[Beginning Teleportation...]
I looked around but couldn't find anything around me.
*Bzz* *Bzz*
'Look is not the appropriate word, this feeling- it's weird--'
I tried to wave my arms through the darkness but nothing happened, I couldn't feel my arms anymore. It took me a moment to realize that either I didn't have a body anymore or I have lost control over it.
'what the fuck is going on--'
"Ugh" a gasp escaped my lips as I finally felt my mind connecting to my body, a warm feeling overtook me as my brain almost had a seizure trying to understand everything around me.
'what is this?'
I turned around but the weird feeling continued to envelop me. The darkness around me cracked open almost as if I was breaking out of a shell, Layers of darkness peeled off my surrounded and a bright white light overtook my vision. Reflexively I closed my eyes and by the time I opened them again, I looked around, ignoring the deja vu, to find myself in a white 4x4 room with just a table with two chairs on opposite ends.
On the other side of the chair was a floating square? at least it looked like one, yellow in colour with golden borders and jagged lines almost resembling a face. I stepped up to the table and notifications bombarded me.
[Welcome to the Multi-Universe]
[As the first members of your race to advance towards the multi-universe, you have been awarded the following rewards]
[- Title: Hope of Mankind - +5% All Stats]
[- Skill: Tongue of the wicked one (Rare)- Can speak and read every language known to the system.]
[- Skill: Eye of Truth (Uncommon)- can identify all things, or species either in or below its grade.]
[Trial 1: The Initiation]
[Having been reborn after leaving your home planet, you have 0h 9m 46s to gain knowledge from the Pisca.]
The uncomfortable feeling around me persisted but I forced myself to read the notification when I heard, "Have you done reading the notifications human?"
I looked at the floating square and the lines on its face moved? "Are you there human?"
'That buzzing earlier was this thing trying to talk--'
"So you are a Pisca?" I was more and more confused by the square box-shaped entity, it didn't have a body, and there were no visible holes on it to take in air, it floated half a meter above the ground, and why the heck was that chair even there if he is just gonna float?
"You have limited time human, I think it is not wise for you to any rhetorical questions"
'right...wait- how did Ellie know that instead of some combat tutorial we would have a Q&A session?'
"Tell me all the options available to me by the- system?"
'This seems more and more like a virtual RPG game'
"You only have access to your status screen and your inventor for the moment, for the moment" The shape of his mouth was made up of zig-zag lines that alternated into upside-down triangles when it spoke.
'Status'
A blue screen flashed in the corner of my vision and upon focusing on it expanded into an interface in front of me.
[Name: Ryan Richards]
[Level: 1 (0.000%)]
[Race: Human]
[Alignment: Human (Earth)]
[Attunement: None]
[Titles: Hope of Mankind]
[Strength: 16]
[Perception: 23]
[Endurance: 27]
[Vitality: 12]
[Intelligence: 21]
[Wisdom: 24]
[Luck:10]
[Free Stats: 0]
[Credits: 100]
'... Inventory'
Another interface appeared in front of me which nothing, but new information appeared in my mind, which was apparently connected to the system now.
'so the space within the inventory is my level in meter cube... won't that be a lot at a higher level?'
"What is this feeling all around me? is something wrong with the air?" This was one of the things that have been irritating me from the start, my skin seemed hyperaware of all the air around me, it is causing a lot of distractions...
"No, when you were teleported from Earth, your body was tampered and reborn along with your senses, you have already taken the steps to immortality and the effect around you is because of your perception stat, for every point in perception stat you can sense 1mm around you perfectly. So it may seem that your skin is hyper-aware but as your perception increases it will form a sphere around you, inside which, any entity no matter how powerful, you can track."
'huh... this surely could have been more useful when playing midfield, or heck any position, just wonder, perfect tracing of the ball, dribbling, shooting-- right'
"Titles? what about them?"
"Titles are one of the primary sources of stat increase and differentiation between 2 powerful individuals, a 5% increase can mean a lot after 100 levels or so. They are also only given upon doing some major feat, just killing a Tier-1 monster will not give you a title, but killing a tier-2 monster at tier 1 will."
'hunt for titles... got it!'
"How do you level up?" I was playing twenty questions with the system administrator while also looking at the time trickling down, I still have 4 minutes left and I realize I need to ask priority questions and not some bunch of stupidity like what does each stat mean.
"After the question-answer session, you will be transported to an area with 100,000 other humans into a testing ground, primarily there will be Tier-1 monsters there along with some tier-2 monsters ruling the area, you can gain experience by killing them, or killing other humans." There was no change in expression and the triangles of its mouth kept alternating as he spoke, but the final part of its statement changed my outlook a little.
'...kill humans and get stronger? surely not many people would do that right?'
While I was thinking about the possibility of killing, I realize there was a reason why millions of people are in jail.
'greed, I don't think I like how the world will turn out to be, killing others will make you stronger, so that means criminals will become the strongest humans--'
As the grim reality set in a glance at the timer revealed that I had only 2 minutes left.
"This initiation seemed like a streamlined process, Earth just now qualified to enter the system then that means that it has happened before with different species, what is the average mortality rate of the initial initiation?"
It seemed like his face distorted a little before it said, "95%"
'what? isn't that--'
"What happens after the initiation? what about the rest of the humans left behind?" Faces of Mom, Dad, Remi, Alex, and Mel flashed through my mind.
"During the initiation, several powerhouses will try to contact and accept disciples through trials, the powerhouses that get at least one inner disciple can content for the ownership for Earth among the other inner disciples, their respected powerhouse supports every disciple, and a performance rating is given to Earth depending on the average and highest level achieved by humans. Whoever wins gets to own Earth for 100 years before a Tournament of Power is conducted to decide the ownership for the next century."
'this-- this is too much, what if I don't want to serve those powerhouses.'
"Is there any way that humans get to own Earth?" If there is a way I need to at least try.
"Of course, for that, you will have to defeat an inner sect disciple of a powerhouse and then defeat everyone else, while they will have the resources, of say, a B-grade powerhouse, you will have to do it on your own."
'Alright fuck that Idea, I just need a powerhouse that won't destroy or enslave the rest of the population.'
"Who is the most merciful powerhouse taking part in the trials, someone who won't enslave humanity?" I look at the last seconds trickle down as a buzzing sound filled the air as I got my answer, "Temple of Aphrodite"
'...--'
"But isn't Aphrodite a Greek Goddes-" My question was cut short as the familiar yellow Pisca turned silver, while I was astonished by the sudden change, I looked at the notification that came after my time ran out?
[Trial 2: Character Development]
[Every action, every skill you gain, every kill you get influences the class you can gain upon reaching level 10. In order to escape the shackles binding you, you can alter your character for some physical changes and choose a new identity, and then choose your elemental attunement and your weapon.]
"Would you like to change your name?" While before there was some emotion in the Pisca's voice, now it had a robotic vibe to it. After voicing the question several seconds passed and it had no indication to say anything anymore.
'Wait, if there are titles then there should be titles for first kills as well right? should I rush through this portion, I don't want to change anything anyway--'
"NO" Registering my response as white light flashed along the lines that indicated its eyes, the Pisca then said, "Would you like to alter your appearance?"
"Noo-- wait-"
'Can I change my size?'
The interface in front of me had a lot of options but most of them were for facial attunements and some for body figures, I kept scrolling but didn't find what I was looking for.
'Well, I guess'
"NO" its eyes flashed again, "What would your mana attunement be?"
[Fire (Common)
Water(Common)
Earth(Common)
Wind(Common)
Lightning(Common)]
'Are there only common options?'
"Wind" As soon as I said that I felt the air around me change, the uncomfortable feeling vanished as I could feel some energy running inside my body almost parallel to blood vessels.
'Incredible--'
The weird energy around me was probably mana as I realize that when I take a breath, along with Oxygen, mana was also absorbed by my body, the Exp bar beside my level started changing as well, it was slow but every couple of seconds, 0.001% progress was made towards the next level.
"Didn't you said that only by killing can I level up, how come I am gaining progress by brea-"
My question was cut short as Pisca mechanically said, "Choose your primary weapon?"
The Table started elongating as various weapons started appearing out of thin air, swords, bows, daggers, and axes, I felt a lack of guns and other old world weaponry in the pile.
My hand automatically shot towards my belt where the Glock was still harnessed, the magazines were still present in my pocket, I moved forward and punched the table, and immediate pain shot through my knuckles.
'-ouch, a bullet through the head would still work I guess, no need to through it away'
Looking at the pile of weapons my eyes were immediately attracted to the various bows presented.
'no, I won't be able to shoot shit, at least with a sword I know the pointy end faces away from me...'
I walked forwards and picked up a one-handed sword intending to give it a few tries when the rest of the weapons vanished, to my growing horror the Pisca said, "Congratulations on completing the Tutorial, best of luck"
I may have glared hatefully at him because of his monotone wish or maybe because a familiar notification popped in front of me.
Beginning Teleportation...
'At least I got through it quick?' I thought before familiar darkness enveloped me and my thoughts.