Extra Nobody

It was past midnight, and I had been monopolizing the evasion room for five hours straight. The room was plain and white, with walls to match, making the whole place feel sterile and disorienting. Barrels would randomly pop out of the walls, unleashing bouncy projectiles at me. It was basically dodgeball, but on a whole other level.

I dropped flat on my back, drenched in sweat. My chest heaved with exhaustion. I had barely finished stage one with just my raw stats. Every part of me screamed in frustration. With my Gift, Nobody Knows, I could have easily passed through every stage without literally breaking a sweat. All I had to do was stand still—the system would shut down and would think no one was here.

But using my Gift felt like cheating. There was no challenge in it, no growth. So I didn’t dare activate it. I relied solely on my own physical abilities, which, unsurprisingly, weren’t up to par.

I groaned, staring up at the white ceiling, feeling the weight of my own mediocrity pressing down on me.

To be frank, I was pissed. I wasn't a model character and was certainly not a good person, but damn Jonghak's words hurt. I remembered my confrontation with Chae Nayun. I managed to dodge two of her powerful attacks by alternately turning on and off my [Always Here], an aspect of my Gift that allowed me to blend with the background in plain sight. It was a weird ability that distorted the perception of others, yet they still continued to perceive me. That was why it took an on and off for it to work and mess up my foe's aim.

I could have trained this aspect of my Gift more if the sensors in the evasion room were better. If I used [Always Here] in this room, the system's aim would totally malfunction and attack everywhere. Frustration bubbled in my chest as I thought about how my skills felt limited by the environment.

“Why the hell does it have to be like this?” I muttered to myself, pushing myself up to a seated position. I wiped the sweat from my brow and glanced around the empty space. There was no one to witness my struggles, no one to cheer me on. Just me, the relentless barrels, and the white walls that felt like they were closing in.

With a deep breath, I resolved to push through. I needed to find a way to harness my abilities better, to refine my skills, and to prove that I was more than just the mediocrity I felt like.

My Gift, [Nobody Knows], had two aspects: [Always Here] and [Not Here]. If the former allowed me to distort perception, the latter tampered with the five senses, making it impossible for others to perceive me. While it would cost a lot of magic power, I could tell it would be my important trump card. However, every time I used it, the room wouldn't register me and just shut down.

I continued training like a madman. I launched myself to my feet and threw myself back into the fray, dodging the bouncy projectiles with renewed determination. Each successful evasion filled me with a fleeting sense of accomplishment, but it quickly dissipated as another volley rained down. I could feel my body protesting, muscles aching, but I pushed through the pain.

Sweat dripped down my forehead as I narrowly avoided another barrage. I could feel my heart racing, pumping adrenaline through my veins. I stumbled slightly but regained my footing, refusing to let fatigue take me down. The sterile walls blurred in my vision as I hyper-focused on the next barrel that popped up.

“Come on!” I shouted at myself, my voice echoing in the empty space. “You can do this!”

I pushed harder, straining against the limits of my body and mind. I had to keep going, to fight through the exhaustion. I needed to be more than just a name in the ranks; I needed to carve my own path.

I barely finished stage two. When stage three started, I was hit immediately in the face, kidney, and—oh joy—accidentally on the groin. I flapped on the floor like a fish out of water, wondering how I had managed to turn dodgeball into a personal torture session. The moment I thought I’d gathered myself, I got hit in the face again. The world went black, and I fainted.

When I woke up, I found myself in the infirmary, surrounded by the sterile smell of antiseptic and the soft beep of medical equipment. My face felt like it had been run over by a truck, and my body was sore in ways I never knew existed. The nurse, a stern-looking woman with a no-nonsense attitude, stood beside me with an eyebrow raised as if she had just caught me raiding the snack cabinet.

“Back at it again, huh?” she said, arms crossed.

Yep, this wasn’t my first time here in the infirmary.

After I got a scolding from Jonghak, I went to the evasion room and challenged stage 10 in a heroic attempt to prove the world wrong. It was legendary— I got floored so hard that instructor Kim Soohyuk had to get me out of there.

I groaned, trying to sit up but realizing I was far too weak. “I was just… testing my limits,” I muttered weakly, knowing that sounded about as convincing as a toddler claiming they didn’t eat the cookies.

“Testing your limits? You mean testing your face against the wall? Because that’s what it looked like,” she replied, rolling her eyes.

I wanted to laugh, but it hurt too much. “Well, the walls are very sturdy,” I said, trying to muster some semblance of humor. “I think they’ve got a better record than I do.”

She chuckled, shaking her head as she adjusted the monitor beside my bed. “You really need to learn when to use that Gift of yours, you know. I’m beginning to wonder if you’re trying to audition for a slapstick comedy instead of training.”

I managed a weak smile. “At least I’m entertaining someone,” I replied. “Maybe I should start charging for tickets.”

“Right,” she said, suppressing a grin. “Because the world needs to see you flop around like a fish. Just promise me you’ll stop trying to become a human piñata.”

I nodded, but the truth was, the thought of heading back into that evasion room sent shivers down my spine. “So, uh, how long do I have to stay here?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“Long enough for your ego to heal,” she said with a smirk. “You’ll be fine. Just take it easy for a bit.”

I leaned back against the pillow, letting out a sigh. “Yeah, because that’s my specialty—taking it easy. I’m basically a professional at pushing my limits to the brink of insanity.”

“Clearly,” she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other patients who aren’t trying to play dodgeball with their own faces.”

As she left, I checked my smartwatch. Not a day had passed, thankfully. I had a meeting with Chae Nayun and Kim Suho tonight, which meant I had to be somewhat functional. I glanced at the clock on the wall, noting that I could still make it to the afternoon class period. But… I'd rather be excused. Hmmm…

As a responsible student, I should probably rest. It wasn't because I hated history class—though I definitely didn’t love it. It was more about how my brain felt like scrambled eggs after that face-plant of a training session.

Besides, what was history without a little bit of drama? If I showed up, I might end up sharing a passionate retelling of my latest training debacle instead of learning about ancient civilizations. “And then I got hit in the face for the hundredth time, and the walls laughed at me!” would surely be the highlight of my day.

I let out a dramatic sigh, flopping back against the pillow. “Ugh, why can’t I be one of those students who thrives on learning about battles and treaties?” I muttered to myself, wishing for a moment that I could turn my life into a grand historical narrative. “Instead, I’m just a footnote in the history of epic fails.”

I reviewed what I knew of this world. Fifty years ago, the 'Outcall'—a catastrophic explosion of magic power—had shaken the world to its core. Following this event, mysterious entities began to pop up like weeds in a garden gone rogue. Towers, Dungeons, and monsters emerged, their existence sending humanity's foundations crumbling. The blue planet of humans turned into a hellscape. Monsters devoured humans with an insatiable hunger, while Towers and Dungeons churned out monsters like factories spewing chaos.

In the face of these calamities, humanity’s science and technology lost all meaning. Society collapsed, reverting to the law of the jungle. Survivors, driven by primal instincts, crumbled, losing the very virtues that made them human. It was a chaotic mess, and I had stumbled into this insanity.

Yet, amidst the hellfire, Heroes emerged like shining stars. With transcendental powers, they corrected the chaos. The world was reconstructed just as quickly as it had collapsed. With Gifts bestowed by heaven, they could perform miracles with the flick of their hands. Thanks to them, humanity regained its lost virtues, merging their revived spirit with advanced technology and science. Thus, 'magic science' and 'magic engineering' were born.

Eventually, Towers, Dungeons, and monsters were all designated as targets for destruction. But not all were created equal. Towers required numerous people and a long period to conquer—basically a full-scale military operation. Dungeons, on the other hand, were a mixed bag. Depending on their difficulty, a single person could raid one, provided they knew its location. Towers offered better rewards, housing treasures that humans had never even dreamed of—like a magical version of a clearance sale.

As I lay there, still feeling like a human piñata, it dawned on me: if I wanted to get stronger quickly, raiding a Dungeon was the way to go.

“Think of the loot!” I muttered, excitement bubbling up inside me. I could be like those Heroes, except instead of saving the world, I’d just be saving myself from getting my face smashed in by random projectiles.

I could already see myself donning some epic armor, wielding a ridiculously oversized sword, and triumphantly holding up some legendary artifact. “Behold! I have defeated the Dungeon of Doom!” I would declare, dramatically raising whatever magical treasure I found.

But first, I had to figure out how to actually find a Dungeon. I had heard tales of hidden entrances, mysterious maps, and cryptic clues, but it all felt a bit like trying to find a needle in a haystack while blindfolded.

“Ugh, why does everything have to be so complicated?” I groaned. “Can’t a guy just stumble upon a Dungeon like a lost puppy?”

I knew I needed to do some research—snoop around and gather intel. Maybe if I sat through that history class, I could pick up some useful tidbits about the old world and its secrets. But then again, I’d rather wrestle with a monster than sit through a lecture on the evolution of ancient civilizations.

“Alright, fine,” I sighed, staring at the ceiling. “I’ll check out the history class, but only if I can find a way to sneak snacks in.”

As I formulated my plans, a sudden realization hit me: if I was going to raid a Dungeon, I would need allies. Heroes rarely worked alone, after all. I needed to gather some trustworthy friends—preferably ones who wouldn’t hit me in the face.

“Nah, I could take it with the power of stealth.”

Still…

There wasn’t exactly a Dungeon just hanging around Cube, right? My meta-knowledge on the subject was a bit empty, like the brain of someone who had just face-planted into a wall. I couldn’t just stroll down the street and expect to find a glowing portal to a Dungeon inviting me in for a cup of tea.

I closed my eyes, trying to summon some of the vague knowledge I had acquired during my half-hearted attempts at studying the world’s history. There had to be something in there about Dungeons and their locations. Maybe I could dig up some rumors or legends?

“Or,” I continued, “I could just ask someone who actually knows.”

Chae Nayun and Kim Suho were bound to have some intel on the matter. After all, they were seasoned protagonists, and I was just the extra. They had probably already raided a few Dungeons themselves—or at least heard enough stories to know where to start looking.

Just as I was settling back into my daydream of glory and treasure, the door swung open, and in walked Kim Soohyuk, exuding an aura that could only be described as ominous. He looked like the kind of guy who could deliver bad news in a way that made you feel like you were about to step onto a battlefield—one you didn’t know you were entering.

“You have three weeks,” he announced, his voice deep and gravelly, sending a chill down my spine. “Prove yourself, or get expelled.”

Well, that certainly put a damper on my plans. I blinked, trying to process what he had just said. “Um, could you repeat that? Maybe in a less terrifying manner?” I replied, attempting to mask my sudden wave of anxiety with humor.

He crossed his arms, staring at me like I was some kind of insect he was about to crush. “I’m not joking. You need to step up your game. This is not a daycare. You need to show improvement or face the consequences. You are acting like it is your first day in the Agent Military Academy, but this is Cube… This is serious, Hyon Hyung.”

“Serious? Nope… This is…Sparta!”

“Another joke and I am going to expel you right now—”

“Right, improvement,” I mumbled, feeling the weight of the ultimatum hanging over my head like a heavy anvil. “No pressure or anything.”