Chapter 234 - Your Hyung is here (2)

I almost grabbed the guard by the neck for a moment. But I clenched my fists and calmed down. It was just an assumption based on the characteristics of the ability, but there’s a possibility that Alpha isn’t my younger brother. Even if he were Yoohyun, it might not be a big deal. He was confused because he suddenly fell into an unknown place, and maybe that’s why he had an accident.

They said he was safely subdued and well-handled… damn. Anyway, it means you’re safe. First of all, Yoohyun has done nothing wrong here. You’re fine.

…Although I kept repeating to myself that I was okay, my mind was thinking about the items I had, the remaining points, and the list of points stores. No, I shouldn’t rush. First, I need to confirm that Alpha is Yoohyun. Let’s calm down.

“Thank you for coming. If you don’t mind, may I ask for one more favor? I’d like to sell an item of rank A, but since it’s my first time in Akates, I’m worried about being ripped off. I’ll pay you for the trouble, so I’d like you to sell it for me.”

The rank B guard was delighted when I told him “you must have a good idea” since he was a guard and that I would give him a whopping 5%. When I handed him the rank A daggers I had packed, he called me to some place and took care of it in an instant. When I said I didn’t have a card, they made me a new cash card. 3 million L without fees. The currency is the same. The rank B guard, who earned 150,000 L, about 2 million won, for his work, smiled and talked to me about good hotels and restaurants.

“By the way, I have special support skills. Can I work at the Defense Agency?”

“Any support assistant from Medgsan is welcome anywhere. If you request a transfer to the Defense Agency, they will set a date for the transfer of the engraving.”

The rank B guard left after giving me his contact information and telling me to contact him anytime if I needed more items to sell or any other help.

Although it was a downtown area not far from the Defense Agency, Akates had a simpler feel compared to Solemnis. Still, like in a bustling city, the buildings were tall and there were many people. I traveled on the scooter down the road. I was tired, sleepy, and hungry, but I headed to the Solemnis Defense Office. I also refueled the scooter along the way.

I arrived at the civil service office of the Defense Agency and took a waiting ticket. Soon it was my turn.

“Hello, I’m a special support guard from Medsang.”

When I introduced myself and presented my ID, the employee seemed a bit surprised.

“I’m thinking of transferring to the Defense Office in Akates City.”

“Oh, yes. I’ll connect you with a superior. Please wait a moment.”

At first, everything went smoothly. Shortly after, a man in a suit appeared. As an awake rank D individual, the Mana amount was normal. Is the support skill excellent or did the mana trace fail?

“Hello, Han Yoojin-ssi. My name is Dasple and I am in charge of support guard at the Defense Office in Akates City.”

“Hello.”

“Please come in.”

Dasple, who was in charge of support guard, led me into the public service office.

As I sat on the sofa in the living room, tea was served to me. Dasple, who was sitting across from me, had a kind smile on his face.

“We are very aware that there are rumors that guards are mistreated in Akates City.”

…What? For a moment, my head hurt. If you voluntarily pay taxes like this, how bad is the reputation? The corners of my mouth trembled slightly as I tried to put a smile on my face that was about to distort.

“Rumors are always exaggerated.”

“That’s right. Besides, isn’t the support guard different from the combat guard? To be honest, there are many dangerous elements among the combat guards. Recently, Alpha became enraged and burned down an entire shopping district.”

“The damage must have been significant. I heard vaguely about it.”

“Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the material damage was enormous. As a result, the period during which Alpha was immobilized became longer.”

Bound, he said. This time, a smile naturally appeared. Just from a brief conversation, I could guess how they put a leash on the combat guards.

‘Is all the damage received during battle paid by the guards?’

Even when it comes to monsters normally, instead of going crazy. It was common to hire guards and hunters by contracting debts. I experienced it too. Equipment rental fee, repair fee, potion fee, dungeon usage fee, etc. The debt could easily be increased.

I guess they did something more or less similar here. There may be other leashes too. Family or something. Or like an engraving.

“I’m relieved that none of that happens to the support department.”

I smiled brightly. Dasple also laughed with me.

“Of course. The restrictions given are also much lighter. Even if the combat world has its hands and feet tied, aren’t they the type of people who never know when an accident might happen? As much as we have power, we must take responsibility for it. That is our duty as human beings.”

You’re being condemned by the subject who relies on that power to protect you.

I understand that they might be afraid of high-ranked awakened people. Actually, that’s normal. An ordinary, big, well-formed human being probably feels intimidated at the slightest hint, but it’s natural to be afraid of someone capable of demolishing a building with their own hands. That’s why in my world they had been trying from the beginning to improve the image of the hunters.

But regardless of that, if you want to be defended and protected by awakened people, you must treat them accordingly. Isn’t that really the duty of a human being? They weren’t born like this because they wanted to, but you’re so crazy that they have to take responsibility and serve just because I’m stronger than others.

“In Akates City, the safety of our citizens is our top priority. In the current world, isn’t safety the most important thing? As a result, there are a bit more restrictions than in other cities, but honestly, freedom is a luxury that can only be enjoyed if you’re alive.”

Perhaps thinking that I more or less knew the situation, he told me in detail.

“Combat guards actually have reasons to be dissatisfied. However, I’m sure the satisfaction level of support and healing guards is incomparable in any city. I think Han Yoojin-ssi probably knew that and came here.”

“I heard rumors. Probably that’s why I went to the Defense Agency as soon as I arrived in the city.”

“Haha, yes. Also, isn’t Han Yoojin-ssi from Medsang City? It is well known that the Mu-nim of Medsang cares for his guards, so we can’t rush to deal with him.”

As I listened more, I felt increasingly curious about Medsang. It seems like a place where guards are treated exceptionally well, focusing on assistants and healers. … Shouldn’t they have placed all the new guys and girls in Medsang? Yerim and Noah probably didn’t end up in a bad place either. I really had no idea how Peace was doing.

As for the adults, Sung Hyunjae and Moon Hyuna, there wasn’t much reason to worry about them.

In particular, Sung Hyunjae is someone who eats well and lives well wherever he goes.

Contrary to my complicated thoughts, the atmosphere was friendly. The terms of the contract were briefly discussed.

“I will inform you about my abilities after making a firm decision. Let me tell you that it is a skill level that allows you to reach the city of Akates on your own with C-rank statistics.”

“I’m looking forward to having you join our ranks. Even if it’s not SS rank, you must have encountered S-rank monsters several times.”

“I’ve seen it many times.”

Dasple made an exaggeratedly surprised expression. He also expressed his admiration by saying that it was what he expected from someone from Medsang.

“We will also prepare for the change of imprinting procedure as soon as possible.”

“Oh, before that.”

I swallowed dry saliva. I continued speaking, trying to calm my emotions as much as possible.

“Can you check on Alpha’s condition? To be honest, I was anxious when I heard about the explosion. I even thought about moving to another city. On the way, I found out that it was being managed well, but I still want to see it with my own eyes.”

“I completely understand your feelings. Sometimes I feel anxious too.”

The guy nodded loudly.

“I have to ask for permission from the higher-ups first, but I don’t think it will be possible. If I could at least know Han Yoojin-ssi’s skill level, it would be easier to get permission.”

“Let me tell you about a relatively low-level skill. Dasple-ssi’s rank qualification is D-rank and your mana amount is average. Is that correct?”

Dasple widened his eyes.

“Is this a special skill that allows you to know the opponent’s level and mana amount?”

“Yes. I can check mana and vitality up to S-rank and raise it to SS-rank. It’s a skill that is useful in many ways. Both during combat and in everyday life.”

“If it’s a relatively low-rank skill… That’s fine. I think it will be approved 100%.”

“When can I check it?”

“Since Han Yoojin-ssi is still a newcomer, he can only enter the building after sunset.”

I left the room after being asked to visit at sunset. I felt a bit nauseous. Still, the accumulated tiredness became heavier, as if it were water. Even though I thought maybe he wasn’t my younger brother after all, I still had a bad feeling.

There is still a long time until sunset. Trying to calm my mind, I found out more about Alpha. Unlike Sigma, quite a bit of information was made public about him.

“26 years old, awakened and baptized 4 years ago. All family members are dead except for his father.”

Hearing that his father was alive made me feel a bit strange. The data also included photographs. His black hair was the same as Yoohyun’s, but both eyes were red. It seemed he had red eyes from the beginning, not from Irin’s influence.

‘… Now that I think about it, what happened to Rin-ie?’

Are there spirits in this world too? I don’t even know if she entered.

Alpha was also a handsome young man, but he looked quite different from Yoohyun. There’s no reason to be confused; he’s definitely a different person. I felt a little relieved when I saw that.

“In the first place, they are different people from different worlds, so Sigma, who looks the same, is a unique case.”

That Sigma wasn’t Sung Hyunjae either. It’s okay, maybe he’s not Yoohyun.

I left the Defense Agency and headed to a nearby hotel. I entered the hotel restaurant and ordered food, but I wasn’t hungry. I’m hungry, but I don’t feel like eating, so I just toss the salad with my fork. With a glimmer, a submission appeared.

[You need to eat well

Don’t go hungry and eat well to stay healthy! Enjoy more than half of the prepared meal.

Reward: 2 advanced mana potions with chocolate flavor.]

What is this quest? I laughed without realizing it. Mana potions are expensive, but there are two rewards, so the reward is very good compared to the mission. At this rate, I have no choice but to eat.

‘But why does it taste like chocolate?’

It reminds me of that person. It was delicious. Once the food entered my mouth, it went down easily. Thanks to that, I ate everything cleanly and received the potion. I’m sleepy because I’m full and there’s nothing else to do until sunset. I went up to the hotel room, washed up, and lay down. Soon I fell asleep.

“Sir, guest! Wake up!”

I woke up and someone shook me while calling. The hotel staff was by the bed. Is it okay to enter like this without permission?

“The sun will set soon. Please move to the hotel shelter.”

Hotel shelter? Is there a separate shelter in the hotel? Actually, if a hotel cannot be used at night, the business will not go well. Perhaps the hotel shelter was larger and better decorated than the public shelter. I thought the accommodation fee was expensive compared to the price, but is it an accommodation fee?

I told them I had to go to the Defense Agency and left the hotel. The dark streets were quiet. There were barely any people walking, and the bus had a sign indicating it was the last run. I rode the scooter and headed to the Defense Agency. The public service office was already closed. While the security guard guided me inside, a familiar face appeared along with another awakened person.

“Welcome, Han Yoojin-ssi. I’m Mindiba, Alpha’s manager.”

Dasple introduced me to the man standing beside me. Like in Solemnis, people in this city seemed to have three-letter names and no surnames. Mindiba took the lead and wished us all the best.

“Even SS-rank Awakeners will lose consciousness when their mana runs out. Alpha is currently in a mana absorption circle connected to the mana room. Unless we turn off the absorption, there’s no chance of waking him up.”

It’s very secure. That said, I entered the elevator, pressed the button for the lowest floor, and then used my card. If you don’t have a key card, you can’t even go to the floor where the mana room is. It would be underground, and there was a high chance there were no stairs. I could have bought a new master key, but for now, I kept an eye on the key card.

“It’s very secure for now, but we can’t keep letting our precious Alpha sleep like this. So, I conducted a mana engraving conversion procedure.”

“…Conversion?”

“Yes. It’s a procedure that linked everyone’s prints so that a certain number of people could forcibly drain Alpha’s mana. So if Alpha goes berserk again, we can subdue him at any time. However, in that case, the effectiveness of the protective print is significantly reduced, and there’s a high chance it becomes dangerous when dealing with monsters with mana absorption abilities, but it can’t be helped.”

He said he would return to normal once Alpha had completely calmed down.

“Of course, the procedure will be carried out after enough high-level mana absorption items have been prepared in case of another surge. We can’t let our guard down.”

…In other words, in his current state, Alpha could be easily subdued at any moment. If Alpha is Yoohyun, it means simply rescuing him won’t solve the situation. Even when it comes to monsters, it could become dangerous.

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened. Several inspections similar to those in Solemnis followed.

“The biggest problem right now is that Alpha is showing signs of delirium. There was no ‘Hyung’ in Alpha’s family.”

“…‘Hyung’?”

“Yes. Of course, we can’t be sure if they’re biological brothers, but among the relationships I could desperately search for, there’s no one he calls ‘Hyung.’ There’s a possibility he was hiding his weakness to avoid becoming a target, but as he suddenly lost control, I guess it’s probably a mental issue.”

…It was hard to suppress the anger threatening to burst out. He had said “hyung.” I couldn’t believe I found my brother. I couldn’t deny that maybe he wasn’t anymore. My heart felt so cold it hurt. My stomach churned. My jaw hurt as I unconsciously clenched my teeth.

Let’s calm down. Working here will only make things harder. I don’t think it’s easy to get him out, but there’s also the issue of the engraving. Don’t worsen their vigilance without any reason. First, I should pretend to cooperate as much as possible and observe the situation.

“Over here. After the engraving procedure, the isolation room became more resistant, and the mana absorption circle was brought closer to the mana room, making it more powerful. The walls here are blessed with the Mana Hall and are difficult to break down, even for SS-rank Awakeners. The closer you get to the Mana Hall, the higher the intensity. If you’re in an isolation room now, even if Alpha wakes up completely, it’ll be impossible to escape.”

…It’s so damn meticulous. At that level, even the dragon’s breath bomb seemed useless. The isolation room was made up of two layers. I had to enter and open the door again. Opening the inner door required not only a key card but also other manipulations for facial recognition.

Finally, the door opened, and I entered. I could see wide square doors spread out in the middle of the room. In the center of the dimly lit absorption area, there was a young man who had fallen unconscious.

Not only were his arms behind his back, but his legs were also tightly bound. He had a gag in his mouth, and his eyes were covered. A tube was inserted into the back of his neck from an intravenous line. Alpha was constantly being injected with an unknown drug.

Mindaba caught me as I unconsciously approached him.

“You must not approach the mana absorption zone. Your mana will be absorbed instantly, and you’ll faint. The item you’re wearing may also be damaged.”

…Does this mean that Awakeners can’t even approach the area and can’t use objects? It’s impossible to even destroy the room itself. In my nervousness, I looked more closely at the fallen Alpha. With his eyes covered, but still.

‘…Yoohyun.’

He was different from the Alpha I saw in the photo. Not exactly like my younger brother, but closer. He clearly resembled Yoohyun more than Alpha. I’ve observed my younger brother all my life, since he was born. There was absolutely no way I could be mistaken.

“…Alpha’s appearance seems a bit different from the photo.”

“Is that so? Since it’s a photo, you might feel that way. They look the same to me.”

Where are you looking that you see the same thing? Their physiques are also different. I guess in the eyes of the people here, Yoohyun is… He seemed to be the original Alpha. I took a deep breath. It felt like the inside of my throat was burning. I want to run to him right now.

Damn it, why do you treat a kid like this? What am I supposed to do? Even if it’s not his original body. Then.

“…You said Alpha was showing signs of delirium, right?”

“Yes. That’s why we’re giving him medication along with the drugs. We’re also trying to find guards with high-rank mental abilities in other cities.”

“One of my abilities is in the mental field.”

“Yes?”

“It’s just about calming the opponent down, but it works even on SS-rank individuals. So I was able to easily avoid monsters when I got here.”

I glanced at Mindiba again. I wanted to punch that surprised face. It wouldn’t be hard to stick a knife in his throat right now; it was unbearable.

“I think I can be of help. If you don’t mind, can I try it on Alpha?”

“Uh, right now?”

“Yes. If we show that it works, won’t the contract terms change significantly?”

I smiled. And the bastard smiled too.

“It’s possible that he may not be able to go berserk right now due to the drugs, but he could still become dangerous.”

“If he were that stubborn, he couldn’t have come here alone.”

That’s right, he said he would prepare it right away. More people soon entered. There were also two S-rank guards in the mix.

“I’ll turn off the mana absorption circle. Please wait.”

After a complicated operation, the light disappeared from the floor. At the same time, as I tried to approach Alpha, his inert body writhed. Anyone could see his whole body twisting violently.

“It’s fine!”

I quickly shouted. At the same time, Alpha’s and Yoohyun’s movements stopped. I heard exclamations of admiration, saying it was really effective. He quickly walked to Yoohyun, bent his knees, and dropped to the ground.

“…Are you okay?”

A body trembling slightly and breathing heavily and unevenly. I removed the blindfold from his eyes, being careful not to startle him with the sudden touch. His closed eyes opened. The scarlet eyes turned towards me. His eyes, which had become cloudy due to the drugs, instantly moistened.

I stretched out my arms. And I held my younger brother in my arms.