Slowly Tightening Chains (1)
As I turned my head slightly, Han Yuri’s trembling pupils filled my vision. Pure fear swam in them. At the same time, more than a dozen small meteor chunks orbited her body like a protective shield. Her unique skill, Meteor Star S. She was in full combat mode.
I slowly eased the grip on her wrist.
“What are you even talking about? I’m Lee Seonghyun. We’re in the same group.”
“Cut the bullshit! That’s not what I’m asking!”
Then what the hell did she want? She’d been spitting nonsense since earlier; it was driving me insane.
I looked down at her with ice-cold eyes. Her hand shook violently as she muttered.
“Yeah… this was it. That killing intent that feels like it’s ripping your whole body to shreds. How little must you think of me and Lee Seol to let an assassin leak killing intent everywhere? You’re dead.”
“…….”
Was my killing intent really that out of control? I thought I’d kept it reined in. Maybe the suppressor just broke whenever these two were involved. Another thing to watch out for in the future.
I clicked my tongue inwardly and put on an aggrieved face.
“There seems to be some misunderstanding. I definitely didn’t mean it like that.”
“Don’t make me laugh. Do you not know who my father is? Anyone else might’ve let it slide, but me and Lee Seol are different. We spar with monsters like that every single day. If we couldn’t even sense this level of killing intent, we’d have to kill ourselves.”
“It was just simple competitive spirit. Wanting to fight the top two first-years at least once isn’t weird, is it?”
“Ha. Unbelievable. Shameless to the very end.”
Han Yuri grabbed my collar with her free hand.
“Hey. The killing intent I felt is the kind only top-tier hunters like my dad can release. So the fact that the academy’s dead-last deadbeat is the one emitting it? That’s suspicious as hell no matter how you look at it, right? Or are you saying I’m just paranoid and delusional?”
“That’s…”
“Lee Seol’s the same. She felt something was off halfway through and chased after you, didn’t she? Knowing her personality, she probably thought she’d done something wrong and went to apologize. Without realizing you were trying to kill her.”
Ah. The puzzle pieces finally clicked together.
In the end, right after regressing I’d been too excited and failed to control my emotions. That’s what had twisted everything.
Of course.
Well, it wasn’t like these two had followed me through regression. Still, one question remained.
“So you put us in the same group to lure me out?”
“I don’t do petty manipulation like that. Sooner or later, I was planning to kill you before you could touch me.”
Despite the bold claim, her arm was shaking badly. It looked like prey trying to intimidate a predator.
I raised both hands in surrender.
“I have neither the intention nor the ability to kill you.”
“Then what the hell are you relying on…!”
“I’ll show you my status window.”
“What…?”
Showing your status window meant you trusted the other person completely. It was also the surest way to prove your innocence. At this point in time, people rarely showed it even to family, so my offer was shocking.
“Here.”
Her eyes locked onto the window I’d opened.
The worst of the worst. Considering Equivalent Exchange was hidden because it registered as unranked, it really was a garbage status window. Just barely enough skills to meet the academy’s minimum admission requirements. Seeing such a pathetic window should have cleared Han Yuri’s suspicions immediately.
But contrary to my expectations, she was only staring at the part that read Speedrun. Her eyes were cold and calculating. The terror that had made her tremble moments ago now looked like an act. It was utterly alien.
Witch of Love-Hate.
Yes. Those were the eyes of that witch.
“Speedrun…”
She muttered the single cryptic word, then released my collar. The witch-like aura that had wrapped around her vanished.
“Haa… to think I got scared of a pathetic bottom-feeder skill like this…”
“You got scared?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! I wasn’t scared! I was just being cautious!”
“Sure, sure.”
“I’m serious, damn it!”
“Okay. I believe you.”
When I shrugged with a bitter smile, she ground her teeth and huffed. At that exact moment the door opened. It was Choi Ahyeon.
“Whoa, whoa? You’re already having a bonding session without me? That’s kinda hurtful.”
“What’s that in your hand?”
“Alcohol and snacks! Nothing brings people together like booze!”
So that’s where she went. She’d gone out to buy food.
“I’m not drinking. I have to study.”
“Scared?”
“That lame provocation won’t work on me. Instead of drinking, I’d rather study one more monster weak point…”
“You’re scared.”
“I am not!”
“Then come over here. Let’s eat together.”
“You’re dead. I’m going to make sure you’re puking into the Han River from a hangover tomorrow.”
“Heh heh. Please do.”
She took the bait instantly. The distance between us felt a little closer now, even though Han Yuri and I had barely spoken before. As long as I maintained this exact distance, controlling her seemed manageable.
But something still bothered me.
What was that just now?
The atmosphere that had shifted the instant she saw my unique skill. Those eyes that had terrified countless people—the eyes of the witch. I was fine because it was me. If Choi Ahyeon had seen it, she probably would’ve wet her skirt.
I’ll have to keep watching her.
Contrary to my worries, the drinking party went smoothly. All thanks to Choi Ahyeon being a natural mood maker.
“You seriously don’t use any cosmetics?”
“Nope.”
“Wow, that’s so unfair. Your mom must’ve been a total beauty too. Mother and daughter both drop-dead gorgeous… the world really is unfair…”
“But you’re an amazing runner. I saw it on the news. A 100-meter sprint prodigy who got into the academy.”
“BEEP! That’s an embarrassing dark history, thank you.”
She kept talking to Han Yuri, keeping the conversation alive. Thanks to that, while the two of them chattered away, I could actually relax a little.
When their conversation finally hit a lull, Choi Ahyeon turned her target to me.
“Seonghyun, do you have any older or younger siblings?”
A classic get-to-know-you question. But I couldn’t answer easily. Everyone—my mother, father, and older sister—had died. I didn’t even know how. I’d only heard the ‘fact’ that they were dead while lying on a hospital bed.
I didn’t want to kill the first night’s atmosphere, so I dodged the question. Sensing my reluctance, Choi Ahyeon smoothly changed the subject.
“Then what’s your ideal type? Every guy has one, right?”
“Hmm.”
“Why even ask? It’s obviously a pretty girl with a great body.”
Han Yuri cut in bluntly. Her eyes looked at me with clear disdain. I just shrugged.
“I care more about personality than looks. No matter how beautiful she is, if her personality doesn’t match mine it’s hell.”
“Bullshit. I’ve never seen a guy who says that and actually ignores faces.”
Her venomous tone made me put on a wronged expression.
“It’s true.”
“Sure, sure. I believe you. But the way you’re talking makes it sound like you made a lot of girls cry back in the day?”
Choi Ahyeon poked my side repeatedly, her face full of mischief. I glanced at Han Yuri while pretending to play along. She was just fiddling with her paper cup, seemingly lost in thought.
I passed the baton back to Choi Ahyeon.
“What about you two?”
“Huh? What about us?”
“Ideal types. It’s unfair if only I answer.”
“Um……”
She wiggled her pale toes and rocked back and forth before letting out a shy laugh and scratching her cheek.
“Someone like family?”
“Family?”
“Yeah! I like the lovey-dovey stuff, but I want to share everything with them. I want there to be nothing we don’t know about each other.”
Choi Ahyeon’s words made me think of another witch.
Witch of Memories. Yoon Seah. My childhood friend who attended a different academy. She had a similar vibe to Choi Ahyeon. Women really did seem to have that desire to know every single thing about their man.
“Alright! Now it’s Yuri’s turn! What’s your ideal type?”
“I don’t have one.”
“Aww, that’s boring. Tell us~”
“I really don’t.”
Her tone made it clear she wasn’t interested. Choi Ahyeon clicked her tongue and backed off.
The meaningless chatter continued until, eventually, everyone except me was completely drunk.
“Looks like cleanup duty falls to me again.”
With my sigh as the finale, the bonding party came to an end.
The next day. 5 a.m. We were standing inside the Hall of Challenge.
Post-it notes covered the walls. Each one served as a teleporter to a dungeon and, at the same time, a lifeline that could save our lives. The academy provided these ‘assignments’ so students could safely grow stronger. If you thought you were going to die in a dungeon, you could shout ‘forfeit’ and return here.
It replaces exams and is the fastest way to raise your rank.
“Ugh… my head’s pounding… Did we really have to come this early? The sun isn’t even up yet…”
“Don’t you know the best hangover cure is fighting? Power through it.”
“You demon. You actual demon… Yuri, you okay?”
“……”
Han Yuri clutched her chest, clearly nauseous. Drinking heavily the night before and then running around like idiots had been a mistake. Logically, we should have waited until the alcohol was completely out of our systems, but this time it couldn’t be helped.
I have to secure the first-clear reward no matter what.
The first person to complete a first-year assignment would receive an academy-exclusive skill. It gave 1.5 times the chance of special reward drops during assignments and doubled skill proficiency for any skills used inside them. The efficiency was insane. I had to get this one.
Right now, while everyone else was still wasted from the bonding parties and dinners, was the perfect opportunity. Assignments usually started after 9 a.m. when classes began, so I was confident we’d be the only ones here.
“Is ‘Goblin Habitat’ okay for the assignment?”
“Do whatever you want. I’m going to hunt separately anyway.”
Classic Han Yuri, staying on her own wavelength. Well, since it was the easiest assignment, Choi Ahyeon and I could handle it easily by ourselves.
I tore off the post-it and looked at the two of them.
“If you’re ready, let’s go in.”
“Yeah. Just a second.”
Choi Ahyeon tapped away at her phone like she had a message to send. Since electronic devices didn’t work inside dungeons, some people sent texts in advance. She slipped the phone back into her pocket once she was done.
“All finished?”
“Yep! Let’s go!”
I held up the post-it and was about to shout the activation word when—
“Hey! Lee Seonghyun!”
“……!”
A male voice that absolutely should not have been here. I whipped my head around. Lee Seol and the rest of Group 1 were walking straight toward us.
Why…?
What the hell were they doing here?