Chapter 175. I Will Come Back

"Ushas."

Drake's pupils trembled in shock.

How does he know that name...?

Ushas was the true name of the Death Spirit Lord. No one should have been aware of it except for two people: his sister, Laoha, and the long-deceased old man.

So, Laoha told him...

Drake glanced at Laoha, who was sprawled on the ground.

"

Ah

..."

However, Laoha was also staring at Kim Do-Joon with her mouth agape. She clearly didn’t expect it either.

Then how? How does this guy know my name?

"W-who the hell are you?" Drake—no, Ushas—demanded, his voice ice-cold. He was frozen in midair, seated on the undead dragon, Samir.

Kim Do-Joon stood before him, his gaze unwavering. The two Lords seemed to merge. Both were paralyzed in shock, but their reactions couldn’t have been more different. Laoha was covering her mouth in shock, while Ushas was trembling all over.

Kim Do-Joon briefly glanced at Laoha, his thoughts racing.

So, it was her.

She was the only child who had sided with the old man in that dream. From the moment they met, her uncanny resemblance in aura made her a strong candidate. Her appearance and lack of information made him doubt it.

But then, Kim Do-Joon saw her hatred for Mel Sior. Moreover, as the dragon’s breath neared and the knife absorbed some of her Divine Descent, fleeting recollections surfaced. Also, thanks to that, an incredibly powerful knife, imbued with an unprecedented amount of divine power was created—but that was another story.

"F-Father?" Laoha whispered, her voice trembling.

Now, the truth was undeniable. Kim Do-Joon smiled wryly.

He’d eventually need to tell her that he wasn’t the father she knew. For now, Laoha and Ushas’s misunderstanding worked in Kim Do-Joon’s favor.

"

Uaaagh!

”

Samir twisted its head, rushing to flee in the opposite direction, attempting to put as much distance as possible between them.

Thud.

Kim Do-Joon kicked off the ground, leaping after them. One step wasn’t enough to reach them, but his enveloping shadow gathered in midair, forming a foothold.

Bang!

He stepped on the shadow and leapt again, accelerating.

In just a few strides, Kim Do-Joon had caught up to Samir. He stretched out his hand, and shadows surged toward Ushas.

"You wretched old man!" Ushas gritted his teeth and spat, snapping his fingers in desperation.

What a shame, but it couldn’t be helped. For now, escaping from the old man’s grasp came first. Then, Samir began to glow brightly.

Kim Do-Joon widened his eyes. In the next moment, a massive explosion erupted in the air, as if a missile had detonated.

Babababam—!

Samir, the undead dragon crafted from the corpse of a Bone Dragon, had self-detonated. Ushas was that desperate.

Shards of bone and waves of mana tore through the air, hurtling toward Kim Do-Joon.

Kim Do-Joon quickly spread his shadow in a dome around himself, shielding against the aftermath. A lesser shield wouldn’t have stood a chance. Though he couldn’t avoid some injuries from the initial explosion, the follow-up damage was mitigated. However, the distance between him and Ushas had grown.

Taking advantage of the moment, Ushas opened a portal in the air—a dimensional gate resembling the Ring of Dominance.

Kim Do-Joon scowled. Reaching into his inventory, he pulled out the knife imbued with Laoha’s divine power.

Swish!

As Ushas neared the portal, Kim Do-Joon hurled the knife like a bullet, slicing through the air.

Thwack!

The knife struck Ushas square in the shoulder.

"

Aaaargh!

" Ushas screamed, writhing in agony.

The divine power coursing through the blade spread, gnawing at Ushas from within. It felt as if thousands of insects were burrowing into his flesh.

Laoha’s divine power was as toxic to Ushas as his deathly aura was to her.

"

Urgh

..." Ushas gritted his teeth and staggered, but the injury wasn’t enough to stop him completely.

In truth, the knife only contained a small portion of Laoha’s Divine Descent. Ushas threw himself through the portal, which snapped shut behind him. The air grew silent, as if nothing had happened.

"

Tck

." Kim Do-Joon clicked his tongue.

Where did he go?

Kim Do-Joon had a guess. Ushas’ face had been identical to the Drake he knew. In other words, he’d been hiding on Earth. Who knew how long, or what he’d been plotting, but he’d likely fled back there.

Kim Do-Joon descended from the sky. The height was considerable, but he wasn’t worried.. He could create shadow footholds or land gracefully.

However, before he could act, someone caught him midair. It was Laoha, her ten pairs of wings carrying her aloft as she embraced him.

"Father!" she cried, tears streaming down her face, alight with joy.

***

“Are you hurt anywhere?” Laoha asked.

“No... I’m fine,” Kim Do-Joon replied.

Once they reached the ground, Laoha tended to Kim Do-Joon’s injuries with fervor. After all, the explosion caused by Samir had left him with more than a few wounds.

“It’ll heal on its own,” Kim Do-Joon said dismissively.

“No way! That bastar—I mean, he might have planted something there!”

In that case, Kim Do-Joon would have noticed immediately, but he decided not to say anything. She was offering to help; refusing over and over would just be awkward. Kim Do-Joon let her treat him without further protest.

Laoha’s every touch was deliberate, almost reverent, as if she were handling something sacred. Though he appreciated the care, it was undeniably uncomfortable.

Still, that was not the real issue here.

How do I even bring this up?

Kim Do-Joon mulled over how to break the news to her. He did not plan to drag it out because there was no time. He had to go after Ushas to Earth.

Should I say I’ve never had a daughter like you? Hmmm...

While accurate, it did not quite convey what he wanted to say. There was no point overthinking it. Skirting around the truth wouldn’t help, so he should just say it outright.

Kim Do-Joon cleared his throat and looked directly at her.

“I’m not your father.”

“Sorry?”

“Your father and I are two different people,” Kim Do-Joon replied.

Laoha blinked a few times, then gave a soft, bemused smile.

“

Haha

, you’ve really developed a sense of humor after coming back from the dead!”

She obviously didn’t believe him. Realizing he had to be more direct, Kim Do-Joon gave a wry smile.

“Laoha, the dead don’t come back, ever.”

The dead never returned, just as time never rewinded. Not even the old man’s powers nor a god’s might could change that fundamental truth.

The old man had often repeated that phrase to the siblings. To one, it became a vow to prevent future deaths; to the other, a dream of resurrecting the lost.

The smile slowly faded from Laoha’s face.

“The father you remember... he died long ago. At the hands of Mel Sior, Ushas, and the others. I... I’m just an ordinary man who inherited his powers by chance.”

“W-What? Stop kidding around, Father! There’s no way an ordinary man could wield your powers!”

Kim Do-Joon could not deny that. How a simple potion-maker like him could control the old man’s overwhelming powers was beyond him. It seemed far too convenient to be mere chance.

Even so, that truth remained unshaken, universal across all existence.

—The dead don’t come back.

Watching Laoha’s expression falter and her eyes wavering with uncertainty, Kim Do-Joon gave a faint, bitter smile.

“It’s time for me to go.”

Kim Do-Joon stood up, brushing off the dust. Part of him wanted to stay longer, to talk more. But he couldn’t. Ushas could already be wreaking havoc on Earth.

He began to vanish.

“

Ah...

”

Laoha reached out, but her hand fell weakly to her side. She lowered her head, burying her face in her hands.

Kim Do-Joon spoke softly, “...I will come back.”

His words made Laoha’s shoulders tremble. She looked up, full of tears. However, by then, Kim Do-Joon was already gone.

—High Chieftain!

—Are you all right?

In the distance, a group of Mahal people was rushing toward her across the desolate plains.

***

The harsh landscape vanished, replaced by a basement room’s ceiling. As he took in his surroundings, his expression darkened.

He’s in the United States.

Meanwhile, Kim Do-Joon was in South Korea. Even with the fastest flight, it’d take hours to get there.

Damn it!

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Kim Do-Joon pulled out his phone to make a call.

—Hey! Hunter, Kim Do-Joon! What’s going on?

Son Chang-Il’s voice came from the other end.

“Get me on a flight to the United States immediately.”

—

Huh?

What’s the rush?

“I’ll explain later. Just hurry!”

—Fine, fine.

The call ended with a decisive click. Kim Do-Joon shoved the phone into his back pocket. He couldn’t let Ushas roam free.

Despite Kim Do-Joon's swift interception, the Shadow Lord's damage was catastrophic. Who knew how long Ushas had been active there, on the other side of the world.

Had he taken over Drake’s body the same way Mel Sior had possessed Gao Lin? Or had he always been Drake, from the moment the genius Hunter made his debut?

He’s dangerous.

The Death Spirit Lord is especially dangerous. Considering the destruction of Siwelin’s world and the attack on the Mahal’s lands, it was clear that wherever Ushas went, devastation followed.

Sure, his targeting those two worlds could have been tied to Laoha, but his expertise in annihilating worlds was undeniable.

Kim Do-Joon bolted up the basement stairs, his mind racing.

—Ah, you’re back?

He was greeted by Siwelin, lounging in the living room and watching TV. Ever since closing the shop, she had taken to handling household chores and indulging in dramas.

“Where is everyone?”

—So-Eun’s at kindergarten, and Grandpa’s out walking Bo-Mi.

So, it was just Siwelin at home.

“Can you help me pack? I need to leave for the United States right now.”

—The United States? That’s across the ocean, isn’t it? Why there?

“There’s...” Kim Do-Joon hesitated as he stuffed clothes into a suitcase.

Should I tell her that the Death Spirit Lord is there?

Sure, the reasonable approach would be to explain everything and let her decide. However, Siwelin was living a peaceful life now, far removed from the chaos of battles. Should he risk pulling her back into that world just to have her on the battlefield?

No...

After a moment, Kim Do-Joon made his decision. He had to tell her, even if it meant reopening old wounds. Whether she wanted to confront her enemy in the United States or stay behind here in safety, the decision had to be hers.

“There’s someone called Ushas there. Similar to the Shadow Lord we fought in Shanghai...”

Before he could finish, the ground shook violently.

Krrrrumble!

It was as if an earthquake had struck, making the entire house tremble.

Bang!

Furniture toppled over, and dishes shattered on the floor. The ceiling creaked ominously, threatening to cave in.

Kim Do-Joon and Siwelin exchanged tense looks before he rushed to the living room window. He narrowed his eyes at what he saw.

—

Aaah!

— M-monsters!”

Screams echoed from outside.

Countless Roots were emerging from the ground, each one grotesque and unnatural. From them, an endless stream of monsters poured forth—undead creatures exuding an overwhelming malevolent aura.

“This is...”

Moreover, they were darker, more twisted, and far more menacing than even the legendary World Tree’s Roots.

The undead monsters, Ushas, and the King of the Immortal are pointed toward one figure, the Death Spirit Lord.

No, it can’t be...

“Are the dead Roots of the World Tree coming back to life?” Kim Do-Joon muttered, the horrifying thought flashing through his mind.

Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt.

Amid the chaos, his phone buzzed urgently in his back pocket.