"By now, the news of Lee Seokyoung's return must have spread everywhere."
"..."
"People must be pleased."
Listening to Kwon Jihan's dry voice devoid of any emotion, Yoon Seo realized now was not the time to hesitate.
He had wanted to prepare a bit more and surprise him like a gift, but it couldn't be helped.
Yoon Seo pulled out the jackknife he had strapped to his waist. As he pressed the button to extend the blade, Kwon Jihan's expression changed.
With a gaze that seemed to ask, 'Why?', Yoon Seo answered by slicing down his forearm. His skin split open, and red blood dripped down.
"Hyung!"
Peeeep!
Kwon Jihan stood up in shock.
"What are you doing? How could you, right in front of me…!"
Pee, peep, peeep!
While Kwon Jihan fumbled to grab gauze and bandages from his inventory, Yoon Seo calmly took out a potion, not even having time to soothe Riceball.
He opened the lid of a healing potion, recognizable even to non-awakened individuals, and poured it over the wound, where blood was flowing.
The torn skin quickly mended, and the bleeding stopped.
"What the…"
Yoon Seo watched Kwon Jihan's reaction with amusement.
His mouth hung open, and he blinked several times.
He raised his hand, intending to speak, but instead hesitated, gently touching Yoon Seo's arm.
His fingers trembled slightly.
It wasn't often that Kwon Jihan was this flustered.
Since he didn't seem inclined to sit back down, Yoon Seo also stood up. Peeep! Riceball was trying to pluck out Yoon Seo's hair, protesting why he had used a different weapon.
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't injure myself with a bound weapon, so I had no choice."
Pee! Peeeep!
"Sorry."
As Yoon Seo tried to soothe Riceball, he glanced at Kwon Jihan.
It looked like Kwon Jihan had barely breathed.
"How…?"
So overwhelmed, Kwon Jihan could barely finish his sentence, staggering slightly.
"Careful. We're on a cliff here."
Even though Yoon Seo knew Kwon Jihan wouldn't die from falling, he helped steady him. Kwon Jihan clutched Yoon Seo's pale arm. The old scars remained, but the fresh wound had disappeared without a trace.
"How… how is this possible?"
"Take your time. I'll wait for you to calm down."
Kwon Jihan's breathing was somewhat unsteady. He pinched his own cheek, then suddenly flinched in surprise.
"Wait, wait a second."
"..."
"Hyung, how did you get in here? should still be on cooldown."
"You're only just now realizing? You were completely out of it."
Yoon Seo answered lightly, as if making a joke he was excited to see the reaction to.
"I used a skill to get in, obviously."
"But how…?"
"I took a cooldown potion."
"...!"
Kwon Jihan's eyes wavered.
He had entered the dungeon by using a skill that should have still been on cooldown.
A potion had healed his wound.
All of these situations pointed to one thing.
"Hyung… did you… take an elixir…?"
It was what he hoped for, but there was disbelief since it seemed impossible. Yet, if it wasn't that, none of this made sense.
Seeing Kwon Jihan's eyes swirling with confusion, Yoon Seo couldn't hold back his laughter any longer.
Kwon Jihan, caught off guard. Kwon Jihan, bewildered. Kwon Jihan, standing there with his mouth hanging open.
Yoon Seo had thoroughly enjoyed watching these rare expressions.
Now it was time to pull him out of his disillusionment and make him happy again.
"When I went to see Lee Seokyoung yesterday…"
***
Yoon Seo poured the elixir into Lee Seokyoung's mouth, making sure not a single drop was wasted.
You have used the elixir on 'Lee Seokyoung.'
A bright light erupted from Lee Seokyoung's entire body.
The abnormal status of 'Lee Seokyoung,'
The skill
'Lee Seokyoung' has awakened from the comatose state and become a resident of Eden.
Lee Seokyoung could now live on this modern Earth.
Yoon Seo left the hospital room, giving space to Lee Seokyoung's family and acquaintances. Soon, the sound of loud sobbing reached him, confirming that Lee Seokyoung had awakened.
All the members of Perfect were currently inside the dungeon, so Yoon Seo used the Perfect waiting room alone.
"When I look out at the Han River like this, I think of kimchi stew."
"Kimchi stew by the Han River, it's delicious."
"That's not what I mean. When I see the blue water, my heart aches, tears well up, and I reaffirm my path as a kimchi stew master. For thousands of years, the Han River has been the lifeline of the Korean Peninsula. It has left an indelible mark on the souls and bodies of Koreans, always flowing here. Kimchi stew is the same. People eat it countless times at home, yet they still seek it outside. Kimchi stew is our soul, our body, our home, and the place we will always return to. The Han River and kimchi stew. Kimchi stew and the Han River. Blue and red. Red and blue. Is there a better combination in the world? This is it. This is the Taegeuk. This is the ultimate kimchi stew, the path we must take."
Watching 'Love in Han River' after so long filled Yoon Seo with a surge of emotion. Ah, if only Kwon Jihan were here to share this feeling.
Just then, Yoon Seo received a call from Yoo Juncheol.
– Lee Seokyoung Hunter wants to express his thanks to Seo Chaeyoon.
"It's fine, let him enjoy his reunion with his family a little longer."
– The family wants to stay longer, but Lee Seokyoung Hunter is quite sharp. The first thing he asked upon waking was about the status of the Great Dungeon. After realizing this is the future, we barely stopped him from immediately going online to gather information.
"So he don't know yet?"
– No, he still don't know that Seo Chaeyoon originally intended to use the elixir.
Since Seo Chaeyoon's condition was well-known, Lee Seokyoung would find out sooner or later. Still, Yoon Seo hoped that for a few days at least, Lee Seokyoung could enjoy the pure joy of survival and return without any guilt or regrets.
– Can you come now?
"I'm in the Perfect waiting room. I'll head over right away."
When Yoon Seo arrived at Lee Seokyoung's hospital room, the guards standing outside quickly saluted him. Yoon Seo nodded and walked inside.
"Seo Chaeyoon!"
Lee Seokyoung, who had been reclining on the bed and looking out the window, sat up upon seeing Yoon Seo. His previously stiff expression softened with joy. Perhaps this is the kind of face you'd make after wandering in a strange world and meeting someone from your hometown.
"It's really great to see you again. It's been 13 years, and I heard you're still active. Truly impressive."
"There's nothing impressive about it. I was in hiding for 10 years and only recently came back."
Yoon Seo naturally took off his mask and sat down in the chair. Lee Seokyoung's eyes widened in surprise.
"I thought you were still keeping your identity hidden…"
"I am. So please keep it a secret."
Peep!
Riceball fluttered around Lee Seokyoung, flying excitedly. Riceball had never met Lee Seokyoung in bird form, but for some reason, it seemed happy to see him, even diving under the blanket Lee Seokyoung was using.
Lee Seokyoung, after glancing at Yoon Seo's bare face, let out a small sigh.
"You were this young…"
"I'm 32, though."
"I knew you were young, but seeing you in person, you're really young."
"I'm leaving now."
"You and Kwon Jihan Hunter secured the elixir, I heard. I'm really grateful. Thanks to you, I can see a world where peace has returned like this."
"We didn't do much. Kim Mirae Hunter and Hyun Jiye Hunter did everything."
"That's right… I've received a kindness I can't repay. With such skills, they could've left themselves…"
Lee Seokyoung nodded bitterly.
Yoon Seo wanted to say he was sorry but held back. Seokyoung must have heard about the Great Dungeon and hadn't said anything about being sorry either.
Both of them knew. The sorrow of losing comrades could never be comforted by the word 'sorry.'
"How much have you heard about this world?"
"About the final dungeon of the tutorial and the distorted beings outside the universe."
"Then you've pretty much heard it all."
"No, I still have a lot to study. About alien species, stars, and the universe. I can't even begin to understand how something like an antimatter bomb works, with its positive charge and annihilation this or that. Seo Chaeyoon, could you explain it to me?"
"You've picked the wrong person to ask. Ask Kwon Jihan when he shows up later."
Despite having just woken up, Lee Seokyoung was full of determination to figure out this world, showing no signs of wanting rest.
Looking at his clear, resolute eyes, Yoon Seo was a bit impressed by his mental strength.
Peep!
From under the blanket, Riceball wriggled out, wiggling its tail, and rolled a round object with its beak. The size of a fist, it was a reddish-white color, and overall, it looked… just like an egg.
"That is…?"
"Oh, my weapon. You know the chain whip, right? It's a weapon item called 'Thinking Spirit.' Since I haven't been able to resonate with it for a long time, it's reverted to its egg form."
Lee Seokyoung held the reddish egg in his arms and gently stroked it. Riceball curiously hovered around the egg, showing constant interest.
"An ego weapon…"
"Ego weapon?"
Lee Seokyoung asked as Yoon Seo mumbled absentmindedly. Yoon Seo turned Riceball into a dagger. Lee Seokyoung's eyes widened in surprise.
"Your dagger is the same type!"
"Yes. It's called 'Existing Spirit.' These kinds of items with a consciousness are called ego weapons, and they're extremely rare, even across the universe."
Yoon Seo turned the dagger back again. Riceball flapped its wings and curiously hovered around the red egg again.
Yoon Seo continued explaining to Seokyoung just how rare ego weapons were. When asked where he got it, Seokyoung answered,
"A god of blessings gave me a revelation to go somewhere, and I found the eggs rolling around."
"A god of blessings? Which god?"
"Gaia."
Yoon Seo was momentarily stunned.
"Gaia?"
"Yeah, one of my gods of blessings is Gaia. Gaia gave me this weapon and an L-class skill too."
Seokyoung laughed lightly as he said,
"It's funny, isn't it? I have an L-class status effect nullification skill, yet I couldn't use it on myself and ended up wandering in limbo for 13 years."
Yoon Seo retraced what he had just heard. His heart started racing before his mind could fully grasp it.