Only One Knew

[You have entered: Core Narrative Zone – The Forgotten Chapter]

[Time Remaining: 1 hour, 59 minutes]

[Warning: Narrative interference will escalate. Expect memory leakage and identity distortion.]

Jae-hwan tightened his grip on the Sword of Misremembering. Its weight wasn't heavy—but it pulsed like something alive. Like every unresolved thought in his chest had been given a blade.

Han Yura walked beside him in silence. The street narrowed as they moved toward the center of the Fifth Ward. Shattered signs hung crookedly from shopfronts. Red paint covered the walls, but Jae-hwan knew it wasn't paint.

They reached a dead end. But the system window blinked.

[Hidden Path Detected – "Pages That Were Never Written"]

[Trigger Condition: Share a memory you never told anyone.]

Han Yura spoke first. "I hated the author."

Jae-hwan turned. She wasn't looking at him.

"I read the story five times. I cried at Chapter 10. I memorized the names. But then... he deleted it."

The walls shuddered. A door appeared.

She glanced at Jae-hwan. "What about you?"

He looked at the door. "I blamed myself. I thought the story ended because I didn't comment enough. Didn't support it enough."

[Memory Link Established – Emotional Integrity Validated]

[Path Unlocked]

They stepped through the door.

[Location: Author's Study – Broken Draft Room]

The room was filled with floating fragments—half-finished scenes, abandoned dialogues, character sheets torn in half.

In the center, hunched over a desk, sat a man with his back turned.

He wore a hoodie stained with ink. His hands were calloused, fingers black with dried graphite.

[You have encountered: "The Forgotten Author" (Unique Entity – Lv. ???)]

[Caution: Entity is unstable and fused with system core.]

[Engagement Type: Narrative Duel – Dialogue Phase Begins]

The man didn't turn.

"You shouldn't be here."

Jae-hwan stepped forward. "Then who should be?"

The author didn't move. "I didn't mean for it to happen like this. I just wanted to stop writing."

Han Yura's voice trembled. "You left us."

The room shook. Floating words shattered into sparks.

[Duel Begins – Phase One: Claim Your Story]

Jae-hwan raised the Sword of Misremembering.

"I'm not here to ask why you stopped. I'm here to continue."

The man finally turned. His face was blurred—like a sketch erased too many times.

"You're just a reader."

"No," Jae-hwan said. "I'm the one who didn't forget."

[Skill Activated – Rewrite Seal Lv. 2]

[Narrative Authority Overriding Core Draft: 13%]

The author's shadow lunged forward, forming ink-stained beasts that snapped at reality.

Han Yura drew her sword and parried. "I'll hold them off."

Jae-hwan faced the Author.

"Why did you name it Only One Knew?"

The Author's shadow hesitated.

"Because... I thought no one would read it."

[Truth Resonance Detected – Vulnerability Triggered]

Jae-hwan stepped closer.

"You were wrong."

"Someone did."

"And that someone survived every version."

"You might've given up on the story—but I didn't."

The sword in his hand burst with light.

A final line etched itself into the air:

"Even if the author abandons the tale, the reader writes the end."

[Narrative Authority Achieved – 100% Override]

[Unique Class Acquired: Final Reader Lv. 1]

[You have inherited the True Ink]

[The Forgotten Author has been released from system bondage]

The Author collapsed.

The floating fragments fell to the ground like snow.

Han Yura knelt beside him.

"…He's breathing."

Jae-hwan looked at the desk. A single object remained:

A pen, hovering.

[Do you accept authorship of the story?]

[Yes / No]

He reached out.

"Yes."

[You are now the Primary Architect of Only One Knew]

[System Reformatting Scenario Layers… Stand By]

The world shook.

[Scenario #2 – Complete]

[Total Completion Time: 1h 42m 17s]

[Bonus Achievements Unlocked: Narrative Duel, Emotional Override, Reader's Authority]

As the world turned white, Jae-hwan stood holding the pen.

Not as a reader.

Not as a survivor.

But as the one who remembered.

To be continue...