DPGR 164

A scene flashed through Jiho’s mind, himself in a black hood, breaking into the Director’s office late at night.

Given the circumstances, he felt confident he’d risk his conscience if it meant securing the artifact.
The problem was whether he actually had the ability to bypass the far tighter-than-expected security and steal the item.
He hadn’t tried it before, but he had a strong feeling he’d be caught and cuffed by security before he could even make an attempt.
‘What do I do…?’

Fortunately, before Jiho could make any reckless move, Kwak Jiheon stepped in.

“Is it really that important?”

“Yes…”

“Hm. Alright then. I’ll take it back for you.”

“…What?”

Take it back? How?

Jiho’s eyes widened. A single teardrop, heavy with everything he had been holding in, fell.

Kwak Jiheon gently wiped the raw skin beneath Jiho’s eyes with his callused thumb and gave him a mischievous smile.

“Snatching back what was given, that’s kind of my specialty.”

“…?”

“Don’t worry. This old man will take care of everything.”

The way he declared that, calling himself an “old man,” was exactly like the Kwak Jiheon Jiho had known.

It was so convincing, Jiho almost believed he had come back in time with him.

“Wait here a moment. I’ll be right back with it.”

Kwak Jiheon roughly tousled Jiho’s hair, he stood and turned to leave the training room, but paused before exiting.

“By the way, this whole thing… you haven’t told anyone else, right?”

“Sorry?”

“The stuff about the future. About the Final Dungeon and all that.”

“Um… I’m not really sure.”

“Well, doesn’t matter. Even if you blab, what good would it do? In movies, they always say trying to change the future ends up bringing even worse disasters.”

He muttered to himself and walked out of the training room. Jiho tilted his head, quietly repeating Jiheon’s last words to himself.

***

“Hey.”

“Wha–? Don’t you know how to knock?!”

“Knock? Are we that formal with each other?”

Kwak Jiheon suddenly barged in and spotted someone who had arrived before him, Baek Dojin, sitting across from Yoon Changwook.

“This guy’s here too?”

“…”

Baek Dojin frowned at his familiar tone, and that irritated Kwak Jiheon even more. He didn’t like the way the younger man showed his displeasure.

Yoon Changwook sensed the tension, and he quickly tried to lighten the mood.

“Ahem. Let me introduce you. This is Esper Baek Dojin.”

“…It’s been a while, Esper Kwak Jiheon.”

“Yeah. Looks like you’re… doing well. Still not much for manners though, huh?”

“…Excuse me?”

“No, no. Just saying. I find it kind of funny.”

This rude little brat, sacrificing himself to save the world? And calling me his mentor too?

As Kwak Jiheon mumbled to himself, Baek Dojin’s frown deepened. The mood chilled instantly, and Yoon Changwook tried again to intervene.

“I’m in the middle of a meeting with Esper Baek Dojin. If you don’t have anything urgent, can we talk later?”

“It’s urgent.”

“Oh, come on! What is it now?”

In the end, Yoon Changwook shouted in frustration. In his younger days, he couldn’t understand how he had ever managed to work in sync with such a cranky man.

Regardless of what anyone thought or said, Kwak Jiheon got straight to the point.

“You still have that artifact I gave you, right?”

“What? You mean the necklace? Why?”

“Hand it over.”

“…What?”

Yoon Changwook blinked dumbly at the bold demand. Did he hear that right?

“You’re telling me to give back something you already gave me?”

“Yeah, punk.”

He extended his thick hand without shame, like someone coming to retrieve a loan.

“Hurry up. The kid’s waiting.”

“What kid?”

“There is one. Pretty and pitiful.”

He glanced meaningfully at Baek Dojin. Yoon Changwook had no idea what was going on, but realizing Jiheon wouldn’t leave without it, he pulled a small velvet box from his desk drawer.

“You didn’t imprint this, did you?”

“I haven’t yet.”

“Good. For once, your laziness paid off.”

“…I swear, I’ll punch you.”

“Hey, thanks. I’ll give you something better next time. Alright, I’m off now.”

Yoon Changwook was too exhausted to say anything more. He didn’t know what sins he had committed in a past life to be stuck dealing with this guy in his twilight years.

“Go. Just go. Get out of my sight.”

“Will do. I’ll call you later.”

Kwak Jiheon patted Yoon Changwook’s shoulder a few times and walked away. At the door, he paused and turned back. Not to Yoon Changwook, but to Baek Dojin.

“You… sigh. Treat that kid well.”

“…Excuse me?”

“He came all the way here to save you. Damn, it’s pitiful…”

“…?”

“Never mind. You’ll find out when the time comes.”

With that, Kwak Jiheon left. The whirlwind he left behind left Yoon Changwook and Baek Dojin both with puzzled expressions.

***

“Here. This is it, right?”

Not long after, the door to the training room burst open. Jiho, sitting there absentmindedly, flinched hard, only to gape in awe at the necklace Kwak Jiheon held out.

“Th-This is really…?”

“Yeah. The real resurrection artifact. That bastard Yoon Changwook hadn’t even imprinted it yet. Brand new.”

Jiho couldn’t bring himself to touch it. Like someone afraid to desecrate something sacred, his hands hovered in midair.

Can I really take this?

Kwak Jiheon let out a hearty laugh, grabbed Jiho’s hand, and dropped the necklace into his palm.

“What are you waiting for? You said you needed it.”

“You’re really… giving this to me?”

“Of course. Or did you suddenly stop needing it? Do you want me to take it back?”

“No! I need it!”

Terrified he might take it away, Jiho quickly clutched the necklace and tucked it behind his back.

Kwak Jiheon roared with laughter again.

He’d thought the kid was timid, but he clearly had this side to him too. The way Jiho’s eyes sparkled with determination and want, it made him like the kid even more.

“Alright. It’s yours now.”

“Th-Thank you. Really, thank you so much… Grandpa.”

“Ahem. I do like the sound of that. Feels like I really have a grandson.”

A faint shadow passed over his face as he spoke. Jiho realized he was thinking of his late son.

He wanted to say something to comfort him, but not being good with words, he only opened and closed his mouth. Kwak Jiheon chuckled.

“Guess I must’ve told you about my son at some point.”

“…Yes.”

“Even if time turns back, he’s still dead, isn’t he?”

“…Yes. I’m sorry…”

“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. It’s all my fault anyway.”

With a bitter reply, he waved his hand as if to shoo away the gloom. No point in making this young boy feel heavy-hearted too.

“That’s enough. Go on now. By the way, do you know how to return?”

“Um… I just have to enter the dungeon. It’s easier to connect with the gods from inside there than in this world…”

“Let’s see… Baek Dojin is on Beta Team now, right? The next Beta Team dungeon… should be…”

“They’re going into the Bucheon dungeon in two days. A B-rank large-scale dungeon.”

“Then that’s when you’ll return.”

“Yes.”

Jiho nodded, his cheeks showing new life. His still-wet eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Kwak Jiheon, hiding a touch of regret, offered a simple parting word.

“Take care when you go back. And give my regards to that rude brat Baek Dojin.”

At the word “rude,” Jiho puffed out his cheeks. Dojin-hyung’s not rude… But then he remembered this world’s Baek Dojin and nodded in reluctant agreement.

“Okay. Thank you so much again. I’ll definitely save Dojin-hyung.”

“Alright. Be careful. Don’t get hurt, and get home safe, child.”

“Haha. Yes, Grandpa.”

The two shared a light hug to soften their goodbye. Both Jiho and Kwak Jiheon knew that this was likely their last farewell.

Now that Jiho had the artifact, all that was left was to go back.

But as always, whether out of luck or misfortune, another twist awaited him.

Jiho wouldn’t realize it until he entered the Bucheon dungeon with the artifact tightly gripped in his hand.

“…Hm.”

Looking around slowly, Jiho’s face turned pale. He expression was blank and he opened his mouth.

‘Why… can’t I reach the god at all?’