Visit to Hometown
Snore, snore.
The sound of Yodel Leinger snoring.
Jinhyeok, who had been dozing face-down, turned around.
In the middle of the living room, spread out on the blanket.
There lay Seira and Kanch, off to dreamland.
'They could just unmanifest and sleep more comfortably.'
Lately, the two of them were increasingly reluctant to unmanifest.
Well, it wasn't like the previous cramped house where they couldn't sleep together, so maybe it didn't matter.
"Ughhh."
He stretched.
Leaning over the desktop had left his back and neck aching terribly.
This old officetel came equipped only with a boiler and a gas stove—no other options.
He'd have to bring in at least the basics like a bed and a computer desk first.
'Anyway, nothing worthwhile here.'
With a sigh, Jinhyeok stared at the monitor.
He'd scoured the Tower site and posted various questions on forums here and there.
What are the three hottest objects in the world?
The first post had zero comments.
The views were pathetically low.
So he tweaked the title and content a bit.
Fought with my friend. The crazy bastard said these were the hottest things in the world, so I beat him senseless with facts lol
Fortunately, the response was great.
The comment section turned into a coliseum of everyone's logic and opinions.
A ton of suggestions poured in, but nothing realistically useful caught his eye.
The sun's core.
'Is that even an object?'
Neutron star surface and interior.
'How the hell do I get there?'
He squeezed his eyes shut.
Was he really going to have to go probing neutron stars just to make a potion?
The only one that could even be called an object was a single suggestion.
Lava-infused stone.
The lava zone starting from Floor 31 of the Despair Tower.
It was a pebble said to hold tremendous heat, dropped there.
The problem was the low drop rate, making the price exorbitantly high.
Other lava-related items were in a similar boat.
Buying three would easily run into the hundreds of millions.
'Maybe I should just buy a lottery ticket.'
Climbing to Floor 31 himself to farm them was the most realistic option, but...
With the potion, he could tackle the Mythic Tower climb, and putting it off for over ten days felt like such a waste.
'For now, maybe head to Hallasan for the lava.'
There was no rule saying liquids couldn't be used as ingredients.
He figured he could scoop some up and pour it into one of the triangle's slots somehow.
'I should check out the Everything Store.'
Old Man O Jae-gap, with his quirky shop concept.
The Everything Store was famous even on the Tower site.
Pretty much every early player had passed through O Jae-gap's doors.
Which meant he probably had a wide network and plenty of info.
Rustle.
Jinhyeok slipped under the edge of the blanket and closed his eyes.
He'd rushed the move and climbed two Towers in one day.
No wonder an irresistible drowsiness was crashing over him.
So much so that Kanch's snoring right next to him didn't bother him at all.
Ruuuumble.
How many hours had passed since he drifted off?
A soft, squishy sensation pressed against his face.
Like poking at jelly, squish squish.
Cracking his eyes open, he saw Kanch's face, fur sticking out in all directions.
"Captain. That's ringing."
His phone, set to vibrate, was buzzing away.
Jinhyeok sat up groggily and checked the caller.
"Yeah, Dad."
The sun's already high in the sky and you're still sleeping?
"It's 7 a.m.?"
In Jinhyeok's common sense, midday was at least noon, but to Yumancheol, who rose at dawn for farm work, that was nonsense.
You'll turn into a cow at this rate. Live diligently. Anything new lately?
"Nothing much."
Yesterday, suddenly some Player Hunter Agency folks? They came by, said they just wanted to say hi, but it was obvious they were looking for you. Brought a ton of gifts too, even though it's not a holiday.
"Oh? Why me? Anyway, enjoy them with Mom."
Not exactly surprising.
Once they pinned him as the Honor Scroll runner, they'd want to track him down somehow.
Going through family was a move he'd half-expected.
We will. Since they already gave them. Anyway, if you have time, come down. No, wait—that won't work; you won't come. Can you head over right now?
Jinhyeok tilted his head.
His dad, who usually avoided burdening his son with such words.
"Something up at home? Is Jinhee being a handful again? I told you, you gotta give her a good smack. It's 'cause you always go easy on her."
Yujinhee, who as a second-year middle schooler had gone through that stormy puberty phase.
Had her sleeping black flame dragon of a little sister awakened again?
Your sister's awakened.
"Yeah? Out of nowhere?"
Yeah, so she's throwing a fit about climbing the Tower. Come down and talk her out of it.
"What does Mom say?"
Far from stopping her, she's all, "Hurry up and climb so you can act like a proper person."
Classic Kim Minji.
She'd always shown bolder decisions and actions than Yumancheol.
"What'd she awaken as?"
Something about summoning. Summoner, I think? Can't remember exactly.
Jinhyeok nodded, then narrowed his eyes.
He recalled the other summoners he'd seen on the Tower site.
There were definitely fire-attribute summons among them.
"I seeee?"
Why's your tone like that? You're making me nervous.
Smiling, Jinhyeok sat up.
"I'll head over today."
Truth be told, whether Yujinhee climbed the Tower or not was none of his business.
He was secretly climbing it himself, so he had no right to interfere anyway.
"Yeah, Dad. See you soon."
Hanging up, Jinhyeok turned to Seira and Kanch.
"Let's go visit home."
Seira and Kanch glanced at each other.
Yujinhyuk's hometown, Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do—visit confirmed for today.
Three hours later, in a certain village in Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do.
Jinhyeok looked around and manifested Seira and Kanch.
"So many mountains."
"Green and lush."
"That's what countryside's like."
Nodding in response, Jinhyeok leaned against the ridge of the rice paddy.
Then he peeked out cautiously, scanning the surroundings.
A single sedan that stuck out like a sore thumb in the village.
It was a bit of a distance away, but he could see the entrance to his house.
"Feels like I'm a criminal."
"Me too."
But it didn't feel bad or uncomfortable.
Ever since that midnight escape last time, he'd oddly started enjoying these situations.
"Seira, that's our house? Can you sneak in?"
"Of course."
"Kanch, you come with me in stealth."
"Sounds good."
Confirming Seira veering toward the mountain path, he activated stealth.
Stealth didn't just make the user's body invisible—it rendered a certain volume and weight of carried items transparent too.
What a convenient ability.
Glancing down to confirm his hand had vanished, he headed for the house.
'Can't see a thing.'
Passing by, he peeked around the car, but the heavy tint made the inside impossible to make out.
Shrugging, Jinhyeok and Kanch slipped into the house.
Seira, who had circled around, shot Jinhyeok a look.
Using stealth didn't erase one's existence entirely.
It only hid visually; presence and scent remained, so someone with senses as sharp as Seira's could potentially detect them.
"Kanch, you know not to say anything, right? You're a pet raccoon."
"Got it!"
Unmanifesting would be easier, but Seira and Kanch had strongly refused.
No need to explain to family anyway, so they decided to go together like this.
Creak.
Opening the door let in a cozy warmth, along with the scent of delicious food wafting out.
The heartfelt atmosphere and temperature you could only feel coming home.
"Son's here."
No sooner had he spoken than footsteps approached.
One from the kitchen, one from the living room—Mom Kim Minji and Dad Yumancheol.
"Oh my. Thought you'd died up in Seoul... glad you made it..."
"Ahem. What kind of welcome is that for a son you haven't seen in ages...?"
Their words cut off almost simultaneously—Mom and Dad.
Jinhyeok nodded with a smile.
This was exactly why he'd told them to unmanifest.
"J-J-J-J-Jinhyeok. And the lady next to you...?"
"She's my friend Seira. She's on training from abroad, so I brought her to experience some home cooking."
"Hello."
Seira bowed politely in greeting.
Impressive.
She was picking up etiquette and speech from NewTube videos quite well.
Yumancheol and Kim Minji stared at Seira with trembling eyes.
It wasn't like the countryside lacked internet or TV.
They saw everything everyone else did, yet that face defied logic.
Finally snapping out of it, Kim Minji's gaze dropped lower.
"And the one below?"
"My pet raccoon, Kanch."
"Woof!"
'What?!'
Jinhyeok whipped around to stare at Kanch in shock.
And fired a laser glare.
Raccoons don't go "woof!"
Fortunately, his parents were too distracted by Seira to notice.
"What an oddly cute raccoon. Well, cute is what matters."
"You're adorable, aren't you?"
Yumancheol and Kim Minji stroked Kanch with both hands.
Kanch seemed to love it, rolling on the floor like a real dog.
"Huh? Big bro from Seoul is here... Huh?!"
Yujinhee froze mid-step, then plopped down on the spot.
True to her tomboy nickname from childhood—wild child or spitfire—she reacted even more dramatically.
Anyway, after the minor commotion passed, the Jinhyeok family and Seira gathered around the massive dining table.
A spread fit to break a leg under its weight.
Among it was the two-horned Hanwoo Jinhyeok had brought.
Meaning he hadn't shown up empty-handed.
Chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp!!!
Jinhyeok swallowed hard.
Kanch's acting was phenomenal.
Devouring everything handed to him in an instant without using his paws—an astonishing appetite.
"Oh dear, oh dear. Must be tough living alone. Jinhyeok helps a lot, right?"
"If it's hard, just say so. You can live here forever."
'What do you mean live here!'
Yumancheol and Kim Minji were zeroed in on Seira too.
Jinhyeok leaned slightly toward Yujinhee.
"Hey, little sis. Heard you awakened as a summoner."
"Nope. Not just any summoner—a legendary summoner. Get the title right."
"What's that supposed to mean."
"It's a hidden class, that's what."
"What were the awakening conditions?"
"Sculpting 100 different summon figures."
Yujinhee pointed to a display case off to the side.
Sure enough, 100 fully colored statues sat there.
"Impressive work. My little sis."
"I agree."
"So, about that..."
"Can't lend you money. Still stuck on Floor 5, broke as hell."
"Didn't you see the two-horned Hanwoo I brought? What do you take me for? Nah, that's not it..."
He slyly explained the real purpose of today's hometown visit.
Whether there were fire- or lava-related summons, and if so, how they manifested.
"You ask the weirdest stuff."
Shrugging, Yujinhee walked to the display case and pulled out two statues.
"One's like this. Fire-type summon, but you can't touch it with your hands. This one's lava-type, solid form, so you can."
"Does it, like, spew the lava or anything?"
"Yeah, spot on."
"Perfect."
Jinhyeok handed Yujinhee a box.
"Mind filling this part with some lava?"
A triumphant smile spread across Jinhyeok's face.
Looked like he'd secured one ingredient.
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T/N:
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