"Aunty I will see you soon, oh," Charlotte Ann Akintola called out, waving to the middle-aged cashier at her favorite Walmart. She balanced a few bags of groceries in her hands, much like a scale as she made her way toward the exit.
The cashier, affectionately known by most of the people in the area as Aunty Blessing, returned the wave with a warm smile. "See you soon oh, my daughter," she replied cheerfully. Besides, Blessing was the only Nigerian Charlotte knew in a country of whites and this friendly demeanor always made Charlotte feel at home, even if she was already clocking Thrifty-two, staying alone as finding a partner was hard, even back in Nigeria.
Charlotte stepped into the road, heading toward her car that was parked on the other side. Attempting to cross, she hadn't realise an oncoming truck which had a break failure sped toward her, and before she could react, it struck her with an incredible force. The sickening crunch of flesh and smell of blood on the pavement, filled the air, followed by the blood curdling scream of a nearby passerby who witnessed the horrifying scene, up close.
[Transfiguration In Progress….]
[Transfiguration Complete • System Binding Successful….]
[Welcome To The Great Wall Of Benin]
Charlotte jolted awake, her eyes snapping open as all she had just witnessed was merely a dream. "What was that?" she whispered, her breath coming in quick gasps. The darkness around her felt oppressive, a chill creeping across her damp skin. The bed beneath her was soft but scratchy, almost like grass, the sweet-soaked sheets clinging to her like straw.
Suddenly, a torch mounted on the wall burst to life, its blue flames casting an eerie glow across the cavern. Charlotte's eyes widened as she took in her surroundings—this was no familiar bedroom but a cold, stone cave. "Huh?" she murmured, panic rising in her voice. "What is this place? Where am I?" Trembling, she lifted the linen covering her body. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared down at her hands, her nails more longer than usual.
Her body was void of clothing but that didn't bother her. From what she remembered, she never had any tattoos, due to her upbringing but now she was glancing at various designs on her arms and thighs and what was amazing was her fit structure despite never stepping foot in the gym.
"What is all these?," she muttered, rubbing her palm against her body. In that instant, an orange screen materialized before her prompting her to jump down from the bed, falling face first on a puddle of water that was left in the cave.
"Ow!," she cried, struggling to stand on her feet.
Why was she in this situation?, she thought. She had initially thought she would stumble in the afterlife after that incident, but when she woke up, she thought she was in a dream. Now, non of it felt like a dream, this was real life. Charlotte successfully stood to her feet, though her legs felt wobbly, as the transfiguration to this new body of hers was still new to her.
She faced the screen which was still glowing a radiant, orange color infront of her.
This was a system, and a message was written on it, and it read:
[Player Has Obtained The Status: Newbie]
[Congratulations, Player Has Obtained The Gaming System]
Charlotte glanced at the message, flabbergasted and confused as to what this could be. She usually remembered seeing something like this in a video game that she played while staying at her grandmother's place as her grandmother was a big video game fanatic in the 60's. Her infatuation often led her to create video games such as,
The Great Wall Of Benin.
Yes, she remembered now, the video game that she had been seeing something like this, was a video game called The Great Wall Of Benin, where they were exactly a hundred levels. One was to create a character and face off against horrid monsters and beasts, while gathering allies.
She could remember making a character with tattos, and it seemed she was transmigrated into the body of her gaming avatar.
The image of her grandmother flashed before her eyes, the moments she spent with her was joyful, and the video games she owned were always amazing, same went for her cooking. She could also picture the image of the great wall, as it was an actual wall which was destroyed by the British in the past, stories of the wall was really captivating.
In that instant a smaller screan materialized to the side, picking her attention, it read:
—Status—
•Name: Charlotte_AA •Level: 1
•Class: None
•Job: None
•Title: Rookie
•Status Info: Complete quests to gain XP, Mana Points to level up. Player must also collect materials in order to craft items and armour.
•HP: 100
•MP: ???
•Strength: 100+
•Agility: 100+
•EXP: ???
•Awareness: 100+
Charlotte's confusion deepened as she swiped through the screen before her. Strange terms like "Experience" and "Mana points" flashed across it, leaving her utterly bewildered. Despite the unfamiliarity, a strange sense of instinct guided, as if she knew what needed to be done next.
Besides, she did play the game during her younger days.
How was she able to escape the cave as there was a huge wall blocking her path from moving further.
'The system told me to gain experience and mana points, plus, I have no clothes to wear and I can only get one if I can gather items. But how do I escape?' She asked herself, stroking her chin. Glancing at the wall, she noticed some inscriptions on it.
"What could this mean?," she muttered. Curiously piqued, she placed her hand against the wall, rubbing her palms against the rough edges. While doing this, she felt a sharp pain on her finger as if a sharp object had pricked her.
"Ow!," she exclaimed, taking her hand from the wall she checked to see that her finger was dripping blood. Just then, the wall began to tremble and red liquid began to fill the inscriptions.
Charlotte took a few cautious steps back, bracing herself for the worst. But as the trembling ceased, a momentary calm settled over her. She inched forward cautiously, her heart pounding in her chest. Just as she reached out to inspect the wall, an unforeseen force shattered it, sending debris flying in all directions before she could even react.
Charlotte shielded her eyes from the swirling dust, blocking it from stinging her eyes. As the debris settled, a fresh, earthy scent filled the air, accompanied by a gentle breeze.
Lowering her hand, she blinked against the bright sunlight streaming in, casting a warm glow on her skin. As her eyes adjusted, she was greeted by a breathtaking scene: a surreal woodland filled with towering trees, lush grass, vibrant shrubs, and an array of fruits. Signs of animal life stirred within the foliage, reassuring her that she wasn't alone in this strange new world.
Stepping out of the cave's entrance, Charlotte marveled at the stunning landscape. She glanced down, trying to make sense of her surroundings, a world unlike anything she had encountered before, even in her video game experiences. It felt familiar yet entirely alien, as if reality had shifted.
In front of her stood a spear embedded in a flat stone slab. The grass around the slab had ceased growing, and glowing lines traced intricate patterns across its surface like a mystical map. Drawn by curiosity, Charlotte approached the spear, gripping its handle tightly. With a firm tug, she pulled it free, expecting some grand event to unfold.
But nothing happened.
She raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the anticlimactic moment. Just as she began to question the situation, the stone slab began to dissolve, sinking into the ground. The cave and surrounding landscape followed, dissolving into nothingness until only an empty field remained.
"What... just happened?" she muttered, scanning her surroundings for any clue, but her thoughts offered no answers.
The system appeared another time, startling Charlotte. It read:
[Trial: Kill The Stranger]
•Reward: 1000xp/Class and Title Change
"Kill the stranger?," Charlotte mentioned, confused as to what this stranger was. "Who could—"
A set of undergarments materialized on Charlotte's body:
[Player has been gifted: Ancestral Spout Bikini]
Suddenly, the rhythmic sound of drums echoed behind her, growing louder and more ominous. Charlotte whirled around, her heart racing. Emerging from the shadows was a figure unlike anything she'd seen. It resembled a female human but stood impossibly tall, with elongated, clawed arms clutching sticks. Its ash-white skin contrasted sharply with the tribal clothing it wore, which left much of its body exposed. Around its neck hung a drum fashioned from leopard skin.
Charlotte stumbled back, her gaze still fixed on the stranger. Though, it stood motionless, its eerie presence sending chills down her spine. She tripped and fell from fear, her eyes diverting. When she looked back, the creature vanished, replaced by the haunting sound of two drumbeats.
Scrambling to her feet, and looking around, she glanced back, only to find the stranger now standing directly behind her. This time, it held no drum, but its clawed hand was raised. With tremondous force, it swiped at her, the momentum of the blow akin to a truck's impact.