The new Revengers list was not yet finalized, but there were hunters whom the media and public considered as if it were set. Teams like "Perfect," "Athena," and "Endless," known for raiding S-class or higher Yellow dungeons, were among them. There were also some hunters who openly expressed their desire to join the new Revengers on social media. Among them, Hong Euiyoon actively promoted his willingness to join since the first day he posted about it. Later, he even posted this:
[HELLHONG]
Born as Hong Euiyoon,
Raised as Hellfire,
Became a new Revenger-
(Photo)
The team Perfect, which Hong Euiyoon belonged to, was the one that drew the most attention. Of course, it wasn't because of Hong Euiyoon but because of Kwon Jihan and Seo Chaeyoon.
A few days after the Galaxaia terror incident, Perfect set out to raid an S-class Red dungeon. The Seokyoung guild announced through major media outlets that Kwon Jihan and Seo Chaeyoon were also participating. With the world's two strongest hunters joining Perfect, they achieved a record-breaking clear time of five days. As a result, the public's confidence in the Great Dungeon increased, and the influence of cults attempting to preach about destruction dwindled.
After achieving such an impressive feat and capturing the world's attention, Yoon Seo and Kwon Jihan secretly left for Europe right after clearing the dungeon. They did not schedule any meetings with high-ranking officials like the president of the World Hunter Federation or the head of the European Hunter Association. Yoon Seo had come all the way to Europe to observe Grace's prophecy and to meet with La Bijina.
The headquarters of the Europae guild was in the middle of the city, but Grace, the guild master and a prophet, had her main office in a villa at the edge of a birch forest by a lake. When Yoon Seo and Kwon Jihan teleported to the villa's entrance using a portal stone, Grace and the deputy guild master of Europae greeted them. Grace spoke to Yoon Seo in a low voice.
"Her mind is quite clear right now. She must have known an old friend would come."
Even without a subject, it was clear who she meant.
Grace personally opened the villa's door and stepped aside. Yoon Seo did not hesitate to go inside. He headed to where he felt someone's presence and saw a figure in a wheelchair staring blankly at the fireplace.
She had grown much thinner than in the past.
Her hair was brittle, and her back seemed lonely.
'Seo Chaeyoon, you should call me 'noona.''
Sixteen years older, she always told him to call her "noona" in her broken Korean.
La Bijina.
Perhaps sensing his presence, she pressed a button on her wheelchair to adjust its angle.
Their eyes met directly.
"…It's been a while, Hunter La Bijina."
Yoon Seo greeted her first.
"Seo Chae…"
La Bijina's voice cracked. Her eyes were wide open, her lips slightly parted. The calm expression on her face gradually crumpled, and her lips trembled.
"...."
1,203 people entered, and only two survived.
La Bijina and Seo Chaeyoon—the two survivors of the Great Dungeon.
They were silently looking at each other, as if trying to convey everything through their gazes. As if everything could be understood without words.
In the meantime, Kwon Jihan and Grace also entered. They quietly sat down in chairs, not wanting to interrupt the reunion.
Yoon Seo dragged a chair in front of La Bijina and sat down. Just as he was about to speak, La Bijina, who had regained her calm demeanor, spoke first.
"You haven't changed at all in these ten years. It feels like I just saw you yesterday."
"Hunter La Bijina, you've changed a lot."
"Yes, I suppose."
"Yes, your Korean has improved a lot. I don't have to call you 'noona' anymore, right?"
"…I admit, insisting on that was too much, even for me."
La Bijina smiled, raising the corners of her lips.
Yoon Seo decided to address what needed to be done first.
"I will terminate the contract."
[The
Yoon Seo took out the
[Do you wish to terminate the contract with 'La Bijina'?
Termination requires mutual consent.]
Yoon Seo immediately agreed. La Bijina would have received a message asking if she wished to terminate the contract with 'Yoon Seo.' When La Bijina agreed as well, a blue light spread out, indicating that the contract was terminated.
"Phew, now I can talk freely about Seo Chaeyoon."
"Be careful. Don't let my identity exposed."
"The only one I'll talk to about it is Grace here. Anyway, did you receive the 'spirit' well?"
"Yes, here."
Yoon Seo put his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small bird that had been peacefully sleeping.
Piyu.
Riceball woke up with a grumpy look, then widened its eyes when it saw La Bijina.
Piyu? Piyu!
"It's been a while."
Pi. Piiiyu.
The white bird flapped its wings and flew around La Bijina. When La Bijina raised her frail hand, Riceball promptly perched on her fingers. La Bijina gently cupped the bird and softly stroked its feathers with her finger.
"Was its name Riceball?"
"Yes, it's Riceball."
"Riceball, call me 'noona.'"
Piyu.
Riceball flapped its round body while crying pitifully. La Bijina stroked the small bird with a gentle hand. Warm emotions seeped into her blurry eyes.
"I thought Riceball was dead. Why did you only give it to me now?"
"I wasn't in my right mind, so I didn't even know I had it. When I heard news about the Great Dungeon, it suddenly came to mind. I almost sent Seo Chaeyoon into the dungeon without a weapon, and I feel sorry for that."
"…No, I should have thanked you first. I'm sorry."
"Thank me for what?"
"You took care of Riceball while I was unconscious."
"It was Lee Kangjin who took care of it. He told me to take it out."
"…What?"
"You were unconscious, so he told me to take it out."
"Kangjin hyung…"
Yoon Seo slowly blinked.
Lee Kangjin had definitely survived until Yoon Seo's last memory. The black portal appeared after they defeated the final boss. The portal closed, stating "Condition mismatch," and Yoon Seo even spoke with Lee Kangjin.
'I saw it too. I saw everything with
'Everything will be fine. Just rest now. Don't you trust me?'
At that time, Yoon Seo's consciousness was already fading, so he couldn't remember what kind of expression Lee Kangjin had. Regardless, the final boss had disappeared, and an exit portal had appeared, so Yoon Seo entrusted everything to Lee Kangjin and lost consciousness.
When Yoon Seo opened his eyes again, Lee Kangjin was nowhere to be found. Other survivors like Mark Farshim, Garis Romeo, and La Bijina were still suffering from mana depletion, so they couldn't properly answer what had happened to Lee Kangjin.
Back then, Tae Jaesik was hiding Seo Chaeyoon's identity, but as the hospitalization period grew longer, the risk of being discovered increased. Therefore, Yoon Seo made a contract with the survivors not to disclose anything about Seo Chaeyoon and left the hospital.
Yoon Seo returned home alone and organized the wills he had to handle while waiting for the surviving Revengers to recover from their mana depletion. He waited, hoping to talk about the Great Dungeon and the heroes who died there. He thought that when that time came, he would naturally learn about Lee Kangjin's fate as well.
However, the future turned out to be the complete opposite of what Yoon Seo had hoped for. Two of the survivors committed suicide, and another repeatedly attempted suicide until losing his sanity.
What happened to Lee Kangjin? The exit appeared, the black portal disappeared, so why couldn't he get out?
He thought he would never be able to solve the mystery about him…
But now, the person who could reveal the truth of that day stood before him. Yoon Seo asked calmly.
"Hunter La Bijina. What happened to Kangjin hyung? Why couldn't he come out?"
"Hmm… My head hurts."
"…All of a sudden? You were fine talking until now."
"It seems I overdid it talking this much. I'm getting a headache."
"Please give Riceball back."
"But if it's for Seo Chaeyoon's request, I'll endure this excruciating headache somehow."
La Bijina cradled the small, cute bird more gently in her hands and said,
"After the black portal disappeared, Lee Kangjin entrusted 'Existing Spirit' and you to me. You were unconscious. He told us to get out of there quickly."
"..."
"When I asked if he wasn't leaving, he said this: 'There is something I must do. Only I can do it. Please take Chaeyoon and leave.'"
"What exactly did he have to do? Was it related to the black portal?"
"I don't know. I immediately carried you out of there. I didn't want to stay a second longer."
La Bijina lowered her gaze with a bitter expression.
"We headed straight to the hospital, and others waited at the portal, but Lee Kangjin never came out."
"..."
"Seo Chaeyoon. That's all I know. I don't know anything more. At that time, we were all exhausted of mana and confused."
A deep wrinkle formed on La Bijina's forehead. Riceball slipped out of her hand, her fingers trembling. Her gaze grew more blurred.
"Stop now. Your head must hurt."
Grace, who had been silently listening, suddenly standing up and approaching. She knelt on one knee in front of La Bijina and looked up with a worried face.
"When did you take your medicine?"
"An hour ago."
"Then don't take any more. Come inside and rest."
"Mom, come in with me."
Yoon Seo was so surprised that he almost dropped his cup when La Bijina called Grace "mom."