Guide Me If You Dare

FIRST, Yuno realized that he was standing on the rooftop of what seemed like a huge house.

Well, it makes sense since this place is actually an orphanage.

No wonder the 'zombies' were mostly kids, probably around the age of 12-16.

Tsk.

Why is it always kids?!

To be fair, there were also a few adults in the compound.

But there were more children than the grown-ups.

Yuno clenched his hands tight, annoyed that the poor kids were walking mindlessly while releasing growls that couldn't possibly belong to humans.

They had some physical changes, too.

Those 'zombies' have violet skin with bulging veins all over their bodies like patterns, plus they have golden pupils now.

"17-nim, how did you find this place?"

"I didn't want to be here, but the System sent me here— asking me to take care of those… zombies."

"Oh. But you still haven't taken care of them."

"Yeah, I just created a barrier around the area so they can't leave this place."

"Aww. You can't kill them because they are kids, right?"

"No. What are you talking about? Kids or not, I'll kill anyone I need to kill for world peace," 17 said bluntly. "I'm just hesitating because this isn't my territory. I don't want to create a conflict between Korea and AWO."

Aigoo.

I almost forgot that most World Rankers are heartless bastards.

Not that Yuno didn't understand.

Most high-ranking Espers have been hardened by war.

"I actually called Ki Gayoon earlier. I wanted to bring him here so I wouldn't take the fall all by myself if this causes a problem later. But that bastard ignored me. I didn't expect the System to send you here, though."

"The System said I need to help you," Yuno said, looking at 17 from head to toe. "Do you need guiding… oh."

He trailed off because he saw something glow in 17's chest.

It's his Core…

"Noh Yuno, your eyes are glowing red~"

"And your chest is glowing red, too."

17 suddenly covered his broad chest with his thick arms. "What are you looking at, kid?"

"Your Core," Yuno said bluntly. Dealing with someone as dramatic as 17 was a piece of cake since his boss was Moon Noa— the diva of all divas. "Your Core is blinking red, like a phone battery that's about to die and begging to be charged."

"Oh, I see," 17 said, dropping his arms that covered his chest. "Well, I haven't received guiding for at least three months."

Yuno gasped loudly. "You've gone without a Guide for that long?"

"Why are you surprised? Ki Gayoon went on without a Guide for years."

"Yeah, but it's because Gayoon Hyung hates Guides due to his trauma. Is that the same case for you, 17-nim?"

"Nah, my Guide just ran away from me."

"Why?"

"Because I was a jerk."

"I'm glad you have self-awareness," Yuno said, and then he extended his hand to 17. "I can give you guiding if you want. The System said I need to help you anyway. But I won't force you if you don't want to receive my guiding."

"It's not that I don't want to receive your guiding— I just don't want Ki Gayoon to go after my throat."

"I'm a Guide first before Gayoon Hyung's lover, and Hyung knows that. He doesn't like it, but that's his problem. I'm still going to perform my duty when I have to."

Plus, I want the reward that the System promised.

"Aww. How noble. If that's the case, then I accept your generous offer," 17 said, grabbing Yuno's hand gently. "But try not to faint on me, okay? I'd hate it if Ki Gayoon gets upset because I accidentally made you faint…"

17 finally stopped yapping when Yuno's warm Mana started flowing throughout his body.

To be fair, Yuno thought he'd faint or at least get a nosebleed.

That happened before when he guided Lee Sarang.

But I feel like I have a better grasp of my Mana now. I can control it so my life force won't get mixed with the Mana that I'm using to guide 17-nim. So, I was guiding natural S-Class Guides wrong all this time, huh?

After Yuno had retrieved his memories, he felt like he had leveled up?

Like now, he knew how to use his power properly.

Plus, I can also see it— the corrupted Mana that I'm absorbing from 17-nim.

Ah.

Yuno just realized why he could suddenly use his ability properly.

I remember all the things I learned from the Lab…

Tsk.

It was a hard pill to swallow.

Yes, I suffered in the Lab— but that place was still what shaped me to be the perfect Guide that I am today.

"Wow— that feels amazing."

Yuno lifted his head and saw how 17's face beamed. "It's done, sir. How are you feeling?"

"Great!" 17 said, holding Yuno's hand. "And you didn't faint! Even my Guide faints when he gives me this much guiding. But you're fine, Noh Yuno. Are you E-Class Guides this good? Damn, we should save your class…"

Yuno tuned out 17's yapping when his Status Window appeared before him.

[Congratulations, Guide Noh Yuno!

As a reward for guiding the world's current official #1 Esper, the System rewards you with the chance to save the humans in this area.]

Yuno let out a gasp. "They can still be saved?"

17 didn't look startled even though Yuno accidentally raised his voice.

In fact, the world's #1 Esper was staring blankly into the air.

17-nim's personal Status Window must have popped up, too.

"Kid, let's start," 17 said, grinning. "I'm excited to try the new skill that the System gave me."

Yuno was just about to ask what skill 17 had gained…

… but the world's #1 Esper had already attacked the 'zombies' with hundreds of lightning bolts.

"You crazy bastard!"

***

"HEY, LEE SARANG said she doesn't need my help," Ki Gayoon said impatiently. "Send me to where Noh Yuno is now."

"Not yet," the System, still in Moon Noa's body, said while shaking his head. "I'm still testing if Noh Yuno is compatible with the world's strongest #1 Esper."

Excuse me?

Ki Gayoon was too stunned to react.

"Uh-oh," Haru said in a flat voice. "You're getting replaced, Gayoon-san. This is what you get for choosing to be a business tycoon for years instead of honing your skills as an Esper."

Ki Gayoon glared at Haru, who just avoided his gaze.

I regret calling this bastard 'hyung.'

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I'll make sure that your personal relationship with Noh Yuno won't be affected, Ki Gayoon," the System said casually. "I'm just trying to see how the world's strongest Guide and the world's strongest Esper will work together."

"17 only became the strongest Esper because I didn't participate in the World Ranking competition," Ki Gayoon said through gritted teeth while clenching his hands tight. "If I officially become the world's #1 Esper, will you stop making Noh Yuno work with that bastard?"

***

"DID YOU call me a 'crazy bastard' earlier, kid?"

"No, you must have heard wrong, sir," Yuno lied with a straight face. "You must be having difficulty hearing because of your old age."

"Kid, I'm not that old— I'm around Moon Noa's age."

"Like I said, old."

Yuno wouldn't be fooled by 17's baby face.

No one knows his real age, but according to some reports, 17-nim is a man in his forties. Like he claims, he's around Sajangnim's age.

"Forties is already old to you, kid?"

"Well, I'm only twenty-five…"

"Damn. That's really young."

Yuno ignored 17 as he was busy calculating the distance between the rooftop and the ground.

Yeah, he was thinking of jumping off to get to the 'victims' right away.

After 17 hit the 'zombies' with his lightning bolts, they all collapsed and lost consciousness.

"Sir, you didn't kill them, right?"

"Nah, that's the amazing part, kid," 17 said, his face beaming again. "The System said my lightning bolts have leveled up. Now they have the ability to purify anyone who have been corrupted by the Virus."

"What's the catch? It sounds too good to be true."

"You're one pessimistic child."

"Am I wrong?"

"Nah, you're absolutely right. But the catch is simple," 17 said cheerfully, suddenly grabbing 17 by the waist. "I can 'recharge' my 'Pure Lightning Bolts' if I receive guiding from you, Noh Yuno."

Yuno wanted to complain about getting grabbed without his permission, but 17 had already teleported.

It was just a short-distance teleportation.

So, in just the blink of an eye, the two of them were already on the ground.

"17-nim, let me go before I hit you with Reserve Guiding."

Fortunately, 17 didn't need to be told twice.

The world's #1 Esper immediately backed away with his hands raised in surrender.

"Reverse Guiding is painful," 17 whined. "What did I do wrong?"

"Don't touch me without my permission, sir," Yuno said firmly. "Just because you're an Esper doesn't mean you can touch me whenever you want."

17 tilted his head to one side as if amused. "Oh, you're like my Guide. That's the reason he ran away from him. He said he's tired of me doing whatever I want whenever I like."

"Your Guide is smart, then."

17 just laughed.

Yuno ignored the old man and started checking the 'zombies.'

They're still alive.

Thank goodness.

While feeling relieved, his personal Status Window suddenly popped up.

[Guide Noh Yuno, please extract the Artificial Cores embedded in the victims.]

Oh?

Yuno's eyes widened a little. "The 'zombification' was caused by Artificial Cores?!"

***

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