“……Look at this.”Ji Hayeon brought his index finger to a point in empty air.Then the center of his fingertip began to press inward, like pushing with the tip of a ballpoint pen. Ji Hayeon sent his Metena down through his hand.Vrrrm.A small ripple rose with a blue light.“A Metena reaction?”It was the reaction that came out when Awakened touched Metena with one another.There was nothing in the air. Ji Hayeon poked here and there in different spots of empty air. But the only place that reacted was that one spot.Vrrrm.“You know what this point is, right?”Sawon stared at him. The spot where the ripples rose was the exact place where the dust-sized fissure had first taken root and begun to distort. Sawon was about to reach his hand toward that spot.“Ah!”Nine, who had been sitting quietly, clamped down on Sawon’s hand. This time it wasn’t playful. He bit down with all his strength, leaving clear teeth marks in Sawon’s hand. He bit so hard the middle of the sunken skin oozed a bead of blood.“Nine.”Screeching, whining, Nine escaped onto Sawon’s head. Then he grabbed the short hair and shook it violently. Sawon let out a startled breath and a small laugh.“What’s with you all of a sudden. You’re in trouble.”But Nine didn’t care and shrieked as he shook Sawon’s head wildly. From farther away, where he’d been checking something else, Seo Hansu clicked his tongue.“That, that… that damn monkey’s at it again.”Ji Hayeon looked at the scuffle between Sawon and Nine and gave a faint shake of his head. When he turned back and placed his fingertip on the point in empty air again, another ripple rose. Sawon stared sharply at that spot. Even as his head was being yanked around, he exchanged a look with Ji Hayeon.He hadn’t seen wrong.A clap only makes sound with two palms. In other words, for that reaction to occur, two Metenas had to collide. And Ji Hayeon’s Metena was reacting to a point where nothing existed.“Is the wavelength still zero?”Ji Hayeon measured once more and nodded. Sawon’s hair was a tangled bird’s nest thanks to Nine. But no one at the site laughed at the sight.“Chief, I’m bad with theory. Tell me what that phenomenon is supposed to be.”Everyone’s eyes turned to the two of them. Ji Hayeon folded his arms and thought for a long moment before speaking.“I’ll contact the Director. You contact the Bureau Director.”Ji Hayeon said quietly near Sawon’s ear.“I’ll explain when we get there.”***It hadn’t been that long since the existence of Deaters was revealed to the world. Their point of connection began from a tiny dot floating in the air. A dot small as dust—ordinary people had passed by that little crack for years without noticing, until it happened to catch the eye of a scientist. Human tenacity sometimes gives birth to tragedy. Under his direction, the research team discovered a method to artificially expand the fissure, and with that, the parallel world coexisting in the same era as humans was revealed. The name of that otherworld was Hinari. It meant “a pile of firewood that does not dry,” named for the place where fissure particles were first discovered.A parallel world once only claimed in theory became known, and the foundation became reality; research related to Hinari flourished. Humanity had effectively created a point of contact with the Deaters themselves.“You know this part too.”Ji Hayeon said while flipping through hologram documents.The two of them were walking down a Central Hunter Bureau hallway. Even as he pushed, opened, and read the documents, he didn’t stop walking. His hands repeatedly closed and opened with restless tension. Sawon walked beside him, quietly watching Ji Hayeon read as he walked.“It’s the number-one regular question on the entry exam.”This time Ji Hayeon threw him a look of disbelief.“That kind of thing even kids know, and it’s on the Central Bureau entry exam?”“What kid pays attention to this stuff?”Up ahead, the meeting room—their destination—came into view. Ji Hayeon checked the time and let out a small laugh.“Don’t tell me question two is always about Hinari raw material or something?”Sawon made a surprised gesture.“Right. How’d you know? As expected of our Chief Researcher.”Ji Hayeon frowned and muttered.“They put something that basic on the exam…?”Just as Earth had water and air, Hinari had something of equal nature—and that was Metena. Like water and air were the minimum requirements for human survival, the energy that allowed Deaters to survive was Metena. Hinari’s Metena existed in the form of “raw material.” Just as humans refined crude oil to extract gasoline and kerosene, refining Hinari’s Metena raw material produced stamina-type and intellect-type Metena. In a way, the power of the Awakened fundamentally originated from Hinari. In short, Awakened and Deaters could even be considered relatives.“To call raw material a basic question… They teach all sorts of weird things in the name of theory. You have any idea how confused I was learning all those formulas and functions I’d never seen before?”“How can anyone get confused by something that easy…”“Everyone expects people to be intellect-types. If that’s the standard, then I don’t get researchers either. They don’t understand physical sensation at all.”How can they not get this feeling?Sawon rolled his wrist and clenched his hand; veins bulged along his hand and forearm.Arguing about nothing, the two of them reached the meeting room before they realized it. Only a small number of people had gathered in the wide room. Five researchers and only one hunter: Bureau Director Kwon. The empty seats made the air feel cold. The two of them sat as well.Their pointless bickering halted. Ji Hayeon immediately gave a detailed explanation of the data he’d organized and the situation at the scene. When he finished, Director Kim Inhee added comments, followed by heated discussion. Sawon simply listened quietly to the researchers debate.Ji Hayeon turned his eyes from the screen to Sawon.“At that spot in the burger shop, someone’s Metena is definitely present. Otherwise that reaction wouldn’t have occurred. But in your eyes, in my eyes, and in the eyes of everyone else who was there—there was nothing visible. In short, it exists, but to our eyes it doesn’t exist.”Sawon leaned back in his chair, tilting his head, and murmured.“Exists but doesn’t exist, huh.”Nine was sitting obediently in Sawon’s lap. The side of Sawon’s head still showed traces of Nine’s hair-ripping. Ji Hayeon drew his gaze away from Sawon’s disheveled state and continued.“Metena exists. But it does not exist in the human world. Which means there’s only one possibility left. Something must be in another space sharing the same location—meaning Hinari’s domain overlapping the same coordinates.”Director Kwon asked dryly:“Are you certain?”Ji Hayeon answered with an annoyed expression.“You can’t attach ‘certainty’ to a hypothesis. I’m only presenting a possibility. But…”Ji Hayeon rubbed his nails together until they clicked and added quietly:“Personally, I’m convinced. The pattern of this fissure differs from anything we’ve seen so far, and that bothers me.”Director Kim Inhee turned in his chair toward Sawon and asked:“What do you think, Hunter Gu?”This time came a string of tap, tap against the table. Following Sawon’s tapping, Nine thumped the tabletop with his tiny fingers.“Seems like there’s only one method. Is there any option besides going to Hinari and checking it directly?”Director Kim Inhee nodded heavily, as if Sawon had voiced his own thoughts. Director Kwon rubbed his chin, silent.“I trust you understand this won’t be easy.”Director Kim Inhee clenched his fist tightly and answered.“But I «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» also understand it isn’t impossible.”It felt like a clash between two rank-level powers. Sawon folded his arms and watched. There was indeed a way to go to Hinari. But… it certainly wasn’t simple.Then Ji Hayeon continued.“To identify the mutated fissure pattern, we must go. Of course, without Central Bureau support, we can’t. I’m asking for your help, Bureau Director.”Director Kwon stood at the pinnacle of stamina-type authority. But for someone with that title, he wasn’t particularly authoritarian. At Ji Hayeon’s request, Director Kwon agreed.“Hm… All right. I also agree it’s necessary. I’ll put together an expedition team as quickly as possible.”Director Kim Inhee gave his thanks. But this didn’t resolve everything. Ji Hayeon stated his real intention.“Please include me in the expedition team. I’ll cross over with them.”If Ji Hayeon crossed, he’d have to go too.Sawon looked down at his arms as if seeking permission. Nine was now nestled against him, sucking on a finger like a baby. When it came to Metena and Deater-related matters, Sawon always sought Nine’s consent—at least in his mind. Sawon thought to Nine, testing him.Nine. I’m going to Hinari.Nine kept sucking his finger and stared up at Sawon. His slowly blinking eyelids were peaceful.…Since he’s calm, I guess going is fine.Sawon straightened from the chair he had been leaning against.“Then I’ll go too.”But before Director Kwon could open his mouth, a sharp answer flew from Ji Hayeon.“Exclude Hunter Gu Sawon.”“What?”At the completely natural-sounding rejection, Sawon slammed the table.Nine jolted upright in surprise.“What are you talking about. Why leave me out?”

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