Darkness.
That was the last thing Ethan remembered. Not the screeching tires, not the shattering glass, not even the sound of his own scream. Just a sudden plunge into black nothingness, like someone had pulled the plug on reality.
But now… there was light.
A strange, silver light—soft, otherworldly—streamed down from nowhere, bathing Ethan's body in a gentle glow. He blinked. He was standing, barefoot, on what seemed like a floor of endless mist. The air felt still, thick with silence, and yet… peaceful.
"Where… am I?" he murmured, more to himself than to anyone else.
"Between worlds," a voice answered.
He spun around. A figure stood there—tall, cloaked in radiant white, with no face visible beneath the hood. The voice was neither male nor female, young nor old. It simply was.
"You died, Ethan Turner. Age seventeen. Cause of death: vehicular collision. Instantaneous. No suffering."
Ethan's breath caught in his throat. Somehow, hearing it out loud made it real. He looked down at his hands—translucent, almost ethereal.
"I'm… dead," he whispered.
"Yes. But your journey is not over."
The figure gestured, and a massive wall of glowing runes and shifting text appeared in the air beside them, stretching so far in either direction that Ethan couldn't see the end.
"You have been chosen for reincarnation into a different realm," the figure continued. "A world where magic breathes, monsters roam, and fate bends more easily to will. As part of this transition, you may select ten skills from a list of five hundred."
Ethan blinked. "Wait—ten? From five hundred?"
The figure gave a nod, or something like it. "Each skill will shape your new life. Choose wisely. You may ask questions about any skill. Time flows differently here. You will not be rushed."
As if on cue, the list of skills shimmered and rearranged itself, forming neat columns of names: Sword Mastery, Pyromancy, Beast Taming, Time Dilation, Shadowstep, Alchemy, Divine Resistance, and hundreds more.
Ethan's mind reeled. It was like being handed a character sheet in the most epic RPG imaginable—but with real consequences. The weight of it hit him: this wasn't a game. This was his second chance.
He took a deep breath. "Can I see the top twenty? Just to get a feel for what I'm working with?"
The list shifted. A highlighted box expanded to reveal detailed descriptions.
Sword Mastery (Lv. MAX) – Instantly grants expert-level proficiency with all bladed weapons. Increased speed, accuracy, and reflexes.
Great Mana Core – Start with a vast internal mana pool. Essential for sustained spellcasting.
Shadowstep – Instantly teleport up to 5 meters in any direction within line of sight. Cooldown: 10 seconds.
Beast Taming – Communicate with, tame, and command magical creatures.
Time Dilation – You may slow time for up to 3 seconds (real-world) once every 30 seconds.
Soulbound Weapon – Summon a unique weapon tied to your soul. Evolves with you.
Regen (Enhanced) – Passive health regeneration. Heals wounds over minutes instead of days.
Elemental Affinity (Choose One) – Start with a powerful connection to a chosen element: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, or Ice.
Auto-Translation – Instantly understand and speak all spoken and written languages.
Sixth Sense – Feel the presence of danger or strong magical forces even if not visible.
Ethan stared, heart pounding. Each one sounded insanely powerful. He started pacing in slow circles, muttering to himself.
"Okay… Sword Mastery seems like a no-brainer if I'm going to be fighting. And Time Dilation? That's practically cheating in a fight. Sixth Sense could save my life. Auto-Translation might sound boring, but if I can't talk to people, I'm toast…"
He looked up at the faceless guide. "Can I change my mind after picking, or is it locked in?"
"Once chosen, the skills are bound to your soul. Permanent."
"Of course they are," he muttered.
He scanned further, diving deeper into the list.
Necromancy – Command the dead. Risk of corruption if overused.
Hero's Charisma – Natural leader. Boosts morale of allies and influence over NPCs.
Dimensional Storage – Access a pocket dimension to store unlimited items.
Arcane Engineer – Create magical machines and devices.
Mimicry – Temporarily copy any skill you've seen used. Duration: 60 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Luck of the Fates – Immensely increased luck in all rolls of chance.
Phoenix Heart – Once per year, resurrect upon death. Flames burn all nearby enemies upon revival.
Ethan's hands itched with excitement and nerves. How the hell was he supposed to choose only ten?
But then he paused. This wasn't just about raw power. He needed balance. Survivability. Mobility. Maybe even utility—skills that weren't just about fighting.
He looked back at the figure. "I can't pick all the most overpowered ones, can I?"
"You may choose any ten. But know this—your challenges will scale to your strength. No world gives freely without taking."
Ethan swallowed. Okay then.
He took a step forward. The list shimmered, waiting. His finger hovered over the glowing interface.
"I choose…"
He selected with careful thought, one after another:
Time Dilation – For reflexes and tactical advantage.
Sword Mastery (Lv. MAX) – For offense.
Regen (Enhanced) – For survivability.
Shadowstep – For movement and escape.
Beast Taming – For companions and versatility.
Auto-Translation – For communication and survival.
Soulbound Weapon – For a weapon that grows with him.
Elemental Affinity: Lightning – For speed, power, and style.
Dimensional Storage – Because backpacks suck.
Luck of the Fates – Because sometimes, luck beats skill.
When the final choice was made, the list vanished. A new light began to rise behind the figure—a portal swirling with stars and shimmering silver winds.
"Your new life awaits, Ethan Turner. You will be sent to the continent of Aelyria, born into the body of a fifteen-year-old orphan boy. You will retain your memories. Your journey begins the moment you awaken."
Ethan nodded, heart thudding. "Am I allowed to know what kind of world it is? Like, is there a prophecy? A Demon King? Anything like that?"
The figure's hood tilted. "You will find that destiny in that world is… fluid. Heroes are made, not born."
The light grew brighter.
Ethan took one last breath.
And stepped forward.