章節 27: Extra Chapter: Oreki's Perspective
A low, droning hum echoed through the room, a monotonous melody in the void. My head felt like it weighed a ton, but the sound was enough to slowly drag me back to consciousness. A dim, flickering light from a lamp above barely illuminated the small room I was in.
Blinking, my eyes adjusted to the faint glow. The space was devoid of windows or furniture, just oppressive walls and a single metallic door. The rough sensation of drool trailing down my chin added a touch of discomfort. Sighing, I wiped my face against my shoulder.
I scanned my surroundings, confused but composed.
Though my vision was blurry from just waking up, my memories were sharp. I recalled the 'conversation' with Yun Hyuk and Yeonha.
"Feeling useless for passing out so quickly," I thought, sarcasm lacing my self-criticism.
Blood, ever the commentary provider, chimed in. "Thirty seconds, Oreki. Even a rookie wouldn't faint that fast. Impressive."
"Thanks for the support, Blood." I rolled my eyes, glancing around as my vision steadied. The room's setup was easy to assess. "Hmm. Looks like they even changed the scenery this time."
Despite the circumstances, I stayed calm. This wasn't unexpected, and I had prepared somewhat for this situation.
The twins would've loved to see this.
Why was I thinking about them now?
...Right. I told them I'd bring Yun Hyuk back for their 'research' on Djinns.
Almost felt sorry for him. Almost. But he was the enemy, so it didn't matter.
Shoving those thoughts aside, I tried moving my hands, only to feel the cold, metallic grip of chains around my wrists. Glancing back, I saw reinforced links glowing faintly under the dim light, designed to ensure no movement was possible.
I sighed, letting my body relax against the chair's backrest. "Magically reinforced iron chains, huh? Clever," I muttered with a tone bordering on boredom, flexing my fingers to test the bonds. No give. My captors weren't taking any chances.
"At least they had the decency to reinforce the chains. Anything less would've been insulting."
"Completely agree." Closing my eyes, I shut out distractions and focused.
The familiar connection to the elements—particularly earth and air—and my heightened senses allowed me to perceive my surroundings clearly, even up to forty meters away if I concentrated. Passively, the range shrank to six meters. A near-perfect sixth sense.
Let's call it Sonar.
"A makeshift base in the Cube's forest area... brilliant," I thought, a chuckle slipping out.
"That simplifies things," Blood added, his laugh mirroring mine. "Let's hurry. The girl's waiting to be saved."
"Of course."
In an instant, the chains binding me vanished. Inventory magic proved exceptionally useful in situations like this. Flexing my fingers, I eased the discomfort from the metal's grip on my wrists.
Before standing, my sharpened senses picked up a subtle shift in the room's temperature.
Something was off.
Without hesitation, I lunged at the metal door and kicked it down.
Thud—
The sound reverberated down the narrow hallway ahead. Without wasting time, I sprinted forward, my steps echoing off the walls.
Dim lights overhead cast flickering shadows, and the heat I'd felt earlier intensified with every step.
"Alarm triggered?" Blood speculated, his voice curious.
"No, probably someone's birthday celebration." I couldn't resist a sarcastic reply. My elemental connection guided my every step, providing a clear mental map of the area and my goal. Turning a sharp corner, I spotted a control panel embedded in the wall. Crude, yet radiating magical energy.
"Enchanted security systems. That explains the heat—likely some self-destruct mechanism or something similar," Blood pondered, sounding almost bored. "If it's just heat, that's pointless against you."
"Maybe it's not that dramatic. Probably just a knockout trick for intruders." I murmured with a smirk, examining the blinking symbols. Deactivating it was out of the question; it was far too advanced. Instead…
I created a barrier of cool air around me to repel the rising heat and kept running, memorizing every detail of the layout.
Oreki's memory was exceptional in moments like this. Thanks to the Hyouka author for creating such a resourceful character.
"The good news: you're heading the right way. The bad news: the Djinn is probably finishing with the girl," Blood remarked, barely suppressing a laugh.
"That girl's got a knack for needing rescue at the last second," I muttered, irritation creeping into my voice.
Approaching the target location, I amplified my senses with CC (Conscious Control) to maximize efficiency. My abilities offered countless combat applications, but enhanced perception remained my favorite. With it, I could hear footsteps, discern subtle sounds, and anticipate surprise attacks, alongside detecting poisons, hidden weapons, and more.
Still, that alone wouldn't let me face a stronger Djinn head-on. Passively, my physical was bolstered by [Physical Breathing], which I could tap into for greater strength.
Finally, I saw it: a reinforced door at the corridor's end, glowing with magical runes.
"Not breaking through this one as easily as the last," Blood warned.
"Who said I'd try?" I replied, placing my hand against the wall beside the door. Using earth manipulation, I softened the material and began punching through until I'd carved a large-enough hole.
Thud… scrrch—
"Must say, your intelligence surprises even me," Blood quipped half-mockingly, half-truthfully.
"First, go to hell," I retorted dryly, crawling through the improvised gap. "…"
"And second?"
"There isn't one."
With a final punch, the wall crumbled completely, the sound sharp like glass shattering under a hammer. Dust and debris filled the air as I let out a certain vampire's signature roar: "WRIIIIIIII!"
This was the moment to push my body and mind to their limits. Facing Yun Hyuk head-on was impossible.
I had been accumulating oxygen since waking up here, ready to use it all at once. Combined with my heightened focus and CC, my body was primed.
Through my sharpened vision, I saw every detail of the room.
Yun Hyuk stood stunned by my arrival, while Yoo Yeonha, bound as I had been, mirrored his shock.
No ventilation. Minimal light. Filthy. The runes on the door were the only significant magical elements present.
In those milliseconds, I analyzed the room and acted. Electricity crackled in my fist as I surged forward, my enhanced body barely touching the ground.
Yun Hyuk's surprise delayed him a fraction of a second—long enough for my punch to land squarely on his face. The impact thundered through the room as he crashed to the floor, shaking the entire space.
The magical pressure restraining Yoo Yeonha vanished instantly.
"Sorry, Djinn extra, but this one isn't for you," I quipped with a mocking grin.
Yoo Yeonha stared wide-eyed. "Oreki?" Her voice was a disbelieving whisper.
Before I could answer, Yun Hyuk was already back on his feet, fury radiating from him. The room darkened, his aura intensifying as his hands glowed crimson.
"You… will pay for this!" he growled, unleashing a torrent of oppressive energy.
"Do you really think that'll work?" I asked, stepping forward. My casual tone only enraged him further.
"How…?" His voice wavered.
With a subtle motion, thin cuts appeared across his body, enough to draw blood but not hinder him.
Yun Hyuk laughed. "Is that all? You really think you can hurt me without light magic?!"
"Oh? Is that so?" I replied innocently, a sinister smirk creeping onto my lips.
In a flash, Aether shimmered, glowing a fiery orange-red. Even I could feel its heat.
Thud—
Yun Hyuk's arm hit the ground.
"GAHHHHHH…!"
His scream was deafening.
"You're annoying," I muttered, delivering a precise kick to his chin, knocking him out instantly.
Blood grumbled in my mind. "Should've let him scream longer."
"Not in the mood for tinnitus," I shot back.
I replied to Blood calmly, while thinking about how I could transport Yun Hyuk's body to…
"O-Oreki! Behind you!"
I heard Yoo Yeonha's shrill, terrified voice, which made me turn around just in time to see an axe almost reaching my face.
Thanks to all the preparations I made, I managed to move my body fluidly backward, dodging the axe. It struck the ground with brutal force, shattering it.
I looked at her cautiously. "I'd die if that hit me."
"Pfft. You're fast, brat. No... I think it's better to say you saw it coming."
The voice was hoarse and dripping with mockery, belonging to a woman with fiery hair tied in a messy ponytail. Her golden eyes sparkled with arrogance, and the cruel smile on her lips made it clear she wasn't here to play around.
"But let's see how long you can keep running."
"Keep your composure. We're doomed if she lands a direct hit," Blood warned me, unusually cautious.
"Don't state the obvious. Looks like I'll have to get serious."
"Oh, oh… an extra second enemy?" I muttered, landing in a relaxed stance despite the sudden attack. "And here I thought today would be uneventful."
"Beatrice." She announced her name like a death sentence. Raising her axe, she pointed it at me. "You must be Oreki, right? I've heard of you. The punk who thinks he's some hotshot hero."
"Well, I wouldn't call this playing hero…" Oreki replied with a sarcastic grin.
Beatrice laughed, but her tone was filled with disdain.
"Too bad it won't last long. Showing off with some nobody like Yun Hyuk? Tsk. What a waste of time. Let me show you how it's really done."
Without warning, she lunged, the axe raised for a devastating strike. Her strength was overwhelming, each attack carving craters into the ground as I dodged with superhuman agility.
"Yeonha, I'll cut you some slack," I said casually while still dodging. "Next time, warn me about armed maniacs before they try to chop my head off."
"Oh, sure, because this is somehow my fault!" she yelled, still struggling against the chair's bindings.
I can't help her right now. "Blood, use the inventory to get Yeonha free from the chains."
"Tsk. Don't order me around, brat." Despite his complaints, he complied, knowing we'd die if we didn't fight seriously.
Since we're technically the same person, even if it doesn't seem that way, we can split tasks and control the body separately. That's something we figured out while searching for Evandel and Aether. One of us can handle combat or physical control while the other manages skills and analysis. But only if I allow it, as the body's primary owner.
Beatrice laughed heartily, pausing her chain of strikes for a moment.
"You two are pathetic. Are you telling me you need a babysitter to save you, Oreki?"
I smiled irritably. "You talk too much. You're going to lose your tongue."
"Big talk for someone running away like a rat," Beatrice said, spinning her axe menacingly.
"No. I'm just giving you the attention your father never did." I replied smugly, halting my movements and raising a hand. "By the way, are you left-handed or right-handed?"
Beatrice frowned and charged at me. "What kind of stupid question is that?"
As expected, the only way to fight her is to enter a state of total concentration, using my body and CC as efficiently as possible, analyzing her with Keen Insight, and maximizing my oxygen reserves.
I'm still weak. I can't even take down a Djinn head-on. That leaves only Aether to fight.
Before speaking, I dodged again, moving behind her to avoid another swing aimed at my head.
"I've got a better one. Wanna hear it?"
"I don't," Beatrice said, letting go of her axe with one hand to try and grab my neck.
But with Aether acting on my will, it pulled me toward Yoo Yeonha.
Beatrice's eyes flared with irritation. "You stole Aether?"
The chances that she's someone who read The Novel's Extra are increasing.
"'Stole' is such a strong word. I'd call it 'borrowing without asking and with zero intention of returning it.'"
Hearing my response, the veins on Beatrice's forehead bulged, and her face trembled with rage. She was murmuring something.
Let's take advantage of this.
I placed my hand on Yoo Yeonha's head.
"Sweetheart, can you run now, please?" Let's go—infuse my mana with the light element and heal her.
This is more complicated than imbuing objects, but it's not impossible, as I did the same with the Reigan during training with Kim Suho.
Yeonha's body glowed golden.
"You can't fight her alone," Yeonha said, worried.
She's becoming more sociable—and faster than usual.
"The kid's growing," Blood noted.
I couldn't help but agree.
Even though I was pleased, I couldn't soften my tone, or she wouldn't listen.
"You're useless here, so go and get the instructors or Kim Suho and Shin Jonghak. As fast as possible."
"...Got it," she replied.
She stood up and limped toward the hole I made in the wall.
Well, one problem solved for now.
"Thanks for being kind enough to let me talk to Yeonha," I said, starting to enjoy how villains conveniently wait while the heroes hold conversations and resolve issues.
"I just want to savor the pleasure of cutting off your head as much as possible, and that girl would only get in the way. Don't you agree?"
Let's buy some time for—wait. She's not moving.
"Yes, she would. So, as you can see, you're on a timer. Better hurry and kill me."
"With pleasure, weakling."
She… ugh.
"I've noticed you're very arrogant. So, enjoy it while it lasts, girl, and move." My tone was more authoritative than before.
…I'm punishing her for this once it's over.
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