Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Familiar Name
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After establishing an alliance with Yubyeol-ha, this week's timeline had become surprisingly relaxed.
With some time on my hands, I figured I'd finish the drawing quickly, so I grabbed lunch and headed to Han Cheong-ah's class.
She should be back in the classroom by now, having eaten lunch herself.
As I stood in front of the classroom door, the cheerful, lively scene inside came into view at a glance.
"Miyuki, hold still."
"W-Wait, Cheong-ah! My back's gonna break!"
In Class 2-1, where Han Cheong-ah was, the girls were engaged in a fierce game of pile driver.
Han Cheong-ah mercilessly leaped from the classroom floor, slamming her butt into Lee Gyeo-ul's back with full force.
"Gwaaaah!!"
"She's out."
"Gone."
The girls clasped their hands together, praying for Lee Gyeo-ul's soul.
Lee Gyeo-ul, a woman pushing thirty, had finally collapsed under the sturdy, elastic impact of an eighteen-year-old high school girl. Han Cheong-ah, sitting triumphantly on top of her, flashed a victory V-sign to everyone, basking in her win.
What the hell was I even watching?
If anyone who knew Lee Gyeo-ul's true identity under the alias "Miyuki" saw this scene, they'd be just as baffled as I was.
A professional hunter rolling on the floor after losing a pile driver match to high school girls was a truly rare sight.
Especially for a Special-Class hunter with the codename "Hell Dog" and the flashy moniker of "Hero."
As I stood there dumbfounded, taking in the classroom, Han Cheong-ah waved at me.
Then she came running over like an excited puppy.
"Do-hyun. What brings you here?"
"Your class sure knows how to have fun during lunch."
"Of course. With a cheerful beauty like me around, it's only natural. Want to join in, Do-hyun?"
"......I'll pass. Anyway, nothing major. If you've got time today, I was thinking of finishing the drawing."
As I chatted with Han Cheong-ah, Lee Gyeo-ul suddenly sprang up and wedged herself between us.
"What's this? What's so fun that you two are whispering about?"
Why was this lady being so overbearing...
Even though I was on friendly terms with Han Cheong-ah, Lee Gyeo-ul still made me uncomfortable.
It was because of the baggage Baek Do-hyun had left behind—attempted kidnapping, drug trafficking.
She might be smiling at me with that friendly face now, but the moment those eyes turned cold and icy...
I didn't even want to imagine it.
"You already know all about the after-school drawing session, so why act surprised?"
"Nah~ That could've been handled over the phone. But seeing you come all the way here in person, analog-style... I thought maybe there was more to it~"
I let out a small sigh.
For someone as introverted as me, listening to these two extroverts banter was exhausting.
"Miyuki, was it? It's not whatever you're imagining. I just stopped by since it's close."
"Hmmm... Alright, if you say so."
Lee Gyeo-ul smirked.
"You came at the perfect time, actually. I—we—had something to tell you about the drawing anyway."
Huh?
At Han Cheong-ah's sudden words, I shot her a puzzled look, and she explained apologetically.
"Something came up, and I have to go to Korea after school today. I'll probably be away from Academy City until the 28th."
"Heh, sorry about that. Cheong-ah and I actually have business outside."
Lee Gyeo-ul pulled Han Cheong-ah's shoulder close with a playful grin.
Come to think of it, there was something like this in the original story.
While investigating the "Ark Raid" incident with Kim Si-hu and Yubyeol-ha, Han Cheong-ah and Lee Gyeo-ul had to step away for external business.
On the day they returned to Ark, the "Dimensional Beast Awakening" crisis erupted. By the time they arrived at the scene, Yubyeol-ha and Kim Si-hu had already killed "Haena Rolling" and resolved the situation.
Leaving after school today...
That meant about three weeks until the Dimensional Beast Awakening.
"Can't be helped. We'll finish the drawing when you get back."
"Yeah, it came up so suddenly... Sorry."
"No need to apologize. If you're going to Korea, pick up some ramen on your way back."
"Got it. I'll bring back some Nuclear Fire Noodles for you, Do-hyun."
No, just get some Shin Ramyun or something...
When I said I hated spicy food, Han Cheong-ah covered her mouth in surprise.
"You're such a wimp."
"Shut up."
I told Han Cheong-ah to have a safe trip and left the 2-1 classroom.
Looked like the Lee Gyeo-ul card wouldn't be playable during the Dimensional Beast Awakening.
It was a shame, but with the Federal Guidance Bureau's Chief Guidance Officer and Yubyeol-ha moving together around now, there shouldn't be any major issues.
Pushing aside my regrets, I headed back to my classroom.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After school, I went home and turned on the computer.
Baek Do-hyun's PC was pretty high-spec.
In real-world terms, it had a stable 4000-series graphics card, a matching CPU, motherboard, RAM, and so on.
I was tempted to play the latest games popular in the Red Ark world, but I held back—there was something more important.
Sucking blood from a transfusion pack in one hand, I logged into the Secret Society.
"I need to think one step further."
What Yubyeol-ha had said to me on the rooftop yesterday was spot on.
Just preventing the Dimensional Beast Awakening wouldn't mean much.
If I was going to twist the story, I had to extract maximum value.
Fortunately, I knew the true purpose behind the 21st Century Secret Society's Dimensional Beast Awakening plot.
The awakening was just bait to distract Academy City.
To block what the Secret Society was really after—and to twist the story even further—I needed more information and power than I had now.
Logging into the Secret Society was for that reason.
It was an open hub where monsters freely exchanged info and chatted.
Since Zero One had founded it for "monster info sharing and bonding," it was highly active.
They avoided sensitive topics, but I could glean general stuff like "Korea situation."
I entered the board.
The first thing that caught my eye was the "Featured Posts" section, so I clicked it.
Featured Posts were like popular threads in any community—sorted separately once they hit a like threshold.
They were the cream of the crop, filtered from nonsense like "Lunch recs?" or "Dorothy's so hot today lol."
In other words, higher chance of worthwhile or useful content.
Among the featured list, I spotted the familiar nickname "Goat."
📰 Academy City Update Goat: Today's Academy City Roundup [15] [Another Psyker turned into a Dimensional Beast in Sector 7 today] [No media buzz this time, so looks like they're clamping down lol] [Proof video below—includes Federal Guidance Bureau guys fighting ㅇㅇ] The goat guy's post from today had a smartphone video uploaded.
The footage showed Dimensional Beasts clashing with armed Psykers.
A few uniformed students were visible among them, but the Federal Guidance Bureau subdued the Dimensional Beast without major casualties.
I scrolled down to check the reactions.
— Alchemi Oh, looks like the drug I developed this time performed pretty well... Turned into a Grade 3 Dimensional Beast again. Know the guy's details? — Fran32 Serves 'em right. Watching humans get wrecked feels so refreshing. — Sin Nice footage, kid. — Mimir Hmm... Goat's "Today's Academy City Roundup" post was getting mostly positive reactions like that.
Another one turned into a Dimensional Beast already today?
Unexpected info. I'd share it with Yubyeol-ha later.
But those commenter nicknames were no joke.
I figured Secret Society nicks like Goat or Dracula—based on traits—would make IDs anonymous.
Yet monsters like Sin and Zero One used their real names.
The commenters—Sin, Fran, Alchemi, Mimir—were all familiar villains.
"Never thought I'd spot Mimir here..."
Mimir.
The witch who researched that Dimensional Beasts and Rifts scaled with human numbers, then joined the Secret Society to protect a world doomed to extinction by them.
A villain who inflicted trials and curses on the protagonist, but in Chapter 2's Irregular arc, she was persuaded by Kim Si-hu and became a main heroine, aiding him.
In the original, she was a monster who sided with humans like me. Top priority for persuasion to twist fate.
Her various magics often countered the mage Zero One.
Seeing Mimir made me think of the protagonist, Kim Si-hu.
He was probably investigating the Ark Raid alone right now.
With his righteous personality and endless curiosity, he'd dive into danger solo.
I should meet him sometime.
With those thoughts, I kept browsing the Secret Society's featured posts.