***
[The heroine 'Kang Min-ji' is in danger.]
[Current location: Stade Bank]
"Huu..."
I need to make a decision more calmly in situations like this.
If I get too excited, it's hard to make proper judgments, and mistakes happen.
'It's easier said than done.'
I've experienced it enough in the cave before and in the one-on-one sparring.
How long has it been since I got out of the cave, and this kind of thing is happening again.
'I'm not a sunfish... haa.'
I manipulated the heroine system to check, and Kang Min-ji's name was still active.
'She's not dead... there's still time.'
It's a relief to have the heroine system. I can still save her.
When I think about dangerous situations in a bank, bank robbery naturally comes to mind.
Considering the size of Stade Bank, the robbers wouldn't be ordinary robbers.
'Terrorists? Villains?'
The only ones who can put an Awakened One in danger are other Awakened Ones.
I couldn't understand how this danger was coming after me after so little time, like I was some kind of sunfish.
'Machina! Do you know anything?'
[...]
I said hello to Yoon Seo-ah and ran straight away.
"Seo-ah, I have something to do, so I'll go!"
"Uh... wait..."
I could hear Yoon Seo-ah calling from behind, but I couldn't help it. What's important now is that Kang Min-ji is in danger.
'Just stay alive. Please!'
Stade Bank was about 30 minutes away from here.
If I use the portal near the Academy, I can arrive in about 15 minutes.
'15 minutes is too long!'
Every minute and every second was precious. I tapped my feet anxiously in the elevator and went down and started running straight away.
The training room was inside the Academy, so there was no time to spare.
[User Kim Si-woo-nim]
'I don't have time now!'
[There is information I need to tell you.]
'Do you know why Min-ji is like that?'
[I am also bound by rules and laws, so I cannot give you detailed information, but...]
'But?'
I ran straight across the crosswalk where the signal hadn't changed. A car was coming from the side, so I jumped up to avoid it.
The car passing behind me stopped belatedly with an unpleasant noise, and I could hear the driver's voice, but I ignored it and ran.
[It is not easy to change fate in the first place.]
[The higher the fate grade, the more... I'm sorry.]
"?"
[I think this is the limit.]
[If you proceed any further, there may be a problem with the system.]
[But if Kim Si-woo-nim wants, I will tell you more.]
"No! It's okay!!"
I didn't really understand what I wanted to say, but I could at least tell that I wanted to help me.
'What if there's a problem with the system and I can't save load?'
It's terrible just thinking about it. I emptied my head and ran towards the bank where Kang Min-ji was.
When I ran with all my might, I soon saw the portal. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be a waiting line.
"Hurry! It's urgent!!!"
***
From afar, I could see Stade Bank. As befits a large bank, soldiers and police were stationed around the large building.
Access is completely controlled, so it seems difficult to enter the bank.
It seemed that a person who appeared to be a hostage was tied up at the entrance of the bank, preventing anyone from even approaching.
'Is she inside?'
Since the system tells me it's Stade Bank, Kang Min-ji was definitely inside the bank, where access was currently restricted.
'It's not too late yet...'
While I was wondering how to get in, I heard an explosion inside the bank.
A very familiar sound, the explosion I heard yesterday too. The continuous explosions were the sounds I heard every time I sparred.
'No way?'
And the sound stopped like a lie.
I felt like my heart was sinking at that moment.
I hurriedly activated the heroine system, and Kang Min-ji's name in the heroine window turned gray.
"Haa... shit, I'm not a sunfish."
I wanted to kill those guys inside right away.
'Heart hot, head cold.'
I calmed down as much as possible.
I saved it last night, so I can save Kang Min-ji if I just load it.
It was an even better situation than in the cave.
'I think I'm going to get PTSD...'
First of all, I needed to sort out my thoughts.
'The reason Manika told me that.'
I thought about what I said to Kang Min-ji in a dangerous situation. 'It's not easy to change fate' and 'The higher the fate grade, the more...'
A person with a high grade and difficult to change fate.
'I haven't changed Min-ji's fate yet.'
Even though my lifespan increased after coming out of the cave, it seemed like I hadn't escaped the shadow of death yet.
Even the seemingly omnipotent Deus Ex Machina system is bound by something powerful.
It meant that Kang Min-ji was also bound by some force.
'I can't ask you more because you said it was the limit earlier.'
Machina was helping within the bounds of the rules.
I just crossed the line, and it seems like there's a reaction to it.
'Am I free because I'm F grade?'
[...]
Conversely, it meant that it was easy for me to change fate because I was a low grade.
'What is the fate grade?'
It's not just talking about strength.
The strongest person I know is Kang Min-ah, but Kang Min-ah's grade was A.
Among the people I know, the S grades are Yoon Seo-ah, Jeong Soo-ah, Kang Ju-won, and Lee Da-eun.
'What do the three have in common?'
Yoon Seo-ah, who is highly regarded within the Academy, Kang Ju-won is a little behind, but even Jeong Soo-ah is inferior to Kang Min-ji.
'How is the grade measured?'
If the grade talks about importance, I couldn't understand why Kang Min-ji, who was A grade, died.
Then I saw the hero I saw on TV from afar.
'Hero..?'
They are Awakened Ones like Hunters, but what they do is a little different.
If Hunters protect people from Gates, Heroes protect people from Villains.
'There are many cases where they hunt for money, but'
Heroes also move with a certain amount of compensation, so it could be said that they are similar.
Still, Heroes tend to be more active with a sense of duty.
Anyway, to put it simply, Hunters are experts in dealing with monsters, and Heroes are experts in dealing with Villains.
'A-Rank Silver Rabbit, is that why you came all the way here because of the scale?'
Silver Rabbit is a popular Hero thanks to her rabbit mask, long hair, and suit that accentuates her figure.
I can't see her face, but I felt like she would be a beautiful woman.
The reason why Silver Rabbit didn't reveal her face was to prevent retaliation against her family or acquaintances, and there were quite a few such people among Heroes.
She is one of the most well-known Heroes with a high rank and a lot of popularity.
Simply in terms of recognition, even Yoon Seo-ah or Kang Min-ah cannot beat Silver Rabbit.
'Machina, what is Silver Rabbit's grade?'
[Fate grade is C.]
'C grade? I can't understand even if I think about recognition or achievements.'
Can Silver Rabbit receive a C rank?
If it's not force, influence, or recognition, how is the fate grade determined?
I had no idea. I decided to stop worrying.
'First of all, what I need to prioritize is.'
Saving Kang Min-ji.
I will save Kang Min-ji no matter what.
I will change the damn fate.
"I've already done it."
I've already changed my fate.
[...] I will cheer you on.
Fate is nothing special.
***
Before loading, I wanted to check the faces of the guys who killed Kang Min-ji.
'I'll get revenge. You bastards.'
Before loading the save point, I wanted to take revenge, so I wanted to run to the bank, but the special forces were controlling it, so there was no gap.
"Korea Academy Student?"
A member of the unit muttered as he discovered me rushing in recklessly.
As the Korea Academy is the best Academy in Korea, there were many people with power gathered there, so they had no choice but to be careful.
"I want to help too."
The fact that Silver Rabbit had even been dispatched meant that the terrorists inside were Awakened Ones.
If it was an ordinary robbery, there would be no reason for A-rank Silver Rabbit to be dispatched.
Even special forces cannot deal with Awakened Ones.
'Of course, they don't die from guns or bombs.'
So, in this situation, special forces usually evacuate civilians or assist Heroes.
If it's an incident where special forces are assisting, one Awakened One will be missed.
"...No matter what, you can't. Go back."
"Please let me meet the commander!"
I decided to go all out because I was going to load anyway. It didn't matter if I died, I had to take revenge for Min-ji before I died.
"My friend is inside!!"
"I said no!!"
The special forces tried to push me away, but since I had already escaped the human body, even two people were not enough.
As it became more and more noisy, he reported to someone who seemed to be of high status and came back.
"I will let you meet the commander, so please do not cause a disturbance."
"Okay."
I looked at me with worried eyes, but I had no intention of causing a disturbance. I didn't care as long as I could somehow get revenge on those guys.
After passing through the bleak atmosphere of the special forces, I saw a tent that looked like a command room. Inside was the Hero I had identified from afar.
'A-Rank Silver Rabbit'
A Hero with a C rank fate grade. I didn't know when I saw it from afar, but it was definitely different when I saw it up close.
'But not as good as our Min-ji...'
Silver Rabbit, who was talking to the commander who had been briefed on the situation, came this way.
"I'm sorry, but I can't get help from the student."
"My friend is inside!!"
The criminals who killed Min-ji are there, so I couldn't go back without doing anything.
"I know how you feel right now. But can you trust me and wait?"
"Yes.."
When I nodded as if I understood, Silver Rabbit stroked my head.
I left the command room with a gloomy expression.
On the way out following the members of the unit, I turned my head and saw the entrance to the bank.
It was a distance that I could reach in an instant if I used Mana to jump. There were no Awakened Ones around there either.
'Sorry, Unnie!'
I heard a surprised voice from behind and jumped to the entrance of the bank.
"What!"
The terrorist guarding the entrance was surprised and launched an attack. I immediately took out a sword from the inventory.
'Anti-Magic Activation'
The terrorist's attack was neatly cut off, and I stabbed him to take revenge on those guys.
"Keuheok..."
There was no guilt. I ignore the hostages and go inside the bank.
"Gi... Kim Si-woo student!!!"
I ignored Silver Rabbit's voice. When I went inside, guys wearing strange masks welcomed me.
"What? Shit."
"What's going on?"
It's time for revenge.