Chapter 3 Let's Go Together, Noona
Chapter 3: {Let's Go Together, Noona}
Three days had passed since Ji-hu returned to Earth.
For those three days, he had shut himself in his room.
Scarlet.
He recalled her face.
Though she had the fiery temper of a mage, she was also kind-hearted—especially fond of children.
No, to be precise, it was because she herself had been an orphan. She loved supporting orphanages.
"Ji-hu, let's go to the orphanage together!"
Her bright laughter echoed in his mind. Taking care of the children had always been fulfilling and joyful.
"Big sis! Big sis!"
"Yes! Come sit here."
Seeing Scarlet happily lift a little girl onto her lap had always made his heart flutter. The contrast between her usual explosive magic and this gentle side had stirred something in him.
The Hero's Party he'd belonged to had consisted entirely of women—himself excluded. Somehow, he'd ended up in romantic relationships with all of them. His bond with Scarlet, the mage, had begun just like this.
"Haah..."
Ji-hu covered his face with his hands.
After the memories of Scarlet came the image of her glaring at him with betrayal in her eyes, hurling spells his way.
Had his sister not healed him after his return to Earth, he would have died.
No—had the Demon King not foolishly tried to persuade him after fabricating the Oracle, he wouldn't even have made it back to Earth alive.
'Enough wallowing.'
These three days hadn't been spent reminiscing only about Scarlet.
There were memories with Iris, the princess and swordswoman.
With Mine, the Saintess.
With Yenia, the Elf.
He had revisited their memories countless times each day, torturing himself in self-imposed isolation.
But he couldn't keep living like a wreck forever.
'I'm just burdening Noona.'
He knew exactly how much his sister cared for him.
After their parents passed away and the siblings awakened their abilities, Ji-hu had been just ten years old. His sister, though three years older, had still been a mere thirteen-year-old girl.
Thinking of how much she had suffered to raise him, he couldn't afford to stay broken any longer.
'Get up.'
With that self-encouragement, he finally stepped out of his room after three days—only to find his sister standing right in front of him.
Her long black hair fluttered slightly—she must have moved there in an instant.
'Still as fast as ever.'
Absurdly, that was the first thought that came to mind.
Perhaps it was because he'd spent too long on the battlefield against the Demon King's army.
Even back then, his sister had seemed like an insurmountable wall. She was still far stronger than him.
But once that fleeting thought passed, what remained was the sight of his sister's face inches from his, her eyes filled with concern.
"Ji-hu, are you okay?"
At his sister Ha-rin's question, Ji-hu forced a small smile.
Honestly, he wasn't sure if it even looked like a proper smile—probably just a weak, empty one.
"Yeah, I think I'm feeling a little better."
"Your smile still looks forced. If you need more time, it's okay to rest longer."
Seeing her worried expression, Ji-hu shook his head.
"No. Staying cooped up isn't good either. I think moving around bit by bit will help me recover faster."
"Is that so? Well, if you say so. What do you plan to do first?"
Ji-hu considered her question.
'All I've ever learned is how to fight.'
Sure, he'd done volunteer work at orphanages, but in the end, his purpose had always been battle.
And Earth was still a world that needed people with power.
"Noona, are Rifts still spawning a lot of monsters these days?"
Having been gone for six years, he had no idea how much Earth had changed.
"Yeah, they're still popping up everywhere. Even in Korea, monster appearances have increased."
In the early days, countless civilians had died worldwide due to monsters emerging from Rifts. Even now, casualties from sudden monster attacks occurred every year.
Though detection devices and countermeasures had been developed, they weren't perfect. Many still ignored warnings or acted recklessly, leading to a steady stream of victims.
Among Earth's Awakened, Rifts had another name.
'Dungeons.'
They called them Dungeons.
"Is there anywhere short-handed? If there's a place that needs help, I'll handle it."
Once a Rift appeared, it would spew out monsters—not all at once, but gradually. Over time, the Rift would grow larger, releasing stronger and more numerous monsters. The best strategy was to eliminate them early.
Only Awakened could enter Rifts—no other living beings could pass through. As such, Awakened were invaluable assets to every nation.
Someone of Ji-hu's caliber would be an especially significant force.
"Wouldn't it be better to just rest and not push yourself?"
But Ha-rin didn't seem pleased with the idea of him entering a Rift.
'Noona has every right to worry.'
Ji-hu understood why she reacted this way.
After shutting himself in his room like a wreck for three days, suddenly declaring he'd enter a Rift was bound to concern her.
"It's fine. Honestly, swinging my sword around sounds more therapeutic than staying locked up."
He truly meant it.
More than rotting in his room, he wanted to do something meaningful—like clearing Rifts and helping people.
If he could prevent even one person from losing their family like he and his sister had, that alone would be worth it.
And he didn't want to burden his sister any further.
"Alright. But on one condition—I'm coming with you. Understood?"
"Thanks, Noona."
Ji-hu smiled—this time, genuinely.
"Is there anywhere short-handed? If there's a place that needs help, I'll handle it."
At her brother's words, Ha-rin studied his eyes.
As Earth's strongest Awakened, she could tell at a glance that Ji-hu was a formidable fighter.
'With his skills, he could easily clear most Rifts.'
But as his sister, all she saw was how fragile he looked.
He seemed desperate to fight—just to drown out his grief and loss.
And even now, he was thinking of helping others. She knew him too well not to notice.
'Haah. Some things never change.'
Whatever had happened in those six years, one fundamental difference between them remained unchanged since that day thirteen years ago.
Back then, she had vowed to prioritize protecting her brother above all else.
Ji-hu, however, had sworn to use his strength to prevent others from suffering the same loss they had.
That was why he'd chosen to fight Rifts.
And the more she thought about it, the more her anger toward the women who had hurt her kind-hearted brother burned.
"Wouldn't it be better to just rest and not push yourself?"
Regardless of his strength, seeing him so emotionally vulnerable made her reluctant to let him go.
"It's fine. Honestly, swinging my sword around sounds more therapeutic than staying locked up."
But Ji-hu's response—and the look in his eyes—told her she wouldn't be able to dissuade him.
In that case, there was only one thing left to do.
"Alright. But on one condition—I'm coming with you. Understood?"
"Thanks, Noona."
Watching him smile sincerely, Ha-rin barely resisted the urge to pull him into a hug.
"First, I'll check if there are any dangerous Rifts nearby."
"Okay."
She turned to the AI installed in the living room and gave an order.
"Search for nearby Rifts."
—Understood.