DEB 94

Ash, looking more pitiful than a drenched puppy, huddled alone in a corner of the training room, hugging his knees. 

He claimed he was doing it to reflect on his actions, but honestly, it felt more like he was begging for attention.

It wasn’t just Huiyun who thought so—Vita clicked his tongue, saying he was too embarrassed to be considered Ash’s fellow disciple, and Vina sighed, turning away from him. 

Despite all that, Ash stubbornly remained in his spot, which made Huiyun smile slightly. 

It reminded him of a time during Ash’s hatchling years when he had done something similar.

He was pretty cute back then.

Struggling with spelling, and counting with his fingers because he was particularly bad at math—those were unforgettable, endearing traits. 

Unlike Vina and Moot, who had also been with Huiyun since their hatchling days, only Ash had those quirks. 

It showed that he had always been more childish and mischievous, even from a young age.

That’s probably why Ash was the only one who still spoke informally to Huiyun and treated him with such familiarity.

Now that I think about it, it’s kind of amazing.

Huiyun looked at Ash’s back with a newfound sense of wonder. 

Now that his memories had returned, it was hard to believe that this awkward, scrunched-up disciple of his had once been so difficult to approach in his previous life.

Ash, when he was Hong Juan, was hard to read, and difficult to deal with. 

But now, as Ash, he was as transparent as glass, which oddly made Huiyun happy.

It felt like a return to the past and an acknowledgment of trust at the same time.

Ah.

Finally, Huiyun realized what Ash was really wanting, and he smiled in understanding.

So, we both want the same thing.  

“Ash.”

At the sound of his name, Ash, who had been sulking, lifted his head slightly.

“I’m not going to scold you, so come over here. It feels lonely without you by my side.”

“Hey, you can’t just say that with them sitting right next to you, Yasha.”

Vita, who had quickly seated himself to Huiyun’s left on the training room floor, patted the spot next to him. 

Vina, moving just as quickly, took the spot on Huiyun’s right, casually cleaning his glasses. 

Seeing his position next to Huiyun taken by the two, Ash scrunched up his nose in frustration.

“Hmph… You guys are such jerks!”

Finally losing his temper, Ash sprang to his feet, shoving Vita and Vina aside with a burst of strength. 

You would think that would be enough to end the dispute, but as the two disciples stubbornly resisted, flames flared up around Ash.

Here they go, fighting again.

Just like in old times, Huiyun anticipated the playful quarrel turning into a real fight. 

He stood up, brushing off his knees, and intervened. 

Ash, seizing the opportunity, quickly grabbed Huiyun’s arm and clung to him.

“Shoo, shoo! Get lost, you evil creatures.”  

“Ash, you stop it too.”

Huiyun flicked Ash’s forehead, trying to curb his antics.

 Oddly, it was his finger that ended up hurting more, and he discreetly clenched his hand. 

Before the commotion could escalate, Huiyun changed the subject, suggesting they head back to the hospital. 

Vina hesitated, his expression conflicted, as he glanced at Ash and then back at the other disciples.

“…Yasha, please take that one to the hospital. We’ll go meet with the head of the Hunter Bureau.”

The statement caught Huiyun off guard. 

Naturally, the face of the bureau chief came to mind.

“The Hunter Bureau chief?”

“Yes.”

It seemed the other disciples were already in on it, as they remained silent. 

As Huiyun wondered why this was necessary, Verita added a rare, serious explanation.

“Yasha, if you stay here, we will stay as well. With six S-rank hunters in one country, we must report it to the Korean Hunter Bureau chief so they can prepare for the International Hunter Alliance.”

“…That’s true.”

The realization hit Huiyun: he had momentarily forgotten that his disciples were S-rank hunters, an elite group with only about two members per country on average. 

If such valuable S-rank hunters were to stay in Korea for an extended period, actively participating in gate conquests, it would certainly cause a stir.

Perhaps more than he had anticipated.

Is this situation getting out of hand?

Worried that such a large gathering could lead to internal discord even before the war started, Huiyun considered the possibility of separating from his disciples. 

However, the moment he brought it up, he could already see the looks of betrayal in their eyes and knew they wouldn’t comply.

These are kids that only I can handle.

 If I keep them close, I can at least prevent any major incidents.

Huiyun had already learned in his incomplete-memory days as Mok Huiyun that his disciples could be dangerous when left unsupervised. 

They might seem like gentle lambs when near him, but once out in the world, they could become uncontrollable. 

Judging that the current situation was too precarious to let them roam free, especially given their anxiety from his long absence, Huiyun reluctantly decided he couldn’t ignore the burden the Korean Hunter Bureau chief would bear.

“If our presence causes any issues, we should help clean them up.”

When significant figures gather, things naturally tend to escalate, but if things go beyond what they can handle, it’s only right to help. 

However, his disciples didn’t seem particularly interested in this idea, their expressions indifferent.

“I don’t know… If they get the chance to have six S-rank hunters in one place, they should do whatever it takes to keep us, even if they have to sell their organs. Just us staying here without any conditions is already a huge favor. We’ve given them the sword; they should figure out how to wield it themselves.”

Moot’s cold tone sounded like he had a personal grudge against the bureau chief. 

Huiyun studied Moot’s face, but his expression was as neutral as ever, suggesting there were no personal feelings involved.

Poor bureau chief.

Out of all the countries, how did he end up in the one where three of my disciples were reincarnated, burdened with this ticking time bomb? 

Feeling a reluctant sense of camaraderie with the chief, Huiyun acknowledged that Moot had a point, but he couldn’t completely abandon his conscience and shook his head.

“Let’s try to stay out of it as much as possible, but if the bureau chief asks for help, we should respond. I have family here, and I’d like to live peacefully in my own country if I can.”

“If that’s what Yasha wants, we’ll follow. But, Yasha.”

Moot narrowed his eyes at Huiyun as he spoke.

“What’s with that look?”

Vina answered the question.

“Just to clarify, you’re not planning on hiding your identity, are you?”

“…Of course not.”

His goal was still to live quietly while building strength until the war began.

Since that resolve hadn’t changed, Huiyun denied it, but Vina furrowed his brows.

“If the bureau chief has any sense, he’s probably already guessed that the gathering of S-rank hunters is because of you. Don’t give him any more reason to be certain of that. If he becomes convinced, we’ll have a lot of trouble on our hands.”

“There might even be some fools who try to kidnap Yasha.”

“If word gets out internationally, you’ll be flooded with scouting offers from all over.”

“Or they might try to take Yasha out.”

“…That would be the worst.”

It was clear that the disciples, who had lived as active hunters and knew the industry’s workings, thought differently from Huiyun, who hadn’t been as involved in the field.

Realizing the importance of what he had overlooked, Huiyun agreed and said he would be careful. With that, the disciples, minus Ash, prepared to head to the bureau.

“Can’t Vina just go alone? Why do we all have to go?”

“If you want to have a solo meeting with the bureau chief, be my guest.”

“Oh, no thanks.”

“The Korean Hunter Bureau chief is too difficult to deal with!”

“Then move quietly. I’m already annoyed that we’re leaving that guy behind, so don’t provoke me.”

Vina shot Ash a withering look as he muttered about “that guy.” Ash, flashing a victorious grin, seemed pleased with himself. 

Seeing that, Vita scowled and shouted to Huiyun.

“Yasha! Just in case, if that idiot causes any trouble, feel free to beat him up. Okay? If you keep spoiling him, he’ll just get worse!”

“I agree.”  

“I think there’s some truth to that, Yasha.”

As expected from the ones who bickered the most with Ash, Vina quickly agreed, followed by Moot. 

Seeing the two he had practically raised treat him this way made Huiyun sigh, and he reluctantly nodded.

Raising kids really is a thankless job….

Thinking that Ash might be experiencing the same frustrations he had with his own disciples, Huiyun felt a twinge of sympathy.

The disciples left for the Hunter Bureau while Huiyun and Ash headed to the hospital. 

As soon as they arrived, Huigang rushed over, and Huiyun did his best to reassure him that he was fine. 

Though Huigang didn’t seem entirely satisfied, he eventually left for an emergency support request.

After the doctor came and finished the examination, Huiyun was left alone with Ash.

Growing tired of lying down, Huiyun gazed out the window until he felt a sudden weight on his legs. Looking down, he found Ash using his lap as a pillow. 

When their eyes met, the red-haired man looked somber.

“Yasha… I’m really upset. I was the first one to recognize you, and after all my efforts, I finally got a chance to be alone with you. But before I could even enjoy it, we ended up living together with everyone else. It’s so frustrating.”

Ash’s voice was full of complaints, and anyone could see he was fishing for comfort. 

Amused, Huiyun chuckled softly.

“But wasn’t Vina the first to see me?”

“Ssh. That’s different! He saw Yasha using his powers! I figured it out without seeing anything.”

Grumbling about how it wasn’t fair to compare the two, Ash’s voice was full of complaints. 

As Huiyun listened to his disciple’s endless chatter, he eventually gave in and began to gently stroke Ash’s hair. Only then did the talkative disciple fall silent.

“Hmm… Your head feels heavier.”

“I’ve been thinking about Yasha too much.”

“…….”

There’s no way to argue with that.

Huiyun had only said what was on his mind, but it felt like Ash had hit a nerve. 

He pondered whether he should apologize again, seriously considering it, but before he could speak, Ash, who had been watching him intently, let out a deflating laugh and closed his eyes. 

A breeze stirred Ash’s hair, which brushed against Huiyun’s fingers.

“Yasha.”

“Yes?”

When Huiyun responded, encouraging him to speak, Ash opened his eyes and looked up at him. Their gazes met. 

When their eyes locked together, Ash spoke again.

“Yasha… what if I end up liking you too much? So much that I want to keep you all to myself?”

The hand that had been gently stroking Ash’s hair paused as Huiyun processed the question.