*Groan*
"Agh, why is my headache so bad I didn't even drink that much", Nate thought.
A foul stench met his nose, but he was long since used to it. He had found a suitable dumpster last night in an alley to sleep in.
He slowly climbed out of the dumpster and met the hard concrete ground with a plop. Luckily is was summer so Nate did not have to wear any shoes.
He only had on a pair of ragged exercise shorts and an originally white t shirt that was no stained with who know how many colors my.
"Oh today's my 19th birthday yay me!", Nate said sarcastically while giving cheers to the air,
"Here's to another year of poverty and suffering!"
Nate was a drunkard, and a horrible one at that. He truly prioritized alcohol over all else, and the only reason why he had not killed himself yet was because he was a coward.
Nate slowly began to walk out of the dark alley and towards the street to be for money. He had been repeating this process for 4 years, ever since he had been kicked out of the local orphanage.
Nate had no memory of his parents, and had no family close or distant. He had been dropped off at the front of the orphanage, ever so cliche like, and taken in.
He had lived at the orphanage for 15 years before he was kicked out for being a trouble maker and getting into fights.
Truth be told, he had never started the fights, but as he was a good fighter he always got into trouble for beating up the other kids.
'Hmmmm, which idiots can I get money from today?', he thought.
As he finally stepped out of the alley he was met with a bustling metropolis that surrounding him. Skyscrapers could be found on every side of him.
He walked a couple of blocks away from the alley and wandered into a cafe.
*ring ring*
"Welcom—", the cashier started say before immediately looking at Nate with disgust.
At this point Nate had not showered in several months, his last time being at a random gym.
Nate casually strolled into the building before walking up to the register.
"Can I just have a water cup?", he asked.
"S-sure", the cashier replied.
The cashier hurriedly grabbed the water wanting to get Nate out as fast as possible. The cashier quickly handed Nate the drink before heading back to the register.
As he walked out, many customers shot him strange glances before adverting their eyes as well as plugging their noses.
Nate repeated this process every day. He would go into a random cafe or fast food joint, ask for water and then head outside. He would drink the water before using the cup to beg for change.
Nate wandered around for a bit before settling down next to a busy intersection and placing his back against a marble wall. He gazed up at the cloudy sky.
'It will rain soon.', he thought.
Pitter Patter
A few hours later and the clouds covered the entire sky and a downpour began.
Nate had made only a few dollars while begging and walked to the nearby liquor store.
Soon he would be in his normal drunken stupor.
He found himself back in the same alley as before and to get out of the rain tried to climb into the dumpster.
He was drunker than usual tonight as he did not eat anything today and his stomach only contained alcohol.
*Ding*
[Congratulations!]
"Huh?"
[A higher being off the tower has taken pity on you!]
"…"
[Would you like to enter the tower?]
A floating screen had popped up in front of Nate with a yes or no option.
"Leaveee me aloneee", he said in his stupor.
He tried batting away the screen but to no avail.
[Please choose yes or no]
[Please choose yes or no]
[Please choose yes or no]
The mechanical voice kept on repeating in his mind.
"Nooooo, just leave me aloneee."
Nate pressed down on the no button.
[Error…Error]
[Please try again]
He clicked the no button again.
[Error…Error…Due to higher being influence you are being forcefully summoned to the tower]
"Nooooo, fuck youuu!", he said cursing at the voice.
[May your endeavors be fruitful.]
The voice finished.
A white light surrounded Nate and his vision blurred.
.
.
.
Nates mind suddenly became very clear.
[Welcome to the tower!]
[You have been forcefully summoned by a higher being.]
[Calculating care package for forcefully summoned]
[…]
[…]
"What the fuck is going on?", he tried saying out loud but he could not hear himself.
[…]
"Hellllooooo???!", he began to shout in his mind.
[No rewards shall be given.]
"What?"
[Yes, no rewards shall be given]
"I was forced here into this darkness just to not be given anything? Where the fuck am I?"
[Your body still needs to adjust to the transfer you will regain your senses shortly.]
"Are you going to answer my first question? Why didn't I get anything? It sounds like I should get some sort of care package for wherever I am? Is it money? Can I have some money?", he rambled on and on.
[Higher being is intervening.]
[Higher beings response noted.]
[Permission to answer question granted.]
["I felt pity for the human, so I summonses him here. As I also saved his life in the process and gave him a second chance, I am not going to give him any rewards. May he find his own path."]
The voice this time sounded like an old man.
"Saved my life? What do you mean I would've died due to Alcohol poisoning?"
[According to the higher beings answer, yes.]
Nate was about to ask another question when the voice interrupted him.
[Body and soul adjustment has been completed restoring senses.]
[Welcome to stage 0.]