Dominic stretched out on the cold cave floor, blinking slowly.
He had just fought a demon the size of a cathedral and won.
He had literally punched through its skull with his bare hands.
And now?
He was starving.
"Alright... System," he grumbled, still catching his breath. "You got anything for food? Because I'm this close to roasting my own shoe."
The familiar glow of Nexis returned, the system's calm tone filling the air.
[SYSTEM UNLOCKED: SHOP – MULTIVERSAL ACCESS ENABLED]
"Wait… multiversal?"
He blinked as a floating screen expanded before him, revealing categories — armor, weapons, consumables, utilities… and—wait.
"No freaking way…"
He tapped on Food, then Earth-Origin, and finally scrolled until he saw it.
Jollof Rice Combo – Spicy Edition 🍛
Includes fried plantain, spicy chicken thighs, and chilled Zobo drink.
Cost: 25 gold
"Bless the Great One," he whispered.
He purchased it without hesitation.
Moments later, a literal steaming plate of food materialized on a floating tray. The aroma alone hit him like a buff spell. His stomach growled violently.
He devoured it.
"Hoooooly... bro this is 10-star Michelin! I'm never leaving this cave."
He wiped his mouth, then casually leaned back and pulled up his Status Window, feeling a strange buzz inside his body — like power pulsing through every vein.
➤ [ STATUS WINDOW: DOMINIC MENDEZ ]
Name: Dominic Mendez Level: 47
Age: 18 Race: Human (Modified)
Title: Outcast God Synchronization: 5.0%
Health (HP): 5000 Mana (MP): 2000
Qi: 10 Years Cultivation (Unlocked)
Divine Power: 3000 Faith Resonance: 5
Attributes:
• Strength: 234
• Agility: 215
• Defense: 221
• Intellect: 248
• Willpower: 276
• Charisma: 202
• Luck: ???
Skills:
• Pain Resistance (Lv. 5)
• Fire Resistance (Lv. 5)
• All Resistance (Lv. 5)
• Chain Combat Mastery (Passive)
• Basic Elemental Manipulation – Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning
• Intimidation (Passive)
Traits:
• Divine Spark – Your soul contains fragments of divinity.
• Lone Origin – Gain 2x EXP when fighting alone.
• Adaptation Engine – Rapidly adapt to enemies' attacks and techniques.
• ??? (Locked)
• ??? (Locked)
Inventory:
• Dual Dagger Set (Sharp Twinfang – Rare)
• Spare Outfit – Cloak of Blue Veil (Mystic Grade)
• 100,175 Gold
• System Tablet (Bound)
• Health Potion Flask ×3
Dominic's jaw dropped.
"What... the actual hell... am I??" he whispered, still chewing on a piece of plantain.
He stood up and looked down at his palms. There was no tremble. No fatigue.
Then—out of pure curiosity—he snapped his fingers.
A small ember flickered at his fingertips.
"Cool."
He raised both hands.
Flames.
Water swirl.
A gust of wind.
A spark of lightning.
"Yooo"
He clapped once. The fire vanished. He crouched slightly and slammed a palm into the cave floor.
A piece of the earth rose from the ground like a platform.
"Yo…..this shii is fuckin crazy"
He did a tiny celebratory dance in place, spinning and laughing to himself.
"If Brian could see me now, he'd die of envy. And Mom? She'd cry. Probably slap me first. Then cry."
"But damn… Level 47 on just 5% synchronization? How strong will I be at 100?!"
✦ ✦ ✦
Meanwhile — in the capital of Avelion…
The grand banquet hall shimmered with golden chandeliers and divine runes dancing on the ceilings. Musicians played soft elven harps while nobles drank vintage elixirs.
Jake and Annabel sat on luxurious chairs beside the king himself, dressed in fine ceremonial robes.
Servants bowed, bringing endless trays of food and drink.
"Heroes of the Prophecy," King Eldric raised his golden chalice. "Avelion thanks you for answering the summon."
Applause echoed through the hall.
Jake puffed his chest. Annabel... looked distracted.
She leaned toward Jake and whispered, "Do you think Dominic is still alive?"
Jake scoffed.
"He had no power. Not even a trace of aura. There's no way he survived being sent to that cursed forest."
She looked down, frowning. "But still… he was with us."
Jake shrugged and leaned back.
"Annabel, I read a lot of comics back on Earth. This is how it always goes. He's the outcast so he's probably done for. we are the chosen heroes, act like one"
She blinked. "So… you don't think he'll return?"
Jake smiled, sipping his wine.
"If he does, it'll be a damn problem."
✦ ✦ ✦
Back in the forest cave...
Dominic wiped his hands and stood. His new blue cloak fluttered behind him, his daggers resting on his hip. His eyes had a faint glow.
He stepped outside the cave for the first time in days.
The air felt different. Crisper. Sharper.
And then—
[NEW QUEST RECEIVED]
✦ WORLD QUEST: Forest of the Damned ✦
Objective: Purge all corrupted monsters within the forest and restore balance.
Reward: +EXP | +20,000 Gold | +0.1% System Synchronization
Time Limit: None
Difficulty: Unknown
He exhaled, cracking his knuckles.
"Guess I'm not done yet."
He glanced at the trees, which rustled not with wind… but with growls. Faint eyes blinked from the darkness.
Dominic smiled.
"Come at me, freaks. I'm just getting started."
As his foot hit the forest soil again, the system whispered:
[Trial Phase Two: Begin the Purification.]
📍End of Chapter 7
🔥 Cliffhanger: Dominic begins his next mission — purifying the cursed forest. But deep within, something more sinister is waiting... something aware of the Nexis system...