Vin hated his job. It wasn’t strenuous, nor was it difficult. His job was a simple one, but it just ate away at his soul. His sole responsibility was to watch people take a test they were guaranteed to fail. There were certainly people who passed the test before, but no one he tested managed to pass. He doubted the boy in front of him would be an exception to that rule.

The boy looked around the room and saw nothing but Vin sitting at an empty table with his fingers interlaced. The boy stared at Vin’s light blue hands and the red tunic he was wearing. He swallowed before coming forward and sitting in the chair opposite the blue man. He nervously looked at Vin, not saying a word.

Vin couldn’t fault the boy for being nervous and simply said, “You’re wondering why you are in a room with something that’s clearly inhuman. Well, simply put, you’re dead.” Vin paused, giving the boy time to speak.

“I-”, the boy began to speak and was immediately cut off by Vin.

“Now, normally you would be sent directly into another life, but your soul has accrued enough karma. Thus, you’ll receive the designated reward for good souls. You’ll be sent to your own temporary world to live to your heart’s content. This world is not real, and made solely for your pleasure. Think of it like a game,” Vin emphasized that the world was fake before giving the boy a chance to speak once more.

The boy asked the same question that everyone who sat in the seat before him asked,“What did I do though?”

“You? Nothing. A previous incarnation of you cured cancer in his Universe. He fell just shy of the goal. The meager amount you made in your life was just enough to get the reward. I believe the specific action was throwing bread to pigeons when you were 8.” Vin lied once more.

The boy was troubled by this, and didn’t say anything. Vin too chose not to say anything, creating an awkward pause that made the boy’s state of mind worse.

After a short period of silence, the boy simply asked, “Is there anything else I should know?”

Vin replied, “Yes, this won’t be like your world, Saturn. This world is less advanced and magic and heroes are more prevalent in this world than yours. You’ll also be given an interface that will make your rise in the world quicker. It will assign you quests based on your state of mind and the type of person the AI thinks you are. Doing them will give you immense rewards, not doing so won’t harm you. This world is your reward, we wouldn’t want to punish you for living a certain way. Of course, given how the missions are based on who you are, you probably won’t refuse many.”

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“Nothin-” the boy tried speaking once more, and was immediately cut off again.

“No. Nothing else. You’re ready. Enjoy your stay, Degen.” Vin waved his hand afterward and the boy immediately disappeared from the room.

Vin sighed and assumed the boy would fail. He didn’t display any signs of mental fortitude and was easily bothered by Vin’s words. Most who fell in either category fell into degeneracy and immediately failed. Some managed for long periods of time and died without having any particular impact, thus failing as well.

Vin looked at the sheet on his desk, categorizing Degen Vasir’s life. His soul had a very good track record for the last few lives. The version of him going through the trial was 15 when he died. He interned at a psychiatrist’s clinic and then later volunteered at a homeless shelter. Both of those events greatly contributed to his karma. Vin supposed that the internship could help Degan see through Vin’s words. However, that wouldn’t make him the first to do so, given that his words weren’t particularly subtle.

Vin flipped the sheet, and looked at where the boy would be reborn. Gotham City. His mother would leave him with a struggling father. There was more information on the father, but Vin had already read it once before meeting with the boy. He skipped ahead to the boy’s information which was the same as all others who had taken the test. He had seen this too, but he looked at it again, it was a habit he developed after spending an eternity doing nothing.

The boy wouldn’t be a normal human. Instead, he would be a Homo Magus, from his father’s side. The ability to wield magic was dormant in his father, and he would have no tutor in magic. Given the boy’s circumstances, he could not become a true mage without a lucky encounter, but most others who were tested obtained the ability to use magic. He probably wouldn’t be an exception.

Vin read onwards out of habit but most of the information was monotonous. After spending a large span of time simply reading, he heard a small buzz. He looked to his right and a TV appeared.

“Born already,” Vin mumbled to himself as he turned the TV on. He didn’t hold any high hopes, but there’s always a chance that this time would be the one. It was the same thing he told himself every test. There’s always a chance.