EST Ch 21

The horrifying school trip of Shin Hae High School finally ended.

For about three days, a group with suspicious intentions confined all second-year students and committed cruel acts. As soon as the students arrived at the training center, all contact was cut off, causing concern among the school, parents, and the Paranormal Ability Management Agency.

The location of the training center was cleverly disguised, making it difficult to find. Although there were reports that the bus was heading towards a certain mountain, the exact location differed from the initial report.

H.N. was also involved in this matter.

When a paranormal ability organization with national influence began a direct search from the morning of the second day, the search area quickly narrowed. It was discovered that one of the homeroom teachers of Shin Hae High School had contacted an acquaintance to confirm if there had been any suspicious activity around the training center.

The search continued from the afternoon, and helicopters and flying ability users joined in, but they had to stop due to heavy rain starting that night.

Then, on the morning of the third day, a pillar of light shot up from deep within the mountains.

The light was bright and brilliant enough to be seen from anywhere, and it served as a guide for those searching for the students.

Immediately, the police and the Paranormal Ability Management Agency moved. Injured students were transferred to medical facilities, and the humans in black robes, presumed to be the leaders, were captured and detained.

However, some of the students and leaders looked around in a daze and responded uniformly.

‘But I definitely died…?’

They were not surprised by the presence of approaching police officers but only checked their own condition. It was a very strange thing for seemingly healthy people to say, but the police and staff carried out their tasks.

H.N. directly searched the basement of the training center. They caught the remnants who were crouching in the corners waiting for a chance to escape and also found a student, their potential recruit, in the room with the giant door. That student was the only one who was conscious in that place.

The commander, after hearing a brief account from the student, contacted Shin Hae High School directly and stated, “H.N. will fully investigate this matter.” It was close to a one-sided notice, but the principal couldn’t express displeasure or refuse it.

Investigators from the Paranormal Ability Management Agency also descended on Shin Hae High School. It was revealed that except for one second-year homeroom teacher, all were linked. The assistant teachers who went on the trip were also linked. Some had joined Shin Hae High School as linked from the start, while others joined later. Consequently, all teachers and staff at Shin Hae High School were investigated, and the school itself was searched.

The world was noisy.

And the hospital, where the students were admitted, was no exception. Nearly all the students had sustained moderate to severe injuries, requiring medical support. In addition to physical trauma, experts from various fields came to address psychological aspects.

Healing ability users, commonly known as healers, also visited. It wasn’t just because students had been attacked by otherworldly monsters.

It was because students who had died in the open realm revived.

That brought all the healers to the site. Famous healers from abroad visited, and researchers also examined their condition, checking if the revival was temporary or if there was a risk of things going wrong again.

The students had to undergo daily examinations since the day they left the training center. In the morning, they hugged their families, met with healers once in the morning, and spoke with investigators in the afternoon.

“Wow, it’s already been four days. Two days of a school trip and four days in the hospital. It’s advantageous to skip school legally, but…”

“You’re happy about skipping school in this situation?”

“As a student, it’s an instinct.”

“I hope I don’t lose my perfect attendance award…”

“Why are you worried about the perfect attendance award?”

At two in the lazy afternoon, Ahn Youngah and Shim Dokyung visited Lee Donghun together.

Students who were revived at the training center had no major injuries, whereas students who did not die occupied the intensive care unit. Those who had died once not only had their souls return but their bodies also somewhat recovered during the revival.

Thus, Lee Donghun was lying in bed wrapped in bandages, and Ahn Youngah and Shim Dokyung sat on chairs, chatting about trivial matters. They gathered daily at Lee Donghun’s hospital room from the day he regained consciousness.

Ahn Youngah giggled as she spoke beside Lee Donghun’s bed.

“But Lee Donghun definitely won’t get the perfect attendance award. You’ll be in the hospital for a while.”

“Did you come to tease me?”

“Yep! I feel sorry for Donghun who can’t stay still. Aren’t you rather jealous of us?”

Her playful voice was rather affectionate. The students who had died at the training center gathered in the hallway to check on their intact condition, sharing the sentiment, “Is it rather fortunate…?”

“I’m not jealous.”

However, Lee Donghun’s response was firm. He even seemed stiff, causing Ahn Youngah to look at him in surprise. His eyes had turned red.

“Really, I’m not jealous at all. What did you guys go through…”

His voice cracked at the end. Shim Dokyung, too, seemed overwhelmed with emotion, calling out, “Donghun…,” in a trembling voice.

Ahn Youngah was taken aback, her mouth opening and closing without sound. Every time she and Shim Dokyung visited, Lee Donghun’s face had been unusually dark, and they had wanted to reassure him that they were fine. But they felt it would be too direct to say it outright, so they mixed in some jokes, inadvertently pressing his tear button.

Fearing that both might end up crying, Ahn Youngah hurriedly changed the subject.

“But! None of us might get the perfect attendance award!”

“Huh? What do you mean…?”

“There’s a rumor that Shin Hae High School might go bankrupt since they’re paying all the hospital bills.”

“Shin Hae High School needs to get its act together.”

Lee Donghun, finally calming down, sheepishly rubbed his nose with the back of his hand and nodded.

Shin Hae High School had a tendency to be looked down upon since it was attended by low-ranking ability users. This prejudice extended beyond the ability users themselves to the general society. Ability users were undeniably special, but such special schools were few and often unfavorably compared to other ability schools. In fact, they weren’t even on the same level.

As a result, the school’s administration often worked half-heartedly, believing that their efforts wouldn’t raise the school’s reputation. That’s why Shin Hae High School had invested all its resources into Baek Sunwoo when he awakened.

“Even H.N. seemed really pissed off.”

“Right, I heard the head called the principal…”

Ahn Youngah nodded vigorously.

“I saw him at the hospital! He looked so cool I couldn’t stop staring in awe.”

The current head of H.N. was the second generation, the only daughter of the first head. Initially, there was criticism about the succession, but the public opinion quickly subsided after she resolved the worst paranormal incident at the forefront.

Ahn Youngah proudly boasted about seeing the head on her way out of the hospital, even getting a nod in greeting. The head of H.N. was essentially a national representative of ability users.

“I heard she usually doesn’t get involved unless it’s a big deal, so she must really value Baek Sunwoo.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Lee Donghun nodded with a somewhat puzzled look. Given the seriousness of the situation, it made sense for H.N. to intervene, but he found it hard to believe that the head moved solely because she valued Baek Sunwoo. They didn’t seem particularly close when he barely regained consciousness and watched them being rescued from the basement…

“By the way, is Baek Sunwoo awake now?”

“No, there’s still no news…”

Shim Dokyung shook her head with a slightly darkened expression in response to Lee Donghun’s question.

According to the agents who came to handle the training center incident, Baek Sunwoo remained conscious until the end. He made sure all the students were safely transferred and even reassured them that everything was fine. Only after confirming Hae Gijun’s stable condition at the hospital did he collapse.

Although Baek Sunwoo didn’t seem to be in good condition at the time, everyone thought it would be okay since he maintained his composure.

However, Baek Sunwoo didn’t wake up easily after collapsing. Moreover, his condition was so unstable that a healer had to be on standby around him at all times, not because he was being given special treatment but because his condition was that serious.

Ahn Youngah sighed and muttered.

“What exactly happened in the basement…”

Nobody knew what had happened in the basement, where the paranormal event had occurred.

Although Lee Donghun was there, he had fainted midway, so he had no stories to share. The linked group who had been there were all arrested and searched, but the information wasn’t shared with the students.

The only thing they could speculate was that Hae Gijun had finally found a way.

How he closed the door, who the figure of prophecy was, etc. There were many questions, but no one to ask. Hae Gijun had been unconscious since they left the training center.

“When will Hae Gijun wake up?”

Just as Lee Donghun muttered in frustration, the hospital room door slid open with a sound. A presence in a white hospital gown, which seemed strangely out of place, came in.

“Everyone’s here.”

It was Hae Gijun. His appearance made Ahn Youngah and Shim Dokyung jump up from their seats, and Lee Donghun, startled, tried to sit up but let out a groan and lay back down. Yet, he still raised his bandaged hand to wave in greeting.

“Wow, speak of the devil.”

“It’s okay, don’t get up.”

Gijun replied in a light tone and gestured for Lee Donghun to stay still. He then walked around and sat on the chair opposite Ahn Youngah and Shim Dokyung, with the bed in between.

Seeing that his gait showed no discomfort and that he had no major injuries, Ahn Youngah mumbled.

“He’s wearing a patient gown, but his complexion looks good…?”

Initially, she just thought the image of Hae Gijun in a patient gown didn’t fit, but now, his impression seemed considerably more relaxed.

At the training center, Hae Gijun’s demeanor had always been sharp. His eyes would turn fierce at the slightest noise, and he reacted so sensitively that it was hard to talk to him. The kids suddenly realized how tense he had been at the training center. They thought he was calm then, but compared to now…

Gijun felt the children’s gaze but didn’t bother to deny it. For him, escaping the training center on the eleventh, no, the twelfth try, held special significance.

“When did you wake up? We were worried because you weren’t waking up.”

“I wouldn’t have minded even if you cursed me out… Anyway, I woke up just a little while ago.”

“Did you come here right after waking up? Wow, I’m touched.”

Ahn Youngah playfully covered her mouth with both hands. She expected a cold stare from Hae Gijun for her dramatic attitude. But Gijun merely rolled his eyes briefly before nodding slowly.

“I felt I had to check if you were alive myself.”

The children’s eyes widened at his low voice. They exchanged startled looks and spoke in serious tones.

“What? We didn’t die, right?”

“G-Gijun is saying something like that…”

“Maybe Baek Sunwoo and he switched souls.”

They looked fearful as if dreading to imagine what happened in the basement when they lost consciousness. Gijun looked at them in disbelief.

“Well, it’s reasonable to check since I saw it happen right in front of me.”

“That’s true, but it’s surprising that you’re the one doing it.”

“Yeah, this is more shocking than being investigated as key figures.”

As the conversation continued, Gijun shook his head. The more he reacted, the more they would behave like this, so he decided not to feed them.

Having made up his mind, Gijun changed the subject.

“Did you get investigated? What kind of investigation?”

“Yeah, we talked about what happened at the training center and what we did in the basement.”

Starting with Shim Dokyung, Ahn Youngah and Lee Donghun explained their conversations with the investigators. Possibly due to their shared experience at the training center, it seemed as if they were reporting to Gijun.

Gijun listened, nodding, not only about the investigation but also the events that had transpired. He heard about the Paranormal Ability Management Agency and H.N.’s involvement, and the search and seizure at Shin Hae High School. After comprehensively understanding the situation, Gijun asked,

“How is Yeon Mijeong being punished?”

“Oh, the teacher… I mean, that person…”

Ahn Youngah stammered briefly before shaking her head vigorously.

“It’s not confirmed yet, but there’s talk that her ability user qualification will be revoked and her abilities sealed.”

Currently, all members of the link group were being investigated while wearing mana restraints. The issue wasn’t just their actions in confining the students but also attempting to open a portal, which was extremely serious. It was an incident that had eluded the national satellite detection system.

Given the severity, the investigation was expected to take at least several months, but Yeon Mijeong’s punishment seemed to be decided first.

Sealing abilities is a punishment conducted by the World Paranormal Ability Union, not just a single country. An S-class sealing magician steps in to completely bind the opponent’s mana. It’s done by several people together, using artifacts to randomly mix their techniques, making it impossible to break the seal.

In other words, it turns ability users into ordinary people. Given her obsessive nature in exploring spaces, the shock of losing her abilities would be significant. Additionally, there were even discussions of the death penalty.

Lee Donghun sighed softly, as if hearing this for the first time.

“That punishment is warranted, but the decision seems to have come out faster than expected.”

“Maybe it’s because the internet is buzzing…?”

Shim Dokyung said, fiddling with her phone. In reality, the Shin Hae High School field trip incident had caused a nationwide uproar. Articles were being published daily, and reporters crowded in front of the hospital to interview relevant people. There were also calls for proper punishment for the link group that tormented the students.

“There’s also talk that the H.N. head took action…”

Ahn Youngah shared various rumors she had picked up while wandering the corridors, adding that it seemed the head genuinely cared for Baek Sunwoo, making her envious.

Gijun gave a curious look when the H.N. head was mentioned before asking another question.

“Do you know what Baek Sunwoo said?”

“Huh? Sunwoo confirmed that all the kids were transferred to the hospital and then collapsed…”

“There wasn’t even time for him to be questioned.”

“But he must have talked with the H.N. head before collapsing. Didn’t that spread?”

“…I don’t know…”

The children looked bewildered. Somehow, Gijun’s question sounded like he was trying to confirm how much information Baek Sunwoo had shared. But they had no way of knowing what H.N.’s head and Baek Sunwoo had discussed.

Gijun sighed and ruffled his hair.

“Ah, I should have talked about it at the end…”

In fact, another reason he came here immediately after waking up was to grasp the situation. Although he was surprised to hear that he had woken up after four days, he also immediately realized that he needed to understand what had happened during that time. Because he would be investigated too once he woke up.

So he seized the opportunity to come here right away, but he couldn’t tell how much Baek Sunwoo had shared. They might have figured out most of it during the investigation, but… Did they know about the repeated times? Even Yeon Mijeong didn’t know at the time, but perhaps the investigators inferred it while searching the basement.

Gijun held his forehead. From the moment he woke up until now, he had been falling into the depths of agony one after another. When he first opened his eyes, he was briefly overjoyed that he had finally escaped the bus going to the training center. Then he confirmed Baek Sunwoo’s safety, and after hearing the news, he came straight here.

Of course, part of his purpose was to directly check the lives of these people, but the information he obtained here confused him. If even the head of H.N. came, what the heck was happening?

While Gijun was in agony, the three exchanged silent glances. Since Gijun had mentioned “the end,” they decided to ask what they had been curious about all along.

“Hey, Hae Gijun. What exactly happened at the end?”

“We don’t know anything more than what we just told you. No one knows how the students came back to life. The investigators just say they’re figuring it out.”

Lee Donghun was the first to ask, followed by Ahn Youngah, who quickly added her question.

Not only the students but also the link members were revived. Based on the information from Lee Donghun, who went to the portal, they inferred that all the souls in the area were gathered in the capsule. Then they naturally assumed that Hae Gijun solved the capsule, returned the souls, and thus eliminated the energy sustaining the portal, closing it.

But questions about how it was possible continued to arise. At the time, they had barely realized that the ingredients in the capsule were souls, and there were no clear clues. How did he manage to return it and save everyone?

“Did you just break the capsule recklessly to close the portal? And the kids just happened to come back to life?”

“But we tried causing an explosion around the capsule, and it didn’t leave a scratch. It doesn’t seem like an explosion but some other method…”

“And I’m curious about the blue light that shot up from the basement…”

The blue light that had reached the sky’s end was seen not only by the people searching the area but also by the students at the training center. In fact, everyone in that region saw it. There were even photos taken from a distance of the scene.

Their gazes turned to Hae Gijun. As they looked at him, demanding answers with obvious eyes, Gijun’s lips quivered.

-Squeak, bang!

“Hey! What are you doing disappearing all of a sudden?”

Suddenly, the door opened roughly, and a stranger appeared. The figure, with long black hair flowing down to their waist, had sharp eyes. As soon as the children saw those eyes, their gazes alternated between her and Hae Gijun.

They resembled each other. Their impressions were shockingly alike. From that point, they made one guess, and as expected, Gijun squinted upon seeing her.

“What? Why are you here?”

“Why am I here? Why? I came straight here upon hearing you woke up, only to be told you disappeared from the hospital room! Oh, it’s your friends’ room.”

The woman who had been rebuking soon calmed down. She stepped out of the room to tie her hair up high and fix her attire before returning. It felt as if she had transformed into a different person in under a minute.

“Hello. I’m Ha Gaon, his sister. You must be students from Shin Hae High School if you’re here. You’ve been through a lot.”

The three shook Ha Gaon’s hand, bewildered. She looked at her brother’s friends with curiosity, and the three were newly aware that Gijun had a sister. They had heard about her before, but seeing her in person was… truly surprising.

It was a peculiar feeling, but it was fascinating to see Hae Gijun, who had always seemed independent during the trip, being treated as someone’s younger brother. Then Ahn Youngah’s gaze fell on the front of her shirt.

[Paranormal Ability Management Agency Monster Research Division Head, Ha Gaon]

Ahn Youngah’s eyes widened instantly. The Paranormal Ability Management Agency, abbreviated as the Paranormal Agency, was the top national institution for managing ability users. Being the head of a department there meant she was at the pinnacle of monster research. Clearly, Hae Gijun had always spoken of her indifferently!

Meanwhile, Ha Gaon, who had greeted all three, gave Gijun a reproachful look.

“You should have at least told grandma.”

“…Is she mad?”

“You call that an excuse!”

-Step, another presence entered through the open door.

“Not angry.”

An elderly woman in a deep blue traditional hanbok stepped in, emanating a unique, heavy atmosphere. The serene air was reminiscent of the calm one might feel at a hermitage in the cloudy mountains. From the moment she entered the space, it felt as if the scent of a morning mountain filled the room.

Though she was a small-framed elderly woman, there was no sense of frailty about her. Her calm words directed at Gijun made the air feel heavy.

“I was just worried.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Hae Gijun immediately stood up, and the children were surprised at his flustered expression. With sharp eyes remarkably similar to Gijun’s, they immediately recognized her as Gijun’s grandmother. According to information heard at the training center, she was someone who studied the otherworld and was the one who gave Gijun his ‘glasses.’

Shim Dokyung and Ahn Youngah, who had stood up to greet Ha Gaon earlier, stood up again, and Lee Donghun awkwardly lifted his upper body. The grandmother just shook her head silently. Meanwhile, Gijun’s parents entered the hospital room. With Gijun waking up after about four days and disappearing from the hospital room, it seemed there had been quite a commotion.

The three of them seriously considered whether they should be moved by the fact that Gijun came to see them first upon waking up. Just as they thought all the greetings were over, they heard the sound of low-heeled shoes approaching again.

They looked toward the entrance of the hospital room, wondering who else could be coming, and then froze in place.

“It’s difficult to conduct an investigation if you suddenly leave like this, Hae Gijun.”

With a sharp impression and a bob cut, the woman who entered with a blazer draped over her shoulders, pointing out Gijun’s sudden action, was none other than the head of H.N. The figure Ahn Youngah had mentioned hours earlier with admiration.

The three exchanged surprised glances before nodding. Considering Hae Gijun was a central figure in the recent school trip incident, it wasn’t impossible for the head of H.N. to visit directly.

At that moment, the head’s gaze turned to Gijun’s side, where his grandmother in the deep blue hanbok was standing. The head’s eyes widened momentarily before she bowed her head in greeting.

“It’s been a while, teacher.”

“Yes. It seems Gijun wanted to check on his friends. Don’t be too harsh on him; he’s just a child.”

The three watched the brief exchange in a daze.

They were unsure whether to be surprised that the head of H.N. was showing such respect to Gijun’s grandmother, or to react to the grandmother treating Gijun like a child, or to be amazed at the sight of Gijun surrounded by his guardians.

They realized that being extremely surprised could render one speechless. The people who had gathered in front soon apologized and left.

“We made the room too noisy. We’ll take him out quickly.”

Ha Gaon warmly bid them to rest well as she left. Even as the door fully closed, the three just blinked.

“What, what just happened?”

“Sure, Gijun has parents, but… isn’t it kind of surprising to see it like this?”

Ahn Youngah and Lee Donghun took turns sharing their thoughts. Given how significant Gijun was to them, his current demeanor was quite surprising. They had once mistaken him for an only child, but seeing him with his guardians, he now seemed very much like the ‘youngest.’

His parents were concerned about his condition, and though his grandmother appeared stern, she subtly cared for her youngest grandchild. Though he bickered with his sister, she also worried about him enough to run through the corridors. They found it surprisingly endearing to see how close-knit Gijun’s family was.

“Maybe Gijun’s strong mentality comes from this. They say healthy relationships build a healthy mind…”

“He looks a lot like his mother. Both his sister and he are spitting images of her.”

“Oh, right. And that sister is the head of a division in the Paranormal Ability Management Agency. She had her badge on.”

Lee Donghun was astonished by Ahn Youngah’s story. He seemed to share her initial reaction of awe, but then Shim Dokyung suddenly exclaimed, “Huh!”

As the two turned their gaze towards him, he showed his trembling hand holding his phone.

“The head called Gijun’s grandmother ‘teacher.’ I thought I recognized her from somewhere, so I looked it up…”

Shim Dokyung was a fan of the current second head of H.N. Remembering an article that mentioned someone the head referred to as ‘teacher,’ he searched for it and confirmed his suspicion.

“Co-founder of H.N…?”

“A close friend of the first head?”

As they read the article mentioning a renowned S-class mana-responsive ability user known for researching the otherworld, Ahn Youngah and Lee Donghun blinked as if they were malfunctioning. The sudden influx of information was overwhelming and astonishing.

Ahn Youngah sighed blankly.

“Hae Gijun is hiding his connections…”

* * *

From the day Hae Gijun woke up, he underwent a very long investigation.

First up was a re-evaluation of his abilities. The Paranormal Ability Management Agency kindly brought along a measurement machine for him at the hospital. Gijun had no choice but to enter the capsule.

The results were A-class, Divine Beast category. And the divine beast was ‘Haetae’.

It possessed a sacred eye that could judge right from wrong and good from evil, and it had the ability to control water to ward off fire and disaster. In Korea, it was known as a sacred sheep, also referred to as a mythical sheep.

During the Joseon Dynasty, Hanyang was considered an ideal location feng shui-wise, being nestled between mountains and rivers. However, Gwanaksan Mountain was believed to harbor the energy of fire, making the capital vulnerable. Due to this, it was said that the Haetae statues were placed in front of Gwanghwamun Gate at Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Haetae statues were also carved in various palaces to prevent fires. According to the Dongguk Sesigi compiled during King Jeongjo’s reign, Haetae images were drawn and placed in kitchens on the first full moon of the lunar year to prevent fires. Moreover, Haetae symbolized distinguishing good from evil and right from wrong, making it the emblem of the Saheonbu (Office of Inspector General). The Chief Inspector wore official robes embroidered with Haetae.

In modern times, a similar logic led to the placement of Haetae statues in front of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. When the National Assembly building was constructed after the Korean War, Haetae statues were also positioned there to ensure the space, where democracy would flourish, was safe from fires.

Although its significance has been largely forgotten in the present, a divine beast remains a divine beast. This awakening was of mythological grade, even rarer than S-class. Yet, Gijun’s guardians remained calm.

His grandmother, in particular, let out a deep sigh upon seeing the measurement results.

“So it has come to this…”

She spoke as if she had anticipated this awakening. However, she hadn’t expected it to happen in such a manner, seeing the situation as being forcibly orchestrated rather than fated.

She held Gijun’s hand tightly.

“If I had known you’d be targeted like this, I would have awakened you somehow.”

The soul of an unawakened divine beast was vulnerable, making it a target for the otherworld. They intended to exploit him by giving him a mental shock and using him to their advantage.

“I had no idea you’d go through such a rough ordeal…”

Hae Gijun could not say anything.

It wasn’t shocking that his family had been aware of his unusual abilities but remained silent, nor that his grandmother was the mastermind behind this. He could have inferred it early on, as she was the one who provided the glasses that covered his eyes since childhood.

It wasn’t because the Paranormal Ability Agency director and H.N. head were present, making him wary. He wasn’t worried about the family being interrogated for knowing that his ability measurement was incorrect but keeping it hidden. Though, it did concern him a little…

One lightning-bolt realization struck Gijun as he observed his family’s expressions.

He should never mention the fact that he had gone through multiple regressions.

His grandmother sincerely felt sorry for what happened at the training center, and the rest of his family was worried. He couldn’t bring himself to mention the regressions in such a situation. Not only was it problematic that he had seen the students die several times, but explaining the repetitions would inevitably involve telling them that he died the first time.

And it seemed no one had figured out the regression yet. Even the H.N. head, who last spoke with Baek Sunwoo, hadn’t mentioned it…

Though it might be revealed eventually, Gijun decided to keep the entire story to himself for now.

Following that decision, he only spoke about the events he experienced in the last cycle. How he happened to enter the control room, found the capsule design, inferred about the basement, and met the group… Although the series of coincidences might sound somewhat contrived, Gijun confidently narrated them.

He also claimed that smashing the capsule to show the souls the ‘way’ was a realization he naturally had upon awakening. He insisted that he had an instinct that doing so would revive everyone.

Ha Gaon’s face was filled with confusion, as if saying, “Is he really that smart…?” It was indeed remarkable that her brother acted wisely at the training center and, after awakening, managed to save everyone by making the right decisions. However, the fact that he accomplished everything at once was astonishing.

This was not only Ha Gaon’s reaction but also that of everyone in the interrogation room. While it wasn’t unheard of for awakened ability users to perform miraculous feats, this case seemed too difficult to attribute to heightened senses alone.

Yet, despite the questions about how such coincidences and realizations were possible, the fact remained that he escaped successfully. The clear results overshadowed any ambiguity about the process. Hae Gijun stood by his claim that he “somehow managed to do it.”

“Recalling the events from there is too difficult for me…”

With Hae Gijun even acting out such distress, the investigation couldn’t continue for long. Ha Gaon, who had previously given him odd looks, immediately requested to stop, and his grandmother intervened, saying he needed rest and tried to take him out.

In the end, only the head of H.N. continued to look at Hae Gijun with a peculiar gaze.

“…”

Her jet-black eyes seemed to pierce through everything, but Gijun calmly turned his head. The ability to distinguish truth from lies belonged solely to Hae Gijun. Although he was currently lying, he acted a bit more brazenly.

Before leaving, the head briefly informed Gijun of the status of the incident investigation and shared one piece of news.

“The leader of the link, Yeon Mijeong, keeps requesting to meet you.”

“I don’t want to meet her.”

“Good, I was going to say it’s impossible anyway.”

“…? That’s good.”

It was a concise conversation between two resolute individuals.

Yeon Mijeong was currently confined in a solitary cell with a mana restraining device. The investigation revealed that Yeon Mijeong had been connected to and communicating with the otherworld for a long time. She had killed many people to gradually use them as materials to open the portal. News of missing persons in the rugged mountain range was easily buried, and those who died long ago did not come back to life in this incident.

Yeon Mijeong’s meticulously planned scheme collapsed in an instant, and the portal closed right before her eyes. Moreover, the restraints made it impossible for her to access the otherworld, causing her to display abnormal reactions due to the immense shock.

Gijun had no intention of meeting such a person. He knew exactly what she would say. She would talk about achieving a grand cause through the otherworld, making this land better. Gijun had no interest in any of it. Even if Yeon Mijeong made a new proposal recognizing his lack of interest, he wasn’t curious about the proposal itself.

Evil grows as you pay attention to it. Yeon Mijeong was a person who spent her life gathering people to share her vision. Ignoring such a person entirely without giving any attention to their plans was the best way to deal with them. Over time, her cries would become empty.

While others might claim that people didn’t understand her great vision as a form of self-consolation, ultimately, her end would be loneliness. After having the ability-sealing spell cast on her, Yeon Mijeong was set to be imprisoned.

In fact, before closing the portal in the basement of the training center, Gijun had considered sending Yeon Mijeong to the otherworld. While Gijun felt the ‘evil’ of the otherworld vividly, Yeon Mijeong either believed she could utilize it or pretended not to know and kept advocating for the benefits of the otherworld. So he thought of pushing her into the otherworld that she liked so much…

But he chose not to, fearing even a moment of joy for her. He was also cautious that she might scheme something else from the otherworld, and he believed that binding Yeon Mijeong here would make her more miserable.

He wanted her to be punished in the world she looked down upon and despised. This could be the influence of the divine beast he awakened. As a being that had long protected the justice of this land, he intended to govern those who dared belittle this place and tried to bring in another world by the rules of this land. Fortunately, as Gijun wished, Yeon Mijeong’s mind was gradually breaking down.

Following this, Gijun underwent several more supernatural ability tests in addition to the incident investigation. Since a rare mythical ability user had appeared in Korea, his abilities were meticulously examined. Several detailed tests were conducted, with the results expected in a few days.

During this time, students visited him intermittently. Even though they were patients themselves, they dragged their IV poles along to visit…

“Thank you for saving us.”

“I heard you awakened. Thank you so much for saving us…”

Their purpose was to express their gratitude to Hae Gijun.

The Paranormal Ability Management Agency hadn’t officially announced Hae Gijun as an awakened person yet. They planned to announce it together when the investigation of the training center was near completion. However, for the hospitalized students who had experienced death and revival, they sought Gijun’s understanding to inform them about the incident. Both the students and their guardians were confused.

Thus, the students, upon learning the whole story, came to thank Hae Gijun. Instead of asking their guardians to convey the thanks, they came to express their gratitude personally.

Kim Joowan, the class president of class 2 who had died and come back to life in the auditorium, Kim Sihyung, who was injured by being swallowed by a whale monster, Nam Hyeongwook, who was severely injured while aiding the basement entry, and the student council members all came.

Gijun found this situation quite overwhelming and burdensome. It seemed like thanking him had become a trend, with all the second-year students coming to express their gratitude.

Particularly, Ahn Youngah, Lee Donghun, and Shim Dokyung came with wide eyes upon hearing the news. Lee Donghun, despite his poor condition, hobbled in on crutches.

“Wow, so the blue light that shot up from the training center was something Hae Gijun sent up.”

“That’s amazing, Gijun…”

“We hung out together, yet you didn’t tell us when we met before!”

Ahn Youngah jokingly expressed her disappointment. The three had already speculated that Hae Gijun might have found a way to escape and vaguely guessed he might be related to the figure of prophecy. They just couldn’t figure out how the phrase “the direction the horn points” in the prophecy connected to Hae Gijun, but now they heard the truth.

The Haetae is legendary for ramming those who are unjust or unrighteous with its horns. There are many discussions about whether the Haetae has one horn like a unicorn or two like a mythical sheep, but the existence of horns is certain.

“If I were an awakened one, I would have announced it everywhere.”

“Exactly. And not just any ability, but a divine beast category, mythological grade…”

Gijun responded with silence to the continuous barrage of words. However, with the persistent gazes, he eventually rolled his eyes slightly and answered.

“…In a way, it’s partly my fault you went through this.”

The link had said they were doing this to find the ‘prophesied one’ at the training center. At that time, the students knew that the link was the culprit and problem, but subconsciously wished the prophesied student would appear quickly. They wanted to escape the training center as soon as possible.

Of course, Hae Gijun wasn’t daunted by this. But he did think that if he had reached the truth a bit sooner, maybe the students wouldn’t have experienced death at all. Even though they were revived, experiencing death must have been very traumatic. He was also aware that he was somewhat nonchalant about their deaths.

The three exchanged surprised glances at Gijun’s behavior.

“What’s this? Have you been influenced by spending time with Baek Sunwoo?”

“Are you really tired, Gijun?”

“Maybe your souls did switch…”

“What are you talking about?”

Hae Gijun, annoyed, threw a pillow and issued an order to leave.

After they left, he lay on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. His heart was beating slowly but steadily, feeling strangely unfamiliar. The endless greetings since this morning were still overwhelming, but…

Still, he thought that maybe this feeling wasn’t so bad.

“When will you wake up…”

He waited for Baek Sunwoo.

* * *

Time passed peacefully.

The world was still noisy, but the hospital where the students were admitted gradually became quieter. Detailed examinations were conducted on the revived students, but no problems were found. After being monitored for a few days without any abnormalities, the students requested to be discharged one by one.

The Paranormal Ability Management Agency accepted their requests, judging that being at home with family would provide better psychological stability than staying in the hospital. They were advised to contact immediately if any abnormal reactions occurred after discharge.

A week after the escape from the training center, the hospital became quiet.

Those still hospitalized were all in the intensive care unit or had been moved to wards closer to their homes for the convenience of their guardians. Shin Hae High School supported all these efforts. As a result, fewer than ten students remained in the hospital.

And one of them, Hae Gijun, was still in the hospital bed. His injuries weren’t severe, so he could have been discharged early, but there was only one reason he stayed.

“Can you check when Baek Sunwoo will wake up?”

“They said they would contact us when he wakes up. Just wait patiently.”

Ha Gaon, who was in the hospital room as his guardian, showed an immediate exasperation. She had heard the question so many times in the past few days that her ears felt like they were growing calluses.

She had taken leave, thinking her brother might be hiding his pain, as he didn’t want to be discharged. She had said she couldn’t leave her brother alone after the Shin Hae High School incident, managing to get a long leave, even though his condition wasn’t severe enough to draw tears. She wasn’t entirely unworried.

Yet, Hae Gijun was preoccupied with another student in the hospital room. Even though he said he had asked Baek Sunwoo’s healer to contact him when he woke up, Gijun repeatedly asked to check on him.

“When Baek Sunwoo wakes up, the healer will be too busy to contact us.”

“Well, that might be true, but…”

“So-.”

“In such a busy situation, you shouldn’t be visiting either, little brother. It would just be a nuisance.”

“…”

“Why does it feel like you’re asking more frequently since the day you woke up?”

It was understandable to be concerned as Baek Sunwoo hadn’t regained consciousness for a week, but it was surprising that someone like Hae Gijun was showing such concern. Ha Gaon knew her brother to be quite indifferent to others.

In Ha Gaon’s curious gaze, Gijun anxiously fidgeted with his nails.

“Phew…”

Right now, Gijun couldn’t help but worry about Baek Sunwoo. It might partly be due to the overprotectiveness that developed while guarding him at the training center, but more than that, he was worried about the state of Baek Sunwoo’s soul. When he last saw Baek Sunwoo in the basement, the potential of his soul was zero. Was that why he couldn’t wake up?

It was a school trip that repeated by sacrificing Baek Sunwoo’s soul. Although the last of his twelve chances succeeded and became reality, what happens to the souls used in the previous cycles? Is this why Baek Sunwoo can’t wake up?

Gijun’s worries continued to spiral. He even wondered if disclosing the regression might have led to more precise examinations from a different direction.

“Stop biting your nails and read a comic book.”

Thunk, Ha Gaon tossed a comic book at him. Despite observing that Gijun seemed perfectly fine over the past few days, he refused to be discharged, so she ended up bringing comic books from home.

Gijun was reluctant, but he recognized that his nerves were excessively focused. Perhaps doing something different to divert his attention would be better.

With that judgment, Gijun opened the comic book. Ha Gaon’s taste in comics was heroic fantasy. She particularly liked shōnen manga, and the protagonists in such manga usually had similar traits.

Protagonists who couldn’t tolerate injustice and leapt into action, who sacrificed for their friends, who took responsibility for their strong powers…

And regardless of the danger, protagonists who ultimately ‘survived.’

Suddenly, Hae Gijun remembered that he had once thought of Baek Sunwoo in such a way and closed the book abruptly. He then threw the comic book back, irritated, questioning why she gave him such a thing, to which Ha Gaon responded with exasperation, wondering why he was suddenly being so petulant.

In the midst of their bickering, Hae Gijun suddenly stood up from his seat.

“What, are you picking a fight?”

“…Baek Sunwoo.”

“You’re talking about that friend again? This is obsession, pure and simple.”

Ha Gaon trembled her shoulders. But seeing no further reaction from her brother, she cast a puzzled glance. Gijun, standing beside the bed, pressed his chest with his hand, standing blankly.

As if suddenly feeling the clear beating of his heart.

“It feels like he’s waking up.”

* * *

Hae Gijun’s intuition was correct.

At the moment he spoke, they received a call confirming Baek Sunwoo had regained consciousness. Leaving a surprised Ha Gaon looking at her phone, Gijun rushed straight to Baek Sunwoo’s room.

But once there, Gijun couldn’t enter the room and just hovered by the door. Even after hearing that Baek Sunwoo wasn’t in a bad state and it was okay to talk, he hesitated.

He even bombarded Ha Gaon with questions.

“Could it be that Baek Sunwoo is weakened and being affected by my mana?”

“Well, even if he’s a bit weakened, he has his base grade…”

“Let’s assume he’s not just a bit, but very weakened. Like tofu.”

“What kind of weird analogy is that?”

Ha Gaon looked genuinely baffled.

Awakened ability users had to be cautious until they mastered their mana. They could stimulate others, so a similarly graded ability user needed to be nearby to supervise and help, and currently, Ha Gaon was playing that role.

However, Gijun’s mana was remarkably calm for someone who had just awakened. While personality affects mana control, Gijun managed it so proficiently that Ha Gaon didn’t even need to be around him.

In other words, Gijun had minimal physical injuries and was stable since awakening. Psychological and mental state examinations revealed no major issues either… But in front of Baek Sunwoo’s room, Hae Gijun finally showed strange behavior.

“Is it really okay for him to meet others?”

“The professional healer said so, and he has a higher potential grade than you.”

Ha Gaon shook her head as she answered. While it was curious to see her brother ‘worrying’ about someone, it didn’t appear entirely normal. Was it because he was her brother that she saw it that way, or was it indeed a twisted form of concern?

Moreover, according to the students from Shin Hae High School, Baek Sunwoo’s performance at the training center was truly extraordinary. He managed the difficult feat of mana manifestation, took down monsters in an instant, and expertly blocked the pursuit of dozens in the basement. Although his potential was S-grade, it was said he only used A-grade power due to his kind nature. But the way he handled things at the training center was beyond S-grade.

Therefore, it was curious to see Hae Gijun worrying about such a Baek Sunwoo. From an adult’s perspective, it was clear Baek Sunwoo had gone through a lot, and there was gratitude for his efforts… Perhaps there was a special bond between them, having been together until the end. Ha Gaon decided to understand her brother’s unfamiliar behavior this way.

After another hour or two, Gijun finally entered the room. Ha Gaon said she’d wait outside so they could talk comfortably. Actually, Gijun wanted to confirm Baek Sunwoo’s condition before meeting him, but upon hearing the H.N. head was coming, he moved quickly. He needed to share the situation before meeting the head.

It had been about a week since they last met.