Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: What Kind of Person Is He?
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"What kind of person is he?"
Those words came from Kwon Na-ye.
And naturally, the person Kwon Na-ye had in mind was none other than Hae-jin.
There were several reasons she thought of Hae-jin.
For one, Hae-jin inexplicably knew information about the Survival Game 'Trials' Arena', which was a first for everyone.
He had provided her with details as if he knew it all, and not a single piece was wrong.
On top of that, she had been extremely shocked by the results from this Trials' Arena.
'How did he break through those massive hordes of monsters to clear the hidden trial...?'
Before the third Trials' Arena began, Hae-jin had come to find Kwon Na-ye.
He shared information about the third Trials' Arena with her.
That's when she learned about the hidden trial in the third Trials' Arena.
But it was an utterly absurd method.
While everyone else was defending the goddess statue, to claim the hidden trial's reward, you had to go on the offensive, then destroy the demon statue where the monster waves spawned?
There was no way that would be easy, as he said.
Plowing through monster waves that grew by a thousand each round just to target the demon statue.
In the end, Kwon Na-ye gave up on the hidden trial and aimed only to rank high in the third Trials' Arena.
That's why she took down exactly 3,492 monsters.
She had no choice but to hunt that many.
『Do not die under any circumstances, and take down as many monsters as possible.』
That was Hae-jin's advice on surviving the third Trials' Arena.
After hearing that high ranks required maximum kills, Kwon Na-ye hunted monsters without rest.
The result? She claimed Zone Ranking 1st.
But more than her own ranking, Kwon Na-ye found herself thinking about Hae-jin.
To reach the demon statue deep in enemy territory, you'd have to cut through thousands—tens of thousands—of monsters, then smash it.
Thinking that, Kwon Na-ye repeated the same words about Hae-jin.
"What kind of person is he?"
"Who?"
"Eek!"
Kwon Na-ye jolted in surprise at the sudden voice by her ear and tumbled backward onto the bed.
As Kwon Na-ye lay sprawled on the bed, Hae-jin leaned down and asked,
"Who's what kind of person?"
At Hae-jin's question, Kwon Na-ye shouted with her face flushed bright red.
"Ah... It's nothing!"
"Hmm."
"C-Could you move...?"
At Kwon Na-ye's urgent plea to step back, Hae-jin straightened up.
Once Hae-jin moved aside, Kwon Na-ye said,
"No, could you stop doing that?"
"Doing what?"
"Popping up out of nowhere like that."
She was talking about moving with Shadow Blink.
Hae-jin told Kwon Na-ye it couldn't be helped.
"But I can only move through shadows I remember."
Hae-jin meant he had no choice since he needed her shadow to reach her.
Kwon Na-ye replied to his shrugged-shoulder explanation.
"Then just text me before you come next time?"
Kwon Na-ye, saying if he was coming, at least give warning instead of sneaking in.
But that was impossible.
Hae-jin explained why he couldn't contact her first.
"You should've given me your number."
"Ah?"
Hae-jin chuckled at her reaction and pulled out his smartphone.
"Want to give it to me?"
"Sure."
And so Hae-jin got Kwon Na-ye's number.
Pocketing his phone, Hae-jin said,
"Have you eaten?"
"Eaten?"
"Yeah."
"No, not yet?"
It was well past the end of the third Trials' Arena, lunchtime now, when Hae-jin arrived.
That was also why he'd rushed to find Kwon Na-ye first.
He'd already swapped numbers with Anna while training together.
So he'd texted Anna not to eat since he'd pick her up, and Lee Sang was a guy anyway—he could probably eat more.
Fortunately, Kwon Na-ye hadn't eaten, so Hae-jin extended his hand.
"Want to grab a meal together?"
For a moment, Kwon Na-ye thought at his offer,
'What? Is this a date?'
She was flustered.
Of course, Hae-jin was someone she was grateful to.
She'd never shown it outwardly, but he'd helped her survive the Trials' Arena.
How could she not be thankful?
But gratitude and a date invite like this were different things.
With that in mind, Kwon Na-ye glanced at Hae-jin.
'Looks are fine, at least...'
Hae-jin's appearance was above average—no, he was handsome.
The only sticking point was...
'But my boyfriend being "Massacre"...'
Kwon Na-ye, who had unconsciously started seeing Hae-jin as her boyfriend.
And she pegged him as "Massacre."
It couldn't be helped.
Anyone who'd been through the Trials' Arena would naturally see Park Hae-jin as a murderer.
What else could you call Park Hae-jin, the man who massacred thousands?
Curious about Hae-jin, Kwon Na-ye had searched him up.
There wasn't much personal info on Park Hae-jin.
Just an ordinary guy quietly working part-time at a convenience store.
So the only thing known about Hae-jin was one thing.
The moniker "Massacre."
In that situation, Kwon Na-ye hesitated.
'What do I do? Should I accept?'
A date with "Massacre," no matter what.
It felt a bit off, humanly speaking.
But.
Even if not dating, considering the favor he did her, it seemed only right to accept when he asked her out like this.
After all, Hae-jin was the benefactor who gave her the info to survive the Trials' Arena.
Sorting her thoughts, Kwon Na-ye turned her head slightly and took Hae-jin's hand.
"...S-Sure, whatever."
"......?"
Hae-jin tilted his head at Kwon Na-ye's reaction.
Naturally, Kwon Na-ye didn't see it.
She'd turned away out of embarrassment while grabbing his hand.
Hae-jin thought her reaction odd, but since she agreed to eat, he could just take her along.
"Then I'll move us."
"Okay."
With that, Hae-jin used Shadow Blink.
Their shadows rose and enveloped them.
Whoosh-!
The two in Kwon Na-ye's room vanished.
"Eek!"
Kwon Na-ye let out a short scream at the unfamiliar sensation.
That's when she saw it.
"Huh?"
Hae-jin had said they were moving, so she expected somewhere else.
But they arrived in a room with a similar layout to hers.
What was going on?
Then she saw.
The person she'd startled with her scream turning around.
It was Lee Sang, dressed and ready.
Lee Sang reacted to Hae-jin.
"Oh, Hae-jin?"
"Nice to see you, Lee Sang."
Hae-jin waved at Lee Sang.
Kwon Na-ye's face fell into panic.
What kind of situation was this?
"Hae-jin?"
"Yeah?"
"You just asked me to go eat..."
Hae-jin had definitely invited her to eat.
So why were they in Lee Sang's room?
Hae-jin pointed at Lee Sang toward puzzled Kwon Na-ye.
"Yeah, so I came to pick up Lee Sang too."
Kwon Na-ye, unable to understand why Lee Sang was joining their meal, asked,
"Why Lee Sang?"
Instead, Hae-jin looked equally baffled at her question.
Why bring Lee Sang?
Hae-jin explained to Kwon Na-ye.
"Why? Obviously, to introduce you all—the people who'll be teaming up with me from now on."
"Ah."
Only then did Kwon Na-ye realize her misunderstanding.
Come to think of it, Hae-jin had asked her to join his party going forward.
'So inviting me to eat wasn't a date... he just wanted to gather the future party members and introduce us...?'
Kwon Na-ye finally understood the real reason behind Hae-jin's meal invitation.
It was a misunderstanding no one knew about, but her face still flushed red.
She felt so embarrassed with herself.
Hae-jin had simply suggested eating with the future party members, and she'd mistaken it for a date all on her own—how could she not be mortified?
Seeing that, Hae-jin asked,
"What's wrong? You okay?"
Hae-jin, seeing her flushed face, wondered if she was sick.
As he reached to touch her forehead, she blocked him and said,
"Ah... No, I'm fine!"
"Alright then."
Hae-jin withdrew his hand since she said she was okay.
He shrugged and turned to Lee Sang.
"Lee Sang."
"Yeah?"
"Eaten yet?"
"I was just about to head out for lunch..."
Lee Sang had been getting dressed to go eat.
Hae-jin had timed it perfectly.
At that, Hae-jin clapped once and said,
"Perfect timing then."
"Hm?"
"Let's eat together."
"Eat?"
"Yeah."
"Got it."
"Grab on."
Hae-jin extended his hand to Lee Sang.
Seeing that, Kwon Na-ye could only feel embarrassed, embarrassed again.
Hae-jin had said and done the exact same to Lee Sang as to her.
To think she'd mistaken it for him liking her and asking her on a date...
While Kwon Na-ye thought that, Hae-jin, now holding Lee Sang's hand too, said,
"Here we go."
Whoosh-!
Their shadows enveloped the three and moved them.
This time, to pick up Anna.
He'd warned Anna ahead of time, so no awkward situations like her showering.
Sure enough.
The three arrived in Anna's living room.
No sooner had they arrived than Anna greeted them.
"Hae-jin!"
"Ah, you've been waiting?"
"You told me to."
Anna smiled brightly as she spoke.
Then she noticed Hae-jin wasn't alone.
Seeing Lee Sang and Kwon Na-ye with him, Anna's smile softened a bit at the other woman present.
Anna asked Hae-jin,
"But who are these two?"
"Ah, this is Kwon Na-ye, and this is Lee Sang. The two who'll be partying with us from now on."
"I see. Nice to meet you, I'm Anna."
Anna extended her hand, and Kwon Na-ye started to reach out too.
But Anna's hand, seeming headed for Kwon Na-ye, suddenly veered toward Lee Sang.
"???"
Kwon Na-ye was baffled for a second.
It had clearly been coming her way, so going to Lee Sang instead made no sense.
Anyway, Lee Sang shook Anna's offered hand and greeted her.
"Yes, I'm Lee Sang."
Once the greeting with Lee Sang ended, Anna extended her hand to Kwon Na-ye.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Anna."
"Yes, Kwon Na-ye."
An odd tension hung between the two women as they exchanged greetings.
Seeing that, Hae-jin said,
"Well, we'll do proper introductions at the meal. Anna, grab my hand. Time to move."
"You're already using both hands on them, so can I just hold on to your back? It worked like that before, right?"
"That works too."
"Then I'll hang on your back."
With that, Anna hugged Hae-jin from behind.
Kwon Na-ye stared at Anna in disbelief.
Anna, noticing Kwon Na-ye's gaze, asked as if wondering what the problem was.
"What?"