In the endless dark void, Alex felt the familiar weightlessness around him, as if he were suspended between reality and nothingness. This was the same space he'd drifted into, where he had encountered the strange, joyful voice that had introduced him to the Empire System.
'Why am I here again?' thought Alex. He looked around at his surroundings. It was familiar, but tonight, something was different.
"Hello, Alex," came a new voice—a woman's voice, soft but strong, with an edge of mystery that made the words linger around him.
Alex froze, the sound catching him off guard. "Who… who are you?" he asked, turning in all directions, hoping to catch a glimpse of the speaker. But, as always, there was nothing but the void.
"I suppose you're wondering where your usual companion is?" the woman replied, a trace of amusement coloring her tone.
"Yeah," Alex said, feeling a flicker of confusion. "Where is he? And who are you?"
There was a pause, a delicate silence as if she considered her words carefully.
"The one you spoke to before—the Messenger—is away, shall we say, attending to… other matters. Let's call me a Guide, here to shed light on questions you may not even know you have yet." Her voice seemed to swirl around him, gentle yet filled with knowledge like she held secrets only he could understand.
"A Guide?" Alex echoed, still disoriented. "So… you're with the System too?"
"You can say so," she replied, her voice resonant with an almost musical lilt. "I'm here to help you understand your path, the choices you've made, and perhaps, to prepare you for the choices yet to come."
Alex felt a chill run through him, though he didn't know why. "Prepare me? For what?"
The Guide's voice filled the space around Alex, carrying a subtle weight that made each word feel significant.
"My task," she continued, steady and deliberate, "is to show you what you need to accomplish here in the Void."
Alex felt a chill settle over him as he absorbed her words, a creeping realization dawning. "The Void?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "But… isn't this just a strange place in my dream? Another part of the System?"
"Not exactly. If this is a dream, how do we communicate this... well," the Guide replied, her tone softening slightly as though she sensed his hesitation. "This is a connecter to other worlds, Alex—an existence you must now live in because, once before, you stood on the threshold of death."
Her words hung in the air, each syllable sinking deeper into him. Alex struggled to understand, trying to wrap his mind around this revelation.
"So… I have to exist here as well?" he asked, a tinge of apprehension in his voice.
"Yes," she answered, her tone neither comforting nor cold. "It's not a punishment, nor is it a burden. Think of it as another chance. One that allows you to grow in ways the world you know might not allow."
Alex let out a slow breath, the implications of her words settling over him. "So, this Void… connects me to worlds where I can… live differently? Grow differently?"
"Precisely," the Guide said. "You will learn to shape these places, to understand their secrets, and to master what lies within them. Every choice you make will reflect who you are becoming in your life."
The weight of her words struck him, filling him with both dread and a strange, exhilarating anticipation.
"But… what if I fail?" he asked, his voice softer than before.
The Guide paused, her voice gentler when she finally replied. "Then, Alex, this journey will end as quickly as it began. But if you succeed… you will gain knowledge and power far beyond what you have imagined."
Alex swallowed, his mind spinning with questions, possibilities, and fears he couldn't quite voice. "Alright," he said, his resolve hardening. "Then tell me… what do I need to do here?"
The Guide let out a soft, amused chuckle, echoing through the vast emptiness around Alex. "You need to move, Alex," she said, her voice almost teasing.
Alex's brow furrowed in confusion. "Move? What do you mean?"
But before he could say another word, something shifted in the darkness. A few meters before him, a door materialized, standing tall and ominous in the endless void. Its edges glowed faintly, casting a soft, ethereal light.
Just then, a familiar chime sounded, and Alex glanced down, instinctively aware that he had received a notification.
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[New Mission: Step Through the Door]
Objective: Take your first step through the door and enter the unknown.
Reason: Every journey begins with a single step. Prove your willingness to move forward, even when the path is unclear.
Reward:
1. 500 EXP
2. 50 Coins
=====
The words lingered before him, and he felt a strange mixture of fear and determination simmering within. He looked back up at the Guide, who watched him with an unreadable expression.
"I believe you've received your instructions or in your system's words... mission," she said, her voice tinged with knowing amusement.
Alex nodded slowly, processing everything, but a question tugged at his mind. "Wait," he began, "does this mean… are there other people with this Empire System? Bestowed upon others who were on the edge of death, or maybe chosen ones?"
The Guide's expression softened, though a hint of mystery remained in her eyes. "Ah, you're curious," she said, almost to herself. "But I'm afraid that's something you're not permitted to know."
Her answer only deepened his intrigue, but he sensed this was as much information as she would give. Alex took a steadying breath, his gaze flickering between the Guide and the door ahead.
The mission's words replayed in his mind, urging him forward and challenging him to take that first step.
With a final nod, he steadied himself and walked toward the door, ready to face whatever lay on the other side.
As Alex entered the door, a rush of cool air greeted him, and he blinked, adjusting to the sudden brightness. His eyes widened as a vast landscape stretched before him—a world unlike anything he'd ever imagined.
=====
The host has stepped into a new world.
=====
"A new world?" Alex asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
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[Mission Complete: Step Through the Door]
=====
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
[Level up Rewards]
All attributes increased by 1.
Free Points Earned: 6
=====
After stepping into the door, Alex's vision became blurred. He could not make up for what he was seeing. What Alex noticed next was that he stood at the edge of a sprawling meadow, vibrant and alive, framed by towering mountains in the distance, their peaks dusted with glistening snow.
The sky was an endless canvas of swirling colors, a mesmerizing blend of purples, blues, and fiery oranges that painted the heavens with a surreal beauty. Wisps of clouds floated by, casting gentle shadows over the rolling hills.
Creatures he'd only read about in fantasy books roamed freely. Majestic deer-like animals with antlers that shimmered like crystal grazed nearby, their coats glistening under the strange, otherworldly light.
In the distance, he spotted massive birds soaring above, their wings spread wide, catching sunlight that refracted off their feathered bodies in flashes of iridescent color.
To his left, a group of smaller creatures scampered through the grass—foxes with tails that glowed faintly, leaving trails of light in their wake as they playfully darted around.
But as Alex looked closer, he realized they weren't ordinary foxes; their eyes held a deep intelligence, and their coats were laced with faint, silvery patterns as if marked by ancient runes.
The towering and majestic trees seemed to hum with an energy of their own. Their leaves shimmered in various colors like a thousand tiny prisms capturing and refracting light. Some trees bore fruits that glowed faintly, casting an ethereal glow on the forest floor below.
He took it all in with a sense of awe and wonder. This world was alive with magic—he could feel it in the air, a tingling sensation that resonated deep within him, stirring something he hadn't known was there. It was as if this world itself was alive, breathing, welcoming him to something far beyond the limits of his old life.
In the distance, he caught sight of a river flowing with water that gleamed like liquid crystal, reflecting the colors of the sky. Massive fish leaped from the water, their scales flashing with metallic hues, while strange amphibian creatures basked on the rocks along the riverbank, each one seemingly in tune with the natural magic around them.
"Welcome to the True Realm," the Guide's voice echoed in his mind, drawing his attention back to her presence. "Here, magic isn't just an idea—a living force. The creatures, the land, even the air you breathe are infused with it."
"True Realm?" Alex repeated, his voice barely a whisper as he tried to process what he saw.
"Yes, the True Realm," the Guide replied, calm but charged with significance. "In this world, Alex, you're also meant to build an empire. Like in your world, your purpose here is to shape and grow your influence."
Alex frowned, still reeling from the bizarre beauty around him. "Empire? But… why here? What does building an empire in this place even mean?"
The Guide's voice held a hint of amusement as if she'd anticipated his question. "The Empire System exists beyond the limitations of any one world. The skills you unlock and the attributes you strengthen are not bound to one world alone. They hold meaning here, as they do in the world you know and other unknown worlds."