122 The Dreaming One – III

Perfect and seamless attacks like a running stream. That was how Seol attacked. Different from how Sung Shihyun connected all his attacks as one, Seol's attacks were a constant and evershifting torrent.

If it was just that, I could bear it. After all, I had recognized that I was being a hypocrite and using borrowed power.

But I was trying to remedy that. Understanding the principles, reinterpreting the foundation to create my own...

It was just a matter of time. And so I didn't mind getting killed over and over again due to my inadequacy.

But-

"Don't you have any shame?"

A blinding thrust towards the heart was accompanied by words meant to pierce it just the same.

I brushed the attack aside with my sword and stepped back to gain distance. After that, I glared at Seol and said, "I do! It wasn't supposed to end up like this, but it just happened, okay? And you're one to talk considering you patted yourself on the back for reducing a harem of sixteen in half despite not wanting senseless harems."

Seol spun his spear around and pointed it at me. "That's different. It's one thing to have girls fight over you because your past self is a dense bastard who doesn't know how to roll with a girl even when they jump him. It's another to make girls fight over you by playing dense and then saying that the ONE girl who's been by your side isn't allowed!"

An instantaneous movement. One moment Seol was there. And in the next, he was standing right in front of me, glaring right in my face.

But where was his-

"Kuh." I coughed out blood and then felt a sharp pain in my chest, along with a growing chill spreading from it. "You cheap bast-"

Seol stepped back, wrenching his arms to the side.

I heard a sickening *crack* and my world spun on its axis. Just before my vision faded out, I saw Seol glaring at me.

What the hell was his problem...?

It was three days before the September Halfway point was set to start. Despite that, Jihu hadn't said anything or left any messages.

Of course, since this was Jihu, things were probably fine.

Even so, Seonhwa was worried.

Hannah had made a good point that Jihu would probably just pull off the usual shenanigans and become monstrously stronger since the Path of the Soul skewed time.

But it was possible for something to go wrong.

Jihu wasn't invincible. Hadn't that been apparent with the fight against the Army Commanders?

So because of that, while everyone finished up the preparations, Seonhwa volunteered to check up on Jihu.

She was the only one who could properly do so, after all.

And like that, Seonhwa arrived in Eva as Baek Haeju, headed to the nearest temple, and requested to enter the Path of the Soul.

Idle chatter from Ira... something about 'that crazy bastard suited that crazy Gula' and then Seonhwa was in.

A grassy plain with three mountain peaks and giant boulders. That was what she thought she would see.

But in reality...

A cratered wasteland with chunks of towering rocks littering all over the place. Blood staining the ground in every direction. A sky perpetually at dusk...

And the sound of clashing steel in the distance.

Seonhwa blinked and then muttered, "What kind of trials did the gods give Jihu?"

It was a question that she didn't expect to be answered.

But someone did anyway.

An arrogant and familiar male voice. Sung Shihyun's.

"Tch. Even after everything, he still gets the girl to come in and-"

Seonhwa reflexively swung her spear at his head.

"HEY!"

A loud clang echoed. Sung Shihyun easily parried Seonhwa's blow. But instead of attacking or advancing, he jumped back and said, "Fucking bitch! Did that bastard get it from you?! Attacking people before they're finished-"

Seonhwa stepped forward and thrust her spear, aiming at that traitor's chest-

Ah. Wait.

If he was here, then that meant the gods had allowed him in. So... he wasn't a traitor? But-

Sung Shihyun parried the attack again and said, "LISTEN TO ME FIRST, DAMMIT!"

Seonhwa hesitantly stopped attacking. Still, she kept up her guard as she stared at her former party member.

...The perverted and lecherous party member who kept talking about wanting to make a harem. Also the guy who kept ogling her and Yuhui every chance he got in the past...

"OI!"

Seonhwa blinked and realized she was pointing her spear at him again. After that, she sighed and said, "What are you doing here, Sung Shihyun?"

"What do you think?" Sung Shihyun shook his head and said, "I'd never be allowed in here unless the gods wanted my help for something." His expression turned sour and he said, "You know I wouldn't be allowed here on my own."

Seonhwa nodded and said, "True. A bastard like yourself wouldn't be allowed onto the Path of the Soul even if you managed to get a Divine Stigmata."

Even though the Path of the Soul helped a person reflect and become a better person, Seonhwa doubted it could help an irredeemable bastard like that.

Sung Shihyun chuckled and said, "Considering that guy..." He paused and then sighed. "Nah. Too tired to risk getting smacked again. Anyway." He wrapped his hands around the back of his head and leaned against a nearby boulder. "What brings the cold Sacred Princess here? Worried about your man?"

"It's Sacred *Empress*."

"Not when you're not married to the Emperor, Missy."

Seonhwa felt her eye twitch and suddenly remembered why she hated partying with that bastard.

But she took a deep breath and decided to focus on the important things.

Looking around, she said, "Where's Jihu? Since you said the gods pulled you in to help... Did something happen?"

"Huh. Baek Haeju showing emotion for once... Guess there's a first for everything." Sung Shihyun shrugged and said, "But if you're looking for that crazy bastard, he's over there." He pointed towards a giant crater in the distance.

Seonhwa nodded and started walking over there. But before she took a single step, Sung Shihyun called out again.

"You're wasting your time, you know?"

Seonhwa gave him a cold glare and said, "I'll be the judge of that." She kept walking. At least, she started to.

But at that time, a burst of rainbow colored lightning shot out from the crater, sending something flying towards the ground right in front of her- Wait. Jihu?

Seonhwa's eyes widened and she quickly moved to catch him. But before she could, a black streak fell from the sky like a comet and crashed into Jihu, turning him into ash.

It was fine. This was the Path of the Soul, so dying here wasn't permanent.

Even so, seeing Jihu so helplessly killed.

Seonhwa rushed towards the bastard who killed Jihu.

And then froze when she saw his face.

"You're...?"

A man who looked almost like Jihu, except older and sharper. One also wearing cracked and black armor... and who used a spear?

The man noticed her and then clicked his tongue. After that, he turned to Sung Shihyun and said, "What the hell are you even doing if you can't keep one person out?"

Sung Shihyun glared at him and said, "I'm not your fucking guard dog, Asshole."

Seonhwa felt a headache starting. Looking between the two, she held her hand up and said, "Wait. Someone explain what's going on here. And you..." She looked at the man who looked so much like Jihu. "...Who are you?"

He was similar. Eerily so.

That man's face was almost identical to Jihu's, with the only difference being that his expression was more grim.

There was a saying that an individual's personality was reflected by their face.

And while Seonhwa hadn't been able to read Jihu's recently, she still could tell the difference between him and the man standing in front of her.

Jihu was quiet and thoughtful. His pupils were dark, but they were always bright in how he took in the situation around him. Not only that, but when he smiled, it was with a sense that he knew more than what was going on. An enigmatic but mischievous smile. And when he got serious, his expression hardened- No. It was mostly his eyes.

A cold glint that caused his pupils to flicker red... Though whether that was from mana or from a trick of the light was unclear.

Overall though, while Jihu could be serious and sharp, he was usually composed and analytic.

The man standing there though...

A weary but determined atmosphere, reflected by the countless stains on his cracked and rusted armor. A sharp gaze that looked like a veteran soldier's. Alert, but also staring at something far in the distance, as if reflecting on the past. Not only that, but he seemed to radiate the natural charisma of a general. A man used to leading and thriving on a battlefield.

Gears spun in Seonhwa's head.

She remembered her trials. The futility in pushing up the boulder. Being forced to bow her head and accept help from others...

The way Jihu had been acting and the faint memories Seonhwa had of the past. As well as the change Jihu made in the past few years...

The man who looked like Jihu sighed and said, "It's too early for you to be here right now, Seonhwa. We still haven't ironed that guy out, so you're just going to confuse things for him."

Words that made it clear the man knew her.

Sung Shihyun tilted his head and said, "Wait." He looked at Baek Haeju and said, "You name's not Baek Haeju?"

And proof that it wasn't because the gods told him.

So then...

An idle thought. Something she hadn't considered seriously, but that stuck in her mind ever since she read Jinhee's webnovels.

It was possible to make a wish of the gods. And while it couldn't defy causality or go too far, with enough contribution, it would be possible to perform even miracles like turning back the hands of times.

Possibly.

So then.

If that was the case...

Seonhwa stared at the man who looked like Jihu and said, "Are you a regressor?"

The man who looked like Jihu- No. The Jihu from the future froze.

Sung Shihyun did too.

So that confirmed it. But... there was still something that didn't make sense.

If the reason Jihu had changed was because he regressed, why did it end up like this?

Why didn't he choose her? And why did he go after all the other girls instead?

Why-

"You two are worthless."

A calm and young male voice.

Seonhwa's eyes widened and she glanced towards the speaker.

It was familiar. A voice that she still remembered despite the years that passed. One that reminded her of guilt, regret, and nostalgia.

But-

"Go back, Yuyu."

A young man with dark hair that looked like he just started university. An average face that could easily blend in anywhere in Korea.

But also one that Seonhwa couldn't forget.

Because...

"Neol?"

...She killed him.

"Wait." Sung Shihyun held up his hand. "I'm gonna need an explanation."

Future Jihu looked at 'Neol' and frowned. "You know Seonhwa?"

As for Neol...

He looked at Seonhwa and smiled. "Don't worry. Everything will make sense in a bit. For now..."

A wave of static washed over Seonhwa.

Her eyes widened and she tried to move past it. She wanted to grab that guy and ask if he had been lying to her all along.

But then she was back in Ira's Temple and kneeling on the floor.

xxx

A gleaming white sword. A faded crimson spear.

Both aimed at a seemingly unassuming young man wearing a dress shirt and jeans.

Neol chuckled and said, "Funny how you two work together at a time like this."

Seol narrowed his eyes and said, "How do you know Seonhwa? Don't make me repeat myself."

Sung Shihyun nodded and said, "Yeah. And who the fuck are you, really?"

Neol smiled. "It's a long story." He shifted his gaze to the side.

Jihu was respawning again, flickering back to existence with glitchy distortions.

Seeing that, Neol said, "It's like I told Seonhwa. Everything will make sense in a bit."

Jihu groaned and rolled over, pushing himself to his feet.

Seol noticed, but kept his gaze on Neol. "Since you showed your face again, are you gonna take over? I don't think that bastard's passed my trial yet though."

"It's fine." Neol pulled out a cracked and bloody pocket watch and said, "It's not something he can pass while he's missing the important stuff anyway."

"Hm?"

Neol clicked the pocket watch, opening it up to check the time.

When he did, the surroundings blurred and everyone except for Jihu began to fade.

Seol's eyes widened. "What the-"

Sung Shihyun ran forward, swinging his sword. "You fu-"

Neol smiled and said, "It's time the dreamer realizes he's dreaming."

With those words, everything vanished.

And then...

xxx

Arriving suddenly in another world with a life that wasn't your own was disorienting. This was especially true when you didn't have any family or friends in the new life to orient yourself.

But I went along with it. Although the name 'Neol Won' wasn't mine, it was familiar enough to center myself.

A university student who got into a fairly decent engineering school. An orphan without any family, and a loner who had spent all his time studying to earn enough scholarships to get a full-ride to college.

Because that was the only way he'd ever get a chance to go.

It was eerily familiar. Not being an orphan or lacking family, but the life of studying desperately just for a chance of making it.

I could relate. And because I could, I naturally slipped into that life.

It was fun.

Since I had gone through it before, I didn't have to worry about studying or my grades. Unlike in my past life where I didn't spend any time having fun or making friends, I just lazed around and people watched. Seeing if there were any interesting people, chatting with people who were...

And then I met her.

Yuyu. A nickname from the fact that she introduced herself with her last name first, and because it was funny.

She was an exchange student from Korea. And at the time, she had been so lost with everything that I couldn't leave her alone.

Right. A smart, cute, and kind girl who was also fun to tease.

We got along well, and it became a habit to hang out and study together.

Mostly because Yuyu needed someone to fend off all the creepy guys and annoying girls who wanted to hang out with her since she was a beautiful and intelligent girl from overseas studying engineering.

She had a boyfriend back at home, and she had been worried that it might cause issues if he got the wrong impression.

...Since that was the case, I wondered why she bothered hanging around me. But I brushed it off as her being thankful to find another Korean person that she could relate to... Even if I was actually Korean-American.

A fun and enjoyable life that was as idyllic as a dream.

And if it was a dream, I hoped things could stay like that.

Hanging out with Yuyu, helping her plan her dates with her boyfriend when they saved enough to fly him over.

...Yes.

I remembered now.

And the reason why I woke up as Seol Jihu...

Winter break of our second year.

After the finals, Seonhwa treated me out to lunch because she wanted my help planning a holiday party.

Her family was going to come visit from Korea, so she wanted to do it properly.

I brainstormed a bit with her, we joked around about the fact that I'd be spending the holidays alone. And then-

"I knew it." A gruff looking Korean man holding a crumpled bouquet. The reek of tobacco and alcohol.

An argument escalating into a fight. Seonhwa trying to stop it.

And-

"That's where it all went wrong."

A cheerful but annoying voice echoed.

When it did, I opened my eyes and realized I was standing in a dark haze.

And standing in front of me...

A young Asian man with an unremarkable face. Black hair and dark eyes. A plain dress shirt with jeans...

It wasn't me. But at the same time, it was.

...No. It would be more accurate to say 'I' was 'him' instead of the other way around.

Neol Won. A name that sounded close to 'No One', and one that must have been a cosmic joke due to the way he died in the first place.

A life spent in vain, a sudden death without a chance to even regret, and then waking up in another world that was over a decade in the past with a life that wasn't his.

I stared at him and said, "So I take it you're responsible for this mess?"

'Neol' laughed and said, "Kind of. Really, it's more your fault for trying to stay in-character so much." He shrugged and said, "If you had thought a little more on why you were in Seol's body, things would have turned out differently, you know?"

I paused to think about that.

...It was true.

Instead of thinking deeper on why that happened, I just went along with the flow and tried fixing up Seol's life.

Considering my 'eyes' back then, if I had focused on that instead... wouldn't I have realized it a while ago?

"Don't think about it too much." Neol pulled out a pocket watch and glanced at it. After checking it for a bit, he put it back and said, "Even if you knew, you probably would have done the same thing. That was your 'wish' after all."

"Wish?" I frowned and said, "...I don't remember making a wish."

Neol simply smiled.

[Due to the nature of the surroundings, partial memory restoration is successful.]

[A fragment of your past has been recalled.]

I felt a headache. At the same time, I saw it. No, it was more accurate to say I 'remembered' it.

A small light blue orb that could fit in the palm of my hands. Something that I thought was just a dream from the fact that I stayed up too late reading web novels...

"Have you heard this saying?" Neol's smile widened, far too much for a normal person's smile. "When you wish upon a star, it makes no difference who you are. Like a bolt out of the blue, fate steps in and sees you through."

The headache intensified. And as it did, Neol's shape blurred.

[Through self-reflection, Innate Ability <▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓> has been retrieved.]

[By gazing upon the abyss, you have revealed your true nature!]

[<▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓> has become <A Reader's Wish>]

My headache suddenly faded. At the same time, I remembered everything.

...That guy was right.

I did make a wish.

After reading Seol's story, I thought about what I would do if I was in his shoes. What I would keep the same, what I would change.

And the result of that...

I stared at Neol.

No. I stared at the extradimensional being that was taking on Neol's face. The thing that was mixing my memories with Seol's story to reshape reality itself.

"...What are you?"

He suddenly distorted. Perhaps due to my realization that it wasn't actually 'me' or perhaps because I retrieved my innate ability and realized its true nature, 'Neol' completely dissolved, leaving only a vaguely humanoid shape surrounding a blue orb.

Even so, I had the sense that it was smiling at me. "Vainglory at its finest. Now, the story has dragged long enough. The ending I had in mind is pretty far now, but I suppose a victory march can be fun to read as well."

"...What?"

"Just go and beat up the baddies already, you idiot. Some people are getting impatient for the slice of life after the war."

A sharp rebuke. The sound of a book slamming shut. And then the sound of a gears slowly churning.

And then I was suddenly back in Gula's temple, kneeling on the ground with a glowing white sword in hand.

I blinked and looked around.

"...What the hell just happened?"

An exasperated sigh echoed in my head, and then Gula's voice did as well.

[I believe it would be best if we just put this behind us, Jihu.]

I wanted to ask why. But remembering the eerie dissonance I felt at staring at the extradimensional being and getting a gut feeling that I'd break a wall that really shouldn't be broken if I did, I just nodded and said, "Yeah... Let's just pretend nothing happened. Anyway, how much time has passed, Gula?"

[A day has passed since Miss Seonhwa requested to check in on you... meaning there are two days until the September Halfway Point.]

I blinked, parsing Gula's words. And then I jumped to my feet and said, "TWO DAYS?! HANNAH'S GONNA KILL ME!"

[Your wife did appear quite irate this morning...]

"Gah!" I sheathed my new sword at my side and then ran off. "Thanks Gula! Be back later, love you!"

[Wait! Do you not wish to update-]

Crap, crap, crap...

Hannah's gonna kill me, and Jinhee's DEFINITELY gonna kill me too.

Maybe I should make a quick run downtown for apology flowers...

xxx

As Jihu left, two shadowy figures stepped out into Gula's temple.

Seol and the future Sung Shihyun.

Seol clicked his tongue as he watched Jihu run off and said, "That guy got off too easy."

Sung Shihyun glared at Jihu as well and said, "The bastard stole my sword too."

Seol sighed and shook his head before looking back at Gula's statue. As he did, he said, "Hey. I wasn't sure since my past self hadn't caught up yet. But when I was in there, I managed to catch a glimpse of it. That Neol guy... It was the 'Zero Code', right? The thing following that Martial God around?"

[...I cannot speak of it. But you can consider it something similar.]

"Something similar?" Seol clicked his tongue and said, "What a fucking mess... Whatever." He rested his spear over his shoulder and put on his usual bunny mask. After that, he looked at Sung Shihyun and said, "Since he cleared it... somehow, you're free now too, right? Wanna go vent by smacking around Parasites?"

Sung Shihyun let out a long suffering sigh and said, "Whatever. Gula, gimme a mask too."

The goddess immediately obliged with a horned black wolf mask.

Sung Shihyun put it on and then drew a sword from thin air.

Seol tilted his head and said, "Hoh? Stealing tricks from Jihu now, huh?"

"Shut up. He stole it from me first anyway." Sung Shihyun swung his sword to test the weight and said, "Let's just go fuck things up already. I didn't get to vent enough against that crazy bastard."

"Tell me about it..."