TFSG 11

Chapter 11

“Hey, big bro. You’re still living like this?”

I was dumbfounded. What? Why is Uncle here?

‘He woke up earlier than expected?!’

He was supposed to be asleep for at least a week, but he woke up in just three days!

“Hey, kid. Remember this well.”

Even more surprising was that the stream of water sent by Heuk Biryang was blocking Big Uncle’s lightning-charged fist.

It looked like a struggle, though.

“If it weren’t for me, what would you have done? I’m so cool. The best. Absolutely the best.”

I was stunned.

‘What’s with this guy? Did he take some kind of drug in his sleep?’

My friend had said the female lead’s dad becomes super confident once he overcomes his narcolepsy…

“Ah, you don’t know me, huh? I’ve always been like this. I’m the best, after all.”

Isn’t this kind of narcissistic?

Meanwhile, Big Uncle and Little Uncle were still locked in a fierce power struggle.

I looked at the stream of water crawling up Big Uncle’s body.

I knew there were natural ability users who could control water, and that Heuk Biryang was one of them…

But seeing it in person was on a whole different level.

“Water against lightning? That’s a terrible matchup. Always has been.”

Little Uncle stepped back with a grunt after knocking away Big Uncle’s hand. Big Uncle couldn’t move, restrained by water.

“As unhinged as he looks, I can’t hold off Big Bro for long. Got any ideas?”

“…Haa, he’s almost at the end.”

The answer came from my cousin. He spoke while catching his breath.

“You can tell by his eyes!”

“Aha, got it.”

Heuk Biryang grinned, and the water surged behind him. I also use water as a medium when treating, but—

His powers were completely different from mine.

“So we just have to hold out a little longer?”

“Yes!”

The water was now practically a prison around Big Uncle, just like when I did it earlier.

“So just hang in there? But I might not make it either, you know. I just woke up from a long nap.”

“Uncle, Biyu knows the method! Just stall for time!”

Little Uncle nodded without even looking at me.

“Alright. But if it gets dangerous, I’m bailing.”

I nodded and grabbed the hem of his clothes.

“Uncle, what if you fall asleep?”

“I think I’ll be fine.”

Rumble.

A menacing sound echoed from above.

“I might be kind of an idiot now… but I think I can manage.”

Boom!

A bolt of lightning crashed from the sky.

The water barrier surrounding us somehow dispersed the lightning like a lightning rod.

Heuk Biryang deactivated the water shield and casually spoke.

“Your medicine is impressive, kid.”

Water surrounded me and gently lowered me to a slightly distant spot.

“I told you, I can’t hold out for long.”

I hurried toward Heuk Gye-won’s location.

“Oppa, it’s urgent!”

I pulled a red flower petal from the pouch on my waist and showed it.

“Have you seen a red petal like this? It should be around here?”

“…Yeah, I’ve seen it!”

Heuk Gye-won surrounded me.

“Take a deep breath…!”

“Sorry, hold on!”

But—

“Cough! Waaah! Why does it smell so bad?!”

“Sorry! It’s the easiest to use!”

“Okay! Do we have min-dok-mal leaves too?”

“What’s that?!”

“That one! That plant that looks like that!”

“Oh…! I get it!”

My brother ran with all his might, and soon we reached the herb I needed.

‘Honestly, I don’t know which crazy person tried to make narcotics or anesthesia in this place…’

There were poppies scattered all over the garden. And other poisonous plants too.

As if someone deliberately planted them.

“Got it! Let me down!”

I hurried into action.

Water sloshed in the container in my hand. I didn’t hesitate to dip my hand in.

Uncle! Don’t fall asleep or die on me!

“Heeew…”

Heuk Biryang regretted sending Biyu off the moment he did.

“What a life.”

It was good the kids disappeared past the corner, but he couldn’t handle his crazed big brother.

‘He used to be such a good man…’

Staring at his living big brother, Heuk Biryang thought.

“Big Bro, go to a better place.”

“Graaaagh!”

“Ugh, can’t even have a sentimental moment!”

Boom!

A lightning bolt struck beside him. Even with water, it was this intense. Heuk Biryang furrowed his handsome brows.

“Damn it! Compatibility! Compatibility!”

It had always been like this in childhood too.

‘Hahaha, little bro, you can’t beat me!’

‘Damn it, just wait! Water can beat lightning too, you know?’

But his big brother never gave him time for nostalgia.

“You’re seriously trying to kill your own brother, you lunatic?!”

Dodging a lightning-charged fist, Heuk Biryang reeled back in panic.

In his hand now was a sheathed sword he’d drawn without noticing.

Heuk Biwon, Heuk Bihu, and himself—Heuk Biryang.

The three brothers were the most talented martial artists among the family head’s children.

‘Unfortunately, they all got struck down by some cursed, incurable diseases and were cast aside.’

People called the brothers’ downfall a disgrace to the family. A sign of the Heuk family’s ruin.

‘What if their kids inherit their bad luck? What if the disease spreads?’

‘…What did you just say?’

‘Ugh, aaargh!’

Heuk Biryang didn’t want such curses to be passed down to his daughter.

That’s why he left her with a trustworthy aunt and chose to cause an incident to be locked away.

He’d expected to die in eternal sleep.

“Smh, maybe I shouldn’t have come back.”

But he was getting better. Just a little, but it was real.

That gave him hope. He couldn’t let go of it.

That’s why he had searched for his niece as soon as he opened his eyes.

“Big Bro, if you kill that kid, we lose. I think she might be able to fix your head too.”

A three-year-old genius ability user. A little kid who called herself a doctor.

By the time she’s officially licensed… she’ll be an incredible healer or apothecary.

‘I’ll protect my own lifeline!’

His brother grabbed his sword. A battle between brothers began.

Crackle!

“Damn, look at that lightning! You musclehead! Get a grip!”

“Grrrr…”

“You crazy dog! You son of a—! If you leave even a scratch on my face, I’m gonna smack your kid, got it?!”

There was only one reason Heuk Biryang didn’t draw his sword. It was his last resort.

But the power struggle was intense, and just as he was about to give in and draw the blade—

A familiar voice rang out!

“Uncle!”

Heuk Biryang, as if he’d been waiting, knocked aside his brother’s hand.

“That one! Spray it!”

“Spray what? Oh.”

“Uncle, here!”

Something flew toward him. Heuk Gye-won had thrown a spray bottle.

He managed to catch it… somehow.

Heuk Biryang dodged a kick from his big brother and charged forward.

“Whatever, here goes nothing.”

As the youngest of the three, he was always the first to go down as a kid.

‘There’s an opening!’

But the berserk big brother, while stronger, had lost precision. Heuk Biryang found a gap and raised his hand.

Ssssssshh!

“Graaagh!”

SSSSSSSSHH!

“GYAAARGH!”

“Um… this…”

Heuk Biryang muttered.

SSSSSSSSSSHH!

“…Feels like I’m killing a mosquito.”

He didn’t know what poison this was (?) but it worked!

“Uncle! The sea!”

“The sea? What sea? Oh.”

Something flew to Heuk Biryang again. A syringe.

‘Why do things keep flying at me?’

“Oppa, artery! Arteryyyyy!”

“She means the artery!”

So it had to go in the neck?

Without hesitation, Heuk Biryang jabbed the syringe into his brother’s neck.

“Big Bro, go to a better place…”

“Don’t kill my dad!”

“Kidding, kid.”

Shockingly, Heuk Biwon hesitated, then collapsed.

It was almost anticlimactic.

As Heuk Biryang blankly stared at his fallen brother, he turned to Biyu, who had run over.

“Niece… what the heck is this?”

Biyu, panting as she looked at her fallen uncle, gave a relieved smile—and then a big, cheerful grin.

“Anesthetic!”

Her voice was sweet and bright.

And then she smiled even brighter.

“Enough to knock out ten elephants!”

At that, Heuk Biryang thought:

…My brother’s not gonna die, right?