The following day dawned cold and overcast, the sky heavy with the promise of rain. Our team gathered at the edge of the designated area, a stretch of forest marked by strange energy fluctuations. The air crackled with tension as we prepared to move in. There were twelve main members of the special ops team who would be participating in this mission. They included myself, Seojin, Nikolai, Commander Moon, Na Ri, Soo Min, Hye Jin, Captain Kwan, Captain Doh, Lieutenant Beom, and Lieutenant Choi. The rest would be made up of various supporting personnel and their respective teams. There would also be two monitors assigned to our group. And last but not least, there was one member of the general staff that we couldn't afford to forget about: the commander of the Guild's military. Commander Moon, Captain Kwan, Lieutenant Beom, and the lieutenant had all been trained in combat. They were all experienced, and they weren't lacking in strength or skill. However, not only did Commander Moon
The rest of the team kept their distance, watching our every movement as we closed in on the monsters. Even though the creatures were watching us, they didn't take action, which made sense. After all, if they wanted to eat us, surely this would've happened already. Could it be that their leader—Morveth—wanted to make sure we were strong enough before he decided whether or not to fight us? That made sense. The first attack came quickly. One of the smaller monsters let out a piercing screech and charged, its claws scraping against the rocky ground. Na Ri and Hye Jin reacted instantly, their combined attacks hitting it square in the chest. The creature stumbled but didn’t fall, its glowing eyes narrowing in rage. “Watch your flanks!” I shouted, my mana surging as I stepped forward. Another monster lunged at me, its jagged limbs slicing through the air. I dodged easily, countering with a burst of mana that sent it crashing into the cavern wall. Tsk This was a little too easy. "Tra
He looked directly into my eyes, and I couldn't look away. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to. I simply stared at him, unable to speak. Minseok had seen right through me, and now he was looking at me like he knew what I was thinking. Was he trying to make me confess? Was he mocking me? But why would he do that? Minseok didn't show any sign of anger over what I'd done. Instead, he was smiling softly, as if he knew exactly what I was feeling. I felt a strange sense of comfort at how his gentle expression made it clear he wasn't angry, no matter what I did. I pushed off him. I needed to think clearly; we were in the middle of a battle. We weren't supposed to be having this conversation here. He chuckled at my reaction, but I ignored it. "I know you can be crazy sometimes, but you can't just leave me like this. Can't you see how hard you made me?" Boom! I deflected an attack from a monster attacking me from behind. Minseok and I weren't done talking yet.
The following days passed in a blur. On the surface, everything seemed normal. Training sessions, briefings, and the occasional mission kept us busy. But beneath it all, I was constantly on edge, my telepathic abilities straining to pick up even the faintest hint of Morveth's whispers. He was quiet now, but I knew better than to assume he was gone. He was waiting, watching. And the knowledge he held—about me, about the people I cared for—was a constant weight on my chest. Minseok noticed my growing tension, though he didn’t push me for answers. Instead, he stayed close, his quiet support a lifeline I didn’t know I needed. He’d always had a way of calming the storm inside me, but this was different. This storm wasn’t just mine—it was a threat that loomed over everyone I loved. I was aware of the fact that we were being watched, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. The truth was, I wanted to forget about the possibility completely. But if I did, I wouldn't be able to protect those I c
He stared at me for a few moments, then blinked several times. "...Seojin..." I lowered my head in shame. I didn't know why I felt this way, but somehow I couldn't tell him the truth. "Your corruption has gotten worse than it was before." Minseok said, scowling. He sighed and shook his head. He walked past me and sat down on the couch opposite the one he'd originally been sitting on. "You can't keep doing this." I didn't reply. I stood there, unable to move. Minseok was staring at me intently, waiting for me to speak. I couldn't bring myself to do so. "Were you ever planning on telling me about whatever's bothering you to cause such a reaction, or were you going to possibly resort to a punch to my face if I pressed you?" "I...don't know," I answered honestly, looking down at my feet. The silence between us grew longer. "Strip! Let's start with that." Minseok said, pointing at my hoodie. My brows furrowed in confusion. What was he trying to play at? Didn't he understand how unc
"You're joking, right?" Minseok answered, his voice cracking. I laughed. "I'm not joking. I'm the real deal," I said, staring at him. His eyes glazed around my body, eyes searching for something. As if trying to see through me. Trying to figure out what I really was. As if he were looking for something and I had no idea what that was. Why did I feel like he was trying to figure out something? Something important. "I don't think you're thinking straight. Also, I don't need your sympathy." He said, trying to put some distance between us. My chest ached painfully. "I was stupid to have treated you like that... I'm sorry. I know you were only trying to look out for me. I never thought you'd come all the way here just because of me," I apologized to Minseok. I meant every word I said. I realized how much I didn't understand him until today. How much I took him for granted. And how I shouldn't take advantage of someone who cared so deeply about me. I felt a lump forming in my throat
He didn't seem to realize how close he was to losing control himself. He was panting heavily, and I could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead. It wasn't long before he pulled his fingers out of me, causing me to whimper loudly. "You really like that, don't you? Don't worry, I'll get to that soon enough," he said, getting off of the bed. "Wait, where are you going?!" I exclaimed. "Just sit there and wait, okay?" he replied, grabbing his clothes and putting them on. "Wh-what are you doing?! That doesn't make any sense!" I retorted, standing up and following after him. "No, no, no, please, stop! Not now! I mean, I still haven't even gotten to cum yet..." I complained. "Calm down, Seojin. You're going to be alright. Just trust me," he said reassuringly, looking down at me. "Okay..." I responded, nodding. He grabbed hold of my shoulders and pulled me closer to him, then lowered his head towards mine. "I'll be back soon in a few minutes." "Yeah... please come back safe," I mu
Watching Seoul from the rooftop of my apartment, it stretched out like a maze of flickering lights, bustling streets, and distant hums of life. It was a stark contrast to the chaos that had been my reality for the past few weeks. But tonight, standing on the rooftop with Minseok by my side, the world felt oddly quiet. A little too quiet.I leaned against the railing, my thoughts swimming in the events of the last mission. The whispers had been quieter, almost nonexistent since the battle, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was the calm before the storm. I needed to be ready.Minseok stood beside me, his arms crossed as he gazed out over the city. His presence was steady, grounding, yet I could sense the tension in his posture. He hadn’t spoken since we’d come up here, and it was unlike him to remain silent for this long.“What is it?” I asked finally, breaking the stillness.“I'm not even sure,” he replied curtly.I frowned. That wasn't like him. Ever since we met, Minseok ha
I woke to the sound of muffled voices and the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. My head throbbed, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure where I was. The world around me was dim, shadows flickering like ghosts on the walls of the cavern. Slowly, I sat up, blinking away the dizziness. The faint scent of burnt stone lingered in the air, a reminder of the battle I had barely survived.“Seojin,” Minseok’s voice cut through the haze. He was kneeling beside me, his face pale and drawn. “Are you okay? Can you move?”I nodded, though every muscle in my body protested. “What… what happened?” My voice sounded strange to my ears, hoarse and weak.Minseok hesitated, his gaze flickering to the side. “Someone… interfered. They saved you.”“Who?” I pressed, forcing myself to stand despite the pain.Before Minseok could answer, a figure stepped out of the shadows. It was Jaehyun. His usual smirk was gone, replaced by an uncharacteristically grim expression. “You’re welcome,” he said, his tone dripping wi
As we ventured deeper, the once-vibrant greens of the jungle gave way to muted, ashen tones. Trees twisted unnaturally, their bark blackened and oozing an eerie, viscous liquid. The ground beneath our boots was spongy, as though the earth itself was rotting. Then the whispers began. ] I flinched. The voice was faint but unmistakable, like a breeze brushing past my ear. I glanced at Minseok, but he was focused on his tracker. The others didn’t seem to notice either. The second whisper was stronger, more insistent. My chest tightened, but I forced myself to stay calm. I wasn’t about to let my nerves jeopardize the mission. “You okay, Seojin?” Na Ri asked, her sharp eyes catching my unease. I nodded quickly. "Fine. Just... the air feels heavy, that’s all." She didn’t look convinced but didn’t press further. --- ### The Hive After hours of navigating the corrupted jungle, we finally arrived at the heart of the hotspot. What we saw
I froze, the shockwaves reverberating through my body like a sudden tremor. My heart hammered in my chest, and for a brief moment, the world around me felt like it was moving in slow motion. The figure that had appeared from the shadows wasn’t just another opponent—it was something far more dangerous, something I couldn’t fully comprehend.Minseok’s voice, weak and urgent, cut through the chaos. "Seojin... Run."My body refused to obey him at first. It was as if my mind had completely shut down, caught between the desire to act and the overwhelming presence of the unknown enemy. But the sense of danger in the air was palpable. This wasn’t just a fight for victory anymore. It was a fight for survival.And yet, I didn’t move. Instead, my eyes locked onto the figure, my body paralyzed with the weight of everything that had brought me here.The enemy in front of us was cloaked in dark energy, their aura swirling like a storm, impossibly dense. The air itself seemed to crackle and hum with
The darkness stretched across the cavernous expanse, its oppressive weight pressing down on me. The aftermath of the mission played out in my mind like a slow-motion replay, every moment, every decision hanging in the air like a question I could never quite answer."Seojin..." Minseok's voice was soft but firm, cutting through the haze of exhaustion and confusion. "Why did you ignore the plan?"I didn’t have an answer. The mission had gone awry, true, but we still succeeded in stopping the enemy’s primary objective. It wasn’t a total loss. But the team had taken unnecessary hits. Rita and Kimberly were injured, not severely, but enough to knock them out of action for the next few days. Their faces haunted me."I thought the risk was worth it," I said, my voice hollow. I didn’t believe the words myself, but I had to justify it somehow.Minseok’s gaze was steady, too steady. It made my skin crawl. "Risking their lives isn’t your call to make."I winced, but the words Jaehyun had whisper
The ground cracked wide beneath me, the dark chasm yawning as if the very earth was swallowing me whole. The air grew thick with an oppressive energy, the oppressive weight of something ancient and powerful creeping up from the depths below.I stumbled back, my pulse racing. The figure that had appeared—Minseok’s brief and frantic vision—was still fresh in my mind. What did he mean by "you don't know who you're dealing with"? Why had he disappeared? I couldn’t even catch my breath before the ground trembled violently again.Something was coming.I forced myself to focus. Minseok’s voice echoed in my head. *Listen to me... you have to listen...* The chasm widened further, and the creature that began to rise from it was enormous. Its massive, scaled body twisted and coiled as it slithered upwards, its red eyes burning with malice. It looked like a serpent, but there was something distinctly humanoid about its shape. The skin shimmered with an eerie iridescence, reflecting the faint glo
I jolted awake, the pain from the fall still sharp in my body, but the ground beneath me felt different. It wasn’t the cold, stone floor of the chamber where I’d fallen. Instead, it felt warm—almost soft—and there was a strange hum in the air, like the earth itself was alive. For a moment, I couldn't make sense of where I was. I rubbed my eyes, my head still spinning, trying to recall the events leading up to my fall. Jaehyun’s smug face... Minseok calling out to me... and then—darkness. Complete and utter darkness.But this wasn’t darkness. Not entirely. There was a faint glow all around me, casting strange shadows on the walls. I stood up slowly, my legs shaky beneath me, and surveyed my surroundings.The place I found myself in wasn’t like anything I had ever seen before. The walls were made of some smooth, glowing material—blue, purple, and green veins pulsed beneath the surface. It felt... otherworldly, like I had been transported to some alternate dimension. But how?I pressed
Jaehyun's figure loomed before me, his smirk an unsettling contrast to the eerie glow of the symbols that lined the walls. My heart hammered in my chest, the overwhelming sensation of being caught in something far beyond my understanding sinking in. This wasn’t just another dream or vision. It was real. And Jaehyun, of all people, was here.“What is this?” I demanded, my voice a mix of fear and frustration. “How did you get here?”Jaehyun’s smirk only deepened, his eyes glinting with an unsettling light. “I’m not the one who needs to answer questions, Seojin. You’re the one who’s been chosen.” He stepped closer, each movement calculated, deliberate. “This is your choice. And I’m just here to help you make it.”I could feel the tension rising in the air, thick and suffocating. The room around me seemed to pulse, the glowing symbols shifting as if alive, as if they were watching me, waiting. The mark on my wrist burned hotter, a constant reminder of the power I had barely begun to under
When I opened my eyes, I wasn’t in the training grounds. I wasn’t even sure I was still on Earth. The dark expanse stretched infinitely around me, just like in my dreams. The swirling figure stood before me, more distinct now. Its body seemed less like a shadow and more like a void, consuming every bit of light around it. "Why am I here again?" I demanded, my voice echoing. "What do you want from me?" "You are at the threshold, Seojin," it said, its voice layered, as if multiple beings spoke at once. "You must make the choice now." "The choice for what?" I snapped, frustration boiling over. "You keep saying that, but you don’t explain anything! How am I supposed to choose if I don’t even know what’s at stake?" The figure tilted its head as if amused. "You have always known, Seojin. The bond you share with your Guide is strong, but it is incomplete. To achieve your full potential, you must sever your current path and walk a new one." My chest tightened at the words. "Sever?
The arena buzzed with energy. The other Espers were gathered in small groups, talking and laughing, their conversations filling the air. It was one of those rare days when the training schedule allowed for some downtime. For once, the tension wasn’t crushing. Yet, I couldn’t shake the strange sense of unease building in my chest."Seojin! Over here!" Hyunwoo waved me over, his grin bright as always. I walked toward him, my boots crunching against the gravel, catching snippets of hushed conversations along the way. My name came up more than once, always paired with words like "impressive," "unbelievable," or "lucky." Normally, hearing praise like that would have been flattering, but today, the tone felt... off. Hyunwoo nudged me with his elbow as I joined his group. "You’re the talk of the grounds again. How does it feel to be the golden boy?" I rolled my eyes, trying to play it cool. "More like everyone’s favorite target." Hyunwoo chuckled, but his laugh trailed off when Jaehyu