“Now that we know everything, let’s stop here. Or are you just venting your anger?”
Even if Seo Eui-woo crushed Mateo right here and now, it wouldn’t change the fact that Kwon Jae-jin possessed the ability to enhance an Esper’s powers through guiding. He had already confirmed it and had no intention of backing down from his decision.
Seo Eui-woo had warned him countless times to be prepared, so Jae-jin did have some concerns about what might happen later…
“But that doesn’t mean my resolve will waver. I want to do what I can with my own hands.”
“I know. I know exactly how you feel. And that’s why this is unbearable for me.”
“Then that’s enough, isn’t it? You don’t have to kill Major Mateo… We can end this now.”
Jae-jin slowly turned his head and met Mateo’s gaze.
The fear and unease he had felt upon first meeting him were now wiped clean, as if he had brushed away years of dust.
The rigid, military-trained demeanor of a soldier obediently following orders, the strict adherence to Field Manual protocol, the flawlessly slicked-back hair without a strand out of place—back then, all of it had made Mateo seem like an unmistakable enemy. But now, it didn’t.
Mateo was just another version of Seo Eui-woo.
A weapon forged by the military, programmed to obey orders without question, destined to die on the battlefield at any moment.
If it hadn’t been for Mateo, Jae-jin might have never realized what he could do with his guiding.
Lowering his voice, he quietly admitted,
“…It wasn’t voluntary at the time, and it was unpleasant, but still, I owe him my life. Twice.”
Looking back, that was the truth. When Jae-jin had been severely wounded and collapsed after being attacked by a beta-class wolf-type creature, it had been Mateo’s 7th Special Task Force unit that passed by and saved him. If they hadn’t, he wouldn’t be alive today.
“If I hadn’t received the healing factor injection, I would’ve died on the spot. And later, when another pack of beta-class wolves appeared, Major Mateo saved me from being eaten alive again.”
“…….”
“I resented him back when I was being hunted down by the search team, but in the end, things turned out like this… And since it seems like he was even demoted for failing his mission, I don’t hold any grudges anymore.”
If anything, in some ways, he was actually grateful.
Mateo had played a significant role in pushing him beyond the confines of his former world.
Crack!
Seo Eui-woo’s ability shattered Mateo’s barrier into countless fragments.
Fortunately, it was only the shield that broke—he hadn’t crushed Mateo’s core.
As Seo Eui-woo withdrew his power, Mateo coughed violently, spitting out blood that had pooled in his mouth. His stance was unsteady, a clear sign that several of his bones had been fractured.
“…Since Jae-jin says he owes you his life twice, I’ll let you live. Twice.”
“Yeah. You made the right decision.”
“Even if Jae-jin doesn’t mind, I still have plenty of grudges.”
The commotion was growing louder. The emergency signals sent by the researchers had drawn in members of the special task force.
Several soldiers rushed forward to support the injured Major Mateo. One of them pulled a healing factor injector from Mateo’s chest pocket and administered the shot.
Despite his pained groans, Mateo steadied himself and locked eyes with Kwon Jae-jin. His dark, hollow gaze wavered for a moment before settling into a self-deprecating glint.
“…Kwon Jae-jin, I heard you were classified as an S-rank. Were you matched with Captain Seo?”
The moment he spoke, Seo Eui-woo curled his lips into a murderous smirk—like he had expected this all along.
Espers, seriously… they were all the same.
Seo Eui-woo, still seething, looked ready to unleash his ability again, but Jae-jin quickly restrained him and gave a curt reply.
“Forget matching. Seo Eui-woo is my Esper. And I’m his Guide.”
“…I see. So that’s how it is.”
Mateo’s face twisted with an odd expression—something close to the look of someone swallowing something painfully sour.
“Then I guess there’s no other option for me. All I can do is resent the fact that I was born an A-rank.”
Before Seo Eui-woo could completely lose it and destroy Mateo’s core, Jae-jin made sure to draw a clear line.
“I didn’t choose Seo Eui-woo because he’s an S-rank. I’m with him because he’s Seo Eui-woo.”
“…Because he’s Seo Eui-woo?”
“Yes. Even if, one day, you were evaluated as an S-rank and Seo Eui-woo was classified as an F-rank, I would still choose to stay by his side. I hope you understand that difference.”
Mateo’s expression gradually dimmed. He might not have fully grasped what Jae-jin meant, but he clearly understood that it was a rejection.
After silently mulling over Jae-jin’s words for a few moments, Mateo let out a deep sigh and muttered,
“…I should at least say thanks. That guiding of yours allowed me to send off Lieutenant Park Ho-won properly. It minimized the damage from his rampage.”
Lieutenant Park Ho-won… so that was the name of the Esper who lost control that day.
“You also did well on the battlefield. Well enough to make me question the military’s long-standing decision to eliminate mutants.”
“…….”
“If you were under my command, I would’ve praised you for it.”
Jae-jin blinked wordlessly. He swallowed down an empty laugh and turned his head.
When he glanced at Seo Eui-woo, his entire face was scrunched up in a scowl. His nose was wrinkled with so many creases that it practically screamed, I’m jealous.
Hadn’t he just said he didn’t want Jae-jin looking at other Espers or even talking to them?
Unfortunately, he had now done both. And with Mateo, of all people.
Well, maybe if you hadn’t been the one to cause a scene first…
Jae-jin had tried to stop him, but Seo Eui-woo refused to listen.
I came to the Center to get a better grasp of the situation, but now I’m leaving with even more trouble on my hands. How the hell am I supposed to fix this mess…?
At that moment, beyond the gathered crowd, a familiar face emerged. Lieutenant Colonel Jang Tae-san was striding toward them with a hardened expression. As he approached, the special task force members around them snapped to attention and stepped back.
Jang Tae-san swept his gaze over the wrecked hallway—the shattered floors and walls, the researchers sprawled on the ground. His already rough features twisted further, as if he had expected nothing less.
“A complete fucking mess, as usual. Take Major Mateo to the infirmary. Captain Seo, Kwon Jae-jin—come with me. The rest of you, disperse.”
***
“You’re well aware that using abilities within the Center is grounds for severe disciplinary action, Captain Seo.”
“So, did you call me here just to punish me?”
“No. Let’s speak openly. We don’t have time for this.”
The place Jang Tae-san led them to was the 1st Special Task Force’s combat standby room. Inside was his personal office, a space Seo Eui-woo had been in countless times. Without hesitation, he guided Kwon Jae-jin inside.
Seated at the wooden table, Lieutenant Colonel Jang Tae-san rubbed his temple with his rough hand, eyes heavy with exhaustion.
“What the hell are you two up to? And what the hell is happening in the military?”
“…….”
“At first, I thought Captain Seo had abandoned his duty, too blinded by the allure of an S-rank Guide. And I wasn’t wrong. Mutants… yeah, that was proof enough.”
To be blunt, Jang Tae-san had never approved of Kwon Jae-jin. He had believed Seo Eui-woo and Mateo were simply intoxicated by the concept of an S-rank Guide. Even the military brass had been the same.
The search unit had been disbanded overnight, and for some reason, the higher-ups had granted Kwon Jae-jin special treatment, allowing him to officially take his rank evaluation.
That alone was unusual, but right after the test, Kwon Jae-jin had left behind an utterly baffling statement—he claimed he couldn’t guide Awakened the way they expected.
But then he had added: if it was a more “humane” form of guiding, if it was through physical contact without mucous membrane exchange—if he only had to hold hands—then he was willing to do it.
Jang Tae-san hadn’t been able to wrap his head around it.
An S-rank Guide refusing to perform guiding?
Replacing guiding with mere hand-holding?
What kind of nonsense was that?
It was as if he had thrown away a Guide’s duty and responsibility like a worthless scrap of paper.
It sounded like a coward’s excuse—someone prioritizing their own safety over the lives hanging in the balance on the battlefield.
Rejecting efficiency-driven guiding was nothing short of mocking the Awakened who risked their lives on the front lines.
Because of that, Jang Tae-san had believed Kwon Jae-jin was unfit to be Seo Eui-woo’s Guide. Unfit to be considered a proper Awakened, even.
And yet, Kwon Jae-jin had shown up on the battlefield.
Despite rejecting the fundamental duty of a Guide, he had donned combat gear, wielded a rifle with practiced precision, and even handled military-grade HMD goggles like he had used them all his life.
Without fear, he had gunned down countless creatures, standing firm in battle.
More than anything, there had been… something in him.
A solemn sense of duty.
“I want to know the truth. What are you two really trying to do?”
Jang Tae-san had always had sharp instincts.
He had already sensed that the creatures gathering in hordes were moving in an unsettling pattern. It was obvious that something was happening within the military, yet he was completely in the dark—and that was frustrating as hell.
“Captain Seo, why do you keep breaking regulations? Have you decided to defy the military? And Kwon Jae-jin… what exactly did you mean by what you said to me that day?”
