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Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Echoes of the Past

The moon hung low over the Arcane Academy, casting silver light on the courtyard.

The world looked calm — too calm.

But deep underground, something stirred.

A faint hum echoed through the old academy dungeons — followed by whispers in a language not meant for mortals.

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🌙 Scene 1 — The Glitch Dungeon

"Sion, are you sure this is safe?" Seren asked, gripping her staff tightly.

Beside her, Althea nodded nervously.

"I can feel a strange mana flow here… like it's not natural."

Sion crouched near the entrance, examining a faint glowing line on the stone floor.

"It's a data rift," he muttered. "Something left over from before this world was reset."

Seren blinked. "Data? You mean… like from a computer?"

Sion paused, realizing his mistake.

He smiled faintly. "Just… a kind of magic only I can read."

When they entered, the temperature dropped. The walls shimmered with blue light —

symbols flickering like broken code.

A voice echoed through the darkness:

> "System anomaly detected. Player presence confirmed."

Everyone froze.

Sion's pupils glowed faint blue. "This isn't a dungeon… it's a glitch zone."

Before they could react, the ground split open — and monsters materialized from fragments of broken mana.

They weren't normal creatures; their bodies were made of shimmering polygons.

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⚔️ Scene 2 — The First Battle

"Everyone, get back!" Sion shouted.

Seren conjured a massive flame circle, but the monsters absorbed it like energy.

"They're eating mana attacks!?" she cried.

Althea stepped forward, chanting a purification spell.

A wave of white light pushed back the creatures, giving them room to breathe.

Sion drew his sword — a simple academy-issued blade — but the moment he gripped it,

it changed.

His mana surged.

His body flickered between "Sion" and "Syrion" — data lines crawling across his arm.

> [System Sync: 27%]

[Weapon Data Restored — "Codebreaker" equipped.]

The simple sword transformed into a sleek, silver-blue weapon pulsing with light.

With one slash, he erased three monsters instantly.

Seren gasped. "W-What kind of magic was that!?"

Sion looked down at his hand, panting. "Not magic… it's system control."

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💔 Scene 3 — Raven's Arrival

Just as the last creature fell, a flash of gold light filled the chamber.

A voice shouted:

"Get away from them!"

The explosion of holy energy threw Sion backward.

When the light faded, a man stood between them — tall, with golden eyes and a shining blade.

Raven, the kingdom's "True Hero."

Althea's eyes widened. "Raven…?"

He turned to her, smiling gently. "Are you alright? I felt a distortion here."

But his gaze shifted coldly toward Sion. "You… who are you?"

Sion stood up, dusting his uniform. "Just another student."

Raven narrowed his eyes. "Then why does the system register you as a player?"

Everyone froze.

Sion's heartbeat pounded. "What did you say?"

Raven raised his hand — his sword glowing with divine light.

> "There's only supposed to be one player in this world."

> "Me."

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🌌 Scene 4 — Echoes Awaken

Before Sion could respond, a shockwave burst from the crystal at the center of the room.

The dungeon's walls began to distort — showing flashes of another world.

> Syrion standing in front of a throne.

Althea crying, reaching for him.

Raven kneeling before a goddess.

Althea clutched her head, trembling. "No… these memories… they're not mine!"

Sion's system screamed:

[Memory Integration Complete – 47%]

[Overlimit Protocol Sync Initiated]

The dungeon collapsed.

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⚔️ Next Chapter Preview — Chapter 9: Hero vs. Hero

> As the dungeon crumbles, Sion and Raven are teleported to an isolated battlefield.

The truth begins to unravel — there was never just one "True Hero."

Althea races to save them, her pendant unlocking its true form.

And somewhere within the system's core…

a shadow watches, whispering:

"Let the game begin again."

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