White.
Endless, blinding white. No ceiling, no walls, no shadows. Just him, suspended in a space that felt like nothing and everything all at once.
A second ago, he’d been sitting in his office chair, bagel in one hand, mid-sentence in an email—and now? Now he was standing in this… void.
“Okay,” he said slowly, voice small in the emptiness. “Either I’m dreaming, dead, or someone slipped something into the break room coffee.”
His footsteps made no sound as he turned in place, scanning for anything to anchor himself. No doors. No light source. No furniture. Just smooth, seamless white stretching forever.
Then, without warning, the space shifted.
Where there had been nothing seconds ago, now stood a sleek black desk. It hadn’t appeared so much as it had always been there, and only now chose to be noticed.
Behind it sat a figure—humanoid in shape but far from human. Its skin was metallic, featureless, and its face displayed no expression, just a faint pulse of white light where eyes should be. It sat perfectly still, hands folded neatly over the desk’s glassy surface.
Max took a step back, instinct twitching. He didn’t get a feeling that this thing was going to attack him, but didn’t let his guard down either.
The figure inclined its head slightly, as though acknowledging his confusion. Then it spoke, its voice genderless and unnervingly calm, like a voice assistant that had suddenly grown self-awareness.
“Max Elion. Welcome to the Integration Lobby. Your universe has reached the minimum magic threshold to be integrated into the multiverse. This introduction phase will be where you choose your starting class and spend your first attributes before starting the tutorial.”
“…Tutorial, attributes?” Max echoed. “What is going on?”
“Please, sit. We must review your starting configuration and grant access to your introductory options before deployment.”
As if on cue, a chair materialized behind him with a soft hum, sliding into place. Max didn’t remember deciding to sit, but suddenly, he was lowering himself into it all the same.
His mouth was dry. “Okay, so… not a dream. Not a prank. And definitely not a Monday I saw coming.”
The figure gave no reaction.
“Let’s begin,” it said.
The figure raised one hand, and with a faint chime, the space in front of Max shimmered. A translucent blue window appeared midair, about the size of a large monitor. Lines of text scrolled upward before settling into place.
Analyzing…anomaly detected-increase in power to learn more.
[Choose Your Primary Class Path]
Newly Integrated Entities must select a foundational class to determine early abilities, progression route, and combat specialization.
Available Starter Classes:
?? Warrior
A frontline combatant specializing in physical strength, endurance, and close-quarters dominance. Warriors gain early access to weapon mastery skills and increased HP and Stamina scaling.
- +3 Strength
- +3 Endurance
- Passive: Second Wind – When falling below 10% HP, regenerate 15% over 5 seconds (60-second cooldown).
- Starting Skill: Cleave – A wide melee attack that hits all enemies in front of you.
? Ideal for players who prefer aggressive, head-on combat and heavy armor.
?? Mage
A student of the arcane, just beginning to grasp the true potential of magic. Mages specialize in ranged elemental attacks and mana-based abilities. Though fragile, they can grow into powerful spellcasters capable of shaping the battlefield.
- +2 Intelligence
? +3 Wisdom - +1 Vitality
? Passive: Arcane Efficiency – Spells cost slightly less Mana.
? Starting Skill: Fireball – Cast a small fireball that explodes on impact, dealing area damage.
? Best for those who value tactics, ranged engagement, and explosive power.
? Healer
A support specialist focused on restoration, protection, and survival. Healers gain enhanced Mana regen, healing spells, and passive buffs that benefit allies and themselves.
- +3 Wisdom
- +3 Vitality
- Passive: Grace of Renewal – Regenerate 1% of missing HP every 10 seconds.
- Starting Skill: Renew – Restore a moderate amount of HP over 8 seconds.
? Ideal for players who favor sustainability, long-term survivability, and team support.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Beneath the list, three soft blue buttons pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.
[Choose Warrior]??[Choose Mage]??[Choose Healer]
Max stared at the screen, eyebrows drawn tight.
“Wait. That’s it? No ‘Assassin’ or ‘Necromancer’ or ‘Duel-wielding classes’?”
The Interface thing tilted its head. “Advanced classes can be unlocked once you have advanced further down your path.” You may evolve or hybridize later depending on actions taken and affinity developed.”
Max muttered under his breath, “Great. So, pick a class now, regret it for the next fifty levels.” “Hey, what’s with that anomaly thing at the beginning of the selection page?”
The Interface said nothing.
He looked back up at the glowing options. His mind raced—not just with the decision, but with what came next. Whatever he chose now would shape his first steps in this new world and he had no idea what any of this actually means. “I guess I’ll just have to go along to get along until I can figure some things out”
Max stared at the glowing class options hovering before him, each one pulsing with quiet power. Warrior, Mage, Healer. It felt like more than just a choice—it felt like locking in his fate. Warrior was the obvious pick if he wanted to play it safe. Swing a sword, wear some armor, probably survive longer. Healer sounded noble, but… could he really see himself babysitting a party with bandages and buffs? Then there was Mage. Glass cannon. High damage, low defense. He’d seen enough games to know what that meant—one wrong move and he’d be face-down in the dirt. Max rubbed the back of his neck, glancing between the icons again. “Yeah, I’m totally not fragile,” he muttered with a crooked grin. “Fireballs it is.” Still in the back on his mind something told him it didn’t matter which class he picked.
The moment the words left his mouth; the Mage icon flared with brilliant crimson light.
Class Selected: Mage
+2 Intelligence
+3 Wisdom
+1 Vitality
Passive Skill Unlocked: Arcane Efficiency
Starting Ability Acquired: Fireball
A sudden warmth surged through Max’s chest, like someone had lit a spark behind his ribs. He staggered back a step as shimmering glyphs danced across his vision, fading just as quickly as they came. His fingertips tingled, the air around them subtly warping, as if reality itself knew he was different now. For a second, he just stood there, wide-eyed. Then he flexed his fingers experimentally. No wand. No staff. Just raw, potential energy humming at his command.
“Okay... definitely not fragile,” he whispered, the grin spreading wider.
Max gave his hands another curious glance, half-expecting sparks to fly. When nothing exploded, he exhaled slowly and looked back toward the fading system window. “Alright... so I’m a Mage now. Cool. I guess.” He shifted his weight, squinting at the empty air where the interface had been. “Hey,” he called out, feeling vaguely ridiculous. “How do I, uh… upgrade this stuff? Do I level up? Find spellbooks? Eat a magic crystal or something?”
The humanoid figure turned slightly, its voice calm and mechanical.
“You can upgrade your level by defeating creatures throughout the multiverse, or by successfully crafting items appropriate to your current level. Experience is also gained by completing quests, exploring dungeons, or through other system-recognized accomplishments achieved on your path to power.”
It paused, then continued smoothly.
“New items may be purchased from the Tutorial Store—once unlocked—using either Credits or Genesis Crystals. Items and Gear may also be acquired through the System Shop at any authorized merchant hub.”
“The Tutorial Store will only display items appropriate to your level and will update as you progress,” the figure added. “Upon completion of the tutorial phase, the store will disappear. After that, all purchases and trades must be conducted through a licensed merchant connected to the system.”
Max stood there for a long moment, blinking as the figure’s words sank in. Levels. Skills. Crafting. Multiverse. Merchant hubs. His head spun like he’d walked into a video game and the tutorial forgot to slow down. Levels mean growth… he thought slowly. And growth means power. Did that mean he could live longer? Stronger stats, better healing, resistance to disease—hell, maybe even immortality? If leveling up was tied to combat and skill, what happened when you hit level 100? Or 1,000? Could someone become a god? Were there gods?
He rubbed his temples. “Okay, slow down, Max,” he muttered. “You're not a god. You just got Fireball and don’t even know how to cast it yet.” The idea of power being something you could buy—literally purchase items and gear to improve your stats from a menu—was wild. It made him wonder just how far this system stretched. How many spells were out there? What did a high-level spell cost? How did he use them?
With all those questions still spinning through his mind, Max nearly jumped when the humanoid figure spoke again.
“If you would, please collect your belongings from the table in front of you.”
Max looked down, suddenly aware of the items laid neatly before him. A plain, tattered robe and a staff that looked like it had survived a few too many storms. Hardly impressive gear for someone supposedly stepping into a world of magic and monsters. Still, not wanting to seem ungrateful, Max reached for the robe.
The moment his fingers brushed the fabric, a translucent window appeared in the air beside him:
[Worn Initiate’s Robe] (Common)
Basic cloth robes issued to new Mages. Offers minimal protection but is light and flexible.
+2 Wisdom
“It’s not much, but it beats being naked.”
He gave a faint snort at the last line and shrugged the robe over his shoulders, fastening the rusted clasps across his collarbone. It was scratchy and thin, but at least it fit.
Next, he picked up the staff. It felt lighter than it looked, the worn wood warm to the touch. As he turned it in his hands, a system window appeared again:
[Cracked Apprentice’s Staff] (Common)
A simple wooden staff embedded with faint arcane channels.
+1 Intelligence +1 wisdom | Slightly amplifies low-tier spells.
“Held together by hope, and maybe a bit of duct tape.”
Looking closer, Max could see faint, glowing veins running beneath the surface—thin pulses of energy, like tiny bolts of lightning frozen in place. Despite its appearance, the staff hummed softly in his hands, as if it recognized him.
As Max turned the staff over in his hands again, still absorbing the strange sense of energy it carried, the humanoid figure spoke once more—this time with a hint of finality.
“I apologize, but our time together is coming to an end.”
Max’s head snapped up. “Wait—what do you mean? What happens now?” His voice rose slightly, the earlier calm slipping away. “You can’t just drop all this on me and disappear! There are still a ton of questions I haven’t even—”
Before he could finish, a crisp ding echoed in the air, and a glowing blue window appeared directly in front of him.
[Quest Notification]
Tutorial Initiated: Step One
Advance to Level 5 to complete the first phase of the Tutorial Island.
- Gain experience through combat, crafting, or exploration.
- Access to new features and locations will unlock as you progress.
Good luck, Initiate.
As the words faded in, the humanoid figure began to shimmer, its body dissolving into soft light. “Trust in the system,” it said, voice already growing faint. “Survive, learn, and grow stronger. You are not alone… unless you choose to be.”
Max stood quickly, eyes darting around the dim chamber. “Wait! Survive what exactly?!”
But there was no answer—only silence… and the faint hum of the staff still in his grip.