Is this what death feels like?
"Strange... comfortable even, I should have killed myself earlier."
The pain, the noise, all the burdens I had once carried ceased. I couldn't see anything; I felt as if I was drifting through eternal blackness.
Sound and time no longer took effect on me, the only thing awaiting was the infinite stillness.
If I had ever felt a mother's embrace, then it would be the perfect way to describe how the void felt. However, there was a feeling in my chest—a feeling of uneasiness. My body, or whatever remained, felt as if I had dissolved into particles within a vast, dark ocean. This feeling was new to me.
Freedom.
And yet… the unease lingered, a cold reminder that something was amiss.
My memories slipped away—the faces, the names, sinking like stones into water. Something pushed them away… a force I could not grasp.
"Dost thou have any regrets?"
The voice was gentle yet unknown to me, sounding neither male nor female.
'Regrets?'
The question echoed in my mind. I tried to answer, but the words dissolved before they could form.
"Think carefully."
The voice drew closer, softer somehow, sending a chill down my spine.
Then the realization hit me:
"Ah... I wanted another chance."
"If I gave you another chance, wouldst thou make the most of it?"
"Yes!" my voice tore out raw from a mouth I didn't have. "Give it to me. I want it!"
The void around me shuddered as it spoke once more.
"Very well. As thou wishest."
The very moment the words were spoken, the void ruptured around me. Light and darkness collided, forcing my senses into chaos.
And everything shattered.
-----------
"Finally awake." A casual voice said, too friendly for comfort. I squinted and saw a figure standing before me, tall, with an uneasy calmness.
The man's short white hair stuck out in a way that made his face look almost too perfect. His skin glowed faintly, and the smile twisting across his lips made my gut turn.
"Where am I... no, the better question is, who are you?" My head throbbed as I spoke.
Stomp. Stomp.
Each step he took made a strange vibration.
"Weaver," he said.
"Are you some kind of god?"
"Something along those lines." His grin slanted. "You're quite calm, if I must say."
Looking up, the sky stretched endlessly around us. Yet there was no wind, just stillness. A fallacy of what I would call peaceful, it made him feel like a speck of dust.
"To your first question, this is the land beyond heaven and earth," he said, waving vaguely upward. "But that's not your concern."
He stepped forward, arms spreading like a performer on stage.
"You asked for another chance, and a chance you shall have. A new world, a clean slate. And because of my almighty mercy..."
His smile sharpened.
"I'll let you choose one ability. The world you will go to is one full of monsters, angels, and demons. So choose wisely."
My knees wobbled as I stood—one wrong choice, and I'd lose everything. What could I even pick?
A whisper, deep and primal, screamed inside my mind. I froze, unsure if I could wield what it promised.
Predation.
My body froze. 'Is it something I can handle, or even worth using?' My brain conflicted, but my instincts screamed to trust it. 'But how could I be sure.'
But now wasn't the time to hesitate.
Meeting Weaver's eyes once more, I spoke.
"I've decided. Predation."
Once more, he widened his smile in delight.
"Ah... interesting choice."
"Can you make it grow?" I asked, curious.
"Of course." He wagged a finger. "But you'll need the right catalysts. And I ain't no spoiler."
He chuckled pleasantly, but it felt off. Then he lifted his hand.
"Now off you go. Oh, and when you arrive? Say 'Status Window.' Trust me."
Light surged, swallowing me.
I glanced back.
"...Thank you. For the second chance."
Then there was nothing but blinding white.
However, just before I vanished completely, Weaver's lips moved.
He said something.
Something I couldn't hear.
Then he turned and walked away.
The pull came. Gentle at first, but tugging at my very being as the light seeped into the dark. Warmer and brighter, the glow forced my eyes open. Shapes began to crawl into view. Crooked houses, smoke curling skyward. Instead of the petrichor smell, a fresh fragrance filled the air. My chest tightened before easing as if I had forgotten the basics of breathing.
Swoosh. Swoosh.
The breeze against my skin and the smoke drifting. All of it felt alive, and I couldn't take my eyes off it.
"Status window," I muttered.
A blue panel appeared, floating into existence before me.
Name: Vergil
Tier: 0
Level: 1
Title: Commoner
Lifespan: 65 years
Spouses: None
Race: Human
Equipment:
Basic Clothing (+2 Defence)
Skills:
Passive: None
Active: Authority of Predation (???)
Special Traits:
Special Constitution: None
Arts: None
Special Eyes: None
Confidants: None
Available Stat Points: 0
Suddenly, a calm mechanical voice hummed inside my head.
[Welcome, user, to the tutorial. I will begin by explaining the status window functions.]
It showed my basic stats, the numbers tallying my current self, each sitting around either five or six points, except the magic stats.
[Strength: shows how hard you hit.]
[Constitution: relates to how much you can endure.]
[Dexterity: reflects your balance and speed.]
[Intuition: indicates your sense of danger.]
[Magic Power: the potency of your magic.]
[Mana Capacity: how much you can store.]
[For your information, other energy types exist. Yuan Qi, Demonic Energy, Divine Energy, and more. However, you must obtain them yourself.]
"Faster," I muttered, trying to speed up the so-called tutorial by tapping the screen.
[Currently, you possess one active skill, the Authority of Predation. And no passives.]
My gaze flicked to the Confidants section.
[Confidants are relationships. By deepening your bond, you can unlock effects, skills, and more. However, please be aware that false relationships are not advised and will not give you anything.]
After taking it in, a lifespan of sixty-five years. My throat tightened. Could I extend it?
[Yes. Cultivation extends your lifespan and requires Yuan Qi or rare treasures.]
"Right… Yuan Qi. How do I get it?"
[There are two methods. Diligent cultivation, requiring talent, or consuming Yuan Qi with Predation. The latter is extremely painful.
[By progressing you can live upto hundreds or even thousands of years.]
Vergil gulped. 'I could live for centuries.'
The screen blinked, showing my only active skill: Authority of Predation (???). My mind raced, what could evolve it, and at what cost?
[Skills rank from F– to EX. Your authority exceeds the normal standards. It can evolve under special conditions.]
"And what are these so-called conditions?" Vergil taunted.
[That I cannot disclose. You will be notified when eligible.]
I smirked softly. 'So even the system had limits'.
[Arts define technique. Mastery determines the effectiveness.]
"Noted."
All that was left were my stats; currently, they were usable. After all, I had Predation.
[Absorbed stats depend on the target. The stronger the opponent , the more you gain.]
"…Makes sense. No weaklings."
[Finally, to look at other peoples stats, say 'Analysis']
[Good luck. May the blessing of the most loved world, Eternia, be with you.]
"The most loved world, huh? I wonder what that really means."