The Returner

“...What are all these hangers-on supposed to be?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk frowned as he stared at a dozen-plus people sloppily standing around Alpha. If all these people had to be here then maybe Alpha could’ve brought them in an orderly fashion or something, but no. Here were a bunch of people kitted out like homeless shelter dwellers standing around sheepishly so what little semblance of trust he had of Alpha dropped to rock bottom in an instant.

“Eh, uhm...” (Alpha)

Alpha coughed to clear his throat and spoke up with a huge grin.

“I’m not sure whether you always trying to take care of a crisis all by yourself is the fault of your personality or it’s an issue with how the Asian men are brought up, but as an American, I deeply value being rational at all times.” (Alpha)

“But don’t the other Americans call you the worst criminal in history?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...It’s fine. I still love them.” (Alpha)

“Okay, so what’s all this?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“There’s strictly no need for me to do everything alone, is there? So I selected a few folks with the kind of abilities you might be looking for. They can either cast ‘slow’ and ‘freeze’ on the target.” (Alpha)

Yi Ji-Hyuk’s expression remained unimpressed as he stared at Alpha.

“And what about you?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Eii, if I showed up here with a bunch of people but hadn’t prepared myself as well, you probably would have bitten my head off, now wouldn’t you?” (Alpha)

“You know so well.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Alpha cackled as if he already knew everything.

“I did entertain the idea but someone here is sooo much scarier than a mother-in-law so I figured I shouldn’t goof around. Don’t worry, I’ve made sure to get my hands on what you might need before coming here.” (Alpha)

Yi Ji-Hyuk nodded his head.

He might have let it slide with a nonchalant expression, but inside of his head was certainly not nonchalant, as it were.

‘Got his hands on it before showing up, is it...?’ (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Not too long ago, before Alpha teleported away in fact, he said he didn’t have an ability to stop a nuke. But now, he did?

When you take into account the widely-accepted belief that one ability user could only possess one type of ability, then such a thing should be impossible.

‘Either he wields many abilities, or an ability that allows him to swap one out for another...’ (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

If he carefully analysed all the abilities Alpha had used up until now, the answer should become clear, but when Yi Ji-Hyuk tried to comb through his memories, he realised that this loon hadn’t displayed any ‘meaningful’ abilities so far.

“Eii, what are you thinking so deeply about, anyway? Aren’t we allies now?” (Alpha)

“Allies who don’t inform others about their powers?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Everyone has a right to their privacy, after all. I don’t know about Korea, but in America, respecting one’s privacy is an absolute must, you know. Of course, I won’t accept the notion of, ‘When in Rome, do as Romans do’, since we aren’t in Rome right now.” (Alpha)

Yi Ji-Hyuk shook his head.

“Doesn’t matter one way or the other as long as you perfectly stop the nuke.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Of course. If we don’t, we’ll all die after all. So I better bet my life and make it happen. However, I’d like you to remember that we don’t really have any reason to protect this country at all cost. I’m doing all of this purely just for you, Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk.” (Alpha)

Alpha grinned slyly.

Choi Jeong-Hoon angrily confronted him.

“Are you demanding some kind of compensation from us?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“No, no. It’s nothing like that. All I’m saying is that I’d like you to remember this simple fact. Anything Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk wants, I’ll do my absolute best to make it happen. No matter what it is.” (Alpha)

Yi Ji-Hyuk facepalmed.

“Sorry, but I’m not into guys.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Well, that’s unfortunate. I was so prepared to become a bi, too.” (Alpha)

“Get lost.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Alpha smacked his lips looking really rueful just then, and Choi Jeong-Hoon could only spit out a lengthy groan.

‘To think the fate of the entire world rests in the hands of these two...’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

To make matters worse, the newly-added world’s hope happened to be someone with enough insane streak to turn the original hope of the world into a seemingly normal person in comparison. Not to forget, the original hope-of-the-world was himself unhinged enough to give the leaders of various nations a lot of migraine, too.

Alpha turned his head and stared at Choi Jeong-Hoon

“By the way, is it okay for us to just stand around doing nothing? Shouldn’t we get started already?” (Alpha)

We’re meandering around here because of you, you lunatic! (Choi Jeong-Hoon’s inner monologue)

Choi Jeong-Hoon oh-so dearly wanted to pour out a bucketful of profanities but he also knew how to hold back in times like this.

Besides, even if he wanted to get the mission going, he knew nothing about it anyway so he couldn’t say anything, either. Yi Ji-Hyuk came up with the mission and not him, after all.

‘Huh. Hang on a second.’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Would this be fine? Should he actually give his consent to this?

Choi Jeong-Hoon belatedly remembered that Yi Ji-Hyuk had come up with this plan and couldn’t help but stare at the latter with anxious eyes. Of course, it wasn’t as if he had any better ideas himself, but still...

“...What is it this time?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk, I know that me saying this only now may sound quite strange, but...” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“What’s gotten into you? Making me worried and all.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“N-no, it’s nothing major, but, uh... This plan of yours, it does qualify as an actual plan, yes?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon’s anxiety filled voice only elicited a smirk from Yi Ji-Hyuk.

“That’s obvious.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“If it’s not too much trouble, can I hear more about this plan? No, hang on. Even if you’re troubled, I must listen to it. This is an absolute must, you see.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“I told you, didn’t I?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk replied in dismay.

“Look closely, okay? These people, they are going to stop the missile.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Okay?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“And I’ll eliminate the monster perched on top of the missile itself.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...Okay?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“And then, all we have to do afterwards is to deal with the remaining warhead somehow. It’s simple, right?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

...No, it’s not simple at all. (Choi Jeong-Hoon’s inner monologue) fr𝚎e𝙬𝚎𝚋𝚗૦ν𝚎𝒍.c૦m

“Hey, you dumb*ss! Every freaking thing in this world will be as simple if you explain it that way!!!!” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Hul, why are you calling me names all of a sudden?!” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“M-my apologies.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon urgently covered his mouth. His illness of unnecessarily blurting out his true thoughts had gotten the better of him this time, it seemed.

“You have a better idea, then?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“.................”

If you call that utterly unrealistic-sounding plan being the only option they had at the moment as Choi Jeong-Hoon’s misfortune, then indeed, it was a pretty massive misfortune.

‘Just what crimes did I commit in my past life...’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Dealing with one Yi Ji-Hyuk was hard enough, but now he had to witness Alpha going on a rampage too?

Yi Ji-Hyuk, who was probably the only one here capable of restraining Alpha to some degree, seemed to have decided to not interfere and watch from the sidelines.

“We shouldn’t be wasting time like this. Let’s get ready already.” (Alpha)

“...”

If Alpha ‘helping’ out like this was making Choi Jeong-Hoon tear up in gladness, just whose fault was it?

Alpha, or Choi Jeong-Hoon?

Choi Jeong-Hoon could only embrace this dilemma with no answer and sorrowfully nodded his head.

“Okay.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“The direction is important, so... where is it coming from?” (Alpha)

“It’s the southwest, so...” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon pointed in the direction.

“Over there.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“It’s flying at about 1,000 kilometres per hour, so naked eyes should be able to see it, right? Like when a plane is landing? You said its speed is about the same as an airliner.” (Alpha)

Choi Jeong-Hoon let out a pained groan.

“You shouldn’t compare it to an actual airliner, since a plane slows down drastically before landing.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“...That’s true.” (Alpha)

“But the missile is flying at its top speed, as it were. A person’s eyes will have a hard time catching a car driving at 200kph, but the ICBM is flying at five times that speed right now. Without slowing down at all.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Alpha tilted his head this way and that.

“It’ll be easier to think this way. When an airliner extends its landing gear and enters the runaway, its speed is somewhere between two to three hundred kilometres per hour.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Wait, only that much?” (Alpha)

“Yes.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Alpha scratched his head at Choi Jeong-Hoon’s explanation.

“Everyone, did you hear that? I’m getting a hunch that it’s not gonna be easy at all.” (Alpha)

Alpha turned around and addressed his group behind him, but one of them replied with a scoff.

“Boss, you were the only one who didn’t think that way until now. All of us have been thinking that the moment we heard him.”

“...Really?” (Alpha)

“It’s not common to see someone as thoughtless as you in this world, boss.”

“W-well, yeah. That’s somewhat true.” (Alpha)

Alpha flinched noticeably at the straight retort landing on him, and Choi Jeong-Hoon watching this spectacle could only groan.

‘...What kinda soya powder family is this now?’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

According to the intel he got from the American intelligence agency, Alpha’s followers were a tight-knit group perfectly centred around him, but this... These guys before his eyes were indeed the perfect personification of a ragtag bunch of misfits.

‘What should I believe more?’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Should he believe his instincts or the intel handed out by the Americans? Choi Jeong-Hoon found himself swimming in this strange internal conflict.

“In any case, that’s how it is so please do your best catching that thing. If this place blows up, the whole world will go up with it, too.” (Alpha)

“But boss, the world is already half-blown up because of you.” 𝗳𝒓𝚎e𝚠𝒆𝐛𝐧𝐨v𝚎Ɩ.co𝓶

“Doesn’t mean we can afford to blow up the rest, though.” (Alpha)

“We aren’t even doing ‘hurt them and cure them later’, so what the hell...”

Choi Jeong-Hoon watched the... ragtag bunch of homeless shelter dwellers grumble to themselves and ended up turning his head away.

‘I won’t look anymore.’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

It would be waaaay better to not commit this scene to his visual memory.

Here was the moment that truly made him understand what the onlookers’ moods must’ve been like when they witnessed Yi Ji-Hyuk and Seo Ah-Young (or anyone else for that matter) bickering away.

“Why don’t you all shut up and get ready already?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

One fortunate thing about this particular occasion was that, unlike when Yi Ji-Hyuk was rampaging around, someone here was stepping up to put an end to Alpha’s shenanigans. The only problem being that the intervention was coming a bit too late, though.

“Yessir! We’ll get ready right away!” (Alpha)

“You came to work so work, will ya? Wait, did you come to goof around, instead?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“N-no, well...” (Alpha)

When Alpha sheepishly tucked his proverbial tail between his legs, it felt like a ten-year-old heartburn in Choi Jeong-Hoon’s chest had been finally washed away. Alpha’s followers seemed to think this behaviour of their boss was pretty weird, but when he said something to them, they looked as if they had accepted the explanation provided. But a new side effect in the form of the followers continuously glancing at Yi Ji-Hyuk reared its ugly head next.

‘Even though he’s lost his powers...’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Despite Yi Ji-Hyuk no longer being able to wield the Dark Mana, that one thing that practically formed his foundation, Alpha didn’t seem to have lowered his evaluation of him at all.

It even felt like Alpha was treating Yi Ji-Hyuk with a greater level of respect than when they were clear enemies in the past.

‘Does someone on the level of Alpha see things differently?’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

The exact reason was unknown at this stage, but Alpha had not lost his respect towards Yi Ji-Hyuk, and the latter accepted as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

What an interesting dynamic this was.

“You better stop that thing properly.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Please don’t worry.” (Alpha)

“I don’t want to worry, but I am getting worried and that’s the problem.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Eiii, even if the worst does happen, it’s just a single country blowing up, you know? If things really do get precarious, we can always escape from here.” (Alpha)

“No escape this time.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Excuse me?” (Alpha)

Alpha asked back in a daze, so Yi Ji-Hyuk replied with a refreshing grin on his face.

“My country’s about to get annihilated, so I certainly can’t turn tail and run away, right? If nothing works and everything goes down the crapper, then I’m going with my last resort.” (YI Ji-Hyuk)

Alpha must’ve known what that last resort was, because he was nodding gravely with a hardened expression. Hell, one could even see determination on his face, too.

“Meaning, we must succeed no matter what.” (Alpha)

“Saying something so obvious.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Choi Jeong-Hoon listening to this conversation and hoping to control the situation somehow, frowned slightly when his smartwatch suddenly rang noisily on his wrist.

“It’s Choi Jeong-Hoon speaking.”

– “It’s almost within range. You should be able to see it with naked eyes in a few seconds.”

“...Understood.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

– “Although we don’t want to heap more pressure on you, do remember that we will lose far too much if you fail.”

“I’m aware, sir. Please don’t worry.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

– “We’ll leave it in your capable hands.”

Choi Jeong-Hoon turned to look at Yi Ji-Hyuk.

“...So he says.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“...Where is it that we can supposedly see it soon?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Well, it’s somewhere over there, so...” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon pointed towards a certain corner of the heavens.

“We should be able to spot it soon, because it...” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

It was then, Yi Ji-Hyuk scowled heavily and opened his mouth.

“Hang on. Didn’t you say that the warhead has a massive bird or whatever perched on top?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“That I did.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Not a bird but a d*mn demon king is personally riding on it, though?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...Eh?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon couldn’t see anything, but Yi Ji-Hyuk seemed to be able to, because he shielded his eyes from the sun then began hurling several choice words.

“Son of a gun. We ain’t some bloody tourist spot or something, yet why do all these demon kings keep coming here for a casual visit?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Eventually, even Choi Jeong-Hoon’s eyes could spot something.

A tiny little black spot in the distant sky revealed itself.

‘That...’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon’s whole body froze up.

< 435. Ah, shucks... This might not work after all? -5 > Fin.