DEB 66

It was the first time Huiyun felt the absence of Juan or Jiwook so keenly. He thought it would have been easier to explain everything if they had been there. 

Huiyun then recounted the recent events to Huigang, mixing in some details for clarity.

He explained that they had accidentally entered a gate, ended up in another world, and rescued Vita, but there was still one of Vita’s companions left to be rescued. 

As expected, Huigang clutched his neck in shock.

Even though Huigang had been through several incidents, which had tempered his mental resilience, he barely managed to stay upright.

He looked up at the ceiling.

“Oh… Lord…”

Despite not being a churchgoer, Huigang seemed to become a devout believer in times like these.

“…Was entering the gate your decision?”

“…It was half-forced and half my decision.”

He wanted to blame it on Juan dragging him along, but he had ventured into two more gates afterward to search for Vita, so he compromised with his conscience. 

Huigang gave Huiyun a betrayed look before sitting down in a chair, contemplating something. 

He finally spoke 15 minutes after Huiyun’s confession.

“That person called you Yasha.”

“….”

“Is Yasha the name of the person you’re being mistaken for?”

So it comes to this.

Realizing that the moment had come, Huiyun glanced at Vita, signaling him not to say anything unnecessary.

“Mok Huiyun. Look at me, not somewhere else.”

“….”

But before he could send any signals, Huigang caught him. 

Sighing inwardly, Huiyun nodded, hoping Vita wouldn’t interfere.

“Yes.”

“Then, is that person related to Yasha, just like the other three?”

“Yes.”

“Mok Huiyun. Are you lying to me?”

As Huiyun answered smoothly, Huigang hit him with a leading question, making him feel like a student being tested by a tutor. 

Huiyun hesitated, wondering if Huigang was testing him or if he genuinely knew something. 

He wanted to look at Vita, but Huigang was blocking his view.

“…No.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Then once the misunderstanding is cleared up, that person and the others won’t bother you anymore, right?”

“…Probably?”

“And there won’t be any more people joining them?”

Ah.

So far, Huiyun had been answering smoothly, but this question stumped him. Unable to answer definitively, he just moved his lips silently, while Huigang, seeing his brother’s confusion, gave a faint smile. For a smile accompanying such a pressing question, it was surprisingly gentle.

“Why are you so flustered, Huiyun? It’s like you’re caught lying to me.”

Correction. 

There was nothing gentle about it; it was a clever trap. It seemed like his lies had been found out. Though Huigang didn’t seem to know everything, it was clear that Huiyun’s lies and the erratic behavior of his disciples had exposed him.

Huiyun had never seen Huigang truly angry before, but it felt like today might be the day. Realizing this was no time to worry about a beating, Huiyun closed his eyes, thinking about how to navigate this situation.

“…Actually, I wouldn’t call it lying. I just gave the best answer I could.”

It’s often better to face the music early. Deciding it was better to come clean, Huiyun corrected himself. Huigang, who had been scrutinizing Huiyun’s face, smoothed out the wrinkles on his forehead.

“Why are you scared, Huiyun?”

“You set the tone that way.”

“If there wasn’t anything to hide, you wouldn’t be scared no matter how I set the tone.”

It was a precise observation. Realizing arguing with Huigang was futile, Huiyun sighed deeply, and Huigang, who had been stroking his hair, turned to Vita.

“If it’s not the truth but your best answer, I’ll trust you once more.”

“…You’re not going to hit me?”

“Why would you say that? It’s not like I’ve always hit you.”

Huigang, who remarked that others might misunderstand, turned his gaze to Vita. His fingers tapped the window sill rhythmically before stopping abruptly.

“So, you have to enter the gate again to find that companion?”

“…Yes.”

“And you can’t avoid going into the gate? Isn’t it unrelated to you?”

“…It’s complicated. I need to find that companion, and they need my help to do it, so… I probably have to go.”

It was an idea he hadn’t fully thought through, so his sentence ended with uncertainty. Reflecting on why he went after Vita personally, he realized it might have been an unconscious decision to protect his disciple. 

Just then, the golden system window appeared.

[What a sly thought! If the demon realm pathway created by the cube is not used by its owner, it will close, so be careful!]

The system, quick to respond to his thoughts of taking the easy route, was not helpful.

Thinking about how Siho had helped him find Vita, Huiyun looked back at Huigang.

“I have to enter the gate too. …There’s no other way to find that person.”

Revealing the new information, Huigang nodded as if he expected it. Then he said something shocking.

“Then I have to go with you.”

“What?”

“Why are you so surprised? If you’re going, then I have to go too. As your brother, I can’t just watch you pass out and be carried around.”

“…It’s dangerous.”

The demon realm was a challenge even for the A-rank hunters of the Ash Guild. Many struggled against a single demon sentry’s trident. It would be even more dangerous for B-rank Huigang. Trying to dissuade him, Huigang laughed bitterly.

“Huiyun, I know you’re strong, but I’ve worked longer as a hunter. I’ve been through more gates than you. Besides, you’re a mana hypersensitivity patient. Who’s worrying about whom?”

Isn’t this a role reversal?

It was a tough argument to refute. However, considering the gate led to the demon realm, he had to try.

But he hadn’t told Huigang it was the demon realm.

He didn’t tell him, partly because he didn’t want to alarm him, but also because the bureau had declared information about the demon realm to be top secret, making it difficult to discuss.

The director of the bureau had said he would discreetly inform high-ranking hunters once enough information was gathered, but it was unclear what butterfly effect would occur if B-rank Huigang found out beforehand.

Huiyun stammered, trying to avoid the topic, making Huigang frustrated.

“Why are you hesitating? You said you need to enter the gate to find that person. Isn’t there a specific gate?”

“…Not exactly.”

“……?”

Huigang’s eyes filled with confusion. Realizing he hadn’t explained how to find Zenith to Huigang, Huiyun hurriedly clarified with the system’s help, explaining they would travel to another world where Zenith was located. 

Huigang, eyes wide, pulled Huiyun’s earlobe.

“Why didn’t you mention something so important earlier? How long were you planning to keep it hidden?”

“Aah! Brother, my ear!”

“…Hmm.”

Sharing the pain due to the pact of protection, Vita frowned. After shouting apologies three times, Huiyun finally got free from Huigang’s grip.

Rubbing his reddened ear, Huiyun bit his lip. Given the situation, there was no other choice.

“…I can’t go alone with Vita; I need to talk to the other three as well.”

“Does it have to be all three? I don’t like one of them.”

Even though they were heading to unfamiliar territory and would normally need all the S-rank help they could get, Huigang expressed rare discomfort. 

Unsure which one Huigang disliked—Jiwook, Juan, or Nameless—Huiyun cautiously asked.

“Why? Who?”

“……”

“Brother?”

“Never mind. …It does make sense to take them.”

As if deciding not to think further, Huigang ruffled Huiyun’s hair and dropped the subject. Huiyun, feeling uneasy, took out his phone.

Though something felt off, it was true that having more firepower would be advantageous in the demon realm. Just as he was about to contact Juan, Huigang’s question stopped him.

“How did you make those three leave? They wouldn’t have been easy to persuade.”

Huiyun looked up at Huigang, puzzled.

Even Yasha found it challenging to handle those three when they were determined. If they had seen him have a mana hypersensitivity seizure, they would be more worried and vigilant, not less. How did Huigang manage to make them leave?

Huigang’s straightforward answer made Huiyun blink in surprise.

“I told them if they didn’t leave, I’d take you to America. I also mentioned that their mana might be affecting your seizures.”

“…So you told them that their presence caused the seizure and threatened to move to America if they didn’t leave?”

“More or less.”

Huigang nodded calmly. Admitting he had bluffed and threatened the S-rank hunters, Huigang seemed entirely unfazed. Swallowing his words, Huiyun quietly sent a message to Juan, asking him to come and help explain the demon realm.

Hong Juan: “Sorry, but your brother kind of scares me too… If I bring it up, won’t I get scolded? Huigang is intimidating, lol…” 7:12 PM

Huiyun replied, telling him to stop talking nonsense and hurry up.