Introduction to Guide Studies chapter 5

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“Why the sudden panic? Is there something worse going on?”

“That thing cannot be opened. No matter what. What do we do…?! We should’ve killed her earlier!”

There was no time to check whether the container was still intact, but given how it was already shifting under the Esper’s power, it was clear that the multiple layers of locks, which had seemed impossible to budge, had loosened during the chaos.

And if she threw it now—whatever was inside would almost certainly spill out.

That was probably why Liran’s face had gone pale, as if it had been scrubbed clean with bleach.

“Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!!”

Bang! Bang!

The container was launched with inhuman strength, and at the same time, Liran fired her gun.

Ben immediately grabbed her by the arm and dove out of the container’s range.

CRAAASH!!

The container smashed into the concrete ground, leaving deep cracks as it landed with a deafening crash.

The impact must have affected the locks as well, because the doors now hung loosely, barely hanging on.

Covered in dust, Ben and Liran lifted their heads.

“We’re screwed. We’re seriously screwed. This is insane. Do you even know what’s inside that thing?!”

“Liran, calm down for a second… What the hell is in there?”

For some reason, Liran Siu was nearly panicking.

The rampaging Esper, now lying unconscious in the distance after taking a bullet, was no longer the issue.

Instead, Liran sat there in shock, gripping her own hair.

“The most dangerous monster in Main Central’s Special Esper Department—Haima Eilek.”

“…What?”

Ben couldn’t help but repeat the unfamiliar name.

He didn’t know much about Central, but as someone working for one of its agencies, he at least knew what [Integra] was.

The Special Esper Department under the international organization Main Central—a place that gathered only the strongest and most unique S-rank Espers.

Espers made up only about 10% of the population, but their presence was an unspoken measure of a nation’s power.

Especially S-rank Espers—individuals capable of single-handedly crippling entire cities—were considered walking threats.

To maintain balance, the world had agreed that individual nations would only be allowed to manage Espers up to A+ rank.

Any Esper above that level had to be unconditionally placed under Main Central’s jurisdiction, specifically in the Special Esper Department, to ensure they were properly guided and matched with compatible partners to prevent international conflicts.

And if someone from that Special Esper Department was being referred to as a “monster”…

“Sorry for the delay! Is everyone safe?! We’ve arrived to assist!”

Ben’s thoughts were cut off as a squad of armed personnel hurried onto the chaotic scene.

Seeing the burning wreckage, the overturned trailer, and the sheer destruction, some of them visibly flinched.

Liran, on the other hand, made no effort to hide her irritation.

“Took you long enough, you useless bastards!”

“W-we’re sorry!”

“If you don’t want to die, turn around and leave! This is already beyond your ability to handle!”

“B-but… hasn’t the situation already been resolved?”

Liran barely stopped herself from punching the clueless officer in the face.

From the way he spoke, it was obvious they had just been waiting around for the chaos to die down.

If they had no Espers or Guides capable of handling a rampage in this small backwater town of Hermansen, they should’ve at least contacted the military or Central’s main branch!

“Give me your damn phone. Get out of the restricted zone and call the Hermansen Branch’s Central Director, NOW!”

Realizing they had severely miscalculated, the officers quickly handed over a phone before scrambling away.

Watching them leave, Liran pressed the buttons with a grim expression.

“What does that man have to do with this situation?”

“Do you even know his Esper rank?”

Esper rankings are generally classified into six levels, ranging from a maximum of S down to E, with additional plus and minus grades in between for further distinction.

Espers capable of manifesting supernatural abilities typically appeared from C-Class and above.

Among them, those capable of causing severe harm to people, facilities, or even destabilizing society and organizations were classified between A and B rank.

The highest currently defined level of an Esper, beyond national jurisdiction and under the control of [Integra], was S+ rank.

“An SS rank that surpasses even S+. A classification that has only ever existed in theory throughout human history since Espers first emerged.”

“SS…?”

“Yeah. An Esper powerful enough to destroy an entire nation—basically, a monster wearing human skin.”

Ben had already thought that even ordinary Espers far exceeded the boundaries of humanity, but an SS rank… How could something like that even exist?

Still, even that didn’t seem like a sufficient reason for Liran to react with such visible disgust.

Keeping his expression neutral, Ben focused on extracting information.

“If they’re so powerful, then why the hell are they locked up in a container like that?”

Liran, who had been anxiously holding her phone to her ear, sighed sharply when the call didn’t connect.

Clicking her tongue, she pressed another number, then turned to glare at Ben.

“Do you really not get it? The strongest Esper under [Integra], the main branch of Central.”

Why would someone so formidable be locked in a container?

The mystery behind the container.

The reason Liran Siu was so anxious.

“They don’t have a Guide.”

Ah.

Now Ben was starting to understand the gravity of the situation.

An Esper that surpassed all known classifications—without a Guide?

It was like a nuclear bomb rolling around without a safety lock.

If someone of that level were to go on a rampage… what would even happen?

“…So they locked them up because it was too dangerous?”

“They weren’t locked up. They went in of their own accord.”

Liran dropped her glare and brought the phone back to her ear.

This time, whoever she had been waiting for finally picked up, and her voice instantly smoothed into something composed.

“Momo, it’s me, Liran. Can you connect me to the Director? It’s urgent. Code Yellow.”

Ben pressed his lips together, staying silent. Hearing her words made the container, barely ten steps away, feel different.

On the surface, it was just a rusted metal box, its door dented and battered.

But now, he had the eerie feeling that something inside could burst out at any moment.

“There’s no way? Why? Why the hell did it end up like this…? What do I do, Momo? I can’t just die here and leave you behind. Even if they haven’t lost control before, they could now, given the situation.”

Before Momo, Liran showed a rare moment of vulnerability.

The person on the other end, however, responded with an oddly cheerful tone that didn’t suit the dire situation.

Strangely enough, that seemed to ground her, and she quickly regained composure.

“For now, let’s just get a team from Central dispatched as fast as possible.”

“Hermannsen branch Central officer reporting! You called for me?!”

While the call continued, Ben’s superior—whom he had met that morning—rushed over, sweating profusely.

Liran, noticing him, shot a scathing glare before gesturing for him to stay quiet.

The man awkwardly wiped his forehead.

“Damn it—Ben, what the hell is going on?”

“…I was wondering the same thing.”

That’s exactly what I’d like to know.

Ben refrained from adding any more to that statement and instead absently rubbed at the bruised corner of his eye.

He wanted to check how bad he looked, but seeing the unconscious girl sprawled beside the container, he quickly abandoned the thought.

This needed handling first.

“The one collapsed in front of the container is the runaway Esper responsible for the incident. Since she’s still alive, we should send her to the hospital and proceed with the investigation.”

“She’s barely in her late teens… Tsk, tsk. This is what happens when an Esper doesn’t have a Guide.”

Clicking his tongue, the officer subtly nudged Ben forward, clearly not wanting to get too close.

Ben had planned to step up anyway, but being so blatantly pushed into the dangerous part of the job left a sour taste.

And to top it off, he’d just heard that an absolute time bomb was sitting inside that container.

Even knowing that, he forced himself to take a few steps forward.

“Anyway, let’s move ahead with the plan. The urgent thing right now—wait.”

Ben glanced at Liran to get her approval on how to handle the runaway Esper, but her face, which had just started looking normal again, suddenly went pale.

“…They woke up.”

Even though every part of him wanted to deny it, Ben’s mind registered the truth immediately.

His feet, which had just been approaching the container, froze in place.

You could’ve said that sooner.

Why the hell was he the closest to the container?

Ben was already regretting those few steps he had taken.

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