I was absolutely stunned. I'd fully expected Kwon Taehyuk to go back to helping with the evacuation. That he intended to come with me instead left me speechless.
As I stood there, dumbfounded, he and Ryu Sunghyun had already moved on—completely in sync, nodding at each other with matching seriousness.
“Understood. Go on.”
“I’m counting on you.”
“Wait, what? Hang on a second!”
They were making all the decisions without me. I quickly batted Kwon Taehyuk’s arm away and snapped,
“Why are you following me? I’m perfectly capable of finding Kwak Seunggyu on my own. Isn’t evacuating the civilians a much bigger priority right now?”
“The monster wave is going to start in earnest any moment now. I can’t let you go alone.”
“But the civilians here are in more danger! I might be a Supporter, but I have experience. I’ll be fine.”
“Hunter Ryu Sunghyun will take good care of them.”
And why the hell are you dumping everything on Sunghyun-hyung?! He’s already overworked!
I scowled at Kwon Taehyuk, irritated by how casually he was putting all that burden on someone else, but he misread my glare and quickly added,
“The problem is what happens after we find Kwak Seunggyu. He won’t come quietly. How do you plan to subdue him?”
“You said he’s unawakened. I can handle a regular civilian.”
“It’s still dangerous.”
No matter how many times I said I was fine, Kwon Taehyuk shook his head, firm and unmoving.
He clearly wasn’t about to change his mind, and that left me at a loss. I’d planned to find Kwak Seunggyu and shift into my cover identity at just the right moment, but now that entire plan was falling apart before it even began.
You could’ve just stuck to saving people. Why the hell are you suddenly tailing me?
It was absurd. Ridiculous. And honestly, it was pissing me off. I didn’t get it—what was he thinking?
And I can’t just tell him to get lost, either.
If it were any other time, I wouldn’t have cared about my image and told him off straight. But of course, right now, Ryu Sunghyun was standing right there, watching. I wanted to handle this peacefully if I could.
“I understand that you’re worried about me, Guildmaster, but—”
“Hunter Cha Seohu,”
Before I could finish, Ryu Sunghyun cut in.
“It would be better to go with Kwon Taehyuk.”
The moment he sided with Taehyuk, my heart dropped.
He kept going, oblivious to my shock.
“This man is deeply involved with the lab that conducted human experimentation. Even if he’s unawakened, it’s too dangerous for you to handle alone. It’s better to have Kwon Taehyuk go with you.”
“That’s...”
“I’ll do what I can to hold things here. Judging from the Rift’s current activity, we still have some time before the next wave hits, and support will arrive soon.”
“......”
“There’s also the matter of checking whether Actor Eun Woojeong is safe.”
I fell silent. I wasn’t exactly convinced—but the protest that had risen to my throat died before it left my lips.
They weren’t wrong to make this decision.
Neither of them knew about my hidden skill. As far as they were concerned, I was just a B-rank Supporter chasing down a dangerous figure in the middle of a chaotic Rift event.
So of course they would reach this conclusion. It made sense from their perspective.
I was the only one here carrying the full picture—and that made the knot of emotions in my chest tighten even more.
...And to be fair, the Ryu Sunghyun from my past life would’ve said something similar. The only difference is, he probably would’ve come with me himself instead of sending someone else.
No. Enough. That doesn’t matter right now.
I forced myself to breathe, forced down the mess of feelings, and nodded slowly.
“Alright.”
Ding!
And then, right on cue, a notification pinged in front of me.
《Trait Activated: Soaked Cat (Grade E)》
You’ve triggered the target’s sympathy!
What the hell? Why the hell is this garbage activating now?!
Like I wasn’t already annoyed enough. This was just more fuel to the fire.
What good was “sympathy” supposed to do in a situation like this? Ugh. I clicked my tongue in frustration and rubbed at my temples.
“Um...”
“......”
“Vice Guildmaster.”
Ryu Sunghyun blinked as I addressed him. He and Taehyuk had clearly been exchanging confused glances, unsure how to handle my silence.
Instead of explaining anything, I simply reached out and took his hand.
《Skill Activated: Bond of the Guardian (S-rank)》
→ Boosted skill damage granted (Target: Ryu Sunghyun) – Duration: 4m 59s
→ Movement speed increased (Target: Ryu Sunghyun) – Duration: 4m 59s
→ Stabilization effect applied (Target: Ryu Sunghyun) – Duration: 4m 59s
“Ah...”
The sudden surge of buffs startled Ryu Sunghyun—his shoulders jerked slightly as he stumbled back.
Letting go of his hand, I said,
“Evacuating people is important, but make sure you prioritize your own safety. At least until reinforcements arrive.”
“......”
“Let’s go, Guildmaster.”
Without looking back, I turned away from Ryu Sunghyun and headed off toward the Main # Nоvеlight # throne hall, my steps brisk and deliberate.
“I’m going now. As you saw, Cha Seohu has my phone, so please contact him if anything happens.”
Kwon Taehyuk left those parting words with Ryu Sunghyun and quickly chased after me.
As the two of us disappeared into the interior of the hall, Ryu Sunghyun stared after us with a strange expression.
They seem pretty close.
He had never seen Kwon Taehyuk care about anyone like this. Lending out his personal phone, insisting on acting as a bodyguard—that was unheard of.
Considering how strictly Taehyuk prioritized civilian safety, this behavior stood out even more.
Ryu Sunghyun absentmindedly clenched and released the hand I’d just held. His mind wandered to the look on my face—the way I’d quietly bowed my head once both of them had agreed.
That pale expression, with the corners of my eyes drooping slightly... It reminded him of a kitten, soaked in the rain and curled up for warmth.
Still, that wasn’t reason enough to let someone like me wander through a Rift alone. No wonder Kwon Taehyuk refused to back down.
...I hope he takes care of him properly.
With that, Ryu Sunghyun set his thoughts aside and got to work.
He had an S-rank buff now—until reinforcements arrived, he would eliminate as many monsters as possible. There was no time to waste.
Inside the Main throne hall, Kwon Taehyuk looked around the dark interior.
All the lights were off—there wasn’t a single sliver of illumination. I pulled the phone he’d lent me from my pocket and turned on the flashlight.
“They were on earlier. Someone must’ve knocked a breaker when the Rift opened and people started evacuating.”
Kwon Taehyuk stared at the back of my head—the round curve of it catching the dim light. I still looked like I was sulking about him tagging along.
He had insisted on coming, and I had flatly refused. Now here he was, feeling just as uneasy as I was.
Even before this... He always acts strangely around Ryu Sunghyun.
It wasn’t hard to tell how much I paid attention to Ryu Sunghyun. Taehyuk had picked up on it ever since that first dinner about the competitive match.
He didn’t know the history between us, but it still stuck with him—how quickly I shut him down, yet obeyed Ryu Sunghyun without argument.
Are they that close? Sunghyun didn’t seem very comfortable around him, though...
Sigh...
Rubbing the corner of his eye, Taehyuk was pulled from his thoughts when I suddenly reached out and tugged at his arm.
“Guildmaster, can you see clearly? Notice anything strange?”
“...Just scattered event items and debris. Nothing that stands out.”
“Hmm.”
I touched my lips, eyes fixed on a point ahead—though whether I was looking at something or just staring into the void, even I wasn’t sure.
Kwon Taehyuk swept his gaze around again.
Broken lights. Shattered decorations. Drinks spilled on the walls—dark in the shadows, like splattered blood. The cries of monsters and panicked screams echoed from outside, making the air inside feel even colder.
Kwak Seunggyu was hiding somewhere in here.
If I’d come alone, I might have stumbled through the dark and gotten ambushed—by a monster or by Kwak himself. In that sense, Taehyuk’s decision to follow me had been the right one.
He’s too fragile.
Before he realized it, Taehyuk’s eyes had settled on me.
My slender neck, the pale wrists peeking from under my sleeves—everything about me looked delicate. The waist he’d grabbed to save me had been so thin he’d genuinely been startled.
Even with barely any strength, I’d gasped and wheezed from the pain.
Can a human really be this soft?
Even as an awakened Supporter, my body was barely different from a normal civilian’s.
He understood that, intellectually—but this level of fragility had caught him off guard.
Ever since awakening as S-rank, Taehyuk had always fought at the front lines. He’d never been the type to protect Supporters from behind—let alone touch one so closely.
Thinking that far, he frowned.
It was partly his own fault for not knowing his own strength—but it was also my fault, for charging into danger like I wasn’t a Supporter at all.
“Guildmaster.”
I clearly hadn’t learned how a Supporter should be protected.
Who knew what kind of life I’d lived before forming the Won Guild—but if I’d been under Taehyuk’s care, he wouldn’t have let me do any of this.
“Guildmaster.”
If I ever joined his guild... he’d make sure I got the treatment I deserved. He’d protect me himself—or assign someone trustworthy to my side.
With my skill level hidden, only he might benefit from my buffs. Maybe that was better. It’d prevent complications if I didn’t boost other Hunters and cause rumors...
“Guildmaster Kwon!”
“...Eh?”
His inner monologue snapped off like a cut wire at the sharp voice.
He blinked and looked up—to find me staring at him, eyes narrowed with barely concealed irritation.
[Main Quest: Capture the Research Lab Affiliate Hidden in the Event Venue (Time Remaining: 9 hours 15 minutes)]

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