Being Ordinary is the Best 2

Chapter 2

“Everyone, don’t move. This monster seems to find humans through vibrations in the ground.”

It appeared that the monster had revealed itself not because of noise, but because people couldn’t keep their feet still as they trembled with anxiety.

Indeed, the monster wasn’t responding to Hajin’s voice.

People were so afraid of creating even the smallest vibration that they couldn’t even nod their heads. They simply remained still, completely still, to avoid provoking the monster.

However, for someone trying to half-raise their body, an elderly person with leg problems, or children with short attention spans, keeping perfectly still for a long time was difficult.

Despite everyone holding out until they were breaking into cold sweats, inevitably someone moved, almost simultaneously with others. Immediately, the monster turned its head toward the people and moved its long, massive body like a snake.

“KYAAAAAAK!”

Hajin bit his lower lip. Without thinking, he raised his right knee high and then slammed it down hard on the ground.

The larger vibration redirected the monster’s attention toward Hajin. With a rumbling sound, the monster charged at him rapidly.

Damn, why is it so fast! Hajin quickly threw himself to the ground and rolled away from the rapidly shooting body.

The monster’s head plunged straight into the ground, but Hajin didn’t relax. He got up and ran. Sure enough, despite having its head buried, the monster effortlessly pulled itself out, as if moving through sand, and immediately chased after Hajin.

“Huk, heok…!”

Hajin ran toward the opposite direction, as far from the people as possible.

Whenever the monster’s head got close, he would throw himself out of the way like a stuntman. Before long, his neatly styled hair was completely disheveled, and his suit was covered in dirt.

His breath, caught up to his chin, now made his throat hurt.

‘Damn it, I should have exercised more!’

After entering his thirties, he had started exercising because he felt the need to manage his stamina, but it wasn’t much help in a life-threatening situation.

He no longer had the strength to throw himself away to avoid the monster. Just as Hajin’s movements slowed and the monster’s wide-open jaws approached the back of his head…

‘Is this how I die…’

Is this considered a normal death?

Oddly enough, even with death right before his eyes, Hajin had such thoughts.

‘There are many victims who die in dungeon accidents in this world, so I guess this counts as a normal death.’

Still, it didn’t seem bad to sacrifice oneself to save others. He closed his eyes, preparing for the pain of being crushed by sharp teeth.

“You’ll trip if you run with your eyes closed.”

Before he could open his eyes at the voice so close to him, someone caught him in their arms. Whoever caught Hajin’s body as he ran at full speed didn’t budge even slightly.

Instead, they firmly grabbed Hajin’s waist as his legs were about to give out. Startled, Hajin looked up.

Although Hajin himself couldn’t be considered short by average adult male standards, the man holding him was at least a head taller.

An Esper.

“I’m sorry for being late. You held out well.”

Baek Jaan lowered his head to meet the gaze of Hajin, whose eyes had widened in surprise. After looking at Hajin briefly, he smiled gently.

Oddly comforted by that smile, Hajin unconsciously let out a small sigh and rested his forehead against the Esper’s chest.

Not his shoulder, but his chest.

He’d heard that when someone awakened as an Esper, they not only gained different abilities but also physical capabilities beyond human limits—it seemed the differences extended even to this.

KIEEEEK!

Momentarily dazed, Hajin suddenly remembered the situation he was in when he heard the loud noise behind him.

When he turned around, he saw the monster that had been right on his heels twisting in agony as if caught by an invisible force.

‘He subdued it so easily…’

Hajin had been using all his strength just to run away, and even that was about to end in failure.

Yet here was someone playing with the monster while smiling—the world truly was unfair.

“I’ll hold it back. Please join the others.”

“Thank you.”

Strength returning to his legs, Hajin pulled away from the Esper and hurried toward where the others were gathered.

Now that the Espers had arrived, all that was left was to go home.

“Young man, hurry! They say we can escape now.”

“Oh my, you’ve been through a lot. You’re covered in dirt.”

Thanks to Hajin drawing the monster’s attention, the others were safe. They sighed with relief as they saw him approaching.

There were four Espers who had entered the dungeon: one dealing with the monster and three coordinating the citizens.

Hajin briefly paused when he sensed the wavelengths emanating from them, but soon approached them as if nothing had happened.

‘That startled me.’

Though he was a Guide, Hajin had never seen Espers before and this was his first time experiencing such ominously fluctuating wavelengths.

As a Guide, he could instinctively sense an Esper’s wavelength, and higher-ranked Guides could sense them in greater detail.

Though he had never been formally tested, according to his father, Hajin—who was likely S-rank—could understand the condition of Espers with unstable wavelengths just by observing them.

To put it simply, it felt like being a doctor diagnosing patients. Of course, this was largely an intuitive judgment.

“Since you’re here, take this and listen to the explanation.”

“Yes.”

Hajin accepted a small metal object that looked like a bookmark from Lee Doyoon, an Esper with black hair who was as pretty as an idol. It was about the size of two of Hajin’s fingers put together.

Not just Hajin, but everyone was holding one, examining the unfamiliar object.

“It’s an escape kit. If you break it in half, you’ll immediately be transported outside the dungeon. Association staff will be waiting outside to guide you.”

“Excuse me!”

As Doyoon finished speaking and turned to leave, a mother hurriedly called out to him.

“What is it?”

“We’re missing one. There’s three of us including the children…”

“What?”

Doyoon, who had been expressionless throughout, frowned and scratched the back of his head.

“The escape kits I’ve handed out are all we have.”

“What?! Then we…”

Realizing that all three family members couldn’t escape together, she looked at Doyoon in despair. But that wouldn’t make more escape kits appear.

Others who noticed the situation avoided eye contact by lowering their heads or looking away. No matter how unfortunate the situation, they didn’t have the courage to sacrifice their own lives.

The mother realized she wouldn’t get help from those around her.

Trembling with tears in her eyes, she seemed to make a decision, biting her lip before speaking.

“Children, listen carefully to mom.”

With a resolute expression, she faced her children. She had chosen to sacrifice herself to save her children.

Of course, with four Espers present, she might survive, but unlike Espers, civilians had fragile bodies that could die from the toxins in the dungeon’s air alone.

This meant they couldn’t be optimistic about their chances in an uncharted dungeon. That was why everyone couldn’t relax even with the Espers’ arrival.

As those holding escape kits couldn’t bring themselves to speak, Hajin approached them.

“That’s right, listen to your mom when you get out.”

Hajin placed his own kit in the child’s hand. His touch was light, as if giving a lollipop.

“Oh.”

Lee Doyoon, who had been standing at a distance, quietly admired Hajin’s action. He naturally focused on the face of someone who so calmly handed over what was essentially his lifeline to another person.

“T-this…!”

The mother’s face showed a mix of joy, surprise, and guilt as she looked up at Hajin. He shook his head as if it were nothing.

“I probably have a better chance of survival if I stay. Besides, with four Espers here, I won’t die, right? It just means my escape will be delayed a bit.”

At his matter-of-fact tone, the mother finally burst into tears and expressed her gratitude.

“We don’t have time. Everyone, escape now. You, come this way. Like you said, there are four Espers here—surely we can protect one civilian.”

At Doyoon’s words, Hajin approached the Espers, moving in the opposite direction from the others.

‘Being with Espers whose wavelengths aren’t good makes me uneasy… but it should be fine.

Judging by that Esper’s wavelength, he seemed to be S-rank.

‘It’s amazing that I can tell just by looking at the wavelength.’

Of course, he didn’t want to get involved. At that moment, before the last family escaped, the child left Hajin with a farewell.

“Mister, thank you!”

Turning around at the clear voice, Hajin couldn’t help but smile.

“Listen to your mom.”

“Yes!”

As the family disappeared in a golden light, Hajin was the only civilian left in the cave.