Chapter 106 - Please, Wait for Me a Little Longer

Adam exhaled slowly, his fingers pressing into his temples as he stood before the store’s interface. His mind was in turmoil, replaying the last few minutes over and over.

The image of Emir nearly collapsing, the dark miasma that had enveloped his small frame, the sheer recklessness of allowing something so unpredictable to happen—it all gnawed at him. He had sworn to himself that he wouldn’t let another member of his team fall, not after what had happened with Nikolai. And yet, just now, he had watched Emir gamble with his own life in a way that could have ended in tragedy.

How had he let this happen? How had he, of all people, allowed something so irresponsible right in front of him?

Before his thoughts could spiral further, he felt the weight of a hand settle on his shoulder. He turned his head slightly, catching sight of Drake standing beside him. The blond let out a quiet sigh before giving Adam’s shoulder a firm squeeze, his touch grounding him in reality before he could lose himself in regret.

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Drake said, his voice calm yet carrying a certain weight.

“But you need to realize that you’re being a little hypocritical.”

Adam’s brows furrowed immediately, his muscles tensing as he went on the defensive.

“Hypocritical? What the hell are you talking about?”

Drake, however, remained unfazed, his expression still composed and understanding.

“I mean exactly what I said, what Emir did just now—it’s not that different from what you did before our last scenario.”

Adam’s frown deepened, but before he could argue, Drake continued.

“Back then, you bought that parasite without really telling us what it meant, without discussing the risks with anyone. You made that decision on your own, knowing full well that it could have killed you, or worse.”

He replied smoothly. Adam immediately countered, shaking his head.

“That was different, I had to do that to deal with my ‘Mark of the Damned’. I didn’t have a choice. Emir wasn’t in that kind of situation. Nothing was forcing him to take that risk, not even the upcoming collab. It wasn’t necessary.”

Drake nodded, acknowledging the point, but he didn’t back down.

“Yeah, your situations were different… And honestly? Yours was way worse.”

Adam froze at that. Drake continued, his tone gentle but firm.

“Your parasite had a near-total chance of taking over your mind instead of you controlling it. You took a gamble that could have destroyed you completely. The Darkness Fruit, even if it had gone wrong, wasn’t an immediate death sentence. We would’ve had time to find a way to fix it.”

Adam had no response to that. He opened his mouth slightly, then closed it. He had been so certain that Emir had been reckless beyond reason, but now that Drake put it like that… the boy’s choice hadn’t been nearly as dangerous as his own. And yet, he had done everything in his power to justify his own gamble while condemning Emir’s. His lips pressed into a thin line.

Drake let out another small sigh before shifting his grip on Adam’s shoulder, this time turning him so they were facing each other directly.

“Look, I know you’ve been trying to take on more of a leadership role. You want to keep us all safe, make sure we’re as prepared as possible. And honestly? I think that’s a good thing. I think you’re the best person to keep us on track, to organize us. But you need to understand something.”

Adam met Drake’s gaze, feeling an odd knot forming in his stomach.

“There’s a difference between leading a team and just forcing your decisions onto them.”

The blond said, but instead of sounding like a reprimand, his words were calm and conveyed real warmth.

“The best moments we’ve had? The times when we’ve come together? It’s not because you told us what to do—it’s because you helped guide us. You made plans that we could all believe in. You trusted us. Right now, what we need isn’t someone trying to control every single choice we make. We need someone who can help us be the best versions of ourselves. That’s what a leader does.”

The words hit harder than Adam expected. His fingers curled slightly at his sides as he lowered his gaze, not out of shame, but because he knew Drake was right. If he really thought about it, he was acting exactly like Thaddeus had—imposing his own judgments on others, deciding what was right for them without considering their own perspectives. That wasn’t who he wanted to be. He wasn’t actually thinking of leading the team, but if he must become one, then that wasn’t the kind of leader he wanted to become.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips, and he ran a hand down his face before finally muttering.

“You’re right. I… I get it. And I’m sorry.”

Before the moment could settle too deeply, a familiar voice interrupted them.

“Well, if you’re gonna apologize to someone, it should probably be the people you were actually giving a hard time.”

Kazue chimed in as she strolled up beside them, her hands on her hips. She had clearly been listening in for a while.

“You know, the ones who actually had to deal with your intense vibe?”

She tilted her head toward Chloe and Emir, who were still seated off to the side.

“But don’t beat yourself up too much. I’m sure they’ll understand.”

She added, giving him a bright, reassuring grin. Adam blinked, momentarily caught off guard by Kazue’s casual but strangely perceptive words. Then, before he could stop himself, a small, genuine smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

It really did feel good to have them around… Adam took a deep breath, shook off the lingering weight of his thoughts, and lifted his head. He met Drake’s and Kazue’s eyes, a faint but unmistakably genuine smile on his face.

“Thanks.”

He said, his voice steady but filled with something more—something neither of them had expected.

Drake and Kazue blinked in unison. It wasn’t that Adam never said thank you—he had plenty of times—but there was something different about this one. It wasn’t the usual halfhearted acknowledgment of assistance, nor was it the polite gratitude of someone simply following social norms.

It was real. It carried depth. A raw sincerity that neither of them had been prepared for, hitting them unexpectedly. It made Kazue fidget slightly, shifting her weight from one foot to another as she looked away with an awkward laugh. Drake, despite his usual composure, scratched the back of his head and cleared his throat before muttering.

“Yeah, uh… don’t worry about it.”

The simultaneous response made them both glance at each other before hurriedly looking away again, which in turn made Adam chuckle under his breath. He hadn't meant to catch them off guard, but seeing their reactions—well, it was nice. It felt warm.

Letting the moment settle, Adam turned back toward the store’s interface, knowing there was only one person left who hadn't completed their purchases. He shifted his gaze toward Li, who was still browsing through the store on his own, his expression unreadable.

“You ready to buy something?”

Adam asked, his tone casual but curious. Li remained silent for a few moments, his eyes scanning the holographic screens before him. Then, with a slow exhale of what sounded like resignation, he closed them all with a wave of his hand.

“Didn’t find anything truly useful. So, I’m not buying anything from the store.”

He admitted, crossing his arms. That earned a few raised eyebrows, especially from those who had spent so much time carefully selecting their purchases.

“Then what are you going to do with your points?”

Adam asked. Li sighed again before shrugging.

“I’ll use them for Plot Devices.”

That got everyone's attention. It was a surprising choice, considering most of them had prioritized strengthening themselves in preparation for what was ahead.

“Plot Devices, huh?”

Adam mused, rubbing his chin.

“Yeah, besides, we all need to redeem our free ones anyway.”

Li replied simply. That was true. As part of their scenario rewards, everyone had received a 'Gacha Voucher' to redeem a free Plot Device, but with everything that had happened, none of them had gotten around to using it yet. The idea of it had been more of an afterthought compared to direct power-ups.

Realizing there was no reason to delay any further, Adam took the lead, calling out to the rest of the team.

“Alright, gather up, we might as well all do this at the same time.”

One by one, everyone moved toward the open space near the store interface. Even Emir, who was still recovering, slowly sat up with Sebastian’s help, looking drowsy but determined to participate. As soon as they were all together, each member of the group summoned their Gacha Voucher into their hands. The small, glowing slips of light hovered in their palms, identical yet holding an unknown fate for each of them.

Adam lifted his own first, signaling for the others to do the same. As if responding to their collective action, the air around them shifted, and a sudden, familiar sound filled the space—a loud, mechanical ka-chunk! followed by the high-energy jingle of a casino.

Before their eyes, an enormous slot machine materialized above them, its towering presence making the air hum with anticipation. The vibrant neon lights, flashing reels, and metallic levers all added to the surreal spectacle. Chloe, Gregor, and Emir, who had never seen it before, visibly flinched at the sheer absurdity of the thing.

“Uh… what the hell?”

Gregor muttered, looking up at the machine with narrowed eyes. Chloe just gawked, trying to understand what she was looking at.

“Is… is this normal?”

“Oh yeah! Totally normal. Just a giant cosmic gacha machine deciding our fates. No big deal.”

Kazue chimed in, completely at ease.

“It’s definitely a big deal!”

Chloe mumbled under her breath… One by one, their vouchers began to glow and then floated up toward the machine’s slot. The moment the last one was absorbed, the colossal lever on the side was pulled down by an unseen force. The reels spun wildly, their symbols flashing too fast to make sense of, until—

*Ding! Ding! Ding!*

A series of holographic panels burst into existence in front of each team member, displaying their newly acquired Plot Devices.

[Kazue Rima: Plot Device “Rule of Funny (SR-class)” has been acquired.] [For a short time, any action can be justified as long as it is funny, even if it is impossible to perform.]

Kazue’s eyes widened with unrestrained excitement, and a slow, mischievous grin spread across her face.

“Oh my god…”

She whispered, clutching the edges of her jacket. Then, louder, almost triumphant, she declared.

“I’m unstoppable!”

[Li Xie Jie: Plot Device “Glass Cannon (SR-class)” has been acquired.] [Significantly increases the user’s power, but reduces their durability and defense to the absolute minimum.]

Li stared at the text, his expression unreadable for a moment before he let out a small click of his tongue.

“So basically, I become even easier to kill.”

He muttered to himself.

“Great. Just great.”

[Drake Shaw: Plot Device “Humans Are the Real Monsters (UR-class)” has been acquired.] [Unlocks the user’s hidden power in battle, but at the cost of losing their sanity. Until the scenario ends, their alignment will shift to ‘Chaotic Evil’.]

Drake narrowed his eyes slightly at the description, tilting his head as he absorbed the implications. Then, after a beat of silence, he let out a soft whistle and grinned.

“Huh. That’s… interesting.”

Adam frowned as he looked at Drake’s reaction, but before he could say anything, Kazue had already shifted her attention to Chloe’s screen.

[Chloe Vanderlyle: Plot Device “Game Over (UR-class)” has been acquired.] [Forces a ‘Game Over’ on the user.]

A heavy silence fell over the group. Chloe stared at her screen, her face slowly contorting into sheer confusion.

“…What?”

She mumbled, blinking rapidly. Kazue leaned in, squinting at the text as if hoping she had read it wrong.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Wait, what? Hold on—what the hell does that even mean?”

She turned to Katya.

“What’s a ‘Game Over’ supposed to be?”

The blonde, just as baffled, shook her head.

“I… have no idea.”

Chloe gulped, now more worried than before.

“That’s not exactly reassuring.”

[Gregor Novak: Plot Device “The Grand Hunt (UR-class)” has been acquired.] [From the moment of activation until the scenario ends, any character killed by the user will grant points.]

Gregor stared at the screen for a long moment, his expression unmoving. Finally, he exhaled through his nose and muttered.

“That’s not ominous at all.”

His grip on his arms tightened slightly, but he said nothing more.

[Emir Nassar: Plot Device “From Zero to Hero (SSR-class)” has been acquired.] [During a battle, if the user’s potential is lower than their opponent’s, their potential rank will temporarily match the enemy’s.]

Sebastian, reading over Emir’s shoulder, let out a small chuckle and ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Well, now, that’s quite a useful ability. It’ll keep things fair, at least.”

Emir blinked at the screen, still processing.

“I-It won’t make me stronger than them, though?”

Sebastian shook his head.

“Doesn’t seem so, just equal footing. But that’s more than enough to escape.”

[Katya Nakamura: Plot Device “Accompany On! (SR-class)” has been acquired.] [Allows the user to quickly transport themselves and nearby allies to a previously visited location within the scenario.]

Katya exhaled through her nose, studying the description.

“Not bad, could come in handy.”

She muttered. After that, Sebastian read over his screen and let out a small hum of amusement.

[Sebastian Rüegg: Plot Device “Saved by the Awesome (SSR-class)” has been acquired.] [The user can avoid the consequences of their actions towards scenario characters as long as their actions are considered ‘cool.’]

Kazue was the first to react, leaning in with sparkling eyes.

“Wait, what?! That’s so unfair! You basically get a free pass on everything as long as you look cool?”

Sebastian let out a hearty chuckle, clearly entertained by the absurdity of it.

“That does seem to be the case, yes.”

The old man, smiling, turned his gaze toward Adam just as his screen popped up next.

[Adam Scholar: Plot Device “Super Cell Reception (R-class)” has been acquired.] [Allows the user to communicate for 5 minutes with a world they have previously visited and characters they have met. After making contact, the user will be able to see the contacted characters but not hear them.]

Silence followed… Kazue peered over Adam’s shoulder, reading the text. A second passed before she let out a snort.

“Pfft—wait, Adam, did you seriously just get the weakest one?”

Adam said nothing. the girl blinked, noticing his lack of reaction.

“Uh… Adam?”

Still, he remained silent, staring at the screen with an unreadable expression. The rest of the group, even those who had been preoccupied with their own results, began to notice his strange stillness.

No one could tell what he was thinking. Silence fell again… Nobody could tell what was going through his mind.

Adam's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, his breath catching as he stared at the screen in front of him. The implications of the Plot Device he had just obtained rattled him more than he cared to admit. On the surface, it didn’t seem like anything groundbreaking; at best, it was a means of communicating with the three worlds he had already visited.

But what made his fingers tighten around the screen, what sent a deep shiver through him, was a single word: "worlds". That was what it said. Not "scenarios." If that wording was intentional...

He had no time to hesitate. No time to second-guess. He ignored the fact that the entire team was around him, ignored the weight of their eyes on his back, and raised his arm, his voice steady and clear as he invoked the Plot Device with all his strength.

[Notice: R-class Plot Device: "Super Cell Reception" has been used.] [Please choose the world and the characters you wish to contact.]

Adam didn’t stop to think. His voice rose above the ambient hum of the lobby, laced with desperate hope.

"Earth! My parents!"

—

In a quiet suburban house, a pair sat at the dining table, the dim lighting casting elongated shadows across the walls. The home, once pristine and elegant, now felt hollow, as if a piece of its very essence had been carved away. The furniture remained in place, the expensive decor still perfectly arranged, yet there was a heaviness in the air, an invisible weight pressing down on every surface.

The house had always been a reflection of its owners—meticulously kept, filled with quiet dignity and strength. Now, it seemed abandoned, not in cleanliness, but in spirit.

Seated at the head of the table was a man whose once-imposing presence had been dulled by exhaustion. His dark hair, though still neatly combed, no longer held the same luster. Deep-set eyes, surrounded by dark circles, stared at the table with a quiet weariness, and his strong, well-defined features were marred by the stress that had aged him beyond his years.

His suit, though immaculate, hung slightly looser on his frame, a subtle sign of how much he had neglected himself. Before him, a set of utensils lay untouched, waiting for the meal that had just been served.

Across from him, a woman carefully ladled steaming soup into a bowl, her delicate hands moving with practiced grace. Her brown hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, a few strands escaping to frame her face, which still retained an ageless beauty. But beneath the soft features and youthful glow, there was an exhaustion that no amount of sleep could mend. She forced a small smile as she placed the bowl in front of her husband.

"Wow! This Doenjangguk looks amazing, Yuna. What's the occasion?"

The man asked, his voice carrying a forced warmth, trying to fill the silence that had become too familiar.

Yuna Scholar offered a weak smile in return, stirring her own soup absentmindedly.

"Nothing like that... it's just been a while since I've cooked this for you."

She glanced down at the golden broth, the familiar scent filling her lungs. A memory flickered at the edge of her mind, painful and yet so vivid.

"This used to be yours and Adam's favorite dish."

The thought came unbidden, a whisper from the past. It hurt. Across from her, her husband, Alexander Scholar, lifted his spoon, but his sharp mind had already caught the subtle shift in her demeanor.

"What was that, honey?"

Evelyn quickly shook her head, pushing the emotion down.

"It's nothing."

She couldn’t bring herself to say it. Couldn’t let the conversation steer toward the emptiness left in their son’s absence.

Six months. It had been six months since Adam disappeared. Time in their world moved differently than the fabricated reality of the system, but here—where days stretched on endlessly, where the house had become a cavern of echoes—they had felt each and every second of his absence.

The day he hadn’t come home, panic had gripped them both, sending them spiraling into an endless search. They had pulled every string, hired investigators, called in every favor their status afforded them, but not a single trace of Adam was ever found. The police, after exhausting all possible leads, had eventually closed the case, leaving them to their grief. But they had never stopped looking. Never stopped hoping. Until, eventually, their world had been forced into a painful, unbearable routine.

Their home, once filled with warmth, had turned into a mausoleum of memories. Alexander had lost his job, unable to focus on anything but his son’s disappearance. Yuna had tried to hold herself together, but the weight of uncertainty pressed heavily on her heart. Every day, they told themselves that somehow, someway, Adam would return. But hope had a cruel way of fading over time.

Silence settled over the table as they took their first bites. But before either of them could swallow, something impossible happened.

A voice rang clear inside their minds, familiar and unmistakable.

"Mother! Father!... It's me! Your son, Adam!"

Their spoons clattered against the table. Yuna gasped sharply, her hands flying to her mouth, while Alexander’s entire body went rigid, his breath caught in his throat. Their wide eyes met across the table, and in that instant, they knew. They had both heard it.

"You're probably really surprised that you're hearing my voice inside your head..."

"I'll explain all that later, but for now, I just want you to know..."

"I'm alive and safe."

Yuna let out a choked sob, her hands trembling as she clutched her chest. Alexander’s fingers tightened against the edge of the table, his entire body tensing as if bracing himself for the impossible reality unfolding before him. His breath hitched, his chest rising and falling in shallow motions as his mind tried to make sense of it.

For six long months, they had endured the suffocating silence. The search parties. The endless nights where they sat in their pristine but now hollow home, waiting for a call, a miracle—anything that would tell them their son was out there, somewhere. But nothing had come.

The police, their friends, even the private investigators they had hired, all had reached the same agonizing conclusion. No leads. No witnesses. No trace of Adam Scholar anywhere. It was as if he had simply ceased to exist.

And now—now they were hearing his voice.

"I managed to survive the abduction to this place... just barely."

"This should probably be kept a secret, but I'm currently in another world, with other people."

Yuna’s hands flew to her mouth, a fresh wave of tears cascading down her pale cheeks. She reached out blindly, searching for her husband’s hand. He took it without hesitation, gripping it so tightly his knuckles turned white. His heart pounded in his chest, the rational part of his mind screaming that this was impossible, that they had lost their minds, that the grief had finally broken them.

But the voice was real.

"I know it must've been hard."

"It's been hard for me too, but I'm glad you're both okay."

Tears slipped from Alexander’s tired eyes, blurring his vision. Hard? Hard didn’t even begin to describe what they had been through. He had fought the system, the bureaucracy, the mock sympathy of those who told them to move on. He had clashed with reporters who wanted to sensationalize their pain, with family members who urged them to accept reality, and with himself for not being able to do more. The day the police closed the case had been the first time he had truly felt helpless.

Yuna had been no different. Every night, she would sit by Adam’s desk, scrolling through old pictures, rereading his messages, and listening to the last voicemail he had left her. She had refused to stop cooking his favorite meals, telling herself that one day, he would return and complain about how she always made too much food. But deep inside, she had started to doubt.

And yet, here he was. Speaking to them.

"I hope you both don't blame each other for what happened."

Yuna let out a strangled sound, her body trembling as she leaned into her husband. They had tried—tried so hard not to let their grief turn into resentment. But there had been nights filled with whispered accusations, with aching guilt. Had they failed him? Had they missed something? Had there been signs they had ignored? They had never said it aloud, but the guilt had always been there, festering beneath the surface.

"I wish I could go to you, but that might be a little hard right now."

"It seems I have to fulfill certain conditions before I can return."

Alexander clenched his jaw, his grip tightening on his wife’s hand. His son was trapped somewhere. That much was clear. He had been abducted. This wasn’t just a disappearance. It wasn’t a runaway case, an accident, or some cruel twist of fate. Someone—or something—had taken Adam from them.

And yet, Adam spoke as if he were moving forward. As if he had a plan.

"I'm not in any danger right now, but I need to do a lot of things before I head back home."

"I'm not sure when the next time I can reach out like this will be."

No. No, that wasn’t good enough. Alexander’s grip loosened, and for the first time since hearing his son’s voice, his expression twisted into something bitter. He wanted to scream at the heavens, to demand that Adam tell them how to reach him. They weren’t going to sit here and wait. Not again. He couldn’t bear it.

"Until then..."

Yuna’s breath hitched, her eyes wide and desperate as she clung to every last word.

"Keep Mother safe, Father... No, Mom. Dad..."

That word—Dad—made Alexander’s composure crack entirely. Adam had always been formal, always called him Father in that meticulous, logical way of his. But now, at this moment, with miles—worlds—between them, he had spoken with warmth. With vulnerability.

"I love you both."

"Please, wait for me a little longer."

Yuna collapsed into Alexander’s arms, her entire body shaking as a sob tore through her. The spoon she had been holding clattered onto the table, forgotten. She clutched his shirt, pressing her face against his chest as she wept. Alexander, usually the unshakable pillar of their family, wrapped his arms around her, his own silent tears slipping down his face.

They didn’t need to question it. Didn’t need to doubt.

This was real.

Their son was alive.

Alexander buried his face into his wife’s hair, his shoulders trembling as he held onto the woman he had shared this agonizing pain with for months. The grief, the helplessness, the torment of not knowing—it had all been washed away in an instant, replaced with something neither of them had dared to hope for.

Adam was out there. He was fighting, surviving, trying to find his way back home.

And no matter how long it took, no matter how impossible it seemed, they would wait for him.

—

Back in the lobby, Adam stood frozen, staring at the empty screen before him. His vision blurred, his breath unsteady, his entire body locked in place as if any sudden movement would shatter what little composure he had left. The last image burned into his mind—his parents, clinging to each other, overwhelmed, crying, alive.

His hands trembled at his sides, slowly curling into fists, his nails digging into his palms. He hadn’t realized how tightly his chest had constricted until now, like something had been pressing down on his lungs this entire time, suffocating him beneath the weight of his own emotions.

He had tried so hard to keep moving forward, to keep himself focused on survival, on strategy, on what needed to be done. He had buried himself in calculations and logic, forced himself to accept his situation without looking back, because looking back meant acknowledging what he had lost.

But he had never lost them. They had never given up on him. They had suffered, they had struggled, but they had never stopped waiting. His parents were waiting for him. They were still there.

A shuddering breath escaped him, and before he could stop it, a quiet, broken sound crawled up his throat. It was too much. He had been strong for so long, but now, in this fleeting moment, his strength wavered. His shoulders hunched as the weight of everything pressed against him, the staggering reality that he wanted to go home, that he needed to see them again, but he had no idea how long it would take. Had he just made a promise he might never be able to keep? Would they keep waiting, holding onto a hope that could never come true?

Something warm pressed against his back. Soft, familiar, comforting. His breath hitched as he felt arms wrap around him from behind, a small frame pressing gently against him. He turned his head slightly, and Kazue’s familiar voice whispered beside him.

“It’s okay.”

Then another warmth joined her. Drake, wrapping an arm around both of them, resting his forehead lightly against Adam’s shoulder.

“You did good, man.”

His voice was steady, reassuring, as if he had seen through every doubt swirling inside Adam’s mind.

A small hand grasped his sleeve. Adam blinked, turning just enough to see Emir standing beside him, looking up with an expression of quiet understanding. There was no hesitation in his movements as he reached forward, embracing him as tightly as his small arms could manage. He didn’t say anything, didn’t need to—his presence alone was enough.

Then Chloe followed, hesitant at first, but soon she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the growing group.

“You’re not alone, you know.”

She murmured, her voice soft but firm, as if saying it out loud made it real. Sebastian placed a hand on Adam’s shoulder, his touch gentle but grounding, like an anchor.

“You did something incredible just now.”

He said, his voice filled with quiet admiration.

“And you’re going to see them again. That’s not even a question.”

Katya, who had been standing nearby, wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand before sighing and stepping closer.

“Well, this is disgustingly sentimental.”

She muttered, but her tone lacked its usual bite. Instead, she placed a firm hand on top of the pile of arms already wrapped around Adam, completing the circle.

Gregor was the last to join, his usual stoic expression softening just slightly. He said nothing, simply standing beside them, his presence solid and unwavering.

Li, however, remained where he was, standing just a little apart from the rest. But for once, there was no sarcasm, no indifference in his face. Instead, there was something rare—something real. A small, quiet smile. A glimpse of something that had long been buried beneath almost a year of pragmatism and survival. He watched the scene before him, shaking his head slightly, but he did not look away.

For the first time since being thrown into this world, Adam did not feel alone.

He had them. His team. His… friends. And together, no matter what came next, they would keep moving forward.