Kei’s body stiffened.
He snapped his head up to stare at Kang Ian. In that fleeting fraction of a second, the narrow trail before him blurred. The visage of the man standing right in front of him and the young boy from his memories overlapped, utterly incapable of being torn apart ever again.
Ian had walked out of that forest all alone.
He had bowed his head to Julius before walking away without a single backward glance. Kei had once thought perhaps he would never cross paths with him again. Had even assumed Ian might have grown to resent him, worrying that the memories of the Elven Forest were preserved by Kei alone.
Yet Ian was right here, merely clad in a brand-new appearance alongside a brand-new name.
Before his mind could even process the thought, Kei’s body moved on pure instinct, lunging straight toward Kang Ian. Wrapping his arms tightly around the tall man, he buried his face against his chest as though terrified that the instant he loosened his grip, Ian would vanish from his line of sight once more.
"Ian..."
The name choked out, trembling with emotion.
Kei tightened his embrace further, his hands gripping desperately at the fabric of Ian’s tunic. All the mounting questions, all the unspoken apologies, and the long, agonizing years of missed time surged concurrently into his throat, leaving him entirely incapable of uttering a single coherent word.
He simply held Ian as tight as he could.
Kei’s embrace lasted far longer than he had anticipated.
He had no idea how long he had clung to Kang Ian. Not until the man in his arms shifted slightly did Kei jerk back in a start, hurriedly easing his grip.
"Sorry..."
Ian didn’t reply. He merely stared down at Kei, his platinum eyes resting quietly upon those tear-rimmed eyes.
Kei wanted to press him with countless inquiries. He wanted to ask why Ian had never returned to search for him, why he had ended up becoming a hunter over here in South Korea. Yet words caught tightly in his throat. He had only just recovered every single piece of his memories, whereas Ian hadn’t explained a single thing yet.
Kei didn’t wish to push him.
"Let’s head back outside first," Ian rasped. "Everyone’s waiting."
Kei gave a solemn nod. He stepped over to support Ian by the arm, though the other man flinched slightly as if instinctively wishing to decline. Then, catching sight of Kei’s tear-stained face, Ian ultimately swallowed his objections and allowed himself to be steadied.
The two men traced the narrow trail forward side by side.
As the tree line ahead gradually thinned out, Kei abruptly realized another pressing matter.
"Kang Mi So is inside this Dungeon, too."
Ian tilted his head slightly to look at him.
"Kang Mi So? Came inside looking for me?"
"Yeah. She vanished right after you disappeared," Kei tightened his grip slightly around the arm he was supporting. "Everyone’s probably worried sick."
Ian fell silent for a beat before letting out a faint, cold chuckle.
Kang Mi So... even with a brand-new face, that shitty personality remains utterly unlikable, truly repulsive.
Outside the perimeter of the forest, Moon So Yeon was on the verge of losing her composure entirely.
Kei’s disappearance alone had been enough to throw her into a panic. Yet barely minutes later, Kang Mi So had vanished from her spot, as well. No one had witnessed how she slipped away, and no one had detected a single ripple of mana.
She had simply dissolved out of existence from this world.
"No way..." Moon So Yeon clenched both hands into tight fists. "She was standing right next to us."
Do Ae Young knitted her brows tightly, her eyes refusing to leave the expanse of forest looming before them.
She didn’t dare summon Kai over here.
Kei had gone missing within the Dungeon, and Kang Mi So had vanished right alongside him. If Kai caught wind of this and charged straight into the woods to hunt for them, the situation would spiral into absolute chaos. Do Ae Young refused to contemplate the nightmare of him losing his temper and tearing the entire sector apart just to track someone down.
"Kim Woo Jin!" She whipped around to face the raven-locked man, barking furiously. "At a time like this, are you still planning on keeping things from us?!"
Moon So Yeon stepped forward, her gaze turning frosty.
They had been on the verge of rushing outside to broadcast an emergency alert, dispatch backup, and instantly widen their search radius. Yet Kim Woo Jin had repeatedly intercepted them, stubbornly insisting that no one take any superfluous actions.
"The three of them will be fine. Stop stirring up unnecessary trouble. This Dungeon isn’t dangerous. They’ll be right back out soon."
He had reiterated those exact phrases with a serenity so absolute it was enough to drive anyone insane.
"You claim this Dungeon isn’t dangerous, yet Kei and Kang Ian still haven’t come back out!" Moon So Yeon growled. "Kang Mi So’s missing, too. Just how long do you expect us to stand around waiting?"
Kim Woo Jin didn’t flinch from her glare.
"I’ve already stated as much. Those three are completely fine."
"What on earth are you basing that guarantee on?"
"Because I foresaw it. Are you doubting my abilities?"
Do Ae Young was so furious she let out a harsh, incredulous laugh. Rolling up her sleeves, she marched straight up until she stood dead center before Kim Woo Jin.
"Fine. Then let’s see just how long you can keep that calm expression after catching a punch straight to your jaw."
"Do Ae Young-nim!"
A voice rang out from across the opposite side of the tree line.
She froze mid-motion. Moon So Yeon whipped her head around instantly, and the rest of the team simultaneously pivoted toward the source of the cry.
Diving out from between the tree trunks, two silhouettes were slowly making their way forward.
One was Kei. Right beside him walked Kang Ian, his complexion pale, his foot wobbling unsteadily, yet managing to propel himself forward under Kei’s steady support.
For a brief, suspended second, no one could find their voice.
Then, Moon So Yeon exhaled a ragged breath, as though finally remembering she needed oxygen. She hurried forward, her eyes sweeping frantically across Kei to inspect whether he had sustained any injuries.
"Kei! Are you alright?"
Do Ae Young lunged forward, as well. The fury etched across her features vanished instantly, replaced by a wave of relief so overwhelming she looked ready to chew him out right on the spot.
"You scared the absolute hell out of us!"
Before Kei could formulate a reply, his gaze gravitated toward Kim Woo Jin, the man who had stubbornly insisted all along that Kang Ian and Kei’s disappearance posed zero actual danger.
As expected of a hunter blessed with precognitive sight; his predictions were terrifyingly accurate!
The man remained standing firmly in his original spot. The perpetually gloomy expression on his face hadn’t shifted much, yet his shoulders visibly slumped downward with a palpable release of tension.
Kei surveyed the group before noticing a conspicuous absence.
"Where’s Kang Mi So?"
No one answered right away.
The relief that had just blossomed across everyone’s faces abruptly hitched. Kei stared straight at Kim Woo Jin. This time around, it was his turn to demand an explanation from this peculiar hunter gifted with foresight.
Kim Woo Jin remained silent for a few seconds before finally speaking:
"She’ll be coming right back out shortly, too."
"You know where she is?" Moon So Yeon pressed.
Kim Woo Jin offered no further elaboration.
Behind them, Kang Ian leaned lightly against Kei’s shoulder. His gaze lingered upon the stretch of forest where the narrow trail had just ferried them back.
"Most likely still trapped inside the woods," Ian murmured. "Though that brat cannot exit just yet."
Kei pivoted to look at him. Ian closed his eyes for a fleeting second, profound exhaustion etched deep into his features.
"We’ll just have to wait."