RG 128

I looked down at the bird with a troubled expression, then turned my head away.

‘First… let’s check the quest rewards.’

No matter how hopeless it felt, I couldn’t just sit there in a daze forever. In times like this, the best thing to do was tackle the tasks piling up right in front of me, one by one—eventually, that would open up a path.

Leaving the persistently clingy bird alone, I pulled up the status window.

‘Huh? There’s more than just one or two missed notifications?’

Multiple status windows unfurled in midair with a flutter. Slightly flustered, I began to go through the contents.

《Main Quest: Reunite with the antagonist—Succeed!》

《Main Quest cleared. Rewards are granted.》

《Specialties Rank Up!》

《Drenched Cat (Class E) → Drenched Cat (Class C)》

《Stay Exactly Where You Are (Class E) → Stay Exactly Where You Are (Class C)》

《Empty on the Side? (Class F) → Empty on the Side? (Class D)》

《No Mercy Allowed (Class F) → No Mercy Allowed (Class D)》

《Cash Box Has Arrived! Please check the Gift Box in the Item Shop.》

So far, this was familiar.

Granted, this was the first time all my specialties had leveled up by two ranks at once, but considering how tough the quest had been, the rewards felt completely justified.

The important part came next. I carefully read through the following notification windows.

《Hidden Quest has been unlocked!》

《Hidden Quest: Reach Class C in Two Specialties (Class B)》

《Hidden Quest: Reach Class C in Two Specialties (Class B)—Cleared!》

《Hidden Quest cleared. Rewards are granted.》

《Specialty acquired: My Eyes Don’t Lie (Class F)》

“A hidden quest?”

Those damn hidden quests always came out of nowhere, no warning whatsoever. Still, I wasn’t about to complain about free rewards.

‘Another specialty, huh.’

Back in the day, I used to hope hidden quest rewards might include some useful combat skills, but after getting hit with so many disappointments, I’d long since given up on that. Still, it was free, so I figured I should at least take a look. I opened the trait description with a disinterested flick—then jumped in surprise.

My Eyes Don’t Lie (Class F)

Maintains composure in any situation and activates the brain to enhance memory and judgment. (Activation time: 10 seconds)

“Wait, activation time? Does that mean I can activate it whenever I want?”

Every specialty I’d acquired so far had been based on chance. I couldn’t control when they triggered—it was all up to luck. But this one had something called “activation time.”

My heart started beating faster. Swallowing dryly, I pulled up the descriptions for the other specialties as well.

Drenched Cat (Class C)

Has a set chance to evoke sympathy in others (3% chance)

Stay Exactly Where You Are (Class C)

Has a set chance to stun the opponent upon impact (2% chance)

Empty on the Side? (Class D)

Has a set chance to detect openings in the opponent’s defenses (5% chance)

No Mercy Allowed (Class D)

Chance to increase Attack Power and Agility in life-threatening situations (3% chance)

The activation chances had increased to a level that couldn’t even be compared to before.

‘Now there’s not a single one below 1%. This is a serious advantage.’

The specialties had always been useful—what made them tricky was their abysmally low probability. But if each rank-up drastically raised the chance like this, then they were definitely worth developing seriously.

‘If I could raise all traits to S-class…’

Combat, at its core, wasn’t just about raw skill—it was also a matter of countless probability battles. Since I didn’t have any real combat skills, properly utilizing specialties might be the key to surviving tight spots. Especially when dealing with multiple enemies, like the situation at the church just now—they’d be incredibly effective.

As my thoughts reached that point, I suddenly sensed a strange, unsettling feeling and sharply lifted my head.

“No way…”

Had the system intended this all along? I hurriedly opened my status screen.

User information: Cha Seohu (Supporting Character)

Age: 26 (28)

Primary Skill: Guardian’s Bond (Class S), Divine Power (Class S) [Activated]

Hidden Skill: Silver Protection (S Class) [Deactivated]

Attack Power: Class F

Attack Speed: Class F

Movement Speed: Class F

Agility: Class F

Anti-Magic Power: Class S (Divine Power effect)

Resistance: Class S (Divine Power effect)

Attention: Class S (Divine Power effect)

Specialty

ㄴ Drenched Cat (Class C)

ㄴ Stay Exactly Where You Are (Class C)

ㄴ Empty on the Side? (Class D)

ㄴ No Mercy Allowed (Class D)

ㄴ My Eyes Don’t Lie (Class F)

What if the system couldn’t give me combat skills for some reason, so it gave me specialties instead? A chilling shiver crawled up my spine.

‘It’s too early to be sure, but… if that hypothesis is true—’

The system is on my side. The system doesn’t want me to die. Because I… I have to stop Cha Sahyeon. To keep him from becoming the Calamity…

But why me? Why was it me who regressed, and why did the system choose me? If it had chosen a stronger S-class DPS instead, this would’ve been easier.

What exactly is the system? I know it’s not ordinary. Even in a world full of dungeons and rifts appearing everywhere and Awakened individuals emerging, this system feels fundamentally alien.

“Alien…” I muttered without thinking, and the bird lying belly-down on my thigh tilted its head at me.

I knew one more being, just as alien and beyond human limits as the system. The fake who wore the skin of Song Ji-un and ran the Circle Guild. Now that I thought about it, didn’t everything unfold just as he said it would?

‘He said I would hear unexpected news from Kwon Taehyeok and that I should go meet him. He also said I’d end up seeing Eun Woojeong without needing to reach out first.’

Kwon Taehyeok told me we’d be in the ranking match in two weeks. And I had gone to Eun Woojeong myself to learn about Cha Sahyeon’s whereabouts. That fake had all given me those tips to earn my trust. Or no—rather than simple tips, they were more like prophecies.

Not only that, the fake knew I had regressed, and that the world was looping through time again and again. I still vividly remembered the black-and-white branches he had shown me.

‘This… I really need to meet him.’

For some reason, I had a strong feeling he was waiting for me.

Caw!

As I suddenly stood up, the bird flapped its wings and landed on the bed. Leaving the confused creature behind, I headed to the bathroom.

Sure enough, when your mind is a mess, the best way forward is to handle what you can do first. With a clear goal of visiting the Circle Guild in mind, my steps felt noticeably lighter.

Yeah. This wasn’t the time to sit around feeling down. I didn’t know when Cha Sahyeon would return, and wasting time in a daze was a luxury I couldn’t afford.

***

After washing up, I activated my hidden skill and changed into the clothes I’d prepped in my inventory. They were outfits I kept on hand so I could transform into Cover and act at a moment’s notice, no matter where I was.

I left the hotel, caught a cab, and headed straight for the Circle Guild. At some point, the shadow bird had vanished. Since Cha Sahyeon was the one who’d assigned it to me, it was probably hiding in my shadow again.

It was nearly midnight by the time I finally arrived at the Circle Guild. As I got out of the taxi and looked up, I saw that only the office of the guildmaster was lit.

I clicked my tongue and tipped up the brim of my cap. Just as I’d expected. With all the guild members gone for the night, the fake was waiting for me. 

Instead of going through the locked front door, I climbed the wall.

Usually, guild buildings like this would be equipped with security items to prevent attacks or theft by other Hunters, but there was no way the broke Circle Guild could afford such measures. Thanks to that, I climbed the outer wall easily and tapped on the window of the office.

“Right on time.” The fake smiled and opened the window.

He looked completely calm, not the least bit surprised. Like I was a guest he had made an appointment with—his attitude actually left me dumbfounded.

“Just how much do you know?” I asked as I stepped into the office.

“Hmph, still as rude as ever.” The fake ignored the question and gestured toward the sofa. “Have a seat first. You look like you have a lot on your mind.”

His smug smile was irritating, but I had come here for information, so I quietly sat down on the sofa.

The fake closed the window and sat on the couch opposite me before speaking. “So, do you trust me a little now?”

“From just this? Do you know how hard it is to earn someone’s trust? You’re trying to take the easy way out, aren’t you?”

“Hmm?” He gave the same annoying smile as he responded, narrowing his eyes with amusement. “Then what do you want?”

“Information.”

“Information, huh…” The fake stroked his chin, staring intently at me before nodding like he understood. “I thought I told you last time—if you want information from me, there’s always a price.”

“What could a transcendent being like you possibly be lacking, that you keep demanding payment from a measly human like me?”

“If you want something, even a weed growing out of a crack in the pavement can exact a price. Even if, to me, it’s as worthless as garbage.” The fake leaned back against the sofa and continued. “Of course, you’re far more useful than a weed.”

“Wow, how flattering.”

“So, tell me what you want. I’ll determine a fair price.”

“…”

I clasped my hands together and hesitated. To be honest, I’d already decided what to ask for. But it wasn’t easy to say it out loud, because I had no idea what kind of price it might come with.

‘Well, there’s no helping it.’

It wasn’t something anyone else could do for me, and it wasn’t a situation I could pass up just because I was afraid of the cost. After a short moment of silence, I finally spoke. “That ‘trial version’ thing you showed me before—do it again.”

The fake blinked, surprised by my request. “You’re not asking to revisit old connections at a time like this… Don’t tell me—you want to meet the Calamity?”

“Yeah.”

There was so much I wanted to ask Cha Sahyeon, who had gone missing. In other words, it was information I could only get when he returned. Judging by the way he acted before he disappeared, he would probably answer at least a few of my questions. Like what happened during the day he was kidnapped, whether his memories were intact—those sorts of things. So, from the fake, I needed to get the kind of information I couldn’t obtain from Cha Sahyeon himself. And I planned to use the system for that.

‘The Cha Sahyeon from before the regression must have had 100% seed progression. I need to meet him myself and see what’s changed.’

My clasped hands trembled faintly. Just imagining facing the Calamity again was enough to fill me with fear and make my hands shake.