On Thursday, I met Seo Yui during lunch break.

“The helpers are nearly all secured. Only one person remains.”

“Mm…”

Today, Seo Yui looked half-asleep, her eyes half-closed in a lazy, carefree manner.

“I’d like to ask you to provide me with a few pieces of information. Over the next week, I need to know when the arena will be open, the layout of Valhall’s building, the number of children imprisoned, and the levels and abilities of the Hunters Valhall has hired.”

“Hold on a moment.”

Seo Yui immediately pulled out paper and a mechanical pencil. Then, she quickly jotted down everything I had just asked for.

“You’ve already investigated all this.”

“Ever since I was captured, I’ve thought about escaping every single day.”

Just as she said, the details she gave me about Valhall’s structure, the Hunters’ levels, and their abilities were remarkably thorough.

“The levels and abilities are guesses, based on overheard conversations. I could be wrong. And there might be hidden passageways I don’t know about.”

“I understand.”

Even though I already knew this information from the game, I asked her anyway to avoid raising suspicion about how I knew.

“Hmm. Sunday would be the best day for the operation. Weekends draw larger crowds.”

“Is the number of spectators important?”

“Yes. The more there are, the easier it is to create chaos.”

“I see… Then when should we tell the children about the plan?”

“Don’t tell them.”

“What?”

Seo Yui’s half-shut eyes widened.

“What do you mean?”

“Keep the plan to yourself until the very last moment.”

“Why? Wouldn’t it be easier if we had their cooperation in advance?”

“The reason is simple. There’s no guarantee that every child wants to escape.”

“!”

Seo Yui froze, then bit her lip.

The children captured by Valhall were orphans, or those with no place to return to. After spending months, even years, in the arena, what happened to them?

There would certainly be kids like Seo Yui, desperate to escape from the hell where it was kill or be killed.

But on the other hand, there would also be those who had come to accept Valhall as their home. These were usually the survivors who had lasted long enough to raise their levels. With survival chances higher and privileges to enjoy, they would have little desire to return to the outside world, where they’d once again be penniless drifters.

And some of them would be eyeing Seo Yui, the current champion, dreaming of overthrowing her to seize power in that small world.

Such people had no reason not to betray her to Valhall if they learned of her plan.

“You’re right…” Seo Yui murmured, her expression showing she already suspected as much.

“But are you telling me, then, to abandon those who don’t agree to escape?”

“Think carefully, Seo Yui.” I gave her a grave look, “You can’t force a slave who refuses to remove their chains.”

“But they weren’t always used to those chains.”

“And what if their resistance ruins the escape, causing those who do want freedom to be caught again?”

“…”

“If you can’t save everyone, then you must choose the path that saves the most. On the day of the operation, tell them only once things are already underway. Say this: If you want freedom, follow me. If you want to stay, then stay. But if you try to stop us, I will kill you. Do this, and you’ll save the greatest number possible.”

“…Alright.”

I wasn’t being pessimistic.

In the game, making the wrong choice here always led to the worst outcome. The plan would fail, Valhall would simply relocate and continue, and Seo Yui would drop out of the academy—making her forever impossible to recruit as an ally.

“Then tomorrow, I’ll meet you again to explain the full plan.”

I pocketed the sheet of Valhall’s details.

After parting ways with Seo Yui, I headed toward the academy parking lot.

I looked around to check for anyone nearby.

‘Good. Now.’

Once I was sure no one was around, I slipped a prewritten note under the windshield of a parked car.

‘That should be enough to get the last helper moving.’

“So, you’re saying this kid invoked Chen Kai’s name to meet Seo Yui, then tossed out twenty million won in tips before leaving?”

Valhall’s owner, Lei Xin, spoke while watching the footage on his tablet.

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

Bao, the scarred man with an eyepatch and Valhall’s head of security, wiped sweat from his brow.

On a whim, Lei Xin had said, “It’s been a while since I did something befitting an owner. Bring me a week’s worth of recordings.”

Sure enough, they discovered someone handing money to the doormen and entering. Since Bao had been in charge that day, Lei Xin summoned him immediately.

“Interesting fellow. There’s no Chen Kai among Valhall’s members, you know.”

“!!”

Bao’s eyes widened.

Though Valhall claimed not to ask members for their identities, Lei Xin had tracked them all the same.

The supposed secrecy was a lie from the start.

Anticipating trouble, Lei Xin had installed hidden cameras and recorders, gathering details on members through voice analysis, bathroom glimpses, and countless other clues.

“There’s no shortage of evidence. Still… twenty million as a tip, hm?”

Lei Xin’s gaze lingered on the bundles of cash stacked on his desk, the very ones Bao had handed over as soon as he was called in.

“Bao. Is it true he’s taken a liking to Seo Yui?”

“According to her, yes. He even asked if they could meet outside.”

“Good. Next time he comes, don’t let him meet Seo Yui directly. But allow him to send messages. Let him stew in frustration. Then have Seo Yui suggest she’d love to meet him outside, but she’s drowning in debt. He’ll leap at the chance to pay it off. Once we’ve milked him dry, we’ll strip off his mask and bleed his parents as well.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Good. Now go.”

Bao bowed and left the office.

“Phew…”

He felt relieved he’d handed the money to Lei Xin right away.

The cameras had recorded him accepting cash from Seo Yui. If he’d pocketed it, Lei Xin might have suspected him. Perhaps even tossed him into the same pit where they dumped the dead.

A shiver ran down his spine.

‘But still… throwing away twenty million on someone he hasn’t even seen face-to-face? Just what kind of family is that bastard from?’

Jealousy gnawed at Bao.

“So you’re saying only the two of us should keep leveling!?”

Meiling shouted at me, her face twisted with anger.

“Are you sure Valhall isn’t just an excuse, and you’re sneaking around doing something shady?”

“Meiling!” Lumina hurriedly tried to calm her down, looking flustered, “Everyone has their role.”

I looked up at the LED sign at the bus stop. My bus was still three stops away.

“You two need to keep leveling up. That’s the only way to maximize the chances of success.”

“Then why don’t you level too, instead of wandering around?” Meiling shot back.

“Because my level doesn’t matter much when it comes to crushing Valhall.”

I met her glare head-on.

“I fully intend to destroy them, but I won’t risk either of you getting hurt or killed. That’s why, if you don’t reach the levels I’ve set, you won’t be part of the operation. It’s too dangerous.”

“Ugh…”

Meiling ground her teeth.

“Please. If this goes well, we’ll all be able to take on the Bag Toter Mine again together.”

“Argh, fine! We’ll do what you say! But the same goes for you!”

She jabbed her finger at my chest.

“If you get hurt or die because of this, I’ll never forgive you!”

That last part nearly made me retort that death made forgiveness meaningless, but I swallowed it.

“I… I agree with Meiling.”

Lumina spoke timidly.

“Helping people is right, but I don’t want to see you hurt, Yein.”

“Don’t worry.” I smiled at the two of them, “That’s exactly why I’m doing all this running around—to prevent that from happening.”

Just then, my bus pulled up.

“Alright, I’ll see you later. And like I said before, don’t go near the third floor.”

“We won’t!”

Meiling snapped back instantly.

Ten minutes later, I arrived at my destination—Eleanor’s workshop.

“You gathered everything I asked for?”

“Mm-hm.”

Eleanor opened her inventory, a box-shaped interface.

Inside were four artisan Skill Slots—not the standard issue from Gwangcheon Academy, but custom ones crafted from Crystal.

“I also included the Skill Gems and materials you asked for. Check inside.”

“That was fast.”

“All I did was place the order.”

“Still, thanks to you, preparations will be much smoother.”

“If you need anything else, just say so.”

“In that case, could you maybe get your sister to stop glaring at me like she wants me dead?”

“You low-down…!” Iris bared her teeth.

“Big Sister!”

“Ugh…”

At Eleanor’s sharp scolding, Iris lowered her gaze to the floor.

“Ladies, would you come this way for a moment?”

I addressed the two women standing behind Iris.

One had dreadlocks, the other short golden-blonde hair.

They were the same women who had seized me outside the workshop last time and bundled me into their car.

“Wait! Don’t give orders to my attendants without permission!”

Iris shouted as the two women started walking toward me.

I ignored her and spoke to the attendants.

“I’ve secured Valhall’s layout and Hunter information. From now on, we’ll start forming the detailed plan.”

“Wow. You sure you’re not a spy instead of just a student?”

The dreadlocked woman grinned as she asked.

“That’s only because I have someone on the inside.”

At that moment, Iris stomped over, shoving herself between her attendants.

“Then I’ll take part in making this plan too! A plan formed by multiple opinions is safer than one made by a single person. I don’t want to risk anything by blindly following your word.”

Her logic was sound, yet somehow it grated on me.

It was the same in the game.

Iris was the most capable of all companions—so much so that I always recruited her whenever I played through the Crystal Academy scenario.

But I’d never grown fond of her.

On difficulties below Hard, revival was possible, so sometimes I’d even deliberately let monsters kill her just to avoid the annoyance.

“Well? Didn’t you say we’d be making a plan?”

“…Right.”

I spread out the papers Seo Yui had given me on the table.

“Valhall is underground. Guests enter through a prefabricated building’s entrance, then go down these stairs, through this corridor. At the end is a bar, then the spectator stands. From there, the entire arena is visible.”

I pointed to the lower part of the drawing.

“And here, the deepest area, is where the children are kept. It’s laid out like a prison—long corridors with cells on each side.”

Seo Yui’s notes indicated that one Hunter was always patrolling there.

“There are two exits.”

The blonde with the bob haircut muttered as she studied the diagram.

“One is the staff door connected to the bar. The other leads into the arena itself.”

I tapped the staircase with my finger.

“To escape, we’ll need to use the staff door. But the door linking the stairwell to the children’s cells can’t be opened without a keycard.”

I remembered the eyepatch man swiping his card to open it when I was there.

“So we’ll have to take down at least one Hunter to grab a card, or we can’t free the kids,” said the dreadlocked woman.

“Or we could just smash through the wall,” Iris suggested, pointing to the door.

“That would cause chaos before everything’s ready. The goal of this operation isn’t just to free the children. We also need to capture the owner, Lei Xin, and the audience, and bring Valhall into the public eye. Otherwise, Crystal Academy gains nothing.”

“Hm. Fair point.”

“So we’ll divide into three teams.”

I explained the roles and team members I’d already worked out.

“That girl Lumina really has that kind of ability?” the dreadlocked one asked, eyes widening.

“Yes. It’s real. No Skill or item can match Lumina’s Invisibility.”

Her ability was indispensable for this mission.

“All the tools will be prepared on my side. Your job is just to focus on battle readiness.”

“Good. Ha! I’m already getting excited. This’ll be fun.”

The dreadlocked woman grinned eagerly.

“Rachel. This isn’t a joyride.”

The blonde—Sally—narrowed her eyes at her.

“Of course I know that. But how can I not be excited? Being a spy was my childhood dream, you know.”

“Try focusing on your actual job instead. Don’t forget Iris is coming with us.”

“Oh, right. My bad. Sorry, Iris.”

“No apology needed. I’m the one who asked you two to take on this mission. I’m grateful you accepted so readily.”

As the three of them talked, I folded up Seo Yui’s notes and slipped them back into my pocket.

Time flew by. Friday, Saturday, and finally Sunday—the day of the operation—arrived.

At 5:30 p.m., we all gathered at Eleanor’s workshop.

Myself, Lumina, and Meiling.

Eleanor and Iris, with her attendants Rachel and Sally.

All of us except Eleanor would be heading into Valhall.

“So why is the daughter of Forward Magic Engineering’s president here?”

Iris asked sharply, arms crossed.

“I have nothing to do with Forward anymore.”

Meiling glared back, also folding her arms.

“And why should I believe that?”

“I’ll vouch for her.” I stepped to Meiling’s side, “She’s cut ties with her father. That’s why she receives no support from him.”

Eleanor and Iris both widened their eyes, staring at Meiling.

“Shut up! Don’t say unnecessary things!!”

Meiling snapped at me, her eyes blazing.

I ignored her outburst and continued.

“Having her in this mission won’t cause leaks or disruptions. If it had, I would have excluded her from the start. Meiling is on our side.”

“Then if she ruins things, you’ll take responsibility?” Iris pressed.

“Of course.”

I answered firmly.

“…”

Meiling stared at me in silence, then turned her head away with a huff.

“…Fine. Then I’ll speak no further on the matter.”

Iris finally uncrossed her arms.

“Now, let’s talk about our next moves.”

I signaled to her attendants.

“We’ll drive near the site in Iris’s car. From there, everyone but me will use these.”

I placed bottles filled with clear liquid on the table. Lined up, they nearly covered the whole surface.

“That’s a lot.” Rachel looked surprised.

“Better too many than too few. Valhall has CCTV set up around the area—designed to detect suspicious cars or police approaching. Here. Everyone except Lumina, take some.”

Each person divided the bottles evenly and tucked them into their inventories.

“And this.”

I laid out five sets of clothing and masks.

“Masks must stay on at all times. We can’t risk being identified. Also, Lumina and Meiling, take these.”

I handed over custom Skill Slots and green Skill Gems.

“These slots hold one more gem than the academy-issue ones. And these green gems contain the Skill ‘Phasing.’ It lets you move while invulnerable, though you can’t attack during it. The duration is short, and the cooldown is very long. Use it only when absolutely necessary.”

Lumina and Meiling nodded, carefully storing them away.

“And finally…”

I gave Lumina a bottle filled with a moss-green potion.

“It’ll be tough, but I’m counting on you.”

“Mm…”

Lumina accepted it nervously.

“Here, these too.”

Eleanor handed out wireless earpieces.

“Comms. The frequency’s already set.”

We each took one.

“Then let’s move out.”

I glanced at the two attendants.

“Alright. Mission start!”

“Haah…”

As Rachel shouted in excitement, Sally let out a weary sigh.

(End of Chapter)

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