“What do you mean you can’t use your ability?”Raon had seen it himself—with his own eyes.Hamin had used his ability to kill a monster, to fly into the air and reach the top of the tower.That was how Raon had survived the fall from the tower in one piece.“There’s no way that’s true, Guide Hamin. Try again.”“Ugh.”But Hamin’s claim that he couldn’t use his ability seemed real. The strained look on his face said it all.“…Huh.”So Hamin hadn’t actually reawakened as an Esper? Even Raon was momentarily thrown.“Honestly, everything the Guide Team claims to have experienced in that tower sounds unbelievable.”“It’s true!”Raon raised his voice, snapping back at Dojin’s remark.But now that Hamin couldn’t demonstrate any power, Raon’s insistence lacked weight.“I’m sorry, Team Leader. It’s all because of me…”“No. Don’t worry about it.”Neither Inho nor Yunchae could defend Raon any further, and in the end, Raon returned to the Guide Team with Hamin, empty-handed. After that, he went around performing guiding to assist the combat team.Hamin looked completely deflated. He clearly blamed himself for being a burden.But Raon had no intention of blaming him. And he wouldn’t deny what he’d witnessed either—Hamin had definitely reawakened as an Esper.Maybe he just isn’t used to °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° controlling his ability yet?Still, the fact that he couldn’t use it at all bothered Raon. There was a big difference between not controlling something well and not being able to access it whatsoever.Could it really be because of Seo Dojin…?That was the only explanation left. Hamin had spent a long time living under Dojin’s shadow.As a B-rank Guide with no outstanding skill, the only reason he’d been treated with any respect at the Center was because he had a high match rate with an S-rank Esper—Seo Dojin.Maybe that was why he always shrank in front of Dojin. Normally, it was the Esper who sought out the Guide, but with those two, the dynamic had been reversed. Dojin hadn’t started showing remorse or self-awareness until the very end of the novel.Maybe that pressure had paralyzed Hamin to the point that he couldn’t use his ability at all. Staying as a Guide in front of Dojin, instead of some uncertain-rank Esper, probably felt safer for him.“Hmm… what should I do.”Raon muttered under his breath. Without Hamin’s ability, there was no way to get everyone down from the cliff.He had to find a way to make Hamin use his power again.“Hyung, what are you thinking about?”“Ah—sorry.”Ever since they’d come out of the tower, Siwoo had stuck to Raon like glue. Raon was still guiding him as they spoke.“…Hmm.”But why wasn’t the number going up? Raon glanced anxiously at his wrist device. Normally, Espers’ contamination levels would rise the moment he performed radiative guiding, but Siwoo’s hadn’t moved since earlier.Does holding hands not count anymore? He wasn’t even seriously injured—did that mean he’d need a stronger type of guiding now?While Raon was lost in thought, a quiet voice brushed against his ear.“That fall from the tower… I didn’t imagine it, right?”“Huh? No, you didn’t.”“Ha…”Siwoo let out a long sigh, covering his eyes with one hand. His large palm covered nearly half his face.“I—I really thought you were gone. If you had died, I was going to die with you…”“What? Hey, what the hell are you talking about? Why would you die?”Raon’s voice shot up in disbelief. He reached out with his free hand to pull Siwoo’s hand away from his face.“Why would you even think something like—wait, are you crying?”“…If I have to live like before, I’d rather die.”“…God.”Raon exhaled sharply when he finally saw Siwoo’s face. His eyes were filled to the brim with tears.He’d been that terrified, that shaken, thinking Raon might have died.After awakening as an Esper, Siwoo had never been properly guided. S-rank Espers had trouble finding Guides with a sufficiently high match rate, and being guided by a lower-rank, low-match Guide could be more harmful than helpful.So even when Raon had pushed him away, Siwoo hadn’t gone to anyone else. He’d just endured it with suppressants.Saying he’d rather die than go back to that meant exactly what it sounded like. The words hit Raon harder than he expected.When the System comes back online, I kept assuming everything would just… reset. Go back to how it was.But once you’ve tasted something sweet, you can’t go back to bitter survival. Raon realized he’d overlooked that entirely.“Siwoo. Look at me.”“….”“I’m not dead. I’m right here, alive. Okay?”Raon spoke softly, coaxing. Siwoo’s eyes were still red as he turned away.How do I even calm him down? Raon bit his lip, nervous.“Do you really have to do everything yourself? Can’t you just stay somewhere safe for once?”“No, it’s not that…”Raon trailed off. The truth was, he didn’t regret falling from the tower while trying to save Dasom.Even if he had to do it over, he’d make the same choice.But he couldn’t say that out loud—not when Siwoo would only get more upset.So he forced his mouth into a smile instead.“Alright, I won’t do that again. So don’t worry, okay?”“…Sorry. I sounded like a child.”In a Gate, anything could happen. Everyone who entered knew they were staking their lives.No one knew that better than Siwoo, who’d gone through countless high-rank Gates.But seeing his own newly paired Guide nearly die right in front of him had left him shaken.Raon slipped an arm around his shoulder and patted his back.“I’ll be more careful from now on.”“Okay.”Thankfully, Siwoo calmed down quickly. As Raon comforted him, his thoughts drifted back to Hamin.If Hamin could just ease that weight off his shoulders, maybe he could use his ability again.Maybe that was it—Siwoo’s contamination level started rising little by little, right after he’d regained his composure.Watching the numbers creep upward on his wrist device, Raon murmured to himself.Maybe Hamin can use his ability again if he stabilizes mentally.With that thought, Raon turned to Siwoo.“Sorry, Siwoo. I’m going to check on Guide Hamin for a bit.”“I’ll go with you.”“…Alright.”The Guides were scattered, assisting Espers throughout the area. Raon scanned around, looking for Hamin. Siwoo pointed toward a cluster of people.“He’s over there.”“Thanks.”With Siwoo’s help, Raon found him quickly.For some reason, Hamin wasn’t with Dojin—he was guiding other Espers instead.“Guide Hamin.”“Yes, Team Leader.”It hadn’t been long since the meeting, but his face already looked thinner. The stress had clearly taken its toll. Raon looked at him gently.“Would you like to be guided?”“…What?”Hamin’s eyes went wide in surprise. He stammered, completely thrown off guard.“W-what do you mean…?”“Just try it. Maybe it’ll change something.”“Uh…”Raon extended a hand toward him. Hamin’s gaze wavered as he looked down at it.Technically, a multi-Guide who reawakened as an Esper didn’t need guiding anymore—they could self-guide.Granted, Hamin’s guiding level was only B-rank, so his Esper power might be difficult to balance, but self-guiding always had nearly a hundred percent match rate. Rank hardly mattered.Still, Raon was offering not for efficiency, but for stabilization—for Hamin’s shaken mind.He smiled gently, making his voice as harmless as possible.“I don’t think what happened in the tower was an illusion. You think so too, don’t you?”“…Yes.”After a moment’s hesitation, Hamin nodded faintly. Then he glanced sideways at something.He’s looking toward Dojin, isn’t he?The way Hamin still seemed bound by that awareness made Raon frown before he even realized it.Maybe he shouldn’t keep interfering with the story’s original course—but anger stirred in him anyway.Watching Hamin chained by Dojin’s presence felt too much like looking back at his own pre-rewind self, shackled by the System.“Take my hand, Guide Hamin.”“I…”“You want to live differently, don’t you?”“….”At those words, Hamin flinched. His pale brown eyes trembled with moisture. His lips, drained of color, parted faintly.“…Yes.”At last, as if deciding something, Hamin nodded. He slowly lifted his hand.“Ah.”The moment Hamin took Raon’s hand, his eyes went wide again—and a tear slid down his cheek.“Guide Hamin?”“Uh…”“Guide Hamin!”Then, suddenly, Hamin’s feet left the ground.Both of them froze—Hamin floating in the air, Raon staring up at him with his hand still clasped in his.

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