Chapter 45: Welcome Back, Loki.
“How did you know I liked this place?”
“I saw it on your SNS last time. You mentioned wanting to come back here.”
“You looked at my SNS!?”
“Not exactly. I just checked it while I was working on your cover, to see if there were any reference photos.”
“Ah, I see.”
Kang Bada nodded as if she understood. He felt a bit nervous inside, considering he checked her SNS daily, but he kept that to himself.
“Do you like the food?”
“Yeah, it’s better than I expected.”
They were eating an expensive dish called ‘Truffle Tagliolini Pasta,’ which cost around 40,000 won per plate. The handmade noodles, made from egg yolks, were topped with finely shaved truffles, often referred to as the ‘diamonds of the earth.’
Normally, he wouldn’t have even considered ordering something so pricey, but today was different.
“The mix of butter and truffle has such a rich, appealing flavor. I’d love to try making it myself one day.”
“Oh, will you make some for me too?”
“Of course.”
They also tried a pizza with an unfamiliar name, ‘Diavola Salsiccia Pizza.’ It was topped with salsiccia, a type of Italian sausage, and had a slightly spicy kick, just like its name suggested.
“This one’s pretty interesting.”
“What’s interesting about it?”
“The cheese tastes different. The menu said it’s a blend of mozzarella and cream cheese, so maybe that’s why.”
“Yeah, and if you pair it with wine, it’s even better. It’s a little early for that today, but how about we come back in the evening next time for a glass?”
“Sounds great.”
They shared a light laugh, continuing to enjoy their meal while chatting about their recent daily lives.
“So, what are we doing after lunch?”
“Have you ever tried VR gaming?”
“No, I’ve only heard about it.”
“Then let’s try it together today.”
“That sounds fun!”
After finishing their meal, they headed to a nearby VR arcade. As they walked in, the person at the counter recognized him and greeted him enthusiastically.
“Kim Ha-neul! You’re still alive, huh?”
“Monster hyung, how’ve you been?”
“Same old, same old.”
The arcade owner, known as Violence Monster, was the main DPS in their group, The Basement Raid Team. Despite his intimidating build, which matched his nickname, he was a soft-hearted guy.
As they exchanged greetings, Monster’s attention shifted to Kang Bada, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Is this… your girlfriend?”
“Hello! I’m Kang Bada, Ha-neul’s wife.”
“Oh, I’m Mun Young-chul. Wait… wife!?”
“Yeah, we got married today.”
With Kang Bada’s bright smile, Mun Young-chul’s face changed completely. He stared at Ha-neul as if he had just betrayed him.
“Excuse me, but can I borrow Ha-neul for a second?”
“Huh? Sure, go ahead.”
“Thanks.”
Mun Young-chul politely asked Kang Bada for permission, then pulled Ha-neul aside and, without warning, put him in a chokehold.
“You idiot! You’re getting married and didn’t even bother telling us? After all those sleepless nights we spent hunting down White Mountain, does our bond mean nothing to you?”
“It’s not like that! We haven’t even had the wedding yet. Because of personal reasons, we just filed the marriage registration first!”
“You’re not lying, right?”
“Of course not. Do you really think I’d get married and not invite you guys?”
“Hmph.”
Finally, Mun Young-chul loosened his grip. They were just fooling around, but his strength was no joke. Even if Ha-neul fought back for real, getting caught by this guy would’ve been risky.
Ha-neul sometimes wondered if Mun Young-chul had been involved in something shady in the past. Despite all the conversations they’d had, he never talked about what he used to do, which only made Ha-neul more curious.
“So, where did you find such a beautiful wife?”
“She fell from the sky.”
“What, is she some kind of fairy? Looking at her, I might actually believe that. Anyway, you seem to be doing well. How’s work? And how’s your dad?”
“He just got discharged from the hospital recently, thanks to you.”
“Don’t mention it. That’s all your hard work. Make sure to send your father my regards.”
“I will. Thanks for everything.”
Mun Young-chul had helped Ha-neul out a lot over the years. Even when he wasn’t doing well himself, he had given Ha-neul part-time work and bought him meals.
After their quick catch-up, they both returned to the counter where Kang Bada was waiting, looking curious.
“What were you two talking about?”
“Just guy talk…”
“Hmph.”
Kang Bada gave Ha-neul a suspicious look. He hesitated on how to explain, but Mun Young-chul, being quick to catch on, stepped in.
“Haha, I was just catching up with my favorite little brother here. It’s been ages since we last saw each other. To make up for it, I’ll give you guys the best room we have. Enjoy it!”
“Hyung, you should still charge us properly.”
“Don’t worry about it. I thought this guy might stay single forever, but seeing him with such a beautiful wife brings tears to my eyes.”
“Oh, come on…”
With that well-placed compliment, Kang Bada’s expression softened. Sharing a quick, knowing glance, Ha-neul and Mun Young-chul moved to a private room.
“You’ve worked here before, so you know how to set everything up, right? I’ll leave some drinks here. Have fun.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“And sister-in-law, if this guy does anything weird, just call me.”
“Hyung! Stop saying weird things and get out already!”
With a cheerful exchange, the conversation ended, and thanks to Mun Young-chul’s generosity, they had the whole room to themselves.
“Do I just put this on my head?”
“Yeah, and hold these controllers in both hands… perfect. Now, try pressing the button on the right controller.”
“This one? Whoa─!!”
As soon as the screen connected, Kang Bada gasped in amazement. Ha-neul shared her view through the screen in front of him and smiled as she looked around in awe.
The waiting screen was set in space, and Kang Bada excitedly turned her head, clearly enjoying the immersive view.
“What is this!? This is amazing!”
“Does it make you dizzy?”
“No! I had no idea something like this even existed.”
“Do you want to try one of the most famous games first?”
“Yes, please!”
Seeing her so excited made Ha-neul smile. Using his experience from working part-time, he carefully guided her hand.
“Eek!?”
“Don’t worry, I’m just helping you with the controller. Do you see the words ‘Beat Saber’ in front of you? Try moving your hand toward it.”
“Like this?”
“Yeah, that’s perfect. Now, click.”
With a low hum, the VR system started up Beat Saber, one of the most popular VR games.
It was a game where players sliced through notes flying toward them in time with the music, using a lightsaber. It was a game enjoyed by people of all ages.
“Ha-neul-ssi, aren’t you going to play?”
“This is a single-player game. I’ve already played it a lot. Once you’re more familiar with VR, we can try another game together.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
Kang Bada nodded slightly, clearly pleased with the new world in front of her. She couldn’t stop smiling the whole time.
Watching her, Ha-neul quietly pulled out his phone. One of the fun parts of VR was watching people wave their arms around in the air, trying to interact with things that only they could see.
“Ready?”
“Yep!”
“All you have to do is pick a song from the list. Then press the button next to it, and the music will start.”
“Alright, I’ll try this one.”
Kang Bada chose a song from a famous girl group. It wasn’t too hard, making it a good choice for someone new to the game.
Soon, the intro began, and notes started flying toward her. Ha-neul readied his camera, expecting to catch her struggling with the game.
“Huh?”
If Ha-neul were an NPC in the game, a question mark would have appeared over his head. He lowered his phone, watching Kang Bada in disbelief.
‘That’s impossible.’
She was hitting every note perfectly, stringing together combos without missing a beat. Her movements were even smooth, like she was dancing. It was the complete opposite of what Ha-neul had expected, and he was left bewildered.
“Oh, so you have to avoid the walls too.”
“The rules are easier than I thought.”
“Maybe I chose a song that was too easy.”
For a moment, Ha-neul wondered if she had lied about never playing before. But as new mechanics appeared and she started to miss a few notes, it became clear she was really a beginner.
What was even more surprising was that she never made the same mistake twice. Because of that, Kang Bada scored much higher than anyone would expect from a first attempt.
“Are you sure this is your first time?”
“Yep, this is the first time I’ve ever used VR.”
“…You’re picking this up really fast.”
“The rules are simple. All I have to do is follow the notes, right? It’s not much different from dancing.”
“Well, yeah, that’s true.”
Kang Bada tilted her head slightly, as if wondering what was so difficult about it. She then quickly moved on to choose the next song, selecting the famous “Canon.”
“Wait a second! That’s the remix version…”
“Huh?”
The song she picked wasn’t just any version of Canon; it was the “Hard Remix” version, with an intense difficulty. Even Ha-neul found it challenging.
‘She’s not going to last long.’
This time, Ha-neul didn’t even bother getting his phone ready. He was sure she’d fail within 30 seconds. But as he continued to watch…
‘Unbelievable.’
To his surprise, Kang Bada lasted over a minute. Sure, she missed a lot of notes because of the high difficulty, but for her second try, she was holding her own impressively well.
‘At this rate, she might actually clear the song.’
But just when he thought she might finish, Kang Bada suddenly lowered her hands and stopped playing, even though she was near the end. Ha-neul was puzzled.
“…Ha-neul-ssi, my arms are too sore.”
Ah, so that was the issue.
It wasn’t a matter of skill—it was stamina.
The song had so many notes coming at high speed that, even though she was handling them well, she had to move her hands frantically just to keep up.
“Wait a sec.”
Ha-neul quickly removed the VR headset from her and wiped the sweat from her face with a nearby towel.
Kang Bada rubbed her sore arms, pouting as if she wasn’t happy with how things turned out.
“I could’ve done better.”
“For your first time, you did amazing.”
“No, I’m going to try again later. I just need to build up my stamina. I didn’t think I’d have to quit because my arms were sore…”
Ha-neul handed an energy drink to the grumbling Kang Bada, suppressing a laugh. It seemed like she had the same competitive streak that was common among people from Daehan Group.
‘She’s pretty good at games, too.’
He wasn’t sure how well she’d do in other games, but he was starting to think playing together would be fun.
“Do you want to try a different game?”
“Let’s play one we can do together this time.”
“Sure, let me take a look…”
Ha-neul scanned the game list, searching for something they could play together that wouldn’t be too physically demanding.
“Ha-neul-ssi.”
“Yeah?”
“You can control the game without wearing the VR headset?”
“Well, yeah. You can get the hang of it just by looking at the screen…”
While speaking, he noticed her looking at him out of the corner of his eye. Kang Bada was staring at him with a sly expression.
“Ohhh, I see how it is~”
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I just realized you’re a guy, after all. You could’ve controlled the game yourself, but earlier you kept moving my hands like this and that…”
He hadn’t done it with any hidden motives, but now that she mentioned it, he didn’t have much of a defense. So, he just nodded in agreement.
“Well, yeah, you’re right.”
“How could you just admit it like that!?”
“Because it’s true. Were you uncomfortable?”
“N-no, not really…”
Ha-neul’s bluntness left Kang Bada flustered. She ended up turning her head away, pouting. Her reaction was so cute that Ha-neul had to stop himself from laughing as he continued browsing for a game. Just then, Kang Bada pointed at something on the screen.
“What game is that?”
“It’s an online battle game. You use guns or swords to fight other players.”
“That sounds fun! Can two people play it?”
“Yeah, but…”
It was a game Ha-neul used to love playing, but it was really tough, so he wasn’t too eager to recommend it to her.
Most girls didn’t like this kind of game, but considering how competitive she was, he wasn’t all that surprised.
“Can you show me how it’s done first?”
“Hmm… alright, just relax and watch for a bit.”
Ha-neul started up the game and stood up to put on the VR headset. As soon as he grabbed the controllers, a familiar sensation washed over him.
Thanks to Monster Hyung, he used to play this game sometimes after his part-time job, right before closing.
‘Ah, that cool, heavy feeling.’
Even though it had been a long time, the controls felt natural in his hands. It made sense—he used to be so obsessed with this game that it felt like second nature.
Without thinking, he entered his ID, and as the game loaded, the controllers in his hands transformed into lightsabers.
[Welcome back, Loki.]
* * *
At the same time, as soon as Kim Ha-neul logged in, an alert popped up for everyone in the game.
[The Immortal Overlord has returned.]
It was part of the system in the VR battle game Soul Fighter. Whenever a high-ranked player who hadn’t logged in for over six months came back, the system would announce it to everyone.
The message was designed to encourage players to gang up on the returning ranker. And there was only one player with the title “Immortal Overlord.”
[Post Title: Loki is back!!!!]
: Yo, Loki just logged into Soul Fighter. Check it out! Time for some revenge!!
└ Back on cooldown, huh? LOL
└ Wait, is this for real?
└ No way. He disappeared after dominating the rankings and saying it got boring. Why’s he back now?
└ He must’ve gotten bored. It’s one of those games you always come back to.
└ Ugh, fine, I’ll fall for it one more time.
└ What’s going on???
[Post Title: Why’d he come back??]
: The game’s totally different now compared to when he played. Why mess with my memories like this…
└ Agreed.
└ Still, it’s Loki.
└ Even if it was Loki’s grandpa, the game’s too hard now. It’s all pros, and they had to nerf lightsabers because of Loki.
└ Still, it’s Loki.
└ I am kinda curious, though LOL
└ Why’s he logged in with a duo?
└ ???
The community quickly exploded into chatter. People who heard the news started logging into the game, one after another.
This marked the beginning of what would later become a legendary event in the Soul Fighter community: the infamous “Loki & Sylvie Raid.”
