Shanghai's Pudong district looked like in every other morning. Thousands of people, moving in streets, busy with their daily lives.

  Muddy roads. Dusty air. Cracked walls covered with posters and pamphlets.

  Suddenly, a burst of autumn wind swept through the street, peeling a poster free from one wall. It drifted down to the road.

  Nobody noticed it. Just another piece of trash. The poster landed face-up in the gutter where a young man's photo with information was printed.

  Missing!

  [Please, if you have any information about this young man named Callum, 20 years old, inform us by using these phone numbers.

  Thank you.]

  The wind caught it again and carried it into the crowd.

  Fifth floor, Apartment 401.

  The apartment was quiet. A woman sat beside the window, staring down at the street while holding a photograph. The same face that was on the missing poster in the streets.

  "Mom again?" A voice called.

  She didn't turn around, already knowing it was her second son.

  He gestured at the window. Sighed. "Whatever, dad called. He is on his way" Not waiting for his mother's response, he turned and left.

  For another moment she sat in silence then stood slowly,placing Callum's photo on the windowsill—right where she always put it—and followed her son out.

  But suddenly, the view of the room blurred, as if something was pulling the view backward.

  The window became distant. The building became a dot. The city itself contracted.

  Asia became a shape on a blue ball.

  It kept moving backward. Past the moon. Past the sun, which now looked like nothing more than another star.

  Until it finally stopped at a ruined planet, covered in the darkness of space.

  No atmosphere, no air, no light. There was nothing left on this planet. Yet, at the heart of this desolated planet, a humanoid figure sat on a dark throne made from the planet's shattered crust.

  "Mmm."

  The figure's vision, which had stretched across galaxies, suddenly snapped back. He raised his head, and in the profound darkness, his two eyes glowed.

  "System. Open inventory."

  At once, a translucent screen of light glowed.

  [Inventory Section]

  You have selected: Divine Transference Shard.

  Rank: Celestial.

  Enables soul transmigration across planar boundaries.( Warning! You Cannot proceed, the conditions have not been fulfilled)

  ….

  However, before the figure could take out this stone, a new notification materialized on the same screen.

  ...…

  DEVELOPER MESSAGE: Unique System hidden from higher celestials has been created and bound to your soul.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Final War commencing. Spectator Mode enabled for Earth. Victory secures your world's existence and ascension.

  ....

  Seeing this new message, the figure closed the system screen and rose from his throne, and mysteriously teleported himself far away from this ruined planet.

  ..

  Back on Earth--

  The season of autumn has started.

  Children were in school, making noise as their teachers tried to silence them. Adults were busy with their work. Leaders of countries sat on their seats, ego filled in their hearts.

  The rich enjoy their small lives. And the poor suffer without any rest.

  However, while they were busy in their daily routine—

  Surprisingly!

  Kackkkkkkkkkkk.

  The huge sky cracked with a loud noise.

  Like someone had split the sky into two, ripping it apart and exposing raw outer space.

  Gasps, cries, and shock spread across the continents.

  Car alarms shrieked, birds scattered running for their lives. The whole world was shocked!

  Scientists looked at this humongous crack, their faces went pale and drawn, muttering into microphones, their theories crumbling before reality.

  Leaders were already in meetings with other countries, making decisions.

  Only one question was in everyone's mind.

  (Is this our end?)

  While all humans were in shock, a small figure descended through the crack floating in the thin air.

  The scientists who were using their advanced machines noticed this being and immediately reported it to higher authorities.

  But before they could, all of a sudden, the eyes of all humans started to glow.

  "Ah, what the— I am blind!"

  "No, no, I am dead! I am dead!"

  However, they weren't dead or blind. It was a vision sent directly into their minds by a celestial being.

  "My greetings to you, humans." A heavenly voice entered their ears, and immediately their vision returned, finding themselves in front of an illuminated figure with huge golden wings like an angel.

  And behind this angel was not some kind of simple dark space, but cosmic dust and gas, dotted with the cold fire of huge stars.

  The eyes of humans widened; they just couldn't believe what they were seeing.

  "Greetings, once more." All humans instantly snapped out of their shock and turned to face the angelic being.

  "The Grand Godly tournament has entered its final phase. Two years ago, candidates were chosen from countless worlds. And one from this very planet was also selected."

  The angelic being then lifted its hand and the space behind it, instantly started swirling, reforming into a screen where an image appeared.

  A man sitting on a dark throne, far out in the immeasurable depths of space. The same figure from the ruined planet.

  With information written below on the screen.

  Name: Callum

  Age at selection: 20 Earth years

  Current Earth Age: 22 Earth years

  Time elapsed in Dark Realm: 982 years

  Max Level: 200

  Limited by Divine Restriction!!

  Every human being stared at the man in silence, his white hair fluttering in space, his head still low, as if he was in deep thought.

  Then slowly, as if he sensed their collective gaze, he lifted his head and glared back toward them.

  Instantly, a deathly chill—colder than any winter wind—ran through all humanity.

  The angelic figure returned. "Congratulations, humans. Your player, Mr. Callum, has reached the final round. If he wins, your world will not only be spared but elevated. You will become a high species within this universe. But if he loses…"

  A creepy smile stretched across the being's face.

  Hehe.

  The sound of laughter echoed in their minds, raising goosebumps on every arm.

  "In any case, prepare yourselves. This week will be… truly momentous."

  Moments later, reality crashed back into place.

  And humans finding themselves back on earth.

  ...…..

  News channels across the world erupted into chaos.

  Red banners flashed on every screen.

  BREAKING NEWS

  SKY FRACTURE CONFIRMED — GLOBAL EVENT

  A woman stayed seated under harsh lights. Over her shoulder, a wide screen held still, a split sky caught mid break.

  "This is not a hoax," she said, her voice serious. "We repeat - this was not an illusion, not mass hysteria, and not a shared dream."

  The camera shifted.

  Beside her sat three scientists, their expressions grim. One of them adjusted his glasses with shaking fingers.

  "Our instruments recorded it,"

  "Gravitational distortion, unknown energy signatures… this was a real spatial rupture."

  Another scientist leaned forward. "And whatever descended from that crack, it interacted directly with human consciousness! This is really unbelievable."

  The anchor swallowed. "So are these gods?"

  Silence

  "No," a scientist finally replied. "But it was something far beyond us, far beyond our imagination."

  Across the world, people watched this news in silence. Some prayed. Some cried. Some simply stared at their screens, their minds replaying the image of golden wings and endless stars.

  And one name echoed louder than the rest.

  Callum. Who is this person?

  ….

  In apartment 401.

  Today the same apartment building was no longer quiet. Crowds packed the streets below, phones raised, voices overlapping. Police barricades struggled to hold people back as whispers spread like wildfire.

  "That's his house."

  "The one from the screen."

  But inside the apartment, it was opposite to outside. Officials filled the small living room. Military uniforms. Police officers. Government aides.

  And seated among them—the leader of the country himself.

  He sat straight, hands folded, eyes sharp as he looked at the family of 3.

  Callum's father, mother sat firm on the couch, their faces pale, eyes fixed on the man sitting next to them.The second son stood near the wall, fists clenched, breathing unevenly.

  "We have confirmed it," the leader said calmly. "Your son disappeared two years ago. There were.. circumstances beyond our understanding."

  The mother's head snapped up.

  "Two years," she repeated quietly.

  Then she laughed.

  "Two years,"standing abruptly. "When my son went missing, where were you?"

  The quiet room stiffened.

  "We went to the police," she continued, her voice filled with fury. "We begged. We searched. Did anyone help us?"

  Her eyes burned as she pointed at the leader.

  "Now you come here because the world is ending? Now he's useful to you? And you sit in my house pretending to care about my son?"

  Her voice cracked.

  The leader's expression darkened.

  "That's enough," he said sharply. "Watch your words, old hag."

  The second son stepped forward. "You don't get to—"

  "Silence," the leader snapped.

  He rose from his seat.

  "For the sake of national security," he declared, "this family will be taken into protective custody."

  The room exploded.

  "What?!"

  "You can't do this!"

  Guards surged forward.

  Callum's mother screamed as they grabbed her arms. The second son struggled wildly, his voice breaking, cursing his big brother.

  As the family was escorted out, immediately the crowd outside erupted—shouting, cameras flashing, chaos spilling into the streets.

  Behind them, a female guard approached the leader, whispering in a low voice.

  "This will become a problem, public sentiment is already turning against us and what will happen if that Callum gets to know what we are doing with his family."

  The leader didn't look back.

  " Humph, ignore them" he replied coldly. "And about that Callum, does he not care about his family? Hehe.."