Chapter 19 – Wheel of Fate

I can feel it.

There was another heart existing inside of me.

The Magic Golem’s core, which had been shaking violently, situated itself and became my new source of strength.

Red core for muscular strength.

Red stone.

Green core for agility.

Green stone.

Blue core for magic.

Blue stone.

The Magic Golem’s core had a total of three powers. It consumed a daily charge and could be used like a buff. 

According to the game’s description, for someone like me with 2 strength, changing the Golem’s core near my heart to red would convert it to a 5.

It was sort of like a calibrated value.

A tricky condition in which stamina had to exceed 10.

When the Magic Golem’s color turned blue and the core contained enough mana, you had to enter the body at the right timing for the small chance to obtain the hidden piece from the start.

Did I obtain it when I played a Tank character without thinking?

The Magic Golem’s core was not a hidden piece you could acquire each time you played.

First things first, let’s bust myself out of here.

Because the shining core was in my body, it was dark and pitch-black inside the Golem.

I punched the Golem’s body, which no longer moved.

Red stone.

An intense force began to surge all over my body.

The stats of ordinary individuals were between 3 and 4. From 5 and up was the realm of heroes, which was beyond humans.

If it were my old self, I wouldn’t be able to break this Golem’s body, but my current self was confident; confident that I can smash down the wall.

Boom!

With my fist, I easily demolished the sturdy body, which had weakened after I extracted the core.

“W-What the… Sijoon. How did you destroy it? Actually, how did you not get eliminated?”

I met Hayeon’s gaze, whose eyes were wide open upon seeing me free myself from the Golem’s body. She was fairly surprised at how I was not eliminated despite entering the mana storm.

I’m no longer the frail Han Sijoon that I was in the past.

Although I did have a time limit, it was clear that I’d gotten stronger.

It felt like I was reborn.

Starting today, I’m a fresh new Han Sijoon.

“Sounds like your cockiness has gotten even worse, is it just me…?” 

Hayeon said with disgust.

She wasn’t pleased with my narcissistic expression.

Well, how could you know the feeling of someone who suddenly got stronger?

She didn’t know how it felt to grow at a slow pace because every day was a day of growth for her.

This was why I didn’t like the gifted.

While I was looking at Hayeon, there were students approaching me.

Ahn Jiho and Group 4.

That punk had been dubious when I first asked him to throw me.

I think I said I was gonna steal his girlfriend by mistake.

His icy expression flashed across my mind and my spine grew cold.

But contrary to my worries, Jiho and the other students were looking at me with exaltation.

“So you did have a killer move! I believed in you!!”

Believe in what? It’s not even a killer move.

Going inside the Golem’s mouth and breaking the core, should I call that a killer move?

Even I thought that it was reckless behavior.

It’s only good because things turned out well, but what would happen had I failed and got expelled out of the gate?

I didn’t even want to imagine what would happen afterwards.

Among the Group 4 students, Jiho had mixed feelings, but it did seem like he acknowledged my contribution.

I felt sorry for no reason, I didn’t even want to take her from him. Stealing another person’s lover was unacceptable behavior.

ㅡAhh, testing mic.

Not even having the time to unwind as students celebrated in joy, the results of the exam began to be immediately announced 

ㅡGood work, students. I know you’re having a hard time, but I’ll be announcing the contribution scores to the Magic Golem Subjugation now.

The subjugation contribution score.

In gaming terms, it was a graph of the amount of damage dealt.

The proctor raised his voice as he informed us.

ㅡGroup 1 contributed 58%, dealing the most damage. Student Yoo Hayeon was the highest damage dealer. Next is Group 2 with 19%, Student Na Yoona dealt the most damage.

“Tsk.”

Displeased with the 19% figure, Yoona clicked her tongue. She was not compatible against a Golem with a sturdy body since she utilized a spear and rapid speed pierces.

ㅡAs for Group 3… There’s no need for me to say anything else.

Group 3 had exited as soon as they entered.

Even without looking, their damage dealt was zero.

What remained was Group 4’s results. 

The students who added up the current numbers were already in a festive mood.

ㅡGroup 4 with 23%. Student Han Sijoon dealt the most damage.

”Woah!!!”

An unexpected outcome of second place.

It seemed that destroying the Golem’s core resulted in a much higher percentage.

The Golem which was beginning to gather mana meant that it was about to self-destruct anyway, so what I basically did was Kill Steal1.

Well, isn’t it fine since it all ended well?

The Group 4 students had not expected to get second place, so their shock and joy was even greater. All of them cheered in unison and were rejoicing.

“You’re not going to them?”

Hayeon asked as she sat still and looked at them.

It’s not like I’m unwilling, but I always had to be careful of places where there were a lot of females.

I replied to her in a small voice.

“I don’t want to break the good mood.”

“You’re acting like you’re pitiful. Then, I’ll congratulate you instead! Attaboy Sijoon!” 

“Stop it…”

It hurts.

Hayeon stroked my head like she was proud of me. It was more accurate to say she was messing up my hair instead.

During that moment of frustration and joy, the proctor’s voice could not be heard even after quite some time had passed.

It was usually the norm to get out of the gate.

Just when the students began to question and fluster…

ㅡYou’ve got it wrong, Han Sijoon. The mood is meant to be broken.

I heard a familiar voice and an enchanting laugh.

It was the sound of a character that should not be heard at the Hero Academy.

 ***

I’m going to get in a car accident today.

No one would know what was going to happen to them on the day they got into an accident. An accident was something that came unpredictably. 

Didn’t that saying exist for a situation like this?

When I was suddenly held by such thoughts, I could feel a presence behind me.  White hair brushed against my cheeks as it fell down; light silk-like hair.

Her pearly voice tickled my ears.

“Did I rain on everyone’s parade? Do answer me, Sijoon.”

A voice with a cold breath.

I was rooted to that spot, unable to exert any movement.

There was nowhere to run.

Why is she at the academy? And inside this mock gate?

A situation beyond comprehension.

This place was within the mock gate. It was not a real gate which connected to another world, but a space that existed somewhere in the world. 

Why would she appear here?

Han Yoowol.

She was part of a villain organization which the heroes considered the worst.

She, who stole my blood, should not exist here.

Yoowol spoke with her hand placed on top of my shoulder.

It was only natural for me to get goosebumps.

“I told you, didn’t I? That we’d be seeing each other again. Isn’t that right?”

Huhu.

Yoowol wore the same old smile.

Hayeon, who had grasped the situation, chanted softly to her. She was slightly trembling since she hadn’t detected Yoowol approaching.

“You… I’ve seen you on the news. The Black Dawn. You’re part of them. Right?”

“For there to be people who recognize us, I see that we’ve become very well-known.”

Villain Organization[The Black Dawn].

A day would come when the sun wouldn’t rise even past dawn.

The Black Dawn, which was composed of seven members, was one of the most trickiest villain organizations in V. AGE while being a rowdy bunch of villains.

Han Yoowol was their Vice-Captain.\

A man with a large stature was approaching the students who had froze up.

Thud. Thud. 

Every step he took let out a heavy sound.

A gigantic muscular man, two meters in height, shouted at the fear-stricken students.

“Stay still, I won’t kill you.”

His voice was firm and he spoke slowly.

In his humongous hand was one of the exam proctors, covered in blood.

Seeing as how the body was slightly trembling, it seemed that he was still alive.

“Hwang Pildu” was considered the force of arms in V. AGE.

The fact that he was here meant that we had no chance of winning.

Why are they attacking the Hero Academy?

There was an event where a villain organization raided the academy, but that was another organization, not Black Dawn.

There was no raid event in the game with Black Dawn.

It was my first time ever experiencing this, and unlike the game, there was no restart button here.

What is their purpose? 

The death of students? 

No, except for Han Yoowol, they didn’t relish in pointless slaughter.

Then, a request? 

Instead of being driven by missions, they were an organization that acted out of fun.

Purpose… What’s her aim…?”

I momentarily brooded about it, but the only thing that came to mind was my encounter with Han Yoowol.

My flaring anxiety made me take a gulp. I then asked her.

“…Wol. No, Yoowol, did you come for me?”

Hayeon gasped in shock at the fact that we knew each other.

The absolute worst villain with a childhood friend she knew.

Hayeon didn’t know this Han Sijoon.

Yoowol expressed her gratitude.

“It’s nice that you’re quick on the uptake, Sijoon. Since there’s no need for me to explain. I didn’t expect to see you this soon. What an unfortunate turn of events.”

…So she really came for me.

If her aim was to suck blood, she wouldn’t have brought Hwang Pildu.

I understood it was a raid, but I couldn’t figure out their purpose.

Struck with sudden curiosity, Yoowol asked a question to which Hayeon replied.

“By the way, what is the relationship between you two? From your gaze, it seems fairly special…”

“…We’re childhood friends.”

“Just childhood friends? You’re not a couple?”

”…We’re childhood friends who’ve been together for a long time.”

Pfft.

I could hear Yoowol sneering in the back.

I didn’t know what she found funny but she began to laugh out loud.

“You’re only friends when you have that kind of look in your eyes…? You’re funny! My mind might’ve changed a little! Haha!!”

“……” 

Although she didn’t express it, I could sense Hayeon’s rage toward Yoowol’s sneering. 

Just how was she looking at her for Yoowol to react like that?

She answered the question quicker than I thought.

In a cold tone, Yoowol gave Pildu an order.

“Scrap. Kill everyone but these two.”

”…I won’t partake in pointless slaughter. Hurry up and deal with the request.” 

Once Pildu finished his sentence, the terrified students began to collapse like string-loose dolls.

Thud.

Even I collapsed as well.

I could hear the sound of my heartbeat echoing.

Without touching us, Pildu had quelled the other students.

In actuality, it might have been better for them that they passed out.

“Get up. Han Sijoon.”

Following her words, I propped my body up to a sitting position.

Even with my newly gained abilities, it was impossible to escape from Hwang Pildu and Han Yoowol.

Right now, they faced Hayeon’s way.

Yoowol embraced my body from behind and made her keep her distance.

“See, this is fun. That gaze. And a face which I feel like I’ve seen somewhere. Today’s request is a lot more entertaining than I expected. You’re curious, aren’t you? Why am I here?”

“.…..”

Yoowol’s cold hand touched my cheek, and my body pressure began to rise.

I couldn’t even move. It didn’t seem like I’d be able to escape no matter how much force I put in.

Yoowol let out a small laugh as she whispered to Hayeon who was seething.

“I’m here to take this child somewhere.”

I don’t know where that place is, but she ended things there. 

“S-Stop…!”

Chomp.

This wretched fate.

The fate of the childhood friend of an S-Rank.

The material for the growth of the hero.

That was me.

There was no hero born without tragedy.

There was no villain born without tragedy.

This was the main theme of V. AGE.

There was a hot sensation in the back of my neck.

Fresh blood gushed out like a waterfall.

Mustering up as much strength as I could, I shouted to Hayeon.

“Yoo Hayeon… Run…away…”

As my eyes closed, they captured Hayeon’s expression which I could not make out.

That was my last memory.

Footnotes

1Kill Steal is a slang term in games. It’s usually when gamers are focused on increasing their kill count. The tactic is to swoop in for the kill when the enemy’s HP is low. In this scenario, since the Golem was about to die anyway by blowing itself up, Sijoon stole the core then killed it.