Life is an interesting thing. The beat of a heart, the sparks of the brain, and the will of the soul. These things provide an experience, an experience of experiences, infinite experiences as long as you live.
But in this modern world, that promise is no longer here, and invisible shackles weigh down humanity individually and generally.
Those who risk it all to escape these chains often find themselves dragged back down and pushed under by society, and that is why I can no longer live. This society has crushed me, and though I don't want to I would rather die than accept a miserable existence like this. So I am sorry, I -Thorn Woods- am finally free, and I have no regrets. Goodbye.
My speeding heart finally slowed down as the certainty of death took over my mind. Letting go of my final note to the world, the speeding winds on the dark highway whisked it away.
With my eyes closed and my arms spread, I prepared to let myself go into the raging water.
[Ding]
Suddenly a sharp sound penetrated my ears, snapping me out of my state. The world paused and a feeling of confusion mixed with panic welled up within me.
"What the hell was that? Right as I am preparing my unfortunate exit, you fools interrupt me?" I muttered in frustration, turning to my left to confront the bottom feeders who were intruding on me, only to be left confused.
None of those leeches were here on this dark highway. The only person here was myself.
[Congratulations Earthling! You have been selected alongside many others to be the next batch of Realm Travelers, a select group of lawless individuals who clear Realm Scenarios and gain powers and treasures from all corners of the Multiverse]
Reading the floating words in front of me, I was left in even more confusion.
'Did someone drug me?' I thought faintly, before recalling that I had not met anyone today, I shook my head.
'It's not possible' I thought.
Suddenly the glowing words shifted, depicting new information.
[Before the first Newbie Scenario, you have the option of choosing three items offered by the System. Preparing a list...]
Seeing the word "system", I felt as if a bolt of electricity flooded my veins. That long repressed area of my heart responsible for emotions began to move again.
"System?!" I practically screamed, indescribable feelings jolting through my body.
"The System? Like those novels I used to read back then before they got so awful? This is…" My words trailed off as a maniacal grin stretched across my face.
"Perfect... I knew there was still more value to living." I said, chuckling in delight.
"System, show me what you have to offer!" I shouted eagerly, watching the words on the screen with hunger, waiting for any sign of change.
'Nearly my whole life has not been worth living, and that cold lifeless feeling inside my heart has only grown stronger and stronger. But now… now I can finally begin to live.' I yelled internally, my foolish grin still on my face, and the screen finally shifted.
Scrolling past the list of items, my eyes devoured the information in seconds, and my brain automatically locked onto three choices.
[Trio Of Lucky Dice. Rolling a die increases your luck for one hour. Rolling the three at once greatly increases your luck for three hours.
Status Clearing Pills. Pills that clear all forms of negative statuses, including petrification, paralysis, and induced madness.
Eye Of Foresight. Consumable eye that grants the wielder a brief glimpse into danger in the future.]
Without hesitation, my fingers tapped the three items. The ruthless part of me responsible for making smart decisions erupted in my mind.
From what this system told me, I will be placed in a so called Newbie Scenario, I thought before continuing.
The fact that it is asking me to pick the items before telling me the scenario means it is withholding that information on purpose, and that may even be part of scoring well.
In such random situations, preparation like this maximizes my control over unknown factors, giving me a fake kind of plot armor to deal with the unexpected.
Cold air blew against my face as I sat on the edge of the vacant highway, my feet dangling hundreds of feet above the water.
[Items selected. Scanning for additional items. Scanning… scanning… no items detected]
[Scenario: Crimson Moon, D Rank. Details: A world of talents, gods, beasts, monsters, and pursuers of Heavens Staircase. In this scenario, cultists are planning to weaken dimensional barriers by evoking a Crimson Moon that will lead to horrific bloodshed. Change the fate of this scenario. Twenty percent clear condition. Note: Higher percentages lead to better rewards]
My eyes raced across the details, and curiosity flared up inside me.
"Gods? I want to see such an existence and measure it myself. And I wonder what Heavens Staircase is. It could be an organization or a treasure. Interesting. Very interesting. Heh… heheheh." My curiosity sparked and greed leaked into my heart.
Smiling, I stood from my seated position and walked toward the center of the road, a faint flicker of excitement growing into a bonfire.
"System, take me away." I shouted in the dimly lit highway, arms spread wide again and my head thrown back in passion.
A few seconds passed and nothing happened. My face slowly scrunched into irritation. I fixed my posture and glared at the unchanged screen.
"You motherfu-" My vision instantly turned black, and a faint mechanical voice echoed in my ears.
[All participants are ready. The Newbie Scenario is now commenced. The Great Mother wishes change to all.]
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-Third Person P O V-
Sirens blared in the distance, blue, white, and red lights flashing constantly along with the noise of walkie talkies. Several police cars sped onto a particularly tall stretch of highway.
"That bastard is going to get caught today. I swear it on my dead grandmother's grave." a muscular police officer shouted. His foot slammed on the brakes before he practically threw himself out of the drivers seat.
Rushing forward, the buff officer and the squad behind him ran toward the center of the highway, only to suddenly stop, confused.
On the ground ahead of them lay a sheet of paper with words written on it. The muscular officer stepped forward, picked it up, and read it.
"Chief, what is going on? Wasn't he supposed to be here?" a scrawny young officer asked.
The muscular officer - now identified as the Chief - ignored him. His eyes widened in shock, his grip tightening on the paper until it was almost crumpled. Tears welled up in his eyes.
"Damn it! That evil scum" the Chief cursed harshly, tossing the paper to the ground, tears falling freely.
"That bastard really killed himself. How will we answer the families of his victims now? How will I answer my daughter… damn it." The Chief turned and walked back to his police car with his head lowered.
The young officer picked up the crumpled paper and unfolded it. Several other officers gathered behind him, reading over his shoulder. Their faces soured.
"Fuck." they muttered, turning to look at the chaotic waves below the highway, sharp rocks jutting out wildly.
"That sick bastard really chose death instead of facing his crimes." an officer said, his face twisted with turmoil.
The others nodded, some sighing with complex feelings.
One officer placed a hand on the young man's shoulder.
"It is alright, kid. Even if we did not deliver our own justice, that sick man is definitely burning in hell right now. Take comfort in the fact that God is just, more than us mortals." He spoke with certainty before walking away.
The young officer took a breath, uncertainty in his expression, perhaps reflecting his atheism. Shaking his head, he looked up at the starry sky.
"What an insane bastard." he muttered, walking back to his car with the suicide letter clutched tightly in his hand.
What the officers did not realize was that their target was still out there, destined to enact his twisted will that once terrorized his own city across different cities in different worlds.