Chapter 35: 35 When You Rizz, Luck bends

“Do you have a name?” I asked the AI, staring at the blank screen as the clock ticked down. Only five minutes left in detention, so I figured some casual talk with the Cube Artificial Intelligence might pass the time. My curiosity about its existence—and the Great Sage, its creator—was growing. Maybe there was a hidden piece of information I could use. After all, I needed to get stronger, but I’d rather not steal opportunities from others.

Sure, Hajin had plenty of chances I could swipe, but I wasn’t about to do him dirty like that.

The AI’s emoji face flickered with a brief look of confusion before replying, “Dddo you mean my identity? I am the Artificial Intelligence responsible for fostering the future generations of heroes who will defend the world from monsters.”

I nodded, though I wasn’t really expecting much. Asking an AI for its name probably didn’t make sense, but I threw in a few more random questions just to pass the time.

“Are you female or male?”

“Iiif in terms of femininity or masculinity, then yes, I am female, as my voice interface falls under the category of feminine. However, I lack the biological capacity for either, as I am an information-state existence.”

“Are you beautiful?”

“Iii apologize. I do not know.”

“What’s the complete value of pi?”

“Rrroughly 3.14, it is an irrational number.”

“Recite the full value of pi.”

And that’s when she started: “3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197…”

For the next few minutes, the AI rattled off digits until my detention was finally over. For a moment, I actually feared I might have broken her by making her recite a transcendental number. But, to my relief, she stopped as soon as the timer hit zero.

“Ssstudent Hyon Hyung. Rank 1111, you are free from detention. This is your first warning. A repeat offense will result in suspension.”

With that, I headed out toward the Training Grounds. Time to break a leg. Not literally, of course—just metaphorically. I’d heard enough stories of cadets injuring themselves during training or sparring. No thanks.

Sigh... I could feel it—the meekness creeping into me more and more. What happened to the boldness I used to have?

To distract myself, I pulled up my stats, bringing them into view with my psychic retrospection.

▷ [Nobody Knows] [Low-intermediate rank] [Null attribute] [Evolving — Grade 8] [Proficiency EXP 3%]

— Always Here: Blend with the background and be unnoticeable. Can attach effects to other objects.

— Not Here: Become invisible. The more Magic Power, the longer the duration and stealthier the effects. Instant activation. Can attach effects to other objects.

*Variable Stats: [Strength 3.91] [Stamina 4] [Speed 4.3] [Perception 4] [Vitality 3] [Magic Power 3.1]

*Invariable Stats: [Intelligence— 4/10] [Perseverance— 4/10] [Luck— 4/10] [Charm— 4/10]

Gift (1/1)

Arts (0/3)

Physique (0/3)

Still so... average. It would take a miracle to score high in the Ranking Exams with these stats. But I could only do my best. Throwing weapons, hidden weapons, even trying out unorthodox methods—I’d have to practice everything I could. The effort wouldn’t betray me, or at least I hoped so.

There was no use in envying others. I had to focus on my own growth.

Speaking of which, I had enough money to improve my arsenal. The Essence of the Strait had just declared dividends, and my consignment deal with Essential Armory was still paying off. I could afford a nice pair of daggers, maybe even some hidden weapons. The thought of buying a set of shuriken stars crossed my mind, and I found myself more tempted than I expected.

Maybe it was time to invest in myself.

***

The days passed by with little time to waste. Kim Hajin was always busy, constantly focused on his training. It had a special place in his heart, providing him a sense of peace and purpose. Every time he reviewed his stats, a quiet satisfaction settled in him.

Training, it seemed, was just that good of a distraction.

▷ [Master Sharpshooter] [Low-intermediate rank] [Spirit attribute] [Evolving — Grade 8] [Proficiency EXP 13%]

— Master Sharpshooter’s Training: Familiarity with all long-range weapons.

— Thousand-Mile Eyes: Ability to see far away and predict a target’s movement. Increases speed and perception by 0.3 points.

— Bullet Time: Can enter bullet time for 10 seconds once every 24 hours in combat.

— Sharpshooter of Reversal: Can deal bonus damage to stronger enemies, influenced by luck.

Even his physical stats were catching up to the average for Cube cadets. He no longer feared failing his classes or embarrassing himself in front of his peers. The shame of being the weakest link had faded.

He briefly recalled a particularly embarrassing moment during anti-personnel training—savagely biting the hair of a certain female instructor. He winced at the memory but quickly shifted his focus back to his stats.

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*Variable Stats: [Strength 4.1] [Stamina 4.7] [Speed 4.5] [Perception 4.9] [Vitality 4] [Magic Power 2]

*Invariable Stats: [Intelligence— 4/10] [Perseverance— 4/10] [Luck— 10/10] [Charm— 4/10]

Gift (2/3)

Arts (0/3)

Physique (0/3)

In the shooting range, Hajin continued firing round after round, his focus razor-sharp.

~Bzzt…

His smartwatch vibrated, pulling him out of his rhythm. A message from Yoo Yeonha appeared, inviting him to the Noble Society. It made him pause. The Noble Society was an exclusive social gathering for the elites of Cube, so why was he invited? His rank was abysmally low, far from the level of those who typically attended.

What did Yoo Yeonha want with him? Had he somehow met some unknown criteria to join this clique of Cube’s elite?

The truth was simpler. The Noble Society was more of a reunion for Yoo Yeonha's childhood friends. She, or perhaps someone from her circle, had decided to befriend him. It made sense in a way—his growing reputation and the success of his side projects, especially the Hajin Page, had garnered some attention. Still, the whole situation felt odd to him.

"Can I not go?" he muttered to himself, deliberating. His schedule had been packed with personal training and experiments on his laptop ever since it got an upgrade. He had little interest in socializing with Cube’s elite.

***

The Noble Society gathering took place in a trendy coffee shop in Seoul. Yoo Yeonha, always meticulous and future-oriented, had carefully planned the meeting. For her, everything from her career to her future husband (obviously Shin Jonghak) was part of a grand design. Though there would be obstacles, she was determined not to give up.

Today, though, something felt off. Chae Nayun, usually the last to arrive, was already seated next to Kim Hajin, looking uncharacteristically cheerful. “Hey, what kind of coffee do you like?” she asked Hajin.

“No cream, no sugar. I like it bitter.”

At that, Nayun eagerly ordered a café noir for him, while Yoo Yeonha observed the odd dynamic. It wasn’t that she had anything personal against Hajin, but she was curious. He seemed to be much more than the clumsy cadet most thought him to be. There was an aura of something… strategic about him, something that might even challenge her own plans.

But the atmosphere was wrong. There were only the three of them in the café, and Nayun’s unusually sunny mood added to the strangeness. Yeonha tried to think of a topic to break the awkward silence.

Then, without warning, Nayun turned to Hajin. “Hey, handsome, how’s business going?”

Yoo Yeonha, in the middle of sipping her iced coffee, nearly spat it out at the boldness of Nayun’s comment. She stumbled in surprise, causing the coffee to spill onto Hajin’s shirt.

“Ah…!” Hajin yelped, the cold liquid soaking into his clothes.

In a panic, Yeonha grabbed a towel, but her attempts to help only made things worse. As she tried to wipe the coffee off Hajin, she accidentally knocked over Nayun’s coffee, spilling even more onto his pants. The situation descended into chaos.

Nayun was too stunned to speak.

***

As soon as Hajin left to change into the spare clothes Yeonha had brought, she turned on Nayun, her face flushed with anger. “You idiot! Handsome? Really?”

Nayun, realizing her mistake, gave a weak apology. “Sorry, I just thought it’d break the ice.”

Yeonha sighed, her frustration simmering. “But why do you always make things so awkward?”

When Hajin returned, now clad in a matching shirt to Yeonha’s, Nayun couldn't help but make a sarcastic comment. “Nice shirt,” she said, eyeing the couple-like outfit. “Both of you.”

***

Kim Hajin felt his stress levels skyrocket as he read the messages on his smartwatch.

[An incredible luck applies!]

[An incredible luck applies!]

[An incredible luck applies!]

The rapid succession of alerts initially filled him with anticipation. He thought it meant something good was bound to happen—maybe he’d score a deal or make a breakthrough in training. Instead, here he was, stuck in a café, wearing a matching couple's shirt with Yoo Yeonha. A shirt emblazoned with cringeworthy text at that.

“I… I will leave now…” he muttered weakly, already plotting his escape route. Maybe if he slipped out quietly, they wouldn’t notice.

But before he could make his move, his smartwatch buzzed once more.

[An incredible luck applies!]

Hajin’s face twisted into an expression of exasperation. What now? he wondered, dreading what his so-called "luck" would throw at him next.

The answer came almost immediately.

The café door swung open, and Kim Suho entered, grinning from ear to ear. “Hajin!” Suho waved excitedly, striding toward the table. Before Hajin could fully process his arrival, another, more ominous figure stepped into the café—Shin Jonghak, flanked by his lackeys.

Hajin's heart sank.

Great luck, my ass, he thought bitterly. With luck like this, who needs enemies?

***

Jonghak’s eyes zeroed in on the matching shirts like a predator locking onto its prey. His mouth curved into a smile that showed far too many teeth. “Hajin…” he began, his voice low and dangerous. “Wearing a couple shirt with Yeonha, huh? If it's true love, I support it.” His grin widened, and his tone shifted to a menacing growl. “But if you break her heart, I’ll kill you.”

The lackeys behind Jonghak laughed nervously, trying to gauge whether their leader was serious or joking. Kim Suho, on the other hand, was completely unfazed, raising his thumbs in a show of support. “I approve!” he chimed in, as if this were a completely normal situation.

Hajin wanted to disappear.

Yoo Yeonha, meanwhile, was trying to hold back a headache. Her face was red—not from embarrassment but from frustration. The shirt situation was already bad enough, and now it had escalated into some kind of absurd love triangle drama.

“Yeonha… let’s just explain,” Hajin tried to reason with her quietly, but Yeonha was too busy glaring at Nayun, who had started giggling uncontrollably. “You’re both idiots,” she muttered under her breath.

Hajin took a deep breath. His usual calm was being tested, but there was no way he was going to let his "luck" get the better of him.

***

I just need to get out of here. Quietly. Without making this worse.

But the moment Hajin stood up, ready to make a run for it, Suho grabbed him by the shoulder. “Where are you going?” Suho asked cheerfully. “Stay and hang out for a while! We haven’t seen you in forever.”

Hajin forced a strained smile. “I just… remembered something I have to do. Urgently.”

Before Suho could respond, Jonghak cut in. “Running away already? Don’t tell me you’re scared.” His voice carried the usual arrogance, but there was an edge to it today—an edge that promised trouble.

This was getting out of control. Hajin's mind raced, trying to find a way out that wouldn’t result in Jonghak challenging him to some ridiculous duel over a misunderstanding. But before he could think of a plausible excuse, his smartwatch vibrated once more.

[An incredible luck applies!]

What now!? Hajin mentally screamed.

And then, as if on cue, the barista appeared at their table, balancing a large tray. “Congratulations, you two!” she said brightly, oblivious to the tension brewing. “As our café’s special couple of the day, you’ve won a complimentary cake!”

Yeonha froze, her face turning an even deeper shade of red. Chae Nayun nearly fell out of her seat laughing. Suho clapped enthusiastically, while Jonghak crossed his arms, clearly amused.

Hajin, on the other hand, was done. Absolutely done.

“Kill me now,” he muttered under his breath, as the barista set the cake down with a flourish. His luck had somehow turned the simplest invitation to a coffee gathering into a full-blown disaster.

***

Meanwhile, Kim Suho grinned and took a picture of the cake. “This is great!” he declared, completely oblivious to the chaos swirling around him.

Jonghak snickered. “Enjoy it while it lasts, Hajin. But if anything happens…” His eyes gleamed dangerously. “You know what’s coming.”

Hajin didn’t even respond. He just stared at the cake, wondering how his life had spiraled into this ridiculousness. It had to be the smartwatch. His so-called “incredible luck” was doing nothing but pushing him deeper into trouble.

I really should’ve just stayed in the shooting range, he thought, slumping in his chair.