The Heroine Stole My Regression

2 – Gaon (2)

My salvation came in the form of the instructor’s indifferent words.

“Attention, everyone.”

“Yes, sir!”

I answered louder than anyone else.

Never in my life had I wanted attention so desperately.

“Hmm…”

She adjusted her posture, as if retreating for the moment.

The instructor, having walked onto the platform, swept back his disheveled hair and gripped the microphone.

His gaze carried a weariness.

“Yes… I am Do Hanseong, the instructor who will be guiding Class B here at Gaon for the next year. Pleased to meet you all.”

He cleared his throat and slowly surveyed the room.

“It’s the first day… to be honest, there isn’t much to say. The fact that you are all here at Gaon already proves your exceptional qualities as heroes.”

Do Hanseong, a name that felt vaguely familiar. It had been ten years, so I couldn’t recall everything, but I thought he played a significant role.

“Right, anyway, it’s the first day. Holding a theory class on the first day is…”

Dohanseong, having spoken halfway, gave a wry smile at the students’ earnest gazes.

“…Of course not. I have something else I need to do today.”

-Wooo!

He turned away, leaving their cheers behind.

With a gesture towards the blackboard, it split open as if cracking, revealing a colossal room prepared behind it.

“Whoa….”

It was this big?

Even though it was the world from the game I developed, seeing it with my own eyes, I couldn’t help but gasp. What seemed like the narrow back of the lecture hall had instantly opened up, and a vast, dome-shaped space stretched before me.

The ceiling was so high I could see the sky, and the interior resembled an indoor stadium.

“Let’s go.”

The instructor led us into the space.

Bathed in pouring light, many students had already gathered.

It seemed every class with freshmen, not just Class B, was assembled.

Instructor Dohanseong, with one hand casually in his pocket, continued his explanation.

“From A to J class, you will be doing practical exercises here. Today, you will be choosing your weapons.”

Indeed, students from other classes were already selecting their armaments. We followed, lining up in the seating area prepared on one side of the space.

“You may reselect the weapons you’ve been using until now, or you may choose completely different weapons that suit your recently awakened talents. It’s up to you.”

Dohanseong looked around at us, speaking slowly.

“However, you must remember. Unlike before, you are here to become heroes. Please remember the weight of that.”

That short statement made the students swallow hard. It was a call for responsibility.

“The process is simple.”

The instructor pointed to a panel set up on one side. Next to it was a separate armory with glass walls.

He demonstrated, placing his hand on the tag.

“Place your hand on this panel to begin identity authentication. An alert will sound once authentication is complete, then you may enter and choose your weapon. Multiple people can enter simultaneously as long as they are authenticated, so please proceed quickly.”

Dohanseong raised his head and looked at the front row.

“Shall we have a demonstration? The student in the middle of the front row. Please come forward.”

He pointed precisely at the protagonist, Seong Siwoo, sitting in the center. Seong Siwoo stood up from his seat and walked forward.

I watched anxiously, holding my breath.

‘Please…’

This is a tense moment. I don’t know what he’ll choose. In the original story, this is where he decides on the weapon he’ll use from now on. And the difficulty of the story that unfolds hinges on this choice.

“What weapon should I choose, you ask?”

Frankly, it hardly matters. Any weapon can be brute-forced through if you slather it with the highest-grade equipment and divine techniques. A kind of ‘item stat boosting’ is possible, you see.

However…

The sound of Seong Si-woo tapping a tag and confirming his choice echoed out.

He entered the weapon armory, its transparent glass doors sliding open, and slowly walked past the displayed weapons.

‘Please, just don’t pick a sword.’

I understand it might seem odd. Swordsmanship is the foundation of martial arts in any game or creative work. But it’s different here. It inherently suffers from short range, lacks initiative, and its performance output is hugely affected by equipment grade or swordsmanship level.

Purely physical. A weapon where the user’s talent determines their performance and potential. A cold-blooded weapon, that it is.

He looked around, circling the room a few times, before stopping at a certain point.

Where Seong Si-woo stood.

On the first-floor display were daggers, and on the second, katanas were neatly arranged.

‘You have got to be fucking kidding me.’

He confidently picked up the katana before him, raising it high.

Oh, goody.

Blissfully unaware of the agony he’s putting me through, he looks absolutely thrilled.

“Ha…”

I covered my eyes with both hands.

No choice. Still, it’s not like I didn’t expect it at all, so I’ve prepared myself to some extent.

Maybe… just maybe… he possesses some insane talent?

Instructor Do Han-seong gestured with a lukewarm gaze.

“Alright, hurry up and come out. Next!”

*

Which weapon is the best?

It’s always a subject of debate. There are countless types of weapons, and everyone has a different style, so it’s difficult to find a single correct answer. Some say the sword is the best, others insist the bow is superior. The truth is, both are right, and both could be wrong.

And to survive, I’ve spent the last ten years in deep thought, and I’ve come up with a solution.

Before me, a spear with a sharp blade rising skyward was on display. Its long reach and ability to transition between offense and defense were the reasons for my choice.

But, something I would have grabbed without a second thought before, the situation has now changed.

Should I change my mind, even now?

The disappearance of the regression has disrupted my plans, but the weight of the spear that I’ve trained with for 10 years is already imprinted on the tips of my fingers.

In the end, I stopped hesitating and picked up the spear.

There’s no turning back. This is the best course. All I can do is try my damnedest.

-Thunk.

And I was stopped.

The spear, blocked outright from being lifted by someone’s hand.

“No can do.”

I lifted my head at the familiar voice, and there was Chun Yeoul. She gripped the spear shaft, a cheerful smile on her face.

“No spears.”

Her words left me with a complicated expression. She kept spouting things I couldn’t understand, and irritation was starting to bubble up inside me. I tried to yank the spear free, to shake her hand off.

Or, I tried to.

‘What kind of strength…’

Completely demoralized by the fact that no matter how hard I strained, she wouldn’t budge, I finally asked, in a low voice,

“Why?”

For the record, it’s not like I’m weak. Really, truly, absolutely not.

Chun Yeoul was still smiling brightly.

“Just, seems dangerous. Just listen to your *noona*. Okay?”

“What *noona*…”

I was about to fire back, completely dumbfounded by her words, but as she put just a little more strength into her grip, my reply choked off in my throat.

“Okay?”

Yeah, sure, whoever’s stronger is *noona*, I guess.

I was seriously starting to wonder if this even *was* Chun Yeoul anymore.

I couldn’t let go of the spear, couldn’t pull it free. All I could do was stand there.

So *this* is what being completely stuck feels like. That useless thought flitted through my mind just as…

…a clear, delicate fragrance of flowers drifted in from somewhere.

“Why not let him do as he wants?”

I turned my head slightly and saw a woman approaching, her blue hair swaying.

The cool color of the sky blended with the scent of flowers, creating an atmosphere that felt somehow mystical. Her presence was so striking that every gaze in the exhibition room was drawn to her.

“Believing in your lov··· I mean, your friend, can sometimes be the greatest protection of all, I think.”

‘Yoo Hana…?’

She looked at me, offered a brilliant smile, and waved her hand gracefully, out of sight of the people behind her. As if she were happy to see me.

What’s *her* deal, for real?

She glanced at my spear, still gripped tightly in Cheon Yeoul’s fist, then covered her mouth with her hand, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“And… *pfft*, ‘older sister’? Are you crazy?”

*Auntie*, maybe.

The added words were so quiet, only Cheon Yeoul and I could hear.

Cheon Yeoul’s smile seemed to crack, just a little.

“Besides, you’re breaking the rules. You know? Crossing boundaries.”

Yoo Hana still smiled, gazing at Cheon Yeoul.

The smile etched on her lips was gentle, but her eyes flashed sharply.

“Whose rules are those? I don’t care about things like that.”

Cheon Yeoul, one hand still holding the spear, casually answered while fiddling with her nails with the other.

Their conversation, framed by smiles, gave an illusion of calm. But anyone standing as close as I was could tell.

‘What’s with this power struggle….’

Neither of them was a pushover.

Were they on bad terms? Didn’t seem like it, so why…

Cheon Yeoul glared at Yoo Hana, eyes wide.

Only then did I notice the grip on the spear, once held firm in both her hands, had loosened.

And without missing a beat, I yanked the spear free.

“!”

Cheon Yeoul, startled, reached out belatedly, but it was too late.

I lightly gripped the spear and raised my head.

A confusing feeling, in many ways.

But since things had already gone awry, I’d given up on expecting any situation to resolve easily.

“I don’t know what reason you have for stopping me….”

I looked at Cheon Yeoul as I spoke.

Still, it’s been ten years. A path I’ve pondered and refined for a full ten years.

In any context, for any reason, I’m sure that no one can possibly understand this choice better than I do.

“I’ll handle it.”

You two just need to focus on growing with my support. Even if the Regression is gone, nothing will change.

Cheon Yeoul’s gaze lingered on the spear, her fingertips hovering in the air before slowly dropping.

Her head was bowed, her eyes wavered, and her lips trembled ever so slightly.

Her expression was strangely tender. She hesitated, as if about to say something, but in the end, clamped her mouth shut.

“I’m going.”

The sorting was done.

As I turned to leave, Yu Hana caught my eye.

She was staring at the spot I’d vacated, hands covering her mouth.

Her cheeks, flushed crimson, the tips of her fingers trembling subtly, a stifled breath escaping her lips… a smile bloomed on her face, impossible to hide.

The redness blooming on her face and the trembling breaths, it was even strangely sensual.

I pretended not to notice, turning my head indifferently as I walked away.

‘There isn’t a single normal person here.’

That was my conclusion.