Viktor tilted his head back, gazing at the strange cloud formations twisting across the sky. At first glance, they almost blended seamlessly with the serene blue above. But as he stared longer, an uneasy sensation crept into his chest. The ominous shapes seemed to swirl with an unnatural rhythm, and a shiver shot down his spine, sending his thoughts racing.
Suddenly, a memory snapped into focus. "The countdown".
"The gates," Viktor whispered, his voice trembling as the weight of realization settled in. He instinctively reached for the system interface with a set wording "Status", pulling up the latest news. As the holographic display materialized before him, his heart sank.
The bold headline flashed across the screen:
[The Final Piece of the System Has Been Found: LUCK.]
[Total Time Before the Gates Break: -200 years.]
[Countdown to the Breaking of the Gates: 48:00:00.]
He turned his eyes back to the sky, searching for confirmation if it matched with the numbers that were originally displayed by the system. And there it was.
The timer loomed ominously above, its bright red digits glowing as vividly as the moon at night or the sun at daybreak. It was counting down, second by second, impossible to ignore.
[46:58:03… 46:58:02…]
A chill ran through Viktor, colder than the frost biting at his legs. He ducked his head back to the news feed, scanning for any mention of the luck stat he'd recently unlocked. The entire system of guilds, forums, blogs was alive with frantic discussion, but nothing addressed the maxed out luck he now possessed. People debated its significance, speculated on its effects, and posted offers for items with even the faintest hint of the stat.
One headline from a prominent global guild caught his eye:
[Luck Stat Confirmed: Requires 5x Normal Resources to Upgrade. Contact Us If You Possess Items with Luck Attributes!]
A sickening realization struck Viktor as he read those words. His own Luck stat hadn't just been upgraded, it had been maxed out. A feat no one else seemed even remotely close to achieving. His mind raced, trying to connect the dots. The hidden quest… the mysterious reward… and the strange title he'd received, "The Lucky Guy."
The weight of it all crashed over him, and he fell back onto the ground, staring blankly at the canopy above. The branches swayed gently, their bare silhouettes clawing at the sky, but he barely registered their motion. The cold of the forest seeped into his bones, yet his thoughts were too tangled to care.
Nightfall came quickly. Frost clung stubbornly to Viktor's boots as he finally stirred, shaking the icy particles from his legs. The temperature had dropped sharply, biting through his insulated coat. Even with its modest cold and heat resistance, it wasn't enough to stave off the chill entirely.
"I need a fire," Viktor muttered, his voice barely audible over the rustling leaves.
He wandered a short distance from the gate's edge, careful not to stray too far into the unpredictable wilderness. Though the gate's violent energy had calmed slightly, its oppressive aura still pressed heavily on the area. Breathing near it felt like trying to inhale during a storm, each breath dense and labored that made him to be less rational about the situation which reduced and distorted his thinking, response and action.
Eventually, Viktor stumbled upon the remnants of a fallen tree. Its massive trunk had crashed into a smaller, long-dead tree, snapping branches that now dangled like ripe fruit ready to be plucked. He gathered as much wood as he could carry, grateful for the luck that led him to such a find. Nearby, he arranged the logs and kindling in a neat pile and used a low-grade fire skill to ignite them. Flames flickered to life, casting dancing shadows on the frost-covered ground.
Viktor settled against the base of a large tree, its oddly smooth bark providing unexpected comfort. The warmth of the fire thawed his frozen fingers as he gazed into the flickering flames, his mind returning to the series of events that had led him here.
It all started there. It had seemed so inconsequential at first, just another anomaly to investigate. Yet somehow, it had spiraled into something far larger than Viktor could have imagined. The title "The Lucky Guy" was his only clue, a cryptic reward that felt more like a cosmic joke. But now, with the gates on the brink of collapse and the countdown ticking relentlessly, he couldn't shake the feeling that his role in all this was far from over.
Viktor had always lived a simple, unremarkable life. After his father's death, he'd left the military, abandoning a promising career for the quieter path of self-reliance. He'd never sought fame or glory, content to exist on the fringes of a world that seemed increasingly chaotic. Yet here he was, thrust into the center of a crisis that could spell the end of everything.
The world, meanwhile, had erupted into chaos.
Panic spread like wildfire as news of the countdown reached every corner of the globe. Governments scrambled to issue statements, their leaders appearing on emergency broadcasts with grim faces and hollow reassurances. Guilds mobilized in masses to investigate the current global situation. They deployed their most seasoned adventurers to secure resources, strengthen fortifications, and prepare for the onslaught of monsters that would inevitably spill forth from the gates, because after all the system had always been true to humanity.
The media was a sandstorm of speculation, fear, and desperation. Some clung to hope, believing that humanity's ingenuity and resilience would prevail. Others spiraled into despair, convinced that the countdown was an irreversible death sentence. Markets crashed, cities locked down, and once-bustling streets emptied as people barricaded themselves in their homes, uncertain of what tomorrow would bring.
Viktor went through his system interface, absorbing the chaos from the relative solitude of the forest. He couldn't help but feel an inch of guilt, assuming it all started because of him. Yet he couldn't shake the sense that it had sought him out, as though fate itself had singled him out for this impossible task.
Hours passed as Viktor sat by the fire, his thoughts a whirlwind of fear, doubt, and confusion. Despite the weight of the situation, he knew one thing with absolute certainty: he couldn't face this alone like he had been doing for the past years, even if he is still doubtful if that would happen when the timer that looms there in the sky runs out.
The fire crackled softly as Viktor pulled his coat tighter around him. The frost had begun to creep back into the forest, its icy tendrils spreading across the ground like a silent invader. He stared into the flames, their flickering light casting long shadows that danced eerily among the trees. And all he could think of was getting out of the forest.
As his eyes gave out on him as his body which was already relaxed became even more relaxed as if all the problems that once appeared before his face were no more. As his mind started failing him, he slowly fell asleep on the spot without even realizing it.
As Viktor drifted into sleep, an unseen force assumed from the gate began to ripple through the forest. The air shimmered faintly, like heat waves rising from a scorching desert, though the temperature remained frigid. Time itself bent around the clearing, creating a bubble of distorted reality.
Inside the distortion, minutes stretched into hours. Outside, the world moved forward relentlessly, the timer ticking down faster than Viktor could have imagined.
While Viktor slept, the world prepared for the inevitable.
Across the 11 continents, humanity rallied its resources, desperate to mount a defense against the impending collapse. World leaders convened emergency summits, their discussions broadcast live to panicked citizens. Plans were drawn and swiftly executed, alliances forged between guilds, and sacrifices made in the name of survival.
As people choose by the system from birth and those that were not chosen who go there to gather supplies or act as an extra hand start executing the gates. Ranking from the strongest to the weakest to join their post and stance. Cause no one could predict the outcome of the situation that was coming at hand.
Over the 45 hours, the exodus began.
Entire cities were abandoned as people fled to designated safe zones that were arranged by the government, guilds and influential people that aimed to provide aid. Highways became rivers of vehicles, their occupants clutching whatever belongings they could carry. Those without access to transportation walked for miles, their faces etched with fear and desperation.
The wealthy sought refuge in fortified bunkers, while the less fortunate huddled in overcrowded shelters. System users with combat abilities were conscripted into regional defense forces, given access to hastily distributed weapons and skills. The unenhanced, those who had not been chosen by the system, clung to hope, praying that their protectors could hold the frontline.
Markets collapsed, economies crumbled, and the world descended into a chaotic race against time. Yet, amidst the chaos, glimmers of hope persisted. Communities came together, sharing resources and offering aid to strangers. Scientists and system researchers worked tirelessly, seeking ways to prolong the timer or minimize the destruction.
As Viktor stirred, the bubble dispersed as the little movement of his cold boots, the chill of the frost biting at his cheeks. His fire had long since burned out, leaving only smoldering embers behind. Groggily, he glanced at the sky, expecting to see the familiar red timer.
His heart skipped a beat.
Countdown to the Breaking of the Gates: 01:00:00.
"Impossible," he muttered, panic clawing at his chest. "I only just fell asleep."
The realization struck him like a thunderclap. Time had passed differently here, while he had rested for what felt like hours, he had lost over a day. He scrambled to his feet, the enormity of the situation crashing down on him.
Grabbing his gear which had slipped out of his coat, Viktor activated his system interface. The global news feed was a whirlwind of updates, each more grim than the last. Cities had been evacuated, strongholds fortified, and yet, it was clear that humanity was woefully unprepared for what lay ahead.
As the final hour ticked away, Viktor took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. He wasn't ready, no one was. But ready or not, the gates would break in accordance with the system and what is installed for humanity remains unknown but near.