[ALERT! S-Rank Esper approaching!]
Ambrose stayed rooted to the ground, not moving an inch as he stared anxiously at Devon.
The so-called "glorified lantern" moved, weaving through the narrow alleyway. His body was still alight with yellow flames that seemed to melt even steel.
Guide Han's lackeys quickly made way for him while the fire coating his body died down, revealing an absolutely dazzling man who made Ambrose speechless.
Fiery red hair. Golden-eyed that glowed even in the darkness and glinted when moonlight caught them. Chiselled jawline, pearly white skin and a purple full-body suit with the symbol of a rising phoenix on the right chest.
He looked like the kind of man who'd break the hearts of both men and women with nothing but a smile.
If the past Ambrose had something with this guy—the current one didn't blame him one bit.
[Honey, this whole thing is more complex than that. Fortunately, your memories are done loading.] The system's mechanical voice cut his moment of reverie.
"Guide Ambrose," Devon barked with a flat tone. "Guide Han just said something. And I witnessed you hitting him with that trash can lid."
Ambrose's body shook with a sudden wave of annoyance. But the second he took a step to explain—a skull rending pain hit his head, making him double over.
He clutched his head with both hands, holding back a cry as images flashed through his mind in quick succession.
[Host body memories synchronising. Please, stand by.]
Standby?
Was this evil ass AI fucking joking?!
"You think pretending to be injured will help you?" Guide Han's annoying jeer broke through the pain and memories. "Hmph. I'm not going to let you off easy. You'll kow-tow to me five times and kiss my feet before I even think of letting you off."
Ambrose swerved his head to Guide Han.
The latter's expression was cold, dark eyes alive with malicious intent. He strode to Devon's side when the staring became too lengthy—but at that point, Ambrose had finally understood something.
The relationship between the past Ambrose and Guide Han... It wasn't just a rivalry. Oh, no.
Fuck, it was so much worse.
They were ex-lovers!
'Guides can't be together.' Guide Han's painful words to the past Ambrose streamed through his mind. 'You knew this from the beginning.'
'And I didn't mean to fall in love!' the past Ambrose's pained shriek alongside the sound of glass crashing echoed. 'But here we are. Han Jae-Won, I love you.'
'Don't call me that!'
"Ambrose?!" Devon's vehement shake on his shoulders finally pulled him out of the overwhelming depths of his newly acquired memories. "What is wrong with you?"
He shuddered, raising his head slowly. To meet those golden eyes.
Devon—the past Ambrose wasn't fighting Guide Han for him. He'd been trying to seduce the guy to make Han jealous. To make him see they could be together despite being Guides.
Morally right? Not quite. But did current Ambrose understand where he'd been coming from?
One hundred per cent, yes.
And to think he might've known most of this if he'd gotten into that Guideverse Manhwa in his past life.
Meanwhile, as all this went through Ambrose's mind, Devon couldn't help blinking at him like he'd gone insane. Perhaps he was.
Because how can a man's eyes look so distant in the middle of such a crisis?
"Devon," Han grabbed his wrist, pulling him away from Ambrose. "I changed my mind. Let's just... Let's just go. He's not worth it."
It was at that point that Devon's demeanour shifted to something more serious. His fingers trailed from Ambrose's shoulders to his collar, dragging him until their faces were inches apart.
Ambrose jolted, his body dragged helplessly by the strength of the Esper. "You," Devon started. "Stay away from Han. He's done with you and you should move on. Count yourself lucky that I'm not reporting this to the higher authorities."
Both stayed like that for a while. Ambrose forgetting how to breathe and Devon... Furrowing his eyes like he was confused.
Then—Devon let go, turning to Han. "Come on..." His fingers interlocked with the Guide's. "You're right. This isn't worth it."
As they trailed past the alley, the lackeys lumbering behind, Ambrose finally caught his breath, placing a hand on the nearest wall.
That... That was intense!
When the group finally turned a corner, leaving Ambrose alone in the alley, a holographic notification bar appeared in front of him.
[FIRST MISSION COMPLETED! You survived the altercation with Guide Han Jae-Won.]
[REWARD: Instant unlock of the host's locked Guide potential.]
A loading bar flickered beside the "reward" tab. Ambrose gawked at it, feeling his body coming back slowly.
Soon, a rejuvenating feeling surged through every cell and nerve ending, flowing through his blood. His hearing became two times sharper. Smells became nauseating. Even sight became clearer.
[Special guide ability unlocked: Infinite Esper Bond-linking.]
Infinite Esper—what in the name of everything unholy?
[Host is still exhausted and needs rest to recuperate. I suggest you head to your suite at Phoenix HQ.]
Ah. A suite.
At least, the past Ambrose's living condition wasn't bothersome.
★★★★★
Phoenix HQ was the main headquarters building of the Phoenix Flight Guild.
The Guild itself was a high-ranking one recognised nationally—an S rank Guild with quite a few S rank Espers and guides.
Including one like Devon.
The mere fact that the past Ambrose was able to land a job here was beyond him.
He marched lazily through the building's lobby with tall glass walls and bright lights that made him squint. Ignoring the curious glances of some Espers lingering around, he made his way to the elevator.
By the time he got to his suite's door, he let out a shaky sigh. He swiped his key card on it before pushing into the dimly lit suite, resting his back against the sturdy white door.
Stillness.
Ambrose stood for several seconds, staring into nothingness. His mental space was a total train wreck, swirling with emotions. Most of them were his and some of them were bleeding through the memories of the past Ambrose.
"My name isn't Ambrose," he shook his head, eyes lowering. "It's... It's Benji. It's always been Benji for fuck's sake."
Remembering his sister's smile before he hung up on her shattered him. He slid down the door, a hand on his forehead as every breath dragged like toxic fumes into his chest.
A hot dampness stung his eyes, tears threatening to spill. "This can't be my new life. It just... It just can't. I must be dreaming or—"
[Do you need another near-death experience to realise this is no dream?]
His tears stalled as he drove back snort. "Whoever you are, you're fucking cruel. And robotic. You know that, right?"
[Well, considering I'm literally a system, I'll take that as a compliment, hon.]
[I guess introductions are in order. I'm a robotic system. I linked with your soul after your death in your last body and pulled you into this universe. The past Ambrose's death has caused an unprecedented shift in the timeline.]
For a few seconds, Ambrose didn't respond. Heck, he couldn't even think properly.
But that didn't stop the system. [I have no name, but you can call me 'Aura'. As for my main objective, it's quite simple—I'm going to help you seduce the Guideverse. One Esper at a time.]
[If you have any more questions you're welcome to ask. If they aren't dumb, of course.]
At the mention of 'questions', his interest piqued. "When can I go home? Back to my own universe."
[Sigh—for the umpteenth time, Benji Foster is dead. Gone. Long forgotten by now, depending on the flow of time between universes.]
Ambrose shook his head, his breath hitching. "Y–You don't understand. I've got a family. A sister and a mother. Not to mention my friends... My boss—"
This time, the system didn't answer him. Leaving him in a silence that soon gave way to rage.
"I didn't fucking ask for this!" He sneered, slamming a fist on the cold marble floor. "Pull my soul back to my original body. I'm done with this shit."
[You mean the body that's lost so much blood it might as well be a mummy now? Sorry, hon—it's impossible even if I could. The old you is dead.]
He didn't know when he got on his feet, resting an arm on the door for support. "N–No..."
The grim realisation that he was indeed stuck in this new world made him feel cornered. Trapped.
However, before he could catch a break—holographic screens flared in front of him.
[Space-time anomaly detected!]
[EMERGENCY MISSION: Stabilise and protect the subject. (Child)]
Emergency mission?
Child?!
"What's going—" a knock interrupted his question, sending chills into his bones.
He backed away from the door, eyes narrowing.
Was he hearing things or—?
Another knock.
Hesitating, Ambrose slid to the door. He looked through the peephole, frowning at what he saw.
No one.
Absolutely no one.
Pissed and confused beyond his wits, he unlocked the door and swung it open.
When he stuck his head outside, however, his heart jumped into his throat. There was actually someone in front of his door.
A... tiny person.
[Normal people would call that a child.]
It was a little boy, no older than five—beautiful blonde hair, sparkling golden eyes and a radiant smile that made even Ambrose get a spark of baby fever.
This—
"Little boy," he whispered, swerving his head left and right in the hallway. Empty. And dark. "Who are you? What are you doing out here by this—"
He didn't get to finish as a pair of tiny arms wrapped around his waist.
Ambrose's heart stuttered, eyes widening while the boy whispered:
"Daddy, it's you."
He took a half step back, his fingers shaking. He couldn't have heard that correctly. No—this couldn't be true...
[REQUIRED PARTICIPANTS FOR EMERGENCY MISSION: (1) Host. (2) Devon Ferguson.]
[Failure: Permanent erasure from every timeline and universe.]
Heat drained from Ambrose's face in an instant, his arms raised as he stared down at the little boy.
This can't be good.