Who Are You?
Finally pushing through the crowd, I reached the alley where Choi Su-ah had been standing.
I dashed straight into the alley she'd entered.
"......Where'd she go?"
I stopped in my tracks and stared at the multiple branching paths unfolding before me.
Where the hell had she gone?
No matter which way I looked, there were no traces of Choi Su-ah.
It was just an empty alley with no sign of a single person.
"......Right."
I quickly scanned the surroundings.
This alley was deserted—no one in sight, probably because it saw so little foot traffic.
No CCTV cameras either, from what I could tell.
In that case.
Activating...
Using it here wouldn't be a problem.
Confirming no one was around, I extended my hand forward.
A single black book materialized above my palm.
As it appeared, the pages flipped automatically on their own, spilling out streams of black light.
What I needed to do now was track down the vanished Choi Su-ah.
And I knew just the elf who was the best at that sort of thing.
Entity, 'Elpinire', responds to your summons.
In the middle of the dark alley.
A figure emerged amid swirling black mist.
Soon, it took the form of a model-like woman.
"Master, it's been a while. You called me... What the hell is this place?"
Elpinire stepped out from the mist, furrowing her brow as she looked around.
Back alleys apparently weren't pleasant spots for forest elves.
But no choice.
I immediately gave Elpinire her orders.
"Elpinire. Track someone down for me."
"Who?"
"A woman just passed through here a moment ago."
I didn't know any other details.
Couldn't even tell what shoes she was wearing—the crowd had blocked the view.
Elpinire smirked at me and flicked her hand dismissively.
"No need. I've grown since then."
Thud!
Elpinire stomped lightly.
In that instant, green mana seeped into the ground.
"There it is."
Footprints began appearing on the pavement.
Dozens, hundreds of dense prints.
Among them, varying in clarity, one glowed especially vividly.
"......Barefoot."
The only bare footprints on asphalt-paved city streets.
I instantly knew they were Choi Su-ah's.
"Master. Follow close."
"Got it."
I ran with Elpinire, following the prints deeper into the alleys.
"......The footprints end here."
I quietly looked up ahead.
Where the prints stopped.
A single-story building stood there.
No idea what it was for.
The rusted sign's letters were all smeared, one side sagging crookedly.
"Any other traces?"
"That closed door. They're on it."
Traces on the door meant.
She'd opened it and gone inside.
I nodded and pulled the door aside.
"......"
Stuck.
Won't budge no matter how hard I tried.
Fine then.
Activating...
Boom!
With a single gesture, I blasted the door away and stepped into the dark building.
The interior looked like an old Chinese restaurant—tables, chairs, and typical decorative ornaments hanging from the ceiling.
"Master. Over there......"
"I know."
The dim building stirred only dust—no signs of life.
Except one spot.
Deep in the kitchen.
I approached slowly.
Pushing aside the hanging kitchen curtain, I entered and knelt before the woman huddled in the corner.
"Sister-in-law. It's me, Han Mir. Your brother-in-law. Remember me?"
"......"
Her eyes tightly shut.
She slowly opened them at the sound of my voice.
"......Who are you?"
"......Huh?"
"Where is this? Why am I here? More importantly......"
My brain froze.
I stared, dumbfounded, as she began trembling violently with terrified eyes.
"Who... who am I?"
"......"
"All I remember is the name Choi Su-ah. Please......"
I stared blankly at her.
The face, the voice—they matched my memories perfectly.
But she didn't remember me.
......What the hell?
As I stood frozen in confusion, she suddenly retched violently, eyes rolling back as convulsions wracked her body.
Snapping back to reality, I shouted urgently.
"Elpinire!"
"Got it!"
Chop!
Elpinire's hand struck the back of Choi Su-ah's neck.
Choi Su-ah collapsed limply like a puppet with cut strings.
I gazed dazedly at her unconscious form.
"......"
My mind couldn't process what had just happened.
In that stunned moment.
"Kept runnin' off whenever I watched TV. Went pretty far this time, huh."
A voice echoed as someone stepped over the shattered door fragments.
Turning creakily, I eyed the bald man in a sleeveless tee—no hair, bear-like build.
He clicked his tongue softly at us in the kitchen.
"Yer in a real pickle now."
Whoosh!
Mist exploded from under my feet.
Launching!
I rocketed forward in an instant, swinging fiercely at the man's gut.
The man summoned mana the moment the mist burst, clenching his fist.
I held back the Black Dragon.
This guy couldn't be killed easily.
No matter what, I had to capture him alive.
Interrogate what he'd done to my brother and sister-in-law.
Then make him beg for death that wouldn't come. That'd quench this rage.
"Hya!"
Crack!
Fists collided.
He blocked that easily, huh.
Frowning, I grabbed his fist and spun my body mid-air.
"Urk!?"
Smack!
My instep smashed into the back of his head.
He staggered, unable to block this time.
I drove my elbow down at his crown.
"Hah... hah."
The man slumped to the floor.
Turning from his unmoving form, I glanced back.
Elpinire had erected a mana barrier around sister-in-law, protecting her.
I nodded gratefully and reached for my radio.
Request backup quick—
"That won't do, guh."
Crack—
A thick hand smashed the radio.
Turning, I locked eyes with the man standing casually.
He grinned at me.
"Won't work, eh? Black Dragon bro."
"......"
Thwack!
I uppercut his grinning jaw.
His yellowed teeth shattered and flew, but he nonchalantly swung at my gut.
"Guh......"
Heavy.
Even through the mist, the impact hit hard.
But not enough to drop me.
Grinning, I hammered his gut again.
"Cough......"
Blood trickled from his mouth.
He was taking damage too.
But he didn't back down.
Just grinned wider, flashing even teeth like it was fun.
"Not bad, Black Dragon bro. Makes sense why yer famous."
"Regeneration skill, judging by the new teeth?"
"Nah. Ultra Regeneration skill."
Got it.
That's why he got right back up.
Understanding dawned as I raised my fist.
He mirrored me.
"Awakening Association, Seong Yu-mi team—Han Mir. Capturing this villain alive."
"Sorry, Black Dragon bro. Im Seung-hun ain't goin' down easy."
The man who named himself Im Seung-hun grinned and thrust his fist.
I met it head-on with my own.
Thud! Thud!
Fists slamming echoed everywhere.
Endlessly.
Even as the floor stained red, the sounds kept ringing out.
Neither died.
Neither fell.
So we fought standing.
That was how regeneration users battled.
I, with my own Ultra Regeneration Blessing, couldn't yield either.
I kept swinging relentlessly.
"Why... the hell... did you... kidnap sister-in-law?"
"Sorry... but I... really... dunno much."
Ptoo.
Mouth torn inside.
I spat the leftover blood and swung again.
"What bullshit is that?"
Smack!
My upward swing crushed Im Seung-hun's gut.
Bones shattered under my knuckles as his body floated up, staggering with rough coughs.
"Straight up."
Wipe.
He wiped his mouth with his hand and raised his fist again.
"Just got asked... to protect... that amnesiac lady. Guh!"
Smack!
His fist smashed my face.
I staggered but steadied instantly, ramming his gut.
"That true?"
"Yeh. Just told to keep the amnesiac safe."
"Explain in detail."
"Hm...... Don't feel like it."
Im Seung-hun beckoned me with a finger.
"Beat my regen and drop me, Black Dragon bro, and I'll spill."
"......Sigh."
Sighing, I slowly clenched my fist.
Im Seung-hun grinned, expecting something, raising both arms.
But.
Transformation initiating...
Seeing my right hand morph into a monster's, Im Seung-hun's face twisted like something was seriously wrong.
"Wha—Black Dragon bro. Thought you were regen too?"
"Sorry, never said I was."
Transformation type.
I stated flatly and slammed my fist into the floor.
"-!"
Rumble-crash!
One punch cratered the ground.
A massive gust exploded from the impact.
Clothes whipping.
In the deathly sensation raising every hair, Im Seung-hun creakily looked back.
"......Dang it."
It collapsed.
The building, fine moments ago.
From one punch.
A light one, not even full power.
If that hit him...
"......"
Just imagining it chilled him to the bone.
Not dust of the building, but his own body—headless hair standing on end.
Swallowing dryly, he turned through falling debris.
There, a black-haired man with a monstrous right hand glared down with glowing orange eyes piercing the dark.
It'd been a while since I swung with real intent.
A bit of emotion too.
Held that frustration for a month—is this for real?—and poured it all in.
Result: Im Seung-hun lost the will to fight.
Bonus: sync rate up.
Unplanned twofer—nice actually.
I shook out my right wrist lightly and released the Black Dragon.
"Ready to talk now?"
"......Yessir."
Good.
I nodded, satisfied.
Real punch after ages, and Black Dragon delivered.
Performance is solid.
Turns even stubborn bastards compliant instantly. Miracle drug.
I bound him with mist and turned to Elpinire.
She approached, green barrier around Choi Su-ah.
"Elpinire. Anything off with sister-in-law?"
"......No. She's perfectly normal."
"See? Told ya. Just asked to protect the amnesiac lady."
Elpinire dusted off a surviving chair from the debris and set it behind me.
I sat naturally, crossing my legs, propping my chin with my right hand.
"Explain what happened."
"......"
"And make it good."
Or else.
Im Seung-hun swallowed dryly at my bone-chilling tone.
Then, serious-faced, he slowly spoke.
"......So, 'bout three months back."