TRUFT 01

Chapter 01

“By the way, Hyunjoon. What are your plans from now on?”

Ben, a 10-circle archmage of the H continent, lightly hit my chest with his fist as he spoke.

“Thank you.”

I have a lot to be thankful to this guy for.

When I was living on Earth, I awakened and suddenly received a quest, then got dropped into the H continent.

This guy taught me magic and helped me adapt, even though I became a homeless outsider.

‘Thanks to him, I even became a 9-circle mage… In a way, I can return to Earth because of him.’

The quest I received when I arrived was: “Eliminate the Demon King who is disturbing the continent.”

Without the magic I learned from him and the elite hero party led by Ben, I would have already died.

“Thanks to you all, I survived these 40 years. Ben, Philip, Chloe, Arka. I’m grateful to all of you.”

I bowed to all the members of the hero party who had been my friends for 40 years.

Starting with Ben, the great mage who made me a 9-circle mage, then Philip, the former swordmaster who made me a swordmaster, Chloe the elf queen who improved my cooking skills, and Arka, the spirit king who taught me hunting methods.

I was deeply grateful to all of them beyond words.

Because of them, I would be able to see my niece Yun-a again after 40 years.

“Hyunjoon, are you really going back? You could stay here and live comfortably under the emperor’s protection. You’re a swordmaster who can cut anything with a single gesture, and a mage who can create anything just by thinking. Why go back to Earth? And this place even has the monster meat you like.”

Philip stood in front of me to stop me.

“Do you think that kind of privilege can beat Yun-a?”

“…No. Your love for your niece is too strong. I just said that because I’ll miss you.”

“I know. Even if I said I’d stay, you would have told me to go back to see Yun-a.”

“You’re right.”

“Oh, right. Earth is similar to here. It has gates and monsters… sort of.”

Unlike here, where the air itself is mana and everyone learns magic, Earth has very little mana. Only a few chosen people awaken.

But what I want to say is—monster meat can also be eaten on Earth.

“…Earth has monsters too? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Honestly, goblins here are stronger than orcs on Earth. Hunters there are weaker than even ordinary people here.”

“I see. Then if you go back, you would be the strongest there.”

“I’d just be an ordinary person there. The world there only started changing less than a year before I came here. And I’ve told you before.”

It’s finally time to go back. To see my 3-year-old niece Yun-a, my older brother, and my sister-in-law.

[Quest completed.]

[Returning hero, Hyunjoon, is being transported back to Earth.]

[As a reward, all your current power can be taken to Earth.]

“…There was a reward?”

“Philip, like you said, I’ll be the strongest when I go back. It says I can bring my power with me.”

“…Hah, crazy. But don’t use it too much. You could become like the Demon King.”

“Don’t worry about that. Thank you, everyone. Truly, thank you. And I won’t abuse the power.”

I muttered that I was going back.

“I’m going back.”

After saying it a few times, a portal appeared in front of me.

When I stepped inside, it felt like my head was being squeezed, and my thoughts cut off.

Pop—!

With a strange sound—

[Returner Hyunjoon has successfully returned to Earth.]

I’m back.

I’m finally back!

‘I hope Yun-a hasn’t grown too much.’

If Yun-a had already entered elementary school, then she would have to go to school, and we couldn’t run a food truck together. That must not happen.

“Let’s go home quickly.”

Chapter 1 (Continued)

Hyunchil Apartment, Building 307, Room 1201.

This should be the right place.

“Who are you?”

“Huh?”

After ringing the bell three times, a strange man with a beard opened the door.

“What should I ask first…”

“What year is it right now?”

“…What?”

Ah, I sounded crazy.

A stranger rings the bell and asks for the year.

I used a bit of force to stop the door from closing.

“It’s April 5, 2024.”

Wow, he actually answered.

“Oh! I see. Thank you very much.”

Only 4 years had passed!

No—being missing for 4 years is still a problem—but at least Yun-a is 7 years old. She hasn’t started elementary school yet.

That means we can still run the food truck.

“By the way, do you know where the previous residents moved?”

“Oh… I heard they moved to a villa next to here.”

“I see. Thank you. I’ll repay this kindness someday.”

Good. That means they’re safe.

I went to the villa next to the apartment.

Ding-dong

“Who is it?”

“…Sister-in-law.”

When I saw her face, unchanged even after 40 years, tears started falling.

“Hyunjoon? Where have you been?”

She called my brother while her eyes kept trembling.

When my brother heard I was back, he rushed over and hugged me tightly.

Crying, he said:

“I… I was putting up missing posters for you!”

“You were putting up missing posters for me?”

“Yeah, you idiot. Where have you been for 4 years? Wait… this isn’t a dream, right? My brother, Hyunsoo’s younger brother Hyunjoon… you’re really back?”

“Yes.”

I took a moment to calm myself and then explained everything.

About going to the H continent, meeting companions, learning magic and swordsmanship, becoming interested in cooking, wanting to open a food truck, and eventually defeating the Demon King and returning to Earth.

To prove it, I summoned steel with magic and cut a metal plate cleanly with my finger.

“Hah… yeah. In a world where people kill monsters with fire and water, this kind of story isn’t impossible… But why you of all people?”

My brother and sister-in-law cried after hearing everything and realizing I had struggled for 40 years.

Seeing them cry, I also started crying.

“You came back well. You endured well. Thank you.”

My brother said those words slowly.

“Welcome back.”

“Thank you, brother. Thank you, sister-in-law.”

Then I remembered something.

“Where is Yun-a?”

Yun-a wasn’t at home.

“And why did you move to this villa?”

“…Yun-a is in the hospital. She was playing with the neighbor’s son, and he turned out to be an awakened one. He got angry and hit Yun-a. Because of that, she developed mana addiction and is hospitalized…”

My sister-in-law’s voice trembled.

“She comes home once a week, but she’s scared every time she sees that kid. So we moved out and bought this villa. We’re still fighting to get an apology from those bastards.”

“I see.”

“We didn’t want to settle, but that kid, Jo Sung-woo, is still young, and we couldn’t afford the medical bills… so we had no choice. I hate myself for it.”

I felt furious.

My precious niece got mana addiction?

Because she was hit by some kid?

And they didn’t even apologize?

My mind turned cold.

The anger was even worse than when my 7-circle mage companion Liam nearly died and left the hero party.

But I knew I had to stay calm.

“Let’s go see Yun-a first, brother. I can cure her.”

Mana addiction happens when non-awakened people suddenly receive mana and their bodies reject it.

You just need to remove the harmful mana from the body.

But on Earth, it seems difficult with current technology.

For me, it’s easier than drinking water.

“Can you really cure her? The treatment that costs thousands?”

“Yes. It’s easy. Take me there.”

“Tell me how they treat it on Earth.”

“Umm… they filter mana with advanced machines for a week, then check if the child coughs or has trouble moving. If so, they repeat the process. It costs about 10 million won per month.”

“So inefficient.”

“Yeah… she must be a high-ranked awakened one if she’s still in the hospital.”

“She got A-rank. That’s why they keep paying the bills but won’t apologize.”

“Damn it. Let’s go. I’ll handle everything.”

First, I’ll cure Yun-a.

After seeing her again…

I will go meet those bastards.

They will probably be happy that their son awakened.

Their financial worries will be gone.

I will take that happiness away from them.

Because hunters who protect citizens from monsters should never be rotten inside.