3rd P.o.v
Blue sword qi surrounded the Seven-Branched Sword. The blade shone from the pure mana. Sneaking a glance at Kim Suho's Seven-Branched Sword, Chae Nayun asked.
"You ready?"
"Yeah."
"Support me."
Kim Suho spoke as he adjusted his grip on the sword.
"Support? Please, I'll be the one to kill him."
Chae Nayun playfully rebutted and nocked another magic arrow.
"Guooo—!"
The djinn ignited his magic power before she could fire. An evil black qi hurled towards them like hellfire, but a single streak of light extinguished it. A sword saint could cut fire, wind, and even magic power.
Chae Nayun's arrow flew through the lifted magic power. The condensed mana arrow pierced the djinn's shoulder.
Kim Suho didn't miss this opportunity. Leaping up, he slashed down diagonally. This attack should've immobilized the djinn, but he only smiled despite being cut. Kim Suho instinctively felt something was wrong. Immediately, fierce magic power shot out from the wound. The shockwave blew Kim Suho away as if a storm had crashed through. He didn't even have the chance to scream and crashed into a wall across the room.
"…"
"…"
Both Chae Nayun and I became speechless.
"Uuu…"
Thankfully, Kim Suho stood back up, but he didn't seem to be in good shape.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"I'm fine… Kuu."
Kim Suho needed time to heal. The djinn walked towards Chae Nayun as her face stiffened.
Chweek— Chweek—
Chae Nayun fired two arrows, but none of them worked. The djinn didn't stop even though she continued to shoot until he looked like a porcupine.
"This isn't regeneration."
Chae Nayun murmured in a daze. As she said, this djinn didn't have high regenerative power. He simply had a sturdy body. In the first place, I didn't design him to be an opponent that Chae Nayun could defeat.
Chae Nayun's face turned pale as fear and horror crept up inside her.
"Just support me!"
At that moment, Kim Suho jumped in front of her, blocking the Djinn's path. However, the Djinn kept his eyes on Chae Nayun.
Condensing his black mana on his arm, it split off, creating a black puddle.
The puddle began convulsing, slowly transforming into a black, tall, humanoid creature.
It blocked Kim Suho, while the djinn held Chae Nayun's face with his remaining hand.
"Are we screwed?" Kim Hajin murmured.
By now, I had run away to the back of the exhibition. However, this place was already occupied by what seemed to be a father and child duo.
"...Go that way."
"Y-Yes?"
"There, go farther back. It's dangerous here."
His voice trembled. He was scared.
Scared of the djinn, Scared of death.
"B-But..."
"While the Djinn's too busy fighting, hurry!"
At his urging, the two quickly scurried away.
From his cross bag, Kim Hajin took out his laptop.
Unloading the magazine, he placed a bullet on the laptop. His hands kept shaking.
"This is getting really bad. I should step in a bit." Shiki said.
"Hajin, what are you doing?"
"I'm trying to make a bullet with a light attribute. The djinn and that shadowy-looking thing are clearly dark attributes. But I only have one shot."
"No need, here, have this," Shiki exclaimed as he handed out a yellow piece of paper.
"A sticky note?" Kim Hajin asked.
"Yes. There are runes on it. Stick it to your gun and it will deal with your element problem."
Hajin widened his eyes looking at the paper he's holding.
"Thanks." He said.
"You're welcome. I'll go help Chae Nayun."
"Yes please."
Shiki's figure started to get blurred. In a blink, he disappeared. Replaced with his place was a bow, the one that Chae Nayun had been using.
"Over here, you red-headed corpse."
Shiki shouted as he gave the djinn a side-kick, launching him back letting Chae Nayun go.
*Cough cough*
"Hey, are you good? Breathe." Shiki patted her back.
"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for the assist."
"You're welcome. Can you fight?"
"I can still fight."
"Here have this. It's sturdy, so go nuts." Shiki took out a paring knife and set it on Nayun's hand.
"I can't use this!" Nayun said loudly.
"Why?"
"Because... I-I... urhh... " Nayun started to stutter, not being able to make a sentence.
"Are you afraid?" I gently asked.
"I-I.... urhh... Yes." Her voice softened.
I hold out both of my hands, close her hand giving it a small squeeze.
"It's gonna be ok. Just this once, and it's all over." Shiki said.
"But what if I'm not strong enough? What if I die? What would my family feel?" She asked.
"Everyone dies, Nayun. No one means to live forever. That's torturous. The importance here is that you lived happily and didn't regret anything."
Nayun was silent. Her eyes met his. There is warmth within his eyes, but there is also loneliness.
What past could have shaped his personality?
Yes, he may be arrogant, but he has the talent to back it up. And the warmth was real, the loneliness was real.
"I'll try my best."
Nayun gripped the knife. Like an instinct, a green aura started covering the cold steel, shooting up a few meters.
"Great, I'm counting on you. Those two can't hold on forever." I looked over at Suho and Hajin.
The two boys worked together like a well-oiled machine. Suho's saintly swordmanship put pressure on the enemies while Hajin's light enchanted gun kept his back covered.
But, as time went on, so did their stamina.
"Alright, I'll be going. Thanks again."
"You're welcome."
As Chae Nayun joins the fight, the heroes now have the advantage in numbers. Both the Djinn and his shadow monster are quickly subdued. Exhaustion hit as soon as Suho and Nayun lay down on the tiles.
'Watching them fight from the sidelines while offering assistance. Why does this feel weirdly familiar?' Shiki thought.
'My job is done. Time to leave this to the professionals.' Shiki turned to the exit and made his way out.
.
.
.
Yun Seung-Ah took back her sword and turned around. Her hair fluttered in the gentle breeze. Dozens of ordinary people who watched her attack were left speechless.
"You can rest assured."
"Vice-leader!"
A coarse voice interrupted Yun Seung-Ah's sentence. Yun Seung-Ah was slightly surprised.
The man who ran over quickly dropped a bombshell.
"A Djinn appeared at the National Weapons Museum!"
"… What?"
"You should head over immediat… What? What?"
But soon, he tilted his head and focused his hearing on the transceiver in his ear.
"… Ah, yes."
"What's wrong?"
"Um… Apparently, the Djinn has been taken care of. Three cadets from Cube happened to be at the museum…"
"Oh? That's great. Who were they?"
"Tatsuya Shiki, Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, Kim… Ugh!"
Running at a blinding speed, Yun Seung-Ah arrived at the museum. A man walked out of the museum at the same time. Seeing Yun Seung-Ah, the man seemed surprised. Yun Seung-Ah recognized the man. He was wearing a cadet uniform.
"Hello. You're a Cube cadet, right? Perhaps..."
"Kim Suho is that way. Shiki already left"
"Oh, Thank you."
"Wait. How did he know I was looking for them?"
.
.
.
Hajin P.o.v
"Shiki, wait up. I need to talk to you." I called out to him.
Everything I knew about this novel has changed. The co-author's existence changed everything. This world is a remake that I wrote. The prediction I had might be useless now. The stake is now higher as well.
But there is one thing I know for sure.
All things have been resolved around Tatsuya Shiki.
He doesn't seem like an addition by the co-author. He acted freely of his will. And yet he didn't interfere directly.
It's like he was a reader of my story. Unbound by rule, free to overwrite whatever he likes.
Kim Suho had awakened his talent. Chae Nayun started to overcome her fear. Even I was able to fight with them.
If I want to survive here, then I need his help.
"Oh, hey Hajin. What's up?"
"About the sticky note Runes thing you said."
"What about it?"
"Where did you get it?"
"Oh, that! I made it myself."
"You... made it yourself."
"Yes, why? You wanna learn it?"
I can learn it! Is this real?
"Can I even learn this?"
"Yes, you can."
I was flabbergasted. Can I get stronger too? And just by learning, not heavy lifting.
"Can Suho also learn this?"
"Technically, everyone can. Not just Runes, most of my craft is learnable too."
So it's not just me, everyone can get stronger.
"You know Hajin. There is something very interesting about you."
"Huh? What is that?"
"It is your actions."
What is he saying? What could he possibly mean?
"Well, normally if a person wants to lay low, they would only do the least amount of work."
"You, on the other hand, tried to do the most despite wanting to be in the background."
"Huh?"
"Not only that, but you also seem like a person who knows everything about this world."
"You know your strengths and weaknesses, given that you have chosen a gun. But you also know about the others as well."
"What?"
"You didn't give them a hand at first, did you? You know they can handle themselves. Only when something went wrong did you step in. Even if I weren't there, you would try to help by enchanting your own bullet. Am I right?"
"....You're right."
I couldn't refute him. He was right. Despite telling myself that I'm just an extra, I did not act like one.
"So, what are you gonna do about me?" I asked Shiki.
"Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you or something."
"That's a relief."
"Just tell me your story, Kim Hajin."
"My story?"
"Yes. Your story."
"Wouldn't you rather listen to Kim Suho or Chae Nayun instead?"
"I would love to at some point. But your story is far more interesting."
"I don't think I have anything good to tell."
"That is for me to decide."
"Okay then."
I told him about my world. About the fact that this world is a remake of my novel. About the co-author. About me being in this world because of him. About me.
...
"Hehehehe"
"HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!"
He laughed. But not out of mockery.
"Man, this is the best thing I've heard since coming to this world. No wonder Alaya marked you as a major threat."
"This world? Alaya?"
"We'll talk about it tomorrow."
"Ok, sure."
I could find out more about this familiar but new world tomorrow.
"Now, let's get back to business."
"What is it, Shiki?"
"I will ask you this once again."
Shiki cleared his throat and then asked me.
"Kim Hajin, do you want to learn magecraft under me?"
My eyes widen. Ever since I came here, all I could think of was how to survive.
Now I get a chance to walk among the main cast and prove myself? I won't get another chance like this ever.
"Yes, I want to learn magecraft." I accepted.
"Good. From now on, you are my first disciple. Call me teacher whenever we train."
"Yes, teacher."
" Good, good. Now I'll have to deal with someone."
"Yes, I'll leave you alone, teacher."
"No, stay. You won't likely get another chance for this kind of stuff in the future."
"Yes."
"Good. Now...." Shiki... teacher take a deep breath.
"Counter Guardian, I would like to make a demand."
What I saw that evening changed me forever. For the first time, I truly learned about something I had never written.
————————————————————
[A demand has been made by Being connected to The Root]
[The following change has been made:
▷Clause 9 (#NEW#): In exchange for turning the individual named Kim Hajin from a potential Major Threat to Humanity to a Heroic Spirit. The vessel belongs to Being connected to The Root will be enhanced with divine power.]
[Ding! A change has been made in your vessel.]
[ Your status will be updated.]
[...]
[ All variable stats have been doubled.]
[ Perfect vessel has become Perfect divine vessel.]
[ Perfect divine vessel: raise all effects of perfect vessel by 1 rank – Divine mana: your magic power now has a divine attribute.]
[ ▷Inheritor of ###### –> Inheritor of Akasha
- User of Yumina (sealed) –>(partial)
- User of Klaidoscope (sealed) –>(partial)
- User of Heaven's Feel (partial) –>(unsealed)
- User of Laplace's demon (sealed) –>(partial)
- User of Blue (sealed) –>(partial) ]