Declaration of Extra Strike

Kang Eui-jin, who died just a few days ago appearing on the news, was me.

‘I died? Then why am I…..’

My hand holding the glass wall trembled. I looked at my face reflected in the glass with shaky eyes.

‘Then who is this?’

Goosebumps ran down my spine as I recalled the tattoos that had disappeared as if they were someone else’s body with the scars that I had no recollection of.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the news. It was the only source of information I had, even though I was confused and didn’t understand what’s happening at all.

On TV, the woman, who had become stern because of the crowd of reporters, eventually screamed and reached for the camera that was shooting at her.

[I said, leave!!]

The crackling screen cut off and soon the screen switched to the newsroom where the announcer was located.

[Yes, as you can see the scene is mayhem. It is still difficult to determine the exact identity of the deceased because Nox is hiding, but judging from the size of the funeral and the movement of the Nox Guild, which has completely stopped after the estimated date of death, it is presumed to be the death of a person with great influence within the guild.]

I couldn’t understand even with words, and at that moment a picture of me appeared beside the screen.

That photo, in which my face was not revealed properly because it was covered by a mask down to the bottom of my nose, was the only photo of me that Tae Je-heon allowed to be released.

On the subject of taking commercials and going to conferences, he made me not go outside and even had my profile picture taken wearing a funny mask.  

Even that was only possible because the hunter association was concerned about the public sentiment due to the Hunter impersonation case at the time.

If I had known that it would come out even in this situation, I would have sprayed a lot of my photos before I died!!

[ The simultaneous dungeon break of the dungeons owned by the Nox Guild that occurred a few days ago has not yet been resolved, and the damage is increasing. The estimated damage exceeds 50 billion units, and stock prices continue to fall out of control.  However, the current Nox guild leader, Tae Jeheon, has not yet appeared..…. ]

The news was now making headlines about Knox and Tae Je-heon.  

Although the scene didn’t last long, seeing Tae Je-heon’s arrogant, irritating face, which I thought I would never see again, my shoulders shrank a little.

‘I think it must have been about a week. He must be busy taking care of guild work. What on earth is that bastard doing?’

‘I don’t think all the traps I planted have been revealed yet, but the damage Nox took was less than I expected.’

‘Was my expectations too high to expect the guild to collapse right away? It should have been a blow to the back. Shit, they didn’t betray me, did they?’

While I was grinding my teeth and focusing on the news, someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind. 

When I looked back, Han Seo-jin was giving me a critical look.

“Please sit still.”

“I just watched some news, news.”

As I nodded toward the back, Han Seo-jin, who looked up and checked the TV, turned his back without saying anything.

“Follow me.”

“We’re going directly? Don’t we have to wait?”

When I asked, pointing at the people waiting for tickets, Han Seo-jin looked back at me with a grim expression.

“Why are you waiting?”

“Woah……. Make sure you never use that expression ever again.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s fucking annoying.”

“….”

When I went inside with Han Seo-jin, a large research room opened up in front of me. The inspector who was preparing saw Han Seo-jin and fussily approached him.

“Han Seojin Esper-nim!! You say you’re checking the status bar…”

“Not me but him.”

“Yes? Ah, You told me beforehand. C class Guide, Joo Ho-hyun…….”

The inspector, who checked the chart next to him and nodded. He looked at me and Han Seo-jin in turn and asked.

“Will you see it together? Or………”

“Separately, of course.”

“We’ll look together.”

My gaze met with Han Seo-jin’s.

“What is this all of a sudden?”

“What, it’s my status window. Why should we look together? It’s my privacy.”

“I know all your skills anyway.  The one who doesn’t remember right now must be hyung, not me.”

There was nothing wrong with Han Seo-jin’s words, so I closed my mouth bluntly.

The problem is that I’m not Joo Ho-hyun!!’

I wanted to not see myself rather than show Han Seo-jin my skills, but there were too many things that bothered me for that.  Even the news that I died and the changes in my body…….

I really need to check the status window, so I worriedly asked again.

“Can’t I look alone?”

“If you don’t want to check, just go back.  I’ll call the team doctor to the accommodation next time.”

“You can’t curse at me.”

How did you know that I cursed inside? I bit my lip at Han Seo-jin, who didn’t back down an inch..

The inspector who was watching our confrontation eventually stepped forward and suggested another option.

“Among new guides, there are many who are reluctant or afraid of the system. It’s a psychological problem. Then how about setting up blinds?”

“Blinds?”

“If the guide Joo Ho-hyun doesn’t want it, the status window won’t be visible.  If the guide Joo Ho-hyun thinks it is okay, then you can turn off the blind settings yourself.”

“If it’s that extent, then.. ”

It doesn’t matter if Han Seo-jin can’t see it, but Han Seo-jin…….

“That’s not allowed. What to do if you have something to hide?”

As expected, Han Seo-jin objected.  But the inspector shook his head and said,

“If there is a change in level, stat, or skill, an alarm is supposed to ring right here. It is a part that is automatically set regardless of the status window observation. Blinds are just for the psychological stability of the examinee.”

I was shocked at the word alarm, but there was no better way.  If something goes wrong, I should at least destroy the machine pretending it was a mistake. I looked at Han Seo-jin distortedly, who nodded as well.

“Proceed.”

When the agreement was reached, the examiner pointed to a large glass cylinder in the center of the room.

“Here, you can go inside.”

After entering a glass tube large enough to stretch both arms, the inspector applied round patches to the neck and temples.

I shrugged my shoulders at the damp feeling of touching the unfamiliar area. It felt as if the gel had been applied to the patch.

“Ugh, what is this?”

“Yes?”

My eyes widened as I was shocked, so I apologized and asked again in a polite tone.

****The ugh line was said in a very informal tone so he was shocked the inspector heard it.

“What is this?”

“…”

Even though I said with honorifics, the inspector’s expression was not good. But why is Han Seo-jin outside pointing to his forehead?

“As I said, my memory is hazy.”

“Ah, yes……………. This is a device to prevent unexpected shocks caused by visualizing the status window..”

Getting shocked in the process of visualizing the status window? Don’t impose sanctions in the first place!

The inspector, who looked a little stingy, looked at me strangely until the end, as if there was still sediment left, and then closed the door and left.

Looking outside after being locked in a glass container, I felt like I was an animal trapped in a cage. It was not a good feeling.

“You can just open the status window. The entire front screen can be operated with your touch.”

When the inspector spoke with his face close to the microphone next to him, the sound could be clearly heard from inside, as if there was a speaker installed as well.

‘Status window.’

As I muttered to myself at the researcher’s words, a status window popped up.  

The status window, which was originally invisible to other people’s eyes but visible only to my own eyes, now expanded and opened using the glass in front of me as a screen.

Looking at the status window in front of me, I felt blood draining from my body.

〈Joo Ho-hyun⟩

Level :34

Alignment : Auxiliary System

Style : C class Guide

Learn more

Pause

Unmute

Fame : 88

Stat (Lower Level Awakeners with Maximum Limit of 50)

Power : 39    Strength : 24    Luck : 7

“Joo Ho-hyun…….”

The status window that was supposed to go to Kang Eui-jin appeared with Joo Ho-hyun’s name.  It was the moment when the hypothesis, which he had tried to ignore as strange but absurd, was confirmed as fact.

‘Unbelievable ……………. This is not my body?’

I couldn’t believe it.  However, the status window was the most convincing evidence.

‘Why Joo Ho-hyun’s body? Then that funeral was really my……..?

If it weren’t for the two pairs of gazes seen through the transparent status window, I wouldn’t have been able to get out of that state of shock for a long time.

Han Seo-jin, who pushed the inspector, said into the microphone, as if it was strange that I was standing still.

“Is there any problem?”

“……No, no. None.”

“Show status window.”

Hearing Han Seo-jin’s voice, who seemed to be about to open the door if I didn’t open it, I checked Joo Ho-hyun’s status window again and unlocked the blinds.

As the foggy window cleared and the screen was shared outside, Han Seo-jin took a step back from the microphone. However, there was still a look of doubt on his face.

“What’s wrong with your expression?”

“It’s because I can’t believe this damn poor status window is mine. Why?”

“Do not talk to me. I’m angry.”

I grabbed my throbbing head. According to what the wizard said, even if I die using the scroll, my body will not disappear.  

So what happened to my original body? And did Joo Ho-hyun enter my body? Various assumptions constantly spring up. 

The clear fact is that I am in Joo Ho-hyun’s body.

‘Since I can’t see the status window after I leave here…….’

I had to confirm the information of this body.  I quickly scanned the status window in front of me with my eyes.  

The UI was a little different from the system window I used to see. Perhaps it was because I was operating it at the center

Level? Okay. Stats? Pass.

The skill…..

Skill

> Status Ailment

Lower Level Status Ailment (D)

Intermediate Level Status Ailment (C)

> Buff

Lower Level Offense Increase (E)

Lower Level Defense Increase (E)

>Guiding 

Lower Level Guiding (C)

There was no skill.

Joo Ho-hyun’s status window was overall normal. No, to be honest, it sucks.  

If it had been Nox, he wouldn’t have been able to enter even as the lowest guild members.

Stats are not a factor that I consider important in the first place, as I can mix them with equipment and potions, but the problem was that all the skills that determine my qualities as a Hunter were mediocre. 

There were no skills with unusual names, and the proficiency of the skills was low.

‘Did you not enter the dungeon?’

The inspector who was sharing the same screen outside also asked into the microphone if I had checked my skill to the end.

“Have you checked everything?”

“No. I’ll check the details.”

“……Right.”

‘Since I’m a guide, I should check my guiding skills.’

The guiding skill I had never seen caught my eye, and I stretched out my hand to check the detailed information, but at the bottom of the status window, I saw a softly sparkling light.

“What is it?”

My fingertips naturally moved toward the light.