* * *
“Sorry.”
After spending several days sprawled out without the will to do anything, Yoon Seungryong—finally back in his right mind today thanks to Yohan’s purification—bowed low with his head to the floor in apology.
“I really have nothing to say for myself. I’m truly sorryyy.”
“It’s fine, Seungryong-hyung. These things happen. Co and eat.”
“As if I’m even fit to eat right now....”
Despite his dejected voice, when Yohan motioned for him to co over, Seungryong hurried to take his seat. Today’s al was a spicy, piping-hot tuna kimchi stew. Cooked with Seungryong’s skill and infused with plenty of Yohan’s purification, the stew was so delicious it was hard to put into words. After finishing off a full bowl and moving on to dessert, Seungryong let out a sigh.
“Ugh, ever since I got swept up in that Bumram, I can’t even bring myself to look at it... I guess you can stare at it straight on without a problem since you’re a Purifier. Lucky you.”
Judging from the shudder that ran through him, the experience a few days ago had truly been horrifying. Yohan, eating an unfamiliar tropical fruit that Hyunmook had sohow found, widened his eyes.
“You’ve been swept up in Bumram before?”
It was hard to believe. Just the sight of Bumram was enough to be revolting and nightmarish, and Yohan had witnessed firsthand how living things twisted and degenerated when touched by it. Seungryong nodded as he bit off a big chunk of the tropical fruit.
“That’s how I ended up as a centipede monster. And this—this is after the team leader dragged out midway and made halfway presentable.”
The unexpected confession left Yohan’s jaw hanging open. Seungryong grinned and popped a piece of fruit into Yohan’s open mouth.
“Our team leader... every ti a teammate got swept up in Bumram, he’d jump in after them. Over and over again... He’s gone in more than anyone else among us. I’m grateful, sure... and because of that...”
He lowered his voice until it was barely audible, a faint tremor in his tone.
“...he’s the one I fear most.”
What could have happened for him to fear his own savior like that? Yohan didn’t dare ask.
Even the polite platitude—You must have been through so much—wouldn’t leave his lips. In the face of soone who had endured unimaginable pain and suffering, no comfort felt worthy. Seungryong just smirked again and slipped another big piece of fruit into Yohan’s mouth, this one from the especially sweet and tasty center.
“Our Yohan, eat plenty. I’m going to start treating you like my elder from now on. You drove off a Bumram, didn’t you? Good job, I’m proud of you.”
“I-it just... sort of happened while I was trying....”
The honeyed look in Seungryong’s eyes made Yohan feel awkward, his cheeks and ears flushing with embarrassnt and happiness. It was deeply satisfying to have actually pulled his weight among such incredible people. It was a sense of camaraderie and accomplishnt he’d never felt before. Seungryong was all but doting on him when—
“Yohan, co here for a mont.”
Hyunmook, who had skipped dessert and been busy fiddling with sothing, waved him over. Yohan jumped up and trotted over.
“What is it?”
He tried to sound casual, but there was a hint of stiffness in his manner. Ever since the “rescue” kiss, Yohan had been hyper-aware of Hyunmook, even though it had happened twice now. The man didn’t seem to rember clearly, so Yohan hadn’t brought it up—but the awkwardness and embarrassnt lingered. More than that...
His eyes were black at the ti. Doesn’t that an he was in his right mind?
If his eyes had been normal, how could he not rember kissing him? That question had been gnawing at him, but his gaze soon shifted to what Hyunmook was holding out.
“...What’s this?”
Yohan tried to see it in the best possible light, but it was, by all appearances, a small stone hand axe. Not even that—more like a fist-sized rock. Hyunmook, looking a bit sheepish, brushed back his ssy bangs. The simple motion struck Yohan as effortlessly handso.
“I did what I could to work on it, but this was the best I could do. It’s your weapon, Yohan, though I admit it’s a bit embarrassing for it to look like this.”
“Uh—wow! It’s... really cool... and looks great for attacking!”
A short piece of tal rod had been attached, but even the sharpest-looking edge seed better suited for bludgeoning than stabbing. Yohan turned the stone over in his hands, trying to be genuinely pleased. At first glance, it was just a shiny black rock—but on closer inspection, a strange light shimred across it. A thought struck him and he looked up sharply.
“This... could it be? Eternal Stone...?”
A rare byproduct occasionally found when hunting monsters, its composition remained unidentified. Made of material never found on Earth, unlike other weapons that quickly degraded when taken into a rift, it never corroded.
Found only within living creatures, it seed to be a crystallized, immutable part that resisted contamination and change under any conditions. Before refining, it was called Eternal Stone; after refining, it beca Absolute Steel.
In other words, what Yohan now held was raw ore, while Hyunmook’s and Seungryong’s weapons were refined versions. Staring at it in astonishnt, Yohan realized this was no longer a “rock”—it was the equivalent of a diamond worth billions. Both Eternal Stone and Absolute Steel were worth whatever soone was willing to pay.
“When and how did you even get this?!”
After Seungryong regained his senses, Hyunmook had been gone for only a couple of hours. In that short ti, he must have beaten so terrifying monster to obtain this rare material. Overjoyed, Yohan broke into a broad smile.
“Wow, thank you. I’ll make great use of it!”
In truth, Yohan could have carried any tal weapon; as a Purifier, nothing in his hands would corrode from contamination, and he rarely attacked anyway. But after what had happened a few days ago, Hyunmook seed to have given it serious thought.
“Even if you can purify Bumram, it’s still best to keep your distance. Touching it is never a good idea.”
“I’ll train hard so I can protect both of you!”
Clutching the weapon carefully, Yohan declared it with determination. Hyunmook’s eyes softened into a smile as he leaned forward.
“Very reassuring.”
eting his gaze only to look quickly away, Yohan felt heat rise in his cheeks. Trying to act nonchalant, he tested it by infusing it with his purification. The weapon thrumd with a white glow, the Eternal Stone shining brightly. Honestly, though, to the naked eye it looked more like a vintage white lamp. Hyunmook seed to think the sa.
“It’d be nice if we could work on the weapon more later... hopefully we’ll get the chance.”
At that, a face ca to Yohan’s mind—Seo Yakrin, one of the Sunrise team.
He could refine Eternal Stone, right?
Could he still be alive sowhere? If Hyunmook hoped for the chance, did that an he believed Yakrin was alive? Not knowing who among the team was dead or alive, Yohan hesitated to speak. Then Hyunmook’s thumb pressed against his lips.
“Did you have dragon fruit for dessert?”
He plucked a bit of fruit from Yohan’s lips and popped it casually into his own mouth.
“So... so that was dragon fruit, huh, hahahaha....”
The words from last ti—only do this with —echoed in his mind, and Yohan’s face turned crimson. He couldn’t tell if ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) he was reading too much into things or if he was right. That gesture had just been too intimate.
As if responding to his emotions, Yohan’s weapon glowed like a lighthouse, catching Seungryong’s attention as he gnawed on the last of his dragon fruit skin. He ambled over.
“Yohan’s got a new weapon? Damn, that’s bright. No wonder the moths were coming...”
“...Huh? Moths?”
Only then did Yohan register the fluttering sound and scream in alarm. Apparently, Hyunmook and Seungryong weren’t the only ones drawn to his purification. The moth monsters flying toward them were fried by Hyunmook’s electricity, filling the air with a burnt sll. Yohan hastily stopped infusing his weapon.
“Since we’ve had our post-al workout, shall we get moving?”
Burning away the gri on his spear with electricity, Hyunmook stood up. To Yohan’s surprise, Seungryong—now having even eaten the dragon fruit peel—scratched his cheek and asked a question. A thought struck Yohan belatedly... Wait, co to think of it, they’d never really disposed of food waste, had they? No way... right?
“By the way, boss, are we still heading for the Russian sector?”
“Hmm...”
Hyunmook didn’t answer right away, lost in thought. While Yohan glanced between them in confusion, Seungryong pressed the point.
“Let’s just go to the Japanese sector instead.”
“Why? Is there sothing good there?”
Normally talkative, Seungryong glanced at Hyunmook and held his tongue. Yohan’s clear, expectant gaze demanded an answer, and Hyunmook gave a wry smile.
“First, to get to the Russian sector, we’d have to cross the river. That route’s best avoided because of the Bumram.”
“Ugh... that’s an experience I never want to repeat.”
Yohan shuddered. He’d fought desperately to stop Bumram from swallowing the two of them, but if he hadn’t been forced into it, he would have run without looking back. Bumram was a phenonon that set off primal survival alarms.
“And second—Hoyoung’s in the Japanese sector.”
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