POV – Hansoo

Hephaestus led Hansoo into his forge and proceeded to explain key information. “Your story is part of you. Existing outside time… yet, also limited by it. Stories consist of three parts. The past, present, and future.”

“Imagine this ingot is a story’s past.” Hephaestus gestured to an ingot laying beside the forge. “Depending on the ingot, the strength of the item created can be extremely different. Currently, you have a powerful ingot, but are barely able to utilize it.”

“A story can be crafted into the strongest shield.” Taking the ingot, Hephaestus summoned a fire and the metal turned into a liquid shield. “Or weapon.” As he spoke, the shield transformed into a sword.

Letting the liquid metal cool in the shape of a sword, Hephaestus continued. “Depending on the story, it will have different strengths and weaknesses. This is called the present of a story.”

“As you accomplish deeds, expectations will form regarding your story which boost its strength. ” Hephaestus gestured to a sword on the wall, “If a sword has survived slaughtering ten thousand monsters, it is expected to survive killing another monster. This is called the future of a story.”

Hephaestus stopped to speaking to check Hansoo understood everything he said, before continuing. “However, this is only my own understanding of stories. The other remnants of gods have different understandings. Once you learn to evoke your story, you will develop your own understanding of what a story is.”

Hansoo hadn’t heard of anything similar to this before.

Utilizing a story as a weapon or shield? How could that possibly work?

However, Hansoo understood that Hephaestus believed this to be true and wouldn't allow his pride to stop him from attempting it.

Hephaestus paused to let Hansoo ponder his words, continuing only when he received affirmation from Hansoo. “The initial step is to connect with your story. This is usually extremely difficult and time consuming. However, the barrier between the universe and the void is extremely thin here. Resulting in the unconscious use of your story to survive, making the process infinitely easier. “

Hansoo stopped him, “The void?” Hansoo said, thinking he’d heard the term before.

“The space between universe. Where primordial existences reside.” Hephaestus explained.

Soon, Hansoo remembered where he’d heard the term before.

When Hansoo questioned a cultists on the reason they were trying to destroy the universe. The cultist declared, “Destroying the universe will unleash the chains shackling our deity in the void.”

At the time, Hansoo had thought the cultist was spouting religious nonsense. Now it seems the cultist might have had critical information Hansoo lacked.

Refocusing on the topic at hand, Hansoo asked. “How would I connect with my story?”

Hephaestus' words were tranquil and hypnotic, “Close your eyes, focus your mind and body on the most intense moment of your past. Recreate it in your mind… Relive your story.”

As Hansoo slowly listened, Hansoo felt he had returned in time to his final battle with the ancient dragons.

The slashes that could cut apart mountains, dragons' breath that burned space itself. Friends and companions dying beside him. Sacrificing their lives to save his. The final strike that costs the lives of his companions leaving him alone to travel back.

Tear appeared in Hansoo’s eyes from reliving this corner of his history.

Hansoo attempting to dispel the sad thoughts from his mind.

However, Hephaestus quickly stopped him. “Don’t forget, don’t ignore your past. Connect with it. Remember and connect with your story.”

Hearing Hephaestus voice, Hansoo forced himself to remember. Remember every moment, every victory, every defeat… every death.

Suddenly, Hansoo felt as though he was submerged in cold water. The entire world became blurry and hard to focus on.

Yet, Hansoo didn’t feel as though he was drowning, instead he felt a tranquil peace washed over him.

Soon, it felt as though the water began to warm. Hansoo could feel his friends standing beside him… and Hansoo could almost hear them encouraging him to succeed.

Encouraging him to remember that they would always be fighting beside him.

Encouraging him to create friends to stand beside.

Encouraging him to save the universe.

The world slowly cleared and became easier to focus on.

A warm power spread throughout Hansoo’s body, reinforcing it.

Hansoo taken the first step to connecting with his story. Power flowed through his body consolidating his strength further. The power felt mysterious yet, familiar at the same time.

From now on, Hansoo's past would support him.

When the power finally consolidated after strengthening his body Hansoo’s strength had increased ten fold. However, the power didn’t disperse. It settled around his body acting like a barrier to protect him from harm.  

Hephaestus watched as Hansoo silently connected with his story before speaking. “The next step is learning to evoke your story. However, that is something you will have to discover for yourself. When you plan to leave, let me know. In the meantime, I suggest staying here until you decide to leave this place.”

Now that Hansoo had connected with his story, he could vaguely feel the stories of others. Causing Hansoo to understand that, although he had gotten more powerful, Hephaestus’ power was unimaginable.

This place was dangerous, if Loki or other people with malicious intentions decided to kill him, Hansoo would need Hephaestus’ help to have the slightest chance to survive.

Even the atmosphere around here was dangerous and constantly weighted down on him. Based on a rough calculation, Hansoo understood that he wouldn't be able to stay here longer than a week.  

However, for the time being, Hansoo decided to stay and attempt to learn how to evoke his story.

POV – Stanley

After questioning the torturers, Stanley tied them up with rope.

Luckily, they were more knowledgeable than Tanya.

Apparently, when people arrived here they decided to stay. This was in an attempt to avoid dealing with the guilds in the residential zone. Soon after, though, people began dying and after investigation, authorities discover that doppelgangers had replaced a small portion of the populous.

Secretly, the powerful began to investigate. However, the doppelgangers could easily change form and knew how to avoid tracking.

After wanton havoc, the culture in the zone changed to one of constant suspicion. Although the general populous hadn’t figured out doppelgangers existed, close friends and partners would suddenly betray one another.

It didn’t take long for paranoia and distrust run rampant, while trust became a cardinal sin.

The palace was abandoned soon after the cultural shift, keeping only the appearance to prevent the population from becoming suspicious.

Apparently, they believe the woman being tortured to be a doppelganger. Thus, they were trying to obtain information from her.

Is this why the Narrator didn’t want me to go this way?

Keep Scarlet aimed at the tied up man who’d surrendered, Stanley asked, “Is there any way to tell a doppelganger apart from a normal person.”

The man shifted awkwardly under the barrel of his gun and carefully responded, “None that we know of.”

“So, she could be an innocent person.” Stanley narrowed his eyes at the man, adjusting his finger over the trigger.

The man cautiously raised his hands slightly to indicate his surrender, although he couldn’t raise them far considering they were tied together. Speaking more clearly, the man clarified, “She can’t exactly be classify as innocent with the various crimes she’s committed… but, well, she could be a person.”

[Stanley knew he had made a mistake. Had he decided to properly go through the left door, this never would have happened. However, in his momentary confusion, he traveled through the wrong door mere seconds after entering the correct one.]

[Stanley to fix his error, he turned around and walked through the left door.]

Shush, Narrator. I’m thinking.

[Stanley knew perfectly well that standing around here wouldn’t accomplish anything. Yet, perhaps out of sheer idiocy, he stayed there and contemplated life.]

In the future, I shouldn’t get involved in situations that I don’t completely understand. From the prospective of these captors, they were simply doing their job. Yet, from an outside perspective, it seems to be a simple case of someone torturing a girl.

Wait. If the castle has been abandoned, why are they torturing her here? Why wouldn’t they do it elsewhere?

Unless… Are these three captors doppelgangers? If so, their testimony cannot be taken into account. The only proof of the woman’s crime is his words.

Keeping the gun trained on the captors, I removed the gag they’d placed in the lady’s mouth.

With a hoarse throat, the tortured woman barely managed to speak, “They’re doppelgangers, don’t listen to them.”

The tied up captor struggled and argued. “What! No, ignore her, she's a doppelganger.”

Well, this certainly makes everything more confusing.

However, those three torturers definitely have problems. Otherwise, it doesn’t make any sense to come into an abandoned palace to torture someone.

In any case, they were torturing her. Most people are aware that torture almost never provides valid information. With that in mind, their excuse for torturing her is flimsy at best. It’s far more likely that those three are doppelgangers rather than the woman.

Making a decision. Stanley released the woman, while keeping his gun trained on the captors.

[Stanley untied the woman, which unfortunately was a terrible idea. Stanley hadn’t realized that, in a room with five people, four were doppelgangers.]

Listening to the Narrator’s words, Stanley realized he had negated an important possibility.

The possibility that all of them were doppelgangers.

His back currently to the woman, Stanley attempted turning his gun toward her.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

The freed doppelganger had already picked up a metal pipe from the floor and knocked Scarlet out of his hand.

Backing Stanley into a corner the woman sincerely said, “Thank you. I thought, I would die in here.” Raising her pipe, she continuing. “Unfortunately, leaving you free to run around is a bad idea. Don’t worry, though, I'm not ungrateful. I’ll spare your life.“

Trapped in a corner with no time to recover from the sudden ambush, Stanley was easily knocked out by the extraordinary strength of the female doppelganger.

POV - Rin

[Year 2, Day 107… A week later]

Sidney and Bai Xiaobao were fighting against one another with sticks near the edge of a cliff. Tobias sat nearby letting them spar to their hearts’ content. Meanwhile, Rin rested on a nearby tree’s branch staring down at the scene below.

The scene was extremely calm and, since the storm had cleared up, contained a beautiful view beyond the cliff.

Rin, however, was not happy. Tobias had decided to randomly pick up a girl to take with them without bothering to consult or even slightly considering Rin’s feelings on the matter.

If Tobias wants to kidnap a girl into become his disciple, fine. However, to showcase her disapproval, Rin began ignoring him a week ago.

Far more annoyingly, though, is that Tobias hasn't even realized that Rin has been ignoring and refusing to talk with him.

With the current strategy failing, Rin began to consider other methods.

After considering, Rin made a decision.

Ignoring him obviously wasn’t working. Thus, Rin would do the opposite. Instead of snubbing Tobias, she would act as intimate and close as possible.

Jumping down from the tree, Rin relocated. Standing near Tobias, who seemed to be lost in thought. Rin promptly sat in his lap.

Tobias struggled slightly out of surprise, but didn't manage to knock Rin off.

Once he calmed down, Rin realized this method’s superiority. Tobias couldn’t ignore her and she got to enjoy the sensation of skin contact.

Soon Rin adjusted herself for comfort and rested her back on Tobias’ chest.

Watching Tobias’ disciples clash and fight with a beautiful blue sky behind them, while feeling Tobias' heartbeat and listening to the wind rustle leaves, Rin finally began to enjoy the view.