You Will Be Blessed If You Do Good Deeds¿

How could such a thing happen in this world?
Of all people, the hero who killed me in my past life is born in this world, in the same country.

No matter how I think about it, this feels like someone’s malevolent design.
My enemy from my past life, receive my blade!
...I don’t mean to say something like that.

I’m not that petty Demon King, I’m telling you.
I lost to him in a duel and died. That’s the end of that matter.
But the problem is...

‘He doesn’t recognize me, does he?’
Cold sweat ran down my back.
I quietly observed Yoo Han-ul.

If he does recognize me now...
“Good thing. A lot of people suffer after dungeon breaks, you know? You’re still a student, so it’s not unusual to be in shock. Once we leave the dungeon, make sure to get a psychological consultation.”
“...”

It was a relief to see that he smiled, clearly relieved that I hadn’t been speechless due to shock, but I couldn’t let my guard down yet.
Usually, when a person is reincarnated, they lose their memories of their past life, but that can’t be guaranteed.
Just as I was once a grand sorcerer, the hero was also a high-ranking swordsman. Once a human reaches a certain level, they break through the limits of a living being. I can’t guarantee he won’t remember his past life.

And even if he doesn’t remember now, there’s a chance he might recall it later.
‘The system might remind him.’
To the system, I was like a bone stuck in its throat. If it decided it was better to eliminate me, it might awaken the hero’s dormant memories and try to remove the potential threat.

‘This guy... unlike me, he has an S-rank ability right now, not potential.’
If it came to a fight, I would lose without question. I even have the system’s restrictions holding me back.
I briefly glanced at the system’s message.
The system has resolved the error.
Dungeon exit in 00:05:00.
 

That was quick, damn it.
But that wasn’t the message I wanted to see right now.
It was a default message that popped up, almost like a warning for user ‘Jung Da-on’.

Good deeds will bring blessings ¿
User, ‘Jung Da-on’ cannot engage in actions contrary to societal norms.
 
...Murder would probably go against societal norms, right? Maybe if it were self-defense, it might be different.
‘No, if it’s Yoo Han-ul I’m up against, even self-defense would be a problem.’

The system’s restrictions aren’t based simply on good and evil. It’s more about whether the majority of society agrees with the actions or not. If I fought Yoo Han-ul, I would be at a disadvantage.
If Yoo Han-ul fought some random person, the majority of society would support him.
That means Yoo Han-ul has very high social trust.

‘If I had known he was in South Korea, I would’ve changed the quest details.’
I had taken on this quest, thinking I’d have many opportunities as a demon, but that was my mistake.
Yoo Han-ul.

In South Korea, the activities of minor hunters were prohibited, but there was one exception.
That exception was Yoo Han-ul.
The reason was simple.

His physical abilities went far beyond normal humans and started causing harm to those around him.
He’d twitch uncontrollably when someone tried to wake him up while he was dozing off in school, accidentally breaking their bones, or even just bumping into someone on the street, causing them to be injured for weeks.
His life became almost impossible to live normally.

Because of that, the Hunter Association decided it was better for him to start training as a hunter at the age of 15 to learn how to control his power.
It didn’t take long for him to be considered South Korea’s best and youngest hunter.
What made the biggest impact on Korean society was the fact that Yoo Han-ul had prevented South Korea’s worst dungeon break, which is also the reason his hair turned completely white.

At that time, about half of South Korea owed a debt to Yoo Han-ul.
If he were to remember his past life and recognize me as the Demon King, he would certainly try to eliminate me. No one would doubt him.
Or, even if they didn’t believe it, they would pretend to believe him, thinking about the strength he brought and how helpful he could be.

So, Yoo Han-ul is inevitably a tricky opponent for me.
Especially if someone deliberately triggered this dungeon break with malicious intent aimed at me.
‘No way... Could Yoo Han-ul be involved in this?’

That would be very problematic.
I watched Yoo Han-ul’s expression and asked,
“So, Yoo Han-ul Hunter, are you dispatched to clear low-level dungeons like this?”

“Haha, where’s the ‘low-level’ in a dungeon break? Plus, there are civilians trapped here, so obviously, anyone should be dispatched as soon as possible... though.”
Yoo Han-ul chuckled slightly, looking somewhat embarrassed.
“Of course, the Hunter Association contacted me right away when they heard that a student with S-rank potential was involved. They probably didn’t want to lose such a talent so easily.”

“...You’re honest.”
That was within my expectations.
Dungeon breaks are urgent matters, but sending someone like Yoo Han-ul, an S-rank hunter, to such a low-level dungeon isn’t necessary.

However, if a hunter with S-rank potential got caught in it, the situation changes.
In a society where everything can be bought with money, even human life has a different value.
It wasn’t surprising, but it was a devilish story.

“Well, we’re going to be working together a lot, so no point in playing coy.”
The newly reincarnated hero said in the capitalist world.
“We S-rank hunters are quick to grasp reality. If we start being swayed by the Hunter Association, it becomes a headache because we have such an impact.”

I looked at Yoo Han-ul again.
This guy... He’s in his early twenties now, right?
Well, he started hunting at 15, so he must’ve gotten used to society by now, but I didn’t expect him to speak like this.

Of course, by immediately offering advice to someone he’s meeting for the first time, he might still have a naive side, just like in his past life.
But it wasn’t hard to understand. How much value can an S-rank hunter create? In a world where reaching a high “rank” is like winning the lottery, Yoo Han-ul was certainly one of the most valuable assets, so he must have gone through quite a lot.
‘At least he doesn’t seem like an idiot living as a fool here.’

No, then again, if he rushed here the moment the Hunter Association called him, maybe he’s still living like a pawn?
Since there’s a past connection with him, this nagging thought kept bothering me.
Of course, nothing would change if I kept thinking about it.

“Well, let’s talk more about this later. The dungeon’s cleared, and Jung Da-on is safe, so should we head out now?”
Yoo Han-ul helped me to my feet.
I stood, my legs still shaky, and looked up at him.

Under a world where the monsters were gone, his hair gleamed under the light. It looked strangely like a shadow of the moon reflected on water, despite standing under the sun. As if it would disappear any moment, like an illusion.
In contrast to the brilliant light of his soul, or rather, naturally,
As a demon who knows better than anyone how easily something so pure and beautiful can be shattered or tainted, that’s how I saw him.

Yoo Han-ul, noticing my persistent gaze, smiled awkwardly, wrinkling his nose.
“Hmm? Why are you staring like that?”
Once, under the same sky, our positions were different.

The hero I remember always looked up at me.
He was always covered in wounds, exhausted, and sorrow cast over his face.
It was natural.

How many sacrifices had the hero made to reach me?
But now, he was tall and looked down at me, his sword-wielding hand strong, and the light of his soul still beautiful.
Unlike me, who was dirty and worn out from rolling through the mud.

I didn’t want to meet him like this again.
Even though I knew deep down that it was best not to get involved, I couldn’t resist the impulse and asked.
“...Why are you speaking formally? You’re older than me.”

“Oh, should I speak casually then?”
He smiled as if he’d been waiting for that.
“Well, we’re going to see each other a lot anyway. Let’s be comfortable, Da-on. You should speak casually too.”

“Uh, okay.”
“...Hmm, you’re not shy at all.”
He didn’t seem to mind being addressed casually by someone four years younger.

Then, he added one more piece of advice.
“By the way, when we get out of here, you should be prepared for what comes next.”
I nodded.

“I know.”
It wasn’t something a demon should need advice from a hero for.
After the nationwide college entrance exam in South Korea, when the results were announced, and after the system and dungeons appeared, it became the day when minors would undergo their awakened ability tests, and once again, the world stirred.

How many S-rank hunters do we have in the country right now?
What’s the probability of getting an S-rank in today’s ability test?
Why can’t people understand why South Korea is obsessed with S-ranks?
About the newly revised ability test method: Why did the president of the world hunter association allow system access?
Who would win in a fight between America’s S-rank Estella and South Korea’s S-rank Yoo Han-ul?
 
As usual, video sites racked up views by revisiting well-known facts, and various communities were flooded with baseless speculations. It was the same as always.
And around 4 p.m., when the ability test was nearing its end, breaking news came through.

[New S-rank Hunter Emerges from a High School in Eunpyeong District] [Discovered as an S-rank potential in today’s awakened ability test]
The response from those who heard the news was truly ecstatic.
OMG! New S-rank just appeared!!

South Korea adds another S-rank!
Who is this person? Haha, was he one of the promising high schoolers?
Didn’t they say this kid would get an S-rank in the Youth Olympics? Is it him?

Nah, it’s not him. This kid is from Eunpyeong, not Gangnam! Haha
Oh, then does that mean the national team kid didn’t get an S-rank?
It could happen. Someone who thought they were S-rank but got A-rank in the test would probably be shocked. Though A-rank is still amazing.

Yeah, A-rank is impressive, but it’s the media and parents that are the problem.
But in the end, potential matters more for the future!
In reality, though, it’s still a fact that S-rank hunters who weren’t potential S-rank are rare.

Why should we even divide people by ranks when they’re all risking their lives to clear dungeons?
Exactly, the system's goal is to provide a safety standard for hunters based on dungeon danger levels, but in reality, society evaluates by rank. It’s not like we’re dealing with new aristocrats.
 

As expected, after the emergence of a new S-rank, people started speculating about who this new person was.
So, who’s the new S-rank high schooler? No one spilling the beans yet?
I went to school with this kid. Let me share a quick story, then I’ll delete it. Just so you know, this kid came from a poor family with no friends. Don’t expect them to be a genius like you might think.

What? Is this kid a bully or something?
What are you talking about? It’s surprising if an S-rank hunter is a bully. No way.
Yeah, this kid was totally picking on others after they got their S-rank, in front of everyone at the school auditorium. Look it up, there should be videos tagged under "Bullying" at our high school.

Oh, wow!
 
In a world where social media is so developed, information about a person spreads quickly. Because hunters are national assets and somewhat public figures, personal information is shared with little to no remorse.

I found the video through the tag. Looks like the kid just got their S-rank and was causing a scene!
Yep, this is it! Everyone’s losing it!
The vibe was crazy, they were surrounded, and people were watching the fight.
Must have been so fun to watch!
Wait, is that the kid in the video who just got knocked down?
 
As soon as the video from the dungeon break was posted, the internet exploded.
It wasn’t a video intentionally filmed, but rather one taken by a reporter who had been paralyzed by a monster. The camera hung around their neck and captured the scene. The angle, quality, and sound weren’t perfect, but in a way, it made the footage more realistic.

In the video, the back of a high school girl in a typical uniform was visible. The figure, which looked as if it might be crushed by a giant monster any moment, suddenly changed.
Rumble!
Thanks to the good camera, the thunder from the dark clouds was especially loud.

Everyone frowned and some watched with concern while others waited in anticipation for what was about to happen.
The girl’s hand grasped the falling lightning like it was a sword.
And then, she threw it at the queen ant.

???
What the hell? Is this Pikachu? What?!
How can her hand endure this?!!
 
In the video, the lightning spear thrown by the girl pierced the queen ant completely.
The sight of an ant the size of a 1-ton truck being instantly fried by high-voltage electricity was overwhelming.

And it was unbelievable.
The entire community of South Korea, which had already been heated up to a boiling point, exploded with excitement.
So, is this new S-rank actually a genius sorcerer??

Even C-rank hunters can’t do this, how did she one-shot it?
I’m an active wizard hunter, and that’s not even a common magic! It looks like she created that magic herself! This doesn’t make sense. I’m in complete shock.
She awakened today? Does this even make sense? I’m quitting as a hunter.

South Korea now has an S-rank sorcerer! Wow!
Why does this new S-rank wizard’s video make no sense? It's all fake!
Who is she? Does anyone know?

 
Someone replied in the comments.
Jung Da-on!