I froze at the sound of the new voice, the menace dripping from every word enough to make my very soul quiver. Eun-Kyung's expression said enough, her face drained of color. This wasn't the eerie, cryptic voice of the child who had been taunting me earlier — this one was different, darker. Whoever, or whatever, this new entity was, it clearly wasn't welcoming any visitors.

[I will not ask again, measly humans.]

The intensity of the voice seemed to rip through the void, vibrating the very air around us. My heartbeat quickened as the oppressive pressure of the voice pressed against me like a vice.

***

When I was a kid, I would always get obsessed with the idea that I was the main character.

You know, the hero of my own story, destined for greatness, as if the universe itself had written a plotline just for me. That's what I told myself when I was slightly over a metre tall, running around in a cape I fashioned from a bed sheet, pretending to slay invisible monsters.

Looking back, it was definitely youthful indiscretion. Might I add, pretty cringe.

But at that time, I lived for those moments. I was convinced that all the trials and tribulations — like getting lost at the grocery store or failing the easiest math test — were just the prelude to something bigger. It was all part of a grand narrative, some cosmic script only I was privy to.

I believed my world wasn't confined to the mundane; that it was layered with possibilities. The squeak of my sneakers on the pavement? Not just a sound, but a clue. The flickering streetlight? A signal from another dimension. The shadow in the corner of my room? Probably a minion of the villain I was destined to defeat.

I would close my eyes and imagine the universe watching, the stars waiting for me to rise, to grow, to become something beyond the ordinary.

Of course, time marched on. I outgrew the cape, traded in make-believe battles for actual trials in my life — ones given out to everyone else too, and eventually abandoned the idea that I was destined for anything other than reality.

It's funny, though. I always wondered if there's a part of that old belief still buried deep down, under all the dense layers of grown-up indifference. I'd think that, perhaps there'd be some truth to it — not in a literal sense, of course, but in the idea that we all carry our own narratives, that our lives are, in some way, stories.

But those stories don't always turn out the way we thought they would, do they?

As I grew older, I lost that sense of youthful, naive magic. I didn't become a hero. No grand adventure found me. Instead, life became… life. It's a funny thing to realise when you're 25 and the most thrilling part of your day is deciding what to eat for dinner.

***

Without warning, a sharp pain erupted across my chest. I stumbled back, clutching at my ribs, while coughing out an alarming amount of blood, which began to stain my beautiful shirt. The crimson stain spread rapidly, pooling onto the ground beneath me. I tried to steady myself, but the pain was overwhelming, and I could feel warmth flowing freely, trickling down my sides as I tried to cover my mouth.

What the hell man? Great way to end my internal monologue.

As I tried to recuperate myself and stand tall as I just had, I caught a glance of the ever so vivid green floating screen that I had recently come to learn about.

[ The "Gatekeeper of All" is glaring at you! ]

And right under that, another line of text hung in the air like a floating apparition, its presence as surreal as the situation itself.

[ Exclusive Skill, "Libra Clairvoyance" is protecting you! ]

The pain continued to sear through my chest like a fiery brand, but the green text that flickered before my eyes provided a sliver of solace. The mention of "Libra Clairvoyance" felt oddly comforting, as if some forgotten part of me was reaching out to offer protection in this grim and unfathomable scenario, even if I'd only acquainted myself to it recently.

***

Just like in the past, an unbelievable event was playing out again. 

It's real this time though?

I choose what to do.

I would dictate my narrative.

Hold on. I sound too cringe.

But, I want to be the main character of this story.

I want to do something useful.

Even if it costs something I cannot afford.

Whatever,

time to do something stupid.

***

Gu Eun-Kyung stared in utter disbelief at what Namgung Kyong was going through. "Yeah, no. That looks painful. I'm not doing that, right?" Her thoughts were almost audible to everyone around her — which would be Namgung Kyong specifically.

The agony coursing through his body looked absolutely unbearable, but amidst the pain, something in his mind seemed to snap into focus.

Namgung Kyong was an ordinary guy. Actually, maybe he was more ordinary than any ordinary person. He truly had no special features that made him stand out. To be honest, the fact he was good at nothing seemed more than enough to make him stand out on its own. But throw in such a boring lifestyle? His level of indifference to life itself was astonishing.

Gu Eun-Kyung would normally spend time with Namgung Kyong due to the sheer luck of living near each other or just completely out of pity. Although he would not openly show any positive response, she did inwardly hope it would eventually make his life even slightly better. She believed the fact that he was alone, afraid and needed someone to lean onto.

That's why it was completely unimaginable what he did next.

He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand upright despite the intense discomfort. With that, more blood flowed right out of his oral cavity. His gaze locked onto nothing, particularly. Just the brightness all around both of them. With what looked like a fierce determination, he pushed through the pain, his resolve solidifying with every labored breath.

Gu Eun-Kyung took a hesitant step back, her face twisted in a mixture of empathy and fear. She wasn't one to admit it, but the sight of Namgung Kyong enduring such pain made her stomach churn. She couldn't even fathom why he chose to go through this — how someone as unremarkable as him could even be placed in such a surreal situation.

With the last of his remaining willpower, he forced his mouth open, every muscle in his jaw trembling as if it resisted his command. The effort alone felt like it might tear him apart, but he pushed through, determined to break the silence. His breath came in ragged gasps, the metallic taste of blood lingering on his tongue, yet he refused to let the pain consume him. It was as though every fiber of his being was focused on this one moment — on speaking, on asserting control over his body despite its rebellion.

And so, he spoke up.

"Goddamnit."

He should have been terrified. Should have. But a strange sense of clarity washed over him, drowning out the noise of his thudding heartbeat and the suffocating tension hanging in the air.

"I don't care who you are,"

He was done hiding behind layers of sarcasm and indifference. As he shot a glance to Gu Eun-Kyung, he continued.

"Just get me... and her out of here."

If this was his narrative, then he'd take it without hesitation. As literally every actor would say, 

"...the show must go on."

***

I had no idea what overcame me, but those words flowed so naturally, even I was shocked. I looked to my left to see the continuously beeping message that had given me this opportunity.

[ Exclusive Skill, "Libra Clairvoyance" is protecting you! ]

It had given me this opportunity to ask as a madman in the face of such an impossible situation. Let me add the fact that it removed half the cringe I felt while speaking. Or maybe that's just me.

I had no idea what Libra Clairvoyance actually did. However, I did know at the very least that I shouldn't have been able to stand. By all rights, I should have been crushed by the overwhelming presence of that voice, should've collapsed under the weight of my own blood loss and terror. 

Yet, I'd survived.

Even after all of that, he was still standing.

[Foolish creature. You are insignificant. A fleeting speck in the grand tapestry of existence.]

Despite the harsh words of the deafening voice, I slowly felt the glare that had been lying on my body for a while dissipate. Breathing became much easier and my blood flow seemed like it was back to normal, even though I had lost an immense amount of blood.

I knew this was absurd — fighting an invisible, god-like entity? Bargaining with it? It didn't make sense. But maybe that was exactly why I had to try. Finally making enough of a recovery, I continued.

"Get us out. I'm not dead yet, and if I'm not going to die here, then I'm getting both of us out."

The void around us shuddered. It felt like reality itself was twisting under the weight of my words. Gu Eun-Kyung instinctively stepped closer to him, fear and disbelief warring on her face. The look of 'Shut up!!!' was plastered all over it.

[You are a fool. You are lucky Camise is absent. I will humor your insolence, for now.]

Camise? Who the hell is that? Well, I honestly didn't care.

The oppressive silence that followed the voice's departure lingered, as if the void itself was deciding whether or not to swallow us whole. I could still feel the vibrations from its last words buzzing in the air, though the overwhelming pressure had lifted slightly, allowing me to breathe normally again.

I turned slowly, my body still trembling from the residual pain, and looked at Eun-Kyung, who had long been slumped to the floor, her face a mask of shock and fear. Her eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, it was as if the world had narrowed down to just the two of us in this desolate void.

Taking a deep breath, I stumbled over to her. My legs felt like lead, each step an effort, but I pushed through. My vision swayed slightly, but I kept my focus on her. I could still feel the remnants of the pain in my chest, but it was now a dull ache compared to the searing agony I had just endured.

Her eyes were wide, reflecting a mixture of disbelief and exhaustion. She didn't immediately move, her gaze flickering between me and the blinding white void around us.

I reached out a red-dyed hand to her, my fingers trembling slightly. I took a deep breath which seemed more like a hearty sigh, trying to gather the last of my resolve. The crimson blood on my hand smeared against the void's oppressive darkness, a stark reminder of how close I'd come to collapsing. But that was more the reason to continue speaking.

"Let's go, Gu Eun-Kyung."