The tremors intensified, rippling through the ground like a heartbeat gone erratic. Kai stumbled back from the window, his heart racing as he pressed his palms against the cool glass. What the hell was happening? The world outside was in chaos, with people screaming and running in every direction. He could hardly comprehend the panicked shouts that filled the air, punctured by the sounds of shattering glass and blaring car horns.
"What is going on?" Kai muttered to himself, his voice barely audible above the cacophony. It felt like the end of days, a nightmare he couldn't wake from.
Suddenly, an ethereal voice boomed through the chaos, resonating as if it came from the very core of the earth itself. "Attention, inhabitants of Earth! You have been selected for a unique opportunity! In the next sixty seconds, you will have the chance to receive an ability ranging from FFF rank to SSS rank."
Kai's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the actual—? Is this a joke? Am I dreaming?" He rubbed his eyes, half-expecting to wake up to the same mundane life he had lived for so long. But the shaking ground and the strange voice were all too real.
A countdown timer appeared in the air, glowing ominously as it ticked down from sixty seconds. Each number loomed larger than life, and with every passing second, his heart raced faster. "This… this can't be happening! Is this like one of those novels I read?" He recalled the stories filled with whimsical worlds and extraordinary abilities, but he had never imagined anything like this would happen to him.
"Forty-five seconds remaining!" the voice announced, echoing in his mind.
"Okay, okay, focus!" Kai shook his head, trying to clear the fog of confusion. "What am I supposed to do? Just stand here?"
"Thirty seconds remaining!" The countdown continued, and he could see faces of terror and excitement around him. Some people were shouting, while others were frozen in place, wide-eyed and unsure of what to expect.
"This is insane! I can't believe this is happening!" he exclaimed, his voice mixing with the rising panic. He had always felt like an outsider, but now he was part of something larger, something that could change everything.
"Fifteen seconds remaining!"
Kai took a deep breath. "Whatever happens, I can't let this opportunity slip away. I can't keep living like this!" He clenched his fists, determination coursing through him.
"Five seconds remaining!"
"Come on, give me something good!" he shouted into the chaos, half-joking but entirely serious.
"Three… two… one…!"
As the countdown hit zero, a blinding light enveloped him, and the voice echoed once more. "You have received your ability! Welcome to the Void System. Initializing…"
Before he could fully process the words, a translucent screen flickered into existence in front of him, shimmering with otherworldly energy.
"System initializing... Host has gained the Void System. You will be transported to the Void Space after receiving your ability."
"What the—Void System?!" His heart raced with both fear and exhilaration. "This is unreal!"
Suddenly, another notification appeared on a screen. This one different "Ability Selection: D-Rank Strength Increase. Do you wish to confirm?"
"D-Rank? Really? Is that all I get?" Kai thought, a mix of disappointment and curiosity swirling within him. "But… strength increase? That could actually make a difference!"
"Please confirm your selection," the new system prompted.
"Uh, yeah! I confirm!" he said, voice steady with newfound resolve. The words felt like a mantra, a declaration of intent.
"Ability confirmed. Strength Increase activated!"
In an instant, he felt a surge of energy course through him, igniting his muscles with a warmth that spread from his core to his fingertips. It was as if he had been given a jolt of electricity, and he staggered slightly, bracing himself against the wall.
"Whoa! This is… amazing!" he exclaimed, a grin breaking across his face. The world around him faded momentarily, replaced by the intoxicating feeling of power.
"Host will now be transported to Void Space," the void system announced, and before he could react, the world around him began to dissolve into a kaleidoscope of colors.
"Wait, what? No! I'm not ready!" Kai shouted, but the light consumed him entirely, and he felt himself being pulled into the void.
As darkness enveloped him, he could only wonder what awaited him in this new realm and what it meant for the life he had known.