The Youngest Master wants to be exorcised! chapter 29

Lee Jaeyoon clenched his fist while looking at the materials in front of him. What he was viewing was a post on an anonymous site. The content posted by someone claiming to be a team member of Lee Jaehee during his orientation was shocking.

[I shoved in some resonance and he shivered and fainted, what a sightㅋㅋㅋ He was carried away after the guiding shock, but somehow he was transferred… damn]

‘They shoved in resonance……?’

If this was true, it meant that they intentionally passed the resonance to induce a guiding shock.

Jaehee had fainted from guiding shock a little over a month after completing the basic training and becoming an apprentice.

A month. It was a time when adjusting to the team’s atmosphere and taking the first steps in real guiding was overwhelming.

The thought of forcibly passing the resonance to such a new recruit and demanding harsh guiding infuriated him.

‘Even if Jaehee didn’t like it, I should have removed him to the outskirts…….’

Jaeyoon pressed his eyelids with his palm. Regret surged uncontrollably. Jaehee’s voice was still clear in his ears.

“Hyung! Don’t ever do anything shady behind the scenes!”

“What do you mean by shady, Jaehee?”

“I want to complete my training with my own strength. I know Mom and Dad or you will probably say something about me being a rich kid, but I don’t want to hear that.”

“Who’s stopping you? Just cry and make a fuss later if you want.”

“No way! A man doesn’t speak with two mouths. I’ll become an amazing guide on my own, so don’t be surprised later.”

His bright smile and confident words were so endearing that his family indulged his tantrums. They had always pampered him, so they didn’t expect things to turn out this way.

If he had known it would come to this, he wouldn’t have left Jaehee like that no matter what. Thinking of his younger brother who left without even a final goodbye, it felt as though his insides were being torn apart.

“……Have you identified the poster?”

“A-rank Esper Shin Gimun, 25 years old. As claimed in the post, he was on the same team as Jaehee during his orientation, and he has repeatedly posted content quite different from the testimonies given during the previous investigation. He is currently working as a private mercenary after completing his mandatory training.”

Receiving the details and previous testimony, Jaeyoon gritted his teeth.

After discovering that Park Hyunsoo was residing in Jaehee’s body, the family re-investigated the incident of Jaehee’s guiding shock.

However, the testimonies from those present at the time remained consistent.

“Jaehee was struggling with guiding. He didn’t have the know-how yet, so he often pushed himself too hard……. I was there at the time, but I didn’t notice anything strange.”

Jaehee was generally inexperienced in guiding.

Everyone agreed on this point. So, it was thought to be a tragic accident involving a less experienced younger brother.

“But……. there was another reason.”

Jaeyoon stared at the comments he had read.

[He did well for an apprentice, but when we were alone, he would get all mopey and stutter if I criticized him for not doing moreㅋㅋ]

He bragged about blatant bullying as if it were an achievement. The Jaehee in the documents Jaeyoon was reviewing had been subjected to all sorts of harassment and ridicule, consumed like an appetizer at a drinking party.

‘Not knowing that Jaehee was going through such things……’

He should have investigated the case more thoroughly, but he was overwhelmed by the grief of losing his family member and could only blame Park Hyunsoo, who was immediately visible.

Despite his efforts to avoid becoming a narrow-minded person, he found himself in this situation when faced with a major crisis.

‘Pathetic.’

A surge of self-loathing rose. As sparks flew from Jaeyoon’s fingertips, the staff swallowed nervously. After a moment, Jaeyoon took a small, controlled breath and asked.

“Can you clear my schedule?”

“How long do you have in mind?”

“As long as possible.”

“……I will make the arrangements.”

“Continue monitoring and proceed with the legal action swiftly.”

He intended to make those who carelessly mishandled things pay dearly. The staff hurriedly left at Jaeyoon’s gesture to go out.

If he wanted to clear his schedule for as long as possible, he needed to move quickly.

Left alone, Jaeyoon closed his eyes and thought. He needed to be more composed than ever.

To others, Jaehee seemed to be alive and well, so he couldn’t be charged with murder. Even though his soul had left, it was no different from dying.

Nonetheless, he had no intention of burying this. Jaeyoon quietly looked down at the personal information on his desk.

As he ran through multiple simulations, he soon realized one thing.

‘There’s no need to stick to just one method.’

Since he had lost someone precious, he intended to repay it equally, if not more.

After the show aired, the negative perception of the center began to subside.

It was partly due to the unexpected success of the show, but also because the frequency of monster appearances had noticeably increased.

[Breaking News] First-Class Sustina Rampage, Full Control of Area 15

[Breaking News] 1301 Casualties in Area 29… The Center to Focus All Efforts on Monster Extermination

[Emergency Supplies Out of Stock Due to Continuous Monster Attacks… “Disaster Premium” Appearing in the Second-Hand Market]

The Awakener Management Center, closely cooperating with the military, housed many of the nation’s top-tier Awakeners.

As they performed their duties, the sense of dissatisfaction with the center’s internal corruption gradually faded.

“In an era where monsters appear at any time, a strict atmosphere is absolutely necessary. Honestly, we could use a bit more discipline.”

Although the center had many differences from the military, it was treated similarly due to the mandatory training requirement.

The idea that a few sacrifices could ensure the safety of the many spread like wildfire, subtly legitimizing the unreasonable violence in the face of a colossal threat.

With daily news about monster appearances causing widespread anxiety, citizens began to fear for their lives.

They sought out a solution to their immediate threat and targeted the Special D Team, which had recently gained a positive image among the public due to its high performance.

“Where the hell do these things keep coming from?”

Yoon grumbled as he roughly swept away his dripping hair. His pupils were dilated, and he looked dazed, overwhelmed by excessive adrenaline and tangled wavelengths that left him in a state of confusion.

His combat uniform had long since dried with monster blood.

Although he preferred suffocation over blood-spattering, the extensive area he was responsible for and the time required made that method quite draining on his abilities.

Thus, Yoon had no choice but to opt for more definitive measures, even if it meant some bloodshed.

“…Excuse me! Please, someone help me!”

A man trapped under debris was pleading with a pitiful voice. Yoon glanced towards the sound but walked past him as if indifferent. Desperate, the man screamed for help at the top of his lungs.

“Damn it.”

Fearing that the loud noise might attract more monsters, Yoon reluctantly approached the man sprawled on the ground and crouched in front of him. Noticing the man’s Esper uniform, Yoon asked,

“…Which unit are you from?”

“Recon Team 21, huff, I’m… Hong, Eungi.”

“What are you doing here? This area has been restricted since yesterday.”

“Before, huff, we came here for reconnaissance and got caught in the explosion….”

“Ah.”

Yoon nodded and stared blankly at the man lying on the ground.

“Could you… clear this away…?”

“Why should I?”

Yoon chuckled as his already clouded reasoning was further eroded by excessive ability use.

His thought processes were distorted, resembling the early stages of mental breakdown that Esper often experienced before losing control.

“…Please, ugh, save, save me.”

“My mission is to exterminate monsters, not rescue humans….”

Just then, a voice that Yoon could never forget flashed through his mind.

“I’ll protect you before you lose control, no matter what happens. So, Yoon, you have to trust me too. Got it?”

It was Park Hyunsoo’s voice.

“Ah. Park Hyunsoo….”

Whispering his name softly, Yoon slowly recalled his requests.

Don’t kill people or animals, avoid danger and ask for help immediately if needed, don’t pass by those who need help, avoid alcohol, gambling, drugs, and stocks, be polite to adults…

For six years, he had endured far more nagging than from his parents.

At first, he thought it was just treating him like a kid, but once he neared the brink of losing control, every action of his made sense.

He had constantly been reminded to delay the inevitable mental breakdown before losing control.

Yoon, barely holding onto his fading sanity, grasped the Esper’s neck. Since he had been told not to pass by those who needed help, he had no choice but to comply.

“Make sure to tell our Hyunsoo… no, Jaehee, that I saved you. Got it?”

“Yes, yes….”

The suffering Esper, gasping under the waves of the nearly out-of-control Esper, responded.

He had a gut feeling that if he didn’t answer, he wouldn’t get help.

Yoon, with a bright smile and without much sincerity, gripped the injured Esper’s neck.

“Let’s go. Jaehee will be waiting.”

In his muddled mind, only one person was on his mind.