# Chapter 38
About an hour had passed since they entered the dungeon.
When they had entered to check if it was an unusual dungeon, it would have been enough time to explore the entire dungeon and then some.
Boom! Crash!
However, Suhyun was tackling the dungeon cautiously. He shot spheres toward monsters that were rushing toward the two of them. Suhyun, who had jumped up in one bound, stabbed a knife into the back of a monster that was following them.
Schwiiiiik!
From its back to its head, the monster split in half and collapsed to the ground.
“……”
In an instant, monster corpses were scattered everywhere. Perhaps because he was S-class, or perhaps because it was a D-class dungeon, the monsters didn’t seem to be very strong.
The weakness of the monsters was also evident just by looking at the stability of his wavelength.
After fighting a swarm of monsters, Suhyun’s wavelength would drop by at most 1 or 2 points. This was a level that could be quickly recovered by just holding hands for a bit. There were many cases where, despite using his ability, there was almost no change in stability.
“Hmm…”
Of course, that didn’t mean he was at ease. Because the monsters weren’t the immediate problem right now.
That’s why Jiwon reached out to guide Suhyun whenever there was even the slightest gap. Perhaps he had become accustomed to it, as there were quite a few instances where Suhyun would take his hand first.
In truth, the slow pace of progress was less due to Suhyun’s caution and more because Jiwon kept insisting on guiding.
He was checking Suhyun’s wavelength and guiding him almost obsessively. That was the only way to ease his mind even a little.
If Suhyun were to lose his mind again, this was the only immediate method to help him endure a bit longer without going wild.
“Is it annoying?”
Jiwon smiled slightly. Wouldn’t Suhyun be frustrated, wanting to sweep everything away at once but unable to?
“No, it’s not.”
But Suhyun immediately shook his head.
“Why not? It would have been more convenient for you alone.”
Jiwon said playfully. It was also a bit of criticism directed at Suhyun, who frequently said he wanted to go alone.
“……”
“What? Why aren’t you answering?”
But this time there was no response denying it. As Jiwon narrowed his eyes, Suhyun answered with what sounded like a sigh.
“If I had come alone, at least I wouldn’t have had to think about the possibility of killing Guide-nim.”
Jiwon flinched. It was because he felt the fear that Suhyun, as an Esper, was experiencing from the words he uttered.
Jiwon rolled in his lips and then turned his head. It seemed like he had said something unnecessary.
He had been too insensitive because Suhyun had always acted so calm. Suhyun was literally dragged into this dungeon. Jiwon at least had his own will, but Suhyun had been controlled.
When he came to his senses, he was inside the dungeon. He had acted beyond his will, actions he couldn’t even remember. How could he not be afraid?
If such a thing happened again and Suhyun lost control and went wild, Jiwon would die.
“……”
Jiwon thought that perhaps… Suhyun might be in an even more frightening situation than himself.
Because the thought of killing another person might be more terrifying than the thought of dying oneself.
“I think I’ll survive because you’re here.”
Jiwon, who had somewhat understood his feelings, spoke soothingly.
“Because I’ll save you.”
Could a person with a working mouth not say anything? He could say anything if it would bring even a little comfort to the other person.
“…Is that so.”
Suhyun neither affirmed nor denied. He didn’t ask for specifics on how he would be saved. Because it was a pointless question.
“Even if… we both die…”
Jiwon mumbled, looking away and feigning indifference.
“It’s your own responsibility. Because it was your choice to enter this dungeon.”
“……”
“As I said before, I came in on my own two feet. You didn’t drag me in.”
I followed because I thought you would die alone if I didn’t. It was my thought that you might die, and it was my decision to follow you.
It was entirely my decision, not anyone else’s fault.
“……”
Well, Suhyun’s face showed he wasn’t convinced. It seemed he was placing all the responsibility for this situation on himself.
Jiwon shook his head. Even if he wasn’t convinced, he surely would have noticed his feelings.
“…After saying let’s get out alive, here I am pouring cold water on the situation?”
The momentary silence was broken by Jiwon’s voice, tinged with humor. Having finished guiding, Jiwon released Suhyun’s hand and nodded.
“Let’s go now.”
But Suhyun didn’t move right away. He just stared at Jiwon.
Eyes that revealed nothing of his thoughts gazed at Jiwon for a long time. Jiwon silently accepted his gaze. He just… wanted to do that.
Eventually.
“…It might be more comfortable to hold hands as we go.”
Suhyun took the lead after withdrawing his gaze. He had directly taken hold of the hand that Jiwon had released.
“……”
Jiwon raised the corner of his mouth, looking at the hand that was firmly holding his, as if afraid to lose it. If they were anywhere but a dungeon, it might have been quite heart-fluttering.
“Then I have no choice.”
Jiwon held Suhyun’s hand in return. His solid hand felt like it would protect him.
Might they safely exit this time too? With Suhyun… it might be possible. Perhaps it was because he needed to believe so. Suhyun really did feel reliable.
***
However, things in this world rarely go as planned.
Jiwon was feeling that most intensely right now.
When Suhyun’s hand, which had been firmly holding his, coldly fell away, Jiwon turned with a puzzled look.
And then, without warning, Suhyun began to strangle Jiwon. As the hands strongly choked him, Jiwon struggled with his entire body, unable even to scream.
“Suhyun, kuhek, ugh…!”
There wasn’t even time to understand what was happening. Jiwon saw Suhyun’s eyes, which seemed completely empty. His expressionless face showed no emotion.
Why was the hand that he thought would protect him now strangling him?
“Ugh…! Kuhek…!”
The more violently Jiwon struggled, the more strongly Suhyun bound him. His vision blurred and his mind began to drift away. Jiwon desperately opened his eyes wide.
Suhyun was being controlled. There was no other explanation for this situation. But was such control even possible? It couldn’t be…
‘How scattered were those Guides?’
‘…Quite far. It would take about 10 minutes at a Guide’s pace. Moreover, if they were injured…’
‘Isn’t that a bit strange?’
At that moment, like being struck by lightning, Jiwon recalled a conversation he had recently had with Jo Wooyeon.
‘Kim Juyoung killed them…’
Simultaneously, Jiwon couldn’t help but realize the reason why the Guides had been found dead in scattered locations.
Kim Juyoung had killed them. But it wasn’t his will. He had been mentally controlled in this dungeon and killed the Guides first. And then… he went wild alone.
‘Damn it…’
He had missed a hint that shouldn’t have been missed. The area that controlled Espers was wider than expected. ‘That thing’ was commanding Espers to kill their Guides.
“…Seo Suhyun Esper…, kuhek!”
Suhyun’s pupils were completely dilated. His wavelength was spreading ominously. The stability was clearly not an issue. But it was becoming increasingly violent and wild.
“Suhyun, huh, ugh…!”
In the previous dungeon when he had similarly lost his reason, at least words had gotten through, but this time it seemed like he couldn’t hear Jiwon’s words at all.
“You need to…, ugh, come to your senses.”
Even while choking, Jiwon kept talking to him as if grasping at straws. Though his voice was barely coming out, just a gasping level, Jiwon squeezed out words with all his strength.
Does it need to mess up the wavelength to kill Espers, and since Guides interfere with that, it makes the Espers kill them directly? Can it think that far?
The frightening hypothesis gradually faded. His vision had been blurred for a while now. Meanwhile, Suhyun’s wavelength had started to emit erratically.
“Kkak…!”
Whatever the case, there was no need to try to find the reason right now. It wouldn’t matter who he could tell if he died anyway.
Even as his consciousness became increasingly hazy from the strong grip, Jiwon held on with his eyes wide open. He tightly gripped Suhyun’s wrist.
If Suhyun’s loss of reason was related to that chaotic wavelength, then there was only one thing Jiwon needed to do here. To guide him in order to calm the wavelength.
There was nothing else Jiwon could do.
