Peep…
In the heavy atmosphere, Riceball, unsure of what to do, floated nervously before softly landing on Kwon Jihan's neck, gently rubbing its soft feathers against him.
Yoon Seo sighed softly, patting Kwon Jihan.
Kwon Jihan knew it too.
This was a very clear scale, something that even a trolley dilemma in a labyrinth wouldn't pose.
There are problems where, even when you know the right answer, stubbornness is inevitable.
For Kwon Jihan, this was one of those problems.
'He knows I've already decided.'
Yoon Seo felt sorry for Kwon Jihan.
And because he felt sorry for Kwon Jihan, he also felt sorry for the former Revengers.
In the complicated world of their relationship, the blue bird chirped continuously, unaware of the weight between them.
***
HELLHONG
#SeoChaeyoon #KwonJihan Despite telling them not to come, they eventually visited me in the hospital. When I think about it, my relationship with Seo is quite intricate. I resented him, and he said my resentment was valid. He's someone who deflects careless remarks but still doesn't deflect a simple "sorry." People call him a small savior, but to me, he's the biggest person (though he's not small. He's 175 cm tall, so who says he's small?). Sometimes, he even seems larger than Kwon, and I bet any awakened person standing before him would feel the same. As I watch the moon tonight, I reflect on the honor of living in the same era as these two. I wonder, what am I to them? How do they see me? One thing is clear: I, too, want to be a significant presence to them. Tonight is a moment of reflection on my own direction.
176 cm, actually!
Yoon Seo almost commented immediately but barely held back.
└Seo Chaeyoon is 175??
└└Right? He seemed way shorter.
└└175 is short for an S-rank.
└I'm a full member of For the Seo. He's 175.7, but he usually rounds it to 176. Please correct this.
└└Does he round up by 0.3 cm? That's so cute lol.
└└AAAAAAAH IT'S ADORABLE!!!
└└How can someone be so cool and cute at the same time? Seo Chaeyoon is like the embodiment of both.
└Fairy.
└└LOL
Yoon Seo felt a little embarrassed as he exited the social media app. Aside from Hong Euiyoon's page, the internet was mostly the same as always. It seemed that when Lee Seokyoung fully recovered after taking the Elixir, they planned to go public with the news.
'A storm is definitely coming.'
During the Great Cataclysm, if it hadn't been for Lee Seokyoung, the world would not have easily emerged from chaos.
Everyone would surely be happy that the benefactor of all humankind has returned.
Aside from the fact that a legend has returned, the world is currently suffering from a shortage of S-rank hunters. Even adding one more would be of great help to the awakened who are pushing their bodies and minds to the limit.
Knock, knock.
At the sound of tapping on the car window, Sticky Rice reacted before Yoon Seo. Kwon Jihan, who had loaded the luggage into the open trunk, got into the passenger seat.
In the morning rush, both of them had forgotten the gift they had prepared. Kwon Jihan had brought it along. Even Riceball was holding a small box in its beak.
Peep!
"Good job, Riceball."
Peep, peep.
"Yeah, you deserve a snack. A treat? Mealworms?"
Peep.
"Okay, a treat it is today. Let's get you a snack then."
Yoon Seo broke a cookie into small pieces and placed them in Riceball's dedicated dish in the backseat. Riceball then transformed from a bird into a squirrel, plopping down and holding the cookie in both hands, nibbling on it.
"We're heading out. Riceball, be careful with the crumbs."
Peep.
"..."
For some reason, it felt like Sticky Rice let out a sigh.
The car started smoothly. As Kwon Jihan fastened his seatbelt, he spoke.
"Jihan did a good job too, but doesn't he get a gift?"
"What would you like?"
"A kiss."
Yoon Seo laughed and wrapped his arms around Kwon Jihan's neck, pressing a kiss to his lips.
'It seems like he's feeling a bit better now.'
Feeling relieved, Yoon Seo asked.
"What's the dinner at Seokyoung today?"
"Not sure. Why do you ask about Seokyoung's dinner?"
"I was thinking about heading to Seokyoung this evening, so maybe we could eat there."
"Why are you going to Seokyoung in the evening?"
"..."
Obviously, to give Lee Seokyoung the elixir.
Yoon Seo read a strange, eerie glint in Kwon Jihan's gray eyes, which were twinkling with amusement.
'Not yet, huh.'
Just then, the signal to take the wheel rang. Even though it was an AI-controlled car, there were occasional moments when manual control was needed. Yoon Seo quickly grabbed the steering wheel and fixed his gaze ahead. He could feel the piercing gaze on his temple, but he pretended not to notice.
In this somewhat heavy atmosphere, they arrived at their destination: an island in Goheung County, South Jeolla Province.
After a 10-minute boat ride from the mainland, you'll reach this small island, home to the world's first hunter training institution, the 'Earth Awakeners Academy.'
Due to the high dungeon occurrence rate around the academy site, the completion date was delayed five times, and it only barely opened earlier this year. Even then, there was an A-rank green portal nearby, but they pushed ahead anyway.
Despite the requirement that students live in Korea during the training period, applications poured in from all over the world. Currently, the academy has 131 students who passed a strict screening process. All of these students are adults, and the academy's plan is to train them first and then have them teach young awakeners worldwide.
In other words, they are training 'teachers.'
The trainee teachers warmly welcomed the visit of Kwon Jihan and Seo Chaeyoon.
This was their second visit, and despite half a year passing, there were no dropouts, and the passion remained the same, prompting Seo Chaeyoon to offer words of encouragement personally.
A tour of the academy followed.
Yoon Seo noticed that a building, still under construction during his last visit, was now complete. Upon entering, his eyes widened.
"This place is…."
"It's the Hall of Fame. We built it to remember and reflect always."
The walls of the first hall were covered with portraits of the old Revengers. Regardless of nationality, race, age, or gender, those who had voluntarily walked into hell were smiling warmly at their youngest member.
Yoon Seo wandered endlessly through the hall, observing the 3D hologram of the Great Dungeon's interior, explained by artificial intelligence, and the art piece portraying the old Revengers made by a famous artist. Although it seemed more geared toward youth, even Yoon Seo, who was much older, felt a lump in his throat.
In the second hall, portraits of the new Revengers filled the walls.
"Oh, I look pretty handsome."
Kwon Jihan grinned as he stood before his portrait, and Yoon Seo agreed.
"Stand next to it. I'll take a picture."
Peep!
Riceball, who loved cameras, confidently perched on top of Kwon Jihan's head.
After snapping a couple of pictures, the guide hunter said.
"Seo Chaeyoon Hunter, would you like a photo too? I can take it for you."
When Yoon Seo stood next to his portrait, Riceball flew over to sit on his head this time.
It was quite a busy bird.
The final hall wasn't dedicated to the Revengers but to other hunters.
Though the old Revengers became symbols of sacrifice due to the Great Dungeon disaster, the hunters who stayed behind outside during the incident also made great sacrifices.
Some of them were even slandered by non-awakeners, accused of 'running away from the Great Dungeon out of fear.' They claimed that because the hunters fled, non-awakeners had to enter to fill the manpower gap.
However, if those hunters hadn't stayed behind to prevent explosions and flooding, the Revengers, upon clearing the dungeon, would have returned to find Earth in ruins.
Someone had to stay behind. Someone had to protect the place they would return to.
Among those who stayed and died was Lee Seokyoung.
"Lee Seokyoung's portrait is a bit larger, isn't it? That's because this academy's foundation lies with the Seokyoung Guild, and the guild's founder is that very person."
The guiding hunter, perhaps worried that Seo Chaeyoon might feel slighted, hurriedly tried to offer an explanation.
However, Yoon Seo's mind was filled with different thoughts.
In the picture, Lee Seokyoung wore a confident smile, staring directly ahead. Despite the ashes and dust covering his face, his noble presence remained undiminished.
The founding guild leader of Seokyoung and an S-rank hunter.
The hero who compiled and shared knowledge about how to use the system with the world.
The person who urged others to rest with bloodshot eyes.
Died in an S-rank orange dungeon explosion.
'Now that line will be added behind it.'
…but returned after 13 years.
What a joyful ending.
Yoon Seo involuntarily smiled, but then turned around at the sound of someone sharply inhaling. The guiding hunter had turned pale and stepped back hurriedly.
From the back of Kwon Jihan, who stood straight, refusing to look at Seokyoung's section, a chilling aura emanated.
Yoon Seo corrected his thoughts.
'Right. This comes first.'
To truly reach a happy ending, he had to console his downcast lover first. Just as Yoon Seo approached him…
Beep beep!
Portal Emergence Notification
July 19th, 15:24
Western waters of Soimdo, Goheung, Jeonnam
Grade C or higher, Yellow.
Check map.
News came that a portal had appeared nearby at the same time.
Already in a foul mood, Kwon Jihan let out a deep sigh.
"Dungeons really do appear frequently around the academy."
"Yeah, it seems that way."
Could it be that these displaced entities were wary of the academy?
It was plausible since they could sense the light in the darkness.
If this assumption was true, then training hunter instructors posed a significant threat to them.
The academy hunters scattered to evacuate the nearby residents, while Kwon Jihan and Yoon Seo waited in the center of the island.
Since it was so close, Kwon Jihan was assigned to handle it. They had to wait for the byproduct team and the newly formed trainee team to join.