The Returner

“Did you think of this from the start? ”

Lee Hyuk nodded at Alpha's words. You don't have to answer, but there's no reason not to.

“If you don't have time, you can buy yourself more time. ”

Alpha nods.

The fact that time flowed differently in different dimensions was well known in the case of Lee Ji-hyuk.

‘Then why didn't you think of that? ’

Alpha is a man who thinks he's brilliant.

In terms of absolute knowledge and wisdom, few people on this planet have ever been more self-absorbed. And that pride was not just arrogance.

It was proven to some extent by various experiments.

But Alpha hadn't thought of that until a moment ago.

‘Maybe he's very smart. ’

Even though absolute wisdom does not reach the Alpha, I thought that his ability to overcome a crisis and exert his or her ability under pressure was more than that.

‘Anyway, caution. ’

“You look very unhappy. ”

“No, it's not. ”

Alpha shakes his hand.

“We're just excited to see more solutions than we anticipated. But what about the rain of time in that dimension? ”

“Well, maybe a hundred to one? ”

“... It's incredible. ”

“I don't think I have enough……. ”

Lee Hyuk kicked his tongue.

It would be good for the rain to go to the superior dimension, but it was also not easy. Depending on the dimensions, there was a place where humans could survive, and there was a place where humans couldn't.

Even if there is a 1,000-to-1 time ratio, it is meaningless if there is no air. We need to find a dimension where the people here can withstand and where there are no Aboriginal inhabitants, so that there can be no unwanted disturbances.

Satisfying the conditions was not easier than I thought.

“Now that you're in there, your real training begins? ”

“That's right."

“It's not gonna be easy, is it? ”

Lee Hyuk shrugged.

“Well? I don't know. ”

“You don't know?”

“Well, magic is inherently imperfect... it carries dangers. So, naturally, mastering magic means you have to tap the stone bridge. ”

“I see.”

“But if we don't have time to beat the stone bridge, even if it's a rotten wooden bridge, we'll have to jump to power. And if you can't suck it in the meantime, you're out. ”

Alpha nods, convincing.

“There's a safe way to learn... You don't know how hard it's going to be because you can't use it." ”

“That's right."

“May I be excused, then? ”

“You'd better crawl in there right now. ”

“Ahoy.”

The Alpha shakes its head and heads toward the gate. As the Alpha approaches, Alpha's men, who are watching the situation, rush into the Ur Gate.

“Is it going to be okay?"

Choi Jung-hoon asked me in a worrying tone.

“What?”

“Once you get in there, you'll be completely disconnected from the world. ”

“Huh?"

Lee Hyuk tilted his head.

Is that so?

“I've come back to the worst, and things could happen that are already gone. ”

“I see.”

Lee Hyuk scratched his head. That's unthinkable.

“Should I leave you a contact? ”

“But can you communicate with other dimensions if you have a contact? ”

“Well, of course not. ”

Then why do you need a contact, man?

Lee Hyuk shrugged his shoulders as Choi Jung-hoon distorted his face.

“Well, a thousand Jinsaeng people, we should leave that in the sky. ”

“ ……. ”

Choi Jung-hoon looks at those who walk through the gate with anxious eyes.

‘This is unusual. ’

I couldn't help but feel uneasy that I was going to leave this world completely. Choi Jung-hoon sighed and answered the phone.

“How long will it take? ”

“I don't know.”

“… Yes? ”

I looked at Choi Jung-hoon as if Lee Hyuk was asking me something like that.

“It's not a short-term attribute process or preparation for a degree, and it's not a situation where you have to teach for a period of time, and you have to stick with it whether you want to or not. ”

“Yes, it is. ”

“It takes a hundred years, it takes a thousand years, and I'm not coming back unless I get an answer that I'm worth trying. ”

“ ……. ”

Choi Jung-hoon's face was stiff.

You're serious, man.

At first, it seemed like there was no other way, so let's try it, but I really felt that Lee Hyuk was putting his life on the line for this.

If not, then I see the possibility in these people.

However, it was a good thing that Lee Hyuk who was moving with the feeling that it would be the way it was until now found motivation.

‘This is what he should do. ’

I can't find anything that's grumbling, irritating, and motivating, but what happened was that Lee Hyuk must have done something about it. When Lee Hyuk regained his appearance, Choi Jung-hoon felt empowered.

‘Damn, you've relied on a lot. ’

I also realized that I was getting a lot of mental help, not just wanting him to solve it.

“I'll contact you first. ”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyuk nodded and Choi Jung-hoon picked up the phone and went out of the dome.

Either the dome is full of Mana or it was originally run as a secret laboratory.

Lee Hyuk looked at Jung-hoon going out to make a phone call, then turned his head and looked at those entering the gate. Around him, NDFs were approaching.

“If you go in there, is that what you were doing the last time? ”

Lee Hyuk raised his head to Kim Da-hyun's question.

“No, it doesn't work that way anymore. We have to have something completely new. ”

“You're killing me. ”

“I'm glad I'm half dead, but I might as well be. ”

Others feared that NDFs, who had never cried once during the process of experiencing Mana, would practice with Lee Hyuk.

“Wouldn't they think the training they've had is the most intense? ”

“… maybe? ”

“It's wrong that I was born in Korea. If I'd been born in a foreign country, I'd have at least lived comfortably until I died. ”

Lee Hyuk grumbled as he looked at the underdog NDFs.

“Don't go in if you don't want to. ”

“Shit, I won't tell if it's easy. ”

Seo Ah-young grumbled.

“If you come all the way out here and rip your hands off, that's the most ridiculous thing you can do. ”

“Then you can go in. ”

Lee Hyuk reached out his hand and pointed at the gate.

“Slurp.”

Seo Ah-young nods, her eyes burning.

“I'm going in. I'm going in. Can I ask you a question first? ”

“Yep.”

“Once you're in and out of there, are you sure you can fix this? ”

“Hmm……. ”

Seo Ah-young gritted her teeth, looking at her as if she couldn't answer.

“I trained and struggled to die, but I don't want to be the best man for a few of my best men. If you're going to do this, make sure you're really strong. ”

“You're gonna regret this. ”

“Regret has already drawn you in, so far, dozens of times a day! ”

“Cook, Cook, Cook.”

Lee Hyuk smiled.

“Then I think he said that at first.... If you take me with you, you'll regret it. ”

“… I should have listened to that. ”

Seo Ah-young shakes her head.

“Sounds good. It's undeniable that there were so many things I could have done because of you. ”

“Well……. ”

“So promise me one thing. ”

Seo Ah-young stared at Lee Hyuk and said.

“You really think you can keep everyone safe this time? ”

“ ……. ”

The person who was most unlikely to say this was Seo Ah-young. Seeing Seo Ah-young say that, it is clear that the situation is serious now.

What should I say?

Lee Hyuk hates lying to give people hope. If you speak calmly, even after this training, it will be difficult to stop the Magic Cube alone.

But…….

“I promise.”

They don't want to hear the truth from Lee Hyuk either.

Unlike other people entering the gate without knowing anything, those who have already been through life inside the gate need something to survive their training there.

Knowing that, Lee Hyuk nodded his head.

“You will gain strength. Depending on their use, they might be able to save the world. ”

Seo Ah-young glanced at Lee Hyuk and nodded.

“Okay, then. ”

Seo Ah-young turns her head and looks at everyone.

“Who wants out? ”

“ ……. ”

“I don't need it. Let's go. Let's go clean up. No whining. ”

Even the NDFs leading Seo Ah-young head to the gate. Lee Hyuk calmly closed his eyes when he saw everyone walking into the gate.

‘This is the last time, whether it works or not. ’

I was willing to bet everything on a low chance gamble. If this doesn't solve it, there will be no time, no possibility for them.

“Damn it.”

Lee Hyuk got rid of the anxious thoughts that filled his head.

Then I looked at Choi Jung-hoon running towards him.

“What did he say?”

“… will survive. ”

Choi Jung-hoon sighed.

“I think he agreed that there was no other way. If he knew there was no other way to stop it, he must have succeeded and asked him to come back. ”

“Who?”

“Christopher and Prime Minister Song. ”

“Tsk.”

Lee Hyuk kicked his tongue.

I don't know.

It looked like a scene from an SF movie. The death squad that makes one last attempt on the future of humanity, and the only human being left who can trust them? That feeling?

‘I don't like movies. ’

Lee Hyuk started to face the gate with an annoying face.

“Let's go.”

“Yes.”

Choi Jung-hoon walked behind Lee Hyuk and opened his mouth quietly.

“Lee Ji-hyuk. ”

“Yes.”

“Can you do it? ”

“I don't want to shoot a religious film, so just go in. If I say I can do it, will there be anything I can't do? ”

“But I want to hear it. ”

“I'll make sure you don't have to, so go inside. ”

“… I believe. ”

Lee Hyuk let out a deep sigh after the appearance of Choi Jung-hoon looking at himself until the end while entering the gate.

“I can't do this. ”

It was not his role to be expected and willing. He's used to being hated and terrorized.

Lee Hyuk quietly looked back.

What he wanted to keep in his eyes was not inside the lab, but in this world.

‘Hang in there.'

I'll be back for sure.

Lee Hyuk slowly stepped out toward the other dimension for completely different reasons and angles.