Ji Hayeon’s eyes widened.Inside the pocket he’d been fidgeting with in the van. That was where Sawon felt a very faint Metena. It was so weak that even paying careful attention, most people wouldn’t notice it, but Sawon, affected by Nine, could sense it.There was only one reason to bring that along in a situation like this. If he had to guess, the contents were probably that experimental drug that was supposed to create a stamina-type ability.Sawon stepped back again. Ji Hayeon’s expression was twisted in a strange way. Pushing away the hands gripping the belt on his chest, Ji Hayeon spoke.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”“Ah. That’s how you’re gonna play this, huh?”“Stop talking nonsense. …You just make sure you don’t get hurt.”“Wow. Chief, are you worrying about me?”Just then, Mok Geonho cut in, who knew how long he’d been standing there.“Chief. The one guy here you don’t need to worry about is Gu Sawon.”A wave hit and rocked the boat. But the hunters crowded along the railing didn’t lose their balance. Only the researchers wobbled. Sawon quickly steadied Ji Hayeon’s tilting arm and pulled him close.“You heard him, right? So lean on me a little.”Ji Hayeon clenched his fist. With darkness fully settled in, his expression wasn’t clear.The captain gripped the doorway of the wheelhouse and pointed toward the sea.“You may enter now.”Mok Geonho gathered his weapons as he spoke.“Grab your gear. Put on your communicators.”Clack, the sound of hunters attaching equipment rang out.Mok Geonho slipped in his in-ear communicator and pressed the button at his neck. Metena formed a translucent helmet. A Metena membrane wrapped around his whole body.His voice flowed in through the communicator.– We’ll dive in at two-second intervals. Get ready.Hunters formed a line, and beside each of them stood the researchers paired with them. Sawon and Ji Hayeon were in the very back row. Mok Geonho stomped on the deck.– Three, two, one.He stepped out into empty space as he shouted.– Entering!A pitch-black silhouette plunged into the sea with a splash. More splashes followed in steady rhythm as people disappeared one by one.When it was their turn, Sawon took Ji Hayeon’s hand on the deck. Because of the gloves, the touch was ice cold, but it still felt like warmth seeped through from the other side.Sawon’s voice echoed through the communicator.– Last team entering!Splash.The two of them also went into the black sea.It was just as dark all around underwater as it had been above. Thanks to the Metena diving suit, no water touched their skin. Only the resistance of the water told them they weren’t on land. As soon as they entered the water, Mok Geonho spoke.Static.– Hunters, keep a close eye on the partner you’re responsible for. Set the communicators to guidance mode. We don’t know what might be around us, so don’t relax.Static.– Yeees, Team Leader.– Just hurry up and go, Mok Geonho.– I swear, none of you bastards have any respect for your team leader.Mok Geonho muttered, then started descending. Between the sounds on the line, the noise of water seeped in.The expedition’s destination was a point reached by descending vertically 400 meters from the surface where they had jumped.Stamina-type Awakened, with their superior physical strength and inner Metena, could move with nothing more than a light diving suit, but intellect-types were different. So Ji Hayeon was wrapped four layers deep: battle suit, armor, the diving suit on top, and even a Metena guard.His movement was inevitably more restricted than Sawon’s. Sawon held Ji Hayeon’s hand tightly as they went.How far had they descended. Just when his eyes were starting to get used to the dark, Sawon suddenly reached out with his other hand and pressed the back of Ji Hayeon’s neck. The communication code changed.Static.– Chief. Bored?– Why did you change the channel on your own.– We’ve got at least twenty more minutes of going down like this. It’s boring. Let’s talk a bit.– What if you miss something important like this.– Don’t worry. I set it so «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» it automatically switches back if they call from that side.– …Why do you have no sense of tension.– Think of it as the laid-back attitude of the capable.The confidence that no matter what attacked, he could calmly take it down. There was no way Ji Hayeon didn’t understand what Sawon meant, and he let out a shallow sigh. The corner of Sawon’s mouth lifted smoothly.– Finish what you were saying earlier.– What was I saying.– At Daegwallyeong rest stop. You said you wanted to live normally.– …He felt the faint twitch where their hands were joined. Maybe because of the dimness all around, it felt like Sawon’s thoughts were reaching Ji Hayeon without any filter.– Actually, I thought about it back there too. I can’t picture myself not being a hunter. I find myself wondering what I’m supposed to do first if I live without being a hunter. So I wanted to hear your side of it.– Why are you curious about that now.– For some reason, I feel like if I ask you now, Ji Hayeon, you’ll answer.– …There was no hint of laughter in Sawon’s voice as he asked. He continued descending as he spoke.– How did you live before you joined the Bureau?A brief silence followed. Sawon calmly waited for the next words. And after a while—– Just… I was normal. I went to school like normal, and when school was over I went home with a friend…– A friend of Chief’s, huh. I’m really curious what kind of person that is. Is it me, by any chance?– …We were only acquaintances, you said that yourself.– True.There was no way that prickly, sensitive temperament would have matched with someone like him. Sawon imagined Ji Hayeon’s friend, whose face he didn’t know. Some big-hearted unknown person who matched that fussy personality while still being able to walk alongside him.After thinking for a moment, Sawon quickly urged him on.– So you went home with your friend. And? What did you do after that?When Ji Hayeon clenched his fist, Sawon’s grip tightened uncomfortably. It seemed like an unconscious reaction.Did I ask something I wasn’t supposed to again? Don’t tell me he was getting bullied or something…? But he had a friend to walk home with, so that doesn’t sound right…Watching Ji Hayeon’s reaction, Sawon patiently waited for what came next. And Ji Hayeon continued.– My friend… we were both alone at home until late every night. So we’d cook together, and study, and play games. Mostly I read, and my friend… played games.– What the. That’s basically what me and Mok Geonho do. Except for the reading. Don’t tell me this friend made you egg rice and stuff like that?When Sawon laughed, a small laugh slipped out of Ji Hayeon as well.– Yeah.– Huh? I just said that, but really?– The only dish my friend knew how to make was egg rice. We ate that every day.– Egg rice is good, but… you ate it every day?Ji Hayeon nodded slowly.– Chief Ji’s patience is no joke. Don’t tell me you ate only egg rice for like three years straight?– No. I complained once, and after that he started making other things.The tone of Ji Hayeon’s voice as he said that was soaked in warmth. For some reason, that voice was pleasant to hear, and Sawon moved even closer to him.– What’s that. I thought you said he couldn’t cook.– He bought a cookbook.– Wow… that’s serious dedication. Who does that much for a friend. Are you sure he was just a friend? Maybe he liked you.– …He was a guy.The story of his normal everyday life had naturally shifted into a story about Ji Hayeon’s friend.– Aww, that could’ve been fun. What a letdown.Sawon’s laughter echoed in his ear.At some point, the two of them had reached a depth of 200 meters. Sawon was fine, but for intellect-type Ji Hayeon, this was about where the water pressure would start to affect his body.Sawon had struck up the conversation partly because he really wanted to hear about Ji Hayeon’s life, but also to divert his focus elsewhere. But the timing was unfortunate; the conversation cut off right then.〈-200m〉〈-210m〉〈-220m〉A hologram in his field of vision showed the depth. Sawon opened his mouth again.– And then what? What else did you do?Static.[Switching to full-channel communication mode.]The channel shifted just then, and Mok Geonho’s voice came through.– Picking up life-form readings below. Everyone, stay sharp.Sawon immediately undid one of the belts at his own waist. Then he clipped it onto Ji Hayeon’s. It was in case they got dragged apart.Next he drew the gun at his hip. At a glance it resembled a sword, but the long rifle, straight as a rod, looked more like a bazooka.Static.– What is that? It’s coming up faster than we thought. Is it a Deater?When Kim Wujeong asked, Seo Hansu answered.– At this depth, nothing would be surprising. Deater or deep-sea fish, what’s the difference. We just get rid of it.– Who said not to get rid of it?– Hey, this is full-channel. Don’t start fighting.Ignoring his classmates’ bickering, Sawon quietly continued descending.He began to feel a faint trace of Metena. At first it was so weak that only he could sense it, but the closer it came, the stronger it grew.When the unknown Metena approached the vicinity, the communicator blared.– Who’s on the left side of the formation. Move over here!Screeeeeeech!A bizarre scream spread through the water, rising up from right under Ji Hayeon’s feet.

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