“What?”
What a ridiculous question.
He’s telling me to choose who lives?
As if he were some kind of god, holding the power of life and death in his hands—and now handing it to me as if I only deserved one choice.
Rage surged up, heat flaring through my skull.
Does he think I’m some obedient mutt, rolling over when told? Bark when I’m ordered to bark?
Even with my throat being squeezed, I couldn’t help but scoff. The absurdity was too much.
“…You’re laughing in this situation?”
Ban Noah’s perfectly smooth brow furrowed with the first crack of irritation.
I didn’t miss the opening. With all my strength, I slammed my forehead into his.
CRACK—!
“ARGH!”
Serves you right, asshole.
Good thing Yeon Yu-jin’s body had fully adapted to my original specs as Ahn Ga-hyun.
SSS-rank wasn’t just for show—my Guide body was strong, too.
The surprise attack made Ban Noah drop me, his grip slipping off. Without wasting a second, I lunged to grab Ra Ho-yeon and dragged him to a safer distance.
“Ugh…”
“Hey, you okay?”
I tried calling out to him, but Ra Ho-yeon didn’t respond—he was barely conscious.
He must’ve been on the verge of passing out.
I gently laid him on the floor and turned to scream at Ban Noah, who was staggering, clutching his head.
“How the hell am I supposed to choose, you psycho?!”
He looked like he’d been planning to kill whichever option I didn’t pick.
Ban Noah bared his teeth at me, eyes glowing with madness.
“You… How dare you—”
But I shouted back, without the slightest fear.
“Both the Secreti members and my old comrades like Je-ha—they all matter to me!”
“……”
“I’m not giving up on anyone! So keep your twisted-ass questions to yourself, because they make me sick.”
Ban Noah stared at me for a long moment—then let out a strange, mirthless laugh.
“You really think you’re some kind of hero, huh? Acting all noble. You’re just a low-ranked Guide.”
“I still outrank you.”
I said it without much thought.
Even if Ban Noah was officially listed as A-rank, the fact that he’d stolen other people’s powers suggested he was originally much weaker.
Apparently, I struck a nerve. His face twisted into something monstrous.
“…You.”
What the hell?
A murderous aura exploded off him.
The red earring hanging from his ear began trembling violently—despite no wind—clinking ominously.
Potato panicked and dove into my pocket.
[EEP! That wave—it’s coming from all the stolen cores! It’s massive!]
“What?”
[X is losing it! If we’re not careful, he’ll kill both of us right here!]
Even so, there was no way in hell I was dying easily again.
But apparently Ban Noah heard me talking to Potato—because he tilted his head, suspicious.
“…Who were you talking to?”
Shit.
Potato was invisible to others. I should’ve kept my damn mouth shut.
Damn it. I slipped. Just reflex in a crisis, but still…
Now what?
I pressed my lips tightly shut, refusing to answer.
Ban Noah’s eyes flashed, unnervingly sharp.
“…Did you signal Hyun Je-ha or something? Is he supposed to come running when you’re in danger?”
“……”
That’s not what happened…
But maybe it’s better if he thinks that.
Ban Noah was obsessed with stolen powers. If he found out about Potato, I was dead.
“Resurrection”—my ability—was the first one he ever failed to steal.
And if just hearing Je-ha’s name made him go rabid like a starved beast, then he was probably just as obsessed with Potato.
“Answer me.”
“…Why should I? I don’t owe you anything.”
“What?”
“I mean, really. I was just muttering to myself. You’re the one getting all intense about it, interrogating me like I owe you an explanation. What are you, my superior officer? Who the hell do you think you are, demanding answers from me, huh? You insane piece of shit.”
Whoops. That last part kinda slipped out.
I was trying to calm down, but my emotions had flared too far.
Oddly enough, though, Ban Noah’s killing intent began to fade.
…What the hell?
Was he… giving up the fight?
Even though I technically had the numbers, this was effectively a one-on-one. Ra Ho-yeon was down for the count.
And even as an SSS-rank Guide, I couldn’t take on this Frankenstein monster armed with dozens of stolen ability cores.
I was mentally preparing for death #2, spinning through every scenario I could think of—but then he started… calming down?
Just as I suspected, Ban Noah fully suppressed his killing aura. He gently touched his trembling earring to steady it, then gave me a thin smile.
“Saying I’m insane, calling me a piece of shit… That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? Ahn Ga-hyun.”
…Cchhk.
Goosebumps exploded across my skin.
“You… Don’t tell me this whole stunt… was just to confirm my identity?”
“What else would it be?”
“…Haa.”
I’d danced right into X’s hands. All this chaos—just a ruse to prove his theory.
That “Yeon Yu-jin” was actually “Ahn Ga-hyun.”
That his hunch was right. And if so… then the “Resurrection” ability—his white whale—was still alive and out there.
I clenched my jaw, and Ban Noah smirked like he’d just won the lottery.
“Don’t look so devastated. Thanks to you, I confirmed it. You’re Hyun Je-ha’s only weakness.”
“What?”
“Oh, come on. You still haven’t noticed? Even I can tell he’s in love with you. Poor Je-ha—he still hasn’t managed to confess properly, huh?”
Something strange happened.
Hearing him insult me was fine. But hearing him drag Je-ha through the mud—that made my blood boil. Maybe that’s why… I blurted out something really, really stupid.
“You’re wrong, dumbass. Je-ha did confess.”
“…What?”
“He told me. That he liked me. I had no clue at the time, but he said it. Unlike you and your pathetic ass, Je-ha’s in a whole different league. Just mentioning your name in the same breath as his is an insult.”
“……”
Ban Noah blinked—completely thrown off by my outburst.
Potato, the little shit, whistled in my pocket.
[Wow. That was steamy.]
Shut up!
Thank god Je-ha wasn’t here.
My face was burning like a steamer full of dumplings. I scrambled to backpedal.
“I-I mean! What I meant was—if you’re gonna insult someone, insult me, not Je-ha! Leave him out of your shit!”
“…You’re really something.”
Ban Noah laughed like he’d just tasted rotten vegetables, then stepped back.
A mist of violet smoke began to gather around him—swirling ominously.
Potato yelled.
[He’s trying to escape! That’s another power from the earring!]
“What? You’re running away?”
Honestly, him backing off was a win for me. But I couldn’t understand why he’d retreat when he clearly had the upper hand. So I tried to provoke him.
Ban Noah looked at me like I was an idiot.
“Learn when to shut up. I’m done with you for today. We’ll meet again.”
“What? When?”
“Why would I tell you that? Idiot Ahn Ga-hyun. Next time, I’ll bring Hyun Je-ha and the Baekho Unit too. Let’s see who’s left standing then.”
“What the hell are you scheming—agh!”
The violet fog completely engulfed Ban Noah—and a violent windstorm erupted outward.
I was blown into the far corner of the set, bouncing off walls like a damn pinball.
“Son of a—”
By the time I picked myself up, bruised and battered—Ban Noah was gone. Without a trace.
***
After Ban Noah vanished, the shoot was immediately halted.
Because I’d stormed out of the set with Ra Ho-yeon slung over my back.
“Stop filming! We’ve got a serious injury here!”
When I brought out the unconscious Ra Ho-yeon, the cast and production team froze.
“W-what happened to Ra Ho-yeon?!”
“It was Ban Noah. He did this. He might’ve attacked the other Secreti members too—”
“Huh? Ban Noah?”
One of the staff blinked in confusion.
“Who’s that? We never invited anyone named Ban Noah as a guest today.”
“…What?”
Seol Yurang—the one who supposedly brought him—smiled brightly and said,
“There’s no one named Ban Noah here. Yeon Yu-jin-ssi, maybe you’re just… confused?”
