<h4>Chapter 8: The Crack?is expanding!</h4>


    The globalwork of the International Crack Administration (ICA)prises a total of four strategically dispersed headquarters worldwide.


    To borate, the ICA''s south-western headquarter can be found in Kharb, situated on the continent of Akea. Simrly, the ICA''s south-eastern headquarter is located in Cleardia, on the continent of Aesita. Moving towards the north-western region, the ICA has established its headquarter in Myser, on the continent of Yachen. Lastly, the ICA''s north-eastern headquarter is positioned in Gobsil, situated on the continent of Ehai.


    This geographically diverse distribution of ICA headquarters ensures effective coordination and coboration across different regions.


    Presently, we are at the Gobsil headquarters of the ICA, located approximately 700 km from Dhruv''s current whereabouts.


    A busy scene is taking ce inside the building as many people work thoroughly on their different responsibilities.


    Amidst the bustling activity, a man in his early thirties stands out as he paces with purpose toward what appears to be the central office of the headquarters.


    With a powerful force, the man forcefully thrusts the door open, resulting in a resounding crash as it ms against the adjacent wall.


    Bang!


    The noise was echoing through the opposite corridor.


    "Lyman, you and your habit of crashing the door open... can''t you be some gentle person? Tell me, why are you in such a hurry?" Asked the man who was sitting in that office.


    "Really, Magnus, really. Given the situation, I don''t think I am in a hurry, in contrast to you, a slow-ass old man who spends his entire day in his office ordering everyone. God, why did I choose you to be my partner?" Layman yelled.


    "Ya! Ya! Ya! Why don''t you calm down first, young man, and then tell me what happened?" Said Magnus.


    Layman picked up the ss kept nearby and drank all the water in one fell swoop. Then he put the ss back on the table with the same energy with which he had opened the gate.


    Thud!


    "Poor ss," said Magnus while looking at the ss with an apologetic face.


    "Magnus, can you please be serious? This is a matter of life and death."


    Magnus nodded.


    "As far as I know, all of us have the same quest, and"


    "And"


    "No one haspleted that."


    "That''s to be expected, as so far only an hour has passed," said Magnus.


    "I''m not saying we should havepleted it in an hour. But my point is that at least we should know how we can even aplish that."


    "So, have we made any progress in that?" asked Magnus, with a worried look on his face.


    "Yes, we have a piece of good news. One of our officers'' sons called him and told him that he had read a novel and that this incident was somewhat simr to that story. So, he had an idea of how we would get a ss. "


    "What are we waiting for? Call that boy here for interrogation."


    "Uhmm!" Layman interrupted.


    "I mean for peaceful talking, and arrange a team of scientists to read this novel of his and try to get as much valuable information as we can get." Said Magnus, with a serious look on his face. His previous yful expression is nowhere to be found.


    Despite appearances, Magnus wasn''tzy; on the contrary, he is a hardworking man. Hezed around due to current circumstances, with no way out. However, when a clue surfaced, he transformed.


    Magnus became determined, relentlessly seeking a solution.


    ~~~


    The child arrived at the headquarters after an hour with rows of guards apanying him, as if he were the president of some nation.


    This security is provided by ICA because this boy is currently the lone lead on this quest.


    A few minutester, the boy was escorted into a basement room. The room was just named; it looked more like an interrogation chamber. It was a dimly lit room, devoid of anyforting elements. Its purpose was clear from the moment one stepped inside - to extract information, often through intense questioning or psychological tactics. The walls were painted a somber shade of gray, conveying a sense of confinement and istion.


    The boy shivered; all the hairs on his body stood on end as he entered the room. Anyone could feel the dread on his face.


    Finally, the door swung open, revealing an old man with a shock of white hair all the way down to his shoulders. His face was adorned with a thick, unruly beard that reached his chest.


    He is none other than the man himself- Magnus.


    "Hello, I''m Magnus, in charge of our discussion," he said while extending a hand for a handshake.


    The boy shook his hand and said, "Hello, sir, I''m Rishab. Nice to meet you."


    "You have a lovely name, Rishab, my boy."


    "Thank you, sir," said Rishab with a smile on his face.


    "So, Rishab, I have heard that you know something about how toplete this quest; mind exining?"


    "My pleasure, sir. I recently read a novel about a protagonist who transmigrates into another world, acquiring systems that grant him various advantages, simr to our own cosmic connection, or system, as you prefer to call it. In order for him to obtain a ss, all he needs to do is touch ore into contact with the corresponding item. For instance, if he desires to be a shepherd, he simply touches the item and gains the shepherd ss, the same is true for swordsmen, magicians, or anything else for that matter. While I don''t think it will be as easy for us, it might be worth attempting, at least," said Rishab without taking a single pause in between sentences, like he was some kind of salesperson trying to sell his product.


    After some thought, Magnus expressed his opinion by saying, "I personally believe that obtaining such sses wouldn''t be as simple for us. If it were, our soldiers would have acquired the "gunman" ss by now."


    "Exactly," said Rishab.


    "Do you have any idea how we can get ss?" asks Magnus.


    "I have two ideas. Firstly, engaging in repetitive tasks may lead to the attainment of a particr ss, such as the possibility of attaining a fireman or soldier ss by consistently firing a gun, or it may have something to do with stats."


    "An interesting idea." After thinking for a while, Magnus bid farewell to Rishab.


    Hees to his office and starts thinking about Rishab''s second idea, which has something to do with stats.


    While getting a ss is not directly rted to stats, it certainly has an impact on the options given by the cosmos. Like how Dhruv gets a mage ss without any prior corrtion with magic.


    He gets the mage ss because his magic power stat was over


    Lv. 20, which was the major factor for him. Anyone who wants to obtain any umon ss at the beginning has to have at least Lv. 20 in any of the stats


    Magnus noticed a knocking noiseing from his door as he was preupied with thought.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Who is there?" he asks


    "Sir, I''m Ben from the research department, may Ie in?" Ben asks.


    Yes, Ben,e in. Now which trouble have youe to narrate."


    The office doors open and a man with pale skin and dark circles under his eyeses in. Looking at him, it seemed that the poor fellow had not slept properly for a week.


    "Sir, I have good news and bad news; which one would you like to hear first?" Ben suggested, lifting his two fingers, indicating Magnus to make a selection.


    "For the past year, I have been constantly listening to bad news. Ben, could you please share something that I would enjoy hearing?"


    "Good news it is, then."


    "Yes"


    "The good news is that One of our soldiers received notification that he can select a ss," said Ben.


    On hearing this, Magnus'' face lit up with immense joy but he controlled it and asked, " Then, what is the bad news?"


    "The bad news is that all the cracks are expanding in size like they are making a pathway for something to enter our world," said Ben with a frown.