I tell me, myself, that you are necessary to me. I tell you, yourself, that I am necessary to you.
I will lead us to victory, and you will follow me.
And this is the way it will be, forever.
----------------------------------------
“We are in a state of national emergency.”
On the television screen, an old man is crying. Tears slip down his face, staining his crumpled suit.
After wiping his eyes with a handkerchief, he recollects himself and continues.
“As you might already know, a-”
BOOM
The old man’s head explodes before he finishes his sentence, making me flinch slightly.
As the decapitated body collapses onto the ground, a grotesque figure limps onto the screen. The skin on its face is stretched thin, but loose on its limbs and torso.
It unhinges its jaw unnaturally wide, causing the skin near the corners to tear open.
“XXXXXXXX XXXXXX. XXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXX X.”
And with that, the television powers off.
After a few moments of contemplating, I push myself off the sofa, grabbing the coffee I had set off to the side. Walking towards the window closest to me, I sweep the curtains to the right with my hand.
The view outside my apartment is concerning, to say the least.
Twilight on earth.
Blackened smoke rises from destroyed buildings, sirens reverberating throughout the air. Cars are packed bumper to bumper on the streets, a seemingly endless amount.
You might be thinking that some sort of natural disaster has happened, or perhaps an alien invasion.
But what’s probably the case…
[initializing system…]
… is a LitRPG apocalypse. You know, things like systems and overpowered hidden classes.
I take a small sip of coffee, grasping the mug tightly in my hand as I observe the words. I’m not afraid, but my heart is thumping erratically in my chest.
Many questions arise from the fact that a holographic screen appeared out of nowhere, but they can be put aside for now.
In a situation like this, it’s best to remain calm.
[...complete!]
[Hello, user.]
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
Is it referring to me? To be honest, I’m lost on what to say.
“... Hello.”
[Please answer the following questions! (compliance is necessary)]
Following my greeting, a new screen appears.
Is this some sort of test? Well, it doesn’t seem like I have that much of a choice.
[How was your day today?]
[1. good]
[2. bad]
A small screen appears near my fingertips, containing two circles.
It’s quite the simple question, is there something more to it? Or maybe it's just starting off easy.
Whatever the case may be, I follow my gut instinct.
Moving my index finger, I touch the circle containing a pulsating number one. Shortly after, the screen flickers and a new set appears.
[I solve my problems through…]
[1. strength.]
[2. knowledge.]
Without any hesitation, I select the second choice.
I stopped trying to solve my problems through force since the time I got beat up by the girl sitting next to me in kindergarten.
People call humans like me ‘refined pacifists’.
[After learning a secret…]
[1. I keep it.]
[2. I use it against them.]
Once again, with zero hesitation, I select the second choice.
During kindergarten, once I obtained the information that the girl sitting next to me wet her bed every morning, I took advantage of it as much as possible. After having done so, I learned the greatness of information.
Diplomatic studies call this kind of politics ‘armed neutrality’.
[I get excited when I…]
[1. Get hit by someone…!]
[2. Hit someone…!]
???
At the sight of the absurd question, my left eye twitches slightly.
The periods combined with the exclamation mark at the end of the sentence makes it uncomfortably vivid. It's as if you’re confessing your sexual desires, doesn't it…!
Anyways, for now, I select number 2.
To be hit or to hit.
I don’t particularly enjoy hurting people, but if I had to choose, then it would be the latter option.
I heard that there are people who feel pleasure from pain, but thankfully, I'm not a pervert.
[What is your preference?]
[1. Ass.]
[2. Breasts.]
Another completely unpredictable question has appeared, one that is somehow worse than the previous one.
I nearly raise my hands and pinch myself, but I stop, realizing that would be kind of silly.
After thinking for a moment, I chose number one. If you are someone with common sense, then it’s only appropriate to choose number one. What is with these questions, anyways?
I fill out around twenty or so questions until I reach the end of the survey.
[This world will surely perish, along with humanity.]
[What do you want to do?]
Well, obviously I want to live.
But to just live, isn’t that a waste? Since the beginning, humans have always craved for something more, seeking a greater purpose in life.
I raise a finger to my chin, a wistful smile on my face.
Well, if I had to say…
“I wish to live a happy life.”
Ding!
The sound of a bell chiming.
No, the sound of an explosion.
[Very well.]
As I collapse onto the ground, my vision blurs and slowly fades to white, the ringing in my ears fading into the background.
And then.
Then…!
[The tutorial shall now begin!]
[Good luck, Wishmaker!]
Then the strangest and longest dream began.