[Balance u/p: 10,000,000,000,000,000,1000]
Seeing that his balance was still intact, Illios finally accepted the reality of his situation.
"Nothing has been taken from me," he thought, feeling a mix of relief and lingering worry that the benefits from this "bug" might disappear at any moment.
Illios decided to use as many of these points as he could to strengthen his identity and capabilities before entering his chosen dimension—just in case the points were reclaimed.
After 60 days of collecting points, a notification appeared:
[Attention, hosts. The 60-day grace period has ended. You must now transmigrate or reincarnate in a chosen dimension to increase your powers and prepare for the universal fight.]
[On your first death, you may revive in an alternate timeline within the same dimension as part of Beginner's Protection.]
[On your second death, however, you will be permanently barred from returning to that dimension and must select another one where death will be final.]
"Beginner's Protection really favors the inexperienced or unlucky. I need to fortify myself early so I don't suffer later from mistakes or bad luck."
Having survived Earth's challenges, Illios knew not to underestimate his own luck—good or bad.
[Several worlds are now open for selection. Please review the options and make your choice within six hours.]
[You can customize your origin, appearance, bloodlines, and more in the store using universal points.]
[#Note: You may encounter other hosts, whom you can choose to cooperate with, ignore, or, in case of conflict, eliminate. By killing a rival, you will obtain any resources from their inventory.]
[Good luck, future conquerors.]
Reactions poured in on the chat as the announcement ended.
AF:21335342132: "It's finally starting. Good luck, everyone."
AF:34324324324: "Anyone want to team up?"
AF:457429357202: "Oh no, I'm not ready."
AF:120593857392: "Hey, to the person above me—if you're cute, I might consider adding you to my harem."
AF:457429357202: "Pig."
In the end, some hosts accepted their fate, others sought allies, and some were still unsure of their future. As for that last comment—well, let's pretend it didn't happen.
"There are several worlds to pick from, each with a unique survival difficulty. I should go for a powerful one…" Illios thought, realizing he could choose a high-difficulty world. In these worlds, he could acquire abundant resources, and with his remaining points, he could afford to buy the most pay-to-win character he could create.
"Let's see the world list."
[Magic World]
[Lord World]
[Immortal World]
[Divine World]
[Urban World]
[Galactic Conquest Dimension — Blocked]
[Novelized World]
[Hunter World]
[Demonic World]
[… and others …]
Each world varied in its uniqueness and risks. Even selecting an "easy" world didn't guarantee avoiding encounters with other hosts.
"I think my best choice is the Immortal World." As a fan of Eastern novels, he knew these worlds offered absurdly powerful elements. With a character of decent talent and status, he could become one of the strongest hosts—even if his points were confiscated later.
[Immortal World]
[Difficulty: Catastrophic]
[Background Choices]:
Vagabond (random possession): 100 u/p
Orphan (birth): 0 u/p
Well-to-do family (birth): 5000 u/p
Noble family (birth): 10,000 u/p
Royal family (birth): 100,000 u/p
[BLOCKED] [BLOCKED] [BLOCKED]
"Well, it's obvious what I'm picking. I doubt most people can afford the royal family on their first try." Choosing this option brought up a new message:
[You have selected "Immortal World: Catastrophe." You will enter the world by birth, and during conception and fetal development, you may customize your body's talents using u/p points.]
[Good luck.]
Everything faded slowly, his senses slipping away...
--
After an unknown amount of time:
[Welcome to the Immortal World. Currently, you are in the womb of a native. Next, you will be able to acquire talents for your body using u/p.]
[Estimated time to birth: 9 months, 10 days.]
"So I'm in my mom's womb," thought Illios' consciousness. Although terrifying, not being able to move or, rather, feel his body was somewhat comforting thanks to the system tab.
"Let's not waste time in case they take my stitches out." In the end, Illios went straight to the store and selected the first option.
[Bodies]
[Lower flame affinity body (upgradable): 25,000 u/p]
[Lower earth affinity body (upgradable): 25,000 u/p]
[Lower wind affinity body (upgradable): 25,000 u/p]
[Lower electricity affinity body (upgradable): 25,000 u/p]
[.....][.....]
"These elemental bodies are quite interesting and useful for those starting out." The effects of these bodies are simple—they grant elemental potency depending on the body's level.
"Based on the descriptions, they're not insignificant at all." After reading the effects, Illios believed no one could belittle even the lower-tier bodies, like the first one:
Fire Affinity Body: This body would allow its possessor to control fire and flames. They could throw fireballs, create walls of flames, or even transform into a fiery form to enhance their strength and speed.
"Of course, it depends on how much dexterity and control you have. Plus, being an inferior version, it wouldn't have much of an effect, let's say."
Looking through the long list, Illios finally found one powerful enough for him.
[Star Demon Body: 200,000,000,000,000 u/p]
"This thing is so OP that it scares me." You might think it's too expensive, but just by looking at the ridiculously long description, I think you might change your mind.
[Star Demon Body] is an incredibly powerful body form that grants its wearer control over all known elements, including fire, water, earth, wind, electricity, ice, light, darkness, and many more.
This power comes from the stellar nature of the body, which is composed of pure cosmic energy, enabling manipulation of the fundamental forces of the universe.
The effects of the Star Demon Body are vast and varied, but some of the most notable ones include:
Absolute Control of the Elements: With this body, the user can manipulate the elements freely and without restriction. They can create flames that never extinguish, generate massive floods, cause earthquakes, unleash powerful gusts of wind and electricity, and much more.
Accelerated Regeneration: The Star Demon body grants rapid healing. The user can heal quickly from serious injuries, even regenerating lost limbs or destroyed body parts.
Invulnerability: The Star Demon body is incredibly resilient, capable of withstanding significant damage without ill effects. Even the most powerful weapons or lethal spells may struggle to harm the wearer.
Gravity Control: In addition to controlling the elements, the wearer can control gravity. They can make gravity so intense that nothing can escape, or so weak that objects float in the air.
Dimensional Portals: The Star Demon Body allows the user to open dimensional portals, enabling transport across the universe. These portals can also be used to send objects or people to other dimensions.
Note: There may be some temporary defects because this body is too powerful.
"The basic abilities are already ridiculously OP. With this body, you're practically a god. Of course, this also has levels of power." You can't just have power for free, and this applies to this body as well. These are the phases required to fully unlock its potential:
Initiate: At this level, the user can control only one element to a limited extent, and their control over gravity and portal creation is minimal. They can heal minor wounds, and their stamina is slightly higher than that of an average human.
Foundation: At this level, the user can control up to three elements, and their control of gravity and portal creation improves slightly. Healing becomes more effective, although they still cannot regenerate lost limbs or destroyed body parts. Their stamina and strength increase, though they are still vulnerable to higher-level attacks.
Core: At this level, the user can control up to five elements, and their control over gravity and portal creation improves further. Healing becomes even more effective, and they can regenerate small parts of the body. Their stamina and strength are significantly enhanced, making them more capable of facing powerful enemies.
Soul: At this level, the user can control all elements and has complete control over gravity and portal creation. Healing is virtually instantaneous, and they can regenerate lost limbs and body parts. Their endurance and strength are far superior to that of an average human, allowing them to withstand higher-level attacks.
"They can be unlocked once he learns the cultivation levels of this immortal world." This was also why he chose this dangerous world. It takes a lot of energy to develop its aspects.
"Let's add this body to the cart and move on to the next selection." Illios chose a very powerful body and proceeded to the next section: Bloodlines.