In Dorm 4’s penthouse, Chae Nayun lay in bed on a Sunday. Classes would resume tomorrow.

“Haaa…”

She sighed about tomorrow. Fear overcame her as it should have already spread that Kim Hajin completely overwhelmed her. Some would feel elated, while others would worry. Chae Nayun rather they felt embarrassed for her than worry or sympathize.

However, what bugged her most was Kim Hajin himself.

“Smoking…”

Chae Nayun recalled her conversation with Kim Hajin in Norway. He had murmured that he quit smoking. She thought he just pretended to act cool, but now she somewhat understood. He must’ve used it to relieve the pain.

Chae Nayun fell flat on her bed. She found ample evidence of Shin Jonghak’s lackeys harassing Kim Hajin. They posted on forums and commented on social media. She looked through all of it and could hardly stomach it. Embarrassment, shame, and remorse tangled up inside her into a complicated emotion.

Kim Hajin had changed weapons and positions first. She read that he was initially a swordsman. Even so, he gave up the sword because of his gift.

He had abandoned everything and chose an unorthodox weapon like a gun. Chae Nayun wondered what he must have felt.

She reached below her bed and took out a big suitcase. Then she got up and opened it. Immediately, her treasured memories resurfaced.

The suitcase contained hundreds of pictures. She had buried them deep inside her heart, but she could never forget those moments with her most beloved people. Her mother and older brother happily smiled with her in the pictures. She teared up from simply looking at her younger self, who seemed so happy.

“Huup.”

Chae Nayun held back her tears. Then she picked up the short sword in the suitcase. It only measured about a meter long, but was enchanted with special magic that could increase its length. The maximum height was about 4 meters from what she recalled. Yoo Sihyuk had gifted her this mystical sword eight years ago. She held it in her hands for the first time in a long time. Although it looked like a toy, it was a deadly weapon that felt heavier than the world when she was young.

“What was my limit again? My magic power control wasn’t good when I was 8, but it was around 2 meters?”

Chae Nayun imbued the sword with her magic power. The blade shot up to the ceiling.

“Wow… I grew a lot.”

Chae Nayun stared at the sword for a long time and realized the obvious. She enveloped it with her blue magic power just like her master taught her. Jiiing.The sword resonated with her magic power and manifested sword qi.

“...”

Chae Nayun rested her forehead against the sword and closed her eyes. She engraved the sensation of the cold metal and the ringing of magic power in her heart.

***

I had a meeting with Cube’s faculty on Sunday because of something called a specialized gift. The rumor that I defeated Chae Nayun and hit the 900 meter mark already spread across Cube. They asked whether it was true, and I nodded after some thought. Then they asked whether I wanted to release the information publicly or keep it secret. I chose the latter. Honestly, it didn’t matter since it would be revealed anyway. The only difference was that the latter made me a product. If someone wanted information about me, they would have to purchase it from Cube. Of course, since rumors had already spread, they would only be paying for confirmation.

I left the administration building after the meeting. Hardly anyone roamed around because of final exams in two weeks. Instead, everyone either studied at the library or trained at the fitness center.

I returned to my room and sat on the couch with my laptop. I needed to buy numerous things for the upcoming exam.

[Automatic Tent] [Porkchops] [Chicken Breast] [Frying Pan] [Portable Grill]…

I put every camping equipment I could think of into the shopping cart. It cost me two million won, but I didn’t hesitate. Instructors would check our bags before the final exam for personal weapons and defensive equipment. However, they permitted the items I had just bought. If asked, I had more than enough excuses. I could just say I prepared everything in case.

[Your purchase has been completed.]

Park Soohyuk also sent me a message after the confirmation.

[Hajin, we made our website. Take a look. You’re on our list of investors.]

[wmw.shagency.com]

“Oh?”

I went to the agency website.

[Cultivation of Trust – SH Agency] [SH Agency Introduction] [List of Investors] [List of Affiliated Hunters]

The design looked decent. Was the list of affiliated hunters just blank? I snickered as I clicked on it.

[Jamie King] [Date of birth: 08/03/1997] A hunter with 5 years of experience.

[Joshua] [Date of birth: 09/01/2005] A hunter with 1 year of experience.

“Oh, there actually are some?”

Surprisingly, he had recruited two other hunters. I clicked on the list of investors, and a particular name pleasantly surprised me. I thought I would be the only one.

[Kim Hajin.] [Yoo Yeonha.]

She acted fast as expected. I closed the laptop with a grin.

[How’s the website?]

[It’s nice and clean, but I think you should put Yoo Yeonha’s name before mine on the list of investors.]

She cared about such things even if she might not act like it.

[Why? I don’t care, but shouldn’t you come first? You know, both alphabetically and by who came first.]

[No, just do as I say.]

If left unchanged, the number of future investments could decrease.

***

The next day.

“Huuu.”

I collected my breath outside the classroom. I felt incredibly nervous since the archery duel had about 70 spectators. It would be strange if anyone didn’t know what happened after two days.

I felt somewhat apprehensive, but opened the door and entered. Everyone immediately looked at me, and I could hear them murmuring. I ignored whatever they said and sat at my usual spot. Chae Nayun wasn’t here yet.

“…?”

I thought she wasn’t, but heard her familiar voice. I turned and saw Chae Nayun, slightly different from her usual self. Her long brown hair, which reached her chest, had been cut to her shoulders. She whispered with Yoo Yeonha.

“So how’s the short hair? You look good.”

“Hair is hair. I do like that it’s less hot. You should also cut your hair.”

“I like mine the way it is. By the way, you didn’t cut your hair because of the bet, right?”

“I cut it because it was hot. Plus, you can’t always win. Do I look like someone who would dwell on the past?”

She seemed the same other than her short hair. Chae Nayun stretched and turned her head sideways. I quickly buried my face into the desk.

***

Chae Nayun pretended to stretch and peeked at Kim Hajin. He had just arrived, but was already diligently studying.

“Kuu, I’m tired.”

Chae Nayun faced forward.

“Oh right, did you study?”

Shin Jonghak, who sat behind her, asked. Chae Nayun simply replied.

“I did enough.”

Theory classes only played a minor role in Cube. Combat exams and written exams had a 7:3 ratio on grades. Those who ranked near the top in combat exams usually scored similarly in written exams, although exceptions existed.

“Enough? Then you should be around rank 600 again, hahaha.”

Shin Jonghak made fun of her since she looked fine, but Chae Nayun was just pretending.

“…”

She fiercely glared at him. Shin Jonghak stopped snickering and awkwardly backed off.

“Oh right, here are the phenomenon realm analysis notes you asked about yesterday.”

Kim Suho changed the topic in a hurry.

“Thanks. I’ll quickly copy and return it.”

“Don’t expect too much. Phenomenon realm analysis is difficult for everyone except Kim Ha…”

Kim Suho suddenly realized he had made a mistake.

“You’re right. It’s difficult for everyone except Kim Hajin. It’s fine, geez. You don’t have to be so careful.”

Chae Nayun shook her head and placed Kim Suho’s notebook in front of her. Although Yoo Yeonha studied better than Kim Suho, Chae Nayun couldn’t rely on her. In reality, Yoo Yeonha had two notebooks because she didn’t want to lend her real one to Chae Nayun.

Drrrrk—

The theory professor walked in.

“Now, now, quiet down. You know exams are in two weeks, right? It’ll cover everything up to aurora reaction.”

The noisy classroom quieted down. The professor went over the material on the test before beginning the day’s class. Chae Nayun opened her notebook and grabbed her pen.

I’ll study hard today and show that I’m different from before… but I’m a bit sleepy… this is the professor’s fault…

She needed to copy down a ton of material after dozing off.

“Alright, here’s your favorite type of calculation problem. I know some of you don’t understand why you need to learn this, but once you go out into the real world and enter dungeons, you’ll thank me on your knees. So don’t slack off now if you don’t want to cry tears of blood later.”

The professor finished explaining the theoretical concepts and moved on to example problems. Unfortunately, Chae Nayun couldn’t understand any of it.

“For this problem, I would like a helper. Let’s see…”

The professor paused and looked over the cadets. Chae Nayun grew nervous that he might call her. The archery duel had already embarrassed her to death. She couldn’t handle being embarrassed again.

“Ah. Cadet Kim Hajin. Please come out.”

Thankfully, he didn’t pick Chae Nayun. Kim Hajin stood up from his seat and strolled to the podium as everyone looked at him. Then he received a hologram pen from the professor and effortlessly solved the problem. His procedures and calculations appeared flawless. Even his penmanship looked impeccable. Chae Nayun stared at the variables and numbers he wrote. Then she snapped out of her daze and began to copy everything down.

“Good. Very good.”

The professor applauded as Kim Hajin finished. Everyone else busily copied what he wrote.

“Perfect. As expected of rank 1 in the world. You can take a seat now. I’ll explain.”

Rank 1 in the world? Kim Hajin tilted his head in confusion, but returned without further questions.

“Look everyone. This is what we call a perfect, model answer.”

The professor gathered everyone’s attention. This time, Chae Nayun also paid attention with wide eyes.

***

I went to the shooting range on Monday at 10 P.M. after working out at the fitness center. I cranked up the difficulty to stage 10, where the targets also attacked. Faint shouting came through the walls as I practiced. Huap! Hiyaap! Something like that. Curious, I peeked through the walls.

“… Hmm?”

Chae Nayun brandished a sword against a dummy in the shooting room next to me. It looked strange seeing someone with a sword at the shooting range, but I felt good about it. In the original story, Chae Nayun switched to a sword about a year after she graduated from Cube because of the Genghis Khan artifact scramble in Mongolia. She had encountered the djinn who killed her mother, but couldn’t kill him with her bow.

She would become a monster if she started honing her swordsmanship now. She’d be second only to Kim Suho by graduation. Feeling pleased with myself, I stretched and ended today’s practice. As I left, the door next to me also opened. Chae Nayun walked out as she wiped her sweat. We both froze.

“…”

“…”

Honestly, I felt sorry about what I said to her. Although I had good intentions, I still hit her nerve twice. I spoke first before she could attack me.

“D-Did you finish your archery practice?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah.”

Chae Nayun awkwardly replied.

“W-What, I can’t?”

“No, keep up the good work.”

I wanted to end the conversation and leave, but Chae Nayun stopped me.

“Hey.”

“…”

I was a bit scared, but turned around and faced her.

“What.”

“You, um… said you quit smoking.”

“What?”

Her unexpected words caught me off guard. Indeed, I did say that during our Norway trip. Chae Nayun had overheard me muttering to myself.

“I did.”

“… How did you quit?”

It sounded completely irrelevant. Was she trying to offer me a poisoned cigarette?

“You don’t need to know.”

I didn’t have an answer, so I cut her off and left. I could feel her gaze behind me.