บท 2: Crash Landing (1)
No matter how you look at it, there's only one conclusion.
X is gone.
Like the beginning of a novel,
that was indeed the conclusion I reached after careful consideration.
However, whether I knew it or not.
The preceding message never ended.
[Synchronization rate 4 percent… 6 percent… 19 percent....]
[Synchronization-frozen at 71 percent].
[Player's customization will be applied].
[Character's customization is complete!]
* * *
Knox Von Reinhaber.
Third-generation dark master of the Inner Lunatic.
The youngest of the five siblings of House Reinharber, and the only dullard in a family where everyone is considered a genius. This was the identity of the villain I possessed.
He would grow to become the biggest villain in the world, a giant barrier between players and the world.
That is the main identity of the character named Nox.
"Hah… this can't be a dream...."
I dry my face and look in the mirror over and over again, but nothing changes.
His hair is bleached white, as if it's been snowed in.
Eyes a mysterious lavender color.
Sharply defined, ruggedly handsome features that only serve to remind me that the character I'm currently possessing is Nox.
"Crazy."
I muttered to myself, rubbing my face with my shrunken hands.
Ding!
Before I could recover from the shock,
the familiar beeping sounded again, and I looked up.
My eyes narrowed in disbelief, and a look of horror crossed my face.
__________________
[Basic Info].
Name: Knox Von Reinhaber
Gender: Male
Age: 14
Race: Human
Primary Element: Darkness
Achievements: None
[Traits].
Positives: [Genius with Swords and Martial Arts] / [Genius with Mana Sensitivity] / [Insightful] / [Master of Memorization] / [Steel Mentality] / [Master of Acting]]
Neutral: [Manifestation of Darkness]
Negative: [Terminally Ill] / [Curse of Weakness] / Chronic Illness] / [Nuisance] / [Possession]
[Stats]
Health: 2
Magic: 9
Luck: 7
Will: 10
Charm: 25
[Skill] – Active Skill: Time of Genius
*The player's remaining lifespan under the [Time of Genius] talent is 1 year.
__________________
"…Haha, a status bar now?"
It was embarrassing, to say the least.
It wasn't enough that I was suddenly possessed by an in-game villain....
Now there was a status window in front of me.
That wasn't all.
Even Nox's stats in the status bar were unclear.
His health was a mere 2, thanks to a bunch of negative traits. His legs were essentially only for walking.
The arms and shoulders were just for decoration.
An articulated doll would be better than this.
'The rest of the stats are honestly overwhelmingly good, but... health doesn't change the fact that I don't have an answer.'
The lack of a health stat in Inner Lunatic is a disaster.
Even mages have to build up their stamina to a certain level, or they die a quick death. The knight class has no answer.
"Haa...."
…one,
but that wasn't the real problem.
A single negative family trait synchronized to a rising status window.
The disaster it would cause is many times more dangerous than the first.
[Time limit].
I muttered to myself, looking at the status bar in disbelief.
"I've been on a time limit in real life, and now I'm supposed to be on a time limit here?"
I couldn't help but laugh.
I hadn't realized that the traits I'd put in when I customized him, thinking this would be the last game I'd ever play, would come back to haunt me.
Embarrassment overcame regret.
I was thinking.
I don't know what kind of asshole put me in this game, but I'm going to kill him if I get caught.
But… first.
"…I must first survive."
Now that I'm standing on death's doorstep, I'm even more certain.
I don't want to die yet.
And in order to survive, I need to adapt quickly to the situation at hand.
If I don't survive now, I won't be able to build for the future.
"Still, it's not impossible."
The Status window has some great positive traits.
Most notable are the two Genius traits.
[Genius with Swords and Martial Arts] means you're great with swords and other cold weapons.
It also allows you to easily peak in basic martial arts,
[Genius of Mana Sensitivity] increases your sensitivity to mana, making you extremely efficient in all things magical.
In short, in many ways, the [Time Limit] talent limits you, but it certainly opens up avenues for growth.
The penalty is very high, but the talent is guaranteed.
The two genius traits were proof of that.
"But that's not all. [Insight} is a protagonist perk that lets you see into other characters' status windows, and [Acting Genius] literally calibrates your acting skills. It's great for tricking other people. And [Steel Mentality] will keep me steadfast in combat and in dangerous situations....."
With a total of 27 Inner Lunatic clears under his belt, I was ready.
It didn't take me long to get the hang of Knox's traits.
What to use and what to watch out for.
I figured it out faster than anyone else.
"…By the way, Knox, you're so fucking weak. Are you a dog?"
I told him to relax.
I could see the negative traits right away.
He's always been thin and glazed over since I saw him in the mirror, but…
This is it, man.
You could call him a walking infirmary.
[From the Curse of Weakness], to the [Chronic Illness], to the [Cold Hands and Feet], to the [Possession].
It may not seem like much, but these negative traits will always hinder your gameplay.
[It's nearly impossible to even set foot on a glacier without a fire skill, and if you're equipped with [Nuisance], you're guaranteed to die within the first chapter of the game.
In many ways, it's a lot of hassle.
Of course, there's nothing you can do about it.
First, there are the two genius traits I've granted you, and the unique trait that is only passed down to blood members of the Reinharber family.
You can only survive by utilizing the [Dark Manifestation].
…Of course, I'll have to do something about the one-year deadline before then.
Like that.
That was the moment I roughly decided on my future residence.
-You have one unread letter in your mailbox. Do you want to check it?
"An unread letter?"
My head tilts to one side in puzzlement.
What?
I've been in a strange world for less than 10 minutes.
Who the hell would send me a letter to... ah.
"No way…?"
Suddenly, like a blow to the head, a plausible hypothesis flashes through my mind.
"That asshole X who trapped me in this game… he must have written to me."
Convinced, I immediately manipulate the status bar and enter the mailbox.
The results…
My prediction was precisely half right.
* * *
Just like in the game, I touched the letter, which was wrapped in worn parchment.
Then, out of thin air, the letter unfolded and filled my vision.
_______________________
Hello, Yoochan… or should I say Nox now?
_______________________
"…Huh?"
I thought to myself.
The moment I read the opening line, I felt the hairs on my head stand on end as goosebumps rose all over my body.
"…Do you know my name...?"
Yoo Chan.
The name my parents left me before I was orphaned, when they didn't know if I was alive or dead.
But why is my name appearing in the letter?
What the hell does it have to do with....
"...No way."
My body stiffens for a moment.
With that, a question creeps up my spine.
"The being who possessed me here... Does he know something about my past that I've forgotten?"
If not, then none of this made any sense.
My sudden possession by an Inner Lunatic and my name popping up here. It was the most logical thing to think in order to make it all make sense.
Excitement. Pounding.
My heart is pounding like crazy.
I forced myself to keep a calm face and started reading the next part of the letter.
_______________________
You probably don't remember me, but I must say this.
It's been a long time. And welcome back.
You've been through a lot these past two years. You deserve to be here again.
_______________________
"Welcome back…"
The speaker in the letter was talking to me as if I were from another world.
But it didn't make sense to my brain.
How is that possible?
I had already spent two years living on the outside.
Inner Lunatic was just a game, and....
Bam.
I slapped my cheeks hard with both hands and came to my senses.
Bad premise.
The fact that I was possessed by this world. It didn't make sense in the first place.
"That means... maybe my world isn't real, and this one is."
It's still a leap.
I don't know enough to really know everything.
About this world. And about me.
My gaze shifts to the bottom line of the letter.
_______________________
I can't tell you much yet, including who I am… but I can help you.
I want you to join the Eldain Academy. And cultivate your powers to get as close to the main story as possible.
For all truth will be enshrined there.....
_______________________
The letter ended there.
There was a short popping sound and the letter disappeared before my eyes.
I shook my head, dazed and confused. I went to the mailbox to read the letter again, but there was nothing there.
I couldn't help but feel a little panicked as I replayed the letter's contents.
It was outrageous.
"I am currently possessed by the final boss of a game called Nox. And… you're telling me to get close to the main story? That's a death sentence no matter how you slice it."
It's true.
Knox is the final villain, the final mountain for the protagonist to overcome in this story.
The main story, by which I mean his death, would eventually complete it.
"But I can't give up on getting my memories back."
Whoa, a short gasp.
"I don't know what the hell is going on right now… but I do know one thing. For now, I have no choice but to do what the person who sent me the letter tells me to do. But.
I immediately decide on a course of action.
"I have no intention of dying easily, no matter how short the time frame."
I had a lot of questions.
Where did I come from, who is my family, where are my lost memories?
The answers are hidden here.
I clenched my fists with a vivid sense of certainty.
"I access the main story somehow, and figure out if there's a connection between my lost memories and the Inner Lunatic… this game… and survive."
If he can get his memories back, and find the source of who he is.
"I'm willing to play the biggest villain."
I will play the part if necessary.
The Inner Lunatic's biggest villain, and now his time is up.
Knox von Reinhafer.
Pishik.
A chuckle escapes me.
Come to think of it, it wasn't all that different from reality.
I've been on a time limit since the beginning, two years ago, when I lost my memory.
Every moment was a countdown to death, and I spent every waking moment in fear of when I would die. The only thing that changed was the setting.
It's the world I know best.
There's no reason to be afraid here, to run away.
I ran a hand through my hair, then walked away from the mirror and over to the old-fashioned clock.
It had an in-game calendar.
"February 4, 1812."
I muttered, gathering my thoughts.
Until the main story of Inner Lunatic began.
There was still a year to go.
And, incidentally, until my death.
"Well, then… let's get started on the 28th round."
I step away from the mirror and pull on my black coat, which is neatly hung up.
Grabbing the doorknob of my room, I turned it lightly.
And then.
CRACK!
"Huh?"
A familiar sound came from somewhere.
It sounded like bones breaking, but....
[Trait (Nuisance) comes into play].
[Due to the effect of Nuisance, you have acquired Wrist Sprain Lv 1. Please get enough rest to recover].
"...X shot?"
It was coming from my wrist.
It was ridiculous.
What the hell did I do to trigger a negative trait in the first place?
All I did was....
My fists are shaking. Even so, I feel a faint pain from the sprain.
I grabbed the doorknob with my other hand and turned it, more carefully this time.
Shit.
What the hell am I doing?
Bam!
Then.
I heard the sound of glass shattering on the floor outside.
Luckily, this time it wasn't my body.
"Huh, huh, huh! No, Master Knox!?"
I stepped out the door and shifted my gaze toward the source of the voice, where I saw the figure of a young girl, her pupils dilated in surprise.
She floated like a slender gazelle in the face of a predator, and I could sense that something was amiss with Mr. Knox.
A familiar face. Probably a maid, probably around Nox's age....
It took me a moment to recognize her.
" I'm sorry, Sin, I'm sorry… I won't make that mistake again, but please bear with me as I cut your flesh with a piece of glass...."
The maid backed away, hesitating and begging.
I crinkled my brow at the fierce reaction.
"Brown hair, brighter eyes than that... Rona?
Luckily, I recognized the character from memory.
She was one of the maids at House Reinhafer, and the one who talked about Knox behind his back on a daily basis.
In Knox's eyes, she's a piece of trash.
Not a main character, just an extra A character.
"Huh...."
I glance at Rona for a moment, who looks up at me with a puzzled expression.
…You mean she's been talking about Nox behind his back with that innocent face?
Now I'm Nox. Anger welled up inside me, but I managed to keep it in check. I was about to pick up the broken glass and place it on the silver tray when I realized.
"Please, please, Master! Mo, for my life!"
"...."
At that moment, I realized two things.
First, villains are villains for a reason.
No matter how much you change inside,
one good deed won't change your judgment.
And second, and this is the most important one….
Rona is trash.
"I'll give you a pass."
I squatted down and locked eyes with Lorna, eyes wide.
"But if you screw up again, I'm going to...."
I snapped.
Rona didn't speak, but she quickly shook her head. She looked shocked, as if she had imagined the next part of the story.
I stood up, refreshed, and scanned the hired hands around me.
They were all staring at the youngest son in the family's outcast.
Shit.
"Knox… what the hell kind of life have you... lived.
I sighed and started to walk away, but another maid in the hallway stopped me.
"By the way, Master… do you happen to know where you're going...?"
"…I don't think I need to hide anything.
After a moment's thought, I replied simply.
"The training grounds."
At that moment,
I could feel the heads of all the employees in the hallway turn in confusion. All eyes were on me.
They weren't speaking, but their thoughts were transparent.
If their monologues had been scripted in the game, I'm sure they would have gone something like this.
"Why is this asshole who's never even held a sword suddenly going to the training grounds, and now he's bringing a wooden sword to beat me up?"
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