Chapter 4: Settlement and Return
Seo Juhwan recoiled in shock at the old man's desperation, while Russ winked at him and mouthed silently.
[He can't hear me, so don't react.]
A voice suddenly echoed in his head. Following the advice, Seo Juhwan simply nodded quietly.
[Even if it's a bit annoying, it's better to accept things here. Pushing them further won't gain anything, and if we corner them too much, I don't know how they'll react either. Most likely, once I'm gone, they'll try something. Of course, I'd avenge you if anything happened—but if you're already dead, what's the point?]
Seo Juhwan nodded once more in agreement. Before Russ stepped in, he had been furious at the thought that he had lived such an unfortunate life because of a mistake by the underworld. But now, he had calmed down.
And besides, the ruler of the underworld had already shown this much sincerity—no, it had gone beyond sincerity into humiliation. As Russ said, there was nothing to gain by dragging things out further.
Moreover, the conditions offered were sweet enough to wash away the pain of his past.
Having made up his mind, Seo Juhwan extended his hand.
"Please, stand up."
The old man flinched at the offered hand, his body trembling. However, he showed no sign of getting up. It seemed he would only rise once he heard the words of forgiveness.
Seeing this, Seo Juhwan let out a small sigh.
"To be honest, I don't think I can forgive you right away. It's been quite difficult all this time."
"I… I see. Indeed, you were burdened with sins that were never yours, so it is only natural…"
The old man's face filled with distress. He feared that Russ might start causing chaos again. Just hours ago, he had personally witnessed Russ rampaging through the underworld.
'I can't let that happen again!'
If it came to it, he would even seek help from higher beings…
Just as he was about to make a desperate decision, Seo Juhwan suddenly smiled gently.
"That said, I don't intend to pursue this further. You've already offered compensation, and you weren't even the one who made the mistake directly. Let's end this here."
"…R-Really?"
"Of course. However, I would appreciate it if the one who directly made the mistake toward me is properly punished."
"O-Of course! Thank you for your consideration. Not only will we compensate you, we will also identify the culprit and punish them severely!"
The old man, deeply moved, took Seo Juhwan's hand and stood up. Russ snorted at the sight, though inwardly he felt relieved.
[Well done. No matter what, he's still the ruler of the underworld. There's nothing to gain from making an enemy of him. Honestly, it'd be a hassle for me too if I caused more trouble in another dimension.]
Thus, the great incident that shook the underworld came to an end.
*
"Ahem."
The old man straightened his appearance and cleared his throat, trying to regain his dignity.
"Then let us proceed with the compensation. Please choose one of the following: regression, possession, or reincarnation."
"I'll choose regression."
Seo Juhwan decided without hesitation. All three options were incredible rewards, but choosing possession or reincarnation would make it difficult to meet his family again.
"Understood. Then I will send you back exactly ten years—to December 22, 2015. It will take about ten seconds, so please prepare yourself."
At the same time as those words, light began to radiate from Seo Juhwan's body.
'I'm finally going back.'
Ten years ago meant he would be 22.
It wasn't a bad point in time, as it was before the worst misfortunes had begun.
But it felt like he was forgetting something important.
Then a memory flashed through his mind.
'…Wait. When did I finish my military service?'
In South Korea, most men enlist at the age of 21. Seo Juhwan had enlisted in May 2014 at age 21, and by December 2015, he would still be serving.
His face turned pale as he hurriedly shouted.
"W-Wait—!"
But mercilessly, a flash of light engulfed him completely. The last thing he heard faintly was Russ's laughing voice.
[Have fun this time, brother. I slipped in a little gift without the old man noticing—make good use of it!]
With those cryptic words, his vision went dark.
*
"You wretch! Do you truly not know your crime? Fine, then—I will personally recount every one of your sins!"
The thunderous voice echoed through the great hall.
"Assigning karma to souls is the primary duty of the underworld and its most important task. To the souls themselves, it is the culmination of the good and evil they have accumulated over a lifetime. Such a matter must never be handled carelessly!
And yet you neglected this duty. Even after realizing your mistake, instead of correcting it, you tried to hide it. Worse still, later you even joked about it while drinking, claiming it wasn't a big mistake because the soul came from another dimension. This shows a complete lack of remorse."
"I-It's unfair, Your Majesty! The soul came from another dimension, so it was difficult to judge its karma. And as for the drinking, I was intoxicated…"
"You insolent fool! Even now you show no remorse, making excuses instead! You were given a final chance, yet you failed to repent—there is no room for mercy! Guards!"
At the command, the guards rushed in.
"Throw him into the Eight Hot Hells! The soul suffered misfortune for 32 years because of his mistake, so he shall suffer four years in each hell—for a total of 32 years. Take him away!"
"No! Not the Eight Hot Hells! P-Please, Your Majesty! Forgive me—!"
Ignoring his screams, the ruler addressed the assembled officials.
"From this moment, a full investigation will be conducted. I will personally root out every bit of corruption in the underworld!"
His eyes burned hotter than flames.
From that day on, the underworld of the 69th dimension became known as the most just and impartial across all dimensions. In time, its ruler would earn the trust of the supreme ruler of heaven and rise to a position second only to him.