A chill crawled up Kayn's spine as the hologram flickered again, its glowing words sending an unnatural shiver through the air:
"Choose a job profession to survive in this new world."
Without warning, glowing cards materialized in front of them, each one floating in mid-air, each labeled with an unfamiliar profession. The timer began counting down—30 seconds and ticking—each passing moment amplifying the oppressive silence and the rising sense of dread that gripped them.
Kayn's breath quickened, his mind a whirlwind of confusion. What is this? A game? A survival challenge? A new world? His pulse raced, his chest tight with fear and uncertainty. He opened his mouth, but the words wouldn't come. The timer didn't stop, and the weight of the situation was suffocating.
Kiyan's voice, strained and urgent, broke through the tension. "Kayn… we need to choose. Now."
Kayn glanced at his friend, his heart hammering in his chest. Every second felt like a countdown to something they couldn't understand, and the pressure of it all seemed unbearable.
"Kiyan, pick a good card—one that suits us," Kayn urged, his voice trembling as much as his hands. The words sounded weak, even to him, but the urgency couldn't be ignored. Whatever this was, they didn't have much time.
Kiyan hesitated for only a heartbeat, then reached out with deliberate speed. His fingers brushed against one of the glowing cards—a deep purple one. The moment he touched it, a surge of light engulfed him, blinding and intense. When it receded, he stood there, a massive axe in one hand and a shield in the other, the weight of them real and solid in his grip.
The hologram flickered again, its luminous presence casting eerie shadows that stretched long across their stunned faces.
"You chose: Berserker – Rare Profession."
Kiyan stared at the floating text, his eyes wide with disbelief. His grip tightened around the axe's handle, the weight of the weapon grounding him in the strange reality. "Berserker? Is this... what I picked?" His voice wavered as he tried to process the absurdity of the situation. This didn't feel real—none of it did.
The hologram shifted again, providing more information, almost like a systemized scan of Kiyan's newly assigned role.
Character Information:
Name: Kiyan Vilmos Nisum
Job: Berserker
Stats:
STR: 8
AGI: 5
INT: 2
STA: 6
LCK: 0
CHA: 2
Kiyan swallowed, his throat dry, the numbers on the screen blurring as he processed them. The weight of the axe in his hand seemed to anchor him, but his mind felt adrift in a sea of questions. "Kayn... I have weapons. They just... appeared. What do we do with them? What is this place, this... system?"
His voice cracked slightly, betraying a fear Kayn hadn't heard before. This wasn't Kiyan's usual confident bravado. It was a reflection of the terror that had seeped into both of them, and neither of them knew what to do next.
"What?" Kayn's eyes flickered from Kiyan's imposing weapons to his friend's face, his own palms growing clammy with the weight of what was happening. He got weapons... just for choosing? The thought made his mind spin. The absurdity of the situation left him rooted to the spot, unable to fully grasp the reality of it all.
The hologram's timer ticked on, indifferent to their rising panic.
7 seconds remaining.
Kayn's heart pounded in his chest. No time… The words echoed in his mind, too loud and too urgent to ignore. His breath was shallow, his thoughts a chaotic blur. Sweat trickled down his temple as he fought to steady his shaking hands. There was no room for hesitation—no time to think. He had to choose. This is it.
With a final, desperate movement, Kayn lunged forward and grabbed the nearest card. The orange card seemed to pulse against his fingers, its glow faint but unmistakable. The timer flashed. Zero seconds remaining.