Part 3. Summer (1)
Late evening. On a night when a crescent moon hung outside the sky.
The clone who had returned from work approached Yu Ji-tae.
"I will transmit the memories."
"Go ahead."
The clone closed his eyes. In that moment, the events that had taken place at the police station that day flowed into the regressor's mind.
With his eyes closed, as if savoring the scent of incense, Yu Ji-tae slowly felt the memories and emotions surging in.
The team members at the police station were smiling as they looked at Sergeant Yu Ji-tae.
"People really like you."
"I'm doing my best to live an ordinary life."
The clone was diligent in his daily routine. He never avoided hard work and always calmly fulfilled his role where he stood.
That wasn't all. Originally, the twenty-seven-year-old Yu Ji-tae had been timid and soft-hearted.
Now, suddenly, he had become a diligent, mature, and dependable colleague. The team members liked the clone, calling it a "re-evaluation of Yu Ji-tae."
"As you can probably tell from feeling the memories, everyone is having a hard time because of the Jo Ho-sik case."
"He's good at hiding, I guess."
"Yes. On top of that, it turned out he's part of a human-trafficking ring rather than acting alone, which makes things even more complicated. They kidnap unaffiliated superhuman cadets from Rare and sell them like slaves to back-alley organizations."
Yu Ji-tae nodded. Even in the memories, he could see the police officers looking troubled.
"As you commanded, my lord, if the deadline draws near, I will move personally."
"Alright."
At that moment, Yu Ji-tae, who had been savoring the memories, opened his eyes.
"…Hey."
"Give your order."
"What's with her?"
In the memories, an unfamiliar woman was pestering Yu Ji-tae.
Rather blatantly, at that.
"Ah, she's a team leader from another unit. She's the chief's daughter, and she's been showing interest in you lately, my lord."
Come to think of it, she did appear from time to time in other memories. Saying things like, 'Want to grab a drink with your older sister after work?' or 'Is this abs or a washboard?' while trying to touch Yu Ji-tae's stomach for no reason…
Today's memory was worse. She was openly rubbing herself against his arm, trying to initiate physical contact.
"What's her name?"
"This is a jewel. If you find her unpleasant, I can take care of it."
"Hmm… no. Leave her be."
Life isn't always full of good things.
The 'ordinary life' he sought was, metaphorically speaking, a flower garden. There would be beautiful flowers—but of course, there would also be insects.
So Yu Ji-tae decided to watch a little longer.
"Then I will take my leave."
"No. Stay there for a moment."
"Yes."
"And change your clothes."
The clone wondered why such a sudden order had been given. But the lord's command was absolute. Without a word, he took off his uniform and changed into casual clothes.
Soon, Spring's voice came from the kitchen.
"Uncle, dinner's ready."
Realizing something, the clone looked toward the lord sitting on the sofa.
Yu Ji-tae was meeting his gaze.
***
The next morning. Yu Ji-tae got up from the sofa and stretched his body for the first time in a while.
Today was the day he would go pick up the Red Dragon.
The Red Dragon.
True to the Red clan, an aggressive one.
Over the past six regressions, it had been the most unruly and the least obedient to his control. That was simply how the Red clan was.
If the others feared Yu Ji-tae, the Red Dragon was different. In every cycle, the attitude it showed toward him was almost one of extreme loathing. Because of that, Yu Ji-tae didn't know much about the Red Dragon.
Still, this time things were a bit better.
Because Spring was here.
"You're going to pick up Red?" Spring brushed her green hair back behind her ear.
Small ears, fitting her small head, were revealed.
"Yes."
"Isn't that more like going to kidnap her rather than pick her up?"
"That's right."
"Hmm…"
Spring stared at a flowerpot, thinking for a moment, then spoke.
"She probably won't like it. I didn't like being kidnapped either, of course. But Red will resist much more fiercely."
"What if you try persuading her? You're both dragons."
"I'm not sure it'll help much. Dragons from different clans tend to feel a bit distant from each other."
"Why?"
"We want different things. I like being relaxed, staying still, and making things. The Red clan is different. Our hobbies don't match, so we look at each other like strangers."
Curious, Yu Ji-tae asked,
"Then what about forcing her to come?"
"What?" Spring's eyes widened.
"That won't work. 'Strength' is the pride of the Red clan. Trying to subdue a Red Dragon by force would cause her enormous stress."
As expected. Recalling the Red Dragon's end in previous cycles, Yu Ji-tae understood.
"That's troublesome."
"Um… but do you really have to bring her? If you're keeping dragons as pets, wouldn't it be fine with just me?"
That was absurd in two different ways.
He didn't need pets—and she couldn't be alone.
"I've told you before. I'm bringing you here to protect you. Not to be the owner of pets, but to be the guardian of you as individuals."
Spring blinked.
"And if I don't go get the Red Dragon on time, she'll be seriously injured. Someone's after her."
How do you know that? The question flickered across her mind, but Spring soon began fiddling with her interlaced thumbs as if deep in thought.
"There's no good solution right away."
"That's how it is."
"I'll come with you anyway and help however I can."
That was welcome news.
After a brief moment of thought, Yu Ji-tae replied,
"Come over when I call you."
***
Yu Ji-tae headed straight to Africa.
A barren land.
After the New Era, the already desolate continent had become even more uninhabitable.
In the middle of a desert dozens of times larger than South Korea, Yu Ji-tae approached a group of superhumans.
"Let's talk for a moment."
"Who the hell are you! How dare you show up without fear—!"
The Red Dragon was hiding her presence. No matter how skilled a regressor was, it was impossible to find a dragon concealing its aura in one sweep across borders. He had to put in some legwork.
He had visited over ten places since morning, with no results yet.
After beating a few superhumans into submission, Yu Ji-tae asked,
"Hey."
Language wasn't an issue. Yu Ji-tae possessed 〈Broken Babel (S)〉.
"Have you ever seen the Night Brawler in person?"
"Night Brawler" was the alias the Red Dragon used when she was active in Africa.
"Ugh…! N-no, I haven't."
As the superhuman answered, Yu Ji-tae's left eye began to glow blue.
〈Scales Eye (SS)〉
One of the three great authorities taken from a demon archduke.
An eye that distinguishes good and evil, truth and falsehood, like and dislike.
"Don't avert your eyes."
Yu Ji-tae stared straight into the superhuman's eyes. The gaze felt like it pierced his heart, as if every secret inside him was being read. The superhuman wet himself in fear.
Then a status window appeared in Yu Ji-tae's mind.
You little bastard.
Already irritated from the fruitless search, Yu Ji-tae's expression hardened.
A scream rang out moments later.
"Aaargh!"
And so, by the time the evening glow settled in, Yu Ji-tae managed to catch the Red Dragon's trail. He could feel her presence not far away.
When he made an international call, Spring answered and used 〈Teleport (S)〉 to appear beside him.
"You found her already?"
"Yes. But the situation doesn't look good."
Spring followed his gaze.
"You're right."
Distant booms echoed one after another. A large battle was clearly underway.
"Stay here for now. Don't get dragged in."
"Yes."
Leaving Spring behind, Yu Ji-tae headed toward the heart of the fight.
There, superhumans wearing masks that revealed only their eyes were gathered—around a dozen of them. Judging by the emblem on the backs of their hoods, they appeared to be a combat unit under the South African Union (SAN).
They were coordinating attacks with large spears, surrounding someone.
At the center—
A woman wearing a wooden mask.
"Spear thrower!"
"Yes!"
At the masked man's command, the spear thrower in the rear twisted his waist in a picture-perfect motion and hurled his spear.
〈Lightning Strike (B)〉
The spear, infused with crackling lightning, darkened the surroundings as it flew toward the girl in the wooden mask. Fast and oppressive—enough to fluster even a high-level superhuman. Yet the wooden mask reached out and caught the shaft midair.
Krak!
The lightning exploded, grazing the wooden mask, which shattered apart.
Her face was revealed.
Skin as white as carved jade, lips as red as blood. Madness flickered in her deep-lidded eyes above a pretty nose. Behind her, ruby-red hair glittered in the sunlight.
A face that looked to be in her late teens, just like Spring's. The moment it was revealed, all the masked men froze.
In one past cycle, an artist had described a dragon's appearance like this:
"Beauty that expands the aesthetic world of the human gaze by one step."
That beauty now stood before them.
"Ha, fuck…"
But a rough voice shattered their awe.
Swinging the spear she had caught, the Red Dragon spoke.
"Guys. I don't usually show my face. I hate it when you stop and lose your shit like this."
"You—you…! What are you, exactly?!"
"What does it matter? Planning to come visit my place or something?"
The Red Dragon chuckled in a low voice.
"If you're coming, come at dawn. Come and play quietly with me."
As she spoke, she licked someone's blood off the spear blade with her tongue, then burst into wild laughter. It was blatant provocation.
Still insane, as ever. That was Yu Ji-tae's honest assessment.
The commander, snapping out of it late, shouted,
"It's her magic! Don't be fooled!"
"Hah—!" "Yes, sir!"
"Don't let your guard down! Close in slowly!"
The second round began. Spears moved, fireballs and chunks of ice rained down. But the Red Dragon was stronger. In an instant, she took down over ten masked men and hurled the spear she had been holding.
The spear flew toward Yu Ji-tae, who was standing by a desert rock.
He tilted his head and dodged it.
"You dodged?"
Smiling faintly, she leapt at him. The longsword at her waist flew in with destructive force. Yoo Jitae reached out with his bare hand and caught it. Ridiculously enough, the mana-charged strike was stopped with absurd ease by the man's hand.
The Red Dragon's eyes widened.
He didn't stop there—he pulled her sword. Her small body was dragged helplessly forward. "Huh?" Startled, she hurriedly let go of the sword and jumped back to create distance.
When they faced each other again, the playfulness had vanished from the Red Dragon's face.
"…You. What are you?"
The life of the Red clan was spent seeking out and fighting those stronger than themselves. As such, they could gauge an opponent's strength.
By that sense, the man before her was strong.
So strong that she couldn't even dream of reaching him.
"Nice to meet you."
Yu Ji-tae greeted her.
His voice was like a broom scraping across parched earth.