Chapter 83

“Anyway, Uncle.”

Suho looked at Yoo Jinho with a decidedly serious expression.

“I really appreciate you looking out for me, but I don't think I can join that guild.”

“What? Why?”

The answer was so unexpected that Jinho genuinely couldn't understand it.

“Don't tell me you're worried about getting in through connections. Didn't you see the Hyunmoo Guild earlier? You're the only hero from yesterday's incident who's available for recruitment. It's not as if I'm installing you as guildmaster. No one will think you got the job through nepotism.”

“That's not it.”

“Then what is it?”

“I'm thinking of starting one myself.”

“What?”

For a moment, Jinho stared blankly at him.

“... Yourself? A guild, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“...”

But his bewilderment was short-lived. He closed his mouth and sank into thought, tapping his fingers against the armrest.

The Suho he knew wasn't the sort to say something like this lightly. He must have a reason for insisting on it, even if it meant turning down Jinho's offer.

Having gathered his thoughts, Jinho met Suho's eyes and spoke calmly.

“Of course, even a C-rank hunter can establish a guild, provided they meet the requirements. But it'll mean dealing with a lot of inconveniences and disadvantages.”

“I know.”

“The major guilds might throw their weight around and push you around.”

“I don't mind.”

“... I really want to know why you're doing this. Joining a good guild like everyone else would be much easier and more secure. Why go out of your way to take the hard road?”

“It would get in the way.”

“...?”

The longer their exchange went on, the more lost Jinho felt.

Yet this kind of conversation was all too familiar to him. In fact, it even felt nostalgic.

'He really is his father's son.'

Why was Suho reminding him so strongly of his missing brother-in-law today?

With a faint chuckle, Jinho asked again.

“How exactly would joining another guild get in your way?”

But the next moment, Suho's answer made his expression freeze.

“Leveling up. It would get in the way of my leveling up.”

“... What? What on earth do you...”

Just then—

WHOOSH

A black shadow rose from beneath Suho's feet once more and addressed him.

[Young Monarch, have you finally made your decision?]

“Yes. My uncle is the person I can trust most in this world.”

At Suho's firm declaration, Beru grinned.

[That... I know very well.]

Jinho himself looked utterly bewildered by what was happening.

Time had passed, but that dumbfounded expression hadn't changed a bit. Beru's smile deepened.

Beru had come to Earth because Sung Jinwoo had ordered him to break Suho's seal. More specifically, he was to restore Suho's sealed “power and memories” so that Suho could protect Earth himself.

But Jinwoo had also given Beru a few additional instructions before he departed for Earth.

[“I'll leave the rest to your discretion.”]

Since he didn't know precisely what was happening on Earth, he was giving Beru full authority to make whatever decisions and choices he deemed necessary once he arrived.

And one more thing.

[“And... 'that guy' is sure to be a great help to Suho in all sorts of ways.”]

Beru grinned.

He had immediately understood who Jinwoo meant by “that guy.”

Lackey Number One, who had followed Jinwoo everywhere back when he had been incomparably weaker than he was now.

A comrade who had steadfastly refused to betray Jinwoo, even when enemies threatened his life because of him.

[Young Monarch, use the key.]

A key was already poised in Suho's hand.

“Suho...? What's that key doing here all of a sudden?”

Rather than answer Jinho's puzzled question, Suho simply placed it in his palm.

Then...

FLASH

“...?!”

Light suddenly burst from the key, washing Jinho's vision white.

[Using 'Item: Key to the Shadow Dungeon.']

At that moment, a voice struck Jinho's mind like a thunderbolt.

[“Are you always this quiet?”]

'... Huh?'

Instinctively recognizing his own voice, Jinho startled and quickly looked around.

But there was nothing.

Nothing at all.

Suho, who had been talking to him just moments ago. The soft sofa he had been sitting on.

Everything had vanished.

All he could see was a dazzlingly white void. Jinho stood alone at its center.

Then another vivid burst of voices rang through his mind.

[“You said you're E-rank, right? I'll protect you. Just stick close to me.”]

[“... Well, thanks for the thought.”]

'Aaargh!'

Suddenly, his head felt as though it would burst. He gritted his teeth and clutched his head in both hands against the agonizing headache.

From deep within his mind, memories began unfolding in a panorama, as though his life were flashing before his eyes.

Yet the scenes were utterly unfamiliar.

His younger self was having a friendly conversation with someone.

[“Jinwoo, just twenty times! No, please come with me just nineteen times!”]

[“I have one condition.”]

[“Anything! Just say the word!”]

[“It'll be just the two of us. You and me.”]

[“What?”]

But the other person's face...

'I-it's Jinwoo! It's Jinwoo when he was young!'

That made it all the more chilling.

'Did I ever have a conversation like this with him? And E-rank? He disappeared before the Cataclysm...!'

No matter how hard he searched his memories, he had absolutely no recollection of any such conversation. The timing didn't even make sense.

And yet... why?

[“Jinho, what do you think of me?”]

[“To me, you're more of a brother than my own brother is.”]

A tear rolled down his cheek.

Why were hot tears streaming from his eyes now?

[“If you think of me as your big brother, then I'll think of you as my little brother.”]

[“J-Jinwoo! Can I give you a hug?”]

[“Hey, hey! You're drunk, you idiot!”]

[“No, Jinwoo! I've never been more sober in my life!”]

[“Hah. You really are something else.”]

'W-what is this?! What are these memories?!'

Trembling with a longing he couldn't identify, Jinho cried out at the top of his lungs.

These were memories that had never existed in the first place.

'This doesn't make sense!'

What on earth were these memories?

In those memories, he was following Sung Jinwoo into dungeons. He was watching from behind as Jinwoo hunted magic beasts.

Countless times.

Over and over.

Without end.

[“Jinwoo! Wait for me!”]

Those wondrous sights...

He had watched Jinwoo from closer than anyone else.

His greatest pride had been that someone so extraordinary considered him a little brother.

And so he had vowed, time and again, that no matter what happened, he would keep following Jinwoo forever.

And just then, the Jinwoo in his memories began to speak with a faint smile.

As always, it was the voice that signaled he was about to begin fighting in earnest.

[“Arise.”]

It was at that very moment that Suho's voice reached Jinho as he floundered in the void.

“Arise.”

“... Gasp!”

Jinho's eyes flew wide as his mind snapped back to reality.

Suho was still sitting in front of him.

But what was this?

Countless shadow soldiers stood around Suho, black vapor roiling from their bodies. Just like Jinwoo in his memories.

At that achingly familiar sight, a breathless exclamation escaped Jinho's lips.

“My God...”

At last, he remembered everything.

Everything.

* * *

“What... how on earth... Hah.”

Even after his memories returned, Jinho continued to weep for a long time.

How could he not?

Two lives. Two sets of memories.

And at their center was Sung Jinwoo, who had always been there beside him.

'Even though I'd forgotten everything... he came to find me first. Even our first meeting as freshmen wasn't a coincidence...'

[Tsk. Stop crying already. Have all those years taught you nothing?]

“Huuugh...”

[Enough!]

“Sniff, sniff.”

Beru clicked his tongue at the middle-aged Jinho, who kept blubbering no matter how much he scolded him.

Whether Jinho cried or not, Beru went on explaining everything that had happened.

That made Jinho shed another bucketful of tears. Only after a good while longer did he finally manage to calm down.

“... Ahem.”

Then came the overwhelming embarrassment.

Now that he thought about it, Suho had been sitting in front of him the entire time, leisurely sipping coffee.

“Ahem. Anyway, Suho. I understand the situation now.”

“...”

“If these Outer Gods find out the Shadow Monarch's son is living on Earth, it could put Jinwoo in a difficult position. Is that right?”

“... Yes.”

“Ahem. I see. I understand completely.”

Such was the sheer brazenness of an adult hardened by years in business.

Jinho's eyes were utterly serious as he nodded repeatedly, going over what he had learned.

CLINK

Suho set his coffee cup on the table and answered.

“That's why I want to keep as low a profile as possible until I'm strong enough not to be a weakness for my father.”

“Then you'll need to hide your identity at least until you're S-rank. Jinwoo only really started making his move once he was S-rank, too.”

Jinho nodded as he recalled those days.

“... No, actually, even S-rank wouldn't be enough.”

He sighed, remembering the final days of the forgotten world.

Even the most renowned S-rank hunters had been utterly helpless against the beings called Monarchs.

And now these new enemies, the Outer Gods, were beings of a far higher order than even those mighty Monarchs. Fear welled up within him.

“Whew. We nearly reached the end of the world back then, too, but this is on a whole other scale.”

[Still, the Outer Gods will not come to Earth in person. My liege is keeping the front door firmly barred.]

“That's a relief, at least. But there's a chance the Outer Gods' apostles have already infiltrated Earth as an advance force. So Suho has to level up while concealing his identity as much as possible.”

“To be precise, I only need to hide the fact that I'm the Shadow Monarch's son.”

“I understand that, too. You don't mind becoming known simply as Sung Suho, a human. Hmm. Obscuring the information...”

Jinho nodded several times, mulling over what Suho had told him.

“Okay! Then start your own guild, separate from our company! In return, I'll help with all the legal issues and other little details.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“However.”

He stopped short, his confident expression suddenly turning grave.

“There's one problem I absolutely can't help you with, even if I help with everything else. You'll have to overcome this one yourself.”

At his expression, Suho's gaze grew serious as well.

“What is it?”

“Whew.”

Jinho's eyes suddenly took on a distant look.

Once, a very long time ago, he had said these exact same words.

The memory of that day brought fresh tears to his eyes. Forcing them back, he calmly continued.

“To establish a guild, you need at least three hunters. A president, a vice president, and an employee.”

“Ah.”

There was a problem.