After Returning, My Abilities are Infinite

Episode 122. The Great Legacy (1)

“You only use that thing. That weapon that flies around in sparkling colors. When are you going to stop using just one? You should use the good things that you have.”

“…….”

“If you keep using only that, you won’t be able to defeat other enemies, let alone me with full power. Remember last time? You were all as good as dead without that little boy, Lee Jin-woo.”

“You….”

I couldn’t help but frown. Sung Hyun-woo definitely said that Seol Ah-rin’s mind was still in a mess. That she was acting immature and wasn’t hostile because of that.

“Why? You’re surprised because you thought I lost all my memories?”

“……!”

“The kid thinks so. Actually, he’s right, to some extent. My mind is usually a complete mess. Old memories come to mind as clear as reality, and reality fades like nothing happened.”

Seol Ah-rin smiled.

“I have a lot of experience. Of course, I know it’s an illusion. But you know, sometimes I just want to forget reality. I want to live immersed in my clearer and happier memories forever. I want to spend time looking at the blue sky and listening to people talk instead of seeing holes in the sky and monsters pouring out.”

In fact, she was smiling, but her eyes looked immensely sad.

“You guys were on point. Who knew you would target my weakness so precisely? Although I know it’s an illusion, I can’t get out of it. If I leave the illusion, a worse hell waits ahead.”

“…….”

“And then, I came to like you guys. Heroes trying harder than anyone else to protect humankind; righteous people who never back down in the face of powerful enemies. As time went by, I could tell that you guys were like that.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. You guys had tried to kill me……. But thinking of what I’ve done, I could understand why. I was impressed. You guys had risked your lives to face me, hadn’t you?”

Others may think she was arrogant. But I thought she was worthy of it. After all, she was Seol Ah-rin. The heroine of -The Third Disaster-.

“So, I just watched. Even when I was in a mess, and when I sometimes woke up. But then, those Returnees pushed the switch in my head.”

“The switch?”

“Yes. Those crazy guys that turned up like monsters, trying to kill ordinary people. If I didn’t step in, an entire family would have died in front of my eyes. Then I would’ve gone crazy and become a mass murderer just like them.”

“…….”

“Fortunately, I killed him before that happened.”

She winked at me. It didn’t suit the topic of conversation.

“Because of that, every time I saw Returnees, I became alert. And also whenever you guys were in danger. Why, you know how, when watching TV shows, you get super angry when your favorite character is in mortal danger? My stomach boiled like that.”

“…TV shows, huh.”

“Uh-huh, that’s right. Aren’t I really good at metaphors? That’s why I helped you that time… And I secretly interfered now and then. I didn’t want you guys to die or get hurt. You guys were fighting so hard. I wanted you to protect people better and let at least one more person live in peace.”

Seol Ah-rin looked at me warmly. It was a bit different from her intense gaze in the past.

Right now, she recognized me as a person. A person that was equal to her. A human being made up of numerous elements. She didn’t perceive me as her enemy. From her eyes, I sensed friendliness that I had never felt before.

“That’s why I’m trying to help you. You fight the hardest, but you fight really badly.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Really? Then I won’t teach you.”

“No, I’m not saying I won’t learn from you.”

“Then don’t make a fuss and just listen. I’m about to teach you myself, but you keep interrupting. It’s annoying.”

“…….”

I instinctively closed my mouth at her harsh tone. Just because we were closer now didn’t mean she became softer. She still had a dirty temper.

“Hold your hand out.”

“My hand?”

“Yeah. Put it on my hand.”

Doing as she said, I put my hand on top of hers.

“It’s not that difficult. Actually, I’ve never particularly trained or practiced.”

“…….”

“It’s important to feel it. Like the name -Great Legacy-, it’s important for you to know what is asleep inside of you and to awaken it.”

As she spoke, Seol Ah-rin slowly closed her eyes.

And something bubbled up behind her back. It looked like a transparent liquid, and it changed its shape little by little.

From a young child’s shape to a girl in her parents’ arms to a girl crying as she watched her parents die. To monsters pouring into the world and her dying father, who she thought was stronger than anyone else.

The transparent liquid changed its form little by little. The strongest man that Seol Ah-rin knew was her father. And the liquid turned into the main weapons used by the army that her father firearms and heavy weapons, which were symbols of force in modern society. The monsters’ thick skin tore apart like sheets of paper, and bullets of fire rained down.

A glorious army made up of old weapons that were now gone. That was the ‘Great Legacy’ embedded in Seol Ah-rin’s mind.

“…Like this.”

“…….”

“What’s inside you? What are you carrying? You should know that. Then you will be able to use a level of force that is incomparable to what you are capable of now.”

And with those words, I slowly closed my eyes.

[Hm, it’s a technique that uses a mysterious mechanism. A power that finds clues in memories and uses them as its foundation. I suppose it takes advantage of the fact that regret is exceptionally powerful in humans compared to other life forms.]

“…….”

[Yes, it may be much better to build power based on terrible past regrets rather than to move toward uncertain future goals.]

The Traveler continued to talk. But as I became lost in thought, his voice gradually faded away. It felt like my mind was steadily sinking below the surface.

The way Seol Ah-rin showed me, I began to dig into myself from down below my distant memory. Where should I look first? What should I discover to bring out what lies asleep within me?

-Si-woo, run away. Run away…

From the moment everything started? No. Let’s go further and look before that.

-Jeong Si-woo, how many times did I tell you not to look at your phone while you eat….

That day.

-Oh, just leave me alone when I’m eating, please!

At the ‘first moment’ of the day when everything started.

Let’s dig in and take a closer look at that moment.

The moment that made Jeong Si-woo, an ordinary middle school student in Korea, into an Analyst who fought on the front line and into the Five Heroes’ leader.

* * *

The inside of the gym was a mess. The usually well-organized equipment was strewn on the floor, and the wallpaper and windows were scratched all over.

“…Kim Seung-hyun.”

Standing in the middle of the mess, Lee Hyun-seung muttered incredulously.

“Huff… Huff… Yes.”

Kim Seung-hyun replied, breathing heavily. He held a long spear in weapons that Lee Hyun-seung summoned were stuck in the ground surrounding him.

“I’m curious. How has Jeong Si-woo been training you these years? What on Earth have you been doing to be this…. Sigh.”

Kim Seung-hyun’s face clouded over. There was nothing wrong with Jeong Si-woo’s training. Although he wasn’t that knowledgeable, Kim Seung-hyun could tell that his training routine was excellent and suited him perfectly.

If Lee Hyun-seung had a problem with it, it was probably his fault. Kim Seung-hyun felt guilty. He didn’t want Jeong Si-woo’s reputation to be tarnished because of him.

He wasn’t good enough. He was the one who lacked talent…!

“Si-woo didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just not good enough….”

“No, I’m not saying he was wrong.”

“What?”

However, Lee Hyun-seung’s answer was totally unexpected.

“He knows you better than you know yourself, doesn’t he? Only the muscles you need have developed, and you don’t have any unnecessary muscles. The way you move is also very smooth. It’s probably because you’ve built up a solid foundation.”

“…Oh.”

“I heard he was as good an Analyst as he was a hunter, but it seems like he’s also an excellent educator. Hm, unbelievable.”

Kim Seung-hyun couldn’t help but smile. It felt good to hear praise of his mentor.

“But there’s something that even Jeong Si-woo missed.”

“Yes?”

Lee Hyun-seung approached Kim Seung-hyun.

“Why did he have you keep holding a shield?”

“What do you mean……?”

“Why did he just use you as a Tank, and why didn’t he teach you techniques other than shield mastery?”

“It’s because I only know how to use a shield and trained only as a Tank……….”

“No, there’s no way a man with an insight like Jeong Si-woo’s didn’t recognize your talent. Did he have you use the shield just for training purposes until you built up your basics? Hmm… I don’t know.”

“What does that mean? Training purposes? I’ve only known how to use a shield, but saying that it was just for training…….”

“What, you still don’t know? What’s in your hand right now?”

Kim Seung-hyun, who was standing blankly, looked down at his hand. In his hand was a long spear instead of the usual shield.

“A spear.”

“Yes, it’s a spear.”

“Yes.”

“Is this your first time using a spear?”

“No, I’ve used one a few times in the past when I was training.”

“How long did you use one compared to the time you used a shield?”

“Probably too short to even compare.”

“I see.”

Lee Hyun-seung nodded and took the spear from Kim Seung-hyun’s hand. Then, he pulled another weapon out of the ground and handed it to him.

“From this day forward, do not use a shield. Unbelievable.”

“…What?”

Kim Seung-hyun stared blankly at Lee Hyun-seung. Don’t use a shield? That meant he had to throw away everything he learned so far. Was he joking? Kim Seung-hyun rolled his eyes, but Lee Hyun-seung looked very serious.

“Why not? You can’t accept it?”

“…To be honest, I can’t.”

“Then, let me explain briefly.”

Lee Hyun-seung casually lifted his hand and pointed to the corner of the gym. It looked like something had ravaged the area. Like a storm had passed, not a weapon.

“I’ve never seen someone who has never used a spear as their main weapon create a sight like that.”

“…….”

“Throw away your shield. Your talent is not the shield.”

Lee Hyun-seung grinned at Kim Seung-hyun’s shocked face.

“If you throw it away, I’ll make sure everyone in the world knows your name in a year.”