“We've Done Our Best.”
It felt like the sky was flipping upside down.
“We tried every possible means to alleviate her condition, but…”
If someone offered to turn this moment into a dream in exchange for my limbs, I'd gladly hack off my arms and legs right then and there.
“Now that terminal symptoms have appeared, there's nothing more we can do. Mr. Yoo Sung-su…”
Guro Seongsim Hospital. Private room. Yoo Sung-su's face remained calm as he listened to the hospital director.
He just wanted to wake up from this nightmare already. It wasn't reality anyway—why waste tears even in a dream?
So his expression stayed blank.
“Like with our other patients, proceeding with dignified death procedures would minimize your mother's suffering…”
“Shut your mouth!!”
Yoo Sung-su bellowed. The director had done his best. It couldn't be helped. What sin had this man committed? It was an incurable disease. No one short of a god could fix it.
But thoughts like that were the polar opposite of the shout that burst from his lips.
The moment he yelled, Yoo Sung-su heard the sound of shattering glass echoing in his ears.
It was the sound of the moment he'd believed was a dream crumbling away.
“…I'm truly sorry.”
It was a razor-sharp scream, but the director didn't flinch. Instead, he bowed naturally with practiced ease. He'd seen this a hundred times before as hospital director, and the man's reaction was perfectly understandable for any human.
“Ah… ah… ugh…”
Yoo Sung-su looked at his mother lying on the bed.
Her eyes, wide open in a coma, were now streaming thick black liquid—unlike before.
The hallmark terminal symptom of mana poisoning: the black blood phenomenon.
But strangely, what Yoo Sung-su saw was a little different from reality.
In his vision appeared his mother's smiling face—the one who'd devoted her entire life solely to her one son.
“Uh… uh…”
The angry face she'd made without hesitation whenever her foolish child made a stupid mistake.
“Mom…”
But later, the compassionate face that had gently stroked his slumped back.
The moment reality's face overlaid that cherished image.
“Mr. Yoo Sung-su…”
“Please, I beg you…”
Tears streaming down his face, Yoo Sung-su dropped to his knees before the director.
“Mo-money… I'll give you all the money I have right now…”
“It's not about the cost…”
“Th-then my kidney or something, transplant, whatever it takes to make her better… please, do that… I don't drink or smoke, so it should be safe… right?”
The director said something in a troubled voice, but Yoo Sung-su couldn't hear it.
He didn't want to.
Soon, he was clinging to the director's leg, sobbing.
“Doctor, please save my mom.”
“……”
“There has to be something, some way. Just one. This can't end like this overnight… My mom's life can't just end like this.”
No, it wasn't sudden.
This wasn't something that happened overnight.
Every time the end drew near, the director had warned him repeatedly.
To prepare himself, just in case.
“Please…”
That “just in case” was the problem.
It meant the opposite could happen anytime.
With a 99.9% mortality rate, he'd believed his mom would be the 0.1% miracle.
The greater the faith, the deeper the despair.
Yoo Sung-su wailed and sobbed until the room shook.
“Doct…”
As he lifted his head to beg once more—insufficient no matter how many times.
That's when Yoo Sung-su saw the director's eyes roll back white as he staggered.
Then, thud.
The director's body collapsed completely.
“…?”
A situation defying all context.
It was so bewildering that his crying stopped for a moment.
Thud.
It didn't stop with the director—nurses started collapsing one by one.
Then a voice echoed.
"Eyes on us would be a problem."
The voice came from right beside Yoo Sung-su. A faint breeze tickled his cheek.
Next to him stood…
“You're right a hundred times over. Your mom's life can't just end like this.”
Releasing Stealth, Jae-min stood there blankly.
“There's still a way, Sung-su.”
One hand gripping the Beast of All Things.
***
“Take it. Quick. Or should I do it?”
“……”
Yoo Sung-su's face was still dazed.
Damn, first time seeing Stealth, huh? Makes sense he'd be stunned.
I shook the hand holding the Beast of All Things impatiently.
But he showed no reaction.
If anything, he glared at me with resentful eyes.
This punk.
Not even now?
“I told you…! I can't give Mom some mystery drug whose origins I don't even know…!”
Yoo Sung-su couldn't finish.
Slap!
My hand struck the idiot's cheek first.
[Constellation 'Sung Hyun-sook' nods in satisfaction.]
“Gonna snap out of it? Stubbornness has limits.”
“……”
Rubbing his swelling red cheek, Yoo Sung-su stared at me in shock.
“When my parents were on the brink of death, I was too young and weak to do a damn thing but watch.”
“……”
“But you've got a chance handed to you on a platter, and you're kicking it away? Just because it's 'shady'? Don't pull that shit in front of me again.”
[Constellation 'Sung Hyun-sook' listens quietly to your words.]
I brushed past the bowed-head Yoo Sung-su.
“Step aside. If you won't, I will.”
Persuading this sweet potato every step would either give me cancer first or let his mom actually die—one or the other.
As I moved to uncork the Beast of All Things.
Grab.
Yoo Sung-su's hand seized my wrist.
I paused and turned quietly.
“…I'll do it.”
He's saying he'll do it himself.
Sigh, what a blockhead.
Turning a smooth situation into high drama.
Swallowing a smile, I handed over the jar nonchalantly.
“……”
Yoo Sung-su carefully took the Beast of All Things, gulped, and opened the lid.
Sweat beaded on his cheek and trickled down.
[Constellation 'Sung Hyun-sook' swallows nervously!]
Approaching the bed, he bowed toward his mother.
Her black-tear-streaked face drew near.
The clear liquid in the jar sloshed lightly.
With his trembling left hand, he gently pried open her tightly shut mouth.
And then, drip by drip.
He poured the Beast of All Things slowly into her mouth.
What must he be feeling right now?
Soon, the jar emptied.
“……”
Yoo Sung-su collapsed, burying his face in the blanket covering her body.
Just a hunch, but he'd probably done this every visit.
Last time too.
Always burying his face like that, feeling her warmth.
Cold skin now, but to him, warmer than anything in the world.
Yet reality was always cruel.
No matter the warmth felt or tears shed, the voice he craved never came.
The touch he longed for never arrived.
But not anymore.
“Sung… su…?”
The voice he craved now sounded.
“Sung… su, dear…?”
The touch he longed for now stroked his head.
“……”
Yoo Sung-su lifted his head, staring toward the voice.
And today.
For the first time, he prayed this wasn't a dream.
Probably.
Click.
I watched until then, then quietly left the room.
['Sung Hyun-sook' asks wistfully if you're not staying longer.]
“Not like we're watching a drama. Me sticking around would be rude.”
[Constellation 'Sung Hyun-sook' is satisfied with your answer.]
From now on, it's their time alone.
Better not intrude.
“Sung-su, you lucky bastard.”
I chuckled and left the hospital behind.
***
Two days since Sung-su's mom woke up.
Where am I now?
['Sung Hyun-sook' strokes her chin, saying that guy's surprisingly generous!]
“Considering that punk's wallet situation, 'generous' doesn't even cover it.”
I muttered blankly in front of an ultra-ultra-luxury buffet restaurant.
What the hell?
Am I in France right now?
“The sign's even in French for real…”
Of course, with the money I've made since regressing, the vibe isn't burdensome.
The issue is…
- Bro…! You free in two days? Lemme buy you a meal…!
That I'm not the one buying today—Sung-su is.
I figured at worst it'd be premium beef when he called yesterday.
“This 'meal' a Michelin, Sung-su…?”
Korea has Michelin stars too? Wild.
Two stars even.
Glancing at the price list by the entrance…
Yeah. Can a night-shift convenience store worker scraping by really handle these numbers?
['Sung Hyun-sook' smacks her lips, saying just uproot the restaurant pillar while you're at it!]
“It's not for you to eat, so why smack your lips? …And I'll go Dutch pay depending on the vibe.”
['Sung Hyun-sook' sighs, upset over her foolish son.]
Mom's something else…
As I glared at the sky unnecessarily.
“Jae-min bro…!”
That distinctive wimpy voice.
Turning, I saw Sung-su running over from afar, grinning ear to ear.
What can I say? Like a Maltese wagging its tail as it bounds over.
“Even for two guys, dress up a bit…”
No matter how you slice it, those sloppy clothes aren't Michelin two-star dress code.
…Well, whatever.
His aura's shining bright.
Punk's probably walking on air right now.
Looks good on him.
That's when.
“Ugh!”
Sung-su, reaching me, suddenly grimaced and covered his face with both arms.
…What the hell?
“B-bro, hold on… It's too bright…”
“……”
What the actual hell happened to this guy?
Was Sung-su always like this?
I laughed awkwardly.
“Hey, hey, no need to overdo it…”
“No, really… It's blinding… Uh… Why's the system window flashing now…”
…Wait, what?
System window? No way!
“Can you tell me what it says?”
“Uh, yeah… Hidden conditions met… Skill unlocked…?”
The moment I heard his stammering words.
My heart pounded like it would leap out.
'Finally…!'
The payoff for days of hard work!
The skill only Yoo Sung-su in the whole world possesses.
And its 'first' application target: undergo second awakening.
Unlock condition's simple: The affinity number visible only to Sung-su over the target's head hits 700+.
So?
I placed both hands on his shoulders seriously.
“Sung-su.”
“Y-yeah? Bro…”
“What's the number over my head right now?”
Finally noticing it, his eyes went wide.
Yeah, first time seeing 700+, it'd shock anyone.
At a loss, Sung-su held up two fingers on his left, five on his right.
Hm… Exactly 700?
That was close.
“Se-seven… thousand.”
……What?
“Precisely 7,948…?”
“……”
If this were a comic, my jaw would've hit the floor.
What the hell is this?
7,948? System bug or what?
“Oh, and… Huh? Jae-min bro…!”
“Sk-skill…! Training skill just unlocked!”
Yeah, figured.
…But Training (S-grade) is too damn OP to play cool.
Veins bulging in my neck like fire under my feet.
“Try it on me!”
Training and glare at me!”
No need to hold your breath.
As instructed, he glared with fierce eyes.
And simultaneously,
Training (S-grade) applied!
You are the first target of Training!
Training's unique trait, 'Second Awakening', begins!
A terrifying surge of mana enveloped my body.
The skill activating successfully.
'Holy shit.'
Unreal liberation and euphoria mixed.
I'd felt this recently—when I possessed Mom's body.
[Constellation 'Sung Hyun-sook' tenses up!]
Vast power swirled like a storm inside me, and a familiar chime rang.
Ding-!
'My god.'
I could only gape at the message before my eyes.