Yoonjeong looked toward the path leading to the eerily deserted harbor.
The only thing shimmering was the white pendant Shia had given her, making Yoonjeong ponder whether this was how young boys felt when being dragged off to the army.
Hmm… maybe it won’t be so bad… No way, that can’t be true.
No, she already knew it was pointless to think like that.
She had long since sensed that the San Guild was suspicious.
What seemed like simple recruitment, coupled with outrageous conditions, confirmed her doubts.
The fact they were willing to recruit her using the massive debt her parents owed indicated that recruitment was no longer the main issue.
It was close to kidnapping when lives were at stake, and it was ridiculous to mock people under the guise of interchange hunters or recruitment.
“Get off.”
“…….”
See? Earlier, they acted as if they’d empty their guts for her, but now that they felt secure, their attitudes flipped like a coin.
“…….”
“Move quickly. The ship is about to depart.”
Ugh, what is their plot?
She’d suspected since the beginning that it couldn’t be good, and now she was experiencing it firsthand.
Yoonjeong felt as though she had been kidnapped by some criminal organization, destined to sell off her organs.
Thanks to that, her imagination ran wild.
They mentioned something about being a suitable candidate earlier… What if they really plan to sell my organs?
Considering the possibility wasn’t far-fetched.
Even before the Great Rift, China’s immense population led to people being treated like expendable goods, giving rise to human trafficking and organ trafficking rings.
Haven’t there been countless crime movies about such things in the past?
Maybe a high-ranking San Guild executive—or perhaps their leader—had fallen ill, and to treat that incurable disease, they needed to select ‘suitable candidates’ with stringent physical criteria for organ transplants.
Oh, come on…
At this point, chasing such absurd thoughts was a symptom of illness.
Yoonjeong shook off her anxiety, promising to keep her wits about her.
The San Guild’s massive vessel was overwhelmingly large.
It was bigger than most cruise ships. Inside, Awakened Ones in red uniforms quietly went about their duties.
‘……….’
Yet with every step Yoonjeong took, it felt as though she were weighed down, making it hard to move.
Once I pass through here, it’ll be the end, won’t it…?
She had dropped out of school and had no friends due to her hunter activities.
She felt no particular attachment to her biological parents who sold her out.
She didn’t even know her neighbors’ faces.
She would probably miss the middle-aged guys from the Sanwool Guild.
But she wouldn’t ever want to see that obnoxious Sanwool Guild master again.
Change could be delightful, but…
Losing one’s ‘self’ was an incredibly frustrating and dreadful curse.
Yoonjeong had felt that sense twice in her life.
Once when she died and was reborn, and now, at this very moment.
Yet surprisingly, she felt no lingering attachments…
Well, by their arrangement, if she went to China with all that money and support, her life might be much easier.
It might be a chance to rise above being a lifetime D-grade hunter. She could receive proper support and training and could possibly aim for a higher-grade hunter course.
But…
Shia…..
There was just one thing.
Just one thing that kept her tied.
Was it attachment?
Or was it even possible to call it attachment?
Regardless of how it played out,
Whatever the reason,
She had ultimately left…
A loving child had reappeared before this inadequate, flawed mother.
With longing.
With a painful heart.
With a sadness and despair pulling at her like shackles.
In the end, she glimpsed the son who had now become her daughter.
What a beautiful child… well, daughter now…
Had it been better not to know?
Would it hurt this much if they had never met?
There were sayings that too painful love isn’t love at all, but the reborn Yoonjeong understood.
Because it’s love, it hurts this much.
Because they are family, it hurts this much.
But that was no longer the case.
Shia was Shia.
And now, she was Park Yoonjeong.
The son who had reappeared had turned into a daughter. And the long passage of time had made this mother poor and incapable, lingering here.
Even though Shia, Yoonjeong, and the world had all changed, one thing remained constant… the fact that this child was love beyond what she deserved.
And so, this foolish mother must not hold her child back.
She must not cling to the child she couldn’t protect or love properly… my lovely Shia.
She mustn’t become a burden to her child.
“…What’s the matter? I’m following you, why is there so much fuss?”
Hah! These bastards are getting all worked up over nothing.
As soon as she boarded the San Guild’s massive ship, Yoonjeong let out a sigh as the red-uniformed members surrounded her protectively.
She felt completely at her wit’s end.
“Having signed, I expressed my will to participate as an interchange hunter, right? Why all this fuss again?”
Though Yoonjeong questioned, no one in the group responded.
“………”
“Could someone at least say something? I did sign the documents to transfer to the San Guild. Are you worried I might run away…?”
“No, that’s not it.”
At that moment, Yoonjeong recognized a familiar face.
“Ryang Hwachun, the administrator…”
“Oh, you remember me.”
Ryang Hwachun, the administrator from the San Guild who had initially tried all sorts of persuasion to recruit her.
After being interrupted by Shia, he bombarded her with carrots via smartwatches and emails, trying to win her back.
Of course, Yoonjeong, busy with dungeon runs, was too tired to check her emails, unintentionally ignoring all of his messages.
“Just bear with it a bit longer. You won’t feel discomfort for much longer.”
“Administrator Ryang Hwachun, is everything ready?”
“Oh, good job.”
“What preparations are those?”
At Yoonjeong’s question, Ryang Hwachun smiled faintly as a member in a red outfit brought over a syringe and stabbed it into his own body.
“…No way, drugs?”
“No, no. That’s impossible. It’s not drugs or anything weird. It’s just a simple hunter ability enhancer.”
Among Awakened Ones, some had awakened their powers but had very little innate mana, requiring the infusion of potions or ability enhancers to use their skills.
“While this goes through, let’s have a brief chat. This might be the last time.”
The last?
“The average hunter rank of our San Guild is B+. Despite being the largest guild in the world, our average hunter rank is astonishing, right? The Nobel Guild in Korea—home to the highest-ranked hunters—has an average rank of B-.”
“And?”
“As you know, both gates and monsters remain mysterious. However, our past guild leader discovered something that can permanently amplify a hunter’s power.”
“……?”
As the atmosphere shifted ominously, Yoonjeong quickly took stock of her surroundings.
But she couldn’t find a way out.
“We call it a fragment. This is why our San Guild is the largest in the world and has the highest average hunter rank. It’s one of our closely guarded secrets.”
It sometimes resembled shards of glass, gemstones, or even ceramic fragments.
“If you implant a fragment in your body, it enhances your powers and abilities as an Awakened One. Of course, there are side effects, but depending on the compatibility of the fragment, there have been cases where merely D-grade hunters achieved S-grade status.”
“By ‘suitable candidates’, you meant compatibility with the fragments.”
“Correct. Thankfully, you’re not foolish. Yes, Ms. Yoonjeong, your body is highly compatible with the fragments. Well, it’s starting to kick in now….”
Ryang Hwachun felt the enhancer coursing through him as he took a seat next to Yoonjeong.
“We call those suitable candidates. In your case, you’re such an overwhelming fit that even the guild executives are amazed. That’s why we desperately needed to bring you here.”
“Now I understand why you were so intent on recruiting me.”
He felt like an amiable older guy, sitting next to her at a bus stop, trying to create a familiar atmosphere.
“Alright, time’s up.”
“What time are you talking about?”
“What do you mean? It’s time for Ms. Yoonjeong to say farewell to her humanity.”
“What…?”
Wham!
“Ugh…!”
The hunters who had surrounded Yoonjeong grabbed hold of her arms and shoulders.
Given that she was a D-grade hunter, she stood no chance against average B-grade hunters.
“What’s happening?!”
“I told you, Ms. Yoonjeong is a suitable candidate.”
“Yet what! I already said I’d come! You dragged me here using my parents’ debt, and now this?!”
“Yep, I mentioned that your body’s compatibility with the fragments is very high.”
With that phrase, Yoonjeong understood what they were planning.
“You need my body. The mind isn’t necessary, is it?”
“……….You little…”
“Sharp as ever. If you had been even a tad quicker, we might’ve had to break your arms and legs to get you here, so it’s a relief.”
Then, Ryang Hwachun’s hand landed on Yoonjeong’s head.
“My awakening ability is mental destruction. I efficiently use it against suitable candidates and test subjects for the San Guild.”
“……..”
“Don’t worry. There won’t be pain. It’s no different from sleeping. I’ll turn your brain into a blank slate, making it easier to manipulate you.”
Despite that, Yoonjeong’s life felt less valuable than the image of Shia flashing in her mind.
What if this hurts Shia…?
What if this makes her angry…?
If only she hadn’t known, if only what happened now wouldn’t reach Shia…
No matter how strong Shia was, could she fight against this many hunters…?
Even against all members of the San Guild, the largest in the world?
Don’t do this, Shia.
If only Shia could live peacefully, unaware of her fate…
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry, Shia.
I’m a foolish mother who could only hurt you.
Mommy…
“Bang!”
Suddenly appearing from thin air, Isia was met with a barrage of attacks from the red-clad San Guild members.
It seemed they had received orders to attack without hesitation as soon as Isia appeared.
“Devote yourself to the guild leader!”
Ice spikes pierced Isia’s cheek, shattering.
Flames engulfed Isia, yet the fire couldn’t even leave a mark on the saint’s clothing.
There were even bullets loaded with special rounds for Awakened Ones aimed at her neck and abdomen, but when they collided, they ricocheted away harmlessly.
Of course, they were utterly ineffective, as at this moment, Isia’s primary focus was searching for Yoonjeong instead of dealing with these unknown assailants.
Clip, clap.
“Block her…!”
“It belongs to the Guild Leader! We can’t let it go!”
Bang!
Rat-a-tat-tat!
An explosion somewhere erupted, as lightning infused with a hunter’s mana struck directly at Isia, but her steps remained relentless.
This isn’t… right.
The harbor warehouses were much larger than she had initially thought.
—
[Miracle – Sleep]
“A…”
“Ugh!”
“Cough, cough! This isn’t working!”
“Is it?”
Certainly, once faced with A-grade hunters with a decent level of mana resistance, the sleep miracle wouldn’t work readily.
As it proclaimed non-lethal means, it was effective for handling numerous minor mobs, but with higher mana resistance, it could be easily obstructed. Moreover, stronger willpower or self-harm could overcome it, so it wouldn’t work on the San Guild members present.
Awk!
If you really desire a painful sleep…
“Shut, ugh…”
“I don’t have time to waste on you all.”
Having knocked out all the remaining San Guild hunters, Isia began searching for Yoonjeong.
The last place she felt the pendant’s divine power should have been around here, yet no trace of Yoonjeong could be found even after tearing apart new containers and buildings.
Then, what was left…?
“Ah, that ship.”
Glancing at the large vessel that had already set sail from the harbor.
Isia gauged the distance between herself and the departing ship while bending slightly at her waist.
This is doable.
It’s quite far, but I can reach it.
Isia crouched slightly, her muscles tensing in preparation.
Fwooosh!…
With her foot angled forward, she pushed off, her eyes ablaze with desire and fury as she fixated on the ship.
BANG!
Like a meteor, Isia crashed into the vessel, extending her tentacle to scale the ship’s wall.
“This is Isia!”
“Engage combat formation… Gah!”
“Step aside.”
She crushed the head of what seemed to be the commander.
But don’t die.
I didn’t come to kill you.
“Where’s Yoonjeong?”
Just a question.
A straightforward, simple question.
You must have seen everything, right?
You should know everything, shouldn’t you?
So please, answer me.
Yet contrary to Isia’s expectations, the San Guild hunters looked at each other nervously, then drew their weapons.
“……….”
“…Cough..!”
“Attack…!”
CRACK!
“Where is she?!”
“You’re not getting away!”
I’m still asking, aren’t I?
Let’s come to an understanding.
I need to get her back urgently.
CRACK!
“Ugh, aaaaah!”
I really need to hurry.
I’m running out of time.
Bang! Thud!
[Miracle – Explosion]
Crash!
It’s proving challenging.
I’m not here to kill you guys.
I’m not here to fight with you.
I don’t want to kill you.
I still want to remain human, okay?
If you hand Yoonjeong over, I’ll go back willingly.
What’s with this, anyway?
I can’t understand you all.
Why, why is this happening?!
“Forget it.”
I’ll find her on my own.
Crash!
Crack!
“Maintain combat formation… Gah!”
“Don’t let… argh!”
All those on deck fell.
Of course, no one was dead.
As Isia had stated, she hadn’t come to kill anyone.
“Ha, ha… it’s too late.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve already…. ugh…”
The hunter uttered something incomprehensible, and Isia grimaced before smashing his head with her tentacle, knocking him unconscious.
Even though many hunters had been waiting to attack Isia, when it came to the entrance leading inside the ship, no one was present.
Inside were the San Guild’s facilities, dormitories, and dining halls, yet Yoonjeong was nowhere to be found.
“…..What is this?”
She was certain Yoonjeong had to be here.
But Yoonjeong wasn’t visible; a murkiness lingered at the absolute bottom of the ship.
That atmosphere felt dark and uneasy, yet strangely familiar.
Why… why does this feel like the scent of the previous world?…
Isia couldn’t hide her unease, kicking the steel stairs and falling down.
Then, there it lay—a black gem.
“…………..”
The Demon Lord’s fragment.
The same fragment of the Demon Lord that surfaced during the Copy Dungeon raid.
And the very same fragment that had permeated Olga’s being in the Elf Great Forest.
The familiar but despised fragment of the Demon Lord remained motionless, taking on a human form.
“A………………….”
Isia finally realized that the divine power of the pendant she’d given Yoonjeong had ceased in this location.
Ah, no.
That can’t be…
That fragment of the Demon Lord didn’t emanate any humanity.
Yoonjeong didn’t resonate from there.
It was unmoving.
No, it cannot be!
“Ah, aa…”
Could it have been because of this?
If you laughed at me from above, saying it was already too late…
Was this what you were referring to…?
No!
Did I… Did I not make it in time…?
Not even a trace of mom’s aura…. no, the energy is missing from that fragment… has it consumed her?
Has she already… devoured her?
Mom…
“Mommy…”
No, this cannot be…
Mom, have I let my mental state lapse and fallen victim to that bastard Black Wisin and the rest?
Did all this time spent there hold me back?
Ah, no… no… if… if I had been just a bit faster…
Oh, no… pain…
It hurts… so much.
My heart, my chest aches immensely.
This place… it’s too painful…
“Hah… hah… ha…. wahhh….”
—
[Mass Destruction Miracle – Great Explosion]
BANG!
Unable to bear it any longer, Isia shattered the fragment.
It was still not there.
Yoonjeong had been consumed by the fragment, erased from existence down to her very essence.
Taking the form of a monstrous fragment resembling a human was destined to end in some greedy hand, to be utilized for desire and ambition.
Could it really be just for that?
Ah…
I can’t endure this anymore.
I cannot bear to stay human anymore.
“Why must I… why must I prove my humanity?”
I’m not human, am I?
There’s no longer a need to be human, is there?
“Ah, wahhhh… I… I…I’ll… I’ll destroy everything!!!”
Suddenly, a voice broke the turmoil.
“Eh, Shia?”
“Eh…?”
At that instant, the sound of Yoonjeong’s voice turned Isia’s head.
It wasn’t an illusion or a hallucination; Isia was certain of that.
Yoonjeong, slightly dazed, tilted her head at her.
Why are you here…?
“Eh………”
“Eh……….”
Mom…
She may be younger than me, but she’s still mom…
The mom I thought was dead, the one I thought I lost…
“Wh-what’s happening…?”
What is going on?
Is this really my mother?
Not some trick or manipulation from the Demon Lord’s fragment?
At first, Isia thought it must be an illusion or a trick, or perhaps the work of another Awakened One, but upon unfurling her senses, she realized Yoonjeong was genuine.
Unharmed, Yoonjeong wore a look of concern.
“………..”
“……”
After about five minutes of staring silently at each other, Isia’s lips started trembling before she finally spoke.
“What on earth is going on…? No, Yoonjeong… I… sniff… It’s serious… we’re in serious trouble…!”
Sniff… a rumbling sound followed.
“Ah, that thing… honestly, it was really a pain…”
“What the hell?!”
“Uh, it seems like while I was up there, some jerk was erasing my personality, resetting everything, and all that other nonsense… at that moment, the pendant you gave me shattered.”
“…..What?”
Divine power fundamentally drives miracles. Miracles usually protect or heal someone.
Though the pendant bore no specific miracle, it was brimming with Shia’s vast and noble divine power.
Determining any external attempt to disrupt Yoonjeong’s psyche as an illicit attack, Shia’s power thwarted it.
Naturally, since the pendant was just a lump of purposeless divine power that hadn’t been granted any specific miracles, it could only trigger a singular protective effect before breaking.
“So, I was really tense because of the brainwashing and personality deletion… but it seems that your pendant managed to protect me… but anyway, I kind of played it cool while being careful. They sent me down here saying that I had become some kind of puppet. I was also planning to jump into the ocean and swim away if I had the chance… then there was a loud bang, and upon spotting you, I almost had a heart attack.”
“…………….”
“Anyways, Shia, thank you for saving my life. If it weren’t for that pendant you gave me, I would have actually become some kind of puppet and ended up erased. And you came to help me, right?”
Slowly approaching, Yoonjeong held Shia’s hand.
It was warm.
She felt a comforting heat seep in, though it was a bit rough, yet soft.
This is real.
It’s not a lie; it’s real.
Not an illusion, not a trick, not a deceit; it is entirely genuine!
“……”
“Ah, I feel terribly ashamed, but really, thank you, big sister… Oh! Now that I think about it, isn’t it the Ascension Tournament you have to participate in? What are you doing here… uh!”
Right at that moment, Shia tightly hugged Yoonjeong.
Comparatively, Yoonjeong was smaller than Shia, causing the latter to envelop her.
Yoonjeong was at a loss for words upon landing in Shia’s surprisingly ample embrace.
What is this all of a sudden…?
“Haguh…”
“Wha, why are you…?!”
Then she started crying.
Having been held by a much larger woman, Yoonjeong couldn’t conceal her astonishment.
“Waaah….! Haah…!”
It wasn’t the sorrowful tears of rage she had shed before.
Shia wept openly, hugging Yoonjeong tightly as if asking her not to leave again.
This was truly Yoonjeong.
This was the real mom.
Nothing had gone awry.
It wasn’t too late.
Mommy!
“Mommy! I…! Sob… let’s live together! I don’t want to be separated! Haah…! I don’t want us to part…!”
“……………!”
Having finally reunited after everything, she refused to accept any strange explanation.
Family is family.
Even if bodies differ, genders differ, or life experiences vary.
We remain family.
“So please, don’t leave me. Momma, let’s… sniff… let’s live together, mmm…”
“………..”
Yoonjeong realized she had hurt Shia, her lovely child who even the devil wouldn’t dare touch.
Although she didn’t fully knew what had transpired, she couldn’t shake off the image of Shia embracing her, crying like a child.
“I’m sorry…”
“Wahhh!”
“I… I’m truly an awful mother…”
Although she could only guess how much pain she had caused her child…
Yoonjeong could no longer bear to push Shia away as she sobbed, calling her mother.
No longer would she turn her back on her.
Now, she understood.
This time, I will hold on tightly.
The selfish, bad mother had taken that step back.
Now, it seems Shia pointed out the way forward—even for her.
“Such a foolish, flawed mother doesn’t deserve a daughter so beautiful…”
—
In an alley used as a hideout, Wang Soyoung crouched, her expression twisting in amazement as signals from her subordinates connected to her smart watch and the Baekun Brigade began to cut off one by one.
Those stupid, muscle-headed idiots.
They bragged they’d win if it wasn’t a surprise attack, yet they still ended up getting hit?
Heh, useless bastards…
But, according to Black Plum Blossom, I heard Yeonseo has moved…
Of course, it wouldn’t just be Isia—if Yeonseo was on the move, things would be significantly different.
As a former elite, she hadn’t stepped down from her position as a top-tier hunter among awakeners.
Planting numerous strategies to evade detection by Yeonseo, she had needlessly diversified the focus of Baek Wisin and even addressed Yeonseo personally during an S-grade ascension tournament.
Of course, that didn’t mean it ended well.
Doesn’t matter. I’ve still succeeded in cleaning a good portion of the field.
Wang Soyoung recalled the command given to her by the guild leader, Cheon Danaa, just before she was dispatched to Korea:
“If you cannot prove your worth, eliminate Baek Wisin and the Baekun Brigade.”
She had been a bit too show-offy.
Just because she had temporarily gained the leader’s favor?
Sure, she had gotten lucky with the compatibility with a fragment and grown stronger, but that sort of fortune happened to every one of San Guild’s executives at some point.
In the case of Baek Wisin, his gross foolishness and being utterly one-track-minded certainly made him a pain to deal with. But it would be a mistake to cut him off entirely, simply because he had some use…
So, if this mission turned out unsuccessful, it seemed that Baek Wisin and the Baekun Brigade would meet the axe as instructed by the guild leader.
And Baek Wisin had graciously failed.
Of course, even if he hadn’t, I’d already been planning to cut him loose anyway…
Just then, Wang Soyoung knew she had to retrieve the fragments—despite everything, the shards embedded within Baek Wisin and his troops were something San Guild needed to collect.
And now that Park Yoonjeong’s information and whereabouts had landed in her hands, it was evident it would be as simple as stressing what was lost and taking the pieces.
She let out a long sigh, the workload piling up like a mountain.
“Hmm?”
At that moment, Wang Soyoung felt a gaze upon her, someone looking at her.
It felt rather close.
Was this someone trying to hide their presence?
Realizing someone had approached so closely while avoiding her notice was a rarity for her.
As if the other party had sensed Wang Soyoung’s awareness, they strolled right into her view.
A small figure appeared at the end of the dim alley.
‘A girl?’
She looked relatively young.
With her dark hair almost grazing the floor, she seemed to be a child barely at Shia’s height.
“Is this Wang Soyoung?”
“?”
Suddenly called by her name, Wang Soyoung’s eyes widened.
“Who are you?”
Shadows began to rise.
As an S-grade hunter and a San Guild executive capable of manipulating shadows, she specialized in combat against humans via stealth, assassination, and torture.
In an instant, the shadows stretched out, piercing the air and surrounding the girl’s vital points, ready to attack.
“Actually, don’t bother. Just die.”
Pwah!
“……..!”
Yeah, just the act of calling out my name provides plenty of justification for killing you.
Even with that young face, it marked her as a hunter.
Hunting monsters makes her a monster too.
There was also the danger of her being an undocumented criminal or a contractor, so Wang Soyoung had no reason to slack off and take risks.
“…. But what’s this? Who the hell is she?”
Wang Soyoung kicked the girl to the ground, revealing her face, but she didn’t recognize her at all.
She’s not someone registered in Korea’s S-grade hunter archive either; unfamiliarity means she’s probably insignificant.
“Hah, whatever.”
—
It’s time to get down to the recovery operation.
Before Yeonseo or the association in Korea caught on, she had to secure Baek Wisin and the Baekun Brigade’s fragments and slip out of China quietly.
To do that, she’d need to set Black Plum Blossom into motion as well.
It may take some time, but with her and the Black Plum Blossom’s capabilities working in tandem, it shouldn’t be difficult.
Right, this will set me apart from Baek Wisin.
That muscle-bound fool was nothing to her; she could flawlessly execute the guild leader’s directives.
That’ll earn me a higher spot, next to the guild leader.
I just need to successfully execute it!
Hehe…
“Hah. Guild Leader, please… commend me…”
“I don’t care if you’re a little boom, just know we’re going ahead.”
—
With the last bit of information harvested, Yujin scoffed down at Wang Soyoung, who seemed as out of it as a junkie half-slumped against a wall.
Her form leaning against the wall and drooling left him feeling grotesque.
“Go ahead, laugh at her. If you step into someone else’s territory, you better be prepared to face the consequences.”
“Wang Soyoung’s smart watch data has been wiped clean. Information on Isia and Park Yoonjeong collected by Wang Soyoung will now be impossible to retrieve.”
“Alright, good job.”
“What about that one?”
“Meh, it’s not worth losing sleep over.”
Realizing there was no further information that could be extracted, Yujin stomped on Wang Soyoung’s chin.
“Now, shut up and we destroy whatever remains of your laughter.”
Blood spattered up on Yujin’s boots, but he couldn’t care less.
He could deem Isia and the suitable candidates as secure unless the wolf from the San Guild directly came here to probe around.
“Well, what’s important is that I’ve cleared this debt with Isia. Let’s go, Tia.”
“Sure thing.”
