Restricted Access #2
A ripple formed as 5,000 points vanished in an instant.
Along with it came the familiar notification window—the one that appeared after purchasing a one-time-only item, triggering a rearrangement.
■■■■ Skillbook acquired.
Updating shop list.
You can still purchase existing items while the shop list is updating.
'Huh? Estimated time?'
Compared to last time, one notification was missing.
As that thought crossed his mind, Rohan reached out. Satisfying his curiosity took priority right now.
His hand slipped into the warped space.
Rohan immediately sensed something off.
"Huh?"
It wasn't like when he'd learned Scorching Blade—no knowledge flooding in the moment his hand made contact.
This was different.
Something solid and distinctly shaped met his grasp inside. A tangible sensation, like buying food or water.
Thud!
What emerged into the air, clutched in Rohan's hand, was a weathered ancient tome.
True to its name of skillbook, it was unmistakably a book. Rohan, however, felt bewildered instead.
'A real book...?'
He checked the front and back. No text on the cover.
Flipping through, every page was blank. Pristine white, without a single dot or mark.
'What the hell is this.'
His expectations had swelled with the promise of luck, but now he had no idea how to use it.
The only obvious purpose? Maybe as a ramen stand.
"Hmm."
Rohan pondered, feeling the book's texture.
The power to activate such an unknown item, the key to revealing its nature—more precise than fingerprints, a personal password unique to each individual.
The answer was obvious.
'Mana.'
Rohan channeled the mana in his body into the book.
The change came instantly.
Flutter!
The book flipped open on its own. Pages flew by rapidly before halting abruptly in the middle.
Rohan watched the poltergeist-like phenomenon in silence.
Restricted Reading Book #2 (Non-Authorized Personnel Prohibited)
'A book this time, not a video?'
Rohan read the notification and froze stiff.
With the number jumping from 1 to 2, he couldn't even predict what might happen.
No countermeasures in mind, how long did he wait?
Sizzle───!
Embers danced over the book, scorching the paper as they passed. Astonishingly, no smoke rose, no burnt smell lingered.
The black traces gathered, forming letters.
Rohan's eyes naturally began to read them.
What a tragic and lamentable fate. That the flames which consume even reason and instinct must ultimately fall into human hands after passing through ashes—how regrettable this is.
Humans will never relinquish the flames, even if they lose everything... This shall be our blessing and our curse.
Rowell... Jenny... We shall fulfill your wishes...
Laments from someone.
The heavily pressed letters conveyed emotions all too clearly.
It was as if he could hear a voice.
'Flames that burn reason and instinct?'
A metaphorical expression?
If not some vague rhetoric, he wanted to retort—where in the world was a fire that burned intangible things like that?
But the moment Rohan read those words, an image flashed in his mind.
'The video I saw...'
His childhood self, sitting in a chair. Calling it "me" felt ridiculous, but still.
Just a hunch, yet that image wouldn't leave his head.
'And who are these people?'
Rowell and Jenny—names he'd never heard in Abyss City.
Yet they didn't feel unfamiliar.
He resolved to look into those two names etched so sharply in his memory.
"Hm..."
As Rohan mulled over his increasingly tangled thoughts, his murmur acted like a signal.
Thud! The open book snapped shut.
This time, faint flames flickered over the cover, deeply engraving letters.
Seeing the hanja, Rohan felt his mind drawn in as he murmured.
"...Heavenly Sun Holy Judgment."
With his voice, flames erupted fiercely from the book.
The blaze on his hand wasn't hot. Nor was it surprising.
For some reason, this process felt utterly natural to Rohan.
Crackle, crackle. The burning book turned to ash and seeped into Rohan's body.
A voice echoed.
"Shine in the abyss. Night always comes, and there is no night without dawn."
"You who clutches the embers and cleaves the veil of night—this is the path of salvation we have chosen."
⟨ Follow the path etched by the Heavenly Sun ⟩
Restricted Reading Book #2 (Non-Authorized Personnel Prohibited) terminated.
The fire attribute he'd kept as a mere decoration in his status window.
Rohan intuited a powerful change fitting for it. He opened his skill window.
And faced the result.
◇ One Sword - Flame Cut
◇ Two Swords - Dawn Fall Sun
A subtle glow on the skill name, and a level proving growth potential. Unlike Murder Manual or Scorching Blade, no grade.
Meaning a unique skill exclusive to him.
A curse escaped Rohan's lips as recognition dawned.
"...Fucking insane!"
Having two unique skills marked an S-rank in Abyss City.
Rohan already had Weakness Infliction and Shop.
No S-rank had just one, and no playable character had three.
But now that rule was shattered.
His skill window now held three unique skills.
'Swordsmanship... so martial arts-style technique names exist outside Samhwa Nation too.'
He could roughly imagine the vibe of the overlooked southern regions in Abyss City.
'Wonder what it's like.'
Rohan itched to test this sword art right away. His hands tingled.
He needed to wash up and head out to stave off hunger, but his eyes wouldn't leave the skill window.
His mouth twitched in disbelief at this unreal stroke of luck.
Maybe buy a proper sword on installments instead of the dagger? Sprint to the academy to swing it around, then head to Instructor Juyeon's place?
'Or borrow one from Instructor first?'
Deciding to prep first, Rohan jumped to his feet.
He jotted Rowell and Jenny in his notebook and smartphone notes.
Beneath, he transcribed the voice's lingering words.
"Shine in the abyss. Night always comes, and there is no night without dawn."
"You who clutches the embers and cleaves the veil of night—this is the path of salvation we have chosen."
"Follow the path etched by the Heavenly Sun."
'No night without dawn... nice.'
Leaving that impression, Rohan headed to wash up.
The water pressure hit like a shock, hot water cascading like a waterfall.
Plus luxury shampoo, treatment, body wash, and cleansing foam straight out of a bookstore magazine.
Clara's hands trembled at the extravagance as she finished her shower.
She dried her naked body with a plush towel that absorbed water flawlessly with one wipe.
Creeak.
Clara peeked her head through the bathroom door gap.
Steamy mist billowed out into the living room.
The girl glanced around for clothes, but seeing none, called out to Juyeon reluctantly.
"Um..."
"Clara."
"Y-Yes...?"
Juyeon approached with a serious expression.
Worried her slender body might show, Clara ducked her head back inside, blinking only her eyes.
"I'll buy you some underwear, so wait a moment. Running the dryer will take a bit."
"U-Underwear is..."
Juyeon must have seen her underwear size.
Clara flushed, feeling exposed in her most private way.
"If not, I have no clothes that suit you, but I can give you something thick enough to cover."
"Clothes... please."
That was better.
At Clara's soft request, Juyeon fetched clothes from the sofa.
A thin sleeveless top to wear underneath, a thick hoodie.
Black training pants for bottoms.
Clara thanked her, took the clothes, and returned to the bathroom.
She emerged wearing the oversized outfit.
Pants dragging on the floor, hoodie sleeves revealing just her fingertips.
Watching Clara, Juyeon thought:
This must be the ideal woman men adore.
'What a cute, beautiful girl.'
Even her damp hair seemed endearing.
If she had a little sister like the ones people fussed over, would she look like this?
"Come here. I'll dry you off."
"!"
As Juyeon extended her hand, Clara froze like a statue.
Juyeon's hand passed gently over the tense girl. The water droplets at her hair's ends vanished cleanly.
Withdrawing her hand and mana, Juyeon addressed the fidgeting Clara.
"Clara. I have one question."
"Y-Yes...?"
Juyeon pictured the tiny scraps spinning in the washer.
Just that made her swallow hard in embarrassment.
But for ice-breaking and gauging the cadet,
Juyeon asked as casually as possible.
"Are you... dating Rohan?"