1.

After a brief conversation, Hae Eung-eung left the convenience store.

‘She was such a cool lady.’

Convenience store clerk Joo Ahyoung thought of the customer who had just left.

Her silence was striking.

There was a dangerous aura about her.

Beneath the traditional hat, she hid a top-star-level stunning appearance.

No matter how you looked at it, she was not someone you’d see around this neighborhood.

‘Someone that strong could easily live in a better area.’

It wasn’t just her looks—there were so many surprising things about her.

‘She said she had been in closed training and didn’t know how the world had changed, which is so rare these days.’

Where to find the gates rich in energy.

Whether it’s true that monsters drop inner cores.

If mana stones can be consumed directly.

As someone who had been training in seclusion for ten years, she seemed completely unaware of what was happening in the world.

Although her constant questions were a bit tiring, Joo Ahyoung was genuinely happy to help such a beautiful lady.

The kind of beauty that made you happy just by looking at her, even though her gloomy expression couldn’t fully hide her features.

She was snapped back to reality by the sound of the chime.

Ding-dong.

“Welcome!”

“So, your friend left?”

“Sorry?”

“Never mind, forget it.”

“Excuse me, but who are you?”

“What do you mean, you don’t know me?”

“I don’t think I do. Are you a friend of the owner?”

The man, who suddenly started talking down to her, seemed overly familiar. His confidence left Joo Ahyoung confused.

“Seriously? I’m from the Myungho Guild. Can’t you tell by the uniform?”

“Oh, I see… Well, thank you for that.”

So what? Joo Ahyoung’s mood started to sour.

Completely oblivious, the security officer leaned in toward the counter.

“Hey, the only reason property prices are stable around here is because of the Myungho Guild. You and your small businesses can only survive because we’re around.”

“Oh, yes. We’re always grateful. Thank you.”

“So, anyway, what do you think? I’ve got some time after my shift today.”

“Excuse me?”

“Isn’t it great? Having a Myungho Guild member as a boyfriend means no more worries about monsters. Just drop my name, Choi Hopil, and your life in this town will be smooth sailing, no bumps or rough patches.”

Suddenly, Choi Hopil grabbed her hand. Joo Ahyoung recoiled in shock.

“Oh, wow. You’re strong, aren’t you?”

“What are you doing? This is a convenience store, not a dating service.”

“I’m not here for just any woman. I came for you.”

Irritation flashed in Joo Ahyoung’s eyes.

“Look, I don’t need anyone to protect me, okay? I’m not that weak. I’ve been a trainee Awakened for five years now.”

“Well, would you look at that! Fiery and fresh, just like your looks.”

Even in her plain convenience store uniform, her shapely figure stood out.

2.

 

Choi Hopil’s eyes roamed up and down Joo Ahyoung’s body, which was well-maintained like that of an Awakened trainee.

Joo Ahyoung, disgusted by his lecherous gaze, warned him firmly.

“Stop it. If you keep doing this, I’ll call the police.”

Choi Hopil’s eyebrow twitched with irritation.

“The police? Ha, this fucking bitch. Go ahead and call them, you piece of shit. It’s not like I’m asking for much, just trying to meet up. Do you think you can keep working here if you keep acting like this?”

“Are you threatening me right now?”

“Yeah, I’m threatening you, you bastard. If your boss doesn’t fire you, this convenience store’s protection fees will double. How long do you think you’ll last, huh?”

Tears welled up in Joo Ahyoung’s eyes.

“Why are you doing this to me? I can’t quit this job because I’m saving up for my Awakened training school fees.”

“Then fucking apologize! Can’t you see how pissed I am because of you?”

“I’m sorry.”

Joo Ahyoung bowed her head in apology.

But Choi Hopil, unfazed, grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head onto the counter.

“Agh!”

“Hey, what kind of apology is this? There’s no sincerity, none at all.”

“Then… how can I show sincerity?”

“Make time tonight.”

“…!”

“You’re old enough to understand, right? You know what I mean, don’t you?”

A threat backed by power.

Joo Ahyoung felt an overwhelming sense of despair at the scummy behavior.

As a convenience store part-timer barely scraping by to pay her Awakened training fees, she knew she couldn’t stand up to a guild member from Myungho Guild.

“Just so you know, running to the police or the media won’t help. You know how the world works these days, right? If you piss off an Awakened, the government and corporations are done for.”

Gates and monsters.

The new enemies that appeared before humanity.

The Awakened, the only ones capable of fighting them, had practically risen above the law.

Especially the powerful guilds established by Awakened with extraordinary abilities, who ruled their own territories.

They controlled administrative regions, taking responsibility for the lives and deaths of local residents.

They held direct and indirect influence over every local interest.

Myungho Guild was even considered a semi-first-class guild.

There was no way an ordinary citizen with a pretty face and a nice body could stand up to someone backed by Myungho Guild.

This was the end.

A look of resignation filled Joo Ahyoung’s eyes.

Choi Hopil clenched his fist.

He had done it. The fish was caught; all that remained was to enjoy his meal.

Ding-dong.

The automatic door of the convenience store opened.

“Ha, look at this clueless fool. Get out of here, we’re not doing business right now.”

“What? Didn’t you hear me? I said get the hell out… Oh?”

A person with a traditional bamboo hat, a wind cloak, and an unusual appearance.

A glimpse of bandaged hands beneath the flowing sleeves.

A sword slung diagonally across the waist.

Even standing silently, the stranger gave off an intense and foreboding atmosphere.

It was Hae Eung-eung.

3.

With an indifferent gaze, Hae Eung-eung unwrapped the packaging and put the cigarette butt in her mouth.

She touched the end of the cigarette with her finger.

And then, she realized something.

With only five years of accumulated energy, she couldn’t create the Threefold True Fire.

‘Losing my power brings such inconveniences too, it seems.’

Hae Eung-eung headed back toward the convenience store to buy a lighter.

On her way, she noticed a citizen who, upon seeing something inside the store, flinched in surprise and ran off.

Something felt off.

Her pace quickened toward the store.

Sure enough.

As the automatic doors slid open, Hae Eung-eung’s chest tightened at the sight before her.

An intimidating man was gripping a part-timer by the hair, pinning her head to the counter as she sobbed.

“Who the hell are you? Aren’t you the one who ran away near the Gate’s outer wall?”

The menacing man, Choi Hopil, a guard from Myungho Guild, snarled at Hae Eung-eung.

“Not going to answer?!”

Hae Eung-eung silently lifted the sword sheath, pointing it at Choi Hopil’s arm.

“What the hell are you doing, huh? Want to fight?”

“…”

“Look at this bastard’s murderous intent… You think you’ve got what it takes? Let’s see if you can win a fight.”

The oppressive aura around them grew heavier, reaching a level that couldn’t be ignored.

Choi Hopil began to feel uneasy.

Though he couldn’t explain it, the thought that he had picked the wrong fight refused to leave his mind.

“What, are you into this girl too? Fine, get in line, bastard. I’ll use her first and pass her to you.”

It hurt his pride to back down, but he felt like pushing further would lead to disaster. It was his version of a compromise.

Before his crude words even had time to settle, something swiftly grazed Choi Hopil’s cheek.

Drip.

Blood trickled down his face.

Choi Hopil, his face stiffening, looked back and realized what had just brushed past him.

“A lollipop…?”

A lollipop stick had embedded itself deep into the wall.

The candy itself was nowhere to be seen.

Choi Hopil’s blood ran cold.

‘When did this guy throw that?’

He hadn’t even noticed the slightest hint of movement before the throw.

Throwing it was one thing—if it had been a dagger instead of candy, his head would have been split open in an instant.

“Sister…!”

Joo Ahyoung exclaimed in surprise.

Finally understanding the situation, Choi Hopil let out an awkward laugh.

“Oh, so you two are family, huh? Ha ha, you should’ve said something earlier. I wouldn’t interfere with a family reunion.”

“…”

“Let’s just call it a day, okay? I backed off, didn’t I? I won’t touch your sister, alright? Or do you really want to take this all the way?”

The tension in the air tightened as if they were facing a high-level monster.

Ignoring it completely, Hae Eung-eung gripped the sword sheath tighter, using her thumb to push up the sword’s handle slightly.

The one who saved Choi Hopil from sweating bullets wasn’t his own courage, but Joo Ahyoung.

“No, don’t, Sister. This man is from Myungho Guild. There’s no need for you to get into trouble because of me.”

“Yeah, listen to your sister. I don’t know what guild you’re from, but if you mess around in someone else’s territory, you’re gonna have a bad time. Right? So, I’m leaving, okay?”

Choi Hopil, eager to escape, nervously inched toward the entrance, as if a beast was breathing down his neck.

Just before he could leave, he suddenly yelled out in frustration.

4.

“Just you wait, you bastards! I’ll make sure this isn’t the end of it…?!”

Even his final outburst, intended to save some face, was not allowed by Hae Eung-eung.

Her sword flashed like lightning, instantly grazing past Choi Hopil’s body.

Thud.

His wireless earphones.

His shirt buttons.

The elastic band of his pants.

His belt.

His shoelaces.

Everything that had covered him from head to toe fell to the ground at once.

“Wha… huh?!”

Choi Hopil was beyond terrified.

Her swordsmanship was so precise that she could have easily severed his vital points if she had wanted to.

It finally hit him just how foolish he had been to provoke someone so powerful.

His trembling hands clutched his sagging pants as his legs hurriedly carried him away, visibly shaking even from a distance.

“Wow, Sister… I knew you were strong, but I didn’t expect this level of strength.”

[It had to be done. That guy will definitely come back again.]

“But you can’t become a murderer, Sister. Honestly, you went too far this time. You’ve humiliated the Myungho Guild, and they won’t just let this slide.”

Despite having just gone through such a terrifying experience, Joo Ahyoung was more concerned for Hae Eung-eung than for herself.

Seeing her kindness, almost to the point of naivety, Hae Eung-eung sighed.

‘I had no intention of getting this deeply involved. I really didn’t…’

This was the Earth she knew in 2030.

Now it was the Earth of 2050, twenty years later.

She had only been speaking to Joo Ahyoung to bridge the gap in her understanding of the differences between the two times.

She had drawn a clear line, thinking of her as just a part-timer she barely knew.

– I’m sorry, Sister. If my being alive puts you in danger, then… I’m sorry.

– No, Sister. This man is from the Myungho Guild. You shouldn’t get into trouble because of me.

The martial world and the real world.

Two entirely different dimensions of relationships.

That innocent face.

The tragic end that awaited her.

It all overlapped in Hae Eung-eung’s mind.

[Give me your contact information.]

“Really?”

Just like the scoundrels of the martial world who never forget grudges, even if they forget kindness.

It was hard to believe the Myungho Guild would behave in a gentlemanly way.

If their guild members came looking for Joo Ahyoung while she wasn’t around, causing her harm or worse, making her disappear…

The bitter feeling that would follow wouldn’t go away in just a few days.

She was already too deeply involved to ignore it now.

[I still have some questions. About things like games.]

“If I can help with that, I’d be more than happy to! Ask me anything. I’ll tell you everything.”

Joo Ahyoung beamed, overjoyed at the fact they had exchanged contact information.

Leaving behind Joo Ahyoung’s bright, innocent face, Hae Eung-eung exited the convenience store.

Her expression had turned noticeably colder as she made a silent vow.

After being dragged into this much trouble, she was determined to extract every last bit of useful information, squeezing it out like wringing a dry squid.