# Chapter 16
The Dungeon Black Pig is a monster that newly awakened Espers usually hunt not long after awakening, and it’s an edible magical creature. It tastes amazing, so there’s almost no aversion to eating it.
However, if consumed without special processing, ordinary people would complain of pain or discomfort. Only Espers or pre-awakened individuals could eat dungeon monsters with concentrated mana. Even then, this only applied to the meat; the internal organs were almost impossible to process properly.
Kwon Haeil’s father had consumed the heart despite reading the research report. He believed that the special stimulation would give him extraordinary power. In fact, whenever Haeil brought a new heart, he could see his father, who usually relied on a wheelchair, walking. Yet each time he consumed a heart, he would grimace in pain.
In contrast, when Haeil asked Jaeha about the taste and heard it was delicious, he suspected that Jaeha’s awakening might be approaching.
Haeil felt somewhat excited that in the game he had chosen just to kill time, he might have found a future companion or someone who understood him. As he examined the recent information he had obtained this way, Haeil noticed that the name that appeared repeatedly was not Seo Jaeha but Seo Jaeyoon.
An ordinary person entering an undisclosed dungeon located in a nearby mountain. Even traces of skillfully dismembering a Black Pig. The person partially captured by CCTV in a blind spot could be assumed to be Seo Jaeyoon.
‘The detailed information was unbelievable.’
He could confirm reports that using just a steel pipe lying around to catch a Black Pig and butchering it with a knife easily available in markets showed skills beyond an ordinary person’s level.
His strange behavior at Jaeha’s university was also recorded. He wasn’t an awakened person but was too strong and skilled. However, there was no trace of an unidentified awakened person in any previous records.
Seo Jaeyoon, an ordinary person with awakened-level abilities who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
When Haeil heard that he had visited a dungeon again, he quickly tried to make contact, and the result was a jackpot.
‘I never imagined he would be someone who knows the future. I still can’t believe it.’
Seo Jaeyoon knows the future.
Although Haeil wasn’t as naive as Jaeyoon thought, he had no choice but to believe him. The information Jaeyoon casually revealed was extraordinary. Above all, right after Haeil agreed to work together, Jaeyoon told him important information.
That there is a way to eliminate the feeling of impurities building up whenever using Esper energy or what’s called mana.
‘If such a thing exists, I must have it.’
The feeling of his body becoming polluted every time he used his power outside dungeons was serious. Because of this, most Espers secretly recruited and raised by the company either gave up using their powers or self-destructed.
When Haeil awakened, the company had already discovered that mana circulation was easier in dungeons. Practicing in dungeons was the only way to develop power. Even so, his mood would gradually sink, and he’d become tired each time he used his power. Still, compared to outside dungeons, it was as different as being in water versus being out of water.
In this situation, using power outside dungeons should be avoided. Nevertheless, the company emphasized that he shouldn’t forget the favors they had done for him, and they conducted tests regularly.
‘What favors? They told me to live hidden, out of sight, but as soon as I awakened, they came running…’
Haeil’s gaze, which had been thinking about the company, shifted back to Jaeha.
Sitting between two large men, Jaeha looked even smaller despite having the build of an ordinary adult male. Jaeyoon was still glaring at the phone in Jaeha’s hand as if he wanted to devour it. Haeil’s gaze also lingered on that hand.
‘He looks so ordinary like this.’
The refreshing feeling that came from Jaeha’s hand, which he had grabbed under the pretext of a handshake, was welcome. The sensation of the unpleasant feeling that had been gnawing at his entire body being relieved from his fingertips was both strange and amazing.
He could understand why Jaeyoon had said he would know when they met, without giving any other explanation. This wasn’t something that could be explained with words. Just holding his hand was more convincing than any explanation.
A being who could save Espers. This was Haeil’s conviction after making contact with Jaeha.
‘I absolutely don’t want to lose this.’
From the moment he met Jaeha and shook his hand, Haeil found it hard to stay focused. While conversing normally with his mouth, his mind was completely focused on the hand touching Jaeha.
He didn’t want to let go of this hand. He wanted to hold it a little longer. If possible, he wanted more contact. When he inevitably had to let go, he kept his hand awkwardly open, not wanting to lose the sensation in his palm.
After just one contact, he recalled what Jaeyoon had asked.
‘He asked if I wanted to lock him up and make him mine. I said I would protect him preciously.’
Haeil was wrong, and Jaeyoon was right.
He wanted to prevent that hand from holding anything else. He wanted to resent why it was holding something other than his hand. Since these emotions were unfamiliar to Haeil, he quickly suppressed them.
‘Don’t be greedy.’
Greed was something that should not exist in Kwon Haeil’s life.
Something to be erased, calmed, and hidden. Haeil, who had diligently swallowed his greed, focused on the important being who could quench his thirst.
To establish a mutual understanding with Jaeha, he needed to make him believe in the existence of Espers and dungeons. Following Jaeyoon’s intention, he wanted to show evidence so Jaeha would acknowledge the existence of Espers and dungeons. Only then could he get permission to hold his hand again.
And he wanted to ask:
Did you feel good like I did?
Also, he wanted to tell him:
That he felt like losing his mind at the refreshing breeze he experienced for the first time in a desert without a single blade of grass.
He wanted to appeal that Jaeha was the true savior who could erase his pain. He found it hard to resist the urge to kneel at Jaeha’s feet and beg right now. Having thought this far, Haeil suppressed and concealed his thoughts and emotions even more.
The fact that Seo Jaeyoon, who knew the future, didn’t guard against him meant that he didn’t reveal such greedy feelings until the end. His wariness of others must be because they couldn’t hide such emotions.
Haeil, who was already calm by nature, endured even more.
Patience was something he was familiar with above all else, so it wasn’t difficult. It was also extremely advantageous that the game he had played to alleviate the boredom of patience had become a point of contact with an important person. Having also gained the goodwill of someone who knew the future, Haeil composed himself to avoid acting rashly.
Contrary to Haeil’s determination, Jaeha was having trouble pretending not to notice.
‘Wow, how long do I have to pretend not to notice?’
In fact, Jaeha had noticed Jaeyoon’s fiery gaze and Haeil’s subtle but persistent stare midway through. The reason he focused on his phone was because both of them made him uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Dojoon and Youngwoo alternately asked about these two people along with their greetings, so he responded appropriately and continued the conversation.
Just when he was wondering what else to say, the smoothly running car began to slow down.
“We’ve arrived.”
“Oh, finally!”
Jaeha, who rushed out as soon as the car stopped, was confused by the empty space in front of a barren hill with nothing to see.
“Um… is this the place?”
Jaeyoon and Haeil had said they would show evidence. Jaeyoon mentioned going to a dungeon at some point, and Jaeha thought they might be taking him to some cave. Upon arriving, he saw only a shabby temporary building of the kind commonly seen. A rope was clumsily wrapped around it to indicate private property, and an “Entry Prohibited” sign at the entrance was all there was.
Haeil gently grabbed and guided the disappointed Jaeha’s arm.
“Watch your step, Jaeha.”
“Ah, yes.”
Entering the temporary building, there were underground stairs that didn’t match the building. After going quite deep, a large iron door was prominently placed in a spacious basement. From the cool air to the costume-like equipment placed on one side, Jaeha erased his initial disappointment and became slightly excited as if he had come for a courage test in an unfamiliar environment.
Noticing Jaeha’s state, Jaeyoon warned:
“Hyung, dungeons have some side effects when ordinary people enter. A short time is fine, but be careful not to get separated from us.”
As he said this and approached the door, Jaeha quickly grabbed Jaeyoon.
“What about you?”
Jaeyoon’s stoic face immediately softened at Jaeha’s quick action.
“I know you’re worried about me, Hyung. You don’t have to worry anymore.”
“That’s not it. I’m not really worried…”
“I’m fine, so always think of yourself first.”
Though Jaeha had only said one thing, emotion was overflowing from Jaeyoon’s side. As the embarrassed Jaeha closed his mouth, only footsteps echoed in the silence.
“Here it is.”
Haeil opened a door that looked large and heavy. When the three entered, there was just another wall. To have a heavy iron door like it was protecting treasure, only to find just a wall. While Jaeha was rolling his eyes looking for some mechanism, Haeil stepped forward and placed his hand on the bare wall, causing it to ripple.
“Huh? The wall is moving?”
To Jaeha, who was amazed as if asking what kind of magic this was, Haeil calmly explained.
“Jaeha, some dungeons only respond to awakened people.”
“Hyung, since this person is here, we can also enter. I’ll show you the proof, let’s go in.”
Jaeyoon grabbed Haeil’s shoulder, and Haeil extended his hand to Jaeha. Jaeha was amazed watching the wall ripple where Haeil’s hand touched.
“Whoa… I think this is enough proof.”
Unless it was CGI, a wall couldn’t wobble like that. When Jaeha just admired without taking his hand, Haeil exchanged glances with Jaeyoon.
“Isn’t your brother too naive?”
“That’s probably why he was manipulated by crazy people too. He’s too kind.”
“I see. That makes sense.”
Unlike his respectful manner toward Jaeha, Haeil spoke comfortably with Jaeyoon. As the two talked about things only they knew, Jaeha felt slightly hurt and pouted.
“…The two of you are talking about me, but why don’t I understand any of it?”
Although he grumbled, curious about whether dungeons really existed, Jaeha grabbed Haeil’s hand that was still extended toward him.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
