The symbol didn’t vanish.

  It stayed etched into the ground, glowing with an impossible light:

  somewhere between a blinking cursor and static fire.

  Not magic. Not tech. Something older than both.

  I memorized it. Copied it.

  Drew it on scrolls—and onto the skin of my left arm with a needle and ink made from nightroot.

  Because if I was going to search for it, I had to risk forgetting it.

  ---

  Three days later, I found the entrance.

  Not in any dungeon, temple, or shrine.

  But buried beneath an event farm, where “heroes” slaughtered NPCs for low-level quest points.

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

  A simple metal hatch, sealed with a lock that had no visible keyhole.

  But on its surface… the same symbol.

  I pressed my tattooed arm against it.

  The hatch whispered. It didn’t creak or grind. It whispered.

  > “User verification… incomplete. Access granted with limited privileges.”

  It was a system voice. But broken.

  Like a corrupted file trying to talk to itself.

  And then, the hatch opened.

  ---

  I descended.

  A spiral tunnel made of ancient concrete and rusted steel.

  Broken screens embedded in the walls. Dry cables hanging like dead roots.

  A place that shouldn’t exist in a world of swords and mana.

  But it did.

  ---

  At the bottom, an octagonal chamber awaited me.

  In the center: a console.

  Not magical. Not spiritual. A computer console.

  Black screen. Green letters. A blinking command line.

  > Welcome, Extra_9387

  Do you wish to execute [CLAIM.S]?

  Y/N

  My hands trembled.

  Not from fear.

  But because for the first time, I didn’t feel like a piece in someone else’s game.

  I felt like I could write a line of my own.

  I pressed the key.

  Y

  ---

  The console made a strange noise—somewhere between a digital laugh and a compressed scream.

  The screen flickered.

  > Permission denied.

  User not recognized as creator.

  Do you wish to attempt to trick the system?

  That line… wasn’t supposed to be there.

  It wasn’t even a valid option.

  But it appeared.

  As if the system was tempting me.

  And, as always, I chose the most broken path.

  YES.

  ---

  The console shrieked.

  And a new line appeared on screen:

  > Let the forgery begin.