"Get away from here, you freak!"
I was kicked in the face by the kids in the park—kids my age back then.
I fell to the ground, groaning in pain from the harsh blow I had taken. I looked at the boys ganging up on me with eyes soaked in tears.
I was gasping from the pain, gripping the bruised spot tightly.
"No one will ever love you, son of a drunk."
Their laughter surrounded me. I lowered my head.
The only words I kept whispering under my breath:
Screw you all.
...
I looked at Elithia, who was trying to calm me down.
"Elithia, get on my back. We're leaving this place."
"What do you mean, Klo?"
"Just listen to me !"
She stared at the ground, scratching her head.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, I'm the one who raised my voice at you."
I moved toward Elithia and lifted her onto my back. After she climbed on, I ran as fast as I could through the hotel toward the exit.
I passed by a hotel worker who tried to stop me.
"Wait, kid! What about your stay?"
"Consider it over."
I rushed out of the hotel, heading away from the pharmacy where I had previously turned back time.
This time I took the opposite direction, running with Elithia sweating on my back from her illness.
In the middle of all that, I started screaming inside.
Show up, damn system window.
The window appeared. I entered my stats to enhance my abilities.
[Stats]
Physical Strength: 7 → 19
Endurance: 4 → 16
Speed: 7 → 19
Mana: 15 → 27
Aura: 12 → 24
Spiritual Energy: 12 → 24
HP: 120/120
After upgrading those abilities, my HP stock increased.
I understood why that damn system gave me all those C points.
As I was thinking to myself, I sensed my aura detect an arrow aimed at me.
I raised my hand toward the direction of the arrow meant for my heart, caught it with my palm, then looked in the direction of the attacker and hurled it back—impaling his heart.
Even though I didn't know who or what he looked like, the aura I enhanced showed me his location and position.
"How did you do that?" Elithia asked.
"I don't know."
Ding ~
[Notification]
"You have eliminated 1/3 of your Enemies."
So, two remain.
I pulled out the Sword of Agnis and held it tightly.
Then another man charged behind me, intending to kill both me and Elithia.
Before he got to us, I set Elithia down for a moment and dashed toward him.
He aimed his blade at my chest to stab me, but I punched his wrist before it could sink in.
I heard a faint tear—yeah, a shallow cut across my chest. Lucky me.
He lost balance and tried to retreat by kicking me, but I slashed him in half before he could.
His body dropped to the ground, split cleanly. Then, another system message appeared.
[Notification]
"2/3 remain."
Only one left. Come on, I don't have time.
"Klo, help me!"
Elithia screamed.
I turned around to find one of the assassins holding Elithia with a dagger at her throat.
"Klo Yuthnir, if you surrender yourself, we'll let this little girl live on her own."
The man wore a cloak that covered him head to toe. And with the darkness around us, I couldn't even see where his eyes were.
Damn it. What do I do now?
[Congratulations]
"For spilling the blood of two men, you've earned the skill: Writer's Pen."
Writer's Pen? What the hell is that?
I clicked the question mark.
"You may manipulate the events of the world, characters, and anything written with the writer's ink using the Writer's Pen ability."
And below, a red warning text:
"However, it consumes an immense amount of mana. User discretion is advised."
Doesn't matter. As long as I can help her.
I pressed the Acquire button beneath the message. The world around me changed—everything turned black and white except for me.
Now what?
A window popped up.
"You are now in Writer's Pen mode. You may write changes you want to apply to the author's world. But be warned: you will bear the consequences of what you write."
I don't care.
I typed a simple sentence in the blank space. A sentence that might have an effect:
'Erase the person holding the dagger to Elithia's neck.'
I clicked the Done button beneath it.
The world regained its color, and the man who had been holding Elithia, trying to kill her, had vanished.
I didn't feel joy or anything of the sort.
I just felt like I became Klo himself.
[Congratulations]
"You completed the mission successfully."
235 C
x2 Teleportation Stones
Ring
A system panel appeared in front of me, displaying congratulations and rewards.
I stood there for a while until I collapsed to the ground, time itself weighing on my mind.
What's happening...?
Is this the price of using the Writer's Pen with weak mana?
"Klo! Klo!"
Elithia dragged herself toward me, exhausted.
Damn it, why now of all times?
Looks like I'll have to reset the scenario again…
...
"Yuthnir… my dear Yuthnir."
I jolted up in shock, then looked around to find myself in my room at the palace. And in front of me… Nevin?
"What are you doing here?"
"Don't be so harsh, Yuthnir. How often do you get a beautiful girl like me waking you up?"
I turned away, covering myself to get back to sleep.
"Then I'll stay harsh."
Nevine yanked the blanket off and tossed it aside, letting the cold hit me.
"Damn you, Nevine. Do you know how long it took me to escape?"
Nevin giggled softly.
"Hehehe. What about your assistant? He made you strong with just a few steps and some points."
Assistant? You mean the system?
I sat up and looked at Nevin, whose face was lit with a confident expression.
"What are you getting at?"
"Who knows? Maybe I mean what you think… or maybe not."
Nevin got up from the fancy chair beside my bed, her cloak dragging along the floor.
She walked to the door, looking back at me.
"I'll be staying in the palace with you for an undetermined period until our contract ends. So take care of me."
Damn it… Damn this story I'm in.
I laid back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
I can't live kindly unless I play the villain.
And even if I do that, I'll still suffer both ways.
I'll accept my new identity as Klo Yuthnir.
And leave my current self for those most dear to me—and to myself.