The Novel's Extra: Scrapped

In a dark, abandoned factory used as the Chameleon Troupe's hideout, the presence of people was felt for the first time in some time.

Stuck to the surface of the concrete floor were ten shadows. All ten colors besides the currently empty seat of black were gathered in this place. It was to discuss the seat which had been empty for three years.

The shadows were positioned around a round table, watching a video projected by Droon. Shown on the video was what Droon had personally witnessed.

It was part of Droon's Gift, an ability which could project or materialize anything he experienced with his five senses.

[KWANG—!]

"Oh geez, that surprised me."

The end of the video was marked by a thunderous gunshot and a brilliant white flash.

When the video came to an end, the leader of the shadows signaled the start of the discussion.

"Raise your hand if you see potential."

However, the voting didn't begin, as a high-pitched voice quickly cut in.

"By the way, Boss…"

Boss stared at the source of the voice, a beautiful Caucasian woman.

"When did we become a group that needed to meet to analyze some greenhorn?"

Her complaint clashed with another woman's judging tone. The voice came from a woman wearing all sorts of jewelry as if modelled after cleopatra. 

"Hmm, weren't you there as well?"

"Yeah, it was just for a little bit of fun though." The caucasian woman replied with a click of her tongue.

A gentle voice interrupted.

"I think he has potential. Most importantly, I like that he doesn't have parents or a significant other."

"..."

The Boss remained silent before speaking up.

"...From this man, I confirmed the power of anti-magic."

Boss threw a glance at Droon.

Receiving the look, Droon projected another video.

The man in the video was using an ordinary gun to fight an opponent using qi reinforcement. When the bullet he fired shattered the qi enforcement, the weight of the air was clearly heavier than before.

"...It's illogical to think that the same thing will work against that guy just because he managed to break a qi enforcement of that level."

"Jain, Boss didn't say we were recruiting him right away. She asked if he had 'potential'. At least in my eyes, he seems to have it." The gentle voice chuckled snarkily.

"Fine, let's say we bring one in after they grow up. Black is the only colour we have, so is he getting that seat?"

Hearing the topic, a boulder-like man perked up.

"Then I'll take that colour."

"Rejected, you're too stupid."

"I also reject, I'm stronger."

"Then what do you bastards want to do?" Cheok Jungyeon huffed.

"Aren't there others? Are we just going to ignore Kim Suho and Minori Nii?"

"We're going to vote on them next. This discussion is for who we'll select as candidates." Droon piped up.

Troupe members who had remained silent began to speak up one by one. Voices overlapped on top of each other, causing a headache for Boss. She spoke in a suppressed voice.

"Show of hands."

Everyone immediately quieted down.

"We're voting."

With no other choice, the troupe members began to vote.

8:2

The ones in opposition were Jain, who already voiced her objection, and Cheok Jungyeon, who didn't like the man.

The rest of the members voted in favor.

"Hmph."

Jain snorted, clearly dissatisfied with the result.

"By the way, Jain, take this. It's an invitation letter for the VVIP masquerade party in France." Boss spoke with a dead pan as Jain stopped sulking almost immediately.

"Oh, stealing that ring, right? Don't worry."

"...One more thing, Jain." Droon looked at Jain.

"The Cube cadets will be there so could you confirm something for me?"

Jain tilted her head before nodding.

"Oh~ I see, I see."

She smiled mischievously.

…Minori POV…

Atop the city skyline a figure popped in and out of existence, travelling a total of three times before falling flat on his face.

The building he had landed on was cracked and broken but it would do.

The figure was Minori Nii, his face pale as he let out a long sigh. Mana exhaustion weighed on his mind even as he felt the stinging pain in his face from the bad landing.

The sky was already orange with dusk as the setting sun dipped below the horizon.

Embers of mana were snuffed as Minori used them to pull himself together.

Getting up, Minori staggered into the building, using the [Starlight Seer] to check for dangers before leaning up against the wall.

—Shhh

Minori slid down the wall and sat down.

'Three warps and I'm already out of mana… at least I don't seem to have a maximum distance.'

Minori quickly dampened the mana around him, bringing it to circle around him rather than enter his body.

The reason was simple, he would rather wait out the oncoming search than face it head on, and absorbing mana is the time when a mage is the most defenseless.

For that reason, he kept the mana around him thin and flowing. Enough to warp into a nearby building but not enough to be noticed.

In his hands was a small case with his papers and a few other things.

He'd have to hold out for the next few days and obscure himself. The place he picked was somewhat close to the Essence of the Straits base of operations.

Meaning if a fight broke out, all he'd have to do is cause a big enough explosion and wait for heroes to be deployed in around two or three minutes. 

"Ahh, what a huge mess."

Minori clenched and unclenched his fist before checking his screen. 

=======================

[Minori Nii] 

⊳Variable Stats

[Strength 7.9]

[Stamina 7.8]

[Speed 9.2]

[Perception 9 (+10)]

[Vitality 12 (+0)]

[Magic Power 24 (Affinity: Flame, Lightning)]

⊳Invariable Stats

[Intelligence – 6.118]

[Perseverance – 2.63]

[Luck – Null]

[Charm – 6.118]

⊳Special Stats

[Magic Power control – 85%]

[Mental Power – 44%]

[Dread – 23.78%]

⊳Gift

 「The Prophet and The Beast」[Spirit Attribute]

—The Prophet: 

The ability to feel, defile and defy the future. All Dreams have meaning, especially yours.

–Starlight Seer: 

Cover the world with shadow and stars, see the truth of past, present and future.

–Encryption:

An ability stemming from the code of time. Store all manner of things within the fog of history.

Proficiency in breaking and creating code has increased.

—The Beast

Generate fear in all that view your stride, have the will of a lord and the body of steel. Do not falter, trust in your senses, your instinct and your strength. Do not worry, you are still human. 

-Wild Blood:

The law of the jungle, might makes right is engraved in your very body! Stride with the lust for Blood and the confidence of the very Wild around you!

⊳Arts

[Arcana Interpretation Genius]

—The ability to understand all things magical to an immense level. 

—Mania may increase the more you know.

⊳Physique

[Blood Poison]

—Poison can only make you stronger. The stronger the poison the stronger your body becomes.

—Your blood contains and maintains the properties of poison.

—You can burn the poison in your body to increase your vitality.

—Overburning leads to sudden illness and iron deficiency.

—You become intoxicated when you drink blood.

=======================

'Looks like my magic stat almost doubled while my body remained stagnant. My vitality modifier has disappeared because I haven't been downing poison like a madman.'

Feeling mana exhaustion set in, Minori closed his eyes but continued to think.

'As for [Encryption], I used it by accident and seemed to have stored actions without realizing it… Such as swinging Omen to kill Ori earlier in the year… It seemed to have been decrypted right when I thought of doing a similar action.'

'The same happened before I could understand [Starlight Seer]. I'll probably be able to use it more deliberately from now on.'

The last rays of sunlight receded far beyond reach as the concrete structure fell into darkness once more.

A cool breeze passed through the building as silence truly set in.

… 

The day before Cube's classes would resume.

Many cadets had returned already along with many of the staff in order to prepare for the next day's class.

The first year dorm elevator had been fixed and miraculously, any evidence relating to the explosion in the medical practice club had been swept under the rug. Thus it was ruled as a gas leak with a hint of bad luck.

Today was also the day, Minori had trafficked himself into Cube, managing to avoid the many Djinn he saw at the portal gate.

After setting all of his stuff back in the dorms someone had contacted him and planned to meet in the park.

That someone was of course-

"Good afternoon Yeonha."

With a face and severe dark rings under his eye's Minori greeted the future successor of Essence of the Strait.

"Hello..." 

Yoo Yeonha greeted back in her own way. Her voice was strangely hoarse.

Minori made his way over to the park bench, noting how it was far from any cameras.

"Minori, I have something to ask."

Yeonha's black hair was tied in a messy bun and she had dark rings under her eyes. Her expression was heavy.

Minori hummed in amusement as he sat down next to her on the other side of the bench.

The girl placed her hands over each other while looking at Minori.

"How did you know?"

Yoo Yeonha paused, her face wrought with something akin to guilt as she clenched her fist.

"I listened to you. I-I sent people to- I… they all…"

She failed to begin her sentence as she looked at Minori with watery eyes. 

She then clenched her teeth and let out a sigh of frustration before looking down.

The truth is, that on the day of the monster wars, Yoo Yeonha had mobilized three students in the ten first year classes to track any suspicious teachers.

In three of those classes, there were indeed Djinns as teachers. Despite this, they did not transform until the students noticed how suspiciously unresponsive they were during the attack.

In other classes students died because they were suspicious of each other and not totally focusing on the monsters.

The death toll was around 30, and every single one of those deaths were Yeonha's spies.

In other words, Yoo Yeonha was feeling the weight of her actions. Before this, she thought it couldn't have gone wrong, that they'd be more careful… but not everyone was a top cadet.

It felt suffocating, like waking up to your mom trying to choke you out with a pillow.

The world she knew had been twisted, what she thought would be another rung to achieving her dream was nothing more than jumping off a cliff.

Her breathing became shallow as she remembered her father talking to people over the phone and hearing muffled pleas of grieving parents.

She had been comforted by her family but it never took any weight off. Every word felt unconvincing, as if telling her to forget about those she sentenced to death.

A hand came to rest on her shoulder as she flinched away, looking at the source.

Minori, with black hair and eyes, looking at her with a small smile.

"Yeonha…" He began softly.

A teary eyed Yeonha felt a warmth spread through her chest at that moment…

…only for it to shatter like glass.

"It was all your fault." 

"...w-wha?"

"It was all your fault. Everything. You sent those cadets with bright futures to their deaths."

"But-You-!" Yeonha stammered as she began feeling defensive.

"Me? I have nothing to do with this. I told you to keep an eye on the staff. Who told you to mobilize spies? Who told you to endanger others? Who told you to-"

"...stop…I-I didn't- I just wanted to help… I didn't think-I…"

Minori lay on the pressure as Yeonha's defense crumbled without even a slight resistance.

Her prideful nature had long been tossed into the wind. Now, she was on the verge of tears.

Feeling her begin shaking Minori sighed before speaking again.

"...But it's fine… You're right."

Minori pat Yeonha on the head, making her look down. This was also to prevent her from seeing the massive smile that contrasted his regretful tone completely.

"It wasn't totally your fault, I made a mistake too. I didn't completely outline the stakes."

Yeonha went completely silent excluding the soft sobbing as she felt the warm hand on her head.

"So let me start over."

The words were followed by a shuffling of cloth as Minori stood up and kneeled in front of Yeonha, causing her to gasp in surprise.

A gust of wind blew through as Minori smiled gently.

"From now on. To take responsibility for those who you've damned and to fulfill my own revenge. Let's wipe those filthy Djinn off the face of the earth together."

Yoo Yeonha was at a loss for words.

Yet her heart beat like none other.