By Zephyria Eui-jae let go of Song Jo-heon and quickly pressed Song Jo-heon’s neck with his arm. Veins stood out on Song Jo-heon’s temples, and his face turned crimson. Min-gi Seo watched the scene silently from two steps behind. Song Jo-heon choked and barely managed to utter a sentence.
“Why… are you here…!”
“That’s what I want to know. Your behavior seemed quite natural, so what’s going on? What have you been up to?”
Eui-jae’s gaze busily scanned Song Jo-heon’s body. Observing him up close, it was even more horrific than he had imagined. The patchwork of skin was all different textures, and there were places where the stitches had come undone. Eui-jae bit the inside of his cheek hard. Sparks flew from his eyes.
“…Did you want to go this far?”
“This… far? Ha, hahaha.”
Song Jo-heon’s lips twisted. A murderous intent flashed in the old tiger’s eyes.
“Right… How could someone born so privileged understand?”
“……”
“I knew it, but still… You’re so narrow-minded!”
Muscles bulged in Song Jo-heon’s arm. “Ughhh!” He screamed and shook off the arm that was gripping his neck. His patchwork body heaved roughly. Eui-jae, who had stepped back two paces, spread his legs and glared at Song Jo-heon.
He wanted to believe it wasn’t true. He was a slightly annoying person, and someone who prioritized his own safety above all else, but… he didn’t want to think he would do something like this.
I hope he’s not a traitor.
The strength in his clenched fist loosened. The days he spent at the Awakened Management Bureau were difficult and painful, but they were also unforgettable moments in Eui-jae’s life. It was the first Shield Eui-jae, who had been constantly drifting after his Awakening, belonged to. His aunt, the Director, Jung-bin, and even Song Jo-heon, who he wasn’t even that close to.
But Song Jo-heon seemed to have taken Eui-jae’s hesitation and silence differently. Song Jo-heon’s face contorted. He pointed to his patchwork body and shouted.
“So, how does it look? Funny? I bet it is. That great J wouldn’t have to do something like this to be strong enough!”
Song Jo-heon raised his index finger, pointing at Eui-jae as if to gouge out his eyes.
“You, always acting like you’re so great! People acting like the world will end just because you disappeared!”
“……”
“Have you ever thought about how much time and effort it took to fill your void, to find stability?”
Song Jo-heon gnashed his teeth, panting.
“Those stupid people don’t even think about the Hunters who were running around in the background. They think stability comes for free!”
“……”
“J, J, J… Haha, it’s always J they look for, even though other users saved their lives. If only J were here, if only J were alive! Other guys should have died instead! I’m so sick of it.”
“……”
“They’re all stupid. Just a bunch of morons…”
Song Jo-heon, who had been muttering as if his soul had left his body, burst into a hollow laugh. He covered his eyes with his palm. Silence flowed. Just as Eui-jae opened his mouth to say something, Min-gi Seo grabbed his shoulder. Eui-jae turned around. Min-gi Seo shook his head silently. He mouthed the words.
‘Not now.’
“……”
If he had a sincere conversation with him, could he resolve all the emotions that Song Jo-heon had accumulated over the past eight years? Eui-jae thought that he probably could. Of course, this could also be his arrogance.
But that moment is not now.
Having a conversation without understanding the gap of eight years would only be a trigger. When Eui-jae closed his mouth, Min-gi Seo stepped forward.
“I have a few questions, Guild Leader Song Jo-heon. Since when have you been in contact with this group, Prometheus?”
Song Jo-heon, who had been silent, lowered his hand. And he glared at Min-gi Seo with fierce eyes.
“So, Wave Guild’s stooge is attached to you. Why, did Lee Sa-young tell you to do this? To monitor me?”
“No, he’s my client right now. Will you answer the question?”
“Aren’t you asking because you already know?”
“The realm of simple speculation is different from your own testimony.”
Shortly after J was trapped in the West Sea Rift, Song Jo-heon became an S-Class Hunter. And he founded the Samra Guild to fill J’s void. In that case…
‘Eight years ago.’
It was a long time ago, but it wasn’t impossible. The source of Prometheus existed even back then. A gathering of losers who were not chosen by the System, who wanted to create Awakened users with human power. Min-gi Seo took out a small notebook and pen from his suit pocket. The sound of clicking the end of the pen was clear.
“Did Prometheus approach you first?”
“You’re still a funny guy, even after all this time. Do you have any sense?”
“I hear that a lot.”
“Ha, Prometheus. What an absurdly grandiose name…”
Song Jo-heon smirked, touching the nape of his neck, where dark red bruises were beginning to appear.
“Why, did Ham Seok-jeong tell you to dig up information? So you came here with a stooge, talking about Doomsday and whatnot? You’re just a crazy brat.”
“…No.”
Eui-jae’s voice sank low.
“Coming here was a coincidence. I didn’t even know I’d meet you here.”
“……”
“That’s why I want to ask you. Why did you make this… choice?”
“Ha…”
Song Jo-heon let out a hollow laugh. The hollow laugh gradually developed into a louder laugh, and finally Song Jo-heon bent over and laughed loudly.
“Hahaha!”
“……”
“Right, you wouldn’t know if I didn’t tell you. It’s a realm that a privileged user like you can never understand.”
The sarcastic Song Jo-heon began to pick up the shirt that had been carelessly dropped on the floor and put it on. His low, cracked voice echoed.
“As you might expect, it’s been quite a while. I don’t know if you know this, but there used to be a group that kidnapped Dungeon and Rift victims.”
“I know.”
“Oh, you know that? I thought you were more interested in your surroundings than I thought. I thought you were just a brat who thought you were the only one having a hard time.”
“Your sarcasm is interfering with the recording. Just tell me the story.”
“Haha… I will.”
Song Jo-heon waved his hand.
“Me and my team were tracking those guys. Anyway, it was a crime involving civilians.”
“……”
“Well, back then, it wasn’t this big, and it was just a gathering of crazy users. In the end, the guys we found were consumed with inferiority about Awakened users. But their technology was quite… useful.”
“……”
“You guys have been chosen by the System, so you know. The System is an absolute power. How can you reach the absolute realm with just human power? It’s a stupid thing to do…”
Song Jo-heon began to button up his shirt. Come to think of it, his hands and neck, and other parts that were exposed even when he wore clothes, were smooth. His patchwork body gradually disappeared under the shirt.
“But… if you apply that technology just a little bit, it’s easy to amplify the power of an existing Awakened user. So I made a deal.”
Song Jo-heon, who had buttoned up his shirt completely, had returned to his former neat Guild Leader self. No one would know. That his body below was in such a hideous state. His mouth tasted bitter.
“In exchange for turning a blind eye to their kidnapping spree, I agreed to conduct experiments to amplify my ability.”
“You volunteered to be a test subject?”
“Ha, you still don’t understand. I guess you wouldn’t. How could someone who was so strong from birth know the desire for power?”
Song Jo-heon glared at J. But soon his gaze fell. Song Jo-heon muttered as he put on his suit jacket.
“Have you ever felt your own inadequacy to the bone? I guess not. Have you ever regretted not having just a little more power, if only I had been a little stronger? I guess not.”
“……”
“You and I are inherently unable to understand each other… so don’t even try to understand.”
“…No.”
Eui-jae clenched his fist. Song Jo-heon’s cold gaze returned to the mask.
“I know, that. I also…”
Eui-jae always thought. Inside the West Sea Rift.
If I had been just a little stronger, could they have not died?
If I had been just a little stronger, I wouldn’t have had to leave them behind and live alone.
Countless regrets had piled up over the past eight years. So Eui-jae ran away. He threw off the name J and all the burdens. Song Jo-heon must have chosen this path instead of running away. He couldn’t accept it, but he could understand his actions.
“……”
Song Jo-heon’s face twisted strangely. But unlike before, anger was not clearly visible. It was the moment he was about to open his mouth. Footsteps were heard in the distance. The three users froze at the same time. Who is it? Song Jo-heon hardened his expression and pushed J.
“Hide.”
“What? Wait…”
“Let’s go.”
Min-gi Seo grabbed Eui-jae’s arm and moved to the room where the medicine bottles were lined up. The two leaned against the door, holding their breath. The footsteps grew closer and closer, and the door to the room with the operating table opened.
“…That’s strange.”
A soft male voice was heard.
“I definitely heard voices. And the sound of fighting.”
“Are you finally going deaf?”
“Surely not. My ears are perfectly fine…”
Tap, tap. The footsteps approached the door. There was a polite knock on the door they were leaning against. A voice mixed with laughter whispered.
“So you’ve come to a place like this. I really wanted to meet you.”
“……”
“J.”