In the VIP seats inside a private box made of the special glass he had seen in the interrogation room, Ryu Seo-ha looked down blankly at the Venice IHL mascot products cradled in his arms – a female wolf and dolphin doll.

“Are you not satisfied? Maybe I should have bought the biggest one after all.”

Noticing his subtle expression, Choi Gang-hu muttered regretfully. Though the largest size of this year’s merchandise wouldn’t even fit inside this glass-enclosed space.

“No, it’s just… This is the first time I’ve received a doll as a gift.”

He was just bewildered by the unfamiliar object.

“It suits you well.”

Choi Gang-hu smiled contentedly as he lightly touched the dolls cradled in Ryu Seo-ha’s slender arms.

“…That’s a compliment, right?”

“Of course. I’m even regretting not buying a dolphin hairpin to put on you as well.”

Ryu Seo-ha frowned at the involuntary mental image, and a chuckle returned. Thinking anew that Choi Gang-hu was such a quick-to-laugh person, he stared at him, and Choi Gang-hu’s face suddenly came closer.

Familiar with this pattern, he quietly raised his palm to block his lips. Soft lips met the inside of his wrist with light kisses. Though he could easily dodge his hand and rush in, Choi Gang-hu didn’t attempt more than that. After about a minute of obediently accepting it, Ryu Seo-ha gently pushed his face away as if to say that was enough.

“Don’t you like listening to songs?”

Choi Gang-hu, reluctantly moving away but obediently, leaned his upper body against the armrest and asked a question.

On the opening ceremony stage now, tenor and soprano duo vocalists were in the midst of singing famous art songs and operas. Wearing traditional costumes like tunica and toga, or tarantella, with gladiator sandals.

“Hmm… For classical music specifically, I prefer instrumental pieces.”

It was a preference that perfectly reflected his parents’ tastes that he had grown up with in childhood. Wondering if that showed, he tilted his head, and cool-scented fingers pressed firmly against one of his cheeks.

“For example?”

There was pure curiosity in the voice asking while repeatedly pressing and releasing the tip of his index finger against his soft cheek as if touching jelly.

“Personally, I like Chopin for piano and Vitali for violin.”

“Vitali? That’s unique. Which piece do you like?”

If you answer one, another question endlessly comes back. Sometimes he would become such an innocent question mark killer.

“Chaconne.”

“So you prefer tragic melodies.”

“It goes well with the violin’s timbre, doesn’t it? Actually, I like the piano sound much more.”

“Hmm, then how about going on a Chopin-themed trip after the schedule is over? We could go on a piano concert tour to Germany or Austria.”

He had become quite accustomed to always taking one step further and showing a grand scale whenever a topic came up. Now he knows that entrusting himself to his spontaneous plans can be more enjoyable than imagined.

“Next time, after everything is settled.”

But it was impossible to do so right away. Right after the IHL closing ceremony, he had to go meet the S-rank healer arranged by Chairman Gangseong Group, and also enter an S-rank dungeon to obtain the elixir.

The issue with the Church also remained as homework to be solved. Although not publicly announced to prevent confusion, there was a high possibility that the association would request his help.

Even if not, he felt the need to cooperate in finding Director Hwang Moon-seok’s whereabouts. Because there was a high probability that Ryu Seo-ha was the Fourth Apostle’s target.

“What about performances other than music?”

Looking down at the stage, ballerinos and ballerinas were now gathered in geometric shapes performing danse figurée. As if enjoying a Renaissance palace banquet, wearing masks.

“I’d like to leisurely watch that someday too.”

Following that, they showcased four dances that became the origin of ballet in order: balletti with characteristics of social dance, brandi with a dramatic feel, and the grotesque moresca.

“Have you ever actually enjoyed the things you always postpone for later?”

Choi Gang-hu asked back with a faint sigh. It wasn’t an accusing tone. It felt like he was genuinely curious. A bitter smile brushed the corners of his mouth.

“Almost never. Usually, the things I wanted to do end up losing priority to the things I have to do.”

“Why do you postpone even when you know that?”

“Well, I have to survive the present first, don’t I?”

Choi Gang-hu tilted his head as if finding it strange. While both had made desperate efforts to survive, their attitudes towards life were very different.

“What if the opportunity to enjoy what I want now never comes again?”

Choi Gang-hu, who had deeply engraved in his heart the fact that there was no guarantee he would still be alive the next day or even the very next moment, went in the direction of maximizing immediate satisfaction,

“If I can give up a moment’s pleasure and extend the shelf life of my life, I think that’s a part I can sufficiently compromise on.”

Ryu Seo-ha, who had learned to give up many things one by one to gradually extend his precarious ephemeral life from one day to two days, then three days, four days, went in the direction of practicing the virtue of moderation.

“I must seem frustrating to you, don’t I?”

Such different attitudes towards life tend to breed incomprehension. It was easy to think they couldn’t understand each other, that the other was wrong. Especially since they chose completely different methods for similar goals.

“A little. And you seem amazing. Very much so.”

But Choi Gang-hu offered admiration instead of criticism.

“I don’t think I could do that even if I wanted to.”

Revealing curiosity, investigative spirit, and possessiveness like someone facing the rarest gem in the world. The moment he met that gaze, Ryu Seo-ha could feel his heart supplying oxygen even faster.

❖ ❖ ❖

The entrance of national teams, the speech by the chairman of the International Hunter League Committee (IHLC), and the opening declaration by the President of the Italian Republic.

The day after the opening ceremony concluded successfully. Spectators with excited expressions who had packed numerous stadiums including the main stadium one by one lay down in single-person capsules placed instead of chairs. It was a virtual reality device created with great care by Italian production-type hunters respected as world-class masters. Connected to the artificial dungeon system where hunters would compete.

“If it’s going to be like this, why bother changing the host city every year?”

Lying in an ergonomically designed single-person capsule, Choi Gang-hu muttered lowly as if he couldn’t understand. It was a reaction that found it difficult to understand the high-cost, low-efficiency act of changing the host city every year despite the possibility of incorporating the metaverse concept.

“It’s a matter of money, isn’t it?”

Ryu Seo-ha answered his point as he stretched out in the capsule right next to him. The profits generated from the IHL are shared between the host country and the IHLC. They probably want to host the competition in their own country even if it means putting up with the hassle, as they can’t give up the enormous tourism revenue and additional sales revenue.

Because it’s still technically difficult to fully dive-link VR devices and artificial dungeon environments over long distances. Since general PC or personal VR device users can only experience 3D screens or augmented reality at most, there would inevitably be a difference in spending units as well.

“Did you say the Korean delegation’s matches start tomorrow?”

From tomorrow, Ryu Seo-ha will be watching the competition from the position of a participant, not a spectator. More precisely, in the state of accompanying entry as medical staff.

In other words, today’s viewing was a perfect opportunity to preview the overall atmosphere of the competition. Choi Gang-hu must have arranged this because he understood that necessity.

“Yes. These are expensive seats… It would be a waste to leave them empty. I wonder if we could resell the tickets?”

He was newly amazed at Choi Gang-hu’s ability to secure VIP box seats in just one day. Even regular seats in the main stadium were said to be difficult to reserve.

“I can’t concentrate on the competition if a stranger is lying next to me.”

“Ah.”

Well, no matter how much the capsule blocks external senses, it probably can’t 100% cover his eyes and ears. Wouldn’t he suddenly get up and show his habitual alertness even at the slightest approach by someone?

“Then let’s meet in Dungeon 1-3.”

After confirming the meeting place after login, Ryu Seo-ha and Choi Gang-hu closed the capsule doors, pushing their vision into darkness.

Loading seat purchase information.

Adult verification complete.

Machine sounds were heard immediately.

Scanning access body information.

Body scan complete.

Entering Main Stadium Artificial Dungeon: Waiting Room.

The scan was quickly completed as it only skimmed the external parts to form an avatar. A narrow, colorless room appeared before his eyes.

Ryu Seo-ha inadvertently raised his arm and looked it over, marveling at the visual information that faithfully reproduced texture and color.

When he clenched and unclenched his hands, the sensation was very realistic. Was it because his sensory stats were still low? He couldn’t feel much difference from reality.

When he jumped lightly in place, his motor skills seemed a bit duller. Were the stats set to non-awakened average?

‘Virtual reality…’

He felt excited to directly experience something he had only read about in game fantasy novels. It was a different feeling from entering an artificial dungeon.

After all, that was entering with his real body, and now he was moving a virtual body. He wanted to quickly try various experiences.

He opened the door with the number plate 1-3 among the sliding doors lined up on the wall and entered. Immediately, the smell of blood wafted strongly.

“Aack!”

He saw a spectator who seemed to have just connected like Ryu Seo-ha scream and fall backwards.

A sword flying from afar stabbed into the damp dirt floor. But the person whose upper body was pierced by the sword suffered no damage at all. As if they had become a ghost.