THE AGE OF CHAOS HAS BEGUN
After the notification appeared, Danilo was confused. Only then did he notice a minimized window glowing on the status panel. When he opened it, he saw the notification:
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
YOU ARE THE FIRST BEING ON EARTH TO KILL SOMEONE OF YOUR OWN RACE.
REWARD: BRONZE TREASURE CHEST.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ANNOUNCE YOUR NAME?
Another notification followed right after:
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
YOU ARE THE FIRST BEING ON EARTH TO CARRY OUT A MASSACRE ON YOUR OWN RACE.
REWARD: TITLE — ASSASSIN.
SILVER TREASURE CHEST.
Because of the shock of having just killed someone for the first time, he hadn't even paid attention to the minimized panel. His mother and sisters were horrified by the global system announcement. Something that, although they hadn't mentioned it, was obviously something they all wanted to keep quiet.
— My God! — everyone knows now — his mother said, terrified.
— And now, what are we going to do? — Maria asked, trembling, feeling truly dizzy with everything that had happened.
— We're not going to do anything — Danilo said with forced calm.
— First of all, we defended ourselves. Second, this is a space where Earth's laws don't apply yet. And third, it was only a matter of time before this happened. There will be mass killings in the future. After all, mankind's evolution is here, and every opportunity will be exploited en masse.
— But—
— No buts. Let's go back home and talk later.
They entered the village. And as soon as they did, a notification glowed.
SAFE ZONE, THREE DAYS.
FIRST INVASION, EIGHT DAYS.
After reading that and feeling a little confused, everyone took out a spirit crystal and logged out.
When he reappeared, he looked around and realized he was in a different place. The store that had once been clean and modest was now completely disorganized, partially destroyed.
It was clear the store had been vandalized. Shelves were broken, more than half the clothes gone. The register computer had disappeared, and the cash drawer lay open, completely empty.
Danilo looked around powerless, as if the scene had already been expected.
— So… THE AGE OF CHAOS HAS BEGUN. — he murmured bitterly.
Only then did he realize he was still wearing the Sacred Cloak, stained with spilled blood. He removed it slowly, revealing the common clothes he still wore underneath. He stored the cloak away, like someone closing a chapter that could never be erased.
When he stepped out into the street, he faced the true portrait of chaos. Screams echoed in the distance, shattered windows reflected the flames of burning dumpsters. It was inevitable: with so many people suddenly disappearing, those who remained were consumed by panic — and some, by the opportunity to plunge into looting and violence.
The road was blocked by a grotesque traffic jam. Crumpled cars piled up in a line, some with engines still smoking. The ground was littered with shattered glass, torn bags, and oil stains glistening under the streetlights. In some vehicles, open doors revealed bloodstains — signs that many drivers had vanished mid-motion, leaving their cars to roll until they crashed.
Danilo watched in silence.
— Teleported while driving… — he muttered.
He didn't stop. Ignoring the distant honking and the sobbing of someone crying on the sidewalk, he kept walking. His house was nearby.