[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-anomaly-s-path":3,"chapter-the-anomaly-s-path-the-anomaly-s-path-chapter-2":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Anomaly's Path",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1213108,1582,"Chapter 2: Death?","the-anomaly-s-path-chapter-2",2,"\u003Cp>The Demon King swung his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The screen went black, like glass exploding outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, I just stood there. Half-naked—yeah, I wasn’t wearing a shirt, so what?—staring at what used to be my monitor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What the hell just happened?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thing lay on the floor, cracked open and dead. Spiderwebs of broken glass reflected the dim light of my room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stepped closer. Stupidly hopeful. Maybe—just maybe—it still worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The screen was completely destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dammit...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My computer. I hadn’t even finished paying it off yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Good. Just great.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, a game character tries to crawl out of my screen. And now my screen broke too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fuck.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a long breath and started cleaning up the mess. Or at least what could be cleaned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clink. Crunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glass scraped against glass as I swept it into a pile. It took me some time to clean this mess. After cleaning up I sat on my chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haaa...\" I rubbed my face. \"Today’s a terrible day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leaned back for a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grrrlll\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My stomach growled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Right. I haven’t eaten anything because of that stupid game. I picked up my phone, planning to order something cheap. Then a notification popped up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was from... Mom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze. I stared at the screen longer than I should have before opening it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are you coming tomorrow? It’s your 22nd birthday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s been years since we saw you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We don’t want anything from you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Just come back home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She really hadn’t changed. Always like that. Never asking for much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haaa...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed again, longer this time. I locked my phone without replying. Not because I didn’t care. Because I cared too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pulled on a shirt, grabbed my apartment keys, and shoved my phone into my pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lived alone in this apartment, so it wasn’t like anyone would complain about the noise. Neighbors? Probably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But honestly—who cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at the broken monitor one last time. The cracked screen stared back at me, lifeless. I blinked, then turned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Yeah. Figures.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned around and left the apartment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>___\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I walked toward the store, my thoughts drifted back toward what just happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More specifically, to what the Abyss King said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah... so you are here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What does he even mean by that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tch. This is driving me crazy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t feel like a normal character. He felt real. Especially the way he looked at me—it felt like he’d finally found something he’d been missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s no way. He’s just a game character. Right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Yeah. No way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hero Chronicles had the most cliché story ever. A hero chosen by a goddess. Fate. Destiny. Demon King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boring? Right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if you’re wondering why I’m still playing a cliché game...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s simple. Because of this game’s difficulty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What made this game famous was its difficulty. This game almost killed everyone. Every character either had a tragic backstory or they died in a very tragic way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Abyss King?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was straight-up unfair. No one had ever beaten him. Everyone tried. Everyone failed. I was just another unlucky idiot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t even realize when I’d reached the store. I grabbed some instant noodles and an energy drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the counter stood an old lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ms. Ana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I approached the counter and said, \"Hello, Ms. Ana. Still lively as ever, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hoho... look who’s here,\" she replied with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was one of the first people I met after moving here. She helped me out a lot. Even gave me a part-time job when I needed one. She’s one of the kindest person I know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just felt like eating something,\" I said, handing her the items.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She picked up the items, checked the price, and gave them back to me. \"Here you go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I paid her, picked up the bag, and looked at Ms. Ana and said with a small smile, \"Well then, thank you. Let’s meet again, Ms. Ana.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Make sure you come back again,\" she said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I turned and left the store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when I heard it—a noise. I turned to my right. It was dark out, so I could barely see clearly. But I knew something wrong was going on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t realize it, but my feet carried me toward the alley. My feet stopped there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three men were trying to force themselves on a girl. She looked around my age—maybe younger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Those fuckers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listen, I wasn’t a hero. I wanted to help her—but could I? It’s true I knew how to fight a little, but I’d only ever fought kids around my age. And it had been years since I fought anyone. Not to mention, they looked strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was I being a coward? Yeah, I know. I was always a coward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I just stood there, about to turn and leave—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when my eyes met hers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was crying. Tears streamed down her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But more than that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I saw hope in her eyes. Like she thought I could help her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Why are you looking at me like that?\" I muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She believed in me. I clenched my teeth. My hands were shaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fuck... what am I even doing? I’m gonna regret this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t a hero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I wasn’t scum either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t walk away after that look. My feet moved on their own toward the alley. I didn’t tell them to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the men noticed me and sneered. \"Oi, kid. This ain’t your business. Get lost.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shrugged. \"Wanted to. Guess I can’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one in front—probably the leader—stepped closer. \"Playing hero, huh? Let’s see what you’ve got.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Ah. Crap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here we go. He lunged at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fist flew toward my face. I barely dodged. Too slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My elbow slammed into his ribs. The impact rattled my arm—but he staggered back, coughing. Pain shot up my forearm. I hissed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fuck, that hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another one rushed at me from the side. I panicked—moved on instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>oh crap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blocked his punch with my arm and drove my knee into his stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gah—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My breathing was already off. But before I could reset—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhk—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something sharp burned across my back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Ah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knife. The shock hit first. Then the pain. My legs nearly gave out. So this is what being rusty gets you. I grabbed his wrist on instinct and smashed my forehead into his face. My head rang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dropped, unconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But my body wasn’t good either. I felt lightheaded—like I’d lost too much blood. The girl ran toward me, screaming something—but my ears were ringing. I couldn’t hear a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My knees buckled. I fell to the ground and my vision started to blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guess this is it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...So this is how I die.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly? Not bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better than the worthless life I’d lived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least I did something right at the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe I can die now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Or so I thought.\u003C\u002Fp>",1167,"2026-06-03T14:22:40.771Z",1,"novelbin.me","b7851af7f29ba7b74bcbdf0b2c2a35aadfe7c97a4dad42aded64abe57d349723","the-anomaly-s-path-chapter-3","the-anomaly-s-path-chapter-1",174,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-anomaly-s-path-cover.jpg"]