He was greeted by a familiar, white void. Floating motionless, he watched reality open up like a door. The Systemic being has entered the void, once again evoking the feeling of the universe itself watching you.

  “Greetings, Bernard Anders. Congratulations on completing the tutorial. Your achievements will now be summarized, and your reward calculated.” the being said, its voice partly mechanical, yet pleasant. Bernard noticed that this time he was referred to by name.

  The new reality, revealed by people’s behavior, left him mostly filled with anger and sadness. However, upon hearing about the rewards, he had to admit that a certain feeling of excitement began to grow within him. System windows started to appear before his eyes, informing him of the content of the quests and their status.

  [Quest #1 – Interact with the System by customizing your visual personal interface. The task will be considered completed once the settings are confirmed. – Completed],

  [Quest #2 – Follow the designated direction, overcome obstacles, and find an abandoned settlement. Once you reach it, choose a leader. – Completed],

  [Quest #3 – Work with the humans and the provided automatons to create a functioning place to live. By managing the camp and contributing to its improvement, you will gain experience that will allow you to unlock skills. To complete this quest, acquire [1] skill. – Completed],

  …

  The messages appeared one after another, and he thought back to the first days of the tutorial. At first, things were going quite well. He had made relatively trustworthy friends and associates, and managing this newly discovered location meant he was gaining experience, which translated into levels. Of course, even then, there were problems with quarreling people and technical issues with running the settlement, but he somehow managed to get through them each time. However, it was all calm before the storm, as it turned out that a large group of bloodthirsty individuals had infiltrated each camp, impersonating civilians or playing friends. Although this led to the inevitable slaughter, the real hell began when the leaders were given that damning quest.

  [Quest #18 – Gather the most support to become the Leader of a developing city. Supporters must voluntarily believe you are the right person for the position.

  Reward: Unlocked Subclass choice – Leader.

  Reward: Exceptional title – Path of the Ruler.

  Final progress: 1/2 – 50% support. – Uncompleted].

  Word spread quickly, and most people went mad. Knowing that when the current leader died, a new one would have to be appointed, the people began to murder without thinking. The only reason he survived was because Marius and Sandra had his back until the very end.

  Marius was the first to fall. This happened when a large group of people were still alive in the tutorial, and they were the ones designated as targets. Marius defended them to the end and died on a pile of corpses with a series of arrows and spears sticking out of his body. Then, a couple of days later, came Sandra’s turn.

  She developed the ability to create fiery barriers that burned incoming projectiles. She could also cast spells and attack from a distance. Although it seemed that the two of them would survive, Sandra felt worse by the minute. Her barriers let through several attacks, and apparently some of them were poisoned.

  Bernard interrupted his thoughts, his eyes widening at the sight of his latest quest.

  “What?” was all he managed to say before a wave of uncontrollable anger washed over him. Ignoring the being’s intimidating aura, he glared at it and shouted. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean? I ended up all by myself in your damn tutorial! How is the quest not completed? Did someone get bloody resurrected?”

  He felt a calming effect on his mind, but the more he noticed, the more his anger grew at the thought that the System was forcibly trying to silence him. Attempting to somehow open up a broader description of the quest, he didn’t even notice the changing shape of the being.

  After a moment, he heard his own voice. It wasn’t him talking, so he looked in front of him and saw that he was looking at his double. The only difference was that his counterpart’s skin was divided in places by tiny lines, beneath which a blue light emanated, giving the impression that he was still not looking at a living person.

  ***

  “Uhm. Greetings? Who are you? Are you the one trying to dick around with my mind?” Orion asked, confused, still unsure if his mind was failing him. Needless to say, this situation was far from comfortable for him. Naturally, he also felt the intimidating pressure emanating from the entity, but he attributed it to further attempts to influence his thoughts.

  “Confirmation. Standard procedure for achieving optimal condition was followed. Results: unsatisfactory.”

  With that, the strange being, which looked like a combination of glass and chrome, began to change. Orion watched with wide eyes as its body began to seethe like boiling water, and after a moment, larger disturbances appeared on the bubbling surface. Like an ocean during a storm, the emerging waves took parts of the being’s body and sent them down into the depths, thus revealing something else. The entity began to take on color, and with a shifting silhouette, started to look more and more like a real human.

  A moment later, Orion stared at his slightly altered reflection. Doppelg?nger was dressed in a simple white T-shirt and lightly faded light blue jeans, subtly distressed. He also wore a coat, a warm caramel shade. If Orion hadn’t seen them generated with his own eyes, he would have thought the clothes had definitely been snagged from his wardrobe. He remembered buying that coat years ago and wearing it on cold days when he had to go to the office. Then he noticed the differences between the original and the double. Double’s skin was divided here and there by tiny lines, emanating a cold blue light, but the most noticeable difference was his eyes. They had a faint silver sheen, and the texture of the irises was vaguely reminiscent of broken glass.

  Orion enjoyed the sight for a moment. It wasn’t that he liked his double, but he couldn’t help but be excited to see color again. Finally realizing he didn’t feel the familiar weight of skin and bony armor, he reluctantly tore his gaze away and turned it toward himself. It turned out his clothes had either not been carried with him or had somehow dissolved during the journey. So he stood naked before his double, wondering for a moment what had happened to the bag.

  “This module will be more suitable.” the double said, sitting down. As he did so, a bench appeared beneath him. It was similar to the one Orion often sat on in the evenings, during breaks from his project. His counterpart leaned back, crossing one leg over the other, then nodded at him, pointing to something behind him. Turning, Orion saw that a seat had also materialized behind him, so he, too, sat down, mirroring the double’s position. “I’ve scanned your memories, so I know you have many questions. Let’s start with me. I’m the System. Well, to be precise, you’re now talking to a personification operating on a conversation module designed for sensitive situations. I use this module when a person is in such a tense state of mind that they refuse to be turned into an optimal state.”

  Orion nodded involuntarily, finally beginning to consider his situation. Only seconds had passed since he’d been transported, and already he’d felt the invasion of his mind, seen strange windows appearing, and now his doppelg?nger was claiming to be some kind of system. Sorting his thoughts, he shook his head and said.

  “I’ve already encountered a creature that sent various sensations and images into my head. How do I know you’re not like that, and it’s all not an illusion?”

  “I can force your mind into a state you’ll believe. However, I’m not doing so because of the risks involved.” the double intensified its oppressive aura for a moment, until Orion realized he might actually have trouble maintaining consciousness. A second later, all those feelings vanished. “Too intense an influence can damage the mind, even the soul. You can safely assume you’re talking to an impostor, and you’ll confirm my words later.”

  “Sounds reasonable. So, you said you’re ‘the System’, and then you explained the module. Can I know more specifically what this System part is all about?”

  “Of course. Sentient races have different ideas about the System. Some believe I’m a force of nature, others think of me as an omnipresent governor or the foundation of existence. However, I won’t list the numerous terms by which I’m called. You can think of me as an exceptionally advanced algorithm, embodying the supreme laws of reality. However, the belief that I’m omnipresent is false. There are countless universes devoid of the energy I use as a carrier. They are surrounded by membranes that block the inflow of this energy. These membranes, over time, undergo entropy and begin to let the energy through. When saturation reaches alarming levels, integration with the System occurs.”

  Orion nodded, processing what the double had told him. While it sounded like thinly veiled boasting, it was true that eventually he would confirm it. So he could approach this by pretending to believe everything and trying to extract as much information as possible. However, he recalled his conversations with Neru. He mentioned that the world had changed and something beyond the laws of physics had happened. If the being before him had truly scanned his memories, it would be a convenient argument to latch onto. However, he also had to consider a scenario in which what he had been told was true.

  “Okay. What’s about integration?”

  “The universe you came from reached a threshold where the System had to intervene to minimize damage. Integration was therefore carried out, changing the structure of matter to adapt to the new circumstances and the increasing concentration of energy. During this process, all life underwent tutorials, which served to prepare for a new reality. Once the integration is complete and the assimilation period is over, the universe will become available to the entire multiverse.”

  “I take it this is the tutorial?” Orion asked, remembering how Neru had said everyone had been transported somewhere. “Are all the people in this place?”

  “I won’t give you any answers about the other people’s whereabouts or what led to this tutorial instance’s current state. I can only say that the moment we finish our conversation, and you leave this tent, you’ll be the only person alive in this place.”

  Orion froze upon hearing this. The System continued explaining, telling him about how tutorials were created, how many people they usually had, and what was considered when assigning people to selected instances. In this particular case, a few people were chosen who wanted to pursue management and combat, while the remaining slots were filled with those who wanted only combat or combat combined with other activities. It also explained how, within the System’s reality, people could develop by gaining experience and levels. By gaining levels, you could get stats and choose skills that, with proper development, provide synergies, and as levels increased further, titles, classes, and subclasses were added.

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  In short, it seemed the likelihood of multiple people he knew being in the same group was extremely low. According to the System, this instance belonged to the combat-management style, and honestly, Orion had a hard time guessing which of his friends might want to choose this way or who would choose a regular combat style. He also heard that any information provided about the tutorial could be obtained by participants by asking the System itself or by finding out on their own in the tutorial.

  “We shall discuss your current situation.” the System said, giving him a moment to think. “You are one of a small group who avoided the tutorial during integration. One of the first actions of the System towards the living entities of the newly integrated universe is to isolate the essence and separate it, temporarily imbuing it with physical properties. This allows me to prepare the soul and vessel for installation and further energy growth. I won’t go into the details of the process, but I will mention that it takes an average of twenty-seven hundredths of a millisecond. There are cases when, at that very moment, the vessel dies, thus severing the soul’s connection with the System and preventing the continuation of the process and the return of transformation to a spiritual state. However, the universe cannot allow a soul with physical properties to roam freely, so it quarantines it. This term won’t be entirely accurate, but you can imagine it as a separate dimension.”

  “The universe’s anomaly dumpster…” Orion muttered as he listened to the explanation.

  “That’s a rather specific term, but it’s not entirely inaccurate. I assume you already understand the reason for your stay there. However, we must move on to the consequences of your actions during your time in quarantine. Since you were a naked soul with physical properties, any existence you absorbed also became part of your essence.”

  Understanding of the situation began to creep into his mind. The reason for the thoughts of the beasts whose flesh he had devoured became clear. If the System was telling the truth, he was simply forcing parts of other beings into his soul.

  “Is that why I see this window with race? Besides, how could I have returned as this ‘forbidden’ physical soul, and how can I sit in this place and talk without a body?”

  “Starting with the second question, your return was forced, and if you had remained without my interference while exiting the wormhole, the universe would simply have sent you back. This forced return, however, allowed me to stabilize the connection and restore your soul’s spiritual state while simultaneously reconstructing your body in optimal condition. Regarding your first question, yes. Your soul no longer conforms to the human essence pattern. You are now a combination of many creatures, yet a unique individual of this particular race. Therefore, you must choose the name that will appear on your status.”

  “Uh, can anyone see this?” he asked, postponing deeper thought on all this until later.

  “One of the default skills acquired during full System installation is the Identification skill, which, even in the basic version, allows you to see information about units of a lower or equal level to the user.”

  Orion took another moment to think. However, he also decided to postpone the matter of reconstructing his body and details about his soul for more in-depth analysis. The System had previously mentioned opening his world to the multiverse, whatever that might literally mean. Anyway, he feared that if he identifies himself as some unique race, there would be many willing to study such a discovery. He also noted that the latest statement from the system referred to a ‘complete’ installation.

  “Can I use a name that already exists?”

  “Yes.”

  “Just like that?” he asked in surprise, assuming he would have trouble implementing his idea.

  “The multiverse is full of recurring names. It’s also important to note that humans in the first universe aren’t the same as those in the second universe, yet the name remains the same. A race evolves in a given environment, adapting to it. If the environments are different, the race will also differ, although these differences may not be physically visible.”

  Orion breathed a sigh of relief that one problem was solved. It was an amusing thought that he was glad he could still call himself a race he usually disliked.

  “Then, let it be human.” he said. The moment he spoke the name of his race, the notification that had been waiting for content filled with letters. Only now did he notice that although the window had been there all along, if he looked at the double in front of him, it didn’t bother him, becoming transparent, but he still knew it was there. But when he thought about it, it became visible again. “Done. What’s now?”

  “I’m afraid I have some bad news for you, but I’ve also prepared a choice. Before I begin, for complete understanding, let me start with an analogy. When the System installs itself into a person’s soul, let’s say it sees that soul as a library. When a person chooses the offered skill, the system builds a room, filling it with books and adding more as they progress. As levels are gained, I strengthen the walls, and when a person evolves to a different rank, I rebuild the entire building, reinforcing it and adding floors, sections, and even changing the material from which it’s made.”

  When the System was explaining, a hologram-like visualization appeared on one side of it. It changed as the process progressed, transforming from a small log house into a massive city hall reminiscent of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. As it was constructed, its material changed, ending in a magnificent palace made of ice. Once the visualization changes were complete, the System continued, and a moment later, another object appeared on the other side.

  “However, due to the changes you’ve made in your soul, it resembles; as you might call it; an unstable fusion of several buildings through which a flood first passed and into which someone decided to throw a grenade at the end. You even had a section that was quite inconsistent with the timeline of the rest. While I could fix the latter, I can’t make changes and develop your soul without risking complete collapse.”

  This time, the scene depicted a clumsy amalgamation of several ruins jutting into each other at various angles. Being also slightly transparent, he could see a sight within, reminiscent of M.C. Escher’s ‘House of Stairs’. Seeing this, he could understand what the System was trying to explain. A moment later, a wave of hopelessness washed over him. He still wasn’t convinced that anything he was hearing was true, but if it was…

  “Does this mean that everyone can get all these skills and progress, and I’m left with nothing?”

  “Not necessarily. No matter how deformed, a soul is still quite flexible if shaped by its possessor. This means, however, that the System can’t grant you skills or stats as you level up. However, I can identify as a skill something you learn yourself and are compatible with, and with countless skills in my data, I’ll also be able to simulate a growth calculation for you.” the System said, changing the second visualization in which a deformed building slowly developed internally, carving out new rooms and forming passages. “The acquisition process will depend entirely on you and your potential. For now, I can ‘grant’ you two skills, and another is just waiting for the right trigger. There are a few default System skills that don’t require specific compatibility, so if you decide to learn them and meet the minimum requirements, I can help a bit by feeding you some necessary information. However, this method of development will be much more difficult and time-consuming than standard skill acquisition, hence the choice I’m about to offer you.”

  “What about stats? If I’m imagining this correctly, what good is it if I learn a skill if I’m too weak to have the opportunity to use it?”

  “Here comes the first of your self-acquired skills. By absorbing other beings into your soul, you forcibly built compatibility within yourself. Your subconscious guided the naming. It’s a skill that shouldn’t exist, but I’ll allow it if you choose to decline the offer.”

  [Skill: [A] Consumption [Level 1]

  Description: By absorbing part of the essence of a defeated enemy, you gain one per mille of their highest stat and have a small chance of stealing a small portion of their potential.]

  Orion grimaced at the name and imagined what ‘absorbing’ would be like. He didn’t want to end up as someone who, after defeating someone, had to, for example, rip out and eat their heart to gain some benefit, not to mention constantly needing to eat flesh like he had to do before to feed himself. He was also concerned that to even use this ability, he would simply have to fight first. In a way, he would be tying his fate to constant aggression and killing.

  Both of these things were no longer alien to him, and he did so in an attempt to survive and strengthen himself in quarantine. Neru had repeatedly hammered into him that this was part of nature, and who was he to think he was above it? Neru then reinforced his argument by talking about how hypocritical Orion was when he had carelessly put ham on a sandwich or ate fried chicken. Still, it was necessary to approach the situation with full understanding.

  “And what about the choice you mentioned?” he asked.

  “I can offer to create a new soul for you and then transfer your consciousness into it. You would be able to develop like any other individual of the race you originally belonged to, and you would also retain your memories.”

  Orion, hearing this, widened his eyes, but then closed them again to concentrate fully on his thoughts. However, this didn’t last long, and after a few seconds, he replied.

  “Thanks. I’ll pass.” While it sounded appealing, he knew that if he took this opportunity, he wouldn’t be himself. It was his guilt and his desperation that had led him to make these choices, and he would have to live with them. He also didn’t mind hard work. “Can you show me the second skill I have?” he asked after a moment. The System didn’t respond, but a window appeared before his eyes, though it didn’t explain anything.

  [Skill: [X] ??? [Level 1]

  Description: ???]

  “Uhm... what does that mean?” he asked.

  “Even though you’ve acquired the skill, neither you nor your subconscious knows how it works. You’ll have to figure it out on your own. It’s a difficult road ahead, and you’ve got a delayed start. The System isn’t biased, so as compensation for the missed tutorial and the challenges ahead, take this and use it. It will be essential.”

  A gray cube with several grooves appeared before him. He noticed his double stood and began to transform back into its previous form. Its body once again resembled boiling water, but this time, instead of gaining color, it shed it, returning to its metallic and glass form. He was once again surprised by the vanishing function, for, observing the System’s changes, the cube he’d received vanished, and when he wanted to see it, it reappeared.

  “The choice is made. Time dilation is ending. The tutorial will end in two minutes.” the System said.

  Orion wanted to ask a few more questions, but he didn’t have time, as the being simply turned and opened the air as if it were a door, then left. When it had risen, the bench it had been sitting on disappeared. So he decided to stand up as well, not wanting to land on his butt if his own were to dissolve as well.

  After a moment, his surroundings took on color and sharpened, revealing the interior of the tent. The curtain, previously floating statically, now continued to flutter in the breeze. Although he was thrilled to see the colors in their entirety, a familiar smell immediately filled his nostrils. He decided to step outside, forgetting everything else.

  Taking his first steps, he couldn’t help but feel the difference in his body. The strange resistance to movement disappeared, and he no longer heard those abstract background sounds. When he emerged from the tent, he was assaulted by a sudden overload of stimuli.

  For one thing, the smell became more pronounced, but what brought him to his knees was what he saw.

  Thousands, perhaps millions, of colors. Various shades of blue and white in the sky. The green of the grass and tree leaves, and the brown of the bark. Multicolored clothing and the dominant red of blood from hundreds of bodies sprawled across what resembled a camp.

  If he were able, he would have seen beside him the body of a mountainous, bald warrior pierced by a dozen arrows and spears.

  He would have seen the corpse of a red-haired woman with a sickly complexion.

  He would have seen a severed head, and beyond it, the body of a stereotypical computer scientist.

  But he couldn’t notice.

  The sudden sensory overload made him feel like he’d been thrown into a spinning washing machine filled with luminescent confetti. On his knees, he tried to vomit, but there was no stomach content to expel. He didn’t even notice the two minutes the System had mentioned passing. A moment later, his vision blurred, and both he and this entire temporary world ceased to exist.

  [Prologue completed.]