Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: It's Okay Because I'm a Genius Even on a Time Limit
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People are animals of forgetfulness.
No matter how absurd something is, time will eventually dull it until it's accepted with indifference.
But even acceptance has its limits.
"I'm fucked..."
Just five days.
No, now exactly four days, twenty-three hours, and fifty-six minutes until death.
No such thing as time pausing, so every moment brings me closer to the end.
"This is driving me insane."
If you're going to toy with me like this, just kill me now.
I wanted to scream it out loud, but I couldn't bring myself to.
What if it actually killed me?
Tch.
So what can I do?
"Guess I have to play along."
No point in bitching more—it won't change anything, just wastes precious time.
I checked the quest again.
Objective: Eliminate one of this world's scourges.
Simple enough, at least.
No need for headaches—just track it down and smash it.
Haha.
But how the hell?
...
Fucking great. The novel I entered, [Epic of Salvation], is a fantasy story.
Swords flash, magic crackles, and those called Awakeners soar through the skies...
"Ah, maybe not quite that extreme?"
Anyway, it's an insanely abnormal, violent world.
Which means the scourges aren't normal either.
Demons, demonkin, demonic beasts...
Monsters that could crush a gym rat like me with a flick of a finger everywhere.
"Just telling me to die?"
As despair sank in and I dropped my head, something caught my eye in the mirror.
My reflection looked unfamiliar.
And then it hit me.
"...Right."
Why didn't I think of that?
This world isn't ordinary, so neither am I—not webtoon artist Lee Do-hyun, but Park Ha-yul, direct bloodline of the Prime Brew Clan.
So...
Handle otherworld problems with otherworld methods.
That realization sparked something in my mind.
Soon, my head filled with info on Park Ha-yul, and a light of hope flickered on.
"It's iffy, but..."
If I could use that talent right now...
Even a nobody like me taking down a scourge wouldn't be impossible.
First up, the timing!
With a lead in hand, I hurried back to the living room.
Checked the clock: February 20th, 12:30 AM.
About four days ahead of the novel's prologue.
That solved one thing.
I'd locked down the exact location and time of the scourge's appearance.
"One down."
It was a detail not in the original, so I'd been worried, but I called out anyway.
"Character window?"
My vision rippled, and a rectangular window popped up.
「Park Ha-yul」──────
▶Rank: Main Role
▶Clan: Prime Brew Clan
▶Main Attribute: Fire (火)
I knew the basics, so I skimmed past.
▶Stats
Stats too—same deal.
He's a hidden protagonist, sure, but really just a pretty face with trash stats worse than a total dunce.
▶Traits & Personality
: Handsome hikikomori.
: Quiet, prickly social misfit.
: Mentally ill with hallucinations.
: Mana Deficiency Constitution.
.
This part's worth a look.
Good—it's there.
‘Mentally ill with hallucinations.’
That means the connected trait should exist too.
▶Traits
: Manifestation
: Sensitive Senses
: Resilient Recovery
: Perusal
: Time-Limited
My eyes locked on the top personal trait.
「Manifestation」
Description: Talent derived from Park Ha-yul's hallucinations. Infuse mana into visions, delusions, or imaginings to make them real.
A form of creation ability—the key factor elevating Park Ha-yul to hidden protagonist status.
An overwhelming talent that instantly offsets all his negative traits.
I'd worried he didn't awaken it yet since it happens way later, but here it is.
"All that's left is figuring out how to wield this weapon."
But that's easier said than done.
Take a regular guy and a pro engineer imagining a car.
What happens if they manifest it?
Unlike the engineer's, the regular guy's would be a flashy empty shell.
Chassis, engine, power transmission, gearbox, etc.
You need knowledge to make it work.
Knowledge determines manifestation's output.
In that sense, the intellectual gap between Park Ha-yul and me is huge.
My head's still just ‘Lee Do-hyun,’ so I can't use manifestation like ‘Park Ha-yul.’
...
But.
"Perusal?"
What's this?
It jumped out at me—totally unfamiliar.
Time-Limited makes sense from the deadline, but Park Ha-yul's original traits were just Manifestation, Sensitive Senses, Resilient Recovery.
Nothing else.
Did he have some hidden talent I didn't know?
Nothing to lose, so I checked.
The reason became clear right away.
「Perusal」
Description: Benefit granted to Lee Do-hyun, outsider and second creator of this world. Touch something, and you can rapidly acquire knowledge of it.
The familiar name after ‘second creator’ was welcoming. And timely.
Acquisition...
Like it foresaw this exact roadblock and prepped for it.
I learned not to look gift horses in the mouth, but beggars can't be choosers.
"Let's test it."
See just how good this prep is.
I headed to the bookshelf lining the other wall of the living room.
Even as a prestigious heir, it's well-stocked.
I scanned and picked one.
[Master Etiquette in One Volume: Prestigious Family Series]
Be dignified and elegant as a member of the elite.
A self-help book of sorts.
Perfect for testing—zero prior knowledge.
Deep breath, then a quiet mutter.
"Perusal."
[Using trait ‘Perusal.’]
[Reading the medium's information.]
A brief pause, then a mystical change hit.
Quuuuuuuuuw──────!
First, strength drained from my whole body without warning.
Then a ringing headache, like info slamming in, followed by a flood of alien knowledge.
[Mana insufficient. Perusal halted.]
[Comprehension: 80%]
80% or not, the effect was visible and instant.
Crack—
Before I could process, my slouched back straightened gracefully, crossed legs feeling vulgar so I neatly aligned them.
...
What the hell.
The weirdness spread inward too.
Like someone else entirely, my previous sloppy posture felt delightful.
Especially the fabric against my skin—the worn tracksuit was disgustingly repulsive.
"...I've still not shed my vulgarity."
Even spouted a line so pretentious I couldn't believe it came from me.
...
Insane.
Amid the confusion, chills ran down my spine.
It didn't stop at knowledge—my very being adapted like years of habit.
This is acquisition?
"Pure cheat... no, total scam."
This more than covers any knowledge gaps.
Hell, it overflows—way better than original Park Ha-yul.
"Then..."
No need to imitate.
I've got a better option...
Time to push further.
Not just ‘like’ Park Ha-yul, but beyond—even the ultimate use he never mastered.
I recalled the novel for the inspiring book.
"Definitely from some ancient tome."
Ancient tome?
A flash, memory surfacing—I bolted to the hallway.
Stopped before a dusty, thick book among the decorative items.
Carefully pulled it out, checked the cover even more carefully.
A low exclamation escaped.
"...Found it."
A compilation of armament forms, materials, balance, principles, history, etc.—overlooked masterpiece, part of it...
「Republic of Korea Hero-Grade Armaments Codex (Vol. 1)」
"This changes everything."
Last trump card in hand, a famous figure came to mind.
A humble villager who got a legendary sword and became king.
King Arthur, that is.
* * *
Einstein said it.
Time isn't absolute—it's relative, varying by reference frame.
Smart guy.
Didn't get it at first, but experiencing it drives it home.
[Time Remaining: 3 hours 25 minutes]
Time flew faster than ever.
As showdown neared, I left home with a senior's dread for the college entrance exam.
Destination: Seoul Station nearby bustle—confirmed scourge spawn spot.
Not far, so I strolled and arrived on time.
Past midnight, but streets still buzzed.
Sat naturally on a bench, watched passersby.
"Don't be like that, Manager Kim. Just a bit longer."
"Come on, boss. Not tonight, seriously."
"Chicken and beer?"
"Go ahead. I'll smoke one and join."
Sounds of life, no different from my world's reality.
To me, it was letters come alive—no dissonance though.
It's a lived-in world, someone's reality.
But dig deeper, and like a coin's flip side, a whole other world awaits.
"Gotcha."
I trailed a couple brushing past.
"Wanna walk? I know a quiet spot."
"...Ugh..."
Drunk woman, man supporting her.
Odd but not suspicious—except to my eyes.
I rose from the bench, followed slowly.
Suspicious pair left the bustle for the adjacent slum of reckless development.
Narrow, winding alleys crammed with crumbling shacks.
Prime for redevelopment—few residents, plenty shadowy.
"Hold up."
No further—I called out to stop them.
The somewhat sober man turned.
Startled—no one expected—then glared.
"...What the? Just a kid. How long you been tailing?"
He bared a dragon tattoo on his forearm, growling.
Cold night...
Immature, but effective intimidation.
Whatever.
"Cut the games? Nicely croak if you want."
"This punk talking to who..."
"Gonna keep pretending you don't know?"
"Sheesh."
Bewildered, he set down the wobbling woman and sneered.
"Kids these days got no fear. Gotta see some ugly shit to wise up."
That instant.
Creak—
He revealed himself...
Screeech—
Abrupt friction and sour stench filled the air.
"What the hell you on about? Deal with that shrimp first... Hngh!"
Eyes bulged white, words died.
Natural reaction.
Even I was the same.
I'd drawn it myself, but real life hit different.
No modern dance.
The unresponsive woman suddenly twisted limbs ignoring joints—who wouldn't gawk?
"...Fucking crazy bitch."
Fearless guy earlier fled pale-faced.
Intruder gone, only me left in the dim alley.
Screeeeech—
It noticed, stiff neck cranking my way.
Torn mouth to earlobes drooled crimson blood, centipede tongue from within licking black-magic swirling eyes.
One of this world's scourges: a demonic beast.
Specifically, a human overtaken by ‘Man-Eating Parasite’ that burrows in, devours bones and flesh.
"Scary, huh."
Thought I had iron guts...
Fuck.
Didn't show it, but my back soaked quick.
[Time Remaining: 2 hours 43 minutes]
Die to that monster or in two hours?
Same end either way—sudden detachment.
Emotions settled, stinging wind turned calm.
Timing.
"Come here, you fucker."
No hesitation—I activated the trait.
[Activating trait ‘Manifestation.’]
Folks call King Arthur the ultimate gear whale.
Excalibur, Avalon...
But so what?
My mind holds the full arsenal of ‘Republic of Korea Hero-Grade Armaments’—no less.
Poised to answer its master's call anytime.