Yoo Jian, standing on the arena, didn’t specifically nominate anyone.

As a result, the drawing was conducted once again. According to the drawing results, an A-rank hero was selected and stepped onto the arena.

“Hello, hello.”

The corners of her mouth rise fully. The smile on her face must have been unnerving, as the A-rank’s shoulders flinched upward. Having been together at the education center, the chosen A-rank knew how recklessly Yoo Jian used her ability.

The A-rank let out a short sigh. Putting aside the desire to join the SH unit… this match…

‘It’s gonna hurt like hell.’

He had no intention of winning. It was impossible to even imagine winning against Yoo Jian. His match record against her at the center was 29 matches, 28 losses, and 1 draw. Even the 1 draw was because Yoo Jian flopped down in the middle, saying she was hungry, ending it in a tie, not because he was exceptional.

Yoo Jian twirled her arms and asked.

“Hey. Aren’t you happy to see me? We’re colleagues, you know?”

“I am happy to see you. Just go easy on me in the match.”

“What? There’s no such thing. You know, life is about always giving your best? Life is a one-time thing. Betting everything on one shot, striking it rich. Fulfilling honor. You know, something like that.”

A cracking sound came from Yoo Jian’s neck as she stretched. She widened her eyes with her bent neck. That was also spine-chilling. Why is every single stretch she does so unnerving? The A-rank let out another deep sigh. With drooping shoulders, he said to Jian.

“Jian, you… can live a bit less intensely, you know.”

Once their chatter ended, the Department of Appreciation employee slowly stepped onto the stage.

After seeing Cha Jaeha fight once, it was difficult to carelessly shout “Start!” even when an S-rank was on stage. After taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth wide.

“Start!”

Boom!

As soon as he retreated, Yoo Jian forcefully kicked the ground with her right foot.

Temporarily anchoring her foot in the crater created by her strength, she shoots forward like a bullet.

Before even using her ability, Yoo Jian’s bob cut hair was already fluttering in front of the A-rank’s eyes.

“Bingo.”

Hehehe.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.

How on earth was he reacting at that speed? Yoo Jian’s strength, smashing the entire floor, was tremendous, but the A-rank dodging it just as quickly was also remarkable.

Fragments of the shattered arena flew all over the place. With the added speed, getting hit by one would undoubtedly knock him out in a single blow.

Thud.

“My sister usually doesn’t pay much attention to her surroundings when fighting.”

Jeong Moo-eum, as if expecting it, used gravity manipulation to drop the meteor-like objects flying from the sky to the ground.

Moo-eum recalled the past.

When his sister smashed buildings, he would lift everything into the air and reassemble it. Using his ability like fitting puzzle pieces.

Finishing his recollection, Moo-eum sat back down.

“That’s why my sister and I often formed a pair. I protected the people around us, and my sister knocked down the monsters. …But hyung… you’re not surprised?”

“Huh? About what?”

“It was dangerous just now. If that hit your head, you might not die, but you’d definitely lose consciousness, right? If it were you, hyung… you could have died.”

“…Ah. Aah. I was surprised. Really.”

“…At least put some effort into your lies.”

Jeong Moo-eum stopped two or three flying pillars at once and clicked his tongue.

Hwa-shin, who had been observing Moo-eum’s reaction, thought.

‘I should put more effort into pretending to be surprised in the future.’

Pieces missed by Jeong Moo-eum from the ceiling were about to pierce his head, but with Hwa-shin’s short whisper of 「side」, they easily bounced to the side. Thanks to that, another hero in the same waiting room who knew nothing about it got a large bump on his forehead.

Hwa-shin, who had been watching the match, unknowingly opened his mouth.

“Ah, she caught up.”

It wasn’t long before Yoo Jian’s speed overtook the A-rank. Since she had completely smashed the arena with her fierce punches, no matter how fast the A-rank was, his speed had to decrease. Eventually, the A-rank caught by her shouted, “Ah, go easy on me!” and then yelled “I surrender! I surrender!” ending the match.

“Ehhh- You’re ending it like this? You have no tenacity, no tenacity at all.”

Yoo Jian released the collar she was holding with a dissatisfied face. It was a refreshing victory, but she herself didn’t look satisfied.

“You weren’t like this before, you know.”

“What’s with the ‘you know’? I don’t want to die either, you know?”

“How would I kill you?”

Amidst the childish banter, the Department of Appreciation employee raised his hand and shouted with a clear conscience once again.

“Hero Yoo Jian is the victor!”

With the end of Waiting Room 6’s match, the order returned to Waiting Room 1.

Then…

Hwa-shin casually advanced Moo-eum’s match with a gesture.

Oh, I didn’t get caught. Even though he used his ability, Moo-eum didn’t cast a suspicious glance at him.

He was worried because Moo-eum was quick-witted.

It was probably because Moo-eum’s mind was occupied with what had happened a moment ago.

“…Haa.”

Moo-eum walked forward with a bothered look and crushed his opponent with gravity as soon as the match began.

Well, for a match to be admirable, it needs to have some substance.

The opponent, unable to withstand it, immediately declared defeat, and the match ended in an instant. At first glance, it seemed like an invincible ability, but it wasn’t invincible because there were limitations such as the weight that could be manipulated.

Hwa-shin greeted the returning Moo-eum with a smile.

“Good work.”

“Not really.”

Then, it’s all over now.

The matches of the main characters had ended. Waiting Room 6 had made another round, and with this, the first round was over. The remaining participants were 3 from each waiting room, a total of 18. These participants would have another round of matches.

“We will be taking a short break for reorganization in preparation for the second round, so we would appreciate it if the heroes continuing the matches stay in the arena and rest here without leaving. If you need any items, please let our waiting staff know. Thank you.”

The eliminated heroes began to exit the arena, and Hwa-shin also got up from his seat and stretched.

‘It’s still peaceful so far.’

Looking around, Yoo Jian was charging toward him from the opposite side like a bull excited by the color red. Smoke could be seen from her heels.

“Jeong! Moo! Eum!”

Springing up with a thud, she approached right in front of Jeong Moo-eum and hugged him gleefully.

“Ah, sis! My neck! Neck! Neck!”

“It’s been so long! You little runt!”

Wow. Jeong Moo-eum and Yoo Jian in one place. Hwa-shin watched the two with an awed expression, and Jeong Moo-eum slapped her arm, saying his neck was really going to break. In the end, he used his ability to detach her arm.

Yoo Jian, with her lightened arm floating in the air, finally turned her gaze toward Hwa-shin.

“…Ah, I forgot. You’re Yoo Hwa-shin, right?”

“Oh, you know my name.”

She grinned, revealing her white teeth like corn.

“You’ve been with Moo-eum all this time. Since you even beat an A-rank, I remember your name. I’m Yoo Jian.”

“I know. You’re famous. Congratulations on your victory.”

Hwa-shin knew very well how famous Yoo Jian was from reading the book several times.

In the novel <Your Hero is Here>, Yoo Jian was already quite popular among the heroes. In the first place, there weren’t many heroes who could knock down monsters with one hand.

Moreover, with her tall height, short bob cut hair, and hearty way of speaking, she enjoyed unrivaled popularity among the women in the novel. After joining the SH1 unit, her popularity reached its peak.

Just being able to know Yoo Jian now was an honor for an F-rank.

Jeong Moo-eum looked at the Department of Appreciation employees diligently repairing the desolate arena with sympathetic eyes.

“Sis. Didn’t you destroy the arena too much earlier?”

“Huh? Really? I thought I controlled my strength.”

“Do it a bit more.”

“Ehhh, then it would be too weak.”

“Sis. A weak person doesn’t fold people like paper and carry them around. …Hyung, where are you going?”

Moo-eum, who had been keenly catching Hwa-shin’s movements as he got up from his seat after listening to their banter with satisfaction, asked.

“The match will start soon. Are you going to the bathroom or something?”

In response to Moo-eum’s question, Hwa-shin answered with a light smile.

“Yeah. I’ll be right back. It was nice meeting you, Jian. See you again.”

“Ah, same here~!”

Slipping into the corridor, Hwa-shin coughed up the cough he had been holding back.

“…Oh my.”

There was blood on his palm where he had coughed. It wasn’t a lot, but it wasn’t a small amount either.

I didn’t even use karma that much, but my body’s condition is no joke. Is it because it’s the first time using it on an awakener? It’s a bit different from using it on regular people.

Well, if it was a naturally gifted soul, it was fine even if the body’s compatibility was a bit off. I already knew and expected this much. I also knew how to solve this problem.

I just had to ignore it and keep using the commands. If I kept using it, my body would naturally adapt to manipulating karma. Although it was uncertain whether this body would endure it.

“If you were going to send me here anyway, it would have been nice to put me in a sturdy S-rank body.”

Then I would have been able to manipulate it easily like my original body.

Anyway, Hwa-shin, who had nothing but a fragile toothpick body, leaned against the wall and inhaled and exhaled deeply. He uttered a word with the feeling of slowly extracting the damaged karma from within.

“「Restore.」”

A warm energy gushed up from inside his body. A pleasant reverberation like water droplets falling in the center of a lake brought a smile to his lips. Even though he had coughed up blood, it wasn’t a deep wound, and it was just a matter of fixing the core a little.

“Haa.”

He lightly bounced on the spot. His body felt much lighter than before. Hwa-shin thoroughly checked from his head, shoulders, knees, to his feet, not missing a single joint.

Confirming that he was fine, he left the arena with light footsteps.

‘I should do what I need to do in this gap.’

The Department of Appreciation’s words about refraining from leaving were probably aimed at guys like Hwa-shin.

Hwa-shin, who had secretly slipped out of the arena, headed to the infirmary inside the building. If it wasn’t a case that required surgical operation, it was better to receive treatment at the infirmary where heroes with healing abilities were on standby rather than the association’s designated hospital. There were even heroes who could reattach broken bones in a matter of seconds.

“Hello.”

Fortunately, the health hero at the infirmary seemed to be away for a moment. Hwa-shin started pulling back the curtains one by one, starting from the curtain of the bed placed at the very front on the right side of the infirmary.

Swish.

Hmm, not here.

Swish.

Not here either.

Is it all the way inside?

Pulling back the curtains one by one, Hwa-shin gradually moved inward. When he pulled back the curtain of the bed in the very corner of the right row, Hwa-shin finally smiled.

The reason he came to the infirmary.

Finally, the one person he was looking for…

“Found him.”