Perhaps I Want to Return to the Old Days (1)
The contribution ranking flashed into view with Moon Junil sitting firmly in first place.
1. Moon Junil
2. Kang Hae-il
The Constellations’ reactions split sharply depending on who they were rooting for.
The Story Fairies were no different.
“You troll bastard!” Ram screamed at the top of her lungs, face flushed with rage. “Why the hell did you die to him?!”
“H-how is that the troll’s fault?!”
Since she couldn’t blame Kang Hae-il, Ram turned her fury on the poor, innocent troll instead. Sam, trying to salvage what little hope remained, spoke up.
“But didn’t Julian straight-up swing his sword right in front of him just now?! There’s no way Hae-il didn’t see that!”
“……Did he?”
In truth, Ram hadn’t caught it clearly either. But when they slowed the footage down, there it was—Kang Hae-il walking right past while Julian openly slashed at the air, mana blazing around the blade.
At that point, no matter how dense Hae-il was, the odds of him missing it were—
“—Are they?!”
Ram cut herself off with a shriek. Because Kang Hae-il was currently patting Junil on the shoulder, praising him while staring at the contribution ranking.
It wasn’t entirely unreasonable for Kang Hae-il to think that way. During the Champion Goblin fight, Junil had used clever tactics and earned first place in contribution before. Of course, the truth was that he had simply landed the final blow at a speed too fast for anyone to see.
Back then the Awakened were all low-level, so moving faster than their eyes could track had been easy.
“Haa… Th-this is ridiculous. He definitely saw that one…”
Sam, who had been analyzing the footage frame by frame, finally slumped in defeat.
Kang Hae-il. How could someone be this oblivious?
In a weak voice, Sam asked, “So… what’s the reward?”
“Haa.”
It had been a fairly difficult gate, and they had achieved a three-star clear. A high-grade reward was guaranteed.
“This can’t happen… That item absolutely has to go to Hae-il…!”
Ram covered her eyes and buried her face in her hands. It was an ability the protagonist desperately needed.
* * *
With a soft pop, the item dropped.
◈ Consumable Skill Scroll
◈ Tearing the scroll grants the ‘Rapid Recovery’ skill.
◈ Rapid Recovery: Activates when HP falls below 15% or a body part is severed. Fully restores the body within 5 seconds. Cooldown: 2 days.
The Constellations were extremely satisfied. After receiving so many incredible rewards lately, it was only natural.
‘Hmm……’
But Junil didn’t look satisfied at all. If anything, his expression had grown complicated.
“What’s with the face? Not good enough?”
Kang Hae-il noticed his expression before they left the gate and asked.
“No… it’s good. It’s Legendary after all.”
“Then what?”
Junil explained the skill exactly as it was written.
“Huh? That’s amazing.”
Kang Hae-il’s eyes widened.
“It’s perfect for you. Your body’s weak. Since you’re F-rank.”
“Yeah… Well, I’ll head out first.”
“Sure.”
Whoosh.
The two of them exited the gate together.
* * *
The moment they stepped outside, Junil was stunned.
‘Why are there so many people?’
Far more people had gathered than before, and a middle-aged man was wailing at the top of his lungs.
“Goddamn it! I believed in you!”
“……?”
The voice sounded strangely familiar.
When Junil met the man’s eyes, he flinched in surprise.
“Professor…?”
It was indeed Professor Kim Yu-sik.
He taught economics rather than business, but he also handled several management courses. He had always given off a gentle, refined impression.
‘Did I just hear that right?’
Goddamn it, I believed in you? It was hard to believe those words had come from Professor Kim.
And yet the man was furiously hurling cans at the crowd.
Clang!
Crash!
‘What the hell is going on……’
Junil approached cautiously.
“Um… Professor?”
“You did it! You did it, Junil!”
“Yes… but how did you even get here……”
The professor didn’t seem interested in talking to him. His eyes were bloodshot as he hurled more cans and roared.
“This is what S University is! Did you see that?! This! This is human intellectual ability! These are the future talents of our nation!”
There was a saying that a professor during undergrad and a professor during grad school were completely different people wearing the same skin.
Junil had never thought much about it. He had gone to law school instead of grad school, after all.
But now he understood.
The Professor Kim he had known until now was the undergraduate version.
“Look at an F-rank taking first place! You pathetic non-Awakened trash whose greatest achievement in life is squatting on a single apartment!”
This was the master’s version.
He was exploding with all the resentment he had built up until now.
At this rate, a doctoral version might appear any second.
The residents were intimidated by the professor’s sudden transformation of their apartment complex into a graduate school battlefield.
“Ugh… What’s the big deal about getting a few more exam questions right…! Ptoo!”
“Just wait. I will never forget that you cheered for an F-rank.”
One by one the residents scattered until only a few remained.
“What the hell is going on?”
An unexpected person answered.
“What else? It’s the uproar your rank caused, Moon Junil.”
It was Yu Jihun.
What was this guy doing here?
But the real surprise was the face that appeared behind him.
“Oppa. It’s been a while.”
It was Suyeon.
“I’ll explain everything.”
* * *
“……And that’s what happened.”
Suyeon had always been the smart, well-spoken junior who took charge of presentations during group projects. Thanks to her clear explanation, Junil quickly understood the situation.
She had joined up with Yu Jihun, tracked the newly generated gate with her equipment, and come here—only to find Professor Kim being lynched by the crowd simply for defending Moon Junil.
“Wait, they beat him up just for cheering for me?”
Yu Jihun answered, “Because you’re F-rank. Oh, and this isn’t an insult. I’m simply stating a fact.”
“Unbelievable.”
Junil decided not to pursue it further.
Ever since the article calling them the Batman & Robin of S and F ranks, public opinion had grown even worse. He was now seen as a leech sucking up to Kang Hae-il.
Names like “Magnet Pet” and “Cargo Parasite” had spread across the internet, and everyone was treating him like a joke.
The only silver lining was that his face still hadn’t been revealed.
“Sigh. Whatever. I am a magnet pet. So what?”
These were the same people who cheered wildly the moment he put on a mask.
What did a little contempt for being F-rank matter?
“Let’s just head to the next gate, Hae-il hyung.”
“Yeah. By the way, what level are you now? We earned a lot this time. I went up one level.”
“I’m……”
Junil checked his experience bar.
It was about 80% full for level 28.
He hadn’t even gained a single level.
“Level 18.”
He generously rounded up from 17.
“……What?”
“Eighteen. Eighteen!”
“Are you cursing me? That’s not your level, right?”
“No, eighteen! I’m serious! This is what being F-rank is like!”
“Ranks are just numbers, my ass. Maybe you should just give up……”
“Next gate. Let’s go. Now.”
Kang Hae-il immediately started walking toward his bike.
“Huh?”
“We don’t have time. We’ll hunt all night if we have to.”
‘Why is this guy…… doing this?’
Junil was starting to get suspicious.
‘Is he testing me?’
Maybe he was keeping Junil close on purpose to watch him. That was how excessively kind he was being.
“What are you doing? Not coming?”
“……”
Kang Hae-il leaned against his bike and called out to the hesitating Junil.
“Are you going to give up? Sorry, but I can’t allow that.”
“Why? I……”
“Didn’t you say it yourself? That there are people cheering for you. You can’t let those people down.”
“……!”
The conversation they had in the car. He still remembered it.
In truth, Junil had been hoping Kang Hae-il would give up.
‘I can level up way faster alone! Hae-il hyung!’
Because going solo really would be faster.
That was when it happened.
“Sorry to interrupt your bromance, but can I talk to you for a second, Kang Hae-il?”
Yu Jihun asked for a private word with Kang Hae-il.
“What is it?”
“You’ll find out when you come. It’s important.”
* * *
Because Kang Hae-il had been dragged away by Yu Jihun, Junil was left alone with Suyeon.
‘This isn’t good……’
Junil wanted to leave, but they had no choice but to sit on a nearby bench while they waited for the others.
“Oppa, have you been well?”
Suyeon tilted her head and asked.
‘She really does resemble her.’
It made him think of Meyrin.
“Have you been well?” she repeated.
Junil forced his gaze forward.
“Ah, um……”
“I was surprised when I saw the article.”
She was talking about the Batman & Robin piece.
“And ever since, there have been follow-up articles nonstop. Everyone’s been cursing you……”
“……Well. Can’t be helped. Since I’m F-rank.”
“But the 4th Line……”
Junil pressed a finger to his lips.
“Don’t talk about that incident.”
“……Why?”
“It’s not exactly a good thing.”
“But why……”
Suyeon couldn’t understand.
It had been a heroic act. Why would he say it wasn’t a good thing?
Why hide it?
While receiving this kind of treatment?
“Why? You were a complete hero back then. Saving people isn’t a bad thing! What are you even saying? It’s way better than being treated like an F-rank! Do you know how many people are alive because of you?”
“More people died because of me that day.”
“!”
Suyeon’s words caught in her throat. She had never considered that.
Or perhaps she had been desperately trying not to.
“W-what are you saying? How was that because of you? If you hadn’t done anything everyone would have died! You saved the ones you could, and thanks to you I—”
I’m still alive, aren’t I?
She couldn’t finish the last sentence.
Junil cut her off.
“Yeah. Only the people in our car survived.”
It sounded like he was saying she wasn’t free from responsibility either.
“I’m not proud of that at all.”
And it also sounded like saving her had been meaningless.
Suyeon’s eyes trembled.
Shimmer—
Belzerack's Tears has filled.
* * *
In a corner of the apartment complex, Yu Jihun had walked quite far before finally stopping.
“Why did you call me out alone? All the way out here.”
Kang Hae-il asked with a hint of wariness.
He knew Yu Jihun harbored a rivalry toward him. The guy had openly declared that he would surpass him one day.
But the method of surpassing him might have changed rather drastically, no?
Yu Jihun turned around and stared quietly at Kang Hae-il. The words that came out were completely unexpected.
“That baggage carrier. Don’t you think there’s something suspicious about him?”