After everything ended—or at least after I made sure nothing was trying to kill me in the next ten seconds—I returned to the starting point. It felt like waking up from a nightmare that lasted too long, but the outside world welcomed me in the most logic-slapping way possible.
Only one day had passed.
One. Day.
The system then said, in its annoyingly neutral tone—as if nothing that happened was even remotely serious—that the time ratio in the Tower was indeed different. Very different.
Of course. Why not?
'Should I clap? Or maybe cry because a whole week of being half-dead only counts as one day?'
I could only exhale. Tired. Irritated. And slightly tempted to throw the system off a cliff if it weren't… well, something untouchable.
Speaking of devils—literal devils—I realized something far more important. Canon. The original storyline. What should've happened, and what might have already passed without me knowing.
This was insane. Out of all the things I could forget… I forgot that one.
According to the original story, that event should've already happened. And if my time calculation was correct—or if I trusted the system more than my own brain—that meant one thing that made my skin crawl in half-frustration:
Issei had most likely already turned into a devil.
'I'm really late to the timeline… can this get any more absurd?'
That information, as usual, was given by the system.
The system really was useful… thank goodness it originated from the Akashic Record. Otherwise, I would've been lost in this increasingly chaotic plot long ago. There was something both soothing and threatening about an entity that knew everything speaking as if my life were nothing more than a footnote in a cosmic encyclopedia.
Knowing my next target, I planned to rest for a moment. Just to calm a body that still felt like it had been pounded by a giant hammer. But of course, peace was never my right.
The system appeared again.
With a cold, flat, self-important notification.
[Quest – Save one of the main heroines, Asia Argento, before the main character]
Reward: +1 Universal Gacha Ticket
I stared at the text long enough that the notification window almost felt like it was staring back at me.
God… it's this again.
"Well, that's a big reward…" I muttered softly.
No way I was ignoring it, right?
'If I do this, won't that destroy the plot? Isn't this going to collapse the timeline? Is the system not afraid the universe will pop like a leaking balloon?'
As always, the system answered my thoughts instantly.
[Answer… As long as you delay the possibility of Asia Argento's death at Raynare's hands]
"Eeh?"
I actually said that out loud. Not in my head. Out of my mouth. With the expression of a roasted duck drenched in soy sauce.
The system continued, giving my brain no chance to protest.
[Your task is only to stall time. Due to your presence, the canon storyline is gradually changing and no longer follows the original path. If you're late, Asia Argento's death may accelerate—and the main character's death may potentially occur.]
I froze.
"…Uuh…"
I stared at the empty air long enough to feel my brain trying to crawl out through my ears to escape the reality of what I'd just heard. The information echoed in my head, rude, nonsensical, and of course extremely… ridiculous.
This was truly ridiculous. Out of all things my presence could alter, why did it accelerate the tragedy? Since when did "extra existence" convert into "premium tragedy time bomb"?
"Is this butterfly effect? But I haven't even made direct contact with any character!!" I yelled unintentionally. My voice bounced in the empty room like a bad joke.
The system responded with robotic calmness that made me want to throw a rock at something.
[Answer… On the day you almost died, the attacker was an early-stage supporting character named Dohnaseek]
I went silent.
"Seriously!?"
Well… thinking back, he did look like a depressed British detective who had just lost his hat. The fedora curse didn't lie.
So from the start… I'd already been involved.
From the very second I fell into this world six months earlier than the canon schedule, the universe had already written my name on its "extra cast to be bothered" list. I took a long breath until my chest stung a little.
'If that's the case… I can't complain anymore. I was on stage before the curtains even opened.'
It was ironic. I transmigrated six months early, got attacked by a fallen angel before the story events even started, and now the timeline was shifting because of my existence. At least one thing was certain: I was strong enough to face a small fry like Dohnaseek now.
Not amazing, just… enough. And "enough" was the cheapest form of happiness I could get in this world.
I opened my inventory. Two gacha tickets gleamed at me as if mocking—or maybe tempting me. Hard to tell which.
"All right… if life wants to be chaotic, fine. I'll add seasoning."
I pressed the use button.
[Guardian Mask – Rank A]
The mask appeared in my hand without sound, cold, flat, and expressionless. Its surface was plain like the face of someone who had already given up on life. A faint aura seeped out, erasing body scent, swallowing mana traces, and even suppressing my presence to nearly nothing.
'A top-class disguise mask, huh? This is good… too good for a beginner like me.'
A second notification followed like a sweet slap.
[Ifrit Ring – Rank S]
The black-red ring appeared with a small spark of flame that quickly died. When I touched it, its heat seeped into my skin—not normal heat, but the kind that felt like the breath of an ancient creature born in a hellish crater.
There was something inside this ring. Something opening its eyes from within the darkness… and staring back at me.
I swallowed.
'Wow, another Rank S!! This… this is actual god-tier luck.'
I wasn't joking. Rank A was already powerful—useful, stable, like a walking life insurance.
But Rank S?
Rank S was a cheat. Not "a little unfair," but "please nerf me, God."
Without hesitation, I slipped the ring on. The moment the metal touched my skin, heat crawled like embers dancing beneath it. It didn't hurt—more like my body was being touched by something disappointed it wasn't born to live in the human world.
In an instant, wild energy flowed through my veins and bones, twisting itself into strength that felt… too comfortable.
I snapped my fingers.
Pit.
A small flame appeared. Fire. Without spells. Without magic focus. Without Qi.
'I'm going to get addicted to this if I'm not careful…'
I took a deep breath. Okay, enough playing with fire. Focus. Real-world problems wouldn't wait while I enjoyed new powers.
"All right, enough. Let's get ready."
A murim outfit with deep gold colors, red patterns at the edges, and a symbol of two diamonds forming an eight on the back. It wasn't actually the number eight, but apparently the system didn't care about aesthetic design.
Then I reached for the Guardian Mask.
The white mask attached to my face silently. Two emotionless black eyeholes stared back from the system mirror. No mouth, no nose. Just… a blank face that looked like it was ready to do annual taxes without complaint.
'Yeah. This is the face of someone with peak depression.'
Without saying much else, I moved—Qi, inner strength, and the heat of the Rank S ring blending like a newly installed circuit inside my body.
My steps were light, swift, leaving no traces.
The rescue mission began.