If you don’t mind that side of things, then the “Violet Banquet”······.
“Ah, right.”
When I thought of groups that lurked in the shadows, something suddenly came to mind.
The Chameleon Troupe (僞色團).
The greatest outlaw group in the story, which was supposed to be revealed around the middle and play an important role from the mid-to-late stages through the end. Though their infamy boiled over, true to their name—“those who disguise their colors”—not a single member’s identity had ever been revealed.
At the current point in time, one seat in the Chameleon Troupe was vacant. That vacancy would probably remain for another one or two years, and that was an extremely important fact.
I knew very well who the leader of the Chameleon Troupe was and where they were active. Aside from the Troupe’s own members, I was probably the only one.
The Chameleon Troupe was a criminal organization, but they rejected Devils. Also, the greatest enemy in this world was undoubtedly the “Devils.” If I became a member of the Chameleon Troupe—no, that wasn’t realistic, so if I at least made the leader’s acquaintance—couldn’t I one day turn them into allies······?
Just as that thought occurred to me—
“Ugh!”
Without any warning, an intense pain erupted in the biceps of my left arm.
It was as if a blade heated to a searing temperature were crushing my flesh. Blood vessels bulged in my wide-open eyes. I hurriedly rolled up my sleeve. A strange scar was being carved diagonally across my upper arm.
“What the fuck.”
It was an incomprehensible wound and pain. Clenching my teeth, I covered the wound, from which blood was gushing like a fountain. At the same time, information poured into my head like a tsunami.
[This stigma is one of the Creator’s Authorities, and it contains magic power.]
[The stigma is engraved one stroke at a time whenever the total amount of acquired SP exceeds a certain value and “attention” rises by one level.]
[The magic power contained in the stigma can be used according to the will of the target, Kim Hajin, and even if fully depleted, it will slowly recover within 24 hours.]
“······Ah.”
An unspeakable pain stabbed through my head and arm. And yet, even amid waves of agony that seemed to paralyze my body, the laptop screen remained clear.
[Update List]
▶Sub-talent “Book of Truth” added to the talent 「Observation and Reading」······
······
* * *
The weekend sky was painted blue, and the early spring weather was chilly yet warm. On this pleasant day, when one might want to roll around on the grass or at least enjoy a walk, I had to be summoned to Seoul’s “Association Tower.”
Because I had to receive a commendation for my contribution in eliminating Devils during the Seoul incident.
······If they wanted to give it to me that badly, they could have come and handed it to me themselves.
Many people had already gathered at the award ceremony held in the garden on the grounds of the “Association Tower.” However, the ceremony showed no sign of starting. They had made us rehearse for an hour and thirty minutes, saying that some high-ranking person would personally present the commendations, only for that very high-ranking person to be late, forcing us to wait.
As if I wasn’t already uncomfortable enough with Chae Nayun beside me.
“······Haaam.”
“You happy?”
I’d only yawned once because I was so bored. Chae Nayun, who had been glancing over at me since earlier, looking for an excuse to pick a fight, finally snapped at me. I answered shortly.
“About what?”
“You’ve been smirking since earlier.”
“······.”
It felt unfair that even her sneering face was pretty.
At first, I planned to stay quiet without responding, but then I suddenly remembered why I was receiving this commendation.
“You haven’t forgotten, have you?”
“Forgotten what?”
Every word was edged with thorns. I looked into Chae Nayun’s eyes and said,
“That I saved you.”
“······.”
Her face was still angry, but perhaps because she had no way to refute that, she shut her mouth tightly.
“That’s that, and······.”
“Both of you, stop it already.”
Just as Chae Nayun, after thinking for a moment, was about to come at me again, Kim Suho stepped in.
“What. What, man?”
“Chae Nayun, switch seats with me.”
For reference, the seating order was Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, and me.
“No way.”
“Come on, hurry.”
“No, I don’t want to. Why? I said I don’t want to······.”
Watching the two of them, whether it was skinship or whatever it was, made me feel like crap.
Fortunately, that filthy(?) little scuffle ended quickly, and Chae Nayun moved away from me while Kim Suho sat beside me.
Kim Suho glanced at me, then cleared his throat.
“Thank you for back then.”
“······What now?”
I was dumbfounded. I just wanted to stay still, so why did people keep talking to me?
“Back then. If it hadn’t been for your support, I wouldn’t have won.”
“No. You probably would’ve won even without me.”
Maybe if I hadn’t been there, Kim Suho would have awakened some even higher level of power. After all, protagonists always grow stronger once more in the face of hardship and danger.
“······No.”
Leaving that single word behind, Kim Suho looked away.
Just then, an unusual wave of magic power rang out in every direction.
At last, the “honored guest” had arrived.
“Oh, he’s here. Everyone, get ready!”
He was today’s award presenter and a highest-grade Hero bearing the title “Valhalla’s Wolf.”
His long hair, reaching down to his shoulders, was tied up, and his thick beard, unusual for an East Asian, was neatly trimmed. The majesty emanating from his extraordinary appearance was not limited to mere “impression.” Waves of magic power spread faintly with each step, as if the wind itself were being raised upright. That raw power had already reached a realm where even he could no longer control it.
“······Hoo.”
Sweeping his wolf-like, sharply narrowed eyes over the interior, the highest-grade Hero, Yu Sihyuk, muttered softly.
“Making me come and go, these fucking bastards.”
It was a curse so quiet that only I could hear it. With an appropriately insolent and appropriately languid attitude, Yu Sihyuk brushed off the guests trying to cling to him.
He strode forward imposingly and stood before the platform. Attendants hurriedly appeared and handed him a document with the order of the ceremony written on it. Yu Sihyuk clicked his tongue, skimmed it once, and tossed it away. The attendant picked up the discarded document and withdrew.
—We will now begin the commendation ceremony.
The host announced the beginning of the ceremony.
After some words like, “The presentation will be made by the highest-grade Hero, Sir Yu Sihyuk, ranked 37th in the Hero Rankings—” Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, and I went up onto the platform.
The moment Yu Sihyuk saw Kim Suho, he laughed.
“You’re Kim Suho?”
“Yes.”
“Mm. I can see why the kids would covet you.”
A deep interest showed in Yu Sihyuk’s casual gaze. With an uncharacteristic kindness, Yu Sihyuk offered Kim Suho a long piece of advice.
“Never come to the Association. If anything, going under Gwangwon (曠原) and becoming a Hunter would be a good choice. Heroes have a filthy amount of responsibility and no fun at all, wouldn’t you say?”
“······Even so, being a Hero suits me.”
Kim Suho smiled faintly and expressed a firm refusal. At that, Yu Sihyuk’s lips twisted.
“You’re a boring guy. Fine, then. ······And you, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
This time, it was Chae Nayun. Meeting the eyes of this big shot, Chae Nayun wore an uneasy expression.
“······It has been a while.”
“Your father asked me to take good care of you. I have no intention of taking good care of you.”
“No, Master—”
“Why am I your master? How dare an archer say that. You want to die?”
Even at that blatant reproach, Chae Nayun merely pouted without saying a word. Her shriveled-up appearance was so satisfying that I had to hold back my laughter.
“······And who are you?”
“I’m Cadet Kim Hajin.”
“Uh······ right.”
My turn ended there. It was treatment clearly different from that of Chae Nayun and Kim Suho.
They say indifference hurts more than hatred, and that was exactly right.
────────────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────────────
The Second Incident (1)
“The aforementioned person risked his life to eliminate Devils during the recent Devil assault incident, becoming a model for society······ and is hereby commended for civic spirit worthy of emulation. Cadet Kim Suho.”
Without the usual ceremonial dedication, Yu Sihyuk promptly presented the commendation to Kim Suho. Kim Suho accepted it calmly and with dignity.
“Chae Nayun. Same as above.”
Next was Chae Nayun.
“Kim Hajin. Same as above.”
And lastly, me.
“This concludes the commendation ceremony.”
With the host’s declaration, the commendation ceremony ended. An hour and thirty minutes of rehearsal and one hour of waiting had evaporated in a mere five minutes. It ended so quickly that there wasn’t even time to feel empty.
“Oh, right.”
Yu Sihyuk, who had been about to leave just like that, suddenly stopped as if he had remembered something and added one more sentence.
“The reward for eliminating the Devils is fifteen million won. Almost forgot.”
The moment I heard those words, I suddenly became grateful for everything. The Cube official who dragged me here before I was even properly awake, the one hour and thirty minutes of rehearsal for a five-minute ceremony, and even the man in front of me who had been a full hour late.
“Take care. If the chance comes, we may see each other again.”
Yu Sihyuk left with a languid smile.
We saw him off with our eyes, then stepped down from the platform. Before the soles of our feet even touched the ground, guild officials flocked over.
However, their interest was only in Kim Suho and Chae Nayun. Not a single person approached me. They probably thought I had just gotten lucky and received an award by being wedged between those two.
Not that I felt hurt. This was how the life of an extra was supposed to be.
Still, I couldn’t stop my face from reddening at the obvious exclusion, so I hurriedly left the place.
* * *
I fled as if being pushed into a nearby coffee shop. As soon as I ordered a drink and sat down, I turned on my laptop first.
The thing was, I still hadn’t properly checked the “updated functions.” I hadn’t had time. Yesterday, the update had completed at the same time that agony struck me and made me faint, and today, as soon as I woke up, I was dragged off to the commendation ceremony.
[Updated Function Guide]
▶Sub-talent “Book of Truth” added to the talent 「Observation and Reading」.
▶Laptop Internet activated
▶Stigma
About three functions had been added. Among them, the one that stood out most was the second line.
“Laptop Internet activated.”
It stood out because it was too ordinary. After all, I could use the Internet on my smartwatch too.
But such an ordinary function wouldn’t be on the update list for no reason.
I opened the Internet on the laptop.
“······Aha.”
The moment I saw that “Internet” for myself, I understood at once. The browser window was lined with nothing but plain text, but every single one of those texts was extremely familiar.
===
[List of Currently Accessible Sites]
▶Lawful Spirit
▶Violet Banquet
···
···
▶Jeremy’s Sword
===
Apparently, this laptop’s Internet allowed access not only to ordinary sites, but also to sites that were impossible to enter without paying a fee. Hacking might be the easiest way to understand it.
Among the many sites, one name stood out in particular.
===
▶“Violet Banquet”
*Private information, weapons, bounty, and request trading site.
*SP required to acquire ID—200
===
Violet Banquet (紫色煙晦).
Among private sites, it was the most famous site of the underworld. However, it had an extremely large membership of about one million people worldwide, and the essence of the Violet Banquet could actually be said to lie in the “sellers” coiled within it. The Violet Banquet was merely a “place.”
Countless anonymous sellers had flocked to its system for trading weapons and information, as well as commissioning missions, regardless of legality or illegality. Governments knew of this underground economy, yet had no choice but to tacitly overlook it. That was because there were almost no Heroes who had never passed through this black market. There was even a joke that one needed a “Violet Banquet membership card” to be a true Hero.
To join such a Violet Banquet, one normally had to pay an enormous membership fee, but right now, I could obtain an ID for this site with only 200 SP.
“Ah~ here you are.”
It was at that moment.
An attractive voice and fragrance flowed from behind me. I felt like I knew who it was just from hearing the voice, so I straightened my back and focused on the movement behind me.
Soon, a woman approached and sat down across from me with a graceful motion.
It was Yun Seung-Ah.
“You know me, right?”
Her eyes curved into crescents as she looked at me.
“You don’t?”
Yun Seunga asked again. I shook my head. In this world, there were very few people who didn’t know “Vice Guild Leader Yun Seunga.”
“No. I know.”
“That’s a relief. I was surprised when you suddenly disappeared. There was something I wanted to give you.”
Yun Seunga handed me a business card decorated with gold leaf.
[Vice Guild Leader Yun Seunga of the guild “Creator’s Grace”]
When I only stared blankly at the card, she smiled and continued.
“I’d like to talk with you about many things, but I don’t think I’ll be able to stay long. I used up my time looking for where Cadet Hajin had gone.”
The fact that she was giving me her card held quite a lot of meaning. After all, this was the first step of the “Yun Seunga-style scouting” I had set up.
“There’s one thing I’m curious about. May I ask?”
I looked into Yun Seunga’s eyes. Her beautiful brown pupils were calm, without the slightest tremor.
“No.”
“Cadet Hajin, how did you deal with the Djinn… Hm?”
In the media, Yun Seunga appeared warmer and more benevolent than anyone, but in truth, she was colder than anyone on the inside. Even if she brought in talent out of greed, if they failed to meet her expectations, she cast them aside quickly. She took what there was to take and threw away what there was to throw away. Only the law of the jungle and survival of the fittest. The mindset that those weeded out now would remain weeded out in the future as well—that was Yun Seunga’s style, one not revealed to the mass media.
“Please don’t ask.”
I returned the business card as it was.
“Huh? Um, Cadet Hajin? I think you’re misunderstanding something. I’m expressing interest right now. As the vice guild leader of the number one guild.”
“I’m grateful for interest. But only if it’s real interest.”
Given Yun Seunga’s personality, chances were high that she had come knowing I had used a light-attribute bullet.
But the interest she was showing me now was nothing more than curiosity. One gust of wind and it would cool, and later she might even forget my name. That was why, rather than biting right away, fiercely pushing her away once would leave a stronger impression, even for the sake of SP.
“I’ll be going now. I have a lot to do. Exams are coming up soon.”
I stood up before Yun Seunga did. Her wavering eyes, as if she were stunned, followed me.
I quickly walked out of the coffee shop.
What Yun Seunga, left behind alone, would think was none of my concern.
* * *
1 p.m.
As soon as I returned to the dorm, the reward money was deposited. A pure 15 million won, not even taxed. What I had to do with it was obvious. Without delay, I bought shares in Master of Demon Subjugation, and the number of shares I owned surpassed 100,000. At present, I was thinking I might be a major shareholder.
“Heh heh… Ah, right.”
As I smiled to myself, feeling needlessly proud, I suddenly remembered the things I hadn’t finished checking at the coffee shop. Of the updated functions, the two remaining ones were the “Book of Truth” and “Stigma.”
First, let’s check the Stigma (聖痕).
[The magic power contained within the Stigma will be used according to the will of the target, Kim Hajin, and even if it is completely depleted, it will fully recover within 24 hours.]
“…How do I use it?”
The Stigma was certainly engraved on my biceps like a tattoo. But whether it was the Stigma’s magic power or whatever else, I couldn’t even handle the magic power inside my body.
But there was a high chance I’d never be able to handle that for my entire life. After all, I had nailed down the setting for magic power as “an ability where talent and early education are the most important.” Knowing that, perhaps the co-author had allowed me this sort of irregular magic power.
“‘Used according to my will…’”
Since it said “according to my will,” I first tried thinking it inwardly.
And that was the end of it.
The moment I thought it, the magic power of the Stigma was released. A blue light radiating from the Stigma enveloped my entire biceps. That magic power flowed down along the veins of my forearm and clung to the tips of my fingers, then radiated outward as if branches were extending, moving into the shapes I wanted. It formed a triangle, then became a circle, and even turned into a blade.
That mysteriousness doubled when I thought of the “Book of Truth” I had acquired next.
The branches of magic power wove together, forming a single book. Its cover rippled like waves. I looked in turn over the blue veins protruding on my forearm and the “Book of Truth” connected to them.
A strange voice shimmered by my ear.
[This book contains the truth. Ask anything. It will answer within the limits allowed by magic power.]
“…So this is how it works.”
The phrase “within the limits allowed by magic power” bothered me a little, but this much could be called an excellent talent.
Just as I was about to ask something, anything, as a test—
Wiiing— Wiiing— Wiiing—
Suddenly, an emergency alert rang from my smartwatch.
To give a modern example, it was similar to the noisy disaster alerts that blared from cell phones. It was a noise impossible to ignore even if you wanted to. I gathered the magic power and then