Reversing Life With Item Copy
Chapter 199. A Family

Chapter 199. A Family

Despite having decided to leave, immediate departure wasn’t an option. Every trip required preparation, especially one into an unfamiliar dimension.

“It doesn’t seem like there’d be any major issues. Let me start by explaining the climate...” Alcyone said.

Kim Do-Joon had asked him to gather preliminary information about the next world. The priorities were clear: was the environment suitable for humans, and would the culture there be harmful, particularly for children’s education?

Alcyone provided a wealth of details. However, when asked about Lords of that world, Alcyone could only give vague answers.

Alcyone added that finding Ushas was easy because he was on Earth. However, tracking someone was nearly impossible if their existence was uncertain.

Kim Do-Joon sighed, his thoughts racing.

It’s going to take a while.

It seemed that he’d inevitably have to resolve it himself. Still, he wasn’t concerned because returning mid-journey was always an option if necessary.

Kim Do-Joon also wasn’t idly sitting around while Alcyone was on preliminary reconnaissance missions. He was taking care of the remaining Roots on Earth.

Should I just get rid of them completely?

Initially, it felt obvious. The corrupted World Tree and the monsters born from its Roots were remnants of a decayed entity defending itself. Eradicating them all was entirely within his power and not particularly difficult.

However, after much deliberation, Kim Do-Joon shook his head.

The side effects would be catastrophic.

Over the decades since their emergence, human civilization had adapted, creating industries reliant on resources harvested from dungeons and monsters.

From groundbreaking technologies to new industries, and even life-saving drugs derived from monster materials, the world had evolved around these phenomena. Therefore, sudden eradication of this ecosystem would lead to chaos. Millions would lose their livelihoods, and patients dependent on monster-derived treatments would face death.

Instead, Kim Do-Joon settled on a more gradual approach, which included weakening the monsters and allowing their numbers to decline over time, reducing the threat level.

The process was painstaking and required careful attention, but in a few decades, the monsters would vanish completely, leaving only the Roots. Even if the monsters were a necessary evil, Kim Do-Joon couldn’t allow them to remain a permanent fixture in humanity’s future.

When his preparations were finally complete, the time had come to leave.

***

“Please take care of things while I’m gone,” Kim Do-Joon said.

“Understood,” replied Son Chang-Il.

They stood in the Association President’s office, discussing Kim Do-Joon’s impending departure. The first reason for his visit was to inform the president that monsters would soon begin to disappear.

“Don’t worry,” Son Chang-Il said with a nod. “It’s already been raised as an agenda item at international summits. People will know soon enough.”

Presidents and leaders from other major nations, including the U.S. and China, had also been briefed. With all of them indebted to Kim Do-Joon, refusal wasn’t an option. Besides, if one leader chose not to cooperate, another would simply take the lead, making resistance futile.

A new era was beginning, one beyond the control of power-hungry elites—and Kim Do-Joon would ensure it stayed that way.

“So, you’re heading off on a trip, then?”

“Yes, just a quiet journey with my family. Now that the danger has passed, it feels like the right time.”

“Must be nice,” Son Chang-Il replied wistfully. “I wish I could travel with my grandchildren. That’d be enough for me.”

“You still have work to do, President,” Kim Do-Joon said with a faint smile.

“Bah,” Son Chang-Il grumbled.

The second reason for Kim Do-Joon’s visit was to formally announce his temporary absence. He wanted it known that he would not be available for some time.

Of course, it was unlikely that any major crises requiring his intervention would arise. Unless the hidden Lords lost their minds and decided to invade Earth, things should remain calm.

“Thank you for everything. I suppose we won’t see each other for a while,” Kim Do-Joon said, bowing slightly.

He owed Son Chang-Il a great deal. Without his support, Kim Do-Joon would not have been able to focus so singularly on his goals.

“Thank me? I should be the one thanking you,” Son Chang-Il said with a chuckle, though his expression grew thoughtful as he reached for his teacup.

He remembered the day he first met Kim Do-Joon, back when elves had first appeared. In exchange for an elf’s corpse, Son Chang-Il had made several promises to Kim Do-Joon, including helping him find information on a miraculous elixir.

At the time, Son Chang-Il did not know why he was after an elixir, and just assumed Kim Do-Joon sought to boost his mana power like other Hunters. Now, Son Chang-Il understood that it was to save his daughter. And today, Kim Do-Joon had grown powerful enough to heal her on his own.

I guess I’ve never fulfilled that promise.

Son Chang-Il chuckled bitterly as he lifted his teacup. Back then, what Kim Do-Joon had needed most was information about the elixirs, but he hadn’t been able to provide it. After all, none had been discovered at the time.

In the end, Kim Do-Joon had managed on his own. Meanwhile, he, along with the rest of the world, had benefited from Kim Do-Joon’s grace. How could they ever repay such a debt?

The best he could do was to grant whatever Kim Do-Joon would ask of him.

“Well, I’ll be heading out now. I’ve got a few more stops to make,” Kim Do-Joon said as he stood up.

“Take care and don’t be a stranger. Reach out now and then if you can.”

“I can’t promise that.” Kim Do-Joon chuckled.

He did not mention that his destination was another dimension. A place where, naturally, phones would not work.

So, he’s just taking a quiet vacation, away from the public eye, Son Chang-Il thought.

Kim Do-Joon saw no reason to correct him. Letting people assume he was somewhere on Earth would keep global leaders on their toes, ensuring they acted swiftly.

As he left the Association building, Kim Do-Joon headed to his next stop, which was Hwang Hyun-Woo’s workshop.

Inside the workshop was already bustling.

“C’mon, just a little more! This price is way too low!”

“Hey, Kid. I’m already giving you a lot. You’re barely hitting a fifty percent success rate, and you want more?”

“Ugh, I told you, once I level up more, my success rate will improve!”

“Then come back when that happens, and we’ll redo the contract.”

When Kim Do-Joon entered, he found the room already occupied. Standing there was Baek Hwi-Soo, team leader of the Rune Mage Guild’s first division.

“Hyung!” Hwang Hyun-Woo exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

“Mr. Do-Joon!” Baek Hwi-Soo also exclaimed.

As soon as they saw him, both men stood up to greet him warmly. Well, Hwang Hyun-Woo did so enthusiastically. Baek Hwi-Soo, on the other hand, looked a little uneasy, likely because of Kim Do-Joon’s close relationship with the guild master.

“I’m leaving today, so I thought I’d drop by to see you before I go,” Kim Do-Joon said.

“Oh, that’s right. You mentioned you were going on a trip! Please, have a seat.”

Once Kim Do-Joon sat down, Hwang Hyun-Woo skillfully brewed some coffee and set it in front of him. Since he had already had plenty of tea earlier with Son Chang-Il, Kim Do-Joon only took a single sip.

“Where are you headed?”

“Here and there. Just wandering wherever my feet take me.”

“Ah, that’s so you, Hyung!” Hwang Hyun-Woo exclaimed.

Kim Do-Joon chuckled quietly.

“So, what were you up to just now?” Kim Do-Joon asked, gesturing at the table.

“Oh, this? I’m about to sign a supply contract with Rune Mage. We were hashing out the details. Right, sir?”

“Uh, yes. That’s right,” Baek Hwi-Soo stuttered. “He’s improved a lot since before. We tested a few prototypes with the higher-ups, and they gave the go-ahead.”

“Impressive,” Kim Do-Joon said, genuinely surprised.

Rune Mage, where Yeon Hong-Ah worked, was now one of the top three guilds in the country. Just being in talks with them was proof of Hwang Hyun-Woo’s growing reputation. In other words, his crafting skills had been formally recognized.

Kim Do-Joon remembered the early days, when Hwang Hyun-Woo’s works frequently ended in failure, wasting materials left and right. Though those “failures” had occasionally been useful to Kim Do-Joon, it was clear those days were behind them.

Looks like I won’t be seeing any more of those quirky negative-stat items.

Kim Do-Joon thought with a faint grin. He did not need to rely on those items anymore, nor did Hwang Hyun-Woo seem likely to produce them.

That was a good thing. It would have been a much bigger problem if Hwang Hyun-Woo had to rely on Kim Do-Joon forever.

“Congrats. You’ve come a long way.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Hyung! One day, you’ll see a crafting guild with my name on it. Just wait!” Hwang Hyun-Woo declared, his eyes gleaming with ambition.

By the time Kim Do-Joon returned from his journey, he’d probably see Hwang Hyun-Woo’s guild fully established.

“Leader Baek, I’ll leave him in your hands. He’s got real talent, so Rune Mage won’t regret this.”

“Y-Yes! Of course! I’ll take full responsibility for him,” Baek Hwi-Soo replied earnestly.

As Kim Do-Joon spoke, Hwang Hyun-Woo subtly slid his chair closer, inching toward Kim Do-Joon. Watching this, Baek Hwi-Soo’s polite smile began to twitch ever so slightly.

After exchanging a few more words, Kim Do-Joon stepped out of the workshop.

—Hey, just give me a little more! Forget the money, just give me more materials to work with!

—Ugh... Let’s talk about this later. You’re giving me a headache.

—What! You’re just trying to run away, aren’t you?

The sound of their bickering followed Kim Do-Joon as he shrugged and stepped outside.

***

For the rest of the day, Kim Do-Joon visited familiar faces, saying his goodbyes. One of them was Shin Yoo-Sung, who looked genuinely disappointed.

—This is truly unfortunate.

When Kim Do-Joon spoke to him, the man's face was filled with regret. It seemed he still had not given up on the idea of bringing Kim So-Eun into Mir. He was a person to keep an eye on, without a doubt.

Then, Kim Do-Joon went on to meet Yeon Hong-Ah.

—An item? For me?

When Do-Joon met with Yeon Hong-Ah, he gave her a special gift—an item imbued with a Spirit Affinity effect. He had prepared it specifically for her after hearing that she had taken care of Kim So-Eun during the battle with Vango. This was his way of showing gratitude.

—I don’t see any effects on it though.

Yeon Hong-Ah examined the plain-looking ring.

Kim Do-Joon had personally added the effect, making it invisible to anyone else. He assured her that wearing it would bring good fortune. Trusting his words, she wore the ring without hesitation.

The next time they met, would she have successfully bonded with the spirit she desired? Would she have enhanced her magical firepower with it? The thought added a small bit of joy to his anticipation for the future.

Then, it was Vulcanus and Naiyel’s turn.

—This is the little one. I named her Hyren.

Naiyel seemed proud. Kim Do-Joon did not limit his farewells to Earth. He also ventured to the Roots, particularly to check on Vulcanus, Naiyel, and the newly born Water Spirit King.

Naiyel showed him Hyren, the young Spirit King. The tiny, fairy-like creature was barely able to speak, but was undeniably adorable.

Was Nereid this cute when he was young?

The thought made him acutely aware of the weight Vulcanus and Naiyel bore on their shoulders. If their education failed, Hyren could end up like Nereid—a cocky and vicious brat.

“Are you leaving now?” Vulcanus asked.

“Yes,” Kim Do-Joon replied with a nod.

He had already explained to Vulcanus that this was not just a simple trip. It was a journey to eliminate the other Lords. Then, Kim Do-Joon raised his hand, and a brilliant flame flickered to life in his palm.

“That... is...” Vulcanus muttered.

“I’m returning this to you,” Kim Do-Joon said.

It was the Primordial Flame, Heart of Flame, which Vulcanus had entrusted to Jecheon Seong.

“There will be no more attempts to take this from you because the World Tree has been purified.”

The World Tree was now completely under Kim Do-Joon’s control. After retrieving Vango’s power and confronting the old man’s lingering thoughts, the World Tree had acknowledged Kim Do-Joon as its master.

No longer would the tree invade intact worlds to steal their nutrients. And with Alcyone under Kim Do-Joon’s command, no one could threaten Vulcanus for his Heart of Flame anymore.

The Elves could still resist Vulcanus, but they lacked the strength to seize the flame on their own.

“Well, I’ll be going now.”

With those parting words, he bid them farewell. It was the end of everything. No loose ends remained.

That day, Kim Do-Joon, his daughter Kim So-Eun, Jecheon Seong, Siwelin, and even the young beastkin Bo-Mi all vanished from Earth.