I shifted, asleep, a blaring heat slamming against my skin as I was forced to awaken.

I rose, from my bed, finding it messy, the entire room unclean. Just kidding, it only feels like a fucking mess, but I still take care of my shit.

I walked over to the window and closed the goddamned shutters. Who designed this apartment and why is the sole bedroom window facing westwards?

Fucking hell...

I crawled over to the kitchen and splattered myself onto the fridge. Sweaty cans of beer entice me, and my hands fell away from my control, gravitating towards the beverage. But, I found myself grabbing against the soda instead.

One last performance, Jakal. Don't fuck it up. Make it the best there ever was. And make the world regret its folly for leaving my talents unrecognized til the end.

That's not true. Yes, we're only local, and we don't make nearly enough to make ends meet. But the people who actually come to our shows, persistently, they care.

I'll do it for them, too. Mainly myself, but I'd like to make my last and final performance something that'd also stick with them, stick with anyone who watched, and stick with us, myself, my friends, a performance that we can be proud of. A play that can make us look back at this time in our lives and think that it mattered.

Huh? That's weird. The world had suddenly become submerged in water. I'm scared.

Oh wait, I'm just crying. Hah!

Fuck.

Tears streamed down my face as I broke down in the kitchen counter, hugging my knees as I downed the soda, and then another.

And oh fuck, that second one was a beer and now I really can't stop bawling my eyes out.

It will all end, and soon. After I'd gone and bragged to my folks that I'll go make it big before leaving, and then practically begging Flaze to scout me out for my talents into her theater group once I was already in York Wood, a single suitcase to my name.

And it was fucking glorious, I had so much fun every time we went on stage, and everyone was so nice during practice, and as much as I fucking ridicule people who say shit like "We're like a big fucking family," I can't help but say the same shit.

We were indeed like a big fucking family!

And I fucking ruined it. Fucking stupid impulsive Jackal strikes again!

It was just a short while ago. I was at work and the manager Henry was going off again on this new recruit. It's practically a tradition, like hazing in a frat or sorority. Except it's not just as a welcome, but a constant nagging reminder that you are nothing.

A fucking feature of the workplace is what it is.

So, this feature back then was being tried out by the new recruit. Name's... Robby I believe. Nice kid I bet. Not that I ever got to know him.

Robby didn't know what to do. He seemed like one of those types, it's their first job, probably to help pay for college, and they have to balance work and courses, that kind of deal. Actually, he probably was still in high school. He looked the type.

But Henry, he was yelling at him and screaming. I didn't know why actually, but I thought it must've been pretty stupid. And while I never actually got to ask what exactly it was about, I can confidently say that I was absolutely right.

So of course, I found the entire scenario to be entirely distasteful, and not just because I'd been forced to work overtime just earlier, when I should've had practice at theater. My friends sent me messages like "It's okay!", "We'll wait for you.", and "Don't worry about it!" But I know what they truly meant was, "That fucking Jakal, always coming up with excuses!"

I swear, it's true! I get called to do overtime whenever the place is really busy, and the diner is unfortunately very popular and the food actually tastes good, and fuck it has no right to be!

Anyway, back to my stupid dumbshit of a boss. Whatever it was I was thinking about, it must have shown on my face because he suddenly turned to me and said, "What's with that look? You have something to say, Jakal!?"

I flinched, feeling ashamed as an actor for having failed to hide the many war crimes I wish would be committed towards Henry's butthole. But that won't help me in this situation now, so I looked towards my coworkers for help, giving them my best pleading eyes. And they all turned away! The traitors! It's just like when we weren't doing shit to help Robby, that high school boy our manager was bullying!

Completely annoyed at the day I've been having, I did something incredibly satisfying... and regretful. I turned to Henry and I told him to "Go fuck yourself." Before I took off the stupid blue diner hat, my uniform, and then walked out the door with nothing but a tank top and my boxers on.

It was cold, that night, so I had to go back and get the rest of my clothes, shivering.

The good news is, I made it to practice. Exactly on time. And I fucking nailed it.

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Bad news, I lost my job. Or any chance at it. I can't seem to find a new one.

My friends tell me that I'm being overly paranoid and stupid, but I just know that I've been blacklisted! I know it!

I'm actually running out of cash before the next performance. I'll stay over at Flaze's place until then, but afterwards I'd just have to... go back home.

They were right. It's unstable and I never would've succeeded and I should have just given up before I fucking tried.

But man. Man... I really wanted it. To become a star. To make a living doing what I love.

I sniffed, my body now laying on the ground, cans of beer and soda scattered on the floor.

I looked up at the ceiling, allowing the tears to fall. I pointed at it, imaging meteors, aliens, zombies, whatever descending unto this plane and utterly fucking the status quo right in its slimy ass.

Oh, won't the world just end right fucking...

Now.

The world, shifted.

Reality twisted over itself as I lurched onto the ground crawling. My vision grew dizzyingly muddled, everything melting together as bile came up to my mouth.

I felt myself, vomiting, and I forced my eyes shut. I felt a presence, overwhelming, larger than the entirety of the world. It loomed upon me, its pressure enough to flatten an entire mountain, if not the Everest ranges.

How can I, Jakal Dolmer, ever hope to fight back against it?

The answer is I can't. I cannot. But I am an idiot and I'd try regardless. For I'd long decided, that if there was a god out there, I will not cower even in their presence. I shall be smited, hard, but I'll make sure to leave my mark!

It'd be fucking glorious.

And now, now is that time.

"RAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"

I stood, shouting from the top of my lungs as I found my clothes wanting, tearing from the force. I felt my eyes water, the taste of rust filling my mouth as I knew I'd began to puke out blood. But this is not enough. Not enough to take me down. The only thing that can, is something that can kill me dead!

Something responded.

[Mana Singularity Event Detected.]

It was a voice. To the tune of many voices.

[Mana Integration Initiated.]

It hammered into my mind, echoed within the walls of my skull.

[Mana Integration In Progress.]

Words wrote themselves in the air before me as I writhed.

[Mana Integration Successful.]

Meaning sent straight into my eyes, seared into my vision.

[Attempting Systemization.]

Too bad I'm too busy dying to attempt to understand any of it.

[Systemization Initiated.]

Crap. How much did I fucking drink?

[Systemization In Progress.]

I feel as though I just puked out my very intestines.

[Systemization Failed.]

Everything started to grow darker. My self nearing the end of the consciousness.

[Re-attempting Systemization.]

The void beckons me to fall.

[Initiated.]

[Failed.]

[Re-attempt.]

[Failed.]

[FAILED.]

NO!

[Systemization Has Failed.]

I understood then, with absolute zero fucking basis.

[Alternative Created.]

That if I fall asleep here, I'll never wake up again.

[Monsterization Will Make Systemization Possible]

Without ever giving my final dying performance!!!

[Monsterization Initiated.]

RrRrAaAAAAAAaaaAAHHHhHHhhHHHhH!!!

[Monsterization In Progress.]

I felt my body folding in on itself. My bones became my skin, and my skin my organs.

[Monsterization In Progress.]

The world shrunk. I grew larger. Arms elongated, new limbs created.

[Monsterization In Progress.]

I wonder if my dick had gotten any bigger.

[Monsterization Successful.]

Oh thank god it stopped. But the ringing headache had still not ceased, my senses in a constant state of unbearable flux.

Oh wait. Aren't I just drunk?

[Systemization Initiated.]

Nope. Not just drunk. Fuck. I'm gonna hurl. Again.

[Systemization In Progress.]

[Syncing With New Magical Identity.]

[Systemization Successful!]

[Due to Earlier Monsterization, Subject Will Be Subjected To Ego Death.]

Okay. Fuck. That was terrible. And that sounds fucking worse.

[Ego Death Imminent.]

I hadn't been listening that well earlier because I'm fucking... shitfaced. But holy shit that sounds terrible.

Stop! Please stop. SsSsSSTtTTtoOOOOooOpPPPPP!!!!

[Ego Death Initiated.]

Oooohhh fuck. The pain is actually fading away. Everything is fading away. Like I'm dust getting swept by the wind. A slight sting, before that part of me is just, gone.

[Ego Death In Progress.]

But no!

NO!

Not without my final performance!

[Error.]

Not until I'd found another job!

[Error.]

Not until my dreams had come true!

[ERROR.]

Hell, I have a new fucking dream.

[ERROR!]

What's happening right now, it's clearly magic.

Magic that's being... integrated unto myself.

I can't die. Not now.

Not when something so awesome had just made itself known.

[Ego Death... Not In Progress.]

So allow me to live, and watch as I attain the top and conquer it all!

[Failed.]

Gahahahahaha!

[FAILED.]

GAHAHAHAHA!

[FAILED.]

GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Ego Death Failed.]

Fucking success. It feels so good to be myself again. Even what I though I'd already lost of my ego has been returned.

[Ego Preserved.]

Hell, this might sound crazy, but this entire thing is crazy.

I feel more.

[Levels Sacrificed.]

More than before.

[Horsezilla Class Lost.]

More than I've ever been!

[Omegasteed Class Lost]

But, uhh... Maybe not actually?

Those announcements don't sound like a good thing...

[Magical Conciousness Created.]

But well, I'll take it. The pain had subsided. The ruins of my home now visible from my eyes.

[Success.]

And I should probably listen to all these announcements. Seems important.

[Success.]

[Success.]

Or it could just keep on praising me. I don't mind.

MORE!

MORE!

[For Discovering Mana as a Specimen Without Natural Access to Mana, You Have Been Granted Serveral Class Options Based on Your Experiences.]

[For Having Been Successfully Monsterized, You Have Been Granted Several Class Options Based on Your Monster Form.]

[For Having Survived Ego Death, Your Class Options Have Been Reworked and Optimized.]

[Second Class Unlocked.]

[For Unlocking an Upgrade in Advance, All of Your Class Selections Have Been Upgraded.]

[Now Go Forth And Discover Mana.]

Ok shit. That's a lot.

A lot of shit.

Shit that's going to be fucking fun.