Chapter 73: More Than Power

In an instant, a blue light bloomed from Chaewon’s entire body. The glow, somewhere between mist and rippling waves, washed over him, gently undulating as it enveloped his form. Every camera hurriedly zoomed in on Chaewon, and the sound of shutters erupted in a clamor.

In the hall, which had suddenly grown noisy, the only one who remained calm was Chaewon himself.

He slowly opened the eyes he had briefly closed and extended one hand forward. Above his palm, energy gathered into a spherical shape, floating there with an air of mystery.

Ever since he had been told that he might be asked to demonstrate his power at the press conference, Chaewon had been thinking about how best to show his ability.

When people thought of psychokinesis, they usually imagined moving objects without touching them. Making various items float and move through the air wouldn’t have been a bad choice.

But Chaewon wanted to show something a little different, what he personally wanted to do with this power. What he most wished to accomplish once he could wield it skillfully.

With a slight movement of his fingers, the sphere of energy rose higher into the air and positioned itself at the center of the hall. And when everyone’s gaze, including the cameras, focused on that floating mass…

“Ah…!”

A sharp gasp from someone broke the silence.

The energy, which had been about the size of a basketball, expanded in an instant at Chaewon’s small gesture, transforming into a massive barrier that enveloped everyone present.

Faces that had been frozen in surprise soon turned blank, as if witnessing something miraculous. Some people who had been seated even stood up and, as if entranced, stepped closer to the blue barrier before their eyes.

Chaewon poured in a bit more power, thickening the protective shield around them. Just as he had once blocked danger in front of people at a café to save them, Chaewon wanted to have the strength to protect and shelter the vulnerable. That was all he wished for.

After some time had passed, Chaewon slowly exhaled and withdrew his power. Cameras that had been tracing the blue light captured the moment it faded back into him.

Before the silence that once again filled the hall could fully settle, the host, having received a signal from Ye-seon, spoke.

“Then, we’ll conclude today’s press conference here. Thank you to everyone who attended.”

It was a successful conclusion.

****

The impact of the press conference was immense. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that anywhere two or more people gathered, talk of the new S-rank esper inevitably came up. The power that had enveloped the hall quickly dominated every kind of media.

This ability, completely different from that of existing psychokinetic espers, became a topic of discussion overseas as well. Even countries that already had S-rank psychokinetic espers had never seen a form like this before.

On global video-sharing platforms, footage of Chaewon’s press conference, especially the scene where he used his power, spread rapidly alongside his earlier combat footage. Information about Chaewon released during the conference was translated into multiple languages.

In an era like this, it was only natural for any extraordinary awakened individual to draw worldwide attention. Still, this was the first time since Min I-hyeon that a Korean awakened person had received such overwhelming interest.

Fueled by national pride, people enthusiastically praised Chaewon and poured out their expectations.

Interview requests flooded in. Online, the number of people calling themselves Chaewon’s fans and supporters grew exponentially.

While this was usually expected for an S-rank esper, Chaewon was different from others who could be deployed almost immediately after awakening. In his case, it was still uncertain when he would be able to produce consistent results.

Considering that, the atmosphere was undeniably unusual.

As the fervor overheated in a short time, voices of concern naturally arose.

Some analyzed the influence of Chaewon’s appearance, criticizing how people were reacting so fervently to an esper’s looks as if he were a celebrity.

Others followed articles about Lee Chaewon’s rapid rise in popularity, spewing predictions, more like curses, that he would soon succumb to fame and fall into corruption.

Even those who liked Chaewon expressed worry. Though he was an S-rank, he had only just awakened, and judging by his demeanor at the press conference, he seemed delicate and quiet. Many feared that this reaction might burden him or have some negative effect.

And all of them wondered when more information about the esper named Lee Chaewon would come out.

Yet the very person at the center of this storm was living a daily life no different from before the press conference.

****

With a loud crash, Su-ha’s body hit the specially reinforced training floor. Pinning him down by the arm with a dazed expression was Chaewon. Looking up at Chaewon’s face, wide-eyed like a startled rabbit at his own success, Su-ha smiled.

“Well done. Remember the sensation you just felt.”

Chaewon had successfully countered Su-ha’s attack by turning Su-ha’s own power against him.

Though Su-ha had held back to make it easier, considering that Chaewon had only recently been focused on building basic stamina and practicing fundamental movements, it was remarkable progress.

“It’s amazing…” Chaewon murmured.

After getting up first, Chaewon offered Suha a hand to help him up, his face slightly flushed with excitement.

As he asked, “What is?” Su-ha carefully smoothed Chaewon’s messy hair from the earlier exchange. Completely unaware of Su-ha’s touch, Chaewon replied in an animated voice.

“It’s just… I still find it fun and amazing that I’m doing things like this. Once I can really move my body freely, I think it’ll be incredibly exciting.”

He seemed entirely focused on replaying the movement he had just executed, barely registering that Su-ha’s hand was on him at all.

Chaewon no longer reacted to each small touch from Su-ha. He was rapidly growing accustomed to the increasingly intimate guiding, clearly treating all of it as part of the job.

To be honest, Su-ha found that a little sad. He knew it was only natural from Chaewon’s perspective, but that didn’t make the lingering regret disappear. Even something as minor as touching Chaewon’s hair was enough to make Su-ha’s heart pound like it might burst.

Though Su-ha had recognized his feelings, nothing between them had changed. He was simply reaping what he himself had sown. From beginning to end, it had been entirely his own fault, leaving no one else to blame.

The fact that Chaewon bore him no ill will and continued to treat him kindly was already something to be grateful for.

Clenching and unclenching the hand that had touched Chaewon’s hair, Su-ha replied as casually as he could.

“You’re growing quickly. If you keep working hard like this, you’ll probably reach that point before long.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Whether it’s using psychokinesis or anything else, you learn quickly and grow fast.”

At Su-ha’s continued praise, Chaewon broke into a bright smile. As days passed, Chaewon smiled more often. The heaviness that had always seemed to cling to him lifted, replaced by a gentle warmth in his words and actions toward others.

He had always been kind and considerate by nature, but lately it felt as if he had torn down a wall he’d kept around his heart for a very long time. It wasn’t hard to imagine how that would affect the way he was treated at the center.

Chaewon’s smile had a strange charm that lifted the spirits of those who saw it. Among espers, where he appeared especially small, it was only natural that people found him endearing.

And that wasn’t all. Anyone who had spoken with Chaewon even once would quickly realize that his charm didn’t stem from his looks alone. He was thoughtful, good at carrying conversations, and always treated others with polite respect.

Suha was certain that while those skills were shaped by Chaewon’s life experiences, they owed even more to Chaewon’s innate character. Most people who spoke with him likely felt the same.

Moreover, not only the general public but the awakened individuals at the center had all seen the combat footage and the video of Chaewon’s abilities from the press conference.

As people accustomed to witnessing countless powers up close, they were rarely impressed anymore, but Chaewon’s power was enough to capture even their attention.

After the press conference, members of the management team who had participated in Chaewon’s psychokinesis training spoke among themselves about how beautiful and mysterious his power had been in person, far more breathtaking than anything captured on video.

Even espers who had previously regarded Chaewon less as an S-rank esper and more as a pitiable patient began, little by little, to take notice of the power he possessed.

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