'Start the simulation.'
*Before the start of the simulation you will be able to choose from a list of options. 3 out of 5. You will also be given a brief description of the world and the nightmare that plagues it. This world you are traveling to will be a world 65% land, with the rest being rivers. That is on the surface. The core of this world is made of water, however. The terror of this world is the Noxlure. That is your hint. You've been warned.*
*List of traits to choose from:
The Swimmer: You can swim. Extremely well. ANYWHERE.
The Fisher: You can catch anything that bites whatever you use as bait.
The Shadow: Absolutely unable to avoid being seen while there is daylight. In exchange, you obtain intangibility and optional invisibility at night.
The Chum: The ladies love you. In your fantasies. All the fish fantasize about you. Being inside. Their belly. After you break down. No tears. Just salty water.
The Cool Cat: You are super lazy during daylight. You're hot as long as the sun is out. Hyperactive at night, yet so chill that any fish you wish to eat practically serve themselves on you're plate. Just fish, though. You possess absolutely no immunity to ear scratches. None.*
'I have to use my brain. The system mentioned water twice, then said the terror of the world is the Noxlure. It baits at....night? Then using the options as another clue.....'
'System, I choose 'The Swimmer', 'The Shadow' and 'The Cool Cat'.
*Simulation start: You find yourself in a town known for fishing. You make a living casting your net out into the waters. Due to your innate abilities, the fish practically leap into your net.
You also can't avoid attention during the daytime. Unfortunately, that means attention from all genders. In your opinion that's already very bad attention. Yet, you can't do anything about it.
You fish just enough to make your quota for the day without getting the other fisherman upset. You do make sure to linger around to make it easier for them to make their quota as well, but you make yourself scarce shortly afterwards. A slow amble. Speedwalking is the fastest that you can walk during the daylight.
After each day, you go to the bar for milk. You find it annoying, yet you've adapted. It also doesn't help that the pretty waitress that you want to take on a date rubs your ear when she wants your attention. Though you did hiss at her when she yanked it once.
Despite that, she knows you can swim practically anywhere. ANYWHERE. She often bothers you to help her kill spiders on the ceiling of the storeroom that she can't reach. She also finds it amusing to watch you swim through air when you're feeling to lazy to walk.*
'...*Ahem* What's with all the sap? Are there trippy trees around?' Akatoki thought to himself.
*Please understand that there is decent horror, good horror and spectacular horror. The greatest horrors hold tragedy. Which is very difficult without love.*
*You normally head out at night by yourself due to that being the only time you can genuinely be by yourself. However, you decide to take her out on a date at night. You start conversing with fellow fisherman to figure out the best way to go about it.
They happen to look at you as though you had 3 heads. They explained that there's always disappearances at night. They were always unfriendly with you because you never noticed that the faces around you were changing even though the number of fisherman stayed the same. They were even under the impression that you were the reason for the disappearances. You were the only one leaving out at night and being untouched by the water despite walking by it. They found it strange.
You are intangible at night, yet you didn't bother explaining that. They already found you strange for being able to be the greatest bait since earthworms. They already believe you to be a fish in human form because of the way you swim around. Many of the fellow fisherman have conjured up delusions in their mind, which has been part of the source of negative attention and even jealousy. If only they knew they do more 'swimming' than you have ever done, they might not be so childish.
When you explain that you go out at night just to enjoy not being seen by ambivalently antagonistic people, they look at you strangely. They believe because you attract attention so easily that you actually want it. You explain to them, if you could give that ability to them, you very well would.
Out of understanding, they start opening up to you a little bit. They inform you about the tale among fisherman that's been around for generations. 'To never go fishing at night lest you become part of the night'.
With all the hints from the fisherman, you have a very clear idea of what it may be. You simply resolve to take the waitress on a date that is nowhere near the water.
As you use your actions to swim your way into the interior of her heart, you eventually ask her out on a date. She was quite elated. She must've been frustrated that you didn't ask sooner. It matters not to you, since you know you have her ear. However, she insists on a date by the water. You start sweating and she believes you to be nervous. Little does she know its out of fear.
Yet, in your two lives outside the simulation, and the life you have know, you've never known true happiness.*
'System, I would like to protest.'
*I have something I would also like. I would like to know the taste of your soul. I asked Death the best way to prepare one. He said he'll show me by using you as demonstration. Free of charge.*
'My soul does not taste good. It is quite bitter. Do you like beets or Brussel sprouts?'
*I cannot guarantee any good options the next time you start a simulation.*
'That's dirty.'
*Yes, like the dirt you aren't napping in.*
*In order to please the lovely waitress so that you can have a taste of bliss in the form of happiness, you do take her by the water as she wishes. Out of fear, nervousness, anticipation and caution, you bring her to parts of the water where there isn't as many fish.
This is information that you obtained due the ability that you possess. Yet, this one moment when the hope in your heart has reached its peak, that's when the drop happens. She exclaims at how beautiful the lights on the water are. You are frozen in terror, especially since you know that there are never any lights on the water when you're there. You look to see the lights that she speaks of. It at first appears as a ferry lined up with electric lights. Yet you rub your eyes and blink. This world that you're in doesn't possess the technology to create them. After you reorient yourself through your vision, you notice that the lights is really just one light. Bobbing on the water like a buoy would.
That's exactly what worries you. Especially when you notice that it is getting closer to the shore. What makes you even more sure is that wonderful waitress exclaims about the approach of the lights. Despite the hammering of your heart, the look she has on her face as she is entranced, it has your heart hammering into a dance.
A cocktail of fear, urges and adrenaline had your heart accelerating so fast. When you you looked back to the water, your heart stalled out. The light that you were so afraid of, you no longer see it. That was even more terrifying. You turn to look to the one you wished to share the night with for reassurance.
Only to be able to see just in time, how the woman that let you feel wonders was devoured by a monster that was reminiscent of an anglerfish. Yet it was far worse. The size of a sprinter van, with flesh riddled with moles, vericose veins, and the only thing resembling scales that it had was the deep cracks in its flesh that reminded you of old walls with cracks on them. The kind of old walls that had peeling paint that was so old and cracked that it would give you a strong aversion to Corn Flakes. The shed skin of a snake far smoother than its flesh.
The creature had a lingering look of jealousy in its eyes as it slowly transformed into satisfaction. You were extremely afraid of what it would want to do with you if you were actually tangible at night. Only to realize, while you watched it regurgitate the waitress, all chewed up, that you were tangible. You watched in repulsion as the shredded remnants of your hope's remains transformed into miniature clones of the Noxlure. Even worse, they all bore the visage of the lady you were hoping to love. You turned away from them, only for them to turn towards you.
The Noxlure adopted her looks as well, the same as its ill gotten spawn. Your memory of her is now your nightmare. As you dove into the ground and swam away with the speed of Michael Phelps, you knew better than to look back, but afraid you did. Fifty feet below the ground, and nearly a mile away in two minutes. You felt a little proud as you saw nothing behind you. As you made your way back to the surface of the ground, the stress on your heart that you felt made your breath felt like it was going to run out. The ache you felt emotionally didn't help, but it gave you drive to reach the surface.
You felt like going fishing, just to make the Noxlures flop. As you were just above six feet below, the monstrosity appeared with its foul entourage. This is when the lures they possessed showed you the form of the one you hoped and wished for in the nude. You died due to a heart rupturing from constantly changing stress and pressure. Your dead cadaver that was a corpse was used to breed Noxlures with your ability 'The Shadow'.