On a road only humans could pass, a small family could be seen walking. The couple was laughing and talking, holding bags of things they had bought. Ahead of them was their only son, licking an ice cream excitedly. Just then, the small kid had a brain freeze.
"Ahhh!" the kid exclaimed, startling his parents. They hurriedly ran to his front and knelt before him with concern.
"Huh? I'm not dead... what's going on?" the boy thought as he struggled to control his body.
Suddenly, his eyes went blank for a while before returning to normal.
"Dear, are you okay?" his mother asked with concern.
"Son, did you have a brain freeze?" his father asked, chuckling.
The child nodded, and his parents smiled.
"Take it easy, dear. The ice cream won't run away," his mother said and hugged him.
"Little rascal, hahaha! You made us worried," his father said and rubbed his head, and they continued their journey.
The surroundings were peaceful, with high-rise buildings and cars passing beside them. But the child's mind was in turmoil.
He was Kael, who had died, and now he found out he had been reborn into a world similar to Earth. The shock was palpable. His memories had been sealed but were awaken when he was just ten years old. He realized he had a family, and this family was good to him—a happy family, in fact.
Soon, they got home, and Kael walked to his room.
His parents took his silence as him still being shocked from the brain freeze.
In his room, Kael sat on his bed, deep in thought.
This world was very similar to Earth—almost the same. The difference was him.
His kids and him. There was no dragon king or anything, and his children were not here.
His mind was in a trance as he was puzzled.
Why was he reborn in a world similar to Earth? He had read those novels too, and in them, they were reborn into some amazing world. But he was in a normal world. He started to question himself:
Was this an urban novel world?
One good thing about this reincarnation was his memories. They had improved, and he could remember things clearly from both this life and his past life.
Maybe because he was once an old man, he wasn't too shocked about this. He looked on and started pondering what to do.
"Dear, dinner is ready!" a female voice was heard as Kael came back to his senses.
"Coming, Mum," Kael replied unconsciously and suddenly raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe it's because of the memories of this boy... that's why I'm like this," Kael thought. After all, it seemed weird to him to call someone he was older than "mother."
"But then again, the last life is gone... I'll take it that I'm a kid in this one," Kael said as he stood up and went downstairs.
Days passed by as Kael adapted to his new body. Maybe it was the merging of the two bodies, but Kael felt like a child and unconsciously did childish things. He didn't restrict himself.
It was the side effect of the two memories fusing together. Also, if his parents found out he was suddenly behaving like a mature adult, it would shock them—a great shock—and he might be labeled a genius or a demon, depending on the situation.
Besides, it was unnecessary for him. He had let go of his last life.
Today, Kael was in his room reading the history of this world and comparing it to the former Earth when he suddenly felt a splitting headache. Then drowsiness overcame him, and he lost consciousness immediately.
He wasn't the only one, but many others like him felt the same way, ranging from young to old.
Just when shock filled those places and family members wanted to take them to hospitals for medical checkups, the earth suddenly shook.
Everyone held on to something as their bodies trembled. Buildings collapsed, and the world wasn't expecting this. But it wasn't over, as a blinding white light was seen everywhere, and Earth turned into energy and disappeared.
As for the humans, they were all transported to a new place.
*************
"Arg," Kael groaned as he opened his eyes. He found out his body was in a white space. He looked around—everywhere was white, with no up or down. He observed it all with shock and even fear. After all, humans fear the unknown the most.
Just then, he heard a mechanical voice.
(Congratulations for being part of those chosen as an Awakener. Your planet has been chosen to ascend into the Realm of War and be part of the thousands of planets fighting for hegemony. You have been chosen among them to become an Awakener. Unlike others, you have a very good chance of becoming a god.)
"Huh... what?" Kael was confused. His mind swirled. Everything wasn't easy for him to comprehend. After all, he had only read some novels.
(Basic Introduction)
(Welcome to the Realm of War. This is a realm created by some unknown existence and has been here since the beginning. The Realm of War is an independent realm in which multiple creatures are given a chance to become a god, and the Awakener is given a chance to be the god of all existence.)
(Planets are discovered, observed, and picked by the consciousness of the realm. Among the planets picked, there will be two sets of creatures. One is the majority, which has to fight tooth and nail to get shards of the Orbs of Concepts. After getting enough shards, they will fuse them together to become an Orb of a particular concept.)
(With this concept formed, they have to integrate it into themselves to become an Awakener.)
(The second set of creatures is called Awakeners. These beings are fused with a particular concept. They have a higher starting point than the other creatures and are few in number. Each of them holds immense power and grows rapidly.)
(Host has been chosen to be an Awakener and must now choose one concept among the three expected to be given. Discover more information on your own. Good luck.)
Kael heard the mechanical voice slowly stop as he felt his heart almost leap out of his mouth.
"Awakener? Multiple planets? Realm of War? Concepts?" Kael repeated, his thoughts racing. The information was overwhelming, but he knew it was critical. According to the voice, the rest of the details would need to be uncovered by him, leaving him essentially blind in this new world.
It was incredibly dangerous.
With a deep sigh, Kael calmed his swirling mind and began to absorb the information. He had read novels with similar themes, albeit not many, but he understood the general idea. Typically, the protagonist in such stories was granted a "golden finger," often in the form of a system.
Kael, however, wasn't quick to assume he would receive such a gift. There was no sign of a system so far, and if it were to appear, it might only awaken after he left this white space. Even so, Kael mentally prepared for the possibility of not having one. The reason was simple: the origin of such systems. They could either be traps or genuine blessings, but Kael leaned toward caution.
In his hundred years of life on Earth, Kael had learned one thing—nothing is ever truly free. Free gifts often came with hidden motives, and he had no intention of blindly accepting something that might jeopardize him later.
Now, he focused on the facts. He had been brought to a place called the Realm of War. It sounded like the setting of one of those novels, where the stakes were both exhilaratingly high and perilously deadly. To survive, Kael knew he had to analyze everything carefully and proceed cautiously. This wasn't a game; there was no respawn if he failed.
The voice had mentioned that he was an "Awakener." That, at least, was a fortunate turn of events. Unlike the majority who would have to gather shards to form a concept, Kael already had a head start. Now, his priority was to study the concept he would choose, master it, and grow stronger.
An unexpected surge of determination rose within him. In his last life, Kael had lived for a century, but now, he craved something more—eternal life and power. This new world offered him the opportunity to achieve both.
"To become the God of Existence," Kael thought, his resolve hardening.
Having a clear goal was the first step to surviving in a place like the Realm of War.
Suddenly, the mechanical voice spoke again.
(Please choose one concept:
– Orb of Chaos
– Orb of Nothingness
– Orb of Void)
Three large orbs materialized before Kael.
The first orb, the Orb of Chaos, swirled with dark, fiery tendrils, radiating destructive, chaotic energy. Looking at it, Kael could almost hear the screams of people and the deafening roars of explosions. The cries of pain and growls of rage filled his ears. His body trembled as he felt the raw, uncontrollable chaos emanating from it.
With a shaky breath, Kael turned to the second orb.
The Orb of Nothingness seemed almost nonexistent. One moment it was there, the next it wasn't, as though it was being consumed by its own emptiness. It emitted a hollow, all-encompassing darkness, pulling everything around it into its void. Staring at it, Kael felt his emotions dull, almost disappearing entirely. The sensation was unsettling, and he quickly averted his gaze.
Finally, Kael looked at the last orb.
The Orb of Void pulsed with a deep, endless combination of purple and black, like the depths of an infinite abyss. It exuded an oppressive coldness and an infinite silence, both eerie and captivating. Kael shivered as he gazed at it, feeling an insatiable hunger emanating from its depths—a void yearning to be filled, yet destined to remain empty.
Kael staggered back, the effects of the orbs fading. His mind raced as he tried to weigh the options.
"Each one is terrifying," Kael murmured. "All of them are powerful in both close and ranged combat. Each offers unique abilities, but which one is best for me?"
He continued to analyze their potential. The Orb of Chaos seemed to embody destruction and raw power. The Orb of Nothingness felt sinister yet strategic, capable of draining emotions and reducing enemies to hollow shells. The Orb of Void, however, was enigmatic and overwhelming, embodying endless hunger and depth.
Kael sighed. "Which one should I choose?"
As he grappled with the decision, something unexpected happened.
(Error detected... A new option has been created)
Kael's eyes widened as the voice continued.
(Be the wielder of all three—Chaos, Void, and Nothingness)
Before Kael could respond, the voice announced, (Answer confirmed by host. Transporting...)
Kael's mind went blank, and he was swallowed by darkness. His final thought lingered in the void.
"I didn't even pick any..."
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