Brother 8

There is cause and effect in all things in the world.

There is a clear process for every result.

Even for any transcendent phenomenon.

Even for Gates and monsters.

Even for mana and Awakeners.

It’s just that we’re ignorant and don’t know.

We deify it because we don’t know.

This is the difference between pigs and dogs, and the visionaries who lead them.

Pigs and dogs despair when they see something beyond their own power.

Visionaries move forward without despairing.

Today’s South Korea was like that too.

Visionaries were leading the world.

Look at the hero.

Even though she’s a fraud deceiving the pigs and dogs, her foresight was genuine.

She didn’t consider Gates and monsters as supernatural disasters.

She didn’t believe in the trivial doomsday theories that were popular at the time.

The result was today.

South Korea had finally won.

She had unraveled Gates and monsters through logic, and finally conquered them.

‘I don’t know what tricks she used, but…’

Being a pioneer is a qualification to rise higher.

So, Han Joon-hyuk didn’t let his guard down.

‘…Interesting.’

Han Joon-hyuk didn’t believe in the “Expert analysis on why the student hero could catch Carol─” that frequently appeared in various media.

This was because Han Joon-hyuk prided himself on being a true visionary in this field, not a worthless flea trying to suck even one drop of blood and sweat from the pigs and dogs.

“Chairman, please step back!”

“We’ll handle this…!”

“Stay back.”

Han Joon-hyuk stepped forward.

Crackle, the sound of thunder rippled.

“Don’t get in the way unnecessarily.”

A new unknown possibility.

The more means to chase Lee Yeon, the better.

He was greedy.

There was something he needed to confirm.

With his own eyes, no less.

Han Joon-hyuk.

A villain who blocks the protagonist in the latter half of the original story.

He was a man who only pursued power.

Unlike ideological criminals like Lee Yeon or Kim Il-soo.

In terms of simple criminality, he could be considered even lower than them.

It was a matter of numbers.

The number of people Han Joon-hyuk sacrificed was just one – his own child.

Originally, the reason he blocked the original protagonist was simple.

As he aged without finding a mother figure as good as his deceased wife, he heard the news that the student hero had defeated South Korea’s worst villain organization.

Han Joon-hyuk proposes.

To become his successor even now.

No matter how much one has, there’s nothing more frightening to those who have everything than not being able to pass it on to their own flesh and blood.

So she came out leaving her sister behind without worry.

Thinking that if there was a proper successor, they would take care of her wholeheartedly.

It was a miscalculation.

A stupid delusion.

That man wasn’t qualified to be anyone’s parent.

Apart from anger, she calmly gauges the situation.

Her ruby-red eyes scan his status.

──────────

[Han Joon-hyuk]

Lv. : 91

Exp : 451/93000

HP : 180

MP : 120

[Status]

Strength : 80(Rank : A)

Agility : 80(Rank : A)

Intelligence : 95(Rank : A)

[Original Skill]

Unique Ability/Elemental – Electric Current Generation and Manipulation(Rank : S)

[Normal Skill]

Charisma(Rank : B)

──────────

Strength comparable to Kim Il-soo.

Even for Han Seoyeon, who had surpassed level 80, it was a stat she couldn’t easily guarantee victory against.

That was all.

It wasn’t a reason to back down.

Han Seoyeon will win.

She will win and return to her younger sister’s side.

Because she promised so.

Because there were too many people who would be sad if she couldn’t return.

‘…Maybe I should have given a heads up to my senior.’

Suddenly, such a thought crossed her mind.

If Michaela had heard about this, she would have surely come to help.

There was no time to think about such things.

She didn’t want to waste even a minute or a second more.

‘No.’

She thought about it but decided against it.

This was a problem Han Seoyeon was responsible for.

She didn’t want to entrust it to anyone else.

Even if it was the person she had a one-sided love for.

This was something Han Seoyeon had to do herself.

Before being a munchkin protagonist.

As an older sister.

“I have a proposal.”

Han Joon-hyuk said.

“Don’t you want to become my daughter again?”

The same line as in the original story.

“Lions raise their cubs by throwing them off a cliff. You, who returned from the cliff of the slums by your own power, are qualified to be my child.”

Without a single word different.

“What do you say?”

The answer was predetermined.

“No.”

There was no other answer possible.

“You hurt my sister. I can’t forgive you. Absolutely not.”

“…It seems words don’t get through to you.”

Han Joon-hyuk shook his head.

“Fine. Then let’s make a bet.”

And then he made a proposal.

A proposal similar to the original story.

“If you defeat me, I won’t force anything on that child anymore. But if you lose, you too must become a dutiful daughter to me. Spend the rest of your life for me.”

“…”

“If you accept the bet, regardless of the outcome, I’ll also overlook today’s attack. Don’t you think this is quite a generous condition?”

Han Joon-hyuk is a businessman.

He’s not the type to joke around with such things.

He was faithful to his credit, at least.

While feeling inferior to Lee Yeon and disparaging her as a fraud.

In a sense, it was the storyline of the original.

He must be confident.

That there’s no way he could lose.

To an incompetent person, himself.

“…Alright.”

Han Seoyeon also willingly agreed.

Perhaps it was too favorable a bet.

Clearly, there must be some intention behind it.

It didn’t matter.

No matter what happens, the winner is already decided.

“Make sure you keep your promise.”

She will win and regain her sister’s freedom.

Definitely.

“Of course. I’m not a fraud, after all.”

“…”

And then, after facing off for about ten seconds.

“─!”

In an instant.

Han Seoyeon’s figure disappears.

─Horizontal Flash.

With speed even faster than before.

A powerful, honest horizontal slash is fired.

“…!”

Crack.

Skin is torn, and bone dust scatters.

Han Joon-hyuk deflected Han Seoyeon’s sword with his fist.

Yet, he couldn’t hide his surprise.

It’s fast.

Faster than he thought.

Even with his lightning ability activated.

‘Is this the sword of an incompetent?’

No.

That can’t be.

─Vertical Flash.

‘…!’

Before he could continue that thought.

The sword comes rushing in with a vertical trajectory.

Lightning takes form in response.

A sword-like shape forms in Han Joon-hyuk’s hand.

A sword made of blue lightning.

It clashes with Han Seoyeon’s hwando.

─Slash.

“What…!”

The lightning was cut.

As soon as it touched the blade.

Like paper.

Even Han Joon-hyuk couldn’t maintain his poker face.

A fierce blade approaches, cutting through the lightning.

‘…!’

Electric current settles in Han Joon-hyuk’s body.

Accordingly, his physical abilities’ speed increases dramatically.

His body moves at a speed beyond human thought.

Han Joon-hyuk easily avoided the sword.

After avoiding it, he kicks the ground and retreats.

Escaping the sword’s range, he secures sufficient distance.

“…What did you do?”

Han Joon-hyuk’s lips were filled with astonishment.

Even in an era where the extraordinary has become ordinary, it was something hard to accept.

“Who knows.”

Of course, Han Seoyeon had no reason to answer this willingly.

“I wouldn’t easily teach such things to someone who’s not family.”

“…”

It was clear.

The one being pushed back was Han Joon-hyuk.

It’s different from the time with Kim Il-soo.

Han Seoyeon has grown.

The surrounding environment also presented no obstacles.

Above all, the compatibility difference of abilities.

Unlike other abilities, elemental types don’t have the ability itself as a direct subject.

Therefore, when the Falling Star Sword that cuts and slices mana clashes with an elemental ability, the elements that have escaped from mana’s influence return to their pure natural state and scatter helplessly.

“…I don’t know what tricks you’ve used, but the point is that it’s fine as long as it doesn’t touch the blade, isn’t it?”

That was also true.

The advantage in compatibility can be reversed depending on the situation.

“It was quite an interesting ability for an incompetent.”

Lightning rages.

Thunder roars loudly.

Untimely dark clouds cover the sky.

“I’d like you to show me slowly sometime later.”

The debris of collapsed buildings.

From there, huge iron rods rose up.

Application of electromagnetic force.

All iron in this world was under his control.

Massive iron rods were all aiming at Han Seoyeon.

Like hunting dogs.

Ready to tear apart their prey at any moment.

Waiting only for their master’s signal.

“Daughter.”

He gestures.

Following that, countless iron rods were fired towards Han Seoyeon.

Only a thunderous sound rings out.

Iron rods are fired and embedded in the ground.

Wrapped in the power and speed of lightning.

Because the power is so great.

Dust flies, and for a moment, only a thick fog fills the area.

Even if she can cut lightning, she can’t block all objects flying at the speed of lightning.

If even one of them directly hits the fragile body of an incompetent, the match would be over.

“No.”

A voice is heard.

From beyond the fog.

“I’m not your daughter.”

The dark fog clears.

A single meteor springs out.

“I am.”

Han Seoyeon’s sword blooms.

Like ten petals of a flower.

“And─!”

─Flowers Don’t Bloom Ten Days.

The brilliantly blooming, red trajectory.

“I’m going to take my little sister back!”

Befitting its name, it heads for the oppressor’s neck.

“…Huh.”

Han Joon-hyuk merely let out a hollow laugh.

It was too unrealistic.

“As promised, don’t force anything on my sister from now on.”

“…”

The blade filled with killing intent stops at the tip of his neck.

As if showing that it could cut at any time.

“If you ever torment my sister, Suho, again.”

Han Seoyeon declared.

“Next time, I’ll cut it. Your neck.”

For her sister’s sake, she would willingly stain her hands with blood.

Even if it was her former father.

Her sister is gentle and kind.

Shouldn’t her older sister protect her?

Strength leaves him, and he collapses on the floor.

The cold sensation of the floor touches his back.

It meant defeat.

“I can’t believe it…”

Han Joon-hyuk muttered to himself.

“How could that incompetent have such power…?”

He was overwhelmed.

He, the chairman of the Firefly Group.

By a mere incompetent.

The question doesn’t go away.

Even conspiracy theories arose.

“Could it be that Lee Yeon knew this fact, and that’s why she so…?”

Crack.

Han Joon-hyuk clenched his fist.

“…If that’s the case, I can’t just fall behind like this!”

A time of chaos.

A position he finally obtained.

“Contact General Kim Wan-seung immediately.”

Once you’ve reached a high position, isn’t it natural to aim for the top?

“Tell him we’ll cooperate with the Homunculus plan as before!”

Even if it means using any means necessary.

The air in the early dawn was cold.

The night was pitch dark.

She sneaks past the main gate.

Her body is covered in dust and the smell of blood.

There will probably be all sorts of reprimands when tomorrow dawns, but today she just wanted to rest from exhaustion.

“Sister…”

Suho was waiting.

With a tearful voice.

“…You should have gone in and slept first.”

“But, but I was scared.”

She was truly her lovely little sister.

“I was scared that I might lose you again, sister…!”

“It’s okay now.”

She was so unbearably lovable.

“I’m back.”

“…Welcome, home.”

Unconsciously, she ended up hugging her tightly.

“Welcome home, sis…ter!”

Along with the common happy ending line.

“Yeah. I’m back, Suho.”

Han Suho’s dark dawn came to an end.