Why are these goblins so impossibly fast?

Before I could even turn my body, one materialized right in front of me. 

Its wolverine-like claws reached for the sky before slashing downward.

Bang!

I don’t know what happened. 

All I saw was Yeom Ju-wan’s back. 

It turns out, he intercepted the goblin’s claws with his sword.

“Hey! Over here, you bastards!”

“This way! Aaaaah!”

In the distance, I heard Noh Ji-tae and Lee Hyo-jun’s voices. 

They were trying to draw the goblins’ attention away from me. 

Such nice children. 

“Yeon Sora! Get back into the magic circle, now!”

Yeom Ju-wan’s voice was urgent.

“…No, we have go together.”

“Just go! Now!”

Why was he telling me to leave, by myself?

I quickly understood why. 

His sword was caught between the goblin’s claws, hopelessly entangled. 

Breaking free would require tremendous force, but Yeom Ju-wan, still unawakened, couldn’t possibly match a dark goblin’s orc-like strength.

“I said go!”

I couldn’t just say “Thanks” and abandon him here like this. 

Maybe others would… but not me. 

I couldn’t let one of my favorite characters – after Gyun Jun-hwi and Ki Hyun-min – die like this. 

I had to help somehow… but how? 

And why hadn’t Ju-wan awakened yet? 

If only Yeom Ju-wan would awaken, these goblins would be nothing to him.

“Do you both have a death wish? Leave!”

The desperation in his voice triggered a realization. 

Awakening requires powerful will. 

But right now, Yeom Ju-wan’s desire to protect overshadowed his desire to kill. 

Wait—in the original story, didn’t Yeon So-ra die before his eyes? 

Was that what had triggered his awakening? 

If I survive… would that mean Yeom Ju-wan die instead?

“Damn it, you stubborn fool! Must I spend my life cleaning up after you? Get out!”

Despite his harsh words, I felt no anger. 

I saw right through him. 

He was just saying that, so that I would feel betrayed, and run back to safety on my own. 

“Fine, I’m going.”

As I stepped back, I noticed his muscles relax. 

But leaving him here would mean he would die. 

I was certain of it, evidence or not. 

So instead of heading toward the magic circle, I moved in the opposite direction, steadying my gun.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

I unloaded round after round into the goblin wrestling with Yeom Ju-wan. 

All of my previous hesitation about taking a life had vanished. 

Only one thought consumed me: Who do you think you’re messing with? Get away from him!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

After emptying the clip, the goblin finally collapsed. 

The ether bullets’ effectiveness proved this wasn’t an experimental creature. 

Pure luck. 

But Yeom Ju-wan’s face showed no relief.

“You idiot! Run!”

He grabbed my hand and we fled. 

I glimpsed several goblins closing in.

‘Ah, the gunshots!’

The noise must have attracted every monster lurking nearby. 

We had to reach the safety zone before they caught us.

“Huff, huff!”

My body felt like a puppet with tangled strings as we ran.

Whoosh!

A terrifying force made me instinctively twist, but I lost balance and tumbled. 

A searing pain shot through my left arm.

“Ye—Yeon So-ra!”

My arm burned white-hot. 

Something warm gushed out rapidly. 

I was been hit.

Was this really it? 

Dying after spending only one day in this world, during what amounted to a tutorial awakening test? 

How absurd—dying young, reincarnating, only to die young again.

“…will kill…” 

A bone-chilling voice echoed above me. 

It was Yeom Ju-wan’s, yet sounded somehow foreign. 

I barely managed to open my eyes. 

Through my heavy eyelids, I saw a few goblins consumed by flames. 

My dear Ju-wan had finally awakened.

“Hold on, just a little longer.”

He gently lifted me and carried me back into the magic circle. 

My left arm still burned, but strangely, the pain felt distant—as if my brain had shut down from the sheer intensity of pain. 

Everything grew hazy. 

Yeom Ju-wan patted my head once before turning away.

“Wh…where…are you going?” 

My tongue felt too heavy for words.

‘Where else? To exact revenge, obviously.’

Yeom Ju-wan was burning with rage—quite literally. 

Red flames danced where his hair should have been. 

*You’re really angry now, aren’t you?* 

I couldn’t help but think, *It would’ve been nice if you’d gotten this mad before I got injured,* but what’s done was done. 

All I could do now was cheer him on. 

With a wry smile, I settled in to watch Yeom Ju-wan’s performance.

If I was going to die, at least my final sight would be Yeom Ju-wan’s awakening. 

Here’s hoping it would be spectacular.

Fwoosh!

A baseball-sized fireball shot from Yeom Ju-wan’s hand. 

He was throwing them like a pitcher… 

Hmm, not exactly awe-inspiring. 

I felt somewhat disappointed. 

I was expecting one of his flashy skills – like the blazing arrows or rain of flaming spears from the sky—what was it called again? Flame Barrage? 

All those dramatic scenes I’d pictured while reading the novel flashed through my mind.

But sadly, those high-level skills only emerged later in the story. 

They were beyond Yeom Ju-wan’s current capabilities.

Methodically launching his modest fireballs, Yeom Ju-wan advanced toward Hahm So-bong. 

Small as they were, these fireballs packed a punch—like tiny but potent chilies.

Fwoosh! 

One goblin incinerated.

Fwoosh! 

Two goblins reduced to ash.

Fwoosh! 

Three—wait, why wasn’t this one falling?

The third goblin was different. 

It stumbled after the first fireball but managed another step forward. 

After the second hit, it seemed to march with even greater determination.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

The more fireballs Yeom Ju-wan hurled, the more relentlessly the creature advanced. 

A yellow gleam flickered in the goblin’s eyes.

Oh no… yellow eyes! 

This was one of those experimental monsters with the ability to grow stronger with each hit.

Yeom Ju-wan’s cute little flames weren’t enough to deal critical damage to this experimental subject. 

Each fireball only energized the goblin further.

“Sto…”

Stop it.

“Brin…”

Bring him here now.

“Can…”

Can anyone hear me?

Someone had to stop Ju-wan.

I managed to part my lips, but my teammates didn’t even notice my attempts to speak.

“If I attack from behind, you can come in from here…”

Noh Ji-tae and Lee Hyo-jun were excitedly devising a rescue plan for Yeom Ju-wan. 

So well-meaning. 

But, guys…

“Don’t…”

Don’t do that.

They were about to add further fuel to the experimental monster. 

I desperately wanted to stop them, but my body lay like stone, refusing to move. 

Though helpless, my mind raced to find a way to save Yeom Ju-wan.

Evolution! 

If Yeom Ju-wan could evolve, that would solve everything, right? 

But could someone who just awakened evolve so quickly? 

No—if it’s my favorite character, he could! 

Evolve now! 

Amplify your flames! 

You can do this, right? 

Just show me this once, before I die! 

Please, please, please, please!

Just as I was silently pleading,

【The Goddess of the Tower answers your plea.】

【The Goddess of the Tower acknowledges you as a Tower Champion.】

【Checking unique trait.】

【Analyzing ▶▷▷▷▷】

Awakening? 

Now, of all times?

【Your unique trait has been identified.】

【Unique Trait: Devoted Reader】

【Would you like to view your stats and skills?】

This wasn’t the time to leisurely review my stats. 

I hastily dismissed the flood of pop-up windows and searched for what I needed. 

Skills! 

I need a skill to save Yeom Ju-wan!

【No skills have been generated.】

【To generate a skill, send a wish to the Goddess of the Tower.】

Why even grant me an awakening, without a skill? 

Damn the goddess! 

Damn the novel! 

Damn the author!

“On three, we go.”

“Hold up, let me mentally prepare first.”

The team members were hesitating to energize the goblins. 

I had to stop them somehow, but how? 

I couldn’t move a muscle! 

All I could do was cheer uselessly from the sidelines. 

Please, Yeom Ju-wan! 

Evolve! Right now! 

Get stronger, now! 

I’ll do anything… please!

【The Goddess of the Tower answers your plea.】

【A unique skill, <Bravo, my favorites> has been created.】

What?

【Unique Skill <Bravo, my favorites>】

【Description: Enhances all stats of the designated target through the Law of Equivalent Exchange.】

【Activation Condition: Affinity must exceed 90%, requires equivalent-value medium.】

【One target within range meets the skill criteria.】

【Skill Target: Yeom Ju-wan】

I didn’t fully grasp it, but this wasn’t the time for questions. 

I had to act.

【You need an equivalent-value medium required to activate skill.】

A medium? 

I had nothing on me… except my body… 

Then, my eyes involuntarily drifted to the pool of blood beneath me.

【”Yeon So-ra’s blood” selected as medium.】

【Medium acknowledged.】

【Unique skill <Bravo, my favorites!> activated.】

【Effects limited due to low level.】

【Duration: 10 seconds】

【Effect: All stats increase by 300%】

Wooom!

The blood pooled around me lifted into the air.

Swoosh!

The crimson puddle scattered into thousands—no, tens of thousands of tiny droplets, creating a scarlet mist. 

The mist encircled Yeom Ju-wan before seeping into his body.

Fwoooosh!

The fireball in his hand swelled from baseball-size to basketball-size. 

The flame roared with newfound intensity, its power incomparable to before.

Fwoosh!

The massive fireball struck the yellow-eyed goblin dead-on. 

The creature convulsed in agony before crumpling to the ground. 

Well done! 

But it wasn’t over—five more monsters charged toward Yeom Ju-wan, all with those cursed yellow eyes.

Fwoosh!

Fwoosh!

Fwoosh!

He managed two more basketball-sized fireballs, but by the third, the flames had shrunk again. 

The 10-second window had closed.

“Ugh!”

A goblin’s steel claws raked across Yeom Ju-wan’s face, leaving an angry red line on his pristine skin.

“No… no…”

It felt like my heart was being shredded. 

The pain was excruciating.

“Come on, then!”

Yeom Ju-wan raised his sword. 

He was so cornered he couldn’t spare energy for fire magic. 

His crude swordsmanship made my stomach knot with anxiety. 

If only I had some power to help…

Drip—

Another red line carved into Yeom Ju-wan’s delicate cheek, this one deeper, running from beneath his eye to his mouth.

“Ah…”

My mind went blank.

That beautiful face… 

How dare they… do this to him?

Rage erupted within me. 

Never had I felt such burning hatred toward any living thing. 

These damned yellow-eyed monsters. 

“You’re all…”

Dead to me. 

【The Goddess of the Tower answers your plea.】

【A unique skill, <Just Like My Favorites!> has been created.】

【Unique Skill <Just Like My Favorites!>】

【Description: Replicates all stats and skills of the designated target.】

【Activation Condition: Affinity must exceed 90%, requires mana.】

【One target within range meets the skill criteria.】

【Skill Target: Yeom Ju-wan (Lvl. 99)】

【Unique skill <Just Like My Favorites!> activated.】

【Effects limited due to low level.】

【Duration: 10 seconds】

【Mana Cost: 10】

【Casting Yeom Ju-wan’s skill <Flame Barrage>.】

The translucent window flickered rapidly, text barely readable. 

But it didn’t matter—I knew what it meant.

A radar materialized in my vision, revealing seven red triangles within range, each marked [Enemy (WARNING!)].

Annihilate them.

Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!

Seven spears of flame rained down from the heavens.