Chapter 116 – Elixir of Life

‘Did I hear that right? Da-yeon isn’t breathing?’

Min Do-jun wondered if he had misheard and asked again.

But the answer was the same.

-That’s right… She’s not breathing…

Not breathing?

Does that mean she’s dead?

“Please wait. I’ll be there soon.”

After hanging up the phone, Min Do-jun’s expression was complicated.

‘What happened? Could it be that she couldn’t endure the pain…?’

That was possible.

Even Ahn Gwang-hyun, who was over level 2,400, struggled to endure the pain, so how could Hwang Da-yeon, an ordinary person, withstand it?

‘If Ahn Gwang-hyun were still alive, I could have asked him…’

Min Do-jun looked regretfully at the spot where Ahn Gwang-hyun’s body had disappeared.

‘I need to get there first.’

Min Do-jun took only the phone Ahn Gwang-hyun had left behind and burned everything else with magic.

After finishing the cleanup, he rushed down the mountain at full speed.

The scenery whizzed by several times.

He quickly arrived at the car where Hwang Ui-cheol was waiting.

“Teacher!”

“…….”

Hwang Ui-cheol didn’t respond, as if his mind was elsewhere.

He just stared blankly at one spot with a look of utter loss.

From that reaction alone, Min Do-jun could guess Hwang Da-yeon’s condition.

‘There’s really no pulse.’

He checked her nose and neck, but there was no sign of breathing or a pulse.

‘She’s dead.’

Moreover, the fact that his Weakness Detection trait didn’t show any information confirmed it.

The trait only showed information for living people.

‘She couldn’t endure the pain and died.’

Min Do-jun’s expression darkened.

He had seen countless deaths, but the death of someone he knew felt different.

It was like a part of his body had disappeared, leaving a hollow feeling.

‘How much pain did she endure?’

The thought that she died in pain weighed heavily on Min Do-jun’s heart.

Hwang Ui-cheol felt the same way.

“It’s my fault… If only I hadn’t taken on such a dangerous task…”

He was beyond grief, blaming himself.

His actions had led to his daughter’s death.

The head of the family, who should have protected them, had instead put them in danger.

“Damn it…”

After self-blame came anger.

It was anger directed at himself, no one else.

He wanted to tear himself apart.

Min Do-jun understood that feeling all too well.

In fact, he had experienced it himself, so he knew it better than anyone.

That’s why he hadn’t gone to see Cha Ye-rin yet.

‘I can’t meet her until I’ve eliminated all the threats by killing them.’

That was the reason Min Do-jun had avoided meeting Cha Ye-rin so far.

‘Wait a minute… I have that, don’t I?’

Suddenly, Min Do-jun remembered what was in his inventory.

‘The Elixir of Life.’

An S-grade consumable that could revive the dead.

However, it only worked on Awakened individuals.

‘Today is Da-yeon’s birthday. If the situation from the regression is still the same, today is the day she Awakens.’

Min Do-jun knew that Hwang Da-yeon would Awaken.

But he didn’t know at what time.

‘If she died after Awakening…’

Then the Elixir of Life might be able to bring her back.

“Teacher, what time was Da-yeon born?”

“What?”

Hwang Ui-cheol looked bewildered by the sudden question.

“There’s no time. Hurry!”

At Min Do-jun’s urgent tone, Hwang Ui-cheol answered without thinking.

“Around 3 a.m. I’m not sure exactly…”

‘That’s vague.’

When Min Do-jun went to deal with Ahn Gwang-hyun, it was 2:50 a.m.

At that time, Hwang Da-yeon hadn’t Awakened yet.

‘The key is whether she died before or after Awakening.’

If she died before 3 a.m., she died as an ordinary person, and the elixir wouldn’t work.

‘Anyway, I’ll know once I try it.’

Min Do-jun took out a flask containing a liquid from his inventory.

“Do-jun, what is that?”

“Teacher. Don’t be surprised if Da-yeon comes back to life.”

“W-what are you talking about? Da-yeon coming back to life?”

“This item will bring her back.”

Holding the elixir, Min Do-jun recited the command.

‘Use.’

[Bring it to the target’s mouth.]

When he brought it to Hwang Da-yeon’s lips, a reaction occurred.

The flask disappeared, and the liquid flowed into her mouth.

‘It worked!’

If she had been an ordinary person, the item would have been rejected…

‘This means the elixir took effect.’

Sure enough.

“Gasp!”

Hwang Da-yeon, who had been unresponsive as if dead, exhaled and opened her eyes.

At the sight, Hwang Ui-cheol’s eyes widened in shock.

“Da-yeon!”

His daughter, who he thought was undoubtedly dead, had miraculously come back to life.

He was overjoyed but couldn’t believe what was happening.

“D-dad?”

Hwang Da-yeon couldn’t believe it either.

She knew her own condition well.

She had closed her eyes in pain, thinking she would never see her father again.

That’s why the complete disappearance of the pain and the feeling of being reborn didn’t feel real.

The two looked at each other, tears welling up in their eyes.

“Da-yeon! My daughter!”

Hwang Ui-cheol hugged her tightly.

“Dad, it hurts.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Be careful, Teacher. Da-yeon’s stamina is probably only at 10%.”

“Huh? 10%?”

“The item I just used revives Awakened individuals with only 10% of their stamina.”

“W-wait. Awakened?”

To clarify, Min Do-jun explained the conditions of the elixir.

“My daughter Awakened?”

Hwang Ui-cheol looked at her, and Hwang Da-yeon nodded in confirmation.

“The golden effect means she Awakened, right? So she did, Dad.”

“…….”

He had hoped his daughter wouldn’t walk the path of a Hunter, but she had Awakened.

But wasn’t it because of that she came back to life?

‘It doesn’t matter.’

Hwang Ui-cheol was so happy his daughter had returned that he felt like jumping for joy.

He could think about her future later, once things settled down.

“Do-jun, thank you. For saving my daughter.”

“No, Teacher. You saved me too.”

“What is that item? I’ve never heard of an item that can bring the dead back to life.”

“It’s called the Elixir of Life. I only just learned about it myself. This is the first time I’ve used it.”

Min Do-jun, who knew the recipe, played dumb.

Explaining it would take too long.

“It looks like a rare item. How did you get it?”

“Well…”

“No, don’t tell me. It doesn’t matter where you got it. What matters is that you used it to save my daughter.”

Hwang Ui-cheol grabbed Min Do-jun’s hand.

“Using such a precious item to save my daughter… Thank you. I’ll never forget this favor.”

“Haha… It’s nothing.”

Min Do-jun felt awkward being thanked so profusely for something he felt was only returning a favor.

If Hwang Ui-cheol hadn’t saved him, he wouldn’t even exist.

Listening to their conversation, Hwang Da-yeon finally grasped the situation.

“I was really dead? And you brought me back, Do-jun…?”

Min Do-jun silently nodded.

At that, tears began to flow from Hwang Da-yeon’s eyes again.

She had felt death approaching as she writhed in pain.

That’s why she had given up and closed her eyes.

But now, she was seeing her father again.

It wasn’t just Min Do-jun who had been saved.

“Thank you… I’ll remember this favor for the rest of my life.”

A life-saving favor?

That wasn’t enough to describe it.

He hadn’t just saved her from the brink of death—he had brought her back from the dead.

“Do-jun, that Elixir of Life… It seems like a consumable. What will you do now that it’s gone?”

“It’s fine. It could only be used on others, and it was bound to me, so I couldn’t sell it anyway.”

Even though the Elixir of Life was gone, it was originally intended for Hwang Ui-cheol.

Using it wasn’t a waste.

In fact, seeing Hwang Ui-cheol so happy made him feel proud.

‘I can always make another one later.’

He already had one of the ingredients, the Water of Vitality, so all he needed was the Tree Sap of Life to make another.

“Anyway, thank you, Do-jun.”

“Thank you, sob…”

The father and daughter kept thanking him, tears streaming down their faces.

‘Both of them are so emotional…’

Min Do-jun shook his head slightly.

He knew Da-yeon was emotional, but he hadn’t expected Hwang Ui-cheol to be the same.

The always stern Hwang Ui-cheol was showing a new side.

“By the way, what happened to that bastard Ahn Gwang-hyun?”

Min Do-jun spoke calmly.

“He’s dead.”

“Did you kill him?”

“…….”

Seeing Min Do-jun hesitate, Hwang Ui-cheol waved his hand as if to say it was okay.

“Don’t worry about me reporting you for murder. I’m no Gandhi. I would’ve killed that bastard myself if you hadn’t. So be honest.”

“Yes, I killed him.”

“Good job. That bastard deserved to die.”

He wasn’t condoning murder, but he had no sympathy for someone who had essentially killed his daughter.

“Da-yeon, don’t worry anymore. Do-jun took care of everything.”

“Really…?”

She still seemed scared, her shoulders trembling slightly.

After being kidnapped and enduring unknown pain, it was understandable.

“I took care of them. You don’t have to worry about them anymore.”

Strictly speaking, he had only dealt with the leader of the Black Sea Guild and a few subordinates, but the threat was gone.

The Black Sea Guild couldn’t function without its leader.

‘At least they won’t bother Da-yeon anymore. Ah!’

Suddenly remembering something, Min Do-jun opened his inventory.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t given this back yet.”

He carefully pulled out the legendary sword.

“Here’s the sword I borrowed.”

Hwang Ui-cheol took the sword and fell deep into thought.

Seeing him not put it in his inventory, Min Do-jun looked puzzled.

“Teacher?”

“I’ve been thinking…”

Hwang Ui-cheol suddenly spoke with a serious expression.

“What if you used this instead?”