Black magic condensed around Dana’s hand.
The magic soon took the shape of a sharp blade.
The moment the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon saw Dana’s startled eyes, they froze on the spot.
‘That’s Nada’s skill…?’
Everyone was thinking the same thing.
Except for Cheon Yeonju, who had fainted when the half-blood and Boss Monster got close after already knowing Dana’s true identity,
“Kyieek!”
Dana plunged the cursed blade into the Boss Monster’s mouth.
The Boss Monster let out a pained scream as its body rapidly stiffened, starting from the face.
All of this happened within just a few seconds.
After a brief moment of confusion, the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon quickly regained their composure and dealt the final blow to the Boss Monster.
Having delivered the decisive attack, Dana backed away after confirming that Cheon Yeonju was unconscious.
Everyone watched Dana with complicated expressions, noticing how she couldn’t seem to focus her gaze on any one spot, clearly flustered.
Amid the tense atmosphere, only Ban Eun-hyeol checked if Dana was okay and held her hand tightly.
Dana’s strike had swiftly subdued the Boss Monster, and the situation was promptly resolved.
A heavy silence settled over them until the gate closed and the surroundings transformed back into the Association’s hallway.
“Hey, are you all okay?!”
James hurriedly opened the conference room door and rushed in, having been waiting for them to exit the sudden gate.
James was puzzled by the silent kids but prioritized evacuating the civilians first.
He immediately transported Cheon Yeonju to the hospital.
Ban Eun-hyeol intertwined her fingers with Dana’s and spoke in a low voice, glancing at their friends.
“Let’s talk.”
***
Was it always this far from the Association to Ban Eun-hyeol’s house?
Trying to find a safe place to have this conversation, I ended up at Ban Eun-hyeol’s house.
There was no way to talk at the Association, and other places were no better.
I bit my lower lip, looking at the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon sitting around the room, each lost in thought.
‘They’re all waiting for me to bring it up. What should I say?’
Doi-hyun and Ban Eun-hyeol already knew my true identity, and they had been helping me keep it secret for quite a while.
I thought that with two people knowing, if anyone else found out later, it wouldn’t be such a shock. But I was wrong.
Had I ever been this nervous in my life?
No one was speaking first, so the silence only made my head spin more, unsure of how to act.
They had all clearly seen me use Nada’s skill with their own eyes.
There was no way to brush it off.
I knew I had to confess that I was Nada honestly and then explain what had happened.
But I didn’t know where to begin or how much to share.
‘Is it okay to tell everything?’
Ban Eun-hyeol was the only one who fully knew my story.
I slowly turned my gaze toward Ban Eun-hyeol sitting next to me.
Ban Eun-hyeol met my eyes and silently mouthed, ‘It’s okay.’
‘Right. They probably can’t fully believe I’m Nada yet, so that’s why they haven’t spoken. I should just be honest and accept whatever reaction comes.’
I glanced around at the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon sitting in a circle and steadied my trembling voice.
“As you probably guessed… you’re right about what you think.”
Startled by my confession, the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon exchanged looks and then stared at me.
I calmly said,
“I am ‘Nada.’”
Without warning, Yeon Ha-yeon extended a hand toward me.
I looked at the outstretched hand with a confused expression but shook it.
Yeon Ha-yeon smiled brightly and shook my hand.
“So cool. My friend was Nada all along!”
‘Do I still not know them well enough?’
Had I been so afraid of being treated like a villain who endangered the world that I was scared to speak up?
Looking back now, it was such a typical Yeon Ha-yeon reaction.
Growing up in a gangster family, loving fights, and admiring the strong—that kind of personality.
To someone like Yeon Ha-yeon, Nada must have been incredibly attractive.
Come to think of it, Yeon Ha-yeon had always reacted positively whenever Nada was mentioned—calling her cool and saying she wanted to get closer.
Han Ji-bin’s reaction after shaking my hand alongside Yeon Ha-yeon was not much different.
“Really? Dana is really Nada?! Ah, I have to keep this quiet. Dana was Nada and I never noticed! My friend was the top-ranked zero!”
His eyes shining, Han Ji-bin gripped my hand tightly, shouting in surprise before quickly lowering his voice.
He seemed worried someone might overhear but his tone was full of emotion, and the tension on his face softened a little.
At that moment, Ban Eun-hyeol grabbed Han Ji-bin and Yeon Ha-yeon’s wrists, pulling them away from my hand.
Ji Gang-han, who had been silently shocked since before, slowly spoke.
“You knew?”
He was addressing Ban Eun-hyeol.
‘That guy’s intuition is like a ghost’s.’
Feeling a bit more relaxed now, I gave Ji Gang-han a faint smile.
Ban Eun-hyeol shrugged and replied,
“How could I not know my wife’s true identity?”
‘Just get through today…!’
I swore I’d never let the word ‘wife’ come out of his mouth again.
Ban Eun-hyeol, raising one corner of his mouth with a playful expression, shifted his gaze to Eun Ba-da, who had been quietly sitting still this whole time.
Seeing Eun Ba-da brought back the tension that had eased earlier.
I remembered the first day we all hung out at Ban Eun-hyeol’s house, watching a Hero Movie together.
The Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon, excluding Eun Ba-da, had similar reactions when seeing the protagonist whose situation closely mirrored mine.
They understood why I kept my identity secret.
After all, it wasn’t really the hero’s fault the world was in danger, right?
But Eun Ba-da alone showed a negative reaction.
He seemed to suggest that the hero had caused people to die or get hurt, and that the world was in danger because of him.
‘Will he hate me?’
I didn’t want to lose a friend like this.
Eun Ba-da was truly a good friend, and if we drifted apart now, it would be heartbreaking.
Eun Ba-da, seeing me swallow nervously, suddenly smiled softly and spoke gently.
“…It must have been really hard for you. Dana, you’ve worked so hard.”
I almost burst into tears.
Yeon Ha-yeon and Han Ji-bin’s cool reactions were great, but having Eun Ba-da acknowledge my emotional struggles like this—especially from someone I expected to react negatively—made it even more touching.
“I was worried you’d hate me… Thank you so much for saying that.”
“You’re my friend. Why would I hate you?”
“When we watched that Hero Movie before, we said keeping your identity secret was bad and that it put the world in danger. That was true, though…”
“Hmm, I thought that way too at one point, but I know how hard you tried. You closed a lot of gates and saved many people.”
He paused for a moment and, with reddened eyes, continued as if fighting back tears.
“Thank you for saving my brother.”
He smiled softly, then looked up at the ceiling, as if holding back tears.
“Ah… no, it was something you had to do.”
If it weren’t for me, Eun Ha-neul wouldn’t have such a big scar on his shoulder.
Yet hearing thanks like this made me feel terribly sorry.
But Eun Ba-da shook his head and spoke firmly.
“That’s not something ordinary. You worked to save many people, including my brother. It’s not something just anyone could do.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
It felt like all the tears Eun Ba-da had held back transferred to me.
I stared wide-eyed at the ceiling, trying not to cry.
Even Eun Ba-da, who I worried about the most, understood me and expressed gratitude.
It felt like my anxious heart was melting away like snow.
In the warm atmosphere, I told my friends everything more comfortably than before.
How I got possessed, what my life was like before, and so on.
My friends listened with great interest, praising me as cool at some points and showing sympathy and sadness at others.
That night, with four more people knowing my secret, our conversation never ceased.
***
Now, five people in our class knew my secret, but school life continued as happily and peacefully as before.
Though they must have been shocked and startled, they never showed it, perhaps out of consideration for me.
“Dana! Good morning!”
Yeon Ha-yeon greeted energetically, handing me a yogurt right from the morning.
“You’re early. What flavor is this?”
“That’s cabbage flavor!”
I seriously wondered if it was okay to drink this when the Four Heavenly Kings entered the classroom.
They sat down and cheerfully exchanged morning greetings with us.
I took a sip of the yogurt, watching the girls behind Ban Eun-hyeol glare at me but not saying anything.
“Ugh, cough!”
This must taste like drinking dirty mop water.
Just as I glanced at Yeon Ha-yeon and quietly placed the yogurt next to my desk, pushing it into a corner—
Buzz—
My phone vibrated, and I saw a new message.
‘Who could it be?’
It was from an unknown number.
[“I know your secret. Come alone tonight to the warehouse next to the Gamseong High incineration plant.”]
My face stiffened as I read the message.