RASL 06

Chapter 6: “…That Kid Must Be Really Fast.”

The Rank 0 Student of the Awakened Special School

After overhearing the conversation among the other students in the group, Jiwoo realized they all seemed convinced that Moon Yujin would take first place.

Jiwoo glanced at Moon Yujin for a moment before quickly looking away. It would probably be a good idea to do some light stretching before the race.

…Ah, but first.

‘I’d better cover the wound on the back of my hand.’

He searched his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. The cut itself wasn’t serious and would heal quickly anyway, but…

“There might be people who would try to misuse your ability, Jiwoo. So never use your Core carelessly in front of strangers. You understand what Mom and Dad mean, right?”

His parents had always worried whenever Jiwoo used his Core in front of other people.

Even though both of them were gone now, habits weren’t something that disappeared easily.

‘I’m sorry, Mom, Dad. Somehow I’ve already used my Core twice today alone.’

The first time had been in front of Narak.

And the second was just now, in front of the injured boy.

‘If Mom and Dad were still alive, they would’ve fainted.’

One Awakened.

One Core.

That was common knowledge in the modern world.

Except Jiwoo wasn’t like everyone else.

He had been born as the one and only Awakened with multiple Cores.

First was Jiwoo’s first Core: Regeneration.

Unlike Jihyo, who could only heal her own injuries, Jiwoo’s power could also accelerate the healing of others.

In other words—

Healing.

However, as obvious as it was, there was a side effect.

Whenever he healed someone else, he took on their injuries and pain himself.

Then there was his second Core: Telekinesis.

The ability to move objects without touching them.

A genuine psychic power.

Was that all?

No.

Healing.

Telekinesis.

And in addition…

There was one final Core that the world knew nothing about.

Which meant Jiwoo possessed three Cores in total.

“What kind of Awakened has multiple Cores? Unless they’re some kind of monster.”

The hand wrapping the handkerchief around the back of his hand suddenly froze.

“…”

Jiwoo’s expression darkened.

If the world ever discovered that someone existed with three Cores…

It would shake society to its core.

‘And not in a good way.’

On top of that, Jiwoo surpassed ordinary Awakened in every physical aspect—stamina, strength, lung capacity, agility, everything.

But that was precisely why he had been forced to remain hidden his entire life.

Because he hadn’t gained those extraordinary abilities simply through luck.

“We should’ve gotten rid of it back then. Do you truly not understand what a fatal weakness keeping it alive will become?”

“Father…!”

“You might as well advertise to the whole world that the company created Awakened through human experimentation.”

Those were the words Grandfather had once said to his parents.

Jiwoo didn’t understand what they meant until after his parents died.

He had been about six years old.

His grandfather, who ran a pharmaceutical company, had secretly conducted a project for years.

【An experiment to artificially create Awakened.】

Jiwoo was one of the byproducts of that experiment.

Since Jihyo and Jiwoo were twins, technically both of them had been born through the experiment.

But Jihyo and Jiwoo were different.

Jihyo had been the successful result.

She had been born as a perfectly ordinary Awakened with a Regeneration Core.

What about Seol Jiwoo?

He had been…

A complete success.

The jackpot no one had intended.

He had been born too perfect.

The only Awakened in existence with three Cores.

And yet, at the same time, a baby burdened with the fatal flaw of being unable to perfectly control those Cores.

Anyone who saw Jiwoo would inevitably wonder.

How could someone like him even exist?

And if anyone were ever to uncover the truth behind his birth…

The dark secret of Seolhwa Pharmaceuticals, which had violated ethics and humanity, would be exposed to the world.

Now he understood.

That was what his grandfather had feared.

The experiments alone had already weighed heavily on his conscience.

Then Jiwoo’s parents had gone so far as to break the law in order to keep Jiwoo alive.

That had only deepened his grandfather’s fear.

His grandfather had wanted Jiwoo to die.

But what could anyone do?

He had already been born.

‘Still… they said the CCTV near Narak didn’t capture my face.’

And when he’d used his Healing Core earlier, the other person had only been a little child.

It would probably be fine.

Besides, he couldn’t just ignore a small child crying after getting hurt.

“Last group! Line up in a single row.”

The teacher’s voice in the distance pulled him out of his thoughts.

“Hey, get over here! It’s Yujin’s turn!”

“Where? I’m sitting in the front to watch!”

“Move! I was here first! I need to record this!”

The entire class rushed forward to watch Moon Yujin run.

Jiwoo quietly walked toward the white starting line.

Even without using their special abilities, Awakened possessed physical abilities far beyond those of ordinary people—strength, stamina, endurance, everything.

Of course, there were occasionally Awakened whose natural physical abilities stood out even among their peers.

Someone like Moon Yujin, for example.

‘I wonder just how fast he is.’

Standing side by side at the starting line made Jiwoo feel slightly nervous.

Come to think of it…

He had never actually competed against anyone before.

Including PE, every lesson he’d ever taken had been at home.

‘Soyoung noona said I should be able to keep up just fine, though…’

While he was thinking that, the teacher raised a hand high into the air.

“Ready…”

Everyone in the group, Jiwoo included, lowered themselves slightly before the starting signal.

Jiwoo glanced to his right.

Even while receiving the enthusiastic cheers of his classmates, Moon Yujin’s handsome face remained completely expressionless.

Everyone believed without a doubt that Moon Yujin would come in first.

In that case…

‘I’ll aim for second place.’

If possible, that would be perfect.

Winning first might attract unwanted attention.

Maintaining good grades while not standing out too much…

Second place felt just right.

‘I’ll cross the finish line about one or two seconds behind Moon Yujin.’

Bang!

The starting pistol split the air, and everyone kicked off the ground.

Tap! Tap!

The gap widened almost immediately.

Moon Yujin shot forward at what seemed like the speed of light.

“Kyaaa! Yujin!”

Amid the loud cheers surrounding him,

while the rest of the group desperately dug their feet into the dirt trying to catch up—

‘…Huh?’

A hint of confusion appeared on Jiwoo’s face as he kept pace with Yujin.

Because…

‘He’s slower than I expected…?’

From everything he’d heard, Jiwoo had assumed Moon Yujin possessed incredible athletic ability.

‘Oops. I almost caught up.’

I’d better slow down a little more.

As naturally as possible, Jiwoo subtly reduced his speed and let the distance between them widen.

“Moon Yujin, first place!”

Only after confirming that Yujin had crossed the finish line did Jiwoo sprint at full speed.

Dash!

Either way, the plan had worked perfectly.

Jiwoo crossed the finish line about one second behind Moon Yujin, exactly as intended.

‘That was close. I almost finished first.’

Cold sweat formed on him for an entirely different reason.

Just as he casually wiped the sweat from his chin with the back of his hand—

“S-Seol Ji… Hyo… second…”

…Huh?

Something felt strange.

The surroundings had suddenly gone unusually quiet.

The moment Jiwoo straightened up after wiping away his sweat, someone muttered in disbelief.

“…Seriously?”

The students began whispering among themselves.

“What happened just now?”

“Hey… did I really see that right?”

“Yujin finished in forty seconds, and Seol Jihyo got forty-one…?”

Jiwoo couldn’t fully understand what they were talking about.

But he did understand one thing.

“Doesn’t that make her faster than Hangeol?”

Jiwoo’s eyes widened slightly.

…Ah.

I might’ve made a mistake.