A translucent blue interface unfolded across Soma's vision.
He instinctively jerked backward.
A rectangular display hovered before him, its borders outlined in soft light. Rows of neatly arranged icons occupied its center, while smaller information panels appeared along its edges.
Soma reached toward it.
His hand passed straight through the display.
Whoa.
[The interface is being projected directly into your field of perception. It does not occupy physical space and is invisible to anyone else unless you deliberately share permitted information.]
Soma moved his head.
The interface followed naturally, remaining perfectly positioned without obstructing his surroundings.
It's like having a computer monitor built into my eyes.
[A reasonably accurate comparison.]
This is incredible.
The layout reminded him of the smartphones and computers he'd seen in the scattered memories of his previous life.
He couldn't remember much about them.
Not yet.
But the shapes and functions felt strangely familiar.
Dax really went all out.
[Lord Dax is particularly proud of his work.]
Yeah, I got that impression.
[Your Divine System operates independently of Nexora's infrastructure while maintaining controlled compatibility with the Nexus Network. As a result, you may access ordinary Nexus services without exposing your divine enhancements.]
Soma's expression grew serious.
Meaning Nexora can't see everything?
[Correct. Your protected System information is not accessible through ordinary Nexus monitoring. Your public Profile will display only information permitted by your System's security controls.]
That's useful.
[Very.]
He considered how many people had just watched his Awakening.
Although I think we might be a little late on the whole keeping things secret idea.
[Your publicly announced Awakening results cannot be retracted. However, the full nature of your abilities remains concealed.]
Fair enough.
[Now, allow me to demonstrate your interface.]
The screen rearranged itself.
A narrow strip appeared in the upper-right corner of his vision.
[HP: 100%]
[MP: 100%]
Another small display appeared at the upper-left.
[Location: Grand Awakening Temple — Highmere]
Beneath it, a set of coordinates flickered into view.
At the lower-left corner, a compact shortcut bar appeared. In the opposite corner, three horizontal lines formed a familiar menu symbol.
Soma grinned.
No way. A hamburger menu?
[Correct.]
Dax really did make me a fantasy smartphone.
[Would you prefer a less efficient interface?]
Absolutely not.
[You may say "Close" to minimize the main Panel while retaining essential information. The shortcut bar and menu will remain available, and individual elements can be rearranged through your settings.]
"Close."
The large blue screen dissolved.
Only the four compact displays remained.
Soma looked around.
The waiting chamber was clearly visible again, with the subtle interface elements resting at the edges of his vision.
He could see his HP and MP without losing sight of the people around him.
That's going to be useful during a fight.
[That is one of its intended purposes.]
"Panel."
The main screen returned.
Eight icons occupied the upper portion.
Below them, separated by a fine line of shifting violet light, rested four unfamiliar symbols.
[Your Panel contains eight standard Nexus applications and four Pantheon-exclusive application interfaces.]
All right. Walk me through them.
[We shall begin with the standard Nexus applications.]
The first icon brightened.
[Profile.]
A silhouette appeared, surrounded by small symbols.
[Your Profile contains your identity, level, experience, class, affinities, attributes, skills, and other personal information. Like every Awakened citizen, you also have access to a standard Class Tree through your Profile.]
A branching symbol appeared beside the class information. Soma recognized its shape from the demonstration at the Awakening Ceremony.
Right. The demigod showed us that earlier.
[Correct. Every Awakener begins with one of five foundational classes: Fighter, Caster, Support, Recon, or Tamer. Their Class Tree displays eligible advancement paths, progression requirements, skills, and available Class Advancement Challenges.]
And completing those challenges can unlock advanced classes or new skills.
[Precisely. Nexora provides the interface through which those paths are displayed, but it does not determine the classes or administer the underlying Awakening and advancement system.]
Soma glanced at the unfamiliar designation attached to his own Profile.
Except I didn't awaken as any of those five.
[Boundless is an exception. Its full progression functions cannot be represented by the standard Class Tree. That is why your Divine System contains a separate, enhanced interface.]
So everyone has a tree, but mine gets its own special version.
[A reasonable summary.]
Now I'm curious.
[We shall reach it shortly.]
Soma leaned forward.
Can we look at mine?
[Certainly. However, I recommend reviewing the remaining applications first.]
Of course you do.
The next icon glowed.
[NexSphere.]
A miniature window appeared, showing a stream of posts, messages, and contact profiles.
[NexSphere manages your social communication. Pulse provides a public social feed, Relay handles direct and group messages, Link supports voice and video calls, and Bonds organizes your contacts and personal connections.]
Soma blinked.
Social media. In a fantasy world.
[I am unfamiliar with why you continue to find ordinary technological functions surprising.]
Because the last thing I expected after being reincarnated was discovering that people could post pictures of their lunch.
[Food photography is a popular category.]
Of course it is.
Syscilia moved to the next icon.
[NexPack.]
A small backpack unfolded into a grid of empty spaces.
[Your standard inventory application provides magical storage. Newly Awakened citizens receive a Common-rarity NexPack containing ten storage slots. Identical items may stack according to their classification, while larger objects consume multiple slots.]
Soma studied the grid.
So I can store equipment without physically carrying it?
[Correct. Storage capacity can be expanded through increasingly rare upgrades.]
How big can they get?
[Conventional NexPack upgrades range from Common through the higher item rarities. Capacity increases with rarity, although certain upgrades are exceptionally difficult to obtain.]
And mine?
There was a suspicious pause.
[We shall discuss that shortly.]
Soma narrowed his eyes.
You're enjoying this.
[I am presenting information in a logical sequence.]
Uh-huh.
The fourth icon illuminated.
[NexQuest.]
A list of contracts appeared.
[NexQuest provides access to registered guild contracts, missions, rewards, and assignments. Quest availability depends on guild membership, eligibility, and location.]
That'll save me some trips to the guild.
[It may also allow you to track assignments while traveling.]
The fifth icon brightened, revealing a map.
[Nexcation.]
Soma watched as a miniature representation of Highmere appeared.
The streets surrounding the temple were clearly marked, while portions of the city beyond his explored areas remained obscured.
[Nexcation provides mapping, navigation, location information, and reviews of registered destinations. Unexplored areas remain concealed until sufficient geographical information becomes available to your personal map.]
Soma smiled.
Fog of war.
[If that terminology helps you understand its function.]
Oh, it does.
He leaned closer, examining the map.
For a moment, it almost felt like looking at a game again.
Almost.
Then he remembered the people outside the chamber and the very real trial awaiting him.
The resemblance didn't make any of this less dangerous.
The sixth icon glowed.
[Nexaar.]
A marketplace appeared, filled with listings for weapons, armor, ingredients, enchanted tools, and countless other goods.
[Nexaar connects buyers and sellers throughout the Nexus Network. It provides marketplace listings, auctions, order management, and delivery services.]
So I can buy equipment while sitting in my bedroom?
[Provided you possess sufficient funds and the seller offers delivery to your location.]
That's dangerous.
[Financially?]
Extremely.
[Then I suggest practicing restraint.]
I was hoping you'd be supportive.
[I support responsible spending.]
You really are no fun.
[That assessment is becoming repetitive.]
The seventh icon appeared.
[NexPay.]
A clean financial interface displayed balances, transaction categories, and exchange options.
[NexPay manages digital currency transactions throughout Arcaelis, including payments, transfers, and conversion between recognized denominations.]
Soma nodded.
Copper, silver, gold, platinum, and Mynthril.
[Correct.]
Still can't believe Mynthril is worth that much.
[Its rarity justifies its valuation.]
Remind me never to lose one.
[An excellent financial principle.]
The final standard icon glowed.
[NexCore.]
A series of settings appeared.
[NexCore allows customization of your interface, communication permissions, application preferences, privacy controls, and other System settings.]
Basically the settings menu.
[Correct. Your Divine System also provides additional security and privacy functions through this application.]
Soma folded his arms.
All right. Those are the normal apps.
[Yes.]
Now tell me about the interesting ones.
The violet line separating the applications shimmered.
Four new symbols rose above it.
The first resembled a branching tree, its luminous pathways dividing into countless directions.
[Divine Class Tree.]
[Every Awakener can consult their ordinary Class Tree through Profile. This interface is your exclusive, enhanced version, created to accommodate the Boundless class.]
Soma's attention sharpened.
So what's different about mine?
[An ordinary Awakener may advance along qualifying paths associated with their starting class by meeting requirements and completing Class Advancement Challenges. Your Divine Class Tree can eventually open paths across all five starting-class categories.]
Fighter, Caster, Support, Recon, and Tamer?
[Correct. It also supports the acquisition of additional class paths and, when the appropriate conditions have been met, the merging of compatible classes.]
Soma stared at the branching symbol.
So everyone gets a Class Tree, but I'm not stuck on just one branch?
[You will still need to earn each advancement, Master Soma. Boundless grants potential, not instant mastery. But yes—your possibilities extend far beyond a single class lineage.]
And this is where I choose which of the five I start with?
[Correct. You may choose one foundational class initially. Additional paths must be unlocked through progression.]
Soma grinned.
So everyone else gets a tree, and I get the whole damn forest.
[An unusually accurate analogy.]
Now we're talking.
The second icon depicted several interconnected figures.
[Party Management.]
[Your enhanced Party Management application allows you to organize companions and monitor information shared through the divine party system, including HP, MP, abilities, and combat status.]
That sounds ridiculously useful.
[It will be, particularly when coordinating larger groups or responding to dangerous encounters.]
The third symbol resembled an open book.
Its pages seemed to turn despite there being no visible wind.
[Living Archive.]
Soma tilted his head.
That one's an app?
[Technically, Living Archive is a divine ability. However, I have integrated it into your interface to make its functions more accessible.]
The icon expanded into a collection of empty shelves, neatly arranged categories, and an illuminated search field.
[The Archive can organize knowledge you acquire, preserve relevant information, and assist with research and analysis. Its available functions will develop alongside the underlying ability.]
Soma stared at the display.
You're telling me I get my own personal library?
[Among other things.]
That might actually be my favorite so far.
[An encouraging response.]
The final icon glowed.
A golden wheel appeared, its surface divided into numerous mysterious sections.
[Divine Gacha.]
Soma went completely still.
...Gacha?
[Correct.]
As in randomized rewards?
[Correct.]
With tickets?
[Gacha vouchers, to be precise.]
Soma slowly leaned back against the wall.
A grin began spreading across his face.
Oh, no.
[Is something wrong?]
You have no idea what you've just done.
[Please elaborate.]
You gave a former gamer a magical gacha system.
[I fail to see the problem.]
There isn't one. That's the problem.
[Your reasoning is occasionally difficult to follow.]
Welcome to my life, Syscilia.
He stared at the twelve applications floating before him.
Eight everyday tools.
Four divine enhancements.
And behind them, apparently, an entire collection of extraordinary powers he hadn't even begun to understand.
He rubbed his temples.
Okay. That's a lot.
[You will become familiar with the interface through regular use.]
Easy for you to say. You're literally the interface.
[An astute observation.]
Was that sarcasm?
[I would never.]
Liar.
[I am incapable of deliberately providing false information without sufficient justification.]
That was an extremely specific answer.
[Thank you.]
Soma shook his head, smiling despite himself.
Then his thoughts returned to the crystal.
To the announcement.
To his mother's worried expression.
And to the simple fact that he would soon be entering a trial with a class nobody understood and powers he hadn't chosen.
His smile faded.
Syscilia.
[Yes, Master Soma?]
I need to be ready for that trial.
[Agreed.]
And I need to understand what I'm capable of before I start making decisions.
[Also agreed.]
He took a deep breath.
So no more teasing. No more mysterious pauses. Tell me what the Pantheons actually gave me.
For a moment, Syscilia was silent.
Then the twelve icons faded.
A new window appeared.
Unlike the familiar blue Nexus Panel, this one shimmered with deep violet light. Tiny points of silver and gold drifted beneath its surface like distant stars.
[Pantheon Gifts Detected.]
[Divine Blessings Available.]
[Unclaimed Rewards Awaiting Review.]
Soma's pulse quickened.
Holy shit.
[Master Soma?]
Yeah?
[Before we begin, I would advise you to remain calm.]
Soma stared at the luminous display.
Why does everyone keep telling me that?
[Because we must begin with something that may be difficult.]
His excitement faltered.
Difficult how?
[There is one gift that must be processed before the others.]
Syscilia...
[It will be all right, Soma. Just remember—]
Let me guess. Don't panic.
[Yes. Don't panic.]
Without warning, a searing pain tore through Soma's skull.
It felt as though someone had driven a white-hot iron directly into his brain.
His breath caught.
"ARGHH!"
He clutched his head as his knees struck the cold marble floor.
The waiting chamber disappeared.
Voices, footsteps, the distant announcement system—everything vanished beneath a rushing torrent of memories.
They came without order or mercy.
A little boy laughing as his father lifted him onto his shoulders.
His mother brushing the hair from his forehead before kissing him goodnight.
Family dinners. Birthday celebrations. Arguments over insignificant things. The warmth of their home.
Then fire.
Screaming.
The terrible sound of an explosion.
His parents were gone.
He remembered the funeral. The unbearable silence of returning to an empty house. The inheritance and insurance money that had seemed so meaningless when all he wanted was to hear their voices again.
He remembered sitting alone in his room, staring at a computer screen because the world outside felt too painful to face.
And then—
Laughter.
"TACTICAL KLUTZ! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"
Buck's booming voice filled his headphones.
Someone else was laughing so hard they could barely breathe.
Ella was scolding them both.
Miles was making an inappropriate joke.
Milly was already threatening revenge.
And Raven...
Raven was laughing.
Soma's chest tightened.
He remembered all of them.
The Reclusive Avengers.
His guild.
His family.
The countless nights spent raiding dungeons, making ridiculous plans, arguing over loot, and laughing until the early hours of the morning.
The phone calls.
The video chats.
The little moments that had gradually turned a group of strangers into the people he trusted most.
And Raven.
Gods, how could he have forgotten Raven?
Her face appeared so clearly that he almost reached for her.
The warmth in her eyes when she smiled at him.
The way she tilted her head when she knew he was hiding something.
The sound of her laughter when he made a particularly terrible joke.
The late-night conversations that stretched well beyond the time either of them should have been awake.
Sometimes they talked about games.
Sometimes about their childhoods.
And sometimes about absolutely nothing at all.
Those were the conversations he remembered most.
Because even when neither of them had anything important to say, neither wanted to hang up.
He remembered falling asleep with his phone beside him, her voice still drifting softly through the speaker.
He remembered waking to messages from her.
And he remembered the quiet happiness of knowing that somewhere, someone was thinking about him.
Then came the convention.
The first time they were all together.
Buck's crushing embrace. Ella's happy tears. Miles being every bit as obnoxious in person as he was online. Milly laughing at the expression on Soma's face.
And Raven standing a few steps away.
For all the hours they'd spent talking, Soma had suddenly found himself unable to string together a single intelligent sentence.
She had smiled.
"Well? Are you just going to stand there?"
He remembered laughing nervously.
"Honestly? I had a whole speech prepared."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. It was brilliant, too. Very moving."
"And?"
"Forgot every word."
She had laughed, stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around him.
He remembered how tightly he'd held her.
For the first time in years, the loneliness he'd carried around like an old injury had seemed to disappear.
The memories shifted again.
A quieter moment away from the others.
Raven standing close enough that he could see the uncertainty behind her smile.
Neither of them was particularly good at saying what they felt.
They could argue strategy for hours. They could tease each other without hesitation. They could talk about nearly anything.
But when it came to the feelings growing between them, they always seemed to lose their courage.
Until that moment.
She had looked up at him.
"So, Tactical Klutz," she'd whispered, "are you ever going to make a move, or am I going to have to do everything myself?"
He remembered the way his heart had hammered.
"Depends. Is this another one of your traps?"
"Maybe."
"Then I'm probably walking straight into it."
"Good."
She kissed him.
And for one beautiful moment, the rest of the world ceased to matter.
Soma remembered the warmth of her lips, the way her fingers tightened around his shirt, and how they'd both laughed afterward, embarrassed by something they'd wanted for so long.
He had rested his forehead against hers.
There had been so much he wanted to say.
I love you.
Three simple words.
Words he'd felt for longer than he cared to admit.
But he'd convinced himself there would be time.
Time to say them properly.
Time to take her somewhere special.
Time to build something real beyond the screens and headsets that had brought them together.
He'd finally found someone he wanted to share his life with.
Then the memory changed.
A sharp metallic groan.
A scream.
The enormous statue above them began to fall.
He remembered looking up.
Remembered seeing its shadow stretch across the ground.
Remembered Raven standing directly beneath it.
There wasn't time to think.
There wasn't time to calculate the odds or search for another solution.
For perhaps the first time in his life, the strategist abandoned every plan.
"RAVEN!"
He threw himself forward.
His hands struck her shoulders, shoving her with everything he had.
She stumbled backward.
Safe.
For a fraction of a second, their eyes met.
He saw the confusion on her face turn into horror.
And he remembered the terrible realization that came over her.
She knew.
She knew what he'd done.
"SOMA!"
Her scream tore through the air.
He wanted to tell her it was going to be all right.
He wanted to smile and make some stupid joke, something that would stop her from looking so frightened.
He wanted to tell her he loved her.
Instead, the shadow swallowed him.
Then came the impact.
And darkness.
But the memory did not stop there.
It lingered on the last thing he had seen.
Raven reaching for him.
Her hand outstretched.
Her mouth forming his name.
He couldn't remember whether he'd managed to smile.
He couldn't remember whether she'd heard his final breath.
He only remembered that he'd wanted one more second.
One more second to touch her hand.
One more second to tell her what she meant to him.
One more second to say goodbye.
And then—
Nothing.
The memories ended.
Soma was back in the waiting chamber, kneeling on the cold marble floor.
The pain in his head was gone.
But something far worse had taken its place.
His hands trembled against the stone.
He stared at them without seeing them.
Fifteen years.
He had lived fifteen years in Hallowcrown without remembering the faces of the people he'd left behind.
His parents.
Buck and Ella.
Miles and Milly.
His entire guild.
Raven.
Raven...
Her name echoed through his thoughts.
He could still see her reaching for him.
Still hear her screaming.
He had saved her.
That knowledge should have comforted him.
And part of him was grateful beyond words that he'd been able to push her out of danger.
But another thought slipped through the fragile relief.
Did she think I abandoned her?
He squeezed his eyes shut.
No. She saw what happened.
But she'd also watched him die.
He remembered how badly losing his parents had hurt. How long it had taken before he could get through a day without feeling their absence.
And now he had left that same kind of pain with someone he loved.
Had Raven blamed herself?
Had Buck and Ella tried to comfort her?
Had the Reclusive Avengers stayed together?
Or had his death shattered the family that had given him a reason to live again?
He didn't know.
And that uncertainty hurt almost as much as remembering.
A tear struck the back of his hand.
Then another.
Soma lowered his head.
For fifteen years, he'd known he was reincarnated.
He'd understood, in some distant way, that another life had come before this one.
But those memories had been little more than fragments. Shadows that disappeared whenever he tried to grasp them.
Now he remembered everything.
The love.
The laughter.
The grief.
The people he'd lost.
And the woman he'd left behind.
I'm sorry, Raven.
His throat tightened.
I wanted more time.
He had no idea whether she could ever hear those words.
Probably not.
She was in another world.
Perhaps another lifetime away.
But he said them anyway.
"I'm sorry."
The words came out barely louder than a whisper.
He remained there for several moments, struggling to steady his breathing.
Then a gentle voice broke through his thoughts.
[Soma?]
Syscilia's usual teasing tone was absent.
[Are you all right?]
"No," Soma whispered. "Not really."
[I am sorry. Arthur believed restoring your memories would help you understand yourself and prepare for what lies ahead.]
"He was right."
Soma wiped his face with the back of his sleeve.
"I spent fifteen years not knowing what I'd lost. Now I remember every single one of them."
[Would you have preferred that the memories remained sealed?]
"No. Never."
He swallowed.
"There was a lot of pain in that life, Syscilia. But there was a lot of happiness, too. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything."
[Lord Arthur also believed your experience with strategy and game development would help you in this world.]
Soma nodded faintly.
"I can see that. But it's more than knowledge. I remember being an adult now. Working. Making decisions. Losing people."
He looked down at his hands.
"I feel older."
[You are still fifteen years old.]
A weak laugh escaped him.
"Thanks. Very helpful."
[I strive to be accurate.]
Soma leaned back against the wall and looked toward the waiting chamber, where children his own age were laughing and discovering their new powers.
He thought of his new family. His parents, brothers, sisters, and the people who had become precious to him during his second life.
He loved them.
That hadn't changed.
But now he carried the memories of everyone he'd loved before them, too.
"I just wish I'd gotten to tell her," he whispered.
[Tell whom?]
His expression softened.
"Raven."
He took a shaky breath.
"That I loved her."