The countdown glowed above him like a curse.
[Remaining : 23:58:41]
Each second seemed to burn louder in Rian's head than his own heartbeat. He stared at it until his stomach churned, nausea rising like acid.
"You keep staring at it, you'll go mad."
The golden-eyed girl—she hadn't even told him her name yet—sat on the opposite side of the ruined church, dust and shadows wrapping her like a cloak. Her posture was calm, disturbingly deliberate, like someone who had seen horrors tear through the world before breakfast.
Rian dragged a hand down his face. "You mind explaining what just happened? Who the hell were those soldiers? And what do you mean I wasn't supposed to exist?"
Her eyes flicked to him. For a moment, something unreadable—suspicion? Fear? Pity?—cut through her expression.
"You're an anomaly," she said simply. "That makes you dangerous. To everyone."
"Yeah, because I asked for this." He barked a bitter laugh. "One second I'm dying in a hospital, next second I'm here, and suddenly a goddamn video game wants to delete me. You think I signed up?"
The girl tilted her head, as though testing whether he was lying. "Hospital…" she murmured, almost to herself. "You're not from here, then."
"No shit. Wherever 'here' is."
Her golden eyes softened for the faintest instant. "This world has rules, roles. Every life is scripted within them. Only one is chosen to break free of that cycle."
"And let me guess," Rian said flatly, "this 'chosen one' isn't me."
She shook her head. "No. The Chosen Hero of this age was supposed to be elsewhere right now, awakened by the System itself. But when you appeared—the selection broke. And…" Her gaze tightened on him. "...the Hero's mark ended up on you."
Rian blinked. "Wait—what?"
As if summoned, a burning sensation spread across his forearm. He yelped, tugging up his sleeve. Slashed into his flesh by light itself was an intricate sigil—rings within rings, blazing faint gold.
The girl's voice was barely above a whisper.
"That's impossible. That mark belongs to the Savior destined to save the Simulation from collapse. And yet…you have it."
Rian stared at the glowing symbol, heart hammering. Savior? Hero? Him?
No—this had to be wrong.
Before he could speak, the ruined doors of the church burst open with a BOOM.
Rian jerked upright—soldiers? Another wave?
But no. This was different.
A young man stepped in, bronze-haired and striking, eyes like calm steel. He was tall, armored in radiant silver, every movement dripping with the kind of poise that could only belong to someone born for greatness.
And floating above his head was the golden system text:
[Main Character: Elias Dorne]
Rian's blood ran cold.
Main Character!?
The newcomer's gaze fell on him. Instantly, his expression twisted—not with confusion, but fury. Like recognition had hit him at once.
"You…" Elias's voice thundered, edged with authority. "That's my mark."
The church air grew heavy, sacred light pooling around Elias as a massive sword manifested in his grasp, forged of pixel-white fire.
The golden-eyed girl leapt to her feet. "Wait! Elias, listen—"
But the Hero didn't wait. His blade pointed straight at Rian. Hatred burned in his eyes.
"You stole my destiny."
The countdown burned louder.
[Remaining: 23:52:09]