Chapter 10
I have a deep connection with my eldest uncle.
In the first round, I got caught up and died while trying to save a patient. That patient happened to be my eldest uncle, Heuk Biwon.
“How many decades has it been since we last met, at least from my perspective?”
No one could treat him.
His illness didn’t just harm others—it killed him too. He was a tragic person.
“He died early in the second round too, and in the third round, I was so focused on growing stronger that I just wanted to return home.”
Because I knew now that was wrong—
I came back to face what I had turned away from.
“Can we go in?”
The place where my uncle was confined was referred to as a gwang (a kind of isolation), but in simple terms, it was a large warehouse.
“Yeah, I think it’s okay now.”
One side of the warehouse door was wide open, and a red string lay on the ground.
Heuk Gyewon (my cousin) said that was a sign it was safe.
“Looks like he’s come to his senses.”
“Ha, thank goodness.”
That meant I’d get to see my uncle in his normal state.
Great. If he’d still been out of control, we’d have had to wait again.
“If only Uncle had woken up, it might’ve been manageable even if he was still in a frenzy.”
Can’t be helped.
Skilled physicians and apothecaries always traveled with martial artists.
Given how war dominated this continent and so many profited from it, they often encountered dangerous patients.
“Father probably went to the garden.”
“…The garden?”
Can you even call that a garden?
The place Heuk Gyewon pointed to had deep holes all over the ground and not a single healthy tree in sight.
“Those are marks from when his mania was at its worst.”
Soon after, we spotted a man in the garden.
His long, wavy hair swung loosely around his waist.
He wore a black robe so carelessly it barely clung to him.
Even from the side, his face was stunningly handsome.
Perhaps sensing our gaze, my uncle slowly turned his head.
A lazy impression, like a carefree aristocrat. Crimson eyes.
A chill crept up my spine.
“Something… feels off.”
It was a sense honed from years of treating patients.
“Damn it, his eyes have no focus!”
Every nerve in my body was screaming at me.
“O-Oppa…?”
“T-This… This can’t be…”
When I turned my head, I saw my cousin sweating bullets.
His pupils were dilated. His eyelids trembled.
…Panic attack?
I grasped the situation in an instant.
For some reason, his mania wasn’t over yet!
And just then, my uncle’s unfocused eyes locked onto us like a lie made real.
“Move!”
Thud!
The next moment, I was on the ground. My shoulder hurt badly.
“Please don’t be dislocated…”
When I looked up, the spot we’d just been standing in had been crushed.
“Crazy!”
Stay still and we’d be dead!
My uncle, who had just punched the ground, shook off his hand.
Then he met my eyes and tilted his head with a sinister grin.
A familiar scene.
“…Damn it, you… move, hurry…!”
That’s how it looked when I died in the first round.
“Heuk Biyu!”
Heuk Gyewon scooped me up. Thankfully, he retreated quickly with agile steps.
“Can’t you attack with water or something?!”
“I can’t!”
What? I’m a healer, you dummy!
If I had combat powers, I’d have beaten up the Crown Prince in the third round!
“What do we do?! What should we do?!”
Heuk Gyewon seemed to be in a panic too.
Still, they said he inherited his father’s talent.
Boom!
Even while evading, his escape skills were no joke.
Eventually, we reached a dead end. My cousin put me down and stood beside me.
Sparks crackled from his fingertips.
“…I’m not confident in lightning strikes.”
His voice trembled.
“Get a grip, Oppa!”
“Huff, huff… It’s weird. This madness—it should’ve ended already. He even opened the door himself!”
“Got it, so dodge! Just focus on dodging!”
To make smoke like I did with Heuk Daewi, I needed ingredients.
“Oppa! How many minutes can you keep dodging?!”
“You mean how many seconds…”
“So how many seconds!”
“Ugh, 30 seconds!”
Not enough! I opened the lid of the canteen I had strapped to me.
Just as my uncle rushed in at frightening speed, I plunged my fingers into the water.
Swoooosh!
Water surged like a wave, engulfing my uncle.
“You…!”
It’s usually used for diagnostics, but if done like this, it could immobilize him temporarily.
“Oppa, I can’t hold him for long!”
Maybe he had calmed down a bit—Heuk Gyewon slashed the air as if drawing a cross.
Boom! Crackle!
Lightning surged from the boy’s hand and struck our uncle.
“Damn, he’s Pikachu.”
Nice job, Oppa! You hit your own father without hesitation!
“But why is he fine?!”
“Of course he is—he’s a lightning-user too!”
You should’ve told me earlier, you idiot!
“Let’s run!”
“No, he’ll catch us in no time.”
My uncle in a frenzy looked truly insane.
Seeing the beast-like glint in his soaked eyes made my spine go cold.
“We can’t hold him off long.”
Thankfully, we’d created some distance, but who knew how long it would last.
I chewed frantically on herbs I pulled from my pouch.
“Damn, if I just had more water! Or more refined powers!”
Whether it’s medicine or poison, precise mixing is key. My young body and age were inconvenient here.
Finally, my uncle broke free from the water and blocked our path. Heuk Gyewon drew his sword for the first time.
“I don’t have confidence. I’ve never lasted more than three moves against Father…”
“Still, believe in yourself! You gotta survive! Trust me!”
He smiled faintly.
“…You’re the only one besides Father who’s said that to me.”
Damn it, don’t go raising death flags!
“Would Bbaekbu want this? If you die, who’s going to feed Biyu?!”
That last part was, obviously, a joke.
I could feel the tension easing in Heuk Gyewon’s body. Lightning gathered at the tip of his sword.
“Yeah, okay. Thanks. Thanks to you buying me time, I’ve gathered the charge.”
Wait, that needed charging time? I nodded.
I had enough time now too.
“…Guess we have no choice.”
It’s not his fault he’s attacking his son.
“…Father’s going to come at us with everything.”
They said when seized by his mania, he became a pure hunting machine.
The most dangerous kind of mania—one driven purely by the instinct to kill.
“Haaaah!”
Clang!
Heuk Gyewon charged in and clashed with Uncle.
Whoa, he’s better than I expected?
“No, maybe Uncle’s holding back?”
But that face-off didn’t last long—when lightning formed in Uncle’s hand, Heuk Gyewon was blasted away.
“Ugh…!”
I didn’t even have time to call for my brother. Before I could throw whatever I had in hand, Uncle was already in front of me.
Damn it, he’s fast…!
Come on, Uncle. I’m a kid! And a healer! Healers get protected even on battlefields!
“Damn it, Father!!”
I shut my eyes as his fist flew toward me.
Damn. Who’d have thought the 4th round would end with me dying at age three?
Come on, I just started! I only just managed to help Uncle a little!
“…Shouldn’t you dodge when a punch is flying at you?”
A familiar voice.
At the same time, I felt my body float.
…Wait, I’m not dead?
I saw Uncle’s fist being blocked, his arm trembling. A stream of water had wrapped around his hand.
“Water?”
“Damn, not a good matchup either.”
When I looked up, I saw a cold, noble-looking face.
“What the hell is this mess the moment I wake up?”
It was my other uncle—Heuk Birang.
