We rushed to the Association HQ the moment I got the call from Go Gunhee.
I might have broken all traffic rules in existence with how I drove, but at this moment, I couldn't care less about any of that.
With my enhanced senses, it was extremely easy for me to navigate despite the high speed the car was going.
Beside me, Jinah was near catatonic as she tightly held onto my arm and her phone.
Just a few moments ago, I received a call from Go Gunhee that Jinwoo's party was caught in a Double Dungeon, a rare phenomenon where a high-level dungeon hides within the depths of a lower-rank dungeon. To this day, only two other Double Dungeons have ever been recorded by humanity, showing how rare this phenomenon is.
In Jinwoo's case, a Dungeon that is estimated to be an S-Rank one was hiding inside the D-Rank one that they were raiding.
Out of a party made up of twenty-five Hunters of various levels, there were only six survivors.
Just like I received the call from Go Gunhee, Jinah received an automated message from the Association about the status of her brother, driving the girl catatonic at the thought of losing her brother as well.
When Go Gunhee called me, he had already sent a search party into the dungeon to find Jinwoo, but I could not help but feel despair as this incident kept reminding me of days long past. Of times when I failed to save those that I cared about.
According to the testimonies of the survivors, including the leader of the party, Song Chi-Yul, Jinwoo was already in a very bad state when they managed to escape the Double Dungeon, making his current situation even more uncertain.
At first, I felt boundless rage at those bastards for abandoning the kid that I saw as my nephew and practically raised alongside his parents. But I quickly regained my rationality.
They were not to blame for what happened. They only did what any person in their situation would do to save themselves. If there is anyone to blame, it is me.
I should have forced him off this path when I had the chance. I should have forced him to give up the career of a Hunter and forced him to go to college instead. He would have been safe, away from all the bloodshed and hardship, studying and becoming a successful civilian just like the countless others in this world.
Yes, the only one to blame in this mess is me.
Once again, I failed to keep the promise I made to someone I care about.
Within minutes, we arrived at the Association, where Woo Jinchul was already waiting for me.
"Jinchul! Where is Gunhee? Any update on the situation? Have they found him-"
"James! Calm down. There is nothing to worry about. We found him."
For the first time since I got the news, I felt relief flood my mind, but I did not lower my guard yet as I mentally kept track of the many bottles of Divine Blessing within my storage.
"Where is he? What is his condition?"
"We have transferred him to the same hospital where Mrs. Park, his mother, is. As for his condition, he appears to be completely fine, except that he is unconscious-"
"Uncle! Let's go!!"
Jinah quickly dragged me to the car at Jinchul's words as I nodded at the young man gratefully.
I knew that there was no way the Association would move so quickly for a mere E-Rank hunter, even if it was for something as rare as a Double Dungeon. Especially since the internal political climate within the association has been very unstable lately.
The only reason they did any of this so quickly is because of my connection with Woo Jinchul, who is a very influential A-Rank hunter in the Association and the unofficial successor of the current Chairman, Go Gunhee, with whom I also share a friendship.
Once again, I drove the car like a madman and arrived at the hospital, not even bothering to park it properly before we rushed into the facility, heading straight for the VIP rooms where Hunters, even the lowest rank ones, are usually treated.
It was as we arrived that we saw Song Chi-Yul sitting dejectedly in one of the rooms with one of his arms missing.
For a split second, rage once again clouded my mind, but I quickly suppressed it and spoke in a neutral voice to the nurse nearby.
"Where is the Hunter, Sung Jinwoo? he should have been admitted by the Hunters Association."
"Ah! You mean the E-rank hunter Sung Jinwoo? he is in room 304-"
Once again, we rushed towards the room, which was not far from us.
Jinah did not even wait before throwing the door open and started crying in relief as she saw the peacefully sleeping form of her brother.
Unlike Jinah, who clung to her unconscious brother and started sobbing, I got to work immediately.
"Doctor, how is he?"
"Physically, Hunter Sung is completely fine and healthy. Even mentally, his brain waves show no abnormality. Honestly, we are not sure why he is still unconscious, but he should be completely fine. However, as per protocol, we will still keep him admitted for a week or two for observation."
Finally, I let my guard down and nodded gratefully at the doctor, who nodded back and headed out of the room.
Once he left, I immediately reached into my storage and took out a few items.
If Jinwoo is completely fine physically, yet still refuses to wake up, the issue must be related to his mind or soul.
First, I took out a bottle of Divine Blessing and poured it down his throat. Back in Lordran, Divine Blessing is a very rare item that was produced by Gwynevere, the goddess of bounty and fertility. This item is capable of healing all ailments and even saving a person on the brink of death.
Over the countless loops I went through, I have gained a sizable quantity of the item and don't care much for it, but I always keep the pile of Divine Blessing away from the cluttered mess that is the rest of my storage, since they are extremely vital for my loved ones. It is a shame that it did not work on the children's mother, but they can still be of use to the children themselves.
I watched carefully for a few seconds but found no reaction from Jinwoo to the divine item.
Since a divine item did not work, perhaps my miracles will work.
I started channeling my mana and started casting the miracles one after another.
"Great Heal" "Soothing Sunlight" "Replenishment" "Bountiful Sunlight"
However, just like with the Divine Blessing, there was no reaction.
With no other choice, I decided to pull out everything I had on me that could help.
I took a mortar and pestle and started grinding down a stalk of Green Blossom, a weed that is shaped like a flower and found in the dangerous lands of Darkroot Garden. After I ground down the Blossom, I took out something that was even rarer than Divine Blessing.
Mushrooms that I gained from Elizabeth of Oolacile in return for saving Dusk from Manus.
I mixed the mushrooms with extreme healing properties with the Blossom, creating a mixture I learned to make during my various loops.
I mixed the resulting paste with some water and poured it down Jinwoo's throat.
Immediately, I felt the healing energies within the concoctions spread across his body.
Without wasting another moment, I took out an ash-colored stone encasing a skull, known as the Purging Stone in Lordran, and quickly crushed it, activating its effect.
For a split second, I felt something react to the crushing of the stone that can absorb curses placed on a person, but in the end, nothing came out of Jinwoo, indicating that he was not under any curse or spell that induced this unconscious state.
When even the stone had no effect, I finally gave up and collapsed into the chair, silently staring at the siblings as various thoughts and emotions filled my head.
Looks like I had no choice but to wait until he wakes up naturally.
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Author Notes: Read 5 chapters ahead on Patreon: patreon.com/Ruijard1