The lights moved closer.
Each one grew clearer as it drifted through the void, unfolding fragments of entire worlds in front of Aiden's eyes. Mountains made of crystal. Seas of flame. Endless cities floating among the stars.
Power was everywhere.
It pressed against his mind, heavy and seductive, whispering the same promise in a thousand different forms.
Choose me.Become strong.Rise above everyone else.
Around him, the silhouettes of other people began to move.
One by one, they reached out.
The moment a hand touched a light, it flared brightly, then vanished—pulling its chosen human away from the selection space. Faces filled with relief, excitement, or blind joy disappeared in flashes of color.
Aiden watched calmly.
He recognized many of the universes immediately. Divine warrior realms. High-magic academies. Bloodline-based systems that rewarded talent and pedigree above all else.
They were powerful.
They were also traps.
In his previous life, he had studied the rankings for years. He had watched which universes produced early monsters—and which ones burned their users out before they ever reached their true potential.
Fast growth came with chains.
Strict skill paths.Limited creativity.Ceilings hidden behind bloodlines or divine approval.
Once chosen, those rules became law.
Aiden's eyes moved past the brightest lights and settled again on the dull one at the edge of the void.
Minecraft.
Compared to the others, it looked almost embarrassing.
Blocky terrain. Simple shapes. Crude physics. No divine aura. No overwhelming presence. It didn't shout or beckon.
It waited.
In the selection space, hesitation was rare.
People were terrified of missing their chance. Terrified that waiting too long would leave them with nothing. Terrified of being judged, even here.
Aiden felt none of that.
Because he already knew the ending.
He stepped forward.
The movement drew attention.
Nearby silhouettes paused, their gazes instinctively turning toward him. Confusion rippled through the space as Aiden walked past one legendary universe after another without so much as a glance.
He didn't slow.
He didn't hesitate.
He reached the edge of the void and stopped in front of the dull, blocky light.
Minecraft.
The moment he stood before it, a cold presence descended.
Not pressure.
Evaluation.
Universe Identified: MinecraftRank: FGrowth Speed: LowCombat Potential: LowRecommendation: Not Advised
The words were blunt. Almost mocking.
Aiden's expression didn't change.
In his previous life, this was where doubt had crept in. Where he had wondered if everyone else was right. If he was throwing his future away.
Not this time.
"I choose this," he said.
The void seemed to pause.
Warning: Selected universe is rated F-tier.Warning: Early mortality risk increased.Warning: Are you sure?
The presence pressed closer, as if expecting hesitation. Regret. Fear.
Aiden met it head-on.
"Yes."
No grand declaration.No dramatic speech.
Just certainty.
For a brief moment—so brief it could have been imagined—the dull light pulsed.
Then it expanded.
The blocky world unfolded around him, simple and endless, its rules clear and uncompromising. No shortcuts. No gifts. No mercy.
Only systems.
Only foundations.
Universe Selection Confirmed.
The other lights vanished.
The selection space began to collapse, the silhouettes of other humans being pulled away toward their own futures.
As everything faded, Aiden felt his consciousness begin to sink.
This time, he didn't resist.
As darkness closed in, a single thought crossed his mind.
Let them take the heavens.
I'll build the ground they stand on.