Arjun Malhotra lay in the mud, staring at the purple sky, and came to a horrifying realization.
He was alive.
Again.
"This is either a dream," he muttered, "or the afterlife has very bad graphic design."
Mira sat beside him, legs crossed, poking her staff into the dirt like it owed her money.
"So," she said cheerfully, "on a scale from one to ten, how confused are you?"
"Twelve," Arjun replied immediately.
"Ah. New reincarnate."
"…You can tell?"
She pointed at his clothes.
"Modern fabric. Also, you keep looking around like you're waiting for a tutorial pop-up."
Arjun straightened.
"Okay, important question. Do you hear a voice in your head? Like—'Welcome, Hero! Here are your skills!'"
Mira blinked.
"No?"
"Floating menus?"
"Nope."
"Stats window?"
"…Is that a disease?"
Arjun slumped.
"She really did it."
"Did what?"
"Gave me nothing," he said bitterly.
"No cheats. No blessings. No system. I don't even get background music."
Mira winced.
"Oof. You got processed by her, didn't you?"
"…Her?"
The air split.
Reality peeled open like an office door slammed too hard.
White light bled into the forest. Golden symbols floated into existence. The mud beneath Arjun's feet vanished, replaced by polished nothingness.
Mira yelped.
"HEY— I WAS STANDING THERE—"
A woman appeared behind a floating desk, coffee mug in hand, exhaustion etched into every divine feature.
Administrator Lyra glanced at Arjun.
"…Why are you still alive?"
"Hello to you too," Arjun said.
"I'd like to file a complaint."
She took a sip.
"You signed the waiver."
"That waiver said 'no suing.' This is customer feedback."
Lyra rubbed her temple.
"You were not supposed to progress this quickly."
"I punched a wolf."
"Yes," she snapped, "and you weren't supposed to do it correctly."
Mira raised a hand.
"Hi! Is this where I die?"
Lyra glanced at her.
"…Why are you here?"
"I followed him," Mira said proudly.
"…That explains everything."
Lyra turned back to Arjun.
"You were given no cheat skills because cheat skills destabilize probability."
"So you gave them to everyone else?"
"They were louder."
Arjun folded his arms.
"So I get punished for being reasonable."
"You get balanced," Lyra said.
"Balanced is what you say when you're cheap."
Mira nodded.
"She's cheap."
Lyra ignored her.
"You have an advanced Martial Path. Physical efficiency. Perfect instinct adaptation."
"Say it normally."
"You get good by doing," Lyra replied.
"No shortcuts."
Arjun sighed.
"So everyone else is playing with hacks… and I'm speedrunning pain."
"Yes."
"…Do I at least get insurance?"
"No."
Lyra waved her hand.
"One more thing," she said.
"You will attract complications."
Arjun frowned.
"What kind?"
Lyra smiled.
The kind of smile that should not exist on a goddess.
"People."
The world snapped back.
Mud. Trees. Gravity.
Mira fell over.
"Ow."
Arjun staggered.
"She said I attract people."
Mira's eyes lit up.
"Oh! That explains them!"
"Explains who—"
A slow clap echoed through the forest.
A man stepped out, dressed too neatly for a place like this, smiling like the situation already belonged to him.
"Well," he said, "that was interesting."
Arjun groaned.
"Please tell me you're not another goddess."
"Worse," the man smiled.
"I'm an information broker."
Mira whispered,
"He lies."
"I prefer strategic truth management," the man replied smoothly.
"Name's Kade. Freelance."
The air tightened.
Not magically.
Martially.
Another man stood nearby, silent and still, eyes fixed on Arjun.
"You punch," the man said.
"…Is that my title now?"
"You punch honestly," he continued.
"Bad form. Good intent."
"…Thanks?"
"I am Lian," the man said.
"You are walking a Martial Path."
Arjun opened his mouth—
—and a woman burst through the bushes, sword raised.
"MONSTERS—!"
She tripped.
Her sword flew through the air and embedded itself in the ground inches from Arjun's foot.
Silence.
The woman froze.
"…I meant to do that," she said, face burning red.
Arjun stared at the sword.
Then at her.
"…This world hates me."
Mira grinned.
"Welcome to the party."
Far above, in a white office full of paperwork and regret, Lyra stared at a glowing screen.
"…Oh no," she muttered.
"He's forming a team."
She took another sip of coffee and updated the file.
STATUS: SITUATION UNSTABLE
End of Episode 2