OMH Chapter 16

Oh My Hero – Episode 16

16. Esper and Guide (7)

Haemi is still working at the Research Center because of her exceptional ability.

As an A-grade Special-type Teleporter, her ability is highly valued at the Research Center.

Teleportation is still an ability with a lot to research.

They are struggling to improve the ability and create ability-based products for use in real life.

That’s why I’m happy to be a B-grade Enhancement-Type with nothing to improve.

Because the Research Center doesn’t call me.

I’d rather be a B-grade ignored by the Association than go to the Research Center every day.

Going to the Research Center is always a pain in the neck.

We talked about various things while eating and then parted ways. I had to go to the afternoon match, and they had to go watch.

In the afternoon matches, everyone seemed to be conserving their abilities due to the Guiding austerity measures. However, they couldn’t avoid using them altogether because of the evaluation scores, so many people were adjusting to avoid overdoing it.

Some people tried their best to beat me, but unfortunately, they couldn’t be my opponent. They were knocked down in less than two minutes.

They say there’s a shortage of Guides, but I don’t know why they’re wasting their energy like that.

*

With that, the afternoon matches ended, and today’s match schedule was all over.

The type-based martial arts tournament was also nearing its end.

After the match and a shower, I had a missed call from Lee Hwayoung.

“She doesn’t call often, what’s up?”

I called back, but she didn’t answer.

‘Is she very busy? If it’s urgent, she’ll call back.’

I didn’t think much of it and went straight back to the Dormitory to rest.

*

It’s the day of the final type-based martial arts tournament.

From today, S-grade Espers will also be participating in the matches.

“Shall we see who’s coming this time?”

I pretended to be looking forward to it as I opened the match schedule, but I wasn’t curious at all because the opponent was obvious. It’ll probably just be Song Jooha, right?

But this year, the match schedule was a little different. There was one more person.

Ham Soyoung is coming out!

Ham Soyoung is a friend who received S-grade in the common Enhancement-Type ability.

Being S-grade, the power she can unleash is truly terrifying. She could probably blow away a mountain with one punch.

She’s still young and clumsy with her power control, so she hasn’t been in the competition until now, but it seems they’re going to have her participate from this year.

I was looking at the match schedule for a while when I looked at the clock in the waiting room.

‘By the way, the tournament starts today, but the Guide isn’t here? Are they only going to take care of us after it’s over? Today I’m up against an S-grade.’

Ding.

As if hearing my grumbling, a notification came from the Association.

It said that Guides are valuable colleagues, so we should treat them with respect.

“Why are they sending me this obvious stuff in a text message?”

I took my eyes off the Smartwatch that sent the absurd official document, and then someone entered the waiting room.

It’s Kim Sanghyuk again.

But Kim Sanghyuk’s always bright atmosphere was a little strange.

“Hey, Gang Hana. …Is everything okay?”

“The match is about to start, what could be wrong? You’re the one who seems to have something going on, what’s wrong?”

“No, I’m just… It’s not that something’s wrong with me, but good luck with the match.”

Kim Sanghyuk said something bland with a strange feeling and left the waiting room.

What the heck?

Kim Sanghyuk left me with an unsettling feeling, but I had to prepare for the martial arts tournament.

Today is the day I’m fighting an S-grade, so I should conserve my ability as much as possible. Since the Guide isn’t coming, it’s best to use as little as possible.

I can take a few hits from an A-grade, but an S-grade really hurts.

“That’s not something you can endure with just your body. You’ll be knocked down the moment you get hit. Even Adamantine Body/Invulnerable Physique can be knocked unconscious.”

I stuck out my tongue, recalling the memory of seeing Soyoung’s ability output.

I’ll aim to avoid getting hit as much as possible, but you never know what will happen, so I have to be prepared to get hit.

I steeled myself and entered today’s martial arts tournament.

The morning matches went smoothly.

Everyone seemed very concerned that the Guide hadn’t come before the match, so they didn’t use their abilities much.

In this situation, it’s closer to a bare-knuckle fight, so I was naturally pleased.

Just like the current match.

I lowered my body to avoid the fist that my opponent was throwing.

And with my body lowered, I put my hand on the floor.

My leg, extended towards the sky due to my posture, was affected by gravity.

I put weight and force on my leg and turned my body.

I aimed for the opponent’s head and kicked down with my back foot.

Thwack!

I aimed for the head, but the opponent dodged by pulling back, so the aim was slightly off.

So, instead of hitting the head, I hit the nose.

The impact wasn’t weak, but the opponent hadn’t lost consciousness yet.

I kicked the opponent’s stomach with my remaining foot.

The opponent, who was hit squarely in the solar plexus, staggered and fell.

“Phew, this is easy.”

With that, the last match of the morning ended in under three minutes.

The cheers of the audience poured out loudly again.

From the afternoon matches, S-grade Espers will participate.

Already, voices anticipating my match with the S-grade Esper could be heard from the stands.

I waved my hand towards the stands once and headed to the waiting room.

I was about to go straight into the waiting room, but there was a familiar figure in the opposite hallway.

Recognizing who it was, I immediately greeted them.

“Wow, who is this? The shining star of Enhancement-Types, Soyoung?! The one-hit-kill Ham Soyoung who knocks everyone down with one blow!”

When I greeted her so enthusiastically, Soyoung, our one-hit-kill, got annoyed and told me not to call her that.

I called her with reverence, but her reaction was too stingy.

Reminding myself that this shy child, who is a head shorter than me, can devastate an area with one punch, I realize how scary a high rank can be.

I also understand why the researchers coddle her so much.

In the first place, there are too few S-grades. There are only 11 in the EGA Association’s Korean branch.

Among them, there are 8 Espers, and if you narrow it down to people who can compete in martial arts tournaments, there are even fewer. That’s because some have non-combat abilities.

And among the S-grades, Kim Heewon, our team leader who has a lot of experience, already has a high position and has had all the data extracted from her, and she doesn’t like martial arts tournaments, so she doesn’t participate.

So, only Song Jooha has been participating almost every year, but it seems they’re going to use Soyoung as well from now on.

Anyway, I greeted Soyoung happily and headed to the waiting room.

But Kim Sanghyuk and Lee Hwayoung were standing in front of the waiting room door.

Lee Hwayoung was getting angry with Kim Sanghyuk, saying why wasn’t he doing it properly.

Seeing Kim Sanghyuk just listening without saying a word, it seems he really did something wrong.

Lee Hwayoung saw me coming and came over to tell me that something bad had happened.

Seeing the dark circles under Lee Hwayoung’s eyes, it seems like really terrible news.

“You look so bad, is it about you, Lee Hwayoung? What’s wrong?”

Lee Hwayoung ignored my worried words and spoke in a serious voice.

“…Cha Woojin’s condition is not good. I think you should see him.”

“What are you talking about? Woojin has never been healthy since I first met him, but his condition shouldn’t have suddenly worsened, right? He’s been much healthier lately and came to see my match.”

Lee Hwayoung didn’t say anything in response and dragged me to Woojin’s hospital room.

And she told me not to go in and to listen to her explanation for a moment.

“Woojin disappeared before the afternoon match yesterday. Fortunately, we found him in the early morning, but it seems someone performed 3rd stage Guiding on Woojin. We’re currently searching for the culprit.”

“What?! Doing something like that inside the Center, what kind of crazy bastard is that?!”

Horrified by Lee Hwayoung’s story, I raised my voice in front of the hospital room.

Lee Hwayoung covered my mouth with her hand and continued calmly.

“Considering it was done during an A-grade match, it must be one of the A-grade participants. We’re searching now.”

“How much time has passed, and you still haven’t found them?”

I was angry at the Association’s incompetence and took off Lee Hwayoung’s hand and protested.

Lee Hwayoung told me to be quiet and covered my mouth again.

When my mouth was covered for the second time, the reason I had lost returned.

‘Phew, that’s right. This is in front of Woojin’s hospital room. I have to calm down.’

I prepared myself firmly and opened the hospital room door.

Woojin, unconscious, was alone in the hospital room.

Woojin’s face, which was like a sculpture carved by God, had dark bruises on his eyelids, his beautiful lips were chapped, and there were bruises on his neck, hands, and wrists.

‘That bastard, if I catch whoever did this, I won’t let them get away with it, really.’

“You said you found him in the early morning… why didn’t you give him ability treatment?”

Seeing Woojin in such a miserable state, I felt sad and angry at those around me.

‘Don’t they have hearts? How can they not give Woojin ability treatment when he’s in this state?’

Lee Hwayoung grabbed my distraught shoulder and led me out of the hospital room.

I couldn’t make a loud noise in Woojin’s hospital room, so I quietly followed Lee Hwayoung’s lead.

Lee Hwayoung calmly explained after we came out into the Medical Center hallway.

Lee Hwayoung told me that because of the current Guiding austerity measures, they don’t give treatment unless someone’s life is in danger.

Moreover, Woojin is a Guide who hasn’t received training yet, so he can’t be matched for Guiding right away, so he’s not a priority.

For a moment, I almost flared up, but it wasn’t Lee Hwayoung’s fault, and Woojin was sleeping in a nearby hospital room, so I held it in.

And because there was still an afternoon match left, the others sent me back to the stadium.

“I’m still not calming down. Who’s the culprit? If I catch them, they’re dead.”

It was a disturbing situation, but I couldn’t ruin the martial arts tournament.

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