I was momentarily dumbfounded upon hearing what he said.

‘What is he talking about?’

I couldn’t comprehend what Cheol Ji-seon had just blurted out in the middle of our meal.

He said that Shin-seong had asked him to help kill me.

Cheol Ji-seon had just said it himself, out of nowhere.

Cheol Ji-seon had invited me to have a meal together, even causing me to break my previous appointment with Moyong Hee-a.

Because of that, this was some unexpected information.

And then, the question arose.

‘Why?’

It wasn’t that I didn’t expect it.

What caught me off guard was the fact that Cheol Ji-seon was telling me this.

‘Why?’

Why would he tell me this? I racked my brain for an answer, but nothing came to mind.

Jang Sun-yeon approaching Cheol Ji-seon—this, I had already learned from Pae Woo-cheol.

Even if Pae Woo-cheol hadn’t told me, I would’ve already suspected it.

That Jang Sun-yeon would make a move against me?

Remembering events from my past life, that much was obvious.

The only difference now was that back then, the target wasn’t me, but Jam-ryong.

Jam-ryong hadn’t reacted much, but I had clearly responded to the bastard’s provocation.

The main difference was the time.

What was once a situation that unfolded when I was around the age of twenty was now happening much earlier.

Of course, there was no guarantee that Jang Sun-yeon would act exactly as expected, but judging by his behavior, it seemed like it wouldn’t be long now.

And honestly, I welcomed it.

I wanted him to strike at the right moment.

For that to happen, it made sense for Jang Sun-yeon to approach Cheol Ji-seon.

After all, Cheol Ji-seon held the key to everything, the catalyst for what was to come.

But still, something didn’t add up.

Even with all that in mind…

Why was Cheol Ji-seon telling me about Jang Sun-yeon’s plans now?

I couldn’t understand.

With those thoughts swirling in my mind, I asked him.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because we’re friends…?”

His response made me chuckle internally.

‘Friends?’

Does he really think we’re friends just because we call each other that?

Of course not.

I kept him around because I needed him.

And did he really think of me as a friend? No, probably not.

“Sure, we’re friends. Friends.”

I popped a piece of food into my mouth, chewed it, and swallowed, then looked back at Cheol Ji-seon.

His trembling eyes held an emotion I couldn’t quite place.

“But that’s not a reason to tell me this right now, is it?”

“...”

“There has to be a more concrete reason. What is it?”

If Jang Sun-yeon had approached Cheol Ji-seon in the same way in the past life, there must have been a reason for Cheol Ji-seon to side with him.

I didn’t know what exactly was offered, but whatever it was, Cheol Ji-seon had chosen to abandon it in this life.

Why?

Was it simply because we were "friends"?

‘Does he think I’m some kind of idiot living in a field of flowers?’

It was a hard story to believe.

Cheol Ji-seon’s eyes trembled even more at my question.

I could tell he had wrestled with this decision before saying anything.

But that didn’t mean I was going to let it slide.

Just as I was about to press further, he spoke.

“…When you heard what I said.”

Cheol Ji-seon locked his trembling eyes onto mine and continued.

“You didn’t ask me what I meant. You asked why I was telling you.”

“…Hmm?”

That was an unexpected remark.

But then he added:

“That means… you already knew about it….”

“…!”

The words hit me like a sudden blow.

I widened my eyes at his statement.

I had made a mistake.

Cheol Ji-seon was pointing out my slip-up.

A mistake, for sure, but the fact that he was now pressing on it showed me something different.

‘This guy…?’

Had I underestimated him?

“How can you be so sure?”

“I’m not sure. It’s just a hunch. But…”

His trembling gaze started to settle.

“…It’s starting to feel like more than a hunch.”

“…Oh?”

“You hated Shin-seong. It was more like disgust, really.”

“And why do you think that?”

“Because there isn’t a single person in this academy who doesn’t know that.”

Fair enough.

The fact that I had gone to Cheol Ji-seon’s team, caused a ruckus, and had a standoff with Shin-seong was now common knowledge throughout the academy.

Because of that, all sorts of rumors were flying around.

Some said I had an inferiority complex toward Shin-seong, others said I was jealous.

It was ridiculous. The only thing true about it was…

“Yeah, I hate the guy. So what? Why is that a problem?”

“It’s not a problem. It’s just useful information for me to make a decision.”

A decision. That’s what Cheol Ji-seon said.

“Just because I hate the guy doesn’t mean that’s the reason you’re telling me this.”

“Seol-bong.”

When he dropped that word, it grabbed my attention.

“Dok-bong, Sword-dancer, Jam-ryong, Sword-dragon…”

“What are you…?”

“And the infamous successor of the Sword Lord… alongside the Twin Dragons.”

Cheol Ji-seon’s fidgeting hands were giving off a strange coldness.

“These are the people around you. Even being connected to just one of them is unbelievable, but all of them surround you.”

Had he done some investigating?

It seemed like he was simply stating what was obvious.

But still, why bring this up now, in front of me?

That’s what mattered.

At some point, Cheol Ji-seon’s eyes had stopped trembling.

“The rumors about you are all frightening. People fear you. And even your face…”

“Hey, why bring my face into this? You want to die?”

“…Sorry.”

I was listening well, but that last part got under my skin.

“Despite all that, the people around you are unusually exceptional….”

“What’s so strange about that? My rumors are crap, but my associates are squeaky clean—is that odd?”

“Yes. Very.”

“Well, what do you want me to do about it?”

“The fact that you’re surrounded by such people, and yet those kinds of rumors about you still persist… it’s strange.”

He tapped the table with his fingers as if to emphasize his point, his gaze directed at me, filled with unease.

“And the rumors about Shin-seong, especially when they involve you, are disproportionately intense.”

The more Cheol Ji-seon spoke, the more he seemed to transform into someone else.

Colder, more composed.

“And the biggest reason is… because you’ve kept me close to you.”

With those words, I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair.

“And what’s wrong with that?”

“…Even during the entrance exam, and up to now, you’ve made sure to keep me close.”

This was getting interesting.

I had thought he was just some weakling with a bit of power.

Since when had he started noticing all of this?

“Shin-seong watches you closely, and now he’s asked me to help him kill you. And yet, here you are, keeping me by your side. I must be of some value to you.”

“When did you start thinking this way?”

“The moment Shin-seong asked me to help kill you.”

So it’s only been a few days.

It seems Cheol Ji-seon is a lot smarter than I gave him credit for.

It’s understandable when looking at the situation, but to not just think it but to be so sure—that’s something else.

“You need me.”

Cheol Ji-seon stated.

“Yes, I need you.”

I didn’t deny his words. There was no need to.

I needed Cheol Ji-seon.

Or rather, I needed his power.

“I need you,” I admitted, my gaze locked on Cheol Ji-seon.

He didn't seem to expect such an open acknowledgment. But there was no point in denying the truth.

I needed him.

Or more specifically, I needed the power that Cheol Ji-seon possessed.

“So,” I continued, “why are you telling me all this now?”

“…Because you asked why I told you about the conversation with Shin-seong.”

“The guesses you’ve made are interesting, but that doesn’t really explain why you’d tell me about your dealings with Jang’s people. There has to be another reason, doesn’t there?”

The fact that Cheol Ji-seon was telling me about his conversation with Jang Sun-yeon wasn’t just about our mutual dislike for him. He was revealing something far more personal, more risky.

Jang Sun-yeon also needed Cheol Ji-seon, and it’s likely he had offered him something significant in exchange. So why was Cheol Ji-seon coming to me instead of siding with him?

Cheol Ji-seon stared at me, his face creased with thought before he finally spoke.

“…Shin-seong gave me a bad feeling.”

“A bad feeling?”

“Yeah. Something about him felt off… unsettling.”

A bad feeling?

That seemed like an overly simplistic, emotionally-driven reason. The Cheol Ji-seon I knew up until now wouldn’t have chosen such a clumsy explanation.

“And?”

I pressed for more, sensing there was another layer to his unease.

“…And…”

His hands, which had stopped shaking momentarily, now began trembling again.

His shoulders, his eyes—they all started to quiver slightly, not from tension, but from something deeper.

It was fear.

What was causing such a reaction?

“Shin-seong’s words came with threats, but you…”

“But me?” I prodded, leaning forward, arms crossed as I stared at him.

Cheol Ji-seon closed his eyes, as if he couldn't bear to look at me any longer.

Then he finally spoke.

“…You seemed like you were going to kill me.”

The words came out in a hushed voice, almost drowned out by the noise of the bustling dining hall.

Even though people were moving around us, no one seemed to hear.

That’s because the moment Cheol Ji-seon began speaking about his dealings with Jang, I had already activated a sound barrier around us.

I rewound Cheol Ji-seon’s words in my mind.

‘Because he thought I would kill him.’

Why did he think that?

I had been treating him quite decently, or so I thought.

Cheol Ji-seon’s statement shocked me.

Not because of the claim that I would kill him.

‘How did he know?’

The real surprise was that Cheol Ji-seon had realized that I had intended to kill him alongside Jang Sun-yeon.

I thought I had hidden it well.

How did he figure it out?

‘…Interesting.’

This guy… I had thought of him as a clueless weakling.

But now, I realized there was a lot more going on in that head of his than I had given him credit for.

“Why would you think that? I don’t have any intention of killing you.”

I said the words with a grin, but Cheol Ji-seon’s expression didn’t show much trust in my reassurance.

Sure, I had killed people in this life. But it wasn’t as if I went around radiating killing intent with every breath I took.

How had he picked up on it?

Was he not going to answer?

“Alright, fine. Let’s assume I did want to kill you.”

“...”

“But here’s the thing, my friend.”

I leaned forward in my chair, adjusting my posture slightly.

“If I really wanted to kill you, do you think that just by distancing yourself from me now, I wouldn’t go through with it?”

“...”

“If I were the person you think I am, wouldn’t I still go ahead with it?”

Cheol Ji-seon’s power made him useful, but it also made him dangerous.

He wasn’t just a martial artist; he possessed an extraordinary, superhuman ability. That made dealing with him tricky.

Right now, I still needed him. His power was valuable and essential.

But it was true that I had already put him on the list of people I would need to eliminate eventually.

It would make things much easier in the long run.

“And if I had such intentions, why would you assume that Jang Sun-yeon wouldn’t think the same?”

“…Shin-seong wants to use me until the end.”

“And I don’t?”

“…No.”

“That’s contradictory. In that case, shouldn’t you have sided with Jang Sun-yeon? You’d have a higher chance of survival with him.”

If he believed Shin-seong intended to use him till the very end, then staying with him would’ve been the more rational choice.

Yet here he was, claiming that I, someone he thought might kill him, was the safer option.

I couldn’t help but smile at the absurdity of it all.

“So why are you coming to me, someone you think will kill you?”

Cheol Ji-seon clutched his trembling hands tightly as he responded.

“Because if you beat Shin-seong, it won’t matter.”

“My friend, you really need to stop making it sound like I’m out here planning to kill everyone. You’re scaring me.”

Cheol Ji-seon’s behavior was unexpected.

When had he become this smart? I thought he was just a weak fool.

‘Maybe it’s because I was comparing him to Jegal-hyeok.’

Jegal-hyeok had been known as the brain of the Demonic Cult. Comparing Cheol Ji-seon to him had led me to underestimate him.

It was starting to become a bit annoying.

I hadn’t expected Cheol Ji-seon to come to me like this.

In other words, he believed Jang Sun-yeon would lose to me.

And, knowing that I might kill him afterward, he had decided to come to my side willingly.

“Why should I accept you, then?”

“Because I’m useful.”

“Your self-esteem is through the roof, huh?”

Yes, he was useful. The question was how to best make use of him.

I looked at Cheol Ji-seon and suddenly had another thought.

If this situation unfolded, how would he react in other scenarios?

“There’s something I don’t understand.”

“…What is it?”

“You said Jang Sun-yeon asked you to help him kill me.”

For Jang to have asked Cheol Ji-seon to help him, that meant…

“How exactly could you help him kill me?”

If Cheol Ji-seon was involved, it meant Jang Sun-yeon believed he could kill me with ease.

That meant Cheol Ji-seon’s power was significant enough to warrant such confidence.

“He didn’t ask me to kill you directly…”

Cheol Ji-seon’s response sounded flustered, but the implications were still the same.

Jang Sun-yeon’s methods would likely be indirect, but that didn’t change the outcome.

I knew the power Cheol Ji-seon wielded.

I had seen it up close.

I had experienced it firsthand.

“So you really do have that much power?”

“...”

“What is it?”

I asked, already knowing the answer, but wanting to see if he would admit it to me.

What would I do if he told me? That I didn’t know yet.

That was something to consider once he answered.

“That is…”

Cheol Ji-seon’s fidgeting hands caught my attention. I couldn’t stop watching them, curious about what he was planning to do.

“I…”

Cheol Ji-seon hesitated for a long time.

But I was willing to wait.

This silence was valuable.

Finally, after a tense pause, he clenched his trembling hands into fists and spoke.

“…I can open the Gate to the Demon Realm.”

It was the answer I had been waiting for.