Beyond the Eternity

After defeating the First Flame and wandering aimlessly through the artificial dimension for what felt like forever, I finally stumbled upon what seemed to be the "Exit".

A door.

At first glance, it seemed like any other ordinary door, but my spirituality guided me toward it.

I could sense it with unshakable and unmistakable certainty.

No, I could feel it with my very "soul."

That door was the "Exit".

As expected, I seem to be more attuned to spirit power than magic. While I can't communicate with spirits like Moon Ji-yeon, I can still sense things through my spirituality.

Standing, I began to reflect on the abilities of my spirituality.

Apart from infusing spirit power into objects, I can sense people through their spirit signatures.

Before, I could do it instinctively because of my high spirit power. But now, if I concentrate, I can achieve the same results.

If I concentrated my spirit power on detecting other things, wouldn't it yield similar outcomes?

A stray thought crossed my mind, interrupting my train of logic.

My current spirit power isn't as high as it used to be after the reset, so why can I sense things so easily?

Wait... is this what Spirit Proficiency feels like?

If you repeat an action enough times, it eventually becomes second nature, allowing you to perform it effortlessly without consciously thinking about it.

In simpler terms, once you become accustomed to something, your body and mind internalize the process, enabling you to act on instinct.

This same principle applies to Spirit Power and Magic.

If you consistently wield the power of an unnatural phenomenon, you'll eventually internalize it, refine your mastery, and increase your proficiency over time.

Just like swinging a sword thousands of times, repetition will eventually make you a master.

"Still, why did it take me so long to figure this out? Is my proficiency just too low? Hmm. It seems I'll need to make time to experiment with my abilities."

"The next Narrative after this one is quite significant. We'll be competing against major countries like America, Japan, and China. It'll probably take a while before the Administrators can sort everything out."

"So I should have enough time for experimentation. I need to raise my spiritual proficiency and also figure out what I can do with Drafting and the Black Box."

I let out a weary sigh.

No matter how small, if I had mastered my basic abilities, I wouldn't have had such a hard time.

How many twists and turns had I taken before finally reaching that door?

There were so many that I lost track of counting them.

In the end, it was because I didn't understand myself that I had to suffer unnecessarily.

This misfortune was my own doing.

I had assumed that defeating the Sister would make the "Exit" appear right away. But much to my misfortune, the story didn't unfold as I expected.

Looking back, that was a rather naive way of thinking.

The participants had been thrown into separate dimensional spaces for the Hidden Narrative. Despite receiving a notification from «Link» stating that I had defeated the enemy by default, I never got a system message confirming the hidden story's completion.

Perhaps one of the hidden conditions of the narrative was the need to escape from the confines of the artificial dimensionm

Could this be something that Sister Superbia set up herself? A final contingency in case she was defeated? Is it possible the other sisters did the same?

If that's true, it would mean they are all trapped in the same situation as I am. Defeating the enemy would prove pointless if we can't escape.

"Damn, I hope that's not the case. But with Su Jinyoung on our side, I shouldn't be too worried."

With that thought in mind, I gripped the doorknob and twisted it, pushing the door open.

Creak—!

The door swung open, and I stepped through, raising my hand to shield my eyes from the blinding light.

Like I had emerged from a sealed world, everything was pure white for a few seconds before it began to clear.

When my vision finally adjusted, I found myself back in the Entrance Hall, the very place where everyone, including myself, had been standing before we disappeared.

As if on cue, a system message flashed before me, accompanied by the familiar, emotionless voice of «Link.»

[Congratulations, Seeker. You have cleared the Hidden Narrative.]

[You have received 50,000 coins as compensation.]

[You have received the «Twlight Shard» as additional compensation.]

I frowned.

Fifty thousand coins? That was all? For completing a Hidden Narrative? Read latest stories on empire

The reward felt… underwhelming. Almost insulting. It was as if the system had slapped me across the face, mocking all the effort I'd poured into this.

Then again, when had I started to expect more? When had I become so greedy?

Although I would undoubtedly need more resources in the future, I couldn't afford to become too greedy. Ambition was one thing, but unchecked greed could destroy everything I had worked for.

I sighed, forcing myself to focus on the bright side. "At least I received something unique."

I glanced down at the item that had materialized in my hands.

It was a small, elegant mirror with a surface that shimmered like liquid silver, framed by intricate carvings.

The back of the mirror bore an engraving of two interlocking crescents, one black and the other gold, symbolizing the balance of dusk and dawn.

Without hesitation, I accessed the item's information.

[Twilight Shard, «Mirror Which Separates Two Boundaries»]

Grade: S+

Type: Relic

Description: A fragment of the boundary between day and night. It serves as a gateway to an isolated dimension, granting its bearer access to the hidden domain of the Witch of Darkness. Those who possess this shard are marked and invited to step into her territory.

Oh, wasn't this interesting?

I had been wondering why I'd received a mirror of all things, but it seemed this was no ordinary trinket.

This was a gateway to the Black Witch's Territory.

How wonderful. With this, I should be able to proceed with that plan.

I silently slipped the mirror into the pocket of my Watcher's Dimensional Star Coat.

Then I lifted up my head.

In my line of sight, I spotted a few familiar faces:

Moon Ji-yeon, Yoo Rin, Miyuki and Su Jinyoung.

Apart from Ryu Yeji, who had perished before the Hidden Narrative, the entire group was here.

Everyone had survived.

They had a few bruises here and there, but overall, they seemed fine.

As I took in the sight of the group members, all alive and well, a rare smile tugged at my lips, and a fleeting wave of relief washed over me.

It wasn't a feeling that needed words.

Still smiling, and naturally, I made my way towards them.

They saw me approach and immediately became stiff. Hesitation flickered in their eyes as if they couldn't decide whether I was truly Kim Jakga, or an imposter.

Well, I was the last to arrive. Naturally, it would seem suspicious. But how was I supposed to prove my innocence?

Fortunately, I had already confirmed their identities using the [Black Box], leaving no doubt that they were genuine and not imposters or illusions.

But still—

If they had been trapped in the artificial dimension, how had they managed to escape? How did they all get here before me?

No. I think I already knew the answer to that question.

[The Skill, «Black Box», has activated.]

[The Black Box has detected the activation of a skill.]

[The Black Box has negated the effects of «Dragon Demon Eyes».]

The messages appeared, accompanyed by a low groan.

Someone from the group had attempted to use a skill, but the [Black Box] had promptly nullified their attempt. The result was the person clutching her head in pain with one hand.

Soo Jin-young.

What a curious protagonist she was. But someone ought to teach her that peeking into someone's personal data was terribly rude.

Soo Jinyoung stepped forward, closing the distance between us. Soon, she stood directly in front of me.

But it was strange.

Instead of speaking, she simply stared at my face with a serious expression.

Wasn't this the part where she was supposed to ask questions to confirm my identity if she was suspicious?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

So, what was this? What should I say in such an awkward situation?

Damn it. Doesn't she know she's scary when she stares like that?

Anyone would be scared if someone glares at them so passionately.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and decided to break the awkward silence.

"Um, excuse me?"

"Yes?" she replied without breaking her stare.

"Why are you staring at my face like that?"

"I'm trying to confirm something."

"I see. So you're suspecting I'm a fake, is that correct?"

"So, you're saying you're the real Kim Jakga?"

"Naturally."

"But isn't that exactly what an imposter would say?"

I sighed.

"I suppose you're correct. But aren't you being overly paranoid? Is this suspicion because you genuinely doubt me or because your attempt to peek into my data was nullified?"

Her brows furrowed at my pointed remark, clearly caught off guard.

I smiled nonchalantly. "Don't act too surprised. This isn't the first time you've tried to peek into my data, remember?"

"Don't worry, my memory about that time is still fresh."

"Still, don't you think it's rude to invade someone's privacy like that? Are you some kind of pervert?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you want to get cut?"

I raised my hands in mock surrender. "Forgive me for my outburst. I won't do it again."

I had to apologize quickly. Sometimes, this person could be terrifyingly unreasonable, and I didn't want to push her too far.

It wasn't death I was concerned about, I had resurrection points to spare, but wasting one just because someone decided to overreact felt utterly unnecessary.

Soo Jinyoung frowned, visibly annoyed by my constant shifts in demeanor.

"Kim Jakga."

"Yes?"

"If you're really you, then prove it. Tell me something only the real you would know."

"Huh? What kind of question is that?"

Did she really expect me to pass some kind of impromptu identity test? I didn't recall building a profound enough relationship with her to warrant such scrutiny.

In fact, we'd only had one serious and memorable interaction: the first time we met.

So, what exactly was I supposed to say now?

I sighed, rubbing the back of my head. "Fine. How about this: I once told you that we would create a new world together. Isn't that right?"

Her eyes widened slightly, but she quickly masked her surprise with a dismissive snort. "Hmph. That doesn't prove anything."

"Really? Then how about I seal the deal with a kiss?"

Her glare sharpened to a level that could pierce steel, and for a moment, I thought I might have crossed the line. But instead of retaliating, she let out a frustrated sigh, removed her hand from her sword, and stepped back.

"Fine. For now, I'll believe you," she said grudgingly.

"Wouldn't expect anything less from you, Soo Jinyoung-ssi!"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation, refusing to dignify my comment with a response. Instead, she turned her attention back to the others.

I exhaled quietly, and felt the tension drain from my shoulders.

Surviving Soo Jinyoung's interrogation was starting to feel like an achievement all on its own.

Perhaps Soo Jinyoung had already explained the situation to the group, as they all exhaled in unison, and their shoulders slumped with visible relief. From the exhaustion written across their faces, it was clear that they had been through a lot.

They must have endured quite a struggle. Without any backup or support, they had to fight on their own. But now, seeing them alive and intact, I could only assume one thing: the Sisters were dead.

The Seven Flames of Darkness had been the only reported enemies, and with no mention of additional threats, it stood to reason that the battle was over.

That left just one thing I needed to know.

I casually approached the group and, with a relaxed smile, asked,

"Hello, everyone. It's good to see you all in one piece. By the way, mind telling me what happened on your end?"