I Killed The Main Characters

Noah floated in an endless expanse of white.

It stretched out in every direction, vast and infinite, with no horizon in sight.

The floor beneath his feet shimmered like liquid mercury, soft and rippling underfoot, yet somehow solid enough for him to walk on.

There was no sound, no wind, no echo—just the silence of an empty, timeless void.

For a moment, he wondered if this was death.

If the bullet had ended him, and this was what lay beyond.

But then, a sharp chime broke the silence.

[Ding!]

[■Runic ability unlocked: Ethereal Requiem!]

[Activated after death encounter]

Noah blinked.

Runic ability?

He didn't understand, but it wasn't the first time the system had spoken to him in that flat, mechanical tone.

The words lingered in his mind, though.

Ethereal Requiem.

He could feel the meaning behind it.

The ability had activated in response to his death, or near-death.

He had been shot, and yet… somehow, here he was, standing in this strange place.

He looked around, wondering if there was anything here besides the white.

He wasn't in the academy—that much was certain

But where was he?

The stillness of the place made his skin crawl, and his thoughts raced.

Was this the afterlife? Some sort of limbo?

Then, in the distance, something shifted.

A figure was approaching him. Slowly at first, then with increasing clarity.

Noah tensed, his mind already trying to assess the situation.

The figure was human—or at least appeared to be.

As it drew closer, he recognized her, even though they had barely exchanged more than a few words before.

Orange hair and red eyes.

Livia.

She was friends with Ariana, another student in the academy.

Noah had always seen her around, but she never struck him as particularly important.

Now, though, she was here, and he couldn't help but wonder if this was just another layer of the game.

Was she a part of the narrative? Or something more?

Noah kept his silence, watching her carefully.

He didn't know where he was, and he certainly didn't want to reveal too much.

Information, in a world like this, was a weapon. He needed to figure out what was going on first.

Livia stopped a few meters in front of him, her expression calm, almost amused.

"Who could've known you were a variable?"

She said, her smile widening as if she'd just uncovered some great secret.

Noah's thoughts raced.

Variable?

He knew what that term meant in games—a variable was something that could change the course of events, something outside the script.

The fact that she was using the word so casually implied that she wasn't just a regular student, either.

But instead of panicking, Noah kept his expression neutral.

"The fact you're saying that makes you one as well."

Livia chuckled.

"Very observant."

She shifted her stance, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yes, I'm a variable in this world, too. And it seems like we're not the only ones."

Noah's mind clicked into place.

So she's like me. A player, trapped in this game.

But even with that realization, he still couldn't trust her.

"How did you get here?" he asked, keeping his voice steady.

Livia shrugged casually, her red eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Bad review," she said.

"You know how it goes. I played the game, thought it was a mess, and left a scathing review online.

Next thing I knew, I woke up here. Guess I annoyed the wrong god, huh?"

Noah nodded, his suspicion growing.

"Same for me," he replied vaguely, unwilling to give her more details.

He wasn't about to trust anyone here, not yet.

"So you're the one who led Seraph into being the boss of Act I?"

Livia's grin widened, almost smug.

"It had to be done. Seraph was the perfect catalyst. After all, the only character that could corrupt this world so thoroughly was her."

Noah narrowed his eyes.

Seraph.

The first major antagonist of the game and one of the main characters.

But even so she wasn't supposed to be the boss of Act one.

Noah had spent the last few months trying to avoid the worst outcomes, but Seraph's role in the story was pivotal.

Without her, things wouldn't have escalated as they did.

"And you thought that was the right move?" he asked, incredulous.

"Because of you, everything went haywire."

"Everything was supposed to go haywire," Livia replied smoothly.

"Seraph had to be the key to break this world."

Noah frowned.

"Break it? Why?"

Livia took a step closer, her voice lowering as if revealing some hidden truth.

"Because this world is doomed no matter what we do.

The main characters—are destined to fall into darkness.

With or without Seraph.

They're broken by design, Noah. Corrupted from the inside.

Seraph was just the one to pull the trigger."

He couldn't argue with that. The game's narrative was dark, filled with tragic turns and unavoidable betrayals.

Even before Seraph's corruption, Noah knew the main characters had their own flaws that would lead them down dark paths.

But something about Livia's reasoning still didn't sit right with him.

"You think removing Seraph would fix things?" Livia pressed.

"It wouldn't. This world was designed to fall apart. Here, let me show you."

Livia raised her hand, and the empty white space around them shimmered.

Scenes flickered into existence, like ghostly projections.

The first one showed the academy, but it was different—twisted, darker. The students wore grim expressions, and the once bright halls were shrouded in shadow.

"In this route," Livia explained, "Seraph pushes Rylan—the noble hero—into a position of power.

But instead of leading, Rylan becomes obsessed with controlling the academy.

He starts purging anyone who opposes him, even his closest friends. It turns into a bloody reign of terror."

Noah watched as the projection shifted, showing Rylan, cold and unfeeling, as he ordered executions with a single flick of his hand. It was a chilling sight.

The scene dissolved, and another appeared.

This one focused on Ariana.

She stood at the center of a ruined courtyard, her eyes hollow and her hands stained with blood.

"In another route," Livia continued, her voice almost detached, "Seraph manipulates Ariana's insecurities, turning her into a puppet for his schemes.

She becomes the villain, betraying everyone she cares about to seize power.

Her thirst for validation drives her to destroy everything in her path.

The academy falls under her rule, and it's… ugly."

Noah knew that much.

Ariana was a character that wanted to stand on her two feet without needing the help of her noble family.

The projection shifted again, and this time it showed a grand manor—Seraph's family estate.

Nobles gathered around a long table, their faces twisted with malice and greed.

"But the darkest route," Livia said softly, "is when Seraph returns to her family.

The Vale House.

The family was already corrupt—deeply involved in the underworld, dealing in illegal magic, blackmail, and even murder.

Seraph takes control, and the entire noble hierarchy is upended.

Anyone who opposes them is eliminated.

Noble houses fall one by one, and the power vacuum leads to civil war."

Noah felt a chill run down his spine as the image of the manor flickered.

Names of noble families danced in his mind—House Everwinter, House Caldir, and House Halloway—each of them falling under Seraph's manipulation, their leaders betrayed and killed by their own kin.

Bloodlines were extinguished, and the once-glorious capital was reduced to rubble.

But...this route.

It was a route Noah hadn't played.

Were there more outcomes he hadn't seen?

"This isn't just a game, Noah," Livia said, her voice cutting through the silence.

"These people—they're doomed, no matter what choices we make.

Seraph was just one of the many key figures pushing them toward destruction. It was designed this way. They'll fall into darkness, with or without her."

Noah clenched his fists.

The weight of Livia's words sank in.

He knew the game's story was filled with tragedy and despair, but hearing it laid out like this made it feel… inevitable.

Noah didn't speak and neither did Livia.

There was silence.

"Then I'll kill them all..."

Noah muttered with a cold look in his eyes.