Chapter 166. Is She a Genius?

Just like when he first arrived, Kim Do-Joon took a chartered flight back home. However, this time, Son Chang-Il, Yeon Hong-Ah, and several other Korean Hunters were also aboard.

The Chinese authorities had offered to arrange separate transportation for Kim Do-Joon and Jecheon Seong if needed, but that was simply unnecessary. Traveling with other Korean Hunters made more sense.

As the plane ascended into the sky, Kim Do-Joon gazed out the window.

“Did you get a lot?”

The question came from Yeon Hong-Ah, who was seated in front of him. She turned to look at him, interrupting his reverie.

“Get a lot of what?”

“You know... Money and stuff?”

“Well, Just... enough,” Kim Do-Joon replied nonchalantly.

After negotiating with the Chinese government, Kim Do-Joon had received a hefty bounty for defeating the Shadow Lord. Not only did he secure monetary compensation, he also extracted hundreds of valuables from the Chinese Hunter Association’s vaults.

Unfortunately, he failed to obtain any of the nation’s prized treasures. Well, most of them had owners anyway. Nevertheless, the items he did acquire could easily fetch billions at auction.

Of course, to Kim Do-Joon, they were nothing more than items labeled Effect 1 and Effect 2.

Honestly, considering the Shadow Lord’s true nature, it feels like I got shafted.

However, it didn’t bother him much. After all, he was the only one who truly understood the Shadow Lord’s real identity and power.

“By the way, are you okay with not getting the medal?” Yeon Hong-Ah asked with a hint of curiosity. “I heard there was talk about giving you some kind of Medal of Honor or something.”

“Where did you hear that?”

“Reporters, mostly. They were saying you deserve at least that much for what you did.”

There were indeed some murmurs about an award. However, the subject was quietly dropped during the final negotiations. The Chinese Chairman obviously wasn’t keen on granting him such recognition.

Kim Do-Joon didn’t mind because he had no interest in accolades or fame. If anything, the thought of attending a formal ceremony and dealing with all the pomp felt like a nuisance.

Unbeknownst to Kim Do-Joon, the decision to omit the medal was the Chairman’s subtle act of revenge. He was still bitter about how widely the Gao Lin incident had been publicized.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Kim Do-Joon asked, noticing Yeon Hong-Ah’s unflinching gaze.

Her expression was devoid of any romantic undertone. If anything, her curiosity was purely professional, or perhaps existential. After all, anyone who knew Kim Do-Joon’s story knew he was a man with a daughter.

“Mr. Do-Joon, are you... really human?”

“...What?”

Yeon Hong-Ah’s question was almost absurd, but it wasn’t unwarranted to her.

She first met Kim Do-Joon during an A-rank dungeon raid. Back then, she had been impressed by his abilities, which seemed extraordinary even for an A-rank Hunter.

The second encounter was at the Giant Woodland, where Kim Do-Joon defeated the Blood Lion—a monster so powerful that it had effortlessly knocked out Ko Cheong-Cheon, one of the world’s top S-rank Hunters.

And now, even this latest incident.

The Shadow Lord’s manifestation was the stuff of nightmares. The creature was so formidable, even a legion of Blood Lions would seem insignificant in comparison. Yet Kim Do-Joon had vanquished it.

Yes, he had the help of Jecheon Seong, but it was ultimately Kim Do-Joon who dealt the decisive blow.

The rapid, almost explosive growth he had shown in such a short period defied all logic. If someone could look at all this and still see Kim Do-Joon as a mere human, wouldn’t that be stranger?

“Of course I’m human.”

“Really?”

“What else would I be then?”

“Oh, I don’t know... maybe a Demon King who resurrected from hell?”

“...You’ve been reading too many comics.”

When Kim Do-Joon chuckled at her suggestion, Yeon Hong-Ah pouted and turned away. She knew better than to press further. No matter how much she prodded, Kim Do-Joon would never give her a real answer.

Still, her words lingered in his mind.

Hmm... A resurrected Demon King...

The thought struck a chord, uncomfortably so.

The Shadow Lord, who had sought to consume not just Shanghai but the entire world, and the mysterious old man who had seemingly adopted him gave Kim Do-Joon questions.

Who was that old man?

Based on the vision he had seen in his dream, the man didn’t exude malice. However, appearances could be deceiving. Perhaps he was a demon from hell, just as Yeon Hong-Ah had jokingly suggested.

Kim Do-Joon reached into his inventory and pulled out an item: a small, violet gemstone that fit snugly in his palm.

[???]

He’d picked it up after defeating the five-horned monster at the Branch of Caldera.

For some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling that was the key to unraveling the mystery. It wasn’t just intuition—logically speaking, this item was far too suspicious to ignore.

I’ll start here when we get back.

Kim Do-Joon resolved, placing the gem back into his inventory. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep. As the plane hummed softly and swayed ever so slightly, exhaustion finally overtook him.

***

—You’re back!

“Daddy! Grandpa!”

As Kim Do-Joon entered his home, dragging his suitcase behind him, he was greeted enthusiastically by Siwelin and Kim So-Eun. They had clearly been waiting for him.

Kim Do-Joon bent down and picked up his daughter, holding her in both arms. Seeing her carefree, joyful face after such a long time filled him with the warmth of homecoming.

“Have you been good?”

“Yup! I played with Unnie a lot!”

Then, Kim Do-Joon glanced at Siwelin, silently thanking her. With the amount of time Kim So-Eun spent alone with Siwelin, especially during this extended trip, it seemed they had grown much closer. Perhaps, Kim So-Eun even saw her as somewhat of a mother figure.

“Oh right! Daddy! Look at this!”

Suddenly, Kim So-Eun squirmed out of his arms and leapt to the floor. Alarmed, Kim Do-Joon instinctively reached to catch her.

But to his surprise, she didn’t fall.

“

Huh?

”

Instead, surrounded by a soft white light, Kim So-Eun floated gently through the air, landing softly on her feet. Kim Do-Joon could only blink in disbelief.

“Unnie taught me!” Kim So-Eun exclaimed proudly.

Kim Do-Joon turned to Siwelin, seeking confirmation, and she nodded.

“Wow...”

Astonishment escaped his lips. It wasn’t exactly flying nor true levitation, but just a way to slow her descent. Even so, for a six-year-old, it was impressive.

Is my daughter... a genius?

Kim Do-Joon had suspected it for a while, ever since she learned to handle the Silver Mirror from Siwelin, or when she played sparring games with Jecheon Seong.

However, he recalled something Jecheon Seong had once said: children born with the Nine Yin Absolute Meridians are blessed with divine talent. Watching Kim So-Eun, he couldn’t help but believe it was true.

“Daddy! Watch this one too! And this!”

Apparently, Siwelin had taken this extended period to teach Kim So-Eun a lot. Tugging on his sleeve, the young girl eagerly showcased everything she had learned.

The day quickly turned into a kind of impromptu “presentation,” with Kim Do-Joon and Siwelin as the audience. The festivities naturally flowed into an impromptu welcome-home celebration.

***

In the evening, after playing to her heart’s content, Kim So-Eun had grown tired and gone to bed early. Once she was asleep, Kim Do-Joon stepped out onto the second-floor balcony to enjoy the cool night air.

Despite the grueling multi-hour flight, he felt no lingering exhaustion. He had long since transcended such physical limits.

Seated nearby was Jecheon Seong.

“How is it?” Kim Do-Joon asked, his expression slightly tense.

He had been waiting for this moment to ask a question he hadn’t dared broach earlier: whether his expanded Heart of Flame had grown enough to heal Kim So-Eun.

Jecheon Seong stared at him for a moment, then finally spoke, “Not yet.”

Disappointment immediately shadowed Kim Do-Joon’s face. He had hoped it would be enough by now.

“But, you’re really close. If all of that creature’s energy had gone into strengthening your Heart of Flame, it would’ve already been sufficient.”

“Really?” Kim Do-Joon asked, looking up.

The implication was clear: if Mel Sior’s power hadn’t been divided between shadows and mana, the Heart of Flame would already be complete. Thinking about it, it made sense. Only less than thirty percent of Mel Sior’s power went to bolster his mana.

It couldn’t be helped, though. The core of Kim Do-Joon’s strength came from the shadow bestowed upon him by the old man.

Well, at least I’ve gained a lot of new abilities...

However, that was a matter to explore later. Right now, his focus was elsewhere.

“If things continue as they are, you’ll gather the energy needed for the treatment soon enough.”

“Really?” Kim Do-Joon replied with excitement.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, though,” Jecheon Seong cautioned. “So-Eun’s body isn’t ready yet.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s too young. The pain of the treatment would be too much for her to endure,” Jecheon Seong added on.

Those words weighed on Kim Do-Joon. While he was glad that the solution was within reach, the thought of his daughter enduring immense pain filled him with unease.

For now, all he could do was wait and prepare.

“

Ah

.”

Kim Do-Joon’s eyes snapped open as realization dawned on him. During his treatment at the age of eighteen, even the formidable Jecheon Seong had been driven to the brink by the unbearable pain. And now, he was considering subjecting a six-year-old child to the same thing.

“That’s absurd,” Kim Do-Joon muttered to himself.

Jecheon Seong nodded gravely.

“If you want to treat her without inflicting that level of pain, you’ll need a power several times greater than my brother’s back then. You’re stronger than he was at the time, but not that much.”

Kim Do-Joon needed several times the energy of Jecheon Seong’s elder brother, Jecheon Kang—the Soaring Celestial Demon of his era. It was a clear benchmark, and while Kim Do-Joon wasn’t there yet, he could see the path forward.

More importantly, even in the worst-case scenario where Kim Do-Joon couldn’t grow any further, they could always wait for Kim So-Eun to grow older. That way, she’d be more capable of enduring the treatment.

In other words, the cure was certain.

Curing her was no longer a question of if, only when, with the timing depending entirely on his progress rate.

However, Kim Do-Joon wasn’t the type to sit back and settle for the bare minimum. This disease, which had clung to his daughter like a grim specter, needed to be dealt with as swiftly as possible.

Seeing the blazing determination in Kim Do-Joon’s eyes, Jecheon Seong chuckled, “Good.”

However, a flicker of sadness passed through Jecheon Seong’s expression. He couldn’t help but think of the past—of what would have been if he or his brother had been granted such an opportunity. If the circumstances had been different, his elder brother would still be alive today.

Back then, their situation had been far too harsh. Without the clandestine support of Mok Se-Hyeok, the Heavenly Demon of their time, they would never have overcome the odds.

However, Jecheon Seong quickly shook off the regret.

Pointless thoughts.

He couldn’t afford to let such memories cloud his judgment. Instead, he resolved to help Kim Do-Joon avoid failure at all costs. This treatment was not just a matter of health—it was a matter of life and death, and there was no room for error.

For Kim Do-Joon, failure was not even a consideration. If anything, the challenges ahead only fueled his drive. He could feel it in his bones: the situation was steadily improving.

***

For the next week, Kim Do-Joon allowed himself some rare downtime, spending precious moments with his family. He took Kim So-Eun and Siwelin to all the places they’d enjoy, including amusement parks, water parks, regional festivals, and even the local kids’ cafés. Day after day, he poured himself into creating happy memories for them.

Siwelin, too, seemed genuinely delighted. Despite her otherworldly nature, she was like a child when it came to exploring the culture of this world.

Meanwhile, in the quiet hours, Kim Do-Joon worked on fully integrating Mel Sior’s power. Though it didn’t resist him, its foreign nature required careful harmonization with his own energy.

Once his preparations were complete, he set his sights on his next goal.

[You have entered the Branch of Caldera.]

With his plans in place, Kim Do-Joon reentered the Caldera labyrinth.

There were two reasons for his visit. First, he needed to investigate the mysterious violet gem he had obtained. Second, he wanted to thank the Mahal Tribe for their previous assistance.

Feeling relaxed and optimistic, Kim Do-Joon stepped into the labyrinth.

However, after just a few steps, he froze in place. What lay before him was a scene of chaos and destruction: a village consumed by flames.

In the distance, the agonized screams of its people echoed through the air.

―

Kyaaargh!