Hwan's heart skipped a beat as his fingers brushed against the shimmering surface of the rift.
The energy felt unstable, crackling against his skin like static. For one breathless second, he wondered if it would reject him.
But then, the system surged back into him like a tidal wave.
[System reconnected. User: Hwan Lee. Access restored.]
A rush of relief nearly knocked him to his knees. The familiar HUD reappeared before his eyes, blinking to life with comforting clarity.
His skills, his stats, his inventory—all back. His connection to the world reestablished. He sucked in a shaky breath and turned.
"Nina!"
He yelled.
She was darting between monsters, her movements clean but cautious. She was clearly holding back. Hwan didn't wait—he ran.
One of the monsters lunged at him mid-sprint, but with a flick of his hand, a barrier snapped into place and bounced the beast back with a resounding crash.
Hwan didn't stop. His only goal was Nina.
