Player, Romeo. Even That...

Player, Romeo. Rumors about him spread like wildfire.

It was inevitable. The name Romeo had swept through the Arcana auction house like a storm.

Explorer Alliance. Adventurers gathered—players, Arcana natives, everyone. At their center stood Park Hwigang.

"He's no ordinary player, I tell you."

Even before and after the cataclysm, potions in Arcana were a mixed bag. There were plenty of healers to substitute for them, and potions were hard to obtain relative to their performance, making them expensive.

"Sure, but sweeping them all up—that alone makes him special?"

"Come on, isn't that exaggerating a bit, Hwigang?"

"Seriously... Haven't you all checked?"

"Checked what?"

"Come on, as explorers, you've probably got a spare potion or two listed on the auction house, right? They must've sold, so go check."

At Park Hwigang's words, the players logged into the auction house. Even in an era where you couldn't dig up a single coin from the ground, explorers had skills to snag at least one potion per rift.

Of course, they griped as much as their skills allowed.

"Fine, I'll check since you say so. But you really think this Romeo guy bought them all? Nah, I doubt it. Especially since those Cheonha Tongil bastards are so annoying, I set the starting bid higher just to screw with them..."

No player in the world welcomed Cheonha Tongil—except their own members. Knowing they'd be the only buyers for those potions anyway, the man had listed them above market price to spite them.

But then.

"Wh-what?"

"It sold?!"

"See? Told you! Check the buyer!"

"...It's Romeo, for real?!"

"Mine's Romeo too!"

Park Hwigang flashed a satisfied smile. But it wasn't over yet.

Netuber players, ever sensitive to fresh bait. Park Hwigang, having caught the scent, had already moved fast.

And that's how he learned it. Big spender Romeo's purchases weren't limited to potions!

The camaraderie of the Explorer Alliance, where they helped each other out. Park Hwigang laid out the intel he'd gathered scurrying around the Yusra Kingdom.

"Word among Yusra's blacksmiths is that a player named Romeo snatched up every arrow and low-level gear listed on the auction house!"

"What?"

At that point, he didn't seem like an ordinary player anymore.

Then someone raised a hand with a question.

"Isn't he just a hoarder? Pretty common tactic—buy everything up, monopolize, then sell back at insane prices later..."

Everyone, including Park Hwigang, shook their heads.

"That makes no sense. Didn't you learn math?"

"You'd go bankrupt before turning a profit. Check the transaction prices on the auction house. He bought everything way above market value. And potions and gear aren't exactly one-of-a-kind items."

"Well, easy to misunderstand. It just doesn't add up, right?"

Exactly. Based solely on Romeo's actions that day, his intentions were impossible to fathom.

"Then we'll have to dig deeper. Starting with who Romeo is! Even basic info would let us guess his goal."

"Romeo... Anyone heard of him?"

A few stroked their chins, deep in thought. These were explorers, the most rumor-sensitive folks in Arcana.

Yet no matter how they racked their brains, nothing came up for Romeo.

Besides.

"A name like that? Forgetting it would be harder."

A reaction everyone could relate to. As Park Hwigang nodded slowly, someone raised a fundamental question.

"But think about it. Where'd an unknown player get that kind of money... to sweep the auction house on that scale?"

"...!!!"

For players, fame meant skill and money. That was common sense.

Just in case, Park Hwigang ventured, "Maybe a hidden master? Like a ranker with rankings disabled. Blasphemous to compare, but like Lee Hoyeol..."

"Nah, even then it doesn't add up, Hwigang! To make that cash, he'd need to hit top rifts constantly. But no one's seen him. No guild has a Romeo."

"True enough."

In the end, the discussion circled back. Romeo who swept the auction house—who the hell was he?

The Explorer Alliance wasn't the only one buzzing. The community heated up too.

And in the end, only one fact emerged.

Romeo. His identity remained unknown.

But he was a player with enough influence to bypass the anonymity system.

Yes, no one could guess it yet.

That those three letters were just a fraction of his name.

Not with ordinary common sense...

*

Sweat trickling down my shirt didn't bother me at all. Today, even pushing my physical limits felt welcoming.

Maybe I'd be better off passing out face-first on the floor?

That serious impulse must be why... I stopped my push-ups and drew in a breath, spitting out a heavy exhale.

"I commend your imaginations, all."

Damn you again, Raymon Sean...!

If you're making an anonymity system, why not make it truly anonymous?!

Why expose part of the ID?

Of course, to ordinary players, it's as good as full anonymity.

'At most three or four characters. Six at a stretch.'

Exposing one letter wouldn't let anyone pinpoint the owner.

But my full name, [Grandfell Claudi Arpeus Romeo], is a whopping fifteen characters.

Yes, it was all because this ridiculously long name.

"Romeo, that too is mine."

Please, not even mutter that horror, dude!

Even in the Arcana Continent, only a handful know my full name.

And those who grasp its weight wouldn't utter it lightly. I trusted that much.

'But reality begs to differ.'

Especially seeing the reactions now?

From "If you're Romeo, where's Juliet?" to jokes about prepping a cruise ship.

The attention on just a few letters was no joke.

Of course, Grandfell filtered it all through his pride...

"Those who cannot gauge the weight of a name, I understand."

It offered zero reassurance.

My karma, my dark history. It was starting to press in on me even in reality!

I'd hoped to knock myself out, but maybe my strength and tenacity had maxed out. Even that was getting hard.

I checked my status window.

Total stats finally broke a thousand. Sure, as a demon hunter, the messy spread would shock anyone.

'Too late to blame the class.'

It was my chosen path. No whining later if I regretted it—just spitting in my own face.

Of course, Grandfell's pride soared higher.

"A mere thousand. Far from measuring me."

Not even satisfied with a thousand—impressive in every way.

I eyed my remaining points. Why leave exactly four?

Because I needed Luck now.

Envy had finished digesting. No more blaming a decade-plus gap; as a player, I'd piled on more experience since awakening.

Thanks to that, I hit the mark. My prediction that Envy, fed suitable mana, would awaken a black magic-related unique effect.

And the effect it birthed was why I was begging the Luck stat—not superstition, but close.

Not a passive or regular skill. The bracket said [Curse].

Like the one I'd stumbled into recently. In the Mage Tower basement, Mu-gan. The former elder mage, demon worshiper. His dying curse on the wall.

[Curse, An Irresistible Flow]

Entering that curse, I'd witnessed the top-ranked demon king Baal and the fall of the Seorn Continent.

A fittingly curse-like helplessness had gripped me. Especially Baal's terrifying power—if not for Grandfell's mental fortitude...

It wouldn't have been odd to break.

So.

'Time to lean on Luck for once.'

I didn't know if Luck really worked that way. But every investment had brought good results before.

Clinging to that minor jinx showed my desperation.

The source of suitable mana. Grandfell's past. Facing the Claudy family's brutal history.

My unease was purely me, Lee Hoyeol. The body, meanwhile, calmly sipped tea.

"I acknowledge it. You suit green tea as well."

Even cooling a heated body from training with iced green tea—pure composure.

I knew from countless experiences. The Grandfell I knew would face and shatter any curse from his past without flinching.

With perfect poise.

The only one lacking confidence to confront the past was me.

Especially if the Claudy tragedy stemmed from my mistakes.

But I'd vowed, hadn't I, Hoyeol?

'I'd take full responsibility.'

Taking responsibility for the past—that was the pride of an adult who'd overcome his chuunibyou storm.

I dumped all remaining points into Luck.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Four levels at 700+ felt bitter...

But no losing deal. Let's call it that.

'What face would Matis make if I told him?'

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Affinity was indispensable in Arcana—for spirits, magic, even legend gear.

Yet my suitable mana affinity was zero.

'Casting black magic at 0%.'

I didn't know yet how much affinity boosted black magic.

But zero to even 1% would make a difference.

No backing out now anyway. To avoid crumbling under my burdens, I had to grow more than ever.

'End ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it quick.'

No good in delaying. First, check procedures and schedule.

Tomorrow, select twenty vanguard members? Obviously, no spots locked yet.

Grandfell's whims were unpredictable even to me.

'How long will it take?'

Time flowed erratically in Mu-gan. Past curse experiences there weren't much help.

No estimate, no matter how I crunched it.

But no need to fret idly.

"You lot will manage."

Strict procedures ensured stand-ins for me in the Mage Tower, AAU Yusra branch, even the Holy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠War Alliance.

'As long as I hold up, no issue.'

No more hesitation.

Suitable mana rippled from Envy. A message appeared before my eyes.

.

.

.

Thud—

Marcelo took the podium, face gaunter than usual. Elder mage Yugweed wore no smile. Even the ever-slouched Tower Master sat straight.

"......"

Banggrit and Bensy. The usually chatty seniors stayed silent. Matis's face was terrifyingly dark.

In the Crystal Hall, with only Mage Tower executives present, Marcelo spoke.

"From this seat, the Mage Tower officially declares."

His voice trailed.

"The disappearance of Chief Mage Lee Hoyeol..."

Chief Lee Hoyeol. Exactly five days since he'd vanished.