Chapter 48
Three months earlier.
Im Seung-hun, the owner of a barbershop in his hometown of Seoul, sat in his fly-blown shop staring blankly at the TV.
"Aigoo, everyone's so dang lively."
The TV he was watching was broadcasting live footage of villains running amok and Association hunters capturing them.
Gripping the remote, Im Seung-hun had become completely absorbed in the screen when he sensed movement at the door and turned his head.
There stood a man in a black coat pulled low over his face, carrying a woman on his back who appeared unconscious, her eyes closed. He was pushing the door open.
Im Seung-hun immediately switched off the TV and stood, greeting the customer entering.
"Welcome!"
The shop had been open for a good four hours now.
This was his first customer of the day.
Beaming broadly as he welcomed the man, Im Seung-hun's face hardened at the single sentence that escaped his lips.
"Taesa-ja Im Seung-hun. I've been looking for you."
Taesa-ja.
The epithet that had long since faded into oblivion.
His face stiffening, he immediately swung a fist at the voice's owner.
He couldn't just let this slide.
Because...
"Even after goin' into hidin', ya got that moniker as an A-rank hunter, huh."
He was a promising talent who had suddenly vanished.
In truth, promising hunters popped up often—and burned out just as fast.
That was the life of a hunter.
A fragile life where dying at any moment wouldn't raise eyebrows.
He'd faked his death in a gate and gone into hiding, but they'd tracked him down anyway.
This bastard in front of him was clearly off his rocker.
The punch he threw was his best shot.
The opponent had both arms tied up carrying the woman on his back.
But his fist was effortlessly blocked by the man's kick.
"...Kuh!"
Dazzled by a flash in his vision, he collapsed to the floor.
Slamming his head into the ground, Im Seung-hun ground his teeth and yelled.
"What the heck ya doin' showin' up outta nowhere like this! I quit, I tell ya!"
"Quittin' doesn't erase your past."
Squish.
The man's foot pressed hard into Im Seung-hun's back.
Every cell in his body felt like it was burning away—a pain he'd never felt before. Im Seung-hun's mouth gaped open.
"Why'd ya suddenly vanish and go into hidin'?"
"..."
"Actually, I already know the reason."
Twitch.
Im Seung-hun shuddered at the man's words.
He knew the reason for his sudden disappearance?
With that, the man lifted his foot off Im Seung-hun's back.
Finally regaining control of his body, he creakily lifted his head.
His face and everything else were still hidden by the robe, but Im Seung-hun could tell the man was staring right at him.
"...What the heck ya want with me? I ain't committed no crimes."
"A former hunter who went into hidin', skilled but reliable. That's who I was lookin' for."
"What're ya talkin' about?"
Dang, it hurts like hell.
Can't remember the last time he felt pain like this.
Tears welling in his eyes, he strained to reach back and rub his aching back.
"Take her."
"Huh?"
The man held out the woman on his back.
Caught off guard, Im Seung-hun accepted her into his arms.
"Wh-what the heck? I ain't doin' no killin'."
"I'm not askin' you to kill."
"...Then?"
"She's lost all her memories right now. Even if she wakes, she'll forget again and fall asleep, repeatin' the cycle forever."
"..."
"I'd protect her myself if I could, but I can't. So I need you to guard her no matter what. That's why I'm here."
At the man's words, Im Seung-hun stared at the woman.
She looked peacefully asleep, unconscious.
Her clean clothes suggested he wasn't lying.
"...Sorry, but I'll pass. Like I said, I'm retired."
"I can fix the reason you retired."
"What!?"
Whoosh!
Snapping his head up, Im Seung-hun stared at the man, eyes trembling wildly.
The man looked at him seriously and repeated.
"I can fix the reason you retired."
"..."
Squeeze.
Im Seung-hun clenched his fist tight.
A lie?
Had to be.
No way it was possible.
But still...
"...For real?"
He had no choice but to believe.
He wanted it that badly.
The man nodded at Im Seung-hun's words.
"Her name is Choi Su-ah. Protect her until we meet again, and I'll stake everything to cure your condition."
"..."
No other answer now.
He nodded heavily at the man's words.
The man looked at him and reached into his pocket.
"This is for your trouble and living expenses."
Thud.
A massive bag emerged from his pocket.
With that, the man turned and vanished.
Im Seung-hun chased after him outside, but the mysterious man was gone.
"...What the heck."
Dazed.
What just happened?
Scratching the back of his head, he returned inside and alternated glances between the sleeping woman on the chair and the bag.
"She seems fine enough."
But this...
Cautiously opening the bag, Im Seung-hun gasped.
It was stuffed full of 50,000-won bills.
He carefully stowed the bag away and took the woman home with him.
As night deepened, the sleeping woman slowly opened her eyes.
"Hey, boss man. Can ya talk?"
"...Yes."
"Any memories comin' back?"
"No..."
She really had lost her memories.
Whatever happened, he wouldn't go back on his word.
That was his creed.
And so Im Seung-hun began caring for her alongside running the barbershop.
It was one such day.
"Ah..."
Worried about leaving her alone at home with her memories resetting daily, he brought her to the shop.
Choi Su-ah always sat quietly in the back, passing the time.
But not that day.
Watching TV, she showed a reaction.
An expression he'd never seen before, utterly focused on the screen.
Pupils shrunken, lips quivering.
Clearly abnormal.
After thanking a rare customer and seeing them off carefully, he turned casually, glanced at Choi Su-ah without much thought, and looked at the TV.
"Ahh, it's that Black Dragon fella, huh?"
"Black Dragon...?"
"Hotshot hunter these days. C-rank but they call him Black Dragon like a moniker. Makin' a fuss he'll hit S-rank soon."
"..."
"Whoa, already B-rank? Fast, dang fast. Took me three months."
Choi Su-ah clamped her mouth shut.
Im Seung-hun figured it was a one-time thing and watched her.
She'd forget everything once she slept anyway.
Tomorrow, memories reset, nothing remembered.
But Choi Su-ah...
"Ah..."
The next day too.
"Black Dragon..."
The day after.
"..."
A week later too.
Every time Black Dragon appeared on TV, same reaction.
And it grew more intense with each passing day.
Im Seung-hun took drastic measures and unplugged the TV while she watched.
When he finished with a customer and turned back...
"Wh-where'd she go!?"
Choi Su-ah had vanished—along with his wallet.
* * *
"Just in case, I put a GPS in her pocket. Tracked it and sure enough, led right to you, Black Dragon bro."
"..."
"For real. Not a single lie."
I could tell that much.
Everything Im Seung-hun said rang true—no lies mixed in.
"Elpinire. Think it's a lie?"
"No. I don't think it's a lie either."
"Kkung kkung kkung."
Elpinire and Cheori agreed.
Nodding, I loosened the mist binding him a bit and muttered.
"Guess becomin' an Association hunter wasn't pointless after all."
I'd thought a month with no contact made it meaningless.
But apparently not.
Who'd have thought I'd find my missing sister-in-law on the very last day.
I'd expected whoever turned bro like that to show up, but finding her was a relief at least.
"Remember any features of the man who came to you?"
"Nah? That whole thing still feels like a mirage. Didn't show his face, hair, eyes—nothin'. Just remember his voice was pretty smooth."
Got it.
Scratching my head, I felt like we were back to square one.
"By the way, Taesa-ja. Sounds familiar."
Lots of rookies out there.
Tons come out of the Tutorial Tower with killer skills.
Hell, folks call me a rookie too.
'Ah, not quite.'
I'm called a "super rookie" just like that Kim Taesung punk.
Anyway, with so many rookies, plenty have monikers.
Heck, my internet nickname "Black Dragon" has stuck for real.
"The hunter who got famous protectin' kids for two days in a B-rank Sudden Gate, right?"
"...!"
Twitch!
Im Seung-hun shuddered violently and bowed his head.
I wasn't sure, but looks like I nailed it.
After that incident, he got the moniker Taesa-ja—Bald Lion—for the massive lion-like figure protecting the kids.
Then he vanished from TV and everywhere, so like always, figured he died quietly in a gate.
Stroking my chin, I eyed Im Seung-hun.
"But your face doesn't match what I saw on TV."
"..."
"Face was smaller, build too."
"..."
"Said ya accepted the guy's offer 'cause of your condition. Somethin' wrong with ya?"
"..."
"What kinda condition made ya cave when he said he'd cure it?"
"...No."
"Huh?"
"Baldness! Baldness, dang baldness!"
Im Seung-hun bellowed.
I blinked dumbly at him.
"Been dreamin' of bein' a stylist since I was a kid! But I awakened with talent, became a hunter!"
He yelled like the world owed him.
"In my prime, I styled my own hair, super popular! But that damn baldness kept takin' my locks day by day!"
"..."
"Couldn't stand seein' my bald self, so I ran!"
Cautiously, at his pained voice, I asked.
"Uh, don't regeneration hunters regrow follicles too...?"
Awakening, mana, skills—still uncharted territory.
But known facts existed, like regeneration skills regrowing lost follicles.
Did I hit a nerve? Im Seung-hun jutted his chin like a walnut and wailed.
"Mine are gone from the root—can't regrow! Happy now?!"
"Ah..."
Poor guy.
Made my earlier thoughts of torturing him feel pointless—he was that pitiful.
Quietly averting my eyes, I dispelled the mist binding him completely.
Regaining freedom, he collapsed like a pitiful girl, head drooping.
"Granny... sorry. I ain't got the will to live anymore..."
"Don't worry. Won't tell a soul."
"Sayin' it myself is humiliatin'!"
He yelled at me with a "I've lived enough" face.
Forced smile on my face, I sensed something off and tilted my head.
"Hang on."
"What now?!"
"Said Seoul's your hometown? But ya got that dialect."
Did I get played? All that explanation a lie?
At my suspicious glare, Im Seung-hun chuckled dryly.
"No law sayin' ya can't have dialect if born in Seoul."
"Fair, but suspicious."
"Lost folks at one year old. Neighborhood grannies and gramps raised me—most from the provinces, so I picked up all their dialects."
"Ah, gotcha."
Fate, huh.
"Me too—no mom or dad."
"..."
"Oh, and the Su-ah sis you protected? Same deal, no parents."
What fate.
Four of us here, all orphans.
"I have a mother?"
"...Yeah, Elpinire. Trees can't be moms."
"Take that back!"
I casually blocked Elpinire's punch with my right hand.
Plants are food, but insulting the World Tree's off-limits, huh.
I know it has a will, so better correct it.
"Everyone here's dad-less."
"..."
That work?
I eyed Elpinire meaningfully.
She pondered, then nodded approval.
Im Seung-hun watched the exchange with a blank face throughout.
"...Hey."
"Yeah?"
"You know this Choi Su-ah girl?"
"...Yeah."
Nodding, I looked at the soundly sleeping Choi Su-ah.
"She's my family-like bro's wife."
"...That bro?"
"Dunno. He's missing."
Bitter smile as I stood from the chair...
"Ah."
Hold up.
Eyes trembling wildly, I stared ahead and swallowed hard.
The building had completely crumbled, the sun blazing down from above.
"...This ain't your shop?"
"Beats me."
"...Screwed."
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Looks like I caused a massive mess on the last day.