Only I Am A Reader

ƥαṇdαsηθνε|·ƈθm

"Welcome and congratulations, Roleplayers of this generation. You have done well coming here!"

The blue locks swayed on the man's head as he announced the start of the meeting. His voice wasn't too loud nor too soft, it was delivered to Leo and the others at just the right level.

'This already feels like an ability.'

Leo was able to sense very slight fluctuations coming along the sound waves just like he immediately identified Yulia.

Although she was only one large hat away from looking like a Fantasy Witch, the senses enhanced with the Internal Energy of a Peak Martial Artist made it possible to perfectly pick up these weird signals.

And since he already met her once, Leo easily singled Yulia out the very moment she entered.

That being said, he was still surprised by the extent of her change. She may have looked out of place at school, but she definitely didn't give such a big otherworldly vibe…

'This is getting more and more interesting.'

"First, I would like to commend you for holding yourself back all this time, you have avoided the worst-case scenario! I'm sure the recent period must have been very confusing for most of you if not all. Worry not, however, for I, Damon, will be your proper guide to the unknown."

The way Damon spoke was all very mystical and theatrical, making Leo feel slightly uncomfortable. He was somewhat familiar with this type of personality.

The first one that came to Leo's mind with a similar disposition was Geochin who believed that he knew what was best for everyone.

The other one that Leo thought of was none other than himself. He also used mystical words as Baekho, in which case, he had something to hide, so this wasn't desirable either…

Of course, he could just have some sort of superiority complex, or even be a chunni who was happy to realize his fantasy, but…

'Am I getting too used to convenience… Or am I just being greedy?'

The fact that every dangerous or serious situation that he had come in contact with thus far was things that he read about had automatically made the lack of abundant information feel unusual.

With this instance as an example, Leo quickly realized that he had been nitpicking everything too many times as of late!

For those who held knowledge in such uncharted territory as the supernatural, filtering what they would impart to other people, especially newbies, was only natural.

After all, regardless of their own intentions, they couldn't confirm what new irregulars would do once they knew everything.

To this fact, Leo was thankful to God that he had the opportunity to get to know anything before being thrown into some bizarre situation that he had no explanation for.

'Entitlement is not a good mindset.'

As a True Reader, he had to separate fiction and reality. Even if he considered them all to be novels, Reality was like a book that he was just starting to read, he couldn't treat it the same as other books!

"Let me start by explaining the nature of what we are. You might think that the term 'Roleplayer' sounds childish, but it's actually the closest way to describe us."

Pop!

Following Damon's intro, the purple-haired tomboy snapped her fingers, causing a half-transparent magenta screen to appear in front of her.

"A floating screen, a parchment of paper, or even a computer or a phone that only you can see… You should already be familiar with one of these phenomena or something similar to them. In short, something that guides you in understanding the 'Role' that you have obtained!"

The magenta screen floated over to Leo and the other three as Damon continued his explanation. The whole thing felt like a performance that they had practiced before…

"How is that possible? Where did it come from? Why this role? Why me? All of these are questions that you have probably asked yourself, but the truth is that whatever the answer is, you now have the chance to completely change your life. Only by truly becoming the embodiment of that Role can you become true Roleplayers."

Pop!

The newcomers' faces all looked like they had something to say, but another finger snap followed, revealing a far more interesting answer.

'This is the power of a Role?'

Just like the magenta screen had appeared from nowhere, the uniform group of four completely vanished into nothingness… Or not?

'They are still there.'

He couldn't see him with his eyes, but Leo's enhanced senses confirmed that none of them had moved an inch. With such a simple display, he was already able to find the answers to many of his questions.

"Impressed?"

It was only a few seconds later that the group returned to everyone's view.

"This was just a simple example. Since almost everyone already knows about it, we chose to share the role that Illisha has with all of you. What you have experienced was just a fraction of its power."

[ Role: Illusionist ]

The magenta screen returned in front of Leo and the others once more with two words added onto it, sparking interest in their hearts!

"It might sound like a simple title used by everyone who knows a few party tricks, but a Role always digs deeper and deeper into the word's meaning and its origin."

Once everyone had managed to get a proper look at the screen, it quickly started distorting into all kinds of forms and shapes before disappearing once more.

"In fact, everything that has blown your minds and made you question reality, ultimately leading you to arrive here, was created by this very simple role."

With the addition of a few more words, the entire building they were inside also vanished, making it seem as if they were standing in the middle of the street. However…

'This really challenges the meaning of an Illusion…'

Just as was the case with the building before Leo had entered it, it was as if he and the others didn't exist!