Daniel POV
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If anyone from my previous life saw me right now, they would either laugh themselves to death or assume I'd finally gone insane.
In my right hand: my spear.
In my left hand: a luxury chocolate gift box wrapped in gold paper with a dramatic red ribbon.
"…This is the dumbest plan I've ever made," I muttered.
Future transcendent martial artist.
Slayer of demon generals.
Challenger of Demon King Xaldreth.
Reduced to bribing his master with sweets.
I stepped into the dungeon.
The familiar chill wrapped around me, the mana density rising like an invisible pressure. My footsteps echoed as I walked deeper, past the twisted stone walls, past the faint glow of mana crystals embedded in the rock.
And there he was.
Master Seon Jin.
Sitting cross-legged. Eyes closed. Back straight. Hands resting on his knees. Looking like he'd been carved out of ancient stone and forgotten by time.
I cleared my throat.
"Master."
One eye opened.
Then the other.
"…You came back again."
His tone wasn't angry. It was tired. Like a man who had already decided the world was annoying today.
"I told you I would," I said. "I'm persistent. And emotionally attached."
He sighed.
"You humans are troublesome."
I walked forward and carefully placed the chocolate box on the stone floor between us.
He looked down at it.
"…What is that."
"A peace offering."
"…It smells suspicious."
"It's chocolate."
"…What is chocolate."
I hesitated.
How do you explain modern luxury dessert to a man who trained by stabbing waterfalls?
"It's… condensed happiness."
He stared at me.
"…You are lying."
I opened the box.
The sweet scent spread through the cavern instantly.
His pupils dilated. Just a little.
Very subtle.
Very dignified.
Completely betrayed him.
"…What demonic artifact is this," he muttered.
I picked up a chocolate and held it out.
"Try it."
He hesitated.
Sniffed it.
Licked it.
Bit it.
His face froze.
Then—
"…What kind of cursed technique is this."
I smiled.
"Welcome to civilization."
He finished it.
Then took another.
Then another.
Then three at once.
"…This is unacceptable," he muttered, shoveling chocolates into his mouth. "How can such a thing exist."
I sat down in front of him.
"Now that you're emotionally compromised, can we talk about you leaving the dungeon."
He stopped chewing.
"…No."
"That was too fast."
"This place is quiet."
"You live in a murder cave."
"It is peaceful."
"You fight evolved rats for breakfast."
"They provoke me."
I leaned forward.
"Master. You trained me so I could survive the outside world. And now I'm back. Alive. Stronger. With chocolate."
He looked away.
"…You are annoying."
"And you're stubborn."
We argued for nearly an hour.
In the end, what finally broke him wasn't logic.
It was this:
"You can eat chocolate every day."
His jaw tightened.
"…Pack my things."
"…You don't have things."
"…Then I will pack my dignity."
Bringing him back to the Mangrave estate felt surreal.
He squinted at the sun.
"…The sky is too large."
"That's normal."
"…The air smells strange."
"That's called 'not living underground.'"
The guards nearly fainted when they saw him.
My father, Edric Mangrave, was waiting in the courtyard.
The moment his eyes landed on Master Seon Jin, his posture stiffened.
Not visibly.
Not obviously.
But I felt it.
My father's mana shifted.
His gaze sharpened.
He bowed politely.
"…Daniel. Who is this gentleman."
"This is my master."
Edric's eyes flickered.
"…From where."
"A… very remote training facility."
Master Seon Jin nodded gravely.
"…I am a wandering martial artist."
Edric's eyes narrowed by a fraction.
He could tell.
He absolutely could tell this old man was terrifying.
"…I see," he said slowly. "Daniel, you seem to have grown… quite suddenly."
I laughed awkwardly.
"Haha. Puberty. Also trauma."
"…Of course."
The courtyard felt a little emptier because of it.
Dinner was chaos.
Master Seon Jin tried to eat soup with chopsticks.
Crushed a spoon accidentally.
Complimented the roast chicken like it had fought bravely in battle.
My father watched him the entire time.
Silent.
Careful.
Suspicious.
After dinner, he pulled me aside.
"…Daniel. That man. He is not normal."
I scratched my head.
"He's just a retired martial artist."
"…He is stronger than anyone I have ever met."
I laughed nervously.
"He does yoga."
"…Daniel."
"I swear."
He stared at me.
"…You have changed."
"…People grow?"
"…In just a year?"
"…Growth spurt."
He sighed.
"…Very well. But be careful."
That night, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
I did it.
I brought him back.
For the first time since regression…
Something didn't end in tragedy.
I turned to my side.
My chest felt warm.
The academy.
Julien.
The future.
For the first time in two lives…
I was actually excited about what came next.
And somehow…
That terrified me more than any demon king ever did.