My name is Alex. I'm a normal 16-year-old, attending high school. Not exactly thrilled with my life as it's rather dull, but I manage quite well. I hold the position of student body president, excelling both in studies and sports.
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| STATUS WINDOW |
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| NAME | Alex Sterling |
| RACE | HUMAN |
| AGE | 16 |
| OCCUPATION | STUDENT |
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| SKILLS |
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| 1. LEADERSHIP (C-) |
| - Exhibits adept leadership qualities as a captain. |
| - Skill progression hindered by occasional gaps in |
| comprehensive subject knowledge. |
| |
| 2. COGNITIVE SCHOLAR (C+) |
| - Displays an insatiable appetite for knowledge. |
| - Skill refinement aligned with extensive exploration |
| across diverse dimensions. |
| |
| 3. PHYSICAL ADEPTNESS (D+) |
| - Adheres to a disciplined fitness regimen. |
| - Achieves optimal physical outcomes through consistent |
| and dedicated effort. |
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I can see this incorporeal window too. The world has been like this for a while now. It all began when writers introduced the concept of a "system" into their stories, which eventually became reality. The world turned upside down, and people panicked. Nerds thought it was their moment to shine, and the government speculated about dungeons emerging. But it all turned out to be a prank, simply highlighting our strengths and offering basic information. This system isn't particularly groundbreaking; it only performs standard tasks like calling and texting. No games, no apps – a major letdown for many, especially nerds. While the government breathed a sigh of relief, it was one of those rare instances where they didn't lose outright. On the bright side, the system doesn't rely on Earth's technology. Scientists think it's a product of far-advanced tech.
One thing is certain: the system wasn't created by anyone from this planet. It provides exceptional communication technology, letting people send thoughts directly to others' minds, which reduces noise pollution. But, of course, there's a catch. You can't send a mental "voicemail" to anyone within a 50-meter radius for more than 10 seconds, with a cooldown of one minute between uses. That's the world we live in now. Anyway, back to me.
I attend a completely normal school and have very few friends—actually, none. My relationships are strictly formal. Casual friendships? I've seen them, but I've never managed to form one. As for a girlfriend? Forget it. Still, I'm doing fine. Teachers praise me, my parents are proud of me, and my relatives envy me. Pretty good, right? Well, it was – until my life flipped upside down after I was hit by none other than the legendary truck-kun.
How I died doesn't really matter; what matters is that I'm alive now—or something close to it. Fine, for the sake of the story, here's how it happened: I was walking to school when a girl from my class waved at me. We weren't friends; she was just super social, and I happened to have a decent face and build. Seeing me heading to school, she decided to walk with me. For a regular person, it wouldn't have been a big deal, but I'm an introvert and borderline gynophobic. The moment she looked at me, I blanked out. While crossing the road to join her, I noticed she was shouting and pointing at something, but before I could figure it out, I was hit.
When I woke up, I wasn't in a hospital but in a strange white hall. I instantly knew where this was going. "You're right," someone said. I turned to find the source of the voice, expecting a goddess to appear and tell me to save another world. The voice was male, but no big deal – male gods work too. "Sorry to burst your bubble; I'm not a god," said a guy with an Asian face, black hair, sharp eyes, and simple clothes, sitting comfortably on a sofa.
"Who are you?" I asked. He didn't reply, nor did he look at me. He'd been answering my thoughts earlier, so his silence was oddly annoying. "I'm not trying to annoy you; I just have other guests to greet. I'm Eunnyait," he finally said. While the idea of someone reading my mind wasn't new, this guy was doing it without me even conveying my thoughts. "I brought your soul here without erasing all your memories and am giving you another chance to live. Surprised I can read your thoughts?"
Though he seemed disappointed, I was too nervous to care. His identity intrigued me.
"That's something you'll have to discover for yourself. But let's focus on the main reason I saved you. And this time, speak out loud."
I had several questions: Where were we? Who was he? Why did he save me? What power did he use? Did he create the system? "What price would I have to pay for this second chance?" He smirked. "Good, you've calmed down. To answer your question: entertainment."
"Entertainment?" I asked, confused and a little skeptical.
"Yes. Don't you find this world dull? For me, it's worse. I know everything that's going to happen – every twist, every turn. Imagine rewatching the same predictable movie for eons. It's agonizingly boring. But your life? Your decisions? They're unpredictable. That's the thrill I seek. Think of it as starring in your own cosmic reality show. Your life becomes my entertainment, and I ensure it's far from ordinary." He paused, as if expecting me to agree with him. "I'm offering you a chance to break free from monotony. To be the main character in a story worth telling."
"Why would my life, as boring as it is, be any entertainment to you?" I scoffed, not entirely convinced. My life was over; going back just to be a pawn in someone else's game seemed ridiculous. I'd always found existence mundane. Why would this time be any different? He's just trying to use me for his amusement, isn't he? "What's this nonsense about you understanding me? You don't even get my point."
"Who said I don't understand you?" he countered, his tone growing sharper. "On the contrary, I know you better than you know yourself. And trust me, your life won't be boring anymore. In fact, it'll be one of the most exhilarating in this dimension – if you can keep your sanity. Because let's face it, excitement is meaningless without risk. The looming possibility of failure, the fear of death, the stakes… that's what makes it worth watching. You've spent so long stuck in mediocrity. Why not embrace the chaos and see what happens?" He leaned forward, his expression intense. "I'll make your life more thrilling than you've ever imagined."
"Ah, Alexander," Eunnyait mused, leaning back on his sofa with a knowing smile. "This is your moment, your grand opportunity to finally take the stage. As a child, you dreamt of adventures, didn't you? Scaling mountains, crossing vast grasslands, slaying monsters, and saving the helpless. You wanted to be the hero, the great adventurer Alexander. But life, with its cruel mundanity, snuffed out that spark. And do you know why? Because your fate was bound to something far greater. You weren't meant to shine in that world, but here? Here, you have the chance to reclaim that dream. To step into the role you were born for." His sharp eyes glimmered with intrigue. "And let's not forget… there's a reason you never made it past childhood's innocence. A reason why fate nudged you toward me."
"Freedom, Alexander," Eunnyait continued, his voice taking on a tone both commanding and enticing. "That's what awaits you in this new world. No more societal expectations, no more suffocating rat races. For once, you'll be unshackled from the constraints of your previous life. The adventurer you aspired to be as a child wasn't just a fantasy—it was the core of who you are. And now, in this new realm, you'll have the freedom to explore, to fight, to live without the chains of mediocrity weighing you down. Every choice, every battle, every alliance will be yours to make. But be warned," he added, his smirk returning, "true freedom comes at a cost. It's a double-edged sword, after all."
His words struck a chord within me, stirring the long-buried aspirations I thought I had forgotten.