Chapter 83 - Psychic
If mana is the noble legacy of humanity passed down from the past, then Psychic abilities are powers awakened by humanity as it entered a new millennium.
These abilities are also depicted in games like StarCraft and Warhammer 40k, but for newcomers, it's easiest to just think of them as the kind of superpowers you'd see in hero movies.
[Insert Avengers meme]
Since these powers tap into the unconscious mind, no one knows what type of awakening they will experience until it actually happens.
However, once you progress through the game…
(Omitted)
Psychic abilities are categorized using Greek letters, ranging from Alpha (α) to Omega (Ω), with those closer to Omega being considered more dangerous.
This ranking is influenced by both innate talent and acquired skill.
Naturally, those with exceptional innate abilities often struggle to control their power.
Additionally, Omega-level Psychics are regarded as walking tactical nukes—monsters who rival even the Seven Founding Families…
(Omitted)
On a side note, one reason Project Neo is often considered overly complex is that each profession has its own unique ranking system.
Solos are ranked by level.
Mercenaries are categorized by color (a tradition carried over from The Era of Light and Roses, such as Silver Badge Mercenaries and Gold Badge Mercenaries).
Criminals are classified by threat level.
Psychics are sorted by grade.
It's a chaotic mess that makes the game feel like a genre-blending hodgepodge.
But, well, that's what happens when the developers get too ambitious.
For newcomers, just go with the flow.
After all, the overarching system that encompasses everything is called Hierarchy, so…
***
Concert Day
Jin arrived at the stadium entrance, sat on a bench, and cracked open a can of soda from a vending machine.
A crisp, refreshing hiss.
After taking a few gulps to quench his thirst, he naturally turned toward the street, following the noise of the crowd.
It was hard to believe this was normally the quiet North Downtown—people were everywhere.
Considering the stadium had only 2,000 available seats, most of these people had gathered just to catch even a distant glimpse of Elina's voice.
Which only made things more difficult for Jin.
Aren't all of them suspects?
Who's the one planning to cause trouble?
His wary gaze darted around.
And the conclusion he reached was…
…I have no idea!
All those detective comics he had diligently read as a kid were utterly useless in this moment.
Yeah, it makes no sense.
What could he possibly have learned from a gambler detective who invokes his deceased grandfather's name at the betting table?
And don't even get him started on the elementary school sleuth who spent 30 years giving his future father-in-law an aneurysm.
Jin shut his eyes tightly.
If I'd known, I would've read Sherlock Holmes!
But regrets always come too late.
All he could do was sigh in frustration.
Just as he crushed the empty can and launched a three-point shot toward a nearby trash bin—
"Wow, so many people."
D'Andre plopped down next to him, looking overwhelmed.
The can landed cleanly in the bin right after.
"Nice shot, boss."
Hooker clapped, while Greg stood beside the android, giving a casual wave.
As the trio made their entrance, Jin spoke.
"You're here?"
"Of course. You called us."
D'Andre nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Then, turning to Jin, he asked,
"So what's this about? You said we needed to talk in person."
"Ah, well. I could use your help with something."
"…What?!"
D'Andre's eyes widened.
"You need our help? Name it."
"Well…"
His unexpectedly eager response made it easy for Jin to start explaining.
As the conversation unfolded, the trio's expressions changed moment by moment.
Finally, after hearing everything, D'Andre narrowed his eyes.
"…So, you're saying something's going to go down during the concert. This is insider info, isn't it?"
Of course.
As a security officer for the event, Jin's knowledge seemed like privileged information to him.
"A terrorist threat? Why the hell are they still holding the concert?"
It was a fair question.
Jin shifted his gaze left and right before quickly responding.
"Apparently, they don't take this stuff too seriously—it happens all the time. Plus, they seem pretty confident in their security. But I can't shake the feeling that something's off."
The reason Jin was bringing this up, even citing his instincts, was simple.
Something was definitely going to happen during the concert.
And he was worried the trio might get caught in the chaos.
It was unavoidable.
Sure, he cared about the general public's safety, but it was natural for him to be most concerned about his people.
That said, he couldn't just tell them to skip the concert for no reason—especially when they were standing here with glow sticks instead of guns.
So for now, the best he could do was warn them.
The rest was up to them.
"If anything happens, focus on getting people to safety first. Got it?"
D'Andre nodded firmly.
"…You can count on us!"
***
15 Minutes Before the Concert
Jin stood backstage, looking out at the fully packed stadium.
On the stage, a massive display screen played footage of Elina, heightening the crowd's anticipation and making the atmosphere buzz with excitement.
Seeing this, Jin took a deep breath and calmed his nerves.
Wasn't he being treated like a mere backdrop anyway?
Even with a singer dancing and singing right behind him, he didn't have to bear the sad fate of a bodyguard—one who must keep his eyes only on the cheering fans in front.
Screw it.
Might as well just watch.
If something happens while watching, he could just jump in then.
With that, Jin completely let go of any sense of responsibility, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he strolled leisurely.
He was sauntering behind the stage as if taking a casual walk when—
"…?"
Jin suddenly turned his head.
It wasn't because someone had called him or tapped his shoulder.
It was just a chilling sensation that crawled up his nape.
Rubbing his goosebump-covered skin, an urgent voice drilled into his ears.
"One minute to standby! Is she still not ready?!"
In front of an outdoor waiting room, a staff member was pounding on a tightly shut door.
By the time Jin spotted them—
He was already sprinting toward it.
"Elina! You really need to come out now—!"
Without breaking his speed, Jin yanked the staff member away.
And in the very next moment—
CRACK!
The twisted metal door shot forward like a cannonball.
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion rang in his ears, overlapping with the thunderous countdown roaring from the audience.
"10!"
"9!"
"8!"
"7!"
Jin spun midair, slowing his descent before landing lightly on the ground.
"Uh? Wh-Who—?"
The staff, still dazed, stammered in confusion.
As he set them down, Jin's gaze snapped forward.
Step.
From the building whose door had been ripped clean off, someone emerged.
Silver-gray hair shot skyward, eyes flipped white with intensity, and pale feet floated off the ground as if swimming in the air.
Elina.
Having fully awakened her psychic powers, she slowly raised both arms—
as if answering the cheers awaiting her.
"4!"
"3!"
"2!"
"1!"
Fwoosh.
The stadium plunged into darkness as the final number was counted.
Then, one by one, dazzling stage lights flickered on, slicing through the ballooning tension of the crowd like arrows.
WAAAAAAAH!!
An eruption of cheers boomed through the stadium.
───────CRACK!!
A sinister rupture noise swallowed the entire venue.
Someone looked up—only to be met with an ominous shadow stretching over their face.
And then came the scream.
"H-Holy shit! What the fuck is that?!"
All across the stadium, steel beams groaned and twisted as if they were alive.
As if being crushed by an irresistible external force.
Crrrrkkk!!!
The audience's reaction to the surreal scene split into three groups:
Those too stunned to react.
Those who screamed and fled.
And those who were too close to the stage to realize what was happening.
The last group wasn't particularly slow-witted.
It was just inevitable—
Because they were the ones closest to the stage.
At this moment, their eyes could only capture the two figures clashing in rapid succession above the stage.
A relentless, electrifying exchange so intense it made their skin tremble.
And at last, the one forced backward was a man wreathed in violet lightning.
The sight of Elina standing tall opposite him sent the crowd into a frenzied cheer.
"The effects are insane!"
"Holy shit! This is it!!"
Applause and whistles filled the air in a wild uproar.
Jin, catching a glimpse of the ecstatic crowd from the corner of his eye, shouted.
"Hey, you idiots! Get the hell out of here!"
But his words fell into a void.
The deep, pounding bass from the speakers pulsed through the stadium, consuming everything.
Lost in the overwhelming vibrations, the audience waved their hands and stomped their feet, their shared excitement rippling like wildfire.
"Tch! You absolute morons!"
Frustrated, Jin grit his teeth.
───────!!
An unseen force clamped down on him from all directions.
Like the world was shrinking into a suffocating sphere.
Instinctively, Jin curled his body into a tight ball.
It might've looked ridiculous, but it was the best way to minimize his exposed surface area.
Then—
A crushing pressure bore down on him, nearly knocking him unconscious.
Like an ant clenched in a fist, overwhelmed by an incomprehensible force.
Veins burst in his eyes, turning his vision crimson as he kicked off the ground.
Screw it.
With all his might, he lashed out—kicking Elina away.
The audience collectively lost their minds.
"You motherfucker! Where the hell do you live?!"
"That was too much!"
"Wait, was that real?!"
"Elina! Elina?!"
Only the ones in the front rows were freaking out.
The rest had already noticed the collapsing steel beams and were running for their lives.
Spit!
Jin spat blood-tinged saliva onto the ground, his lips twisting into a smirk.
It was so absurd he couldn't help but laugh.
"Well, I didn't see this coming."
They told him to guard Elina.
But they got the subject all wrong.
Jin cursed at his status window in his mind.
But shockingly, the status window had never been wrong.
The underlying meaning behind the order to guard Elina was clear—protect her from the abusive producer and those around him.
Of course, dealing with a second-tier beastkin and the producer's group was no easy task.
Even so, it was still preferable to a scenario where she awakened to her immense potential.
Not that Jin knew any of that.
He simply let out a deep sigh as he confirmed the psychic rising to her feet.
"Hey, can't you just stay down?"
Having to beat up an entertainer he'd only just taken an interest in—how did things even end up like this?
Psychokinesis?
Was she always a Psyker?
A baffling situation, to say the least.
But Jin didn't bother trying to understand what made no sense.
He simply pushed off the ground before his opponent could fully regain her senses.
Kwaang!!
His body spun once midair as he brought his heel crashing down toward Elina's crown.
A literal lightning strike of an attack.
However, before his heel could reach its mark, an invisible force struck him first.
"Gah!"
Jin was sent flying, his body sticking to an unseen wall.
But in the next instant, he blinked past it.
His right arm was pulled all the way back, poised to strike.
Lightning surged in his palm, forming a spear, which he gripped tightly before slamming it downward.
Kwaarung─!!
As the deafening roar of purple lightning carved an erratic path—
Tung! Tung! Tung!
Massive steel beams flew in from somewhere, intertwining to shield Elina.
The ringing of metal echoed across the stage, forming a solid barrier in mere moments.
Then, the lightning struck.
Kwaaaang!!
A shockwave, accompanied by a thunderous explosion, slammed into Jin, forcing him to land farther back than expected.
His ashen gaze took in the sight of shattered debris scattering in all directions.
But this was only the beginning.
Thousands of steel shards suddenly froze midair, defying gravity—
And at their center, Elina slowly raised her right arm.
Her eyes had rolled completely white, unfocused, as if staring into the vast cosmos within her mind.
Then, she clenched her hand into a fist before snapping it open, as if flicking water off her fingers.
Paang-!!
The steel shards launched like bullets, breaking the sound barrier as they shot toward Jin.
Crackling lightning burst from his eyes.
Pazizijik!
A violently rotating storm of electricity enveloped him, bioelectricity coursing through his nervous system, reinforcing his body.
A deepened clarity struck like lightning through his mind—
A superhuman physique fully embracing the revelation, moving with explosive force.
Kwa-ga-ga-kak!!
At that moment, Jin stood his ground against the meteor shower of steel, deflecting each shard with storm-like ferocity.
His movements were too rapid for the eye to follow, leaving the spectators utterly dumbfounded.
"…W-What the hell is that?"
"Is this a performance?"
"Shit! Is that really what matters right now?!"
Awe turned into roaring cheers.
Tak!
Jin caught the final steel shard mere inches from his face.
As he flicked his hand, a thin red line appeared on his forehead, a trickle of blood sliding down.
"Still think this counts as guarding her?"
At that moment, a translucent prompt appeared in the corner of his vision.
[Stop Elina Vicent.]
Jin glanced at the updated condition and muttered.
"…Fine. Might as well go all in."
The electricity engulfing his entire body thickened.
Cracking his neck to either side, he fixed his gaze on Elina and spoke.
"Sorry, but I don't hold back in a fight."