The long-awaited reunion with his sister did not unfold with the tears and dramatic embraces Lee Seong-jun had imagined during his years of exile. Instead, the moment carried a quiet warmth. A few tears welled in their eyes, but both smiled quickly, as though bound by an unspoken strength in their shared blood.
As they rode the bus together, Seong-jun found himself smiling constantly, unable to suppress the joy swelling in his chest. Every step through the streets beside her felt like the fulfillment of a dream long deferred. His sister, Lee Seo-yoon, tilted her head, puzzled at his expression, but he brushed it off lightly. For the first time in his life, he truly understood the meaning of happiness.
Yet beneath his smile, Seong-jun's heart tightened. Seo-yoon had grown far beyond the little sister he remembered. Left behind in poverty after his disappearance, she had faced hardships that would have crushed others. Their mother's illness — Mana Syndrome — required constant treatment. Hospital bills drained what little the family had. On top of that, the neighborhood they once called home had been invaded by monsters, forcing them to relocate into even harsher conditions.
Walking through the alleys, Seong-jun saw the truth. Trash littered the streets, sewage filled the air with a foul stench, broken lights left corners in darkness. He bit his lip unconsciously, knowing how much she must have endured to keep their family afloat.
At last, they arrived before the small semi-basement apartment that his family now called home. The walls were damp, the entrance dim, but Seo-yoon pushed forward without hesitation. Though his chest ached at the sight, Seong-jun steadied himself. What mattered was not the place, but the family waiting inside.
But the house was empty. Their parents were still at work, unable to leave their jobs even for their son's miraculous return. Bitterness struck Seong-jun's heart, but he quickly buried it. Survival, not neglect, had dictated their absence.
Inside, Seo-yoon questioned him. Where had he been all these years? He answered honestly, recounting his journey through the Thousand Continents: his initiation into the Blood Cult, his rise as the Blood Demon, his conquest of kingdoms, and his ascension as Demon God.
She listened silently, only to smile faintly at the end. To her, his story sounded no different from the exaggerated boasts of countless returnees who claimed grand titles for wealth or recognition. Yet, unlike others, Seo-yoon's eyes carried no accusation, only quiet acceptance. She trusted him without needing proof.
For Seong-jun, that trust pierced deeper than any blade. In the Thousand Continents, he had commanded armies and crushed empires, but none of that compared to the simple, unconditional bond of family. At last, he understood why he had yearned so desperately to return.
The warmth of the moment was interrupted when Seo-yoon winced, her hand clutching her waist. She brushed it off as fatigue from work, but her brother's sharp eyes caught the truth. At twenty-one, she should have been in university, yet instead she labored in restaurants and warehouses, carrying loads far too heavy for her body.
Placing his hand on her back, Seong-jun channeled his blood energy, examining her condition. Her bones were slightly misaligned, her spine strained, and blood flow restricted from years of overwork without rest. Though still young, the damage would only worsen.
A cold resolve settled in his heart. She had borne the weight of the family in his absence. Now, it was his turn to carry it all.
Guiding her gently to lie down, he prepared to release his energy. With careful control, he began to untangle the twisted blood vessels, determined to heal her pain — not as the Demon God of another world, but as a brother who had finally come home.