Between Friendliness and Caution
Rohan steps out of the academy dormitory and heads straight ahead.
The warmth built up from my shower dissipates in the cool night breeze. Feels incredibly refreshing.
So crisp!
The path is all too familiar.
Moving based on memory, there's not a hint of hesitation in my steps toward the goal.
I wonder if it's still there?
What Rohan is seeking with his quickened steps is clear.
Abyss City is a competitive-free open-world game.
The fun of wandering its vast maps—rendered with stunning graphics—taking in the sights and snapping photos was endless.
And what doubled that fun? The rewards.
Scattered throughout the academy city in the game were hidden crates for gathering resources.
I didn't memorize every single one, but a few key spots naturally stuck in my mind.
Still, the odds of one being there are slim.
I know full well the chances of a treasure chest sitting out in plain sight on the roadside are low.
This world isn't one where only I have free will.
Everyone walking these streets is a living being with their own thoughts and agendas—that much is certain.
Even knowing that, the reason I bother trekking out here on foot is to confirm for myself that no chest exists.
Even without a chest, there's always the chance something like a quest window might react specially.
"…."
It's just my personality—I need to see it with my own eyes to feel at ease.
I know I'm exhausting myself.
Judging by the level of development, it's a bit further along than my previous life? And with that mechanical-armed guy showing up too.
That's my impression from the walk here.
The academy city's prosperity shines even brighter as night falls and darkness deepens—dazzling and radiant.
I arrive at District 4 of the academy city.
It's not far from my dormitory, with a bustling commercial area, so security's decent.
Going against the flow of flashy signs and crowded pedestrians, I slip into a quiet boulevard.
Then head into the dim alley between streetlights.
According to memory, the chest is next to the vending machine in the alley.
In the game, it was positioned viciously—even standing on the main road and peering in, it was just out of sight.
You had to approach the vending machine to spot it.
Step. Step. Step.
I head toward the vending machine, the only source of light in the pitch-black alley.
I turn on my smartphone flashlight and scan around.
And immediately click my tongue.
Tch, gone.
On the ground: cigarette butts and discarded drink cans.
—Nyaack!
A cat startled by the light, fleeing into the shadows.
No reaction from the quest window either.
"Hmm."
Pocketing my phone, I stand in front of the vending machine, pondering.
I'd hoped if a chest was here, it'd tie into shop points rather than raw materials.
Unfortunately, wasted effort.
No chest, so next up... the achievement system was a thing too.
With the chaos ahead, I can't afford to be picky.
I have to try everything that comes to mind.
Quests offer the surest rewards, but sitting around waiting for one that might never pop doesn't suit me.
Achievements.
What were they again?
I didn't pay much attention, so memories are fuzzy. I'm the type who enjoys powering up favorite characters and exploring maps.
Roughly recalling: most were combat- or character-related.
Plenty tied to consumable uses, academy grades, or part-time jobs—daily life stuff.
Skip attendance days or character recruitment counts. What's doable right now...?
Concentrating pulls buried memories to the surface.
My gaze lands on the vending machine right in front of me.
A big one hooks in my mind, and it hits me like lightning.
"Ah! That one!"
Something I can do right here, right now.
My hand dives into my right pocket.
10 tokens I swiped from the dormitory desk jingle. About 1,000 won in Korean currency.
Let's see.
Cotton candy milk tea? Nah. Oak soda? No.
Mint cola... wild, but not it.
Bottom row of the vending machine.
I face the abyss.
Cucumber milk...!
This is it. Price matches perfectly.
Jingle jingle—I feed the coins in, then press the cucumber milk button hard.
Clunk-thud!
A glass bottle, murky green like pond scum, tumbles out.
I pick it up—it's piping hot to the touch.
"…."
Despite the chill night air, the warmth feels oddly ominous.
Warm cucumber milk.
How godawful does it taste?
Pop! I twist off the cap and sniff.
I clamp my nose shut in panic.
"Gahk!"
Foul and nauseating. My face scrunches involuntarily.
Why does this world even have such a drink?
The headache from the smell alone isn't imagination.
Still... gotta drink it.
I don't want to, but I can't dodge it now.
This is the fastest way.
"Hoo!"
Resolve set, I gulp down the greenish milk.
Three swallows in, my throat revolts.
"Urk—!!!"
Pinching my nose does nothing. The vile reflux slams my brain.
Forces the milk right out onto the ground.
"Cough! Cough!"
Warm cucumber milk is beyond the pale.
Chewy bits inside? Pure nightmare fuel.
But.
The ordeal pays off.
You actually drink that stuff?
10P acquired.
Yes! Got it...!
Proof of achievement. This success is huge.
It's the foundation for mapping out my plans ahead.
I wipe the cucumber milk from my lips, shoving the taste from my mind as far as possible.
If I can scrape together 500P before classes start...
As I force my thoughts onward.
A voice with no business being here slips into my ears.
"Are you alright?"
"!"
I whip around in shock.
Glittering golden eyes lock straight on me.
...Ichinose Yui!?
The rare glow fades quickly.
Ichinose Yui closes her eyes as usual and approaches with graceful steps.
"Unique tastes."
She must've witnessed my bizarre drink ritual.
Or maybe her keen nose picked it up.
I suppress my fluster at the sudden encounter and feign calm.
"Just curious, so I tried it."
"Hmm…."
Face-to-face, Ichinose Yui is no ordinary sight. Her petite frame dominates the entire alley with sheer presence.
Even with eyes closed, every movement, gaze, breath—it's like she reads it all.
Eerily mystical.
This is Ichinose Yui's first unique skill...
I recall the girl I'd poured fortunes into raising.
◇ Physical abilities rise with eyes closed.
◇ Mana efficiency rises with eyes closed.
◇ Senses sharpen with eyes closed.
In the game, the "eyes closed" condition manifested as bizarrely low base accuracy.
But today's placement exam—her footwork and steps showed no such flaw.
Level 2 now? Or maybe 3?
I don't know her unique skill's current level.
But if her personality matches what I know, she's lived in darkness since awakening it.
Her closed-eyed poise feels utterly natural, no awkwardness.
Almost like a perpetual half-lidded character.
"Number 99, right?"
"...If you mean exam number, yes."
She nods, fingers twitching as she ponders briefly.
Then hides her sword behind her back like she's offering something and asks.
"Sorry. I didn't catch your name properly during the exam. Mind sharing?"
"Rohan."
"Rohan... I see."
She murmurs my name, nodding.
Joy bubbles up from our chat, but I force myself to stay wary of the situation.
Anything beyond understanding demands caution.
"I'm Ichinose Yui."
"I know."
She's too famous. She accepts it without pushback.
"No need to be so guarded. We're fellow Orion Academy cadets—no formal speech required."
"…."
"I don't commit the folly of treating national backing as power here in the academy city."
Pure Ichinose Yui—her words thick with that signature hue. I admire it inwardly while my mind races.
Why is she approaching me?
But harsh, prickly words won't come out.
She tries acting mature, heir to Cheonoecheon and all.
But Ichinose Yui is soft-hearted inside.
Knowing that makes me hesitate to snap.
This is driving me nuts.
My buried fondness keeps breaching the walls of vigilance.
No matter how I try, they crumble before they build.
I sharpen my recall of Ichinose Yui's profile.
And speak in a flat tone.
"Let's drop the formalities first."
She purses her lips like a duck, looking troubled.
Knowing her habit makes the gesture transparently cute.
"I prefer polite speech."
"If you insist…."
As expected. I nod, and she steps closer.
"I've got a question—mind if I ask?"
"Me?"
"Yes."
Ichinose nods.
The plastic bag in her hand rustles, revealing snacks inside.
"...What's up?"
I fight a smile at this softer side absent from the game and ask back.
Ichinose Yui finally voices her curiosity.
"That golem-slicing strike in today's placement exam. Impressive result, but the motion itself stuck with me."
"…."
"Looks like the work of long years with the sword. Affiliated with any particular school?"