Eight students were gathered in a big room on the highest floor of dorm 1. They were all sitting in an arrogant delinquent-like manner, laughing loudly at even the smallest things. Occasionally, they stole stealthy glances at the one who called them over. But the person in question remained silent as though he couldn't care less.
"Oh right, Jonghak, isn't there a gun user in your class?"
One man asked him. He was a generic good-looking guy with an amiable smile. Shin Jonghak opened his eyes narrowly and stared back at him.
"... Um, I just heard it from somewhere. Did I hear wrong?"
"I don't know. I'm not interested in trash."
"R-Right. I'm not really interested either, but I was just curious who the fool was, haha."
"Hanjun, you sure are curious about the strangest things~"
A captivating voice cut through. Jin Hanjun turned his head and saw a long-haired girl smiling charmingly. It was Yoo Yeonha. Feeling his heart beating, the flustered Jin Hanjun blurted out.
"O-Oh, Yeonha. Y-You know, I was always like that."
"What was his name? Chundong? Chunbun? It was a pretty old-fashioned name. Anyways, don't pay too much attention to him."
"But he sure was pathetic. Why did that son of a bitch come all the way to Cube if he was going to choose a gun?"
"There's also that Yu Aerum guy. Didn't he chose a scythe?"
"That son of a bitch is also stupid. Choosing a difficult weapon without proper training. Ain't that going on a suicide mission in dungeons and towers?"
The foul language came from Kim Horak. Bulky muscles, an intimidating expression, and a large physique. Even with just one glance, it was easy to see that he specialized in close ranged combat.
Jin Hanjun asked Kim Horak, "You know them?"
"I'm in Jonghak's class, idiot. I'm going to destroy that gun guy in combat training. I'll disable him and chase him out. That Aerum bitch wouldn't be an exception."
Everyone knew Cube's schedule. There were classes five days a week and combat training three days a week.
Classes referred to comprehensive magic power training and physical training, while combat training referred to battles, monster hunts, rescue missions, and more.
"I don't know. That Aerum looked pretty competent."
"I'll still destroy those son of a..."
"Don't waste your time."
With a single sentence, Shin Jonghak cut down the coarse locker room talk. Kim Horak, who was growling just a moment ago, fell silent. He felt the other's glare towards him.
"Even if you win against someone so low rank, you'll be the one losing points. It's better to challenge higher ranked cadets who you can win against for sure. For example..."
"Chae Nayun, try fighting her. I'm sure you'll win."
Yoo Yeonha cut in. Shin Jonghak narrowed his eyes and glared at her, but Yoo Yeonha continued unfazed.
"Fist against bow. It's easy."
"... Huh? Ah, yeah, I can win. But..."
Challenging her was difficult.
However, he swallowed his words, wanting to look good in front of Yoo Yeonha.
"But?"
"... It would be too pitiful. You know, my opponents often end up half-dead."
"There's nothing wrong with that."
"... Huh?"
"Stop."
Shin Jonghak stopped their conversation.
Though Yoo Yeonha was displeased, she feigned indifference. She quietly suppressed the unpleasant feeling rising from the corner of her heart.
'Shin Jonghak liked Chae Nayun. I'm not so stupid as to be jealous. I just found the situation funny.' Yoo Yeonha consoled herself.
"I'm leaving now. It's almost ten."
At Cube, male and female students were only allowed to interact until 22:00. After giving a bright smile to mask her hurt feelings, Yoo Yeonha stood up.
"Oh, good night."
"Good night, Yeonha!"
"See you later!"
All the male cadets other than Shin Jonghak saw her off to the door.
*
"What do you mean?"
I sighed as I looked at the suspicious and confused author in front of me.
"I know Kim Hajin-ssi isn't from this World and that this World is based on the novel that you created. I am brought to this world by the co-author to aid you in completing this story."
"...co-author? Are you fucking with me? I don't have any co-author."
I looked him in the eyes seriously.
"Yes, you now do. He told me that he was the one that sent you an email and you agreed on remaking this novel."
I waited for him to realize the hint I gave him and it wasn't that along. He already suspected much from the beginning like stated in TNE.
"... [email protected]."
(... That's a pretty dumb name.)
• I was in a hurry. •
(Yeah right.)
"Yes. Him. I was supposed to help or aide in the dark so that whenever something unexpected happens, I'll be able to help you remake your novel and get the satisfying ending that all of your readers want. He told me that many reader's were unsatisfied of the flow of your story and it was such a waste to not let it bloom to its full potential. I'm basically here to be the representative of the unsatisfied reader's and see if that ending that we're looking forward to is finally right."
I wasn't gonna tell him that the remake of this novel was already completed. It's just that, the ending was quite bad.
"...So I'm stuck here until the ending?"
I watched as he gripped tight on the edge of the couch. I saw the feeling of emptiness in his eyes. Not wanting to make everything awkward and silent.
I released my pent up feelings.
"Kim Hajin-ssi. Although, I haven't read the novel you wrote. I'm a fan of yours."
"..."
• Does that even make sense? •
"The friend who told me about your novel spoiled me a lot of the events and characters of your novel. It was very interesting especially in Arc 1. Although, there are some plot holes here and there. It was interesting. It's just the latest chapters after that Arc made it go bad..."
"..."
• You are lucky that Reader's Mind helps you with your continuous lie. •
(There's some truth in it! It was put in TNE! It's not completely a lie!)
• Yeah, right. •
This alien bitch!
I looked back at the silent writer, before continuing again.
"It's not that bad though. I'm sure its a good read but from what I've heard. There are some flaws and stuffs. You know, the too many unnecessary characters that the reader's might not remember after 2-3 chapters. The too perfect protagonist. Gaining too many buffs and all. It sounds repetitive and bor— I mean don't worry I'm here so I can help you with the flaws and plot!"
"...This is why I didn't read the comments."
• Heh. So this is your plan. Is it fun poking at his weakness, Aerum-ssi. •
(Shut it. He needs it.)
I was purposely poking on one of Kim Hajin's weak spots. The opinion of his readers. It was written in the first chapter that he's afraid or scared of reading the comments of his readers because he also knew his novel was going downhill. He would'nt have accepted Bihyung's plan of remaking it if he wasn't ashamed of it.
It is essential for him to tone down his complex especially in front of me. He needs to fully acknowledge the position he's in. That he wasn't the only author anymore earlier than chapter 12.
Although, his complex has some perks in gaining the interest and maybe some trust from others. I don't want him to distance himself too much from them. I need to slap some reality on his face like how the Kim Dokja's Company slapped Kim Dokja with love and threats.
He needs to know that he isn't a god. That every character he made are real, alive and breathing.
(He needs a touch of reality.)
• Like you? •
(I don't know what you're talking about.)
• I can guess your plans, Aerum-ssi. You know your greed. •
(... A reader wouldn't be a reader If they aren't greedy. You should already know that, Bihyung. After all, it IS my greed that made me agree to your proposal.)
• Well said. •
"Aerum-ssi..."
I snapped out of me and Bihyung's conversation. Looking at Kim Hajin, who simply stared right back at me while holding a laptop on his lap.
(... Wait, Laptop?!)
"You... That's Kim Chundong's face?!"
Fuck. I almost forgot that Kim Hajin hasn't completed his Synchronization yet!
*
Five minutes away from dorm 1 was a training facility called the 'Novice Fitness Center.' This 1000 square meter facility was filled with magical devices and equipment for exercise and training. The amount of money needed to construct such an environment would be well over a hundred million won, but there was barely anyone using the facility.
But just because the training facility was empty, it didn't mean the future of Heroes was bleak.
While cadets were would-be Heroes that would come to receive the admiration and envy of billions of people, they were still teenagers. Simply put, there weren't many high schoolers willing to go out of their way to train on the first day.
"I knew you'd be here."
But an exception always existed. Even Hero Academy had a pervert who enjoyed training from the first day. Kim Suho, who was drenched in sweat and wrestling with an exercise equipment, widened his eyes at the sudden voice.
"Chae Nayun? You're also here to train?"
"Yeah, but I won't be as barbaric as you."
With a wry smile, Chae Nayun pointed at the gravitation room. Seeing the terrifying cylindrical room, Kim Suho frowned.
"That's a tough one. I can never last long in there."
Kim Suho wiped his sweat with a towel he brought.
"It's not like you can't, you just don't need to. I'm an archer, so I need to train in there. Plus, it's not that hard. I've been doing it since I was 8."
"8 years old?"
"Yep. I have one in my house."
"... Aha."
Setting up a gravitation room cost several hundreds of millions of won at least. From what Chae Nayun said, it could be inferred that she came from a very wealthy background.
Just like Shin Jonghak, Chae Nayun was a fourth generation chaebol. But rather than a twisted superiority complex, she carried a righteous sense of rivalry. She believed she could surpass her rivals through hard-work and self-cultivation. But in front of the monster standing in front of her, her belief always seemed to waver.
"...Oh, right. There's another sharpshooter in our class now."
Kim Suho mentioned, to which Chae Nayun tilted her head curiously. Her face frowning as she felt her heart tighten.
"...Sharpshooter? Oh, that Chudong guy?"
"Uh, yeah, him... What's up with that look? Do you not like him?"
"...That guy and that scythe guy just feels like trouble to me."
**
Inside Kim Chundong's room, I held my breath while looking at a laptop screen.
I could understand what I was seeing. I could see it, but my brain refused to process what was in front of me. It just seemed too absurd. Even though, I was already told a while ago.
"...What is this?"
After a long silence, The reader that now sat beside me stared at me with great concentration and anticipation.
"You're completing your synchronization!"
===[Synchronizing... 70% Complete]===
1. Kim Chundong
[Current SP: 54]
▷Stats
*Variable Stats
[Strength 4]
[Stamina 4.3]
[Speed 4]
[Perception 5]
[Vitality 4]
[Magic power 3.5]
*Invariable Stats
[Intelligence – 4/10]
[Perseverance – 4/10]
[Luck – 4/10]
[Charm – 4/10]
▷Gift...???
▷Arts...???
...???
...???
...
...
...Supplement... Setting Chart...
===[Synchronizing... 70% Complete]===
This window on the monitor, this format, I recognized it. It was the format of my settings book. But without a doubt, I had never written or even thought of a setting like this.
This incomprehensible phenomenon made me sweat. My hands and feet trembled, and my heart began to pound.
At that moment...
The laptop screen turned off.
From the black laptop screen, a face was being reflected. It wasn't Kim Chundong's question mark, but my face, Kim Hajin's face.
Without giving me a chance to be shocked, the laptop turned back on and words began to appear on the laptop screen.
[Kim Chundong, synchronization with Kim Hajin complete.]
[All status reset.]
[Unique Authority, 'Setting Intervention', acquired.]
"Dam. Is my standards that low?!"