Anyway, nothing has been verified yet. Kwon Jae-jin’s guiding effectiveness was still uncertain. Securing confirmation was the priority, and the actual guiding would be decided afterward.
‘Once everything is confirmed, then… hmm…’
Yeah…
Another fucking mess was going to break out, wasn’t it…?
‘Not like being a mad dog is anything special. Just a dance with the blade and be done with it.’
Basically, as long as he held out until Seo Eui-woo calmed down, that would be enough, right? It wasn’t like he hadn’t experienced worse before…
Besides, if Seo Eui-woo was the one enduring, then what was Jae-jin supposed to say?
‘Not like I want to run away whining, so I’ll just handle what I can.’
Right now, he had to focus on moving forward. There was no time to hesitate.
“Then let’s go to the sterile transfer chamber.”
His first visit to the Center had been an intrusion as an unauthorized trespasser. The second time, he had entered as an officially invited guest after passing identity verification. Now, on his third visit, he was finally using the sterile transfer chamber. It was almost amusing that he was only now utilizing the most common mode of transportation within the Special Residential Zone.
‘Even though I’ve always seen Seo Eui-woo coming and going with it.’
The sterile transfer chamber in the new mansion was identical in structure to the one in the beachside residence he had previously stayed in. It had two airtight doors, and the passage through them completed the sterilization process. Inside, a circular platform was embedded in the floor, and a compatibility device was positioned in front of it.
Seo Eui-woo took Kwon Jae-jin’s hand and stepped onto the platform. As they sent the compatibility signal and waited, a brief silence filled the space.
When Jae-jin absentmindedly turned to look at Seo Eui-woo, their eyes naturally met. Of course, Seo Eui-woo was staring at him—like he had nothing better to do, as if he would never get tired of it.
Jae-jin let out a weary murmur.
“You don’t have to keep me in check like that. I’m going to stick by your side anyway.”
“…….”
“Other Espers, well… anyway, I mean—”
“What do you mean, ‘anyway, I mean’?”
“The light’s on. That’s the signal to transfer, isn’t it?”
“What do you mean, ‘anyway, I mean’?”
“It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
“Jae-jin.”
“Haa… I meant that I’ll be careful, so stop worrying… Now, let’s go.”
As Kwon Jae-jin passed through the sterile transfer chamber with Seo Eui-woo, they arrived directly on the 7th floor of the Center’s main building. Unlike the quiet 3rd floor, the 7th floor was crowded with special task force members receiving assignments and using the transfer chambers.
Among the heavily armed Awakened dressed in full combat gear, Seo Eui-woo and Kwon Jae-jin, appearing in casual clothing, stood out conspicuously.
“……!”
The Awakened who recognized them flinched and instinctively stepped back.
In an instant, the bustling corridor of the 7th floor parted like the Red Sea. Seo Eui-woo created a protective barrier around Kwon Jae-jin with his ability and strode purposefully toward the elevator.
“Don’t look at them. Don’t make eye contact with those bastards.”
“How many times are you going to say that? I wasn’t looking.”
“Wait, don’t even talk. I don’t want them hearing your voice.”
“…….”
Kwon Jae-jin tried his best, but he couldn’t completely hide the way his expression subtly twisted.
“Why do the rules keep piling up? Just looking at them won’t trigger guiding, and hearing my voice won’t either…”
Seo Eui-woo suddenly yanked him into the elevator. As soon as the doors shut and left them alone in the enclosed space, he couldn’t hold back anymore and pressed Jae-jin against the wall. Pinning him in the corner, he wrapped a firm arm around Jae-jin’s waist, pulling him into a tight embrace.
They hadn’t even been out of the house for a full minute, yet Seo Eui-woo already felt the urge to teleport them straight back.
“What now… Nothing even happened. Let go.”
Despite being restrained, Kwon Jae-jin managed to stretch out his arm and press the button for the 3rd floor, where the medical examination room was located.
“Nothing happened? They were all staring at you like they were hypnotized…”
“Of course, they’d stare. A mutant suddenly appeared out of nowhere—it’s natural to be curious.”
“No, no… They resonated with you. They all felt it.”
“Resonated or not, doing this where people can see is embarrassing… Your jealousy is getting ridiculous.”
“Jealousy…?”
“Yes.”
“You think I was jealous?”
“Wasn’t it?”
Seo Eui-woo was born an S-Class. He had never in his life felt the need to envy or be jealous of another Esper. If anything, it was always the other Espers who envied him.
But when it came to Kwon Jae-jin, the story changed entirely.
Even if no one could ever match Seo Eui-woo’s abilities, the fundamental instincts of an Esper remained the same. The process of craving guiding was identical. Any Esper could receive guiding from Kwon Jae-jin, and they would all desperately long for it.
That was why Seo Eui-woo seethed with murderous intent, consumed by jealousy.
Just like Seo Eui-woo had, other Espers also had the chance to realize things through Kwon Jae-jin—what love was, what romantic feelings were. If all of them came to understand these things through Kwon Jae-jin, they wouldn’t just be rivals as Espers but also as romantic competitors.
That was why he became the object of jealousy, why he was constantly perceived as a threat.
“…I see. So this is jealousy.”
The elevator arrived on the 3rd floor, but Seo Eui-woo showed no sign of getting off. The doors opened briefly before closing again, and inside the motionless elevator, Seo Eui-woo’s eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity.
His murderous gaze was reflected in the mirrors lining both sides of the elevator.
“It really is jealousy.”
“…Alright. Now, can we get off?”
“I’m jealous.”
“I said I got it….”
Honestly, at this point, shouldn’t he be seeing a therapist or something?
It was understandable that Seo Eui-woo felt uncomfortable about other Espers receiving guiding, but if one really thought about it, his obsession seemed to go far beyond that.
“This is the 3rd floor. We should go.”
“Yeah, alright. Let’s go….”
The reason they had come to the medical examination room on the 3rd floor was to continue the tests that had been left unfinished last time. After Kwon Jae-jin’s rank evaluation, Lieutenant Colonel Jang Tae-san had informed them that Seo Eui-woo was also scheduled for an ability assessment.
It had been postponed that day, but if they completed the test today, they could finally determine whether Kwon Jae-jin’s guiding had a direct effect on an Esper’s ability amplification.
However, the moment the elevator doors opened and they stepped out, Kwon Jae-jin locked eyes with someone in the hallway.
“…Kwon Jae-jin?”
As if by some cruel twist of fate, it was a painfully familiar face.
Major Mateo’s expression twisted in shock as he stared at Kwon Jae-jin and Seo Eui-woo. Behind him, a line of researchers stood in stunned silence.
Before anyone could react, Seo Eui-woo’s ability flared to life.
Mateo hurriedly threw up a barrier, his face filled with alarm. The researchers behind him were violently shoved backward, tumbling onto the hallway floor.
Kwon Jae-jin quickly grabbed Seo Eui-woo, trying to hold him back.
“Seo Eui-woo! Wait!”
Fuck, of all people!
Why the hell was Mateo here, of all places…?
‘No, actually, this might be for the best.’
At least now, they wouldn’t have to go looking for him.
As Mateo struggled to withstand Seo Eui-woo’s onslaught, Kwon Jae-jin called out urgently.
“Hold on, Eui-woo. Let’s talk. Stop this.”
But Seo Eui-woo didn’t listen.
Mateo groaned, his face twisted in pain.
“Kuugh….”
“Major Mateo, I heard that guiding enhanced your ability. Is that true?”
The researchers on the 3rd floor began sounding the alarms and sending reports to the higher-ups. The situation was escalating fast.
Yet even in the midst of the commotion, Seo Eui-woo showed no sign of withdrawing his power. His expression remained icy cold as he crushed Mateo under his overwhelming force. The ground where Mateo stood had sunk in, forming a crater around his spherical barrier.
“Seo Eui-woo, stop! Let me at least hear his answer—”
“Jae-jin… there’s no need to listen to trash like him. I can tell just by facing him myself.”
Seo Eui-woo gave a twisted, irritated smile. Though the corners of his mouth were lifted, his face showed nothing but thinly veiled displeasure, as if he was struggling to suppress his growing frustration.
“Ah… Haha, I was actually hoping it was all just bullshit.”
It would’ve been so much better if the talk about ability enhancement had been nothing but nonsense…
“A-rank, defensive type. His strength has increased significantly beyond his original level.”
Seo Eui-woo let out a scoff as he sharpened his ability into a piercing point. The moment it struck Mateo’s barrier, the once-perfect spherical shield distorted under the pressure.
Cracks spread across the iridescent surface like a fragile soap bubble about to burst. It didn’t take long before one section began to splinter and break apart.
“He should’ve already collapsed, but thanks to your guiding, Jae-jin, he’s still managing to hold on. And that seriously pisses me off.”
“Then… it’s all true, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. As you can see.”
“…I see.”
He got his confirmation. From Seo Eui-woo, no less.
That was more reliable than any test result.
“So… that’s how it is.”
Ah.
Unbelievable.
He had wondered, he had considered the possibility, but…
Even now, everything still felt surreal.
During his rank evaluation, Kwon Jae-jin hadn’t been certain he would receive an S-rank classification. They had told him he was an S-rank, but he had never actually felt it himself.
But now, there was no denying it.
From the very beginning, the power to shake the foundation of everything had been in his hands.
It wasn’t the kind of omnipotent ability Seo Eui-woo wielded—the kind that could cause natural disasters and reshape reality itself. But it was an absolute force nonetheless, something just as untouchable in its own way.
Jae-jin slowly clenched his fist. A storm of thoughts rushed through his mind in an instant, swirling and colliding. Then, he snapped back to his senses.
Mateo’s barrier was already more than halfway shattered. If things continued like this, it would completely collapse at any moment.
Feeling much calmer now, Kwon Jae-jin reached out and gently pulled Seo Eui-woo’s elbow.
