The world turned black. No warning, no buildup, an instant change. Mason could only muster a gasp as he arrived in an infinite void.
Ding
A blue screen folded open in front of his incorporeal eyes. He couldn’t feel, it felt as though his consciousness or soul had been ripped from his body and sent to this desolate realm.
[Please choose a species to reincarnate as.]
[You will have a certain amount of points based on your soul's power. You can use points to choose a specific species, and then use any remaining points to purchase skills.]
[Total points: 2,544]
[Shoggothra] - 1
[Slime] - 5
[Goblin] - 10
[Zombie] - 50
[Human] - 75
[Hobgoblin] - 100
[Orc] - 250
[Wraith] - 450
[High Orc] - 650
[Wyvern] - 800
[Giant] - 1,000
[Sentinel] - 1,200
[Shogre] - 1,450
[Dragon] - 1,800
[High Human] - 1950
[Okur] - 2,000
[Demon] - 2,100
[Angel] - 2,105
[High Dragon] 2,200
[Aizhenda] - 2,250
[Void Beast] - 2,450
Mason’s eyes scanned across the screen, readily taking a deep, calming breath as he read the last words.
“I need to calm down,” He could feel an imaginary heartbeat as he tried to bring a hand to his forehead, realized he didn’t have one. He shut his eyes intensely, reopening them, the bright blue of the screen still glaring.
“Not a dream,” he mumbled, recalling his training in the military to calm his mind and analyze the situation. He was able to turn and examine the vast darkness around him. Nothing, not even a speck of light. He turned back to the screen, reading it once more, noting every word.
There’s not much, he thought, This is real though. He could feel emotions swell within, but he quickly forced them back down. Down into an abyss, sealing them with chains, ensuring those thoughts wouldn’t enter his mind until he found it necessary.
“This doesn’t make any sense,” he said, “But it’s real, so I might as well think this through.” He looked over the species again and realized some unusual names. He read plenty of novels and fantasy stories, so most he was familiar with.
“Can I get a description of some of the species?” He yelled, hoping this mysterious screen would answer. Immediately, another screen, in front of the first, folded open.
[What species would you like descriptions on? Keep in mind that the higher the point cost, the fewer details will be given.]
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Okay, that's fine.” The screen folded closed, revealing the list once more. He scanned it again. “Can you give descriptions of Shoggothra, Sentinel, Shogre, Okur, Aizhenda, and Void Beast?” Nothing happened for a few seconds. Then, a screen much larger than the first folded open.
[Shoggothra: The Shoggothra is a grotesque and otherworldly creature that is said to be born from the very negative emotions of those who inhabit the world. These creatures are said to be the manifestation of all the dark and twisted desires that exist, and as such, they are feared by all who come into contact with them. The Shoggothra appears as a black, writhing mass of tentacles and eyes that seem to move and pulse with a life of their own. They are believed to be incredibly ancient, having existed long before the rise of humanity and most other species. These creatures are said to be born in nests of black slime, deep beneath the earth. The very ground around these nests is said to be corrupted by the foul energies that emanate from within, and those who venture too close are said to be driven mad by the sheer horror of what they witness. When first born, they are mindless and lack any form of intelligence or self-awareness. As such, they often accidentally cannibalize their fellow Shoggothra, mistaking them for prey in their blind and unthinking search for sustenance. Those who encounter these creatures are urged to flee. Individually these creatures are less harmful than a fly, but when attacked by hundreds of thousands of these creatures, many are often overwhelmed.
Sentinel: The Sentinel is a species of incredibly ancient rocky golems that wander the world. They are peaceful creatures but will attack with incredible force if given reason to. Within their massive bodies that tower over mountains, are said to hold secret skills, magic, and techniques of power beyond your wildest imaginations. As such, these entities were nearly hunted to extinction by the more powerful races. Sentinels hold about as much strength as an Angel or Demon but cost fewer points due to the incredible danger associated with choosing them.
Shogre: Shogre is a species of magic users who dwell within enormous cave systems. These creatures can alter their size to that of an ant, or around half the size of a Sentinel. Their magic is incredibly powerful, and they are born with unbelievable mana reserves. These creatures are peaceful and rarely leave their caves.
Okur: The Okur is a species of mystical shadow beings who excel at stealth and assassination. At night, these creatures are almost impossible to detect. However, in direct combat, the Okur are not as proficient as those of lesser points.
Aizhenda: The Aizhenda is a species of incredibly powerful humanoid insects. They have armor-like exoskeletons and are the most powerful of the four ruling species.
Void Beast: From the outer world. Signs of these beasts have been, and continue to be eradicated from every dimension.]
Mason was speechless. Just what kind of world was he being sent to?
“Just from those descriptions, I can dismiss a few. I can choose any species I want, so choosing those in the middle won’t make sense. Void Beast isn’t very attractive either. The risk of dying almost immediately was too great. At first glance, the Aizhenda seems to be the best option.`` Mason sat in contemplative silence, but an idea suddenly struck him. He recalled the first words of this screen,
“Can I see the skill options before choosing a species,” Mason asked, silently praying he could. He was left answerless for almost two minutes before something unraveled in front of his vision.
[Yes]
The screen with such a simple yet meaningful word folded, another one appearing an instant later.
[Common] [Dash] (Gain a temporary boost in speed. You can only move in a straight line.) - 1
[Common] [Beginner Weapon Proficiency] (You will gain certain sub-skills for a weapon of your choosing.) - 5
[Common] [Beginner Magic Proficiency] (You will gain certain sub-skills of a magic element of your choosing) - 5
[Rare] [Low Heal] (Heal small cuts and wounds at a slow pace) - 15
[Rare] [Silent Movement] (Eliminate all sound made through movement) - 15
[Rare] [Enhance Strength] (Temporarily enhance your strength) - 15
[Rare] [Enhance Speed] (Temporarily enhance your speed) - 15
[Rare] [Harden] (Harden your skin to withstand various attacks) - 20
[Rare] [Summon] (Summon entities to assist you. The power of the entities summoned is limited by the skill tier.) - 20
[Unique] [Seal] (Seal your opponent in a spherical, transparent shield. Who you can seal, and for how long the seal lasts depends on soul strength and stamina. Although a limit does exist due to the skill tier) - 150
[Unique] [Teleport] (Instantly teleport to any spot in your vision and teleport to any place in your memory with a 3-second cast. The distance of the teleport will decide the cost of soul stamina) - 200
[Sovereign] [Dimension Slash] (Ignore the defense of your enemy by slicing through the dimension itself) - 450
[Sovereign] [Soul Strings] (Conjure invisible strings. The flexibility and sharpness of these strings will depend on soul strength and stamina.) - 450
[Sovereign] [Ultra Thin Barrier] (Surround yourself in a paper-thin barrier that can withstand most attacks) - 450
[Divine] [Null] (This skill is of the void attribute. It can nullify anything of a lower status than Divine, and heavily weaken anything of Divine Status) - 1,250
[Divine] [Imaginary Blade] (Completely undetectable, this blade can slice through anything of a lower status than divine, and heavily damage anything of Divine status) - 1,250
[Divine] [Time Slow] (Slow time. The extent of slowness depends on how much soul stamina and strength you allocate to the skill.) - 1,250
[God] [Skill Upgrade] (Upgrade any skill to any of the skill tiers. The skill tiers are Common, Rare, Unique, Sovereign, Divine, and God. The duration between possible upgrades, and the toll taken on the soul, will depend on soul strength and soul stamina.) - 2,050
Subskills:
[Parallel Thinking] (Have a second mind dedicated to activating and maintaining certain skills during combat.)
[Skill Nullification] (Automatically nullify any skill below the God Tier)
Bonus: Any skill upgraded by this skill will have a 35% increase in power and a 15% decrease in soul stamina consumption.
[God] [Prescience] (Know what will happen in the future. The distance of time viewed will be determined by soul strength and stamina allocated to this skill.) - 2,050
Subskills:
[Ultra Speed Thought] (Increase the speed of thinking by 10,000,000 times.)
[Time Manipulation Nullification] (Immune to any skill, magic, or technique capable of slowing or stopping time.)
Bonus: The speed of any casting for a skill, magic, or technique is instant.
Mason’s imaginary jaw hung, ideas upon ideas flowing into his consciousness. He sat for what felt like hours in intense thought. Scenarios of every possible choice, until he found the perfect one.
“No matter the species I choose, can my body handle the God-tier skills? Also, will the species I choose affect my mind at all? I know this was implied, but I’ll keep my consciousness right?” He asked the screen, his decision riding on the answer.
[Skills are gifts from the universe and are tied to the soul. Your body does not influence skills whatsoever. And you will forever keep your consciousness and mind. You will simply be you, but within a different body.]
Mason opened his imaginary mouth to ask another question but closed it before speaking.
“Perfect.” Mason reviewed his idea once more, before concluding, “Can my species be a Human?” The screen was silent. Either surprised by the answer or registering it to continue the process of reincarnation, Mason did not know.
[Yes. What skills would you like?]
“Can I have Skill Upgrade, Beginner Weapon Proficiency, Beginner Magic Proficiency, Low Heal, Silent Movement, Enhance Strength, Enhance Speed, Harden, Summon, Teleport, and Dash,” Mason said confidently. Soul Strings seemed extremely versatile and appealing, but having more low-tier skills would be more beneficial because of Skill Upgrade. The large screen with skills folded closed, another one opening a few seconds later.
[Choices registered.]
[Good Luck!]
The void began to distort as if invisible hands gripped space itself and began to tear it apart. Mason's mind became hazy, his vision distorted, the words ‘Good Luck’ only visible as incomprehensible scribbles against the bright blue. And then, everything went dark.