Chapter 362

〈 Chapter 362 〉 Part 1, Chapter 15, 20

Though it was exasperating, the conversation kept going.

‘Students wanting to study… there’s no way to stop them.’

The problem was that this knucklehead had the most stubborn will among heroines and the best brains, so when the college entrance exam came around, she’d definitely get a perfect score.

In the end, I had to step back.

“Does it absolutely have to be New Seoul University?”

I suggested an alternative to Yuna.

“There’s Galaxy University.”

A new university being built in Seoul, practically created for Yuinah. But Yuinah looked completely uninterested.

“It’s got next to no chance of happening anyway. And honestly, I don’t care about it. My parents made me apply as part of a deal.”

“Deal?”

Yuna nodded while pulling out textbooks and workbooks from atop the table.

“My parents kept nagging me to apply. In exchange for applying, I got my allowance. One hundred thousand won.”

Yuna proudly pointed at the stack of books. They weren’t just one or two; they easily surpassed the value of one hundred thousand won. With the money from her parents plus her own allowance, she’d bought all these college entrance exam prep books.

Yuinah, despite being a teenager, was truly dedicated to studying.

“What would you do if you got into Galaxy University?”

“What? The chances are twenty-thousand-to-one…”

“You’re one in six-billion, you know.”

“Hmm… then I should contact the admissions office right away. My parents told me to apply, but I didn’t think I’d actually get in. Still feels lacking. Please cancel my admission. If a college entrance exam system comes up later, I’ll take the test and enter then.”

“…”

Even though she possessed the potential to become the world’s strongest after awakening as an ability user and even knowing she was the reincarnation of an alien deity, Yuinah’s dream remained steadfast.

“So you really want to go to S University?”

“Don’t Korean students all dream of it at least once? Getting into the top university in the country.”

“Why is your dream so modest?”

Yuna flinched for the first time, furrowing her eyebrows at me as she was about to eat some shaved ice.

“Are you mocking the future alma mater of mine? I’m studying on a holiday because I want to become an S University student.”

“No, wait a moment.”

I interrupted Yuna. Her rigid thinking was so unlike a teenager that it left me more bewildered than anything.

“Do you understand how talented your abilities are?”

“Yes. Isn’t it correct that I awakened as the only one of its kind on Earth? That’s how I understood it.”

“<Snow Spirit>, <War God>, and even <Phoenix>—you’re someone who can surpass them immediately. Despite that talent, you intend to go to college through studying?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Frustration welled up inside me. Yuna blinked innocently, as if nothing was wrong.

“With those abilities, you won’t become a hero or a hunter?”

“Can’t I do that after graduating? Watching Ms. Kim Nori, it seems possible to be both a hero and a hunter. When the hunter market stabilizes, it might be possible to work part-time as a hunter while living as a college student.”

“Wow, Yuna, seriously…”

She was more obstinate than I imagined.

Of course, what Yuna was saying was reasonable, and I was practically encouraging special privileges, but still, she wanted to live an ordinary college life.

“Are you serious? Honestly, I could just enroll you in Blue Wind Sect right now?”

“I need to study. I’m supposed to be heading to cram school, but you called me here, so it’s like I played hooky.”

“Cram schools operate on holidays? With everything going on in Korea?”

“I intended to self-study there. It’s too noisy at home.”

“Wow…”

All I could do was marvel. I felt the urge to use the cube in my pocket to turn Yuna into her original twenties form from the source material.

‘This kid doesn’t listen at all.’

In the end, I decided to use my last resort.

“If the world ends, universities and everything will collapse, right? With the current chaos in the country, does the college entrance exam even seem likely to run smoothly when the world is on the brink of destruction?”

“Ah!”

Yuna slapped her hands together, realizing something she hadn’t considered.

“The exam could be postponed, right?!”

“Sure.”

“That seems a bit problematic…”

Only then did Yuna relent. Folding her arms, she thought deeply before nodding with a bright smile.

“So, what should I do from now on?”

Yuinah, who awakened with the Fire Attribute SSS+1 rank.

If she met Seok Harang, Karna, and Whanryong, she could potentially achieve four attributes at level 101, becoming an absolute being.

But Yuna’s role was singular.

“To stay alive.”

“…”

“Regardless of any hardship or adversity, don’t commit suicide. Keep enduring until the very end. Don’t entertain bad thoughts—only good ones. Understand?”

Yuna listened to my request, blinking before letting out a hollow laugh.

“…It feels like you’ve given me all the hardships and adversities of a lifetime at once.”

When she said that, I had nothing to reply. But Yuna smiled gently and firmly nodded.

“I roughly get it now. Why you’re paying such special attention to me.”

“Why do you think? Take a guess. Hehe.”

“If I die, the Lord of the City or the Interdimensional Deity will probably come out of my body, right?”

“Whoa.”

How did she know? Yuna swirled the remaining shaved ice with her spoon, taking a large bite.

“Don’t worry. There’s absolutely no way that’ll happen.”

Yuna nodded to herself as if making a vow.

“I have no intention of dying until I’ve truly experienced love.”

Yuna smiled brightly at me, just like the Yuna I knew.

Still, Yuna was truly a goddess.

“Oh, so am I an adult now? No, wait. Since my birth registration was six years late, I’ve earned six years? Sweet deal. Haha.”

And then came lunchtime.

* * *

While Phoenix was shocked by the goddess’ past…

Heroes at the 38th parallel were busy creating passable roads for people.

“Uncle! Don’t go that way! There are landmines!”

Despite efforts by heroes and soldiers to maintain order, it was futile. The DMZ, neglected for years, was far too narrow for tens of thousands of people to cross at once.

“Aaaaaah! Get out of the way!”

“There’s no time for this! We need to claim the land before the defectors from Manchuria arrive!!”

Those leading charged northward with fiery determination. The sole issue in North Korea, Pyongyang’s monster officially named <Nuclearian>, had vanished.

– We must secure territory up to Mount Baekdu before Chinese settlers illegally occupy it!

By early June, China’s 4,000 heroes had marched toward Pyongyang without permission. Officially, it was an unauthorized hero expedition, and due to the uncontrollable hordes of monsters, they had to retreat.

– With Pyongyang fallen, the Yalu River and Tumen River crossings could allow North Korean troops to invade.

The victory in Pyongyang ignited a fervor for land, which evolved into an advance into the barren northern regions of the Korean Peninsula.

“Damn it, we’re running out of time!”

“Urgent report! Everyone from China is coming down!”

“We’re doomed! Russia is also sending people!”

To the north of the Korean Peninsula lay China and Russia. People along the borders, spurred by the fall of Pyongyang, took action to expand their territories.

“Are these heroes?! They follow orders from the association and the nation, damn it!”

“All civilians, they say! Heroes are breaking through using their bodies!”

“Shit, are these really civilians?! Heroes must be mixed in with them!”

Those advancing north were in a rush. If things continued this way, the provinces of Pyongan and Hamgyong were at risk of being taken.

“If this keeps up…!”

“Woah!”

Someone shouted with hope.

“Shit, aquatic-type monsters are emerging from the Yalu River!”

For some, it was familiar—a flock of blue birds emerged from their nests.

* * *

“Who did you call suddenly?”

“Ah, just contacted the villa briefly.”

I sat back down. After excusing myself to use the restroom, Yuna didn’t suspect a thing.

“Miss Yuna.”

“Yes.”

“…You’re very different from the person I know.”

Talking with the goddess during her high school days gave me this feeling. This goddess wasn’t the goddess I knew. She herself had said so.

– I changed completely before and after taking the college entrance exam…

Although the goddess Yuna in the source material and the Yuna in front of me now were clearly the same reincarnation of an extraterrestrial deity, the five-year difference made a stark contrast. The gap between the source material and the present was wider than even Cheon Gaeul’s case, which oddly reassured me.

‘In the source material, my heart would’ve been pounding for sure.’

Having mustered the courage to meet Yuna, my tension had completely dissipated.

Watching Yuna trying to walk the moderate path made me so frustrated I felt like tearing my hair out, and ultimately, because of that frustration, I didn’t develop feelings for her.

‘Good thing I lived as a villain.’

Had Yuna been like the source material—giving up on entering S University and instead choosing the thorny path of a hero despite being an E-rank ability user—I would’ve undoubtedly pounced on her right here.

But thankfully, that didn’t happen. Yuna wore the strongest defense against me—an outfit that made me realize I couldn’t possibly make a move.

School uniform.

‘Even if she were an adult in the source material, she’s a minor now, so it wouldn’t be right.’

Considering she was a minor now, I didn’t feel attracted to her. I wasn’t Fuma, after all. Without hesitation, I entered my contact information into Yuna’s smartwatch.

“If you face difficulties while studying—family problems, financial issues—feel free to reach out. I’ll help if I can.”

“Are you trying to send me the easy way out just to prevent me from committing suicide?”

“Of course. If you die, everything ends. Don’t kill yourself. Ever.”

“What happens if I try?”

“I’ll stop you by any means necessary.”

I truly meant it. Yuna solemnly nodded at my threat.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of dying until I experience true love.”

That was true. Yuna, being a sort of artificial spirit, was destined to awaken as a true goddess through love, and her first love was none other than the protagonist, embodying the love of seven spirits.

‘That’s quite heavy.’

It was indeed a heavy kind of love. It signified seriousness, and it was broad. It was also—

“Hem hem.”

Let’s not forget: Yuna is still a high school girl. Even though the goddess with brown short hair from the source material has nearly identical height, weight, and bust size—

“Cough.”

“…”

Yuna sipped her ordered drink lazily while glaring at me. Feeling guilty, I stirred the strawberry yogurt I had ordered with my straw.

“So, Miss Yuna. Let’s cooperate well moving forward. The future of the world depends on your mindset.”

“Yes. Rest assured, I’ll die at the college entrance exam venue if I must.”

“…”

Yuna (the goddess) had once mentioned that before taking the exam, she was obsessed with the Korean college entrance exam, calling it a monstrous creation.

“Hem hem. Lastly, may I ask one question?”

“What is it? About ability usage? Awakening to other attributes? Registering as an ability user with the Hero Association? Or joining the Hunter Guild?”

“No, it’s none of those.”

Yuna closed her eyes tightly as if confessing a grave sin and asked me,

“T-that year you mentioned where I would get a perfect score on the college entrance exam, which year’s exam was that? I really want to take the exam that year.”

The goddess who mocked studying and became a high school graduate now seemed gone, replaced by the monstrous creation of the Korean college entrance exam—a creature scarier than Seongju or interdimensional deities sitting before me.

“……I won’t tell you that.”

“Eh? You spoiled the fact that I have adoptive parents, that I’m the reincarnation of an alien, my abilities, that I’ll be part of a guild saving the world, and even that I’m an alien, but why won’t you spoil this?”

“…”

As much as I felt sorry hearing her say that, I couldn’t bring myself to tell Yuna the truth.

“…Take the exam in 2022.”

“That’s great! It’s exactly when I’ll be a senior. Phew, now I can revise my study plan. A perfect score, hehe.”

“…”

Yuna would indeed achieve a perfect score on the exam. However, I couldn’t tell her that instead of the maximum 400 points, she’d get 399 due to a mysterious computer error affecting question 2 of section B in both math exams during the second period.

No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t fix it.

The problem arose because the child of a high-ranking government official under Sun Icheol missed the perfect score, leading to an unprecedented situation where ‘everyone marked wrong’ to ensure no one achieved a perfect score.

And Yuna became a victim of the “Divine Curse Incident.”

The only person that year to achieve near-perfect, scoring 399.

“Hehe, 400 points full score~ I’ll solve practice tests as soon as I get home today. Hehe.”

I couldn’t bear to tell Yuna, who was rejoicing so.

Still.

Unlike others.

‘Yuna listened to everything I explained.’

Chang-yeom within me must be satisfied.

“Ah, by the way.”

Yuna clapped her hands and asked me.

“Is there anything else you want to say?”

Indeed, Yuna is a goddess.

* * *

After sending Yuna off to cram school, I had no idea where to go.

With the capture of Nuclearian, my vacation began, but I was unsure how to spend it.

“……What should I do now?”