Chapter 4: The Helper Killer’s Embrace

Chapter 4: The Helper Killer’s Embrace

The campus lay deserted, having emptied for the short winter break. An isolated stillness settled over the Blue Dorm, home to SAA’s Espers.

In the profound quiet, the sound of Yoon Geon-woo’s and my intertwined breaths seemed to reverberate with unusual intensity. His mind and body were clearly in disarray, causing his abilities to surge unconsciously, unleashing a torrent of scorching heat around us.

‘What in the world is wrong with this guy’s body…’

Only by directly guiding him did I fully comprehend the situation. Yoon Geon-woo’s power was far more formidable than I had anticipated, and he was clearly in the throes of agonizing pain because of it.

“Hngh…”

Each slow, internal intertwining of our bodies drew a deep, suffering groan from Yoon Geon-woo’s throat. Perhaps due to the weight of my upper body, I found myself astride him.

As his parched lips grew slick and glistening with saliva, Yoon Geon-woo let out a stream of curses through gritted teeth.

Naturally, I understood his sentiment. To be subjected to non-consensual, unilateral mucous membrane guiding through the mouth would undoubtedly provoke repulsion. Yet, wasn’t saving a life the paramount concern? This was… well, artificial respiration! Yes, it was an act of that very nature.

“Get… off…”

Even with his eyes clouded by disorientation, Yoon Geon-woo attempted to push me away. Regrettably, his efforts proved entirely in vain.

Perhaps if he were in his usual state of clear-mindedness, things would be different. However, an Esper’s primal instinct to sate a desperate hunger was likely beyond the control of even his resolute willpower.

Indeed, with such a high level of contamination, one would expect him to desperately crave guiding. Yet, he was truly a remarkably stubborn individual.

[Contamination Level 84%]

I checked his contamination level once more. Despite having poured every ounce of my effort into guiding him, it had only decreased by a meager five percent.

‘This much is a blessing in itself, I suppose.’

It was entirely understandable; Yoon Geon-woo’s steadfast refusal of guiding had been a notorious topic of discussion ever since he first enrolled at SAA. He meticulously avoided all contact and conversation with Guides, and any attempt at guiding him inevitably led to utter chaos.

Not only did he outright refuse guiding from Central Center Guides, who operated under government authority, but he also habitually skipped the joint classes held between the Guide and Esper divisions.

Given his already formidable power and tendency to rampage when using his abilities, Yoon Geon-woo was unequivocally the number one target for Guides to avoid. Should he even accidentally brush against a Guide, he would vehemently shake off the point of contact, displaying his intense aversion. Who, then, would dare to willingly approach such a person?

Yoon Geon-woo’s peculiar behavior fueled endless speculation: ‘He has guiding refusal syndrome,’ some claimed, while others asserted, ‘No, he simply despises Guides.’ Yet, no one truly knew the precise reason, for every Guide paired with him was quietly dismissed—myself included.

“What the… Ugh…”

“Not yet. Just a little more.”

As our lips briefly separated, I firmly held down Yoon Geon-woo, who was attempting to push himself upright. The heat radiating from his body, palpable at my fingertips, was abnormally intense.

Prominent blue veins pulsed along Yoon Geon-woo’s long, taut neck as he struggled to draw breath. As I slowly traced the path of those engorged vessels, attempting to gauge his body temperature, I could feel his body, pinned beneath me, quivering with a subtle tremor.

White packets and blue pills lay strewn across the floor. Coupled with the intense heat radiating from his body, I finally understood how Yoon Geon-woo, despite his refusal of guiding, had managed to suppress his contamination level, which must have previously skyrocketed to its absolute limit.

‘This guy, how many suppressants has he been taking?’

I should have known. I did find his sudden docility rather peculiar…

I pressed my lips against his once more, simultaneously glancing sideways to read the number etched onto the pill packets. Confirming the inscription, my initial vague suspicions from the moment I entered the room solidified into certainty.

Number 505-B. Commonly referred to as ‘Helper Killer,’ these blue pills, also known as ‘Esper Acute Suppressants,’ immediately curb a portion of an Esper’s contamination level upon ingestion.

Yet, powerful medicine always exacts a price in the form of commensurate side effects.

Espers who chronically used ‘Helper Killer’ found their ability to suppress their powers progressively diminishing, with some even suffering memory loss. Immediately after ingestion, it was common for them to become utterly incapacitated, dazed by the drug’s effects, much like Yoon Geon-woo currently lay beneath me.

Consequently, ‘Helper Killer’ had been designated as a specialized medication, strictly reserved for dispatches to hazardous zones where guiding was inaccessible, as I had been thoroughly educated.

To find these forbidden pills strewn across Yoon Geon-woo’s room, despite him not even being an official Esper, was alarming. Naturally, I could broadly surmise the reason.

‘Did the Central Center give them to him?’

From the Central Center and SAA’s perspective, they could hardly afford to merely observe a valuable S-class Esper spiraling into a rampage. After all, Yoon Geon-woo had consistently rebuffed the countless efforts of various organizations to pair him with a compatible Guide.

‘He… didn’t take all of these at once, did he?’

My ability to forcibly guide Yoon Geon-woo, even against his will, was likely only possible because he had ingested the Helper Killer not long ago.

Whether it was the guiding’s effect or the drug’s influence, Yoon Geon-woo’s body gradually began to sag, becoming as limp as waterlogged cotton. Observing his state, I mentally sifted through the guiding theories I had absorbed during my SAA training.

The paramount factor in successful guiding, as reiterated in every textbook on the subject, was mutual stability—the first principle.

After a brief moment of deliberation, I reached out and gently ran my fingers through Yoon Geon-woo’s hair. The texture of his thick, errant strands was surprisingly soft. As his fine hair sifted through the gaps between my fingers, Yoon Geon-woo’s body shivered, as though a highly sensitive spot had been grazed.

I attempted to soothe him slowly, much like one might gently brush the fur of a large animal. Having befriended Bok-sil, who resided in the quarters behind the dorm, by feeding her treats and stroking her fur, I intended to apply the same approach now.

As I continued to gently stroke his head, Yoon Geon-woo’s subtle tremors gradually subsided. I couldn’t tell if he had adapted to the guiding or simply relinquished his resistance.

Had my desperate efforts finally reached him? As his defiant attitude softened, the guiding effect notably intensified, a testament to our high matching rate.

[Contamination Level 83%]

[Contamination Level 80%]

[Contamination Level 79%]

In tandem with the declining contamination levels, Yoon Geon-woo’s erratic breathing gradually began to steady.

However, as my hand brushed across his face, I felt a distinct dampness. Looking closer, I saw that his eyes, which I had presumed to be calm, were now flushed red again. Startled, I immediately ceased guiding and quickly distanced myself from him.

As our points of contact separated, a thin, silvery thread of connection stretched taut between us. I watched in slow motion as saliva beaded at the corners of his lips.

“Are… you crying?”

No reply came. When I glanced down, I saw Yoon Geon-woo’s face was flushed a deep crimson, clearly due to a rising fever.

Was he in pain? Or did he despise receiving guiding so intensely while in such a powerless state that it brought him to tears?

Yoon Geon-woo merely gulped for air, his gaze fixed downwards. As I deliberated on what to do, I carefully wiped his damp cheek.

At the touch of my soothing hand, a fresh wave of moisture welled up in Yoon Geon-woo’s feverish eyes.

“I’m sorry…”

‘I truly am sorry, but isn’t this strange? We are guiding right now.’ I murmured the apology first, then added the excuse, directed at him.

I expected some kind of reaction, yet… Yoon Geon-woo, his face tear-streaked, remained frozen in an awkward posture, neither pushing me away nor pulling me closer.

His mind was undoubtedly urging him to resist, but his body, having savored the sweet taste of guiding, must have craved more.

I, ever so cunningly, exploited this very weakness in Yoon Geon-woo.

“You can take a little more, can’t you?”

“I…”

“Hmm? Let me. It’s still not enough, is it?”

It was less a request for permission and more a declaration. ‘Please, just down to 60%, no, at least below 70%.’ With that resolve, I consumed his lips once more, noticing a subtle, metallic taste.

Yoon Geon-woo hesitated, seemingly trying to pull back, but when I tugged at the nape of his neck, he yielded with surprising docility. As I attempted to guide him again, he continued to whimper like an injured puppy.

‘It’s bleeding.’

I had tried to be careful, but his lip had inevitably split, leaving a taste of blood. Still, the fact that he silently endured the guiding with his eyes squeezed shut brought a sense of relief. If an S-class Esper like Yoon Geon-woo had used his full strength to resist, I would have had no chance against him, so this was fortunate for me.

However, due to the difference in our ranks, pouring out guiding was becoming increasingly taxing. The sensation of residual energy being sucked from my veins was unfamiliar.

My strength drained, and my breath grew ragged, like someone continuously running, causing beads of sweat to form on my forehead.

Fortunately, the contamination level began to stabilize significantly after a short while. Whether this was due to the Helper Killer he had consumed, the guiding I poured into him, or a combination of both, I still couldn’t say.

[Contamination Level 68%]

Just as that critical number appeared, Yoon Geon-woo swiftly flipped us over, pinning me beneath him.

My eyes blinked, trying to comprehend the situation, and then a shiver ran down my spine.

The blue gaze, so close to mine…

Now held a chilling clarity, completely devoid of the drug’s influence.