Time passed, and the stench of blood thickened.
They struggled to cut down the creatures that managed to climb over the towering piles of corpses, pressing against the outer perimeter wall.
Humans had limits. Monsters did not. No matter how fast they moved, there was no rest until every last creature was dead.
“Hah…!”
“Kh…huff…!”
The sun had begun to set, and the shadows of the living stretched long across the battlefield.
Spent shell casings littered the ground around Kwon Jae-jin’s feet, scattered like grains of sand—too many to count.
Even pulling the trigger felt exhausting now.
His shoulders trembled, his elbows wavered, and his aim faltered. His dry, fatigued eyes stung, and beneath his armor, his sweat-drenched combat uniform clung uncomfortably to his skin.
A glance around confirmed that the other Awakened soldiers were just as drained. Rifle barrels drooped, bullets missed their mark, and the Espers had pushed their abilities to their absolute limits.
Even Seo Eui-woo, despite his overwhelming power, was reaching the brink of exhaustion as the battle neared its end.
But they had almost won.
The α-creatures had all been eliminated, and not a single β-creature had managed to breach the perimeter.
Ahead of them, the last scattered remnants of the enemy. If they could finish those off, then it would be over.
They would have successfully repelled the creature wave.
With their battered bodies barely holding together, the Awakened soldiers faced their final opponents.
Jae-jin, mustering every last ounce of strength and determination, raised his rifle once more.
Seo Eui-woo, gathering the last dregs of his power, pulled the remnants of his ability together like a massive claw, preparing for the final strike.
“…Jae-jin, step back.”
A terrifying, overwhelming force churned within the palm of his hand.
A sharp ringing, almost unbearable, screeched through the air, a discordant sound that clawed at the eardrums.
Then, with a single motion, the invisible power left his grasp, crushing the remaining creatures with merciless finality.
A blinding light surged forth, swallowing the battlefield. The blackened earth, drenched in monster blood, turned white as if cleansed. The world was engulfed in light.
And then—
A sharp projectile shot toward Seo Eui-woo’s back.
Pshuk!
A bullet disguised as a ricochet.
A lethal attack, fired with murderous intent.
***
While the battle raged and the command center remained nearly empty, a covert order was being issued from the Supreme Military Strategy Command.
Six bodyguards stood in a straight line, hands clasped behind their backs. Before them, dressed in full military uniform, stood Brigadier General Oh.
These bodyguards were not ordinary soldiers. They were chosen in childhood from among the most gifted A-rank Awakened and underwent a specialized training program entirely separate from regular combat units. Their primary mission was to protect key personnel and eliminate any threats—without hesitation.
Unlike the Awakened assigned to special forces, who trained specifically to fight creatures, bodyguards were prepared for all possible targets. Whether it was another Awakened, a researcher, or even a civilian, they were trained to act without hesitation.
“This is a top-secret mission. From this moment forward, you will eliminate Captain Seo Eui-woo.”
Brigadier General Oh’s voice was low as he swept his gaze across the bodyguards.
“Captain Seo infiltrated the command headquarters without authorization. He used his abilities without clearance and assaulted multiple officers. You all saw those old men being dragged to the infirmary, didn’t you?”
“Sir, no, we did not!”
“We have no knowledge of the incident!”
“Hah. Now that’s what I call discipline. You’ve been well-trained. I like that.”
Brigadier General Oh chuckled as he patted each bodyguard on the shoulder in approval.
A bodyguard was expected to be blind and deaf to anything they saw or heard while protecting their charge. A single misplaced word could lead to punishment—or outright dismissal.
“Then I trust you understand what that means for today as well. You’ll forget this order was ever given, and you will complete this mission undetected.”
There was no need for lengthy discussions.
Brigadier General Oh transmitted the details of the operation to their private communication lines.
Wouldn’t it be best if this looked like an unfortunate accident?
We’ll wait until the end of the battle, once Captain Seo has exhausted his abilities, then strike his core.
In simple terms, it was effortless gain, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, victory without effort.
While Seo Eui-woo wasted his energy fighting creatures, they would stay back, wait for the perfect moment, and assassinate him with ease.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. No one knew for sure whether the creature wave would truly happen, but now, here we are. The α-creatures have swarmed in. Do you understand what that means?”
“Yes, Brigadier General.”
“Understood, sir.”
“Good. Very good. I’ll have a military helicopter prepared for you. Get in, get it done, and get out. And even if you’re caught, you are to never reveal your affiliation.”
“……Yes, sir.”
“We will follow orders.”
In normal circumstances, “keep silent” meant exactly that—keeping one’s mouth shut.
But in a mission like this, it meant something else.
If captured, they were expected to take their own lives before allowing their memories to be read by a telepath.
“Oh, come on now. No need for such grim faces. There won’t be any failure, will there?”
Brigadier General Oh let out a dry laugh and dismissed them. The last thing he needed was for the reformist faction’s officers to catch wind of this and interfere.
This must succeed.
It will succeed.
Brigadier General Oh’s entire career was on the line.
Whether siding with Lieutenant General Hwang Bo Gi-chun of the conservative faction had been the right choice remained to be seen, but now wasn’t the time for hesitation. After repeated mission failures, Oh Seong-hwa was running out of time. At this rate, he’d be quietly pushed into retirement by the next quarter.
Tch. I need to deliver a decent report to the lieutenant general this time…
Clicking his tongue in frustration, Brigadier General Oh sluggishly made his way up to the command room, hoping for good news.
***
Pshuk!
A bullet disguised as a ricochet—laced with deadly intent—ripped through the air.
Blue lightning crackled as the spiraling energy slammed directly into Seo Eui-woo’s back, tearing through his combat uniform and puncturing flesh.
“…!”
Luckily, it had missed his heart by a fraction. A deep wound carved into his shoulder instead.
“Seo Eui-woo! Eui-woo!”
Kwon Jae-jin frantically tore open his chest pocket, pulling out a healing factor vial. He bit off the cap and jammed the injector into Eui-woo’s neck.
“Agh—shit, I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
Jae-jin felt like his lungs had seized from panic, but Eui-woo only winced slightly, brushing it off as if it were a mere scratch.
Of course.
Seo Eui-woo was an Awakened soldier—losing an arm or a leg was just another day for him.
The healing factor kicked in, and the wound began to close.
But the enemy didn’t wait.
Another attack came, swift and merciless.
Hidden among the special forces, the bodyguards unleashed their abilities, their intent unmistakable—kill.
And of all times, it had to be now, when Eui-woo was utterly drained, his body barely holding itself together after the grueling battle.
His vision blurred. His brain felt like it was boiling. A shrill ringing filled his ears, and nauseating hallucinations clawed at the edges of his mind.
Seo Eui-woo’s dark brows furrowed deeply. From the depths of his being, he dredged up his power—blackened, twisted, and seething.
A force as volatile as it was lethal.
“Kh…!”
The moment he retaliated, not even A-rank bodyguards stood a chance.
Every incoming attack was swallowed whole by his power, and in turn, he redirected it—launching a devastating counterstrike.
The bodyguards, struck by the full force of his retaliation, crumpled to the ground one by one.
Jae-jin’s heart pounded in horror as he shouted, “Stop it!”
A dark stain—an unnatural blackening—spread along Eui-woo’s throat, just above his uniform collar.
It looked exactly like what had happened to Lieutenant Park.
The warning sign of an Esper reaching the absolute limit—the breaking point of their berserk threshold.
“Don’t! That’s enough! Stop!”
Jae-jin hurled his rifle aside and yanked off both his gloves. With his bare hands, he cupped Eui-woo’s face, pressing his palms tightly against the spreading darkness, trying to contain it.
“Just stay still for a moment…”
“I-I’m fine, really.”
“Shh, shhh. Just shut up and stay put!”
In his panic, Kwon Jae-jin kicked Seo Eui-woo in the shin.
Eui-woo’s eyebrows twisted into an odd shape before he suddenly let out a quiet laugh.
“…I wouldn’t go berserk from just this.”
“Shut up.”
“I mean, I’m on the edge, but I still have some control.”
“I said shut up. Don’t use your abilities.”
Eui-woo closed his mouth.
He had said he had things under control, but the truth was, he was at his limit. So much so that his vision was too blurred to even make out Jae-jin’s face properly.
“Ha…”
Eui-woo glanced at the bodyguards he had knocked down. None of them showed any signs of getting up. Only then did he let out a slow breath and pull Jae-jin into a tight embrace.
Both of their bodies burned like feverish embers.
“Jae-jin… Do I still have to keep my mouth shut?”
“Yeah. Keep it shut.”
“Wow, scary…”
“Shut it tight.”
“Mm.”
“…….”
Jae-jin cautiously lifted his hands away.
The black stain on Eui-woo’s neck had disappeared, as if it had never been there at all. The healing factor must have taken full effect—his shoulder wound was also gradually closing.
Jae-jin’s dark eyes trembled slightly before he finally let out a faint sigh.
Eui-woo said he was fine. But Jae-jin wasn’t sure.
Even though their skin was touching, he couldn’t tell if the guiding was working properly or how effective it was.
He couldn’t resonate with Eui-woo’s core, couldn’t read his wavelengths, had no way of gauging how much damage he had taken or how much he had recovered.
Jae-jin had thought that being a mutation wouldn’t interfere with his ability to guide Seo Eui-woo. But in moments like this, it was nothing but frustrating.
Would just skin contact be enough? Did it have to be mucous membrane contact? Should he just kiss him?
His head felt like it was going to explode from the sheer chaos of his own thoughts.
