S Chapter 49

‘Exclusion begins with trivial matters. If the majority rises up, Hunters will be treated the same as monsters.’

And then, an unknown Unregistered Hunter saved the hostages they were about to give up on… Demand information from the victims to capture and torment that guy? Would they do such a thing unless they were completely insane? They wouldn’t, unless they wanted to be stoned to death by the entire nation.

If they actually did that, they’d be immortalized on anti-Association cafes and various social media platforms, ridiculed for life. Imagining it, I almost feel a little sorry for them.

‘Those fox-like guys couldn’t possibly not know that.’

Good. Everything’s sorted. Shin Jukyeong nodded slightly.

‘Alright, shall we go then?’

But if life always went according to plan, why would anyone have worries? The moment he took just one step, an unwanted surprise show unfolded.

Crash!

“Ugh!”

“Ugh!”

A star… no, a person fell from the sky.

“…”

“…You!”

An angel. Despite an appearance that could easily be mistaken for one, his actions were unmistakably those of a devil! Yes, the kind of guy who can’t go a day without causing trouble. It was Yang U-dam. Shin Jukyeong pressed his forehead. Ah… I’m getting old, so old. At this rate, it’s clear he’s determined to turn my stomach inside out.

Stomach: (I’ll wreak havoc)

Heart: (I’ll stop)

Mind: (I’ll go blank)

This must be the true trinity.

“Ugh… I thought my head was going to split open.”

While Shin Jukyeong was feeling utterly dumbfounded, Yang U-dam was busy regaining his senses. He frowned, then lifted his head to sweep his gaze around.

“Is this a Dungeon?”

And then he even whistled.

‘Should I hit him? Ha… No. I must endure.’

Shin Jukyeong had to experience his fists ‘crying’ for the first time in his life. If it had been anyone other than his brother, he wouldn’t have held back and would have immediately struck them. If it were a junior, he would’ve kicked their shins, and a criminal would’ve died. Yang U-dam needed to know that he was only alive because he was Shin Jukyeong’s brother.

‘Please tell me this is a dream.’

He sensed a powerful disaster. Why? Because the path that should have been a straight shot was now going to be a long detour.

What this meant was that even with his abilities sealed, a C-grade Dungeon could easily be breached with brute force. …It could have been, but Yang U-dam’s appearance had ruined everything. Should he perform Skywalking in front of him, or show off his crazy spear spinning?

Of course, he had learned various martial arts under the guise of Successor Training before his Ability Manifestation. But for his ‘broken’ brother to effortlessly cut through monsters like daikon radishes, wouldn’t that be a strange sight?

‘Damn it…’

His facial features converged towards the center of his face.

‘Should I pretend to accidentally knock him out? I think an hour of sleep would be enough.’

Just as he was debating whether or not to ready his hand for a chop.

“Grab on.”

Yang U-dam got up, dusted himself off, and casually extended his hand. When Shin Jukyeong just stared without taking it, Yang U-dam wiggled his eyebrows and waved his hand, signaling him to hurry up and grab it. Though his mood was still sour, his heart melted helplessly at the sight of his brother reaching out first. It was impossible to stay angry.

‘I lost.’

Indeed, how could he refuse his brother’s outstretched hand? He could guarantee that Shin Jukyeong would never be able to do such a thing.

‘This kid, using a honey trap on his older brother…’

He had no choice but to fall for it, right? Sigh. He figured Yang U-dam would probably protest if he heard that.

“???”

Eve, unable to bear it, floated a question mark instead, but Shin Jukyeong remained steadfast.

‘That face is a foul even with a blink of an eye.’

In the end, he took Yang U-dam’s hand and stood up. The hand was larger and firmer than he expected. So much so that it seemed more than capable of doing a person’s share.

‘When did he grow so much? …No. Was it just that I didn’t know?’

The children were always growing. Their height, physique, appearance, and values—all of it. Whether he was by their side or not.

Shin Jukyeong felt a certain bitterness from the warmth transmitted through their hands. Had he ever held his brother’s hand in his previous life? If he had, could he have set everything right then? Why had he been so indifferent?

He knew there was no point in regretting it. But Shin Jukyeong was also human. He admitted it was an irrational emotion, but he couldn’t let go.

What was more regrettable was that even if he changed his brothers in the current era and rewrote the future, their deaths would remain vividly etched in Shin Jukyeong’s mind forever, never fading. Because that too was a reality. For the rest of his life, Shin Jukyeong alone would remember his brothers’ deaths and suffer.

“Hyung?”

“…”

“Shin Jukyeong.”

Yang U-dam snapped his fingers. Click, the crisp sound pulled Shin Jukyeong out of his thoughts.

“Ah, uh…”

“Your mind.”

Then he added another remark.

“Is getting caught up in incidents and accidents your hobby?”

No. Two remarks.

“Why can’t you stay still for even a moment?”

“…!”

Good heavens… My goodness…!

Conscience: Are you insane? (Forehead smack-)

Shin Jukyeong was considerably shocked. Honestly, his mind felt even more dazed than when he realized he had returned 11 years into the past. He couldn’t feel more unjustly accused. What? Is getting caught up in incidents and accidents your hobby? Can’t stay still for even a moment?

Who are you to say that! It was beyond absurd; a volcanic rage erupted within him. He felt like screaming at the top of his lungs while running down the road.

…Damn it, he felt his stomach knotting. He gently rubbed the area around his solar plexus. His touch felt mournful somehow. He’d rather be mistaken for someone who didn’t flush the toilet, having just come in to wash his hands, than this.

Shin Jukyeong, his face full of resentment, began to glare sullenly at Yang U-dam.

‘More importantly, how are you even here?’

It was a belated question, but he couldn’t actually voice it, only twitching his lips. Then Yang U-dam tilted his head. That was another ‘face attack.’

“He doesn’t seem to have done anything ⚆⚆”

He cleanly ignored Eve’s remark. Meanwhile, whether Shin Jukyeong was putting on a one-man show or not, Yang U-dam was busy assessing the situation.

“How should we get out…?”

Yang U-dam, deep in thought, glanced at Shin Jukyeong.

“Hyung is really calm. Like someone who’s been here often.”

It was probably a joke, but Shin Jukyeong flinched. Was he too calm? He subtly checked his expression, then mumbled a reply.

“No way, it’s just, it was so sudden…”

His downward gaze caught the thorn he had broken earlier. Shin Jukyeong, stiff, quickly picked up the thorn. He couldn’t go performing joyous soccer kicks in front of his brother again.

“Oh, oh… what a coincidence! There’s all this! It, it would be good in an emergency.”

Meanwhile, Eve jabbed at him, asking if he was doing robot acting. …If he were good at acting, he’d be an actor, not a Hunter.

‘Alright. No more time to waste.’

For now, he decided to put all his questions aside. Because there were children who needed to be rescued, and there was no time to delve into details.

‘They should be holding up well.’

Shin Jukyeong’s gaze deepened. It was understandable. Everyone seemed to forget, but a Dungeon was undeniably a disaster. A few seconds of hesitation could determine life or death. The ways to die were also varied: being murdered by monsters, eating poisonous mushrooms, or getting infected by bacteria. There were quite a few possibilities. Therefore, if he wanted to rescue someone, he had to move quickly.

‘And they’re children. Their curiosity is strong, and their immunity is weak.’

Though he was worried about the troublemaker beside him, there was no way to kick him out of the Dungeon immediately. It was better to keep him close and protect him.

‘I’ll have to rethink my excuse.’

With his brother right there watching, he couldn’t very well go outside and lie, saying an Unregistered Hunter had saved them. As he pondered, Eve chuckled and said.

“Then let’s pin it on him.”

Pin what on him… Hmm? Wait. Yang U-dam saved them? Huh? Why didn’t I think of that? Not bad. No. It’s good. A glimmer sparkled in Shin Jukyeong’s eyes. Simultaneously, his mind raced.

The reason he hid his brothers during the amusement park terror incident and the club incident was simply because it was dangerous. Revealing that they were children supported by UA Group in a situation where they could easily become hostages was no different from saying, “Here, devour them.” There was no benefit in increasing their ransom.

‘But now it’s different.’

He was already planning to have his brothers undergo Ability Manifestation soon. Especially Yang U-dam, who would turn nineteen shortly. If they were going to manifest anyway, it was better to make a dazzling impression on people’s minds.

As he’d said, the only way for the children to escape their father’s shadow was for them to possess individual power. However, their father wouldn’t support his younger brothers. Why? Because his ‘biological’ son had failed.

He could tell just by how their father didn’t want to reveal his brothers. Their father only loved Shin Jukyeong, him. Twisted love was still love, he supposed. Therefore, they needed individuals whom even their father would be wary of and treat carefully.

Shin Jukyeong quietly observed Yang U-dam. He was looking around, fascinated. There didn’t seem to be any aversion. Nor did he appear scared. …This was good.

‘This is an opportunity.’

It might even become a pretty good episode that would grant him the title of ‘hero’ in the distant future. Clearing a C-grade Dungeon as a non-manifested individual? Perfect for gaining attention. And it wasn’t even throwing out an empty promise. Because Yang U-dam would truly manifest soon.

‘I will make it happen.’

Look, this is a collaboration between a lump of talent, his younger brother, and a professional Hunter, his older brother. If Shin Jukyeong tried just a little harder, Yang U-dam’s potential would surely awaken.