RE: Player again

364

[Chapter 107]

[Hell is Always Near (8)]

The last day of the final evaluation dawned.

Those who played late into the previous night forcibly raised their tired bodies and packed their belongings.

To climb to Bijobong summit and put an end to the 5-day final evaluation.

Time has already passed like that.

It was hard but fun too...

Somehow it feels bittersweet thinking it's ending like this.

Minji suddenly looked down at the luggage she was packing.

The bag that was bulging so much it was hard to carry on the first day of arriving on Deokjeok Island had become slim.

Instead, she gained a sense of fulfillment in life as much as the volume decreased.

She felt like she had lost something all this time.

And now it felt like something was filled in the empty space.

I hope I can be like this in the future too.

The feeling of being alive.

The sense of fulfillment of shining like a star.

Above all, the sense of unity where individuals complement each other becoming one flow like gears meshing.

She looked back on what happened on this island while climbing to the summit with party members.

She could explain herself divided into before and after arriving on the island.

"What will you all do when you return to the academy?"

"I'll eat first. Then sleep."

"As leader, I'll say this last - wash as soon as you return, please."

"Hmm... I'm going to call my parents and grandfather. They must be worried."

When they almost reached the summit.

Eunwoo asked with a lively face.

Minji suddenly stopped walking hearing those words.

"─What about you, Minji?"

"......"

There was a path, a fork in the road.

She had been stopping in front of this path all along, unable to take heavy steps.

If I had to put modifiers on the two paths.

One was an ideal path.

One was a realistic path.

She had been conflicted between ideals and reality so far.

She wanted to shine.

She wanted to sparkle.

She wanted to become someone who could stand side by side with Eunha.

"...Everyone prepare for battle. Monsters climbing up from the mountain base towards here are being detected. Parang oppa, quickly let other parties know!"

"Why are these guys suddenly... Jung Hayang! How many monsters are there!?"

"About 30... It seems Eunha's party is luring monsters."

"Hah... That bastard Noh Eunha."

"Hmm... Then it's not dangerous, right? Eunha did Eunha things."

Sudden appearance of a monster group.

Nevertheless, the party sighed rather than being wary.

Because there was no need to worry.

Because Hayang mentioned Eunha's existence.

Because Seona sent telepathy just then to inform the situation happening at the mountain base.

Fireball

And after a while.

A huge explosion occurred in an area that wasn't even a path not far below the mountain.

Flames that momentarily soared into the sky swallowed monsters that revealed themselves from the forest.

When the pillar of fire disappeared, burning monsters jumped out roaring.

Then there were those who jumped out as if chasing them─

"─Bae Subin! I told you before! Please tell me in advance if you're going to set fires!"

"Where's the time for that!"

"Guys, sorry. This is my fault. I was a beat late in transmitting."

"It's not your fault. The person who made a mistake is Bae Subin."

"What? You b***h!"

"What, you bitch."

There wasn't a single person with a normal appearance in Eunha's party.

Eunhyeok who had something blackish smeared on his face that could be seen even from afar stabbed monsters with his knife then immediately went on to kill other monsters without properly confirming whether they were dead.

And arrows flying from behind him definitely cut off the breath of monsters that weren't dead yet.

The movements of Kaede holding a huge bow were extraordinary.

She shot arrows while quickly jumping onto trees, then running on the ground again with nimble movements.

Bae Subin bickering with her. Subin soon made a hmph sound then focused on assisting the two.

As highly lethal magic fell, powerful monsters died or weakened, and groups faltered.

"...Wow..."

"...Crazy bastards..."

Parang and Minho who were watching that scene snapped back and groaned.

Parang focused on the battle they were waging with his blue wolf ears perked up, and Minho clicked his tongue with a disgusted face.

Other students' reactions were mostly similar too.

There were those who admired.

There were those who were terrified.

"...Isn't that Dojun?"

"...I think it is Dojun."

Meanwhile, while Eunha's party members were busily taking down monsters.

Yoo Dojun was walking around next to Seona who seemed to be giving instructions on the situation via telepathy.

Dojun was busily picking up something without ever straightening his back, like the gleaners depicted by the famous French painter.

Mana stones.

Those with good eyes confirmed that and became dumbstruck.

Eunwoo made a dazed face, and Hayang made a sour expression.

Nevertheless, in Minji's eyes─

"─This isn't a monster you can handle yet, Eunhyeok. But you blocked well. I'll handle this."

Party members moving while receiving Eunha's instructions looked shining.

No matter how other students tried to ignore it, their presence couldn't be hidden.

No matter how messy they looked, they were shining more than anyone here now.

I─

There was a path, a fork in the road.

She decided to choose now.

─I'll live like myself.

I can't keep up.

Kim Minji finally acknowledged.

That she and they were different.

She can't do that much.

Play where they reinforce each other rather than complementing each other didn't suit her.

It didn't match either.

There was a way of life that suited her, a way to shine brightly.

She decided to accept that.

I'm not as strong as those kids.

Kim Minji coldly accepted her limits.

Only then did she feel liberated from the pressure driving herself. It felt like her body became light and her view opened up.

She who once faced the wall of talent overcame that wall while acknowledging her limits.

She would no longer become stronger.

Instead, she would now become more experienced.

In some sense, that wouldn't be much different from becoming stronger.

Although she couldn't become like them.

Shining is shining, but I still can't live like that...

At the same time, Minji resigned and gave up.

Honestly, the moment she directly saw with her own eyes what she had dreamed of, she keenly felt how arduous it was to do that.

She realized the hardship she only understood intellectually was just imagination after all.

She didn't want to suffer like that.

She probably couldn't keep up either.

"Ah... I feel relieved."

She felt empty after giving up.

She felt relieved after acknowledging.

She felt relieved because she felt empty.

The world called that resignation.

So what?

It's not like she regressed.

Life only moves forward.

Like there's tomorrow because there's today, you dream new dreams because you lost dreams. You face reality because you lost ideals.

That's probably becoming an adult.

Minji didn't think for a moment that was a wrong life.

Just bitter, the past.

Just anticipating, the future.

I'll do what I can do.

So... I'll sincerely cheer for you all to do well.

Soon Minji looked back at her party members.

It was fun forming a party with them.

But unfortunately.

She had to acknowledge they were different from her too.

The day will come when they also play an active role in Noh Eunha's party someday.

And she would only be able to watch that.

...It'll be lonely.

That was regrettable.

But just as they have their path, she only has her own path.

Maybe, if she's very lucky.

The day may come when her path and their paths intersect someday.

Then the day may come when they face each other as equals again.

The day to reminisce about the day they parted.

The day to talk about the paths they walked.

Ah, life...

Life is unpredictable.

So looking forward to that time.

Minji became an adult first among her friends.

☆

It's not that they didn't sleep.

They just slept less.

Eunha had party members sleep in shifts one by one.

Although he heard complaints from friends, they had no choice but to fight monsters since Eunha disturbed Little Bee hives whenever he got the chance.

Yoo Dojun was no exception.

"...You... You really...!!"

Of course, there's no way party members would nicely follow his words unless they were slaves.

Eventually those who could no longer endure started a rebellion in the middle of the night.

The first person to go crazy was Bae Subin.

It was really dangerous this time.

Eunha felt chills recalling what happened just a few hours ago.

Even if he didn't give his all, it wasn't easy to block her power that was unleashed.

Moreover, the moment Bae Subin launched a fireball towards Eunha, party members rushed in using that as a signal.

Even Eunhyeok who followed calling him boss raised his sword despite potentially suffering a harsh fate.

The timing seems strange no matter how I think about it.

It's understandable that Bae Subin went wild, but how did the other kids attack me in sync?

As a result, day quickly dawned.

Eunha watched party members battling near the area with almost no distance left to Bijobong summit.

Subin who fainted once then woke up was assisting the vanguard while arguing with Kaede.

Eunhyeok who suffered after crossing swords with him yesterday was rolling down the slope with smoother movements than before.

"─No matter how I think about it, it's really suspicious, right?"

"I don't know what you're thinking, but it's probably your imagination."

"Hmm..."

"You're not good at guessing originally."

"No, I'm extremely good at it?"

"Then do you have evidence?"

He stared steadily at Seona giving instructions to party members next to him.

Seona was proudly sticking out her chest and wagging her tail as if she didn't commit any crime.

Can I really believe this fox's words?

It must be her.

No, it can only be her.

Eunha was almost certain.

That the party members' rebellion last night was directed by Seona.

She must have secretly used telepathy to conspire with party members behind his back.

Then Seona should be given appropriate punishment.

But at the same time─

─Well, forget it.

It means Seona gained a lot this time.

He took his gaze off her pretending not to know.

As long as she didn't sincerely try to rebel against him.

For now, he should be glad about her remarkable growth.

Foxes were different from wolves.

[Hey!! Include me too! Should I go too!?]

If that blue wolf looking down at him from the summit is a dog that absolutely won't submit.

This yellow fox next to him could be called a dog that won't try to rebel against its master no matter how cunning it becomes.

Seona wouldn't betray him.

As long as he protects her.

And he will never let go of her no matter what happens.

You're mine.

Jin Parang was a given.

Seona was the telepath talent he needed before regression.

"...What did you just do to me?"

"I don't know what you're thinking, but it's probably your imagination."

"No. This isn't imagination. I just got goosebumps. What did you do?"

"I didn't. Do you have evidence?"

Jin Seona who suddenly rubbed both arms and glared at Eunha then.

Eunha decided to ignore the fox who seemed to have reached the extreme of attention-seeking behavior.

Then he walked the path Subin, Eunhyeok, and Kaede neatly cleared.

The moment he climbed to the summit.

Academy students' gazes all poured towards him at once.

"I guess we're last place."

"...Yeah, you're last place."

Students were sending gazes towards him as if unable to describe.

Eunha indifferently passed over gazes tinged with awe and directed his eyes at Mok Minho.

Mok Minho grumbled with a sour face.

Saying it was too reckless and dangerous.

"Don't worry. You'll become like Eunhyeok someday too, so what."

"......"

The moment Eunha left those words.

Mok Minho who was stating his argument became dumbstruck.

He who made a face like he ate a bug didn't say anything more to Eunha.

At that moment.

[Eunha! Dojun collapsed!]

"Cha Eunwoo!"

"Yeah, got it!"

Telepathy heard from the rear.

Eunha called Cha Eunwoo's name hearing Yoo Dojun collapsed.

Eunwoo who happened to be looking down below took Jin Parang and ran down hurriedly.

Eunha turned his head and saw Yoo Dojun unable to get up in a place just a few steps away from the summit.

...He did struggle.

Eunha who met eyes with Hayang soon approached Yoo Dojun with her.

Yoo Dojun struggled throughout the final evaluation too.

He didn't participate in battles but played the role of picking up mana stones on his own without anyone saying anything.

He even searched the forest picking up mana stones in the middle of the night on the last day.

In a way, it was admirable he hadn't collapsed until now.

"...Hey, Eunha."

"Yeah, speak."

Yoo Dojun receiving Eunwoo's treatment.

Dojun reached out his hand towards Eunha, passing by people who followed him crying out his name.

Eunha who soon knelt on the ground grasped the hand he extended.

His nails were full of dirt.

It was an appearance that didn't suit Yeongwon Group's direct descendant at all.

"...I'm not dying, right?"

"...You're not dying, you know?"

"I... I realized something only after becoming like this."

Yoo Dojun's hand trembled.

On the other hand, his eyes were blazing like flames filled with aspiration.

"...I absolutely can't die like this. I'll definitely, surely live and grasp everything."

"Uh... You should."

What an obvious thing to say.

Eunha mumbled dazedly.

However, he who struggled to the point of collapsing now seemed to think of dying nonchalantly.

His eyes were full of fighting spirit.

"And let me say one more thing."

Fighting spirit into aspiration.

Yoo Dojun who resolved to sit on Yeongwon Group's throne continued speaking in fading consciousness.

"─I won't ride the bus again."

"Uh... Okay, sorry."

Yoo Dojun fainted.

Eunha got up from his seat dumbfounded.

To think the reason he called was to say that.

"Hueeeeeng...! Finally, it's finally all over! Now we're going home!!"

"I'm free now!!"

Meanwhile, Eunha looked up at the summit.

Choi Eunhyeok was kneeling and sobbing at the summit.

And Bae Subin was raising both arms shouting she was finally liberated from Noh Eunha.

"...Hah..."

Unlike them.

Hoshimiya Kaede let out a long breath while looking at the approaching helicopter in the distance.

Soon she who closed her eyes and raised her head held up her bow high.

A Korean traditional bow without arrows.

But when she pulled the bowstring, an arrow made of mana was nocked on the bow.

Hoshimiya Kaede frantically shot arrows towards the sky as if trying to release stress.

Then she discharged her internal mana and sprawled out on the grass.

Clever.

She remembers well.

She was clever.

Kaede had exhausted all her internal mana in advance in case he might give some order.

In reality, he would never touch her if she did that.

The 5 days allowed her to understand him.

In a way, she was tamed.

Compared to her─

─Those kids are going to suffer doing that.

Eunha clicked his tongue while looking at the relatively less clever ones.

"I'll sleep as soon as we return to the dorm!"

"...Meat. I need to eat beef."

Nevertheless, he decided to let it slide this time since they struggled.

"Geez, you're really not human."

"Why are you like this. I'm sleepy too, you know?"

Eunha struggled after a long time too.

He who constantly kept an eye on party members in case they might get hurt was mentally fatigued.

Then Minji came with her arms crossed and gave him sarcasm.

Eunha retorted lightly.

The kid seems to be in a good mood.

Come to think of it, the first friend he made in this life.

There's no way he couldn't notice how she felt now, having spent the longest time together among friends.

Eunha softened seeing her speak to him like before.

"Hey, you sit there."

"What? Why suddenly?"

"It'll take quite some time to return to Incheon by helicopter, right?"

"So?"

"Get some sleep until then."

Eunha sat Minji on the grass.

Then he sat down too and leaned his back against her back.

Fatigue started to hit as he sat stretching out both legs.

"Hah... You really..."

"I don't know, I'll leave the rest to you."

"Sigh... Alright, sleep, sleep."

In the end, Minji gave him her back as if she had no choice.

Minji who burst into joyful laughter felt the wind while listening to the approaching propeller sound.

"...Hey, but you smell."

"Don't you smell?"

"Still less than you though?"

"Shut up. Let's just sleep."

"Sigh... I can't live. How would you live without me, really?"

"What are you saying."

Eunha snorted.

It was an absurd assumption.