"Come visit the UK when you have the time, Hajoon."
"If you're free later, give me a call. Soona would probably want to see you, too."
"If you're ever bored, come visit the US!"
"See you later, Hajoon!"
Two days later, after the academy's vacation ceremony concluded, Rokia Academy's break officially began.
One by one, the students said their goodbyes to Hajoon and headed back to their respective homes.
"Ahh, I want to go home."
However, Hajoon had no choice but to return to the dormitory.
Naturally, all of their original houses had burned down because of the villains.
Lying on his bed, Hajoon glanced at the tiny doll seated on his desk.
It subtly avoided Ha-joon’s gaze, as if it had been pricked by something.
The doll spoke, "There was nothing I could do at that time. It was an order from above."
"Sigh - I can't even destroy this thing."
Remembering that time made Hajoon want to smash all the dolls, but he chose to be lenient.
After all, breaking them wouldn't cause any harm to this little creature.
"Speaking of which, what about that guy?"
Obviously, Hajoon was referring to the villain who killed Hero Jang Hwan.
The villain who took down the second top-ranked hero in the nation.
Having a hunch about who the perpetrator might be, Hajoon asked of the doll.
Though the doll had aligned with Hajoon, the Villain Alliance wasn’t widely aware of this fact. Yet, the doll merely hung its head in silence.
The doll responded, "I tried, but I couldn't find him. Even for a member of the Villain Alliance, his location isn't easy to determine."
"..."
Was what it said true?
Hajoon squinted, scrutinizing the doll.
He couldn't fully trust the doll's words at face value.
Although the doll appeared submissive, their current relationship was based on a balance of power.
In other words, if the doll felt even one member of the Villain Alliance could defeat Hajoon, it could betray him at any moment.
Moreover, as far as Hajoon knew, the doll became a villain because of its intense hatred for heroes.
Simply trusting it was still a stretch given the lack of established trust.
Seeing Hajoon's expression, the doll added, seemingly aggrieved, "To be honest, I've only seen him once. He's so cautious that he hasn't shown himself for decades. This was the first time he personally engaged in such terrorism."
"…Hmm."
If it's going to that extent...
Though he didn't want to admit it, Hajoon was somewhat inclined to believe the doll.
Just as the doll said, the villain was so cautious that he had been avoiding Sage Choi Jungwon for decades.
If he had once again concealed himself, Hajoon wouldn’t have any way to track him down.
"And you'd do well not to underestimate him. From what I've seen, his power rivals that of great heroes."
Of course, Hajoon was aware of this and had some understanding.
As The Puppeteer said, the artifacts and skills he wields are truly dangerous.
".........."
However, hearing it from The Puppeteer's mouth felt somewhat ironic.
Was this a case of the pot calling the kettle black?
Regardless of strength, it was twisted for someone like The Puppeteer, who once targeted my life, to be warning me about someone else.
"But are you planning to stay here?"
".........."
The Puppeteer seemed momentarily uncomfortable, scratching his cheek. Then, he quickly stood up and walked towards the dormitory window.
With his short hands, he opened the window.
Before leaving, The Puppeteer respectfully bowed and said, "I'll come again later."
"Sure."
Hajoon casually waved him off, scratching his back.
And just like that, the uninvited guest left Hajoon's dormitory.
Despite all the incidents that had occurred, it was still vacation.
The very vacation Hajoon had been yearning for.
He had many things he wanted to do, but the primary plan was to relax for a week.
He would think about the rest later.
Hajoon stared at the ceiling, turning over, and began fiddling with his smartphone.
That's when it happened.
Ring-ring-
A call came in for Hajoon.
Upon seeing the name of the caller, Hajoon couldn't help but furrow his brow in annoyance.
[Caller: Emma]
It was Emma, a scout from the American Hero Association.
That afternoon at 1 o'clock.
"It's been a while, Student Hajoon."
Inside a cafe situated within the Academy, Hajoon was seated, facing a woman.
He hadn't seen her in a long time, but she wasn't exactly the face he wished to see now.
Considering she's a scout from the American Hero Association, she wouldn't come without a reason.
"It seems quieter in the Academy. Perhaps because it's vacation?"
"Yes. But you decided to visit right as the vacation started?"
With narrowed eyes, Hajoon gazed at her. He was hoping for a break, but her unexpected visit at the start of his vacation changed that.
Emma, looking slightly bitter, responded with a smile, "I'm sorry. It wasn't intentional. Just that the timing of the incident coincided with your break."
"Coincided, you say?"
"Yes."
"So, what's the matter?"
"Currently, there's an emergency at the American Hero Association. You're aware of Dungeon Breaks, right?"
Of course, he knew. A Dungeon Break referred to an old dungeon that collapses or explodes over time. Given the potential disasters that could arise from such an event, it was indeed a dangerous situation.
However, Hajoon found it curious that such a phenomenon would trigger an emergency at the American Hero Association since they could usually be prevented.
"Is a Dungeon Break that much of an emergency?"
With a curious look, Hajoon questioned Emma, who replied with a serious expression.
"Yes, because the predicted Dungeon Breaks are occurring in a place called 'the Abyss.' And there are two of them. For one of them, the world's top-ranked hero, Andre Heut has already intervened, preventing damage. However, he sustained severe injuries and is unable to participate in dealing with the second dungeon."
"Wait... the Abyss?"
The Abyss.
A land uninhabitable for humans, where the most dangerous monsters and creatures resided. In the Abyss, the dungeons are individually graded based on their threat level.
All dungeons in this region have a minimum grade of S-rank, and those closer to its core have even higher ranks, classified differently.
There are three such levels, and the most notable among them was the Immortal rank.
The Immortal rank referred to a dungeon in the center of the Abyss, deemed impossible for humans to conquer.
"It's not an Immortal-ranked dungeon, is it?"
Hajoon asked without much thought, but Emma's shocked response revealed otherwise.
"Goodness! If it's an Immortal-ranked dungeon, nobody can stop it. If that dungeon breaks, it could mean the end of America."
"So, which is it?"
"It's two levels below Immortal, the Worst rank. This dungeon is located on the boundary entering the Abyss."
The dungeons in the Abyss were divided into three ranks: Immortal, Boundary, and Worst. Of these, Worst was the only rank deemed conquerable by humans.
Of course, while all the dungeons in the Wasteland have been designated as S-rank in terms of danger, many dungeons beyond the boundary are inaccessible to humanity.
Anyway, having heard her out, Hajoon felt he could guess what she wanted to request.
Hajoon said, "I'm still a 17-year-old student, you know?"
Would any adult from any country really send a 17-year-old student into the Wasteland?
Though half of his rebuttal was simply due to his annoyance.
Emma responded with a slightly bitter smile, "And you're also the most famous hero in Korea."
"..."
"It's not a demand, of course. It's also mentioned in our contract. However, the American Hero Association desperately needs your assistance."
At that, Hajoon momentarily recalled a past memory.
The hero he met before his final exams.
Joa Elliot, the Prophecy Hero, ranked fifth worldwide.
He remembered the words she shared with him.
-The American Hero Association wishes to make a request of you, Irregular. Would you be willing to accept?
"Um, well..."
The request Joa Elliot mentioned.
He had expected a mission during the vacation, but he hadn't expected it to be today.
Moreover, he certainly hadn't expected it to be about conquering a dungeon in the Wasteland.
But having already agreed to help back then, it wasn't as though he could refuse now...
Ultimately deciding, Hajoon looked calmly at Emma and asked, "So when does this dungeon expedition start?"
Considering he possessed the Time Stop (SSS) skill, there wasn't much to be particularly worried about.
It might as well be like taking a sightseeing tour.
Seeing Hajoon's response, Emma looked shocked, her mouth agape, "You're not serious?"
"Yes, let's give it a try."
Hearing his answer, Emma responded with a beaming smile, pure joy evident in her eyes, "Ah! It's in a week."
A week before the scheduled dungeon raid in the Abyss, Hajoon visited the Hermes guild in Del Her right after parting ways with Emma at lunch.
"It's been a while~"
Lorelei greeted Hajoon, who she hadn't seen in some time, with a beaming smile.
However, Hajoon, maintaining his characteristic calm demeanor, settled on the sofa and looked at her. He then asked, "So, why did you call me?"
After parting with Emma, on his way back to the dormitory, Hajoon received a message which brought him here to the guild. Though he had come as requested, he was yet to hear the reason.
"You remember the request I made last time?"
"The request? Did you find something?"
"Yes, but not exactly Liber. Instead, I've located the young girl from the photo you showed me."
"The young girl? You mean the one who seemed to be Liber's sister?"
Hajoon stared back at Lorelei, seeking clarity.
"You found out where she is?"
"Yes, but it's not certain. We stumbled upon her by chance, and she only resembles the girl in the photo."
Saying this, Lorelei handed over a photograph to Hajoon. The photo depicted a young girl.
With silver long hair, deep ruby-red eyes, and sharp, hawk-like features, the girl in the image was captivating. As Hajoon looked at the picture, a look of puzzlement crossed his face.
"Are you sure this is her?"
"As I said, we aren't entirely certain. But we can always inquire and find out."
Hajoon recalled the photograph he had previously given to Lorelei as a clue. The girl in that photo was much younger.
Even though children tend to look more innocent, the ambiance the girl gave off in both pictures was starkly contrasting.
In the previous photo, she had a pure, cheerful smile, but now she seemed as sharp as a blade.
"Hmm..."
Hajoon pondered for a moment, scratching his head slightly. Regardless, if there was even a slight chance that she was Liber's sister, he had to find her.
"So, where does she reside?"
With a teasing smile, Lorelei replied, "England."
"?"
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