Ch.2828. Suspicion

Ariel was not in a good mood. Even though she had taken first place, it wasn’t because of her own strength.

‘Everything was perfect until then.’

Up until the special point monster appeared, Ariel had been doing relatively well.

The problem was the appearance of the special point monster. In front of a monster whose weak point needed to be found, the impatient Ariel would have been in big trouble if not for Do Jonghyun’s instructions.

“How frustrating!”

Ariel has strong pride. It’s clearly different from Seol Yuhwa’s self-esteem.

While Seol Yuhwa acts with an infinitely high self-esteem due to her trauma about poverty, Ariel’s pride was simple but intense.

‘My parents sent me all the way to this East Asian Academy to become the best. And yet I had to take orders from someone.’

But Do Jonghyun had clearly done well, and following his instructions had led to victory.

“I’m grateful for that. I’m grateful for that…”

Pride and gratitude battled within her like opponents in a ring.

‘Stay calm. It’s only been a little over a month. That’s enough time to show what I can do. The White Dragon Guild is also paying attention to me…’

While Ariel was trying to suppress her anger internally:

“Hey! Did you hear? The White Dragon Guild personally took Do Jonghyun with them!”

“Really? Even though he’s in the lower class? He must have been acknowledged.”

“I heard Dokgo Jun called for him personally!”

Ariel’s steps faltered. What she just heard was clearly about Do Jonghyun.

And in the direction she hated most.

“I… I wasn’t even called.”

Even she, the strongest, wasn’t called, yet Do Jonghyun was?

Ariel gritted her teeth.

“It’s so unfair!”

She ran to a place where no one was around and cried out.

Indeed, Ariel is quite immature in terms of personality.

After venting her frustration, she immediately called her parents to seek comfort.

*

“It’s the monster that disappeared after killing the Minotaur. Ariel chased after it, but it vanished midway. As you can see in this CCTV footage.”

I’m shown CCTV footage. My heart is churning like a stormy sea.

Suddenly being shown footage and asked what relationship I have with the monster.

These guys are suspicious of me.

“I don’t know anything even if you show me this.”

Complete denial is the way to go. There’s no evidence anyway.

Lee Chaerin leans in toward me.

“Really? But as far as I know, the lower, middle, and upper classes moved to different locations. You were in the area where the upper class gathered, weren’t you? Why were you there?”

She’s smiling but pressuring me intensely. Stay calm. They don’t have any clear evidence either.

Dokgo Jun slowly begins to give me a viper-like stare.

“The monster went in that direction, and Ariel followed. But you didn’t see the monster? Isn’t that strange?”

“What are you suspecting me of?”

“I’m asking exactly what I said. Whether you might be hiding the monster or something.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Who knows. I don’t care about your circumstances. If you’re hiding the monster, we’ll dispose of you right here.”

At that moment, tremendous fear washed over me. The pressure Dokgo Jun was emitting was on a different level.

It was definitely not a bluff.

“You know that forces connected to or following monsters have been increasing lately, right? We’re thinking of wiping out those crazy bastards.”

“What? You mean kill them?”

Chaerin stepped in again.

“We don’t care about simple internet praise or things like that, but the moment someone actively follows monsters offline, there’s no mercy. Monsters are targets for extermination. You never know when you might become a puppet caught in a monster’s clutches.”

“We’re at war with monsters. What makes you think we’d spare those who side with monsters? We bring peace to those who threaten our peace.”

“If I were related to that monster…”

“Your head would fly off.”

Dokgo Jun’s gaze was piercing through me again.

“There were those who ranted about thinking of monsters as friends and getting close to them, and those who raised baby monsters. We, no, humanity tracked them all down and killed them.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if they were raised from a young age?”

“How can you guarantee that? What if the enemy is just acting? What if they have the ability to brainwash humans? What if their personality changes as they grow up? What guarantee is there that they won’t attack people? A monster pretending to be friendly? Don’t make me laugh. Remember the 100 million victims who suffered at the hands of monsters. It’s stranger to expect mercy.”

That’s when I realized. This man would never betray humanity. He has an absolute vendetta against monsters.

“Don’t ask me. You said you took care of it, right? You should know.”

“We don’t know. There’s no need to hear the circumstances. Monsters are evil.”

His resolute gaze pierces through me. Yes, this is his perception.

And then Chaerin brought the conversation back to the original point.

“So, Do Jonghyun. Why were you there?”

I didn’t hesitate here. The conversation had dragged on long enough for me to think of a counter-strategy.

“To see Ariel.”

“Ariel?”

Chaerin’s eyes widened.

“I went to see Ariel. Do I really need to explain why?”

Chaerin’s expression subtly changed. Specifically, the corners of her mouth were turning up.

She was trying to hold back laughter. Yes, this is the atmosphere I want to create.

“To see Ariel? While she was fighting the monster?”

“You might not know, but Ariel came all the way to the lower class area to save me.”

“Really?”

Chaerin seemed slightly taken aback by this fact. It seems she hadn’t considered this.

“She looked quite impressive. I went there to thank her. Ask Ariel if what I’m saying is true or not.”

Dokgo Jun and Chaerin exchanged glances.

“I don’t understand. You went to a dangerous place just to express gratitude to Ariel?”

“I believed in Ariel’s skills. And I’m not sure if I should say this, but…”

I deliberately lowered my voice, pretending to be cautious of my surroundings.

“Ariel is pretty. So…”

“Hahaha!”

Dokgo Jun burst into laughter, and Chaerin was also trying to hold back her laughter.

With this kind of atmosphere, I should be able to get through this. Just as I was feeling relieved, Dokgo Jun’s snake-like gaze turned toward me again.

Man, he’s persistent.

“But the question of where the monster disappeared to remains unanswered. However, we have new information, and I doubt we’ll get anything more here.”

Dokgo Jun stood up.

This intense pressure session was over. That alone is enough.

Chaerin handed me a handkerchief.

“Wipe your sweat.”

“Yes. You were quite intimidating. Should I wash and return this?”

“Give it back when you come to the White Dragon Guild. Take care.”

The two left the interview room. I’ve overcome one hurdle.

Yes, I’ve really overcome a hurdle.

Now I just need to get through the monster attack incident that will happen in three weeks.

Should I do some gacha today? Yes, after overcoming a hurdle, I should get a good card.

As I was heading to my dormitory, I heard some disturbing news.

On the lobby TV at the entrance to the dormitory, there was a text that read “Emergency Alert.”

[This is news that Seong Minwoo, formerly of the Maniter Guild, has escaped from Siheung Prison. The Siheung Prison authorities stated that around 4 PM today, they were attacked by a group of monsters, which led to a lapse in surveillance. Three years ago, Seong Minwoo caused great social chaos with the Northwest serial killings. With his successful escape, emergency alert systems have been activated in each district.]

“…This didn’t happen in the future?”

Seong Minwoo escaped? That’s ridiculous. In the original timeline, Minwoo was only released urgently when humanity was running out of strength before the destruction.

Even then, far from being helpful, he was known for committing murders until Park Taesang of the Cheonji Guild broke his neck.

But now he’s escaped at this point in time?

“I couldn’t have had such a big influence on the future.”

But there’s no one else changing the future except me.

If I think about it, his escape must be connected to me somehow.

What’s the connection? Even Dokgo Jun’s inspection was strange.

A butterfly effect has occurred because of me.

But there’s no specific mission appearing, and what can he do against someone skilled enough to take down an A-rank Minotaur?

[Seong Minwoo was originally a department head of the Maniter Guild, on the verge of being promoted to S-rank, but was subdued by Park Taesang of the Cheonji Guild.]

The TV was diligently providing information about Seong Minwoo, and when I checked my smartwatch, all the daily search terms were filled with his name.

Anyway, the one who will catch Seong Minwoo is Park Taesang. Only the timing will change a bit. I don’t need to get involved.

Besides, like the Predator Worm, an A-grade monster called Lyke is expected to appear soon, and Monster Daily will give me a mission.

That’s how I’ll earn points.

“Yeah, why should I care?”

The only option for me, who worked hard today, is rest.

“Let’s rest!”

I immediately threw myself onto the bed. The soft bed and the subtle fragrance spreading in the room…

Peach scent is really the best, isn’t it? Room fresheners are best when they’re peach…

Maybe because I trained hard and went through a pressuring interview, I was quickly falling asleep.

That’s when my smartwatch rang.

“Who…”

[Ariel]

Ariel sent something… but I’m sleepy.

My eyes closed, and that was it.

“Shower!”

Suddenly, I jerked my head up. The reason I woke up wasn’t anything special.

My clean-minded intention to shower and cleanse my body…

At that moment, something sparked in front of my eyes.

Simultaneously, a status window appeared.

[User’s defense system activated]

-Forced awakening

What is this saying… As I tried to move my hand, I couldn’t hear any sound.

With no sound and as I raised my head,

Something black on the ceiling made eye contact with me.

A person, with turbid eyes full of killing intent, a monster.

I know who it is.

“Seong Min…”

And I realized one more thing. My voice wasn’t coming out.

And as his attack continued, I drew a card.

Dinosaurs are too big, and insects move unnaturally.

Here, I need to transform into a machine.

My identity will be revealed, but winning is what matters. And it’s better than staying still and dying.

[Main Card]

-Half-Realm Asura

-Your current body condition needs recovery. If you exceed your limits, you will revert back.

As expected, even without transforming, I’m being affected due to the hard work in the gate simulation.

No, it doesn’t matter. Winning is the top priority right now.

As the card emitted light and enveloped my body, I successfully transformed into Half-Realm Asura in an instant.

-Your physical condition causes your rank to drop.

This Half-Realm Asura, which already needs warming up, is getting a rank downgrade? To buy time, I used a smoke card.

[Smoke]

I sprayed smoke, creating a momentary hazy barrier between him and me.

This brief moment. I need to buy time and assess him while…

But then my body received a violent impact and flew backward.

Seong Minwoo. This man had kicked me.

“Creating smoke at such close range to avoid? You must not be confident in close combat. Or you’re trying to pull something.”

In this silence, he was approaching me.

“But, this is surprising. Are you a human monster? Or have you become like those Goegyeopdan guys? If you were an internal spy, they wouldn’t have made such a request. They’re quite strange.”

Seong Minwoo didn’t come by chance. He targeted me.

And he did so at someone’s request.

Stay calm. Think about his abilities and strategize.

One of Seong Minwoo’s abilities is Silent. Seong Minwoo’s summoned spirit is ‘Blue Beard.’

This Silent is one of those abilities. Originally, he can also distort space, but seeing that he doesn’t have his specialized weapon, the axe, Silent must be his limit.

That means I have an opening to exploit.

[Sub Card]

-Sharp Sword

-Enhanced Firepower

The moment I enhanced the card, my body was already in the air.

“Ugh…”

With delayed pain, I saw Seong Minwoo who had already raised his foot.

He’s strong.

And before I knew it, he hit my face and slammed me into the ceiling.

“Urgh!”

The sword I swung randomly was deflected by him, followed by a counter.

He also evaded my other arm and countered.

Each of his attacks accumulated, and my consciousness gradually faded.

No… I can’t… I can’t die here…

After coming back through regression, dying here? That’s absurd.

But strength was leaving my body, and his strike hit my waist hard.

I was on the verge of passing out.

[Awakening Card is partially unlocked.]

A status window appeared before me, and I lost consciousness.

How long was I collapsed? I immediately opened my eyes and got up.

“Huh?”

Taking a defensive stance while recalling Seong Minwoo, what I saw in front of me was a short skirt and thighs.

“…?”

A skirt in the men’s dormitory? Is there a cross-dresser… wait, why is someone in my room? And those leg lines are really pretty? Smooth, white skin with lines extending to the ankles. This is not a man.

“A woman?”

Fully awake now, I finally realized there was a woman here.

But something is strange. She has her back to me, and in front of her is Seong Minwoo.

Yes, I was fighting with Seong Minwoo… but what about Ariel?

Why is she in my room?

Completely unrelated third parties were fighting in my room.