Reader of the Novel’s Extra

Hajin let out a sigh as he leaned against his bus seat.

He was in Seoul, on a bus headed towards the main station so that he could switch and head towards the National Weapons Museum.

And beside him was Kim Suho... or just Suho now, since that guy insisted they were close enough.

...Mostly because Hajin kept being tossed around by Suho in their training.

Suho scrolled on his phone and looked at the website of the National Weapons Museum. "They've got a lot of interesting stuff here, huh, Hajin? Oh, hey, they even have Napoleon's Rifle. That's something you could use, huh? Looks like they have something called a Bullanggi too. "

Hajin blinked and looked over. "A what?"

"Apparently, it's a 'breech-loading swivel gun.' Here." Suho held out his phone for Hajin to take a closer look.

'...Okay. Maybe I didn't know enough about firearms...'

Hajin would have called it a cannon... but it was definitely a 'gun' according to the website. Not only that, there was an entire historical flavor text describing the history of how it was introduced from Portugal via China and were eventually phased out in the late 1500s for Japanese-style muskets and arquebuses.

Or, as they were apparently called in Korea, jochong.

Hajin slowly blinked and said, "I didn't know guns were so old."

"I didn't either." Suho chuckled. "Pretty neat, huh? Maybe one day you'll find something like a gun-styled Excalibur in a Dungeon. Or maybe a gunblade."

Hajin paused, seriously thinking about that.

...His Gift was meant to be used with guns. And that was the entire reason he picked guns from the start.

Well, that, and avoiding close combat.

But gunblades...

'...This IS a world where magic and fantasy exists...'

Hajin had never considered it. But it should definitely be possible to make a gunblade.

...And since his Gift was a cheat that let him have 'familiarity with all long ranged weapons' while <Gun-fu> let him control spacing with guns in melee combat...

'If I get my physical stats up more, it should be possible.'

Plus, since he had the 'cheat' that was Yoo Yeonha funding everything since she was convinced he was a golden goose in the making for his monster clearing capabilities...

Suho glanced over at Hajin and said, "I'm glad we have a chance to chat like this though, Hajin."

"Huh?" Hajin blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I was curious about you. Back in the Agent Military Academy you used a sword, right? And you were pretty good at it too. So I was wondering why you suddenly changed and if you had a similar reason to Lee."

Hajin paused. "Lee... Right. Do you know why that guy changed? Or even much about him?"

"About Lee? Mm, a little. I guess we're kind of friends, but I haven't had a chance to hang out with him." Suho chuckled. "The girls keep stealing him, so there hasn't been a good time yet. Maybe we should grab him together for a boy's night out though? Grab some soju and relax?"

Hajin chuckled. "Soju would be nice..."

Then he paused when he saw Suho looking at him with a look that said 'aha.'

Hajin felt his ears burn and said, "What?"

"I knew you were a drinker." Suho chuckled and said, "You give off the vibe of someone who has a few vices... For some reason, I get the feeling you probably smoke too?"

Hajin kept on as good of a poker face as he could. But internally, he was sweating.

'Was Suho always this insightful? I mean, I made sure he had scary intuition, but...'

It was almost like he could see right through Hajin.

...This was part of why Hajin didn't really want to spend too much time around Suho. Since Suho was the main character, it was possible that he might suddenly get random plot power ups or the co-author might decide to troll through him...

So Hajin coughed and changed the subject. "You said you're friends with Lee, right? So what made him switch to a halberd?"

Suho blinked. "Huh? I was talking about how he changed from a sword to a spear."

"...What?" Hajin paused. "...Lee uses a sword?"

Suho nodded. "Yeah. He's good too. He has to be since he managed to hold me off and read me so well in our spars... completely opposite of you. No offense."

Hajin waved his hand. "None taken. I know I'm terrible in close combat."

Even in military duty, Hajin mostly just avoided training as much as he could, so the only thing he really knew how to do was fire guns...

Which made him really regret not at least learning the basics now in hindsight.

'Honestly, it would have helped so much in normal life too...'

Hajin was learning just how practical it was to knew how to fight, or at least not get hit.

The hard way.

Mostly from Suho.

Suho nodded and looked out the bus window. "At first, I thought it was just because of efficiency. You know, since his Gift is <Lightning Thrust>."

Hajin blinked. "His Gift is <Lightning Thrust>? Something that basic?"

Suho paused and looked amused. "...You're in the bottom hundred of Cube rankings. Do you not look up the other Cadets' dossiers to get an advantage? You know that you can do that, right? And you'll probably need all the help you can get for exams in a few weeks."

"...You can do that? Wait, no. That's obvious..."

Hajin kept forgetting but this was a whole world now. Not just the story he wrote. While the details he specified were definitely there, it seemed like the co-author filled in the gaps.

Just like the bus that went around Cube's campus, and the student handbook for Cube's Cadets that apparently existed.

Hajin had been planning on using his <Observation> skill and cheats to find out details, but he suddenly realized he could just do literal basic research.

'...I've been relying too much on the system, huh?'

That was a mistake Hajin would definitely NOT be repeating any time soon. Especially since it was starting to seem like the system might not be infallible too...

Mostly since it was currently down for maintenance and left Hajin to deal with everything blind.

Suho chuckled and said, "For someone who completely gave up their primary weapon for a gun and who is trying to make a whole new martial art to compensate, you're weirdly not diligent."

Hajin felt his face burning from embarrassment and he said, "I have a lot to catch up, okay? Excuse me for having to spend so much time training to make up for things and not having time to study..."

"Can't you just have Yeonha buy you elixirs?"

Hajin paused.

That...

Was an EXTREMELY good point.

Since he got SP by standing out... and since SP could be used to modify items...

And since Yeonha was clearly invested in him...

'Can't I just... lean into it?'

Hajin had been trying to go at it alone with everything.

But he had a whole team behind him.

Hell, his entire team was already standing out.

Rachel, Nayun, Yeonha, and that crazy Lee who Hajin STILL wasn't sure was a person originally in this setting or someone the co-author dropped in just for an excuse to have plot developments.

He already got a daily stipend of SP just for existing in the ecosystem of that team...

So if he started showing off more too and leaned into being flashy...

'...I can get strong. Easily.'

Hajin felt his heart racing at the implications.

...There were still problems, of course. No matter how strong he got, Suho was still necessary to beat the final boss of this story.

Assuming that was even the same, of course.

But if it was just surviving... No, if it was living in this world...

...There wasn't a reason for him to be just an extra, was there?

'Why the heck did I think otherwise in the first place?'

The goal was to finish the story and go home. If he wanted to do that, then playing meek was pointless.

...Well, there were a ton of forces in the background that could be problems, like the Chameleon Troupe, the Evil Society, and all that...

But if Hajin teamed up with Yeonha, who was the heir to the Essence of Strait, and if he combined his know-how with her resources...

"Earth to Hajin?" Suho chuckled and waved his hand in front of Hajin's face. "Were you thinking about Yeonha again?"

Hajin coughed and said, "Of course not."

"Right... Do you know that your left eye twitches when you lie?"

Hajin's eyes widened.

Suho chuckled.

And Hajin realized he was tricked. Then he clicked his tongue. "...Stupid protagonist."

Suho laughed. "Thanks for the compliment. But that's a bit much, calling me a protagonist. If anyone's like that, it's Lee, isn't it? Single father, cute daughter, extremely competent..."

Hajin rolled his eyes. "That just sounds like the sort of character who dies at the end of the first arc before the real protagonist... appears..." He trailed off and then froze at the implications.

...Right.

Lee was crazy competent for some reason. He was popular with the main cast of girls too. And while he was clearly gunning for Rachel, he was at least friendly with Nayun and Yeonha. Then since he showed up with Evandel, a witch who had clearly obtained blood from Lee and Rachel, making them her parents...

'...Oh my god. Evandel is a main character.'

The powerful royal mother who had amazing magical potential. The famous prodigy father who was well-known and liked, with a seemingly perfect record. Aunts and uncles who were in high places too...

And if Lee suddenly died...

'ISN'T THIS A WHOLE BOOK IN ITSELF?!'

Hajin could already see it play out.

Lee dying in some tragic accident saving Rachel and Nayun. Rachel going icy cold. Nayun raising Evandel in her stead while keeping her secret since Rachel had to be the Queen of England. Suho and Yeonha working in the background to find the culprit...

And Hajin here as the mentor character in the second arc.

"...What's with that face, Hajin?"

Hajin rubbed his hands over his face and sighed. "Nothing, Suho. Just realizing how much of a mess my life's become recently..."

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