Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Blaming herself

As the car rolled up the long driveway, Seojun's gaze drifted out the window, catching sight of something in the sky that made him pause.

As they passed by the floating islands, Seojun couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity. The sight of the islands drifting in the sky was surreal, yet it felt like he had seen them somewhere before.

'Earth sure has changed a lot…' he thought 'Why do those look so familiar?'

Alex noticed the direction of Seojun's gaze. "Those are part of a dimensional zone called Skyland. Zones like these started appearing about three years ago."

Seojun's curiosity was piqued. "Dimensional zones?"

"Yeah," Alex said, keeping his eyes on the road. "There are three main dimensional zones. The first is Skyland, with the floating islands. The second is the Submerged Zones, which are underwater, and the third is the Hollow Zones, located underground."

Seojun nodded slowly, his eyes still on the islands disappearing behind them. "Why do they seem so familiar to me?" he murmured.

Alexa, sitting in the backseat, leaned forward, her tone unusually serious. "It's because those zones are based on areas from Ethereal Online."

Seojun blinked, his head turning slightly toward her. "Ethereal Online?" He mulled over the name, feeling a sudden rush of memories. Then he muttered, almost as if trying to piece it all together, "Isn't that the VR game your company developed?"

The car fell into a brief silence as the weight of the realization settled in.

Alexa's serious tone lingered as she replied, "Yeah, But none of us ever imagined something like this would happen."

Seojun leaned back in his seat, The twins make Seojun tried the Ethereal Online before releasing back then, It's his first Game he ever played so it's hard to forget, but seeing elements from it manifest in the real world was unsettling. It was as if the lines between reality and the virtual world were blurring, and the implications were vast.

"Why would something from a game become real?" Seojun wondered aloud.

"Some people think it's linked to the rise of awakeners and the surge in magical energy," Alex explained. "Others believe it's connected to something even bigger, something we haven't fully understood yet."

Seojun nodded.

The car ride was quiet, and Seojun noticed that Alexa, who usually had a lively and energetic attitude, was acting differently. She stared out the window, petting Huno absentmindedly.

Seojun saw her in the rearview mirror, looking troubled. It was clear something was bothering her.

Alexa muttered quietly, "It's probably related to the gods and goddesses."

Seojun, concerned about her change in behavior, asked Alex, "What's wrong with Alexa?"

Alex sighed and lowered his voice. "She's blaming herself because some dangerous monsters from the game she created, Ethereal Online, have come into the real world."

Seojun looked back at Alexa, who was still distracted, petting Huno. "So, she thinks it's her fault?"

Alex nodded. "Yeah. She made those monsters for the game, but now they're causing trouble in reality. She feels responsible for the harm they're causing."

The silence in the car was too thick for Seojun. Glancing at Alexa in the rearview mirror, he said, "You look ugly when you're like that, you know."

Alex looked at Seojun and chuckled. "She sure does. Look at her sulking."

Seojun looked at Alexa through the mirror again and smirked. "Yeah, what an ugly bitch."

The two of them continued their teasing, muttering comments just loud enough for Alexa to hear.

Suddenly, Alexa shouted, "I can hear you both, you know?!"

"Oh, the bitch can hear us?" Seojun said with a flat expression.

"Unbelievable, right?" Alex added, still keeping his eyes on the road.

Alexa's face flushed with anger. She crossed her arms "Just wait till we're out of this car," she said.

"Ooh, I'm so scared," Seojun teased, hugging himself and smirking.

"Fuck you, Seojun! Just really wait!" Alexa retorted, her voice half-serious, half-playful and looked out the window, though a small smile played on her lips despite her irritation.

Alex laughed and said, "She probably misses doing this."

"No, I'm not!" Alexa shouted, trying to sound defensive

Meanwhile, The chairman of the Awakeners Association, Alexander von Ford, walked through the bustling headquarters with a look of satisfaction. As he made his rounds, he observed the energetic activity around him. Awakeners eagerly selected quests from the board, while others visited the Trade and Conversion Hall, exchanging loots for gold coins.

The building hummed with the sounds of negotiations and lively discussions.

Feeling content with the smooth operation of the association, Alexander returned to his office. He settled into his chair and took a moment to appreciate the calm of his personal space. Sёarᴄh the NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

His secretary entered, carrying a stack of files. She handed them over, and Alexander began to read through them. He was well aware of the critical nature of his role; as the CEO of the former Ford Game Developing Company and the Guildmaster of the Vortex, he had a lot on his plate.

His granddaughter, Alexa, served as the vice captain of the guild, which only added to his vested interest in their activities.

After flipping through the pages, Alexander glanced up and asked, "How did the meeting between my granddaughter and the top rankers go?"

The secretary replied, "The main reason for their meeting was to discuss the upcoming wave."

Alexander paused, his expression thoughtful. "It's coming early this year, hmm?"

"Yes, Chairman, and there's also discuss about the recent case of the Selected top-rankers summoned by the Global System into the tower," the secretary confirmed.

"The tower? When will they give more details about it?" the chairman asked, frowning.

"They said that after the current wave ends, new zones will appear," the secretary replied, scrolling through her tablet. "It looks like the situation is still changing."

The chairman leaned back in his chair, looking serious. "We need more information. This uncertainty is bad for business, and even worse for the world. If this tower is as dangerous as they say, we can't be unprepared."

The secretary nodded. "I'll make sure our sources keep us informed. But right now, only the top rankers know the full details, and they're not sharing yet."