Chapter 4
The cave smelled like damp earth and something metallic—old blood, maybe. My fingers brushed against the notebook's cracked leather cover before I even realized I'd picked it up.
The first page was stained brown at the edges, the ink faded but still legible. "John Kaltos," it read, "forsworn knight, oathbreaker to the crown of Stoneya." My breath caught. That name was etched into our family tree, whispered like a curse at reunions.
"You're kidding me," I muttered, thumbing further. The next page was cleaner, sharper, as if written yesterday: *To the heir of Stoneya—welcome home.*
A chill rolled down my spine. My hands shook. I grabbed a loose pebble from the cave floor and scribbled *I wish*—but the rest vanished under a sudden flood of blue text flashing before my eyes: **[SYSTEM INITIALIZED]**.
The cave walls pulsed with an eerie glow as more notifications erupted into existence. **\[Combined Gamer Systems Activated\]**. **\[Daily Quest Updated\]**. My vision swam with scrolling menus—stats, skills, an entire universe of possibilities crammed into my skull.
I staggered back, boots kicking up dust. The notebook flapped open again, pages rustling like laughter. New words bloomed in fresh ink: *200 push-ups, *200 sit-ups, *200 squats and a 20 km run, little king. Or would you rather face what comes for oathbreakers?*