TDG Ch 16

I waited for the assistant instructor to finish speaking before raising my hand.

“What are the factors for point deduction?”

“Points will be deducted for actions that violate the operational guidelines or in the event of a hostage’s death, and if the participant dies, the test will be terminated.”

The actions that violated those operational guidelines were simple.

It meant that unnecessarily escalating the situation, such as using force worth a 7 when a 3 would suffice, was forbidden.

If you’re a low-rank Esper, going all out is fine. But if someone like Han Jihyuk did that, as everyone knows, half of Seoul could be wiped off the map.

For high-rank offensive Espers like him, maintaining composure is the top priority. It’s crucial to calmly assess the situation and use your power at the right time and place. All the previous tests had been designed to train exactly that. The assistant instructor would be paying especially close attention to this aspect.

“We’ll begin the first rehearsal. Esper Han Jihyuk, please come forward.”

Han Jihyuk moved with the assistant instructor to the designated testing area.

I was planning to go to the monitor room and observe his performance.

“Jihyuk, you’ve got this.”

I gave him a thumbs-up and waved. He responded with a soft smile.

He’s in good condition. I think this will go well. Honestly, I’ve never once thought he wouldn’t pass this test. I just hope this becomes a stepping stone for him to find the ideal way to control his powers.

The monitor room, as the name suggests, was filled with dozens of screens. It captured every corner of the training facility, leaving no blind spots.

Following the order to start, Jihyuk approached the entrance. His movements were agile; he slipped into the building like a shadow.

Bang bang! As soon as the gunshots rang out, I found myself completely drawn into the screen.

Beeeeep! A piercing siren blared throughout the room. It signaled the suspension of the test.

“Ah…”

I gripped the screen and let out a sigh.

Everything had gone smoothly up to the third floor, but the fourth-floor boss was no pushover. The enemy triggered a suicide bombing, and although Jihyuk swiftly suppressed the aftermath, the nearby hostages still got caught in the blast.

“Incredible. Most candidates get eliminated on the first or second floor… The fact that he reached the fourth floor on his first attempt qualifies as world-class.”

The instructor’s mid-test evaluation was unexpectedly generous.

Considering how eager these people usually are to pick out flaws, it’s rare to hear them give this kind of praise. That “world-class” label has only ever been used for Song Hyunho within Korea. Could Jihyuk be following in his footsteps? Impressive.

I fought to keep the corners of my mouth from curling up and pretended to be surprised.

“Is it really that impressive?”

“Yes. Esper Han Jihyuk remained composed and maintained perfect control, even as unexpected variables kept piling up and the terrorists’ behaviors were realistically replicated. That’s not something a rookie Esper can usually manage. But I don’t understand why he let his guard down at the end.”

“Let his guard down?”

“Yes. If he hadn’t, he would’ve achieved a perfect clear.”

After the instructor left, Han Jihyuk exited the building. I rushed out of the monitor room and ran up to him.

“Jihyuk, nice work. According to the instructor, if you do one more rehearsal tomorrow…”

Jihyuk shook his head firmly.

“There’s no need. I’ll take the official evaluation right away.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

No matter how I looked at it, his face was completely different from the “let his guard down” the instructor had mentioned.

Had he found the “answer” I mentioned?

Only he could know the answer to that.

* * *

The next day, when I arrived at the training facility, the instructor from yesterday greeted us in the exact same manner as before.

“Are you ready?”

He explained that today’s evaluation would be at a different difficulty level than yesterday’s, but Jihyuk didn’t seem to care either way.

What confidence. This punk…

As I watched Han Jihyuk calmly take his place at the starting line, a sense of certainty welled up inside me.

Today, he’s going to pass the suitability evaluation and leave the dormitory.

– “We will now begin the mock evaluation for Terror Suppression Simulation, Chapter 7.”

I put on the headset and focused on the screen.

Han Jihyuk began to move.

Securing the building was important, but the top priority was rescuing the hostages, so stealth was crucial in the early stages. Just like yesterday, he swiftly approached the building and skillfully slipped through a broken window. The way he moved reminded me of a scene straight out of a movie.

I was completely immersed when someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind.

“Esper Song Hyunho?”

“Did I interrupt?”

What is he doing here? I hurriedly pulled off my headset and stood up.

“No, not at all. But… what brings you here?”

“I came at the request of Director Kim Yuhwan. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Director Kim Yuhwan? Why would he call in an S-rank Esper to the training facility?

“Did something happen?”

“No.”

That was a dumb question. If something had happened, he’d be out in the field, not here.

“This is kind of surprising. I didn’t think someone of your rank would show up in person for a rookie Esper’s Suitability Evaluation.”

He didn’t hide his true reason.

“I’m not here out of charity. I was curious about Esper Han Jihyuk, too.”

The smile vanished from his face, and his eyes shone with sharp determination. Uh-oh… I had a bad feeling about this.

“Don’t tell me… you’re the fourth floor boss…?”

Song Hyunho winked as if confirming it.

Holy shit, seriously? Cold sweat gushed down my back like a fountain from sheer shock.

No way. This is too much. Are they seriously having Song Hyunho, a ten-year veteran who’s been through every kind of hell—land, sea, and air—reappear as the fourth-floor boss? How is Han Jihyuk, who just barely entered the first phase of close-combat training, supposed to beat that monster?

Maybe he saw the disbelief on my face, because Song Hyunho quickly offered an excuse.

“I didn’t look at Esper Han Jihyuk’s records. Neither of us has any information about the other.”

Damn it. So that’s what they meant by a difficulty change.

I thought it just meant more enemy Espers or a change in enemy formation, nothing like this.

“Still…”

Director Kim Yuhwan, are you kidding me right now? What, are you trying to keep Jihyuk locked in the dorms forever?

“The Director said that regardless of the outcome, as long as he hits the target score, he’ll pass the Suitability Evaluation.”

“..….”

What is with this guy? Can he read minds or something?

So, win or lose, as long as he meets the score, he passes. I think I get what they’re planning.

They were planning to use Song Hyunho to put the final exclamation mark^[1] on Han Jihyuk’s abilities.

And like he said himself, Song Hyunho was curious about Jihyuk’s abilities, so he accepted the offer.

Compared to other countries, Korea has a serious shortage of S-rank Espers. The country is small and has a smaller population, so it can’t be helped. That’s why Korea often has little influence in international summits like the G11. But then, out of nowhere, a newly awakened Esper with limitless potential appears. How could they not be thrilled? In this world, even a single capable S-rank can shift a country’s total power ranking.

This Suitability Evaluation record would be perfect for external publicity.

You scolded me for an hour about what would happen if the kid caused trouble, but meanwhile, you were preparing an even bigger mess yourself?

“If you’re not happy with it, why don’t you become a director too?”

Kim Yuhwan’s sarcastic voice echoed in my head like an auditory hallucination.

I pressed a hand to my forehead and let out a slow, simmering sigh.

“……”

What can you do? When the higher-ups say jump, you jump.

Let’s try to think positively. No matter how advanced combat AI gets, it can’t beat human adaptability. In real anti-terror operations, you’ll have to fight other Espers. Especially the Black Moon bastards; they’re masters of close combat. These guys sharpen their skills for the sole purpose of killing fellow Espers. If you underestimate them just because their rank is low, even an S-rank can get killed in an instant.

From that perspective, regardless of the record, having Jihyuk face Song Hyunho isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Unlike deadweights like Im Seongjun, Song Hyunho is one of the best in the country, recognized even overseas. Just clashing with him once will give Jihyuk some real experience.

And that kind of practical experience is something you don’t come by easily.

So please, for the love of god, go easy on him.

“By the way, what brings you to the monitor room?”

The room’s location is on the opposite side of the testing ground. He would’ve had to take a detour to get here. Wouldn’t it have been better to go straight there?

Almost as if he’d been waiting for that question, Song Hyunho gave a big nod.

“Guide Seo Juwon.”

Sensing the sudden tension in the air, I instinctively straightened my posture.

“Yes.”

“You’ll be my hostage.”

…Excuse me?

* * *

Good lord. What kind of sins did I commit in my past life to deserve this?

“Um… Could you maybe just put me down? I can walk, you know.”

“This is faster.”

With his usual gentle smile, Song Hyunho flatly rejected my pitiful request.

Of course. He’s completely right. Even if I were reborn a hundred times, there’s no way I’d be able to run faster than Song Hyunho’s legs.

But still, what about my social dignity?

The moment we stepped out of the monitor room, Song Hyunho said time was tight and, with an apology, picked me up in his arms.

Thank god no one was around. If anyone had seen me flailing like a fool and squealing “kyah!” or something, I wouldn’t be able to show my face for three generations.

“Hostage A, would you like me to cover your eyes if you’re embarrassed?”

Unlike me, who was dying of embarrassment, Song Hyunho’s voice overflowed with amusement.

“……”

This man’s completely serious. He’s genuinely enjoying the role of villain boss…

As if being the final boss on the fourth floor wasn’t enough, now he wanted to take me as a hostage.

“I actually read the rehearsal report from yesterday. In my opinion, he didn’t go all out. It felt more like he was testing how far he could go. That’s why he made a small mistake within the narrow margin of error on the fourth floor.”

Damn, so that’s how it was. His sharp observation caught me off guard. As expected, experience and reputation don’t lie. Even I hadn’t been able to figure Jihyuk out, but he nailed it just from the report.

“So if you take me hostage, Han Jihyuk will go all out?”

“Exactly.”

“I’m just a Guide, though?”

“Oh dear. You’re underestimating yourself too much.”

What the hell kind of nonsense is this?