#185
Seemingly unaware of Dan Joo-hyuk’s suffocating tension, Yoon Pa-ran continued his explanation with a clear face.
“This is my first time seeing Hunter Kim Min-ji, but her wavelength feels stronger. It might be because I can also sense the energy from that black stone fragment.”
“…”
“It was easy to recognize Hunter Heo Sang-yeon too since he’s injured and not hiding his wavelength as usual. Both of them still emit a strongly uncomfortable energy.”
Dan Joo-hyuk silently swallowed dry saliva while studying Yoon Pa-ran’s expression. He himself was prepared to endure however strongly the syndrome might affect him, but what about Yoon Pa-ran?
The blood from his heart turned icy cold. Just as he was about to try speaking—
Yoon Pa-ran casually offered hope once again.
“Since only the wavelength I sense from you is perceived differently, it seems it wasn’t the effect of my skill after all.”
“Is that so…?”
Only then did Dan Joo-hyuk recall that the reason Yoon Pa-ran wanted to investigate this phenomenon in the first place was because the wavelength he sensed from Dan had changed slightly.
Again, he was doing something stupid. His parched throat finally opened enough to ask a question.
“What kind of wavelength do you sense from me?”
“Oh, it’s fine.”
“…”
This brief answer provided little more effect than swallowing a drop of dew. Perhaps that’s why he unconsciously gave Yoon Pa-ran a questioning look. Yoon Pa-ran awkwardly scratched his cheek as he chose his words.
“Well. At first it felt like it was sharply stabbing me, but now it doesn’t bother me at all.”
Hearing this straightforward conclusion, Dan Joo-hyuk was enveloped by a strange feeling.
Right. Come to think of it, Yoon Pa-ran hadn’t even flinched at his wavelength for some time now.
“More time has passed than I thought. Let’s go home and experiment later.”
While staring blankly at that pale face, unable to define this strange feeling, Yoon Pa-ran made the suggestion.
“…Alright.”
The home Yoon Pa-ran referred to returning to certainly wasn’t Dan Joo-hyuk’s own. That fact made him feel particularly regretful today. It was also awkward how his mood had been fluctuating so frequently lately.
Was his excessive regret somehow eating away at the axis of time? Despite Heo Sang-yeon’s safe house being quite far, they arrived at Yoon Pa-ran’s orphanage quickly.
For some time now, every moment spent with Yoon Pa-ran had felt so brief.
“I’ll call you.”
As Yoon Pa-ran was getting out of the car, Dan Joo-hyuk once again offered a farewell filled with lingering attachment.
“Sure.”
Though he responded reflexively, Yoon Pa-ran didn’t hide his expression that seemed to wonder if they really had anything more to talk about.
The more noticeable the gap between himself and Yoon Pa-ran became, the more anxiety gnawed at his heart.
“…”
Only after looking at the empty passenger seat where Yoon Pa-ran had been did Dan Joo-hyuk realize the nature of the strange feeling that had been circling in his mind.
It seems he had briefly hoped that Yoon Pa-ran’s skill might be able to eliminate the wavelengths of S-ranks too.
Even though “the wavelength that S-ranks emit” and “the syndrome that S-ranks experience” were not the same phenomenon, as he had researched long ago.
It was fortunate that at least Yoon Pa-ran didn’t feel threatened by him. If only this wretched S-rank syndrome would disappear, that would be so nice.
“…”
Kim Min-ji must still feel extreme revulsion toward Heo Sang-yeon. Even while conversing with Dan Joo-hyuk and Yoon Pa-ran, she hadn’t looked at Heo Sang-yeon once throughout.
Even though she had participated in crazy acts claiming she would save Heo Sang-yeon, still.
With the premonition that this might become his own future, Dan Joo-hyuk heaved a deep sigh.
“Hah…”
Dan Joo-hyuk quietly watched Yoon Pa-ran’s retreating figure until he disappeared into the orphanage.
The anklet that Dan Joo-hyuk had gifted dangled from Yoon Pa-ran’s ankle as he disappeared into the orphanage with light footsteps. It was thanks to Dan repeatedly emphasizing that he should always wear it.
Though he had made various excuses, in truth, what Dan Joo-hyuk guarded against most was himself.
What if someday I end up attacking Yoon Pa-ran?
“…”
This wariness had emerged at some point. He feared that he might become hostile toward Yoon Pa-ran when he couldn’t control himself.
I should find more accessories that block fire-based attacks. He would only feel somewhat reassured if Yoon Pa-ran had them on both ankles and wrists.
So that he could never harm him, even unconsciously.
“Whew…”
Sighing repeatedly, Dan Joo-hyuk collapsed against the steering wheel. Heo Sang-yeon’s safe house was unnecessarily far, and sunset had already arrived.
Though they’d met after several days, encountering other S-ranks still felt fucking awful. That’s why he still couldn’t understand Kim Min-ji’s attitude of trying to endure Heo Sang-yeon.
Moreover, Dan Joo-hyuk found it even more incomprehensible because he had always lived feeling this way toward all humans. The feeling of naturally hating all “known humans” mindlessly had always been terrible.
As he was flowing through self-deprecation, Dan Joo-hyuk suddenly realized something.
Wait, when was the last time I experienced this syndrome recently?
“…”
Straightening up slowly, Dan Joo-hyuk pondered seriously. Recently, the only new faces he had encountered were Yoon Pa-ran and those at Yoon Pa-ran’s orphanage. Excluding Yoon Pa-ran, he had only briefly met the others.
It was ambiguous for other individuals because he hadn’t paid attention to them. He had always lived ignoring their existence completely, which left no room to feel hatred.
“Oh, it’s fine.”
For some reason, Yoon Pa-ran’s voice kept echoing in his ears. He had only confirmed that Yoon Pa-ran didn’t feel revulsion toward him, yet strangely, it felt like it had somehow healed something.
“…”
Should I try an experiment?
Dan Joo-hyuk seized this impulsive thought. Soon, there was even a faint expectation on his face as he drove.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Hunter Dan. How is Hunter Heo’s condition? Every time I call, all I hear is that he’s fine.”
“…”
Dan Joo-hyuk headed straight to the Special Administrative Security Department. Since he originally had an appointment to interrogate Lee Tae-jung, Minister Byeon was waiting for him in the lobby.
Upon encountering Minister Byeon pacing around, irritation suddenly rose within him.
“Hm? Hunter Dan, say something. D-did Hunter Heo…?”
After carefully gauging, this seemed to be just irritation, not revulsion toward Minister Byeon.
In fact, the hatred directed at Minister Byeon had overwhelmed him long ago.
“…”
Suddenly, he recalled the day when the S-rank syndrome first erupted against Minister Byeon.
The former minister of the Special Administrative Security Department had treated young Dan Joo-hyuk like a fine blade, intending to use him. The syndrome had inevitably struck even against Minister Byeon, who had defied orders to protect him from the former minister’s schemes.
Right. This was the sensation.
“I-it’s a joke. P-please reduce your wavelength…!”
Recalling that sensation, a stench rose from within, giving no time to block it. The sensation that had been festering inside him emerged as if it had been waiting, whispering to him.
To remove that disgusting thing before his eyes. To yield to the impulse that had overtaken him back then.
Though he was familiar with suppressing that sensation, walking past Minister Byeon without doing anything took considerable effort.
“He’ll be up and about soon. Leave after you’ve finished your business.”
“Th-thank you!”
Deliberately recalling hatred seems to have been a mistake. Dan Joo-hyuk desperately controlled his hand that kept wanting to reach for his backup sword.
Minister Byeon disappeared from the lobby with staggering steps. His aides rushed in with pale faces to support the minister and disappeared as well.
“…”
Silently enduring the raw gazes pouring onto the back of his head, Dan Joo-hyuk continued walking forward. The sense of leaving an “enemy” behind intensely stimulated his instincts, but he endured.
His destination was underground. He intended to interrogate Lee Tae-jung, who was imprisoned and strictly managed here, once more.
That guy was someone toward whom Dan Joo-hyuk didn’t need to suppress his hatred. Though he didn’t have Yoon Pa-ran’s charged skill now, that wasn’t the only way to extract information.
However, with each step, his mood grew increasingly foul. Was this the price for recalling what he shouldn’t have earlier?
“H-Hunter D-Dan Joo-hyuk.”
Or was it because he sensed something else?
“…”
The entrance to the underground was densely staffed with armed hunters and security personnel. The representative who stepped forward pressed the security door’s open button with trembling hands in front of Dan Joo-hyuk.
Dan Joo-hyuk had never seen this face before.
Hadn’t he thought earlier about experimenting just in case? Hoping that perhaps this S-rank syndrome he possessed might have disappeared or its symptoms might have eased.
There was no need to go far. This wretched divine punishment clearly didn’t want to give him even a moment to harbor false hope.
“Y-your entry h-has been c-confirmed.”
After all, Dan Joo-hyuk felt intense hatred even toward this stranger he was seeing for the first time.
“…”
Despite having no reason whatsoever, he just wanted to swing his sword recklessly until that existence disappeared.
“H-huk…!”
The hatred that rose violently soon became a sharp killing intent that engulfed the surroundings. All the security personnel and hunters who had been standing tensely collapsed to the floor, clutching the backs of their necks.
Dan Joo-hyuk slowly passed through that space where all the humans had collapsed.
“…”
Hating everything to the extreme, and ultimately cursing even himself.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
Yoon Paran really is the exception 🤭 but whether it’s because of his holy abilities or true love is the real question