Reincarnator’s Stream

Lee Suhyuk and Un Hyang fell silent for a moment.

Although it was brief, Hailz’s words, which touched upon the truth of the world, were difficult to react to immediately.

The tower. The ceiling. The boundary. The cage….

It wasn’t only Hailz who felt stifled by those words.

“…What’s the reason you’re telling us this?”

Why would she tell them something like this when they had only met today?

Hailz lowered her head, which had been looking up at the sky, and gazed at Suhyuk.

“Just thought you might be able to break it.”

“How would I do that?”

“Not immediately, but someday.”

At that moment, Suhyuk realized who Hailz saw through him.

Even now, she was still seeing Lee Suhyuk through him. It was accurate but not entirely certain.

“Remember. We must prepare for ‘things that will happen someday’.”

At Hailz’ subsequent words, Suhyuk’s eyes twinkled.

“Do you know something about that day?”

“Hmm… a little?”

“Then…!”

“Shh.”

Hailz placed a finger over Suhyuk’s mouth.

“It’s too early for you to know yet.”

“……”

It seemed she had no intention of revealing more.

The 20-year gap suddenly felt palpable.

During those years, someone kept moving forward—gaining power, gathering information. In contrast, he had reincarnated for the first time.

‘I haven’t even reclaimed my original position yet.’

Though he had returned to the 8th floor, much like before, it wasn’t the same.

There was still a long way to go. When someone reached the ceiling, he had fallen to the ground.

“…Understood.”

Suhyuk didn’t rush her for answers.

If his own inadequacies were the issue, he would overcome them someday.

“Then I guess I’ll find out soon enough.”

Hailz smiled at Suhyuk’s confident response.

“You’re exactly like I saw on the stream. Even in my presence.”

It was astonishing.

That he could display such confidence before the Great Mage Hailz.

‘It wasn’t just an act.’

The persona seen on the stream wasn’t fabricated. He genuinely resembled Lee Suhyuk.

It was worth grasping him, even halfway forcibly.

“Hey… shouldn’t we be heading back soon?”

Un Hyang, who had been checking the time, cautiously spoke up.

“We’ve skipped out for too long.”

“Oh, right.”

Confirming the time, Hailz nodded.

Before they knew it, it was at a point where even if they left immediately, they’d barely make it on time. They had ventured too far to avoid unwanted attention.

“Let’s head back then.”

At Hailz’ command, the Red Dragon shifted direction.

Their destination was the arena where the Counter-Fight was unfolding.

* * *

The stage for the Counter-Fight was vast.

A massive dome-shaped field made of desert sand.

The arena for the Counter-Fight seemed more like a small city than a mere stadium.

“Is it really necessary to make the arena this grand? It’s not like we’ll use all of it anyway.”

A woman, standing at the edge of the arena with folded arms, muttered in a brusque voice.

The short-haired young woman surveyed the rankers gathered at the venue.

She wore martial clothes with the inscription Myul-Ak. Though the clothes appeared ordinary at a glance, they weren’t something just anyone could wear.

“Myul-Ak…?”

“The leader of the Martial Alliance.”

“Is she the frontrunner for the Murim World this time?”

Participants whispered among themselves as they looked at the woman.

The woman was Namgung Hwayeong, the leader of the Martial Alliance.

She was not only the top expert of the Namgung family but also the representative leader of Murim.

Namgung Hwayeong had elevated the Namgung family to the top of the Eight Great Families and, having gained Jin Doha’s recognition, secured the position of leader of the Martial Alliance at a young age.

However, despite her status, she couldn’t become the number one in the Murim World.

‘The Murim World fears not the Alliance, but rather….’

Not only was she not number one, but she couldn’t even claim the second position.

With the Heavenly Demon breaking his concealment to participate in the Counter-Fight, her position was a mere fourth.

First was the Heavenly Demon, second Jin Doha, and third was Un Cheon-guk, the master of Divine Dragon Group.

“Impressive nerves. Even knowing who they’ll face in this Counter-Fight.”

“It seems so indeed.”

“The leader of the Murim Alliance might change in this Counter-Fight.”

Listening to their voices, one could tell.

What the world feared was the Heavenly Demon. Even the very foundation of the Murim Alliance, which etched annihilation into its core, was currently being ignored.

In her heart, she wanted to rip out their tongues and let their heads roll to the ground.

Clomp-.

But she couldn’t do that.

The one ruling this space right now was none other than him.

“Heavenly Demon…”

“It’s the Heavenly Demon.”

“Shh. Don’t make eye contact.”

Recently, he had once again crushed the Murim and imprinted fear onto the Tower.

He was a being of great power, capable of disregarding the law forged by countless united guilds.

“… He’s really here.”

The Heavenly Demon showed up at the Counter-Fight after several years.

As he walked, the path split before him. Even the top-ranking players, who usually walked with shoulders squared, gave him a wide berth, afraid that even their clothes might brush against him.

Without a care for this, the Heavenly Demon continued walking. As he surveyed the area, a slight scowl formed on his brow, seemingly not finding who he sought.

“… Not here yet.”

Not here yet?

Who?

His single comment threw the entire hall into murmurs.

“Who is he talking about?”

“Is it Hailz?”

“It can’t be anyone but the Great Mage. Look, she isn’t here, is she?”

The only ranker who could attract the Heavenly Demon’s attention was Hailz. Until now, at least, that had been the widely accepted theory.

But recently, there was another super rookie.

“Could it be Lee Suhyuk?”

Lee Suhyuk.

The only player in the history of the Tower to have overcome the terror that was the Heavenly Demon.

But the Lee Suhyuk mentioned here was absolutely not him.

“The Heavenly Demon? No way.”

“Isn’t that too far-fetched? No matter what, the Heavenly Demon wouldn’t be interested in such a rookie….”

“Now that you mention it, where is that kid?”

Coincidentally, neither Hailz nor Lee Suhyuk had yet arrived at the venue.

Had either of them been present, it would have been clear who was being referred to. But in this situation, it was hard to pinpoint anyone for sure.

However, public opinion still leaned towards Hailz.

In this era, the only player capable of standing against the Heavenly Demon was Hailz.

Rumbllllle-

The sky darkened at that moment.

Something enormous cloaked the sky like thick dark clouds.

As the shadow formed, participants in the hall raised their heads.

Roarrrr-!

A tremendous roar echoed across the sky.

As a few rankers mistook it for the appearance of a monster and went to draw their weapons or cast their skills, voices from all around halted them.

“Stop! That’s…!”

“It’s the Great Mage’s dragon!”

The summoned creature of the Great Mage Hailz.

The Red Dragon Volkanus.

It had appeared in the sky above the Counter-Fight.

Flap-.

Gradually folding its wings, the Red Dragon descended.

Just as a path had formed around the Heavenly Demon, space opened up for Hailz’s arrival.

Thud-.

The Red Dragon landed on the ground.

The Heavenly Demon, Jin Hwaryung, looked up at the Great Mage’s figure on its back.

It had been several years since the Heavenly Demon and the Great Mage had gathered in one place.

The participants thought.

Starting from this moment, the long-dormant Tower had begun to awaken and roar.

“Are we the last ones to arrive?”

A bright and cheerful voice floated down from the Red Dragon’s back.

It was the voice of the Great Mage Hailz.

Her clear and distinct words made the participants ponder.

‘We’?

“We are indeed a bit late.”

At that moment, another participant poked their head out beside Hailz.

“Don’t you think this is a bit too flashy?”

“Why does it matter? No matter how we make our entrance, we’ll get the same amount of attention.”

“That’s your story.”

A participant wore a familiar mask.

Among all the finalists of the Counter-Fight, there was only one participant with such a mask.

“Lee Suhyuk?”

Streamer Lee Suhyuk.

He started gaining recognition through his streams and had now risen to fame as a super rookie who reached the 8th floor in the shortest time.

He appeared on the red dragon with the Great Mage.

Seeing this, the Heavenly Demon muttered.

“He has arrived.”

Participants’ gazes turned toward the Heavenly Demon’s lips at his murmur.

He had arrived? Who exactly was he referring to?

If he was referring to the Great Mage, it was understandable. She was the only player who reached the Heavenly Demon’s domain.

But if.

If the one the Heavenly Demon had been waiting for wasn’t the Great Mage but Lee Suhyuk….

“Gwiyeong.”

“Yes, Lord.”

Swish—.

At Namgung Hwayeong’s command, a masked figure appeared from her shadow.

“Contact that guy as soon as the Counter-Fight ends.”

“As for Lee Suhyuk, I believe the Alliance has already tried reaching out to him.”

“… Is that so? Well, if he is still single-handedly doing his thing, he must be quite the obstinate one.”

No guild would leave such a gem untouched.

Yet, the fact that he was still alone meant that Lee Suhyuk had rejected offers from every guild that contacted him.

“Perhaps the Great Mage took him?”

A player stood between the Heavenly Demon and the Great Mage. Their interest couldn’t help but be piqued.

“… I’m curious. What kind of person could he be.”

* * *

Cheon Ryang stood before a giant screen that aired the Counter-Fight.

Originally, around this time, he should have been preparing snacks to support them in front of this screen. However, instead of snacks, Cheon Ryang was busy searching for Un Hyang and Suhyuk.

“Where could they have gone?”

In just ten minutes, the Counter-Fight would begin.

However, Un Hyang and Suhyuk were still out of contact.

He frantically searched through the crowd, but he couldn’t spot the two.

Searching through all the audience and players here would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

As such bleak and hopeless thoughts crossed his mind.

“Yap.”

A pressure was applied to Cheon Ryang’s cheek as Un Hyang appeared from among the crowd.

“Looking for me?”

“You rascal….”

“Rascal?”

“… rascal.”

“You cheeky!”

Relieved at Un Hyang’s sudden appearance, Cheon Ryang relaxed. Since they disappeared together, he thought Suhyuk would have returned by now too.

“Where did you go? And what about Suhyuk?”

“He went over there already.”

“Straight to the venue? That’s a relief. Just in time.”

Seeing Cheon Ryang relax, Un Hyang belatedly apologized.

“Sorry. There was something urgent.”

“What was so urgent? Were you two on a date?”

“I wish, but unfortunately, that wasn’t it.”

Un Hyang nonchalantly shrugged as she made a shocking statement.

“The Great Mage took him.”

“What? The Great Mage?”

“Yes. So I had to follow them. Look here.”

Un Hyang pointed to the screen behind Cheon Ryang as she spoke.

Thud, the screen shook, and a red dragon landed on the ground.

On top of the red dragon were the Great Mage Hailz and Suhyuk. Cheon Ryang was speechless for a moment, wondering what on Earth happened.

“See? Told you it was true.”

“… Really is.”

After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Cheon Ryang asked.

“What the heck happened?”

“I don’t know exactly what happened.”

Un Hyang shook her head and looked at the screen.

“But something’s bound to happen.”

More precisely, at the faces of Suhyuk and Hailz filling the screen.