“Thank you for helping Yoo Yeonha,” Jonghak said in his usual monotone voice, as if he were uninterested in the very act of expressing gratitude.

What? Since when did this dude become so human?

“Sure…” I replied succinctly, surprised at his unexpected acknowledgment. “Glad to be of help,” I added, trying to keep my tone light.

Just as I was about to bask in this rare moment of camaraderie, a girly voice interrupted me—a voice I would rather not hear. I had to admit, I was still bitter about that friendly hit, particularly the one that left a dull ache from my left shoulder down to my arm.

“Jonghak,” Yeonha called sweetly from the labyrinth’s exit, prancing to Jonghak’s side. She wore a lovestruck smile that made my stomach churn. “Hey…” Her voice was soft, and the way she gazed at Jonghak made me mentally roll my eyes. Blegh! This girl was hopeless.

“Instructor, can I get some first aid or something? My foot hurts…” I asked Kim Soohyuk, pointing down at the injury that my teammate the Archer had generously gifted me.

Kim Soohyuk grinned, and I felt a surge of malice radiating from him. “Suck it up. It will not be for long…”

I gazed at him blankly, a mix of regret and resignation washing over me. I was starting to regret all the crazy shenanigans I had gotten into. But hey, what was a little pain? I could wait for class dismissal like a normal student. There were no special treatments, just as Kim Soohyuk had said during the orientation—there was no ‘kind’ training here in Cube.

As I surveyed the other cadets following us, I noted that they looked worse for wear. I could ignore the main cast, but the others were struggling, especially Rachel’s team. Well, everyone except Rachel, of course.

Rachel Elizabeth Lousie. One of the major characters from The Novel’s Extra.

At the beginning, she didn’t have much presence, but given the changes that had occurred, I figured she would become more involved in the story much earlier than anticipated. Heck, a Cube Cadet had already died because of these changes. Ryeo Dae... Whoever that was, she had my respect.

Only now did I realize this world was actually more fucked up than I had imagined, filled with Djinns, devils, and monsters. I felt stumped at that moment, grappling with the implications of all these changes. They were causing a great deal of trouble, and I needed to investigate their source. However, with my current abilities, I might accidentally stumble into a death flag instead.

To quickly increase my strength, I could only train diligently. There had to be a safer way to do this, but first, I needed to earn Hajin’s trust. With that in mind, I could also recruit allies for my cause, but I lacked the resources to do such a thing. If only it were that easy.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I glanced over at Kim Hajin, who was on Yeonha’s team. He was busy fiddling with his smartwatch. I couldn’t tell if he was studying some information or just playing around with his cheats. Either way, it seemed like he was in his own world, detached from the chaos around us.

Deep down, I knew I had to figure out a plan. Three Djinns in the first confrontation when, according to the novel, there should have only been one. I guess it was only right for Hajin to be paranoid. The stakes were higher than ever, and I needed to ensure my and the main cast’s survival in this increasingly dangerous world.

***

Chae Nayun woke up in the middle of the night, her body still wracked with pain. Yet, with her level of mental strength, she easily endured it. The burns that had once marred her skin were gone, and she could move as freely as she wanted. Despite this progress, an ache lingered deep within her, a discomfort on a cellular level. She needed to expel the lingering demonic energy from her body.

“Hooo~” she breathed out, quickly returning her body to a state of balance through a bit of meditation.

“Ugh…” A throb in her head reminded her of her battle with a particular Djinn. “That Djinn was stronger than I imagined.” No, not stronger than she had imagined, but stronger than she remembered. “No way…” She gritted her teeth, feeling the weight of self-blame. “Is it because of me?”

As a Regressor—a sudden variable in time—Chae Nayun understood that her existence might have created ripples throughout the world. The possibility that her actions could lead to unforeseen consequences gnawed at her.

“That is too much of an exaggeration,” she rejected her own theory. “But what if that is the case?” The doubt crept in, and she wondered if her denial was simply a way to escape the truth.

But what could she do about it? Just like she always told herself, she could only move forward. It wasn’t as if she could return to the future. So, what was her plan? Try to recreate the future she knew? But then, what was the purpose of her regression?

Nayun had to make choices and take responsibility for them.

Alas, the reality was crueler than anyone could bargain for. “Three Djinns?” she whispered to herself in disbelief, scrolling through the news recounting the Museum Terrorism. “I have to return to Cube immediately…” Fear gripped her heart.

She needed to get back to Cube to protect her friends, to protect Hajin, and to set things right.

Leaving the hospital exclusive to the Chae Clan, Chae Nayun hastily set off toward Cube, still clad in her hospital pajamas. It was an emergency, and she felt justified in her choices. Informing her father of her well-being could wait.

With lithe steps, she dashed out the window, heading toward Cube while glancing at the map on her smartwatch.

Before her regression, she had always struggled with her sense of direction and often got lost. Even now, that flaw persisted. The only difference was that when she sensed a crisis, her beast-like instincts kicked in, guiding her toward the right decisions.

Using her instincts as a compass, she navigated her way back to Cube. Surprisingly, this method worked quite well.

However, when she reached the Portal Station, the entrance wouldn’t let her in. “It’s the middle of the night… Are you crazy? Where is your identification? And what are you wearing? Is that a patient’s gown? Are you from a mental hospital?” The guard shouted at her, his words sharp and unyielding.

“…”

Chae Nayun stood there, momentarily dumbstruck by her own idiocy. She had been so caught up in her urgency that she hadn’t even considered the consequences of her appearance. The guard’s harsh words echoed in her mind, amplifying her frustration.

“Seriously? I’m a cadet!” she finally blurted out, her voice filled with determination. “Let me in! I need to get back to Cube!”