Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Perfect Clear
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The world is divided into two categories.
The strong and the weak.
The haves and the have-nots.
Han Min-oh was one of the strong, one of the haves.
He had been born as the second son of the Han Yeon Group, after all.
How many people in Korea didn't know the Han Yeon Group?
It was one of the top ten conglomerates representing the country, pioneering businesses inseparable from everyday life—hotels, department stores, entertainment, all sorts of food and beverages.
Yet they were like symbols of absolute power, passed down through three generations over more than fifty years.
Though familiar to the public, they were regarded across politics and business as the 'most powerful bloodline.'
The second son of the Han Yeon Group.
Born a 'heavenly dragon' that anyone would envy, but Han Min-oh's life was far from easy.
'Han Shin. My older brother, superior in every way.'
It was all because of his brother, Han Shin.
Han Shin was like the son of a god.
There was nothing he couldn't achieve if he set his mind to it.
Whatever he learned, he mastered dozens of times faster than others.
Even the word 'genius' fell short.
And that was just the beginning.
He was brilliant and masterful at reading people's emotions.
Han Min-oh...
...was the complete opposite.
'I tried my hardest, until I was on the verge of death, but I could never catch up.'
Han Min-oh was compared to Han Shin in every aspect.
Maybe he had the same genius as his brother? Maybe he had some special talent?
It was true that he had drawn brief attention as a child.
But nothing.
Not a single thing!
He couldn't even touch his brother's toe in any area.
Far from outstanding talent, Han Min-oh was utterly ordinary, a complete mediocrity.
'...But that was okay. If my brother takes over the company, the Han Yeon Group will surely become Korea's top name without a doubt.'
But it was fine.
The next head of the group would be Han Shin, his brother, anyway.
With Han Shin's abilities, he would undoubtedly solidify the Han Yeon Group on firm ground.
—I'm not interested in the group.
...The problem was Han Shin's attitude.
He even refused the position of head of the Han Yeon Group.
It happened when Han Shin was ten years old.
After that, relatives from both sides of the family, everyone, tried desperately to change his mind.
Finally, after relentless pleading, Han Shin made a declaration.
—If any of the bodyguards can beat me in a fight, I'll take an interest in the group.
Let's fight.
Anyone, come at me.
He meant it literally.
He wanted a physical showdown.
The lead bodyguard stepped up but collapsed in less than three seconds.
A veteran bodyguard, expert in all martial arts, carefully selected.
Knocked out cold by the rudimentary fighting skills Han Shin had learned in just three months.
The difference in build was overwhelming, even then.
'...My brother's true talent lies in his body.'
It wasn't just hand-to-hand combat.
Afterward, Han Shin challenged all sorts of masters.
And it became clear.
Han Shin was a transcendent monster when it came to physical prowess.
National team athletes?
Olympic gold medalists?
World record holders?
If Han Shin had gone public, every world record would have been shattered.
The group had kept the rumors under wraps, so it never leaked to the world.
'I have everything, yet I have nothing.'
To others, Han Min-oh was 'the man who had it all.'
But Han Min-oh himself had nothing.
—Tch. It would have been nice if you were even a little exceptional.
His father's scornful gaze.
Han Min-oh wasn't even a broken spare part of Han Shin.
Everyone only looked at Han Shin.
After that, Han Min-oh chose a life of seclusion.
"I've told you time and again, your body isn't just yours."
"Having bodyguards would just be a burden."
"Shin-ah. These aren't ordinary bodyguards. They're elite 'monster hunters' we've handpicked."
"Not interested."
"Shin-ah!"
Han Shin faced the head of the Han Yeon Group with an utterly expressionless face.
Han Min-oh had always envied that composure of his brother's.
'If I had died in the Abyss...'
Would he even care?
Han Min-oh imagined what would happen after his death.
...Neither Han Shin nor his father, nor any family member, would react much.
Especially Han Shin, who always looked at Han Min-oh like a 'bug.'
A weak, talentless cripple. Less than a worm.
That unique gaze terrified him.
Whenever he stood before Han Shin, he couldn't utter a word.
He just bowed his head in fear.
'Damn it.'
I died and came back to life.
Can't he at least ask if I'm okay once?
Anger boiled up inside him.
As if possessed, Han Min-oh straightened up and shouted.
"Father! Brother! I'm back!"
"...?"
"..."
Only then did their eyes turn to Han Min-oh.
His father's look said, 'What is this guy doing here?' while Han Shin remained emotionless.
But even that was a remarkable change.
They had always looked at him with disgust, as if ashamed to share the same blood.
"Why did you call me?"
"...About security."
The group chairman, his father, nodded as he replied.
Han Min-oh asked again.
"Because of the 'Abyss'?"
"Yes. Until the situation stabilizes, stay at the 'safe house' with the bodyguards."
"The government still hasn't decided on a policy?"
"It seems the government plans to intervene as little as possible."
The world was in chaos.
Monsters immune to all weapons had appeared.
The 'Abyss,' a hell suddenly engulfing reality.
With all humans awakened, the government was minimizing involvement and shifting responsibility to civilians.
They had to survive this unprecedented crisis themselves, after all.
Every man for himself.
A world where you had to find your own way to survive was coming.
All the conglomerates could do was hire powerful Awakened as bodyguards for 24/7 protection.
Other conglomerate heads had prepared 'safe houses' and were protecting their families there too.
"You..."
That was when it happened.
Han Shin finally spoke for the first time.
Then he strode over.
Rip!
"...!!"
Han Shin tore Han Min-oh's clothes apart with his bare hands.
Han Min-oh was too stunned to speak.
He couldn't understand why Han Shin was suddenly doing this.
"B-Brother, what are you doing?"
"You survived the Abyss?"
"...Yes."
Han Min-oh barely managed to affirm.
Then Han Shin scanned his body and spoke.
"Both arms and all ten fingers were severed clean and reattached."
"..."
The scars were barely visible, but up close, the marks were clear enough.
If examined closely, it was possible to guess what had happened.
But Han Shin's next words were far more shocking.
"The arms were torn off by immense force, and the fingers were sliced off all at once by something sharp. To reattach them leaving only these scars would require at least a 'Superior Elixir.' Who gave you a 'Superior Elixir'..."
"...I met a demon merchant."
"You traded with the merchant?"
"He tried to kill me."
"Makes sense. From their perspective, you're worthless. So all these wounds are from the demon merchant. But how did you survive?"
"Someone saved me."
"Who?"
It was the first time in his life.
Han Shin showing this much interest in Han Min-oh.
But Han Shin was genuinely curious.
'There's no way this guy could survive the Abyss. Yet he did.'
In his view, Han Min-oh was fated to die there.
A worthless human couldn't survive against a demon merchant.
Someone could have saved him, but using a Superior Elixir to revive him was incomprehensible.
Superior Elixirs required immense value in exchange.
Investing that much in Han Min-oh—who lacked talent, had a weak spirit, and no perseverance—was, by Han Shin's standards, impossible.
Finally, Han Min-oh replied.
"I have no obligation to answer."
"..."
Unhesitating words.
Han Shin was inwardly surprised.
'He's changed.'
Han Min-oh had changed.
This was the guy who couldn't even meet his eyes since childhood.
Now, Han Min-oh was staring him down.
It felt like his very temperament had shifted.
Maybe overcoming death had toughened him up.
Or perhaps the Superior Elixir had altered his body.
But something felt off.
'It's not just the Superior Elixir...'
Suddenly, he thought it might not be just that.
Who would invest so heavily in someone like Han Min-oh?
It piqued his interest.
'But a bird without wings can't fly.'
Still, that was all.
Drawing lines on a pumpkin doesn't make it a watermelon.
Even if Han Min-oh had changed, he was still Han Min-oh.
Unlike him, Han Min-oh was a bird born without wings. No matter how much you paint it or make it run, it couldn't fly.
It was too early to celebrate some flimsy hope.
Half-baked potential usually led to greater despair in the end.
Han Shin furrowed his brow.
Someone had achieved the 'Perfect Clear' he deemed impossible.
It was to the point that even the Creators were in awe.
Even deciding not to spawn Abysses across all of South Korea for a whole day, short as it was.
Knowing how arrogant they were, Han Shin couldn't relax his expression.
'...Who the hell are you?'
For the first time in his life, he tasted such defeat.
Probably the one who stole his arrangements and killed 'Su Shin.'
Han Shin was insanely curious about that person's identity.
The moment all the dungeons were cleared.
Park Chan-woo returned home and collapsed from exhaustion.
"Kuugh..."
A groan escaped him involuntarily.
He couldn't even twitch a finger.
He had cleared 13 dungeons nonstop, so it was only natural.
Yet a faint smile played on Park Chan-woo's lips.
The countless messages floating before him now.
"This is insane..."
The rewards for achieving Perfect Clear were ridiculously amazing.