Memorize

Four people emerged from the thick bushes, three men and one woman. All of them had disheveled hair, and their clothes were so tattered that they looked like beggars. Of course, since we didn't look much better ourselves, we weren't in any position to laugh at them.

I quickly took note of each person's characteristics. The man standing on the far left had short, cropped hair and was holding a longbow in his right hand. He seemed to know how to handle a bow. With his lips firmly closed and his sunken eyes staring at us, I got the impression that he had a quiet personality.

"Huh...?"

At that moment, I felt a strange sense of familiarity. If my memory was correct, he used to operate in the Hall Plain. While his face was a bit common, I decided to move on and shifted my gaze clockwise to the next person.

The one leading the group had hair that reached almost to his waist. His face was slender, and his body was slim enough that from behind, one might mistake him for a woman. However, his strong jawline and sharp eyes made it clear that he was a man.

In the center of their group was a woman who appeared to be under their protection. She had an elegant appearance, and her eyes nervously darted between us and her surroundings. It seemed like she was looking for something.

Lastly, on the far right, there was a man spinning a dagger in his hand, baring his teeth in a grin. Just from the look of him, I didn't like his playful attitude.

A brief silence fell between us, and the man leading the group glanced at us before speaking in a raspy voice.

"Looks like they're survivors, just like us."

"We met survivors last time too, so it's not that surprising." The man with the bow replied in a stiff voice. Then, the man playing with the dagger looked at us, let out a small laugh, and, as expected, started to act up.

"Tsk, tsk... You all look like you're in your early twenties. Just kids... poor things."

At those words, An Hyun, seemingly enraged, stepped forward, raising his shield. I quickly grabbed his shoulder and quietly shook my head. It was a signal for him to stay calm. Fortunately, he seemed to understand and, though he gritted his teeth, took a step back. The dagger-spinner smirked, his eyes widening in mock disbelief.

"Did you see that? That punk over there, the one who looks like a thug, got all worked up over what I said. Geez, can't say anything these days. So scary."

"You started it, picking a fight. Just step aside and let Jung-Min handle it for now."

"Tch."

The man with the bow chastised him, causing the dagger-spinner to pout and reluctantly go silent. However, by now, all of our faces had hardened. It was only natural; they were completely ignoring us and chatting amongst themselves, which was bound to be infuriating.

Just as the tension was about to reach its peak, the long-haired man spoke up.

"Well, it's good to meet you all. My name is Wu Jung-Min. As you probably know, we're all just people who ended up stuck in this hellhole by chance."

'Wu Jung-Min. The Crimson Canine Clan Lord?'

Memories suddenly flashed through my mind, and I couldn't help but feel startled. Could it really be him, the one infamous for wielding twin daggers, who was called a devil? Was the man standing before me truly Wu Jung-Min?

Without hesitation, I activated my Third Eye.

『 Player Status 』

 Name: Wu Jung-Min

 Gender: Male (26)

 Height/Weight: 177.9 cm / 65.7 kg

 Alignment: Neutral • Chaotic (True • Chaos)

『 Abilities 』

 [Strength 51]　[Resistance 43]　[Agility 59]　[Vitality 48]　[Magic 55]　[Luck 36]

Wu Jung-Min's player information shattered my belief that no one could surpass An Hyun based on the average strength shown in the rites of passage. The fact that the man before me was none other than Wu Jung-Min, the leader of the Crimson Canine Clan who would later become a central figure in the Allied Forces, left me stunned.

"…An Hyun. Same here." An Hyun replied curtly.

At his brusque response, the noise among Wu Jung-Min's group grew louder. Meanwhile, I instinctively heightened my senses, sharpening my awareness of everything around me. If this guy really was Wu Jung-Min, then I might not know about the others, but I had a good idea of who the archer was. He was someone who would later claim one of the top 10 spots in the latter stages of the Hall Plain…

For a brief moment, I considered killing them. But I quickly dismissed the thought. If I were alone here, I wouldn't have hesitated, but with my companions around, it was impossible. By now, both our group and Wu Jung-Min's group had naturally drawn their weapons, facing off against each other. The guy spinning the dagger sneered at An Hyun in an unpleasant tone.

"See? This is why you shouldn't be too nice to kids. An Hyun, was it? If you don't want to die, you should start speaking more politely."

"We don't have time to fight right now," The woman in the center finally spoke.

"How many times have we been through this? Killing them won't take long. You just sit tight." The dagger guy retorted immediately. His response earned him a sharp glare from the woman, her eyes now radiating a deadly intensity. Feeling the sting of her gaze, the dagger-wielder smacked his lips before finally nodding and continuing in a more resigned tone.

"Alright, alright, I get it. Stop glaring at me before you bite my head off. Just kidding, just kidding. Geez, I can't even joke around these days... Anyway, listen up, kiddos. This guy here is Cheon Seung-Hyun. I've got a little question for you: those five monkeys over there... were they your kills?"

"And if they were?" I thought to myself, Cheon Seung-Hyun, huh? You're dead the next time we meet in the Hall Plain. Just as that thought crossed my mind, a sharp voice rang out, reverberating through the air. The voice was laced with thorns, and I desperately hoped it wasn't Lee Yun-Jung, but of course, it was. With her pride as high as it was, there was no way she'd ignore someone like Cheon Seung-Hyun, who seemed like an upgraded version of Park Dong-Gul. 

Cheon Seung-Hyun blinked at her response before breaking out into a roaring laugh.

"Puhahaha~! Oh man... hold it together, hold it together... Hahaha! This brat... alright, I'll let this one slide. But listen here, we're not exactly in a great mood right now. We're also reeeeally, super busy, okay? So, let's just answer the questions, play nice, and part ways. Oh, and be sure to watch your mouth, alright? Not that you have to, though. This is your last warning."

As Cheon Seung-Hyun finished his little speech, Lee Yun-Jung's face twisted into that familiar smirk, full of scorn.

"Crazy bastard. What an idiot. What are you gonna do if you don't warn me? Look at this fool, acting all high and mighty like he's someone important. Pathetic loser." 

Lee Yun-Jung's sharp tongue cut through the air as expected. Cheon Seung-Hyun, in many ways, was similar to Park Dong-Gul. As Yun-Jung spat out her venomous words with a scowl, Cheon Seung-Hyun unexpectedly just looked at us for a moment, then let out a deep sigh and reached for his dagger. I clenched my left hand, ready for what might come next.

"Kids and women only listen when you hit them, huh? Well, take care."

Still cursing under his breath, Cheon Seung-Hyun suddenly raised his right hand and brought it down with full force towards Yun-Jung. At the same time, I saw one of the daggers he'd been playing with fly straight toward her forehead with deadly precision. Just as I was about to pull her out of harm's way, An Hyun, who had been on high alert from the start, quickly moved in with his shield raised. He had been ready for this.

"Kang!"

"Ping! Thud."

"Aaaargh!"

The dagger collided with An Hyun's shield with a loud clang and fell to the ground. At the same moment, Cheon Seung-Hyun was sent sprawling backward, clutching his right hand where an arrow had struck him. The situation had unfolded rapidly: while An Hyun blocked the dagger, I had adjusted my aim and shot an arrow at Cheon Seung-Hyun's hand.

I didn't expect the others to just stand by, of course. As soon as the chaos erupted, the archer from their group swiftly drew his bow and aimed at me. Sensing the danger, I prepared to fire my own arrow in response, but all I heard was the hollow twang of an empty bowstring. 

In my panic, I summoned more of my power, nocking three arrows at once. I aimed my crossbow at the archer's forehead, ready to fire. At the same time, I activated my Third Eye.

『 Player Status 』

 Name: Seon Wu-Yun 

 Gender: Male (25) 

 Height/Weight: 180.9 cm / 78.4 kg 

 Alignment: Mean•Neutral (True•Neutral) 

A/N:- 'Mean' here means one who avoids extreme.

『 Abilities 』

 [Strength 45]　[Resistance 48]　[Agility 62]　[Vitality 54]　[Magic 50]　[Luck 50] 

This man was formidable, but I had him in my sights.

"Click! Clack!"

It was indeed Seon Wu-Yun. That archer, who had claimed one of the strongest positions in the latter part of Hall Plain. He had fired an arrow at another member of our group and was reloading. There was a slight time gap, but my stats were likely far superior to his, so I managed to aim at his head almost simultaneously. I was only slightly faster, but Seon Wu-Yun must have realized this too, as his previously indifferent eyes now wavered.

A tense silence hung between us. Even though no one spoke, I could feel An Hyun, Lee Yun-Jung, and Kim Han-byeol gripping their weapons tightly, ready to fight if needed. I felt a small sense of pride in their resolve, even in such a dire situation. Meanwhile, Cheon Seung-Hyun, who had been struck, was rolling on the ground, screaming and making the scene chaotic.

"Aaaaah! Aaaaagh! Kill him! Hey! Kill that bastard right now! Kill him!"

"…You threw the dagger first, Seung-Hyun. So shut up already, you embarrassing fool."

Cheon Seung-Hyun, who had been throwing a fit, quieted down, clutching his injured hand after hearing Wu Jung-Min's cold rebuke. I glanced at Yun-Jung, who was slightly trembling. She probably hadn't expected him to actually throw a dagger at her. 

Wu Jung-Min, who had been silently observing the situation, looked at Cheon Seung-Hyun with a mix of pity and disgust before turning his attention back to us.

"I apologize. But let's stop here, shall we? There's no real benefit for either side to continue this."

"I'd like to, but that guy over there hasn't lowered his bow." I replied.

"Seon Wu-Yun, stand down. Lower your bow." Wu Jung-Min commanded.

At his signal, Seon Wu-Yun, though hesitant, finally lowered his bow after glancing at me. Once I saw them lower their weapons, I slowly lowered my left arm as well. However, neither of us fully disengaged our arrows. Wu Jung-Min then raised both his hands in a gesture of peace and took a step forward, speaking in a weary voice.

"Sorry about this. They're not usually like this, but we've been going through some tough times lately, so they've gotten a bit rough. There's something I need to ask... We're short on time, so would it be alright if I get straight to the point?"

Wu Jung-Min's words hung in the air as his group, tense and expectant, waited for our answer. Their eyes all turned to me. Even An Hyun was looking at me, waiting for how I'd respond. I gave a small nod.

"Ask away." I said calmly.

"The creatures you killed…we've been tracking them since yesterday. While we were temporarily away, they kidnapped one of our group members, a woman. We appreciate you taking care of them, but have you seen a woman around here recently?"

A female user... Could it be?

My mind immediately went back to the woman we found at the beginning, the one who had tragically taken her own life after being raped by the Mankis. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.

"Hey, do you think they're talking about that woman we saw earlier? The one with the long hair, wearing that torn yellow dress?" Lee Yun-Jung suddenly blurted out without thinking.

I sighed deeply, covering my face with both hands. Of course, she'd say it without a second thought. How could someone be this dense? While I mentally cursed at her, I noticed that Wu Jung-Min's group had brightened at her words. Their desperation was clear, and the woman who had first spoken was now stepping forward, her voice filled with urgency.

"Yes! That's her! Yellow clothes and long hair! Do you know where she is? Is she safe?"

"Uh… well…" Lee Yun-Jung faltered, realizing the weight of her words.

The rest of us stood awkwardly, exchanging silent looks, unsure of how to break the devastating news. The woman she was talking about had already died in the most horrific way. How could we just tell them that? The mood grew heavier as we hesitated, and the men's expressions shifted, growing more somber. It seemed they had already guessed the outcome, but the woman, clinging to hope, continued to plead with us.

"Please… did you even pass by her? Or catch a glimpse of her?" Her voice cracked, desperation giving way to the painful reality she feared.

"..."

"Please, I'm begging you… just tell me where you saw her. That girl... she's my younger sister. She's so kind, so pure… please…"

The woman's tears started to fall, her voice trembling with emotion. And once again, all eyes were on me. Just moments ago, everyone was eager for a fight, but now they expected me to handle this heart-wrenching moment. I sighed inwardly, feeling the weight of the situation. I knew what I had to say, but that didn't make it any easier.

I took a slow breath and finally opened my mouth.

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