Chapter 28
The next morning.
Sogoe, unaware of what had happened yesterday, quietly ate sundae soup. The entire way to the Rogue Guild, she looked around anxiously, her senses sharp.
And so they arrived.
“……”
The moment Hyuk-min and Hyun-jung stepped inside, the Rogue Guild fell silent.
The atmosphere was different—eerily tense.
Hyun-jung, already on edge, clutched her gun tighter, grabbed Hyuk-min’s sleeve, and sharply turned her head.
She pretended not to notice—but a child who had survived by reading faces could tell instantly.
Every gaze. Every whisper.
All of it was fixed on them.
“Thank you for yesterday.”
“No, I should be the one thanking you. You have no idea how much of a headache you were. As you know, no one could touch you.”
The tone felt off.
Hyun-jung frowned, looking at the employee.
‘What? Why are they talking like everything’s already finished?’
The employee’s expression. Their voice.
Relief.
As if the entire problem from yesterday had been dealt with completely.
But it wasn’t just the employee.
Now that she focused on the whispers around them, she could hear Rogue Guild members murmuring—things she had never heard before.
“It must be true.”
“I’m telling you. Otherwise, why would he show up here?”
“Did he do it himself?”
“I doubt it. Didn’t you see him in the Tower yesterday? That guy couldn’t even handle Han Sang-jip. How could he pull off something like that?”
“Who knows? Maybe he was hiding it.”
“If that’s the case… damn. That’s crazy. Shows you can’t judge people by appearances.”
“He looked normal whenever he came here… but turns out he was a monster.”
Every story led to the same conclusion.
Every gaze carried the same feeling.
Awe. Shock. Fear.
‘What happened…?’
Thud.
Hyun-jung flinched at the hand falling on her shoulder.
“Why are you so surprised?”
“Ah—no, sorry.”
It was Hyuk-min.
He smiled and patted her shoulder.
“Stay here a moment. I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Okay.”
The moment he left, she turned to the employee immediately.
“Excuse me?”
“Yes?”
“Did something happen yesterday?”
The employee grinned.
“Didn’t I tell you? Eventful Guild got wiped out last night.”
“Yes!?”
Her eyes widened impossibly.
Eventful Guild—the same guild that had flooded the Tower last night.
A massive guild. Gone overnight.
‘What is this…’
The employee turned on the TV.
“It’s the biggest news right now. See for yourself.”
[Last night, multiple members of the Eventful Guild suffered serious injuries. The most severe is Guild Leader Han Sang-jip. Suspicion of retaliation is rising.]
Hyun-jung stared, eyes fixed.
[We attempted to interview all members, including the guild leader, but they claimed it was an internal power struggle. CCTV from near the building is shown here.]
The footage displayed a masked figure entering the lobby.
A white fox mask.
Then the screen switched.
Blue-shirted gangsters falling one by one—taken out overwhelmingly.
[A mysterious White Fox Mask appeared shortly after. Ambulances arrived less than 30 minutes later.]
Click.
The TV turned off.
The employee pointed toward the hallway.
Hyuk-min walked out of the bathroom, wiping his hands.
“It looks like he doesn’t want anyone knowing.”
The employee pressed a finger to their lips, smiling.
Their eyes clearly said one thing:
That was him.
“I’m jealous. Being by the side of someone like that… Ah—he’s coming.”
They quickly handed something to Hyuk-min as if nothing had happened.
Hyuk-min returned to Hyun-jung and lightly stroked her hair.
“Shall we go?”
= = =
They arrived at the Tower again.
On the 33rd floor, as usual, they prepared for battle.
After finishing preparations, Hyuk-min asked quietly:
“Why don’t you ask?”
“About yesterday?”
“You saw the news. Aren’t you curious?”
“I didn’t need to ask. It was obviously you, Uncle.”
Hyuk-min snorted.
“I thought you’d tell me it was dangerous or something.”
“Uncle is strong. I knew you’d never lose.”
“Huh?”
“Sometimes Uncle turns into an old man. In that state, you’ll never lose.”
She’d seen Regression Mode before.
“But why do you look upset?”
“It’s nothing.”
But her expression said otherwise.
“Tell me.”
Her lips trembled.
Finally, she mumbled:
“It’s just… you said you’d have my back. But you went alone…”
“What? Pfft—hahahaha.”
“It’s not funny! I’m serious! It happened because of me, and you did it because of me… I’m supposed to help too.”
“Hahahaha—”
So that was it.
He thought she was worried about his safety.
But she was upset she wasn’t included.
After laughing enough, he stroked her head.
“Hyun-jung.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll take you next time. Promise.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Her expression instantly brightened.
“Hehehe.”
Relief washed over her entire face.
She returned to her usual cheerful self.
“I’ll get stronger! Strong enough that you can’t do anything without me! Stronger and stronger!”
“Yes. You will.”
“I’m serious. I’ll protect Uncle too.”
Hyuk-min smiled at her tiny fist raised beside the massive gun.
“Then let’s see your improved skills.”
Clack.
Her gun cocked sharply.
Bang!
A Kobold Knight’s head exploded.
“Whew~”
“At this rate, we might reach the 37th floor today.”
“No, we’ll go to the 39th floor.”
“You’re confident?”
“If I have my treasure number one and Uncle, I can go to the 50th floor!”
The Kobold Knights, enraged, charged.
Her shots pierced shields, armor, and skulls.
One shot. Then another. Then another.
The bullet even knocked away the shield of a third Kobold Knight behind them.
“Mana Bullet is amazing.”
“Thanks to Uncle~”
He couldn’t hide his admiration anymore.
She had grown terrifyingly fast.
He drew the Immortal Demon Sword.
“Let’s cut down the path to the 39th floor.”
“Yes!”
= = =
By the time he came to, it was 1 p.m.
They were standing on the 36th floor.
‘We really made it this far?’
Her firepower was overwhelming. Precise. Reliable.
And for the first time—Hyuk-min found the Tower fun.
Not stressful. Not desperate.
Fun.
“Is there something on my face?”
Hyun-jung tilted her head.
He looked at her—really looked—and realized:
She wasn’t just someone he had to protect.
She had become a partner.
A teammate.
A companion.
“It was fun,” he said.
“The Tower raid.”
“It’s always fun.”
It wasn’t, not for him.
But now… because of her… it had become fun.
“I guess it was because of you.”
Hyun-jung’s face lit up.
A feeling warmed his chest.
“Hyun-jung.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s go up to the 37th floor and leave after that.”
“Why? I thought we could go higher…”
“I need to go somewhere. A very important place.”
Her expression dimmed.
Thinking she wouldn’t be included again.
“Have a good time,” she murmured.
“What are you talking about? You’re coming with me. I can go because you grew so fast.”
“…Yes?”
“I said you’re coming with me.”
Her face brightened—
Then beamed.
“YES!!”
“We’re going to a pretty dangerous Dungeon. Manage your strength.”
“Of course~ I’m a big help now~”
“You are. If I went alone, it would’ve taken one or two weeks. So yes—you’re a huge help.”
Her eyes widened.
“Then… it’s lucky that I met Uncle, but also lucky that Uncle met me!?”
He glanced at her pleading eyes.
And finally said:
“Yes. Meeting you was lucky for me too.”
She didn’t know—
Hyuk-min had picked up a little monster who would become one of the strongest in the world.
He was luckier than she’d ever understand.
“Yay~ yay~!”
She ran around the 36th floor Dungeon, overflowing with joy.
Watching her, he finally understood her more.
A child who was always expressionless.
But full of scars.
A child who had endured pain quietly.
Yet smiled more than she cried.
A child who needed love and attention.
Someone worth giving everything to.
“How silly.”
His expression softened as he watched her run.
Their bond had grown beyond a thin thread of necessity.
Their experiences—their trust—had woven together.
They had become companions.
They had become family.
Sreung.
Hyuk-min drew the Immortal Demon Sword.
“Okay. Let’s begin.”
Hyun-jung raised her gun, mana swirling around it.
“Yes!”
“Remember—this Dungeon is on a completely different level.”
Hyuk-min dashed forward.
Bang!
Hyun-jung’s shots echoed behind him.
And her voice, buried beneath the gunfire, reached him faintly—
“I’ll go anywhere with Uncle now. Uncle is my one and only…”
A word she whispered to herself, firm and powerful:
“Family.”
Bang!