A Terminal Healer Needs an Obsessive Maniac-Chapter 140
[SYSTEM: Would you like to access the information of entity #S1281-SS34 from lower dimension KE3718-A? Y/N]
As Ryu Seo-Ha reviewed the panorama of his sister Ryu Jung-Ah’s past, his face turned pale.
[Equivalent Offering: Implements the desired wish into reality. By sacrificing something from the caster, the prayer can be fulfilled.]
His only family member had awakened an S-rank materialization ability, and her first act after awakening had been to pray for her pitiful younger brother, who had endured so much for her. She had asked to foresee his future in hopes of helping him overcome his greatest threat.
"I will give up my sight in exchange for seeing the most immediate danger Seo-Ha will face, and the best way to help him overcome it."
Though it was somewhat vague, the system had accepted the sacrifice as a worthy exchange for fulfilling her wish.
"Lack of lifespan..."
Through her foresight, Ryu Jung-Ah had seen that her brother would soon be in a situation where he would have to steal the lifespan of strangers, something that would torment him.
"I offer 99.9% of my remaining lifespan in exchange for increasing Seo-Ha’s remaining lifespan when he needs it most."
To spare him from a lifetime of guilt, she had sacrificed herself, giving him the lifespan needed to survive. This had happened during the period when she had isolated herself at the Hanam-dong mansion after learning many of his secrets through Choi Kang-Hoo.
"Sister..."
He felt his heart shatter as he thought of his older sister, blind and confined to her bed, unable to see the world anymore. He recalled his recent visit to the mansion, regretting that he hadn’t stayed to talk, using his urgent schedule as an excuse. He had thought that since she was safe and protected by Rast, there was no need to linger. Now, that choice weighed heavily on his mind.
‘Thank you. I’m sorry.’
But it wasn’t as though he could return the lifespan now. That would only waste the precious resources and time his sister had sacrificed, and she wouldn’t want that.
In the end, Ryu Seo-Ha resolved to save Choi Kang-Hoo from his time in the Abyss. Logically, saving his lover meant saving himself and ultimately being able to protect more people, including his sister.
[SYSTEM: Would you like to expend 3 hours of lifespan to intervene in the timeline 20XX.10.28-T4192.1835 of entity #S159-EX0?]
...
...
[SYSTEM: Would you like to expend 6 hours of lifespan to intervene in the timeline 20XX.12.17-T7436.0529 of entity #S159-EX0?]
Ryu Seo-Ha felt the sting of the dark mana intensifying, signaling that the effectiveness of his necklace item was running out. Despite the dizziness and the constant coughing up of blood, he continued to intervene in the dream.
Visit fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm for the best novel reading experi𝒆nce.
Unlike before, Choi Kang-Hoo’s mental state had stabilized, so Ryu Seo-Ha focused entirely on transmitting crucial survival information. He couldn’t afford to let the defenses against the dark mana fall, which would prevent him from intervening further.
Even when Choi Kang-Hoo expressed regret about missing out on finding a rare fruit he could use as seasoning in reality, or when he subtly showed that he wished their time together would never end, Ryu Seo-Ha kept his focus on what mattered: survival.
At each starting point of the dream, Choi Kang-Hoo would either showcase a new recipe using the universal seasoning fruit or lie in a room resembling the one at the Hanam-dong mansion, seemingly at ease. Despite the temptation to allow him to rest in the dream, Ryu Seo-Ha resisted.
“Let’s have some barbecue. I’ve cooked it just right,” Choi Kang-Hoo would offer, having become more adept at manipulating the contents of his dreams.
Ryu Seo-Ha, however, would shake his head and write down the crucial information, prompting Choi Kang-Hoo to dismiss the food in disappointment.
<You can eat while reading the information.>
Eventually, Ryu Seo-Ha suggested this, writing that Choi Kang-Hoo could eat while he transmitted the message.
“I don’t enjoy eating alone.”
But Choi Kang-Hoo, who had once delighted in solo culinary adventures, like the joy of having kimchi stew after returning to the real world, would casually brush the food aside, only to summon another meal the next time. It was as though he were determined to find something Ryu Seo-Ha would enjoy so they could eat together.
Knowing this, yet being forced to focus on survival, pained Ryu Seo-Ha deeply.
‘Just a little longer...’
Pushing through his emotions, Ryu Seo-Ha shortened the time spent in each dream, using all of his focus to ensure that he saved Choi Kang-Hoo in every timeline, including those slightly altered by his previous interventions. He managed to finish just before the necklace item’s power ran out.
[Status: Remaining lifespan: 23,427 days, 0 hours, 1 minute]
Thankfully, he still had enough lifespan left to intervene in a few more instances if necessary. He decided to use the remaining time before the item’s power expired to focus on mental care—something he had been neglecting in his rush to save Choi Kang-Hoo.
At that moment, a new timeline of Choi Kang-Hoo suddenly emerged in the panorama of his past. Ryu Seo-Ha’s eyes widened as he saw a version of his lover dying in battle against three higher beings who had descended to Earth.
‘So this is why my sister gave me the lifespan.’
Intervening in an event tied to higher beings required an immense amount of resources—far more than any typical timeline.
[SYSTEM: Would you like to expend 23,427 days of lifespan to intervene in the timeline 20XX.04.05-T1.2348 of entity #S159-EX0?]
Ryu Jung-Ah had sacrificed all of her remaining lifespan to give him just enough to alter this critical moment. She must have known that Choi Kang-Hoo’s survival was essential for Ryu Seo-Ha to live, and by extension, for her as well.
“Pii-yuu?” Ruby chirped, sensing the growing unease in the air.
Ryu Seo-Ha had already made his decision.
‘I just want to give him happiness, but I keep having to do these terrible things.’
Knowing full well that his choices would leave scars on Choi Kang-Hoo, Ryu Seo-Ha accepted the system’s offer, a bitter smile forming on his lips. His dark, sorrow-filled eyes slowly slid shut.
[Skill: Spatial Leap is activated.]
As soon as Ryu Seo-Ha was sent to Polynesia, Choi Kang-Hoo transported himself to the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. He quickly ran through a combat readiness check—his weapons, armor, consumables, auxiliary equipment, and the environment, which wouldn’t suffer too much damage even if it were destroyed.
This was the first time since the Abyss that Choi Kang-Hoo was facing a battle where he might be on the losing side. Yet, he had still chosen a location where the devastating clash wouldn’t result in civilian casualties. The thought of future grief over innocent lives lost weighed heavily on him.
Rumble...
Of course, if the higher beings he was facing chose to spread their wings, their power could devastate entire continents. But at least he had avoided a battle in the heart of New York, a city of nearly 20 million people.
With his sub-weapon, a chain sickle designed to manipulate natural environments, Choi Kang-Hoo wrapped the entire Grand Canyon, an area as large as 5% of Korea’s landmass, with his power. He ensured that, even if the fight spilled out of the canyon, the damage would be minimal, preventing large-scale destruction in the U.S. while also establishing a domain he could control.
Boom—!
Not long after Choi Kang-Hoo finished his preparations, dark mana surged like a mirage, pouring in from the mouth of the Paria River, enveloping him. The sight of the canyon disintegrating into dust under the sheer presence of the higher beings sent shivers down his spine.
The breathtaking natural formations, which had stood for millennia, crumbled like discarded toys. The ancient fossils in the towering red sedimentary layers turned black, and the Colorado River, which connected the great lakes, dried up in an instant.
‘This…’
Choi Kang-Hoo, who was enduring the onslaught that could have easily annihilated even S-rank hunters, couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity. It felt as though an invisible hand was guiding him, protecting him.
Thanks to this inexplicable luck, Choi Kang-Hoo survived several dangerous moments. As he became more familiar with the overwhelming force at play, he started to gain a sense of how to deal with the higher beings. Though he had lost an arm in the process, he was beginning to understand how to fight them.
<I’m sorry.>
But before he could catch his breath, an alert about a security breach on the island where Ryu Seo-Ha had been sealed appeared. At the same time, an ominous message arrived via their communication items.
[Skill: Spatial Leap is activated.]
Choi Kang-Hoo didn’t hesitate. He immediately transported himself to the unfamiliar coordinates sent to him, following his instincts.
Through a portal, he saw the small figure of Ryu Seo-Ha leaping into the darkness.
“Ryu Seo-Ha!”
Despite all the devastation at the Grand Canyon and the pursuit of the relentless higher beings, Choi Kang-Hoo had no time to focus on anything else. His only concern was Ryu Seo-Ha, who had recklessly thrown himself into the enemy’s heart with barely any protection.
In the last second, as the black portal closed, Choi Kang-Hoo flung himself into the higher dimension, right after Ryu Seo-Ha.
