Is This a Dream?

The press conference erupted in screams over Han Seol-ah's disappearance.

[Um... hello?]

Han Seol-ah, speaking to me from inside the game.

Right after vanishing from the press conference, she spawned in-game? The timing was too perfect.

'A person... possessed into the game?'

Impossible.

My brain froze.

"...?"

"...Han Seol-ah for real?"

Chills ran down my spine.

Han Seol-ah was infamous for her extreme introversion, zero social skills, and only speaking at formal events like press conferences. Her signature quirk? Her inner thoughts spilling out of her mouth uncontrollably. And in moments like this, her voice shifted—not the polished press conference tone, but her true voice, the trembling stutter fans called her "hachanan voice."

That mutter just now? Pure hachanan.

"...".

The longer she rambled, the more jumbled and rapid her words got. Just like Han Seol-ah.

And the content? Straight out of reality.

"...Summoned mid-press conference."

Exactly what was happening in the real world right now.

"Hah."

My mind was reeling. Logic screamed "impossible," but... I knew it was true.

The real Han Seol-ah had been summoned into my game.

"Come to think of it... that quest earlier."

I opened the quest window.

No need for complicated theories about new regions, content, or portrait rights. Lost Honor didn't lie.

The quest target, S-rank Hunter Han Seol-ah, was the real deal.

"Hah hah."

How the hell did the real Han Seol-ah end up in my game? "Beats me."

...I had no clue. But it happened. Pondering more would just give me a headache.

'Push it aside.'

Clear mind. Focus on the quest. One job: complete the objective.

Awaken Han Seol-ah to EX-rank.

"Alright..."

Now the rewards caught my eye again.

'Awakening.' Not for my character—for me. Not 'character Nebula,' but 'human Ha Seong-un.'

An unawakened like me awakening? A miracle short of impossible.

'But a miracle just happened.'

One miracle could lead to two.

...Nah.

I snuffed the hope, habit kicking in. Ten years as an unawakened. How many cycles of hype and crash? False hope breaks minds.

'Witnessing a miracle softened me up.'

Back to cold logic.

"Hm."

Her long-winded explanation wrapped up. Down to business: Turn an S-rank Hunter into EX-rank.

"Hmm."

Hunter ranks ran F to S. EX was "beyond ranking"—only two on Earth, walking calamities.

Growing past the human limit of S-rank to EX? Ranks rose via "enlightenment," evolving awakening abilities. But enlightenment was rare as hell.

Still, could I force enlightenment on Han Seol-ah?

'Rejected.'

Zero chance. Her Bingjeong was already system-certified EX-rank.

"EX is the ceiling. Nowhere left to go."

Why stuck at S? Two factors: awakening grade and mana capacity. Average ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠decided rank.

Han Seol-ah: EX-rank Bingjeong, but A-rank mana. S-rank average.

"Yeah."

Mana couldn't be trained up. Period. She'd been S-rank from awakening day one, forever capped.

"Unrankable Hunter." One of her nicknames.

No way to clear the quest?

"As if."

There was. Mana untrainable? That's reality talk.

"Possible here."

This was a game world. In Lost Honor, doable. Methods galore.

"Count yourself lucky you met me, Han Seol-ah."

Ten years grinding made it my playground.

I opened the warehouse. Slot 98: legendary spirit herbs.

"Gotta be here somewhere."

Scroll, scroll. Stacks of ultra-rares.

'Mana boosters are the rarest subset... not many kinds.'

Finally.

"Found it."

Mouthful of a name. Ultra-rare. +100 mana per dose.

"Feed her this from now on."

Bingjeong already EX. Bump mana to EX, she's set.

Reality: no mana ups, unrankable. Game: clear path.

"Issue is how much for EX threshold..."

No problem. For me, none.

[Elixir Concentrate...]

[Owned: 99,999 (MAX)]

I'm a insane vet.

"Feed till EX."

The doomsday clock ticked tighter.

TV screams of a nation losing its pillar. People cracking live.

"Ugh."

Fine, it was getting to me too. But no despair. Not like them.

Han Seol-ah was shoveling elixirs in my monitor nonstop.

Flash. Flash. Blue light signaling mana gains, endless.

Each flash: stronger Han Seol-ah. Calming just to watch.

"Are you watching, fellow Koreans? Han Seol-ah's only weakness—her mana pool—is being fixed right now."

After 100, she whined about a full belly. Then turned them into ice cream.

In they went nonstop. But her face—pale blue, agony—told the tale. Not the happy food face.

'...Not easy, huh.'

My character potions? Instant click-consume. But NPCs like her? Actual drinking.

'Chug 100 500ml cans? Anyone'd lose it.'

She endured. To return stronger, slay the ice dragon, protect everyone. That will pushed her.

...Or so I thought.

Blue-faced, gut ice-cold, cheeks ballooned like a chipmunk.

Munching mouth, blissed-out eyes. I blinked.

'Duty forcing her...? Or just 'cause it's yummy?'

Either way, pure hamster.

But her ice cream binge was slowing. Intake dropping.

"Emergency! Emergency!"

No choice.

"Last resort."

I moved my character to her.

She looked up, mouth stuffed with ice cream.

'Total hamster.'

Click.

Spar mode activated.

Thud! Flags dropped between us.

Red alert blinked between us.

She panicked, X-signaling frantically.

"Stand straight, Han Seol-ah."

[3]

Countdown.

"Post-meal exercise."

Bloat? Work it off. Bonus: test her skills.

Till her gut deflated, endless spars.

"Tch. Dodge that? Eat it then."

Thwack! No ice shield up, magic direct hit, tumbling.

"Fell for that? Loser."

Cast canceled, trapped in her own ice, flailing.

Finally, sprawled, trembling surrender hand up. Confirmed.

Verdict: Han Seol-ah, weak as hell!

Spar, elixir, repeat.

Flash! White light. Quest updated.

"Finally..."

She thrust her arms up in victory. I did too.

Time pressure had me sweating.

'Too late and Korea’s toast!'

Neighbor’s blaring TV: requiem chorus like world’s end. Nearly lost it.

"But we pulled it off."

EX awakening—impossible in reality. For me? Nothing.

Flash—white light enveloped her, lifting slowly.

I watched, eyes shining.

Click.

[2. No]

She plopped to the ground.

"Trying to clear the quest on your own?"

Grabbed her, opened portal.

"Not done yet."

This quest had a hidden phase left.

Only a vet like me spots it.

And I knew: Fail it, Korea falls. Clear it, Korea safe forever.