Chapter 18
“That movement...?!”
“No way... that movement...!”
Lee Seoryul couldn't help but gape in disbelief at the scene unfolding before her eyes.
Was that guardian really a Hidden Piece?
And no wonder—she'd rushed over the moment she heard that Yeonam High School, the shelter for students, faculty, and nearby residents, was in danger. What she witnessed was nothing short of astonishing.
There was Cha Yaeun, locked in a desperate struggle against the gate boss, an ogre.
Fighting a higher-rank monster without proper gear was impressive enough on its own. But what truly shocked Lee Seoryul was Cha Yaeun's movement.
It evoked memories of the guardian that had nearly wiped out Crimson Guild's first-string members and rookies not long ago.
Swinging a broken traffic sign like a halberd to attack the ogre—it was straight out of the bronze golem's playbook.
Moreover, as far as Lee Seoryul knew, Cha Yaeun had been F-rank just a short while ago. For someone like that to hold her own against a blue gate boss with such fluid motion in such a short time...
Lee Seoryul didn't have the details on any unrecorded skills Cha Yaeun might possess, so she could only assume the guardian had been some fateful opportunity—a Hidden Piece, just like in the novel.
Sister Dami achieved her second awakening through that fight with the guardian too. Does that mean it really was a Hidden Piece, like in the novel?
If so, what the hell was that novel?
A coincidence? Logically, yes, coincidences happen—but...
Can coincidences like this keep piling up?
The Blood Demon. Seo Dami's downfall. And now the Hidden Piece.
The fine details didn't match perfectly, of course. Still, could coincidences align this closely? Lee Seoryul couldn't shake the doubt.
Part of her wanted to track down the author of Lebalheonda right then and there, demand answers. Did they know something? Did they have some way of glimpsing the future, or were they a regressor like her? But...
No, that's not what's important right now.
She shoved her tangled thoughts aside. First things first: help Cha Yaeun. Drawing the sword from her waist, Lee Seoryul prepared to charge in.
That's when a voice stopped her. “Hold up, Agent.”
It was Seo Dami, who'd come rushing to the shelter upon hearing the news, intent on saving the day.
That familiar voice. Lee Seoryul whipped around to find Seo Dami watching with childlike excitement sparkling in her eyes—and she was speechless.
That glint in her eyes... I know it all too well from our past-life connection.
“That little sprout's putting up a hell of a fight, right? She might just shed a layer of skin if we let her keep going. Let's watch for now. We can step in if it gets really dicey.”
Don't be the bad adult who steals someone's growth moment, okay? Seo Dami said with a wicked grin.
Lee Seoryul shuddered despite herself. Back in her first timeline, after joining Crimson Guild, she'd endured plenty of spine-chilling experiences under Seo Dami's sadistic, spartan training.
Sure, it had made her stronger... but she'd literally vomited blood more than once from the relentless pressure. And every time she pushed through, barely scraping by, Seo Dami's eyes would light up: “Yes! That's it!”
That same glint, that expression, that vibe—now aimed at Cha Yaeun battling a superior foe.
Poor girl...
Unconsciously, Lee Seoryul felt pity for her.
Seo Dami loved talented sprouts, guild member or not. Seeing Cha Yaeun grit her teeth and fight the ogre to protect people? She'd clearly taken a shine to her.
Which meant Cha Yaeun had caught her interest—and would be rolled hard whenever the chance arose.
Not a guild member? Not a formal disciple or acquaintance? What did that matter? If Seo Dami cared about such things, her nickname wouldn't be “Witch.”
That moniker fit her like a glove, born from her battle-maniac tendencies and brutal love of pushing rookies.
She adored giving talented newbies trials, then watching them overcome and grow. Fail and break? Tough luck. If she'd coddled everyone with that in mind, she'd be called a saint instead.
But if she endures... she'll definitely grow.
Lee Seoryul knew that better than anyone—she'd walked that path.
Her gaze on Cha Yaeun mixed sympathy and encouragement. Pushed to the brink, inches from death, Cha Yaeun was showing truly remarkable growth. It was hard to call Seo Dami's methods wrong at this point.
Is that even possible? Does she have some growth-specialized skill?
Cha Yaeun's once-clunky movements were sharpening, refining, simplifying. And with those clean motions came real power behind her strikes.
Yet the more she resembled the bronze golem guardian—the monster that had cornered Crimson Guild and Lee Seoryul herself—the more conflicted Lee Seoryul felt.
Seo Dami felt it too.
“Ha, would you look at that?”
Lee Seoryul had finished off the “seasoned” guardian alongside the guild members—she had landed the killing blow.
So of course she recognized Cha Yaeun's movements as matching that terrifyingly powerful guardian's.
What the hell happened? Some skill? Or... something from Lebalheonda?
Whatever the reason, it only made her hungrier for the girl.
When she'd gotten the call about trouble at another shelter and rushed over after evacuations wrapped up—leaving the rest to her guildmates—she'd been surprised to spot Cha Yaeun here.
What were the odds? And then doubly shocked by her moves against the freed gate boss.
“This is fun...”
Life was worth living for moments like this. Seo Dami grinned genuinely.
Seeing her fight up close only stoked her desire. Talent scouting wasn't exactly a hobby, but right now? It was her passion.
If only she were in our guild... I'd train her properly.
Seo Dami smirked. Lee Seoryul shuddered again at the sight.
Sigh, who the hell is the hunter she idolizes? Sword Saint? Lolibaba Association President? Some foreign hunter?
Cha Yaeun's words from when she'd rejected the guild invite suddenly stung: She had someone she admired, aspired to be like. Thanks, but no thanks.
Seemed genuine, given her serious refusal back then. But who could it be?
And it wasn't just that. She talked like she already had an amazing mentor—way beyond what she deserved.
Who was this mentor? Someone so incredible she'd turn down me, S-rank Seo Dami?
The fiercer Cha Yaeun fought the ogre, the more Seo Dami coveted her—and the more jealous she grew of this mystery rival.
One could only wonder what face she'd make upon learning the object of that envy was... a webnovel author and his fictional protagonist.
“She looks like she's hitting her real limit. I'll intervene.”
“Wait, I'll do it.”
“No, let me here.”
“Hmmm...? I said I'll do it. You must be beat from holding the perimeter against those flying monsters—take a breather.”
“Guild Master Seo Dami, you were swamped with evacuations yourself. Aren't you going to watch?”
The two suddenly bickered over something trivial. There was good reason: Lee Seoryul saw Cha Yaeun's potential just as clearly.
The Association was always short on talent—especially promising, capable hunters.
Maybe save her now, rack up some goodwill, then recruit her later? Lee Seoryul pondered.
She wanted to build her own faction within the Association to handle future crises. Solo power had limits—she'd learned that the hard way last timeline.
Cha Yaeun would be perfect for her team. Plus, with her ties to that novel, she was someone to keep close.
Seo Dami was thinking the exact same thing.
If Cha Yaeun knew about this petty tug-of-war, she'd probably scream for anyone to just help her already.
“...Fine. I yield. But in exchange, Guild Master Seo Dami, I have one question.”
“A question? Shoot.”
Lee Seoryul knew Seo Dami's personality well enough to back off strategically, securing a question in return.
“Is it true you drew inspiration from a ‘novel’ on your path to S-rank?”
“Yeah, it's true.”
Seo Dami irritably swept back her red hair, then pointed at the ogre like a pistol.
“When someone shares their hard-earned know-how out of the goodness of their heart—graciously—what's with that reaction? Like I'm telling a lame joke or something.”
“I never took it that way...”
Lee Seoryul offered a defensive excuse under Seo Dami's sharp glare.
Knowing her well, she figured the novel story wasn't a joke. This answer only confirmed it.
“Good enough.”
That was all from her. Seo Dami declared it toward the ogre rearing back its club.
“Bang!”
The next instant, a condensed fireball shot out like a bullet, blasting a manhole-sized hole through the ogre's upper body.
Was she trying to look cool for Cha Yaeun and misjudged her power? The flames that pierced the ogre engulfed Cha Yaeun too.
Lee Seoryul gasped in horror. This wasn't like her—what the hell? Too new to S-rank, overeager, bad power control?
Whatever the case, she bolted to save Cha Yaeun—only for the culprit herself to wave her off.
“Relax, Agent. It's fine.”
Seo Dami just chuckled.