Chapter One: Who to Trust
The crimson glow of the S-rank dungeon pulsed like a beating heart. The walls twisted with eerie, dark patterns, exuding a suffocating aura. In the center of the battlefield, Theodore, clad in his signature lab coat reinforced with mana fibers, stood amidst his Grandmaster-ranked teammates. The final piece of the Limit Breaker—the culmination of his 13-year research—awaited them at the dungeon's core.
"Damn it, these monsters just keep coming!" growled the 4th-ranked Grandmaster, his dual swords gleaming with aura and mana.
"Hold your ground! This is our last push!" barked the 2nd-ranked Grandmaster, the Main Character of this world, cutting through a wave of grotesque, mana-infused beasts.
The battle raged on, each warrior unleashing their unique abilities, but Theodore fought differently. Unlike the others who wielded aura, mana, or holy power, he manipulated lightning itself—a power he engineered rather than awakened.
The air cracked as he activated his Lightning Core.
"Keep them busy for ten seconds," Theodore said, his voice sharp.
"You got it, genius!" the Main Character grinned, dashing forward.
Theodore's fingertips sparked, energy gathering at his core. Lightning danced along his arm, forming a spiraling current of destruction.
"Thunderclap: Zero Point Discharge."
A devastating surge of lightning erupted, incinerating the last wave of monsters. As the dust settled, Theodore adjusted his glasses, smirking.
"And that, gentlemen, is why science wins."
The Completion of a Dream
Back in his underground lab, Theodore ran his fingers over the sleek, metallic surface of the Limit Breaker. His life's work—a device meant to surpass the limits of soul core energy—was finally complete.
He leaned back, exhaustion creeping into his bones.
"Thirteen years…" he muttered. "It's finally done."
A sense of satisfaction and unease settled in his chest. Was he truly saving Laura? Or was he simply playing into Reign's hands?
Pushing the thoughts aside, he picked up his phone. His hobby of reading novels, a habit he picked up from his foster aunt Fiona, was his escape from reality. Tonight, he finally finished a book he had been reading.
"Tch. What a stupid ending," he muttered, rubbing his temples.
Just then, a notification popped up.
[How do you feel about the ending of this novel?]
Theodore snorted. "It was the dumbest thing I've ever read."
Another prompt appeared.
[Would you like to change it?]
He blinked.
"Huh? The hell kind of question is this?"
Before he could think further, a knock echoed through his lab.
"The Clan Head requests your presence," a guard announced.
Theodore sighed. "At this hour?"
With a weary stretch, he left his lab, unaware that his fate had already been sealed.
The Betrayal
The moment he stepped into Reign's chambers, he felt it. The air was tense.
Reign sat at his desk, his wife Laura standing beside him. The 1st-ranked Grandmaster was also present, his arms crossed, eyes unreadable.
"You finally did it," Reign said, his voice warm.
"Yeah," Theodore responded. "The Limit Breaker is ready."
Reign smiled—a fatherly smile—the same one that had once saved him from despair.
For a moment, it almost felt real.
They spoke at length, reminiscing about the past, about how Reign had taken Theodore in, how he had given him a purpose.
"You've been like a son to me," Reign said.
Theodore felt a strange unease creeping into his heart.
"Then why does it feel like you're saying goodbye?"
Silence.
A sharp pain pierced his back.
Theodore's eyes widened as he staggered forward, blood seeping from the blade buried in his spine.
"I'm sorry, Theodore."
"You know too much."
He collapsed to his knees, his mind racing.
"I trusted you… Why did I ever trust you?"
As his vision blurred, a memory surfaced—a face he could never forget.
The masked man who killed his aunt… it was Reign all along.
His breath hitched.
"So… it was you, you bastard."
Laura crouched beside him, a smirk playing on her lips.
"It's nothing personal," she said. "Just a necessary sacrifice."
Her eyes gleamed—the eyes of the Demon King.
Reign avoided his gaze.
"Don't resent me for this, son."
As darkness crept into his mind, Theodore heard a familiar chime.
The Choice
A final message appeared before his fading eyes.
[If you want a second chance, prove yourself.]
[Would you like to change the ending?]
A ten-second countdown began.
10… 9… 8…
"Tch… What kind of joke is this?"
7… 6… 5…
"Is this… really the end?"
4… 3…
His fingers trembled, reaching forward.
2… 1…
He pressed YES.
A surge of light engulfed his dying body.
When Theodore opened his eyes again, he was somewhere else.
To Be Continued…