Trillions of lightyears, deep in space, at the very center of the primordial chaos where the power of creation thrived and existed.
Supernovas, pulsars, shattered stars blackholes and various spatial phenomena illuminated the vast expanse of darkness, like rain droplets suspended in the skies.
Yet, even this breathtaking cosmic display was overshadowed by a single entity around which everything revolved.
A cosmic mansion.
It was unimaginably vast and awe-inspiring. Its walls were built using millions of planets like stacking blocks.
The floor forged by billions of stars and its lamps from evalasting Pulsars.
The palace door opened up like heavens gate and an impossibly otherworldly and ethereal woman floated across the starfloor.
At the far end of the palace was a throne forged from the colossal bones of cosmic gods and eternal beings.
Seated on the throne was an extremely handsome man covered in divine relics.
As the woman entered his gaze, his nine rings of eyes constricted in unison.
Across the floor, the beautiful woman moved with the grace of a thousand angels and danced with the enchantment of a thousand succubus.
As she danced, phantom images of faeries, divine phoenixes, ancient crows and angelic doves floated around her.
Igris curled his index finger and the phantom shattered as the void broke, transporting the beautiful lady directly on his lap.
The beauty shyly raised her head as her eyelashes fluttered like angel wings.
Igris gently grabbed her chin making her moan like the hymn of a million divine Sirens as her crimson lips parted like the Red Sea [A/N: You know the Red Sea I'm talking about (╹◡╹)］
"Oh Tatiana, you have no idea how long I've waited just to kiss you." Igris voice boomed like the strieks of a billion thunder.
Igris leaned down to kiss those lucious lips but instead of the heavenly taste he expected, the smell of dried sushi assaulted his mouth.
Stunned, Igris opened his eyes only to see Tatiana's face had expanded and fattened to a face he recognized.
"Fatso?"
Igris recoiled in primordial shock and horror.
The grandeous palace shattered like it was made of glass as reality set in.
Light danced around Igris vision as a fist expanded and landed on his head.
"Owwww!"
He groaned as pain shot up his nose.
"Bastard! You freaking punched me!"
Igris clutched his bleeding nose and roared furiously at his fat roommate — Caleb.
"Daring to kiss this Daoist, you must be tired of living!" Caleb,snorted, raising his fist again to punch him.
Igris was livid and angrily pointed at him. "Damned Fatso! It obvious you wanted to do something bad to my handsome body but luckily I woke up! Who knows what you've been doing to me when I've been out cold sleeping!"
Caleb was so mad his fat checks trembled and reddened speechlessly. He couldn't even think of a retort in his anger. "Motherfucker! I was passing when you grabbed me and forcefully kissed me! I won't argue with you."
He then smiled weirdly. "Continue your sleep."
Igris's rolled his eyes and halved with him side eye. "Bah! Which bastard would want to kiss you? I was kissing Instructor Tatiana in my dream, but you wanted my 3 months of visualization!"
"Bastard! Lots of people want to kiss me!" Caleb cursed and wanted to punch Igor's again but Igris guard led his face with his arms.
The four other roommates chuckled as they watched this scene in amusement.
"Caleb and Igris sitting on a tree," The tallest of the roommate — Henry suddenly started to sing.
The other three roommates, Derek, Sam and Icarus immediately roared in chorus. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
Igris and Caleb's body froze and their faces changed as they glared at their roommate with gritted teeth.
"Die!"
"Kill them!"
Without hesitation, the two jumped at them as they wrestled playfully.
"Ding!"
A loud bell rang out through the entire academy. The six playing roommates immediately ceased their actions as their face turned serious.
"It's time."
"The System Awakening Ceremony has begun."
It was a happy day as they had been waiting for this day almost all their lives.
But the four roommate's expressions were grim because they knew, only one or two of them would survive the System Awakening Ceremony.
***
Year 2099, the VR Game, Gods Online merged and integrated with reality, expanding the planet's mass thousands of times.
Those who had played the game using other races were forcefully fused with their avatars.
Overnight, human parents gave birth to Elven prodigies, Dragonkins, blood-thirsty Vampires, and mischievous Faeries.
Now, 90 years later, society had rebuilt itself around this change.
***
Igris wiped a drop of blood from his nose as he and his five roommates quickly cleaned up and walked out of their dorm room and into the bustling corridors of Marlin Academy.
The hallways were a chaotic blend of modern architecture and high fantasy. To their left, a trio of giggling Catgirl students chased a glowing mana-butterfly. To their right, two massive Dragonkin were arguing over a textbook, their tails thumping heavily against the reinforced steel floor.
At the end of the hall stood Instructor Tatiana—a pure-blooded Succubus. With her obsidian horns, bat-like wings, and a figure that could start wars, it was no wonder she had invaded Igris's dreams. But right now, her beautiful face was grim, her eyes filled with pity as she watched the sixteen-year-old students march toward the central plaza.
She knew exactly what they were walking into.
"I can't believe it's already here," Caleb muttered. His usual loud, brash demeanor was entirely gone. His chubby hands were trembling. "I threw up twice this morning, Igris. I'm terrified."
Igris patted Caleb's broad shoulder, his own heart hammering against his ribs. "Just stick to the plan, man. Don't let greed blind you."
The System Awakening Ceremony. Also known as the Crucible of Blood is a bloody day where parents tears rain blood.
In the old world, turning 16 meant you're eligible for a driver's license. In this new Era, it meant facing the System's judgment.
Every 16-year-old on the planet, regardless of race or background, will be simultaneously pulled into the System's Virtual Colosseum for a brutal, life-or-death battle.
The gods will watch in amusement, give gifts if they feel like and rarely chose a Godscion who has potential.
The rules were simple, yet cruel enough to cull millions of youths every single year.
Once teleported into the Culling Arena, each 16 year old would be forced into a 1-on-1 deathmatch against each other.
Yes! You must kill another 16 year old to survive the Culling Game.
If one survived and won the first battle, they would be given a random F-rank talent.
At that exact moment, they would be offered a tempting choice, to Forfeit, or Continue.
If you forfeited, you would be Transported to the Ninth Eternal Realms where you have to kill a Monster to return back to the real world.
From there? You can chose to live your lives a civilian or as a fighter.
But if you wanted power, you had to gamble with your life.
Winning a second consecutive battle upgraded your talent to E-Rank.
A third win granted D-Rank. This ladder climbed all the way up through C, B, A, S, SS, and finally, the mythical SSS-Rank.
Like the names suggested, if you lost, you're culled in real life.
Your physical body would also die in the real world.
***
"I'm cashing out at E-Rank," Sam, the quietest of the roommates, whispered as they joined the massive crowd of thousands of students gathering in the academy's grand plaza. "My parents are both E-Ranks. It's enough to join a decent guild. I'm not risking my life for D."
"Coward," Derek sneered with curled lips.
"If you don't hit at least C-Rank, no god will become your patron and you would never become a Godscion I'm going for B."
"Don't be stupid, Derek," Igris brows furrowed and his dual-colored eyes narrowed.
"A B-Rank means fighting five deathmatches in a row without healing. Last year, less than 2 percent of the globe made it to B-Rank. Don't throw your life away because of greed."
Caleb fat checks trembled as he turns to look at Igris. "What about you? What rank are you stopping at?"
Igris looked up at the sky. Above the academy, the clouds churned violently as space rippled open.
Within the depth of the space, a massive golden eye filled the entire sky. It was the system.
"I don't know," Igris murmured, his fist slowly unclenched as he forced a smile. "But S-Rank shouldn't be all that bad."
The other chuckled at Igris words as the nervousness faded slightly from them.