Nothing.
That was the first, and for a terrifyingly long time, the only thing I was aware of. Not darkness, not light, not cold, not warmth. Just… an absence so complete it swallowed thought. I wasn't even sure there was an "I" to be having this non-thought. Then, a fracture. A splinter of something that might have been memory, or maybe just the ghost of a sensation—the echo of an ending. It was gone as quickly as it came, leaving behind a deeper, more profound confusion.
Where… what…
The questions formed from pure instinct, shattering against the void. There was no ground beneath me, no sky above, no air to breathe, no body to feel. My consciousness—a fragile, flickering candle flame—tried to build a world from scraps. It tried to impose reason. Up. Down. Left. Right. Cause. Effect. Self. Other.
The void ate them all. It had no laws, no concepts, no ethics to bind it. My mind, this nascent thing I called me, recoiled. It tried again, building faster, desperate for a framework. It conjured phantom sensations: the press of a chair, the taste of something sweet and forgotten, the sound of a laugh. The void erased them, not with malice, but with the simple, absolute indifference of a place where such things had never existed.
Fracture.
A cracking sound I heard with a sense I didn't have. My awareness split, not into two, but into a thousand disparate shards, each trying and failing to comprehend a different aspect of the incomprehensible. I was screaming without a mouth, dissolving into madness before I'd even fully formed.
"Oh, for crying out loud. Will you stop that? The noise is atrocious."
The voice didn't enter my ears. It simply was, woven into the fabric of the void itself. It was smooth, languid, and dripping with such profound, amused condescension that it acted as an anchor. The thousand splinters of my mind slammed back together, drawn by its gravitational pull. The chaotic, self-destructive reasoning ceased.
Before me, something manifested. It wasn't a body, not really. It was a focal point—a concept given a vague, humanoid shape that my reassembled mind could latch onto to avoid breaking again. He wore the idea of a perfectly tailored suit, the color of midnight and starless voids. His hair was silver-white, and his eyes… his eyes were pools of infinite, lazy amusement, watching me struggle like a man watching a particularly clumsy insect.
"Better," he said, examining a fingernail that probably didn't exist. "I suppose I should have expected this. Tossing a fresh, flavorless soul into the primordial soup. It tends to froth."
"Wh-who…" I managed to project, the thought-form shaky.
"Who am I? Who are you? The classic questions," he sighed, as if bored by millennia of repetition. "Let's skip the tedious part. You're dead. Congratulations. You, in your previous, utterly forgettable life, accumulated a truly staggering amount of karma. The cosmic scales tipped so far they practically snapped. As a… let's call it a balancing measure, you get a prize. A re-do. A mulligan on existence."
He gestured lazily, and a kaleidoscope of images flashed around us—worlds upon worlds. Knights fighting dragons in crystalline castles. Starships weaving through nebulae. Cybernetic cities pulsing with neon. A world of magic and monsters I somehow recognized.
"You may choose," he continued. "Any world your little heart desires. I can even throw in a few… let's term them 'boons.' Starter packages. To make your new game more interesting." His smile was a razor's edge. "So. What'll it be? Emperor of a galactic empire? God-king of a primitive planet? The romantic lead in a harem comedy? Do pick something with potential for drama, I do so hate a dull show."
My mind, still tender, reached for the one image that felt familiar. That world of magic. The Great Jura Forest. A blue slime. A name surfaced from the echo I'd felt earlier: Rimuru. "That one," I said, my will solidifying. "The world of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime."
The being's eyebrow—or the concept of one—raised. "Intriguing. Not the most powerful setting on offer, but complex. Why?"
I thought about it. The reason was there, simple and clear, rising from the blank slate of my being. "Fun," I stated. "It seems like a world where the game would be fun."
A rich, genuine laugh echoed through the void. "Fun! Oh, I like that. A soul with no memory, choosing a world for the game of it. No grand quest for redemption, no thirst for power, just… amusement. How refreshingly shallow. Or deeply profound. I can't decide, and that's delightful." He waved a hand. "Granted."
He snapped his fingers, and a vast, scrolling list appeared beside him, written in glowing symbols I instinctively understood. Every race imaginable in that world, from Lowly Goblin to Mystic Fox to Archmage.
"Now, for your avatar. Pick a race. Anything you like. Well, almost anything. Primordial Demons are off the table—too much paperwork. True Dragons are a closed system, terribly exclusive. Everything else? Fair game. You can even," he said, his eyes glinting, "create your own. Mix and match. The ultimate custom character."
I peered at the list. It was enormous. Vampire. True Giant. Titan. Insectar. Lesser Dragon. High Elf. Majin. Each name resonated with potential, hinting at vast arrays of powers and traits. An idea, wild and compelling, took root. "Can I… combine them?"
The being grinned. "A hybrid? Ambitious. Risky. The soul compatibility can be… explosive. But possible, yes, as long as you keep to my one boring rule. No Primordials, no True Dragons. So, what monstrous chimera do you wish to become?"
I focused on the list, drawing names forward. The immortal elegance of a Vampire. The earth-shattering, colossal strength of a True Giant/Titan. The adaptive, chitinous resilience and hive-mind potential of an Insectar. The magical affinity and draconic authority of a Lesser Dragon. The ancient grace and supreme arcane artistry of a High Elf. The innate demonic magic and creative essence of a Majin.
"These," I said, the selections glowing. "All of them."
The being let out a low whistle. "Six-fold hybrid? You're not just aiming for a power fantasy, you're writing the damn manual. The energy required to stabilize that form… you'd be born a calamity. I love it." He leaned forward. "Describe it. Give your masterpiece a shape."
I closed my non-existent eyes and envisioned it. The core frame, draconic and immense. "A colossal dragon frame. Born already enormous, as large as three horses standing together." I saw the armor-like plates. "Blood-red scales, layered like the heaviest armor." The piercing gaze. "Glowing purple, predatory eyes." A crown of terrible majesty. "Three pairs of massive horns curving from its head." And finally, the wings of a sovereign. "Two pairs of wings. Blood-red membranes with black spots patterned like watchful, ominous eyes."
A shape coalesced in the void between us, exactly as I described—a being of terrifying majesty and raw, composite power.
"Fascinating," the being murmured, circling the image. "The Ancient Primus. A fitting title. And you'll gain new /strengthened intrinsic racial traits from all composite species due to the overal race and mixture of bloodlines. The sheer synergy will be… worth the inevitable existential headaches." He looked at me. "Do you wish to finalize this decision? Once done, even I can't take it back. You will be this, for all your new, potentially very long life."
I looked at the Ancient Primus. It was prideful. It was powerful. It was a statement. It was fun. "Yes."
"Excellent!" He clapped his hands once, and the image sank into my formless soul, a blueprints of being. "Now, skills. I can only facilitate up to the level of a Unique Skill. The really fun Ultimate Skills that rewrite reality you'll have to earn yourself, if your little game goes that far. So. One Unique Skill. What is the cornerstone of your power? What do you desire most?"
I knew instantly. In a world of magic and monsters, of skills and levels, what did a being entering it as a game need? The ultimate interface. The system to master all systems. "The Gamer," I said. "The ability from the manhwa. With all its functions. The stat windows, the instant learning, the quests, the inventory, the ability to treat life like a game I can master."
The being—, I realized —paused. He looked into the distance, as if consulting records etched into the void. After a moment, he chuckled. "The Gamer's Mind. The Gamer's Body. An ability that quantifies existence into a playable format. How marvelously meta. To impose a rule-based system upon a rule-based world. It can be done. It will be classified as a Unique Skill for now, though its potential…" He trailed off, smiling. "Consider it granted."
A weight of gratitude I hadn't expected lifted from me. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it. Literally. I have a reputation to maintain." He glanced at a point in the void only he could see. "Your entry point. The temporal rip when the original slime arrives is the safest. Minimal dimensional turbulence. You'll enter the Great Jura Forest at that exact moment."
I nodded, feeling the pull of the new world beginning. My form started to fade, to stream toward the vortex of a forested world.
"Wait," I called out, a final thought striking me. "I never got your name."
He struck a pose of mock offense, then gave a bow that was pure theatrical flair. "Lucifer. The Apex of Pride. A pleasure doing business with you, Alexander. Do put on a good show. I'll be watching and also for your gamer skill i left a tiny surprise."
He winked.
And I fell.
---
WHOMP.
The sensation was indescribable. It was not birth. It was forging. A universe of pressure hammering a soul into a new, divine shape. Scales erupted from spiritual flesh. Bone extended and thickened into a draconic skeleton. Six horns spiraled from my skull with the sound of cracking mountains. Two pairs of wings, vast and leathery, unfurled with a thunderclap that flattened the trees around me.
I crashed into a clearing in the Jura Forest, the impact cratering the earth. My new body—the Ancient Primus—was a titan. I could feel the immense weight of it, the raw, coiled power in every limb. I lay there for a moment, stunned, breathing in air that smelled of crushed pine, damp earth, and my own alien, metallic scent.
Then, a blue screen materialized in the center of my vision, accompanied by a soft, digital chime.
[Welcome, Player.
Unique Skill [The Gamer] has been activated.
Integrating with local world laws...
Analysis of racial template: [Ancient Primus]... Complete.
Status initialized.]
It worked. A hysterical laugh, sounding like grinding stones and deep bellows, erupted from my throat. I focused on the prompt, and my status flared to life.
[STATUS
Name: Alexander
Title: Reincarnator (Effects: status points x10,Luck +50%)
Race: Ancient Primus (Vampire/True Giant/Titan/Insectar/Lesser Dragon/High Elf/Majin Hybrid)
Level: 0( 0.00%)
Health: 150000/150000
Magicule Pool: 150000/150000
Stamina: 1500/1500
STATS
Strength: 1500
Vitality: 1500
Agility: 1000
Dexterity: 800
Magic: 1500
Luck: 750 (Base 500 + 50% Title Bonus)]
Status points:100
[Alert: Racial Skills Detected. Cataloging...]
A torrent of information scrolled down. My Gamer ability was automatically sorting and labeling every intrinsic power born from my chaotic mix of lineages.
[INTRINSIC SKILLS [RACIAL]
[· Vampire Legacy:
· Immortal Body(level 1 /0.00%): Nullifies physical aging and disease. Regeneration is dramatically enhanced by consuming blood.
· Blood Dominion(level 1 /0.00%): Allows for the sensing, manipulation, and consumption of blood. Can create thralls and share power through blood bonds.
· Darkness Affinity(level 1 /0.00%): Innate mastery over darkness and shadow elemental magic.
· Titan/Giant Heritage:
· Colossal Strength(level 1 /0.00%): Grants earth-shattering physical power. Strength stat growth is massively amplified.
· Titanic Resilience(level 1 /0.00%): Nullifies physical damage below a certain threshold. Provides extreme resistance to all forms of kinetic and crushing force.
· Mountain Forger(level 1 /0.00%): Ability to manipulate earth and stone at a grand scale.
· Insectar Biology:
· Adaptive Carapace(level 1 /0.00%): The blood-red scales provide resistance to piercing, slashing, and elemental damage. This resistance can adapt and increase against repeatedly encountered threats.
· Hive Consciousness (Dormant)(level 1 /0.00%): Potential to network minds with subordinate beings or spawned units. Currently inactive.
· Pheromone Synthesis(level 1 /0.00%): Ability to generate and release various pheromones to communicate, mark territory, or induce status effects (fear, submission, attraction) in other beings.
· Lesser Dragon Core:
· Dragon's Aura(level 1 /0.00%): A powerful, intimidating presence that passively exerts pressure on weaker beings. Strengthens all other racial traits.
· Elemental Breath (Unlocked: Fire/Darkness)(level 1 /0.00%): Can unleash a concentrated stream of magical energy, currently defaulting to fire or shadow-aspected attacks.
· Scale of the Dragon(level 1 /0.00%): Magical resistance is significantly enhanced. High resistance to curses and spiritual attacks.
· High Elf Soul:
· Greater Magic Affinity(level 1 /0.00%): Drastically reduced casting time and magicule cost for all magical arts. Innate understanding of magical theory.
· Spirit Communion(level 1 /0.00%): Ability to perceive, communicate with, and form pacts with elemental and nature spirits.
· Ancient Knowledge Fragments(level 1 /0.00%): Random, sporadic insights into ancient magic, history, and lore of the world.
· Majin Essence:
· Material Creation(level 1 /0.00%): Can convert magicules or mana directly into physical matter, typically used to create weapons, armor, or basic structures.
· Magic Amplification(level 1 /0.00%): Demonically-aspected magic is particularly potent. Can overcharge spells at the cost of stability.
· Essence of Chaos(level 1 /0.00%): A subtle influence that makes your magic and actions slightly less predictable and more resistant to analytical or precognitive skills.]
EXTRA SKILLS [FROM UNIQUE SKILL: THE GAMER]
[· Gamer's Body(max): Grants a video-game-like physiology. Health is quantified. Restores HP and status effects through rest. Tolerates pain as a notification. Fatigue is a status effect, not a physical limit.
· Gamer's Mind(max): Protects mental and emotional state from external manipulation, extreme trauma, or insanity. Allows for calm, logical thought under pressure. Emotional experiences remain, but cannot be forcibly altered.
Game guide(max): a gift left from a lord of mischief and terror this skills grantd a unique spiritual intelligence for the assistance of the skill user]
I stared at the list, utterly overwhelmed. This was… this was insanity. I was a walking arsenal, a living catastrophe. My base stats at level zero were probably what a veteran A-rank monster would envy if not more. And the skills… each racial category had abilities that would be the cornerstone of a powerful individual. I had them all, layered and synergizing.
Lucifer wasn't kidding. It was worth it.
A new quest notification popped up.
[New Quest: Apex of the Forest]
Objective: Establish yourself as the dominant being in your region of the Great Jura Forest.
Success Conditions:Subjugate or eliminate all rival B+ Rank or higher monsters within 50 kilometers.
Reward: Large EXP, Title [Forest King], Skill Points.
Failure:Death, or permanent subservience.
Accept?(Y/N)]
I chuckled, the sound rumbling like distant thunder. A game indeed. And what was the point of a game if you didn't play?
With a thought, I selected Yes.
As the quest log updated, I heaved myself up onto my four powerful, draconic legs. Trees that were decades old reached only halfway up my shoulders. I flexed my wings, blotting out the sun over the clearing. My glowing purple eyes scanned the dense, magical forest.
Somewhere out there, a blue slime was just beginning its journey. And here I was, the Ancient Primus, a being of spliced legends, with the power to turn my entire existence into a game to be won.
I took my first earth-shaking step, a grin full of sharp, draconic teeth spreading across my muzzle.
"Let the game begin."