Things to Clean Up
City.
Vroooom! Kang Jun-seok flinched and stepped back from the street. A car powered by magic stone energy roared past him down the road.
A car... He watched the automobiles and motorcycles speeding by with fresh wonder.
Seoul's downtown was filled with towering skyscrapers piercing the sky, and the streets were impeccably clean and orderly. People hurried along their paths, eyes glued to their smartphones.
"Haha." Standing right in the middle of it all, Kang Jun-seok burst out laughing.
"Hahaha. This is real."
In the past, this city had been utterly devastated. Intact buildings were rare, and death hung heavy on every face.
"Hahaha..." Without realizing it, he spread his arms wide toward the sky.
This city's landscape infinitely resembled the days when he was just an ordinary college student long ago. Perhaps that endless war had all been for this moment.
Countless years flashed through his mind. Fallen comrades, people he had protected. Time flowed on and on, and the world had returned to its original state.
To this era of peace he had so desperately longed for!
Hello there, sun! Tilting his head back to bask in the downtown sunlight, he rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and cleared his throat awkwardly.
Suddenly, his gaze fell on a nameless flower blooming from a crack in the brick wall by the roadside. He stared at it for a long while.
-Sorry.
Daejeon. The Lebadon family estate was silent. Kang Jun-seok stood atop the city's tallest building, gazing down below.
-Feel free to resent me.
Kang-ho had informed him of Kang Tae-yong's death.
Tae-yong's gone.
Kang Tae-yong. His twin brother. The guy had never lacked talent. But he was always anxious comparing himself to Kang Jun-seok, building up an inferiority complex. The news of his twin's death—someone he'd always felt sorry for—filled him with deep regret.
For some reason, he stared bitterly at the Lebadon building below.
-He was consumed by the Eternal Crystal from the Demon Realm.
The Eternal Crystal from the Demon Realm. Kang Jun-seok knew its dangers all too well.
Even from this distance, his vision was like a telescope, clearly picking out every ant on the mansion grounds.
Lebadon. One of Korea's four great noble houses, renowned as a magical lineage.
To the public, Kang Tae-yong's death was top secret, so the nominal head was still the Wind God Kang Tae-yong. But the real power lay with his code name, Rune Master—Kang Tae-hoon.
Tae-yong's fourth son, was it?
Someone emerged from inside the mansion. A man who looked utterly exhausted.
He knew at a glance.
The spitting image.
A bitter smile crossed Kang Jun-seok's face as he looked at the boy who resembled his brother so closely.
Ever since Kang-ho had awakened his heart, he could see the essence of targets. Kang Jun-seok was the same. He too was a master of the heart.
In his eyes, Kang Tae-hoon's essence was visible. The mana drifting around him was like pure streams of blue water.
Kang Tae-hoon suddenly noticed the man who had appeared before him in a split second, too fast to detect.
"......!"
The moment he saw him, he knew.
"Y-You're..."
His father's twin brother, whom he often spoke of! Kang Tae-hoon had seen him frequently in his father's old photos.
He still looked as young as in those pictures. "You're... my father's brother, aren't you?"
The man stared silently before nodding slowly.
Suddenly, he extended his hand.
Shrrk! Something formed in the air like a door opening to another space.
"......!"
Inside was a bizarre realm—a vast plain filled with desolate earth, weapons endlessly stabbed into the ground.
At Kang Jun-seok's gesture, two weapons flew out from the earth.
Both were daggers radiating immense magic stone energy—artifacts.
Then.
Ziiing! The magic sword at Kang Tae-hoon's waist resonated.
It was the blade he'd acquired after slaying the boss Antaras in a southern raid dungeon long ago.
"There are three magic swords of Antaras," Kang Jun-seok said softly. "When all three gather..."
Ziiing!
The three swords converged, transforming into a single longsword.
"They become a completed artifact."
"......"
Kang Tae-hoon stared at the blade, now emanating far more overwhelming mana.
"I'm sorry," Kang Jun-seok murmured, handing it to his brother's son. "Everything your father—my brother—did, what made him that way, what he lost... it's all my fault."
When Kang Jun-seok visited Bukhansan, Park Jun-woo, who had laid the fainted King in the shade, waved.
"You're looking healthy now."
"Ah, my body's fine."
His wounds had fully healed. His body was back to its robust state, but the problem was his core.
Ziiing. The mana lost in the battle with Kang-ho hadn't recovered much, and the regeneration was painfully slow. It would take considerable time.
Park Jun-woo plopped down in the shade at Bukhansan's summit. As Kang Jun-seok sat beside him, he grinned.
"The world's changed a lot, huh?"
"Sure has."
He hesitated before adding, "I stopped by Lebadon."
"I see."
Park Jun-woo didn't pry. He knew all about the Lebadon family.
Instead, he pulled a soju bottle from his waist.
"Want some?"
"Yeah."
He took a swig, the burn sliding down his throat.
"Still love soju, I see."
"My tastes have always been cheap."
The two friends chuckled.
Kang Jun-seok's gaze turned to the fainted King. His eyes deepened.
"That kid, huh."
"Yeah."
King. Real name, Park Sung-jun. Another son of his brother Kang Tae-yong.
Kang Jun-seok had heard about him from Kang-ho, and his face grew rueful.
"Lots to clean up, right?"
Park Jun-woo's question drew a nod. "Yeah."
"Not your fault."
"...Can't say that."
Park Jun-woo eyed him steadily before speaking. "Heard you saw the Demon Realm. I know the story, but it still feels unreal."
Kang Jun-seok had shared the long tale with his friends.
Suddenly, he looked up at the sky. "Yeah."
A clear, azure sky. A restored peaceful Earth.
Yet, encounters with unknown beings anew.
Many things had ended. And an incomplete world where many more might begin loomed.
Kang Jun-seok knew many broken things could never be fixed.
But those that could, he'd try his utmost.
"That kid."
For starters, him.
"He keeping up with full course?"
"Why? Gonna train him yourself?"
"If you'll allow it."
"Suits me fine."
Park Jun-woo grinned and nodded.
The two friends looked at the fainted King.
His backers are getting ridiculous.
Park Jun-woo thought.
Kang-ho, undoubtedly among the world's strongest, stood firmly behind King. And now, with the richest man's patronage and this guy on Kang-ho's level.
Who else is this lucky?
Returning home, Theo screamed involuntarily.
[Oh shit.]
There was a monster in the house.
Bam! The door slammed shut, then opened again as Theo reentered.
[Whoa, still not used to this.]
Kang Jun-seok was inside.
Baal! The monster who had turned his summoned beasts into bone piles. Seeing him made Theo shiver uncontrollably.
Theo bolted behind Kang-ho and hid.
Kang Jun-seok stared at him quietly before slowly rising.
[N-No, stay seated and talk.]
"......"
Kang Jun-seok bowed politely to Theo.
"I'm truly sorry for what happened in the Demon Realm."
[Eek! Creepy... don't even use formal speech!]
Theo freaked out. Baal speaking politely felt like ants crawling all over him.
Kang-ho smiled wryly. "For damaging your territory and summoned beasts, causing such great harm, I apologize once more. I'll use every means at my disposal to compensate..."
[......]
Theo glanced at Kang-ho.
[What do I do?]
Kang-ho shrugged. "Do whatever you want."
[......]
Theo hesitated before asking Kang-ho again.
[Can I hit him?]
"Go ahead."
[Kill him?]
"Spare me that."
[Hm.]
Theo crossed his arms, squinting.
[Fine, since Kang-ho asked nicely, I'll let that slide.]
Kang Jun-seok blinked.
[Just two big hits then.]
"Take whatever you want, no mercy."
Theo nodded at Kang-ho's words.
[Heard that?]
Kang Jun-seok stared at Theo before nodding. "Yes."
[Drop the formal crap. And come out here.]
Theo led the way out. Kang-ho followed with a pocket whiskey bottle, watching like it was entertaining.
Roooar!
Theo's completed Father skeleton was summoned.
Kang Jun-seok stood before it.
[......]
Theo stared him down.
-Theo Itilurg Gamigin.
The gloomy Demon Realm sky echoed in his mind. The barren land flashing with thunderclouds.
The day all his summoned beasts became bone piles, even his sturdy Father shattered!
Memories of nearly dying to that guy haunted his dreams, leaving him in cold sweats.
-Become fertilizer for that path.
The merciless chant of Baal, now like this.
Theo tilted his head, glaring for a long time.
Crashing on Earth, he'd met many people. Confused by unfamiliar feelings absent in the Demon Realm, but now this world suited him well.
"Theo?"
Seol-a came running, grabbing Kang-ho's hand tightly.
That little one too, huffing Furball too. King blowing up joyfully at Bukhansan, even monster-like Kang-ho.
[You're lucky.]
They had changed Theo.
Or maybe I'm the lucky one.
So, Theo shouted at Father.
[Go, Father!]
Shwoooosh!
Theo's completed Father charged Kang Jun-seok, brimming with all his mana.
Kwaaaang!
The massive power swung a heavy fist.
[This is for shattered Father!]
Baaaam!
The terrifying impact echoed. Father's fist to Kang Jun-seok's brow sent him flying far away.
Theo followed, looking down at Kang Jun-seok tumbling across the snowy field.
He raised his clenched fist.
[......]
But soon smiled wryly.
[This is for me.]
Theo lightly tapped Kang Jun-seok's cheek with his fist—tok—then offered his hand.
"......"
Kang Jun-seok looked up, grasped the hand, and stood.
[Don't get the wrong idea.]
"......Yes."
Theo's face scrunched at the reply.
[I'm gonna squeeze every last bit out of you, idiot.]
With that, he turned and stormed off.