Chapter 2
“…Ranker Oh Ji-yoon. What on earth do you mean by retirement?”
A chilling silence fell over the room. A few reporters who managed to pull themselves together threw out questions, but it wasn’t enough to shift the heavy atmosphere.
Oh Ji-yoon stared blankly at the reporters before raising her microphone.
With a heavy sigh, she opened her mouth.
“I’m sorry. Was that a bit too grand of an announcement coming from an F-rank?”
An F-rank? Grand? They were completely unfitting words. The reporters blinked in utter confusion, unable to process the situation.
Noticing the reporters staring at her with frozen expressions, Oh Ji-yoon wiped the nonchalance from her face and offered a slight smile.
“I understand.”
“……Pardon?”
…The situation was taking a distinctly strange turn.
The reporters blinked rapidly. Even if they could somehow pass off the sudden retirement declaration, what did she mean by ‘too grand for an F-rank’?
Those weren’t words meant to come from a ranker who had cleared an SS-rank Fracture in just three days and rescued every single survivor. Something was off, bizarre… and unnerving.
The feeling lingered persistently.
“I know. You want to kill me, don’t you? That’s why you set up this press conference—to lower my guard, right?”
“…I’m having a hard time understanding what you’ve been saying for a moment now. Ranker Oh Ji-yoon, what are you talking about?”
It was only natural for them to fall into chaos. First the retirement, and now this claim. It desperately needed an explanation, yet Oh Ji-yoon merely smiled brightly, saying nothing more.
Were they failing to communicate right now? Indeed. With one hand tucked inside her pocket, she had suddenly begun to beam brightly……
[Your Constellation’s close friend, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ nudges their friend, saying, ‘This kid’s paranoia is out of control. Hey, someone hold her back.’]
[Your Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ remains silent.]
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ timidly mumbles, ‘I-I’m getting a bit suspicious too… listening to Ji-yoon, it kinda makes sense…’]
‘As if they’d hold a press conference for an F-rank.’
…In truth, she was doubting everything and everyone surrounding her.
The intense, flashing camera lights were making the paranoid Oh Ji-yoon deeply uneasy!
“Is it because an F-rank became World Rank 1? Or is it because of my skill? But I was actually planning to turn myself in.”
Congratulations on becoming World Rank 1? What a lie! Oh Ji-yoon rolled her eyes around to spot anyone suspicious.
The bewildered reporters holding cameras, the flustered Ranker Support Headquarters whispering among themselves with panicked faces, and even her guild leader standing far off with a exhausted face, making eye contact with her.
She couldn’t trust a single soul. Why? Because Oh Ji-yoon was an F-rank.
And understandably so—F-ranks were treated like absolute garbage. People loved to say that all life was precious, but F-ranks were always the exception to that rule.
The very reason Oh Ji-yoon had been drafted into this SS-rank Fracture in the first place was to serve as a human shield. Regardless, Oh Ji-yoon, now the reigning queen of suspicion, glared sharply.
“You’re planning to kill me, aren’t you? Because you can’t trust the benevolence of someone who brought survivors out of an SS-rank Fracture.”
It’s obvious. They have shady motives. She glared at everyone with sharp, piercing eyes.
Framed out of nowhere, a reporter jumped up in protest.
“W-What on earth are you talking about?!”
“I’m saying it’s strange!”
How could an F-rank possibly clear an SS-rank Fracture? Fine, setting aside the fact that she didn’t die or end up crippled—how on earth could she take 1st place in contribution score?
Every single detail was bizarre.
Oh Ji-yoon huffed and puffed as she spoke.
“Out of all the rankers capable of clearing it, none of them actually tried, right? That’s the only reason I took 1st place in contribution score.”
An ordinary F-rank cannot clear an SS-rank Fracture!
And Oh Ji-yoon firmly believed that she was just an ordinary F-rank.
[Your Constellation’s close friend, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ barely holds back their anger, gritting their teeth: ‘Hey, Ji-yoon. They… they really don’t think like that about you, okay?’]
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ who loves schemes and conspiracies, points out the root of your paranoia.]
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ tells you that you just can’t accept being treated differently now.]
A situation where a ranker was making accusations against themselves right before their eyes—something never seen before.
The reporters fell silent once again. Please react quickly. Just as Oh Ji-yoon tapped her foot with an impatient face, one reporter raised a hand.
“Do you have any evidence?”
It was a valid question. Fracture raids were a sensitive matter. Especially in the case of SS-rank Fractures, it affected not just Korea, but neighboring countries as well. If Oh Ji-yoon’s claim was true, it would be a full-blown diplomatic catastrophe.
Knowing that all too well, Oh Ji-yoon softened her eyes and spoke meekly.
“It makes no sense for an SS-rank Fracture to be that easy, right?”
“…It was easy?”
Yes. Oh Ji-yoon nodded her head.
To put it into perspective, all it took was sacrificing just 10% of her musculoskeletal maintenance to punch them, and they all died.
‘There’s no way the difficulty of an SS-rank Fracture is actually that low.’
Surely, other S-rank rankers had already beaten them to a pulp, and she had simply landed the final blows.
Oh Ji-yoon tilted her eyebrows.
“Of course, that’s not my core evidence. What I really want to tell you is something else.”
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ grimaces: ‘Ji-yoon, you don’t actually think that, do you?’]
[Your Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ has sat there with a blank, clueless expression the moment things got complicated.]
“…Of course, I don’t have concrete proof.”
Still, it was way too big of a deal to just brush off. Really, Constellation-nim. Oh Ji-yoon pouted.
Right. Even Oh Ji-yoon didn’t like making wild, baseless assumptions like this. Truly, it was just that the matter was too urgent to let slide.
Letting out a sigh, Oh Ji-yoon got down to the main point.
“I unlocked a skill as a reward for clearing this Fracture.”
“Is it related to the reason for your retirement?”
It was completely related. Oh Ji-yoon brought up a window.
【Quest: Perfect Retirement (Cleared)】
【Details: Coolly declare your retirement during the World Rank 1 commemorative interview! (Cleared)】
【Failure Penalty: Spawns a Super-Large Fracture (F~SSS-Rank) within a 2km radius of Oh Ji-yoon (body)】
“To be precise, it popped up during the raid. The quest window.”
She couldn’t describe how shocked she had been when she first saw it. Regardless of whether the S-rank rankers did their jobs properly or not, to force her to retire right after hitting World Rank 1?
And the moment she caught up on all the alarms she had turned off during the raid, Oh Ji-yoon finally realized why she was ranked number one.
【Hidden Condition, ‘Become a Hero Loved by All (Clearing an Impossible SS-Rank Fracture)’ fulfilled.】
【Skill, ‘Scenario Preview (Passive S)’ unlocked!】
【Skill, ‘Scenario Preview (Passive S)’ is generating a quest…】
Not just an ordinary S-rank, but a Passive S.
Furthermore, the unlocked skill was the very one that had thrown the world into turmoil 30 years ago—a skill blacklisted globally.
【Would you like to check the information for Skill, ‘Scenario Preview (Passive S)’?】
Due to its high level of danger, its previous owner had been executed by firing squad, and a bounty was placed on anyone possessing the same skill.
After two consecutive heads rolled in that manner, the United Nations (UN) established a single policy:
【Skill: Scenario Preview (Passive S)】
【Details: A bizarre skill that took the life of its previous owner. A completely useless and harmful skill, but if you’re the type who struggles to find your purpose, it might suit you. Periodically generates quests and imposes failure penalties.】
*【Quest failure penalty is fixed as ‘Super-Large Fracture Generation,’ and the reward is fixed as ‘Removal of Failure Penalty.’】
Upon discovering an owner of ‘Scenario Preview,’ declare an international disaster immediately, and take measures to isolate and execute them on the spot.
If the reward for an SS-rank Fracture was a trash skill like this, it made sense why an F-rank had to be Rank 1.
“Do you understand what this means?”
Oh Ji-yoon smiled crookedly, swirling her finger in the air.
Indeed. Gasping, the reporters backed away from Oh Ji-yoon.
“Ranker Oh Ji-yoon. Are you aware that based on your statement just now, a national disaster can be declared, and you can be detained immediately?”
“Yes. I am fully aware. I am a possessor of ‘Scenario Preview.’”
In an instant, the reporters turned deathly pale. Laughing out loud, Oh Ji-yoon slowly raised both hands.
“Send me to prison.”
Surprisingly, the Ranker Support Headquarters’ gamble had succeeded. Because Oh Ji-yoon could not prioritize her own freedom, happiness, or even her life over the countless lives that could be lost to a super-large Fracture.
‘I mean, I’m willing to get locked up on my own anyway, so why did they have to pull a prank like this?’
Annoyed, Oh Ji-yoon grumbled to herself.
[Anchor Kang Myeong-hwa │ “While controversy surrounding former Ranker Oh Ji-yoon’s retirement declaration is spreading rapidly, Mayor Park Geun-tae of Gumi has drawn attention by releasing a statement saying, ‘I will support former Ranker Oh Ji-yoon’s decision, whatever it may be.’ This is the first time a local government head has expressed support for a ranker…”]
“…How long are you going to watch that?”
[Anchor Kang Myeong-hwa │ “Meanwhile, the Ranker Support Headquarters released a statement declaring, ‘The rank manipulation allegations claimed by Ranker Oh Ji-yoon are completely groundless.’ Furthermore, they have reportedly rejected her request for imprisonment, citing a lack of precedent…”]
A dark room. The TV light flickered faintly.
Sob. Sunken in grief, wrapped up like a caterpillar in her blanket, Oh Ji-yoon pouted.
“It’s always the same story on the news. Hard to resolve, no precedent, inhumane.”
And…….
Mm. Oh Ji-yoon suddenly fell into a solemn silence.
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ clicks their tongue and changes the channel: ‘I told you you’d be treated like an idiot…’]
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ defends you: ‘Ji-yoon did it knowing that. She took the risk. Right?’]
“At the time, I thought that was the right thing to do.”
Oh Ji-yoon muttered softly.
The moment they were all recalling was the exact same one. That very day when she was convinced the press conference was just a hidden camera prank designed to capture her, the owner of ‘Scenario Preview.’
“Ranker Oh Ji-yoon, you cannot just walk into a holding cell!”
“? Are you really not here to catch me?”
That day when Oh Ji-yoon strolled right into the holding cell, and the reporters caused a frenzy trying to stop her!
After all sorts of commotion, Oh Ji-yoon had finally come to accept that it wasn’t a hidden camera prank after all.
Since then, she had earned the title of “Gigantic Idiot” from her Constellation, Promiscuous Gambler. Oh Ji-yoon mumbled gloomily.
“I want to be imprisoned.”
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ looks exasperated: ‘At least clear up your suspicions about the rank manipulation theory first…’]
“That suspicion is still ongoing…”
Because there were no reasonable counterarguments.
She let out a sigh.
The world is far too warm-hearted. For an Awakened whose failure penalty is ‘Super-Large Fracture Generation,’ shouldn’t they lock her up even if it means severing her limbs, regardless of whether her words are true or not?
Imprisonment my foot. The Ranker Support Headquarters refused, saying there was no precedent outside of China—which executed its Awakened—and her life was one where even her rank manipulation theory was dismissed as false…
[Your Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ says they still like this peaceful time.]
[Your Constellation spent a month like a dream, soft, squishy, and happy.]
“That’s only because Constellation-nim isn’t a human.”
If you were human, you’d want to be locked up right this instant.
Oh Ji-yoon rolled around with a gloomy face.
‘Aunt keeps calling me asking to borrow money…’
What a depressing life. Lying down, Oh Ji-yoon turned on her phone and blinked.
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ raises an eyebrow: ‘You already lent it to her.’]
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ nods: ‘Lent it indeed.’]
“Well, what choice did I have? She said she’d die if I didn’t lend it…”
Oh Ji-yoon answered dryly. The person who raised her after she lost her parents at age 10 and wandered around was her aunt.
Though she did steal her inheritance, of course.
“Besides, it was kind of nice hearing her voice after a while.”
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ regrets the money: ‘All you heard was cursing.’]
Even that was fine. Maybe because she grew up hearing nothing but curses her whole life. Hearing her aunt’s curses actually brought comfort to her heart.
‘Besides, there’s no reason to be angry anyway.’
Oh Ji-yoon rested her chin on her hand. Her aunt’s once well-off family had fallen into decline long ago. Rain, which had begun falling at some point, splattered against the semi-basement window.
Oh Ji-yoon stared at the window frame material that had turned unsightly from the rainwater. Above it, a system window popped up.
【Skill: Close Defeat Chain (Passive F) is activated.】
【Details: Perfect Consecutive Defeats or Consecutive Dominations. Curses and exacts revenge upon the person who brought you misfortune.】
Her aunt truly would never know why her own life had been ruined so completely.
