Jax blinked his eyes open, spitting out a mouthful of grass as he rolled onto his back.

Fuck, that had hurt. He was definitely not a fan of being yanked around by whatever force had been guiding his journey so far. And here he was, yet again, in the unknown. He blinked rapidly at the symbols floating in his vision, but they didn’t go away. Slowly, the symbols shifted into a single word.

Integrating…

That’s what it said—integrating. One word that filled a third of his vision inside a black box. It hovered there as he sat up, blocking his ability to see his surroundings. Then the word changed.

INTEGRATION COMPLETE.

The words flashed by quickly as Jax read them. They folded from one message to the next, seeming to indicate that his understanding triggered the next sequence. As if there was a mouse clicking “next” tied to his consciousness.

Quest complete: Assessment of Tyr.

The god of past deeds and veterans had assessed Jax’s soul as having possible C-grade potential. Tyr was impressed with his deeds and valor.

Reward: Movement to a new planet (location chosen by deity), C-grade wetware (upgradable), 4 days’ rations, 1 pack (empty), clothing (style set to fit planetary sensibilities), map.

Jax read the words, but before he could fully comprehend them, they collapsed, replaced by new information.

Name: Jax

Level: 0

Exp: 295,132/10

Race: Hybrid (84% human, 15% Spiritual protector, 1% Suffering Voidspawn)

Class: Undetermined

Attributes:

Strength: 8

Agility: 3

Dexterity: 7

Intelligence: 4

Constitution: 3 (10)

Titles: Once reborn, Void runner, Boundless soul.

Jax took in the prompts as they appeared, slowly trying to make sense of them. First, he wasn’t fully human anymore—at least, not entirely. Second, he had a ton of Exp. He focused on that line and frowned at the message that appeared.

Exp: 295,132/10. Unit leveling locked until hostiles are no longer present in the area.

Jax read that line, and a chill ran down his spine. He tried to stand, but an incredible weakness washed over him, and the lights flickered back out.

However, as darkness swept over him, he didn’t lose consciousness. Instead, a new prompt greeted him.

Status Effect: Blindness

Status Effect: Deafness

Status Effect: Weakness

Status Effect: Paralysis

Item Effect: Branding collar.

You have been restrained by a level 10 branding collar. Do you wish to resist?

WARNING: Odds of a successful resistance are <3% at current level. Result of an unsuccessful attempt will be soul damage.

Jax quickly flicked his intent across the "Do not resist" prompt, and the words faded away.

A moment passed, and his hearing returned, as did his ability to feel his body. The words around him were in a strange language he couldn’t understand, and he responded as best he could.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“I’m sorry, I don’t speak your language,” he said, raising his arms and showing his palms in front of him.

The voice rose in pitch, and a few other voices began speaking over one another. It was quite annoying, especially since he had no issue understanding Tyr earlier. After a moment, the voices quieted, and Jax’s vision slowly returned.

In front of him stood what he could only describe as a dwarf. Now, he didn’t mean this in the sense of a short person with dwarfism. He didn’t even mean this figure looked like a dwarf. No—this was a dwarf. The man stood about three feet tall, with a beard that reached his ankles. He wore a cap on his head and had a collection of pouches and bags hanging from his waist. A bright green tunic covered his body, and a mean scowl crossed his face. Above his head floated the words, "Level 13 Mine Supervisor."

But he wasn’t the only one in front of Jax. Flanking the dwarf were two towering, menacing figures. They were larger than life, hulking forms that seemed to block out the light around them. Their greyish skin shimmered with the slickness of oil, as though their bodies had been carved from stone. Their eyes glowed with a savage intensity that sent a shiver through Jax’s spine. They were impossibly broad—massive arms bulging with muscle, chests heaving with every breath as if they could tear the world apart with a single movement. These men were not mere warriors; they were living weapons, intimidating in every sense. Above their heads hung the words "Level 5 Battle Slave."

Jax’s stomach twisted. The battle slaves loomed over him, and the ground seemed to tremble beneath their weight. Their presence was suffocating, as though they could crush him with one careless step.

He glanced left and right, noticing he was beside a gate. A few onlookers peeked through it—children, merchants, and a few armored guards. Everyone seemed to be of dwarf stock, with levels ranging from 5 to 20. The men carrying swords were the highest level.

The only individuals who weren't dwarves were the two battle slaves before him and a number of smaller ethereal creatures that flitted around. One of them, a nymph, drew close. Above its head read "Level 5 Nymph."

It was beautiful in its own way—small and delicate, no larger than a child, with translucent wings that shimmered like gossamer threads. Her skin glowed with an otherworldly light, and her golden eyes were wide and curious. She fluttered around Jax like a butterfly, an ethereal creature out of a dream. She was a fairy in every sense of the word.

The nymph hovered near Jax as the dwarf shouted orders. The creature seemed frightened, but it drew closer, and Jax felt a pressure on his mind.

“Hello,” it said, its voice a soft whisper in his mind.

“Hello, I’m Jax. Who are you?” Jax replied tentatively.

The creature seemed startled by his response. It floated away for a moment before coming back, clearly deep in thought about how to continue the conversation.

“I am Nia,” she said in his mind. “The master told me he believed you were one of us, but I said you were not. Yet we can speak. How did you come to be here?”

Jax shrugged. “I… Well, I’m just here. I know my name is Jax, but I don’t know anything else. I keep seeing these strange symbols and figures, but I don’t understand them. Do you know what a level is? Or what wetware is?”

The nymph seemed to struggle with the question. After a pause, she spoke again. “I’m not allowed to discuss that, my contract forbids it.”

Jax nodded, then tried a different question. “What’s going on here? My first memory is of that man paralyzing me. I only know that because the symbols told me. Then he branded me and won’t stop shouting.”

Nia didn’t respond immediately. She flitted back to the dwarf, exchanged messages with him, then returned.

“The master will offer you a contract,” the nymph said. “The terms are as follows: you’ll be given a mind crystal to learn the language of the Gong. You will serve for one year. In return, you’ll learn the language and gain access to materials the master provides to help you progress. If you refuse, you will be killed.”

Jax balked at the nymph’s words. Death or slavery? What kind of choice was that? He looked around at the crowd, but they had already begun to disperse, as had the other nymphs. A prompt appeared in his vision.

YOU HAVE BEEN OFFERED A CONTRACT.

Contract:

Mine Supervisor Gelkrin Zormson offers you a contract of service. He will provide you one language crystal (F-grade unfinished), food, lodging, and access to 10% of all looted materials in return for one year of service. Service ends if either party ceases to live. Protections shall be in place to ensure both parties uphold their end of the contract. Service ends if either party offsets their value or if the subordinate subverts the power dynamic.

Additionally, 49% of all experience gained during this time will be given to Mine Supervisor Gelkrin Zormson.

As Gelkrin currently has the max number of allotted units under his command (5/5), acquiring you will promote him, forcing him to promote an officer.

Do you accept?

Yes / No

Jax sighed deeply, then willed his intent to select "Yes."