Chapter 74 - Chapted 74

"What level is right now?"

"It's still Level 2, B-rank."

"It was Level 1 last time I saw it. It's gone up."

"It's all thanks to you."

Kwon Jihan grinned widely.

" is so powerful that I can't use it often. One explosion can turn a dungeon into a mess, so I only use it when I go to dungeons alone, which is why it hasn't leveled up. But thanks to your shield this time, I was able to use it and level up."

"My shield eventually broke, though."

"That was because you ran out of mana."

"If I had mana, it wouldn't have held up."

"No, it would have. The cave collapsed not when I used , but when your mana was completely depleted. If your shield hadn't mitigated 's power in that fleeting moment, only you and I would have made it out of the dungeon alive."

"..."

It was a chillingly plausible assumption.

"And I know you have other skills too. You have a stronger shield skill."

Yoon Seo fell silent. Given that his identity as Seo Chaeyoon was already revealed, humility seemed out of place. Seo Chaeyoon wasn't known as the strongest hunter in the world because of his powerful attack skills; he was famous for his ability to protect everything with an impenetrable shield.

"It seems like we complement each other well, sword and shield. Once You're discharged, how about we tackle a low-level dungeon together? Maybe Green or Navy."

"Are you suggesting just the two of us?"

"Other people just end up being a hindrance. They have to defend while fighting. I thought you'd understand how I feel."

"I don't. Go to the dungeon alone."

Yoon Seo flatly refused and patted Riceball. However, Kwon Jihan wasn't giving up.

"Aren't you curious too?"

"Curious about what?"

"How long your shield will hold up against ."

"..."

Kwon Jihan tempted Yoon Seo. Yoon Seo thought about his own skills. probably wouldn't hold up. has a narrow protection area. Maybe ….

was a shield that had never been broken by external shocks.

Even during that major dungeon, the inside of was entirely safe, and they had even slept there together.

The downside was its high mana consumption and a cooldown period of half a day.

"Let's go into a dungeon together and bet on whether your shield will hold up or my skill will win."

"I'm not doing that. You just want to level up using me as a tool."

"Think about it. How reassuring would it be if I level up? I'm already incredibly strong, but if I get even stronger, think of how safe the world would be. Even if dangerous situations arise, S-rank hunters who want to hide their identity wouldn't have to reveal themselves."

He looked disdainfully at the notion of an S-rank hunter wanting to stay hidden.

"If you really want safety, go level up alone."

"Oh, come on. That's boring."

"If you think it's boring, go find someone who finds it interesting. Don't make things chaotic."

Yoon Seo adjusted his posture as if the conversation was over and petted the little Riceball. Riceball had grown quite a bit and now was about the size of two adult fists.

Kwon Jihan, not giving up, shifted the topic.

"It's been a while since that egg was laid. Isn't it about time for it to hatch?"

Damn, Yoon Seo just wanted to focus on the drama now and frowned.

He couldn't ignore the Riceball talk, though.

Because Riceball was quite the attention-seeker…. It loved it when someone talked about it, chirping happily. If he ignored Kwon Jihan's question now, Riceball might seek revenge later when it hatched.

"It's still far from hatching. It'll take at least another week."

"How much bigger will it get?"

"There won't be any change in size. It's just lacking mana."

"Can't the egg absorb mana from someone else?"

"It's a bound item, so it only absorbs my mana."

"In that case, wouldn't it be better to wait until you're fully recovered before feeding it mana? A sudden emergency could come up, right?"

"Riceball doesn't consume a lot of mana. I'll save enough mana for emergencies."

"'Riceball' always cracks me up."

Yoon Seo glared at Kwon Jihan for finding Riceball's name funny. Kwon Jihan, instead of being scared, looked at him with a smile.

"I used to have two dogs. Their names were Sebastian and David. Much cooler than 'Riceball.'"

"What breed were they?"

"Jindo."

"Jindos are quite expensive, aren't they? You mentioned you were poor back then."

"How far back are you thinking?"

"About… 10 years ago?"

"That's too far back. I'm talking about when I was 17."

Yoon Seo felt a bit unjust. If Kwon Jihan was 17 at that time, it was only 5 years ago. How was that considered 'old'?

"I became quite wealthy after awakening. It was my dream to have a large house with a big yard and play with big dogs, and I achieved that dream early."

"So, are you living in that house now?"

"No, I'm in an apartment now. A dungeon explosion nearby destroyed the house and killed the dogs."

"…They're probably in a better place."

Yoon Seo genuinely mourned. He wondered what it would feel like to lose a beloved pet. When he thought about losing an "existing spirit" forever, he found it truly painful.

"Did you… receive any counseling or anything like that?"

"Counseling?"

"They say the sense of loss when a pet passes away is unlike anything else…"

Kwon Jihan looked at Yoon Seo intently and then spoke in a nonchalant tone.

"When my mom passed away 12 years ago, I managed to get through it just fine. I like to think that Sebastian, David, and my mom are watching over me from the sky."

"Yes, they're probably in a better place."

"Can I ask about your family?"

Yoon Seo's face hardened.

"I'm sorry, but I haven't overcome that yet."

"Hyung."

"..."

"I only had my mom growing up, so the house was always quiet. My mom was a very reserved and quiet person. But your family seems very lively. They seemed like a close-knit family. Your mother is diligent, your father is family-oriented, and your younger sibling is a bit of a troublemaker, but they're young. Oh, and the stir-fried squid your father made looked a bit spicy. I don't think I could handle it. Why do you add gochujang to already red foods?"

Yoon Seo took a deep breath. His chest rose and fell with the breath, and immediately his nose and eyes felt hot.

While Yoon Seo took several deep breaths, Kwon Jihan remained silent. He seemed unusually attentive.

Yoon Seo said calmly, "You saw that through , didn't you?"

"Yeah, it's a skill that shows dreams regardless of my will."

Kwon Jihan acknowledged.

At the end of the S-rank Yellow Dungeon, Kwon Jihan used to show Yoon Seo his happiest moment while he was unconscious.

Yoon Seo's family died 12 years ago, during the apocalypse, just like most families in this world. Yet, the sense of loss still overwhelms him whenever he thinks about it.

His parents had run a small business in the neighborhood for 20 years. The store closed at 9 PM, which was the family's dinner time. Yoon Seo would first feed his hungry younger sibling and wait for his mom and dad. His dad's favorite dish was stir-fried squid, and Yoon Seo was the best at making it. His dad always mixed the squid and rice with a generous amount of gochujang. Despite often being told that his favorite food might cause stomach cancer, it wasn't cancer that took his dad, but rather an unexpected monster attack.

In the dream, Yoon Seo was truly happy. He dreamt of laughing and talking with his family and the family of a friend they had known since childhood.

Family stories are truly unfair. Even after 12 years or 120 years, they are words that will forever bring tears to Yoon Seo's eyes.

"Hyung, I'm sorry."

Yoon Seo gave a deflated smile at the sudden apology. When he looked at Kwon Jihan, he had a strangely enigmatic expression.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I don't know. I just felt like I should."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I said I only had my mom as family… When she died, I was sad, but it wasn't that hard for me. I think I might have spoken insensitively."

Yoon Seo stared at Kwon Jihan, who was apologizing plainly and without pretense.

"..."

Kwon Jihan didn't avoid Yoon Seo's gaze.

There was sincerity in his gray eyes.

Looking into those eyes, Yoon Seo recalled the last moments in the dungeon.

He didn't say thank you for saving his life, because he wasn't grateful. He resented Gaia for unnecessarily granting blessings that allowed for two 'Teleport to Guild Stone.'

However, he was thankful that Kwon Jihan used .

It was a truly happy dream.

He saw his family again after a very long time, and it was so enjoyable that he didn't want to wake up. It had been far too long…

"Hunter Kwon Jihan."

"Yeah?"

"Why did you use on me back then? It wasn't a moment when you had the luxury to do so."

Yoon Seo couldn't help but ask him this question. Kwon Jihan looked at him intently. His gray eyes seemed to thoroughly dissect Yoon Seo's inner self.

"I don't know, either…"

"..."

"I just felt like I had to."

"..."

"It had to be done."

"..."

"You were so happy, thinking you were about to die. It wasn't real happiness. I wanted you to experience what real happiness feels like, rather than clinging to the fake."

At first, his voice lacked conviction, but by the end, it was filled with strong certainty. His gaze remained fixed on Yoon Seo.

A silence hung between them. Perhaps sensing the strange atmosphere, Riceball shivered on the surface.

Kwon Jihan realized he had been expecting death, and he was saying that it wasn't happiness.

How does one differentiate between fake happiness and real happiness? Is it a feeling that can be clearly defined?

One thing was certain: Yoon Seo was relieved that he hadn't died back then.

He would have regretted not having fulfilled his last wishes. Strictly speaking, he wouldn't have been able to regret it if he had died…

Yoon Seo felt a sense of emptiness and gave a faint, cloudy smile. He spoke in a subdued voice to Kwon Jihan, who was still watching him.

"Hunter Kwon Jihan, you're really a strange person."

"…So, you're still angry at me?"

"I'm not angry? I meant it as a compliment that you're strange."

"I see. Hyung, you're quite strange yourself."

"Thank you."

Yoon Seo chuckled, and Kwon Jihan seemed reassured, returning the smile.

At first glance, Kwon Jihan might seem like a rough character with piercings and a wild appearance, but talking to him reveals a young man with his own set of beliefs. Even if those beliefs are the complete opposite of Yoon Seo's values.

'I'll die once I've said all my goodbyes.'

Kwon Jihan would continue to fight endlessly as a strong hunter, even after his death, never once looking up at the sky.

Yoon Seo felt troubled.

He didn't want to leave Kwon Jihan like that.