A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

“Quite the synergy, isn’t it?” The violet-haired woman observed the scars on her body, flicking away a few feathers, her expression darkening.

It was worth noting that these two were merely novice ability users; if she couldn’t defeat them, it would be a humiliating defeat, one that would earn her ridicule upon her return.

With that thought, she resolved to press on. Initially, she had considered that the Si family heir might be treated well by the organization, and she hesitated to inflict harm. But clearly, she had underestimated them; the real issue now was not whether she could injure them, but whether she could capture them at all.

With her newfound determination, her attacks became significantly more ferocious. The duo, who had once been able to counterattack, now found themselves scrambling in disarray.

They had returned to the ground, realizing that in the air, they could not effectively fend off her onslaught, and their evasive maneuvers were too slow. It was better to be agile on the ground.

—

Before, Si Zhaohua had immediately folded his wings when the whip cracked, but after a few attempts, the purple-haired woman began to use the whip to try and bind him directly. After a hard-fought escape, Si Zhaohua swiftly took Jiang Tianming and flew down. Better to flee than wait to die up there.

Of course, the members of the villainous organization had no concept of environmental protection, especially in this otherworldly space. Thus, the purple-haired woman swung her whip without restraint, sweeping through the surrounding flora, nearly striking Jiang Tianming and Si Zhaohua several times.

The two could only dodge and attack as best they could, both realizing that for now, they likely couldn’t harm the purple-haired woman directly; their only option was to target her abilities. The whip appeared slender, and they took turns using feathers to strike at a single point.

Even an ability born of the extraordinary must adhere to the laws of physics. Since the whip was a tangible object, it could indeed be damaged.

Feeling the whip suffer under their assault, the purple-haired woman grew frustrated, intensifying her attacks while silently vowing to train her physical skills diligently upon her return.

Previously, her whip was primarily a ranged weapon, and she hadn’t focused much on her own physical prowess; now, she was finally tasting the bitter fruit of her neglect.

If she dared to engage them up close, those two would never have been so audacious!

But it was precisely because there were two of them that they could share the burden of her attacks. If it were just one, she would have already captured him.

She had considered calling for reinforcements, certain that the two would be doomed. But to seek help against two first-year ability users? What would that say about her?

Thus, the purple-haired woman held her ground, waiting for their stamina or mental fortitude to wane; in the end, victory would surely be hers.

Su Bei watched from a tree, amused by their battle, which resembled a game of jump rope, and found it quite entertaining.

Jiang Tianming and Si Zhaohua worked together with remarkable synergy, manipulating one person’s abilities as if they were a single entity, not only unaffected by each other but dealing multiplied damage—truly a case of 1+1>2.

Fighting a real ability user was far more captivating; during the individual battles, everyone had fought as if it were a mere game. Though novel, it lacked visual appeal, with only the final day’s competition holding a hint of interest.

Battling those Nightmares had also been lackluster, likely due to their low rank; they didn’t grasp how to wield their abilities, acting purely on instinct. Thus, the spectacle was rather mundane.

But this fight was different—powerful and visually striking, Su Bei was thoroughly entertained.

Perhaps it was a case of joy turning to sorrow; just as Su Bei contemplated stuffing his pockets with sunflower seeds, the whip lashed out, slicing off a significant portion of the tree he was perched upon.

When the whip came, Su Bei, sitting on the branch, was startled. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, leaping back just in time to avoid the strike.

However, with the leaves stripped away, his figure was fully revealed to everyone present.

Su Bei: “……()”

—

Jiang Tianming: “…④[()]④『Come[]@see the latest chapters@complete chapters』()”

Si Zhaohua: “…”

The Purple-Haired Girl: “…”

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze, and confusion filled every gaze. It was clear without a thought that everyone’s mind was a swirl of question marks.

Who would have imagined that a fight could yield such a surprise: who else was here?

Su Bei tugged at the corner of his mouth, knowing he needed to quickly smooth things over. He stifled his embarrassment, forcing a smile that barely masked his amusement as he looked at the purple-haired girl. “Oh dear, caught red-handed.”

With that, he conjured a gear in his hand, casually spinning it as he lowered his gaze, then released it, watching it vanish into thin air.

“Who are you?” The purple-haired girl eyed him warily, yet she hesitated to act.

From the school uniform Su Bei wore, it was clear he was also a first-year competitor. But after witnessing her own power, the fact that he could still speak so casually made her cautious.

As fate would have it, at the very moment the gear disappeared, a leaf drifted slowly from the sky. Everyone’s attention was fixated on Su Bei, and no one noticed this subtle descent. The leaf floated down, landing softly on the purple-haired girl’s weapon.

At the same time, Su Bei snapped his fingers.

In the next heartbeat, the sound of a rubber band snapping echoed, and the whip suddenly broke apart!

“Pfft—”

The purple-haired girl, caught off guard by the blow to her abilities, barely had time to be surprised before—

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She violently spat out a mouthful of blood, her vision darkening as she collapsed.

Perched on a branch, Su Bei looked down at the scene with a mocking glint in his gem-like eyes. “What a splendid performance.”

Jiang Tianming was utterly dumbfounded, and Si Zhaohua’s mouth hung open in an uncharacteristically ungraceful manner. They had struggled to fend off their enemies, only to have Su Bei handle it so effortlessly?

This led Si Zhaohua, who had once defeated Su Bei, to wonder if he had been holding back during their personal battle. Had he used this ability then, would victory have slipped from his grasp?

Little did they know, the seemingly composed Su Bei was, in fact, breathing a huge sigh of relief inside.

As they battled moments ago, he was not merely a spectator; he wielded his own powers, keenly observing the fate compass hovering above their heads.

From the moment Jiang Tianming and Si Zhaohua found their method, focusing their attacks on a specific point of the violet-haired woman’s whip, the needle of her fate compass began to shift gradually to the right.

Of course, the needle had already been leaning right from the start. After all, she was opposing the protagonist—how could she possibly win?

And just as Su Bei was discovered, that needle was perilously close to the edge. In other words, the violet-haired woman was on the brink of defeat.

Earlier, witnessing their fierce clash, Su Bei seized the opportunity, using his mental energy to place a gear into the groove of her compass. It wasn’t to aid Jiang Tianming and the others; it was merely a precaution. As expected, it proved useful.

At that moment, he activated his powers, nudging the needle of her compass to the right just a fraction, and sure enough, the violet-haired woman lost immediately.

One could say, he felt quite impressive in that moment.

Yet, even without his intervention, if Jiang Tianming and the others had attacked a few more times, they would have achieved the same result.

Now, the two stood there, dazed, staring at him. Su Bei settled back down, one leg bent, the other dangling below, tilting his head slightly: “What are you staring at? Hurry up and tie her up!”

Only then did Jiang Tianming and Si Zhaohua snap back to reality, hastily using the ropes they had exchanged from the item shop to bind the violet-haired woman securely.

It’s worth noting that the binding was entirely Jiang Tianming’s doing. Back in the first season of the comic, he often engaged in such tasks, and now he was as adept as ever.

Seeing him work with such familiarity, Si Zhaohua wore a complex expression, opening his mouth to ask something, but ultimately held back.

Compared to this small quirk of Jiang Tianming, the real enigma was Su Bei. Just thinking of him made Si Zhaohua’s expression truly complicated.

He folded his wings, hesitating as he looked at Su Bei, finally opting to ask the simplest question: “How did you end up here?”

Good question—how did he happen to be here? Su Bei himself didn’t understand; he merely sought a place to laze about, yet somehow, by sheer “luck,” he had landed right in the midst of a plot point in this vast alternate space.

As he mentally grumbled, he flashed an innocent smile: “Who knows? I just came to take a nap.”

Undoubtedly, this truth was met with disbelief; they assumed he simply didn’t want to share.

“Then why didn’t you intervene earlier? What made you act suddenly?” Si Zhaohua pressed, having discerned that Su Bei had initially no intention of helping.

In response, Su Bei replied nonchalantly, “If you disturb my show, you must pay the price.”

After dragging the purple-haired girl, bound and helpless, beneath the gnarled branches of the ancient tree, Jiang Tianming returned, his voice low and edged with curiosity: “Did you just change her fate?”

Unlike Si Zhaohua, who shared the same class and team, Jiang Tianming clearly had a deeper understanding of Su Bei. Through the earlier incident with Wu Jin, he had already surmised that Su Bei possessed the ability to alter destinies.

Yet, he had never anticipated the sheer strength of that ability. The purple-haired girl, evidently a seasoned wielder of her powers, had been effortlessly defeated before Su Bei. He hadn’t even caught a glimpse of how that whip had shattered.

Indeed, neither Jiang Tianming nor Si Zhaohua had noticed the leaf that had fallen silently to the ground. By the time their attention returned to the whip, it was already in the moment of its break, and the leaf had long since drifted down without a sound.

To them, it seemed as if Su Bei had merely turned a gear, and the whip had snapped. They were utterly unaware that Su Bei’s ease in breaking the whip was intricately tied to their relentless attacks prior.

But he had indeed altered the purple-haired girl’s fate, and a smirk crept onto Su Bei’s lips as he pinched his fingers together, forming a gesture: “Just a little.”

It was indeed just a little; he had merely quickened the process of the whip’s fracture. Even his mental energy had not been significantly drained; otherwise, Su Bei would have been pale as a ghost by now.

Alas, in these times, the truth was seldom believed. Si Zhaohua, exasperated, remarked, “No way it was just a little! By the way, during the personal battle, did you hold back? Did you not use this ability?”

Given the power Su Bei had just displayed, even with his “Holy Light Judgment,” he had no confidence in winning. After all, the ability to change another’s fate was too bizarre, utterly incomprehensible.

At the very least, Si Zhaohua understood that if Su Bei had altered fate at that moment, that gear would have surely found its way to his vulnerable neck, leading to his defeat before he could unleash his ultimate move. It was a mere hair’s breadth away; calling it a small joke of fate would not be an exaggeration.

Yet he could also empathize; such an ability was far too overpowered. If Su Bei merely wished to showcase his ordinary strength during the monthly exam, to fill in the gaps, it was entirely reasonable not to employ that power.

Wait…?

Suddenly, Si Zhaohua realized something. If Su Bei could change fate to allow the gear to touch his neck, then he could surely alter fate to make the gear avoid his neck.

With this thought, he was struck with shock, a mix of anger and indignation bubbling within him as he questioned, “You didn’t intentionally let the gear avoid my neck, did you?”

It was no wonder he reacted this way; Si Zhaohua was someone who deeply cared about winning. After all, he had always been on the winning side, raised by a family that demanded victory.

Their earlier match had been a narrow win, relying on a powerful move. Now, knowing that his opponent also possessed a special skill, he silently compared their abilities, believing they were evenly matched without their unique powers.

After all, though Su Bei had nearly won, he had ultimately missed. And even without his ultimate move, Si Zhaohua still had the strength to fight; he might not have lost.

Yet now he discovered that even if both refrained from using their powers, it was likely that Su Bei would still emerge victorious. He might have intentionally missed!

No? How could you think that too? Su Bei truly couldn’t grasp Si Zhaohua’s thought process. It was one thing for comic readers to assume he was holding back, as they often indulged in their own interpretations. But how could Si Zhaohua think the same?

For a moment, Su Bei found himself at a loss for words. To deny it would shatter his carefully crafted persona, while to admit it might provoke the other’s ire. After a brief contemplation, he opted for the universal response: “Guess?”

Si Zhao Hua: “…”

His expression darkened instantly. To him, this was an admission of guilt: “If you don’t want to win, why even compete with me? You could have conceded from the start, or simply not participated in the monthly exam at all!”

It was clear that Si Zhao Hua was furious. He valued the competition, the stakes of victory and defeat, and naturally perceived Su Bei’s apparent act of failure as an affront to both the contest and to him.

In truth, had it been a stranger acting this way, Si Zhao Hua would have brushed it off without a second thought. But Su Bei was a friend he had come to accept after battling alongside him, and this behavior made Si Zhao Hua feel like a fool.

Caught off guard by the sudden accusation, Su Bei felt a strange dissonance. Wasn’t this supposed to be a scene between the protagonist and the antagonist? How had this narrative fallen into his lap?

Yet, he felt no anger. Su Bei could understand the other’s perspective. If he were faced with someone deliberately toying with him, he too would be incensed.

It was obvious this moment would be illustrated in the comic, and Su Bei’s mind raced, searching for the best way to respond.

A cheeky, carefree dismissal?

But that would only infuriate Si Zhao Hua further, possibly fracturing their relationship. That was not what Su Bei desired. Creating conflict with another supporting character wouldn’t enhance his image; it would only bring him trouble.

A cold, aloof exit?

That would lead to a standoff, and he personally disliked that approach. To Su Bei, a sharp tongue was meant for explanation.

Despite the whirlwind of thoughts, only two seconds had passed in reality. Realizing he could no longer remain silent, Su Bei turned to Si Zhao Hua: “Didn’t you enjoy the fight?”

At this, Si Zhao Hua was momentarily speechless.

He couldn’t deny the question; after all, the match had indeed been exhilarating.

The bout with Jiang Tianming had also dragged on, but throughout, he had maintained absolute dominance. Rather than losing to Jiang Tianming’s abilities, it felt more like he had succumbed to the other’s relentless spirit.

With Su Bei, however, it was different. Their exchanges had been a back-and-forth of attacks. Back at home, his sparring partners either crushed him or let him win. Once at school, he hadn’t encountered anyone who could truly challenge him.

It was only during the clash with Su Bei that Si Zhao Hua felt a rush of satisfaction; otherwise, he wouldn’t have completely shifted his attitude towards Su Bei after that battle.

Now, hearing Su Bei’s words, Si Zhao Hua’s expression softened a bit, and after a moment of silence, he nodded.

Su Bei smirked: “Me too. So, isn’t that enough?”

In the moment before he spoke, he finally grasped the reason for Si Zhaohua’s anger. On the surface, it seemed he was upset over Su Bei’s indifference to winning or losing, but in truth, his real frustration stemmed from believing that Su Bei was mocking him.

Thus, Su Bei’s explanation echoed this sentiment; he made it clear that what mattered to him was the journey, not the outcome. He had enjoyed the fight, and at that moment, he had not intended to mock him.

As expected, Si Zhaohua felt his anger dissipate. He cared about victory, yet he did not demand that others share his concern. Knowing that Su Bei had fought earnestly and shared his thoughts on that battle, he found peace.

But one question lingered in Si Zhaohua’s mind: “But why don’t you want to win?”

“Sometimes, victory may not be a good thing,” Su Bei replied, his words laden with meaning.

—

When Su Bei had seen speculation on the forum that he had intentionally thrown the match, he realized the conjecture was not without merit. But it required a fitting justification.

Only recently, upon discovering the existence of an undercover agent from the “Black Flash” organization within the school, did Su Bei finally conceive of that justification. The top two spots would attract more attention from this agent; did he not wish to remain “unseen”? Was that not reasonable?

Yet, there was no need to elaborate on this. Su Bei glanced down, braced himself, and effortlessly leaped from the five-meter-high branch. He was grateful for the physical prowess granted by his abilities, allowing him such ease.

“Is there anything else? If not, I’ll be on my way.”

“Wait!” Jiang Tianming called out to him immediately. “If you don’t want to complete the task, then why are you still here?”

At this, Su Bei pondered for a moment and offered a vague response: “Perhaps it is the guidance of fate.”

As he found another tree to land on, the “comic consciousness” reemerged: “I’ve noticed you don’t seem to enjoy lying much?”

So far, aside from that one instance regarding the specifics of his abilities, Su Bei had hardly told a lie. He either answered truthfully or chose silence, always steering others’ thoughts in the direction he desired.

Leaning against the tree, he adjusted into a comfortable position. With a faint smile, he replied, “Lies will eventually be uncovered, but the truth will not. The truth only differs in being understood correctly or misunderstood.”

This was akin to leaving himself some leeway, with both upper and lower limits open to adjustment.

Should any of his schemes falter, failing to achieve the level he wished to portray, as long as he had not explicitly stated it, he could always explain it away.

But once he voiced something and failed to deliver, that would be irretrievable.

This was the space for adjusting his lower limit.

And if he had claimed from the start that his ability ranked among the top two in his year, it would now be exceedingly difficult to defeat the purple-haired girl. For the readers would see him merely as a standout among freshmen; how could a novice with abilities triumph over a seasoned one?

—

Moreover, readers always delight in their own imaginings, conjuring ideas that sometimes even Su Bei himself had never considered. Thus, leaving things unsaid is merely a way to grant the readers room to explore.

This is the space for adjusting limits.

Of course, there is another crucial point: he genuinely enjoys speaking the truth! Su Bei sincerely believes that before encountering such wretched affairs, he was a sincere and dashing fellow. Even now, forced to become a riddle-maker, he would not lose his true self! (Thunderous voice)

The location chosen this time was quite good; he had not encountered anyone else until nightfall. Indeed, this map is vast—how could he be perpetually unlucky?

After finishing dinner, Su Bei was preparing to stroll nearby, scanning for risks, when his mental senses detected a group moving not far off.

At the forefront of the group was a leader, holding a rope to which five students were tied. Clearly, these five students had been captured by the “Black Flash.”

Let’s go take a look; Su Bei had a hunch that those he might encounter could very well be acquaintances.

After all, at this point, those still lingering in this alternate space, who had not been caught, were surely few. Among them, those who had previously been part of the narrative must constitute a significant portion. Moreover, five had been captured at once.

With this thought, he stealthily crept forward behind the cover of trees, peering out to see familiar faces within the group—Zhao Xiaoyu and Mu Tieren were indeed among them.

However, the state of these two was vastly different. Mu Tieren was covered in wounds, tightly bound by the rope, which had wrapped around his arms a full ten times.

In contrast, Zhao Xiaoyu bore no injuries at all; at the front of the five captives, she was chatting and laughing with the black-clad captor.

Seeing this, Su Bei observed the condition of the other students. They bore some injuries, but not many, and their expressions were relatively calm. Though there was a hint of fear, they were not overly agitated.

Su Bei noticed their gazes frequently drifting toward Zhao Xiaoyu and Mu Tieren. The former evoked admiration, while the latter stirred feelings of guilt.

Interesting; it seems they had their share of intriguing events as well.

As one might see in a comic, Su Bei withdrew his gaze, turning to leave. Yet, just as he turned, he suddenly found someone standing behind him.

Su Bei: “!()”

Even he was nearly scared half to death, almost unable to suppress a shout. Fortunately, upon recognizing the newcomer, he managed to hold back just in time.

Standing behind him was the sullen-faced Wu Jin, his hair obscuring much of his face, making him appear like a specter from a horror tale at first glance.