Chapter 18: Jae Hyo Has Arrived
I looked up toward Jo Hyun and Jae Sin. The two Espers had already shifted their battlefield into the room where Jae Sin had been resting earlier. Fortunately, Jae Sin seemed to be fighting in an unconscious state and did not appear to be thinking about attacking or killing innocent people.
"He's fighting pretty well."
Stephen, who was standing beside me, was also surprised.
Flames of supernatural fire surrounded Jo Hyun's body, powerfully shielding him from the explosions caused by Jae Sin and blocking most of Jae Sin's attacks.
It was only natural that Min Seok held Jo Hyun in high regard. This youth's combat instincts were truly strong, but Jo Hyun's opponent was a long-established rank SS Esper whose combat ability ranked among the very top in the entire nation.
"Jo Hyun… If something happens to you, what am I supposed to do, Hyung will very…"
I knew that my expression probably looked awful right now, but there was nothing I could do. The power of a rank SS Esper in this world was absolute. Aside from Jae Hyo, there was likely no one who could stop Jae Sin.
"Why hasn't Jae Hyo arrived yet? Is he even at the headquarters right now or not?!"
Stephen shrank back from my shouting.
Stephen said, "Esper Jae Hyo is still inside Area A. Please be patient for just a little while, Guide Kim Jun!"
"Damn it…"
I collapsed weakly onto the ground. The sounds of Jae Sin and Jo Hyun fighting kept reaching my ears, filling me with fear.
Perhaps bringing Jo Hyun to this place was truly the biggest mistake I had made.
"But for Esper Jo Hyun to fight evenly with Esper Jae Sin, that really is quite unexpected, Guide Kim Jun."
The rank S Esper leading the security team whispered.
He watched the battlefield where the two powerful Espers clashed and swallowed cautiously.
"If it were me fighting Esper Jae Sin, I would only be able to hold out for at most two minutes. Yet he has already been fighting Jae Sin for over ten minutes."
Was Jo Hyun really that strong?
I looked at Jo Hyun, whose body was accumulating more and more wounds, and my heart felt like it was on fire.
Jo Hyun had even taken a punch from Jae Sin, causing the beautiful face I liked the most to burst open.
You bastard Jae Sin!!!
"Jae Sin's energy has weakened. He should have passed out by now. Why is Jae Sin still able to keep fighting Jo Hyun for so long?"
Cha Cha, who was sitting beside me, suddenly spoke.
I recalled Jae Sin's rabid, dog-like personality. He was insane, but he had never harmed his teammates or people who had not broken the law. Yet at that moment, he had immediately attacked the observation room and targeted Jo Hyun right away.
What was Jo Hyun doing at that time?
He was receiving Guiding from Lee Do Ha.
A nearly impossible thought surfaced in my mind.
Back when Jae Sin was conscious and we had conversations, he had never hidden his insane craving and possessiveness toward his Fate Guide from others. That in itself was a kind of threat. No one was allowed to even think about stealing his Fate Guide.
I had once asked what the feeling toward a Fate Guide was like.
Jae Sin believed it was a kind of miraculous connection. He could always sense that his Fate Guide existed, even though they had never met.
"If that person were standing right in front of me, I would sense it immediately. If that person were Guiding someone else, then I would go insane on the spot."
At that time, Jae Sin had laughed in a way that sent chills down one's spine.
"I'm not sure what I might do then, so don't anyone even think about touching my Guide!"
And Stephen's attitude.
I turned to look at Stephen. Sure enough, although he had been hiding it carefully, Stephen's gaze had never left the two Guides behind me. More precisely, it had never left Lee Do Ha.
"Stephen!"
"Bang!"
Just as I was about to question whether this was really true, the massive metal door sealing this room was opened.
The person who entered was wearing a long white coat. His long legs were neatly wrapped in black trousers. His eyes carried a consistently upright and gentle gaze. Hazel-colored eyes and black hair slightly falling over his forehead combined with a handsome face that did not lose out to any famous celebrities often seen on television.
He looked at the devastated scene inside the room, which had previously been quite orderly, as well as the two tall figures colliding with each other. His beautiful brows knit together slightly.
"What happened here, Stephen?"
Despite his displeasure, he still politely asked his superior. Then his gaze met mine, and surprise flashed across his face.
"Kim Jun, you're here?"
He smiled as he asked, his beautiful eyes curving like a crescent moon.
I jolted, then blurted out the name stuck in my throat. "Jae Hyo!"
The Esper known as the strongest Esper in Country K at present, rank SS Esper Jae Hyo, had arrived.