Rin Evans.
The character I was transmigrated as… was modeled after me.
From his personality down to the smallest details.
At least, that's what the author himself told me.
When I first heard the news that I'd be appearing in his novel—well, a character based on me—I was thrilled.
…Until I actually read the novel.
Because that character?
Yeah. He died instantly in the prologue.
And let me tell you—I was pissed.
Turns out, my so-called friend had modeled this character after me for one reason and one reason only—so he could kill him off for fun.
That bastard.
I didn't know what he'd think about my actions now, but there was one thing I did know—I refused to let the character he painstakingly created die in despair right before my eyes.
Besides—
"I told you, half-baked depressing stories aren't popular."
Cheesy? Yeah, maybe.
But so what?
Cheesy clichés were way more popular than half-baked tragedy.
"It's too late! Burn and die…!"
An unstoppable attack.
Or at least, it should have been.
"Don't worry. You can block it."
It was a blunt thing to say to the protagonist who was about to close his eyes and accept death, but it wasn't meant for him to hear anyway.
Not with the distance between us.
For a brief moment, I hesitated. Could I really use the powers of a character from the novel?
…But talent was talent. It wasn't something that needed deep understanding—it was something you just knew how to use.
And Rin Evans—this character I had become—was no exception.
Despite the original intention behind his creation, Rin wasn't weak.
He had an A-rank talent, just like Ryen and Leo.
But unlike them, his talent came with a heavy penalty.
As I activated it, time seemed to slow.
My blood rushed through my veins at an unnatural speed, my senses sharpening as though the world had suddenly been placed under a magnifying glass.
A deep, overwhelming energy stirred within me—an energy I could feel being severed, forcefully drawn out.
The pain that followed was instant.
Like my body was being ripped apart from the inside.
But the power I gained in return?
It was nothing to scoff at.
The name of this ability—
Enhancement.
A skill bordering on omnipotence, allowing me to draw out the full potential of anything I touched—no matter what it was.
And now, that power settled upon The Holy Sword Of Justice.
Perhaps it was that sensation.
Or perhaps it was instinct.
But even as I stood before flames said to burn even the soul itself—I felt no fear.
The light dwelling within the holy sword surged.
Then, in a single motion—
I swung.
A blinding arc of light split the inferno apart, cleaving through the hellish flames.
My whole body felt like it was being ripped apart from the inside.
I thought I could handle the pain.
I was wrong.
The cost of using this talent… was my very essence—my Primal Qi, my soul energy.
And now, it was all gone.
So this is it, huh?
I'm going to die.
"What a fucking short life that was…" I muttered, a bitter laugh escaping me.
Thud—!
My body hit the floor, the last of my strength leaving me.
But it's fine.
I did my part.
I have enhanced Ryen's talent, it should enough to stop the DeathFlame of Kai Foster
Now, I can leave the rest to Ryen.
With that final thought, I closed my eyes.
***
[Ryen's POV]
Pain.
That was the first thing I felt.
A searing, gut-wrenching pain, like molten iron had been poured into my veins. My body screamed in agony, every nerve burning—but even worse than the pain was the shock.
Because the flames that should have devoured everything…
Had been cut apart.
By him.
By that guy—who now lay motionless on the ground.
I staggered, gripping my sword with trembling fingers, my breath ragged. The air was thick with smoke and scorched mana, but my eyes stayed locked on his fallen figure.
His body was deathly still, his breathing faint—barely there. The energy that had surged through him just moments ago, the power that had turned the tide of this battle…
Gone.
"What the hell did you do…?"
A second ago, he had been standing in front of me. He was —just another cadet—yet wielding a power I never even knew he had. He had changed everything. He had done the impossible.
And now—
"Keh…!"
A low, bitter chuckle snapped me out of my thoughts.
The bastard who had attacked Velcrest Academy.
His once-pristine robes were in tatters, his body scorched and battered. But those crazed, hate-filled eyes? They were still locked onto me.
"This… This wasn't supposed to happen," he snarled, clutching his burnt arm. His other hand gripped the Aether Core so tightly I thought it might shatter. "That bastard…! What the hell did he do?!"
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know either.
All I knew was that the moment he touched my sword—
Something inside me changed.
Power had surged through me.
Not just my own, but something greater. Something beyond my limits.
It was as if my instincts, my talent, my very existence had been reforged into something sharper, stronger—unstoppable.
And then, I understood.
That reckless bastard…
Somehow—I don't know how—he had enhanced me. Pushed my abilities beyond their natural limits.
And the price for that?
Was him.
He knew what would happen. He knew the cost.
But he did it anyway.
Just so I could fight.
Just so I could win.
I exhaled, tightening my grip on my sword.
I wasn't one for speeches. There was nothing left to say.
That villain? He wasn't leaving this place alive.
I stepped forward.
This time—
It was my turn.
—