The paper slipped from Noah’s fingers.
For a moment, nobody noticed.
The noisy lobby remained filled with excited applicants discussing their examination sites.
Noah couldn’t hear any of them.
His entire focus was locked onto the single sheet lying at his feet.
Blackthorn Forest.
The name meant nothing.
And that was the problem.
Noah had read hundreds of Chapters of the novel.
He remembered kingdoms.
Dungeons.
Characters.
Academies.
Even obscure side stories.
Yet he had never heard of Blackthorn Forest.
Not once.
Not a single mention.
His stomach tightened.
This wasn’t a deviation anymore.
This was something entirely new.
Something that didn’t belong in the story.
"Noah?"
Eric’s voice broke through his thoughts.
The blond teenager frowned.
"You look like you’ve seen a ghost."
Noah quickly picked up the paper.
"What examination site did you get?"
"Silverwood Canyon."
Eric shrugged.
"Lucky me."
Noah’s expression darkened.
Silverwood Canyon.
That was one of the original examination locations.
A dangerous place.
But normal.
Part of the story.
Part of the world he knew.
Blackthorn Forest wasn’t.
"Have you ever heard of Blackthorn Forest?" Noah asked.
Eric blinked.
"No."
The answer came immediately.
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
Just confusion.
"No one has."
A new voice joined the conversation.
Both boys turned.
The academy official stood nearby.
His expression was strange.
Almost uneasy.
Noah’s pulse quickened.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
The official glanced toward the envelope.
Then sighed.
"I’ve worked for the academy for sixteen years."
His voice lowered.
"And this is the first time I’ve ever seen that location."
A chill crawled down Noah’s spine.
Even the academy didn’t know it.
Wonderful.
Just fucking wonderful.
The official hesitated.
Then spoke again.
"You should prepare yourself."
Noah frowned.
"For what?"
The man’s eyes lingered on the crimson sentence written beneath the location.
For a brief moment, genuine fear appeared on his face.
Then it vanished.
"Nothing."
The lie was obvious.
The official turned and walked away.
Noah stared after him.
His instincts screamed.
Danger.
The same feeling he’d experienced last night.
The same feeling that came with the voice.
"Found you."
Something was happening behind the scenes.
Something connected to him.
And he had absolutely no idea what it was.
—
Night arrived quickly.
The dormitory was unusually quiet.
Most students were resting before the examination.
Noah sat alone in his room.
The paper remained spread across the desk.
Blackthorn Forest.
The words seemed almost alive.
Like they were watching him.
The countdown continued above them.
[51:12:33]
Less than three days remained.
Noah rubbed his temples.
His future knowledge was becoming increasingly useless.
The original plot was falling apart.
The mysterious voice.
The black feather.
The impossible examination site.
Everything pointed toward one conclusion.
Someone—or something—was interfering.
A sudden knock interrupted his thoughts.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Noah immediately stood.
His hand drifted toward the knife.
"Who is it?"
Silence.
His eyes narrowed.
The knock came again.
Slower this time.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
No answer.
No footsteps.
No breathing.
Nothing.
The hallway beyond the door remained completely silent.
Noah’s heartbeat accelerated.
Then—
The room darkened.
Not gradually.
Instantly.
Every candle extinguished at once.
The moonlight vanished.
Darkness swallowed everything.
"What the fuck?"
Noah stepped backward.
A terrible pressure descended upon the room.
Ancient.
Monstrous.
Wrong.
His knees nearly buckled.
Then he saw them.
Two crimson eyes.
Floating in the darkness.
Watching him.
A deep voice echoed throughout the room.
Neither male nor female.
Neither human nor beast.
Something older.
Something terrifying.
"The story is breaking."
Noah couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t think.
The crimson eyes continued staring.
"And you are the reason."
The pressure intensified.
Cracks spread across the walls.
The furniture trembled violently.
Fear flooded Noah’s body.
Yet beneath that fear...
Something else stirred.
Something hidden deep within his blood.
Something ancient.
Something sleeping.
The crimson eyes seemed to notice.
For the first time, the entity sounded surprised.
"...Interesting."
The darkness began retreating.
The pressure disappeared.
The room returned to normal.
The candles reignited.
Moonlight returned.
Silence filled the room once more.
The entity was gone.
Noah stood frozen.
Sweat dripped from his face.
His heart hammered against his ribs.
Then a new crimson message appeared before him.
Unlike the countdown.
Unlike anything he’d seen before.
The words slowly formed.
One line at a time.
[Hidden Condition Met.]
Noah’s eyes widened.
A second line appeared.
[Unknown Authority Has Taken Interest In You.]
A third line followed.
And this one nearly stopped his heart.
[Ragnarok System: Early Activation Sequence Initiated.]