"C'mon, give it to me..." Evan slumped back deep into his chair, letting out a tired, heavy sigh.
He stared at the computer screen, his hand gripping the mouse tight enough to turn his knuckles white. The animation played out in front of him, the digital wheel spinning with sparks flying around in a flashy loop. It was designed to keep players hooked, to make them feel like they were just on the edge of winning. He was praying for that specific gold shimmer, the one that meant he had finally pulled a Super Super Rare drop.
He really, really needed that gold light after the grueling week he'd had at the office.
Instead, a dull, mocking purple light flashed on the monitor, accompanied by the generic trumpet sound he had heard a thousand times before.
"Fuck!"
The curse tore out of his throat before he could stop it. That was it. That was the absolute last of his gems. He'd been saving them for months, grinding through boring daily quests and skipping his lunch breaks just to collect the login bonuses, all in the hope of pulling the new character he'd been wanting since the leaks dropped online.
"This is completely rigged," he muttered, tossing the mouse onto the desk where it clattered loudly against the wood. "Rigged as hell. The rates are a lie."
He shut the laptop with a snap, and the sudden darkness of the screen reflected his own tired face. He looked older than he actually was.
He'd somehow become addicted to this Gacha game at the start of the year. It had started innocent enough, just a fun distraction to unwind after eight hours of staring at spreadsheets, but it had slowly turned into a second job. Fortunately, his real job paid well enough that the money he wasted wasn't a huge issue, but the time he spent—the weekends lost to ranking events, the evenings lost to grinding materials—was gone forever.
I really should just quit, Evan thought, his eyes drifting to the analog clock ticking on the wall. It was way past midnight. It stopped being fun weeks ago, and now it's just a chore I feel obligated to do. I need something new to fill the time.
He opened the laptop again out of habit, his fingers moving before his brain could stop them. He grimaced at the bad results still lingering on the screen, a duplicate weapon he didn't need and wouldn't use, before force-closing the game and opening a browser. He had no idea where to find a new game that wouldn't just frustrate him, so he opened a new tab and went to Reddit, hoping to find something interesting.
He looked through a few gaming subreddits, but quickly realized he wasn't alone in his frustration. The 'new' queue was full of the same complaints he had in his head. Thousands of others were stuck in the same spot with their addictions, looking for a way out but unable to find one. Every thread was just people saying the game was dead or the developers were greedy, which was pretty depressing to read when he was already down.
He scrolled down further, pushing past the popular pages into the smaller, more niche categories, looking for something different. He stopped scrolling when he saw a title that caught his attention. It had zero upvotes, but something about it stood out.
[If you could Create Your Own Adventure using Essence, what would you choose?]
He clicked the link.
He knew it was probably a waste of time, just another daydream thread that might get deleted by a mod for being off-topic, but he read the prompt anyway. The rules were simple enough: choose two 'Essences' from the list provided and explain what you would do if you actually had those powers.
It made him feel a bit nostalgic. He remembered playing those text-based adventure games years ago, spending hours on forums trying to make the perfect character build. Sometimes he'd pick the strongest options to win easily, enjoying the power fantasy of being untouchable, and other times he'd build a character who had to work hard for everything just for the challenge.
Right now, though, he was tired of working hard. He was tired of bad luck and terrible drop rates.
"Well, let's see," Evan murmured to himself, leaning in closer to read the list. "If I really wanted the best possible life... if I wanted to never have to worry about luck or RNG ever again... I think I'd choose..."
He started typing, the rhythmic sound of the keyboard filling the quiet room.
I think I would choose Essence of Blank and Essence of Home, he typed, smiling a little at the thought. Those two are really strong, especially if you put them together. 'Home' is basically like having your own private world where you can control everything. You're basically a God inside that space. You could stop anyone from hurting you just by bringing them in there and erasing them.
He paused to think about the second choice, weighing the options in his head. He read the description for 'Blank' again. It seemed like the safest option to ensure he survived.
And 'Blank' is basically a cheat code for life. You get unlimited potential to grow and can use any power system you want. If I somehow died, I'd just respawn back at 'Home' safe and sound. It's powerful. The only catch is that you have to train to get strong, but since you have infinite time in the Home, that doesn't really matter.
Evan nodded to himself, satisfied with the logic. It seemed like the perfect setup for a relaxing life or a powerful one, depending on how he felt. He continued typing out his plan for what he'd actually do.
I'd run a Dimensional Bookstore. With 'Home' able to connect to any reality, I could study different magic systems, meet new people, and learn everything I ever wanted to know. Plus, maybe I could help people out here and there. Books can change a timeline. Imagine learning about your own world from an outside perspective.
Technically, he wouldn't just give people the answers to their problems because that would ruin their story, but the idea of being a mysterious shopkeeper who travels between dimensions sounded fun.
It took another thirty minutes of typing and editing before Evan was happy with his reply. He checked his spelling and fixed a few sentences to make himself sound a bit smarter. He didn't know why he was bothering since the post looked dead and buried, but it felt good to write it all down. Maybe someone would use the idea for a story he could read later.
He pressed Submit.
He refreshed the page just to make sure it actually posted. As the screen reloaded, a sharp notification sound came from the browser.
That's odd, he thought, moving his cursor to click the icon. That was only about thirty seconds. I thought this thread was completely empty.
The reply was from the original poster.
[The_Author]:Hey, Evan-Im-Tired! Thanks for commenting. I really like your idea. I think it would be cool for someone to actually experience a life like that. Tell you what. How about you DO experience it? Make sure to build that Dimensional Store. I might come visit in the far, far future. Have fun!
"The heck?" Evan scoffed, reading the comment again to make sure he wasn't seeing things. "Dude's delusional. That's what I get for commenting on old threads late at night."
The room started to vibrate.
It began as a low hum that rattled the empty soda cans on his desk, but it got louder and more intense quickly. A bright white light shone from the walls, filling the room completely. It didn't cast shadows; it just seemed to erase them entirely. It got brighter and brighter until Evan had to cover his eyes with his hands, yelling out as the light stung them.
The vibration turned violent, shaking him to his core. He curled up in his chair, squeezing his eyes shut tight, and tried to make himself small as a high-pitched noise filled his ears like a feedback loop that wouldn't end.
Then, just as suddenly as it started, everything went silent.
It took about five minutes for the phantom shaking in Evan's limbs to finally stop. His heart was beating fast against his ribs, like it was trying to escape his chest. He didn't open his eyes right away because he was afraid of what he might see, but he knew his apartment was gone.
The smell was different. The stale air of his room and the city smells—exhaust, rain, and old food—were gone. Instead, the air smelled fresh, like clean grass.
Evan opened one eye cautiously. The bright light was gone. He opened both eyes and sat up, holding his chest to calm his breathing.
"Where... where the hell is my apartment?"
He looked around, confused. Instead of his walls and ceiling, he was sitting on a grassy field that seemed to go on forever in every direction. The grass was a deep green and felt soft, almost like a thick carpet under his hands, but the sky was the strangest part.
The city lights he was used to were gone. Instead, the sky was filled with stars. There were nebulas and galaxies swirling above him, looking like something out of a high-budget sci-fi movie projected onto the heavens.
Evan stood up slowly, his legs feeling weak and shaky. "Hello? Is anyone there?"
His voice echoed into the empty space, traveling further than it should have. There was no answer.
Just as he started to panic, a piece of paper appeared out of thin air in front of him. It didn't fall to the ground; it just floated there at eye level.
"What?!" Evan shouted, though he stayed put, too shocked to move.
He reached out with a shaking hand and took the note. The paper felt heavy and expensive, like parchment, as he unfolded it.
Once again, thanks for responding to my post! Your dream has been granted. Everything you wrote is now possible. First, you're standing inside your 'Home'. Since you haven't made anything yet, it is a completely blank world, ready for you to change.
"Oh... my God," Evan whispered, the reality of the situation slowly hitting him.
Secondly, your existence has taken on the Essence of Blank. You know how it works, obviously, so if you want to become stronger, I expect you to use your new powers. Lastly, enjoy your new life. Go do whatever you want: make that bookstore, help people, become a ruler, get married, anything. The universe is yours.
Much love,The Author.
The note faded away into light in his hand. Evan's legs felt weak, and he sat down hard on the grass.
"I've actually... been granted 'Home' and 'Blank'? That's incredible."
He clenched his fists, feeling a newfound strength in them. He questioned if he was crazy, of course, but everything felt too real to be a dream. The cool grass under his fingers, the impossible depth of the sky, and the fact that he wasn't hungry or thirsty despite the stress he just went through.
"Let's test this out," Evan muttered, standing up again. He needed to see if it really worked.
He closed his eyes and focused on the empty space around him. He thought of a desktop wallpaper he used to have, a tropical island with clear blue water, golden sand, and a large mountain covered in a forest. In the center, he imagined a modern two-story mansion with big glass windows and a wide deck.
He felt the air change around him. A pressure built up, like a storm front moving in, but it felt controlled, like he was the one doing it. The reality around him shifted to match his will. Since he was in charge here, the world had to listen.
He opened his eyes.
A wide grin spread across his face, and he started laughing.
It was there. He could smell the salt water on the breeze. The waves were hitting the shore a few feet away, and the mansion was gleaming in the sun he had just created, looking exactly like the picture he remembered from his computer.
His toes curled into the warm sand, and the ocean sparkled in the light.
"It's real... all of it is real!"
Evan focused again. He wanted to be comfortable, so he imagined a luxury beach chair with thick cushions. The space beside him shimmered for a second before the chair appeared with a soft thud.
He sat down and leaned back, looking up at the blue sky he had made.
"Insanity," he whispered, shaking his head.
He tried to think about it logically. One second he was on Reddit complaining about a game, and the next he was a god in his own dimension. The note was signed by 'The Author.' Was that God? It didn't really matter right now. What mattered was that he was free.
He needed to check his status to see what he could actually do.
"Status," he said aloud. Nothing happened.
Right. I need to will it. It responds to thought.
He focused on wanting to see his abilities. A semi-transparent window appeared in front of his eyes, showing the text he had read earlier.
THE ESSENCE OF THE BLANK
Mind & Soul Security: You are immune to mind control or soul attacks. Your mind is safe.
Existence Anchor: You cannot be erased. You are safe from reality warping or timeline changes.
Detection Immunity: You are invisible to magical tracking or scrying.
Fate & Prophecy Nullification: Destiny doesn't apply to you. No prophecy can control you.
The Scaling Engine: You have no limits on how strong or smart you can get.
Hyper-Accelerated Learning: You learn things instantly and master them very quickly.
Universal Compatibility: You can use any energy system (Magic, Ki, etc.) at the same time without issues.
Power Integrity: Your powers cannot be stolen or copied.
Physical Peak: Your body is always in perfect condition. You don't get sick and have infinite stamina.
THE ESSENCE OF THE HOME
Infinite Demiplane: A personal pocket dimension that gets bigger as needed.
Absolute Authority: You control gravity, time, and weather inside the Home.
Breach Immunity: No one can enter unless you invite them.
Manifestation (Mundane): You can instantly create normal items like food or furniture.
The Archive: Records the design of anything you touch or analyze.
Supernatural Creation: You can create magical items once you have the design in your Archive.
The Construct System: You can create mindless copies of people or creatures for training.
Temporal Manipulation: You control how fast time passes inside compared to the outside.
Multiversal Interaction: You can travel to any universe and create a building, or door connected to your Home there.
Retroactive Presence: When you go to a new world, you automatically get legal papers and a history there.
Evan waved his hand, and the window faded away into mist.
He stared at the ocean he had created. It was a lot to take in. He wasn't just strong; he was overpowered. He had been given a blank check to do whatever he wanted.
"Well..." Evan sat up, brushing sand off his pants. He looked at his hands, which looked the same as before, but felt different. Stronger. "Running the bookstore should be easy now. I have everything I need."
He looked toward the horizon where the water met the sky.
"The question is," he whispered, feeling genuinely excited for the first time in a long while, "which world should I visit first?"
-----------------------------------------
(First Anchor Points are Harry Potter, Twilight and MCU. It'll be a door that allows people to enter his shop, obviously he will manifest a 'Shop' in those worlds, but they're essentially gates. Tell me what point in time you think he should link the Store to in each world? Also, his FULL Essence List is in the auxiliary chapter, I'll add profiles of people there too.)