Chapter 179: 39th Floor. World of Espers (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 179: 39th Floor. World of Espers (2)
"Hello there."
The speaker stepped into the light. His attire was remarkably clean and luxurious—certainly not the kind of clothing one would expect to see in a place like this. Kang Jun-hyeok recognized the type immediately.
"An Esper from Psychotic. What do you want with me?"
"Nothing much... It’s just that the pig told me to teach a lesson to the person who dared to reject him. I don't have a personal grudge against you, but I was paid, so what can I do?"
The man smirked.
"I'll just start by burning off your limbs!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Flames roared to life over his palms. As he swung his hands, the fire exploded outward, engulfing Kang Jun-hyeok.
Explosions of heat and light filled his vision.
Kang Jun-hyeok took a light, measured step forward.
He slipped through a narrow gap in the blasts and closed the distance in an instant. The moment the man raised his hands in a panic, Jun-hyeok seized his wrists.
"So you generate flames from your palms? You're neutralized the moment someone grabs your wrists. Nothing special."
"Wh-what?"
Crack.
Jun-hyeok snapped the man's wrist. He muffled the ensuing scream with one hand and struck the back of the man's head with the other, sending him collapsing to the ground.
Kang Jun-hyeok looked down at the fallen figure with total indifference.
He had faced many Espers before. He could take down an opponent of this caliber as easily as breaking a child's toy, even while suppressing his true strength.
Besides, he had no interest in this man.
The "tail" he had sensed earlier was someone else. Kang Jun-hyeok spoke into the shadows.
"You've seen enough, haven't you? Why don't you come out now?"
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The sound of slow applause rang out. Soon, a burly, middle-aged man emerged from the alleyway. He sported an impressive, well-groomed beard.
"Impressive. He wasn't a weak Esper, yet you neutralized him in a heartbeat. Not only is your raw martial prowess outstanding, but you're also clearly accustomed to fighting Espers. You truly are the renowned Sub-Esper."
"Sub-Esper? What's that supposed to be?"
"What? You don't know? It's one of the monikers the streets have given you. It means you're a Non-Esper who possesses power rivaling that of an actual Esper."
"Childish."
Kang Jun-hyeok let out a short, mocking laugh.
"So, is that all you wanted to say? Then get lost."
Instead of backing away, the man smiled. "You are strong. You possess a power that even Espers cannot ignore. You must have faced many temptations, yet you remain here in Useless. Why? Do you harbor a grudge against Espers? Do you hate them because you were born a Non-Esper?"
"I don't care about that crap," Kang Jun-hyeok said dismissively. "What I loathe are people who judge a person's entire worth based on a single ability."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"What's the real difference between the people of Psychotic and the people of Useless? Whether they have a superpower or not. That's it. Even a pig so bloated with fat he can't move on his own can enter Psychotic if he's an Esper. Meanwhile, a martial artist who has honed himself through endless discipline is forced to rot in Useless just because he lacks a 'power.'"
Kang Jun-hyeok clicked his tongue as he looked at the fallen man.
"They categorize and discriminate against everything based solely on whether someone has an ability. Is this truly right? I don't think so. That is why I loathe them."
Of course, those weren't Kang Jun-hyeok's true feelings.
He didn't care one way or the other about their local conflict.
But Gu Bijan would have cared.
Gu Bijan was strong, but he was also overflowing with a sense of justice and a rebellious streak. He rejected what others considered "natural" and walked the path he desired.
What would Gu Bijan have done here?
How would he have answered?
Jun-hyeok recalled those memories and took control of the scene. He deceived his own emotions and acted the part.
Right now, he was Gu Bijan.
He answered with Gu Bijan's convictions.
The man grinned, clearly pleased with the response.
"The correct answer. If it had been mere hostility or anger over discrimination, you would have failed my test. You never know how someone consumed by negative emotions will act. But you possess a sense of justice. That will never waver unless you break it yourself."
"Anyway, who are you? Popping out of nowhere like this."
Kang Jun-hyeok narrowed his eyes. The middle-aged man spread his arms wide.
"I am one who seeks to right what is wrong."
"What are you talking about?"
"I intend to make your ideals a reality."
"You're going to end the discrimination between Espers and Non-Espers?"
"Exactly. Preparations for that path are progressing steadily. It is impossible with the strength of a single individual, which is why I created a group. An organization for our wishes—for a world without discrimination."
The middle-aged man reached out a hand toward Kang Jun-hyeok.
"Will you join us?"
"How can I trust your words?"
"If you don't trust me, you can simply leave. There's no harm in following me for now. It's not like I could even hope to suppress the famous Anti-Esper if you decided to walk away."
At those leisurely words, Kang Jun-hyeok fell into thought.
To be precise, he pretended to be in thought. The answer had been decided from the start. After a moment, he nodded.
"I'll let myself be fooled once. Lead the way."
"Good. Follow me."
The middle-aged man smirked and headed deeper into the alleyway. Kang Jun-hyeok followed close behind.
They walked for a long time through winding, narrow passages. It was a path so complex that even someone with an excellent memory might struggle to retrace their steps.
At the end of the maze, they arrived at a dilapidated house.
Kang Jun-hyeok grimaced. "This is it?"
"It may look like this on the outside, but the inside is clean. Come in."
Even inside the building, everything appeared dusty and corroded. The man lightly tapped on a specific section of the wall. A strange vibration echoed, and the floorboards began to slide open.
"...A secret base?"
"This way."
Kang Jun-hyeok followed him down. After descending hundreds of stairs, a high-tech underground facility finally came into view.
"Whoa! You're back, Director!"
There were about fifteen people inside. They began to stir when they saw Kang Jun-hyeok.
"Oh, wow. The famous Anti-Esper! You actually brought him! Is he joining us?"
"I haven't received a definitive answer yet, but I think he's leaning toward it."
"I see... I really hope he does!"
"What is all this?" Kang Jun-hyeok asked, looking around at the group.
There were people of various ages, but that wasn't what caught his attention.
"Why are there Espers here?"
Half of them were Espers. The Director spoke proudly.
"They are comrades who sympathize with my ideology. Kang Jun-hyeok, this world is fundamentally broken."
The Director’s expression turned grave.
"When Espers marry and have children, those children are born as Espers. Furthermore, a child born between an Esper and a Non-Esper also becomes an Esper."
"...That's the first I've heard of that."
"I'm sure it is. Because the rulers up there in Psychotic keep that information strictly hidden. What do you think this truth implies?"
After thinking for a moment, Kang Jun-hyeok replied, "It means that eventually, everyone should become an Esper."
"Correct."
If the bloodlines mixed, the final result would always be an Esper. If that were the case, eventually, only Espers should remain in the world.
Yet, a large number of Non-Espers still existed. The Director's face contorted with rage.
"It is because the rulers up there have intentionally decided to keep the Non-Espers as they are! They separated Espers and Non-Espers and completely blocked them from marrying. There is only one reason: to maintain a caste system!"
If everyone became an Esper, then being an Esper would eventually become ordinary.
But as long as Non-Espers remained, the "elites" could continue to feel special.
A base, disgusting sense of class superiority.
For that alone, they had divided the city, discriminated against Non-Espers, and forbidden them from forming relationships with the "superior" class.
The Director's clenched fist trembled.
"Once I realized that fact, I resolved to eliminate this damn discrimination. We are all equal! We are equivalent human beings! This forced division must disappear!"
"We are an organization gathered in agreement with the Director's will," one of the members added. "We are All For Equal."
Everything for the sake of equality.
It was a name that carried the weight of their conviction. The Director thrust his hand out toward Jun-hyeok.
"You said that dividing the world based on ability alone was wrong. I have resolved to eliminate that division. Do you think I am wrong? Or do you think I am right?"
Kang Jun-hyeok remained silent.
How would Yoo Jin-ha have answered in this situation?
The answer was simple. He took the Director's hand. The Director broke into a bright, triumphant smile.
* * *
"Good. It seems everyone involved in the operation has gathered. Let's begin immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
"Understood!"
The organization members answered vigorously. The Director quickly laid out the plan.
"I have gathered people, but it is still not enough to shake the world. We must recruit more who sympathize with our cause. However, finding individuals one by one as we have been doing takes too much time."
One member's eyes sparkled. "You're planning to move in earnest!"
"Exactly. Sub-Esper. Chang Ma-yeom. Gu Jok. I'm giving you your assignments. Psychotic City is divided into several districts. Go and plant these in five of them."
The Director handed over a small orb. Kang Jun-hyeok recognized it immediately.
"A beam projector with stored data?"
"When the morning sun rises, the projectors will activate and reveal the truth to the public. It may be a small spark, but people who sympathize with us will emerge. It's a humble beginning, but this will be our first step."
They would increase their influence as they expanded their forces. Finally, when they possessed enough power that the city could no longer ignore them, they would negotiate on equal footing. That was the Director's goal.
"Understood!"
"Let's move, Mr. Anti-Esper!"
Kang Jun-hyeok moved toward Psychotic City with the others. There was tight security and numerous guards patrolling, but Chang Ma-yeom and Gu Jok, who were with him, were Espers. They were able to slip into the city without any issues.
Kang Jun-hyeok asked the two of them, "Why are you two doing this when you're Espers?"
"I always wondered why they had to be discriminated against. Why are we judged to be superior? The Director gave me the answer I was looking for."
"For me, it's simpler," the other said. "My lover is a Non-Esper."
"I see."
They soon arrived at a crossroads in the district. Chang Ma-yeom and Gu Jok made a quick judgment.
"Mr. Kang Jun-hyeok, you don't know the geography of Psychotic very well, do you? And since you're a Non-Esper, you'll be under a lot of scrutiny. We'll each take two locations, so you just handle one."
"No." Kang Jun-hyeok shook his head. "I'll take three. You two take one each."
"Huh?"
"Wh-what? Are you sure? This is Psychotic. We know you're a strong Sub-Esper, but still..."
"Just go."
His voice was laced with the power of Persuasion. They hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Then let's meet back here before the sun rises."
"Uh, yeah..."
"Contact us if it gets dangerous!"
The two of them left hesitantly.
Kang Jun-hyeok toyed with the orbs in his hand.
'All For Equal.'
A group advocating for equality. It was highly likely that Yoo Jin-ha had joined this group in the past.
However... he didn't see how this would lead to obtaining a superpower. After a moment of deliberation, Kang Jun-hyeok cleared his thoughts.
For now, he would play the part.
If he did, a path would eventually reveal itself. Kang Jun-hyeok looked toward the distance and kicked off the ground.
[ Rift Movement. ]
A few hours later.
Chang Ma-yeom and Gu Jok returned, their faces etched with exhaustion.
Kang Jun-hyeok was already leaning against a wall, waiting for them.
"You're here."
"...Huh?"
"Wh-what? How long have you been waiting?"
"About three hours."
"Wh-what? What about the mission...?"
"Finished it, obviously. Now let's go back. We have work to do."
"Uh, right."
"Understood."
Kang Jun-hyeok turned around and began to walk. The two Espers followed behind him, their expressions completely dazed.