TTOA Chapter 115

The building itself was wide, tall, and systematically organized, with elevators installed throughout moving at high speeds. The moment I pressed the button for an empty elevator, the doors opened immediately, and I arrived at my destination floor in an instant. Even in these minor details, the underlying principle of valuing efficiency was evident.

The destination was the physical examination room on the 3rd floor.

Several precision instruments were lined up, and a group of people in white coats stood in front of them.

They were probably researchers affiliated with the Research and Development Division.

The researchers were huddled together, exchanging some kind of conversation, but as soon as Kwon Jae-jin entered the examination room, they abruptly closed their mouths as if by prior agreement.

“…….”

“…….”

An unpleasant silence flowed.

They all stared at Kwon Jae-jin with extraordinary eyes. The gaze that swept from head to toe was exactly like looking at an interesting lab rat.

“Ha… well, of course.”

Seo Eui-woo, who muttered coldly to himself, stepped forward, blocking Kwon Jae-jin.

He didn’t even try to hide his displeasure, openly displaying it.

Centered on Seo Eui-woo, sharp Esper energy surged, instantly overwhelming the researchers. The researchers, crushed by an invisible force, flinched and lowered their gazes. It wasn’t voluntary. Their heads were forcibly pushed down, their necks bent towards the floor.

The faces of the frozen researchers turned pale. Cold sweat broke out on their foreheads.

“Seo Lieutenant… What are you doing now?”

Lieutenant Colonel Jang, serious due to the sudden unexpected situation, stepped forward to restrain Seo Eui-woo.

Inside the Center, antagonizing the researchers, especially before a grade test. Using Esper abilities so openly was a serious disciplinary matter. There was no way Seo Eui-woo wouldn’t know this.

“Cease your abilities immediately. That’s an order!”

Lieutenant Colonel Jang restrained Seo Eui-woo again. However, Seo Eui-woo only smiled faintly with a pale, cool face, without withdrawing the pressure. Seeing Seo Eui-woo brazenly defying the order, Lieutenant Colonel Jang’s expression completely crumbled.

Unable to watch any longer, Kwon Jae-jin had no choice but to add a word.

“…Seo Eui-woo, let’s stop. The grade test takes precedence.”

Still, this time he didn’t crush them to the point of kneeling, so Seo Eui-woo must have been adjusting his strength in his own way.

He’s not trying to kill them, just threatening them.

In fact, not a single researcher had collapsed and they were all standing well on their own two feet. At this level, there was not much to worry about.

‘No… what is this? Since when have I become so used to Seo Eui-woo’s eccentric behavior?’

Even though the researchers were sweating and suffering right in front of him, he judged it to be an ‘acceptable level.’ Kwon Jae-jin, feeling bewildered by his changed way of thinking, quickly changed the subject.

“So, how do I get this test? I don’t know, so please tell me, Seo Eui-woo.”

“…Ah. Yes, Jae-jin. We have to change clothes first.”

Seo Eui-woo scanned the researchers with cold eyes and replied languidly. He still hadn’t withdrawn his abilities. The air heavily pressed down on their shoulders. It felt as if gravity had quadrupled.

Jae-jin swallowed a sigh and grabbed his elbow.

“Then, is the changing room over there?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Let’s go. Quickly.”

“Yes.”

Only then did Seo Eui-woo guide Kwon Jae-jin to the changing room and dissipate his abilities. The changing room door slammed shut, and the liberated researchers gasped for breath, panting.

Following the two, Lieutenant Colonel Jang also tried to enter the changing room. However, he was met with strong resistance at the front of the door.

“Ugh.”

Due to the repelling telekinesis, he couldn’t even grab the doorknob. Even trying to approach while forcibly stretching out his arm was impossible due to the opposing force. Entering the changing room was even more impossible.

Kwon Jae-jin, unaware of the situation outside and that Seo Eui-woo was completely blocking the door with his abilities, changed into the examination gown as instructed.

“There are three types of tests that Espers receive.”

While changing clothes, Seo Eui-woo explained the tests with a smile as if nothing had happened. His dark and eerie eyes were now calm and affectionate again.

“The first is what Jae-jin also knows. It’s a test to distinguish between Espers and non-Espers.”

“Are you talking about the mandatory Esper test?”

“Yes. The mandatory Esper test that everyone undergoes at birth. We observe the presence or absence of a core inside the chest, inside the heart. If there’s a core, they’re an Esper, if not, they’re a non-Esper.”

Ah, I see. That was the principle behind the mandatory Esper test.

Since the existence of the core was not known to the general public, there was no way to know exactly what process was used to distinguish between Espers and non-Espers. Surely, it would be simple to distinguish between Espers and non-Espers by the presence or absence of a core.

Kwon Jae-jin nodded lightly and took off his coat and sweater in turn. Seo Eui-woo received the clothes that Jae-jin took off and helped him by hanging them up.

“The second is a test to distinguish between Espers and Guides. The core’s waves are precisely examined to see which side they resonate with. It won’t apply to Jae-jin, but if you’re judged to be an Esper here, you’ll have to undergo a separate in-depth examination to see what type of ability you have.”

“Only Espers receive additional testing. Guides don’t need it.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Kwon Jae-jin, who had taken off all his lower garments, put his arms through the white examination gown. Seo Eui-woo stared intently at a few strands of Kwon Jae-jin’s hair that had sprung up due to static electricity from taking off his sweater, then gently pressed them down with his hand.

“Finally, the third is the grade test. It determines the grade of the Esper. The core’s waves are precisely examined to measure the power it emits. As Jae-jin also knows well, the grades are largely divided into four categories: A, B, C, and F.”

Including S grade, there are five grades, but so far Seo Eui-woo is the only S-rank, so it’s not registered separately in the testing machine. Therefore, in the case of S-grade, a measurement impossible indication appears.

To explain further, A to C grade Espers belong to the combat division and take charge of combat duties, and F grade Espers belong to the life support division and become reservists.

F-grades also undergo regular education and training, but they are rarely assigned to combat missions after completion. They will be in charge of the overall life support work in the Special Residential District. For example, like the driver we saw a little while ago. They take charge of maintenance, construction, transportation, cooking, communication, etc.

However, if they apply to the research department from their training trainee days and pass the exam, they can become researchers belonging to the Research and Development Division. Among the researchers we just saw, there were also F-grade Espers mixed in.

“In the past, it is said that Espers were distinguished by having one person directly contact each Esper and sense their core one by one. Now, the examination process has been automated and testing machines dedicated to Espers have also been developed.”

“Directly contact…?”

“Yes, between Espers, when their hearts touch, they can feel their cores resonating with each other.”

“Ah… that’s a story that doesn’t apply to me.”

Since the core of a mutant is incomplete, it is impossible to feel waves or resonance. At this point, I’m genuinely curious about what kind of sensation resonance is.

Seo Eui-woo smiled kindly and fastened Kwon Jae-jin’s examination gown. He neatly unfolded the collar, overlapped it, and tightly tied the knot on the side so that there was no gap.

He tied the knot so tightly that my waist felt strained. Even so, Seo Eui-woo seemed dissatisfied with the V-shaped gown, staring persistently at Jae-jin’s slightly visible collarbone and said something else.

“Eui-woo, I can’t breathe.”

Kwon Jae-jin indirectly stopped Seo Eui-woo, but Seo Eui-woo only stared persistently at Jae-jin’s slightly visible collarbone and said something else.

“I’m doing it now, too.”

“Huh?”

“You and I, we’re resonating now, too.”

“…….”

“We’ve always been like that.”

Seo Eui-woo’s gray eyes flickered as he uttered those words. His pupils, tinged with a different color, seemed to shine exceptionally brightly.

He hadn’t slept a wink all night, but I wondered how he could have such intense eyes like a comet. It felt as if Seo Eui-woo’s existence was rushing in like a tsunami, engulfing and swallowing Kwon Jae-jin.

Jae-jin moved his thin lips. He hesitated for a moment, and after a pause, he lowered his voice and whispered.

“…Still, is there no possibility that it might not be the case?”

“Not be the case?”

“If I receive a grade other than S today, then.”

Kwon Jae-jin slightly frowned.

If he is not an S-grade, he cannot be matched with Seo Eui-woo.

He might not be able to officially become Seo Eui-woo’s Guide, and the negotiation with Chief Choi Yul might fall apart.

The situation would collapse uncontrollably.

Of course, Kwon Jae-jin thought he was likely to be an S-class Guide because Seo Eui-woo had been acting so crazy all along. It wouldn’t make sense otherwise. Kwon Jae-jin could actually quell Seo Eui-woo’s imbalances, and it was also because of Kwon Jae-jin’s Guiding that Seo Eui-woo was able to use his inherent powers.

However, as you can see, Kwon Jae-jin cannot directly sense the core, cannot feel resonance, and only thinks that Guiding is good because Seo Eui-woo says it is so good…

Since he has never directly felt confirmation…

Perhaps, by any chance, an ominous imagination came to mind.