Blocking the Protagonist's Awakening
I received the second commission. "Hmm..." I mulled over various possibilities. Random enhancement. Strengthening my weak points. Differences based on the grating of the woman I'd fucked. Personally, the third option seemed most likely.
'Hmm, that throws my plans off.' My original plan was to fuck Hana noona, boost my mana pool, and register as a hunter at the awakening center. But what got enhanced was my looks. 'Tsk... Guess I'll just take the next commission?' Hunter registration would have to wait until I got a new ability. I admired my handsome new face while plotting my next moves.
'Enough mirror-gazing.' I stepped away from the mirror and washed off my filthy body.
Sssshhh―!
'Real man special: towel-dry the hair.' There was a hairdryer in the shower, but like a true tough guy, I roughly toweled my hair as I stepped out.
"Took you long enough to shower?" Hana noona had woken up. I checked the clock at her words and realized I'd spent a full hour in there.
"Somehow... you look even more handsome? Must be from devouring my body like some tonic yesterday~?" She teased as she headed in for her own shower. I hadn't noticed from inside, but...
'The silhouette shows through?' Her showering figure was visible in silhouette. Huh, must be one of those pervert-proof shower rooms made by some perv architect. I shook off the stray thought and waited for her to finish.
"Koreans run on rice power! Let's grab breakfast!" We headed out to eat together. The menu was gukbap. Not my pick—she suggested it first.
"Phew... this really is a hidden gem!"
"Hehe, makes me proud~?" Thanks to Hana noona, I'd discovered a secret spot. It was time to part ways.
"Oh yeah, we never exchanged numbers?" All our contact had gone through Ayun, so we didn't have each other's digits.
"Hand over your phone."
We swapped numbers, and the parting mood really set in.
"Aigoo... my daughter's calling." Hana noona rushed off to take the call.
"Pick up! Hit me up anytime if you need a favor~!" she yelled as she dashed away.
Back at my one-room...
'Time to prepare.' For the next commission, I packed a portable burner and butane gas since I'd be heading back to a fantasy world. Tissues, wet wipes. A few bottles of water, toothpaste, toothbrush—essentials into the Inventory.
Next up...
"Hello?" I called Ayun.
"Fucked noona yesterday, huh? The niece called. Said she couldn't reach her mom."
I'd called Ayun because...
"That's private. Anyway, do me a favor: appraise something."
I wanted the blacksmith to appraise the items from Brynhildr.
"Items? Whatever, come over."
Her shop: Pack's Item Store. Named after her family name. She mainly sells her own creations and does appraisals.
Ding―!
The bell rang as I opened the door. "Welcome... oh, it's you?" Park Ayun cut her greeting short.
"Hey, I'm a customer too."
"You? A customer?"
"Were you in the back?" She was in work clothes, probably crafting items.
I showed her the ring and armor.
"Inventory?" She eyed the items materializing from thin air but didn't press—just took them.
"Ooh, nice quality~ Gimme a sec."
She carried them to the workshop. Having been here plenty of times, I plopped down in the customer seat and brewed myself some coffee. Instant mix.
'Earns good money but keeps the cheap stuff.'
A few minutes later, Park Ayun emerged from the workshop.
"These are solid items." She handed me a sheet of paper listing the names and abilities.
Designates one target and inflicts a curse of ruin.
The curse takes the form of ruin as imagined by the target.
Usable once per year.
Can transform into any upper-body armor form desired by the owner.
Consumes mana to repair damaged sections.
Both matched Brynhildr's description perfectly.
"Whoa~ How'd a guy like you end up with treasures like these?"
"Secret."
"Secret my ass... You must've seduced some high-rank hunter. Sell 'em to me."
Park Ayun figured they were useless to a non-hunter like me.
"Pass."
"Fine, whatever."
Her offer wasn't serious anyway—she dropped it quick.
"I'll pay by card."
"What money between us?"
She ignored the card. Click―! Flipped the sign to Closed and locked the door.
"Payment... with your body."
Park Ayun slithered toward me, shedding her work clothes like a snake molting. I spent the day settling the appraisal fee.
'Got off cheap.' For a top-tier appraiser like her, no cash spent? Score.
Now I was truly prepared. I double-checked the locks, just in case, and thought inwardly,
'I'll take the next commission.'
My vision flickered. I toppled backward like falling asleep.
I opened my eyes to towering skyscrapers. Info on the protagonist and heroine flooded in.
'Hoo... Korea, huh?' Familiar buildings everywhere—it was Korea. Not just any Korea, though: the hero-world version. A place with villains and heroes.
The protagonist was Kang Hyeok, the heroine's sidekick, supporting her role.
Two heroines. First: Korea's top hero, Choi Rin, the Omega Queen. Physical enhancement type.
Second: a villainess. Not a murderer—a petty thief stealing for an orphanage.
'If this were a novel...'
She'd get redeemed by the protagonist and become a hero! Classic plot.
'First, my identity...'
Unlike Zeke's world, this was advanced Korea. I'd need proof of who I was. Luckily, my pocket held an ID. Way different from my world's. Same name and resident number, but extra info below.
'Hero rank.'
Turns out, I was a hero here. Lucky. As a civilian, registration would've taken forever.
'C-rank...'
Not top-tier, but fine.
Boom―!
'Hero world confirmed.' Checking my ID, an explosion rocked nearby.
"It's the Omega Queen!"
Citizens rushed toward the blast. Crazy, but they trusted top hero Choi Rin to keep things safe.
I followed. At the center: three figures. A scarred man. A frail-looking guy. The frail one trembled on the ground. A woman shielded him—Choi Rin. She wasn't unscathed: wounds everywhere. Struggling against the villain.
'What? Korea's top hero?'
The villain cleared it up.
"Hahaha! Hit with an ability suppression bullet, and the Omega Queen turns into a mere bitch―!"
He'd somehow nullified her powers. Even powerless, Choi Rin dodged on experience alone. But that was...
"Hahaha―!"
Just him toying with her.
"I... I'll...!"
The fallen man muttered. That was protagonist Kang Hyeok. He'd deployed with Choi Rin, got taken out by the villain.
He forced himself up.
"I! Will become the hero who kills the Omega Queen!"
The villain swung a dagger at the downed Choi Rin. Seeing it, Kang Hyeok...
"I'll! Protect her!"
Charged screaming at her.
'Episode 1 climax?'
In a manga or anime, the protagonist awakens here. But no.
Whoosh―!
Because I'd block it. Holy Sword Gram in my grip. The slash from it halted the villain.
"Who the hell are you!"
The villain whirled on me. I answered.
"A hero."
Smiles bloomed on the faces of those who'd feared for the strongest hero.
"I recognize him! C-rank hero!"
"A C-rank shit mouthing off?!"
The villain charged me. But he never reached.
Splat―!
My swung fist sent him crashing into the wall.
"My power's back!"
In the split-second distraction, Choi Rin's ability returned. She finished the villain.
"Arrest him!"
Cops rushed in with cuffs as he lay still.
"Kang Hyeok―! You okay?"
"Y-yeah... I'm fine."
Choi Rin checked on him first, then approached me once he was safe.
"Thank you. Without you, either I or Hyeok would've been seriously hurt."
She offered her hand. I shook it.
"Just doing my duty as a hero."
Choi Rin gave her thanks and left. Once things wrapped up, the crowd dispersed. She followed the ambulance with Kang Hyeok.
No reason for me to stick around. I headed to the address on my ID.
'Ran into Choi Rin right away.'
And blocked the protagonist's awakening too? Very smooth start.
#Choi Rin
