Han Yuri (1): Shattered Pride

The sound of birds chirping filled the air. Tweet, tweet, tweet. I opened my eyes to it.

"Ugh. Everything hurts like hell."

I had no idea how many times I'd been beaten yesterday. From paralysis effects to flaming fists, the hits were so sweet they practically melted me. At one point I'd nearly blasted them with Thunder God, but the message that popped up made me change tactics.

Kya! So damn sweet!

When a D-rank worm was tearing my whole body apart, forty was the limit. Yet a few hits from these B-rank trash had pushed me this far. Sure, the rate of increase slowed after fifty, but this was enough to craft at least one decent skill.

Maybe I should ask Irena to help next time.

But knowing her personality, no amount of begging would make her actually hit me.

I pushed myself up from the bed and brushed the dust off my clothes.

I didn't expect her to go full throttle this fast.

Yeon Hyoju's scheme had escalated quicker than I'd anticipated. In that case...

I need to move fast.

The first button to push was...

Kim Hoyeong, right?

I'd already sucked enough sweetness out of yesterday's events. Starting with those two seemed like the right play. I mulled over how to crush them as I headed back to the dormitory. It was ten in the morning. Everyone should be heading to the training rooms by now. If those two saw me looking like this rag, I didn't want to hear whatever crap they'd spit out. Better make it quick.

Beep.

I entered the passcode and opened the door.

"......"

"......"

Han Yuri was there. Right. She'd said she was doing theory studies today.

She'd been reading a book in the living room. Her eyes swept over my body from top to bottom with that indifferent gaze, and her expression slowly drained away.

"You... where the hell did you get beaten?"

"Why? Gonna beat me up yourself instead?"

"Dumbass. The idiot who got beaten is the real dumbass."

With that, she flicked her gaze back to her book.

A very Han Yuri reaction.

I changed clothes in my room and came back out. The page she was on hadn't moved an inch. I packed water and a towel into my bag and was about to leave the dorm when I heard rustling behind me.

Han Yuri had slung her bag over her shoulder and was following.

"Let's go together."

"Weren't you supposed to be studying theory today?"

"I changed my mind."

"Ah. Sure."

On the path from the dormitory to the training hall, spring had fully arrived. Flowers bloomed brightly across the plaza. As I took in the sight, Han Yuri spoke in a flat tone.

"Who did it?"

"What?"

"The bastards who beat you."

"What does it matter if you know? Don't worry about it."

Han Yuri's steps halted. I glanced back. Her expression was utterly murderous. That dangerous line between witch and human.

"Second-years?"

"Maybe."

"It's them, isn't it? Choi Minhyuk? Park Hyunsoo?"

Her constant prying finally made irritation bubble up. Before I knew it, my voice came out cold.

"I said mind your own damn business."

"......"

Han Yuri bit her lip hard. Then she strode forward and yanked up my shirt. The bruises were so dark my ribs looked like they might be cracked, flesh jutting out in places.

"You expect me to just stand here after seeing you like this? What did you do with the potions? Just leave yourself like this? What, are these glorious battle scars or something?"

"I need to raise my self-recovery skill proficiency."

"......"

For a second, Han Yuri's face filled with pure disbelief. Then she let out a hollow laugh.

"This guy's a complete lunatic."

"That's the highest praise in this line of work."

"Anyway, I'm not worried about you, so don't get any weird ideas. If you do something stupid it drags my reputation down, that's why I'm bothering."

"You're still a loner. What reputation?"

"Shut up and spit it out already."

She wasn't backing down at all. I ended up telling her everything about yesterday. How I'd fallen out with Yeon Hyoju over a certain matter and this was the aftermath.

Han Yuri's face flushed red then blue.

"Those fucking trash bastards...! You went through that and you're acting like it's nothing?!"

"Not really."

I've been through worse. Like what you did to me. A few hits like this barely register.

"Anyway, I've got my own plans, so I told you not to worry about it."

"Haah... that damn stubbornness... Fine. Do whatever the hell you want."

I'll look into it myself.

Her voice was so quiet I almost missed it. But that small sound carried thick, sticky killing intent.

I somehow managed to convince Han Yuri, and we headed to the training hall together. The first-floor lobby greeted us with shocking news.

Yeon Hyoju's group had died. During an assignment, no less. The first-years were buzzing with shock.

"What? So the safety mechanisms didn't activate properly?"

"Who knows. Maybe they panicked so hard they couldn't even think about escaping."

"No way. There's no chance third-years would mess up like that."

Han Yuri grinned and poked my side.

"Got your revenge without even lifting a finger, huh?"

"Looks like it."

It was definitely good news. But the uneasy feeling in my chest wouldn't leave.

The timing is too perfect.

I should ask Irena for the full story.

"Go on ahead. I'll stop by the professor's office real quick."

"Sure."

Han Yuri was in such a good mood she even hummed a little tune as she saw me off.

I opened the door to Professor Irena's office. She was typing away at her keyboard. Normally she would've reacted the moment the door opened, but right now she was completely absorbed in her monitor.

"Um... Professor?"

"Ah... you're here. Come in."

"No, I'm not here for tutoring. I just wanted to ask something quickly."

"What is it?"

She rubbed her temples as she stood. She looked exhausted. With a death on her hands, it made sense she'd be swamped. I'd keep this short.

"The victims from this incident. Could you tell me the cause of death?"

"...Why are you asking?"

"They were people I had connections with... I think knowing why they died would help clear this frustration."

Damn, my acting was on point. Seeing my sorrowful expression, Irena let out a small sigh and spoke.

"They died from an explosion."

"An explosion?"

"Yes."

She pressed her lips together firmly, clearly unwilling to say more.

This is as far as I get.

Even this much was lucky.

"I understand. Thank you, Professor."

"Mm."

She went back to typing without even a proper goodbye. She really was busy. I quietly closed the door and sank into thought.

What the hell is going on?

Blunt force trauma. Crushing. Asphyxiation. If a witch ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had really stepped in, it would've been one of those three. An explosion didn't fit any of them. Even though it had been confirmed that a witch wasn't involved, the uneasy feeling refused to fade.

For now, I'll focus on the rank-up test.

I left the professor's office and headed for the training hall when a voice called out.

"Oh? Seonghyun?"

I ran into Lee Seol.

***

Restless. That was the first thing I felt the moment I saw Lee Seol.

Why is she acting like this?

She wouldn't meet my eyes, her gaze darting everywhere. She'd been silent for so long I was about to speak first when—

"I'm sorry!"

She bowed at a perfect ninety degrees.

What the...?

The sudden apology left me completely lost.

"Seol. Lift your head. Why are you suddenly..."

"That day we drank... I didn't cause an accident, did I?"

Accident?

Hyun. I want to keep you in my pocket...

Ah...

Only then did I understand why she was acting this way.

"S-sorry! I don't usually have a drinking habit like that... You were so drunk and..."

"It's fine. I was the one who suggested drinking. Don't worry about it too much."

"Mmm. No, it's not."

Lee Seol shook her head, then pulled something from her bag and held it out to me.

It was a ticket to a world-famous fireworks show that only the upper class could obtain. The date was two days after our test.

Come to think of it, that day...

I tried to recall my memories from the previous round when Lee Seol spoke again.

"I reserved spots for your team and mine, six people total. I don't know if this will be enough for forgiveness... but could you accept it as my sincere apology?"

"......"

I sighed and took the ticket.

"Alright, alright. Don't let it weigh on you too much. Everyone says stupid things when they're drunk."

Her expression darkened slightly.

"...I don't think that way."

"Hm? What?"

Her voice was so small I missed it.

"Anyway. You'll definitely come, right?"

"Yeah. I'll be there for sure."

"Here. Pinky promise?"

Lee Seol held out her pinky finger. That childish pinky promise from elementary school days.

We're adults. What the hell am I doing?

Swallowing my self-loathing, I hooked my pinky with hers. A smile bloomed on her lips, deeper than before.

"You promised, okay?"

That innocent, childlike smile. It didn't match her pure and elegant image at all. I closed my eyes. I hoped it was just my imagination that her mask was getting thinner.

I prayed desperately that it was.

***

The day of the rank-up test finally arrived.

Preparations are perfect.

After intense effort, Choi Ahyeon had learned to handle Wind God at least a little. I'd also hammered the weaknesses and strategies for the monsters into my brain. At this point, D-rank was basically guaranteed.

I watched the arena with tense eyes.

The weakest monster at D-rank, famous for its garbage durability. The test assigned opponents based on role and skill level. Naturally, I'd drawn the weakest one.

"Thunder God."

Golden lightning wrapped around my entire body. At the same time, I shot forward like a bullet and sliced through the golem.

"Krrrk!"

But it didn't seem very damaged. It swung a fist at me.

"Tsk."

I lightly dodged by tilting my head and continued my assault.

Definitely easy to fight.

Slow movement, dull reactions. The only problem was my pathetic attack power, so the damage wasn't sticking properly. After about ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ten minutes of brawling, the thing finally collapsed.

"Whew... what a tough bastard."

I checked the message on the monitor and headed toward Choi Ahyeon.

BOOOOM!

An ear-splitting roar. I ran over to check the testing area.

"Haa... haa..."

Choi Ahyeon stood there covered in blood, gasping for breath. In front of her lay a shattered Ice Golem—the monster one rank above the Snow Golem.

We did it!

"Seonghyun...!"

Spotting me, Choi Ahyeon instantly threw herself into my arms. Even with the metallic smell of blood stabbing my nose, I didn't push her away.

"I... I did it! I...!"

"Yeah. You did great."

Choi Ahyeon was sobbing so hard she could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠barely speak. I gently stroked her hair. Tears kept flowing, probably from the overwhelming emotion of reaching D-rank. My own chest grew tight and I felt tears coming too, when—

"Now... now I can drink again...! Thinking about how I held out for days without drinking while training... huuaang...!"

"......"

Give me back my touching moment, you idiot.

"Let's go. Han Yuri's probably waiting."

"Mmm..."

She'd already finished and would be waiting, so we needed to hurry. We headed to the lobby at a quick pace.

And there we saw it.

"......"

Why? Why the hell?

My brain refused to process it. Then I saw Han Yuri standing there powerlessly. She looked at us and asked in a trembling voice.

"Did you... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pass?"

"Yeah... but you, don't tell me..."

Han Yuri bit her lip so hard it bled. Then she turned and ran.

"Yuri!"

Fuck. What the hell just happened?