While Klein and Kim Dokja were going through the tutorial, Kim Hajin teleported to the third floor.
The moment he'd given his parting advice, "be polite to the system," and Spartan had teleported him, he didn't appear in a white room. He appeared in a familiar square. Central plaza of Prestige.
The system window that appeared for him was not a welcome, but a simple notification.
[Player 'Extra7' has returned.]
It wasn't so long ago when he heard the system's notifications. But it felt like forever.
"I missed you, system!" he cried out.
Spartan displeasedly pecked him on the back of the head.
"Ouch! Buddy! I missed you too!"
Finally they were alone.
In a familiar place, that felt more like home now than anything for the past few hours.
He rubbed his cheek against the warm ball of feathers.
[Your 'Returnee' status is confirmed. Tutorial is bypassed.]
"Good."
He ignored the stares of other 'Players'—a mix of Incarnations, Beyonders, and what looked like heroes and mercenaries from his world—all milling about, looking at him with a terrified look.
"Is that…"
"Black Lotus?!"
"What's he doing here?!"
"I didn't think he got stuck in Demon Realm…"
"…but where was he all this time..!"
'Looks like my reputation has already spread even among 'newcomers' or should I call them 'Outsiders'?' suddenly he felt like NPC
His breath caught.
It was... bright. A warm, genuine sun was shining in the sky.
He remembered this. This was the 'miracle'. And all thanks to Kim Suho choice.
It was the proof that his friend hadn't chosen to destroy the Tower, as he had in the original novel.
'I hope this Prestige will live happily now.'
A sense of profound, quiet pride swelled in his chest. He, the 'Extra', had made this possible.
He walked through the bustling, happy streets of Prestige, the 3rd floor Medieval city. NPCs smiled and waved. He passed his Riry Shop and peered inside.
He saw them. The two smart kids. Henry and Kiri. They were talking to customers and stacking shelves. They were safe. His [Goblin plate] was still in place, it seemed that its level grew even more.
He pulled his 'Black Lotus' hood lower, a small smile on his face behind the mask.
He wandered, using his [Observation and Reading] as a familiar comfort. He checked the guild bases.
The 'Essence of the Strait' base: He peered through the wall and saw... no familiar faces. A guy, who supposedly now ran Guild's branch in Tower was there, at a desk, arguing with a Djinn in a suit about some trade rights. He recalled Yoo Yeonha's face.
To talk about Djins... He saw like two or three of them...
'Where the hell are my companions?'
He quietly moved through the streets. His eyes flickered.
The 'English Royal Court' base: There was Rachel. Also safe, practicing her elemental swordsmanship.
The 'Chameleon Troupe' base: He saw the flickering aura of Setryn, her face beautiful enough to slap Yoo Joonghyuk's cheek twice! And the unmistakable, slender form of Jain. She was busy sleeping on a coach made by Kim Hajin.
They were all here. They had all been pulled into this.
He was about to decide to which base to go to first when suddenly…
Ping.
It wasn't a Tower message. It was a blue, [Star Stream] window, an alien system invading his home turf.
[An 'Indirect Message' has been sent from 'Secretive Plotter'.]
[Message: 15th floor. Genkelope. Cafe. ]
Hajin frowned. 'He can bypass the Tower's system? This 'Star Stream'... it's invasive.'
"Spartan, 15th floor."
He materialized in the main plaza of Genkelopa . The NPCs—the guards—snapped to attention.
[15F, Genkelope's Vessel]
Unlike the first time when Hajin and The Chameleon Troupe appeared here, there was no word 'Abandoned' in the name of the floor. This was also thanks to interferences brought by Kim Hajin… or better say… Black Lotus?
"Captain-nim!"
"Shh," Hajin hissed, waving them down. He pulled his hood tighter. "I'm not here. At ease."
He walked through the familiar futuristic warship, a wave of nostalgia hitting him.
He found the cafe, a big, bustling with people futuristic cafe, and saw them.
Arianna sat there, a cup of tea untouched, her presence a void of shadow. Secretive Plotter, not in his symbolic form of a dumpling now, was sitting on the table, looking profoundly annoyed.
And with them was a... mountain.
A man of impossible size, with a wild beard and a topknot, was draining an entire barrel of ale. He was clad in rough, Goryeo-style armor.
For some reason a face he knew... looked... different?
Hajin's [Observation] flickered wildly.
[Target: Cheok Jungyeong]
[Status: Merged, Paradoxical, Unstable]
[Trait: 'Goryeo's First Sword' / Chameleon Troupe's Seat of Red]
The mountain of a man looked up, his eyes focusing on someone whose piercing eyes he felt on himself.
He was slender rather than big and light rather than heavy.
He wore a black robe, which covered him up entirely, and a black mask.
His appearance clearly did not intend to conceal his identity
"Haj-..?" Hajin's name almost escaped from his lips, "Is that... Black Lotus?"
[He is... a new problem,] the 'Secretive Plotter' interjected. [Sit down. We have much to discuss.]
Hajin sat, wary. Arianna spoke, her voice the cold of the void, translated by the [Star Stream] system for Hajin.
"The 'Collaboration' is unstable. The entities... your 'World Will' and the 'Star Stream'... they are in conflict."
[Your 'World Will' was an instinctual, formless force commanded by someone…] the Plotter explained. [It had rules, but no 'consciousness'. The 'Star Stream'... it *is* consciousness. A narrative. By merging, it has 'awoken' your 'World Will' that was only an instrument... a lever in God's hands.]
Hajin remembered the [Arc ??? Progress] message. It wasn't the message but that others could see it.
"So that's what that was."
Arianna nodded. "Your friend, 'Kim Suho', did not destroy this Tower. He 'opened' it, merging its system with your world. The newly-sentient 'World Will' is now using the Tower's open system as a 'channel' to manifest its own rules, amplifying them to fight the 'Star Stream's' 'Scenarios'."
"So... the two systems are fighting over the authority?" Hajin concluded.
[Correct,] the Plotter said. [That is why it is the only 'safe' place. Neither system can gain full control. It is a neutral zone. And it is where *we* are building our forces.]
As if on cue, another figure approached the table. He was pale, unsettlingly handsome, with long black hair. His smile was polite, but his [Observation] tag screamed 'Djinn'.
[Target: ???]
[Status: Djinn]
[Affiliation: The Nine Evils (New)/The Apocrypha]
Hajin's hand almost instinctively went to his Desert Eagle.
He was jolted that now he's a Black Lotus. So, he pulled out a [Temujin's Bow Blessed by Horus]
"Tea, Mr. Black Lotus?" the Djinn asked, his voice smooth as silk, holding out a fresh cup.
[He is an ally,] the Plotter said, stopping Hajin cold. [Your world's definitions of 'good' and 'evil' are... merging. He finds the 'Devils'... distasteful. He helped us a lot.]
Hajin didn't care. A good Djin is a dead Djin. No exceptions.
[Temujin's Bow Blessed by Horus] and [Lv.11 Athena's Moonlight Arrow] countered Djinn perfectly.
Djinn was sure the Genkelope personnel will definitely interfere since any violence was prohibited. Even Black Lotus couldn't go against the rules.
Bloody liquid rushed out of his mouth as Djinn gasped for air.
"W-what…"
The next moment there was a glowing arrow sticking through his chest.
No NPC reacted, all people around were shocked. Even Secretive Plotter and Arianna couldn't understand how. Luckily Cheok Jungyeong's principals didn't change and he couldn't reveal much information about so-called 'Black Lotus' .
The Djin's body disintegrated. The last message he saw was:
[You died. You must stay inside your waiting room until the start of the next tutorial.]
Hajin reluctantly sat back, but didn't take the tea.
"Jungyeong didn't you tell them about Djinns?!"
"I did but…It's... strange," Cheok Jungyeong suddenly rumbled, looking at his own massive hands.
"What is?" Hajin asked, grateful for the change of subject.
"I remember Boss," Cheok said, his voice confused. "I remember the Chameleon Troupe. But... I also remember... Goryeo. I remember the 'Great Fable'. I am... two."
When panic among the customers finally died down. Secretive Plotter continued:
[The 'Disconnected Film Theory',] he stated. [It is preventing a paradox by severing your two 'selves' while letting them co-exist. You are both, and you are neither. You are a new 'Story'.]
Hajin was reeling. A merged Cheok Jungyeong?
"Anyways, you must never team up with a Djinn. You don't know who they are."
Secretive Plotter only tilted his head.
"He helped us greatly, even fighting against the Devil he signed contract with. We already know who they are, but even Heroes from your world are cooperating with some Djinns."
Flat voice of Arianna seemed to calm everyone down.
[We control this Tower—or at least the first floors—by cooperating with some of the Administrators and Crevon. And we should cooperate or else…]
RRRRRRRUMBLE.
The entire cafe shook. The Tower itself was shaking, a deep, resonant groaning echoing from the walls.
Hajin jumped to his feet. "What now?!"
The Plotter "looked" up towards the Tower's pop up message.