Terraforming
“Ugh… ah… my legs hurt… I can’t walk properly…”
“Want me to carry you?”
“P-people will see! Absolutely not!”
I hadn’t held back. The thought that it’d be a while before I could be with her again, combined with the way Chris had acted toward me last night, had made me go way too intense. Even after awakening her mana, Chris’s legs were still wobbling by morning.
“But it’s my fault. I didn’t stop last night, even considering your situation…”
“W-well… at first I was surprised… but… it felt kinda good… and sometimes… maybe it’s okay?”
Chris’s face flushed red as she recalled last night’s fiercer-than-ever passion. Damn, if there weren’t people around, her cuteness would’ve made my eyes roll back and I’d have pounced again. It was that potent. I was seriously tempted to regress back to last night.
We were heading toward District 11. We’d been walking for a while now, and it wasn’t far, so we’d arrive soon. I stuck close to Chris, chatting idly and enjoying the time.
Amusingly, Wang Zagen’s team—the only one that hadn’t passed the exam—was heading to District 11 with us. With Gerard as the sole Northern instructor from seven years ago, there was no way to pull them aside for hellish training. So the plan was probably to head to District 11 first and train them once the local combatants took over.
The five trainees, including Wang Zagen, looked like they’d bitten into a bug, their faces twisted in disgust.
A few more minutes of walking, and a familiar building came into view. The 11th Sector Combat Lodge in District 11, which I’d seen once seven years from now.
“We’re here! Now we’ll get rooms assigned by team…”
We unpacked as ordered by Gerard and the welcoming combatants.
*
The sun had already set. Gerard had ordered me to use my free time before training started tomorrow. It made sense—once practicals began, carving out time would be tough. After thanking him, I slipped out of my body and headed outside the lodge.
Of course, Chris wasn’t with me. Being with her was great, but I had something more important right now.
Seven years ago. District 11. What’s the first thing that comes to mind?
…Obviously, heading to the temple hidden in the crevice of that rocky hill just before arriving here.
This time, I can search it leisurely without some Victor chasing me!
It was a bit away from the lodge, but still firmly within human territory. And that held true now, before scouting expanded seven years ago.
I channeled mana into my legs and swiftly made my way back to the spot.
The reason was simple. Not to grab the regression orb before Lee Kangin used it, or the two orbs I’d used in the future. Just to check it out since I could.
I’m already back seven years—might as well rummage through that super suspicious temple.
Last time I found it, Victor had me running for my life. I roughly knew the rocky hill’s location but not the exact crevice entrance. No problem, though. It was a moonlit night, doubling the sensory amplification of Seonryeong Ilil Manyo Wolwol. I’d find it way easier than before.
“Is that it?”
After dashing around, the rocky hill appeared without issue. Now just the entrance…
- Whoooosh… heeek.
Just like before, the wind whistling clearly from the crevice. Before entering, I checked for tails. No one watching me, no matter how I scanned. Not Gerard, nor the stronger Brack or Chris from seven years later—they couldn’t fully hide from my amplified senses.
I leaped into the whistling gap without hesitation.
- Thud…
“Still here, unchanged.”
No signs of life inside. Empty temple, just like seven years from now. The exterior had an unusual style unlike anything on Earth, but I wasn’t an archaeologist—I lost interest fast. Artifacts were what mattered.
Step, step.
The interior was pitch black, no moonlight penetrating. My eyes saw everything clearly, though. Pillars etched with unknown script, crude ceiling drawings of geared mechanisms stamped in color—overlapping circles meshing in 3D motion.
“Armillary sphere? Or a clock?”
First things that came to mind. Time-related artifacts here? A blueprint for a timekeeping device wouldn’t be odd. Seemed mechanical, not magical, so I ignored it.
After a few more actions that’d make a historian foam at the mouth, I reached the pedestal where the two orbs had been.
Any orbs here? All three if so? Regression orb, Monghwan Orb, Yeokcheon Orb?
Three slots, confirmed back then. One empty, two occupied. I approached without hesitation.
“Huh?”
An orb in a slot. But not as expected.
Only one of the three slots filled.
And…
“Red…?”
A color I didn’t know. I knew from the original prologue: regression orb wasn’t red. It was white. Not yellow Yeokcheon, blue Monghwan, or white regression. A completely new orb.
Type: Consumable
Level: -
Effect: -
* Item info check level too low—details unavailable!
* World-bound item. Cannot register in shop!
* Cannot take to other worlds!
A name I’d never seen.
“…So the empty spot wasn’t originally the regression orb?”
First time seeing the pedestal, I assumed the empty slot was the regression orb. Unconsciously fixed it in my mind. But thinking back, hard to imagine an orb rolling off—pedestal wasn’t slanted enough, no wind indoors. Plus, District 11 and Lee Kangin’s death spot were far apart.
One more reason the regression orb wasn’t here: this red orb filled the slot that was empty in the future’s three holes.
“So this slot held yellow, blue, and red orbs originally…”
No idea why yellow and blue were gone in the future. But I wasn’t too fazed. Time artifacts often ignore paradoxes—once used, gone forever from this dimension.
Well… I could stay, observe the missing orbs for seven years, wait for my future self. But nah.
Impossible anyway.
I’d likely return to my original timeline soon. No way I’d waste seven years on curiosity, especially if it cost me.
No red orb in that hole seven years from now meant I took it. I pocketed the red orb without hesitation. Effect unknown, but couldn’t leave it.
Scoped the area a few more times. Nothing else notable besides the orb. No item pings anywhere.
Convinced I’d missed nothing, I decided to head back.
“Hmm… about an hour? Plenty of time if I go now.”
Mission for my ‘personal time’ from Gerard accomplished. But I had about two hours total—30 minutes spare. Not enough to call Chris for fun; I wouldn’t hold back even after. Better not risk lust making me late.
Suppressing temptation, I headed to the 11th Sector Combat Lodge.
*
“…So, how’d the alone time with the instructor go?”
“Yeah… I pretended to be convinced, like Chanyoung said. I’m pretty good at acting, so he bought it? Chanyoung might not believe me, though…”
I knew Chris had acting talent. Her pure eyes now couldn’t hide from me, but seven years later, as ‘Gwangnyeon-i,’ she fooled squads of trainees multiple times. Impossible without skill.
“Nah, I think you’re amazing at it.”
“R-really? Hehe…”
Chris beamed at the praise. I stroked her hair, organizing my thoughts.
- Pet, pet.
I’d warned her about the one-on-one with Gerard long ago, and she’d been urged too. She’d awakened mana early, boosted stats, led our team to first in training—but lagged early, so lower priority. Gerard only called her after arriving.
No worry she’d fall for it. Original story, she never betrayed the Shelter. Unlike Brack, who skipped the pitch, she heard Gerard’s special traits firsthand yet resisted.
Probably her Compassion trait’s 35% mental resistance… Counts that persuasion as mental attack, huh.
Still warned her. Beyond calculations, I worried as her lover.
From the plans: revolution was near. When Gerard’s orders reached farthest District 5… they’d converge on 11 and revolt.
If it pops, it’ll be soon. If not, oh well… but I hope it does.
I prayed to the system. As if reading my mind, a long window appeared.
[Quest]
Content: Assassinate the Rebel Leader
Details: In a few days, Gerard and his sympathizers will betray the Shelter and spark a revolution! If their plans succeed fully, countless warriors will die. Countless will starve. They’ve prepared for ages—stopping it completely is impossible! But killing the leader will surely stunt the rebels’ growth!
Kill their leader and mastermind, Gerard Hoffman [Revolutionary]!
Rewards: Mana Awakening, Deceiving Lv1 [Active] [Magic]
Time Limit: None
Failure Condition: ‘Gerard Hoffman [Revolutionary]’ fully escapes the Shelter.
Failure Penalty: Next 10 cleared normal quest rewards = 0 karma.
Forfeit Penalty: Next 5 cleared normal quest rewards = 0 karma.
[Mana Awakening]
Strength · Agility · Vitality · Intelligence · Technique proficiency gain +50%.
Very slowly absorbs ambient mana.
[Will you accept the ‘Assassinate the Rebel Leader’ quest?]
“Huh…?”
“Yeah? Chanyoung? What’s wrong?”
Chris, eyes closed enjoying my hand on her head, looked up. My hand had frozen.
I couldn’t answer amid the shock.
No… I didn’t get that alert before, but… no way…
Hard mode quest? Predicted it—I’d accelerated Gerard’s revolt for this. Content as expected—no other possibilities.
But like all hard mode rewards, this one caught my eye.
In a different way.
Wait… I still haven’t awakened mana?