Although they won the battle, there was no one smiling or celebrating. The Ha Dong-geon party quietly cleaned up the area before entering the apartment complex.

The scene inside the apartment complex was bleak.

Especially the lower floors with shattered windows and a chaotic interior.

The scattered glass shards, the disastrous interior, and the bloodstains told the story of what had happened there.

The strange thing was that there were no intact balcony windows in the apartment complex.

‘Did they break the windows as they climbed up floor by floor?’

There was a glimmer of hope with the sturdy front door, but there were signs that the orcs, much larger than goblins, had scaled up the walls and broken in through the balcony windows.

Ha Dong-geon gazed at them expressionlessly.

Drip, drip.

Rain began to fall drop by drop.

The weather had been dark with thick clouds in the sky, and soon a downpour began.

Shoooww—

No one spoke.

They just silently followed behind Ha Dong-geon through the rain.

He entered Building 106.

Click clack.

As they entered the ruined apartment lobby, the sound of stepping on broken glass echoed loudly.

The influence of the orcs was widespread.

Just by looking at the ground floor units where the entrance doors were completely gone, one could imagine how terrible things had been.

Without giving it a glance, Ha Dong-geon quietly ascended the emergency staircase.

When he reached the 10th floor, he stopped in the messy hallway and stared blankly at the entrance to Room 1001.

The handle was bent and shattered. It had completely lost its function as a door.

Creak—

The door opened easily with just a pull.

One could easily imagine what had happened here; how terrified the people inside must have been as the door broke.

“Dong-geon.”

Kim Ga-yeong grabbed Ha Dong-geon’s wrist, but he calmly shook her off and entered the house.

Red footprints.

The vivid red footprints scattered through the floor were clearly those of the black orcs.

The house was in disarray, and there were bloodstains in one corner of the living room.

Perhaps a sign of resistance, a kitchen knife lay alone in the middle of the living room.

After staring at it for a while, Ha Dong-geon walked slowly through the house, following the red footprints to the bedroom, the small room, and the bathroom. He walked around the entire house, maintaining his expressionless face, and said, “Let’s go.”

It was clear whose house this was.

Although no bodies could be found, the bloodstains scattered throughout the living room and rooms was enough indication.

Yet, there was no emotion on Ha Dong-geon’s face.

“Dong-geon…”

“I’m fine.”

Perhaps because he wasn’t crying, Kim Ga-yeong burst into tears instead.

“Cry, you fool.”

“I was… already expecting this.”

Ha Dong-geon patted Kim Ga-yeong’s back in his arms and said, “Let’s go.”

The situation elsewhere was not much different.

Kang Deok-su’s and Kim Geon’s houses also had their front doors open.

Perhaps because the apartment complex was not very large, there were no exceptions.

However, in the case of the two, there were no bloodstains inside their homes. That was their only hope.

Finally, Kim Geon spoke after checking his house.

…

“That’s right. This is reality, usually.”

Ha Dong-geon was expressionless, and Kang Deok-su and Kim Geon looked crestfallen.

Unlike Kim Ga-yeong’s situation, they didn’t even have family to mourn together with.

They were left alone in the world.

Ha Dong-geon said to the despondent Kim Geon and Kang Deok-su, “There’s no need to give up hope yet. They might still be alive somewhere.”

Because it was Ha Dong-geon who said this, no one could offer any response.

Their situation, with a glimmer of hope, was better than Ha Dong-geon’s.

Kim Geon said, “I don’t know what to do from now on…”

Ha Dong-geon’s answer was simple.

“Nevertheless, we still have to live.”

After saying that, he looked around with an expressionless face.

“Mr. Jae-hyun. Are you here by any chance?”

[Yes, I’m here.]

“I’m sorry, but could you summon us? I… want to rest a bit.”

[Understood.]

Using vassal summon, I called them all.

Zzing—

As soon as the Ha Dong-geon party appeared, the air seemed to become heavier. The atmosphere was different from what I had only seen through the Absolute Dweller’s Eyes.

The sense of despair they felt spread through the air.

Moon Byeong-ho and Kim Ga-yeong, whose families were safe, were bowing their heads as if they were sinners.

I was the same.

Was it because of my greed that they were too late?

If they had gone to save their families just a little earlier, could they have saved them?

Such thoughts ran through my mind.

“Well then, let’s go rest.”

Just as Ha Dong-geon was about to bow and leave, I spoke to them.

“I’m sorry.”

All eyes of the Ha Dong-geon party focused on me when I apologized.

“It’s my fault. It’s because I was too greedy.”

In the end, I didn’t need to struggle so hard.

My parents came here on their own with their abilities, and my grandpa was holding up well enough with his good abilities.

Even if I hadn’t gone to find them, they would have been fine.

And over time, I could have confirmed their safety.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s because of me…”

“It’s not your fault, Mr. Jae-hyun.”

Ha Dong-geon interrupted me and said.

“Mr. Jae-hyun, you are our savior.”

“…What?”

“All of us here, including ourselves, were saved by your abilities.”

Ha Dong-geon said this with a strong voice.

“Thanks to Mr. Jae-hyun’s power, we can be here without worrying about food, water, and monsters. If it weren’t for the blessing you gave us, it would have been impossible for us to save Byeong-ho’s grandmother in the first place, or meet Ga-yeong’s parents. And…”

For a moment, Ha Dong-geon’s voice faltered slightly. In that small gap, I could feel how deeply he was grieving, how he was gritting his teeth and enduring to appear fine. It was heartbreaking.

Ha Dong-geon pretended to be fine.

“We wouldn’t have even been able to indirectly confirm the life or death of our families. We wouldn’t have had the chance to take revenge. The monsters there were at a level beyond us.”

Ha Dong-geon continued calmly.

“There is too much sadness in the world. However, it was not aimed at anyone, just scattered randomly like spilled water. You don’t need to take responsibility for all that. It’s the world’s fault, not yours.”

He was much more resilient and mature than I had thought.

Much more than someone like me.

“Please don’t try to carry too much. Mr. Jae-hyun, it’s enough for you to stand there and support us like a giant tree. Just like your grandfather’s abilities. We are grateful to you for providing us shade where we can rest.”

I was supposed to be the one comforting him, but I ended up receiving comfort from him instead.

Although his words were warm and kind, for some reason, I felt like I was about to cry.

“…Thank you.”

[Citizen Ha Dong-geon’s trust has increased.]

[Citizen Ha Dong-geon’s trust has reached 100.]

[Acquired ‘Throwing’.]

It was strange.

Just when I felt my trust in Ha Dong-geon reach 100, his trust in me also reached 100.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

Ha Dong-geon bowed his head slightly and left.

“Fight on!”

Kang Deok-su affirmed me with a fist pump.

…

“I always appreciate it,” Kim Geon left his thanks, “Cheer up, Mr. Jae-hyun.”

“If it wasn’t for Mr. Jae-hyun, I wouldn’t have been able to save my grandmother.”

Kim Ga-yeong and Moon Byeong-ho cheered me on.

“If it weren’t for Mr. Jae-hyun, I would have died in my house back then. Mr. Jae-hyun also saved me when I was hit by an arrow just now, right? My life already belongs to Mr. Jae-hyun,” Kim Da-jeong said.

[Citizen Kim Da-jeong’s loyalty has reached 100.]

[Citizen Kim Da-jeong has already been registered as a vassal.]

[Increased vassal registration limit.]

I received Kim Da-jeong’s sincere words.

“The same goes for me. If it weren’t for Mr. Jae-hyun, I would have probably gone crazy.”

Last but not least, Oh Eon-ju also left her gratitude.

They comforted me and left.

“Ha ha.”

Meeting those people and forming good relationships with them, I felt truly fortunate.

‘Savior…’

Ha Dong-geon called me a savior, but in truth, I was not qualified to be called such a grand name.

‘Up until now, I’ve only acted for myself.’

I moved to survive and struggled to save my family.

Helping the vassal’s families was just a give and take.

They helped me, so I helped them—it was that kind of concept.

Any other ordinary person in my place would have made the same choices and come this far.

Did I really deserve to be called a savior?

‘You asked me to be a big tree!’

It might be a coincidence, but my name also has a similar meaning.

Plant seeds in ashes, and buds will sprout.

They said it was a name given to me with the meaning of becoming a big tree that embraces many people.

‘Yes.’

In truth, after confirming that my family was safe, I was lost.

The decision to save my country that I made afterward was simply a goal I set because I felt like I should. It was just that the burden of the power given to me was too heavy, and it seemed like something I had to do.

Honestly, it wasn’t a goal I desperately wanted, and I didn’t have the confidence to run for it with all my might.

I just thought that if I continued hunting monsters and raising my skill level, that would be only natural. I thought that if I strategically placed constructions and expanded my territory, eventually it would happen.

But.

‘Let’s give it a try!’

The big tree that Ha Dong-geon wanted.

I felt like trying to become a tree like that, one that could provide shade where many people could rest just by existing.

‘Just like my name!’

What couldn’t I do?

There were already more than a thousand people relying on me.

And.

People were stronger than I thought, and they were actively evolving themselves.

Doctors joined the medical team, and those in the rescue team made active efforts to save people.

Some comforted those who were mentally exhausted, some gathered to rescue their families, and even in these harsh conditions, they did their best to take care of the children.

It wasn’t just about hunting monsters and making progress.

The more people gathered, the more they used their respective abilities to find what they could do and perform them.

‘All I have to do is just exist in that place.’

Just by being there, could I become the savior of the people?

Where else could there be such an opportunity?

‘I abandon the grand goal of saving all of South Korea.’

The goal of saving South Korea when I haven’t even saved all of Busan yet was too grand and unrealistic.

‘I’m going to change my goal.’

Instead, I decided to focus on becoming a large tree and creating a place where people entering my shade could rest more assuredly.

Creating opportunities for people to contribute to society by utilizing their own strengths.

Creating a society where systems are in place for people to live comfortably.

I was convinced that this was what I had to do.

‘First, I need to concentrate on building a solid foundation!’

What I needed now wasn’t just hunting monsters and leveling up blindly.

It was more important to become a shade where people could truly rest.

‘More people like Kim Dabin are needed!’

Poor Ha Dong-geon 🙁