The Way to Save the Crazy Returnees Chapter 5 - Weak Hunter (2)

 

 

Seo Do-hwan felt like he had the entire world in the palm of his hand.

 

[The 『Weak Hunter』 bound to you grants a portion of its power back once certain conditions are met.]

 

『Weak Hunter』

 

That was the title of the novel Seo Do-hwan had possessed. In that world, he had become the protagonist—a hunter who grew stronger the more “potions” he consumed. Seo Do-hwan, fully aware of that system, had guzzled them down without hesitation.

 

Not narcotics, but potions. The so-called “medicine.”

 

By chugging potions every chance he got, Seo Do-hwan became stronger than anyone else. He climbed to the very top of the world, admired, praised, and even worshipped by all.

 

Of course, there were always those who envied him and whispered behind his back. But he didn’t care. As long as they didn’t have the guts to speak to his face, their opinions meant nothing. Most of them were too terrified to even try.

 

That was the world of 『Weak Hunter』.

 

But here, in the real world he’d returned to, Seo Do-hwan was a nobody. A high school dropout. An orphan. A day laborer barely scraping by. Just another loafer who practically lived in nightclubs.

 

That was how people saw Seo Do-hwan.

 

He dropped out of high school after being expelled by a bully who constantly caused violence, and he spent his hard-earned money on clubs to forget reality.

 

In 『Weak Hunter』, he had been the hero. But here? He was at rock bottom—a complete failure. No wonder he wanted to forget everything.

 

Honestly, being an orphan wasn’t the issue. Everyone loses their parents eventually. What haunted him was not knowing what they even looked like.

 

Seo Do-hwan had never seen his parents’ faces.

 

They said he’d been left at an orphanage on a freezing winter night.

 

Whatever the case, people had always pointed fingers at him.

 

A loser in life.

 

But now—his power had returned.

 

The same power that once made the world kneel had begun to stir again within him.

 

Even if it was just a fraction of his former strength, Seo Do-hwan was satisfied. Sure, only a portion had returned for now—but who could say for sure?

 

‘Maybe I’ll get it all back.’

 

He had gotten stronger after taking the drug. So if he kept doing it… maybe, just maybe, he could reclaim it all.

 

‘First things first…’

 

Seo Do-hwan raised his fist toward the man cowering before him.

 

“P-please! Spare me!”

 

“Spare you?”

 

“I’ll delete the video, everything! I swear! Okay?!”

 

Watching the guy beg with his hands clasped, Seo Do-hwan smirked. How long had it been since someone trembled like this before him—groveling in fear?

 

“Hah. No need to delete it. I’ll just destroy it.”

 

“ARGHHHH!”

 

Seo Do-hwan was thoroughly enjoying the situation.

 

***

 

Crash!

 

“Aaahhh!”

 

“H-He’s a monster!”

 

“Run! Aaaagh!”

 

Screams echoed from all directions.

 

I stayed hidden behind a pile of junk, observing the chaos. This was only Seo Do-hwan’s first time taking the drug, so only a sliver of his power had returned—but even that was terrifying.

 

No matter how many times I saw it, his strength was frightening.

 

“Sh-shit! Get out of the way!”

 

Suddenly, one of the junkies stumbled into my hiding spot. Acting on instinct, I raised the stun gun in my hand.

 

Bzzt!

 

“Gaaaahhk!”

 

The junkie collapsed instantly.

 

“Huh? Whoa, did you take him down, boss?”

 

Seo Do-hwan walked over with a smile, having apparently followed the guy who went down. I responded with a silent nod.

 

When Seo Do-hwan was under the influence, it was best not to provoke him. One wrong word could end very badly.

 

If you ask me why I let him take the drug in the first place, knowing that risk…

 

‘Because it was the only way to clean this place up.’

 

That would be my answer.

 

Including the junkies, and the several tons of drugs they were trying to move—only Seo Do-hwan’s strength could wipe this all out.

 

Waiting for the cops wasn’t an option.

 

Anyway, Seo Do-hwan chuckled.

 

“Not bad. You did alright.”

 

It sounded like praise, but it felt more like mockery.

 

“Why don’t you go hide somewhere else? You’re just getting in the way. If you get caught up and hurt, I’m not taking responsibility.”

 

He shooed me away with a lazy flick of his hand, like swatting a fly, then moved his arm in a flash.

 

Suddenly, a knife appeared in his grip.

 

“What exactly do you plan to do with that?”

 

Seo Do-hwan’s eyes widened as his lips curled into a smirk. The man who had raised the knife against him froze, taken aback by his devilish expression.

 

“U-Ugh… Aaaagh!”

 

Seo Do-hwan effortlessly sent the screaming man flying.

 

Boom!

 

The man landed headfirst into a pile of drugs and passed out on the spot. The impact tore through the plastic packaging, sending clouds of white powder erupting into the air.

 

‘Damn it. I didn’t plan for that.’

 

I glanced toward Seo Do-hwan, who looked positively thrilled at the sight of powder swirling around him. If I left him there, he might really start inhaling it like some deranged addict.

 

‘Can’t let that happen.’

 

Letting him regain more power wasn’t an option. I grabbed a piece of nearby junk and hurled it at him.

 

“Boss?”

 

Seo Do-hwan casually dodged it and raised an eyebrow.

 

“What the hell was that about?”

 

“You seemed a little… dazed, Mr. Seo Do-hwan,” I replied with a smile.

 

I kept my voice calm and continued, “Looks like there are still a few drug dealers hiding around here.”

 

“Oh yeah? I thought I’d taken care of all of them.”

 

Seo Do-hwan’s smirk deepened. Thankfully, it seemed I’d managed to pull his focus away from the drugs. Without another word, he vanished from sight.

 

A moment later, he reappeared—dropping three or four unconscious men at my feet.

 

“All cleaned up now?” he said, almost cheerfully.

 

Then, with a sly grin, he added, “So, why don’t you explain something to me?”

 

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

 

“Why’d you throw that at me earlier?”

 

He was smiling, but he looked anything but amused. His expression felt more like a warning. I swallowed hard and opened my mouth carefully.

 

“I did it for your own good, Mr. Seo Do-hwan.”

 

“For my good?”

 

“Yes. I thought if you kept going like that, you might’ve gotten caught off guard by one of the junkies.”

 

“Who was going to get caught off guard by who, exactly?”

 

Seo Do-hwan burst out laughing.

 

“Didn’t know you cared so much, boss. Come to think of it, didn’t you say you gave me that drug for my own good?”

 

I never said that.

 

Seo Do-hwan kept spouting nonsense, creating false memories on the spot.

 

“You even told me I should be grateful—because I awakened my powers after you forced me to take it, remember?”

 

No, I never told him to be grateful either.

 

I wanted to protest, to correct his delusions, but I couldn’t.

 

“Did you know? That this would happen to me?”

 

Not because I was afraid of the way his eyes flashed dangerously just inches from my face—definitely not. I just didn’t want to say something that might get me killed.

 

Like I said, this regression was going to be my last.

 

“Hey, boss. Don’t just stand there like some mute with honey in his mouth. Say something.”

 

If I stayed quiet any longer, I was dead meat.

 

“…Yeah. I knew.”

 

Maybe he didn’t expect me to admit it so easily. Seo Do-hwan gave a baffled laugh and asked, “What the hell are you? What’s your real identity? Why the hell did you do all this to me?”

 

“Did you hate it?”

 

“Of course not. That’s why I’m asking.”

 

He didn’t say the next part out loud, but I could feel the unspoken demand in his eyes.

 

Tell me.

 

If I kept quiet again, I was a dead man. I slowly opened my mouth.

 

“My real identity is…”

 

Seo Do-hwan raised one eyebrow slightly—a habit of his when he was focused.

 

Perfect.

 

I calmly raised my hand, the stun gun still in my grip.

 

“Gaaaargh!”

 

Seo Do-hwan collapsed with a grunt.

 

“Y-You… b-bas…”

 

It must not have been strong enough. Then again, it made sense. Seo Do-hwan was no longer an ordinary human—he was now a “Hunter,” or more accurately, someone wielding a Hunter’s power.

 

So knocking him out with a single shock was impossible.

 

I cranked the stun gun to full power and zapped him again.

 

“Graaagh!”

 

Seo Do-hwan hit the ground, his body twisting and curling like a grilled squid.

 

Of course, that’s just a metaphor.

 

“Bo…ss…!”

 

He still had enough strength left to speak. So I shocked him again. Not once, but twice more. Finally, Seo Do-hwan fell silent.

 

Only then did I smile and speak to him.

 

“Mr. Seo Do-hwan, you asked what I really am, right?”

 

His eyelids fluttered as he glared at me. I smiled even wider in response.

 

“I’m a returnee too. Just like you.”

 

Seo Do-hwan’s eyes widened in disbelief. I continued smiling softly.

 

“Get some rest.”

 

We could talk as much as he wanted later.

 

I kept my final words to myself, simply flashing him a peaceful smile. To Seo Do-hwan, that smile must’ve looked like something a serial killer would wear. His face turned pale, and he mouthed something silently.

 

I couldn’t hear it, but judging from the movement of his lips, he probably said:

 

‘Crazy psycho boss bastard.’

 

Soon after, Seo Do-hwan passed out. Thank god. I was relieved he finally fainted after the fifth shock.

 

***

 

Chirp—!

 

At the sound of birds outside, Seo Do-hwan gasped for air.

 

“Huff…!”

 

He shot upright, chest heaving, then frantically patted his face—like someone waking from a vivid nightmare. Probably because he’d dreamed of being electrocuted repeatedly by some kind of electric eel.

 

His whole body was drenched in cold sweat.

 

“What the hell kind of dream was that?”

 

He let out a shaky laugh and ran a hand through his damp hair.

 

“I’m a returnee too. Just like you, Mr. Seo Do-hwan.”

 

Suddenly, a man’s smiling face and voice flashed in his mind. Seo Do-hwan stared blankly into the distance. And then—something else came back to him.

 

[The 『Weak Hunter』 bound to you grants a portion of its power back once certain conditions are met.]

 

His eyes trembled.

 

“W-What…?”

 

Panicking, he raised both hands and muttered desperately,

 

“It’s still there, right? It didn’t disappear… right?”

 

But deep down, Seo Do-hwan already knew the answer.

 

“No… no, no no no… it can’t be…”

 

His power had vanished again.

 

“Why?! Why?!”

 

Seo Do-hwan suddenly screamed at the empty air like a madman. Then, as if struck by a brilliant idea, a bright smile spread across his face.

 

‘Right—the drug.’

 

Hadn’t he regained his power after being forced to inhale the drug by that psycho boss? So then, all he had to do was repeat the process.

 

‘Yeah. If I take it again, I can get my strength back.’

 

Just as Seo Do-hwan started to rise—

 

“Mr. Seo Do-hwan?”

 

A voice called his name.

 

Startled, Seo Do-hwan turned his head. A bespectacled doctor stood nearby, asking calmly,

 

“Do you know where you are?”

 

“A hospital… right?”

 

“Correct. You’re at AMA Seoul Hospital.”

 

AMA Seoul Hospital?

 

Seo Do-hwan’s eyes widened. It was the most prestigious hospital in South Korea.

 

And now he was here.

 

“Why am I here?”

 

“You were brought in.”

 

“Brought in?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The doctor nodded and continued without offering much detail.

 

“Mr. Seo Do-hwan, you’ll be receiving treatment here for the next month.”

 

“What kind of treatment?”

 

The doctor adjusted his glasses and replied,

 

“Drug addiction rehabilitation.”

 

…What?

 

Seo Do-hwan stared at the doctor as if the man had just started speaking dog language. The doctor, unfazed, continued gently,

 

“You’re currently in the addiction treatment ward here at AMA Seoul. I’ll be your attending physician. I look forward to working with you.”

 

He went on to explain that Seo Do-hwan couldn’t leave or be discharged without permission, and that he was restricted to the addiction center for the duration of his stay.

 

Seo Do-hwan barely paid attention, lost in his thoughts.

 

Why was I even here? More importantly, I only did drugs once—and that was because that crazy boss forced me to.

 

Wait… the boss?

 

“Um… who admitted me here?”

 

“According to the record, it’s Mr. Kwak Yoon-hoo.”

 

Kwak Yoon-hoo?

 

It was an unfamiliar name—but Seo Do-hwan knew instantly.

 

“That damn crazy boss!”

 

The very person who had forced the drug on him was also the one who admitted him to the hospital.

 

He gave me the poison—then handed me the cure.