Chapter 5: A Sister’s Love

Chapter 5 - A Sister's LoveChapter 5

"Big sister, why isn't big brother back yet?" Xin mumbled sleepily, her voice laced with worry. She had woken up again, just like the last few times, asking the same question over and over.

Han never stayed out this late. He was always the one who tucked Xin and Rin into bed—but tonight, that responsibility had fallen to Laura.

"Go back to sleep, Xin," Laura said gently, brushing a strand of hair from her little sister's forehead. "I'm sure big brother will be back soon."

Xin nodded drowsily and drifted off again.

Laura stood and walked to the window, staring out into the dark night. Her mind was clouded with unease.

Brother Han has never stayed out so late... Could something have happened at the Awakening Hall?

Folding her hands, she closed her eyes and whispered, "Please... be safe, brother."

As if summoned by her prayer, a knock echoed from the door downstairs. She rushed down, heart pounding.

"Don't you know how late it is?!" she began to scold, but her words died in her throat.

There he stood—Han—drenched in blood, swaying on his feet with a faint, tired smile on his face.



"Lau...ra..." he murmured before collapsing into her arms.

---

The faint beeping of a heart monitor echoed in Han's ears as his eyes fluttered open. He winced, the light too harsh, and shut them again.

"Too bright..." he muttered.

Slowly adjusting to the light, he blinked until his vision cleared. Judging by the antiseptic scent and sterile walls, it was clear—he was in a hospital.

Beside him, Laura sat fast asleep, snoring softly in the chair, her arms crossed. A warm smile tugged at Han's lips as he gazed at her.

I really thought I was going to die yesterday... But somehow, I made it back. All thanks to her.

Then his thoughts turned to something more puzzling—the white blade he had summoned, the one that helped him slay the monster.

How did I even get that sword? he wondered. Was it a dream? No... I fought that thing. I should've died, but somehow... I didn't.

His eyes narrowed. That sword—it wasn't mine. But I used it. Maybe... maybe I can summon it again!

Holding up his palm, Han focused. A white glow pulsed in his hand... but when the light faded, all that appeared was a comic book titled Metal Burst Man.

"...Tch. That's not what I wanted," he grumbled aloud.

"What's that?" came a groggy voice.

He looked up. Laura had woken up and was staring at him with sleepy suspicion.

Han rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling nervously. "N-nothing! Just... had a moment."

Her look shifted—from confused to deadly.

"Big brother," she said sweetly... too sweetly.

"Yes...?" Han replied cautiously, ready to bolt.

"What happened to you yesterday?"

"Nothing much," he replied, his smile strained. "Just got into a small scuffle, that's all."

"A scuffle? You were covered in blood!" she exploded, standing up. "Do you even know how scared I was seeing you like that?!"

The temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly, and Han could feel cold sweat form on his forehead.

There was a reason Han feared her wrath more than anything: only he and the old elder knew the truth—Laura was an Original.

A rare type born with an awakened skill from birth—usually B-rank or higher.

Han didn't know the rank of her ability, but he knew its effects. She had frozen him solid more times than he cared to count when she got angry—and it always took days to recover.

Just as he braced himself for the inevitable deep freeze, the door clicked open.

A stunning woman in a white coat stepped into the room. She had long brown hair, intelligent black eyes, and an aura of calm.

"You're awake," she said with a kind smile, though she seemed slightly confused. She clearly remembered the panic on Laura's face when Han was rushed in last night, begging her to save him.

Yet now... Laura looked like she was about to kill him.

Sensing the opportunity, Han made his move. He reached out, pulled Laura into a hug, and gently patted her head.

"Thank you, Laura... thank you so much," he whispered.

He knew this trick—it always worked. Laura loved head pats.

Sure enough, her anger began to melt. Tears welled up in her eyes as she clung to him.

"You idiot," she whispered, voice trembling. "You don't know how scared I was... I can't lose another loved one..."

"You won't," Han said softly. "I promise."

The doctor cleared her throat politely. "Ahem. Sorry to interrupt, but we need you to fill out some forms."

Han's face fell.

Damn it... hospital bills. Just what Serenya doesn't need—more expenses...

The doctor, noticing his sudden gloom, added quickly, "Don't worry about the fees. They've already been taken care of."

Han let out a long sigh of relief. He had enough battles to fight already.

"Thank you," he said gratefully, following her out to fill out the necessary paperwork.

At the Office

After filling out the final form, Han glanced up at the young doctor, Lin, who sat across from him. She seemed too kind—too generous. Something wasn't adding up.

Han leaned back slightly, his eyes calm. "Tell me the truth. Why did you help me? There's no such thing as a free meal in this world."

Lin blinked, caught off guard by his directness. Then, without hesitation, she replied, "It's simple. I like you."

Han froze. Blink. Blink. Blink.

Seeing his expression, her cheeks flushed crimson, and she frantically waved her hands. "W-wait! I mean—I like your bravery! Yes, your bravery! When I saw the wounds on your body, I could tell they weren't normal injuries. They had to be from a monster. Most heroes would've run away, but you... you faced it. That kind of courage is rare these days."

"Oh..." Han exhaled calmly, his expression softening. "That makes more sense."

With the formalities done, Han and Laura left the hospital. Since the city wasn't far from Serenya, they decided to walk a little together under the warm afternoon sun.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence lingered until Laura, ever the chatterbox, broke it.

"Okay, big brother! So... did you awaken a powerful skill or what?" Her tone was cheerful again, light and teasing.

Han let out a small breath of relief at her return to normal. But instead of answering, he reached into his pocket and handed her the Hero badge.

Laura took one glance—and her eyes nearly popped out. "E-rank?!" she shrieked. "E-rank?!"

Her voice echoed down the road, drawing curious glances from bystanders. She stared at the glowing E on the badge like it had personally betrayed her.

Han's mouth twitched. If this is her reaction, what will the entire town say? he wondered grimly.

Laura, quickly regaining composure, tried to stay optimistic. "W-Well! Even with an E-rank, with the right things and enough training, you could still climb the ranks. There's hope! I mean, some E-ranks become decent heroes! Probably."

Encouraged by her own words, she tapped the badge to check the full details. The display flickered on:

Name: Han Trystan



Class: E

Rank: 1000

They both stared in stunned silence.

"Rank 1000?!" Laura screeched, mouth agape. "That's way too far down! You'll be stuck in the bottom forever!"

Han's eyebrow twitched again. If she's reacting like this at 1000... what would she have done if she saw my rank from yesterday? Back then, it had been 99,999. Just killing that one monster had vaulted him up the rankings. Thinking about it, though, it made sense—E-rankers rarely faced real threat.

As they walked, Laura saw a levitating car—one of the luxury "sky-cars" made by the I-Tech Corporation, typically reserved for wealthy elites or powerful figures stopped at their sides.

The window slid down smoothly, revealing a man in a pristine white suit. His eyes landed on Laura first, then glanced briefly at Han.

"Well hello, gorgeous," the man said, flashing a charming smile. "Need a ride? A beauty like you shouldn't be walking on foot. Why not let me take you someplace nice, hmm?" He winked, voice filled with flirtation.

Before he could utter another word, a loud crack echoed as Han casually crushed a small stone underfoot. The man turned—and found Han staring at him, his expression calm... too calm. But his eyes held a chilling message: Say one more word and you'll regret ever being born.

The man paled. "Uh—bye!" he stammered and sped off without another word.

Laura pouted. "Big brother! He could've at least given us a lift!"

Han looked away, pretending not to hear her.

Laura just giggled, a hand over her mouth. Han had always been too overprotective of her and the younger ones. But deep down, she didn't mind it one bit.

Just as Laura was about to


"...Danger," he finally said.

Laura frowned. "Danger? How? Your ability is Book Formation, not some kind of danger sense."

But Han wasn't listening. His body instinctively dropped into a low stance.

"Fourth Jungle Art—Cheetah Stride!" he called out.

And with that, he shot forward like a bullet, his speed rivaling a C-rank speedster.

I feel lighter... faster... Han thought, surprised at his body's responsiveness—but there was no time to dwell on it. The hospital was in danger. He had to move.

Behind him, Laura struggled to keep up, panting hard.

"I seriously need to learn that jungle art..." she muttered, pushing herself harder.

---

At the hospital...

Chaos had already erupted.

Several security personnel lay sprawled on the ground, blood pooling beneath them. Some twitched weakly; others were clearly dead. Two remaining bodyguards charged toward the intruder, their skin hardening into a defensive layer as they activated their skills.

But the creature they faced was anything but ordinary.

It was massive—its body covered in grotesque, brown, interwoven flesh. A single eye glared from the center of its face, and a bizarre fan-like appendage of flesh jutted out from its back.

With a sickening smack to its chest, the fleshy fan spun into motion.

A gale of slicing wind roared forward.

The bodyguards' reinforced skin was shredded instantly, their defenses turning to paper against the storm. They collapsed with heavy thuds.

Dead.

The creature didn't stop. It lumbered toward its true target—a large reinforced room at the end of the hall. Inside, several doctors huddled together, fear etched into every face. The reinforced steel door was the only thing between them and the abomination.

With another blow to its chest, the creature's fan spun again.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Dents appeared on the steel door with each impact, growing deeper by the second. Inside the room, panic erupted.

"All of us are healers!" one doctor cried. "We don't have any combat abilities!"

"We have to stay calm!" shouted Dr. Lin, a woman with long brown hair and a trembling voice trying to mask her fear.

"Calm?! That thing is about to break through!"

"Don't give up hope!" Dr. Lin said firmly. "There's no guarantee it can break the door anytime soon—"

CRASH!

The door was torn from its hinges, metal screeching as it flew across the room. The monster stepped inside.

Its single eye scanned the group... and locked onto Dr. Lin.

She froze, all composure vanishing as terror gripped her. The creature muttered incomprehensible words, its gaze burning with fury. Then, slowly, it raised its arm—ready to slam its chest again and finish them.

Dr. Lin's heart plummeted. They'd all seen what happens when it activates that fan.

But before the monster could strike—

A leg whipped through the air and slammed into its head, sending it staggering sideways.

"Sorry I'm late," said a voice.

Han stood between the doctors and the creature, waving casually at the stunned Dr. Lin. She still looked frozen, so he gently pulled her back with the others before facing the monster once again.

The gibberish continued—but this time, Han frowned.

"...I can understand you," he muttered. "What do you mean it's their fault? Why shouldn't I interfere?"

The monster's eye stared at Han.



"It's all their fault," it growled. "I'll kill them all."

"I can't let that happen," Han said, stepping forward. He could feel it—he was stronger now. But this thing... it was far more dangerous than the monster that almost killed him yesterday.

"I know you're powerful," Han said calmly, "and if I fight you, I might be one misstep away from death. But that's a risk I'll take. Because I won't let you kill innocent people."

A whisper ran through the doctors behind him.

"What's that? His hand... it's glowing..."

Han raised his hand, white light pulsing from his palm. It flickered—then coalesced into the shape of a blade. The glow faded, leaving behind a sleek, radiant white sword.

Han smiled as recognition lit up in his eyes.

He turned to the monster, his expression hardening.

"Actually, I take that back."

"I won't be one step from death..." he said, leveling his blade.

"...But you'll be one step too late to escape it."

To be continued.