Like that, twenty-eight days passed.
Luke had almost done everything he wanted in this world. He even took down the Lycan progenitor. You might wonder how he didn't bother collecting keys from Victor or Lucian's bodies—well, he didn't. Instead, he just blasted everything in sight, finally frying the Lycan in his own cell, and reaching level 14 in the process.
But that wasn't all. During this time, he collected plenty of other things. He knew he wouldn't be coming back to this world again, so he even pulled off some heists, taking gold and valuables from rich, selfish people.
But this wasn't some heroic Robin Hood act—he wasn't doing it for anyone else. He did it for himself. After all, in the Marvel world, he was poor—a literal hole-in-the-wall guy with nothing to his name. By taking from the rich here, he was helping his "poor self" later, stocking up on wealth that would actually matter once he returned.
Of course, he had learned that some things didn't matter in terms of experience points. He once tried sacrificing 100 grams of gold, hoping for a boost, but barely got any EXP—less than 10 points.
Gold was practically useless in the game's system; it was just shiny metal humans liked. From the game's perspective, a piece of gold was no more valuable than a stick of wood.
Now it was time to leave this world. Honestly, Luke didn't feel any real attachment—he'd done what he came for, and in this world, he was already infamous as a skilled thief. There was no reason to linger, no affection to tie him down.
And another thing—they had slept with each other. After a month together, sparks had naturally grown between them, and with some feelings already present, it was clear they were now officially a couple.
Nights were spent close, bodies entwined, sharing warmth and quiet intimacy, each moment deepening the trust and connection between them.
Present,
In a small hotel room, Luke turned to Selene. His expression was serious but with a hint of excitement.
"Now, Selene, we're going to appear in a different place in five seconds," he said, glancing at the glowing option marked Return. "You might feel a little… uncomfortable." He chuckled nervously, recalling his first world jump—the spinning sensation, like being tossed around inside a washing machine.
Back then, he had been nauseated for nearly a full minute.
Selene raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed. "Is this the place in the other world you've been talking about?" Her voice carried disbelief. She had seen Luke's strange abilities before—objects vanishing, impossible feats—but another world? That felt like something straight out of a novel or a movie.
Even for her, a vampire who had lived for centuries and seen things humans couldn't imagine, this was hard to grasp. Another world, completely different from this one… it wasn't something she could have imagined before today.
"I know you still can't fully believe it, but trust me… you will," Luke said, gently taking her hand in his.
With that, he pressed the glowing button marked Return.
Almost instantly, the world around her seemed to unravel. Walls, furniture, even the ceiling blurred into streaks of color, spinning and stretching as if reality itself had melted.
Selene's stomach lurched violently, and she instinctively gripped Luke's hand tighter, her nails pressing into his palm. The sensation was disorienting, but oddly exhilarating—like being carried along by a river of pure energy.
Moments later, the spinning stopped as abruptly as it had started. Selene blinked rapidly, trying to adjust. She found herself standing in a narrow alleyway bathed in sunlight, the smells and sounds of a bustling city hitting her senses all at once.
Luke exhaled, a small grin tugging at his lips. "Woo… I'm getting used to it. My stomach didn't even try to mutiny this time." Compared to a month ago, he was far stronger, his body more attuned to the strain of the Otherworldly Exploration due to his increased physical stats.
No more nausea, no more dizziness—he was practically ready for a casual stroll.
Selene looked around, eyes wide, her mind racing to process the impossible. "How… how did we get here? One second we were in that room, feeling like we were inside a blender, and now… we're outside. And it's morning?"
Luke gave a playful shrug, his grin widening. "Seeing is believing, my dear Selene. Welcome to the other world."
Still confused, she glanced at him, skepticism still clinging to her tone. "But… how? I mean, everything just changed—the time, the place…"
He smiled reassuringly, letting a hint of pride show in his voice. "You're in New York now… in another world. And trust me, there's a lot more here that's going to surprise you. Things you've never imagined."
Selene's gaze swept across the narrow alley, taking in the sunlight bouncing off the brick walls, the distant hum of traffic, and the chatter of people far below. Everything felt real, solid, and yet completely different from the hotel room they had just been in.
The time had shifted too—what had been night mere seconds ago was now bright morning. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of it, but the proof was right in front of her. She had no choice but to believe in the other world Luke had been talking about; they had truly appeared in a different place, and even the flow of time had changed.