Emergency Material Run

The 1-A class midterms are about to start. Maybe that's why the atmosphere among the kids has shifted completely.

Hong Yuhwa studying diligently beside me. Erhil and Kim Seohyeon scribbling away furiously up front.

Everyone's taking notes like crazy.

…I said it casually, but I was the most pressed for time.

In my previous life, I'd gone to a pretty prestigious university back home. But the note-taking here was on another level. You could call it the difference between a top Korean school and the world's best academy.

The subjects they taught were different too. Where math, English, and Korean were basics before, here you had stuff like mana statistics, monster tactics, and dungeon analytics.

I don't even know what half of it is.

Still, I wasn't too worried.

I'd considered using the Black Heaven Demon Sword to cheat, but… there was something even better.

Viewing.

This talent turned out to be way more useful than I'd thought.

"This problem's a bit tricky, but it's a solution method you need to master if you want to be a hero. Here, Lee Seoha—why don't you give it a shot?"

"Sure."

I stood up and headed to the front. Stared at the problem on the board and activated my talent.

Viewing.

Solution steps and the answer started floating up. All I had to do was copy them down exactly.

I grabbed the electronic chalk the professor handed me, and as I wrote, it appeared perfectly on the hovering hologram board.

"Excellent. A truly perfect solution."

The professor looked at me with a proud expression—like he was eyeing a prime future slave.

"Do you have any worries about your future career path, young man?"

"None at all. I've wanted to be a hero since the day I was born."

"What a shame."

I answered the professor's creepy question without missing a beat. He sent me back to my seat with a sigh of regret.

"You're seriously amazing. I have no clue on that one."

"It's nothing."

Erhil asked with sparkling eyes. The stars in them seemed to dance with her emotions.

"Could you teach me later?"

"Yeah."

As I answered Erhil, I felt a glare from the side. Hong Yuhwa was staring daggers at me, like it was no big deal.

I replied and pretended to study while doodling.

Class, training, training, and more training. With my schedule overflowing, time flew by.

Days feel long, but weeks zip past. Go figure.

Saturday. The written exams were right around the corner.

Korea Hero School does a week of written midterms, followed by practicals the next week.

To prep for the practicals, I was brewing potions in the alchemy sub-lab.

No outside potions, weapons, or artifacts allowed—but stuff students make in-school? Totally fine.

Pretty solid system.

And the status windows filling my view? Loved those too.

That's 12,000P in the bag.

I stored all the potions in my subsace. The mana one was useless to me, but I made one to hand off in a pinch.

One issue, though.

Burning through all the supplied materials.

Time to brew a few for the school supply. I had outside-ordered stuff too, but that was all for personal use.

No choice.

Emergency run it was. I prepped to head out, tidied the sub-lab, and on my way out—there was Seo Gayeon.

"…"

She felt different from usual. Gone was the tiny, unassuming girl with zero presence.

Now she radiated mystery. Her black hair shimmered with starlight. Her eyes took on a faint purple hue.

Proof that Seo Gayeon was awakening to starlight mana.

Mana rippled around her. From the dim darkness, starlight poured from her, driving it back—like light made of pure hope.

Seo Gayeon would grow. She'd rocket up the ranks at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a terrifying speed, unlike before.

Just needed to guide her right, and she'd become a beacon for humanity.

"Oh, Seoha?"

The starlight faded. Her hair darkened again. Purple eyes returned to black.

"Already on the verge of awakening?"

"Yeah, thanks to you."

She smiled brightly. But I felt an odd sense of unease.

"Now I kinda get why you recommended magic for me."

Seo Gayeon held out both hands.

Whoosh.

A sphere of starlight floated up.

Starlight mana incinerates demons. But it doesn't stop there. Imagine, and mana surges—spells manifest.

"Training again today? I didn't see you in the training grounds."

"Huh? Oh, no—just brewing potions in the alchemy sub-lab."

"Potions? What kind?"

As we chatted, I pinned down the source of my unease.

Seo Gayeon wasn't stuttering.

Well, good things are good.

"Made a few for the practical exam. Oh, I got one mana potion—want it?"

"Sure."

I handed her the mana potion.

"Th-then I should give you something too."

"No need."

"Nope. I have some pride. You've given me so much already. Haven't had dinner yet, right? Wanna eat together? My treat—something tasty."

Seo Gayeon beamed. I turned her down.

Had to run the emergency route for materials.

"Sorry, got plans tonight. Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Sure."

She nodded with a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠smile. That weird feeling lingered as I said goodbye and headed out.

-Master, best be careful. My previous owner said shy girls who change suddenly are dangerous.

She's fine. Seo Gayeon's a good kid.

-The previous owner said that too. The one called Heavenly Demon—whose corpse ended up in 25 pieces.

The Black Heaven Demon Sword spoke in a distant tone.

Out of school, I headed to Seoul. Could warp gate it, but took the train on purpose.

Free for Korea Hero School students and comfy, but it pins your location.

Emergency runs need max stealth.

-Next stop: Seoul Station. Seoul Station.

Target reached quick. Peak hours—place was packed.

I used Nian to slip into a nearby bathroom and change.

-Master, you look pretty ripped like this.

…

Unwanted leer from the Black Heaven Demon Sword, but anyway.

Changed outfits three times, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pulled on a hat. Black hoodie, black jeans, black cap, black mask.

Black Heaven Demon Sword eyed me like I'd lost it, but no helping it. White shows up too much.

Then I wrapped myself in Reverse Heaven. Black power cloaked my body.

This world's magitech—science fused with magic. Means magic where science is.

In other words… Reverse Heaven lets me dodge CCTVs ahead of time.

Probably invisible on screens.

Picking Reverse Heaven Body was a godsend.

Thinking that, I scaled the tallest nearby building. Avoided people—didn't wanna seem suspicious.

-You already look plenty suspicious, Master…

Ignored the Black Heaven Demon Sword and hit the rooftop. View was decent.

Streets lit with neon, drunks stumbling into alleys already wasted.

Perfect night for an emergency run.

Emergency run's simple. Epic World vets optimized for combat use it to farm ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠materials fast.

Other games? Hunt monsters. But Epic World mirrors reality hard.

Korea's unified after taking North Korea—tons of heroes thanks to spirit veins. Monsters wiped out locally.

To hunt, gotta go abroad.

So what's the emergency run?

Remembered a noob's post.

Right. In Epic World, demons are worse than monsters. No—insulting to compare. Trash who deserve extermination, like the orc scum in the Five Chinas.

I pulled the mask from my multidimensional shop.

I donned the mask, clasped my hands, and prayed.

"Please make me a righteous thief."

Tonight, I'd raid the demons' warehouses.