Chapter 19: The Strongest Esper
We had once been the two most outstanding figures of the second generation of hunters at that time, an SS-rank Esper and an S-rank Guide awakening simultaneously within a rift that appeared and swallowed an entire school, becoming the youngest awakened individuals in history.
I became Jae Hyo's Guide Partner and occasionally assisted Jae Sin. However, because it was a purely friendly relationship, Jae Hyo and I only ever conducted pure Guiding by holding hands.
There were many times when I had been moved by Jae Hyo's beautiful, almost inhuman face and his incredibly alluring human charm, yet I would always retreat in the face of his lofty will to sacrifice himself for humanity.
Jae Hyo was born a hero, while I should have simply lived as an ordinary person, standing beneath the stands in admiration, looking up at him. I could never be someone who would walk alongside that dazzling sun.
Someone like Jae Hyo would never be able to truly understand me.
But clearly, as a friend, Jae Hyo was quite decent.
Jae Hyo took long strides as he ran over to my side. After carefully examining me, he let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried that I might be injured.
"What is going on? As soon as I received the emergency signal, I immediately returned to headquarters."
He looked toward the two figures who were still exchanging blows, then turned to look at Stephen and me.
"First of all, can someone explain this to me?"
I cut off Stephen's rambling and pointed ahead.
"Please, could you first stop the two people fighting over there? My kid is not even old enough to become an official hunter yet, and Jo Hyun has already been fighting your older brother for a full fifteen minutes."
"All right."
Jae Hyo nodded easily, then lightly leaped down into the fierce battlefield of the two Espers.
"Is he really that confident? He seems to be only an SS-rank Esper as well. How can he possibly control two Espers that strong?"
Cha Cha asked me anxiously from the side.
For those who did not know about Jae Hyo's abilities, it was only natural to feel confused about where his confidence came from.
Stephen chuckled softly, while I merely shook my head and said to Cha Cha, "Just watch carefully. You will never encounter a second Esper like Jae Hyo."
Wherever Jae Hyo stepped, the streams of energy colliding between Jo Hyun and Jae Sin vanished just like that. When Jae Hyo came within ten meters of the two Espers, Jo Hyun and Jae Sin collapsed straight to the ground.
Jo Hyun stared blankly at his own hands in shock.
"That's impossible… Why?"
He trembled as he clenched his fists.
"Why can't I use my superpowers anymore? What is going on?"
As for Jae Sin, whose body moved solely by relying on superpowers combined with instinct, he passed out on the spot.
Lee Do Ha and Cha Cha were left speechless. They finally understood why Esper Jae Hyo of Regional Headquarters A had been given the title of "the strongest Esper."
"That's right. No Esper of SS-rank or below can defeat Jae Hyo, because Jae Hyo can nullify all types of superpowers."
I said with a smile.
If there could exist an Esper capable of defeating Jae Hyo, then perhaps it would only be an imaginary SSS-rank Esper, assuming such a rank truly existed.
Jae Hyo walked over, lifted Jo Hyun and Jae Sin in his hands, then jumped back to my side.
"Thank you."
Just as I was about to step forward to help support Jo Hyun, who was still reeling from the shock of being defeated so easily for the first time in his life, Jae Hyo stopped me.
"We need to take the kid for treatment first. It is probably because this is the first time the energy flow in his body was forcibly severed, so his superpowers are in a state of chaos. After the examinations are complete, I will call you to come pick him up."
"And Stephen, is what you texted me really true?"
Jae Hyo suddenly turned and stared intently at Stephen. Stephen quickly nodded, not forgetting to glance at Lee Do Ha behind me.
"The results will be sent to Esper Jae Hyo right away!"
Jae Hyo nodded.
I stepped in front of Lee Do Ha, looked at Jae Hyo seriously, and said, "Do not apply those unspoken rules to us. We belong to Regional Headquarters D, not this place."
Jae Hyo froze for a moment, then let out a bitter smile and sighed at me.
"Kim Jun, matters concerning the survival of an SS-rank Esper take priority over all regulations and agreements. Besides, do you think you can stop Jae Sin?"
I looked at Jae Sin lying silently on the floor and knew clearly that this matter would be extremely difficult to handle.
"Then at the very least, you must obtain his consent."
I and Chung glanced at Lee Do Ha, who still did not know what was going on behind him. We felt awkward and utterly helpless inside.
Jo Hyun and Jae Sin were separated and placed in two different locations for medical examinations, while Jae Hyo led us into the rest room designated for Guides.
"May I speak with Guide Lee Do Ha? I will not hide anything from him."
Faced with Jae Hyo's resolute yet pleading gaze, I had no choice but to call Lee Do Ha out to follow Stephen and Jae Hyo for a trip.
"What is going on, Kim Jun Hyung?"
Cha Cha, who was lying on the sofa, asked me curiously when she saw this.
I shook my head, exhausted as I slumped down onto the sofa, feeling as if I had gone through a pile of incidents in just half a short day.
"Cha Cha, if you really were to meet your Fate Esper, what would you be like?"
Hearing this, Cha Cha became extremely excited. She jumped up like a child and laughed loudly.
"Fate, just hearing it already sounds so romantic, Hyung. We would be a beautiful fated couple and love each other."
If it were just about love, there would have been nothing to talk about.
I recalled the look in Jae Sin's eyes when he saw Jo Hyun being guided by Lee Do Ha before falling into an unconscious explosive state, and a slight shiver ran down my spine.
He looked no different from a demon who had been robbed of delicious prey.