Former Hero, Solo Play Oriented-Chapter 157

A strong wind swept through the vast *Erin's Canyon*. The person I encountered at the summit made me hesitate.

I knew that woman.

Danger.

Why?

I had just barely calmed Chris down, and I couldn’t risk showing her that I was interacting with another woman—especially someone I knew. My connection with *Skada* had ended when the sub-character raid team disbanded. There was no reason for us to get involved again.

*Click.*

I turned around, trying to quietly slip away from the high, open cliffside. But on this elevated ridge with no cover, there was no way Skada wouldn’t notice me.

Skada turned her head, her eyes widening in surprise.

"...Oh? Rain?"

"Hiiik."

*Thud, thud, thud.*

I scrambled down the rocky slope like a mountain goat, quickly making my way toward the basin at the bottom of the canyon.

Sorry, Skada.

I can’t involve any more women in my life.

Chris would lose it.

"...Rain! Wait, that’s dangerous!"

*Thunk.*

"Ah."

Behind me, I heard Skada’s frantic shout, but before I could respond, my foot caught on a rock, and I found myself airborne, falling down the steep rocky slope.

This side wasn’t as steep as the opposite cliff, but it was still treacherous enough. I might actually die this time.

This is all Chris’s fault.

Every time something involves her, I can’t seem to act normally.

*Whoooosh!*

Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind whipped around me, lifting my light body into the air.

*Aerial*—a spell from the mage class, used to control the air.

I found myself suspended in the eye of the storm, and looking up, I saw Skada, staff raised, casting the spell to save me.

She sighed in relief when she saw me safely floating in the whirlwind.

"Phew."

I pouted.

"Hii...."

---

"Rain, why were you running away?"

"......."

I walked silently next to Skada. I didn’t run away after she saved me, but I knew better than to have long conversations with another woman.

I was grateful for her help, but our small connection ended when the raid team disbanded. And I wasn’t allowed to talk to other women anymore.

Chris had a sixth sense when it came to me spending time with other women.

Skada scratched her head awkwardly, probably feeling uncomfortable after my silence. Feeling a bit guilty, I decided to respond, just a little.

She saved me, after all. Chris would probably understand this much.

"...Thank you for saving me."

"Oh! Don’t mention it."

Skada smiled warmly. She really was beautiful—though, of course, not as much as Chris.

"But, I can’t talk to other women for long."

"...What are you talking about?"

"Th-there’s just something like that."

How was I supposed to explain this awkward situation that I had created for myself?

"Actually, since that banquet, I’ve had so many things I wanted to ask you. But you're not even on my friend list in *Astria Online*, and you usually play solo, so we never cross paths. Last time, Puungkikki from our raid team said you were in the wastelands, but by the time I got there, you had already disappeared. Something about the *Orc Forest*? I went hunting that day, too."

She kept talking as we descended the canyon, and I was taken aback.

I hadn’t realized it before, since we never talked one-on-one, but this unnie sure liked to talk.

"...You’re very chatty, aren’t you?"

"Oh, really? Haha, I suppose I’m not the most reserved person."

Skada was one of the two most well-known raid leaders in *Astria Online*.

In the *Alpharion Empire*, it was *Chris*. In the *Betarion Empire*, it was *Skada*.

During the *Frozen Lands* expansion launch, when there was a world boss fight in the *Verberia Forest*, the second raid team sent by *Kyuam Joh Hyun-soo*'s *Plan B* raid team was none other than Skada’s raid team.

As expected of Betarion's top-tier raid group, Skada's team secured third place in the first raid dungeon, *The Abyssal Tree*. Had it not been for the *Hongbaek Raid* receiving information from me, their strategy would have been unmatched in speed.

Without an oddball like me, *Skada’s Raid* would have likely been strong competition for *Hongbaek*.

If the game had been dominated solely by players, Chris and Skada would’ve been the main stars. They would have likely even been offered roles in the game's advertisements. Tall, beautiful women, unlike a small fry like me.

In a way, I had stolen her place in the spotlight. I felt a little sorry about that.

Skada continued talking, her tone slightly softer now.

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"Rain, you're amazing. I’ve only heard rumors, but did you really clear *The Abyssal Tree* on your own? I mean, I saw your duel with Eleonora, but... how in the world...? Oh, but you don’t have to answer if it’s uncomfortable! Haha, I just hope that one day, I can be in the same raid team as you."

Was this a recruitment attempt?

But they already had a main tank named Park Jeong-kwon, so why?

Skada smiled warmly at me and then brought up Chris.

"You and Chris... You’re not blood-related sisters, are you?"

Why was she asking so many questions?

I gave a brief answer.

"No, we’re not."

"I see. I thought so. It felt a little different... Oh, wait, Rain, there’s some dirt on your cloak."

*Taptap.*

I flinched slightly as she dusted off my cloak.

She was quite direct with her touch, but she seemed like a good person.

I smiled at her.

"You're a good unnie, Skada."

"...Unnie? You’re calling me unnie? Thank you."

"Yes, Skada unnie. You’re a good unnie."

So far, the only people I’d called unnie were Beimerung and Chris, but calling Skada “unnie” felt more natural than calling her “nim.” After all, we’d spent about a month farming together.

"A good unnie... I don’t really think so."

Suddenly, Skada’s mood shifted.

She gazed off into the distance, her expression filled with a mix of emotions.

Though she tried to hide it, the predominant feeling was unmistakably negative.

---

During our exploration of *Erin’s Canyon*, we encountered a few monsters, but hunting in this area wasn’t efficient. Most of the monsters here were flying types, making it difficult for a melee class like mine to fight.

At least in the wastelands, the terrain was relatively flat and easy to fight in. It seemed that for the canyon, exploration would be best, but leveling would have to be done back in the wastelands.

Naturally, I ended up teaming up with Skada for hunting.

Chris, I’m sorry.

I’m not “playing” with another unnie.

It’s just a one-time party for today.

I’m a melee class, and flying monsters are hard to deal with, you know?

You’ll understand, right?

After an hour or so of exploring the entrance to *Erin’s Canyon* with Skada, we came upon a basin surrounded by rocky mountains. I stepped ahead of Skada.

I couldn’t directly sense magic anymore. Unless it was visible, I couldn’t detect it. Back when I was a hero, I had been able to manipulate mana within myself, so I could roughly sense it. While I couldn’t pinpoint it, I could feel the sticky, unpleasant aura of something magical.

There was a familiar sensation here.

Something emitting magic was inside.

"Wait."

*Thunk.*

I stopped Skada from stepping into the basin, moving ahead of her. I placed my hand on the narrow path leading into the canyon.

*Whommm.*

The entrance to the basin repelled my hand with a vibrating force.

"There’s a barrier."

"A barrier?"

"Familiar, right? It’s just like the elite dungeon entrances we’ve seen before—sealed off until the proper time."

"Ah."

Would the barrier dissipate over time, or would we need to complete a specific quest to enter?

I’d have to stop by the *Duchy of Eleonora* tomorrow.

As we stood there, an interface appeared before us.

---

[Recommended Level 53]

[Elite Dungeon (4-Player Recommended)]

[*The Heavenly Basin*]

---

The first elite dungeon of the new expansion, *Endless Canyon*, had been discovered.

---

After logging out, I carefully wheeled myself through the house, making sure not to wake Chris with the sound of my electric wheelchair. I switched to manual mode.

*Creaaak.*

I gently opened the door to Chris’s room.

*Breathes softly.*

Chris was already asleep on the right side of her queen-sized bed. The left side was reserved for me.

"Ugh, here we go."

I parked my wheelchair by the bed and lay down on the left side. Chris was facing left, fast asleep.

As I drifted off, I admired the sight of my beautiful unnie.

"Mmm, Rain..."

*Fwoomp.*

"Ah!?"

Suddenly, Chris reached out and pulled me into her arms.

My sleepiness vanished.

*Thump thump.*

My head was buried in Chris’s soft chest, and her heartbeat echoed clearly in my ears.

As I lay there, my face growing hot, nestled in her embrace...

"...Sniff sniff."

"...?"

"Sniff sniff... Hmph... another woman’s scent...."

Chris’s expression turned slightly sour as she mumbled in her sleep.

"Gasp...."

I held my breath, startled.

Scent?

But I’d showered thoroughly.

No, more importantly, how could she even tell with this body?

How on earth did she notice?