The screen faded.
Leo’s vision returned, and the weight of his body slammed back into place. His limbs felt real again as he cautiously moved them around. Definitely not an experience he wanted to repeat.
He glanced around quickly. The space was… strange.
A white room with either invisible walls, or none at all. It felt endless and enclosed at the same time. In the center sat a plain wooden desk, behind which was a humanoid looking thing with no face. Unsettling, even without the blank features. A single chair sat across from it, clearly meant for him. A glowing orb rested on the desk between them.
Leo took a brave step forward. “Hello…? What is this place? Who are you?”
The construct didn’t move at first. Then, in a flat, robotic voice, it responded. There was no mouth, no motion, just sound.
“Welcome, human, to the introduction to the System. I will be your guide while the tutorial sequence initiates.”
So many questions already, Leo’s head spun.
“Okay… so what is this System? And what do you mean by tutorial? Like, some kind of video game? Where even am I?"
“Your universe has reached the requirements to join the countless other denizens in the multiverse. I am here to guide you through the initial phase before the tutorial. The system provides the means and tools to forge your own path to power.”
Leo’s mind raced. This had to be a dream, right? He must have passed out back at the restaurant. Maybe he was lying on the pavement right now while EMTs checked his pulse.
Still, it all felt too real.
He decided to test it.
“If this is all real, and not some weird dream, like I’m fairly certain it is. Then how do I access this ‘System’ exactly?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, a translucent screen appeared before him, floating in midair. He flinched.
Name: Leonidas Hawkins
Level: 1
Race: Human (F)
Class: N/A
Health Points (HP): 80/80
Mana Points (MP): 100/100
Stamina Points (SP): 110/110
Stats
Strength: 7
Agility: 9
Endurance: 11
Vitality: 8
Toughness: 6
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 6
Will: 10
Free Points: 0
Essence
N/A
Titles
N/A
He stared at it, equal parts curious and nervous.
Well, I did ask.
The apprehension gave way to rising excitement. A full stat sheet. A game-like system. This wasn’t just real, it was really cool.
Leo took a dazed seat in the chair and leaned in to examine the stats more closely. It helped him calm the wild energy in his chest. Not that leaning in made his screen move at all.
Everything seemed to fall in the six to eleven range, though with no reference, he had no clue if that was good or garbage.
Endurance looked tied to stamina, Vitality probably health, and Intelligence to mana. That made sense. Standard video game logic.
He had no idea what Wisdom did. Was it tied to age? That didn’t seem all that useful. Same with Will, was that his will to survive or linked to mental resistance?
Toughness probably measured resistance, perhaps even immunity, to damage.
Strength and Agility seemed straightforward enough, damage, speed, movement, technique. Classic RPG stats.
He finished scanning the screen and sat back, trying to contain the nervous energy building in his chest.
After a beat, the construct spoke again.
“Please place your hand upon the orb to unlock your Essence.”
Unlock his Essence?
Leo didn’t even know he had one. If this thing was meant to be a guide, maybe he should actually use it.
“What is an Essence?” he asked.
“An Essence is the affinity of one’s soul. It develops as you do, influencing your skills, class and path.”
Skills, class and path. That line alone sparked fresh excitement in Leo’s chest. If this was a lucid dream, it was one of the best he’d ever had, and if not, then maybe it was the start of something he had only dreamed of. Still, hope would be kept at bay. At least until he had more information.
He exhaled, trying to calm his nerves, and placed his hand on the orb.
Nothing happened at first.
“Please be aware,” the construct added, “that this may be uncomfortable.”
That was an understatement.
Pain exploded in his gut, racing through his limbs. It was as if fire and ice were fighting for supremacy. It felt like thousands of needles driving through him, inside and out. His back arched, body convulsing helplessly. He couldn’t scream, couldn’t even breathe.
Then something else surfaced.
The storm of emotion in his core reacted, the same one he’d always forced down when anger or fear clawed up his spine. It flared, brighter and hotter than ever before, like it was being pulled from him, exposed to the world for the first time.
What’s happening?! Something’s wrong—make it stop.
A screen appeared before him:
Essence count exceeds natural parameters
Six Essences detected
Soul is currently unsuitable for six Essences. Continued attempt will result in termination or permanent soul damage.
Readjusting…
Condensing to four Essences
Condensing complete
You have awakened the Fire Essence
Bound to Strength attribute
+1 Strength per class level
You have awakened the Ice Essence
Bound to your Intelligence attribute
+1 Intelligence per class level
You have awakened the Lightning Essence
Bound to your Agility Attribute
+1 Agility per class level
You have awakened the Earth Essence
Bound to your Toughness attribute
+1 Toughness per class level
You have awakened the Bloodline: Bloodline of the Elements
+10% to all Essence-bound stats
Title unlocked: Bloodline Originator
Leo collapsed forward, gasping as breath returned to his lungs. He was on his knees, hand still pressed to the orb, drenched in sweat. What the hell just happened?
The pain in his chest had faded, but the storm inside him, the old constant felt… different. It was easier to control, yet if he was to let it, it would rampage freely. For the first time in his life, he felt at peace.
He felt incredible. Stronger, clearer, alive. Like he could take on the entire world.
The sensation sadly began to fade as the energy settled back into his core. Leo removed his hand from the orb and slumped back into the chair, still catching his breath. The storm inside was no longer completely dormant, but he still had control.
Before he could ask the construct what had just happened a familiar screen popped up again.
Name: Leonidas Hawkins
Level: 1
Race: Human (F)
Class: N/A
Health Points (HP): 200/200
Mana Points (MP): 110/110
Stamina Points (SP): 110/110
Stats
Strength: 8
Agility: 10
Endurance: 11
Vitality: 20
Toughness: 7
Intelligence: 11
Wisdom: 6
Will: 10
Free Points: 0
Bloodline: Bloodline of the Elements
Essences
Fire (F)
0/2
Ice (F)
0/2
Lightning (F)
0/2
Earth (F)
0/2
Titles
Bloodline Originator
Quite a difference already, not ten minutes into coming here.
His stats had jumped. After a quick bit of mental maths, he realised the 10% increase had rounded to the nearest number. How kind of them, he mused.
But what really caught his eye was the more than doubled Vitality stat. Twenty? That couldn’t be normal. But he definitely wouldn't complain.
He also had some kind of bloodline now, and it seemed to directly affect his Essences. But was having four of them rare? So much was happening. It was overwhelming.
The system had called six ‘past natural’ but didn’t say what the normal limit actually was.
He had no idea what to make of any of it, so he turned to the least helpful guide in existence and began rapid-firing questions.
“What’s a bloodline? Do most people get four Essences? And what happened to the six it said I had? Did I just lose those? Also, what are titles, and how do I see what they do?”
The construct seemed to blink with its entire body, flickering like it was calculating.
“Upon initiation, any dormant bloodline within an initiate may awaken. The system does not grant these bloodlines, nor can it alter their nature, only translate their effects into quantifiable information once realised. A bloodline is not inherently powerful, varying in both benefit and drawback. Bloodlines are innate, manifesting uniquely in each bearer, and can only be passed on through procreation. In the event of death, the bloodline may be recycled and redistributed.”
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It paused, then continued again.
“The natural Essence number produced by a human is one. Six Essences were detected. If you had attempted to integrate all six at F-grade, you would not have survived. Your limit was calculated and the Essence count was adjusted. Titles may be inspected in the status menu.”
Leo blinked. “That… was actually really helpful. Thanks.”
It was a lot to take in, but he broke it down as best he could.
Apparently the bloodline was something rare. Unique to him. Powerful enough to require its own subsection in his status. He opened his status and inspected the title he’d gained first of all.
Bloodline Originator
Your awakening has produced a bloodline the System cannot fully classify.
A new lineage record has been created based on your unique nature.
Your body strengthens to stabilise the volatile elemental current within.
+10 Vitality, +10% Vitality
That explained the massive Vitality spike.
An extra ten points at level one? That felt huge. Or maybe not. Maybe it just meant he could survive two hits instead of one.
“Still, technically a hundred percent improvement,” he joked to himself.
The title was a bit of a mixed bag, the word ‘Volatile’ had him a bit worried, but he felt fine. Well, as fine as one could be in a white room with a weird construct in front of him granting him mystical powers.
I’m sure it’ll be fine… Leo promptly moved on.
Inspecting his actual bloodline next, he was interested, yet a little confused.
Bloodline of the Elements
Through the power of the System, your latent bloodline has been identified.
A force long bound within your soul has been recognised, a volatile current woven through every part of your being since birth.
Its true nature eludes full classification, and so it has been provisionally named The Bloodline of the Elements.
Your body can harbor and channel multiple Essences and elemental forces, amplifying your power using your Essences as a catalyst.
+10% to all Essence-bound stats.
Apparently something had been within him since his very birth. Leo didn’t remember being able to control the elements like some kind of superhero when he was younger. Although he sure as hell dreamt of it. It was also not what the bloodline was actually called, just provisionally named. The whole thing made his head hurt with intrigue. But at the end of the day it was purely a bonus.
Leo put his head in his hands. “This is a lot.” His mind was racing, trying to digest everything he was thinking about.
“What happens now?” Leo asked skeptically, too overwhelmed to ask for any more details.
“Now that your Essences are established, you will be transported to class selection. This is the final stage before your tutorial begins. Available classes are determined by the tutorial parameters assigned to you.”
Before he could ask what that meant, the white room twisted around him. There was no warning. No transition. Only rapid motion.
His body lurched forward as space itself pulled him through nothing. The room didn't move but he did. The walls stayed blank, infinite and still. Yet somehow, he was being dragged through them.
Then, as suddenly as it began, it ended.
Leo landed on his feet in a completely different space. This one looked like a massive armory. Weapons lined the walls, reminiscent of Boyd’s gym just on a much larger scale. Armor rested on mannequins in rows, gleaming under soft light. Leo regarded the weapons on the walls with awe as he inspected the blades, axes, knives, maces, bows, the list could go on forever. If it existed and could be used for violence, it was on the wall.
Deciding to inspect the armours, he saw there were seven dummies, each dressed in a different type. They ranged from heavy plate mail to flowing robes. The variety surprised him, and the robe especially caught his attention.
Did that mean that magic was real here?
Time to find out.
He approached the first dummy on the left, dressed in thick plate armour, and touched it. A screen appeared.
Class: Knight
A Knight focuses on defending others from harm, emphasizing defense in both stats and combat approach. Though slow, the class deals heavy damage and can withstand punishment better than any other starter class.
Often paired with a shield, but capable of wielding a wide range of weaponry.
Stat bonuses per level:
+2 Toughness, +2 Vitality, +1 Strength, +1 Endurance, +1 Will, +1 Free Point
The first thought that rushed through his head was unbridled excitement. Classes were real and he got to pick one. This just kept getting better and better.
This was the video game equivalent of a tank. The defensive bulwark. Meant to take the hits so others didn’t have to. Leo had never played tank classes in games. They weren’t his style, and the Knight class didn’t exactly call to him either. Solid, and no doubt integral to parties, but not for him.
Moving on.
The next dummy wore leather armour with metal segments, something between barbarian and Viking. He touched it.
Class: Warrior
A Warrior brings variety to combat and is the most versatile of the starting physical classes, with a lean toward Strength. Less survivable than the Knight, but capable of higher damage output.
Can wield the largest range of weaponry. The only limit is your own skill.
Stat bonuses per level:
+3 Strength, +1 Agility, +1 Endurance, +1 Vitality, +1 Toughness, +1 Free Point
Now that was more like it.
Classic melee archetype. Big weapons, big swings, plenty of potential damage. Leo liked this one. Didn’t feel like the choice, but definitely a top contender so far. Top 2 for sure.
He moved on to the next dummy. This one wore light leather armour in darker shades than the warriors, and a black cloak that reached into a hood covering most of its face. It gave off a dark and mysterious vibe.
Class: Rogue
The Rogue is a fast, agile class focused on stealth and subterfuge. Designed to eliminate threats before they know you’re there. Offers strong escape tools and medium survivability.
Prefers dual-wielded daggers and short weapons. Also has access to throwing and ranged tools.
Stat bonuses per level:
+3 Agility, +2 Endurance, +1 Strength, +1 Vitality, +1 Free Point
Rogues were popular in games. Lots of stealth lovers out there. But Leo hated stealth segments. His angle of approach in stealth games was; that if there are no witnesses, there’s no one to ring the alarm. An approach that often resulted in the alarm being raised. Not his style, but definitely interesting.
The next dummy was nearly identical to the Rogue’s. Same leather setup, minus the cloak. It had vambraces instead.
Class: Archer
An Archer attacks from afar, dealing steady damage while supporting allies. Offers less mobility than the Rogue but greater ranged output.
Requires a bow/crossbow to access most skills but can use short weapons if forced into melee.
Stat bonuses per level:
+2 Agility, +2 Endurance, +1 Strength, +1 Vitality, +1 Will, +1 Free Point
Not a surprise. Archer was a staple class in almost any MMO. He remembered playing with toy bow sets in his backyard as a kid, firing suction-cup arrows at targets with Natalie.
The memory tightened something deep in his chest.
If this was happening to him… was it happening to her too?
He hoped they were in the same tutorial. He had no way of knowing, but he had to believe he’d see her again. That meant he had to survive to do so, in any way he could. This tutorial wasn’t guaranteed to be dangerous, but judging by the classes, armour and weapons…Yeah, fighting was on the menu.
Leo took a breath and refocused. Now was not the time to consider these things. He had to sort out his class.
Next up was the last of the non-robed classes. This one wore what looked like martial arts gear. A brown top that extended into plain trousers, and soft shoes instead of boots. It was reminiscent of a training gi, yet even more basic.
Class: Pugilist
The Pugilist focuses on unarmed combat. Mastery of technique is key, as this class relies solely on close-range skill with no weapons to assist.
A Pugilist survives through skill alone.
No weapon types available.
Stat bonuses per level:
+2 Agility, +1 Strength, +1 Endurance, +1 Vitality, +1 Wisdom, +1 Will, +1 Free Point
Something about it clicked.
Leo remembered training with Boyd in the quiet dojo just this morning. The satisfaction of landing a clean strike, of feeling his body move with precision and control. It was still vivid in his memory. This class had no armour, no weapons, no fallback. It was all him.
While it could be dangerous, and he’d be exposed more than if he had a sword, bow, or shield. There was something that just called out to him.
It felt right.
Still, curiosity won out. He walked to the first of the robed dummies.
“I say I’ve already decided, but if this one lets me hurl fireballs, I may be in trouble.”
He touched the robe. “Ah, fuck.”
Class: Mage
Mages harness Essence and Mana to cast powerful spells. Their offensive capabilities vary based on the Essences awakened. Mages fight at range but have limited defenses.
Uses staves, wands, and other magical implements.
Stat bonuses per level:
+3 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +1 Vitality, +1 Will, +1 Free Point
Magic.
And not just generic magic. Essence linked magic. He had four Essences. That meant four different types of magic.
The temptation was extremely high. A lot of potential in this choice.
Although a thought occurred to him. He had decent Intelligence already, and Pugilist gave Wisdom each level…
Who said you couldn’t cast a little magic while punching people?
Leo rubbed the back of his neck. He was starting to overthink, his usual decision paralysis in games coming in strong here. He’d always struggled to make decisions like these. Decisions that were so final, with no way to take them back. This could be one of the most important of his life and shape his “Path” that the guide had spoken about.
Suddenly, and jarring him from his thoughts, a screen popped up in front of him.
WARNING
Tutorial will commence in 5 minutes
Select a class or one will be assigned at random
“Oh crap!” Leo panicked.
He hadn’t even checked the last dummy. He ran to the final robed figure and tapped it.
Class: Healer
The Healer mends injuries and cures afflictions. Uses Mana and Essence for supportive magic.
Focuses on group synergy and defensive spellcasting. Weak in solo combat.
Does not require a magical weapon to cast, but can be used to augment or amplify power.
Stat bonuses per level:
+3 Wisdom, +2 Intelligence, +1 Vitality, +1 Will, +1 Free Point
Healers were a staple for almost every RPG or game with classes out there. They were the backbone of the party. If you wanted to survive, you protected your healer. It was the first rule of surviving, and Leo imagined that healers in a world where people were fighting, they would be just as valued, if not more so.
He imagined Natalie taking this. Helping others, healing their wounds, keeping people alive. It suited her.
But not him.
Leo looked back at the Pugilist dummy as time started to tick down, watching the clock, his eyes flickered back and forth between the Mage and the Pugilist dummies. Yet as it ticked down further, he looked towards the Mage dummy less and less.
This class wasn’t safe. It could be a massive mistake and cause him to die instantly in whatever world he was dropped into. But it felt right.
Class Selected
You have become a Pugilist!
You will gain the following stats Per level:
+2 Agility, +1 Strength, +1 Endurance, +1 Vitality, +1 Wisdom, +1 Will, +1 Free Point
Your weapon choice: Unarmed
You have learned the Class skill: Unarmed Mastery (Common)
You have learned the Class skill:Mana Strikes (Common)
You have learned the Race skill: Multiversal Polyglot (Unique)
The armour from the dummy shimmered and transferred onto Leo’s body, replacing his clothes in an instant.
He shivered. It was a weird sensation. But not entirely unpleasant.
He quickly opened the menu to inspect the skills he’d just acquired.
Unarmed Mastery (Common)
Your weapon of choice is no weapon at all. Master the art of using your fists to deal with your enemies.
Grants increased damage and technique when using unarmed strikes.
Provides a small bonus to unarmed damage based on Strength and Agility.
Mana Strikes (Common)
A Pugilist may not wield weapons, but is far from powerless.
Channel Mana through your strikes to enhance their force and damage.
Scales with Agility and Wisdom
Cooldown: None
Multiversal Polyglot (Unique)
As a new initiate of the multiverse, communication is critical.
Gain the ability to read and speak almost all known languages across the multiverse.
Leo grinned. “This is pretty damn cool.”
He was about to test his Mana Strikes skill when a screen blinked before him in alarm.
Tutorial Commencing
Good luck, Initiate.
May your path to power be everlong.
Leo’s mind blanked again, just like it had when the system first arrived. Sensation vanished as his awareness became nothing but void once again. It was time to see what this tutorial had in store for him, and explore this new reality he found himself in.
