Chapter 160

1 second.

A short time, but it seemed enough as Baeksan spoke, and I nodded.

At that moment, my vision turned black.

While possessed by Baeksan, I couldn’t tell what was happening.

“Cough, choke, ugh.”

When my eyes opened, Heuksan was there, her neck gripped in my hand, blood dripping from her mouth.

Her body was still crackling with red lightning, likely Baeksan’s doing.

“Tsk, you’ve gotten stronger, but it took you 2 seconds longer.”

Meaning, it only took 3 seconds for Heuksan to end up like this.

“H-how… how are you stronger than me?”

Heuksan, spitting blood and saliva, looked at me in shock.

As if questioning how a fake like me could do this.

Unfortunately, I was the real deal.

“Ugh.”

Finally, Heuksan couldn’t hold on and passed out.

Seeing her faint, I quickly released her neck and laid her down. She twitched with the residual lightning but didn’t move.

Completely unconscious.

Guess she knows her body best.

Seeing her taken down in 3 seconds, there must be a significant gap between Heuksan and Baeksan.

Well, considering the Earth Baeksan came from, it’s no surprise.

“Ha-chan.”

“Manager.”

As Seolhyang and Siho approached, I awkwardly scratched the back of my head.

“Let’s get her to the hospital first.”

Heuksan needed to be hospitalized.

—

2

After somehow getting Heuksan hospitalized, I stayed by her side, watching over her.

Siho wanted to stay longer, but it was late, so I sent her home.

Seolhyang left to inform the World Returner Association and Heuksan’s parents.

“Baeksan, what happened where you were?”

When I asked Baeksan, he sighed deeply while looking at Heuksan.

“The world I went to, Fantasy #51, was a mess. If we didn’t defeat the Six Evils, the world would be destroyed.”

I listened quietly. It was the first time Baeksan spoke about his world.

“The problem was, the Six Evils were cunning. They left their seeds among humans. Betrayers. Because of them, humanity was rapidly crumbling.”

“So Heuksan’s distrust of people…”

“Yeah, in that world, the only one I could trust was myself. After being betrayed by the one I trusted most, I stopped trusting people. Wait, did you just call her Heuksan?”

“Huh? Must’ve misheard.”

I quickly played dumb.

Typical of a Returner, sharp as ever.

“Damn it, don’t call her that. Anyway, I didn’t trust anyone, but I saw countless humans with hidden malice.”

Comrades turning into enemies, slashing at each other.

People capturing others to sell as slaves.

Those who happily cut off limbs to sell human flesh.

Even those who sold their own children or parents to the Six Evils.

Baeksan’s world was filled with nothing but evil, rotting away.

Humanity had lost its will to fight the Six Evils, and harming others for personal gain had become the norm.

“After living through that, my brain was fried. I couldn’t see people as people anymore.”

Baeksan looked at Heuksan with a complicated expression.

He had implanted Aura in her to make her life easier, but the result was the same.

“And it was you, Kang Ha-chan, who fixed that distrust.”

“…Me?”

“Yeah, your meddling was genuine. I realized my world was messed up, but not everyone else was like that.”

Baeksan sighed deeply.

“The problem was, I only came to my senses after you died.”

I looked at Heuksan upon hearing that.

“So Heuksan…”

“Yeah, I thought she’d improve, but it’ll take a lot for her to come around this time.”

Baeksan’s gaze also turned to Heuksan.

He brushed his bangs back, looking at her with a troubled expression.

“…And the reason I tried to possess you before you died was also to help her come to her senses.”

Baeksan had intended to return at that moment, but the world began to change, and he ended up possessing me much earlier.

Thus, things got tangled.

“Looking back now, it was all my greed.”

Baeksan let out a weak laugh.

“Even if I hadn’t returned, the others would’ve handled it. Maybe I just got in the way.”

Hearing that, I stood up.

“Baeksan.”

When I called, Baeksan turned to me.

Seeing his unusually weak expression, I clenched my fists.

“I’m alive because of you.”

Baeksan fell silent at my words.

“Everything we’ve been through, none of it could’ve been solved without you. I’m here now because of you.”

“…”

“You once called me a masterpiece.”

I shook my head.

“The real masterpiece, the most important piece, is you, Baeksan. I’ve never doubted that.”

From the moment I met Yekaterina, after Baeksan’s possession, I’ve been through countless events to get here.

And all of it would’ve ended in disaster without Baeksan.

“Your return wasn’t meaningless.”

At least to me, it was precious and important.

Baeksan, who abandoned his future to be by my side, was nothing less than a lifelong friend.

If Baeksan ever regretted returning, I’d remind him of his worth countless times.

“Because of you, I’m here. So don’t say such things.”

“…”

Baeksan, meeting my gaze, slowly began to laugh.

It soon turned into roaring laughter, and after a while, he wiped his eyes.

“…Haa, damn it, right. I forgot for a moment, appearing as a woman.”

Baeksan’s eyes regained their usual domineering glint.

“You know what kind of guy you are.”

“Me?”

“Whether you live or die, I’ll change both you and her.”

Baeksan looked at Heuksan.

“Kang Ha-chan, one more favor.”

“I’ll do it a hundred times.”

“Cut the crap. Just take care of her for a while. I’m a ticking time bomb now. If left alone, she’ll cause trouble.”

“Should I take care of her forever?”

“Stop messing around.”

As I joked, Baeksan’s mood seemed to lighten.

“Don’t worry. My best friend Baeksan will take responsibility and change her.”

When I gave a thumbs-up, Baeksan looked at me with deep concern.

Then, as if remembering something, he frowned.

“Hey, and a warning.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t even think about hitting on her.”

I looked at him, baffled.

Baeksan was making me out to be some woman-crazy guy.

“What do you take me for?”

“Look at your surroundings. Do I have a choice?”

Baeksan looked like he wanted to bite his tongue just thinking about it.

“Absolutely, under no circumstances, hit on her. If that happens, I’ll bite my tongue and die.”

Can a spirit even bite its tongue?

I scratched my head.

“Got it. But Baeksan, you know there’s no way you’d fall for me, right?”

“Damn it, stop with the disgusting talk.”

As Baeksan made a disgusted face, I shrugged.

Such a strong reaction from Baeksan.

I wondered if Heuksan, being a woman, would be any different.

“Fall… for?”

At that moment, a voice other than ours echoed.

I turned to see Heuksan, who had just regained consciousness, looking at me.

Did she hear our conversation while unconscious?

I quickly played dumb and smiled.

“Baeksan, you’re awake?”

“Kang Ha-chan, you jerk! Don’t call my name so affectionately. And don’t smile!”

What am I supposed to do?

With Baeksan throwing a fit beside me, I looked at Heuksan.

“You, you!”

At that moment, Heuksan jerked up, pressing her back against the wall.

Her red eyes burned fiercely as she glared at me.

Having been subdued by me, she must’ve been reacting strongly.

“Where am I?”

“The hospital.”

As she shouted like a cornered cat, I answered kindly.

Hearing that, she glanced at the window.

Outside, the streets were just starting to come alive with the morning.

“…Did I really come back?”

Muttering, she seemed to realize this wasn’t the time and turned to me, sparks of red energy crackling.

“Who are you? How can you use the same power as me, with that output?”

The same question as before.

“Hey, Kang Ha-chan, she’s talking to you.”

As I was about to answer, Baeksan’s warning came just as Heuksan’s fist flew at me.

Thanks to training with Ayu and Baeksan’s advice, I dodged by turning my head, causing Heuksan to grimace.

Honestly, it’s funny how easily she’s being handled, considering she’s Baeksan from the past.

I couldn’t help but laugh, which only made Heuksan angrier.

“Left, right, down, straight.”

Meanwhile, Baeksan seemed to have Heuksan completely figured out, giving precise instructions.

Thanks to that, I dodged every attack.

“Haa, why…”

As none of her attacks landed, Heuksan’s eyes shook violently.

Having lived a life with no equal in her previous world, losing to someone with similar power must’ve been maddening.

“Kang Ha-chan, relay a message for me.”

Baeksan had something to say to Heuksan.

Nodding, I listened as Baeksan continued.

“Every move you make, there’s a flaw in how you channel your Aura. You’re used to using it raw, so your movements are predictable. You idiot. Refine your Aura first.”

I relayed Baeksan’s words, minus the insults.

Heuksan looked dazed, opening and closing her hand.

That expression made me think, yep, she’s definitely Baeksan.

“Tsk tsk, forgetting she’s in a fight, getting hit once and spacing out. Look at that idiot.”

Baeksan was harsh, though.