Kael Arden was just an ordinary man—or so he thought.

The sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the cityscape in hues of orange and purple. The sidewalks were cracked, littered with the remnants of a day’s routine—discarded coffee cups, wrappers, a lost glove. Kael barely noticed. His mind was already elsewhere.

The plastic bag in his hand rustled as he adjusted his grip, the clink of energy drink cans echoing faintly with each step. Tonight was important. The Abyssal King's Crown. The rarest loot drop from a limited-time event in Age of Sovereigns, his favorite MMORPG.

Kael had been planning for weeks. His gear was optimized. Potions were crafted. He'd even joined a coordinated raid group specifically to tackle the world boss. This was his shot at obtaining an item so rare that only a handful of players in the world would ever wield it.

One night. One chance.

The thought sent a thrill through his veins. It was more than just a game. It was the hunt, the reward—the loot.

As he crossed the street near his apartment, the air suddenly shifted.

Kael paused.

A pulse.

The world seemed to... fold. Not visibly, but he felt it—like pressure building behind his eyes. The street lamp overhead flickered.

Then it happened.

The space in front of him ripped open.

A void, vast and silent, unfolded in the air. Colors twisted and bled into each other, a churning maelstrom of purple and black stretching into endless nothingness.

"What—"

A soundless crack split reality.

Kael had no time to react before an invisible force lashed out from the rift, wrapping around his chest like a phantom hand. Cold pierced his body—no, his soul.

He fell.

Or was he pulled?

There was no up. No down. No body.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Just endless falling.

When awareness returned, Kael was no longer anywhere real.

He drifted weightless in a void far more immense than the swirling rift. This place felt... infinite. The colors around him pulsed and shifted—brilliant hues of gold, silver, and amethyst flowing in impossible patterns.

There was no ground. No sound. Yet he felt the presence.

Endless. Ancient.

Something incomprehensibly vast stirred beyond his perception.

"Where... am I?" Kael's thoughts echoed without a voice.

No answer.

But... understanding.

This was not death. Not completely. His mind, somehow clearer than it had ever been, whispered fragments of knowledge he should not know.

The World Origin.

The cradle of all existence. The foundation where the most ancient beings meditated on the universal laws that governed reality itself. It was not a place mortals should ever reach.

Yet he was here.

Kael's gaze shifted—or rather, his consciousness perceived the space differently.

Beyond the void, massive figures sat in meditation. Towering beings cloaked in radiant energy, their forms half-concealed as rivers of cosmic light flowed through them.

He felt them grasping the very essence of existence, trying—struggling—to comprehend the ultimate truths of the universe. Even with their power, Kael knew they could only glimpse fragments of the Laws they sought to master.

And yet... he, a mortal, drifted among them.

Why am I here?

Suddenly, Kael felt something stir. Not the titanic beings, but the space itself. The World Origin was aware of him.

And then came the revelation.

The World Origin did not only offer comprehension.

It could... create.

Not for those ancient beings—they were too powerful, too vast. Even the raw essence of the Origin could not alter beings of such magnitude.

But Kael was not powerful. He was nothing.

A whisper echoed through his mind, not words but intent.

What do you desire?

Kael's thoughts spun wildly. He wasn't a warrior. He wasn't seeking enlightenment. He was just... a gamer. A man obsessed with progression, with the thrill of earning his power.

The rare loot. The perfect drop.

He had died thinking about it—the Abyssal King's Crown.

A system. A power where effort and risk led to rewards.

The void listened.

[Desire Recognized.]

The shimmering light surrounding him rippled, streams of pure energy converging around his soul. He felt it seeping into him, not changing but becoming a part of who he was.

[Ability Creation: Commencing.]

Kael felt it in his very core as the void shaped his fragmented wish into reality.

[Ability Created: LOOT ESSENCE.]

Effect: The ability to extract loot from the corpses of fallen beings.

Limitations: Loot generated depends on the type of corpse, cultivation realm, and time of death.

Cost: Looting requires energy drawn from the wielder’s own Qi.

Restrictions: Cannot loot living beings. No loot can be generated from beings of a higher major realm than the wielder.

Additional: Loot may include items, cultivation resources, or beast materials.

Kael's consciousness pulsed with the weight of the knowledge.

This was no game mechanic.

It was real.

The World Origin had granted him a power—simple, yet profound.

A system made for the strong.

Kael's mind settled.

And then... the void shifted.

A pull.

The titanic beings, those ancient meditating figures, seemed to blur. Kael was being drawn away, back through the currents of energy.

It was sending him back.

Pain.

Kael jolted awake.

His body—no, a body—ached with a deep, agonizing burn. His lungs seized as he gasped for breath, tasting copper. The scent of blood was thick in the air.

The memories hit like a crashing wave.

This wasn't his body.

Stormwright Sect. Central Continent.

Triple spiritual root—Fire, Water, Earth.

Outer sect disciple.

Kael clutched his chest, wincing as pain wracked his frame. Blood soaked the gray robes he now wore. This body had just died.

His eyes shifted to the massive silver-striped tiger lying mere feet away. Its throat was torn open, yet deep claw marks raked across his own chest as well.

The original soul had died fighting this Stage 2 Qi Gathering beast... and Kael had taken his place.

A voice echoed softly in his mind.

[LOOT SYSTEM ACTIVATED.]

Golden text hovered before his vision.

[Corpse Detected: Silvermoon Tiger (Stage 2 Qi Gathering).] [Loot Available: Energy Required – 10 Qi Units.]

Kael's hand trembled. His dantian felt nearly empty, yet some Qi remained—just enough.

He focused, willing the energy forward.

A golden pulse rippled outward. The tiger's corpse shimmered, dissolving into radiant particles as it was absorbed into him.

[Loot Gained:]

* Tiger Fang Gauntlet (Uncommon).

* 4 Essence Orbs (Low-Grade).

* Silvermoon Hide (Crafting Material).

* 1 Tiger Bone Shard.

Kael stared at the orbs hovering before him.

And he grinned.

He was back.