T/N: Release Schedule : 1 chapter every other day
Chapter 58:
The insect, scorched but still alive, flapped its wings desperately, trying to escape.
It could escape with these wings, vibrating hundreds of times per second. It could survive if it flew fast enough.
Hope flickered in its compound eyes.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
A fleeting hope, of course.
Grayson, enveloped in wind, was already hovering before the fleeing insect. The startled insect flapped its wings wildly.
“Surprised? Did you think we’d let you go?”
Grayson grinned and flicked his hand. The translucent wings, the insect’s pride, were torn to shreds. Its body plummeted, unable to resist.
Kyaaagh!
It shrieked at Grayson. And that was its last cry.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out, and the insect’s body exploded in mid-air. The fragmented remains were consumed by the flames, incinerated without a trace.
Both the parasite and the boss monster it had controlled were reduced to ashes. Seo Jae-yi extinguished the remaining embers.
It was a complete victory.
***
Baek Joo-won had witnessed the entire scene from a distance.
The sight of the giant tree monster being incinerated by the flames was awe-inspiring. Even the crowd watching from a safe distance was buzzing with whispers.
“Who is that? Who’s that skilled at coordinating with Grayson?”
“Grayson must have been doing most of the work. Wind and fire are a perfect match.”
“But their coordination wouldn’t be that smooth if the other Esper was weak. They must be at least A-rank. They don’t seem to be from the US Association. Who are they?”
Most assumed Grayson’s ability was the main factor, but Baek Joo-won knew the truth.
Seo Jae-yi, who had faced the boss monster head-on, her overwhelming power, the flames that had ultimately reduced everything to ashes.
It had been a truly impressive battle, and he couldn’t help but be drawn to her.
“Is she okay using her ability that much?”
It had only been a few days since he last Guided her; she must still be recovering.
Baek Joo-won chuckled, realizing he was thinking about her well-being.
He hadn’t come here for this; he was losing sight of his original purpose.
And there was only one reason.
He looked at Seo Jae-yi again. Her back, usually playful and carefree, seemed strong and resolute today.
No, she was pretending to be strong.
He saw a trace of blood on the back of her hand as she discreetly wiped her mouth.
As he had suspected. She had overused her ability. The Guiding sessions he had given her weren’t enough to fully heal her current condition.
Baek Joo-won clicked his tongue and started walking towards her.
Screech, squeak.
A parasite, injured by an Esper, crawled towards his feet. It was in such a pathetic state that it would have died soon even if he left it alone.
Click, click.
The parasite, its body half-gone, reached his feet and bit his shoe, its torn wings fluttering. Its eyes held a strange longing.
It was the desperate gaze of a monster that instinctively knew it could survive if it consumed him.
“You should have come with a healthy body if you were that desperate.”
But it wouldn’t have changed anything.
Baek Joo-won muttered to himself, words no one else could hear, and raised his gun, aiming at the parasite. The insect’s head exploded, its mandibles still gnawing at his shoe.
He looked at the corpse with cold eyes and then turned away, his interest lost, and headed towards Seo Jae-yi.
Towards the one who needed his ability.
***
“Rank 3 dungeon breakout, neutralized.”
There had been casualties, as it was a breakout, but the damage was relatively minor considering it was a Rank 3 dungeon in the middle of Seoul.
It was fortunate that it had occurred near the Center and the Association.
“Cough.”
Seo Jae-yi, who had been checking the surrounding area for anyone caught in the battle, coughed and covered her mouth with the back of her hand. She had wondered where the metallic scent was coming from; there were a few drops of blood on her hand.
She wiped the blood away nonchalantly and checked her receiver.
【Overload Progress — 45%】
【Caution: Not yet stabilized.】
She had been fine while using the gun, but her level had spiked after using her ability to subdue the boss monster. She felt dizzy, her overload progressing rapidly.
‘But it couldn’t be helped.’
She couldn’t ignore the imminent danger before her. She had no regrets.
“Huh?”
She felt a warm sensation in her stomach. This familiar feeling was the power the dungeon master had given her.
‘Ah, I feel better.’
Airok’s words about the dungeon master being able to interfere with Espers seemed to be true, as the nausea that had been making her want to vomit subsided. The dizziness also faded, and she could breathe comfortably again.
This was the first time she had felt the dungeon master’s power so directly since she had absorbed it six months ago. She was relieved that it had stabilized her condition, but she didn’t know why it had suddenly activated.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”
Grayson, who had landed beside her, asked as she instinctively rubbed her stomach, where the power resided. His handsome nose twitched.
“I smell your blood.”
She couldn’t hide from an S-rank Esper’s senses.
“I coughed up some blood. The fate of a frail, terminally ill person.”
Grayson ignored her joke and checked her complexion with a serious expression. Fortunately, her condition had improved quickly thanks to the dungeon master’s power, so he didn’t say anything more.
“Good work. You two still work well together.”
Seon Ju-hee approached them. She patted Seo Jae-yi’s head and then frowned.
“…We’ll handle the cleanup, so go get some Guiding. Guide Baek Joo-won is right over there.”
She had also smelled the blood, like Grayson, and pushed Seo Jae-yi’s back with a sigh.
Seo Jae-yi, startled, turned around. Baek Joo-won, who she thought was at a safe distance, was closer than she expected.
‘But why is he making that face?’
Baek Joo-won’s expression was hardened for some reason. Seo Jae-yi rushed towards him.
“Baek Joo-won, are you hurt?”
She quickly scanned his body and gasped, seeing the insect fluids splattered on his pant leg.
“Did you get caught in the battle?”
“I shot a dying parasite on my way here. I only saw one.”
“Really? You’re not hurt?”
“No, not at all.”
“That’s a relief. But why are you making that face?”
“Wouldn’t it be strange if I was happy?”
Baek Joo-won touched her cheek. A refreshing energy flowed into the cheek that was slightly swollen from the leaf bomb.
Seo Jae-yi, startled, tried to step back, but he grabbed her left wrist before she could.
He sighed, looking at the number displayed on her receiver.
“I worked so hard to lower it.”
“B-but it had to be resolved quickly, so I had to step in. Maggie helped, so it wasn’t that difficult.”
“You coughed up blood because it wasn’t difficult?”
“Gasp, you saw that?”
Seo Jae-yi grimaced. Not because she was upset with him.
‘That jerk Maggie! I told him to take Baek Joo-won to a safe place, and he just left him this close?!’
She would have to give him a good smack later. It would have been a disaster if Baek Joo-won had been fully exposed to the monsters.
“Receive Guiding quietly.”
“I-I’m fine now. And my average overload level was around 50% before…”
“So?”
Baek Joo-won cut her off with a smile. His smile, that intimidating smile that always made her feel pressured.
“…I’ll receive it somewhere quiet since there are people watching.”
Seo Jae-yi, overwhelmed by his assertiveness, gave up, and Baek Joo-won nodded, seemingly satisfied.
With nothing left to clean up, they returned to the Center.
“Honey, how could you leave me behind?”
Grayson, who had finally realized they had abandoned him, whined, chasing after them.
She had intentionally left him behind so she could receive Guiding from Baek Joo-won. Grayson was annoyingly perceptive.
Baek Joo-won didn’t have a personal Guiding room yet, as he wasn’t officially affiliated with the Center. Therefore, Seo Jae-yi led him to the room where they had conducted the Guiding experiment.
There were no signs of damage; it seemed like it had been repaired.
“Let’s start.”
Baek Joo-won and Seo Jae-yi sat facing each other.
Grayson stayed, refusing to leave. She would have kicked him out if it were any other day, but she didn’t this time.
She needed someone to stop her if she lost control. Her condition wasn’t good, so it was better to be prepared.
The Guiding session began the moment their hands touched.
The nausea that had been making her want to vomit subsided instantly. Seo Jae-yi’s eyelashes fluttered as a surge of life force replaced the nausea.
‘Ah, why does it feel so good today?’
In the past, she had been overwhelmed by the intensity of his Guiding, receiving it at unexpected moments.
But perhaps she had become accustomed to it after several sessions, because this time, the overwhelming pleasure was the first thing she felt.
Was this how it felt to be thrown naked into a space filled with delicate, newly sprouted plants? She trembled, her body tingling all over, as if every inch of her skin was being caressed. Goosebumps erupted on her arms.
Unable to contain the pleasure that filled her, she let out a soft moan and gripped his large hand tightly, making sure not to hurt him.