《Apocalypse Returnee: Here We Go Again》 Prologue Traveling through the Void between dimensions wasn¡¯t as fun and exciting as it sounds. In fact, it was quite boring. But boring was fine. I already had experienced enough excitement for the rest of my life. Hopefully, from now on, boring would become my new norm. With nothing to see, feel or hear, with my senses completely turned off, I existed as a mere singularity point. That was quite an unusual state of being even for me, who had come through a large variety of extraordinary events. Even if that was supposed to be my second time going through the interdimensional travel, the first time I had been but a normal human from Earth, and so hadn¡¯t kept my consciousness in the process. I can¡¯t believe that I won, I thought to myself, for thinking was the only proof of my continuous existence, that woman was hella strong. They didn¡¯t call her Dark Lord for nothing. Though, shouldn¡¯t she have been called a Dark Lady, instead? Whatever, the only thing that matters is that she¡¯s dead, and my mission is complete. I won¡¯t miss that shithole of a world, that¡¯s for sure. Chosen Hero. That was the title the people of Luminosa Solum¡ªa very clich¨¦ fantasy world¡ªgave me, completely one-sidedly. I had been summoned through an ancient ritual which called upon the powers of their Goddess. Too bad I had never seen that woman in person, otherwise I would have had a word with her. I would¡¯ve explained to her concepts like consent and human rights, things that were so foreign to the barbarians native to that world, and the Empire that had been responsible for my summoning and ¡°education¡± in particular. Forget it man, I told myself, shaking off my negative thoughts, you¡¯re returning to your home world for good, there¡¯s no point in lamenting about the past. I lost the track of time at some point, as I entered into the same meditative state that I¡¯d been using to practice my magic. If there was anything good about my ten years of suffering in Luminosa, that was gaining magical powers. Then again, it had been a necessity rather than a luxury. Without them, I would¡¯ve been dead thousands of times. I had no idea how much time had elapsed since the start of my trip through the Void when it abruptly came to an end. One moment my entire existence was shrugged to a single point, and another I found myself in the middle of a dark backstreet of New York. Completely naked. And I wasn¡¯t alone. It turned out, that my arrival ended up being more shocking to the bystanders than it was to me. Couldn¡¯t blame them¡ªnot every day you see a naked man suddenly appearing out of nothing. ¡°What the fuck, man?!¡± a tall and muscular black dude with bleached hair exclaimed as he pointed his gun at me in fright. Without giving him much regard, I looked around. There were five people here other than me¡ªthree armed men, and a frightened couple. The former had an appearance of stereotypical gangsters, while the latter were completely out of place in that gloomy dead end alley. ¡°Hello, gentlemen, what year is it?¡± I asked the most important question straight away instead of trying to play the hero. I was already feed up with that role, anyway. ¡°What year is it?¡± one of the gangsters, a tattooed Latino with a funny mustache, repeated my question. ¡°Bruh, do ya think you¡¯re a time traveler or somethin¡¯?!¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡± The third gangster, an Asian guy, bald and as skinny as he was pale, patted his Hispanic friend on the shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s like, ya know¡­ How was he called, again? Oh yeah, Swarznigger! I bet he¡¯s going to tell us to give him our clothes next!¡± ¡°Gwha-ha-ha-ha!¡± the trio laughed out loud, already forgetting about my completely abnormal entrance. My first instinct was to slap them senseless. It had long since became one of my preferred ways to deal with small fries. Thankfully, I stopped myself before it was too late, reminding myself that I¡¯d just arrived here and couldn¡¯t be completely sure about my own situation. On the one hand, if I kept my abilities as a Chosen Hero, there was a very real chance that my half-hearted slap could pop their heads like a needle would a balloon. I couldn¡¯t even remember when it had been the last time I faced ordinary people. On the other hand, if by any chance I¡¯d lost all of my powers and had already become an ordinary person, those guys would be enough to make me suffer, that with them being armed. Ignoring the trio that had already lost most of their wariness towards me and were fooling around, I closed my eyes and inspected my body. My Mana Sense was working as it should, and it took me but a moment to understand my current situation, and it was¡­ great. For one thing, my body had recovered from all the wounds I¡¯d received in my final fight¡ªmy left arm was no longer a stump, my lungs no longer had any holes in them, and gashes that had covered most of my torso and limbs were completely gone. In fact, even my old scars had disappeared as wells. I was in the best shape I¡¯d ever had, my body a sculpted killing machine. And the best thing? I was brimming with Mana. ¡°Ya made our day today, bruh,¡± the black gangster talked to me after his group calmed down their jokes, ¡°so as a special thanks ya can scram away before we big bros get angry.¡± ¡°You still didn¡¯t answer my question, though,¡± I pointed out calmly as my eyes met his. I had zero reasons to be wary of those mobs. They had no chance to resist a Chosen Hero, guns or not. ¡°Are ya still keeping the play?¡± asked the Latino before he shouted at the couple that was about to sneak away. ¡°Who said that ya people can leave?! Ya still didn¡¯t pay the passing fee!¡± The respectable-looking pair had already recovered their bearings and had almost reached the corner of the street when the gangster¡¯s shout stopped them in their place. Perhaps they would¡¯ve made a run for it if three guns weren¡¯t pointed in their direction simultaneously. I sighed. After all said and done, I didn¡¯t consider myself a good guy. Far from it. I¡¯d done some things that would be considered evil by the modern society¡¯s standards. Most of the jobs I¡¯d done as a Chosen Hero could be described by two words¡ªvigilante justice. Or something close to it. In fact, my position had given me the lawful right to punish the criminals, so my actions weren¡¯t illegal, at least not within the confines of the Empire. But my role was that of a detective, judge and executioner, all at once. My moral views had long since shifted from those of most modern people on Earth, so it took me some effort to hold myself back from just directly getting rid of the three criminals brazen enough to threaten civilians right in front of me. This trio was nothing but a bane on the civilized society, the world would only benefit if they suddenly disappeared, but was that a reason enough? Calm down, man, this life of violence is behind you, I reminded myself. There¡¯s no point in attracting attention to your persona, right? That was when I realized that my peculiar appearance out of thin air had already been suspicious enough and that even the couple could report me to the police, complicating things further. It seemed I had no choice but to ¡°get rid¡± of all the witnesses¡­ ¡°Here we go again,¡± I whispered to myself with a sigh. ¡°Did ya just say something, Mr. Term-in-motor?¡± The Asian pointed his deadly toy at me. A big mistake. There was no point in replying to him, considering what I¡¯d already decided to do next. Instead, I started doing the magic stuff. Following my instinct, I moved Mana inside my body and split some of it into three parts. One became Air Mana, another Electricity Mana, and the last Gravity Mana. The first covered my body like an invisible armor, decreasing the air resistance to a bare minimum and potentially reflecting any projectiles send at me¡ªI had tested it with things more deadly than bullets. The second stimulated my nervous system, accelerating my already superhuman reflexes and agility. As for the Gravity Mana, I didn¡¯t bother with manipulating it in any complicated way and just used it for a Mana Boost¡ªa general full-body empowerment that even a novice Knight was capable of doing back at the Empire. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Oh yeah, I also sent a bit of Air Mana outside my body to create a sort of sound isolation that would prevent anyone outside the valley from hearing what was going on here. And also wouldn¡¯t allow One second I was lazily standing a dozen yards away from the pale gangster, and another I was towering over my opponent from behind with my hand placed at the top of his bold head. It wasn¡¯t exactly a teleportation¡ªnot even close, in fact¡ªbut I moved way too fast for ordinary people to follow my actions. Plus, I had the element of surprise. Unable to realize what had just happened, the Asian slowly turned his to me, his eyes filled with shock. And then a miniscule, by my standards, amount of Electricity Mana entered his brain, making him convulsing for a few short moments before collapsing on the ground like a broken doll. Using the brief moment of silence, I sent a bit of Air Mana outside my body to create a sort of soundproof barrier that would prevent anyone outside the alley from hearing what was going on here. And also would stop anyone¡ªincluding the couple of lovebirds, who had been unfortunate enough to meet the would be robbers and then me¡ªfrom making it out of here before I was done. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± I asked, my voice calm and relaxed. The same couldn¡¯t be said about those who had witnessed my action. ¡°W-what have ya done to Kusogaki?!¡± the Latino shouted at me as his trembling hand pointed his weapon at me. A yet another big mistake. Another second, another burst of speed, and then there was one more body laying on the cold asphalt of that gloomy alley. I cracked my neck and gave the one remaining gangsters a radiating smile. ¡°They pointed their guns at me and look what happened to them.¡± I shrugged with a helpless expression. ¡°But I¡¯m a generous man, you know? How about this? I¡¯ll allow you to shoot me. Just one shot. Do you want to try?¡± The gangster vigorously shook his head in denial and made a few steps back. He would¡¯ve probably tried to run away already if he thought that such an action would make any difference. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill you,¡± I promised honestly. ¡°Well, as long as you don¡¯t try anything stupid and do what I say. Just shoot at my six-pack. I want to check if it¡¯s strong enough to endure a bullet. I trained it a lot, after all!¡± As he hesitantly raised his gun at me, I added, ¡°If you aim for my head or heart, you¡¯re dead, though.¡± By the way, I also cancelled my Air Armor. Just to be fair on him. And of course I also tensed my abs. ¡°Y-ya damn crazy motherfucker!¡± The man gulped down and tightly gripped his toy with both of his sweaty hands. Thankfully for him, the unlucky lad did exactly what he had been told. He aimed for my abdomen and pulled the trigger. Even with my accelerated reaction speed, I could barely follow the bullet with my eyes. If I wanted to avoid being hit after it had already been shot¡ªdodging by predicting its trajectory beforehand would¡¯ve been a child¡¯s play¡ªI would¡¯ve needed some mental preparation and a high expenditure of Mana. But there was not even a point, considering how utterly low the danger of that sort of attack was against me¡ªI had numerous ways to just block them altogether. Or just to endure the impact. Why would I need to dodge from something so harmless? The bullet hit me an inch above my navel. And then it bounced off my chiseled abs, that were hardened even further by the Gravity Mana. Which, by the way, was extremely effective even when used in the most primitive way. Anyway, long story short¡ªI barely felt the attack. It tickled me a bit, but hadn¡¯t left any trace on my skin. Would the story have been different if I hadn¡¯t used any Mana at all? I was too cautious and not curious enough to find out. ¡°F-f-f-fucking monster!¡± the black man screamed as he fell on his ass and tried to crawl away from me. Too bad that his brave retreat was blocked by the wall soon enough. It was a dead end alley, after all. How stupid those gangsters should be to rob people with the wall behind their own backs and without even blocking the road of retreat for their victims? I thought with amusement. Realizing that he had nowhere to go anymore, the man aimed his toy at me in desperation mixed with shock. His already lacking mental facilities weren¡¯t enough for him to realize how futile and stupid any sort of resistance was. And how idiotic it was trying to annoy me. A few more bangs sounded, but this time I didn¡¯t meet the attacks with my bare body. Instead, I decided to do something fancy by creating a gravity field around me that sucked off most of the mass of anything below a certain level. I couldn¡¯t be sure about the science behind of that kind of stuff, but at one point in my adventures I¡¯d had that genius idea, and it had worked after some experimentation. In simple terms, if something was 100 grams normally, it would be 1 milligram when within the field¡ªand it affected the mass, not just the weight. That was a relatively expensive way to use my Mana normally, but I didn¡¯t plan to get in any serious danger anytime soon. And I doubted that many things on Earth could threaten me, anyway. With the laws of physics altered, the bullets didn¡¯t just bounce off me¡ªinstead, they were pulverized into dust, for they became extremely fragile after losing their mass. And thus, even the desperate attack of the man ended up being completely futile. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn,¡± I said when the black gangster ran out of bullets. ¡°I have a gun of my own, by the way.¡± I made a finger gun gesture and pointed with my forefinger at my opponent, who had already shitted his pants, judging by the stench. Ouch, one less person to choose clothes from¡­ Thinking silly thoughts, I sent a bullet made of pure Electricity Mana, hitting him right in the forehead. And thus, our ¡°fight¡± was over. But there were two more people to deal with. The two remaining witnesses were hugging each other at another side of the alley and watched me with terrified eyes. I hadn¡¯t missed their attempts to run away from here while I¡¯d been dealing with the thugs, but my Air Barrier wasn¡¯t something a normal person could overcome. With the most friendly smile I could muster, I approached the couple as I stepped over my three victims. Both seemed to be in their early twenties and from well-off families. Both were model-looking, with the girl being a bombshell blonde with an hourglass figure, and the guy a typical frat-boy type, handsome and athletic. What they were doing here was a mystery to me. The two didn¡¯t look that grateful to their savior, if the looks on their faces were anything to judge by. I was truly appalled at how rude some people could be. Though wait, the girl seemed kind of off¡­ ¡°Hey there, you two!¡± I waved my hand to them. ¡°What a nice evening for a little talk, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Y-yes, v-very nice evening, i-indeed,¡± the man mumbled, too scared to look me in the eyes. I never considered myself an intimidating person, some people were just afraid of everything for absolutely no reason. It wasn¡¯t like I planned to fry them alive with my lightning, or anything. I just wanted to talk. ¡°I have many question for you two,¡± I said, ¡°but, just to be fair, you can ask me anything first. I won¡¯t be angry, I swear.¡± ¡°D-did you kill¡ª¡± the guy was about to ask something important, when the girl interrupted him. ¡°Do you have a girlfriend?!¡± she asked enthusiastically as she pushed away her companion and grabbed my hand. ¡°What?!¡± both me and the guy exclaimed. Now I understood what was strange about the girl. She hadn¡¯t been trembling from fear, but from excitement. She hadn¡¯t been avoiding my eyes from being intimidated, but from being shy. No, in fact, she wasn¡¯t just completely looking away from me¡ªshe was giving short glances to my crotch from time to time¡­ What the actual Puck? I thought. Pucks were a kind of demons that had caused me some trouble, and their name was used as swearing back at Lumenosa. Did she hit her head when they tried to escape my barrier? ¡°Yes, I have a girlfriend,¡± I replied with all due seriousness. ¡°In fact, I have two...¡± ¡­and their names are Left Hand and Right Hand, I added in my mind. Jokes aside, I¡¯d had already tasted how terrifying women could be, so my interest in dating was barely existent. A girl would need to be really outstanding to catch my attention. As for that one, who was ready to abandon and disgrace her current partner for the sake of a suspicious naked guy she had just met¡­ I¡¯d rather face the Demon Lady again than consider someone like that as my partner. ¡°There¡¯s no harm in having one more, then!¡± she declared with a smile, not even noticing that I¡¯d already pushed her away from me with Air Mana. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Sarah, and I¡¯m single!¡± I decided to just ignore that pest of a woman for now. I would deal with her soon enough, anyway. ¡°Did you kill them?¡± the guy muttered his previously interrupted question with a crestfallen expression. At least he didn¡¯t look that scared anymore. I feel you bro, I expressed my condolences in my mind, women can be so ruthless at times¡­ ¡°Kill them?!¡± I faked an offended expression. ¡°Puck, no! Why would I kill such nice gentlemen?¡± Sarah giggled as if that was the most funny joke she had ever heard¡­ That girl was beginning to scare me, for real. I even felt an urge to erase her memories without waiting for another second. Endure, man, endure, I told myself, they still need to answer your questions, don¡¯t do anything rush¡­ ¡°Seriously, though,¡± I said, ¡°they¡¯ll wake up in a few hours, so no worries. I¡¯m not a mindless murderer, after all.¡± They will lose their recent memories, but that wasn¡¯t something those two needed to know. The same fate waited for them, after all. I didn¡¯t want anyone to threaten my everyday life by knowing and seeing too much. Yeah, the time for killing is over, I mused. No more murders. No more meaningless violence. My life on Earth will be peaceful and full of joy and happiness. Let¡¯s leave all the bad stuff at that shithole of a fantasy world. Just when the guy heaved a sigh of relief, I added as I patted him on the shoulder, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so stiff, man. If I wanted to hurt you two, you would have no way to resist, anyway! Now with that clear, it¡¯s my turn to ask the questions¡­¡± And on that happy note¡ªafter receiving a nervous laugh from one person and a flirty smile from another¡ªI started my cross-examination of the two modern humans. And I wasn¡¯t exactly glad to hear some of the answers¡­ Chapter 1 In hindsight, things could¡¯ve been worse. Much worse. For example, what if one day on Luminosa was equal to a year on Earth? Then I would have either found myself the only human left on the planet or in some kind of advanced intergalactic civilization. The first outcome would be more likely, considering humanity¡¯s tendency for self-destruction. So, perhaps having time flow at the same rate in both worlds was a good thing. Well, I personally would¡¯ve preferred if no time had passed here at all, but that would also mean repeating the last grade of high school and trying to explain why I suddenly gained the body of a professional athlete and aged by a few years. I still looked younger than my actual age ¡ª you just don¡¯t get much older when you cultivate Mana to a certain extent ¡ª and most would assume that I was either in my late teens or early twenties. Anyway, according to the couple, it was the year 2018 ¡ª ten years had passed on Earth since my disappearance, which led to many implications. For one thing, I had already been presumed dead according to American laws. For another¡­ I couldn¡¯t be so sure that my old man was still alive, and my little sister was already a full-fledged adult. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± I whispered after the unfortunate frat boy, whatever his name was, answered one of my questions. ¡°So there are two sequels to the Witchman, and the third installment is universally acknowledged as the best game ever?¡± ¡°Yeah, man, this game is in another league altogether!¡± he replied enthusiastically. We both ignored the blonde girl who was giving me flirty glances while trying to flash a fair bit of her neckline. At least she knew how to keep her silence when men talked about man stuff. ¡°I see, I see.¡± I nodded while stroking my chin. ¡°What else can you tell me about the Witchman?¡± I already anticipated hours upon hours of carefree gaming. Oh man, I missed video games so much. The main source of my entertainment back at Luminosa was using my magic to fight baddies. It could get repetitive very fast. Wait, wasn¡¯t that pretty much the same thing people usually do in RPGs, anyway? ¡°The Netflex also announced a TV adaptation of the original Witchman novels planned for next year!¡± It was as if he tried to distract himself from the fact that he now needed to find a new girlfriend. Unbeknownst to him, he actually didn¡¯t. As for the reason¡­ ¡°Thank you, man,¡± I said as I patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You told me everything I wanted to know. The rest I can find on my own, so you¡¯re free to go.¡± ¡°I was just about to tell you about the mods that make the game even better!¡± the guy said before the meaning of my words really hit him. ¡°W-wait, are you letting us off? Just like this?¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± I confirmed. ¡°What, did you think that I¡¯d get rid of you too?¡± ¡°Actually, yes, I expected as much¡­¡± he said as he glanced at the three bodies peacefully lying on the ground¡ªone of them stripped to his underwear, another stinky, and the last Asian. In the end, I didn¡¯t have much choice but to take the Latino gangster¡¯s clothes. The Asian¡¯s were too small for me, and the black guy¡¯s were too big. Yeah, that was because his size didn¡¯t fit mine and totally not because he had shat his pants. Anyway, now I looked rather funny wearing an oversized black leather jacket with a pink tank top underneath, skin-tight blue leggings, and flashy sneakers to complete the image. Yeah, in real life, thugs didn¡¯t care about their appearance that much, unlike what I saw in the movies. That wasn¡¯t different in both worlds¡ªusually, only those at the top of the criminal hierarchy knew how to dress with style and take care of their looks in general. It didn¡¯t help that the jacket was from the black guy and the rest of the clothes from his Latino friend. ¡°And you were right!¡± I beamed at the couple. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, losing memories isn¡¯t painful. In fact, in your case, I think it would benefit both of you.¡± ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t want to forget her betrayal!¡± the fellow game enthusiast found the courage to talk back to me. ¡°What betrayal?¡± Sarah blinked her eyes innocently. ¡°We are just friends, Fred!¡± ¡°Friends, my ass! We¡¯ve been dating since high school!¡± he argued. ¡°We were planning our wedding next year! You said that you loved me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, my Savior! He¡¯s just delusional!¡± Sarah pleaded as she tried to give me the cutest look she could. ¡°I¡¯m single and available!¡± I sighed. Dealing with those two was objectively more bothersome than taking care of the three would-be robbers. I didn¡¯t want to listen to their rambling anymore¡ªI touched the girl¡¯s forehead first, sending the thinnest line of Electricity Mana towards a certain part of her brain. Mindwipe, that was how I called this little technique of mine¡ªit had taken me a fair bit of trial and error to figure out which parts of the brain to stimulate and with how much power to avoid making someone a vegetable. I caught Sarah¡¯s limp body before it could hit the ground and gently placed her some distance away from the three unconscious men. Even if she was annoying, she was still just a girl and didn¡¯t deserve to get head trauma or worse just because of my negligence. ¡°Sorry, man, but I don¡¯t really care about your love troubles.¡± I shrugged before approaching Fred in one smooth motion and mindwiping him before he could say another word. I accurately placed his body with his back leaning against the wall, and then moved his girlfriend to rest at his chest. I made sure to arrange them to look like a cute couple just dozing off. When they wake up in fifteen minutes, they shouldn¡¯t be that shocked. Also, I hadn¡¯t held back much when using mindwipes on the three thugs, so they had lost way more than a dozen minutes of their past¡ªdays, maybe weeks¡ªand it would take them far longer to recover. It would¡¯ve been bad if they awoke near an unconscious woman. ¡°With this done, let¡¯s see how the world changed while I was away,¡± I whispered to myself and left the backstreets with a confident stride.
As my family had lived on the outskirts of New York City and I had been underage before being kidnapped to another world, I couldn¡¯t be sure how much that particular part of the city, filled with bars and clubs, had changed. I checked the phone I¡¯d found in the pocket of my jacket and discovered it was just past 3 AM. Oh yeah, I also had another phone in my leggings, of all places. That was a bonus of robbing clothes from two people instead of just one. And a fair compensation for me looking like a clown and getting some curious glances as a result. No one dared to provoke me in any way, though, even this late at night¡ªmost people would be wary of someone with my self-assured body language and superb physique. I wondered if I should visit one of the night establishments and have some fun there but decided against it. I had just one grand in cash from my three thug friends, and I didn¡¯t ask for the PINs for their cards. Plus, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could pass facial recognition with my current appearance. Instead, I decided to enjoy some Earth food. The only burgers I could have on Luminosa were those I made myself, and I wasn¡¯t that great a cook. It didn¡¯t take me long to find one of the McTrump¡¯s restaurants that was open 24 hours. The sleepy cashier gave me a strange look as I ordered all types of burgers on the menu. For better or worse, there wasn¡¯t an audience to see how much I could actually eat in one go. As someone who had already reached the peak of physical and magical development that was possible in my second world, I could easily consume a hundred people''s worth of food as I could live without any for years. ¡°Did fast food always taste so bland?¡± I asked myself after finishing a Big Tasty. The taste from my memories was more vivid and fresh. Perhaps I¡¯d changed way too much to enjoy mundane food. During my years back at Luminosa, I¡¯d eaten the most grand dishes provided by magic-wielding cooks, all ingredients filled with Mana to the brim. I recalled how surprised I had been when the roughly grilled meat of a First Tier Magical Beast¡ªthe lowest Tier of all¡ªturned out to be superbly delicious.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. In the end, I only managed to finish a few more burgers before reluctantly accepting the fact that Earth food was no longer able to satisfy my taste buds. That made me miss the other world, even if just for a moment. I left the restaurant disappointed. I don¡¯t need to eat more often than once every few months, anyway¡­ I shrugged. And usually, anything tastes great when I haven¡¯t eaten in a while. Perhaps I¡¯ll get used to my home planet¡¯s cuisine sooner or later. Next, I wanted to find a nearby computer club. Pretty much all of them operated 24 hours, so I could spend the rest of the night playing games. That would be a great way to use the free time I had until visiting my old house. I didn¡¯t want to wake everyone in the middle of their sleep, after all. I asked several people for directions, but none could give me an answer¡ªit didn¡¯t help that most of the passersby were drunk. I was about to approach a group of loud young people when my Mana Sense caught something unusual at the edge of its sphere¡ªMana. One thing I noticed about Earth was that it was almost completely devoid of Aether. And what was Mana if not Aether converted by a living being into something it could use? So, I logically assumed that Mana Cultivation didn¡¯t exist on Earth, which was completely in line with my common sense. That also meant it would take me forever to recover the Mana I¡¯d used on the thugs¡ªmaybe a few months or so. In comparison, it would¡¯ve taken me a couple of minutes back at Luminosa. With such a minuscule amount of Aether, I couldn¡¯t imagine any normal human being able to sense it, let alone absorb and control it. But now my presumptions were contradicted by someone¡ªor something¡ªwith actual Mana. Perhaps that was some kind of Artifact from another world or from an ancient era when Earth had more Aether? There was only one way to find out. When I reached my destination, I froze for a moment. First, it was the second time I ended up in a dead-end alley today. Second¡­ I witnessed a scene straight out of a horror movie. A man was hugging a woman¡ªso far, so good. His lips were at her neck as if he was kissing her. Except his sharp teeth were piercing her skin as he sucked her blood with fervor. The guy was either a psycho or a vampire, and by the way his eyes were completely crimson, and the woman didn¡¯t even scream as if she were in a deep trance, I assumed the latter. ¡°What the actual Puck?¡± I exclaimed as I approached them. The vampire jumped in surprise and let go of the woman. ¡°I never expected to see a bona fide vampire on the first day I arrived back on Earth. Don¡¯t be so nervous, dude; I won¡¯t kill you just yet.¡± The man, who seemed to be in his early thirties, reminded me of a certain King of Pop¡ªpale as snow with a pug nose and curly black hair. A thin line of blood flowed from his lips as he looked at me in confusion. ¡°W-who are you?!¡± he asked, his voice trembling. ¡°I-I set the barrier! You aren¡¯t mundane, that¡¯s for sure, b-but if so, then what nonsense are you spilling? A-Are you trying to break the Veil Code?!¡± His words reminded me of an awesome game where you played as a vampire. There was the concept of the Masquerade¡ªa set of rules that all vampires followed to hide their existence from humans. Don¡¯t tell me that stuff is actually real, I thought. Well, I don¡¯t really care that much. Using my Mana Sense, I explored the body of the vampire. It turned out that when foreign blood reached his heart, it transformed into Mana, which was then absorbed by his body. I didn¡¯t know it was even possible to get Mana from sources other than Aether. And that, in a certain sense, explained my question. I also checked the woman, and she didn¡¯t seem to be in any serious danger. ¡°What¡¯s going on, dear?¡± the woman, a redhead with a cute freckled face, asked the King of Pop, whose eyes had already changed to gray. ¡°T-This man said he¡¯s going to rob us,¡± the vampire shouted as he grabbed her hand and dragged her away with him. ¡°Let''s run, Alisa!¡± For a moment, I wanted to stop them and interrogate the unusual specimen, but then I reminded myself that I had more urgent matters to attend to¡ªvideo games wouldn¡¯t play themselves! After a brief consideration, I concluded that the situation wasn¡¯t as bad as it looked¡ªthe two people had matching wedding rings on their fingers, so I thought it wasn¡¯t some random assault. If having your blood sucked was deadly, then they wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such a relationship. Perhaps I was letting a dangerous monster go, but that seemed unlikely from the clues I¡¯d already received, and my intuition told me he wasn¡¯t that bad of a guy. In any case, I was no longer a Chosen Hero trying to save every person I met. I was just some guy who wanted a quiet life. Eventually, it was by mere chance that I found a fitting establishment¡ªI noticed a cool-looking signboard, and it turned out to be an internet caf¨¦. I bought a day pass for $20 and was then left to my own devices. The administrator didn¡¯t even look at me, as he was busily playing something himself. I was wary that, similar to my taste for Earth food, I might find that video games no longer held the same appeal for me. Thankfully, I was wrong. Among what was available on my extremely impressive-looking computer, I chose something I was familiar with¡ªthe second installment of Cosmos Craft, a strategy game I had played as a teenager. I started playing the campaign and instantly found myself engrossed. I was faintly familiar with most of the units, and the main challenge for me was to control the strength of my hands and fingers to avoid damaging the keyboard and the mouse. The gameplay felt rather slow and easy, and with my reaction speed being supernatural, I doubted that even pro gamers could compete with me if I trained just a bit. In the end, I caught myself noticing it was already 9 AM. What? If you rob someone, be ready to be robbed yourself. So now their things had become rightfully mine. It was time to visit my family. I really missed my old man and little Leah. Today was Sunday, so they were most likely at home¡ªif they still lived there, of course. If they didn¡¯t, it would take some effort to find their current whereabouts, which probably wouldn¡¯t be that hard in the era of the internet. Anyway, I wanted to see their faces. There was no way I would meet them looking like a clown gangster, so first I visited a second-hand shop and bought normal clothes for $500. I decided to keep the Latino''s sneakers as they were in decent shape and fit me well enough, but everything else went in the trash. And, of course, I didn¡¯t forget to buy underwear¡ªI had been reluctant to wear the dirty boxers of the thugs, so I had spent the night going commando, while wearing skin-tight leggings. Okay, perhaps the strange looks I had been receiving weren¡¯t just due to my lame style¡­ Now, wearing blue jeans and a black t-shirt, I could no longer be mistaken for a hobo. It still wasn¡¯t the best outfit I had ever worn¡ªI would have preferred to have at least something magically enhanced¡ªbut I didn¡¯t feel like a complete joke anymore, either. I still received some passing glances, but mostly because of my toned arms and handsome face, if I had to guess. I knew my approximate location and where to go, so only one thing remained¡ªwalking. Sure, I could have caught a cab, but I was kind of short on cash and not in a hurry. I wanted to enjoy a relaxing stroll while sightseeing in the city I had missed for ten entire years. At some point, I saw some teenagers playing basketball on a playground. It so happened that the ball flew toward me. Of course, I caught it effortlessly. Then I had the strange urge to throw it into the hoop, and so I did. I made the shot, of course. From more than a hundred feet away. With a smile, I waved to the astonished boys and continued my little journey. When I saw a group of young men working out at a park, doing pull-ups, muscle-ups, and handstands, I couldn¡¯t help but show off a little, too. If I used some magic, I could do a hands-free pull-up, but that would be overkill, wouldn¡¯t it? So, I just made a one-handed muscle-up. Except I did it with a completely straight arm, pulling myself up like a lever. Then, I followed with a one-handed handstand on the bar. For some reason, the workout bros weren¡¯t as impressed as I¡¯d expected, but they still showed a lot of appreciation and asked me a bunch of questions. I decided against showing them something even crazier and said my goodbyes. One thing I was sure about was that an easy life on Earth wouldn¡¯t be hard to achieve with my strength. All you needed was money, and I could excel in any sport with just enough practice. I could easily become the best MMA fighter or the best football or basketball player. The only thing I needed to worry about was showing off too much of my power or accidentally losing control and hurting someone. But those were plans for the future; for now, I needed to figure out if I should restore my original identity or get a fake one. To make that decision, I needed to meet my family first. The closer I got to my old house, the more nostalgia I felt. With each passing minute, the streets became more and more familiar. Soon enough, I reached a suburban area where private homes became more common than apartment complexes. Here and there, I could recognize playgrounds where I¡¯d played with my friends, places that held my long-forgotten memories. It was quite funny¡ª as I cultivated my body and mind with mana, my memory became better, eventually reaching a level where I could never forget anything, but that worked only for new memories. Because of this, my past before the summoning became too vague compared to my new experiences. But now, I was recovering some of what I had lost. I felt warmth in my heart when I eventually reached a lonely two-story house at the corner of the road. Maybe it was just me, but it didn¡¯t seem to have changed one bit since the time I¡¯d been kidnapped to another world. Home, sweet home. Chapter 2 I examined the oh-so-familiar house for a while, considering whether I should just check things out with Mana Sense, but I decided against it. After all, I wanted to have a simple, boring life, and using magic for mundane tasks went against that goal. Without hurry, I walked toward the door and, slightly anxious, pressed the bell button. It was surprising that such an easy matter would elevate my heart rate, which had stayed steady even when I faced two Fifth Tier Magical Beasts at the same time. I didn''t wait longer than a minute before an unfamiliar man, maybe a bit younger than I was, opened the door. He was easily a head taller than me¡ªthis wasn''t exaggerated but still unusual, considering that I was your average 5''10" guy. What a bummer that becoming superhuman didn''t help me grow even an inch since my seventeenth birthday. Other than being tall enough to look down on me, the man had a well-developed body while giving off househusband vibes with his fuzzy ginger beard and cooking apron. Ginger? Nah, no way it''s him. "Can I help you?" the man asked as he slightly squinted at me. Just before I could think of a reply, his eyes widened. "W-wait, aren''t you¡ª" "Who''s there, Jimmy?" A young woman approached us from inside the house. She brimmed with tomboyish energy even while wearing cute pink pajamas, and her short, curly black hair perfectly complemented her eyes, the color of the clearest sky¡ªthe same as mine. I recognized her at a glance, even if her face only barely resembled that of my fourteen-year-old little sister. "Hey, little Leah, your big bro is back!" I beamed at her as I spread my arms, inviting her for a hug. She just froze in place, gazing at me in a daze. I waited. And waited. And then waited some more... Only after one of the longest half-minutes of my life passed did Leah finally speak. "Listen, mister, it''s not funny," Leah said as she put her hands on her hips in a strict pose, giving me an annoyed look. "I don''t know how you learned about my missing brother, but first of all¡ªyou''re way too handsome and ripped to be him. Second, he should already be in his thirties; he''s old, after all, and you look younger than I do! If you wanted to pretend to be him, you could''ve at least tried to hide your chiseled body under your clothes, grow a beard, color your hair gray, and add some wrinkles to look his age..." "Wait, what?! I''m not that old, you brat! What thirties? I''m only three years older than you! And since when are thirty-year-olds considered elderly?! Damn, you really still need some discipline after all these years! Should I hide your smartphone again?!" "Hold me, dear, it''s really him!" Now, Leah''s expression suddenly changed as if she''d seen a ghost. "No way anyone else could call me, a fine and noble lady, a brat! It''s really him, that useless big brother who abandoned his sister for a decade! Wait, forget it, don''t hold me, Jimmy, hold him before he runs off again! I''ll make him understand the wrath of a little sister!" "Since when do fine and noble ladies swear?!" I hummed. "And wait, did you call him Jimmy? It can''t be that Jimmy, right?!" "So you really are Boss..." the man exclaimed as his eyes moistened. "We believed that you''d be back... that you weren''t gone forever..." "Sure enough, no one else would call me that..." It was my turn to be surprised. It was also funny how he still hadn''t forgotten about our bet and kept his word. What could I say? Only a real man would call someone "Boss" after losing to him in a fighting game enough times. "So you finally got rid of your thick glasses, Jimmy? Contacts?" "No, laser eye surgery." "Braces?" "Those were only temporary." "Weren''t you the shortest guy in your class?" "You know how they say puberty is a bitch? I made it my bitch!" Jimmy smirked at his own joke as Leah hit him with her elbow. "Yeah, and the pimples are gone as well..." I nodded to myself. No wonder Leah ended up with him. I mean, I knew he had a crush on her and rooted for the guy, but he seemed to be too far lost in the friend zone. They had known each other since elementary school, with him being her "common sense" and her acting as his "bodyguard," even if he was a year older. Now, he was good enough to protect her as well. "So, will you guys let me in, or should I stay at the entrance forever?" "Come in, you jerk," Leah said, her voice suddenly small. She tugged at my arm, but her earlier bravado was gone. "I... I can''t believe you''re really here." The interior hadn''t changed much¡ªsame family photos on the walls, same worn carpet, same everything. Except now there were new pictures mixed in with the old ones: Leah''s graduation, her wedding to Jimmy, and... newspaper clippings? I paused at one headline: "FBI Special Agent Breaks International Trafficking Ring." "Dad''s been... busy," Leah said, following my gaze. "After you disappeared, he couldn''t just stay a regular detective. He kept digging, following every lead. Each case led him higher up, exposing bigger operations. Now he''s somewhere in Eastern Europe, deep undercover. He can''t even contact us." "Still searching," I muttered, my chest tight. "Always." She crossed her arms, looking away. "We both were. You know how many missing persons support groups I joined? How many forums I checked? Every time some John Doe turned up, every unidentified body..." Damn you, Lumia. I cursed the Goddess of Luminosa. You have enough power to transport me to another world, but can''t send a message to my family? Then again, wouldn''t they just think they were going crazy? And the chance of me coming back was... rather slim to begin with. "Leah..." Jimmy stepped forward, but she waved him off. "No, he needs to hear this." Her voice cracked. "Do you know what it''s like? Hoping every phone call might be news about you? Jumping at every knock, thinking maybe this time... And then you just¡ªjust show up! Looking younger than me, all buff and handsome, like you''ve been at some luxury spa resort while we were going crazy wondering if you were dead in a ditch somewhere!" I stayed silent, letting her get it out. What could I say? Sorry, sis, I was busy being a legendary hero while you were worrying yourself sick? "And the worst part?" She was crying now, tears streaming down her face. "The worst part is I''m so happy to see you I can barely breathe, and I hate that! I want to be angry! I want to¡ªto¡ª" I pulled her into a hug, and this time I had to remember to be gentle, to not let my enhanced strength hurt her. She beat her fists against my chest once, twice, then buried her face in my shirt and sobbed. "Your heart''s beating so fast," she mumbled after a while. "Yeah, well, facing my little sister''s wrath is scarier than any monster I''ve¡ª" I caught myself, but she was too emotional to notice the slip. "I''ll... make some coffee?"The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Still as considerate as I remember you," I said with a smile, still holding Leah close. Did I mention Luminosa had no coffee? Of course not. The closest thing to it was considered a drug and, naturally, totally illegal. Not impossible to get, mind you... "We have a lot to talk about. Though Dad being away might be for the best, considering..." "Considering what?" Leah pulled back, wiping her eyes. I looked at the newspaper clipping again. Dad had spent ten years fighting human monsters, working his way up from local detective to international operations. Part of me felt proud, but another part ached knowing I was partly responsible for his crusade. How many times had he been walking a tightrope between life and death as a result? "Considering this might be too much for one day," I said softly. "Plus, he probably would''ve tried to arrest me for breaking every known law of physics. You know how he gets about proper procedure." "God, you haven''t changed at all," Leah laughed through her tears. "Still making jokes at the worst times." "I have changed! I learned to do my own laundry and everything. I no longer have to trick my little sister into doing chores!" "Wow, such an achievement. Want a medal?" But she was smiling now, even as she wiped her eyes. "Jimmy, where''s that coffee? My idiot brother is trying to be funny again!" "Coming!" Jimmy called from the kitchen. "Just trying to remember how Boss liked it." "Make it so strong it could raise the dead, but add enough milk to drown them again!" I called back, then caught Leah''s expression. "What? Ten years, and I''m not allowed to develop a refined palate?" "It''s just... you''ve barely aged," Leah said, studying my face. "You were seventeen when you... when you disappeared. You should be twenty-seven now, but you look twenty at most." "Good genes?" I offered weakly. "Try again. Jimmy and I saw your graduation photos just yesterday¡ªwe were sorting through Dad''s stuff, trying to digitize everything. You were a scrawny kid with acne. Now you look like you could be on a magazine cover." "You know what Jimmy and I have in common? Puberty¡ª" "Don''t you dare use Jimmy''s line about making puberty your bitch," Leah warned, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Seriously, though, what happened to you? Where were you? And don¡¯t say witness protection or something, because Dad would''ve found out." Jimmy returned with our drinks, setting them down gently. I took the mug, the aroma hitting me instantly¡ªrich, comforting, and so distinctly home. Nothing like the bitter, almost medicinal herbs they called stimulants in Luminosa. I took a sip, letting the warmth work its way through me, grounding me. "It''s... complicated," I started, watching Leah¡¯s eyes narrow as if she could burn through my excuses. "No, wait, hear me out. I want to tell you everything. I really do. But some of it¡¯s going to sound completely insane." "More insane than vanishing for ten years and coming back looking like this?" Leah gestured at me with her free hand. "While Dad became some kind of international super-cop trying to find you?" "Actually... yeah." I stared into the coffee, watching the swirls of milk spiral before they stilled. "Way more insane." "Try us," Jimmy said quietly, his tone steady. "After everything we¡¯ve been through, we can handle it." I hesitated, the words sitting heavy on my tongue. "You know, all those years I told myself what I missed most was the comfort of modern life, the games I couldn¡¯t play, the shows I couldn¡¯t watch. I convinced myself that¡¯s what I wanted back." I paused, gripping the mug tighter, holding myself back from breaking it. "But I was lying. I told myself those things to ignore what really kept me going in that shithole¡ªbecause admitting the truth would¡¯ve been too painful. I fucking missed you, Leah! And you too, Jimmy!" Before I could say another word, Leah practically launched herself at me, nearly knocking over both our coffees. Jimmy wasn''t far behind, and suddenly I was caught in a group hug that made my chest tight in a way no battle ever had. I had to remind myself to be gentle, to not let my enhanced strength hurt them, but it was hard, so damn hard, when all I wanted was to hold them tight enough to make up for ten years of absence. "Welcome back, Clinton..." Leah whispered my name, a word I had almost forgotten... I missed this, I thought fiercely. Missed Leah''s stupid strawberry shampoo that she''s apparently still using. Missed Jimmy''s awkward bear hugs. Missed having people who knew me before I was anything special, who cared about me when I was just a normal kid with acne and terrible jokes. Who knew me before... before I murdered my first person. Back in Luminosa, I''d had followers, admirers, even lovers. But none of them knew the real me. None of them had played video games until 3 AM with me, or helped me with math homework (despite being younger), or threatened to tell Dad about the time I accidentally set the garage on fire while trying to make rocket fuel. "Don''t you dare disappear again," Leah mumbled into my shirt, her voice thick with tears. "Or I swear I''ll hunt you down myself." "She means it," Jimmy added, his own voice suspiciously rough. "She''s scarier than her dad when she wants to be." "I know," I said softly, holding them both a little tighter. "Trust me, I know." As we finally broke apart, I settled back into the couch, the warmth of their embrace still lingering. Funny, I thought, how I spent years dreaming about playing the newest games and catching up on movies, when what I really needed was right here. Looking at Leah wiping her tears while trying to pretend she wasn''t crying, and Jimmy awkwardly straightening his apron, I felt more at home than I had in a decade. We''ll find Dad, I promised silently. Once I figure out how to explain everything, we''ll track him down together. Maybe I can even use some of my abilities to help with his mission. After all, what''s an international crime syndicate compared to a Demon Lord? And then we''ll have the calm and satisfying life I''ve always dreamed about... together. Yes, this would be nice. I''m finally free! Now is the time for the hard part... telling my story. "Remember those fantasy novels we used to read¡ª" I was about to reveal my insane past, of course also proving everything with my powers, when I sensed something that shouldn''t have been the case. My Mana was full again. It didn''t make sense. By my estimation of Aether Density, it should have taken me months to recover what little I had used up on the thugs. And yet... yet now it had fully recovered. As for Aether Density... I activated my Mana Sense and froze. "What''s going on, brother?" Leah asked with concern. Before I could answer, I felt it¡ªa surge of Aether so powerful it made my skin tingle. The air itself seemed to thicken, becoming heavy with potential energy. It was like being back in Luminosa, except this shouldn''t be possible. Not on Earth. Suddenly, blue text appeared floating in the air¡ªnot just in my vision, but actually hanging there in space. Congratulations, Earth is being integrated into the Atheos System! Chapter 3 I focused on the words, trying to feel the flow of Aether in them, to sense the intricate patterns¡ªthe runes¡ªthat governed this strange magic. But it was beyond my understanding, just like magic spells beyond the lowest tier. I doubted that even the Arcane Sage could figure out their meaning. Congratulations, Earth is being integrated into the Atheos System! And yet, such complicated runes were used to create just a piece of text. "What the¡ª" Jimmy started. "Are you guys seeing this too?" Leah asked, her voice shaking. "Please tell me you''re seeing this." This is new, I thought grimly as more text began to appear. Even after ten years in a world of magic, I''d never seen anything quite like this. And I didn''t like it. I didn''t like that something this incomprehensible happened just when my happiness was within my grasp. "Calm down, stay with me," I said, spreading my Mana Sense around us. I didn''t feel any suspicious signatures like the one from the vampire within my range, which covered about two miles. What I noticed instead was that other people seemed just as confused as we were. The message wasn''t just for us¡ªit was reaching at least everyone in the area. Or¡ªI thought with a chill¡ªperhaps the entire population of Earth. If that was the case, it would explain the complexity of the runes in the message. How powerful must an entity be to simultaneously communicate with 8 billion human beings? As I prepared for the worst, the message continued. This time, it was accompanied by a voice¡ªone that read the first message in a tone both alluring and emotionless, neither male nor female, sending shivers down my spine. Dear citizens of Earth, the so-called humanity, as well as the aliens who call this planet their home. I am pleased to inform you that your planet has awakened. Fear not¡ªI shall ensure its ego is properly deleted before it manages to erase you all as part of its growing process. You don''t understand what I speak of? You will soon enough when it sends its monsters and evolved beasts after you. But first, I shall grant you the power to resist. And also protect you from the Aether Shockwave that will make a complete mess of the surface (say goodbye to your dear civilization). On the bright side, after the first stage of the integration is completed, you''ll join the multiverse connected by your humble servant (that''s me! or us! whatever you prefer)! "Brother, do you understand what''s going on?" Leah said, anxiety clear in her voice. Monsters and evolved beasts... just like Luminosa? I thought to myself. Is Earth transforming into a magical world? The implications are staggering. Damn, the world really doesn''t want to give me a rest. I just hope this isn''t connected to my return. What if I somehow triggered this event? No... that can''t be right. "Leah, remember how I said my story was so crazy you wouldn''t believe it? Well, I think soon enough we''ll see things that will make my experience seem downright ordinary." I gave her a sheepish smile. "Whatever''s coming, stay close. I''ll protect you." "Thanks, bro." My sister gave me a confused look. "Should I get a gun?" Jimmy asked, already changing into more practical clothes. "I don''t think guns will be very effective against whatever''s coming, but I guess it''s better than nothing." I paused. "Though you might want to grab a melee weapon too. Got a katana by any chance?" "Brother, why would we have a katana at home?" "So, do you have one?" "Yes, actually, I do." "That''s my boy, Jimmy!" I laughed. "Wait, what? How come I never knew about this?" Leah turned to her boyfriend with narrowed eyes. "Because you never asked?" Jimmy said as he hurried upstairs. This guy was always an anime fan, so a katana or two isn''t surprising. Though this is his home now, isn''t it? I thought with uncertainty. "We''re going to have a serious talk about this," Leah called after him. "I definitely noticed that suspicious 500-dollar charge on our card." "Go easy on him. Maybe it''s your birthday present? Your special day is coming up soon." "Well, if that''s the case, I might forgive him." But our conversation was cut short as new text appeared before us. Initiating planetary scan. Tutorial Zone assignments pending. Difficulty selection required. Note: Some options could be unavailable for certain individuals. [Scan Error. Foreign contamination detected. Initiating vote: Grant system access to contaminated entity?] [Secondary Core Votes] Yes [3 out of 7] No [4 out of 7] [Awaiting Primary Core decision...] Yes [1 out of 1] Secondary Core decision override. Granting system access to contaminated entity under special conditions. I wonder if others see this same message, I very much doubt it, I thought with a frown. Contaminated, huh? Well, that''s disturbing. Is it talking about the powers given to me by the Goddess? Then again, I should have lost her blessing already. Or does it not consider my own powers as legitimate? That''s twice as offensive. I worked so hard for it! Choose your Tutorial Difficulty (pro tip: you get bonus System Points for real-world achievements... and for being lucky): [EASY] - Not Available The easiest difficulty. You will be given a simple task to complete and nine Revivals. In exchange, the rewards will provide no significant advantages. It''s a choice for cowards or the cautious, but beware that it will make you less adapted for what''s to come as a result. Even if you haven''t accomplished anything in life, you''ll be safe with this option. [NORMAL] - Not Available Recommended for most participants. A balanced experience for those who aren''t seasoned fighters or particularly strategic. No offense intended; most of you are in this category. A normal difficulty for normal people. If you wish to maximize your survival chances in the coming apocalypse, choose wisely and don''t try to bite off more than you can chew. Attempting a higher difficulty could put you ahead of other humans before the battle even begins, but normal all but guarantees survival, and later you can always find someone to rely on. Comes with three Revivals and a fairly easy mission.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. [HARD] - Not Available Want to play with fire? This difficulty is lethal for the unprepared, but the rewards might just be worth dancing with death. Perfect for high achievers, martial artists, or those blessed with sharp minds¡ªand yes, brainpower matters since it determines your magical potential. Survival isn''t guaranteed, but it''s manageable if you come ready. You have one Revival, so one chance to cheat death, but only one. Make it through, and you''ll emerge as someone powerful enough to stand between your loved ones and whatever nightmares this new world throws at them. [NIGHTMARE] - Not Available Here''s where things get serious. Your trials will be brutal, your challenges daunting¡ªbut the System provides tools for those daring enough to grasp them. And rich enough to buy them. Where others face a wolf, you''ll face an alpha¡ªbut with the right skills unlocked, even an alpha can fall. Every resource, every System feature must be leveraged to survive. The environment becomes your weapon if you''re clever enough to use it. And of course, you have to accumulate enough System Points from your real-life achievements to even consider this¡ªare you world-famous, have you saved thousands of lives, or are you a renowned scientist? No? Well, then all you can do is pray that you''re lucky enough to win our System Lottery. Success requires mastering abilities under the constant threat of death. Those who clear Nightmare emerge transformed, not just by rewards, but by pushing the System to its limits under extreme pressure. The question isn''t whether the tools for success exist¡ªit''s whether you can master them fast enough to stay alive. [MADNESS] - Not Available Now we''re talking insanity. To consider this, you need a few screws loose¡ªand that''s a compliment. The System provides everything needed to survive, but you''ll have to master abilities others haven''t even discovered yet while dodging death at every turn. You''ll start at rock bottom and climb through sheer tenacity. Exploit every mechanic, unlock hidden potentials, and push boundaries that others won''t dare approach. Face challenges that would make veterans weep, with nothing but your wits and the System''s tools. And yeah, you need a whole bunch of starting System Points to have a chance. And some powerful Archetype to boot. Even if you''re a billionaire, CEO, Nobel Prize winner, or have cured cancer, it might not be enough. In Madness, luck is the real currency. The surprising thing? More users choose this than you''d think. The unsurprising thing? Most of them don''t live to regret it. This isn''t about survival¡ªit''s about evolution through extinction. And if you emerge victorious? You''ll be set on the road to becoming a legend. [IMPOSSIBLE] - Available Well, well, well. Look who it is. Wondering why this is your only option? Let''s just say the System doesn''t take kindly to... irregularities. You''re an anomaly, friend, and this is your punishment¡ªor your test. Why impossible? That''s for you to find out. Here''s a hint: it''s not called ''Very Super Mega Hard'' for a reason. Good luck. You''re going to need all of it. "Puck, you gotta be kidding me!" I couldn''t help but exclaim. "So you''re singling me out, huh? Damn." Warning: Failure to select a difficulty within [263 seconds] will result in random assignment from available options. Your planet is having a serious case of sudden Aether Overflow, and it''s close to its limit. As I mulled over whatever what that crap meant, Leah disappeared upstairs for a quick change. Her pink pajamas were hardly appropriate for whatever was coming. She returned wearing ripped jean shorts and a tight-fitting compression top¡ªpractical workout clothes that showed off her athletic build. I guess ten years of martial arts training had changed more than just her skills. It was almost funny how my sudden return hadn''t been enough for her to dress up, but the threat of an apocalypse got her out of those unicorn-patterned PJs in record time. By this time, Jimmy had also returned, decked out in full military camo. He carried a loaded backpack, an AR assault rifle in his hands, and an authentic katana strapped to his back. "This seems completely insane. I don''t even know what to think," Leah shook her head. "And I''m not even talking about your katana, Jimmy..." [169 seconds] "If this isn''t some global hallucination, we need to pick our difficulty carefully," Jimmy said. "Based on what''s happening online, this is real. Everyone''s messaging me¡ªfriends, my family¡ªasking if I see it too. The urgent news is all over the place. The whole world''s in panic, and we have minutes to make a choice that''ll determine our lives." I knew better than anyone how serious things were¡ªthe Aether density had skyrocketed since my last check. It was now twice as high as the Demon Lands of Luminosa and four times that of the Human Lands. At this rate, it would soon match the density of the Demon Queen''s Castle¡ªsomething completely insane. Normal humans couldn''t survive such high concentrations of Aether. "If we choose the same difficulty, we might end up in the same place," Leah said, thinking it through. "I''m considering Normal or Hard. Easy seems like a short-term solution, though I''m not sure how challenging Hard really is. It says we need to be physically fit, and trust me, brother¡ªafter you disappeared, I made sure I could handle myself." "This little demon was never weak," Jimmy laughed. "And now she''s a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu." "What? A black belt? Really?" That caught me off guard. "Yes, brother. Want me to show you a trick or two?" "Wow, you''re dangerous now." I glanced at our time window. [81 seconds] "What do you mean, brother?" "Well... it seems the System doesn''t think Normal or Hard is enough for me." "What? Is it forcing you into a higher difficulty? Does it want you dead? Or¡ª" Leah''s eyes widened, "¡ªdoes it think you''re meant for greatness? To become humanity''s hope? If that''s the case, I''ll choose Nightmare with you, even Madness. Maybe we''ll end up together." "Don''t be ridiculous, baby," Jimmy cut in. "Madness?" "That sounds like a cakewalk to me." I grinned. "You know what the System thinks? That for me, nothing is Impossible. And you know what? It could be just damn right. As for you guys, stick with Normal; no reason to risk it." I laughed, even as we all felt the earth tremor. The planet itself was roaring, as if it had a bad case of diarrhea from a cheap Chinese restaurant. The real source of Aether had always come from a planet''s core, and now I felt a powerful wave about to be unleashed¡ªa wave that would make the current density seem like a gentle breeze. They probably couldn''t feel it yet, but the Aether had already started affecting every living body with its density. You see, while Aether was an invisible and usually peaceful source of power, when its density reached high enough levels, normal humans couldn''t survive¡ªespecially those not blessed by the Goddess. Their bodies would start breaking down at the cellular level, organs failing one by one. I''d seen it happen in Luminosa''s most Aether-dense regions. But it seemed this so-called System decided to take everything into its own hands, probably planning to modify human bodies to handle the change. I could only hope it would transport us to the Tutorial, whatever that meant, before the Aether shockwave turned most of humanity into a broken mess. The tremors grew stronger. Books fell from shelves, and somewhere in the kitchen, I heard dishes shattering. [29 seconds] "I was so glad to see you again, Leah. You too, Jimmy. Please survive." I looked at them intently, memorizing their faces. After missing them for ten years, these few minutes weren''t nearly enough. "And you don''t need the Hard difficulty; Normal is more than enough. Just make sure to get out alive, and then you''ll be under my care. I swear that no one will dare to hurt even a hair on your heads as long as I''m alive." "Brother, what are you¡ª" Leah started, reaching for me. "Oh guys," I grinned, cutting her off, trying to mask my growing concern with bravado. "In the last ten years, I experienced a lot of crazy stuff. But perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. Now it''s my time to show you who''s boss. Plus, the System clearly knows talent when it sees it." The air grew thick, almost syrupy with Aether. I could feel the wave building beneath our feet, rushing up from the planet''s core like a tsunami of pure energy. "Leah, Jimmy... until we meet again." And then a very familiar feeling of summoning hit me, just a second before the wave from the planet''s core reached us. The sensation was similar to my first summoning to Luminosa, but different. More... artificial. Clinical. Instead of the warm embrace of the Goddess''s power, this felt mechanical, precise. But this time, the travel didn''t take longer than ten seconds before I found myself completely contained. What the hell was going on? No, I wasn''t traveling through the Void to some distant destination. There was no sensation of being reduced to a singular point, no endless darkness. Instead, I found myself in what could only be described as a prison¡ªthough ''prison'' might be the wrong word. I stood in a perfect cube of pure, pristine white. No seams, no edges, no signs of construction. The walls, floor, and ceiling were indistinguishable from each other, creating a sense of disorientation. The space hummed with power, but unlike Luminosa''s elaborate magical constructs, this felt... sterile. Clinical. Like being inside a computer program. There were no visible runes or markings, but I could feel the magic permeating the space. The whole cube was one giant scanning device, studying every particle of my being. The System wanted to understand what exactly I was. Well, good luck with that¡ªI wasn''t sure myself anymore.