The three people who had jumped into the sea emerged from the water in less than 10 minutes. It seemed they returned too quickly, possibly having failed, but they were earnestly carrying food with them.
Hahyuk and Taeju had skewered fish on their swords, and Haru had caught an octopus that seemed to weigh about 10kg. Watching Haru, who had the octopus draped over his body, everyone couldn't help but let out an incredulous laugh, but Taeju was simply happy, mentioning that octopus is delicious when sliced into sashimi.
Sihyun moved to the corner of the platform with the guild leaders to start cooking as previously discussed.
Copying Jihye's skill to light a fire, he cooked the fish and kept splashing water whenever Taeju called out, feeling like a human cooking appliance.
He couldn't shake off the feeling that this was why he had engraved the Copy class, and as he despondently splashed water, Taeju asked if he could create a slightly bigger platform than a palm size to hold the prepared fish, citing the lack of space as the reason.
"...You really know how to make use of everything."
"It's normal to skip out on things you can at times like this. So, is it difficult?"
"I'll make it for you."
He laughed at Sihyun's sigh-filled response. Even though he acted annoyingly, he wasn't conscienceless enough to get angry at someone who worked hard at sea for everyone. Unlike other times, Sihyun also created a protective plate and handed it to Taeju.
The fish was smoothly cooked and prepared, served in front of the group. Although it was a bit cumbersome to eat since the skewers weren't suitable, and they ended up using swords, it wasn't inedible. Those who grabbed the head and tail of the fish bit into it and then had to open their mouths from the heat.
"Eat before you talk."
Jinhyuk, who had recklessly stuffed the grilled fish into his mouth, mumbled, and Sihyun scolded him. The hasty actions of Inhyuk and Hamin were no different from Jinhyuk's. Even the usually reliable Yeonju hesitated from the heat, shaking her head. Having learned from others' pain, Sihyun blew on the steaming fish several times before taking a small bite.
The tender and savory flesh filled his mouth. He was worried it might be bland, but whether it was because he was hungry or the situation, it was quite satisfactory.
After filling their stomachs in this unfamiliar way, people gathered around the fire Sihyun had made, drying their wet clothes. It felt as though they had come camping.
"It's definitely warm in front of the fire."
"Mr. Jinhyuk seems not just warm but hot. You're sweating, are you alright?"
"I wondered why it felt so hot."
At Yeonju's concerned words, Jinhyuk stepped back slightly and wiped his forehead with his sleeve, making everyone laugh. Perhaps because their stomachs were full, their faces looked brighter as they talked, regaining their depleted energy. Taeju opened his mouth as if this was what vacations were for, but received sharp glances from the members of the Muam guild.
As they chatted away, people realized that the platform was safe and cozy, gradually lying down one by one. Although they all managed to keep up bright faces, the accumulated fatigue made it hard to overcome sleepiness.
The wind was cold, but since the fire Sihyun had made was still burning and their clothes had dried, it wasn't as cold as before. Hahyuk and Taeju offered to keep watch so the rest could rest, allowing Sihyun to lie down comfortably and close his eyes. Falling asleep on the platform wasn't as hard as he thought, thanks to his experience in the Shadow World.
***
Helicopter sounds woke him up.
The annoying noises of propellers turning and engines running made Sihyun furrow his brows as he woke up and squinted at the sunlight. Two helicopters were busily circling in the blue sky.
"I was going to wake you, but you're already up."
Hahyuk, having tidied his wind-blown hair, turned to Sihyun and smiled.
"That's...."
"The helicopters are from the association. It's about time to head back."
At those words, Sihyun slowly got up. Realizing everyone else was already awake made him briefly embarrassed.
After shaking his now fully dry clothes a few times, the helicopter landed close to the protective platform. Splitting into groups of five, they boarded the helicopters amiably divided between Redem and Muam. As the engine sped up and the helicopter vibrated lightly, Sihyun looked down at the protective platform they had been on.
Below the translucent protective shield, the blue sea was visible. Unlike when Titan appeared, the sea now was calm, revealing a sense of tranquility and peace. Taking in a deep breath, the distinct salty scent of the sea filled his lungs. Sihyun closed the door of the helicopter, capturing the view of the sea for one last time.
The helicopter door creaked a few times, seemingly stiff, perhaps due to lack of oiling, before finally shutting. Sihyun worried briefly about what would happen if it fell off, but Hahyuk reassured him and the kids that it wouldn't fall. It was unclear if Hahyuk had newly awakened the ability to read minds.
The helicopter seemed quite old.
The thought that it might actually crash was worrying enough that Sihyun lowered his voice.
"The helicopter provided by the association seems a bit old."
He wanted to complain about the association's support but restrained his temper and spoke up, to which Hahyuk, sitting with his legs crossed, chuckled lowly.
"It can't be helped since most of the helicopters were dispatched."
"They were all used?"
"While we were dealing with Titan, two large-scale rifts opened up. They were used for civilian evacuation."
"Isn't that dangerous?"
Sihyun inquired about the magnitude of the rifts.
A single large-scale rift was a threat enough to devastate a city if not cleared in time. Clearing them required a significant number of Awakened Individuals and, once opened, could unleash monster waves for up to a month.
Hearing that not one, but two rifts had appeared, Sihyun asked if it was an urgent situation, to which Hahyuk shrugged nonchalantly, resting his hands on his knees.
"There are still many Awakened Individuals in both Redem and Muam, and it's not like those are the only guilds in Korea. Probably the freelancers will handle it."
Mentioning the guild led by S-grade Awakener 'Woo Chang-sik', which solidified its position as the third-ranking guild in the country, Hahyuk seemed utterly calm. Sihyun was surprised, given that Redem usually responds first to large-scale rifts, but when he read Sihyun's expression, Hahyuk let out a lazy hum.
"We've just finished dealing with Titan, and you're still full of energy. Want to go to a large-scale rift? I won't stop you if that's what you want..."
"Maybe it's because I'm tired, but I keep feeling sleepy. I didn't sleep well earlier; can I sleep more?"
Sihyun made no effort to hide his desire to change the subject, which made Hahyuk laugh without replying. Sihyun wisely chose to stay quiet before Hahyuk could actually consider throwing him into a large-scale rift.
"Why ask for trouble?"
Seizing the opportunity, Hamin chimed in thoughtlessly. Sihyun pressed on Hamin's thigh, signaling him to quiet down.
Contrary to the expectation that it would take at least three months, they returned to land just about three days after setting out to sea. The helicopter, which they thought would drop them at the port, directly headed to the Muam guild, much to Sihyun's relief who had worried about crashing when they first boarded.
Having dozed off again during the flight, Sihyun, nudged awake by Haru, moved groggily.
It was past lunchtime and nearing evening, with the sun tilting westward. Having done nothing all day, Sihyun watched the sunset before heading into the Muam building.
He expected a crowd of reporters like after the Karis battle, but there was no one in front of the Muam guild. Taeju cleared up the confusion by mentioning the association had blocked the reporters, allowing Haru to rest properly.
"If they had done that during the Karis battle..."
"That time, a nearby journalist broke the news first. Since the Titan battle took place in the vast sea, unless we report it, the association wouldn't know the outcome, so there's no leak of information."
"Ah..."
That explained the situation with the reporters. Even in these times, it was a relief that journalism hadn't died, though it wasn't functioning properly, with journalists risking lives for sensational news.
While there must be genuine journalists, Sihyun pondered how many they could be, chewing over Taeju's words before realizing something odd.
"But why only Haru?"
"Tomorrow, it's your turn."
"The reporters?"
"Yes."
"Just the two of you?"
"Did only Haru and I defeat the Titan? Obviously, all of you here have to attend the press conference."
At that statement, eight members, excluding the two guild leaders, grimaced together. Knowing how tiresome the scene with flashing cameras and a barrage of questions would be, Sihyun let out a groan.
Couldn't just the two of them handle it, he thought, but it seemed irresponsible to avoid it.
"I guess we can't skip it, can we?"
"No. Get used to it now. Sihyun, you're going to have a lot of these in the future."
"Right."
Acknowledging that it was best to become accustomed to such situations, considering his plans to solidify his position domestically, Sihyun reluctantly nodded. He stopped in front of the accommodation that came into view.
"You must be tired; just go in and rest for today. Meals can be requested from the staff, and anything lost at sea can be replaced when we go back in a week."
"In a week we go back?"
"Of course, now that Titan has been dealt with, why stay here any longer? I wouldn't mind, but still."
Taeju chuckled at his own comment, capturing a moment of Hahyuk looking at him with slight disdain. Having known Taeju for a little over a month, Sihyun's opinion that he was a bit eccentric hadn't changed.
"Go ahead and rest now."
Ignoring Taeju's nonsensical comments, Hahyuk glanced at his guild members then gently nudged Sihyun's back. Sihyun nodded at Hahyuk's gesture of 'good job', glanced at the guild leaders a couple of times, and then moved forward. The Redem guild members were also with him.
"...It's over."
Yeonju, still appearing dazed until told there was no additional vacation, looked around the familiar yet strange surroundings of their lodging and remarked.
Only upon returning to the guild did the conclusion of the Titan battle start to feel real. Agreeing with Yeonju, Sihyun, who looked around like a chick discovering its surroundings, let out a small laugh.
It felt like a long journey had been made.
"Good work, everyone."
"Ah, you too, Sihyun."
"And Hamin, and everyone else. If you need anything, just let me know, and I'll help."
Even though they had said it was okay to speak casually as they became closer, Yeonju persisted with her formal language. Sihyun thanked her for her consideration and briefly glanced at her newly shortened hair.
"Aren't you sad about it?"
"Ah, this?"
"Yes."
"Well, it was getting uncomfortable, so I was planning to cut it anyway. It's refreshingly short, and I like it."
Relieved that she was okay with it since he had been considering whether regeneration skills could restore hair, Sihyun nodded for the last time and parted ways with the Muam guild members. He then returned to the lodging he had been assigned with the kids.
As they entered, the scene hadn't changed from three days ago.
It wasn't a long time.
Yet, the mere three days felt like they had been on an extensive journey.
Reflecting on their battle against Titan, Sihyun turned to see if the boys shared his thoughts. The three young boys, as if having a silent conversation, looked back at him with expressions full of unspoken words.
"It's finished."
"Yeah."
"So now..."
"Let's rest."
As if they had synchronously decided on their next step, the boys chuckled and dashed towards the beds.
Without any luggage to unpack, Sihyun headed straight for the bed and flopped down onto the soft blanket, gazing at the ceiling. His entire body felt languid.
"Feels like 3 days were more like 3 weeks."
Hamin was the first to break the silence, starting a conversation about the Titan battle. Following his lead, the rest of the boys shared their feelings about their rare trip to the sea, making Sihyun smile. The peaceful time they had earned after over a month of hardships since leaving Redem felt particularly satisfying.
It was enough to forget about Adam, Eve, and even Gula.
However, as always in Sihyun's life, the peaceful moments were fleeting.
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