I opened my eyes slowly.
'What? How am I alive?'
Kazumi Quintius is my name.
In case you ask me, yes, I think it's a weird name.
I looked around silently.
And I suspect I'm in a layer of hell.
'Where the hell is this?'
It was void wherever I looked.
I suddenly remembered what happened.
'Right before I died I heard messages. Oh wait! Messages! System window!'
I naturally moved my arm.
Nothing happened.
I felt mildly embarrassed and decided to look around more.
'Wait a second. Do I even have a body?'
I quickly realized something was off and then I got a message.
[Multiple constellations that will remain unknown are enjoying themselves]
"Sorry about that."
Then I heard a woman's voice.
Then my consciousness was cut off.
And when I opened my eyes again I saw a reception desk.
"Huh? Where am I now?"
[Welcome newly born constellation]
[To the star castle!]
'This is not a castle!'
That was my first thought, I was shocked that it called itself a castle.
If I were to explain what this place was I would say it's a video game hub or a big city.
I saw many people walking everywhere.
'Are they constellations?'
None looked fully human. There were many elves with colour changing hair, and a person with scales yawning.
A majority of them had S rank equipment at the very minimum.
'Are they from different worlds?'
I looked towards where everyone was walking to and from.
I saw seven big buildings and many smaller ones. With hundreds of people entering and leaving each one.
'They look like sky scrappers! What the f-'
"Can I help you with anything?"
My thought process stopped and I looked towards the voice.
"Yes? Yes, where is everything?"
The one who called me was a woman standing behind the reception desk.
'Hmm she's not weak but doesn't seem too strong.'
I accidently examined the receptionists power without thinking about it.
I sighed internally.
I "walked" towards the desk quickly and the woman gave me a tablet with something written on it.
I didn't feel any weight in my steps. Like I was a ghost or spirit.
"You're an honest one. I'll tell you the basics."
I nodded looking at the tablet.
[The system has been synced with the palace tablet]
"First, if you open your system window you will see that you have two stats, and that all your skills have been sealed."
[Now beginning tutorial]
"System window."
constellation (Tier 5): Kazumi Quintius/Quint
Active title: [Weapon master(Legendary)]
Active constellation title: [Weapon master(Rare)]
Lv: 628
Class: Weapon master(Legendary)
Stats: [STR: SSS-] [VIT: SS+] [AGI: S+] [INT: SS]
Constellation stats: [STR: E-7] [VIT: F+ 4] [AGI: G+8] [INT: F 4]
Authority: [Slash that purifies(SSS+)] [Slash that protects people(SSS)]
Skills: [Slash that purifies(none)] [Slash that protects people(none)], [Temporarily locked] 35 more...
Passive skills: [Temporarily locked] Weapon mastery(SSS), god's footwork(SSS+), 58 more...
Equipment: Broken constellation's sword(S-)
Coins: 100
'My stats are weird, and now there are coins... I have to repair the sword.'
I looked at my stats for a while and looked at the woman.
"Your skills are sealed because it could cause trouble for us, if a constellation decides to fight another constellation it would bother the higher ups. Your stats are separated into your original stats, and constellation stats. Please continue the tutorial to see the details."
I looked at the system window again scratching my head.
[Here are the stat changes]
S to G
SS to F
SSS to E
EX to D
[You will also see a number next to your stats]
[STR: E-7] [VIT: F+ 4] [AGI: G+8] [INT: F 4]
When those numbers reach 10 the grade of your stats increase
I nodded to myself and looked at the woman again.
"Coins can be used in different locations for different things."
She pointed towards the biggest building and continued.
"That's a hotel for new constellations to get used to this place."
She waved goodbye and disappeared.
'What a strange place. It reminds me of a big city.'
[You have obtained a map!]
Current registered locations: Reception, Cafe, Cosmetics store, Hotel, Playroom, Stream room, Battle room.
'Oh, this is just like from earth. Did they copy it?'
I sighed internally and a message appeared.
[The basic tutorial is finished!]
[You will now be visible to other constellations!]
[It is heavily recommended to get a physical body!]
'Oh, that's why I felt weightless, I am a ghost.'
I noticed after a little while that there was no sound.
'I can be seen.'
My skills may be sealed but I had enough experience to feel hundreds of constellations looking at me.
I had no weapons to defend myself with and I didn't know what could happen.
"Hey! You seem to be a newbie!"
I turned towards the voice being on guard.
It was a big man with red hair. He was at least 20cm taller than me.
'He's strong. If he gets the jump on me I lose 99 out of 100 times.'
"Yes, do you have business with me?"
He was too friendly.
"Jeez, relax a little. Anyway want a tour of the place? I'm pretty used to this place."
I thought about it for a while.
'I guess I can take the risk. Now that I think about it. Where is the fighting goddess?'
She's been absent ever since I became a constellation.
"So, is that a yes?"
The big man asked.
I nodded silently while contemplating why I haven't heard from her.
"You're in good hands. I have experience in touring newbies."
I followed behind the man while he talked.
"First, you start with one hundred coins right?"
I looked at him and answered.
"Yes, is that a lot?"
The man laughed out loud.
"Hahaha! Unfortunately it isn't, but I can show you how to get rich!"
I felt a strange premotion and stopped.
"What is it?"
The man turned around and looked confused.
'I'll have to be careful. I should always trust my gut.'
"Nothing, I just thought about what happened before I became a constellation."
The big man nodded in understanding.
"Yeah it's like that in the beginning, but you can visit your world again through an avatar. My name is Alius by the way. What's your name?"
'Avatar, like a physical body or an object?'
There were a few instances of avatars appearing but that stopped quickly.
"My name is Kazumi. So where are we going?"
Alius pointed towards one of the buildings.
"That's where the cosmetics store is. You can buy clothes replica armor and even replica weapons of famous constellations."
I was amazed by the fact that he said famous constellations.
"Wow, so they have celebrities too?"
"I'm sorry what did you say?"
"Don't mind me, I'm just talking to myself."
When we entered the store there were many constellations trying clothes and swinging around weapons.
'Replicas huh. Oh, that's what those weapons were.'
All the replica weapons were at least S rank based on my standards but here they were simply replicas.
Alius noticing my expression nodded.
"Yeah I've seen that expression hundreds of times. You'll have to get used to these new standards quickly, because you'll see many replicas in the future."
"Are there security measures to prevent stealing?"
Alius laughed and answered.
"Of course! All the items are imbued with a detection magic scroll. That's probably why they're so expensive."
'How much do they cost though?'
I decided to ask because I was curious.
"How much do they cost?"
Alius sighed lightly and told me.
"About five thousand coins minimum."
'Dang that's extremely expensive! Is it?'
I didn't know the value of coins, but I felt it would at the very least take multiple days to get that amount of money.
Alius seemed to enjoy my expression and asked me a question.
"Hehe, anyway next is the playroom. Do you know what video games are?"
'Oh, they have video games?!'
I nodded while exiting the store.
"Yes, my world had them."
"Good, then this can be explained easily. Did your world also have internet cafes?"
I nodded again being very curious.
"It's like that but for other games like perfect virtual reality where you can feel, smell and taste everything as if it's real. Although those things cost quite a lot of coins."
The front of the building had a neon sign saying "Playroom".
We entered the playroom and went to the reception.
"Can we tour this place? This guy's new here."
The receptionist shook his head.
"Unfortunately we can't allow that. As you already know the first time free pass doesn't work for multiple people, or people that have already been here."
I looked at the receptionist silently.
'He doesn't seem too strong. Maybe low S rank.'
"Hey you know me right? Can you make an exception just this once?"
The receptionist shook their head.
Alius asked again over and over.
'A constellation...'
Alius was pleading with the receptionist at this point.
*Ring Ring! Ring Ring!*
It was the sound of a telephone.
'Oh, I haven't seen that in a few years.'
"Huh? Oh, yeah! That can be done!"
The receptionist turned towards me.
"Someone has bought you an annual pass. On behalf of the buyer their information will not be revealed."
I looked dumbfounded at the receptionist.
"What? Who would do that?"
I actually had an idea of who it could be.
'Thanks.'
Alius looked shocked with his mouth wide open.
"Whoa, I didn't realize you had a bigshot as a support."
"Haha, I didn't know either."
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot, you got a one month pass."
The receptionist looked at Alius.
"Wh-"
"Hey wanna continue the tour or should we stay here?"
I asked because Alius looked stunned.
Alius quickly recovered and shook his head.
"Let's continue and go here tomorrow."
I nodded and walked out.
"Huff, what a day. Anyway next stop is the stream corner.
We walked up to a building that had it's name painted on a billboard nearby.
'This feels weird.'
It didn't feel like a place for constellations.
"In here you can watch other worlds through channels."
'Huh? Channels? Channels...'
I was reminded of the early days of when I closed my first gate.
'The channel number...'
Specifically the channel number.
"Huh? Are you there?"
Alius asked waving his hand in front of my face.
"Yeah, let's see what's inside."
Inside were many screens displaying different worlds and people fighting monsters.
'Oh, they're not half bad. But rough around the edges.'
Alius noticing my gaze said.
"They're pretty popular for being B ranks. They have quite the potential. Oh, do you know about world types?"
I looked at Alius with a confused expression.
"Like the name implies, it's different types of worlds. Please open your system window real quick."
I did as he said and there was an explanation.
[World types]
There are theoretically infinite world types but here are the top 5 based on popularity in no particular order!
Tower fantasy:
A world invaded by a tower with 100 floors! On the floors challenges awaits and at the top lies whatever you can imagine!
Murim
A world ruled by martial arts! Even though they're not technologically advanced they're not to be underestimated!
World of swords and magic
A world ruled by magic, swords and magical creatures!
Earth
A technologically advanced world originally without magic!?
Reality game
A world where a video game from their world becomes reality! This invites mixed worlds all wildly different!
'Strange, it's like looking at a list of genres.
Alius nodded seemingly figuring something out.
"Let's go to the silent room."
"The silent room?"
I asked confused.
"It's a place for low rank constellations to awaken and increase their rank"
I nodded.
"Alright, by the way what rank are you?"
We walked towards the silent room while chatting.
"Five, unfortunately due to circumstances I haven't been able to attempt awakening."
We arrived quickly, and we entered the silent room's reception.
A woman was sleeping silently on the desk.
'What the? I can't estimate her power?'
She was exuding nothing. No strength, no skill, no nothing.
"You can order a room for about five years before you have to renew."
Alius pointed towards a hallway.
The hallway was dark and I couldn't see the end of it.
"Wow."
Alius nodded sighing heavily.
"Okay, last stop. The battle room."
'He looks annoyed.'
I nodded and followed him silently.
When we arrived Alius started explaining how it worked.
"Again, as the name implies it's a place where you can fight other constellations risk free. You can also enter tournaments. That said, do you wanna go for a round?"
I stared at him silently.
"How do you enter?"
Alius smiling answered.
"Haha, it's simple just put in one hundred coins in this thing and I'll do the same. Don't worry I'll give it back."
He walked up to a box.
[The simple pvp box]
Minimum coins required: 100
You can fight with all your skills and stats from your previous world.
Maximum number of participants: 4
There are also many different modes!
The winner takes it all!
I nodded and agreed.
"Alright let's test our skill in the all D rank stats gamemode instead."
I suggested.
"Huh? O-okay that's a good idea!"
He stuttered a little and readily agreed.
[You have entered the waiting line of the simple pvp box(D rank only gamemode)]
[You cannot leave once you have entered!]
[1/4 players]
Then two guys in martial arts clothes appeared.
"Haha, you really got him good."
They were talking to Alius.
'Oh, that's what it was.'
The source of my suspicion.