A ghost is clinging to him?
I could hardly believe my ears.
It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Jeong Noeul’s words.
There was a time when humanity couldn’t perceive spirits, but that era had passed.
After the calamities brought on by the Gates, people came to accept the existence of the soul (hon) as real.
Some Hunters even gained necromantic powers to interact with them.
Of course, those powers were now lost.
But the knowledge remained, fossilized.
From what I remember, souls…
<Unless it’s a vengeful spirit, a soul of the dead cannot remain in this world.>
‘The Star Hated by All’ pierced through my thoughts and began to explain.
<A vengeful spirit clings to the world through its lingering consciousness… It merely mimics life, fueled by impure emotions.>
What happens to other souls then?
<They pass to the underworld upon death. There, they’re judged—those of virtue head to Papa’s domain, while the wicked come to mine. Those whose morality is ambiguous linger in the underworld. And…>
…And?
Just as ‘The Star Hated by All’ was about to answer—
“Eunyul-hyung, you’re talking to Satan again, right?”
“No, hey!”
THWAP!
I clamped my hand over Noeul’s mouth.
Everyone turned to look.
“Ahaha! You had something on your lips, Noeul…”
I offered a lame excuse, rubbing at his mouth with my palm.
“Ugh… Hyung, your hand tastes salty…”
“Sorry…”
I pulled my hand back and whispered.
“But still, you can’t go around calling him Satan! My constellation’s identity is a secret.”
“Oh… right. Sorry, hyung. Then what should I call him?”
A valid question.
Until now, I was the only one aware of The Star Hated by All.
That meant there was no problem invoking him freely, since most of our conversations were internal.
Do I need some kind of code name?
<Relay this to Abrilah’s reincarnation.>
‘The Star Hated by All’ said solemnly.
<He may refer to me as “The Noble Destroyer of Golden Eyes.”>
…No. That’s way too cringy. What are you, a teenage edgelord?
<Are you suggesting those afflicted with “chuunibyou” are enemies of my cosmic order? Hmph…>
‘The Star Hated by All’ went on to suggest multiple alternatives:
“The Burned-Winged Noble,” “Agent of the Darkest Star,” “Devotion of Dark Light,” “Demonkin,” “Demon Emperor,” “The Strongest,” “The Absolute One”…
“Ha.”
I let out a tired laugh.
“How about just calling you Mr. Kim Cheol-su?”
Ignoring his suggestions, I said it plainly.
<You wretched creature!!>
He roared.
Rattle—!
The iron case in my inner pocket shook violently.
Like a fly smashing itself against a wall, it banged around.
“U-uh, Eunyul-hyung…”
Noeul clutched my arm in fear.
“Mr. Cheol-su seems very angry… His mana’s surging and distorting the air.”
“You can sense that…?”
I sighed.
“Okay then, how about Mr. Kim Starbright.”
<Do I look like a four-year-old skipping off to kindergarten!? ‘Starbright’? ‘Kim Starbright’!? Really!?>
Wow, picky much? It’s a code name. Starbright sounds cute enough.
“…Hyung, you’re really bad at naming things.”
Not just The Star Hated by All—even Noeul seemed unamused.
…Which made me more stubborn.
Kim Starbright. Kim Starbright. Kim Starbright.
I bombarded the constellation with that name in my mind.
Starbright, Starbright, Starbright… I’ll call you that forever.
<GYAAAAAH!!>
He genuinely sounded in pain.
<Why even in your thoughts—!?>
Tch.
Because I feel like it. Deal with it, Starbright.
After a long internal struggle, he eventually gave up with a defeated sigh.
<…Do as you wish.>
“He said it’s fine to call him Starbright.”
“For real? The mana stopped swirling…”
I shrugged.
But that wasn’t the point now.
“Back to the main topic. That ghost attached to Min Heejae.”
“Oh, right.”
Noeul and I kept our voices low to avoid drawing attention.
“What does the ghost look like?”
“…Well, first off, it’s a woman.”
Noeul began describing the ghost clinging to Min Heejae.
Outwardly, she looked human.
A young woman in her early twenties.
Of course, being a ghost, she floated in midair and hovered constantly around Min Heejae.
“But there’s something strange.”
Noeul crossed his arms.
“Ghosts usually retain the form they died in. They’re often disfigured or filled with rage or sorrow. Their faces aren’t anything like the living.”
That checked out.
No way a vengeful spirit could mimic normal human expression.
“But… the ghost attached to Heejae-hyung looks alive.”
“What do you mean… looks alive?”
“She didn’t seem like a vengeful spirit at all. Her body was intact, and her expression was bright.”
“That is strange…”
There was only one hypothesis I could make right now.
All those bizarre abnormal statuses written in Min Heejae’s window…
If they were related to the ghost, it made a lot of sense.
A person possessed by a ghost couldn’t stay mentally stable.
The yin energy would affect their mind—and in extreme cases, even leave marks on the body.
<You’re probably right, creature.>
Suddenly, Starbright spoke up again.
<And there’s another problem.>
A problem?
<Abrilah’s reincarnation sees spirits because he inherited power from a past life. In other words, part of his soul is composed of high-density mana. Without help from a constellation, no human can wield mana. A gifted few might use a little, but not on his level.>
So basically… Noeul is like Earth’s ultimate shaman?
<Let’s go with that. The real issue is this—he saw the ghost, but I didn’t.>
…What?
Right.
If there really was a ghost clinging to Min Heejae, Starbright should’ve noticed it before Noeul.
No matter how much mana Noeul could handle, he was still nothing compared to Starbright.
So why didn’t he notice?
A constellation with a divine name that should indicate immense divinity… but ranked F… No special skills… only abnormal statuses…
In the end, I came to one conclusion:
Everything is connected to that ghost clinging to Min Heejae.
Just then—
Tap!
“Eunyul.”
Han Iro tapped me on the shoulder and called out.
“Oh, Han Iro.”
I smiled at him.
Meanwhile…
“Ugh! What a jerk…”
Noeul scowled sharply at Han Iro.
“A jerk?”
Han Iro tilted his head.
“Because of you, I spent all my cost! Why didn’t you give up earlier and stop driving the price up!?”
‘That guy’? Noeul had never used such distant, formal language before.
“Wasn’t that part of the game? You have to know when to quit.”
Han Iro seemed amused, deliberately putting on a cool expression.
“I kept bidding because I wanted Eunyul on my team… But if I’d raised the price just to burn through your budget, I guess that means you played right into my hands.”
“Oh, so you won? No way. Our team’s better than yours.”
“I don’t think so.”
“It is better! If we ever end up on the same team later, I’m not calling you hyung, so prepare yourself!”
“Then… are you planning to call me sir?”
“Geez, you two sound like squabbling kids…”
I cut them off and got us into the elevator.
Han Iro and Noeul stood stiffly, facing away from each other.
These two really don’t get along…
Well, one likes growing plants, and the other hates eating vegetables. Makes sense.
While thinking that, I turned to Han Iro.
“Han Iro, do you think you’ll be okay working with Madojin?”
After failing to acquire me and Min Heejae, Han Iro had immediately recruited Madojin for his team.
Madojin had solid skills—but his communication issues were notorious.
That’s why his valuation was awkwardly low, and Han Iro probably picked up on that.
Still, through me, Han Iro should know just how bad Madojin’s social skills were…
“I found him interesting.”
Han Iro said.
“His expressions were intriguing.”
“His… expressions?”
“Yeah. I like people whose expressions are interesting. Like you, Eunyul. You wear your emotions on your face. But Madojin…”
Han Iro paused, then concluded:
“…looked like someone who doesn’t even know how to make an expression.”
It was a deep insight.
And I thought he was right.
In one sentence, Han Iro had nailed Madojin’s stiff personality.
“But Han Iro…”
I hesitated.
Because what I really wanted to ask wasn’t about Madojin.
“What about Jeong Jinsun…?”
The guy who played politics with you during the 3rd prelim…
“…Why did you take him on your team?”
Han Iro answered without hesitation.
“He’s fascinating too. Especially how he hates me for no reason…”
Shortly after, the participants gathered in the banquet hall.
Though originally designed as a banquet venue, it had been repurposed as a set for CYB.
The space was covered in product placements from various sponsors.
Signs bearing each team leader’s name marked different areas.
The participants, guided by staff, gathered around the sign of their team leader.
“Did everyone enjoy the orientation?”
Chaeya asked bluntly from the stage.
“Yes—!!”
The participants answered in unison.
Chaeya smirked like it was all a joke.
“Then let’s not waste time. Allow me to introduce your special guests. Everyone, please give them a warm welcome!”
With that, Chaeya turned around.
Drumroll…!
Excited sound effects played as the curtain behind her lit up.
Silhouettes of the special guests appeared behind it.
“I have a confession to make.”
Chaeya said.
“You all claimed you had a good orientation—but I know otherwise. I’ve been watching the whole time. Along with our special guests.”
That was expected.
“Got a sense of what’s coming? While watching your orientations, the guests picked which team they wanted to work with.”
The format was obvious: guests would choose a team, the team would prepare a performance that suits the guest’s tastes…
But our team’s meeting was a total mess…
Please, not a demanding guest…
I bit my lip.
If the guest expected a lot, things would get exhausting.
Especially if they didn’t know music—it’d be like being micromanaged by a bad boss.
Ta-da!
With dramatic sound effects, the special guests stepped out one by one from behind the curtain and greeted the team they’d chosen.
As expected, the guests were celebrities or seniors from the entertainment industry.
Han Iro’s team was chosen by a veteran trot singer.
As for our team—
“The special guest for Jeong Noeul’s team is…”
Chaeya paused dramatically for effect.
Flap—!
The curtain lifted to reveal a stout, middle-aged man.
“Former Hunter, J.H.A.!”
At Chaeya’s declaration, applause erupted.
“Whoa… It’s J.H.A.…”
Jeong Noeul murmured in awe.
Understandably so. Once, Hunters were heroes who protected the world.
That’s all well and good…
But is J.H.A. supposed to be that famous?
I’ve never heard of him.
More importantly…
Even if I haven’t heard his name—
His face looks way too familiar.
Little Pink Starfish 
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