In a strange realm, where countless trees—big and small—floated freely across the void, a man sat cross-legged on the edge of a sword. His appearance was ragged, his body covered in dust, but he paid no mind. His eyes gazed into the vast, chaotic space with a deep sorrow, filled with regret and nostalgia. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"And this… was when their unending journey began," his voice rasped—hoarse and ancient, as if it hadn't been used for countless ages. Silence returned once more. Then, his voice echoed again, but this time, the very Dao resonated with his sorrow, pain, and remorse.
"It was me… that naive version of myself who only cared about power. I was selfish—millions upon millions of years ago. Even though I stood atop the 33 Heavens, I knew… I knew there was something beyond. Because I came from outside… from Earth. I miss it. I miss home. But how? How can I escape this void?"
"Blu…"
"Blu…"
"When are you coming back? I've waited here for so long. I'm going to use my last resort now… The system you gave me—it gave me this life. You were with me for two hundred thousand years. Blu, I'm sorry… I went against your will. I destroyed the 33 Heavens in my anger. I'm sorry. Please… come back… come back…"
But silence answered him. The void remained still, broken only by the distant echo of rocks colliding. Hours passed in stillness until he stood atop his sword once more, a look of resolve in his eyes.
"I was never the main character… but now, I am ready. I'll let go. Let me be the example—the warning—for whoever you choose next."
He pulled a pendant from his pocket—silver, shaped like a dragon coiling around a black crystal that resembled a ring. It radiated age and mystery. He stared at it, sadness and reluctance welling in his eyes. Then, he channeled a stream of data from his mind into the pendant—the system was being transferred.
When it ended, the pendant looked unchanged. He clutched it one last time and whispered:
"To the destined one… may these bones be your lighthouse, guiding you toward the success I failed to grasp."
With a slash of his sword, he tore space and time and hurled the pendant into the unknown.
"9 Firmament Slash!"
...
Meanwhile, inside a Walmart…
A normal-looking 19-year-old young man sat on a stool, sipping a Slurpee from 7-Eleven. Arthur waited patiently for his RP (Riot Points) to reflect in his League of Legends account while reading a novel on his phone. He wore earphones, drowning out the world. Outside, crowds still gathered in front of Bulihan National High School, where a student had just been stabbed. He wasn't interested in the drama—just in his story.
Suddenly, a younger student tapped him on the shoulder.
Arthur looked up with a questioning expression.
"Sir… do you know what happened outside?" the student asked.
'That's it?' Arthur frowned. He answered coldly, "No."
That was the end of it. The kid awkwardly backed off to ask someone else.
Arthur sighed. "Kids these days… thinking I'd gossip with them?"
His RP notification arrived. Outside, the crowds still hadn't left, so he kept reading. Eventually, his alarm went off—4:00 p.m. Time to go home or face his mother's wrath. He hopped on his bike and started the ride home.
Thirty minutes from his destination, something black struck his face.
"Ah!"
He nearly lost control but managed to steady himself. He stopped, dismounted, and cautiously approached the object. After checking that no one was recording him—he didn't want to end up in a random Facebook video—he picked it up.
It was cold but soothing. A pendant.
It looked brand new, yet felt ancient. Strange, but beautiful.
Satisfied that no one saw him, he slipped it into his pocket and biked off. He plugged his earphones in and played "ThoughtCrime" by Yorushika—his favorite track—and sped up to avoid a scolding.
At home, he washed the dishes and rushed to his room to inspect the pendant. He placed it around his neck and admired how it looked in the mirror. He was about to take it off when a soft voice chimed in his mind:
[System Online]
...