All plans ground to a halt.
Originally, we were supposed to head to the Yesung Guild building tomorrow. I needed to pack, reach out to Hyun Dowoon, and gauge the atmosphere of the district again.
‘But now...’
I couldn’t do anything. My brain wouldn’t function properly, and my thoughts kept breaking off.
When I came to, I was just sitting by the bed, blankly staring at Cha Sahyeon, who still hadn’t woken up.
“...Haah.”
I rubbed my burning eyes and let out a deep sigh.
Cha Sahyeon was still suffering from a high fever. I’d gone out to a pharmacy to buy some fever reducers and forced them into his mouth while he slept, but it didn’t help.
Even wiping him down with a towel soaked in cold water and placing it on his forehead only worked for a moment. His body heat was so intense that the towel’s chill faded in seconds.
I had no prior experience with this kind of caregiving. I didn’t know what else to do. No, more than that—why was he even suffering from such a high fever in the first place? He was an Awakener—he shouldn’t be catching colds.
‘Should I... take him to a hospital?’
He’d need to go to an Awakener-exclusive hospital, but what if they discovered something strange during the tests? What if it led the lab researchers right to us?
There were too many variables. I couldn’t take him recklessly. But I also couldn’t just leave a child unconscious and burning with fever.
‘What should I do?’
I bit down hard on my lip and wracked my brain for any good solution.
I couldn’t trust the hospitals. No matter how qualified the doctor, they were still strangers—and if something abnormal was found in Sahyeon, would they really keep it hidden? I couldn’t be sure.
On top of that, the lab that imprisoned us was a place that conducted live experiments. I couldn’t rule out a connection between them and the Awakener hospitals.
In the end, it came down to trust. So then...
‘If there’s a doctor I can trust?’
One who, even if they discovered something unusual in Sahyeon, would cover it up—someone with no ties to the lab and who specialized in Awakeners.
Of course, I had no such connections. So I’d need to be introduced through someone else.
And realistically, the only person who could make that happen was Kwon Taehyuk.
As the leader of a major guild, Kwon Taehyuk must know plenty of doctors who specialize in Awakeners. Surely, among them, there would be at least one trustworthy enough.
Even if it wasn’t a university hospital, I’d heard that the Yesung Guild had its own treatment facility. If we got examined there, and I asked him to keep Sahyeon’s condition confidential...
‘...But how can I trust Kwon Taehyuk?’
Because he’s not the type to blab about other people’s secrets? Because, in the previous timeline, he was the one who fought the Catastrophe to the bitter end? Because he’s the “main character” designated by the System?
What does any of that mean?
Even if he’s a main character and a righteous man, it doesn’t guarantee he wouldn’t leak information about a kid he barely knows.
And seriously, what even is the System? That it can declare someone trustworthy just because they’re a “main character”? That’s ridiculous—
“Ah, fuck.”
A curse spilled out before I could stop it.
Yeah, let’s face it. There is no perfect solution here.
Whether I trusted Kwon Taehyuk or went to a hospital, I’d have to make a choice. I had to be prepared for the worst.
I placed my palm on Cha Sahyeon’s forehead. The intense heat still radiated into my hand.
It had been four hours since I discovered his condition this morning. Still, there was no change. It was time to make a decision.
‘I’ll contact [N O V E L I G H T] Kwon Taehyuk.’
It was the safest option available.
If it’s him, he’ll direct us to a place where Sahyeon can be treated immediately. And if something does go wrong... I’ll deal with it later.
Right now, I just had to save him. He was in pain.
I should’ve contacted him earlier. The regret hit me all at once. All that hesitating had only made him suffer longer.
I muttered another curse and reached for my phone—when it happened.
“...Ugh...”
With a soft groan, Cha Sahyeon’s eyes fluttered open for the first time. His pale green irises peeked out from beneath long lashes.
I immediately set the phone down and stroked his cheek.
“Kid, are you okay? Can you hear me?”
He gasped, breathing hot and fast, his face flushed red. His gaze turned toward me but didn’t fully focus.
Maybe he couldn’t speak because his throat was dry? I started to get up, thinking I should bring some lukewarm water—
“Ghk...!”
Someone yanked my arm with terrifying force.
I stumbled, crashing into the wall shoulder-first. Wincing at the sharp pain, I looked up—just in time to see Cha Sahyeon dashing out of the bedroom.
“Sahyeon?”
Startled, I rushed after him, but black shadows poured out to block my vision. It was his skill.
Boom!
At the same time, the front door shook violently.
Boom! Boom!
It trembled again, as if someone was trying to break it down. A chill washed over me.
Only then did I realize why Sahyeon had acted that way. He’d sensed someone approaching before I did—someone dangerous—and had gone into full defense mode.
“Wait! Kid!”
Sahyeon was in no condition to fight. He could barely stand. We needed to escape, not engage in battle.
But the moment I took a step forward, a harsh voice thundered down.
“Don’t come any closer!”
I froze involuntarily.
Crack—BOOM!
The front door crumpled like paper and was completely ripped off its hinges.
And then, that overwhelming presence—
“Hyung.”
“...!”
I gasped, stumbling back.
A tangled mass of pitch-black shadows was right in front of me.
One of them, sharp and deadly, lunged straight for my head—but it was blocked by Sahyeon’s shadow.
If he hadn’t intervened, I wouldn’t have even realized I was under attack before I was dead.
I felt cold sweat slide down my cheeks as instinctual fear gripped my body. A warm hand touched my trembling fingers.
“Hyung. Run. You have to run.”
Run? What about you?
Was he telling me to run alone?
Why? Why would I do that?
None of this made sense.
Why was he sick? Who was attacking us? Why was he telling me to run?
Then, through the shifting shadows writhing beyond me, someone stepped forward.
He pushed the broken front door aside and calmly entered the apartment.
A boy, maybe high school-aged. Dressed neatly in a school uniform, wearing sneakers. He slowly raised his head to look at us.
And under his light brown hair—dull green eyes.
Not Sahyeon’s eyes. A stranger’s.
And the moment our eyes met, another shadow surged out from behind him.
“Hyung!”
Sahyeon’s voice rang in my ears.
He shoved me aside, blocked the man’s shadow with his own, and the two collided.
Massive shadows swelled, tangled, and wrestled with each other, releasing deafening noise from all directions.
The floor cracked. Furniture was tossed around like debris. The whirlwind of shadows and pressure made it impossible to keep my eyes open.
“Sahyeon!”
He was gone from my side. I spun around, calling his name, but all I could see were the giant, bulging shadows.
Boom! Slam! CRACK!
Within those enormous shadows, something slammed and shattered.
“Ugh...!”
“Sahyeon!”
Amid the chaos, I could hear his voice—soft, pained groans.
My throat ran dry. I bit my lip and hurriedly activated my Hidden Skill.
Ding!
《Hidden Skill cannot be activated.》
Ding!
《Hidden Skill cannot be activated.》
Ding!
《Hidden Skill cannot be activated.》
Please, come on!
Ding!
《Hidden Skill cannot be activated.》
Shit!
It was broad daylight—too bright for it to work. I clenched my teeth and dashed toward the shadows, trying to dive into them to trigger my transformation into S-rank.
But before I could reach the shadows—something black struck from the side.
“...!”
Hyung, no! I barely heard his faint voice.
An explosive pain spread through my skull.
Thud!
It felt like a water balloon bursting inside my head. A wet liquid streamed down my forehead as my vision went pitch-black—then hazy.
I blinked. The twisted shadows were far away. Weren’t they right in front of me a second ago?
A cold, hard numbness spread up from my shoulder.
‘Why am I lying down...? Where’s Sahyeon...?’
No matter how hard I blinked, my vision kept fading. I couldn’t move. Not even a finger.
Crushing drowsiness swept over me. My eyelids grew unbearably heavy.
Right before I lost consciousness, the bloated, writhing shadows finally vanished—and I caught a glimpse of Cha Sahyeon, collapsed on the floor.
The man who attacked us...
Was still standing.
“...Sahyeon...”
I barely whispered his name—then everything went dark.

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