A sword was drawn to his face.
"Take back your words."
The man standing before him looked both unfamiliar and eerily familiar. His black hair, styled with bangs, and sharp blue eyes radiated an unwavering determination that seemed almost unreal.
That plain, generic appearance… Minjae's eyes widened.
There was no mistaking it.
Standing before him was none other than Axel Blaze, the protagonist of Kingdom of Ash.
Wait—Kingdom of Ash?
Minjae scanned his surroundings.
Towering ceilings, sturdy silver concrete foundations, and a classic interior design enclosed him in an imposing structure.
And inside, surrounding him, were several elegantly dressed individuals.
Around ten had stopped to observe the situation, while dozens more passed by, whispering among themselves.
Minjae was at a loss.
What exactly was happening?
No—he already knew.
A place he had never been to yet felt strangely familiar. A fictional character materializing right in front of him.
This was reincarnation.
Minjae was about to settle on that conclusion—until he noticed his own hands. They were larger, more muscular. As if every ounce of fat had been drained, reshaped, and compressed into solid muscle.
No, this wasn't reincarnation.
This was transmigration.
Minjae admitted it bitterly.
"What did you just say, loser? Watch your tone—do you even know who you're talking to?"
The voice beside Minjae belonged to a young man with brown hair styled in a wolfcut. His build was solid, and his aggressive stance radiated hostility.
Minjae tried to process the situation.
Brown hair. Wolfcut.
Nope, nothing came to mind.
After all, he had only skimmed through the novel, read the plot summaries, and browsed the fandom catalog. He only knew the key figures driving the story.
And that realization unsettled him.
So—whose body had he taken over?
He thought about finding a mirror to check his reflection.
But given the current situation, that seemed impossible.
"So, what should we do with this pathetic idiot, Lord Hudford?"
The wolfcut-haired man turned to Minjae, confirming at least one thing—his name was Hudford.
Hudford… Hudford…
The only Hudford Minjae recalled was a female character—one of Axel's harem members.
Did Hudford have an older brother? Or a distant relative?
"Let's just drag him away and report him to Mr. Hughes. Brandishing a weapon at another student without cause is a serious offense. I'll beat him down if he resists."
This time, the voice came from the young man to Minjae's left—one with a sharp bob-cut.
And who was he supposed to be?
Far from helping, the situation was only escalating.
Axel looked as if he was about to explode with rage.
"Shut your mouths!"
A cold, cutting aura sent chills down the spines of everyone who heard him.
Even Minjae hadn't expected his voice to sound so powerful—icy and merciless.
"What words am I supposed to take back, Axel Blaze?"
A well-crafted sentence, perfectly structured.
Minjae could gather information without losing face.
Oh, Park Minjae, you genius.
"My father is a hero, and he would never, ever do something as cowardly as desertion! You have made a huge mistake by saying that!"
Damn. What exactly had this Hudford said?
Minjae cleared his throat.
"That's understandable, but do you have any proof?"
"I don't need any. I saw it with my own eyes."
A truly solid argument, indeed.
"At least three objective testimonies are required for it to be considered evidence. Your personal account alone isn't enough."
"Are you calling me a liar?"
Minjae sighed. He didn't know who was right or who started it, but he did understand one thing—this argument would never end.
Besides, he was dealing with the protagonist of a garbage-tier novel.
"This debate is pointless."
He turned away.
The two by his side—the wolfcut and the bob-cut—exchanged confused glances before following him.
"Wait for us, Lord Hudford."
"You're dead, loser."
Meanwhile, Axel wasn't about to let it go.
"You think I'll just let you walk away?! Get back here and take back your words, bastard!"
Minjae glanced back but kept walking. Axel immediately followed.
"I already told you, this is like arguing with a brick wall. Or a lump of clay."
Besides, as the protagonist, Axel had the special privilege of being a regressor. Before returning to his youth, he had served in the royal military and been hardened through ruthless training.
If Minjae provoked him any further, Axel might go berserk and attack him outright.
And as the main character, his reckless violence would undoubtedly be justified and supported by those around him.
The path before Minjae wasn't just dark—it was a dead-end, filled with obstacles.
For now, he would retreat from Axel's sight, gather information, and devise a plan.
But then—
Out of the corner of his eye, Minjae caught something unusual.
A strange, swift movement—Axel was heading straight for him.
Not by running.
By leaping.
Axel raised his sword high, assuming an ancient stance, preparing to strike.
Minjae froze.
Crack!
For a moment, he thought his head had been severed—that the sound was his neck snapping.
But instead, the sword had been stopped.
A shield of ice had formed between them.
Was that his power?
Minjae stared in disbelief.
Drap! Drap! Drap!
While Axel struggled to pull his sword free from the icy barrier, hurried footsteps approached.
A pair of newcomers arrived, both dressed in matching gray blazers.
A red brooch—featuring two interlocked suns—adorned the left side of their chests.
The woman, with shoulder-length hair and sharp facial features, stepped forward.
"Axel Blaze, Ethan Hudford, Gildan Harvey, Phil Collins. You all need to explain this to Mr. Hughes."