Chapter 82
Chapter 82. Oppa, I Changed My Mind
The moment Minjun uttered the name Bellium, Rokan had maintained an impassive exterior, yet internally he was utterly astonished.
‘How does Minjun even know who that is?’
Before Minjun and Sia, Rokan had feigned near-total ignorance concerning Bellium. The truth, however, was that his knowledge ran vastly deeper than he allowed them to see.
A secluded, ancient grimoire existed that solely the Dragon Lord was authorized to view. Within its pages lay a precise chronicle of Bellium’s past deeds, the reasons dragonkind had attempted to obliterate any mention of his name from history, and the hidden reality behind the day dragonkind descended upon Elysium.
Recalling the passages preserved within that ancient text, Rokan released a soft, subdued sigh. Under ordinary circumstances, Minjun never should have discovered Bellium’s existence to begin with.
Yet against all probability, an uncanny bond had linked them together anyway.
‘What sort of cruel trick is destiny playing?’
Rokan knitted his brows. It was undeniably a blessing that Minjun had emerged unharmed from beyond the gate, having grown significantly more powerful while simultaneously breaking the seals on several dormant abilities.
Even so, landing within Pangaea of all realms—and specifically inside Elysium among every location across Pangaea—only to encounter the lingering presence of that particular entity named Bellium was thoroughly unsettling.
Minjun remained oblivious to the truth, but Rokan knew it well. Because of this bizarre turn of events, Minjun had unwittingly stepped closer toward uncovering the enigma surrounding his very origins.
Yet Rokan firmly believed that unearthing such a reality would bring no peace.
‘It would serve him far better to remain unaware for the rest of his days.’
If there was any consolation, it was that Minjun had little chance of uncovering the full scope of his origins from this single encounter. Still, a creeping dread took root within Rokan’s chest.
He harbored a distinct premonition that this incident would not mark the end of such bizarre occurrences for Minjun.
Following Rokan’s departure, a brief spell of lingering tension left the space between us slightly stiff. However, it did not take long before Sia and I fell right back into our usual, easy banter.
[Oppa, where are you sleeping tonight?]
“To tell you the truth, I haven’t reserved anything. It was such an impromptu getaway that I just intended to wander wherever the wind took me and grab a room somewhere when night fell. But considering everything that just happened…”
My original plan had been to spend the day exploring aimlessly and duck into whatever nearby inn or guesthouse caught my eye once evening arrived, but the day’s events had derailed everything so thoroughly that I hadn’t even secured a bed.
[If it weren’t for that restriction hanging over us, you could’ve just stayed at my place. What a pity.]
“Tell me about it. That would’ve been perfect.”
Sia’s lair happened to be situated on Jeju Island too, which made the missed opportunity sting even more. Since the hour was already turning late, I decided it made the most sense to spend the night here at her grandfather’s lair, travel back to Jeju in the morning, and pick up my vacation from there.
I had traveled all the way down to Jeju specifically to clear my mind, so rushing straight back to Seoul at this point would have felt like a complete defeat.
[By the way, Oppa, how many days are you planning to spend around Jeju?]
“Hmm, I haven’t really settled on a number. I didn’t set a hard itinerary. The plan was just to head home once I felt completely refreshed. What about you, Sia? Didn’t you mention you wanted to take a trip of your own to clear your head?”
Now that I considered it, the whole reason I had ended up on Jeju in the first place stemmed from Rokan advising Sia to go somewhere peaceful for a change of pace. When she agreed, I figured I should take the opportunity to clear my own thoughts as well, which led me straight down south.
So many unsettling things had transpired lately that Sia’s emotional state had been thrown completely off balance.
[I do want to travel… but nowhere really stands out to me. Where would you go? Oppa, do you have any good suggestions?]
“Let me think about that. Where would be ideal?”
As we tossed ideas back and forth about potential travel spots, a sudden thought struck me.
“Sia, you can still take your personal trip to unwind, but separately from that… since we’re both here anyway, what would you think about spending a single day together on Jeju?”
Under ordinary circumstances, it was an invitation Sia would have accepted without a moment’s hesitation. Yet I knew full well that, considering everything that had transpired between us lately, facing me in person might still feel overwhelming for her.
There was that terrifying moment at the Tomb of Dragon Swords when she lost control during our date and nearly took my life. Soon after, another woman had pulled me aside and shamelessly tried to seduce me.
Both occurrences had deeply rattled us, leaving Sia crushed under an unbearable burden of remorse. Standing before me and pretending everything was perfectly fine was probably still agonizing for her.
That was undoubtedly why Rokan had advised us to spend time apart, letting fresh air clear our minds while we sorted through our feelings.
Just as I anticipated, Sia showed a faint sign of hesitation. She was putting on a brave face, but the scars from that harrowing day clearly hadn’t faded away entirely.
Even so, there was no harm in speaking openly, so I laid bare my honest thoughts.
“During those days I spent marooned in that other realm, the possibility that I might never see you again tore at my heart. But if you’re still not ready for this, I truly understand and respect that.”
In all honesty, every night before sleep claimed me in Elysium, thoughts of Sia filled my mind almost as much as the baffling secrets of that lost civilization and my own identity. I had slowly come to comprehend, in an indirect way, the sheer turmoil Sia must have endured immediately following her reincarnation, and the deeper my understanding grew, the more desperately I longed to be near her.
If circumstances allowed, I wanted nothing more than to pull her close right this second. Yet I also recognized that pushing for that might place too heavy an emotional burden on her shoulders.
Once I poured out what had been weighing on my heart, Sia slightly parted her lips as if to speak, but caught herself and bowed her head low. Looking closely, I could see a soft flush gradually spreading across her cheeks.
Eventually, as if gathering all her resolve, she spoke in a delicate, hesitant tone.
[To be honest, Oppa… I was fully intending to avoid seeing you for about two weeks. I thought the ache would be too overwhelming if I kept dwelling on you.]
“I completely understand. I probably would’ve felt the exact same way in your shoes. If speaking over the phone is all you want right now—”
[That was what I intended at first, but I changed my mind.]
What changed her mind was entirely what had just happened to me beyond the gate.
[It might sound strange, but something unexpected could happen tomorrow and rob us of the chance to ever see each other again. So we ought to be together as much as we possibly can while the chance is right in front of us, don’t you think?]
Sia offered me that radiantly pure, bright smile that belonged entirely to her. The second it appeared, the heavy knot in my chest completely dissolved.
She had clearly begun to heal from the pain of that previous incident if she could embrace my invitation so willingly.
With our plans settled, we eagerly threw ourselves into mapping out our upcoming date. We were happily debating which spots to visit when Rokan stepped back out from his study.
“Ah, Sir Rokan.”
“From the look of things, it appears you two have been coordinating an outing.”
“Yes, we were.”
“I figured as much.”
Despite his calm remark, a warm smile curved Rokan’s lips, clearly pleased to see us getting along so harmoniously.
“On another note, Minjun. I didn’t get the opportunity to bring it up earlier, but I can distinctly tell that your prowess has grown noticeably compared to before.”
“Yes. I’ve been feeling the difference myself.”
Aside from gaining access to the Stealth technique, likely because I had absorbed Bellium’s Tear, I could vividly feel that my raw power had risen significantly compared to the past.
“From my rough appraisal, you seem to have attained a level comparable to an A-rank.”
“An A-rank?”
I was fully aware I had grown stronger, but reaching a realm equivalent to an A-rank Hunter was something I had never anticipated. It felt like merely moments had passed since the evaluation board had bumped me up to B-rank.
Could someone’s combat strength truly skyrocket this rapidly under ordinary rules?
[No way! Oppa, that’s unbelievable! How on earth did your strength jump so high that quickly?!]
“Thanks, Sia. I… honestly can barely wrap my head around it either.”
[A growth rate like that is completely absurd! Hehe, that’s my Oppa for you!]
Sia wholeheartedly celebrated my immense leap forward. Rokan observed us with an approving expression before offering an additional thought.
“At any rate, while we still need to take precise measurements, it appears the duration you two can remain together has also expanded.”
[Truly?!]
The instant she registered that we could spend more time in each other’s presence, Sia’s eyes sparkled with excitement. It was hard to imagine this was the exact same girl who had been weeping uncontrollably merely an hour ago.
[By how much? Grandpa, how much more time do we get together?]
“We’ll have to test it properly to determine the exact figure, but based on my preliminary judgment… perhaps an extra hour each week.”
[Hehe.]
A radiant, joyful beam spread across Sia’s face, and seeing her so thrilled naturally coaxed a smile onto my own lips.
“We ought to cross swords once so I can accurately gauge the extent of your improvement, though tonight might not be ideal. Having endured several days in an unfamiliar world, your priority should be resting from the journey. Then by tomorrow… ah, that reminds me. Minjun, you were right in the middle of a vacation.”
Caught up in the rush of events, I had momentarily forgotten that prior to getting dragged into the dimensional gate, I had been roaming solo across Jeju Island. Perhaps hoping not to disrupt my itinerary, Rokan suggested holding off on our duel until I returned home.
However, things had already gone so completely off the rails that adding another odd detour made no real difference.
“I’m perfectly fine with handling it tonight. I don’t feel nearly as drained as you’d think, and there are things I want to discuss with Sia anyway. If it works for you, Sir Rokan, I’d prefer to spar tonight.”
The timing didn’t particularly matter to me, but I genuinely wanted to measure the full extent of my new capabilities. Furthermore, knowing the exact amount of additional time I could spend with Sia would give me a clear baseline for organizing our future dates.
Noticing the firm resolve in my eyes, Rokan gave a brief nod.
“If you have no qualms, then so be it. We will proceed tonight.”
After finishing my first proper meal since returning to our world, I made my way to the Garden of Dragon Swords alongside Rokan.
“Sir Rokan, how far along are the restoration efforts?”
I had heard through the grapevine that the interior grounds of the Garden of Dragon Swords had suffered devastating destruction during Sia’s wild rampage and would demand considerable time to mend. Yet the progress must have moved far quicker than projected, since Rokan wouldn’t have brought me here if no portion of the grounds was functional.
“The perimeter has been fully restored. The interior sector—where you previously conducted your training—remains unfinished. Even so, that area should likely be fully reconstructed within a week.”
That implied practicing in the deepest chamber was out of the question for now, but the somber outer perimeter where countless blades stood driven into the earth remained sturdy enough to host a light exhibition match.
“You must have had your hands full dealing with all the damage.”
“Not at all. As I mentioned before, I am merely grateful to you for easing Shasha’s torment. Follow me.”
I walked behind Rokan into the expanse of the Garden of Dragon Swords. Passing through the entrance, I cast my gaze across the surroundings and noted that, likely because this outer ring had escaped the worst of Sia’s fury, the scenery appeared largely unchanged from my prior visit.
“Do not approach this session as an intense training regimen. We are merely going to evaluate how much you have advanced and leave it at that.”
“Understood.”
I drew my blade, and Rokan quickly produced a wooden practice sword from his side.
“We will only trade enough strikes to assess your current tier. Ten minutes will be more than adequate.”
Rokan lifted his wooden weapon and settled fluidly into his combat stance.
“I will grant you precisely ten minutes. Come at me with every ounce of power at your command.”
He had never approached our typical sparring drills with such constraints, making the entire setup feel remarkably novel and intriguing. Usually, his training sessions were ruthless grinds that pushed me until I was gasping for oxygen and heaving on the verge of throwing up before he finally called a halt.
“Understood.”
For these next ten minutes, I had only one objective: obey Rokan’s directive and lash out with my blade using all the strength I possessed.
“Within these ten minutes, Sir Rokan, I’ll make even your spine shiver.”
“Very well. Show me what you can do.”
Seemingly amused by my brazen confidence, Rokan chuckled softly and leveled the point of his wooden blade directly toward me.
“Begin.”
The split second Rokan’s command rang out, I threw the full weight of my body into a furious slash.
FWOOSH!
The electrifying jolt vibrating through my fingers, paired with the proud, satisfied smirk across Rokan’s features, reinforced just how dramatically my combat strength had surged. The innate draconic power churning within my veins surged directly toward the blade’s edge with an instinctual fluidity that felt entirely effortless.
Without a second’s pause, I drove forward into another strike, and as the steel cut through the air, that same enigmatic radiance I had witnessed back in Elysium flared into existence.
It resembled an expanse of celestial galaxies drifting through a midnight expanse, countless luminous motes shimmering within a swirling, dark abyss. The moment Rokan caught sight of my transformed Sword Aura, an appreciative gleam sparked in his eyes, and he effortlessly deflected my blade aside.
“It appears I will have to bring a far sturdier weapon the next time we cross paths in combat.”
Hearing those words sent a surge of pure exhilaration racing through my veins, but it was far too early to rest on my laurels. A simple rise in raw physical might wasn’t the only asset I had carried back across the threshold.
I was now capable of releasing Dragon Fear as well. While its potency might not yet be overwhelming, the simple fact that I could manifest it at all represented an astronomical leap forward.
Summoning the memory of that raw sensation from earlier, I drew upon every shred of power dwelling inside me and unleashed the crushing weight of Dragon Fear directly toward Rokan.
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