Chapter 17: Han Min-Jun

"Han Min-Jun, how about becoming my disciple?"

Hearing this, Han Min-Jun widened his eyes, stunned. Then, cold winds blew past us. Han Min-Jun fell into silence with countless of emotions swarming in his heart; Bewilderment, Doubt, Confusion, Excitement…

Thinking that he can become stronger and explore the world, he opened his lips "I…" Then suddenly, he recalled some unforgettable memories.

-- "Han Min-Jun-ssi! Let's play! Hehe!"

Then, that scene was replaced by a dark one. The entire forest was burned as enormous flames swallowed everything up. A woman with long brown hair was crying with a child in her arms, crying she used all her force to cover the child from the flames as her legs were injured and disabled. She cried out for help but no one could hear it, in the end, she could only rely on herself to protect her child.

Both the child and the woman were covered in dust from the smoke. Just then, the child raised his head and saw his mother in pain, his mother covered his eyes and said "It's okay, everything's gonna be alright…"

--"Min-Jun, dear, remember, no matter what happens, live your life to the fullest, Hic!"

--"There's an auntie who I've known since I was a child, she will take care of you from now on, okay? Just find her and everything's gonna be alright-"

Suddenly, a giant tree branch fell and the mother covered the child before everything fell into flames. The next day the sky was gray and there were no flames, to be more precise, there was no forest anymore. Everything were burned. Then, a child rose up from the fallen tree branches, coughing the child called out for his mom but only found something that made him slowly tear up.

Beside him, where there was most of the branches, an arm was stuck out that was too familiar for him. Crying the child couldn't help taking deep breaths that only made him tear up even more before crying out loud, "Mom!!!!"

Then, the scene changed, it was when the child found a small shelter and found that it was an academy for orphan children, then, he found the aunt who his mother was talking about before fainting. The scene was then once again replaced to when he was taken care of this aunt from when he was a child to now.

Recalling all this memory, Han Min-Jun fell into great silence. Finally, after some time he smiled politely and said "Thank you for your offer but I'm afraid I'll have to decline"

I widened my eyes slightly but after recalling something as well, I lowered my stretched hand and hummed before smiling and said "Though unfortunate, it's fine"

…..

Hours later the old lady, who was the aunt that took care of Han Min-Jun had a disappointed face and said "Aren't you at least gonna try to persuade him?" Smiling I shook my head and said "It's his decision" Then, as I turned around and wore my hood, I said "What's more, there are some things that are needed to be learned through experience" The old lady was confused about what I said but before she could think any further, I was already gone.

The old lady sighed deeply before turning around and went to the yard. She then saw Han Min-jun still sweeping the leaves but different, unlike his always sunny side and humming when cleaning, he was silent this time and was slow at sweeping. The old lady then said "Are you doubting your decision about rejecting that person's offer?"

Han Min-Jun was stunned and called out subconsciously "Grandma", he did not even realized that she was here because he was too lost in thought. The old lady chuckled at his reaction and said "You know, you can still change your decision" Han Min-Jun hummed lightly before saying with a smile "I still like being here grandma, and who else would look after the kids when I'm gone?"

'Bonk!'

"Ow! Grandma!" Han Min-Jun held his head that was hit by the old lady and couldn't help complaining. The old lady scoffed and said "Are you looking down at me? Even if I'm already old I can still take care of them without you!" Han Min-Jun laughed awkwardly and coaxed the old lady saying "Alright alright, it's my fault grandma"

"Hmph! Fortunately you know your mistakes!" The old lady said before turning around and walked back to the academy. Han Min-Jun followed behind but paused momentarily as he thought 'Was my decision, really wrong though?' But he quickly discarded his thoughts and followed behind.

Unbeknownst to them, I was watching everything from above a giant tree and sighed deeply, this might be cruel of me knowing what past he had since I was the one who created him, he'll need to learn the true nature of this world someday…

I smiled bitterly at my thoughts and actions but still did not changed my decision and left.

…..

Two days later passed and Han Min-Jun bid farewell to the old lady as he went down the mountain and went logging some trees and hunting for food. Just as he was about to go back, he suddenly stepped on something, then--

'Swish!'

"Ahh!" Han Min-Jun screamed as he was caught in a trap and was hang on the tree. He struggled and tried to break free but found that he wasn't strong enough. He then broke a piece of wood from the logs he got and cut the net. After some time he finally broke free and fell to the ground along with the logs and animals he caught.

Groaning in pain he held his butt and stood up. Looking at the trap he thought in confusion, 'Why is there a trap like that in this place? Are they trying to catch a goblin or something?' Sighing he picked up the animals one by one when--

Rustle! A sound came from the bushes and Han Min-Jun immediately tensed up! Turning around abruptly, he saw four- no five men come out! They were all tall and well built, with sharp weapons on them.

One of them who was smaller stepped up and said in an annoyed tone "Oi oi oi! How dare you break our trap!" Han Min-Jun flinched and immediately bowed his head as he apologized "I'm sorry, I was accidentally caught in the trap, so I-"

"So you broke it is that what you're saying?!" The person said angrily and just as Han Min-Jun was about to explain, the person spoke in a cold tone, "Beat him up, and take all of his resources!"

"What?" Han Min-Jun felt his heart skipped a beat, are they really gonna beat him up? Fear enveloped him and he ran away as quickly as possible but the people still chased him stubbornly. Han Min-Jun ran and ran and was about to run towards the academy when he thought of the old lady and the children, reluctantly, he ran to the opposite direction until he reached a cliff.

"Hehe looks like the rat is cornered now!" The person said and ordered the others "Finish him now!" With his order, the other four men slowly walked towards Han Min-Jun. Han Min-Jun felt despair and looked back between the men and the river down the cliff, he pondered and just as he closed his eyes and was about to jump, a hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.

'Thack!'

It felt as if it was in a slow motion. A person in a dark robe grabbed his wrist and stopped him from jumping off the cliff. The rest of the people were stunned when they saw a person suddenly jump out of nowhere and appear before them in a blink of an eye.

Han Min-Jun was stunned and faintly saw golden lights from underneath the hood, he froze and sensing that this person has no intention of harming him, he calmed down.

"Oi oi oi! And who is this fucker? Don't meddle into our business!" The person said and I scoffed. Hearing the scoff coming from me, the person became even more angry and he said "Do you have a death wish or something pal? Hm?!"

Letting go of Han Min-Jun, I turned towards them with my head lowered, then I raised my eyes as it shone gold and I said "If you still treasure your lives then scram" Veins popped out from the person's head and without hesitation, ordered "Kill the both of them! Especially that fucker!"

Holding the swords and bats in their hands, the four people rushed towards us and just as Han Min-Jun became anxious, I smirked and stared at them coldly as my eyes shone dangerously. With a 'Swish' I passed all them without moving in the eyes of everyone, but just as I reached the person I stopped and the four people also stopped, no, more like, they couldn't move because--

'Thud!'

The four people fell to the ground as their neck were slit. The person widened his eyes in horror seeing this and just as he turned around and was about to run away, I held his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "I gave you an option, and you chose the wrong decision."

The person turned his head and cold winds blew past us as my hood was blown off, then, the person saw something that truly made him regret his decision. He saw my black eyes as my pupil turned gold. Unfortunately for him, he did not get to see my entire face to curse me and just died in a blink of an eye.

'Thud'

His head fell off and Han Min-Jun couldn't bear to see it anymore and puked. I was indifferent to the situation and turned to look at Han Min-Jun. Han Min-Jun saw me look at him but was stunned as he saw my face. I was wearing a skull mask that covered half of my lower face.

Seeing him silent I was confused and asked "What?" Han Min-Jun came back to his senses and shook his head as he spoke awkwardly, "Ah, it's nothing, it's just- your mask matched your eyes which was befitting…"

Hearing his straight-forward answer, I couldn't help laughing thinking 'You really never change'

…..

Going back to the academy, Han Min-Jun prepared me some tea. Sitting opposite to each other, the atmosphere turned into silence and Han Min-Jun tried to break the awkwardness as he said "By the way…thank you, for saving me"

"It's nothing" I said as I drank the tea. I raised my eyes and saw that Han Min-Jun's eyes and fingers kept fidgeting and I sighed, I then asked "What is it?"

"Huh?" Han Min-Jun was flabbergasted and I said "You kept fidgeting, do you have something to say to me?" Han Min-Jun became silent and lowered his head, minutes passed and I thought he was not going to speak when--

"I accept!"

"What?" I was confused by the sudden remark of Han Min-Jun, he looked at me straight in the eyes as he said "Please take me in as your disciple!" Widening my eyes I was slightly surprised before I said "I see" and took a sip of my tea again.

This time it was Han Min-Jun's turn to be confused and asked hesitantly "Why don't you seem to be, too surprised?"

I feigned ignorance and said with one eyebrow raised "What do you mean?" Han Min-Jun lowered his head and explained "Well, I first declined your offer then suddenly, I accepted it, isn't it- surprising?"

"Hmmm, not much" I said and shrugged my shoulders before putting back my skull mask and stood up before covering my head with my hood. Seeing me walking towards the door Han Min-Jun asked "Where are you going?"

Stopping I said without turning, "Go talk with the old lady first, I'll be waiting at the front"

"Wait, are we leaving already?!" Han Min-Jun was dumbfounded but unfortunately I already left and he could only curse in air as he thought 'I didn't expected he would be so--'

"Can we talk now?"

Hearing a familiar voice, Han Min-Jun turned around and saw the old lady smiling at him gently. Han Min-Jun was silent before smiling and humming.

....

In the yard, both Han Min-Jun and the old lady stood next to each other, they looked up at the sky and the old lady was the first to speak as she said "What made you change your mind?" Han Min-Jun was silent before he lowered his head and spoke, "An, accident happened earlier, and that's when I realized-" Clenching his fist he said in an angry voice "-I am still weak, still powerless. That's why, I need to get stronger, so that I can protect you guys" Hearing this the old lady was silent, then--

'Bonk!'

"Ow! What was that for grandma?!" Han Min-Jun held his soar head and complained, the old lady snorted angrily and said "You're looking down at us again! You might not know this but I was a mage back then in the old days you know?"

"What? How come you never told that to me before?" Han Min-Jun asked and the old lady said "You never had the thought of exploring the world so there's no use to me in telling this to you" Han Min-Jun wanted to refute but found that he couldn't and could only sigh bitterly.

"Han Min-Jun"

Being called out, Han Min-Jun looked at the old lady and saw her smiling, she said "Ever since that incident, you never wanted to leave this mountain, you were isolated from this world" Han Min-Jun lowered his head and the old lady continued "But now, you can finally explore it in the excuse of getting stronger"

"It's not an excuse-"

"Alright alright, now, go, be free and spread your wings, Han, Min, Jun" The old lady said and Han Min-Jun couldn't help tearing up before hugging her, sniffing he said in a muffled voice "Thank you, for everything" The old lady did not speak and instead just patted his back.

….

"Bye Hyung-nim!" The children shouted in unison as they huddled and stood next to the old lady.

Han Min-Jun waved his hand before we turned and left.

"So, where are we going, master?" Hearing his last word I couldn't help stiffening and halted. Han Min-Jun also stopped and said "Master?"

Without looking at him I said in a cold yet awkward voice "Change it, don't call me master, you can just call me Zero" Without giving the chance for him to refuse I said "We are going to stay in this city for a month, I'll train you here. Then, we'll go to the city of Witchcraft" Hearing this Han Min-Jun widened his eyes before saying "I see"

As we continued to walk Han Min-Jun couldn't help getting excited as his heart thumped wildly, he's finally going to see the city, and…Clenching his fist he thought solemnly 'I can finally become stronger'

This was the start of Han Min-Jun's adventure, along with my journey of having one of my characters finally accompanying me.

Smiling secretly I thought as I lowered my eyes, 'Finally, I'm gonna be able to change Han Min-Jun's fate, and make him stronger'