"What the hell?" Michael muttered in utter confusion, finding himself surrounded by blinding white nothingness, as if he were trapped in a featureless white box.
"What's happening?" He attempted to slap his own face, but to his bewilderment, he felt no pain.
"Huh?" He tried once more, attempting to strike himself, but his hand passed through his own image as if he were a mere specter.
"It can't be. Just relax," he muttered to himself, struggling to maintain composure. His extensive training had taught him the importance of remaining calm in dire situations, yet this surreal predicament was testing even his resolve.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, hoping to reset the bizarre scenario. However, upon reopening them, he found no change in his surroundings.
"Am I dead? What was that voice I heard?" Michael's mind raced with questions, attempting to make sense of the inexplicable situation he now found himself in.
He considered the possibility of being drugged but quickly dismissed it; his watch would have detected any foreign substances in his bloodstream. But as he reached for his wrist to confirm, he realized his Rolex was missing, and it dawned on him that he was entirely naked.
"This is serious," he murmured, furrowing his brow at his bare form. Even more disconcerting was the fact that he couldn't feel his body or physically touch himself.
Closing his eyes again, he focused on recalling the events that led to this bewildering moment, particularly the enigmatic voice that had spoken to him immediately after he pulled the trigger.
"The System is looking for a body for the host. Please wait."
As he uttered those words, a window materialized before him, displaying scattered fragments of information across its surface.
Host: Michael.
Cultivation Level: Arch Sensing stage, level 1.
Experience Points: 0/1000
Badass Points: 0
Current Skills: None.
Occupation: None.
Status: In spectral form.
Goals: None.
Notable Skills: Above average in marksmanship and combat.
"How? What?!" Michael exclaimed in disbelief. His true identity had been a well-guarded secret, known to no one alive on Earth. Yet, the screen before him displayed his name, leaving him utterly perplexed.
"Am I transmigrated? But why am I still in this form?" He questioned himself, recalling the concept of transmigration from the novels he had read on Earth.
"The system, points, the cultivation, it must be that," he muttered to himself as he attempted to analyze the situation with as much composure as he could muster. He couldn't find any other explanation for his current circumstances.
"Ding, the system has found a body for the host." The announcement rang in his mind, causing the white surroundings to gradually fade, revealing a scene that resembled a battlefield.
"Forgive me, Elder Wright, forgive me, elders," The figure muttered, his voice filled with remorse as he attempted to step away from a hooded figure crawling beneath him.
"Shit," Michael cursed under his breath, scanning the immediate area for any available weapon. His instincts kicked in as he noticed a medieval knight in armor approaching, but to his surprise, the knight paid him no mind, his attention focused on the hooded figure beneath Michael's feet.
"Relenis Perfecasi Silicus Phantiteus Vengei Virtuula." The hooded figure uttered these words in a foreign language, and as they left their lips, time seemed to freeze around Michael. The flames, the wind, the approaching knight—everything came to a standstill, as if he were trapped in a suspended moment straight out of a movie.
Hey, can you hear me?" Michael called out to the only moving figure, the hooded one.
To his astonishment, a small ball of light emerged from the hooded figure and gradually took on the form of a human right before his eyes. When Michael saw the young man standing before him, he was taken aback, for the youth bore an uncanny resemblance to himself from nine years ago.
"Who are you?" Michael inquired of the youth, who responded with a mere shake of the head.
"There's no time for explanations. I don't know if you're the devil or not. But please, accept my remaining soul energy and avenge my people. Promise me," the youth implored, his eyes filled with profound sorrow.
[The system suggests that the host agree. To find a suitable body like this again, it might take twenty years," the system warned as Abras stared at him, awaiting his response.
Michael sighed, pondering the extraordinary circumstances that had brought him face to face with his younger self, coupled with the apparent presence of a system akin to those in the novels he had read.
"It must be fate," he mused aloud, acknowledging the improbability of such an encounter.
"I promise," Michael affirmed, extending his hand toward Abras. He couldn't bear the thought of waiting another twenty years in this intangible form, and more importantly, he couldn't refuse Abras's earnest plea.
There was no smile or relief on Abras's face, only grief, as he cast one last glance at his surroundings before transforming into a ball of light and merging with Michael.
[The transmigration process has commenced. Please wait]," the robotic voice of the system echoed in Michael's mind, and he felt himself being drawn into Abras's body.
***************************
(After two days)
Amidst the heart of the forest, a serene river meandered, its placid waters carrying fallen debris downstream at a leisurely pace. The branches of towering trees stretched out toward the water, as if beckoning the teeming fish within. While the river exhibited an olive hue from the swirling mix of mud and microorganisms, its shallow sections teemed with thriving aquatic life. Along the river's edge, swamp-like vegetation and decaying trees encroached, forming slimy pools cluttered with withered leaves and twigs. Among this detritus, a lifeless body floated, drifting downstream.
Suddenly, a ray of sunlight pierced the closed eyes of Michael, who found himself afloat on the river, jolted awake by its piercing beams.
As he opened his eyes, he realized his predicament and promptly began swimming toward the shore, fearing an impending waterfall downstream. Despite swimming only a short distance, he was overwhelmed by exhaustion, collapsing on the damp sand for a moment's respite.
Yet, as he relaxed his body, searing pain surged through his mind, akin to a hammer striking his head. Clutching his head in agony, a flood of memories, both alien and strangely familiar, inundated his consciousness.
"AHHHHH!" Michael couldn't contain the torrent of emotions and bellowed at the heavens with all his might. Overwhelming guilt, anger, helplessness, and betrayal surged within him. These memories and emotions felt so vivid that they were as though he had lived through them himself.
In a mere instant, he had experienced the entire lifetime of Abras.
"That bitch,"
After separating his own memories from those belonging to Abras, Michael's face contorted with anger.
[Transmigration completed. Host can now access the system.]
A familiar sound reverberated in Michael's mind, diverting his attention.
[Host has received a gift bag from the system. Would you like to open it now?]
Time seemed to stand still as the screen materialized before him.
"Alright, let's see what I'm dealing with. Open the gift bag."
In an instant, the page transformed into a golden box, which opened to release several beams of light before they dimmed.
[Congratulations to Host 'Michael' for obtaining the Initial Level Experience Pill. Using the pill will grant you 10,000 XP.]
[Congratulations to Host 'Michael' for obtaining two healing potions. Using one of these potions will completely heal you, nullify any negative effects, and render you invulnerable to attacks for two minutes.]
[Congratulations to Host 'Michael' for obtaining the Beginner's...]
Multiple dings echoed in his mind as the interfaces turned red.
[Ding! The system has detected that the host is currently too weak and strongly recommends immediate consumption of the XP pill.]
"System, how do I use the pill?"
The interface shifted as he posed the question.
"Do you wish to—"
"Yes, I do."
Michael hastened the system's response before it could complete the inquiry, his mind inundated with a series of messages from the system.
[Host 'Michael' used the Initial Experience Pill and received 10,000 experience points.]
[Congratulations to host 'Michael' for leveling up. Your current stage is Arch Sensing Level 1.]
[Congratulations to host 'Michael' for leveling up. Your current stage is Arch Sensing Level 2.]
[Congratulations to host 'Michael' for leveling up. Your current stage is Arch Sensing Level 3.]
[Congratulations to host 'Michael' for leveling up. Your current stage is Arch Sensing Level 4.]
…
[Congratulations to Host 'Michael' for leveling up. Your current stage is Arch Sensing Level 10.]
Suddenly, Michael felt a surge of power coursing through his entire body, causing his hair to stand on end.
This odd sensation was followed by an overwhelming feeling of comfort. Every pore on his skin seemed to open wide, greedily absorbing Arch Energy from the surrounding environment.
[Congratulations to the Host for reaching Foundation stage level 1.]
In mere seconds, he felt his body undergo a profound transformation. His muscles grew stronger, and he sensed a peculiar energy enveloping him, as if he could take on the most formidable fighters on Earth and emerge victorious.
The feeling soon became familiar, thanks to Abras's memories. Michael then delved into the foreign memories to gain a clear understanding of his current situation.
After sifting through Abras's recollections, he discovered that Abras belonged to a secretive organization known as the Sanctuary, tasked with safeguarding the legendary cosmic stream. According to the memories, water from this stream possessed purified Arch Energy and another mysterious energy, greatly enhancing one's cultivation, curing illnesses, preserving youth, and performing miraculous feats as long as one consumed it.
Regrettably, Abras had no connections with the outside world or valuable information that could ease Michael's life in this realm.
However, this realization didn't dishearten him; rather, it brought a wide grin to his face.
"Well, I have a system like in the novels, and unlike those fictional characters, I can dominate this world for real, Let's begin."