Teenager

I was a teenager now.

"What the hell is going on?" I muttered, teetering on the edge of a full-blown breakdown.

A voice cut through my panic. "What's the problem, Heiun? Why are you shouting?"

I blinked, my mind scrambling to process what I'd just heard. Heiun?

Looking around, I realized I was seated in a massive lecture hall, surrounded by at least three hundred students. Rows upon rows of uniformed figures sat at their desks, some watching me with mild curiosity, others snickering.

And then it clicked.

I'm Heiun.

The name sent a jolt of recognition through me. Heiun—the twin brother of the protagonist, Inzuru. His counterpart. His rival. In my novel, their fates were deeply intertwined, their relationship built on tragedy and resentment.

"I am now Heiun..." I muttered under my breath.

Laughter erupted around me.

"Come and stand in front of me," the teacher ordered.

Still dazed, I obeyed, walking to the front of the lecture hall.

The teacher studied me with narrowed eyes. "What's wrong? Didn't get enough sleep?"

"I'm sorry, sir. Just... a bit of brain fog," I said, trying to sound normal.

The teacher sighed. "Go wash your face and clear your head."

I nodded quickly and left, stepping out into the academy halls.

Where the hell is the washroom?

With no idea where I was going, I just kept walking, hoping to stumble upon it. The academy's architecture loomed around me—grand, gothic, and imposing. Outside, the autumn sky stretched gray and overcast, dull sunlight filtering through thick clouds. A cold breeze whispered through the stone corridors, carrying the scent of fallen leaves.

I soon spotted a younger student walking outside and hurried toward him. As I approached, he flinched, his entire body tensing as if expecting the worst.

"Where's the washroom?" I asked, keeping my tone as neutral as possible.

His hands trembled as he pointed in a direction, avoiding eye contact.

I sighed and gave him a pat on the back—more out of habit than comfort.

The facility was surprisingly luxurious for a school, featuring marble countertops and ornate brass fixtures that gleamed under magical lighting. I approached one of the sinks and splashed cold water on my face, hoping it might somehow wake me from what still felt like an impossible dream. Looking up, I caught my reflection in the mirror and froze, mesmerized.

"Beautiful" was the only word that came to mind. Heiun's face was striking—high cheekbones, penetrating amber eyes with subtle vertical pupils like a cat's, and flawless pale skin that contrasted sharply with his jet-black hair. Unlike his twin, whose features I'd described as "open and sincere" in my novel, Heiun's expression held a natural intensity even in repose. It was even more of an experience for me realising this is how my main character would look too.

My collar was partially unbuttoned, revealing intricate tattoos spreading across my chest. Curious, I opened my shirt further to discover that my entire upper body was covered in them—arcane symbols and beast forms rendered in black ink that seemed to absorb rather than reflect light.

I focused particularly on the tattoo decorating my right hand—a coiled dragon that wrapped around my wrist and extended its head onto my palm. As I examined it, something extraordinary happened. Translucent text appeared in my field of vision:

12 Shadow Technique - Activate?

"No," I thought, responding instinctively.

The tattoo responded to my mental command, the dragon design briefly twisting and writhing as if alive before settling back into immobility. This wasn't just artwork—it was magic, a physical manifestation of Heiun's signature power.

"I now possess the evil twin brother of the MC," I whispered, letting the reality of the situation sink in. "What is happening?"

I noticed the same countdown timer in my vision that I'd seen while possessing Deculein: 03:44:23... 03:44:22... 03:44:21...

"So after this timer runs out, I will probably switch again," I reasoned aloud, trying to make sense of the pattern. I seemed to be shifting between characters from my own creation—specifically, antagonistic characters who opposed the protagonist.

Then a realization struck me. "Dragons," I murmured, remembering my answer to the game's initial prompt. Perhaps that was the connecting thread? Deculein was a dragon rider, while Heiun possessed shadow dragons through his tattoo magic. Was I cycling through dragon-themed villains from my own story?

I glanced out the washroom window, the crisp autumn air beckoning me. Without hesitation, I pushed it open and leaped outside.

I landed effortlessly, knees bent, my quads absorbing the impact with ease. The movement felt natural—instinctive, as if my body had always been built for this.

For a moment, I just stood there, exhaling slowly.

I wasn't sure what had come over me. Maybe the shock of being thrown into this world was finally catching up. Maybe I was testing my limits.

Or maybe… deep down, I was hoping to wake up from this dream.

Or maybe I wasn't.

"12 Shadow Technique- Activate ?"

"Yes" I muttered in my brain.

"(1) Rat

(2) Ox

(3) Tiger

(4) Rabbit

(5) Dragon

(6) Snake

(7) Horse

(8) Goat

(9) Monkey

(10) Rooster

(11) Dog

(12) Pig"

"Dragon"

And then boom ,the dragon tattoo on my chest seemed to ripple beneath my skin, then literally peeled itself away from my body. It emerged first as a dark silhouette, then expanded rapidly, coalescing into a full manifestation that coiled protectively around me.

A Chinese dragon 15 metres in length composed entirely of pure darkness, with its form flickering slightly at the edges like a living silhouette. Its glowing blue eyes, pierces through the shadows with an eerie, otherworldly intensity. Lacking distinct bodily features it exuded a constant wisp of black mist that made it seem both spectral and menacing. Standing motionless until commanded, it gave off an unsettling presence, like a silent, unwavering snake ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"Ha ha" I just said the words 'ha ha' , maybe i was going insane .

*some hours later*

I found myself in the dean's office.

Apparently, what I'd done outside was a clear violation of the academy's rules. Instead of punishing me outright, they had me sit through all my lectures as usual before finally calling me in. Not immediately—of course not. The dean had a packed schedule.

But she had made time for me.

Not because I was an exceptional student. Not because I was important to the academy.

But because she was Heiun's mother.

"For what offence have you been summoned?" she asked, her voice devoid of emotion—calm, cold, unreadable.

I flicked my gaze to the corner of my vision.

00:01:42… 00:01:41… 00:01:40…

Just a little longer.

"My apologies, Mother," I said evenly.

Her eyes sharpened. "Mother? You cannot call me that here."

Well that was something I didn't knew. 'You cannot call me that here.'

Right. Heiun only appeared later in the novel as a shady, elusive villain. His perspective was never explored—his story left in the shadows.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," I said, forcing the words out.

I had no clue how to handle formalities, no idea how to speak to people in power. What was I supposed to do? Play along? Act like the villain he was meant to become?

None of it mattered.

I was just waiting for the timer to hit zero—waiting to switch again, most likely switch again.

She regarded me with cold eyes that revealed nothing of her thoughts. "Well, in punishment, you will have five days of your attendance deduc—"

Before she could finish, my vision abruptly cut to black. The switch I'd been anticipating had come, right on schedule.

I found myself once again in the strange void, existing as the disembodied white flame. The familiar timer counted down: 00:00:59... 00:00:58... 00:00:57...

"What happens to the original characters after I switch?" I wondered to myself. "Do they freak out, wondering what happened during their lost time? Or is there something else going on?"

Before me hovered the six options I'd seen before: DEVA, ASURA, ANIMAL, HUMAN, PRETA, NARAKA. This time, both DEVA and HUMAN were grayed out, each with its own timer displayed above. The pattern was becoming clearer.

"I think I'm getting the theme now," I realized. "I'm cycling through villains with dragon connections, each possession lasting about four hours before I switch again. Six options, twenty-four hours in a day—four hours each. That makes sense."

A deeper understanding began to form. These six "paths" or character types seemed to mirror the six powers that the protagonist developed throughout my novel. Each antagonist I was embodying represented a counterforce to one of the power of mc.

The timer continued its countdown: 00:00:19... 00:00:18... 00:00:17... 00:00:16...

I had to make a choice. Having experienced DEVA as Deculein and HUMAN as Heiun, I turned my attention to the remaining options. What new villain would I become next? And was there a purpose to this strange cycle beyond some cosmic game?

"ASURA it is going to be," I decided, focusing my intent on the glowing option.