Chapter 1030

EP.1030 Part 3 Chapter 3-17

“This ceiling… it’s unfamiliar.”

Nuri woke up in a school of unknown origin.

No matter how much she looked around, all she could see was the school itself.

She had entrusted herself to the “Dean” for four years, but who would’ve thought this place would be a school?

“…This is kinda stressing me out.”

To Nuri, school wasn’t exactly a pleasant place.

Until elementary school, it was tolerable, but after middle school, her height remained much smaller than others, and she endured endless teasing because of it.

The world was already harsh and dangerous enough as it was.

In such a place, Kim Nori existed as a relative “weakling,” constantly feeling pressured without even realizing it.

School was not a mentally healthy environment for Nuri.

If the Dean knew about this and still placed her here, it must mean that he wanted her to overcome this environment.

“…Dean sure knows how to stress people out, huh?”

It was the same in the Blue Wind Sect—people with talent were always given more responsibilities.

And this meant that the Dean trusted and relied on Kim Nori.

So…

“Alright! Let’s start by wrecking this school—”

Creeeak.

The classroom door opened.

Nuri froze as a woman in a suit appeared.

“…Yaldabaoth?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve heard that nickname. Personally, I prefer another one.”

The blonde-haired, azure-eyed woman stood before Nuri with an attendance book.

“From now on, you will address me as ‘Teacher,’ student.”

“…Sis Yuna?”

“Teacher.”

“What… what is this…?”

SMACK!

Yuinah hit Kim Nori on the head with the attendance book.

“AHH! THAT’S CHILD ABUSE!!”

“For a middle school girl trying to destroy the school, this is mild punishment. We worked hard to build these facilities, and you want to demolish them? Tsk.”

Nuri was confused by Yuinah’s words.

Wait, the fact that Yuinah was even here was confusing enough.

“…What’s going on?”

“I have become one with the Great Earth Spirit of this world. I am now the Earth Goddess of Tera’s land-based spirits… or simply, a goddess.”

“Wow.”

Nuri couldn’t help but be impressed.

“Teacher… does this mean you’re really a goddess now?”

“Yes. The Goddess of Earth. And my husband uses my power to wield the abilities of the earth element.”

“…Husband?”

“Yes, husband.”

Yuinah proudly tilted her head back.

“I reached the arms of my beloved, transcending worlds.”

“Whoa…”

Nuri was left speechless.

“They say quiet cats are the first to jump onto the stove… looks like that’s exactly what happened, huh?”

“Who said I was quiet? I was just waiting for the right moment.”

“Right moment?”

“The moment I became an adult.”

Yuinah confidently tapped her chest.

“In the storyline, I’ll turn eighteen in just a year, so as soon as I came of age, I crossed worlds to find my husband.”

“…This sounds complicated, but do I even need to know all this?”

“Knowing helps you understand better, but ignorance works too. However…”

Yuinah suddenly grew serious and issued a stern warning.

“If anyone tries to become another wife candidate behind my husband’s back, you’d better prepare yourself accordingly. Understand?”

“…Another wife candidate?”


“Yes. I am currently Wife Number Three.”

“……Huh? Seriously?”

“Tsk. Potty mouth.”

BAM!

The attendance book struck Nuri on the head once again.

“Ah! Did you power that up with magic?!”

“It’s because you swore…”

“No way! Is getting startled and cursing really a crime?! And in modern 21st century society too… Wait a second…”

Nuri’s expression suddenly turned pale.

“So…is there a Wife Number Two?”

“Sister Harang.”

“…And Wife Number One?”

“Chang-yeom.”

“?????”

Nuri was thrown into confusion!

Yuna helped clarify by writing ‘Blazing Phoenix’ on the chalkboard.

Then…

“Chang-yeom is the spirit of fire. Phoenix is a man from the future who traveled back in time, possessed Chang-yeom’s body, and became Mr. Baek. Okay?”

“……”

Kim Nuri was yet again utterly confused.

“Ho ho. Don’t worry, Miss Nuri. I’ve prepared a three-year high school curriculum just for you.”

She tapped the chalkboard.

“Let’s start with history class: The story of Regressor Mr. Baek becoming the Blazing Phoenix starting now!”

* * *

Our opponents are humanity’s greatest scholars.

Geniuses so rare that only one exists in the world, armed with vast information. Once they begin weaving their logic, you’re bound to be exposed eventually.

For instance.

If you lied to your girlfriend about going out drinking with friends.

One lie leads to another, creating an endless chain of deception.

But you can’t tell the truth either.

What if instead of drinking, you were actually transforming into a magical girl to fight evil villains?

It sounds crazy, but could you ever reveal such truths to people?

Absolutely not.

Under no circumstances.

Could you even talk about it?

Never.

Thus, it’s better to deceive them with perfect lies.

Even if contradictions arise later, it’s far preferable to facing catastrophic consequences right now.

So I decided to boldly step forward with steel-plated confidence.

“Are you Yuhwa?”

[…Who is this?]

Truly.

It’s been a long time since I heard this voice.

I’ve occasionally overheard it in-game, but this is the first time we’re conversing through Magical Gear.

“Phoenix.”

[Liar.]

“I see no reason to lie.”

Seizing the moment of doubt, I bombard them with the truth.

This tricks them into believing I’ve revealed everything.

“It’s been a while. Nuri has filled me in on your situation.”

[Hold on. Is this really Customer?]

“That’s correct.”

[Weren’t you male?]

“…Technically, while on Earth, I had to take the form of a spirit, but strictly speaking, I wasn’t a spirit at all.”

As if saying,

“Now that it’s all over, let me explain.”

“I was a regressor.”

[What did you say?!]

“For a long time, Commander Baek Cheonghwa fought for Earth’s survival in 2025 alongside Seongju. To protect the one I loved, I regressed to the past.”

Weaving truth and lies together artfully.

“In 2000, I possessed ‘Blazing Phoenix.’ Is that enough?”

[Just a moment… So then…]

Yuha asked cautiously with a serious look.

[Is… Are you… Infinite Hero?]

“……”

No.

I should say no, but to hide my identity as a gamer, I have to admit it.

“…Once upon a time, yes.”

[Wow…]

“Everyone has dark chapters in their past. It wasn’t a pleasant memory, so let’s move on.”

[Well… Not exactly… Alright. Fine. Let’s assume you’re the customer I dealt with. But…]

Yuhwa pulled out some kind of image, glaring at me like she wanted to devour me.

[Why didn’t you notice THIS?!]

“…Krishna?”

[This was the dimensional probe we sent!!]

“I completely missed it.”

It’s true.

Pure, unadulterated truth.

If anyone had realized Krishna’s true nature…


If you knew, why didn’t someone give me a heads up…?

‘Hmm, maybe they intentionally didn’t tell me.’

“Her eyes were sparkling like stars unusually, and now I know why.”

[Was I really supposed to notice that identity of yours?!]

“Well, it’s fortunate we’ve met again like this, Yuha.”

[Wha…!]

At this point—

“It’s been such a long time. You’ve grown even more beautiful since we last saw each other.”

[…….]

I’m pushing through with sheer plausibility here.

Even though I could feel Shin-ra and Ha giving me side-eye mutters in reality, the most effective way to defuse this situation was definitely compliments.

“To master the method of crossing worlds too… Hikari has certainly grown significantly.”

[Director! Quick question!]

“What is it?”

[Is that… past Tera over there?!]

Past Tera?!

“That’s correct, but—”

[Me? What do you mean ME, BAKA?!]

“…This is also a situation where we crossed over to past Tera from another world. I heard an alternate Seongju is attacking this place.”

[Ahh, finally the puzzle pieces fit together!! Hmm, simple enough. Past Tera is just a relay point, and due to the influence of the other Seongju, our world and Director’s world have connected!!]

As expected of Professor.

He quickly understood everything from the brief information.

[Then, Director! As Blue Wind Sect, we’ll provide maximum support—]

“No, it’s fine.”

Declining with full force.

“I’m genuinely glad and thankful for the contact, but I can handle things on this side. However, embarrassingly, please control your end.”

[Huh? Control what exactly?]

“Prevent anyone else from coming into this world.”

It would be troublesome if something like Kim Nori happens again.

“While I investigate how to send people back to your side, it will take time. Sending people from your Earth to this world would be problematic.”

[Hmm….]

Yuha seemed deep in thought, and I started feeling unnecessarily tense.

[Alright then. Still, I’ll keep wearing my magical gear… How about Nori?]

“She’s adapting to this world right now.”

The reason I warn against crossing over recklessly is only one.

“The concentration of magic power here is different from Earth. If ordinary humans cross over, the situation could get serious.”

[How so?]

“They’d die. It’s like suddenly waking up on Jupiter one day.”

[But what about Nori?]

“Nori endured because she’s S-Rank. If I had found her any later, her internal magic power would’ve completely flipped, turning her into an entirely new being.”

[Like…] “A spirit,” or something.

“One more thing to ask… That…”

It feels awkward asking Yuhwa this, but there’s something worrying me.

“…By any chance, are there any other missing people besides Nori? The ones whose whereabouts I know are Ha and Yuna.”

[Ha and Yuna?! How do you know them?!]

“They crossed over here. In sync.”

[…….]

Yuha’s expression twisted nastily.

Her gaze held a look I couldn’t describe with words, and somehow, it made my spine tingle.

“…Why?”

[You…]

Wait, isn’t this Customer… No?

[Do you know Karna became non-virgin because of the homunculus you left behind?!]

“……”

[Before you disappeared, Karna used to roam around as a futanari, but after you left, she’s been having sex daily with the Phoenixroid you abandoned, laying cores like a chicken every single day. Do you know that?!]

“T-the term ‘chicken’ regarding my partner is inappropriate…”

[IF YOU SYNC, CAN’T YOU JUST BE BY YOUR SIDE?!?!?!]

Ah.

It’s broken.

“Y-you’re not synced right now, are you?”

[…Everyone who had sex with the Phoenixroid ended up like that. Park Ra-on, Aruel, Ang, and Karna all had sex.]

“……”

Surprisingly, many haven’t done it.

And the name of someone who probably should have done it isn’t there.

The name of the woman who scares me the most.

“……What about Cheon Gaeul?”

[She’s missing.]

“……”

Dang.