“Shin-hyuk, what happened?”
“Why was I caught right away?!” That night, Claire had greeted him as such when he went to the frontline bar as soon as she saw him. He stepped back in fear, but she smiled.
“By the way you walk. It’s somber, but not completely…like a rainy sky.”
“Are you a detective?’
“So what’s going on? A woman? Oh, it’s a woman.” She had arrived at the correct answer imdiately. Kang Shin-hyuk let out a sigh and covered his face.
“You know it’s Tsukuyo.”
“Ah, that one Eunah always curses.”
“She ca to My Room.”
“Really? On Earth?”
“No, not that…” My Room was an interdiate space between dinsions, so it was easier to visit than another dinsion. Although you still had to be a VIP. He wondered if she could even reach Earth.
“Still, wasn’t she threatening you? Was it okay to et her?” Claire’s worried gaze landed on Kang Shin-hyuk’s heart. She was so innocently worried about him, which made him feel even guilty.
“Because she saw working, it looks like she recognized as Anvil.”
“Huh? Is that so…?” Tsukuyo loved Anvil so much that she found it unacceptable for anyone else to use his ID, last Claire had heard. She tensed slightly, and Kang Shin-hyuk knew he could not hide it from the person he liked, so he decided to confess.
“She kissed .”
“I knew it! She’s a more aggressive sex offender than Eunah!” That sentence implied Eunah was still a sex offender, which he wondered if that was okay. Shin Eunah had never tried anything like that with him. Claire pushed on without knowing what was going on in Kang Shin-hyuk’s mind at that mont. He was genuinely worried about their friendship.
“No, I still don’t know the whole story. Was it just on the lips?”
“I felt like it went a little further…a bit more exploratory…”
“She’s the worst!” He recalled the feeling of her lips, and a chill went up to his spine. It was too overstimulating for him; if it weren’t for Anvil’s calming influence, he wouldn’t have been able to stand it. He felt a bit weird as she looked at him with eyes filled with both joy and sadness.
“…Are you not mad?”
“Are you angry at yourself?” Kang Shin-hyuk stiffened as he realized his mistake. However, before he could respond, the entrance opened up to bring him blessed relief.
“I’m here!”
“…!”
“…!” Shin Eunah arrived in a black suit that was the uniform of the Superhuman Association Special Task Force. Today she had her hair raised up. Kang Shin-hyuk and Claire exchanged a wordless glance. They both knew it wouldn’t end well if she discovered what had happened with Tsukuyo.
“Hello, senior.”
“Huh? Grandpa…what happened?” How co everyone knew as soon as they saw it? Kang Shin-hyuk desperately glanced at Claire, who nodded and was quick to jump in for him.
“I was joking around with him.”
“Hey… joking about what?”
“Eunah, why don’t you stop looking at like that? I didn’t actually do anything.”
“…” Shin Eunah looked at Claire with a gaze colder than dry ice, but she soon turned her head away with a hum.
“Are you busy this Friday, junior?”
“Friday…yes, I’ll be participating in an artifact contest.”
“Oh yeah, he’ll be working with that night.”
“…The contest?” Claire was clearly relieved the topic changed. Shin Eunah tilted her head at the pair.
“I thought it would be a good ti to perform a mission under the na Shin Eun-hyuk. Of course, with .” He had been planning on exploring various dungeons and gates under his identity as Shin Eun-hyuk with Shin Eunah over the sumr vacation. However, it seed that a mission had popped up sooner.
“If it’s later in the day, I can make ti. I only have to stay for the presentation, then I can leave.”
“The World Rookies Artifact Creation Contest, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.” The contest would be held in the 17th-floor convention hall in the 5-star hotel Lubron, which was adjacent to the Choin shopping center. All ten teams in the finals were able to stay at the hotel for free.
“You know about it?”
“It is at the Choin shopping center.”
“A lot of people actually participate, Claire included.” Was it really such a great contest? Kang Shin-hyuk tilted his head in confusion.
“I actually beca famous from it.”
“Sister Claire?!”
“Are you surprised? I am an alchemist.”
“No, not about that. Was the competition that big?”
“It is labeled ‘World.’”
“There are many cases where the world bit is an exaggeration.”
“This is a real world-class contest.” Kang Shin-hyuk had expected maybe the whole country at most, given Lee Manwoo’s words. He trembled.
“Can I replace my entry?”
“That’s the part you care about?”
“I an, the item I submitted is only B-rank.”
“That’ll be enough.”
“Okay, enough of that.” Shin Eunah clapped her hands, trying to bring it back to their original discussion.
“Go participate normally. After you receive the grand prize, you just need to change clothes, so you won’t get caught and join up with . The operations will actually be held at the sa place as the contest.”
“Eh?”
“There has been so information that sothing might happen there, although it may be nothing.”
“It would be fun if an incident broke out. Kang Shin-hyuk vanishes, and suddenly in his place, an elite mber of the association appears!”
“Please stop fantasizing, sister.” It sounded too ominous because it might actually happen. He ignored the goosebumps rising on his arms as Claire turned to Shin Eunah.
“Can I go too? I want to see Shin-hyuk win the grand prize.”
“Ah…” Shin Eunah was less excited about that, but Claire seed intent on going regardless. The door opened before they could continue on the subject, the first guest of the day sitting down at the bar counter without any surprise towards the bar’s inhabitants.
“Still working as a bartender today, eh sister?”
“What can I do for you?” Kang Shin-hyuk quickly interposed between Claire and the guest. After working at the bar for a few days, he could now entertain even active superhumans casually.
“Gin Fizz. Today, I want sothing made by you.”
“Okay.” Kang Shin-hyuk had succeeded in honing his bartending skills thanks to his two months of training in Gromas. He lacked the ability to imbue it with powers, as he wasn’t an alchemist, but that didn’t matter for custors who weren’t going out to hunt.
“So, my young friend…”
“Yes?” The middle-aged superhuman looked at Kang Shin-hyuk as he prepared his drink.
“I know just by looking at you. What sort of girl are you sleeping with?”
“Hm?!” The top of his face was covered with a mask, how could he tell?
“Who is sleeping with whom?”
“I haven’t been!”
“Oh, then is it a man?”
“No?!” It took three hours to calm down Shin Eunah, who had exploded after hearing the custor’s idle comnts. He tried to leave quietly but was caught by Claire. She imposed a month-long ban on Shin Eunah for her part.
***
The contest was held on Friday morning.
-A damage increase buff has been applied as a bonus for today’s login. For 24 hours, a 30% boost has been applied to all attacks.
The ssage that appeared before Kang Shin-hyuk as he awoke felt rather aggressive. The timing felt almost too good.
“Why today?”
-The login bonus is completely random, unlike roulette. mber, how about playing roulette today?
“Did you listen to ? Administrator, that makes it sound like sothing is sure to happen!” The administrator had been pushing him to spin the roulette as you couldn’t collect more coins until you spent the ones you had. However, he had been more focused on the status growth buff, so he had been keeping his coins to increase his odds.
-The roulette is the best reward among the bonuses. It is recomnded to turn in your five coins as soon as possible.
“Okay, okay…” He decided to follow along with the administrator. He had nothing to lose by listening to his advice… most of the ti.
-Play the VIP Roulette. Throw the dart whenever you want!
Pretending to be careless, Kang Shin-hyuk idly threw the dart that materialized in his hand. It hit the roulette that had appeared in front of him.
-Congratulations, mber! Hero Universe’s hidden system is now open!
“Huh?” The ssage made his heart pound. Before he could ask any questions, the administrator followed it up.
-Montary equipnt change function is now open! You can save clothes, weapons, and other equipnt all at once, then replace your current equipnt by recalling it! All equipnt stored in a set slot is amplified by 10%! You can specify up to three sets.
“Is sothing going to happen today?!” It was a function that fit the situation he was in today.
…No, of course, it was an incredibly useful feature too!
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