Chapter 2:

Fixer.

This was the name of a popular boy’s comic serialized in the famous Halo Magazine.

Its genres spanned fantasy, sci-fi, comedy, and action.

The vivid action scenes in a futuristic city, rendered in a beautiful art style, were quite impressive.

The story was straightforward.

For some reason, dragons, elves, orcs, and magic from another dimension had crossed over to Earth.

These otherworldly races and humanity naturally clashed due to cultural and value differences.

After decades of various conflicts, both sides came to recognize each other’s existence.

Meta-cities for these races—known as Metahumans—were established worldwide.

And one of the most prominent of these meta-cities was Nighthaven.

In this city full of trouble, a profession called “Fixer” emerged, where people solved issues on commission.

Fixer followed the story of Raven, a protagonist who solved all kinds of problems in the city with nothing but his human body.

With its unique mix of fantasy and sci-fi, a refreshing storyline, and distinctive characters, Fixer quickly became one of Halo Magazine’s flagship works, loved by many.

In fact, I was so engrossed in it that I didn’t even notice the truck until it was right in front of me.

As someone who loves problem-solver stories, Fixer was a work I strongly recommended.

‘Well, it’s fun, but…’

But a story being fun doesn’t necessarily make it an ideal place for reincarnation.

Fixer had a dark world behind the protagonist’s upbeat group of friends.

The otherworldly races had come to Earth because their world had been destroyed by invaders.

And though the initial conflict between these races and humanity had been clumsily patched up, antagonistic factions toward these races still existed worldwide.

On top of that, technological advancement led to a disregard for life and extreme individualism.

Daylight shootouts and kidnappings had become almost routine.

Even the invaders who had destroyed the otherworld were now eyeing Earth.

In short, this was a dangerous world filled with blood and violence lurking beneath its fragile peace.

‘Sure, it’s a world where a protagonist can shine, but… for an ordinary person like me, it’s too dangerous to live here.’

Knowing the dangers didn’t mean I could change anything.

Just as a child doesn’t get to choose their parents, reincarnation seemed to be out of one’s control.

If I had the option to pick the world I’d reincarnate into, I would’ve chosen a peaceful, slice-of-life world without any war or fighting.

A world with camping, guitars, and clubs.

It was a sad reality.

—

Still, I couldn’t just mope around forever.

The dice had already been cast, and time was moving forward.

So, rather than being half-dazed, it was better to steel myself.

In this place, letting my guard down might mean more than a loss—it could mean losing everything.

‘I should gather information first. Whether this is before the original storyline or during it. My actions depend on that timeline.’

Fixer wasn’t a straightforward narrative; it was structured like a slice-of-life series with various episodic events.

But as the protagonist solved issues, it gradually improved the city’s atmosphere.

The city in the beginning and end of the original work were so different it was hard to believe they were the same place.

Early Nighthaven was a hellhole of corrupt cops and violent gangs vying for control.

Later Nighthaven had some semblance of order under the police and corporations, though it faced external threats.

If it was the early timeline, it’d be safer to hide from dangerous characters that hadn’t yet been eliminated.

If it was the later timeline, it would be better to stay in well-populated, open areas.

Since my strategy would completely change based on the timeline, identifying it was my top priority.

‘Asking the protagonist Fixer for help… let’s hold off on that. He’s a high-profile person in this city, so there’s a good chance I’d get dragged into annoying situations.’

In any case, approaching the protagonist wasn’t a great idea.

If I were merely a client, I’d have nothing to offer as payment.

And even if I somehow convinced him to take me in, explaining my situation,

there was a risk I’d be kidnapped or used as bait by villains targeting him.

Sure, in the comic, these incidents were resolved safely due to certain unwritten rules,

but in reality, being kidnapped would likely end poorly.

‘Alright. First, I’ll gather as much information as possible in the city. After that… I’ll decide what to do next. There are too many variables to plan much right now.’

I braced myself, organizing my thoughts.

Having been given a second chance at life, I wouldn’t let it end pointlessly this time.

While I had no desire to become a historical figure, living a long, healthy life didn’t seem like a bad goal.

With a light, internal mutter, I set off toward the brightly lit streets of Nighthaven.

After walking for a while and leaving the forest where the underground facility was hidden, I finally arrived in the bustling streets of Nighthaven.

And then, I encountered yet another problem I hadn’t anticipated.

“Hey, watch where you’re going, kid… Huh?”

“Oh my, have you ever considered the idol industry? You’d be a star in cyberspace!”

“Hey there! Do you play Elstar? Can I get your ID? Hey, don’t run away~”

Apparently, as a young girl, my face was eye-catching.

Just walking through the streets was enough to attract annoying amounts of attention.

A rough-looking man accidentally bumped into me and stared in awe,

a long-eared woman clung to me like she’d found a precious gem,

and a blonde man draped an arm over my shoulder, trying to act familiar.

Something felt wrong.

Unable to speak, I quickly assessed the situation and slipped away.

To escape the persistent blonde man, I used telekinesis to jump up to a rooftop in an alleyway, where a discarded mirror let me see the cause of all this attention.

‘Who’s this ridiculously cute girl?’

In the mirror, I saw a delicate, fairy-like young girl.

Her skin was as flawless as untouched snow,

her gently sloping eyes and petite lips highlighted an innocence that naturally stirred a protective instinct.

Without even looking in the mirror, I could see the snowy, long hair flowing as if I’d just walked out of a salon.

Even in loose, patient-style clothing, my appearance had an almost unreal charm.

Though black dust covered parts of my clothes from crawling through the vent, the sheer charm of my face made it barely noticeable.

I looked like an ethereal, innocent young girl straight out of a comic.

It was almost sad to think that the person inside was just me.

‘No wonder people keep bothering me. Ugh… this is a problem.’

If you asked if this face was my type, it was, without question, my ideal type.

The only issue was that I looked like a child around late elementary school age, and no matter how hard I tried, my expression wouldn’t move far from neutral.

If this were a game, I’d start playing immediately without any customizations—this appearance was perfect.

But in this world, a beautiful appearance was closer to a bad status effect.

A piece of enticing bait would look delicious to anyone, after all.

Especially in this city, where people would go to any lengths for what they wanted, this face was practically an invitation.

It was clear I’d have to cover up.

With a light sigh, I looked around, then used telekinesis to grab a large cloth from a nearby rooftop and draped it over myself.

Nighthaven had plenty of small races like dwarves and goblins, so as long as I didn’t reveal myself carelessly, no one might realize I was a young girl.

‘Maybe I could even create fake hands and control them with telekinesis.’

Storing the idea somewhere in my mind, I approached the rooftop ledge.

Perhaps because it was a tall building, I could see the entire city bathed in neon lights.

The city of dreams and opportunities, Nighthaven.

And the city of darkness and despair, Nighthaven.

Thinking about having to live here, a sense of thrill mingled with the daunting feeling rising within me.

Perhaps, deep down, I was excited to find myself in the world of a comic without even realizing it.

‘Of course, I have no plans to get involved with the protagonist’s crew…’

But if the chance arose, maybe watching from afar with some popcorn wouldn’t be so bad.

Thinking about some future I couldn’t yet imagine, I smiled to myself, feeling a bit happier.

—

[Wanted / Rag Ghost]

Reward: 700,000 Credits

Goblin-sized with a slender build.

Possesses white fur visible through torn clothing.

Known to vanish without a trace using magic.

Primarily appears in the outskirts of the city’s alleys.

Main offenses: Assault and robbery.

Most victims are unaware of how they were attacked.

Exhibits advanced intelligence, evading capture with

ease.

—

Three months into my life in Nighthaven, I found myself a wanted criminal.

Why?