SSS-Ranked Demon Hunter: The Prodigy
Chapter 74: Her Smile is What I Sought

Chapter 74: Her Smile is What I Sought

"Darling," she opened her eyes as she lay beside me on the bed. "Did you sleep?"

"Yeah, I just woke up earlier than you. How did you sleep?"

I lied. Ever since we arrived here, I hadn’t been able to sleep at all. I just kept watching her peaceful figure, lost in thought.

We had fled—me and Hizumi—away from prying eyes.

She whispered:

"My head still hurts... This insomnia is really wearing me down."

"Then you need more rest. Don’t worry, I’ll watch over the house."

"Silly," she smiled softly and lifted her head. "No one’s going to find us here. We just need to keep quiet and stay under the radar. Still, without internet, I can’t help but wonder... what’s happening out there in the world?"

"...Hizumi, ever since we got here, I’ve been hearing this strange ringing in the walls. Like the earth is trembling, not too far off."

"It must be the Serpent Demon. He dwells at the heart of the Red Zone. If you look out the window... sooner or later, you’ll see him slithering across the land."

Looking out the window, all I saw was a crimson haze, swallowing the remnants of what once was the city center.

"What does that ’serpent’ want here? He’s a demon—shouldn’t he be ravaging human lands instead of his own?"

"Well, from what I’ve seen... he seems to be omnivorous. I once saw him devour entire hordes of demons that roamed this area, like crops grown just for him. And the more he eats, the larger he becomes."

"The Serpent Demon... If he grows into a giant, then all of Seoul—no, the entire country—could be wiped out..."

Disturbed by my grim assumption, she crawled on top of me and cupped my cheeks in her hands. Her short top revealed her flawless figure.

"Sweetheart, you shouldn’t be thinking about such things. Rest. Clear your head."

"Ah... I’m just so proud to call you mine, Hizumi. I’ve never been happier than when I’m with you."

And truthfully... I doubt I’ll ever be this happy again.

"I’ll always be by your side, darling."

We embraced each other, exchanging warm, tender kisses.

It felt so peaceful... like the entire world had stopped spinning around us.

No one could reach us here. In this place, we were free.

And yet... what’s happening in the city? Has the demon invasion ended? Is the war still raging on, or have we finally defeated Umbra?

A few hours later.

Hizumi and I stepped out onto the balcony to witness the crimson sunset. From within the Red Zone, it looked almost magical—otherworldly. The sunlight filtered through the red clouds, casting its glow onto a distant structure: a white temple that shimmered like a beacon among the ruins.

That building... it stood radiant above the wreckage.

"When I was a child, I knew a man," Hizumi said quietly, gazing out into the distance. "He taught me a lot about the nature of demons and the lives of humans. I’m not sure if it’s true, but he used to say that demons see sunsets in the Red Zone differently than humans do."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Maybe this crimson sky we see now is a reflection of our nature. Red—full of mystery and despair. That’s what demons are."

She lowered her head and leaned against the railing. The bitter glow of dusk lit her hair, and her eyes... her eyes sparkled as if they were windows to a kind and gentle soul.

"What matters isn’t what you are—but who you believe yourself to be. I can’t judge... The nature of demons never truly felt like mine."

"But you know," she added with a faint smile, trying to lift my spirits, "I’m proud that I’ve never once touched human flesh. The hunger is always there, but I’ve hated my nature my whole life. Maybe that’s why I chose to stand with humans. I don’t regret it—because, in the end, I met you."

"Hizumi..."

"I was born from darkness, but ever since you came into my life... you’ve brought me light. Kihyun, thank you—for every date, every moment, and all the kindness you’ve shown me. I only wish... I had been honest with you from the beginning."

Suddenly, her head began to tremble. She clutched her forehead as dizziness washed over her. I reached out, grabbing her shoulders.

"Hizumi!"

"It’s nothing... I guess I’m still recovering from what happened."

"That’s strange. You’ve never felt like this before."

"It’s nothing, I’ll manage. I still have my regeneration, remember?"

I stayed silent.

We went back inside and sat at the small dining table. Earlier, we had found a portable generator and hooked it up to the house, enough to power a stove. There was no electricity, so we used candles for light.

We warmed some tea and poured ourselves a cup each.

"One hundred ways to survive in the wilderness..." Hizumi read aloud from a book she’d picked up. "Oh, here it is! ’How to survive in the Red Zone surrounded by demons?’ Stock up on food... Conserve generator power... Avoid being eaten by monsters."

"We’ll have to find food when our supplies run out. We’ll need to head outside and explore."

"I doubt we’ll find anything nearby. We’ll have to make our way into the Orange Zone. The good news is, demons don’t get hungry nearly as quickly as humans do..."

"In my case, I’m even more of an anomaly. Am I a demon? A human? I can’t tell anymore."

Hizumi rested her chin in her hand.

"If a demon and a human can’t biologically reproduce... maybe your parents were both half-bloods. Maybe they became that way."

"What do you mean?" I took a sip of my tea, watching my reflection in the cup. "Honestly, I can’t even imagine how half-bloods come into being. Is it something like an organ transplant?"

"If demons are a higher form of life, their organs could contain universal stem cells or mutating tissue capable of adapting inside a human body. A human couldn’t be born with demon blood unless their relative was a demon."

"That’s... a lot to take in. Do you have any proof?"

"Nope. Just a theory. The Association never tells anyone how demon hunters are truly born. But if it’s all true, demon blood or organs could infect or ’rewrite’ human DNA—like a virus. Or even a retrovirus."

"So basically, if you’re right... all demon hunters are victims of some horrific experiment. And a half-blood might be the result of a demon and a hunter—or two hunters with extremely high demon percentages."

"Or maybe it’s much simpler," Hizumi said, catching me off guard.

"Like what?"

"You’re the first child of a demon and a human. That would explain the perfect 50% demon blood. You’re not a normal human—there’s a demon inside you that can seize control. Your entire life is a question mark, darling."

"Yeah..." I scratched my head. "We could theorize about this for hours. What really matters is—where did that demon inside me come from?"

"That one’s easy. You’re a direct descendant of one of the Dukes. More precisely, one of your parents is a Duke."

I was stunned. Her words made sense—but to imagine that my mother or father might’ve been a demon... or worse, a Duke? It twisted everything I thought I knew.

Who am I? A demon? A human? Or something worse? Even I didn’t know anymore.

"A child of a Duke... So that Duke could reincarnate through hereditary bloodlines. If my mother had that power... maybe she died because of it."

My heart broke a little more with every memory of her death. My ears rang again, and the world swirled in my vision.

But I calmed the moment Hizumi reached out and held my hand.

"It’s all in the past. You don’t have to be afraid anymore. My love, I’ll help you through it all. I’ll carry your burden with you."

"Hizumi... I can’t let you. It could be dangerous. Your life... it matters more to me than anything."

I gripped her hands tightly.

Yes. I won’t lose you again. You’re all I have left. The most precious part of my life.

Even if I stop fighting just to protect you, I won’t let you face danger again.

If I lose you... I’ll lose my will to live. I’ll have nothing left to cherish or strive for.

The next morning, we woke up wrapped in each other’s arms, lying in the same bed. Pale, bitter light trickled through the curtains, casting a bluish hue over the Red Zone. Outside, the wind lifted dust from the cracked earth, sending it swirling into the distance as it rattled the windows of our home.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was her peaceful face—my beloved sleeping quietly beside me. Her bare body was nestled under the blanket, and she slept like a child.

If only I could give her a gift... something to make her happy. I had never given her anything.

A little later, when she finally woke up, I asked her directly, "What would make you happy, my love? I want to see you smile more often. Maybe a notebook, or a big teddy bear?"

My princess simply shook her head.

"Your presence is enough," she replied softly. "Thank you for worrying about me so much, but I don’t need anything material."

Her voice was hoarse—it startled me for a second, but I brushed it off as nothing more than fatigue.

How foolish I was not to pay more attention.

Later, she washed her face and sat at the vanity, drying her hair with a small generator-powered dryer. As she gathered her hair into a ponytail, her eyes seemed lost in thought.

"That man I once knew... he’s gone now. It’s been years, but I’m still grateful to him. He was like a father to me."

"What did he do for you?" I asked.

"...Everything. He found me on the street, near a trash bin. I had no idea how I got there, but I guess I was born to demons trying to live a human life. He took me in. Right away, he realized what I really was... but he didn’t kill me. Even after I lashed out at him, he never gave up on me. In time, I came to trust him. He became my father. He gave me a name, forged documents—he gave me a life. I’m endlessly grateful to him."

"And what happened to him?"

"He got sick. He spent his last years on a farm, alongside a childhood friend. Some might call that a peaceful death... but no one deserves to die from illness. He wasn’t even that old..."

Her shoulders began to shake.

I walked over and gently brushed her hair. A faint smile returned to her lips.

"Thank you."

"Your gift—the ability to distinguish humans from demons by scent—isn’t that common?" I asked.

"It’s not special," she said. "All demons have it. I just survived because humans had so little direct contact with demons. No one ever suspected me. I relied on that ability recently to track Osiris. If I hadn’t lost him... maybe I could’ve stopped your last battle from even happening."

"You couldn’t have," I reassured her. "We were up against an entire criminal syndicate. I’m just glad they didn’t find you. Who knows what they would’ve done."

"Kihyun..."

She sensed it—a sudden shift in me. My brushing grew rougher, and my expression darkened with quiet rage.

"Those damn demons..." I growled. "They all need to be wiped out."

After I said that, Hizumi hesitated.

She had fallen in love with the man who could once again become a weapon. That’s why she ran away with me in the first place—to help me forget the soldier I used to be.

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