Chapter 14 - The One Where Everything Changes

[At around 1 P.M. today, a group of monsters appeared in the capital, leaving over 500 injured and 7 dead.]

A news anchor's voice droned in the background as Jayce Cross sat by his daughter's hospital bed. He gently stroked her hand. Her face was pale, lips almost white. Just looking at her made his chest tighten. She might've been a grown woman now, a hero in training, but to Jayce, Melissa would always be his little girl.

[Investigators have confirmed that the attack was led by an intermediate-grade monster known as a beast inciter. This badger-shaped creature, about the size of a human, has never been seen in the country before. The association suspects it was brought in by a third party and is now launching a full-scale search…]

"… Mmm."

Melissa Cross stirred.

"You're awake?" Jayce leaned forward and waved for the doctor. "How are you feeling?"

"…Fine." Her voice was weak, but steady.

She slowly pushed herself up. A doctor came rushing in to check her condition, but she smiled faintly and pushed him away.

"I'm okay, Dad."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm not hurt. Didn't the doctor tell you that?"

"I-I did," the doctor stammered.

He looked visibly tense. Jayce Cross wasn't just any father, he was one of the most powerful men in the country. Upsetting him wasn't an option.

"…She seems stable," the doctor added quickly. "You can handle things from here."

"Thanks. That'll be all."

The door shut behind him.

"…Dad," Melissa said softly.

"Hm?" Jayce turned toward her with a gentle smile.

"About… brother."

Her voice dropped. The name alone felt like a knife to the chest. Still, ShJayce held her hand tighter, forcing his own face to stay calm.

"…What about him?"

"Can I visit him? Once I'm discharged. I'm on leave now anyway, right?"

"Of course," he said without hesitation.

Melissa leaned her head on his shoulder. The warmth was comforting, but her thoughts drifted back to earlier that day, to the djinn's choking grip and the voice she'd heard right before blacking out.

"Dad," she said again, this time her voice colder.

"What is it?"

"…No, never mind."

She held back. There was no point unloading that on him. But deep down, a dark emotion had started to form. It wasn't just anger. It was hatred.

She could still hear his voice clearly.

"I'm sure her older brother will come to comfort her."

Her teeth clenched. He said that. Noah Swagger said that. That guy. He said it so casually, like he didn't know anything. But everyone knew. The day the sky fell, four years ago, every citizen in the country knew what happened. There wasn't even time to mourn properly. Since that day, her brother became someone she couldn't talk about without breaking apart.

And yet, he brought him up like it was nothing. Noah Swagger. She burned his name into her mind. She would never forget it again.

The sun began to set, staining the capital sky orange. The city, however, was still a disaster. A snapped telephone pole leaned against a building. Shattered concrete and broken glass littered the streets. A kid sat crying next to an overturned stroller. Sirens echoed endlessly as ambulances rushed past.

The heroes had done their job. Now the cleanup began.

"Ethan Ward, Noah Swagger."

Instructor Havers waited for us at the portal connecting the city back to Valor.

"We heard what happened. We'll get a report from you later. For now, just rest. The agents will take it from here."

Agents, unlike heroes, didn't come from Valor. They were graduates from the Military Agent Academy, non-combat specialists with useful skills. Like one guy I saw, who casually waved a hand and repaired the busted pavement.

"Um, instructor. What about Melissa Cross?" Ethan asked.

"She's on leave. With her family."

"…Understood."

Ethan didn't press further.

"You can all return."

Even Celeste looked drained. One by one, we stepped through the portal. The odd sensation of transport didn't even faze me anymore. I exhaled and walked out into Valor.

No one said a word. Everyone just trudged back to the dorms.

"…Hey."

Ethan stopped me halfway to Dorm 1.

"What?"

"Why'd you say that?" he asked sharply.

"Say what?"

"That thing about her brother."

Oh. So that's what this was about.

I raised a brow. "What do you mean? I wasn't..."

Then I cut myself off.

Right. This world wasn't just mine anymore.

"What about her brother?" I asked instead.

Ethan froze. Then his expression turned grim.

"Don't act like you don't know. Every cadet knows."

"I don't..."

"Forget it. We'll talk later."

He walked ahead, stiff and tired. I let him go. He needed rest more than anything, using that power took a toll.

My room was on the first floor, so I stayed behind.

Back in my room, I slumped on the couch and opened my smartwatch. A floating screen popped up.

Their search engine here was called Neighbor. It looked almost identical to what I remembered. First, I looked up Melissa Cross.

[Melissa Cross - Hero cadet.

Family: Father – Jayce Cross, Older Brother – Viktor Cross

Education: Military Agent Academy graduate, current Valor cadet.]

"Okay, so?"

I searched Viktor Cross next, and that's when my heart stopped.

[Viktor Cross, son of Jayce Cross, was critically injured during Operation Fireflake. Though the mission succeeded, rookie hero Viktor Cross fell into a coma following a djinn attack.]

"What…?"

I knew Operation Fireflake. It was supposed to be his breakout moment. He'd lead that mission and become a rising star. Melissa, only 13 at the time, would boast about her big brother for weeks.

That's how it was supposed to go.

"What the hell is this?"

I snapped open my laptop.

Ding...

Several messages popped up immediately.

[Thanks to your high luck, the light bullet critically damaged the Dog of Lucius.]

[Your understanding of the light attribute has increased.]

[You have absorbed 0.03 magic power.]

[Skill acquired: Sharpshooter Reversal.]

[You gained 131 SP.]

Nice… but not now.

I scrolled down, then froze.

[Viktor Cross – In the original story, he was Melissa Cross's reliable older brother and Ethan Ward's trusted ally. But the story had too many helpers for the protagonist. This setting has been revised.]

[New Setting – Viktor Cross received a devil's brand during his first mission and has remained in a coma ever since. He is now a dormant devil's seed.]

[Note: Setting changes appear when Noah Swagger becomes aware of inconsistencies.]

"…What…"

My mouth hung open.

A devil's seed. That wasn't supposed to happen until much later, endgame level stuff. If that seed awakened now, Ethan Ward wouldn't stand a chance.

A master-rank hero might be able to stop it. Might. And most of them weren't even around anymore. If this thing hatched early, everything would spiral.

"This can't be real…"

I sat back, stunned.

But the message didn't go away.

And deep down, I knew it was true.

There was only one option.

"He has to die."

That was the only way to stop it.

The devil's seed had a long incubation period, five or six years. Four had already passed. The clock was ticking.

No one would believe me. I couldn't just hire someone to take out a rich family's heir. No one would even try.

No.

I had to do it.

"…I'll kill him myself."

The words barely came out.

In the old story, Viktor was kind. A little overprotective of his sister, but reliable. A good person. But in this version, he'd become something else. Something dangerous.

There was no other choice.

I stood up. My whole body felt like lead.

I didn't head to bed. I went to the training room instead. If I had to pull the trigger… I'd need to be ready.