The voices were frantic, disembodied echoes that scraped against the edge of Zack's forming consciousness. He felt pressure—crushing, deafening pressure. He tried to scream, but the noise in the void around him was too loud.
"Let's go! We have the Supreme Dragon Talent Fruit—it's the core treasure of the secret realm! Hurry, the realm is about to self-destruct!"
"Take out the teleportation talisman!"
"How is this possible? The secret realm wasn't supposed to close until next week! Why is it collapsing? Did the young master of the (???) family succeed in taking the core treasure?!"
"Will the secret realm never open again?!"
"I don't know, but let's leave—fast! The whole realm is about to explode!"
'Where am I?'
'What are these voices?'
'Where is the system…?'
CRACK!!
The sound was immediate and terrifying, like the universe splitting in two.
SHATTER!!
With a blinding flash, a colossal piece of reality tore apart, and light burst into Zack's vision. When his sight returned, he realized something bizarre:
He had just broken out of... a shell.
'A shell? Did I reincarnate as a bird? A snake? Please don't let me be a lizard…'
> [Ding! The Super Tower Defense System is binding with the consciousness of the secret realm.]
> [The secret realm is closing. All external beings will be terminated.]
>
'Secret realm? So that's what this place is called?'
More screens appeared.
> [Ding. Binding complete. Opening host panel…]
>
| Host: | Zack |
|---|---|
| Race: | Sphinx |
| Level: | Low-tier Supernatural |
| Skills: | (Locked) |
| Spirit Tokens: | 200 |
| Titles: | Boss Guardian of the Secret Realm |
Then—
> WARNING: The core treasure of the secret realm has been taken. The secret realm will collapse in 15 seconds.
>
Zack froze.
'Hah?! I JUST got reincarnated and I'm about to die again?!'
> [Ding! The core treasure of the secret realm has been taken. The secret realm will self-destruct without immediate host involvement!]
>
'I GET IT, I GET IT—can you please let me think?!'
Another prompt flashed:
> [Ding. The host can spend 100 Spirit Tokens to reboot the secret realm.
> Y/N?]
>
Zack stared at the countdown ticking away. He only had twenty seconds left to live.
He sighed internally.
'Does it look like I have any other choice?'
Yes.
> [Ding! Are you sure you want to reboot the secret realm?
> Warning: All guardian beasts, heaven-and-earth treasures, wandering beasts, wild treasures, spirit mines, bloodlines inheritances and other inheritances, and artifacts will be lost.]
>
Zack stared at the list. Guardian Beasts? Lost. Treasures? Lost. Everything he was supposed to protect, everything he needed to build his defense, gone.
'You just had to rub it in and list EVERYTHING I'm going to lose, didn't you? At least I can save the land.'
"My answer is still YES!"
The moment he
confirmed, a brilliant white light swallowed the entire secret realm.