They needed my choice, but my mind raced with indecision. Part of me leaned towards reviving Aspirant, in our brief time together, they had been truly there for me. Yet, the thought of trying to resurrect my girlfriend, or even our unborn child, gnawed at me. Maybe I could just choose my family and give it a shot? How bad could the response be, I just won this fucking tournament.

I did not know what to do. I started blazing through the choices in my mind. I could feel the announcer’s impatience building. Should I just pick Aspirant, or my wife excuse me, my girlfriend? I had been planning on asking her to marry me and had started thinking of her that way every now and then, just thinking that she could have been my wife… It’s terrible to think that she’s past and I have no way to get her back. I should just try. Maybe he will feel the pressure from the audience or whoever it is that’s watching. What if the announcer felt pressure from the audience? Could he bend the rules for me? Deep down, I knew it was a long shot.

The announcer then sighed deeply, interrupting my thoughts. This pissed me off, narrowing my eyes at the announcer's impatience, I shot back, "I need more time. This isn't a choice to rush."

The announcer's voice, dripping with feigned graciousness, replied, "Fine, I can give you one minute. It will build suspense."

I scoffed under my breath, thinking, Yeah, so generous. The countdown felt like a noose tightening around my neck. The weight of the decision pressed down on me, the gravity of it far outweighing the so-called generosity of a single minute. I went back to my previous line of thinking. The other options all seemed great, I could choose the memories but honestly, I didn’t even know if I would get anything out of that and how would I sort through it all. That one might be fools gold. I could choose it but never be able to make sense of it all. I decided to dismiss the option of gaining the memories of my adversaries. Sifting through such a vast and chaotic mental landscape seemed like an overwhelming task, potentially fruitless.

The pocket world sounded enticing – a safe haven, a place of refuge. But its practical benefits, beyond shelter, were unclear. What would that even look like and what advantage would it give me?

My last option was the class evolution. I was getting hung up on the fact that they said it was an evolution but did not say that the evolution would be a power up. The evolution could easily not even be an increase in power. I’d hope it would be but who knew, I was dealing with an entity I knew next to nothing about. And another thing, what was it basing the evolution on, like where did its thought process even come from? I didn’t know why, but in that moment I had a flash in my mind of getting an odd class and somehow having multiple new appendages and spikes going out of my face. I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a little vain. In fact as a Psychology Professor, I guess former Psychology Professor, I considered it healthy to have high self-esteem. I liked how I looked, I wanted to continue liking how I looked and, according to the Iron Princess how I looked was rare and at least a little desirable. It appeared that I was gonna be single, or I was single I guess, and even though it made me sick even thinking about it now, eventually I would have to look for a partner again, if that’s even possible in my new life. I didn’t even really want to think about it now, my girlfriend just passed.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

All of those thoughts went through my mind as the announcer waited. Finally, he insisted with a raised voice that bordered on a yell, you must choose now, or I don’t know what will happen. Perhaps the system will choose for you. Perhaps it will kill you. You know what maybe don’t choose, I’d be happy to see what happens next. With a heavy heart, I decided to test the limits. "Bring back my girlfriend, or the baby, if you can," I blurted out, a desperate plea.

Silence hung in the air, thick with expectancy. My heart raced, hope mingling with fear. But the announcer's response shattered that fragile hope. "Raising your deceased girlfriend is not possible, nor the baby. Choose again."

A wave of devastation washed over me, a crushing acceptance of my loss. I had to make a decision. Aspirant was a valuable ally, but ultimately, their path diverged from mine. I needed strength, now.

I gazed upwards, took a deep breath, and made my choice. "I choose the class evolution."

The announcer perked up. "Finally! The universe awaits with bated breath. Tune in tomorrow to see his choice!"

As the spectacle faded, I stood alone, the weight of my decision pressing on me. The announcer's voice returned, softer now. "We've kept your evolution private for your safety. You're a star, Everett. Would you consider returning, in a different role?"

"Yeah, sure, maybe," I replied noncommittally.

"Great, we'll be in touch," he said cheerfully.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity. Kidnapped, thrust into this chaos, and now they wanted to work with me? "Call my people," I muttered sarcastically.

The announcer's voice, now a distant echo in my mind, had its final say. "Okay, you'll be taken to your quarters now. You've got about 18 hours before you see the Iron Princess for your boon. I'd suggest you tell the system you're ready to evolve when you get back to your room. Your life's unpredictable now, who knows when you'll get another chance like this. There might be major side effects. That's my recommendation, anyway. Do what you want. Good luck."

Then, the world around me blurred into darkness, the announcer's words fading into the void. I awoke, disoriented, cradled in the arms of two necronis. Were they the same ones from earlier? Hard to say, they all looked identical to me. The irony of the situation struck me, and a laugh bubbled up despite the turmoil inside me. The confirmation of my girlfriend and child's deaths had plunged me into a state of internal misery, but here I was, chuckling at the absurdity of it all.

Once the necronis left, I found myself in my living quarters. They must have knocked me out to bring me here. The first thing I did was reach for the last of Elryia's calming balm. The relief was immediate, a soothing wave washing over my frayed nerves. I knew sleep was the logical choice, to rest and recharge for whatever lay ahead. But the urge to complete my class evolution overshadowed the need for rest.

I moved to the bed, the sheets feeling unnaturally soft against my worn skin. Sitting there, I took a moment to gather myself. Then, speaking to myself and the system alike, I declared, "I'm ready for my class evolution."