power for such things. Ignoring Yeonha¡¯s peculiarly dismissive attitude, Dogyeonwoo breathed deeply. Hoo, ha, hoo, ha. Repeating the process of inhaling and exhaling seemed to calm his mind. [Next will be the oath of the new students. Would all new students please rise from their seats. The student representatives for this year, entering as the top and second top students, are Yeonha and Dogyeonwoo.] ¡­It was a lie. Yeonha jumped in surprise at the sound coming from the speaker. She was finally here. Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Gyeonwoo¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s go.¡± It was far from okay. Yeonha lowered her head heavily. Her feet didn¡¯t land as gracefully as she thought they would. It was as if they were sticking to the ground. She began to walk slowly, very cautiously. Dogyeonwoo, who had been walking ahead, turned to look at her and sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t be helped. Here.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s this?¡± Dogyeonwoo suddenly reached out his hand. Yeonha looked puzzled, unable to understand his intention. With a casual tone, he said, ¡°Since it seems like you can¡¯t walk, I¡¯ll escort you to the stage. But you have to walk alone from there.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Here, take my hand.¡± ¡°¡­Hand.¡± Even if not a puppy. Yeon Ha-neul responded like a puppy, placing her hand on Do Gyun-woo¡¯s palm. He chuckled softly and held her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We might get called if we linger.¡± [New students¡¯ representative, please come up to the stage promptly.] ¡°I already called. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Sure.¡± His hand was rugged. Stiff and solid. Meanwhile, Do Gyun-woo¡¯s hand was so big that it almost engulfed her own. She couldn¡¯t help but think her hand was this small. The firm grip was unsettling. But not unwelcome. In the touch she couldn¡¯t resist, she keenly felt the difference between a man and a woman. Lost in that thought, Yeon Ha-neul didn¡¯t hear the sound coming from the speakers. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± When she came to her senses, she had already ascended the stairs. One step further was the stage. Up ahead, Do Gyun-woo was slowly moving towards the stage. While casting a sidelong glance at her. ¡°¡­.¡± Do Gyun-woo gazed at her. She gazed back at Do Gyun-woo. Fixating her gaze on him, Yeon Ha-neul soon made her way to the brightly lit stage. The central hall brimmed with countless gazes, seemingly fixated on her. ¡°Isn¡¯t she the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch?¡± ¡°She was the top student in admissions, right¡­.¡± The rabbit-like ears that missed no whisper caught the murmurs of the people. But Yeon Ha-neul was unfazed. She was solely conscious of Do Gyun-woo. Eventually. ¡°You made it.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Yeon Ha-neul stood beside Do Gyun-woo. Her face softened at his dignified smile. She ascended the platform with him and looked out over the central hall. She met the gazes of the people. ¡°¡­.¡± The unease hadn¡¯t completely disappeared. To say she wasn¡¯t nervous would be a lie. Her heart fluttered, her pulse throbbed. Her legs felt weak. Her mind blanked out. Yet, the fresh air managed to soothe her mind barely. ¡®Ah, such a lovely scent.¡¯ A citrus fragrance, crisp and subtly sweet, stimulated her sense of smell. It was a scent she liked. Her mind calmed down. Breathing in the scent next to her, she once again became aware of Dokyunwoo. She wasn¡¯t afraid of the people¡¯s gazes. Because he was by her side. Then, he quietly asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Shall we then?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± She nodded. A pledge was placed on the platform. The two of them faced the people, reading the contents of the pledge. [Having lived different lives, we are now moving towards the same dream. Going forward, we will support each other in procedures¡­.] Representing the new students, conveying their aspirations to the new students, seniors, and academy instructors. There was no trembling in her voice. Her voice spread through the audience via the microphone. ¡®What did Sieni unnie say? When you¡¯re nervous, think about what you¡¯ll do after it¡¯s over¡­.¡¯ They decided to have drinks with friends to celebrate their admission in the evening. It was the first time they would drink alcohol since birth. They were worried yet excited. At some point, recalling Dosiun¡¯s advice, Yeonhae gradually shook off her tension. [Pledge.] ¡°Pledge.¡± The two of them raised their hands and spoke. The students in the central hall all followed suit with their actions. [I pledge my name and soul.] [To dedicate to the homeland, protect humanity.] [And never yield to any threat.] [Without fearing death.] [Without losing a just heart.] [Contributing to world peace.] [I swear here to faithfully fulfill the duty of a Hunter.] [Until this heart beats its last.] The two paused for a moment. They waited until the students¡¯ chatter died down before signaling. [Geumgang Academy 145th Class.] [Yeon, Ha, Neul.] [Do, Gyeon, Woo.] Each revealed their own name. The students all lowered their hands in unison. *** As they looked at the words appearing on the screen, The students took their oath. Kang Hanbyeol was among them. [Geumgang Academy 145th Class.] [Yeon, Ha, Neul.] [Do, Gyeon, Woo.] ¡°Kang, Han, Byeol.¡± The top and second-ranked students gracefully lowered their hands. Following suit, Kang Hanbyeol caught the eye of one among them. It was Dogyeonwoo, the top student of the Shingeom Doga. ¡°He¡¯s the grandson of the Grandmaster.¡± The aura surrounding Dogyeonwoo, as heard from his master Seo Jeongjin, was grand and regal, almost like a lion ruling over all beasts, truly a lion-like appearance fit for the king of commoners. So it was expected that his grandson, Dogyeonwoo, would possess a similar appearance, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, it was quite different from what was imagined. ¡°¡­¡± Tall and broad-shouldered, yet his physique was nothing out of the ordinary. He might even be slightly on the thin side. On the other hand, his facial features were slender, and his expression was gentle. His face bore no resemblance to the lion, the symbol of the Shingeom Doga. If one were to compare, he might resemble a herbivore like a rabbit. It was somewhat understandable why he was given the nickname ¡°Rabbit.¡± Even so, ¡°One must not let their guard down.¡± Judging someone based on appearances is not advisable. The fact that Dogyeonwoo entered as the second-ranked student indicated that he possessed sufficient skills. It¡¯s not a foe to be underestimated. Gang Hanbyeol kept staring endlessly until Dogyeonwoo, who was leaving the stage, was no longer in sight. A smile curved on his lips. ¡°I wonder how strong he is.¡± Whether it was the student president Doh Si-eun who gave a speech a while ago or Dogyeonwoo, both of them. They ignited Gang Hanbyeol¡¯s competitive spirit. Chapter 94 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 93 Chapter 93 Class Allocation [With this, we will conclude the entrance ceremony. New students, please move to your allocated classes today. A class orientation will be held at 11:30 a.m. Once again, this marks the end of the entrance ceremony¡­.] The entrance ceremony had ended. Students were leaving the central hall to head to their assigned classes. Yeo Haneul and I, who had been watching the ceremony from below the stage, also decided to move. Then, people started coming towards us against the flow of the procession. ¡°Haneul! Gyunwoo! You did great at the new student oath! You seemed so relaxed and did well! I even took a picture!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. With so many people, even I would¡¯ve been nervous, but you did it so calmly. It was impressive.¡± ¡°Both of you did well! Even from a distance, your determination was palpable!¡± ¡°Hey! Hey! Hey! When we told others that we¡¯re your friends, their eyes changed, you know?¡± ¡°They were kind of envious of us, right? You seemed to gain some popularity.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t feel pressured! If there are annoying people bothering you, we¡¯ll block them for you!¡± Go Eunbi, Lisa, Yonghaerang, the triplet siblings. They approached us and chattered away. In Eunbi¡¯s case, she even pulled Haneul close and hugged him tightly. ¡°Kyaa! Haneul, you were so cool! I¡¯ll show you the photos later! Do you know how beautiful you looked when you set the atmosphere by saying ¡®oath¡¯? It could be a profile picture! How about changing from the rabbit doll you bought last time to a picture of your face!? Huh!?¡± ¡°U-uh, Eunbi¡­! Let go for a moment and talk! Where are you touch¡­ aah! Why are you touching there!?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m happy to be born a girl.¡± ¡°G-Gyunwoo! Help me! Eunbi is¡­!¡± ¡°¡­But she¡¯s not touching your ears or tail. She¡¯s still respecting boundaries, it seems.¡± ¡°W-what are you doing now¡­! Why are you putting your hand inside my clothes!?¡± Goeunbi, slightly shorter than Yeonhaneul, took advantage of their shared gender to boldly explore her body. Yeonhaneul, whose ears shot up like a rabbit¡¯s, was shocked by the intimacy and sent me a distress signal, but unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to help. It seemed like Goeunbi¡¯s actions weren¡¯t malicious, but rather her way of expressing interest. It was awkward to just pull her away. And¡­ ¡°Uh¡­ It seems like she¡¯s secretly enjoying it, even though she acts like that.¡± From the perspective of my childhood friend of 5 years, Yeonhaneul didn¡¯t seem entirely averse to it. If she had truly made up her mind, pushing Goeunbi away would have been a piece of cake. However, silently enduring it implied tacit approval. As someone who majored in Yeonhaneul¡¯s behavior psychology for 5 years, I speculated that she was simply feeling awkward and embarrassed, pulling me in because it was something new to her. ¡°They seem to get along well¡­¡± Meanwhile, Lisa murmured as she watched Yeonhaneul and Goeunbi. As a princess, she seemed envious of the two playing around without regard for their status. ¡°Go ask Eunbi to do it to you too. Say it¡¯s good for Eunbi¡¯s personality.¡± ¡°Um¡­ No. Even if I did, that seems like it would be too much.¡± ¡°Then go and tease Haneul together.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Are you a genius, by any chance?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I guess so. That should work then.¡± Lisa said in an excited tone, as if struck by a brilliant idea. With a mischievous grin, she approached the two. ¡°Hey! Is this how it¡¯s done?¡± ¡°Lisa, you too¡­!¡± ¡°Try touching a bit lower from there! Haneul seems to like that.¡± ¡°I, I¡¯ve never liked it¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, here? It seems like it.¡± Yeonhaneul¡¯s face twisted with betrayal. But Goeunbi and Lisa continued to torment her without a care. ¡°Ky¡­ Kyunwoo¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± As if calling out to me tenderly, as if I were her last hope, Yeonhaneul said my name. Was she asking me to come and tease her too? Sadly, Goeunbi and Lisa had already taken their places, leaving me no room to intervene. I pretended not to hear. ¡°Haneul, I¡¯m sorry. It seems inevitable for the game¡¯s ending.¡± I thought it might be a good thing if sacrificing Yeonhaneul made Goeunbi and Lisa¡¯s relationship stronger. I was grateful for her sacrifice. On one hand, to never be a person who turns a blind eye to the things I¡¯ve done, I kept my eyes on her. ¡°If you touch there, she must like it¡­.¡± To never forget Yeonha¡¯s sacrifice. I engraved it in my mind. * * * After the mischievous prank of Goeunbi and Lisa came to an end. Yeonha, who had barely tidied up her disheveled clothes, glared at me as if blaming me. ¡°Why¡­ didn¡¯t you help?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡­ asked for your help¡­.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°You look okay?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was clear that it wasn¡¯t me but Goeunbi and Lisa who played the prank. Yeonha, who had considered me a bystander, expressed her anger towards me. Although I felt unfairly treated, I just endured her tantrum to help her vent her feelings. ¡°Really¡­ I¡¯ll remember this. Just wait. Next time, even if you ask for help, I won¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°Do you want strawberry milk?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°There seems to be a vending machine outside, should I go get it?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t feel better just by drinking that¡­. Where are you going!? Come back!¡± I had remembered the vending machine location. Before Yeonha could stop me, I quickly dashed outside. I bought the strawberry milk and returned. ¡°Here, Haneul. I also brought a straw.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it¡­.¡± Even though she said that. Reluctantly, Yeonha accepted the strawberry milk when I insisted on inserting the straw. Her rabbit ears perked up. With the straw in her mouth, she made a strict expression. ¡°I¡¯m forgiving you just this once. Got it?¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks for forgiving me.¡± With quick thinking and delicious strawberry milk, I could calm Yeonha¡¯s anger. Soon, I turned to others and spoke. ¡°They say there¡¯s a class orientation, let¡¯s head to our class too.¡± The central hall had become deserted in no time. Since we couldn¡¯t spend any more time there, we decided to find our class as well. Each class was located in the main academic building. Descending the central staircase, we found the nearby academic building. It was time to part ways. ¡°Teacher Goeunbi.¡± ¡°Yes! Father Dogyeonwoo!¡± ¡°From now on, I entrust Haneul¡¯s school commute to you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father! I¡¯ll take good care of Haneul by my side!¡± Heading towards our assigned classes separately. I playfully asked Goeunbi, who had her arm linked with Yeonhae, for a favor. She responded to my jest. From Noble mtl dot com She humorously assured me with a soldier-like salute. ¡°Am I a kindergarten kid or something¡­¡± ¡°Then, Gyenwoo! See you later in the evening! Haneul, let¡¯s go in quickly too!¡± ¡°Goeunbi, wait¡­! See you later!¡± ¡°Sure, see you later.¡± Yeonhae, who was between us, couldn¡¯t hide her uneasy expression. Being led by Goeunbi, she went into her classroom. Only then did I start moving my feet. I headed towards Class 17 of the first year. ¡°Is this it?¡± I checked the sign attached to the classroom door. Upon opening it, I stepped inside. ¡°¡­¡± The classroom with long desks arranged in rows. Students were sitting wherever they pleased. Most of them seemed unfamiliar with each other, sitting apart. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Dogyeon? The transfer student.¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s in the same class. That¡¯s good. It¡¯ll be an advantage during the class competition.¡± ¡°The new recruit of the elite Doga clan¡­.¡± ¡°If I do well, I might be able to get close to him.¡± ¡°I should talk to him next time.¡± As the students who had just sworn in as the representative of the new students, there was no way they wouldn¡¯t recognize me. As they saw me entering the classroom, murmurs could be heard. The glances trying to confirm me from behind didn¡¯t seem very welcoming. Unlike during the entrance exam, now that we were not competitors but rather future colleagues to spend a year together, it was understandable. I, too, did not avoid their gazes to familiarize myself with their faces. ¡®By the way, where should I sit¡­.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t keep standing there. I scanned the surroundings to find a suitable spot. There were plenty of empty seats if needed. I decided to find a seat that I liked among them. The moment my gaze stopped was then. ¡®That person¡­¡¯ sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the front row of the classroom. A striking red-haired female student sat alone at a long desk. Even though I could only see the back of her head, I felt like I knew who she was. I had seen her in an exam before, so she seemed familiar. ¡°So Minarin was in the same class as me.¡± It was definitely Minarin from the Mado household. Good. It was an unexpected encounter. I hadn¡¯t planned to sit at the front, but I changed my mind. I moved towards her. ¡°Can I sit next to you?¡± ¡°Sorry, there are plenty of seats¡­ Huh?¡± She seemed to warn me not to touch her. Minarin rested her chin on her hand, looking upset. As I started talking, she, who had been staring straight at me with a hint of anger, was about to say something. Then she paused when she looked at my face. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t even properly greet each other when we saw each other during the last exam, right? Thanks for helping back then. If you hadn¡¯t helped, I would have struggled.¡± ¡°Shingum Dog¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Dogyeon from Shingum Do. I knew about you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t not know people from Shingum Do. I even enrolled as a top student this time. Isn¡¯t it strange not to know? I¡¯m Minarin. It seems like we¡¯re in the same class now. I¡¯ll rely on you for the next year.¡± Minarin let out a small sigh. While exchanging greetings with me, she didn¡¯t seem particularly friendly. ¡®Well, that¡¯s understandable.¡¯ At this stage of the game, she considered herself superior to anyone else. She believed that everyone other than herself was inferior. This mindset applied universally, without exception, even to those from the same prestigious family. So, according to her standards, it was unsettling that I, whom she deemed inferior, initiated the conversation. Minarin was that kind of character. A character with a strong sense of superiority. Her personality remained unchanged even after joining the Strong Star party. The disposition she had formed since birth was not easily altered. ¡°Minarin¡± ¨D W-Who¡¯s worried about someone like you! If you¡¯re weaker than me, just quietly accept my protection! In that manner. Min Arin displayed a sense of superiority. Knowing her personality, I calmly accepted it. Meanwhile, she expressed dissatisfaction. ¡°But there are plenty of other seats available, so why do you have to sit here of all places?¡± ¡°Why? Can¡¯t I sit here?¡± ¡°I want to study quietly, so could you please consider moving somewhere else? I¡¯m only asking because you¡¯re from the top-tier group. I¡¯ve just shooed away others before.¡± ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t, okay?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I want to study too.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡° ¡°It¡¯s at the front, so the screen is visible, the teacher¡¯s desk is right in front, it¡¯s just perfect. It¡¯s conducive to studying.¡± ¡­After speaking, I realized I wanted to move to a different seat. But, of course, that wasn¡¯t possible. I didn¡¯t show any signs of it. Then, I provoked Min Arin. ¡°I have no intention of moving, so if you want to move, you can do it.¡± ¡°What? I sat here first, why¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no owner of the seat, it was empty from the beginning, right? At times like this, the uncomfortable one should move. I don¡¯t mind sharing the seat with you, but it seems like you want to use it alone.¡± ¡°Argh¡­¡± There was no reason for me to consider Min Arin¡¯s objection when I wanted to sit in the empty seat. She couldn¡¯t respond properly. Yet, she wasn¡¯t the type to move to another seat either. ¡®Especially now, Min Arin, who is bundled up with pride, must think that if she moves from her seat, she loses to me.¡¯ In reality, Min Arin only frowned and didn¡¯t attempt to get up from her seat. Instead, she clutched the chair tightly, almost as if she was conscious of my words. She suddenly muttered, ¡°Fine, do as you wish. Just be quiet. Don¡¯t disturb my studying. Got it?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re the one who shouldn¡¯t disturb.¡± ¡°Who are you to say that¡­?¡± In the end, Min Arin couldn¡¯t send me away, nor could she leave herself, so she reluctantly allowed me to sit beside her. Satisfied with sitting next to her, I refrained from provoking her any further. If I continued to provoke her, she might harbor ill feelings towards me. Since we would spend a year together in the same class, it was only natural to gradually become closer. Not long after that. ¡°It¡¯s about time to start¡­¡± It was time for the class orientation. I awaited the teacher and assistant teacher whom I would spend the next year with. I hoped to meet good people, even if they weren¡¯t the instructors in the game. Finally, the door to the classroom opened. Creak, creak. Two women entered. I checked their faces and blinked blankly, especially at the one standing at the front. ¡°¡­.¡± Approaching the desk, she scanned the room and spoke. She looked at me and pursed her lips. She seemed pleased. ¡°Hello. I am Hong Ye-na, who will be in charge of all of you for the next year.¡± The seven-colored witch, Hong Ye-na. Luckily, she was our homeroom teacher. * * * Before the homeroom assignments were announced. Hong Ye-na received a call from So Hye-ryul. ¡°Hello, Director.¡± ¡°Welcome, Instructor Hong Ye-na. I¡¯m sorry to suddenly call you out while you must have been busy working.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Come, have a seat.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± ¡°How do you feel about returning to your alma mater as an instructor? Have you gotten used to life at Geumgang Academy now?¡± So Hye-ryul, who offered her a seat, asked in a sharp tone about her recent life. Despite answering diligently, Hong Ye-na couldn¡¯t shake off her suspicions. ¡®Why did she summon me all of a sudden?¡¯ It was an unexpected call. So Hye-ryul must have had a reason other than just asking about her recent life. Hong Ye-na covered her mouth with a teacup, trying to figure out her intentions. During this, the conversation took an unexpected turn due to her. It was too late when she realized. ¡°I bet Instructor Hong Ye-na must be delighted that her student has been admitted as valedictorian. Where did you find such a student? Personally, Yeon-hui is one of the students I have high expectations for this year.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. Director, if you have high expectations, Yeon-hui must be thrilled. I¡¯ll talk to her next time¡­.¡± ¡°And also, Do Yeon-woo.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I have high hopes for him personally. Maybe he¡¯s the one I¡¯m looking forward to the most among the students entering this year. Even more than the disciple of Tugwi.¡± ¡°¡­.Is that so. Do Yeon-woo¡¯s skills are quite extraordinary. It¡¯s not unreasonable for you to have high expectations¡­.¡± ¡°But it seems like you have some connection with Instructor Hong Ye-na, right? You taught Do Yeon-woo magic a few years ago, right?¡± ¡°I¡­ was asked by the Chief Magician to give him some tutoring. It was mainly focused on basic elemental magic, so it¡¯s hard to say I taught him¡­.¡± ¡°It seems like Do Yeon-woo has a really good relationship with Instructor Hong Ye-na, considering he entrusted the Soul Stone of the Doll Fairy to you. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Already having investigated thoroughly, there was no point in denying it. So Hye-ryul smiled silently as she looked at Hong Ye-na. Hong Ye-na had no choice but to smile back charmingly. Internally cursing Do Gyun-woo. ¡°Why is he acting like this towards me?¡± Although the reason why So Hye-ryul suddenly mentioned Do Gyun-woo¡¯s name was unclear. From the flow of the conversation, it seemed like she had called herself in relation to him. Hong Ye-na had a bad feeling. She had learned from years of experience that nothing good ever came from being involved with him. Sure enough, her premonition was correct. ¡°So, after much consideration, I¡¯ve decided to assign Hong Ye-na as Do Gyun-woo¡¯s homeroom teacher.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided to entrust Do Gyun-woo to Hong Ye-na as his teacher.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Even if you pretend not to hear, it¡¯s futile, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hong Ye-na felt like she had misheard. She hoped she had misheard. But So Hye-ryul, indifferent, informed her of the decision. ¡°It was the best decision from my perspective.¡± ¡°Why¡­ is that?¡± ¡°Because of the Doll Ghost.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I may control the information, but eventually, the Doll Ghost will get to know Do Gyun-woo. So, I judged that it would be best to have a trustworthy teacher around to protect Do Gyun-woo.¡± ¡°There are many more professional instructors to deal with Mine, I believe¡­.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t Hong Ye-na the only one Do Gyun-woo trusts?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hong Ye-na couldn¡¯t bring herself to argue. She just couldn¡¯t stand Do Gyun-woo. She couldn¡¯t understand why he was so unbearable. ¡°A type like Do Gyun-woo tends to attract various incidents, whether he wants to or not, based on my experience as an educator.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± But are you really entrusting me with that mess now? Hong Ye-na bit her tongue instead of speaking out loud. Whether So Hye-ryul read her emotions or not, she replied with a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s inevitable. Especially with a child like him, you need a trusted teacher to watch over and support him. That¡¯s our role, isn¡¯t it? Do Gyun-woo needs someone like Hong Ye-na, who he can trust to let him express himself freely.¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll be counting on you for a year.¡± And so. Hong Ye-na found herself, out of all odds, becoming Do Gyun-woo¡¯s homeroom teacher. ¡°This despicable guy¡­.¡± Chapter 95 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 94 Chapter 94 It¡¯s regrettable not to be in the same class as close friends, but there¡¯s nothing to be done about it. Just as Dogyeonwoo said, Lisa hoped to meet good people within her assigned class. Having bid farewell to her friends in the hallway, Lisa entered her class. ¡°It seems like almost everyone is here¡­¡± 1st grade, Class 12. As the time for the class orientation approached, many students were already seated. Lisa searched for a seat, scanning to see if there was anyone she knew among them. ¡°Oh, those people collaborated in the third practical exam. They were in the same group¡­¡± Fortunately, there were some familiar faces. She noticed students she had collaborated with during the entrance exam or competed against. Nodding. ¡°Yes, hello.¡± There were also students who bowed in greeting, perhaps indicating their affiliation with the Grace Empire. Lisa gently nodded back in response. Among them, there were familiar faces. ¡°That person is¡­ a member of the Cherish family.¡± Although her position in the imperial succession hierarchy was low, Lisa was undeniably a princess. While members of prestigious families, including the Ten Noble Clans, had to undergo rigorous training from a young age to become hunters, as a princess, she had to receive education in palace etiquette, socializing, martial arts, politics, economics, and various other subjects befitting her royal status. Memorizing the number, name, motto, history, position, and lineage of noble families was also part of her education. In the case of influential noble families, she even had to memorize the faces of their members. It was impossible for her, a princess, not to recognize those who held noble status. Lisa had exchanged greetings a few times with the Cherish family at the imperial palace banquets. Although they had only exchanged greetings, they couldn¡¯t be considered close. Nevertheless, meeting people from the same country made her feel somewhat relieved. ¡°Who is she? Is she from a prestigious family?¡± ¡°Wow¡­ she¡¯s in the same class as that person¡­¡± ¡°Is she a foreigner?¡± Meanwhile, students unaware of Lisa¡¯s true identity whispered among themselves. Her exotic appearance, combined with an exceptional air of nobility, drew attention to her. However, accustomed to being the center of attention, she remained composed and took her seat without revealing anything. Naturally, a few male students who were sitting a few rows ahead came into her view. ¡°Sagura, does that mean there¡¯s no class? Is today just for orientation?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Today will be just about meeting the homeroom teacher, greetings, and a brief explanation of academy life. If there¡¯s anything more to do here¡­ maybe the students will introduce themselves to each other?¡± ¡°Still, it looks like it¡¯ll end earlier than expected. Hmm, what should we do with the spare time¡­.¡± ¡°Unless there¡¯s something special, how about having an enrollment ceremony with me later this evening?¡± ¡°Enrollment ceremony?¡± ¡°What¡¯s an enrollment ceremony, you ask¡­?¡± The two male students, who seemed to know each other, sat side by side and chatted away. The one who seemed to lead the conversation couldn¡¯t see well due to the light reflecting off his glasses. However, he gave off an intellectual vibe. And the other male student. ¡°Quite handsome.¡± That thought involuntarily crossed her mind. Lisa, who had a unique aesthetic sense while also enriching herself in the arts, noticed that the male student¡¯s facial features were exceptional. The proportion between his forehead and eyes, eyes and nose, nose and chin was akin to admiring a well-crafted piece of art. ¡°He seems different from Gyungwoo.¡± His eyes were full of vitality, and a subtle masculinity was evident in his sharp jawline. While laughing and chatting with the student next to him, he also revealed a somewhat innocent side, like a pure-hearted child. If a child retains their innocence and grows, would they turn out like that? Being around him made her feel like she might unknowingly be infected with a lively energy. For a woman without immunity to the opposite s*x, he seemed like someone who could easily captivate her. The atmosphere he exuded was different, breaking down women¡¯s defenses. He was a different kind of handsome. Lisa absentmindedly observed the male students until the homeroom instructor entered. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am known as the guardian who will teach you for a year.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The instructor standing at the lectern introduced himself. The students shuddered at his piercing gaze that seemed as if it could penetrate through them. His gaze was sharp and intimidating. On the other hand, through his name, they could recall his reputation. ¡°If he¡¯s the guardian¡­.¡± Lisa also easily recognized. The name was one that anyone who applied to Geumgang Academy would know. No, even those who didn¡¯t apply would have heard of it. The Punishment Sword, Guardian. Before becoming an instructor, he was a figure who had brought countless villains to justice, instilling fear in them. He was a nemesis of villains. With a figure like that becoming a homeroom instructor, it was inevitable that there would be a stir. He swiftly calmed the atmosphere. ¡°Everyone, quiet down. We have plenty of time for my story later, so let¡¯s wrap it up and move on to the orientation.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°From now on, under my guidance¡­.¡± Su Hoguk disseminated the necessary information for students living at the academy. The students listened attentively. Afterward, they had a brief moment to introduce themselves. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Lisa Evangel¡­ Grace. I believe some of you might already know me, but even though I am of noble descent from the Grace Empire, please feel free to call me Lisa.¡± Introductions were given in order of the attendance list, with students standing up at their turn to speak. When it was Lisa¡¯s turn, she informed the students about her background, expressing her desire to interact with them on equal terms regardless of her status. The response was generally positive. ¡°Phew, that¡¯s a relief.¡± From Noble mtl dot com Lisa breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. She had no intention of being treated with deference as a noble. In the halls of Geumgang Academy, her status was simply that of a student. That¡¯s how she saw it. After all, this place was neither part of the Grace Empire nor a noble city in Korea. It seemed odd to seek deference from people who were not part of the empire. Seated, she made an effort to remember the faces of her classmates. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Park Sagn.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s Park Sagn.¡± Before long, a male student with glasses stood up. He was one of the two male students Lisa had noticed earlier. Park Sagn. Lisa remembered the name and observed the students as introductions continued. As the introductions approached the student with the Hwang Clan surname, nearing the end. ¡°Then the final student is¡­ Kang Hanbyeol? Why is it written at the bottom?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, he was Tu Gwi¡¯s disciple.¡± An unexpected presence emerged from Su Hoguk¡¯s lips. Tu Gwi¡¯s disciple, Kang Hanbyeol. The students buzzed with excitement upon hearing his name, which had been shrouded in rumors until now. ¡°He¡¯s Tu Gwi¡¯s disciple?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he say he didn¡¯t apply for this exam?¡± Tu Gwi, known for being revered as an exceptional martial artist, had a disciple who had become a figure of awe. Naturally, there was keen interest in someone like him among the students of the same generation, who also saw him as a potential competitor. On the other hand. ¡°There were rumors about him being admitted through special circumstances. Could that be true?¡± ¡°If Kang is the last one called, then it must be true, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Rumors had spread here and there about a special admission for the disciple of the Two Spirits. It was a rumor that made the students who had gone through the difficult entrance exams and passed feel relatively deprived. As a result, their reactions were not very favorable. The murmurs grew louder. ¡°Stop all the chatter and be quiet. And where is Kang Hanbyeol? Get up quickly and introduce yourself.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± In such a situation. The disciple of the Two Spirits stood up. The students¡¯ gazes turned towards the direction of the voice. There stood a male student with hair that was close to dark brown. ¡°That person is¡­.¡± He was the male student who had caught Lisa¡¯s eye a while ago. She blinked. ¡°So, he is the disciple of the Two Spirits.¡± Lisa¡¯s homeland, the Grace Empire, had once received grace from the Two Spirits, Seo Jeongjin. Therefore, she felt less resentment towards the disciple of the Two Spirits compared to the other students. Furthermore, the Geumgang Academy was a place where even the Ten Sects could not easily meddle, and the principal, So Hye-ryul, was known to be wise and fair. She also felt that there must be a good reason for him to have been granted special admission. ¡°Maybe because of his considerable skills¡­.¡± Imagining it in that way. Lisa wondered what the disciple of the Two Spirits would say to the students who didn¡¯t seem friendly towards him. Would he deny the suspicions of special admission? Or. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Kang Hanbyeol! I may not seem trustworthy for not taking the exam like you all, but I will strive to earn recognition for my abilities in the future! Please take care of me!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Would he break through head-on? The disciple of the Two Spirits, Kang Hanbyeol. He chose the latter. ¡ª Hong Yena finished the orientation and had the students introduce themselves. After that, we had to elect a class president and vice president who would be responsible for the big and small matters in the class during the first semester. ¡°Let¡¯s start by selecting the president. If anyone wants to become the class president by demonstrating exceptional service spirit, please raise your hand.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± With a proud face. Hong Yena, standing at the podium, urged the students to participate. However, no one raised their hand in response to her call. It was inevitable. ¡°Who would want to deal with such a hassle¡­.¡± Maybe if they offered me some Geumgang coins. Taking on the role of class representative yielded no tangible benefits. It involved passing on instructions from the homeroom teacher, distributing incentives to students, assisting the student council in preparing for official events, and overall, a lot of hard work. And if there were any gains to be had, it was merely about getting closer to the teachers, the student council, and maybe getting an extra line in the personal record book. But for a Hunter, it was all about skill. The statement ¡°Demonstrated sincerity, responsibility, and leadership as the class representative¡± was of no use in living in the world of Hunters. ¡°Is there anyone willing to volunteer? If a teacher volunteers, I¡¯ll even bring snacks and give out candies every day!¡± Naturally, Hong Yena and Vice Homeroom Teacher Yuno expected this reaction. Standing in front of the whiteboard, Yuno was trying to entice students with food. On another note. ¡°I never thought that person would become the Vice Homeroom Teacher¡­.¡± Yuno, who obtained her teaching license and started her career as a homeroom teacher this year, was currently 25 years old. She played a role in the game as a character who guided players on how to develop their characters. According to the game¡¯s storyline, she should have been assigned as the Vice Homeroom Teacher of a class with a strong star this year. However, for some reason, she unexpectedly became the Vice Homeroom Teacher of our class. ¡°It must be So Hye-ryul¡¯s doing.¡± That was the only conclusion to draw. Whether it was Hong Yena becoming the homeroom teacher or So Hye-ryul¡¯s likely intentions, it was not a bad thing for me. Both Hong Yena and Yuno were people I could rely on. Even though Yuno becoming my Vice Homeroom Teacher altered the expected future, I wasn¡¯t too concerned. She didn¡¯t have much influence on the story¡¯s development. She simply fulfilled her role as a character development guide. The issue lay elsewhere. ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t change into a Guardian of the Punishment Sword. I really hope it doesn¡¯t¡­.¡± Punishment Sword Guardian. As the homeroom teacher of a class with a strong star this year, he was a character of some importance in the story. Just like Yuno¡¯s future had changed, I hoped his future wouldn¡¯t be affected either. Since Lisa was in the same class as a strong star, I should ask her later. And that¡¯s when it happened. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Wow! Is Arin going to do it?¡± Min Arin, who was sitting next to me, suddenly raised her hand. Yuno clapped happily. ¡°¡­If it¡¯s Min Arin, then it¡¯s worth a shot.¡± While other students seemed puzzled by Min Arin volunteering, I easily understood. She was the one with ambition to prove her excellence and become the student council president. To her, being a class representative held some value. ¡°Are there no other candidates?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If not, let¡¯s close it here. Arin will be the class representative. I¡¯ll count on you for this semester.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Eventually, due to the absence of other applicants, Min Arin was appointed as the class representative. Next was the turn to select the vice president. ¡°Anyone applying for vice president? I¡¯ll treat you well~ I¡¯ll even give out candies.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The situation was similar to before. Even though Yuno, in a sky-blue shirt and black skirt, tried to encourage the students, they remained silent. ¡°Who wants some candies?¡± ¡®Those candies probably taste like cardboard.¡¯ Unfortunately, no student came forward to apply for the vice president position. Unable to delay any longer, Hong Yena had to step up. ¡°If no one is applying, I¡¯ll make the selection myself. Any objections?¡± Hong Yena¡¯s gaze scanned the surroundings. Perhaps the sentiments of the students, including me, were the same. I quickly lowered my head, fearing our eyes might meet. ¡®¡­Why is this taking so long?¡¯ However, even as time passed, Hong Yena didn¡¯t choose anyone. Feeling uncomfortable from constantly bowing my head, I discreetly lifted it to understand the situation. And then. ¡°¡­.¡± I locked eyes with Hong Yena. She was staring intently at me. Somehow¡­ it seemed like she had been waiting for me to raise my head. ¡°Witch, this isn¡¯t right.¡± Anxiety surged within me. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I lowered my head to survive. Hong Yena seemed to accept it, nodding her head slightly. A wide smile spread across her lips. ¡°Let Gyungwoo, who joined as the last student, take on the role of the vice president. I¡¯ll count on you for this semester. Gyung, Woo, Ya.¡± Sitting at the very front was a mistake. I had only one thing to say. ¡°¡­Damn.¡± Why was this witch treating me like this? What did I do wrong? The class representative election was taking place in other classes as well. The situation was mostly the same. Students were not eager to support an election that didn¡¯t offer any particular benefits. As a result, the instructors had no choice but to directly select a student. At that moment, the usual criterion they used was the student¡¯s entrance exam scores. And so. ¡°Yeon Ha-neul.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°If Ha-neul, who entered as a freshman representative, takes on the role of class representative, it should work.¡± ¡°Ye-eah!?¡± It was inevitable that Yeon Ha-neul would be appointed as the class representative. She was suddenly called out by name and was completely taken aback. Her hair stood on end, and her rabbit-like ears perked up. ¡°Instructor, I¡­¡± ¡°Ha-neul, work hard.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Then, we should select the vice representative next.¡± Can¡¯t. Won¡¯t. Really, can¡¯t. Really, really, really¡­ Yeon Ha-neul pleaded with the homeroom teacher in a trembling voice. But no one, including the homeroom teacher, paid any attention to her plea. The flow was moving towards selecting the vice representative as it was. ¡°Uhh¡­.¡± ¡°Ha-Ha-neul, fighting!¡± Yeon Ha-neul¡¯s rabbit ears drooped. She started to cry. Seated beside her, Go Eun-bi awkwardly tried to comfort her. Deep down, she was relieved that she wouldn¡¯t be the class representative. But eventually, Go Eun-bi found herself in the same situation as Yeon Ha-neul. It was what she had earnestly asked for. ¡°Eun-bi.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Please¡­ help me¡­ please?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± To prevent Go Eun-bi from escaping, Yeon Ha-neul tightly held her hands. Seeing Yeon Ha-neul¡¯s teary eyes and, above all, her desperate plea, Go Eun-bi couldn¡¯t help but be moved. ¡°If I become the squad leader, what will you do for me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do everything as you command!¡± ¡°Really? Then can I touch your ear?¡± ¡°You can touch it right now.¡± ¡°What about your tail?¡± ¡°My tail¡­ only for Gyoun¡­¡± ¡°Oh, maybe I shouldn¡¯t be the squad leader.¡± ¡°Y-You can touch my tail! But¡­ wear gloves when you do, gently¡­¡± ¡°Wear gloves?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I just want to touch it with my hand.¡± ¡°Alright. But be gentle. And don¡¯t tell Gyoun¡­ It¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Okay, got it! Haenul, I love you!¡± The contract is sealed. Goeunbi¡¯s face lit up brightly. She embraced Yeonhae. Her hand subtly¡­ Chapter 96 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 95 Chapter 95 It might come as a surprise, but the student who excelled in martial arts was none other than Yong Haerang. So, it was a natural flow for the homeroom teacher to appoint him as the representative. ¡°Then, Haerang will be the class representative. I entrust you with this responsibility, Haerang.¡± ¡°Yes, understood! I will do my best as the class representative, as you believe in me, teacher!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ y-yes¡­ Take care.¡± Yongga of the righteous medical clan cannot tolerate injustice and acts according to righteousness. More emotional than the divine swordsmanship that follows justice and humanity, and the iron-willed Kwon Ga who upholds loyalty and righteousness. That¡¯s why he belongs to Yongga of the righteous medical clan. Although he didn¡¯t want it, Haerang, in order to adhere to his teacher¡¯s righteousness, ignited a sense of responsibility as the class representative. Burning fiercely. ¡°¡­Have I made a mistake?¡± Just looking at it makes me feel hot, and I start sweating. The homeroom teacher somehow felt like fire was burning around him. He was engulfed in regrets that he might have made the wrong choice belatedly. However, he couldn¡¯t reverse his decision. ¡°If there is no one to apply for the class representative, I will take care of it. Let¡¯s see¡­ Nam Yoori? Sorry, but Yoori has been through a lot this semester¡­¡± Meanwhile, Nam Yoori, who entered the alchemy department as one of the top students for the same reason, also received an offer to be the class representative. However, she was not someone to blindly follow the instructions of the instructor. ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you ordering me right now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°By what authority are you doing this?¡± ¡°Yoori, I am your instructor¡­¡± ¡°Do you have the authority to force me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At the back of the classroom. Nam Yoori, who was twisting her gray hair out of boredom during the dull orientation, raised objections. With her purple eyes round and smiling, her innocent and curious question brought about an indescribable sense of unease. The homeroom instructor instinctively hesitated at the newly enrolled Yoori. ¡°Y-Yoori, do you dislike it?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fed up with annoying things.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The authority of the instructors at Geumgang Academy is quite strong. It is not wise to oppose those who can influence students¡¯ grades. However, those with enough influence to resist their authority were the members of the prestigious Ten Clans, especially those from the Minga. If the relationship between the instructors and them remained harmonious, they could coexist comfortably. But if things went sour, it would be a headache. Trying to disrespect them using the authority of the instructors would be troublesome. The homeroom instructor was well aware of this through years of experience. The nervous Yoori, overwhelmed by Nam Yoori¡¯s momentum, muttered in a flustered tone. The students quietly watched the conflict between the two. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have poked at her for no reason.¡± If Nam Yoori of the Yeongseong Namga became the representative, the students would probably follow her without question and have a peaceful first semester. However, she seemed like someone she couldn¡¯t handle. In a short time, the homeroom instructor made an evaluation of her. She may appear small and cute with her long, curly gray hair, resembling a gentle lamb, but she was not a lamb. She was a snake disguised as a lamb, no, a wolf. A fierce and dangerous snake. It¡¯s best not to get involved with such a presence. The homeroom instructor, reminiscent of a hamster, decided to approach her differently. ¡°If Yoori doesn¡¯t want to do it, there¡¯s no choice. Is there anyone willing to help me and take on the role of class representative?¡± ¡°¡­¡± From this conflict onward. Among the students, Nam Yoori became known as a difficult person to deal with. Of course, she didn¡¯t care. On the other hand, there was a student who made the instructor take his hands off in a different sense from Nam Yuri. The lazy genius of the Circulation Department. It was Cha Eun Sol. ¡°Are there really no applicants? I see¡­ Well, if there are none, don¡¯t blame me for making the selection. Hm¡­ Yes, there was a person from the Circulation Department in this class, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Cha Eun Sol. Where is Eun Sol?¡± When there were no candidates for class representative, the criteria the instructor prioritized were the student¡¯s entrance exam scores and background. In that sense, even Cha Eun Sol, whose entrance exam scores were low, could catch the homeroom teacher¡¯s eye. The homeroom teacher wandered around the classroom looking for Eun Sol. ¡°Cha Eun Sol! Is there no Eun Sol? She was here when she introduced herself earlier¡­¡± However, Eun Sol was nowhere to be found. No matter how much the homeroom teacher searched for her and called her name, she didn¡¯t show up. Then, a female student pointed to the seat next to her with her finger. ¡°Instructor, Eun Sol is here.¡± ¡°Oh, there she was¡­¡± The homeroom teacher couldn¡¯t continue speaking. From Noble mtl dot com There was a pile of stuff on the seat the student had pointed to. Upon closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t stuff but a blanket. The blanket was moving up and down inconspicuously. It seemed like there was a sound of breathing coming from there. Sigh¡­ Sigh¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Eun Sol was lying face down on the desk with the blanket flipped over her, pretending to be asleep. By skillfully disguising herself as luggage and hiding her presence as much as possible, she was unrecognizable. The homeroom teacher was so dumbfounded that he clicked his tongue. ¡°Wake Eun Sol up.¡± ¡°Yes, Instructor. Hey, Eun Sol¡­?¡± Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± ¡°Instructor is telling you to wake up.¡± The blanket wriggled. From within it, Eun Sol emerged sneakily. With sleep mask and earplugs still on. There was even an arm pillow cushion. ¡°¡­¡± The people in the classroom were speechless at the sight. However, Eun Sol casually removed her earplugs and sleep mask. She didn¡¯t take them off completely. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Eun Sol squinted her eyes suddenly exposed to light, one side wrinkled. She covered her mouth and even yawned. The homeroom teacher did not even fake a sorry look for Cha Eun-sol, who behaved so confidently, and did not even force a fake smile. ¡°We were in the process of selecting the class representative, and Eun-sol, you as the class representative¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I won¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do it.¡± Before the homeroom teacher could finish speaking. Cha Eun-sol, understanding the flow of the conversation, rejected the proposal with a sharp tone. She shook her head from side to side. ¡°Well then, have a good night¡­¡± The homeroom teacher did not insist again. It was at the moment when Cha Eun-sol, fully prepared, went to sleep that the teacher lowered her expectations for her. ¡°Koo¡­¡± * * * In fact, if I had made up my mind, I could have rejected the offer to become the class deputy at that time. Just by mentioning the name of Shin Geom Do, who was in the top class, it was possible to refuse. No matter how powerful the authority of the teachers, they could not look down on me. As a person of Shin Geom Do, I had the support of those connected to the prestigious swordsmanship family. In other words, being associated with me meant being prepared to stand with the swordsmanship family. That was the authority of Shin Geom Do. All the prestigious families, including mine, had to follow the Ten Families¡¯ rules after the Great Upheaval. If you didn¡¯t want to be rejected in the world of hunters. Other Ten Families like Mado Min-ga, Uihyup Yong-ga, Sunhwan Cha-ga, and Yeonseong Nam-ga were the same. Therefore, the teachers at the academy respected the students of the Ten Families. Living in the world of hunters inevitably meant receiving support from the Ten Families or borrowing power. You couldn¡¯t go against the Ten Families. They were no exception. ¡°To think I¡¯m the class deputy¡­¡± However, the reason I didn¡¯t mention the name of Shin Geom Do to Hong Ye-na was that I didn¡¯t want to confront her. She must have named me as the class representative knowing I wouldn¡¯t refuse. She really is a frustrating person. ¡°But I can¡¯t turn back now, so what can I do. Let¡¯s think positively.¡± I decided to change my mindset. Being the class representative wasn¡¯t all bad. Even if there weren¡¯t many tangible benefits, being the class representative certainly had its advantages. Firstly, as a liaison between the class students and the teachers, the class representative naturally had the authority to control information and command students. Of course, it¡¯s a separate issue whether the students will respond diligently. In the world of hunters, where strength-based elitism prevails, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to move them if you lack strength. But I have the background of being a Shin-Gum Do with sufficient skills. The students had no choice but to obey. ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m not the class president, but the vice president, right?¡± The role of the class president? Duties? Hard work? Everything was a burden that Min Arin had to bear entirely, not me. As the vice president, my job was to assist her and take care of the authority. So, it wasn¡¯t bad. It would be easy for me to grasp what would happen at the academy in the future, and it was also a suitable excuse to intervene. It was a chance to get close to Hong Ye-na and share the burden with Yoo Eulim. And there was Min Arin. If you looked at it positively, there were advantages. Even so. ¡°Why does it have to be me?¡± I needed to address this issue. After the orientation was completely over. Following Hong Ye-na, who said we should talk separately because she had something to say to the class presidents, I casually threw out the question. She, who was heading towards the disciplinary officer before that, replied in a nonchalant tone. ¡°I already told you. Because you were admitted as the top student. And because you¡¯re from the Shin-Gum Do.¡± ¡°Forget about those reasons. We¡¯re on good terms, so you could have made an exception.¡± ¡°On good terms¡­ Could you refrain from saying things that others might misunderstand? It seems like I received money from you. You and I are now student and instructor. Let¡¯s maintain a distance between us.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s your real motive?¡± ¡°I find you annoying.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been through a lot because of you, and I can¡¯t just let you have it easy. You won¡¯t do that either, will you?¡± ¡°You said let¡¯s keep a distance, but is it okay to include personal feelings?¡± ¡°Human affairs are hardly rational~.¡± ¡°Are you saying that a witch, who is supposed to be rational if she¡¯s a magician, would say that?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? When did I say that? While rationality is important for a magician, one must also understand that magic, which is the origin of mana, is based on imagination and emotions. A magician is a being who combines emotions and rationality, reason and unreason. That¡¯s why we are imperfect, with infinite potential for growth.¡± ¡°I have no intention of attending classes~.¡± ¡°¡­Are you really that annoying?¡± ¡°You¡¯re annoying, witch.¡± ¡°Annoying? Do you know how much older I am compared to you?¡± ¡°Of course, I do. I¡¯m turning 3 this year¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Could you please keep your mouth shut?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a hunter, I¡¯m on the younger side, you know?¡± ¡°Stop with the condescending remarks, okay?¡± ¡°Talking this way, talking that way¡­.¡± ¡°Ugh, that annoying thing.¡± Hong Yena suddenly stopped walking and turned around to look at me from behind. Feeling her sharp gaze, I purposely raised the corners of my mouth. She fiercely clicked her tongue just at that. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t create unnecessary trouble while I¡¯m in charge.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try if I can.¡± ¡°¡­No, what on earth is that? It¡¯s not about trying as much as you can¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try as much as that.¡± ¡°Why does it sound like I have no intention of trying in my ears?¡± She sighed. Hong Yena started walking again. As we headed towards the faculty office, we chatted back and forth like that. In the midst of it, Mina Rin, who was walking shoulder to shoulder with me, tapped my shoulder. She leaned in and spoke near my ear. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you close with the Seven-Colored Witch?¡± If I were close, I could say so. I used to take magic lessons from the witch as private tutoring. But why are you asking?¡± ¡°She¡¯s known for being difficult to get along with, so I¡¯m curious how you managed to become friends. But you did receive private tutoring from the Seven-Colored Witch?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yellow eyes stared at me. Mina Rin blatantly scanned my body, revealing a faint interest. I found it insignificant. From what I¡¯ve heard, the Seven-Colored Witch doesn¡¯t give private lessons easily¡­ Unless you have considerable talent¡­. A member of the Divine Inspection Department who also has talent in magic?¡± ¡°The witch seems ordinary to me.¡± ¡°What? Then how did you receive it? Did you use your family¡¯s power¡­?¡± ¡°My childhood friend is the witch¡¯s apprentice.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°So I piggybacked on my childhood friend.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how¡­. Your childhood friend was her. Yeonhae.¡± Initially suspicious of me, Mina Rin immediately understood and fell silent upon hearing Yeonhae¡¯s name. She followed quietly without saying a word thereafter. She seemed to be in a low mood for some reason. ¡®Why is she like that?¡¯ Her face seemed dark, lost in thought. I glanced at Mina Rin walking while looking down at the floor. I thought about saying something, but it didn¡¯t seem like she would show interest. By then, we had arrived at the faculty office. ¡°This is my seat as the Discipline Officer and the Sunset Officer. You will be visiting often from now on, so remember our spot.¡± Discipline Office, 1st Year Office. Sitting in her seat, Hong Yena spoke. Then she took a folder out of the file holder and handed it to Mina Rin. ¡°This is kept by the President and Vice President. It¡¯s data that includes the contact information and addresses of the students in the class. I¡¯ll say this once; it contains the personal information of the students, so you must not misuse it. Make sure not to lose it and keep it safe. There are also business cards of the officers and my business card in there. Don¡¯t forget to save the numbers. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, I saved it back in the classroom.¡± ¡°Me too. Well, since the business is done, we can leave now, right?¡± ¡°Right. Whatever happens, let¡¯s all have a good first semester.¡± I quickly skimmed through the data in the folder. After returning to the dormitory, I needed to save the numbers of the students written in the data. After finishing our tasks, Mina Rin and I were about to leave our seats. At that moment, Yuno, who was sitting next to Hong Yena, called us. ¡°Before you go, Gyungu, Arin. Take a candy each. It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you, Officer.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Yuno turned her chair towards us and handed us candies. Sure enough, they were chestnut-flavored. ¡®Whenever I visited Yuno in the game, she always gave me chestnut-flavored candies.¡¯ Memories flood back. Or should I say, it feels real? I decided to let go of my lingering attachment to my past self who used to wonder what flavor the candies the game characters ate were. After saying goodbye to Yuno, I forgot about the candy. ¡°¡­Familiar taste.¡± It was a taste I had experienced in my past life. It was savory like chestnuts, plain, and sweet. I could sense a Korean vibe. I put the candy in my mouth and enjoyed the taste. On the other hand, Mina Rin seemed puzzled. ¡°Is that tasty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s decent, I guess?¡± ¡°You¡¯re supposed to eat chestnuts and candy separately, why eat them together?¡± ¡°Well¡­ maybe because you can have a meal and snacks together.¡± ¡°So, if you eat that, then you might as well eat rice with candy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the idea.¡± ¡°That¡¯s like saying you¡¯ll diet with candy, which doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Mina Rin didn¡¯t seem particularly interested in chestnut-flavored candies. She was about to put the candy in her pink skirt pocket. I reached out my hand to her. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to eat that, give it to me.¡± ¡°¡­Your taste is unique. Here, take it.¡± As if things were going well. Minarin handed me a piece of rice cake-flavored candy. I tucked the candy she gave me into my pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to the sky later.¡± Does Yeonha like it? As soon as I parted ways with Minarin, I decided to contact her. By now, she would have finished orientation. That was the moment. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up? Why the face?¡± As I was leaving the office. I spotted a man and a woman standing in front of a faculty member¡¯s desk. The female student was Lisa, and the male student was a character from the game. The explanation bug Guardian, Dr. Park. The male student looked strikingly similar to the illustration from the game. ¡°Come to think of it, if it follows the flow of the game, Lisa and Dr. Park would have become representatives.¡± The resourceful Dr. Park would have become the class representative, and Lisa, for her good grades and being a princess, would have become the vice-representative. I decided to approach them to say hello. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming? Why there?¡± ¡°Just going to meet some acquaintances.¡± Minarin called me from behind. I gave her a vague answer and then headed towards Lisa. Soon, she noticed me, and her face lit up. ¡°Oh, Gyunwoo. Did you by any chance become the class representative?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t become the class representative, but I became the vice-representative. Looks like you became the representative too?¡± ¡°Oh, the vice-representative. I¡¯m also a vice-representative. This person is the class representative. Sakun, this is my friend Gyunwoo¡­¡± Lisa gently gestured towards the male student, Dr. Park, standing next to her. She seemed to feel the need for introductions and tried to mediate between me and him. Then, he looked at me with joy and spoke. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Dr. Park. Nice to meet you. I¡¯ve heard about you before, so I¡¯m familiar with your story.¡± Adjusting his glasses. Dr. Park extended his hand for a handshake. Naturally, I shook hands with him. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need for introductions then. Nice to meet you too. Let¡¯s get along well.¡± Chapter 97 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 96 Chapter 96 Illustration Goeunbi and Doctor Park were characters who assisted players in the initial stages of the game. Goeunbi brought trending information, rumors, urban legends, and various gossip to naturally flow into the story for the protagonist Kang Hanbyeol and make the early game engaging for the players. And Doctor Park, having lived in the mountains for a long time, supported the clueless Kang Hanbyeol in worldly matters and helped players understand the settings necessary for progressing in the game. ¡°I may have been a know-it-all in my past life, but my knowledge is limited.¡± I only know the information necessary for progressing in the game. I didn¡¯t know detailed things like when certain events would occur, the exact timing of specific incidents, the history or culture of certain regions, or information about students not mentioned in the game. Those roles were fulfilled by Goeunbi and Doctor Park. It was inevitable for me to have a good relationship with Doctor Park. ¡°Moreover, Doctor Park is harmless like Eunbi. No, should I say even more harmless?¡± While Goeunbi was lively and proactive, Doctor Park had a calm and passive personality. As a result, unlike her, he didn¡¯t directly cause any events. He didn¡¯t influence the story. It meant he didn¡¯t have a story that was independently related like Lisa, Minarin, Nam Yuri, or Chae Eunsol. It could be said he had nothing to do with bad endings. ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no ending at all.¡± The game didn¡¯t only have bad endings. Although the ratio of bad endings was high, there were also normal endings. Among them, there was one normal ending related to Doctor Park. It was an ending where the player minimally intervened in the story and it occurred at the graduation ceremony. ¡°Kang Hanbyeol.¡± ¨C Park Sa-goon. At the graduation ceremony. Kang Hanbyeol, leaving behind regrets about school life, dreams of living as a hunter in the future. And after being in the same class for three years and deciding to work together as hunters, he asks his close friend Doctor Park. ¡°Kang Hanbyeol.¡± ¨C Are we still friends in the future? As the dialogue ends. An illustration of Doctor Park, smiling brightly behind his glasses, appears. With his illustration as the background, the ending credits slowly appear. [After graduation, Kang Hanbyeol and Doctor Park realized their dream of becoming hunters and explored the world.] [Sometimes they fought back to back, sometimes clashed due to differing opinions, sometimes exchanged punches, and then reconciled over drinks¡­] [Having spent so much time together, they came to see each other as companions in life.] [Feeling understood, in sync, and comfortable, they find happiness.] [They enjoy it. They are content with this life.] [But occasionally, a sense of emptiness creeps in, and at those times, they think,] [What would have become of us if we had lived different lives during our student days?] [¡­.] [It¡¯s meaningless to dwell on.] [Time cannot be turned back.] [Moving forward, they will continue to rely on each other and live, until death separates the two.] [One day, the world came to an end.] [©¤ Normal Ending ©¤] Known as the friendship ending with Dr. Park. It might seem like an abrupt world-ending, not a bad ending, but it is indeed the normal ending. It¡¯s labeled as normal in the game, and since there is no mention of how the world ended or how Kang Hanbyeol died compared to a bad ending. From the players¡¯ perspective, this was considered satisfactory enough to be accepted as a normal ending. Anyway. ¡°It¡¯s a bonus to becoming a squad leader. I can now create a connection to get closer to Dr. Park.¡± Having more connections isn¡¯t a bad thing. I shook hands with Dr. Park, feeling inwardly satisfied. At that moment, Lisa subtly let out a sigh. ¡°But, Gyungwoo, who¡¯s the person next to you?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Besides me, Lisa, and Dr. Park, there was one more person at the table. From Noble mtl dot com It was Min Arin, who had become part of the same team as me. For those who didn¡¯t know her, a separate introduction was necessary. ¡°Well, Lisa vaguely knows her, right?¡± Lisa and Min Arin already had a connection. During the entrance exam, there had been an occasion when I coincidentally cooperated with Lee Gahyun¡¯s doppelg?nger. However, the situation was so urgent at that time that we didn¡¯t have a chance to greet each other. Realizing this fact, I decided to officially exchange greetings with each other at this moment. It seemed like Lisa was also hoping for an introduction. ¡°This is Min Arin, who happens to be in the same class as me this time. She¡¯s our class representative. Arin, these are¡­¡± ¡°Suddenly, don¡¯t call me by my name as if we¡¯re close, please? I¡¯m Min Arin from Mado Min Clan. Nice to meet you.¡± Min Arin, who had followed me by chance, seemed disgruntled and had a sullen expression. As I tried to introduce her, she reluctantly introduced herself bluntly, as if she couldn¡¯t help it. Min Arin¡¯s personality was quite¡­ Despite this, Lisa remained indifferent. ¡°I¡¯m Lisa Grace. We met once during the exam, right? I was really thankful back then.¡± ¡°¡­Grace¡­ you say? Perhaps¡­¡± In contrast to Min Arin, Lisa Grace introduced herself gracefully with an elegant demeanor. Min Arin, who had been acting all high and mighty with her arms folded, turned her head towards her in surprise upon hearing the surname Grace. Min Arin tried to ask cautiously, but Lisa just smiled without confirming anything. Then she said, ¡°We¡¯re the same age, and here we¡¯re just students, so feel free to address me casually.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Though not explicitly stated, that was as good as confirmation. Only then did Min Arin show confusion, not knowing what to do. ¡°Lisa is of royal descent.¡± As I informed her directly, Min Arin¡¯s face contorted. However, Min Arin was still Min Arin. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a princess. Yes, okay. No, okay. Since this isn¡¯t an empire, and we¡¯re the same age as students, let¡¯s just be casual. Is, is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s more comfortable for me too. I¡¯ll do my best from now on.¡± ¡°I, I¡¯ll do my best too¡­¡± Min Arin didn¡¯t admit her mistake. She knew she had been rude but tried to brush it off as casually as possible. Her voice was trembling, though. Meanwhile, she blamed me quietly in my ear. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me beforehand? If you had told me earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have been rude. If she says something about our family, you¡¯ll be responsible, you know?¡± ¡°Suddenly, don¡¯t whisper in my ear as if we¡¯re close?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°And why should I be the one taking responsibility? Who gave them the right to judge people as they please?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Despite her fierce appearance, Surprisingly, Min Arin wasn¡¯t good at arguments, especially when criticized for her mistakes, she would be at a loss for words. Having lived a life where she was accepted by people in Mado Min Clan, it was understandable. She probably had never been in an argument before, or been criticized. ¡°Still, don¡¯t worry about it for no reason. Lisa would never be that kind of person. Treat her casually. But don¡¯t underestimate her.¡± ¡°Be, a pillow? How did you¡­?¡± How did I know. Naturally, I knew because it had come up in the game before. Min Arin unintentionally hurt others with words different from her heart, or when she felt anxious or worried, she would angrily smack the pillow. ¡¸Min Arin¡¹ ¨DWhy did I do that¡­? Afterwards, she buried her face in the blanket and let out a sigh. I recalled her struggling with self-blame and shuddered. Of course, I didn¡¯t say anything to her. Soon, I decided to introduce her to the doctor. ¡°You heard her name earlier, right? Although it¡¯s the first time we¡¯re meeting today¡­¡± ¡°I know, you¡¯re the doctor. I¡¯m Min Arin from the Mado family. Hello.¡± ¡°Doctor it is. Nice to meet you.¡± Min Arin greeted as if questioning when she had done such a thing. It might have been unpleasant to witness that attitude. The doctor accepted it casually. To him, who had familiarized himself with her information beforehand, it was a response within the expected range. ¡°But what were you doing?¡± ¡°I was waiting for the instructors. I came to receive instructions as the class representative, but had to step out briefly due to something that came up.¡± ¡°Both of you were?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I shifted my gaze to the desk in front of Lisa. The desk of the homeroom teacher and the desk of the assistant teacher. Among them, the nameplate with a familiar name on the homeroom teacher¡¯s desk caught my eye. Punishment Officer Suho-guk. Fortunately, he seemed to have become the homeroom teacher of Ganghanbyeol according to the flow of the game. ¡°I can breathe a sigh of relief.¡± It was regrettable not being able to see Suho-guk, but living in the academy, there would come a day when we would meet. Initially, he was an instructor in swordsmanship. I could see him enough in class. ¡°I hope the instructors return soon. We should head out.¡± ¡°Yes, see you later this evening.¡± We couldn¡¯t linger in the office. We could sense the instructors¡¯ watchful eyes. After exchanging a few more words, I left the office with Min Arin. Exiting the office, Min Arin walked down the corridor with Do Yeonwoo. ¡°Arin.¡± ¡°Why do you keep calling me so familiarly when I asked you not to?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be working together a lot in the future, so what¡¯s wrong with calling you comfortably?¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Fine, then why?¡± ¡°Which dormitory are you in?¡± ¡°Chwiok Dormitory.¡± ¡°Really? I live there too. We can go together then.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She said it without thinking. In the end, Min Arin found herself walking back to the dormitory with Do Yeonwoo. She felt a sense of defeat as she realized she had no desire to engage in conversation, only answering briefly to his questions. ¡®Ugh, I really don¡¯t want to¡­¡¯ It¡¯s not that she disliked Do Yeonwoo. It was just that returning to the dormitory with him felt awkward, uncomfortable, and burdensome. It was unavoidable today since they had exchanged contact information. In her heart, she wanted to part ways here, immerse herself in contemplation, and return to the dorm alone. Above all, ¡®He¡¯s her friend.¡¯ The disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch, Yeon Ha-neul. Do Yeonwoo was her childhood friend. As someone who had been defeated by her in the past, Min Arin couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy about his acquaintance with Yeon Ha-neul. Just the fact that he was her friend made Min Arin¡¯s favorable impression of him plummet. But she couldn¡¯t come up with an excuse to go back to the dormitory separately. ¡®Wait, why should I avoid him? I¡¯m Min Arin.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure why, but it felt like she was the one backing down, which naturally sparked a sense of resistance within her. Her pride wouldn¡¯t allow it. In the end, she decided to endure the discomfort and walk back together. Meanwhile, he seemed oblivious to her feelings and kept striking up conversations. ¡°Hey, Arin.¡± ¡°I told you not to call me familiarly.¡± ¡°Arin.¡± ¡°Add ¡®Miss¡¯ before my name.¡± ¡°Min Arin, Arin.¡± ¡°Ah, why!¡± By this point, it seemed like he was doing it on purpose. That thought crossed Min Arin¡¯s mind. Dodging his anger and calling out her name, Do Gyunwoo¡¯s snide tone was irritating. ¡°I just called you because I was bored.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeah, it seems like he¡¯s teasing her. Min Arin felt a moment of embarrassment. Her pride was hurt, and in a fit of anger, she almost cast a spell on him. But he was not just an ordinary student; he was a skilled martial artist. Without a valid reason, she couldn¡¯t attack him recklessly. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If she were to attack him under the pretense of calling him a friend, people would surely mock her. It was a very childish excuse, that was clear. Considering her poor academic performance and the ridicule she faced in her family, she had to be careful. ¡°Fine, do as you wish.¡± She barely suppressed her emotions. With a grunt, she decided not to entertain his jokes anymore. Ignoring him was the best course of action. It didn¡¯t matter if he called her by name or not. Come to think of it, what difference does it make being called by name? Before she knew it, she allowed him to call her by name comfortably. ¡°Arin.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± However, the subconscious is a powerful thing. As Min Arin got used to being called by name by Do Gyunwoo, she gradually lowered her psychological defenses. It was partly due to his nonchalant attitude, as if he knew everything about her, and his persistent efforts. In her mind, he became someone she was somewhat comfortable with. And then it happened. ¡°Ah! Gyunwoo!¡± ¡°Gyunwoo!¡± Calling out Do Gyunwoo¡¯s name, Two women were walking down the hallway in front of them. One with brown hair was unfamiliar, but the other was a familiar face. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ With a puzzled expression, she noticed the blue hair. Above it were rabbit ears sticking out. She was a disciple of the Witch in Seven Colors. Yeon Haneul, who gave her the first sense of defeat in her life during the entrance exam. Seeing her, Min Arin couldn¡¯t help but stop in her tracks. Meanwhile, Do Gyunwoo, who spotted the two women, approached them with great delight. The young sky was the same. She pushed aside the female student who was with him and rushed towards him. ¡°Gyeonwoo!¡± ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s wrong? Is something the matter?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Yeonnaneul rushed into his arms. Gyeonwoo, placing his hand on her shoulder, was puzzled by her reaction. Without answering his question, she lowered her head into his embrace. By then, the brown-haired female student caught up with her. ¡°Haneul must have missed you so much. Right, Haneul?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The female student laughed cheerfully. Startled, Yeonnaneul, who had fallen away from Gyeonwoo, nodded her head with a puzzled expression. He could only chuckle. ¡°But what are you guys doing here? Could it be that you¡­?¡± ¡°Haneul and I became class representatives. So, we¡¯re on our way to the staff room to listen to the instructions. But seeing you guys¡­ Gyeonwoo, are you one too?¡± ¡°I also became a class representative. It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Really? You too, Gyeonwoo? Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah, really, me too, seriously. Am I that good at being a class representative?¡± Yeonnaneul¡¯s face brightened instantly. The three of them chattered excitedly about what was so fun. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Min Arin, a few steps away from them, quietly observed them. She felt somewhat embarrassed. It was hard to believe. ¡°Is that the same person?¡± Even now. In Min Arin¡¯s memory, the image of Yeonnaneul, who had held a hammer high and brought it down forcefully on herself, was vividly etched. The fear, terror, and sense of defeat she felt then still lingered. But watching her act cute with Gyeonwoo created a sense of discord. And what followed made it even more pronounced. ¡°Gyeonwoo.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­. I¡¯m now¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah? What are you sorry for?¡± ¡°My tail¡­ Can you touch it?¡± ¡°Yeah? Right here, right now?¡± ¡°No. Please touch it.¡± ¡°Yeah??¡± ¡°Make me forget everything.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeoneul gently tugging on Dogyeonwoo¡¯s collar while talking to the female student. As she whispered something to him, he hesitated for a moment and then slyly moved his hand. His hand was heading towards the girl¡¯s buttocks, avoiding her gaze. Eventually. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Dogyeonwoo¡¯s hand. Grabbed Yeoneul¡¯s tail! Minarin¡¯s yellow eyes widened. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it¡­.¡± ¡°As expected¡­ it¡¯s different from the rest¡­.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­. I got used to this hand, so other hands feel like¡­.¡± Yeoneul¡¯s expression was filled with ecstasy. Her body, curling her legs, gradually leaned towards Dogyeonwoo. ¡°What are they doing.¡± Minarin, who blankly observed the scene, was dumbfounded. She couldn¡¯t understand what she had seen. Her tongue involuntarily twisted and dried up. Then, Dogyeonwoo took out some candy. ¡°Oh, right. Haneul.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Wanna try this candy? It¡¯s a scorched rice flavor.¡± ¡°Candy? Where did you get it from?¡± ¡°I tried it and surprisingly it was delicious. So, I thought of you and brought it. It¡¯s a gift from me.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you, I¡¯ll enjoy it. Yum.¡± ¡°Oh! Greedy! Gyenwoo, that¡¯s mine!?¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll buy you one next time.¡± ¡°Just taking care of Haneul¡­.¡± Dogyeonwoo feeds Yeoneul the candy he had given her a while ago. Once again, Yeoneul¡¯s face changes. Minarin frowned. ¡°That¡¯s the one I gave her¡­.¡± Strangely, she felt low-spirited. It was clearly a candy she thought she wouldn¡¯t like, so she gave it to Dogyeonwoo, and naturally, the ownership belonged to him. As the candy entered Yeoneul¡¯s mouth, it felt like she was being deprived of the candy she should have eaten. She felt uncomfortable. At the same time, her eyes seemed to sparkle as if she had come up with a clever idea. ¡°Hmm¡­. I see.¡± Even if she pretended not to, she understood. The relationship between the two was quite unusual. Min Arin kept her eyes fixed on Do Gyunwoo, capturing the endless sky with a determined gaze. It was a completely different face from when she had pinned herself to the ground on Honrim Island, her eyes glowing red in the night. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± If things go well, she might get a rise out of him. Having finished her calculations in her mind, Min Arin smirked. She walked towards Do Gyunwoo, who was engrossed in conversation. ¡°Hey, Do¡­ Gyunwoo!¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, right, you were here too. Let me introduce you. You probably already know her, but this is Min Arin¡­ Huh? What is it?¡± ¡°She¡¯s asking us to go back together. Let¡¯s go quickly. We have a lot to do, you know?¡± ¡°Just a moment, let¡¯s at least say hi to them¡­¡± ¡°Them? We¡¯ll see them again later. Greetings can wait.¡± Swiftly. Min Arin caught Do Gyunwoo¡¯s arm and dragged him along forcibly. He seemed quite flustered to have her suddenly grab his arm. In truth, she was flustered too. But she suppressed her emotions and tried to appear as nonchalant as possible. Then, she looked at the bewildered Do Gyunwoo and the female student in the unexpected situation and said, ¡°What should I do about this apology? We have something to discuss as representatives moving forward, so I should go first. I¡¯ll take Gyunwoo with me. Goodbye!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Min Arin hugged Do Gyunwoo tightly between her arms as if to show off. She smiled at the female student and then led Do Gyunwoo down the corridor. As for the female student, ¡°¡­¡±, She stood frozen in place. Silently watching the two disappearing down the corridor. Shadows crossed her face. ¡°H-Haneul¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡±, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡±, Standing beside Haneul, Goeunbi couldn¡¯t help but feel the tension. She cautiously called out to Haneul. But no matter how many times she called, Haneul remained silent. ¡°¡­¡± From Noble mtl dot com The silence was becoming unsettling for Goeunbi. It was no atmosphere for jokes. How much time had passed since then? A voice finally escaped Haneul¡¯s lips. ¡°What¡¯s with that woman?¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­. A-hahahaha¡­.¡± ¡°Device¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, heavens, calm down!¡± The voice that flowed out was harsh and chilling to the core. The red eyes of Yeonhae shone brightly. Goeunbi had to remove the needle to calm her down. Chapter 98 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 97 Chapter 97 Anyone entering the High Academy is treated as an adult or quasi-adult according to the law. At just 19 years old, they are granted the freedom to engage in all activities permitted for adults. They can buy alcohol or cigarettes. Now, they can play games late into the night without restriction. They can access saunas at night. They can stay overnight in accommodations. They can marry without parental consent. Obtain a driver¡¯s license. And as long as it¡¯s not a criminal act, almost everything is allowed. It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯ve passed their birthday or not. One might worry about granting too much freedom to academy students, but in this world, that¡¯s not the case at all. ¡°It¡¯s about enjoying life to the fullest before you die.¡± It¡¯s a world where monsters roam. The lives of hunters who kill and survive in such a world are not taken lightly. Living beings who never know when, where, or how they might die are the hunters. Naturally, the standard of death applies equally to students aspiring to become hunters. The ratio of students who die during training or classes before becoming hunters is not low at all. Whether they were sincerely trying to protect humanity, seeking wealth, fame, or power, or for other reasons, the fact remains that they were willing to become the hunters the world needed. Therefore, the world, in return for their dedication, guarantees them the status of quasi-adults and grants them freedom. ¡°Of course, there are drawbacks to this.¡± These students, at an age ripe for passion, are still inexperienced in wielding power, easily falling into the trap of thinking they are special and becoming obsessed with power. In the academy city where these students gather, crimes, incidents, and accidents are bound to happen continuously. Their methods, no longer recognized as juvenile delinquency, become even more sophisticated. With the intertwining of the hunter¡¯s meritocratic worldview, the academy city inevitably becomes both a paradise for hunters and a lawless zone. This was also mentioned in the game. As someone who was a veteran in a past life, delving deeper here¡­. ¡°In the Academy City, many children are born without their parents¡¯ knowledge.¡± It¡¯s the dark side of the Academy City. It can be considered a problem stemming from unchecked freedom. Therefore, as adults, one must also know how to exercise restraint to some extent. That¡¯s why. ¡°Did everyone pour themselves a drink!?¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± ¡°As the host of this gathering, I must say, it¡¯s everyone¡¯s first time drinking, so don¡¯t just gulp it down recklessly. Control your intake to avoid getting drunk, don¡¯t force anyone¡­¡± ¡°If you feel like you¡¯re going to get drunk, drink water. If you feel like you¡¯re going to vomit, go to your rooms and do it there.¡± ¡°Just like Geonwoo said, if you feel like you¡¯re going to get drunk, drink water, and if not, just go back to your rooms to rest! Got it!? Cheers, everyone! To a new beginning!¡± ¡°To a new beginning!!¡± On the evening after the entrance ceremony. Me, Yeonha, Goeunbi, Lisa, Yonghaerang, and the triplets. We gathered in my room for a drinking party. ? Geumgang Academy boasts a history of over 150 years. As a result, various traditions had naturally been passed down. The entrance ritual was one of them. It was a traditional ceremony where students who held the Academy entrance ceremony became juniors and wished for nothing but good things to happen in the future, accompanied by drinking. ¡°Probably just an excuse wrapped in tradition to drink.¡± Although it might sound grandiose to talk about rituals and traditions, no one really cared. As long as they could drink, it was fine. That¡¯s why Goeunbi, Yeonha, Lisa, and others came to my room with alcohol and food to celebrate the entrance ritual. By the way, it wasn¡¯t breaking the rules. The dorm supervisors had allowed visiting other rooms as long as they were informed beforehand. Thanks to that, we could all gather in my room to drink. ¡°Ugh, bitter¡­ This is the taste of adulthood. But it¡¯s not so bad that I can¡¯t drink it.¡± ¡°Ah! It¡¯s refreshing and has a kick to it. It would be even better if we sweat and drink, right?¡± The first drink we had was beer. Not long ago, Goeunbi had bought a set of frozen beer mugs among her useless purchases. We each evaluated the taste as we drank from the frost-covered beer mugs she brought. The reactions were generally divided. There were those like Goeunbi who grimaced at the bitterness of their first taste of alcohol, and then there were those like Yonghaerang who found it to their liking from the start. In Yeonha¡¯s case, she belonged to the latter group. ¡°It¡¯s nice because it¡¯s refreshing. I think I understand why Principal Seonsaeng always sang about wanting to drink beer when it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°But remember not to just drink beer. A sip of alcohol, a bite of food. Eat while you drink. Go on.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± It¡¯s dangerous to drink on an empty stomach. You need to fill your belly with something. I stopped the young lady who was trying to gulp down beer fearlessly. Then I picked up a piece of chicken with a fork and fed it into her mouth. Holding her hair back to keep it from falling, I gently opened her mouth as she took the chicken and smiled brightly. ¡°That¡¯s what they call ¡®chimaek¡¯. How is it?¡± ¡°It tastes better eating like this. It¡¯s worthy of being in a drama.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try ¡®pimaek¡¯ later.¡± ¡°Yes! Oh, but my hands¡­¡± ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ thank you. Then, I¡¯ll go with¡­ pepperoni.¡± The pizza was in an awkward position for the young lady to reach. So, I leaned over the table to hand her the pizza she wanted and also brought a pizza for myself. Then, I drank beer too. ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while.¡± It¡¯s the first time drinking after reincarnation. It tasted familiar yet missed. Memories of coming home after work in a past life, drinking and playing games, came flooding back. After taking a sip and reminiscing, a bitter smile crept onto my lips. Although I didn¡¯t know my drinking capacity after reincarnation, the alcohol went down smoothly. Then the young lady interjected. ¡°If you want me to eat snacks with you, why are you just drinking? Come on, have some snacks too.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s delicious.¡± Just like I did to the young lady a while ago. She fed me snacks. Maybe because I didn¡¯t eat the snacks with my hands, they tasted even better. Before we knew it, the glasses were empty. That¡¯s when Goeunbi stepped in. ¡°Alright! Since we¡¯ve had beer, it¡¯s time for soju! If you¡¯re Korean, it has to be soju!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t tried soju before¡­ And mixing it might make me drunk¡­¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not drinking, Gyungwoo? Who drinks soju without Gyungwoo!?¡± ¡°¡­Give me a glass too.¡± Goeunbi took out a retro-looking soju bottle. She tried to shake the soju bottle, as if she had seen it somewhere before. ¡°I heard from a senior, soju tastes better if you drink it like this. Huh? Why isn¡¯t a whirlpool forming?¡± ¡°Eunbi, pass it here. Let me shake it.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, sure.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shake it like that, shake it like this.¡± ¡°Oh, like this?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it.¡± I tried to recall memories from my past life. Luckily, I succeeded without much difficulty. Inside a sky-blue soju bottle, droplets swirled and spun. As onlookers marveled at it, I poured soju into a glass. ¡°Cheers then!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± Once again, Goeunbi proposed a toast. We clinked glasses, downing the soju in one go. ¡°Ugh¡­ Whether in my past life or now, I just can¡¯t get used to soju.¡± It felt like drinking alcohol in a science lab. It didn¡¯t sit well with me. Whether in my past life or now, I still don¡¯t understand the taste of soju. Others¡¯ opinions were similar. ¡°So¡­ this is the taste of Korea¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s too¡­ bitter¡­ I wonder if this is the kind of alcohol you drink to get drunk.¡± Goeunbi and Lisa frowned. The two who set down their soju glasses quickly brought snacks to cleanse their palates. The triplets had similar reactions. ¡°Really? I think it¡¯s better than beer. Ah! This bitterness, pursuing only the essence, is truly a man¡¯s taste. It¡¯s clean and good.¡± It seemed that only Yonghae enjoyed soju¡­ Well, there was one more. ¡°It¡¯s a bit different.¡± ¡°¡­Is that sweet?¡± ¡°Yeah, when you savor the taste, you can feel a sweetness at the end, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yeonhae also seemed to enjoy soju. Thinking she had been silent because she was enduring the bitterness of soju, she had actually been savoring the taste. Soon, she reached out and poured more soju into an empty glass. ¡°Would you like another drink?¡± ¡°Just a little. Let¡¯s have some snacks too.¡± ¡°Sure. Here, cheers. Kyaah¡ª.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I like this because it doesn¡¯t make me too full. Another glass?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not chugging it down thinking you¡¯ll get tipsy magically, right?¡± ¡°Huh? You told me to drink at my own pace, so I am.¡± ¡°Is that what you call drinking at your own pace? Still, sip it slowly.¡± ¡°Okay! Cheers.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Surprisingly, Yeonhae seemed to handle alcohol well. She continuously emptied her glass while others were drinking water and eating snacks. For me, who was drinking along with her, it felt subtly burdensome. ¡°No good.¡± It already feels bitter in my stomach. Indeed, me and soju don¡¯t get along. There was nothing I couldn¡¯t drink, but it¡¯s better to enjoy it if you¡¯re going to drink. I decided to switch my drink. I held a beer and a bottle of soju at the same time. At that moment, Goeunbi showed curiosity. ¡°Are you trying to make a shandy now? Do you know how to get the ratio right? They say if you get it wrong, it won¡¯t taste good¡­¡± ¡°You can just eyeball the ratio. Who¡¯s up for a shandy?¡± ¡°Me! Me! Me!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have one too, please.¡± ¡°Are you making it for us? Then count me in.¡± ¡°Are you going to drink too, Haneul?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± I can make a delicious shandy. It was one of the few things I could boast about, having been nothing more than a low-ranking company employee in my past life. ¡°¡­It¡¯s sad.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Still, it was a very pleasant thing to be able to catch the interest of people who had just learned to drink, with my humble skill, and liven up the atmosphere. Tinkle, clink! Clunk! Cheers! I exaggeratedly showcased a performance. At the end, I quickly clasped my hands together, collecting the crossed chopsticks in an X shape. The moment the different proof soju and beer mixed, bubbles burst. ¡°Here, drink up.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I handed the glasses back to the people. Instead of the glasses, they blinked at me. ¡°Wow¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem like your first time making this. What¡¯s up? Have you made it before? Is this not your first time drinking?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ It looks familiar. A bit suspicious.¡± Goeunbi laughed with a sly face. Lisa sent a suspicious glance my way. Both of them demanded an explanation from me. ¡°Have you ever secretly drunk alcohol without me knowing?¡± Yeon Haneul also joined in. Her sharp gaze was fixed on me. Unfortunately, I had only one answer for them, as I had no intention of talking about my past life. ¡°When would I have had time to drink? Today¡¯s my first time drinking.¡± ¡°Suspicious¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s suspicious.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡­¡± ¡°I just learned it on the internet.¡± ¡°Even more suspicious¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s even more suspicious.¡± ¡°Are you lying right now?¡± Of course, they weren¡¯t easily fooled. But since I didn¡¯t keep talking, they couldn¡¯t do much as women. In the end, they decided to let it go. ¡°Yeah, there were people around me secretly drinking too, but when you think about it, there¡¯s nothing really surprising. Let¡¯s say it¡¯s the first time. Still, Gyeonwoo, you turned out to be a playful one, huh?¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo, you were a delinquent student.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell your mother.¡± Though Yeon Haneul¡¯s words made me flinch inwardly, I chose not to react. In a situation where nothing was certain, she had no way of informing her parents. On the other hand, Goeunbi took the opportunity to tease me. ¡°This, this¡­ Could it be that you¡¯ve been smoking without us knowing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never smoked.¡± It was embarrassing to say it out loud, but I am a good person. Even if I recalled memories from my past life, my essence hadn¡¯t changed. It was inconceivable that I, at a young age, would put alcohol and cigarettes in my mouth. Without leaving any room for doubt, I responded promptly to Goeunbi. ¡°Even if that were the case, cigarettes¡­¡± Actually, I wasn¡¯t entirely uninterested. Since I had never experienced it before, it was possible for curiosity to arise. I had never smoked in my past life either. Cigarettes were too expensive to spend on. It was money that could buy a bowl of rice, not cigarettes. I¡¯d rather invest in games. ¡°But now, there¡¯s no reason to do that anymore, right?¡± Unlike in my past life, unless my family suddenly faced ruin, I had no need to worry about money in this life. I could buy cigarettes whenever I wanted. Thinking like that put my mind at ease. Moreover, ¡°It would be cool¡­¡± After all, a man popular with women is probably that kind of man. Blond hair, wearing sunglasses, skin tanned enough for muscles to show clearly, sporting piercings, looking good in a sleeveless t-shirt, and having tattoos ¨C that kind of man. If such a man flicked a lighter, lit a cigarette, and smoked, how atmospheric would it be? ¡°If there¡¯s a motorcycle there, that¡¯s it.¡± The ideal man. Regardless of gender, anyone would fall head over heels for him. I should not only drink but also smoke, and getting a driver¡¯s license wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea. I tried to hold back my thoughts. ¡°Just this once, try smoking¡­.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Before I could finish my sentence, They responded with a serious expression. I was at a loss for words. ¡°I really hate the smell of cigarettes.¡± ¡°Cigarettes are bad for your health.¡± ¡°Just try smoking a cigarette.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Goeunbi, Lisa, and Yeon Haneul. The three of them put on stern faces and shook their heads. ¡®Why do they dislike it?¡¯ Was I mistaken in my thoughts? Or maybe they have a different taste. But even if it¡¯s regrettable, there¡¯s nothing I can do. Especially since Yeon Haneul seemed to despise it so much, I had my doubts but decided to give up. Yong Haerang also chimed in. ¡°Why smoke? Smoking reduces lung capacity, which means your strength will decrease too. If you want to become a serious hunter, you shouldn¡¯t smoke.¡± ¡°¡­ Haerang is right.¡± Listening to him, it made sense. Cigarettes weaken me. No matter how much it weakens me, even if it¡¯s just a little, it¡¯s undeniable. Fully convinced by Haerang¡¯s words, I nodded. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s have some beer. Cheers.¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± At this rate, the liquor will become lukewarm. To change the subject, I raised my glass. From Noble mtl dot com Glasses from different people clinked against mine as they passed by. We downed the beer. The reactions were all positive. ¡°Wow, this is delicious! What is this? Mixing soju and beer gives this flavor? I should only drink beer from now on.¡± ¡°The smoothness of the drink is nice. I actually prefer this.¡± ¡°Soju is tasty, but this is good too. Can I have one more glass?¡± ¡°Be careful, it hits you fast. Here, let me pour you another¡­¡± ¡°Do Gyungwoo! I¡¯ll have one too!¡± ¡°Us too!!¡± ¡°¡­Just drink among yourselves. It¡¯s easy to make if you know the ratio.¡± The glasses of people rained down on me. It¡¯s quite a job to make them one by one. While I was rolling up barley for Yeonha, I taught them a way. After that, we spent time laughing and chatting while sipping barley drinks. As the intoxication started to rise, the atmosphere became livelier. Lisa spoke up amidst it all. ¡°Continuing to drink barley is bitter. Is there no sweet alcoholic drink?¡± ¡°Sweet taste¡­¡± A thought came to mind. I got up from my seat and walked over to the refrigerator in the room. There was ice cream in the freezer, bought to eat when drunk on alcohol. I took out a few and returned to my seat, carrying them. ¡°If you have this, it will taste sweet.¡± It¡¯s a drink I made several times in my past life. The method is very simple. I tore open the Screw Bar ice cream wrapper and put the ice cream in a large paper cup. Then I poured in some soju. I handed it to Lisa. ¡°This is Screw Bar Soju. Here you go.¡± ¡°You poured soju into ice cream? Thank you. I¡¯ll try it.¡± Lisa hesitantly took the glass. She had a face as if she was about to drink traditional rice wine. But after taking a sip of the alcohol, her expression brightened. ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s subtly delicious. The sweetness is nice. So you can drink it like this¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s also delicious with Melona.¡± ¡°Melona? It¡¯s a Korean word I¡¯ve never heard before¡­ Is it ice cream that tastes like melon?¡± ¡°That interpretation seems right. Although the flavors have become more diverse these days.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I should be able to make it too. I should try making it next time.¡± Lisa twirled the ice cream stick around. Seeing her frequently sipping on the alcohol, she seemed to like it quite a bit. I chuckled as I watched her. It was then that I felt a gaze. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. Just thinking it¡¯d be nice to get a score from Lisa.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Beside me. Yeonha was glancing at me. Although I didn¡¯t seem to have done anything wrong, there was a strange sense of discomfort. Feeling burdened by her gaze, I subtly avoided eye contact. I reached out with the ice cream I had brought a little while ago. ¡°Just in case, I did well to bring several ice creams.¡± Just like I made one for Lisa, I made a soju with a screw bar for Yeonhae too. Only then did her eyes calm down. ¡°Here, you should try it too.¡± ¡°¡­Hmph, I¡¯ll drink it nicely.¡± ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°¡­It feels like eating a screw bar. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just eat a screw bar?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s cool and delicious. Thank you.¡± Yeonhae shivered. I shivered along with her. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°If I had known it would turn out like this, I should have learned how to make cocktails in my past life.¡± Suddenly, such a thought crossed my mind. I felt a bit regretful that I couldn¡¯t make a tastier drink for Yeonhae. No, it¡¯s not too late even now. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to casually learn it as a hobby when I have time. ¡°Hey, guys! Let¡¯s not just drink, let¡¯s play a drinking game too!¡± ¡°Is there such a thing as a drinking game? I¡¯m not familiar with it¡­¡± ¡°Oh! If you don¡¯t know, you learn while drinking in a drinking game!¡± ¡°Alright, come on! I¡¯ll accept it blindly!¡± ¡°Gyunwoo, do you know?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t know either¡­ I only play games at home¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± * * * At that moment. Students were celebrating their admission by drinking and enjoying an admission ritual. Professor Park and Kang Hanbyeol were no exception. ¡°Let¡¯s start the ritual now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gamnamseok Dormitory. Since the space wasn¡¯t that wide, the two had to sit at makeshift desks. The only snacks were two chickens on the table. They exchanged glances as if wanting to eat the chicken right away. The two of them, following tradition, uncapped the soju they bought from the convenience store at the same time. One bottle per person. Baeksa took the lead. ¡°Then, for our entrance exam!¡± ¡°For our entrance exam!¡± ¡°Hanbyeol, I¡¯m counting on you!¡± ¡°Sagun, let¡¯s have a good time!¡± ¡°At first?¡± ¡°A shot.¡± The two raised their soju bottles in a toast. Then, following tradition, they drank the soju in one gulp, determined to empty the bottle in one go. As a result. ¡°Cough! Cough! Eugh¡­ It¡¯s awful¡­ Why does the master enjoy drinking this stuff?¡± ¡°I knew it would be bitter¡­ but it¡¯s even more bitter than I thought. Experiencing it firsthand is different from just knowing it in your head¡­¡± According to tradition, they were not allowed to touch the chicken until they finished all the soju. The two had to force themselves to empty the bottles, making various expressions. And then¡­ Their academy life began. Chapter 99 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 98 Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 98 Timetable There were regulations even at Geumgang Academy. Therefore, students had to be in their assigned classes by 8:30 a.m. when regulations started, or at the latest by 9 a.m. when morning classes began. We were no exception, having drunk until dawn. Returning to our rooms without much sleep, we had to drag our tired bodies to class. ¡°Sigh¡­ Hello, looks like you¡¯re here early.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, hello. Seems like you drank a lot? But why sit next to me when seats aren¡¯t assigned¡­ Oh? Hey, are you ignoring me and doing something over there!?¡± ¡°Sleep. And it¡¯s awkward to sit in the front, so let¡¯s sit a bit behind from now on.¡± ¡°What? When did I say I¡¯d sit with you!? No, listen to me, I said sleep or don¡¯t, that¡¯s all!¡± Class 1-17. When I entered the classroom, Min Arin was already seated. She, who was reading a book that looked like a spellbook, had been pestering since morning. I was too annoyed to respond to her, so I just lay face down on the desk. ¡°Hey? Could you listen to me for a moment?¡± ¡®She didn¡¯t expect the sky to be that strict¡­¡¯ It didn¡¯t feel like it was the same as the night before in my past life. Because of Yeonha, I suppose. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can drink anymore¡­¡± ¡°Me neither¡­ I feel dizzy¡­¡± ¡°Geumdong, are you okay?¡± ¡°Eundong, what are you looking at while talking¡­ ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Do, Dongdong! The restroom is over there!¡± ¡°¡­They said go to your room and throw up.¡± As Goeunbi led the drinking game, the speed of emptying glasses increased. One by one, people who couldn¡¯t hold themselves back due to intoxication started to emerge. I was also reaching my limits. The moment I let go of my sanity, it felt like my eyes would close shut. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s sweet.¡± Even in such a situation, Yeonha was casually sipping her drink. She was a better drinker than I had thought. Among us, only Yongha seemed capable of keeping up with her. ¡°What¡¯s this, everyone¡¯s down already? Yeonha, you seem quite good at this¡­ Can you handle another drink?¡± ¡°Yeah, pass me one too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, a real man should be like that! You¡¯re a true man, Yongha of Uihyeong Yongga! From today, I acknowledge you, Yeonha, as my drinking buddy! Cheers!¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not drunk, right? I don¡¯t know where to start tackling you, but¡­ there you go¡­ Cheers.¡± As everyone sprawled in my room, Two people sat across from each other at the table, exchanging drinks. As someone who was Yeonha¡¯s childhood friend, I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch. I knew she found Yongha challenging. Moreover, it was pitiful that she had to face him alone. So, I forcibly intervened. ¡°¡­Pass me one too.¡± ¡°Huh? Gyunwoo, you can drink more? If it¡¯s tough, lie down on the bed over there and rest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, so I don¡¯t need to rest. When things get tough, the gift will kick in. So, give me a drink too.¡± ¡°¨DYeah! That¡¯s the way to make it fun! Indeed, I¡¯m the man approved by me! ¨DYou don¡¯t even know what a ¡®gift¡¯ is? ¡­Do you think you¡¯ll awaken if you drink? Oh, you¡¯re drunk. How many fingers do you see? ¨DTwo. ¨DWrong, it¡¯s three. ¨DBut you only have two ears. ¨DHey, shouldn¡¯t you look at my hand? ¨DYou have one tail¡­ ¨D¡­you¡¯re drunk. Lean on me if you¡¯re tired. And drink slowly. Or just lie down on my lap. ¨DWell, I¡¯m not drunk. ¨DYes, Gyungwoo, the kid, is right. Would you like some water? I¡¯ll feed you myself~ ¨DI¡¯m not drunk¡­ ¨DYes, you are, you¡¯re drunk. Struggling to gather my wits. I drank until dawn, leaning against Yeonha¡¯s shoulder. Yet, neither she nor Yongha showed any signs of being affected. No, Yongha just seemed that way, but she was already dozing off sitting down. ¨DSnnnooorree¡­. ¨DWow¡­ How can you sleep in that position? ¨DHoo¡­ Heaven, want more to drink? ¨DHmm¡­ It seems late, so should we finish with one more bottle? Gyungwoo, if you¡¯re tired, go to sleep too. ¨D¡­No. One bottle of soju will be quickly finished, so let¡¯s drink together. At that moment, I was on the verge of death myself. But I couldn¡¯t bear to leave Yeonha alone to drink, so I desperately had to hold onto my sanity. ¡°Hey, are you listening to me?¡± ¡®I¡¯m so sleepy I could die¡­¡¯ After that, I barely slept and went to school. There was no way I wouldn¡¯t feel sleepy. So, I wanted to sleep a little more before the ceremony started, but Minarin kept whining and bothering me next to me. Lying on the desk, I turned my head to look at her. ¡°Sorry, could you keep it down? I couldn¡¯t sleep last night¡­.¡± ¡°What? Are you saying I¡¯m noisy?¡± ¡°I never said that¡­. You seem energetic since this morning. Didn¡¯t you drink last night? That¡¯s why you¡¯re not that tired.¡± ¡°What? I drank last night too. Don¡¯t judge me just because you drank a lot ignorantly.¡± ¡°How much did you drink last night?¡± ¡°¡­I had one can of beer. Why?¡± ¡°You only had that little to drink?¡± ¡°So, you drank ignorantly¡­¡±. ¡°Who did you drink with?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like your personality would have you drinking with others. You were probably just alone in your room as always.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Minarin had a domineering personality. She was ambitious, seeking recognition for her excellence. She even had a sense of righteousness ingrained within her. With such traits, it was hard to imagine her having friends with whom she could relax, laugh, and have a good time. As her face revealed a look of being caught off guard, my suspicions seemed to be confirmed. ¡°You, you¡­.¡± She was taken aback. Minarin wasn¡¯t good at handling surprises, and her reactions were lacking when faced with unexpected attacks. Blushing like a beetroot, she simply pouted like a goldfish. I turned away from her, burying my head back into the desk, pretending to be unbothered, and even gestured with my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink together next time. I¡¯ll call some people to join us.¡± ¡°N-no need! I find aimless fun distasteful. If someone calls, I¡¯ll know when to go!?¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± ¡°Hmph¡­.¡± Though she said it out loud, deep down, she was subtly hoping for it. Did she think I didn¡¯t know Minarin¡¯s personality? She wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge anymore; I decided to just pretend to sleep. Time seemed to pass quickly. ¡°Hey, wake up.¡± ¡°Mm¡­.¡± Minarin nudged me with her elbow. Waking up groggily, I could see Hong Yena and Yuno entering the classroom. It was time for the morning assembly. Hong Yena called for attendance. ¡°Well, thankfully everyone is here. It¡¯s a relief that no one skipped out after getting drunk for the first time, not knowing their limits. Well, if you can just magically shake off the hangover, you probably did that if you thought about it.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Still, it seems like quite a few are suffering from hangovers. Or is it because they stayed up late drinking and couldn¡¯t sleep? Either way, drink in moderation. Did you come to the academy just to drink?¡± ¡°Yeah, everyone! Have fun, but remember your duties as students. Get up and get ready quickly!¡± After scanning the classroom and closing the attendance book, Hong Yena clicked her tongue and briefly stuck out her tongue, speaking. Her gaze seemed to linger on me for some reason. Meanwhile, Yuno clapped his hands cheerfully, waking the students up. Then, Hong Yena instructed, ¡°The president and vice president, come and distribute the handouts to the students.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± It was bothersome, but there was no choice. I got up with Minarin and started distributing the handouts to the students. There were many students sitting apart, so I had to walk around the classroom. ¡°If we do this, only we will be the ones struggling¡­ Should we rearrange our seats later so we can pass on the message.¡± It seemed like a good idea. If students resist in the process, I can just overpower them with my skills. After printing all the documents, I decided to seize the opportunity and took my seat. The printouts contained information about the course guide. At that moment, Yuno manipulated the computer and displayed the same content on the screen. ¡°You all need to remember that you are no longer children. If you came to the Academy, you should know how to take care of yourselves. From now on, think and act on your own. Do you really think that just by quietly attending classes as students and killing time, you will naturally become hunters? Anyone who thinks like that needs to change their mindset immediately. Otherwise, it¡¯s better to withdraw now or return to a civilian life. We won¡¯t feel any regret. Even if you withdraw, there are many students and applicants who can replace you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Crossing her arms in front of the screen, Hong Yena spoke resolutely. The atmosphere suddenly turned chilly. I could feel the students¡¯ sharp gazes behind me. But she, who was the center of attention, paid no mind at all. ¡°Instructors are there to guide you in the direction of becoming a hunter, not to make you into one. You should become hunters yourselves. So, I hope there¡¯s no one here who foolishly believes that just attending classes as instructed, like when you attended school on the mainland, will be enough. From now on, you must choose your classes and attend them. The handouts we distributed¡­¡± ¡°Instructor, I need to use the restroom¡­¡± ¡°Instructors don¡¯t exist for restroom breaks¨D! If you want to go to the restroom from now on, just quietly get up and go.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that? You are no longer children, so you must know how to think and act on your own. Do you need permission for that too?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Look at the screen. I will now explain the Academy¡¯s course curriculum.¡± When I turned around, I saw a student with a flushed face leaving the room. Yuno just smiled silently, while Hong Yena sighed with a look of pity. Then, she began the explanation. ¡°The classes you will take for three years can be broadly divided into morning and afternoon sessions. For morning classes¡­¡± The explanation went as follows. A class that lasts 50 minutes once a week is worth one credit. An Academy student must complete a minimum of 35 credits per semester by attending classes. There is no limit to the maximum number of credits that can be earned. Students are free to choose their classes for the afternoon sessions. Morning classes are fixed to be taught by the homeroom instructors. The maximum credits that can be earned through morning classes are 15. ¡°So, you must take the remaining 20 credits to attend the afternoon classes you desire. If you want to take more than that¡­ The afternoon classes are¡­¡± Simply filling up the 20 credits is not enough. Afternoon classes are categorized into disciplines, general education, humanities, character, and practical classes. In order to graduate from the Academy, students must earn the minimum required credits in each category. The minimum required credits vary depending on the students¡¯ academic records. ¡°I can¡¯t show you the credits required for each academic record individually, so look at the handout.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Academic records of Academy students are divided into disciplines and categories. The disciplines include combat, production, administration, and more. In the Combat Department, there are ten main disciplines including shield techniques, swordsmanship, magic, archery, spear techniques, along with other disciplines. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°I belong to the Combat Department¡¯s swordsmanship discipline¡­ Ah, here it is.¡± To obtain a Hunter¡¯s license. To acquire the Hunter¡¯s license, Academy students needed to achieve the minimum grades required in their academic records, and choose classes tailored to the Hunter they aspired to be with the remaining credits. Wisely and wisely. ¡°The classes and grades you receive at the Academy will be the criteria by which you will be evaluated when you act as a Hunter in the future. Think of it as your portfolio.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t follow others, but rather think carefully about your career path and make your decision.¡± ¡°Instructor, the ceremonial time is now ending. How about taking a break and finishing the rest in the first period?¡± ¡°When did the time pass like this¡­ Yes, that sounds good. Let¡¯s take a break and continue in the first period. In the first period, I will explain about signing up for afternoon classes.¡± One must think and act for themselves. For students who have recently graduated from middle school, it was no different than having their heads spinning. Yet, it had to be done. Because the only person responsible for their own life is themselves. Of course. ¡°It¡¯s something that came out in games too.¡± I was already prepared. In the game, players could choose classes strong stars and party members could take each semester. Characters would increase their physical abilities or acquire skills depending on the classes they took. As a result, players could nurture their characters as they pleased. It was the charm that made the game diverse. ¡°It brings back memories. Even though I never attended university, I remember diligently planning my characters¡¯ timetables¡­¡± In my past life, I was an old hand at the game. Being deeply immersed in the game, I had mastered all sorts of patterns. It meant I knew what classes were suitable and necessary for me. Not only my timetable, but also those of other characters were the same. Therefore, I didn¡¯t need to wrack my brains like other students to plan the timetable for afternoon classes together. ¡°Time has flown by already. Since today is the first day, let¡¯s end the morning classes here. Anyway, everyone has class registration this Thursday, so don¡¯t forget to plan your timetable in advance. You all know there are no afternoon classes this week, right? Everyone must be hungry, so go and enjoy your meal! If you have any questions about your timetable, feel free to come and see me anytime!¡± The morning class ended 20 minutes early, just before lunchtime. After finishing the class, Hong Yena and Yuno left the classroom, while other students prepared to leave. Min Arin, sitting next to me, was trying to get up from her seat with her notes and stationery in hand, ready for the morning. I made a suggestion to her. ¡°Do you have time later?¡± ¡°¡­Why do you ask?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re free, let¡¯s go grab a bite to eat. There are a few of us planning to eat together, and then we¡¯re going to work on our timetables at a cafe. If you¡¯re okay with it, why don¡¯t you join us?¡± Min Arin¡¯s yellow eyes stared at me. In the game, only after she joined the party in the first semester of her second year could she arrange her schedule. But the world I live in is not a game; it¡¯s reality. According to my efforts, I can interfere with the story as much as I want. I couldn¡¯t miss the chance to tamper with her schedule from the first semester. I waited for her response. The response was as expected. ¡°Why me? Why should I eat with people I don¡¯t know and arrange schedules? I appreciate the offer, but I¡¯ll pass.¡± Given Min Arin¡¯s personality, it was a natural response. There was no reason for me, who was expecting her response, to be flustered. If that¡¯s the case, I can predict the next reaction as well. I brought up something intriguing as she packed her things and turned away. ¡°Oh, really? I wanted to introduce you to Haneul since you¡¯re in the same department¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Haneul knows, right? Top of the class.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s also a disciple of Gyowang Hong.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He agreed to arrange schedules together, do you really have no interest?¡± During the drinking party yesterday. I heard from Yeon Haneul that there had been friction between Min Arin and him during the entrance exam. Also, that she had all her exam papers taken away after losing to Yeon Haneul. That was the reason she couldn¡¯t seize the top spot in the entrance exam as planned. ¡°Who could have known that Haneul and Min Arin would fight¡­.¡± I was surprised when I heard it from Yeon Haneul. In a way, it was my negligence not to anticipate the situation where the two would clash. But what¡¯s done is done. Rather than blaming myself for the unexpected situation, I had to look for a better outcome. The conclusion I reached was to provoke Min Arin through Yeon Haneul. ¡°Min Arin, who is strong-willed and even competitive. If I mention Haneul¡¯s name, she¡¯ll have no choice but to react.¡± My prediction was correct. Min Arin stood still, lost in thought, unable to take a step. After what seemed like a calculation, she sought confirmation from me. ¡°Is he really coming too?¡± ¡°My story about being his childhood friend isn¡¯t famous? Obviously.¡± ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll go too.¡± ¡°Good choice.¡± I took the bait. There¡¯s no character as easy as Min Arin. I raised the corners of my mouth. ¡®Why is she smiling?¡¯ Speculatively, perhaps she was running a happiness circuit, contemplating what kind of courses Yeonhaneul would take, typical of Minarin. ? Chapter 100 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 99 Chapter 99 Minarin of Mado Village. Lee Myeong, the small griffin of Mado Village. In the game, she was a character who divided players due to her blunt, fussy, and meticulous personality. Some found it charming that despite looking formidable, she was treated as the weakest link in the party. Some just found her annoying. However, regardless of the opinions, no one denied that she was an indispensable character in the party. ¡®Because she was the most outstanding among the magic characters.¡¯ Just like someone who had enemies in Mado Village. Minarin boasted exceptional performance as a wizard responsible for the party¡¯s firepower. Her performance was unmatched by other wizard characters. Moreover, she quickly acquired skills belonging to the magic system, broadening her spectrum not only within the magic system but also into dark and white magic. Compared to characters specializing in dark and white magic, her performance was inferior. Still, it was better than nothing. Of course, with such exceptional performance, there was a flaw in her personality. ¡®She had disgustingly low stamina.¡¯ Remaining faithful to the setting of exploring various magic books and practicing magic from a young age. Minarin was almost entirely lacking in skills outside of magic. Especially, her physical abilities were dismal. Her Hp gauge was significantly lower than her Mp gauge, her recovery speed was slow, and she showed vulnerability in defense. As a result, she often unleashed heavy firepower only to fall back afterward. Players who acquired her had to focus on increasing her stamina early on. That¡¯s why I said before. Everything depends on stamina, and that¡¯s no different for wizards. ¡°Half of the Heaven¡¯s banquet isn¡¯t over yet, so let¡¯s wait at the restaurant first. It¡¯s better to secure a table.¡± ¡°Do as you wish. Where are we going?¡± ¡°To the Fate Hall overlooking the Spring Light Lake. They say the view there is beautiful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite far from here. My legs will hurt¡­¡± ¡°Consider it a walk.¡± The reason I emphasized Yeonhaneul¡¯s stamina for five years was also for that. As a result, she excelled not only in magic but also in martial arts. She possessed such stamina that carrying a heavy iron hammer in the form of a device did not pose a challenge. She was the sorceress I had longed for in my past life, unlike the weak and delicate Minarin. I stared blankly at her walking beside me, matching her stride. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What, what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Some walk on foot, some ride a staff and fly. I was curious if it bothers your conscience.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ It¡¯s none of your business! How I get there doesn¡¯t concern you!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t. That¡¯s why I asked if it bothers your conscience.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t. Not at all? If I get tired, you can do some magic or something, and that should be fine, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a habit that weakens the body by relying on mana. It¡¯s not an urgent situation, and it¡¯s not far, so it¡¯s better to walk.¡± ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re quite independent.¡± ¡°But it seems different even among sorcerers. Haneul exercises when the distance isn¡¯t far.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, is she the senior?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Fine! I¡¯ll walk just for you!¡± With a hint of competition in her tone, Minarin let go of the staff she had been riding and came down. She swiftly swept her red hair that had fallen over her shoulders to the back. ¡°Who said I can¡¯t walk¡­ Let¡¯s go! Are you going to stay there?¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Minarin marched ahead. I followed her, urging her on with each step. She was subtly simple in nature. ¡°I should make her exercise like this.¡± Just like when playing games. I had thought of improving Minarin¡¯s poor stamina to nurture her. Of course, there wouldn¡¯t be a significant change just from this walk, but with small changes accumulating, she would gradually transform. Meanwhile, by considering Haneul as a childhood friend, her value had decreased compared to my past life. Haneul was entirely superior to Minarin in talent and skills. It was as if she had become an irreplaceable substitute for Minarin in the game. ¡°If a player who dislikes Minarin were in this situation, they would just focus on Haneul. Why bother raising Minarin as well?¡± I could fully understand that. However, this world was reality. Unlike in games, there was no limit to the number of characters one could deploy in combat. The more, the better. Two were better than one. That was why I wanted to recruit Minarin as a comrade. Above all. [Personal Information] Name: Mina Lin (Female¡¤17 years old) Alias: Little Griffin of Mado Min Clan Affiliation: Geumgang Academy [Gifts Possessed] Eyes of the Sage [Physical Abilities] Endurance: 43 Strength: 41 Resilience: 47 Agility: 45 Magic Power: 78 Luck: 36 Remaining Points: 0 Displayed in Mina Lin¡¯s status window is her gift, Eyes of the Sage. Her gift excelled in analyzing phenomena made of mana. It possessed distinctiveness and sophistication. There was no reason to give up on her. ¡°What? Why are you staring again?¡± ¡°Just because, your eyes are beautiful.¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­What, what!? What are you saying right now¡­?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here. Let¡¯s go in quickly.¡± Taking my eyes off Minarin¡¯s status window, I led the flustered her into the destiny hall. Since it was lunchtime, the first-floor dining area was bustling with students. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like waiting in line, so let¡¯s go for something we can get quickly.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡± At this rate, we might not even find a place to sit. Nodding at Minarin¡¯s words, I ordered food from a place with a short line. The food arrived almost immediately after we ordered. We picked up our trays and searched for a place to sit. Luckily, there was a nice spot available. ¡°The view is amazing.¡± It was a window seat overlooking the Spring Light Lake. Outside the window, the shimmering lake and the spring petals floating on the surface caught our eyes. It was a beautiful lake, so picturesque that students were trying to take pictures. They say in autumn, red maple leaves float around, which would also be charming. ¡°Heaven would love this view.¡± Thanks to Dosie¡¯s useful information. I sat inside, content, to admire the view. But then, at that moment. ¡°Huh?¡± Minarin sat next to me and placed her tray on the table. I turned to her. She seemed to be staring intently. Her face looked somewhat gloomy. ¡°W-why, what?¡± ¡°There¡¯s space in front, why did you choose to sit next to me?¡± ¡°I thought you might misunderstand, but there¡¯s no special reason. I just didn¡¯t want to sit uncomfortably next to you when your friends come later.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Although it felt empty in front, her words made sense. Due to Yeonhaneul¡¯s shy nature, she probably wouldn¡¯t want to sit next to a close friend, let alone Minarin whom she met for the first time today. I had to consider her feelings. Of course, I also thought about what would happen if she sat next to me. ¡°It would be better if she sat near the window.¡± It would be hard for Minarin to enjoy the view sitting next to me. I slowly ate lunch, occasionally chatting with Minarin, waiting for her to gaze at the lake in admiration. And before long, she and Goeunbi finally arrived. ¡°Oh, Haneul, Eunbi. Over here. Did I pick a good spot? The view is really¡­¡± ¡°Gyeon, woo, ya?¡± ¡°Wow! It seems like the talk about it being the prettiest in spring is true, right? So beautiful! But why are you two sitting so close together? It¡¯s intriguing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The sky ominously nods and calls out my name. Thorns are hidden in Goeunbi¡¯s words. Have I done something wrong? I can¡¯t figure it out no matter how hard I think. In the midst of it all, Minarin unexpectedly greets the two of us. ¡°Hello? You guys are Gyunwoo¡¯s friends, right? We met yesterday, remember? Nice to see you. I¡¯m in the same class as Gyunwoo, sit next to him in class, and I¡¯m Minarin from Mado Minga, the class representative along with Gyunwoo. Let¡¯s get along well.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo¡­. Minarin, who used to harshly call me ¡®hey¡¯ or ¡®you¡¯ until now, now calls my name in a friendly manner. Could it be that she¡¯s trying to save my face in front of the two of us? Did Minarin have such delicacy? But even though I feel sorry for her, hearing it like this¡­ feels a bit burdensome. ¡°You two seem very close, huh?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± And even Haneul¡¯s gaze. *** Gyunwoo decided to introduce a friend he made in the same class. A female student who was by his side when they met on the way to the faculty room yesterday. ¡°You two seem very close, huh?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Red and long hair that seemed mutated by mana, and yellow eyes. Though looking somewhat imposing, even in her own opinion, the pretty girl had a solid background. Mado Minga, known as the leading family in the magical lineage. Minarin, the small griffin of that family. A person with a connection to herself. Whether she was on the good side or the bad side, it was hard to tell. ¡®Is she intentionally acting like this right now?¡¯ During the final entrance exam. Yeonhael was caught off guard by Minarin¡¯s sudden attack to snatch her exam paper. It was a moment of panic for her, as she almost fell victim to the magic that could have killed her on that dark night when she couldn¡¯t even see the path clearly. So, she didn¡¯t just stand by quietly and fought back with all her might. Initially, Minarin was an opponent who couldn¡¯t be easily overpowered with just the right amount of force. She had to forcefully subdue her, almost to the point where she couldn¡¯t even move a finger. ¨DI¡¯ll take this. You¡¯ve really gathered a lot. ¨DAh¡­. After rendering her powerless like that, Yeon Haneul rifled through all the exam tickets that Min Arin possessed. Even though she begged not to take them, her pleas were ignored. Since she was the one who initiated the surprise attack, she didn¡¯t feel sorry. ¡°Take them, please¡­¡± However, it¡¯s hard to know how the person who had them taken away would feel. People are rational yet irrational, hence self-centered. She might have had a reason to despise Yeon Haneul. In short, their encounter was not beneficial for either of them. But it was through Do Yeonwoo that they met again. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to become friends with Yeonwoo¡­¡± For Yeon Haneul, it was awkward. Even if it seemed like self-defense, there were issues in forming a relationship by knocking down Yeonwoo¡¯s friend before getting to know each other. Although she wanted to get along well, things went awry from the start. Moreover, Min Arin didn¡¯t seem to like her very much. As evidence, ¡°See, right? We became quite close pretty quickly. Yeonwoo and I have a lot in common, being on the same team and all.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you just going to stand there? Hurry up and sit down. You and Yeonwoo can sit in the front.¡± Mischievously, she provocatively occupied Do Yeonwoo¡¯s side and taunted Yeon Haneul. It was as if she wanted to emphasize their closeness, even going as far as playfully tapping his bicep. Seeing her actions, Yeon Haneul boiled with anger inside. But if she showed her anger, she would only be viewed as the odd one out. From Noble mtl dot com Above all, she didn¡¯t want things to turn sour with her. ¡°Haneul, I think she¡¯s doing this on purpose. What should I say to her?¡± ¡°No, just sit down, Eunbi.¡± Do Yeonwoo introduced her as a ¡°friend.¡± From what she observed as his childhood friend, he seemed content with the current relationship and was not actively seeking to expand his social circle by making new friends. It was beyond strange that shortly after enrolling, he made a new friend he wanted to introduce. ¡°Haneul, let me introduce her. This is Min Arin¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ve met before in the entrance exam, right? It¡¯s been a while since then. Hello, I¡¯m Min Arin.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m Yeon Haneul.¡± There was a reason for something. Just like when he made friends with Goeunbi, Yongha, and Lisa. ¡°If Yeonwoo would just tell me the reason, maybe I could help¡­¡± Sadly, Do Yeonwoo wouldn¡¯t disclose it. He had always been like that for the past five years. Nonetheless, Yeonhae didn¡¯t try to dig up the secrets he was hiding. Though she was curious, resentful, and sometimes felt petty, ultimately, she trusted him. She believed he wouldn¡¯t abandon her. Moreover, she thought he would eventually reveal his secret. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry about that time. I did my best for the exam anyway¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just forget what happened during the entrance exam.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It was a mutual exchange, right? Past events might just be obstacles to getting to know each other better in the future. I want us to get along well.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ Haneul, you¡¯re so mature.¡± ¡°¡­You were tougher than me. Well, okay. That was something I wanted to tell you anyway.¡± Yeonhae had no intention of obstructing what Dogyeonwoo wanted to achieve. Rather, she wanted to help him diligently. Because what he desired was also what she desired. Therefore, she had no choice but to move according to his wishes. Even though she decided to maintain at least a decent relationship with Mina Rin, if not a good one. Even so. ¡°¡­So annoying.¡± She wasn¡¯t feeling great. The presence of Mina Rin was irritating. The fact that this pretty and sophisticated girl, who was more beautiful and elegant than herself, would spend a year in the same class as Gyunwoo and work together as representatives made her nervous. Furthermore, she seemed to be completely opposite to herself in every aspect. Except for the commonality of their backgrounds. Yeonhae felt a premonition that she would be compared to her for the rest of her life. Surely, she must have felt it too. Of course, the world¡¯s judgment meant little to Yeonhae. What mattered to her was, above all, Dogyeonwoo¡¯s assessment. As long as she received recognition from him, it was enough. ¡°A magician would be fine with just me¡­.¡± In that sense, she harbored a sense of competition towards Mina Rin, who belonged to the same lineage as her. She didn¡¯t want to be left behind by Mina Rin. Lastly. ¡°Oh, this tastes good?¡± ¡°Really? Then let me have some of yours too.¡± ¡°What? You don¡¯t have to eat it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m full, so I¡¯ll give it to you, ¡®Gyunwoo.¡¯ Enjoy it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeonha¡¯s behavior of teasing Minarin, conscious of herself, only irritated Doh Gyunwoo. ¡°Why does she keep calling Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo, Gyunwoo since a while ago? How long will she keep calling Gyunwoo¡¯s name?¡± Moreover, their elbows were touching each other. Yeonha felt discomfort watching Minarin offering dessert to Doh Gyunwoo. And she was also angry at Doh Gyunwoo for gladly accepting it. ¡°Some have no appetite at all¡­.¡± Some were eating the dessert. Doh Gyunwoo was detestable. Clueless Doh Gyunwoo, fool. That¡¯s what Yeonha thought at that moment. ¡°Hey, Haneul, try one too.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± When Doh Gyunwoo received dessert from Minarin, Yeonha casually placed it on his plate. She, who had been glaring at him intently, was taken aback by the unexpected situation. Her ears perked up. ¡°It seems like it¡¯ll suit your taste.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Wow, Gyunwoo, so sweet! But Gyunwoo, what about me?¡± ¡°Want some potato fries?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you exaggerating the temperature difference too much?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a drink later.¡± ¡°Okay, cool!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As Doh Gyunwoo and Goeunbi conversed. Yeonha looked down at the dessert on her plate. Panna cotta, a pudding made by boiling cream and sugar, adding gelatin, and chilling, topped with various toppings. She blinked repeatedly while looking at the pudding with toppings. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Not eating?¡± ¡°If Haneul doesn¡¯t eat, I will! Thanks, I¡¯ll enjoy it!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll eat.¡± Doh Gyunwoo asked in a gentle tone. Goeunbi deliberately made an exaggerated gesture to slowly snatch the panna cotta. Yeonha quickly came to her senses and grabbed the bowl. She scooped up some panna cotta with a dessert spoon and brought it to her mouth. ¡°How is it? Delicious, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just my taste. Thanks.¡± Doh Gyunwoo chuckled. A smile spread across Yeonha¡¯s face. She sat across from him, exchanging glances for a while, basking in the spring sunlight filtering through the lake outside. Then, she turned her gaze towards Minarin sitting beside him. ¡°Saw that?¡± ¡°Heh¡­¡± With a cheeky smile, Yeonhaneul initiated conversation with that look. Minarin, understanding the meaning behind the gaze, frowned. ¡°I wanted to eat too, dammit¡­¡± ? At that moment, Lisa had lunch with her classmates to strengthen their bond. After lunch, she stayed behind to plan the afternoon class schedule. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to plan the schedule with Gyounwoo and others later¡­ I should text them that I might be a bit late.¡± Gyounwoo, Yeonhaneul, Goeunbi, Yonghaerang, and others. She had set aside class hours with friends she had befriended during the entrance exam. The remaining credits could be decided upon meeting them in the afternoon. Having designed the schedule to a certain extent, Lisa, as the class representative, assisted the students in selecting their lectures with Professor Park. It was then that a strong star, Kang Hanbyeol, caught her eye. ¡°Hanbyeol, have you finished planning your schedule?¡± ¡°Well, for now. There were many interesting classes, so it was hard to choose.¡± ¡°Is it okay if I take a look?¡± ¡°Sure, here you go.¡± ¡°Then should I take a look too? Did you include the classes I recommended?¡± The disciple of Tugwi, Kang Hanbyeol. Living in the mountains and being a newcomer to the world, he boldly declared his special admission from the first day of school, making him someone to watch closely. Upon a request from the homeroom teacher, Professor Park, and Lisa checked his schedule. Soon, they were taken aback. ¡°Hanbyeol¡­ are you really planning to take these classes?¡± ¡°Hanbyeol, this is a bit¡­¡± ¡°Why? Is it not okay?¡± Kang Hanbyeol¡¯s schedule was all over the place. There were long breaks between classes, some days with only one class, others heavily packed. The issue was that besides swordsmanship classes, he had also chosen classes from different disciplines. Not just one, but several. ¡°Introduction to Memorization 1, Beginner Shield Technique 1, Introduction to Basic Magic 1, Beginner Spear Technique 1, Beginner Archery 1, Fundamentals of Alchemy 1¡­ Hanbyeol, specializing in a discipline requires depth, spreading yourself thin like this isn¡¯t ideal. We¡¯re first-years, so we should focus on completing our own disciplines first.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Approaching it this way will leave us neither here nor there, and we won¡¯t even get proper breaks throughout the semester. If you plan to take classes from multiple disciplines, do it after adapting to academy life. Let¡¯s prioritize your strongest discipline, swordsmanship, for now.¡± It seemed like it would be best to redo the schedule from scratch. With a sigh, Lisa and Professor Park decided to concentrate on helping Kang Hanbyeol redesign his schedule. Not knowing the feelings of those two. ¡°Can¡¯t I do everything well?¡± Kang Hanbyeol replied naturally. ? Chapter 101 I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 100 Chapter 100 After having lunch, we set off for the Spring Light Lake to enjoy the view. Then, we moved to the Brilliant Cafe to plan our schedule. The cafe had ivy climbing up its outer walls, giving it a classy appearance. Yonghaerang and the triplets had already arrived and taken a seat before us. ¡°Hey! Do Gyenwoo! You¡¯re here! Come here!¡± ¡°Do Gyenwoo! Why are you so late!?¡± ¡°Are you taking too long to eat?¡± ¡°Where were you and what were you doing before coming now?¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry for being 5 minutes late.¡± Yonghaerang surprisingly didn¡¯t get lost and reached out her hand. As expected, the triplets put on a show. I accepted it nonchalantly. ¡®The little troublemakers found a good spot.¡¯ It was an open space on the second floor, separate from the study room-like area. The round table was large enough to seat at least 10 people comfortably. ¡°Hey, Haneul, take a seat.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks.¡± Yeonhaneul pulled out a chair for her to sit easily. I placed our belongings on one side with her and sat down next to her. But soon, I had to get up. ¡°I should go and order drinks. Since I said I¡¯d treat earlier, I¡¯ll buy. If Haerang and you guys want to order something, let me know.¡± ¡°I was feeling a bit hungry anyway, so it¡¯s good you¡¯re treating! I¡¯ll have a croffle!¡± ¡°Is it Gyenwoo who¡¯s treating!? Then I can forgive you!¡± ¡°Geumdong, Hyung, do you want to order anything? We¡¯ve already ordered drinks.¡± ¡°No, just order one more drink then! Gyenwoo, I¡¯ll have lemonade!¡± ¡°Haneul, what about you?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll go down and choose.¡± ¡°Gyenwoo! Eunbi! Eunbi!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­Eunbi, you¡¯re not cute at all.¡± ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t it too nauseating? Ugh! Let¡¯s have you try it!¡± ¡°Huh? Oh? Umm¡­.¡± ¡°Come on, Haneul! Haneul! Haneul!¡± ¡°Gyeonwoo, H-Haneul¡­.¡± ¡°Why? What do you feel like eating?¡± ¡°Wow¡­. The temperature difference was too much.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just go together and I¡¯ll pick.¡± ¡°Oh, suddenly craving something sweet. Gyeonwoo, can I order one more? Earl Grey tea and affogato.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind buying, but we had lunch earlier, can you eat more?¡± ¡°Rice and ice cream go into different stomachs.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°Oh, should I have affogato too¡­.¡± ¡°Can you just have that? You need something to drink too.¡± ¡°The temperature difference is real.¡± ¡°Arin, what would you like to drink?¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll have a caf¨¦ latte.¡± With many people present, there were many orders. The triplets, eager to empty my wallet, and the greedy Goeunbi even went as far as ordering additional desserts. After memorizing the orders, I went down to the counter. Yeonhae and Minarin followed. ¡°You should¡¯ve waited upstairs, why come down with me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s uncomfortable being with people I¡¯m meeting for the first time.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Minarin grumbled with her arms crossed. Perhaps that meant she felt comfortable being with me. I decided to keep my curiosity to myself, fearing she might snap back annoyingly. ¡°So, Haneul, what would you like to drink?¡± ¡°Um¡­. I¡¯ll have an iced Americano.¡± ¡°¡­If you were going to order iced Americano, you didn¡¯t need to come down too, right?¡± ¡°No, I just felt like having it now.¡± ¡°Is that so? You¡¯ll have affogato too, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yeonhae decided on her order without properly looking at the menu. It seemed like she had already made up her mind. Ignoring my confusion, I completed the payment at the counter. As we chatted leisurely, our drinks arrived shortly. ¡°I¡¯ll get one.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m lucky to have you around.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Yeonhae, holding the tray, had a proud expression on her face as she swayed confidently. The rabbit¡¯s ear twitched. I followed her up the stairs, wagging my pale, round tail, chuckling softly. Returning to the room with drinks in hand, Goeunbi, Yonghae, and the triplets were each busy with their schedules. ¡°Hey, guys, here are your drinks.¡± ¡°Thank you, Haneul! We¡¯ll enjoy them!¡± ¡°I bought them.¡± ¡°Thanks, Gyounwoo!¡± Starting with what Goeunbi brought, Yonghae and the triplets also reached out for the tray. Yeonnaneul and I took the remaining drinks after they had taken theirs. Minarin had been sipping on a caf¨¦ latte since she came up the stairs. ¡°So, were you all scheduling well? Goeun, how did you plan yours?¡± ¡°Huh? Me? I¡¯m still working on it, but want to take a look? Let¡¯s upload it to the group chat and share it together. I¡¯ll invite Arin to the room now.¡± The table was cluttered with drinks, desserts, printouts, stationery, and laptops. As I made a space for the laptop I took out of my bag, I asked Goeunbi. Instead of making her schedule on the laptop, she readily agreed to have a bite of affogato. I closely examined the schedule she uploaded to the group chat. ¡°Fortunately, player permissions apply to others¡¯ schedules as well.¡± In the game, players could view an information window that showed what each class brought to their character. This still applied to me, reborn in this world. This morning, through Hong Ye-na¡¯s class, I realized the essence of permissions and could see the messages appearing before me. By focusing on the class schedules or listings. [Beginner Target Training] ¡ô Class Classification/Credit ¨DArchery (Archery)/2 ¡ô Lecturer/Time/Location ¨DGo Jumyeong/Wed 67/Suyang Hall B101 ¡ô Completion Reward ¨DAcquire Skill ¡®Sharpshooter¡¯s Eye¡¯ ¡ú Enhance Skill ¡®Sharpshooter¡¯s Eye¡¯ Level Apart from this. I checked the other classes scheduled in Goeunbi¡¯s timetable. ¡°You¡¯ve scheduled well, focusing on the basics.¡± What Goeunbi needed now was to strengthen her foundational skills as a ranger. Tricks or advanced classes wouldn¡¯t be helpful. She seemed to be aware of it too. Her schedule was evenly structured without any gaps. It felt like she was revisiting the training course recommended by the Academy for Rangers. It seemed like there was no need for my intervention. Yet, if there was one thing. ¡°Beginner target practice training¡­.¡± Archery lineage lectures, beginner target practice. It was a class that was a must to attend in order to acquire the skill of improving accuracy as an archer. The issue was that Goeunbi already possessed the skill of the archer¡¯s eye. ¡°Skill possession.¡± Gazing into Goeunbi¡¯s eyes as if calling up the status window. I called up the skill possession category, one of the player¡¯s privileges. [Skill Possession ¨D Goeunbi] ¨DLimited Mana Lv 9 ¨DKeen Perception Lv 8 ¨DSocial Network Lv 7 ¨D: ¨DNatural Barrier Lv 6 ¨D: ¨DArcher¡¯s Eye Lv 2 ¡°Her level has risen to 2 in the meantime. She said she just played around until enrollment, but seems like she didn¡¯t just play.¡± From Noble mtl dot com It was something I found out a month ago, after the entrance exam had ended. At the after-party hosted by Goeunbi, I learned that she possessed the Archer¡¯s Eye skill. In the game, it was a skill acquired through enrolling in the Academy and taking classes. For some reason, she had obtained the skill during the entrance exam. If asked whether the beginner target practice training would be helpful to her. ¡°It might help to some extent, but the effect won¡¯t be significant.¡± Acquiring the Archer¡¯s Eye skill is not difficult, and raising the skill level after obtaining it is not that hard. You can easily level it up on your own. Or else, I will shape the story that unfolds from now on. If Goeunbi had not acquired the skill, the class would have surely been helpful, but not anymore. The outcome is not worth the time invested. It seemed better to recommend a different class. There was a class that caught my eye. ¡°Eunbi, the beginner target training is good, but wouldn¡¯t this class be okay too?¡± ¡°What? ¡­Intro to Hunting?¡± Below the timetable were the classes she had been considering as alternatives. I pointed to one of them. Intro to Hunting. As the name suggests, it was a class to learn the basics of hunting. This was also a class that had appeared in the game. [Intro to Hunting 1] ¡ô Class Classification/ Credits ¨DLineage (Archery)/ 2 ¡ô Lecturer/ Time/ Location ¨DHo Dong-san/ Tuesday 6-7 PM/ Dimension Hall 204 ¡ô Completion Reward ¨DAcquire the skill ¡®Hunter¡¯s Instinct¡¯ The moment Go Eunbi joins as a party member in the game is during the club experience period after the course registration ends. Therefore, the time to arrange her timetable starts from the second semester of her freshman year. At that time, the player must choose one of two classes with the same time slot. Between Beginner Target Training and Intro to Hunting. In other words, they had to choose between ¡®Sharpshooter¡¯s Eye¡¯ and ¡®Hunter¡¯s Instinct¡¯ skills. ¡®Once you choose one, you have to learn the other in the next semester.¡¯ Sharpshooter¡¯s Eye increases accuracy, while Hunter¡¯s Instinct raises critical hit rate. Both skills were necessary for Go Eunbi who primarily wielded a bow. Thus, the player had to ponder which skill to learn first. Most of the time, they chose Sharpshooter¡¯s Eye. Because hitting the target before a critical hit was more important. However, when choosing Sharpshooter¡¯s Eye, one couldn¡¯t expect high attack power. It would take at least a year to obtain Hunter¡¯s Instinct for Go Eunbi, whose initial performance was not great. ¡®Conversely, choosing Hunter¡¯s Instinct would perform well against monsters below Rank 2, but it wasn¡¯t easy to land effective hits on boss monsters or villains¡­¡¯ Just think of the word ¡®MISS¡¯ appearing frequently when attacking. In the end, both options seemed vague. Naturally, during her freshman year, Go Eunbi¡¯s probability of death was inevitably high. One of the reasons for the increase in game difficulty. Of course, her dying doesn¡¯t immediately trigger a bad ending. The world doesn¡¯t come to an end either. She continues to appear in the story, but systemically, she is marked as deceased, limiting the number of endings that can be reached. There are no happy endings. No true endings. If even one party member dies, not just her, then only normal and bad endings can be reached. So, I had to somehow prevent their deaths. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that Eunbi got the attention of the sniper at this time. It relieved me of some burden.¡± In this world, which is not a game but a real one, the freedom is extremely high. It¡¯s a world where Go Eunbi can obtain the attention of the sniper and the instincts of a hunter, and spend her first year. With a somewhat excited heart, I persuaded her. ¡°If you look at the course overview, this class is ultimately about training to hit a stationary target from a distance.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But to say this, with your skills, you can easily do it alone, right? In my opinion, this seems like a class for someone not familiar with shooting arrows.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Thank you for the compliment, but I don¡¯t think my skills are up to that level¡­¡± ¡°No, what does it matter about your skills? I think you¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It¡¯s not flattery, it¡¯s sincerity. I¡¯ve faced off against Go Eunbi several times in the entrance exams. I know well what her skills are like. And her growth potential. At this point, even if she may lag behind the people of the Tan Gung Ham or the Archery Guild, she will soon catch up. It¡¯s also possible to overtake. Depending on her will and effort. ¡°And monsters are not stationary targets. I think it¡¯s hard to achieve meaningful results in that class when facing monsters.¡± ¡°That¡­ might be true.¡± ¡°Initially, what¡¯s required of a ranger isn¡¯t just how well you hit the targets. That¡¯s something for gunners or snipers to do. The ranger I envision is someone who scouts the forefront landmarks, relaying information to the party at the rear.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, that makes sense. A ranger shouldn¡¯t just be good at shooting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I think the Hunting Theory will be much more helpful for you.¡± Contrary to appearances, Go Eunbi tended to underestimate herself. It¡¯s a fact after becoming friends with her. I encouraged her confidence and waited for her decision. And finally. ¡°Yeah, if you hold me in such high regard, should I try believing in you once?¡± If my grades drop, you¡¯re responsible! She shouted playfully, laughing. Since then, I have directly, and sometimes indirectly, advised others on their schedules. I was a hardcore gamer in my past life. If a class appeared in the game, I had it memorized in no time. As a result, my words carried a convincing power. Of course, it wasn¡¯t always easy to manipulate them as they had their own egos. Especially Minarin, she had a strong sense of self. ¡°Why do I have to do that?¡± It seemed that Minarin thought following my advice would hurt her pride, so she didn¡¯t immediately accept it. Moreover, she struggled to adjust the balance of her schedule, which was heavily focused on magic-related subjects. Luckily, Yeonhaneul was there to help. ¡°Really? Hey, what do you think, Sky? I think it¡¯s necessary.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think so too. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been doing it since I was young.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Who said I wouldn¡¯t listen!? I¡¯ll listen too, you know!?¡± With Minarin harboring a competitive spirit towards Yeonhaneul, she eventually had to change her mind. Meanwhile, unlike others, Yeonhaneul followed my words without military language. Indeed, childhood friends were the best. Anyway, the results of my intervention were as follows: [Eunbi] ¨C Hunting Theory 1: Acquired Skill ¡®Hunter¡¯s Intuition¡¯ ¨C Martial Arts (Crab Maga) 1: +2 for durability below 50, Acquired Skill ¡®Crab Maga¡¯ [Minarin] ¨C Basic Stamina Training 1: +1 for stamina below 50 ¨C High-Intensity Cardio Exercise 1: +2 for stamina below 50 ¨C CrossFit 1: +2 for strength below 50, +1 for agility below 50 ¨C [Yeonhaneul] ¨C General Stamina Training 1: +1 for stamina below 60 ¨C Dice Game: Luck +1 ¨C The Mysteries of the Human Body: Luck +1 ¨C Survival in Disaster Situations: Endurance +1 for durability below 60 ¨C Basic Blunt Weaponry 1: Skill ¡®Blunt Weapon Mastery¡¯ level up -: [Dragonwave] ¨C Understanding of Dragon Poison Techniques: Increased resistance to abnormal status (poison, paralysis) ¨C Energy-Infused Meal 1: Magic +1 for magic power below 50 -: [Ougum-dong, Ooun-dong, Udong-dong] ¨C Survival in Crisis Situations: Endurance +1 for durability below 50 ¨C Dice Game: Luck +1 ¨C Beginner Swordsmanship Appreciation 1,000 Times: Skill ¡®Swordsmanship Mastery¡¯ level up ¨C Party Play 1: Acquire skill ¡®Triangle¡¯ -: Well then¡­ Now, it was my turn.