#28 The Ostrich That Buried Its Head (2)
I opened my eyes. It felt like someone had tossed me into a pot of boiling water. My senses were hazy, and my entire body burned like fire. Blinking open my eyes, I saw a cave—not the grand one at our base, but a cramped hole fit for a bear or some wild animal.
Kim Jaeho was blocking the entrance, glaring outside.
And beside me, Han Seohyun was sniffling as he examined my body.
"You must've lost your damn mind wanting to die. For real, for real..."
I slowly opened my mouth.
"Ugh..."
I tried to speak, but my vocal cords felt scorched and stuck; no words came out.
Stop!
Do you have any idea how serious your condition is right now?! Don't spout words recklessly. You just barely recovered your airway.
At the same time, Han Seohyun's voice rang out.
"H-Hey, are you conscious?"
I blinked to signal yes. Han Seohyun stared at me with a face on the verge of tears.
"Do you have any idea what you look like right now?"
No clue. Answering with my eyes, I glanced downward. Han Seohyun's hand was on my wrist.
He carefully peeled off my scorched and shattered bracelet, biting his lip hard. The bracelet in his hand was charred black. It looked impossible to use again at a glance.
Now's not the time to worry about that punk's bracelet! Look at your own arm!
Only then did I look at my arm. Or what used to be my arm, maybe.
I should've guessed from the bracelet's state, but my arm had been blackened for a while. No wonder I'd felt no sensation since earlier.
My body was covered in full-body burns. At least my hair was intact. I let out an internal sigh of relief while eyeing the bangs swaying in front of me. Close call—I'd almost gone bald.
Gazing at my body, Han Seohyun let out a wail.
"I poured potions on you, but... it's not working."
Of course not—burns like these. Potions boost regeneration, but there were no cells left alive to regenerate. Scorched by mana, it'd take time.
That was insane.
If even Ray called it that... I'd unleashed just one shot, one blast, and my body ended up like this. What kind of monsters were those 7-star hunters who flung this stuff around casually?
I'd thought my mana circuits had toughened up lately from handling mana, but that was wishful thinking.
I could definitely feel my whole body wrecked. Swallowing hurt like hell. There wasn't a single spot that didn't ache.
In that instant, I'd tapped 80% of the bracelet's mana. 100% felt like instant death, so I'd compromised there—but my condition was so wrecked, it was a miracle I was alive.
I'd cracked jokes inwardly, but damn, it hurt too much. My mind was on the verge of blacking out again.
"Don't die."
Finally shedding tears, Han Seohyun looked at me and said,
"If you die, I'll turn you into a skeleton. I-I think I can handle three now without issue."
At those words, I chuckled inwardly.
Seeing my laugh, Han Seohyun streamed tears as he added,
"I'm not kidding! For real, I'll make you a skeleton..."
Felt like I'd pulled a mean prank on a kid.
Sorry.
Mouthing those words, I blacked out again.
Han Seohyun bit his lip, staring at his pathetic boss who'd lost consciousness.
"Idiot, moron..."
He'd used up all his potions, but the boss's body showed no improvement. The charred arm had so little life sign, he worried if it needed amputation.
Kim Jaeho sidled up at some point and said,
"He'll live."
"He better."
Han Seohyun wiped his tears with his hand.
"He can't just croak and leave us behind. He has to live."
He wasn't one to curse, but the words spilled out.
He'd first sought this man purely for revenge. To track down the bastards who ruined his brother and make them pay. That thirst for vengeance still burned; he'd just buried it. At Kang Ishin's urging.
Even if you bust your ass now, you're not ready to take down those scum. To crush that monster Seol Rokjin, we need power too—so lay low for a bit.
Grinding your teeth like that will have you needing dentures soon. Ease up.
The joking words carried weight.
Kang Ishin had said,
Truth be told, I don't like you tagging along. Even without your brother, I plan to wipe those bastards from this country. Why not go somewhere else and wait happily for their corpses to float down the river?
Han Seohyun had refused.
Shrugging, Kang Ishin replied,
Fine, if you're sticking with me, follow a few rules.
That's why Han Seohyun rolled over like a dog at Kang Ishin's commands.
First rule: Build strength. For revenge, power was essential, so Han Seohyun followed silently.
Unlike the obvious first rule, the second felt odd.
Survive first.
I think all those punks who say revenge feels empty never did it right.
What's 'right'?
High value-for-money revenge.
High value-for-money revenge?
Kang Ishin's face was dead serious.
Yeah, man. If you throw your whole life away for one revenge shot, what's the point? Sacrificing your life for a measly payback? Total loss.
Ruffling the dazed Han Seohyun's hair, he continued,
Live your life well, and wreck theirs. That's how you come out ahead. That's successful revenge.
So let's build this base first before revenge. Fill it with stuff we like. Live happily until we're ready—then snap their necks effortlessly.
Kang Ishin had said exactly that.
Staring at his boss's pale face, Han Seohyun said,
"And now you're like this? Not allowed, right?"
Thinking back, it started with that damn bracelet. Han Seohyun smacked the bracelet on the ground.
"Gotta toss this crap."
"He'll just make another."
At Kim Jaeho's words, Han Seohyun narrowed his eyes.
"Damn it."
It pissed him off more that he couldn't deny it. Squatting back down, he scanned Kim Jaeho's face.
"Anyway, Jaeho hyung acts all sane only at times like this."
"I'm always sane."
"You never get what people say, act like you know nothing. Think I don't notice?"
Kim Jaeho scratched his cheek.
His thinking was still far from normal. Barely raised as human, never really lived as one. But he knew Kang Ishin was his leader.
And that he'd ended up like this for them.
"I don't like him dying either."
"Call him boss properly, not 'that guy.'"
"...I don't like boss dying."
"Me neither."
Han Seohyun was a minor without guardians; Kim Jaeho, a wild beast learning to live properly.
Only Kang Ishin could be responsible for them.
"Boss knows that too."
Last time, this time—whenever opportunity arose, he threw himself in.
Of course, Kang Ishin's body was tough. He could heal himself. That's why they hadn't lost hope despite this—even beyond that, he had absurdly many talents.
Definitely the strongest of the three here.
Even so.
"He's not invincible."
Kim Jaeho said.
"You know why boss ended up like this."
Han Seohyun narrowed his eyes at Kim Jaeho's words.
"Why?"
"'Cause we're weak."
That's always why Kang Ishin stepped up. He gauged their capabilities precisely. When fear said impossible, if he said doable, it was. He knew their limits better than they did.
This time, pulling them from the Butcher fight—because they were weak.
"Boss hates hassle, you know."
Now that he thought, Kang Ishin never intervened in non-essential matters. Raiding the villains' guild, kids, housework—thoroughly hands-off.
"If we were strong, this wouldn't happen."
Han Seohyun nodded at Kim Jaeho's words.
Then stood.
The road ahead was long.
We finally reached the base after twists and turns. More like Han Seohyun and Kim Jaeho's ordeal. I'd been mostly unconscious, body a total mess—impressive they'd kept me alive this far.
By then, I'd recovered enough to speak.
"Sorry."
"Skip the apologies. Recover fast."
Seemed oddly cold. Puberty?
Puberty? You've had him playing nurse for days when he never signed up for it.
Ray tsked, clearly displeased with me. Not thrilled I'd wrecked myself this bad.
Oh, and upon regaining senses, something shocking.
"What's that?"
"The sword the Butcher used."
"You think I don't know that? Why'd you bring that?!"
"Too wasteful to leave. Seemed like an artifact."
Good he hadn't gripped it—wrapped in tarp—but it incinerated its wielder's life. I ordered it stashed in a corner immediately.
Can't even stop the kids...
Forgot only you hear me?
Always zero help.
I snapped at Ray needlessly. Had to keep my mind light somehow, or I'd go mad.
Gazing at my limp arms, I grinned awkwardly.
Time had passed, but they remained charred black.
"Think regeneration's possible?"
No movement—nerves and all incinerated inside.
You tried, but regeneration won't cut it.
No hope even with two-stroke mana circuit regeneration.
Arms useless—inconvenient as hell.
Skeleton help made baths and toilet humane, but feeding time? Their stares were burdensome.
Han Seohyun watched my arm calmly before dropping a horrific casual line.
"Cut off the arm, make it a skeleton, attach it? Could get you moving roughly."
Definitely not normal, this kid.
Trained under you—who'd be normal?!
"Might ask later if needed."
I tabled Han Seohyun's idea. If no other way, bone arm life maybe—but hope remained.
Super regeneration. Three-stroke mana circuit talent.
That should fix this arm.
Craved recovery now. Piles of work, stuck doing nothing.
Curious about dark web buzz, news fallout—Han Seohyun refused to show any.
Focus on consciousness and healing first.
But I had Ray.
He's doing that for a reason.
"What?"
Not telling a fool who doesn't value his body.
Ray betrayed me.
"Recovery's all that matters."
I drew up mana. But three-stroke proved tough.
Or maybe forcing it before full recovery was the issue.
Cough.
I spat blood again.
Seeing it, Han Seohyun rushed over, unleashing a tirade.
"Stay still! Stay still!"
"I am."
"Keep the mana still too!"
Smack. Hit on the back, I spent the evening under Han Seohyun's watch.