# Chapter 56
Purple water flowed on both sides of the ground where the Espers stood. It was a deadly poison that would paralyze the entire body and quickly lead to death if even a small amount touched the skin.
Swish! Swiiish!
As the Espers moved carefully to avoid falling in, an A-class monster called Churya flew rapidly in front of them.
Churya was a ghost-type monster with high speed. They continuously attempted to collide with the Espers’ bodies. The moment a Churya touched an Esper, the Esper’s body would be temporarily paralyzed.
When paralyzed Espers lost control of their bodies and fell into the poison flowing on either side, only then would the Churya approach and take their souls.
Facing fast monsters in such a narrow path was extremely challenging. Even with Churya’s relatively weak defensive abilities, the Espers were struggling.
“Argh!”
An Esper with dull movements finally allowed a Churya to brush against their body and staggered while screaming.
“Pay attention.”
Suhyun grabbed them by the scruff of the neck before they could dive into the poison. The barely surviving Esper was thrown in front of the Esper who specialized in healing.
“What are you doing?”
Suhyun’s gaze was cold. It was as if he was looking at a pathetic specimen.
“None of you are new to this dungeon, are you?”
In Korea, the ratio of B-class Espers was overwhelmingly high. Suhyun was the only S-class, and there were no more A-class Espers now. Because Kim Juyoung was dead.
This meant that the B-class Espers had entered A-class dungeons before. Not a single one of them was seeing Churya for the first time.
“But, huh…!”
Of course, the situation was somewhat different now. Although Suhyun was with them both then and now, his attitude had completely changed.
“I didn’t expect you to show your back to a monster. With your speed, you can’t avoid these monsters. So don’t try to run away.”
Previously, Suhyun never had time to look at other Espers. He had always been at the front, dealing with monsters. The other Espers only needed to follow behind him.
“Couldn’t you, gasp, catch them first, Esper-nim?”
But today, Suhyun was behind the Espers. They were initially confused since they hadn’t expected Suhyun to not take the lead, but they had believed that he would spring into action when monsters appeared. Now, they felt completely betrayed.
“Why should I do that?”
Suhyun asked. His face showed genuine confusion about why he should.
A ragtag group of Espers who seemed to have casually wandered into an A-class dungeon. Looking at them, Suhyun felt a kind of responsibility. He thought he needed to make them come to their senses since he was the one who had made them this way.
He already knew that when he took action, the other Espers would all relax. He had never seriously thought about it before. It wasn’t difficult for him anyway. His mind had always been full of thoughts about finishing quickly and getting out.
Due to his low wavelength stability, the pain that constantly followed him, and his increasingly sensitive temperament, Suhyun back then never had time to look around.
But not anymore. Suhyun’s condition was now very stable and relaxed. So he could take on any troublesome tasks.
But not for these Espers.
‘Shit, what is he saying now.’
The moment he felt the empty emotion in Jiwon’s eyes, hidden behind a cold expression, he decided that’s what he should do.
Perhaps he didn’t need to take everything on himself. Maybe he just started thinking the same way because Jiwon thought so. But either way, it didn’t matter.
If emptiness was all Jiwon could get from his attitude, then Suhyun needed to change.
“Form a line.”
“Esper-nim, ha, there are too many monsters.”
“Aren’t they multiplying because you’re only running away without fighting them?”
“If you’re going to say that, then you too…!”
“Are you suggesting that I’m running away? Shall I show you what real running away looks like?”
Suhyun leaped in one breath to distance himself from the Espers. Not forward, but backward. As a result, the Espers who suddenly found themselves face-to-face with Churya gasped and stepped back.
He had clearly told them they couldn’t escape due to their slow speed, but it seemed they hadn’t listened.
“I won’t do anything. If you get hurt, I’ll let you stay hurt. There’s a healing Esper, so you can figure it out yourselves.”
“Esper Seo Suhyun-nim! Why are you doing this? You’re an S-class Esper with no sense of respon-gasp, ugh!”
Another Esper who ignored his warning and was yelling with their back to the monsters was attacked by Churya and collapsed to the ground. They didn’t fall into the poison but seemed to be completely paralyzed, unable to even move their lips properly.
“Yes.”
Suhyun answered, looking at them.
“No responsibility.”
Definitely none now.
“You can curse me for being selfish. Because I will be selfish.”
Because that’s what he’d been taught to do. Suhyun was simply planning to do as he had learned.
“From now on, I won’t save you even if you fall into the poison. If you die… that’s too bad. So look straight ahead and fight for yourself.”
Physical attacks don’t work on Churya. That’s why all the Espers who came here primarily used magical attacks.
Yet they didn’t even attempt to use magic and only tried to run away. The very fact that they thought they could escape was already proof that they were letting their guard down.
“Aren’t you B-class? We came in here as a group, and you can’t even catch one of these monsters?”
If they just focused, they could catch them easily. Among A-class monsters, Churya was a lower-tier one. They shouldn’t be struggling against such enemies.
“They’re, they’re coming in groups! Esper Suhyun-nim!”
Unfortunately, the Espers didn’t seem to be listening to Suhyun’s words. Reluctantly, Suhyun decided to take a stronger approach.
BOOM!
“Argh! Wh-what are you doing?”
Suhyun drew a sword that had become an opaque form as the air rapidly rotated, and blocked the fleeing Espers. The ground split lengthwise with a bang where the sword was planted.
“If you cross over, I’ll put you directly into that.”
Suhyun nodded toward the poison.
“You need to become stronger. Except for me, B-class Espers are the strongest among all Espers in this country. But isn’t it unsightly if the strongest Espers are only focused on running away?”
Suhyun’s tone strangely resembled Jiwon’s, though he didn’t notice it himself.
“What if I die because of this?”
The Espers stopped in their tracks at his piercing voice. They felt intimidated by Suhyun, thinking he might really attack them.
“Fight. Pretend I’m not here, and do your best.”
Suhyun gave a concise conclusion.
“Gasp, ugh!”
“Argh!”
Swish! Swiiish! Espers collapsed one after another as the Churyas flew by. But Suhyun didn’t help them.
Well, he wouldn’t really let them die. However… it would be good for them to at least think he might leave them to die.
“……”
Suhyun casually glanced at his watch, which showed that his wavelength was very stable.
91.
As if nothing had happened, Suhyun’s wavelength remained extremely stable.
***
“Haah….”
Jiwon sighed as he paced around the car. It had been 30 minutes since he’d come outside, unable to wait patiently.
The complicated feelings that arose after hearing such things disappeared quickly when Suhyun entered the dungeon. Afterward, Jiwon struggled with embarrassment.
After all, he had rambled on about preventing Suhyun from entering dungeons without even asking for his opinion, and about using the Association. He had even bragged as if he were extremely powerful and could do anything, while Suhyun was the one doing all the fighting.
If he had known Suhyun was listening, he would never have said such things.
“……”
What must he have thought?
Jiwon didn’t know, but he resolved to explain that it was just something he said in the heat of the moment when Suhyun came out. Of course, while subtly indicating that he wished Suhyun hadn’t gone.
But Jiwon couldn’t hold onto these thoughts for long.
“Why are they taking so long….”
Four hours had passed since the Espers entered the dungeon, and they showed no sign of coming out.
Suhyun had never taken this long in any dungeon he’d entered. Jiwon couldn’t help feeling anxious, wondering if something had happened.
“……”
Jiwon continued pacing, checking his watch several times. The wavelength stability wasn’t showing. He could see it when he entered the dungeon with Suhyun, but he couldn’t see it when Suhyun went in alone.
The blank screen was frustrating. He couldn’t frantically follow Suhyun into every ordinary dungeon just to see this screen. Following him around just for his own peace of mind would only be a burden to Suhyun.
‘Come out quickly.’
Jiwon bit his lip in frustration as he glared at the dungeon entrance.
And 30 minutes later.
“Ah, Esper-nim!”
Finally, the Espers began to appear. Only then did Jiwon smile and walk toward the entrance. Suhyun had told him to stay in the car, but he couldn’t wait patiently.
“Uh….”
But Jiwon quickly lost his smile. Despite having entered with Suhyun, the wavelengths of the emerging Espers were all in complete disarray.
“Esper Suhyun-nim…!”
Jiwon’s stiff legs betrayed his anxiety. He only moved after Suhyun appeared last.
“Are you okay?”
Jiwon immediately grabbed his hand and asked. His eyes, checking Suhyun, were filled with agitation.
