*"Pffft!"*
The splash was the only sound before a suffocating silence swallowed everything. While frantic bubbles scrambled for the surface, Kayy's body did the opposite—drifting downward, sinking deeper into the obsidian depths of the lake.
The water was glacial, biting into his skin like a thousand needles of ice, freezing every nerve cell. In the encroaching darkness, his lungs began to scream for oxygen that would never come. His consciousness flickered like a dying candle. If he didn't wake up now, this lake bed would become his eternal grave.
Just as his vision began to fade into total blackness, a cold, mechanical voice echoed directly inside his mind.
**[Ding! System has detected a suitable target. Commencing synchronization... Binding successful!]**
**[Warning! Host is in critical danger. Activating Emergency Protection Function!]**
Whoosh!
In an instant, a shimmering spherical barrier materialized, enveloping Kayy. The transparent dome forced the freezing water back, creating a pocket of air that snatched him from the jaws of death just in time.
A faint electrical current stimulated Kayy's brain. His fingers twitched. Slowly, the fog in his mind cleared.
"Where... am I?"
Like a tidal wave, information about this world and the system's functions surged into his mind.
**[You have obtained the 'Super Boss Roleplay System'.]**
**[As long as you play the characters drawn by the system, you will gain their corresponding abilities.]**
"I've... transmigrated."
Sifting through the mental data, Kayy finally understood his predicament. He had crossed over into a parallel world. Unfortunately, the moment he arrived, he had fallen into a fractured space—a place the people of this world called the Hell of Decision. It was a realm where countless hidden horrors lurked, and where death could claim you in a heartbeat.
Once someone fell into this distorted dimension, escape was practically impossible. Legend has it that after an hour, the dimension might "reject" its inhabitants, spitting them back out. Since March, hundreds had vanished into these spatial rifts. The sheer scale of the disappearances had caught the attention of every nation on Earth.
However, the "rejection" came with a grim catch: every piece of equipment recovered from the Abyss told the same story. Everyone who fell in died. So far, the survival rate remained a perfect zero.
Deep in the silt of the lake bed, dozens of unknown tentacles began to stir. They rose from the mud, swaying in the water like harmless weeds. But they were far from peaceful. Over a dozen tentacles whipped toward Kayy in unison, only to thud uselessly against the system's barrier. They hissed in the water, unable to pierce the defense.
Kayy watched them, a brief surge of relief washing over him. But it was short-lived.
**[Ding! System energy is insufficient to maintain the barrier. Please draw a Boss Template immediately!]**
The energy was draining fast. Kayy knew he had to move. If the barrier failed now, he would be shredded by the horrors below before he could even take a breath.
He kicked his legs, swimming toward the surface with every ounce of strength he possessed. The tentacles pursued him, stretching upward with predatory greed, but they reached their limit after a few meters. They could only twitch helplessly as their prey escaped, eventually sinking back into the mud to wait for the next victim.
Splash!
Kayy broke the surface. The protective dome vanished instantly. He paddled to the shore and dragged his sodden body onto the dry land.
Drip. Drip. Drip. "System," Kayy wheezed, his lungs burning. "Start the character draw."
He was in the heart of the Hell of Decision. Even a peaceful-looking lake was a deathtrap. His life depended entirely on the luck of this draw.
**[Ding! Randomly selecting a Boss Template... Activating Boss Roleplay Mode.]**
**[Note: The closer your performance is to the character's persona, the more abilities you will unlock.]**
**[The more people believe in your roleplay, and the greater the shock you cause, the more 'Subversion Value' you will earn.]**
**[Commencing Extraction...]**
**[Extraction Successful!]**
Kayy's eyes widened as he saw the result. "Heaven-Tier? My luck isn't half bad."
**[First Draw Bonus: You have received a free Template!]**
**[Ding! Congratulations! You have drawn the Heaven-Tier Template: The Illusionist.]**
Character: The Illusionist
Potential: Heaven-Tier
Persona: Calm madness, elegant and extraordinary, paranoid, obsessed with perfection.
Status: Initializing abilities...
**[Ding! Let the performance begin!]**
Swish!
A black-and-white harlequin mask materialized over Kayy's face. The mouth of the mask was painted in a vivid, exaggerated crimson—a wide, mocking grin that felt both absurd and unsettling. Beneath the mask, Kayy's features shifted, becoming sharper and more refined.
"Hehe~"
A raspy, charismatic chuckle escaped his lips. His entire stature changed. His wet rags were replaced by an exquisite, tailored magician's suit. He stood with a newfound grace, his fingers dancing lightly in the air like a poetic artist.
**[System: Generating abilities...]**
**[Bonus Pemula Activated: Abilities matching the Illusionist's image will be designed automatically. Dialogue and flair must be provided by the Host. The more complete the persona, the stronger the power!]**
Kayy didn't need much time to think. He knew exactly what kind of dialogue suited a man of "calm madness." Though the suit was dramatic, it lacked a certain... mystery.
With a thought, Kayy modified the outfit. A flowing mantle attached to his shoulders, and ethereal flames ignited along the hem of his robes. He willed his hands to be flawless. Under his gaze, they became porcelain-smooth—the kind of hands one would expect to see playing a grand piano in a haunted cathedral.
Six rings appeared on his fingers. Rubies the color of pigeon blood glinted in the dim light, adding a layer of cryptic wealth to his image.
**[First Ability Unlocked: Manipulation.]**
**[Manipulation: The Illusionist is a natural-born master of hearts. Even the body is but a puppet in his hands. Special: Can turn enemies of a lower level into permanent puppets. Current Limit: Dependent on User Level.]**
Kayy tested the power. He felt the invisible threads of energy extending from his fingertips, as natural as breathing.
A Heaven-Tier character possessed four major abilities. Only one was open now. He needed an audience. He needed the world to believe.
"I have the skills. I have the costume," Kayy whispered, his voice dripping with theatrical flair. "Now... I just need a stage for my grand debut. And this performance... must be perfect."
In that moment, Kayy ceased to exist. There was only the Illusionist.
"System, manifest the stage."
**[Stage manifested. Newbie bonus applied: 0 Subversion Value deducted for environmental creation.]**
"Excellent. The stage is set. All that's left... is for the audience to arrive."