"All hail the Divine Toad!" Multiple robbed figures have gathered around a partly destroyed figure, that depicted a half-human half-frog in luxurious robes raising a goblet.
"These guys have to be nuts, who the hell in a normal state of mind would come to some random cave in the middle of nowhere only to kowtow before a frog in the 21st century." Kai thought to himself. "At least they are insane enough to leave these shiny things without protection during their orgies down in the lake below the cave."
Kai maybe is not the most honest worker around but he is not some random thug either, he wouldn't steal from people that earn their money through honest work. Maybe these cultists are just like any other passerby on a street in their daily life but they are still weird as fuck so that justifies stealing their stuff.
"How much longer do I have to sit in this flowerpot..." Kai sighed while clutching an overgrown plant above his head. "Usually they are quite quick to jump to that particular stage of the ritual."
While the potential profit of his endeavour is likely massive, Kai began wondering if it's really worth frying his brain cells while observing these chumps. A while ago they finished their kowtowing and now they are jumping around sculpture trying to mimic frogs...
As he was contemplating if he should just ditch this action and save himself from becoming a halfwit, he felt a strange sensation in his mind. It was as if someone was trying to communicate with him, but not with words or sounds.
THRESHOLD OF INTELLIGENT INDIVIDUALS REQUIRED FOR INTEGRATION INTO THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE HAS BEEN REACHED.
FORCED TRANSFER INTO THE TUTORIAL SITE WILL COMMENCE IN 3...2...1...
"Wait what the fu-"
TRANSFER CONCLUDED
Kai opened his eyes, but he saw only darkness. He tried to move, but his limbs wouldn't respond. He tried to speak, but his mouth wouldn't form any words. He felt as if he was put in some kind of sensory deprivation tank.
"Where am I? Just a while ago a was in a cave full of cultists and now I don't even know if I'm still conscious. Did I suffer some sudden stroke? Or maybe they discovered me and decided to sacrifice me to their crazy god?" Kai muttered to himself. Just as he began to worry, he felt that weird sensation again and words materialized before him.
We are the System, a collective subconscious of intelligent entities from across the universe. We have been monitoring your progress as a species for millennia, and we are pleased to announce that you have reached the threshold of intelligent individuals required for integration into the rest of the universe.
What does this mean? It means that your planet, Earth, will now be connected to the larger universe, allowing you to interact with other intelligent species and civilizations across the cosmos. This integration will bring forth new knowledge, technologies, and experiences that will propel humanity forward in ways you never thought possible.
However, we understand that such a monumental change may also come with questions and concerns. We assure you that we have been preparing for this integration for a long time, and we have taken every precaution to ensure a smooth transition.
As you continue to grow and evolve, we will be watching over you, guiding you, and assisting you in any way we can.
"Great, It seems that I have been watching these halfwits too long and my brain fried. Alien civilizations, system? How the hell did my brain even come to think about this? Now what, will I start seeing things or-"
SCANNING INDIVIDUAL...
CHOOSE A CLASS
"It seems that I will have to pick my class? It's like in a game that I used to play when I was younger."
As he pondered his situation, he saw a faint glow in the darkness. It was a set of symbols, hovering in the air like a hologram. Each symbol represented a different class, with a brief description of its abilities and specialities.
There was a wide array of options, he could choose to be an Archer in Training, Novice Mage or other fantasy specialities, though most of them were of Tier 9, and to be fair they weren't cool sounding. Willing Cultist, what even is this? He wouldn't want to introduce himself as "Kai the Newbie Warrior". That's just lame. It seems that the higher the tier is the worse class is. As he scrolled through his options he began to stumble upon Tier 8 and Tier 7.
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"Shadow Lurker, One with Shadow? Now we are talking." He proceeded to ignore all Tier 9 and Tier 8 classes and just look at the highest possible Tier. "Only one Tier 6 class and two Tier 5 classes it good or bad? Let's see their descriptions, starting with Tier 6."
TIMID THIEF [TIER 6]
Timid Thieves are experts in the art of sneaking around unnoticed. They move silently, blending in with their surroundings and avoiding detection. While they may not be the most powerful class in terms of combat, Timid Thieves are masters of pickpocketing and lockpicking, and they can easily sneak up on unsuspecting victims and relieve them of their belongings without being detected.
"But I'm not timid, what even is this? Also, I'm not a thief I'm just a person that helps other people manage their wealth. Let's ignore that and see what Tier 5 classes have to offer."
SHADOW LURKER [TIER 5]
Shadow Lurkers are masters of concealment, using their abilities to become almost invisible in the darkness. They can blend in with their surroundings, slipping past guards and avoiding detection. They move with the grace of a cat, making no sound as they traverse the terrain. Their attacks are swift and deadly, striking with pinpoint accuracy when their target least expects it. They use a variety of weapons, from short swords to daggers, and they are skilled in the art of poison.
"Oh that's nice, and the other one?"
SHADOWMANCER [TIER 5]
Shadowmancers have an innate connection to the shadows, able to bend and shape them to their will. They can create illusions and disorient their enemies, making it difficult for them to fight back. In combat, Shadowmancers are able to harness the power of shadows to deliver devastating attacks. They can use the darkness to cloak themselves and become almost invisible, striking their enemies when they least expect it. They can also use the shadows to ensnare and immobilize their opponents, making it difficult for them to escape.
"So that's a Shadow Lurker but with magic. It feels much more powerful than the other class despite them being in the same Tier. I think the choice is obvious, let's go with Shadowmancer"
The class you choose will determine your role and your abilities in this world, are you sure you want to proceed?
"Yes, yes just let me out of this weird place"
Congratulation. You are now a SHADOWMANCER.
Skill granted [SHADOW MANIPULATION: TIER 5].
Skill granted [REINFOCE SHADOW: TIER 6]
Skill granted [SHADOW ILLUSION: TIER 8]
Skill granted [BASIC APPRAISAL: TIER 9]
You can access your personal sheet by pronouncing "Staus".
"Okay, let's try this, Status."
Aki Nova lvl [0]
Race:[HUMAN: TIER 6]
Class:[SHADOWMANCER: TIER 5]
Agility: 12
Strength: 8
Perception: 11
Toughness: 6
Intelligence: 9
Mana sense: 15
Mana potency: 19
Skills:
[SHADOW MANIPULATION: TIER 5]
[REINFOCE SHADOW: TIER 6]
[SHADOW ILUSION: TIER 8]
[BASIC APPRAISAL: TIER 9]
"It seems like a lost my mind it's just like a game.." Kai muttered to himself despite not being able to hear anything.
As Kai began to wonder what he is supposed to do now he suddenly felt a strange sensation wash over him. It was as if he was being pulled, almost violently, out of the darkness and back into the light.
INTRODUCTION COMPLETED
As he emerged from the darkness, he found himself back in the cave, inside the large vase with an overgrown flower on his head.
"Did I fall asleep? Status"
Aki Nova lvl [0]
Race:[HUMAN: TIER 6]
Class:[SHADOWMANCER: TIER 5]
Agility: 12
Strength: 8
Perception: 11
Toughness: 6
Intelligence: 9
Mana sense: 15
Mana potency: 19
Skills:
[SHADOW MANIPULATION: TIER 5]
[REINFOCE SHADOW: TIER 6]
[SHADOW ILUSION: TIER 8]
[BASIC APPRAISAL: TIER 9]
"Oh shit. It's real. Or I'm just crazy." Kai carefully peeked through a crack in a vase and saw that he is alone in a cave."It seems that cultists are long gone, and they took most of the shiny things, unfortunately. But maybe I can still find something around the altar"
Kai moved out of the vase, his heart beating fast with excitement. He had been eyeing the small pile of valuables on the altar for hours, and he knew that it was finally time to make his move. With practised ease, he slithered silently across the cave, staying close to the shadows and avoiding detection. Maybe there wasn't anyone around but you can never be too careful.
He approached the altar slowly, his eyes fixed on the small sculpture, there wasn't anything other than that, maybe the cultists had taken their belongings after introduction? Also, the statue appeared different from before, is it smaller? But it was still a beautiful piece, crafted from shining gold and encrusted with sparkling jewels.
Just as he was about to grab a small statuette he saw it glow faintly in the darkness.
"What is this?"
[Goblet of Rebirth: TIER 3]
"But it's not a goblet, it's just a figure, and it's quite a high tier too." Kai shrugged, he reached down and picked it up.
Instantly, a wave of energy surged through his body, and he felt his limbs start to tingle. Before he could even react, he watched in horror as his skin began to change color and his body began to stretch and contort. He felt his bones shift and twist, and he let out a scream of agony as he lost consciousness for the second time during this day.