PRT | Chapter 2.8

Before the man could respond, Kim Heeseo closed the door and left. His heart was pounding fast. With a flushed face, he tried to calm his breathing, pondering whether to go to Seo Yigyeom’s office or to the first team.

The answer to his dilemma came unexpectedly from his smartwatch. An alert for a Gate formation appeared on the screen. Snapping back to reality, Kim Heeseo first headed for Seo Yigyeom’s office.

“Guide-nim?”

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Yet, the office was eerily quiet, with neither Seo Yigyeom nor Moon Jung-o in sight. After scanning the room, Kim Heeseo turned to leave. As he did, he encountered Ha Jaewon coming towards him. Without a word, Ha Jaewon nodded for him to follow and started walking.

The scene wasn’t far from headquarters.

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The entire first team was gathered near the Gate. A man who looked like Lee Chilhyeon’s partner, with a grim face buried in work, glared at the Gate. Kim Heeseo also glanced at it.

A Gate appearing so frequently in the heart of Seoul…

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It was creepy and at the same time, his attention shifted to the sky. The Origin Gate, firmly shut, came into view. With how things were going, was it really not far from when that dreadful thing would open?

Like most people, Kim Heeseo had taken the Origin Gate’s existence for granted. Amidst all sorts of rumors, he had only briefly entertained half-believed worries. Even that was closer to a light-hearted fantasy of ‘no way.’

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However, as Gates became more frequent, his judgment grew ambiguous. What was clear was that frequent Gate occurrences weren’t a good sign. They might even be a harbinger of the Origin Gate’s tearing open the sky.

“Why does it look like that?”

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“Exactly. They should consider our feelings when we have to deal with them.”

The monsters emerging from the pitch-black Gate were strange. They resembled a race from an ancient, lost text, or they looked like bipedal beasts. Their howls sounded like human screams.

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“…”

A sudden chill ran down Kim Heeseo’s spine, and he unconsciously rubbed his arm. While he had adapted somewhat to using his abilities in the field, he still had no immunity to the monsters. An instinctive disgust surged.

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“All civilians within a 3km radius have been evacuated.”

“Good work.”

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Ha Jaewon’s words, ending like a period, were a silent signal. Following him as he unleashed his abilities, others began hunting the monsters. All around, surreal scenes unfolded.

The headquarters’ approach was always simple. The strategy against the monsters was no different; maximize individual abilities and clear them out as quickly as possible. This was the basis of their relatively free strategy.

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Kim Heeseo, scanning the surroundings, contributed with focused eyes. The invisible force from his fingertips created cracks in space. When a monster staggering towards him approached, he crushed it in an instant.

Kkeeek—!

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The monster, trapped in the formless void, struggled wildly. Despite its body being twisted, it didn’t die but screamed. Its ugly legs shook, and with one kick, a deep groove was etched into the ground.

“…”

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The street turned into chaos in an instant. Kim Heeseo, observing this, moistened his dry lips. With all his attention focused, his body reacted swiftly. His neck felt heavy, and sweat seemed to bead on his hands.

What, this power…

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A gasp escaped him involuntarily. Surprised, Kim Heeseo exerted force on the distorted space, crushing the monster with all his might. With a loud bang! the monster died instantly.

“…”

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Thud, the crushed flesh of the monster mixed with his shallow breaths. A slightly stiffened gaze also mixed in. This strange standoff was broken by the brief beep of his smartwatch.

[Seo Yigyeom Guide-nim: I’ll be there in thirty minutes, so wait for me.] 10:30 AM

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The unexpected message was from Seo Yigyeom. Kim Heeseo blinked, dazed by the short text.

Wait here, does that mean he’s coming…?

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Given Seo Yigyeom’s temperament, hearing from him like this was strange, and for a moment, he felt an itch under his tongue. Perhaps because he thought of Seo Yigyeom, his tension eased, and his collarbones felt slightly sore.

While he was slowly touching his neck, he didn’t forget to block a monster that suddenly approached. Boom! The space cracked under his punch. His control seemed to have improved since before, and his lips relaxed.

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This must be thanks to the repeated special training, Seo Yigyeom’s guiding, and Ha Jaewon’s good example.

“Do you have something to say?”

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Meeting Ha Jaewon’s cold gaze, Kim Heeseo asked quietly. His superior, while piercing a monster’s neck, answered.

“Recklessly pouring out your abilities is practically suicide.”

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The words were as cold as his gaze.

“The energy you’re wasting is visible. You should be careful.”

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“…”

“The method wasn’t bad.”

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With those concluding words, he distanced himself again. Kim Heeseo watched his retreating figure. Despite his lingering dislike for Ha Jaewon, hearing acknowledgment from such a formidable figure made him feel elated.

Would Seo Yigyeom be happy to know this? It’s proof that he’s getting used to his abilities.

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Smiling faintly, Kim Heeseo turned his gaze, only to freeze suddenly. His shoulders twitched at what he saw at the edge of his vision. There stood Lee Chilhyeon, staring at him.

“…”

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Lee Chilhyeon’s expression was hard to describe. His eyes seemed either dead or strangely alight. The waves emanating from him were also disturbingly uncomfortable, like those of an Esper on the brink of going berserk.

Even though they were on the same side, the tension was palpable, just as when facing the monsters. The memory of their previous clash made him even more wary.

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Maybe it was just a momentary thing, but was the aftermath still lingering?

As he raised his hand to his neck, which felt oddly heavy, Lee Chilhyeon withdrew his attention. With an ominous aura, he turned his steps toward the monsters instead of Kim Heeseo.

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Boom!

Lee Chilhyeon charged ahead, using his abilities recklessly. For some reason, he took down all the approaching monsters himself, using scattered metal objects to cut and bind them.

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Does he want recognition too, or what…

While keeping an eye on him, Kim Heeseo focused on tidying up the area. Following Ha Jaewon’s advice, he controlled his waves while using his abilities. He wasn’t sure if he was doing it right, but he didn’t stop.

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As time passed, Lee Chilhyeon once again caught his attention.

…Isn’t that a bit dangerous?

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Kim Heeseo’s face tensed as he glanced at Lee Chilhyeon. The energy surrounding him had become even more unstable, and the distance had closed. Although it might be his imagination, it seemed like Lee Chilhyeon’s gaze was directed at him.

Kim Heeseo kept watching Lee Chilhyeon with growing discomfort. Suddenly, his ability, which had been working well, cut off. His breath caught as if back when his abilities wouldn’t listen during his early days.

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Ah. The moment this unrest was about to burst out, their eyes met. At the same time, Lee Chilhyeon expanded his magnetic field. He released his ability as if to strike down the monsters.

The surroundings were busy with no one paying attention to them. Amidst the scattered monsters, there was no one to stop the wide-ranging attack. It wasn’t clear if the attack was aimed at Kim Heeseo.

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Lee Chilhyeon just didn’t stop his ability, and by coincidence, Kim Heeseo was in its path.

Can I dodge this?

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Instinctively, he put strength into his heels. With a twitch, he tried moving his fingers, but no ability came out. Feeling the despair, Kim Heeseo tried to evade, but then a familiar scent of roses overwhelmed him.

Lee Chilhyeon, at the edge of his vision, rolled his eyes. For a fleeting moment, his expression wavered. Despite this, Kim Heeseo kept his gaze straight ahead. There was no need to divert his attention since someone had stepped in front of him.

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“How should I interpret this?”

The cascading abilities stopped as if by a lie, vanishing all at once.

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“Did you attack me?”

The low question was delivered with a tone of disbelief.

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“Or, me?”

Seo Yigyeom, standing with his hands in his pockets, turned his head. He looked directly at Kim Heeseo, taking in his seemingly unscathed yet messy appearance, then turned a strange look towards Lee Chilhyeon.

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“Ah…”

Letting out a throaty sound, he seemed to realize something.

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“It’s you?”

A voice filled with certainty softly echoed.

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“That bastard messed with the kid’s neck.”

Seo Yigyeom’s brow was furrowed in disbelief.

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“There are limits to stupidity….”

Is he even human?

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He openly showed his contempt. It seemed like he felt immense disgust at Lee Chilhyeon’s actions. Considering it, he always showed aversion to foolish behavior. Even people who didn’t know him could easily tell how much he detested it. Lee Chilhyeon’s recent actions seemed to fit into that category.

Seo Yigyeom let out a chuckle like a sigh and shifted his gaze. He withdrew his attention from Lee Chilhyeon and looked at Kim Heeseo. The eyes, which had been filled with a cold air just moments before, now shone with calm indifference.

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“Are you hurt?”

At his abrupt question while carefully examining him, Kim Heeseo flinched. He had unconsciously been holding his breath; only then did his ragged breathing find its rhythm again. His face, however, was flushed with embarrassment.

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He coughed as if something was stuck in his throat, causing tears to well up from the physiological reaction. With eyes red around the edges, Kim Heeseo exchanged glances with Seo Yigyeom. There was no concern in his gaze, which oddly brought a sense of relief.

As his rationality returned, he suddenly became aware of how close they were standing. Then, he remembered Seo Yigyeom once saying that the wave of an Esper felt like bugs crawling on him.

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Was it the same now?

Unavoidably curious, Kim Heeseo stepped back. Seo Yigyeom merely watched the action passively. Once some distance was created, he stood with one hand in his pocket.

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“…I’m fine. Thank you.”

After catching his breath, Kim Heeseo looked past Seo Yigyeom at Lee Chilhyeon. If Seo Yigyeom hadn’t arrived in time, what would have happened by now? Lee Chilhyeon, acting as if nothing had happened, was loathsome.

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What exactly is wrong with this guy?

He used to think responding to such senseless malice was pointless, but now he was slightly angry. Lee Chilhyeon’s behavior, constantly crossing the line, was grating on his nerves. What was even more irritating was how his attitude changed in front of Seo Yigyeom.

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“Why is Seo Yigyeom Guide-nim here?”

“This guy is beyond saving.”

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“…”

“Even if your head’s veins are clogged, you should keep your tongue in check. Where do you get off cutting me off?”

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At Seo Yigyeom’s merciless attitude, Lee Chilhyeon bit his lip.

“Don’t you know your place?”

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Over this low rebuke, whispers from the onlookers added to the noise. People who had gathered late were trying to grasp the situation as they watched the standoff between Seo Yigyeom and Lee Chilhyeon. Seo Yigyeom shamed him into silence without even needing to speak, as if deeming it unnecessary.

Lee Chilhyeon looked ashamed under the piercing gazes like they were spears. Noticing Ha Jaewon among them, he also showed signs of distress.

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Seeing Lee Chilhyeon’s face turn bright red, Kim Heeseo couldn’t help but let out a wry laugh. Such a reaction to just this much scorn, when he himself had experienced this daily, to the point of boredom, after that incident.

“I’m sorry.”

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Lee Chilhyeon apologized, almost grinding his teeth.

“I guess I was too eager to clean up quickly and made a mistake.”

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“I’m sure you did.”