Chapter 20: The Lunatic Returns (and His Avatar Gets Fired)

“You fight with your hands, not your mouth. A flick of the wrist is enough—what’s the problem?”

Jin-woo ripped a monster in half right in front of him as he spoke.

“Right, you’re ranged. I’m melee… ah, f*ck—blood splatter!”

Screeeeech—monsters screamed as Jin-woo tore them apart.

Every kill extended the armor forming on his body by five minutes.

Normally he never had enough prey, so the armor always faded too fast.

Today there was plenty.

Jin-woo glanced at Haejin, who was lazily flicking fingers at twice his kill count, and asked:

“Want armor?”

“Nah, don’t need it.”

Jin-woo cursed himself for offering kindness to that asshole and kept hunting—then heard nonsense from the side.

“Jin-woo-ya. Why is our Lee Chae named Lee Chae? Is it because his face shines so brightly? Or because he’s so eye-catching? Why is his name Lee Chae… it’s amazing.”

“You lunatic… can we just fight?”

Haejin being crazy wasn’t new, but this was a new level.

Of course the bastard was still wiping out double the monsters while spouting garbage.

Jin-woo, struggling to match even half, felt stress piling up.

How do I make this lunatic focus?

Then he found the perfect bait and smirked.

“Haejin-ah, miss Lee Chae?”

“Yeah… so f*cking much. I miss him when I see him, miss him more when I don’t…”

“Right, right… anyway. If you want to see your japchae faster, finish the hunt. Gate has to close before we can leave. Camp here and you’ll never eat your japchae!”

“F*ck. Got it. I’ll hunt like crazy.”

What happened next made Jin-woo doubt his eyes.

Not full rampage, but close—Haejin detonated monsters with terrifying energy.

Onrushing hordes turned to ash in seconds.

Even the other espers fighting nearby stood with mouths open.

Japchae, thank you. Lucky you’re exactly Haejin’s type.

Jin-woo sincerely thanked Lee Chae and finished the hunt leisurely.

New record for fastest gate clear in history.

Back from the hunt, Haejin checked the time.

Thursday, 1 p.m.

Right about when Lee Chae would be eating or heading to his next class.

Should he stop by Legion to shower first, or go straight to Lee Chae?

Stopping would waste time.

So he went straight to the cafeteria.

Yoon Jae-hyung was sitting across from Lee Chae, talking nonstop.

That bastard was supposed to watch flies, not become one.

Seeing them chatting cozily soured his mood.

The moment Lee Chae stood, Haejin telepathically barked at Jae-hyung—scout-only frequency.

Stay there. Don’t follow.

Jae-hyung froze mid-step, looking around.

Haejin confirmed Lee Chae had left the cafeteria, then dragged Jae-hyung outside.

“You’re back already? Wasn’t it a massive weeks-long operation? Monster-type, not intangible—must’ve been brutal…”

Zero guilt for acting like a fly himself; he just kept talking.

Haejin narrowed his eyes, deciding how to cook this kid.

“What? Why the death glare again? Everyone’s staring at me like I’m a punching bag today…”

Haejin’s voice was ice.

“Report.”

“Oh, that’s all? Nothing major—one fly ignored by hyung-su-nim got slapped…”

“What? Hyung-su-nim? Who are you calling hyung-su-nim?”

Jae-hyung looked wronged.

“Then what should I call him? I can’t call him Japchae-ssi.”

Haejin seriously pondered the name issue.

Same age—no “hyung.”

“Lee Chae-ssi” or “Lee Chae-ya” felt like sh*t.

Finally:

“Call him hyung-su-nim.”

“…Huh? We’re not married.”

“Jae-hyung-ah, when did you start talking back to hyung? I’ve gone soft because of our Lee Chae—don’t tell me you’re gonna disrespect me too. Right?”

Jae-hyung blinked, then nodded.

Then suddenly looked up.

“Do I have to call him that in front of other people too?”

“Yeah. Obviously.”

“Got it. Definitely hyung’s orders.”

“Good! Continue the report. What did the fly do?”

Jae-hyung gave a long, dramatic retelling: Lee Chae got slapped, he slapped the guy harder.

Haejin’s face grew colder with every word.

Feeling killing intent, Jae-hyung hurried:

“I never took my eyes off hyung-su-nim even for a second! Wiped desks, gave meat sides, everything you ordered—perfectly! If you have a conscience you can’t blame me!”

Haejin’s eyebrow twitched.

He had ordered it, yet somehow it pissed him off.

Like his spot had been stolen.

But he couldn’t blame Jae-hyung.

“I won’t, idiot.”

“And the fly hasn’t shown up since, so don’t hunt him down and beat him again.”

Haejin’s eyes narrowed further.

That didn’t sound like something Jae-hyung would say.

He knew the battle-crazy demon hiding behind that angelic face.

He should be begging to come beat the guy with me.

Silence.

Jae-hyung, sensing danger, added:

“I mean… using violence after everything’s settled could get you summoned by headquarters…”

Haejin snorted.

“Yoon Jae-hyung. If you’re gonna act, do it properly. Your mouth must be itching saying things you don’t mean.”

“Eek! How did you know? Genius. Hyung-su-nim begged me desperately not to tell you about yesterday. He said if it got out later I’d really die, so I should just be honest and stop you instead.”

Haejin’s expression turned weirdly pleased.

“Krrrr… our Lee Chae is so brilliant. Worried about her husband out hunting, even preventing fights that haven’t happened yet. A guide should know how to stop fights.”

He was so convinced Lee Chae had been worried about him that Jae-hyung couldn’t bring himself to relay the rest.

“If you get summoned, I’ll have to appear as a witness and I hate complicated stuff. Please stop him.”

Jae-hyung thought: This love really is one-sided—Legion’s leader and his dear hyung’s obsessive unrequited love…

Suddenly feeling sorry for Haejin, Jae-hyung’s eyes reddened with resolve.

He stole my combat slot and made me do weird sht, but I’ll forgive him. Poor hyung.*

During the afternoon class after lunch, something strange happened.

The chattering shadow that had followed him nonstop—Yoon Jae-hyung—disappeared.

Lee Chae was relieved, of course.

But the guy who hadn’t left his side for a second suddenly vanishing did make him slightly worried.

After the gate opened on campus, anxiety levels among students were sky-high.

Fear bred suspicion, suspicion fed the strongest monsters—human-types.

Lee Chae knew better than anyone how useless anxiety was and had decided not to waste emotions.

Wow, I’m really nosy. Good riddance—why worry…

Yet throughout the entire lecture, his eyes kept drifting to the classroom door.