n

nThree people sat face-to-face in a dark forest. As there were three chair-sized rocks conveniently placed there, they each took one rock.

n

nJin Seyeon explained her plan to the confused Chae Nayun.

n

nChae Nayun asked several questions before finally coming to an understanding.

n

nJin Seyeon’s plan was to ‘oust the corrupt political figures of the Association’. Returning emotions to Chae Joochul was only a part of that plan.

n

n“The Association’s executives have even cooperated with Djinns for their safety and wealth. Even knowing the dangers of the ‘side-effects’ of Gifts, they used children as a means of delaying their aging or as weapons of mass destruction. They threatened powerless countries while using us Heroes and caused wars to monopolize dungeons and artifacts.”

n

n“….”

n

n“Nayun-ssi, they are no longer an association of ‘Heroes’. Now is the time to correct everything. Although the world is troubled by Baal and the New Evils, that only makes this the perfect moment. If we let the Association be, they might begin to collude with the New Evils. After all, a clear enemy is needed for the Association to maintain their strength.”

n

nChae Nayun dropped her head. Her shadow wasn’t visible in the dark forest.

n

nWhile she was maintaining her silence, Cheok Jungyeong furrowed his brows and stepped up.

n

n“Wait, then you’re not going to fight with Chae Joochul?”

n

n“Yes. We need to join hands with him instead.”

n

nIt was impossible to pass justice on the Association with just the power of the Chameleon Troupe. Although the members of the Chameleon Troupe had incredible strength, their political power was nonexistent. Of course, Jain’s Gift would become a huge help in that regard, but that alone wasn’t enough.

n

n“…Join hands with Grandfather?”

n

nChae Nayun asked with a depressed voice.

n

n“Yes. Chae Joochul does not have emotions. So he had to have had a calculative reason for helping Kim Sukho and Yi Yukho at that time. You can see from the records that ‘Daehyun’ was able to rise higher thanks to that incident. But their relationship can’t continue forever. And that’s because Chae Joochul’s emotions are faint.”

n

nUsing emotionlessness to break the pact formed with emotionlessness.

n

nThat was Jin Seyeon’s plan.

n

nUntil now, Chae Joochul had maintained a mutually beneficial relationship with the Association’s executives. If they became useless and clear evidence was provided to support this, Chae Joochul would undoubtedly push them away.

n

nHowever, Chae Nayun hesitated.

n

n“…Even if that happens, Grandfather will not regret his past actions.”

n

nThat was the reason.

n

nChae Joochul played a huge role in the tragedy known as the Kwang-Oh Incident. But Chae Joochul has never and will never feel sadness or guilt. Because the antidote known as ‘emotions’ didn’t exist for him.

n

nHearing Chae Nayun, Jin Seyeon shook her head.

n

n“You’re wrong, Nayun-ssi. Essential Pharmacy is developing medicine to counter the side-effects of Gifts.”

n

n“W-What? A medicine to counter side-effects?”

n

n“Yes.”

n

nJain had obtained this information after infiltrating Essential Pharmacy. Jin Seyeon continued in a low, serious tone.

n

n“The Nine Stars’ Heynckes and Oh Jaejin. Heynckes possessed a few of the prototype medication that cured them of their side-effects. Heynckes donated them to Essential Pharmacy, and Essential Pharmacy is properly doing research on this subject.”

n

nChae Nayun’s eyes widened.

n

n“T-Then when the medicine is done….”

n

n“Yes, Chae Joochul will regain his emotions.”

n

n“…Ha.”

n

nChae Nayun dropped her jaw in shock but closed it in the next moment.

n

nShe suddenly became worried.

n

nIn truth, even she didn’t know how Chae Joochul was originally.

n

nIf her grandfather was a merciless villain from the start, what should she do? What if his emotionless state made him less of a threat to society? If he killed humans as he pleased and treated love, sympathy, and compassion as trash, then….

n

nThis possibility crossed her mind. However, Chae Nayun steeled her heart and clenched her fists.

n

nShe decided to believe in the kind side Chae Joochul showed her as her grandfather.

n

nShe had to.

n

nTo pay the debt she had to that person.

n

n“Okay, I’ll help.”

n

n“…Thank you.”

n

nJin Seyeon bowed and thanked her from the bottom of her heart.

n

n“Sorry for making such an unreasonable demand. Even though you aren’t related to this incident….”

n

n“Huh? No, I’m also…?”

n

nChae Nayun couldn’t finish her speech.

n

nKwang-Oh Incident.

n

nThe evil deed committed by her grandfather. A tragedy that had to be made right.

n

nBut wasn’t there more to it?

n

nThere definitely should be….

n

n“…Uk!”

n

nA sharp pang of pain suddenly struck Chae Nayun’s head. She clutched her head and kneeled.

n

n“Nayun-ssi?!”

n

nStartled, Jin Seyeon grabbed Chae Nayun’s body.

n

nThis brain-splitting pain didn’t disappear easily. And in this pain, Chae Nayun continued to think.

n

nThat she had forgotten about something important.

n

nShe didn’t know what it was, but her heart was naturally moving ‘for him’….

n

n“Are you okay? Nayun-ssi? Nayun-ssi!”

n

n“….”

n

nThe hammering pain disappeared, and Chae Nayun blankly looked up at Jin Seyeon. Jin Seyeon was staring at her with a worried look.

n

n“Are you okay?”

n

n“Yes? Ah, yes, I’m fine….”

n

nChae Nayun fiddled with her necklace as she met Jin Seyeon’s gaze.

n

nThen, a question suddenly arose in her head.

n

nThis necklace… didn’t someone give it to me?

n

nIt wasn’t a present, so I have to return it….

n

nBut who was it?

n

nWho am I supposed to return it to…?

n

nChae Nayun slowly closed her eyes.

n

nThis time, she didn’t faint.

n

nShe was meditating to remember something.

n

n**

n

nOn the other hand, Kim Suho stood in front of the Guild Leader’s office for a meeting.

n

nCreator’s Sacred Grace, Leader - Yun Seung-Ah

n

nHer nameplate shone in with a green light.

n

nTok, tok-

n

nWhen Kim Suho knocked on the door, Yun Seung-Ah opened it and greeted him with a smile.

n

n“Come in.”

n

nKim Suho bowed with formality and walked into the office. He thought this every time he entered here, but the Guild Leader’s office really looked like a domed stadium. Not only were the walls in a circle, but the ceiling was also round and protruding up.

n

n“Did you have a meeting?”

n

nKim Suho asked as he looked around the messy office. Creator’s Sacred Grace’s performance and ranking were recorded on the board.

n

n“Yep. Look at that. Our guild ranking. We’re doing well, right?”

n

nYun Seung-Ah sat at the head of the table while laughing joyfully. Kim Suho sat down next to her and looked at the ranking too.

n

nRank 1 - Essence of the Strait

n

nRank 2 - Desolate Moon

n

nRank 3 - Creator’s Sacred Grace

n

nRank 4 - Frost Sanctuary

n

n“…Essence of the Strait is practically impossible to overtake now, but we managed to take the rank 3 spot with the recent assault on Oedo Island Cave.”

n

nShe sounded proud and bitter at the same time.

n

n

nJust like she said, although Creator’s Sacred Grace managed to reclaim some of its former glory, the gap between them and Essence of the Strait was no longer possible to cross.

n

n“Even if they don’t work for 10 years, we won’t be able to catch up to them. Kind of unfair, don’t you think?”

n

nYun Seung-Ah grumbled as she brewed two cups of tea - one for herself and one for Kim Suho.

n

nKim Suho spoke with a faint smile.

n

n“It’s something to be happy about if we think of them as our ally. Anyways, why did you call me?”

n

n“Ah, you see…. The Association made a request. It’s an assassination order.”

n

n“Pardon? Assassination?”

n

nKim Suho furrowed his brows. He never expected to hear the words ‘assassination’, especially from the Association.

n

n“Yep. The Association Head personally made this request. You’ve heard of the Chameleon Troupe, right?”

n

n“Yes.”

n

n“They want us to eliminate that group.”

n

n“…Huh?”

n

nKim Suho was dumbstruck. Of course, the Chameleon Troupe had committed many crimes until now. But not only did they help humanity during the war against Orden and Baal, they were also granted a pardon because of it.

n

nIf the order was arresting the Chameleon Troupe members, Kim Suho would have agreed readily.

n

nBut ‘assassinating’ them?

n

nKim Suho asked sharply, “You agreed?”

n

n“No, not yet. But… if we do, it will be greatly beneficial to us. Enough to make us rise to rank 2….”

n

nYun Seung-Ah stole a sideways glance as she sipped her tea. Kim Suho felt something from her eyes.

n

nKim Suho nodded his head.

n

n“Rank 2. How specifically?”

n

n“…Remember how many dungeons appeared recently? He said he would give us the right to monopolize the top ten dungeons.”

n

nIt was indeed a tempting offer. Kim Suho rubbed his chin, pretending to be in thought, before pushing his hair up and getting up.

n

n“That doesn’t sound bad. No, it sounds tempting. But I have something I need to do right now… so I’ll listen to the details later.”

n

n“Yeah, okay. If that’s what you think, I’ll think about it in a positive light. You seem busy. You can go now.”

n

n“Yes, understood.”

n

nKim Suho left the Guild Leader’s office.

n

n“Huu….”

n

nThen, he took deep breaths as he leaned against the door. At that moment, a loud voice rang out.

n

nGlancing to the side, he saw Yi Yeonghan.

n

nHe was guiding a group of cadets from Cube while touring the guild.

n

n“Look, it’s the future Vice Leader! Say hello, kids! He’s the Hero who saved the world, Kim Suho!”

n

n“…Ah, hey guys.”

n

nKim Suho smiled bitterly.

n

n“W-Wow! Kim, Kim Suho-nim!”

n

n“S-Sword Saint Kim Suho! I’m your biggest fan!”

n

n“Wooooow-!”

n

nTeenagers who seemed to be in their first or second year of Cube hollered and ran up to him. Kim Suho smiled wryly and took hundreds of pictures with them.

n

n**

n

nTik- tok- In a silent apartment room where only the sound of the clockhands could be heard, I was in the middle of drinking a 500,000 won red ginseng extract.

n

n“So bitter.”

n

nIt tasted bitter. Its medicinal effect wasn’t anything special either.

n

nIf a 500,000 won red ginseng extract was only this much, the cheaper ones they sold in stores had to be more or less non-effective.

n

nI wrote down the effects of the extract on a notebook in front of me.

n

nLow-rank Red Ginseng - Faint vitality recovering effect. No effect on raising physical ability.

n

nBecause my ability to see the system and my stats disappeared, I developed a habit of writing down things I felt.

n

nI currently had 14 medicines written in the notebook.

n

nMost of them were things like this red ginseng extract.

n

n“…As I thought, this isn’t enough.”

n

nI threw the extract away and sprawled down on the couch.

n

n“Ehew….”

n

nA week had passed since I regained the Medicinal Memory Physique.

n

nI’ve been living in a great sense of helplessness.

n

nI would become motivated, then unmotivated several times every day. Emptiness filled the space where motivation left, and even when motivation returned, it would quickly disappear.

n

nAlthough I could memorize the effects of medicine, I had no method of making contact with any useful ones. The resume I submitted to Essential Pharmacy’s sales department had been rejected.

n

n“Geez, I’m going to commit suicide at this rate.”

n

nI even had a horrible case of insomnia.

n

nEvery time I tried to fall asleep, I would dream about the past and hate waking up. Because of it, I was afraid to fall asleep.

n

n“Tsk.”

n

nI clicked my tongue and turned on the TV.

n

n—The portals connecting different countries have just been restored. Portals to America and Europe are fully functional, and….

n

nNews regarding portals came out.

n

n“…Should I really leave this place?”

n

nRecently, I’ve been thinking about leaving this apartment.

n

nJust like how I left this place in the past to enter Cube, I felt like I had to leave to do what I needed to do.

n

nAfter all, this place was only the ‘starting point’.

n

nIn truth, I had this idea the day after I obtained the Medicinal Memory Physique. After all, this Physique was predicated on the idea of consuming rare ‘herbs’ and memorizing its effects rather than consuming fully-made products sold on the market.

n

nBut the reason I waited was on the slight off-hand chance that someone might come here. That someone might regain their memories and come looking for me.

n

nOf course, I knew it was an empty wish.

n

nAnd now that almost ten days went by, I had no choice but to admit it.

n

nThat ‘I’ had disappeared from this world completely.

n

n“…Huu.”

n

nI raised my upper body and turned on my smartwatch.

n

nJust like I saw on the news, the portal to Europe had been restored.

n

nI looked at my bank account.

n

nI had enough funds to travel around the mountains of different countries. I had the ‘Desert Eagle’, ‘Black Lotus Uniform’ and ‘Aether’ in case I needed to fend off danger.

n

n“Right.”

n

nI nodded my head resolutely as I looked at my smartwatch.

n

nThere was no way for me to enter Essential Pharmacy.

n

nIn that case, it would probably be better for me to consume different herbs from traveling and make my own medicine. Applying for a job once I had some experience would probably be more helpful.

n

n“Let’s go. Right now.”

n

nI murmured and got up.

n

nAlthough it was an on-the-spot decision, there was no hesitation.

n

nThe time to leave the starting point had come.

n

n“See you, Chundong… Heh, what am I saying. I should pack.”

n

n…I almost forgot.

n

nSince I didn’t have the Stigma anymore, I had to pack my bags before going anywhere.

n

nSsk- ssk-

n

nI picked up a luggage bag and began to pack clothes, food, my identification card, a smartwatch, the Desert Eagle, etc.

n

nI threw in anything useful I could find.

n

n