Sid’s thoughts raced, colliding with one another in the dark void. Is this real? Or is my brain just misfiring as it shuts down?
The questions tumbled out, unanswered. Selected? By whom? For what? The screen hovered there, indifferent to his panic. Five months? They expect me to just hang out in a coma for five months? What guarantee is there that I’ll even wake up? What about school? Mom? Dad? The guys?
The blue light pulsed, impatient. A second window popped up, overlaying his spiraling thoughts.
[DO YOU ACCEPT THE INVITATION?] [YES] / [NO]
Sid felt a wave of bitter laughter bubble up, though he couldn't physically express it. What choice do I actually have? My body is a brick. I’m trapped in a coffin of my own flesh.
Screw it.
With a mental shove, he focused his intent on the button. [YES].
ZAP.
The crushing darkness shattered instantly.
Sid gasped, his lungs suddenly filling with air—or at least, the sensation of air. The void was replaced by a dimly lit room, resembling a sterile, gray waiting area. He looked down. He saw hands. His hands. He clenched them into fists, then released. He wiggled his toes. He rolled his neck.
"I can move," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I can actually move."
Before he could celebrate his return to mobility, a golden window materialized in front of him, accompanied by a festive chime.
[CONGRATULATIONS!] You have been selected among the first 100 Players of the Tower.
[PLAYER 1913] No Name Found. Please enter your designation below: [____________________]
"A name, huh?" Sid rubbed his chin, the movement feeling incredibly satisfying. "Siddharth is too boring for this. If this is a game, I need a handle."
He thought about his old gaming accounts. ShadowSlayer69? No, too cringe. The guys would roast me.
"Something cool. Something wandering." He typed into the air.
[RONIN]
[CONFIRMED. Welcome, Player Ronin.] [Please choose your Class to proceed.]
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Five tarot-card-like images appeared, floating in a semi-circle around him.
- Swordsman: Excels in close-range combat. Balanced offense and defense.
- Martial Artist: Melee fighter. High agility and physical prowess.
- Mage: Excels in magic. High damage, low defense.
- Supporter: Magician with White Attribute magic. Healing and buffs.
- Assassin: Silent killer. High burst damage and stealth.
"Wow, it really is like an MMORPG," Sid muttered, walking around the holograms. "Okay, logic time. Swordsman is the classic protagonist route, safe but basic. Martial Artist? Boring, I don't want to punch things. Assassin sounds cool, very edgy... but if I'm solo, I might get squashed."
He stopped in front of the Mage card. It depicted a figure wreathed in fire and lightning.
"Mage sounds fun. Who even chooses Supporter in a solo game? I want to blow stuff up."
He reached out and tapped the Mage card. "I choose Mage."
[PROCESSING...]
The card glowed blue, then violently shifted to a harsh crimson.
[ERROR] [This Class cannot be selected.]
"Huh?" Sid blinked. He tapped it again.
[ERROR]
"Okay... maybe the system is bugged?" He reached for Swordsman.
[ERROR] [This Class cannot be selected.]
He tried Assassin. [ERROR]. He tried Martial Artist. [ERROR]. He even desperately tapped Supporter. [ERROR].
"Are you kidding me?!" Sid yelled at the empty room. "You invite me here and then lock all the doors?"
The red windows vanished, replaced by a standard blue notification.
[DEFAULT SETTINGS APPLIED] [The Player can view their statistics by saying "Status Open".]
"Wait, wait, wait! What do you mean by default settings? What about my fireballs?" Sid groaned, throwing his hands up. "Whatever. Not like I'm getting customer support here."
He sighed, resigning himself to the glitch. "Status Open."
A sleek, translucent sheet appeared.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Ronin Level: 1 Class: NO CLASS Title: None
HP (Health Points): 100 STR (Strength): 5 INT (Intelligence): 5 DEX (Dexterity): 8 SPD (Speed): 8
Hidden Stats: [???]: ??? [???]: ???
Skills: None Talent: [Jack of All Trades]
Sid stared at the floating text, his left eye twitching.
"The hell is all this?" He pointed accusingly at the Class: NO CLASS line. "And what kind of stats are these? 5 Strength? I'm basically a goblin! And 'Jack of All Trades'? That usually means master of none!"
He kicked the ground, frustration boiling over. "Great. Just great. I'm stuck in a coma, inside a broken game, with no class and beginner stats. Even my fantasy dream is ruined."