It had been roughly ten years since Sihyun found himself trapped in a martial arts game. He knew that once he completed the final quest, he would finally return to reality. Yet, the thought of that reward no longer brought him joy. However, the system, in its cruel way, gave him no time to say a proper goodbye to the precious child he had grown to cherish. Without mercy, it forcibly sent Sihyun back to reality.

Sihyun reassured himself that the child would be fine without him, and so he returned to the real world. But something felt off—everything had strangely changed during his absence. Sihyun found himself in utter confusion.

“No way… Has it been three years? And what is this? A gate?”

After enduring the hardships in the game world for ten years and leaving Taewoon behind, how could the world have ended up like this? But that wasn’t the worst of it.

“Master, I’ve missed you.”

His disciple, a character who should have existed only in the game, stood before him, as real as ever. And not just a little different, but vastly changed.

***

Without hesitation, Sihyun ran toward Taewoon, pulling him into a tight embrace. His lips trembled as he bit down hard to keep himself steady. Taewoon, in turn, lifted the hands that had been hanging loosely at his sides, wrapped his strong arms around Sihyun, and buried his face in his master’s neck.

Finally, he had him back.

“Taewoon! Is it really you? How is this even possible?!”

“Master, I don’t know either. When I came to my senses, I was all alone….”

Sihyun’s eyes, now red and puffy, filled with shadowed sorrow as he gently wiped his tear-streaked face. How long had Taewoon been by himself?

“Master… I missed you so much…. Why did you leave me? If I did something wrong, please forgive me. Please… don’t abandon me.”

The soft, hoarse voice struck Sihyun’s heart with an unbearable clarity, cutting into him like a sharp blade. His heart ached, a deep, searing pain that he could hardly bear. He couldn’t bring himself to meet Taewoon’s gaze and hung his head low.

Taewoon’s expression barely changed, but his eyes brimmed with dark, unidentifiable emotions and agony. Slowly, tears began to roll down his cheeks, one after the other.

“No, don’t cry, Taewoon. I— I didn’t leave you because I wanted to! Haa… I’m so sorry. I truly am.”

“…Then, you won’t leave me again, will you?”

“Of course not!”

Guilt surged through Sihyun like a tidal wave, each wave piling on top of the last. He vowed then and there, tightening his fist, that he would protect Taewoon to the very end.

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