The lights were on, but nobody was home. That's how it was before my eighteenth birthday. Then everything changed in an instant.
[Welcome to the Game]
[Previous Save Data Corrupted, Starting a New Game]
[Welcome to the Game]
[Please select your class from the suitable options]
Memories flew by my mind in a way I could barely understand. The life I'd lived up to this point had been a mere shell following commands in order to survive.
I'd been an orphan, a ward of the state. My parents had died in a villian attack because apparently superpowers were a real thing. My mind swims as the pieces try to pull themselves together.
I'd lived. I'd died, and then I'd come to this world. But something went wrong, my reincarnation was botched, or it wasn't supposed to happen in the first place. I'd become a near mindless shell while a loading bar finished its processing.
Then when it finally finished its loading it recognized something had gone wrong, and overwrote nearly all those dull memories of the shell. It overwrote them with my previous life, it was like I had gone straight from death to this moment but I knew that wasn't true.
A previous version of my 'soul' had been ripped apart and replaced with me.
Does that make a clone? . . . Weirdly I don't care that much. I'd always had a very relaxed attitude about life, it's why I wasn't mad about my death. I'd long since accepted that my time was temporary. A mere blip on the cosmic scale, and I'd found my peace.
But I'm not allowed to rest anymore am I?
[Welcome to the Game]
[Please select your class from the suitable options]
[Fighter]
[Rogue]
[Ranger]
[Wizard]
[Bard]
Magic was a mental pulse away. Something that I'd found so amazing in my youth, only to let out tears after finding out it wasn't real. In this world of superpowers perhaps there is a natural way to learn magic, but I'd be a fool to refuse Wizardry in an instant.
[Class Selected. Initialization Complete. Good Luck.]
[Status]
Name: Emile Shemmer
Class: Wizard 1
STR: 9
DEX: 10
CON: 9
INT: 14
WIS: 12
CHR: 16
Skills:
Mana Flux I
Planetary Heartbeat I
The name Shemmer was the name of the orphanage I'd recently been booted from in exchange for my own apartment. The name coming from the individual who'd founded the thing. Despite no longer being there I was still in my last year of highschool so I'd need to go to school in two days. How annoying. School always felt like a waste of time in the broader scale of my life.
Staring around my dark apartment absent of anything that alludes to my uniqueness of an individual I stepped outside and into the light. The star shining down towards my face caused me to let out a small sigh.
It was warm, and it felt odd upon my pale skin. The feeling still brought me a moment of peace as I started down at the parking lot. I could go for a drive, but I think I'd rather go for a walk.
From the light, and the entire world around me I felt a different sort of sensation, a Heartbeat of sorts. As though I could feel the world's living spirit and absorb its flow.
I'd prefer not to test these new skills I've acquired out here. Stuffing my hands in my pocket I start slowly making my way down the street. A small puddle near the road allowed me to see my appearance. Rain had fallen the day previous, and the last thing the shell had seen before it disappeared was a rainbow.
Letting out a soft sigh I turn away from the puddle and a faint wetness gathers in my eyes. I didn't even know the poor soul, but they were still a person. A person who was lobotomized and deleted so I could enjoy this life.
Thank you, my previous self. I won't be weighed down by you, instead . . . let's fly together. Holding an arm over my head I smile gently as I look over the horizon.
Chicago is a beautiful city. Walking down the street there's a peaceful smile on my face. Then I begin to hum a tune that comes to mind.
Going to the local park I sat against a bench and let out a peaceful sigh, choosing to ignore the glowing green portal next to me.
I can tackle that later. For now, I just want to enjoy the moment.
Staring over an old man playing with a dog, a woman with a baby in a stroller, and a few middle schoolers I feel this little 'world' thrumming around me.
Out of instinct I sense outwards with Planetary Heartbeat A faint power flows all around the world. I see the natural environment, and how it carries countless natural elements such as air and earth. I see the structures born from humanity, and the lack of natural power flowing through them from the damage we've reaped upon this world.
The oceans are full of strength, yet deeply sick. The sky is in pain and they desperately beg for me to help them.
Looking down at my two hands I clench them into fists. I feel the world, and in that moment I get my first goal since arriving in this new world.
I want to protect it, and I want to remove the pain it's in. I want to help not only people, but the world itself. Then the world responds to my will. Powerful energy surging into my body from the pact we'd struck. Mana, something I now realize I'd already possessed, but nowhere near this quantity. My internal 'container' being instantly filled to the maximum, far beyond where I could get it on my own.
"Thank you Gaia." The name flows from my mouth as though the world could hear me. A soft breeze of wind is my only response, the feeling a gentle caress. Well then. It's time to get to work.
Staring over at the portal next to me a menu pops up.
[Rainfall Park]
[The element of water here is dense and is accompanied by a permanent rainfall. However something sinister now lurks in the water. Help cleanse this once beautiful park of the trespassers.]
[Stage One Unlocked]
[Lead Elementals]
I didn't exactly have a green thumb in my previous life, but feeling the entire world speak to you and beg you for help changes that very quickly. If this park is corrupted by Lead Elementals I feel like it's my responsibility to deal with it.
I don't even know if anyone can interact with these portals after all.
After that I step through the green portal and something appears in my vision one again.
[Clear Lead Elementals 0/40 ]
[Clear the Lead Lord 0/1]
[Secret: ???]
Rain hits my form in a downpour. The heavy feeling is accompanied by a completely different Heartbeat than Earth. It's sorrowful, and its screaming out in pain as something eats its body piece by piece. I try to reach out to it as my eyes fall over the ornate marble fountains and wet paths around me.
It does not answer my call, I don't know if I'm strong enough to overpower its pain so it can listen to me. My eyes narrow, and my fist clenches.
Something is hurting this world, and I intend to deal with it.
I don't immediately take a step forward instead I try testing out my other skill Mana Flux. I feel the massive amount of mana flowing through me start to coalesce in my hand. The natural elements of the world form a sphere of green and blue energy in my hand. My own internal mana only has drops mixed in with it, the color of my mana being a deep purple.
So different types of mana have different colors. Interesting. Suddenly I see a small dark metallic hand reaching over the end of a fountain. A creature with two long limbs and short stubby legs crawls out. Its body is like that of a baby and a single indent where a cyclopean eye should be.
Then its jaw unhinges, razor sharp teeth reveal themselves and it charges me causing my eyes to widen. It's fast!
Aiming the orb at it I let it go, and the thing doesn't even dodge. Instead it seems attracted to the energy and collides with it causing it to explode. Taking a peak back at my status I notice a small difference.
[Status]
Name: Emile Shemmer
Class: Wizard 1
STR: 9
DEX: 10
CON: 9
INT: 14
WIS: 12
CHR: 16
Skills:
Mana Flux I
Planetary Heartbeat I
[Clear Lead Elementals 1/40 ]
[Clear the Lead Lord 0/1]
[Secret: ???]
Looks like my 'spells' don't get recorded, nor do I really start with any besides throwing raw mana at people. Being a wizard is harder than it looks . . . I glance back towards the fountain and it begins to rumble causing me to take a small step back.
Then from the fountain pours at least twenty little Lead bastards, I heel turn and run. Fuck that! I like life! I was comfortable with death, but that didn't mean I wanted to go through it again!
Running the little buggers rapidly gained on me, stamina leaving my out of shape body quite quickly. Damn it, my previous self never did anything so this body is pretty out of shape.
Turning around I manifest the fountain of mana I have access to and create a wave of power. I pull, and I pull hard. Water, rocks, and wind barrel through them in the form of a giant hurricane.
The force flattening the oncoming army into paste, the hurricane continues and tears up the ground and even many marble structures around before fading and sending the rubble flying around. A piece flies right towards me but I manage to move out of the way with a small step back.
I fall flat on my butt in the mud, but I pick myself up nonetheless.
[Clear Lead Elementals 34/40 ]
[Clear the Lead Lord 0/1]
[Secret: ???]
Huh. That was a lot of them. Then the ground breaks, and from it pours hundreds of the Lead Elementals causing me to pale.
[Destroy the homes of the Lead Lords. Secret Objective Completed.]
A-ah, what the fuck. This is supposed to be the first dungeon isn't it? I start firing at the army but the ground beneath me breaks and I'm pulled to the ground. The screaming of the world is accompanied by my own as sharp metallic fangs dig into my flesh.
Gaia, why did you give me so much power! This has backfired horribly!
I'd used all the power the world gave me in that massive hurricane, but I'm never accepting death without a fight. Channeling that purple mana from my very soul I send it out in a wave. An explosion rings out and I bring myself to my feet.
Letting out heavy breathes the little demon bastards growl at me as a group of absolutely massive lead hounds make their approach. The hounds have clawed limbs, flat faces and no eyes, but still somehow see me all the same.
Those must be the Lead Lords . . . isn't the first boss supposed to become a normal enemy way later? While I'm distracted one of the little elementals dives for my neck. I fall on my side as it gets my arm instead.
Then I bring my fist down as I channel mana through it and crush its bulbous head in an instant.
[Clear Lead Elementals 40/40. Primary Objective Completed. You may now exit at your leisure.]
Get me the fuck out of here! The army watches with steady glares as I vanish, I'd destroyed their home in the name of the world they'd corrupted. I can't feel bad though, they tried to eat me first!
Flopping onto the park bench as I exit the portal I pull myself off of it and start heading home. I'm covered in water and blood, and I probably am going to get an infection unless I clean this as fast as possible.
For a moment I hear Gaia's heartbeat again, and I feel the world's confusion and concern. Mana floods my body again and I feel something bad expelled from me. Whatever it is I mutter a thank you to the planet. Truly Gaia is best girl.
I decided to eye my status, I almost died so I better have gotten something good.
[For defeating the Lead Elementals. Gain a Compatible Skill. Gain a Skill Point.]
[For completing Secret Objective: (Destroy the Homes of the Lead Lords) gain associated equipment.]
[Performance reward: None.]
[Choose Mana Boost or Formulization.]
[Choose to upgrade Mana Flux, or Planetary Heartbeat.]
[Choose Lead Legion's Fang or Pure Jewel of Lead]
That's a lot all at once, fuck I'm going to take a shower before I figure any of this out. I'm reeking of blood, and sweat after all.
Damn it, this hoodie was really nice too! At least my past self had plenty of back ups . . .
If you'd like to give me some support, you can do so below. Every little bit helps me put more time into this, and there are even some benefits!
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AN: Gaia goes ahead and says 'alright kid, take infinite mana' so hopefully he won't get instantly curb stomped in the Invincible universe. Dungeons however are going to be way harder because he is going to have to actually worry about mana costs lol. Also is Gaia the waifu in this one!?
As always comments/discussion help push me forward!
Thanks for reading!