FLIA 51

After they finished eating and tidied up, Ju Hoyoung cheerfully held out his hand.

“Yohan-hyung, hand!”

Yohan obediently placed his hand over Ju Hoyoung’s. It had become almost a habit by now, something they did every day for the past few months. Soon, Ju Hoyoung’s energy flowed into Yohan’s body. Yohan took in as much as he could and felt his own power stir within. A sensation that had once been foreign was now completely familiar.

Ju Hoyoung, the support of the Sunrise Team, had a primary ability: enhancement buffs. In battle, when he applied those buffs, the team’s abilities became far stronger than usual. That same buff was now being applied to Yohan, for the purpose of developing and amplifying his own powers.

Ju Hoyoung let go. Yohan slowly released the energy, which had grown several times stronger than usual. Radiant particles of light scattered and spread far and wide. Many were absorbed by the three others, and the rest drifted outside. A moment later, Ju Hoyoung dashed out to check the range of the ability and came back beaming.

“The range’s expanded again today, hyung. You’re doing great! If we keep this up, someday you might purify an entire city!”

His eyes gleamed with pride, and Yohan felt a little sheepish. Even though Ju Hoyoung called him “hyung,” he often treated Yohan like a kid. He said “Yohan-hyung,” sure, but acted more like he was handling a much younger sibling.

‘Maybe it’s because he has more combat experience?’

That was all Yohan could guess. Either way, since they were in similar roles, Ju Hoyoung often gave him useful advice. His perspective, different from the two damage dealers’, had been really helpful.

“Ahhh, this feels great.”

Like an old man basking on a heated floor, Yoon Seungryong melted into the warmth. He always reacted like this when Yohan fully spread his powers in a wide area. Not just him, Lee Hyunmook and Ju Hoyoung also clearly enjoyed it. Seeing them so pleased made Yohan feel proud too.

He opened the window and looked outside. The scenery was peaceful. Thanks to the constant exposure to his purification powers, everything, except for some old and crumbling spots, looked clean and fresh. Occasionally, animals restored to their original forms wandered by in confusion, as if they’d returned to Earth. In contrast, places untouched by Yohan’s purification remained murky and shadowed.

Yohan stretched and closed the window again. Just another calm, slow day in the Japan zone was passing by.

***

After a good night’s sleep, Yohan rubbed his eyes. Why did he still feel so unrested? Was it because of the nightmares?

The night before, he’d been plagued by one bad dream after another. His family and friends had all fallen into the Abyss at once, but he hadn’t realized it, and they died from heavy corruption. Or he’d killed and purified a monster, only for a familiar face to appear. Or his purification powers suddenly disappeared, and everyone turned into lunatics, leaving him sobbing.

Feeling unsettled, Yohan immediately checked his purification ability upon waking. It had filled him to the brim while he slept, just letting out a little made brilliant light sparkle. Ju Hoyoung, who’d been playing games nonstop for days near him, zipped by and snatched some of the light particles faster than the eye could see.

“Yohan-hyung, I don’t think you slept well.”

“Yeah… I had nightmares.”

Nightmares weren’t all that surprising, really. Whether from the environment of the Abyss or its corruption, they were fairly common. Still, today something felt off, like he wasn’t in good shape. Sticky, gloomy, weighed down.

“Maybe you’re just hungry? Try this.”

Yoon Seungryong popped a piece of salted roasted potato into Yohan’s mouth. As soon as he had something in his stomach, he felt better. Guess Seungryong was right. But even after finishing off corn and some fruit, Yohan didn’t feel completely back to normal. Lee Hyunmook, watching him quietly, spoke.

“How about a little walk? It might lift your mood.”

“Okay!”

Yohan jumped to his feet. Seeing Yoon Seungryong being lazy after eating, it was clear he wouldn’t be coming. Ju Hoyoung was still lost in his game. Just the thought of going on a walk alone with Lee Hyunmook already made Yohan feel much better.

He stepped out of their shelter and walked along a neatly kept trail. In the early days of settling here, they had broken up concrete and worked hard to create it with dirt and gravel, planting flowers and trees along the sides. It had taken a lot of time and care. With too much time on their hands in the Abyss, it was natural they ended up beautifying their home.

“Do you have nightmares often?”

Yohan, pretending to be interested in an unusually large flower bud while actually watching Hyunmook, shook his head at the question.

“Not that often. I think it’s just… something that happens in this place.”

“If you start having too many bad dreams, tell me.”

Hyunmook’s tone was unusually soft and gentle, making Yohan blink. He looked from the ground to the dark red sky, then asked:

“What’ll you do if I tell you?”

“Anything.”

“Oh? Then I’ll really say anything. You won’t regret it?”

Yohan teased, and Lee Hyunmook leaned in, closing the distance between them. With a smile, he moved his handsome lips and said,

“Yeah, anything.”

Feeling suddenly shy, Yohan averted his gaze and answered quietly.

“Then… I could tell you to sing to me until I fall asleep.”

“That’s easy.”

“Uh, or carry me around all day, or take care of the whole garden for me.”

“As much as you want.”

Yohan was about to say it was all just a joke, worried that Hyunmook might actually do it all, but then Hyunmook took it a step further.

“You could hit me when you’re bored.”

“Why would I hit you?!”

“Or tell me to lend you my body as a pillow.”

“Wait, no…”

“Or demand massages until you’re satisfied. Or…”

Hyunmook trailed off meaningfully. Then he lowered his head until his face was shadowed and whispered into Yohan’s ear,

“I told you, I’d even kiss your feet.”

As soon as he started talking about kissing feet again, Yohan jumped back in alarm.

“Do you have a foot fetish or something?!”

Hyunmook just laughed suavely instead of answering. It sounded like a joke, but there was something about his tone that felt oddly sincere, making Yohan’s face flush red. He suddenly remembered that intimate moment between them last time. Swallowing dryly, Yohan glanced at Hyunmook’s lips, then quickly turned his head so his stare wouldn’t be noticed, changing the subject in a hurry.

“Actually, I’ve been wondering about something… Why does Hoyoung have three abilities?”

It had been on his mind since he first met Ju Hoyoung, but for some reason, it felt weird to ask in front of him. So Yohan had kept the question to himself until now, and it wasn’t just to deflect the conversation. He was genuinely curious.

“As far as I know, his main ability is enhancement buffs, and his sub-ability is ice-based… so why is he that fast?”

Ju Hoyoung was already known for being quick, but now it wasn’t just speed, it was something else entirely. So fast that even Hyunmook had trouble with it. Fast enough that anyone would believe it was his primary ability. At Yohan’s question, Hyunmook fell silent for a moment.

“…It’s because of the corruption.”

“His ability came from the corruption?”

“Yeah. Even ordinary animals get stronger or develop strange toxins when they’re corrupted. Or they gain hallucination effects. Hoyoung’s the same.”

Yohan’s mind immediately flashed back to when they’d fought Yoon Seungryong. Could Hyunmook’s ability, the one that had blasted a clean hole through the cave, also have come from corruption?

“Then if I keep purifying them, will their abilities get weaker?”

“Probably not. Yohan-ah, I think I told you before…”

Hyunmook slowed his words, choosing them carefully.

“We’ve been here too long to go back to normal. So long that we don’t even know what ‘normal’ is anymore, or what our original bodies were like. You could say we’ve undergone irreversible changes.”

“Irreversible changes…”

“Yeah. Like how corruption can be reversed, but an overgrown body can’t go back. Think of pigs with deliciously thick pork belly, or vegetables and fruits. Even after purification, twisted shapes or overgrowth don’t return to normal. Like those potatoes we ate this morning, twisted like braids, or that corn with poison in every kernel, or the fruits with sharp spines that had to be cut off. The poison, boils, or sentient aggression disappear, but some things never go back to how they were.”

“But you, Seungryong-hyung, and Hoyoung all look totally fine.”

No matter how he looked at them, they just seemed like normal, healthy people. That alone left Yohan confused. Hyunmook only smiled quietly, saying nothing. What irreversible changes had the three of them undergone?

As he walked in thought, Yohan brought up another question.

“There’s one more thing I’ve been wondering about. What’s your negative enhancement?”

Yoon Seungryong’s was gluttony and laziness. Ju Hoyoung’s was an obsession with games and figurines. But after spending all this time with Hyunmook, Yohan hadn’t picked up on anything unusual in his personality. Then Hyunmook finally opened his mouth.

“My negative enhancement is…”

Yohan perked up, eager to hear, but Hyunmook went silent. Yohan thought he might be joking again, but Hyunmook’s expression was serious. He looked up at the sky, frowning, and muttered,

“This is strange.”

“What? What is it?”

“I’ve got a bad feeling… We need to go back. Now.”