The word "Femboy" hung in the black void, glowing with a nauseatingly bright, bubblegum-pink hue.
Kenji stared at it for a full minute as his brain processed the information. Then, he snapped.
"A Femboy?! Are you kidding me?! Me?! A middle-aged, balding office worker?! Have you lost your damn mind, screen? This has to be a virus or some kind of weird ransomware!"
The blue screen chuckled, an electronic sound that sounded like a typed-out "Hahaha."
[ Oh, my dear Kenji. You don't understand. This isn't a joke. This is salvation. But since you're a bit slow on the uptake, let me visualize it for you. ]
The screen suddenly split. On the left, a live image of Kenji floating in the eternal void appeared. Nothing but darkness, silence, and absolute loneliness, forever. It was terrifying in its tranquility.
[ This is Option 'A'. Boring, right? ]
Then, the right side of the screen exploded in a vibrant montage of clips. A character who looked like Kenji, but a thousand times more beautiful and alive, leaped across rooftops in a fantasy city. The same character winked at a crowd of adoring fans screaming his name, "Kai!" Then, a shot of him unleashing dazzling magic from his fingertips in an epic battle, wearing a revealing outfit that fluttered in the wind. He was hot, he was powerful, and he was alive. He was everything Kenji wasn't.
[ And *this*... is Option 'B'. Glory, adventure, and thrills. All you have to do... is sign on the dotted line. ]
Kenji felt a cold drop of sweat trickle down his phantom forehead. His old life was gray, and Option A was absolute black. Option B, however... it was a rainbow of chaos and insanity.
He let out a long, deep sigh, the sigh of a man who had surrendered to fate. "Fine, fine, damn it! I'll do it! Anything is better than eternal boredom or going back to spreadsheets!"
[ A wise decision! ] the screen announced enthusiastically. [ Now for the fun part! Welcome to the Character Editor! ]
The interface changed to what looked like a complex RPG game. A generic, 3D human model appeared, and next to it, hundreds of sliders and options.
[ Height ] [ Weight ] [ Hair Color ] [ Eye Color ]
Kenji hesitantly started adjusting the options. "I'll just make myself look... normal, at least."
[ Wrong! ] the screen blared with an alarm-like sound. [ You're not creating an accountant on vacation! You are creating a legend! Increase the eye sparkle! Add more gloss to the hair! Your look needs to scream 'I'm a delicious sin'! ]
Before Kenji could protest, some of the sliders began moving on their own.
[ Seduction Level: Set to 99 (Max) ]
[ Jiggle Physics: Set to 'Unrealistic but Fun' ]
[ Pout Cuteness: Set to 'Lethal' ]
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Kenji yelled.
[ These are non-negotiable basic package requirements. Now, for your race... I've gone ahead and picked 'Demonkin' for maximum dramatic effect. The red horns will look fabulous on you. ]
Shiny red horns sprouted from the model's head. Then, a complex black tattoo resembling a sun appeared over its chest.
"And what the hell is that tattoo?"
[ That is the 'Brand of Seduction.' It increases the desire of anyone who sees it by 20%. Very useful for getting discounts at shops. ]
After ten minutes of arguing fruitlessly with the System, Kenji finished "designing" his new character—or rather, the System finished designing it for him. The final look was identical to the character he'd seen in the montage. Long black hair, sharp red eyes, a lean and toned body, and demonic horns and a tattoo.
A large green button appeared at the bottom: [ Confirm Transformation and Begin Anew ].
[ Are you ready, Kenji Tanaka? This is your last chance to back out and swim in the sea of nothingness. ]
Kenji looked at the final image of "Kai." He was strange. He was hot. He was... not him. And that was exactly what he wanted.
He pressed the button.
"Goodbye, Kenji."
He felt a white light consume him, his very being dissolving, atom by atom. And in his place, "Kai" was about to open his eyes for the first time.