I opened my eyes. It felt like someone had thrown me into boiling water. My senses were blurred, and my whole body felt burning hot. When I slightly opened my eyes, what I saw was a cave. Not as large and impressive as the cave where our base is, but just a narrow cave where a bear or some wild animal might live.
Kim Jae-ho was blocking the entrance of the cave, glaring outside.
And beside me, Han Seo-hyeon was examining my body while sniffling.
“You’re crazy, really, really…”
I slowly opened my mouth.
“Ugh…”
I tried to speak, but no words came out, as if my vocal cords were stuck together.
—Stop!
Ray’s scolding poured out immediately.
—Do you know how serious your body’s condition is! Don’t carelessly spit out words. You’ve barely recovered your airway.
At the same time, Han Seo-hyeon’s voice was heard.
“Are, are you conscious?”
I blinked my eyes to indicate yes. Han Seo-hyeon looked at me with a face that seemed about to cry.
“Do you know what state you’re in right now?”
I don’t know. As I answered with my eyes, I lowered my gaze. Han Seo-hyeon’s hand was touching my wrist.
Han Seo-hyeon, who had carefully removed my severely burned and broken bracelet, bit his lip hard. The bracelet removed by Han Seo-hyeon’s hand was burned black. It’s clearly beyond repair just by looking at it.
—Is this the time to worry about that damn bracelet! Look at your arm.
Only then did I look at my arm. Or should I say, what used to be my arm.
I should have guessed from seeing the bracelet in that state, but my arm had long since turned completely black. No wonder I hadn’t felt any sensation since earlier.
My entire body had suffered full-body burns. Is my hair still there? I looked at the bangs fluttering in front of my eyes and inwardly sighed in relief. I almost became bald.
Looking at my body, Han Seo-hyeon made a crying sound.
“I sprinkled potion, but it’s not working.”
Well, it’s a burn. Potions enhance regenerative power. But all the cells that could enhance regeneration have died. Since it’s been seared by mana, it will take time.
—It was a crazy act.
For even Ray to say that. Just one shot, I fired just one shot, and my body ended up in this state. I wonder what kind of monsters those 7-Circle hunters are who can use this casually.
I thought my mana circuit had become quite robust from handling mana recently, but it was a vain thought.
I could definitely feel that my whole body was wrecked. Even swallowing saliva was terribly painful. There’s no part that doesn’t hurt.
What I instantaneously drew upon was 80% of my bracelet’s mana.
I compromised at that level because I felt I would die if I used 100%, but my body condition was a mess to the point where I could barely say I was alive.
I made some jokes inwardly, but it really hurts too much. I felt like I might lose consciousness again at any moment.
“Don’t die.”
Han Seo-hyeon, who finally started shedding tears, said to me.
“If you die, I’ll turn you into a skeleton. I, I think I can handle three comfortably now.”
At those words from Han Seo-hyeon, I chuckled.
Seeing my laughter, Han Seo-hyeon added while streaming tears:
“I’m not joking! I’ll really, really turn you into a skeleton…”
I feel like I’ve done something terrible to a child.
I’m sorry.
I moved my lips to leave those words and lost consciousness again.
* * *
Han Seo-hyeon bit his lip, looking at his foolish boss who had lost consciousness.
“Idiot, moron…”
He had sprinkled all the potions he had, but the boss’s body didn’t improve at all. The arm that had turned completely black showed no signs of life, to the point where he worried if it should be amputated.
Kim Jae-ho, who had approached at some point, said:
“He’ll live.”
“He has to.”
Sniff sniff, Han Seo-hyeon wiped his tears with the back of his hand.
“He can’t die leaving us like this, he has to live.”
Curses came out involuntarily, even though he wasn’t someone who usually swore.
The reason he first sought out this man was clearly for revenge. To find the people who did that to his brother and exact revenge no matter what. That desire for revenge still hasn’t subsided. It’s just been buried. Kang Yi-sin told him to.
That no matter how hard you try now, you’re not enough to catch those bastards. To bring down the great evil called Seol Rok-jin, we need to build our strength too, so let’s hold our breath for a while.
If you keep grinding your teeth like that, you’ll need dentures soon, so stop grinding them too.
The words mixed with jokes weren’t light.
Kang Yi-sin said:
To be honest, I don’t like you being with me. Even if it weren’t for your brother, I plan to sweep those bastards out of this country, so why don’t you just go somewhere else if you can and happily wait for the enemy’s corpses to float down the river?
Han Seo-hyeon said he didn’t want to.
At those words, Kang Yi-sin shrugged his shoulders and said:
If you’re going to be with me, there are a few things you need to follow.
The reason Han Seo-hyeon rolled around like a dog following Kang Yi-sin’s orders was because of that.
Kang Yi-sin’s first rule, build strength. Because strength was needed for revenge, Han Seo-hyeon silently followed Kang Yi-sin’s rule.
Unlike the first rule that made sense just by hearing it, the second rule was a bit strange.
Let’s live first.
-You know, I think all those bastards who say revenge is futile have never properly taken revenge.
-What’s proper revenge?
-Cost-effective revenge.
-Cost-effective revenge?
Kang Yi-sin’s face was serious as he said that.
-Yeah, man. What’s the point of grinding away your whole life just for one revenge? Sacrificing my life just for one measly revenge? That’s a huge loss, isn’t it?
Kang Yi-sin, who said that, ruffled Han Seo-hyeon’s hair as he looked dazed and said:
-We need to live our lives well while beating up that bastard’s life. That way we gain more. That’s successful revenge.
So let’s build this base well before revenge. Let’s bring lots of things we like here. Let’s live happily first, and when we become strong enough to easily kill those bastards, that’s when we’ll break their necks.
Kang Yi-sin clearly said that.
Han Seo-hyeon looked at Kang Yi-sin’s pale face and said:
“After saying all that, you can’t be like this. Huh?”
Come to think of it, it all started with that damn bracelet. Han Seo-hyeon struck the bracelet lying on the ground.
“We should throw that thing away.”
“He’ll just make it again even if you throw it away.”
At Kim Jae-ho’s words, Han Seo-hyeon narrowed his eyes.
“Damn it.”
He was more frustrated that he couldn’t deny it. Han Seo-hyeon, who had crouched back down, scanned Kim Jae-ho’s face.
“By the way, Jae-ho hyung, you pretend to be sane only at times like this.”
“I’m always sane.”
“You always act like you don’t understand anything and don’t know anything. Did you think I wouldn’t know?”
At those words, Kim Jae-ho scratched his cheek.
Kim Jae-ho’s thinking is still different from normal people. It’s because he’s barely been treated as a person or lived as one. But he knows that Kang Yi-sin is his leader.
And that he ended up like this for their sake.
“I don’t want him to die either.”
“Don’t say ‘him’, call him boss properly.”
“…I don’t want the boss to die either.”
“Me too.”
Han Seo-hyeon is a minor without a guardian, and Kim Jae-ho is a wild beast who hasn’t learned how to live properly.
Only Kang Yi-sin can take responsibility for these two.
“The boss probably knows that too.”
Last time and this time too.
Kang Yi-sin threw his body in whenever there was a chance.
Of course, they know Kang Yi-sin’s body is tough. Kang Yi-sin could heal himself. The reason they haven’t given up hope despite his current state is because they believe in that ability. In fact, besides that ability, Kang Yi-sin had an unbelievably large number of talents.
He’s certainly the strongest among the three people here right now.
But even so.
“He’s not invincible.”
Kim Jae-ho said.
“You know why the boss ended up like this.”
At Kim Jae-ho’s words, Han Seo-hyeon narrowed his eyes.
“What is it?”
“Because we’re weak.”
The reason Kang Yi-sin always steps in directly is always for that reason. Kang Yi-sin always measured their capabilities most accurately. Even when they were scared thinking they couldn’t do it, if Kang Yi-sin said it could be done, then it could be done. Kang Yi-sin accurately knew their limits that even they didn’t know themselves.
The reason he kept the two of them out of the battle with the Butcher this time was because the two were weak.
“You know, the boss hates troublesome things.”
Thinking about it now, Kang Yi-sin thoroughly didn’t step in for things he didn’t necessarily have to do. Like when they raided the villains’ guild last time, when dealing with children, and with housework.
“If we were strong, this wouldn’t have happened.”
At Kim Jae-ho’s words, Han Seo-hyeon nodded.
Then he got up.
There was still a long way to go.
* * *
We arrived at the base after many twists and turns. To be precise, it was Han Seo-hyeon and Kim Jae-ho’s twists and turns. I was mostly unconscious during that time, so I wasn’t aware. My whole body must have been a mess, but I thought it was impressive they managed to keep me alive and bring me here.
During that time, I succeeded in recovering enough to be able to speak.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, just recover quickly.”
It seems to have gotten strangely cold, is it puberty?
—Would it be puberty? After making them do nursing they’re not cut out for for days.
Ray clicked his tongue as if he was quite displeased with me. It seemed he didn’t like how I had wrecked my body to this extent.
Ah, there was something surprising when I came to my senses.
“What’s that?”
“It’s the sword the Butcher used.”
“Do you think I asked because I don’t know that? Why did you bring something like that!”
“It seemed a waste to leave it behind. It looked like an artifact.”
Fortunately, they didn’t grab the sword directly but wrapped it in a waterproof sheet to bring it, but it was a demonic sword that would burn even the life of the person wielding it. I immediately ordered them to stash that sword in a corner.
‘I can’t even stop the kids.’
—Have you forgotten that only you can hear me?
‘You’re really not helpful.’
I snapped at Ray for no reason. It was also because I felt I might go crazy if I didn’t maintain my spirits lightly like this.
I looked at my drooping arms and smiled awkwardly.
Quite some time had passed, but my arms were still burnt black as they were.
“I wonder if this can be regenerated.”
They couldn’t move at all, as if all the nerves and everything inside had been completely burned.
—I tried, but regeneration is not even close to possible.
It means there’s no hope even with two-stroke mana circuit regeneration.
Not being able to use my arms was inconvenient in so many ways.
Even if I managed to handle bathing and toileting somewhat humanely with the help of skeletons, the gazes focused on me every time I was fed were very burdensome.
Han Seo-hyeon quietly observed my arms and then casually said something horrible.
“How about cutting off the arms and making them into skeletons to attach? I think I can somehow make the boss move roughly.”
This kid is certainly not normal either.
—How could someone who rolled under you be normal!
“I’ll ask you later if needed.”
I put off Han Seo-hyeon’s words for later. If there’s really no other way, I might have to live with skeleton arms, but there was still hope.
Super Regeneration. A three-stroke mana circuit talent.
With that, I should be able to recover these arms.
I was eager for recovery right away. There was a mountain of things to do, but I couldn’t do anything.
I was curious about how the situation on the dark web was unfolding, and what kind of news came out since we caused trouble, but Han Seo-hyeon absolutely wouldn’t show me the news.
He says to just come to my senses and recover for now.
But I had Ray.
—There’s a reason why that kid is acting like that.
“What is it?”
—There’s nothing to tell someone who doesn’t know how precious their body is.
Ray betrayed me.
“It’ll be fine once I recover, right?”
Saying that, I drew up mana. But indeed, three strokes weren’t easy.
Or was the problem that I was pushing myself when my body hadn’t fully recovered yet?
Cough.
I ended up coughing up blood again.
Seeing that, Han Seo-hyeon ran to me and poured out nagging.
“Stay still, stay still!”
“I am staying still.”
“I mean keep your mana still!”
Slap. After getting hit on the back, I had to be under Han Seo-hyeon’s surveillance all that evening.