Chapter 3
Chapter 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Martial God Who Levels Up
-----------------------------------------------------------------
What was supposed to be a simple check-up turned into a surprisingly thorough examination.
From X-rays to CT scans, blood tests, urine tests, and more, he spent about two hours being wheeled around in his wheelchair.
When the results came in, the attending physician, whose name tag read Specialist Lee Jae-ha, couldn't hide his astonishment.
"This is incredible. You've been lying there like a vegetable for five years, yet your condition is far better than expected. It's not perfect by any means, but these results are unbelievable. If you put in a little effort with rehab, you should be back to normal life in no time."
Even as he spoke, Lee Jae-ha let out exclamations of amazement several times, as if he could hardly believe it himself.
Su-hyeok could understand his position.
'In normal circumstances, it'd be a mess, of course.'
Even Su-hyeok himself had been in terrible shape when he first woke up in the dead of night.
He'd howled in pain just trying to sit up.
The only difference was that he'd used the Nature Primordial Art to recover quickly.
The IV fluids and medications had helped a lot too.
But purely from a medical standpoint, it was close to a miracle.
In fact, Lee Jae-ha mentioned that most Portal Impact victims suffered immense aftereffects even after regaining consciousness.
Su-hyeok was the first.
No one who had lain there for five years had ever woken up this intact.
Through this, Su-hyeok gained one more piece of information.
'Most people who lost consciousness and woke up don't have any special abilities.'
If they had internal energy cultivation methods like his or some other superpower, they could've overcome those aftereffects easily.
"This is just curiosity on my part, but... have you become an Awakener by any chance?"
Su-hyeok tilted his head at Lee Jae-ha's question.
"An Awakener?"
"Yes. Like feeling some unknown new power in your body, or seeing something special... phenomena like that."
He couldn't be sure, but there was a new power different from when he first awoke.
Internal energy.
And he could see special things too.
First, the Force System window that had suddenly appeared before his eyes last night, and the qi flowing through this world.
And there was more of it than he'd expected.
Su-hyeok had read quite a few fantasy and wuxia novels set on Earth before crossing over to the Huan Continent.
Most of them described Earth as having very little qi.
Due to environmental pollution or scientific advancement, among other reasons. So Su-hyeok had assumed Earth had almost no qi.
But he'd felt it while circulating the Nature Primordial Art yesterday, and the faint flow of qi passing before his eyes now was far from weak.
In fact, it seemed more abundant than on the Huan Continent.
"Not sure. People like that exist, I guess?"
Su-hyeok kept that fact a secret.
It might make him seem cowardly, but try dropping a powerless guy in his twenties into a world like ancient China full of swords and blood. Anyone would become cautious.
"Yes. As I mentioned, methods to travel to other worlds have appeared on Earth now. Awakeners are very important people worldwide. What a shame."
"Hoo..."
A deep sigh colored Lee Jae-ha's words, and a glint passed through Su-hyeok's eyes for a moment.
Either way, Awakeners seemed to be treated well in this world.
After that, Su-hyeok tried to get more information from Lee Jae-ha, but there were no major gains.
He was a specialist at a prestigious university hospital, but that was the extent of it.
There was some public info on Awakeners, but much of it was classified.
Things he wouldn't know until he encountered them himself.
'Portals, Awakeners, other dimensions.'
Su-hyeok mentally organized the keywords he deemed important.
It was these clear summaries and wise actions that had made him the best on the Huan Continent.
He was moved to a different room.
Since he was conscious and his condition wasn't bad, there was no need to stay in the special ward anymore—that was Lee Jae-ha's opinion.
Su-hyeok asked them to keep his status as a Portal Impact victim who had awakened a secret.
It was a rare occurrence in Korea, so patients, reporters, and even foreign media would take interest. While it could be an honor for the hospital, he wanted to take it slow.
Su-hyeok had no reason to refuse.
He hated troublesome matters, after all.
A little later, in the afternoon, the room door burst open.
A young, pretty woman in a light dress, Adidas sneakers, and long straight hair drew the patients' attention for a moment.
Su-hyeok looked at her too.
She was panting heavily, as if she'd rushed over, and she was one of the people Su-hyeok knew well.
"Bro-!"
After a light greeting, she strode over with wide surprised eyes and sat in the chair beside him.
Hesitation about what to say radiated from her entire body.
It was understandable.
In Su-hyeok's memories, she was smart and pretty but had no talent for words.
She was awkward at expressing emotions too.
"Still as pretty as ever."
"...Is that what you say to your little sister after so long?"
"You're my sister, but you're pretty, that's a fact. Seeing you again feels great."
Su-a's pupils shook at Su-hyeok's bright smile.
"How's your body?"
"Can't you see?"
"...Doesn't hurt?"
"Nope. Aside from being healthy, I'm basically a corpse."
Such a person had lain in a hospital room for five years.
Even saying it himself made his face flush with embarrassment.
Swoosh-!
Su-a moved closer to Su-hyeok.
The back of her hand gently touching his forehead felt warm.
"No fever, but your face is red."
"It's embarrassment, just embarrassment."
Su-hyeok lightly pushed away Su-a's hand from his forehead and met her eyes again.
Her strikingly black pupils gazed at him, filled with worry.
"Don't worry. I'll be up and out of bed soon. By the way, you're in college now, right?"
Su-hyeok asked carefully.
Five years ago, in his memories, Su-a was an 18-year-old high schooler.
So if things had gone smoothly, she'd be in university by now, probably a good one in Seoul. Not just bias as her brother—unlike him, Su-a was genuinely smart. Her school grades and national mock exams always placed her in the top ranks, so expectations were high.
Of course, if things had gone smoothly.
"Not a student. Didn't go to college."
"Because of me, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Just wanted to earn money. Got tired of studying."
Su-a spoke in a calm voice.
No trembling emotion showed on her face.
'Obviously a lie.'
But Su-hyeok didn't believe her.
Su-a was a genius type.
She studied because she enjoyed it, not out of effort, and that's why her grades were good. She'd figured out how to study on her own without any tutoring, unlike others. For such a kid to get sick of studying? He'd sooner believe a cat hated fish.
In the end, it was because the family was struggling.
With the eldest son lying in a hospital bed like a vegetable for five years.
Not well-off to begin with, their livelihood had become precarious.
She'd given up on taking student loans to attend university.
Knowing this, Su-hyeok couldn't say much.
Stubborn as heck—who knew where she got it from—once she said no, she wouldn't accept even his apologies.
"When I get discharged... I really want you to go to school."
"Not because of you."
"I know. This is just my wish."
"Studying's boring."
Su-hyeok smiled faintly at the repeated words.
He gently lifted his hand and stroked her black hair.
"Don't. People are watching."
"So what? It's my sister."
"Feels weird."
Su-hyeok agreed with her last words.
Weird. Was it because it had been so long since he stroked his sister's hair? Or because she'd grown into such a lovely young woman? He didn't know the reason. Just that he was so grateful. And proud. He had no idea how that warm touch conveyed those feelings.
But moisture was welling up in her jet-black eyes.
"Really... feels weird."
Awkward with emotions as always, she looked nonchalant, but Su-hyeok could see even her nose tip reddening.
In the end, to shake off his hand completely, Su-a jumped up from her seat.
"Gotta pee."
She was a little sister who never let tears show until the end.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ It hadn't been long since Su-a left for the bathroom.
A middle-aged man and woman entered the room together.
Seeing their shocked, emotional, and urgent expressions tangled Su-hyeok's mind.
'Dad, Mom.'
As the words swirled in his heart and rose to his throat—
"Oh, my son!"
Yang Seung-bon rushed over like the wind and gripped his hand tightly.
Rough and warm.
Su-hyeok's expression twisted subtly at the sensation he couldn't recall feeling in ages.
'Dad.'
Yang Seung-bon, whose dream had been to be a writer, wasn't the typical neighborhood dad—he was unusually sensitive. In fact, around when Su-hyeok was in high school, he'd even published a few novels and poetry collections.
Of course, they hadn't succeeded.
An unsuccessful writer carries the destiny of poverty on his shoulders.
Su-hyeok's family was the same.
So as he grew up, Su-hyeok hadn't liked Yang Seung-bon much.
He'd resented him plenty.
But he was still his father.
During his time on the Huan Continent, he'd missed that face terribly.
Thinking back, he was a very family-oriented dad.
Great cook, did the housework himself. Always smiled brightly, never complained no matter how hard things got. Even when Su-hyeok lashed out with resentful words, he never frowned. With no formal education for other jobs, he'd head out for manual labor at dawn, yet never uttered a word of hardship.
How heavy that heart must have been.
How grueling.
"You okay? Not in much pain? Thank goodness, thank goodness."
Su-hyeok's chest ached more at Yang Seung-bon's careful gaze.
His nose stung.
He knew exactly why his father was still watching his reactions even now.
Until he was forcibly sent to the Huan Continent, Su-hyeok had been a worthless son.
A bad son.
Like a late-blooming puberty, he'd often snapped at Yang Seung-bon.