# Chapter 13
A small sneer appeared on the A-class Esper’s face. Even when looking down, the Guide appeared infinitely small. A delicate body that seemed like it would be crushed if grabbed carelessly. And yet this Guide was defying him.
And all he was doing was guiding?
‘Should I find this cute?’
The guiding energy coming from those hands felt less like defiance and more like a desperate plea to be acknowledged.
Still, it was interesting. The guiding energy flowing from him was incomparable to other guides.
‘An S-class Guide… so this is it?’
He understood why this name was mentioned so frequently among Espers. Even though he had only recently manifested his powers and was seeing an S-class Guide for the first time, he was feeling an insidious desire to possess him. How much more intense must it be for Espers who had been receiving this guiding all along?
What further fueled his desire was the clear face looking up at him.
‘Does the face follow the rank too?’
The corner of the A-class Esper’s mouth rose thickly.
Since the higher-ups were showing signs of wanting to pair the Guide with an unmanifested Esper, it would be difficult to formally request guiding, but behind the scenes—as long as they weren’t caught, wouldn’t it be fine?
‘Maybe I’ll scare him from time to time and make him guide me. After all, Guides exist for the sake of Espers.’
Various fantasies involving Jaehee were blooming in the A-class Esper’s mind.
These imaginations gradually transformed into increasingly base and filthy scenes as more guiding energy flowed over.
But then.
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, a short groan burst from the A-class Esper’s lips. Along with it, his previously relaxed expression vanished without a trace. And that wasn’t the end of it. His large body trembled pitifully before collapsing powerlessly to the floor.
“Haa… haa…”
Rough breaths escaped in succession, and his dizzy gaze turned toward Jaehee. His black pupils, unable to properly comprehend the current situation, remained fixed on Jaehee while shaking back and forth.
“This… this…!”
But he wasn’t the only one surprised. The staff members were also bewildered by the current situation.
“What? What’s happening? Why is he suddenly like this!”
A staff member who had been shouting fiercely suddenly turned his head and glared sharply at Hyeono. A B-class Esper who could never defeat an A-class Esper. Despite that, the only one who could inflict damage on the A-class Esper here was another Esper like him.
The staff glared at the B-class Esper and snapped,
“Just what did you…!”
But the staff member couldn’t finish his sentence.
He had seen Hyeono’s expression. His face was the same as theirs—filled with confusion, unable to understand what had just happened. Moreover, he had even stopped in his tracks as he was approaching Jaehee, more bewildered than the staff. He just stood there, looking at Jaehee and the A-class Esper.
If it wasn’t the staff or Jeong Hyeono the Esper, then…
‘Who on earth…?’
The same question arose in everyone’s mind. The wandering gazes of many poured onto the A-class Esper, as if searching for a reason. He was still slumped on the floor, trembling thinly to a pitiful degree, looking upward.
Everyone’s gaze shifted to where the A-class Esper was looking. Gradually, their faces turned to astonishment.
At the end of everyone’s gaze was Jaehee.
Only he was different. Only Jaehee had a different expression from everyone else, looking down at the A-class Esper with cold eyes.
That appearance was telling them.
Who had caused the current situation.
Who was strong enough to suppress the A-class Esper.
That the existence no one had imagined was him, that he had done this. That’s what he was conveying.
The one they thought was the weakest, the one who resembled a pretty doll, had brought down the strongest Esper in the place with just his gaze.
‘Is that even possible?’
No one could speak. It was hard to accept whether what they thought was true.
That’s why everyone was frozen, unable to move. It was difficult to accept the facts and reality before their eyes.
But someone broke the atmosphere. None other than Jaehee, who was receiving everyone’s gaze.
“Go back.”
A tone calmer than anyone else’s. But a voice as cold as a chill seeping in. At that voice, the staff members’ shoulders flinched. The words of the Guide before them sounded like a warning. Yet he was merely a Guide.
The staff members once again examined Jaehee with trembling gazes.
Top-class Guide.
But physical abilities no different from an ordinary person, except for guiding abilities. Plus, a body infinitely thin and small compared to an Esper’s.
‘Such a being… a mere Guide bringing down an Esper? Is that even remotely possible?’
It was an impossible thing. Something that had never happened before. Therefore,
“What are you doing there?! Seize him immediately!”
The staff members ignored the reality, the fact that had unfolded before their eyes. They denied everything that had just happened with fixed prejudice and just shouted at the Esper lying face down on the floor.
But despite the staff member’s shout, he couldn’t move his body. He just kept staring at Jaehee.
Eventually, the staff members exchanged glances with each other. Why was the Esper suddenly acting like this, what was the sense of discomfort felt from Jaehee? Rather than finding those answers, taking Jaehee away came first. So they tried to approach him.
But then, a strange thing happened.
As the staff tried to approach, a fierce growl erupted from the A-class Esper who had been trembling on the floor. It was a faster reaction than even Hyeono, who had noticed the staff’s movement and was trying to approach Jaehee.
“Not one of you! Don’t come close!”
It was a clear warning. It was as good as a notice that he would strike them down the moment they approached.
The A-class Esper was not in his right mind now. Who he was shouting at, what he had come here to do—all of that had evaporated from his mind.
The only thing he remembered was the guiding that had suddenly engulfed him. The fierce guiding energy he felt for the first time. The energy that stirred inside his body brought an ecstasy akin to pain. The terrible sensation that made him wish it was just pain whirled endlessly inside his body.
The remnants of pain that had stuck firmly to the bottom, no matter how much guiding he received, were being covered by those sensations.
And it was being imprinted. On every single cell.
In the end, it was,
‘If this guiding disappears, I’ll die.’
This thought alone was chillingly imprinted in his mind. No rationality remained. A body suddenly exposed to highly concentrated guiding energy could only flounder, trapped in instinct.
It was fear and fascination, evoking absolute submission.
Sensations he had never felt in his life dominated his mind. The head that had been full of dark fantasies about Jaehee was completely changing to thoughts about protecting him. Those thoughts became shackles, binding his entire body firmly. Because he was the god and absolute being who held his lifeline.
‘Who dares approach him!’
Anger boiled. Sensitive senses guarded Jaehee’s surroundings intensely. It was no different from a beast guarding its master’s side.
Jaehee looked down at such an Esper with an indifferent gaze.
‘You now… can’t even touch a finger to me.’
What Jaehee had done was awaken the Esper’s instincts. Paralyzing reason and, in a state dominated solely by instinct, showing who was in the superior position.
With just that, the Esper submitted to him like this. Although temporary, the effect was more severe than a bond.
That’s why Jaehee had buried this ability after realizing it. Because he didn’t want to use an ability that subordinated Espers. Plus, Geonwoo had protected him without giving him a chance to use it.
But in this life?
He had someone to protect.
He needed to protect Geonwoo’s story, his future. To ensure it didn’t go wrong again.
And Dohyun, whom he couldn’t help. He had to change his story too.
For that, he needed to become stronger. He couldn’t be swayed. He needed to be in a position where others couldn’t treat him carelessly. Because there should be no hindrance to the story he had to create in the future.
And in this life, he needed to be not in a position to be protected by someone, but in a position to protect them.
For that, he decided to become a villain in front of villains. So there was no hesitation in using his ability.
Moreover, once he decided to use his ability, Espers were not fearful beings to Jaehee. Those who were dangerous to everyone were not so to him.
‘No Esper can harm me.’
Jaehee knew well that the Esper’s own instinct would not allow it.
Jaehee observed the Center staff members confronting the Esper for a moment and then turned around. There was no need for him to deal with them anymore. The A-class Esper was enough to handle them. So he tried to go back inside the quarters.
But then, a desperate voice was heard from behind.
