“So what is the rumor like?” I ask my two seniors. The two High-Rank Heroes share a look that the two of them only know what it means.
I don’t know what they are thinking, but there is no harm in hearing more of this rumor.
It is entertainment to them at best, and a passing hearsay at worst. As a mere Cadet, me knowing this rumor is inconsequential to them. “Seniors, what do you like on your pizza?”
“Pepperoni,” Oh Junhyun shamelessly requests.
“You!” Seo Youngjin gives her partner an annoyed look.
“My bad. I need my calories. And it is just a story, so humor the kid.” Oh Junhyun reasonably steers his partner from the path of pettiness. ‘Amitabha.’ I give him my blessings or whatever Amitabha means.
I wave at the waitress to add his order and kindly ask the big sister beside me what she wants. “Beautiful miss, what do you want? Their Hawaiian tastes great!”
“No, thank you… Just order me a lasagna…” She adds. Seo Youngjin takes out what appears to be a magnifying glass and uses it on me. “Hmmm… At least you are not a Djinn… The Hero Association did let you go after all, but what a surprise…”
“You know me?” I ask curiously.
The item she used on me is one of the products of Hajin’s DDT so that’s not a surprise. It elicits my curiosity though that I am so easily recognizable.
Oh Junhyun answers. “You got our interest the moment you entered this place. Your presence is weak which is weird. Normally, I wouldn’t notice you but Seo Youngjin has the best sensory abilities among High Rank Heroes sent here in Cube.”
Seo Youngjin beams at the compliment. “Oh sheesh. I suck at combat though. I must admit, you have a peculiar presence, Cadet Hyon Hyung. The only reason I am able to pinpoint you so accurately is that I have the habit of memorizing faces. Your fame is recent so it is easy to recall your face.”
That scares me for a second. Frankly, that kind of hurts my self-esteem. Again, despite being extras, they are not to be taken lightly. And here I am imagining myself to be invincible against High Rank. Hmmm…
Objectively speaking though, my Gift appears to be a mismatch against her.
“I see…” I comment.
Now. It is time for work. I will my intentions into my words and start weaving sentences that can bring me the information I want. “So. Again. What is the rumor like?” I begin with a leading question.
My eloquence has been my greatest weapon. Even before becoming capable of wielding further power that can render physical harm, I still prefer using methods that revolve around talking.
“It’s confidential.” Seo Youngjin briefly answers not even feeling shame over how obvious her attempt to deflect my question.
Let’s see. If a leading question doesn’t work, how about a rhetorical question? “I am not really interested in the rumor, really…” I fake disinterest. “But what are two High-Rank Heroes doing here?”
I sharply point out multiple possibilities. “Are you guys visiting? Maybe a date? Maybe, since the two of you are both single. But you guys are not the only High-ranking heroes I saw lumbering around the facility and the different booths. There are too many High-ranking heroes for all of this to be coincidental. Are you guys perhaps here because the Hero Association ordered you to?”
I sense Oh Junhyun react slightly in what I assume to be a surprise. Seo Youngjin reacts fluidly showing signs of wit disconnected to Hero Work that involves a lot of fighting. “No. We are actually on a date. Oh Junhyung oppa was introduced by a friend.” She makes an alibi as if drawing a rabbit out of a magician’s hat.
I analyze the situation subjectively. Who is Seo Youngjin? Data about her flashes through my retina via my AI System. She is a High-Rank Hero with little information on her history except for the basic background demographic information like family, where she lives, etcetera.
Seo Youngjin has the traits of something like a special agent. Of course, my only reference to agents is the numerous spy movies that I have watched, but I have reasons to believe she is most likely an agent of the Hero Society. For instance, her observation ability alone and the kind of Gift she wields already tell me what kind of work she really does.
I realized new insights by conversing with her. The Hero Association is not to be looked down on. Not because I easily hacked their system doesn’t essentially mean that I am many times superior to them.
“A date, is it? How long?” I start poking.
“About three hours since coming here.” Seo Youngjin smiles affectionately while she grabs Oh Junhyung’s arm. The latter quickly understand the situation and plays along. “Yes, it has been three hours.” He confirms.
“I have a habit of going and jumping around from booth to booth because I don’t really have any solid friends. I am also a big nerd about Hero stuff so I know most things Hero-related and that is why I could confidently say there are more High Rank Heroes than usual.”
I smile amicably, making another cheese pull out of my Hawaiian. The Pepperoni pizza and the lasagna have also arrived. Lasagna isn’t pizza, but they also serve it, so it is fine I guess. I continue on with my monologue.
“You see, I also have the habit of memorizing faces. At first, I thought that it was just normal for this many High-Rank Heroes to visit because Heroes too can have fun. It begs asking though… Why?”
“…” Seo Youngjin’s silence means she isn’t biting what I am dangling, but fishing is all about patience.
“What do you mean by why?” Oh Junhyun asks, making me smile.
I snicker, but I resist. I bite off my pizza slice making another cheese pull out of my mouth as if teasing Oh Junhyun about my meaning when I don’t really mean anything. With this same line of thought, I can also mean everything when in fact I am just being a charlatan. “Why?” I repeat almost amused.
“Why the increase in the scales of the Combat Exams? Why now? Why expose Cube to further danger than it already was? Why are High-Rank Heroes doing undercover work as guards? Why is it that when every Hero should be hunting Djinns now, you are here? Why?” I dramatically pause.
“It is because of the recent Djinn Attack, isn’t it?” Oh Junhyun asks, yaking a bite of his Peperoni slice.
Seo Youngjin shakes her head, refusing the simple answer. “That Djinn Attack is only the catalyst. There are many reasons why the Combat Exams are being repackaged into something bigger. The safest choice since the terrorism is to increase the security of Cube by not doing any of this at all.”
She spoons a part of her lasagna and raises it to eye level as if emphasizing the inside of her spoon. “This here is the current Combat Exams.”
“A spoon of lasagna, huh? Neat. Not the analogy I would be using though.” I have a hunch, but I don’t want to confirm it. “So, I take it that the people who will be fed by this spoon are the mass populace to assuage their fears of the worst. Who holds the spoon though? Is it the Association?”
“No,” Oh Junhyung smiles, realizing something I don’t. “I see. That’s why many of us High-Rank Heroes were called to duty here on Cube…”
Seo Youngjin nods, confirmatory to Oh Junhyung's words.
I frown, disliking the idea of being kept in the dark. I like it though that the two have ultimately decided to come clean of them being undercover albeit implicitly. “So who is holding the spoon?”
Seo Youngjin eats her spoonful of lasagna. She waves her empty spoon, emphasizing a second time on her hand. “It is Chae Joochul. He is the hand that moved everything into place.”
I shudder.
Seo Youngjin continues with an explanation. “It is just a rumor though, but I deduce that the coming Combat Exams are so that the immortal Chae Joochul can dish out revenge for his granddaughter almost coming to harm. Most efforts in moving the event come from Chae Joochul’s pockets. Again, it is just a rumor! For all we know, he might be doing this out of the goodness of his heart.”
Oh shit. The goodness of his heart? No. Chances are Chae Joochul must be really angry. I know that he is emotionless because of the accursed side effects of his Gift, but knowing his psyche and the codes he lives by since losing his emotions, I wouldn’t put out the possibility of him wanting revenge.
Yes. Chae Joochul is an emotionless old man. But he has a code, something he relies on so that he doesn’t lose himself. That is— family first— his ultimate motto in life.
There is also terrorism even in the TNE universe during the main cast’s Cube days, but there is nothing about Chae Joochul getting revenge over it. I can only think that Chae Joochul cannot inflict revenge on behalf of his granddaughter, Chae Nayun, at that time since he is busy with Chae Jinyoon’s recent death.
My suspicions aside about the development, I must inform others of this turn of events.
“So what is the rumor like?” I ask my two seniors. The two High-Rank Heroes share a look that the two of them only know what it means.
I don’t know what they are thinking, but there is no harm in hearing more of this rumor.
It is entertainment to them at best, and a passing hearsay at worst. As a mere Cadet, me knowing this rumor is inconsequential to them. “Seniors, what do you like on your pizza?”
“Pepperoni,” Oh Junhyun shamelessly requests.
“You!” Seo Youngjin gives her partner an annoyed look.
“My bad. I need my calories. And it is just a story, so humor the kid.” Oh Junhyun reasonably steers his partner from the path of pettiness. ‘Amitabha.’ I give him my blessings or whatever Amitabha means.
I wave at the waitress to add his order and kindly ask the big sister beside me what she wants. “Beautiful miss, what do you want? Their Hawaiian tastes great!”
“No, thank you… Just order me a lasagna…” She adds. Seo Youngjin takes out what appears to be a magnifying glass and uses it on me. “Hmmm… At least you are not a Djinn… The Hero Association did let you go after all, but what a surprise…”
“You know me?” I ask curiously.
The item she used on me is one of the products of Hajin’s DDT so that’s not a surprise. It elicits my curiosity though that I am so easily recognizable.
Oh Junhyun answers. “You got our interest the moment you entered this place. Your presence is weak which is weird. Normally, I wouldn’t notice you but Seo Youngjin has the best sensory abilities among High Rank Heroes sent here in Cube.”
Seo Youngjin beams at the compliment. “Oh sheesh. I suck at combat though. I must admit, you have a peculiar presence, Cadet Hyon Hyung. The only reason I am able to pinpoint you so accurately is that I have the habit of memorizing faces. Your fame is recent so it is easy to recall your face.”
That scares me for a second. Frankly, that kind of hurts my self-esteem. Again, despite being extras, they are not to be taken lightly. And here I am imagining myself to be invincible against High Rank. Hmmm…
Objectively speaking though, my Gift appears to be a mismatch against her.
“I see…” I comment.
Now. It is time for work. I will my intentions into my words and start weaving sentences that can bring me the information I want. “So. Again. What is the rumor like?” I begin with a leading question.
My eloquence has been my greatest weapon. Even before becoming capable of wielding further power that can render physical harm, I still prefer using methods that revolve around talking.
“It’s confidential.” Seo Youngjin briefly answers not even feeling shame over how obvious her attempt to deflect my question.
Let’s see. If a leading question doesn’t work, how about a rhetorical question? “I am not really interested in the rumor, really…” I fake disinterest. “But what are two High-Rank Heroes doing here?”
I sharply point out multiple possibilities. “Are you guys visiting? Maybe a date? Maybe, since the two of you are both single. But you guys are not the only High-ranking heroes I saw lumbering around the facility and the different booths. There are too many High-ranking heroes for all of this to be coincidental. Are you guys perhaps here because the Hero Association ordered you to?”
I sense Oh Junhyun react slightly in what I assume to be a surprise. Seo Youngjin reacts fluidly showing signs of wit disconnected to Hero Work that involves a lot of fighting. “No. We are actually on a date. Oh Junhyung oppa was introduced by a friend.” She makes an alibi as if drawing a rabbit out of a magician’s hat.
I analyze the situation subjectively. Who is Seo Youngjin? Data about her flashes through my retina via my AI System. She is a High-Rank Hero with little information on her history except for the basic background demographic information like family, where she lives, etcetera.
Seo Youngjin has the traits of something like a special agent. Of course, my only reference to agents is the numerous spy movies that I have watched, but I have reasons to believe she is most likely an agent of the Hero Society. For instance, her observation ability alone and the kind of Gift she wields already tell me what kind of work she really does.
I realized new insights by conversing with her. The Hero Association is not to be looked down on. Not because I easily hacked their system doesn’t essentially mean that I am many times superior to them.
“A date, is it? How long?” I start poking.
“About three hours since coming here.” Seo Youngjin smiles affectionately while she grabs Oh Junhyung’s arm. The latter quickly understand the situation and plays along. “Yes, it has been three hours.” He confirms.
“I have a habit of going and jumping around from booth to booth because I don’t really have any solid friends. I am also a big nerd about Hero stuff so I know most things Hero-related and that is why I could confidently say there are more High Rank Heroes than usual.”
I smile amicably, making another cheese pull out of my Hawaiian. The Pepperoni pizza and the lasagna have also arrived. Lasagna isn’t pizza, but they also serve it, so it is fine I guess. I continue on with my monologue.
“You see, I also have the habit of memorizing faces. At first, I thought that it was just normal for this many High-Rank Heroes to visit because Heroes too can have fun. It begs asking though… Why?”
“…” Seo Youngjin’s silence means she isn’t biting what I am dangling, but fishing is all about patience.
“What do you mean by why?” Oh Junhyun asks, making me smile.
I snicker, but I resist. I bite off my pizza slice making another cheese pull out of my mouth as if teasing Oh Junhyun about my meaning when I don’t really mean anything. With this same line of thought, I can also mean everything when in fact I am just being a charlatan. “Why?” I repeat almost amused.
“Why the increase in the scales of the Combat Exams? Why now? Why expose Cube to further danger than it already was? Why are High-Rank Heroes doing undercover work as guards? Why is it that when every Hero should be hunting Djinns now, you are here? Why?” I dramatically pause.
“It is because of the recent Djinn Attack, isn’t it?” Oh Junhyun asks, yaking a bite of his Peperoni slice.
Seo Youngjin shakes her head, refusing the simple answer. “That Djinn Attack is only the catalyst. There are many reasons why the Combat Exams are being repackaged into something bigger. The safest choice since the terrorism is to increase the security of Cube by not doing any of this at all.”
She spoons a part of her lasagna and raises it to eye level as if emphasizing the inside of her spoon. “This here is the current Combat Exams.”
“A spoon of lasagna, huh? Neat. Not the analogy I would be using though.” I have a hunch, but I don’t want to confirm it. “So, I take it that the people who will be fed by this spoon are the mass populace to assuage their fears of the worst. Who holds the spoon though? Is it the Association?”
“No,” Oh Junhyung smiles, realizing something I don’t. “I see. That’s why many of us High-Rank Heroes were called to duty here on Cube…”
Seo Youngjin nods, confirmatory to Oh Junhyung's words.
I frown, disliking the idea of being kept in the dark. I like it though that the two have ultimately decided to come clean of them being undercover albeit implicitly. “So who is holding the spoon?”
Seo Youngjin eats her spoonful of lasagna. She waves her empty spoon, emphasizing a second time on her hand. “It is Chae Joochul. He is the hand that moved everything into place.”
I shudder.
Seo Youngjin continues with an explanation. “It is just a rumor though, but I deduce that the coming Combat Exams are so that the immortal Chae Joochul can dish out revenge for his granddaughter almost coming to harm. Most efforts in moving the event come from Chae Joochul’s pockets. Again, it is just a rumor! For all we know, he might be doing this out of the goodness of his heart.”
Oh shit. The goodness of his heart? No. Chances are Chae Joochul must be really angry. I know that he is emotionless because of the accursed side effects of his Gift, but knowing his psyche and the codes he lives by since losing his emotions, I wouldn’t put out the possibility of him wanting revenge.
Yes. Chae Joochul is an emotionless old man. But he has a code, something he relies on so that he doesn’t lose himself. That is— family first— his ultimate motto in life.
There is also terrorism even in the TNE universe during the main cast’s Cube days, but there is nothing about Chae Joochul getting revenge over it. I can only think that Chae Joochul cannot inflict revenge on behalf of his granddaughter, Chae Nayun, at that time since he is busy with Chae Jinyoon’s recent death.
My suspicions aside about the development, I must inform others of this turn of events.
