Chapter 45
Do-yoon’s gaze toward Seo Hye-jin was different from the rest.
A descendant of the great cause.
A key figure at a turning point in history.
To Do-yoon, she remained throughout all 12 regressions as a memory that resonated deeply.
But his feelings toward her…
They were clearly different from the admiration and protective instinct he felt for someone like Han Yeon-ha.
‘This 13th run… she’s the only descendant I didn’t choose.’
Tension and anticipation.
A subtle mixture of emotions spread across Seo Hye-jin’s eyes and lips at this long-awaited reunion.
“Do-yoon.”
Her shoulder-length bob was neatly tied, giving her a clean impression.
Her sharp eyes were the same, but her gaze now carried a deeper, more mature light.
Every relationship Do-yoon had built so far was intentionally crafted out of necessity—
connections formed for the sake of “Character Hyun Do-yoon” and his mission.
In other words, designed relationships.
But Seo Hye-jin was different.
She was the one who had approached him, revealed her heart asking for his hand,
and ultimately, she was the one who chose this path herself.
What the system had implanted as memories didn’t matter.
She was the only bridge connecting human Hyun Do-yoon’s past and present.
Perhaps, she was that fragile thread keeping him tethered to the ground,
even as he soared endlessly into the sky.
That’s what she was to him.
And that was why—
Instead of joy, a sigh of regret slipped from his lips.
“I didn’t want to drag you into this.”
“There you go again.”
Seo Hye-jin stepped closer.
“Again?”
“Don’t you remember saying the same thing? Back when you saved me at that abandoned factory.”
Do-yoon’s honest hope was for her to stay safe in Yeongcheon until the chaos subsided,
and then move on with her life.
But Seo Hye-jin had a different idea.
“Who knew that experience would become a vaccine for me?”
Her eyes flickered for a moment, but soon regained their firm light.
“And you, at that press conference… You were dazzling. So much so that I felt ashamed for cowering in fear. That’s when I decided—I won’t run, I won’t hide. I’ll do my part as a Hunter too.”
Her resolve was unbreakable.
He already knew that.
Ever since that press conference,
Seo Hye-jin had persistently kept in touch—asking after his well-being,
telling him to reach out if he ever needed help,
begging not to be left out.
‘Honestly, running a management team is better than working under the Association.
It’ll let her fully realize her innate talent.’
He had finally admitted that keeping her by his side might not be the wrong choice,
which is why he invited her to DY.
But the lingering regret remained.
“Can I be honest?”
“Nothing’s stopping you.”
“I’m saying this because it’s you.”
Seo Hye-jin lowered her voice, her eyes dropping.
“I… I’m not sure I can do well.”
“Why?”
“Well, obviously—I’ve never done anything this big before. I’m young, and I only awakened recently…”
“Don’t worry. You’ll figure it out.”
“Hyun Do-yoon.”
Seo Hye-jin’s face turned serious.
“Please stop putting me on a pedestal. It’s killing me with pressure.”
But this wasn’t flattery—she truly was that kind of person.
The type who only grew stronger under pressure,
and carved a way forward when cornered.
“Especially after you introduced me as a ‘core talent’….”
Seo Hye-jin’s expression was almost tearful.
“Now everyone thinks I’m some amazing powerhouse!”
“You are a powerhouse. You said so yourself.”
“Me?! When did I ever—”
“About your incredible ability. Reading and bringing out others’ potential.”
“That’s a total exaggeration! It’s just… a tiny, tiny bit of skill!”
“Is it, though?”
Just then, a chill ran down Do-yoon’s spine.
The moment he thought it, Seo Hye-jin’s status window appeared before his eyes,
triggered by Memory Realization.
[Potential Insight (A)]: When activated, the latent potential of a target is visualized as an aura of a unique color. The aura’s color, density, and shape reveal their growth potential and direction.
[Counselor (A)]: Deep conversations with you can break long slumps. After counseling, targets have a chance to receive a growth buff effect.
This was why she was called the “Talent-spotting Genius,”
and “The Midas Touch” in past regressions.
Just as Do-yoon said, her skills and traits were phenomenal.
The only reason they were rated A instead of S was because they didn’t directly impact combat,
but in terms of value alone, they were beyond S-class.
“Underestimating yourself—that’s one of the habits you need to fix.”
“I mean, I won’t know if I can use them properly until I try…”
“Can’t picture it yet?”
Do-yoon narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Then how about a field test?”
“Huh?”
Seo Hye-jin tilted her head.
A faint smile curved Do-yoon’s lips.
In his mind, one man’s face appeared vividly.
“DY’s first step has to start with him.”
“Already? Who… who is it?”
“There’s someone perfect for our first recruit.”
No—someone more than that. A monumental figure.
The man who had dominated the early stages of this run,
and the one to whom he would owe countless favors going forward.
‘The 4th-run regressor.’
That outrageous bastard.
“…Hunter Cha Si-woo, unfortunately, your party matching request has been declined.”
The clerk’s mechanical voice forced Cha Si-woo to swallow a bitter laugh.
How many times had it been now?
He had stopped counting.
“At least tell me why.”
He demanded an explanation.
“My party has a 100% survival rate. The records should show that.”
There was a note of desperation in his voice.
This Uijeongbu Dungeon run was something he could not afford to miss.
He had a gut feeling that if he lost this chance,
there would be no more opportunities.
“Well…”
The clerk hesitated awkwardly.
“Spit it out.”
“Hunter Cha Si-woo, you are registered as C-rank.”
That was it.
C-rank.
The root of all his misery.
“But rank isn’t everything. If I take command, the party gains intangible benefits…”
“I’m sorry, but your teammates rated your ‘teamwork score’ at an average of 1.82,
below the passing grade of 3.0. The main comments were…”
The clerk recited them without emotion.
“‘Too authoritarian,’ ‘Makes no effort to consider others’ opinions,’
‘Acts above his station as a C-rank,’ and more…”
“That’s enough. I’ve heard enough.”
Cha Si-woo bit his lip and pushed through the door of the Hunter Support Center.
Had there ever been a party that suffered because they listened to him?
‘I’ve saved more lives than I can count.’
But he knew the truth.
His life-saving advice—
To high-ranking awakened, it was nothing more than lucky guesses.
Right and wrong didn’t matter.
To them, it was just arrogant meddling.
‘So a C-rank trash is supposed to act like trash, huh?’
His chest felt tight.
As if something heavy and sticky clogged his throat.
With eyes burning, he scanned the street—
and spotted a man and woman.
The woman was elegant, with a subtle, captivating aura.
The man… oddly familiar.
But Cha Si-woo’s mind,
racing with countless possibilities and variables,
had no room for remembering faces in detail.
“Excuse me, we’re looking for a party.”
The woman spoke up.
Cha Si-woo replied curtly.
“Just submit a request at the counter.”
“No, that’s not what I mean.”
Her voice was soft, composed.
“I’m Seo Hye-jin, an awakened. And this is…”
The man waved a hand.
“Skip the introductions.”
“So yeah, we’d like to team up with you, Cha Si-woo.”
“…?”
His eyes narrowed in suspicion.
He’d seen this before.
“For the record, I’m C-rank.”
“We know.”
“And I just got rejected by every party out there…”
“We know that too.”
“Oh, so this is a last-minute trash squad? Figures.”
Cha Si-woo snorted.
“From one piece of trash to another—let me tell you something.
Instead of wasting time on C~D-rank gates,
you’d be better off praying for a miracle.”
His lips twisted bitterly.
“Struggle in the mud all you want—you’ll just sink deeper.”
“Well, is that really something you can say for sure?”
Seo Hye-jin’s smile didn’t waver.
Then, the man who had been silent all along spoke up.
“We’re going to Uijeongbu.”
He held out his fist—
and opened his palm to reveal a 500-won coin folded in half.
“…!?”
Cha Si-woo’s brows shot up.
He hadn’t even used any real force.
‘He didn’t pre-fold it, did he?’
If it wasn’t a trick—
‘He’s definitely not C-rank. Upper-tier for sure.’
Cha Si-woo swallowed hard.
“Did you just say… Uijeongbu Dungeon?”
“Where else would we go?”
Uijeongbu.
The city every awakened in Korea had their eyes on.
The appearance of a dungeon—
something completely different from a gate.
A beast lair inside a subspace,
where hunters could focus solely on combat and rewards without worrying about civilian casualties.
‘And they say monsters there drop points just for being killed.’
Excitement and anticipation sparked across Cha Si-woo’s face.
For someone like him, who never got a share of clear rewards,
a hunting ground where points were guaranteed was nothing short of paradise.
“That’s great and all, but… why me? I’ll be no help.”
“You will.”
Do-yoon finally spoke—quiet and steady.
“We want you to be the brain of this operation.”
“…Are you serious?”
Fwoooosh.
Blue ripples shimmered in the air,
casting an eerie glow.
A rift, unmistakably different from a black gate.
Most hunters had already gone inside,
so the area was surprisingly empty.
[You are entering the Watcher’s Dungeon.]
[“The right place, the right eyes, at the right time—only then will it open.”]
[Death = Player Death.]
[Enter the dungeon? Y/N]
The three exchanged glances.
‘Enter.’
A flash blinded their vision,
followed by a wave of dizziness.
They found themselves in a chamber with smooth white walls on all sides.
“According to the intel I scraped together…”
Cha Si-woo took point, scanning the area.
“The first room is supposed to be easy. No real threats, just some weak mobs.
We go straight this way.”
He pointed to arrows etched on the floor.
His intel seemed solid.
Scattered everywhere were carcasses of Watchers—
basketball-sized eyeball monsters, crushed and smeared across the floor.
Every step revealed more remains.
“Huh?”
Cha Si-woo’s pupils twitched.
Amid the piles of dead mobs—
lay the cold body of an awakened.
“…That’s odd.”
Do-yoon, of course, caught his muttering.
“What’s odd?”
“Look at this. There must be dozens of mobs here, right?”
“True.”
“Which means this guy killed them all in this tiny space…
So how does someone that strong die so easily?”
Cha Si-woo crouched and examined the corpse.
“No external wounds. Not even a scratch. Hmm…?”
His frown deepened.
He inspected the neck, then carefully lifted an eyelid to check the pupil.
“What do you think?”
“Huh? Oh…”
Seo Hye-jin had spaced out,
stunned by the sight of her first real casualty.
She snapped back to herself and activated [Potential Insight].
Her gaze locked on Cha Si-woo—
and her eyes widened in disbelief.
‘What… what is this?’
She turned away, almost instinctively, toward Do-yoon.
His aura was overwhelming,
a burning crimson threatening to scorch the entire world—
the mark of a fully blossomed combat type.
Han Yeon-ha, at first meeting, had been the opposite:
her aura an infinite, serene sky-blue,
the essence of boundless healing potential.
But Cha Si-woo’s aura…
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s just… transparent. No color. No shape.”
Seo Hye-jin blinked in confusion.
‘The size or strength of potential doesn’t matter—
everyone has a unique color. Always.’
Frowning, she whispered to Do-yoon:
“Are you sure this guy’s really a talent?”
Creaaaaak.
The heavy iron door opened.
What awaited beyond was nothing like the first room.
Gone was the plain white space—
and in its place sprawled a vast underground cavern.
Following the arrows to the center—
BOOOOM.
Clang! Clang! KRAAAASH—!
The sounds of battle intensified.
Massive, feral Watchers clashed with dozens of awakened,
their roars and weapons thundering in a brutal symphony.
“Apparently, this is where the real point farming begins—Room 2.”
The three were just about to move deeper when—
“Hold it right there!”
A sharp voice cut through the chaos.
Three awakened blocked their path,
each wearing the armbands of different guilds.
“From here on out, this area is under the joint control of Black Night,
Divine Blade, and Water Extinction Guilds.”
Another added coldly:
“Non-allied hunters can’t proceed beyond this point. Turn back now.”
Murderous intent laced their words.
Cha Si-woo’s face twisted in frustration.
“The Big Three of Korea,” he muttered grimly.
“They’re farming points on the outskirts with their rank-and-file
while their elites push deeper. Damn it!
We should’ve gotten here before they locked things down.”
“So what now?”
Do-yoon asked calmly.
Cha Si-woo shrugged.
“What else? We leave.”
“Giving up? That’s unexpected.”
“Knowing when to fold is a skill too.”
Cha Si-woo spoke matter-of-factly.
“You think the three of us can take on a guild alliance?
Impossible. Toss out the impossible options—don’t waste time.”
“Wow, how pragmatic.”
“One of my few virtues. Realistic judgment.”
“No.”
Do-yoon shook his head slowly.
His eyes were calm—almost cold.
Giving up so easily—that was Cha Si-woo’s worst flaw.
‘That so-called “realistic judgment” is what doomed the 5th run!’
He remembered everything.
The genius intellect, the flawless memory,
and above all, that unmatched insight.
Chosen in the 3rd run by the Eyes of the Nation’s Guardian Gods
to lead the 4th regression—
and he shone brilliantly.
He even earned the title of “The Only Multi-run Regressor.”
But the crushing failure of the 5th run cost him everything.
All because he cut the thread himself.
—This start won’t save the world anyway.
And me? I’m an infinite regressor, right? Adios. See you next run.
He died with that absurd excuse.
Even with the key to overturn despair always in his grasp,
one misstep—and he’d toss it aside.
“You’re wrong.”
Do-yoon’s low voice echoed through the cavern.
“Wrong? What are you talking about?”
Cha Si-woo stared in confusion.
Do-yoon had made up his mind.
This time, he would shatter that cowardly instinct—
completely.
“What the hell? Stay back or we’ll cut you down!”
One guild member drew his sword as Do-yoon approached.
Whooosh!
A predictable arc of steel.
Do-yoon tilted his shoulder slightly—
CRAAACK—!
A crisp impact rang out,
and the guild member’s scream reverberated through the cavern.
“The hell is this guy?!”
“Enemy spotted!”
The guards on the control line summoned their weapons in unison.
“Teach him what happens when you cross us!”
“Everyone—kill them!”
Roars exploded as awakened warriors surged toward Do-yoon.
