The First Escape
Shin Yu-hee selected the one from the noble alliance who called himself a baron. His name?
No need to know—he's a dead man walking anyway.
A baron. If he were a helpful goblin like Grimmwald, that'd be one thing, but now he was just another human on death row. The surprising part?
"Y-You fucking...!"
He came out sword in hand to face Shin Yu-hee himself. I'd half-expected him to send some proxy like with Helma, but no—he stepped up personally, right into her path.
"Damn it, damn it...!"
The fight hadn't even started, but defeat was already thick in the baron's aura. And it made sense. From gear alone, he was outclassed.
"Where the hell did you even get equipment like that...!"
Armor and a sword so sturdy it seemed unbelievable for anything available in the arena. Worlds apart from the cheap junk she'd bought from Grimmwald on day one, this blade looked like it could clash with a hammer without bending or shattering. Top-tier stuff that'd cost hundreds of exchange vouchers at least.
The source? Not from selling my dick for vouchers. It was the gear from Helma and everyone else I'd killed in the arena. The staff stripped it from the corpses on-site and settled up with equivalent vouchers, which Grimmwald turned right around into this premium kit.
Thanks to that, Shin Yu-hee stepped out looking deceptively light on her feet, decked in the priciest gear for her final win.
Vouchers? Can't take 'em. Gear farmed here? Can't take it either. Sure, I had some plans to rice-farm later, but for now, she had the edge in equipment.
The baron's only path to victory left?
"Gaaaaah!!"
Letting out a feral scream to intimidate her, he scattered something he'd palmed in secret and lunged for her blind spot.
A baron, my ass.
He called himself nobility, but his style was dirtier and more pathetic than some lowlife thief from a gutter guild. That was the baron's true nature—the root of why he dared call himself a baron.
"Ugh?!"
Shin Yu-hee leaped back hard. Holding her breath against the sudden powder spray, she swung her forward-aimed sword through the air.
To an onlooker, it might look like panicked flailing—but
Clang!
Dead accurate. She'd batted away a dagger flying straight at her from behind the powder.
"Whoa."
I couldn't help but admire it. That could've buried in her throat—what the hell had Shemiri drilled into her? The exact fighting styles of men who could turn into enemies.
Did she anticipate it?
I could picture it. Shemiri chucking bread chunks at her, or dangling daggers on strings and tossing them. Not enough to hurt bad, but enough to make her feel dead—or taste death's terror. No breaks unless she deflected perfectly. No other way she could've handled it so smoothly.
She's the real deal. I can trust her.
Shin Yu-hee stayed cool, tracking his blind-spot rush with her eyes, sliding her dagger-deflecting sword sideways to his throat.
"Guh?!"
No swing needed; a blade to the neck halts even a charging attacker.
Clang!
The baron whipped his dagger low-to-high, knocking her sword aside. It flew up high, leaving her wide open—but
Whoosh!
She gripped it two-handed mid-air and slammed it down.
Splurt!!
"...Huh?"
Blood fountaining, the baron clutched his throat. Crimson soaked him head to toe, leaking between his fingers as terror flooded his eyes.
"Th—"
Slash!
No more words. Shin Yu-hee yanked her sword back and swung again, severing his fingers clean off and carving deep into his neck.
His head stayed on. But blood gushed from his throat enough to flood the floor, and he crumpled to his knees before pitching forward.
Thud!
Silence crashed down. Not just over the regular arena crowd, but heavier still on the reserve heroes watching Shin Yu-hee.
Got to show off the skill.
Gear advantage? Sure. But wielding it took skill too—and she'd shown the reserves a clear gap.
"...Hoo."
Shin Yu-hee flicked blood from her blade sideways.
"Referee. Victory?"
"Fighter Shin Yu-hee... victorious."
Arena 13's referee declared her win and started clapping himself.
"Congratulations on your fifth win, Miss Shin Yu-hee."
His tone shifted dramatically—polite, deferential, even bowing.
"Lady Chekhov awaits. We'll escort you to the top floor immediately."
"Right now?"
"Yes."
He glanced between Shin Yu-hee and me. He'd been watching from the arena, so he knew we were special—but he reeked of wanting to hustle us out fast.
Five wins achieved. Better to ship us off without fuss before any riots; easier for management.
"...Even after nomination, there's usually a 30-minute grace period. Do we really have to go right now?"
"Yes. ...Though you might have time for a quick word."
"Then wait."
Shin Yu-hee didn't bother looting the baron's corpse. She strode straight out to me.
"Sunbae. Did you see this coming?"
"Nah. Didn't expect 'em to boot us this quick."
"......It's sudden, but I believe you'll catch up soon."
She sheathed her sword but stripped off the armor.
"I can keep the sword, right? Just in case."
"Take it. It was yours from the start anyway."
New weapons come in the next stage regardless, but seeing her clutch that sword even back in her prisoner rags with armor dents, I let it slide.
"Use the armor well. It's untouched by the first five-win escapee—like a top-scorer's study guide. Your unnie or the kids will want it."
"Handing it over for free?"
"Would you?"
Spot on. She knew what I'd do with my remaining time.
"Say hi to Shemiri for me. I'll head out first."
"Wait. Before you go."
"What now—"
Mwah.
I kissed her lips right before she followed the ref up.
"Next time in the next stage."
"...Everyone's watching."
"That's the point."
Her face flushed, she glared at me—fine with my eyes on her, but embarrassed by the envious stares from the reserves.
"...Don't be late, sunbae."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Sword in arms, she followed the ref.
"Thank you for your cooperation. This way. Allow me."
The ref who'd sneered at prisoners now escorted her like a butler.
Shin Yu-hee. The first reserve hero to clear Chekhov's Arena.
Now for the rest...
Leave it to her.
She'd spin it right—for her, for me, for us.
Perfect excuse to pass the regressor suspicion up the chain.
A moment later.
"...What the hell is this."
Climbing the stairs, Shin Yu-hee scowled at the outfit they'd dressed her in.
"Seriously... like some medieval knight's getup."
Vampire tastes all over the uniform. She'd never looked closely, but it matched the knight outfits from her friends' romance fantasies.
And in the inner pocket? Gold and silver coins—who knew how many.
"Chekhov, huh..."
The white-haired, red-eyed vampire. Princess-like in looks, she'd greeted Shin Yu-hee at the arena's peak, tired-faced but fussing over her primping.
"Hope this carries over..."
Yoo Si-woo had said: only memories and experience from the arena. But she'd take anything she could.
Whatever the next stage, or the Demon King army world after clearing...
"For now... keep the arena stuff buried. No matter who we meet, sunbae said others'll look down on us. So... huh?"
The stairs' end. Just as the arena seemed to fade,
Her body jolted with a thunk, and she stood in a whole new space.
"Huh?"
"Congratulations, reserve hero Shin Yu-hee."
Not "fighter."
"You are the first to conquer Chekhov's Arena. Clearing Tutorial Stage 1-2—my heartfelt congratulations."
"...Estiel, right."
The angel Estiel bowed politely toward her—but
"...Did I do something wrong?"
"No. Not at all."
With a sullen face, somehow displeased.
"Merely surprised at your early clear."
"Ear...ly?"
"Yes. Average clear time for Chekhov's Arena is about a fortnight."
"A fortnight each..."
Her heart sank. Was it really a 15-day ordeal? Without that one guy, she might've taken way longer.
"Even first wins usually come around day seven on average. Exiting early means you've gained substantial combat experience."
"...A question."
"Yes?"
"Is the next one worse than this hellhole?"
"You'll see in the next stage."
"Right now?"
"Yes. But... first things first."
Clap.
The angel clapped, and a hologram screen burst before Shin Yu-hee's eyes.
A-grade difficulty, the first to clear Chekhov's Arena.
Goddess Points +1
"This is...?"
"A boon from the Goddess. I've come to explain Goddess Points personally."
"...What's that?"
"Well... in terms of value."
Smirk.
"If that reserve hero you're eyeing, Yoo Si-woo, knew the first clearer got Goddess Points, he'd have bolted first—no matter Park Chang-su or whoever."
"Huh...?"
"But that's impossible."
Estiel smiled.
"Not like anyone already knew about Chekhov's Arena."
Was it her imagination? To Shin Yu-hee, it sounded like something Estiel wanted to say to Yoo Si-woo—like he'd get it.