TFGSR 06

Chapter: 06

“What is this supposed to be?”

When Jeyeon lifted the poster, Jena casually approached her.

“This? It’s the official notice for that survival program. The one I mentioned on the way here.”

“So what exactly is it?”

“Sihyeon, you really don’t know?”

Jeyeon was about to open her mouth, then stopped.

Was it strange not to know? Judging by everyone’s expressions, it seemed so.

If she pretended to know and made a clumsy mistake, she might only arouse even more suspicion. At times like this, honesty was half the battle.

“…No. I really don’t know.”

Jena scratched the back of her head.

“You really don’t use things like social media?”

Jeyeon silently nodded.

“Ah, so that’s why you’re so out of touch with the world… Now I understand why you came to our guild.”

Gesturing toward the poster, Jena continued.

“It’s called <NEW TOP 50>. It’s a variety show produced by the Awakened Association.”

“The Association produces variety shows?”

“There’s been some controversy recently over dungeon bidding rights. Apparently, they want to show everyone a structure where guilds can ‘compete fairly,’ or whatever.”

“Fairly?”

Jeyeon slightly furrowed her brows.

“Isn’t that Ryu Seongho the current chairman of the Association?”

That guy was talking about fairness?

Jena let out a derisive laugh.

“Ridiculous, right? But that guy has always been good at this sort of thing.”

“……”

“Persuading people with words. Making things that shouldn’t work somehow work, and making things that did work look like they happened thanks to him.”

Jisu, who had been listening beside them, quietly added,

“That’s how he managed to bring Seongyeon down, too.”

The atmosphere in the office grew heavy for a moment.

Jena tapped the poster with her finger.

“Anyway, this is causing a huge stir among aspiring Hunters right now. Everyone wants a chance to appear on it.”

“Really?”

“Even if they can’t win, if they can just get noticed by viewers, they can become popular Hunters in an instant. Once you’re on TV, you can make more money than running dungeons.”

Jeyeon suppressed a hollow laugh.

Hunters weren’t idols, so she couldn’t help thinking that the world had changed quite a lot in the meantime.

“Look here. You can’t participate unless you’re Level 1. So these days, more and more young people are trying to force themselves to awaken. They’ll join even the smallest guilds just to get in.”

“……”

“Small guilds actually have less competition, right? The idea is to get their name on the list first.”

Hoyeon joined in from the side.

“Even with all that going on, nobody came to us. You’re the first.”

Jeyeon was at a loss for words. The more she heard about their guild, the more hopeless their situation seemed.

Hoyeon shrugged.

“Anyway, now that the stakes are getting bigger, the Association looks like it’s going to push this even harder. The guilds are gearing up for it too, and they even got a famous PD involved.”

Those were floors she had to climb anyway. She needed to reduce the time it would take regardless.

But now there was prize money attached.

Dungeon bidding rights.

And the attention of the public.

On top of that, Ryu Seongho was the one who had set the whole thing up.

…This is your creation.

Jeyeon folded the poster and held it in her hand.

Could there be a better stage for announcing Seongyeon’s resurrection?

Jeyeon held up the poster toward Jena.

“I’ll participate in this.”

Jena blinked.

“…You said earlier that you weren’t going to participate in some survival program.”

“I didn’t know this was what it was.”

“……”

“And I happen to be Level 1.”

Jena opened her mouth, then closed it again. She looked toward Jisu as if asking for help, but Jisu looked just as troubled.

“Sihyeon. I told you on the way here, didn’t I? We’re not in a position to support something like that.”

“I heard you.”

“But I don’t think you understand what that means yet.”

Jena pointed at the poster with her fingertip.

“Look at this. At first glance, it looks like the participants are competing against one another, right? But when you actually get into it, it’s a guild war. You have to plan strategies for them in advance, provide expensive equipment, and basically throw money at everything from behind the scenes.”

“……”

“A guild like Giwon will probably form an entire dedicated team for it. They’ll bring in active high-ranking players and everything.”

Hoyeon scratched the back of his head.

“The only thing we can provide is food, I guess.”

“You really only have food.”

“We were at least planning to give you a ride through the low-level sections.”

They exchanged the words jokingly, but none of the three were smiling.

Jeyeon looked at their faces for a moment.

Those things are only necessary for someone who has just awakened for the first time.

She was someone who had climbed all the way to the top without any of that.

Without maps.

Without seniors.

Without answers.

While dying over and over again.

“It’s okay.”

Jeyeon unfolded the poster she had just folded.

“I don’t need any of that. Just trust me once.”

“Sihyeon, it’s not a matter of whether we trust you or not…”

“I’ll bring back first place.”

Jena’s words abruptly stopped.

“I’ll show you that Seongyeon isn’t dead yet, and I’ll show you just how powerful a Summoner can be.”

The office fell silent.

Jisu started to say something, then stopped. Hoyeon firmly closed his mouth, while Jena blinked for a moment before letting out a small laugh.

“…You know you’re a really strange kid, right?”

“No. That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”

After finishing their meal, Jena, the guild master, took Jeyeon to the Association.

It was to register her as an Awakened individual.

The building was incomparably more impressive than it had been ten years ago. Jeyeon looked around discreetly.

…Korea really is rich.

As Jena took a registration number ticket, she asked,

“Hunter registration for a minor Awakened requires parental consent. You did tell your parents, right?”

Jeyeon gave an ambiguous smile.

“…Of course. I can’t decide something like that on my own, can I?”

I decided it completely on my own.

In reality, she didn’t even know what kind of people Lee Sihyeon’s parents were.

It feels a little wrong to be an unfilial child using someone else’s body.

The one remaining strand of conscience in her heart was causing trouble.

While she was agonizing over it internally, her number was called.

“Registration number 14.”

“Yes.”

At the counter was a massive hemispherical machine that Jeyeon had never seen in her previous life.

The testing machine has changed too.

“Please place your hand here and look straight ahead.”

Jeyeon placed her palm against the machine and raised her head.

A cold light swept across her fingertips.

With a beep, the machine spoke.

Lee Sihyeon — Summoner / Rank: S / Level: 1

For a moment, the entire area erupted into commotion.

“…S-rank?”

“Is that a machine error? Do S-ranks even appear these days?”

“It’s been ten years in Korea. Ten years.”

Even the employees at the other counters exchanged glances and began whispering among themselves.

Why is everyone acting like this?

Jena’s eyes widened too.

“Wait, S-rank?”

“Yes. According to the Association’s standards, she is confirmed as S-rank.”

Hearing that, Jeyeon discreetly checked her status window.

S-rank? My status window says EX-rank.

Even now, the unfamiliar letters EX were clearly blinking.

Whether the machine had misread it or it simply couldn’t recognize a rank that hadn’t been discovered yet, she didn’t know.

Either way, for now, all she needed was to finish her registration.

The employee checked the monitor and said,

“Although there is currently no obligation for you to participate in Tower raids, please be aware that newly awakened S-rank individuals are subject to reporting to the State Affairs Council.”

“……”

“Ms. Lee Sihyeon, would you like to register as a Hunter?”

If this news was about a newly awakened S-rank, it would reach Ryu Seongho soon enough.

An S-rank Summoner appearing for the first time in ten years.

And one belonging to Seongyeon, at that.

What kind of expression would that bastard make?

“Yes. I’ll register.”

“Then please come with me.”

When the employee led Jeyeon toward the second floor, Jena, who had followed them, spoke.

“Sihyeon, were you saying you came to Seongyeon even though you’re an S-rank?”

“Well, yes.”

Whether she was S-rank or EX-rank wasn’t important right now.

“So that’s why you were so confident.”

“What? You think I was acting confident because I trusted my rank? Even if I weren’t S-rank, I’d still take first place there.”

Jeyeon laughed as though the idea were ridiculous.

Without realizing it, Jena stared at her profile.

…Just now.

Hadn’t she smiled exactly like Jeyeon unnie?

Earlier, Jena had thought it was nothing more than the confidence of the youngest member.

Could it be that she really will bring Seongyeon back to life?

Jena quickly shook her head.

…Get a grip, Lee Jena. Just because an S-rank rookie joined us, you’re already counting your chickens before they hatch.

Even after convincing herself of that, Jena couldn’t take her eyes off the girl in front of her.

“Just a moment.”

The employee, who had stopped walking ahead of them, stopped Jena.

“Guardian, please wait here for a moment.”

Then he took only Jeyeon into the room.

It was a place furnished with nothing but a desk and chairs, much like a consultation room.

“Please sit comfortably, and place your right index finger here.”

They verify identity through fingerprints.

Fascinated by the unfamiliar method, Jeyeon pressed her index finger firmly against the machine. The employee checked the information displayed on the monitor.

“Ms. Lee Sihyeon, it appears you have no legal guardian after both of your parents passed away.”

…None?

“Yes.”

Jeyeon answered as though she had already known that. Up to that point, everything was fine.

“Today is exactly your eighteenth birthday, so you can register as a Hunter without your guardian’s consent.”

“…What?”

“Happy birthday.”

“……”

Happy birthday.

They were saying that to the face of a girl who had died today.
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