The doors hissed open.
Steel clanked beneath heavy boots as the last survivors stepped out of the train and onto the cracked, blood-splattered platform of Danton Station. The station was unlit. Abandoned. The only light came from emergency lamps flickering along the tunnel walls.
Noah Graves scanned the surroundings with sharp, unreadable eyes.
His body still trembled from the adrenaline of the last 30 minutes, but his mind—calm as glass—remained locked onto a single truth:
Lucien isn't coming.
The plot was broken. The main character of Endgame Protocol had vanished. Replaced by him.
Then it's my story now.
The faint hum of a prompt appeared before his eyes.
[You have cleared Main Scenario #1.]
– Bonus Condition Met: Leadership (First Decision-Maker)
– Total Coins Earned: 600
– Scenario Grade: A
– You are currently ranked #1 among participants in Danton City Sector.
[Choose Your Starting Attribute Path:]
Strength: +5
Agility: +5
Constitution: +5
Intelligence: +5
Insight: MAX (Locked)
Noah didn't even blink.
Strength.
He tapped it.
[Strength increased by 5.]
[Basic Attribute Tree Unlocked.]
In truth, his real weapon wasn't his body. It was his knowledge—the thousands of chapters he'd read, memorized, dissected in boredom over the years. He already knew what to do, where to go, and most importantly, who to find.
But the rest of the survivors didn't know that.
"Is it over?" a voice broke the silence.
Noah turned. The speaker was a woman in her early twenties, her eyes red from crying, her hands still trembling. Her dress was torn at the hem. She clutched a broken purse like a lifeline.
Her name was Seraphine Lorne. In the novel, she became the Flame Judge—one of the core companions of the protagonist. Normally, she awakened in Scenario #2 after losing her brother.
But here she was… early.
The story had already changed.
Noah nodded. "For now."
"Where are we? The station's empty. No rescue, no signal. What is this?"
"We're still inside the Scenario," Noah replied. "Clearing one doesn't mean we're safe. This is a chain."
Before she could respond, a second prompt shimmered into view:
[Main Scenario #2: Sponsor's Mark]
– Objective: Form a Binding Contract with a Watcher
– Time Limit: 1 Hour
– Failure: Death
– Tip: Not all Watchers are equal.
Murmurs spread like fire among the other survivors.
"What's a Watcher?"
"Contract? What the hell does that mean?!"
"They're like gods," Noah said, voice cutting through the panic. "They observe our lives for entertainment. Some are cruel. Some are helpful. All of them want something."
"How do we get one?"
A shimmering portal opened above the platform—like a tear in space stitched with starlight.
Through it, they came.
Beings of impossible shapes. Some were human-shaped but wore no faces. Others looked like eyes made of shadow, dragons made of books, angels draped in vines, mechanical children. Dozens hovered above them, watching. Judging.
[The Watchers have arrived.]
[Prepare to offer your worth.]
Then, laughter.
Ashtiel descended once more, blue flame trailing behind like royal silk.
"Well done, reader," the Watcher said, hovering at Noah's eye level. "You did not disappoint. It seems the game enjoys your deviation."
"You're one of the lesser-class Watchers," Noah said coldly.
That made Ashtiel raise an eyebrow. "Oh? You remember that much?"
"Observer-class. Rank C. You meddle in early Scenarios and like dramatic monologues. But you're not a combat sponsor. You won't give me a strong stat boost."
The Watcher chuckled. "So cruel to your first supporter."
"I want a Dominator-class sponsor," Noah said bluntly. "Someone who deals in Authority Skills. Dozens should appear in this Scenario."
Ashtiel smirked wider.
"Oh, I like you."
A second portal cracked open above them. A cold wind poured through.
From its depths stepped a towering figure, wrapped in shadowy robes and gold bands. His face was hidden beneath a steel mask that hummed with static. The others flinched instinctively, even without knowing why.
Noah didn't.
He knew this figure.
The Watcher of Ruin's Oath.
One of the oldest sponsors in the story—a Dominator-class entity known for granting one of the most destructive skill sets in the entire series. In the original timeline, Lucien made a deal with him in Scenario #4.
But Noah wasn't waiting.
[The Watcher of Ruin's Oath is observing you.]
[He is intrigued by your defiance.]
[He offers you a contract.]
Noah stepped forward.
[Do you accept the contract with the Watcher of Ruin's Oath?]
[Y/N]
His finger didn't tremble.
[Y.]
A brand scorched into his wrist—dark red and shaped like a collapsing crown.
He bit his lip as pain surged through his body. Not just physical pain—but systemic restructuring. Data rebalancing. Attributes changing.
[You have received the Title: Branded of the Oath.]
[Exclusive Skill Acquired: Ruin Step Lv.1]
[Passive Effect: Despair Immunity (Lesser)]
[Skill Effect: Every movement builds kinetic destruction. Can rupture terrain or armor with momentum. Warning: Difficult to control at low levels.]
Noah fell to one knee, gasping—but smiling.
The knowledge was power.
But now, he had power to match it.
He rose slowly.
The other survivors stared, wide-eyed.
"What… what are you?" one of them whispered.
Noah turned toward them, eyes glowing faintly red from the mark.
"I'm a reader," he said. "And I know exactly how this story ends."
[Scenario #2 Time Remaining: 00:53:12]
[8 Contracts Remaining…]