SFRW-Chapter 83

Ch. 83 Sword God From The Ruined World  

“Breaking news! Yesterday at approximately 7:20 PM local time, an unknown powerful energy surge occurred near the gate in Orléans, France, causing an explosion at the gate’s entrance. While some monsters that had been contained inside the gate escaped due to this incident, the quick response from the French Hero Association successfully hunted all monsters without any casualties. This marks the first time a gate explosion incident has occurred…”  

The news was shocking enough to disrupt a peaceful day.  

“A gate explosion…”  

Seo Do-jun couldn’t take his eyes off the footage of France being shown on TV.  

The area around the gate entrance was in ruins, as if hit by a bomb.  

Wondering if Vaitel might be involved, Seo Do-jun scrutinized the screen more closely, but fortunately, there were no signs of any external artificial attack on the gate entrance.  

“Seo Do-jun.”  

Hyun Joo-yeon entered as the door opened.  

“The gate in France… Oh, you’re already watching.”  

Noticing the breaking news on TV, Hyun Joo-yeon sat down beside Seo Do-jun.  

“What in the world happened?”  

“I don’t know.”  

It was difficult to determine the cause of the gate explosion just from the TV footage.  

Since he couldn’t go to France to check personally, Seo Do-jun planned to ask Chairman Na Tae-hwang for details later.  

“Until now, gates have never caused direct accidents… With something like this happening for unknown reasons, things will be chaotic for a while.”  

Gates are bombs created by human greed.  

That’s what Seo Do-jun believed.  

The World Hero Association and various governments had worked hard to paint gates as stable monster farms where magic stones and monster byproducts could be safely obtained.  

They reassured people that gates, unlike rift zones, didn’t experience breaks or monster waves, making them artificially controllable spaces.  

Of course, many argued for gate closures, unconvinced by these claims. But since no gate accidents had ever occurred after converting rift zones into gates, the gates remained operational and continued to increase in number.  

However, the incident in France inevitably made people anxious.  

‘They’ll probably try to downplay it.’  

The Hero Association and government would likely brush it off as nothing serious.  

There was no way they’d close gates just because one entrance exploded.  

‘They might even frame it as terrorism by anti-Gate groups.’  

Seo Do-jun’s prediction was correct.  

Within a day of the incident, the French government and World Hero Association officially announced it as a bomb attack by armed groups advocating gate closures.  

As always, some believed the announcement outright while others raised conspiracy theories, creating a polarized debate. Regardless, the France gate explosion was concluded as a terrorist act.  

Though labeled a terrorist incident, fierce debates about gate safety continued daily.  

Since nearly every country worldwide operated gates, this wasn’t seen as just France’s problem.  

South Korea was no exception.  

From TV to radio to newspapers, so-called experts busily voiced their opinions.  

However, after the France incident, Gates continued operating as safely as before. As public interest waned, the vocal critics gradually quieted down.  

After days passed, people returned to their normal lives as if nothing had happened.  

* * *  

“…There’s no way to explain this except as a miracle.”  

The doctor’s face was more serious than ever.  

An elderly woman with a completely curved spine had been restored to health—something modern medicine couldn’t explain.  

“Are you absolutely certain she’s fully recovered?”  

Though he already knew the answer, Seo Do-jun asked to confirm for his grandmother’s sake. The doctor nodded gravely.  

All test results clearly proved it.  

“Your grandmother’s spine lacks only some muscle mass now.”  

And even that wasn’t insufficient for her age.  

Her back was now healthier than most young people’s.  

For a doctor who had studied for decades and specialized in spinal medicine, this was unprecedented.  

“Though it’s embarrassing for me to ask this as a doctor… How on earth did you do it?”  

Seeing the doctor swallow his pride to ask about the treatment method, Seo Do-jun and his grandmother simply smiled.  

Watching his grandmother walk upright out of the hospital, Seo Do-jun felt refreshed, as if he’d finally completed a long-overdue task.  

Of course, fixing her spine didn’t mean her health was fully restored.  

The spine is the pillar supporting the human body. When it loses balance and collapses, everything from the neck to the pelvis and knees inevitably suffers damage.  

Tests had indeed shown issues with her neck and knees.  

But compared to her previously critical spinal condition, these were manageable, and Seo Do-jun planned to address them gradually.  

“You heard the doctor, right? You need to exercise now.”  

“Yes, yes. If my smart grandson says so, I’ll do it.”  

Her spine had been deemed untreatable by South Korea’s top doctors.  

Now that it was perfectly healed, his grandmother was determined to follow every instruction Seo Do-jun gave.  

Seeing her tightly grip his hand with complete trust, Seo Do-jun felt relieved.  

“Want to go to the department store?”  

“Department store?”  

“Since the house will be completed next month, we can shop for furniture and other things for your room.”  

“No need. At my age… What I have is already more than enough. Don’t waste money.”  

Though his grandmother firmly declined, Seo Do-jun wasn’t one to give up.  

He eventually ushered her into the department store.  

From antique-style furniture suitable for his grandmother to beds, Seo Do-jun spared no expense, purchasing only the highest-quality items.  

“Do you have a massage chair? Elderly people love them, and we just got the latest model…”  

“How about an air purifier? It’s our newest release—older adults often have respiratory issues…”  

With Seo Do-jun freely opening his wallet, store employees eagerly promoted their products.  

While he didn’t buy unnecessary items, the list of things for his grandmother’s room kept growing.  

“Anything else you need?”  

His grandmother waved her hands dismissively.  

“That’s enough.”  

Noticing her fatigue from the sudden shopping trip despite her improved health, Seo Do-jun took her to an upscale South Korean restaurant nearby to eat.  

“Come to think of it… This is the first time just the two of us have eaten out together.”  

Seo Do-jun brought it up as they enjoyed their meal.  

Neither the current Seo Do-jun nor the original Seo Do-jun had ever dined alone with his grandmother, both being too busy and struggling with life.  

“I’m sorry. I haven’t been able to do anything for you.”  

That wasn’t why he’d mentioned it, making Seo Do-jun frown unconsciously.  

“I should be the one apologizing. I’ll make time for more moments like this.”  

His words seemed to touch his grandmother, as tears welled in her wrinkled eyes.  

The comfort of family—just sharing a meal brought peace.  

Seo Do-jun regretted not realizing this in his ruined world.  

Upon returning home, Eun-young tearfully complained about being left out of the shopping and dining.  

Relenting, Seo Do-jun offered to take her shopping and for a meal, but—  

“Amusement park! I want to go to the amusement park!”  

He ended up promising to fulfill her wish to visit the ultimate children’s paradise—the greatest earthly amusement park.  

* * *  

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to come?”  

At Hyun Joo-yeon’s question, Seo Do-jun shrugged as if to say, “What can I do?”  

Honestly, even he didn’t fully understand.  

Initially, Eun-young had insisted on going to the amusement park with just him.  

Their grandmother had no interest and refused outright, and Eun-young, still childish about being excluded from the shopping trip, wanted no one else intruding.  

But suddenly last evening—  

“Brother, can sister come too?”  

“Sister? Hyun Joo-yeon?”  

“Yes!”  

“Well… Will she have time?”  

Lately, Hyun Joo-yeon has been deeply immersed in magic training.  

Though results took time, she could clearly feel her body changing and devoted nearly all her time to training unless absolutely necessary.  

“Then I’ll call her!”  

Eun-young promptly called Hyun Joo-yeon, resulting in—  

Hyun Joo-yeon standing before Seo Do-jun in a pink shirt and white shorts, her natural makeup highlighting her delicate beauty.  

With her model-like height and fair skin already striking, the pink shirt and white shorts accentuated her charm even more.  

“Sister, you’re so pretty!”  

Eun-young was more captivated than Seo Do-jun, exclaiming in admiration.  

“Eun-young is the one who’s absolutely adorable and pretty!”  

As Hyun Joo-yeon said, Eun-young was indeed exceptionally cute and lovely.  

With Seo Do-jun joining in—  

“Isn’t that Seo Do-jun and Hyun Joo-yeon?”  

“That little girl must be Seo Do-jun’s sister.”  

“Wow… Their visuals are insane…”  

“Any celebrity would look like a squid next to them.”  

“Seeing them like this, they really suit each other, don’t they?”  

“Rumors say they’re dating—must be true.”  

“Seeing how much the sister resembles Seo Do-jun, their mother must’ve been gorgeous.”  

Their striking looks drew attention wherever they went.  

Seo Do-jun and Hyun Joo-yeon ignored the whispers, while Eun-young, nervous and excited about her first amusement park visit, focused solely on the experience.  

Upon arrival, Eun-young’s eyes sparkled with excitement.  

“Woah—!”  

From the colorful architecture stimulating childlike wonder to staff in vibrant costumes and character masks welcoming visitors—everything was a new world to her.  

“Brother! Let’s ride the carousel! Sister! Come with us!”  

Starting with the spinning carousel accompanied by beautiful melodies, Eun-young began her amusement park adventure in earnest.  

Meanwhile, visitors forgot their purpose, busily following Seo Do-jun’s group to take photos.  

As the saying goes, when doing something enjoyable, people don’t feel tired. Despite running around the vast park since morning, Eun-young’s small body overflowed with energy.  

Ironically, it was Seo Do-jun who grew weary over time.  

“Eun-young, aren’t you hungry? Want a hamburger?”  

He tried to take a break with her favorite food, but to no avail.  

“I’m really not hungry! Brother, that one! I want to ride that too!”  

Spotting a children’s Viking ride, Eun-young tugged at his sleeve.  

“Alright, let’s go.”  

Shaking his head, Seo Do-jun let himself be dragged around until they finally settled down for lunch well past noon.  

Though she’d claimed not to be hungry, Eun-young devoured a hamburger in the blink of an eye.  

“Eat slowly. You’ll get indigestion.”  

Hyun Joo-yeon gently wiped sauce from Eun-young’s mouth and helped her drink.  

“Hehe.”  

Watching Eun-young smile unreservedly at Hyun Joo-yeon’s care, Seo Do-jun noticed how close the two had become.  

‘Eun-young has brightened up a lot thanks to her.’  

Though always kind and pure, Eun-young hadn’t been as assertive or cheerful as she was now.  

That had always bothered Seo Do-jun.  

But as time spent with Hyun Joo-yeon increased, Eun-young’s personality grew noticeably more vibrant.  

While attending school and making friends contributed, Hyun Joo-yeon’s nurturing played an undeniable role.  

“Brother, today Sister and I went to the kids’ cafe…”  

“Sister made spaghetti today—it was so good! Ask her to make it when you get home!”  

“Sister and grandma to a really pretty cafe together!”  

“Today Sister…”  

Whether in the U.S. or Canada, Hyun Joo-yeon had always been the one closest to Eun-young and their grandmother, caring for them diligently.  

“Why are you staring so intently?”  

Hyun Joo-yeon asked when she noticed Seo Do-jun’s gaze.  

‘Did I get hamburger sauce on my face? How embarrassing…’  

Thinking she might have food on her face, Hyun Joo-yeon quickly wiped her mouth.  

Relieved to find nothing, she sighed—until:  

“Thank you.”  

“Huh?”  

“For taking care of Eun-young and grandma. Thank you.”  

“That’s only natural.”  

Hyun Joo-yeon smiled faintly, as if wondering why he’d thank her for something so obvious.  

“I’ll rely on you going forward too.”  

“…Going forward?”  

What did that mean?  

Hyun Joo-yeon’s heart began pounding.