The D-Rank Guild Master of the No. 1 Guild

[End of the Second Generation Selection Match]

I finally tore my eyes away from the now-black screen, stretching my stiff neck and shoulders.

I had instructed my guild members to keep an eye out for any emerging OP characters, but I focused entirely on monitoring Runehan.

So, my impression of this guy who looked like me?

Even if he wasn’t particularly special… once I started thinking he was similar to me, I couldn’t stop seeing it.

Seeing his similar actions and concept made me feel a bit uneasy, but there’s no copyright on character traits.

Of course, Runehan is a newly created character and has no knowledge of previous generation characters, so he obviously didn’t copy me.

So, if there’s a resemblance, it’s on the game company, not Runehan himself.

From a developer’s perspective, it makes sense. My character was a huge hit with the users, so they released a similar one hoping for the same success.

“What did you all think? About Runehan, I mean.”

I asked my guild members for their thoughts.

“He did remind me of you at times. Not when he’s just looking clueless, but when he’s thinking seriously,” Unahar said.

“If he had longer hair, he’d be Rudel,” Gio added, though I found his comment a bit annoying and dismissed it since he generally lacks insight.

“Even the companions Runehan gathered resemble us somewhat. It’s like a gender-swapped version of our guild,” Kanel noted.

“Yeah, Runehan seemed kind. I guess he looked like that because he resembled you,” Lilith chimed in.

“Not similar at all.”

Among all the comments, Akata stood alone in his disagreement.

I glanced at everyone before giving a reassuring smile, trying to ease their concerns.

“Alright, don’t worry too much about Runehan. Our support won’t dwindle. We just need to stay strong in our position.”

If Unahar or Kanel still felt uneasy, we could show the gap in a guild war if Runehan’s group became our competitors.

* * *

That night, I visited Akata’s room again.

Sitting in front of the sleeping man, I focused on studying, holding the white bird.

If I came too often, it would raise suspicion. Opportunities like this were rare.

With the second generation selection and headhunting matches ongoing, all GM resources were directed there.

The number of new top-tier and lower-tier characters increased significantly. It would be difficult to monitor the first-generation characters as before.

The white bird, which usually wandered above the sleeping man, seemed to have given up resisting and let itself be captured by my hands.

Simultaneously, the programming language used in this game flashed before my eyes. I dove straight into my studies for the day.

After focusing intently for a while, I yawned softly, unable to resist the pull of sleep.

Meanwhile, I noticed the top button of Akata’s pajamas was undone… as if to deliberately unsettle me.

I was curious about seeing this young man not only asleep but also moving around. 

Purely out of human aesthetic curiosity, I suppose. 

His height and graceful stature would make him look completely different from his boyish days.

I also wondered about his voice. I was eager to hear how his current melodious voice might change.

At that moment, my status window flickered, displaying Akata’s emotional state.

Normally, a guild member’s status during sleep is marked with ‘-’, but occasionally emotions surface, especially during dreams.

“Aria…”

The man’s lips whispered someone’s name in his sleep.

[Emotional State] Loneliness

“…Goodbye.”

His murmured voice, although calm, clearly implied a farewell. It was likely a nightmare, yet it was calm and composed.

He seemed like a child accustomed to loss.

Even if he had overcome his feelings of loss to some extent, the memory of Aria would still linger like a first love.

As Akata drifted back into deep sleep, he suddenly twisted his head and opened his eyes.

Gasp!

Caught off guard, I reflexively grabbed Akata’s white phoenix perched on my arm and hid it behind my back.

I was slow to react, but the white bird made a mistake too.

Normally, it would have returned to Akata as soon as he woke up, but my actions delayed it.

I felt the bird fluttering in my grip, making my heart race.

Despite my quick reflexes, Akata seemed oblivious to what I was doing.

“Rudel… What are you doing here?”

The combination of his melodious voice with a deep resonance was more captivating than I expected.

I almost wanted to close my eyes and savor it.

However, I couldn’t keep my expression neutral as I met Akata’s gaze. I couldn’t even guess how foolish I looked.

Akata had not reverted to a child.

I could still feel the white phoenix fluttering behind my back.

Was it because I hadn’t let go of the bird? Was it unable to return to Akata?

“Akata, you…”

I blurted out, noticing his change. Realizing my mistake, I wanted to slap my forehead, but Akata had already heard.

“Why? Is there something wrong with me?”

Before I could stop him, Akata looked down, almost touching his chin to his chest.

As he lowered his head, he came face to face with his longer red hair and his newly muscular body.

The white phoenix hidden behind my back seemed to flutter more frantically, as if silently shouting, “No!”

The tension hung thick in the air. Then Akata spoke, as if realizing something.

“I forgot to button this.”

His long, straight fingers buttoned the top button.

His broad chest disappeared behind the shirt. Akata looked at me with a relieved expression, as if saying, “All better now.”

“…?”

It wasn’t that he took his adult form for granted… he genuinely seemed unaware of anything unusual.

“Why are you here? …Is there something on my face? What’s going on?”

As I stood frozen, Akata reached out and took my hand, placing it on his cheek. It was something he always did.

But the person had changed. The soft, delicate skin of a boy was now the firm, solid skin of a man.

I visibly flinched.

Such contact was tolerable with animals and children, but not with an adult man…

But I couldn’t reveal that his appearance had changed.

My heart pounded anxiously. I broke into a cold sweat, desperately trying to appear calm.

‘Is it just me who sees this? The adult form?’

Does he not know his body has grown? Is it my vision, or has Akata’s perception failed?

To him, I probably looked like I was caught sneaking into his room and was now in a bind.

Naturally, his eyes narrowed.

“Why… were you beside me? Tell me.”

His voice grew lower.

Sensing something was off, Akata gripped my hand tightly on his cheek. The pressure was strong enough to make my hand ache slightly.

Akata had likely learned about my personality while spending time with me.

He knew I wouldn’t act without reason.

His gaze was one of certainty, convinced there was a reason I had stayed by his side while he slept.

His intense chocolate-colored irises scanned my eyes meticulously, as if trying to peer into my very soul.

He murmured,

“Rudel, you are different from anyone else. You have an aura that sets you apart. Why is that?”

“…!”

His introspection was crossing a dangerous line. I couldn’t hide my trembling expression.

In the next moment, I grabbed his thick wrist and shot him a warning look.

“Do not say more.”

In the dark room, my voice was firm and clear. Each word landed heavily on Akata.

His eyes locked onto me as if nailed in place.

“Do you know what I was going to say… and stopped me?”

Until now, I never thought the day would come when I’d discuss the reality of our existence with Akata.

I could never think of a way to evade the GMs’ watchful eyes.

But… that wasn’t the case.

The fact that I displayed anxiety and stopped him when he asked, ‘Why is Rudel different?’

That implicitly conveyed the warning, ‘I know what you’re about to say, but you must not speak it out loud.’

This became the key for him.

This intelligent boy… now a man, was able to grasp the truth with that alone. His superior intellect and natural intuition were enough.

For a moment, I held my breath and then realized belatedly that Akata, like me, had also been holding his breath.

“…Ah.”

A soft exclamation escaped his lips after a moment.

Then he sighed deeply, as if he had just put down a heavy burden.

It wasn’t a sigh of frustration but rather an indication of newfound enlightenment.

“So that’s how it is?”

He whispered quietly and nodded to himself.

The change sparked by that brief exchange of looks was immense.

We silently acknowledged that we both came from reality.

Without any explicit evidence or context, our shared gaze conveyed more than words ever could.

Or perhaps, Akata had always harbored serious doubts, sensing something off in my actions or words, just as I had about him.

We were destined to recognize each other, to affirm that our memories of reality were not illusions.