Initiation of the 27th Universe confirmed. Introduction sequence commencing.
Welcome to the introduction. Preparing…
The voice echoed in the void as Alex opened his eyes. An introduction? Preparing for what? What the hell was going on?
Seconds stretched into an eternity. His eyes were open, but all he saw was absolute darkness. A creeping numbness suffused his body, a dead weight that muted every sensation except for the dull throb of a headache behind his eyes. He tried to speak, but his mouth wouldn’t open. Panic began to coil in his gut. Had he been kidnapped? Were these aliens? As his thoughts spiraled, the voice returned.
Preparations complete. Starting introduction.
A light, brilliant and sudden, flooded his vision, blinding him as if a spotlight had been switched on inches from his face. As the searing whiteness faded and his eyes adjusted, feeling returned to his limbs in a rush of pins and needles. He found himself looking down at his own legs, seated in a chair. When he slowly raised his head, he saw someone sitting across from him, a table between them.
The space was spartan, clinical. It felt like an interrogation room, minus the two-way mirror. Two chairs, one table, all in a small, closed-in space. But this room was unnervingly clean. The walls, the floor, the table, the chairs—all were a stark, flat white. And despite the lack of any visible light source, the room was perfectly, evenly illuminated.
“Hello?” Alex asked cautiously, his voice addressed to the… person across the table. It looked human at a glance, but it had no discernible features. A bald head, completely white eyes without pupils, and a chest so flat and smooth it couldn't possibly be natural. Not a single hair was visible on its body, and a creeping suspicion told Alex that, beneath the table, this thing was just as blank. As he finished his silent assessment, the "human" opened its mouth.
“Greetings, human. I oversee your introduction. In this introduction, I shall explain to you the circumstances of your new reality,” the thing said. Its voice was a strange, synthetic composite, a mash of male and female tones that was deeply unsettling. Alex was about to respond, but it continued.
“First, allow me to welcome you to this new chapter of your life. Your universe has finally passed the minimum threshold required to enter the multiverse and has thus been initiated. Now, do you have any questions before we move on to the subjects pertaining to the tutorial?”
Alex’s mind was in turmoil. Multiverse? What threshold? What new chapter? Yet, instead of any of these vital questions, the most mundane one possible tumbled out.
“Who… no, what are you?” he blurted, stumbling over the words.
“I am the entity in charge of greeting you and introducing you to the new world, and the circumstances of your new reality,” it answered promptly, offering no further elaboration.
“What new reality?” Alex pressed.
“The reality named by the first enlightened races as ‘The System’,” it explained.
“How do I see this sys…” Before he could finish, a screen materialized in the air before him.
Race: [Human (G) – lvl 0]
Health Points (HP): 90/90
Mana Points (MP): 80/80
Well, that answers that, Alex thought. An idea was beginning to form, a strange sense of familiarity. He decided to just roll with it. This was probably just a bizarrely vivid lucid dream, so why not have some fun? He did what any gamer would do: he started analyzing the stats.
Nine different stats, all ranging from 6 to 10. His were quite balanced, with only Willpower and Perception standing out at the low and high ends, respectively. Did a Willpower of 6 mean he had a weak will? Or was 6 about average for a normal person in this… situation?
His race was Human, which was self-explanatory, but what did the ‘G’ mean? And apparently, he was level 0. He had no class or profession listed. He’d always considered himself upper-middle-class, a financial consultant by profession, but he doubted the system meant it in that sense.
No titles either. Health and Mana were at 90 and 80. He assumed they were derived from his stats, likely multiplied by ten. With Vitality at 9, it was the obvious candidate for determining health. Mana, at 80, was trickier; both Wisdom and Intelligence were at 8, so it was probably one of those. His Stamina was 70, which, by his logic, linked it to either Strength or Endurance. He’d put his money on Endurance.
He tried focusing on the different elements of the screen, but it was no use. Focusing on ‘Strength’ just told him it meant strength. Focusing on ‘Class’ just informed him it meant class. When he focused on his race, however, he got a result.
Human (G) – The lowest level of humans in the system. This type is found only in newly initiated worlds. The human race is known as one of the most balanced and numerous amongst the myriad races of the multiverse, being able to walk many different roads on their path to power. Stat bonuses per level: +1 to all stats. +1 free point.
Great. Lowest level of human. Thanks for that, Alex thought wryly. Still, the description confirmed that there were other races—and other humans—out there in this multiverse.
He fiddled with the menu a bit longer, poking and prodding at everything he could, before looking back at the featureless being.
“Can you tell me about the stats on the status screen? Like what they’re linked to? Do they affect health points, or is there a link at all?” he asked.
“No. It tells you what you need to know for now,” it answered, its monotone voice unchanging.
“Okay, then how do I get a class and profession? It mentions a level, how do I level up? What does the ‘G’ after my race mean? And why am I here? Where is everyone else?” he asked, the questions spilling out in a rush. He couldn't help it; this was, without a doubt, the most bizarre experience of his life.
“Your class is chosen upon entering the tutorial. This class shall be the starting point of your journey and help guide your path. A profession becomes available through performing associated tasks, either for a long enough period or through competence. Classes are focused on the pursuit of strength, while professions are the path of creativity, rarely offering direct increases in strength. You level up through a wide variety of actions. The ‘G’ after your race states the current rank of your race. You are here because you entered the introduction. By ‘others,’ I deduce you mean other earthlings. Said other earthlings are now in their own respective introductions,” it explained concisely. The answers were brief, but they gave Alex a much clearer picture. It was a relief to know his coworkers were likely safe and in a similar situation.
“Now, on to classes,” the thing said without prompting.
Before he could speak, another screen appeared, this one filled with a wall of text. He collected himself and began to read.
Warrior (Light) – Basic starting class. A light-class warrior focused on quick attacks, evasion, and finesse. While faster than both the medium and heavy variants, it comes with a decrease in attack power and survivability. Mainly uses weapons such as rapiers, daggers, small hatchets, and throwing weapons. Stat bonuses: +2 Agi, +1 End, +1 Str, +1 Vit, +1 Free point.
First up was a light warrior, something like a rogue, maybe? It mentioned daggers and throwing weapons. The idea had some appeal, but he was reluctant to be the guy fighting up close and personal. He had chosen archery in college, not fencing, for a reason.
Warrior (Medium) – Basic starting class. A medium-class warrior, focused on a balanced approach to combat, finding a compromise between speed and power. While faster than the heavy variant, it is slower than the light-class warriors. While survivability and power are higher than the light-class variant, it is lower than the heavy-class warriors. Able to use a vast array of weapons of both the heavy and light variants. Stat bonuses per level: +1 Agi, +1 End, +1 Vit, +1 Str +1 Tough, +1 Free Point.
The second option seemed like the choice you’d make if you wanted to be a warrior but had no idea how to specialize. Still, the versatility could be useful.
Warrior (Heavy) – Basic starting class. A heavy-class warrior, focused on power and survivability while sacrificing speed and variance. The heavy-warrior is slower with a less varied approach than both the light and medium class, but in turn, gains great power and survivability. Mainly uses weapons such as a combo of one-handed and a shield or a two-handed weapon. Generally lacking solid ranged options. Stat bonuses per level: +2 Str, +1 Tough +1 Vit, +1 End, +1 Free Point.
The beefy-boy option. He pictured someone in full plate armor with a massive tower shield, or maybe a bare-chested Viking with a huge axe. Yeah, he couldn't see himself as either of those.
Archer – A basic starting class. A class focused on ranged combat, mainly using bow and arrow, coupled with light options for melee such as short-swords and daggers. The class is fast and flexible, focusing on agility over strength. Stat bonuses per level: +2 Per, +1 Agi, +1 End, +1 Str, +1 Free Point.
There it was. Barring any surprises further down the list, this was by far the most appealing choice. He wasn’t thrilled about the melee options, but if he had to fight—and he had a strong suspicion he would—he’d much rather do it with a bow.
Caster – A basic starting class. The caster is focused on magical combat, favoring wisdom and knowledge over brawn and speed. The basic class is non-attuned, meaning not yet specialized in any element or type of magic, thus limited in power, but wide in scope. Casters wield powerful destructive abilities, though often lacking in defensive options. The class mainly uses catalysts such as staves, idols, relics, or wands in order to amplify the power of magic. Stat bonuses per level: +2 Int, +1 Wis, +1 Will, +1 Per, +1 Free Point.
Well, that confirmed magic was real, if nothing else had. The idea of being a fire-flinging, lightning-bending badass was tempting, but honestly, he still preferred a bow.
Healer – A basic starting class. The healer can mend injuries, remove afflictions, and amplify the power of themselves and/or their comrades. The basic class is non-attuned, meaning not yet specialized in any deific powers or types of magic, thus limited in power, but wide in scope. The class is weak in solo combat, lacking offensive options, but powerful when surrounded by allies. Stat bonuses per level: +2 Will, +2 Wis, +1 Int, +1 Free Point.
And the last option was a healer. All of them were ‘basic starting classes,’ which meant no overpowered head starts, at least not for him. He also noted that every class gave a total of five stat points per level, plus one free point. Classes offered more specialized stats than his race, but fewer total points, though that might just be a human thing. The healer class didn't appeal to him, but the line about ‘deific powers’ was interesting. Did that mean gods existed? Could you become some kind of priest?
“Hey, can you tell me anything more about these classes? Any advice?” Alex asked, a sliver of hope in his voice.
“Your path is for you to discover. Now choose a class before we proceed,” the thing responded, leaving no room for argument.
Realizing he was just wasting time, Alex selected the class he’d wanted all along.
You have chosen the Archer class. Confirm?
Even a multiversal system has confirmation prompts, he thought with a flicker of amusement, and confirmed his choice.
You have obtained the Archer class.
As the message appeared, a strange tingling sensation spread through his head—not unpleasant, but not comfortable either. At the same moment, several items materialized on the table in front of him. Before he could get a good look, new system messages flooded his vision.
Gained Skill: [Basic Archery (Inferior)] – An Archer's best friend is the bow in his hand, and the arrow in his foe's heart. Unlocks basic proficiency with bows, crossbows, and adds a minuscule bonus to the effect of agility and strength when using a ranged weapon.
Gained Skill: [Basic One-Handed Weapon (Inferior)] – The Archer may not be a master in the arts of close combat but is far from helpless. Unlocks basic proficiency with most one-handed weapons and adds a minuscule bonus to the effect of agility and strength when using a fitting melee weapon.
Gained Skill: [Archers Eye (Common)] – The eyes of the Archer are trained to track down and spot the weakness of their foes. Allows the archer to more easily spot prey. Passively gives a minor increase to the effect of Perception on visual organs.
Reading through the skills only confirmed his suspicion that this new system was uncannily similar to video games. All three seemed rather basic, with two of them literally having ‘Basic’ in the name and rated as ‘Inferior.’ The last one, however, was ranked ‘Common’ and sounded more interesting.
He found he instinctively knew how to use Archer’s Eye. Focusing his will, he felt his vision sharpen dramatically. The world around him went from standard definition to brilliant high-definition over the course of a few seconds. He looked around the sterile white room, mesmerized by how crisp and distinct every surface appeared. When he deactivated the ability, his vision returned to normal. A quick glance at his resources showed his Stamina had dropped from 70 to 68.
He closed the window and turned his attention to the items on the table. Looking at the eerily still entity, he asked, “I assume these are for me?”
“Yes,” it answered. “They are basic starting equipment based on your starting class. Now, on to the final step of the introduction. Some necessities are given to all new initiates of the system.”
As it finished speaking, another screen appeared.
Gained skill: [Identify (Inferior)] – Basic identification skill, known by all but the smallest of children of the myriad races. The skill allows you to attempt to identify any object or creature you are focusing on.
Finally, a way to get some real information. Questions just kept piling up during this whole ordeal, with precious few answers.
“The time allotted for the introduction is coming to an end in 10 minutes, and you will be transported to the tutorial. It is recommended you acquire the equipment given before the end of the introduction, or the items will be lost,” it said, the warning sending a jolt of panic through Alex. He scrambled to grab the gear from the table.
There was a simple wooden bow and a quiver, a brown cloak, a knife, and a small satchel attached to a belt. Everything had a medieval look. The bow was a far cry from the modern compound bows he was used to, its string made of what looked like silk.
The cloak was made of a coarse material, similar to burlap, but it felt durable. The quiver was wood wrapped in leather, with a leather harness to sling it over his back.
The knife was as simple as they come: a steel blade attached to a wooden handle. Despite their simplicity, all the items seemed well-made. Lastly, he picked up the small satchel and opened it to find a few small bottles inside.
He wondered what they were, then nearly slapped himself as he remembered his new skill. He focused on a bottle containing a red-tinged liquid. After a few seconds, a screen appeared.
[Health Potion (Inferior)] – Restores health when consumed.
What else would it be? He used Identify on the rest of the satchel’s contents, finding a total of three health potions and three stamina potions. He moved on to the other items. The bow, knife, and cloak yielded nothing, merely confirming that a wooden bow was a wooden bow. With low expectations, he tried the quiver and was pleasantly surprised.
[Enchanted Quiver (Common)] – A quiver enchanted with the ability to conjure common-rarity arrows when injected with mana.
That would be incredibly useful, Alex thought. As he finished his inspection, the entity delivered another reminder.
“Two minutes till the start of the tutorial.”
Alex rushed to get ready. He threw the cloak over his shoulders, buckled the belt with the satchel around his waist, and slung the quiver, which was already filled with dozens of arrows, over his shoulder. The belt had a small sheath, and he slid the knife into it, fastening the leather buckle. Finally, he took the bow in hand. With no obvious place to attach it, he slung it over his other shoulder and stood as ready as he could be for whatever came next.
“10 seconds to the start of the tutorial,” the humanoid thing announced.
“It was nice to meet you, I guess. Whatever you are,” Alex said, giving it a small wave. He was afraid, but beneath the fear, a strange sense of excitement was building in the pit of his stomach.
Introduction sequence completed. Transporting to tutorial…