# Chapter 114
A solemn atmosphere surrounded the entrance of the B-class dungeon.
The gathered ability users were all A-class or above, with abilities far superior to the dungeon’s grade, yet none of them looked at ease.
“Are you really sure it’s okay to go with him? What if he betrays us once we’re inside?”
Among them, Won Jungyeom appeared particularly anxious.
“If only my grade were a little higher…”
Jiwon smiled slightly at Won Jungyeom’s disgruntled words—unusual coming from someone who normally didn’t place much importance on his own grade.
“It’s fine. Even back then, it was ultimately Riska that made him attack us. We have the same goal this time, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Haah…”
Won Jungyeom scrutinized the blue-eyed man standing beside them with a clearly dissatisfied expression. It was none other than Kalik.
Jiwon completely understood Jungyeom’s uneasiness, considering their somewhat turbulent previous encounter. However, Jiwon trusted the anger-clouded eyes Kalik directed at Riska.
“Nervous?”
Though he was smiling, he didn’t look genuinely happy. In reality, he was tense.
Jiwon looked at Suhyun, who stood facing the dungeon entrance. His calm face revealed nothing of his thoughts, making Jiwon’s throat inexplicably dry.
Jiwon took a deep breath.
“Esper Suhyun.”
“Yes.”
“Are you ready?”
They had gathered more than enough people. Jiwon judged it was time to depart.
Suhyun nodded.
“Whenever you are.”
Jiwon grinned. He had no intention of showing any anxiety. Once they’d decided to do this, the only option was to move forward.
“Kalik. Are you ready?”
Jiwon’s question now turned to Kalik. Even before the interpreter beside him could translate the simple sentence, Kalik nodded vigorously.
“I’ve been waiting for this day.”
It was a confident answer.
Suhyun, Jiwon, and Kalik would enter the dungeon first.
Suhyun would focus on finding Riska’s lair by becoming their medium, while Kalik would capture and contain the monsters inside the dungeon.
Kalik had been selected as the Esper who would block monster attacks so that Suhyun wouldn’t need to use his abilities.
Won Jungyeom had questioned why it had to be Kalik. In fact, Jo Wooyeon, who had remained silent the whole time, didn’t seem too pleased either.
However…
‘Wasn’t there another Esper who came with him back then? I thought he would come along too.’
Jiwon believed Kalik would fulfill his role perfectly.
‘He died. Taken by that damn Riska.’
The fury of losing a precious friend.
That anger would actually make him more cautious, knowing this was their only chance.
“Division Chief.”
Jiwon finally looked at Jo Wooyeon. Ever since the day Jiwon had reported that he, as a Guide, might be able to eliminate Riska’s power, Wooyeon had barely spoken.
Because he couldn’t readily say anything. He didn’t want to put Jiwon in danger. Without realizing it, he found himself wishing someone other than Jiwon would go.
‘If only it could have been me…’
If only he hadn’t lost his guiding ability… Then he would have had a chance to speak up.
“Division Chief Jo Wooyeon.”
“Why are you calling me? Just say it.”
His tone had unconsciously become stiff due to his troubled heart. As if understanding him, Jiwon nodded with a smile.
“I’ll be back.”
“……”
At sixteen.
Jiwon’s eyes, now gentle at the corners, had once been fiercely upturned—almost unimaginably so.
Wooyeon had taken in this child who radiated an aversion to people yet somehow still managed to smile in an attempt to survive, out of pity.
The betrayal by his parents had left not just a wound but a deep scar in a corner of his heart, making him try to use people appropriately rather than trust them, which pained Wooyeon.
But as time passed, Jiwon had come to accept him. Wooyeon was glad that Jiwon trusted and relied on him.
“They say children grow up so fast…”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
But when had he grown up so much and become so resilient?
“Come back safely.”
Jo Wooyeon forced a smile as he bid Jiwon farewell. He also nodded briefly at Suhyun, who was looking at Jiwon.
“Be careful.”
There wasn’t much time to be sentimental.
Suhyun nodded at Jo Wooyeon’s parting words.
“Please take care of things here.”
“Don’t worry.”
Jo Wooyeon took a deep breath. Ability users gathered from around the world waited with tense expressions.
Jiwon, Suhyun, and Kalik would enter the dungeon first. Then, ten minutes later, the rest of the ability users would steadily enter the dungeon.
Hoping that the passage would be opened.
“Let’s go, Esper-nim.”
Jiwon took Suhyun’s hand. The hands that had gently caressed each other just that morning were now trembling slightly.
Suhyun forced a smile, lifting the corners of his mouth.
“Yes.”
The three entered the dungeon simultaneously. A suffocating silence settled at the entrance.
***
Whoosh! Slam!
As soon as they entered the dungeon, Kalik swiftly disposed of the monsters in sight.
It was the speedy movement befitting an S-class Esper.
Suhyun and Jiwon had fallen slightly behind. Waiting not for monsters, but for Riska.
“Do you feel anything?”
“Yes.”
A feeling of being watched. He clearly felt that gaze searching for an opportunity to make him a medium.
Suhyun closed his eyes and focused on that sensation rushing toward him.
“……”
Meanwhile, Jiwon checked Suhyun’s stability.
99.
It hadn’t reached the desired 100, but this level indicated an almost perfectly stable state.
‘Not that it’s any comfort.’
Jiwon barely swallowed the sigh that was about to escape. Though he didn’t believe in superstitions, he was being careful even of that, feeling like he might jinx things.
“It’s coming.”
It was then that Suhyun spoke quietly.
At that moment, Kalik, who had just finished restraining all the monsters in the vicinity, approached Suhyun.
“……”
He silently watched Suhyun. His characteristic cheerfulness had completely vanished.
“…Ha.”
Suhyun exhaled briefly, barely ten seconds having passed.
“Riska…”
Did it attack you?
The words he was about to ask couldn’t escape his throat. Suddenly, it felt like his breath was caught.
“…Yes. It attacked.”
Suhyun answered, understanding what Jiwon meant even though his question wasn’t finished.
Despite having entered for his sake, Jiwon’s heart sank when he heard Suhyun had been attacked.
“Where, where did it…?”
In response to Jiwon’s unconsciously stammered question, Suhyun slowly raised his hand. There was a tiny wound on the back of his hand.
“Now we need to find it.”
As Jiwon’s face contorted with distress, Suhyun patted his shoulder lightly and spoke with determination. Then he briefly explained his situation to Kalik.
“To lose wavelength from such a minor wound…”
Hearing Kalik’s trembling voice, Jiwon clenched his fist tightly.
He reminded himself that there was no turning back now. Before Suhyun’s wavelength was damaged, they needed to find Riska’s lair and eliminate its power.
Wasn’t that why they had come here for him in the first place?
“…Shall we go deeper?”
Suhyun walked ahead into the dungeon, already cleared by Kalik. He appeared no different than usual.
The reason why people died without realizing they had been attacked by Riska was probably because there was no visible sign that their power was being drained, just like this.
“……”
The three walked steadily through the dungeon. Kalik dealt with the occasional monsters that appeared. So far, there had been no problems with Suhyun’s wavelength stability.
‘We’re not going to fail to find anything like this, are we?’
What if they couldn’t find a passage connected to them here? What if it wasn’t possible in any dungeon, but only in certain designated ones?
As time passed, all kinds of worries swirled in his mind due to growing anxiety.
“…Ah.”
Just then, Suhyun suddenly exclaimed and stopped walking.
“What’s wrong?”
“Did you find something?”
Jiwon and Kalik asked simultaneously.
Suhyun blinked slowly before answering.
“…I think I understand. What Esper Choi Young saw and felt.”
At his composed voice, Jiwon swallowed dryly. Kalik, who didn’t understand what was being said, looked back and forth between them.
“The passage is here.”
Suhyun briefly explained to Kalik.
“Good God.”
Kalik’s eyes widened as he looked around. But he couldn’t see anything. It was a sensation only Suhyun, who had become the medium, could feel.
In the end, their assumption that one needed to be attacked by Riska was correct.
‘…The wounded area is pulsating.’
Suhyun looked down at the back of his hand. Riska hadn’t just created a wound; part of its power had entered his body.
Thanks to this, Suhyun could clearly feel that as he moved toward a certain point, the Riska power embedded in his body grew stronger, causing his wavelength to become disrupted.
“Esper-nim, your wavelength…”
Just then, Jiwon murmured as he checked the stability.
Feeling vividly the sensation of power leaking out, Suhyun nodded.
“It’s here.”
Immediately drawing his sword, Suhyun leaped forward. Then he strongly attacked what appeared to be an ordinary wall.
Bang!
A thunderous sound spread, and thick dust rose inside the dungeon.
Jiwon covered his mouth and nose, narrowing his eyes to assess the situation.
“…It didn’t work.”
However, the passage didn’t open despite Suhyun’s attack. Suhyun, with downcast eyes, once again gripped his sword properly.
‘This is definitely it.’
His wavelength was leaking out through this place. With the certainty that Riska’s power was accumulating beyond this point, Suhyun’s attacks came ferociously.
