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And naturally, Hyeon Gyu-ha grabbed In Yoo-shin's hand. He was so startled that he tried to pull his hand away without realizing it, but it was held tightly. It seemed like he was using a lot of force, but I knew that if I really tried to pull it out, he would let it go. After a while, In Yoo-shin slowly released his force. Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was walking forward, had a faint light at the corners of his mouth. When did he stop feeling unfamiliar with the feeling of a hand gripping tightly while interlocking his fingers? In Yoo-shin thought of the Polaroid photo of them standing side by side, stuck next to the refrigerator. The tall man, who was almost a head taller than myself, always bent down first, made eye contact, talked, and took a photo. It started so naturally that I couldn’t even remember when I first realized it. Every day was filled with him like this. “Yoo-shin- ssi , we’re off duty on Saturday, right?” The hands they were holding shook lightly back and forth. Hyeon Gyu-ha tilted his head and made eye contact, moving his lips. They were pretty lips. Of course, they were prettier than my lips when I was a high school student. “Let’s go on a date. I’ve made plans. How about having lunch during the day, going shopping, having dinner, and watching a late-night movie? It’s sad that Yoo-shin- ssi  and I have never watched a movie together.” "I don't know if my physical strength can handle the schedule.” “Let’s exercise.” “I think I can handle it! But what kind of movie?” “Anything is fine. The goal is a dark atmosphere.” Suddenly, I felt a sense of alertness. “…What are you going to do at the movie theater?” “I’ll just touch your thighs.” “You can’t!” "Why." “Because it won’t work!” "Then let's be fair. You can touch my thigh too, Yoo-shin- ssi . By the way, I usually put it on the left side." It was TMI I didn't want to know. Rather than Hyeon Gyu-ha touching my thigh, I was more scared of my hand touching that…… thing on his left thigh. The feeling of pressing that…… thing with my butt came back to me eerily. After In Yoo-hin’s desperate protests, the two compromised to just hold hands in the movie theater, and Hyeo Gyu-ha’s shoulders slumped down. In Yoo-shin forgot to ask what kind of shopping he was doing, as he had been ignoring him all day, looking gloomy and listless. *** “I’m busy, but some guy is calling.” Han Jun-su frowned at the sound of his phone ringing, then quickly checked the caller ID and answered the call by touching it. "Noona! You're back home already?" - No. It's still Germany. From the other end of the spectrum, the voice of Min Geut-nyeo, who had been abroad, was heard. -I was introduced to Hair Lippmann in Hamburg, and I remember what you said. Is Tae-seong still the same? Lippmann is a world-renowned healer. He is mainly good at healing curses and other mental taints, but he is also an excellent Awakener in treating general mental illnesses. Han Jun-soo, who was dreaming of a vain dream of the two reuniting, was thrilled that she remembered the words he had casually thrown out. As he excitedly talked to his 6th cousin, he had no awareness that he was leaking the guild leader’s current situation to someone from a rival guild. “I haven’t heard anything like that lately, but in the past, you didn’t talk to yourself in a way that was obvious.” - What if I’ve schizophrenia? “I don’t think so. It seems like you were under a mental attack or some kind of telepathy………………. Since you’re keeping it from me, I think it’s probably personal business.” -Hmm. “Ah! It’s definitely not the case that he’s meeting a woman separately. There’s absolutely no trace of a woman with Tae-seong Hyung.” Gong Tae-seong was a simpleton who didn't care whether he met a woman, a man, or an alien, but he didn't show it and just smiled. - Then I’ll trust your judgment and hold off on inviting only Hair Lippmann to Korea. Since when has Tae-seong been like that? Didn't he say he heard the Hamgyeong dialect? Did he ever meet someone from the northern region? “To be exact, it sounded like a Yukjin dialect.” - Are you sure about the distinction? Isn't it similar to the Hamgyeong dialect? “Hey, you know my major, right? Of course it’s similar, but since the Yukjin dialect has a lot of old words left, it’s as unique as the Jeju dialect, so people who know it can tell the difference to some extent. One strange thing is that my voice sounds quite young. Even if I’m from the countryside, young people wouldn’t speak with such a strong dialect…………….” - Was it a man? "It was closer to a boy, but I don't know if it was a woman with a neutral voice." Although Han Jun-soo was able to infer quite a lot from the one word he heard at first glance, it was regrettable to Gong Tae-seong that his delicacy was being displayed not to his boss at work but to his 6th cousin. “I think it was around the year before last that I noticed you talking to yourself sometimes... After hearing what you said, I remembered that it must have been after you came back from Hoeryong. You stopped by for a few days after you went to close the Baekdu Mountain Gate.” -Come to think of it, it was around that time that they started actively trying to recruit Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had been openly expressing his reluctance, to the guild. Is there some kind of connection? While Han Jun-soo was puzzled by the question that arose, Min Geut-nyeo, who had dug up everything she wanted to dig up, naturally ended the conversation. -If it's a curse or an illness, I can help you out, so just tell me when something changes. "sure." - Should I buy you a gift? Do you need anything? Han Jun-su, who had decided to receive the oil for managing weapons made from the byproducts of the monsters as a business trip gift, hung up the phone with an excited heart. In the meantime, the PR team had sent him a new work email. It was the final edited version of the dungeon training vlog that Narsha Guild had also reviewed. 'It's okay.' The PR team reviewed the final version from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but Han Jun-soo, who checked it carefully again, went down to the training ground on the first floor to find Gong Tae-seong. When he opened the door, the four hunters who had just been sparring with Gong Tae-seong were flying through the air and crashing into the wall. Since it was a familiar sight, he approached without being surprised. “The Department of Ability has sent you the final edited version. Would you like to check it?” Gong Tae-seong, who had just blown away four people without losing his breath, asked back while holding his sword. “What does it look like at first glance?” “There were no particular problems. There was no separate comment from the PR team either.” “If you see that there is no problem, then just say okay.” Gong Tae-seong, who had not been very interested in the video itself from the beginning, waved his hand, but another hunter who was watching the sparring raised his arm. "Guild Master! Is this the dungeon training that Hyeon Gyu-ha led? I really want to see it!" “To be exact, the leader was Choi Jin-hyeok, and he didn’t do anything.” “But he’ll appear on screen often!” The hunter, who had another purpose, belatedly added a bold request. “And shouldn’t we also see with our own eyes the performance of our guild leader who personally hunted the boss?” “You're really trying hard to come up with excuses.” Gong Tae-seong frowned but instructed Han Jun-soo to show the video. “What, what is this?” “That dungeon outing our guild participated in last time.” “Oh, that day when the guild leader was dumped by the young lady and dragged away by Jin-hyeok? Hey, Jang-beom! Isn’t that what you said you wanted to see?” Hunters who were training or exercising also came over to see something to watch. Gong Tae-seong was a hot-blooded person, but he was not strict about hierarchy, and Narsha, which reflected his personality, had a very free-spirited atmosphere overall. Han Jun-soo connected his laptop to a large TV hanging on the wall of the training ground and played the edited version of the vlog. The hunters sat in front of the TV and laughed and chatted while watching the screen of themselves and their colleagues. 'You’ve really edited out In Yoo-shin well.' I heard that In Yoo-shin had set a condition that if even a single strand of his hair was exposed in the official media of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the contract would be terminated immediately. Judging from the way he fought to prevent the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from taking advantage of him, it seems like they really were lovers. It was hard to believe that Hyeon Gyu-ha trusted people enough to date them. I had seen the scene and heard from Min Geut-nyeo how a 14-year-old kid killed so many people, including someone who was like his own father. But that didn’t mean I wanted to see Hyeon Gyu-ha kill that brat with a fierce face. Imagining the sight of that kid with the disgustingly large, testicle-like thing – whether it was a demonic beast or a hamster – placed on their palm, fearlessly staying close to Hyeon Gyu-ha, made an involuntary laugh escape again. Gong Tae-seong shook his head and quietly slipped out of the training grounds where everyone was absorbed in the broadcast. After washing and changing his clothes, he returned to the office and called Whale. The whale, who must have been dozing off again, appeared with its mouth wide open and yawning. "What happened to the thing you said you'd look into?" 『Which one?』 “Hyeon Gyu-ha and that kid who is his lover.” "Ah, that." The whale, who had been able to observe In Yoo-shin up close in the previous dungeon, slowly blinked his eyelids. Gong Tae-seong waited for an answer in silence. Depending on what the whale said, there would be changes in the future plans. The image of red flesh lingered in my mind. Whose heart is it? He waited in silence for an answer. Depending on what the whale said, there would be changes in future plans. The image of red flesh lingered in his mind. Whose heart is it? Is it Hyeon Gyu-ha? Or is it In Yoo-shin? Gong Tae-seong's conscience wants the latter. Because it's easier. But at the same time, he asks.  Can you easily kill that innocent kid who doesn't know anything? The whale answered. ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M, eteryl If you wanna become a translator, editor or proofreader, please use the discord link given below and follow the instructions in the recruit channel. We made a discord server! please join us!

"no." “Isn’t it?” " Unn , no. The prince's lover has no connection to ®ÀÇ at all. He is definitely a human from the Iron Age." “I see.” Gong Tae-seong leaned back on his chair, feeling an ambiguous emotion, whether disappointment or understanding. I should deviate slightly from the plan to confirm the identity of the god of incantation, but the plan remained the same. 'No. Rather, it is an achievement.' The fact that Hyeon Gyu-ha, who doesn't give people anything to do with him, chose this person means that he is also a weakness. As if in response, the whale spoke into his mind. The whispers flowing in were the embodiment of longing. "We really need the prince's heart." Hyeon Gyu-ha's only weakness is his innate ability. How big of a weakness will it be? How far will he be able to expose it? Me. Property. Honor. Position. Ability. One arm. One eye. One leg. Or life. heart. If possible, it would be better if Hyeon Gyu-ha is sincere so that it can proceed easily. In Gong Tae-seong's head, In Yoo-shin is weighing Hyeon Gyu-ha's heart instead of the hamster's in this limited area. If possible, it would be better if Hyeon Gyu-ha was sincere so that it could proceed easily. In Gong Tae-seong’s head, In Yoo-shin was placing Hyeon Gyu-ha’s heart on the scale instead of the hamster in his limited hands. *** Even though they had agreed to meet at 11 a.m., he was busy getting ready as soon as he finished breakfast. "Hey 8- se , how about these clothes?" “Squeek.” 8- se , who might soon start crying 'woof woof' or 'meow meow', responded with a strange crying sound. It sounds like a guinea pig. [Name: Henri Raymond Charles Françoise VIII] [Current status: Joyful. Stable. Satisfied.] Well, I guess you can understand it as meaning that the clothes are nice. In Yoo-shin accepted that and tried on other clothes. I had promised Hyeon Gyu-ha a date on the weekend and hurriedly shopped for clothes online. I listened to Park Seung Gi's advice and tried hard to choose the clothes, but because of my budget and fashion sense, they all looked the same. I couldn't tell what was different from what I usually wear. There was no mirror in the room, so he kept going in and out of the bathroom and looking at himself in the mirror, which made him feel even more exhausted. As 11 o'clock approached, his heart started beating faster and faster. In Yoo-shin gently held 6- se , who had escaped from the cage again and was smelling the fragrance of flowers in a vase on the table, in his hand. The familiar warmth seeping in calmed his anxiously racing heart. “Is it okay for me to be like this?” Preparing, excited, and waiting for the meeting with him. “Squeak..” 6-se just gave the same answer as always. That alone was comforting, so I lightly kissed him. Ding-dong. The doorbell rang. "I'll be back. It's dangerous outside the cage, so try not to come out, okay?" “Squeak!” He put 6- se  in the cage. He tried to put 8- se  in the cage next to it, but he was already in the pouch. “Do you want to go out?” “Ggyu.” "Okay. Let's go together." The final preparations for going out were completed by hanging up the pouch and taking out the cell phone. In Yoo-shin took a deep breath and opened the door. Today, too, the scent of flowers wafted in. “You don’t have to bring it every day.” “Because today is a date.” Still, I didn't feel like it was cumbersome or burdensome. The sweet scent makes me feel good, and when I open the door of my home, the flower bouquet scent greets me and it feels as if he is greeting me, so that's good too. Today's Hyeon Gyu-ha was wearing a casual sky blue semi-formal suit. “Do you like it?” "Gyu-ha- ssi  must have ruined several countries with his face in his past life." Although less damaging to the heart than a three-piece suit, the simple, sleek fit was also difficult to look at. “The young lady in an arranged marriage with the Northern Grand Duke is destroying his kingdom? You've got to admire that.” “You were still keeping up that concept?” In Yoo-shin, who was about to leave the bouquet, hesitated. Even though it was a semi-formal attire, it was still a formal attire. And the fact that Hyeon Gyu-ha came in a suit…… “What happened to the car you took in for repairs?” “Since it’s a limited edition, I think it would be better to just scrap it rather than buy parts.” “Aha. Then the bike………………” “However, Yoo-chun No. 2, reborn with a changed color, is waiting for you down below.” "Goodbye." He tried to close the door immediately, but Hyeon Gyu-ha was faster. The door, caught in Psychokinesis, wouldn’t budge no matter how hard he struggled. “Don’t hate Yoo-chun who wants to spend hot time with Master- nim .” “You can spend the hot time alone, Gyu-ha- ssi !” “What fun is it to do it alone when you have to do it in front of Master?” "What! What are you going to do!" “Beep!” In Yoo-shin, whether he was struggling or not, picked him up and jumped down from the rooftop room on the third floor. He landed softly on the floor without a single 'thud!' Whether In Yoo-shin struggled or not, Hyeon Gyu-ha lifted him up and jumped down from the rooftop room on the third floor. Without a single 'thud!', In Yoo-shin lifted his head from Hyeon Gyu-ha's arms, who landed softly on the floor. What he saw when he looked up was not Yoo-chun No. 2…… but a burgundy sports car and a bike. “Gapsik- ah !” It was a name that was embarrassing to say, so I just blurted it out, even though I had never said it out loud before. I had never been more happy to see a shiny black bike. “On my work days, I can drive to the office and rest, but today is a date.” As expected, this person didn't have even the slightest idea that 'office=workplace'. “Whether it’s Yoo-chun No. 2 or Gapsik, choose whichever Yoo-shin- ssi  wants to ride.” "the former……………." "Instead, there is a quest attached to Gapsik.” As he said that, Hyeon Gyu-ha tapped his cheek with his index finger. He probably didn't mean to hit my head or slap me with his palm. In Yoo-shin closed his eyes once, opened them, and then spoke. “It’s Gap-sik.” "My first quest in a while: Show some love to the pet mouse." Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had In Yoo-shin sit on the bike first, bent his waist. The face turned to the side moved back and forth before his eyes. “Can you please close your eyes?” Hyeon Gyu-ha closed his eyes immediately. Then, warmth flowed down his cheeks. Warm, moist, and fluffy and small and plump……. Fluffy and plump? He opened my eyes in a hurry, and a plump golden hamster was crying shyly in front of him. “Jjiik♡” “……..” “Isn’t it important not only for love between siblings, but also for love between brothers?” “…….” That day, In Yoo-shin broke the challenge that no one had ever achieved, leaving Hyeon Gyu-ha speechless. The place where Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was dressed smartly, went to for lunch was a tteokbokki restaurant. The two of them were going to the tteokbokki restaurant as if they were playing a game of chess whenever they had time. “Isn’t the hamster eating tteokbokki right now?” “Does it eat liver as well?” People around him kept whispering as they watched 8- se  eating while confidently taking up one side of the table, but In Yoo-shin didn't care. I had heard so many bad things while hanging out with Hyeon Gyu-ha that I just let it pass by his ears. It seems like my facial skin has gotten thicker. “The fried food at this restaurant is delicious.” “Before I go home, if I have time, I’ll get some fried food and tteokbokki to-go.” It's a shame that I couldn't just take it to the theater and eat tteokbokki while watching the movie. “Ah, Yoo-shin- ssi .” Hyeon Gyu-ha suddenly called out, and gently wiped the tteokbokki soup off the corner of In Yoo-shin’s mouth, who was blinking, with a handkerchief. The scent wafting from the handkerchief lingered on his nose. Hyeon Gyu-ha no longer used perfume, but he sprayed a little on his handkerchief. I only thought that the man who lacked nothing would look good to me. A strange feeling of tenderness rose up in his chest, and In Yoo-shin awkwardly changed his words. "I saw an interview with the former guild leader of the Gangrim Guild on the internet yesterday. He said that his values ​​in life changed a lot because of a dungeon he cleared while going through a lot of hardships when he was young. Haven't you ever had that experience, Gyu-ha- ssi ?" It was just a clumsy remark made to change the subject, but it cast a shadow over Hyeon Gyu-ha’s day. He tried to withdraw his question, thinking that he had made a mistake because of the deep emotional resonance he had never seen before, but his lips moved slowly. “Isn’t every hunter supposed to have one?” The words coming out of his lips were so beautiful that In Yoo-shin tilted his head. His expression was also as usual. Did I see something wrong earlier? “What happened?” “Um, it happened when I was younger than Yoo-shin- ssi  was when he started wearing his school uniform. It was 14 years ago, right before I officially became an S-class.” “It was so long ago. Well, Gyu-ha- ssi  has been clearing dungeons since she was little………………. So, who was cuter back then, the young Gyu-ha- ssi  or me in my school uniform?” He said it as a joke because Hyeon Gyu-ha's reaction was the same as usual, but he stopped eating the tteokbokki. Then he put his hand on his forehead and thought seriously for a long time. It took a full five minutes before In Yoo-shin was able to hear an answer. “Yoo-shin- ssi  is cuter in her school uniform.” “T-Thank you.” "Yoo-shin- ssi  is cuter in her school uniform." “Thank you.” "It wasn't as cute as Yoo-shin- ssi  in his school uniform, but back then, I was suffering from severe second-year syndrome and it was a cute time when I concluded that all people in the world were trash." “You’re really cute……………….” “But at that dungeon, or to be exact, when the dungeon break happened, there were two hunters I met. Later on, I found out that one of them wasn’t a hunter, but just an Awakener” In Yoo-shin unconsciously swallowed his breath. It was the first time. It was the first time that Hyeon Gyu-ha felt like he was looking at someone else, not me. He closed his eyes for a moment, his gaze distant as if he was looking at someone's face superimposed over his own, and then continued speaking. “If it weren’t for those two, I wouldn’t be here in front of Yoo-shin- ssi  now.” ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M, eteryl If you wanna become a translator, editor or proofreader, please use the discord link given below and follow the instructions in the recruit channel. We made a discord server! please join us!

#3 '……Calm down.' Chae Yoo-jeong tried to smile, so I relaxed my grip so that he wouldn't think it was strange. 'What's wrong with giving her your number? That can happen when you work. If you just consider the time he's been working in society, Chae Yoo-jeong has been around much longer than me.' I didn't want to be the type of lover to be picky about who my partner exchanged numbers with. If Chae Yoo-jeong had started talking first, I wouldn't have noticed, but asking would only prove that I overheard his conversation with his teammates earlier. 'Let's not worry about it.' It was a rare date, and I didn't want to focus on such useless matters. 'I'm not going to ask.' I made a firm determination. 'I will never ask!' After dinner, we returned home, washed up, and took out a bottle of wine as we had previously discussed. I prepared a bowl of fruit and a wine glass on the living room table. Chae Yoo-jeong, who poured white wine into my glass first, laughed. “It’s been a really long time since I’ve had a drink with Hyung.” "Right. You can't drink during the season because you’re busy." When Chae Yoo-jeong is busy with competitions, we only meet once or twice a month. Even then, because of the late night practice schedule, I can only see him after midnight at a cafe near the LVS company. Chae Yoo-jeong must have thought the same thing as me, because the corners of his eyebrows drooped. “I regret that my vacation was short.” “We can just have fun for the next week.” Our glasses clinked as my glass knocked the side of Chae Yoo-jeong's glass. “Yes!" Chae Yoo-jeong answered vigorously and raised his glass. I looked at Chae Yoo-jeong, who was feeling better in an instant, and brought the glass to my lips. The sweet scent of low-alcohol wine tickled my nose. I thought quietly as I drank the wine. 'It bothers me……’ Why on earth did you give her your number? Especially since it’s a girl? Why? What's the reason? What are you going to do by exchanging numbers? No, I'm not suspicious, I'm just curious. What about his social life? There's no other word that fits Chae Yoo-jeong so poorly. I also know very well that his cousin, Yoo Kyung-seok, who works as a coach, suffers from Chae Yoo-jeong's rude and indiscriminate remarks to anyone. It's definitely not true that Chae Yoo-jeong gave the reporter his number because he felt pressured to exchange contacts; Chae Yoo-jeong wasn't the type of person to be aware of things like this. 'I want to ask!' I should have asked Chae Yoo-jeong right away when I made eye contact with him in front of the building. Now, I've missed the timing by a long shot. ‘Should I just swallow my pride and ask?’ What if Chae Yoo-jeong just lies and denies it? Then what? Could I even manage to smooth things over? The more I thought about it, the stuffier my chest felt, a strange sense of impatience creeping in. I just gulped down the poor wine. “How was your day, Hyung? You went out on business, right?” Oops. I need to get my act together. Suddenly regaining my senses, I put down my empty glass as if nothing had happened and answered. “For me, it’s the same every day. The business trips were also ordinary because the company had already discussed the contract.” Even though it was an answer that wasn't particularly special, he smiled happily. “I love it whenever Hyung talks about the company.” Chae Yoo-jeong, who lowered his head slightly, whispered while caressing his wine glass. “I don’t know much about corporate life, so I can’t be of much help… but if you ever have a hard time, please let me know.” “Yoo-jeong- ah ……” It was as if a warm spring breeze blew over my head, soothing my petty thoughts with warmth and soft emotions. 'Not only do you have a pretty face, you even speak so beautifully? Are you an angel?' A deep emotion came over me. The area around Chae Yoo-jeong sparkled as if someone had sprinkled stardust on it. “Of course. You know you’re the only one I can open my heart to.”  “Really?” “Yeah. I rely on you a lot.” "Hyung……!" This time, Chae Yoo-jeong looked moved. The corners of his eyes gently lower, and his jewel-like eyes set beneath his long eyelashes look at me. His pure white face is flushed for a reason other than alcohol. Chae Yoo-jeong and I locked eyes and naturally closed the distance between us without saying who would go first. Our shoulders, which were already close, suddenly touched and our noses brushed each other. "Hyung……." “Yoo-jeong- ah ……” They call each other in moist, wet voices. The atmosphere was perfect for a kiss. A brief, passionate glance was exchanged between the both of us as our lips moved closer, barely meeting until— Jiiiing ! A loud vibration echoed from somewhere. “……!” The strange tension between the both of us was shattered in an instance. Chae Yoo-jeong's head turned to the side, shoulders trembling as he breathed softly, as if he were startled. My head moved in the same way. Jiing, Jing! The vibration continued without stopping. It was not a text message, but a phone call. Chae Yoo-jeong suddenly jumped up from his seat after checking the name on the phone screen. “Yoo-jeong- ah ?” “U-uh… Hyung, I, uh…….” Chae Yoo-jeong, who hastily held his cell phone in his hand as if hiding something, stepped back with a very embarrassed expression. “Th-this is an important call…….” “…….” I looked at him with a bewildered expression. Chae Yoo-jeong fidgeted and then closed his teary eyes tightly.. “It’ll only take a moment. I’ll be right back!” Chae Yoo-jeong, who held onto his vibrating cell phone, ran away in a hurry. He even locked the bedroom door tightly. "……Huh.”  Suddenly, I was left alone in the living room and couldn't help but laugh. 'What the heck is going on?' I roughly swept my bangs back. I was so shocked, shocked, annoyed, and angry that my hands were shaking. 'Am I being… dumped right now? Right before a kiss?' What's even more shocking is the name that I saw before Chae Yoo-jeong took the cell phone. The name that was clearly visible on the phone screen…… [Reporter Min Ye-seul] Everywhere you look, it's a woman's name. The job title is reporter. There's a 99.99% chance that it's the reporter who conducted the interview today. 'You left me to answer a girl's call...….' I couldn't control my body from the shock that followed, and I fell limply on the sofa. I didn't even have the energy to chase after him and get angry. No, how could I possibly get angry at Chae Yoo-jeong in the first place…… The wine glass sitting alone on the table looked lonely. My situation is exactly the same. I closed my eyes and lay alone in the living room, where silence had descended. It was so quiet that I thought I could hear at least a little bit of what was being said on the phone. How quietly are they speaking to a point I can’t hear a single word?  I felt stubborn suddenly, so I sat up again and gulped down the wine. It was a wine with a low alcohol content that even a person with a weak tolerance could drink, but my stomach was bubbling as if I had drunk poison. I was sitting there alone for a while, pouring a glass of wine, when exactly 13 minutes had passed when I heard the bedroom door open. “Hyung, have you been waiting long?” Chae Yoo-jeong, who came out to the living room hesitantly, looked at me with an apologetic expression. When I saw him, I came to my senses. 'What am I doing now?' It's true that I was jealous, but I didn't want Chae Yoo-jeong to feel that way just because he had a phone call with someone he knew. Even though the timing was unfortunate, what could I do when I got a call? It wasn't like Chae Yoo-jeong did it on purpose. It's ridiculous to make someone feel this way in a house you live in together. When I came to my senses, I felt ashamed of myself for having been so genuinely  jealous just a moment ago. 'Am I aging backwards?' I couldn't help but sigh at my own pathetic state. I smiled as gently as I could and waved to Chae Yoo-jeong. “Waiting long? It's only been like 10 minutes. Come here.” As I tapped the spot next to me, Chae Yoo-jeong quickly approached me. I didn’t miss the look of relief that briefly crossed his face as he walked over. It was obvious that he was watching me. This is driving me crazy. This is definitely not what I want. Since he will be staying in a dormitory until the end of the season after the vacation, I cannot afford to waste this precious time feeling sorry for myself. I raised the corners of my lips and placed a wine glass in Chae Yoo-jeong's hand so that I would not be intimidated any longer. “It’s okay to answer the phone a hundred times, so stop apologizing and drink.” " Unn ……" “How about this wine? Does it suit your taste?” "It is delicious." Okay, the mood is starting to pick up again. I can't let things get awkward between me and Chae Yoo-jeong over something like a phone call. Of course, I'm really nervous... But what’s more important than that is Chae Yoo-jeong's feelings! And today isn't just any other day, it's Friday night! 'You have to gently seduce him while maintaining the right mood.' It was at the time where I was slowly closing the distance between Chae Yoo-jeong and I, making a rather lecherous plan. Chae Yoo-jeong, unable to meet my gaze, fiddled with his wine glass and opened his mouth. “Hey, Hyung. You know.” "Huh?" What the heck? What is it this time? Chae Yoo-jeong hesitated for a while before finally continuing to speak to me, who was flustered. “……I’ll go out for a bit tomorrow.” “What? Suddenly?” “Ye… Yes. I have an appointment……” Chae Yoo-jeong, who tilted his head without looking into my eyes until the end, added with a timid expression. “Ah, I don’t think it will take long.” “…….” The corners of my lips, which I had been struggling to maintain, slowly lowered. My heart, which had been burning hot with jealousy, cooled down in an instant as if cold water had been poured over it. --- Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Fanatic fan We made a Discord Server ! please join us!

4. That Saturday morning, crocodile tears flowed. They, who had been tormented by their training day and night for a whole week—having to keep their minds sharp and tense even outside of regular hours—couldn't rest on the weekend either. Normally, they would have been free to go out from Friday evening until Sunday evening, but that Saturday, they couldn't even leave the designated area without permission, let alone go out. This was because training resumed on Saturday afternoon. At least for Saturday morning, they were released to conserve some energy, but having been relentlessly overworked until Friday night, they gritted their teeth at the instructors' seemingly merciful words: "Rest in the morning and gather in the afternoon." "If training starts this afternoon, couldn't we just grab one of the instructors' throats and pretend it’s an accident?" "To grab an instructor's throat, you'd have to deal with the instructor as well as the assistant instructors, who are following them…… It'd be tough to handle just one of them, do you have the confidence to take on both at once?" "That's true. Then should we form a team? I'll take the instructor, you take the assistant instructor." "Shall we? Which instructor should we target?" "Obviously, the European branch instructors!" The men, who were lying sprawled on mattresses in the gym instead of exercising, were passing the time with such trivial chatter. Three hours remained until assembly time. "Only two hours until we have to gather," "Only one hour of free time left,"—among those groaning in agony each time they looked at the clock, Jeong Tae-ui sat curled up, hugging his knees. I would have preferred to comfortably lie down in my room and spend a few hours reading a book or solving puzzles— a habit I'd picked up while living with Maurer— but I couldn't achieve my wish because Tou, his roommate, had dragged me along, leaving me stuck here. Jeong Tae-ui watched the European branch members sitting a distance away, examining each one with a deeply puzzled expression, and assumed similar conversations were taking place among them. When Jeong Tae-ui let out a quiet sigh, Yeon Ho, who was lying next to him tossing and turning, asked him what was wrong. Jeong Tae-ui responded thoughtfully with an "Hmm." "It just occurred to me. People outside think UNHRDO is an organization filled with incredibly talented individuals, but these are the men who are UNHRDO members…… Carlo over there, scratching his groin inside his trunks, or Tou, who's been agitated like an opium addict since morning because he ran out of cigarettes, or Qing, the die-hard fan—in our country, we'd call such a guy a 'ppadol'—who still clutches a photo of Mei Yanfang every night, sobbing, 'Why did you leave me and die?……’ If outsiders knew, they'd be utterly distraught." ("Ppadol" (빠돌) is a Korean slang term for an obsessive male fan, often used mockingly.) " Unn……. ……Hearing you say that, it does seem a bit serious, our branch." "But it's quite reassuring to see that they're just as bad over there, not just us." Jeong Tae-ui gestured with his chin towards a group of European branch members huddled against the opposite wall. They were also behaving just as disgracefully. Among them, some were pretending to be barbarians, others who had been sleeping suddenly jumped up and struck someone nearby after being stepped on by a "barbarian," and in one corner, there were even those fiddling with hwatu cards—not even proper playing cards—who knows where they had gotten them from. (Note: "Hwatu" (화투) refers to traditional Korean playing cards used in games like Go-Stop.) I recalled what my uncle had once said: that after leaving here, I wouldn't have to worry about finding a job. Instead, I would be agonizing over where to choose. To deceive so many companies and hand over such individuals as "talented" people for money, this was practically a fraudulent organization……. Jeong Tae-ui stared at them with disdain before turning his head away. But if I thought about it, those kinds of guys were still better. Even if they were a bit odd, from an employer's perspective, they'd be considered successful if they didn't cause problems and simply did what they were told exceptionally well. The problem was graduating guys who couldn't be controlled by an employer and had serious personality issues. For example……. Jeong Tae-ui tried to recall something for a moment, then quickly shook his head. I was about to think of someone it was better not to think about. Constantly thinking about such a person would make one gloomy. "Ah— the break is almost over. I guess I'll have to go out soon. Time for another round of hell is approaching. Ugh, damn it, at times like this, if I could just light one up before going out, things would go smoothly." The future opium addict nervously paced before slumping down next to Jeong Tae-ui. Jeong Tae-ui looked sympathetically at Tou, who, lacking cigarettes, was chewing on a matchstick instead. "Does chewing that make it taste like a cigarette?" "Do you think it would? Ugh…… just one cigarette, no, I don't even wish for that much, I'd just be happy if there was a leftover butt from someone else. Just one puff." If I were to mention now that I hadn't properly smoked the cigarette I had taken from Tou earlier, and had thrown it away as a full-length one, I would surely be beaten to death. I felt the need to apologize to him. "I wonder if any of the European branch guys have cigarettes. Hey, if you happen to smell cigarette smoke on any of the European branch guys during training, let me know later. I'll just beat the hell out of him and get some cigarettes out of him." It seemed like the ideology of extortion, blackmail, and racketeering within the branch was laid bare. Jeong Tae-ui stared at Tou with blank eyes, then turned away. He'd have to buy him some quitting tobacco later. Jeong Tae-ui scratched his head and checked his watch. There wasn't much time left until 1 o'clock, which is supposed to be when the assembly time starts.  He rotated his head left and right to loosen his neck and asked, to no one in particular. "But can you really pretend to hit an instructor during training and call it an accident?" "Hmm, basically it's a free-for-all sparring match. Oh, right, you're new to this. The rules are simple: if you catch 'em, you just beat 'em. And if you get caught, you just get beaten. If you don't want to get hit, you break free and run. When the time is up, the predators become the prey and all the ones chased can do is defend themselves. The predators are strictly on defense. Attacks are only allowed if you’re trying to run away. That's it. However, because the rules are so simple, a lot of accidents happen. In fact, the clause that allows counterattacking to break free and escape, if you think about it, means you can counterattack someone who's attacking you. So, it's only a matter of time before it turns into a free-for-all dogfight." "What kind of rule is that? Can't I just hide somewhere until the time runs out?" "If you hide and get caught, you'll most likely get a group beating. It's better to just run. Well, if you're confident in hiding properly, you can, but the area is limited." Jeong Tae-ui stared dumbfounded at Tou, who was explaining. He couldn't tell if such an utterly barbaric method was truly effective training, but Tou and the others had serious expressions. "It’s no joke, you'd better be careful. If you let down your guard, you’ll be in big trouble."  Carlo mumbled from where he was lying a little distance away. Jeong Tae-ui glanced back at him. I get what they are trying to say. Indeed, as they said, the simpler the rules, the more dangerous the game tends to become. Not only those rules seem to encourage a lot of risks and dangers. Either run unconditionally, or catch the one running and beat them unconditionally. "Seems like, if you can't break free and escape, you could get beaten to death." Jeong Tae-ui clicked his tongue and muttered. It was half a joke, but Qing nodded with a solemn face.  "You might, if you're unlucky. If you’re unlucky enough to be hit in a critical spot, then yeah. Um…… and in your case, you need to be even more careful. The worst degenerate of all has a grudge against you." "……." I didn't need to ask who that degenerate guy was. Even though the man had said he wasn't in the mood to quarrel yesterday, you never knew. His mood might have changed today. That man also seemed to live quite as he pleased. "You have to keep your guards up, because sometimes guys who usually have a grudge against someone take advantage of this time to do terrible things. And though we hope it's not among us, sometimes even teammates take this opportunity to settle scores. It's truly cutthroat." As Qing clicked his tongue and spoke, Alta, standing next to him, replied with sparkling eyes. "On the other hand, if there's someone you usually hate, you can give them a little smack during this opportunity."  Jeong Tae-ui offered a silent prayer for the unknown opponent that Alta held a grudge against. It had been almost a week since the training began, but I still couldn't quite grasp this brutal and vicious atmosphere. Every day, people were injured in various accidents, big and small, and carried away. There were even some who had already died. Within this small island, things that defied common sense were happening as if they were nothing. "I have to get out of here in six months, somehow, or I really feel like I might become like them."  Jeong Tae-ui sighed and mumbled to himself. What I feared most in this situation was precisely this. No matter how unfamiliar the situation a person is thrown into, they gradually adapt over time. It happens without even realizing that they are gradually being dyed by the situation. Everything has its pros and cons, and this place certainly had its advantages, but the disadvantages were just too bad. "It seems like you're not quite getting the hang of it,"  "Remember that video we saw during the combat analysis before the joint training started? That was an edited compilation of footage from this kind of weekend training." Tou said from beside him. Jeong Tae-ui mumbled, "What video...?" before his face hardened. It’s that. The vivid, striking red marks that left scattered traces in that video were unforgettable. "So, you’re saying we’re about to start a training where people can just kill others like it’s nothing? It's kind of funny to even call it training."  Jeong Tae-ui clicked his tongue and muttered, and Tou shrugged. "Not exactly. That was because that guy was a lunatic unlike anyone else. In truth, even if someone isn't the enemy who killed my parents, I wouldn't beat them to death no matter how much I hated them. Sometimes, people die in accidents, but deliberately killing someone is rare. You just have to make sure you don’t run into someone insane like him." After listening to Tou, Jeong Tae-ui was half convinced. Indeed, normally, no matter how much someone dislikes another person, they wouldn't think of killing them unless they were truly extreme. Even without having experienced it, it's due to an instinctive understanding of the weight of murder. ……If that's the case, then just how terrifying a grudge has that guy accumulated for so many people to line up and rush at him, while willing to risk their own lives to kill him? Jeong Tae-ui's mouth felt bitter. Well, in life, it's possible to encounter people you'd want to kill even if it meant throwing everything away. A life without such encounters would probably be a happy one. "Hey, time's up. Shall we get going?" "Aah, yeah. Let's make it out alive." Carlo stood up first and spoke, and the other men also rose from their seats, responded. When Carlo stood up and spoke in front of him, the other men rose from their seats and responded. Jeong Tae-ui desperately wished he could stay put, not wanting to face the bleak hell that awaited him outside. However, Tou grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him up, forcing him to reluctantly rise. *** ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Tâmago We made a discord server! please join us!

#2 *** "Hey, Ji-han- ssi . Are you seeing anyone right now? If not, would you like me to introduce you?" In front of a company building, bathed in warm midday sunlight. On my way back to the office after lunch, I received an unexpected offer of introduction. "I’m seeing someone. Sorry." I thought the news that I had a lover had already spread a long time ago. It seems that he didn't know because he was a representative of another team and had recently come from an overseas branch. The other person sighed playfully as if he had expected me to reject him. “Phew, as expected? Well, it’s strange that you don’t have this face. I poked you just in case, since you weren’t wearing a ring.” "You didn't know, sir. When Ji-han- ssi  first joined the company, there was so much chaos. People were going around everywhere, oh my." "Ji-han- ssi , you said you had a girlfriend back then too, right?" "Yes. It's the same person as before." "Wow." When I told them this with a smile, the chattering employees looked surprised. Why were they surprised? “Hasn’t it been over a year since you joined the company?” "It's been a long time since we last met." "Are you getting married? Ah, Ji-han- ssi , you're not even thirty yet." Marriage…… 'It's good if you do it.' Realistically, it might be difficult to get married for real, but wouldn't it be possible to go somewhere quiet and have a wedding for just the two of us? 'Then I have to make sure to put a white wedding veil on Yoo-jeong.' And I'll take 100 pictures. It'll be so pretty…… “But Ji-han- ssi , you two have been together for quite some time, but you don’t have a ring?” I was lost in thought for a moment, but then I came to my senses when I heard the next question. The attendant who pressed the elevator button gave me a puzzled look. “These days, when young people meet, they all get rings. Ah, did you take it off for a while because you were working?” Ring? “Yeah, whatever.” When I smiled and nodded, the agent smiled back, saying he knew it. Fortunately, after that, the topic of conversation shifted to the price of accessories. I ignored the grumblings of people who lamented that gold prices are no joke these days and that pretty things are expensive, and I thought of rings. ‘Come to think of it… I never thought about getting a ring.’ To be exact, when we met, we were so busy biting and sucking that we didn't pay attention to other things. I've been in relationships many times, but I've never been the one to suggest a ring first. 'This is my fault.' Chae Yoo-jeong is dating for the first time, so of course he doesn't know. I’ll prepare one in advance. I should have given it to you as a gift. Of course, it would be inconvenient to wear a ring as a professional gamer, but these days, many people wear it on a chain as a necklace, so it shouldn't be a big problem. ‘If I get matching ones, will it be like a couple rings?’ Just imagining the ring that would be placed on Chae Yoo-jeong's pretty and elegant hand made a happy smile appear on my face. 'Why!' Why didn't I buy it sooner? It's so good just by imagining it. I returned to the office humming to myself and immediately started searching for rings as soon as I sat down. 'First, I'll find something pretty this time and buy it. Later, I'll have to get my engagement ring and wedding ring custom made.' I would have liked to have a couple ring custom-made in a design that would suit Chae Yoo-jeong, but my patience was too short for that. Dalgak, Dalgak. The speed of my finger clicking the mouse becomes faster and faster. Click, click, click……  So I searched like crazy for the ring until the person sitting next to me asked if it was time to clock out…… *** On the way to Chae Yoo-jeong's company after finishing work. As soon as 6 p.m. passed, the roads became congested. I sighed softly as I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, looking at the cars lined up in front of me. 'The ring... I couldn't decide in the end.' I looked around online shopping malls to find out about the latest designs, but I couldn't find anything I liked. Should I make time to go around the department store? No, before that, I need to know his finger size. 'How do I find out the size? Should I secretly measure it while my baby is sleeping?' Well, there aren't many chances. Chae Yoo-jeong will go back to his accommodations after his vacation is over. There is a way to get the ring fitted by consulting with the person, but honestly, I'm not really attracted to that. 'But it's your first ring! I want to give it to you as a cool gift as an event!' Since we don't have much time, it might be difficult to give him something big, but wouldn't it be possible to prepare a bouquet of roses and give it to him? If Chae Yoo-jeong sheds tears of joy after receiving the ring, I couldn't ask for anything more. As I was thinking about Chae Yoo-jeong, the road cleared. I drove straight to Chae Yoo-jeong's company building and parked my car in the parking lot next to the building entrance instead of the underground parking lot. 'Is the interview over?' As I got out of the car and tapped on my cell phone to make a phone call, a rustling sound was heard from the entrance of the building. Beyond the parked cars, I saw familiar faces. It was Chae Yoo-jeong, who came out of the building with his team members. Good timing. The moment I was about to call Chae Yoo-jeong with a smile. “Hyung, so are you dating that reporter?” The youngest member of the team's reckless question rang in my ears. ‘...... Unn ?' I froze with my mouth open, trying to call out to Chae Yoo-jeong. That would be the case, because the youngest’s gaze was clearly directed at Chae Yoo-jeong. 'Hey, I must be mistaken.' But before I could even try to calm my embarrassment, the other team members also opened their mouths one after another. “Crazy. This is the first time I’ve actually seen someone get a number in real life. I’m freaking out.” “Hyung Yoo-jeong, do you have a lot of experiences like this?” “This guy gets a ton of numbers when he signs autographs. He even writes his number on his letters all the time.” “But isn’t this the first time you’ve given someone else your number?” “The reporter is pretty.” “I guess it’s your style.” I blankly listened to the conversation that followed. So to summarize…… 'Chae Yoo-jeong… exchanged numbers with a reporter?' Did the reporter even ask for your number first? 'Chae Yoo-jeong didn't reject her and gave her your number?' It felt as if I was doused with a bucket of cold water, the joy in my imagination dampening. Unlike my cool head, my chest was boiling as if I had swallowed a ball of fire. I couldn't control my facial expression at all, so I touched the corner of my mouth with my hand, and soon I heard Chae Yoo-jeong's indifferent answer. “Stop talking nonsense and go quickly.” The hand pressing down on the hardened lips gained strength. ‘…You’re not denying it?’ Are you sure you gave her the number? I felt incredibly dirty. I rubbed the back of my neck, which was so sore, wondering what to do about it. “Huh? Aren’t you going to eat together with us?” “I have a separate appointment.” At that moment, my eyes met with Chae Yoo-jeong's as he turned his head to the side to take out his cell phone. "Hyung?" Chae Yoo-jeong's expressionless face suddenly brightened and his eyes sparkled. “I was going to call you…! Did you just get here?” “Uh? Uh, Unn .” It felt like a halo was shining behind Chae Yoo-jeong, who was smiling with a faint blush on both cheeks. As I approached him, captivated by his pretty appearance, the team members I often ran into whenever I went to pick up Chae Yoo-jeong greeted me first. “Ah, Hyung- nim ! Hello!” "Hello!" "Hi." “Do you two want to go eat together?” “ Unn . Are you guys going out for dinner too?” “We’re going to eat tonkatsu right in front of you!” They are so big, but when you look at them talking to each other, saying "Hyung" or "Hyung", you can tell they are just kids. After all, the youngest one is a minor who just turned 19, and the other three are also minors. I was in my early 20s, so I seemed childish at times like this. Chae Yoo-jeong, who seemed endlessly cute to me, is the oldest and most dignified member of the team. "See you next time, Hyung-nims." "Goodbye." "Okay. Enjoy your dinner." The team members who bowed their heads politely left first. “Shall we go too?” As I gently held Chae Yoo-jeong's hand, who was staring at me regardless of whether the children went or not, his white cheeks turned bright red. "Yes." I headed to the parking lot with Chae Yoo-jeong following me, holding my hand. Chae Yoo-jeong, sitting in the passenger seat, opened his mouth while fastening his seatbelt. “Are you going home?” The very question of whether to return to the 'home' where we live together is full of anticipation in the voice. When I saw that, I felt sorry for having been angry a moment earlier. 'Yeah. There must be a reason.' Is Chae Yoo-jeong the type of person who would casually hand out his number? Above all, he likes me that much, so there's no way he'd look at another woman. I started the car, feeling a corner of my heart that had been slightly frozen loosen up. "I have a reservation at a place. Let's stop by there, have dinner, and then go home. Let's have a quick glass of wine. What do you think?" “G-great!” Cute. He smiled happily, then I took advantage of the moment when the car stopped to ask slyly. "How was the interview?" "Yes. It was an interview that was arranged in advance, so it ended without a problem." The LVS team has a lot of fans because they have been winning for several years, but on the other hand, there are also a lot of places in the community that write malicious comments or articles criticizing them. But this time, the company said they would carefully select and select a place that would do a good job, so I think it'll be okay. After thinking for a moment, I continued asking questions in a way that made it sound as natural as possible. "Um, that... reporter? Did you do it with someone you already knew?" " Unn ? No. It was the first time I met her!" Chae Yoo-jeong answered cheerfully, although he looked puzzled. “Is that so?” You gave your number to someone you just met? My hands gripped the steering wheel with strength and my veins popped out. *** FF: Why not just talk, this is redundant?! --- Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Fanatic fan We made a Discord Server ! please join us!

Hyeon Gyu-ha took out the pendant that he had carelessly thrown into the subspace. Under the sunlight, the blood was even more vividly red. After absorbing the eyeball, it was urging him more and more. Find the scattered keys quickly, open the door, and come to Iad. Fulfill your duty as the king's son. “Fuck saying that.” If it had been up to me, I would have smashed the pendant a hundred times over. The reason I didn't was clear. One to find my mother. Another one is meeting my father…… The ringtone of my cell phone that suddenly started to ring shook my mind. It was the default ringtone that I hadn't changed at all from the initial settings that were set when I bought the phone. Hyeon Gyu-ha took a deep breath and cut off his irritating thoughts. He got up from his seat, threw the pendant back into the subspace, and answered the phone. "Hello." -Hunter Hyeon, it's me. Min Keut-nyeo didn't mind the insincere greeting. It was too early in the morning to make a call. However, as he only slept 3 or 4 hours a day, he was usually awake even at dawn. Even though she knew that, acquaintances like Lee Hye-yeon and Kwon Seong-gil were careful not to contact him in the early morning or late at night, but Min Keut-nyeo was not that kind of person. If she had something to say, she would call regardless of the time, and today was no different. -I'm late in getting back to you because I'm on a business trip to Germany. Judging from the condition of your car, it looks like it's been in a few accidents. Are you hurt? "If that could hurt me, I would have been dead at the gate already." - Yeah, that's true. A low laugh was mixed in Min Keut-nyeo's listless voice, as if she was relieved. - Can you send me the same car again? “It’s okay. There are a lot of cars in the parking lot that Nu- nim  gave me.” -Why are you suddenly driving a car? If you've switched from a bike to a car, do you want to be our company's model? The promotional video for the talent agency was chosen amazingly. Call? “Why do you need a call?” Hyeon Gyu-ha laughed at her joke and lay back down on the roof. As the sunlight was getting warmer, he didn’t forget to take out the parasol and set it up. In Yoo-shin evaluated Kwon Seong-gil, who had white skin because he worked indoors, as a handsome man.  It seemed that he liked white skin. While Hyeon Gyu-ha was thinking about it, he took out sunscreen and applied it. “I got dressed up to do the courtship dance for my boyfriend, but I thought I’d look better in a sports car.” -Aah, that boyfriend? Come to think of it, that Goog guy was the one who did background checks on In Yoo-shin- ssi . Hyeon Gyu-ha hung up the phone immediately. And just before he flew towards Narsha Guild, he got a call from Min Keut-nyeo again. “I’m busy.” -Before we take that guy down, we should hear him out completely. We didn't do any special investigation, just looked over his personal information. We didn't assign anyone to him or anything like that. “Hmm.” Hyeon Gyu-ha sat down on the roof again. “Why would Gong Tae-seong do something like that?” -Well, from what I've heard, Gong-ssi's condition seems to be a bit bad. They say he's sometimes heard muttering to himself, and that he speaks in a northern dialect. "Put him in a mental hospital." -Anyway, when I meet Gong- ssi  next time, I'll take care of it, no, I'll crack down on it. "But who did you hear all that from?" -Jun-su. He still hopes that Gong- ssi  and I will get back together, so he tells me a lot of stories. “It’s a vain dream.” I can only think of Gong Tae-seong's secretary, who had no idea that she was being used as an informant by someone who was a close friend in private but a rival in the guild in public. -Let's have a meal together sometime next time, with In Yoo-shin- ssi  along. “Yoo-shin- ssi  is delicate. If he meets a third-generation chaebol like Nu- nim  and eats beside him, it’s obvious that he’ll get sick, so he can’t do that.” - Ahahaha……Then I guess we should get to know each other slowly. When he hung up the phone, the surrounding area was bright. He could see people leaving for work early already out on the streets. HyeonGyu-ha thought back to the Gong Tae-seong he had seen so far. I thought that the reason he had greeted and spoken to In Yoo-shin was because he was trying to recruit him to the Narsha Guild, but seeing that he had even investigated it separately, I wonder if there was another ulterior motive. “…….” I had no idea at all. I doubt his interest is in that direction, or at least I want to believe so. But if In Yoo-shin feels even more for that guy who is much older than himself…… Hyeon Gyu-ha took a deep breath because the same pain came rushing back when he had the misunderstanding that he had been abandoned just by imagining it. He raised the coordinates. In Yoo-shin was still within the area he recognized. He let out a sigh and sat down on the roof helplessly. His heart started beating fast and pounding in his ears. How could such feelings not be true? “Ah, but.” Hyeon Gyu-ha looked at the coordinates without thinking. By now, In Yoo-shin should have woken up and was getting ready for work, but he was still standing still and very quiet. He immediately made a phone call. -………………hello. A sleepy voice answered the phone. He secretly let out a sigh of relief. I thought he was sick and lying down, but it seemed he just overslept. “I called to tell you not to forget your umbrella because the weather forecast said it would rain today. Were you sleeping?” - What time is it now……. Gasp! A single scream was heard from the other end of the phone. -I'm going to wash up first! See you later! Ugh, why didn't I hear the alarm? Feeling In Yoo-shin's hurried steps to wash up, Hyeon Gyu-ha happily pondered whether he should give him a wake-up call starting tomorrow. And I was surprised again at myself for thinking, 'This is fun.' I had been so anxious just a moment ago, but just hearing his voice made my heart flutter and I felt happy. Life is not boring. *** I quickly washed up, packed food for 6-se and the 8-se, and ran outside. I didn't have time to eat until breakfast, so I bought bread and milk at the neighborhood supermarket on the way. If it weren't for Hyeon Gyu-ha, I would have been really late. If I had said that today was a big deal, this was it. Perhaps because of all the things I went through yesterday, the peace of today felt very strange. It felt like a sudden gate would open in the sky at any moment, or some kind of curse would creep out, but the world was quiet. The rain that the weather forecast predicted stopped after an hour. In Yoo-shin was writing a work report that he couldn't finish yesterday because he had to leave work early, and Kim Ji-yeon, who sits next to him in this office, asked me a question. “About the hamster pajamas Hunter-nim was wearing yesterday. Would it be possible to know where you bought them?” “Ah, he said that was custom-made. Wait a minute, I’ll ask.” In Yoo-shin sent a text message to Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was filming an interview in the conference room. Originally, the digital communication team had planned to upload the broadcast footage after the live ended. However, it fell through due to the final aggro. Of course, even so, thanks to Hyeon Gyu-ha's fans' other videos, the problematic scene was already being circulated as a meme. The digital communication team decided to film a separate promotional interview video while pretending not to know about the fact and reading the script. It was a desperate attempt to hide the aggro a little by pasting it into the dungeon training video that would be released on Monday. Hyeon Gyu-ha replied right away, whether it was during a break in filming or because he ignored filming. “Thank you. The pajamas are so cute, I was looking to buy them too, but I couldn’t find any.” “Wouldn’t it be too expensive if I order privately?” “It’s okay because the unit price will go down if you buy it together.” If it's hamster pajamas, there should be ready-made ones available too. Would there really be that many people willing to go as far as organizing a group purchase to buy them? In Yoo-shin was curious, but since she had a really happy expression on her face, he didn't ask any more questions. At lunchtime, Hyeon Gyu-ha met Park Seung-gi, who had brought the rare item he had been waiting for, and they had a meal together. He, who is faithful to his business partners, developed the childhood photos of In Yoo-shin as he had promised and handed them over on a USB. It would be rare for someone to be happy to spend time with a couple of friends, but Park Seung-gi didn't care. He was a prepared graduate student who could become a servant to a couple of friends if he could pick up the fallen beans next to the ranker hunter. 'Why does this kid have all the pictures that I don't have?' While In Yoo-shin was dumbfounded, Hyeon Gyu-ha was staring at the photo as if he was being sucked in. The meal had already been put on the back burner, and the risotto he had only eaten two bites of had already gotten cold. It had only been a few years since I graduated from high school, but looking at the photos, it felt like a long time had passed. In Yoo-shin looked down at himself in his middle and high school uniform. 'I don't really have any good memories from school because I was secretly bullied... But now that I think about it, I guess it wasn't all that bad.' When I would return home, there were children from the orphanage who were like real brothers to me, and monks who warmly welcomed me like a father. That alone was enough to keep me alive, even though I was struggling with the memories of being expelled. Anyway, Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was engrossed in the picture, didn't even think of looking up. “Gyu-ha- ssi , aren’t you going to eat?” Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had been staring at the photo as if he would bury himself in it, even forgot to answer, finally raised his gaze when the two people had finished emptying their plates. In Yoo-shin flinched when their eyes met. It was an expression he had never seen before. ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M, eteryl If you wanna become a translator, editor or proofreader, please use the discord link given below and follow the instructions in the recruit channel. We made a discord server! please join us!

“We can’t go on like this.”   “Huh? What?”   “ Two  hours.”   Two hours?  Hyeon Gyu-ha waved his hand with his index and middle fingers outstretched at In Yoo-shin, who was looking at him curiously.   “I want to call you every two hours. After having such a thrilling experience with Yoo-shin in the dungeon, I can’t help but want to see you more and more. I will resist the urge to call you every 30 minutes, so I compromised on two hours.”   “If it’s every two hours, then that’s a bit……”   “Can’t you?”   “That’s……”   “……”   “Can’t you?”   “……”   “Can’t you?”   “……”   Even though I knew it was all an act, I couldn’t bring myself to say no when that convincing face looked at me with such pitiful eyes. Wasn’t the original sin of taming him my fault in the first place?   Well, if it’s just two or three hours…   “…… You can.”   “Great. If you say anything else later, I’ll get upset.”   As soon as Yoo-shin said he could, Hyeon Gyu-ha dropped his pitiful gaze and became a well-fed cat again. It seemed that it’s true that he’s a vampire that sucked some types of energy, such as vitality or spirit.   “Now that we’re done with the important task, please take a look at this.”   They had lunch together in the cafeteria and were hanging out in the rooftop garden as usual. While In Yoo-shin was visiting dungeons and working on civil affairs, work on the promotional video was also progressing steadily.   What Hyeon Gyu-ha showed him were scenario drafts.   “Yoo-shin -ssi , what do you want me to film here?”   “Isn’t there anything you want to do?”   “It doesn’t matter. If possible, it would be better to have a video that is good for Master to watch.”   In Yoo-shin took the printed drafts and flipped through them.   This was Hyeon Gyu-ha’s first video in 28 years of life. Moreover, this video may be the last. The director’s ulterior motive to get the absolute most out of Hyeon Gyu-ha was fully contained within the proposal.   To roughly summarize the scenarios, they were as follows:   1. Hyeon Gyu-ha, wet for no reason.   2. Hyeon Gyu-ha, naked for no reason.   3. Hyeon Gyu-ha, taking a shower for no reason.   4. Hyeon Gyu-ha, decadently world-weary for no reason.   5. Hyeon Gyu-ha, lying in bed for no reason.   6. Hyeon Gyu-ha, holding a whip for no reason.   7. Hyeon Gyu-ha, licking cream for no reason.   8. Hyeon Gyu-ha, with his clothes getting torn for no reason.   9. Hyeon Gyu-ha……   “Hey, if we film something like this, won’t we get caught by the Korea Communications Commission?”   It’s not just a commercial for an ordinary company, but a promotional video for a government department.   “What can I do when my very existence is 19+?”   “……”   “What are you into?”   In Yoo-shin glanced at his brightly smiling face and his beauty, dazzling even today, and imagined. Hyeon Gyu-ha, wet from his shower, with his clothes torn, decadently world-weary and lying on a bed holding a whip, licking cream…  His heart rate rose. I thought I had been straight all my life without any doubts but imagination was very unhealthy for my heart.   ‘Can’t we film this all in a series?’   To be honest, I was curious about everything. The thought that no matter what he filmed, it would be over 19+—no, it would be a great video. Wouldn’t it be helpful to share a good-looking face with everyone instead of monopolizing it to contribute to humanity?   While he was in the middle of serious thinking, there was a knock on the door, and an employee holding a selfie stick and a cell phone bowed in.   “Hello, Hunter- nim ! And In Yoo-shin! I am Ohana from the Digital Communication Team. I’m filming the Ministry of Ability’s vlog. Can I film Hunter- nim ?”   “As long as Yoo-shin- ssi  is not exposed.”   “Of course! Even if he’s accidentally recorded, we’ll make sure to edit him out with effects like mosaics and voice alteration.”   After receiving permission, Ohana went out the door again and started filming the scene coming in, and In Yoo-shin quickly took refuge on the bench opposite her.   “This is a secret place that only people in the company know about, so we tried to keep it a secret, but then we heard that the hottest person in our company is here, and today is special! This is disclosed only to you. Ta-da! Hello, Hunter Hyeon Gyu-ha- nim ! I am Ohana, the youngest vlogger of the DSO team.”   “Yeah.”   Hyeon Gyu-ha smiled and shook hands with her. Previously, I wouldn’t have noticed the difference, but now I knew without having to open the status window. His smile was a sour, soulless one.   [Current Status: Murderous. Intrigued. Bored]   He immediately felt a sense of boredom shortly after we separated—will the filming be okay……?   “I got information that you’ve been visiting the rooftop garden a lot lately! What were you doing today?”   “I was on a date with Master.”   “Cut! Cut! Cut!”   In Yoo-shin unconsciously crossed his arms in the shape of an X and shouted.   “What should I do if he says ‘Master’ while we’re filming?”   “If I can’t call you Master, what should I call you? Is this the Joseon Dynasty now, where you can’t even openly acknowledge your father and brother as yours?” (Hyeon Gyu-ha is referencing The Biography of Hong Gildong,  specifically the concept of hobuhohyung  (호부호형 or 呼父呼兄): being denied the right to address one’s father and brother by their proper titles.)   “What does that have to do with hobuhohyung ?”   “Yoo-shin- ssi , are you embarrassed of me?”   Unlike In Yoo-shin, whose neck was even red, Hyeon Gyu-ha tilted his head with a sad face, and Ohana smiled awkwardly.   “Haha…… You two are just like what I heard.”   I wondered what she had heard……  In Yoo-shin felt a little sad.   Unlike employees of the Ministry of Ability who were familiar with Hyeon Gyu-ha, Ohana was from another department, so she was still unfamiliar with hearing ‘Master.’ In response to her tearful efforts in adapting to that title, In Yoo-shin held on to Hyeon Gyu-ha and begged him to leave out ‘Master,’ and Hyeon Gyu-ha let out a pitiful sigh.   “If Master wants it, I must obey.”   “Hahaha. Then let’s start filming again. Hmm, hmm. I received information that people are visiting the rooftop garden often these days! What were you doing today?”   “I was on a date with my boyfriend.”   He did not forget about dates.   The filming that started like this went in such a direction that Yoo-shin couldn’t tell if it was the Ministry of Ability’s vlog or Hyeon Gyu-ha’s vlog. Ohana, who was chatting like an interviewer, pointed to the documents placed on the bench.   “May I ask what document you were looking at? Oh, if you don’t want to answer this question, I’ll edit it out!”   “Promotional video drafts. My boyfriend and I were deciding what to do here.”   “Wow. I’m really curious about what you’ll choose! I’d like to know it a bit, but I’ll hold back for the fun of watching the video without spoilers! Come to think of it, the Hunter on our DSO team is almost like a deus ex machina (a contrived power or plot device that resolves a hopeless situation) for me. I’m telling you, Hunter- nim , even a coffee machine over a million won would probably get immediate approval on the expenditure report if your name were attached to it.”   “Oh right. Now that I think about it, Maste—”   “Gyu-ha- ssi ! Cut!”   “Ah right. Now that I think about it, I hadn’t considered buying a coffee machine before since my boyfriend doesn’t drink coffee often, but after hearing Ohana’s story, it seems like a good idea.”   “Ah, did I help Hunter- nim  in some way?”   “I’m thinking of installing a coffee machine in the first floor’s break room.”   As he spoke, Hyeon Gyu-ha sent a text message on his cell phone.   “It’s a law firm that handles not only consultations but even miscellaneous tasks. YJ Law Firm: please give it lots of interest. In particular, my attorney is a very capable person recommended by the vice-chairman of Yangsa Group. Attorney Yoo, I’ve given you solid publicity, so please make me a good coffee from a good coffee machine.”   Due to the adults’ circumstances, the law firm’s promotion was edited out, but Attorney Yoo delivered a 30-million-won coffee machine and charged it to Hyun Gyuha’s card. The Ministry of Ability panicked for a moment, wondering if supplies worth tens of millions of won could be given to a government agency, but Gyu-ha explained it away by claiming that he had brought the personal items of In Yoo-shin, an employee. No one had the guts big enough to return the items Hyeon Gyu-ha sent.   On the day the coffee machine was installed, even other departments besides the Department of Public Welfare came to see and get a cup of coffee.   “I’ll enjoy my coffee!”   “Please compliment me more.”   “I am so blessed! Your Highness!”   People around Gyu-ha burst into laughter as he imitated a sudden bow.   [Current Status: Murderous. Intrigued. Bored.]   In Yoo-shin was sipping his coffee and looking at his status window with concern.   “Hunter -nim , so, I don’t have to buy coffee separately every morning, right?”   Hyeon Gyu-ha mercilessly crushed the hopes of Team Leader Hong, who asked with excitement.   “How can people live by only drinking coffee? You have to eat bread too.”   “Ha, haha! Yeah, that’s right. I’ll continue to bring desserts!”   “Salt bread too.”   “Yes!”   Kim Ji-yeon, who was stroking the coffee machine with a dreamy look in her eyes, took a picture and secretly tapped on her phone.   - Look at my bias’s tribute gift.   “……”   In Yoo-shin, who happened to see her cell phone screen, decided not to look at the message she was writing on a forum post.   ***   - Did you see the coffee machine Hyeon Gyu-ha put in the Ministry of Ability?   That’s something they only use in hotels ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋhe probably brought it for his lover, but he brought something like that not home but ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋat work ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ   ㄴThe lover said out loud that he doesn’t drink coffee at work often.   ㄴㄴI wish he won’t just throw away the money he wasted on him.   ㄴis he a homo or something because he has nothing to suck up to? are you all homo too??   ㄴㄴWhether you’re fucking with a man or a woman, who cares???   ㄴㄴㄴBut these days, Hyeon Gyu-ha can’t even beat monsters, right? He’s dating instead?   ㄴㄴㄴㄴ My cousin is in the Ministry of Ability, and he reported that a privately owned dungeon was closed a few days ago.   ㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴ When people close a dungeon, they come in groups and advertise it everywhere, but that bastard goes alone and closes them without a word ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ   ㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴ It’s good to be alive and not be dead. If your boyfriend asks you to take a photo for his photo book, don’t you think he will take it for you? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠBoyfriend, please, please. The next one is a picture of him. ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Gyu pls..pls..   ㄴWe’re begging his boyfriend, not Gyuha. No one has mentioned his boyfriend’s name yet, right?   ㄴㄴI don’t know his full name, but his last name is In-ssi.   ㄴㄴㄴPlsplsplsplease   ㄴWhen I can see and touch them every day, why would I need something like a photobook?ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ   ㄴI’m really curious about the promotional video... Will the Ministry of Ability upload that to a vlog as well?   ㄴㄴIt’s uploaded   ㄴㄴㄴIs Ministry of Ability part of Gyu-ha’s agencyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ   ㄴㄴWhen they uploaded the raw video footage, I saw that he was covered up in the draft.   ㄴㄴㄴWhat on earth are you filmingㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ   ***   “So, which draft do you like?”   The director, who signed a contract with the Ministry of Ability to film a promotional video, nervously rubbed his palms together. In contrast, Hyeon Gyu-ha indifferently tapped one of the draft plans.   “This one. I didn’t care about anything, but my lover chose it.”   “Ooh, as expected! I also thought that this draft perfectly matched the image of Hunter Hyeon. Did your lover tell you why he specifically chose it?”   “No. He didn’t say much, but when my lover looked at the drafts, his eyes stayed here for 12.48 seconds longer than the average.”   “W-well, you two seem to be getting along well. Hahaha……”   The director smiled brightly. PA : The list of “No Reason” is the best (∗•ω•∗), The design of the CF was chosen because of 12.48 sec. q(^-^q) Editor M: The director and I are looking at each other like, ‘Hunter -nim  keeps track of how long IYS looks at something, down to the nanosecond? Bro is a professional  stalker.‘ (  ⊙_⊙) (⊙_⊙  ) ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: PsycheAsylum, Editor M We made a discord server! please join us!

Even when he wasn’t an official hunter, if he came across an incident like a bank robbery on his way, he would clean it up as if he were throwing away trash, because that’s the kind of hunter he was. Hyeon Gyu-ha shrugged his shoulders. “I only work solo. And my top priority is Master’s safety.” “I hate taking orders from that crazy bastard too, so why don’t you just take the lead, Lee Hye-yeon- ssi ?” “You’re not saying you’re going to completely abandon the civilians, are you?” “Hmph. Annoying tasks like that are none of my business.” Temporarily assigned as the leader, Lee Hye-yeon checked the strength of the total number of people. There were around forty ordinary people and low-level awakened individuals who were practically the same as ordinary people, as well as two S-class, two A-class, one C-class, and three D-class Hunters. There was no need to worry too much about how to direct them. “The other hunters, including Jin-hyeok and I, will protect the civilians here, so you two can explore the east and west separately. Once we know the location of the dungeon boss, we can split into teams again. If you can capture it, just kill it right away.” “Who’s going east and who’s going west?” “It’s not important, so let’s just play rock-paper-scissors.” “I’ll take the west. Since Yoo-shin’s hometown is Kaesong, he has liked the west since a long time ago.” “……?” While people made expressions like ‘What are you talking about?’ Yoo-shin carefully interpreted Hyeon Gyu-ha(’s words). “I think it’s because Kaesong is located west of Seoul.” “Gyu-ha is clearly something else for saying stuff like that, but you’re also amazing for understanding him.” “It’s the loving bond between a Master and his pet.” “Mind your own business. Anyway, be careful out there.” Before Lee Hye-yeon could even finish her instructions, Gong Tae-seong strode toward the main stadium on the east side of the playground, holding a sword in one hand. “Are you going to follow Gyu-ha too?” “Being next to Gyu-ha- ssi  is safest.” “Okay, let’s say that’s true…… but shouldn’t you put away the pajamas?” “Ah.” Realizing his mistake, In Yoo-shin returned the hamster pajamas with a slight blush. Hyeon Gyu-ha openly showed his disappointment as he stored them away into his inventory. “…… Let’s wear them when we get home.” Hyeon Gyu-ha sullenly wiggled his pinky finger, and In Yoo-shin quickly hooked their fingers and stamped the seal of promise. Only then did he smile brightly. It was a strange smile since his entire face lacked shadows, but he still looked handsome to In Yoo-shin. “Ah, wait. In Yoo-shin.” Choi Jin-hyeok traced the attribute artifact tattoo etched near his Adam’s apple with his finger. As the noble family crest-like tattoo glowed, blue mana gathered in a spherical shape at his fingertips. It was about the size of a ping pong ball. “This is poison. If you infuse it with mana and throw it, it will explode, so use it when you’re in danger—although, I don’t think you’ll need to use it since Hyeon Gyu-ha is here.” “Thank you!” In Yoo-shin nodded in surprise. As a man of few words, he hadn’t spoken much, so being specially taken care of was both unexpected and heartwarming. Park Seung-gi, who had been drooling as he filmed the surrounding area, shouted belatedly. “If there’s danger, hide behind Hunter- nim  no matter what!” In Yoo-shin followed Hyeon Gyu-ha towards the west side. Before entering the main building, he turned around to look back. The colorless, lifeless world composed entirely of black and white was filled with colorful beings devoid of shadows. As if the separate dimensions were the result of forcibly twisting together, the sight of them induced a primal revulsion. A blank, pristine white sky, devoid of sun, moon, stars, or clouds, gazed down upon them. * “Be careful.” Hyeon Gyu-ha caught In Yoo-shin just as he was about to trip over a loose cracked tile. The piece of pavement that In Yoo-shin kicked flew into a deep, crevasse-like crack in the ground. It was such a deep chasm that the tile, which had been bouncing as it fell, made no sound when it finally hit the bottom. With In Yoo-shin tucked under his arm, Hyeon Gyu-ha leaped effortlessly over the split ground, landing directly at the entrance to the main building. In Yoo-shin touched the exterior wall of the building, which was mint-colored until recently. Some of its rough, worn-out surface had crumbled. Incongruous as if the background had been edited to black and white, leaving only his apricot-colored hand, the scenery was unfamiliar. The glass door at the entrance to the main building was shattered into pieces, and half of the stairs had collapsed. The once smooth stair railing was now covered in peeling paint and dark red rust. “Seems like they didn’t cut corners in the construction process. It looks fairly sturdy. I don’t think there’s any danger of it collapsing.” Even if the building were to collapse, Hyeon Gyu-ha would make sure we stayed safe.  In Yoo-shin carefully climbed the stairs while holding onto Gyu-ha’s sleeve. The outdoor area, where the sun didn't rise, and the indoor area, devoid of any light source, were equally bright. Feet that couldn’t even cast shadows steadily walked down the silent corridor. The elevator was half-open and stopped on the first floor. He pressed the button just in case, but there was no response at all. “I wonder if the gate broke loose just as the elevator was about to reach the first floor and open its doors?” “It could have happened the moment the door was about to close.” There was a building directory posted next to the central staircase. Although the film was peeling and damaged in several places, it was not difficult to discern it. The building had one basement floor and three above-ground floors. Hyeon Gyu-ha lightly tapped the directory with the back of his hand as In Yoo-shin took a picture with his phone, just in case. “We can look at the basement first, and then make our way up. Is that okay?” In Yoo-shin nodded in agreement, and the fingertips that ran through his hair were gentle. Fortunately, the stairs leading down to the basement were not badly damaged. Descending the stairs in long, swift strides, Hyeon Gyu-ha surveyed his surroundings and, leaning over the railing, clicked his tongue. “The basement is ruined.” In Yoo-shin followed along quietly and peeked his head out from the side. A black liquid, like spilled ink, was sloshing at the bottom of the stairs. “Looks like it’s flooded. But surprisingly, even though the water is pitch black, it looks quite clean, doesn’t it?” It was very transparent, almost like Grade 1 water. Water was the most essential thing for survival. If I were in a pinch, couldn’t I just scoop up some of this water and drink it?  Hyeon Gyu-ha shook his head as if he had read his thoughts. “You shouldn’t drink it. It looks like normal water on the outside, but you would never know if it had been contaminated or mutated somehow. The boss mob might be in the basement, so let’s look around first.” There was a parking lot and an electrical room in the basement. Holding In Yoo-shin, Hyeon Gyu-ha floated down into the flooded basement, and amidst the sudden silence posed a question. “What do you think will cause the destruction of the world?” “Nuclear war? Environmental pollution? Or maybe a meteorite strike, like when the dinosaurs went extinct……” “All of these are possible, as Yoo-shin- ssi  said. It could be the start of an ice age, or maybe zombies will appear, or perhaps it’s the doing of a mad archmage, or maybe God will wash everything away with a flood.” “You’re saying that we shouldn’t drink the water because we don’t know why the world inside the gate was destroyed?” “Very smart.” With a somewhat pleased smile on his face, Hyeon Gyu-ha left the machine room and slowly flew through the parking lot. “If there was long-term profitability like other gates, there might be research to find out the cause of the destruction, but erosion gates are a one-time dungeon. If you’re lucky, you’ll die immediately, but if you’re unlucky, you might turn into something like a monster.” “So, an instantaneous death is considered lucky, huh……” “Since we came in without protective gear, we’ll have to undergo various tests even after we clear this. But at least it seems like there’s no zombie virus in the air.” After saying that, Hyeon Gyu-ha gently narrowed his eyes. “I’d gladly let Master’s teeth sink into me if you become a zombie. It would be my pleasure.” “…… I’ll be careful not to turn into a zombie.” As hazy waves spread across the still water, like a lake deep in the mountains, Hyeon Gyu-ha stretched out his arm. The black mist that seemed to be rising in the distance burst with a bang, unable to withstand the pressure of the air pressing down on it. The pitch-black water greedily sucked in the remains of the mist, and then became quiet again. “Is that a monster?” “Although we lump them together with monsters, they’re a bit different. They don’t have crystal cores. Plus, their physical bodies are pretty weak.” Even after killing more than ten monsters, the dungeon boss did not show up. The two of them exited the underground and returned to the surface. Despite their spending a considerable amount of time exploring the vast underground, the landscape within the building remained unchanged, greeting them with its desolate appearance. They first checked out the central information desk. The computers that required electricity were turned off, but a laptop, which ran on battery power, was still running. In Yoo-shin gently pressed a key on the laptop keyboard. A character seemed to appear in the work program's monochrome input window, but then the very key he touched crumbled to dust. “Its durability has weakened a lot.” “Can such a destruction really happen?” “……” Hyeon Gyu-ha was generally kind to him and provided detailed explanations, except for the few secrets he kept hidden. So when Yoo-shin asked this question casually, it was strange that Gyu-ha’s answer was delayed. In Yoo-shin’s eyes widened in surprise as he raised his head in confusion. *** Editor M: IYS: Are those monsters? HGH: No, they are different. next paragraph: Anyway, the monsters— HM: In Yoo-shin has the best fun of his life while I’m just lying on my bed and rotting….  ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M We made a discord server! please join us!

“If you even try to use a skill on Yoo-shin- ssi  again, you’re dead .” “Where did you get the sudden confidence to think that you can defeat me?” Gong Tae-seong snorted and took a step back, preparing to take out a weapon from his inventory. Even Lee Hye-yeon had tensed up, having given Park Seung-gi back his popcorn. Just before In Yoo-shin could try to quickly dissuade Hyeon Gyu-ha by saying it’s nothing— “……!” Hyeon Gyu-ha swiftly enveloped In Yoo-shin in a force field. The next person to notice some strange occurrence was Gong Tae-seong. Lee Hye-yeon and Choi Jin-hyeok then raised puzzled looks. The once clear and bright sky was shattered. Thick darkness spread and flowed down, as if ink had been poured through the cracks in the broken sky. The group gathered in the corner of the playground, the people watching the famous hunters, and the people cleaning up after themselves—they were all swallowed up by the flowing darkness. It happened instantly. The flowing, gurgling darkness reassembled the world that it had greedily devoured. In the midst of the dizzying vertigo that felt like his soul was being mixed up with something else and upheaval of a world being reassembled, In Yoo-shin felt a strange sense of amazement and déjà vu. An erosion gate. He knew this feeling. * A long, quiet night. A full moon rising brightly. Vision stained blood-red. A shattered sky. “……hin -ssi , Yoo-shin -ssi ! Are you okay?” “Ah……” In Yoo-shin blinked a few times as his blurred vision wasn’t able to form a proper image. His blurred vision soon cleared up and he was met with a worried gaze. In Yoo-shin gently bit his lower lip, finding the sight of his reflection in beautiful amber eyes all too familiar. He shouldn’t be getting used to them, yet he found his heart softening. “I’m o—kAY!” In Yoo-shin, who tried to answer that he was okay, freaked out. There was not a single shadow on Hyeon Gyu-ha’s face. “Gyu-ha- ssi , y-y-your face……!” “My face? Ah, this must be Yoo-shin- ssi ’s first time getting caught up in an erosion gate. It’s always like this here.” Hyeon Gyu-ha waved his hand gently, revealing that not only his hand but his entire body lacked any shadows. Despite how his fingers were clearly moving and how the lighting was bright enough to discern his form, his body, completely devoid of shadows, was an utterly bizarre sight. When a ‘natural’ appearance is distorted into an ‘unnatural’ one, the human brain cannot easily accept it. Even though the person standing in front of In Yoo-shin was a person, it gave him an eerie feeling, as if he were seeing a ghost or spirit. When Gyu-ha made eye contact or spoke, the muscles in his face clearly moved as well, but since there was no shading, he looked like a misfitted mass of polygons rather than a living person. Glancing down, Yoo-shin noticed that his own body was the same. Goosebumps rose on his skin. He closed his eyes tightly and pressed himself closer to Hyeon Gyu-ha, who ruffled In Yoo-shin’s hair with contentment. “I heard about erosion gates, but now that I see one in person, ugh…….” “Let’s look around after we’ve mentally prepared ourselves a bit.” He gently hugged In Yoo-shin’s waist at the same time. Unlike Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was building his own little world inside the gate without a care, those caught up in it were busy moving around. “Mana and radiation levels are normal.” Having checked the numbers, Gong Tae-seong sighed as he threw the portable measuring device back into his inventory. “Lee Hye-yeon- ssi , was there any indication that an erosion gate would open here?” “If there were , there wouldn’t have been a test today. Thank goodness that the radiation is normal and the air is breathable. The weather is a bit chilly, but we can manage.” While the two explored the environment, Choi Jin-hyeok was leading about forty people who were trapped in the gate. In Yoo-shin calmed his startled heart as he heard the voices murmuring anxiously around him, and slowly opened his eyes. Even though I had mentally prepared myself, it was a shocking sight that made me groan when I saw it in person. The world was black and white except for those without shadows. Moreover, this place was the sports center where they were before being swept away by the gate. In a world where all color had disappeared, everyone was standing on the ruins of decay the moment when they were engulfed by the gate. The trees planted at the edge of the playground had died and withered, their branches bare and twisted; the ground was cracked and warped; the buildings were crumbling; and there was not a single common flying insect in sight. A black and white world where no living creatures existed. This was the world after destruction. What gave In Yoo-shin the creeps more than anything was that even though it was his first time getting trapped in an erosion gate, he felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu. ‘Am I mistaken because I saw a lot of warnings telling me to be careful about erosion gates?’ An erosion gate is literally a gate that erodes reality. Unlike other gates that create an illusion of a disconnected world inside, an erosion gate devours and reassembles reality, constituting the end of the world. It was a horror beyond imagination to have the daily life he had been accustomed to living up until now infringed upon and thrown into the apocalypse. But that wasn’t all. There was a high possibility that the world after destruction would be an environment in which humans could not survive. Sometimes, the once-solid ground would erupt with lava. Other times, radiation exposure would lead to radiation poisoning and death even after clearing a gate. There were also worlds dominated by extreme temperatures, ranging from scorching heat to freezing cold. It was very lucky that the air was breathable despite the rather chilly temperature. “Isn’t it cold?” “It’s a little chilly, but I can bear with it.” “Still, I would feel sad if you catch a cold.” Hyeon Gyu-ha pulled a thin jacket out of his subspace. I gratefully accepted it when he offered, but I was puzzled. It wasn’t Hyeon Gyu-ha’s size; rather, it fit me perfectly “Did you buy this for me to wear?” “I felt bad for not being considerate of Yoo-shin -ssi  the last time we raided a dungeon.” He took out various things from his inventory. Winter clothes, summer clothes, and pajamas, as well as game consoles, board games, books, toy cubes, and other miscellaneous items that were good for killing time were floating in front of In Yoo-shin’s eyes. “I also bought boxers with hamsters as cute as me.” “I-it’s okay if you don’t show me those!” “Um, how about these hamster pajamas instead? The only designs I liked were for kids, so I made a customized order and got a couple’s matching pajama set for Yoo-shin- ssi  and me.” What he was holding in his hand was a fluffy pajama with a hamster face drawn on the hood, which had cute ears sticking out. There was also a tail attached to the butt. Hyeon Gyu-ha’s hamster was even winking cutely. ‘Uh, what……? Am I supposed to change into that?’ Just before he unwittingly unzipped his hamster onesie, Lee Hye-yeon gave them a dumbfounded look. “Are you setting up a home inside the gate?” “Everything belongs to Master, so no matter how much you want it, I won’t give you anything, Noona .” That’s right. This was a normal reaction. It seemed like I was forgetting how to think normally because of Hyeon Gyu-ha’s influence. “Crazy bastard……” “I really hate it.” Gong Tae-seong and Choi Jin-hyeok reacted like normal people by saying a few words each. Because the skill that erased his presence was cancelled, the group that was also caught up in the gate were staring blankly at Hyeon Gyu-ha and whispering. As if majoring in gate studies wasn’t enough, Park Seung-gi, who was completing his master’s and doctoral studies, was filming the inside of the gate with curiosity. In any case, even inside the gate, Hyeon Gyu-ha’s laidback words and actions helped those who were almost in panic regain their composure. “Let’s put that crazy bastard aside for now…… Does anyone have any food?” Gong Tae-seong looked around and asked, but no one answered. He wasn’t expecting a reply for that question, anyway. “Well, since our drinking water is just a couple of bottles being carried by some people, we need to clear this place quickly. As for the territory, let’s see. Who has a search skill?” “I do.” One C-class hunter, who had observed today’s test as a public safety officer, raised his hand. After taking a walk around the playground, he briefly rubbed his bloodshot eyes then explained. “It includes the entire sports center, including the basement, and part of the road. Everybody here are all people who were swept by the gate.” “At least the only troublesome burdens are the limited area and just those guys, so that’s a positive, I guess.” Those who were huddled together and trembling flinched at the cold voice. “So, who is going to be the leader of this improvised team? For your information, if I were the leader, I would maximize our efficiency in a short period of time.” There was no one here who did not understand the intention to neglect the safety of non-hunters and prioritize clearing the dungeon. Unlike dungeon breaks, when it came to erosion gates, it was impossible for those outside to enter or give support. The best strategy was to clear them in a short period of time, unless you knew how the environment within the gate would rapidly change and you even prepared food and drinking water in advance. The eyes of the people trembling in fear were focused on Hyeon Gyu-ha. *** HM: I wouldn’t have realized that there wasn’t a shadow under me at first sight… literally HGH and IYS in their honeymoon phase. Editor M: Actually, these guys don’t have to worry about starvation, because Hyeon Gyu-ha is making sure that they all eat dog food! (Chinese slang for forcing single people to endure PDA.) ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M We made a discord server! please join us!

Yoo-shin’s throat felt like it had a knot tied up inside. He tried to gulp it down as Gyu-ha’s hands continued moving, roaming around his face. “I’m just trying to get an eyelash that’s stuck on your face.” As if that was all he had to say, Hyeon Gyu-ha removed his hand from his face, but strangely, In Yoo-shin’s heightened senses didn’t subside easily. I thought I should try to distract myself with a conversation. “Are you sure you’re okay with calling me every two hours, even after our break up?” “Well, before we part ways, I need to fully recharge my energy batteries with Master.” It was a natural and virtuous response that left no room for doubt. “Alright. Now that we’ve rested, let’s go do the lower body workout again.” “You’ve already tested me on the same items that are on the physical fitness test, so I should be able to pass by now……” “This is both a workout and a date. We’re not preparing for a test—we’re on a date.” This time, he ended up dangled next to Gyu-ha’s side all the way back to the fitness room, being bullied into indulging him by nonsensical sophistry as the clock slowly ticked on. It was three days before the physical fitness test. * If you are determined to be class D or higher in the awakening ability assessment, a hunter license will be issued immediately. It is a gateway for awakened people of lower levels. For people who are awakened but lack ability, they are commonly accepted for jobs like labor, assisting in dungeons by transporting magic stones and monster corpses. The test is essentially for proving that you have the minimum self-defense skills required in a dungeon. The physical fitness test was conducted at a sports center. As a rule, only relevant personnel were allowed to observe, but…… “Yoo-shin- ah ! Do your best!” The guild staff, including employees from the Ministry of Ability, were truly excellent personnel. Staff from the Ministry of Ability and from the guild frequently visit centers that test awakened abilities to scout new hunters. In principle, it is possible to scout at a hunter license test, but so far it has only been a formality because there is no need to scout low-level hunters. Hyeon Gyu-ha confidently came in under the pretext of a previously forgotten rule, and Lee Hye-yeon followed behind him. In any case, this physical fitness test was also under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Ability. In Yoo-shin bowed his head to Lee Hye-yeon, who was running a signboard app on her phone to cheer him on. Although he was so embarrassed that even the back of his neck turned red, he was secretly happy that everyone had come all this way to support him. 〈The physical fitness test on Sunday? Umm…… I don’t mind! Oh well, I guess I can miss church for one day. It’s not like I’m doing anything bad. I’m going to cheer someone on, so I’m sure Jesus will understand.〉 〈Church? Are your grandfather or grandmother US citizens?〉 〈Uh. My grandfather was in the US military. His last name was Lee, so even after he was become a citizen, he just kept it.〉 Just like with Islam, most of the few believers in Christianity were descendants of those who became a US citizen during the Korean War. If it weren’t for them, most people would hardly see cathedrals, churches, or mosques in Korea. Although In Yoo-shin didn’t know much about Christianity, he did know that they held services every Sunday. It must have been an important day for the believers, so he was very thankful that they came despite skipping the service. “Do your best, man!” Park Seung-gi was beside Lee Hye-yeon, who even cheered in Kwon Seong-gil’s stead, as he was too busy to attend. Today, he once again escaped from the lab room using the cheat key ‘Hyeon Gyu-ha’s lover is sick.’ The two social butterflies had hit it off within minutes of meeting. Next to him was Choi Jin-hyeok. He seemed to hate hanging out at gatherings just as much as Hyeon Gyu-ha did, but he surprisingly had a high attendance rate. ‘Is Gyu-ha- ssi  the only one who doesn’t have social skills?’ Hyeon Gyu-ha was standing with his arms crossed, away from all of them. The expression on his face seemed a bit uneasy. He was repeatedly tapping his fingers on his forearm. While waiting for his turn, In Yoo-shin secretly glanced at the status window and became shocked. [Current Status: Murderous Intent. ??. Dissatisfaction. Anxiety. Separation Anxiety. Desire for Contact. Light Sticks.] …… What’s with all this stuff now? And what’s with the light sticks? Even the desire for contact was something I had never seen before.  In the meantime, Gyu-ha was diligently using the skill to erase his presence in fear of drawing attention to In Yoo-shin. ‘I really need to pass this time…… If I have to take this exam again, I don’t think Gyu-ha can handle it……’ In Yoo-shin took a deep breath and clenched his hand gripper with all his might. * BRING IT ONㅋㅋㅋ I WILL TEAR IT ALL UP ㅋㅋㅋㅋ In Yoo-shin chuckled when he saw the graffiti someone had left on the locker room closet. The test ended with a 100-meter run in an outdoor playground. He barely passed the absolute cutoff point, but he cleared the test.  I felt very satisfied, as if I had torn up my textbooks after an exam. “Hey, from what I heard earlier, it turns out Lee Hye-yeon and Choi Jin-hyeok weren’t the only ones who came here?” “What’s the big deal about them coming to the hunter exam that’s for small fry like us?” “If this continues, won’t I get scouted too?” “Damn.” In Yoo-shin, annoyed by the chatter of other awakeners, hurriedly changed his clothes and left the locker room. As soon as he reached the corner of the playground where he had agreed to meet up, his vision became dark, and a familiar body temperature enveloped him. “I missed you.” In Yoo-shin patted Hyeon Gyu-ha’s back, easing the anxiety inside him. “You’ve held on well.” “Actually, I bought 30 different types of cheering sticks to cheer Yoo-shin- ssi  over his head when he was taking a test. When I took them out, Noona  said that if you saw them, you would get distracted and fail the test.” “…… You’ve held on very well.” It was really fortunate to have Lee Hye-yeon, a person with common sense, here with him. With brightly shining cheering sticks flashing everywhere, I would’ve had no confidence in concentrating on the physical fitness test at all. “It’s good that Master passed the exam, too. All you have to do now is wait for your license to be issued. And after that, a dungeon date awaits us.” Hyeon Gyu-ha buried his face in the top of Yoo-shin’s head, smiling happily. “Yoo-shin- ah ! Congratulations on passing!” “Oh, it’s Hunter In Yoo-shin- nim  now.” “Look at him, passing with flying colors..” The three people who came late also each offered their congratulations. Park Seung-gi was in the middle of hailing Lee Hye-yeon as ‘ Noona ’ after she proclaimed she would buy lunch to celebrate In Yoo-shin’s success. “Are you In Yoo-shin?” It was an unfamiliar voice. Before In Yoo-shin could turn around, Hyeon Gyu-ha blocked his path as if to shield him. Even though the skill to erase his presence was still in effect, the man who approached stared straight at Hyeon Gyu-ha as if he was not affected by it at all. In Yoo-shin’s eyes were round as his face peeked around Hyeon Gyu-ha’s chest. The man’s age seemed around mid to late thirties, the stubborn jawline and sharp eyes made him look strong, but he also felt strangely impatient; his angular and toned body hugged the wide wall. In honesty, his appearance wasn’t average, but to In Yoo-shin, it wasn’t as handsome as Gyu-ha. His face seemed familiar to In Yoo-shin, who was someone with little interest in hunters, so that meant that this man was very famous.‘Isn’t that the guild leader of Narsha, Gong Tae-seong?’ In other words, he was second in the ranking system. Gong Tae-seong, who combed his hair with pomade and wore a suit despite it being a holiday, had the air of a strict, elite businessman. ‘He called me earlier, right? Should I say hello?’ While hesitating about what to do, Hyeon Gyu-ha opened his mouth first. “No thanks. Not going. Too much trouble.” Gong Tae-seong frowned. “What nonsense are you babbling about now?” “Don’t need that Japanese sword. Don’t wanna join the Narsha guild. Talking to you is a waste of my time. In short, get lost.” “When are you going to fix that damn personality of yours?” “Seeing as you were looking for Yoo-shin- ssi , I assume that you came here to seduce me to the Narsha guild anyway?” “My purpose is similar but different. This time, I came to say hello to the Master who is hiding behind you and holding your leash.” “Aren’t you crazy to eye Master in front of his pet?” “Fuck! Listen to what I’m saying!” Gong Tae-seong, whose responses were seemingly calm, ended up cursing. Watching that scene, In Yoo-shin came to a realization. Until now, I thought that Hyeon Gyu-ha’s social skills were at rock bottom, but that wasn’t the case. The fact that he used honorifics to others was his way of being polite……! In Yoo-shin felt a little proud. “Why are you looking like a master who successfully trained a cat to be an obedient dog in five months? Nu-nim , want some popcorn?” “They really don’t get along. I think the reason Tae-seong is trying to recruit Gyu-ha is not for the sake of his guild, but rather to secretly kill him on his turf and become First Rank.” “Lee Hye-yeon- ssi , we heard everything till now, you know?” “Anyway, you said you came to see Yoo-shin, right? Now that you’ve seen him, just leave for today and properly visit the Ministry of Ability later. Gyu-ha is a bit on edge today because of Yoo-shin’s exams.” In Yoo-shin thought it was time to say hello, so he took a step to the side. “I’m In Yoo-shin. If you’re here to scout me, I want to tell you that I won’t be going to the Narsha guild.” No sooner had he finished his greeting than Hyeon Gyu-ha again used psychokinesis to lift In Yoo-shin and swiftly hid him behind his back. Gong Tae-seong looked dumbfounded at that, and even Choi Jin-hyeok stepped forward and waved his hand dismissively. “Kong Tae-seong, if your business is over, hurry up and get out of here. We have to go eat grilled meat.” “It’s Gong!” “You said your name was Gong Tae-seong?” “Ha, fuck it. I didn’t come here to talk to people from the Ministry of Ability.” On the receiving end of Gong Tae-seong’s gaze, who was rubbing his temples, In Yoo-shin inadvertently flinched his shoulders slightly. I didn’t know why, but I felt like I was being scanned through, and that feeling was never pleasant. “Gong Tae-seong.” And Hyeon Gyu-ha sensed In Yoo-shin’s mood more keenly than anyone else. His expression turned cold, and his low voice rumbled. *** Editor M: One of the paragraphs in this chapter mentions that Hyeon Gyu-ha uses honorifics, which for obvious reasons is hard to convey properly in English. Hyeon Gyu-ha speaks politely usually to In Yoo-shin and people associated with his master. ^^ ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M We made a discord server! please join us!