The beast crumpled to the floor with a wet thud, its corrupted body disintegrating into fragmented light before vanishing completely. Eran stood over the place where it fell, his hands still trembling—not from fear, but from adrenaline.
> [Codex Report — Combat Log Saved]
[XP Gained: +132]
[Skill Progress: Data Phasing (Lv.1) → 42%]
He wasn't imagining it. This system… it wasn't normal.
Eran opened the skill window again. This time, beneath his lone ability, a new tab had appeared:
> [Directive: CLASSIFICATION ZERO - Clearance Required]
Before he could touch it, a cold wind blew through the ruins.
And then…
He felt it.
Not a presence—but an absence. As if something that shouldn't exist was standing nearby.
He turned slowly.
There, at the edge of the broken platform, stood a figure draped in a long, tattered cloak. Its face was obscured by a smooth, featureless mask—only a single glowing rune hovered in the center of its "forehead."
> "You've activated it," the figure said, voice distant, distorted, yet oddly calm.
"The Codex has chosen."
Eran tensed. "Who are you?"
The figure didn't answer immediately. Instead, it stepped closer, its boots leaving no sound. The world around them shimmered slightly—as if time bent to allow this moment to happen undisturbed.
> "You are Observer Zero. The final contingency."
"You were not supposed to awaken… not yet."
The figure extended a gloved hand. In its palm appeared a glowing shard—like a broken piece of code solidified into crystal.
> [Codex Update Available: Download Memory Fragment? Y/N]
Eran didn't trust this… but if there were answers, he needed them.
He nodded. "Do it."
[Memory Fragment Acquired]
Title: "Directive: Collapse Protocol"
> "When the Fifth Seal breaks, the world will reboot.
Seven Observers will rise. Only one will remain.
You are the Zero—beyond the system, outside its control."
Eran's eyes widened. "There are others?"
But the figure was already fading—dissolving into lines of code.
Before disappearing completely, it left a final message:
> "They will hunt you. Not just monsters.
The system itself will try to correct you.
Survive… and remember: You were never supposed to exist."
And then it was gone.
The Codex pulsed.
> [New Objective Unlocked: Survive until the First Seal Breaks]
[Time Remaining: 06:59:59:99]
Seven hours left.
To prepare.
To find the others.
To understand what he truly was.
Eran clenched his fists, the air around him shimmeri
ng faintly as the Codex synced deeper.
The countdown had begun.
To be continued...