"Welcome, participant 1,234,023, to Necropolis!", the voice announces in a way that is cheerful, but with an underlying sense of eerieness to it. Necropolis? That's a kind of tomb, right? But there are so many people. Wait, never mind that, where the hell did that voice even come from? What does it mean by 'participant'?
'This is... playing out like a certain very tired cliché... I suppose I don't really have much choice but to roll with it at this point though...'
In order to get my bearings, I start walking slowly forwards. Then it hits me- I can walk? Aren't I supposed to be dead? I almost stumble as my mind and body re-acquaint themselves with the concept of having limbs and extremities. I pinch myself to be sure that this is all real, rather than some kind of post-mortem hallucination. I never thought I'd be so glad to have sensation in my face again.
Slowly, I begin to breathe out, almost as if to check that I am still capable of doing so, and begin to look around. That's when I notice, in the corner of my eye, a small box flashing the word 'Character(new!)'.
"..."
'So it really is that cliché...!' I'm almost angry at obvious lack of thought that had been put into this concept. If I'm dead, then the only person who could have brought me here is some kind of higher entity, but does being a higher entity excuse blatant plagiarism and laziness?
Nevermind, there are more pressing matters- for example, this weird 'character' box. If this thing is here, then that probably means that I have a 'system', like people do in novels. This is starting to get interesting.
Remembering my time being dead and nonexistent, I focus my mind on the button. Generally, this is how these things work in those books, right? Thinking as such, I open up the menu and stare in wonder at what is presented.
Name: Jacob Blake.
Age: 23
Race: Probably human
Job: Lost Soul
Prior Jobs: Student, Librarian.
Titles: [Habitual Victim]
STATS:
Health: 12
Magic: 6
Strength: 8
Skill: 10
Intelligence: 14
Willpower: 13
Charisma: 7
Skills:
Passive:
-[Learning] Level 7
-[Focus] Level 3
-[Athletics] Level 1
Active:
-[Communication] Level 2
-[Organisation] Level 6
-[Cooking] Level 3
-[Cleaning] Level 5
Resistance:
-[Mental State Resistance] Level 3
Bonus:
-[Keeper of the Akashic Records] Level N/A
-[Tenacious] Level 3
-[Cool Headed] Level 2.
'This seems... average, I guess?'. I'd wager 10 is around average, so I'd wager I'm a little behind on strength, charisma and magic. Magic is to be expected since I've... wait, Magic? That's a thing now? Nice, I guess. Anyway, that's the case except for the bonus things- at least [Akashic Records] seems like something important... they were books that knew everything if I recall...
[Correct. The 'Akashic records' are generally used to refer to a compendium of all human events. Since you were a pathetic librarian before you were excised from society as a tumour should be, you were awarded this skill that permits the useless you to ask your inane questions and receive answers that you do not deserve. The accuracy and depth of which are dependent on your magical stat, which for you is a pitiful 6.]
The voice in my head speaks out of nowhere, leaving me bewildered and mildly depressed at how easy it seems to be for disembodied voices to enter my mind.