Did I Get Reincarnated as a Supporting Character?

The days at Cresthaven blurred into a grind of sweat and mana, each one sharpening Sung-Min's edges while testing his limits. Darius's threat lingered like smoke, curling through his thoughts as he pushed his frail body through drills and lectures. The bruise on his ribs faded to a dull yellow, but the memory of the ambush—and the promise of worse—kept him alert. He wasn't just surviving anymore; he was building something, a foundation of skill and will that Min-Sung had never dreamed of.

That afternoon, the training fields buzzed with a new challenge. Instructor Torv stood at the center, his braided beard glinting with sweat, a wooden crate at his feet. "Team exercise," he barked, his voice cutting through the chatter. "Three to a group—obstacle course, mixed combat. Magic, weapons, wits. Finish together or not at all. Pick your partners, now."

Sung-Min glanced at Sera, who was already grinning beside him. "You're stuck with me," she said, twirling her staff. "Who's our third?"

Before he could answer, Kael sauntered over, his dark hair mussed, a spark of lightning dancing between his fingers. "Room for one more? Figure I owe you after that mess with Darius."

Sung-Min nodded, relieved. "You're in. Let's make this quick."

The course loomed ahead—a sprawl of platforms, ropes, and rune-lit barriers that pulsed with mana. Targets dotted the path, some static, others darting like fireflies, while a final ring waited at the end, guarded by a hulking golem of stone and steel. Torv kicked the crate open, revealing an assortment of gear—swords, staves, shields, and orbs that hummed with stored spells. "Grab what you need. Five minutes to plan. Go!"

Sera snatched a staff and a pouch of rune-etched stones, her eyes gleaming. "I'll handle defense—shields and traps. You two take offense."

Kael grabbed a short sword, its blade crackling faintly with his lightning. "I'll hit hard, clear the way."

Sung-Min hesitated, then picked a staff—light, familiar—and a small orb that pulsed green when he touched it. "Wind and support," he said, pocketing the orb. "I'll keep us moving, maybe slow that golem."

They huddled, sketching a rough plan in the dirt. Sera's runes would block and redirect; Kael's lightning would blast through; Sung-Min's wind would boost their speed and disrupt. It wasn't flawless, but it played to their strengths—scrappy, adaptable, a trio of underdogs against the polished teams forming around Darius and Liora.

Torv's whistle blew, and the teams surged forward. Sung-Min's group hung back, letting the chaos unfold. Darius's trio—him, the shadow-mage girl, and a burly boy with wind magic—charged ahead, flames and shadows carving a brutal path. Liora's team—her, a quiet earth mage, and a girl with ice—moved with precision, water and stone weaving a steady advance.

Sera nudged Sung-Min. "Now." She tossed a rune-stone, and a gold shield flared behind them, blocking a stray firebolt from another group. Sung-Min summoned his wind, a gust that lifted their steps, propelling them onto the first platform. Kael leapt ahead, his sword slashing a darting target midair, sparks flying.

They moved fast—Sera's shields snapping up to deflect mana blasts, Kael's lightning shattering barriers, Sung-Min's wind pushing them past ropes and gaps. Halfway through, the golem stirred, its stone arms grinding as it lumbered toward the ring. Darius's team reached it first, his flames slamming into its chest, but the golem barely flinched, swatting them back with a metal fist.

"Too strong for brute force," Sung-Min muttered, his mind racing. "We need to outsmart it."

Sera grinned, pulling another rune-stone. "Got an idea. Kael, distract it. Min-Sung, boost me."

Kael darted forward, lightning arcing from his blade to the golem's legs, drawing its attention. Sung-Min focused, his green mana flaring into a tight gust that lifted Sera onto a higher platform. She knelt, sketching a rune in the air—gold light flared, then sank into the ground beneath the golem. Roots—Sung-Min's roots, he realized—burst up, tangling its feet, inspired by his ambush trick.

"Now!" Sera shouted. Sung-Min swung his staff, wind blade slicing at the golem's arm joints, while Kael's lightning struck its chest. The roots held, the golem staggering, and with a final push—Sung-Min's orb flaring green to amplify their combined mana—they toppled it into the dirt.

They raced through the ring, breathless but together, as Torv's whistle signaled the end. "Team seven—cleared," he grunted, nodding at them. "Smart, not just strong. Good."

Darius's team finished second, his scowl cutting through the dust as he glared at Sung-Min. Liora's group took third, her violet eyes meeting Sung-Min's with that unreadable flicker. The rest straggled in, some limping, others empty-handed.

Sera clapped Sung-Min's back, laughing. "We're a damn menace together. That root trick—I stole it from you."

"Steal away," he said, grinning despite the ache in his ribs. "It worked."

Kael sheathed his sword, wiping sweat from his brow. "You're full of surprises, Min-Sung. That orb—where'd you pull that boost?"

"Dumb luck," Sung-Min admitted, pocketing it. "Felt right."

Torv dismissed them, and the trio lingered, catching their breath. Sung-Min felt the shift—trust, real and solid, binding them. Sera's runes, Kael's spark, his own wind—they weren't just surviving; they were syncing.

That evening, Sung-Min sat under the oak again, the green orb in his hand. He'd kept it, its hum a faint echo of his mana. The course had pushed him—wind and life twining in ways he hadn't planned, amplifying beyond his lone strength. He summoned a tendril, watching it curl longer, stronger, before fading. Growth wasn't just physical; it was this—connections, moments.

Footsteps broke his focus. Liora appeared, her staff tapping the ground, her silver hair catching the moonlight. "You're getting better," she said, stopping a few paces away. "That golem didn't stand a chance."

Sung-Min stood, brushing dirt from his tunic. "Team effort. Sera and Kael carried it."

She tilted her head, her almost-smile flickering. "Don't sell yourself short. You're the glue—wind tying it together. I saw."

He shifted, uneasy under her gaze. "Why're you watching me, Liora? I'm not… I'm not him." He didn't say Kang-Jae's name, but it hung there, a ghost between them.

Her eyes narrowed, sharp and searching. "I don't know who you think I'm waiting for. I watch because you're different—raw, unpolished, but climbing. It's… interesting."

"Interesting," he echoed, a dry laugh escaping. "That's one way to put it."

She stepped closer, her water mana flaring briefly—a cool mist that brushed his cheek. "You're not what I expected, Min-Sung. That's all. Keep climbing—I want to see where it goes." She turned, leaving him with the scent of rain and a knot of questions.

Back in his dorm, Sung-Min lay on his bed, the orb glowing faintly on his desk. Liora's words gnawed at him—she wasn't chasing Kang-Jae's shadow, not yet. She saw him, Min-Sung, the nobody who'd defied the script. Sera and Kael saw it too, their trust a lifeline he hadn't earned in the novel.

Darius's threat still loomed, Joren's grudge a simmering coal, but Sung-Min felt the balance tipping. He wasn't alone anymore—not a side character, not a victim. The green spark flared in his palm, wind and life twining into a blade that held steady longer than ever.

He closed his eyes, a grin tugging at his lips. The edge of trust was sharp, but he'd wield it. Let the academy watch—he'd give them a show worth seeing.