Small Changes
A somewhat short stature. Not particularly tall. People often said I walked with a bit of a thug-like swagger. But hey, I always took care of my responsibilities.
Then one day, a guy appeared who threatened my spot.
It was the one I'd met at the Hunters Next Generation academy event.
Lee Chang-hyun.
At first, I had no idea who he was. Even when we both climbed to 5th place in the survival game, I just thought, Oh, there's a guy like this.
But watching the broadcast shifted my thoughts in a negative direction.
"This program? There's no one above me. Comparing me to these amateurs is absurd, don't you think?"
Something along those lines. The guy in the broadcast interview was a total punk.
He barely scraped 5th in the survival game thanks mostly to the hidden piece Ether, and yet he acted like that.
Maybe that's why I couldn't hold back when he passed by.
"A guy who won on Ether luck sure is..."
I muttered something like that.
But the real guy I met was quite different.
I first sensed it during our initial spar.
The match started with my provocation.
As expected, without Ether, he wasn't that strong. I couldn't fathom what gave him the confidence for that interview.
So I let my guard down. Or maybe it was just his skill.
I blocked one dagger with telekinesis.
But I didn't anticipate the three hidden behind it.
That's when my perception shifted a bit.
His overall stats aren't high, but he fights damn well.
I glimpsed his sense and tactical side.
Then suddenly, I got tagged by Lee Chang-hyun for a 3v3v3 mini Hunters League team.
Putting an opponent you'd basically picked a fight with on your own team? Unimaginable for me.
And the guy said this to me:
"I believe in your abilities. I need you."
...That's when I realized another side of him.
He was biting his lip hard.
Even though he'd won, saying that to someone who'd mocked him must have taken guts.
Not overwhelmingly superior in stats or talent, but someone who couldn't tolerate losing.
Someone who'd do anything to win.
That's what I thought. That's why he'd picked me.
So I decided to bet on it once.
One of his gamble-like tactics, betting that he believed in me.
***
"Kim Jin-seung! Han Ji-su! Get ready!"
In the tense situation where Yoon Han-gyeol and Jin Han were chasing Lee Chang-hyun, I shouted loudly.
"......"
At my words, Jin Han and Yoon Han-gyeol hesitated, scanning around, but nothing happened.
"A feint, huh..."
Yoon Han-gyeol realized in that instant that Lee Chang-hyun had done it to buy time.
The gap between them had widened while they paused.
But Yoon Han-gyeol wasn't a pushover.
It wasn't just Yoon Han-gyeol and Jin Han flying via Air Anchors and Air Beats that needed caution.
Ego Sword......
A sword using Yoon Han-gyeol's skill, Ego Sword [S], flew from behind to check Lee Chang-hyun's movements.
Of all people, Yoon Han-gyeol teamed up with Jin Han. Is this luck or not...? Should I wait a bit more?
As Yoon Han-gyeol's sword kept checking Lee Chang-hyun's aerial acrobatics, his movements inevitably slowed noticeably.
Then Lee Chang-hyun shouted again.
"Han Ji-su!!"
"Not falling for it this time!"
Jin Han and Yoon Han-gyeol's joint attack followed, closing in on Lee Chang-hyun.
......And right as the three attacks—seemingly overwhelming in power—were about to clash.
Ziiing...
'......'
Yoon Han-gyeol halted his attack and stepped back.
Pure instinct.
But since it was a joint attack, Jin Han quickly clashed blades with Lee Chang-hyun.
And in that moment, Yoon Han-gyeol's uneasy hunch proved right.
Clang!
A powerful pressure, like space collapsing, enveloped the area—not sparing even Yoon Han-gyeol, who had stepped back.
Gravity attack...
Having faced Lee Chang-hyun once, and his combo with Han Ji-su, Yoon Han-gyeol knew it instantly.
This was Han Ji-su's gravity field.
But he also recalled that Han Ji-su's gravity field couldn't be controlled that precisely.
And indeed, Jin Han, Yoon Han-gyeol—and even Lee Chang-hyun—were slammed toward the ground.
"A suicide attack?!"
There was only one explanation.
The top contender, her rival, and his teammate—waiting for the perfect moment to wipe them all out in one shot.
That's all it could be.
As the three plummeted helplessly, something unbelievable happened again.
Despite the intense gravity, Lee Chang-hyun hovered motionless in the air, as if unaffected.
"......"
No one knew what was happening.
Had this been the plan from the start?
How was Lee Chang-hyun staying afloat?
Had Han Ji-su somehow learned precise gravity control?
One thing was certain.
We got played...
Beep—
Yoon Han-gyeol and Jin Han hit the ground and were eliminated.
The first eliminations.
A Team Jin Han: Fall
A Team Yoon Han-gyeol: Fall
Han Ji-su's voice came through the earpiece as the buzzer blared and the connection resumed.
"You okay? Was the gravity bearable?"
"Feels like my body's being squeezed from both sides—not great, but manageable. Jin-seung, nice one."
"Didn't know my telekinesis could cover for that... Turned out to be a solid tactic in the end."
"Solid my ass. If we'd clashed head-on, no tactic would've ended it this easily."
Lee Chang-hyun drew all the aggro, they met in the center without covering each other.
The moment everyone was airborne, Han Ji-su's gravity ambush—that was the plan.
If it'd gone perfectly, I'd be out too...
But Lee Chang-hyun's picks included Kim Jin-seung, who wielded telekinesis—a force similar to gravity.
Han Ji-su slams the airborne foes with wide-area gravity, while Kim Jin-seung focuses solely on pulling me up.
Lee Chang-hyun's bait operation.
We had no time to test it, no idea how gravity and telekinesis would interact.
Just a hunch it'd work, so we threw ourselves in.
And it succeeded.
The result: Lee Chang-hyun's victory, trusting Kim Jin-seung.
"Game's not over—stay sharp. The others might've watched us fight or heard info. They won't fall for it as easily next time."
But as he spoke, the end-of-match buzzer unexpectedly rang out.
A Team Yoo Hye-ju: Death by Excessive Bleeding
B Team Lee Hae-il: Death by Combat
B Team Kim Ki-ju: Death by Combat
B Team Cha Il-tae: Death by Combat
B Team Kim Ki-in: Death by Combat
The scoreboard for battle updates simply listed it silently.
...She took on four alone? As expected of Yoo Hye-ju...
Yoo Hye-ju had fought B Team's four and won before collapsing.
A somehow hollow ending.
C Team Kim Jin-seung, Lee Chang-hyun, Han Ji-su
Regardless, it was C Team's overwhelming victory.
***
Of course, Yoon Han-gyeol was equal or better, but in this match, she stole the spotlight.
Yoo Hye-ju...
Like Yoon Han-gyeol, one of the most notable from my generation pre-regression—her potential was clearly exceptional.
Whether she knew my thoughts or not, Yoo Hye-ju was ranting at A Team's others nearby.
"I handled B Team alone, and you two tail one guy then both fall to your deaths? First game or what? Unbelievable."
She seemed seriously pissed.
I'd probably feel the same, but her teammates looked unfazed.
"No, sunbae-nim. You found the hidden piece last time, and that Lee Chang-hyun sunbae over there beating Yoon Han-gyeol sunbae-nim wasn't luck. He's tactically sharp, stabbing at weaknesses—we charged in blindly without strategy, no choice... Yoon Han-gyeol sunbae-nim's still stronger raw power-wise. But I think even if you were in his spot, same result. You don't know how amazing Lee Chang-hyun sunbae-nim is. That strategy stabbing at gaps..."
Jin Han just kept going endlessly.
Yoo Hye-ju seemed even more frustrated, unable to respond.
Or too much to say, words stuck.
Meanwhile, Yoon Han-gyeol apologized calmly.
"Sorry... My oversight. Having faced their abilities once, I should've been more cautious."
Yeah, pre-regression Yoon Han-gyeol was like that. After failed ops or losses, he'd slump, review mistakes.
With his stats, he could've been more shameless.
Anyway, reactions to the match were solid.
Most were short takes, impressions, amateur views—but sharp analysis mixed in.
I did infuse Ether to adjust the mana rope's elasticity... Sharp eyes.
Even if spotted, no one else could replicate it, so no big deal.
And one unexpected thing.
"Hey, sorry for the harsh words before."
"......"
"Ah, forget it if you don't remember."
Kim Jin-seung apologized alone then left.
Acting like he'd never apologize even on deathbed.
Cute guy.