Jasper's life had been a constant struggle since his parents abandoned him and his sister on the streets at the tender age of thirteen. He had resorted to theft, begging, and other unpleasant means to make ends meet. However, his life took a turn for the worse when he caught the attention of the local mafia.

"Well, well, well... look who we have here, a little thief, although I can't deny your talent," said the tall, menacing man with a scar on his face, mocking Jasper. "So, here's the deal: you do as we say, or you and your sister end up dead."

Jasper's heart sank at the mention of his beloved sister. As a sixteen-year-old boy, he knew he had to act quickly to protect her. He took a deep breath and said, "I'll do whatever you want."

The man smiled, revealing his yellowed teeth. "Good. We need you to deliver a package for us. It's nothing difficult. Just take it to a certain address and leave it there. You'll be generously rewarded if you succeed. But if you fail us or try to deceive us, you and your sister will pay the price."

Jasper nodded, doing his best to hide the fear in his eyes. He knew how dangerous the mafia's request was, but he had no choice but to follow their plan. He had to save his sister, no matter the cost.

After receiving the package from the mafia, Jasper returned to his home. As he walked through the streets, it was evident that many people were starving. The sight of impoverished and desperate citizens saddened Jasper's heart. He couldn't imagine what life would be like if he didn't have his sister to protect and care for.

When he arrived at their small house in an abandoned area, his sister Natasha welcomed him with a tight embrace. "Jasper, I'm so glad you're back," she said, her voice filled with relief. Jasper hugged her tightly, grateful that she was safe.

"I brought food," Jasper said, trying to sound cheerful. He didn't want his sister to worry about their situation. They sat down to eat, and Jasper watched as Natasha devoured her meal with ravenous hunger. He couldn't help but feel guilty for not being able to take better care of her.

After dinner, Jasper told Natasha a bedtime story, trying to distract her from the harsh reality of their lives. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead before leaving the house to make the delivery to the mafia.

Jasper knew this was a risky mission, but he had no other options. He had to push forward and hope to save his sister from their desperate situation.

Jasper had never been to this part of the city before. The streets were dark, and the few flickering lights cast a dim glow. The buildings were old and dilapidated, some boarded up or with broken windows. Jasper knew this was the kind of place where the mafia operated, where the desperate and forgotten were forced to carry out their orders.

As he approached the address the mafia had given him, Jasper's heart raced in his chest. He knocked on the door several times, his hand trembling with fear. After a few moments, he heard footsteps approaching the door. His pulse quickened as the door opened, revealing a gaunt woman with sunken eyes and a haggard face.

Jasper swallowed hard and spoke as confidently as he could. "I have a package to deliver."

The woman's eyes flickered with recognition, and she stepped back to let him in. Jasper followed her into a small room with a table and a few chairs. She took the package from him and handed him a small envelope with some cash inside.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Jasper nodded and turned to leave, eager to get out of that place as quickly as possible. As he walked away, he couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt and shame. He knew he had just helped the mafia do something illegal, and he didn't want to think about the consequences. All he could do was hope that his sister was safe and that he would never have to get involved with the mafia again.

Jasper's heart pounded as he turned to leave this place, the package delivered according to the instructions. But just as he was about to take his first step, he heard a voice calling out to him. He turned around to see the gaunt woman pointing a gun at him.

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Jasper's mind went blank as he stood frozen in fear. He had never had a gun pointed at him before. He watched in terror as the woman's hand trembled as she spoke.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice shaking. "I was told to do it. They said they wouldn't give me any more drugs if I didn't kill the person who brought me the package. Please, don't hate me. I have no other choice."

Jasper's eyes widened in horror as he realized the gravity of the situation. He knew he had to think quickly if he wanted to survive this encounter. He took a deep breath and tried to steady his trembling voice as he spoke to the woman.

"Please, don't do this. I'm just doing what I was told. We can work something out, I promise. Please, lower the gun."

Jasper's heart pounded in his chest as he waited for the woman's response, praying that she would come to her senses and lower the gun.

But as Jasper reached out to grab the gun, the woman's hand shook even more, and she began frantically apologizing to him. She explained that without the medicine, she couldn't sleep, and the voices in her head started bothering her. Jasper realized that the woman was completely hysterical, and he knew he had to act quickly.

He lunged at her, trying to disarm her, but in the struggle, the gun went off, and Jasper felt a sharp pain in his torso. He stumbled backward, clutching the wound as the woman ran out of the building, leaving Jasper bleeding and alone.

As best he could, he stumbled out of the building, trying to find a place to hide and tend to his wound. As he walked, he could feel the blood seeping through his shirt... he knew he was running out of time.

Jasper's body suddenly jerked due to the bullet embedded in his flesh, causing him to scream in pain. He tried to stay on his feet, but the pain was too much to bear, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to move. As he lay there, breathless, Jasper slowly succumbed to death, unnoticed and forgotten, yet another victim of the cruel world he lived in.

He thought of his sister, with whom he had promised to spend time after this. Now, she would be left alone in this dreadful world, and he wouldn't even survive to see her again. Thoughts crashed in his mind, and he began to feel weak.

Jasper closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath, but the pain was too intense. He felt his consciousness fading as his body started going into shock. He knew he had to fight to stay alive, but he also knew it was impossible.

Jasper lay there, his body feeling heavy and lifeless. He knew he was going to die soon and regretted trusting the wrong people. As he closed his eyes, memories of his past flooded his mind, including the happy moments he had spent with his little sister.

"Why did I have to leave her alone in this cruel world?" he thought to himself. He despised the injustice of this society where only the wealthy had the power to make decisions.

As Jasper's thoughts about himself became more and more confused, he began to wonder what would happen after his death. Would there be an afterlife? Would he be punished for his wrongdoings? The uncertainty made him anxious, but he couldn't help contemplating the possibilities.

"I hope my sister is okay," he whispered as he felt his body slipping away. "All I ask is that if there is any higher power out there, protect her and keep her safe. I'll do anything you ask, even if it means giving up my soul."

Jasper's eyes closed for the last time, and tears mixed with blood rolled down his face. He was gone, leaving behind only his memories and a hope for his sister's safety in this relentless world.

As Jasper's consciousness faded, a cold, mechanical voice resonated in his mind, akin to the voice of a machine.

"Agreement accepted. Calculating rewards..." the robotic voice echoed through the depths of his fading consciousness.

“It seems like I can move... but I'm no longer in the city. Where am I supposed to be? Am I dead, perhaps?

Jasper floated adrift, his body suspended in space as if he were in the midst of an infinite universe. His eyes filled with awe as he beheld a profusion of colors, as if galaxies and stars spun and danced around him. It was evident that he was no longer in the city. For a precious few minutes, he allowed himself to be carried away by the wonder of that moment, believing that this was his end.

"I suppose if I'm dead, it's not as terrible as I imagined. I don't see angels or demons, nor do I feel hunger or pain, but I must admit that this place is incredibly beautiful," Jasper reflected.

He had always longed to gaze at the stars up close, but he had never been as close to them as in that instant. His thoughts turned to his sister, wishing that she too could experience such majesty.

Jasper sank into a nostalgic reflection. The world in which he had lived had not been particularly fair. It was a place dominated by those who had more wealth, where they hunted those who merely hoped for a miracle to survive, all in the name of entertainment. What kind of world was his sister experiencing? What kind of life was she leading? The balance of the world remained an incomprehensible enigma.

"Damn them all! Who decides what is fair and what is not? If I had them in front of me, I would punch them... Although I suppose I can't do much from here...

As he floated in that void, with no perception of time, no hunger or pain, Jasper found himself at a crossroads. Floating eternally in that abyss did not seem like the best of destinies. While he pondered it, he felt himself gradually drawn towards something. As he shifted his gaze towards the sea of stars, he could make out a black dot that absorbed all the light around it. Despite that image, he couldn't feel fear as he approached slowly. His final thought was that, no matter where he ended up, he hoped he wouldn't have to suffer as he did in his original world.

[Welcome, Player. You have obtained the Soulforge system.] [System status: Calculating]