Jeokho became an option when the replay function was upgraded.
If my prediction is correct, Jeokho will experience the time from the Nameless Supporting Role’s Tutorial until his death in PMH.
It was clear that the effect of the replay function would be longer on him than on Kim Shinrok, who died on the first day of the prologue.
If the time of his sleep were the same as the time he spent alive in PMH, he’d have to sleep for more than a year to witness everything.
However, considering our experience with the function, the time experienced by the subject in the dream seemed to flow very fast.
‘The level has gone up too so maybe Jeokho’s dream will pass faster.’
I gained greater confidence in my hypothesis as I observed Jeokho.
As soon as Hwangho put Jeokho to sleep, his energy waves fluctuated greatly.
I’m sure he’s already witnessing Kim Shinrok’s funeral.
Since two or three seconds in this world equates to more than 15 minutes in his dream, it was clear that Jeokho was experiencing time a hundredfold faster.
Beep, beep.
In the meantime, minor changes occurred in Jeokho’s heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.
His vital signs were being monitored using machines prepared in advance by Kim Shinrok.
While checking Jeokho’s vital signs, Kim Shinrok looked half anxious and half angry.
“Jeokho-nim doesn’t look well. His temperature dropped again. His pulse is slowing down too… We can’t use a recovery item on him either!”
Although Kim Shinrok wasn’t wrong, all of Jeokho’s vital signs were actually within the normal range.
The numbers only changed in a 0.1 range at max.
Seeing him be overprotective of his family, I thought he was very similar to Jeokho.
“His energy waves are unstable. However, it is within normal range.”
Hwang Jiho said so while looking at Jeokho, but Kim Shinrok still wasn’t relieved.
Hwang Jiho looked at Kim Shinrok as if he was looking at a whining nephew, no, grandchild.
It was a little awkward to see Hwang Jiho look at Kim Shinrok like that while he was wearing a school uniform considering that the latter was a teacher at our school.
“Kim Shinrok, do you now understand why Jeokho scolded you so much?”
“…I use a recovery item. I also experienced the function many times now.”
“Hahahaha! Jeokho is much stronger than you, and he’s a hero who has lived for a long time. You think he can’t endure what you endured?”
Kim Shinrok closed his mouth when Hwang Jiho laughed.
If he refuted Hwang Jiho’s remarks, it would be like he’s refuting Jeokho’s achievements.
“I don’t think it’s because you don’t think Jeokho’s strong though. The same goes for Jeokho.”
Drag.
Hwang Jiho pulled a stool and placed it near Jeokho.
He tapped on the stool and looked at Kim Shinrok, who had been standing all this time.
After much hesitation, Kim Shinrok yielded and sat down.
Kim Shinrok couldn’t take his eyes off Jeokho, who was currently living a nightmare where his son was dead.
* * *
After visiting Shinsoo’s tomb, Jeokho and Ahn Dain began to open up to each other.
At first, Jeokho was wary of Ahn Dain for seeing right through him and he doubted her connection with Shinsoo.
Soon, however, he was influenced by Ahn Dain’s upright character and he began to trust her.
The fact that if Jeokho’s son were alive, he would’ve been Ahn Dain’s homeroom teacher, also played a part in that trust.
‘The more I talk to Ahn Dain, the more I admire her. It would’ve been worth teaching if my student was such an upright and talented person.’
Jeokho frequented Eungwang High to remember his son.
Soon enough, he took notice of another student other than Ahn Dain.
It was Sung Siwan, chairman of the Jiikhoe.
He first saw him at his son’s funeral.
Most of the teachers were in charge of packing up Kim Shinrok’s belongings, but other than them, Sung Siwan also helped.
Sung Siwan seemed to have become somewhat close to Kim Shinrok since he’s been bugging him to be the adviser to Jiikhoe.
‘He’s the cousin of Lawmaker Sung Gukeon. That man followed my son well in the past too.’
Sung Siwan had a more ashen face than when he saw him at the funeral.
He seems to have frequent conflicts with the teacher who became the adviser of Jiikhoe.
That teacher’s name was Choi Pyeondeuk.
‘Ahn Dain’s homeroom teacher is also Choi Pyeondeuk.’
Jeokho looked into the man, but he didn’t find anything particularly odd.
Although it was only a superficial investigation since he didn’t have Hwangho’s and the other tigers’ help.
Overall, Choi Pyeondeuk looked clean on paper.
Jeokho thought that he was just the kind of teacher that wasn’t well-liked among students.
Although he was unsettled about it, Jeokho was blinded by his will to avenge his son and focused more on finding the traitor to the 12-point alliance and the Bear Clan.
‘So many things are happening…’
Accidents continued to happen both inside and outside Eungwang High.
Jegal Jaegul, the head of the school affairs department, retired out of nowhere, greatly shaking the school administration.
Choi Pyeondeuk replaced him.
Meanwhile, the country was overturned due to the sudden appearance of an otherworld at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium on Children’s Day.
In the wake of the incident, the tension between Joo-Oh Group and TC was already high, but Jeokho didn’t pay much attention to it.
He thought it didn’t have much to do with his son.
But it was impossible to feign ignorance about everything.
One night, in front of Shinsoo’s tomb on Cheonik Mountain.
Jeokho could not turn a blind eye to Ahn Dain, who looked like she was losing her spirit.
“…”
During the summer vacation, a huge incident happened at Eungwang High.
Numerous students and residents died due to a massive otherworld outbreak and enemies invading during the youth retreat of freshmen students.
Although more attention was paid to the otherworld that spawned and the enemies that attacked, it was in fact a student’s explosion that caused the most damage.
Though if that student hadn’t exploded her energy waves, enemies that invaded the island would’ve done the same damage anyway.
However, the student could not overcome her guilt and eventually cut all contact with the world.
That student’s name was Kim Yuri, Ahn Dain’s best friend.
“…Yuri was the only friend who stayed with me through tough times. And what did I do for Yuri when she was suffering?”
Jeokho did not know how to comfort Ahn Dain.
He was weighed down by his sins and couldn’t be with his family when they were in pain.
No, perhaps the source of his friends’ pain was him.
“When my abilities awakened, I met someone who has predictive power. No, maybe he was just a crook.”
Perhaps because of Shinsoo’s death, Cheonik Mountain was dying little by little.
Jeokho expected that the terrestrial veins would recover someday and Shinsoo would be born again, but the mountain lost its color and vitality as the days went by.
In the dark, Ahn Dain continued to talk to Jeokho who hid himself.
“I was told to follow the stars at dawn when it got dark. But…”
The night sky above Cheonik Mountain was dark and gloomy, with not a single star in sight.
It was so dark that it didn’t seem like the break of dawn would come.
Then, someone rushed like a beast through the darkness.
Fwiii!
Jeokho almost launched a bolt of lightning without realizing it, but he recognized who was approaching and held back in time.
Ahn Dain seemed to recognize who it was.
“…Sanghee unnie?”
Yoo Sanghee, with her shaggy hair, stumbled out of the bushes.
She had blood in her eyes and a bloodied blade in her hand.
It was a revenge blade that Yoo Sanghee made in exchange for her life.
She looked at Ahn Dain with empty eyes yet spoke in a friendly voice.
“I told you not to go around at night since it’s dangerous, Sanghoon-ah.”
“…”
Yoo Sanghee smiled with her head tilted.
She seemed to be out of her mind.
Jeokho looked into the students who died in the same incident as his son.
He found out about Yoo Sanghoon, and his older sister Yoo Sanghee.
After she joined hands with Nemesis the Goddess of Revenge instead of Akea the Goddess of Healing, Yoo Sanghee wasn’t seen much.
The superior being of revenge occasionally showed her Yoo Sanghoon to encourage her to take revenge.
“How about we go back now, Sanghee-ah?”
“Look, Myungsoo-ah. Sanghoon is here.”
Just when Ahn Dain was at a loss for words, Ji Myungsoo appeared breathlessly.
Ji Myungsoo explained the situation.
Late at night, they were attacking an otherworld where a beast enemy appeared.
When Ji Myungsoo tried to walk Yoo Sanghee home, the latter suddenly said that she had to meet his younger brother.
She ran to Eungwang High and came all the way here.
“Sorry. If Wonwoo was here we could’ve stopped her, but I couldn’t do it on my own.”
“Is Do Wonwoo sunbaenim still very busy?”
“He’s busy with family matters lately. He’s behind in student association work too. Wonwoo went home first, but he worked as soon as he got on that air limousine.”
Do Wonwoo was busy with matters inside TC Group.
Since the next president’s family was seriously injured in the Jamsil Baseball Stadium incident, Do Wonwoo had to step up.
In the meantime, he was also the student representative and helped Yoo Sanghee’s revenge without any promise.
Do Wonwoo was with the otherworld attack with Yoo Sanghee, and he asked Ji Myungsoo to take Yoo Sanghee home for today.
“Sorry. I thought you were Sanghoon, Dain-ah. It’s dark so I was mistaken.”
“…It’s alright. It’s really dark so you were just confused.”
Yoo Sanghee belatedly came back to her senses and immediately apologized to Ahn Dain.
Considering the difference in Yoo Sanghoon and Ahn Dain’s physiques, it couldn’t have been a simple confusion, but everyone accepted her excuse.
Ji Myungsoo smiled at Yoo Sanghee.
“It’s late. Let’s go back now.”
“Yeah, come on with us, Dain.”
Even after Ahn Dain bid him goodbye and completely left the mountain, Jeokho couldn’t move from his spot.
The image of Yoo Sanghee calling for Yoo Sanghoon remained vividly in Jeokho’s mind.
‘Will I see my son if I joined hands with a higher being that symbolizes revenge? Can I get the power to avenge my son?’
But who will give an order to Jeokho, a man who bears a sin and curse after betraying Cheonshin?
Jeokho called his idea foolish, but he could not give up his lingering feelings.
Jeokho felt like he was going crazy.
‘My son is dead but there’s nothing I can do!’
As he investigated, things got worse over time.
The clues that Jeokho found and the beings involved were either missing or dead.
Every possibility was blocked as if the world knew how Jeokho would act.
It felt like something creepy was squeezing around Jeokho.
He felt like he was falling into a pit of despair, and Jeokho didn’t know how to get out.
‘Should I ask Baekho for help?’
The only person who he can ask for help came up in Jeokho’s mind.
Baekho, the guardian of their territory, cannot leave Eungwang District so he knew he would be able to find him if he wished.
Baekho was also the teacher of his son, so Jeokho thought he might be willing to help.
But Jeokho changed his mind soon enough.
‘I can’t put my friend in danger. Especially since his true name was lost.’
And so winter time came without Jeokho obtaining any clue.
