Chapter 19 - Seo Hye-in (1)
“Hmm.”
I let out a breath through my nose as I turned the black ID card shining in my hand.
Now that I was officially a Climber, even if it was F-grade, I wouldn't be looked down on as a cadet anywhere.
As I thought that and stepped outside the test site, my eyes met with Seo Ah-in, who was leaning near the entrance.
“Were you waiting?”
“…Who would wait for someone like you.”
“Right. You were so lonely you were about to die?”
“…”
Seo Ah-in’s eyes shot up, but as I chuckled and walked away, she just sighed once and followed.
“The test?”
“Passed.”
She said, taking out her ID card.
“You say it like you came to pick up something you left behind.”
“You and I, frankly, are not at a level to care about a test like that.”
Seo Ah-in retorted with a sigh.
“…Especially you.”
Seo Ah-in muttered, looking around.
It felt like the entire perceivable world was looking this way.
“You must be happy. To monopolize all this attention.”
I noticed Seo Ah-in speaking bluntly.
She was unusually on edge today.
I could guess why.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere else.”
“Pardon?”
“I know you’re sulking because you’re worried I’ll abandon you and run away. That won’t happen.”
“…I wish you would just die.”
She muttered with a sigh, but a thread of relief was also present in her expression.
This girl, she was terribly clumsy at making friends, but she was unnecessarily affectionate.
So it was obvious she would be sad if I, whom she had recently started talking to and seeing often, suddenly disappeared.
‘Such a tofu mentality…’
As I thought that and chuckled, a commotion arose nearby.
I turned my head to see what was going on and saw Jeong Min-woo striding this way with a very angry expression.
“Hey, you.”
Oh.
He’s not calling me a bug anymore.
It seems even he was somewhat impressed by the skill I showed a little while ago…
“Feel good cheating? You fucking cheater? What did you do? Bribe the proctor? Manipulate the targets?”
…I guess not.
Well, a cheater is better than a bug, so it’s an upgrade.
“Min-woo, there’s nothing more pathetic than talking nonsense after getting your ass kicked…”
As I said that, rubbing my temples, a large tic mark was engraved on Jeong Min-woo’s forehead, who already looked to be in a bad mood.
“Don’t be ridiculous. When it comes to shooting, I know much more than you.”
“But you lost to me.”
“…The shooting technique you used doesn’t belong to any category. There’s no way a school that uses such a crude method could exist…”
“Yeah. But you lost to me.”
“This bastard, I’ve been letting it slide, but-!”
Jeong Min-woo’s face turned bright red as he rushed at me.
Good grief.
He really shows a reaction that doesn’t deviate one bit from my expectations.
I took a slight step back, and a fist brushed past my face.
‘Good grief…’
This is why this guy can’t make it.
No matter how angry you are, you have to hold onto a minimum of reason.
Due to their nature, rear-liners are bound to be slower in movement than front-liners.
It meant that even I could dodge if I knew it was coming.
“Eek!”
His face turning even redder, he tried to throw the next punch, but this time too, I dodged it with ease.
“Yeah. Min-woo. I get it all.”
I said, glancing at my watch.
“Five seconds left.”
“What?”
“Five seconds left until you become an adult.”
Kids who grew up thinking the world was their toy box often can’t come to their senses even when they’re beaten with facts like this.
They usually come to their senses after getting a proper taste of bitterness.
And, in a case like now.
The situation was that a ‘true educator’ who would teach this guy such a lesson was nearby.
5.4.3.2.1.
-!
A lump of mana that flew like a flash of light slammed into Jeong Min-woo’s jaw.
***
There was one character that users who played Conqueror unanimously agreed ‘not to piss off’.
The reason was nothing special.
In most cases, if you crossed the line and entered a combat event, it was 100% death.
It wasn't just that her ‘combat ability was strong,’ but in the field of ‘killing someone,’ she was undoubtedly one of the top NPCs.
And that notoriety seemed to be valid here as well.
“…Wait a minute. Is that perhaps…?”
“For real? Is it really her?”
Some with good information were shocked as soon as they realized who it was, but the majority of people were just being overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
Seo Ah-in would be a prime example of that.
“…Guk.”
Seeing her face turn pale as she made a sound like a strangled chicken, she must have been really scared.
In the first place, the reason this girl extremely avoided coming to the Hunting Alliance building was because of that person herself.
Thinking that, I looked at the woman walking gracefully towards me.
‘She does look similar like this.’
White hair and red eyes that resembled Seo Ah-in’s.
In fact, it wasn't just similar; it was a spitting image to the point where I thought this is how that girl would grow up when she got older.
Seo Hye-in.
One of the top-class Climbers representing the Hunting Alliance.
Also, the person who was Seo Ah-in’s older sister.
“S-sunbae-nim?!”
And Jeong Min-woo, who was looking around with fiery eyes to see who had attacked him, also looked horrified.
As you can tell from this reaction, Seo Hye-in was a character that could make even this paragon of arrogance cower.
“Mr. Jeong Min-woo. What is the meaning of this?”
A beautiful voice like jade beads rolling on a silver tray flowed out.
But the chill in it was so biting that it made one forget such an impression.
“S-sunbae-nim. That is…”
“Stop. I didn’t ask for an explanation.”
A frosty sentence fell upon Jeong Min-woo, who was stammering and trying to say something.
“This is private property under the ownership of the Hunting Alliance. Causing a disturbance here is no different from smearing mud on our faces.”
“I-I didn’t mean to…”
Seeing the guy who threw words like ‘bug’ at people freeze up like this, I thought she must be a really scary person.
Well, considering the strength this person shows in the story, it’s even more so.
She didn't get the evaluation of a top-class Climber by playing cards.
“I-I just. I was just flabbergasted that that cheater was getting attention for his cowardly acts…!”
But, seeing Min-woo spout such childish words even in front of such a person, I was rather impressed.
Min-woo.
You’re really shooting yourself in the foot.
“A cheater, you say.”
Seo Hye-in received the words, twisting the corners of her mouth slightly.
And seeing that, Seo Ah-in’s face went beyond white and was turning almost purple.
This girl would probably know.
That such an expression was a signal to be identified in the category of ‘Ah, I’m so pissed off.’
“Does that mean we were so incompetent that we couldn’t even catch such a cheater?”
“Th-that’s not it…!”
“Mr. Jeong Min-woo. You lost to this man named Kim Gyu-sik here.”
Jeong Min-woo immediately shut his mouth at Seo Hye-in’s calm words.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, perfectly, by a large margin. I won’t say you were pathetic. It wasn’t to that extent. But…”
Seo Hye-in glanced my way.
“…This man is superior. To the point where I wonder why I didn’t know of such a person until now.”
At those words, Jeong Min-woo’s and Seo Ah-in’s eyes widened simultaneously.
It must have been the first time they had seen this person give such a high evaluation.
“I-I haven’t heard a single compliment in over 10 years…”
Let’s just pretend I didn’t hear Seo Ah-in’s timid mumble.
“B-but…!”
Of course, Jeong Min-woo, who didn’t want to accept it, continued to argue.
But at the same time, a skin-tearing hostility began to pour out from Seo Hye-in.
It was mana so dense that it made the faces of everyone around turn pale.
“I’m speaking nicely to you because you also have a position. You lost. This man is a superior talent to you, and that is the ‘official stance’ of the Hunting Alliance.”
Simply put, she was telling him not to cross the line and to scram.
Seeing Jeong Min-woo step back, it seemed the point had been sufficiently made.
“…I-I understand.”
“I’m glad you seem to understand.”
As Jeong Min-woo replied, swallowing dryly, Seo Hye-in also smiled sweetly and approached him.
At the same time, a blue flame erupted from her hand.
And seeing that, Jeong Min-woo’s complexion instantly turned pale.
Anyone who knew the person named Seo Hye-in would not be unaware of what that flame meant.
Mana Vacuum.
A trademark skill of Seo Hye-in that blocks the opponent’s mana the moment it touches them, no questions asked.
And blocking mana meant that no skills could be used, so whether it was a Demonic Beast or a human, they were equally reduced to the level of an ordinary person.
It was truly the ultimate debuff.
“You must have had a hard time coming all the way from Jeokpungdae. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Saying that, Seo Hye-in grabbed Jeong Min-woo’s shoulder strongly.
As blue sparks flew from the area where her hand touched, a rough gasp of ‘Keok’ escaped from Jeong Min-woo’s mouth.
Hmm.
According to the setting, that should be a level of excruciating pain like being tased while alive.
That must hurt a bit.
“So, at the very least, I will help you on your way.”
And.
Seo Hye-in lifted her leg and kicked Jeong Min-woo.
“W-waaaargh-!”
Then, he flew into the sky.
Not an exaggeration, but in the literal sense.
The scene of Jeong Min-woo’s scream fading as he flew away was like a scene from a cartoon.
“…”
How many people in the world could send a grown man flying like a shot put with a light kick that didn't even use mana?
It seemed he had flown so far that he was no longer visible.
Even excluding Mana Vacuum, it seemed she wasn't a top-tier Climber for nothing.
“…I’ve caused you to experience an unpleasant incident.”
As I was thinking that, Seo Hye-in, who had approached me at some point, was speaking to me.
The closer this person got, the more Seo Ah-in’s expression changed colors, rivaling a rainbow, but Seo Hye-in herself didn’t seem to care about Seo Ah-in one bit.
Well, it was like this in the original story too.
Seo Ah-in tried her best to avoid this person, but this person treated Seo Ah-in like dust.
On the surface.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. The general manager of this event…”
“…Ms. Seo Hye-in, right. I’m Kim Gyu-sik. Nice to meet you.”
I cut her off and extended my hand first.
At this, Seo Hye-in’s eyes widened. She was clearly surprised.
It had probably been a long time since someone wasn't scared even after knowing who she was.
And the act of attempting a ‘handshake’ with this person was something you couldn’t do unless you were crazy.
“I-I’m sorry. A handshake is a bit difficult. It could be dangerous.”
Of course, she meant I would get hurt.
As I just saw, this person’s hands were a bit special.
“It’s fine for a while, right?”
“…!”
Seo Hye-in’s expression twisted greatly.
She then narrowed her eyes and glared at me, then wore an expression as if she was organizing something in her head.
And finally, she let out a deep sigh.
“…Just as Team Leader Kim Jae-han said, you are a strange person. How on earth do you know such things?”
“It’s a secret.”
I retorted lightly.
This situation was terribly familiar.
Originally, this was an event that only happened to the ‘main character’ who showed overwhelming results in this ‘regular test’.
But, because I had crushed Jeong Min-woo, that opportunity had passed to me.
“…It seems like it will be a long story, so shall we move for now.”
Seo Hye-in, who was observing me, responded in a calm voice.
“It won’t be a bad story.”
And as soon as I heard that, a broad smile formed inside me.
Because it matched the line I remembered exactly.
This was the first step leading to the ‘Main Scenario’.