Chapter Text
All he saw was an endless abyss of white. If he looked closely, he could see the thin lines of the pixels. As he leaned even more forward, he noticed the black square tips of the words. He squinted his eyes further as he continued to stare at the document. Why did it feel so never-ending?
He was a simple man in a plain office. Why was he always forced to do the paperwork?
“Dokja-ssi,” called out the lovely and familiar voice of Yoo Sangah.
Kim Dokja flinched from the abrupt noise and quickly moved his gaze to her presence.
She was the only other guide that Kim Dokja was close to. She held out his coffee mug from the staff lounge. He took it like a beacon of light. It caused Yoo Sangah to laugh softly behind her knuckles.
She was too kind, truly. Yoo Sangah was the only one in the office that spent any time on him.
Kim Dokja took a plentiful sip from the coffee mug. After a moment, he switched the way he held his mug in order to see the icon against the white porcelain. Reader it said.
He smiled softly up to Yoo Sangah, who then revealed her own mug. Kim Dokja noticed the small paper tab hanging over the rim of the cup, though, revealing that Yoo Sangah was drinking tea and not inhaling caffeine like him.
The mug he had was a gift from Han Sooyoung, who he occasionally edited for when he had the time. Or when the pay was good enough. Han Sooyoung was an author who was trying to score a deal with a publisher instead of self-publishing. Apparently, when Kim Dokja edited her drafts, the publishers responded better to what she produced.
The mug was cheap but it had not cracked yet so he kept it, especially compared to the other mugs that he had brought into the staff room to pour scalding hot coffee into. Most of the cups he had broke within a couple of weeks of use. Kim Dokja should change how he treated his mugs, but he knew himself enough to know that he wouldn’t.
“Thank you, Sangah-ssi,” he told her.
He set down the cup, thankful to be turned away from the white, pixelated screen of endless paperwork. At least it was digital and therefore faster to type compared to writing by hand. Digital signatures were something else, as well. On the other hand, perhaps he was being too kind. He still hated paperwork no matter how he was told to do it.
“Now,” said Kim Dokja, coughing a bit, “what do you need from me?”
Yoo Sangah didn’t even flinch from his words.
The first time she buttered him up with coffee and a homemade granola bar, she was extremely embarrassed to ask for help. He took the treats with hesitance, as she had been brand new to Mino Soft, the guiding company, but had already guided A-Classes with ease. Meanwhile, he had been with the company for a few months and had only worked with C-Class espers and below.
Since that time, their relationship improved. Yoo Sangah even told people in the office that she and Kim Dokja were soulmates. Kim Dokja received hate letters from guides and espers over those following weeks, only for Yoo Sangah to frown and say, “But I told them we were platonic soulmates.” She hadn’t learned yet that espers were very controlling when it came to guides, and that fellow co-workers found her incredibly beautiful.
Kim Dokja did not have to worry about possessive espers or jealous co-workers. He was known as the low-level guide. His power wasn’t immaculate and his personality was considered ‘trash’ compared to the other lovely guides around, such as Yoo Sangah. Kim Dokja was fine with that, though. He wasn’t part of Mino Soft in order to guide espers.
And yet…
“Dokja-ssi, I’m afraid that we’re low on guides. The Association has asked that all guide personnel, including those that are only registered and not licensed, to come in.”
Right. He was a registered guide but not licensed.
Technically, he knew how to guide an esper. It’s just, well, he didn’t like it. He was only there as backup for when there were too many espers and not enough guides. Or, the guides were too depleted to fulfill the needs of the espers. That tended to happen around dungeon breaks.
All guides and espers had to register. Kim Dokja liked Han Sooyoung because they were very similar. They both wanted normal jobs while having different statuses. Kim Dokja was a guide while Han Sooyoung was an esper. He didn’t know what class she was, but she wasn’t recruited by any guild so it was likely low.
Being a licensed guide or esper meant that the person was affiliated with a company or, in particular, a guild. Mino Soft was a company that provided guides to the guilds on limited contracts. It was a safer way to guide in order to not be taken advantage of. Instead of the guides staying within a guild, the espers had to go to a company to be guided. It was a safety measure against any forced guiding.
Kim Dokja was not affiliated with any guild or company even though he worked at Mino Soft. Technically, he was a normal worker who filed paperwork and planned meetings between guides and espers. Yoo Sangah wasn’t affiliated with a guild but she took weekly contracts with them while working at Mino Soft as a guide instead of a regular office worker.
“I hadn’t heard about a dungeon break occurring,” he said, his grip around the mug tightening as it lay on the table.
Yoo Sangah nodded her head. “There isn’t one. It’s… I suppose that since you’re coming it’s alright to tell you.” She leaned in and whispered, “There’s going to be a scenario.”
Oh. That wasn’t good. Dungeons appeared all over the world. Espers would go into the dungeons, kill everything inside, then come back out to receive guiding. There were two alternatives to that situation. They all ended the same, though.
The first alternative was a dungeon break. Those occurred when a dungeon was overfilled with monsters, and those monsters emerged from the dungeon into the streets of civilians. The Association improved through the years, cutting down on the loss of life.
The second alternative was a scenario, which would occur in dungeons. A scenario could be anything— the goal didn’t have to involve dealing with monsters. Scenarios were dangerous because they were unpredictable and often fatal to even high-level espers.
Kim Dokja’s hopes of going home, cooking a short meal, and reading webnovels all night quickly dissipated. He lifted up his mug and gulped the rest of the hot liquid down.
When he set the empty glass down, Yoo Sangah was staring at him with slight apprehension before she giggled. Kim Dokja noticed that the angelic noise caused Han Myungoh to stand up from his cubicle and look over.
Kim Dokja sighed as Yoo Sangah quickly covered up her laugh. Both of their eyes sparkled with mischief. Kim Dokja coughed in order to pretend that nothing happened. Yoo Sangah took a polite sip of her tea with tinted cheeks.
“What time do we need to leave?” he asked.
Yoo Sangah hummed. When she smiled, he knew he was done for. “Immediately.”
Ah. Right. Fuck.
He packed up his cubicle. Yoo Sangah disappeared to do the same. He turned off his computer and put together his bag. Kim Dokja then slid his chair into the desk and put his satchel on.
When he looked across the room, Yoo Sangah was waiting by the elevators. He frowned as he walked over.
Yoo Sangah pressed the button for the elevator. Kim Dokja felt something uneasy in his gut.
“Sangah-ssi, why isn’t anyone else coming if all guides are being asked for?”
Yoo Sangah showed off a perfect smile. He inwardly cringed. Yoo Sangah was a lovely person, of course, but she could also be cunning. He realized as he stepped inside the empty elevator that he had been played. Yoo Sangah pressed for the bottom floor while that smile lingered on her face.
“Sangah-ssi,” began Kim Dokja, “you specifically asked for me. Why? Manager Kim would have been a better choice for this. He’s a good enough guide. There was no reason to choose someone like me to accompany you to a contract.”
Yoo Sangah looked up at the digital screen of the elevator, counting down the floors. She said smoothly, “The contract asked for two guides to be sent for. Since I was asked to choose who I thought the situation would be best suited for, I chose Dokja-ssi. You’re the best guide here.”
Kim Dokja tried not to gape at her, but he couldn’t help it. The elevator doors opened before he could argue. Yoo Sangah stepped out first. She was quick and meticulous in her steps. He quickly followed after her to a marked van with a familiar and famous logo on the side.
“I am the lowest-level guide in the building,” he whispered harshly at her as he opened the door to the back of the van. Yoo Sangah climbed inside easily. He followed. “Sangah-ssi, I’m not sure if I’m the best suit for this.”
“I believe in you,” replied Yoo Sangah, her eyes glimmering with the truth. “You are very sought after by C-Class espers and below. They all believe that you are a gentle guide. Just because you don’t guide anyone with a higher class doesn’t mean that you’re horrible at it.”
“But—”
The driver of the van took off without a care to their squabbling. Kim Dokja frowned at the driver. They had on a customer service smile. Kim Dokja quickly turned away. Right. It wasn’t the driver’s fault that espers and guides existed.
Kim Dokja decided that he had to treat this as a normal day. He had to picture this as a simple job; nothing more than an extra bump to his paycheck. Guiding paid quite well if one did it regularly. He did it more often than he would like, as the feeling of guiding an esper always shook his foundations to an uncomfortable level.
“You will do well, Dokja-ssi,” promised Yoo Sangah. She tilted her head and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Do you remember Heewon-ssi? She’s going to be there. I already informed her that you volunteered to guide her.”
Jung Heewon was a lovely esper compared to the other assholes around. Jung Heewon awakened unexpectedly while on her bartending shift. Kim Dokja would know, as he had been there to stop her rampage. It was a hectic night but it landed him a new friend. They drank from the top shelf of the bar while the Star Stream Association came to register her as an esper.
Rampages happened for two reasons. Both were bad and could cause major chaos.
The first reason was being awakened for the first time. It usually happened slowly over time, but if a dungeon break was nearby an esper could be forcibly awakened due to the threat of life or death. It… was never pleasant.
The second reason was that an esper’s power could become out of control. That was the whole point of guides. Guides cleared espers of any negative feedback from their powers. Essentially, guides cleansed espers so that their power would be stable.
Both reasons for a rampage were dangerous, as it made the esper’s power uncontrollable until a guide either helped untangle the negative energy, or they were killed by other espers. It was the best case scenario for a guide to be able to take on an esper’s rampage but, at times, that was impossible.
“I remember Heewon-ssi.”
Yoo Sangah had a pleasant look. “You won’t let her down, will you? Every time I see her, she asks if you’re going to be her guide. You’re sought after, Dokja-ssi.”
Kim Dokja refuted that statement quickly. “I am not a good guide, especially for someone who is an A-Class esper.” He could have laughed at it. “Heewon-ssi would be better off with a guide of equal power.”
Yoo Sangah gave him a pitiful, pointed look. It made Kim Dokja want to apologize. Why did Yoo Sangah carry so much power? It was unfair. She wasn’t even an esper and yet she controlled rooms with a brief glance.
Perhaps she was siphoning power from the espers she treated. It was looked down upon for a guide to take the power of an esper, but sometimes it was needed.
“Lee Hyunsung will also be there,” she added after a moment.
Kim Dokja felt despair. Lee Hyunsung was part of ‘Sky Breaker,’ the top-ranking guild in Korea. Lee Hyunsung was known as the ‘Steel Sword’ of the Sky Breaker guild, even though he was a defensive specialist.
And, not only that, Lee Hyunsung was also friendly toward Kim Dokja. At least once a month, Kim Dokja was called up to the upper floors of Mino Soft in order to guide Lee Hyunsung, as he specifically requested him as a guide.
“Is that why you chose me to come with you?” he asked Yoo Sangah. “Both Heewon-ssi and Hyunsung-ssi will want me to guide them. I’m not sure if I have enough energy to guide two A-Class espers, Sangah-ssi.”
All Yoo Sangah did was laugh into her fist softly. “You underestimate yourself.”
“Sangah-ssi,” he whined.
“You’ll be fine. The only reason why everyone’s worried about being in tip-top esper shape is because of the scenario coming up. Once we do our jobs and assure the espers that they’re in their best states, we can relax. It should only take a couple of hours. And—” she looked him in the eyes, “—since it’s with Sky Breaker, our contract rate is quite high.”
Kim Dokja licked his lips. He had been saving up for a new laptop. Could this be a way to buy the laptop without dipping into the small amount of savings he had? He figured that the amount of knowing looks that Yoo Sangah was giving him, that it was plenty enough. He relaxed into the backseat of the car with a huff. Yoo Sangah knew that his weakness was money.
They arrived at the Sky Breaker guild not long after. The driver let them off at the front doors before drifting away. Kim Dokja made sure to thank the driver. It probably wasn’t fun driving privileged espers around all day. Guides weren’t much better when they were paired off with a B-Class esper or above.
They walked into the lobby. A receptionist flagged them down. Yoo Sangah showed off her badge from Mino Soft before urging Kim Dokja to do the same. After a few clicks of the receptionist’s mouse, they were escorted by two guards — espers, probably — to a stairwell hidden from the public eye.
Kim Dokja sent a look to Yoo Sangah, who merely returned a strained smile. It didn’t help settle his nerves. If Yoo Sangah, who frequently guided for the Sky Breaker guild, was nervous then what did that mean for him? Kim Dokja swallowed thickly as they were led down a hallway after exiting the elevator.
They were underground. Kim Dokja felt the need to add a horror soundtrack to play on the speakers. The hallway was illuminated by dull lights that flickered on and off constantly. He wanted to leave but he didn’t want to abandon Yoo Sangah or the money he was promised. He would tough this out, guide people all afternoon, and then go home.
One of the guards stepped forward in order to open a door. Kim Dokja watched as the guard released a small burst of energy. It was a lock that only espers could lock and unlock. Once again, Kim Dokja wondered if he was about to be murdered. He couldn’t even pause to think if it was a good idea to enter the door due to the fact that someone was standing right behind it.
“Dokja-ssi! Sangah-ssi!” a familiar voice called out with a wide grin. Lee Hyunsung stood before them.
Kim Dokja felt at ease as the puppy-like man led them into the room. It was more like a bunker. The only reason why Kim Dokja didn’t believe he was going to die anymore was because the two esper guards that led them into the lower level stayed behind at the doors while Lee Hyunsung showed them to a greeting room.
“It’s great to see you again, Hyunsung-ssi,” greeted Yoo Sangah. She seemed to be more at ease now as well, as her shoulders were less tight. “How many espers need our help before the scenario starts?”
Lee Hyunsung grimaced. “Actually, Sangah-ssi, I lied about the reason why we needed guides to come to the Sky Breaker guild.”
Yoo Sangah’s steps became off-kilter. Kim Dokja felt at a loss as well. If it wasn’t a scenario or a dungeon break, then why would there be so much secrecy involved? He only became more bewildered when Jung Heewon entered the room. Her face was nervous and concerned but it cleared up slightly once she noticed them.
“Ah, you two made it,” greeted Jung Heewon, her stress evaporating as she walked over.
She captured Yoo Sangah into a half-hug before tackling Kim Dokja into a bear hug. Kim Dokja knew better than to resist Jung Heewon. In fact, she was probably the only esper he would allow to have skin contact with so nonchalantly. After a few seconds, they parted with smiles.
Lee Hyunsung looked on with a slight pout across his face, murmuring, “Why didn’t I get a hug?”
Jung Heewon then took her place beside Lee Hyunsung. They were a fearsome duo. Jung Heewon didn’t belong to the Sky Breaker guild like Lee Hyunsung did, but she frequently contracted with them for dungeons. Jung Heewon was the sword while Lee Hyunsung was the shield. Together, they had saved a small part of Seoul when there was a dungeon break while Sky Breaker’s guild master was inside a dungeon and out of reach.
“What is the problem if there isn’t a scenario?” asked Yoo Sangah, fear coming into her voice. “You wanted us here to guide multiple A-Class espers. What else would you need so many espers guided for?”
Jung Heewon’s face fell back into concern while Lee Hyunsung nervously rubbed the back of his head. The two espers shared looks back and forth. It appeared that the situation before them was tricky.
Just what did Kim Dokja accidentally walk into?
Then, out of the corner of his eye, Kim Dokja noticed the familiar figure of Lee Jihye entering the room silently. She was an S-Class esper but new to the field and inexperienced. Sky Breaker recently recruited her, as she awakened just a couple of months ago. To his knowledge, Lee Jihye was still in high school. Kim Namwoon, another young esper, was known for taking Lee Jihye under his wing during field training.
If Lee Jihye and Lee Hyunsung were here, then it must be serious. Add on Jung Heewon… Kim Dokja felt the need to run away once again. Just what was the issue? Lee Jihye was very restricted in what she did in the public eye. S-Classes were guarded heavily due to their power. A-Classes like Lee Hyunsung, Jung Heewon, and Kim Namwoon had more wiggle room but not much.
Kim Dokja exchanged a silent look with Yoo Sangah. She nodded once, a sign that she was also confused and in the dark about the situation. At least they were in the same boat.
He often felt as if he was on the outside looking in when he was compared to Yoo Sangah. Kim Dokja hated being a guide but Yoo Sangah never criticized him for that. Being a guide was also glamorized in the media. Many people at Mino Soft didn’t understand why Kim Dokja didn’t contract with guilds like Yoo Sangah did.
Guiding wasn’t a feeling that Kim Dokja loved. He hated it, in fact. To guide, he had to let down all of his guards. He had to let the esper in and show them a tranquil peace. It meant that he was exposed and Kim Dokja did not want to be exposed.
It took a long time to gain his trust, and even then, he wasn’t happy about skin contact. Skin contact was how a guide and esper connected. The more skin contact, the stronger the connection, and therefore, the easier the guiding was.
“Just tell them already,” grouched Lee Jihye. She stood against the far wall with her arms crossed.
Next to him, Yoo Sangah jumped slightly. Kim Dokja patted her shoulder. It was the best he could do to calm her nerves. Yoo Sangah sent him a strange look— probably because he rarely was the one to initiate physical contact.
Lee Hyunsung sighed heavily in his spot, his head hung low. Jung Heewon patted his back consolingly.
She said, “We’re running out of time.”
Lee Hyunsung agreed with Jung Heewon. He slapped his cheek quickly, as if giving himself a pep talk. Kim Dokja would forever believe that espers were bizarre. Then again, without espers, the world would have fallen into ruin due to the dungeons and monsters.
“We all indeed need guiding,” stated Lee Hyunsung, a serious edge to his voice, “but that’s not the only problem.”
Kim Dokja asked, “What is the problem, then?”
Lee Hyunsung scrunched his nose, displeased. After a beat, he said, “The reason why we need guiding is because an S-Class is going to go on a rampage and we’re the best shot at keeping him at bay.”
Yoo Sangah gasped. “What do you mean?”
“This person… He’s not had good luck with guides, ever. Any time a guide tries to help, it ends up failing. He’s been getting by due to the drugs and inhibitors on the market that help cleanse his energy but it’s no longer helping.”
Jung Heewon added, just as seriously, “We’re the last line of defense. We’ve called in S-Class guides all over the world but none of them have been able to help him. So now… now it’s our last chance. We’re going to have to kill him before he destroys the block— before he destroys Korea.”
“We’re here to power you all up so that you can deal with the threat,” realized Kim Dokja, his voice barely audible. It was only due to the silent room that his words were heard.
Jung Heewon nodded bitterly. “We’ve already been approved by the Association to go through with it.”
“Are you sure you don’t want us to try guiding this S-Class esper first?” questioned Yoo Sangah.
Lee Hyunsung answered, “If you try to guide him, he’ll drain you of your power and go into a rampage even earlier than expected.”
“Oh…”
Jung Heewon met Kim Dokja’s gaze. She asked him, “Are you ready to power me up, Dokja-ssi? We’re in a time crunch.”
Kim Dokja watched as Jung Heewon held out her hands. She did it slowly and casually but he knew the reason why they were there. He walked forward hesitantly before determining that this was the only way. If an esper that was S-Class level went on a rampage, Seoul would be destroyed. He grasped Jung Heewon’s hands and intertwined his fingers into hers.
Guiding wasn’t a pleasant feeling. It reminded him of his father.
He swallowed down the bile rising in his throat and instead focused on Jung Heewon. She was recently guided, it felt like. Her power levels were at 80%, which wasn’t bad at all, unless one was expected to go against someone of a higher class.
Guiding was a slow process. Kim Dokja had to let down all of his barriers as Jung Heewon’s energy coursed through his veins.
He closed his eyes in order to focus on Jung Heewon’s energy. Currently, she was the only thing that mattered in the room. Her power was full of small knots and pins. He undid them one after the other. The negative energy within her power was thrown out and cleaned by passing through his body.
He slowly opened his eyes to be met with Jung Heewon’s wide irises. Her pupils were slitted like a cat’s. Kim Dokja slowly let his energy flow die out as all of Jung Heewon’s energy left his body. The knots had been untangled and her energy had been replenished.
Jung Heewon must have felt the relief, as she smiled and gripped onto his hands harder.
She murmured to him, “Still the best guide I’ve had.”
Kim Dokja unclasped his fingers. Jung Heewon let him with a jut of her lip, a sign that she was sad that it was over. He took back his hands, sliding them by his side. Jung Heewon merely smiled at him with amusement and humor in her eyes.
“Thanks, Dokja-ya,” she said, teasing.
Espers were so weird. Some became possessive or even obsessed with their guides. There were even cases of forced guiding, which was when an esper made skin contact with a guide and forcefully untangled their power themselves. It drained the guide and made their defense against future attacks weaker.
Lee Hyunsung stepped forward awkwardly. Jung Heewon sent Kim Dokja a wink before stepping beside the other A-Class esper in the room. Lee Hyunsung swiftly took her place as he stood in front of Kim Dokja.
The esper then put out his hands, much like Jung Heewon did a few minutes ago. Kim Dokja sucked in a calm breath before reaching for Lee Hyunsung’s hands.
Lee Hyunsung had recently been guided by Kim Dokja, and their visits were fairly consistent, so he was very easy to guide. Kim Dokja undid the knots quickly and with ease. When a guide and esper regularly met up, it became easier to cleanse the esper’s energy due to knowing in what ways the esper used their powers. The knots became familiar, making untying them quicker.
Lee Hyunsung’s power, however, was at 60% so Kim Dokja had to feed his own power reserves in order to help Lee Hyunsung replenish it quicker. By the time 5 minutes had passed, Lee Hyunsung’s energy was completely cleansed and his level had reached 85%. That level would increase as Lee Hyunsung absorbed energy by simply breathing over the next half hour.
Kim Dokja opened his eyes to be met with Lee Hyunsung’s devoted attention. A tear slipped down the esper’s face.
“You’re so nice,” uttered Lee Hyunsung.
Kim Dokja let go of Lee Hyunsung’s hands quickly. The esper didn’t even mind. He let Kim Dokja walk away and sit down near Yoo Sangah.
The other guide was sitting across from Lee Jihye. They were preoccupied and absorbed in conversation, but they both turned to look at Kim Dokja after he sat down.
Lee Jihye asked in surprise, “You already cleared two A-Class espers?” Kim Dokja gave a confused nod. “But you’re an ahjussi!”
Kim Dokja didn’t know how to respond to that. Thankfully, Yoo Sangah said in his place, “Dokja-ssi is a very good guide.” She reached out a hand to Lee Jihye. “Are you ready for me to guide you?”
Lee Jihye took Yoo Sangah’s hand after a moment. Kim Dokja watched, transfixed, as they both closed their eyes. The air around them was so tranquil. It reminded him of being at the beach. He could practically taste the saltwater in the air.
Kim Dokja felt bad that there were no private rooms for them all to be in. Usually, guiding was an intimate event not meant to happen in front of those that weren’t active participants. It was probably why the other two espers stayed back while Lee Jihye and Yoo Sangah were connected.
After 10 or so minutes, Yoo Sangah opened her eyes. She retracted her hand from Lee Jihye’s with a wispy breath.
“S-Classes are on another level,” murmured Yoo Sangah.
Those words caused Lee Jihye to smile bashfully before grinning when Yoo Sangah sent her a small smile. It made Kim Dokja wonder if Lee Jihye was unused to being guided.
Lee Jihye’s smile fell after reality came back in. Her face turned pale as she looked over Kim Dokja’s shoulder to see Lee Hyunsung and Jung Heewon. All three espers no longer looked happy about being guided. Kim Dokja and Yoo Sangah exchanged a wary glance.
Lee Jihye mustered up a bitter remark of, “I guess it’s time to take on master.”
There was only one person who that could be.
Kim Dokja widened his eyes in recognition. Surely the S-Class on the edge of a rampage couldn’t be who he thought it was. Yoo Joonghyuk was the guild master of Sky Breaker, and possibly the strongest esper in the world. How did he take the lead of Sky Breaker for over a decade without having a proper guide?
Jung Heewon sat down next to Lee Jihye. Lee Hyunsung took the chair next to Kim Dokja. Now that they were all sitting at the table, Kim Dokja suddenly realized what the meeting truly was. They were the last line of defense against a rampaging S-Class that had protected the world numerous times. They were about to murder humanity’s savior.
Kim Dokja asked, “Are there any other espers that need to be guided?” Surely 3 espers weren’t enough to stop a rampaging S-Class esper.
Jung Heewon shook her head. “Everyone else is in the dark. I’m only read-into the situation because of Lee Hyunsung.”
Lee Hyunsung explained, “I’ve been with Joonghyuk-ssi almost since the beginning of Sky Breaker. I’ve helped stop him before with my shield skills. However, I won’t be able to keep his power at bay while trying to disarm him. That’s why I brought in Jung Heewon.”
“And two A-Class espers aren’t enough, so an S-Class was brought in,” concluded Kim Dokja. Lee Hyunsung nodded, abashed. “It sounds like the best plan you could have made.”
“I would like more backup,” spoke Lee Hyunsung, “but if more people become involved, there’s a better chance that the public would learn of it. That would cause chaos and havoc. We don’t have the resources to console the public and Yoo Joonghyuk, so I had to make a decision.”
Lee Jihye added, “Master has been a great mentor. It’s only been a few months but he’s taught me a lot about my power. I wish he could be guided correctly but… I don’t believe that someone with his amount of power could be guided. There’s too much darkness and expanse to get control over it.”
“Once we get through this, we get to take a break from dungeons,” murmured Jung Heewon. She was trying to be comforting but it fell flat.
Yoo Sangah offered up, “I can try guiding Joonghyuk-ssi if you want. If we’re ready to fight against his rampage anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to try, would it? Since he’ll rampage anyway—”
Lee Jihye’s eyes widened at the option. She hadn’t been there for their previous conversations. “You’d really do that for master?”
Yoo Sangah replied, “Of course. Everyone should get a chance—”
The sound of alarms blaring reached all of their ears. The dull, flickering lights of the hallways turned to flashing bright red lights. Kim Dokja sharply inhaled. Anyone could tell that the sound of an alarm and red lights wasn’t a good thing.
Lee Hyunsung had automatically stood and covered the group with a shield. He announced, “Yoo Joonghyuk-ssi has pushed his limits. He’s officially rampaging.”
Lee Jihye’s expression broke even though she already knew what the lights and alarm meant. Kim Dokja felt bad for the kid. She was new to the awakened world. Losing a mentor in a normal traumatic way would have been hard, but losing him by getting rid of him in order to protect the world would be even worse.
At least now Kim Dokja knew why Kim Namwoon was taking Lee Jihye under his wing. She needed an extra mentor because her first one was going to die. He wondered where Kim Namwoon even was, actually. Was he too weak to participate in this fight?
Jung Heewon’s hand stuck out until a blade formed in mid-air. Kim Dokja thought it looked so cool. The blade almost looked as if it was on fire. He could feel the power radiating from the two espers. The shield around them appeared thin but it was made by Lee Hyunsung, and the blade in Jung Heewon’s hand was known for killing monsters in one blow.
“I’ll contain him,” said Lee Hyunsung. He looked at Lee Jihye and asked, “Will you take the guides to the higher levels so that they’re not in danger?”
Lee Jihye quickly bobbed her head up and down. She coaxed Yoo Sangah and Kim Dokja toward the locked door. Yoo Sangah’s movements were quick as she tugged on Kim Dokja’s shoulder to push him along with Lee Jihye.
Kim Dokja looked behind him to see that Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung were steadily making their way down the hallway to what he could only assume was the containment area.
Before Lee Jihye could unlock the door with her esper powers, there was a loud crash, bang!
Kim Dokja inched closer to Yoo Sangah. They held onto one another’s arms as they were met with the scene of Lee Hyunsung being thrown across the hallway. Lee Hyunsung ended up crashing into the wall just a few meters away from where Kim Dokja stood.
Lee Jihye cursed loudly. She stepped in front of Kim Dokja and Yoo Sangah. Blue light filled the space before a sword appeared in Lee Jihye’s hand. She held the sword expertly as she hovered around the perimeter. Luckily, Lee Hyunsung wasn’t very injured. He stood up from the rubble.
But before anyone could make more sudden moves, there was another crash. Then, the footsteps reached Kim Dokja’s ears. His heart pounded loudly in his ears and against his rib cage. The footsteps were precise and loud. One step at a time. Click-clack, click, clack.
He held his breath as a tall figure wearing all black entered the area. Jung Heewon was nowhere to be found.
That’s when Kim Dokja noticed the esper’s eyes. When an esper went on a rampage, something in their eyes changed. For Jung Heewon, her eyes went bright red. It was different depending on an esper’s class and status.
Before him, Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyes were a dull blackness. There was no light within the man to be seen.
Lee Hyunsung activated a shield. It materialized in front of them. He was bleeding from his temple but he ignored it in favor of asking Lee Jihye to get Kim Dokja and Yoo Sangah to safety. Lee Jihye tried to move but her fast limbs were seen as a threat. Yoo Joonghyuk appeared in front of the shield in a blurred movement.
Lee Jihye cursed and yelled, “Will your shield hold up!?”
Lee Hyunsung responded, “It’s the strongest shield I have that covers such a large distance.”
It was then that Kim Dokja realized that Lee Hyunsung’s shield covered nearly the entire room. He wasn’t just protecting them, but the ceiling and walls too. He was ensuring that Yoo Joonghyuk wouldn’t breach this level of the building.
But then Yoo Joonghyuk tapped on the shield. It was a simple tap-tap, tap, tap-tap with his index finger. He repeatedly hit the same spot in the shield until it started to break apart and crack. Lee Hyunsung shoved his body in front of Lee Jihye as Yoo Joonghyuk walked through the barrier.
Lee Hyunsung was thrown like a rag doll. Kim Dokja gripped onto Yoo Sangah’s arm tighter as Lee Hyunsung coughed up blood as he collided with his own shield. It appeared that no one would win today, including Yoo Joonghyuk. A rampage like this could only end in one way: death.
Yoo Joonghyuk’s dead, fish-like eyes landed on Lee Jihye. Kim Dokja had never moved so fast in his life. He heard Yoo Sangah’s scream and Lee Jihye’s yell for him to get back. He didn’t listen. Even if Lee Jihye was an S-Class esper, she would be no match for the legendary Yoo Joonghyuk.
Kim Dokja outstretched his hand and let all of his guide energy become known.
Even when an esper was amidst a rampage, they were inclined to follow a guide. It was almost as if it was a primal instinct. Kim Dokja exposed himself to the raw power radiating from Yoo Joonghyuk.
He had never felt so scared before as he let his bare hands slip onto Yoo Joonghyuk’s collar. Skin contact, he told himself. Yoo Joonghyuk was covered head to toe in clothing but his hands and neck were exposed. Kim Dokja didn’t feel like holding hands with a man that could summon a blade of energy so he chose the esper’s exposed neck and clavicle instead.
The energy before him wasn’t just a knot. It wasn’t simply a tangle. It was a black hole full of nothing yet everything. There was no knot to untie. The power itself had become so intertwined with negative energy that it didn’t know any other way.
Kim Dokja closed his eyes as he absorbed all of the darkness that he could into his right hand. It flowed into his veins as one large blob. It was like a wall had been pushed and squeezed until it was nothing but a thin string.
Kim Dokja gritted his teeth. He wasn’t sure who was losing.
His energy reserves were depleting, but he was sure that Yoo Joonghyuk wasn’t doing too hot either. Either way, he kept his eyes closed as he rooted through the darkness. He returned the cleansed energy into Yoo Joonghyuk’s body through his left hand. Thankfully, the esper before him had plenty of power reserves. Kim Dokja didn’t need to worry about that.
Finally, when he had made a dent into the darkness, he opened his eyes. Kim Dokja exhaled shakily as he saw dark irises. It was odd, though, because the eyes looked shocked.
Kim Dokja managed to frown before he realized that the dullness in Yoo Joonghyuk’s gaze was gone. That meant he was no longer on a rampage. In fact, Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes were quite gorgeous when they weren't affected by a rampage.
Kim Dokja felt a soft, flimsy smile overtake his face before his legs gave out.
Gravity forced him back but he couldn’t even care about it. He felt lifeless as all of his energy was depleted and gone, as if never there in the first place. His eyes rolled back into his head before he hit the floor with a thump.
Damn, he really hated being a guide.