Later That Night, Dubai

The day had been long but deeply satisfying. The group had played until they reached their daily usage limit on Lucid.

Matt was the first to sigh in frustration when the system prompt appeared, announcing that their usage time had ended for the day.

"I finally get it," he said, stretching his arms as his Lucid powered down. "Now I see why you put that restriction there, Liam."

Liam looked up from his seat, smiling. "Oh? And what did you figure out?"

"That you basically saved the world," Matt said dramatically, earning a laugh from Harper. "No, seriously. Without that time limit, we'd never log off. I can't even feel tired when I play on this thing. It's insane."

Harper nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I noticed that too. I don't even feel hunger or eye strain. It's like my body doesn't care that I've been in there for hours."

"That's part of the immersion process," Liam said. "The Lucid syncs with the brain's sensory cortex. It keeps the body stable and relaxed so you don't feel fatigue."

"Which means," Matt said, pointing a finger at him, "that if you didn't include a daily usage cap, the entire world would turn into walking zombies."

Liam chuckled quietly. "You're not wrong. I designed that limit for a reason. I wanted to protect users from themselves. Most people don't realize how easy it is to lose track of time inside an immersive world."

Matt leaned back, shaking his head. "You're a lifesaver, man. Imagine millions of people just... disappearing into the game. Whole economies collapsing because no one wants to log out."

"Exactly," Liam said. "It's why I called it a paradox. It's a device meant to bring people together, but without limits, it could destroy what connects them to reality."

Harper tilted his head. "Speaking of paradoxes, there's one thing I still don't get."

Liam looked over. "What's that?"

"Why make Lucid so cheap? It's basically giving away magic for free. You could've priced it at two thousand dollars, maybe more, and people would still fight to get one. You'd make a fortune overnight."

Liam smiled at the question. "I could have done that," he admitted, "but the goal was never about direct sales. Lucid is the foundation. I'm building an ecosystem, not just a product."

Harper raised an eyebrow. "So, subscriptions?"

"Subscriptions are just a small part of it," Liam said. "There are better ways to generate long-term value than just charging people upfront. Lucid's true potential isn't in how many units are sold—it's in how much time people spend using it."

That made everyone pause. It wasn't the kind of thing a regular developer would say. It sounded like the vision of someone thinking far beyond simple profit.

Harper nodded slowly. "So you're saying you've got more plans for it. That this isn't even the final stage."

"Something like that," Liam replied with a faint smile.

They didn't press further. They could tell from his tone that he had already said as much as he wanted to.

Dinner followed soon after, prepared by the maids Duval had arranged for the apartment. The food was elegant yet comforting. They ate together, talking about the battles they'd fought in Eternal Realms earlier that day.

Everyone laughed and teased each other about their mistakes. Matt proudly declared that he was "definitely the MVP" even though he had nearly hit Harper in the head with a stray arrow.

By the time dinner ended, everyone was full and relaxed.

They didn't stay up much longer. Even if their bodies didn't feel tired, their minds were still catching up to everything they had experienced.

One by one, they retired to their rooms.

Lucid had that strange effect on people—it made everything else seem… dull. Phones looked outdated. Regular screens looked blurry and lifeless. Even the air seemed less vibrant.

It wasn't that the device altered their brains or interfered with their senses—it was just the natural result of exposure to something so far beyond their normal world.

Just like how the first people who saw electricity or the internet could never go back to the way things were before, Lucid users could no longer look at the ordinary world the same way.

By midnight, the entire apartment was quiet. Except for Liam.

Unlike his friends, Liam didn't sleep. He sat by the window of his room for a few minutes, looking at the glittering skyline of Dubai, then stood up.

"It's time," he said softly.

The next moment, his figure faded.

He reappeared standing in the narrow alley where he had vanished earlier that day. The afternoon air here was cool, crisp, and somehow fresher than Earth's.

Maybe it was the mana in the atmosphere, he thought. The scent of rain lingered faintly in the air.

"Seems like rain fell not too long ago," he muttered.

Liam walked toward the main street and his eyes fell on the tall buildings, the car and everything that makes this world look almost no different form Earth.

Liam took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air. He was curious about what sort of rewards he would receive. But before he sign-in, he decided to ask the system some questions.

"System, are there anything I need to know or do before I sign-in?" He asked.

[Everything has been taken care of, Host.]

"Taken care of?" Liam repeated. "What do you mean?"

[Your identity has been registered in this world's databases. You have legal status, financial records, and property ownership.]

Liam blinked, surprised. "You're saying… I exist here? Officially?"

[Correct. You now have a bank account, citizenship record, and residence papers. All background details have been integrated.]

He paused for a moment, absorbing that. It made sense. He couldn't exactly wander around a modern city without documentation. Still, the way that system handled everything impressed him.

In a normal situation like this, where one is without money or any identity in a new world, they would have to go through the stress of doing that themselves, and that would take a very long period of time. But the system handled everything precisely and efficiently.

"Then I guess it's time to see what today's reward is," Liam said, smiling.

The system's made Liam to wonder yet again about everything surrounding the system. He hopes it's not long before he gets answers to his questions.

"System, sign-in," he muttered.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations, Host, You have received $10,000,000.]

[You have received an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.]

[You have received: The Dark Dragon Villa, Dragon Cave Estate, Old Bethesda.]

Liam stared at the screen, in a mix of surprise and confusion.

"…What?"

He had to read it again just to be sure. Ten million dollars. A classic supercar. A villa.

By the system's standards, this was slightly, if not totally excessive for a daily sign-in rewards. The truth was, Liam never expected to receive rewards like this again.

He was especially surprised by the currency and the car brand. It made him realize that the system had chosen something familiar—something that would help him adjust faster. The reward reminded him that Earth wasn't the only modern world in the multiverse.

The system seemed to pick up on his thoughts and spoke.

[You are currently on the Magic Universe's Earth.]

Liam's eyes widened in shock. "A parallel Earth?" he asked quickly.

[Confirmed.]

More questions flooded his mind. "Then… was there ever another Liam Scott here before the apocalypse? Did he survive?"

[No, Host. Your existence is unique across all planes of reality. There are no parallel versions of you. This condition is extremely rare.]

Liam frowned, his pulse quickening. His eyes slowly widened as realization sank in.

"Unique across every reality…?" he murmured. The thought was hard to grasp.

He wanted to press further, to demand an explanation—but he stopped himself. The middle of the street wasn't the place for that.

While he was talking with the system, the car had materialised in front of him and the money has been transferred to his account.

He got into the car and gripped the wheel, starting the engine. He steered the wheel and the car rolled forward, gliding effortlessly onto the main road

The streets stretched endlessly, blending the familiar and the foreign. It was surreal, yet perfectly normal here.

"Same sky. Different rules," Liam smiled to himself.

He had a suspicious and had confirmed it with the car's GPS. He was currently in Maryland, USA.

After half an hour, the urban lights gave way to open countryside. The road curved gently upward, leading into forested hills. Fireflies floated along the roadside, glowing softly in rhythm with the night breeze.

A sign appeared ahead: DRAGON CAVE ESTATE—PRIVATE PROPERTY

Beyond it lay a gated road lined with lanterns. As he drove through, the world seemed to grow quieter. The estate sprawled across the hillside—rolling gardens, stone walls, and a lake reflecting the moonlight.

At the heart of it all stood the Dark Dragon Villa.

The structure was vast but elegant—black stone and silver glass, its architecture blending modern minimalism with ancient grace. Dragons were etched along its pillars, their eyes glowing faintly.

Liam parked the car and stepped out. The cool air brushed against his face as he looked up at the villa.

"This will do," he said softly.

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