When midnight struck, Fenric immediately noticed the full moon tattoo on his arm glowing with a faint red light.
Samsara Space had opened.
Without hesitation, Fenric pressed the tattoo.
Five seconds later—
A flash of crimson light engulfed him, and he vanished from his room.
When Fenric regained his vision, he found himself standing on a massive square platform, so vast that the horizon seemed endless. All around him, red lights flickered as more and more people materialized, rapidly filling the space with a crowd of newcomers.
A holographic projection suddenly appeared before his eyes, displaying his status:
Name: Shura
Samsara Number: (C Zone) 90086
Physique: 12
Spirit: 14
Strength: 9
Agility: 11
Allocable Potential: 0
Skills: English (Proficient), Driving (Beginner), Shooting (Proficient)
Combat Skills: None
Abilities: None
samsara Points: 122
Comprehensive Evaluation: Below Standard
Fenric stared at the panel in silence.
"Shura"? Certainly not his name. That alias—and the masked assassin avatar he currently wore—was something the body's former owner had created. The reason was obvious: to hide his real identity.
It was common practice. In Samsara Space, most people disguised themselves. After all, Samsara Players often competed against each other. Sometimes you might enter the same dungeon, even on opposing sides. Offending others was inevitable, so a hidden identity provided protection.
Fenric had no complaints about that. What annoyed him was something else entirely.
"This guy… aside from the cool name he made, his stat is a complete waste."
Despite having been in Samsara Space for so long, his predecessor's stats were pathetic. (For reference, an average adult's attributes hovered around 10.) Forget abilities—he didn't even have a single combat skill. The only decent skill was "Shooting," at Proficient level.
(Skill Ranks: Beginner → Proficient → Expert → Master → Supreme)
Fenric sighed deeply. Still, he wasn't discouraged.
Because this was reality for most people in the Safe Zone.
Safe Zone dungeons were worlds without life-threatening danger, which naturally meant lower rewards. On top of that, you could only enter a Safe Zone dungeon once per month. Under such restrictions, becoming strong quickly was nearly impossible.
The only place to truly gain power fast… was the Samsara Tower.
Samsara Tower.
A towering structure in the central zone, so high it pierced the clouds. It was said to have 99 floors, each a massive, perilous world filled with lethal challenges and terrifying tasks. Fail a mission… and the system erased you permanently.
This wasn't a game. Death here was death in reality.
So, despite the Tower's incredible rewards—abilities, rare skills, unimaginable power—few dared to climb it.
Fenric lifted his gaze toward the distant central zone, where that colossal tower loomed like a god overlooking all.
Legend had it that anyone who cleared all 99 floors would become an omnipotent god.
No one knew where the rumor started, but everyone believed it. After all, those who returned alive from the Tower were true legends.
After a moment, Fenric lowered his eyes. One day, I'll conquer it!
But for now? He would start small. With knowledge of the plots, even the first step could give him an overwhelming advantage. He decided to clear a Safe Zone dungeon first—get used to the system and the rules.
Caution isn't fear. It's preparation.
"..."
He headed toward the Dungeon Hall, which was already bustling with activity. The massive chamber thrummed with voices as countless samsara players selected their worlds.
A small winged elf spirit suddenly appeared before him, floating in midair. Its voice was crisp and pleasant.
(Note: Think of it as Bell(Sylph) from Black Clover.)
"Hello, Shura. How can I assist you?"
This was one of Samsara Space's AI guides.
"I want to enter a dungeon," Fenric replied calmly.
According to his predecessor's memories, it had been over a month since his last run—the cooldown had long expired.
"Understood. Please choose the dungeon world you wish to enter."
With a flick of the elf's tiny hand, a holographic screen materialized, displaying numerous world names:
[John Wick 1]
[The Man from Nowhere]
[Hello Mr. Billionaire]
[Ronin]
[Infernal Affairs]
Fenric's eyes gleamed when he saw [Hello Mr. Billionaire] and [Infernal Affairs].
The [Hello Mr. Billionaire]… The mission must be to help the protagonist spend one billion yuan($140 million) to pass the test. And [Infernal Affairs]? Definitely tied to the two undercover agents…
For ordinary players, these scenarios were tricky. But for Fenric—who knew every twist and turn—they were child's play.
After a brief thought, he chose Infernal Affairs.
Why? Because the elf spirit's hint marked it as an Orange-level dungeon. That meant higher difficulty… and better rewards. The others were mostly Green-level, long conquered by countless samsara players, with pitiful payouts.
"Confirming: You have selected the dungeon world Infernal Affairs. Are you sure?"
"Yes," Fenric said firmly.
The moment the words left his mouth, the Dungeon Hall dissolved like rippling water. In an instant, the scene changed completely.
He now stood in a pristine white room.
Including himself, there were six people inside.
Fenric's eyes flickered. So, these are my teammates/enemies—the other samsara players heading into Infernal Affairs…
"Dear Samsara Players, you have five minutes to prepare. After five minutes, you will be transported to the mission world."
The mechanical voice of the system echoed through the room.
None of the six spoke. They simply exchanged glances, silent and wary.
Everyone here was no rookie—they all understood what this meant: in the upcoming mission, they might not be teammates but competitors.
The tense silence stretched for a full minute before a man finally broke it.
He was strikingly handsome—though clearly disguised—and his voice was smooth.
"Hello, everyone. My codename is Crow. My current strength evaluation is E-level."
That caused several eyebrows to rise.
Reaching E-level strength while staying in the Safe Zone was no small feat.
The room grew quieter, everyone turning their attention to Crow. Clearly, he hadn't spoken just to flaunt his strength.
Sure enough, Crow continued with an easy smile.
"I'd like to ask—would anyone be interested in forming an alliance?"
"..."
"..."
No one replied.
Unbothered, Crow's smile didn't falter. "To show my sincerity, I'll share some intel I've gathered."
"I've entered the Infernal Affairs dungeon before. The reason so few clear it is simple: the mission issued by the Samsara System is brutally difficult."
The others leaned in slightly, curiosity flickering in their eyes.
"This world is split into two factions—the Police and the Triad. Both sides have undercover agents planted by the other. Our mission is singular: find the mole."
A murmur ran through the group.
Fenric's eyes sharpened, his pulse quickening.
So that's the task? Then this dungeon… is practically tailor-made for me!
After all, he already knew who the moles were.
Crow went on. "Sounds easy, right? But the system only gives us 72 hours."
His tone grew heavier.
"Finding a cunning mole within three days isn't easy. And if you want an A-level evaluation, you'll need to finish within 24 hours. Almost impossible."
Crow let that sink in before continuing.
"I've cleared this dungeon once before. I have a few suspects in mind, but I'll need to verify them on-site. So, is anyone willing to team up with me?"
Finally, someone spoke—a player with a young, two-dimensional anime avatar.
"Mr. Crow, if we form an alliance, how will the rewards be split?"
Crow chuckled lightly. "Brother, are you new? Alliances form contracts. After the mission, the system splits the rewards evenly among allies. Any other questions?"
The anime-styled player shook his head. "None. I'd like to join. Please take care of me, Mr. Crow."
"Of course." Crow smiled and swept his gaze over the others. "Anyone else?"
"I'm in."
"Count me too."
"Same here."
In moments, three more joined Crow, making them a group of four.
That left only Fenric and a masked girl who hadn't spoken a word.
Crow turned to them with a polite smile. "You two—won't you reconsider?"
Fenric simply shook his head.
The masked girl's voice was cold, detached. "Not interested."
Crow didn't press. "Suit yourselves."
He gathered his three new allies and lowered his voice.
"After we enter the dungeon, all of you choose the triad faction."
The three nodded in unison.
—--
Five minutes passed in silence.
The system's voice rang out once more:
"Teleportation sequence initiated. Countdown: 10… 9… 8… 3… 2… 1!"
The white room vanished in an instant.
A brilliant red light engulfed Fenric and the others, pulling them toward the unknown.