Chapter 75: Kids These Days Lack Effort (1)
Chapter 75: Kids These Days Lack Effort (1)
The massive Great Barrier came into view. A giant gray wall without a single seam.
To ordinary people, that’s all it would be, but I saw something else. A small distortion—a clumsy wall where reality met reality.
Is that it?
The moment I focused my eyes, recognizing that a door existed there, two scenes flashed through my mind simultaneously.
A seamless gray wall, and a wall with a black metal door.
And just like that, reality crumbled.
A headache throbbed, a side effect of shattering the Overlapping Reality with my will.
I glanced at Irua, who was pulling the handcart beside me. He showed no signs of a headache, as if he had already known the door was there.
Tsk. Maybe I shouldn't have broken it myself.
The person in charge would have opened it once we got close anyway. I felt like I’d wasted effort for nothing.
"Could it be… can you see it?"
Perhaps noticing that I had adjusted my course, Irua spoke up.
"Why? Is this your first time seeing someone perceive Overlapping Reality without magic or espers?"
"…It is."
Well, everyone says that.
Having finished our brief exchange, the two of us sprinted toward the door, but there was one person left behind who couldn't understand what was happening.
"Senior?"
"What?"
"Is there something over there?"
Sprinting toward a solid wall must have looked strange to her. Han A-bin narrowed her eyes and began to glare at The Wall. To her, it would look like nothing but a wall, so her reaction was natural.
Now, what should I do?
If I told her and she managed to perceive it, she’d suffer immense mental shock. If I tried to brush it off, she’d suspect I was hiding something and focus even harder, leading to the same result.
The best-case scenario was for her to notice nothing until we arrived, but it seemed I was already too late.
"There's nothing there, so just close your ey—"
"…The mana flow over there is strange. If it were normal, there’s no way that would be a wall…. Huh? Why do I have two hands…?"
Tsk. She noticed. There are many things in this world that are better left unknown.
Having too much talent is also a problem. To read such a subtle dissonance and reach the conviction that something is there…
"We’re running."
Since it had come to this, the only option was to reach the destination as quickly as possible and get her treated.
"Pardon?"
Irua, the Mutant, asked back with a dazed voice, seemingly unaware of what had just happened.
"A-bin perceived the Overlapping Reality. At this rate, her mind will take a hit. We don't have time."
"…She read that?"
My thoughts exactly. I have no idea how she read it either.
The only silver lining was that she had only perceived the Overlapping Reality, not seen through it like I had.
I stole a glance at Han A-bin in the back of the handcart, and the precariousness of the situation was immediately apparent.
Saliva was pouring from her mouth like a waterfall, and her closed eyelids were bulging and twitching as if her eyeballs were moving frantically underneath.
It was a wretched sight, but it was actually better this way. If she had kept her eyes open and continued to stare at The Wall, there was a chance she’d end up brain-dead from information overload.
Closing her eyes was likely an instinctive act of self-preservation against something she shouldn't be seeing.
Rattle. Rattle. Rattle.
The handcart's axle rattled violently, and the wheels kept bouncing into the air as they hit stones. Fortunately, the cargo was well-secured and didn't spill out.
Thump. Thump.
However, Han A-bin’s body, which had no restraints, bounced around and collided with the cargo.
Worried, I turned my head to see her limbs trembling and convulsing—she had passed the tipping point.
Is this her limit?
"I'm going ahead!"
"I'll take the handcart!"
Understanding what I was about to do, he adjusted his pace to match mine.
I abandoned the handcart and scooped my fragile disciple into my arms. Though she was larger than me in stature, I could feel the trembling of her tiny inner self through my hands.
A small existence I had to protect.
A future Hero who had yet to ripen.
How does she manage to encounter death even in a safe place like this? This fragile, fragile disciple of mine.
Boom.
I kicked off the ground.
Under the influence of sudden acceleration, my vision narrowed rapidly, and the surroundings blurred.
I covered her eyes with my palm as they tried to snap open, and a searing heat transferred through my skin.
Was it just my imagination?
It felt like her convulsions were weakening.
Boom.
I kicked off again.
The target came into view.
A seamless gray wall. No matter how one looked at it, it was just the gray Great Barrier, but in my eyes, the black metal door hidden behind it was visible.
A place where worlds overlapped. The pinnacle of security technology using Otherworldly Power.
A reality where a world with a wall and a world with a door were forcibly overlapped.
Because I knew that the non-existence of The Wall existed there, I threw myself forward.
The Wall passed before my eyes, and the sensation of an indescribable collision-yet-non-collision pierced through my body as I crossed the threshold.
"Who goes there!"
Did they only just realize I had arrived? A harsh shout rang out, and weapons were leveled at me.
Dammit. You should have come out sooner.
Then I wouldn't have had to feel that bizarre sensation of phasing through Overlapping Reality.
Management Bureau guards, dressed in black and armed with firearms, surrounded me.
In this urgent situation, I wondered if I really needed to follow protocol, but…
Stay calm, Lee Ha-ram. Acting on impulse never leads to good results. Don't cause unnecessary trouble.
"I am Hero Lee Ha-ram, Registration Number 01-005-M. I have entry clearance, so please verify."
Feeling my disciple’s tremors, I composed myself. It would be faster to get their cooperation than to go on a rampage.
"Please wait quietly while we verify, Mr. Lee Ha-ram."
Seeing my calm demeanor, they also dropped their sharp edge and shifted into a businesslike tone.
The muzzles were still pointed at me, but they seemed ready to listen, so I stated the reason for my haste.
"She has perceived Overlapping Reality and is on the verge of mental collapse. After emergency treatment, please have the necessary items for imprinting ready."
"That is prohibited by regulation, but…"
He spoke in a low voice, as if he understood the situation but his hands were tied.
Yes, he was right. It hadn't been confirmed that I was the real Lee Ha-ram yet, and I could be a terrorist or a Mutant trying to destroy the Great Barrier.
Until my identity was certain, making me wait was the correct course of action.
However, every rule has its exceptions.
"This is an emergency. The progression is faster than expected, so I am requesting an exception based on the right to life. Even if preparing the tools is difficult, emergency treatment should be within the realm of possibility, shouldn't it?"
To show I had no hostile intent, I laid Han A-bin on the ground and stepped back.
Han A-bin. Her convulsions and the heat she radiated left my hands.
It’s okay. For now, she’s still in the safety zone.
Did he understand the meaning behind my actions? The guard wearing a Squad Leader’s armband approached Han A-bin and began a physical examination.
"…Is this person also a Hero?"
"Han A-bin, Registration Number 26-1943-M. She’s my disciple."
Good thing I memorized her registration number.
"…You don't seem to be lying."
After continuing to check her condition, he replied and pulled an autoinjector from his pocket, slamming it into her thigh.
Click.
With the clear sound of a spring releasing, Han A-bin’s convulsions subsided.
A sigh of relief naturally escaped my lips now that the immediate crisis had passed.
Did the Squad Leader hear my sigh? He spoke to me.
"It’s too early to relax. This is only an emergency measure. Proper treatment can only happen after verification is complete."
I know that too, buddy.
"I can wait that long."
Having passed the peak of the crisis, I opened my hands and slowly sat down on the ground.
The muzzles followed my movement—a rather amusing sight.
Well then, let’s wait.
It’ll be resolved once the verification is finished or Irua arrives.
Relieved that things had ended safely, I slowly calmed my mind.
* * *
"How can someone be on the verge of death just from crossing the Great Barrier?"
I don't know either, you brat. Who would have thought someone who knows nothing could read something from that?
"…I didn't know A-bin was capable of that much either."
To think her ability to read things was on the level of Meteor or the Lord of Infinite Castles.
There’s a limit to being talented.
I knew she had talent, but if I’d known she could read the distortion of reality, I would have prepared in advance.
"Well, at least it makes for a good story."
"Shut it."
Irua must use this gate quite often, as he seemed to be on familiar terms with the guards. As soon as he arrived, the guards quickly moved Han A-bin to the treatment room, and we were left to kill time on chairs in the security office.
How long had we been exchanging trivial jokes?
The Squad Leader opened the door and appeared.
"Have you been waiting?"
"What’s the status?"
Since there was no chance things had gone wrong, I demanded the results immediately.
"She’ll wake up in about two hours. Because you acted quickly, her brain and senses weren't damaged."
That’s a relief.
"What about the Overlapping Reality information filter algorithm? Were you able to install it in her brain?"
This was something I had insisted on.
Now that I knew A-bin’s talent, I had to prepare in advance before something like this happened again.
"…About that."
For some reason, the Squad Leader, who had been speaking confidently until a moment ago, suddenly lowered his head.
"What is it?"
"Could you come this way for a moment? It’s a private matter."
Does wanting to move elsewhere mean he can't tell Irua?
Leaving Irua behind, who waved his hand as if telling me to go ahead, I stepped out of the security office.
Clack. The door closed.
"What’s the problem?"
Not wanting to waste any more time, I got straight to the point.
"We failed to install the algorithm."
"Why?"
Maybe in the old days when experts did it manually, but these days, anyone can have it installed, right?
The guards here would have it, and there’s no way A-bin’s intelligence is so low that she couldn't take such an algorithm.
"…There is an S-Class Confidential Protect on her brain. Do you know anything about this?"
An S-Class Confidential Protect? What are you talking about? Why would something like that be on A-bin?
I have one, but…
…Is it because of me?
"Hmm… Squad Leader. Do you know much about those brain algorithms?"
"You can tell by my placement here, can't you? I'm above average."
"Then, can a protect be contagious? I have an S-Class Confidential Protect…. Actually, you don't have to tell me."
Ah. That’s not it.
The Squad Leader’s face shifted into a 'what on earth are you talking about' expression.
"…It’s not contagious."
Even though I told him he didn't have to answer, the Squad Leader went out of his way to rebuke me.
"Then I don't know either."
Is an S-Class Confidential Protect even common to begin with? Even the Heavenly Sword only got an A-Class because his stupidity was recognized.
And yet there are two people with it right here? Me and Han A-bin.
What exactly is going on?
"Then I recommend you check with the Management Bureau. It would be best to know for sure before something like this happens again…."
The Squad Leader’s words held a note of genuine concern for A-bin.
"I'll take that to heart."
I should ask her directly or submit a verification request to the Management Bureau.
Since it’s an S-Class Confidential Protect, there’s a high chance I’ll be rejected even if I ask, but if I am, that in itself proves the existence of such a protect.
"Then I'll let you know as soon as Hero Han A-bin wakes up."
"Understood."
After parting with the Squad Leader, I sat back down on the chair in the security office.
"What did you talk about?"
The Mutant beside me seemed to enjoy these kinds of incidents, as he didn't hide his curiosity and threw a question at me.
"Do you think I’d blab about my disciple’s privacy?"
"I see. Though I heard everything anyway."
…Ah. This guy was a beast Mutant.
"Incredible. An S-Class Confidential Protect… isn't that on the level of secrets related to the founding of the Management Bureau? Is your disciple perhaps an old Hero who lost her memory?"
"I remember most of the kids, but A-bin wasn't one of them."
If that were the case, she would have been doing Magical Girl stuff since she was five to seven years old. Does that make any sense?
"Then is there some mystical secret? An Otherworldly Being, or someone who crossed parallel worlds! Memory loss, or a regressionist…."
Why is he suddenly so excited? Was he into that kind of thing? Besides, all those regressionists were frauds. Though there was one guy who jumped back a year or two.
How long had we been having such a trivial conversation?
—…Sen…ior.
"Did you call me?"
"Why would I call you again while we're talking?"
A strange sound echoed in my ears, so I looked around, but the only thing there was a Mutant flapping his gums.
—…Senior.
It became louder. A clearer voice.
"Someone’s calling me."
"I don't hear anything."
You don't? A sound this clear?
—Senior… where… are you.
Han A-bin?