I Woke Up as the Villain

The dual match with Do-Jin was set for two weeks later. Because of that, the originally scheduled raid date was also pushed back a bit.

Thankfully, Woo-Jae and Bernard didn't mind. From Woo-Jae's perspective, the important thing was to finally conquer the dungeon. As for Bernard, he actually thought the delay was better as it gave him more time to become stronger. Meanwhile, Jin-Hyuk and Ye-Ryeong also decided to take the promotion evaluation for achieving B-rank.

In many ways, Do-Jin and Yu-Seong’s match was helping everyone gain more preparation time. And it was Yu-Seong himself who had requested more time for preparation.

When Yu-Seong came home and shared the news, Yu-Ri asked, "...Are you really confident?"

Yu-Ri knew well that Yu-Seong was formidable enough that it was difficult for him to find a worthy opponent among the hunters of the same rank. In fact, even Yu-Ri, who was competing at the upper level of A-rank herself, felt that the gap between her and Yu-Seong was getting narrower.

However, it was a problem that Do-Jin was going to be Yu-Seong’s opponent. He was someone who could not find a worthy opponent among hunters of the same rank, and there was a difference between struggling to find an opponent and not being able to find one at all.

It was a difference between being the strongest and being the one who chased the strongest. Yu-Seong was fully aware of this fact.

"There is always a champion who defends their title, but it is also common for a challenger to take away that title. I'm not confident yet, to be honest," Yu-Seong answered calmly.

“You are not confident to…not lose?” Yu-Ri asked, recalling Yu-Seong’s usual joke.

Yu-Seong slowly shook his head. "No, I mean it this time. I really don't have the confidence to beat Kim Do-Jin right now. To be clear, his combat power is at least one or two levels higher than mine."

"Is the difference really that big?" asked Do-Yoon, who had been standing next to them with his arms crossed.

Yu-Seong felt that the gap between himself and Do-Jin was one sheet of paper[1].

"Kim Do-Jin keeps a lot of his skills hidden, and he becomes even stronger when in a desperate situation."

In fact, this was often called the protagonist's buff. Yu-Seong didn't explain the situation any further. He knew that, even if he did explain, the information could not be easily understood.

"Is there a way?" Yu-Ri asked.

Yu-Seong nodded slowly. "I wouldn’t have accepted the duel without having a method in the first place. There is a way to make up for the shortcomings in a short period of time, even if it might not be enough for now.”

"How?"

"By finding a good master."

“...” Yu-Ri's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm serious," Yu-Seong said.

"Then, where is this good master?" Yu-Ri asked.

In fact, there were many skilled and talented people who were quite good at teaching, including Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon. However, they wouldn't be enough.

"I already know who it is. And because of that, I plan to be alone when learning from my master," said Yu-Seong with a firm look.

"What?"

"Just as I said. I can't be together with you two while training with my master. Please understand. My master is a very shy person.”

"But you don't know what might happen," Yu-Ri said.

"It's okay.”

"Young master, you have already been attacked by many villains. In the unlikely event that something happens..." said Do-Yoon.

“It doesn’t matter. The person I want to learn from is really strong," said Yu-Seong.

"You can't cover the sky with one hand," Yu-Ri cautioned.

Yu-Seong nodded his head. “That usually is the case, but my master…is different.”

He understood that the two wouldn't easily agree with his decision. After all, he couldn’t offer a lot of details regarding his decision.

However, if the master of Do-Jin from the original novel, who was the strongest figure in this world, were to be Yu-Seong's master, she could protect him even from the Demon King.

"Trust me again this time."

“You are asking us to trust in your future foresight again?” Yu-Ri asked.

By now, Yu-Ri had already guessed that Yu-Seong didn't really have the future foresight skill. This made her anxious, but seeing Yu-Seong's firm gaze, she couldn't oppose him any longer.

Do-Yoon was the same. Seeing Yu-Seong's resolute expression, he realized that no words could persuade him anymore. Then, he asked, "...Can you at least tell us where you'll be training?"

"Sorry. My master will hate that you have the location if I tell you anything.”

"How about giving you a ride nearby?"

Yu-Seong shook his head with a wry smile. He didn't have the confidence that the two wouldn't watch him from afar. If that was the case, the person who would become Yu-Seong's master would surely notice.

In the end, the two sighed in defeat and nodded.

"Will you contact us from time to time?"

"If you promise not to track my phone," answered Yu-Seong.

"Honestly, I can't promise that."

Yu-Seong chuckled. Slowly getting up from the sofa, he wore the cap he had prepared in advance and took the car keys from Do-Yoon, who often drove. He said, "I understand how you two feel. Thank you, and sorry. Please understand for now.”

Anyway, it was something he had decided to do before entering the Tower of Heaven again. It was something that he would have to face sooner or later, and the two eventually had to reluctantly give their approval.

"You're coming back in two weeks, right?"

"Of course."

"If you don't contact us after two weeks, we'll find you no matter where you are in the country."

Yu-Seong smiled at Yu-Ri and waved his hand lightly. He also wore his horn-rimmed glasses and a black mask. He said firmly, "I'll be back."

Do-Yoon silently bowed his head.

***

Namyangju, located in Gyeonggido, appeared to be a bustling city center. However, some parts of the outskirts were quite remote and peaceful countryside villages. It was in one of these villages that an Italian foreign car, with a rather loud exhaust sound, pulled up.

Yu-Seong parked the car in a secluded location away from the village and checked the location on his navigation system. Then, he nodded his head in confirmation. "I found the exact location.”

Rather than dragging a noisy car around and attracting attention, Yu-Seong thought that it would be better to walk quietly from this point onward. Thinking so, he got out of the car and started quietly walking down the country road with fields on both sides.

Even though the location wasn't far, every step felt heavy to him. After all, he was on his way to meet someone who could be called his first master in life. Maybe that was why he felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness in his heart.

After ten minutes of walking along the country road, he exchanged glances with a yellow dog that greeted him from the village entrance. He eventually stood in front of the gate of the closest house.

‘First, how should I greet her?’

Perhaps unfamiliar with being in a rural village, Yu-Seong found himself contemplating how to start the conversation as he stood at the house which had its door wide open.

Tap.

“Ugh!” Yu-Seong screamed and quickly turned around when someone tapped on his back.

"Huh? Why are you so surprised?" The woman clicked her tongue at Yu-Seong’s dumbfounded expression.

She was about 180cm tall, which was quite the height for a woman, and despite the chilly spring weather, she only wore a white plain T-shirt and jeans.

The woman looked up at the surprised Yu-Seong and tilted her head in wonder. "You look like the yangban I saw on TV. What are you doing in this countryside?"

"Pa, Park Ok-Rye?" Yu-Seong asked.

"You know me?" the woman asked in a calm, indifferent voice, and her eyes didn't even show a hint of caution.

Yu-Seong clearly knew the woman. In fact, he could not help but know her.

‘But I didn’t expect to meet her right away.’

Park Ok-Rye appeared to be in her mid-twenties despite being over sixty years old. She also didn't seem to belong in the rural village.

And just how could she maintain her youth like that? The secret, which made everyone in the village envious, was simple.

‘She is using her mana to stay young.’

It was quite a common practice among hunters. The problem was that Ok-Rye was not a hunter or a player, but she could actually control mana.

In this world, there were three types of beings who could use mana without going through the awakening process.

‘Non-human races, wizards, and transcendent beings.’

Ok-Rye belonged to the third group.

Yu-Seong forced his pounding heart to calm down, then removed his hat, glasses, and mask. With a bow, he said, "I came here to receive guidance."

He then wondered if he had said the right thing.

Ok-Rye turned her gaze to briefly look at Yu-Seong before saying with a smile, “Good, you’re handsome. You passed the first round. Sit down for now.”

She smirked and gestured with a tilt of her chin for Yu-Seong to sit at the table placed in the yard.

***

Park Ok-Rye, who was 63 years old but looked like she was under 25 in terms of physical appearance, brought kimchi and makgeolli[2] from the house.

As Yu-Seong sat in the yard, she handed him a brass cup and asked, "Do you know how to drink?"

"Yes, I do."

"Drink it."

Ok-Rye appeared to be very relaxed. She filled their cups with makgeolli and lightly clinked her brass cup with Yu-Seong’s before emptying her cup in one gulp.

"Damn, this is the real deal. Makgeolli's gotta be icy like this."

"Um… Grandma..."

"Grandma? Do I look like a grandma to you?"

With a somewhat awkward expression, Yu-Seong shook his head in response to Ok-Rye's question.

"Call me 'noona'."

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"...Huh?"

"If you don’t want to, you can leave."

"...Noona."

"Haha, it feels pretty good when a handsome person like you calls me noona." Ok-Rye chuckled somewhat oddly and drank several cups of makgeolli.

Then, she went on to say, "I remember seeing you on TV. You were the troublemaker in the Comet Group, but now you're known as the rising morning star—Choi Yu-Seong, the ninth child. I don't know how you found out about me, but I assume it's possible through the Comet Group. You might have found out somehow."

In reality, the Comet Group was not aware of Ok-Rye’s existence. They only vaguely knew that the South Korean government was hiding one of the three transcendent beings in the world like a secret weapon. In fact, Ok-Rye was a particularly special transcendent being among them.

Ok-Rye continued to drink makgeolli and slowly scanned Yu-Seong's body with her black eyes. Her actions seemed casual, but there was a strange and mysterious power that could be felt from her eyes.

Yu-Seong could only sit in front of Ok-Rye in a tense posture and remain silent.

"Let’s see. You have been training quite well. Unlike most players these days, you have steadily built your foundation and improved. Even without my guidance, you are quite capable of receiving quite a bit of attention. Why did you bother to come here?"

"I want to defeat someone."

"Is there someone among S-rank hunters who you hold a grudge against?"

"We are of the same rank."

"Someone comparable to you in the same rank... Ah, Kim Do-Jin. That guy." Ok-Rye chuckled and nodded in understanding. "He's a monster. He'll soon be in the same realm as me."

In the original novel, Do-Jin also became a transcendent being like Ok-Rye. However, Yu-Seong was aware that Ok-Rye was an even greater monster than Do-Jin.

Ok-Rye was an infinite reincarnator, having already lived 99 lives and was currently living her 100th life as a transcendent being. This was why she was known as the strongest character in the original novel's world.

1. The Korean idiom used to metaphorically express that the difference in quantity or degree is minimal ☜

2. makgeolli is a traditional Korean liquor that is usually made by fermenting rice or wheat with nuruk (a type of fermentation starter). ☜