The morning after forging his bond with Elara, Arkan tried to carry on as if nothing had changed. He forced himself into a routine—waking early, splashing himself with the freezing water of the cramped boarding house bathroom, tugging on a wrinkled white shirt that had seen better days.
On the surface, it was just another day. He slung his bag over his shoulder, walked to campus, and sat in the far corner of the lecture hall, trying to look like an ordinary student. But his pencil didn't write a single word. It only spun between his fingers, scratching faint arcs across blank paper.
No matter how much he tried to drown himself in mundane details, his mind wouldn't quiet. Every time he blinked, he saw flashes of a domain soaked in shadows, Dr. Armand's twisted grin, and the echo of that one chilling prophecy: "A permanent domain will be born."
Elara's presence in his life offered a strange comfort. Yet that comfort was also a constant reminder: the world he thought he knew was already crumbling.
After classes ended, Arkan headed straight to his part-time job at a modest food stall. Normally, the rhythm of it—scribbling down orders, serving steaming bowls, wiping down tables—was enough to ground him. But even there, a weight pressed down on his chest. It was as if some unseen hand was dragging him toward a storm.
That night, his unease proved true.
Walking home down a narrow lane lit by flickering streetlamps, the world suddenly froze. Not slowed—frozen. Leaves suspended mid-sway. Strangers stuck mid-step. Cars hovering on the street as if time itself had been put on hold.
Arkan's breath caught. "What… is this?"
Before fear could fully set in, a surge of blue light engulfed him. His body grew light, untethered, and in a blink he was no longer on earth. He was standing in an endless white expanse, a space without walls or horizon. A void that felt less like a place and more like a judgment.
Then came the voice. Cold, mechanical. Absolute.
System:
"Host, you have advanced too far. The time for trial has come. Failure will result in the removal of all system privileges… and your elimination from OSBO."
Arkan staggered back. "What!? I could lose… everything?"
A glowing panel flickered into view, its letters burning blue.
[Mandatory Quest: System Trial]
Objective: Survive and defeat 100 simulated monsters.
Time Limit: 30 minutes.
Reward: +3 Levels, New Skill [Energy Burst], full access to the Shop System.
Penalty: System removal → Death.
His throat went dry. "So this… this is life or death."
The pristine white ground cracked beneath his feet, black fractures crawling outward like a spider's web. From the abyss spilled grotesque creatures—goblin-like monsters with ashen skin, glowing red eyes, and claws glinting like knives. Their shrill cries tore through the silence, making his skin crawl. Dozens poured out, surrounding him.
At his side, light flared. Elara materialized, her silver hair billowing in the still air, her dress shimmering faintly as if stitched from moonlight.
"Don't rely on me too much," she said, voice steady as steel. "This is your trial. I can heal you—but only within limits."
Arkan nodded, fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword. His weapon—Beginner's Blade, Level 3—gleamed faintly with blue-silver light. Not much, but enough to give him hope.
System:
"Combat start."
The first wave lunged. Ten monsters at once.
Arkan ducked low, swinging his blade in a swift arc—slash! Two fell instantly, dissolving into shards of light. Another three pounced, but he snapped his fingers. Shadow tendrils erupted from the ground, binding their legs. He finished them with one decisive strike.
But the flood didn't stop. More crawled out, dozens upon dozens, their crimson eyes gleaming with hunger. His blade carved through them, each kill sending sparks of EXP into his body. But skills drained his mana, his stamina waned, and his breaths grew ragged.
System:
"Host at critical state. Unlocking new feature: [Shop System]."
Another panel opened, glowing with tempting offers.
[Shop]
Small Health Potion – $5
Small Mana Potion – $5
Weapon Core Upgrade (Expert) – $75
Basic Armor Set – $30
[Balance: $127]
Arkan clenched his jaw. "Then I'll gamble everything."
He slammed his choice on the Weapon Core Upgrade. His blade erupted with light, runes spiraling up its length.
[Item Enhanced: Beginner's Blade Lv.3 → Expert Blade Lv.1]
The weapon pulsed with power. The monsters hesitated, cowed by the sheer force radiating from it.
Arkan smirked, lifting the glowing sword. "Now it's my turn."
He charged. Faster. Sharper. Every strike blazed with blue light, cleaving through goblins like paper. Their screeches filled the void, swallowed by the ringing of steel.
Minutes bled away in a frenzy of steel and sweat. Until only one remained.
From the abyss rose a monster three times their size. A towering brute clad in muscle and hate, clutching a blackened war axe.
[Mini-Boss Appears: Goblin Chief]
The ground trembled beneath its steps.
Arkan's knees nearly buckled. His arms shook. But then Elara's hand pressed against his back, her healing light flowing into him.
"Don't falter, Arkan," she whispered firmly. "Lose here, and you die."
He forced a breath, eyes locked on the monster. Then—another prompt.
[New Skill Acquired: Energy Burst Lv.1]
Convert stamina into explosive force. Next attack +200% damage.
Arkan's lips curled. "Perfect timing."
The Goblin Chief raised its axe high. Arkan lunged, body glowing, blade blazing like a comet.
"—CUT THROUGH!"
The Energy Burst detonated, his blade splitting the monster's chest wide. The beast roared in agony before shattering into fragments of light.
[Quest Complete!]
Reward Claimed: +3 Levels, Skill [Energy Burst], Shop Access Unlocked.
Balance: +200 USD.
EXP Bonus: +750.
[Level Up!]
Name: Mile Arkan
Level: 8
HP: 430 / 430
MP: 180 / 180
Strength: 22
Agility: 18
Intelligence: 15
Vitality: 20
Free Stat Points: +15
Loot: Expert Blade Lv.1, Basic Armor Set, 2x Small HP Potions, 2x Small MP Potions
Balance: $212
Arkan collapsed to his knees, gasping, his chest heaving like he'd sprinted through hell itself. Sweat dripped into his eyes, but the weight of the blade in his hand felt different—heavier, yes, but also truer.
Elara's gaze softened as she watched him. "You've grown stronger, Arkan. But remember—greater strength only draws greater dangers."
Arkan tightened his grip on his sword, the runes along the blade pulsing faintly. His body trembled, but his eyes burned with determination.
"If this is the path I've chosen… then I'll face everything head-on."
The white void dissolved. Arkan jolted awake in his cramped dorm room, the clock reading 3:00 a.m. The world looked the same as it had yesterday—peeling walls, flickering lights—but to him, everything had changed.