Darkness swallowed him whole.
Not painful—not suffocating—just endless.
Jason Wu tumbled through the void like a leaf falling in slow motion.Or maybe fast motion.Time didn't work here.He couldn't feel his heartbeat, or his breath, or even his limbs.
Longwu Sword vibrated in panic.
["Jason—JASON—answer me! Are you dead?! Wait—no—if you were dead I'd be stuck alone again—DON'T DO THIS TO ME—"]
Jason groaned.
"…Longwu… stop yelling in my soul…"
["OH thank the Heavens, you're alive. I was about to start praying to deities I don't believe in."]
Jason tried to reach out, but his hand drifted like smoke.
"Where… are we?"
Longwu hesitated.
["…Somewhere we are NOT supposed to be."]
Jason grimaced. "That's specific."
["Boy, this place doesn't follow the Laws. Any of them. Even gravity is optional. Even time flows like a drunk snake."]
"Great. Amazing. Wonderful."
Jason attempted to steady himself, but the void responded by stretching, spinning—then suddenly—
He fell.
Hard.
BAM!
Jason slammed into solid ground, dust exploding around him. He coughed violently, rolling onto his back.
"Ow… okay. That one I felt."
Longwu clattered beside him.
["We're alive! See? I told you—"]
"You screamed," Jason corrected.
["…Semantics."]
Jason pushed himself to his feet, brushing off dirt—then froze.
"Where the heck… are we?"
The scenery before him was unlike anything in the Xuan World.
They stood in a massive forest—but the trees weren't green.
They glowed.
Tall trunks of metallic silver rose hundreds of meters high, with leaves shimmering like crystal plates. Strange luminescent vines dangled from the branches, dripping tiny sparks that evaporated before touching the ground.
The air smelled electric.Alive.Awake.
Jason whispered, "…is this still reality?"
Longwu hummed in awe.
["This… Jason, this is an Uncharted Realm."]
Jason blinked. "Uncharted… like a hidden pocket dimension?"
["Like a place that predates the world you know."]
Jason's breath hitched. "Wait—older than the Xuan World?"
["Older than the people who made the Xuan World."]
Jason stared at the glowing forest again, his skin prickling.
"Why… why would the First Error send me here?"
Longwu hesitated.
["Because this is the only place the Fate Executors cannot reach immediately."]
Jason frowned. "Wait. So this was to protect me?"
["No. To prepare you."]
Jason's stomach twisted uneasily.
He stepped forward—
Only for the air to ripple like disturbed water.
Jason froze.
"…you felt that too?"
Longwu whispered:
["We're not alone."]
Jason turned his head slowly.
Behind one massive silver tree, a pair of faint glowing eyes watched him through the branches.
Jason stiffened.
"What… is that?"
The creature stepped out.
It resembled a wolf—but not any wolf Jason had seen.
Its fur was semi-transparent, like it was made of mist solidified into muscle.Lines of runes crawled across its body, glowing with gentle light.Its tail split into three, each ending in a sharp crystalline blade.
And its eyes—they weren't eyes.
They were two small swirling galaxies.
Jason inhaled sharply.
"That… is the coolest and most terrifying dog I've ever seen."
Longwu hissed.
["Jason. Don't move. That is a Realm Sentinel."]
Jason swallowed.
"Is it… hostile?"
The Sentinel tilted its head at Jason.
Jason tilted his head back, mimicking it.
The Sentinel's tails flicked.
Jason's fingers twitched toward his sword.
Longwu whispered nervously:
["Don't provoke it. Don't stare too long. Don't act dominant. Don't—"]
Jason sneezed.
The Sentinel flinched.
Longwu shrieked:
["WHY WOULD YOU SNEEZE NOW?!"]
"I didn't plan it—!"
The Sentinel's galaxy-eyes narrowed—
It leapt.
Fast.
Too fast.
Jason barely raised Longwu before the creature slammed into him. He flew backward, crashing into a luminous boulder.
BOOM!
Jason wheezed. "I—I didn't even touch you!"
The Sentinel circled slowly, tails slicing the air like blades.
Longwu grumbled:
["You need to survive ten seconds. Maybe twelve. After that, I can guide you."]
Jason rolled aside to dodge a claw swipe.
"Longwu—this thing moves like a cheating Discord moderator—"
["STOP TALKING AND RUN."]
Jason dashed between two glowing roots, the Sentinel slashing at his heels. He flipped, deflecting a claw strike with Longwu's blade, sparks scattering like shooting stars.
Jason skidded backward.
"Sheesh… this thing's strong."
["It's not strong. It's basic. You're just weak."]
"HEY—I beat a Fate Construct!"
["And now you're being chased by a cosmic puppy—you want applause?"]
The Sentinel crouched, ready to pounce again—
Jason grit his teeth.
"Fine. If it wants a fight, LET'S FIGHT!"
He charged.
The Sentinel lunged—
CLANG!
Their collision sent a tremor through the entire grove.
Jason spun, pivoted, leaping off a silver branch to gain higher ground. The Sentinel followed instantly, claws scraping sparks along the trunk.
Jason's mind raced.
"I need—something different—something new—something—"
Longwu suddenly vibrated sharply.
["Jason. Use what the First Error awakened."]
Jason blinked.
"What?! What did he awaken?!"
["Your second pulse."]
Jason's heart seized.
He felt it.Barely.A quiet thrum beneath his usual spiritual core—like a dormant spark.
"What does it do?"
["Try it."]
"That's TERRIBLE advice!"
["JUST DO IT!"]
Jason gritted his teeth, forcing breath into his lungs.
He focused on the faint second pulse.
It flickered—
Then ignited.
A surge of strange energy flooded his chest—not qi, not spiritual force, not fate energy—
Something foreign.
Something free.
Jason gasped as his senses expanded violently.Colors sharpened.Time slowed.He could see particles drifting in the air, the subtle ripples of the Sentinel's muscles before it moved.
Jason whispered, "Whoa…"
Longwu gasped.
["Jason… you tapped into a Severance State."]
Jason didn't know what that meant—but he didn't have time to ask.
The Sentinel pounced.
Jason didn't dodge.
He stepped through the attack.
His body moved on instinct—bending, weaving, sliding through gaps between fatal strikes.
He appeared behind the Sentinel.
The beast froze mid-leap, confused.
Jason whispered:
"Nice doggy—Now sit."
He brought Longwu down—
SLLAAASH!
Not a deep wound—but enough to stun the creature.
The Sentinel stumbled, tails flailing.
Jason leapt back, chest heaving.
"I—did it…"
Longwu hummed in astonishment.
["You didn't overpower it.You outran its fate."]
Jason blinked. "What does that even mean—"
Before he could finish—
The Sentinel stopped trembling.
Then—
It bowed.
Jason's jaw dropped.
"…huh?"
The beast lowered its head deeper, tapping one crystalline tail against the ground three times.
Longwu sputtered.
["Jason… do you know what that means?"]
"No…?"
["It acknowledged you.You are now recognized by an Uncharted Realm Sentinel."]
"…Is that good?"
["YES IT'S GOOD—DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY EMPERORS WOULD KILL FOR THIS—"]
The Sentinel rose, turned, and walked away calmly—as if it was a guard that just finished checking his ID.
Jason dropped to his knees, exhausted.
"That was… insane…"
He sat there, breathing heavily.
Then the ground pulsed.
Jason's eyes widened.
"…oh no."
Longwu tensed.
["Jason, something else is coming."]
The trees shimmered.
The air thickened.
The silver leaves rustled though there was no wind.
Then—
Footsteps.
Slow.Measured.Heavy.
From behind one of the massive glowing trunks—
A silhouette emerged.
A tall figure.Wearing a dark robe inscribed with floating runes.A mask on his face—similar to Observers…but cracked.
Jason's stomach dropped.
Longwu whispered:
["…Jason. Back away. Now."]
The figure stared directly at Jason.
Then spoke—
"Jason Wu."
Jason froze.
He recognized the voice.
It was one of the masked constructs from the Fate Executor group—the one whose mask cracked when the First Error intervened.
Jason muttered, "You're—"
"I followed the rift."
Jason stumbled backward.
"Hold on—HOW? The Uncharted Realm is supposed to be inaccessible!"
The masked figure tilted his head.
"Uncharted to mortals.Not to Seekers."
Jason exhaled shakily.
"Seekers… meaning—"
"Those who hunt Errors."
Longwu's blade trembled.
["Jason… you need to run."]
Jason gripped his sword.
"No."
Longwu's spiritual aura flared in panic.
["NO?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?! RUNNING IS FREE—RUNNING IS SAFE—"]
Jason stared at the masked Seeker.
"I'm done running from something that won't stop chasing."
The Seeker's cracked mask glowed faintly.
"Good."
Jason jolted.
"…good?"
"Running is pointless.You were deemed a Severance-Class anomaly.Your existence is already scheduled for Termination."
Jason's breath stopped.
"…what?"
The Seeker raised a hand.
A symbol of pure darkness formed—
Like a void sigil.
"Termination Order 03-Delta."
Jason's vision blurred.
The words echoed inside his skull.
Longwu screamed:
["JASON—MOVE!"]
Jason barely dodged as a wave of void energy sliced the ground, carving a canyon in the luminous soil.
He stumbled, heart pounding.
"That attack—he didn't even try!"
The Seeker advanced slowly.
"I do not try.I execute."
Jason gritted his teeth.
"Then EXECUTE THIS!"
He charged.
Severance pulse flaring.Sword blazing.Every instinct screaming.
He leapt—bringing Longwu down with all he had.
The Seeker lifted one hand casually—
And stopped the blade with two fingers.
Jason's eyes widened in horror.
"…no way—"
The Seeker flicked his fingers—
Jason flew backward like a ragdoll, slamming into a silver tree.
CRACK—BOOM!
Jason collapsed, coughing blood.
The Seeker approached.
"You cannot kill a Seeker, Jason Wu."
Jason wheezed.
"I'm not… trying to kill you."
The Seeker paused.
Jason struggled to his feet.
"I'm trying to buy time."
The Seeker tilted his head.
"For… what?"
Jason smirked weakly.
"For THIS."
The ground trembled.
The Seeker turned—
Too late.
The same Realm Sentinel from earlier leapt out from behind a tree—slamming its full weight into the Seeker's back.
BOOOOOOM!
Jason roared:
"NOW YOU WANT TO FIGHT ME? FIGHT MY COSMIC DOG FIRST!"
Longwu shrieked:
["HE'S NOT YOUR DOG—"]
The Seeker slammed into the ground, the Sentinel tearing into his rune-lined robe.
Jason staggered away.
Longwu hissed:
["Jason—we need to use this chance to escape deeper into the Realm—before the Seeker adapts—"]
Jason nodded.
"Right. Let's—"
The ground cracked under Jason's feet.
He froze.
"…oh no."
Longwu whispered:
["Jason… something else is coming."]
From deep within the forest—
A chorus of howls answered the Sentinel's roar.
Dozens.
Then hundreds.
Jason's eyes widened.
"Oh come on—DON'T tell me—"
Longwu groaned.
["…Jason. You impressed the Sentinel."]
"So…?"
["It… called reinforcements."]
Jason whispered:
"…you mean the whole forest is coming?!"
Longwu answered:
["Jason.Run."]
Jason started running.
Behind him—the Seeker ripped free of the Sentinel's bite.Dozens of glowing beasts charged.The forest shook.
Jason sprinted with every ounce of life in him.
Longwu screamed:
["WELCOME TO THE UNCHARTED REALM, BOY! NO REFUNDS! NO WARRANTY! EVERYTHING WANTS TO KILL YOU!"]
Jason roared back:
"LONGWU—SHUT UP AND POINT ME TO A SAFE DIRECTION!"
["THERE IS NO SAFE DIRECTION!"]
"THEN PICK ONE ANYWAY!"
["FINE—LEFT—NO—RIGHT—NO—STRAIGHT—JUST RUN YOU IDIOT—"]
Jason dashed blindly as the world shook behind him.
The Seeker's voice echoed:
"Jason Wu—There is no escaping the Termination Order."
Jason didn't look back.
He ran.
But even as he ran—
Part of him whispered:
Why did the First Error say it started from birth?
And that thought chilled him more than the Seeker's killing intent.