The Birth of a Circle
"I want to become a girl."
A question about whether I could create a human being.
Did that question really just come out of Namgung Yuon's mouth?
I looked back at him, but he was just standing there with his usual exhausted face.
Did this guy ever have a day where he wasn't tired?
"Can you do it? Or not?"
Meanwhile, Namgung Yuon asked again.
Just a moment ago, I had turned a princess into a puppet.
If he asked if it was possible...
I suppose I could say yes.
But I had no reason to give him an honest answer.
"I can't."
Turning a human into a puppet.
This was something that would bring absolutely no good if it were revealed.
Hearing my answer, Namgung Yuon fell silent.
Then, he quickly turned around.
"I see."
And that was it.
He didn't seem to have any further interest.
Watching Namgung Yuon's retreating figure, I opened my mouth.
"Why did you ask something like that?"
At my question, Namgung Yuon paused for a moment.
He glanced back at me and replied.
"Just because. I want to become a girl."
Excuse me?
As I stood there blankly, wondering if I had misheard, Namgung Yuon walked away without another word.
The Sloth of Axion.
Namgung Yuon.
The shocking statement I heard from him was more than enough to make me completely forget about everything else that happened today.
By the time I finished my conversation with Namgung Yuon and returned to the dormitory, completely oblivious to the darkness, it was late.
After chatting about this and that with Chaerin, I stepped outside near the dormitory park for a moment.
The reward.
I had just cleared a Nightmare difficulty, a level of difficulty I had never faced before.
Naturally, a reward would be waiting.
The previous reward was the key to the Puppet Workshop.
So, I was secretly looking forward to what would be given this time.
"I-I'll accept the reward."
When I requested the reward, a cluster of light began to spread out for a moment, just like last time.
My heart pounded as I wondered what it could be.
Finally, a single reward dropped into my palm.
The reward for clearing the 10th Floor Nightmare difficulty has been distributed.
Here it comes.
Something big is coming!
◈ Effect: Summon a designated guest to the Puppet Workshop.
Huh?
I blinked at the reward.
I had been a bit flustered when they gave me the Puppet Workshop key, too.
This time, it was another completely unexpected reward.
A single ticket was held in my hand.
On it, the word 'Visitor' was written, matching the reward description.
How was I supposed to use this?
As I stared blankly at the ticket...
Ding!
"Eek!"
I accidentally swallowed a shriek at the sudden sound, and a window popped up in front of my eyes.
The 'Visitor' ticket has been used.
What?
At that moment, the ticket in my hand vanished.
It was definitely there just a second ago, but now it was gone.
I felt like I had been given something only to have it immediately snatched away.
I sat there blankly, but nothing changed.
What was this?
Attempt number two.
They say life is a series of shocks.
Reviving the princess of a fallen kingdom as a puppet.
Namgung Yuon's statement about wanting to become a girl.
The Nightmare reward that had been used on its own.
From start to finish, everything was nothing but a shock.
In the end...
What was the reward actually used for?
Since I still knew nothing about the reward, it was only frustrating.
Looking at the Puppet Workshop, it seems likely that a reward related to my skills was given...
But I couldn't guarantee how things would turn out.
The Tower was always a series of variables.
The reality was that even the rewards were unpredictable.
Well, I'll find out what the reward is eventually.
For now, there was someone else who kept catching my eye.
Namgung Yuon.
Namgung Yuon, the Sloth.
What he said was still lingering in my head.
Wanting to become a girl.
I never expected the Sloth to want a gender-bend.
Of course, even if he caught my eye, Namgung Yuon was always just sleeping.
He was a consistent guy.
What on earth did he mean by that?
Was Namgung Yuon experiencing an identity crisis?
Or did he want to become a girl so he could be pampered and doted on?
Ah, or maybe he was indirectly telling me that I didn't act like a girl.
Well, I do have a bit of a tomboyish vibe!
While my worries only grew to the point of making such useless assumptions, school life proceeded smoothly.
This was Hunter Middle School.
Therefore, there were many classes where we experienced and learned the tasks that Hunters mainly handle in advance.
Hunters basically move in teams.
Furthermore, when a situation arises, support orders are sent to nearby Hunters, so teams are often formed on the spot.
Because of this, there were team assignments of our own choosing, and team assignments that were randomly assigned.
There was no need to even mention the team I preferred.
Me, Yeonhwa, and Seo Harin.
It was a team of three.
Since we were practically the strongest team in the class, everyone envied us.
"Did you know? That team."
"They say Yuna is actually the one in charge."
"With Yoo Chaerin too, there's definitely something about Yuna."
What is it about me?
Won't you tell me?
Being the center of the most popular team...
It was burdensome in many ways, but it couldn't be helped.
If I leave these kids alone, they'll end up joining Axion.
I can't let that happen.
Anyway, as a result of these consecutive team assignments, groups of kids began to form gradually.
School is a miniature version of society.
If you miss the time to make friends, you're bound to be isolated.
Naturally, kids started hanging out with their own groups.
However, there was one problem here.
It was the fact that these kids were in their turbulent teenage years.
I can assure you.
Middle school kids are practically no different from beasts.
Exploding hormones.
Immature minds.
Bodies that have grown as they enter adolescence.
When all of this combined, they couldn't contain themselves if they didn't show off their strength.
Among them, boys had a very strong tendency toward this.
The hierarchy that had to be drawn between boys.
The pride that I am higher than you.
To satisfy all of this, they would raise their fists at the slightest offense.
The same went for the opponent.
The moment you lose here, your school ranking is shattered.
If you are treated as weak by those around you, you fall endlessly.
Knowing that fact, they would act tough even if they didn't want to fight.
In particular, Hunter Middle School was a place where awakened kids from all over the country gathered.
Unlike other middle schools that didn't have many students due to the population decline, the number of students here was basically huge.
Moreover, they weren't neighborhood friends, but kids they were seeing for the first time.
The struggle for hierarchy among boys was an inevitable fate.
And to add a spoonful of seasoning, the girls' gazes were added to the mix.
Crash!
Today, without fail, a window pane shattered.
Beyond it, two middle school boys could be seen tangled up, swinging their fists.
Boys at this age are fools.
Trapped in the simple mindset that strong men are popular with girls, they hold their heads high, saying they must never lose in front of a girl.
In particular, that tendency becomes even stronger in front of a girl they like.
Because the moment they think they are lacking as a man in front of the girl they like, they will be intimidated for life.
They struggle desperately to act tough.
"My goodness, they are beasts," Seo Harin commented sharply as she watched the boys.
In their teens, girls tend to finish puberty faster than boys and are a bit more mature.
On top of that, Seo Harin was older, being sixteen.
From her perspective, the boys must really look like beasts.
"It seems like the boys are always fighting," Yeonhwa also showed a look of disgust, sharing a similar thought.
Since she had also grown up maturely since childhood, she would find it even more pathetic to see kids resolving things with their fists.
"...It's just something they do at this age."
Still, I didn't completely fail to understand.
I also had a middle school period in the past.
Having no parents and living in an orphanage, it was an environment where it was easy to get picked on in many ways.
Living as a boy in middle school is not quite easy.
At least in the early stages when the hierarchy is being decided, one is bound to be sensitive.
Fight on, youth.
Whoosh!
Uh, that's not allowed.
Sparks flew from one boy.
He had violated the rule prohibiting the use of abilities against people, except during class.
"You bastard!"
If the opponent used an ability, it was only natural to use one's own ability in response.
The moment they unleashed their abilities to counter each other...
"Hey."
A cold voice pierced through the two of them.
The two flinched and froze.
In front of the open door, a girl showing off her long legs beneath her skirt slowly brushed her hair back.
"You're fucking loud. Get lost before I beat you to a pulp."
A savage statement laced with profanity echoed out.
Her eyes showed that she was extremely annoyed by the noise ringing in her head.
Receiving that gaze head-on, the boys flinched and quietly lowered their hands.
"S-Sorry."
"We'll be quiet."
Certainly, boys at this age are bundles of pride.
However, they also show pride depending on who the opponent is.
If the opponent is someone they can't even touch, they have no choice but to bow their heads.
An S-rank Hunter of Hunter Middle School.
Moreover, a personality that wouldn't hesitate to use force against others.
Yoo Chaerin.
Seeing our girl steadily becoming a delinquent, my heart felt a bit heavy.
Still, she probably stepped in to prevent anything bad from happening since they were about to use their abilities.
Knowing Chaerin's true inner thoughts, I wanted to praise her.
Our girl is nice, even if she has a foul mouth.
The situation was sorted out in an instant.
The kids who were watching shrugged and walked away, saying the fun was over.
There was no entertainment as fun as watching a fight.
Among the departing kids, my eyes followed someone.
That guy.
Was his name Kang Yongchan?
The guy who was friends with Yeonhwa.
He glared at Chaerin with an extremely displeased look before turning away.
It seemed he was still holding a grudge over being thoroughly beaten by Chaerin before.
"...Kang Yongchan," Yeonhwa, who was next to me, reacted as she also saw Kang Yongchan.
"I heard he's been hanging out with some bad kids lately."
"Bad kids?"
It seemed Yeonhwa had heard a bit about Kang Yongchan.
"There are seniors who entered before us. Apparently, there's a delinquent circle they've formed."
Seo Harin also chimed in.
A delinquent circle.
There really are all kinds of things.
Since there were many kids, it seemed various groups were forming.
"What was the name again? Was it Axion?"
Huh?