I had no idea how much time had passed. The darkness around me was oppressive, like a heavy blanket suffocating the very essence of my being. It was as if I were floating in a vast expanse of nothingness, devoid of sensation, light, or sound. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, and couldn't even feel the passage of time. It was a void so complete that it felt like I had been swallowed by the universe itself.
A chilling thought crossed my mind—was I dead? Or perhaps in a deep coma? The uncertainty gnawed at me, the unknown creeping into my consciousness like a slow poison. But there were no answers, no comfort in the emptiness that surrounded me. Death seemed the most likely explanation, yet even that didn't bring the solace of finality. It was an existence without end, without meaning, and the weight of that realization pressed down on me like an anchor dragging me into the abyss.
Suddenly, the suffocating silence was shattered by a flash of red. My heart—or whatever passed for it in this place—leapt into my throat as bold, crimson letters materialized before me:
"You are dead."
A cold dread washed over me, chilling me to the core. Was this it? The end? The thought hit me like a punch to the gut, and before I could fully process it, instinct took over. I reached out, desperate to touch the words, to grasp some semblance of reality in this surreal moment. As my ethereal hand made contact, the text flickered and vanished, leaving the void empty once again. But not for long.
A new message appeared, this time in a calming blue:
"Congratulations! You have been chosen by the creator of the systems and will get a chance to be reborn."
Shock pulsed through me, and my thoughts raced. What was happening? Who was this creator? Why was I chosen? The word "reborn" echoed in my mind, bringing with it memories of my high school friend's incessant ramblings about Japanese Isekai stories. I never paid much attention to those tales—fantasies of being whisked away to another world seemed too far-fetched for someone grounded in reality. But now, faced with this bizarre situation, those stories seemed uncomfortably relevant.
As if responding to my thoughts, the text shifted once more, almost as if it could sense my confusion, my growing unease. It seemed these messages were tied to my mind, reacting to my every thought, anticipating my actions before I even made them. It was unsettling, to say the least.
"You have been deemed worthy enough to select between two choices: The Resource Exchange System or a Random System."
I blinked—or at least I thought I did. The first option seemed straightforward—some kind of system where I could trade or gather resources. I could picture it now, a network of opportunities to accumulate what I needed to survive, to thrive in whatever world I was headed for. The second option, however, was a wild card. Did it involve randomness in the rewards or abilities I could receive? Or was it about receiving a completely random system, something beyond my control? The uncertainty gnawed at me, my mind spinning with possibilities.
I took a moment to consider my options. I wasn't a prodigy, nor was I particularly adept at complex systems. I needed something reliable, something I could grasp without too much trouble. The idea of relying on chance, of putting my fate in the hands of something unpredictable, filled me with a sense of dread. The void around me seemed to pulse with anticipation, as if urging me to make a decision.
"Better the devil you know than the devil you don't," I muttered to myself, settling on the safer option. The Resource Exchange System seemed like the smarter choice. If I could understand how to use it effectively, it could be my key to survival—wherever or whatever I was about to enter. The moment I made my decision, a golden text appeared before me, confirming my choice:
"Congratulations on obtaining the Resource Exchange System."
The confirmation brought a momentary sense of relief, but it was fleeting. Before I could take another mental breath, the screen shifted, displaying two new options:
"How do you wish to be reborn?"
As a baby
As an adult
Note: Body parameters will be adjusted accordingly."
I stared at the text, weighing the options carefully. Being reborn as a baby would mean starting over completely, helpless and dependent, but with the potential to grow and adapt in a new world. The idea of reliving my entire life, learning to walk, talk, and grow again, was daunting. But it also held a certain appeal—an opportunity to shape my destiny from the very beginning.
On the other hand, being reborn as an adult meant entering a new life with all the faculties and capabilities I had before, or possibly even enhanced ones. I would be ready to face whatever challenges awaited me from the start, armed with the knowledge and experience I had accumulated in my previous life. There was a certain allure to this option as well—the idea of stepping into a new world fully prepared, without the burden of childhood to slow me down.
In the silence of the void, I felt the gravity of this decision. This was more than just a choice of how to begin a new life—it was a chance to redefine who I was, to become something more than I had been. The possibilities were endless, and the weight of that realization pressed down on me, filling me with a sense of both excitement and fear.
I closed my eyes, or whatever the equivalent was in this place, and made my choice. The decision felt monumental, as if the very fabric of my existence was being rewritten with that simple act. The void around me seemed to tremble in response, as if acknowledging the significance of what I had just done.