Reunion at the Entrance Ceremony
"Today's the entrance ceremony, huh."
Seo Moon-kang-hyuk, the patriarch of the Seo family, had no intention of attending the entrance ceremony for his son and heir, Seo Moon-hyun. He had already decided to leave the congratulations to Seo Moon-min-hye.
"There's no need for you to go, Father. I'll attend and celebrate my brother's entrance for you."
Since Seo Moon-min-hye had volunteered so readily, he saw no reason to bother making the trip himself. He felt not the slightest pang of regret at missing his son's ceremony. Watching a child's entrance or graduation with tears of pride was a sentiment that belonged to an entirely different world from his.
As the head of the Seo family, he was a coldly pragmatic man. The only thing he truly loved was the family itself. He doted on his biological son, Seo Moon-hyun, as a capable successor, but that affection existed solely because the boy was his heir.
'Min-hye's been hiding her fangs. I wonder how this will play out.'
The position of heir was never guaranteed. If she proved herself, even a daughter like Seo Moon-min-hye could claim it.
'She's been preparing since seven years ago.'
One day, Seo Moon-kang-hyuk had confronted his daughter after she suddenly grew stronger by consuming rare elixirs. When she claimed she had simply found them, yet kept the truth hidden even from her beloved older brother, Seo Moon-hyun, the patriarch's assessment of her changed completely. The innocent, giggling girl he once knew had become a cunning young woman who concealed a blade behind her smile.
Where he had once viewed her as insurance or a daughter to be married off for the family's benefit, he now saw the possibility that she could become his successor. Especially whenever he caught those occasional glances of quiet contempt she directed at Seo Moon-hyun, his suspicions only hardened.
'She's secretly building power and influence to drive Hyun out and take the heir's seat for herself.'
He had investigated, worried she might be manipulated by some hidden faction, only to discover connections to the Yucheon Group. They had promised exclusive trade rights should Seo Moon-min-hye become head, along with a marriage alliance between her and the group's successor.
'She used her gender and beauty as bargaining chips to secure influence.'
Seo Moon-kang-hyuk decided it was an acceptable arrangement and chose not to inform Seo Moon-hyun. In his eyes, a true heir must be capable of surviving internal power struggles.
'Hyun and Min-hye. I wonder which of them will win.'
Even as siblings, they would grow stronger through a fight to the death. Whichever one survived would become a far more formidable successor.
'A younger sister who hides her fangs and prepares to sink them into her own brother's throat. Let's see if Hyun can handle her properly as her older brother.'
If he failed, Seo Moon-hyun could simply be discarded and replaced by Seo Moon-min-hye. But if Seo Moon-hyun emerged victorious, and Seo Moon-min-hye proved unwilling to serve the family loyally, she could be sold off at a high price.
'The Yucheon Group would pay handsomely for her.'
The fact that they had made such a deal with Seo Moon-min-hye meant they were interested in her value as a woman. If she became a loser, selling her to them with permission to do as they pleased would fetch an excellent return.
Therefore, Seo Moon-kang-hyuk would simply watch and see which of the two siblings became the victor.
The day of the entrance ceremony arrived. A thousand new students gathered in a vast auditorium large enough to accommodate tens of thousands. Families of the new students and current upperclassmen alike sat in their seats, watching the proceedings.
'There are a lot of people here.'
Seo Moon-hyun, now wearing the academy uniform, scanned the crowd for any sign of Seo Moon-min-hye. Even when he focused his senses, he couldn't detect her presence. It felt as though she were deliberately concealing herself.
'She wouldn't have skipped it.'
Seo Moon-min-hye had promised to come. She wouldn't lie about something like this. Yet no matter how hard he searched, he found no trace of her.
"Hyun-ah. It's starting."
Lee Se-na, standing beside him, spoke quietly. She had noticed him constantly glancing around and offered a gentle reminder.
"Right. Got it."
Seo Moon-hyun already knew he hadn't been chosen as the freshman representative. Still, rumors had been circulating about who had earned the honor among this year's new students. He was curious to see the rumored figure once the chairman finished his speech.
"Our National Hero Academy is the premier institution for producing the world's finest heroes! We will evaluate you thoroughly and strictly! If you came here dreaming of a carefree school life, give up now! That is not what it means to be a hero! Here, you will learn not only strength, but also the sense of responsibility befitting a hero's mindset. We will grade you on all of it!"
Chairman Hwang Jae-seok of the National Hero Academy was an imposing elderly man with a distinctive bald head. Though technically semi-retired, his strength still ranked among Korea's top hunters, officially placing him third in the world rankings—a powerful hero indeed. With so many retired or reclusive experts, he stood as the third-strongest among active, verified heroes. Even in Seo Moon-hyun's eyes, he was a formidable figure who surpassed even his father, Seo Moon-kang-hyuk.
'So that's the chairman.'
Just looking at him sent a chill down Seo Moon-hyun's spine. He felt a surge of anticipation for the lessons that awaited him at the academy.
"Now, I will introduce this year's freshman representative!"
The chairman's speech concluded, and the freshman representative finally stepped forward. Rumors claimed he was the successor of the Yucheon Group, and his strength was said to be extraordinary—he had reportedly damaged a mithril golem during the exam. Those who had taken the test with him confirmed the story, though they all seemed reluctant to mention his name. Especially Seo Moon-hyun; whenever they saw him, they wore uneasy expressions.
'I wonder who it is.'
Seo Moon-hyun felt a spark of curiosity.
"Freshman representative! Seo Moon-jin! Come up and take the oath as the representative!"
A moment later, a black-haired male student ascended the stage. Though he stood at a distance, Seo Moon-hyun's awakened senses allowed him to see the young man's face clearly.
"Huh?"
Lee Se-na, who had also caught sight of the student, let out a dazed sound as she stared at the one called Seo Moon-jin. He was strikingly handsome—fair skin, tall and well-built, with an appearance that would naturally draw the eyes of any woman.
'He looks just like me.'
Seo Moon-hyun couldn't shake the thought. The young man's face was far too similar to his own.
'No way...'
A face he had buried deep in his memories for years surfaced in his mind.
Seo Moon-jin noticed Seo Moon-hyun and Lee Se-na staring up at him in shock. Standing on the high stage as the freshman representative taking his oath, he never once lost sight of their gazes.
'It's good to see you again, Seo Moon-hyun. Enjoy your happy academy life for a little while, just like in the original story. I'll be the one to drag you down to the very bottom.'
After finishing the oath, Seo Moon-jin bowed politely to the applause and descended from the stage. The entrance ceremony ended shortly after the chairman added a few more words.
Min-hye, you can come out now.
Seo Moon-jin sent the message to Seo Moon-min-hye, telling her it was no longer necessary to hide her presence. Using the stealth artifact provided by Leviathan, Seo Moon-min-hye revealed herself in the crowded auditorium.
"Whoa, what a beauty!"
"Who is she?"
"She doesn't look like a new student."
Seo Moon-min-hye, dressed in casual clothes—a white T-shirt and hot pants—rather than the academy uniform, stood out sharply. Both students and visiting outsiders let out admiring gasps at the sight of her. Yet she paid no attention to the stares as she walked forward.
"Ah, Min-hye!"
Seo Moon-hyun called out to her happily upon spotting her. Seo Moon-min-hye glanced at him briefly, then deliberately turned her head away, ignoring him. As Seo Moon-jin approached from the other direction, she caught sight of him and broke into a bright smile.
"Oppa!"
She ran straight to him and threw herself into his arms.
"Huh?"
Seo Moon-hyun's stunned expression was clearly visible to Seo Moon-jin.
