---
The air twisted with a low thrum as Jinwoo casually stepped out of the shimmering gate, hands in his pockets, expression calm.
Behind him, the now-empty Penalty Zone flickered out of existence like a vanishing dream.
Before he could even take a breath, the [System] chirped inside his head, voice dripping with sarcasm:
[Congratulations !]
[Another successful training session inside the Penalty Zone-slash-shadow-farming-playground! At this rate, you'll turn me into a gym instructor instead of a grand cosmic system!]
Jinwoo smirked.
"You're welcome."
[Don't flatter yourself. I'm filing a formal complaint to the Department of Broken Reality.]
[Spoiler: You are the Department.]
The System mock-sighed dramatically, causing Jinwoo to chuckle as he exited fully into his penthouse.
But something was... off.
The moment his boots touched the marble floor, his HUD suddenly lit up with a flood of incoming data, filling his vision with golden panels.
And then—
A familiar voice chimed into existence, slightly breathless, like a little sister who just woke up from a nap and found the house on fire:
"Boss?! BOSS!! You're finally back—!"
Aria's holographic form flickered to life above his wristwatch, her miniature avatar glitching slightly from the sheer speed at which she reactivated.
The tiny AI girl hovered in the air, spinning a full panicked circle before planting her hands on her hips, glaring at him.
"Do you have ANY idea what happened while you were offline?! The mana readings— the seismic charts— the gate anomalies— the news outlets are still screaming about it!"
Jinwoo raised an eyebrow lazily.
"Define 'it.'"
Aria gawked at him.
Then she conjured a holographic globe in midair—
a massive 3D projection of Earth spinning slowly, dozens of red mana surges blooming like sickly fireworks all across its surface.
Except one was different.
At the very center, where Jinwoo stood, the mana density reading spiked so high that the scale broke entirely, showing 'ERROR: BEYOND MEASUREMENT' in angry red letters.
"...Oh," Jinwoo said, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.
Aria narrowed her bright blue eyes at him.
"'Oh'??! BOSS, THIS PLACE IS THE EPICENTER!!"
[I'd be impressed if I wasn't also existentially terrified,] the [System] added dryly.
[Note: New achievement unlocked— 'Congratulations, You're a Walking Natural Disaster!']
Jinwoo coughed lightly into his fist, feeling the faintest hint of embarrassment crawl up his spine.
Aria zoomed closer to his face, studying his tiny changes in expression like a hawk.
Then her eyes widened in realization.
"I KNEW IT WAS YOU!!!"
[Detecting guilt levels rising—] the System chirped helpfully.
[Projected punishment: Endless teasing.]
"I might have had something to do with it," Jinwoo admitted with a casual shrug, utterly unrepentant.
Aria flailed her tiny arms in the air.
"Might?! You just slapped Earth's mana field like it owed you money!!"
Jinwoo chuckled under his breath and started walking.
Aria grumbled and zipped after him, still throwing up warning screens and alarms.
As Jinwoo moved deeper into his base—no, his Abyss now—the doors slid open with a whisper, revealing the newly completed Monitoring Core.
He paused at the entrance, taking it in.
A massive spherical chamber opened before him, dark and gleaming, illuminated only by the rotating holographic globe suspended in midair.
Dozens—no, hundreds—of tiny golden dots marked locations across the world.
Gates. Dungeons. Anomalies.
His influence.
His battlefield.
"Welcome to Abyss," Aria said proudly, voice calming slightly. "I finished the Core integration while you were...you know. Rewriting the laws of reality."
Jinwoo whistled low under his breath.
[Not bad,] the [System] murmured in appreciation.
[I give it a solid 9/10. Points deducted because you didn't build a snack bar.]
Jinwoo ignored the commentary, stepping inside fully.
Panels materialized under his feet, responding instantly to his presence.
Aria floated beside him, pulling up detailed reports with a flick of her hand.
"Upgrades are about 63% complete," she rattled off, "but to fully scale production, gate acquisition, and maintenance, I'll need more workforce assigned."
Jinwoo glanced at her sideways, a slow smirk creeping onto his face.
"Workforce, huh?"
Aria nodded seriously, unaware of the trap she'd just stepped into.
"Yes! Supervisors, maintenance units, mana regulators—basically, we need bodies that won't complain about triple overtime!"
Jinwoo chuckled darkly.
Then—
With a snap of his fingers—
The temperature in the room shifted.
The shadows around him shivered.
And seventy dark-armored knights silently emerged from the ground, kneeling in perfect unison around their king.
Each shadow radiated power.
Each was utterly loyal.
Aria's jaw dropped so hard her avatar glitched.
"I—I—I—what—how—BOSS?! WHERE—?!"
Jinwoo casually turned to her, smirking wider.
"Use them," he said simply. "As you see fit."
Aria floated there, frozen mid-animation, staring at the literal army he had just casually summoned like someone pulling extra furniture out of storage.
[Processing...]
[Processing...]
[Still Processing—error: not predictable—] the [System] whimpered dramatically.
Finally, Aria snapped out of it, fists pumping excitedly.
"YOU'RE THE BEST BOSS EVER!!!"
[Petition to officially rename Jinwoo as 'Boss Daddy Supreme' in system records?]
[Y/N]
Jinwoo sighed fondly.
"...Denied."
The System booed him in perfect harmony.
---
And just when he thought the chaos would settle—
Aria blinked, pulling up another screen.
Her voice turned sheepish.
"Uhhh... Also, Boss? You might wanna check your missed calls."
A flood of notification bubbles exploded in the air:
78 Missed Calls
Hundreds of Unread Messages
All from two names:
Jinah
Johee
Jinwoo blinked once.
Then again.
Aria winced.
"Jinah's at home right now...kind of panicking. She's been yelling at Mini-Aria to call you for the past hour..."
[Emotional damage alert!] the System howled dramatically.
[Better prepare your hugs and ice cream rations, Jinwoo!]
Jinwoo sighed heavily, already moving towards the secret entry point to his House.
"Here we go..."
---------
Jinwoo stepped through into the familiar quiet of his penthouse living room.
Except—
It wasn't quiet.
At all.
A small hurricane named Jinah was pacing back and forth, clutching her phone like a lifeline. Mini-Aria's projection floated nervously around her head, throwing up frantic red warning screens.
The moment Jinwoo materialized, Jinah froze mid-step. Her eyes went wide.
Then—
"OPPAAAAAA!!"
A human missile launched at him.
Jinwoo barely managed to catch her as she slammed into him, fists pounding weakly against his chest.
"You idiot!! You big dumb idiot!!" Jinah shouted between half-sobs. "You didn't answer! You didn't text! There was a giant boom and everything shook and I thought— I thought—!"
She couldn't even finish. Her voice cracked.
Gently, Jinwoo ruffled her hair.
"Hey, hey. I'm here," he murmured.
Jinah sniffled hard, burying her face in his jacket.
Mini-Aria floated beside them, waving a tiny holographic tissue.
"Emergency Hug Protocol: Activated," Mini-Aria declared tearfully.
The [System] chimed in brightly:
[Hugging detected. Emotional stabilization underway. Estimated recovery time: 7.2 minutes. Commence comfort pats.]
Jinwoo chuckled quietly and kept patting Jinah's head.
Meanwhile, his real Aria floated into the room, her tiny holographic feet not even touching the ground. She folded her arms and huffed.
"I almost had to issue a Missing Big Brother Alert!"
The [System] added cheerfully:
[It would've gone global. Headlines: 'Mysterious Handsome Young Man Disappears After Blowing Up Reality'.]
Jinah finally pulled back, glaring up at him through misty eyes.
"You're not allowed to scare me like that again, you hear me?" she said fiercely, voice wobbling.
Jinwoo smiled, warm and sincere.
"Got it,But I was in a Gate So couldn't pick up your calls" he said simply. "I'm sorry."
Jinah wiped her eyes roughly with her sleeve, trying to regain her composure.
"You better be," she muttered. Then she pulled back fully, straightening up. "Also—you owe me a tub of ice cream. Minimum."
Aria giggled, spinning around in midair.
"Boss, she's right. Emotional damages must be compensated!"
[Recommend: Double Chocolate Fudge + Bonus Snuggles.]
Mini-Aria threw up a checklist beside Jinah, labeled "Brotherly Reparations" with a growing list:
------------
[X] Hug
[X] Apology
[ ] Ice Cream
[ ] Emotional Support Binge Watch
---------
Jinwoo chuckled.
"Fine, fine. After dinner," he promised.
He glanced down at his phone, noticing the dozens of notifications still pouring in.
Johee's name flashed across the screen again and again.
He tapped quickly to call her.
It only rang once before Johee picked up.
"Jinwoo-ssi?!" her voice burst through immediately, raw relief flooding every syllable. "You're okay? Are you really okay?"
"I'm fine," Jinwoo said gently. "Sorry for making you worry."
There was a long, shuddering exhale on the other end.
"...Idiot," Johee said, voice thick. "You have no idea how scared I was..."
Aria hovered beside him, clutching her tiny holographic heart.
"So much love!" she sniffled dramatically. "I'm gonna cry!"
[Meanwhile, I'm logging all this to your 'Best Boyfriend Ever' achievement track.] System teased with a virtual wink.
Jinwoo smiled faintly.
"Want to come over?" he asked Johee quietly. "We'll make it a movie night. Jinah's already demanding ice cream therapy."
There was a beat of silence.
Then—
"I'll be there in twenty minutes," Johee said, a small, shaky laugh in her voice.
The call ended.
Jinah, arms folded, looked up at him suspiciously.
"Is that... Your supposed gf?"
Jinwoo shrugged innocently.
"Maybe."
Jinah squinted harder.
Mini-Aria popped up a floating caption over Jinwoo's head:
[Suspect: 99.8% probability of Romantic Shenanigans Detected.]
Jinwoo grabbed a cushion off the couch and lightly bonked the mini AI out of the air.
"Traitor."
Aria and the [System] cackled together:
["Team Tiny Bosses: Victorious!"]
---
A warm feeling spread through the room.
It wasn't just the aftermath of battle or surviving disaster.
It was the feeling of home.
The feeling that—despite being a walking apocalypse, despite carrying the weight of worlds—
He was still someone's big brother.
Still someone's heart.
Still... Jinwoo.
-------
The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden hue through the windows of the living room. Inside, Jinah was on a wild cleaning spree, her heart racing like a marathon runner. She frantically ran from one room to the next, dusting, wiping, and arranging everything in an almost comically exaggerated fashion.
"Okay, okay, gotta make it perfect," she muttered to herself. She was bent over, scrubbing the floor with a ferocity that might've been mistaken for a cleaning commercial. "The food has to be just right. Not too much, not too little. Something fancy, but not over-the-top... Oh god, what if she's vegetarian? Is she a vegetarian? Is that why jinwoo always orders salads when we hang out??"
She paused, scrolling through her phone, typing in a frantic search: "Top 10 movies to watch with your brother's girlfriend." A list of irrelevant, awkward rom-coms filled her screen, but she immediately tapped on a link titled "Must-Watch Movies to Impress Your Brother's Girlfriend".
"No pressure, right?" Jinah muttered sarcastically, staring at the list of cheesy films. "Maybe I'll throw in a rom-com... or is that too much?"
She quickly glanced at her phone again: "How to not embarrass yourself when meeting your brother's girlfriend."
"Ugh, I'm so screwed," she sighed dramatically, sinking onto the couch with a pile of random throw pillows she started fluffing for no reason. She took a deep breath. "Okay, just act normal. Just be normal. No need to overdo it."
Her hands shook as she wiped the counter yet again, muttering something about being normal under her breath.
[Appraisal Results: Jinah Sung - Target Thoughts: "This is a disaster. A literal disaster. I have to impress her. What if she doesn't like me? Does she like sweet food? What's her favorite color? No, no, focus! Focus, Jinah. You can do this! Oh god, I hope she likes me. I can't be a mess. No, I'm fine, I've got this… I don't have this at all."]
---
Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Jinwoo was enjoying a rare moment of relaxation. The sound of running water echoed from the shower as he stepped out, towel wrapped low around his waist. The bathroom mirror fogged up from the steam, and Jinwoo wiped a section clear, eyeing his reflection with a small smirk.
He flexed his muscles with a casual ease, admiring the results of his Peak Garp and Mera Mera no Mi powers. Despite the chaos unfolding in the living room, Jinwoo was the picture of calm, his status screen buzzing with new updates.
[System Update: Status Screen has been updated. New Titles, New Rewards.]
He ran a hand through his hair, checking his stats once more.
---
Name: Sung Jinwoo
Level: 38
Template Fusion: Peak Garp (32%)
Race: Monarch (Blessed by Kandiaru)
Title(s): Wormslayer ; Corpse Collector ; Desert Reaper.:Beast Blender :The Mad Theorist: Swamp Reaper(New):Knight Slayer(New)
HP: 137,080 MP:247,978
---
Stats:
Strength: 347
Agility: 338
Stamina: 369
Intelligence: 481
Sense: 383
Unspent Stat Points: 60
---
[System: "You've grown stronger. But you've also grown more irritating."]
Jinwoo smirked, not particularly concerned with the System's tone. "Yeah, yeah. Keep talking, I'll keep getting stronger."
He leaned closer to the mirror, admiring his reflection with a quiet chuckle. "Not bad, Jinwoo. Not bad at all. All those late-night workouts Ahem... Battles are paying off."
As the steam from the shower cleared, he flexed a little harder, just to see the muscle definition, because why not? He grinned at himself. "I've become a total badass."
---
The doorbell rang, cutting through the air and shattering Jinah's calm preparation. She jumped, startled, and immediately rushed to the door, her nerves sending her into overdrive.
"Okay. Be cool.You can do this," she whispered to herself as she swung the door open.
And there she was: Johee, standing on the doorstep with her usual easy smile, looking relaxed and completely unbothered.
"Hey, Jinah!" Johee greeted her warmly, stepping inside.
Jinah froze. Her face went from pale to beet-red in a split second.
This is Johee? This is… THE Johee?!
Johee... the one she'd hung out with at school. The one who had given her relationship advice after her multiple awkward crush moments. The girl she'd talked to about everything from college plans to boys to random life updates.
Jinah's eyes darted from Johee to the hallway where she could still hear the sound of Jinwoo's voice. Then, her gaze locked back onto Johee's smiling face.
It took a moment for her to process the realization, and when it finally hit her—her brother's girlfriend was Johee?!—she stood there, her mouth moving like a fish out of water, but no words coming out.
"...Jinwoo's girlfriend?" she squeaked, her voice cracking on the word girlfriend.
Johee smiled and nodded. "Yeah, surprised?" She grinned playfully. "I know it's a bit unexpected."
Jinah's face went redder than ever, and she stumbled backward, almost tripping over her own feet. "Wait, wait, hold on, hold on! You're his—how?! Why didn't you tell me? How did I not—oh my god, I'm going to faint."
Jinwoo, appearing in the doorway to the living room, watched the scene unfold with a raised eyebrow and an amused grin. "Yeah, surprise, surprise."
Johee laughed at Jinah's stunned expression. "Don't worry. It's okay. It's totally fine. I promise, I'm not scary."
Jinah simply stood there, blinking rapidly, her brain in utter chaos.
---
After the shock wore off, and after Jinah had apologized approximately a hundred times for her outburst, the three of them settled on the couch, a comfortable atmosphere filling the room.
Johee, who was the picture of ease, was already flipping through the movie options, making recommendations as she and Jinwoo teased each other lightly.
Jinah, still a little flustered, tried to regain her composure. She glanced between the two of them, seeing the subtle warmth in their eyes, the shared familiarity in their banter. It made her feel oddly comfortable, despite the initial panic.
"Alright," Johee said, tossing the remote at Jinwoo, "How about a classic? Something fun, but not too serious. Maybe something light."
Jinwoo glanced at the screen, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Something light? You mean like a romantic comedy?"
Johee shot him a playful look. "Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want, but I'm not the one who had two rom-coms lined up for tonight."
Jinah's eyes widened. "Wait... two?! You two already planned a movie marathon?"
Johee smirked. "Of course, but only if you're okay with it, Jinah. If you have any preferences, now's the time."
Jinah hesitated, then let out a nervous laugh. "Well, okay, since I'm the third wheel here, I guess I'm okay with whatever. But... I swear, if we end up watching a cheesy rom-com, I'm leaving."
Jinwoo and Johee exchanged knowing looks, both of them already preparing to tease her about it for the rest of the night.
As they settled in, the warm, easy atmosphere made everything feel surprisingly comfortable, even after the shocking revelation. Jinwoo made sure to subtly check on Jinah throughout the evening, offering teasing glances whenever she got too shy or awkward.
By the time the movie was halfway through, Jinah had melted into the couch, her earlier panic now a distant memory, replaced with genuine laughter as Johee and Jinwoo teased each other relentlessly.
---------