Only One Knew

[09:15 PM | Seoul Metro Line 2 | Subway Car 5]

[Chain Scenario Progress: 53%]

[Skill Cooldown: 1.2s... 1.1s... 1.0s...]

Kang Jae-hwan's boots screeched as he skidded across the bloody floor of the subway. Behind him, Han So-yeon lay sprawled between two torn seats, chest heaving, her cheeks streaked with grime and tears.

"Don't stop," he muttered. "You stop, you die."

But his own legs were failing him.

The brief adrenaline from Ghost Step had worn off. The bruises from earlier hits bloomed across his ribs like bursting ink. Each breath tasted like iron.

[HP: 47/120]

[Bleeding slowed. Bone fracture detected.]

The Predator turned slowly. Not rushing. Not charging.

Stalking.

Its six eyes blinked one at a time.

[Target Priority: Han So-yeon]

Jae-hwan had pulled her out of the kill zone once.

He wasn't sure he could do it again.

[Ghost Step - Ready.]

He clenched his fists.

"So-yeon!" he snapped. "Run to the next car. Don't wait."

She shook her head. "I-I can't. I'll trip again—"

"I'll cover you!"

That was a lie.

He had no weapon.

He had no strength.

All he had was a single evasive skill with a three-second cooldown and a monster that could kill faster than thought.

But she believed him.

She got up.

She ran.

The Predator moved too.

And this time, Jae-hwan was slower.

[Subway Car 6 | 09:16 PM]

The survivors screamed as the door burst open. So-yeon tumbled inside, gasping.

"What is that thing?! Where's the guy?!"

"He stayed behind—he's—"

The words caught in her throat.

She turned.

And saw him.

Jae-hwan was on the floor. One knee down, one eye swollen shut, his teeth clenched in raw pain.

The Predator's claw had torn a deep gash across his back.

[HP: 21/120]

[Major bleeding.]

[System Alert: You will lose consciousness in 60 seconds.]

He stared at the countdown.

60 seconds. That was all.

The system was merciful, at least.

It would let him die with a clock.

But then something strange happened.

[Hidden Title Triggered: Unwritten Survivor]

[Do you wish to resist fate? Y/N]

He didn't hesitate.

"YES."

[Fate Rejection Successful. Title Upgraded: Storybreaker]

[You can now momentarily disrupt canon actions.]

Cooldown: 1 hour.

[You have 10 seconds of Narrative Override.]

Jae-hwan stood.

Not because he had the strength.

But because the system was no longer the narrator.

He was.

He spoke the words like a curse.

"Ghost Step."

He blurred.

[Override: 10... 9... 8...]

He landed directly on the Predator's back.

[Override: 7... 6...]

With bare hands, he grabbed the pipe fragment still embedded in the creature's neck and pulled.

The Predator shrieked.

[Critical! -41 HP]

[HP: 57/200]

[Override: 5... 4... 3...]

It spun wildly.

Jae-hwan flew backward, landing hard against the corner bench.

[Override: 2... 1... 0.]

[Narrative Authority Returned to System.]

He coughed up blood.

But So-yeon was still alive.

The Predator, though damaged, was angrier than ever.

And Jae-hwan had nothing left.

He thought, for a moment, that this might be it.

[Chain Scenario Progress: 84%]

But then...

The system chimed.

[A new Reader has entered this scenario.]

He froze.

No.

Not yet.

Not already.

[Reader: Identity Unknown]

[Trait: Narrative Interference Detected]

From the far end of the train, someone stepped through the shattered doors.

A silhouette.

A person who was smiling.

And as the lights flickered...

...Jae-hwan knew exactly what that smile meant.

They weren't here to help.

To be continue...