The Extra’s POV : I can only use Dash

As soon as we left the simulation room, Sae-jin and I were completely drenched in sweat. We had been training intensely for about an hour, but the difference between us was clear:

Sae-jin was still standing, full of energy, while I was completely exhausted, lying on the floor.

"Ha… ahh… never… again…"

"Sugil, are you already dead? We've only been training for an hour!"

Sae-jin wiped the sweat from his forehead with a confident smile. I couldn't deny it—it gave him a certain charm.

Easy for him to say when he's the protagonist and has all the talent!

I thought, looking at him with dark, resentful eyes.

Then Eve clapped her hands as she walked out of the room after us.

"I have to say, boys, you did an amazing job!"

She smiled brightly before turning to Sae-jin.

"Especially you, Sae-jin. That was incredible. You managed to defeat a Rank D monster at stage 5 in less than four minutes. I never expected you to have such talent! And… it seems like you've caught the attention of someone very important."

What does she mean? Someone important? Who?

But more than that, what shocked me was—

He defeated the [Axe-Wielding Skeleton] in four minutes?!

I stared at him, my eyes practically popping out of their sockets.

The Sae-jin from the original novel was strong at the beginning of the story. In fact, he was the strongest among the first-year students, but that very strength isolated him from others.

With the trauma of the 50th Tower incident weighing on him, he was…'alone'.

Even though he was surrounded by the main cast and spent time with them, there was always a sense of distance, like he was in a world of his own.

But the Sae-jin standing in front of me… he was different. I couldn't explain it, but he felt more alive. Had I done something that changed him?

"And where did you learn that sword style you used against the skeleton?"

Eve asked, narrowing her eyes.

Huh? A sword style?

"Oh… um, I learned it from my grandfather," Sae-jin replied, avoiding her gaze with an awkward smile.

"That's strange. It looks a lot like the Seijuro style."

"R-really? I had no idea…"

Wait—the Seijuro style?!

In the original novel, Sae-jin didn't even know about that style during his first year. He only discovered it in the middle of his second year while exploring the lower floors of the 24th Tower.

How did he learn it so early?!

At that moment, I was sure—my actions hadn't just slightly altered the story. Something had already changed.

But how? Did he go to the 24th Tower earlier? What pushed him to do that?

"…Alright, I believe you," Eve finally said, though she still seemed skeptical.

She stretched and sighed.

"Alright, boys, we're done for today! Get some rest because we have classes tomorrow. Same time for training!"

Then she turned to me.

"And Sugil, do you remember the way to the cafeteria?"

"Uh… ah… yes…"

She gave me a sharp look, making sure I was telling the truth. I quickly nodded under the pressure.

"Good. See you tomorrow!"

She gave us a wink before walking off toward her dorm, leaving me and Sae-jin alone.

"Well, Sugil, shall we go?"

Sae-jin stretched with a big smile.

"…Yeah."

As we walked side by side toward our dorm, my thoughts spun in my head.

'This isn't normal. This isn't normal at all.'

In most novels I've read, where the main character is in the same situation as me, inconsistencies only start appearing later in the plot.

But for me :

'THERE'S ALREADY A MAJOR ANOMALY'

As I struggled to make sense of it, Sae-jin suddenly spoke.

"Hey, Sugil…"

"Huh? Yeah, Sae-jin?"

"I wanted to ask you something… do you know about the 'Constellations'?"

'Oh…'

I had forgotten about them.

'The Constellations—deities from another world who have already faced the calamities that are the towers. They take the forms of gods we've worshipped for thousands of years so they can feel familiar to us.'

In the novel, Sae-jin's Constellation was a mystery. We never knew its real name or origin, only its title: 'The False God.'

"Uh… yeah, like everyone else. Why do you ask?"

Sae-jin, at the beginning of the novel, was completely unaware of the existence of sponsors and had no interest in getting involved with them. So why is he bringing it up now?

"Do you… know a deity called 'The False God'?"

.

.

'What?'

This wasn't just a minor change in the story. This was a complete shift in the narrative.

[Quest: Reach Level 5 during the entrance exam

Rewards: New card abilities of 1 or 2 stars, gain points in STR and END.

Failure to complete the quest within the time limit will result in penalties for the next 10 days. Quest difficulty: RANK F.]