Chapter 22: Sudden Gates and Unwelcome Battles

“Hey, Eun Hae-su. I’m telling you nicely—take your lackeys and get lost.”

At those words, the redhead flushed with anger and shouted.

It was an ominous and unusual name.

Now that I saw him, he was actually quite handsome.

Tall, with striking hair and eye color, and to top it all off, he was the founder of a guild that belonged to the Big 7.

All the conditions showed that, in any other novel, he would have absolutely been the male lead.

On top of that, the setting where he breaks out in hives under very specific circumstances was enough to confirm my suspicions.

‘I’m supposed to be possessed in <Rank 0 Delinquent Living a Double Life as a Model Student>, so why are there so many male leads like this?!’

This world is seriously messed up in more ways than one.

“Guys, shouldn’t we get going? If they start fighting, we might get caught up in it.”

My friends, who had been watching the confrontation between the Four Heavenly Kings and Eun Ha-su from around the corner of the building, spoke without even glancing at me.

“Eh, they’re not the kind to cause collateral damage.”

And yet just by standing there, they were doing serious harm to my eyes and eardrums…!

“Yeah, this is too good to miss. Wow, I’ve gotta tell everyone at school tomorrow!”

Instead of sensing any danger, my friend looked thrilled, clasping her hands in excitement.

I couldn’t help but sigh at the sight.

“What’s so interesting to watch?”

Someone approached from behind without making a sound and asked the question.

At the sudden voice from behind, my friends and I turned around simultaneously.

“KYAAAH!”

A pale-white face suddenly popped up right in front of us.

My friends flinched in shock and screamed.

Though they quickly covered their mouths—perhaps aware of the confrontation between the Four Heavenly Kings and Eun Ha-su—their eyes were wide enough to pop out.

“Hey, Dana.”

Ignoring the stunned looks from my friends, Yeon Ha-yeon greeted me brightly.

“Ah… hey, Ha-yeon. What brings you here?”

“I heard there’s a place here that sells fluorescent-colored, amazing yogurt-flavored ice cream.”

“Oh, I see. But, guys? Where are you going?”

My friends, who had been awkwardly glancing back and forth between Yeon Ha-yeon and me, began slowly backing away.

As I tried to grab them in a panic, Nabi spoke up with an awkward smile.

“Ahaha, have fun with Ha-yeon!”

“She came with her younger sibling! She’s not hanging out with me!”

So don’t leave me alone, guys!

Despite my desperate eyes, my friends even waved goodbye and left me far behind.

It had become a habit for them to give me space whenever Yeon Ha-yeon appeared.

It wasn’t like Yeon Ha-yeon gave them any pressure or chased them away.

It was simply that they found her intimidating and avoided her for that reason alone.

I mean, it makes sense.

To normal students, someone like Yeon Ha-yeon, who grew up in a gangster family, became the boss of an organization, and now leads a famous guild, would definitely feel difficult to approach.

‘But guys… I find Yeon Ha-yeon hard to deal with too…’

I glanced up at her beside me—now standing calmly after my friends left.

True to someone whose life had been a constant battle, she seemed interested in the tense atmosphere between Ban Eun-hyul and Eun Ha-su.

Well, even in the original work, she always liked watching fights.

“Isn’t that the Black Flame Dragon?”

Her voice, full of anticipation, whispered softly as if she already knew.

Yeon Ha-yeon’s eyes were fixed on the arcade and didn’t budge.

As I seriously considered whether I had to stand here and watch their cringey fight too, something in my peripheral vision caught my eye—green hair swaying gently in the breeze as someone approached.

“Boss! I got the ice cream!”

I could tell who it was just from the hair color, even from a distance, as they ran up holding ice cream cones in both hands.

“Oh? Dana noona’s here too?”

With a bright smile, Yeon Hyung-gwang handed a yogurt-colored cone to Yeon Ha-yeon.

Then, glancing between me and the remaining cone in his hand, he hesitated for a moment before handing it to me.

“This one’s for you, noona. I already know what it tastes like.”

“Really? Thanks. I’ll enjoy it!”

I felt a little better from the unexpected windfall.

The rich yogurt-flavored ice cream melted softly in my mouth.

Yeon Ha-yeon was, needless to say, happily eating the ice cream with a bright expression.

As the people around me changed from “Nabi and Friends” to the Yeon siblings, passersby’s attention was drawn to us.

Even if they didn’t know that I was the Guild Master of Blood Fragrance and my younger brother, our appearances alone were hard to look away from.

“Hey, isn’t that the Blood Fragrance Guild Master?”

“Whoa, no way. Who’s that handsome guy next to him? Is he his boyfriend?”

“There’s even a little kid in the middle. Judging by their clothes, they must have come out to hang out after the sports day!”

Who are they calling a little kid?

Those guys!

I clenched my forehead vein at the conversation of passersby nearby.

I never got used to being treated like a kid.

Bang—

At that moment, a loud noise erupted from the arcade.

Were they planning a brawl that would devastate the whole area?!

“Oh no…?”

The scene inside the arcade was truly a spectacle.

It looked like the punch machine had been used for intimidation—it was completely smashed to pieces.

Next to the wreckage stood the arcade owner, looking miserable.

It was heartbreaking to see him trembling as he petted the machine, unable to say anything to the Galaxy and the Four Heavenly Kings.

“Here, you should get a new machine.”

A bundle of bills was handed to the poor owner, no small amount judging by the thickness.

The money belonged to the one who smashed the machine, Galaxy.

Judging by the owner’s reaction, it was enough to buy a new machine and have money left over.

“Heh, didn’t I just look totally cool? This is why I’m the Guild Master.”

Clearly pleased with his earlier behavior, he asked a Black Flame Dragon guild member behind him, which was pretty irritating to watch.

It made sense why they fought frequently before the gate opened; now it was clear why the two didn’t get along well.

“They both have terrible personalities, so clashes are inevitable.”

Though it seemed Galaxy was usually the one who started the fights.

“Hey, there are three things I hate most. Wanna guess one of them?”

“Hah, why would I bother knowing that?”

“People who’re a pain in the neck.”

Despite the provocation, Ban Hyeonhyeol’s low warning without batting an eye made Galaxy flinch.

I thought he was fearless, but it seemed he did get scared sometimes.

However, it was short-lived.

The slight flinch seemed to bruise his pride, as he ground his teeth.

“Wow, someone’s got the guts to mess with the top-ranked guy? Boss, do you know that guy?”

Yeon Hyeonggwang, who had been watching the arcade scene, poked Yeon Ha-yeon incredulously. She brushed his hand away and answered indifferently.

“Ah, watching bloody fights is the most fun, but it looks like it’s blown up this time.”

Her voice was completely uninterested.

Despite her casual dismissal, Yeon Hyeonggwang, who seemed used to it, followed her as she left.

I was unsure what to do and quietly stepped in the opposite direction.

Then I saw it.

A female student with the kind of beauty worthy of a female lead in an introverted story cheerfully brushed past me and ran toward the arcade.

After that, I noticed the increasingly large black sudden gate entrance.

“Hasuya!”

A clear and cute voice called Galaxy’s name warmly, unaware of the situation behind.

Galaxy’s eyes widened as he peeked outside the arcade.

“Arin!”

Galaxy shot out of the arcade like he was bounced out.

Before his hand could reach the girl named Arin, his hand blurred and suddenly the surrounding scene changed.

It was a typical cave-type dungeon.

Drops of water hanging on the cave walls around us fell onto my nose bridge.

The damp air filled me with discomfort.

“Ugh, again?”

Ironically, in the original world where the gates existed, I rarely got caught in sudden gates.

But after being reincarnated here, I had become so accustomed to these sudden situations that it happened often.

[You have entered the dungeon.]

[Rank: B]

The dungeon’s rank before my eyes made me open my irritated eyes wide.

So far, no gate with a rank higher than C had ever opened?!

Moreover, Galaxy, who should have jumped in immediately, was nowhere to be seen.

A sinister feeling wrapped around my whole body.

“It’s a gate where outsiders can’t enter!”

The last time I got caught with Yeon Hyeonggwang alone, it was the kind where outsiders could enter, but it wasn’t always the case.

From experience, whether outsiders can enter was completely random.

This kind of thing never happened in the original world either.

It was a feature of the sudden gates newly created in this world.

If it was truly the type outsiders couldn’t enter, I would have no choice but to pretend to awaken and show my power in front of others to get out.

“Another sudden gate. When I’m with Dana noona, interesting things always happen.”

Then, a relaxed voice came from behind.

It was Yeon Hyeonggwang walking in the opposite direction.

“Not too far away, huh!”

Since Yeon Hyeonggwang was unawakened and useless for help, I ignored him.

Today, I was especially glad for Yeon Ha-yeon’s presence.

When I turned around with a bright smile from deep inside my dantian, Yeon Ha-yeon was already cautiously exploring the dungeon, figuring out what was nearby.

“The Black Flame Dragon isn’t coming in? It looks like outsiders can’t enter… This won’t be an easy clear!”

Once she figured this out, Yeon Ha-yeon shouted lightly, like saying “Hey, a bird’s passing by.”

Even the usually relaxed Yeon Hyeonggwang, who was casually hanging out with his sibling, finally showed some tension.

Gulp…

The sound of someone swallowing dry saliva broke the silence.