Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 247: Dragon of Destruction (3)

[But I’m certain of one thing now!]

“What is that ‘one’ thing?”

[You’re special!]

“R-Really?”

[Yes! Do you have any idea how many Hunters I’ve tested in the decades I’ve been here?]

“P-Probably a lot?”

[Do you think there was someone like you back then?]

"Probably not...?"

His trip to the Bastro Dimension was still surreal for him, but there was no room for doubt, as his system message had already confirmed its reality.

However, how was he supposed to believe something as illogical as dimensional travel occurring? Not only that, his body remained in place, and barely ten seconds passed in this world, while more than two decades had elapsed in the other world.

Han-Yeol felt like he was going to go insane trying to process everything that was happening.

[Hmm… This needs to be studied.]

“I’m not a fan of becoming a lab rat…”

[Hmph! I can do it on my own! ??_?? ]

Yulia did not forget to add an annoyed emoji at the end of her message.

“Hahaha…” Han-Yeol could only awkwardly laugh in response.

***

Han-Yeol couldn't complete the remainder of the Master Rank Hunter Test. In fact, he didn't even have the opportunity to begin the test because he was unexpectedly transported to another dimension.

Due to this, he was concerned he might need to retake the test, but to his delight, Yulia decided to pass him.

Yulia stated that she couldn't be bothered to use her abilities since he was undoubtedly a Master Rank Hunter. However, Han-Yeol knew that she was concealing something else.

‘She’s probably worried that I’ll be sent to another dimension by accident.’

He managed to return alive from his journey to the Bastro Dimension, but there was no assurance that luck would be on his side the next time. In reality, there were numerous instances where he came dangerously close to death in the Bastro Dimension.

Although he would likely just wake up back on Earth if he were to die in another dimension, Han-Yeol preferred to err on the side of caution and avoid such risks rather than finding out what would happen if he died.

[Ah, I don’t know! I’ll accept Han-Yeol as a Master Rank Hunter! End of discussion!]

[B-But, Yulia-nim!]

Some of the executives attempted to persuade her otherwise, but there was no chance it was going to succeed.

[Are you trying to make me angry?]

[N-No…]

Yulia held the ultimate authority in this realm, and no one dared to defy her.

The executives who had been observing Han-Yeol's Master Rank Hunter Test returned with defeated expressions.

Finally, Han-Yeol had achieved the status of a Master Rank Hunter. Some might consider it unfair that he had attained this rank in a test lasting only ten seconds, especially since he had also fainted during it. However, for Han-Yeol, it had been a long and grueling journey that had spanned more than twenty years.

‘Haha... I guess I just time-traveled back by twenty years, huh?’

He didn't feel joy as much as emptiness about becoming a Master Rank Hunter. The two decades' worth of memories had vanished in an instant, yet they remained vivid in his mind. Han-Yeol had struggled to preserve his sanity.

A normal person would have experienced a mental breakdown if twenty years of memories flooded into their consciousness. That's how potent memories could be.

***

Thud!

“Kyu!”

Han-Yeol opened the door to the guest room he had been provided and found Mavros already inside. Naturally, the latest addition to his party, the new monster pet, Tia, was also present in the room with Mavros.

"Omo~ You're here, master~"

"Ah, yeah... I'm feeling tired."

Tia could discern Han-Yeol's exhaustion from his expression. Despite her playful and mischievous nature, she understood that this was not the time to jest.

Clack! Clack!

She walked over to Han-Yeol and offered her support as he walked.

"Take a nap if you're tired, and don't push yourself, master~"

"Haha... Thanks..."

Han-Yeol felt the need to rest his overloaded mind. He had managed to endure the flood of twenty years' worth of memories into his brain, but that didn't mean it hadn't taken a toll on him.

Thud!

He crashed on the bed.

“Rest well, master~”

“Thanks, Tia.”

“Hoho! You have to be healthy for me to tease you, master~”

“Hahaha…”

Han-Yeol seemed to have gotten used to Tia’s antics as he simply laughed it off.

‘It’s still a bit awkward, but she’s quite funny in her own way,’ he thought.

“Then, sleep tight~”

“Kyu!”

Mavros left the room together with Tia.

Clack…!

The door closed, and Han-Yeol found himself all alone. He had made many friends recently, so it had been challenging for him to find some solitude. However, thanks to Tia's sensitivity to human emotions, he was finally able to enjoy some alone time.

‘Ah, I’m quite grateful to her…’ he thought.

Han-Yeol covered his eyes with his forearm, and tears began to stream down his face.

The memories from the Bastro Dimension might have felt like a dream, but the two decades he had spent there were far from a dream to him. He had pushed himself to his limits every day, just in case he couldn't return to Earth, living each day as if it were his last.

The only thing he regretted was not doing more for Riru and hurting her until the very end. He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt when it came to her, and he sincerely wanted to apologize if he ever had the chance to see her again. However, that chance was probably never going to come.

‘I'm no longer Harkan. I'm back to being Han-Yeol again,’ he thought.

Everything he had done for the past twenty years was not the doing of Harkan the Coward but rather that of the Master Rank Hunter, Lee Han-Yeol. Now that he was back on Earth, there was nothing he could do, and he had no idea if he could ever return to see them. The flow of time itself was so twisted that they would probably all be long gone by the time he managed to return to the Bastro Dimension.

‘I'm sorry... Riru, Kandir, and everyone,’ he whispered in his thoughts.

He truly wanted to see them again and apologize.

Han-Yeol continued to cry until he finally managed to fall asleep, dreaming of the time when Harkan, Riru, and Kandir trained together in their youth. It was a happy dream. He might never be able to return to that dimension, but it was still a joyful memory.

Thanks to that dream, Han-Yeol was able to sleep peacefully. What he needed most at this moment was nothing other than a good night's rest.

***

Han-Yeol woke up and took a cold shower to clear his head. Then, he looked into the mirror and strengthened his resolve. ‘Your life there is over already. Get a grip, Han-Yeol.’

The most important thing to him right now was the original world he lived in, Earth, so he decided not to dwell on the Bastro Dimension any longer. After all, thinking about his life over there was no longer going to benefit him in any way.

“Haa… Let’s get a grip…”

Chwak! Chwak!

Han-Yeol attempted to maintain his focus by controlling the droplets of water gushing out from the showerhead with Psychokinesis. He discovered that utilizing his mana to manipulate delicate objects somehow aided his concentration.

Ding!

[The rank of Psychokinesis has risen from (B) to (A).]

‘Oh!’

The skill finally reached A Rank. It had been a skill with its growth stunted for quite a while, so witnessing it level up made him feel quite excited.

It was at that moment.

Clack...! Clack…!

“Omo~ You were taking a shower, master?”

“H-Hiiik! T-Tia!”

Tia barged into the bathroom while Han-Yeol was completely defenseless.

Initially, Han-Yeol thought that Tia had come in by mistake, as this place only had one bathroom compared to the dozens of bathrooms available in the guest palace in Cairo. However, Tia was sharper and much more sensitive than most human beings, so she wouldn't make such a silly mistake.

Clack…! Clack…!

"Hmm~ Should we wash together, master?" Tia asked.

Her lower body might be that of a spider, but her upper body was that of a beautiful woman. Anyone seduced by her in this manner was definitely not capable of rejecting her advances, except for those with arachnophobia.

"Hmm… Sure, why not," Han-Yeol nonchalantly replied.0