Ethan Vale's eyes fluttered open.
The first thing he noticed wasn't the sky, the sun, or even the earth beneath him. It was a faint, vibrating hum, almost imperceptible, threading through his chest and limbs. His body felt… different. Heavy, yet light, as if gravity itself had changed just for him.
He blinked rapidly, trying to focus. Shapes wavered at the edges of his vision — blurred, surreal. The world around him shimmered faintly, as though the air itself carried a pale luminescence. Dust motes floated lazily in the rays of light, painting the space with an ethereal calm.
Ethan sat up slowly, every movement deliberate. The concrete, iron, and steel of New Cordelia's markets were gone. In their place was a field of rolling green, stretching farther than his eyes could see. Trees rose here and there, their leaves catching sunlight like shards of emerald. A soft wind carried the scent of wildflowers, mingled with the crisp, metallic tang of something unfamiliar — almost like ozone.
He raised a hand to his face, brushing away a few strands of hair. His eyes widened. His fingers… looked the same, yet somehow sharper, more precise. As though his body had remembered every tiny detail of its former self but had been tuned, optimized. He flexed and twisted, feeling the familiar weight of his muscles but a new agility coursing beneath the skin.
Then he heard it. A voice. Calm, neutral, yet unmistakably directed at him:
"Welcome, Ethan Vale. System recognition complete. Interface online."
Ethan froze, his heart skipping. His mind raced. Impossible. It can't be real. But the voice was real, echoing in his skull with gentle authority.
"You have been granted one chance," the system continued. "All parameters will be visible upon activation. Please confirm readiness."
Ethan swallowed. "Ready…" His own voice sounded strange — louder, clearer, more confident than before. He hadn't realized it, but his hands were trembling slightly. Excitement? Fear? Perhaps both.
The air before him shimmered again, and a floating holographic display appeared. It hovered at eye level, glowing faintly blue, lines of text and symbols scrolling almost too fast to read. Stats, skills, inventory slots, world parameters. He leaned in, eyes scanning with a mix of disbelief and awe:
Name: Ethan Vale
Class: System Engineer
Level: 1
Attributes: Strength 12 | Dexterity 14 | Intelligence 22 | Creativity 25 | Endurance 15
Special Ability: Construction Mastery – Can build and craft using system blueprints, enhanced precision and speed.
Resources: [Basic Materials: 50 Units]
Quests: [Tutorial – Activate your first construct]
Ethan blinked. The words didn't just float; they pulsed, as though alive. A thrill ran through him. "This… this is real."
His mind spun, trying to reconcile the impossible. One moment, he had been dead — blown apart by a failed government experiment. The next, he was here, in a world that didn't exist on any map he knew, alive, whole, and gifted with something that defied logic.
He rose to his feet, every movement fluid. The grass beneath him bent slightly under his weight, springing back as though acknowledging him. Around him, the landscape stretched endlessly: a gentle river winding through distant hills, mountains glowing with a faint golden hue, and small clusters of trees swaying softly in the breeze. Birds with iridescent feathers darted overhead, calling to each other in strange, melodic tones.
Every sense was alive. Ethan could hear the soft rustle of the leaves, smell the mixture of damp earth and blooming flora, feel the faint warmth of sunlight on his skin. Even the wind seemed to carry information — faint whispers of energy, of life, of a world waiting to be understood.
He knelt and touched the ground, feeling the vibration beneath him. This wasn't just soil; it was alive, humming with energy. A low, almost imperceptible hum pulsed through his fingertips. His engineering mind flared to life: What kind of energy? How is it being harnessed? Could it be manipulated?
"System," he said aloud, voice steady, "explain the local environment."
"You are in the initial zone of the world — Verdant Expanse. Climate: Temperate. Flora: Native and semi-magical. Fauna: Non-hostile unless provoked. Resources are abundant. You may begin observation or construct immediately."
Ethan's eyes sparkled. Observation was easy; construction was everything he lived for. He reached out, thinking fast. If I can build here… if I can manipulate this world…
A faint blueprint appeared before him in the air, projected by the system. A small, automated utility cart, designed to gather raw materials and process them efficiently. Ethan's hands hovered over it, feeling the interface as if it were tangible. Sparks of energy traced his fingertips as the holographic components assembled themselves into a perfect, miniature model.
He smiled, heart racing. Every detail was flawless: gears interlocked, wheels aligned, energy conduits flowing naturally. With a simple thought, he activated the system. The cart materialized before him, humming softly. It rolled forward, picking up small rocks and soil, efficiently sorting materials.
Ethan laughed, a sound of pure exhilaration. This was everything he had dreamed of — but better. The possibilities stretched before him, infinite. Every tree, every stone, every blade of grass could be analyzed, optimized, and built upon.
He glanced toward the horizon. In the distance, a village sat nestled in a valley, smoke curling from chimneys. A river sparkled under the sun. Birds flew overhead, and he could just make out movement near the tree line — creatures, perhaps, or something more intelligent. Life existed here, and it was waiting for him.
The system spoke again, calm and precise:
"First quest available: Explore initial zone. Gather at least 10 units of basic materials and report back to interface. Rewards: Experience, skill points, and additional construction templates."
Ethan nodded. "Understood."
He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with this new world. Every detail mattered: the wind, the light, the texture of the grass. He would observe, analyze, and master. One step at a time.
And somewhere in the back of his mind, a quiet, burning thought: This world is mine to shape.