* * *
It was hard to believe Siwoo had just turned twenty—he came across as unusually mature.
If anything, the baby-faced Hamin seemed more like the college freshman.
Perhaps it was his characteristically cold expression.
Even though he had regressed three years and looked slightly younger, his mannerisms still felt too adult, too serious.
“Okay, okay, don’t pout.”
“Who’s pouting?”
“Obviously you.”
The two were in the middle of a touch-guiding session.
Holding hands and chatting—just a few days ago, Siwoo wouldn’t even meet Raon’s eyes, so this was a huge step forward.
Siwoo was glaring at Raon with visible dissatisfaction.
While they were guiding, Raon had suddenly gone quiet and somber, which clearly irked Siwoo.
Embarrassed, Raon gave a sheepish smile.
He had bombarded Siwoo with questions about his school life—the very thing he never showed interest in.
But now he was zoning out again.
Siwoo let out a sigh.
“Is something wrong?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been lost in thought since earlier.”
“…”
Siwoo had seen right through Raon’s anxiety.
Raon was momentarily speechless as he stared at him.
Was Siwoo just that perceptive, or had Raon been that obvious?
Maybe both.
Shaking his head, Raon asked casually, “You’re entering the Irregular Gate in Zone 3 soon, right?”
“The Director told you?”
“Yeah.”
Raon’s uneasy expression puzzled Siwoo.
“Why?”
“What do you mean why? Who knows what might happen in a colorless Irregular Gate.”
“…”
Something about Raon’s words struck Siwoo as odd.
To be sure, he asked again.
“Are you… worried about me right now?”
“Huh? Well, of course I am.”
“…”
Siwoo was taken aback. Not just touched—he was outright bewildered.
He had been abandoned at birth.
He had no family.
Perhaps that’s why it was rare for anyone to worry about him.
Especially after awakening as an S-Rank Esper at such a young age, he’d only ever been pushed to overwork himself.
So, when someone actually showed concern, he didn’t know how to react.
“Your stats are still below 50%, barely over 40 now. Just recently, you even dropped below 30. The Director and those idiots up top are in such a useless rush, it’s ridiculous.”
“….”
Raon, unaware of Siwoo’s internal turmoil, vented his frustration without holding back.
But unfortunately, most of it didn’t really register with Siwoo.
“That’s why I think… maybe you should talk to the Director or your Captain. Tell them you’ll only go in once your stats are over 50%.”
“…”
“Siwoo?”
Siwoo didn’t reply.
His face remained blank as ever, making it impossible to read his thoughts.
“Are you even listening to me?”
“…I’m listening.”
Siwoo gave a slow nod.
His reaction made Raon even more anxious—it was far more indifferent than expected.
He rushed to continue.
“You know what kind of place the Irregular Gate is, right? We’ve only been on this team for two years, but from what I’ve heard before that…”
Raon only meant to warn him of the dangers—so that Alpha Team 1 wouldn’t enter the gate earlier than in the original timeline and mess everything up.
Unaware of how Siwoo was interpreting his words, Raon kept talking.
“…I get it, so you can stop.”
“Do you really understand what I’m saying?”
“I said I do.”
Raon eyed Siwoo suspiciously. His face still looked a bit dazed—and faintly flushed.
Is it too hot in here?
Raon glanced around.
It was still chilly in March, but the air conditioning was blasting thanks to the always-overheated Espers.
His eyes narrowed.
“I’ll talk to the Captain.”
“Good. Make sure you do.”
“Yeah.”
It was a relief that Siwoo seemed to take the message seriously.
Unlike Raon, Siwoo was diligent—if he spoke up, the higher-ups might actually listen.
A glimmer of hope lit up Raon’s eyes.
BOOM! BOOM!
Loud explosions echoed one after another in the narrow cave.
The waiting squad members swallowed nervously.
Gate suppression wasn’t something accomplished in a single strike.
It required thorough investigation, exploration, and lots of manpower.
But there were exceptions—like Alpha Team 1, comprised entirely of S-Rank Espers.
Esper special ops teams handled the direct fighting, while regular members entered the gate to provide non-combat support.
Lately, those regulars had been on edge due to Alpha-1’s aggressive streak.
“Phew, the Captain’s seriously pissed again today.”
“…”
Watching Dojin wreak havoc, Taegeon let out a low whistle.
Siwoo didn’t respond.
“You’re looking good these days, huh?”
“…”
“Must be nice getting guided, yeah?”
Taegeon’s tone was teasing, but Siwoo didn’t even glance at him.
What an asshole.
Taegeon scowled, muttering curses in his mind. He found Siwoo’s indifference downright infuriating.
THUD!
At that moment, a deafening roar echoed—something entirely different from the earlier noises.
Taegeon turned his head and muttered under his breath.
“…The core’s been destroyed.”
Dojin’s ability was telekinesis.
Perfect for handling multiple enemies, he was always worth more than just one person in combat.
It was one of the reasons he’d become a Captain at such a young age.
At the center of every gate was a core, protected by countless monsters.
Not even Dojin could take them on alone.
So while Taegeon, with his psychic powers, and Siwoo, an S-rank like Dojin albeit with a different ability, held the monsters back, Dojin had destroyed the core.
“Krreeeaaagh!”
The monsters, realizing the core had shattered, screamed in terror.
They instinctively knew the gate would collapse.
“Noisy bastards.”
Taegeon clicked his fingers, frowning.
The confused monsters blanked out and collapsed one by one.
In a panic, they were easy prey for his abilities.
“We’re pulling out.”
“Got it.”
Dojin had come up at some point and said it with a cold expression.
Taegeon nodded and quickly turned around.
As Siwoo moved to follow, Dojin spoke to him quietly.
“I heard you requested a meeting, Esper Yoon Siwoo.”
“…Yes.”
“If it’s brief, say it now.”
Dojin spoke like he didn’t want to waste even a second.
Siwoo stared at him calmly.
When he glanced back, the rest of the team—including Taegeon—were already making their way out of the gate following Dojin’s command.
With no one else around to overhear, it wasn’t a bad opportunity.
Siwoo finally spoke.
“I’d like to request a delay on the mission to Sector 3.”
“Why?”
“As you know, my readings still aren’t stable. I think it’d be better to wait until I can maintain at least 50%.”
“….”
Dojin’s gaze turned noticeably cold as he stared at Siwoo, who had spoken calmly.
Siwoo kept a composed face, but the intensity in that gaze made him bristle instinctively.
“Is that your personal opinion, Esper Yoon Siwoo?”
“….”
Dojin asked sharply.
For someone who never objected to orders, Siwoo’s request must have felt unnatural.
“…It’s my paired guide’s suggestion.”
“I see.”
Siwoo admitted without protest that Raon had influenced him.
He knew he wasn’t good at lying, and trying to bluff Dojin—who had already seen through him—was pointless.
“S-rank guiding must be good for you. Seeing as you’re doing things you never used to.”
“….”
Dojin let out a brief, bitter chuckle.
Siwoo looked into his eyes, which seemed duller than usual, and asked:
“Is that a problem?”
“What?”
“You know better than anyone, don’t you? Just how effective a guiding session can be when the match rate is over 95%.”
“….”
It was unusually provocative, coming from Siwoo.
The smirk vanished from Dojin’s face, replaced by a hard expression.
Everything irritated him.
Han Raon, who had suddenly changed his attitude.
And this brat—who didn’t know his place, yet dared to talk back.
A violent energy surged around Dojin. Realizing it, Siwoo narrowed his eyes.
* * *
