162
Patter patter patter—!
“Wow, what a downpour.”
“I’ve never seen it this bad myself.”
The three who had stepped out of the tavern lamented the pouring rain as they walked.
Rain so heavy it seemed like a hole had been punched in the sky.
Far worse than when Leon had arrived.
-Are you serious;
-Isn’t the weather system bugged?
-This is so annoying while hunting;
-But why even implement a mudslide?
-Virtual ‘reality.’
The viewers who were playing were also experiencing various hardships.
In contrast, Hanbit — who had been waiting for this weather — gave a satisfied nod.
‘Can move right away.’
The entrance to the Tower of Vortex appeared in the mountain range near the Royal Capital.
Not in the form of a door or anything of that sort, but still — arriving there was necessary for entry.
To give himself leeway, departing now would be best.
“Let’s head outside.”
Hanbit was about to head toward the city gate with the two.
But then.
“Just a moment!”
Someone blocked the way.
“……?”
A boyish-looking boy and girl visible ahead.
Faces somehow resembling each other — giving a curious impression.
“Hm?”
As the distance closed, name tags above the two appeared.
Names he remembered.
[Haneul]
[Noeul]
‘Could it be…….’
The sibling players discovered by a staff member of Minho’s company.
Their hair colors matching their names — sky blue and reddish orange.
Having reportedly each learned spirit skills, they had been lodged deep in memory.
And to think they would appear right before his eyes like this.
“Should I just go say hi right away?”
“Please stop charging in recklessly.”
The siblings exchanging words as they approached.
Standing a few steps ahead, they bowed abruptly in greeting.
“Hello! I’m Haneul, the twin who was born a little later!”
“Hello. I’m Noeul, the older twin. I apologize for approaching out of nowhere.”
-??
-Twins?
-Why are the kids here?
-No no — they could be a 36-year-old male with a custom character that looks like this.
-The voice is definitely kids though?
-Info) RP can’t alter voice.
At the sudden appearance of children, the chat filled with questions.
Hanbit too was equally puzzled.
‘I was thinking of meeting them at some point…….’
Players who came to him generally had a purpose.
Being young wouldn’t make much difference.
“Hello. What brings you?”
Hanbit, slightly lowering his upper body, asked while making eye contact with the siblings.
The two then slightly widened their eyes and turned their backs, starting to whisper.
“They’re using formal speech to us?”
“That’s why I said to approach a little more carefully.”
The discussion reaching through the sound of rain — making no attempt to hide it.
Hanbit, having stepped close, lowered himself and said:
“Want me to drop the formality?”
“Oh, yes please!”
“We’d appreciate it if you spoke naturally.”
The twin siblings — apparently wanting to hear informal speech.
There was no reason not to comply.
“So — what did you come to me for?”
“Actually we…….”
“Please take us as disciples!”
-Disciples?
-Out of nowhere?
-Get in line, kids.
-The waiting number here is 100,000.
The older brother beginning to explain and the younger sister going straight to the conclusion.
Whatever the difference between them — what mattered was the word ‘disciple.’
“Sorry, but I don’t take disciples.”
“What? Why? Some vanguard-type uncle said we’re really talented! We even learned Wind Swordsmanship from grandpa Aslra!”
At the immediate refusal, Haneul poured out words in entreaty.
At that, Noeul, watching his younger sister’s reaction, bowed his head.
“I apologize. We hadn’t intended to bring up the disciple matter right away — we were going to ask first whether we could enter DD Studio.”
“Our company?”
“Yes. Could we get a chance at a trial?”
The twins’ older brother was calm — but he too was only 16 years old.
An impatient heart flickering in his eyes.
“The chance is up to our CEO’s discretion — but we won’t be taking you.”
“W, we learned several spirit skills from watching Black Dragon-nim’s plays. The episodes too — we did them similarly enough. Among other players, no one has managed……”
“I know. Your talent is surely certain. But the moment you brought up being disciples — it’s a no, no matter what.”
“Ah…….”
At the firm declaration like a nail being driven in, Noeul’s expression went blank.
But in Hanbit’s own chest, a painful sensation was quietly blooming.
“I’m curious about what you’ve learned — but we’ll likely see each other again at some point. When a good guild or company contacts you, make sure to join.”
“W, wait!”
Hanbit, ignoring Noeul’s call, moved his feet.
Haneul, who had seemed about to throw a tantrum, was simply watching Hanbit in the pouring rain.
“I didn’t expect such a flat-out refusal.”
Kim Jaeha, following behind, asked carefully.
Because Hanbit’s demeanor was different from usual.
“It was talent and potential that would be of help to DD Studio as well…… but there must be a reason.”
Avantgarde too expressed the question.
But the reason couldn’t be said aloud.
Patter patter patter—
Past memories shimmering in the pouring rain.
The emotion of wanting to kill crept up gradually.
‘……No disciples. Absolutely not.’
In other worlds, Hanbit had exactly one disciple.
A person who was as though the word ‘sunshine’ had been lifted directly and embodied.
Too fine and kind a child — talent, character, and skill without a single lacking.
That child — Hanbit had failed to protect in the end.
‘Master……. Please don’t cry. Even if countless ages pass — I will find you again and become your disciple.’
Dying in a wretched state, the child said those words with a faint smile.
Hanbit, gripping the warm-blood-flowing hand, could only shed tears.
‘This time — I will absolutely save you.’
In a cycle where Erpot still hadn’t been found.
Hanbit took the child as a disciple once more and poured all his strength into raising them.
He himself also trained while risking death, to become stronger than anyone.
But the child met death once more.
‘Why! Why can’t I do it?!’
Even throwing himself in and having his limbs blown away — he alone did not die.
Even swinging the sword at the remaining enemies — the disciple would not return.
Next time, in the next cycle, absolutely must save them.
With a vow wrung from the gut, he took the child in as a disciple a third time.
And the shadow of tragedy once more tightened around Hanbit’s neck.
‘……It’s my fault.’
Standing before the disciple’s body, Hanbit made a decision.
Meeting him meant the child would die.
No matter how many times it repeated — this result alone was fixed.
Then not meeting was the path to keeping her alive.
With that resolve firmed, the journey repeated.
There was not once that Hanbit came face to face with the disciple.
Thinking even the slightest influence might transfer, he tried to avoid even hearing the name.
‘Absolutely not.’
The taste of that vicious despair still lodged in one corner of the heart — grinding like grains of sand.
No disciples.
Not even keeping the possibility in sight.
That was Hanbit’s choice.
Even if this world was a game.
“I’m not yet someone capable of taking responsibility for others. At sixteen, being supported by larger, more stable companies would be better.”
-Fair enough.
-But if they learned Black Dragon’s skills — that’s genuinely talent;
-The big companies will be racing for them. Find them and scout them fast.
-So envious, honestly.
-Thumbs up if you’re still sparring with Baldur.
-We should just go die, the lot of us.
Having offered a suitable answer, Hanbit stepped out into the Royal Capital, taking the pouring rain.
The twins’ shadows secretly following behind — awkwardly squirming.
***
“These damn——!”
A cave near the Royal Capital Radianor.
Adventurer A, watching the stream screen, spat expletives.
Because the relentless criticism from Black Dragon’s viewers about them refused to stop.
“When did they used to worship the guidebook, and now what? My fault again? People who don’t know anything getting manipulated into insults!”
Adventurer A had distilled their experience in another world into the guidebook.
Of course certain information for personal gain had been excluded — but it was ample grace to confer on foolish players.
And yet people who had never even met the goddess daring to assess its veracity.
It made the head feel hot.
“If it irritates you that much, why do you keep watching? Do you like getting hit?”
Lucio, gazing at the rain, asked as though finding it amusing.
Adventurer A clicked their tongue and answered:
“I have to watch to see what they’re getting up to! And that Black Dragon — they’re wrong this time. I’ll wreck everything from top to bottom.”
Black Dragon abandoned Episode 3 and reached the Royal Capital — and met the King in secret.
A development they had never once considered possible — but ultimately it was a self-destructive choice.
Even if they went back to Temoshá right now and set out on the investigation, the murderer who had fled couldn’t be found.
That mistake would surely lead to the failure of investigating the criminal organization and the rebel forces.
They would end up losing both the main quest and the sub-quest entirely.
“Eventually they’ll end up relying on my guidebook again. Black Dragon’s luck has reached its limit.”
The fury that had exploded from Adventurer A gradually eased.
Because they firmly believed it was genuinely Black Dragon’s wrong judgment.
“For someone making a mistake, they’re moving like they have a plan.”
Lucio, scanning the stream, said while watching Black Dragon exit the tavern.
With the Warp Crystal available, it would be natural for Black Dragon to return to Temoshá and deal with the situation.
But it felt as though Black Dragon’s gaze was not directed at the story.
“No — they’re worrying. Trying to figure out how not to get caught for the current mistake.”
Adventurer A’s thinking was firm.
That much — the path Black Dragon had chosen had no future.
The type to pull some other stunt and avert eyes from the failure.
“……What are those kids?”
Having watched the stream a little longer, their expression grew puzzled.
Because suddenly two young-looking players had appeared before Black Dragon.
“They learned the same spirit skills?”
Lucio watching the same scene also took interest.
No one who had learned the Wind Swordsmanship that ran from Baldur to Aslra had yet appeared.
And yet that girl seemed to have done it.
“Ha — talking about disciples, what nonsense.”
Adventurer A clicked their tongue hearing the conversation.
No player had ever made such a request to them.
And not even those who approached first could be counted on one hand — so the sight on the screen naturally brought irritation.
Perhaps the ghost of a reality full only of calculated relationships was shimmering.
“Black Dragon refused. Would companies come charging for them?”
Lucio, watching at leisure, sketched out the twins’ prospects.
Of all things — talent and ability sufficient to walk even a portion of Black Dragon’s path.
No reason for companies that liked talented individuals to let them go.
“Forget the twins — Black Dragon is moving into the forest.”
Black Dragon and the two moving quickly.
Having confirmed the direction, Adventurer A shifted their gaze to the members inside the cave.
“Those guild members of yours — they’ll follow my commands, right?”
“I brought ones that can do that. Use them as you see fit.”
Lucio shrugged and answered.
The Nesto guild members he had gathered — five.
All level 160 or above mid-to-upper range, and people skilled in player assassination and combat.
Apparently deliberately muting their mics to concentrate on orders.
“Good. Everyone follow.”
Adventurer A, somewhat bolstered in spirit, stepped out of the cave.
The violently pouring rain obscured the view bit by bit.
It was a relief the stream screen was still on.
Splash—
Having walked on, treading the muddy ground for a while.
Arrived at the route Black Dragon’s group would have to pass through.
“Kill Kim Jaeha and Avantgarde first. Black Dragon, feeling the power difference, will flee the area to achieve the objective alone even if necessary. Track that, verify what they were trying to do, and check if there are advantages we can preempt.”
Adventurer A wouldn’t participate in the combat.
Both because of the PK penalty and because it was obvious the image would hit rock bottom.
Only giving commands and watching Black Dragon’s despair.
That was the role assigned in this operation.
“Almost there. Get ready.”
Black Dragon’s position conveyed with focus.
Now only tens of meters away — close range.
With that much strength — it wouldn’t even take seconds to kill Kim Jaeha and Avantgarde.
Now it was only a matter of watching Black Dragon run for their life……
“What are you people?”
In an instant, a voice came from above.
Startled, Adventurer A shifted their gaze upward.
“You’re…….”
A tree visible through the curtain of rain.
A girl with sky-blue hair was looking down.
The same child who had appeared on Black Dragon’s stream.
“There are a lot of things next to those people’s names? Is this by any chance Nesto Guild?”
The girl had noticed the red markings next to the Nesto guild members’ names.
Having judged it was already too late, Adventurer A immediately gave the command.
“Kill that one first.”
Thump—!
Along with that voice, the Nesto guild members shot out.
Being people who mainly carried out assassinations — their movement was remarkably agile.
But then.
Whoosh—!
Moving earlier than them, the girl kicked off and flew through the air with effortless lightness.
Then brought both hands to her mouth and shouted:
“Black Dragon-nim! There’s Nesto Guild over here!”
