The apartment complex felt like a tomb. Not because it was ruined—it was actually clean, well-lit, and smelled of laundry detergent—but because I knew how it would look in five days. In my memory, these walls were blackened by soot and marked with the claw swipes of things that shouldn't exist.
I stood in front of Door 402. My hand hovered over the keypad. For twenty years, I had forgotten my own door code. Now, my fingers moved on their own, tapping out my mother's birthday.
Beep-beep-beep-boop.
The lock clicked. I pushed the door open.
The smell hit me first. Garlic, sesame oil, and doenjang soup. It was the smell of my childhood. It was a smell that didn't exist in the purple-sky world. In the future, food was just dry crackers or boiled moss. This smelled like home.
"Min-ho? Is that you?"
A woman walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a floral apron. She looked so young. Her hair wasn't gray yet, and her eyes weren't clouded with the cataracts of radiation and hunger. This was my mother.
I froze. The Cold Blood skill tried to kick in, trying to level out my heart rate, but it struggled against the sheer weight of twenty years of grief. My chest felt tight, but for once, it wasn't the Relic—it was me.
"You're late," she said, her voice stern but her eyes filled with relief. She stopped when she saw my clothes. "My god, Min-ho! Your uniform... there's blood! And your arm! What happened?"
She rushed over, her small hands grabbing my shoulders. I felt like a giant standing next to her. With my new 11% Sync Rate, I could feel the fragility of her bones. She felt like a bird made of glass.
"I'm okay, Mom," I said. My voice was thick. "I just... I fell into some bushes at the park. It looks worse than it is."
"I told you those woods were dangerous at night," she scolded, pulling me toward the kitchen. "Sit down. I've already heated the soup three times."
I sat at the small wooden table. Everything was exactly as I remembered. The chipped rice bowl, the mismatched chopsticks, the calendar on the wall that stopped at April 2026.
I ate. I ate like a man who hadn't tasted real food in a lifetime. Every spoonful of soup felt like it was healing a part of my soul that the apocalypse had broken. My mother sat across from me, watching me eat with a worried smile.
"Mom," I said, putting the spoon down. I looked her in the eyes. I needed to be serious. I couldn't tell her about the rifts, the Stone Giant, or the Ancient Woman. She'd think I had a brain injury. "I need you to do something for me. Something very important."
She tilted her head. "What is it, honey?"
"I'm going on a school trip tomorrow. To the mountains. It's for five days," I lied. The words felt like lead in my mouth. "While I'm gone, there's a big storm coming. The news hasn't reported it yet, but it's going to be bad. I want you to stay inside. Don't go to work. Don't go to the market."
I reached into my bag and pulled out the remaining protein bars and the two bottles of water I had swiped. I also laid out all the cash I had left.
"Stay in the apartment. If the lights go out, stay in the bathroom away from the windows. Do not open the door for anyone unless they say the word 'Scavenger.' Do you understand?"
She laughed nervously. "Min-ho, you're scaring me. It's just a storm."
I reached across the table and gripped her hand. My grip was firm, stronger than a teenager's should be. "Mom. Promise me. No matter what you hear outside. No matter what the neighbors say. Stay inside for five days."
She saw something in my eyes then. She saw the 38-year-old man who had watched the world burn. Her smile faded, and she nodded slowly. "Okay, Min-ho. I promise. But you... you be careful on your trip."
I stood up and hugged her. It was a quick hug, because I knew if I held on too long, I wouldn't be able to leave. I walked toward the door, my heart feeling heavier than the Iron Core.
"I'll be back, Mom," I said. "I'll be the one to open the door."
I stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind me. I stood there for a second, listening to the muffled sound of her humming in the kitchen.
[ EMOTIONAL ANCHOR ESTABLISHED ] [ NEW SUB-QUEST: PROTECT THE NEST ] [ REWARD: ??? ]
"I'm not losing her again," I growled.
The Cold Blood skill finally took over, icing my veins. I turned away from the door and headed for the stairs. I had 106 hours left.
The Stone Giant was coming. The Ancient Woman was watching. And I still didn't have a blade.
I headed for the bus terminal. My destination: Buksan Mountain. The site of the hidden shrine and the Unbreakable Blade.