Friday evening marked the end of the busy work week. Tonight’s dinner was sujebi, a hand-torn noodle soup. Pinches of dough were torn apart and dropped into a simmering broth, creating a dish known for its chewy texture. On a cold winter night, sujebi felt like a true delicacy.
After dinner, Yoon-Hee and Byeol went to take a bath. Meanwhile, Do-Jun boiled water in a kettle and tore open a pack of black coffee mix, pouring it into a mug. The sounds of the two kids splashing and playing in the tub in the bathroom echoed throughout the house.
“Mommy, look at this duck, okie? If I pwess it, it goes ‘quack-quack’!”
Sure enough, the quack of the rubber duck, which they bought from the toy section of the department store the other day, followed.
“Did you see that, Mommy?”
“Yep! Can I try it too?” Yoon-Hee asked.
“Ahaha! This is so fun!” Byeol exclaimed in joy.
The evening was lively and loud.
Do-Jun didn’t mind. During his time in the Divine Sect, he had spent countless nights meditating in solitude, honing his techniques under the quiet moonlight. While he appreciated those peaceful moments, the lively warmth of spending time with the children felt comfortable in its own way.
He poured the boiling water into his mug, watching the coffee granules dissolve and turn the water a rich brown. The aroma of coffee rose, filling the air.
Since returning to Earth, Do-Jun developed a taste for coffee, drinking about three cups a day—morning, noon, and night. While too much caffeine can be harmful to others, such concerns didn’t apply to him.
Taking a sip of coffee, he opened a book. He had recently developed an interest in Korean history, consuming books that covered periods from ancient Gojoseon to the modern era. In particular, contemporary scholars had shown great focus on the emerging history of Hunters.
Do-Jun noticed Yong-Yong hopping onto the kitchen counter to pour the remaining boiling water from the kettle into his own mug. Although Yong-Yong wasn’t particularly fond of coffee at first, he seemed to have grown accustomed to the taste lately. Do-Jun paid no attention and continued reading his book.
“Heh, the coffee tastes pretty good today,” Yong-Yong said, sipping his cup.
Seeing that, Karsiel showed her concern.
“Lord Izaas, you know drinking too much coffee this late can keep you up, right? The caffeine stimulates your central nervous system and keeps your brain alert, making it hard to sleep,” she reminded him.
“Don’t worry. That stuff doesn’t work on dragons.”
For the first time, Yong-Yong managed to finish an entire cup of coffee.
At 1 AM, everyone in unit 301 of Changshin Villa was asleep, and soft sounds of breathing came from the bedroom.
Well, everyone except for Yong-Yong.
Staring at the ceiling, he blinked slowly, unable to fall asleep. The clock read 1:05 AM.
Damn, I guess it does work on dragons.
Karsiel was right. Although he felt drowsy, his mind was fully alert. Maybe it was because he had tried to show off by drinking the entire cup of coffee earlier. Regret swept over him. He shouldn't have drunk that much coffee!
After tossing and turning in the bed for a while, Yong-Yong decided to pass the time by going out for a walk.
Thirty-one-year-old Hyuk-Soo strolled through Han River Park with a can of beer in his hand, lost in thought.
This was his sixth year working as a civil servant. He had started in general administration, but after the Fissure Management Division was established, he applied for a transfer and had been working there for four years. He took a sip of beer while gazing at the rippling surface of the Han River.
Dressed in a long padded coat that reached his knees, Hyuk-Soo sat on a nearby bench, placing his beer can beside him. He muttered quietly, “Status window.”
A translucent panel appeared before him.
Without Awakening or receiving a mana infusion, his stats were no different from those of any ordinary person. He waved his hand in the air, dismissing the window. The unexplainable nature of everything—Status Windows, Fissures, monsters—baffled him.
His thoughts turned to the Core. People believed the Core held the answers to these mysteries, but no one knew how deep or dangerous it was. While Korean Rankers made steady progress in their exploration, it was difficult to stay completely optimistic.
Let’s not dwell on it, he thought. Still, the uncertainty was unnerving.
As Rankers descended deeper into the Core, they encountered increasingly perilous unknowns. Right now, they were stationed on the fourth floor, but the dangers on the next level were uncertain.
Hyuk-Soo picked up his beer can and took another sip. Then, he noticed a small creature crossing the walking path ahead.
Was it a cat? A dog? It was too dark to tell, so Hyuk-Soo paid it no mind. But when it passed under a streetlight, it was easy to see.
When Hyuk-Soo realized that this small creature was none other than the Dragon Lord, the beer can slipped from his hand and spilled on the ground as his thoughts came to a screeching halt.
Hyuk-Soo noticed Yong-Yong looking at him and awkwardly raised his hand to wave.
At a convenience store along the Han River Park trail, Yong-Yong’s eyes sparkled as he looked up at Hyuk-Soo and asked, “Can I really pick whatever I want to eat?” Chapters first released on Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
His innocent smile resembled that of a child, but again, this was the Dragon Lord.
“Of course, get whatever you want,” Hyuk-Soo said.
“Wow! You really are a great human!”
“Thank you for the compliment...”
Yong-Yong carefully picked out frozen hamburgers, dumplings, short ribs, chicken, and more, neatly placing them on the counter. As the convenience store clerk scanned each item, the total steadily increased. When it neared 20,000 won, Yong-Yong stopped grabbing items and pulled out a 10,000-won bill from the wallet hanging around his neck.
“Let’s go halfsies, okay? Since we’re sharing the food,” he said to Hyuk-Soo.
Although Hyuk-Soo didn’t mind covering the entire cost, he sensed that doing so might upset Yong-Yong. He decided to go along with his suggestion.
The clerk was visibly surprised by Yong-Yong’s fluent Korean and glanced at him, but said nothing. Hyuk-Soo also didn’t feel the need to comment either.
“That will be 19,800 won,” the clerk announced.
After paying, they microwaved the frozen food and took it to an outdoor table near the store.
Yong-Yong happily and loudly munched on a burger he was holding in his paws, a big smile spreading across his face. Watching him, Hyuk-Soo couldn’t help but wonder if this cheerful little creature was truly the Dragon Lord.
He had seen Yong-Yong transform into a massive dragon during the Bangbae-dong dragon incident. But now, looking at him, it was hard to reconcile that image with the adorable sight in front of him.
“Why aren’t you eating?” Yong-Yong asked, looking up at Hyuk-Soo.
“O-oh, I’m full.” Instead of food, Hyuk-Soo sipped his beer.
“Is Do-Jun asleep?” he asked Yong-Yong.
“Yep. Master’s sleeping. He’s usually already in bed by this time.”
Unless there was urgent business in the Core, Do-Jun rarely stayed up past 1 AM.
“But what about you? Why are you out here so late?” Yong-Yong asked.
“I couldn’t sleep, so I came out for some fresh air. I had a few things on my mind,” Hyuk-Soo replied.
“Let me guess, you had too much coffee, huh?”
“I did have coffee, but that’s not the reason.”
“Tsk, tsk. Do you know? If you drink a lot of coffee, uh... co... caine? That stuff keeps you awake. So, drink in moderation, okay?” Yong-Yong advised.
“Understood...” Hyuk-Soo realized that Yong-Yong was talking about caffeine. Not that it mattered, anyway.
“Haha. Good, I just wanted to let you in on this crucial wisdom.”
Hyuk-Soo took a long sip of his beer, finishing the last fifth of the can. The cool night air seemed to keep him from feeling tipsy, but it made his thoughts more restless. Sighing, he went back into the store and bought another beer.
When he returned, he looked at Yong-Yong and said, “May I ask you something?”
For a moment, Hyuk-Soo thought of Do-Jun—the man Yong-Yong called “Master” and whom S-rank Hunters respected. A man whose accomplishments would shock anyone if they knew the complete truth.
But how did this happen? How did the Dragon Lord and S-rank Hunters end up following Do-Jun?
“How did you end up calling Do-Jun ‘Master’?” Hyuk-Soo asked.
Yong-Yong recalled their first meeting. Two humans had intruded on his nest, so he had tried to eliminate them, only to be overpowered and nearly killed. He had considered embellishing the story, portraying it as a fair fight where he narrowly lost. But he remembered how Do-Jun had caught him lying last time at Hakase’s food stall, so he decided to be honest.
“Well... I tried to fight Master, but he... just blocked my Breath like it was nothing. There comes a moment in life when you think, ‘I’m absolutely fucked.’ I used every last bit of my brainpower to figure out how I could survive, and, well, you get the gist, right?”
Hyuk-Soo’s eyes widened in disbelief. Was Do-Jun truly powerful enough to subdue the Dragon Lord in an instant? Hearing it directly from Yong-Yong himself left no room for doubt, and he couldn’t help but be astonished.
“T-that’s incredible...” he muttered.
“I know, right? I thought I was dreaming at first.”
Hyuk-Soo leaned back in his chair, exhaling in amazement. It now made perfect sense why S-rank Hunters treated Do-Jun with such deference.
“Do-Jun is truly extraordinary, far beyond what I imagined.”
“Yep, Master is the best.”
Opening a fresh can of beer, Hyuk-Soo took a big sip and exhaled deeply. This time, he felt a slight buzz coming on.
“Have you ever heard of the Core?” he asked Yong-Yong.
“Who hasn’t? Those S-rank Hunters even stream there, right?”
“Yes, exactly. Before the Core became widely known, people thought it was just another S-rank Great Fissure, myself included. But when Rankers started streaming their expeditions, it revealed a world beyond imagination.” Hyuk-Soo paused, lost in thought. He then continued, “Rankers represent humanity, taking on the challenges of the Core. They’ll face even greater trials and stronger enemies.”
Yong-Yong was half-listening as he yawned, but snapped his mouth shut when Hyuk-Soo added, “Maybe on the next floor, there’ll be an enemy even stronger than you.”
He was left speechless for a moment.
“Buddy,” he said with a scoff.
“I was the king of the Core.”