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Honestly, I couldn’t help but be aghast.

‘What kind of strength is this…!’

Of course, I felt this way because the grip on my wrist was absurdly strong, beyond any expectations.

How could such frail-looking arms possess such tremendous power?

The strength was so immense that even if I wanted to break free, I couldn’t. Plus, the atmosphere made it clear they wouldn’t let go until I properly answered the question they just threw at me.

Well, it wasn’t as though I had many options to respond with.

Until Chae-rim said it was okay, I had promised her that I would never admit or reveal anything about my abilities.

So, when I hesitated and remained silent, Chae-rim couldn’t stand the doctor’s negligence any longer and jumped back into action.

It was then that her hand reached out, grabbing the arm of the doctor who was holding my wrist.

With that, Chae-rim held onto the doctor’s arm and spoke just one chilling word.

“Let go.”

I swear, it was the coldest, driest voice I had ever heard from Chae-rim.

Is that why? Even though I knew it wasn’t directed toward me, I felt a shiver down my spine.

If I, who wasn’t even the direct party involved, could feel that way, it didn’t seem like the doctor cared much about being threatened by Chae-rim.

“I’m not going to be able to treat you if you release me, you know?”

Instead of showing even a hint of fear at Chae-rim’s threat, he looked rather brazen while countering her with this remark.

Naturally, given how much Chae-rim was concerned about my condition, she could hardly respond to his rebuttal.

She merely clicked her tongue in displeasure and released her grip.

With Chae-rim’s interruption thwarted, the doctor’s gaze returned to me once more.

Then, winking at me, he remarked—

“Ah, so someone’s next to you told you not to speak, huh? I know everything.”

And with that statement, he continued, as if oblivious to the vein popping on Chae-rim’s temple.

“If you’re in a situation where you can’t answer, it’s fine not to say anything. It doesn’t matter whether I ask you or your body; it’s all the same, after all.”

At this point, I couldn’t help but abandon any hope of responding normally.

It was too unrealistic to think of responding calmly to someone standing in front of me who was so self-absorbed.

But if what he had just said was true, then why even bother asking the question?

I had been narrowing my eyes while wrestling with that thought when suddenly warmth began to seep into my arm, which was held by the doctor.

And this warmth, while it came in, felt as though it couldn’t cross an invisible boundary just above my elbow.

It was as if there was an invisible wall right there.

Could that be the reason? It felt as though only the mutated part of my left arm was being soaked in hot water.

“Hmm, interesting. How can this structure hold together like this? It should have collapsed long ago…”

And that was the doctor’s observation while examining my arm.

It should have collapsed long ago?

Hearing that made me suddenly recall the horrifying pain I felt when I was first stabbed in the arm.

Could that overwhelming, gut-wrenching pain be related to this?

“Something is holding this structure together… What could it be…?”

With that muttering, the doctor’s gaze shifted back to me.

“Perhaps this is… the source of something akin to your talent.”

He said that while staring at me, but there was really nothing for me to share.

After all, although my arm was physically mine, I wasn’t well-versed in this matter either.

I had completely lost my grasp on it.

Still, there was something that sort of caught my attention—just one thought that made me wonder, ‘Could it be…?’

There was no reason to share even that much with the person holding onto my arm.

And the doctor, being someone who was obviously consumed by his intellectual curiosity, seemed rather frustrated by this current situation as he sought answers he couldn’t attain.

“Hmm… Can I dissect it?”

Hearing such insane remarks made with a straight face was certainly a sign of his true nature.

And regardless of the absurdity of the situation, Chae-rim wasn’t someone who would let nonsensical comments slide by without addressing them.

“Enough.”

With that, Chae-rim’s hand swept away the doctor’s hand that was gripping my arm.

As if it was rehearsed, the seamlessness of her actions left me in shock as I noticed a white mist rising from the doctor’s now empty hand.

“Oh… I was just joking. That hurts.”

The more surprising fact was that, as soon as he muttered that, the redness left on her hand return to its original state as if time had reversed.

How powerful must her healing abilities be for such a thing to happen?

Thanks to this, I suddenly realized why Chae-rim brought me to this hospital instead of any other.

It was probably because she figured there was no other option.

‘By the way…’

Although I admit I couldn’t hold back my frustration, I wondered if it was really all right to act like that just now.

What if he took that as an excuse to refuse treatment…?

As those worrying thoughts passed through my mind…

“By the way, you both are pretty close, huh?”

“Looks like the treatment went well. Get up. Let’s go.”

Regardless of what the doctor was mumbling about, Chae-rim’s words felt like a solace, dispelling my concerns.

This complete relief washed over me just as I rose from my seat and heard a tongue-click nearby.

“You really are spooky…”

Though I thought she was only goofing off and not treating me, hearing that comment made me realize she had indeed been serious about the treatment.

“But are you really planning to leave like this?”

Chae-rim and I both paused at those words as we realized we couldn’t just walk out as is, like the doctor said.

‘Could it be…’

Was cutting the bandages initially a strategy to prepare for such a scenario?

“Your arm might still be numb, but you can at least wrap some bandages. Why don’t you sit back down?”

“Shut up.”

“Hmm, if that’s the case…”

The moment the doctor shrugged his shoulders, the closed door of the examination room opened on its own.

As if he didn’t care if we wanted to leave.

Just when Chae-rim was about to step forward while holding my hand—

“But… if you leave like this, you’ll surely regret it.”

At that exact moment, his words caught both Chae-rim and me off guard.

“From the looks of it, it seems like you’re unaware of the girl’s other abilities.”

Other abilities?

Could it be that I possessed powers beyond just healing the Talent Organ?

Regardless of anything else, I couldn’t ignore that statement.

And it seemed that Chae-rim felt the same way.

“Is this some kind of joke…?”

“Come on, would I be crazy enough to joke about that? I do recognize how valuable my lab and research materials are, you know?”

With that, we decided to sit back down once more.

Now, just before the bandaging process began again, I could finally learn what my newfound ability was.

Starting with the fact that instead of wrapping my arm, the doctor poked at my arm with a strange stick.

Not once or twice, but repeatedly. Initially, I thought she was just acting crazy again, so I ignored it, but it soon started to annoy me—

‘What the hell is she trying to do?’

Finally, with a surge of irritation, I muttered that internally, just as Chae-rim standing beside me suddenly changed her expression.

She swiftly turned her head to look at me, and I instinctively flinched.

“What was that just now…?”

“From your expression, it looks like you felt it too?”

And had we merely been waiting for each other’s reactions?

The doctor’s face was now adorned with the expression that seemed to say, ‘See, I told you.’

“This kid… is both a battery and a bomb.”

 

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