Chapter 117: The Elusive Truth

People burst from the dark corridors, scattering in a chaotic frenzy. Shouting, they dispersed in every direction, making it impossible to tell if they were chasing something or being chased themselves.

“Catch them! Moving to the right corridor.”

“Damn, they’re fast. Whoa. Hey, that’s collapsing over there. Watch out!”

“Over there!”

Cries echoed from all directions, piercing the pre-dawn gloom. Amidst the chaos, streaks of fire and jets of water erupted, intertwining in a dazzling display.

A tremendous roar thundered above the people, who were unleashing their abilities without order or formation. There was no other choice.

The intruder’s movements were simply too swift, having barged into their base without warning and wreaking havoc. It was impossible to pinpoint where they had appeared from or where they were headed.

“Hello, everyone. You’ve heard a lot about us, haven’t you?”

One wall crumbled, and the intruder emerged, waving a hand.

These intruders, who had infiltrated the base, were the notorious figures recently attacking branches in various countries that had joined the Esper Alliance. Though only two of them, they were infamous for their elusive nature, never having been caught by anyone.

Upon seeing the individuals with bounties worth hundreds of millions, the Espers unleashed their unique skills.

“Who shot a water cannon next to a fire-wielder?”

“I sprayed the water first. What am I supposed to do if your firepower is too weak and it extinguishes?”

“Hey. Hey. My hair’s burning!”

The intruder, who had vanished from the wall and reappeared elsewhere, now poked their head out from behind an opposite wall.

“To commemorate our visit, there will be a special service from Esper Jin Sa-yoon. Look forward to it.”

“Just shut up already.”

Sa-yoon quieted Kang Ah-jun, the intruder who had been chattering beside him, and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. In an instant, he ascended to a higher point in the base and removed his hood.

Some people, recognizing Jin Sa-yoon’s face, looked up at him from outside the window, wondering if he was truly real.

“You’ll get hurt if you move. Everyone, stay still.”

As Sa-yoon waved his hand, the base’s roof lifted. It cleanly detached from the walls, floating effortlessly into the sky, then slammed into an empty lot on the opposite side.

As a cloud of dust obscured their vision, Kang Ah-jun shouted with even greater excitement.

“Now, gaze upon the high heavens, perceive Jin Sa-yoon’s greatness, and heed his words…”

“Please. Ah-jun. Please.”

Sa-yoon clutched his reddening earlobes and smacked Kang Ah-jun on the back of the head. Ah-jun had always been obedient to Sa-yoon, but not to this extent.

Now, every time he saw Kang Ah-jun spout words more fanatical than even Kim Chae-jun, Sa-yoon couldn’t help but sigh.

He grabbed Kang Ah-jun, who was clutching his head with both hands. It was time to leave. As Sa-yoon took hold of Kang Ah-jun again, preparing to leap to the other side, something occurred to Kang Ah-jun.

He hastily pulled a bundle of items from his pocket and threw them.

“Oh, this! I need to scatter these.”

Kang Ah-jun muttered cheerfully, showering papers everywhere. Sparkling, thin sheets scattered into the air, slowly drifting to the ground.

“What is this?”

“Shock… Revelation of Rain’s Truth? What is this, some kind of supermarket flyer?”

The ground was littered with childish flyers, emblazoned with a red, spiky bomb logo and the words ‘Exclusive Scoop.’ Espers, wearing bewildered expressions, picked up the papers and began to read the contents aloud.

They read the fine print, which began: “Rain, in truth, gains sentience upon reaching adulthood…” After scowling and squinting at the words in the dark night, the Espers soon lost interest and tossed the papers aside.

“We should be catching those guys instead of—where did they go?”

When they looked up again, there was no one in the sky. Only the stars glittered, as if about to pour down through the gaping hole where the roof had been, adorning the heavens.

“…What were those guys?”

“I don’t know either.”

The illegal promotional agents, who had caused no casualties but had completely blown off the building’s roof, vanished as suddenly as they had appeared.

‘Was this truly the right course of action?’ Sa-yoon pondered seriously as he shed his black clothes.

“Ha. Today was satisfying.”

“Ah-jun, no matter how I think about it, we…”

“We were so cool, right?”

“We were so pathetic.”

The two, speaking in direct opposition, looked at each other. Their eyes were filled with mutual incomprehension.

Sa-yoon had initially agreed to Kang Ah-jun’s suggestion to visit each branch and reveal the truth. The idea of peacefully destroying only buildings to convey their message, without causing casualties, seemed quite effective.

That is, if the specific method hadn’t involved wearing black clothes and scattering flyers from the sky, an act more suited to a 21st-century superhero movie.

“I let you push for it a few times, but it’s had no effect, has it?”

“That’s… because we haven’t visited enough places yet…”

“We’ve done this childish act four times already.”

As Sa-yoon emphasized the words ‘pathetic’ and ‘childish,’ Kang Ah-jun glanced away, lowering his eyes sheepishly. It was clear. This guy had concocted such a plan simply because he found playing ‘terrorist’ amusing.

Sa-yoon sighed and crossed his arms. This was something he would never have done normally. He had been so glad to see Kang Ah-jun after a long time, and Ah-jun’s devotion had been endearing, so he had humored him a little. Had he known the result would be such a mess, he would have refused from the start. He had been foolish to trust Kang Ah-jun.

“We need to find another way. This method is all for naught.”

All Sa-yoon had gained from this idiotic clown act was a hefty bounty on his head. Now, the amount of his bounty surpassed that of Kang Tae-han, who had previously been ranked first.

His striking, handsome face, already conspicuous, showed no sign of descending from the top of the ‘most wanted’ portrait list.

“Being number one in anything is good, isn’t it?”

“What’s good about being number one on a bounty list? It’s all the same criminal roster.”

Having a high bounty brought Sa-yoon no benefit whatsoever. The bounty poster, featuring his distinctive white hair, was as dull and tacky as any other.

One peculiar detail, however, was the ‘capture alive only’ clause on Sa-yoon’s bounty. From Sa-yoon’s perspective, this was a good thing. He was not so weak as to perish against an opponent who wasn’t prepared to take his life.

“You worked hard today. Any progress?”

Kang Tae-han ambled over from behind.

“None at all. How about your side?”

“Hmm… I had a feeling, and I was right. Not a single article has been published, as if the media is completely controlled.”

Air Rain, having shifted its strategy to inform the public of the truth, actively sought methods. While Sa-yoon and Kang Ah-jun stirred up bases to persuade Espers, Kang Tae-han and other Air Rain members secretly approached people in the mundane world.

They contacted everyone from reporters who would write any article for a bribe to organizations specializing in exclusive scoops, but the results were dismal.

“I don’t understand why these money-hungry people are acting this way.”

“Perhaps the other side offered even more money.”

“More than us?”

Air Rain’s coffers were abundant, having somehow acquired a massive warship. There was an unprecedented amount of cash, and still more explosives that could be liquidated.

Despite offering eye-popping sums to reporters based on this wealth, their counterparts didn’t bat an eye. It seemed as though any news regarding Air Rain was completely suppressed.

“They must have offered more money, or they’re using their power to pressure them.”

“Ugh…” Kang Tae-han groaned, then spoke to Sa-yoon with a troubled expression.

“But here’s the strange thing… The reporters, even as they refuse our offers, consistently say they want to interview you. Some even say they don’t need money; they’ll write whatever article we want if we just let them meet you.”

“…”

“It seems they’re looking for you.”

This was an anticipated outcome. Sa-yoon let out a small sigh. He had braced himself for this the moment he decided to operate under the name of Jin Sa-yoon. Han Do-hoon was likely searching for him.

Upon hearing this, Sa-yoon stood silently, gazing into the distance, unable to speak. His emotions were incredibly complex. Han Do-hoon and Sa-yoon’s relationship had ended in the worst possible way, and Sa-yoon had fled from him through death.

The Han Do-hoon he had seen immediately after regaining his memories was exactly as before. He still harbored hatred for Irregulars and Air Rain, responding even more aggressively than in the past.

Sa-yoon had used the chaotic reality as an excuse to bury his feelings for Han Do-hoon. His emotions for him were like a box forcibly shut, without proper resolution.

“Sa-yoon. Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Considering my abilities, it’s only natural for them to be wary.”

It wouldn’t be out of wariness that they sought Sa-yoon. He could clearly envision Han Do-hoon’s desperate desire to confirm if he was the real Jin Sa-yoon.

Occasionally, through the cracks of that half-closed box, thoughts of Han Do-hoon would surface.

As the world settled into a black silence, and he lay alone at night staring at the ceiling, Han Do-hoon would suddenly come to mind. When he finally composed himself and his exhausted body succumbed to sleep, Han Do-hoon would appear in his dreams, disturbing his rest.

His affectionate past self and the one who had throttled him would alternate. With a gentle smile, the dream Han Do-hoon would deceive Sa-yoon, asking if he had believed it all.

Sa-yoon would wake up in a cold sweat, bidding farewell to sleep that wouldn’t return, and blankly watch the pre-dawn moon set. Thus, he grew accustomed to spending nights sleeplessly, staring at the sky until dawn.

The sanctuary where Sa-yoon had once found comfort had now become his most tormenting nightmare.

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