Hajin walks off eastward. Just beside the fountain, the silhouette of Jain creates a contour. It is the dark of the night and few stars decorate the sky.
With his excellent eyesight, Hajin sees the other person well. “What is the meaning of this?” He asks, careful to pick on his own words. The Chameleon Troupe shouldn’t know anything about Sinful.
Currently, Kim Hajin is merely a Cube Cadet who comes here at the Chameleon Troupe’s request.
Jain without any disguise expresses her Troupe’s intentions. “It is recruitment. Join the Chameleon Troupe. We will give you the Seat of Black.”
Hajin objectively weighs his options. Joining the Chameleon Troupe is their alternative in case Hyon fails in his mission objectives. Hajin is worried about Hyon. Logically, Hajin should follow the plan they have agreed to.
“What do I need to do?” He asks.
Jain smiles. “You just have to follow me.”
From behind Jain, a blue portal is summoned. Jain motions for Hajin to enter the portal.
Hajin confidently enters the portal. He has his whole arsenal in his Stigma Storage. Moreover, this is a recruitment, while dangerous, his situation is more affable than Hyon’s condition.
After all, Chameleon Troupe will be less hostile to someone they recruit if compared to a rude stranger like the Savant of Sloth.
When Hajin enters the blue portal, the first thing he sees is a familiar man sitting on a throne. Inside a gloomy mansion, Yi Yeonjunn imperiously sits on his throne. “Greetings, Kim Hajin… Welcome to the Chameleon Troupe.”
“That’s it?” Hajin doubts. “Am I now the Seat of Black?”
“Yes, you do! Isn’t that amazing? No need for any tests. You are hired!”
Hajin realizes where the source of the ‘wrongness’ is coming from. It is Yi Yeonjun. Just like how Kum Seungyeon has come to be, Yi Yeonjun has deviated from the original. “Do you know Kum Seungyeon?”
“Who is that?” Yi Yeonjun genuinely doesn’t know.
The mystery around Yi Yeonjun’s earlier appearance in the novel gets more mysterious.
“Why did you pick me?” Hajin must get to the bottom of this.
“I am just following the script…” Yi Yeonjun stands up from his throne and summons a thick layer of book. “Do you know that in the past iteration, there was a person called Bell?”
Hajin curiously looks at the book Yi Yeonjun is playing with. It is an unfamiliar artifact the likes of the [Orb of Solomon]. Through his [Observation and Reading] Gift, Hajin learns that the book is called [Book of Revelations]. Within its pages are the records of the future past.
Yi Yeonjun continues on his monologue. “This Bell in the past iteration is my best friend. Kim Hajin, maybe we can be best friends too.”
“Get to the point.” Hajin impatiently speaks up his thoughts but maintains his calm act.
“Oh, I am getting there.” Yi Yeonjun malevolently grins. “You see, this Bell has the Devil King Baal sealed inside him. Do you know Kim Hajin that you are the same?”
“…”
Yi Yeonjun unsummons the [Book of Revelation] and reverently calls to Kim Hajin. “KIM HAJIN! GOD IS WITHIN YOU! SEALED AT YOUR VERY CORE!” He teleports just in front of Hajin in demonstration of the Phase Shift Gift he has stolen from Khalifa. He points forcefully at Hajin’s chest as if to emphasize his words further.
Hajin shudders at Yi Yeonjun’s mad ravings.
Yi Yeonjun explodes into a fanatical cry. “GOD HALF-SUCCEEDED ON AWAKENING HIMSELF FROM THE PAST ITERATION! I SURRENDERED MY FAITH TO GOD SINCE BAAL’S VANISHING! IT IS MY GREATEST FORTUNE FOR MY EYES TO BE OPENED TO TRUE FAITH! NOW, I MUST FULFILL MY GOD’S MISSION ON HIS BEHALF SO THAT HE MAY DESCEND TO THIS WORLD ONCE AND FOR ALL!”
When calm returns to Yi Yeonjun, his atmosphere of fanaticism quickly fades as if he is schizophrenic. “To awaken His Majesty, I need you Kim Hajin to relive the past iteration, reexperience the seven sorrows, and when you reach that point in time when Divinity has returned to this world, I shall help you ascend so that you may shed your mortal coils. At that point in time, you will be able to return home.”
Hajin has two simultaneous thoughts in his mind: “Crazy motherfucker,” And “How to return home?”
A crossroad presents itself to Hajin.
In his heart, he has long decided on a choice. Thus he needs no further deliberation. However, for now, he needs to play along with Yi Yeonjun’s tune. “What do I need to do?”
***
Rachel walks west side of the venue. She sees a lone figure under a tree. It is Alex Lancaster, her former mentor, and captain of the royal guards. “Alex Lancaster?” She calls to him.
Lancaster turns his head around and looks at Rachel. “This is it, I guess. I would love to capitalize on this, but it appears you have another intention in mind.” He addresses the person standing just behind him.
Jain is pointing a dagger at Lancaster’s throat. “It is really inconvenient. So I apologize, Mr. Lancaster… By the way, my name is Jain, Chameleon Troupe’s Seat of Yellow.”
“I guessed as much.”
“Sharp.”
Rachel watches the two exchange their dialogues as if she is in a play.
“The Chameleon Troupe hired me to kidnap Rachel, but why are you interfering now?” He sharply interrogates Jain. “Is it that the deal is off?”
“No,” Jain puts more force on her dagger, threatening to slit Lancaster’s throat. “It is just that the timeline is wrong. My Boss would love it if you do the job we requested you for another time.”
“Do be duly reminded that I am not your subordinate.”
“And please do be reminded who is your employer.”
Rachel draws the foldable Rapier from under her skirt. She battles her own thoughts on whether she must play defensively, or reveal her full power.
“I am sorry, princess, but it looks like our reunion will be cut short.” Lancaster summons flies from under his clothes, and slowly, these flies merge with his skin and flesh, and then they fly away.
Rachel senses disgusting evil power from Lancaster. Only Jain and Rachel remain on the west side. “Stay where you are.” Rachel points her sword at Jain and subtly provokes the elements within her range.
Jain ignores her and then vanishes.
Bodyguards wearing black suits arrive, with Nayun on the lead. “Rachel! I cannot find Hajin!”
***
Kim Suho runs as fast as he can. He hates every second he has to wait in line for the train station. “I am sorry! Coming through!”
***
Shin Jonghak spits a lot of blood. He is easily overwhelmed by Jin Yohan, a far more accomplished spear master than him. “Where did your spunk go, kid?”
“Just you wait…” Shin Jonghak is embedded into the steel wall, his bones are broken and his spear is already in pieces. He churns his magic power trying to conjure a spear, but his concentration only falters because of the too much pain.
“Tsk,” Jin Yohan leans on his spear rooted to the floor. “Don’t be stubborn, just give up. But I must say. You are disappointing. I stayed here to play with you… Now, I am becoming curious as to what is our lady boss’s intention of coming here.”
Shin Jonghak’s breathing gets shorter and shorter, and finally, he passes out.
***
“This place is amazing. Is this the Great Sage’s inheritance? To think that Kim Hajin has this place, but why is Shin Jonghak here though? Are they friends?”
“I don’t know.” Yi Byul honestly answers Droon’s inquiry.
“What are we doing here? Are we going to invade this place to have it as our home base?”
“No,” Yi Byul succinctly replies. “We are here to correct the story.”
Yi Byul dismantles the walls in front of her. None can slow her done. Her shadow dances with fury and destroys everything in her path.
“Void Sphere,” She softly mutters.
A small dark sphere violently tears through space and distorts everything it touches, destroying a huge chunk of heavy adamantine reinforcements, however, she still hits a wall. None of her shadows can get past through the crystalline mirror-like barrier. “Hmmm… Annoying… Droon, get rid of it.”
Droon summons Mimyo, an outlier alien existence that wanders in the chaos of the dimensional boundary. It is shaped like a rabbit, while it looks harmless and docile, it is actually not.
“Devour it.”
At Droon’s command, the rabbit-looking alien with dreadful red eyes hungrily jumps to the grafted space from the mirror dimension and tears a hole at it. It continues to hungrily feed until the space around the grafted dimensional walls breaks down entirely and recedes to its natural state of void.
“Stay here,” Yi Byul leaves this command to Droon as she enters the place.
***
The [Under Cube] is under attack. Yeonha is unsure of the invaders’ motivations. However, after tracing the trajectory, she realizes the invader is heading to her containment area.
“Do they want me?” She is unsure, but that’s most unlikely.
When the invaders start attacking her containment area, she ascertains that they must be targeting her. Yeonha has Hyon’s confidence that her containment area is unbreachable, but when she sees from her monitoring devices that it is not actually the case, she almost loses to panic.
But who is she?
She is Yoo Yeonha, the future Queen of Seoul! She immediately hides Evandel. Cube AI continues to send more machinery guardians to Yeonha’s location, but it is ineffective.
Droon with Mimyo is tightly guarding the place.
When Yi Byul arrives, Yeonha steels herself to see through this. “Why is the Chameleon Troupe’s Boss here?” She addresses Yi Byul who menacingly flexes her shadow appendages.
“I am not even the Boss of Chameleon Troupe yet.” She tilts her head in confusion, as with a single bound, she appears at Yeonha’s side with a left hook.
Yeonha sees every frame from that burst of action all thanks to her devil physique. She is sturdy and can regenerate fast, so she reciprocates harm with harm by equally launching her fist. She sends an uppercut, which is absorbed by shadows that cover Yi Byul’s jaw just right in time.
Yi Byul’s left hook connects with Yeonha’s throat brutally. “Inexperienced,” She comments. She then uses her shadow to pin Yeonha to the wall.
Out of nowhere, a Death Knight comes crashing with a sword in hand at Yi Byul’s neck. But Yi Byul simply waves her hand. Scythes of shadows simultaneously come crashing down at the Death Knight cutting it to pieces.
Hajin walks off eastward. Just beside the fountain, the silhouette of Jain creates a contour. It is the dark of the night and few stars decorate the sky.
With his excellent eyesight, Hajin sees the other person well. “What is the meaning of this?” He asks, careful to pick on his own words. The Chameleon Troupe shouldn’t know anything about Sinful.
Currently, Kim Hajin is merely a Cube Cadet who comes here at the Chameleon Troupe’s request.
Jain without any disguise expresses her Troupe’s intentions. “It is recruitment. Join the Chameleon Troupe. We will give you the Seat of Black.”
Hajin objectively weighs his options. Joining the Chameleon Troupe is their alternative in case Hyon fails in his mission objectives. Hajin is worried about Hyon. Logically, Hajin should follow the plan they have agreed to.
“What do I need to do?” He asks.
Jain smiles. “You just have to follow me.”
From behind Jain, a blue portal is summoned. Jain motions for Hajin to enter the portal.
Hajin confidently enters the portal. He has his whole arsenal in his Stigma Storage. Moreover, this is a recruitment, while dangerous, his situation is more affable than Hyon’s condition.
After all, Chameleon Troupe will be less hostile to someone they recruit if compared to a rude stranger like the Savant of Sloth.
When Hajin enters the blue portal, the first thing he sees is a familiar man sitting on a throne. Inside a gloomy mansion, Yi Yeonjunn imperiously sits on his throne. “Greetings, Kim Hajin… Welcome to the Chameleon Troupe.”
“That’s it?” Hajin doubts. “Am I now the Seat of Black?”
“Yes, you do! Isn’t that amazing? No need for any tests. You are hired!”
Hajin realizes where the source of the ‘wrongness’ is coming from. It is Yi Yeonjun. Just like how Kum Seungyeon has come to be, Yi Yeonjun has deviated from the original. “Do you know Kum Seungyeon?”
“Who is that?” Yi Yeonjun genuinely doesn’t know.
The mystery around Yi Yeonjun’s earlier appearance in the novel gets more mysterious.
“Why did you pick me?” Hajin must get to the bottom of this.
“I am just following the script…” Yi Yeonjun stands up from his throne and summons a thick layer of book. “Do you know that in the past iteration, there was a person called Bell?”
Hajin curiously looks at the book Yi Yeonjun is playing with. It is an unfamiliar artifact the likes of the [Orb of Solomon]. Through his [Observation and Reading] Gift, Hajin learns that the book is called [Book of Revelations]. Within its pages are the records of the future past.
Yi Yeonjun continues on his monologue. “This Bell in the past iteration is my best friend. Kim Hajin, maybe we can be best friends too.”
“Get to the point.” Hajin impatiently speaks up his thoughts but maintains his calm act.
“Oh, I am getting there.” Yi Yeonjun malevolently grins. “You see, this Bell has the Devil King Baal sealed inside him. Do you know Kim Hajin that you are the same?”
“…”
Yi Yeonjun unsummons the [Book of Revelation] and reverently calls to Kim Hajin. “KIM HAJIN! GOD IS WITHIN YOU! SEALED AT YOUR VERY CORE!” He teleports just in front of Hajin in demonstration of the Phase Shift Gift he has stolen from Khalifa. He points forcefully at Hajin’s chest as if to emphasize his words further.
Hajin shudders at Yi Yeonjun’s mad ravings.
Yi Yeonjun explodes into a fanatical cry. “GOD HALF-SUCCEEDED ON AWAKENING HIMSELF FROM THE PAST ITERATION! I SURRENDERED MY FAITH TO GOD SINCE BAAL’S VANISHING! IT IS MY GREATEST FORTUNE FOR MY EYES TO BE OPENED TO TRUE FAITH! NOW, I MUST FULFILL MY GOD’S MISSION ON HIS BEHALF SO THAT HE MAY DESCEND TO THIS WORLD ONCE AND FOR ALL!”
When calm returns to Yi Yeonjun, his atmosphere of fanaticism quickly fades as if he is schizophrenic. “To awaken His Majesty, I need you Kim Hajin to relive the past iteration, reexperience the seven sorrows, and when you reach that point in time when Divinity has returned to this world, I shall help you ascend so that you may shed your mortal coils. At that point in time, you will be able to return home.”
Hajin has two simultaneous thoughts in his mind: “Crazy motherfucker,” And “How to return home?”
A crossroad presents itself to Hajin.
In his heart, he has long decided on a choice. Thus he needs no further deliberation. However, for now, he needs to play along with Yi Yeonjun’s tune. “What do I need to do?”
***
Rachel walks west side of the venue. She sees a lone figure under a tree. It is Alex Lancaster, her former mentor, and captain of the royal guards. “Alex Lancaster?” She calls to him.
Lancaster turns his head around and looks at Rachel. “This is it, I guess. I would love to capitalize on this, but it appears you have another intention in mind.” He addresses the person standing just behind him.
Jain is pointing a dagger at Lancaster’s throat. “It is really inconvenient. So I apologize, Mr. Lancaster… By the way, my name is Jain, Chameleon Troupe’s Seat of Yellow.”
“I guessed as much.”
“Sharp.”
Rachel watches the two exchange their dialogues as if she is in a play.
“The Chameleon Troupe hired me to kidnap Rachel, but why are you interfering now?” He sharply interrogates Jain. “Is it that the deal is off?”
“No,” Jain puts more force on her dagger, threatening to slit Lancaster’s throat. “It is just that the timeline is wrong. My Boss would love it if you do the job we requested you for another time.”
“Do be duly reminded that I am not your subordinate.”
“And please do be reminded who is your employer.”
Rachel draws the foldable Rapier from under her skirt. She battles her own thoughts on whether she must play defensively, or reveal her full power.
“I am sorry, princess, but it looks like our reunion will be cut short.” Lancaster summons flies from under his clothes, and slowly, these flies merge with his skin and flesh, and then they fly away.
Rachel senses disgusting evil power from Lancaster. Only Jain and Rachel remain on the west side. “Stay where you are.” Rachel points her sword at Jain and subtly provokes the elements within her range.
Jain ignores her and then vanishes.
Bodyguards wearing black suits arrive, with Nayun on the lead. “Rachel! I cannot find Hajin!”
***
Kim Suho runs as fast as he can. He hates every second he has to wait in line for the train station. “I am sorry! Coming through!”
***
Shin Jonghak spits a lot of blood. He is easily overwhelmed by Jin Yohan, a far more accomplished spear master than him. “Where did your spunk go, kid?”
“Just you wait…” Shin Jonghak is embedded into the steel wall, his bones are broken and his spear is already in pieces. He churns his magic power trying to conjure a spear, but his concentration only falters because of the too much pain.
“Tsk,” Jin Yohan leans on his spear rooted to the floor. “Don’t be stubborn, just give up. But I must say. You are disappointing. I stayed here to play with you… Now, I am becoming curious as to what is our lady boss’s intention of coming here.”
Shin Jonghak’s breathing gets shorter and shorter, and finally, he passes out.
***
“This place is amazing. Is this the Great Sage’s inheritance? To think that Kim Hajin has this place, but why is Shin Jonghak here though? Are they friends?”
“I don’t know.” Yi Byul honestly answers Droon’s inquiry.
“What are we doing here? Are we going to invade this place to have it as our home base?”
“No,” Yi Byul succinctly replies. “We are here to correct the story.”
Yi Byul dismantles the walls in front of her. None can slow her done. Her shadow dances with fury and destroys everything in her path.
“Void Sphere,” She softly mutters.
A small dark sphere violently tears through space and distorts everything it touches, destroying a huge chunk of heavy adamantine reinforcements, however, she still hits a wall. None of her shadows can get past through the crystalline mirror-like barrier. “Hmmm… Annoying… Droon, get rid of it.”
Droon summons Mimyo, an outlier alien existence that wanders in the chaos of the dimensional boundary. It is shaped like a rabbit, while it looks harmless and docile, it is actually not.
“Devour it.”
At Droon’s command, the rabbit-looking alien with dreadful red eyes hungrily jumps to the grafted space from the mirror dimension and tears a hole at it. It continues to hungrily feed until the space around the grafted dimensional walls breaks down entirely and recedes to its natural state of void.
“Stay here,” Yi Byul leaves this command to Droon as she enters the place.
***
The [Under Cube] is under attack. Yeonha is unsure of the invaders’ motivations. However, after tracing the trajectory, she realizes the invader is heading to her containment area.
“Do they want me?” She is unsure, but that’s most unlikely.
When the invaders start attacking her containment area, she ascertains that they must be targeting her. Yeonha has Hyon’s confidence that her containment area is unbreachable, but when she sees from her monitoring devices that it is not actually the case, she almost loses to panic.
But who is she?
She is Yoo Yeonha, the future Queen of Seoul! She immediately hides Evandel. Cube AI continues to send more machinery guardians to Yeonha’s location, but it is ineffective.
Droon with Mimyo is tightly guarding the place.
When Yi Byul arrives, Yeonha steels herself to see through this. “Why is the Chameleon Troupe’s Boss here?” She addresses Yi Byul who menacingly flexes her shadow appendages.
“I am not even the Boss of Chameleon Troupe yet.” She tilts her head in confusion, as with a single bound, she appears at Yeonha’s side with a left hook.
Yeonha sees every frame from that burst of action all thanks to her devil physique. She is sturdy and can regenerate fast, so she reciprocates harm with harm by equally launching her fist. She sends an uppercut, which is absorbed by shadows that cover Yi Byul’s jaw just right in time.
Yi Byul’s left hook connects with Yeonha’s throat brutally. “Inexperienced,” She comments. She then uses her shadow to pin Yeonha to the wall.
Out of nowhere, a Death Knight comes crashing with a sword in hand at Yi Byul’s neck. But Yi Byul simply waves her hand. Scythes of shadows simultaneously come crashing down at the Death Knight cutting it to pieces.
