The next day, the sun's faint rays broke through the haze, casting a dim light over the scorched forest. In the desolate landscape, the shadow of a malnourished boy—long since stripped of his sanity—stretched across the charred ground.
Ethan sat on a burnt log, surrounded by the endless expanse of the scorched forest. He ate quietly, consuming the canned food he had carefully rationed. With no one left to care for but himself, survival was his only priority. Every bite of his was a calculated step toward enduring another day in his cursed world.
Unbeknownst to Ethan, however, today was a significant day. It was September 1st, 2024—a date that carried weight in Ethan's fractured memory. September was the month he had died in his previous life, and it was also the month the Heavenly Gate activated each year.
So, when the sound of bells ringing echoed in his ears, followed by the cold, robotic voice of the Heavenly Gate, Ethan remained unfazed. Even in his maddened state, the announcement didn't startle him.
[Ding Ding]
[Congratulations, participant Ethan Cross. You have been chosen for world travel. Preparations will begin in one hour.]
Hearing the announcement, Ethan's expression didn't change. His soulless eyes stared ahead as he continued eating the canned meat, his heart steady and unmoved. He had no reason to fear what was coming.
An hour later, after finishing his meal, the sound of bells rang in his ears once more. This time, however, the emotionless voice of the Heavenly Gate seemed to speak directly into his mind.
[Ding Ding]
[World travel commencing in 10 seconds.]
As the countdown began, a flicker of life returned to Ethan's dark eyes. His resolve solidified. He had already made up his mind— in the next world, he would seize as much power as possible, no matter the cost.
[1… Ding! Best of luck in your world travel.]
Ethan watched indifferently as a black, tar-like substance spread from his body, engulfing him completely. Within seconds, a wave of dizziness overtook him, his mind and body struggling against the overwhelming side effects of the Heavenly Gate's teleportation. Unable to withstand the strain, Ethan eventually blacked out, collapsing into unconsciousness.
———
When Ethan woke up, he found himself drifting in an endless void of darkness. Around him, he witnessed thousands of small lights flickering amidst the limitless abyss.
Other people might have questioned themselves about what those lights were, but Ethan, having already witnessed the way the Heavenly Gate operated, already knew what the lights represented—these small, flickering lights were the last humans alive on planet Earth.
Ethan tried to speak and move in this strange dimension, but he felt a powerful force pressing down on his entire being, making it impossible for him to do anything.
The only thing he could do in the endless darkness was listen as the emotionless, robotic voice of the Heavenly Gate echoed through the emptiness.
[Congratulations to all of the participants for being chosen. Considering the conditions that your physical bodies are currently in, you will be given the opportunity to be cleansed of your imperfections.]
[This day will undoubtedly be a memorable one in your lives—however short they may be. Given the fragile nature of your race, I will grant you another favor and select a world with a significantly lower ceiling of power for you to survive in. Do not disappoint me again; this is your last chance, humans of Earth.]
As the voice faded, a blinding white light pierced the void, dispelling some of the suffocating darkness.
[Participant Ethan, would you like to proceed with the cleansing? Be warned, the process will be extremely painful.]
Ethan's black eyes scanned the seemingly endless darkness for a moment before he spoke. "Proceed with the cleansing. I don't care about the pain."
[Excellent, participant Ethan Cross. Prepare for the cleansing.]
[Cleansing begins in... 3... 2... 1... Activating cleansing protocol.]
Suddenly, a mass of black, unknown letters began to grow and rapidly spread across Ethan's entire body. Within seconds, they engulfed him completely, forming a giant black cocoon.
While inside the cocoon, Ethan heard the voice of the Heavenly Gate speaking in his ears once more.
[Participant Ethan Cross, the cleansing process has begun. You may stop the process at any time if you desire, but your body's cleansing will remain incomplete.]
Suddenly, Ethan felt a stabbing sensation all over his body. It was as if a thousand small insects were biting him simultaneously.
His face subconsciously grimaced in pain before he forcibly took control of his facial muscles, causing his face to return to its previous calm state.
As time passed in the black cocoon, Ethan felt his body begin to sweat due to the increasing levels of pain and damage it was enduring.
Within minutes, the torture Ethan experienced inside the cocoon began to intensify and take on new forms.
Ethan gradually started to feel breathless. It was as if the cocoon he was in was draining all the oxygen from his body.
Not only that, but Ethan also felt a burning sensation spreading throughout his entire being. It was very slight right now, but he could still accurately feel the pain of being burned alive.
Minutes passed as Ethan continued to persevere through the pain. All the sensations he was feeling during this period of time continued to be magnified several times.
For example, Ethan was currently experiencing a sharp, stabbing pain throughout his entire body—including his eyes, ears, nose, and even his internal organs.
But Ethan's torture didn't stop there—that would have been too easy.
Instead, Ethan was currently in his own personal hell, struggling just to breathe. He felt as if he were drowning, his lungs repeatedly deprived of oxygen until he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness, only to receive just enough air to keep him alive—forcing him to endure the cycle of suffocation indefinitely.
His body also experienced the sensation of being burned alive. Though no flames were visible, Ethan could still feel the searing heat and the unbearable burning sensation spreading across his entire body, subjecting him to excruciating mental and physical torment.
But no matter what happened to his mind and body, Ethan continued to persevere through all his trials and tribulations.
While all the other participants had already given up on their cleansing, Ethan, having already lost his sanity, continued to persevere. His will was as strong as a monolith, unaffected by the pains and sufferings of life.
Even as he was stabbed, burned, and drowned, Ethan continued to struggle on the brink of unconsciousness for his sole goal of obtaining power.
Because for power, Ethan would gladly torture himself to death. For power, he would gladly go through this torture.
If there was one thing that his parents' and friends' deaths made Ethan understand, it was that feelings and emotions like love and happiness were fleeting sensations. Only by being completely indifferent to them and chasing after true power would one be able to protect the things they love.
Not that there was anything left for Ethan to love other than himself anymore.
A few hours later, Ethan completed his cleansing. When the process ended, Ethan felt a strong sense of freedom all over his being—it was as if the restrictions that were previously there had been broken by the torture.
He was also, however, feeling completely relaxed. It was as if all the mental and physical injuries he had endured during the torture were gone, but in actuality, they had been healed by the Heavenly Gate.
Even though an invisible power was still pressing down on him, Ethan was surprised to find that, using his own strength, he could move around in the endless darkness.
And as Ethan began to move around in the endless darkness, trying to obtain information about the place he was currently in, he heard the emotionless voice of the Heavenly Gate echoing in his ears, causing him to stop his research.
[Participants, prepare for world travel. You may invite others to join you or proceed alone; the choice is yours.]
[Participant Ethan, would you like to invite someone?]
Ethan's expression slightly changed for a moment before it reverted back to its usual emotionless state as he calmly spoke into the endless darkness. "No, I don't have anyone to invite."
[Noted, participant Ethan. Be prepared: you will be teleported to a random location with land. Stay vigilant.]
[Teleportation begins in... 3... 2... 1... Goodbye.]