HG | Chapter 36

How could an F-rank display the skills of an S-rank?

Regarding the cause, Cheonghyeon could only speculate on the most likely possibility. Perhaps it was because Hakyung was his partner. Beyond that, there was no other plausible explanation.

A ‘partner’ is often described as a pair of souls split into two.

Since they were originally one soul, they could be influenced by each other’s abilities even without marking. If a temporary grade adjustment occurred based on the grade of the ‘only person they could guide,’ the hypothesis that their skills could improve beyond normal carried weight.

Hakyung was F-rank. In other words, among billions of people, there was only one person with a matching wavelength.

If that hypothesis were true, especially for an F-rank whose wavelength wouldn’t scatter elsewhere….

‘…Could they become EX-rank limited to their partner?’

It was a terrifying conclusion.

Cheonghyeon tightly sealed his lips, fearing his speculation might leak out.

‘Commonly known S-rank guides have a wide range of wavelengths they can cover.’

That’s why S-ranks had a higher chance of finding a ‘partner’ than other ranks. Generally, their wavelengths overlapped to some extent.

Thinking about it the other way around led to this conclusion.

‘Because there are so many with overlapping wavelengths, they can’t fully utilize their skills even if they find the perfect partner….’

That was the case with Seonyeon. She was the most outstanding S-rank guide in Korea, recognized by everyone. When dealing one-on-one, it took less than 5 minutes to reach a ‘complete recovery’ state, and the range her wavelength extended during group recovery was truly astonishing.

Yet, when guiding her partner, Juhyeong, she was particularly selective about the location. She preferred places where there were no other espers, or if there were, they were far enough not to be affected by the wavelength. In her words, it was ‘unnecessarily mixed.’

The subject of that mixing was likely ‘wavelength.’

He remembered the day when the dungeon conquest dragged on, and they couldn’t isolate themselves. Her face turned pale in real-time. Even if she didn’t want to use guiding energy, it was hard to endure calmly because all sorts of esper energy around her were trying to absorb the guiding energy.

In such a situation, more energy and effort were needed to bring the partner to a ‘complete recovery’ state.

In short, it was the difference between wide and shallow guiding versus narrow and deep guiding.

“…I see. So that’s how it was.”

Cheonghyeon finally reached a conclusion.

The child on his back. The world dismissed him as a useless F-rank, but he was his own S-rank. And the world didn’t know that fact.

“Haha….”

“……Father?”

“Hakyung. Im Hakyung.”

My child, so beautiful it drives me crazy.

My guide.

Cheonghyeon couldn’t suppress the smile that crept onto his lips. Where else could there be a greater surprise? It wasn’t just a couple of humans; he had given the world a delightful shock.

“Um… I’m sorry for eating alone. Would you like some cookies?”

“No. It’s not that, child. Eat a lot. Should I give you some of mine?”

As he asked, Cheonghyeon moved one of the hands supporting Hakyung’s bottom to take out his share of cookies and handed them back. He found it cute that his son had packed them neatly in his pocket, so he didn’t stop him. If he had known, he would have brought the whole box.

“…Thank you, I’ll enjoy it….”

The small, shy voice tickled Cheonghyeon’s neck. He felt a thrilling pleasure, goosebumps rising from the sensation. It had been a long time since he felt his hair stand on end.

He was delighted. He kept laughing because he was so happy. Eventually, he sighed instead of laughing.

“What should I do with this beautiful thing….”

He was already a lovely child with nothing lacking, but even his core and soul were truly his. It was a destiny decided before he was born.

Since acknowledging Hakyung as his lover, Cheonghyeon had become a firm believer in fate. According to that fate, he became his son’s lover and discovered his guide.

Ironically, even Hakyung didn’t know the secret of his abilities. Others certainly wouldn’t know.

Only his partner, Im Cheonghyeon, himself knew the truth.

Having a secret known only to himself in the world was quite an amusing feeling. He hummed a tune and slowed his pace. He wanted his son to enjoy a leisurely dessert time.

“Is it tasty?”

“Um… a little.”

It must be very tasty. The sound of the butter cookie crumbling in Hakyung’s mouth was sweet.

More than anything, seeing the child, who usually put down his spoon quickly, actively seek food moved Cheonghyeon. For Hakyung, the dungeon outing was not just an outing but exercise and a source of appetite.

“Seeing Hakyung eat well makes me feel like I’m flying.”

Cough! Hakyung stopped eating the cookie and pounded his chest. Cheonghyeon took out a water bottle with one hand and handed it over.

“You should eat slowly, child.”

Living long enough to say such nagging words…. That’s why they say you should live long.

Finding this situation fascinating, Cheonghyeon focused on the sound of his son swallowing food.

Gulp, gulp.

The child swallowed water in small, cute amounts, just like himself.

‘When should I bring him again?’

He pondered purely as a father. He muttered to himself, fearing he might surprise his son.

‘Will he get tired of coming here every day?’

In his heart, he wanted to bring him here every day for exercise. If he got tired of Haegakryeong, they could find another dungeon. If he didn’t like Korea, they could jump into an unknown dungeon abroad. There were many dungeons in the world, and if they left Korea, Hakyung might feel more at ease.

Various routes began to form in Cheonghyeon’s mind. The original purpose of ‘light guiding practice’ was long gone. His mind was filled with the dilemma of ‘how to bring Hakyung to the dungeon every day.’

“Hoo….”

Before long, Hakyung, who had calmed down, neatly wrapped the remaining cookies and put them in the front pocket of his vest. His face was slightly flushed.

‘He ate four in an instant.’

There were six cookies in total, three for each of them. Since there wasn’t anything suitable to replenish calories in the dungeon, he had packed them just in case. Neither he nor his father had a particular hobby for snacking, but when choosing small and convenient foods that fit in a pocket, cookies naturally became the choice.

He had packed them with that intention, but he ended up eating them all in the blink of an eye. He was so busy chewing and swallowing that he even choked.

Why was he suddenly so hungry? It was a mystery to Hakyung as well. With the amount of energy he used, he should be collapsing from hunger, not just hungry.

In any case, this kind of hunger was a first. Tired, hungry, wanting to lie down.

Hakyung blushed under his eyes and clung to his father’s back like a seven-year-old child. It felt like being carried back home after playing excitedly at the playground. Of course, it wasn’t a playground now, and they weren’t going back, but still.

“Hakyung, how was it coming to the dungeon? Was it fun?”

“……Yes. It was fun.”

Is it over now? Are we going back?

Hakyung cautiously responded, his face briefly lighting up. He was confident he would fall asleep within 10 minutes if he went back, took a clean shower, and lay in bed.

“Then there’s something I want to test… can you do it?”

“Huh?”

So we’re not going back…?

Hakyung huddled his shoulders on his father’s back. His ambiguous stamina, which should have made him faint, made him tremble inside. Moreover, the energy was faintly but steadily replenishing, as if to pay for the cookies he just ate, making him want to cry even more.

‘P-Please, just faint…!’

Im Hakyung, you’re a weakling. You were…!

His father’s voice was deep and sensual, just like when he coaxed him for one last time after a long session of sex.

Hakyung ignored his trembling stomach and asked.

“W-What kind of t-test is it?”

“There are no monsters here. I’m curious if you can recognize this contaminated land as a ‘status abnormality’ and purify it.”

“Ah…. If it’s that….”

Cheonghyeon’s curiosity was understandable. Hakyung became curious as well.

‘Is it possible to purify only the status abnormality, not through guiding?’

Though it was only twice, the targets the skill recognized so far were all people. Even those with unmatched wavelengths were included as targets because they were espers.

Hakyung had focused on guiding all day, but it was a stretch to say he had fully explored the skill.

What were the limits of this skill?

The confirmed fact was that the skill didn’t activate when ‘Im Hakyung,’ the caster, suffered ‘physical damage’ outside the dungeon.

“…Okay, I’ll try.”

“Let me know when you’re ready.”

“I’m fine now. You can put me down.”

Though he was reluctant to leave the comfortable place, Hakyung maturely sorted out his emotions. Cheonghyeon put him down without asking twice.

“From here to there, to the north.”

“Yes…!”

They stood in the middle of the old Eunpyeong-gu. Going left led to another city, and going straight right led to the old Jongno-gu. Cheonghyeon pointed to the northern end of Eunpyeong-gu. What’s over there? Hakyung tilted his head and knelt on one knee on the ground.

Black earth.

Having left the purified land while being carried by Cheonghyeon, the texture of the earth he touched was dry and brittle. It felt like touching the cracked ground of an old drought area.

“I’ll start.”

Hakyung placed both palms on the ground and took a deep breath. He drew the now familiar energy and concentrated it at his fingertips. Then a familiar system window occupied his retina.

※Status Abnormality※

An abnormal phenomenon is detected around the caster, activating the <Regeneration: Recovery> skill. To which target would you like to apply the skill?

▶Haegakryeong-8th Zone

“I-It works. Dad, the system window popped up…! Haegakryeong, 8th Zone!”

As if he had never been tired, Hakyung recited the activation phrase in an excited voice.

Vroom-.

Suddenly, he felt the ground vibrating.

Come to think of it, what part does ‘8th Zone’ refer to? Hakyung, who didn’t know how the zones within the dungeon were divided or the area of each zone, was belatedly flustered.

Rumble-!

“W-What’s that sound?”

It wasn’t an illusion.

“There.”

Hakyung, who had risen awkwardly, turned around at the touch on his shoulder. Looking where Cheonghyeon pointed,

“……!”

The land previously purified. From the boundary with the black earth, the green land a few meters away vibrated slightly. More precisely, it seemed to vibrate. The reason soon became clear.

“D-Dad, the ground…!”

“…It’s turning over.”

Though his voice was rather monotonous, the sharp gleam in his golden eyes was filled with undeniable excitement.

From afar, the black earth crumbled and turned over, replaced by moist dark brown soil and sprouts. The broad range changed uniformly, making it feel like the ground was vibrating.

“……”

He couldn’t even utter a word of admiration. Hakyung stiffened, overwhelmed by the sight. It was a moment where he faced the effect of the skill, his power, head-on, beyond just guiding Cheonghyeon.

“My goodness….”

All he could see was sprouts, soil, new land.

If you only looked here, it seemed like the ‘primordial land’ before monsters covered it, even further back before buildings were erected. Like the land of a distant past, filled only with grass, trees, and fresh air.

“This is… truly unexpected.”

Cheonghyeon murmured lowly. His gaze had been fixed on one spot for a while. Somewhere north, beyond Hakyung’s sight.

“Hakyung.”

As if he had made a decision, Cheonghyeon, with his lips firmly set, grasped Hakyung’s shoulders.

“Do you want to see the house you lived in as a baby, Hakyung?”

He saw potential in the child’s skill and finally found it.

Cheonghyeon had discovered the house where Hakyung lived with his parents. It was located in the northern corner of Eunpyeong-gu. Once a home for four people under the name of family.

It was a place they had never found, just like the missing bodies. It was only revealed now because the barrier broke when Hakyung’s power reached it.

Until now, he believed that Juhyeong and Seonyeon’s house had been destroyed without a trace. In reality, the surrounding area was a ruin, as if bombed. Unlike the monster lair, this area had relatively intact buildings, but only the area near the house was completely reduced to powder. Whether it was due to monsters or humans.

Hakyung looked shocked. The old house was an unexpected topic.

But soon, he swallowed dryly and gently grasped Cheonghyeon’s sleeve.

“…Let’s go.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Cheonghyeon sincerely thanked Hakyung. In his life, which had been nothing but destruction, Hakyung was the purified land, the new sprout.

As if trying to solve Im Cheonghyeon’s ‘status abnormality,’ the warm sunlight poured down.

I really did choose a good name for the child….

The child the world abandoned was precious beyond measure to him. So he raised him as the most precious child in the world. As a result, this small sprout grew, becoming a jewel visible only to him, as if saying, ‘I am truly Dad’s precious child.’

In a way, Cheonghyeon had successfully raised his child.

Otherwise, the fruit he finally tasted couldn’t be sweeter than this.

“Child, let’s embrace Dad.”

“Ugh….”

Hakyung, with cheeks blushing like a peach, opened his arms. Just as he was ready to embrace like a child, an unexpected notification window blocked their view.

《 SYSTEM 》

The commander is enraged. A monster rush will begin in some areas.

《 SYSTEM 》

To stop the monster rush, calm or defeat the commander.

“Dad…!”

“The commander’s rage….”

A chilling coldness swirled in the deep golden eyes.

‘Commander? What is this guy?’

Even after 17 years of coming and going to Haegakryeong, it was an existence he had never heard of.

The dungeon’s structure was quite simple. The boss monster and countless monsters below it. That was all.

There might be grade differences among the monsters, but aside from that, there was no hierarchy among the monsters except for the boss. The intelligence of monsters meant recognizing their kind, gathering together, and having experiential knowledge for hunting prey, but it wasn’t at the level of forming a specific hierarchy like humans.

But now, at this timing, a commander appeared?

‘This is strangely unsettling….’

Presumably, it wouldn’t have authority comparable to a boss monster. The phrase ‘in some areas’ was evidence.

Unfortunately, his thoughts had to end there.

Thud, thud, thud!

“They’re coming.”

A horde of monsters charged, raising a dust storm.

Indeed, the scale was much smaller than before. Of course, it was a monster rush, so all sorts of species were mixed. Despite taking a long detour, seeing even the giant monsters rushing in blackened his smooth forehead.

“I’ll have to get you somewhere high, child.”

“Y-Yes…!”

Hakyung, pale as a sheet, clung to Cheonghyeon. It was a natural reaction, believing he would soon take him to a safe place.

‘B-But… then… the house?’

At that moment, a sudden question arose.

‘If Dad found it, the house must be nearby…. If the monsters rush in like that, won’t it all be destroyed?’

At that moment, what dominated Hakyung’s mind was Cheonghyeon’s expression. The serious look in his eyes as he held his shoulders and made the proposal.

‘All this time, Dad must have been… looking for that house.’

It was very easy to deduce up to that point. It was rare for the man, who was usually playful or smiling in front of Hakyung, to have such a stern expression.

The decision was quick.

“Hakyung?”

Cheonghyeon called out in a puzzled tone as Hakyung suddenly lay on the ground, placing his palms down.

The monsters were now close enough to be clearly visible to Hakyung’s eyes.

“Dad….”

Hakyung looked up at Cheonghyeon with trembling eyes, then turned his gaze forward again, focusing his eyes.

‘I have to do it.’

He wanted to return the old house to his father. The energy, filled with that desire, burst forth.

Thud, thud, thud, thud-.

‘Hurry… system window, hurry and appear…!’

Perhaps squeezing out every last bit of strength, the awaited system window appeared before Hakyung’s eyes.

※Status Abnormality※

An abnormal phenomenon is detected around the caster, activating the <Regeneration: Recovery> skill. To which target would you like to apply the skill?

▶Haegakryeong-8th Zone
▶Haegakryeong-Monster Rush

Hakyung tightly closed his eyes and shouted.

“Monster Rushhhh-!”