The violet glow slowly ebbed away. The obsidian floor, once polished like glass, now fractured with deep cracks, while the runes along the walls dimmed and faded one by one. The strange domain collapsed, dissolving back into the shadow of the ruined station.
Arkan staggered, knees nearly buckling. His breath came ragged, sweat clinging to his skin, yet not a single wound marred his body. The exhaustion wasn't physical—it was heavier, deeper, as if his very mind had been wrung dry after days of endless running.
Before him, the man in white robes still stood unmoving. Qin—the cultivator. His presence was unshaken even as the domain crumbled. Authority clung to him like a mantle; his gaze, dark as midnight, pierced directly into Arkan's core.
"Young one," Qin's voice was steady, clear, but weighty enough to anchor the air. "Listen well. There are three truths about Earth's OSBO you must understand."
Arkan lifted his head, body trembling, but ears sharp. He listened.
Qin raised a single finger.
"First. Earth's OSBO is negation. It erases every form of external energy or power. That is why Earth appears ordinary, tranquil—a world without miracles."
A second finger rose.
"Second. Earth's OSBO can crack if too many domains are forced into being. Each domain is a wound carved into its law. The more wounds, the weaker the law becomes."
Finally, the third finger extended. His eyes gleamed.
"And third—if Earth's OSBO collapses completely, this world becomes an open field for every dimension. No barrier. No protection. Demons, cultivators, gods, monsters—they will flood in. And humanity… will be nothing more than ants beneath their feet."
The words cut like a blade. Fear coiled tight around Arkan's chest, sinking deeper than thought could follow.
"…Then," his voice cracked, "they're after Earth, not me."
Qin's thin smile carried no comfort, only a bitter weight.
"Half right. Half wrong. They want Earth, yes… but they also want you."
Arkan froze. "Me…? Why?"
Qin stepped closer, slow and deliberate, until he was only a few paces away. He extended a hand. At once, the system's blue holographic screen shimmered into existence between them.
"Because the system you bear," Qin's gaze sharpened, "is part of OSBO itself."
Arkan went still. The revelation struck like thunder in a clear sky.
"The system… part of OSBO…?"
Qin nodded. "You are not merely a host. You are OSBO's anomaly. Something that should never exist—yet here you stand. A crack within the law of Earth itself. Through you, strength forbidden here can flow. In your hands, OSBO may endure… or collapse."
Before Arkan could even form a reply, a cold mechanical chime rang in his ears.
[Main Quest Unlocked]
Title: Path of Fate
Description: You have uncovered OSBO's secret. Choose your path—
Protect Earth's OSBO and seal the dimensions.
Break the boundaries, open the multiverse.
Reward: ???
Penalty: ???
Arkan's eyes widened. His hands shook as sweat traced down his temple. This wasn't a simple quest with coins or EXP as a prize. This was everything—Earth, the multiverse, the future itself.
His gaze darted to Qin, desperate for guidance. But the cultivator only returned a deep, unblinking stare, as though weighing, as though waiting.
"OSBO's anomaly…" Arkan whispered, his voice trembling.
The night pressed heavier. For the first time, Arkan felt the crushing weight of destiny on his shoulders.
The days that followed felt like a waking nightmare. Arkan tried to cling to his old routines—lectures, part-time shifts, the occasional hangout with friends—but his eyes no longer saw the world the same way.
Every stranger in the street seemed suspicious. Every footstep in a campus corridor carried threat. Every system notification made his pulse spike.
The only comfort came from the lighter daily quests the system offered.
[Daily Quest: Help someone in need. Reward: +10 EXP, + 5 USD.]
[Daily Quest: Study for 2 uninterrupted hours. Reward: +5 EXP.]
Small things. Simple. Their rewards modest, but their consistency anchored him. As if the system itself was reminding him: you can still endure.
But not all quests came gently.
One afternoon, in the middle of a lecture hall, a new professor took the podium. Dr. Armand—well-dressed, thin glasses, the kind of warm smile that put students at ease. The class took to him quickly.
But Arkan… Arkan's instincts screamed.
Dr. Armand's eyes were too sharp. His gaze swept the room not like a teacher, but like a hunter appraising prey. And whenever he passed near Arkan, the hairs on his neck rose, skin tingling with static.
"Is he really… human?" Arkan's grip tightened on his desk. "Or something else in disguise?"
The final bell rang. Students filed out, laughing, carefree. But before Arkan could follow, the system blinked open before his eyes.
[Emergency Quest: Follow Dr. Armand. Your secret is at risk.]
Reward: +50 EXP, Random Item.
Penalty: Lose 1 Level.
His blood ran cold. Losing a level now… was the same as having his strength stripped away.
He summoned his status window.
[Host: Mile Arkan]
• Level: 3
• EXP: 120 / 300
• HP: 270 / 270
• MP: 150 / 150
• Strength: 14 (+)
• Agility: 15 (+)
• Intelligence: 12 (+)
• Vitality: 12 (+)
Unspent Points: 10
Skills:
Dash Lv.1 [-5 MP, Cooldown: 5s]
Appraisal Lv.1 [Passive]
Items:
Beginner's Sword (D-Rank) ** [+5 Attack]
Ring of Light (D-Rank) *** [+30 HP, +30 MP]
Balance: $30.5
His gaze locked on the unspent points. Ten of them. Enough to fortify himself now. "I can't risk being weak… VIT and STR, that's what I need."
He invested the points quickly.
[Updated Status]
• HP: 370 / 370
• Strength: 19
• Vitality: 17
No more hesitation. He grabbed his bag and slipped out of class, trailing Dr. Armand from a distance.
The professor walked calmly through the campus, heading toward one of the oldest, least-used buildings. Its walls were peeling, windows coated in dust. Perfect for secrecy.
Arkan's steps were light, body pressed to pillars and trees, heart hammering in his ears. He followed inside.
The air was damp, heavy with rot. Wooden boards groaned underfoot, dust thick on every surface. A flickering fluorescent light cast warped shadows across the hall.
Then Arkan saw it.
Dr. Armand stood in the center of the abandoned atrium, one hand raised. The air rippled. A thin black fracture appeared, like glass splitting open. Slowly, it widened—an obsidian door clawing its way into reality.
A portal.
From within came a low growl. A figure emerged: tall, skeletal, its skin armored in slick black scales. Its eyes glowed crimson, and each step it took made a sound like metal scraping stone—a jagged, mocking screech.
Arkan's throat tightened. His body froze.
Dr. Armand spoke, voice low, reverent.
"The domain must expand. OSBO must be broken… even if it costs these students their lives."
Arkan's blood turned to ice. So it was true—Dr. Armand was no professor. He was an infiltrator. A predator.
And if so… what happened to the real Dr. Armand? The thought alone made Arkan's stomach twist.
The system's chime cut through his fear.
[New Quest: Survive the incursion of an otherworldly entity.]
Reward: +100 EXP, Wooden Chest.
Penalty: Death.
Arkan instinctively stepped back, but the floor creaked.
Dr. Armand's head snapped toward him. Behind the glasses, his eyes burned red. The warm smile he wore in class stretched into something sharp, predatory.
"Well, well," he said softly. "Looks like we've got a little spy."
Arkan's pulse thundered. This wasn't just a test anymore. He wasn't just a student.
He was the target.