Temporal Nexus Core (eBook)

A Time Loop Apocalypse Dungeon LitRPG

Matz Dimminam (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
230 Seiten
Publishdrive (Verlag)
978-0-00-096009-2 (ISBN)

Infos

When the apocalypse becomes your playground, and death is just the beginning of wisdom.

Marcus Chen thought his biggest problem was explaining to his thesis advisor why his quantum archaeology research had stalled. Then the world ended. Then it ended again. And again.

Trapped in a 72-hour time loop at the epicenter of rotating apocalypses, Marcus discovers he's become something impossible: a Temporal Nexus Core-a sentient dungeon heart that remembers every cycle while reality resets around him.

One loop, it's a zombie plague. His hastily-built underground sanctuary fills with undead as he learns the brutal basics of dungeon construction and creature summoning.

The next, alien invaders. His defensive strategies evolve as he deploys temporal anchors to preserve his best minions and hardest-won knowledge.

Then demonic incursion. AI uprising. Nuclear winter. Reality collapse.

Each apocalypse teaches new lessons. Each death brings deeper understanding. But Marcus isn't just surviving anymore-he's thriving.

Every 72 hours, the world dies. Every reset, he gets stronger.

Watch as Marcus transforms from a panicked academic into a master of temporal warfare:

Build impossible dungeons that exist across multiple timeline layers

Forge bonds with creatures that transcend death itself

Master causality manipulation to turn butterfly effects into devastating weapons

Accumulate centuries of knowledge while his enemies reset to zero

Discover the terrifying truth behind the loops-and the cosmic threat that makes apocalypses look like warm-up rounds

But temporal power comes with a price. Every paradox creates entropy debt. Every major change risks corrupting his memories. And somewhere in the depths of the timeline, something ancient is watching his progress with growing interest.

 

What readers are saying:

'Finally, a time loop story where the loops actually matter beyond just gaining power. The dungeon building adds a strategic layer that kept me up until 3 AM planning room layouts.' - Advanced Reader

'I've read dozens of apocalypse LitRPGs, but I've never seen anything like the Entropy Debt system. Every choice has weight, even when you can undo it.' - Beta Reader

'The moment when Marcus realizes the 72-hour cycles are just the surface level gave me chills. Chapter 23 completely changed how I understood the entire story.' - ARC Reviewer

 

The loop is your laboratory. The apocalypse is your teacher. Time itself is your weapon.

But can you master the system before the system masters you?

 

Start the loop that will change everything. Download now and discover why thousands of readers are calling this 'the time loop LitRPG that redefines the genre.'

 

Textauszug

Chapter 1: The Last Equation

Marcus Chen stared at the quantum field generator, its chrome surface reflecting the harsh fluorescent lights of his lab. The machine hummed with barely contained energy, six months of his life condensed into crystalline matrices and copper coils.

"Come on, you temperamental piece of—" He caught himself mid-curse and adjusted the temporal resonance dial. "Professor Martinez doesn't need to hear about another failed experiment."

The lab fell silent except for the steady thrum of equipment. Outside, Berkeley's campus sprawled under the California sun, students rushing between classes without a care in the world. Marcus envied them. His thesis defense was in three weeks, and he still couldn't prove his quantum archaeology theory worked.

"Temporal echo reconstruction, attempt forty-seven," he said into his voice recorder. "If I can just isolate the quantum signature from yesterday's coffee mug..."

He placed the ceramic mug—still stained with yesterday's caffeine addiction—into the field chamber. The idea was simple enough: every object retained quantum echoes of its past states. With the right frequency modulation, he should be able to peer backward through time and see the mug as it was twenty-four hours ago.

"Field generator online. Temporal resonance at... point-seven-three terahertz." The numbers danced across his monitor. "Beginning quantum echo scan."

The machine's hum shifted to a higher pitch. Energy readings spiked across his displays, and for a moment, Marcus felt a flutter of hope. The quantum signature was stabilizing. The temporal echoes were becoming visible.

"Holy shit," he whispered. "It's actually working."

On his screen, ghostly images flickered into existence. The coffee mug, but translucent, overlaid with dozens of temporal shadows. He could see himself from yesterday morning, pouring coffee with shaking hands before his meeting with Professor Martinez.

"YES!" Marcus pumped his fist in the air. "Six months of—"

Alarms shrieked through the building.

Marcus spun toward the window as emergency sirens wailed across campus. His phone buzzed against the lab bench, the emergency alert system flashing across the screen: EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM - SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER - BIOLOGICAL HAZARD DETECTED

"What the hell?" He grabbed his phone, scanning the alert. The timestamp showed it had been sent thirty seconds ago, but the emergency broadcast was still running on his screen.

The quantum field generator began sparking. Warning lights flashed red across his equipment array.

"No, no, no!" Marcus lunged for the controls. "Not now! Not when it's finally working!"

The temporal readings were going haywire. Instead of the stable 0.73 terahertz he'd programmed, the frequency was climbing rapidly. 1.2 terahertz. 1.8. 2.3.

"Shut down sequence initiated," the computer announced in its maddeningly calm voice.

"Override! Override the shutdown!" Marcus's fingers flew across the keyboard. "I need five more minutes!"

Through the lab window, he saw students running. Not the casual jog of people heading to class—full sprint, stumbling panic. Someone screamed in the distance.

His phone rang. Dr. Sarah Chen's contact photo appeared on screen—his sister, calling from her CDC lab in Atlanta.

"Marcus!" Sarah's voice crackled through the speaker. "Are you watching the news?"

"I'm in the middle of—"

"Drop everything and get out of there! There's been an outbreak. Multiple cities. It's spreading faster than anything we've ever seen."

The quantum field generator's pitch rose to an ear-splitting whine. Marcus glanced at his readings and felt his stomach drop. The temporal resonance had reached 4.1 terahertz and climbing.

"Sarah, I can't just—"

"Marcus!" Her voice turned sharp with fear. "The infected are attacking people. The CDC is calling it a zombie plague. This isn't a joke!"

Through his lab window, Marcus saw a figure stumbling across the campus quad. Even from three stories up, he could tell something was wrong with the way it moved. Jerky. Unnatural. Dark stains covered its clothes.

"Jesus Christ," he breathed.

The figure looked up at his window. Where its face should have been, Marcus saw only rotting flesh and milky white eyes.

"Marcus? Marcus, are you there?"

"I—yeah. I'm here." He backed away from the window. "Sarah, what's the containment protocol?"

"There is no protocol! This thing spreads through bites, and it's already in seventeen states. Just get somewhere safe and—"

The line went dead.

Marcus stared at his phone's blank screen. No signal. The emergency broadcast was still scrolling: AVOID CONTACT WITH INFECTED INDIVIDUALS - BIOLOGICAL HAZARD - SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER

A crash echoed from somewhere in the building below.

"Temporal resonance critical," his computer announced. "Field collapse imminent."

Marcus looked at his equipment. Six months of work. His entire thesis. His future career. Everything was right there on the monitors—proof that quantum archaeology was possible, that he could peer through time itself.

Another crash, closer now. Footsteps in the hallway outside his lab.

"Field collapse in sixty seconds."

"Dammit!" Marcus grabbed his laptop and external drive. "Computer, save all data to backup drive!"

"Backup initiated. Estimated time: four minutes, thirty seconds."

The footsteps stopped outside his door. Marcus held his breath. The door handle rattled.

"Computer, can you compress the—"

The door burst open.

The thing that had once been Dr. Peterson from the chemistry department lurched into the lab. Half his face was missing, revealing bone and blackened tissue underneath. His lab coat was torn and stained with blood.

"Peterson?" Marcus backed toward the window. "Jesus, what happened to you?"

Dr. Peterson opened his mouth and made a sound like grinding metal. Black fluid dripped from his lips. He shambled forward, arms outstretched.

"Stay back!" Marcus grabbed a chair and held it between them. "I'm serious, Peterson. I don't know what's wrong with you, but—"

Peterson lunged with inhuman speed. Marcus swung the chair, connecting with the zombie's shoulder. The impact sent Peterson spinning, but he recovered quickly and grabbed Marcus's arm.

Pain shot through Marcus's bicep as teeth sank into his flesh. He screamed and struck Peterson's head with his laptop. The zombie's grip loosened, and Marcus broke free, stumbling backward.

"Field collapse in thirty seconds," the computer announced helpfully.

Marcus looked at his bleeding arm, then at Peterson, who was already advancing again. More footsteps echoed in the hallway—multiple sets this time.

"Backup at sixty percent completion."

"I'm not dying for a thesis," Marcus muttered. He grabbed his car keys and headed for the window. The fire escape was only ten feet down. He could make it to the parking garage.

He shoved the window open and swung one leg over the sill. Peterson's hands grabbed his shoulders, pulling him back into the lab. Marcus kicked backward, his heel connecting with something soft and wet.

"Field collapse in ten seconds."

Marcus broke free and dove through the window. He hit the fire escape hard, metal grating scraping against his palms. Below, the parking garage looked clear. His Honda Civic sat in its usual spot, taunting him with the promise of escape.

He clattered down the fire escape steps. Behind him, the lab window exploded outward as multiple figures tried to follow. They tumbled to the ground in a heap of flailing limbs and inhuman groans.

"Field collapse complete. Temporal echo dispersal detected."

Marcus paused on the fire escape. Through the broken window, he could see his quantum field generator smoking and sparking. Six months of work, reduced to scrap metal.

"Marcus!"

He looked down to see Sarah Chen running across the parking garage toward his building. Not his Sarah—his sister was three thousand miles away in Atlanta. This was Professor Sarah Chen from the archaeology department, no relation despite the shared name.

"Professor Chen!" Marcus climbed down the remaining steps. "What are you doing here?"

"Emergency evacuation!" She held up a radio. "Campus security is coordinating from the parking garage. We need to get everyone out before—"

A zombie crashed through the parking garage entrance behind her. Then another. Then a whole crowd of them, stumbling and lurching with that same unnatural gait.

"Run!" Professor Chen grabbed Marcus's arm and pulled him toward the stairwell.

They reached Marcus's car just as the first zombie spotted them. Marcus fumbled with his keys, hands shaking from adrenaline and blood loss.

"Hurry!" Professor Chen glanced back at the approaching horde.

The car door finally opened. Marcus dove into the driver's seat and reached over to unlock the passenger door. Professor Chen slid in just as the first zombie reached the car.

"Drive! Drive!"

Marcus turned the key. The engine cranked once, twice—

Click. Nothing.

"You've got to be kidding me," Marcus said.

The zombie slammed its fist against the driver's side window. Cracks spread across the glass like a spider web.

"The garage exit!" Professor Chen pointed toward the ramp. "We can run for it!"

More zombies surrounded the car. The passenger window shattered as a pale hand reached through, grasping for Professor Chen's hair.

Marcus looked at his bleeding arm, then...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 14.6.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-10: 0-00-096009-8 / 0000960098
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-096009-2 / 9780000960092