Ch 107-113 - Online Story Read Mode

Chapter 107 Summer Break (2)

"…"

Jin Soyeon ﬂinched.

She had just heard something quite unpleasant.

She glanced at Yoo Seolhyun, who stared back calmly, as if questioning why she was looking her way.

How ridiculous. Saying something like that with such conﬁdence.

'This is why I hate Yoo Seolhyun.'

Sometimes she would throw out remarks like that. No, it wasn't just sometimes—it was pretty frequent.

She had a habit of deliberately provoking Jin Soyeon, scratching at her nerves.

If it were completely untrue, Jin Soyeon could have simply brushed it off as nonsense. But the fact that there was some truth to it… Ugh, how irritating.

'But calling it "a history with men"? What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

Jin Soyeon had never done anything remotely deserving of being called that.

She had never dated anyone, never even had her ﬁrst kiss. So why was Yoo Seolhyun talking like that?

…Sure, she had hung out with both guys and girls before, but bringing that up and calling it "a history with men" was way out of line.

Besides, ever since she confessed to Lee Jinhyuk, she'd stopped spending time alone with other guys.

She had been very careful with her actions.

Because of the past, she was already sensitive about her behavior, but why did Yoo Seolhyun have to make it worse?

Was it that Yoo Seolhyun disliked Jin Soyeon as much as Jin Soyeon disliked her?

If so, why did Yoo Seolhyun hate her? There wasn't exactly a reason for her to.

…Unless it had something to do with Lee Jinhyuk. 'Does Yoo Seolhyun have feelings for Jinhyuk?'

She kept hinting that she was interested, but it seemed like her feelings went beyond mere interest.

She rarely showed any direct signs of affection, though. "…How did you know that I like Jinhyuk?"

"I told you. It's obvious."

Yoo Seolhyun chuckled, casually shrugging her shoulders.

"You're trying to hide it, but when someone's watching closely, it's easy to tell. The others probably know too; they're just not saying anything."

Really?

Was it that obvious?

Even though Jin Soyeon had tried so hard to hide it…

"Jinhyuk probably knows too. But seeing as there hasn't been any progress, I guess it didn't work out, huh?"

"Mind your own business."

This was a problem between Jin Soyeon and Lee Jinhyuk. It was none of Yoo Seolhyun's concern.

"Well, considering he tried to set you up with Lee Siwoon during that stalker incident, it doesn't seem like he'd want to get back together with you."

Yoo Seolhyun nodded as she spoke, as if she were making perfect sense.

Who would want to date a girl who spent her time hanging around with other guys under the guise of being just friends?

Lee Jinhyuk was likely no different.

Even though Jin Soyeon was now acting more "properly," old habits die hard.

In Jinhyuk's eyes, there was no reason to date her again, only to go through unnecessary emotional turmoil.

"Am I wrong?" "…"

Jin Soyeon bit her lip.

While Yoo Seolhyun's reasoning wasn't entirely accurate, it was true that Jin Soyeon had troubled Jinhyuk for a long time with their fake relationship.

That much was undeniable.

She could fully understand why Jinhyuk wouldn't want to be tangled up in a romantic relationship with her.

Fragments of the conversation they had on the rooftop during the stalker incident resurfaced in her mind.

How Jinhyuk had said he wanted to give up any lingering feelings for her, that he thought dating someone else would help him move on, and how he had tried to set her up with Lee Siwoon…

He had probably been half-serious.

Jin Soyeon felt her mood drop.

Even if Jinhyuk had forgiven her for the mess she'd put him through with the fake dating, she was still plagued by guilt.

It was like a shackle, a brand.

An unshakable chain born from guilt and regret.

…Though, to be honest, Jinhyuk himself wasn't really bothered by it anymore.

Ever since he had awakened his memories of his past life, his feelings for Jin Soyeon had faded signiﬁcantly, leaving him indifferent.

Of course, the memories of the hardships he faced hadn't disappeared, but given that the original story made it clear that Jin Soyeon didn't have feelings for anyone else, Jinhyuk wasn't too concerned.

"Because of all that, it seems like Lee Siwoon's been feeling a bit troubled. Though, it seems like he's also come to terms with it somewhat."

Come to terms… huh.

While things had been awkward between her and Lee Siwoon after she turned him down, they had managed to keep things amicable.

Though that didn't mean he had completely given up on her.

"Kang Daehan also seems to be showing quite a bit of interest in you. Oh, did I mention that last time?"

"Daehan…"

Ever since the ranking battle, Kang Daehan had been approaching her more frequently, saying things like, "You're impressive, Jin Soyeon. I see you in a new light."

Honestly, Jin Soyeon couldn't imagine someone like Kang Daehan having romantic feelings for her, but was it her intuition as a woman?

After the kidnapping incident, Jin Soyeon's sharpened instincts had been whispering at her.

That Kang Daehan, too, was interested in her. Jin Soyeon wasn't the type to trust her own woman's intuition.

After all, she had been pretty oblivious before.

She hadn't even realized that her one and only childhood friend had been harboring a crush on her for years.

So, Jin Soyeon couldn't trust her own female intuition.

But, considering that Joo Jiyeon, who liked Kang Daehan, had been jealous of her, there was some credibility to her suspicions.

And she had once heard that Kang Daehan's ideal type was a woman stronger than himself.

Considering how she had easily defeated the 12th ranked Joo Jiyeon during the ranking battle, Jin Soyeon ﬁt his ideal type, aside from Baek Yoorin.

There had been plenty of debate after her match with Joo Jiyeon, with some claiming that she had been lucky, that Joo Jiyeon had underestimated her, or that Jiyeon had gone easy on her…

But after showing consistent strength in subsequent tests, mock exams, and ﬁnal exams, those debates had quieted down.

Now, Jin Soyeon was regarded as one of the top contenders at the academy.

A powerhouse on par with Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan. No, perhaps even stronger.

Like Baek Yoorin.

"Must be nice to be so popular with the boys…" "Feeling a little insecure?"

Jin Soyeon cut off Yoo Seolhyun's words.

"Siwoon, Daehan—they're both good guys. Does it bother you that they don't seem interested in you?"

"Insecure? Why would I ever feel insecure?" Oh, what's this?

Yoo Seolhyun was slightly annoyed.

To be honest, there was a time when she had been a little bothered by it.

Lee Siwoon, who had never shown interest in her as a woman, had fallen head over heels for some girl he barely knew.

It wasn't that she liked him, but still, there's such a thing as a woman's pride, isn't there?

Even though they were reluctantly in a secret engagement, Yoo Seolhyun had been utterly baﬄed by how quickly Siwoon had fallen for Jin Soyeon.

Her pride had taken a hit.

But now… well…

"Jinhyuk doesn't seem too interested in you either."

"Hah."

Yoo Seolhyun's brow twitched ever so slightly. Jin Soyeon's words had struck a nerve.

Lee Jinhyuk. Jinhyuk, huh.

He was a boy who had piqued her interest.

Whether to call it affection or simple curiosity, she wasn't sure, but at the very least, she had some kind of favorable opinion of him.

He had money, he had skills, he was smart, and while his looks and family background were a little lacking, overall, he wasn't bad.

Moreover, unlike the other boys, he was someone she could actually have decent conversations with.

He was quite a good business partner, too.

As for a romantic partner, she wasn't sure, but Jinhyuk was deﬁnitely someone she wanted to keep around.

That's why, half-jokingly, she had tried to ﬂirt with him a few times, but Jinhyuk hadn't really reacted to it.

Well, hmm…

Not that she actually liked him or anything.

She didn't care too much whether he was indifferent or not. But still, just a tiny bit.

It stung her pride, just a tiny bit.

In the past, whenever she had played nice and ﬂuttered her eyes at the boyfriends of other girls who had annoyed her, they always fell for her easily.

But Lee Jinhyuk remained unmoved, and that couldn't help but bruise her pride.

"Miss. It's getting late…"

"Oh, is it that time already?"

Hearing the voice of her bodyguard, Yoo Seolhyun checked the time.

"Looks like I have to go."

"Yeah, go on."

"Fufu. Have a great weekend, Soyeon."

"…That's not something someone who just went out of their way to ruin my mood should be saying."

"Oh dear, did I ruin your mood? I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"You know you have a terrible personality, right?"

With a sly smile, Yoo Seolhyun turned and walked away.

She soon disappeared into the distance with her bodyguards.

Jin Soyeon, having picked up all her books, sighed deeply.

She had come out shopping to lift her mood, but thanks to Yoo Seolhyun, she felt even gloomier than before.

Ugh, seriously.

I really hate Yoo Seolhyun.

And I have to see her again during summer break. With Jinhyuk, no less.

It's the worst.

"You seem to get along well with your friend."

"Do we really look like we get along? You might need to get your eyes checked."

On the way home.

One of her long-time bodyguards spoke to Yoo Seolhyun.

"It's not often that you show your emotions so openly, Miss. Especially when it comes to having arguments."

"Arguments? We were just having a little chat."

"A chat… I see."

"What's with the hesitation?" "Nothing, really."

Yoo Seolhyun brieﬂy glanced at her bodyguard before turning her gaze to the car window.

"It's just… entertaining." "Entertaining?"

"Yes. It's amusing how she reacts so loudly with even the slightest provocation. Don't you ﬁnd it funny?"

"Hmm." "And also…"

Yoo Seolhyun paused for a moment.

"…There's something I want, but that girl's already set her sights on it, so I'm feeling a bit… irritable."

"Oh, I see. Well, you've always been the type to get what you want, haven't you, Miss?"

The bodyguard chuckled softly.

Ever since she was young, Yoo Seolhyun was the type to obtain anything she set her mind on. Now he wondered what it was this time. His curiosity got the better of him, so he asked.

"What is it that you want so badly that you're competing with your friend?"

"…Something I want? Hmm."

"Miss?"

"Well, calling it a 'thing' might be a bit off."

"It's not a thing?"

"No, it's… calling a person a 'thing' feels a bit wrong, doesn't it?"

"Oh, a person, you say."

The bodyguard was a little surprised.

While Yoo Seolhyun had always been eager to recruit talented individuals into her fold, this was the ﬁrst time he had heard her speak so directly about wanting someone.

And it seemed she was talking about someone outside her clan. Judging by the context, it was likely one of the trainees at the Academy.

"Who is it?"

"There's a rather impressive talent at the Academy. Ideally, I'd like to recruit him into our clan before graduation… but I'm not sure he'll come that easily."

Not only did he possess the ability to foresee the future, but he also held his ground in a match against Baek Yoorin.

A guy like him would have many options apart from the Gaon Nuri Clan.

"…I really don't want to miss out on him."

"Miss."

"Yes? What's on your mind?"

"You're smiling. It's been a long time since I've seen you smile so naturally."

"Ah… Was I smiling?"

"Yes."

Yoo Seolhyun blinked at his words.

She noticed her reﬂection in the car window, her lips slightly curled upwards.

"I guess you quite like him? If just thinking about him makes you smile."

"No, it's not…"

Yoo Seolhyun started to deny it but then paused. 'I like him,' huh…

Well, maybe she did.

Not romantically, but she did ﬁnd him intriguing.

"You're right. Haha, I do like him. Considering how much I've gained thanks to him. And I'm going to owe him more during this summer break."

"Ah, I see… Oh? Wait, you said him? It's a guy?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Oh my, a man, huh? Well, I suppose you are at that age."

"Mr. Jeong Heecheol?"

"I thought you weren't interested in men, especially considering how things went with that handsome heir from SL Group… But it turns out I was wrong. What a relief."

"Mr. Jeong Heecheol. You're getting too comfortable, aren't you?"

"Ah, ahem. My apologies."

At Yoo Seolhyun's cold smile, the bodyguard quickly clammed up.

"Honestly, saying such strange things." Yoo Seolhyun sighed.

Then, resting against the car window, she let her thoughts wander.

The feelings she had for him were nothing more than a small amount of goodwill and curiosity, curiosity.

Sure, she owed him her life twice over, and she did feel a bit of gratitude, but love? That was deﬁnitely not it.

…Deﬁnitely not. End of Chapter.

Chapter 108

Summer Break (3)

***

Summer break.

A period of rest meant to ensure the health and well-being of students during the sweltering heat.

During the extended break of ﬁve to six weeks, students typically spend their time traveling, going on summer retreats, attending training camps, or working part-time jobs.

Everyone is likely planning how they will spend their summer break with bright smiles.

And, of course, I was no different.

To make the most out of my summer break, I even diligently drew up a daily schedule.

And now.

I was struggling to follow that summer break schedule.

In the deep, dark, and dangerous depths of a dungeon. "Screeeeech!"

Boom!

With an ear-piercing shriek, a cloud of dust burst into the air. A massive creature, the 'Five-Eyed Widow Spider,' collapsed. It was the boss monster of this dungeon, often called the

Spider's Nest. Although I already knew how to defeat it, making the battle somewhat easier, it had still been a formidable foe.

Even knowing its weaknesses and strategy, the Five-Eyed Widow Spider was no joke, and I had a hard time dealing with it.

"Scree… screeeech…"

The spider, with its body riddled with wounds, let out a pitiful cry as its front legs twitched weakly.

Most of its legs had been severed, spewing green blood that gushed from its wounds.

It didn't seem to have any ﬁght left in it. Now, all that remained was to ﬁnish it off. "Screeech! Scree…!"

Thud!

A sword pierced the head of the Five-Eyed Widow Spider.

The blade, infused with dense magic, sliced through its steel-like skull and shredded its brain.

"Scree… ugh… screee…"

The spider's head drooped. Its once thrashing legs and body ﬁnally came to a complete stop.

Its life had ended.

Such a powerful creature dying in what felt like an almost pitiful way.

"Phew. That spider was really annoying."

Soyeon pulled out the sword embedded in the spider's head. Green blood spurted from the wound.

"Don't you agree, Jinhyuk?"

Soyeon smiled as she approached. Even though she had just fought that giant spider monster, she seemed perfectly ﬁne.

I glanced at her and conﬁrmed that she didn't have any noticeable injuries.

"Jinhyuk?"

I quietly repeated to myself what Soyeon had just said. It was really annoying, huh…

You've grown so much, Soyeon.

After all, the Five-Eyed Widow Spider isn't a monster you can just wave off as annoying.

Even though I knew its weaknesses and strategy, it was still a creature comparable to the Black-Handed Long-Armed Monkey that appeared at the Academy.

Actually, if I were to be honest, the spider seemed even stronger.

And yet, a mere ﬁrst-year Academy student had helped defeat it?

Sure, professional heroes were also involved in the battle, but Soyeon had more than pulled her weight.

Considering how terriﬁed she had been by the Black-Handed Long-Armed Monkey, getting completely beaten back then, her progress was nothing short of astonishing.

She really is the growth-type protagonist. "You're amazing, Soyeon."

It was then that a woman's voice chimed in.

It was Han Seowoo from the Gaon Nuri Clan. She was looking at Soyeon with admiration in her eyes.

"You're way better than the sluggish teammates I'm usually stuck with."

"Oh, Seowoo-unnie."

We had received help from Han Seowoo and her Gaon Nuri Clan in clearing this dungeon, known as the Spider's Nest.

To be precise, it was thanks to Yoo Seolhyun that we got the location of the dungeon, and we ended up teaming up with some of the Gaon Nuri Clan members to tackle it together.

Normally, professional heroes wouldn't be too happy about Academy students participating in such dangerous dungeon raids, but Yoo Seolhyun had smoothed things over, and there were no issues.

Moreover, I had worked with Han Seowoo before during dungeon explorations, and since we had helped each other back then, she had no problem accepting both me and Soyeon this time.

At ﬁrst, Seowoo had been a bit unsure about Soyeon, who hadn't yet proven herself, but that quickly changed.

After the ﬁrst battle against the monsters, Seowoo realized that Soyeon was different from the average Academy student.

"I was worried about how you'd do at ﬁrst, but wow, I'm really impressed. I'd heard rumors about a rising star at the Academy, but I didn't expect it to be this much."

"Oh no, I didn't do much. It's all thanks to you, Seowoo- unnie, and the other heroes."

Soyeon waved her hand modestly, looking a bit embarrassed by all the praise.

But Han Seowoo wasn't about to stop with the compliments. "Too much humility is just like deceit, you know?"

"Ahaha… Is that so?"

"I've never seen anyone like you before. You might be stronger than even the great Baek Yoorin! I'm not exaggerating. At your age, with this kind of potential… you could be a high-ranker one day. No, scratch that, you might even become a single-ranker!"

"Unnie, isn't that a bit too much praise?"

"Too much? I'm serious! You're already better than most of the active heroes out there. I mean it!"

Han Seowoo was practically gushing with excitement.

It was as if she were witnessing the early days of someone who would become a legendary ﬁgure in Korea.

Well, she wasn't exactly wrong, either.

Soyeon's performance during this dungeon raid had been far too exceptional to be considered that of a mere Academy student.

She was already better than many of the mid-tier heroes.

Given her skills at such a young age, it wasn't unreasonable for Han Seowoo to be this excited.

"Phew, Soyeon, don't forget about this unnie when you make it big, okay? Promise?"

"How could I ever forget about you?"

"Soyeon, why don't you think about joining the Gaon Nuri Clan? I'll take really good care of you. You're friends with Seolhyun, right? Having a friend in the same clan would make things more convenient, don't you think?"

"…Actually, it's because of Seolhyun that I don't feel like joining."

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing, unnie."

Soyeon scratched her cheek awkwardly with a troubled smile.

Since she didn't get along well with Yoo Seolhyun, the Gaon Nuri Clan was one of the last places she wanted to join.

Even though Gaon Nuri was one of the top clans, with Soyeon's current skills, she would be welcomed anywhere.

"I really appreciate the offer, but I'd like to think about it a bit more."

"Oh, c'mon. Soyeon, seriously, you should join—"

"Han Seowoo, team leader. The dungeon raid isn't ﬁnished yet, so could you focus?"

Unable to take it anymore, Yoo Seolhyun stepped in.

Han Seowoo looked a little disappointed as she glanced at Soyeon, but eventually, she nodded.

With a sigh, she ﬁnally walked toward Yoo Seolhyun. I took the chance to approach Soyeon.

"Well, you did great, Soyeon."

"Huh? Oh, you too. I wouldn't have made it without your orders. Having an operator makes things so much easier."

Soyeon grinned and nodded.

"Honestly, if it weren't for you, things could've gone bad. Thanks."

"Really? I don't think it would've made much difference." From what I could see, she still had plenty of energy left.

Even if I hadn't given her orders, she would've managed just ﬁne on her own.

Since her awakening, her growth had been astonishing, and she now seemed to have a strength comparable to that of a top-tier hero.

She had grown up well, without me needing to watch over her.

Now, all I had to do was make sure she got her hands on the right items and relics.

It was hard to believe how much she had grown in just a few short months, but thinking about her from the game, it made sense.

I had been a little worried about whether she would become as ridiculously strong as in the original story, but it seemed I could put those worries to rest for now.

After all, Soyeon was the counterbalance to Yoo Dahee.

With her talent, which could rival that of Yoo Dahee, who had already reached the level of a high-ranker, this level of growth was only to be expected.

"Phew, now that we've taken down the dungeon boss, all that's left is to collect the loot. I wonder what treasures are waiting for us. Doesn't it make your heart race?"

Soyeon glanced around before whispering to me in a small voice.

"Hehe… having future sight is really useful, huh? You can even ﬁnd hidden dungeons like this."

"Yeah, it has its perks."

All I had done was spill the location of a dungeon I remembered from the game.

You know, Soyeon, you'd actually stumble upon this dungeon by chance in the original story.

"Thanks, Jinhyuk. Because of you, I've been able to take part in dungeon raids, ﬁght monsters, capture wanted criminals… I've gained a lot of valuable experience."

"Don't mention it. There's no need to thank me." Really, there wasn't a need for thanks.

Everything I had done with Soyeon during the summer break—hunting monsters, raiding dungeons, and arresting wanted criminals—was all for my own beneﬁt.

The stronger Soyeon became, the more advantageous it was for me.

In the end, it wouldn't be me who had to face off against powerful villains like Yoo Dahee—it would be Soyeon.

Only Soyeon could defeat Yoo Dahee.

"…How can you say that? You've helped me so much. Honestly, you're spoiling me." Soyeon ﬁddled with the ends of her hair in embarrassment.

It was true that I had taken good care of Soyeon during the summer break.

I had used the excuse of future sight to shower her with items and opportunities.

Just the fact that she was allowed to participate in dungeon exploration as a mere Academy student was already an extraordinary privilege.

Dungeon raids were typically conducted by clans or large organizations and offered the chance for great fortune.

Dungeons, which are considered separate worlds, contain various items, riches, relics, and treasures.

How many heroes around the world have the opportunity to explore dungeons and collect the spoils?

Moreover, Soyeon wasn't just participating as a porter; she was a full-ﬂedged combatant.

Not only did she gain valuable experience, but she was also entitled to an equal share of the rewards. For someone like Soyeon, who came from a humble background, this was an unprecedented opportunity.

"I don't know how I'll ever repay this debt."

"Don't worry about it. You don't owe me anything." "You're not treating me like a freeloader, right? This won't

do. Jinhyuk, if there's anything you want, just tell me. I'll do

whatever I can."

"Really?"

"…As long as it's something I can do."

When I looked at her with a playful grin, Soyeon hesitated for a moment before answering in a shy voice.

"Then, well… just protect me." "Huh?"

"If things get dangerous in the future, prioritize keeping me safe."

"Don't worry. No matter what, I'll protect you, Jinhyuk. I promise."

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

Watching Soyeon nod conﬁdently, I fell into quiet contemplation.

Part of the reason I had been going around with Soyeon during the summer, helping her gain real combat experience, was to assess how strong she had become.

Starting this summer break, we would likely be in direct conﬂict with members of Rebellion.

There was a high chance we'd be exposed to danger.

That's why I wanted to evaluate Soyeon's abilities against villains, monsters, and dungeon raids.

To see if she was ready.

If she wasn't, I was prepared to handle things on my own for the time being. But Soyeon had proven she was more than ready.

She was now a capable hero, ready to stand on her own.

"You've really grown so much since the kidnapping incident, Soyeon."

"I was so shocked back then, thinking you had died. Maybe that's when my dormant talents exploded?"

I shrugged.

"Well, you were mistaken about who had actually died."

"Whatever! Anyway, if anything dangerous happens in the future, just stick close to me. I'll protect you, no matter what."

"Oh, I feel so secure now."

Does this mean the day has ﬁnally come when Soyeon will protect me?

"…Ugh, what a pair of fools."

Yoo Seolhyun, who had been watching us, muttered something that resembled a curse word under her breath as she shook her head.

Apparently, our behavior was too childish for her taste.

…Whatever. I'll just play the fool this once.

"You two really seem to get along, don't you? Even in a dungeon, you're like this. Anyone who sees you might think you're back together."

"That's deﬁnitely not happening."

"Hoo-hoo. Is that so?"

Yoo Seolhyun nodded as if I had given the answer she expected.

Was she trying to lead me to that response?

"I guess it's hard to get back together with someone you've broken up with. You probably went through a lot of emotional turmoil because of Soyeon, right?"

"What?"

Soyeon glared at Yoo Seolhyun, her brows furrowing deeply. Yoo Seolhyun smiled back at her, unfazed.

…Why were they about to start ﬁghting again?

I tried to improve their relationship, but was it all for nothing? Sigh.

Chapter 109 Summer Break (4)

"Wow~ What's this? Jinhyuk, you're treating me to Hanwoo beef?"

After successfully clearing the Spider's Nest.

I took Soyeon to a high-end Hanwoo beef restaurant that I had reserved in advance.

It was both to talk about something important related to the future and to celebrate Soyeon's ﬁrst successful dungeon clear.

She had been running around the country for weeks because of me, going through quite a bit of hardship, so I wanted to give her a little treat.

If we had ﬁnished the dungeon crawl any later, I would have had to cancel the reservation, but luckily, we wrapped things up early.

"Look over there, see that girl? Isn't she really pretty?" "Wow, damn. She's gorgeous."

"You gonna try to get her number?" "The hell? With that face of yours?" "What did you just say, you bastard?" Whisper-whisper.

As soon as we entered the restaurant, I could hear the murmurs of some young men from a nearby table.

The two guys were sneaking glances at Soyeon and muttering in awe.

They kept throwing around words like "pretty," "beautiful," and "she looks like a celebrity," clearly impressed by her appearance.

"Ah, Hanwoo beef is so expensive that I never even dreamed of having it, but thanks to you, I'm ﬁnally living the good life. Hehe."

But Soyeon didn't seem to pay the guys any mind. Her focus was entirely on the food, clearly excited about eating Hanwoo beef.

Maybe she was just too used to comments like that by now?

After all, she'd probably been hearing compliments about her appearance since she was little, so there was no need to react to every single one.

'Pretty, huh…'

I scratched my temple for a moment and subtly turned to steal a glance at Soyeon's face.

Her delicate beauty ﬁlled my line of sight. She really did look stunning.

'Lately… since she started wearing proper makeup, she's become incredibly pretty.'

I had grown so used to her face after seeing it for so many years, but every now and then, I still found myself surprised by how beautiful she was.

Even when she didn't wear much makeup, she was breathtaking, but with a full face of makeup, her beauty went beyond admiration—it was awe-inspiring.

"Hmm? What's wrong? Do I have something on my face?"

"No, nothing at all."

I shook my head and led the way to the small private room that I had reserved.

Unlike the noisy dining area outside, the room was quiet.

We sat at the table, looked over the menu, and ended up ordering the premium assorted set, along with sirloin and tenderloin.

Before long, an employee came in and grilled the meat for us to perfection.

As we ate, we chatted about various things. "Soyeon."

"Hmm?"

"Why do you get along with everyone else but always end up ﬁghting with Yoo Seolhyun?"

"What's this, Jinhyuk? You already know why."

Soyeon, who had been happily munching on a piece of sirloin, pursed her lips and looked annoyed, as if she had just heard something boring.

"She keeps picking ﬁghts with me for no reason. Ugh… it's so frustrating."

From what I knew of Yoo Seolhyun, she wasn't the type to senselessly butt heads with someone as talented as Soyeon, but for some reason, she had been doing exactly that.

It seemed that whatever tension had arisen between them during their initial interactions had never been resolved.

Seriously, Yoo Seolhyun can hold a grudge like no other.

"I feel like Yoo Seolhyun is interested in you. Maybe that's why she's picking ﬁghts with me…"

"Hmm? You think so?"

I brought it up while glancing at Soyeon, but she didn't seem too convinced. Yoo Seolhyun being interested in me, huh…

Well, it's possible she had some interest, but it wasn't the kind of romantic interest Soyeon was thinking of.

After all, Yoo Seolhyun had made it clear that my face wasn't exactly her type. And I'm petty enough to remember that.

"Must be nice to be so popular."

Soyeon gulped down her cola and set the glass down a bit more forcefully than usual, dragging out the end of her sentence.

Then she glanced over at me.

"These days, it's Yoo Seolhyun, Roxanne, Baek Yoorin… you're really popular, huh? Has spring ﬁnally come for our Jinhyuk?"

She was smiling like she was joking, but I could tell from her eyes that she wasn't amused.

She was probably a little bothered by the fact that there were other girls around me.

After all, Soyeon had confessed her feelings to me.

"Ha, you sure act like you're not, but Jinhyuk, you're quite the player, aren't you? So, Mr. Popular, how does it feel?"

"Popular? Compared to the attention you get from guys, it's nothing."

"…"

At my comment about guys, Soyeon's shoulders ﬂinched, and she bit her lips with her eyebrows furrowed.

Considering all the incidents she had with men, this subject must have felt uncomfortable for her.

I chuckled and swirled my cola around, teasing her lightly.

"There's no need to get jealous, Soyeon. I'm not planning on dating anyone for a while."

"Jealous? I'm not jealous, okay?"

"Really? Just a few months ago, you confessed that you liked me. Have you already changed your mind? Or are you going to go after Lee Siwoon now?"

"…Ugh, are you seriously going to keep teasing me?"

Soyeon's face turned red as she ﬁdgeted, glaring at me with a mixture of frustration and embarrassment.

I must've been teasing her pretty hard. I used to joke around with her like this all the time back in the day.

If this had been the past, she would have laughed it off with something like, 'Jealous? Me? Of you? Haha, you're delusional, Jinhyuk!'

But since she had become aware of her feelings for me, she couldn't brush it off so easily.

"What did I say?" "Ugh, seriously…" Soyeon sighed deeply.

She glanced at me from the corner of her eye, her cheeks faintly tinged with pink. She chewed on her lip for a moment before suddenly blurting out.

"…Fine, yeah, I'm jealous. So, what?"

"Oh? You're actually admitting it?"

"Well, I've already confessed, so isn't it weird if I keep getting embarrassed about something like this? Hmph."

She said it with a slight blush on her face, which made it hard to take her seriously.

She looked incredibly ﬂustered.

"You've become quite bold. You didn't use to be like this." Soyeon shot me a sharp look before shaking her head. "Speaking of which, Jinhyuk…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you… ﬁnd me being like this uncomfortable?" "Where's this coming from all of a sudden?"

"I mean… I've been thinking about it. From your perspective, it might be a burden if I keep hovering around after you already turned me down…"

Soyeon hesitated, watching my reaction carefully as she spoke.

"It feels like I'm being a nuisance, clinging to you just because we're childhood friends… like you can't push me away because of that…"

Honestly, it would be great for her to ﬁnd a better guy than me and move on with her life, but I knew she wouldn't change her mind that easily.

Soyeon was stubborn, both in a good way and a bad way.

"If it was truly uncomfortable for me, I wouldn't have spent the entire summer break dragging you around with me everywhere."

"Well, I mean, I guess that's true, but…"

The only discomfort I felt from being with her was worrying about Lee Siwoon's reaction.

But lately, Siwoon had been pretty quiet about it, likely because he was busy training with the Swordmaster, so there wasn't much to worry about.

"Now that we're talking about it… Didn't you say you liked someone, Jinhyuk?"

"Yeah, I did."

"So… is it one of those girls? Yoo Seolhyun, Sunari, Roxanne, or Baek Yoorin?"

"Hmm. For now, it's a se—"

"You're going to say it's a secret again, aren't you?"

I silently nodded. Soyeon stared at me for a moment before twirling the ends of her hair.

"Fine, it can be a secret… but do you even have any plans to date someone?"

"Someday. But not right now."

"Why?"

"I've got stuff to take care of."

"Stuff?"

Looking at Soyeon's slightly tilted head, I opened my mouth slowly.

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about today… Soyeon, can you put up a soundproof barrier so no one outside can hear us?"

"Huh? Why all of a sudden?" "Because it's important." "Uhm… okay."

Without hesitation, Soyeon used her magic to create a translucent soundproof barrier.

A transparent wall formed around us, completely sealing our conversation.

"It's done."

"Thanks."

"So, what's this important thing you wanted to say?" "Hmm."

I took a moment to choose my words carefully. How should I say this?

After a brief pause, I made my decision and began speaking smoothly.

"You remember that my parents died in an accident, right?" "Ah, yeah…"

At the mention of my parents' tragic accident, Soyeon's expression immediately turned serious, and she nodded quietly.

Since Soyeon was raised by a single mother, she had received a lot of help from my parents.

She had been as close to them as I was. "I found out who was behind it." "What? Really? How?"

"Through my future sight ability."

Honestly, using the excuse of future sight to explain everything makes it so much easier. It's basically a cheat code.

"Do you remember the white-haired girl who attacked during the midterms?"

"…Yeah. How could I forget the murderous aura she gave off?"

Everyone who had faced Yoo Dahee back then had been shaken to their core.

No one could do anything against that single white-haired girl, not even the geniuses and prodigies of Union Academy.

"It seems like the group she belongs to is connected to the accident that killed my parents."

That wasn't entirely a lie.

There was some truth to it, after all.

"So, I'm going to hunt them down. Every last one of them." "Jinhyuk…"

Bringing up the idea of revenge this directly not only gave me a reason to pursue the members of Rebellion but also allowed me to create a deeper emotional bond with Soyeon.

After all, my parents' deaths had been a heartbreaking event for Soyeon, too.

She had been just as devastated and angry as I was when they passed away.

If I asked for her help in catching the ones responsible for their deaths, she would undoubtedly agree.

For the sake of what lay ahead, Soyeon needed a personal reason to actively pursue the members of Rebellion.

In the original story, it was my death that spurred her to join forces with the male protagonists to hunt down Rebellion, but that wasn't going to happen now, was it?

"It's not just personal revenge. I once saw in my future sight that, if we don't stop them, they'll turn Korea into a complete mess."

That part was true.

If Rebellion wasn't stopped in time, Korea would be devastated.

"In about ten days, there's going to be a massive auction in Busan."

"…"

"I have reason to believe that some of them might show up there."

"…"

The Life & Auction event, the largest legal auction in Korea, takes place annually.

A wide array of items will be up for grabs, ranging from rare treasures, relics, and valuables.

Of course, many of the items will be fakes, but every now and then, something genuine appears.

And this summer's auction will feature something incredibly valuable.

A relic known as the 'Blessing of the Star.'

A miraculous relic that can bring its user back to life once after death.

I'm planning to get my hands on it at this summer's auction.

…Well, according to my past life's memories, Alex Kim, the legendary thief, will show up and steal everything, but I know precisely how he'll do it.

"Taking them down on my own is going to be impossible. That's why I'm asking…"

I met Soyeon's gaze and spoke in a calm voice.

"…Soyeon, could you help me capture them?"

Chapter 110 Summer Break (5)

"...."

A subtle silence settled between us. Soyeon pursed her small lips tightly.

With her head slightly bowed, she remained in a mysterious silence.

Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something but wasn't sure what to say. She hesitated for a few moments.

But that only lasted brieﬂy.

Soyeon slowly raised her head, locking eyes with me. After a moment of hesitation, she ﬁnally spoke.

"Hey…"

Her lips moved cautiously.

"I know better than anyone how hard it was for you when your mom and dad passed away. I was by your side the whole time."

When my parents died, Soyeon and her mother had helped me a lot.

They were always by my side, encouraging me, and because of that, I was able to ﬁnd my strength again. If I hadn't received that support back then, I might have turned out differently.

And that was before I regained my memories from my past life.

No, even after regaining those memories, it wouldn't have made a difference.

Despite the strong sense of being in a game or a world similar to a game, my parents were still my parents.

The ones who had raised me, cared for me, and loved me…

I didn't even have memories of being loved like that in my past life.

Ah, damn it.

Just thinking about it makes me emotional again.

Calm down, calm down. Convincing Soyeon is the priority right now.

"So, I understand why you want to go after those people, I really do."

Soyeon cautiously glanced at me, then continued speaking.

"But they're dangerous enough to have attacked Union Academy directly. And you're saying they're not just individuals but an entire organization?"

"Yeah."

"Then it's too dangerous for you, especially since you're just a hero-in-training. Your parents wouldn't want you to put yourself in harm's way."

Well, that's true.

Honestly, I don't want to get involved with them either.

But that doesn't mean I can just sit back and do nothing. I know all too well what kind of future awaits if we let them be.

"I'm not saying you should just leave them alone. You could get help from the police or the Hero Association…"

"That's not going to work. How am I supposed to explain it? I can't just reveal my future sight ability publicly. Even if I did, do you think they'd believe me? And disclosing it would only put me in danger."

If the police or the association tried to verify my future sight ability, that would be a disaster.

Once it's known that I have future sight, vultures would swarm from all directions.

The usefulness of future sight is unparalleled.

All sorts of organizations, corporations, and groups would come after me.

…Of course, I'm not really a future sight user, but still.

"What I'm trying to say is, you don't have to rush to chase them down and risk your life. Why not build up your strength and become a full-ﬂedged hero ﬁrst? You can always go after them later."

"I already told you. If we leave them alone, they'll turn Korea into a disaster. And I value my life just as much as anyone else. I'm not looking to ﬁght them head-on, and I'm not doing this alone. I've already asked for help from Roxanne and a few others."

If I were to face them head-on, it would be nothing short of suicide.

Which is why I needed help from people like Yoo Seolhyun, Roxanne, Baek Yoorin, Lee Siwoon, and Kang Daehan.

Including you, Soyeon.

Honestly, Soyeon, you're the key here.

You are the protagonist of Romance Hero Academy, the one destined to save Korea from the forces of evil.

Your talent and ideals will become the sharp blade that pierces through the heart of that evil.

No doubt about it. "Jinhyuk… Haah."

Soyeon let out a deep sigh, shaking her head as if her head hurt.

"Phew… Seriously. At this point, no matter what I say, you're not going to stop, are you?"

"That's right."

"I can't believe this… You're impossible."

Soyeon bit her lower lip slightly, then spoke in a resigned tone.

"Fine… You asked for my help, right? Alright, I'll help you."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Your parents were precious to me, too. Now that I know their deaths are connected to this, I wouldn't just sit idly by."

That's true. You also owed a lot to my parents.

"Anyway, I'll help you, but… don't even think about putting yourself in danger by ﬁghting them directly. Understand?"

"I'll do my best not to."

"Honestly, even that white-haired girl… she's on a level that most heroes can't handle. And she's just one of them. We don't know how many more powerful villains are in that organization… Haah."

She seemed genuinely worried.

"So, you're saying they'll appear at the auction in ten days? Do you have anyone else to help? You're not seriously

thinking of going in there with just the two of us, right? Oh, wait. You said you already asked Roxanne for help?"

"This time, we're getting Yoo Seolhyun's help." "Yoo Seolhyun?"

Soyeon's brows furrowed slightly.

"Why Yoo Seolhyun? She doesn't seem like the type to help with something like this."

"Because there's something in it for her." "Something in it for her?"

"Yeah, well…"

Honestly, I would've preferred to get Roxanne's help, but there were a few complications, so I had to give up on that.

Yoo Seolhyun, on the other hand, was different.

Even if what I was doing wasn't entirely legal, as long as there was something to gain, she'd go along with it. Unlike Roxanne.

Soyeon probably wouldn't like it if she knew the full details. So maybe it was best to change the subject for now.

"Anyway, since I'll be focused on chasing them for a while, I don't plan on dating anyone."

"…That felt like an abrupt topic change."

"You're imagining things."

"…"

Soyeon stared at me for a moment before brushing her hair back.

"Yeah, I guess there's no time for dating right now."

"There's no need to wait around for me. You should try dating for real. How about Lee Siwoon or Kang Daehan?"

"Hmph."

She snorted in obvious displeasure and glared at me. "Are you going to keep saying things like that?"

"I just don't want you to waste your time waiting. It's not fair to you."

"That's none of your business. And if you end up dating someone else after saying all this… I'll be mad…"

"Hmm."

Maybe I should tell her the truth—that there's no one I really like.

The only reason I lied about having a crush was because of the male protagonists.

I wanted to keep some distance between Soyeon and me to avoid unnecessary conﬂict or harassment from them.

But now, that's no longer something I need to worry about.

'…In the game, Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan were pretty awful.'

They were some of the people who made my life miserable for a long time.

Of course, in Lee Siwoon's case, it wasn't entirely his fault.

His followers were the ones who harassed me, but that didn't absolve him of blame.

He must've known that I was being bullied because of him, yet he did nothing to stop it.

But a lot has changed now.

Because I've been acting differently from the original storyline, building my strength and forging connections, my relationships with people like Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan have changed dramatically.

'…If I hadn't regained my memories from my past life, would things have followed the original story?'

In that sense, I would've considered them mortal enemies. But that's not how I feel now.

After all, I didn't actually experience the events of the original story ﬁrsthand, did I?

Sure, I know that the future I saw could still happen, but without having endured their bullying directly, it doesn't hit as hard.

Had I gone through years of torment before being sent back in time, maybe I'd feel differently. But as it stands, I'm just living a normal life with memories of a game I once played.

Looking at Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan now, all I can think is, 'Oh, these are the guys who bullied NPC Jinhyuk in the game.'

It's a bit awkward and uncomfortable, but that's about it.

After all, they weren't the ones who killed me—Rebellion was.

And they haven't done anything to harm me in the present.

In fact, I don't even have a particularly bad relationship with Lee Siwoon or Kang Daehan right now.

Lee Siwoon and I teamed up to take down a stalker and fought villains together, even rescuing Soyeon.

As for Kang Daehan, after my ranking match against Baek Yoorin, he seemed to have accepted me to some extent.

There's no reason for me to hold a grudge against them, and there might even be situations where their help would be useful in the future.

So… treating the current Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan the same as their game counterparts doesn't feel right.

As I mentioned, too many things have changed.

Their personalities, their abilities, their relationships, their futures—everything.

'Come to think of it, it's not just them. Soyeon has changed a lot too.'

In the original story, she would've been hanging out thoughtlessly with other guys, driving me crazy.

She would've gotten along well with the male protagonists too.

'But after she mistakenly thought I died, she realized her feelings and even confessed to me.'

In the game, after my actual death, Soyeon's mental state crumbled, and she became obsessed with hunting down the members of Rebellion.

'Now that I think about it, what was Soyeon truly feeling when she fought against Rebellion?'

In the game, as beﬁts a female-oriented reverse harem, after my death, Soyeon teamed up with the male protagonists to ﬁght the greater evil.

But what was going through her mind at the time? After all, despite being a playable character, Soyeon's inner thoughts and emotions were rarely described.

So, players had to infer her feelings from her words and actions.

On the surface, it seemed like she was holding herself together after her mental breakdown, receiving comfort from the male protagonists, building strong relationships with them, and eventually defeating Yoo Dahee's group together…

"Hmm."

"What? What's up?"

"Soyeon, let me ask you something."

To break the increasingly somber mood, I decided to throw out a question, half-jokingly.

"If I were to die, would you immediately move on to another guy?"

"What? What kind of stupid question is that all of a sudden?"

"I don't know, it just came to mind."

"You're talking about ﬁghting the villains who killed your parents, and now you're talking about dying? Are you seriously going to start acting weak already?"

Soyeon glared at me, her brows furrowed in annoyance.

"Don't say something so pointless… If you're going to talk like that, you shouldn't have gotten involved in the ﬁrst place."

"Well, I mean…"

"And what? Move on to another guy? How can you say that to a childhood friend who confessed she likes you?"

"You're popular. You'd ﬁnd someone else in no time."

"Haah, Jinhyuk… I already told you this a bunch of times."

Soyeon let out a deep sigh and glanced at me sideways before speaking slowly.

"…I'm not really interested in guys or dating."

And then, barely audible, she muttered under her breath.

"…Except for you."

"Huh?"

"You heard me! Don't pretend like you didn't. Ugh…"

Soyeon was clearly embarrassed by what she had just said, ﬂustered and ﬁdgeting.

She was obviously mortiﬁed.

"Ah, whatever! I shouldn't have said anything!" "...."

I watched Soyeon as she fussed, thinking.

In the game, what were you thinking and feeling as you fought against Rebellion after I died?

Suddenly, I was curious.

***

"…Alex, you said you're planning to steal all the auction items tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just… the atmosphere's been tense lately. Be careful." "Don't worry about it."

Alex shrugged at Yoo Dahee's words.

He was an infamous master thief.

There wasn't much he couldn't steal.

If he wanted something, he'd take it. If he desired it, he'd steal it.

That's how he had lived his life, and that's how he would continue living it.

Even if it eventually led to his death. End of Chapter.

Chapter 111 The Auction House and the Thieves (1)

"Hmm."

Yoo Dahee was half-buried in a soft chair. "Hmm, hmm."

She tilted her head back and forth, looking out the window in the distance, muttering quietly to herself.

"I can't help but feel uneasy."

She was deeply worried that something might happen to Alex and his crew, who were planning to steal items from the upcoming Life & Auction in Busan.

Even though she knew Alex was highly skilled, the nagging sense of unease wouldn't go away.

After all, hadn't several members been arrested over the past few months? Seong Yura, Han Jihyo, Joo Jeongseon, David, and others…

This kind of thing had never happened before.

Especially the way Seong Yura had been captured so easily

—it was a bitter blow for Yoo Dahee.

Finding a villain of Seong Yura's caliber and bringing her onto their side wasn't an easy feat.

Villains in South Korea who possessed wealth, power, inﬂuence, and subordinates at such a young age were rare, to say the least.

Losing Seong Yura so soon was a waste.

If things had gone according to Yoo Dahee's plans, Seong Yura could have been a valuable business partner in the future.

Instead, she had foolishly fallen apart, all because of her pointless obsession with Roxanne.

And now, that same Roxanne was taking down other members, one by one. Nothing was going right.

"Sigh, Roxanne…"

The more she thought about it, the more her head ached.

Could it be that Roxanne had somehow caught wind of their plan to target the biggest auction house in Busan?

Of course… well…The chance of that was incredibly low.

Even if there were a traitor within their ranks, only a handful of members knew about the plan to hit the auction house.

Other than Yoo Dahee herself, only about three members were directly involved in the heist.

Even if one of them were a traitor, they wouldn't risk exposing the plan, especially since they were part of the operation themselves. They wouldn't put themselves in danger.

After all, this was Korea's largest auction event, attracting the wealthy, heroes, mercenaries, bodyguards, and more.

"I really can't ﬁgure out how Roxanne keeps targeting our new recruits… What's her method…?"

Could there truly be a mole among the members? Or was it something else?

For instance…

Some kind of supernatural ability?

There were abilities like telepathy or future sight, after all.

Of course, both were extremely rare abilities, and as far as she knew, Roxanne didn't have anyone with those powers under her command.

"…Tch. Sitting here and thinking about it won't change anything."

Yoo Dahee clicked her tongue and reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone. She dialed a number and called a certain girl.

After a few rings, the call was answered.

It was Isabelle. "What do you want?"

"I was just wondering if you were slacking off~." "…I'm busy. If it's not important, don't call me." "Ah, so nothing out of the ordinary, then?" "Correct."

A short while ago, Yoo Dahee had asked Isabelle for a favor.

The request was to monitor Roxanne, Cynthia, and a few key ﬁgures from the Church of Noon.

Isabelle was an exceptionally skilled observation-type ability user.

For her, tracking, observing, and spying on speciﬁc targets while remaining hidden was as easy as breathing.

Of course, she couldn't use her ability continuously without breaks, so she needed to rest occasionally.

"Are Roxanne and Cynthia still staying at the church?"

"Yes, they've hardly moved. They seem to be busy. I even checked Roxanne's schedule, and it looks like she plans to stay at the church for the rest of the summer."

Yoo Dahee scratched her cheek.

So, there was no sign of movement at all?

The biggest auction in Busan was about to start.

There's no way Roxanne would let this opportunity slip by.

Does that mean she really doesn't know about Alex's plan to hit the auction house?

"Hmm… Is that so?"

Yoo Dahee pondered for a moment.

Should they continue to focus on keeping an eye on Roxanne and the church's forces?

From the looks of it, neither Roxanne nor any of the church members seemed likely to attend the Busan auction.

But why?

Why did she have this growing sense that something would go wrong at the auction?

Maybe it was just the anxiety from losing so many members so suddenly.

Still, it never hurts to be cautious.

You know what they say—better to lock the barn door before more cows get stolen.

After all, Yoo Dahee had worked tirelessly to gather such powerful villains.

She didn't want to lose any more members over something unnecessary.

"Haa, I guess I have no choice… Isabelle."

"Yes?"

"Sorry, but could you take the ﬁrst train to Busan tomorrow morning?"

"Suddenly?"

"Yeah, I know it's sudden, but I think it's best if you check things out in person."

Isabelle was a bit taken aback.

Why was she suddenly being asked to come to Busan?

She had just been told to focus on watching Roxanne and the church, so why the sudden change in plans?

"Why? Is something happening in Busan?"

"I'll explain when we meet at the station tomorrow." "And who's going to handle the surveillance?"

"I'll get someone else to do it. They won't be as good as you, but it's better than nothing."

"…I really don't know what you're thinking." Isabelle let out a long sigh.

Yoo Dahee making sudden, odd requests wasn't anything new.

Isabelle was used to it by now, so she just nodded to herself and raised her voice.

"Fine, I'll go."

"Oh, so cool? Thanks."

"I've received plenty from you, after all." "Is that so?"

"Anyway, see you tomorrow, Yoo Dahee. I'll call you when I arrive. And next time, give me a heads-up if something like this happens again, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." With that, the call ended.

Yoo Dahee tossed her phone onto the desk and leaned back into her chair.

"I really hope nothing happens this time…"

But her instincts, which had an uncanny ability to sniff out trouble, whispered in her ear like a snake.

Something would go wrong at this auction.

"…Guess I should prepare a little. With an event this big, there'll be plenty of annoying people around."

In the original storyline, Yoo Dahee wouldn't have gone to the auction.

She had other matters to attend to during that period.

But the future was changing, all thanks to Lee Jinhyuk.

Whether those changes were for better or worse, she couldn't say.

"As much as the original storyline has changed, it's possible that not just Alex, but Yoo Dahee might show up, too. With everything Roxanne has been doing, they're likely on edge."

At a marketplace somewhere in Busan. "Huh? What did you just say, Jinhyuk?" "Ah, nothing. Forget it."

Soyeon and I were strolling leisurely through the street market.

"Still, isn't it packed here, especially considering it's the middle of summer? How are people not boiling out here?"

"Yeah, really."

The Life & Auction took place over the course of a week.

In the game's setting, it was described as one of Busan's biggest events, practically a festival.

During the auction, the number of street vendors, both legal and illegal, skyrocketed. They set up stalls and pop-up shops everywhere—so many that they couldn't all be counted.

Rare and unusual items were often sold right on the dirty streets.

If you had a sharp eye and a bit of luck, you might even strike it rich with a small investment.

Though, you were far more likely to get scammed.

Still, with so many real and fake items from all over the world converging in one place, wealthy collectors, eccentric enthusiasts, and those dreaming of a quick fortune all ﬂocked to Busan.

They came to enjoy the week-long Life & Auction event, which could feel short or long, depending on your perspective.

The highlight of this auction was the 'Ato Auction House.'

It was the largest auction house, and rumors had spread that they would be showcasing relics and mysterious items from dungeons, attracting a great deal of attention.

Naturally, security would be tight.

Not only would the auction house have its own security, but most of the attendees were likely to be wealthy individuals, heroes, or former mercenaries. Even Rebellion would ﬁnd it diﬃcult to make a move openly.

At least, openly.

"You two enjoying the auction?"

"Seolhyun, we're not here for fun."

Yoo Seolhyun approached us, wearing a wide-brimmed hat to shield her from the sun.

She greeted us calmly, but Soyeon, who seemed to dislike her carefree attitude, snapped at her.

Yoo Seolhyun, however, just chuckled elegantly and brushed it off.

"There's nothing happening today, right? Might as well relax while we can, don't you think?"

"Ugh, don't talk nonsense…"

Soyeon sighed in exasperation but didn't continue arguing. Did that mean she trusted my future sight?

It seemed like both of them believed that nothing would happen today, likely because they trusted my foresight ability.

But… that's the thing.

The events had deviated so much from the original storyline that I wasn't sure what would happen anymore. It made me uneasy.

…And I couldn't exactly tell them that.

I stepped closer to Yoo Seolhyun and whispered quietly.

"Seolhyun, I've already told you. The future is always uncertain. Just by observing it, things can change. External factors can alter it at any time."

"Yeah, I know."

"Honestly, this whole situation feels unstable in many ways. There's a chance they won't show up at all."

Rebellion was in a diﬃcult spot because of Roxanne, after all.

They've been lying low lately, so it's possible they might not go through with the auction heist.

Of course, knowing Alex's personality, I doubted he would abandon his plan.

And sure, if they didn't show up, the auction would proceed peacefully, and no one would get hurt, which would be a good thing.

But it would put me in a bit of an awkward position if they didn't steal the auctioned items.

I hadn't told Soyeon, but I was planning to steal them too. All the auction items, including the Blessing of the Star.

Ah, to be precise… I was planning to clean up everything that Alex stole.

Chapter 112 The Auction House and the Thieves (2)

Some say that victory is determined before the battle even begins.

As written in the *Art of War*, "Those who calculate many advantages before the battle are the ones who secure victory."

The outcome of a conﬂict is naturally determined by how many advantages one side has over the other. The side with more advantages wins, and the side with fewer loses.

So, let me ask this: where do I stand right now? Do I have more advantages compared to the Rebellion members?

Strength, ability, talent, experience—frankly, when compared to the Rebellion members, I'm lacking in most of these areas.

But there is one thing.

One thing in which I am overwhelmingly superior.

That is my knowledge of the future.

The future information and insight I possess, based on the original storyline, is a unique advantage that no one else can match.

This imbalance of information is the most powerful weapon I have. It's an asymmetric advantage.

So, I can say with conﬁdence:

Right now, I have the upper hand over Alex. I know him, but he knows nothing about me. This disparity will be an insurmountable gap.

And, they've given me more than enough time.

If I didn't have time to prepare traps, it might be a different story. But they've given me ample time, and I know the personalities, abilities, habits, equipment, strengths, and weaknesses of most of the Rebellion members.

And on top of that, I have money, connections, and future information at my disposal?

This is just… Too favorable.

Not that I plan to let my guard down, of course.

I always have to be prepared for the worst. I don't want to get careless and end up dead.

"Oh, you guys?"

"Hm?"

Right at that moment. I spotted a familiar head of red hair in the market.

A sharp-looking face. Handsome features. It was Kang Daehan. Behind him, I could faintly see people who seemed to be members of the HanYoung Clan. His bodyguards, no doubt. They all looked strong.

"What brings you two here?" Kang Daehan.

Fancy running into him here.

I had somewhat expected him to show up at the auction.

After all, he had attended it in the original storyline. Though, considering he'd gone through hellish training after being completely humiliated by Yoo Dahee, I thought he might skip it this time.

"It's summer break, so we thought we'd check out the auction."

"Hm? The two of you?"

Kang Daehan glanced back and forth between Soyeon and me.

No matter how close childhood friends might be, it was still odd to see two people who had once broken up coming all the way to Busan together.

"We're not here alone."

Lately, Soyeon had been showing me all sorts of affection, even in front of others, so it was probably something he had noticed.

If he had eyes and ears, Kang Daehan would have realized that Soyeon's attitude toward me had changed quite a bit recently.

I wasn't entirely sure to what extent Kang Daehan was interested in Soyeon, but it seemed like he had some feelings for her.

"Heh. Am I invisible or something?"

"Huh? Yoo Seolhyun, you're here too?"

"Oh~ Daehan, why don't we—Oh? Soyeon? Seolhyun?"

Joo Jiyeon, who had been browsing the nearby stalls, ﬁnally noticed us and frowned slightly.

Running into Soyeon and Yoo Seolhyun here probably wasn't something she was thrilled about.

To Joo Jiyeon, these two were the ones who had dealt her quite the humiliating defeat.

"Oh my, Jiyeon, hello!" "Uh, hey."

Yoo Seolhyun greeted her with a radiant smile, but Joo Jiyeon looked less than pleased.

She had likely realized that beneath Seolhyun's elegant smile lay a cunning mind.

Joo Jiyeon hesitated for a moment, then moved closer to Kang Daehan.

She was clearly wary of Yoo Seolhyun, her conﬁdence visibly shaken.

"And you two? Are you guys here together?" "What?"

Soyeon asked casually, as if the question held no signiﬁcance. Kang Daehan frowned slightly, muttering a half-hearted explanation.

"We're not really here together or anything… Ugh, think whatever you want."

Kang Daehan scratched the back of his neck and stopped talking.

He realized that trying to explain himself was pointless. It would only make him look foolish, especially since he was already watching to make sure Soyeon didn't misunderstand.

If it had been the old Kang Daehan, he would've responded cynically with something like, "Why do you care?" or "It's none of your business."

"Y-Yeah, that's right. So what?"

"Ehehe."

Joo Jiyeon, wearing a slightly smug expression, nodded her head. Kang Daehan frowned but didn't say anything to stop her. Arguing further could only make things more awkward. Besides, Joo Jiyeon acting like this wasn't anything new.

"I see."

Suddenly, Soyeon clapped her hands as if pleased.

She was well aware that Joo Jiyeon had a crush on Kang Daehan.

Though Soyeon and Joo Jiyeon weren't exactly on friendly terms, Soyeon didn't seem to harbor any ill feelings toward her.

It was Joo Jiyeon who constantly talked about revenge and whatnot.

The loss in the ranking match must have hit her hard. Since then, she'd been treating Soyeon as a rival.

But the gap in talent between them was enormous.

There would never come a day when Joo Jiyeon could get her revenge. Poor thing.

"That's great!"

Soyeon smiled brightly, like a girl genuinely cheering for a love story.

Joo Jiyeon, caught off guard by the sincerity in that smile, hesitated.

She realized that Soyeon's words had come from the heart. For Joo Jiyeon, this must have been a bit confusing.

After all, she was receiving encouragement from the girl that the boy she liked was clearly interested in.

"D-Don't get so cocky!"

"Huh? What do you mean? What does this have to do with cockiness?"

Joo Jiyeon, her cheeks slightly ﬂushed, pointed her ﬁnger at Soyeon and yelled. But Soyeon just tilted her head, genuinely confused.

"Whatever! Jin Soyeon, I'm challenging you again in the second semester! I won't lose next time!"

"Okay, I'll be looking forward to it."

Soyeon nodded and accepted Joo Jiyeon's bold challenge with ease.

"Daehan? As much as I'd love to hang out, we need to get going soon."

"Yes… uncle."

One of the women in black, likely a member of the HanYoung Clan, approached Kang Daehan and urged him to leave.

She was Joo Hwayoon, from the Hwadong faction of the HanYoung Clan.

Oh, by the way, calling a woman 'uncle' instead of 'aunt' is just something unique to their family. It's a bit of an odd custom, but in the game, the HanYoung Clan was inspired by a maﬁa-like organization, so that's why.

"Well, enjoy the auction."

Kang Daehan glanced at Soyeon and me one last time before walking away with the HanYoung Clan members.

Joo Jiyeon and her bodyguards followed after him. "…So they came too."

"Yeah."

I nodded in response to Soyeon's comment.

Originally, this auction episode was one of the events tied to Kang Daehan's storyline.

The main storyline involved working alongside Kang Daehan and Joo Jiyeon, experiencing jealousy from Joo Jiyeon, and clashing with the Rebellion members.

But things are different now.

There's no need to join forces with Kang Daehan, nor do I want to.

Though, I don't mind that they're here. If things go south, I might be able to rely on them for help. Or, to put it more bluntly, I could use them. With the right persuasion.

"I heard Instructor Hong Daye is here for the auction, too. So many useful people are gathering. This is great."

"Jinhyuk, you're impossible. How is that a good thing? Ideally, we wouldn't need to ask the instructor for help."

"Yeah, you're right."

I guess it's because this event is so famous?

It seems like all the wealthy and powerful people are gathering here.

In Busan.

-Ring, ring.

"Huh? A call… Oh, it's not mine. Jinhyuk, is it yours?" "Just a moment."

I pulled out my burner phone. I checked the caller ID.

It was a call from the hotel.

Ah, of course, not the hotel I'm staying at. So, whose hotel is it?

Well, I guess I'll have to check to be sure.

I had a suspicion, but there was always a chance they canceled their reservation and didn't come to Busan after all.

"Hello?"

"Ah, yes, um…"

A woman's voice from the hotel front desk spoke through the phone.

"The guests you asked about have checked in. Charlie Robinson and two others. Two foreign men and one East Asian woman."

I scratched my chin at her words. Charlie Robinson.

That was one of Alex Kim's fake identities.

I had wondered if he would still be staying at this hotel, just like in the original story. Thankfully, he was sticking to the script.

'So you didn't cancel your reservation and came all the way to Busan, huh, Alex?'

I had considered the possibility that Alex might cancel the heist due to Roxanne's recent actions, but it seemed he wasn't too concerned about that threat.

If it had been me, I would have been wary of Roxanne and played it safe for a while.

"I see. Please send me the CCTV footage."

It wasn't hard to predict which hotel Alex and his crew would stay at.

It was outlined clearly in the original story, after all.

Of course, there was always the possibility that my actions had caused a butterﬂy effect and they had booked a different hotel.

But hotels during peak season, especially in Busan's Life & Auction event, need to be booked well in advance.

In other words…

They had made their reservation before Roxanne started going after Rebellion members.

So, the chance that they changed their hotel because of anything I or Roxanne did was slim.

"By the way… about the money…" "I'll transfer it to your account."

Money truly does make the world go round.

It allowed me to bribe hotel staff into providing me with the guest information and movements within the hotel.

Thanks to that, I could now conﬁrm that Alex had indeed checked into this hotel.

Honestly, it's appalling how easily people are willing to sell out their clients for a bit of cash.

But, hey, it made my job easier.

'Ah, the CCTV footage just came in. Let's see what these guys look like.'

I carefully examined the faces captured on the hotel's CCTV footage.

'Alex Kim, John Carter, and So Yuyeong… Phew, good. Just like in the game, it's those three.'

They were formidable villains, but it wasn't a problem.

As long as I knew who was coming, I could prepare countermeasures.

'I was worried that more members might show up, but it's just these three. Thank goodness. If someone like Isabelle had come, it would've been a real headache. Her observation ability is a pain to deal with.'

But Isabelle was likely busy keeping tabs on Roxanne and the Church of Noon members.

I could thank Roxanne for drawing so much attention.

'Well, I'm not going to completely rule out the possibility of Isabelle showing up, though.'

I turned to look at the others.

"Hey, guys."

"Hm?"

"What?"

They both turned their attention to me.

With both Soyeon and Yoo Seolhyun watching, I slowly opened my mouth to speak.

"They just arrived. I'll show you the CCTV footage from the hotel, so memorize their faces. They might be in disguise, though."

"Ah, is it that time already? Got it. …Phew, this is making me nervous. Don't you think?"

"Alright, I'll tell everyone to stay ready. Lee Jinhyuk, are you prepared?"

"Of course."

I nodded as I pulled out my phone. "I'm ready."

I was more than ready.

Ready for the battle with the Rebellion members. 'Ugh, I really wish I had an ability…'

If only I had a powerful ability like Soyeon's, I wouldn't have to go through all this trouble preparing for every little thing.

Even if it wasn't as strong as hers, just one decent ability would make things so much easier.

Or maybe… do I need to die and come back to awaken one?

***

"…Are you really planning to go, Yoo Dahee?" "Yeah, well, that's how it turned out, uncle."

Yoo Dahee nodded in response to Ryan, the Crusher. "I just have a bad feeling about this."

"I see."

"With this being Korea's biggest auction, there'll be plenty of tough characters around, right?"

"Indeed. Even you might be in danger." "Haha, you think so?"

Yoo Dahee nodded as if agreeing.

From what she'd heard, there would be heroes from large and mid-sized clans attending the auction. Even someone

like Yoo Dahee would get overwhelmed if she caused too much trouble.

"That's why I'm thinking about preparing *that*." "…You mean, *that*?"

"Yeah. Obviously, it'd be best if I didn't have to use it, but we never know what might happen there."

"…Let's hope you won't need it."

"Come on, don't be so pessimistic. If nothing happens, I'll just enjoy some good food and sightseeing in Busan."

But secretly, Yoo Dahee found herself hoping for the unexpected.

She was quietly hoping that something truly unforeseen would happen in Busan.

Chapter 113 The Auction House and the Thieves (3)

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Ato Auction House for this season's Life & Auction event!"

The audience murmured, their whispers ﬁlling the air.

Wealthy tycoons, famous celebrities, inﬂuencers, sports stars, pro heroes, and maniacal collectors—people from all walks of life had gathered.

This was A Hall, the central hall of the largest auction house in Busan: the Ato Auction House.

Countless seats, including VIP sections, were packed with people. All eyes were on the host and the auctioneer, who stood at the front.

As one of the largest annual auction events, it attracted remarkable public attention.

Moreover, rumors had spread that this year's auction would feature various items from high-ranked dungeons.

Among them were even relics—rare treasures that were said to be included in the listings.

"So, what kind of auction items await you this year?" Relics.

Mysteries that defy human understanding.

And at the same time, divine artifacts capable of performing miracles.

In a country with a population of tens of millions, the number of relics directly excavated from South Korea could be counted in the double digits.

Which meant that only an extremely small, elite group possessed them.

In other words, obtaining a relic was a way of proving one's wealth, honor, and value.

"Is everyone ready?"

Thus, the majority of the attendees here had come with high hopes of acquiring one of these relics.

"Great! Then, let's begin! The ﬁrst auction of the Ato Auction House starts now!"

While the speciﬁc conditions for using this relic had yet to be revealed, and its exact nature was still unknown, the fact that it was labeled as a relic was enough to guarantee its value.

"And our ﬁrst auction item is…" People waited in eager anticipation.

Everyone was yearning for the highlight of this auction—a mysterious, unidentiﬁed relic.

"A mystical Ice Crystal infused with pure, cold energy!" And with that, the largest event of the Busan summer season, the Ato Auction, had oﬃcially begun.

***

"Everyone seems excited about the auction."

In the temporary storage room behind the auction house.

"But… too bad for them. Most of the items have already been swapped out with fakes."

A woman, appearing to be in her mid-twenties, chuckled softly as she watched the CCTV footage of the auction hall.

"The ﬁrst auction item is the Ice Crystal, huh?" Her name was So Yuyeong.

She was one of the three thieves assigned to steal the auction items, and she possessed a rather useful supernatural ability.

Her ability was duplication.

She could almost perfectly replicate any inanimate object she touched for a certain period of time.

Whether the object was living or non-living, she could duplicate it. However, if the object contained mystical properties, she couldn't replicate its original functions.

And in the case of living things, her duplicates couldn't move.

They became like lifeless corpses, devoid of any will or soul. Additionally, So Yuyeong wasn't a combatant by nature.

Compared to an average hero, she was fairly weak. But her supernatural ability was incredibly useful. It was thanks to this ability that she had been able to join a group like Rebellion.

"Here's the Ice Crystal. Take it." "…"

John Carter, who had been standing nearby, silently accepted the crystal.

With a ﬂick of his ﬁnger, he handed the Ice Crystal to one of his duplicates.

Disguised as an auction house employee, the duplicate walked toward the auction stage, carrying the Ice Crystal.

"No matter how many times I see it, your duplication ability is really convenient."

"…Hmm."

John Carter was a duplication ability user as well, but his power worked differently.

Using shadows as a medium, he could create physical duplicates of himself.

His duplicates were capable of nearly the same strength as the original, making him far more powerful than the average duplication user.

Furthermore, John could summon more than 100 duplicates simultaneously.

Most duplication ability users could only summon about a dozen at most, but John was on an entirely different level in terms of numbers and strength.

As a result, his ability was considered incredibly powerful.

There was no one else in South Korea with a duplication ability as potent as his.

If John decided to overwhelm his enemies with sheer numbers, not even someone as formidable as Yoo Dahee could easily defeat him.

Of course, such a powerful ability came with a severe weakness.

But no one knew about his weakness.

Not even the other members of Rebellion.

"Ah… I've used my duplication ability too much today. I'm exhausted…"

Having duplicated so many auction items, So Yuyeong was feeling the weight of exhaustion.

Not only had she replicated the items, but she had also duplicated the appearances of several auction house employees.

As previously mentioned, So Yuyeong was a master of duplication.

Not only could she replicate objects, but she could also overlay those duplications on other objects.

In other words, she was able to copy the appearances of various employees—guards, attendants, auctioneers, even the host—and overlay them onto John's duplicates.

As a result, most of the guards, staff, cleaners, and even the auctioneers and presenters in this auction house had already been replaced by John's duplicates.

The real employees had all been knocked out and locked away in a storage room.

They were probably sound asleep by now, unaware of their fate.

Honestly, it would have been easier to just kill them. But they couldn't do that.

If the original person was killed or damaged, the duplication would be undone.

"So Yuyeong, how many items have you replicated so far?"

"Stop rushing me, will you? I've pretty much ﬁnished everything."

Geez, this guy… Always so impatient.

What was the point of replicating all the auction items in the ﬁrst place?

Wouldn't it be quicker to just steal them and run?

All of this was thanks to Alex's unnecessary vanity. His pride was the real issue here.

Alex had planned to wait until all the fake items were sold at auction, only for them to suddenly disappear, thus spreading his reputation as a notorious thief.

He had even placed calling cards inside each fake item in advance.

A few days after the auction, the real items would mysteriously vanish, and only the thief's calling card would remain in the hands of the buyers.

How would people react to that?

If they discovered that the rare and expensive items they had fought so hard to acquire were fakes, they would be absolutely furious.

It would be quite entertaining to see their reactions when they realized a famous thief had stolen everything right out from under them.

…Considering how much she was looking forward to those reactions, So Yuyeong was probably just as much of a villain as Alex.

"Are we almost done?"

"I told you, I'm nearly ﬁnished."

So Yuyeong pouted in response to Alex's impatient prodding.

Since yesterday, they had been busy kidnapping and imprisoning some of the auction house employees, extracting information, replicating their appearances, taking hostages, seizing control of the control room, and stealthily raiding the storage room.

Security around the auction items had been tighter than expected, making their job harder than they had anticipated.

Not to mention, the level of the guards was incredibly high.

Many of them were skilled at the mid-grade hero level.

There were even a few top-grade hero mercenaries, which meant they had to proceed cautiously.

While they could use their duplication abilities to get close and launch surprise attacks, they had to be careful not to get caught. One wrong move could expose their entire operation.

So it had taken them longer than expected. "This is the last one… Done. All ﬁnished." "Really?"

Having completed the ﬁnal duplication, So Yuyeong stood up.

Alex, looking satisﬁed, pulled out a small leather pouch that looked like it belonged in the Middle Ages.

Without warning, Alex opened the pouch and began sweeping all the original items into it.

One by one, the countless items disappeared into the small, seemingly bottomless leather pouch.

That pouch was one of the relics Alex possessed. It was a Space Pouch.

As beﬁtting his reputation as a notorious thief, Alex possessed several valuable items, including a few relics.

Of course, most of them had been stolen. "Got everything?"

"Yeah."

They had collected all the auction items.

Now, all that remained was to make a clean escape from Busan.

The auction's affairs would be handled by the duplicates disguised as employees.

They had already extracted most of the necessary information and knowledge from the real employees.

So, as long as the auction was still ongoing, they would be safe. Even if someone noticed that the items were fakes midway through, it wouldn't matter.

By the time anyone realized, Alex and his team would be long gone.

"Alright, let's get out of Busan."

"Looks like everything went smoothly this time."

"John? You know that saying something like that is a ﬂag, right? Don't let your guard down until we're completely out."

Alex, John, and So Yuyeong.

The three, still in disguise, quietly slipped out of the auction house.

They walked leisurely, leaving behind the bustling auction that was still full of heat and excitement.

They moved cautiously, their steps careful, always on guard against potential tails or surveillance.

Alex was particularly sensitive.

His animal-like instincts had kept him alive until now. Especially when it came to detecting murderous intent, gazes, and mystical energies—Alex was highly attuned to all of these.

Given his heightened state of alert, if anyone were tailing or watching him, he would surely notice.

And Alex had a relic that prevented him from being observed.

While not the most powerful relic, it was still enough to block most observation abilities. Only someone with extraordinary observation skills, like Isabelle, might be able to track him. But with ordinary abilities, no one would be able to watch Alex and his crew.

So, Alex and his team would be… wait, what? "…!"

Suddenly.

"…What is this?"

Everyone was gone. In the blink of an eye.

The bustling street, once crowded with people, had vanished as if swallowed by the earth.

The busy scene of the Busan streets had disappeared, leaving nothing but an eerie emptiness.

It was like a ghost town.

Not a single person was in sight. The deserted street stood as the only witness to Alex and his crew.

In this confusing turn of events, Alex heightened his vigilance to the max.

What on earth was happening? This wasn't normal. Clearly, someone was behind this.

It was most likely some kind of barrier.

A barrier that separated reality and space. A spatial separation barrier, perhaps.

But who, and why? What was the purpose of trapping them in this barrier? And how had it been set up without them sensing anything? Alex hadn't detected any signs—no gazes, no killing intent, no hints whatsoever.

"John!"

"Yeah."

Alex called for John.

He didn't know what was going on, but considering the possibility of a trap, they needed to buy time to ﬁnd a solution.

He called for John because he was the most versatile in both offense and defense, making him invaluable in any situation.

John's ability was incredibly useful for attacks, defense, or even escape.

"Even though I've used my ability quite a lot today… well, no choice."

John immediately activated his ability.

His shadow rippled and surged upward like a liquid.

The sticky shadow gathered together and began to take on human forms.

One, two, three, four…

More than thirty duplicates of John were created.

John, by himself, was powerful enough to take down a top- grade hero.

And now, more than thirty duplicates with similar strength? Even a high-ranker would have no choice but to retreat.

Surrounded by a wall of duplicates, Alex felt reassured.

No matter what kind of attack came their way, no one would be able to break through so many duplicates at once.

And then, it happened.

A ﬂashbang rolled between John's duplicates.

Bang! With a deafening explosion, a blinding light ﬂooded the area, illuminating everything in every direction.

John's duplicates, struck by the sudden ﬂash, lost their form and began to melt away.

Like mud soaked with water, their bodies crumbled into formless shadows. John was shocked by what he saw.

The only weakness of John's shadow duplication ability— light.

When exposed to intense light, his duplicates lost their strength and reverted to shadows. It was a critical ﬂaw.

But how did they know about John's weakness?

No… could it be that they just threw a ﬂashbang to blind them, and it happened by coincidence?

But the precision with which the ﬂashbang was thrown made it seem like they knew. But who could possibly know? Even the other Rebellion members didn't know about John's weakness…

"Alex, John, So Yuyeong… am I right?"

Chapter 5 - Ch 107-113