[System initialization complete.]
[Status]
Rank: 0
Name: Nova Grey
Species: Human
Affiliation: None
Level: 0
Class: None
Attributes:
Strength: 4
Vigor: 3
Dexterity: 3
Speed: 4
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 6
Will: 6
Luck: 10
Nova stood by the window, staring out into the dimly lit streets. The holographic display floated before him, its faint glow casting shadows across his room. He rubbed his chin absently, his lips curling into a lopsided grin.
"What do these numbers even mean?" His voice broke the stillness, filled with curiosity rather than concern. "And why are they so embarrassingly low? Strength of four? Even an ant might take me out if it got creative." He snickered to himself, shaking his head.
There was no fear in him, only the bubbling anticipation of something new—a spark of excitement in a life that had dulled over the years. Work, bills, endless routines—it all felt so meaningless compared to this sudden shift. This wasn’t just a change; it was a chance at something entirely different.
“Guess this is my world now. Stats, systems, weird floating screens... kind of feels like one of those RPGs Jack’s always talking about.”
Frowning slightly, Nova peered closer at the floating display. “How do I figure out what this all means? Maybe there’s a tutorial or something…” He swiped a hand through the air experimentally, but nothing happened.
With a shrug, he stepped away from the window. “No point overthinking it. Jack probably knows what’s going on.” Jack was the closest thing to an encyclopedia Nova had—a fountain of gaming knowledge and quick solutions. If anyone understood this bizarre system, it was him.
As Nova turned toward the door, a chime rang out, stopping him in his tracks.
[Choose your class]
* Flame Prince
* Storm Empress
* Lord of the Deep
* Titan King
* Sword Emperor
* Frost Queen
* …
* None
He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing at the list. "Flame Prince, Sword Emperor... some of these sound pretty impressive." But then his gaze landed on the final choice. None.
Nova barked a laugh. “What kind of choice is that? A trap, maybe? Who’s dumb enough to pick ‘None’?” His grin widened as he tapped on Flame Prince to investigate further.
[Flame Prince]
* Affinity: Fire
* Role: Damage Dealer
* Restrictions: Fire
* Abilities: Wield the power of fire in a regal blaze, igniting the battlefield with overwhelming infernos and ruling over every fire.
His smile deepened. “Not bad. Might actually be fun burning things down. Let’s see the next one.”
Switching to Sword Emperor, another set of details appeared:
Sword Emperor
* Affinity: Sword
* Role: Damage Dealer
* Restrictions: Sword
* Abilities: Wield the divine sword with unmatched precision, cutting through opponents with imperial grace and immense power. This class has supreme mastery over swordsmanship, making them an unstoppable force in combat.
Nova rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘This one’s solid, too. Hard to beat swinging around divine swords.’
As he mulled over his options, a loud knock on his door broke his focus. Sighing, he made his way over and opened it to find Jack standing there. He stood at 1.87m with fair skin, his brown hair was as messy as always, but the sharp glint in his black eyes was anything but casual.
“You haven’t picked a class yet, right?” Jack asked quickly, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
Nova leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “I was about to. Why, is there a problem?”
Jack exhaled in visible relief. “Good. It’s good you haven’t chosen yet. Let me guess—Flame Prince or Sword Emperor, right?”
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Nova raised a brow. “So what if I was? They looked solid. You’re telling me they’re not?”
Jack shook his head, smirking. “Man, you didn’t even check the other options, did you?”
“Nope. There’s a million of them, and I’m not about to waste time scrolling through each one” Nova admitted, shrugging. “What’s your point, anyway?”
Jack’s expression grew serious. “The point is, you’re missing the best one. Have you looked at ‘None’?”
Nova laughed, gesturing at the screen still floating beside him. “Yeah, I looked. It’s useless. No affinity, no role, no abilities. Literally nothing. How is that the best?”
“Exactly” Jack said, stepping closer. His intense gaze bore into Nova. “Every other class is a trap. Flame Prince? Locked to fire. Sword Emperor? Locked to swords. Once you pick, you’re stuck. Your growth, your options—all of it limited by that class’s restrictions.”
Nova frowned but didn’t interrupt.
“With ‘None’ there’s no restriction. No limits. You’re free to learn, adapt, and grow however you want. It’s a blank slate—and that means infinite possibilities. But…” Jack’s tone darkened, “there’s a catch.”
“A catch?” Nova’s eyes narrowed.
“If you choose ‘None’ and don’t work hard, you’ll have no powers at all. No system boosts, no pre-defined paths to fall back on. Nothing. You’ll be stuck as you are, and in this world, that’s a death sentence.”
The weight of Jack’s words settled on Nova, his earlier amusement replaced by contemplation. “So, no safety net?”
“None. But if you can put in the effort, the rewards are limitless. You’ll be able to forge your own path without the chains of the system holding you back. It’s all or nothing.”
For a moment, Nova didn’t respond. Jack’s words hung in the air, and he felt the gravity of the decision settling on him. The flashy, powerful classes were tempting, but Jack was right. They came with chains, however gilded they appeared.
A slow grin spread across Nova’s face. “Alright, you’ve sold me. We’re going all in.”
Jack grinned back, clapping Nova on the shoulder. “Good choice. But don’t get too comfortable. There’s still a lot to figure out. While I was coming here, I saw people heading into these weird White portals. I think they’re beginner zones, like early-level areas in a game.”
Nova stretched, shaking off the lingering tension of their conversation. “Sounds fun. Let’s check one out before the whole world goes nuts.”
Jack chuckled. “It’s already halfway there. Come on.”
----------------------------------------
As the two stepped outside, the scale of the chaos became evident. The streets were alive with energy and panic. People darted about, some wielding newfound powers with reckless abandon. Flames licked at the edges of buildings; shards of ice littered the cracked pavement. A figure streaked past, their feet wrapped in a cocoon of wind, while another launched small bolts of lightning into the sky with a booming laugh.
Looters had already begun ransacking shops and homes, their arms overflowing with supplies. Shouts and screams filled the air, mingling with the roar of power and the crash of collapsing structures.
“Looks like the world’s gone to hell already” Nova muttered, glancing around with mild amusement.
Jack’s expression was unreadable. “It’s survival of the fittest now. Let’s make sure we’re the fittest.”
The two continued toward a shimmering White portal at the end of the street, its surface rippling like water in the faint light. Nova’s heart raced—not from fear, but pure exhilaration.
For the first time in years, his life felt alive.
As Nova and Jack stepped into the White portal, the world around them twisted and turned, leaving them with a sense of disorientation. The discomfort was palpable—space seemed to warp and stretch around them, making it hard to tell which way was up. The fog that engulfed them was thick, obscuring everything except their silhouettes.
Suddenly, a notification rang in their minds:
[Select a weapon]
[Mission starts in 05:00]
Nova turned to Jack, instinctively seeking guidance.
Jack, ever the self-proclaimed expert, smiled bitterly. "I don’t know everything, but if this works like the rest of system, we just have to think about the weapon we want. By the way, which one are you going to choose?" His tone grew curious by the end.
Nova pondered briefly before replying, "I’ll start with a spear. What about you?"
Jack raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "I didn’t know you were a spear type of guy. After all these years, you still manage to surprise me. As for me, I’ll go with the saber."
Nova smirked. "You know, the spear is said to be the king of the battlefield."
"Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that before" Jack replied with a playful tone of exasperation. "Let’s just think about the weapons and see what happens."
Nodding, Nova focused his mind on the image of a spear. Within moments, a prompt appeared:
[Spear selected]
[Are you sure?]
Nova mentally affirmed his choice, and in an instant, a spear materialized before him. He grabbed it lazily, testing its weight and balance. When he turned to check on Jack, what he saw left him speechless.
Jack was hugging his saber like a long-lost lover, his face alight with joy.
Nova couldn’t help but tease. "Don’t worry, I’ll be your best man when the two of you tie the knot."
Jack froze mid-hug, quickly regaining his composure. "I was just... excited about finally being able to use the weapon I like most" he said, brushing off the moment as though nothing had happened.
Nova snorted but said nothing more, turning his attention to the spear. He’d never handled a weapon before—old martial arts had always been an interest, not a practice. Yet, as he gripped the spear, something stirred within him. The weapon felt natural, almost as if it belonged in his hands.
Both men were lost in their thoughts, familiarizing themselves with their weapons, as the timer slowly counted down.
[Mission starts in 00:02]
[Mission starts in 00:01]
[Mission started]
[Mission: Kill All the Goblins in the village]
Reward:
1. Primary Reward:
* Item: Goblin Slayer’s Medallion
A medallion imbued with the essence of countless defeated goblins. Grants the wearer increased damage (+15%) against goblin-type enemies and heightened perception of hidden enemies within a 10-meter radius.
2. Secondary Rewards:
* Gold: 50 coins
* EXP: 150
* Loot: Chance to find rare items and goblin artifacts during the mission (e.g., Goblin Chief's Dagger, Shaman's Grimoire, or Reinforced Goblin Armor).
3. Special Reward (If completed in under 2 hours):
* Title: Goblin Exterminator
This title enhances your reputation in towns and cities, increasing rewards for future quests involving monster extermination.
As the fog dissipated, a timer appeared in their peripheral vision.
[02:00:00]
[01:59:59]
Then a village emerged before them. Its wooden walls stood about eight feet tall, with goblins patrolling the top. The gate was wide open, almost as if mocking them, inviting them to enter.
Nova took in the sight and muttered, "Oh, that’s the village, huh?" Stretching lazily, he glanced at Jack. "Do you have a plan?"
Jack studied the village for a moment, his expression turning deadly serious. Then, with a tone as grave as the situation demanded, he said, "Nope. Let’s wing it."
Nova burst into laughter, gripping his spear tightly. "Let’s go then."
Without hesitation, the two rushed toward the gate.