As a blinding light enveloped Alex, a voice—genderless, neutral, and cold—resounded across the world.

  Assessment underway…

  Planetary Grading: C+

  Metaphysical Manifestations: D-

  Beginning terraformation. Integrating Metaphysical Manifestations.

  Starting System announcement.

  The voice shifted to a man’s.

  Natives of World 39F72, Integration 192, Local Name: Earth.

  Congratulations.

  You have reached a point of development suitable for beginning Integration into the System.

  The leaders of your world have accepted our offer and chosen to join the System. To ensure a smoother transition, a tutorial will begin for all sentient and sapient species of planet Earth.

  One hundred days (local time) will be provided to complete this tutorial, during which you will become familiar with the System interface and how to utilize it. Afterward, there will be a brief grace period before the planetary campaigns initiate an invasion to claim your planet.

  You have been given a chance to fight for its sovereignty and become a rising power within the Universe. Should you succeed, Earth will join under the System as a new sovereign.

  Good luck.

  “Good luck,” it said, as though it were wishing a neighbor well on their venture rather than sending most of humanity to their deaths. The casualness sent a shiver down Alex’s back.

  The announcement ended, and his reality shifted. He stood in a dark void where size and distance held no measure. The only tangible things were the collage of stars, their sparkling sight surrounding him entirely. They shone blue, red, white, with colors vaster than imagination, and all of them seemed to be watching him.

  Which was an absurd notion. They wouldn’t be watching him of all people, but perhaps one of their vassals were keeping tabs.

  He walked forward, plastic bags crinkling at his sides like candy wrappers in the silence. Though there was no visible ground, faint light shimmered beneath his feet, forming a platform with each step. He came to a stop and tentatively reached out until his fingers met cold stone. His hand slid over the chiseled, patterned surface of the first gate—the Gate of Awakening—trailing just enough to cause a faint glow.

  He followed the grooves until his fingers found a smooth orb embedded in the gate’s center. Suddenly, dark, obsidian light surged from the orb, piercing into the core of his core. Power flooded through him. Space seemed to ripple like curtains in a breeze, and as effortlessly as that, Alex awakened.

  “Hello, Alex Smith. Welcome to the Sanctum,” a voice said.

  Alex turned around. With his magic-senses restored, the starlight was now enough to illuminate his surroundings. The Sanctum couldn’t have been called a room; it lacked identifiable walls or boundaries. But it felt less like the endless expanse it had appeared to be before.

  A vaguely human-shaped figure now stood in the center of the Sanctum.

  The Guardian, Alex thought. The one who oversees the System’s gates.

  The being’s smooth eye-sockets glowed faintly. Its pale, almost holographic body was textured like a mannequin’s but layered with something slicker, like plaster. Its jagged, insincere smile was too sly to be considered cordial and it wore its business suit as if convinced that was all it required to pass for a human.

  The guise wasn’t convincing—not to someone who had seen its true form.

  System, Alex commanded.

  Immediately, a virtual screen materialized before Alex, blocking the Guardian from sight. Though he’d only been an hour without the System, seeing the familiar blue screen brought him an odd comfort.

  Then he actually read his screen—and horror set in.

  Alex Smith

  Tier 0 - Level 2, Unranked

  Class: None

  Health: 92%

  Mana: 100%

  Stamina: 44%

  > Traits

  [???]

  > Titles

  None

  > Attributes

  None

  > Skills

  None

  > Stats

  Vitality: 2

  Strength: 1

  Dexterity: 2

  Fortitude: 2

  Perception: 4

  Arcane: 2

  It was gone—all of it. Alex gaped. Every stat, every ounce of progress he’d earned over the years, it’d been taken from him. And of course it had. He certainly didn’t feel like someone with an Expert ranker's stats. But having the System actually quantify his weakness was a visceral blow. To think all that effort just be erased...

  Dammit.

  He ground his jaw, then just sighed in exasperation. On another day, this might have been devastating. Today, it was just tragic, and he was a little burnt out on tragedy. He released his fists and that made him remember the supplies he’d brought. With a flick of his wrist, they were sent to his inventory.

  He was about to close the screen when a notification popped up.

  Welcome to your stat page! Here, you’ll be able to see the quantification of all your progress. Let me guide you through…

  Alex couldn’t dismiss the guide with a mental command; his settings must have reset. Instead, he had to manually close the window—a relatively minor inconvenience, but still tedious for someone used to mental commands for the last fifteen years.

  …In addition to your three conditions, each awakened has six attributes…

  Irritatingly, even closing the screen didn’t stop the intrusive voice. Its buzz grated directly into his skull.

  It took him a minute to find the right setting.

  Are you sure you would like to disable orientation mode? Yes or—

  Yes. Please.

  In Alex’s first life, it had taken him too long to realize the System’s help resources were comprehensive enough without the ostentatious speeches.

  The voice finally stopped, leaving only the guide’s last triggered screen.

  Stat Glossary

  Vitality: the capacity of one’s body to grow and recover from stress and damage.

  Strength: the capacity of one’s body to exert force or pressure.

  Dexterity: the capacity of one’s body to exert control over its motor functions.

  Fortitude: the capacity of one’s mind and body to maintain function under duress.

  Perception: the capacity of one’s mind to comprehend and process sensory information.

  Arcane: the capacity of one’s spirit to channel mana and cast magic.

  Patience—the capacity of one’s sanity to not self-destruct from this bullshit.

  Alex sighed as he closed out the window.

  Begrudgingly, he knew this wasn’t strictly a bad thing—he wasn’t stupid. With his curse, he’d been so deep in trouble that nothing sort of, well... all this, would’ve been enough to set him entirely back on track. He understood. But just because medicine was good for you didn’t mean you had to like the taste of it.

  Orientation ended!

  The last of the notifications vanished, bringing the Guardian back into view—much closer than before. Its soulless, plaster-like sockets gleamed with what could only be intrigue.

  “Curious, Mr. Smith. It says here you’re human—not beast-blood, nor vampire, nor mage—but a natural-born human, yes?” The Guardian straightened, clasping its hands behind its back as it circled inquisitively around him. “Strange that you would adjust so fast, Mr. Smith. What’s even more bizarre is that none of the stars in this sky seem to be taking special interest…”

  The Guardian trailed off as if expecting Alex to reveal some secret in the silence. He offered nothing, reminding himself that as personable as it seemed, the Guardian was not alive—not anymore. It was a representative of the System, devoid of fleshly urges or desires. Nothing untoward would come of its interest.

  But it was still creepy as fuck.

  “You don’t have anything you want to ask me? No 'Who are you?!’ or 'Waah, where is this?’ No?”

  I suppose I could fake confusion.

  But really, there’d be no point. He couldn’t hide much from the System itself.

  “Not a talker, I take it, Mr. Smith. In that case…”

  The Guardian adjusted its tie and, with a flourish, extended a white envelope toward him.

  Alex’s heart pounded.

  He already knew what it was. With some resignation, he touched the seal. The envelope vanished in a flash, and its contents appeared as text on his interface.

  Dear Alex Smith,

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  The Universe acknowledges your potential as the pinnacle of what your world has to offer and extends to you an invitation to an alternate tutorial, Nightmare.

  "To those who know their worth, to those who stand above the rest, and those who will leave their mark on history, we invite you. Come—prove yourself against the terrors of the night. Fight—and vanquish evil from this world that has fallen to ruin. Rise, then take your place under the gaze of the Constellations."

  Note: This is an exclusive opportunity. Only one million spots are guaranteed. If you refuse, yours will be given to the next in line.

  The words faded, leaving Alex holding the physical letter. He promptly crumpled it up and tossed it into empty space, where it shimmered on contact. It wasn't very explanatory, but that’s what the Guardian was for—not that Alex needed reminding of what Nightmare was really about.

  “Tell me,” Alex muttered. “What was my priority in the queue?”

  “What makes you think you weren’t first to receive this invitation?” The Guardian deadpanned.

  It was a stupid question, so Alex didn’t answer.

  “You were the 3,562,202nd to be invited.”

  He grunted. About what he’d expected, though it was nice to have confirmation. This “opportunity” had cycled through over two and a half million people before reaching him.

  Exclusive, my ass.

  Sure, it put him in the top 0.0005% of Earth’s magical potential, but in the grand scheme of the universe, that kind of talent was meager. Anyone noteworthy before Integration would’ve been among the first hundred thousand invites, and most likely knew to pass it up.

  “I will say, there’s a quite generous signing bonus—”

  “Shut up, I’m thinking.”

  A white lie. There wasn’t much to consider anymore. He already knew what he had to do, even if it terrified him. Just the thought of going back to that forsaken world made him quail. He didn’t want it.

  But he’d already made his choice.

  Alyssa, I’m sorry.

  He didn’t know if he had anything to be sorry for, but guilt gnawed at him. The standard tutorial took place on a terraformed earth; if she was going to die again it’d most likely happen in those first days, while he’d be trapped in Seattle, out of reach from her.

  No, Alex had to prepare for what came after. Because even if she made use of the information, he’d sent her, no ordinary amount of power could guarantee her safety once the invasion began.

  And if it was power he was after...

  Then Nightmare it is.

  Alex clenched his fists, meeting the Guardian’s unblinking gaze. Above its head, a timer began counting down from five minutes. He matched the thing’s toothy grin with grim determination.

  It wasn’t just for Alyssa. The decrepit world of Nightmare and the monsters that hellish tutorial unleashed on Earth still haunted his dreams. He couldn’t run from that. There were too many wrongs that needed righting—wrongs that he’d never have the strength to face if he ran away now. He was sick of being on the knife’s edge, of being weak in a world full of predators. He’d been betrayed, misled, and ruined way too many times. He wasn’t going to sit back and watch as it all happened again.

  This time, he’d take charge of his fate, no matter the cost.

  “Very well then,” the Guardian said. “I’m certain we will see each other soon, Mr. Smith.”

  For the third time that day, Alex was engulfed by light. As his world disappeared, the Guardian’s smile twisted into something far more sinister.

  ***

  Signing bonus received.

  Basic Essence-Refinement Method has been integrated.

  Inventory has been augmented to Grade C.

  Universal translator has been updated with all Earthen languages along with 500 additional ones.

  [Inspect] has been added to the interface.

  [Identify] has been added to the interface.

  Additional Shop privileges have been granted.

  Your balance has been started at 1,000 Essence Crystals — non-consumable.

  Welcome to the Nightmare! The Council of High Justice applauds your decision. What bonus set woul—

  Bonus Set C selected.

  x1 Standard Dagger

  x1 Leather Armor Set

  x1 Bag of Beef Jerky

  Skill: [Stealth]

  The items appeared with a thwump, collapsing into a pile at Alex’s feet. Strangely, he had no need to check his System, he literally felt the stealth skill settling into his soul, intertwining with his being. He frowned at that.

  Soon, others began to teleport in.

  “What? Where is this—”

  “Hah! Come on, this can’t be re—”

  “Molly? Molly? Goddammit, pick up the phone!”

  Alex sat himself on the edge of the grass clearing, shoving jerky into his mouth. The bag wafted an intense umami smell that made his stomach gurgle. Arguably, his greatest regret from his last life was not grabbing a bite before the apocalypse. Even if this would only recover a fraction of his stamina in his malnourished state, it warmed his stomach nonetheless.

  Still, 44% stamina was horrendous for what he’d be up against. The caffeine from the can of Monster he’d downed was beginning to kick in—it would help bridge the gap a little—but he should’ve looted the employee fridges while he was at it.

  Alex gave a regretful sigh. All around him was chaos. People were worried, panicked, and confused, shouting or mumbling as more newly Awakened teleported in behind them. There’d been only a handful at first—those like him who had wasted little time on their decision or others who were too shaken to think clearly. Alex ignored the ruckus and began strapping on his armor: torso first, then greaves, tassets, and bracers. By the time he’d fitted it all, a steady flow of newcomers were arriving.

  A voice spoke from over his shoulder.

  “What the—”

  Alex glanced at the broad man as he finished materializing. He was built like a professional wrestler—and given what he was wearing, he probably was one.

  “Where—hey, did you talk to that Guardian thing too? Options—what do I…” He went silent, then tapped the display in front of him, and a pile of items appeared at his feet.

  Bonus Set B, Alex noted as he immediately set his System to invisible. At least the man had been decisive with his decision.

  “Hey,” Alex asked, “what skill did you choose?”

  Asking was just a courtesy—it was Guiding Light, a fairly standard scouting skill with some particularly neat uses when creatively applied. Almost all of the bonus selections came with one skill or another. The System pulled some strings to increase learning proficiency for the first equipped skill, so all the offerings were relatively suited to the person’s natural aptitude and rarely too out there.

  Alex had half-hearted hopes that he might open a dialogue for cooperation, but the man just sneered. He looked at Alex with judging eyes.

  “What, did you think I’d tell you? That Guardian thing said only one-tenth can make it out anyway.”

  And that’s why talking to the Guardian is a waste of time.

  Alex wasn’t surprised enough to be disappointed, and resisted a snort as the man stalked away. A tenth? If that many of them had made it out, maybe Earth’s fate would’ve been different.

  He finished the last of his jerky as a crowd developed in the middle of the clearing. Some people were still out of sorts, but the reactions were mixed now. This was Nightmare—most of them were athletes, mathematicians, geniuses, or eccentrics of some sort, and they were all here because they had a deadly ego, unless they thought they were still dreaming.

  He heard specific words echoing over more often now: challenge, fantasy, and game. He watched as a decently built man tugged pitifully at a gigantic, greater-than-great-sword sized hunk of iron, clearly already regretting his choice of weapon.

  Alex looked down at his own dagger; he saw how his spindly wrist bent from its weight when he let it go slack. He didn’t inspire much confidence, did he?

  Heck, he was probably scrawnier than everyone else gathered here today. He’d seen the look in that man’s eyes when he’d asked about his skill. Hardly a passing glance, and he’d already been dismissed from mind. He knew what went through people’s minds as they looked at him. He looked weak.

  Rather, he was weak. He glanced over at the mosh pit of heightened emotions where everyone had gathered. This didn’t appear to be the same group of people from his first life, but their reactions were similar enough. They all fitted their armor like bad cosplays, straps not nearly tight enough. Some of them wore serious expressions, while many just waved their weapons around like they were the toys they would slay the dragons with.

  They were a familiar sight. People—normal people, all things considered—who were in over their heads, unaware of the death about to befall them. None of them were mages, which meant Alex was probably the only one who knew what was coming.

  His trait suddenly did something abnormal, showing him a strange vision: Gray clouds swooped overhead, looming there, casting a dark shadow over the field. He watched as the crowd turned toward him in unison. Their eyes seemed starkly pleading, even as they melted into bloody goop. Flesh fell away from their faces, revealing patches of bone and wound, and their empty sockets bore into him. In that moment of truth, he saw them as the dead men that they were.

  The sensation passed in a second. Sunlight bathed the clearing as if it had never been disturbed. No one even spared him a glance; the chill in his spine receded.

  He thought about it then—of going in there, introducing himself, finding some capable individuals, stringing them together into some semblance of order. There were still a few people with skills worth considering in the bunch—like the healer with Bone Restoration, who was currently… making his own bones firmer? Or the buff guy with a good sword-swinging skill who was wielding a… scythe. That wrestler with the Guiding Light skill was a good lead, in any case.

  But then he caught the drift of a heated argument between the wrestler and a sharp-tongued woman as they vied for leadership. Their altercation was growing scarily tense for people who’d just learned magic. He glanced again at his measly dagger.

  No, there would be no room for cooperation there.

  Not yet.

  Stifling a yawn, Alex stretched, then rose up, cracking his back. His bones were frail beneath his skin, and blood rushed to his head in a way that was oddly refreshing as his vision failed for a second. He folded his blazer, loosened his tie, and slid the dagger beneath his belt into its accompanying sheath.

  The sun had begun to set behind the mountains unnaturally fast, creating a sudden dusk. The forestry was flush with sounds mimicking life, and the clearing would’ve been the perfect place for a twilight picnic if not for the fresh circling of bony crows and the graying grass.

  Subtly, the influx of new people started to slow. It was about time.

  A dark, orb-shaped void appeared in the center of the clearing. He counted the crowd at thirty-four as they stared at it, dumbfounded.

  00:59

  00:58

  No, thirty-five.

  As Alex turned the other way, he spotted the pitifully small woman who’d been the last to teleport in. She’d probably spent the entire countdown indecisive on the invitation—and just like he once had, she decided to partake.

  As he disappeared into the tree line, he gave a silent prayer for her next life. And in that same instant, he decided how he'd like to spend this one.

  Survival was a goal for the weak.

  So Alex would be weak no longer.

  0:00

  Nightmare has begun. Starting Players: 999,836

  Mandatory scenario has been triggered.

  Title: Initiation

  Player Count: 35

  Rewards: 1,000 Essence Crystals

  Skill Paths unlocked for purchase in shop.

  Basic Skills Catalog

  Clear Conditions:

  Survive the attack or end up as the one to receive immunity.

  Good luck!

  ***

  Jun had always believed there was nothing he couldn’t overcome through effort. He’d believed it when he’d spent his nights cramming to get into Harvard Medical, when he’d made enough money to get his mother a heart transplant, and right up until the very moment monsters started pouring from the gate and killing people.

  No amount of effort would have prepared him for this.

  “Please! Somebody—”

  A woman stumbled and shrieked as she was assaulted somewhere behind him. By the time he mustered up his courage to help her, her screams had turned into gurgles. Then only the wet sounds of a monster feasting remained.

  I—I should help her.

  He ran faster.

  Branches whipped past his face, his legs stinging from countless scrapes. Tears welled in his eyes, but he didn’t slow down. It was dark now—weirdly, when he thought about how quickly the sun had fallen—but he stayed alert, straining to hear inhuman snarls or footsteps. Though, all he heard were screams and the clang of metal from the giant armored knight.

  It wasn’t like they’d been clueless. They hadn’t expected anything good to happen when the countdown ended. But there were just so many of them! Those sharp teeth, their beady little eyes…

  And that armored knight? It still freaked him out. Someone had sent a pulse at its head, knocking its helmet clean off, and he’d seen underneath. There’d been no one inside.

  Jun forced himself to run harder.

  There was a skittering sound to his left and another scream to his right. He slipped on something slick and came face to face with a decapitated head and the creature feasting on it. He reached for his sword—

  The creature snarled as it launched itself at him.

  —but forgot he’d already dropped it.

  “Ahh!”

  Jun shielded his eyes, ready to be torn to pieces.

  But no matter how long he sat frozen, his body remained whole. His heart resumed its beat; he slowly opened an eyelid.

  A man’s shadow blurred, and suddenly, the creature had a dagger embedded in its neck. The shadow shifted, revealing that it belonged to a lanky kid. He was unhealthily skinny and had a pale complexion visible even in the dim moonlight. Anemic, or maybe just an insomniac. The kid struggled to pull his dagger free as he kicked the limp body down.

  “Nice skill you got there,” he said. “Shame you’re using it wrong.”

  “Huh?”

  “Your skill,” he repeated. “Saw you using it earlier. What do you say we help each other out?”

  Jun hesitated. “Y-You mean to survive?”

  The kid could barely support his weight. He looked like he was in need of serious medical attention. But there was something in his eyes, and the way he carried himself, that felt…off.

  He glanced back toward the carnage, exhaling a slight chuckle.

  “Survive? No, we’re going to win.”