I Am (Part 2)
The main set of Labyrinth Exploration NaN.
On a massive stage, ninety-six chairs are arranged in a pyramid formation. The glittering chair at the very top is for 1st place. Directly below it are 2nd and 3rd, the third row holds 4th through 7th, the fourth row holds 8th through 15th...
It is the time-honored opening format of the Labyrinth Exploration series.
"Cue."
At PD Yoon Sa-hyeok's signal, two unaffiliated individual applicants enter the set together.
"Whoa. This is amazing."
"It's huge. Ah, so those are the chairs."
Lee Dong-hyuk and Kim Yoon-seo. The man and woman, with their name tags pinned to their chests, look around and react for the cameras.
In PD Yoon Sa-hyeok's estimation, they are unremarkable bottom-tier contestants.
"Um, where are you going to sit? They said we can sit anywhere at the beginning," the woman asks.
"Ah, I'll... stay humble and sit here."
The man sits in the 40th chair. The woman hesitates before sitting in the 20th. They glance at each other and share an awkward laugh.
"Your name is Lee Dong-hyuk..."
"Yes, I'm Lee Dong-hyuk. I'm twenty-two."
"Ah, I'm twenty-three. I'm Kim Yoon-seo. It's a bit awkward, isn't it?"
"Hahaha, yes. Actually, I know who you are, Kim Yoon-seo."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. You're a spellcaster, right? You do YouTube?"
Thud. Thud.
An unusually heavy set of footsteps cuts through their chatter. The two turn their heads.
The third individual contestant. Walking down the stage like a runway, sporting brown comma hair. He has unreal proportions and a striking build. Even in a simple shirt, he carries it with effortless grace—a man whose sheer appearance screams star quality.
The name tag on his chest reads Kang Hyun.
As he steps onto the set, Lee Dong-hyuk's eyes widen involuntarily, and Kim Yoon-seo covers her mouth with both hands.
Kang Hyun walks over with steady strides and takes a seat. He doesn't even look at the number behind him, nor does he hesitate, seemingly having no greed for the 1st-place throne.
He sits in the 10th chair.
"Whoa..."
"..."
Lee Dong-hyuk and Kim Yoon-seo only steal glances at Kang Hyun, not daring to strike up a conversation.
The atmosphere is strangely tense. While his facial features are on the softer side, his expressionless face is as sharp as a blade.
"Wow. Is this the set?"
"It's so different from last season. Back then, it was just tiered seating."
Next, a group of four individual contestants stream in. They seem quite close, their voices loud and lively.
"Ah, so those are the ranking chairs..."
"I guess so...?"
"Oh."
Suddenly, the conversation dies down.
It is likely because of Kang Hyun.
Overwhelmed by the aura of this single man, they quietly walk over and sit in random chairs. They remain silent, deliberately looking for the camera angles.
Thump. Thud. Thump. Thud.
This time, a distinctly different echo reverberates. The sound of a hard object striking the floor. The gazes of all seven contestants, including Kang Hyun, shift toward the sound.
A highly unusual man is walking in.
"...Who is that?"
"Ah. So he made the cut too."
The twenty-three-year-old Kim Yoon-seo is the first to recognize him.
"Do you know him?"
"I saw him during the spellcaster preliminaries."
First of all, he has long hair—a style that perfectly suits his decadent, brooding impression. He is tall and well-proportioned, but a melancholy aura swallows all of it. Is it because of his limping leg and the cane gripped tightly in his left hand?
The name pinned to his chest is Seol Ha-woon.
Thump. Thud. Thump. Thud.
Leaning on his cane, he climbs the stairs and takes a seat.
His rank is 11th.
Which means he is sitting right next to Kang Hyun. A position that will inevitably be caught on camera, whether they like it or not.
A prime spot, so to speak.
"PD-nim, what do you think of Seol Ha-woon?" Yoo Eun-jin asks while monitoring the camera feed.
Kang Hyun and Seol Ha-woon. The two-shot of them framed together isn't bad at all.
Usually, when someone is placed next to a face like Kang Hyun's, they get completely washed out unless they are on Lee Jun-ho's level. But Seol Ha-woon is holding his own surprisingly well.
Of course, Kang Hyun is objectively more handsome.
But because their vibes are so contrasting, they create a strange synergy. And why is Seol Ha-woon's skin so ridiculously good?
"Well, we won't get called out for lack of diversity."
"...What? PD-nim, you're such a 'T'. You'll get canceled if you say things like that out there."
Yoon Sa-hyeok shrugs.
"Focus."
He stares back at the set.
There are eight unaffiliated individual contestants in total. Once they fill their seats, the massive screen at the front flashes.
Forest. Four contestants from the well-known mid-sized guild enter one after another. They greet the other trainees who arrived earlier as they look around.
"...Whoa. First place."
"It's too flashy. It's intimidating."
The 1st-place chair stands at the very peak. However, they only steal glances at it, not daring to approach.
Unless you are absolutely confident in your skills, sitting there is just begging for negative attention.
They settle into chairs in the top ten.
The next two contestants from Heroes sit in the 1st-place chair for a brief moment before immediately standing back up.
"Haha. Might as well try sitting in it once."
Since they might never get to sit there again...
The contestants continue to make their entrances in this manner.
Although anyone is free to sit anywhere, the very top remains vacant for quite a long time, as if everyone is wary of the attention.
As the guilds continue to file in, more than half of the ninety-six seats are filled.
Celion.
Three contestants from the major guild make their entrance. One of them immediately draws everyone's attention.
"Jun-ho, where are you going to sit?"
"Hmm..."
Lee Jun-ho. Already famous among the guild's fandom, he smiles mischievously and casually walks up the stairs to sit in that spot.
"I'll take this one. The view is great."
Celion's Lee Jun-ho is the first to claim the center. The other contestants watch him with slightly complicated expressions.
It isn't quite a "Who does he think he is?" look, as everyone acknowledges Lee Jun-ho's caliber.
Next, Jayros's Ryu Yeon-hwa and Seo Ji-woo enter. The arrival of these genuinely familiar faces heats up the atmosphere.
"What the. Why is Lee Jun-ho sitting up there..."
Seo Ji-woo glares at Lee Jun-ho at the very top with a look of disapproval. Lee Jun-ho simply waves back, looking delighted to see them.
"Hey, Ji-woo!"
"Tsk."
She has no desire to engage in a childish fight over a chair.
Seo Ji-woo walks toward the 2nd-place seat, but Ryu Yeon-hwa is a step faster and sits down.
"...Ah, seriously. How petty."
"You were just slow."
Seo Ji-woo simply sits in the 3rd-place seat. It doesn't matter anyway, since these numbers mean absolutely nothing right now.
Lee Jun-ho tilts his head.
"Oh, what's up? Why aren't you guys challenging me?"
"Challenging you? Are you out of your... mind?"
Seo Ji-woo almost cursed out of habit. She and Lee Jun-ho went to the same high school.
"No, I mean, last season people were challenging each other to take the first-place spot, right?"
Just then, the Chinese contestants enter.
Jo Woon, Ryu Wei, and Li Chenyu. While Ryu Wei and Li Chenyu look around, seemingly trying to choose where to sit, Jo Woon does not.
He walks in a straight line, as if his destination has already been decided.
The peak of the pyramid.
1st place, Lee Jun-ho.
Jo Woon stops right in front of him and looks up. Lee Jun-ho meets his gaze with a faint smile.
"Lee Jun-ho-ssi. I wish to determine the rightful owner of this seat."
"...Through a duel?" Lee Jun-ho asks. Jo Woon nods resolutely.
"Sure, why not~"
"Yes. Thank you."
Jo Woon and Lee Jun-ho walk down the stairs together and stand on the stage. The sudden duel brings smiles to the PDs' faces.
After all, the stage was made unnecessarily wide precisely for duels like this.
"Ooh."
"Ah, my heart is racing."
"Those two are clashing right from the start."
Lee Jun-ho, who shows the potential of a Sword Saint, and Jo Woon, a literal descendant of Changshan.
The contestants react enthusiastically to their clash.
Shring! Lee Jun-ho draws his sword. It is a longsword so long that it almost grazes the ground.
Jo Woon thrusts forward a spear that is far longer.
"Wow. He really is Zhao Zilong."
Despite Lee Jun-ho's admiration, Jo Woon remains completely still. He stares at Lee Jun-ho with serious eyes.
"Here I come."
"Yep."
Whoosh!
Jo Woon takes a step forward and thrusts his spear. Lee Jun-ho tilts the flat of his longsword to deflect it.
Clang!
A sharp, metallic ring echoes.
"Oh."
Lee Jun-ho raises an eyebrow, and Jo Woon immediately follows up, swirling his spear. An incredibly fluid spear technique, like acrobatics. Free-flowing and unpredictable thrusts rain down.
Clang! Clang! Clang—!
In a duel between a spear and a sword, the spear usually has the advantage. This is due to the inevitable difference in reach.
Thus, most swordsmen Jo Woon had faced before would crumble before long under his relentless spear strikes.
However, this case is a bit different.
Unlike other swordsmen, Lee Jun-ho uses an exceptionally long sword. His reach does not fall short even compared to a spear, and if he widens his stance, he can actually pressure the spearman.
Clang-! Clang-!
The spear strikes the sword. The sword parries or deflects the spear. The spear cannot easily penetrate, while the sword curves inward, aiming for the gaps left by the spear.
Every time the two pieces of steel clash, fierce sparks fly. Sweat drops mingle in the exchange of cold steel. Before long, mana begins to coat their weapons.
Clang—!
The PD and the rest of the production crew nod in admiration.
As expected, Lee Jun-ho possesses the potential of a Sword Saint. A talent recognized even by the notoriously picky Murim.
Jo Woon's spear tenaciously tries to wear Lee Jun-ho down, but Lee Jun-ho remains unshaken. Instead of merely dodging or stepping back, he firmly blocks every attack and actually advances. He is forcing the spearman into his own striking range.
"Hah!"
Finally, on the forty-second exchange.
Jo Woon's spear, which had been consistently sharp, falters just once. Whether his hands are slick with sweat or his strength is waning, the trajectory and weight of the spear drag slightly compared to before.
As a result, the spearhead slides awkwardly against the blade of the sword.
A mistake.
In an instant, Lee Jun-ho's eyes widen. The pupils of a predator swallowing a gap. He dashes forward, scraping his blade along the shaft of the spear.
Screeeeech—
"Ugh!"
The distance between them closes in the blink of an eye, and the tip of the sword rests against Jo Woon's neck.
"Phew~ Is that it?" Lee Jun-ho grins.
"...Yes. I yield."
Jo Woon concedes cleanly.
"You're good. Great work~"
Sheathing his sword, Lee Jun-ho casually strolls back to his seat. However, Jo Woon, seemingly not ready to give up, approaches the 2nd-place Ryu Yeon-hwa.
"Are you a spellcaster?"
Ryu Yeon-hwa nods. He immediately moves on to the 3rd-place Seo Ji-woo.
"Are you a spellcaster?"
"Yeah. Want to go a round?"
Seo Ji-woo rolls up her sleeves, looking eager for a fight, but—
"No. A duel is excessively disadvantageous for a spellcaster. I do not wish for it."
"...You're excessively honest."
In other words, incredibly rigid.
In the end, Jo Woon challenges the warrior sitting in 4th place, Jin Ho-jong, wins, and claims his rank.
Three hours into the shoot.
All ninety-six contestants affiliated with various agencies have taken their seats. Fortunately, I haven't been pushed out of my 11th-place spot.
Perhaps because the initial rankings don't mean anything anyway, people glance my way but don't bother challenging me.
Or maybe I just look a bit intimidating right now.
Clank—
Just then, the lights dim at the very front of the stage. Under a rather dramatic spotlight, a woman makes her entrance.
She walks out with a confident stride and sweeps her gaze over the crowd.
"Nice to meet you. I am your main mentor, Yu Ji-in."
Yu Ji-in. Currently ranked 333rd in the professional rankings, she is a high-ranker recognized worldwide.
"I am also a high-ranker spellcaster representing South Korea."
The ninety-six trainees show a wide variety of expressions.
Some contestants freeze up completely, others clap in admiration, and guys like me remain expressionless.
The cameras busily capture our reactions.
"First, I would like to formally welcome all of you who are participating in the third season of Labyrinth Exploration, 'Now and Never'."
Hearing it in person, her voice is even more beautiful.
"From this moment on, you will work together within the system of the Labyrinth Exploration series, or solve challenges through your own individual strength. Yesterday's ally will become today's rival, and today's rival will become tomorrow's ally."
It's the exact same opening line from the first broadcast.
It really sinks in that I've regressed.
"However, as you all know, a very special system exists within the Labyrinth Exploration series."
Everyone tenses up at Yu Ji-in's words.
To reiterate, Labyrinth Exploration is an invention. Other countries cannot easily replicate this format.
If it weren't special, there is no way major guilds would send their prized assets—promising prospects under the age of twenty-eight—to participate, nor would they grant the show exclusive rights to them for two years.
It is to the point where even the South Korean government strictly requests a limit on the number of foreign participants.
"Now... yes, I am told it is ready."
Bzzzt!
The moment she finishes speaking, mana flashes. Like a camera flash, it fills the space in an instant.
All the contestants instinctively close their eyes, and when they open them again—
Labyrinth Exploration NaN Contestant: Seol Ha-woon
Rank: Undecided
Votes: 0
A hologram is floating before my eyes.
It is incredibly simple compared to MoMo, but for the others, this is their very first time experiencing the status window of the Labyrinth Exploration series.
"You have all been chosen by Labyrinth Exploration. This status window can be activated by tapping your wrist twice."
Labyrinth Exploration is a magical invention.
This means the broadcast program itself is a massive-scale spell.
"You will see your rank and number of votes. The votes, of course, represent the precious support that the public casts for you explorers."
"Your rankings will be determined by your votes in the future, and you will be able to obtain substantial bonuses from them."
There are many bonuses that remain permanently even after Labyrinth Exploration ends.
This is the reason why Lee Je-hoon, the winner of the previous season and a 4-star prospect, grew into a world-class explorer.
"Now, before we reveal the mentors who will assist in your growth..." Yu Ji-in smiles brightly. "We will proceed with the official Level Test."
Groans erupt from among the contestants.
This Level Test will determine the rankings for the first week. The task will likely be the Linear Labyrinth.
"..."
I quietly look over at Kang Hyun. His expression hasn't changed at all.
Should I strike up a conversation?
"Are you..."
"?"
The moment I speak, he turns to look at me. His reaction time is incredibly sharp.
"Are you confident?"
Without realizing it, I spoke casually.
Kang Hyun replies.
"I'll just have to give it my best."
As he speaks, his eyes glance down at my cane.
"Are you going to be okay, Seol Ha-woon-ssi?"
"..."
I didn't expect him to ask me back.
"...I might have lost some things, but I've gained others in return."
Kang Hyun blinks at my words.
"Which means I'll be fine, even with my leg like this."
It happened by chance, but I might as well stick to speaking casually.
The camera is currently on me.
Rather than speaking politely like everyone else, throwing around casual speech from our very first meeting will definitely be much better for drawing attention.