CHAPTER 1
The year is 2283. Centuries ago, the Amazon rainforest had been destroyed, cut down for its plentiful wood. Many decades after its disappearance, a billionaire named Randy Carter purchased the empty land and invested heavily in regrowing the forest. Randy built a mansion at the top of a cliff and retired there. By the time he died, the seeds he planted had turned into small trees. A new rainforest was growing.
At his death, his fortune was passed onto his descendants. And then their descendants, and so on and so forth. One thing of note was that the Carter family was very peculiar. They spent their entire lives devoted to the martial path.
In the 22nd century, a new technology was created. A piece of hardware that could connect to the brain. Of the many applications this technology had to offer, one was very popular. A genre of games called Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Game, or VRMMOG.
The Carter family was delighted. They could finally put their martial prowess to use. They could dominate this new game-like world. And that they did. Each generation of the Carter family became famous in multiple VRMMOGs. The previously reclusive family became renowned around the world as the leaders of martial arts. They used their fortune and newfound reputation to open dojos around the world, training new generations of martial artists.
In the present day, in the year 2283, the nations on planet Earth put aside their differences and announced world peace. For generations, many had spent their entire lives towards accomplishing this goal. Scientists, politicians, and regular citizens alike. All of them worked tirelessly for this to be achieved. Today, people from every culture gathered together in celebration, for a new era was beginning.
Cade Carter, the youngest member of the Carter family, couldn’t care less. Not that he thought it was a bad thing, no, he thought it was a great step for humanity. It just didn’t solve his problem. Unlike his predecessors, Cade was strange. He didn’t want to play VRMMOGs. When asked the reason why by his grandfather, Cade replied. “What’s the point of getting stronger in a fake world? I only want to train my real body.”
His family was flabbergasted.
As such, Cade spent the first eighteen years of his life living at the mansion in Carter rainforest Randy Carter built so long ago. He trained, trained, and then trained some more. He practiced his family's secret martial arts, and was even on the verge of mastering them. Something that took his grandfather decades, took him a short eighteen years. He was a genius, and praised by his family. And yet, as with most geniuses, he had a few loose screws.
Cade walked up to the edge of the cliff overlooking the sprawling rainforest. The time was 6 a.m., just in time for daybreak. He glanced up at the sky and clasped his hands in front of his chest. With a gaze full of respect and reverence, he said. “Oh dear person up in the heavens, why do you torment me so? When will I be summoned to an alternate world full of magic and monsters? When will I die of a heart attack and be reborn in a magical world? When will a mysterious gas envelope Earth and cause all sorts of magical changes?”
Basically, the core of everything was ‘magic’. Cade Carter, was in fact, a martial arts genius who was obsessed with magic. He was basically a traitor to his family. His prayer at the edge of the cliff had been a daily routine for the past few years.
After several minutes of nonsensical praying, Cade cupped his hand over his ear and waited. And waited. After a minute of silence, Cade gnashed his teeth and roared at the sky. “Hey, dumbass! You can’t handle me can you? I bet if I actually was reincarnated, transported, or summoned, I would easily solve any problems. That’s why you won’t do it, you ugly, fat, poor, peasant!”
Cade snorted and turned around, once again disappointed with yet another unsuccessful prayer. However, just at that moment, a genderless voice rang in his head.
Congratulations Humanity, the System has upgraded
your status from Tier 0 to Tier 1.
Cade glanced around, confused. There was nobody around, so where did the voice come from? After a few moments of nothing happening, he shrugged and continued back towards the mansion. Just then, the voice rang again.
Cade Carter, as a lifeform under a Tier 1 civilization, you
have gained access to the Astral Plane.
To enter the Astral Plane, you must simply will it.
Cade gasped. Now that he was alert, he realized to his horror that the voice was coming from within his very own head. Cade was a normal human, so there was no way it was an artificial intelligence speaking to him through a biotech implant. If that was the case, was he going crazy? Did the training an hour ago give him a concussion? He faintly recalled getting hit in the head. Maybe that was it?
Cade started to panic, only to recall the prayer he just performed. He glanced up at the sky. No way? A moment later, he straightened his posture and released a deep breath. The voice said something about an astral plane. To enter it, I simply have to will it, right? As his thoughts reached this point, the same voice rang in his head.
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The System has deemed that you are not in combat.
Entering the Astral Plane in 5...
4...
3...
2...
1…
As Cade was trying to understand what exactly the voice meant by Astral Plane, he suddenly found himself standing in a vast white world. Bewildered, he glanced around and realized that he was no longer on the cliff. Actually, he might not even be on earth. The very thought left him shaking with excitement.
“Hello, Cade Carter.” The same genderless voice rang out, except this time from in front of him.
Cade gasped as he found a shining orb of light ten feet in front of him. As his eyes landed upon the orb of light, it spoke again. “Hello? Are your mental faculties working?”
“Y-yes. What’s going on? Who are you?” Cade asked warily, his heart beating in his chest.
The orb of light brightened slightly. “Simply put, your civilization has meet the prerequisite requirements, so it has been upgraded to a tier 1 civilization. This is your first time entering the Astral Plane, so you have arrived in the tutorial zone. As for me, I am the System.”
Cade could guess what the requirement was to being a tier 1 civilization. Most likely, it had something to do with world peace. The last part was what caught his attention. “What does the System do?”
“The System governs the universe.” The ball of light responded curtly.
“Wait… so you’re saying the universe is sentient? Are you god?” Cade’s eyes widened as he began to sweat upon remembering all the insults he said over the years.
“No, and no.” The System paused briefly. “The universe isn’t sentient. Neither am I, actually. Think of me as the most sophisticated computer in the universe.”
Cade let out the biggest sigh of relief in his life. “So, uh, who created you?”
The ball of light dimmed. “Your civilization must reach a higher plane before I can tell you that. Sorry.”
“Oh.” Cade was really anticipating the answer to that one. “So how do I reach a higher plane?”
The ball of light trembled. “Cade, I understand your curiosity, but I can’t answer any of those questions.”
Cade laughed to himself. He supposed he was a little too optimistic to have the answers to the most complicated questions in the universe. “Okay. You said this is the tutorial area, right?”
“Yes.” The ball of light hovered up and down. “Actually, I have the perfect analogy for you to understand the situation. Think of the Astral Plane as a VRMMOG on the scale of the universe.”
“What? So this is just some game?” Cade’s heart nearly collapsed from disappointment. Although he never played them, Cade knew that most of the world was enraptured with VRMMOGs. With a small piece of technology implanted into the brain, you would be able to control an avatar in a digital world.
“Game?” The ball of light froze. “No, no, no! This is no game, Cade. This is a chance. A chance to be reborn.”
“Reborn?” Cade’s eyes lit up. Long had he dreamed having a second chance. Of being reborn.
“Let me explain.” The ball of light thrummed. “Much like your games, in the Astral Plane, you level up, acquire equipment, and conquer territories.”
“I’m not seeing any difference.” Cade interrupted with a frown.
“Let me finish!” The ball of light enlarged slightly. “Unlike your games, you are able to acquire a type of currency in the Astral Plane called Evolution Points. You can spend this currency to purchase all sorts of upgrades for your real self or your avatar.”
Cade’s body tensed up from excitement. “Like what?”
The ball of light explained. “The options are too many to list. It’s better to let you see for yourself. Simply think of the word ‘status’. There is also the ‘inventory’ command, though that isn’t important right now.”
Status. As soon as he willed it, a bunch of information entered Cade’s mind.
Cade Carter
Evolution Points: 0
Power Level: F-1
Stamina: 100/100
Mana: 100/100
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Intelligence: 10
Vitality: 10
Endurance: 10
Wisdom: 10
Cade used the knowledge he had of VRMMOGs to help navigate himself through his status. Strength increased how strong your body was. Agility increased how fast your body was. Intelligence increased the power of spells. Vitality determined how much damage your body could take. Endurance determined how fast your body regenerated and how much stamina you had. Wisdom increased mana. Based on what he knew, he was a little disappointed. “Uh, why is this so barebones?”
The ball of light explained. “You have only just entered the Astral Plane, Cade. The status will update as you grow more powerful.”
Cade nodded. “You’re right. I got ahead of myself.”
The ball of light moved onto the next topic. “Would you like to change your Avatar’s appearance? I recommend you do so for your own safety.”
“Well, alright then.” Cade kept his height at 6’1, but changed his brown hair to icy blue. He did the same for his eyes. After changing his face a bit, he looked like a dashing cold youth.
“One final thing. As a reward for completing the tutorial, you are allowed to purchase one skill from the F grade shop for free. I recommend you upgrade your avatar, not your real self.” The ball of light explained patiently. “Simply think of the word ‘shop’.”
Cade did as he was told. Immediately, an explosion of information entered his mind. Unprepared by the vast amount, he clutched his head in pain. Thankfully, the pain disappeared as soon as it arrived. As Cade perused the information, he found that he could only access the skills under the F grade shop. The other grades were locked out. Still, even the F grade shop had enough on its own. It would take several hours to sort through everything.
In the shop, he could purchase skills and stats. There were even guns and other technology based items. The choice was obvious. Cade decided to go with his deepest wish.
You have purchased “(F) Magic Shield” for your Avatar.
(F) Magic Shield
Creates a shield around your body, absorbing all damage.
Cost: 10 Mana.
Mastery: 0%.
The amount absorbed is based on intelligence.
“Well, that’s the basics. Best of luck!” The ball of light suddenly disappeared.
“Ah, wait!” Cade reached out with his arm, only to freeze. No longer was he in a white world. Instead, he found himself in the middle of a bustling town. He had entered the Astral Plane.