The sensation was overwhelming. One moment, he was stepping out of his apartment, the ever so familiar sounds of the city in the background. The next, he was falling, not physically, but something deeper, as though the very essence of his being was being drawn into a bottomless abyss.
Everything vanished. Sound, sight, even the faintest whisper of feeling. He floated in a vast nothingness, his thoughts being the only proof to his own existence.
For a short moment, panic surged through him. He clenched his fists instinctively, only to realize he had no body, no form whatsoever. Was this death? Was this the afterlife? These thoughts flickered through his mind, but he dismissed it almost immediately. No. Death wouldn't feel this...strange.
Then came the voice.
"Welcome Candidate."
He froz3, or at least the part of him that could still feel "movement" did. The voice was unlike anything he'd ever heard: calm, mechanical, and yet carrying an edge of authority that left no room for doubt.
"Who's there?" His tone was sharp, betraying none of the unease he felt. He knew very well that he couldn't show even a trace of fear or hesitation.
"You have been chosen."
The statement hung in the void. Chosen? By whom? For what? He didn't like the Secrecy. He never liked being left in the dark. He was someone always wanting to be 15 steps ahead always.
"Chosen for what, exactly?" His tone shifted, colder and more calculated. He had always been this way detached, pragmatic. Survival wasn't about panic or emotion. It was about understanding the game and bending it to his will. That was the only way to win.
"To Entertain."
The answer was cryptic and infuriating, frustratingly so, but before he could press further, the void around him began to change. Wisps of light coalesced into what looked like a massive screen before him, its surface shimmering with words and symbols. It was truly mesmerizing to watch the screen form out of nothing but light, unfortunately he didn't have the time to pay much attention as the mechanical voice spoke into the void once more.
"You will be transported to a new world. A world of opportunity and danger. But you are not prepared. Before you begin, you may select five skills to aid you in this new world. Choose wisely. Your decisions you make will shape your fate."
The screen expanded, listing five categories: Basic, Rare, Unique, Epic, Ultimate. Beneath each category were numerous skills, each described in intricate detail.
He narrowed his focus. This wasn't the time to get swept up in whatever cosmic game this was. He was not some toy to be used for others entertainment. He needed answer, and he needed the now.
"Why me?" he asked, his voice steady.
The silence stretched for a moment, the voice seemingly deliberating. Then it answered.
"No particular reason...Just consider yourself lucky mortal."
Lucky. That word lingered. He didn't trust it. He didn't trust this voice, or the situation, or the void he was trapped in. The mechanical voice now sounded way to sentient. But he also understood the futility of resistance, at least for now. If this was a trap, it was one he couldn't yet escape. Play along. Gather information. Find the weaknesses later. This was the rule he lived by, and what helped him survive the dog eat dog world otherwise known as earth.
His eyes, or whatever equivalent he had here, returned to the screen. Five skills. Five categories. Each skill could potentially make or break him in this "new world." He couldn't afford to rush this decision.
The Basic category seemed underwhelming at first glance: minor enhancements, passive abilities. From what he gleamed, these were the most basic of skills available. Still he couldn't just randomly pick one all willy nilly. He was about to be taken to a whole new world that he was unfamiliar with, so he needed every advantage he could get.
Ultimately he decided to go with something that was only useful in combat but did not have any specific conditions to be useful.
[Enhanced]
As the name suggested it was a passive skill that enhanced his innate capabilities and senses beyond what a normal human should be capable of. Better eyesight, better hearing, increased strength and agility and more. This was truly a useful ability to have which could prove noteworthy in numerous different situations.
The Rare category presented more enticing options. He scanned through the list, his mind weighing each possibility one by one. Clearly there were much better and more versatile than the previous list of basic skills. Telepathy? No. Not useful in one on one combat and requires another sentient being to be of any use. Flight? Definitely the best so far. He imagined the different uses he had in mind for this skill, from escaping to navigation to surprise attacks. As he was about to make his own choice, another skill under the flight skill caught his attention.
[Regeneration]
The ability to recover from injuries almost immediately, as long as mana was available. It wasn't just about survival, it was about endurance, about outlasting any opponent. He didn't plan to fight fair, after all. So for someone like himself this was the perfect skill. More so than the ability to fly.
"Regeneration, huh?" He thought for a moment longer before nodding. "I'll take it."
The Unique skills were far more specialized. Each offered immense power, but also came with significant risks or limitations. He scrolled through the list, ignoring options that relied too much on external factors. However something that he noticed about these skills were even though there wasn't as much as the previous 2 lists, each and every skill had something in connection with his personality and habits. This was something he definitely could identify.
Among all the skills there was 1 skill in particular that caught his attention.
[Scientific Magic]
Magic governed by logic and the laws of physics. The possibilities were staggering. He could manipulate energy, matter, even the very fabric of the world, as long as he understood how.
"This... this is real power." He felt a spark of excitement for the first time since this ordeal began. "I'll take it."
By the time he reached the Epic category, his confidence had grown. He understood the selection process now, the balance of power and strategy.
He skimmed past several options, dismissing them outright. Dream world? Shadow? Supreme eyes? Weapon mastery? Infinite Mana? All of these were useful and incredibly powerful in their own rights. But not what he needed at this point.
His gaze settled on Damaging Hp. At first glance this can be considered one of the weakest epic skill compared to the rest, but as a surprise sure kill or trump card, it's perfect.
Every time he kills an entity, he gains 1 stack. Each stack equals 10% of the defeated entity's hp. These stacks reset every day. And once a day he can consume all stacks at once to turn all the hp into attacking power.
This was something incredible useful, however he hesitated due to the conditions for this skill to be used. He either needed a weapon to activate the damaging part of this skill or fight using hand to hand combat. The dangers there were obviously, 1 misstep and he would be in bad situation.
But this was a risk he was willing to take. There was no one else who knew better that some things could only be obtained by risking everything. Only then could one gain more. Gotta take the risk to gain the reward.
The Ultimate category was overwhelming. Each skill felt godlike, capable of reshaping reality itself. He paused, his analytical mind grappling with the sheer magnitude of these options.
He read through the descriptions carefully, weighing each one. But there was one he kept returning to.
[Second Chance]
The ability to return from death itself.
"Immortality. Safety net. Insurance. There's no downside here."
He made his final selection.
As soon as he chose the fifth skill, the void began to collapse. The voice returned, its tone unchanged.
"Your choices have been recorded. Prepare yourself. The new world awaits."
"Wait," he snapped. "What's the catch? What's your role in all this?"
But the voice didn't answer. The light grew blinding, and he felt a rush of sensations: weight, gravity, air.
When the light faded, he found himself standing in the middle of a dense forest. The air was crisp, the ground firm beneath his feet. His senses were sharper than ever, his body humming with newfound power.
He clenched his fists, a slow smile spreading across his face.
"Let's see what this world has to offer," he muttered. "And let's see how long it takes before it's mine."