6. Grade V

Time passed slowly. Throughout the 2nd grade, Cha Kwan perfected the art of being at bottom of the top 10%!

The competitors weren't exactly fierce, nor anywhere near competent. They were kids through and through. But still, this was a major accomplishment!

Why the bottom of the top 10% rather than the top place?

Of course, he wanted to make his parents proud, but at the same time, this was elementary school. Cha Kwan being at the top meant pushing down a kid that actually deserved it!

After some self-reflection and deep contemplation on the concept of purity, Cha Kwan felt that he was on the cusp of an idea.

* * *

First day of the 3rd grade.

As always, Cha Kwan's mother took many pictures, and his parents accompanied him until the very last second.

'Another year in elementary school… Let's see if anything's going to be different…'

Cha Kwan's eyes searched for Destroyer of Hope, but just as he expected, his friend was nowhere to be found.

'Sh*t…'

As Cha Kwan got closer to Class 3-A, he noticed an abnormal silence. All the other classes were bustling with noise, as if it wasn't students inside but natural disasters instead. But his class? There seemed to be an eerie stillness within.

'He definitely did it again.'

Just as he entered, a young girl's voice cut through the silence. "I don't want to be your friend!"

'…' Cha Kwan immediately spotted Ma Yong. This Destroyer of Hope was truly ruthless, and didn't even spare his own hopes from getting destroyed!

'Didn't I tell you not to do that? Why do you always-'

Ma Yong's trembling voice interrupted Cha Kwan's thoughts. "I… I-I see…"

The boy listlessly went back to his seat and buried his head on the desk.

* * *

Almost six months after her regression, Yun So-Jin, had finally regained control of her body!

Doctors had worked around the clock to offer her the best treatment humankind could offer. And yet, all that effort was completely useless.

The reason for Yun So-Jin's ailment was her own soul. It was not easy to integrate a regressed soul into a 7 (now 8) year old's body. But Yun So-Jin had succeeded through her own efforts.

She opened her eyes for the first time after what felt like an eternity. The hazy blue surroundings gave a completely different feeling than her final glimpse of the maw of a void god.

"You are awake." She heard the voice of her grandfather, sitting patiently on the side. In the last six months, often times she could feel his unmoving presence. This aloof, quiet old man, was truly the same as her memories from six centuries ago.

'If I call him old man, what does that make me? An ancient monster?' Thought Yun So-Jin. But somehow, that felt fitting. She was an ancient monster, inside the body of an 8-year-old child.

"G-Grand… father…" Words came out with great difficulty, but Yun So-Jin had succeeded, nonetheless. The first hurdle was over, and the gates were now open.

"I… had a… dream…"

Yun So-Jin's grandfather, Yun Sang-Kyu, was a man of Murim in every sense of the world. In the past, his backward, often irrational behavior had embarrassed her greatly. After experiencing centuries, and witnessing so many disasters firsthand, Yun So-Jin understood her grandfather.

Not being able to comprehend his grandfather's actions and thoughts while he was alive, was Yun So-Jin's greatest shame.

"I dreamt…"

"Rest."

That one word made Yun So-Jin smile. Thankfully, her control over her body wasn't complete, and her smile couldn't convey the extent of her regrets and failures.

"In the dream… I saw elder sister."

After six months of coma, Yun So-Jin's throat felt as if it was on fire. Since she actually knew the feeling of getting burned from the inside out, the similarity between the sensations was rather surprising. But she didn't dwell on minute details, nor did she care about blood bursting from her lungs.

"Someone called… Lin Jing… got close to elder sister… and used poison…"

Yun So-Jin circulated her mana to temporarily reinforce her body. Talking became easier with each passing breath.

"... I saw… the traitor, that killed mother, was t…

... His chief bodyguard abandoned father, in a dungeon...

... Butler of the Meng family, severed grandfather's providence...

..."

The more Yun Sang-Kyu listened to his granddaughter, the more unsightly his expression became.

"...

... Born from a blue wolf and a human, a boy named Ragnor betrayed humanity…

... A dragon betrayed her allies. And caused a dimensional split above Baghdad...

…"

Why did Yun So-Jin list a (small) portion of her hit list?

Because she knew that her grandfather was a man of Murim. Because she knew, he was terribly superstitious!

Outsiders didn't know, but Yun Sang-Kyu's story of meeting Cheon Ma was well-known by his direct descendants.

One day, a slave boy dreamt of a teenager expert freeing him from the mines, giving him a name, giving him a purpose… Only to meet Cheon Ma a few days later, and start walking on the path of martial arts!

8-year-old Yun So-Jin didn't know this story, but Yun So-Jin the Regressor? It was impossible for her to truly forget certain things. And this was one of them.

Yun Sang-Kyu watched his granddaughter endure incredible agony with trepidation. He almost attempted to block her pressure points so she could fall asleep! How could he allow a descendant of his, to live through such torture!

And yet, Yun Sang-Kyu couldn't. Though twisted in pain, Little So-Jin's eyes were clear. This wasn't the idle chatter born out of delirium. There was tremendous purpose behind his granddaughter's words! A purpose that overshadowed her very own existence!

Yun Sang-Kyu's only desire was to see his grandchildren grow up. After arriving at senior Cheon Ma's home, Earth, Korea, he had gone through many tragedies that he never could have imagined in Murim.

His emotions gradually receded, his influence diminished; all in the name of protecting his family. Because this was the path of righteousness. Or so he believed!

But listening to her granddaughter's "dream," shook Yun Sang-Kyu to the very core.

His son, and daughter-in-law, were murdered by the people they trusted most?

His eldest granddaughter would be poisoned by her own aide, under their orders?!

"Rest." Said Yun Sang-Kyu. If it wasn't for his tremendous self-control, his killing intent would've seriously injured his granddaughter!

Yun So-Jin finally closed her eyes. She knew exactly how her grandfather felt. Those emotions, had been with her for centuries!

'Small fry, I can let grandfather take care of…' She planned among the hum of medical equipment.

* * *

A day later. After school.

To cheer up his friend, Cha Kwan dragged Ma Yong to the Heavenly Beginnings bridge.

All around them were casual fishermen, hoping to catch a mana fish.

Since the mana currents within the artificial river were strong, the natural life adapted. And so did the Seoul residents.

"Uncle Hyun-Ki, is it true that hunters can drink the river water?" Asked Ma Yong.

Since Cha Kwan and Ma Yong were young, someone had to supervise them. Min Hyun-Ki fit the bill perfectly, because he very much liked fishing himself.

"No. No matter how much mana is in it, saltwater is saltwater. Back in the day, when the Han River existed, it was the source of drinking water for millions. Not anymore."

Cha Kwan could only look into the distance as the two conversed. Why did Ma Yong like fishing so much? He didn't know. He only knew that fishing wasn't his thing!

'Well, if it's going to cheer him up, it's fine I suppose.'

Min Hyun-Ki noticed Cha Kwan's drifting attention and inwardly smiled. Then he gestured at the other side of the bridge with his head. "Mana in New Seoul is much higher, but fishing is also a lot harder. It's not the mana concentration that matters when fishing."

"Really?" Asked Ma Yong with curious eyes. "Why is the mana higher there?"

Min Hyun-Ki held back his sneer. "Many non-humans live there. There's also the Seoul Awakened Academy, which releases mana for training cadets."

Ma Yong's eyes started shining at the mention of the academy.

At the same time, a subtle vibration swept through the fishermen. Only the awakened senses of Min Hyun-Ki felt it. Then another came, then a muffled boom echoed from the New Seoul side.

As the people around them grabbed their phones to check for a dungeon break, Min Hyun-Ki stayed calm. These vibrations were clearly a result of martial techniques, he recognized.

And they were ordinary techniques either.

"Kwan, Yong, let's head back. There's trouble on the other side."

Ma Yong and Cha Kwan started packing up like everyone else. On the side, someone's phone started blasting the news channel.

"This is just in. Yun Sang-Kyu started an all-out assault on the headquarters of the Lin Group. According to the Yun Group statement, Yun Sang-Kyu will not rest until each and every member of the Lin family is annihilated. And every one that interferes, will be considered a mortal enemy of the Yun family."

Cha Kwan's mouth dropped. Yun Sang-Kyu? Were they talking about Cheon Ma's right-hand man? That Yun Sang-Kyu?!

"I knew it. He's a human from another world. I knew it…"

"Is he gone mad, or is he following orders of Cheon Ma?"

"Let's get to a shelter first. There's no difference between those people and monsters…"

The random comments from the people caught Cha Kwan off guard. But before he could think more, Min Hyun-Ki spoke. "Senior Yun Sang-Kyu is not like other hunters. If he's doing something, there must be a reason. We'll go fishing some other time. Let's go."

Min Hyun-Ki threw the bags on his back and walked away with his hands on the boy's shoulders.

Vibrations and booms kept escalating even as they arrived home. Even when the sun went down, even when martial law was declared and troops deployed, tremors did not stop. Not until the first light of morning.

Even though he had less than a few hours of sleep, Cha Kwan still opened the news channel as soon as his parents went to work. He was curious as to why, and how, someone could anger Yun Sang-Kyu to such a degree.

Was that the proper way of thinking for him? Cha Kwan had some doubts. Yun Sang-Kyu was more of a cartoon character for him. Was he the same in real life?

In any case, using violence in the modern world, was unacceptable. And yet, some part of Cha Kwan couldn't help but feel that maybe, things weren't as simple.

-… statement released by the Yun group accuses Lin Group, Azure Saint, and Flawless Violet Sabre Sect, of attempting to poison his son Yun Bong-Gil, and his granddaughter Yun Mi-Sun, and conspiring to harm the Yun lineage. Early estimates suggest that the joint assault on the mentioned groups already caused more than 2 trillion Won in property damage. More than 300 buildings were razed, and the collateral damage is expected to be at least 10 times higher. According to officials, the total loss of life is unknown, but expected to be in the tens of thousands.

This event marks the greatest loss of life since the dungeon break in Busan, 18 years ago…-

'… Tens of thousands?...'

Watching cartoons was easy. Seeing it happen in real life, Cha Kwan couldn't help but shudder.

This was the world he was living in. The world of dungeons, monsters, the world of magic, and martial arts.

If only it was an ordinary world, how amazing it would be? Cha Kwan looked away from the TV, lost in thought.

* * *

3rd grade went by in a flash. The most notable topic being Yun Sang-Kyu eliminating everyone in his path. And then one day, the relentless attacks stopped. Sometime later, authorities even dropped all charges, citing the comprehensive evidence presented by the Yun group. The leaks about Yun Sang-Kyu paying an exorbitant amount of money were cleanly swept away. And life turned back to normal.

4th grade started with yet another confession from Ma Yong, and yet another rejection. Cha Kwan could only shake his head. No matter how much he talked, the Destroyer never listened.

After the initial fear of Yun Sang-Kyu was over, Cha Kwan stopped watching the news about hunters, and other powerful individuals. Because doing so only served to make him miserable, he discovered.

Being ordinary, the idea that Cha Kwan had mulled over in the past. Cha Kwan spent polishing that intent over the 4th and 5th grades.

* * *

The last lunch break of the 5th grade.

"Hey, are you really not going to do anything about it?" Asked Sander Scholte with a frown. A Dutch-Korean boy, that was part of Cha Kwan's friend group.

Someone had broken into Cha Kwan's locker and stole his books, an old pair of PE shoes, and even a half-empty bottle! At first, Cha Kwan couldn't believe it. Who would steal that tiny bottle in the first place? But soon, he remembered his past life, and a wicked smile emerged on his face.

If Ma Yong hadn't noticed the broken lock and made a fuss about it, Cha Kwan wouldn't have said anything out of principle!

"It's just useless grade books. If they stole, they must need it more than me… " Answered Cha Kwan while desperately trying to maintain a kind smile.

The group of friends put their trays down at their usual table. The big one at the far back. This way, they could both eat and play Gathering of Murim, the Collectable Card Game at the same time.

Sander shook his head in frustration. Then he looked towards Ma Yong. "Hey, play with me for a few rounds. I made a really good deck last night; the combo is a bit hard to pull off, but it can do 55 plus 13 damage per cultivation technique!"

Ma Yong whistled. "Is that a demonic combo? If so I might be able to interrupt it with my ranker deck…"

While the usual lunch conversation resumed around him, Cha Kwan casually watched students in the lunch hall. Some were still getting meals, some studying while eating, some occasionally pecking at their food while talking to their friends…

All usual lunchtime affairs.

'… I really hope they are just that stupid. Man, I can't believe I missed this feeling of anticipation. How exciting…'

While Cha Kwan took his time to eat, Ma Yong had already won two rounds.

"You had a good idea." Ma Yong spoke with obvious indifference. "But this isn't kindergarten." He glanced at Cha Kwan, as if to find an opportunity to pull him into his humble victory speech. But Ma Yong immediately noticed something. "… Uh, Kwan, where's your sauce bottle?... Wait, didn't you always put that in your locker?"

Cha Kwan turned towards Ma Yong and simply smiled. As if on cue, a loud scream resounded in the lunch hall.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! IT BURNS!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

'Ah… There it is…' Cha Kwan closed his eyes and enjoyed this sensation. Screaming became louder as a grown man rammed himself into the kitchen through the service line.

"AAAAAHH!!! SOJU!! SOJUUUAAAAA!!!! GIMME SOJUUUAA F****CK!!!!"

While Cha Kwan listened to the music that he had almost forgotten since his rebirth, Ma Yong gasped. "That was your mother's spicy sauce?!"

The question didn't need an answer. Cha Kwan remained silent and reminisced about his previous life.

Truly, training himself to eat ghost peppers during lunch was the best decision he had ever made.

'F*ck lunch stealers.'

The entire lunch hall watched and listened to the man's screams. Some of the 1st-grade students started crying, perhaps thinking the man's pain was caused by a monster, or a spirit. In a world where fantasy creatures were real, the fact that this was a real possibility never ceased to amaze Cha Kwan.

Teachers, janitors, swarmed the kitchen to find the cause of the ruckus, though none of them were faster than the principal. After all, a hunter was made of something else, even when retired!

"Wasn't that the 6th-grade teacher? Song… something?" Sander asked with a frown. Thanks to Ma Yong the Destroyer, everyone at the table knew Cha Kwan had a freaky taste for spicy food. Even if they didn't pay attention, they could put two and two together.

Ma Yong couldn't resist and finally got up to watch the commotion from closer, while the rest of them continued eating and playing Gathering of Murim.

As Cha Kwan ate the bland school food, he remembered the warped face of the sales manager from his previous life. 'Ah yes, I forgot it hurt even more while exiting…' He smiled contently without a worry in the world.

"Um… C-Cha Kwan…" A nervous, but unmistakably girlish voice interrupted his thoughts.

Somehow, three girls had come near their table, the one in the front was fidgeting while the two in the back were giving sneaky glances. On his left, Sander and others were staring at them with eyes wide open.

"I thought… Maybe…" The fidgeting girl seemed to be having difficulty forming a sentence. "... We could be friends…? If-if you w-want!…"

In the background, Sander's mouth dropped and he started staring at Cha Kwan in disbelief.

'Oh…' Thought Cha Kwan. 'Oh sh*t… I didn't expect that…'

Did he even know this girl? They looked like they were a year older, maybe more! If they were a grade above, that would make them 6th graders!

After years of experience, Cha Kwan had already realized he couldn't grasp the process of growing up. Sometimes kids seemed like kids, other times they seemed like his peers. At this moment, he couldn't feel anything but the former.

However… This was a completely new experience for his tiny body! Suddenly his heart started to race, and background screams became indistinct. Before he knew it, his mouth moved on its own!

"Yes." Cha Kwan spoke with a stupid smile. Upon hearing the answer, the two girls behind started uncontrollably giggling and dragged their red-as-beet friend away.

For a long time, Cha Kwan stared into nothingness. What just happened? Why did he say yes? Why wouldn't his heartbeat slow down?!

"Teacher! That's Cha Kwan's special sauce!" He heard the faraway voice of his friend Ma Yong. "He's right there, look!" The defiler was talking to the principal while pointing toward him.

That, brought him back to reality in an instant.

'Nothing should happen, right? This is the last day of school anyway… They won't suspend me, right? Right?!'

In the end, he got called into the principal's office! Another new, nerve-wracking experience to the pile!

While waiting in front of the principal's office, Cha Kwan couldn't help but nervously chuckle.

Despite the existence of evil spirits, unspeakable monsters, and even demon gods, the most dangerous threat to his daily life was getting a demerit!

Thankfully, after chugging the sauce bottle in front of the principal, he didn't get a demerit. The principal silently sent him away after giving him a deep look. And that day, Venerable Heavens Elementary School banned all students from bringing in their spicy sauces.

Much to his relief, Cha Kwan never saw that nameless girl again.