When Fenric finished allocating 20 Potential, heat surged through his body. Muscles tightened, senses sharpened; even his balance felt different—as if gravity had eased.
A sharp burning sting flared across the full‑moon tattoo on his arm. He glanced down.
An "E" glyph bloomed at the center of the mark, threads of faint red light flowing beneath the skin like molten circuitry.
A status panel unfolded:
Name: Shura
samsara No.: (C Zone) 90086
Physique: 12
Spirit: 24 (14 base +10 reward)
Strength: 25 (9 Base + 16 Allotted Potential Points)
Agility: 15 (11 Base + 4 Allotted Potential Points)
Allocable Potential: 0
Skills: English (Proficient); Driving (Beginner); Shooting (Proficient); Camouflage (Master)
Combat Skills: None
Abilities: None
samsara Points: 4,122
Comprehensive Evaluation:E
The glowing E‑rank drew a satisfied grin from Fenric.
With that rating, landing a good job in the real world would be easy. Plenty of private firms, security outfits, and even government programs recruited E‑class or better. Just roll up your sleeve and show the moon mark—done.
And no, you couldn't fake it. The evaluation sigil differed from tattoo ink; the shimmer, pulse cadence, and system light signature made counterfeits obvious to anyone with functioning eyes—or a scanner.
Now he truly understood why Samsara Points mattered so much.
Arke was willing to throw twenty million at a single dungeon strategy. Even a halved Safe Zone SSS (on re‑entry) could net 5,000 points—massive value for progression.
Too bad he could never re‑enter Infernal Affairs. Otherwise he'd keep the walkthrough and farm it himself.
—--
Fenric pulled the Dungeon Cooldown Refresh Card from his Personal Warehouse—a private 3D storage space (roughly 100 cubic meters) that every Samsara player had access to while in the Samsara Space. Only Samsara‑generated items could be stored; real‑world goods were stripped unless formally converted via trade. Even traded real items were auto‑processed and could not be smuggled back unchanged.
He turned the translucent card between his fingers, thinking.
Technically, the Samsara Space would stay open several more hours—enough time to dive into another Safe Zone dungeon immediately. Pop the card, skip cooldowns, chain progression.
But mentally? He was drained. Infernal Affairs had been all nerves, timing, and social play. Running another copy while tired was how people threw away lives.
Better to rest.
He dismissed the warehouse interface, wandered the Samsara plaza a bit to clear his head, then exited to reality.
—--
Fenric reappeared in his bedroom. Digital clock: 03:11 A.M.
Still hours before dawn. Perfect. He dropped to bed and slept.
—--
Across town, in Moon Bay—one of AH City's top luxury residential communities—a villa bedroom shimmered. A slim figure phased in from Samsara transition.
A girl, maybe eighteen. Short one‑piece dress showing long, perfectly lined legs. Porcelain skin. Large midnight eyes framed by dense lashes. A light, sculpted nose; small lips; unfairly pretty.
This was Arke—the "middle‑aged woman" from Infernal Affairs Dungeon.
"Shura…" she hissed through her teeth, equal parts admiration and irritation.
She snatched up her phone and dialed.
"Hello? Dad?"
A groggy male voice answered. "Isla? It's late—shouldn't you be sleeping? Oh wait, didn't you queue a dungeon tonight? How'd it go? What rank did you—"
"Don't. Ask." She cut him off. "Dad, I need funds. Twenty million."
He woke up fast. "What for?"
"There's a Samsara player who just pulled the first-ever SSS Super‑God rating—Infernal Affairs Safe Zone. I contacted him. I'm buying his strategy."
"What—SSS!? No one's ever—" He stopped, recalibrated. "If that's true, twenty million's cheap. I'll wire it immediately."
"One more thing," she added. "He wants gold, not transfer. Can you arrange bullion valued at twenty million? Trade will route through Samsara escrow."
"I know a dealer. I'm negotiating business anyway. I'll be back by dawn. Wait for me—I'll handle it personally."
"Okay. I'll wait." She hung up, eyes still cold.