Chapter 22: Calamity: The Beginning

Two days had passed since the nightmare.

“Morning, mom.”

Ji-woo greeted his mother. Only both of them were at the table for breakfast.

“How about Ji-won?”

Ji-woo’s mother sighed, “She just left earlier after changing her clothes.”

Actually, Ji-woo knew his sister was at home since early this morning. But, he didn’t want to talk with his sister in the house when their mother was around.

Right now, Ji-woo could see how troubled his mother was because of Ji-won’s behavior. He couldn’t imagine how much his mother suffered all these years.

“Mom, let’s take a break from the food stall. And go visit Father’s grave with me.”

Ji-woo’s mother stopped what she was doing after hearing her son’s request. She didn’t give any response and remained silent.

Ji-woo kept looking at his mother back, waiting for the answer.

His mother then moved, brought two bowls of rice, and put it at the table.

“I want to go with you, but Mother can’t just take off from the food stall.”

“Mom, I have some money after working many part-time jobs these few days.”

“Mother knows. However, you can keep it yourself first. We’re not in an urgent situation for money.”

Ji-woo exhaled. He knew his mother was a strong-willed person. When she decided on something, she would do it.

Thanks to that, his mother and Ji-won weren’t chased by thugs from loan people. Her mother always paid her monthly dues on time without being late at all.

Ji-woo looked at his position now, smiled awkwardly. ‘If Stormrage saw me like this, what would he say?’

In the Magical world, Ji-woo was a cold-hearted person. No one could tell him to do something he didn’t want to. Even Stormrage sometimes found it difficult to talk and advise him as a close friend and sworn brother.

Yet now, Ji-woo had just become an obedient puppy in front of his mother.

‘He might be laughing on the floor if he sees how obedient I am in front of my mother.’

Ji-woo shook his head helplessly.

“Mother will give you father’s cemetery address. And if you have a bit of money, buy some necessary items while you go there. It’s been a long time for me to visit your father too.”

“Yes, mom.”

After they ate breakfast, Ji-woo helped his mother bring some stuff to the food stall.

Then Ji-woo departed and took a bus to visit the cemetery.

—- —-

A young man with a black and white suit also had cheap watches on his left wrist at the cemetery.

Kim Ji-woo sat on his knees in front of the graveyard.

On the tombstone, there was Kim Kang-woo’s name written on it.

Ji-woo bowed his head to the ground deeply twice. Afterward, he looked at the grave without speaking a word.

Under the bright sunlight and warm breeze. A long-time reunion between the father and the son.

Ji-woo couldn’t hold back his tears anymore.

“Father… I’m sorry for visiting you so late.

“I’m sorry I can’t take care of Mother and Ji-won.

“I’m sorry… been missing for six years.

“I’m sorry… father pass away because of me… “

Ji-woo lowered his head. He wipes away his tears.

“Father, I bring Gimbap from mother and Soju here. I hope father still likes it even though it’s been a long time.”

Creak–

The sound of the tombstone cracked surprised Ji-woo, who was still mourning his father.

Ji-woo turned to worry, and at the same time, tried to disperse such thoughts with a lame joke.

‘Father is angry with me? Or father didn’t like Soju anymore? Ha…, I really hope it is not a bad omen.’

Ji-woo threw away his worry and began to clean up the grave a little bit.

“Father, give me the strength and wisdom to take care of Mom and Ji-won. From now on, I won’t let them have such hardships again.”

Ji-woo got up and bowed at his father’s graveyard. He then left the Gimbap, Soju, and bucket of flowers around his father’s tombstone. After that, he left the cemetery.

“I will visit Father frequently in the future.”

Every word that Ji-woo said in front of his father’s grave carried guilt and burden with it.

And every word that came out from Ji-woo’s mouth was hurting his heart too.

—- —-

Ji-woo’s next plan after visiting his father’s cemetery was to go to Ji-won high school. He couldn’t tolerate his sister’s attitude anymore.

Ji-woo didn’t like seeing his mother become restless. In fact, he was fine if his sister was acting cold and blamed him for everything that happened to them when he had gone missing.

But that was if Ji-won only did it to Ji-woo and didn’t take her anger out on their mother.

Too bad, Ji-won’s character has changed due to difficult circumstances. So, even Ji-woo back and acted like a brother to her, it wouldn’t change her overnight.

Ji-woo got off at the bus stop near the high school.

While walking toward the place, surprisingly, Ji-woo saw Ji-won in the alley beside the convenience store.

‘Didn’t she supposed to be at the school at this time?’ Ji-woo looked at his watches and thought why Ji-won could be seen there instead of at the school.

Ji-woo, slowly getting close to the alley. He then saw a bunch of teenagers wearing a high school uniform in there.

The alley wasn’t deep and had a wall at the end.

“Kim Ji-won?”

All of the teenagers turn their heads in the direction of Ji-woo’s voice calling his sister’s name.

“Ahjussi, who are you?”

“What business did you have here, Ahjussi?”

“Go away, Ahjussi. You will get hurt if you stay here.”

Ji-woo didn’t know whether to laugh or not in front of them that kept calling him Ahjussi.

There were five boys and two girls in the alley. But in the midst of that, Ji-woo still could recognize his sister on the back.

“Ya, Kim Ji-won. Come here. We need to talk.”

Ji-woo called his sister’s name while massaging his temple.

“Tch, I don’t know you. Go back to where you belong, Ahjussi!”

Ji-woo really became speechless about his sister’s attitude.

“Get out of here, Ahjussi.”

“Did you want to get beaten by us? Huh?”

Five boys walked up to the front and closed their gap with Ji-woo.

Ji-woo could only sigh, “I’m her Oppa, and this is a family matter. Please move aside, thank you.”

But, the five boys didn’t give their way to Ji-woo and blocked him from getting close to Ji-won.

“Do you think we are scared of you, Ahjussi? Just because of your appearance like a thug and have long hair.”

Ji-woo frowned, ‘What’s the relation with thugs and long hair? Did kids nowadays can only utter some bullsh*t from their mouth?’

“Ah, whatever. Let’s do this with your kid’s ways. The faster, the better.”

Ji-woo unbuttoned his black suit and put both of his hands at the pants pocket.

Hahaha–

The boys laugh at Ji-woo.

“This Ahjussi is fun… “

Duag–

Before one of the boys finished his speech, he fell with his front body on the ground.

Ji-woo hit him with his knees. “Too much talking.”

“B*st*rd!”

The other four then went toward Ji-woo. They wanted to gang upon him.

However, Ji-woo could easily evade their catch.

Daag–

Another boy fell with their back after getting kicked by Ji-woo on the legs.

“Overconfident.”

Ji-woo still had the time to mock them.

Hyaarhhgg–

The three boys screamed out and charged at Ji-woo.

One of the boys tried punching Ji-woo, but he ducked in. And let the boy slip away at his back.

Ji-woo then front kicked the second boy that came after the first that tried punching him.

Buag–

Now, three of the boys were on the ground groaning their pain.

Arrghh–

Uugghh–

Ergghh–

Of course, Ji-woo was still holding back. If not, the kids would not live anymore after getting hit by him.

It was just the tip of the iceberg of Ji-woo.

The other two boys now scared shitless while looking at their three friends on the ground in agony. They didn’t dare to move.

“Ya, Kim Ji-won. Did you want to do this in a hard way?”

Ji-won trembled to see the events unfolding in front of her. She didn’t believe his brother, a nerd and an outcast in high school could fight like that.

But, Ji-won obeyed and unsteadily walked over to Ji-woo.

“Your friends are fine. Just let them be like that for an hour.”

Ji-woo turned and walked in front of Ji-won while speaking in a high tone.

Ji-won followed from behind unwillingly.

—- —-

—- —-

At the foot of the mountain. 1.3 miles away from the city and the bustling places.

Mana fluctuation began to appear.

Trrst, Trret–

After 15 minutes, some people were passing by and saw the Mana fluctuation.

“That… That…, the Portal Gate isn’t?”

“It is! Call Hunters Association.”

“Quick!’

However, before those people could call the relevant personnel from Hunters Association, something happened to them.

Dadump–

Arrghh–

The people that saw the Portal Gate felt pain all over their bodies and fell to the ground.

The Mana impact affected them since their distance was less than 75 meters. In the end, these people were not a hunter or ordinary people that got trained to be a gatekeeper.

Even though they felt the pain, it was not enough to make them lose consciousness. But if they stay there, it might be fatal for any of them. They try to get away while crawling.