Lucas woke with a start.
His heart, or what was left of it, was pounding, echoing in the absolute silence.
Around him, there was nothing.
No color, no sound, no scent.
A pure white space, with no horizon, no ground, no sky. Just... the luminous void.
He looked down and felt a shiver run through him, or what now served as his body.
His arms were translucent, his hands almost ethereal.
He could move, feel, even speak... but he no longer had the density of a being of flesh.
Lucas opened his mouth, but only a silent breath came out.
He tried to gather his thoughts, to understand what was happening.
Had he survived? Was this a hospital? A dream?
No.
He knew, deep down, that this was neither life nor a dream.
He had... left his world.
"Is this... hell?" he thought, a touch of nervousness in his mind.
Or heaven?
Or a void in between, reserved for lost souls like his own?
How long did he stay like this, drifting in this limitless space?
Impossible to say. Here, time no longer had the same consistency.
Seconds became minutes, minutes became hours, and hours... an eternity.
Through reflection, questions, and consuming silences, Lucas came to a simple conclusion: he had to move.
He tried to walk a stupid human reflex but his foot didn't touch the ground.
He staggered in the void, surprised, before slowly floating, like a feather abandoned in the air.
A nervous grin stretched his lips.
"Great... Now I'm a helium balloon."
At first, he tried to "swim" clumsily, stirring the white space as one would in water.
Then, little by little, he learned to move forward simply by willpower.
He thought "go straight," and his body followed, gliding gently through the nothingness.
How long did he drift like this, alone with his thoughts?
Long enough for boredom to give way to fear.
Long enough for fear to turn into weariness.
And long enough for weariness to give rise to a strange form of acceptance.
Then he saw it.
A tiny blue dot in the distance broke the dazzling monotony of space.
Lucas's eyes widened, his invisible heart leaping with a mixture of hope and apprehension.
Without thinking, he propelled himself toward the glow like a moth drawn to a flame.
The closer he got, the larger the blue dot grew.
It became a luminous slab, suspended in nothingness, like a gigantic floating screen.
Out of breath which was absurd, since his body no longer needed air Lucas stopped right in front of it.
The screen vibrated gently, emitting a soothing glow.
And on it, in perfectly crisp white letters, was a message:
[ YOU ARE THE FIRST SOUL TO BENEFIT FROM REINCARNATION!
DO YOU WANT TO BE REINCARNATED? ]
[YES] [NO]
Lucas stood frozen, unable to look away. A hundred thoughts flashed through his mind:
Why me?
Where am I going?
What if this is a trap?
What if it's real?
His gaze flickered between the two options.
Two simple choices, two words so banal... but heavy with consequences. Indeed, he doesn't know what will happen in either case. No matter which choice he makes, he's completely in the dark.
His finger trembled slightly as he approached the first word:
Yes.
An indefinable smile, a mixture of excitement and fear, played on his translucent lips.
After all, he had nothing left to lose.
And maybe, just maybe… a new life to gain.
With a quiet breath, Lucas gently touched the [Yes] option.
A moment later, new sentences appeared, slowly writing themselves on the blue screen, as if an invisible hand were weaving them in the light.
[CONGRATULATIONS. YOU MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE. FROM NOW ON, YOU WILL HAVE TO SELECT FROM DIFFERENT OPTIONS. CAUTION: EACH CHOICE IS FINAL AND WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON YOUR FUTURE. THINK CAREFULLY.]
[PRESS "YES" TO CONTINUE. ]
[ YES ]
Lucas, still suspended in this infinite white nothingness, stared at the screen with an expression oscillating between stupor and excitement. His translucent body radiated faintly, and even though no wind blew here, he felt his being vibrate with impatience.
"Good choice…" he thought, frowning slightly.
"Does this mean that if I had chosen 'No,' everything would have simply ended? That I would have dissolved into this nothingness, like a dream forgotten in the morning?"
An invisible shudder ran through his essence.
Death… he had almost accepted it without flinching.
"But no," he thought, straightening inwardly, determined. "It doesn't matter what that means exactly. Now that I'm here, I might as well see it through."
Without further hesitation, he held out his hand. His translucent fingers brushed the "YES" button, which pulsed gently under his touch.
The screen responded immediately. The letters dissolved in a swirl of light before revealing a new set of instructions.
A large title appeared:
[HOME WORLD SELECTION]
Under this solemn title, a question appeared, framed by thin gold borders:
-[1. Which world do you want to go to?]
A. Fantasy World
B. Cultivation World
C. Medieval World
D. Urban World
Lucas felt his heart or rather, the echo of his heart beat faster at the sight of the options.
He squinted, carefully examining each line, as if he could glimpse the landscapes hidden behind each word.
"Fantasy world…" he briefly imagined. Majestic dragons, castles suspended in the clouds, white-bearded magicians shooting lightning from their fingers.
"Medieval world…" Knights in heavy armor, battles under gray skies, taverns filled with raucous laughter and bawdy songs.
"Urban world…" A shiny, modern city, full of skyscrapers and neon lights, where secrets might be sold on dark street corners.
It all seemed incredible. But Lucas didn't have to think long.
He knew from the start what he wanted.
"Cultivation…" he breathed almost reverently. This was what he had always dreamed of. This world of Qi, of ascension, of ancient sects hidden in the mountains, of forbidden techniques buried beneath the dust of time. A world where willpower alone could defy the heavens, where a mere mortal could walk toward immortality. A nostalgic smile touched his lips. He still remembered the long nights spent reading those fantasy novels, dreaming of treading snowy peaks, of confronting divine beasts, of diving into mystical lakes to search for forgotten treasures. Without hesitation, Lucas moved his finger again to the second option.
[B. Cultivation World] The moment he confirmed his choice, a gentle ripple seemed to flow through the space around him. The infinite whiteness vibrated gently, like a distant drum resonating in a canyon.
"I guess depending on what I choose, the next questions will change," he thought, trying to remain calm.
He had barely confirmed his choice when a new question appeared on the screen, always preceded by a slight pulse of light.
[2. How would you like to start your new life?]
A. Weak
B. Pretty strong
C. Very strong
D. Overpowering
Lucas raised an eyebrow slightly at the different options.
"Well… They even ask me what level I want to start at. That's generous…" he thought, but he understood that it probably wasn't as simple as it seemed.
He let his gaze drift over each option.
"Weak?"
He bit his lip. Starting weak probably meant following a classic, slow, patient climb. Climbing the ladder on your own, forging yourself through hardships, gaining true strength by experiencing each stage of cultivation.
"It's romantic, certainly. But also terribly risky. One wrong move and I could disappear before I've even proven myself."
Pretty strong?
It seemed like a good compromise. Neither too weak to be crushed at the first hurdle, nor too strong to attract the envy and jealousy of other, more experienced cultivators.
"A solid start, enough strength to defend myself and advance without exposing myself unnecessarily. But not so strong as to attract all the vultures in the world."
Very strong?
A bitter smile played on his translucent face.
"Very strong… That would mean I'd start at the top of the local pyramid. But it would also mean I'd be immediately in the spotlight. And those who are too visible often end up being brought down first."
Overpowering?
Lucas let out a light laugh. "Overpowerful… Really? An existence without rival from the start? It would surely be exhilarating at first… But I would be terribly bored. What is a cultivator without obstacles to overcome? A king without a kingdom, a warrior without a battle."
He sighed deeply. His choice was now clear.
He didn't want to be a weak blade of grass blowing in the wind, nor a crushing mountain that everyone wanted to tear down.
He wanted to move at his own pace, with enough power to survive but also enough challenges to grow.
"I choose B."
His finger brushed the button corresponding to the [B. Pretty Strong] option.
A small silence greeted his choice, as if the universe itself was pondering the consequences of his decision. Then the screen vibrated again, and a new question arose.
[3. What position do you wish to occupy upon arrival?]
A. Faction Elder
B. Head of a Middle-Class Family
C. Sergeant in the army of an Empire
D. Prince of a Kingdom dominated by an Empire
Lucas froze, his gaze fixed on the new options.
"They really mean it…"
Each choice seemed even more important than the last.
He began to think seriously.
Faction Elder?
The title carried prestige. Authority. And probably a great deal of freedom of action.
But it also came with a mountain of responsibility. He would be locked into internal struggles, accountable to other elders, bound to the interests of the faction.
"Too many invisible chains. I don't want to be a pawn in a permanent political game."
Family Head?
It meant leading a respectable family group, with enough power to influence local affairs without being too exposed.
But a family... meant heirs, intrigues, jealous cousins, forced alliances.
"I don't want to wake up every morning wondering if my nephew wants to poison me to take my place."
Sergeant in an Empire's army?
Lucas nodded imperceptibly.
A modest but stable rank. High enough not to be looked down upon, low enough to allow for freedom of movement. The army certainly imposed a hierarchy, but it also offered opportunities for rapid advancement for those with talent.
"And above all, if I become strong enough... no one will be able to hold me back. I can rise through the ranks or disappear to forge my own path."
Prince of a Kingdom dominated by an Empire?
The temptation was great. Becoming a prince, having a palace, servants, resources at my disposal…
But Lucas narrowed his eyes.
"Dominated by an Empire, eh? That means I'd be constantly watched, used as a diplomatic pawn, manipulated according to higher interests."
Being a prince wasn't synonymous with freedom. It was often a gilded cage.
He took a slow breath, making his decision.
"I choose C. Sergeant."
Without hesitation this time, he pressed the [C. Sergeant in an Empire's army] option.
Silence fell again into the white space. Then a new question appeared on the blue screen.
[4. What advantage do you want for your new life?] ]
A. A System
B. An ancient legacy
C. A divine artifact
D. The memories of an ancient immortal expert
As soon as he read the options, Lucas felt his heart skip a beat.
"What… Is this serious?"
He stood there frozen, completely stunned by what he was being offered.
A benefit? No… It was almost a divine blessing!
"Who, exactly, can offer such gifts?" he thought, his mind racing.
The gods? A higher entity? Or had he simply stumbled upon an unexpected stroke of luck in this strange digital universe?
He carefully detailed each choice.
A System?
It immediately brought to mind all the stories where the protagonists became true legends. A system was a source of constant evolution, missions, rewards, and sometimes omniscient assistance.
"With a system, ascension is limitless. As long as I am alive and ambitious, I can become the equal of a god."
An ancient heritage?
Receiving the secret arts of a master of the past, forbidden techniques, lost treasures…
Tempting, of course.
But a heritage had its limits. It was only a set of pre-existing knowledge. After that, you still had to adapt everything yourself.
A divine artifact?
An object of immeasurable power, undoubtedly capable of overthrowing armies, destroying kingdoms…
Lucas felt a spark of envy.
"But depending on an artifact is dangerous. What happens if I lose it? What if someone steals it?"
He preferred to base his strength on himself, not on an external object.
The memories of a former immortal expert?
Accumulating centuries of wisdom, techniques, cultivation strategies… A major asset.
But then again, it wasn't truly his strength. That would be someone else's memory, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be haunted by foreign memories.
After a final glance at the choices, Lucas no longer hesitated.
"I choose A. The System."
His finger slid firmly across the screen, confirming his choice without an ounce of hesitation.
The screen vibrated gently, as if satisfied with his decision. A few moments later, a new message appeared, the bright blue letters slowly taking shape before his eyes:
[Thank you for completing this questionnaire. After reading this message, you will be directly transferred into your new body.]
[The features of the system you have chosen will be random and will be revealed to you upon arrival. In addition, information about your new universe will also be shared with you.]
[Well… Good luck, and have fun!]
Lucas wanted to react, to say something, to ask one last question… But he didn't have the time.
An invisible force abruptly seized him. The world around him cracked like a broken window, and the next moment, he was sucked into nothingness.
A whirlwind without color, without form, without sound, swallowed him up completely.