Duke lay on his creaky old bed, staring up at the cracked ceiling of his modest room.
The posters of legendary S-rank awakeners gazed down at him like silent judges, their heroic poses a stark reminder of the dreams he had once chased and now, with the weight of a lifetime behind him, would chase again.
His young body felt foreign, vibrant with untapped energy, but his mind was a storm of anticipation and quiet resolve. He knew exactly what was coming.
The clock on his ancient PC ticked relentlessly toward midnight, the new year of 2376 drawing near like an inevitable tide.
He closed his eyes, breathing steadily, letting the distant echoes of fireworks and celebrations filter through his window.
It's the same as before, he thought, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips despite the gravity of the moment.
The pull, the realm, the god's scripted welcome. But this time, I'm not the wide-eyed fool I was.
At eighteen, everyone in this world turned that age on New Year's Eve was dragged into the Grand Realm of Gods and Devils a twisted trial ground where fates were forged or shattered.
Survival there meant power in the real world; failure meant oblivion, or worse, a life of mediocrity under the system's unyielding hierarchy.
As the clock struck midnight, a familiar vertigo seized him. The world blurred, his consciousness yanked from his body like a thread pulled through fabric.
Colors swirled in a chaotic vortex, and then solidity. He found himself standing in a vast, ethereal chamber, its walls shimmering with an otherworldly glow, like polished marble veined with starlight.
The air hummed with latent power, thick and oppressive, carrying the faint scent of ozone and ancient dust.
Seated before him on a throne-like chair that seemed to materialize from the mist was a manor what passed for one. His face was a void, a smooth, featureless expanse where eyes, nose, and mouth should have been, yet it radiated an unnerving presence.
He wore a sleek modern suit, tailored to perfection, black as midnight with subtle silver threads that caught the dim light.
The figure rose smoothly, his movements fluid and unnaturally graceful, approaching Duke with deliberate steps.
"Welcome to the Grand Realm of Gods and Devils," the guide intoned, his voice a resonant echo that seemed to come from everywhere at once deep, authoritative, laced with a hint of amusement that didn't reach his nonexistent features.
Duke stood there, face to face with the entity, his red eyes narrowing slightly beneath his tousled teal hair. Internally, he groaned.
Shit, why do I have to endure this chatter again? I already know every word of this spiel. This guy's a god in the flesh, manifesting here not just for me, but simultaneously for every poor soul dragged into this mess.
He suppressed a sigh, reminding himself of the role he needed to play. In his first life, he'd been genuinely terrified, stumbling through the encounter like a lamb to slaughter.
Now, with revenge simmering in his veins alongside his pursuit of the sword's peak, he couldn't afford to stand out not yet.
Drawing attention from a god, even one playing tour guide, could unravel everything. Fine. I'll do the act accordingly. Make it believable.
Feigning shock, Duke widened his crimson eyes, his pupils dilating as if in genuine terror.
He staggered back a few steps, his legs buckling dramatically until he collapsed onto the cool, ethereal floor with a thud. His hands trembled as he pushed himself up slightly, his voice quivering with feigned panic.
"Y-You... who are you? What was all that you just explained? And what is this place?" He glanced around wildly, as if seeing the chamber for the first time, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.
The guide tilted his head, and on that blank slate of a face, a smile somehow materialized a creepy, elongated curve of shadow that split the void like a crack in glass.
It widened into a chuckle, low and rumbling, building to a full, echoing laugh. "Khuuuhuhuhuu... hahahaha!" The sound bounced off the walls, sending a chill down Duke's spine despite his knowledge of what it was ust theatrics from a divine being toying with mortals.
"As I told you before, this is what it is," the guide continued, his tone dripping with mock patience. He stepped closer, looming over Duke's prone form.
"In this land lie the graves of gods, devils, and many more from ancient times. You've been granted the opportunity to explore it to unearth relics, claim powers, and forge your destiny."
The guide paused, his faceless head tilting as if appraising Duke's performance.
"But beware: there also dwell the spirits of evils who do not wish to let you continue your journey. They will test you, break you if they can. So, here we awaken your skill to give you a fighting chance."
Standing now directly in front of Duke, the guide extended a hand, placing it firmly over Duke's chest, right above his heart.
A surge of energy pulsed through him, warm and invasive, like liquid fire threading through his veins. In the air before them, a holographic panel materialized in swirling hues of gold and purple, its edges flickering like flames.
System Notification
Name: Duke Regner
Rank: 1 (Proficiency: 0%)
Skill: C-Class - Shadow Dive
Description: The host can move through shadows at ten times their normal speed, blending seamlessly with darkness for evasion or ambush. Duration and range increase with proficiency.
Duke stared at the panel, forcing his expression into one of wide-eyed astonishment for the guide's benefit mouth slightly agape, brows furrowed in confusion. But inwardly, a cool assessment ran through his mind.
So, I got Shadow Dive again, huh? That was expected. After all, this skill is a cheat for survival. Most can't truly die in this realm the system revives you at checkpoints, spits you back out stronger or broken.
But the real danger lies in the real world: the rivalries it sparks, the enemies it creates, the power imbalances that lead to assassinations, betrayals, and wars.
In his first life, this C-rank skill had been dismissed as trash by others, but he'd turned it into a foundation for his sword path using shadows to hone precision, speed, and the mental clarity needed to sever fates.
Still playing the part, Duke stammered, his voice laced with awe and fear. "Wha... What is this? A system? And how do you know my name?" He reached out tentatively toward the panel, as if afraid it might bite, his fingers hovering just short of the glowing text.
The guide cut him off mid-sentence, withdrawing his hand with a dismissive wave. The shadowy smile faded back into the void of his face. "That's all from me. You can go now and ask your questions at the Center of Nansjor the hub where paths converge and alliances form.
" With a casual flick of his wrist, the chamber began to dissolve around them, the walls warping into a swirling void.
Duke felt the pull again, stronger this time, devouring him into darkness. As his consciousness hurtled back toward his body, he caught a final glimpse of the guide standing alone in the fading room.
The entity shook his head slowly, that eerie smile reappearing. "Ahh, he can't even act convincingly. Everyone in their world knows this basic info already so why the theatrics?"