Scott read through the notification in silence; a smile etched across his face. His gaze roamed the frozen city, drifting from one stilled champion to another.

  I can’t believe I’m finally back, he laughed inwardly, elated beyond measure.

  His eyes fell to his wrist, and his smile brightened further. The band—sleek and silent—hung loosely, waiting to be unleashed.

  Scott chuckled softly. So random, he thought. But there are some great options. No wonder so many people are willing to risk their lives here.

  He recalled his first foray into the Expanse—how he left with Akas’s Runestone. The Primary Target back then probably had the same reward list. Why choose a random option, though? The question passed quickly; after all, there was no way to guess the motivations of someone he’d never met.

  His gaze flicked up again, lingering on the frozen champions. I almost feel bad for these guys. They’ve been stuck here for... who knows how long.

  Which one should I choose...? He paused. A stray thought crept into his mind.

  Wait. Is it possible that I was also frozen in time during my last visit here? The idea made his chest tighten slightly. He hadn’t sensed any lost time—but that only made the thought more unsettling. He took a slow, calming breath.

  Whatever happened—or didn’t—doesn’t matter now. What matters is what comes next.

  With that, Scott raised his hand toward the list.

  Technically, I’ve already received my reward, he mused. But maybe I’ll get something extra...?

  His finger hovered above the glowing screen.

  If I do get another reward, then the Beast Egg and XP boost are useless. I don’t have the will or time to train a beast. My level won’t budge until I cross the Point of No Return. And a random Chaos Vault item won’t come close to my new gear. The Runestone? Pass.

  His eyes narrowed as he scanned the remaining options.

  No way I’m making my job harder by letting half of them into the 6th Zone. So that leaves: the Map, the Teleportation Talisman, a Random Artefact, or a Bloodline vial.

  He scrutinized them carefully, brows furrowed. The idea of rewarding the other champions—after their long stasis—faded from his mind entirely. They all entered the Expanse knowing the risks. If rewards were on the table, he’d take care of himself first.

  I might be wrong, he thought, but this should be the best option.

  Even if he wasn’t granted anything new, there was a strong chance he’d be able to snatch rewards. That alone made him grin.

  With confidence, Scott moved to press his choice—but paused once again as a final thought passed through him.

  Now that I think about it... I’ve been back for a while, but I haven’t received any system notifications about my nature, my authority—or even my weapons. And there’s still the matter of my avatar’s experience in the Chaos Vault. Is it because time’s still frozen...?

  He sighed, brushing the thought aside. No use lingering.

  He tapped his selection.

  The instant the message appeared, a deep rumble filled the air.

  Sound returned.

  The shackles of time began to unravel, and even the wind stirred awake. The world responded, element by element. Though the champions remained frozen, Scott could see it—the gradual flicker of motion returning to their limbs.

  He glanced at the band on his wrist, heart racing.

  I can’t wait to see what it can do.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Then came the crisp clink of turning gears.

  Some champions twitched—barely—but it had begun. A loud crack followed, and space itself rippled. Time surged forward, no longer restrained. The ethereal chime of the system rang out across the city like a church bell at dawn.

  A wave of gasps, muttering voices, grunts, and subtle movements filled the space—and Scott smiled.

  I’ve missed this. How long has it been since I saw actual people? He chuckled, grinning from ear to ear.

  Scott watched as crimson-tainted vials materialized near the surrounding champions. None appeared before him. Most vials shared a turbid, dark liquid, but a few shimmered faintly, their contents subtly gleaming.

  Looks like I was a little too optimistic. The overseer doesn’t plan on rewarding me again, Scott mused with a wry smile.

  Now then… what does the trial in the 9th Zone entail?

  A new system notification flickered into view.

  Silence swept through the city—profound, stunned, and collective. But it only lasted a moment before erupting into euphoric chaos.

  “Holy shit! This is insane… thank fuck I came here!” a nearby champion cried out, clutching his vial.

  “Yes! Fuck yeah!” several others roared in unison.

  Some stared at their vials in silence, disbelief clear in their wide eyes as they parsed the descriptions.

  Others burst into laughter, instantly stashing the vials into their inventories.

  Groups splintered off, fleeing deeper into city’s desolate as soon as the requirement to advance was revealed.

  But many remained—eyes gleaming with greed, bloodlust simmering under the surface. With millions of champions gathered in the Silent City, the prospect of stealing additional bloodlines was too tempting to ignore.

  Haha… look at them. Even without the need for a massacre, people are already getting ready to start one. I’ve truly missed this, Scott mused.

  Observing the shifting atmosphere, Scott suddenly turned—only to find himself face-to-face with a woman clad in exaggerated clown makeup. A laughing clown tattoo stretched across the right side of her face.

  “How’d you know I was going to grab you?” she asked, unable to hide her surprise. “You got eyes at the back of your head or something?” she teased, inching closer with a smirk.

  Scott frowned slightly.

  Why is she acting like she knows me? Do I know her?

  He racked his brain, but no memories surfaced. For the champions, no time had passed. But for Scott, the decades he spent within the misty grey space were unquantifiable.

  “So, what do you say, baby boy?” the woman continued, reaching out and tracing her fingers up his arm. He let her.

  “What were we talking about again?” Scott asked flatly.

  The woman’s smile faltered. “Are you being serious right now?”

  Scott met her gaze, expression unreadable.

  Recovering quickly, she gave a light laugh. “I said, for the right price, I can help you eliminate those pesky pursuers of yours. What do you say, baby boy?”

  Scott raised a brow.

  I had pursuers? Who?

  He swept his gaze across the crowd, then saw them—a group approaching with a precision that screamed intent. Their bloodlust was palpable, their attention focused solely on him.

  Who the hell are these guys even supposed to be?

  He chuckled softly as he studied the ensemble, noting how they'd already cut off all routes of escape.

  “So? What’s it going to be?” the clown woman whispered, tilting his face toward hers.

  The moment their eyes locked, her breath hitched. Cold sweat gathered on her brow as she recoiled, heart racing.

  Scott smiled.

  “I usually don’t do this… but today is a special day. You’ve got five minutes to get as far away from here as possible. Don’t blame me for what happens if you linger.”

  The woman didn’t argue. Trembling in her oversized boots, she bolted—vanishing into the depths of the depleted city in a streak of light.

  And as she fled, several more beams of light zipped after her, disappearing into the same direction.

  I can’t believe there were even more clowns in this place, Scott chuckled, shaking his head.

  Then he turned his attention toward the champions slowly encircling him, their movements silent but heavy with intent. He cracked his knuckles, grinning.

  I’d love to act now, but I did promise her five minutes.

  Scott shifted his attention to the band around his wrist.

  Let’s see what these bad boys can do.

  Oh? There’s only a description, but nothing about its abilities.

  Scott shifted his gaze away from the dormant weapon, glancing down the path where the clowns had vanished.

  They should be a good distance away by now, right? he mused.

  “Hey!” a voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

  A hulking man stepped forward; arm outstretched.

  “Hand it over,” Boris demanded, bloodlust curling around every word. “This is your last chance.”

  “Why are we wasting time on him?” another champion growled. “Let’s just kill him. Whatever reward he got for finishing first will be ours.”

  Scott looked past Boris toward the one who had spoken. Among the wall of champions blocking all exits, Boris alone showed a sliver of hesitation.

  So he’s figured something out… but it’s too late now. Five minutes should be up. Not my fault if those clowns didn’t run far enough, he thought with a smirk.

  “What the fuck are you smiling at, asshole?” another champion barked. “You think this is a joke? Hand. It. Over.”

  Champions who wanted no part in the brewing carnage quietly began to retreat, unwilling to risk becoming collateral. A few lingered, hoping to scavenge whatever they could once the dust settled.

  Scott chuckled softly, clutching his right hand. The war hammer responded to his silent command, transforming in an instant.

  A sudden system notification lit up before his eyes.

  A torrent of knowledge suddenly flooded Scott’s mind.

  The war hammer spun once in his grip, the head locking upright with an eerie, deliberate grace.

  Scott cackled ominously, taking a step back to compose himself.

  The bloodthirsty champions halted in their advance. Something about Scott’s derange laughter unsettled them.

  Scott raised the war hammer high, then slowly lowered it to shoulder height—and stopped.

  Nothing happened.

  Confused glances rippled through the gathered enemies as they began to recover their nerve.

  “Enough of this bullshit,” a champion snapped. “The longer we wai—”

  A crushing gravitational force descended from the heavens. Within an instant, everything within fifty miles of Scott collapsed—shattered buildings, streets, spires—obliterated under the celestial weight.

  Only two things remained untouched: Scott… and a distant, solemn temple.

  He stared at the war hammer, wide-eyed.

  Holy shit! He laughed aloud with wanton abandon. I’m going to have a lot of fun with this.

  Another notification chimed.