Chapter 1: The Call of the System
Klaus blinked slowly, the bluish glow of the computer screen reflecting in his tired eyes. The cramped room in a modest apartment in the suburbs of São Paulo was shrouded in dim light, illuminated only by the monitor and a weak lamp in the corner. Piles of crumpled manga and old anime action figures covered the messy desk, next to a cold cup of coffee and a keyboard smeared with crumbs. At 26, Klaus lived an invisible routine: entire days consumed by binge-watching series, nights lost in online forums discussing theories about fictional worlds. He was a solitary otaku, the kind who preferred the company of digital characters over real interactions. The outside world? Noisy, unpredictable, unnecessary.
He moved the mouse across the screen, browsing a manhwa scan site. "Solo Leveling again? Nah, I've read it three times this month already," he murmured to himself, his voice hoarse from speaking so little. His freelance job as a programmer barely paid the bills but allowed him to isolate himself. Friends? None that mattered. Family? Far away, somewhere in the countryside. Klaus was content with it—or at least that's what he told himself during sleepless nights.
Suddenly, the air seemed to condense. A low hum, like an overloaded server, echoed through the room. Klaus frowned, staring at the computer. "Virus? But I updated the antivirus last week." Before he could react, the screen flickered violently, and a holographic window appeared in the air before him—not on the screen, but floating in real space, as if the world had gained a layer of augmented reality.
[Global Alert: Survival System Activated.]
The words glowed in neon blue letters, pulsating with an intensity that made his eyes ache. Klaus leaned back in his chair, heart racing. "What the hell is this? Some kind of global hack?" He reached out, touching the air where the window floated. His fingers passed through it, but a tingling sensation ran up his arm, like static electricity.
A synthetic voice echoed in his mind, neutral and impersonal, like a game narrator:
[Welcome, Designated Survivor: Klaus Oliveira. Humanity has reached the Critical Threshold. The Planetary Evolution System has been initiated to select and enhance the capable. Prepare for Transfer to the Central Lobby.]
Klaus blinked, trying to process it. "System? Like in an RPG? This is insane." He stood, staggering to the apartment window. Outside, the street was chaotic: people frozen in the middle of the sidewalk, staring at empty air—or rather, at similar windows that only they could see. Cars stood still, horns blaring randomly. Someone shouted in Portuguese: "Hey, are you guys seeing this too? Is this the end of the world?"
Before he could reason, the world spun. A sudden nausea hit him, as if he were being pulled by a vortex. His vision darkened for a moment, and when it cleared, Klaus was no longer in his room. He found himself in a vast virtual hall, like a colossal multiplayer game lobby. The floor was a glowing grid, walls infinite digital panels displaying stats and advertisements. Around him, thousands of people—no, survivors—materialized, confused and scared. Some cried, others shouted questions, but most just stared in shock.
[Transfer Complete. Welcome to the System Central Lobby.]
Klaus took a deep breath, forcing his analytical mind to take control. "Okay, breathe. This isn't a dream. Feel the floor—solid. The air—fresh, artificial. Like full-dive VR, but without a headset." He observed his surroundings: the lobby was divided into sections. A central area with giant screens displaying "Available Game Modes." Another with virtual counters for "Status Queries." And in the back, pulsating portals labeled "Battle Royale Arenas."
A new window appeared in his peripheral vision:
[Initial Status: Klaus Oliveira]
[Rank: Unassigned]
[Level: 1]
[Basic Attributes:]
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Stamina: 10
Intellect: 15 (Otaku Bonus: +5 from accumulated knowledge in fictional narratives)
Perception: 12
[Initial Skills: None]
[Inventory: Empty (0/10 slots)]
Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Higher intellect? Makes sense. All those years reading manga and playing RPGs finally pay off." He touched the window, and it expanded, revealing more details. The System seemed intuitive, like a game menu responding to thought.
The synthetic voice continued:
[The Survival System is designed to evolve humanity through challenges. Participants compete in Battle Royale Arenas, where survival, strategy, and evolution determine progress. Gain Experience (XP) to rank up and unlock benefits.]
Klaus approached one of the giant screens, ignoring the chaos around him. People of all ages and backgrounds—Brazilians, Americans, Asians—formed makeshift groups, murmuring in mixed languages. A man next to him, appearing Latin, asked in Spanish: "Hey man, you understand this? It's like Fortnite mixed with the apocalypse?"
Klaus replied flatly, in Portuguese with a neutral accent: "More like a post-apocalyptic MMORPG. Look at the ranks." He pointed to the screen, which displayed a familiar table—like the ones he'd seen in dreams or forums, but now real.
The screen showed:
RankSub-levelsExampleGeneral Description and BenefitsBronze I, II, III, IV, V Bronze IV System beginners. Basic access to shelters and equipment. +5% regeneration. Inventory 20 slots. Silver I, II, III, IV, V Silver II Adapted survivors. Access to workshops and trading. +10% XP. Inventory +40 slots. Gold I, II, III, IV, V Gold V Veteran fighters. Fortified bases and elite missions. +15% damage. Inventory +100 slots. Platinum I, II, III, IV, V Platinum III Tactical elite. Assistant AI and +25% regeneration. Inventory +200 slots. Diamond I, II, III, IV, V Diamond I Absolute masters. Equipment modification and +30% critical damage. Obsidian (or Omega) I, II, III, IV, V Obsidian IV Hybrid entities. System manipulation and +70% bonus. Aurion (Legendary) I, II, III, IV, V Aurion V Transcendent. Planetary control and full regeneration. +100% bonus.
"Ranks like game tiers," Klaus thought. "Starts at Bronze for noobs, goes to Aurion for gods. Each with sub-levels, requiring increasing XP." He remembered similar systems in manhwas like The Gamer or Tower of God. But this was real—the cold sweat on his neck confirmed it.
Another adjacent screen detailed XP gain:
Action TypeDescriptionBase MultiplierDirect Kill Eliminate an enemy with a finishing blow. 1.0x → 2.0x Assist Deal significant damage. 0.5x Exploration Discover new zones. 0.3x → 0.8x Crafting Create items. 0.5x → 1.2x Survival Time Time alive in the arena. +100 XP/min Zone Mission Control areas. 1.0x → 1.5x Critical Hit Precision strike. 2.0x Kill Streak Consecutive kills. +15% per kill High-Rank Combat High-level duels. +50% XP
Klaus analyzed coldly. "Kill XP is the focus, but exploration and crafting support it. Survival time encourages caution, not rushing." His intellect of 15 already helped him connect the dots. "Multipliers increase with ranks, so early grinding is key."
A third table appeared beside it, about progression:
RankSub-levelsXP per Sub-levelTotal XPMultiplierBronze 5 1,000 → 2,000 7,500 1.0x Silver 5 3,000 → 6,000 22,500 1.5x Gold 5 8,000 → 14,000 55,000 2.0x Platinum 5 18,000 → 25,000 107,500 2.5x Diamond 5 30,000 → 45,000 187,500 3.0x Obsidian 5 60,000 → 100,000 400,000 4.0x Aurion 5 150,000 → 300,000 1,125,000 5.0x
"Exponential scale," Klaus murmured. "Bronze hooks players easily. Then the grind gets real. I need to plan efficient builds."
The System interrupted his thoughts:
[Choose a Game Mode for Initiation. Options: Solo Battle Royale (100 players, last survivor wins), Duo (teams of 2), Squad (teams of 4), or Custom Mode (themed arenas with mutants, technological ruins, or hostile AIs). Rewards include loot, XP, and rare items.]
Klaus hesitated. "Solo. Always solo. Fewer variables, more control." But a pang of doubt struck—repressed empathy, perhaps. He saw a woman nearby, trembling, alone. "Or duo? No. Focus on survival."
Before deciding, a message flashed:
[Initial Mission: Survive the First Arena and Reach Bronze I Rank.]
[Reward: Basic Skill Unlocked.]
Klaus nodded to himself, the weight of reality settling on him. The world he knew was over. Now, it was evolve or die.
[Transfer to Beginner Arena in 60 seconds...]