FETCH 30

Jaechan’s eyes went wide at the sight of the targets—there must have been at least a hundred of them, ranging from those right nearby to some that seemed incredibly far away.

Am I supposed to break all of these?

Since he hadn’t received an explanation of the actual training method, he looked at Han Kang, but the other man didn’t seem inclined to explain. He just tilted his neck, making a crack, crack bone-snapping sound.

Just then, a “beep” electronic sound echoed through the training room. The coach and researchers, who had moved into the safety zone, looked at the two of them and spoke into a microphone.

“We will now check the compatibility between you two. It’s not so much about calculating a matching rate as it is about seeing your harmony. By measuring destructive power and speed according to distance, as well as the effective range of the transcendent power, we will determine how much training is needed for your coordination.”

Basically, it seemed Jaechan was supposed to provide guiding however he saw fit so that Han Kang could destroy all those targets. Subsequently, Han Kang’s current guiding levels were displayed clearly as numbers on the electronic scoreboard.

92.

It was as good as telling Jaechan to help destroy the targets while maintaining that numerical level.

“Hold each other’s hands.”

At the words that followed, Jaechan thrust his hand out toward Han Kang. He also gave him a look that said he had to take it since they were told to do so.

“What.”

What Han Kang grabbed was not Jaechan’s hand, but his collar. Specifically, the belt loop of his pants. A surge of emotion flared up at his attitude—adamant about not allowing guiding even if he died—but it was short-lived.

Beep— beep— beep—.

The siren announcing the start of the training sounded.

“From the right.”

At Han Kang’s words, Jaechan looked to the right just as he did. The targets surrounding the arena were inconsistent in size and thickness. The ones in front looked somewhat thin, but as they went further back, there were occasionally very thin ones sandwiched between thick ones.

Though there was no explanation, it seemed they were also testing accuracy. Furthermore, all the materials varied, making it look like a method to gauge his abilities from multiple angles.

Ice particles began to float around Han Kang, who hadn’t even flicked a finger.

In that moment, Jaechan flinched. He had seen Han Kang’s transcendent power countless times through the media, but facing it right before his eyes caused the day Han Kang awakened to bloom vividly in his mind.

Unconsciously, he clung tightly to Han Kang’s side, and then his eyes locked right with Han Kang’s. Seeing Jaechan’s pale pupils, which clearly read of agitation, Han Kang’s expression hardened with disapproval.

Even during the last Olympics, right before the finals, Jeon Jaechan was the one who sent a message saying he couldn’t watch the match any longer. Han Kang didn’t understand how someone who cringed and felt a sudden jolt of fear just by seeing transcendent power being used was insisting on being a Guide.

In the first place, how can someone be a Guide if they are scared of the person they are guiding?

It was perhaps natural for self-derision to erupt within him. For some reason, he felt a bit annoyed.

.✦ ݁˖

Jaechan put strength into his eyes, pretending he wasn’t scared, and watched what Han Kang was doing. At the same time, he quickly rolled his eyes to check the scoreboard.

Just as he was tensing up with the intention to guide the moment the levels dropped—whack! With a powerful sound of friction, the target at the very front was split in half. The fallen target disappeared through a hole in the training room floor.

The training that began like that proceeded easily, making loud thud, thud! noises. During that time, Jaechan carefully observed Han Kang’s face with both eyes. He was fully prepared, ready to grab his hand and start guiding the moment he saw even the slightest sign of strain.

As Han Kang narrowed his eyes, the ice particles around him grew even larger. The ice that was thrust out mercilessly shredded the target in front of him.

Following that, harsh crack, crack! sounds echoed through the training room in succession. Fatigue from using his transcendent power began to accumulate little by little.

“Haaa…”

Han Kang exhaled a long sigh. At a glance, it was nothing more than light training as they had said, but a drill requiring effective range, accuracy, and destructive power required quite a bit of focus.

It was on a different level from a match dealing with a person. He was so used to breaking targets or engaging in interpersonal combat that he could do it with his eyes closed. Furthermore, unlike matches that have a set time, there is no set time for this training. It only ends once all these targets are smashed, regardless of whether it takes hours.

Ultimately, it was as good as saying the training would continue until they coordinated to a satisfactory level. It belonged to a fairly high-intensity category for something called “informal training.”

Han Kang gritted his teeth and ramped up his power. A chill settled around them, and frost began to bloom on the floor. the ice particles formed in the air grew thicker. The power, starting to slip from his control, was creating results different from his intentions.

Smash! The sound of ice fragments hitting a target.

Whiz— swoosh, thwack! The sound of them flying and piercing through.

Beep-beep, beep—. Beep—. The sound of the count being tallied rang out continuously as the training reached its peak.

The more it did, the more anxious Jaechan became. The guiding level on the scoreboard he kept glancing at was falling at an alarming rate. It really seemed like he needed to receive guiding. Han Kang’s complexion had also worsened significantly compared to when they first started.

Panting heavily, Han Kang paused for a moment. He just had to hold Jaechan’s hand, but he was holding out. The rims of his eyes turned bright red, and thick veins began to stand out around his neck. It had already been two hours since the training began.

“Get guided, okay? Let’s do the guiding.”

“I’m not doing it.”

“Hey, Han Kang! Stop being stubborn and take the guiding! Your level has dropped a ton, can’t you see that?”

Jaechan pointed at the scoreboard, shouting. The level that had stayed at 92 had already dropped to 64. It was certain that a berserk state would soon begin.

About two-thirds of the targets had already been destroyed. It seemed they could finish the training safely without Jaechan’s guiding or a berserk episode if he just held out a little longer.

Since he was being this stubborn, he couldn’t show himself going berserk. He knew he could just accept the guiding now, but for some reason, he couldn’t allow it; Han Kang kept a tight grip only on Jaechan’s collar.

It was in that moment.

“Gah…!”

With a rough groan, Han Kang collapsed.

“Han Kang!”

Jaechan whipped around in shock, his eyes catching the scoreboard.

[<!> Esper Han Kang: Level 1 Berserk State Detected]

The chilling phrase dug into his optic nerves.

There was no time to delay. He had just seen the official notice sent by the Olympic Committee, so he couldn’t let Han Kang go berserk like this.

A small whirlwind began to rage around them. Jaechan involuntarily huddled his body together at the sudden cold. When he let out a breath, a long, misty dragon of vapor billowed out.

His heart throbbed violently.

“Kang, look at me. Are you conscious?”

While stroking Han Kang’s back and lifting his head to make him look at him, Jaechan recalled the stages of Han Kang’s berserk state in his head.

Level 1: The surroundings turn chilly. Level 2: Frost begins to form. Level 3: It begins to affect the weather; snow or hail falls. Level 4: A blizzard rages. Level 5: Heavy snow pours down simultaneously without distance limits; death occurs if guiding is not received in time.

Every single one was pure horror. His actions became frantic at the thought that he had to quiet this berserk state immediately.

As soon as he felt the chill raging around them, Jaechan felt the illusion that he had returned to the time when Han Kang first awakened. He was scared that such a thing might happen again. Back then, he really thought Han Kang was going to die.

Even though he knew it rationally, it was his first time seeing Han Kang’s berserk state with his own eyes, so his teeth chattered and his body trembled with spasms. This wasn’t just due to the cold.

Red blood vessels were tangled messily in the whites of Han Kang’s eyes. A strange grate, gurgle sound vibrated in his throat. As if in agony, Han Kang huddled his body tightly and let out difficult-to-hear moans—hng, haaa.

“Ugh, hng… Ah, haugh…”

“Kang, Kang. Han Kang. Wait a second.”

It was just as he reached out to lay Han Kang’s body flat.

“Don’t, don’t do it.”

Even in this state, Han Kang slapped Jaechan’s hand away.

Perhaps because he couldn’t control his strength properly due to the berserk state, the force of the slap was stronger than usual.

“I have to. I’m taking your shirt off. Since the level has been measured, lower guiding won’t work.”

Han Kang’s berserk state absolutely had to be stopped at Level 1.

Jaechan spoke firmly and pulled off his T-shirt. Whenever he felt the chill against his bare skin like this, he naturally remembered when Han Kang first awakened. Back then, he was also shivering from the cold, and Han Kang, who didn’t know what to do, had struggled to warm him up by holding him tight.

You held me just fine back then.

Jaechan pushed that traumatic day out of his mind and climbed on top of Han Kang in earnest. His body, instinctively craving guiding, had already heated up, and his front was swollen thick.

With his body huddled tight and only his face lifted up, thick veins stood out on Han Kang’s forehead. Whether the berserk state was difficult to endure, his handsome face was mangled and distorted, revealing his pain in its entirety.

But this time, Jaechan did not intend to back down. Instead, he suppressed Han Kang with all his might.

He pinned Han Kang’s arms with both knees and, after completely overpowering his body, he reached for the buckle of Han Kang’s pants before taking off his T-shirt.

“Ah, seriously, I told you not to…!”

Deep irritation was buried in his shouting voice. Breathing heavily as if it were difficult even to speak properly, he grabbed his own face with his large hand and covered it.

The situation on the back of his large hand was not much different. Blue veins were tangled messily over the back of his hand, which had turned bright red as blood rushed to it.

A heavy breath erupted—haaa. At the same time, a powerful transcendent power exploded, and an extreme chill swallowed Jaechan. The power of Han Kang, who possessed freezing abilities, went berserk and began to slowly freeze the surroundings.

Jaechan hurriedly grabbed his hand and undid the buckle. Simultaneously, he pressed his body close and hugged him.

“It’s work, just work. So don’t attach any meaning to it.”

Muttering lowly as if brainwashing himself, Jaechan hugged Han Kang even more powerfully.