Chapter 22:- Fractures of the mind
Kelvin cracked his knuckles. "Alright then. Let's see what this place has for me."
And as he stepped forward, his Focus Shift activated — his Strength and Durability surging to his upper body, muscles tightening like steel cables.
The ground trembled. The door opened.
From the darkness beyond, a growl rose — deep, ancient, and hungry.
Kelvin smiled, his eyes glowing faintly blue.
"Perfect," he muttered. "Let's test out version 2.1."
Then he vanished into the dark — leaving behind the faint glow of his Status Window and the whisper of a world about to change forever.
Somewhere far away, beneath the earth where Lyra buried it…
The Mystic Egg cracked once.
Then twice.
A small claw, black as shadow and sharp as glass, tore through the fabric.
Something inside opened its eyes — glowing with the same blue light as Kelvin's.
And it whispered in a voice that wasn't human:
"Wqreeeijjjiiii"
The forest trembled.
The air grew cold.
And the next phase of Kelvin's destiny — and Earth's survival — had just begun.
Kelvin stepped through the dungeon, his boots scraping across the rough wet metallic floor of the Level 11 special dungeon. The air reeked of rust and sorrow. Faint whispers crawled through the darkness, voices of people long gone.
Familiar ones.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: Emotional Dungeon Initiated]
Mission: Face your attachments. Only one can be saved.
The moment those words appeared, the scenery changed.
The metallic chamber melted away into something else — a small city burning under a red sky. Smoke rose into the heavens. People screamed. Buildings collapsed.
Kelvin froze. He recognized the place.
It was the first place he failed to protect in his second life — where over sixty humans died because he arrived too late.
He heard a small voice behind him.
"Kelvin… you came back."
He turned — and saw her. The little girl with the broken glasses, Lira. The same one who used to follow him around, calling him "Big Brother."
Kelvin's chest tightened. He could feel his heart racing even though he knew this wasn't real.
This was the dungeon's illusion.
But then he saw more faces — men and women, soldiers he had buried with his own hands. They were all there, alive, looking at him like he was their savior.
And then the sky ripped open, revealing a giant beast — a flaming hound with molten eyes. It opened its mouth, and the system voice spoke again.
"Choose one to save."
The others began to scream for him.
"Help me!"
"Please!"
"Kelvin!"
Kelvin clenched his fists. The dungeon wasn't just testing his strength — it was testing his heart.
He slowly closed his eyes.
"This again… They want to see if I still carry guilt. If I still cling to ghosts."
The glowing hound roared, shaking the burning ground.
But instead of running to save anyone, Kelvin stood still.
"I'm not playing your game."
He charged straight at the beast, ignoring the screaming illusions behind him. Each step burned his legs, but his expression didn't waver. His hands, ripping through the hound's chest in a blinding flash.
The beast howled — and the illusions vanished, turning into dust.
The rest of the people he knew screamed at him for help. But he just stood and watched in pain.
"They will definitely still be alive in this life..." He said with pain in his voice."But they would not have the memories of what we have been through."
[MISSION COMPLETE: You have chosen to let go.]
[Reward: +10 Will, +5 Perception,900🌕, 200💎.]
[Special Reward: Red Jade]
Kelvin exhaled, the smoke fading around him.
He looked down at his hands — they were trembling slightly.
"No matter how many times I see them, it still hurts. But this pain means I'm still human."
A white light appeared ahead — the portal to Level 12.
He stepped forward without hesitation.
[Level 12: The Psychological Dungeon.]
The air inside was different — cold, silent and spacious.
No more illusions. Just a huge plain arena.
He found himself in a wide circular arena made entirely of silver steel. Dozens of glowing eyes blinked from the walls — scanners, sensors, targeting lenses.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: Psychological Dungeon Initiated]
Mission: Eliminate all synthetic guardians.]
Hatches opened across the arena, and out came humanoid machines — sleek, human-sized constructs carrying plasma rifles and mechanical blades. Their armor shimmered with a faint blue light, reading and reacting to his movements.
Kelvin moved first — sliding low, cutting through the leg of the first machine. Sparks scattered, but the others didn't hesitate.
Three rifles pointed directly at him.
The air sizzled — energy blasts shot out like lightning.
Kelvin rolled aside, using a fallen drone as cover. The metal hissed as energy beams melted through it.
(They adapt fast…)
He ducked, kicked another robot backward, then slashed its core open. But as soon as he did, two others jumped at him — perfectly together.
(They're learning my fight pattern.)
He swung his hand in a fast spiral move, creating a shockwave that threw them back.
But they regrouped instantly, mimicking his movement pattern — even copying his dodge angles and reaction timing.
He narrowed his eyes.
"So they mirror my combat data… they use my predictability against me."
He smiled faintly.
"Let's see if you can learn my 200 years of fighting skills."
He charged again , but this time, his movements turned unpredictable . He zig-zagged, stopped mid-swing, reversed slashes at impossible timing. He feinted stabs, threw shattered metal parts only to grab it back with telekinetic pull, kicked upward before landing.
The robots hesitated — their predictive algorithm broke.
And that was all he needed.
He jumped high, energy swirling around his arms, and struck down with raw, chaotic power.
The ground exploded in silver light, metal and oil splattering everywhere.
When the dust cleared, the arena was silent. Only broken pieces remained.
[MISSION COMPLETE: You have broken the pattern.]
[Reward: +7000🌕, +2000💎.]
[Special Reward:- Yellow Jade]
Kelvin stood among the wreckage, breathing heavily but grinning slightly.
"Predictable humans die. The System wants control, but it can't control madness."
He looked at the next portal forming in front of him — dark red, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Level 13.
"Let's finish this."
[Level 13: The Apex Beast Dungeon]
As soon as he entered, the air burned his lungs. The world had changed into a massive volcanic wasteland. Rivers of lava cut across black rocks. The sky flashed with thunder and blood-colored clouds.
Kelvin wiped sweat from his brow.
"This place smells like death."
A massive roar answered him.
From the lava pit rose a creature that could only be described as a nightmare — a colossal beast with horns made of obsidian and eyes burning brighter than stars.
Its claws were like towers, its tail cracked the ground every time it moved.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: Defeat the Apex Beast.]
The beast lunged, mouth open. Kelvin dodged barely, but the wind pressure alone sent him flying into a wall of stone. His body hit hard, ribs aching.
He spat out blood and smiled.
"Good. Finally, a fight that feels challenging."
[(59%) All Stat → Strength/Agility]
The beast charged again. Kelvin ran forward, meeting it head-on.
Their clash shook the dungeon like an earthquake.
Kelvin struck part of its horn — sparks flew like comets. The beast roared and slammed a claw down, sending lava erupting upward.
Kelvin flipped backward, avoiding it by inches.
The heat was unbearable. His skin burned, his clothes tore, but his eyes never wavered.
[Mind Action Synchronizing 94%]
He closed his eyes and let his mind go blank. His body began to move on its own no thought, just raw reaction. Every step, every swing became primal.
He jumped onto the beast's arm, ran up its shoulder, and stabbed his hand deep into its neck.
The creature screamed, shaking violently, trying to throw him off as blood kept spilling left and right.
Kelvin gritted his teeth and pushed deeper.
"Fall already!"
The beast exploded with blue light. A blast so strong it cracked the dungeon pillars.
With one final roar, the beast collapsed into the lava below.
The entire world trembled.
[MISSION COMPLETE: You have conquered instinct.]
[Reward: +2600🌕, 2000💎]
The portal appeared again,pure white this time.
Kelvin stepped through, his entire body covered in burns and scratches.
[All Stats (50%) → Vitality]
And Imidiately he was healed.
Meanwhile on Earth…
The world below was calm, sunny...a total contrast to Kelvin's battlefield.
Inside a glass skyscraper in the heart of New Kyoto, Mia stepped out of a car. She was tired but smiling. The receptionist at the front desk bowed politely.
"Welcome back, Miss Mia. Your brother is currently in a raid. Please, have a seat."
"Thank you," Mia said softly, walking to the leather sofa near the lobby's huge windows.
The building was beautiful, golden walls, floating light panels, and a giant hologram showing the rankings of S-Rank and A-Rank hunters across the continents. Her brother's name was right there.
Cain Rivers, Rank A-Class: The Golden Cowboy.
Mia's heart swelled with pride. She pulled out her phone, scrolling through the latest news reports about a dungeon eruption in Iran, interviews with top hunters, and articles about new awakened humans.
An hour passed.
Then the receptionist approached her again, smiling.
"Miss Mia, Mr. Cain's raid just ended. You can meet him now."
Mia's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yes, ma'am. Here's his card — just swipe it at the elevator."
She stood quickly, her long coat swaying, and hurried to the elevator. The metal doors closed, and soft music filled the silence as she rose to the top floor.
When the door opened, she stepped into a luxurious suite lined with western-themed décor cowboy hats on stands, vintage bows on walls, and trophies glowing with spiritual light.
At the center stood her brother, Cain Rivers, wearing his signature golden cowboy gear. His long blond hair was tied loosely under a wide-brimmed hat. A massive bow rested across his back — no arrows, just a sleek glowing string that hummed with pure energy.
When he turned and saw her, he smiled wide.
"Mia!"
"Cain!"
She ran forward and hugged him tightly. He laughed, lifting her slightly off the ground.
"Look at you," he said. "Still as stubborn as ever. You didn't even call me after going to the dungeon."
She laughed. "I knew you wouldn't allow me."
"Well, you know your over protective brother."
He looked at her eyes and frowned. "You've changed… your aura feels heavier. What happened?"
Mia grinned proudly.
"I… broke through Level 10."
Cain's expression froze. His bow nearly slipped from his hand.
"You what?!"
She nodded. "Yes! I did it. I passed Level 10!"
Cain blinked twice before letting out a loud whistle. "Damn. That's… that's insane, Mia! Even top soilders take months to reach that point. How the hell did you pull it off?"
She sat down on the couch, explaining everything, the mysterious team, the brutal dungeon, the missions, and finally, the man who led them all.
"There was this guy," she said, smiling softly. "He wore a full hood the entire time. No one saw his face, but… he was strong. Like, really strong. Everyone called him Mr. Hood."
Cain's eyes narrowed. "Mr. Hood? Sounds shady. You trust someone who won't even show his face?"
Mia sighed. "He saved our lives multiple times. He's not a bad person, Cain. He's just… different. Cold, but kind in his own way."
Cain folded his arms. "Different or not, you need to be careful. People who hide themselves usually have something to hide."
"I know," she said quietly. "But I think he's trying to help."
Cain studied her face for a long moment, then sighed and smiled faintly.
"You always did have a soft spot for strays."
"Hey!" she pouted, hitting his arm.
He laughed. "Fine, fine. I'll trust your judgment. But if this 'Mr. Hood' ever hurts you…"
He leaned forward, his smile fading. "I'll put an arrow straight through his face. Understood?"
Mia smiled softly. "Deal."
They talked for a while after that about their parents, about how their old home near the southern border was destroyed by a dungeon years ago, and how they promised to protect each other since then.
"Mom would've been proud of you," Cain said gently.
Mia's eyes shimmered. "And Dad would probably scold you for still dressing like a cowboy. You still haven't outgrown your childhood fantasies"
Cain burst out laughing. "Heh, some habits never die."
Their laughter filled the room, echoing like old times. For a moment, the world felt peaceful.
Then a soft voice came from the corner of the room.
"Breaking News…"
Both turned to look at the holographic TV screen.
A reporter's serious face appeared, standing near a destroyed facility.
"Authorities are still searching for the escaped criminal Lyra, who has been missing since the incident at the P.S.A. dungeon. Citizens are advised to remain alert...."
Mia froze.
Cain frowned. "Looks like trouble's brewing again."
The camera zoomed in on a blurry photo of Lyra eyes glowing faintly red, chains broken.
Mia's heart sank.
She didn't know why, but deep down, she knew it's connected to.....
The man they called Mr. Hood?