Marcus hummed before he chirped back again. 'Alright, how do we go about this then?'
Adrian went silent, analyzing the choices. Primordia was perhaps too primitive for their liking, Neoterra was too expensive, That left Novaria—the balanced middle ground. Adrian turned to Marcus. 'Novaria makes the most sense. It has technology that familiar to us, a world that's advancing, but not so far that we'll be at a huge disadvantage.'
Marcus nodded. 'And it only costs 500 points. That means we'll have 500 left over. Maybe we can buy extra perks. That means Novaria it is?'
Adrian fell silent once more, deep in thought. If the number of points they had left determined their options for customization, then perhaps their remaining balance would be more valuable than they initially assumed. Turning to the System, he asked the now, most pressing question on his mind.
'System, are our choices locked in immediately, or do we have the option to fall back and reconsider after selecting?'
The answer was instant.
[ONCE A SELECTION IS MADE, IT CANNOT BE REVOKED.]
Marcus let out an exaggerated groan. 'Oh, how convenient,' he muttered, crossing his arms—at least, in the way his presence in this void could simulate the gesture. 'Tell me, System, did you make that rule specifically just to inconvenience us?'
[INVALID QUERY. SYSTEM IS INCAPABLE OF CONSTRUCTING RULES BASED ON SUBJECTIVE INCONVENIENCE.]
Marcus rolled his eyes. 'Sure. Keep telling yourself that.'
Adrian, meanwhile, was already analyzing their situation and course-correcting his conclusion. This revelation made one thing clear: whatever world they picked, they were stuck with it. There would be no do-overs. He turned to Marcus, feeling a flicker of hesitation before finally speaking.
'I think… we should go with Primordia.'
Marcus blinked. His thoughts sputtered as if he'd misheard. 'Wait, what?'
Adrian exhaled, nodding to himself before reaffirming his decision. 'Primordia.'
Marcus stared at him like he'd grown a second head. 'Are you serious? You do realize that means going back to an era where people think leeches cure diseases, right?'
Adrian winced at the mental image but held firm. 'I know. But think about it—we don't actually know how these points truly work. Novaria costs 500, which seems reasonable, sure. But we don't know if that's actually a good deal or not.'
Marcus frowned, crossing his arms again. 'It still seems like a decent trade. A mid-tech world? It's got potential. I don't see the problem.'
Adrian gestured towards the glowing symbols floating in the void. 'The problem is assumptions. We're assuming 500 points is a respectable amount just because it sounds fair, but for all we know, it could be barely scraping by. Maybe 500 is just enough to get reincarnated into the lowest rungs of society. Maybe it means we start with nothing, struggling just to survive. Meanwhile, if we choose Primordia, we'll have 800 points left to allocate into advantages that might make all the difference.'
Marcus hesitated, considering Adrian's words. As much as he hated to admit it, the logic was sound. More points meant more flexibility. And given how utterly in the dark they were about the deeper mechanics of this situation they were in, playing it safe perhaps wasn't the worst idea.
Marcus sighed. 'Yeah, I get what you're saying. And honestly? This is the kind of choice you'd make.'
Adrian tilted his head. 'What's that supposed to mean?'
Marcus smirked. 'You always pick the safer road when things are uncertain. When we played strategy games, you were the one who'd invest in long-term growth rather than rushing in for quick gains. You like slow, methodical advantages. Me? I'm the type to go in guns blazing and figure things out later.'
Adrian chuckled. 'And how did that usually turn out for you?'
Marcus groaned. 'Let's just say… I lost a lot more matches than I would like to admit.'
Adrian smirked. 'Exactly.'
Marcus threw his non-existent hands up. 'Fine, fine. You win. Primordia it is.'
The moment he said it, the System reacted.
[SELECTION CONFIRMED: PRIMORDIA.]
[KARMIC COST: 200 POINTS DEDUCTED.]
[REMAINING BALANCE: 800 POINTS.]
Adrian, however, focused on what mattered. 'Now that we have points left over… we should see what else we can buy.'
Marcus grinned. 'Now that's a plan I can get behind.'
The transition was instant.
A vast, simplistic map of Primordia materialized before them, its barren, almost featureless terrain stretching in all directions.
It was a disappointing sight.
The map lacked the intricate details Marcus and Adrian had hoped for—no mountains, no rivers, no forests, not even the faintest hint of topography. It was as if someone had hastily sketched the regions in broad, crude strokes, distinguishing them only by faintly glowing colors.
At the top corner, a line of text displayed what was presumably the universe's name… yet it was completely illegible. Strange, cryptic symbols wove together in nonsense patterns neither of them recognized.
Marcus frowned. 'That's… not readable at all.'
Adrian sighed. 'I don't think it matters. It's not like we're going to be hopping between universes anytime soon.'
Marcus snorted. 'Yeah, good point. Interdimensional travel is a little out of our budget right now.'
They let the matter drop.
Instead, Adrian focused on the real issue at hand. He eyed the simplistic representation of Primordia, his analytical mind already considering the implications. A map this vague was practically useless. He turned to the System.
'Can we get a more detailed version?'
A pause. Then, the response came in its usual mechanical precision.
[DETAILED MAP ACCESSIBLE. COST: 50 KARMIC POINTS.]
Adrian barely flinched. He had expected this. The System wasn't just some omnipotent force handing out freebies—it operated on transactions.
Marcus, however, tilted his head. 'Fifty, huh? That's not too bad.'
Adrian hesitated. It wasn't a steep price, but every karmic point they spent here meant fewer options when it came to their reincarnation perks.
Marcus, sensing Adrian's hesitation, gave him a nudge. 'Come on, dude. The more we know, the better. Isn't that what you always say?'
Adrian sighed, a small, knowing smile creeping onto his face. 'You're right.'
He turned back to the System. 'We'll take it.'
[CONFIRMED. 50 KARMIC POINTS DEDUCTED.]
The map shimmered.
Then, it transformed.
Colors sharpened. Borders solidified. Landforms emerged, painting a striking portrait of Primordia's vast regions—towering mountains, endless deserts, lush forests, and sprawling coastlines. Cities and settlements appeared as glowing points of light, their significance not yet clear, but offering a sense of the civilization that awaited them.
Even Marcus whistled in admiration. 'Now this is more like it.'
Adrian studied the map closely, already piecing together potential strategies. 'This should make things easier.'
Marcus grinned. 'Now we just need to figure out where in all this mess we want to be reborn.'
Adrian nodded.
The map pulsed, waiting.