No, the Protagonist Just Has No Thoughts, You Idiots!
On the rooftop of a building a short distance from the hospital, Jekyll smiled at the scene unfolding before him.
Younghee had performed exactly as he'd hoped. Honestly speaking, it was beyond expectations. He hadn't anticipated that she possessed that kind of talent.
"They say a candle burns brightest just before it goes out. The final moments of a human plunged into despair are truly beautiful like this."
It deviated slightly from the plan, but that didn't matter. Today, Younghee would die. And Cheolsu would fall into despair. If Yujin witnessed that and came to a realization, it would be enough.
…
"Don't you think so, Sunbae-nim?"
Jekyll turned his head. There stood a man in a black suit and sunglasses—the ever-present Park Secretary who attended to Yujin. He'd dropped Yujin off and rushed straight here.
Park Secretary stared at Jekyll in silence before slowly opening his mouth.
"......Is this the work of the anti-Yujin faction executives?"
"No, just my own initiative."
"Haa, I figured as much. If it were really about targeting Yujin-nim, there'd be no need for something this convoluted."
If Jekyll intended to kill Cheolsu or Younghee, he had plenty of ways. He didn't need to use Younghee at all. He could just assassinate Cheolsu outright. Resorting to hypnosis and drugs meant there was some other purpose.
"What's your angle? Trying to send a warning to Yujin-nim?"
Stay quiet if you don't want to lose more friends. Something like that? If so, it was a grave miscalculation. Yujin-nim didn't see them as friends or comrades. They were merely useful pawns. Like chess pieces on a board—no one gets attached to wooden decorations.
But Jekyll shook his head as if that wasn't it.
"You're misunderstanding. I recognize Yujin-nim. He's more than worthy to be the successor right now."
"Then why pull this crap?"
"He's still not quite there yet!"
Jekyll burst into laughter, his eyes gleaming with an incomprehensible madness.
"Despair and madness! That's when humans truly discover themselves and grow! What if the magnificent Yujin-nim faced betrayal and pain right now? How much stronger would he become?"
"......"
"Haha! Isn't it magnificent, Sunbae? We might be the lucky ones, getting to witness him turn into a true monster up close!"
He's insane. Jekyll's demeanor was nothing more or less than that. In a way, you could call him an artist. There was an obsessive fervor in his actions, driven by his philosophy of forcing growth in others. Perhaps that obsession was the very engine powering the man known as Jekyll.
"Arrogant."
Park Secretary dismissed Jekyll's madness with a single word.
"I don't care what lunatic ideology you live by. But if it interferes with Yujin-nim's affairs, that's another story. Our role isn't to lead him—it's to pave the path ahead."
"Hahat! That's so like you, Sunbae. I respect it."
Jekyll turned to look at Park Secretary. His eyes gleamed with a cold light, as if not a single drop of blood would spill even if stabbed. With that man's mental fortitude and willpower, Jekyll's hypnosis would be child's play. And yet, even Park Secretary followed Yujin without question. That alone was enough to gauge Kim Yujin's caliber.
"Will you kill me? The Black Heaven's famed Park Secretary, who wiped out an organization in a single night—you could do it easily."
"You're not worth the effort."
Park Secretary spat the words in a flat, businesslike tone. His voice was utterly even, devoid of inflection, as if stating an obvious, self-evident truth.
"You probably haven't realized it, but everything you've done so far—standing here right now—is all part of Yujin-nim's calculations."
"......"
"Dance around pathetically in Buddha's palm all you want."
With that, Park Secretary turned and walked away. He truly had no intention of doing anything to him. In a sense, it was the ultimate insult. Park Secretary, who cared more about Yujin's well-being than anyone. This gesture meant he was neither a help nor a hindrance—utterly irrelevant.
"......Yujin-nim excels in combat but struggles with mana control. There's no saving that girl anymore."
"Ha! You really know nothing about Yujin-nim."
Park Secretary turned back as he walked, flashing a rare mocking smile at his opponent.
"That man always exceeds our wildest imaginations. No matter what you expect, it won't go down like that."
Mocking his foolish junior, Park Secretary continued.
"Want a prophecy? Your end will be pathetic. You'll die realizing your own ignorance, having accomplished nothing."
With those final words, Park Secretary leaped off the building. He landed effortlessly and hopped into the parked black Benz, heading back toward the hospital. His role was to stand by Yujin-nim's side, after all. Leaving his master's side mid-battle was illogical by any standard.
"......You think you know Yujin-nim? The one who knows nothing is you."
Jekyll's gaze returned to the hospital. Younghee was still unleashing a massive mana storm there. Yujin slowly walked toward its center.
A storm so fierce even a B-rank hero would struggle to approach. Yet he seemed perfectly at ease within it.
He sees that and just leaves it be? Lets that potential grow 'normally'?
The old fogeys of Black Heaven truly understood nothing. Only he could comprehend Yujin. And conversely, only Yujin could understand him. Yujin was perfect for Black Heaven's successor—and he was Yujin's one true confidant.
This battle will prove it.
With that thought, Jekyll admired his 'masterpiece' from afar.
…
*Thud.*
Yujin took a heavy step forward. With each one, black energy clashed against him, rumbling the air. It felt like the storm itself rejected his approach.
Staring at the black vortex, Yujin thought.
......I said I'd handle it coolly, but now what?
Honestly, he couldn't make sense of the situation. Why had Younghee turned out like this? Why were Cheolsu and the class president collapsed? Yeah...... no clue.
This wasn't something pondering would solve. Bluntly, he had zero countermeasures. The immediate issue was figuring out what to do about Younghee in there.
How the hell should I know?
He couldn't solve a problem he didn't understand. In the end, Yujin resorted to his go-to method when stumped: call Lime.
Lime, what do I do about that?
A moment of silence. At the innocently straightforward question, Lime responded with disbelief.
-......You walked all the way here without a plan?
The vibe was that I had to do something.
Scary guys with weapons glaring, Cheolsu collapsed looking half-dead, and Younghee off soloing a monster movie. The outcast Yujin got swept up in the atmosphere and stepped forward.
-I told you not to live so recklessly.
Heh heh, my bad. Can you tell me what to do?
-You talk like I can do anything. Think I'm some 22-year-old magical cat that spits out solutions on command?
Uh...... just maybe?
-Ugh!
Lime, who'd been testing him lightly, felt a pang of guilt. Those abandoned-puppy eyes were against the rules, right? No way could she say there was nothing after seeing that. Even if she knew it was just his expression for wanting to save some other girl.
-Ahem! Well, there is a way.
As expected of Lime! You're awesome! What is it?
-The principle is simple. That girl's forcibly pried open a crack in her heart, causing a mana overload. Fill it, and it'll stop.
How do I fill it?
-If it were me, just touching her would do it. Mana control and brainwashing are my specialties. No idea how a human pulled this off, but it's no big deal for me.
-The problem is getting close enough to touch. Gotta punch through that mana storm. And it'll get worse the nearer you get to Younghee.
Hmm.
Yujin groaned at the mana storm. It was tough enough now—what if it intensified? He was starting to doubt himself.
-Cold truth: even you could be in danger. Gotta be prepared to risk your life.
No other way, right? Then I'll do it.
-......You really have to?
Huh?
Yujin tilted his head. Seeing that innocent look, Lime sighed deeply.
-You and Younghee haven't even known each other a year. You don't know her that well, haven't talked tons. Is risking your life really worth it?
Yujin scratched his head. Lime wasn't wrong. He didn't know much about Younghee. They were friends, but they hadn't hung out much. Was she worth dying for? Honestly, maybe not.
But—
Even if it weren't Younghee in there, but some stranger, I'd do the same.
By now, Yujin understood his own power somewhat. If he could get this close, others probably couldn't even approach. Cheolsu collapsing was likely for that reason. Maybe he was the only one who could.
If he could save someone, he would. No reason needed. That's the kind of guy Yujin was.
Lime snickered at his pure expression.
-......Yeah, that's you alright.
Otherwise, how else would he have accepted a shady slime like her so easily? Yeah, that was enough. That's the man she'd fallen for.
-......Somehow get to her body. While I prep, bust through the storm with everything you've got.
"Got it."
Yujin clenched his fist. Channeling all his power, he unleashed a full-force strike.
Cheon-gong Shin-gwon – Geukjin Jireugi!
A massive boom ripped a path through the storm's center. Without hesitation, Yujin dove in. Instantly, black mana surged from all directions, engulfing him.