The Hero Returns

Despite Su-hyeun's warning, people's response still ended up splitting into two camps.

One side said that the dungeons were disappearing, and it was all a needless concern being blown out of proportions. Meanwhile, the opposing side argued that the world needed to remain on guard according to Su-hyeun's stark warning.

"As I thought, we still lack that necessary push."

Scanning the intelligence report, Lee Ju-ho began chewing on a blameless pen.

It was one of his habits whenever he had too many things to think about. The report document depicted the changes to people's awareness of numerical values.

"It's obvious when you think about it, though. Dungeons are in decline, while no new awakeners are appearing," said Hak-joon as he handed over new documents to Lee Ju-ho.

No new dungeons appeared these days, so whenever Hak-joon wanted to take a break from climbing the Tower, he would either stay with his almost-girlfriend Yun-seon or pay a visit to Lee Ju-ho toiling away at the Jongno Tower.

Lee Ju-ho asked, "Are they really disappearing, though?"

"Even you think that's true, don't you?"

"Huh, I guess so."

He could only groan.

Hak-joon was right: Lee Ju-ho was no different.

If it weren't for Su-hyeun's warning, even Lee Ju-ho would've thought that dungeons and all the associated dangers were a thing of the past. Of course, that line of thinking was still bubbling in the corner of his mind even now, "It's one thing with dungeons disappearing, but what about new awakeners not appearing…?"

This timing when no new awakeners had appeared almost coincided with the start of the decrease in the number of dungeons.

This event caused many people to assume that the strange phenomenon swamping the world for many years—dungeons and awakeners—was finally ending.

But then, Su-hyeun showed up during the Ranking Wars and declared that the war wasn't over yet. He certainly caused a bit of stir, but even then, there wasn't enough reason for everyone to tense up again.

"It's impossible to convince everyone with just words, isn't it? Relying on nothing but people's respect toward Su-hyeun and appealing to their emotions will get us nowhere."

"You also think that way, big bro?"

"Think about what?"

"You know, about what Su-hyeun bro said. How the war is still not over and all."

"Well, do you think it's over?"

"Maybe…" Hak-joon mumbled the rest of his sentence before shaking his head, "No, don't mind me."

"What do you mean, don't mind you?" Lee Ju-ho tossed the documents aside on the table without much care. "It's fine to think that way, know what I mean? Honestly, I wish he was wrong, too."

"You too?"

"You know how Su-hyeun can be so meticulous all the time. And considering all the things he had to go through, and how responsible he could also be—"

"But he still spoke with so much certainty back then, didn't he?"

"Well, all I can say is I wish he's wrong this time."

It was not over yet, he said.

Everyone looked up to Su-hyeun. They trusted him and tried to follow his example. Even so, they prayed that he was wrong this time.

"That's the happy ending we all want, after all."

"I guess you have a point there, bro."

"Well, that doesn't mean we should sit on our butts doing nothing, though. You, me, everyone."

"You want me to get out of your hair?"

"You sure are quick on the uptake. You should go and try to climb one more floor if you have time to kill."

"You can't be serious?! I only came back yesterday, you know!"

"Besides all that, aren't you gonna go and see your miss? It's morning, yet you sure seem to have a lot of free time on your hands."

"She found a job recently, you see. She's now working at a kindergarten in Guro-gu—"

Bzzzz, bzzzzzing—

Lee Ju-ho's smartphone abruptly went off just then. He glanced at the name on the phone's screen, ended the conversation there, and answered the call, "Hold on. Yes, Mister Rohan."

Answering the call, Lee Ju-ho grew more and more serious as he listened. He then shifted his gaze over to the computer monitor and began searching for something, "…Yes, I confirmed it just now. Yes. Thank you for the heads-up."

"Was that call from Mister Rohan?"

"Remember what we were talking about a minute ago?"

"Sorry?"

Creak—

Lee Ju-ho pivoted the computer monitor around so that Hak-joon could also see. "Looks like it's finally begun."

There was a news article displayed on the screen. Its headline read: "First new awakener appears after one year, two months! Kim Su-hyeun spoke the truth!"

* * *

The system was almost fully repaired.

He could have wrapped up there and stopped, but Su-hyeun continued tinkering with the system.

However, the part he was tinkering with wasn't the newest part of the system. He focused on the original bits Master Subhuti had created, specifically the part about the Tower itself.

"It wasn't just Yggdrasil."

The layout of the Tower was far more intricate and expansive than he initially thought.

He believed that each floor of the Tower was a world found inside Yggdrasil, but several other World Trees were also involved in a highly complex manner.

It would require more time to connect many disparate trees to the Tower to issue various trials. Not to forget, even the system that granted new abilities and powers had to be connected, too.

"Just how far do these connections go?"

He couldn't see the end of the Tower. Not only that, but variations in the types of trials were so numerous that it seemed impossible to count them properly.

Su-hyeun was currently staring at the Tower and the system as the omnipotent observer. That was why he could see how far the effects of the system extended and what types of trials were available.

Trials were created mainly to help various worlds existing in Yggdrasil and other World Trees to overcome their crises. Su-hyeun's trials corresponded to such goals as dealing with the Lich King or raiding dungeons.

"Just how far…?"

The higher the floor, the higher the difficulty would be.

If Su-hyeun stuck to climbing the Tower and did the trials as scheduled, then he would eventually run into Osiris and probably Shiva next.

"Amazing."

Su-hyeun got to learn something new today.

Master Subhuti was far more impressive than Su-hyeun had given him credit for. It was also likely that the other Five Godly Sages, such as Buddha and Zeus, had no idea how amazing Subhuti was.

He ensured that an excellent awakener would eventually run into Shiva simply by climbing the Tower until the end.

And also…

"So, we meet again in this place."

Su-hyeun got to meet the "presence" once more.

* * *

"Heo-urhk—!"

Su-hyeun's eyes shot wide open as he sat up.

He wondered how much time had passed by.

The surroundings had gotten dark by the time he woke up to look around. He completed repairing the system that went out of whack after Master Subhuti's passing, then ensured that the repaired system would be granted to various World Trees.

Even he could tell that it had been a while. He poured all of his being into finishing just one task while never letting his focus go astray. Even then, he felt that too much time had passed by already. It was near impossible to figure out how many hours, no, how many days it had been.

"And that thing…"

That voice sounded familiar.

Right, Su-hyeun remembered hearing that voice from the prediction of the future he saw through his Foresight.

But if he tried to recall the pitch of the voice or just what it sounded like, he couldn't quite do it. He couldn't even tell whether it was actually a voice or words being transmitted to him.

Even so, Su-hyeun was certain that the presence was the same being as the one from this Foresight-induced dream.

"You're finally awake?" Sun Wukong asked, then yawned.

Sun Wukong, dozing off next to Su-hyeun, woke up and then stretched his limbs.

Seeing how he couldn't stay awake and had to sleep, he must've been guarding Su-hyeun's side for a long time. As for the one who helped Su-hyeun repair the system, Buddha was nowhere to be seen.

"Did you do it?"

"Yes, I think—"

"Judging by your answer, I guess you really did it, then."

As expected of Sun Wukong, he knew Su-hyeun rather well.

Su-hyeun nodded, feeling inwardly confident of his success, then asked, "How long has it been, Third Brother?"

"I'd say about half a year, maybe?"

"Half a year?!"

He was shocked by the fact that he didn't have to eat or sleep for such a prolonged duration and that the task had taken him that long to finish.

To think that he would d be gone for half a year…

"They must be worried sick back home."

While people on this side knew what was going on with him, the people back on Earth should've gone mad with worry by now. Sure, Su-hyeun would often be absent from his homeworld, but it was very unusual for him to go missing for half a year without letting anyone know of his whereabouts.

Not to forget, he declared something, or rather, about the war not being over before his disappearance.

"Still, you finished it really quickly, little bro."

"Wait, Third Brother. Half a year is 'quick' in your book?" Su-hyeun asked back since it felt like Sun Wukong was making fun of him.

However, the Monkey King made a puzzled face instead, "But, uh, according to what Buddha said, you were supposed to take several years, at least? That's the shortest estimate he gave us, you know?"

"I'm sorry?"

"The Five Godly Sages apparently needed hundreds of millions of years to get the system going. Sure, you already know what the system is, and you only had to restore it, but still… You indeed did it waaaay faster than Buddha's estimate," Sun Wukong continued to explain before turning around to head over to the Bull Demon King's residence. "Not sure what you're thinking about right now, but since it's finished, come inside already. You must be starving to death after half a year of no food."

He headed to the residence first.

Su-hyeun now left alone, remained there in a daze. He lay back down and stared at the sky above. An indistinct figure ever so faintly wavered before his eyes.

"Who are you?"

The owner of that voice sounded like 'it' was waiting for Su-hyeun's arrival—as if waiting inside a trial prepared by Master Subhuti in a place even higher than the Tower itself.

"Just who are you?"

Su-hyeun heard the familiar voice once more—a voice that he recognized from a very long time ago.

* * *

Su-hyeun took his time thinking about everything before heading to the residence. That was where he found Sun Wukong waiting for him, having already laid out a table full of food.

The meat was burnt and the rice undercooked, but regardless of what, this was Sun Wukong's first time preparing supper, so Su-hyeun wasn't going to say anything.

He scanned the interior of the residence before settling down on a chair next to the table, "Did First Brother and sister-in-law go somewhere?"

"Mm, did it start around four months ago? Sister-in-law had to go out frequently to do her thing, you see."

"Sister-in-law, you say?"

"Yeah. Obviously, our First Brother wasn't going to sit still and do nothing, so he follows her around all the time."

"Did something happen?"

"Well, uh, her guts and drive were something else, alright," Sun Wukong replied while shoving the burnt meat and undercooked rice in his mouth. "But she's still bad at cooking and all."

"Hm?"

It seemed that Lang Mei had prepared the meal they were about to have. Now that made sense since Sun Wukong would never burn his favorite food, meat, to this extent.

After finishing the meal, Su-hyeun immediately got up to leave.

Sun Wukong got up as well with a face that said, "I knew you'd do that," then asked him, "You want to go to where sister-in-law is, don't you?"

"Yes."

"But do you even know where she is?"

"I figured you'd guide me there."

Sun Wukong chuckled in dismay at Su-hyeun's shameless reply.

However, the Monkey King hated being bored, so there was simply no way he would remain at home all by himself. Su-hyeun knew this and believed that his Third Brother would obviously accompany him.

Su-hyeun summoned the Somersault cloud next. Since he didn't know the destination, he couldn't rely on his Earth Shrink Technique. This method was slightly slower, but he didn't have a choice in the matter.

"If you keep going thaaaat way, we'll eventually see an altar."

"An altar, you say?"

"Yeah. First Brother constructed it. Sister-in-law was so adamant about it, crying her eyes out and all," Sun Wukong replied while lying on his tummy by the end of the Somersault cloud. He narrowed his eyes and continued, "Aha, there it is!"

The altar in question was surprisingly large. It was about as big as a small athletics field, so indeed, it was pretty large for an altar.

However, there didn't seem to be any offerings placed on it. Only Lang Mei could be seen standing on top.

"What is she doing?" Su-hyeun quietly observed.

He stopped the Somersault cloud in the air and watched her for a little bit.

The Bull Demon King watched her from a spot not too far but not too close either. He must have sensed the presence of both Su-hyeun and Sun Wukong by now, yet his attention never shifted away from Lang Mei.

"Watch carefully, okay?" Sun Wukong whispered quietly. "Something interesting will happen from now on."

"Something interesting—?"

Su-hyeun fixed his attention on Lang Mei.

She had been kneeling demurely for who knows how long. She then slowly got back up to her feet. She held a small needle in her grip. Su-hyeun wondered what she would do with that, only to see her prick her fingertip with it.

A trickle of blood flowed out from the wound.

It was really that, a trickle. She brought the bleeding wound closer to the center of the altar.

Drops of blood slowly fell.

Drip…

And right at that moment…!

Wuuuuuoooooong—!

The calm skies suddenly began reverberating, and then…

Ruuuuumble—

The entire world began resonating.