GTLTGIDES chapter 27

Jake Powell was a man seemingly molded from inferiority, an inferiority complex personified.

He was a man born with much in his grasp—a so-called golden spoon, no, a “diamond spoon.”

As a member of the Powell family, which produced numerous exceptional Espers, he started from a point far different from ordinary people, with wealth, talent, and fame.

But Jake was never content with what he had. Instead of feeling superior by looking down, he felt inferior by looking up.

Though he was undoubtedly an outstanding Esper, ranking in the top 5%, he was considered among the weakest in the Powell family and, above all, had poor emotional control.

For an Esper, poor emotional control was a fatal weakness.

The less one could control emotions while using their powers, the quicker impurities would accumulate, increasing the risk of going berserk.

Additionally, he couldn’t always carry a guide into danger zones, limiting his activity time.

Jake despised himself for this.

To preserve what little pride he had, he came to Korea, where few family members were active.

And there, he kidnapped Eunsoo, who was only five at the time.

Thanks to his remarkable talent, he was evaluated as the best among the A-class Espers active in Korea.

However, it is said that there is no paradise for those who flee.

After a few good years, darkness loomed again over Jake.

This was due to the formation of the special A-team, comprising two S-class Espers who entered Korea six months ago.

Unfortunately for him, those two were Rex and Elliot.

In terms of close combat abilities with a strong offensive tendency, Jake couldn’t beat Rex.

In influence and fame as a foreigner, he couldn’t surpass Elliot.

After becoming the leader of the special B-team, he was compared with Cha Junseok in terms of “leadership qualities.”

He never once heard that he was superior.

In short, Jake’s stress was at its peak.

“So, by winter, he will surely reveal a gap.”

To defeat the special A-team, he sought excessive guidance from Eunsoo.

Until now, he had appeased suspicions by using the Powell name and claiming “good emotional control efficiency.”

Even if someone found it strange, they couldn’t easily raise suspicions considering Jake’s background.

However, when Jake began to exploit Eunsoo’s guidance to the MAX, it became obvious to anyone that something was “wrong.”

That was what tripped up Jake.

“Though this is just my conjecture…”

Eunsoo’s confinement and rescue occurred before the main storyline of “The Genius Guide’s Melancholy”.

While there were some explanations, they were merely fragmentary.

There was no clear description of the sequence of events.

So far, I hesitated. I couldn’t be sure if I could intervene in this matter or if I could resolve it on my own.

If something bad happened to Eunsoo because of my involvement, it would be disastrous.

“But… I can’t leave his in an environment where he is being assaulted.”

Even if I couldn’t solve the problem right away, I had to at least find out why it was happening.

There were other concerns as well…

Fortunately, Jake didn’t get far.

Due to his distinctive build and appearance, it wasn’t difficult to track his location.

I followed him stealthily.

Unlike inside the Bureau building, we were outside, and there were passersby, so he didn’t immediately notice me.

“Huff, huff…”

Clearly, Jake’s condition was abnormal.

He looked like a patient suffering from a fever. His face was red, his body staggered, and his breathing was irregular.

Passersby seemed to sense Jake’s unusual vibe and visibly avoided him.

“Damn it. These puny little bastards…”

Jake muttered as he glared, exuding a clear murderous intent.

“Is he… okay?”

He was never a kind person, but this was severe. He was like a ticking time bomb.

If he started a fight, it would be disastrous.

Given his size, few would dare challenge him, but the worry didn’t entirely disappear.

If Jake clashed with a civilian, the civilian wouldn’t even leave a corpse behind.

Such a horrible thing couldn’t be allowed to happen.

“Ah… damn it. My body feels strange…”

Should I just contact the special B-team?

While I was debating with my device in hand, Jake luckily moved towards a less crowded riverside path.

There were still some people out for a walk, but it was nothing compared to the main road.

Jake even veered off the path and onto an unpaved trail.

I breathed a sigh of relief. At least now, there was no chance he’d cause trouble with civilians…

“Hey, B-class. Come out.”

Just when I thought it was all over.

Relieved by the decreasing number of people and focusing solely on the safety of civilians, I realized something was wrong only after he called out to me.

“Ah…”

I got caught. How long had he known? It felt like I had been lured to a secluded place.

But it wasn’t all bad. Straightening my bent back, I walked towards him.

Jake’s face twisted as he spotted me.

“Ha, you fearless B-class bastard. Last time you were flipping me off, and now you’re tailing me?”

“Jake.”

“Why are you following me, you damn bastard…”

I swallowed hard.

My heart pounded wildly.

Jake Powell scared me. He scared me so much.

Even a brush with that body would be too much for me to handle.

But I couldn’t back down.

“Jake, return to the Bureau and get guidance immediately.”

Jake Powell had a powerful guide named Eunsoo.

Yet, for some reason, Jake Powell now had a considerable amount of emotional impurity accumulated.

Even at this moment, it seemed to be increasing noticeably.

Though it was still just “quite a bit accumulated,” it was clearly nearing a “saturated” state.

Once “saturated,” the guide’s burden increases significantly, and it can only be completely alleviated through mucous membrane guidance.

If delayed, it might even require a second stage rather than the first.

Jake getting mucous membrane guidance from Eunsoo was something that must never happen.

So please.

“What?”

“Quickly, return to the Bureau and get guidance!”

“Shut the hell up, B-class! I don’t need any guidance. I am… an Esper with excellent emotional control efficiency…”

Fortunately, he didn’t seem as out of his mind as he was in the training hall.

At least he wasn’t completely uncommunicative.

But he was still unyielding. He had no awareness of his current state.

Or perhaps even if he was aware, he couldn’t readily admit to needing guidance. His pride was at stake.

Furthermore, there was the fear that Eunsoo’s existence and his criminal acts might be exposed.

Should I contact the special B-team or the Bureau and ask them to forcibly take Jake away?

“But… how much will they believe what I say?”

Who would believe that Jake Powell, who had maintained a perfect physical condition for the past 15 years without almost any additional guidance, suddenly reached a state of ‘saturation’ overnight?

“Just as I thought…”

It’s terrifying.

My body was shaking uncontrollably.

I couldn’t bear the thought of facing the mental state of Jake, who was nearing ‘saturation.’

Also… even if I tried, I might need a second stage.

Of all things, it looks like I’ll have to attempt the first stage with that kidnapper of Eunsoo.

And outdoors, no less. I don’t even want to attempt the first stage, let alone the second…

“If you came here just to spew that nonsense, you might as well strip in front of Rex… Ugh…!”

“…?”

Jake, who had been turning his back on me, suddenly twisted with a scream.

He grabbed my neck with a pained groan, and muffled moans kept bursting out.

“Ugh, ah, huff…!”

And dark red liquid flowed from his wide-open eyes.

With a thud, his heart seemed to sink.

I had seen a similar description in “The Genius Guide’s Melancholy”.

“Could it be… a rampage?”

Something unbelievable was happening.

Clearly, Jake Powell was in urgent need of guidance.

But it wasn’t so severe that he would immediately go into a rampage.

He could last a few more days. That’s why even Special B Team let him go.

But skipping the ‘saturation’ state and going straight to a rampage?

“How could this happen…”

But soon, I realized how this nonsensical situation had occurred.

Eunsoo.

If it was Eunsoo, an S-class guide and an exceptional munchkin, not only could he provide the best guidance to an esper, but he could also create something lethal in the esper’s body.

“D-Destroy it…”

Since a ‘rampage’ was certain, I needed to escape this place. I tried to turn around and flee.

But once again, Jake was closing in on me much faster than I could escape.

Until now, Rex had saved me twice from such crises.

But this time, no miracle was happening.

Jake’s enormous hand gripped my head, squeezing it with the strength to crush my skull. His foot then lifted off the ground.

At that moment, I recalled what Jake’s mental state was.

It was ‘beastly.’