That night, Arkan collapsed into sleep before his thoughts could even catch up to the whirlwind of everything that had happened. His body still carried the weight of exhaustion—not just in his muscles, but in his mind and soul. The echoes of the system's mechanical voice haunted him, flashes of goblin fangs dripping with blood gnawed at his memory, and the suffocating pressure of standing before the Goblin Chief pressed down on his chest even in rest. His wounds might have been healed by the system, but his spirit had yet to recover.
As his eyes slipped shut, the world of his tiny dorm faded away. The dim yellow lamp dissolved into darkness, and then—light.
Arkan found himself drifting in a dream. Or perhaps it wasn't a dream at all.
He stood in the middle of a sea of stars. The cosmos stretched endlessly in every direction, waves of starlight rolling and breaking like an ocean made of galaxies. Around him, planets and fragments of shattered worlds drifted in slow orbits, as though he were standing at the very center of the multiverse itself.
And in the distance—shadows.
Towering silhouettes emerged against the cosmic glow, each radiating the weight of its own existence. A continent of fire belched forth a winged dragon wreathed in flame. A metallic dome the size of a world spun slowly, pulsing like a machine with a heartbeat. A frozen plain reflected auroras that pierced the void like spears of color. These weren't just landscapes—they were living domains, dimensions with wills of their own.
But none of them held his gaze like the one he already knew.
The violet giant.
The same presence he had glimpsed before, now clearer than ever. The figure loomed like a warrior forged from the stars themselves, clad in cosmic armor that shimmered with constellations. In his grip, a colossal blade gleamed—a weapon so massive it seemed capable of cleaving galaxies apart.
Even across an immeasurable gulf, Arkan felt its eyes upon him. That stare pressed against his chest like a mountain. His heartbeat staggered under the weight.
And then came the voice.
Deep. Resonant. A sound that echoed like the pulse of a living star. It wasn't loud, but it shook him to his core.
"Anomaly of the OSBO…" the voice intoned. "Your choice will decide the fate of countless dimensions. Protect the Earth's seal… or break it, and let the multiverse collide."
Arkan's eyes went wide. The words cut through him like shards of ice.
Why him? Since when was a nobody—a simple college student—forced to bear such a burden? What seal? What collision of worlds? How could any of this possibly be real?
His voice cracked as he screamed into the endless cosmos, his words nearly drowned by the immensity around him.
"Why me!? What do you want from me!?"
The giant did not answer. It only laughed—softly, coldly. A sound that carried the weight of knowledge Arkan could never yet grasp.
And then the dream shattered.
The starry sky fractured like a pane of glass. Splinters of light collapsed into darkness, and everything fell apart.
Arkan jolted awake, breath ragged, his shirt clinging to his sweat-soaked skin. His heart pounded as if he'd run for miles. He sat upright on his bed, clutching his throbbing temples.
Floating before him was a panel of blue light. Unlike the cold, mechanical interface from before, this one seemed almost natural—like a bridge between dream and reality.
⸻
[Main Quest Update]
Warning: The first permanent Domain will form in 7 days.
Instruction: Prepare yourself. Level up. Acquire equipment. Find allies.
⸻
Arkan's eyes locked on the glowing number: 7.
For most people, seven days might feel long. But to him, it was nothing more than a countdown to death—unless he could claw his way into readiness. His breath caught in his throat. The nightmare was over, but the pressure was only beginning.
The next morning, Arkan forced himself into routine. He sat in the back row of his economics lecture, pen in hand, pretending to listen as the professor droned on about opportunity costs. Around him, students whispered, laughed, and scribbled notes. Life went on as though nothing had changed.
But his mind was far from the classroom. The dream lingered. The words permanent domain echoed again and again, like a ticking clock inside his head.
Beside him sat Elara, disguised as an ordinary student. Her white hair was hidden beneath a dark wig, her elegant features muted beneath plain clothes. No one else could see her—but even so, the sharp, watchful gleam in her eyes could not be hidden.
"You're still shaken," she murmured. "You need to train harder."
Arkan sighed, keeping his voice low. "Not here. You'll blow my cover."
Elara huffed softly but said nothing more, her gaze sweeping the room like a hawk. She knew as well as he did: the closer they drew to the domain's awakening, the more enemies would surface.
And then—
A notification blinked into the corner of his vision.
⸻
[Daily Quest]
Task: Answer the professor's question correctly.
Reward: +10 EXP, +3 USD
⸻
Arkan blinked. Even schoolwork was now part of the system.
Right on cue, the professor's eyes landed on him.
"You there, in the back. Explain the concept of opportunity cost in the case of labor exchange."
Normally, Arkan would have frozen. His mind would have gone blank. But this time—text appeared, crisp and clear, as though projected onto the surface of his thoughts. A guide.
He stood, took a breath, and delivered the answer. Definitions. Trade-offs. Real-world examples. His explanation flowed seamlessly, his words precise yet natural. Murmurs spread across the classroom.
The professor smiled, satisfied. "Well done."
⸻
[Quest Complete]
Reward: +10 EXP, +3 USD (transferred to account)
⸻
Arkan pulled out his phone beneath the desk. Sure enough—his balance had gone up. A faint grin tugged at his lips. It wasn't much, but every bit counted. Every dollar, every scrap of EXP—every second mattered now.
Before class ended, he pulled up his status window. Numbers flickered into view like a lifeline.
⸻
Status Host: Mile Arkan
Level: 8
EXP: 825 / 2200
HP: 430 / 430
MP: 180 / 180
Strength: 22 (+)
Agility: 18 (+)
Intelligence: 15 (+)
Vitality: 20 (+)
Free Stat Points: +15
Skills: Dash Lv.1 • Appraisal Lv.1 • Shadow Bind Lv.1 • Energy Burst Lv.1
Bond Skill (Elara): Healing Light Lv.1
Inventory:
Weapon: Expert's Sword Lv.1
Armor: Basic Linen Set (C)
– Linen Robe (+3 VIT, +2 INT, 5% Hit Defense)
– Linen Pants (+3 VIT, +2 INT, 4% Hit Defense)
– Left Bracer (+3 STR, +3 AGI, 2% Hit Defense)
– Right Bracer (+3 STR, +3 AGI, 2% Hit Defense)
– Linen Boots (+3 STR, +3 AGI, 2% Hit Defense)
– Linen Helm (+3 INT, 2% Hit Defense)
Bank Balance: $217
⸻
He distributed the points carefully, funneling them into Strength, Agility, and Intelligence. Power surged through him. His limbs felt lighter, sharper. His thoughts, clearer. His body pulsed with raw energy.
Numbers shifted before his eyes.
⸻
Updated Status
Level: 8
EXP: 825 / 2200
HP: 610 / 610
MP: 330 / 330
Strength: 39
Agility: 35
Intelligence: 30
Vitality: 29
Hit Defense: 17%
⸻
Arkan flexed his hand, marveling at the way even his grip felt different, stronger. So this is what power feels like. For the first time, a spark of confidence stirred in his chest.
When class ended, he and Elara slipped into the stream of students flooding out of the building. To anyone else, they looked like just another pair of undergraduates walking home.
But Elara's eyes never stopped scanning. "Be careful. From now on, anyone who approaches you too easily could be an enemy."
Arkan only nodded. The dream of the cosmic ocean still burned behind his eyes. The words of the giant lingered. The countdown had begun.
The fate of worlds was no longer distant. It was pressing down on him with every second.
He lifted his gaze to the tranquil blue sky above the campus. To everyone else, it was just another peaceful day.
But to Arkan—every tick of the clock was one step closer to war.