The brand on Noah's wrist still burned.
Even though the pain had faded, its presence lingered—etched into his nerves like a reminder. Red and black, shaped like a crumbling crown, the mark of the Watcher of Ruin's Oath pulsed with faint light, syncing with each heartbeat.
He flexed his fingers. His hand didn't shake.
[Status Updated]
– Strength: 10 (+5)
– Agility: 5
– Constitution: 5
– Intelligence: 5
– Insight: MAX (Locked)
Active Skill:
– Ruin Step Lv.1: Your momentum gathers destructive force. On impact, causes terrain rupture or minor concussive blast. Recharges after 10 seconds.
The system window faded.
"It's weaker than I remember…" Noah muttered under his breath. "Lucien got it at Lv.3 during his second regression."
He looked around.
Most of the survivors were still frozen in disbelief. A few had begun to make contracts with the lesser-class Watchers, forming small halos of light above their heads. The marks they received were small, faint glyphs—barely noticeable. Some trembled as they held their arms up, unsure of what had just bonded with them.
Seraphine Lorne hadn't moved.
She stood a few feet away, arms crossed, her eyes fixated on Noah.
"You… knew what to do from the start," she said slowly. "You knew the monster, the doors, the time limit. Even that contract—"
"I read the manual," Noah replied flatly.
"That's not possible. This isn't a game."
Noah met her gaze. "Not to you."
She studied him in silence.
Her distrust was understandable. From her point of view, he was just a random office worker who suddenly took charge, knew impossible things, and made a deal with an entity that made most people's souls shrink in fear.
But she wasn't just anyone.
In the original story, she would go on to become one of the strongest mid-tier warriors among humanity, eventually leading the Order of Crimson Flame. But without Lucien to inspire her, she would've died here—confused, uncertain, without purpose.
Noah wasn't about to let that happen.
"We'll need your help soon," he said, voice level. "When the third scenario starts, this station becomes a battlefield. Twenty-seven people die in the next hour unless someone holds the platform."
Seraphine blinked. "What?"
Noah turned to the center of the train platform. Blue runes had begun to form across the floor—slowly at first, then rapidly, circling outward like veins across stone.
[Main Scenario #3: Trial by Combat]
– Time Until Initiation: 10:00
– Objective: Defend the platform for 20 minutes.
– Monster Waves: 3
– Reward: 1,000 Coins
– Failure: Platform collapse. All survivors within range will perish.
[Bonus Objective: Protect the Catalyst Core (Optional)]
– Reward: ???
– Penalty: If destroyed, difficulty of all future scenarios increases by 1 rank.
The announcement hit the group like a slap.
"What the hell does platform collapse mean?!"
"We just got out of one scenario!"
"I thought we were safe!"
Panic threatened to swell again, but this time, Noah didn't speak.
He walked to the center of the rune circle and crouched, brushing away dust to reveal a small, embedded glass orb. Inside it swirled something dark—viscous and slow, like ink suspended in water.
[Catalyst Core – Stabilizer Node]
– Anchors Scenario Energy in Place
– If destroyed, destabilization spreads to all nearby sectors
– Recommended Defense: Group Unit
"...This is the plot seed," Noah muttered.
In Endgame Protocol, plot seeds were literal pieces of the story's code made physical. Destroying one would rewrite future scenarios in real time—usually for the worse. Lucien had accidentally let three get destroyed in his early regressions.
"Not this time."
He stood and turned to the group. "We defend here. Anyone without a sponsor, get one. If you don't choose in the next ten minutes, you die."
"And if we choose a bad one?" asked a young man at the edge of the group.
"Then you'll die slower," Noah said.
Ashtiel reappeared with a ripple of blue flame, arms crossed and face smug.
"You really are taking the reins, little Reader. What a delightful twist."
"Save the compliments. You're not here just to spectate."
Ashtiel's smirk deepened. "Oh? What do you think I'm here for, then?"
"You're going to announce the combat rankings. Track performance. Decide coin distribution. You'll judge whether the Catalyst Core survives."
"Sharp as always." Ashtiel floated above the rune circle like a bored royal. "Very well. You have ten minutes. Let's see how your improvised party handles a monster wave designed for regressor-level protagonists."
As if on cue, the air shimmered.
The first signs of a portal tore open above the distant tunnel—jagged edges, pulsing red. Black fog poured through, followed by growls, the unmistakable screech of claws on concrete.
Noah turned to the group.
"Everyone with melee-based sponsors, move to the front line. Ranged users stay by the core. If you've got a support skill, shout it now."
Silence.
Only three raised their hands.
"We don't know how to use them," one said. "We just picked whatever accepted us."
Of course they did.
They weren't players. They weren't trained. They were scared, ordinary people.
So Noah gave them structure.
"Fine. I'll go forward."
"What? Alone?!" Seraphine barked.
Noah cracked his knuckles. "I've got a skill built for mobility. If I can hit them before they form a swarm, I can reduce pressure on the defense line."
"But you'll get surrounded."
Noah walked to the platform edge, where the air had turned frigid. The enemy was close now. He planted his heel and took a breath.
[Ruin Step Activated.]
His muscles ignited with energy.
The next instant, he burst forward—his foot exploding the stone tile beneath him. A shockwave followed in his path as he dashed straight toward the rift.
A lone man against an emerging swarm.
[Enemy Wave Detected: Riftlings × 12 – Grade E]
[Weakness: High-impact concussive force]
Perfect.
Noah leapt mid-air and spun—his heel glowing crimson with built-up kinetic force.
[Ruin Step: Impact Triggered.]
The first Riftling's skull caved in from the blow, sending a chain of feedback through the tunnel walls. Three others stumbled, dazed from the blast radius. Noah used the momentum to spin into the next kick, rupturing the second creature's chest.
He landed, panting.
[Enemies Defeated: 2]
[Coins +80]
Screams echoed from behind as others finally began to fight.
Noah looked over his shoulder just once—to see Seraphine step forward, eyes blazing with rising fire, her body glowing faintly.
She had awakened.
Just like in the story.
[Awakening Trait Detected: Flame Baptism Lv.1]
– Seraphine Lorne has begun her true progression path.
He grinned. "Now we're getting started."