I Became a National ‘Disaster’ Level Monster

Chapter 110 Past VS Future

After the aftermath of the Godzilla incident, we naturally returned to Korea.

It wasn’t like we could just enjoy sightseeing since Osaka was currently dealing with the aftermath of a giant monster attack.

Originally, I thought we would all return together just as we came.

But then…

“I’m planning to stay in Japan for a while.”

“In Japan?”

“Yes. I’ve just become the head of the family, and Osaka hasn’t completely returned to normal yet. Once this is all over, I’ll go to Korea to see you again, Shin-woo.”

Lady Kurumi, who decided to stay in Japan to take on her first duty as the head of the family.

Well, the reason she came to Korea in the first place was because her family had forcibly kicked her out.

Now, she was no longer just a princess born out of wedlock but the rightful head of the Kitsune Family.

This meant she now had a duty to protect Osaka, so I nodded in understanding.

As for the Monster Group…

“We can sneak back in on our own.”

“Thanks to the giant monster, a national emergency has been declared. I doubt the fake passports we used before will work anymore.”

“Heh, hehe! I grabbed a ton of PS5 and Xbox stuff anyway, so we’ve got plenty of time!”

Well, they seemed capable of handling themselves.

“Shin-woo, take care. And let’s meet again soon.”

“Sh-Shin-woo! I’ll write to you! No, I mean, I’ll leave a message!”

After bidding farewell to the Kitsune Family, it had been about two days since we set foot back on Korean soil.

“Sigh…”

Since returning from Japan, my daily life had turned into a march of hardship.

Partly because of the unexpected confession from Sophia.

“Shin-woo.”

“?! Mr. Rokyu?”

“Take this…”

“What?! Th-this is…”

Just before leaving Osaka Airport.

Mr. Rokyu handed me this ring-shaped Beast Hunter equipment when no one else was around.

“You should have it.”

“Me? But I’m not even a Beast Hunter.”

“…You know better than anyone why I gave this to you.”

“……!”

Mr. Rokyu, who had already given up on Sophia.

The reason he gave me this ring was simple.

This equipment was something only Beast Hunters like Sophia could use.

He was telling me that if I couldn’t make use of it, I should give it to someone who could.

But a ring, of all things…

‘Doesn’t this feel like a proposal…’

Sophia.

Sophia…

Come to think of it, how did I feel about her?

Before leaving America, Sophia was someone I felt I had to protect, a scared little sister. Even after the original story began, that thought hadn’t changed.

No matter how strong Sophia had become, according to the story’s power balance, there wouldn’t be many B-rank Hunters who could step in anymore.

Sophia was my precious family, someone I had to protect.

That was how I saw Sophia, and I felt that wouldn’t change, no matter how much time passed.

But it seemed that, to Sophia, I was more than just family.

“Actually, there’s someone I want to receive a ring from for the first time.”

Honestly, I wasn’t oblivious to Sophia’s feelings for me.

I just avoided confronting them.

We were… at least to me, Sophia was my first real family.

“Bring me another drink!”

Before I came to this world, I lived without knowing what ‘family affection’ was.

Maybe that’s why I kept avoiding Sophia’s feelings.

Afraid that the genuine family relationship I had finally gained would take a strange turn.

Because of that fear, I pretended not to notice.

But since it was practically confirmed that in the future, we would get married and even have a child…

“Sigh…”

In the end, it’s a hurdle I’ll have to cross eventually.

Moreover, after returning from Japan, the awkwardness between Sophia and me had only grown, so as a man, I had to take the first step.

But I still hadn’t found the right timing, and it was already the second day.

“Sigh… This is driving me crazy…”

“Oppa, if you keep sighing like that, you’ll lose all your luck.”

“I know, but still…”

“Cheer up! They say I turn into a really bad guy in the future if I follow you, but if we both work hard starting now, we can both be good!”

“Oh right, that happened too…”

And the problems kept piling up.

It felt like a bunch of side quests just as important as the main quest were clinging to me.

After Jae-won disappeared in front of us that day, I ended up hearing the whole story from Sophia about the future that Future Ria had told her.

A future where 99% of humanity had perished.

Humans, terrified of the surface, were reduced to hiding underground, and the world was ruled by monsters.

And the one who established the only nation in that world and ruled over it was none other than me.

‘Isn’t there just too much to do…?’

Not to mention the warning from Future Ria that she would come back to kidnap Past Sophia since Future Sophia had died.

Between clearing the main quest, making up with Sophia, and facing my future self, it was clear I’d need ten bodies to handle it all.

My head was all tangled up, so I decided to take a walk with Ria around the village for some fresh air.

“Oh, Shin-woo.”

“Che-ran? Hello.”

“Yes, hello. What a coincidence to meet again.”

I was looking around, thinking of stopping by a cafe when I coincidentally locked eyes with someone.

Well, it made sense since my house was close to the Hunter Association.

I happened to run into Che-ran, who was patrolling the area.

And that wasn’t all.

“Oh, who did I think it was? It’s that human and sister brat!”

“Oh, you are…”

“Sister… brat?”

I wasn’t sure why, but there was Ria’s younger sister, Eve, dressed in a cute outfit like a doll, standing with Che-ran.

“Eve? How did you end up here…”

“Hehe. I told Mom I was sick of being stuck at home, so she left me with this human!”

“I’m currently her guardian and accompanying her.”

“Oh, I see.”

Eve’s face lit up with a bright smile, seeming to enjoy the human city stroll.

“Hey, Eve. What’s with calling your sister ‘brat’?”

“Hmph! What’s it to you if I call her that?”

“…Do you want your butt smacked like last time?”

“Eek?! Ch-Che-ran human! Hide me!”

“Hahaha…”

Had they gotten close enough to call each other by name?

Eve quickly hid behind Che-ran, terrified of grumpy Ria.

My head had been so clouded, but seeing these two brought a smile to my face and lightened my mood a bit.

Meanwhile…

“Shin-woo.”

“Oh, yes. Che-ran.”

“Are you troubled by something?”

“Huh? Oh, well…”

As expected of Che-ran.

She seemed to have seen through me in just a few seconds.

As I stood there, embarrassed, with a wry smile…

“How about we talk it over at a cafe?”

“No way!”

“I’m in.”

“Eek?!”

She wanted to talk to help me with my worries, and since it wasn’t a problem I could solve alone anyway…

“…Alright, let’s do that.”

Being older than me, I figured Che-ran might give good advice on this kind of relationship problem.

With that hope, I followed her into a nearby cafe.

***

It was like something out of myth.

A resplendent white palace, as if handcrafted by humans piling stones to worship a god.

The territory, surrounded by castle walls, was the size of a self-governing district from the days when humans still lived on the surface.

This was a perfect utopia, where there was no hunger, no war, and not even a hint of scarcity.

A dream once harbored by Cold War-era communists, a perfect ideal state where everyone was happy, but one that could not be achieved due to the limitations of humanity.

But as with all things, there was no such thing as true perfection. Even in the most sacred part of that territory, the top floor of the palace, in the room with the throne.

The man who sat there led a dreary life, merely existing because he could not die.

“Your Majesty, the eldest daughter of the first princess has been found alive.”

“…What.”

He heard an unbelievable report from the concubine he trusted most, and for the first time in a long while, his eyes sparkled with life.

“And though it was brief, I succeeded in traveling to the past, thanks to the effects of the future ring currently under research.”

“To the past… you say?”

“Yes, and there, I was able to meet my sister after such a long time.”

“…!!”

In the dark, gloomy room, Ria knelt on one knee as she explained what had happened.

Before her sat the ruler of the current world.

The tyrant who had turned all lands except for the Korean Peninsula into a burning hell uninhabitable by any living creature, and the ‘apex’ of this world, her beloved brother.

“Ria, does this mean that soon we can return to that time? To when everyone was still happy?”

“Yes. The fact that I traveled to the past means that the experiment is essentially in its final stage.”

Hearing Ria’s words, the king on the throne closed his eyes as if recalling the past.

A world before all misfortune began.

The bright, beautiful world of humans.

And the one who destroyed that world after being betrayed by it was none other than himself.

And since he had done it once, doing it again wouldn’t be much harder.

“Have you chosen the ones to retrieve Sophia?”

“Yes. The eldest, the sixteenth child with the surname Han, the twenty-fourth who has just completed the coming-of-age ceremony, and the thirty-first, who still needs experience.”

“Good. I leave it to you, Ria.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Her brother had effectively declared war on the past.

After her brief meeting with the present-day Shin-woo, Ria left the throne room and encountered the children who had been waiting outside the door.

“Hehe. You’re finally out, Your Highness.”

The 31st child, Shin-ah, born to the 9th Empress, a former National Hunter, and Han Shin-woo.

“Shin-ah, you shouldn’t address the Second Queen that way.”

The 24th child, Yulian, born to the 6th Empress, a former Vatican saintess, and Han Shin-woo.

“Will I get to fight Father if I meet him in the past?”

And one of the five children granted the surname ‘Han’ as proof of being recognized by Han Shin-woo.

The 16th child, Han Yujin, born to the 5th Empress, a former researcher, and Han Shin-woo.

Lastly…

“Then we’ll be off. Mother.”

“Yes… Leon, you’re the eldest among them, so make sure to look after the others. Understand?”

“Yes. Leave it to me.”

Ria’s only son, the first prince, born to her and Han Shin-woo.

Han Leon, the eldest prince.

And so, the children set out to bring their father what he desired.

“Alright! Let’s get going!”

“This was when humans were still crawling all over the place. There must be plenty of strong ones, right?”

“I’m curious about this military organization humans created!”

“We’re not going there to play. Behave yourselves.”

“””Yessir~~.”””

And with that, they took their first steps.