Read the endnotes, please
So went the story inside the novel.
One day, the world was faced with a calamity.
Towers and dungeons appeared out of nowhere, bringing monsters with them, and these monsters attacked humans, plunging the world into disaster.
Especially on the Korean peninsula... where it became a region where dungeons and towers appeared non-stop. And the monster attacks were worse than in any other country.
As described in the novel, "it was literally hell".
But from within the darkness, the brightest lights emerged.
In the novel, these 'lights' were called "heroes".
Korea fought the monsters using the power of the heroes. Gradually they managed to take control of the towers and dungeons. And using the industry created around the calamity as a driving force, they managed to recover from this crisis.
Time passed, and Korea became a global power that rivaled the United States. Thus becoming a country in the spotlight, where heroes from all over the world met.
As a safety measure against the rise of monsters and dungeons, Korea founded an institution of heroes, cutting-edge magic and state-of-the-art magical engineering.
It was called the "Cube".
The Cube is where hero cadets from all over the world who have managed to pass an unbelievably difficult test gather.
And it's where the hero who saved the world is, along with his rival.
That was all just an explanation of the whole historical context.
[Kim Suho] 17-27 years old in the story
An honest man who works hard for his goals. Although he comes from an ordinary background, he possesses extraordinary character and talent. A genius whose name is known throughout the military academy, he possesses a sense of justice and other characteristics befitting a true hero. What's more, Kim Suho carries a special secret that he hasn't revealed to anyone.
[Shin Jonghak] - 17 - 27 years old in history
A fourth generation descendant of the Jinsung Corporation, one of Korea's largest conglomerates that is always vying for market leadership. As the son of a very wealthy family, he is narcissistic and elitist. Because of his personality and the feeling of inferiority he feels towards Kim Suho, he later becomes a villain in the story.
"I have to be the best. I can't tolerate anyone being above me." With all his willpower, he confronts Kim Suho.
These two are the main characters in the novel I read.
Although there were many characters, like any other novel or book, describing them all was impossible. However, this novel was very close to the real world in terms of the number of people, as there were billions, although, of course, there is no role for all those billions of people.
Unless the characters had "important roles" like the heroine or the sidekick, naming a character wasn't necessary.
Now, why am I mentioning all this?
It's actually quite simple.
I remember being in the ship's room after the special island survival exam was over, reading the last released chapter of this Korean novel that was released, which was apparently paused.
However...
Seoul Heroes Association Agents' Military Academy. Graduation of the Class of 2024. Rank 1 Cadet: Kim Suho.
Called to the stage, Kim Suho approached with a stiffened face, as if nervous.
"In 1st place in the 1st year of cadets, Kim Suho." The woman announced.
The world of the novel I was reading was happening right before my eyes.
We were in a huge auditorium that looked more like a temple. There were around 3,000 cadets and thousands of spectators. Their gazes turned to one person, Kim Suho.
"He's Kim Suho? Wow."
"He's so handsome ~"
Several women watched in admiration and adoration.
"... That's why people say that the gift is all that matters. Who cares if you try hard? People like him end up in first place anyway."
"That guy must have been lucky with his gift."
And naturally, as he's the main character, he's received the envy and jealousy of young teenagers.
"His grades are considered to be the highest in the last 10 years."
"Yes, I've heard of him. His gift was announced too, right? What was the name again?... Holy Sword?
The eyes of the Guild associates, who had come to watch the graduation of the best cadets in recent history, sparkled.
They were looking down from the highest seats in the auditorium. However, I could hear their voices. They had to be at least a kilometer away, but as long as I looked at them, I could clearly hear their words.
Not just their words, but I could also see their faces, almost as if I were right in front of them.
My eyesight and hearing on earth were above average, but this is clearly something ridiculous.
The only explanation I could think of at the moment was that maybe this was my "gift".
"Yes, as far as swords are concerned, he is said to have received World Protection."
"Hm... That's a pretty vague description, but I think all the information from the academy is like that."
"We've invested a lot of money in that boy, so don't touch him."
I recognized one of the whispering faces.
Yun Seung-Ah. An important assistant to the main character and one of the heroines who almost became his girlfriend. Just when the two were hitting it off - in fact, when the main character was dating many of the heroines - the novel was suspended out of the blue. As a result, the two never had a more serious relationship.
I really couldn't understand the author's mindset with this novel.
It wasn't an extraordinary novel or anything, in fact, it was quite disappointing in many ways, but I kept reading it in spare time when I didn't have anything better to read.
With all that said, the novel wasn't even finished, a knowledge I really wish I had at my disposal right now.
"Investment? When it comes to cadets of this level, there's no such thing as giving preference to anyone."
At the insensitive words of another Guild associate, Yun Seung-Ah smiled sweetly and rebutted.
"Is that why the 'Essence of the Strait' guild won't leave the vice leadership?"
Yun Seung-Ah was quite beautiful. Korean women were not so different from Japanese women. Both displayed a subtle elegance, as if they were hiding an inner fire under a layer of ice. It was an intriguing quality that was hard to ignore. However, while Korean women often seemed warmer and more expressive, Japanese women often maintained a more reserved composure, revealing just enough to maintain the mystery.
Watching Yun Seung-Ah with her sweet smile and sharp diplomatic skills, I couldn't help but admire her ability to navigate the turbulent waters of social interactions. It was as if she was dancing between the guild's expectations and her own personal ambitions, always staying one step ahead.
However, behind her beauty and charm, I could detect a layer of calculus, a quiet determination that drove her forward. It was a quality I recognized well.
She continued talking to the other person.
"... Can I take that as a challenge?"
"I'm joking, of course. Besides, we still have three years before we can recruit any of them. "
"Two years, actually."
"...You know that contacting them before they graduate is illegal, right?"
"That only happens if you're found out."
Yun Seung-Ah and the man stared at each other. Because of this "staring contest", the atmosphere in the VIP seats began to heat up.
And so the fight for Kim Suho had already begun.
-Class of 2024, Rank 2 Cadet: Shin Jonghak.
Meanwhile, the other main character stood up.
He was the descendant of the Jinsung clan. His appearance rivaled that of Kim Suho.
The audience stirred just as they had when Kim Suho had risen. But unlike Kim Suho, there was no envy or jealousy. There was only admiration and adoration. With Kim Suho, they thought: 'Why is he better than me?' but with Shin Jonghak, it was: 'He was better than me from birth.
As if to show his noble blood, Shin Jonghak took to the stage completely composed.
Kim Suho and Shin Jonghak.
Standing side by side, the two faced each other.
In a world where appearances often obscured true intentions, it was essential to remain vigilant, always alert to the nuances hidden between the lines. And so I remained behind the scenes, silently observing.
After all, the real players have barely begun to move their pieces on this board.
ℙ𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥 𝔼𝕩𝕥𝕣𝕒
Well, another story. I had started writing the next chapter of "A Perfect Human in a Fantasy World", but this idea hasn't left my head. It's a crossover between Cote and The Novel's Extra. A novel and a manhwa that I read when it first came out. I also read the novel.
The idea is to swap the author of the novel with someone who has read it (Ayanokouji Kiyotaka). The beginning of the story will be very similar to the original, with Ayanokouji receiving some of the things that Hajin received. Of course, there will be subtle differences at the beginning, such as dialogues, the way of thinking and the way of acting, because Ayanokouji's personality is very different from Hajin's. While Hajin wanted to do everything possible, Ayanokouji wanted to do everything possible. While Hajin wanted to do everything possible to return to his old world, Ayanokouji won't think like that.
The subtle differences will be many, to the point where the whole story will change. I'll be re-reading the novel to write this story even better, but I'll tell you right now that the ending of this novel didn't please me very much, so expect a lot of changes.
That's it, let me know what you think of this prologue. I'll be writing chapter 1 after I send this one, so I'll be excited to write it.
Those of you who have read the novel and the manhwa, if you like, you can make suggestions about Ayanokoji's "gift". Although I still want him to use the desert eagle like Hajin, firearms aren't going to be his strong suit. I really want to keep physical combat as his strong.