Chapter 1

―Code name Blue Zero, Zero, One. Please standby at each position.

“Understood.”

Haon responded succinctly to the radio through the small earphone plugged into his ear. It wasn’t the first time he had participated in a mission, but he felt unusually tense. The gloves clinging to his tightly clenched fists were soaked with sweat to the point of being completely wet.

Haon licked his dry lips continuously. He wished he could take a sip of water, but he doesn’t have the time nor the presence of mind for that. He had to wait anxiously for the next signal from the headquarters.

‘I’m going crazy’, Haon murmured in his mind.

In reality, this mission wasn’t particularly difficult or dangerous. It was just a continuation of his usual duty. However, Haon wanted to successfully complete this mission more than any other. All the missions he had participated in before were like that, but this one felt even more crucial.

“Are you okay?”

Hearing the cautious voice, Haon glanced at the source of the sound. Although nothing was visible in the empty air, Haon quickly recognized the inquirer. It was his assigned guide, Yeongsik. A guide assigned to him just a week ago.

“Yes, I’m okay.”

Haon replied coldly and looked away again. His concern was not comforting. He didn’t feel any affection for his newly assigned guide, and he knew the guide’s concern wasn’t directed towards him.

To be honest, he deliberately acted colder to hide his anxiety and uneasy state. In truth, he wasn’t okay at all. Without consciously applying force to his hands, they would tremble enough to hinder the use of his abilities.

But he had to be okay.

‘Just a little more, hold on just a little longer. Damn this body.’

With a prayer-like tone, Haon pleaded with himself. His head throbbed, and his chest felt tight. The cold sweat on his forehead flowed down his face, tracing the contours and collecting at the tip of his chin. It felt like his consciousness would slip away completely at any moment. Haon bit his tender cheek to regain his focus.

―Target spotted. Target spotted.

Simultaneously with the radio announcement, Haon also spotted the monster. It was a hydra. He never expected to encounter a creature like that, but he didn’t have the luxury to complain now.

The nine snake heads flicked their long tongues menacingly.

Oh, why are there creatures like that?… Even if it’s a monster, there should be a limit to how monstrous they are. Either reduce the number of heads, or make it smaller, or better yet, no poison. A nine-headed, gigantic, venomous snake? That’s just unfair.

In the flying jet before, Haon had checked the preliminary information about the hydra. Despite not directly fighting it, he found the hydra’s presence intimidating.

―Mr. Park Haon.

“Yes, please speak.”

Through the radio, the firm voice of Director Han was heard. Haon quickly responded and anxiously awaited his next radio communication. Director Han was usually easygoing, so hearing him speak in such a serious tone hinted at something unfavorable.

―This time, you cannot afford to make a mistake.

“…Yes, I understand.”

Sure enough, the following words stabbed painfully at Haon’s chest. He responded as if nothing was wrong, but inside, after hearing the guide’s concerns and the Director’s warning, Haon’s mood dropped to the bottom.

―So why send a guy like him?

At that moment, the intervening radio message made Haon’s blood run cold.

No, that damn bastard! Haon clenched his fist so hard that his not-so-long nails dug into his palm.

―I would have taken care of everything, even without that bastard. You’ve just increased the trouble for no reason.

―Be careful with your words, Mr. Cha Yugeon. Mr. Park Haon is essential for protecting the guides and civilians.”

Although Director Han cautioned, Cha Yugeon chuckled. When his laughter echoed through the radio without any filter, Haon’s lips trembled with anger.

“Don’t worry; I’ll make sure you have nothing to be concerned about.”

―Please, do so. I’m counting on you.

Chimi responded with suppressed anger, and Cha Yugeon grumbled in annoyance.

I’ll somehow deal with that damn guy. Haon swallowed the profanity rising to the edge of his lips. However, even as he did, on some level, he could understand Cha Yugeon’s words to some extend. That only makes him more miserable.

Cha Yugeon’s is an S-class esper. As the confident bastard said, he will be able to handle Hydra all by himself. In contrast, Haon was an E-class esper. He wasn’t initially E-class, but somehow, his current classification was that.

Moreover, Cha Yugeon was an offensive esper, but Haon was not. If asked whether he was defensive, that wasn’t the case either. If anything, he belonged to the support-type esper category. While support-type espers were often healers, Haon wasn’t one.

Haon’s ability was invisibility. Esper with invisibility was rather common, however, unlike most, Haon has the power to make other objects or places transparent, not just himself. Thanks to this, he took on the essential role of protecting guides or civilians caught up in the mission, who were relatively weaker in combat situations.

In reality, Haon’s ability was rare and highly useful in various ways, so Cha Yugeon ignoring him was unreasonable. As long as Haon performed his assigned role well, that was all that mattered. So, by any means necessary, Haon had to succeed in this mission.

‘Chayugeon, you jerk… I’ll show you how well I can handle this mission. Definitely, absolutely.’

Haon internally renewed his determination, focusing on his ability for the guides.

―Initiate the attack.

As Director Han’s words fell ominously, Cha Yugeon charged towards the hydra. When he reached a certain distance, he immediately created a massive flame and attacked the hydra.

[Keeeeekkkk!]

As the flames roared, the hydra let out a painful scream, thrashing around. While the creature, about twenty-to-thirty meters in size, rampaged, dozens of nearby trees broke like fragile twigs.

In the midst of this chaos, the fire column Cha Yugeon created moved freely, attacking the hydra. Even engulfed in flames, the creature aimed its nine snake heads with bared fangs at Cha Yugeon.

However, Cha Yugeon skillfully maneuvered the fire column, simultaneously attacking and defending against the hydra’s onslaught.

Haon knows that only if Cha Yugeon defeats the Hydra will, he be safe, so he hopes that the guy will fight well, but on the other hand, he also hopes that he will suffer in this fight.

Just a bit… no, maybe more than a bit?

Anyway, Haon watched Cha Yugeon’s battle, while focusing on his own responsibilities.

He had five guides to protect. One was his assigned guide, and the other four were guides of S-class esper Cha Yugeon. Cha Yugeon, being an excellent S-class esper, had no suitable assigned guide, so higher-ranked guides accompanied and guided him as much as possible.

Crash!

“Hey, be careful!”

Following the crash, someone urgently shouted. As the hydra thrashed around, a tree, uprooted by its swinging tail, was flying toward Haon.

“Ugh!”

Despite quickly rolling his body to the side to avoid it, his right leg got caught under the tree. The weight of just one tree trunk was considerable, and its acceleration from being thrown made the weight that much more heavier.

Although he managed to free his trapped leg, it felt like his shinbone might be broken. In the midst of the pain, Haon bit down on his lower lip.

―Mr. Park Haon!

In response to Director Han’s urgent voice, Haon instinctively turned around, forgetting the pain. Thanks to his transparency ability, the guides, previously invisible, were now revealed.

Haon hurriedly attempted to activate his ability again. However, no matter how hard he tried, it was only at a level of distortion like a mirage. He failed to make the guides transparent.

“Ah, no! ahh!”

Yeongsik screamed in panic as the transparency failed. Due to his scream, one of the hydra’s heads moved towards them.

Oh no.

Hisss-!

As the adult-sized fangs of the hydra headed towards Yeongsik, Haon’s body moved before his mind could catch up. Haon exerted his last bit of strength, leaping over Yeongsik. Collapsing onto him, Haon thought he was going to die.

But the hydra’s fangs never pierced his body. Instead, a warm heat enveloped his back.

“You said I don’t have to worry, right?”

At Cha Yugeon’s irritating words, Haon turned around. Cha Yugeon had erected a massive wall of fire to protect Haon. Glaring at Haon with a mix of disdain, Cha Yugeon then leaped high into the air.

Looking at his retreating figure, instead of relief at not dying, Haon felt self-loathing for failing in his assigned task.

[Kyeeeeakkkkkk!]

Thud!

With a deafening roar, the hydra collapsed, and the thunderous noise reverberated through their ears.

―I handled it.

―Thank you for your hard work. Return immediately.

Following Cha Yugeon’s voice, Director Han’s voice came through the communicator. Even though it sounded right in his ears, it felt incredibly distant.

He failed the mission given by Director Han.

Haon, despite trying to activate transparency again and again, couldn’t make it work. In the end, he failed in his part of the mission.

And worse, it was in front of that damn Cha Yugeon.

* * *

He don’t know with what mindset he returned to the center. As Haon descended from the jet, countless eyes were on him. The medical team was ready to treat him, but Haon couldn’t even express his gratitude. He just bowed his head deeply and sat on a bench.

“Mr. Park Haon.”

Upon hearing the voice, Haon lifted his head. Director Han was standing there. Haon bowed his head deeply again.

“I’m sorry….”

Haon barely managed to utter the words in a hushed voice. Even to his ears, his voice sounded fragmented, as if he were crying, though he was trying hard to hold back his tears.

“No need to apologize. Mr. Park Haon, you did your best.”

“…” Haon remained silent.

“Moreover, there’s something I want to say to Mr. Park Haon. Do you have time?”

Seemingly aware of what he was going to say, Haon nodded helplessly.

“There’s good news and bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?”

“Good news? That’s surprising… Anyway, please tell me the bad news first. I think I know what it is.”

“The results of the ability test you took last week came out just now. According to the results… you have lost your esper abilities and is classified as FF-class esper.”

“Ah….”

Haon let out a short sigh. Over the past few years, he felt his abilities diminishing day by day. Even though he failed to manifest his ability during the mission, he at least thought he would still be at an F-class. But FF class meant practically becoming an ordinary person.

“It’s humiliating…”

“There’s also good news you need to hear.”

“Ah… right, that’s true. You said there was good news… What is it? Is there a lot of severance pay? Or can I get unemployment benefits?”

Now that he was a normal person, he had to leave the Center.

There was no need to reveal his endlessly depressed thought, so Haon forced a bright smile. Still, he waited for Director Han’s next words, thinking that he would at least be taken care of, since he had worked for the Center for 10 years.

“The test results also revealed something unexpected. Mr. Park Haon, you has manifested as a guide.”