Chapter 10
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Rookie Heroes
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"Not gonna eat? Lost your appetite? This is mithril olive chicken... "
"Oh?! Y-yeah, I'll eat."
At Hyun-ah's words, Minguk reflexively reached for the chicken. Before he knew it, he had come to his senses and was leaning back on the sofa, watching TV as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Hyun-ah was still in just her bra and panties.
On the low table in front of them sat the chicken she had ordered earlier, looking mouthwateringly delicious.
"We Live Together, huh. I love this variety show. Mind if I watch?"
Hyun-ah fiddled with the remote and settled on her desired channel. The program name felt oddly familiar, like a blatant knockoff.
"Variety show? Is it any good?"
"Oh, you didn't like this one? Want me to change the channel?"
"Nah, it's fine. Is it popular?"
"Yeah. It's all sweet and cozy watching a guy and girl live together. Though it's probably all scripted."
Hyun-ah muttered to herself as she watched the man and woman on the screen. Minguk tilted his head at her words. Something about them felt off.
But he didn't voice his doubts. The world of this body's original owner didn't align with his own common sense—it was like an alien planet. A classic isekai setup from those trendy stories. At least the chicken tasted just like what he was used to.
The variety show We Live Together centered on the daily antics of a cohabiting couple. Both leads were stunning—handsome guy, beautiful girl. He wasn't sure about the man's job, but the woman was a hero defending the world from darkness monsters. A 5-star hero, no less, and raid team leader for a regular strike squad.
Maybe it was the beer to go with the chicken, but Hyun-ah kept chatting away. According to her, this was the most popular show in the We Live Together lineup. It painted an impossible fantasy, she said.
Is cohabiting with the opposite sex really that much of a fantasy?
Minguk pondered briefly, then nodded.
Fair enough. For some guys, a girlfriend was just a figment of imagination. Online forums were full of men lamenting that their soulmates hadn't even been born yet. Seemed this world was no different...
"Yeah, the scripting really shows. No way a guy would want to live together that naturally without marriage, right? Oh, but if it's a 5-star hero, maybe she'd cling to a guy like that anyway?"
"...What?"
Minguk's head snapped toward Hyun-ah, chicken leg paused mid-bite.
The heavens and earth had been rent asunder.
It was a metaphorical expression for massive upheaval in nature or society. And Minguk was feeling it deep in his soul.
The VR game GGW—Galaxy Girl War—featured only female heroes. A blatant ploy by devs to hook male gamers, the core audience. This world, where 1-star hero Oh Hyun-ah and 2-star hero Runia had been sent by Chaos, mirrored GGW's setup.
But GGW's girls were just tools for boss raids—no deeper lore needed. This world was different.
Sigh. Miss my ex so much. I'm a 2-star hero—if I hit 3-star and go find him, you think he'd take me back?
Pic of the ex? If he was hot enough to be popular, even 3-star might not be enough to hold him.
Some guy at my part-time job gave me his number before leaving. Should I text him? No way it's a prank, right?
A guy giving his number to a non-hero regular? You must be drop-dead gorgeous.
Nope. Steer clear of guys like that.
If a guy's tired, keep calling or hang up?
OP, shouldn't you at least ask if he even has a guy to call first? Manners?
I do! If I didn't, why would I post this?
OP, don't you hear "no tact" a lot?
Minguk's eyes trembled wildly as he scrolled through the chaotic posts. He'd searched various sources, but the news and forums all carried the same vibe.
"Damn... I've seen this setup somewhere before..."
Staring at the monitor, Minguk pressed his forehead with his hand.
Gender reversal. Not body swaps, but flipped gender roles. Straight out of a novel or comic. Further digging revealed this world hadn't always been like this.
Long ago, war erupted with the darkness monsters. Countless men perished. Records showed 65% of drafted 20-something men died within three years of the war's start. Women suffered too, but nowhere near the male casualties.
As male numbers plummeted, calls grew to protect them for species survival. Only women awakened mana as heroes to fight the monsters, gradually shifting roles.
Decades later, it became the norm.
"Guess that's how it is. But why was this body's owner living with Hyun-ah?"
Even in the old world where women had lower status, cohabitation disadvantaged women—many shunned it for marriage prospects.
Here, it had to disadvantage men instead... Yet this body's original owner had been shacking up with Hero Academy classmate Hyun-ah for two months.
"Ah..."
Recalling the memories, Minguk grimaced and muttered.
"This guy's a real jerk."
The reason? Hyun-ah's sister.
Oh Hyun-jung. Once a famed hero, leader of Seoul's raid club Rose Shield. A quick search pulled up her renown.
Hyun-ah was set to join Rose Shield post-raid qualification. Top grades at Hero Academy proved her talent.
This body's owner? A mediocre Ranged Dealer with crap grades. Being male was his only "merit," but nowhere near enough for Rose Shield. Hell, even getting raid cert was a stretch.
So he'd faked cohabitation for benefits. It also weirdly eased Hyun-ah's path to quals.
"Whatever. Guy's gone now. Not my problem."
Mana-awakened heroes' bodies reformed via mystical mana, balancing imperfections. All were gorgeous. Hyun-ah turned heads on the street.
"Wait, isn't this a good deal?"
Minguk stretched in his chair with a grin. Cohabiting with a beauty was every guy's fantasy. Legally(?) ogling her in underwear? Bonus.
"Hahaha!"
While Minguk surfed the net, Hyun-ah was glued to the TV, roaring with laughter. Totally immersed. The two chickens? Reduced to bones on the spot. Heroes had hearty appetites.
As Minguk finished browsing and sidled toward the sofa, Hyun-ah hugged a square pillow, letting out a different kind of sigh. On TV, the cohabiting pair edged toward skinship.
"Oh...! D-do it, do it! Kyaaah!"
"...She's just playing around."
The pink mood peaked with a mere cheek kiss. Hyun-ah squealed like crazy. Minguk stared, dumbfounded. Where was the woman who'd bantered lewdly with Ashlyn and Lin Sha during today's raid?
"What? Goblins are one thing—this is a guy. Totally different."
"What's the difference?"
"Hmm... Bad analogy, but goblins are like adult toys? Something like that. Ugh, forget it. Don't make me explain."
He had no clue what she meant. Anyway, every pink moment set her off.
She even whipped out her phone for rapid chats. A peek showed her gabbing with friends about the show—mostly fixated on the skinship.
Minguk, zoning out on TV, asked.
"So, are those two dating?"
"Kinda maybe? She's into it, but he's dodging. Seems like he likes her, but his reactions are confusing."
"..."
Minguk's gaze flicked back to the screen. The woman was celebrity-level stunning, a 5-star hero with millions in monthly raid earnings, plus hero prestige. The guy, though...
"Crazy bastard. No self-awareness, got too cocky."
"Huh? What? You cursing me?"
"Huh? Oh, no, not you."
Conversation stalled. Hyun-ah eyed him slyly, then spoke softly.
"...So why're you sitting here? You hated shows like this."
"Huh? Just watching 'cause you are?"
Did the original owner? No big reason—just bored alone. Time to sort memories.
"Oh? R-really...? 'Cause of me?"
Her voice shrank, but Minguk missed it, lost in the TV. And her underwear wasn't helping focus.
Another skinship scene hit—edgier than a cheek kiss.
"...Wow, jealous."
Hyun-ah swallowed hard.
"Wanna try it ourselves?"
Distracted by her undies, Minguk blurted it out. Not entirely thoughtless—the memories showed they'd done light skinship before.
"F-for real?! Seriously?!"
Hyun-ah bolted upright, face tense like pre-raid boss fight.
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