Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Disciplinary Committee (1)
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Immense influence on the story.
The moment he saw those words, Sin Bihyeong's eyes shot wide open.
'What? I'm not seeing things, am I?'
He rubbed his eyes and checked again, but the notification remained unchanged.
Sin Bihyeong let out a silent cheer.
'Nice! He nailed it already!'
Influencing the story—whether for good or ill—was an incredible achievement.
'It means he's produced results that deviate from the path set for that character.'
In other words, it meant a massive boost to his main story clear rating.
'Of course... it could also change the story that was originally planned.'
There was no way to know the details right now.
A half-demon was something even Sin Bihyeong, a hardcore veteran of Solo Biography, had never encountered.
Naturally, there were no storylines or ending hints for this character.
So, focus on the immediate gains.
'Usually, when a notification like that pops up, all the rewards you get from pushing the story get way better, right?'
He meant the rewards beyond the performance rating.
'NPCs tied to the user get higher growth potential, and the quality of future resources and items goes up too.'
That's why players called story influences the "hidden of hid dens."
It didn't match hidden pieces, but it still upgraded mundane farming items in quality.
'But what triggered this evaluation?'
Sin Bihyeong checked the notification log.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Your innate True Calling is Half-Demon.] [Born without belonging to any faction, destined to wander as an outcast, pushed from all sides.] [At the end of that path lay two forks.] [To become human... or a yokai.]
To become human, he would have stood with them and exorcised the anomalies.
To become a yokai, he would have surrendered to his own nature.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[But you kicked both paths aside.]
Reading that far, Sin Bihyeong felt a bit baffled.
'What?'
Kicked aside?
Was that an insult?
'This is making me think I messed up somehow.'
But Sin Bihyeong had no regrets about his choice.
And as if to prove it, the next message praised him.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[You have chosen not to join any faction.] [No desire to become human, nor consumed by yokai instincts.] [A declaration of will to live purely as yourself.] [Rejecting even your fated calling, forging your own path.]
No... he hadn't thought that grandly.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Thus, the story's frame that bound you begins to shake.]
The message ended there.
'...No. I didn't act with that level of grandeur.'
What? Rejecting fate? Forging his own path?
'What nonsense is this?'
He'd simply refused to abandon Mina as she was.
Feeling sympathy for someone in a similar spot—if it were him, he'd want someone to reach out.
That was all.
'Well... whatever.'
Since the system packaged it nicely, complaining now would look weird.
'Anyway, when do I get the performance rewards?'
After messages like that, he could aim for EX-grade this time too.
'Rewards should be juicy again, right?'
Bloodline selection, spell selection.
And warehouse keys too.
'Even getting the same as last time would be fine.'
Just imagining it made his mouth water, so Sin Bihyeong anxiously checked the system.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Confirmed germination of unique story, 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.'] [Confirmed forging of independent route deviating from the set path.] [Performance settlement delayed.]
'Damn it.'
He sighed with an "I knew it" expression at the message.
'When will this one come?'
Still, recalling how Act 1, Chapter 1 cleared rewards came after just a few days, he could wait a bit.
'More importantly, Mina.'
He needed to quickly use the Night Parade's effects to conceal her demon core.
After causing this ruckus in the academy's heart, people would arrive soon.
Sin Bihyeong activated his Night Parade, then felt a brief moment of surprise at the popup.
⚔ STATUS ⚔
👤 Name: Hwang Mina 🧬 Race: Half-Human Half-Demon ─ Fox Yokai 🩸 Bloodline: Fox Yokai Clan 【SSS】, Nation-Toppling Beauty 【Locked】, Versatile 【SS+】, Universal Charmer 【SS】 📖 Derived Story: Learning
'...Mina's status window? I can see it?'
Viewing someone else's status was nearly impossible.
Even the Exorcist Association, which distributed these powers, couldn't access everyone's.
Once a spell bonded to the body, control was fully the user's.
Besides, Mina's status transcended the ordinary.
It showed her locked bloodline, race, stats, and skill proficiencies.
'Is this a new Night Parade ability?'
To check their 'assets' for subordination?
Sin Bihyeong tested it on Eoduk and confirmed a previously invisible status appeared.
'Incredible power.'
Once under him, he could see how to develop them.
No growth ability in Solo Biography matched this.
It was enough to surprise Sin Bihyeong briefly.
'But that's about it.'
To use it, he had to add them to the Hundred Demons, and finding candidates after Mina wouldn't be easy.
'More shocked by her potential than the status unlock.'
Just her 'Fox Yokai Clan' was SSS-grade.
Right below his own EX.
'Not even there when picking yokai traits initially.'
The best then was 'Dragon' at less than SSS.
...Gallery said imugis started there—makes sense?
'Anyway, insane even without that.'
Two talent-related bloodlines, both SS or higher.
In Hierarchy Rank terms, around 8th rank.
Qualities to easily break high ranks.
'...Meaning, registering them as assets lets me share, right?'
Gulp.
He swallowed dryly.
Sin Bihyeong immediately shared what he'd learned with Mina and got her consent.
Your bloodline as an asset—okay?
"Yeah. Fine."
He registered her bloodline instantly.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Bloodline Ability, 'Versatile 【SS+】' added to assets.] [Demon Core trait, 'Impenetrable Seal' added to assets.]
Sin Bihyeong added his Impenetrable Seal to her demon core.
Soon, her yokai power vanished cleanly.
'Presence... need a separate method for that.'
With so little power now, it was hideable.
'No presences nearby yet.'
Next, create an alibi for the incident...
"What about that?"
Yi Miho's corpse sprawled on the ground.
How to handle that monstrosity? Already daunting.
'Battle traces nearby? Blame anomaly fight... but bloodstains and such can't be hidden.'
As Sin Bihyeong worried,
"It's fine, Bihyeong."
Mina stood, gazing at her hand.
"I'll handle it."
"Huh?"
"I just know. It came from my blood originally... Yeah. I can take it back."
Mina extended her hand slowly toward Yi Miho's corpse.
At her gesture, the body and bloodstains scattered like dust,
then sucked into Mina's body.
Srrrrk...
The corpse's red hue, the fresh bloodstains—all turned golden powder, seeping into her flesh.
For a moment, her golden eyes and yellow hair shone brilliantly.
Suddenly, her presence sharpened in Sin Bihyeong's eyes.
'...Tails appeared. Two of them.'
The tails Yi Miho had, plus fox ears sprouting clearly on her soul.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Subordinate Hundred Demon, 'Hwang Mina' manifests Bloodline Ability 'Nation-Toppling Beauty 【SSS】.']
Her sole locked bloodline had awakened.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Charisma stat added to Hwang Mina's stats.]
A new stat had appeared in her status.
Sin Bihyeong's jaw dropped at the scene.
'This is... a talent monster?'
Some grind main stories for one bloodline,
others snap up ancestor corpses and it unlocks automatically.
Who set the difficulty?
Is this even right?
'...Man, if she weren't party, I'd be jealous enough to quit.'
But now she was his subordinate.
Time to congratulate her growth.
As Sin Bihyeong stood to approach,
"...Ah."
A sweet breath escaped,
and Mina turned, her eyes gleaming alluringly.
Somehow... a bit seductive.
"...Mina? If something's wrong again, tell me quick? I need time to plan..."
Sin Bihyeong said urgently.
"Huh? What?"
Mina's eyes returned to normal.
...Did he imagine it?
'Or was that Nation-Toppling Beauty's effect?'
Fox yokai had long charmed and devoured people.
Made sense.
"...Nothing."
"Lame."
Mina chuckled, stepping close and linking arms playfully.
That aura flickered again.
Even her gesture felt... something.
Sin Bihyeong froze like a statue,
then...
"...!"
Sensing something, he sent Eoduk into the shadows.
-My lord?
Sin Bihyeong warned lowly.
'Incoming.'
-...What is?
'...The Guardian Corps.'
They protected the academy; individually mid-low Hierarchy Rank early stage,
but with arrest barriers, they could capture even high-rank entry levels.
Their duty inside: investigate incidents, determine disciplinary severity.
That's right.
The Disciplinary Committee was about to convene.
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