The day dragged on like any other. Gok's shift at the convenience store was uneventful, but his mind was elsewhere. The presence of the Infinite Blade still weighed heavily on him. Every moment he was awake, he felt like something was just on the edge of his understanding—something much bigger than him.
As the clock signaled the end of his shift, Gok quickly packed up and rushed home. The city felt suffocating, the buzz of everyday life deafening. He couldn't stop thinking about the blade, about its power, about the strange reality it was pulling him into.
---
When Gok entered his apartment, the first thing he did was rush to his room, not even bothering to take off his jacket. He didn't want to waste another second. He opened his closet door, revealing the Infinite Blade still sitting quietly where he'd left it. Its dark, sleek form was unchanged, though it now seemed to hum with a subtle, almost sentient energy.
He grabbed it and immediately swung it through the air. The blade felt lighter than before, almost weightless, as if it had grown in power since he last held it. He swung it again, a wild arc that sliced through the air with a deafening crack, sending a shockwave through the room.
Suddenly, there was a flash. A burst of light erupted from the blade and filled the room. For a split second, Gok thought he saw the world around him bend, as if reality itself were warping. The light faded as quickly as it appeared, and his room fell back into stillness.
But when Gok looked out of his window, his breath caught.
---
The once-bustling cityscape was still, too still. A cold chill ran down his spine as he pulled back from the window, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise. His eyes flicked to his computer, and without thinking, he rushed to it and opened the browser.
A banner headline filled the screen:
"China Vanished. Entire Region Wiped Off the Map."
Gok's heart skipped a beat. He clicked on the link, his hands shaking. The article showed a series of shocking images: satellite photos of what should have been China, now replaced by a massive crater, a void where the country once stood. The entire region had simply disappeared, as if it had never existed.
The news reports were flooded with frantic accounts from witnesses in neighboring countries. Governments and military agencies were scrambling to respond, but no one could explain what had happened.
The report continued:
> "At approximately 6:00 PM UTC, a massive energy burst was detected emanating from the region known as China. Within moments, all communication was lost, and satellite images show an unexplained disappearance of the landmass. Experts are calling it 'the most significant geopolitical event in modern history,' with some suggesting a powerful weapon of unknown origin as the cause."
> "The international community is in shock, and the UN has called an emergency meeting to discuss the implications. There is no word yet on casualties or the exact cause of this phenomenon."
Gok's hands trembled as he sat back in his chair, the screen flickering with breaking news. He could barely process what he was reading.
---
Did I do this?
The thought slammed into his mind like a freight train. His first instinct was to deny it. But then he remembered the swing of the blade, the strange burst of energy, the way the room had warped in response. It couldn't be a coincidence.
His breath came in shallow gasps as the weight of the realization settled in. The Infinite Blade wasn't just a weapon—it was something much more.
The power he'd wielded, the one that had felt so effortless, had somehow... changed the world.
Gok rubbed his eyes, trying to clear the fog of disbelief. "This can't be real. This can't be happening."
---
In a frantic haze, he opened Rankers on his computer, hoping that something in the game would provide some answers. He logged in, only to be hit with an alert.
> [System Alert]: Infinite Anomaly Detected. Major Disturbance in Reality Mode.
The screen flashed, and before Gok could react, a new notification appeared.
> [SYSTEM MESSAGE]: You have unlocked an unknown ability: Reality Shift.
Warning: Use at your own discretion. Consequences of misuse are unknown.
Gok felt his stomach drop. Reality Shift. The name alone was enough to send his mind spinning. He had to figure out what was happening—before things spiraled completely out of control.
The blade had done something to reality, and now China was gone. What other consequences would follow?
---
His phone buzzed again, this time with a message from Ragnok:
"The Infinite Blade's effects are more dangerous than you realize. You've crossed a threshold. Be careful, Gok. There are forces at play now that even you cannot predict."
Gok stared at the message, the weight of Ragnok's words sinking in. What had he done? What was coming next?
He stood up, clenching the Infinite Blade tightly.
"I need answers."
---