Regression Guidelines For the Supporting Character

Chapter 338

I stood there blankly, staring at the System window showing Eun Woojeong’s condition.

“Hunter Cha Seohu?”

Kwon Taehyuk called to me carefully.

“What’s going on? Are you alright?”

“......Ah.”

Only then did my reason return.

I looked away from the flustered Kwon Taehyuk and turned to the side—and saw Cha Sahyeon looking up at me with worry. And Kwon Seoyul too, propping his chin on his hand and staring like it was interesting.

“Hyung, did you start dreaming with your eyes open? Why are you suddenly pawing at the air like that? Like some old man on his last legs.”

“Shut up.”

I didn’t have time to deal with Kwon Seoyul’s pointless mouth right now.

I glared at the quest window floating in front of me and chewed my lip.

'I’m going to lose my mind. Six hours left?'

How the hell was I supposed to find Eun Woojeong within six hours—him of all people, who never stayed put and wandered around everywhere?

'Wait. But this... does the remaining time for clearing the quest not have anything to do with Eun Woojeong’s life?'

What if he dies before then?

My blood went cold and goosebumps crawled over my skin.

'No.'

If Eun Woojeong dies here, everything fails.

I didn’t know how the System would react if one protagonist died, and if we lost an S-rank asset, the people left behind would be that much more at risk.

And—and.......

“.......”

My thoughts, trying to find reasons Eun Woojeong couldn’t die, stopped.

All that filled my head was the line on the guide window—“Status: Critical (consciousness fading)”—and the bastard’s thoughts as he called for me.

'Fuck.'

Enough. Why the hell do reasons matter right now?

Eun Woojeong has to live. I’ll save him somehow. I have to.

“...Cha Sahyeon.”

I finally forced my mouth to move. Thankfully, my voice came out not too different from usual.

“Find one more person.”

“Who?”

“Eun—no. The Spiderweb leader. The guy with the mask and white hair. Can you find him? As fast as you can.”

Cha Sahyeon blinked, then nodded.

“Okay.”

Even though it was a pretty out-of-the-blue demand, Cha Sahyeon didn’t ask questions. He quietly pulled out a second shadow bird.

The bird held Cha Sahyeon’s gaze a little longer than it had with J, then passed through the window and flew outside.

“It depends on the distance, but probably around two hours. That guy won’t have an obstacle blocking his energy like J does.”

“Can’t you make it faster?”

“Mm.”

Cha Sahyeon answered with an awkward expression, like it wasn’t something he could do anything about.

A sigh came out on its own, but shaking the kid wouldn’t make the impossible possible. With a suffocating feeling, I roughly swept my hair back and spoke to Yoon Jeha.

“Sorry, but something came up. Still, I’ll contact you as soon as we find J, so you can stop worrying and head out.”

“What? Wait.”

Yoon Jeha, who’d been watching in confusion, jumped up at my attempt to send him away. This guy really stands up the second he doesn’t like something.

“How am I supposed to just wait because you say so? Who knows when you’ll find him?”

“That’s true, but something came up for us too.”

“What is it? I’ll help! I can help, right? Anyway, I’m not leaving. Until I meet that kid J, I’m sticking with you no matter what.”

“Ugh.”

Hearing that, Kwon Seoyul pretended to gag.

I kicked his shin and answered with a tired feeling.

“Do whatever you want.”

Lastly, I turned to Kwon Taehyuk.

Kwon Taehyuk had been staring only at me with a worried expression. The moment our eyes met, he asked,

“Did something happen to that man?”

“...I don’t know the details either. For now, all I know is that his life is in danger.”

“I see.”

Kwon Taehyuk fell silent for a moment. He looked like he was thinking, then opened his mouth again.

“Hunter Cha Seohu. In the Unidentified Rift, I experienced the skill your younger brother possesses. He can move locations through shadows. It seemed possible even over long distances.”

That was news to me.

Startled, I turned to Cha Sahyeon. He just blinked slowly with an indifferent face.

'That’s unexpected.'

If he knew that much, it meant he’d experienced Sahyeon’s shadow skill firsthand.

Even if things were urgent, Sahyeon wouldn’t have used his skill unless the other person was trustworthy.

'He’d rather throw them away than—'

Did Sahyeon use it because he trusted Kwon Taehyuk, or because he knew I’d get angry if Kwon Taehyuk died?

No matter the reason, it wasn’t a bad change.

Kwon Taehyuk continued in a calm voice.

“I’ll go with you as well. If an S-rank is in danger, there’s a strong chance something serious has happened.”

“.......”

For a moment, I just stared at Kwon Taehyuk in a daze.

He wasn’t going to ask how I knew Eun Woojeong was in danger?

'Why?'

Maybe someone else wouldn’t, but Kwon Taehyuk of all people—shouldn’t he ask?

And if Kwon Taehyuk asked... I could at least explain some of it—

'No. No.'

My mind snapped sharp, like cold water had been dumped over my head.

'No matter what, I can’t tell him about the System.'

Steadying the wavering part of me, I swallowed hard and nodded.

“If you’re willing to help, then yeah. Of course I’d be glad.”

Forcing myself to answer like usual, I brought the Eun Woojeong guide window back into view in front of me.

From here on, no matter how anxious I was, all I could do was wait. I leaned back into the sofa, chewing my lip as I fixed my eyes on the window.

***

An hour passed.

In that time—whether it was lucky or unlucky—the status shown on the guide window changed little by little.

[Protagonist Status Guide]

Status: Critical (briefly regained consciousness)

Thought: ...Fuck, this hurts like hell.

[Protagonist Status Guide]

Status: Critical (consciousness barely hanging on)

Thought: Cold bastards. I’ve seen their faces for over ten years, and they do it like this.......

[Protagonist Status Guide]

Status: Critical (worsened a bit more)

Thought: Ah, did I move for nothing trying to find medicine? I’m fucked.......

[Protagonist Status Guide]

Status: Critical (consciousness barely hanging on)

Thought: ...Seriously. I feel like I’m going to die.

I let out a boiling sigh and rubbed my face dry.

Kwon Taehyuk looked over in confusion, but I didn’t have the bandwidth to care.

'If you’re hurt, just stay still, you bastard.'

Ten more minutes passed.

The guide window didn’t update, and my anxiety hit its peak.

Feeling like my blood was drying up, I deliberately folded my arms tight. If I didn’t, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands still for even a second.

When fifteen minutes passed, new text finally appeared on the guide window.

[Protagonist Status Guide]

Status: Critical (consciousness fading)

Thought: Cha Seohu. Cha Seohu-ssi. Cha Seohu.......

'Why are you calling me like that?'

You’re dying—why the hell are you looking for me?

With helplessness rising, I cursed Eun Woojeong in my head while I kept glaring at the guide window, when his thoughts kept changing.

[Thought: If I keep calling, won’t you come eventually?]

[Thought: You always... saved me. So this time too, maybe.]

[Thought: Who knows. Maybe you can see straight through my head too.]

...That gave me chills.

'You’re dying and you’re still having that ridiculous suspicion?'

Seriously, he was something else.

While I was dumbfounded, Eun Woojeong’s thoughts continued.

[Thought: Cha Seohu-ssi. If you save me again this time, I’ll get on my knees and beg properly. And I’ll really.......]

[Thought: Cha Seohu. Cha Seohu, Cha Seohu.]

'Stop calling me.'

I couldn’t take it anymore and covered my eyes with my hand.

I want to go too. I want to save you.

So hang on just a little longer. Somehow—just endure it.

That familiar helplessness slowly started swallowing my body. Rationally I knew this wasn’t the time, but my strength drained like my body was sinking into a swamp.

The face of that “Ryu Sunghyun,” smiling while bleeding, and Eun Woojeong’s thoughts calling my name over and over, swirled through my head.

I clenched my teeth, trying desperately ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) to hold it together—

“Hyung.”

Cha Sahyeon called me and stood up.

I jerked my head up. At the desperation in my eyes, Cha Sahyeon reached out with his small hand and firmly held mine.

“I found him. Let’s go.”

Cha Sahyeon had sat pressed up against me for over an hour, feeling my anxiety and fear with me.

Like he was telling me, It’s okay now, he tugged my hand. I stood up as if possessed.

“I’m ready.”

“Fix it fast, and then find that kid J too.”

Kwon Taehyuk and Yoon Jeha rose and approached.

Even Kwon Seoyul, who’d been playing games on his phone, leisurely stood and walked over.

“What the hell is that masked freak that you’re acting like this over, seriously.”

With Kwon Seoyul sighing and shaking his head, Cha Sahyeon used his skill immediately.

A black shadow spread across the floor, then swallowed our bodies whole.

My body floated as my vision turned completely black. Time, sensation, thought—everything sank into the darkness.

A moment passed, and when I opened my eyes again—

We were standing in a completely different place, not the Yesung Guild’s reception room.

A cold that stabbed the skin. A dark room with the lights off. Broken monitors covering the walls. And bright red blood spread thick across the floor.

When I spotted Eun Woojeong collapsed there with a corpse-pale face, I stopped hesitating and ran.