“What, I could’ve set my ID?!”


  “Yes.”


  “I was deceived by the administrator! I should’ve known something felt weird!”


  Having been deceived by the administrator’s scheme to set her ID as Rune Fox, Lee Na-hee was sincerely upset as she continuously stomped her feet.

  “Besides, when I entered the free bulletin board, suddenly I was being treated as a set. Who is Water Fox and Hwaho?!”


  “Both of them are stronger than you, so let it go.”


  “Why are you flirting with such people?!”


  “I’m not? Don’t say anything weird in front of Claire.”


  Just yesterday, Lee Na-hee’s trait evolved again.

  [Rune of Blooming (SS+)]

  It had grown three ranks at once, reaching the current limit. Of course, the members of Masked Bacchus heard the news and gathered to celebrate her evolution. Then, the other members secretly invited her to their room after that celebration.

  “But I really didn’t know about it, unnie. So, you two belonged to this pan-cosmological organization……”


  “Eunah was also in it.”


  “Ah, uh, so……”


  However, if there was something unexpected, Eleanor, who had [Crab Volg (SSS-)], had yet to acquire the qualifications to join the Hero Universe, but Lee Na-hee had. Obviously, the Hero Universe seemed to have preferential treatment for magical and production-related traits over combat-related ones. After all, Claire had joined with her SS-rank trait.

  “Then what’s the reason you brought me here today? I was looking forward to my junior providing some personal service……”


  “Someone, the tension suddenly dropped……”


  Although it was winter, Lee Na-hee was wearing a transparent blouse and a short-lace skirt. Maybe she had been half-anticipating why Kang Shin-hyuk called her today. Her approach now felt like a half-promised joke.

  “I don’t know much about the Hero Universe yet, but I wanted to tell you about it properly.”


  “Yeah, I heard the basics from the administrator, so I was convinced in many ways. Where in the world were you distributing those nonsensical weapons? Why was it that sometimes you would vanish from the face of the world?”


  “Let’s talk while we eat.”


  When Claire moved into the same room as him, the dorm’s internal structure was lightly changed to accommodate them. It now included a kitchen, although the three of them, including Vita, were the types that actively cooked, and instead, they usually went to the restaurant at Unyu hall. Claire, however, often cooked when she wanted to show off or when she wanted to spend time leisurely with Kang Shin-hyuk. No, not just that. As the two of them performed several dimensional quests, their cooking skills increased as they cooked more outside.

  “Today’s Japanese hotpot. I made plenty, so eat as much as you want.”


  “.……Unnie. It’s no joke how guilty I feel about interrupting the newlyweds’ home without notice.”


  Lee Na-hee’s eyes went wide as she saw Claire carrying a pot while wearing a cute apron. Na-hee knew Claire well, and she had never had such a familial atmosphere about her before. And though it’s resentful, didn’t it seem like her feminine charm was different from before? Kang Shin-hyuk definitely preferred her…… Ahhhhh! Lee Na-hee screamed in her heart and covered her red-stained face with both hands. Claire, who guessed her thoughts, had a warm smile.

  “In the first place, love is the way to change people.”


  “You’ve changed so much!”


  “You’ve also changed.”


  “I agree.”


  They ate and talked about the Hero Universe in earnest. Of course, Lee Na-hee’s interest was focused on dimensional quests.

  “Can I follow that too?”


  “Of course not. It’s too dangerous for you.”


  “But unnie……”


  “I know there are times when it’s dangerous.”


  Claire smiled bitterly. If it weren’t for the fact she could handle nanobots, Kang Shin-hyuk wouldn’t have been able to bring her every time.

  “What, then, the Hero Universe means nothing.”


  “Why not? In the future, I can contact you even when we’re in another world.”


  “Yes, try to collect points. There are a lot of rare materials on the trading board.”


  “Somehow, among the materials that my junior has sued, there are many I haven’t heard of yet.”


  Lee Na-hee took the advice from her seniors seriously. From Kang Shin-hyuk’s standpoint, he was very happy that Lee Na-hee was reborn as a member of the Hero Universe. He felt his relationship with his friends gradually stretching out as he spent more of his time in the Hero Universe, so he couldn’t help but be happy that it could continue unbroken with her joining.

  “It would be nice if Eli could join quickly.”


  “No, I’ve been in the lead, so why are you saying such pointless words?”


  “Haha, you’ll soon understand my heart.”


  “Isn’t it too early for Na-hee to know your feelings?”


  Claire, who knew what Kang Shin-hyuk felt, spoke up. The hot pot was very delicious, and the three emptied it quickly as they talked then sipped at the tea. Through the window in the living room, they could see snow piling up over Shinyoung’s main building in the darkness. The first snow this year had come early, in October, as the Earth suffered from the gate erosion this year.

  “But now, it’s the season for it. It’s already December.”


  “It seemed like the world would end around May, but another year will pass.”


  “I wondered if Shinyoung would vanish, but how did we end up here?”


  The three weren’t that young, but they were still thrilled at the snow falling down. It was a truly turbulent year. Compared to the last one, there had been more changes, and somehow it felt like it had passed even quicker. Probably, no, obviously, that was because Eunah wasn’t there.

  ‘Are we ready?’


  Shinyoung’s guild had been focused on reinforcing the young superhumans and mass-producing high-quality artifacts. The year, everything he had done on Earth had established itself. Kang Shin-hyuk once thought the battle with Jormungand would be on Earth, but after the incidents in London and Germany, Jormungand…… To be precise, clashes with the head of Jormungand no longer occurred. Kang Shin-hyuk had been vaguely guessing since about then, as the events that took place occurred with traitors on the human side who had suddenly lost their connection with Jormungand. In other words, Janus’s attack in May was the last one by Jormungand to balance the Earth. Now that Earth was strengthened, they may launch a counter-attack, but it would take a while for that to happen-

  At least, you had no intention of waiting quietly until then.

  “Junior?”


  As he gathered his determination, Kang Shin-hyuk was brought back from his thoughts by Lee Na-hee’s voice.

  “Yes?”


  “Tomorrow is the broadcast for SS-class gates. Are you going to watch it?”


  “Oh, it was tomorrow.”


  “You really don’t even care?”


  “Because there’s Baek. Actually, he should also be out.”


  “No, maybe that’s a bit……”


  Lee Na-hee shook her head, but Claire nodded next to him. The SS-class gate attack. Okay, after seeing that, he would definitely be relieved. Kang Shin-hyuk finished off the rest of his tea with a nod, and Claire refilled his cup with a gentle smile. Apparently, she recognized his determination. As the two exchanged a smile, Lee Na-hee noticed she couldn’t dare intervene and began to pout.

  ***

  Communication with people inside the gate was impossible. That was common sense, but the joint research between the Puppeteer and the Alchemist shattered that perception. At first, it was just at the level of sending in a drone that could transmit a one-way signal, but with gradual development, it had reached the level of two-way video communication a month ago. Claire and Kang Shin-hyuk, already wealthy, had become ridiculously rich due to the development of that technology. However, the only problem was that it was still impossible to skip the use of spiritual power in the production process. So without Kang Shin-hyuk or Claire, it couldn’t actually be created. In other words, they made money not by selling the technology, but by selling communication drones made with it.

  “But Na-hee is also feeling spiritual strength little by little now, right?”


  “Oh, yes. Whenever I see you, something rumbles inside. I think it’s affection for you or sexual desire……”


  “Eli.”


  “Yes.”


  “No!”


  Eleanor smacked the back of Lee Na-hee’s head as she spouted this bullshit. It was an attack mixed with resentment for her entering the Hero Universe first.

  “It’s been a while since Eli also began to feel spiritual power, so I thought she’d be joining before you, so I gave her a rough explanation.”


  It was obviously not possible to discuss the Hero Universe with anyone. Still, since the administrator recognized Eleanor as a semi-prospective member, they were vaguely telling her about the Hero Universe’s existence. But, no doubt, Lee Na-hee joined first.

  “I will join within a week.”


  “Eli, don’t do what the administrator tells you; ID is a big deal.”


  “It’s your brain that’s a big deal.”


  Kang Shin-hyuk and his party sat in the audience seats of the first gymnasium, where Janus’s attack had taken place before. Not only them but also students and teachers occupied a large number of seats, all looking at the large screen installed in the center of the gym. The scene reflected nothing other than the scenery inside an SS-class gate. Eight members of Shinyoung’s elite team gathered to release the captured video of the gate in real-time.

  “When I see the gate attack like this, it feels like the times have changed…… Oh, It’s Oh Hye-na.”


  “Baek In-ha, you’re thoroughly faithful.”


  Excluding Baek In-ha and Oh Hye-na, who were Masked Bacchus members, the team was made up of only Shinyoung’s students. Even then, Baek only played the role of protector in the case of an emergency, so the actual attack was led by Oh Hye-na and the seven students.

  “Looks like no problem?”


  “I don’t know if that’s the case because they have Baek. The kids aren’t bad either.”


  “When did Oh Hye-na become so strong?”


  It was the will of Kang Shin-hyuk and Shinyoung to create a team this way. For the past few months, Shinyoung had firmly established itself under his leadership, but in the end, the evaluation of the armed forces was not made for that sole reason. This strategy video was to be broadcasted not only here but through news channels in each country. The attack on an SS-class gate where most of the main members of Masked Bacchus were omitted would be able to change the existing perception firmly.

  “Ah.”


  It would be even more surprising if it had been an attack on an irregular gate, but this time it to prove how well the young superhumans were trained at Shinyoung and how excellent their teamwork was, so they targeted a well-known gate. The attack proceeded as intended, and the students calmly dealt with the SS-rank monsters as a group while Oh Hye-na froze and crushed the monsters with her overwhelming skill. Cheerful yet firm, anyone who watched the video would think of that.

  “Hm.”


  There was no chance for Baek. It was a small gate known to need an average attack time of seven hours, but Oh Hye-na shortened it to three. In particular, the sight of her breaking the boss monster swiftly with her frosted greatsword was enough to leave an unforgettable impression.

  “I told her to work with the team, but she won’t.”


  However, the results weren’t very satisfactory for Kang Shin-hyuk, who wanted to show off the abilities of the other students.”


  “Look. She probably wanted to show off herself.”


  “I know that heart, but punishment is separate.”


  “It’s very strict……”


  As Lee Na-hee shook her head, Claire spoke up with an ambiguous smile.

  “But you can be relieved with this much, right?”


  “Yes…… Well, it is.”


  Kang Shin-hyuk nodded and stood up. He was going to start the next dimensional quest right after he confirmed that this was over.

  The destination was Merba.