The moment he gained the ability to wield divine authority, the option of not healing Seo Junho vanished from his mind entirely. That was why he had nodded without hesitation when Blue explained that, much like Shim Tae-seong’s power, this one allowed him to move freely through space as he pleased.
He had already told them he wanted to be alone, so Shim Tae-seong probably wouldn’t be checking in on his bedroom for the next few hours. There was a chance he could sneak in and out unnoticed.
In truth, he didn’t have any solid plan in case he got caught. He could end up more tightly confined, or even suffer some irreparable bodily harm… but in the worst-case scenario, he was betting on Shim Tae-seong to stop it from going that far—based on everything he had confided in him.
The suffocating atmosphere of the ICU pressed down on him. He ordered Blue to immediately notify him if anyone approached, then stepped forward. The beeping of machines sustaining a fragile life grew steadily louder. He looked down at Seo Junho, lying within a web of life-support systems.
The condition was incomparable to the remnants left on his brother. The skin exposed beyond the patient gown, except for his face, was completely blackened—as if rotted and sunken in. The poison had crept up his jaw, mottling it with jet-black veins and blotches. Even in his unconscious state, the pained expression on his face was so severe it was painful to witness.
It was such a grotesque sight that he couldn’t help but wonder if restoring him to a normal, healthy state was even possible.
To think that a monster driven purely by malice—invading with mindless destruction and devouring everything in its path—could still inflict further harm through the blood it shed while being struck down by humans. The thought sent a fresh chill down his spine. Maybe true luck was going one’s entire life without ever coming face-to-face with such a creature.
…Maybe, just maybe, he had been granted that kind of luck thanks to the authority he now possessed. Perhaps the monsters had already begun avoiding him altogether.
That’s why this healing power he had obtained—he would not use it for himself, but for the sake of others.
But still, how exactly was he supposed to heal someone?
[You must make direct contact with the target and hold the intent to heal them, Administrator.]
That sounded way too simple…
Well… then again, even the Third Eye activated just by thinking about the person he wanted to spy on. So it was probably safe to assume that most of these abilities functioned based on the user’s intent. Simple and convenient—it really was an incredible power.
Still feeling a bit unsure, he carefully reached out and took hold of Seo Junho’s hand. The skin looked so badly corroded, it seemed like even the slightest pressure might make it crumble. He tensed up instinctively.
He didn’t want a single stray thought to interfere, so he squeezed his eyes shut and focused with all his might. He pictured Seo Junho getting up as if none of this had ever happened—recovering enough to continue the business he’d once been involved in, living a normal life.
That godawful birthday—the worst day of his life, no doubt. And now, this—dying slowly and horribly in such a broken state. He knew the truth behind the series of incidents that Seo Junho had been dragged into. That’s why—what he was doing now to save Seo Junho… it wasn’t purely out of a selfless desire for the man to live. More than that, it was because healing him made himself feel better.
So live.
A faint brightness began to pierce through the darkness behind his eyelids, and he slowly opened them. A radiant blue light burst forth from his hand, trailing along the point of contact and flowing into Seo Junho’s body.
In no time, Seo Junho’s entire body was engulfed in such a blinding glow that it became difficult to even see him properly. The pulsating blue waves—thoom, thoom—gradually faded, as if absorbed into him completely.
And then, revealed from behind that light, was a body that looked… as if it had never been necrotic to begin with.
The grotesque trail of poison that had once threatened to reach his face had vanished without a trace. The hand he was holding, which had been corroded and blackened just moments ago, was now smooth, new flesh. It seemed this power encompassed full recovery from injury as well as complete detoxification.
Even the pained grimace that lingered on his unconscious face had changed. He now looked peaceful, as if in a deep, restful sleep.
He stared at Seo Junho in stunned silence. Despite seeing the change with his own eyes, the effect was so miraculous that he couldn’t close his mouth in disbelief. It was astonishing—even for him, the one who’d wielded the power.
And then, an overwhelming wave of relief hit him, stinging his nose. His eyes began to burn like tears were about to fall, his ears buzzing…
…Wait. Why were his ears buzzing?
“That’s impossible…”
He hadn’t said it.
The voice, vibrating inside his ringing ears, made him whip his head around in alarm. A man—presumably a doctor—was standing at the entrance to the room, frozen in place. Judging by the way he stared in sheer disbelief, he had seen the entire healing process.
He was so stunned by the scene unfolding before him that he didn’t even seem to register the more basic, obvious questions: How had someone entered the ICU without authorization? Who was this person?
I’m shocked too, fuck.
Blue, you son of a bitch… You said you’d alert me, so why the hell didn’t you say someone was coming?
[During the use of divine authority, messaging functions are temporarily disabled.]
A flat voice spoke as a message window popped up in the corner of his vision.
So that’s what it was.
Right after he started using his power, someone must’ve begun approaching—and Blue wasn’t able to warn him because of the restriction. Judging by how fast the man got here, he must’ve already been close by.
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
He glared at the support system, feeling his previous sense of unease double in an instant. Why the hell were they only telling him now about a limitation like that? No wonder the explanations had been so damn short and vague—always giving him just enough information to shut him up.
Just as he was about to hurl a mental curse while looking at the still-frozen doctor…
BEEEEEP.
A high-pitched tone pierced his ears like he’d suddenly risen to high altitude. Then, a stabbing pain shot through his skull, making his nasal bridge throb sharply.
Warm fluid dribbled down from inside his nose.
He instinctively clamped his nose shut, but it was already too late. Dark, blood-red drops splattered against the white floor. It didn’t stop there—his palm was instantly soaked, and the blood kept dripping in heavy, wet splats, grotesquely abundant.
A nosebleed…? Now?
But that wasn’t the end of it.
“Ugh…!”
A searing heat flared in his chest, as though it were burning from the inside out. Something metallic and foul surged up his throat. He tried his best to hold it back, but the blood that flooded his mouth burst out with a violent cough. A few droplets splattered—his eyes began to sting.
Wait… hold on. What the hell…
Did I just cough up blood?
The world tilted and swayed. All strength drained from his limbs. His knees buckled under him, and as his body collapsed to the side, he caught a glimpse of the doctor rushing toward him in a panic. Just before his vision went dark, Blue’s voice rang inside his head.
[Due to excessive use of divine authority in a human vessel, side effects have manifested. Time remaining until side effects subside: 47 hours, 59 minutes, 52 seconds.]
There wasn’t a warning for that either. Fuck this…
Right before he lost consciousness for real, he was pretty sure he actually swore out loud.
***
No one had ever survived after being poisoned by a monster’s blood.
The best hospitals could do was hook the patient up to a ventilator and monitor their condition. In the ward where the word recovery held no meaning, Seo Junho had been considered one of the most hopeless cases.
His internal injuries were severe, and the poison had spread too far. After lying unconscious for days, even those closest to him had stopped hoping. His family, visiting with faces full of sorrow, had already begun saying their final goodbyes.
But now, a miracle had unfolded before the doctor’s very eyes.
He had witnessed the complete restoration of Seo Junho’s body—healed so perfectly that it seemed like he had never been injured at all. As if no trace of the toxin had ever existed in his system.
And it had all been because of the man now lying unconscious in the hospital bed before him.
“He had no belongings on him, and we still haven’t been able to confirm his identity.”
The hospital director calmly repeated the report he’d just received from the doctor, who stood beside him looking too agitated to hide his emotions.
“Yes. All we know is that he’s an Esper with a healing-type ability… Since he’s an Esper, it wouldn’t have been hard for him to sneak into a restricted ward like this. We have no idea why he treated Seo Junho, or what their relationship might be.”
The hospital director nodded at the doctor’s words. He had checked Seo Junho’s condition himself—it was undeniable.
This Esper was someone with a miraculous power the world had never seen before. A power the world needed. Not just capable of healing injuries, but of purging poisons completely.
……The reason such a being had remained unknown until now could only be one of two things: either he had chosen to hide himself, or someone had been hiding him.
The director stared down at the unconscious young man, whose dazzling appearance made him almost look unreal.
He’d reportedly started coughing up blood immediately after treating Seo Junho. His clothes were soaked in dark crimson, and his complexion was deathly pale.
If healing someone else came at such a devastating toll on his body… then either possibility made perfect sense.
Immediate tests were clearly necessary, but there was nothing the hospital could do—an Esper’s physiology differed fundamentally from that of an ordinary human. Without access to a facility specialized in Espers, such as one operated by the government or the Esper Association, any tests they performed here would be meaningless.
In the end, regardless of what unfortunate circumstances the man might be facing, the hospital director had no choice but to file a report in order to ensure proper medical care.
He reported everything to the authorities in meticulous detail—how an unidentified Esper had suddenly appeared at the hospital, what kind of ability he possessed, and what exactly had taken place.
The report was immediately escalated through the appropriate channels to higher authorities.
