Twist Upon Twist

"Did we take 'em down?"

I shifted my gaze to the plain right in front of me, where a bunch of guys stood around with blank stares.

Honestly, it was kinda creepy.

A whole group of them just standing there dazed, mumbling weird stuff to themselves—it was straight out of a horror flick.

...Even though I was the one who put them in that state.

"You saw that, right, Kim Arin? See how strong your big sis is."

I bragged to Kim Arin, who'd watched the whole thing go down, striking a triumphant pose.

There probably aren't many hunters who could dominate that many people's minds at once—you could count 'em on one hand.

If she still doubted I was an S-rank awakener after this, she'd have full-blown paranoia.

To be precise, it was Hwaran's manifestation skill "Mindlost Paradise" that was OP, but...

Still, it was a skill I used, so it counts toward my strength, right? No harm in that.

"......You can't use skills on people."

"Hey, that's a sweet potato. And besides, nobody died."

Arin looked conflicted, like something was bugging her, but I stepped up bold as brass.

The skill I just used was a hallucination effect with attack power basically at zero.

Being a hidden boss skill, the duration was insanely long, and the aftereffects wouldn't be light.

But flip it around: they survived a hit from a hidden boss skill. That's straight-up lucky as hell, right?

"...Unnie."

"Whoa whoa, no sweet potatoes! No lectures! Ebebebe, not listening, ebebebe!"

Of course, Arin had a point.

Assuming those guys were innocent folks who hadn't done anything wrong.

"You saw it too, right? How they put me in a headlock and threatened us with those scary faces."

Not just me—Arin saw it crystal clear too.

The fake me that Hwaran conjured up, held hostage, while they tried to do who-knows-what to Arin.

Why they pulled that idiotic stunt? Guess we'll find out now.

"So, why'd they do it?"

"Dost thou not inquire? Answer."

Smack. Hwaran lightly slapped one guy's cheek, and his slack jaw started mumbling away.

Even gave me a neat three-line summary—super convenient. Anyway, definitely bad guys.

My hallucination skill use is now 100% justified.

"That settle it?"

"Hwaran-nim is the best."

"What marvel is this? 'Tis naught to this lady."

I threw up double thumbs-up in praise, and I could tell Hwaran was pleased.

Her ears and tails twitched in sync.

I didn't expect her affinity to go up even more.

Who knew it could rise past 100?

I'd bumped it to 100 earlier to unlock the manifestation skill, figured that was the cap.

...Any extra skills at higher levels maybe? Like secondary manifestation at 150, tertiary at 200?

"Secondary, tertiary? What might that be?"

"Uh... just mumbling to myself."

Researching more manifestation skills is beyond me right now.

Hell, I barely understand the ones I have.

Priority one: report these scumbags to the cops.

"Arin, what now?"

"...We'll investigate further. How long they've been using the dungeon as a warehouse, too."

"Nah, I mean, how do we even carry all these guys out?"

Dungeon or not, to investigate or jail 'em, we gotta get 'em outside first.

But they're zoned out—hauling them's gonna suck.

Leave 'em here? Dungeon monsters'll snack on 'em.

"Don't worry about that. Call the guild—they'll handle it—"

"Begone, foul wretches."

Before Arin could finish, Hwaran beat her to it.

The guys marched off in perfect formation, like they were entranced.

"...Good?"

"Hwaran-nim is real GOAT. Organic matter GOAT. Nothing you can't do. Insanely awesome."

"Ahem."

Affinity up again.

Hwaran was one easy-to-read hidden boss.

Still, she'd helped me out a ton—nothing bad about that for me.

Scored a new manifestation skill outta it.

Proved my hunter chops to Arin.

Even busted a secret dungeon smuggling ring by accident.

"In the end, I shone again today. Praise me~."

Even I had to admit it.

Am I too competent?

Day two of awakening, and this is fine?

I'm starting to scare myself...

-Swish.

"...Unnie. Let's go."

Arin, who'd been side-eyeing Hwaran the whole time, gently grabbed my shoulder.

She still couldn't wrap her head around me chatting with a hidden boss like old pals.

I could explain, but after using the manifestation skill, I was wiped.

"W-well, then. Hwaran-nim."

"...Must thou depart?"

"Yeah. But I'll come back."

Hwaran looked a tad bummed, so I promised to visit again.

I'd already sworn to bring the full Lord of the Rings set.

Plus, gotta snap that pic.

A hidden boss lounging with a stack of Lord of the Rings books? In this dungeon?

That pic's gotta exist.

It'll conquer the gallery—and go viral overseas for sure.

"Heh heh."

"............"

"What? What's up."

"...Nothing."

Arin glanced at Hwaran, then led me out of the dungeon.

Hwaran's figure faded into the distance.

I gave a casual wave goodbye to the hidden boss watching me from afar.

Like Fenrion, Hwaran didn't feel scary at all.

Nothing like the news painting them as world-enders.

"...They've gone."

Hwaran murmured softly at the now-silent plain, staring where the girl had vanished.

How long since it was this lively?

She strolled the quiet plain alone, savoring today's chats.

To her, even that was a "story."

"Once more I ask, child. Shall this lady dispatch those humans?"

"E-even so, killing's a bit..."

It irked her that the girl defended her would-be attackers, but that was par for the course.

Ever since they first met long ago, the foolish girl had been that way.

Wasn't that why Hwaran had given her heart?

"...Even after so long, still so exasperating."

"Yet 'tis precisely thus that thou art thyself... Thy steadfastness pleases me, child."

"Th-thank you?"

"That was an insult. So naive."

"Eek."

Reliving her chats with the girl one by one, Hwaran wove another illusion, as always.

This space was ever so lonely, then or now.

Thud. Soft footsteps landed beside Hwaran.

Turning toward the presence, she saw a very familiar face.

『Greetings, Hwaran-nim. I trust you've been well?』

"...Indeed."

『Hee hee, splendid. What tale shall I spin first today?』

"Nay, enough for now. Today, I wish to share a tale with thee."

Walking side by side with the illusory memory, Hwaran returned to the barrier's depths.

A place no soul could enter without her leave.

"Thy garb hath changed much in our time apart. And a new trinket besides."

『Oh? Is that so?』

"Aye. Trembling yet devoted to thee—quite the amusing sibling."

And so, for the first time, Hwaran told a story instead of listening.

Long into the deepening night.

A fond tale of the girl returned, slightly altered from memory.

"...Incidentally, child. Dost thou know of a tome called Lord of the Rings?"

『Hmm... 'Tis new to me. What manner of tale doth it hold?』

"Hee hee, I'll tell thee anon. She claims she'll bring it soon..."

-Nom nom.

-Nom nom.

"Wha mmm?"

At a pizza joint near the Haeinsa Dungeon gate.

Arin reluctantly grabbed a slice at her munching sister's question.

Her mind was still a mess, thanks to none other than Lee Jiwoo.

"Unnie."

"Yeah?"

Chatting with a hidden boss like buddies.

Not content with that—borrowing and using its skills.

Where to even start?

Every bit was mind-blowing.

"So, yesterday... you really met a hidden boss?"

"I showed you the pic."

"......Didn't think it was the real thing."

"Paranoid much."

Jiwoo shot her a pouty glare.

But before Arin could say more, Jiwoo spoke first.

"Can I be a hunter?"

That was Jiwoo's top priority right now.

Smugglers in Haeinsa Dungeon? New hidden boss buddy? Mysteries about her own skills?

None mattered as much as walking the hunter path.

"If you say no, I'll blast your childhood pics all over the net."

"Wha—?!"

"Ooooh, unnie means business? You know it."

Arin sighed faintly at the weird threat.

Jiwoo was taking "S-rank hunter" way too lightly.

"...Fine, got it."

"!"

"But let's talk more tomorrow. It's late."

Jiwoo's freakish strength today gave her much to ponder.

Freakish, yes.

A kind of power she'd never encountered in her hunter life.

"If you say no tomorrow, I'll plaster your pics all over guild HQ."

"...Sigh."

Did Jiwoo grasp ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what wielding hidden boss power meant?

Nah, ignorance was her bliss.

Hell, thugs could kidnap her right now and it'd make sense.

That power was dangerous—irresistibly tempting.

Would the world leave a kid who chats with hidden bosses and steals their skills alone?

"For now."

"For now?"

"Promise. Don't tell a soul but me. Ever."

"Huh? Why?"

"No promise, no deal from me. Won't even let you near the guild."

"Hmm, usually gotta leak some rumors to hype my value..."

"...Base pay ■ billion per month. Hazard pay, dungeon clears separate. On condition you keep your skills secret."

"I pledge my eternal loyalty."

Her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sudden idol-worship of Arin, like a rookie, worried her on multiple levels.

Jiwoo had always been unpredictable.

Yet she'd foam at the mouth rejecting any help.

Money issues? Why the walls between us?

"I'll pick you up in the morning. Stay put."

Late night, finally at Jiwoo's rooftop room.

Arin told her to wait at home—she'd return come morning.

"Morning early? How early?"

"8 AM."

"8's dawn."

"...No pay needed?"

Mentioning her Gangseo ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Gate clear reward casually, and Jiwoo vowed to rot at home.

She had tons to ask Arin anyway.

S-rank passives with on/off toggles she didn't know about.

Hunter rank exams, that sorta thing.

"Coming right in the morning."

"Okay."

"...Or just crash at my place?"

"Rejected!"

Like she'd invite a lone girl home like that.

With weird quips like that, Jiwoo bolted from the car.

But soon returned.

"Uh, Arin."

"...Gonna crash at mine?"

"No, not that. Delivery came..."

Super heavy.

Help move it, then go—she scratched her neck sheepishly.

Boxes blocked the door.

-Whoosh!

"W-with one hand?"

"...I'm a hunter, unnie."

"Right, yeah."

But once Arin hauled all the boxes...

Jiwoo was stunned again.

"...What is this. A dream?"

The boxes overflowed with side dishes.

Not store-bought—homemade, lovingly prepared.

"...?......??"

Reading the enclosed note, Jiwoo turned to stone.

The manager she'd quit on was sweet to a scary degree.