Reincarnator’s Stream

Counter-Fight.

It was the biggest festival of the Tower and simultaneously the most brutal day.

The worlds that placed low in the Counter-Fight ended up with countless casualties. The weak of a defeated world were consumed by the Tower and vanished.

“Mom….”

“It’s okay. This time, it will be alright.”

Worlds that did not have outstanding rankers prayed with clasped hands every time the Counter-Fight began.

Please, let us survive this year too.

On the other hand, the situation was completely different for worlds with numerous rankers who could even aim for victory.

For them, the Counter-Fight was a festival.

For rankers, it was a chance to prove their worth and increase their value, and for other players, it was a kind of game and spectacle.

“Aren’t they really idiots?”

Hailz, spinning a large hat around her finger, sneered as she looked through the list of participants.

Among this year’s Counter-Fight participants, the number of martial artists from Murim was significantly low. Not only was Jin Doha absent, who used to be the central figure, but many other key rankers from Murim also had drastically decreased.

She knew the reason.

They had truly done something outrageous.

“Did they really think they could do something about the Heavenly Demon?”

Heavenly Demon.

A being that didn’t belong anywhere, even in Murim.

Originally, his world was Murim, but ironically, he was also the one who inflicted the greatest damage on Murim.

Even looking at the current outcome, it was clear. Unlike Jin Doha and several martial arts clans that dropped out due to injuries, the Heavenly Demon proudly participated in the Counter-Fight.

It was as though he was advertising that he was still formidable.

Munch.

Hailz was munching on a chicken skewer she bought on the road and tapping her feet.

Not far away, she heard someone calling her.

“Hailz! Hailz~!”

Despite the desperate voice calling out for her, Hailz did not respond.

There was a huge crowd around her, but none of them could spot Hailz.

“Try and find me if you can. Bah.”

Swish, smack.

She threw the remaining skewer stick towards the guild member who was searching for her.

The guild member, puzzled by the flying skewer stick, screamed in surprise.

“Ahhh! Stop hiding and come out!”

“No way!”

Hailz stuck out her tongue at the man with spiky hair like a porcupine. Even though he was just in front of her, he couldn’t see her.

Both her appearance and sound were flawlessly concealed.

Hailz could vanish among people at her will.

“Is there anything else to eat?”

In this annoying event, where there was nothing but fighting, the only enjoyable thing was the food.

The streets were crowded with people who came to watch the Counter-Fight and vendors selling food to them.

While she was sneaking around without being noticed, something caught her eye.

“Oh?”

Hailz’s eyes widened, and her hat floated gently above her head.

“This looks interesting.”

* * *

Suhyuk and Cheon Ryang had been following Un Hyang since early morning.

“Candies! There are so many kinds!”

“Oh? This one is delicious too? What’s this called?”

“Hooch… baka… Oh? Cheon Ryang, isn’t this your specialty? It’s gambling!”

“Look, there’s a huge crowd over there; let’s go check it out!”

Un Hyang played as if she had been waiting for this day forever.

Some games even had a gambling nature to them, and Un Hyang did not stop Cheon Ryang from indulging today.

Suhyuk was exhausted, being dragged around by the two. He had little interest in street food or games.

‘They’re really having fun.’

He wondered how they managed to hold back while loving this kind of play.

Watching them from a step away was more entertaining than the festival itself. Since they had been working hard by his side every day, he was willing to let them have this much fun.

‘It also brings back some old memories….’

“Suhyuk, you should play a bit too.”

“No, thanks. There’s a match in the afternoon.”

“Wow~ You’re such a little trickster. Then let’s just play by ourselves, Yerang.”

“Yeah, let’s leave out the dark ones and just play.”

“Huh? Why am I left out?”

Yerang, Hyomin, and Minjae.

These three particularly loved this festival. Every time Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang played, it brought back memories of that time.

It was enjoyable.

Not because of the festival itself, but just being in this atmosphere was.

So once again, as they followed the path ahead, trailing behind Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang…

Whirr—.

Suddenly, the festival grounds changed colors.

It was as if a cutscene had started, turning everything a hazy shade of gray. The only thing that retained its original color was him.

It wasn’t just the space that had changed.

The noisy sounds around him, the sensation of people brushing past him—all of it was different from before.

“…Magic?”

“Wow, you figured it out right away?”

A woman with the same hair color as Suhyuk appeared from behind a sturdy man.

She was of average height, wearing glasses that seemed too large for her face, and a loose, white robe.

Most prominently, a hat hovered above her head, suspended impossibly far from her scalp.

“Then can you also figure out who I am?”

“Master Hailz… isn’t it?”

There was no mistaking it. He had met her in a previous life.

‘She’s grown up.’

Her appearance hadn’t changed much. She looked maybe two or three years older at most.

But her demeanor was entirely different.

The Hailz he’d known before had seemed somewhat naive. Now, her aura radiated the essence of a ‘Great Mage’.

“How did you know?”

“A complex spell capable of separating space, that unique hat, the glasses. Besides, today is Counter-Fight day, isn’t it?”

“Ah, right. That’s quite a lot of hints, isn’t it?”

“So why have you suddenly called me here?”

“Because I was bored. I’m on the run right now.”

Hailz was always unpredictable.

“I’m watching your streams closely. You’re doing great. Have you already climbed to the 8th floor?”

‘Is this because of the streams again?’

It didn’t seem to have any malicious intent. And the Hailz that Suhyuk knew wasn’t an evil person like the Heavenly Demon.

It appeared she’d become curious after watching his streams.

In any case, it would be strange if anyone who knew the past life of Lee Suhyuk wasn’t intrigued.

“Would you like to join our guild?”

Hailz’s eyes sparkled.

Apparently, this was her main agenda.

‘Guild recruitment.’

This was a direct offer from none other than Hailz.

If he took her hand, Suhyuk would undoubtedly gain immense power and support.

He could potentially grow strong enough to threaten Kim Ilsoo almost immediately.

But…

“Absolutely not!”

A boisterous voice interrupted Hailz’s proposal after only a brief pause.

Crash-!

A loud sound, as if shattering the glass. Although, no actual glass had been broken.

“No matter how amazing you are, you can’t take Suhyuk!”

Un Hyang, who had partially broken through Hailz’s spell, stepped in front of Suhyuk.

She was clearly very agitated, her shoulders heaving with anger.

But unfortunately, she only partially understood the situation.

She understood the nature of the proposal, but she didn’t recognize the true identity of the person making the offer.

“Huh?”

Un Hyang’s eyes then widened significantly.

As a long-time fan of Lee Suhyuk and someone deeply interested in Counter-Fight, she recognized the person in front of her immediately.

“Hail…z?”

“No need to explain, then.”

“Ahhh….”

Un Hyang’s mouth gaped open.

The strongest player in existence was undeniably the Heavenly Demon. And the only player the Heavenly Demon acknowledged in this era was none other than Hailz, who stood before her.

She was the only person in this world to have set foot in the Heavenly Demon’s domain.

“But….”

Un Hyang quickly snapped back to her senses.

“You can’t take Suhyuk-nim!”

“And who do you think you are?”

“I… I’m Suhyuk-nim’s manager!”

“Manager?”

Hailz tilted her head in confusion.

‘This girl is a manager?’

Stealing a glance, her eyes drifted toward her partially shattered magical space.

On the surface, it really looked like glass that someone had broken into. This phenomenon was caused by a strong physical force from outside.

This manager had discerned her magic, something even most high-rankers would find difficult to detect.

Furthermore, she had partially nullified the magic, stepping into an area Hailz had not permitted.

A mere manager possessing such skills?

Moreover….

“I see, you’re….”

Hailz’s eyes narrowed to slits.

“The child that the Divine Dragon Group has been desperately hiding.”

At that moment, a fierce aura erupted around Hailz.

Un Hyang, who faced it up close, felt as if she stood at the world’s end.

The ground collapsed beneath her, meteors and fiery rain fell from the sky.

In the face of such an unimaginable catastrophe, all the martial arts she had honed were rendered useless.

“Enough.”

It was Suhyuk’s voice that brought her back to reality.

“I don’t think my manager made such a big mistake. I have no intention of joining any particular guild anyway.”

“Is that so?”

As Suhyuk intervened, Hailz’s fierce demeanor vanished as if it were a mere illusion. She now wore a gentle expression.

She glanced back and forth between the streamer and his manager and murmured.

“Quite an intriguing pair.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing, I just find it interesting.”

The expression on Hailz’s face suggested she was thoroughly entertained. Suhyuk couldn’t understand why.

After pondering for a moment, Hailz extended her tiny hand forward.

“I won’t pursue the guild matter. How about we become friends? Shall we shake on it if you agree?”

“Becoming friends sounds great….”

Having ties with someone as skilled as Hailz held enormous value, far more than any points he could accumulate.

Though he was pleased by the prospect, he couldn’t help but question.

“Is it really just because you enjoy my streams?”

“I did enjoy watching your streams.”

“But there’s another reason, right?”

“I used to really like a guy who looked a lot like you.”

“……?”

Could it be?

‘Me?’

She continued, confirming his suspicion.

“But he died suddenly before I could even confess.”

Crack-.

At that moment, the mask on Suhyuk’s face began to peel away.

He desperately tried to hold it in place, but it was no use.

The mask was cracking, and no amount of holding it could stop it from shattering. It would soon fall to pieces.

Looking at Hailz, he saw a staff glowing in her hand.

“Really sorry. I’ll properly apologize later. But….”

She asked, as if out of genuine curiosity.

“Are you seriously not that guy?”

Crack-.

The mask on Suhyuk’s face fell away.