"Wow... finally, it is about to start," a young teen with short black hair said excitedly while entering a capsule.
"00:00:010..." Looking at the countdown, Ay's face was flushed. The first-ever visual game popularized by the government was about to start. A year back, a new game was created by an anonymous company and was called "Limit Breaker." At first, it was advertised on major news stations like the BBC, various channels, and popular blogs. People initially thought it was a normal game that could be downloaded on a mobile or a PC, but it wasn't.
Limit Breaker was the first and last visual game to be made because this game wasn't from Earth and wasn't really a game. Shocking news was released two months after Limit Breaker was announced:
"This game is real... and this so-called game will be the key to the survival of the human race. We will try to distribute the capsules to everyone possible, so please play well and survive. This is related to the survival of our race..."
The shock caused by this statement from the U.S. president was like a 9.7-magnitude earthquake. Everywhere was in chaos. How could a game determine the survival of a race—especially the human race? However, after many presidents and famous billionaires commented on it, the entire world went silent.
The game capsule distribution began. It took a full 11 months for the capsules to be distributed to every human being on Earth. On January 1st of the new year, which is today, the game officially started with 10 billion human beings logging in simultaneously.
As a novel reader and anime fan, Ay could be called an otaku—a young otaku just turning 18 this year.
"00:00:001..."
"00:00:000..."
"Game begins," seeing this display on everyone's capsule, most people across the world were happy, some were sad, and a few wore solemn expressions. Whether they were old, young, or teens, everyone entered with the mentality of being the best and saving the human race. Meanwhile, after seeing this display, Ay was transported into a white space like everyone else on Earth.
"Welcome to Limit Breaker. I am your host; you can think of me as an A.I. I will give an introduction to this game. First of all, know this: this is a universal-level game, meaning it is a game for everyone in the entire universe," a little loli fairy said and paused for a while.
Hearing this, Ay's mind was blown. A universal-level game? So other races existed in the universe? We are not alone? Would we meet aliens? Ay had a lot of questions, but the loli fairy didn't let him ask before continuing.
"Yes, there are other civilizations apart from yours. Like I said before, this is a universal-level game, meaning different races are involved. Note, after this first login, you will gain the power you possess in this game and another form. This means, apart from your base form, you will gain your character form. Now, this game will bring you to another universe where you will play different roles and decide whatever you want to become. In this universe, you will evolve and strive to become stronger. Note, you should try to become as strong as possible to ensure the survival of your race. This is because powerhouses from this game can destroy your entire civilization with a thought if your location is found.
"At the beginning, each civilization will be given a template, and your template is the God and Demon template. This means your character will be random, but you will be reborn as either a God or a Demon or at least with a God or Demon bloodline. Note, because your physique is weak, you will be among the weakest Gods and Demons like other weak races. For races with strong bodies or abilities, they will have a higher starting point. This means they will be reborn as Rank 1, 2, or 3 existences. They have a higher starting point. Earthlings, I wish you a successful gaming experience. Discover the rest on your own and have a great time," the loli fairy said and disappeared.
Standing alone in the white space, Ay calmed his beating heart and took a deep breath. "It seems the rumors are true," Ay thought out loud. From the information given by the A.I. (loli fairy), Ay figured out the reason why the government encouraged everyone to participate in this game. This was not just an ordinary game but one that would determine the survival of the human race in their own universe.
Slightly sighing, Ay looked down for a while before smiling. He was so freaking excited. Finally, he wouldn't have to live in this boring world anymore. Finally, the world had become fun. (Maybe our MC is crazy.)
Grinning from ear to ear (exaggeration—don't come for the author) like a devil, Ay's gaze was solemn and full of stars (eh, whatever, hehe) as he pressed the glowing start button.
"Let the fun begin!"
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Opening his eyes, Ay was disoriented. Darkness surrounded him, and for a moment, panic set in. What's going on? Did something go wrong? he thought, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Reaching out, he realized he was submerged in some sort of liquid, encased in a confined space. Movement felt sluggish, and frustration quickly bubbled up within him.
"Damn it!" Ay cursed, clenching his fist and punching out in frustration.
Boom. A muffled sound echoed around him. Encouraged, Ay smirked and punched again.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Each strike echoed louder than the last. A faint cracking sound reached his ears.
"I think I'm in a shell," Ay muttered, continuing to punch relentlessly until a resounding crack signaled his escape.
Finally breaking free, Ay stumbled out and blinked rapidly, his vision hazy. As it cleared, he took in his surroundings. Red clouds loomed ominously overhead, sulfur and smoke filled the air, and the rocky beach beneath his feet glistened like cooled magma. The landscape felt harsh and unforgiving—just like the descriptions of the Abyss he'd read about in novels.
"Where am I?" Ay whispered, his voice almost swallowed by the oppressive atmosphere. Taking a deep breath, he realized everything felt vivid and real—far too real to be just a game.
As he scanned the beach, his eyes landed on countless eggs scattered across the terrain. They varied in size, some towering over him at nearly ten meters, while others barely reached his knees. Ay stepped closer to one of the massive eggs, his own height dwarfed in comparison, but he was suddenly struck by an intense, gnawing hunger.
"Shit…" he muttered, clutching his stomach. Desperation kicked in as he glanced around, searching for anything edible. His gaze fell back on his own egg, its shell shimmering with an alluring glow. The scent wafting from it was maddeningly enticing.
Unable to resist, Ay broke off a chunk of the shell and stuffed it into his mouth. The taste was indescribable, primal and fulfilling in a way no food on Earth could compare.
Ding!
{System loading…}
{0%... 10%... 25%... 70%... 89%... 99%... 100%}
{System initialization complete.}
The sudden voice in his head startled Ay, but his excitement quickly overpowered his surprise.
"A system? Hell yes!" he exclaimed, his previous hunger forgotten. "What do you do?"
{Welcome, Host. I am a system assigned to all participants. Please note, you are not special.}
Ay's excitement deflated instantly. "Oh." He frowned, disappointed.
{The system allows you to scan beings within 50 levels of your own, provided you are within the same rank. It also displays your stats and offers missions to aid in progression.}
Ay tried asking more questions, but the system fell silent, ignoring his inquiries. Frustrated, he cursed under his breath.
"Useless piece of junk…" he muttered, glancing down at his body. It was only then he noticed the changes. Scales covered his skin, sharp claws adorned his hands, and a long tail swayed behind him. His lack of clothing was apparent, but the absence of cold made him shrug it off. I guess demons don't feel cold.
"Am I really a demon?" Ay wondered aloud, his gaze drifting toward the sky, where three blood-red moons hung ominously.
"System, show me my stats," he commanded.
Ding!
{RACE: DEMON}
{HOST: NAME UNKNOWN}
{STRENGTH: 5 – 20}
{SPEED: 5 – 20}
{STAMINA: 5 – 20}
{MAGIC: 0}
{SKILLS: LOCKED UNTIL RANK 1}
{RANK: 0}
{LEVEL: 0 – 1}
{STATUS: HATCHLING}
{HEIGHT: 2.5 METERS}
Ay stared at the stats, a grin spreading across his face. The numbers were basic, but the potential was there.
"So, I'm a demon," Ay said, his grin widening into something feral as he gazed at his clawed hands.
For the first time, he felt truly alive.
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