Chapter Text
Yang "Daeny" Dae-in could already feel a headache coming.
He was currently driving to pick up five Summoners.
Five Summoners who supposedly had a match the next day, but somehow...
All of them were gone from their dorms.
Dae-in tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
He had received the call approximately thirty minutes ago.
Coach, they're not here.
That had been the entire message from the team's manager.
No explanation.
No clarification.
Just they're not here.
Naturally, Dae-in had immediately checked the team's tracking bracelets.
All five were still together.
Their location?
An abandoned apartment complex on the outskirts of the city.
Dae-in had stared at the coordinates for several seconds.
Then he had sighed.
Of course.
Because apparently, five professional Summoners couldn't survive one week without causing him an administrative nightmare.
He turned the corner and stopped in front of the run-down apartment.
There, outside, he could see it.
And hear it.
The cosmic horn belonging to Luo "ON" Wenjun echoed loudly even while Dae-in was still inside his car.
Dae-in closed his eyes.
"...I'm going to kill them."
A blue-black rifle immediately swung in his direction.
Dae-in opened his eyes.
Park "Viper" Dohyeon stood on the second-floor balcony, his Summoner weapon aimed directly at Dae-in's car.
The rifle's scope was pressed against the lens of his glasses.
Dae-in stared at him.
Viper stared back.
Neither moved.
Dae-in slowly rolled down his window.
One, because he needed a better look.
Two, because if Viper fired a blast through the windshield, the insurance paperwork would probably become even more complicated.
"Viper."
"Coach."
"Why are you pointing a rifle at my car?"
Viper lowered it slightly.
"...There were monsters."
"That's not an answer."
"It is technically an answer."
Dae-in pinched the bridge of his nose.
He could also see Peng "Xun" Lixun standing near the entrance, his celestial spear shimmering beside him. One hand pushed his glasses higher on his nose while the other rested on the weapon.
Next to him stood Chen "Bin" Zebin.
The gauntlets wrapped around Bin's hands were enormous, their hound-like carvings glowing faintly.
One person was missing.
Dae-in frowned.
Where was Zhuo "Knight" Ding?
He should be—
Then Dae-in spotted him.
Knight was propped against a streetlamp.
Except he wasn't in his Summoner form anymore.
He was wearing an ordinary T-shirt, black pants, and sneakers.
His head hung slightly forward.
Luo "ON" Wenjun was crouched beside him, whispering healing runes.
Pink and white silver glows gathered around ON's fingers, forming gentle circles of magic around Knight's shoulders.
His cosmic horn had transformed into something resembling a small shrine beside him.
Dae-in's eyebrow twitched.
He turned off the engine.
Then he got out.
"What happened?"
Everyone immediately stood to attention.
Viper, Xun, and Bin waved their weapons into non-existence.
ON immediately stood up.
Knight remained against the streetlamp.
Xun looked at Dae-in.
"Coach! We—"
He looked around.
Then sighed.
"There were Rift Monsters."
Dae-in blinked.
Not the weirdest thing that had ever happened.
Sometimes, the Rift opened.
Sometimes, monsters appeared outside the arena.
Sometimes, those monsters wandered into populated areas.
And sometimes, apparently, five professional Summoners decided that they should deal with the problem themselves.
"And?"
Dae-in's voice became serious.
"Is there any civilian that was hurt?"
Bin shook his head.
"Thankfully, no. But—"
He glanced toward Knight.
Dae-in followed his gaze.
Knight's face was pale.
His breathing was steady, but he looked exhausted.
"Knight?"
Knight raised his head.
"I'm fine."
Dae-in stared.
"You look like you've been hit by a carriage."
"I'm fine."
"You've said that twice."
"I'm very fine."
ON's eyebrows furrowed.
"He isn't fine."
Knight slowly turned toward him.
"Wenjun."
"You almost got eaten."
"I did not."
"You were inside its mouth."
"I was temporarily inside its mouth."
Dae-in stared at him.
"...Temporarily?"
Bin cleared his throat.
"Knight jumped into the Rift to pull out a civilian."
Dae-in's expression immediately changed.
"He what?"
Xun nodded.
"There was a little girl trapped behind a collapsed building."
"Knight got her out," Viper added.
"He also got hit by a Rift Beast," Bin continued.
"And then he tried to pretend nothing happened," ON finished.
Knight looked offended.
"I was busy."
"You were bleeding."
"I have bled before."
"That is not a defense," Dae-in said.
Knight looked away.
Dae-in sighed.
This was exactly why he hated dealing with Summoners outside official matches.
During matches, the rules were simple.
Two teams entered an arena.
Five Summoners on each side.
Their summoned weapons and abilities were bound to the match field.
They fought.
They strategized.
They defeated the opposing team.
The winners advanced.
Eventually, one team would claim the Summoner Cup.
And whoever held the Cup could make one wish.
One wish.
Any wish.
Money.
Power.
Fame.
Resurrection.
A cure.
A second chance.
Anything the Cup deemed possible.
That was why people became Summoners.
That was why thousands trained every year.
That was why these five idiots were supposed to be preparing for tomorrow's match.
Instead—
They had gone monster hunting.
Dae-in looked at the five of them.
"Where are the authorities?"
Silence.
Dae-in narrowed his eyes.
"...Don't tell me."
Bin smiled nervously.
"Well—"
"Don't."
Xun looked away.
Viper adjusted his glasses.
ON suddenly became very interested in his shrine.
Knight remained silent.
Dae-in's eye twitched.
"You were all supposed to be at the dorm."
"Yes."
"You have a match tomorrow."
"Yes."
"You left the dorm without telling anyone."
"...Yes."
"You fought Rift Monsters."
"Yes."
"You destroyed—"
Dae-in paused.
He looked at the apartment building.
Several windows were broken.
One side of the building had a giant claw mark across it.
A streetlight had been bent nearly in half.
A crater had formed in the pavement.
Dae-in slowly looked back at them.
"...How much property did you destroy?"
Five Summoners simultaneously looked at each other.
"Not much," Bin said.
Dae-in stared.
Bin coughed.
"Define much."
"BIN."
"Sorry!"
Dae-in took a deep breath.
"Everyone. Get in the car."
Five people froze.
"Coach—"
"Now."
They obeyed.
Even Viper.
Especially Viper.
Dae-in watched as they awkwardly squeezed into the vehicle.
Bin and Xun argued over who had to sit in the middle.
Viper complained that someone had placed a weapon case on his seat.
ON insisted Knight needed to sit somewhere comfortable.
Knight insisted he was perfectly capable of sitting normally.
Within thirty seconds, the five of them were arguing.
Dae-in stared at them through the rearview mirror.
He had expected professional Summoners.
Disciplined warriors.
Championship contenders.
Instead, he had somehow acquired five overpowered children with magical weapons.
He started the car.
"Tomorrow."
Everyone went silent.
"You have a match tomorrow."
"Yes, Coach."
"You will sleep."
"Yes, Coach."
"You will eat."
"Yes, Coach."
"You will not sneak out."
"..."
Dae-in's eyes narrowed.
"Say it."
Five voices reluctantly answered.
"We will not sneak out."
"And if you see another Rift?"
Xun raised his hand.
Dae-in immediately said, "No."
"But—"
"No."
"What if—"
"No."
"What if it's really close—"
"No."
"What if civilians—"
Dae-in slammed both hands against the steering wheel.
"CALL THE AUTHORITIES!"
The car became silent.
After several seconds, Knight quietly raised his hand.
Dae-in glanced at him through the mirror.
"What?"
"...What if the authorities are already fighting?"
Dae-in stared at him.
Knight stared back.
Dae-in slowly closed his eyes.
His headache had arrived.
Behind him, Bin whispered to Xun.
"He's going to explode."
"I heard that."
"Sorry."
ON quietly placed a hand on Knight's shoulder.
"Just rest."
Knight nodded.
Viper looked out the window.
"...Coach?"
"What?"
"Can we still get dinner?"
Dae-in opened his eyes.
He looked at the five exhausted Summoners through the mirror.
Despite everything—
They looked like a family.
A ridiculous, reckless, troublesome family.
His family.
Dae-in sighed.
"Fine."
Five pairs of eyes immediately brightened.
"But tomorrow, you train."
The excitement vanished.
"Coach!"
"No."
"But—"
"No."
"Can we at least choose the restaurant?"
Dae-in sighed again.
"...Fine."
Bin immediately grinned.
"Hotpot!"
Xun shouted, "Barbecue!"
Viper said, "Anything but spicy."
ON quietly suggested, "Something warm."
Knight said, "I'm fine with anything."
Five voices erupted at once.
Dae-in stared straight ahead.
He was beginning to wonder whether winning the Summoner Cup was actually worth it.
Then again...
If they won, perhaps his wish could be used for something important.
Like wishing for five normal teammates.
He glanced at them through the mirror.
Bin was already arguing with Xun.
Viper was attempting to separate them.
ON was checking Knight's injuries again.
Knight was trying to convince ON that he was fine.
Dae-in smiled faintly.
...Maybe not.
Maybe he didn't want normal teammates after all.