The sun had barely risen when Rei and Lyra reached the foot of the shattered city ruins. Broken pillars jutted from the ground like the bones of some ancient, colossal beast, and faint pulses of magic flickered from the cracks in the stone.
Rei's eyes scanned the area carefully. His interface floated steadily in his vision, analyzing everything in real-time.
[Mana density: High]
[Anomalies detected: 7]
[Dimensional instability: Moderate]
"This place is a nexus of power," Rei said quietly, crouching beside a chunk of crumbled masonry. "No wonder the system dumped me here."
Lyra adjusted her cloak, her expression unreadable. "These ruins are forbidden. Nobody who ventures too deep returns. That's why even the Order of the Silver Flame avoids this place."
Rei looked up. "Order of the Silver Flame?"
"An elite guild of mages and warriors who protect what's left of this world. But even they fear the secrets buried here."
A cold wind swept through the ruins, carrying with it a scent of something metallic and ancient. Rei could almost hear the faint hum of forgotten machines, hidden beneath layers of dust and time.
"I want to know what happened here," Rei said, standing. "And what this crystal fragment is."
Lyra hesitated, then nodded. "There's a place beneath the city. An underground archive, sealed for centuries. If anyone knows the truth, it's there."
Together, they found a crumbled staircase leading into darkness. Rei's system activated a soft glow around his hands, illuminating the path as they descended.
The air grew colder, thicker, tinged with the scent of rust and old paper. Ancient runes glowed faintly on the walls, casting eerie shadows.
Deeper and deeper they went, until they reached a massive iron door covered in glyphs—half magical, half technological.
Rei placed his palm on the surface. The door resisted at first, then the glyphs flared to life, scanning him like a key.
[Access granted.]
The door slid open with a grinding sound, revealing a vast chamber filled with shelves of dusty tomes, floating holographic maps, and arcane devices humming softly.
Lyra stepped forward, eyes wide. "This… This is the heart of knowledge for a civilization that vanished."
Rei touched a glowing orb on a pedestal. Data flooded his mind—memories, histories, and warnings.
> "The Collapse was not an accident."
"An experiment gone wrong tore the fabric of reality."
"Fragments of worlds drift endlessly, waiting to be claimed or destroyed."
Rei's heart beat faster. The system's voice whispered again in his mind:
> [New Objective: Stabilize multiverse fragments. Acquire lost knowledge. Protect allied worlds.]
Lyra turned, determination shining in her eyes. "We need to find others like you—other 'Reinitialized'—before the void consumes everything."
Rei nodded, feeling the weight of an impossible destiny settle on his shoulders.
"I don't know who I was before," he admitted softly, "but now, I have a purpose. And I'll see it through… no matter the cost."
As they prepared to leave, a low rumble shook the chamber. The shadows twisted, and glowing red eyes appeared from the darkness.
Ancient guardians—half machine, half spirit—had awoken.
"Get ready," Lyra whispered.
Rei smiled, fingers sparking with power.
"Let's show them why I'm Level 999."