Chapter 102

As soon as we sat on the sofa, Im Haekyung started chattering like he was genuinely delighted.

“Honestly, this is my first time asking for consent like this before using it. To be fair, I’ve never met anyone as peculiar and incomprehensible as you.”

“......”

“Oh—and I’m curious if it’s an organization doing it, or if there’s a higher-rank mental Awakened above me.”

Didn’t seem like the talkative type, but he was clearly hyped. Well, he is the curious sort.

Right before activating his skill, he stared at me and said something out of nowhere.

“Truth is, I’m hoping for something.”

“Hoping?”

“Yeah.”

Strange preface for Mental Domination, isn’t it? I stayed quiet, waiting for him to say what he was hoping for, but instead of explaining, he just trailed off.

“If possible... I hope what I’m expecting is right.”

The hell is he on about? Before I could ask, he fired the skill.

Mental Domination (S) activates.

'Feels the same this time too.'

I wanted to say it was unpleasant, but honestly it wasn’t; it just gave me that odd sense of letting someone else steer my words and actions.

Mental Strength (S) nullifies Mental Domination (S).

Mental Strength (S) activates.

A penalty occurs due to rank disparity with the caster of Mental Domination (S).

My Mental Strength moved fast to block his skill, but again, the rank gap slapped a penalty on me. Watching my face, he asked,

“How do you feel?”

“Like I’m being controlled...”

“A little like that, yes.”

He smiled lightly, then went back to a blank face.

“Then shall we lightly restore some erased memories?”

“...What?”

'Restore memories?'

That’s not possible in the first place. He was right about one thing: there is a restriction on my mind. I had penalties to prove it.

But there are no erased memories to restore, so wouldn’t this be a waste of time again?

Before I voiced it, he asked first.

“When was the very first moment the restriction kicked in?”

The very first moment? Obviously the day I crossed over here—that is, when I awakened...

'No, coming at it like this isn’t going to yield anything—'

Mental Domination (S) activates.

“Think it through in more detail. Do you remember who did it? If you can’t say it, just remember it. Was the restriction compulsory... under threat, or voluntary? Do you remember everything, or did parts get lost?”

“...Hold on.”

“You can think of it as light hypnosis if that helps.”

In an instant, something surged through my head. Information? No—that felt more like memories.

'What is this?'

I inhaled as scenes skimmed past.

Gate outbreak. Society in chaos. Corpses everywhere... not just a string of words. Standing on red earth, felling a beast, rummaging through a corpse, artifacts splattered on the ground with flesh.

Images flooded my mind in a heartbeat.

'Whose memories are these?'

One thing for sure—they weren’t mine. The Gate in the memory wasn’t one I’d ever entered. At best, the only Gates I’d gone into here were...

Wait.

'Am I sure they’re not mine?'

If they’re someone else’s, that’s logical—but that actually makes it stranger. Am I subconsciously visualizing the “original novel” I read? But the scenes were far too specific.

While my thoughts scattered, Haekyung offered a nudge.

“Don’t get buried in side thoughts. Focus.”

“Ugh...”

Mental Suppression (S) activates.

Layers stacked. My scattered thoughts narrowed to a single point. All the scenes and questions blinked out, leaving only the question he’d thrown me.

It was a peculiar sensation of complete mental takeover, and the way it left me almost no psychological resistance was impressive. Even that thought was wiped out at once.

So, the thing I had to focus on...

'When did the restriction occur?'

Heat prickled under my nose. I knew this sensation too well now. Never thought I’d get used to it, but I’ve bled from the nose here more often than I haven’t...

At the same time, a warning window came into view.

'Penalty, huh.'

I expected it.

Warning.

Do not damage caus—■—ality.

But it didn’t stop there—the Status Window text began to rearrange itself in front of my eyes.

Inappropriate access.

'What?'

“Inappropriate access?” I’d never seen that line before. My thoughts were a mess. The flashing window, the questions crowding my skull, and those memories humming under it all like background noise...

Amid that, the sensation of something brushing my philtrum was vivid. Haekyung wiped my blood with his thumb and ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) clicked his tongue.

“Your body’s a mess.”

“...Ah.”

“But you won’t die... so, it’s fine, right?”

'This son of a bitch—what is that even supposed to mean.'

He stopped dabbing the blood, took my cheek, and tilted my head up. The data in my head and the visuals in front of me tangled, making my sight swim.

Through that blur, his eyes caught mine.

Looking down at me, he smiled and whispered,

“A touch of pain helps clarify the mind.”

With that, a terrible sensation—my mind being crushed—ripped through me.

***

I fought to open my eyes. Obvious, since you have to open them to see.

Realizing they were already open came next.

'What is this?'

Darkness in every direction. No sense of distance or volume. I thought my feet were on a floor, but the second I recognized “floor,” it felt wrong.

A Status Window appeared in front of me.

Inappropriate access.

Same message as before.

No clue what I had accessed “inappropriately.” Felt like getting walloped in the back of the head, though calling it pain didn’t quite fit.

It was more like a piece of my mind had popped off.

'So this is my unconscious?'

I decided to talk to the Status Window for the first time in a while.

“Let’s talk.”

Switching to 1:1 system chat mode.

“Phew...”

The lone flicker of the window sat still, as if waiting for my questions. Where to start? After a moment’s thought, I spoke.

“Where is this?”

system: A temporary space to block abnormal access.

“Teleport?”

system: Only non-material mental access is allowed.

So like before, my body’s probably slumped in front of Haekyung.

“What do you mean by abnormal access? Access to what—my unconscious?”

system: Access to deleted runs.

Deleted runs? What bullshit is that? My life can’t have “runs.” This is my first time.

“What... fuck, get me your admin. Don’t give me crap about deleted runs. Where would those even be?”

What had Haekyung asked me again? Restrictions—when the penalty first appeared.

The system text flipped in a blink.

¡Error detected!

Recalibrating...

...

Complete!

What is this thing even doing? The window blinked, repeating that it was recalibrating the error.

“Cut it out. I’m trying to access the zero-th run I saw with Kwon Taehan back then, you piece of—”

system: ......

“It’s ‘Seo Jehyun’s’ memory—so why can’t I access it? Give me access first, then I’ll figure it out.”

The more I thought about it, the more pissed I got. It wasn’t enough to drop me here overnight; it slapped penalties on everything I tried. How’s anyone supposed to stay motivated?

“If this really is Kwon Taehan’s fifth run, I’m not doing patty-cake with him like in the original. You said I only need to reach an ending within causal limits, right? Then provide the information properly.”

I argued logically; the system, as always, sluggishly morphed its letters.

system: This information was blocked by ‘Seo Jehyun.’

'What the hell. You obsolete hunk of junk.'

Does it mean the original Seo Jehyun? Then are the “original” Seo Jehyun and I entirely separate selves?

“Ah—speak properly, for fuck’s sake! Get your admin out here. Do I have to argue with a machine? If you’re going to talk, at least talk straight!”

Couldn’t even punch this shitty relic. Was this God’s idea of a prank on me?

“What do you mean Seo Jehyun blocked it? I’m Seo Jehyun. Who else is there?”

system: Repeated runs may cause the self to split.

“Yeah, I get that repeated runs can wreck your mind, but this is my first time.”

Then a thought shot through me.

'Unless... it isn’t?'

Kwon Taehan kept his memories through regressions—but what if I didn’t? What if that created a kind of gap...

'And the fact that it’s awkwardly the fifth run is bugging me too.'

“...Is this not my first time?”

I asked it like talking to myself. The letters wiped and reformed slowly.

system: That question cannot be answered.

You little—

Cooling my head, even that answer felt like a hint. Maybe I needed to doubt my own “common sense” and memories.

'Or it could just mean the original Seo Jehyun and I are separate.'

Honestly, I preferred that. I don’t like the idea of unknown memories—just thinking about it leaves a filthy taste.

The window flashed.

Ending 1:1 system chat mode.

“Hey, we’re not done.”

It didn’t stop at “end.” The Status Window crashed, the chat vanished, and another familiar window came up.

Warning.

Viewing deleted runs may incur penalties depending on effects to the mind, including minor pain, internal injury, hemoptysis, lowering of rank, bodily abnormalities, or death followed by regression.

“What?”

Why was a warning now? And unlike the earlier “don’t break causality” notice, this one was about viewing deleted runs.

And viewing deleted runs carries penalties? I don’t even know what a deleted run is yet.

But the chat was forcibly closed; no more answers were coming. I scanned the penalty list quickly and asked,

“How far down that list are we talking?”

Would you like to view the deleted runs?

“No, I’m asking how far down—”

If we’re being generous, I could handle hemoptysis. Beyond that, it was better not to proceed. But of course, this system doesn’t communicate.

Viewing approved.

“Fuck you, I didn’t approve it!”

Right after, against my will, the all-black view washed out to white in an instant.