Chapter 124. Transaction (1)

Hocheol frowned.

Who the hell was spouting this nonsense?

Intent on at least seeing their face, he raised his arm and turned.

But before he could, the voice behind him stopped him.

“You’d better stay still. The moment you turn, this conversation ends.”

Hocheol froze for a moment.

This wasn’t some random villain.

They knew his past in detail.

Coming to the academy to confront him meant they had a clear purpose.

If he let them slip away without gleaning any information, it’d leave a bad taste.

Of course, that was only if they escaped.

Hocheol smirked.

“Right. After prison, it’s not a conversation—it’s a statement.”

The presence behind him was barely a meter away.

With his trait, he could catch them even if they had teleportation.

But the man was confident.

“Try it, then. Some things can’t be caught, no matter how fast you are.”

Hocheol paused again, narrowing his eyes.

If they knew his trait and were this confident, they must have a trump card.

Weighing the pros and cons, he relaxed his hand.

No civilians were hurt, and they seemed to want a conversation, so he wouldn’t throw away the chance to gather intel just because they were annoying.

“I’ll let it slide for now. What’s your business?”

“I’m here to invite you to join our organization.”

“You’re out of your mind.”

Hocheol nearly turned, forgetting the earlier threat.

The man’s words were beyond nonsense—utter garbage.

“You start with that kind of provocation and expect a good response…”

He stopped mid-sentence.

After a brief pause, he came to a conclusion.

“This invitation’s from someone else. And you don’t like it, do you?”

“Exactly.”

The man readily admitted Hocheol’s near-certain guess.

“It’s an order, so I follow, but my attitude’s my own.”

His voice carried genuine regret.

“By the way, I can’t understand why they are such fans of a pathetic guy like you.”

The sarcastic muttering held crucial information, and Hocheol zeroed in.

“A fan of me?”

Given his villain days, having a fan seemed unlikely.

“Yes. They said your past self might’ve truly changed the world, watching your actions like a movie, completely engrossed.”

There was even a hint of jealousy in his voice.

“But now, they say they can’t sense that intense violence, that overwhelming power, that vivid presence in you anymore.”

The man let out a faint sigh.

“That’s why they set aside their role as a distant fan and offered you this golden opportunity.”

The implication that their villainous offer was genuinely valuable left Hocheol dumbfounded.

These guys were seriously insane.

Realizing his opponent was mentally unhinged, Hocheol grew calmer.

He tossed out some bait.

“A golden opportunity, huh? Unlike you nobodies, I’ve already had a real offer from that side.”

“You mean Eclipse’s invitation. We know.”

The man replied calmly, not surprised.

Oddly, they knew about that too.

That meant they’d maintained that level of intelligence for over a decade.

Why such a capable villain group stayed under the radar, and why they approached him now, was beyond him.

Two possibilities came to mind.

They were either truly insane.

Or their villain organization’s capabilities surpassed Eclipse’s.

Honestly, Hocheol thought the latter was unlikely.

No matter how large or solid an organization, it would grovel before overwhelming power.

“So you know what he offered?”

“Obvious. A top spot ruling this country, or at best, half the world.”

Hocheol scratched his ear.

Eclipse’s actual offer wasn’t that grand, but he could’ve given it if Hocheol wanted.

“Then you’re saying you can offer something better than half the world?”

“No.”

“Then there’s no reason for me to join you…”

“There is.”

Cutting him off, the man declared firmly.

“A transaction isn’t about offering something grand—it’s about offering what the other needs.”

Like a bottle of water in a desert being worth more than gold, everyone’s needs differ.

“That’s true enough. So what do I need more than half the world?”

Right now, he needed the iced coffee he couldn’t order.

And this guy was getting in the way.

“This is their message.”

The man cleared his throat.

“If you join us, we’ll bring back the people you cherish. Your parents, and even her…”

He couldn’t finish the sentence.

“You crazy bastard.”

Hocheol, already turned, swung a fist at the man.

His enraged punch wasn’t for subduing or capturing.

Meant to obliterate, it left no afterimage, surpassing human perception with his trait activated.

Slipping through the gaps of time, an unavoidable move.

Yet his fist cut through empty air.

The moment he turned and swung, no one was behind him.

The aftermath of his trait hit the café like a bomb.

Kwaaang—!

Screams erupted as every glass in the café shattered.

Only then did Hocheol see the chaos, letting out a long sigh.

He was in for some heat.

* * *

Less than ten minutes after Hocheol wrecked the café, the dean stormed in.

The empty café had Hocheol sitting alone, greeting him.

“You’re on break but still clocking in like it’s a job?”

The dean had no time for banter.

His single eye scanned the café.

He’d heard the story on the way, but seeing it was another matter.

“…How does a café end up like this?”

“I used my trait. Misjudged the power.”

“Someone like you?”

The dean asked, incredulous.

It wasn’t that Hocheol used his trait.

With a villain involved, not using it would’ve been odd.

But a power miscalculation was serious.

Trait output depended on skill, emotions, and mental state.

Hocheol’s skill was beyond question, so this was purely mental.

A serious issue.

Under the dean’s shocked gaze, Hocheol sighed faintly.

“It was a guy who knew my villain face.”

The dean let out an “Ah,” understanding immediately.

“Then they’re no small fry.”

Those who knew Hocheol’s true face were a rare few in this country.

It required skill, intelligence, connections, and luck.

“Purpose or other info?”

“Judging by their knowledge of my villain days, they’ve got history. Strong intel too. No name or real purpose, but the reason they came today…”

Hocheol lifted the cup he was holding.

Sipping through the straw, he muttered.

“They wanted me to join them as a villain.”

“A recruitment offer? That’s insane.”

The dean knew Hocheol had received similar offers from Eclipse twice.

His presence here was enough.

So there was no worry.

If Hocheol wanted to be a villain, why bother with this?

“Exactly.”

Coffee slurped through the straw, emptying the half-full cup in one go.

The dean, struck by a sudden thought, crossed his arms.

“Strange, though. With that kind of intel, they should know you’d never agree. Too risky without a basis.”

“Well…”

Hocheol fell silent.

Their offer had a basis—reviving his loved ones.

That was critical to share with the dean.

But his lips wouldn’t move.

He set the cup down.

But instead of the table, he placed it where there was none.

The cup fell.

Clang—!

It shattered.

The dean looked between the broken cup and Hocheol.

“You okay?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Just thinking about those villains.”

Hocheol answered awkwardly, bending to pick up a shard.

“You’re gonna clean that up piece by piece?”

“Right.”

At the dean’s remark, Hocheol straightened, realizing his mistake.

Making such absurd errors back-to-back, he was completely distracted.

That one line—nonsense that grated his nerves to explosion—lingered in his ears.

Reviving loved ones.

Thoughts swirled, clouding his vision.

Utter nonsense, worthless garbage.

Yet—

“No idea. Probably just crazy.”

For some reason, Hocheol didn’t tell the truth.

Twirling the sharp shard in his hand, he stayed silent, lost in thought.

His thoughts grew long.

Questions chained together, shifting directions and processes, yet always landing at the same conclusion.

What held him back were promises to a dead friend, borrowed morals, and beliefs.

A sense of duty and debt.

But if that guilt could be erased… Maybe… No, that didn’t matter.

If he could see her again, no matter the cost…

After a long silence, Hocheol clenched his fist lightly, then opened it.

The shard should’ve cut him, but his palm was unscathed.

The shard turned to dust, scattering.

“Yeah. Why’d they do it? No clue.”

With that, he stood from the chair.

He hid the most critical detail.

Even he couldn’t pinpoint his true feelings.

“Alright. We’ll check the CCTV.”

“Yeah. And sorry, but can you handle the injured and the café cleanup?”

“You’re really working me like a grunt. Fine.”

The dean nodded readily.

No one was hurt, and neither he nor Hocheol had time for this.

Money could solve it.

But watching Hocheol’s retreating figure, the dean felt uneasy.

He couldn’t place it and let him go.

* * *

Late at night.

Hocheol looked around, his expression souring.

It’d been quiet lately, but—

“This dream again?”

Black smoke rose, rubble from collapsed buildings scattered.

Rolling corpses and piercing screams—it was barely different from hell.

This damn dream.

“Fucking MT.”

Since that villain’s mental attack during the Membership Training, he’d had this dream periodically.

Knowing it was a dream didn’t let him wake. He could force himself awake.

But even if he did in those brief seconds, the dream would run its full course.

So Hocheol walked aimlessly.

The destination was the same no matter where he went.

The scenery shifted rapidly.

Suddenly, he stood inside a building.

In the empty interior, someone appeared.

“Heyy!”

Blonde hair, green eyes with a hint of blue, a playful smile and voice.

The first friend in Hocheol’s life.

But it wasn’t a moment for casual greetings.

A rebar as thick as an arm pierced her abdomen, red blood gushing out, pooling on the floor.

A sequence he had to endure in this wretched dream—starting with meeting her dying, ending with her complete death.

A friend who’d died dozens of times in his dreams.

Looking at her, Hocheol’s lips moved.

He never spoke in this dream.

Knowing it was a dream, talking to a figment of his mind was pointless.

But today was different.

Hocheol slowly opened his mouth.

“I know it’s impossible.”

Reviving the dead?

If that were possible, this fragile society would’ve collapsed long ago.

It couldn’t, shouldn’t happen.

But—

“You.”

Covering his eyes with the back of his hand, Hocheol looked up.

“I wish you were alive. That’s all.”

He lowered his hand.

Then I stepped back.

Until her final breath, she never lost her smile.

But for the first time, it vanished.

Her serious expression opened her lips, words forming.

As they began to take shape—

Hocheol opened his eyes.

Normally, he’d see a dark room, the ceiling faintly visible.

But not today.

The first thing he saw was a red curtain surrounding him.

Not a curtain—fine threads woven tightly.

Threads that were hair.

At the center of the red hair curtain was Ji-an.

Inches from his face, she stared down at him.

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