Player Who Returned 10,000 Years Later

Chapter 73 – Rest (Part 2)

Editor: Cherish

Kang Yu, fighting off the waves of guilt washing over him, smiled awkwardly and nodded his head.

— In that case, I’ll address you as ‘you.’

— Thank you, hyung!

Si Hoon smiled brightly with a tilt of his head.

‘He’s very handsome…’

So handsome that goosebumps rose all over Kang Yu’s body.

Si Hoon’s expression turned serious as he continued:

— By the way, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, too…

After admitting this, Si Hoon told his teammates about the special ability of Rank SSS he’d received at Rank 1, and that he is a descendant of the Musin Jeon Tae Hwan.

— An SSS special ability?!

— But… I’ve never heard of a single Player who got a Class SSS special ability at the first rank.

— No wonder Si Hoon never seemed like an ordinary Player!

Although Kang Yu already knew about it, he pretended to hear about it for the first time and acted as surprised as everyone else.

— Woah, crazy, why do you have the spirit of the Musin?

— Actually, I don’t know either.
But from the very beginning, I’ve gotten… slightly different alerts than others.

— Different…?

His teammates stared at him with a questioning look.

Kang Yu was also interested, because it was also his first time hearing about this, and his eyes gleamed with curiosity.

— Because the Gaia System was weakening, I was chosen as an additional defense.

— Gaia System…?

— I don’t really know what it is either.
But on the very first day I became a Player, I received this message.

Kang Yu narrowed his eyes.

‘I didn’t expect to hear about the system.’

It was a concept that even Chae Young-ju never heard of.

So he could never have imagined that Si Hoon would talk about it.

(Reminder: He briefly mentioned it to her before, thinking she’d know about it, but she didn’t.)

An idea sparked in his mind, and he asked:

— Si Hoon, when exactly did you become a Player?

— Hmm… May 22.

Han Sol looked surprised and asked:

— Hey, isn’t that the first time we met, Kang Yu?

The 22nd of May.

The date of Kang Yu’s return to Earth.

‘I went back to Earth the same time Si Hoon became a Player.’

It was not hard to guess why Si Hoon received such a message.

‘The Gaia System is weakening…’

Now Kang Yu was sure that he was the reason for the weakening of the protective function.

‘Which is why they chose a defender for the system.’

To some extent, everything was connected.

Kang Yu continued to reason with himself:

‘So Si Hoon is the key to rebuilding the system, right?’

Of course, Si Hoon himself was unaware of this.

Perhaps Si Hoon was a protector who could restore the system.
Or the system had become so weak it could no longer exist without external protection.

‘Looking at the situation from an outside perspective, it is more accurate to assume that the system cannot recover itself and needs a defender.’

In any case, Si Hoon performs the protective function of the weakened system.

‘It must be fate that we met.’ Kang Yu’s eyes shone.

He realized that Si Hoon was playing a much bigger role than he had anticipated.

‘And we have a good relationship now.’

Because of his help in the last case, Si Hoon now thought of Kang Yu as a trustworthy person.

If Si Hoon continues to develop the powers of his Musin spirit and become able to fulfill the role as the protector of the system, it would bring even more benefit than originally intended.

‘I do still feel a sense of guilt.’

But he felt a little less pressure, because he realized that making the defender of the system his subordinate was a good idea.

After all, no one knows what could happen in the end, with the Gaia System continuing to grow weaker everyday.

In order to prepare for the uncertain future, careful preparation and preliminary research will be needed.

— So this means… Si Hoon is actually a hero defending our planet? — Dae Su questioned.

— Haha! That’s too much.
Honestly, I don’t even understand it myself.
Sure, I got amazing abilities when I started out, but I don’t think I’m better than, for example, Chae Young-ju or Baek Kang Hyun.

— But it’s a special SSS class ability! Even the First Lady only started with a Class S ability! Aren’t you even more amazing?

(Reminder: First Lady Grace McHobbin, #1 Player worldwide)

— I still haven’t been able to fully harness the Musin’s strength yet, so I can’t use it to the fullest.
Basically… I’m at about the same level as other Players with Class S special abilities right now.

— Still, you’re incredible! — Dae Su broke into a wide smile and patted the guy on the shoulder.

Si Hoon looked down with a small smile.

— Even with that ability, I almost lost to Kim Yeong Hoon.
I’m not as ‘incredible’ as you think I am.

— Hehe.
Then you’re just a little less incredible than our hyung, — Dae Su said lightly, smiling proudly.

Kang Yu rose from his seat with a grin.

— I hope you will continue to take care of our party.
Call me if you need anything.

— I will do my best to be useful, — Si Hoon replied firmly.

Kang Yu nodded his head, satisfied.

He liked that Si Hoon told them everything, accepted the past and was ready to move on quickly.

— Rest until you’ve fully recovered.

— Yes…

— I’ll be going now.
I don’t want to disturb your rest.

Kang Yu turned towards the exit, but as soon as he did, Si Hoon’s face turned glum.

— You’re already leaving…?

— Ah? Yes, it’s time.

There was some surprise in Kang Yu’s face.
What he had just heard made it sound like Si Hoon didn’t want to let him go.

‘I wonder what’s wrong with him?’

Thinking that this reaction seemed to cross over the line of just a ‘good’ relationship, one thought crept into his head.

‘It can’t be.’

Kang Yu, not even wanting to imagine it, shook his head.

There have been many cases where tamed people or creatures began to feel sympathy for their master.

They were simply instinctively attracted to the master.

‘Please!’ A plea could be read in his gaze.

He desperately hoped that this did not apply to Si Hoon.

Kang Yu left the room quickly without looking back.

After meeting Si Hoon in the hospital that day, Kang Yu was caught in a busy schedule.

He often met with Young-ju and Hwa Yeon to discuss further actions against the Teachers together, and began to fulfill his promise to Si Hoon.

Along with this, he visited Kim Jae Hyun, who was in prison, several times to organize all the information he knew about the Devil’s Teachers.

Kim Yeong Hoon could not remember anything about being held hostage nor his last actions against Si Hoon’s party.

Kang Yu checked up on his 6th rank special ability many times, too, as well as the available amount of Magi and Powers that he could now use.

‘So tired.’

He sighed, remembering everything that had happened recently.

Kang Yu has been so busy that he could not remember the last time he could just lay on the bed and lounge around.

‘I still can’t use the Power of Duplication.’

With that Power, he would be able to create an exact copy of himself by endowing it with his mind.

It was a Power that cost a lot of Magi, and it would be too difficult for him to use, even now after reaching Rank 6.

‘That aside, there is another, much more daunting problem.’ Kang Yu opened his status window with a sigh.

He had to figure out if he would have problems overcoming Level 59, like other Players, as well as the conditions of achieving the ‘highest degree of demonic form’ required for him to access his 6th rank special ability.

But his everyday life flew by so quickly that he did not even have time to create an action plan to fulfill those two tasks.

‘Only one more thing.’

Thanks to the speed with which he dealt with the other tasks, he only had one more to complete, and he should finally have some free time for himself.

Han Sol walked out from her room.

— Kang Yu, I finished packing my bags for the move.

— And your mother?

— She said she had something else to do.
She’ll arrive a little later, by taxi.

— Hmm.
— Kang Yu nodded his head.

He looked around the empty room.

The house where he lived with Han Sol after his return to Earth.

‘Apparently she needs more time.’

Kang Yu has only lived in this house for about two months.

But Han Sol’s mother, Kim Mi Jong, has lived here for at least 20 years.
So it won’t be enough for her to just pack her things.
She had a much deeper emotional attachment to this house.

— Then, we should head out first, — Kang Yu said, getting into the car.

Han Sol sat in the front seat, while Echidna climbed into the guy’s lap.

— Kang Yu, why is she…

Without saying anything, he lifted Echidna and sat her in the back seat.

— You’ve been so cold lately… — Echidna, offended, lowered her head.

Kang Yu grinned, started the car and drove in the direction of the Players’ Center.

As they drove, Han Sol plucked up the courage to ask him:

— Is it really fine…?

— What are you talking about?

— It’s… it’s you who got a new home.
Is it okay for my family to live in it, too?

— I told you, don’t worry about it.
I wouldn’t enjoy living alone in a big house.

— But still…

— Besides, I’m not paying out-of-pocket, it’s all being covered by the Red Rose.

— Chae Young-ju?

— Yes, it’s one of the conditions in our contract.

— Hmm.
— Han Sol clenched her fists, frustrated.

An apartment of 165 square meters near Seoul Station.

After the Player Control Department and the offices of major guilds opened near the station, the land there has skyrocketed in value.

The 165-square-meter home they were moving into cost about $20,000.

(Editor’s Note: might be monthly rent, highly inflated.
Assuming this is $20 000 USD, it’s equal to more than 20 000 000 korean won.
Let’s not question the numbers like Asekhan eheh)

Kang Yu was secretly jealous of Young-ju, who could so easily provide him with this kind of accommodation.

‘They seem to be good friends…’  Han Sol bit her lip, a feeling of disappointment welling up in heart.
‘Plus, Chae Young-ju’s home will be very close to ours from now on.’

Imagining the two of them together overwhelmed her thoughts.

— Ahh… — She let out a long breath.

Thinking that she still has a long way to go compared to Young-ju, Han Sol felt as if a heavy weight had fallen on her shoulders.

There was silence in the car.

Echidna began to speak, shattering the silence.

— Kang Yu, what are you doing tomorrow?

— Tomorrow? I don’t even know… — said the guy uncertainly, who, until this moment had been working while counting every minute.

— Will you be busy tomorrow too? — Echidna asked gently, curious.

She wanted to spend time with him, but at the same time did not want to distract him from important matters.

She sounded very much like a child asking a busy father about his weekend plans.

He smiled.

To him, Echidna’s thoughtful approach seemed very sweet.

‘It doesn’t hurt to rest for a day.’

Since his return to Earth, the days that could truly be called weekends could be counted on one hand.

Thinking that he could become even more busy in the future, the idea of rest seemed like a great idea to him.

— There’s no business to deal with tomorrow.

— Ah!! Then…

— You wanted to go out together, didn’t you? Let’s go tomorrow.

— Yes, yes! I’ll go anywhere with you!

She immediately cheered and her face lit up.

As she imagined the two of them walking together somewhere, goosebumps ran through her body.
How exciting! A day with just the two of them!

— Ah… — Han Sol, who was listening to them, suddenly exclaimed.

The girl realized that it wasn’t just Young-ju she had to worry about, but also Echidna who suddenly appeared in their lives.

‘I met Kang Yu before everyone else.’ She felt resentful being brushed off to the sidelines.

— Then… Then I’d like to go too!

— Ah? Weren’t you going to sort out the new house all day tomorrow? — Kang Yu was surprised by her sudden outburst.

— Those things can be organized anytime! I-I want to go too! — Han Sol responded immediately.

— Alright, let’s all go together! — Kang Yu said joyfully, nodding his head approvingly.

— Hnnng… — Echidna tightly pressed her lips together, turning her gaze to the girl who had suddenly wedged herself into their plans.

She looked as if she had been served a bowl of waste at a posh restaurant.

(Editor’s Note: i.e.
unexpected, unwanted, and overall disappointing.)

— Ah…ahhaa…— Han Sol laughed awkwardly, feeling Echidna’s burning gaze.

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She herself knew perfectly well that the younger girl wanted to spend time with Kang Yu alone, but, alas, there was nothing to be done.

‘All is fair in war.’

For his sake, Han Sol was ready to become even that very waste in the bowl.

(Editor’s Note: Continuation of the restaurant analogy.
Rather than posing as a fancy dish, she’s ready to ruin Echidna/Kang Yu’s time together by being the disappointing, unwanted waste in that fake scenario.)

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