“The two names are… Heo Sungshik and Kim Hoyun.”

Hearing the answer, the principal felt a headache coming on. It wasn’t just one person—he needed to silence two mouths.

“So, have you managed to keep the two of them quiet?”

“Well, as for Heo Sungshik… we sent him back to the dormitory that same day. And we summoned him this morning under the pretext of being a witness to the incident.”

“Good. What about the student named Kim Hoyun?”

The principal nodded as if satisfied with the response, but his expression darkened upon hearing the next answer.

“Well… he disappeared right after the incident.”

“What? Disappeared?!”

“Yes, sir. Ever since that day, he has completely vanished.”

“For heaven’s sake, this is driving me insane. Find out where he went immediately.”

“Understood.”

The disappearance of a witness. A heavy silence filled the room.

Kim Hoyun, whose whereabouts were unknown. Why had he been at the shrine that day?

Kim Hoyun—a person Sungshik had clashed with countless times since his regression.

In the original timeline, there had been no Koreans involved as witnesses in this incident. However, due to the butterfly effect brought about by Sungshik’s regression, even Kim Hoyun had become entangled in it.

In the past, there had been no such envy and jealousy toward Heo Sungshik. But this time, it had erupted during the welcome ceremony. Watching Kim Subin and Heo Sungshik laughing and chatting together caused Kim Hoyun’s heart to crumble. Unable to bear it, he left the venue and wandered aimlessly around the area.

“Oh, the scent of a fire spirit… You seem to have potential. Are you a student here?”

That was when it happened. A sharp-looking middle-aged man approached Kim Hoyun and spoke to him.

Standing before the man, Kim Hoyun instinctively felt wary and cautiously responded.

“No, I’m from Korea.”

The middle-aged man’s words carried a strange authority, compelling Kim Hoyun to respond submissively. Even his typically edgy demeanor softened as he answered.

“If you wish to grow stronger someday, come find me here.”

When Kim Hoyun regained his senses, the middle-aged man was gone, leaving only a business card in his hand. Surprisingly, the card was written in Korean, listing a name and contact information. Perhaps the man had given him a Korean card upon hearing his nationality.

“Do people carry different business cards for each country nowadays?”

Though the man had spoken in Chinese, thanks to his translation skill, there had been no difficulty in communication. Still, it was curious that a Chinese man had handed him a card written in Korean.

What was even stranger, however, was the feeling that followed.

‘But… why does this feel so familiar?’

Though it was his first time seeing the man, he felt an odd sense of familiarity, like running into an old childhood friend after many years.

Then, a signpost caught Kim Hoyun’s eye, pointing toward the shrine. Feeling aimless, he decided to follow the sign and continued walking.

As he approached the shrine, a massive explosion erupted ahead, causing the air to tremble.

Ordinarily, he would have turned back, overwhelmed by the sheer power he sensed. But that day, Kim Hoyun pressed forward. As he approached, he saw a masked figure facing off against Shiriya Ken.

Shiriya Ken was instantly recognizable. As a fairly famous figure, Kim Hoyun had looked him up during a phase when he had been interested in Japan’s star superhumans.

Likewise, the masked figure, clad in pitch-black robes that obscured his entire body, was also familiar.

It was the same man he had encountered earlier—the one who had given him the business card. Although his face was hidden, the clothes, build, and energy were unmistakable.

The sense of familiarity he had felt earlier? He would later realize it was a reaction to the aura of a spirit handler, something that those attuned to spirits would eventually come to recognize.

The masked figure and Shiriya Ken squared off briefly before engaging in combat. When Kim Hoyun saw the energy gathering in the masked man’s hands, he was stunned. The energy the man wielded was the same elemental power Kim Hoyun himself used.

In that moment, he was certain. The masked man was indeed the middle-aged man he had encountered earlier.

Watching the masked man overwhelm Shiriya Ken, Kim Hoyun made a decision. He resolved to follow that man—to learn how to wield his power.

And so, that night, Kim Hoyun disappeared from Tenri Academy.

[Breaking News! Japan’s Brightest Star Falls: The Death of Shiriya Ken.]

[Mysterious Masked Figure? Tenri Academy Under Attack.]

[Relic Stolen from Isonokami Shrine: Perpetrator Estimated to Be a 6-Star Superhuman or Higher.]

Japan was shaken by the shocking news. Sungshik, reading the deluge of real-time articles, felt a dull ache in his head.

“The future has changed.”

He muttered under his breath.

“In the past… there was no disappearance incident.”

He couldn’t recall whether Kim Hoyun had been selected as an exchange student to Japan in the original timeline. But he was certain that there had been no incident involving Kim Hoyun’s disappearance or the early return of the student delegation.

“And now… there’s the masked man’s attack, Kim Hoyun’s disappearance, and even Ken’s death.”

Particularly shocking was the death of Shiriya Ken, a 6-star superhuman regarded as a global-ranking powerhouse.

Speculation about the perpetrator was rampant. Someone capable of overpowering Shiriya Ken must be at least at the peak of 6-star rank—possibly even a 7-star. Yet, there were fewer than ten known individuals at that level worldwide, and none of them wielded the same power as the masked figure.

After much deliberation, Sungshik picked up the phone.

Beep… Beep...

—“Oh, Sungshik. I was just about to call you. How timely! I heard Tenri Academy is in chaos—are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

While he had been involved in the incident, he decided to keep his words brief to avoid unnecessary chatter.

—“That’s a relief. I was worried you might have been caught up in the incident and hurt.”

“Wow, how did you know I was at the scene?”

—“Haha, don’t underestimate our intelligence network. I’ve put a lot of effort into building it, you know. Though, since Tenri Academy is in a state of emergency, I couldn’t get the full details. If I’d had just one more day, I would’ve known exactly where you were and what you were doing that day.”

“Oh ho, that’s a bit creepy. I didn’t know Master Yun Gardes had a hobby of stalking, but regardless, that’s impressive.”

―Haha, it’s just a manner of speaking. It doesn’t mean I track every single move, so you can put that creeping feeling back away.

Indeed, the person Sungshik was talking to on the phone was Yun Gardes, the Seeker of Truth.

―Anyway, what’s the reason for your call?

“Ah, well, since you’re already aware of the incident at Tenri Academy, this will be quick. Do you have any information on the perpetrator behind the attack on Tenri Academy?”

―Hmm, we’ve already begun our investigation into it. I’ll let you know as soon as the results come in.

“Thank you. Also, one of our Korean students went missing during the incident. Could I ask for your help in finding out their whereabouts?”

―Ah… You mean that student you’re not on good terms with, right? I’ll look into it as well.

For a moment, Sungshik was taken aback. Without ever mentioning his relationship with Kim Hoyun, Yun Gardes had immediately pointed out their strained relationship. This revealed the impressive intelligence capabilities of the “Noah’s Ark” organization. The credibility of Yun’s earlier boast about their information network had significantly risen.

‘I didn’t have high hopes when I contacted him, but this might be worth expecting something.’

After exchanging a few trivial remarks, the call ended.

Over the next few days, amidst an unsettled atmosphere, the exchange students’ schedule was shortened, and classes were held as planned. After finishing classes, Sungshik had dinner with Kim Subin and Choi Moonguk before heading back to the dormitory.

Ring ring―

Sungshik’s phone began to ring. The caller was Yun Gardes.

“Hello.”

―Hello, Sungshik. I timed my call to match your return home.

“How did you know I just finished dinner and was heading back…….”

―Haha, I have my ways. More importantly, I have the results for what you asked about.

For a moment, Sungshik felt a chill as if he really was being stalked, but he swallowed his unease and continued.

“Ah, already? That was quicker than I expected.”

―This much is no problem. As I mentioned before, we have a pretty solid information network. But, hmm, this result is quite intriguing.

There was a sense of hesitation, as if he was preparing to disclose something significant.

―So, during our investigation, we managed to find a lead on the perpetrator, and we owe it to that student, Kim Hoyun.

“Kim Hoyun? What about him?”

―Apparently, on the day of the incident, the perpetrator crossed paths with Kim Hoyun. It seems the perpetrator left their contact information with him.

For a moment, Sungshik was at a loss for words.

‘Why with Kim Hoyun……?’

Then, Yun Gardes said something that left Sungshik shocked.

―It seems the perpetrator recognized Kim Hoyun’s talent and made him a recruitment offer. And Kim Hoyun accepted it.

“…Huh.”

It was ridiculous. Such a turn of events had been unimaginable before the regression.

―Moreover, the group the perpetrator belongs to is a crazy organization that worships the Master of Night. They call themselves “Revolutionary Knights.” They operate quite secretly, so we hadn’t been able to pinpoint their activities until now. But thanks to this, we discovered they possess a 7-star-ranked superhuman, so our organization has significantly raised its alert level for them.

“That crazy lunat—no, you’re saying Kim Hoyun joined this ‘Revolutionary Knights’?”

―Yes. Based on what we’ve found so far, that’s the case. The only reason we even discovered the perpetrator belonged to Revolutionary Knights was because we caught them meeting with Kim Hoyun.

To be fair, Kim Hoyun’s potential was considerable. He possessed the rare and powerful Spirit of Fire, known for its destructive prowess. Even in Korea, there had been interest in Kim Hoyun’s potential for the future.

‘If Kim Hoyun was a nobody before but is now drawing attention, it makes sense. But even so, why now? Before the regression, he was already somewhat well-known, yet nothing like this happened then.’

The butterfly effect caused by Sungshik’s regression seemed to be far more significant than expected. Many futures were already diverging.

“Then, where is Kim Hoyun now?”

―After joining Revolutionary Knights, he followed the perpetrator, but we lost track of him after that. The perpetrator, suspected to be a 7-star-level superhuman, seems to wield the power of the Wind Spirit. They quickly noticed our agents trailing them and escaped, so we couldn’t pursue them further. I’m sorry.

“No, there’s no need to apologize. Just knowing this much is already a great help. Thank you.”

Sungshik tried to recall if there had been any notable figures wielding the Wind Spirit before the regression, but no one came to mind.

‘There definitely weren’t any rankers who used the Wind Spirit before…?’

The situation only grew more perplexing the more he thought about it.

―I’ll let you know if I hear anything more in the future.

After ending the call with Yun Gardes, Sungshik fell into deep thought.

“It looks like I’ll need to push my plans forward.”

He decided to adjust his strategy to match the changed future.

In the past, Revolutionary Knights had only revealed its true nature gradually after the Gate Break. Among the powerful rankers they had, none were known to wield the Wind Spirit. The situation had diverged too much from what he remembered.

Moreover, the disappearance of Kim Hoyun was troubling. Before the regression, Kim Hoyun had been a promising rookie who faded away during the Gate Break. Now, joining Revolutionary Knights seemed poised to have an unforeseen impact.

“I need to grow stronger as quickly as possible. In a situation like this, the only thing I can trust is my own power.”

That was why Sungshik decided to revise his plans. With overwhelming personal strength, he could handle any situation!

‘This isn’t a rash decision. On top of that, the gains I’ve made recently are substantial.’

The acquisition of the Pocket Watch trait, which amplified all experience gained. The enhancement of the Pocket Watch’s rank. And the newly obtained growth-type trait, “Sword Demon.” These were all assets that would undoubtedly accelerate Sungshik’s growth.

After organizing his thoughts, Sungshik made up his mind.

“Alright, let’s do this. Operation ‘Storm Rank-Up’ begins.”