Chapter 2: Welcome to the First Verse

The blue screen flickered again, casting a faint glow across the white void.

[System]: Now, select 3 powers from the list below.

Raizen Nocturne narrowed his eyes as a holographic panel appeared, filled with shimmering text and mysterious symbols — some glowing brighter than others, some greyed out entirely.

Raizen [thinking]:

> Energy Manipulation — Gain the ability to control, absorb, and shape energy in all its forms: thermal, kinetic, electrical, magical, spiritual, and more. Can be used to form energy weapons, defensive barriers, or fuel advanced techniques. Evolves with use and mastery.

> Justice — Automatically reveals the moral alignment of anyone within line of sight: Good, Neutral, or Evil. Useful for navigating unfamiliar worlds or avoiding betrayal.

> Teleportation — Allows instant movement to any visible location within 50 meters. Cooldown: 30 seconds. Upgradable for longer distances or teleporting others.

> Switch Places — Instantly swap positions with any object, creature, or person within 20 meters. Can be used creatively in battle or for escapes. Cooldown: 1 minute.

> Mind Reading — Read surface-level thoughts of anyone within 10 meters. Cannot read deeper thoughts unless the target is mentally weak. Cooldown: 1 minute per use. Long-term use may cause headaches.

> Copy (Talent & Skill) — After observing an ability or physical skill in action, duplicate it almost prefectly. Effectiveness increases with repeated exposure. Can copy bloodline or divine techniques later when level of power increase

> Future Glimpse — See 10 seconds into the future. Cooldown: 24 hours. Cannot be used during time-stopped periods. May be limited if future events are clouded by fate or higher beings.

> Pain Tolerance — Reduces all physical pain by 60%, allowing the user to fight longer even with injuries. Also grants partial resistance to torture or illusions that cause mental anguish. Permanent passive.

> Time Stop — Freeze time in a 10-meter radius for 1 second. Cooldown: 24 hours. During the pause, only the user can move. Useful for dodging fatal attacks or seizing opportunities.

> Invisibility — Become completely invisible for 2 seconds. Cannot attack while invisible. Cooldown: 24 hours. Vision-enhancing or divine items may bypass this effect.

Raizen rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"There are so many options… but why are they all low-level?"

[System]: You can level them up later using points.

Raizen tilted his head. “Let me guess — I earn points by killing monsters and completing quests?”

[System]: Correct.

He crossed his arms, eyes darting between the choices. Some of the abilities had huge potential if upgraded correctly. Energy Manipulation, for instance — if he mastered it, he could probably fly, fire beams, or absorb attacks.

**[System]: I recommend choosing:

Justice

Copy (Talent & Skill)

Switch Places**

Raizen frowned. “Switch Places sounds too situational. Maybe good for tricks… but not reliable in a real fight.”

He tapped the floating screen next to the skill. A sub-menu popped up, revealing its use cases — swapping places with arrows mid-flight, dodging by switching with a pebble, even baiting enemies.

“Cool… but I prefer raw control,” he murmured, then pulled up the description for Energy Manipulation.

As he read it, a smile crept across his face.

“Energy Manipulation can be shaped into offense, defense… maybe even flight later on. That’s what I’m talking about.”

After a short pause, he nodded firmly.

“Alright, I’ll go with your suggestion — but instead of Switch Places, I’ll choose Energy Manipulation as my third ability.”

[System]: Confirmed. There will be no issues. You may select freely.

As the menu faded, a new screen hovered before him.

[System]: Initializing transfer… Preparing destination…

A glowing portal began swirling into existence ahead of him — a circular doorway of pulsing light, growing in size and intensity.

Raizen took a deep breath, fists clenched at his sides.

“Let’s go, then… Just wait for me a little longer, Mom.”

He stepped forward — but just before he entered, another screen flashed.

[System]: Select transport method —

> Option 1: Transfer your soul into a random body in the new verse. You inherit some memories and traits of the host.

Option 2: Arrive in your own body at a random location with no identity.

Option 3: [Locked — Not eligible for this verse.]

Raizen raised an eyebrow.

"Option 1 seems smarter. I’ll already have an identity in the new world — that might give me some benefits… maybe even skills or connections."

Without hesitation, he tapped Option 1.

The portal exploded in a burst of white light as his body was pulled forward.

---

THUD.

Pain shot through his chest and limbs like a freight train. His teeth rattled. His mouth tasted like iron.

Raizen groaned.

He opened his eyes — the sky above was a dull grey, clouded over like an old memory. He sat up, every muscle in his body aching. Blood dripped from a split lip. His arms were covered in bruises and faint cuts.

“Ugh… what kind of welcome is this?”

He realized quickly: this new body had just been beaten to a pulp.

As he slowly stood, using the grimy alley wall for support, his vision cleared. Garbage bags were stacked nearby, and a broken television sparked faintly in the corner. The faint buzz of power lines crackled overhead.

“Damn… this kid really got beat up bad.”

He limped toward the alley’s mouth — and the moment he stepped out, the world hit him like a slap.

Cars honked. Neon signs flashed. A bus rolled by. People walked the streets staring into their phones, ignoring the world.

Massive skyscrapers towered above. Drones zipped across rooftops. A billboard played a looping ad for some sleek tech product.

Raizen squinted.

No knights. No dragons. No magic circles in the sky. Just a plane flying lazily above and pigeons picking crumbs from the sidewalk.

His face twisted into disbelief.

Raizen [shouting]:

“System! Where are the swordsmen flying through the sky?!

Where are the knights riding horses?! What is this?!”

A pause — then the blue screen returned, as calm as ever.

[System]: Welcome to Verse 1.