Saturday arrived before I noticed after spending the rest of Friday training.

[Traveling Club Announcement] — There will be a short trip on Saturday for freshman orientation.

The traveling club’s orientation was today, and we planned to meet at the Cube portal station that connected to Seoul. I walked to the meeting place after packing my gun into my cross bag. Kim Suho, Yi Yeonghan, Chae Nayun, and Yoo Yeonha were already waiting there.

They seemed completely oblivious to my existence, but being with all of them still made me nervous. An unexpected incident would occur in Seoul today. This would be the story’s first major incident. The club president arrived as I organized today’s impending event in my head.

“Hello, I’m the club president, Oh Hanhyun. I didn’t believe it when I saw so many applications, but… it’s true. Who knew such amazing cadets would join?”

Oh Hanhyun had an average height and a gentle impression. He looked around while scratching his neck.

“First, I’ll give a short introduction about the traveling club.”

He bashfully smiled and took out a piece of paper from his pocket. He had prepared a speech. I described Oh Hanhyun as a timid person, so I wasn’t too surprised.

“Cough. Once or twice a month, we will take a trip out of Cube to simply relax. Training during trips will be strictly forbidden. It’s also why our club is nicknamed Healing Rain.”

Cough. After clearing his throat once more, he put the paper away. What? That was it?

“Today, we’ll take a short trip to Seoul for orientation.”

From here on, things proceeded as I had written. The club members would pair up and visit Seoul together.

“We usually have a theme for each trip, but today will be an exception since it’s orientation. We’ll split into pairs.”

Kim Suho would be paired with Chae Nayun and run into trouble at a museum. As for what trouble, I would experience it soon.

“Then we’ll start by drawing lots.”

Drawing lots was completely based on luck, but not for me. I could clearly see the contents with my gift, Observation and Reading. I pondered with a hand on my chin. Should I choose Kim Suho? Or Chae Nayun?

“I’ll go first.”

Yoo Yeonha stepped up. I watched her pull out a name and realized I had overlooked my own existence. Yoo Yeonha’s lot contained my name.

“Kim Hajin.”

My heart sank, but Yoo Yeonha’s face remained unchanged. She calmly stared at me with her usual mask.

***

Thankfully, everything else remained unchanged. Kim Suho paired up with Chae Nayun and Yi Yeonghan paired up with the club president. After drawing lots, the members gathered in front of the portal.

Portals were cutting-edge technology utilizing magic science and engineering. With a height and width of 15 and 30 meters respectively, over 100 of these giant gates could be found throughout Korea. Traveling from Seoul to Busan took less than 3 seconds.

“Cadet Kim Hajin. Confirmed.”

The portal operator handed us a seal that would resonate with the portal and teleport us to Seoul.

“Let’s go.”

The club president entered first. Then Kim Suho went through the swaying blue portal next, followed by Yi Yeonghan, Chae Nayun, and finally me.

A strange feeling briefly enveloped my body.

In the blink of an eye, the surroundings changed into an unfamiliar place. The Seoul portal station looked quite futuristic. With just 2 steps, I had crossed the East Sea.

“It’s 12 P.M. right now. We’ll meet back here at 6.”

We were the only ones around since our portal connected to Cube. However, the portal next door connecting Seoul to Busan should be much more crowded. After all, they were both global cities.

“Follow me for now.”

We received another seal from the portal employee as we followed the club leader. I read the words, Yongsan Station, as we left.

“You can go wherever you want as a pair using public transportation. We won’t require you to write a report today, but make sure you’re back by 6. You’ll be penalized if you’re late.”

The club president warned as we left in pairs. Yoo Yeonha didn’t say anything as I followed her. She suddenly stopped as I thought about how Yongsan Station had changed from what I knew. Yoo Yeonha turned around and blurted.

“Let’s split up.”

“Hm? Oh, yeah. Sure.”

Most likely, she planned to visit her father’s guild. I was fine with it. I planned to join Kim Suho no matter what.

“Again.”

She glared at me with a hand on her hip as though I ticked her off again.

“Don’t talk to me so casually.”

“Huh?”

“This is your second warning. There won’t be a third.”

I knew she wasn’t bluffing. She might really get back at me in an unthinkable way if I did it a third time.

“Yes, I understand. I apologize.”

“Tsk.”

Yoo Yeonha walked away without saying goodbye. She clearly disliked me. We split up after just 5 minutes.

***

“Whew, I thought I got lost.”

I finally arrived at the National Weapons Museum after switching buses 3 times. The museum displayed replicas of weapons excavated by Korea. Today, an incident would occur here. I walked in with a trembling heart.

“Daddy, what’s that?”

“Oh, that’s the Four Tiger Sword…”

Perhaps because it was a weekend, the museum bustled with parents and children who hoped to become heroes. No matter the crowd, some people would always stand out like Chae Nayun and Kim Suho. I quickly spotted Chae Nayun.

“I want it.”

Smacking her lips, she greedily eyed a bow in a glass display, but she wasn’t the one I was looking for. It didn’t take long to find the tall and handsome main character who always stood out. I carefully approached Kim Suho and happened to recognize the weapon he was looking at.

“Is this the famous Seven-Branched Sword?”

The king of Baekje who ruled the most powerful kingdom before Korea was unified bestowed this iron sword to the Japanese emperor. It was a historical weapon found in the final room of the Wiryeseong Dungeon. [1]

“Hm? Ah…”

Kim Suho turned towards me. However, he was at a loss for words. I had a good idea why.

“Kim Hajin.”

“Ah, right. Sorry, I didn’t expect to meet you here, so I forgot.”

With a kind smile, he pointed to another section of the museum.

“Apparently, Napoleon’s rifle is also here. Have you seen it?”

“Napoleon’s rifle?”

“Yep. It was a reward from a dungeon in France.”

According to my world setting, any weapon used by a legendary figure could become an artifact. Since that was the case, it wasn’t weird for Napoleon’s rifle to exist even though I never mentioned it. I did want a rare weapon, but I wasn’t interested in replicas.

“No, I don’t think I’ll have time.”

I unexpectedly answered without any excitement. It felt strange talking to the main character I created. I wasn’t quite sure how to describe this feeling, but it wasn’t pleasant. Kim Suho was handsome, exceptional in martial arts, and had a fantastic personality. He was too perfect, so he felt inhuman. That was why some readers rooted for Shin Jonghak. Anyways, it should be about time. I tapped on the ground with my sneakers.

“Then…”

Right when Kim Suho was about to say something…

— BOOM!

A thunderous sound reverberated. Everyone grew silent. Koong. Koong. Koong. A thud repeatedly pulsed throughout the deathly silence. A giant creature’s footsteps began to make crushing sounds. The atmosphere took a quick turn.

“Kyaaaak!”

“What is that!?”

The unknown led to anxiety and anxiety quickly turned into panic. Visitors began to scream and run. However, only death waited outside. The safest place was still inside.

“Stay here! Don’t go out!”

Kim Suho shouted to warn everyone as he sensed the dangers outside. Currently, an intermediate rank monster and its subordinates were attacking outside. Just a single intermediate rank monster posed little threat. A hero would arrive in less than a minute and 20 minutes was enough to take care of the entire situation, but that wasn’t the only problem. A djinn was also here, making it a double-pronged attack. Heroes usually rushed to the most dangerous areas. They wouldn’t prioritize the museum since it had security guards. The Djinn Association took advantage of this and dispatched an assassin to target a special child the Hero Association had discovered.

Clang —

Glass shattered from not too far away. Kim Suho turned in that direction and shouted.

“Chae Nayun!”

Chae Nayun broke a display and took out the bow inside.

“Are you crazy!”

“No, I’m perfectly sane.”

It was only a replica, but the museum’s alarm rang and its defensive mechanisms activated. All exits closed in just 3 seconds. People panicked even more, but even an intermediate rank monster couldn’t break through the barriers.

“This is better than stopping to warn people one by one.”

With that, she cleared her throat and shouted at the panicking citizens. “Everyone! Stay calm! It’s safer here! We’re heroes too!”

“Hey, you…”

“Shut it. Don’t just stand there. Grab a weapon.”

“What? Why should I?”

“Because it’s dangerous outside.”

Looking at us… No, at Kim Suho, Chae Nayun nocked a magic arrow onto her bow.

“Look there.”

She pointed with her eyes at a man wearing a black coat. Chae Nayun fired without a shred of hesitation before Kim Suho could say anything.

“Hey, don’t —”

Her magic arrow pierced the man’s throat. Immediately, Kim Suho froze. He seemed dazed by the sudden murder.

Any ordinary person would have died, but the man grabbed the arrow sticking out of his neck and pulled it out. Black magic power rose from his hand and burned the arrow to ash. Tap, tap. The man turned around in the direction where the arrow came from. His eyes burned red with hostility.

“…”

Without a doubt, he was a djinn. Kim Suho’s face paled. Just like Chae Nayun, he shattered a display and took out the Seven-Branched Sword. It was only a replica, but its faithful reconstruction made it a high grade weapon. It should be strong enough to kill the djinn.

“Oh, that’s a nice weapon. I heard it splits into seven branches.”

Chae Nayun smirked and stood by Kim Suho’s side. I also took out my handgun. I thought about standing next to them, but took 2 steps back after some consideration. I was still too weak. It would be the end if I showed off too much and the djinn targeted me.

1. Wiryeseong was the name of two early capitals in Baekje. ☜