Extra simply wants to live in Novel

"Problems are not something we can avoid for our entire lives; they are something we must face, even if it costs us everything."

—Nilloen

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, and Yoo Yeonha, the three heroes of the moment, and the unconscious Oreki, were on the first floor of the museum, exhausted and injured.

Chae Nayun, practically unharmed, helped as best she could, while Kim Suho, despite being able to move better than Yeonha, felt extreme fatigue due to the blows he had received and the intense use of his abilities. The cut on the left side of Suho's abdomen was particularly painful.

The distant sounds of tires passing over the ground indicated that the agents were on their way.

Suho scanned the surroundings with his gaze, looking for a less destroyed place where they could take shelter. "Let's sit over there," he indicated, pointing to a relatively preserved area, where a few wooden benches still remained standing.

The three of them moved slowly, careful not to aggravate their injuries. Chae Nayun carried the unconscious Oreki to the bench, easily managing to accommodate him on one of the benches.

She left the way open for Yoo Yeonha to wrap the wounds.

Yoo Yeonha, already low on energy, tore off part of Oreki's clothes to stop the small bleeding.

Suho and Nayun sat down next to him, trying to catch their breath.

"That was... more intense and dangerous than I expected," Nayun commented, still holding the bow she had picked up earlier.

"Yes," Suho agreed, running his hand over his sweaty forehead. "But we did it. And the heroes are on their way. They'll take care of the rest."

While Yeonha tended to Oreki, Suho began to examine his own wound. The cut on his abdomen was still bleeding, and he knew he needed to stop it before it got worse. He tried to press his hands against the area, but the pain was too intense, and his fingers were shaking with exhaustion.

"Damn it..." Suho muttered to himself. He tried to rip a piece of his shirt to improvise a bandage, but his hands were weak. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, accepting that he couldn't do it alone. "Nayun... can you help me with this?"

Chae Nayun, who had been watching discreetly, raised an eyebrow, suppressing a smile. "The great Kim Suho, needing help with a simple bandage? I never thought I'd see the day."

Suho gave a slight smile, even though he was clearly uncomfortable. "Don't make me laugh, Nayun. It'll only make the pain worse."

"Sure, sure," Nayun said playfully, but she could hear the urgency in his voice. "Leave it to me." With a firm but careful touch, she tore a piece of fabric from his shirt.

"Why are you ripping my shirt?"

"Did you want me to rip mine?" She tightened the fabric a little more than necessary as she wrapped it around the cut on Suho's abdomen.

Suho's face contorted in pain, and his body jerked involuntarily, increasing the pain even more. "Why did you do that? That hurt."

"You made me." Nayun replied, tying the fabric around the cut. "Now, stop moving or I'll tie it even tighter, just to teach you a lesson."

"You already did that... women are weird." Kim Suho decided to keep his answer to himself.

"Okay, I'll keep quiet," Suho said, trying not to laugh again.

Nayun smiled, almost finishing the makeshift bandage. "Good."

Suho closed his eyes briefly as Nayun finished tying the cloth around his abdomen, relieving the pressure from the cut.

"Thank you, Nayun," Suho said, his voice softer now that the pain was a little more controlled.

Nayun gave a slight smile. "You're welcome, you owe me one."

Yeonha, who had finished tending to Oreki's wounds, commented: "You seem to be in better shape than you look," she said calmly.

The two young men looked at her. "The bleeding is minor, but he needs medical attention. And so do you, Kim Suho."

Suho nodded in response.

As Suho looked at his unconscious companion, the Djinn's words echoed in his mind: "You escaped this time, but remember, hero reborn and knower of secrets, our paths will cross again. And when that happens, I will be ready to taste your defeat."

Hero reborn. He knew it meant him. But the knower of secrets... Suho looked at Oreki, a feeling of unease growing in his chest. Why had the Djinn called him that?

"Suho," Nayun's voice brought him back to reality. "What are you thinking about?"

Suho took a deep breath, trying to push away the disturbing thoughts and growing irritation. "I was wondering why a Djinn as strong as that would come here, I really can't think of anything."

"I agree," Yeonha said, her eyes never leaving Oreki's injuries. "We need answers."

Nayun looked at Oreki, her eyes reflecting slight concern. "He'll be fine, Yeonha. He's stronger than he looks, even if I don't believe it."

"I'm not worried about him," Yeonha replied, her voice sounding more sincere than Oreki would have liked. "He's stubborn, he'll survive."

The fatigue weighed down on them, but the tension caused by the near death still kept them alert. Kim Suho felt the weight of responsibility like never before.

"We need to warn about the danger that Djinn can become," Suho said, looking at the two. "He won't stop here. He'll come back, and the damage will be much worse than now."

"You're right," Nayun said, adjusting her posture.

Silence fell over them as they processed Suho's words. Each knew that this was only the first of many battles to come. The Djinn's presence and his enigmatic words had made it clear that something much bigger was in motion.

"Knower of secrets..." Suho thought, looking back at Oreki. "What does he know that we don't?"

At that moment, the priority was to be alert for any attack and wait for the agents and heroes. "Let's get through this," Suho said in a deep voice. "And then, maybe we can rest."

The sirens grew closer, the sound growing louder. The agents were finally arriving. Suho and the others felt a wave of relief.

"You sound just like a hero in a storybook," Chae Nayun said, and Yoo Yeonha nodded.

Before they could get up, the entrance to the museum burst open, revealing two figures. Yun Seung-Ah, one of the most popular heroines in the world, rushed in, with Chae Shinhyuk, Chae Nayun's father, right behind her.

Yun Seung-Ah looked around, quickly assessing the chaotic situation. Her eyes landed on the tired cadets, and she ran forward with impressive speed. "Are you all okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Nayun replied, standing up to hug her father, who was looking at her with a mixture of relief and extreme concern.

"Vice-leader Yun Seung-Ah," Kim Suho said, standing up with some difficulty. "The Djinn has been defeated, but we need help getting Oreki and Yeonha to the hospital."

"Don't forget about yourself." Yoo Yeonha said in the background.

Yun Seung-Ah nodded, her expression serious. "We'll take care of this right away. Stay calm, you guys did an amazing job. Now, leave the rest to us."

With the arrival of the heroes, the tension in the room eased. The presence of Yun Seung-Ah and Chae Shinhyuk brought a sense of security. Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, and Yoo Yeonha knew that they could now rest without worrying for the time being.

***

Oreki opened his eyes and saw the clear blue sky.

"Did I die...?" Oreki simply said.

Standing up, he found himself on the tip of a mountain peak, the horizon stretching endlessly under a clear blue sky. The altitude and the cool breeze gave him a feeling of lightness and clarity that contrasted with the chaos he had just experienced.

"Welcome, Oreki!"

Oreki was startled by the sudden voice and almost fell from the top of the mountain.

An excited and somewhat irritating voice echoed, cutting through the silence. "I've been waiting for you!"

Oreki turned around immediately, his mind processing the information with strange speed. Before him stood a young man of about 14 years old, with bright blond hair and mesmerizing blue eyes. Every detail of his appearance seemed meticulously perfect, as if each strand of hair had been hand-painted by Leonardo da Vinci himself.

He made a quick analysis of the situation: the tone of the voice, the carefully created scenery, the almost ethereal figure in front of him. Everything seemed to indicate a cliché situation where the protagonist encounters an entity of great power after dying.

"You... who are you?" Oreki asked, his mind already formulating several hypotheses.

"Ah, questions, questions!" The figure laughed, a shrill and at the same time captivating sound. "You're in luck." He paused on purpose. "Gabriel. Today I'm in a good mood, so I'm going to answer three and a half questions. Only three and a half, understand?"

The choice of words and the jovial, almost provocative, behavior of Animas suggested a being who liked mind games. Oreki frowned, already imagining the type of situation he was in.

By raising his hand and starting to play with his bangs with it, he set the gears in his head working. He needed to use these questions in the best possible way.

"You are the being who brought me into this world," he stated, more to confirm an inference than to actually ask.

"Ah, yes, it is I!" The figure responded enthusiastically. "I am responsible for your journey, your destiny, and in a way, for all the problems you are facing now."

Oreki took a deep breath, feeling the urge to make the most of his questions. "Who are you, really? I imagine you are someone like the co-author," he asked, choosing his words carefully to get as much information as possible.

Animas smiled enigmatically and began to move as if he were performing a play. "Yes and no. I am like the co-author of the original story, but I am also different. I observe and influence the events of this world in my own unique way. You may call me Animas."

"Am I the only one you have brought to this world? I mean others like me, who were pulled from their own worlds by you or someone of similar standing to fulfill some purpose."

Animas tilted his head, considering the question. "No, you were not the only one. There are others like you, each with their own mission and purpose."

Oreki registered this information, already formulating several theories about the other "visitors" and their possible interactions. He knew that his next question needed to get to the heart of the matter.

Oreki formulated the next question, knowing that he needed to use it with surgical precision.

"Why did you bring people from other worlds to this one?" he asked, his voice firm and determined. "What is the purpose behind this?"

Animas became serious. "There are two reasons. First, this world has undergone changes that require the assistance of individuals like you to restore balance. Second, I, as a higher entity, cannot intervene directly. So I send people from other worlds to do so. And of course, I enjoy seeing the consequences of their actions."

Oreki absorbed Animas' words, his mind spinning with new information and questions.

Suddenly, he felt a sense of weightlessness envelop him as the world around him began to fade into a bright, blinding light. He blinked several times, trying to understand what was happening, but soon realized that he was waking up from what seemed like a surreal encounter.

"Hey, half a question left!" Oreki said, hurriedly taking in the situation.

As the light dimmed, a vague vision appeared before his eyes, still adjusting to reality. He saw two female figures, of equal height. One of them had long, loose hair, blowing gently in the wind; the other wore her hair tied back in two ponytails, held together by hairpins at the sides of her head. Both stood in a hazy landscape, only partially visible, as if they were shadows passing by.

"These are..."

Oreki tried to focus, but the vision of the girls quickly faded, leaving him with an uneasy feeling and a growing curiosity about who these figures were.

Before Oreki could respond, the light began to fade, and he felt himself being pulled back to reality. The voice of the higher being echoed one last time in his mind. "I mind. Your last question will be a hint. Since you're going to ♡♧● %$#¥₩. Remember, what doesn't break you, makes you stronger—or perhaps... holds you back."

Oreki struggled to keep his eyes open, feeling compelled to hear Animas' final words. He struggled to formulate a response, but before he could say anything, the bright light completely enveloped him, and he found himself back in the real world, waking up from his encounter with the mysterious being.

Oreki blinked a few times, recovering from the impact of what he had just experienced. The memory of Animas' words echoed in his mind, leaving a sense of urgency in his heart.

"Hold back what, you bleached-haired bastard..." Oreki muttered irritably to himself, feeling the anger in his heart increase with those words. He knew that from now on, his life would be even more challenging than it was already becoming.

Oreki opened his eyes fully and found himself in a familiar environment. The sterile smell and muffled sounds confirmed his suspicion: he was in a hospital. Slowly, he began to remember the intense fight he had faced. His body still ached with the marks of the battle, but he was better than before, despite not being completely recovered.

Beside the bed, Chae Nayun was distracted playing on her smartwatch. Her eyes were unfocused, completely absorbed in the game.

"Nayun..." Her voice was hoarse, full of tiredness.

The girl's green eyes widened when she heard her name, surprise mixed with relief, which she quickly tried to hide. "Finally woke up, huh?" She tried to sound indifferent, but the slight trembling in her voice betrayed her emotions.

"Game Over!" The sound of the game's defeat echoed.

"Oh, NO. I was going to win this match." She let out a frustrated sigh.

Oreki tried to smile, but the pain made him give up. "It seems I distracted you at the wrong time."

Chae Nayun let out a sad sigh at losing the game. "Relax, I wasn't even enjoying playing." She crossed her arms and looked away, trying to appear indifferent.

As she spoke, Oreki reflected on his recent conversation with Animas. The feeling that there was much more at stake now lingered in his mind. "Sorry for worrying you. How long was I out?"

"Five hours and thirty minutes," she replied. "Kim Suho was here earlier, but he had to leave. Yoo Yeonha is somewhere else resting."

"I'd like to know how Kim Suho is doing. He was the most injured of the four of us."

Nayun shrugged, as if it weren't important. "From what I heard, he left here two hours ago. And he was recovering."

A brief pause followed, and then, almost on impulse, she added: "And I wasn't worried about you. So don't get me wrong."

"It's usually Yeonha who does that." He nodded slowly, understanding what had happened. "Thank you for staying with me."

She clicked her tongue, looking away. "I didn't do it for you, idiot... I was just curious about something." Her voice was laced with embarrassment, and she quickly tried to change the subject.

Trying to sit up, Oreki felt pain rip through his body. "My body is sore all over... But I can still recover faster with Corporeality."

Animas's words came back to him again, as if he couldn't forget it, making it clear that his role in the game was far from over. He would have to find out who the other transmigrated were. "Friends or enemies... it doesn't matter anymore. I have to find them before they find me."

Nayun watched him with a softer gaze, but with a somewhat mocking tone. "You're stronger than you look, Oreki."

He thought about her words, recognizing the truth in them, but still returned the mockery with one of his own. "Yes, I know. You also seem less scared than you look."

She smiled slightly, despite the twitch of anger in her eye. Suddenly, an old memory flashed through her mind, connecting strangely with what she was seeing now.

Nayun tried to make sense of the connection, but the image of the strange boy from her memory seemed to blend with the figure she saw in front of her. There was something similar about the way they both seemed distant.

The feeling of unease she had felt as a child was back, but now it was more of a mystery than a fear.

"It doesn't matter," Nayun thought, trying to shake off her confusion. She looked back at Oreki, her gaze softening as she watched him struggle to sit up.

Oreki closed his eyes for a moment, feeling his inner will grow stronger. "Thank you for your help, Nayun."

"Hey, why are you calling me Nayun?" The young man forced himself to smile innocently.

"You're calling me Oreki, so it's only fair that I call you Nayun."

Chae Nayun frowned in confusion. "Oreki is your first name? But your first name comes after your last name."

Oreki smirked despite the pain. "Confusion is common. In Japan, Oreki is my first name. But you can use Oreki if you prefer. I just wanted to let you know that we're being equally informal."

Chae Nayun's face contorted even more in confusion, "Japan?"

"Yes, Japan. Anime, manga, ramen, sushi... Hiroshima and Nagasaki." Oreki simply replied with the same confusion as Nayun.

"You knew I was Japanese, didn't you?"

Chae Nayun looked around, clearly uncomfortable. "Uhh... no, I didn't."

Oreki blinked, trying to sound casual. "Maybe I should teach you how to write my name in kanji. That way, whenever you call me 'Oreki,' you'll remember that you're actually using my first name."

Chae Nayun rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but laugh. "You're insufferable."

Oreki smiled with satisfaction. "I know that very well. And to be honest, I love it."

Oreki felt a new wave of joy, knowing that he had managed to create a good connection with Chae Nayun.

[Around 1:00 PM today, a group of monsters appeared in Seoul, leaving 369 injured, 4 dead, and 1 missing.]

The news began to circulate throughout the city, spreading through echos. They are audio devices similar to radios, except that they are faster, have a more modern look, and have improved voice output.

"369 injured and 4 dead? Wasn't there supposed to be more? Besides, there were no missing people in the novel."

[… According to the investigation, the group of monsters was led by the intermediate monster grade 1, 'inciting beast'. This monster is the size of a man, and shaped like a badger, and has never appeared in Korea before. The Association believes that the monster was brought by a third party and is conducting a search.]

"No, you weren't the only one who brought it. There are others like you, each with their own mission and purpose," this phrase was remembered by Oreki's 'other self'.

"So they've already moved..." Oreki whispers in Portuguese.

"Did you say something?"

"No, nothing important."

The girl watched him for longer than usual, her bright green eyes meeting his in a charming combination.

"Alright then, I'm going." She puts the situation aside and gets up from her chair.

"Ehh, but already? I was feeling happy having you by my side, Nayun-Noona." The green-eyed young man says in a forced childish voice.

"Hum." Nayun didn't even look back and walked away, slamming the door shut.

A tired and painful sigh left the bedridden young man's mouth.

Oreki was left alone in the room, the sound of the door slamming echoing in his ears. He leaned back against the pillow, the pain in his body amplified by growing frustration. He tried to push the thoughts away, but the feeling of helplessness set in.

"I couldn't do anything," he muttered to himself, anger and hopelessness taking over. "I should have thought of something faster to kill that wolf Djinn. He must die as soon as possible."

In the back of his mind, a hissing voice made itself heard. It was Oreki's 'other self.'

"Look at you," the voice began, its tone full of contempt. "All depressed. You hide behind a facade of cleverness, but the truth is that you are nothing more than a weakling."

Oreki closed his eyes, trying to shut out the voice. "Shut up, you annoying entity. I don't have time for this right now. I have to get better."

The voice persisted, intensifying its criticism.

"Get stronger? Please, kid, stop being an idiot. There's no way you'll be able to fight the entities of this world if you keep this up. You know very well that this body doesn't have the talent to be strong. Speed ​​things up."

Oreki's anger began to grow. He turned to the side, the voice's words still hammering in his head, but he felt something rebel against it.

"Enough," Oreki growled to himself, ignoring the 'other me'. "I'm tired of hearing your voice. Say what the hell, but don't piss me off. I know very well that I have to speed things up."

He forced himself to sit up, his mind focused on the will to improve, despite the cruel words echoing in his thoughts.

"Time to see my gains." Wanting to ignore the voice, Oreki opens his notification box through his retina to see his earnings.

[The fierce fight against the Djinn has improved your dodge and strengthened your legs, your Speed ​​stat increases by 0.3 points.]

[The intense fight and deep wounds have increased your physical endurance, your Vitality stat increases by 0.321 points.]

[Because of the extreme use of your magical power, it increases by 0.275 points.]

[Your confrontation with a powerful enemy has increased your combat perception and analysis ability, your Perception stat increases by 0.198 points.]

[Synchronization correction made, your Intelligence increases by 2.5 points.]

[Your Perseverance has allowed you to endure more movements than you should, your Stamina increases by 0.233]

[Your Perseverance and Corporeality have allowed you to make greater use of your muscles, your Strength increases by 0.186]

[The demanding combat has improved your control over the elements and your connection with them, your ability to Arcane Increases by 56%.]

[Due to the intense use of your Corporeality skill, your Corporeality skill increases by 40%.]

[Congratulations!!!! Your Corporeality has evolved to Low-Intermediate rank.]

A flood of blue messages appear uncontrollably in front of my face.

"Onward, my legion of notifications!"

In his excitement, Oreki forgot about the pain in his injured body and jumped out of bed.

"Ouch, ouch, that was a terrible idea."

Ignoring the pain, the young man went to look at his statistics.

[Oreki houtarou]

▷ Stats

* Variable Stats

[Strength 2,062]

[Stamina 2,073]

[Speed ​​2,084]

[Perception 2,556]

[Vitality 2,162]

[Magic Power 2,125]

* Unchangeable Stats

[Intelligence – 8,108 / 10]

[Perseverance – 10 / 10]

[Luck – 3.5 / 10]

[Charm – 6.1 / 10]

======

[Arcanoelement]

[Rank: Advanced] [Attribute: Arcane/Elemental] [Evolution – Rank 10] [EXP 99%]

* Mastery Elemental:

   - The user can infuse their weapons with arcane and elemental energy, granting them magical powers and special natural properties to enhance their performance in combat. (The strength of the infusion will be decided by the amount of magical power the user injects into the weapon or object.)

* Basic Versatility:

   - Allows the user to choose from a limited selection of magical and elemental effects to infuse into their weapons, offering some simple options such as burning flames or gusts of wind.

* Elemental Connection:

   - The user develops a deeper connection with the elements around them, allowing them to sense and understand elemental energies on a more intimate level. This provides a heightened awareness of their opponents' elemental attacks and abilities.

======

When he first read the statistics, he noticed some good news.

"So the reason why the intelligence was so low was because of that incomplete synchronization. It makes sense. Those five points should be mine, and those eight should be Oreki's."

He looked at the screen and saw that the Arcanolemento skill was at 99%.

"99%? Seriously, universe? What are the chances of getting 1%?! Besides, where did so much proficiency come from to increase so quickly?"

=====

[Corporeality] [Proficiency 00%]

[Low-intermediate rating]

— Increased flexibility and range of motion.

— Greater physical endurance and cardiovascular capacity.

— Improved body awareness, allowing for more precise and efficient adjustments during physical activities.

— Reduced recovery time after intense physical activities.

— Developing advanced breathing techniques to optimize physical and mental performance, equality along with your mind-body connection.

========

He then notices a change on the screen next to him, where the Corporeality skill has evolved to low-intermediate rank.

"Correality evolved? Low-intermediate rank?" Oreki was confused, he hadn't noticed it at first, but why is the Art evolved?

"This wasn't in the original, so why is it evolving?"

"Come on, use that improved intelligence of yours." He taps his temple a few times to think better.

"Maybe, it's just a change in the reality of this world?"

After thinking for a while, no other ideas came to mind, so he put it aside.

His thoughts now turned to his goals. "I still have to find a way to kill Yun Hyuk from afar, since I don't have SP, I won't be able to transform my pistol into other weapons. In other words, if I want to use them, I'll have to buy them."

"Besides, I have to figure out what I'm going to do with Chae Nayun's brother. I still don't know if I'll kill him or try to find a way to save him."

"There's also Ether, I have to get a weapon, find Park Soohyuk, get stronger, get Rachel's blood for Evandel..."

"Ahhh, there's a lot to do." He let out another sigh after waking up.

"What time is it now?" Curious, he turned on his smartwatch to check the time.

The smartwatch's display flashed and a message appeared:

[Good morning, how are you? It doesn't really matter. I'm here to tell you that you can change your skills if you want. Also, you won't lose the 99% progress you've made in the skill. Bye.]

Oreki frowned. He instantly considered several possibilities about the origin of the message. It could be a trick from an enemy trying to manipulate him, or perhaps one of the other transmigrates trying to communicate. But as he read it in full and pondered the theme and style of the message, the identity of the sender became clear to him: Animas.

Animas didn't seem like a straightforward person. And this offer... seemed too good to be true. He pondered for a moment, using his enhanced intelligence.

"If I can change my skills without losing my progress... I can choose a skill that makes my life easier," he thought. His mind, now further honed by the use of corporeality, began to form a plan. He needed to choose a skill that would allow him to attack Yun Hyuk from afar, but he also considered other challenges ahead.

His hand began to move unconsciously, moving to play with his bangs.

First, he mentally listed the possible benefits of accepting the offer:

"Benefits: versatility and maintaining my skill progress."

But he also considered the risks:

"Risk: manipulation of the Animas."

"Animas always seem to have an ulterior motive," Oreki muttered, as his thoughts continued to swirl. "But if I can choose the right skill, I can turn the tables not only on Yun Hyuk, but on any future threat."

He knew he had to think clearly. He couldn't afford to focus solely on the immediate enemy. There would be other opponents, other missions, other obstacles. Any rash decision could cost him his life. Rational analysis was his strong point, and he trusted his ability to assess the situation clearly.

"If I accept this offer, I need to be absolutely certain that the new skill will give me a decisive advantage, not only now, but in the future," he thought, almost already decided on his choice.

He imagined the various scenarios: hand-to-hand combat, ambushes, escapes. The right skill could be the difference between life and death in any of these situations. The possibility of overcoming his current limitations and gaining a significant advantage could not be ignored.

"Let's see how this goes," Oreki muttered, more to himself than to anyone else, preparing himself for the next steps. "If I survive this, I'll add this experience to my resume of questionable skills."

Oreki let out a soft sigh. "Hmm, I'll test this Corporeality evolution," he muttered to himself. Closing his eyes for a moment, he concentrated on feeling his entire body, trying to speed up his physical recovery.