The silence that followed the overseer's declaration was oppressive. Erwin stood frozen, his mind racing to process what lay before him. Two portals shimmered in the dim chamber, each one holding the weight of a decision that could alter his life forever.
The golden portal radiated an inviting warmth, its surface glimmering like sunlight breaking through clouds. It was a beacon of peace, of finality, of escape.
"This portal," the overseer's voice echoed, chilling and monotone, "offers you a return to your previous life. Step through, and you will awaken in the world you knew before the Day of the Calling. You will be free of the Paradox World Experience. No trials. No anomalies. No chaos."
Erwin's chest tightened. The idea of escape tempted him for a fleeting moment. His old life had been far from perfect, but it was familiar, predictable. The notion of returning to normalcy—to leave this nightmare behind—felt like a life raft in a storm.
But before he could step forward, the overseer spoke again, this time drawing his attention to the second portal.
The black portal loomed opposite its golden counterpart, its surface a swirling vortex of shadows. Its aura was foreboding, as if it were alive and watching him.
"This portal," the overseer continued, "leads deeper into the Paradox World Experience. It is a path fraught with uncertainty, pain, and sacrifice. Should you choose it, you will continue to face trials and challenges that will test your limits. But in doing so, you may uncover truths hidden from all others. It is a choice to endure—to confront the chaos and take control of it."
Erwin's eyes flickered between the two portals, his mind calculating the possibilities. One path offered peace, an end to the torment. The other promised pain, but also the possibility of power, answers, and something more.
The overseer's voice returned, colder and sharper than before. "Choose carefully, anomaly. The path you select will define your fate."
Erwin's fists clenched, his knuckles white against his skin. He was no stranger to impossible choices, but this was different. The stakes felt immeasurable, the consequences unknowable.
"Freedom or madness," he muttered to himself, his voice low and bitter.
But was it truly freedom? He thought of his old life—the crumbling city, the endless monotony of meaningless days. He had been a nobody, a shadow among shadows, invisible to a world that didn't care if he lived or died.
His mind conjured an image: a bright-eyed man, full of hope, the one person who had believed in something better.
The memory hit him like a blow. "He believed the world could be more," Erwin whispered, his voice trembling with barely contained anger. "And it killed him. It left him to rot."
His nails dug into his palms, the pain grounding him. That golden portal wasn't freedom. It was surrender. A return to a world that broke people like him. Like his friend.
The black portal pulsed, as though sensing his thoughts.
The overseer's voice broke the silence, calm and unyielding. "Before you make your decision, there is one more thing you should know, anomaly."
Erwin's jaw tightened. "Of course there is."
"Every living participant at the conclusion of the Paradox World Experience is granted one wish," the overseer said. "A singular desire that transcends the boundaries of existence. Time, space, life, death—anything within the omniverse can be yours."
The words echoed in his mind, their weight pressing down on him. A wish. Anything.
Erwin's breath quickened as his mind raced. For a moment, the temptation of the golden portal wavered.
"Anything I want," he murmured, staring into the swirling blackness.
The image of his friend flashed before his eyes again—his laughter, his unwavering optimism, his untimely death. That world had chewed him up and spit him out, just like it had so many others.
Erwin's gaze hardened. He couldn't go back. Not to that place. Not to that emptiness.
But a wish...
He clenched his fists. The promise of absolute power was dangerous, but it was also intoxicating. With a wish like that, he could change everything. He could make the world pay for what it had done.
Or maybe, just maybe, he could bring back the light it had stolen.
The golden portal shimmered brighter, as if begging him to choose it. But Erwin sneered at it, disgust twisting his features.
"This isn't a choice," he said, his voice cold and sharp. "This is manipulation. You're dangling an illusion of peace in front of me, hoping I'll run from the chaos. But I see through it."
The overseer was silent, offering no reply.
Erwin stepped toward the black portal, his movements deliberate. The swirling shadows seemed to welcome him, growing darker as he approached.
He paused at the threshold, glancing back at the golden portal one last time. "If I walked through there, I'd be running away. Hiding from what I could become. But I'm not that person anymore."
His voice dropped to a whisper, his words meant only for himself. "Not anymore."
With that, he stepped into the black portal.
The darkness enveloped him instantly, cold and oppressive. For a moment, he felt like he was falling, the air ripped from his lungs. The overseer's voice echoed one last time, distant and final.
"You have chosen the path of chaos. Welcome to the Paradox World Experience, anomaly."
Erwin had a feeling of doubt lingering inside of him. "Something isn't adding up. The words of the overseer contradicts itself. But I don't have a choice at the moment."
---
The sensation of falling ended abruptly, and Erwin landed on solid ground. The air was sharp and thin, the world around him cloaked in shadows. His senses adjusted slowly, his eyes scanning the new environment.
He stood on a jagged plateau, the landscape around him vast and alien. The sky above was a swirling vortex of crimson and black, and in the distance, faint lights flickered like stars.
A faint vibration in his pocket drew his attention. He reached for the System Initiative, its screen blinking with a new message.
Welcome, anomaly.
Path Selected: Chaos.
Mission Incoming. Prepare yourself.
Erwin smirked, sliding the device back into his pocket. Whatever lay ahead, he would face it head-on.
"Let's see what you've got," he muttered, his voice steady with determination.
The black portal had been a choice beyond choice—a step into the unknown. But Erwin didn't fear it. He embraced it.
He would master the chaos.
And when the time came, he would claim his wish through the overseer or not.