I Was Mistaken as the Novel’s Hidden Boss

Valhalla Hunter Academy. In Korea, there's only two people who don't know this place. Either they are a human from the stone age, or the dead. The place was famous for two things. Hunters, and meritocracy. Some people are even joking that the academy grounds are more fair than the law. Equal opportunities are open for everyone who has the skills. For those who don't, well, let's say it's better than turning into a beggar in the capital. At least, those bottom feeders have a roof and bed inside a building made out of concrete. Not some philosopical nonsense like using the sky as your roof and earth as your bed. 

 

But despite the harshness of the meritocracy, this is still an academy—a place meant to guide the young who still lack many of the qualities required to become fully-fledged hunters. 

 

Many tune in to the latest news to talk about with their peers. And today, there are as many as two hot topics circulating among the young ladies and gentlemen. One, is from the outside academy grounds. The disaster which, in a miracle, results in zero death of any hunters who were at the scene at that time. The public news only covers a little story, as the details are censored by the government. But in the student ranks are usually a child of a high ranking government agent, famous hunter's lineage, or the wealthy offspring. The loose lips of these young individuals, who overheard their parents' secret worries, spread the words like a wildfire in the academy grounds. 

 

Many believed, but not a few who also find it doubtful. 

 

"My mother was one of the field officers. I heard she cried a lot in my father's arms at night. Can't even recount the event that day. Well, the good thing is, she finally took a lot of vacation to spend time with us."

 

"You lucky bastard. My father took my training to another level. The intensity was already high, but now it's impossible. Shit. When I asked him, he went pale and wouldn't utter a single word. It's lucky that the abuse he called training only lasted for two weeks before the school vacation ended. Never knew I would be grateful about the end of summer vacation and going back to school." 

 

"Your father… is the Fist King, right?" 

 

"Yeah. The whole summer I was in the mountains. I was taken aback that a full wild mountain still exists in this country."

 

"Owh, that explains the tan… it looks good on your… muscle~" 

 

"Minhee… stop touching my biceps. That's harassment." 

 

"Ah, why?! You know I like you, don't you?? Stop acting like a shy maiden!!"

 

"I'm not acting shy! You're just too thirsty, I'm afraid of you!!" 

 

"Pppfftt!"

 

"Don't laugh!"

"Don't laugh!" 

 

On another bench. 

 

"So there was a crater ten kilometers down the earth?"

 

"That's what I peek from my father's report."

 

"Then, Soojin. Your uncle is the Flame Emperor right? Have you heard anything from him?"

 

"Nah. In the first place, my uncle was injured and had to recuperate in the hospital for a full week. And after his discharge, he does nothing but holled himself in his study. I never heard anything about that incident from him." 

 

"I think the same happened for every the hunters who were dispatched there. My sister was silent about that incident. Her pupils sometimes shake while we're eating, so my guess is fear. My question is, what kind of thing she witnessed, for her to get ptsd in just one trip? I've never seen my sister look so frightened."

 

"Must be something really bad. You know, like soggy-fries-filled-with-oil kind of bad. Ugh, I could still feel that greasy taste in my mouth." 

 

"I told you, don't buy mcdonuts fries. Their whole menu is bad, but that one in particular is fit to be a biological weapon. Don't buy it again." 

 

In this place, house to a thousand individuals, is filled with youth's joy and silly jokes. Even when they knew something akin to a disaster happened outside, they chose to alleviate their worries with light minds. Like other mega-sized academia, the Valhalla Academy has their own ecosystem. A small society. They live in dorms, build restaurants and minimarkets around, and the clear meritocracy has created a lawful area where everyone understands the rules. 

 

Still, as much as this resembles society, it's fundamentally different. 

 

As the second biggest topic of the day is not coming from outside the world, but inside. That is, about the rise of a particular student, who, until last year, has been a bottom feeder of a bottom feeder. The low of the low. Only maintain the lowest score to barely hang. This boy, unable to advance even a little and was almost expelled, suddenly rose through rank explosively and shocked everyone. Now, sitting as the number one, his presence was no longer invisible. As everyone is keeping an eye on him. 

 

"Look, that's him." 

 

"The new number one."

 

"I thought his rise was due to cheating?" 

 

"That's a baseless rumor though? I never heard no evidence was found from school investigations?"       

 

"That's also false, isn't it? I heard they are still investigating in the shadows." 

 

"Now that's a true baseless rumor. Where do you even heard 'bout that? If the school didn't say anything, then he's the real deal. Ain't no way this skill-based school would allow some powerless dude rising to the first position without the school checking his real skill." 

 

"Yap, that's what I thought too." 

 

"Ah yeah, my bad then. I kinda forgot what kind of place this is." 

 

Thus, when the students found him walking down the hallway, the conversation smoothly shifted from Busan secret disaster, to him. 

 

Awe, respect, contempt, admiration, envy, jealousy, and even indifference. After rapidly climbing and finally grasping the first rank, everyone stares at him with varied looks. And Ryeo Haneul has been continually reply with apathy. For him, who has been through hell and come back, the academy was nothing but a stepping stone for his objective. Whether they brew enmity or showing compassion, he has no reason nor obligation to even care. 

 

But this grown man trapped in the body of a child understood, if he wants to achieve his goal, he can't do it alone. And so, he successfully hooks an S-rank hunter to become his sponsor. Using his future knowledge, he starts to tread a path for his smooth future, and to prepare for the upcoming disaster that will happen. 

 

However, his carefully stacked plan began to sway shakily. This period supposedly served as his foundation, yet, an unpredictable variation arose just when he finished placing his first block. The red gate calamity on the outskirts of Busan. Opposite to his calm expression, his mind was in the middle of chaos caused by the dissonance of his past memory, and the current situation. 

 

A butterfly effect?? That makes sense, but also doesn't. I haven't made a move yet. But the causality already tweaked? To the point where an entirely new event emerges? 

 

His confusion was not only caused by merely wrong predictions. In addition to going back in time, he also carries a substance of power, which are the secrets of his power. The dragons. Such mythical beings currently share a blood with him, and he then awakens a part of its wisdom and power. In that wisdom, the inevitability of the future was said to set in stone. Even if he broke the law of time and went to the past, the time will flow as it was previously. Except, now he became a catalyst for any change. As his existence itself is a paradox.

 

Yes… that's definitely what the dragons said. But then, this happens. They have no reason to deceive me, their last lineage. If so, then is he perhaps the same level of existence as me? Or is it simply because of the gate? Tsk, even Akashic Records cannot predict the gate's movement, so I don't have any clear answer as of now.

 

Either way, one thing is clear. 

 

The catalist of causality is not only me. He may be 'The One' the dragons warn me about. The source of all this gate disaster and the bard of the upcoming calamity. If so… can I fight him? Kill him? 

 

If someone from the future asks him if he wants to be a hero, Ryeo Haneul would say flatly; "No". And this conviction only deepened after getting stabbed in the back, abandoned to death by his comrade, died, and rewinding time. For him, humans will always be like that. Cunning, deceitful, as if truly cementing their reputation as the earth's disease. And his judgement turns out to be accurate, as one of the 5 disasters in the future is man-made. It was truly comical. To think after his death, in the future which the dragons share with him, one of the five disasters which preludes the ending calamity would be caused by humanity itself. 

 

It's just the beginning of the planned malice. Yet, they ruin themself in the place of those abominations who watch it with delightful expression. 

 

As the watcher, his cold and calculative nature still believes in his own judgement about humans. But, he can't help but shake in fury. 

 

How dare they?! To those heroes! Those noble men and women— how dare they laugh at them!!

 

Therefore, he vowed. More than attaining fame. More than collecting strength and standing atop of these homo-sapiens, Ryeo Haneul would repay this grudge with blood. Tenfold. 

 

"I… don't wanna talk about it. I'm sorry." 

 

"Ah, no, it's fine. I'm just kind of curious."  

 

He could still recall the voice of the woman he respected. The first ally for his grand plan, a coalition to prepare for the disasters. In his memory from watching the future, and from his own experience from talking to her as his sponsor, Lee Siyeon was the woman of discipline, focus and sheer will. She always appeared cold, but he knew she held her friends and comrades dearly. And her weak voice reminds him of that future where she lost the people she holds dear one by one. Eventually succumb to her inner voice and— 

 

"Sis, you should rest well. I can practice with myself if you still can't come. It's fine. I'm fine." he told her over the phone. More than not wanting her to worry, he knew what her heart needed, what she needed to hear. The opposition went silent. Haneul understands the implication. 

 

"I will hang, okay? Rest well, Sis." 

 

"Yeah… you too, practice hard… you have to… you must…" 

 

With that, the telephone cuts. But her voice still haunts him 'till this day. 

 

To think one entity could cause this much mental damage to her… 

 

"Should I buy her favourite Strawberry cake from Soule Bakery? Ah, I wonder if 'Valkyrie' is also there." he strides into a secluded place, and slowly opens his wallet. From the lightweight feeling, he could foresee a spiderweb occupying inside his wallet instead of the distinct paper of Korean won. 

 

"Ah, shit." And he was correct. 

 

"... well, should I use the sponsored money? But that was for preparation… fuck it. I'll just think of alternatives later." 

 

With that resolve, he walks fast, almost running. If not for the knowledge of rush hour, he would probably fail to buy even one cake. But now he got two, he felt lucky. Thus, his walk continued with a little smile plastered to his face. 

 

***

 

"I'm sorry, the two of them are out at the moment." 

 

"... say what?"

 

***

 

Meanwhile, the proclaimed 'bard of calamity' is right now— 

 

"Please! Let me bear your offspring, my lord!"

 

"... what?" 

 

—unexpectedly gained a wife.