[Present – Dorm Room]
Just thinking about Geulimja sent a cold shiver down my spine. As if to remind me of our encounter, the dull ache in my side flared up once again, sharp and stinging—right where his strike had landed.
'Geulimja…'
In the original novel, he was introduced only briefly—a loyal servant of Yeon-Seo, her silent shadow. But in the spin-off story centered around Yeon-Seo herself, he became one of the most significant characters in the narrative. A relentless ghost of vengeance… an echo from the past that refused to fade.
Geulimja had once been a hunter—no, not just a hunter, but an assassin trained from childhood. Raised in the shadows, molded to kill without hesitation. But at some point in his bloody path, someone had reached out to him.
That person was Yeon-Ha. Yeon-Seo's twin sister.
She had taken him in, cared for him when no one else would. For the first time in his life, he was treated as something more than a weapon. Under her guidance, he changed. He shed the assassin's skin and became her personal bodyguard—a silent protector who learned what it meant to be human.
But when Yeon-Ha died…
That version of him—soft, reformed, loyal—died with her. What rose in her place was a monster. A man with no room left in his heart for compassion or reason. Only a singular purpose kept him moving: to find the one who took Yeon-Ha from him.
'By losing my cool with Yeon-Seo… by mentioning Yeon-Ha in front of her… I sealed my fate.'
Now Geulimja a bottom-ranked E+ was after me.
With a sigh, I held out my hand, and a familiar object materialized in my palm. It was a small glass bottle, elegant and fragile, the liquid inside shimmering with hues of pink and violet.
"Without you, I wouldn't have made it out alive…"
[Replica Draconic Vial]
[Card Rarity: ★★★☆☆]
[Card Rank: D]
[Description: A legendary potion distilled from the blood of dragons, revered by mankind. A single sip will close wounds, deep or shallow.]
[Uses Remaining: 1/20]
[Additional Info: This is a replica of the original. While still potent, its effectiveness is considerably reduced depending on the user's rank.]
'A Draconic Vial…'
It was the first time the system had given me an item I actually recognized from the original story.
the Draconic Vial was a rare and invaluable item, forged from the blood of dragons found on the higher floors of a tower. Known for its miraculous properties, the vial could heal wounds of any severity—deep gashes, internal bleeding, even shattered bones—within moments of consumption.
It was the kind of treasure you wouldn't even see until the end of your life. And here I was, holding a (weakened) replica…
'Yup, I'm really lucky… sometimes..'
I dismissed the vial with a flick of my wrist and rose to my feet, stretching my limbs despite the soreness still gnawing at me.
"Hnngh…"
When I turned around, I realized something odd—Sae-jin was no longer there.
"…Huh? He's already gone?"
I rubbed my eyes and peeked at the empty bed beside mine. He wasn't snoring. He wasn't sprawled out in his usual dramatic fashion. He was just… gone.
"Strange. I would've bet he'd be the type to oversleep."
I shrugged, assuming he'd gotten up early to train again. With his talent, he probably didn't feel the pressure of the upcoming exam the way I did.
"Not like I need to follow him around anyway. He's definitely gonna pass."
[SERA Academy Library]
[Welcome to the SERA Academy Library! Our archives hold over a century's worth of collected knowledge. Curious about the new world? We've got everything—from detailed monster profiles up to the 50th floor, to spellbooks containing B-rank incantations and beyond! Magic? History?If you can think of it, we've got it!]
A bright, slightly robotic voice echoed from the entrance tablet, spouting off the usual promotional lines like a broken record.
"Whoa… look at him."
"He's hot. Should I ask for his number?"
"Wait—isn't that the guy from Class A-20? The one who beat his entire classmates with some weird technique yesterday ?"
"Yeah, that's him. He looks strong as hell…"
Whispers followed him like a gentle breeze through the stacks of books. Dozens of students stole glances in his direction, their conversations dropping to hushed murmurs as he passed.
A boy with sleek black hair, an athletic build that fit perfectly in the SERA Academy uniform, and piercing golden-brown eyes that shimmered faintly under the lights… walked silently between the shelves.
Kim Sae-jin.
His expression was calm, focused, and utterly uninterested in the chatter around him. He was here for one purpose only.
'Now where was it again…?'
He navigated through the labyrinth of bookshelves, his eyes scanning each row with the practiced precision of someone who knew exactly what he was looking for. After a few more minutes, he stopped in front of one particular shelf, his gaze locking onto a familiar title.
"…There you are."
He reached out and pulled a thick, leather-bound tome from the middle of the shelf. Its cover was etched with intricate golden runes, glowing faintly with residual mana.
[The Draconic Manual]
A rare and restricted text
Sae-jin opened the book gently, flipping through the aged pages with reverence.
And as the warm glow of the runes illuminated his face, a small, knowing smile curled on his lips.
[Quest creation: In progress…]