DPGR 125

The bunker was bursting at the seams with evacuees.

Since it was a weekday and dungeons were appearing everywhere, even emergency personnel had been mobilized, so the number of regular staff was already high.

On top of that, it was the scheduled day for the guide training seminar, so the place was swarming with guides.

To make matters worse, reporters there to cover the press conference and outside visitors had all flocked into the bunker.

With all kinds of people mixed together, the bunker resembled a chaotic street market.

“Over here, the bleeding is too severe! Please check on this person!”

“No, me first! I’m an A-rank guide!”

“Someone’s life is on the line, why does rank even matter right now? Obviously, the more seriously injured person should be treated first!”

“Don’t fight in here! If you’re going to fight, take it outside!”

The guides, already shaken by the catastrophe, were on edge. With limited medical staff and supplies, conflict was inevitable.

In the midst of the arguments came the groans of the injured, the frightened murmurs of civilians, the chatter of live news blaring from someone’s YouTube stream, all tangled into a noisy mess.

Among the voices, the reporters trying to conduct interviews stood out the most.

“Are you a Center employee? Can you explain what’s going on right now?”

“You seem to have a serious leg injury, were you at the scene as a guide? Can you describe what it was like?”

“We’ve heard it was a solo decision by the Guide Director. Do you believe it was right to leave the dungeon unattended and wait for a break like that?”

Even in the already cramped space, the reporters’ massive cameras swung wildly around.

In a corner, Geonwoo quietly placed a hat, one he’d picked up from somewhere, on Jiho’s head and whispered.

“Cover your face.”

“Huh? Sorry?”

“Shh. Don’t lift your head. There might be reporters here who recognize Guide Jiho’s face. You don’t want to become a target for no reason.”

Jiho was one of the few S-rank guides in the world. In a situation like this, his rank made him prime bait.

Jiho, who hadn’t even thought that far, flinched and quickly pulled the brim down over his face.

Rolling his eyes beneath the brim, he fidgeted nervously.

“Do you think they’ll be okay?”

“Guide Jiho will be fine.”

“N-no, not me… I meant those injured guides over there.”

Following Jiho’s gaze, Geonwoo and Sena turned their heads.

In one area, several severely injured people were lying down or slumped against the wall.

Some had shrapnel embedded in them. Others had broken bones jutting through their skin.

Some had lost entire limbs in the explosion and were bleeding profusely.

None of them looked good. Especially those missing limbs, they were completely unresponsive, to the point it was unclear if they were even breathing.

“Oh no. It must be so painful…”

“……”

Jiho murmured with concern, and Geonwoo’s face twisted with sympathy.

Beside them, Sena pouted.

“Worry about yourself first. If you start thinking about others in this situation, you’re the one who’ll get hurt.”

“I’m okay, though.”

“You are now. But who knows what’ll happen next?”

Sena snapped, then gave Jiho’s cheek a light pinch.

“Don’t pity others. In a warzone, the ones who survive are those who know their life is the most important.”

Still, it seemed even Sena couldn’t completely ignore the injured, she stole a glance in their direction, feigning disinterest.

Rubbing the cheek Sena had pinched, Jiho said,

“…You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Guide Sena, you’re so kind.”

“Ha! He’s lost it!”

Sena pointed at Jiho like he’d said something unthinkable and looked at Geonwoo, who laughed despite the tense atmosphere.

“Guide Jiho is always generous with Sena. Do you really like her that much?”

“Hmm… She’s a good person.”

“Where?”

“I mean, can’t you tell just by looking at her?”

Jiho widened his eyes. His caramel-colored irises shimmered gently.

Caught off guard by the unexpected compliment at point-blank range, Sena’s face flushed red.

Geonwoo, on the other hand, just shook his head like he couldn’t understand it at all.

Then, as if sharing a fun story, Jiho began talking about Sena from his previous life.

“Sena helped Guide Jiho before?”

“Yes. She even gave me advice. Guide Sena is kind. That’s why I like her.”

“Wh-what are you saying!”

Sena jumped up.

To hear such cringeworthy lines right to her face, it was the first time anyone had shown her such pure goodwill and admiration.

Sena’s small, round face flushed like it might burst at any moment.

But before Sena’s face could explode.

The dungeon outside beat her to it.

Bzzzzzt—!

Inside the bunker, everyone’s phones suddenly rang out again. It was an emergency alert: a dungeon break had begun.

The smile vanished from Geonwoo’s face as he checked his phone. Jihye’s expression darkened as well.

Thud—! Thud, thud—!

A low, heavy boom echoed from outside. The walls were thick, so only faint vibrations could be felt, but even that was enough to heighten everyone’s anxiety.

Most of the people there had no real field experience, which made things worse.

As the battle began, reporters who had been clinging to people just moments ago trying to get interviews now turned on their phones to start live broadcasts.

Those who had been pacing in unease couldn’t hold back any longer and started shouting at them.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Turn off the camera!”

“Seriously, since earlier! Can’t you see how tense people are right now? Are you here to sightsee or something?”

“If you’re so eager to film, go outside! Go out there! Better yet, go interview the monsters!”

Some people shoved at the reporters’ cameras or pointed fingers angrily. The reporters didn’t back down, and heated words flew back and forth.

While espers were out there fighting monsters, people inside were shouting at each other.

Before long, it even escalated into physical scuffles. The center staff tried to break things up, but the crowd had gotten so tangled that their voices no longer reached anyone.

Jiho, standing in a corner holding his breath, bit his lip without realizing and darted his eyes around. The shouting and visible violence only made him more anxious.

How much time had passed like that?

Boom—!

This time, the explosion sounded even closer.

That was enough to freeze even those who had been fighting. Everyone instinctively held their breath.

Rumble—the wall seemed to tremble. Then, the entrance, which had been tightly shut, swung open. The people inside screamed and bolted away in panic.

But what poked their head through the open door wasn’t a monster.

It was a person, an esper, covered in blood. Jiho recognized him as one of the espers from Beta Team.

“A g-guide…! We need a guide! Is there a guide here who’s trained in firearms?”

He shouted desperately. Who knew how badly he was hurt, dark blood dripped onto the grey floor, leaving a trail behind him.

“Please, someone, anyone, help us! We need a guide out there right now!”

People all started glancing around uncertainly. Jiho, Geonwoo, and Sena were no different.

There were very few guides in this place trained in firearms. That kind of training was typically reserved for paired guides who went into the field.

Beta Team and Gamma Team’s paired guides were likely already out there, which meant that here in the bunker, the only ones with firearm training might be Jiho, Geonwoo, and Sena.

‘What should I do? What do I do…’

Jiho’s eyes wavered with unease.

Part of him wanted to step forward. He could attune to any esper’s wavelength and guide them.

But the ability to freely shift his resonance wasn’t known to the public. If that got out, he could end up in danger, just like in his nightmare from the past.

He didn’t want to become some machine passed around from one esper to another for guiding.

Still, guilt and a sense of responsibility weighed heavily on Jiho’s chest.

‘If I don’t step up, people are going to die…’

Just looking at the condition of the esper asking for help gave the answer. The fact that they sent someone this injured to the bunker likely meant he was the one in the best shape.

There were probably many more espers in even worse condition out there. Some might already be dead.

As Jiho unconsciously raised his head and looked around.

“…!”

“…!”

He locked eyes with someone.

It was another guide, one who’d been rescued with Jiho from the illegal center. They had bumped into each other once in the hallway before.

The other guide’s eyes widened in recognition. His lips parted as if to speak. Jiho quickly shook his head.

“……”

Thankfully, the C-rank guide shut his mouth again. But—

“Over there! That’s Baek Dojin’s paired guide!”

“…!”

Someone standing behind the other guide suddenly shouted, having recognized Jiho. It was one of the guides from unpaired guides Team 1.