John didn't even flinch when he saw the list of risks. After being baptized by life's cruelty, he had already realized one universal truth — everything comes with a price. Instead of worrying about death or destruction, he focused on the rewards.
The system looked eerily similar to a video game — only this time, failure didn't mean restarting from the last checkpoint; it meant his brain exploding.
John asked curiously, "Eva, what is the Realm Gate? And what's the Devata Realm?"
[Dear user, your level is too low. You need to level up to access the knowledge you seek.]
John didn't mind. He had learned patience from suffering. He knew everything was just a matter of time.
"Eva, what should I do now?"
[Dear user, the first step is selecting three Values from the system. The available Values are: TRUTH, RESPECT, COURAGE, SYMPATHY, HONESTY, INTEGRITY, LOVE, and PROACTIVITY.]
John thought for a while, reflecting on everything that had gone wrong in his life. Then he said resolutely, "I will choose TRUTH, HONESTY, and COURAGE."
He had learned from experience that without those three, life could collapse in an instant.
[User's choice accepted. Displaying user panel]
Name: John (Level-0)
Values:Truth – Experience (000/100);
Honesty – Experience (000/100);
Courage – Experience (000/100)
Note: If user's experience goes negative, Eva will self-destruct.
John frowned. "Eva, what are these experience points?"
[Dear user, they indicate your progress. If you consistently follow your chosen Values, your experience bar will rise.]
He nodded in understanding. "Eva… is there any secret way to communicate with you? People might think I'm crazy if I start talking to myself."
[Dear user, you can simply think your message. I can read your thoughts since I'm part of your brain.]
John let out a relieved sigh. "Good. At least I won't look like a lunatic."
He then asked eagerly, "Do I get any beginner rewards?"
In his mind, he imagined wings sprouting from his back, or maybe superhuman strength, or at least some x-ray vision. But Eva's calm voice shattered his excitement.
[Reward panel is currently locked. It will open only when the user upgrades the system to Level-1.]
John's shoulders slumped. "Figures," he muttered. Then, still curious, he asked, "How do I upgrade the system?"
[Currently, the user has only three Values. You need to unlock the remaining Values through your own actions. When the experience bars of all Values are full, the system will automatically upgrade.]
[Eva recommends user to check the Suggestion Panel from time to time. I am programmed to analyze your memories and provide suitable guidance based on my Creator's Extensive life experiences.]
John was pleasantly surprised. It was as if he had gained a virtual master — someone who would guide him through life, not just give him shortcuts. For the first time in years, he felt excitement rather than despair.
He called out mentally, "Open Suggestion Panel."
Instantly, glowing words formed in his mind like a living manuscript.
[Suggestion Panel]
We are like beautiful uncut stones when we are born. As we grow, the world chisels us — parents, teachers, and society — shaping us into average sculptures. But a few dare to carve their own destiny, turning into masterpieces.
Those masterpieces are enshrined inside temples, admired for eternity. The rest are discarded outside, used as mere decorations to enhance the temple's beauty.
A sculpture's worth depends on the hardness of its stone. A weak, shaky foundation cracks easily, no matter how skilful the sculptor. Such stones are deemed defective — abandoned, forgotten, or used as stepping stones for others.
Values are that foundation. Without them, no tower of success can stand. A shaky foundation of principles can't create an inspiring life.
Before one learns history, science, or mathematics, one must learn Values. Otherwise, knowledge becomes a weapon — harming others and oneself. Most people chase money, fame, and pleasure, forgetting to build their foundation. They live without a bottom line, drifting like leaves in a storm.
Only a few have the courage to hold onto their principles — and they become the light that guides others.
Truth:One of life's greatest lessons is that truth always wins. You can hide it beneath layers of lies, but one day it will burn through everything and shine like a star. Lies delay the consequence, but never deny it.
Honesty:Scheming, deceiving, and manipulating may bring temporary gains, but they poison the soul. Honesty attracts trust, loyalty, and love — the very things people crave but can't buy.
Courage:Life isn't a peaceful walk in the park. Courage is needed to face failure, to admit mistakes, to choose the hard path, to ask for forgiveness, to demand justice, and above all — to live truthfully.
John stood motionless as the words echoed in his mind. He read the lines again and again, each one cutting deep like a chisel shaping his inner stone.
He realized, perhaps for the first time in his life, he realized many things .He finally accepted that he was a coward. He had run away from college the moment things went wrong. He had abandoned his friends, lied to his well-wishers like Uncle Peter, and disappointed his mother.He lost his job because of dishonesty, and he had almost lost his life because of fear.
No one had ever told him that Values were the foundation of life. Not his teachers, not even his parents. He was raised in a world of punishments — told what not to do — but never taught what to do.
He was clueless about relationships, clueless about facing problems, and clueless about himself. Schools taught him integration and differentiation, but never how to integrate emotions or differentiate right from wrong.
His parents cared only about marks — never about meaning. So marks became his purpose. He chased better grades, better colleges, better jobs… until the chase led him straight to despair.
John clenched his fists as realization washed over him like the tide. Life could turn into a nightmare within hours if one's foundation was weak. And his foundation had been hollow.
He looked up. The sky had cleared — the black clouds had drifted away, replaced by streaks of soft gold as the evening sun broke through. A faint rainbow arched over the horizon.
For the first time in years, his tears weren't born of pain but of gratitude. A small smile crept across his lips. He tilted his head back and screamed — not to curse the heavens this time, but to thank them.
People nearby, who had returned to the beach after the storm, stopped and stared. Whispers floated through the air.
"Is that guy mad?" someone muttered.
But John didn't care anymore.
The boy who once hid from everyone's gaze now stood fearlessly under the open sky, arms spread wide, saltwater clinging to his skin, laughter echoing between the waves.
If I want to become that beautiful sculpture mentioned in the panel, he thought, then I must carve my own destiny — free from fear, lies, and other people's expectations.
The wind howled around him, but it felt different now — less like a storm, more like applause.
Somewhere deep inside his mind, Eva's calm voice resonated again:
[Dear user, initial synchronization complete. Congratulations on your rebirth.]
John chuckled softly. "Rebirth, huh? Yeah… maybe this time I'll live it right."
He turned to face the sea — the same sea he had once chosen to die in. Now, it looked vast and full of promise.
For the first time in his life, John felt something he had long forgotten.
Hope!