[Traditional Play (1)]
Originally, I was planning to check Yuhyun’s skills, but doing so would naturally make me think of events before the regression. That was a bit hard to deal with, so I used the excuse of feeling like I was coming down with a cold to quickly finish the dungeon and come back. Maybe because I had been out in the cold for quite a while, I actually did feel a bit shivery.
“Turn off your poison resistance and take the medicine. It’s a relief you can turn it off. If your stats were F-rank, your immunity wouldn’t be much different from an unawakened person.”
My younger brother, who pushed me onto the bed, handed me some cold medicine and a cup of water as he spoke. I wasn’t sick enough to need it, but I obediently took the medicine. I even left a note on my phone’s home screen to remind me to keep my poison resistance off. I decided not to turn off fear resistance, even at home, for a while. It’s not exactly like depression resistance, but it should still help.
“You used to catch colds as a kid too.”
“It’s been over five years since I last caught a cold.”
I stared blankly at Yuhyun as he put away the cup. Since I regressed, I’d thought the past five years had disappeared. But in reality, they were split into another world and fused with the current one.
However, the brother who had already died—there was no way he could return. He couldn’t merge with the present and had disappeared completely.
‘…Whether he vanished or ceased to exist, there isn’t much difference.’
Even so, it felt like I’d been hit hard on the back of my head. It wasn’t so much my head as my chest, maybe. Perhaps it was the wording the volleyball guy used that made me feel this way.
Disappeared? Cut off? What’s with that? It makes me feel like he’s been abandoned. Like he’s still lying there in that dungeon, exactly where I left him, still the same. The cold, hard floor. I shouldn’t have regressed so quickly. I even gained poison resistance. It would have been fine to stay a little longer.
—Chirp.
Something soft brushed against my hand. I saw two round black eyes looking up at me. I raised my hand to pet Chirp.
There were a lot of thoughts swirling in my head, but the present moment was more important.
“Yuhyun. That cult you mentioned… what exactly is it?”
“I told you, I don’t really know.”
“Tell me what you do know.”
Yuhyun tilted his head to the side as he looked at me.
“Why are you asking all of a sudden? Did you hear something strange?”
“Strange… I guess you could call it that.”
When I regressed, I had planned to live quietly. Somehow, though, things snowballed into all kinds of situations, but my fundamental mindset hadn’t changed. Even after the system contacted me, I was still rather laid-back.
I knew that, as long as I stayed quiet, those five years would have passed without any major issues.
“It just has something to do with you.”
“Of course it does. But there’s no need for you to worry about it. Get some rest.”
With that, he left. The door closed, and Peace climbed onto the bed. I petted Peace as I organized my thoughts.
‘Saying they can’t talk about it… that means it’s on the same level as the system creators.’
It’s not just some cult. Those shady people are connected to Yuhyun. They’ve even already interfered. The system creators can go as far as creating dungeons specifically for me.
More importantly, this interference must be different from what happened before the regression.
A lot has changed in less than two months, but I think it’s heading in a positive direction. With me out of the way, I’m actually helping. So naturally, Yuhyun should grow faster and more easily than before.
No problems. …There can’t be any problems. This time.
This time.
I picked up my phone. After frowning briefly, I made a call. Before long, I heard a familiar voice.
[What’s the occasion for you to call first?]
“I have something to ask.”
Seong Hyunjae. I was certain he knew something. Just looking at his actions before the regression, there were plenty of suspicious points. Suddenly retreating from Korea, then disappearing without a trace shortly after.
If you asked me if I could trust him… well, I wasn’t sure. But you have to step into the tiger’s den to touch even a strand of its fur.
“Do you know anything about a cult like Confucianism?”
Instead of an answer, I heard a low chuckle. The moment I heard it, I felt like I had hit the mark.
[Have you been recruited by a religious group?]
“No. It’s just a personal curiosity.”
[If it’s Han Yujin’s personal curiosity, then it’s related to your dear brother.]
“Stop pretending you don’t know and just answer.”
[You’re more on edge than usual. If I pull your precious brother into something unnecessary, you’ll be furious, won’t you?]
“You’re okay with me getting mad?”
After a brief silence, his voice came out, laced with interest.
[Of course not. You’ve been scattering everything you had like river pebbles. I wonder what kind of wind is blowing now. Our dear Han Yujin is far more dangerous than his little brother. So, what’s the point of me saying anything?]
He wasn’t wrong. I had been doing nothing this whole time. Far more than this overly sharp man thought.
If I wanted to, I was confident I could grow a faction anytime. I already had the groundwork laid. If I nurtured Blue, even excluding Peace, I’d have two S-classes under my wing. On top of that, I had Myungwoo, the only item maker. It wouldn’t be difficult to formally bring Yun Yun, another S-class, under my command either.
And that’s not all. I had an abundance of information on other S-class hunters. I could raise as many special-skill hunters as I wanted. I could bind hunters through contracts or other means easily enough. I had information on dungeons, items, and countless other resources. I had an endless supply of weapons to wield. I could even ask the system creators to adjust dungeon appearances to suit my advantage.
But what I wanted was simply this.
To see Yuhyun grow. To watch my brother in five years, and beyond.
This time, I’d be able to watch with pure pride and amazement.
“So, how about giving me an answer?”
[It’s something that can’t be explained with words, but I can show you.]
“Something that can’t be explained with words, huh. Sounds like the cult is also under a gag order like the system side. Maybe Yuhyun doesn’t actually not know but has been silenced instead.”
[That’s possible.]
“How do you plan to show me?”
[Get ready with that bracelet and the skill that doubles attack effects. And Noah too.]
“Let’s assume everything is ready. What next?”
[We’ll have to lure them in by entering an S-class dungeon. Though first, you’ll need to calm down the rampaging young master.]
…An S-class dungeon? I might be able to convince him if it’s an A-class, but S-class… that’s a bit much. Plus, there’s something unsettling about dungeons.
“Can’t we do something below S-class? And will my safety be guaranteed?”
[Don’t worry. They have no intention of harming you. That much is certain.]
So, my life isn’t in danger, huh. I’ll need to inform Yuhyun about Do Hamin and Yun Yun too. I’m not sure if I can get in touch with Yun Yun right away, but since she’s still regularly updating her social media while in China, it should be fine. Is she searching for subordinates or sightseeing? China’s supposed to have social media restrictions, but she’s been leaving behind all sorts of tourist photos.
I asked why he was so sure they wouldn’t harm me, but, like usual, I didn’t get a clear answer. It’s like they’ve all sewn their mouths shut.
[If we want to switch to a different dungeon, I’ll need an excuse. I don’t see any reason to take Han Yujin into anything below an S-class… unless I were to invite you on a date.]
…Why does he always go off on strange tangents? This guy, seriously. I suppressed the urge to hang up on him and grudgingly listened—it was a somewhat convincing excuse.
[You seemed quite interested in the ruins from the last A-class dungeon. I know a place that’s great for sightseeing. It’s a castle on the shores of a lake in a low-tier A-class dungeon. There are several tall towers, and the central, largest tower is mostly intact. The weather’s great, and there are no flying monsters. As long as you don’t think about the monsters in the water, it’s a perfect spot for a tour.]
“An S-class hunter as a tour guide. How extravagant.”
[Impressive, isn’t it? I’m going this far just for you, Han Yujin.]
He’s so full of himself.
Anyway, with a bit of exaggeration, I could say I was going away for a couple of days on a trip. In a low-tier A-class dungeon, with Noah flying, we could be in and out in two days. If the monsters are concentrated in the water, it might be even quicker. Electricity and poison. Perfect for causing havoc underwater.
“It wouldn’t be possible to add more people, right?”
[A few A-class hunters would be fine, but not the young master. The bait needs to be enticing enough for them to bite. I’m already a bit uneasy about Noah, but for safety’s sake, he’s necessary.]
So, if we enter with just the right number, they’ll approach. I could tell at a glance it’s a risky plan. There’s no guarantee Seong Hyunjae isn’t in league with them. From what he’s saying, it’s clear he’s even more deeply involved than Yuhyun.
‘If Yun Yun hadn’t become the Goblin King, I’d be more hesitant to jump in.’
As long as I stay alive, Yun Yun should be able to save me. If they wanted me dead, they wouldn’t need to go through all this trouble. Even a tiger doesn’t need to go all out when hunting a rabbit. Why would they bother setting elaborate traps when they could kill me with a flick?
“Fine, I’ll be looking forward to it.”
I hung up the phone and tossed it aside. Once I find out the truth, what will I do next? If it turns out to be as threatening as the volleyball guy made it seem…
I opened my status window and checked my titles and skill list.
[Final Recompense (L)]
A skill that transfers the target’s skills and stats at double the power if the keyword-influenced target dies. Recompense—the name alone was enough to make me scoff. If they really wanted to call it recompense, they should’ve erased the memories. Deer had apparently named the Perfect Nurturer title skills, but this one… I doubted it.
It was just a slight alteration of the Final Reward skill, which was part of the Nurturer title.
‘…A-class should be more than enough.’
I also had the double attack skill effect. If I pushed A-class to its limits, I could even take down S-class. I thought of the special containment facility Song Taewon mentioned. Despite being a sweet deal for high-rank hunters, some criminals had to be handled with special measures. I could use them if necessary. The whole situation was filled with ironic humor when you thought about the skill names and keywords.
—Chirp chirp.
After staring at the skill window for a while, Chirp tilted his head, looking puzzled from my lap. I snapped out of it and closed the status window, gazing down at Chirp.
“It’s okay.”
—Chirp.
“You’ll be okay too, Chirp. Just make sure not to wander into any dungeons by accident.”
—Chirp chirp!
His little yellow beak opened adorably, and his soft, round body seemed too cute for words. How did something this precious even come into the world, my little Chirp? That volleyball guy really pisses me off in so many ways.
“You think I can’t protect you?”
Of course, that goes for the others too. No matter what it takes.
Yuhyun, of course, was firmly against me going off on a ‘date’… or rather, a sightseeing trip with the Sesung Guild Leader. I would have been more surprised if he had agreed without a fuss.
I laid out all the facts—no flying monsters, Noah would be there, poison skills, poison resistance, and the protective orbs I had. Only after I explained everything in detail did he finally relent with a “fine, I guess it’s okay,” but of course, he followed it up with “I’m coming with you.” It took some effort to convince him to stay behind, with a lot of good words.
“If I go missing, contact Do Hamin and Goblin. They’ll be able to find me and get me out safely. So stop worrying.”
[But aren’t you being too complacent? Who knows what could happen in that time? I know your resistance skills are good, but they’re not foolproof.]
“If something’s wrong with me, just take me to any dungeon gate and knock three times before entering. The system administrator will help.”
They had already said there was no one to replace me yet, so they’d do whatever it took to help. This was practically foolproof. Of course, if I died, that would be the end.
I finally managed to calm Yuhyun down, told Myungwoo about the plan, made arrangements for the kids, and wrapped up everything. Noah and I left the building together. Naturally, I reassured Noah that none of this was his fault.
“This is a personal matter. It’s not related to you, Noah. In fact, I feel bad for dragging you into this mess.”
“No, not at all.”
Noah, who had been nervously fidgeting over the idea of going into a dungeon with Seong Hyunjae, finally seemed to relax. I handed him a necklace with a Shard of Sharlos attached, explaining its effects. Since he might get caught up in my business and end up in danger, I needed to make sure he was prepared.
“You’ve got a gate stone, right? If things seem risky, use this and get to a gate for an escape.”
“What about you, Han Yujin?”
“I’ve got one too. Here.”
I had an identical necklace stashed in my inventory. When I told Myungwoo I’d be entering an A-class dungeon, he’d made the necklace to make it easy to use.
When we reached the parking lot, Seong Hyunjae was already there, waiting for us. He seemed uncharacteristically excited. Maybe a little too excited. He even opened the car door for me, flashing a smile.
“Looks like it’s going to be a fun time.”
“I hope this doesn’t turn into an overpriced sightseeing tour full of hidden fees.”
“I’ll just take a tip.”
As if someone like him, with more money than he could ever spend, needed tips. It was technically my first “overseas” trip, so I’d like a no-tip, no-extra-charge package, please.
Grumbling to myself, I climbed into the car. The destination: an A-class dungeon, the Lake Castle. It was under the management of the Sudam Guild, whose guild leader was Yun Kyungsu, a domestic S-class hunter I had yet to meet.
–TL Notes–
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