#Side Story, The Day of Fate (4-1)
It was a nice day in late autumn.
Jeon Min-yeol, the second son who was unwillingly taking care of his younger siblings in place of his kind but ineffective father and his ill-mannered eldest brother who was always out, among the five Jeon brothers who never had a peaceful day, had come to watch the National High School Kendo Championship where his fourth brother Jeon Chan-yeol had somehow luckily made it in (Chan-yeol insisted it was skill, but all the other brothers treated it as pure luck).
However, upon arrival, he found that his fourth brother had already lost in the round of 32, the very bottom of the tournament, making his effort to come watch meaningless. Though he went looking for his brother, furious about being made to waste his precious time, the fourth brother, having anticipated his older brother's anger, had already fled completely.
Even if he chased after him, his brother, who was well-versed in running away, would have long since escaped to a place where he could hide for at least three days. Min-yeol finally decided to at least stay and watch until the finals. He thought it was good that he continued watching, as unlike the other mediocre matches, from the semifinals onward there were many interesting battles.
'The finals especially surprised me...'
The winner was truly someone who made you doubt he was only eighteen years old. While someone who had lost in the semifinals had also drawn attention by winning with perfect basic movements alone, the winner had a completely different feel from the others.
From the middle of the finals, he couldn't take his eyes off that match, or more precisely, off the winner, to the point where he felt all spectators had fallen silent for a moment. He was overwhelmingly strong to the extent that his opponent could do nothing against him.
Finally, when the one-sided match ended and the expected winner removed his men while holding the trophy amidst camera flashes, Min-yeol clicked his tongue.
'Impressive... If only our stupid fourth brother could learn from someone like that.'
It had been quite a good show. As Min-yeol left the arena a step ahead of others, he was startled by a black shadow that suddenly rushed past his side.
"What... what was that?"
As he barely avoided collision and looked up, the other person was already far away. Min-yeol, who had been glaring at him wanting to throw out a curse, opened his eyes wide when he saw the kendo uniform the person was wearing.
'Huh? ...Why a uniform?'
There shouldn't be anyone wearing a kendo uniform today except the competitors. As Min-yeol stood there dazedly watching the running figure, he had to look back again at a second set of footsteps from behind moments later.
"...Seung-jo, Jeong Seung-jo!"
It was another boy in a kendo uniform. However, his clothes were more disheveled than the boy seen earlier, clearly showing signs of having rushed out in a hurry. His face was covered in sweat as he passed by without properly looking at Min-yeol, who had reflexively stepped aside. Unlike the first boy, however, this one was someone Min-yeol could recognize.
'That guy... isn't he the winner who just received the award?'
He couldn't fail to recognize him as the protagonist of the match he had just been watching intently. Min-yeol could only be bewildered by the fact that today's champion, who had been holding the trophy just moments ago, had suddenly rushed out chasing someone. He looked back once more at the darkened arena, but no one else came running out.
"What's going on...?"
Min-yeol scratched his head but soon decided to ignore it and started walking briskly toward the crosswalk not far away. He hadn't brought his car to save on fuel costs, and the maglev train station was only accessible after crossing the crosswalk.
And when he reached near that crosswalk, Min-yeol stopped in his tracks as he incredibly encountered the two boys from earlier again.
The situation between the two looked serious at first glance. After loud voices were exchanged, when the winner boy approached the other one, Min-yeol saw him backing away toward the crosswalk with a distorted expression.
'Oh no... what are they doing.'
It was a dangerous moment. Although fortunately no cars were visible now, the sight of someone standing at a crosswalk with a red light looked too dangerous in itself.
When the winner boy also stopped in surprise at this, Min-yeol caught a glimpse of an expression on the other boy's face that seemed both pained and softened, if only for a moment. But then the winner boy, who had been silent, shouted.
"Jeong Seung-jo, you bastard... why are you doing this, seriously!"
At those words, the other boy responded slowly with an indescribable expression and a crazed-like smile before turning to cross the crosswalk. Watching the winner boy standing there dazedly, having lost his strength after hearing those words, Min-yeol thought it might be over now.
But that was a mistake. A moment later, the winner boy clenched his fist and ran forward, grabbing the shoulder of the other boy who was about halfway across the crosswalk and suddenly punching him in the jaw. Then the other boy who had fallen also got up and kicked the winner boy, and several more hate-filled shouts were exchanged between them. Min-yeol, who had stopped in surprise and embarrassment, finally thought this might be the time to intervene.
"Damn... this isn't good."
And just as Min-yeol started running, thinking this was truly becoming dangerous, he saw a truck approaching at terrifying speed from the right side of the road from his perspective, behind the other boy who was shouting something while standing over the fallen winner boy.
'That...!'
As Min-yeol ran faster in horror, he saw the winner boy also seeming to notice the danger and staggering to his feet.
And then,
"Hey!"
The truck also seemed startled upon discovering the children and tried to brake suddenly, but its wheels, having already gained full momentum, only made a chilling sound as they skidded endlessly across the road.
In that critical moment, just as Min-yeol stepped onto the crosswalk, the children in front of him vanished with a tremendous sound.
'Ah...'
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Jin Soram, the top-ranked hunter representing South Korea's Rift Phenomenon Management Headquarters, is stronger than anyone else and lazier than anyone else. As soon as he arrives at the office, he buries himself under a blanket and falls asleep. When he goes out on a mission, he causes accidents and returns to the office, often shirking his duties.
"Do you know how it feels to play a game that's already messed up? ...Anyway, the next round will come, so this time, I'm just going to play it recklessly."
In fact, his true identity is someone who has regressed through three lives, trying to save the world from the Great Rift but failing each time. After repeating a life where he couldn't sleep peacefully even for a day, he became completely exhausted before this life even began.
"I know. You worked hard, Jin Soram."
And then there's Han Tae-un, the man who saved Soram and died in all three previous lives. As he did in every life, he comes to Soram's side once again. The Great Rift is approaching soon. It's impossible to resolve it in this life without any preparation. Soram vows to save Tae-un in this life and die himself. At least, he won't let Tae-un save a failure like himself again.
"For now, until then, let's sleep..."
As Soram sluggishly lives his life waiting for that moment, a gradual change occurs in his heart.
'I thought this was a messed-up round... but I want to live a little longer here.'
Leonardo Blaine, the true war hero of the Raina Logia Empire and the commander of the Armsilver 11th Squad, is dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders during the final battle that could have led the Empire to victory in the territorial war. People criticize and point fingers at him, and after being released on parole from prison, he disappears without a trace.
Three years later, his name has been forgotten by the world. The Council has been persistently pursuing him, but he has proven difficult to capture. Frustrated by this, Hugo Agrizendro, the commander of the Council's army, decides to personally apprehend him.
"Since when have you been watching me?"
Leonardo was calculative and astute, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had been observing Hugo for some time now. However, Leonardo's answer was something that even Hugo had not anticipated.
"From the very beginning."
Graduate student Yi-han finds himself reborn in another world as the youngest child of a mage family.
– I’m never attending school, ever again!
‘What do you wish to achieve in life?’
‘I wish to play around and live comforta-‘
‘You must be aware of your talent. Now go attend Einroguard!’
‘Patriarch!’
My future would be guaranteed once I graduate. For my future!
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