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    Is this for real?

    Hae Gijun thought blankly as he stared at the scene unfolding before him. The flavor of the half-chewed potato lingered in his mouth, but he was in no condition to continue chewing.

    He double-checked his location and scanned the area, trying again to find ‘it,’ but nothing caught his eye. Even after removing his glasses and examining the surroundings, nothing changed.

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    “The bus left…?”

    It took a few seconds for the sigh-like words he barely managed to utter to register in his mind. This delay indicated a problem with Gijun’s cognitive processing.

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    The bus had left.

    To elaborate further, the school trip bus had left.

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    Adding more detail, on the way to the school trip, they had stopped at a rest area. Gijun had enthusiastically gone to buy potatoes, only to be held up by the crowd. After feeling a warm camaraderie with the others who were also there to buy food, he finally returned with his potatoes, only to find the bus had left.

    Denying reality, Gijun’s eyes darted around again. He quickly fumbled in his pockets for his phone, carefully holding the potatoes in one hand to avoid dropping them. However, Gijun soon realized one crucial fact:

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    He treasured the potatoes but not his phone…

    “I left it behind.”

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    Upon arriving at the rest area, he had only taken his wallet, leading to this mishap. His phone was likely nestled quietly in his bag on the bus seat. He had often thought the others, always glued to their phones, were silly, but now he realized they had all been preparing for emergencies.

    Gijun felt a surge of frustration. Although he blamed himself for his carelessness, he was even more baffled by the teacher and the class president. How could they have left without properly accounting for everyone? Despite having curled up and slept the whole time, this was too much.

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    As he tried to soothe his absurd resentment and self-pity with a bite of potato, he vaguely noticed someone slowly approaching from a distance. Squinting slightly, he saw the figure more clearly.

    A white cable-knit sweater added a calm and neat impression, while black pants accentuated long, straight legs. The brown hair swayed gently in the autumn breeze, making the person look like a student model. Gijun was convinced.

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    The uncertainty faded when he saw the person looking around in confusion.

    “Baek Sunwoo?”

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    “…Gijun? The bus….”

    Although only the subject of the sentence was spoken, Gijun understood everything and felt a wave of relief.

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    Ah, I’m not the only one who got left behind. It wasn’t just me being foolish. This comforting thought eased his tension.

    Baek Sunwoo was from another class, but it was preferable for the rumor to spread that ‘those guys…’ had been left behind, rather than just him. Moreover, since the person was Baek Sunwoo, he felt even more reassured. No one would dare gossip easily about him.

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    With a softened heart, Gijun watched Baek Sunwoo look flustered. They had been in the same class in their first year, so although they weren’t particularly close, they were at least familiar with each other. Of course, after their classes split, they hadn’t really spoken much, but at this moment, Gijun felt a very special bond.

    Moreover, he felt even more relieved because Baek Sunwoo might have a solution to their problem. He was the savior who could end this foolish situation.

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    “Did the bus really leave first?”

    “It seems like it. Let’s call them quickly. Where’s your phone?”

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    “It broke a while ago…”

    It turned out he wasn’t a savior after all.

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    “What? Why? How?”

    “I dropped it while passing by that pond…”

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    Baek Sunwoo handed over his phone, which had a long crack running vertically with purple and pink static around it. It was a clear sign that the screen was dead.

    It didn’t need to be this clear, though. Gijun looked at the phone with hopeless eyes.

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    Baek Sunwoo seemed to have spent some time trying to fix the phone. Looking around the quiet parking lot, Gijun sighed deeply and suggested they go inside the rest area. They would have to borrow a phone from the staff to make contact.

    Approaching the place where he had bought the potatoes, he briefly explained the situation and borrowed a phone from a kind staff member. Gijun hesitated for a moment in front of the screen.

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    “Do you know the teacher’s number?”

    “No…”

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    “Hmm, then I guess we’ll have to call the school.”

    “Do you know the school number?”

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    “What are you talking about? We have to search for it.”

    After an entirely logical conversation, they turned on the internet and searched for the school’s name. His own phone was always on silent, so calling it would have been useless anyway.

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    When they searched, the school’s description came up as ‘public’ and ‘special ability.’ Gijun’s eyes briefly skimmed over the school’s introduction.

    ‘A school for students with special abilities’

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    Were they so special that they had to experience being left behind on a school trip? Gijun took a deep breath and called the school administration office.

    [Yes, this is Jinhyuk Moo from the administrative office of Shin Hae High School.]

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    The employee who answered with the typical indifferent tone of a seasoned office worker fell silent for a while after hearing Gijun’s explanation, and then said,

    [Are you pulling a prank?]

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    “No, I’m not.”

    [In all my years of working in school administration, this is a first…]

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    He let out a short, incredulous laugh. Amid the sound of typing, he continued.

    [I’ll give you the teachers’ contact numbers. Actually, I’ll call the teacher for class 1, and you call the one for class 2.]

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    “Thank you.”

    Baek Sunwoo was in class 1, and Hae Gijun was in class 2. This meant that Gijun had to call his teacher. Regretting having to explain the situation for the third time today, he made the call. Repeating this foolish story several times was starting to feel embarrassing.

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    However, the teacher didn’t answer the phone.

    “…?”

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    Perplexed, Gijun called again. No answer. By the time he was redirected to voicemail, he hung up and, after sharing potatoes with Baek Sunwoo, tried calling again. They ate all the potatoes, but still couldn’t get through. Even texts went unanswered.

    Did the teacher also keep their phone on silent? But not on a day like this, surely? Wondering if he had gotten the number wrong, he called the administrative office again, thankfully getting through quickly.

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    [Kids, I was just about to call you back, but I didn’t know your number. I can’t reach the class 1 teacher. Did you get through?]

    “No? We couldn’t either.”

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    [I also tried calling the bus drivers, but no one is answering. What in the world… Just keep trying to call your teacher. We’ll call you back as soon as we get through. Please give me your number.]

    Gijun relayed the phone number to the staff, then the call ended. Sharing the situation with Baek Sunwoo, Gijun looked down at the phone to calm his bewildered feelings.

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    At that moment, the potato lady looked at them with a suspicious expression and asked.

    “Student? How long are you going to call? Where are you planning to use the number?”

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    “Uh, well… Sorry, but can I use it a bit longer? I can’t reach the teacher.”

    “What? Why can’t you reach them?”

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    He wanted to know that too. Gijun was extremely bewildered, but he noticed the woman’s gaze was growing suspicious. In a world where all information was stored on phones, she seemed worried they might be up to something dubious.

    Then Baek Sunwoo stepped forward and showed a white card.

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    “Sorry. We’re students from Shin Hae High School. Could you please lend it to us a bit longer?”

    “Shin Hae High School…?”

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    The woman’s expression became peculiar when she saw the student ID he handed over. It was the look of someone who found it strange to use a high school’s name for identification, let alone a university.

    Just as the woman’s suspicion was solidifying into certainty, another staff member who had been frying sweet potatoes nearby exclaimed briefly.

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    “Oh my, Shin Hae High. Isn’t that the school for kids with special abilities?”

    “Oh? Yeah, I’ve heard of it. Right, it’s written on this student ID too! Special abilities!”

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    “Right! That place for those, uh, low-level ability kids…”

    The woman next to them, who had been agreeing enthusiastically, sheepishly looked around. Gijun said nothing. After all, she had helped, and honestly, her statement wasn’t incorrect.

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    Shin Hae High School.

    A school for students with special abilities.

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    The special abilities, which had appeared in the world one day, were once called superpowers. While ‘super’ (超) merely indicated being above average, ‘special’ (異) referred to being different from the norm, encompassing a broader range.

    Initially, the emergence of special abilities caused chaos, but the advanced scientific and social systems of the 21st century quickly adapted. There was a social perspective that these individuals should be educated and integrated into society, leading to the establishment of specialized schools, with Korea being the first to establish one, a significant achievement for an education-focused nation.

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    However, the range and types of special abilities were incredibly diverse.

    Some abilities were highly remarkable, enabling individuals to deal with monsters from another world and significantly contribute to society. In contrast, some abilities were trivial and seemingly useless. As a result, the world began to quantify and classify these abilities, essentially ranking them.

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    SPI, Supernatural/Special Power Index. If a special ability index exceeded 100, the individual was considered extraordinary; below that, they were similar to ordinary people. The ranking system went from S, A, B, and so on, with those below 100 being not just simple F but more like F-.

    Nevertheless, even minor abilities could not be considered entirely normal, so before reaching adulthood, these individuals were taught to blend in with ordinary people. Even someone with the ability to light a fire like a lighter could potentially cause an accident.

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    Shin Hae High School was where such students gathered. Among those with special abilities, it was known as a place for those who were neither here nor there, and even ordinary people tended to look down on it subtly.

    However, a special ability was still a rare national resource, officially recognized by the state, providing undeniable identification. This was why the rest area staff readily nodded.

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    “Alright, alright. Keep using the phone. I hope you can get in touch soon.”

    “You seem to be from different classes. Do you want to use my phone to call another teacher?”

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    Feeling apologetic for using such blunt words earlier, they became noticeably kinder.

    However, as one phone was enough, Gijun declined politely and stepped back. Regardless of the low SPI, the fact that they possessed special abilities made them rare, and he could sense their growing curiosity.

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    “By the way, kids, what kind of abilities do you have…?”

    “I’ll go try calling again. I’ll return the phone shortly. Thank you.”

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    Gijun bowed his head in gratitude and moved further away from the building, murmuring as if he had been inconvenienced.

    “If we stay close, they’ll want us to show our abilities.”

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    “Should I not have said anything…?”

    Baek Sunwoo looked around anxiously, clearly feeling sorry, causing Gijun to chuckle quietly. It was fortunate he hadn’t shown a different group membership card in this situation.

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    “No, it’s fine. You did well.”

    Sunwoo’s face brightened almost immediately. Gijun marveled at how his expression changed so quickly, wondering when he had looked so down.

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    It was obvious from a few words exchanged that he was kind and gentle, but others seemed overly afraid of him.

    In fact, if the ladies had asked to see his abilities earlier, someone would have screamed in shock. Sunwoo’s ability was that unique and powerful, far beyond what was typical for Shin Hae High School.

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    Baek Sunwoo was a well-known anomaly at school. During the re-evaluation in the second semester of their first year, his ability had re-emerged, revealing an extraordinarily intense power.

    Until the beginning of the school year, Baek Sunwoo was undoubtedly popular at school. True to his name, he had a kind personality and a very warm appearance. He was tall and well-proportioned, even becoming a model for the school magazine. Some said he looked like he could model school uniforms.

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    Many students wanted to befriend the kind Baek Sunwoo, and there were plenty who wanted to boast about their friendship with the handsome boy. His ability, which seemed close to ‘affinity’ with animals, was also considered fitting for him.

    However, the ability revealed through his awakening was ‘domination.’

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    Moreover, his ability index was so overwhelming that if he looked someone in the eye and commanded them to jump out of a window, they would do so without resistance. While there were limits to dominating other ability users, it didn’t apply to those with lower ability indices.

    From that point on, students were afraid of Baek Sunwoo, kept their distance, and avoided eye contact even when he approached. There were no more chattering voices around him.

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    And now, Gijun was muttering while making eye contact with Baek Sunwoo. His brown eyes sparkled faintly in the sunlight.

    “This is really strange. Even if they could leave me behind, they couldn’t leave you. It’s not like you’re invisible.”

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    “The kids must have been so excited that they forgot…”

    “Even if the kids did, it’s neglect of duty for the teacher.”

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    “The teacher hasn’t been at the school for long…”

    “Oh, right. They joined this year.”

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    Baek Sunwoo could have easily transferred to another school, and many scouts had approached him. However, Shin Hae High School also wanted to keep him at all costs. The more powerful ability users the school produced, the more its reputation and influence grew.

    So, the school invited a powerful ability user solely for Baek Sunwoo, who became the homeroom teacher for Class 1 of the second year. Although this A-rank physical ability user had a rather intimidating presence, no students complained about the change. In fact, they felt reassured rather than dissatisfied.

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    “Still, it’s neglect of duty. Do they have no teaching experience? That’s absurd.”

    “They don’t have any.”

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    “…”

    “…”

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    “…Sorry.”

    “No, it’s okay! You don’t have to apologize.”

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    “But it’s your homeroom teacher.”

    “No, it’s fine… We’re not that close anyway…”

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    The quiet words that followed sounded like a soliloquy. Gijun looked at him curiously, then nodded roughly. He wasn’t close to his homeroom teacher either.

    Gijun called the teacher again. They didn’t answer, but he kept calling persistently. He even thought about leaving dozens of missed calls to surprise the teacher.

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    After a while, Gijun suddenly looked around.

    “Do you hear a ringtone somewhere?”

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    “Huh? I don’t hear anything. Where?”

    “Shh, listen carefully.”

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    Gijun brought his hand close to Baek Sunwoo’s mouth as if to silence him and showed the phone screen, pressing the call button again. At first, he thought it was someone else’s ringtone, but he soon realized it was strange. The ringtone only played when he made a call.

    Holding his breath, Baek Sunwoo also heard the ringtone and widened his eyes. The ringtone matched perfectly with the timing of the calls.

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    Gijun started walking slowly towards the source of the ringtone. It was faint, making it hard to distinguish from the highway noise, so he wandered for a while.

    Finally, Gijun stood in front of the source of the ringtone.

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    “…”

    In the corner of the vast parking lot, where it seemed they had tried to create a garden but only weeds thrived, the curbs were dirty, and the shadows of leaves swayed chaotically in the wind, there was one thing that stood out.

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    A blood-stained phone.

    Gijun stared at it quietly. He realized that what he thought was mud was actually blood-soaked soil.

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    In the chilling silence, Baek Sunwoo approached first and picked up the phone. The screen was even more shattered than the one he had checked earlier, but it was clear that a call was coming through. When Gijun ended the call, the ringtone stopped abruptly.

    Gijun didn’t know what his homeroom teacher’s phone looked like, but he was certain this was it.

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    “What should we do?”

    “…Give it to me for now.”

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    As soon as he reached out his hand, Baek Sunwoo handed over the phone. Gijun carefully touched the screen, but the touch wasn’t working due to the blood pooled between the cracks. When Gijun tried to tap it irritably, Baek Sunwoo urgently stopped him.

    “You’ll hurt your hand.”

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    Gijun, with one hand held, looked back and forth between Baek Sunwoo and the phone, then dropped his hand with a sigh. But just before that, the screen suddenly lit up with a ding sound. A message from someone appeared at the top of the screen.

    Both of their gazes turned to the phone simultaneously.

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    It was from the head teacher. The head teacher, or the grade head. The head teacher wasn’t accompanying this school trip, and the grade head for the second year was the homeroom teacher of Class 1, Park Inhoo. He had joined the school this year but quickly became the grade head due to his A-rank ability.

    And the training center was chosen based on Park Inhoo’s suggestion.

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    In fact, at special ability high schools, school trips often included a curriculum that involved actual ‘study’ (修學), meaning honing academic skills. Instead of a simple trip, they used special programs within the training center to teach and train students in using their abilities.

    However, until now, Shin Hae High had conducted ordinary school trips similar to regular high schools. But this time, Park Inhoo suggested a new program, and the principal readily agreed.

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    The second-year students were excited about this news. Despite having low SPIs, they had a sense of pride as rare ability users and were eager to experience ‘training for ability users.’

    But now, was there something strange about the training center?

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    While mulling over the message, the phone suddenly rang loudly. Startled, thinking it was the teacher’s phone, Gijun realized it was the phone borrowed from the rest area staff. The screen displayed the number of the administrative office.

    [Kids, we got in touch with the teacher, and they’re on their way back!]

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    “…Is it the Class 1 teacher?”

    [Yes, they said they would arrive soon. They realized someone was missing and turned back. They were so busy that they couldn’t contact us for a while. Haha, this will go down in school history.]

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    “Excuse me, here-.”

    But before Gijun could say anything, the call abruptly ended. Judging by the last sound, it seemed a visitor had arrived at the administrative office. Gijun tried to call back but couldn’t. There was no time.

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    The heavy engine sound of a bus approached from nearby. The large shadow slowly engulfed the two of them.

    The bus had returned.

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    The door opened, and Class 1’s homeroom teacher, Park Inhoo, got off. The large man approached them with a friendly smile. Gijun quickly put the teacher’s phone in his pocket.

    “Kids, what a situation this is. Get on the bus quickly. The others are waiting.”

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    “Ah, I borrowed a phone from the staff here. I’ll return it…”

    “I’ll return it and thank them myself! You two get on the bus.”

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    In the blink of an eye, the phone was taken away. Whether Gijun was flustered or not, Park Inhoo urged them to get on the bus. He seemed ready to drag them on if necessary. Gijun’s gaze rolled and stopped at the side of the bus, at the trunk.

    Faint bloodstains. And a slightly protruding piece of clothing.

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    Baek Sunwoo, who was looking at the same spot, spoke quietly.

    “…Let’s get on, Gijun.”

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    “If we get on that, we might die.”

    “If we act strangely now, things might go wrong even faster.”

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    Even their hesitant behavior was enough to make Park Inhoo’s expression wary. The fact that they were standing at ‘that’ spot made him even more cautious. His actions, like taking the phone to return it himself, confirmed it.

    “We don’t have any options right now. He’s not someone I can dominate immediately, and if a confrontation happens here, you’re the most likely to get hurt.”

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    Baek Sunwoo’s voice was calm, without a hint of threat. He wasn’t exaggerating to warn; he was stating a real possibility.

    “We don’t know the exact situation yet, but it’s clear the kids are in danger. When we arrive, we should seek help from other teachers or find a way with the kids. If we work together, we can create an opening to dominate him.”

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    “…”

    “So for now, let’s follow his instructions.”

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    Hae Gijun looked at Baek Sunwoo with unfamiliar eyes for a moment. Had he changed?

    In the face of danger, his demeanor had shifted dramatically. Since his awakening and a year of training with ‘them,’ had he changed? Baek Sunwoo’s new attitude was somewhat reassuring, but…

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    Honestly, Gijun still didn’t want to go.

    His homeroom teacher seemed to have objected to the training center location. And the blood-stained phone lying here. The causality between the two seemed quite clear. Therefore, it was certain that something suspicious was happening at the training center. Otherwise, such a bloody incident wouldn’t have occurred.

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    So, getting on the bus felt like walking to his death for Gijun. He wanted to run away. Although it would be futile to resist against a teacher with a physical-specialized ability, he wanted to believe there was another option.

    Hae Gijun had a very keen sense of what people call a ‘bad feeling.’ It was joked that this was his ability. However, Baek Sunwoo, who also knew this situation was dangerous, was insisting on going to save their friends.

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    “I’ll make sure you don’t get into danger.”

    Suddenly, Gijun recalled a boy’s comic book his mother had recently forced him to read. The passionate protagonist, no matter how perilous the path, pursued justice, did good, and saved his comrades, surviving even the most dangerous situations.

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    But that was possible because he was the protagonist.

    Gijun sighed inwardly as he watched Baek Sunwoo get on the bus first. He felt a nagging sense that while Sunwoo, like a protagonist, would survive, he might not. However, staying here alone or sending Sunwoo alone didn’t sit well with him either. He dismissed his uneasy feelings, thinking it was just silly overthinking.

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    His steps felt incredibly heavy as he followed Sunwoo onto the bus.

    The sky outside the window was dim and dark.

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    Hae Gijun’s premonition was correct, but his expectations were far off.

    As soon as they arrived at the training center, strange things began to happen. The students were all standing in the auditorium by class, and just as Gijun and Baek Sunwoo joined, causing a brief commotion, a strange person stepped onto the stage.

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    Then, suddenly, they started talking about prophecies, sacrifices, and awakenings. By the end of the broadcast, a monster appeared in the auditorium. It looked like a fox but was much larger than a human, with flames flickering at the tip of its tail.

    “What is that…?”

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    “Is it a simulation?”

    The students thought the monster standing still on the stage was part of a simulation.

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    Simulation. A program to train ability users by fighting virtual monsters from another world to improve their skills. Shin Hae High didn’t have such simulation programs due to the low ability indices of its students, but everyone knew about the system.

    Especially the word ‘awakening’ mentioned in the broadcast.

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    When an ability user faced a critical life-or-death situation, their SPI could surge, and their ability could develop. In the past, when the system for dealing with otherworldly threats wasn’t well established, many ability users had awakened and risen to higher ranks. This was called awakening.

    At one time, ability tests intentionally created dangerous situations or forced abilities to rise through re-evaluation if the rank was low. However, this system was abolished due to ethical criticisms over time.

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    Recently, there have been rare cases of inducing awakening through simulations based on scientific advancements and psychiatric consultations, but these were extremely rare. This was because it could cause psychological aftereffects and the probability of awakening was only 0.01%.

    Nevertheless, the desire for awakening was evident. Especially among young students, the word ‘awakening’ sparked curiosity.

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    Although they hadn’t heard about such a curriculum for this school trip, the students found the monster in the auditorium fascinating. They were excited, thinking they were finally going to experience simulation training.

    But the chaos began when the monster bit and killed a student.

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    This wasn’t a simulation or virtual reality.

    The blood splattering on the floor and the sound of bones being crunched made the horrifying reality clear.

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    “Ahhh!”

    “Run, run!”

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    …Gijun had mentally prepared himself when he got on the bus, but he hadn’t anticipated this. He had thought of conflicts between teachers or a hostage situation involving students, but monsters were beyond his expectations.

    It was pandemonium. Some students escaped through the windows, but monsters soon appeared outside as well. The escape routes were extremely limited. Phone reception was also down.

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    In the chaos, they eventually met some teachers. Gijun desperately grabbed one and asked about his homeroom teacher, but they all said they didn’t know. The only news was that the teacher had left due to an urgent matter at home. There was no time to confirm the strange aspects of the training center.

    The monsters quickly multiplied, attacking the students.

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    Everyone was terrified, but only Baek Sunwoo remained calm, leading the frightened students and clearing the way. He seemed to take his earlier promise seriously, doing his best to protect Gijun.

    Gijun followed him quietly. In such a situation, running away alone, clashing with others, or acting recklessly were out of the question. Countless media had shown that such actions were death flags, so Gijun obediently followed him.

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    “Once we go through this door…”

    Baek Sunwoo, whose white sweater was now stained with blood, gave instructions. Even the kids who had been scared of him were now looking at him like a savior, listening to him attentively.

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    Baek Sunwoo’s face was pale with tension, but his eyes were shining brightly. Hae Gijun looked at his profile and thought, “People trained by that organization are indeed different. No wonder they are called the saviors of the nation…” He took a deep breath in admiration.

    His head ached from running too much, and even his vision was shaking. When he opened his eyes again after squeezing them shut, as if in a state of confusion.

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    A large monster’s fang pierced through Baek Sunwoo’s neck. It was a clear, vivid sight. The monster had ambushed from the wall.

    Warm blood splattered onto Gijun, who was standing right next to him.

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    “…?”

    His vision turned red, and his body stiffened. Then, as if spilling ink, his vision quickly darkened. Whether it was the shock of the blood covering his face, he couldn’t tell. The surreal sensation that enveloped his entire body made him lose consciousness.

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    …Why are you dying?

    In this dangerous situation, he had a strange conviction that Sunwoo would never die. But that was mocked when Baek Sunwoo died right in front of him. The horrible feeling of being strangled took over his entire body. The blood pouring onto his face made it hard to breathe and blurred his vision.

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    Hae Gijun took a deep breath.

    “Ugh!”

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    As he heaved, he opened his eyes wide.

    And the scene before him left Gijun speechless for a moment. He couldn’t react or even blink.

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    Inside the rattling bus, the cloudy sky beyond the window, the mountains passing by steadily as the bus climbed up. The nauseous feeling of the bus winding up the mountain. The stuffy air in the closed space. The cool sensation of the window he was leaning against.

    And…

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    “Gijun? Is something wrong?”

    Baek Sunwoo, looking at him quizzically from the seat next to him.

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    Gijun slowly, very slowly, blinked. His throat was still tight as he exhaled a breath and reached out to touch Sunwoo. The neck visible under the spotless white sweater. The distinct pulse he could feel. The warm heat.

    “…?”

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    Sunwoo flinched at his touch, alive and reacting. There were no wounds where the monster’s fang had pierced moments ago. The smooth neck seemed strangely out of place.

    Gijun was stunned. The current situation was that after a commotion at the rest area, they were finally on their way to the training center. Judging by the building of the training center slowly coming into view, they would arrive soon.

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    …Was it a nightmare? Or a preview of the training center?

    “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

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    “Huh? Uh, maybe…”

    Gijun creaked like a broken robot, then suddenly his eyes lit up. Maybe…

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    He quickly grabbed Sunwoo and leaned in, whispering cautiously to avoid being noticed by Park Inhoo in the front seat. His voice was excited, like finding a lifeline.

    “But I had a really strange dream. Listen, this might be a prophetic dream.”

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    …….

    And he realized it wasn’t a nightmare or a prophetic dream after repeating the situation.

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    This time, he saved more kids and even avoided the fang monster that appeared at the end. But then he encountered another monster hidden around the next corner.

    Hae Gijun thought with his eyes tightly shut in the rattling bus.

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    Ah, what is this situation? Just a moment ago, I was in a survival thriller at the training center, and now I am here.

    Is this also a dream? Am I starting to have nested dreams?

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    But it felt too real to dismiss the events at the training center as a dream. The screams of kids in pain, their desperate cries for help, it was like being plunged into hell.

    The last wrist he had grabbed still throbbed.

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    If this situation is truly repeating, what should I do? Moreover, escaping from the training center isn’t the only problem, the bigger issue is…

    “Gijun, are you feeling sick?”

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    “Baek Sunwoo, why do you keep dying?”

    “…Huh?”

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    Baek Sunwoo died in front of him again.

    Hae Gijun thought calmly. It was a situation where staying calm was nearly impossible, but he tried to hold onto his rationality and think.

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    The situation was indeed repeating.

    The question of why was useless right now. It would be better if he woke up at the rest area instead of on the bus, but that was also a pointless wish. Gijun tried to discard any thoughts that wouldn’t help the situation.

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    First, simply moving in a different direction didn’t seem to be the answer. It might be useful for reference, but it wouldn’t lead to a solution. He couldn’t even accurately count how many monsters there were.

    Running away as soon as they got off the bus? The training center was located on a cliff with limited paths, and the teacher would follow right behind, making it impossible.

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    Baek Sunwoo’s domination ability was first mentioned on the way up the bus. At that time, Gijun had tried to learn about his ability to make a plan.

    ‘You said you could dominate that person?’

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    ‘It’s not easy with an A-rank, but if I injure them a bit, it might be possible.’

    ‘How much is a bit?’

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    ‘Breaking a leg…’

    ‘…’

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    Even then, Gijun thought, ‘How is that a bit?’ But he saw potential since he hadn’t anticipated monsters. He had nodded partly because he was startled by how calmly Baek Sunwoo said it.

    And even if it wasn’t possible to completely dominate by breaking a leg, he thought they could exploit a momentary pause in action…

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    The monsters were too big a variable.

    Baek Sunwoo’s domination ability worked on monsters but had its limits. Gijun tried to think more seriously, but the bus was already arriving at the training center again.

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    He bit his lip nervously and asked.

    “I can’t quite grasp it, but can an A-rank stop a bus?”

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    “They could probably throw it.”

    “…”

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    He held back a curse.

    He had considered dominating the bus driver to close the door and escape, but that was immediately discarded. He also thought about ramming the teacher or the training center, but that was also discarded. They could fall off the cliff.

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    And recalling the memories of previous loops, escaping was impossible from the start.

    The students tried to escape the training center. Monsters appeared outside, killing many students, but some managed to run far from the training center. However, at a certain point, they couldn’t move forward. Like people hitting an invisible wall, they pounded the air and were hunted by the monsters chasing them.

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    Gijun thought he might be looping back to the point where that ‘wall’ appeared.

    With a screech, the bus finally arrived.

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    Hae Gijun clearly felt a small vibration from below. A vibration from the bus trunk. He was sure his homeroom teacher was there without checking.

    Was she really dead? The thought chilled his heart, but he dismissed it as unnecessary right now.

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    “Kids, we’ve arrived. Let’s get off.”

    He stared at Park Inhoo, who shouted in a gruff voice, then slowly stood up.

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    As he walked down the long bus aisle, Hae Gijun quietly spoke to Baek Sunwoo.

    “What do we do if there’s a problem at school?”

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    “…Ask the teacher?”

    “Right. Let’s do that.”

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    The faculty at Shin Hae High were all ability users, averaging D-rank. It would be hard to face an A-rank, but asking for the teachers’ help was the best option for now.

    He wondered if they all really didn’t know the training center was strange. But to confirm that, this procedure was necessary. The teachers’ reactions to his story would provide information.

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    Hae Gijun got off the bus with determination.

    It was time to show the proper attitude of a student.

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    * * *

    The proper student met an improper end.

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    Hae Gijun, standing at the crossroads of delinquency, leaned his head against the rattling bus window.

    “……”

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    The scenery reflected in his dark eyes flickered lightly for a moment. It was a change that happened in the blink of an eye, but Gijun clearly saw it. A wave of nausea surged. The events that had unfolded before his eyes just seconds ago left a vivid afterimage, and he covered his eyes with his hand.

    In the third loop, Hae Gijun sought help from the teachers.

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    But it ended in vain. The reason was simple. In a chaotic situation where monsters appeared, uncovering someone’s scheme didn’t immediately lead to a solution. Especially since the teachers at Shin Hae High had little experience hunting monsters, they struggled to adapt to the urgent situation.

    Initially, the teachers were tied up somewhere in the building, separate from the auditorium. Gijun succeeded in quickly locating and rescuing them, but unfortunately, Park Inhoo was also tied up with them.

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    Because of this, the teachers naturally couldn’t suspect Park Inhoo. Although he was the one who first suggested the training center, he was tied up with them, and in a situation where they had to face monsters, an A-rank ability user was an indispensable asset.

    Gijun showed them his homeroom teacher’s broken phone, but it only raised suspicions without providing concrete proof.

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    There were seven homeroom teachers for the second year. Even if the remaining six, or five excluding his homeroom teacher, combined their efforts, it would be difficult to face an A-rank ability user, especially without a unified opinion.

    Eventually, Park Inhoo found out about this and, pretending to assert his innocence, naturally led the suspicious ones to where the monsters were.

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    “Gijun, we need to get off soon.”

    “Why are you so kind?”

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    “…Huh?”

    Baek Sunwoo’s face showed confusion. Gijun’s words, spoken while he leaned his head against the window and stared outside, were so out of the blue that Sunwoo seemed quite bewildered.

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    But Gijun was genuinely a bit angry about that point. He wanted to ask Sunwoo why he kept dying, but this time, he had died trying to protect him, so he couldn’t say anything.

    Choosing to persuade the teachers again seemed hopeless. There was no way to convince them in such a short time. He didn’t know how long the time loop would last, and he was reluctant to take risks recklessly.

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    And being with them made his head hurt too much, likely due to the constant tension.

    “Never mind. At least now I have some idea of how to tackle this…”

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    Gijun muttered, pressing his temples.

    The bus had already arrived at the training center, and he felt the heavy thud from the trunk below again. To Gijun, it started to feel like a signal. The hell named the training center had truly begun.

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    Just before getting off the bus, Gijun grabbed Baek Sunwoo’s hand. Sunwoo’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden contact. Gijun was also startled by his intense reaction but assumed he was just nervous about arriving at the training center and looked him straight in the eye.

    “This time, stay right behind me.”

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    * * *

    In the fourth loop, Gijun’s plan was absolute survival.

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    Simply avoiding monsters wouldn’t ensure survival. Escaping the training center was also impossible. Ultimately, they had to face the monsters directly.

    So, to increase their chances of survival, Gijun sought cooperation with the student council.

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    The student council at Shin Hae High consisted of students with high SPIs. Although Gijun wasn’t particularly close to them, he tried to be as sociable as possible and stuck with them. As he took the initiative, other students gradually joined, forming a sizable group.

    Although there was some friction because they kept wanting to put Baek Sunwoo at the forefront, it was better than before. Using various excuses, Gijun kept Sunwoo behind him and took the lead himself. He had observed the monsters enough to devise some strategies.

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    That day, he survived until night for the first time.

    Hae Gijun’s eyes shone with the newfound possibility. In previous loops, he had died around sunset, so he was thrilled to see the night sky for the first time. While everyone else feared the dark, Gijun was filled with hope.

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    But then, a conflict arose within the student council while deciding on a resting place. Voices grew louder, arguing about which direction to go, and eventually, a monster appeared.

    And it ambushed them from behind.

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    “Ah.”

    As blood splattered like a bursting water balloon, Hae Gijun finally cursed.

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    How can they lead the student council when they can’t even decide on a direction?

    * * *

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    In the fifth loop, he tried again to unite with the students, this time with more patience.

    Although they had minor abilities, Hae Gijun believed that through cooperation, they could pave a path. Despite the issues in the previous loop, he couldn’t overlook the possibilities he had finally found through the repetitions. Gijun planned to memorize the students’ abilities and utilize them effectively.

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    Gijun’s plan successfully made it past midnight.

    He harbored hope at the fact that they survived a whole day for the first time. Having failed before due to overexcitement, he tried to remain calm this time. He found modest joy in knowing that they had a better chance if they all moved together.

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    However, that chance was revealed to be nonexistent around dawn.

    Too many cooks spoiled the broth, and the ship didn’t just go off course, it soared into the sky and crashed, burning. The blood pouring down felt like it was scorching his body.

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    How did they even get to high school? They all should have dropped out.

    If they had dropped out earlier, they wouldn’t have gone through this.

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    * * *

    6th Loop. Baek Sunwoo was confined.

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    A monster rammed into the place and smashed the door.

    Damn it…

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    * * *

    7th Loop.

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    “Hey, Baek Sunwoo. What are you trying to do with me?”

    “……”

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    “Did I do something wrong to you? Then tell me. Why are you doing this to me?”

    Baek Sunwoo.

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    Unnecessarily kind, righteous, and full of responsibility, Baek Sunwoo.

    He only lacks responsibility for his own life, causing mental harm to himself. Gijun wanted to sue him for mental damage.

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    Holding Baek Sunwoo’s corpse, Hae Gijun thought so.

    Repeat, and repeat again…

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    At first, Gijun didn’t pay much attention to how many times the situation repeated. He just wanted to escape the dreadful training center. But as the number of repetitions reached double digits, it felt like a part of his mind was breaking.

    He felt like he was forcing his shattered rationality together, deceiving himself. Whether he was sad, angry, or fed up, he couldn’t distinguish any of it properly.

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    Leaning his head against the rattling window, Hae Gijun muttered. His dazed eyes seemed to wander beyond the mountains.

    “Baek Sunwoo. Is your body strong?”

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    “Huh?”

    “Should we jump out here?”

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    Baek Sunwoo was startled by his words as he grabbed the emergency hammer on the bus. Muttering that the barrier might not be fully operational yet sounded dangerously reckless.

    Baek Sunwoo urgently grabbed his wrist, telling him to calm down, and Gijun stopped his actions. Nodding calmly, he saw Sunwoo’s relief.

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    But Gijun’s reason for calming down was different.

    “No, you shouldn’t get hurt.”

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    Baek Sunwoo’s hand, gently holding his wrist, was warm. Moreover, he seemed very startled by his words, and Gijun could feel his pulse racing at his fingertips, which calmed him further. Yes, if they fell wrong, they might roll on the road and go off the cliff. With Sunwoo’s luck, that seemed entirely possible.

    To Hae Gijun, Baek Sunwoo was now a fragile existence, more delicate than a dandelion seed. He seemed like a white dandelion seed, easily blown away by a light breeze but with a strong life force. Even now, after dying so easily, he was breathing right in front of him. His delicate appearance matched the white seed perfectly.

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    Gijun continued his chaotic thoughts nonchalantly.

    “What’s wrong, Gijun? Are you scared?”

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    Baek Sunwoo asked worriedly. As they got closer to the training center, Gijun suddenly tried to jump off the bus and held his hand tightly, making him seem anxious. Gijun blinked blankly at him.

    Scared?

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    What truly scared him was no longer the training center. Hae Gijun had lost interest in facing monsters or seeing others bleed and collapse in front of him. He didn’t even care about his own injuries.

    Having experienced detachment from all senses several times, his emotions had dulled significantly. He was barely holding his rationality together by patching up his tattered memories. But the only clear emotion he had now was…

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    “Uh, I’m really scared… Please don’t leave my side.”

    An obsessive compulsion towards Baek Sunwoo’s safety.

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    Gijun thought it might be better if he died and time reset. That would be difficult in many ways, but witnessing Baek Sunwoo’s death repeatedly was rapidly breaking his mind. Moreover, since he was the only one who remembered, the guilt and self-loathing suffocated him more with each loop.

    It felt like he was dying, but it was Baek Sunwoo who actually died.

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    That thought drove Hae Gijun mad. He gripped Baek Sunwoo’s hand tightly. He wanted to get shackles or handcuffs and attach one to his wrist.

    As the bus came to a stop with a jolt, Gijun’s gaze turned to the training center outside the window. His eyes were filled with a fierce determination to kill anyone who dared to harm the small, fragile Baek Sunwoo.

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