RG 78

The broadcast of the recent competitive match was hosted by HUNTER and a channel specializing in sports coverage. The event was streamed simultaneously on both a TV channel and an online platform, leaving behind a full replay and real-time chat logs.

After a good night’s sleep, I had a relaxed meal with Cha Sahyeon and then lounged on the sofa, pulling up the replay video on my phone.

Since I had participated in the match myself, it was hard to grasp the entire situation in real-time. I needed to watch this video to catch parts I had missed and see how my actions might have appeared to others.

A warning message appeared, noting that the content was restricted to viewers aged 19 and above. A countdown screen showed that the broadcast would begin in 10 minutes, and the chat was scrolling rapidly.

Comments

— Huh? What’s this?

— Who picked the background music? It sucks.

— Here to watch Circle get crushed, lol.

— Which team is Cover on?

— Circle

— They said it’s Circle.

— How long has it been since the last competitive match?

— Is it true that Circle has two S-class players?

— When does it start?

I was already feeling annoyed by the chaotic mix of trolling and questions in the chat. I decided to skip ahead in the video.

[Finally, the teams are lining up in front of the Nexus.]

The drone camera soared high, capturing a full view of the stadium. The Nexus installations at the far left and right ends were visible, with Ronic and Circle positioned in formation in front of them.

Comments

— All I hear are cheers for Ronic, lol.

— Circle is too small a group 🙁

— Circle is a weak guild; it can’t be helped.

— Ronic has three players with assault charges. Who’s even rooting for them?

— Who cares? Circle’s gonna get wrecked anyway.

— What does the assault case have to do with this? Lol.

[The countdown begins.]

[The match starts now!]

[Oh, Hunter Cover! He’s making the first move as soon as the match begins!]

The screen showed me leading the charge, with the commentators’ voices following suit. Ryu Seonghyeon, visibly startled, hurried after me, while the Ronic guild members, clearly flustered, were caught on camera scrambling to use their skills.

Comments

— ????

— No hesitation, lolol.

— This guy’s insane.

— ?

— Is he trying to get himself killed?

— Wow.

— This isn’t just bold; it’s reckless, lol.

— Is he about to lose an arm or something?

[This is an incredibly reckless move.]

[Charging in like that could be dangerous! He might end up seriously hurt!]

[Does he have a plan in mind?]

Just as I remembered, Ryu Seonghyeon’s golden beam of light supported me as I sprinted ahead.

Comments

— Ryu Seonghyeon, lololol

— So who’s the new vice-guild master now?

— Getting pushed around by a mercenary, tsk tsk.

— What’s up with Cover doing whatever he wants? lol.

— Is he just here for fun at this point?

— I feel bad for Circle, geez

— He didn’t come to help; he’s just extra baggage.

I clearly remember what happened next. Ryu Seonghyeon approached me, and after a brief exchange, he unleashed a powerful light attack.

It was Ryu Seonghyeon’s official debut of his area-of-effect skill. The radiant golden light shot high into the sky, bursting like fireworks. The round shape of light spread across the sky, glittering like a meteor shower and falling like rain.

[Boom, crash! Bang!]

The entire stadium floor shook, accompanied by a deafening roar. The camera captured the dust rising from the chaotic scene.

Comments

— Whoa, this is nuts.

— Wow

— What the heck was that just now?

— That was insanely cool.

— I’m so jealous of those who saw this live, lol.

— Damn.

— Whose skill was that?

— RSH

— Circle’s vicemaster

— That S-class move was incredible

— Why go to the countryside for a meteor shower? Just make Circle’s vicemaster do it, lol.

— Can’t you see the ground is a total mess? How can you make him do that?

— Guess we just enjoy the meteor shower and die afterward.

— Is Circle actually winning now? Are they turning it around?

— Not yet, nope.

Even amidst the chaos, the camera managed to capture the players clearly. I was definitely the one who appeared the most.

[As we mentioned earlier, the first player has been eliminated. It’s Ronic’s Hunter, Kim Kihyeok.]

[He’s been knocked unconscious with severe bruising. Let’s watch the replay.]

[The second eliminated player is Ronic’s Hunter, Lee Hyeonho.]

[“I believe in them. I believe we can defend it, which is why we came up with this strategy. You’ve seen it all, so why ask? Oh, unless you’ve turned into such a beast that you can’t understand anymore?”]

[“What? You bastard…!”]

[“Tch. Quiet.”]

[The third player has been sent off. Ronic’s Hunter Jang Hyeonil!]

Comments

— LOL

— Cover is out of his mind, lolol.

— Aren’t all three eliminated players the ones with assault charges?

— He specifically targeted and eliminated the offenders. Insane

— Ronic must be fuming

— You can see the anger on their faces, lol.

— Wow, that was stylish

— Kind of cringey, but still awesome, haha

— First time hearing Cover’s voice. It’s surprisingly normal.

— He’s pure madness

— His tone is so irritating

“Hmm…”

They even caught my voice this time. It definitely came off much more annoying than I intended. Now I understood why Park Huiseok was so enraged. But the real highlight was just beginning. I focused seriously on the screen, no longer watching it like a skit.

[Park Huiseok! Park Huiseok!]

[The Ronic’s representative has finally used his skill!]

[It’s a showdown between Hunter Park Huiseok and Hunter Ryu Seonghyeon!]

[“You pathetic fool!”]

[Bang, boom! Crash!]

[As expected of Hunter Park Huiseok!]

[He’s too strong. This is no contest.]

With his skill active, Park Huiseok’s physique had grown enormous as he charged at Ryu Seonghyeon. His swift, relentless attacks left Ryu Seonghyeon completely overwhelmed. Ryu Seonghyeon was grabbed and slammed into the ground repeatedly, then finally hurled far away, rolling across the floor.

Comments

— Oof

— Whoa…

— Who said Circle was winning?

— This is terrifying…

— This feels like real-life peril. He’d beat up an actual lion with his bare hands.

— Ronic just won, plain and simple

— Circle out! Circle out! Circle out! Circle out! Circle out!

— Circle’s vicemaster is the problem. He’s indecisive and causing trouble.

— Did they come here just to mess around?

— Circle doesn’t seem like they want to win, lol.

— God Huiseok, God Ronic!

At that moment, Ryu Seonghyeon, who had been lying motionless, slowly got back up.

As he moved his gloved hand, a powerful beam of light descended from the sky, shining directly on Park Huiseok’s head. Park Huiseok, who had dismissed it as nothing, smirked and took a step forward—only for white smoke to start rising from his skin.

[Sizzle—Chiieek!]

[“Damn it, aaaaagh!”]

The sound of burning was loud and clear. Park Huiseok screamed in agony as his flesh sizzled under the intense light. Watching this, Ryu Seonghyeon waved his hand once more.

A radiant halo illuminated Ryu Seonghyeon, and seven swords made of pure light flew toward Park Huiseok, obeying their master’s command. Dressed in a shimmering armor of light and swords, Ryu Seonghyeon charged forward and swung his own blade.

With a slash, blood sprayed as the massive form of Park Huiseok collapsed to the ground. Even though I had seen this live, my heart raced once again.

‘As expected, my brother’s skill is the coolest.’

In a span of barely a minute, the chat window, which had almost frozen with confused comments, exploded right after this moment.

Comments

— ???????

— Whoa, what was that just now????

— WTF

— Did Ryu Seonghyeon win???

— No way, what the hell is this?

— That was Ryu Seonghyeon’s skill?

— Wow

— Light, light, light, light!

— The light will burn you.

— Is this for real? Did Park Huiseok actually lose?

— Light supremacy! Light supremacy! Light supremacy!

— Um, the match isn’t over yet, though…

— Just ‘Light.’

— Beaten up by a light stick, lol.

— What’s Park Huiseok even doing with that huge build?

— Where did everyone who said Ronic would win go? lol.

— Oh well~ The victory belongs to Ronic anyway~ lol.

— Cover eliminated three players, so this is still unpredictable.

— Should we invest in Circle’s stocks next, bros?

Despite the viewers’ confusion, the match continued.

[Oh, what is happening!?]

[Hunter Cover has blocked Hunter Park Huiseok with his body!]

[“This no-good bastard… attacking a Support as a DPS?”]

And then came the most critical moment of the match. The camera captured the exact moment Park Huiseok lunged at the support player. Personally, I hoped my voice wouldn’t be broadcast, but that was wishful thinking.

Comments

— ?

— ?

— What’s Park Huiseok doing?

— ???

— Did the Ronic’s guildmaster just attack a Support?

— A real tough guy, huh? How’s he going to handle the backlash?

— Attacking a Support crosses the line, though…

— Isn’t that Support player from Yesung?

— Has Park Huiseok lost his mind? lol.

— Is he trying to tank both a match loss and the guild’s reputation?

— I mean, seriously, a support…

— That guy’s insane.

— Looks like his brain really did turn into a beast’s… Cover was right, lol.

— Whoa, did his shoulder just get pierced? Is he okay?

— Ugh, I feel the pain just watching this.

— First time watching a live competition broadcast—this is brutally candid.

— Honestly, this is pretty mild compared to usual.

The screen split in half: on one side, Ryu Seonghyeon was sprinting towards the Red Team’s Nexus; on the other side, Park Huiseok was held back, unable to advance because of me.

[Could this be a throne-race?! At this point, neither team can back down anymore!]

[Hunter Ryu Seonghyeon is being blocked by five Ronic players, while Hunter Park Huiseok is facing off against Hunter Cover! Who will reach the Nexus first?]

[Hunter Cover looks to be in terrible shape!]

[Who will claim victory first?!]

[Oh, look at Hunter Ryu Seonghyeon go! He’s moving at an incredible speed! There’s no stopping him!]

The commentators, caught up in the tense situation, chattered excitedly without pause. I watched calmly, observing Ryu Seonghyeon charging straight ahead, while Park Huiseok vented his frustration towards me, looking desperate and anxious.

Park Huiseok might not realize it while he’s in the heat of the moment, but taking just one step back, it was clear who the winner would be. That’s why I advised him to trust his teammates.

In the end, the screen showed Ryu Seonghyeon grasping the red gem at the top of the Nexus.

[Woooooaaaahhh!]

[Hunter Ryu Seonghyeon has done it!]

[Against all odds, Hunter Ryu Seonghyeon has claimed the Red Team’s gem!]

[Victory in this competition goes to the Circle Hunters!]

[Circle! Circle! Circle!]

Comments

— Holy crap, they actually won!!!!!

— Circle!!!!!!!

— Ryu Seonghyeon’s form was insane, lol.

— Wow, they really pulled it off.

— Circle! Circle! Circle! Circle!

— Circle! Circle! Circle!

— Circle *blushes*

— Circle wins, lolololol

— Oh~ The victory belongs to Circle~ lol

— Who said Ronic would win? Can’t hear you.

— Where did all the assaulters’ supporters go?^^

— Serves you right.

— Tsk, maybe you should’ve lived a little kinder.

— Circle wins~!!!

— Ronic ended up losing because of a throne-race, lol.

— God Seonghyeon.

— Ah, just ‘Light’…

— Cover and Ryu Seonghyeon carried this, lol

— The noob Circle beat Ronic, wow.

— Out with the assault guild! Out with the shameless DPS!

— So satisfying~

Thanks to the dramatic victory, most of the viewers’ reactions were favorable towards Circle.

Ronic’s repeated issues combined with Circle’s victory meant that the public perception of Circle would likely stay positive for a while.

“Heh.”

No matter the process, seeing the supportive reactions for Circle made me feel good. Smiling to myself, I decided to turn off the video and check a few responses on social media.

@nemne_hunter1: A statement that will resonate with the hearts of all Support living in this era…

#COVER #Cover #Circle

(Video attached)

Replies: 12 | Retweets: 3,000 | Likes: 6,000

@0203_121: Damn, look at this DPS risking everything to protect a Support

(Photo attached)

Replies: 82 | Retweets: 12,000 | Likes: 8,000

@B_BB_b0_0b: That brazen Hunter who tried to attack a Support during ranked match. If it weren’t for Cover stepping in, whose shoulder would have been pierced? The Support’s, of course. If you’re a reasonable person, stop supporting Ronic and their abuser Hunters. Ronic is full of thugs anyway. From now on, anyone bringing Ronic content onto my timeline gets blocked.

(Video attached)

Replies: 7 | Retweets: 1,100 | Likes: 425

Despite searching thoroughly, I couldn’t find any specific mentions of Ryu Seonghyeon. That’s a bit disappointing. As I was scrolling through videos and social media reactions, I felt a sudden warmth against my chest.

“Hey, kid.”

Cha Sahyeon, who had sneaked up close, laid down on top of me. I chuckled, seeing his round head, and put my phone down.

“Did you do everything I asked?”

“Yeah.”

“Dishes cleaned up?”

“Done.”

“Changed your clothes?”

“Yes.”

The kid lifted his upper body slightly, showing the new clothes. Cha Sahyeon had changed from pajamas into the T-shirt and pants I had bought for him, looking at me expectantly.

“Good job.”

Knowing exactly what he wanted, I patted his head. Cha Sahyeon’s ears turned red, and he giggled happily.

Seeing him light up just from a simple pat on the head made me smile too. If I had a younger brother, he would be just like Cha Sahyeon. But as that thought crossed my mind, a chilling feeling spread through my chest.

“…”

Cha Sahyeon, still snuggling up to me like a koala, didn’t notice my sudden change in expression. I closed my eyes, patting his back out of habit.

‘If only you weren’t that being.’

Honestly, the fact that Cha Sahyeon carries the seed of disaster isn’t the issue. It’s tragic that the seed has caused him pain and robbed him of a normal life, but that doesn’t mean I’ve come to accept everything about him.

The entity that took the lives of my loved ones—no matter how much time has passed or how innocent Cha Sahyeon seems now, the memories of that hellish day still haunt me.

‘…Stop thinking about it.’

There’s no point in dredging up those memories now. Better to push them aside than let my feelings show in front of the kid. Instead, I focused on the present situation.

Although we won the sudden match against Ronic, I can’t let my guard down yet.

Ronic has changed just as much as Circle’s future has. It’s hard to predict how they’ll react after losing and publicly embarrassing themselves.

‘And to make matters worse, they even attacked a Support?’

If it had been just a guild member, expelling them might have resolved the issue. But it was Park Huiseok, the guildmaster, who caused the incident, so Ronic’s reputation will definitely take a hit.

I’m also worried about Circle drawing so much public and media attention after this incident. Sudden attention like this usually leads to an increase in problems. I’m concerned about how they’ll manage without me.

“Ugh…”

The more I thought about it, the more it made me sigh. As I opened my eyes and let out a deep breath, Cha Sahyeon, who was lying still, looked up at me in confusion.

That’s when it happened.

“…!”

Cha Sahyeon suddenly flinched and jumped up. The cozy atmosphere vanished, replaced by a sharp gleam in his now-cold, green eyes.

“What’s wrong, kid?”

I was about to sit up when a shadow erupted from Cha Sahyeon, forming a protective dome above us. At that moment—

Crash!

The loud sound of shattering glass filled the room as something hit the shadow barrier Cha Sahyeon had created.

Cha Sahyeon leaped off the sofa with agile movements, black tendrils of mist forming in both hands.

“What the—Cha Sahyeon!”

A whirl of black shadows swept through the room. Through the broken window, I could see someone entering the office.

Sensing the intruder at the same time, Cha Sahyeon let out a wave of killing intent and prepared to attack. It was the first time I had seen him so eager to fight. Was it because this office, his safe space, was being attacked?

I hesitated, unsure whether to let him fight or hold him back. I knew I should prevent him from acting on negative emotions, but stopping him now could lead to an outcome I couldn’t handle.

“Wait, Cha Sahyeon!”

While I was hesitating, Cha Sahyeon wrapped himself in shadows and dashed forward. At times like this, my inability to switch to S-class form on command felt incredibly frustrating. Just as I bit my lip and moved to follow him—

Beep! Beep!

A piercing, high-pitched sound. As soon as I recognized it, a status window appeared.

Ding!

《Skill: Shrill Melody (S-class) Activated! (Caster: ???)》

《Debuffs are forcibly applied!》

《Attack Power decreased (Duration: 30 seconds)》

《Attack Speed decreased (Duration: 30 seconds)》

《Movement Speed decreased (Duration: 30 seconds)》

《Debuff stack: Additional 1% damage per stack》

‘This skill description… No way!’

Realizing who our attacker was, I quickly grabbed the back of Cha Sahyeon’s neck and shouted, “Stop playing that tune, Kwon Seoyul!”

The harmonica sound cut off abruptly, and I hugged the struggling Cha Sahyeon tightly.

“Kid, get rid of this now.”

“But…”

“Do it, now.”

My firm demand made Cha Sahyeon glance at me, hesitating before he began shrinking the shadows. What remained clung to his back like writhing tentacles, but I couldn’t scold him for staying on guard.

With the shadows receding, the intruder’s face came into full view. Amidst the wreckage of overturned tables and chairs, he met my gaze and smirked, swinging the harmonica in his hand.

“Big bro, it’s been a while.”

“Ha…”

Disheveled light-pink hair, sharp cat-like eyes, and a shirt open at the chest. The sight of him gave me an instant headache, and I let out a deep sigh, rubbing my forehead.