FG | Chapter 3.3

There was no point in continuously berating him. Espers had ridiculously inflated egos. Instead, I carefully chose words to ease the tension.

“You’re remarkable. I understand why you’re drawn to your own power. But you have to realize—our country doesn’t have another Esper who can replace you if you’re gone. So, don’t act recklessly—”

“What about you?”

“…What?”

“Seol Maehwa Guide-nim, do you think I’m remarkable too?”

His question completely derailed the conversation. My mind spun.

‘What the hell is wrong with this guy?’

I didn’t respond right away, and that seemed to make him impatient. He grabbed my hand and pressed further.

“Guide-nim, do you think so too?”

“…Let’s say I do.”

“Really?”

“If I didn’t, why would I have stopped Esper Yeo Eundo?”

I answered offhandedly, but Yeo Eundo reacted strangely. He squeezed my hand, rubbing it slightly before gripping it tightly. It didn’t hurt, but his warmth made my palm sweat. I tried to pull away, but instead, he raised my hand to his face and murmured under his breath.

“Oh no… I like this way too much.”

His face flushed deep red, and he started fidgeting like he couldn’t handle it.

Thump.

‘…Am I just exhausted?’

Lately, stress had been eating away at me. It was probably affecting my body, making me more susceptible to odd sensations. I convinced myself it was just fatigue and ignored it.

In the distance, I noticed a group in familiar uniforms. They were finally starting to secure the area around the Gate. The Audit Department had arrived.

“Excuse me… are you Esper Yeo Eundo, by any chance?”

One of them spotted Yeo Eundo and immediately ran over.

“We’re from the Third Division’s Audit Department. It’s an honor to meet you, Esper Yeo Eundo.”

Despite being directly addressed, Yeo Eundo didn’t acknowledge them at all. He didn’t even pretend to hear them. He just kept holding onto my hand, looking only at me. His behavior was so baffling that the Audit Department officer hesitated, clearly thrown off.

“E-Esper Yeo Eundo?”

Apparently, social skills and sociability weren’t the same thing. Unable to watch this any longer, I spoke up.

“Esper Yeo Eundo, they’re calling you.”

“Yes, Seol Maehwa Guide-nim.”

Yeo Eundo responded with a bright smile.

“…Not me.”

I subtly gestured behind me. Only then did Yeo Eundo follow my gaze and turn his head. The Audit Department officer, making eye contact with him at last, gave another formal greeting.

“We’re from the Third Division’s Audit Department, Esper Yeo Eundo.”

“…….”

When Yeo Eundo still didn’t respond, I elbowed his side. He flinched, then finally opened his mouth.

“Yeah.”

“The Gates have been opening in rapid succession, and most of the Guilds have already been deployed. If you allow it, we can match you with a government-affiliated raid team.”

Yeo Eundo gave a half-hearted nod, looking utterly disinterested. He usually just followed people around like a lost puppy, so this unexpectedly serious side of him was new. I stared at him, finding the contrast oddly unfamiliar.

But the moment he turned back toward me and our eyes met, his expression shifted right back—back to the airheaded, puppy-like look I was far too used to.

»જ⁀➴

A dark mass of figures approached.

“The raid team has arrived.”

It was the Audit Department who announced their arrival first.

All government-affiliated raid teams wore the same black uniforms. The moment I saw them, I immediately assessed their ranks.

High-rank Guides could instinctively recognize Espers of lower ranks than themselves. It was likely an evolutionary measure to prevent guiding addiction or shock.

‘Four A-class, five B-class, three C-class. And…’

The group, resembling a flock of black crows, split into two, making way for an even darker presence to step forward.

‘One S-class.’

“I’m Gu Seungjae, Raid Leader.”

Gu Seungjae strode toward Yeo Eundo, extending a hand. He was about the same height as Yeo Eundo, but with a sturdier frame, making him seem twice as massive.

Though they were both S-class, Gu Seungjae carried an air of solemnity befitting a Raid Leader, whereas Yeo Eundo, with his more relaxed demeanor, looked like he’d be sent flying with a single push.

Of course, that was only on the surface.

Yeo Eundo didn’t even glance at Gu Seungjae’s outstretched hand. I expected Gu Seungjae to take offense, but instead, he simply withdrew it with a wry smile.

That level of maturity was admirable.

In terms of reputation, Gu Seungjae was nearly as well-known as Yeo Eundo. Especially among Center officials like myself, he was famous for his reliability. His raid team had minimal casualties, never causing unnecessary disorder, making him a favorite among government employees.

I, too, had appreciated him in my role—an overworked Center bureaucrat tasked with summarizing raid reports for upper management. There was no Esper more reliable than Gu Seungjae in that regard.

But his true fame came from something else entirely.

Like light and darkness, the stark contrast between him and Yeo Eundo fascinated the public.

On paper, Gu Seungjae, a well-known Tank, and Yeo Eundo, a magic-type ability user, seemed to occupy entirely different roles. But since they were both S-class and primarily wielded swords, comparisons between them never ceased—especially since Yeo Eundo’s physical abilities weren’t inferior to a Tank at all.

Even their appearances played into the rivalry. Yeo Eundo, with his silver hair, golden eyes, and pale skin, looked almost ethereal. Meanwhile, Gu Seungjae was the complete opposite—jet-black hair, deep blue eyes, and a tanned complexion.

The public, obsessed with rivalries and dramatic storytelling, eagerly fueled the competition between them. In reality, neither of them seemed to care, and even among S-class Espers, the gap in ability was clear enough that the comparisons were pointless.

Gu Seungjae spoke.

“Esper Yeo Eundo, I heard you were recently discharged from the hospital. Our team is fully capable of handling this raid, so if you’re not feeling up to it, you’re welcome to step back.”

With just Gu Seungjae and his team, clearing a Gate would normally be possible. The problem was—this Gate wasn’t normal.

Sure, they had an S-class, so the raid itself could proceed, but the rest of them… likely wouldn’t make it.

Unaware of the danger, Gu Seungjae was about to lead his team straight into a death trap.

‘Once the Gate rank is confirmed, he’ll realize it himself.’

Once the Audit Department finished their assessment, there was no way Gu Seungjae would proceed with his current team. The ideal composition would be an S-class trio with an all A-class squad.

But things took an unexpected turn.

“The results are in—Beta-class.”

The Audit Department had classified what should have been at least a high Alpha-class Gate as a mere Beta-class. Hearing this, Gu Seungjae simply nodded and began preparing for the raid.

I approached the Audit Department officers.

“Can I see the data?”

“…Pardon?”

“The Gate measurement data. Could you show it to me?”

“Apologies, but that information isn’t accessible to non-authorized personnel.”

I was an authorized personnel. But there was no time to waste explaining that.

“It’ll only take a second. There might be an error.”

“An error? That’s highly unlikely. Gate classifications are measured with extreme precision based on environmental factors—”

“Here.”

Before the officer could finish, Yeo Eundo snatched the data from them and handed it to me.

No one objected to Yeo Eundo’s actions, allowing me to review the Gate classification data undisturbed.

‘This doesn’t make any sense…’

The recorded data showed a standard Beta-class Gate. A low-tier one, at that.

‘That thing is low-tier?’

I turned back to the Gate. Its ominous entrance flickered with an eerie glow, as if a high-rank monster could emerge at any second.

Yet, the official Gate classification confirmed it—Beta-class.

Which meant there was only one possible explanation.

A low-rank Gate that would increase in difficulty mid-raid, or even at the very end, leading to repeated Gate resets.

‘Honey Trap’

Esper Yeo Eundo was also assuming that his rampage was caused by that honey trap. But distinguishing a honey trap with modern science was nearly impossible.

Only high-ranking Espers or Guides—especially those with particularly sharp senses—could detect it.

Seven years ago, it wasn’t as catastrophic as the Gate that had thrown South Korea into chaos, but this one still ranked high even among Alphas.

Just staring at the Gate, flickering ominously, made my stomach churn.

“Urk.”

A wave of nausea flipped my insides, forcing me to clamp my hand over my mouth. Cold sweat dripped down my spine. It was the direct influence of the Gate. I wanted to look away, but my body wouldn’t listen.

And then—

Something covered my eyes, and my body was turned around.

“What the…!”

“It’s okay.”

A voice reassured me as it pulled me into an embrace, pressing my head against a firm chest. With just those few words, the energy that had been seeping deep inside me dispersed like smoke.

As soon as the nausea subsided, I snapped back to reality, realizing who was holding me. I tried pushing against Yeo Eundo’s chest to get away, but he didn’t budge.

I quickly gave up, realizing escape by force was impossible, and instead spoke up.

“Let go now.”

“…….”

“Esper Yeo Eundo?”

Even after I asked, Yeo Eundo didn’t react. I thought I heard a soft chuckle, but that wasn’t the issue here. He already stood out enough—I needed to get away fast.

“Let go of me—!”

Just as I was about to repeat myself, a deep, familiar voice called out from behind.

“Esper Yeo Eundo.”

The moment Gu Seungjae approached, Yeo Eundo pressed my head even harder against his chest. I couldn’t see anything, but I could tell that all eyes were now on us.

“Will you be joining the raid strategy?”

Yeo Eundo stayed silent.

“I’ll ask again. Will you be joining the raid?”

Still no response. Or rather, I doubted he was even listening to Gu Seungjae at this point. Somewhere along the way, he had started fiddling with my pinky finger.

If Gu Seungjae were the hot-blooded type or had a worse temper, this would’ve definitely become a problem.

Whether he knew that or not, this guy kept playing with my pinky, completely ignoring the tense atmosphere. Annoyed, I raised my head to tell him off.

Sensing my gaze, Yeo Eundo lowered his head too. Our eyes met, and he flashed a bright, carefree smile.

‘Did he just… smile?’

“Hah.”

I stared at Yeo Eundo, whose mind seemed to be off in a field of flowers, when suddenly, I heard someone gasp.

Turning my head toward the source, I found Gu Seungjae’s previously composed expression completely crumbling.

‘What’s with him now?’

His pupils trembled as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have. Then, without warning, he pulled out his sword.

And it wasn’t just Gu Seungjae.

The entire raid party, standing nearby, was also breaking into cold sweats as if they were facing a top-tier monster.

“He’s lost it. Request backup immediately!”

There’s a saying that you can’t spit on a smiling face, but these guys were acting as if Yeo Eundo had gone on a full-blown rampage just because he smiled.

“Guide Seon Jiyeol is expected to arrive in ten minutes!”

A staff member shouted from afar.

The situation was escalating into a full-blown emergency, like a Gate Break.

While I was still struggling to grasp what the hell was going on, Gu Seungjae’s voice rang out, wary and tense.

“Esper Yeo Eundo, please cooperate for an AD Level check.”