Confrontation

Mother Earth changed.

Gates appeared, containing dangerous monsters inside.

One of those gates appeared just in the forest near their home.

It was left unresolved since no one thought to check on the site.

The siblings, too, didn't bother to look into the forests.

In the end, the gate seals expired and the monsters escaped the spatial membrane, flooding into the world.

That same day, Yoo Sungha awakened his 'power'. A special one, at that.

The one that led him to achieve greater heights, with the price of risking his life.

Yoo Sungha desperately wished that Yoo Jin wouldn't have to involve himself in the Hunter business.

Unfortunately, the boy was automatically selected to have a 'fate'.

As a <Player >, it was like your whole life got optimized to nurture you into a Hunter.

Sungha tried his hardest to block Yoo Jin from pursuing this dangerous path, but the boy he refused to relent.

He wanted to follow his fate.

He had been granted with a gift, just like Sungha.

It's like the world picked them to be a Hunter, who had to fight with their lives on the line.

Yoo Jin sighed, knowing what his brother's opinion on Hunters were. How much he entertained the idea of fighting like him.

To him, the <Player > status was something that ended up putting his brother on the battlefield by default. A cursed status. But to the child, it was a gift, a blessing.

"Remember how I said I was the Sixth <Player > to be chosen? Aria-nim is the Seventh. Forget asking information from her, she didn't even know what Runes were." Yoo Jin grumbled, annoyed at his brother.

"I know what Runes are. Something to be conquered or turned into a skill, right?" Aria rebutted.

She experienced handling a rune, so naturally the claim can now be disputed.

However, instead of being acknowledged, she received two strange stares instead.

Honestly, runes didn't exist in her time. That was the only reason why she felt so lost when Yoo Jin first mentioned the rune.

The generation had changed. Her knowledge of the world might be less than a kid's.

"...What did you say?" Sungha asked.

"...Runes are meant to be conquered or turned into a skill?"

"Is this something that only <Players > have? No, Yoo Jin- you didn't have it, right?"

Yoo Jin already heard about this fact earlier. He shook his head.

"She did absorb the rune. The 'skill' she means is like the one I got from the System. She's not using the runes as we all do. She literally ate it up." Yoo Jin added. "The Conquer thing is even stranger, I don't know what it means."

"Then.." Yoo Sungha realized the seriousness of the matter. Aria's power was indispensable.

He knew how rune users were bound to a set level. The nature of the rune couldn't be changed. If you bought an F-rank rune and didn't continue to buy more in the future, you will be forever an F-rank.

Those who got skills, on the other hand, received powers akin to those with the runes. Yet, they were stronger, and could level up the skills. 

Aria herself was confused. Why were they freaking out so much?

Sungha noticed Aria's visible frown and sighed. Yoo Jin told him that she was clueless about literally anything.

Like a child.

"Listen here. You've said it to us, but what you have is abnormal. Even as a <Player >, it's abnormal. Don't. Ever. Tell it to anybody else." Sungha stressed his words, warning her.

If the news got out, it'll cause a huge commotion for sure.

"..I don't get why you're freaking out so much?" Aria questioned.

How abnormal was it? To have her powers?

"It's as abnormal as that dumbass Blythe's power."

"Blythe.. Who?"

It wasn't a familiar name to her.

"You don't even know Blythe? The Korean Association's head? Are you serious? That guy's name is painted all over the media!" Sungha raised his brows.

How clueless could one be?

How did Aria live her life up until now?

Why wasn't she aware of the most basic things?

"..No," Aria cursed. She dug her own grave. She shouldn't have asked. "I was raised in a secluded mountain. We don't have any access to whatever media you're talking about,"

She hoped that the lie would come through and fool them.

"Which mountain?" Sungha grew suspicious.

Aria's way of talking was refined and clear. People who heard it would think that she was a traditionally educated young miss. Her diction was clear, and the way she brought herself was filled with an elegant vibe. Like she came from an elite family.

Her body was also spotless. One that couldn't be obtained through other means that meticulous care. Living in the mountains would at least guarantee a few scars and blemishes, but there were none.

If not for the clothes Aria was wearing, Sungha's first thought of her would also be that of a rich lady.

Not someone who lived in the mountains and should've been far away from high education.

Her manner of speaking was too perfect for that standard.

In truth, it was just the result of Aria's strange 'add-on'.

She learned that she was able to discern every language.

When she passed by signs on the street that was clearly written differently, her brain immediately translated it to her mother tongue.

This 'add-on' translated her words in perfect grammar quality.

Even if she didn't mean to say it a certain way, the 'add-on' will force her to speak eloquently as if she is a linguistic expert.

Not wanting to explain this to the man, Aria grumbled. It would garner her with even more trouble.

"Will it kill you to not be that suspicious of me? I have special reasons which I am not allowed to talk about. If it bothers you so much, I will leave."

"Leave! Leave, then. Don't come back." Sungha pointed to the door.

Sungha was a highly vigilant person.

He wouldn't allow Aria to stay unless she managed to prove her background.

She failed to answer the first question out of many he planned to ask. She couldn't even state the mountain she descended down from.

He stood up and confronted Aria, not giving her any moment to relax.