# Chapter 66
Yumaro arrived at the scene full of complaints.
Though it was his first actual deployment, it was more like field training.
On the surface, it looked like only the second-generation awakened team was moving according to the briefing, but familiar faces who had been acting as teachers were following along in the crowd.
These so-called teachers were just B and C-class Espers who had only entered even F-grade dungeons a few times.
‘Their knowledge wasn’t bad though.’
During the few days of training, all he learned was information about the ecosystems of some dungeons and details about certain magical beasts. It was interesting at first, but the Association didn’t have as much information as he expected. Since they had been practically hiding the existence of Espers from the beginning, investigations couldn’t have gone smoothly. Looking at it that way, perhaps this level of detail was quite thorough.
In contrast, the training from the annoying Seo Jaeyoon was substantial and exciting. Jaeyoon clearly had a lot of experience. His casual, conversational words without looking at any materials contained more information than the education staff provided. He also showed moments of trouble when mentioning magical beasts that weren’t in the materials.
‘Maybe his B-grade classification is just to hide his true identity?’
If that were the case, his feelings of one-sided hatred might change a little.
What interested him most was information about magical beasts’ resistance to modern technology. When they shot a gun at a magical beast’s skin, it didn’t penetrate even though it wasn’t that thick. In comparison, when he quickly stabbed it using telekinesis with the pen he was holding, it pierced through. The pen broke when it hit the wall, but with the power of ability added, the situation changed.
The researchers were excited, thinking that if they could coat bullets with mana, even ordinary people could respond to magical beasts.
Yumaro didn’t like this idea. It felt like lowering the value of the abilities he gained by becoming an Esper.
Additionally, even though the world had changed, Espers weren’t permitted to use firearms. According to their logic, shouldn’t he, with telekinetic abilities, be issued one if no one else?
This is why Yumaro’s anger built up day by day.
“Esper Yumaro hasn’t received guiding yet, right?”
He ignored Bang Chunjae who approached with a sneering tone. He had been making crude comments about guiding, and it was disgusting to hear.
Despite continuing to ignore him as he kept talking, an important word caught his attention.
“I smell a magical beast, is a gate opening?”
Bang Chunjae’s words, deliberately muttered as if talking to himself, couldn’t be ignored.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Do you seem a bit more useful than a puppy now?”
Given what he had said earlier, Yumaro couldn’t show any reaction. Instead of the silent Yumaro, the confident Bang Chunjae took the lead in guiding the Espers.
The direction he headed was different from the originally planned location. It was a place they were visiting to check a gate that hadn’t manifested but existed, using a mana wave detector to confirm its safety. Bang Chunjae pointed to a building and shrugged his shoulders.
“There’s a fishy smell vibrating from behind there, let’s go check. I’m a tracking specialist, so I’ll just provide backup.”
“You… are really pathetic.”
At Yumaro’s stiff face, Bang Chunjae was momentarily speechless. He already disliked seeing the young one acting superior, but being called pathetic without even checking made him feel wronged.
However, Yumaro had a different reason for calling him pathetic.
“The mana waves are so clear, yet you’re taking it easy.”
Objects around Yumaro began to float in the air. To respond to the numerous waves clearly felt from behind the building, he lifted the maximum number of objects he could control simultaneously, causing spectators outside the barricade to applaud.
Teachers hiding in the crowd who were sensitive to mana had already noticed and were contacting someone.
It was obvious that first-generation Espers would soon appear to resolve the situation, and he, awakened as a second-generation, wouldn’t even get a chance. His judgment was quick.
“Esper Yumaro?!”
Without hesitation, he rushed toward the back of the building where mana waves were boiling. Running past the corner of a closed cafe, planning to throw the objects he had already lifted, Yumaro was surprised to see hydras densely attached to the building wall.
“Sea anemones?”
While saying the same thing as Bang Chunjae, he looked at these seemingly harmless creatures, but a tentacle that had been wriggling suddenly elongated and snatched the cafe owner who had peeked his head out.
“Ahhh!”
Only then did Yumaro discover people entangled among the hydras’ tentacles, pale blue with fear. No wonder it was quiet despite such things attached to the building wall.
“P-please save me.”
“C-can’t… breathe… urghh…”
Though momentarily surprised, it wasn’t difficult. Cut the tentacles with objects scattered around and move people with telekinesis. That would be enough.
But for that, he needed to block the tentacles flying toward him.
As Yumaro moved to enter the building to secure a safe position, he reflexively pushed away three or four outdoor tables simultaneously and struck down with a decorative statue when he heard a thick beast growling above his head.
Yelp!
As expected, a wolf-like magical beast larger than a person lay fallen with its three eyes rolled back.
“Did it have to be an animal-type monster?”
He hated hurting dogs.
While Yumaro had the luxury to think about his preferences, screams and animal howls mixed from all directions. Instinctively creating a barricade with surrounding objects, he surveyed the area.
“There are wolves, sea anemones, and something like giant spiders!”
With the information Bang Chunjae threw like a scream, Yumaro quickly assessed the situation.
Werewolf. Hydra. And Tarantula.
Magical beasts that lived in completely different regions appeared simultaneously, three or more species. It was an emergency situation where multiple gates had burst open at once.
* * *
Having someone with spatial movement abilities during an emergency was very convenient.
It also meant having mobility.
But what was this current situation?
“The Association Chairman is waiting inside.”
“I’m busy with an emergency call.”
“He wants to see you about that matter.”
After the four people’s alarm rang and urgent messages arrived in succession, it took less than three minutes for them to come down to the lobby, including Jaeha. As they couldn’t use abilities inside, staff members hurriedly blocked them as they were about to go outside to move immediately, guiding them inside.
Wondering what was happening, they ran to the meeting room they were directed to.
High-quality uniforms with noticeably different sheen were dressed on mannequins lined up on both sides of the Association Chairman who sat at the head of the table.
“Welcome, our proud Esper corps. Finally seeing all the key figures together.”
It was a creepily flattering title, but ending this time-wasting situation was the priority.
“Did you call us just to see our faces while gates are bursting open in at least three places?”
“Of course not. Because I know better than anyone that this is the worst situation, I called you like this.”
Crisis is opportunity. All attention was focused on the worst situation, and through easily accessible video media, everyone was already watching the current situation in real-time. It also meant maximizing advertising effectiveness.
“Would it be appropriate for our representative Espers to rush out in ragged T-shirts?”
In the end, the reason Association Chairman Kwon Haesung called those who were in emergency deployment was for new uniforms. Items that would look better on screen and emphasize the special nature of Espers. Though they weren’t overly decorated.
In this absurd situation, Haeil, who had always quietly followed along, couldn’t hold back and was about to step forward when Jaeyoon quickly approached the mannequins first. Jaeyoon only removed the tops and threw them accurately to the three people.
“Everyone, put these on. It’s true that this helps with the Esper image.”
“I’ve thought this before, but Seo Jaeyoon and I really understand each other.”
“It’s good for me too if Espers’ status rises.”
“That’s right. People should have competitive spirit and aim for power too. It would have been better if your grade was a little higher though.”
After dealing with Association Chairman Kwon Haesung appropriately, Jaeyoon held out the only white uniform to Jaeha.
“Do I… wear it too?”
“It’s specially treated to be sturdy. At least wear it.”
Wondering if it was instead of a bulletproof vest, Jaeha put it on in a daze and headed outside with the others who were rushing out.
The scene they arrived at was chaos.
Giant wolves jumped out from gates opened in mid-air, and large hydras squeezed out from gates on building exteriors, invading the ground. As for the tarantulas, it wasn’t clear where they had appeared from, but they were twice the size of those from the Han River gate incident. You could see buildings crumbling in real-time whenever they stamped them with their legs.
Though the magical beasts were familiar to Jaeyoon, this was his first time encountering a situation where they were simultaneously released in an urban area.
These magical beasts, which wouldn’t have been a problem if encountered separately from gates, were now preying on helpless people, and Jaeyoon quickly began giving instructions.
“Kwon Haeil, start with the tarantula attached to the building, Joo Dojoon, take care of surrounding buildings to prepare for falls, Kyun Jiho, rescue people where the tarantula’s left leg is stuck and then focus on the communication device.”
Without external personnel present, he gave quick instructions using only names. Even Dojoon and Jiho, who didn’t know Jaeyoon’s skills well, followed without doubt due to his confident directions.
“Okay, I’ll be right back~”
“I’ve placed a barrier at the bottom of the building. What about those sea anemone-like things?”
“We’ll leave the hydras to the second-generation awakened.”
As the Espers moved for their respective roles, Jaeyoon also jumped down to the chaotic scene where werewolves and people were entangled.
“G-get away.”
“Dad, it’s dangerous! Come inside!”
A middle-aged man, father of a family, frantically swung the umbrella in his hand at the sound of his child crying behind him. But that was useless when a wolf much larger than an adult male opened its mouth.
“Ahhh!”
“S-save me!”
Behind the wolf targeting the middle-aged man, others who had already lost body parts or were screaming were becoming prey for other wolves. And what was that giant spider hanging on the building?
The middle-aged man was terrified by this disaster like a natural calamity. If it weren’t for his sobbing child’s call, he might have thrown away the flimsy umbrella and rather pushed his head into the wolf’s jaws.
One particularly large wolf leisurely opened its long snout wide. At his child’s scream, he swung his umbrella-holding hand even faster.
“Someone help us, military or whatever!”
Bang! Bang!
At the sound of something exploding repeatedly, the middle-aged man was startled and tumbled.
Jaeyoon, who had assessed the situation from the building, jumped down while simultaneously using his psychic power to take down three wolves at once. The wolves that had been playing with humans like toys exploded and flew away, causing the trembling, blood-covered people to raise their heads.
“Ahh! I’m being eaten!”
“Dad, it’s okay! We’re saved!”
“Huh? My arm is fine?”
“Please hide in the building for a while. Rescue teams will arrive soon.”
At Jaeyoon’s quick but calm words, those who appeared to be family members limped away.
“Isn’t that Seo Jaeyoon?”
“Oh? I think it is.”
Even in this situation, people hiding in various parts of buildings were leisurely recording videos with their phones. Jaeyoon didn’t pay attention to their calls and surveyed the surroundings.
“Ahhh! Help me!”
“Get away! Ahh!”
It was complete chaos. Among the civilians, there were also those in navy blue uniforms running away. The second-generation awakened Espers experiencing the horror of the scene for the first time looked no different from ordinary people.
Jaeyoon seemed strange for not wavering in this situation. His biggest concern was Jaeha, whom he had left in a relatively safe place within his sight.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
