Taking Down the Pervert (2)
Kim Jae-hyun had lived his life seething with jealousy toward awakeners.
'Honestly, where in the world is there such a lottery?'
He couldn't wrap his head around how some people could live lavishly just because they got lucky and awakened—without any effort—while others like him had to scrape by. 'You can't choose your parents at birth, so why can't you choose whether to awaken or not?'
Kim Jae-hyun spent his days lost in such thoughts, endlessly arguing with people online. And on the day he turned forty, he finally awakened.
He was over the moon at first, but soon realized his limits and clicked his tongue in disgust. 'E-rank? E-rank? The kind of E-rank that's useless even as rat droppings?'
E-rankers had to risk their lives even in low-grade gates. In mid-grade gates, they were nothing more than pack mules.
'Is this real life...?'
Kim Jae-hyun never registered as an awakener. What was the point? He couldn't make big money from gates anyway—just lose his life. Instead, he decided to satisfy his desires through ordinary people outside the gates.
'Today's targets are those two.'
Kim Jae-hyun chuckled to himself as he eyed the sisters in matching rash guards. His trait was Hit, and his skill was Anesthetic Saliva. If his saliva touched anyone else, it instantly numbed their entire body and put them to sleep.
'Perfect ability for having some fun.'
He quietly tailed the sisters. The crowded summer beach meant no one noticed his stalking.
'They're traveling alone, just the two of them. Perfect.'
After confirming their lodging, Kim Jae-hyun killed time at a nearby bar until nightfall. When the sisters emerged—probably for dinner—he followed discreetly. He planned to strike as they returned from eating.
But something felt off.
'This is a back alley?'
Instead of heading to a restaurant, the sisters veered into a dark alley.
'Did some local guys invite them?'
Kim Jae-hyun followed with renewed vigor. He couldn't stand someone else touching his chosen prey. Then, as he rounded the corner, he realized he'd walked into a trap.
"You've had a long day."
A man at the alley's end stared him down. Kim Jae-hyun instinctively knew: that guy was an awakener.
* * *
"You've had a long day."
At my words, one of the youth patrol juniors dashed out and gently hugged the trembling sisters.
"You were so brave. Thank you. Leave the rest to us."
The junior led them away. Now, the alley held only me, Aqua, and the pervert.
The creep asked unpleasantly, "What is this? A sting operation?"
After identifying him, I'd enlisted the youth patrol and local residents to surveil the guy all day. Every move—where he went, where he lingered—flowed to me. It was possible only because these folks had lived like family for over a decade. We'd even coordinated with the sisters' lodging owner and the sisters themselves.
'They were scared but said they couldn't forgive a pervert and wanted to help.'
Not many could muster that courage against an awakener. Of course, I didn't need to spill all that to this creep.
Tension etched his face as he kept talking to me. "Hey, no need for anyone to get hurt. How about we just let this slide?"
While speaking, he scanned my stance and surroundings, trying to lure me into dropping my guard for an attack or escape.
From that, I gleaned two facts.
'Ranged awakener.'
He showed no intent to close the distance. 'And low-rank, as expected.'
High-rankers wouldn't stoop to this, bloated with pride in their power.
'If he bolts now, things get messy.'
I pretended to follow his gaze, deliberately showing an opening.
"I was just looking for some fun. No need to fight over a little deviation... Ptoo!'"
He seized the gap, spitting at me. Even from afar, it flew fast and precise toward my head.
'Hit trait.'
Expecting it, I calmly activated my skill. My one and only spirit spell: Water Shield.
Splat!
His saliva lacked the force to pierce the shield.
"Huh?"
The pervert stared at the blocking shield in mild surprise.
"What? A spirit user? Oh, you're that F-rank spirit user the locals were buzzing about?"
He burst into loud laughter. "Hah! An F-rank spirit user with no spirits blocking my path?"
Aqua hadn't manifested, so she was invisible to him. Emboldened, he charged at me, betting on the physical gap between F and E ranks.
Aqua beside me asked, [Shall I not help?]
"No need to dirty your hands on trash like this."
Aqua's attacks on a mere pervert would be overkill. 'I can handle him solo.'
My rank might be low, but I'd topped my class for years at a premier awakener academy. Losing to this small-time bully who only preyed on civilians would shame my student ID.
I eyed his charge trajectory and activated Water Shield again.
As its name implied, it formed a shield of water. Its strength, shape, and position were up to the caster's control.
'Like this application.'
I conjured a Water Shield under his approaching foot's path.
Slick!
"Whoa?!"
His foot slipped on the shield. I followed up, creating another under his balancing step.
Slide!
Both feet airborne, he plummeted. I formed my hardest hemispherical Water Shield under his occiput.
Thud!
He went limp, his own momentum knocking him out.
[Oooooh!]
Aqua whipped around, face lit with shock. [What was that? Amazing!]
Her eyes sparkled as she punched my leg playfully. [Winning with just a few water sprays, no attacks! Brilliant! Art thou a genius?]
"Haha, just lots of research on my skill."
Academy life had opened new worlds. Classes brimmed with incredible traits and skills.
'So I gave my all to what I could do.'
I aced academics and endlessly refined my sole skill, Water Shield. I could confidently claim top-tier status there.
'Though this guy was too easy.'
A ranged awakener himself, charging into melee just because he thought I was F-rank. No study of abilities or other awakeners, clearly.
[Dead?] Aqua poked the body.
"Nah, he's an awakener. Won't die from that."
[Now what?]
"Hand him to the punishment experts."
I pulled out my phone and called the police. "Yes, thank you for your service. Reporting an unregistered awakener."
Punishment hinged on their investigation, but being unregistered alone warranted penalty.
'Harsh for unregistered awakeners.'
Special prisons for awakeners were tax-devouring beasts, customized per ability. Thus, policy often severed the body part manifesting powers before dumping them in regular jail.
'Human rights debates rage, but...'
Government took a hardline on awakener crimes. 'Saliva skill, so tongue and salivary glands, probably.'
Plus pervert charges? His past sins would earn overflowing punishment.
After reporting, I grinned at Aqua. "Case closed, sheriff."
Her eyes widened at "sheriff," then she crossed her arms and nodded solemnly. [Mm, indeed! Good work, deputy!]
I chuckled softly, hoisting her onto my neck. Moonlight filled her translucent form.
* * *
Police arrived swiftly, loaded the unconscious creep, and questioned me. In rule-of-law Korea, vigilante action like mine wasn't kosher. But after explaining and flashing my academy ID, they nodded and left.
'Might even get a commendation.'
In awakener-centric society, academy IDs carried massive weight.
With it wrapped up, I headed to the patrol's afterparty spot.
"He's here!"
"Awesome, awakener!"
"Spirit users rule!"
The beach road's sole pub—amid sashimi joints and cafes—teemed with patrol members.
Patrol leader Park-hyung clapped my shoulder. "Well done, Kang Hyunwoo! Neighborhood pride! Aqua worked hard too!"
[Mm... I did nothing.]
I comforted the deflated Aqua. "Without our contract boosting my Water Shield, I couldn't have caught him."
Spirits and users were one, linked by contract—their powers intertwined naturally.
[Is that so?]
"Of course. How else could a shield knock someone out?"
Aqua nodded slowly, understanding and pride blooming on her face. I watched leisurely.
At peak pride, she climbed the table, arms crossed, laughing grandly. [Hahaha! Mm! We fought splendidly!]
The patrol's gazes filled with adoration.
"...Too cute."
"So that's a spirit."
"Wanna be our beach mascot?"
"No way. This cuteness is ours to monopolize!"
Laughter erupted; my shoulders shook with joy. I'd never known my spirit's popularity could feel this good.
Smiling at the fuss over Aqua, I glanced aside. The brave rash guard sisters sat there too—key players in luring the perverts, fully deserving invites.
"Must've been scary. You did amazing."
I bowed slightly. They waved it off.
"No biggie! Gotta help with stuff like this!"
"Yeah. Those creeps deserve jail rice!"
Tougher and more spirited than I'd thought.
[Quite right! Bullies must be punished!] Aqua nodded gravely.
The sisters covered their mouths, gasping "Oh my."
The older one asked, "Um, can I pet Aqua?"
I smiled. "Ask Aqua, not me."
Spirits were family, individuals. But civilians often slipped up, unfamiliar as they were.
"Oh, right. Sorry, Aqua."
['Tis fine!]
"Can I pet you?"
[Not the head!]
Instead, she offered her back. Their hands approached cautiously.
Poing. Touching her soft body, their hands bounced gently.
"Wow!"
"Whoa..."
Dazed, they stroked her back.
[Heehee!]
Enjoying the gentle touch, Aqua giggled softly.
"Me too!"
"Aqua, can I?"
[All good, but you're all too big—no room for everyone!]
"Me first!"
"After them, it's my turn!"
Aqua was a total hit. She graciously offered her back to the patrol too.
"Wow..."
"Like living pudding."
"Kinda like a land jellyfish, right?"
"Spirits are the best... I wanna be a spirit user..."
Even Park-hyung cleared his throat, awaiting his turn.
The sisters stared blankly at their hands, lost in Aqua's afterglow.
The older snapped out first, serious-faced. "Can we start an Aqua fan club?"
"...Fan club?"
Aqua's fans #1 and #2 were born that instant.