I forced myself to focus. I knew this world like the back of my hand, but how was I going to deal with Dr. Chris? I couldn't take him on directly—that much was clear. My best option was to rat him out to the heroes. But if I wanted to do that, I needed evidence. I didn't even know if he was active yet, and if he was, I'd need to pinpoint exactly when.
In my novel, Chris didn't become a serious threat until he was backed by Rogue, the third seat of Les Six. He was active from 2036 to 2040—those were his most dangerous years. But now, I needed to know the current date to see if his backed by Rouge or not.
"System, what's the date today?"
[I cannot answer that question.]
I frowned. "Why not?"
[I do not have the authorization to access that data. I am only allowed to give quests, rewards, and answer questions about the system itself—not Gaea.]
Tch. How useless. It couldn't even tell me something as simple as the date today.
As I mulled over my frustration, my gaze drifted to the TV. Maybe there was some clue there. My eyes scanned the news ticker at the bottom of the screen, and then I saw it: The youngest person to ever clear a dungeon—Vesper Tenebris.
"Jackpot". I cheered.
If that was still in the news, then I knew roughly when I'd been transmigrated. Vesper cleared her first dungeon about six months before the start of my story. That placed me sometime between January and February 2034. It wasn't an exact date, but it was enough.
So, Dr. Chris was active, but he hadn't yet gained the backing of Rogue. That gave me a little room to breathe.
But now came the harder question—where was I? If I could figure that out, I might be able to connect the dots. Brandon had mentioned that they found me in the Bright Dungeon. That dungeon was located in Serenvale, which meant I had to be close to one of Chris's hidden labs.
I allowed myself a small sigh of relief. I knew what year it was, and I had a general idea of where I was. All I needed to do was tell Brandon and let the heroes handle the rest. I just had to sit tight and wait for him to return. Simple enough, right?
But despite my logic, a deep sense of unease gnawed at the back of my mind. Something wasn't adding up. Sure, I'd figured out my location and the timeframe, but why did I feel like I was missing something important? What was I forgetting?
I sat there, frowning, trying to piece it together. The timeframe wasn't wrong. Chris hadn't gained his full power yet, so I still had time to act. But something felt off. It was as if I was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring into the abyss, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was about to fall.
It came to me slowly—like a creeping shadow stretching across my thoughts. In my novel, Dr. Chris had always been methodical. He operated in the dark, leaving no trace behind until it was too late. The heroes had struggled to track him down for years. So why was everything suddenly so convenient for me? I was near one of his labs, in the exact location where I needed to be, right when I was supposed to start dealing with him. It felt too easy, too planned. Almost as if someone wanted me to confront him now, before he became a larger threat.
Was this a test?
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. The system's limitations, the way it only gave vague instructions, like it was watching how I'd handle this first quest. Someone was watching me, testing how well I could play with the cards I'd been dealt.
But who? Was it the same person who sent me here?
I had to know.
"System, do you know who sent me here? Are they testing me with this quest?"
[I cannot answer that.]
Of course. Useless again. But I pressed on, trying a different angle.
"Is the one who made you the same person who sent me here?"
[Yes, you are correct.]
So, I was right. Someone out there had brought me into this world—my world—and was watching how I navigated it. They were testing me, pushing me into situations where I'd have to face the consequences of my own creation.
The unease deepened. This wasn't just about stopping Dr. Chris. It was about proving something to whoever was pulling the strings.
I took a deep breath. "Let's think about that later. First, I need to pass this damn quest."
How was I going to get evidence against Dr. Chris? We were in Serenvale hospital, so I should be close to one of his hidden labs. If I could just tell Brandon where it was, maybe we could catch him in the act. But it wasn't that simple. I remembered the lab being protected by a seventh-level spell that cloaked it from detection. Thanks to Dr. Chris's talent, the spell became even more powerful over time.
His talent, Veilmaster's Charm, enhanced any illusion or concealment spell. The spell on his lab was nearly impossible to detect unless you destroyed it outright—or knew the exact entry point. And the only people capable of destroying his spells were fewer than a hundred, none of whom I had access to.
My best option? Lead Brandon to the lab, gather evidence, and catch Chris red-handed. That would complete the quest, and I could finally get the stat points I needed. Then, I'd start hunting for the cheat items I'd scattered throughout my novel's world, which would give me the edge I needed to stay ahead of the chaos to come. With those, getting into Hope Academy and positioning myself near the main plot would be much easier.
But there was always the alternative: handing over the secret locations of Les Six to the heroes. That might solve things quickly, but what if some of them escaped? My knowledge of the plot would become useless, and when the demon invasion started in 2042, everything I knew would be thrown out of balance. I couldn't risk it.
No, I needed to stay in control. I'd deal with the smaller villains from Les Six over the next six months—before the story officially began. That way, I'd ensure the plot stayed intact, and I'd have the time I needed to prepare for the real threats.
"Alright, that's the plan," I muttered, a sense of clarity returning. "Just wait for Brandon to rat out Chris. I'll deal with him in due time."
Right on cue, the door creaked open, and a woman dressed in a nurse's uniform stepped in, carrying a tray of food.
"Here's your food, sir," she said with a polite smile. "Dr. Chris is busy with some urgent matters, so he sent me to deliver this to you."
"Thank you," I said, relief coursing through me. At least I wouldn't have to face him for now.
As I sat back, my thoughts began to sharpen, the unease twisting into something else. Whoever had sent me here, they thought they could toy with me—my world, my life. But they were wrong. Dead wrong.
You think you can use my world for your entertainment? I clenched my fists, eyes narrowing as I glared at the sky. Bring it on. I'll make the best ending for this world. And when I'm done… I'll be coming for you.
Just you wait.
--
Far away, in a place untouched by time, a figure stirred.
Sitting upon a crumbling throne in the heart of an ancient, forgotten palace, they slowly opened their eyes. Their gaze, filled with swirling galaxies and distant stars, seemed to contain the very universe within them.
The figure reached out with a slow, deliberate motion, lifting an ancient, weathered book from its resting place. The pages of the book shifted as if alive, reshaping the words with every flick of the figure's fingers.
A smile tugged at their lips, one that held a depth of amusement and anticipation.
"Interesting," the figure murmured, their voice echoing softly, like the distant hum of a galaxy. "The brat is beginning to understand."
They leaned back in their throne, resting their chin on a clenched fist. The ruins around them stretched out in all directions, endless and vast. Broken pillars stood like sentinels against the starry sky, and the cracked marble floor glistened with faint light. Shadows shifted and danced around them, ever-changing, like time itself bending to their will.
"Very interesting," they said again, tapping their fingers rhythmically against the ancient pages. "Will you truly defy the story? Will you be the one to shatter the cycle?"
Their smile deepened, and a quiet chuckle echoed through the dark, empty halls of the palace.
"I'll be waiting, boy. Let's see the ending you create. Let's see if you're the one who can finally free me from this burden."
The figure closed the book with a soft thud, the sound reverberating through the air like distant thunder. Their eyes, filled with cosmic light, flickered once before settling into an eerie stillness, as though the universe itself was pausing, waiting.
"I'll be waiting," they whispered, the words carried by the wind into the endless night.
And with that, the palace fell silent once more, the figure retreating into the shadows of their thoughts. Their watchful gaze never wavered, fixed upon the boy who might be the key to everything.