# Chapter 26
‘Is the novel that had been following the original plot more or less now developing in a whatever-happens-happens way?’
When Kyun In seemed like he was trying to escape, I thought the original story was starting to go off track, but then he suddenly changed his mind and didn’t leave, so I thought I was wrong.
But now this happens?
‘Anyway, this is completely fascinating. An amplification ability. An amplification ability.’
How can this be so interesting?
This was the perfect ability for Ha-min.
If it’s an amplification ability.
Just as I was about to continue with that thought, the explanation continued.
“The amplification ability allows one to amplify basic abilities possessed by oneself and others, according to the readings.”
It was said that whenever an ability first manifested after dungeons appeared and people awakened their powers, explanations about that ability would appear on the device.
The same happened when Shim Woo-jin’s ability awakened, but the explanation that came out was so vague and abstract that people hardly knew anything about his ability.
As they heard these words, everyone realized that this ability that appeared in Ha-min was the first of its kind in the world.
“If it’s basic abilities… does that mean it can amplify our abilities too?” Byun Tae-young asked with a surprised face.
Although he asked, the answer was probably already in his head.
He might have imagined Ha-min making his fire abilities even stronger.
The image of amplifying his ability with a power beyond S-class.
“So it can amplify telekinesis too, right?” Kyun In asked, and soon received an affirmative answer.
But the explanation didn’t end there and continued.
“However, as just mentioned, since he can also amplify his own basic abilities, the readings show that Esper Lee Ha-min doesn’t need to play a supporting role for others but can fight alone with his own skills. It says he can fight most effectively when fighting alone…”
Fighting alone with amplification abilities…
This happened because Ha-min’s ability applied not only to others but also to his own power.
Ha-min looked at me.
I thought I knew what he was thinking.
He seemed to be imagining what would happen if his amplification ability was added to his attacks.
‘No, maybe it was already applied and showing its effects.’
Just looking at how he knocked down all those Espers wasn’t normal.
That incident, no matter how much I tried to understand it as happening with the blessing of the author-god, was really strange.
“So that’s what it was. Ha-min, I thought it would be difficult for you to do that in real combat with just what I taught you, but that ability had already appeared then.”
When I whispered quietly, Ha-min looked at me with surprise and then slowly nodded.
“Esper Lee Ha-min, we’ll need to research to understand the details.”
Meanwhile, internal staff from the Center approached.
During the explanation, managers came and went, and some important people entered the place, and later the person speaking changed.
If Ha-min had awakened as an Esper, this would be recorded as a world-first case in many ways.
A Guide becoming an Esper, manifesting an ability beyond S-class, and not just the amplification ability that had never appeared before, but one that could amplify not only others’ abilities as generally imagined, but also one’s own abilities.
“Perhaps Esper Lee Ha-min could handle dungeons alone. Even handling high-risk dungeons wouldn’t be too difficult.”
Such comments were heard from various places.
‘What’s this?’
Did I push Ha-min into this?
All this time, I had been thinking I would never set foot in that place and had pulled back, but did I end up pushing Ha-min into it?
Ha-min turned to look at me.
While he moved along as the managers directed, he kept hesitating as if going there didn’t feel right and made him anxious.
“Let’s go, Esper.”
But Ha-min had already lost the ability to refuse such words.
Because he had been restricted from doing so for too long while living as a Guide.
“Ha-min.”
When I called out, he stopped and turned to look at me.
“If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. Those people don’t have the authority to force you. If you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to. Go when you’re curious. Don’t let others treat you however they want. You now have the ability to do that. Actually, you always did. I’ve always told you that.”
Ha-min’s face, which had looked dazed at first, gradually broke into a smile.
The managers around him glared at me as if wondering what I was saying.
What I said wasn’t wrong, but they glared at me as if wondering who dared to say such things. In a situation where Espers were continuously escaping, I didn’t need to fear them.
They only wanted to downplay it because of rumors, but quite a few Espers below A-class were escaping the Center.
Even if thousands of such Espers left, if just one Esper like Ha-min stayed, the Center would become stronger than before.
Ha-min nodded and then told them, “I don’t want to. I think that research would be unnecessary for me.”
At those words, many faces distorted simultaneously.
While Ha-min came toward me, the murmuring of people grew louder.
They couldn’t help it because they were practically present at a historic moment.
“Ah, um…”
Suddenly, someone called out urgently from behind.
Thinking it was a manager calling for Ha-min, I thought there was no need to respond.
But the voice continued, and as if thinking they weren’t getting people’s attention, they just said it outright.
“The ability rating has appeared.”
It was the person measuring Ha-min’s grade.
At that moment, everyone’s eyes turned to them, and for a moment, a breathtaking silence fell.
“It shows A-class.”
“…”
If they were going to say “unmeasurable,” they should have just said that, but why did that device insist on measuring it?
If A-grade had appeared from the beginning, Ha-min would have received cheers and everyone’s surprise and envy. But after hearing he was beyond S-class and getting all excited, when A-class appeared, it suddenly felt deflating.
However, Ha-min still seemed to find it amazing, and I congratulated him too.
“That’s great, Ha-min. A-class is better than S-class. If you became S-class, it would really be troublesome. You’d have to eat at that restaurant.”
Ha-min burst into giggles at that.
People were still looking at us with faces that couldn’t grasp the reality.
The S-class Espers, who until just a moment ago had seemed insignificant, barely regained their presence.
They probably knew this fact too.
Ha-min signaled to me that he wanted to leave quickly, and I nodded.
The managers seemed at a loss for how to treat Ha-min now.
He wasn’t an S-class Esper, but Ha-min’s abilities were incredible.
With him, S-class Espers might be able to demonstrate abilities like SS-class or SSS-class Espers.
There had been no grades above S-class until now, but because of Ha-min, discussions about those levels might be newly established.
“Esper Lee Ha-min, please visit at least once, even if not now. At any time that’s comfortable for you.”
The manager seemed to have decided to address Ha-min as “Esper,” which also formalized how people at the Center should treat him.
Ha-min gave a slight bow toward him.
They say position makes the person, and that seemed true for Ha-min.
In that short time.
Had Ha-min always been like this, and our perception just changed now?
No. No one knows better than me that Ha-min isn’t that kind of person.
Ha-min seemed to want to leave that place as quickly as possible, and I gladly matched my pace with his.
I couldn’t imagine how much surprise would weigh on the people in the place we left.
“This is really interesting,” Ha-min said when we were alone.
“Actually, I thought you would become A-class. It wouldn’t have been strange if you became S-class. But I still hoped you would remain D-class.”
I understood what he meant.
He might have thought that if I became a high-ranking Esper, I wouldn’t pay attention to him.
But what followed was different.
“If you became a high-ranking Esper, I thought everyone would focus on you and ask you to take on dangerous missions. And you would perform those missions really well. Once assigned to you, you would do your best, regardless of whether you would be in danger or not. I was worried about that.”
Saying so, Ha-min smiled, closing his beautiful eyes.
“Weren’t you afraid I wouldn’t play with you?”
“No, it wasn’t that. If I asked you to play with me, I thought you would anyway because you’d feel sorry for me.”
Then he burst into laughter.
Though this guy might seem naive, he seemed to have accurately judged me.
“Eunwoo, I’ll amplify your abilities. I’ll make you faster and stronger than anyone, and make sure you don’t get hurt anywhere.”
Ha-min, who had been talking, looked at me with shining eyes.
It seemed like he was thinking of something.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
