The Diamond Extra

The echo of shattering glass rang through the Belester Museum's exhibit hall as a portal tore the air apart, unleashing two dark figures wreathed in shadow. Panic erupted instantly. Visitors screamed and bolted toward the stairwells. A black mist spilled over the polished marble floor like ink bleeding from a wound.

Saul Mayne stepped forward, blade unsheathed. His Sever-Breaking Sword glinted beneath the overhead lights, wrapped in faint arcs of blue stigma energy. He was calm. Focused. Deadly.

"One each," he said, glancing at Lila Dawn beside him.

"Only if you don't slow me down," she replied, nocking a glowing mana arrow with practiced ease.

I crouched behind the toppled statue of a former Belester king, watching the chaos unfold from behind cover. The system interface flickered behind my eyes.

> [Emergency Quest Activated – Prevent Civilian Casualties]

[SP Reward: Variable. Modifier: ???]

I cursed under my breath. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I expected a minor Phantom encounter. One—singular. Not a full-blown double incursion.

Two Phantoms hovered in mid-air, their forms flickering between corporeal and ethereal, cloaked in jagged armor forged of shadows. One of them roared and lunged straight for the panicked crowd.

Saul moved like lightning. In a single step, he intercepted the Phantom mid-air, his blade clashing with its claw. The shockwave from their collision shattered the nearest display cases. Lila fired an arrow at the second Phantom, pinning it through the thigh. It hissed in pain, momentarily stunned.

"Nice shot," Saul grunted.

"I'm not your support," she snapped back, already drawing the next arrow.

A child screamed behind me. I turned and spotted a mother shielding her daughter behind a marble pedestal. Damn it.

I sprinted toward them. "Down the stairs, now! Go!"

"But—" the woman stammered.

"I said move! I'll cover you!"

They fled as I ducked behind a nearby bench, drawing my pistol. I loaded a mana bullet and quickly checked its stats:

> [Mana Bullet]

Attribute: None

Power Level: 3

It wouldn't be enough. These Phantoms were classed far above what I'd prepared for. Worse, they felt... wrong. Off.

I turned back just in time to see the Phantom clashing with Saul erupt in a burst of shadow mana, sending him flying. He crashed into a display case with a sickening crunch, blood spilling from his lips.

Lila's eyes widened, but she didn't falter. She loosed another arrow, striking the Phantom in the shoulder. But the damn thing didn't even flinch.

"They're not regenerating," she muttered, "They're... absorbing."

The second Phantom raised an arm. A long, jagged blade of condensed shadow extended from its wrist as it turned toward Lila.

"Lila, MOVE!" I shouted.

Too late.

It surged forward, snatched her mid-dodge by the neck, and slammed her against the wall. Her bow clattered to the ground. The arrow in her grip shattered like glass.

"No!"

Saul was barely on his feet, stumbling, but he rushed in again—slashing with everything he had. Sparks flew as his blade collided with the Phantom's shadowy weapon. He was buying time. But it wasn't enough.

I stared at my trembling hands.

I didn't want this. I wasn't supposed to be in this deep.

But if I didn't act, they'd die.

I opened Setting Intervention.

> [Modify?]

Yes.

> [Lightning Bullet – Holy Attribute | Power Level 5]

[Luck Activated: Adjusted to 7]

[SP Cost: 110]

Proceed?

Do it.

My sidearm glowed faintly as the bullet transformed in the chamber, crackling with divine energy. I winced. The gun wouldn't survive the shot, but I only needed one.

I loaded the bullet and peeked around the corner. Lila's lips were pale. Her body convulsed, poisoned by shadow magic. Saul's arms trembled as he tried to hold back the Phantom's blade.

I stepped out.

"SAUL! DOWN!"

Without hesitation, he dropped.

I fired.

The gun exploded in my hand from the overload, but the bullet had already ripped through the air. A flash of golden light lit the room as it struck the Phantom's arm—the one clutching Lila.

It screeched in agony. Light consumed half its body as it staggered back, dissolving into ash.

Lila crumpled to the floor, coughing violently.

The second Phantom shrieked—its scream distorted by rage and pain. The two had been linked.

"Finish it!" I shouted.

Saul didn't hesitate. His stigma surged. Golden light wrapped his blade.

"Absolute Severance!"

With one clean slash, he split the Phantom in two. Its body shattered like broken crystal, vanishing into fading motes of light.

---

I collapsed to my knees, cradling my scorched hand. The pain was blinding. I could barely breathe.

A small shadow fell over me.

The child from earlier stood beside me, eyes wide. She reached out and placed her hand on mine.

"Big brother, hold still."

Warmth spread from her palm. My pain dulled. My fingers stopped shaking.

"Thanks," I muttered, forcing a smile. "You're something else."

---

Lila stirred. She retched dark fluid onto the floor as she regained consciousness. Saul offered her a potion, but she slapped it away.

"Back off," she rasped.

He hesitated, then took a step back. He knew better than to argue.

I approached cautiously. "Her sister's probably seen this on the news already," I said aloud. "She'll come. Probably tear through half the city to get here."

Lila blinked, her lip trembling. "Don't... say her name."

Her voice cracked. Her face twisted into something between shame and fury. She didn't want sympathy. She wanted someone to blame.

Her eyes met mine. Burning.

"You... you did this. You knew…"

She choked on her words.

I didn't reply. Because she wasn't wrong. Not completely. I hadn't expected two Phantoms—but I had triggered the quest. And I had hoped it would resolve itself.

I turned away.

"Saul," I said. "Tell the heroes who come... that I was here."

"You're leaving?" he asked.

"Yeah. My presence won't help her calm down."

---

Outside, the city buzzed with sirens. Heroes had begun to arrive.

One landed atop a parked van with a flutter of wind. Golden hair shimmered in the sun like silk.

Rose Andrey. Belester's most beloved hero.

She stepped down, eyes scanning the wreckage.

I walked out of the museum just as she approached the entrance.

She stopped. "Cadet?"

"Paul Wayne," I replied. "Situation's handled. Two injured. One unconscious. One very, very angry."

"You... handled that?"

"Not alone."

She tilted her head. "And you are?"

"Just a guy with a broken gun," I said with a tired grin. "Also—maybe tone down the aura. You're cracking the windows."

She blinked, startled, then quickly suppressed her magical pressure.

I gave her a two-fingered wave and walked past.

Later, I sat alone on a bench, staring up through a crack in the museum's shattered glass ceiling. My hand still tingled, though the pain had faded.

So much for a simple orientation trip.

The system buzzed in my vision.

> [You thought you could pass your quest to someone else, huh?]

[Hope you learned your lesson. There was no real danger—this time.]

I scoffed. "No danger? Lila nearly died."

Another alert appeared.

> [New System Message: 'The world has fully merged with your flow of quests.']

[Antagonists' Power Scaling: Increased.]

[New Quest Unlocked – Support the Future Heroes.]

I let the screen fade away and leaned back, staring into the sky.

"…Shit."