Regression Guidelines For the Supporting Character-Chapter 68
As the clock ticked past 6 p.m. and edged closer to 7, the sky that had once been painted with crimson dusk quickly darkened.
Circle guild members, restless and uneasy, paced the waiting room or kept peeking out into the corridor. All eyes eventually turned to Ryu Sunghyun.
“Still no word?”
“Hyung, what are we supposed to do?”
Kim Suho asked with a worried expression, but there wasn’t much Ryu could say in response.
He too was barely managing to suppress his growing anxiety. Time kept slipping away, and they had no way to contact the one person they needed the most right now.
Ten more minutes passed. The outside world had fully sunk into darkness. Ryu looked up at the sky, now clear and cloudless, with a full moon glowing bright above.
That was when a visitor arrived at the waiting room.
“Guildmaster, you’re here?”
Han Goeun, looking worried, was the first to spot the arrival. She hurried over to greet Kwon Taehyuk as he stepped inside.
Kwon, offering nothing more than a nod of acknowledgment, turned to Ryu Sunghyun as he approached.
“Is everything ready?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
If Yesung hadn’t sent Han Goeun, an A-rank Supporter, the atmosphere here would be far more grim.
Ryu, speaking sincerely, offered one of the prepared beverages from the corner. Kwon accepted without protest, took a sip, then glanced around the room before asking again,
“And what about him?”
“...Sorry?”
“Cover. He’s not here yet?”
With Han Goeun nervously standing by, Kwon added,
“I heard he hasn’t even shown up to a single practice.”
It was a blunt question. Ryu didn’t know how to respond and gave an awkward smile instead. Kwon didn’t need a verbal answer. He raised a brow.
“He hasn’t contacted you either?”
“Well...”
“Tch. What the hell is he doing...”
Kwon clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed. Ryu couldn’t even argue—he agreed with him, if only silently.
“I don’t own a phone.”
“...!”
A calm voice suddenly cut between the two.
Ryu’s head jerked up. Across the hall, a tall figure was approaching the waiting room with an easy gait.
It was Cover—finally.
There were a dozen things Ryu wanted to ask. Why only now? Couldn’t he have sent some word at least? But in that moment, what he felt above all else... was relief.
“Cov—”
As he began to call out, Ryu noticed the mask on Cover’s face and flinched.
“...Why the hell are you wearing that thing again?”
Kwon Taehyuk, who had once faced Cover during the ranking match, frowned at the sight. Cover casually ran a hand along the mask and replied coolly,
“You think I want to wear this thing? It’s uncomfortable. But there’ll be too many eyes on us. Hats come off during fights anyway. I don’t have much of a choice.”
“I don’t get why you go through so much trouble to hide your face.”
“...You’ve been getting awfully casual with your tone lately. Anyway, you’re just here to spectate?”
“Yes. I also have a few things I’d like to say to you.”
“To me? Hmm, I don’t have time now. Let’s talk after the match.”
As Ryu blinked in confusion, the two of them conversed like old acquaintances—so naturally that it could easily be mistaken for familiarity.
Feeling like an outsider, Ryu glanced between them awkwardly. Then a cheerful voice rang out from behind.
“Oh—are you Cover Hunter?”
Han Goeun had come to check on the noise at the doorway and gasped the moment she saw him. The Circle guild members, previously going about their business, all turned toward the entrance.
“No way, it really is Cover!”
“Cover showed up? Look at that mask—yeah, that’s definitely him.”
“You can tell just by the mask?”
“Come on, who else walks around in something like that...”
“True.”
“Wow... I’d honestly given up hope.”
Watching the guild members whisper and light up with excitement, Ryu Sunghyun felt strangely embarrassed.
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Cover gave a small wave in greeting.
“Hello. Sorry I’m late.”
It was surprisingly normal—his tone much softer and more polite than his earlier indifference.
“You must be Hunter Han Goeun, right? From Yesung Guild. I’m counting on your support today.”
He even held out a hand for a courteous handshake.
“Yes, let’s work hard together!”
Han Goeun smiled brightly as she shook the pale, refined hand extended to her.
Kwon Taehyuk, arms crossed, looked on in displeasure as Cover shook hands with his guild member. Then, he spoke again.
“So.”
“Hmm?”
“What exactly are you planning to do? I hear you skipped all the practice sessions. With only about 40 minutes left, you barely have time to check your equipment.”
“You seem to know a lot.”
Cover gave a short laugh, then turned to Ryu.
“Deputy Guildmaster, catch.”
He pulled something from his inventory and tossed it over. Ryu instinctively caught the flying black object—and realized it was a pair of leather gloves.
“These are...?”
“You don’t seem to have any gear you regularly use, so I prepared something.”
Ryu stared at the gloves in shock, his eyes trembling. He hadn’t expected this at all.
“They’re support items for formless-type skills. If you wear them, it’ll help speed up the materialization process. Should work well with your manifestation-type ability.”
A powerful energy pulsed from the gloves. As a Hunter, Ryu immediately recognized them as A-rank.
Items that support formless skills were hard to find and notoriously expensive. Ryu had once looked into buying one himself and remembered the prices all too well.
And this was A-rank.
His face paled.
“I... I can’t accept this.”
“Why not?”
That matter-of-fact reply left Ryu stunned.
“...I appreciate the gesture, but this is too much. Just having you here as a mercenary is more than enough.”
“More than enough?”
Cover chuckled again—but this time, it was a sharp, derisive laugh.
“Says who?”
His expression sobered in an instant as he tilted his head.
“You’ll lose without those.”
“......”
“Sorry, but I didn’t come here to lose. I’m not the type to feel satisfied just by participating. It’s not like I’m suggesting anything illegal. I’m just offering you some equipment.”
“Still, this is—”
“If it makes you feel better, just give it back after the match. It’s a loan, not a gift. That good enough?”
His tone made it clear—refusal was not an option. Ryu fell silent, still holding the gloves.
Just then, a Circle member hesitantly spoke up.
“Uh... but, do you really think we can win? We haven’t practiced together, so I’m worried...”
Their voice trailed off, but Cover didn’t hesitate.
“We can win.”
The words rang ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) clear, full of unwavering conviction.
“Because we’ve got our Deputy Guildmaster.”
“...Huh?”
Ryu blinked in confusion. Did Cover mean him?
Cover locked eyes with him and repeated himself, this time like a finishing blow:
“As long as you’re here, we’ll win.”
“......”
“Of course, I’ll need to support you in a few ways for that to happen.”
He added it like a joke, then checked the clock on the wall. Gently placing a hand on Ryu’s shoulder, he continued,
“If you’re alright with it, let’s talk privately for a few minutes.”
“Right now?”
“Ten minutes is all I need.”
It was 7:30. Ten minutes shouldn’t cause any issues—and they needed to discuss the gloves anyway.
Ryu hesitated, then nodded. Seeing this, Cover removed his hand and started walking. Ryu followed, and Kwon Taehyuk silently watched the two of them head down the corridor.
“...I’m surprised. Cover Hunter is a lot more polite than I expected.”
“......”
“Guildmaster?”
Han Goeun, puzzled by his silence and the way he stared after them, asked.
“What’s wrong?”
“...Just feels... familiar.”
Kwon furrowed his brow. There was something about the way Cover treated Ryu Sunghyun that stirred déjà vu. He searched his memory—
Cha Seohu...
The way Cover seemed so fixated on and concerned for Ryu—it reminded him of Cha Seohu.
He sighed heavily.
The idea that someone as unrestrained and chaotic as Cover could be similar to Cha Seohu of all people? Ridiculous.
“...It’s nothing,” he muttered.
