The Streamer's Choice

In the evening, as Owen was checking the progress of his stream channel, he realized he hadn't uploaded a new clip yet because Julian hadn't sent him the edited video. This made Owen frown slightly, as Julian had never been this late with his work before. 'Did something happen to him?' With that thought, Owen immediately went to Julian's room.

But as soon as Owen reached Julian's door, he heard an unfamiliar female voice from inside. "Hahaha~ Julian, didn't you say you were great at this game? So what's this result! Losing 10 games in a row?"

"One more game! Just one more! I'm going to beat you right now, you little brat!" followed by Julian's voice, shouting in embarrassment.

Hearing that, Owen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise. This was the first time he had seen Julian bring a girl into his room, and it seemed neither of them had noticed his arrival. He knocked on the door and walked in.

"Ahem~ Sorry to interrupt you guys, but I have to ask Julian why the latest job I sent him isn't finished yet. Where's my edited video file?"

When Julian saw Owen enter, he immediately introduced the girl sitting next to him. "Oh~ look who it is… It's Owen, our genius gamer~ I was just about to ask for your help. Come on in."

"Let me introduce you. This is Rosy, my girlfriend! We're playing an RTS game, and I just got totally crushed by her. Can you help me put her in her place? Make her understand what despair feels like. Take her down, Owen!" Julian said, completely ignoring Owen's question about his work.

Before Owen could even open his mouth to refuse, Julian had already dragged him to sit in front of his computer, with Rosy sitting at another computer next to him. She turned to look at Owen with interest.

"Hmm~ He's a top 10 player on the server?... You should tone down the bragging about your friend's skills, Julian. Whether it's you or your friend, I'll crush you all the same. Hehe~" Rosy said, not believing Julian's words.

Sitting next to Rosy at close range, Owen found her to be quite a beautiful and charming woman, even if her demeanor was a bit boyish. She had short black hair with purple streaks, and her chest and butt were of a fitting size. Her style was a mix of gothic and a little bit of punk, a complete opposite to the prim and proper Julian.

[Character Illustration: Rosy]

After observing her for a few seconds, Owen turned his attention back to the game in front of him. He started playing against Rosy with a relaxed posture, with Julian clinging to the back of his chair, cheering him on and watching their match. Meanwhile, Rosy was extremely focused on the game.

An hour later…

"Impossible! How can you click the mouse that fast? Controlling units, grouping them, splitting forces, and casting hero skills all at the same time? That's insane!" Rosy, who had been utterly defeated by Owen, could only stand up and shout in disbelief.

As for Owen, he paid no mind to her outburst. He just shrugged and leaned back in his chair relaxedly. It had been a long time since he'd enjoyed playing a game so fully, not since he had to struggle to earn money to pay off his debt. And he felt that his skills had improved significantly from before, probably because Nova's training had greatly enhanced his body's and brain's reflexes.

"Hahaha~ How do you like that, Rosy? I told you he was the real deal! Who's the one getting crushed now?" Julian, seeing Rosy lose, couldn't help but tease her.

"Hmph~ Julian! You talk as if you beat me, even though the match history says you lost to me 10 times in a row. What a pathetic man!" Rosy retorted, leaving Julian speechless.

"As for you, Owen, was it? Just you wait. I'll be back to settle this score!" With that, Rosy stomped out of Julian's room in a huff.

"Is that really your girlfriend, Julian? You two seem like a total mismatch, like oil and water. I can't believe you two are dating… But whatever, I'm not one to meddle in other people's business. What I really want to know is, is the work I gave you finished yet, Julian?" Owen asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Julian just rolled his eyes at Owen's critique and handed him a flash drive. "Here's your clip, Owen. Thanks a lot for teaching her a lesson for me. I just started dating her recently, so I'm not sure if we're compatible yet. We're just trying it out for fun."

Owen nodded in understanding. After talking a little more, he returned to his room to upload the newly edited clip.

A few days later…

Owen was sitting in front of the computer in his room, managing Clara's OnlyStar account. Whether it was checking the number of followers, uploading photos and videos, responding to interesting comments, or checking her emails, it was all his responsibility.

And while Owen was engrossed in this work, a sudden knock on the door made him jump slightly, before he quickly closed the OnlyStar app.

Julian opened the door and entered Owen's room, with Rosy following closely behind. She scanned Owen's room with interest.

"Hey~ Owen, sorry for barging in on you like this, but we were just talking about the big concert happening in the city center tomorrow. I thought you might be interested," Julian began.

And Rosy jumped in with great excitement. "That's right, Owen! I'm so excited to see my favorite rock band, 'The Eclipse!' Julian said you're a fan of this band too. Is that true?"

Hearing that, Owen's eyes widened in disbelief. "Huh? The Eclipse? Are they really holding a concert in our city?" Owen slapped his forehead loudly.

"Yes, Rosy! I'm a fan of The Eclipse too, but I've been so busy lately I haven't been following the band's news. I had no idea they were holding a concert here. This is the most exciting news for me!"

Hearing that, Rosy grabbed Owen's hand in delight. "Awesome~ You understand how I feel, Owen! Unlike someone around here who only listens to cheesy music~" After speaking to Owen, she couldn't help but throw a final jab at Julian.

As for Julian, who was jabbed at, he just shrugged and said briefly, "Whatever I listen to is my own business~"

After the three of them had talked about the concert to their heart's content, Rosy invited Owen without hesitation. "Owen~ Since we're both fans of The Eclipse, are you interested in going to the concert with me?"

Owen's eyebrow twitched the moment he heard Rosy's invitation. He thought to himself, 'Are you serious? You're inviting me to a concert right in front of your own boyfriend?' He then turned to look at Julian for help.

But Julian acted nonchalantly. "Don't look at me like that, Owen. I'm not going anyway. You know I don't like loud places. And it would be great if you went with her. I'm not comfortable with her going to a concert alone. Consider it a favor for me, Owen."

As Julian finished speaking, the Choice System immediately popped into Owen's view.

…..

[1. Alright, Julian. I'll go to the concert with her, and I'll take 'special' care of her for you. (Julian's Affection +10, Rosy's Affection +5, Enters the path to stealing Rosy from Julian.)]

[2. Alright, Julian. I'll go to the concert with her, and I guarantee nothing will happen between us. (Julian's Affection -10, Rosy's Affection +5, Julian starts to lose interest in you.)]

[3. Sorry, Julian, Rosy. I'm busy lately. Maybe next time. (Julian's Affection -1, Rosy's Affection -1)]

…..

Seeing the effects of the options, Owen could only look at Julian with a strange expression. His eyebrow twitched uncontrollably. It was a strong warning that there was definitely something wrong with this innocent-faced man. As for Rosy, there was nothing unusual yet, as +5 affection was within the normal range since she liked The Eclipse just like him.

But Julian's affection swinging wildly between +10 and -10, what was that about? 'Don't tell me Julian wants me to pursue that kind of relationship with Rosy?' Coming to that conclusion, Owen could only clutch his head with a headache. He couldn't believe that a prim and proper person like Julian would have that kind of fetish, a type he thought only existed in lewd manga.

After composing himself, Owen chose the first option, which was practically a forced choice for him, as he didn't want to disappoint a good friend like Julian.

"Alright, Julian. I'll go to the concert with her, and I'll take 'special' care of her for you~" Owen nodded and said, while smirking slyly at Julian, just as the Choice System compelled him to do.

"Awesome, Owen! I knew you wouldn't miss this concert. You have a car, right? Then you have to pick me up at my house tomorrow evening, and we'll go have a blast together!" Rosy said, excitedly making plans with Owen.

Meanwhile, Julian just grinned with satisfaction. "Thanks for going with her, Owen. It's my fault I can't take care of her, so I'll have to leave her in your hands~"

After the three of them sat and played a few simple games together, Rosy and Julian said their goodbyes. Everyone went their separate ways, while Owen went back to finish managing Clara's OnlyStar account.

The next day…

The faint sound of an engine hummed on a Friday evening. Amidst the orange glow of the setting sun, Owen drove Damian's old black Mercedes to Rosy's house, a medium-sized house that looked cozy… The short-haired girl in a gothic-punk style outfit was standing in front of her house, waving cheerfully. She had a wide smile on her face and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Ready to rock~ Ms. Rockstar Dancer?" Owen teased as he opened the door for her.

"Of course! The Eclipse is playing in our city for the first time! How could I miss it!" Rosy replied before plopping down on the passenger seat.

The car pulled out onto the main road, heading towards the city center where the big concert was being held. The music from the car radio played softly, and their conversation about their favorite songs from the band's latest album filled the car with a happy atmosphere.

When they arrived at the venue, bright lights swept across the crowd of people pouring into the concert area. Cheers, laughter, and the smell of food from roadside stalls made the night feel alive. Owen held Rosy's soft hand tightly as he led her through the crowd towards the front of the stage.

And soon, the band The Eclipse took the stage. The sound of electric guitars blasted into the audience. Rosy began to jump and dance with wild abandon, while Owen just smiled at the beautiful sight before him. Every time she moved, her fair, round breasts would bounce to the rhythm of the music, greatly attracting Owen's gaze.

After Owen had admired Rosy's performance to his heart's content, he soon began to dance with her. The two of them danced to the rhythm of the music, their laughter and sparkling eyes indicating a moment full of happiness and fun.

And when the last song ended, amidst the thunderous applause, Rosy unconsciously leaned her head closely on Owen's shoulder before laughing softly, her face slightly flushed.

"Ha~ Tonight was perfect! I had so much fun coming with you, Owen. I can't believe you're such a good dancer~ And look at this, wow~ your arm muscles are so hard~" she said with a smile as she began to naturally hug Owen's arm.

"Of course~ That's The Eclipse for you! You know they're still full of fire, as always~" Owen said casually, as he felt the soft bounce of Rosy's two breasts pressing against his arm.

After walking and talking while grabbing some street food, the two got back into the car, slightly intoxicated from the alcohol and exhausted from dancing. Owen opened the window to let the night breeze blow through, while Rosy leaned her head against the seat, closing her eyes with a faint smile.

…..

But while they were on their way home, suddenly, a multi-colored light flashed before them, accompanied by the sound of horns and screeching brakes all around. Both of their phones simultaneously received a danger alert about the appearance of a dimensional gate!

Owen's eyes widened in disbelief. A dimensional gate that looked like a multi-colored crack in glass had appeared right in front of his car at close range! Owen could only desperately swerve the steering wheel to avoid it, but it seemed too late. His car plunged unavoidably into the dimensional gate, followed by a violent vibration, and darkness consumed both of their consciousnesses…

…..

The dim light from a flickering bulb woke Owen up, along with the strong, pungent smell of medicine and disinfectant hitting his nose. He found himself lying on a hospital bed in a wrecked patient room, and Rosy was lying on the bed next to him. It seemed they had both entered the dimensional gate and passed out. Luckily, neither of them was injured.

Owen slowly tried to get up and walked over to Rosy with concern. "Rosy... wake up! Rosy..." he said as he gently shook her.

The young woman frowned before slowly opening her eyes and looking around in confusion. "Is this... a hospital?"

"Probably, but… you know, right? That we're inside a dimensional gate. And it's the worst kind for non-Awakened people like us…." Owen said in a tense voice.

Rosy's eyes widened in disbelief. It seemed her most recent memories were coming back to her. "Huh? A dimensional gate?... Oh no, Owen! Don't tell me… we're in a 'Dimensional Gate of Chaos?' Shit! That's the absolute worst, isn't it?"

The moment he heard Rosy's desperate tone, knowledge and information about dimensional gates began to surface clearly in Owen's mind…

Dimensional gates are divided into 3 types:

1.Dimensional Gate of Light: Created by gods, it appears as a large, exquisitely carved and decorated door, glowing with a sacred aura. The clear conditions for this type of gate are usually some kind of trial, eliminating sealed demons, or fighting legendary champions.

2.Dimensional Gate of Darkness: Created by demons, it appears as a large black hole emitting a creepy reddish-purple aura. Inside the hole are distorted eyes and mouths, staring and mocking everyone who looks in. The clear conditions for this type of gate are usually destroying the dungeon core, defeating a guardian boss, or sometimes winning a demon's game.

3.Dimensional Gate of Chaos: Origin unknown, it appears as a multi-colored, glowing dimensional rift resembling cracked glass. The clear condition is unknown because it is completely random and chaotic. People usually define this type of gate with a short phrase: "Anything can happen inside, no matter how bizarre and nonsensical…"

…..

But what made Owen and Rosy despair was not its unknown clear condition, but the restriction on entering this gate.

To clear a Dimensional Gate of Chaos together with others, such as a party or a group, one must enter the gate at the same time, or within a 60-second window. Otherwise, everyone who enters the gate will not be in the same place, the same timeline, or even the same dimension!

Because within one Dimensional Gate of Chaos that appears in the real world, it consists of tens or hundreds of sub-dimensions of an unknown number, and all of the different clear conditions of those sub-dimensions must be met to completely clear the Gate of Chaos.

This is completely different from the Gates of Light and Darkness, which have clear conditions and mostly consist of only one place, one timeline, and one dimension.

It was no wonder that Rosy and Owen panicked and despaired upon realizing they were in a Dimensional Gate of Chaos. It meant that no Awakened could come to their aid. Their only way out was to successfully complete the condition of the sub-dimension they were in. Otherwise, only death awaited them…

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