Chapter 2: Rebirth

The voice that echoed in my mind wasn't just similar to the game's. I was sure it was actually the voice of the Vangloria system.

After a few seconds of waiting, I couldn't hear it anymore. The unusual event didn't happen again. With that, I continued wandering through infinite space, but that wall in front of me attracted me more and more.

Something told me to try to pass through it. An unusual feeling ran through me, indicating that what was in front of me was my goal. I couldn't understand why, but I felt a strong presence coming from that gigantic spectral wall.

I began to think about moving my body forward. As I didn't really have a "body," I just focused on moving forward, and to my surprise, it worked. My consciousness flew towards the wall.

The willpower began to consume me. I began to see that wall as a Mission, just like in the game, and they had to be fulfilled.

I continued to force my consciousness towards the wall and, after a long time lost in this place, my sense of touch returned. I could feel the wall.

It was strange, a mixture of solid and liquid. The more willpower I put into the task, the easier it was to pass through it. However, the more I passed through it, the more difficult it became to continue.

I spent more than a day trying to cross it and realized that, despite all the effort I put in, I had only passed through one-tenth of it. I also noticed that, besides me, there were dozens of souls floating inside that wall.

More than a million white dots covered my surroundings. Each dot was a soul trying to pass through this place at all costs. Some of the souls moved quickly, but others seemed to have given up and were just standing still, waiting for death to slowly approach.

I reinforced my willpower, continued to move forward, and after more days than I could even count, I reached only one-third of the wall, which was just a euphemism for the true magnificence of that impenetrable wall.

The thousands of white dots became a hundred, and many of them no longer moved. I tried to go back where I came from, but it didn't result in anything.

Maybe I'll be stuck here forever? What an unfortunate thing, isn't it?

Thoughts of giving up consumed me entirely. I couldn't see a way to escape this infernal position. I was completely cornered; thrown against the wall and, in my mind, only memories.

Even at that moment, I could still visualize myself sitting on my throne, at the highest point of my dungeon, and contemplating the world below. By my side were my dear subordinates who, although they were just machines, were still loyal.

Me and those thousands of monsters, demons, and creatures went through many things together. From the first time I faced adventurers who tried to invade my home, to the offensive towards the continent.

I took care of each of them, evolved them, fed them, and commanded them in battle, creating strategies and finally doing what I liked the most, searching for spoils of war in search of rare things.

These memories gave me strength, and using them, I continued with difficulty.

I continued forward at a surreal speed even for my standards and, in no time, reached halfway. However, my joy was short-lived because, from that point on, moving became an almost impossible task.

Even with everything preventing me, I persisted, moving slowly and steadily. And it turned out that years passed, but there was nothing to be done, because I had nothing better to do.

Years passed just to cross half of the way; decades to reach what amounted to a thin sheet of paper at the end. It was such a short space, yet at the same time impenetrable. The distance was thinner than a hair strand; nevertheless, I felt trapped against a brick wall.

In that space, time passed differently, even amusingly, and after a time that could no longer be counted, perhaps millennia, I couldn't get through the damn wall.

I realized something was wrong. Maybe it wasn't really possible to pass through, or there was a trick. The confusion shook me and I ended up looking back, seeing in the distance the thousands of points isolated from each other.

It's impossible to achieve anything alone. Before, I had my monsters and now I need new companions!

I remembered every creature that ever crossed my path. Every monster that helped me get where I got, conquering the top of the world.

"Give me your strength! We'll get through this together!" Not a soul moved. I was never really charismatic, but I had something better.

Yes, I really received a lot of help, but... the merit is still mine and mine alone!

To achieve my goals, I wouldn't depend on others, but rather make them depend on me.

"Hey! Cursed souls!" My voice echoed throughout the space. That was a place driven by willpower, and let's be honest, I was the one who had the most of it. "How many years have you been here? Hundreds? Thousands? Millions? Or even billions?! Aren't you tired?! Trapped against this wall; forced to measure your own willpower! If this damn place wants to test our strength, then let's show it!"

A second of silence... and then what I wished for happened. They were agitated, even those who had given up, fought like crazy. Suddenly, they started to shine and a message resonated in my mind.

[Absorbing energy from souls...]

[Absorbing souls around]

❂❂❂

The white dots disappeared one by one, and every time one vanished, I could feel my own spirit growing stronger. Until the point where they all disappeared, and I was the only one left, overflowing with power!

❂❂❂

[Complete absorption]

[Absorbed souls can be used later]

❂❂❂

I stared at the wall in front of me one last time and, with a slight movement, it shattered completely. Just the simple process of breaking the wall resulted in a release of energy of cosmic proportions, creating cracks and distortions in space. By the convenience of fate, I was absorbed by one of them.

Inside that spatial rift, I saw that all the energy that overflowed from my body became a blue sphere a little bigger than a basketball that was made entirely of crystal.

A dungeon core!

❂❂❂

[Dungeon Core Complete]

[System Fusion Complete]

[Initiating Rebirth]

❂❂❂

In a higher plane, two astral beings, with indescribable forms for human vision, discussed various matters.

"An soul crossed from the quantum infinite to the magic infinite, that was surprising."

"And what's the problem? Doesn't that happen all the time?"

"He only took a minute to cross the barrier. Normally souls are trapped in it for at least a few millennia. However, the most interesting thing is the fact that, after he passed through the barrier, thousands of souls disappeared along with him. By the way, he ended up in the world under your supervision."

"How interesting. He's definitely someone to watch. I'll observe him carefully."

"Ah! Let me observe too. He came from my finite world, let me look for only a few centuries!"

"Disappear! Now he's mine. You never let me see your glorious 'land', I won't let you see the path of this soul!"

"Huh?! Please! I beg you!"

The superior beings treated it all as entertainment. A soul with the energy of thousands had crossed the barrier between worlds.