The Glitch Wars had shattered the illusion of control Riku once believed he had. The system was no longer a predictable algorithm but a wild, fractured force, teetering on collapse. Each victory came at a cost, each new module gained only deepened the complexity—and the danger.
Riku's body ached from endless battles and near-death encounters, but his mind burned with relentless clarity. The system's rewards were undeniable: powerful modules, faster reflexes, enhanced recovery. Yet a creeping feeling gnawed at him—the system wasn't benevolent; it was transactional. Every gain demanded a sacrifice.
Elira sat beside him under the stars, their campfire crackling softly. "How much more can we take?" she asked quietly, eyes searching his face. "Every time we use a new module, a piece of something… fades away. We become stronger, but what costs are we really paying?"
Riku's gaze drifted to the flickering interface above. Claris was silent for a moment, then spoke in a soft tone tinged with sadness. "The system filters. Each Module acquisition duplicates a shard of your essence into the System. Over time, these fragments blur your core identity."
A chill ran down Riku's spine. Was the system slowly absorbing him? Using his soul as currency?
He clenched his fists. "Then we have to be careful. Power without purpose is meaningless if it costs who we are."
But careful was a luxury the loop did not grant. Kael's shadow loomed larger with every reset—a rival who embraced corruption and chaos, unafraid to sacrifice everything to dominate both worlds and the system itself.
In an unsteady alliance, Riku and Elira planned to train and prepare for the inevitable confrontation. Yet even as their bond deepened, the uncertainty of the system's demands weighed heavy.
"We fight not just enemies, but a system that tests our spirit," Elira said. "We must hold onto ourselves, or we'll lose more than battles—we'll lose our very souls."
That night, as Riku closed his eyes, images of past resets flashed—the lives he had lived, the faces he'd met and lost. The system's infinite cycle was both a blessing and a prison.
With renewed resolve, Riku whispered into the darkness, "No matter the price, I will fight. Not just to survive, but to break these infinite resets."
The battle for power had begun, and the cost was more than just blood and life—it was the essence of existence itself.