Chapter 280 – Epilogue (13)

“Hyunbin!”

Tae-yang waved at me.

“What are you two doing here?”

“We came to see you, of course.”

The person with Tae-yang was In-ho.

“You’ve lost a lot of muscle. Getting lazy?”

The same In-ho who used to tremble just from meeting my gaze was now joking around.

“Want to find out for yourself if I’ve lost muscle or not?”

“No… I have a reputation to maintain now. I can’t be seen getting beat up.”

Classic In-ho. No fun at all.

Four years had passed, and I could see how much they had both matured.

A bitter smile escaped me as I looked at their flushed faces.

“Get in. I’ll give you a ride. You should feel honored. After all, the number one ranked hunter in the country is personally chauffeuring you.”

“Yeah, right.”

I chuckled and sat in the back. Olivier naturally sat down next to me.

“I didn’t know you were working at the school with Mina. We were all wondering where she went after she suddenly quit one day.”

“That’s just how it turned out.”

Olivier gave Kim Tae-yang a gentle smile.

Seeing this, Kim Tae-yang’s eyes curved playfully.

“So that’s how it is. I see!”

“…?”

“And here I thought you were impotent. Hehe.”

“Weren’t you the number one dating guru, though? Calling him impotent was a bit much.”

These punks.

They’ve really grown up, haven’t they?

It’s been a while, so they must have forgotten what my training was like. It seems I’ll need to give them a little refresher.

“…!”

Kim In-ho’s eyes started to shake the moment he saw my face.

Ah, I must have been smiling without realizing it.

“Hehe. To think the reason you went off the grid was to start a family. I had no ideaaa! Why? Why are you poking me in the ribs?”

Kim Tae-yang cluelessly looked at Kim In-ho.

What’s the point of being rank one if you’re this dense?

Looks like I’ll have to set aside some special time later to help our dear Tae-yang get his senses back.

I’ve got all the time in the world today, after all.

“But seriously, a teacher? So unlike you. Ah, then again, maybe it fits. You’re damn good at one thing: wrecking people. Hehe.”

“…”

Kim In-ho remained silent.

“Just how many budding sprouts are you planning to crush? The pay for a teacher sucks anyway, so come back to being a hunter!”

“Tae-yang.”

“Yeah?”

“Have you found a new line of work?”

At my words, Kim Tae-yang just grinned as if I’d said something ridiculous.

“No way, being a hunter is an awesome job. You get famous, you make good money. Oh, right. I got another girlfriend…”

“Wouldn’t it be better to break up with her?”

“Why?”

“It must be hard dating a paraplegic.”

Only then did Kim Tae-yang start to grasp the situation.

He spoke awkwardly.

“Aw, come on. You’re still as good at joking as ever.”

“I’m not joking. You want to retire as a hunter, don’t you?”

Kim Tae-yang’s pupils wavered slightly.

He might have forgotten a lot while enjoying his success, but the memories of our time together were surely etched into his body and mind.

Thanks to that, Kim Tae-yang began to focus on his driving, ensuring we wouldn’t be late.

One shouldn’t be distracted while driving. You need to focus to drive safely and avoid accidents. Of course.

“Have you thought about coming back as a hunter?”

Kim In-ho spoke up again.

“Gates are still opening, and monsters are still a threat. A lot of people would be happy if someone like you returned.”

“From now on, you guys have to handle it.”

If I returned as a hunter, I would certainly be a great help to many people. But I had no intention of being a hunter anymore.

I had already become far too strong. My mere presence would change countless things.

Would those changes be for the better in the long run?

No.

If I were around, everyone would be walking on eggshells.

They would base all their choices on my actions.

I had no desire for that anymore. They had all grown well without me, and they would continue to live according to their own will.

My job was to give them hope and advise them on how to grow stronger and live better. That was all.

“Um… We still haven’t publicly announced that you were the one who defeated Agares.”

“Good. Say you guys did it.”

Agares wouldn’t be showing up again. It wouldn’t matter if the bastard was the grandfather of immortals.

He had tried to self-destruct again, but this time he exploded inside my inventory. Not a single shred of his data remained.

“It’s for the next generation, isn’t it?”

I smiled at In-ho’s words.

I had saved many people and obtained overwhelming power.

Now, I chose a life of rest. With me around, no Demon King would dare to act recklessly anyway.

Humanity now had to grow stronger.

That’s why I decided to focus on raising the new generation.

Han So-yul, Hwang Jae-hoon, Hong Jae-young.

Besides this top three, there were many hidden gems in the class I was in charge of.

They were a fun bunch, and I was looking forward to their future.

“I’m just grateful you’re alive. Everyone will be glad to see you.”

Kim In-ho said with a smile.

I could feel the sincerity in his eyes. The same went for Tae-yang.

My judgment of character wasn’t that bad.

“Don’t worry about Sia’s dad. I’m stalking him very well.”

Why can’t this girl just stay quiet instead of saying weird things?

As Olivier spoke, crossing her legs arrogantly, the two Kims stared at me.

“So… the reason you were off the grid was…”

“Child-rearing…?”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

Have they lost their minds?

“We don’t have Sia yet, but we will eventually. We’ve been living together for a long time, you see.”

“Ooh!”

“As expected of the grandmaster of dating…”

It was true that we lived together.

I had planned to live alone, but Olivier is terrible at cleaning.

She’d pant, wipe her brow, and ask, “I did a good job, right?” but to me, it just looked even messier.

I can’t stand seeing a mess, so I kept cleaning up after her, and before I knew it, we were living together.

That’s all there is to it.

But those two seemed to have gotten the wrong idea.

“And we spend every night together.”

“Ooooh! I knew I could believe in you, damn it!”

“Indeed!”

No, nothing ever happened.

It was absurd to see Olivier puffing out her chest, acting all high and mighty.

Are you really an Elder Succubus?

Creatures who specialize in seducing and corrupting men, yet she hadn’t laid a single finger on my body. The nerve of her to act so proud.

How could Sia be born if you can’t even reach for the stars?

“We’ve already seen all there is to see of each other.”

“Ahhh, how lewd!”

“Such a vulgar story!”

The time I pulled her hair out of the drain?

Seriously, why doesn’t she clean the drain after showering? When I pulled it out, there was enough to make a wig.

And don’t even get me started on the sink.

It was true that I’d seen things I shouldn’t have. Just thinking about it gave me a headache.

“Sister-in-law, I will offer you the bouquet later!”

“Hoho, I don’t need such things. It’s not like I particularly need it, but I suppose I have no choice.”

“You know that if a woman catches the bouquet, she has to get married within six months, right?”

“Shut up and drive.”

“Aw, look at you, getting all shy.”

Kim Tae-yang, who had glanced at me in the rearview mirror, fell silent again. I could see him swallowing hard.

We soon arrived at the wedding hall.

The person getting married today was an old acquaintance of mine.

He was someone I had trained as a test subject before implementing the hunter training system.

“The bride, Park Ah-ra, will now make her entrance.”

I could see Park Ah-ra walking in to the applause of the crowd.

It was a fine dress that showed off her massive trapezius muscles.

“The groom, Sunwoo Jin, will now make his entrance.”

The order of entrance for the bride and groom seemed a bit off, but what did it matter?

So, the two of them were finally getting married.

I remembered worrying when they first joined the guild as a couple.

Back then, Park Ah-ra, with a face like a little chick, had declared that they would never break up.

She had achieved her dream.

I clapped, moved, as the two of them stood before the officiant.

“The groom shall love the bride until his three major lifts total 1,000… The bride shall love the groom until her InBody registers 5% body fat…”

The officiant’s very appropriate sermon continued, and the ceremony ended quickly.

Cheers and applause from the crowd.

Many reporters were present to cover the story of the first hunter couple becoming a married hunter couple.

Or maybe they were just there to capture photos of the famous hunters.

Click, click.

The sound of camera shutters grew frantic.

The top celebrity, Seo Hyun-ji, came up to sing the congratulatory song.

—I’ll say it now, we’re getting married

Many people savored the beautiful love song sung by Seo Hyun-ji herself.

Perhaps that girl was better suited to be a dancer than a hunter after all.

I was the first one to discover her talent, after all.

—Let’s start together from the beginning, our time, I’ll believe in you

Seo Hyun-ji’s gaze was strangely fixed on me.

Given our deep connection, she recognized me even though I’d lost muscle and was now covered in holy power.

It was nice to see her singing with a smile.

After the song, it was time for photos.

“Hero, aren’t you going to be in the picture?”

“You go on.”

“But I wanted to take one with you…”

Olivier looked disappointed.

“I’m not planning on being in it either. As you know from TV, I’m a top star.”

Seo Hyun-ji came up beside me, lifting her chin haughtily, and offered this TMI I hadn’t asked for.

“I bet you want my autograph this time, don’t you?”

I pushed the confidently speaking Seo Hyun-ji on the back.

“What was that for? You’re not even in the picture…”

“I’m not going anywhere, so go on.”

“…Wh-whatever.”

Seo Hyun-ji, blushing to her ears, scurried off to join the group photo.

Cute, very cute.

Seeing everyone so happy to see me after so long made me smile.

After the bride and groom took photos with their relatives, it was time for pictures with their friends.

The two Kims gestured for me to join them.

But I just crossed my arms and shook my head.

“Okay, on three. Great, one more time.”

In that moment, I just wanted to watch them all taking pictures peacefully.

“Mister.”

Just then, I heard a clear and refreshing voice. I knew she would come.

After all, she was the only one besides me who possessed such powerful holy energy.

When I turned my head, Karin was standing there.

Her hair, once white from losing her life force, was now a vibrant red.

The original Karin had black hair, so seeing her with red hair reminded me of the Karin from another dimension.

“It’s been a while.”

“It has.”

Dressed in a one-piece she didn’t usually wear, Karin had grown into a mature woman.

The reckless girl I first met when I was wandering in the other world, taken in by Lord Lania.

The girl who came to rely on me after losing her adoptive parents to a vile king.

The girl who stubbornly protected her domain from the schemes of her relatives and eventually even fought a war.

The girl with the crazy idea to follow me, her only family, to the modern world with her entire domain because she couldn’t bear to be separated. Now, all traces of that recklessness were gone as she smiled at me.

“You’ve lost muscle, Mister.”

I knew she was going to say that.

“If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have awakened my divine power.”

This damn body, having become god-like, constantly maintained itself in an optimal state. So even if I bulked up, it would return to normal the next day. Even if I increased my muscle mass, it would just revert.

The Order System must think of weightlifting as some kind of injury. Damn it.

“You look much better, though.”

“You too.”

“Heheh.”

The mature appearance of the regressor I had once seen, combined with the personality of the Karin I knew, felt strangely dissonant. Still, nothing had changed about the Karin I knew.

“Mister, it seems you came back about a year ago. What have you been up to?”

“Teaching.”

“Teaching?”

“Yeah. At Laon Academy.”

Hearing my words, Karin’s cheeks puffed up as she tried to stifle a laugh, as if she’d heard something hilarious.

“Pfft.”

“Are you laughing?”

“No, sorry. It’s just so unlike you, but at the same time, I feel like it suits you.”

I couldn’t tell if it was a compliment or a jab, but seeing Karin laugh wasn’t so bad.

I stroked Karin’s head.

“I’ve been streaming.”

“Streaming? What kind of stream?”

“Aww, you don’t know, Mister? I do mukbangs on Seo-yeon TV.”

I’d had a feeling, but was she really a mukbang streamer? The kind who does reactions for donations?

I did not raise my daughter to be like this!

“The Demon King gives me huge donations, so I have a ton of subscribers. You must not have seen all the reporters taking my picture earlier. Heheh.”

Im Jae-joon, that damn bastard. Is this how you repay kindness with malice?

After I raised Karin so carefully, he just had to introduce her to the world as a competitive eater.

“It’s time for the bouquet toss. All the ladies on the bride’s side, please gather.”

At the word “bouquet,” Olivier quickly took her place.

“Ms. Seo Hyun-ji?”

Olivier shot a wary look at Seo Hyun-ji, who had suddenly appeared next to her.

“Why would a top star like you want to catch the bouquet?”

“I just feel like it.”

“I’m the one who’s going to catch it. For the sake of my future family plans.”

I could see Seo Hyun-ji and Olivier sizing each other up.

“Special bouquet prepared. The weak cannot hold this bouquet.”

Park Ah-ra, whose vocal cords seemed to have gained muscle as well, spoke curtly as she held up a custom bouquet with a dumbbell attached.

“…Ah…”

“…What the…”

I could see both Olivier and Seo Hyun-ji flinch in unison.

Tsk, tsk. This is why I always say you should be like our Park Ah-ra, a muscle wizard who can hit a 500 total on her three major lifts.

“Well then, I’m off, Mister.”

“Off where?”

At my question, Karin grinned and said.

“To catch the bouquet.”

Why would a young girl like her want the bouquet?

“Because it’s what my other self wanted.”

Did she get a boyfriend while I wasn’t looking?

I wanted to ask, but it felt a bit awkward.

No, she has to move on eventually. But why do I feel this strange mix of relief and disappointment?

“It’s either all or nothing, and I don’t think I’m the ‘nothing’ type.”

With those cryptic words, Karin declared her entry into the fray.

Soon after Karin left, a familiar voice reached me.

“I thought I was late, but you’re still here.”

I turned around to see the person I had been waiting for.

“It’s been a while, Hero.”

The Demon King, Im Jae-joon, greeted me.

We met as enemies, reunited as allies in the modern world, and fought a battle for our lives.

“How does it feel, meeting the people you protected after so long?”

The bouquet was thrown. And three women’s eyes glinted like hyenas.

“I’m glad I ran into you.”

“…?”

As I strode toward him, Im Jae-joon’s expression hardened, as if sensing something ominous.

“Hand over the contract, you bastard.”

“Ah, that.”

A quick search brought up a stream titled “Eating is the Best Thing in the World!” I also saw an article about a rising star in the mukbang world sponsored by the Hanul Group.

“Driver Kim? Yes. Get the car ready again. I’m leaving now.”

As I approached, Im Jae-joon quickly turned and began to walk away with an elegant, brisk pace.

I walked menacingly after him and declared from behind.

“Where do you think you’re going? The only place you’re going is to hell.”

“Wait. Wait a minute, I think there’s been a misunderstanding…”

“If misunderstandings could be resolved, there would be no wars in this world.”

I heard someone who had snatched the bouquet let out a cheer.

Without even a moment to see who it was, I moved to deal with the Demon King.

I have returned to the world.

I will blend into society and live out the rest of my life.

[The End]