Chapter 165
Chapter 165
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 165
Chapter Title: The Black Crow and the White Ghost (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“What were the results?”
The first to speak was an old man, his face a canvas of wrinkles.
He wore a pristine white lab coat without a single crease and thin-rimmed glasses.
It was a stereotypical look; out of a hundred people, all one hundred would identify him as a researcher.
He was staring intently through the glass at the experiment chamber beyond, as if he couldn't tear his eyes away.
So important was the sight before him that he wouldn't even turn his head slightly.
“As you can see, not only have we failed to achieve the objective, but not a single subject has adapted to even the minimum threshold for controlling the power. Most exhibit seizures and delirium leading to brain death. It seems likely that severe mental contamination is the cause…”
“Hmm, another failure. Perhaps each subject requires a different approach.”
The old man stroked his beard at the middle-aged man’s reply, feigning vexation.
Yet, as he muttered, his expression remained utterly devoid of emotion.
It was like a doll poorly imitating a human, an unsettling sight.
But despite his unchanging face, was he truly troubled?
The old man, who had paused to think, spoke with a somewhat weary tone.
“It seems it’s about time to abandon this lab. For the last attempt, we’ll use God’s Child.”
“Director, God’s Child…?”
The young man reacted with shock, but the old man’s eyebrow didn’t so much as twitch.
His gaze was fixed on a girl curled up in a corner, showing no reaction at all.
It was clear the old man was referring to the black-haired girl.
But what was this "God's Child"? That was never in the original story.
‘Strange. Why am I having this dream?’
Then, a question surfaced.
Why am I dreaming this right now?
Well, it’s all a dream, that’s why. That’s how dreams are.
Just as I tried to convince myself with that internal monologue, I realized a startling fact.
‘Wait a minute… isn’t this where I first opened my eyes?’
*Crack.*
With the sound of something fracturing, my consciousness shot to the surface.
It felt like being doused with ice-cold water in that hazy moment just before falling asleep.
Snapping out of the blurry lucid dream, I forced myself to consciously observe the scenery before me.
An instinct deep in my chest screamed that I couldn't just dismiss all of this.
‘Ugh… I feel like I’m on the verge of understanding something…!’
But perhaps the clearer my consciousness became, the further I drifted from the dream.
The surrounding scenery scattered like a mirage in an instant…
The moment I thought I had returned from a formless, ghost-like state to my heavy body,
I found myself rolling around inside the all-too-familiar closet.
“…!”
What kind of absurd dream was that? No, was it really a dream?
My back, drenched in sweat, was unpleasantly damp, and my heart was pounding erratically.
Was it because my body was still difficult to control in the aftermath of waking up?
I lay still, closed my eyes, and steadied my ragged breathing.
Then, just as I finally regained my senses and tried to open my eyes and sit up,
I met a pair of black eyes looking down at me.
“Ah, I didn’t mean to wake you. I just heard you whimpering inside and, well, I couldn’t help it.”
The man looking at me from outside the closet was, of course, Raven.
He touched his neck awkwardly, as if the timing couldn't have been worse.
To think I’d run into him so suddenly, without any mental preparation.
I didn’t even think to put on my mask as I stared up at Raven in a daze.
*Thump, thump.*
My heart, which had just barely calmed down, lost its composure and began to race again.
I felt like the deadline for a long-procrastinated assignment was suddenly upon me.
***
Outside, the sun had completely set, and the world was filled with inky darkness and brilliant neon signs.
A glance at the clock showed it was already 11 PM.
I’d only meant to take a short nap. When did I sleep for so long?
It seemed the events at the Sky Garden had left my body thoroughly exhausted. No wonder I felt so refreshed.
From what I heard, Raven had only returned to the agency a few minutes ago.
It seemed his efforts in personally recruiting a support team of high-ranking single-number Fixers had paid off.
He had apparently been excused from the cleanup of the Sky Garden raid, a process that should have tied him up for weeks.
Yes, it was definitely good news.
I had thought I wouldn’t see his face for a while, only hearing about him.
The fact that the fixer agency could resume operations soon… was nothing but a good thing.
“Why the lack of appetite? You’re the one who usually polishes off a whole pizza.”
“…”
“Ah, are you cold? I made sure to turn the heating up.”
“…!”
But now, my most fatal secret had been discovered by the one person I least wanted to find out.
Though I was sitting on a plush sofa, I felt as if I were on a bed of nails.
That’s how much mental stress I was under.
Even pizza, which I usually devoured with gusto, wouldn’t go down, and I couldn't bring myself to touch it.
No, but why wasn’t he bringing it up?
It’s better to get the scolding over with quickly, but this suspense was making me so queasy I couldn’t even eat.
‘But it would be weird for me to rush him… No, wait a minute. Is Raven planning to pretend he doesn’t know?’
Come to think of it, Raven’s behavior wasn't much different from usual.
Except for his somewhat unreadable expression and the way he kept glancing at me.
Was he planning to just let the events at the Sky Garden fade away, pretending he didn't remember?
…If so, that was an offer I had no reason to refuse.
I had no intention of advertising the fact that I was a psychic to the whole world.
If I was just a bit more careful about hiding my identity, I wouldn't be that much of a nuisance.
Of course, if a situation arose where Raven, Alice, or Greg were in danger, I would have no choice but to act.
But barring such unavoidable circumstances, you wouldn't find anyone who lived a quieter life than me. Seriously.
“…Hmm. Seeing you so on edge, you must be aware of the gravity of the situation. Alright, let’s stop beating around the bush. You’d prefer that, wouldn’t you?”
“…”
But it seemed Raven had no intention of letting it go after all.
He shattered my spark of hope, looking at me with a cold, impassive face.
Unlike his usual relaxed self, his aura was sharp, leaving no room for weakness.
It was so terrifying that I nearly squeezed out a tear.
“Alright, I’ll be direct. Yuria, you are aware that you’re a psychic, aren’t you?”
*Thud.* I felt my heart plummet.
I never thought he’d strike at the core of the issue from the very beginning. I wanted to get up and run away right this instant.
But telling a clumsy lie at this point would be a betrayal of trust.
There was no way Raven would fall for my pathetic acting; it was the worst possible option.
And so, feeling my tongue go dry, I hunched my shoulders and slowly nodded.
For the record, I was not at all ignorant of what that question implied.
Knowing you were a psychic versus not knowing… the difference was night and day.
‘A psychic is a being who wields the power of the Invaders, the dimensional conquerors. And they are the Fixer Association’s most carefully watched… enemy.’
In this world, I understood the weight of the word "psychic" more keenly than anyone.
For various reasons, the time for a proper psychic faction to emerge hadn't arrived yet.
Nevertheless, over the past decade, the Fixer Association had encountered countless experiments to create psychics and the imperfect results that followed.
Thus, the Association considered psychics to be on neither the side of humanity nor metahumans.
That was because their ultimate goal was to let Earth fall into the hands of the Invaders, just like the other worlds.
A dimensional invader conquering the world meant the end of everything.
There was a reason humanity and metahumans had joined hands and called a truce when the Invaders first appeared over a decade ago.
“I see. So you knew perfectly well that your special power didn’t originate from magic.”
“…”
“The Ghost of the Western Labyrinth was you too, wasn’t it?”
“…!”
“That reaction says it all.”
*Flinch.*
I couldn't help but jolt at Raven's sudden, piercing question.
Even if he had met Alice, I never imagined he would know about the ghost.
Unfortunately, such a reaction was as good as a nod.
He nodded dispassionately, as if he’d expected it, and suddenly pulled a jet-black pistol from his suit jacket, aiming it at me.
‘Mimic Shadow…’
It was Mimic Shadow, an artifact of sorts that could replicate an object it had been fed beforehand.
And it was the weapon Raven always drew when he considered someone an enemy.
I had considered the possibility in a corner of my mind, but I never thought it would actually happen.
I could only remain frozen, a deer in the headlights, as I bore the full brunt of his restrained killing intent.
“Psychics, even if they haven't caused any harm, are considered Class 1 threats by their very existence. Do you know why?”
“…”
Raven said in a toneless voice, his finger on the trigger.
Perhaps it was the pressure, the feeling that he could put a bullet through my forehead at any moment, but I couldn’t move my head.
But he didn't seem to think my answer was necessary.
He tapped his head with his free hand and continued.
“It’s because every psychic ever witnessed has shown symptoms of severe mental contamination. An incomprehensible, deep-seated hatred that drives them to kill any life before them, even at the cost of their own. Furthermore, since their power cannot be suppressed by any known means, the Fixer Association eventually gave up on trying to capture them alive.”
It was a story I already knew from the original work.
And his words were extremely close to the truth.
It was true that most psychics were, for the most part, insane.
Like a fire that burns ceaselessly until only ashes remain.
What's more, their fundamental ideology was tantamount to the destruction of Earth.
To Fixers, psychics were enemies to be killed on sight, beings with whom dialogue was impossible.
It was terribly sad, but I could fully understand why Raven was pointing a gun at me.
However, understanding it intellectually and accepting it emotionally were two different things.
Under Raven’s unusually cold gaze, I thought blankly.
‘What should I do? Do I have to fight? With… Raven?’
Feeling my heart pound uncontrollably, I clenched my fists on my thighs.
Obviously, I didn’t want to die.
And to die by a gunshot, of all things—the mere thought was horrifying.
So, logically, I had to either escape or fight back before Raven could harm me.
‘Run? …But where?’
Run, or fight him.
Neither option appealed to me.
Greg, Alice, Raven, Sabrina…
Their names felt more precious to me now than my own life.
The affection I had for them was too great to just abandon them and run away alone.
And fighting Raven because I didn’t want to die?
Win or lose, it would be meaningless.
And so, before Raven, who seemed utterly serious,
I could only stare at him silently, as if refusing to choose anything at all.
As I let my will drift in this nightmarish situation,
Raven pulled a unique, transparent bullet filled with a solution from his coat and made a shocking statement.
“…But you’re lucky. The Association just happened to create something like this.”
“…?”
“This is a special serum that eliminates a psychic’s power. It’ll hurt like hell when it hits you, but you’ll become an ordinary human who has lost their power.”
“…!”
He could get rid of my psychic powers?
I blinked blankly at the unbelievable words that came from Raven’s mouth.
If that was really possible, if I could live without being consumed by the anxiety of being a psychic,
Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.
“Don’t you dare dodge. This is my final piece of advice to you.”
Flicking the bullet and feeding it to his shadow, Raven pulled the trigger without a moment’s hesitation.
The trigger slowly moved back, and then, a deafening gunshot ripped through the air.