Chapter 81: The Scavenger of the Ruined World (4)

The Scavenger of the Ruined World (4)

"Ahhh, it's so bright I can't even open my eyes!"

"I want to go back underground!"

"Ahhhhh! We have to go there, but I don't want to!"

The Mole tribe couldn't have imagined the hellish days that their ancestors had gone through, losing their claws in the peace they had known since birth. They were beginning to barely adapt to their instincts they had ignored so far, however.

"I was wondering how to reform them, but it's good that I no longer need to." Since the beginning, Kang Shin-hyuk was dissatisfied with the moles who had entrusted everything to the Jijoo King, but now he was happy at the sight of them. He still wanted them to stop screaming, however.

"Okay, I'll make your claws, so go inside a building that's not so bright."

"I can't stand being on the ground! The memories of our ancestors are calling out to us!"

"If all of those things died..."

"You're noisy." As Kang Shin-hyuk complained, Shin Eunah waved a finger in the air as she approached them. The thousands of moles floated in the air at once, thrown into the open entrance of a nearby building.

"Thank you."

"I just put them away because they were in the way of my grandfather." Shin Eunah then turned to hug Kang Shin-hyuk, whose consciousness was nearly blown away by how voluptuous she was.

'Wow, she's grown so much you can see the difference through her clothes...stop, don't think. Let's not think...' Looking around, Claire was nowhere nearby.

"Where's Claire?"

"She found something she liked and started doing some research." Shin Eunah said that with a proud expression. She possessed all the dignity in the world at that moment.

"Grandpa."

"No." The twenty-five-year-old granddaughter clung to him with a harsh voice. Kang Shin-hyuk hesitated for a moment, but soon resolved himself and pushed her away.

"Now, stop that. A grown-up shouldn't stick to their grandpa like that."

"But grandpa said that if we meet in person, we could hug all the time." He wished it were a lie, but now with his synchronization at 20%, he certainly had a vague memory of something like that. It didn't weaken his resolve, however.

"That was twenty years ago, how long will you act like a child?"

"Ugh..." Shin Eunah pulled back at his cold words. She let out a teary voice as she talked quietly to herself.

"It would've been nice if you visited Eunah when she was young."

"Ugh..." This time, it was Kang Shin-hyuk's turn to be rebuked. If he hadn't felt he was Anvil, he wouldn't need to feel guilty about his actions. But now that the rate had increased and the memories were becoming clearer, it was hard not to feel a bit responsible for them.

'That damn man... making promises he can't keep. No, rather, my previous life is. If I had really viewed her as my own child, wouldn't I have gone to her at least once instead of falling asleep with the world? At least once before dying! But, in the end, I had died cleanly like I had no regrets. What, then, of Eunah, who had heavily depended on me until then? She never had the chance to say a proper goodbye. It feels like I'm talking about someone else, but it's me in the end!' Kang Shin-hyuk felt confused as he tried to untangle the threads in his head. However, he couldn't leave Shin Eunah alone as she stood there all gloomy. He hugged her gently, causing her eyes to go wide.

"Ah."

"I'll only make up for what you missed when you were young."

"...Huh! Grandpa." Shin Eunah let out a voice filled with joy as she hugged him back.

'I can't last long though.' Kang Shin-hyuk thought so while smiling as casually as possible. Shin Eunah may view him as her grandfather, but it was a harsh ordeal for him to endure. He only hoped she could regain some of her mental composure.

"There... it's nice to have a good relationship."

"Huh?" Turning his head, there was once more the figure of the Jijoo King holding onto his leg.

"Now I really want you to make my claws..." Watching the half-crying Jijoo King, Kang Shin-hyuk whispered to Shin Eunah.

"...Senior, didn't you kick everyone out?"

"It's embarrassing. Still, I guess he's a member of the Hero Universe...!" Shin Eunah trembled slightly upon discovering the king, trying to return to her cool mode.

"It's like this in the end, so I'll start working on it." He let out a sigh of defeat.

"Yes...this still seems a little insufficient, but you can think of it as an advance payment." Shin Eunah let go of him.

"Payment?"

"Yes, an advance payment."

'So there's still a balance left to pay for?' Shin Eunah moved back from the confused Kang Shin-hyuk with a smile.

"I'll go find Claire, cheer up."

"Yes, yes...down payment?" He tilted his head as he watched the back of his foster granddaughter, who left without answering. The Jijoo King was staring up at him. He seemed to have learned a bit, as he was no longer asking about his claws, but it was almost more annoying as he quietly looked up at Shin-hyuk.

"I'll really make it, so stop watching me."

"Oh, oh! Wonderful! I found a place like the workshop with an oven, too!"

Three hours later, Kang Shin-hyuk had finally met the king's expectations by creating another A-rank claw-shaped artifact using the world's metal (of course, it was a metal other than benadelite). The problem was the thousands of moles that followed, all asking for claws. It was the start of two months of backbreaking labor.

***

"Claire?" Shin Eunah found her friend squatting on some nearby grass, gathering rare plants unseen on Earth.

"What is that?"

"I figured it would be better to focus on what can only be studied here. Look at this." Claire tore at the grass with purple petals with an expression of excitement.

"The magical ritual that drove mankind to destruction was terrible, but there were some positives. Like these plants that were subject to magic."

"Did they mutate after being exposed to the particles?"

"Exactly. These grasses have evolved into a form that stores and maintains mana without letting it be taken away. It's an interesting by-product of its evolution." Claire began discussing the changes in the Gromas ecosystem, every bit the image of an excited alchemist. Shin Eunah felt the sight of her friend who was immersed in the things she liked really dazzling.

"But Claire, whatever you're working on, you'll have to finish it early."

"Ah...yes, I predicted as much." She had an odd expression as she put the grass in her inventory.

"It's not over yet right?"

"The opposite; we haven't started. We confirmed earlier that the evil of Jormungand had reached this world." Shin Eunah let out a sigh as she sat beside Claire. The two weren't just wandering around to explore the magical civilization of a bygone era; they had a more important purpose.

"What about Shin-hyuk?"

"...My junior isn't ready yet. It's great to see he has grown this much already, it might even be faster than me. Did you see him create an SS-rank artifact? The miracle of All Craft added with the talent of a fighter, I can't wait..."

"What a fool. Act with some moderation. You've been lucky before...." Shin Eunah's eyes twinkled as she recalled Kang Shin-hyuk's actions. She had no clue that he looked at her with that same expression when she had been dealing with the Fungus. Claire decided to leave it be. Telling her would just be pouring oil onto the fire.

"Anyway, I was fortunate to follow you both. My juniors were really in danger..."

"Have you gotten used to the changes in your body?" Shin Eunah's body, which had evolved instantly by absorbing the magical techniques left behind, continued to bother her with a sense of incongruity. But now...she twisted her lips and nodded.

"The tuning is over. I'm completely used to it."

"Oh, was that tuning? I thought you were trying to mark Shin-hyuk."

"...You saw?" Shin Eunah blushed, but Claire nodded without hesitation.

"If someone saw you, they'd think you two were lovers."

"What lovers... we're just a grandfather and granddaughter."

"Hmm." Claire's eyes became narrower as she stared at the red Shin Eunah. The thought that had been in her mind was only gaining intensity as she watched the two.

"You really think so, Eunah?"

"Of course... isn't it true?"

Only

"Okay." Claire nodded. "Is it unconscious then?"

"Unconscious?"

"Yes. But conscious or unconscious... it's not good."

"Huh?" Eunah tilted her head, unable to understand, but Claire stood up and flicked her forehead.

"Ouch!"

"A fox either way."

"Huh? What?"

In any case, the crisis threatening Gromas was resolved. However, the excursion to another world had just begun.