Only One Knew

[09:17 PM | Seoul Metro Line 2 | Subway Car 6]

[Warning: Emergency Protocol Available.] [Activate Emergency Protocol: Chaos Seed? Y/N]

Kang Jae-hwan lay sprawled at the base of the broken train door, vision swimming, bones screaming. His body was mangled beyond function, blood trailing in slow rivulets across the filthy floor.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't breathe.

But he could hear her voice.

"JAE-HWAN!"

Han So-yeon's scream cut through the chaos. She had thrown herself between him and Kwon Jin-hee, arms outstretched, trembling.

[Narrative Anchor Trait - Surge Triggered.] [Divergence Factor increased to 6.2%]

Jin-hee's face twisted with irritation. "You weren't programmed to be this loud," he muttered.

He raised his hand.

System energy crackled at his fingertips, warping space itself.

[Skill Activated: Rewrite Frame Lv.1]

[Effect: Retcon local NPC behavior. Success Chance: 93%]

The air shimmered around So-yeon.

[System Intervention Detected...]

[System Override Attempt: RETCON] [Status: Failing... Failing... Error!]

[Hidden Trait: Chaos Seed Detected.]

[Do you wish to activate Emergency Protocol: Chaos Seed?]

Y/N

Jae-hwan saw the window.

And this time, he didn't hesitate.

Y.

[Emergency Protocol Activated.]

[Binding Seed: Kang Jae-hwan]

[Trait Awakened: Chaos Seed - Origin Fragment]

[Effect: Narrative Independence temporarily enabled. Retcon Immunity applied for 60 seconds. Scenario Balance Disruption: 27%]

[Stat Boost: +50% to Strength, Speed, and Perception for duration.]

[Temporary Skill Unlocked: Edge of the Author Lv.0]

[Skill Description: You speak the words the world must obey. Duration: 1 minute.]

A pulse erupted.

The windows exploded.

Even Jin-hee staggered back, eyes wide. "What the—?"

Jae-hwan stood.

His bones still broken.

His skin still torn.

But his will had reconnected with something deeper—something louder than the system.

And the world was listening to him now.

[Edge of the Author: Command Phrase Initiated.]

He stepped forward and whispered:

"You will not touch her."

[Narrative Law Rewritten: Subject – Kwon Jin-hee | Restriction – No Harm to Han So-yeon]

[Effect Duration: 60s]

Jin-hee's body locked in place.

His hand trembled mid-air, unable to strike.

"Impossible... You accessed that this early?"

Jae-hwan didn't answer.

He turned to the Predator.

"Sit."

[Command Confirmed. Predator bound by ambient narrative distortion.]

The monster slammed into the floor like a whipped dog.

The passengers screamed, but Jae-hwan barely heard them.

He looked at So-yeon.

"Go to the next car. Now."

She stared, breath caught in her throat, then nodded quickly and rushed to help the others move.

Jae-hwan turned back to Jin-hee, who was still bound by narrative force.

"Tell me why you're here."

Jin-hee's smirk faltered. "The game's changing. You've read it. You know what's coming. The system's adapting faster than it should. We're trying to contain it."

"You mean control it."

"Same thing."

Jae-hwan stepped closer.

"I'm not letting you erase people just because they weren't in the script."

[Skill Duration: 10s Remaining]

Jin-hee's eyes narrowed.

"This story will eat you alive."

Jae-hwan met his gaze, burning.

"Then I'll write my way out of its stomach."

[Edge of the Author Duration Expired.] [Narrative Law Reinstated. System Balancing Initiated.]

The energy around them snapped.

Jin-hee straightened.

The Predator stirred.

The world trembled.

But the train was moving again.

[Scenario #1: 91% Complete]

[New Message: A third Reader has entered the scenario.]

To be continue...