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I’ve eaten enough of this, and now I can start to see the standards of the enemies.

If I can see all the information in my eyes, it’s an opponent I can definitely handle.

If I can see more than half the information, it’s an opponent I might be able to take on, assuming there’s a critical and my comrades are by my side.

If I can’t see more than half of the information, then I’m at a disadvantage no matter what I hold.

Unfortunately, the opponent in front of me only revealed their name and age, not even halfway.

“Yu Da On.”

At the Director’s words, Yu Da On flinched.

“You know, don’t you?”

“…”

Yu Da On clenched her fists.

“You are the most ideal human we can imagine, Yu Da On. Don’t try to escape that responsibility—”

The Branch Chief throws a punch.

– Perv!

With the sound of leather hitting, the old man in the white coat is sent flying.

“Seriously, how is your punch so weak?!”

The Branch Chief shook off his hand, scowling.

“What about the others?”

“The Isolation Team is currently cleaning up downstairs.”

“What a pity.”

If Ahn Sang Hyun had come here, things might have been a bit different.

“If Ahn Sang Hyun had come here, it wouldn’t have made much difference anyway.”

As if reading my thoughts, the Branch Chief spoke up.

“I think it would have made a difference.”

“Did you just see that?”

The Branch Chief shook his fist and looked ahead.

Before I knew it, the old man who had been sent flying was getting up as if nothing was wrong, dusting himself off.

“To begin with, he’s an opponent who hardly feels physical shock. It’s gonna take me and Ahn Sang Hyun half a day of pounding just to take him down.”

Getting pummeled for half a day and dying means he can be killed, after all.

I pulled a gun from my pocket.

“Then we might be of more use.”

“I sincerely hope so.”

The Branch Chief muttered as he got back into position.

“Kim Jae Heon, listen well.”

“Yes.”

“That one — we eat it.”

“Wait, what?”

“If you just open and close your mouth, it can eat the surrounding space, take in oxygen, basically, it can consume anything physically present.”

“It doesn’t seem like I’m up against someone I can win against?”

Isn’t it just a being that could erase me from existence with a simple open and close of its mouth?

“I won’t be easily bitten by that thing, but the others might not be so lucky, right?”

The Branch Chief nodded and brushed off his clothes.

Upon closer inspection, there were clear bite marks all over her body.

I looked at the Director in front of me.

He opened his mouth and shouted,

“Right!”

At the Team Leader’s command, we all rolled to the right.

– Crash!

Literally, the wall next to me ‘disappeared’ with a tremendous noise.

“Dang it, something like that should be a case for the Branch Chief to handle…!”

Covered in dust, Song Ah Rin muttered in a voice filled with fear.

A single strand of the Team Leader’s hair fluttered down to the ground.

“Did you see that?”

The Branch Chief muttered as he looked straight ahead.

“Normal people would die from a bite.”

“And you, Branch Chief?”

“I can endure.”

“…How?”

How can someone endure being bitten by that?

“Like this, if you tighten your body, you can hold on.”

With a sharp intake of breath, the Branch Chief tightened his abdomen.

“Of course, Jae Heon, you’ll die even if you brace yourself, so avoid being bitten, okay?”

“I have no intention of being bitten, even if you ask me to.”

There are only two people among us who could survive a direct hit from that.

“I think I’ll be fine.”

“Oh, Yu Da On.”

The Branch Chief’s face brightened as he looked at Yu Da On, who shyly smiled back while locking eyes with him.

“Ah, hello.”

“Come to think of it, this is the first time we’ve really talked, right?”

“Uh… Is that so?”

“Yes, yes! It’s the first time I’ve seen the legendary Branch Chief in person. Let’s talk a bit.”

“Ahahaha, right…”

Yu Da On replied with a dry laugh.

“So, what do you think? How does it feel to see the Branch Chief properly for the first time?”

“Uhmm, well…”

Yu Da On wore an expression that seemed to question whether she should speak.

And usually, when she makes that face, it means she’s about to say something she shouldn’t.

“Da On, just a second—”

“It smells like grandma’s perfume…?”

“Ha ha!”

At Yu Da On’s muttering, Song Ah Rin covered her mouth and laughed, while Jang Chae Yeon also bowed her head.

Seeing her shoulders shake, it was clear she was laughing too.

“…”

The Branch Chief was staring at me with a smile that didn’t fade. I shook my head, not wanting to draw any attention. I didn’t say anything.

It wasn’t my fault that the real Yu Da On said it smelled like her grandma’s perfume out of nowhere.

The Branch Chief, staring wide-eyed at me, then turned to Yu Da On.

“Yu Da On.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I’m pretty sure I can’t forget you.”

“Uh, yes… Thank you…”

With an awkward expression, Yu Da On lowered her head.

– Bang!

While they were talking and laughing, the Branch Chief twisted her body and stood in front of us.

– Crack!

With a bite mark appearing on her arm, blood began to seep through.

Did she really endure that attack with sheer strength?

Is this really what humans are like?

“Kim Jae Heon.”

“Yes.”

The Branch Chief shook off the blood dripping from her arm and muttered.

“This is my plan, do you want to hear it?”

“Please go ahead.”

The Branch Chief nodded.

“Anyway, you probably can’t see things clearly right now, right?”

“…That’s correct.”

“Usually, beings like that hide themselves well.”

The Branch Chief shifted her gaze to the man in the white coat.

“In other words, it means he has some power left.”

“I understand that well.”

Just like in Aestheticism, if one has the resources, they know how to conceal themselves somehow.

“If we think of it simply, if you hit them hard enough over and over, it’ll eventually break.”

“Yes?”

The Branch Chief balled her fist.

“I’ll hit him. Jae Heon, when he becomes visible, that’s when you sneak in.”

“Will that really work?”

“I don’t know.”

The Branch Chief smiled brightly.

“When the body is good, you don’t need to use your head!”

She stepped forward and charged at the Director.

– Bang!

Her fist landed directly on the Director’s face, and a thunderous sound echoed.

“…Chae Yeon.”

“Yeah.”

Jang Chae Yeon approached me.

“Please back up the Branch Chief from the side. Don’t give them any distance, just distract them from afar by throwing steel marbles or objects.”

“Got it.”

Jang Chae Yeon nodded.

“A-Rin, please keep an eye on Chae Yeon. If it gets dangerous, pull her out and check if hypnosis or control works, okay?”

“I can’t make any promises… but I’ll try.”

Song Ah Rin sighed as she twirled her hair.

“Team Leader, please keep an eye on those two.”

“Got it. And you?”

At the Team Leader’s words, I locked eyes with Yu Da On.

“Me?”

“The two of us will aim for a big hit.”

The Team Leader, who had been watching us, slowly nodded.

“Got it. Just don’t play around too much and hurry back.”

“Understood.”

And so, the three of us raced toward the Branch Chief.

“Da On.”

“Yes.”

Yu Da On looked at me.

Her gaze shifted above her, and I shook my head.

This wasn’t what I should be focusing on right now.

Our eyes met, and I asked,

“Do you remember what kind of surgery you had?”

“…”

Yu Da On blinked and looked at me.

It might be wrong to suddenly ask her this kind of question.

“I’m sorry. If it makes you uncomfortable—”

“The most memorable surgery was when they implanted something in my body.”

Yu Da On continued speaking in a calm voice.

“There were several experiments, but the biggest problem was that if I died, I would return to normal.”

Yu Da On’s gaze turned toward the Director in the white coat.

“So they had a lot of thoughts about how to properly use me.”

“…”

“And how they could utilize me effectively.”

Yu Da On smiled.

“And then they decided on one thing.”

“Yes.”

“What did they call it? Existence absorption, maybe?”

Yu Da On closed her eyes.

“Regardless, it was a truly horrifying experience.”

“I understand.”

“It wasn’t the usual bloody surgery; they just left me in a room somewhere.”

“…”

“In there, I couldn’t see or feel anything; I could only hear the sounds of a song…”

Yu Da On’s face turned pale.

“That’s enough for now.”

“…No.”

Yu Da On shook her head.

“Then they said this.”

“…”

“They said that I had developed a better sense of smell.”

“Smell?”

Yu Da On nodded.

“Since then, I’ve always sensed unique smells.”

“…”

“During the Dream of the Butterfly, there was a sweet smell. Sometimes a pungent smell, fishy too. Of course, there’s your smell as well, Jae Heon.”

Yu Da On smiled slightly.

“The doctors said that they could now understand the essence of a person with someone like me.”

“…”

“From then on, it was a repeat of horrifying experiments, but…”

Yu Da On trailed off.

“Still, after that, I think they started giving me food. Originally, I went hungry every time.”

“…You’ve gone through a lot.”

“Now I have you, Jae Heon.”

Yu Da On smiled softly.

“Did that help?”

“…I think so.”

“Then I’m satisfied.”

Hearing Yu Da On’s words, I fell into thought.

Understanding the essence.

The jellyfish I saw at Gangseo Hospital.

They said that a person could turn into a jellyfish.

And now seeing this predator.

It seems that ‘hospitals’ are fixated on human parts.

Nose, eyes, mouth.

Is their goal to maximize the abilities of specific human parts?

And all for the sake of

“Finding the essence.”

[Critical: 1->2]

I stared blankly at the translucent window, continuing my thoughts.

But what made Yu Da On different from them?

Perhaps it was her abilities.

Though they speak of immortality and regeneration, the more I fight alongside her, the more I feel it.

The Shield of Cronus, mummification, and her method of regeneration.

From abilities to synergy, I felt as if I was overlooking something.

– Bang!

“Are you done thinking? While we’re here fighting for our lives, you two are out here on a date, and even though I support young love, it seriously pisses me off!”

The Branch Chief shouted at me.

“Alright then!”

I pulled out my gun and reached out to Yu Da On.

“Let’s go, Da On.”

“…”

Yu Da On looked at me.

“It’s about time we escape this dreadful hospital.”

A confident smile spread across her face.

“I’ll take care of the discharge papers.”

A smile danced on Yu Da On’s face.

“Honestly, we could probably do without a discharge slip.”

She took my hand.

“I guess you’re my discharge slip, Jae Heon.”

“No. We have to discharge you.”

I’ve devised a thorough plan.

Now it’s time to act.