Chapter 1: The System’s Choice
It had been nearly a thousand years since the [System] had appeared in this world. There had not been any identified parameters regarding how it selected its champions; the chosen ones had always seemed to be… random. The classes it bestowed were just as unpredictable. No one knew the System’s motive or if it was even sentient at all.
Many speculations circulated about its existence: some believed it was responsible for the emergence of [Dungeons], yet the phenomena known as [Dungeons] had existed long before the [System] had come into being.
In the present moment, a young man with brown hair, freckles, and striking blue eyes found himself in a bewildering situation. Flickering lights danced before him, illuminating the space around him. Even without his glasses, the letters and outlines appeared vividly in his vision.
Name: Noah O. Knight
Class: Freedom
Level 1
Stats—
Body: 3
Mind: 6
Soul: 5
Skill: Fly
He had just woken up, and this was the first sight that greeted him in the morning light.
“I… I was chosen!!” he cried in bewilderment, excitement flooding through him as he processed the implications of what he had just witnessed.
However, the excitement quickly vanished, replaced by a wave of anxiety. Noah sat on the edge of his bed, thinking what being chosen could mean. The thought of being press-ganged into a para-military organization loomed large, along with the fear of being taken away by the government from his family.
“And then there were the villains… oh, come on!”
At fifteen years old, he was still very much a child, grappling with puberty and stuff.
He could be scared. And he was scared. The world outside was fraught with dangers he had only read about in stories and watched in movies. Yet, despite the fear that gnawed at his stomach, the allure of glory glimmered enticingly before him in the form of the System interface. It promised adventure, power, and perhaps a chance to change the world—or at least his own small part of it.
With a deep breath, Noah picked up his glasses, slipping them onto his face to bring the world into sharper focus. He booted up his computer, feeling studious in his part… and no, it wasn’t for academic reasons.
Thankfully, it was Sunday, and there was no school to distract him from this monumental moment.
As the screen lit up, he navigated through the online forums and databases he frequented, searching for any information regarding the System, its chosen champions, and the implications of being awarded a class. The words “Freedom” flashed in his mind.
What did it mean?
The ‘Classes’ that the System bestowed were quite random, unique, and often… vague. No two individuals had ever received the same class simultaneously. Yes, classes with the same name would occasionally appear, but never at the same time. When a gifted individual died, their class would return to the System and be reassigned to another person after a period of time. That was the prevailing consensus. More often than not, it seemed that newer classes were created rather than old ones being inherited.
Noah delved deeper into his research and focused on understanding the definitions of the stats: Mind, Body, and Soul. He navigated through various online resources, eager to grasp the significance of each attribute.
Body represented physical strength and endurance, crucial for surviving in a world where dangers lurked at every corner. A high Body stat could enhance one’s resilience against attacks and increase their ability to withstand hardship.
Mind indicated intelligence and mental acuity. It was essential for strategizing during battles and understanding the complexities of the System. Those with a strong Mind could think quickly and adapt to rapidly changing situations, a trait invaluable for a champion.
Soul was perhaps the most enigmatic of the three. It seemed to embody one’s spirit and emotional fortitude. It affected a person’s connection to the magical elements of the world, influencing their ability to harness and channel powers bestowed by the System. A high Soul stat could also enhance a champion's willpower, making them more resistant to despair and fear.
Well, at least that was what the internet was saying.
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Noah took a deep breath, contemplating the implications of these stats. His own numbers—Body: 3, Mind: 6, Soul: 5—painted a picture of who he was and what he could become.
“Three in Body…” he mused, feeling a twinge of disappointment. “That’s not great. But a six in Mind?”
The people chosen by the System were generally called the ‘Gifted.’ In the modern age, they were divided into two factions: ‘Heroes’ and ‘Villains.’ These factions often clashed with one another, embroiled in battles that seemed to draw attention away from the real problem—the ever-looming threat of the [Dungeons].
Noah sighed.
The truth was, he didn’t know what to do with his situation. Sure, he had spent countless hours fantasizing about becoming a dashing superhero or a smug villainous lord, imagining himself clad in dramatic costumes, wielding incredible powers, and facing down his foes with flair. But that was all just fantasy. The reality of the moment felt stark and unforgiving.
He understood that if it was happening to him in real time, it would be a totally different ball game. The thrill of adventure was overshadowed by the risks and responsibilities that came with it. Noah recalled the ‘child’ heroes he had seen showcased on TV—young teenagers like himself who had been thrust into the spotlight, often struggling against overwhelming odds. They had it bad… like, really bad.
These heroes faced not only the perils of battling Villains and navigating the dangerous landscapes of Dungeons but also the scrutiny of a society that expected them to be flawless. The stories he had watched played out like cautionary tales, each featuring a young hero who either fell from grace or paid a heavy price for their power. Noah felt a chill run down his spine as he thought about the sacrifices they had to make, their lives becoming a public spectacle fraught with danger.
Noah couldn’t help but wonder if he was ready for such a life. The thought of fighting against powerful foes was daunting, especially when he considered his own stats. With a Body of 3, he felt acutely aware of how vulnerable he could be in a world teeming with extraordinary abilities and threats.
It wasn’t as if there was a super academy out there—a place that would willingly take the risk of fostering superpowered teens, knowing they could fail, and suffer public backlash. The world was an unforgiving place, and Noah had learned this harsh reality from an early age.
Determined to gain a better understanding of what lay ahead, Noah researched the Superhero Association and how they handled the teenage Gifted. He discovered that if a young hero showed promise, they would typically be assigned to a Superhero team as a sidekick. This arrangement provided the chance to learn from more experienced heroes, honing their skills and gaining the knowledge necessary to succeed.
Once they reached graduating age and earned the approval of their mentors, they could apply for a superhero license. This license granted them the authority to operate within the city-states they were based in, and some might even choose to work independently. However, Noah frowned as he absorbed this information, feeling a growing sense of frustration.
The bureaucracy involved in the Superhero Association felt stifling to him. It seemed less about heroism and more about adhering to rules and regulations. The idea of having to wait for approval and jump through bureaucratic hoops before he could truly make a difference grated on him. He wanted to be out there, fighting against injustice and protecting those who needed help—not stuck in some endless cycle of training and assessments.
But…
“Yeah, it isn’t like I can do much…”
Noah thought about his skill and gave it a try.
Nothing.
It wasn’t like there was an instruction manual on how to use a skill. The internet wasn’t giving much either. Noah thought to himself how nice it was if this world didn’t have Dungeons, Gifted, Monsters, Heroes, Villains, and all that jazz…
Noah had never been a fan of the supers. The term was slang referring to the Gifted, and in a sense, they were ‘super’ in everything—especially in the amount of destruction and casualties they could ramp up. The news was often filled with stories of battles between Heroes and Villains, showcasing the aftermath of their conflicts, and Noah couldn’t help but feel a deep unease every time he watched those reports.
He tried to remember his mother, but the memories were like wisps of smoke, barely tangible since he had been just a runt back then. Sometimes, though, he would catch rough glimpses of her smile or the warmth of her embrace, but they were fleeting moments, quickly fading into the recesses of his mind.
Noah pushed away from the computer and headed downstairs, his stomach grumbling in protest. As usual, his dad wasn’t around. He had probably thrown himself into work again, grinding away at his job to keep food on the table. The absence weighed heavily on Noah; he wished his father would come home more often.
He opened the fridge, hoping to find something satisfying, but as he scanned the empty shelves, disappointment settled over him like a thick fog. There was nothing but a few condiments and a carton of expired milk. Resigning himself to the situation, Noah rummaged through the pantry until he settled on a can of sardines.
“Breakfast of champions,” he muttered to himself with a half-hearted chuckle, feeling the irony of it all. He was really hungry and didn’t have the energy to be picky.
He prepared some rice, letting it cook in the rice cooker while he worked on the sardines. After cutting the can open with a can opener, he carefully heated the contents in a small pan. The smell was pungent, but it would have to do. As he watched the sardines sizzle, he thought about how far he had fallen since his childhood fantasies of adventure and heroism.
Now, here he was, a fifteen-year-old kid cooking canned fish for breakfast, while the world outside continued its chaotic dance of power and violence. It ignited a sense of bitterness within him. He knew he had to make a choice about his future, but as the sardines warmed up, he felt an overwhelming sense of indecision.
The food was ready, and he scooped the sardines onto a bowl of rice, mixing them together. As he sat at the table, he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of life awaited him beyond the confines of his home and the constant reminders of the supers’ destructive legacies.
“Ah, damn it… this sucks…”