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Jeju Island, Bihyun Group Headquarters.
56 Minutes Earlier...
A red-haired man lounged lazily behind a massive glass desk overlooking the crashing ocean waves.
A freshly printed report lay open before him.
Jung Hanseong
Age: 19
Classification: S-Class Guide —First in Existence
His fingers tapped slowly against the polished surface.
'Jung Hanseong…' he murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
'The obsessive little guide who used to follow Taehyun around like a lost puppy.'
Very interesting.
A woman's voice came through the speaker on his desk, calm and professional.
"You've seen the report?"
His smile widened. "I have."
"And?"
He picked up the photograph attached to the file, studying the image of the bleached-haired boy with interest.
The first S-Class Guide in history.
A guide the entire world would soon fight over.
His eyes gleamed with dark amusement.
"There has to be a way to separate them."
"Meaning?"
"If Lee Taehyun is as possessive as our information suggests…"
He leaned back in his chair, spinning a pen between his fingers. "I want to see exactly how far he's willing to go for this one."
The woman on the line sighed.
"You sound like you're planning something dangerous."
"I am"
"Get the assassins ready."
The woman paused. "He's in President's Jung Residence."
"Should I care?" The man chuckled lightly.
"...Fine."
He set the photo down gently.
"Let's test the first S-Class Guide in history. See how well he holds up under pressure."
***
Incheon, Jung Family Residence, Hanseong's Shrine.
Present time...
[Initiating system override!]
'What does that even mean?!'
The lights in the room suddenly started flickering violently.
[Borrowing skill from Connected Esper…]
[Requesting temporary access...]
[Access granted.]
A massive surge of dark energy flooded through my body.
I stumbled back, heart hammering.
'What the fuck are you doing?!'
[Just watch Host.]
'Excuse me?'
The shadows in the corner of the room fused into a snarling black hound with glowing red eyes.
It stared straight at me.
[Shadow Hound borrowed successfully. Duration: 10 minutes.]
The hound sat down and wagged its tail like an oversized demon puppy.
"...should I be worried?"
The window shattered.
I hit the floor just as something sharp whistled over my head. A bone dagger, buried in the wall where I'd been standing.
[Intruders detected! Two A-class espers.]
[Deploying shadow hound.]
I heard a wet crack.
One of the assassins yelped as the shadow hound's jaw clamped around his arm.
The other Esper's eyes went wide with panic.
"You're supposed to be a guide, not a fucking summoner!"
I scrambled backward against the bed. Heart pounding.
"Fuck you"
The Esper's expression went dark.
"Paralytic. Aim for the neck."
'Poison'
'Great'
[Not to worry host]
The bleeding assassin yanked a dagger from his belt and stabbed it into the hound's eye.
The beast didn't even flinch. It simply dissolved into smoke, then reformed a second later, even angrier.
"Abort!"
"But the mission—"
"Fuck the mission! Abort!" the bleeding man shouted in pure panic.
[Not on my watch.]
The hound lunged.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
CRUNCH.
Then silence.
When I opened my eyes, both assassins were on the ground. Unmoving. The hound sat between them, tail wagging.
'...Did it kill them?'
[Paralyzed. Temporarily. Host should probably move now.]
I stared at the hound. It tilted its head.
I tried standing up but my legs gave out.
[Host is in shock, very understandable.]
'Of course I'm in shock! I woke up in a trashy bl manhwa. Changed the plot! Awakened as an S-Class Guide!'
'Nearly got assassinated!'
[All part of being an S-class guide]
My breath hitched.
'You mean they know I'm an S-class guide?!'
My door slammed open before the system could respond.
[Wonderful timing Grandpa.]
Grandfather burst in, eyes wide, followed by several armed aides.
He rushed to my side "Are you all right?"
His aides examined the two paralysed Espers in the room.
I nodded, not being able to form coherent words.
Grandfather stared at the two paralyzed assassins on the floor.
"...Hanseong"
"Is this your doing?"
I looked around the room and the hound was gone.
[Since the fight took approximately 1 minute and 43 seconds. Host has some explanation to do.]
'Huh?!'
Another aide rushed in. "Sir! Esper Lee Taehyun is here!"
I closed my eyes.
'Universe... Fuck you.'
[And Host is still in his boyfriend's pyjamas, very presentable, very nice.]
'DIEEE!'
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