Chapter 377:

Chapter 377:

In the time since Kang Yura was last seen, she had grown unrecognizably.

The last encounter had been five years ago, and back then, Yura was a mere freshman at the academy.

So, it was no surprise that she had changed significantly.

Now, Kang Yura was a poised adult.

A beauty who, if glimpsed in passing, would make anyone turn their head without realizing it.

Rumors had it that Yura was in Old Town, but Yu-hyun was quite taken aback when she appeared before him.

Yura smiled shyly and approached Yu-hyun.

“Hehe. How do I look? I’ve changed a lot, right?”

“Well... ‘a lot’ might be an understatement. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“I’m not the clueless kid I used to be.”

Yu-hyun nodded, still taken aback.

One of his subordinates, who had been quietly listening by Yura’s side, cautiously spoke up.

“Captain, were you acquainted with him?”

“Hmm? Oh, didn’t I mention it? He was like a big brother to me. Well, not exactly a human. A Teller.”

“Now I’m a human.”

“Huh?”

Yura’s eyes widened at Yu-hyun’s unexpected remark.

“I’ve been through quite a lot. I’ll explain later. But more importantly, Yura, you’re a captain now? What position did you take in Old Town?”

“Yeah, I’m currently leading the security division.”

“Is that a high-ranking position?”

“Definitely. To become the head of the security division in Old Town, you need more than just average qualifications. Even if it were our previous world, I’d say it’s a position that even a senior collector couldn’t easily attain.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if I became an executive officer.”

The title of “Captain of the Guard” might not inspire much, but in Old Town, it was a prestigious position.

Even among the lords, only a handful could match the authority of an executioner.

As a captain, Kang Yura stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the deputies who assisted the executioners in combat and other tasks.

Her current skill level surpassed that of an ordinary transcendent.

Yu-hyun couldn’t help but marvel at how powerful she had become.

Considering her remarkable abilities even during her academy days, it wasn’t surprising that five years had transformed her into this formidable force.

“More surprising, though,” Yura asked, her eyes darting toward Kang Hye-rim, who sat across the table, “is that the legendary Book Pile Lord vanished five years ago and turned out to be my long-lost brother. What happened during all that time?”

“And Hye-rim unni, too...”

“First, let’s find a quieter place to talk.”

“Oh! Then let’s go home! Mom and Dad have been dying to see you.”

“Our parents are alive?”

Could it be true?

Yu-hyun was momentarily stunned by this unbelievable revelation. But Yura wouldn’t lie to him, so her words must be genuine.

A rush of emotion overwhelmed him.

“They’re alive...”

In his previous life, things had been different. His father had passed away in an accident before the apocalypse, and his mother had succumbed during the cataclysm.Rêạd new chapters at novelhall.com

Back then, he had been too weak to protect those he cared about. If only he had been a little stronger or quicker, perhaps he could have saved them.

But now, things were different. His parents had survived even amidst the upheaval.

Even though they were unrelated to him now, the bond of blood still tugged at his heart.

One of his subordinates couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped forward.

“Captain, are you really going to bring an unidentified person to your house?”

“But I already told you. Yu-hyun oppa and I have known each other for a long time. As for the unidentified part...”

“Still, this person is the legendary Book Pile Lord. And the one next to her...”

The subordinate didn’t mention the Black Thunder Lord explicitly, but his anxious expression spoke volumes.

“You...”

Yura’s eyebrows furrowed as she glanced at her subordinate, then noticed Yu-hyun’s darkening expression.

“Sorry, oppa. He doesn’t know any better. Please understand.”

“No. I’m well aware of how Hye-rim appears to others.”

Yu-hyun had played a role in Hye-rim’s transformation. He had personally saved her.

He couldn’t forget the sensation of that moment or the smile Hye-rim had directed at him.

As Yura observed the increasingly serious Yu-hyun, impatience flickered in her eyes.

“This won’t do. Oppa, let’s go home.”

“Captain!”

“Enough! Today’s my rest day anyway. We barely made it out like this. You all should go back and rest.”

“I can’t accept that!”

The protest came from a male guard who appeared to be Yura’s peer. He glared at Yu-hyun as if facing an enemy.

The sudden outburst silenced the restaurant, and tension hung in the air.

Yura focused more on Yu-hyun’s reaction than blaming her subordinate.

His journey had been filled with hardships. There were moments when he wanted to give up, to stop and rest.

But today, as he returned to a place with family, Yu-hyun couldn’t help but think that everything he’d done had led to this moment.

“I was right.”

The small but certain answer washed over him like a tidal wave. It enveloped him, and for the first time, he felt truly at peace.

“Mom.”

“Uh? Is my brother awake?”

Yura tried to shake Yu-hyun’s shoulder to wake him, but her mother stopped her.

“Let him be.”

“Why?”

Her mother smiled gently at Yu-hyun.

“When someone is exhausted, they need to rest.”

***

Yu-hyun woke up the next morning when the sun had already risen.

Startled, he sat up on the sofa, realizing he’d fallen asleep.

Just then, Shin Eun-sook, wearing an apron, entered the room.

“Are you awake?”

“Uh, yes. Uh, yes? No, it’s just that...”

Yu-hyun stammered, flustered, but Shin Eun-sook simply smiled and reassured him.

“Go ahead, dear.”

“Seems like you’re exhausted. Hungry? Come and have a meal.”

“Oh, speaking of which, what about Hye-rim?”

“She’s already at the dining table.”

...Impressive.

Yu-hyun followed Yura’s lead, heading toward the kitchen.

At the dining table sat Yura, her father, mother, and Hye-rim.

‘Everyone is gathered here.’

Well, not everyone. There were still people he hadn’t met.

As he looked at the scene he had dreamed of, Yu-hyun wondered how it would have been if others were present.

After all their journeys, once true peace was restored, they would gather for a celebration.

No more fighting—just laughter, memories of the past, and planning for the future.

That dream.

“Did you rest well? You really slept like you didn’t know the world.”

Yura teased Yu-hyun playfully. He chuckled and nodded.

“Thanks to you, I feel like I’ve rested properly after a long time.”

Now that he was meeting family and seeing everyone together, Yu-hyun felt a sense of redemption.

This was enough—it was all he needed.

He had wanted to see this scene again, and now it fueled his determination to keep moving forward.

His courage had returned.

In this gathering of family, Yu-hyun felt like he was being saved.

Yes, this was enough. It was sufficient.

He didn’t ask for anything more.

Yu-hyun began calmly explaining his journey to everyone present.

“I woke up not too long ago.”

He recounted the events starting from five years ago—the massive explosion, waking up afterward, meeting the Liberation Army, fighting alongside the Legion, facing the Black Thunder Lord, and even pointing a sword at Kang Hye-rim, who had once been the Black Thunder Lord.

He had killed someone dear to him with his own hands and chosen to become human on the precipice of the story.

And then, he had set out on a journey to find the person he had parted with, encountering countless beings along the way.

“And now, I’m here.”

The others listened, unsure of what to say. Should they offer comfort or encouragement?

But Yu-hyun didn’t need anything. He smiled gently, grateful for the help he had already received.

He had been saved.

In this gathering, he felt like he was being redeemed.

“Is it okay?” someone asked.

“It’s fine,” Yu-hyun replied. “This is what I need to do.”

The road ahead wasn’t over.

He didn’t know where it would lead or when it would end. But there was still a path before him.

So he would keep walking. Until he couldn’t go any farther.

To discover the truth of the world.

To change the predetermined future of this world.

It was a mission etched into his soul.

An opportunity gained while living a new life.