Chapter 6
The violent blood energy that was mostly used for destroying opponents during the Demon God era begins to move, imbued with a warm force.
Originally, blood energy was mainly used to kill enemies.
However, the ability to kill also meant the ability to save lives.
Of course, since Seo-yoon's condition wasn't that serious, there was no need to use such grand martial arts as before.
'Blood flow control.'
It was the martial art he used most often when he was just a second-rate practitioner, and its effect was simple.
The blood energy flowing into the body controls the blood within.
Seo-yoon's blood, which normally flowed through her blood vessels, began to move according to Seong-jun's will.
From here on, it was simple.
'Once you open the floodgates, it naturally flows.'
By continuously circulating the blood along the correct path, he restores the tangled blood vessels to their original position.
As the tangled blood vessels began to find their proper place, an involuntary moan of relief escaped Seo-yoon's lips.
"Ah..."
It was warm.
It felt so comforting that it didn't even feel like just a single hand was placed on her.
The warmth spreading from that palm gently embraced her aching back as if cradling a newborn.
'...It's comfortable.'
The back pain that had been interfering with her daily life and keeping her up at night melted away like snow.
As a bright smile naturally spread across Seo-yoon's face, Seong-jun lifted his hand from her back.
"It's done. Try moving."
Following Seong-jun's words, Seo-yoon carefully got up and moved her back, then couldn't close her mouth.
"What... This is impossible."
The pain had completely disappeared.
In fact, she felt so comfortable that it was as if her body wasn't her own, like she had slept all day and was in the best physical condition.
"How did you do that? Didn't you say you learned martial arts? Aren't martial arts unable to heal people?"
It was a natural reaction.
Among returnees, there were many who had learned martial arts, and naturally, a lot of information about martial arts had become known.
And most martial arts were only used to subdue or kill enemies.
Yet Seong-jun's martial arts had healing abilities.
"The martial arts I learned are a bit special."
"Is that possible?"
Unlike Seo-yoon who couldn't hide her surprise, Seong-jun shrugged and answered nonchalantly.
"This is just the beginning. I'll completely cure mom's illness and earn a ton of money so that from now on, we can live without any worries, doing what we want and smiling."
It sounded too good to be true.
But perhaps because she had just directly experienced Seong-jun's abilities?
For the first time ever, she felt reliability in her older brother Seong-jun's words.
It felt like she was looking at a completely different person.
This wasn't just a temporary illusion.
'...He's changed so much.'
It wasn't just his way of speaking.
The whole atmosphere around him had changed.
Unlike the past when he seemed somewhat frivolous, now every word he spoke carried weight.
Seeing this markedly different, reliable Seong-jun, a bright smile spread across Seo-yoon's face.
"Looks like I can worry a little less now."
"What do you mean?"
"Just... You used to fight with dad a lot in the past."
Of course, most of the time, the starting point of the problems was with Seong-jun.
At that time, unable to understand his father's feelings of worry and concern, he would shoot back irritated words.
But now he could understand his father's heart.
He was just poor at expressing himself.
Looking back now, all of his actions were out of consideration for him, Seong-jun.
Thinking of his immature past self, a bitter taste lingered on Seong-jun's lips.
"What you're worried about will absolutely never happen, so don't worry."
He himself regretted his immature actions of the past.
Having returned to Earth with such difficulty, he had no intention of making the same mistakes as before.
No, he would ask forgiveness for past wrongs and make them feel true happiness.
"Okay, I'll believe you."
It was a brief conversation, but the change was clearly perceptible.
He wasn't someone to carelessly make empty promises.
Accepting Seong-jun's positive change, Seo-yoon nodded with a smile.
* * *
About an hour after ending the conversation with Seo-yoon.
Bang-!
With the sound of the front door closing, a middle-aged man and woman hurriedly entered the house.
"Ah, son!"
No sooner had she kicked off her shoes than Kim Ji-young rushed towards Seong-jun.
He felt the warm touch of hands caressing his cheeks.
"Oh my, my son!"
Seeing his mother, Kim Ji-young, with an expression full of surprise and emotion, Seong-jun's mind became a tangle of complex thoughts.
"Ah..."
Though sudden, it was a long-awaited moment of reunion, but his throat choked up and the words he had kept in his heart wouldn't come out properly.
"Seong-jun!"
Meanwhile, Lee Soo-hyuk, who had hurriedly rushed over, grasped Seong-jun's hand.
It was hard and rough due to calluses, but warm.
Feeling this sensation after such a long time, Seong-jun's eyes also filled with emotion.
'Father.'
Like most heads of households in this era, Lee Soo-hyuk was a father who was poor at expressing emotions.
No matter how difficult or upsetting things were, he never showed it outwardly, just silently carrying on with what needed to be done.
Of course, children don't understand such adult behavior.
Seong-jun was no exception.
Because of this, even after becoming an adult, Seong-jun often clashed with Lee Soo-hyuk.
At the time, he had even resented actions that he simply couldn't understand.
But it was only after falling into the Thousand Continent that he realized.
'Father was also a first-time father.'
As a Blood Demon, he had made many choices.
Among them were decisions that pushed loyal subjects and precious comrades into terrible pits of death.
Through such experiences, he regretted his own choices, despaired, and came to understand the weight of responsibility.
Only after accumulating these experiences could he begin to understand his father's heart a little.
'It was unavoidable.'
Unable to foresee the future, he was afraid that his momentary choices might make his family unhappy.
'He must have worried more because he cared so deeply for his family.'
Thinking about it, his father was a thoughtful and family-oriented person.
He personally took charge of cooking and housework in place of his mother who was ill.
It wasn't just the outwardly visible tasks he took on.
Even before going out for manual labor early in the morning to cover the insufficient hospital bills, he took care of the children down to the smallest details to ensure they wouldn't be ignored or bullied at school due to their mother's absence.
Despite continuing such a grueling daily life, he always smiled brightly and never showed any sign of struggle.
Even when Seong-jun, in his immature days, spat out words tinged with resentment, his father never once got angry.
'How difficult must it have been all this time.'
Why didn't he realize?
His father's heart, his inner struggles, why on earth didn't he understand?
"You were alive. You're alive... Thank goodness, thank goodness. You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
Seeing Lee Soo-hyuk speak in such a cautious tone, Seong-jun's heart ached.
He knew why his father was acting so carefully even at this long-awaited reunion.
Until he was forcibly transported to the Thousand Continent, Seong-jun had been an immature son.
No, he had been a bad son.
'...Thinking about it now, he was just worried.'
When his adult son suddenly declared independence, given the family's tight finances due to his mother's hospital bills, from Lee Soo-hyuk's perspective, he couldn't help but worry.
While he might be able to pay monthly rent with part-time jobs, he wasn't in a position to prepare a deposit.
Of course, Seong-jun also knew about the family's financial situation and declared his independence to lessen the burden even a little, and was preparing the deposit in his own way.
But when his father kept refusing to agree, anger welled up, and before leaving home, he spat out cold words to his father.
-If you had just earned more money, I wouldn't have to work and become independent.
He knows.
He was truly immature and thoughtless.
That's why even at this moment, his father was being cautious.
In case Seong-jun might get irritated at their still poor family circumstances and quietly withdraw.
One corner of his heart ached terribly.
'...What a piece of trash.'
Swallowing a curse at himself, Seong-jun bit his lower lip hard.
Although his father might not have achieved social success, he was an excellent head of household who raised his children without lack and led the family.
Yet he had poured out resentful words to his father just because their family circumstances weren't good.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, for saying such awful things without understanding your feelings, father..."
"No, no, it's me who should be sorry."
Though it was a sudden apology, Lee Soo-hyuk seemed to remember that day too, as he immediately shook his head.
"I was so upset that I couldn't do anything for my only son who wanted to become independent because we didn't have the means, that I couldn't accept your opinion."
They had failed to understand each other.
The emotions boil over due to finally facing each other's hearts, creating a great feeling of gratitude.
He wants to smile brightly, but tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes flow down of their own accord.
In his gaze, he sees his family members crying with similar expressions to his own.
Though not spoken aloud, he could tell they were all thinking the same thing.
"I really... missed you so much..."
At Seong-jun's words, overwhelming emotion flows from Lee Soo-hyuk's mouth as well.
"This dad missed you too. My son."
With those words, he carefully opens his arms and embraces the tearful Seong-jun.
Just like in childhood memories, his father's embrace was broad and warm.
It was truly foolish.
Why didn't they realize they were all looking out for each other?
There are words he desperately wants to convey, now that he belatedly understands their true hearts.
'Thank you... so much.'
And I love you.
But sadly, the words knotted in his chest couldn't flow out of his mouth, instead streaming down as tears.
"It must have been hard. From now on, everything will be alright. We'll live happily as a family."
The warm touch stroking his back and the gentle voice comforted Seong-jun's heart, weary from enduring countless hardships.
As one corner of his empty heart filled warmly with that sensation, Seong-jun could be certain.
'I did well to return to Earth.'
Perhaps because he had lost it once, the preciousness of family struck him even more deeply.
He had grasped countless treasures, power that could change the map of a continent, and strength beyond measure, but nothing was more valuable than this.
That's why he makes a vow.
He will not repeat past mistakes and will live a happy life with his precious family.