Lucky's hand trembled as he stared at the card in his palm. The air felt heavier, colder, like the world itself was holding its breath. The runes etched along the card's edge glowed faintly red, like cooling embers. It pulsed with a malicious intent.
Item: Gate to Calamity
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Tier: 7
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Type: Item (Active)
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Use: -
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Current World: -
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Description: The Gate to Calamity is a cursed passageway between worlds one that does not lead to paradise, but to ruin.
When activated, the gate tears open a rift in reality, connecting to a dying world where catastrophe has already won. The first connection is random, bridging to an unknown doomed realm. However, once established, the gate stabilizes, locking onto that world's coordinates permanently.
This is not a tool. This is not a weapon.
This is an invitation.
And whatever lies on the other side?
It may not welcome you there.
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Note:
1 First Activation: Opens a random gateway to a world consumed by disaster (apocalypse, war, eldritch corruption, etc.).
2 Stabilization: After the first use, the gate fixes its destination, allowing repeated travel to the same doomed world.
3 Time differential may occur.
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"...This is really bad," Lucky muttered.
One of the clones nearby nodded solemnly. "I had the exact same look."
"This isn't just dangerous," Lucky said, gripping the card tighter. "The description literally says evil has won there. Not that it might win. That it already did. What if it's a world-ending virus or some kind of alein invasion? I could get one-shot the second I step through."
The clone swallowed. "It's a world-invasion type item. That's... scary."
Then Lucky turned to look at the clone, eyes gleaming with mischief. A slow smile crept up his face.
The clone immediately took a step back. "No. No! I know that look. Don't you dare..."
"How about a vacation?" Lucky said sweetly, placing a hand on the clone's shoulder.
The clone stiffened. "No. I refuse. I still have backlogged PTO!"
Lucky gave him his most sincere expression. "As your boss, I hereby approve your paid time off."
Groans echoed from the other clones nearby. Some sneered. Others outright booed.
"Bastard," the selected clone muttered.
Lucky coughed, scratching his cheek. "Hey, if I go in and die, we all die. So it's fair."
That sobered the group quickly.
Then Lucky said . "You're not going alone."
The first clone brightened. Misery, after all, loves company.
Soon, three more unlucky clones were chosen. Lucky handed them the card, and then he and the rest of the clones positioned themselves behind a wall of summoned creatures.
"Soldiers! your selfless sacrifice will not be forgotten Now March!" Lucky declared, standing atop one of the Summons.
Cheers erupted from the Clones, though most of the cheering clones were clearly just grateful not to be picked.
But those heading toward the gate felt their hearts weigh heavy. They knew this wasn't just a joke. It could be the end.
The card began to glow in one clone's hand.
The world changed.
A massive, rusted double-door erupted from the ground in a violent quake. Screams echoed from its depths not audible, but felt.
The wood was blackened and splintered, bound by iron chains etched with glyphs in languages not meant for mortal eyes. At its center was a symbol that twisted when looked at, like it refused to be defined. Every breath of air chilled their bones. Whispers tickled their ears.
Decay. Death. Dread.
The gate creaked open.
The slected clones exchanged silent nods.
And together, they stepped into the unknown.
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There was no nausea. No warping of perception.
One moment they were stepping forward the next, their boots touched the cracked rooftop of a modern skyscraper.
They looked around.
The city stretched endlessly before them, but it was in ruins. Skyscrapers partially collapsed. Highways buckled and split. Smoke curled into the sky from distant fires. Everything was gray.
The sky was the color of ash.
"Modern architecture," one clone muttered.
Another scanned the surroundings. "Feels like Earth... or something like it."
The third clone frowned. "No mana."
That made them all pause.
It was true the air was utterly inert. No magical resonance. No ambient energy. A dead world.
"We can use SP to generate mana," one of them reminded. "Still annoying."
They started to run diagnostics. the clones whished they at least have a basic sensor spell, They were ready to cast defensive spells, opting to remain cautious.
Suddenly, one of the clones hissed.
"Look. Down there."
The four of them crawled to the edge of the rooftop. What they saw made them all recoil.
Below, dozens no, hundreds of slow-moving figures staggered through the wreckage of the streets. Their skin was pale and rotted. Some were missing limbs. Others had metal embedded in their flesh. All of them were dead, but still moving.
"Zombies," one clone breathed.
Relief washed over them.
"Thank god."
"Why are we relieved?"
"Because this could have been some Lovecraftian nightmare realm."
"True. If it's just zombies... we can manage."
The four nodded in agreement. Then turned around slowly.
The Gate behind them still hovered in the air, pulsing ominously.
"Let's go back. Our job is recon. Not suicide."
They stepped through.
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The Gate sealed with a hiss and dissolved into smoke. The clones stumbled out, visibly unharmed but visibly shaken.
Lucky rushed over. "Report."
"City ruins. Modern world. Looks like Earth. Possibly. No mana in the air. Zombies confirmed. No advanced threats detected... yet."
Lucky Asked "How long were you guys in side it was around 15 seconds for us"
The fourth clone answerd "A minute... i think"
"Time ratio is around 4:1," Lucky added. "Four hours there, one hour here."
Lucky exhaled deeply.
"So it's usable."
The clones nodded.
A slow grin spread across Lucky's face. Then he started to laugh. A deep, unhinged kind of laugh.
The clones blinked, unsure whether to be worried.
"This... This will be our farming spot!"
Clones Eyes widened.
"With time dilation and constant combat, we can grind skills non-stop," he said, eyes gleaming. "Train our self. Build XP. Stack OL."
The clones looked at each other.
Then they all started laughing too.
They understood. This world was doomed, yes. But it was also opportunity.
And Lucky? He just got a training ground from hell.
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Author note here this is Not a Fanfic world Like HOTD it just a reasonable place for Lucky to aquire OL and Farm XP so Dont think too much about it