After a brief moment of hesitation, Reis addressed the system in a steady voice.
"Enter the first trial."
In the Gathering Square, black smoke spiraled up from the ground, curling slowly around his body.
Reis lifted his arms slightly, watching the smoke cling to his clothes before rising to his face and shrouding his vision completely.
When he opened his eyes again, the world around him had transformed entirely.
A black void stretched endlessly in every direction, and beneath his feet, the ground rippled mysteriously like the surface of dark water.
Reis took a cautious step forward and saw the surface trembling like widening ripples.
Suddenly, enormous droplets of water rose from the ground into the air.
Each one was the size of a football, hovering silently in the black sky, a strange light shimmering inside like a miniature galaxy.
Three glowing spheres drifted toward him, forming a perfect line.
One floated to his right, two to his left, as if awaiting his choice.
The moment the three spheres came to rest before him, the system stirred to life once more.
Luminous lines materialized in the void, their colors shifting fluidly between red and blue.
[Welcome, player, as this is your first attempt at the floors].
[Two primary options await you].
On his right, a dark red orb shimmered:
[The Deadly World].
On his left, two orbs glowed with a cold blue light:
[The Safe Worlds].
The message carried on, its letters cascading like sparks into the darkness.
[Each world offers unique points and rewards].
[Completing hidden tasks will grant you extra rewards].
The line lingered briefly before a crimson warning emerged.
[Deadly worlds take precedence].
[However, a warning follows].
A thick line appeared, as if the system intended to make the words impossible to forget.
[You have just two attempts to conquer the deadly world].
[If you die on the first attempt, you will be returned to the Gathering Square. That world will then be permanently sealed, and you will never enter it again].
[If you choose to return to the same deadly world again, you must know].
The light halted abruptly, then the final words erupted in vivid red.
[Death there means death in your real world as well].
[You will never return afterward].
Reis froze for several seconds, his gaze fixed on the red lines.
"True death if you fail the second attempt".
He pressed his lips firmly together, then whispered softly:
"It does not matter.. I will die trying".
He extended his hand slowly and touched the first orb on his right.
Suddenly, the scene unfolded before him as if a curtain had been torn away, revealing a dark, familiar world.
The system's voice resonated through the void:
[The First Deadly World – Elden Ring].
[Description: The Lands Between: a shattered kingdom, its castles empty and fields sprouting ash instead of life. The sky is heavy with clouds that never lift, and the wind carries the echoes of wars that have raged since the Eternal Ring shattered. Here, kings fight over fragments, and every land bleeds for a lost throne].
[First Mission: Cross the cursed plain. Defeat the gatekeeper].
Reis's breath quivered for a moment:
"This… this world."
He had seen it before, similar to what he had played in his past, yet here it was alive, real.
He swallowed slowly.
The system did not allow him to linger in thought, reminding him of the stakes of failure.
[Warning: A second attempt in this world may mean your real death].
A small glowing window appeared before him:
[Do you want to enter the world?].
Reis took a deep breath, then paused slightly.
He moved his hand to the other orb on his left.
From the cold blue orb, a second window appeared, its colors shimmering gently.
[The First Safe World – Spyro the Dragon].
[Description: Dragon Realms: green valleys trembling under the dragons' feet, towering castles touching the sky, and magic dancing in the air like the breath of the earth. Yet a black curse swept the kingdoms like a storm, freezing every dragon in cold crystal, leaving a heavy silence over the world].
[First Missions: In an enchanted valley, crystal shards trapping the dragons are scattered].
[Your task is simple: collect three magical shards scattered among the meadows and ruined castles].
[Returning the shards to the stone platform at the heart of the valley will break the first spell and free the first dragon from the crystal].
[Along the way, beware of small enchanted creatures trying to steal the shards. Defeat them or avoid them to complete your task].
[Additional rewards await if you complete the hidden missions].
The light remained steady. Another world appeared beside it.
[The Second Safe World – Destiny Islands].
[Description: Destiny Islands glisten under a warm sun, with white sandy beaches and calm waves. Trees bend gently over small huts, and the sea breeze fills the air with the scent of salt and freedom, bringing a sense of peace and tranquility before the horizon reveals adventures yet unknown].
[First Missions: Gather materials to build a small raft, engage in friendly combat with other players to train with skills, search for lost items across the islands].
Reis remained motionless.
Three options lay before him, one painted an easy path with bright colors, the other cast dark, deadly shadows.
His fingers trembled for a moment, but he breathed slowly.
"The time for confrontation has come.." he whispered to himself.
He lifted his hand steadily and placed it on the red orb to his right.
The screen around him trembled, and the black smoke began swirling faster around him.
The orb glowed with deep red light, then absorbed everything in its vicinity.
The Gathering Square disappeared, and cold darkness swallowed his senses.
Suddenly, he found himself standing on cracked ground, the sky heavy with thick clouds, and the wind howling with echoes of ancient wars.
The smell of ash, distant screams, and the shattered kingdom enveloped him.
Reis swallowed.
"This is the world I have chosen.. Elden Ring".
He smiled slowly, fearless, only a spark of anticipation in his eyes.
"Very well.. let us begin," he whispered, taking his first steps into the cursed kingdom, where every step could be the end, and every choice carried life or death.