System: Date – December 31st, 2030.
System: Earth Time – 23:45.
System: The event is starting soon. All participants, proceed to the starting area to welcome the newcomers.
System: 10,000 players will be transported in 15 minutes.
[The Void]
Nothing.
No light. No distance.
Only silence.
Even so, a disgusted voice echoed.
Something began to speak.
Humans. Violent since birth.
Killing over nothing.
Stepping on one another.
A mocking voice cut in.
"And yet…
Those same humans keep us sane.
Keep me sane.
Just try recruiting the good ones.
Not… whatever this is."
The other voice sighed.
Do you have to ruin the moment?
…Hey, don't we sound like them?
I'm going to pretend you aren't here.
You're right.
They are selfish.
Violent.
Disposable.
But what right do we have to judge them?
We aren't much different.
…
Can't believe that shit came out of your mouth.
You're chaos incarnate.
The god of destruction.
Hmm.
Good point.
You know…
There isn't much in the void.
System: The first selection round will begin soon.
System: Estimated reduction: 2,500 players.
…
[The City]
Time – 23:55
New Year's Eve.
Crowded streets.
Laughter everywhere.
Dark office.
A screen still illuminating.
You are a lost cause, a moron.
I really, really need coffee.
Another year wasted.
Tch. What have I become?
...time to work.
I almost feel bad for you.
The boss's gonna kill me.
I need it finished tonight.
You're so pathetic.
Sleep deprived?
Maybe…
Your favorite excuse.
I'm losing it again.
You never had it.
Aren't you tired?
Sigh… tired?
I had no other choice.
Ugh. Why am I talking to myself?
I despise you.
My eyes.
They feel heavy.
I just want—
Want to rest…
…
System: Recruiting in 60 seconds.
Ugh…
I'm hearing screams.
Crackling sounds…
Why is it suddenly
hard to breathe?
The air feels thick.
Hot.
—Wake up, idiot!
Don't you feel the heat?
Feel?
No.
I'm going to die.
Die then…
I don't care.
We both know why.
System: 3
System: 2
System: 1
System: Immigrating player Lux a#D@#$ V0$.
System: Error 403
System: Immigration successful.
Everything goes silent.
For a moment, he couldn't feel anything.
Peace.
…
[Another World]
Eh.
My body feels light.
The air… unfamiliar.
Nothing like the polluted city.
System: Welcome, "Player Lux".
System: elc0me "PlaQer V@#".
Ugh—my ears.
He opens his eyes.
Grass?
I'm lying on grass.
And…
Holding a sword.
this doesn't feel real.
Someone calls him out.
Hey, hey—are you alright?
A piercing noise hit him.
UGH!!
Fu*kkk
My ears—
Hey?
The ringing fades.
Finally…
It went away.
Hello… who are you?
Oh, you're finally awake. Name's Noah.
What about you?
Lux.
Nice to meet you, Lux.
Nice to meet you too.
He sees a green field filled with people.
So many people…
I thought I died.
That's odd—
You're surprisingly calm.
I'm just tired.
Everything.
I see…
Hey. This is going to sound insane.
We aren't on Earth anymore.
I figured.
Like those manga.
Isekai…
—Exactly.
We've been transported to another world.
You're not new to this kind of thing, huh?
Yeah.
Old hobbies.
Hey! Don't be a letdown.
This is a second chance for us weebs.
Giggle.
Maybe.
Welp, looks like more people are waking up…
I've got to go.
Take care!
Okay.
So this is what we wished for.
You're still here.
F*ck you.
What were you expecting?
I'm you.
Sigh…
I should just ignore it.
IGNORE?
HELLO?
Hmm.
If this is a typical isekai…
Menu?
(System)
Name: Lux
(Class)
Unclassified
(Skills)
Empty
Empty
Empty
(Physical Stats)
Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Dexterity: 1
Endurance: 5
(Magic Stats)
Power: 0
Mana: 5
Control: 0
Damn, I'm weak.
Not really.
Endurance and Mana are higher.
His eyes wandered and saw an icon.
A backpack icon.
He taps it.
(Inventory)
Starter Weapon Pack
Empty
Empty
Oh.
So this is my inventory.There's actually something inside it.
Starter Weapon Pack…
Open it.
Hmm.
He opens it.
A small cube appears in front of Lux. Its surface is covered in faint question marks, shifting like moving symbols.
The cube begins to spin.
Slowly at first.
Then faster.
And faster.
The question marks blur together until the entire cube turns into a spinning mass of light.
Golden light bursts from it.
For a moment, it hovers in the air—
Then it collapses into the inventory window.
Woo—
What was that?
(System)
Starter Iron Dagger acquired.
Type: Weapon
Grade: Common
Attack: +2
Durability: 40 / 40
Special Effects: None
It's Common.
Of course.
Better than nothing, I guess.
Test it out.
Do you want to equip "Starter Iron Dagger"?
Yes.
A dagger materializes out of thin air.
It's here.
He swings it horizontally through the air.
Lighter than I expected.
Balanced.
…Yeah.
It feels good.
Hey!
What? What do you want?
Look above.
Lux looked up to the sky and saw a giant countdown.
Radiating the color red.
His eyes widened.
The selection round starts in 1 min and 13 seconds.
…Selection?
The timer dropped.
1:00
System: The selection round will begin in one minute.
System: All participants, be prepared.
The voice inside him started to speak.
Selection.
Comes with elimination too.
What are you on about—
A glitched system window appears.
System: 027-452 As5ig#m3nt er0R
System: Un#bl3 to as-sIg#.
System: Retrying…
System: Retrying…
System: Failed.
What the—
His vision twisted.
The world around him started to fade.
Breaking apart.
I will not lose this chance.
What are you—.
The nothingness closed in.
Sound vanished.
Light dimmed.
Everything went black.
System: Immigrating Vos.
System: Immigration successful.
…
Someone's eyes opened.
No confusion.
No fear.
Only awareness.
System: Welcome, Vos.
Where am I?
I can't feel anything—
I thought you were going to be unconscious for a while.
I see…
I hear, but I can't move.
How does it feel… being in my seat for once?
What… are you!
—You.
System: 5
System: 4
The ground shambles.
A low rumble rises.
An army merges forward.
System: 3
System: 2
Groups of green goblins surge from the distance.
Their eyes blaze with killing intent as they charge toward the players.
System: 1
System: Selection round has begun.
Most players froze at the sight of the goblins.
Some turned and ran.
(System)
Title acquired: "Coward"
Buff: +2 Agility
Others couldn't move, paralyzed by fear.
(System)
Title acquired: "Coward"
Buff: -3 Agility
But Vos… moves.
He rushes forward, ignoring screams and chaos.
(System)
Title acquired: "Fearless"
Buff: +3 Agility, +3 Endurance
His actions would seem foolish to ordinary eyes.
But above, some see his value.
As he closes up the distance, a system message appears.
(System)
Offer: God of war
He doesn't seem to care.
Reject!
(System)
Offer: God of Chaos
Offer: God of Darkness
Offer: God of [unknown…] ×5
REJECT ALL
And at last, a goblin stood in his way.
Swoosh
The blade cuts deep across its neck, and the goblin crumples instantly.
Vos doesn't pause.
The smell of blood triggers him further.
(System)
Title acquired: "Blood Thirsty"
Buff: +5 Agility, +4 Endurance
Two more goblins charge at him.
Their heads roll effortlessly from a single strike each.
He stops.
Pauses, and asks:
Why are you so quiet…?
The ground trembles beneath him, rumbling louder.
Hundreds of goblins slowly close in, but Vos waits patiently for an answer.
…
It doesn't matter, anyway.
His face twists.
Ha… ha… ha…
The laugh echoes across the battlefield—cold, unnerving.
When he finally looks up,
a goblin is mere inches from him.
He sidesteps the incoming attack.
Another head rolls across the ground.
A mischievous smile spreads across his face.
(System)
Title acquired: "Inhuman"
Buff:
+10 Strength,
+10 Agility,
+10 Dexterity,
+10 Endurance
So tell me
Is it wrong to be exhilarated?
End of Chapter 1.