A thick carpet of grass stretched beneath him, cool and alive, while the melodious rush of a waterfall echoed between towering stone pillars. A shimmering stream of flux coursed through the land, weaving like liquid starlight, its source and end lost at the edges where the sanctuary met the surrounding void.
To the left, a cluster of spirit-grown trees cast dappled shadows over the quiet meditation site, their leaves whispering with unseen voices.
At the heart of the sanctuary, a marble pedestal stood, cradling a softly glowing sphere. It pulsed with ethereal light, mirroring the new ethos, its size—akin to a wagon wheel. Suspended within, a newborn figure floated, delicate wings unfurled at his sides, rising and falling with each silent breath.
A fractured, neural network-like pattern pulsed on the infant’s forehead, as though memories and consciousness were still knitting themselves together. On his chest, a luminous purple star flickered, its light steady yet filled with untapped potential.
Between the leaves and beyond the pedestal, shadowy figures loomed, their forms shifting between mist and sorrow, flickering at the edge of existence. They stood silent, their presence neither overwhelming nor insignificant—nearly a hundred, lingering on the threshold, ready to dissolve at a moment’s notice.
A golden throne, laced with red cashmere, materialized from Eden's will. Comfortable yet imposing, it welcomed him as he sank into its embrace. His gaze drifted, lost in thought, as he observed the motionless shadowy figures before him.
“You’re free to roam this place,” Eden said with a steady voice. “But don’t touch anything. Otherwise, I’ll send you back to the Underworld.”
As if waiting for those words, the damned spirits erupted into madness. Their screams shattered the tranquil air as they spiraled into a frenzy—clawing, shrieking, writhing in violent chaos. The once-peaceful garden trembled beneath their flux.
A glass of red wine appeared in Eden’s hand. He swirled the liquid absently before taking a sip. It had no taste, no scent—it was just an illusion, like so much else in this world. Yet, he continued to drink, unbothered, watching the storm of shadows tear through his sanctuary.
“Asking me to allocate my points, as if it matters…” He exhaled, crushing the glass between his fingers. The shards never reached the ground, dissolving into nothingness. His voice dropped, almost a whisper. “Have you forgotten what I am? What you made me become?”
“Every being—spirit, god, planet, or mortal—has a breaking point. And when they reach it, they stand at the crossroads of origin and chaos.” Eden lifted his arms slightly, gesturing toward the spirits gathering around him. “Through that breaking point, they can reforge themselves into something new—reborn through fire and will. Or they can fall, consumed by chaos, lost in the endless maze of their fragmented selves. So many pieces that, when stitched together, they no longer know where they begin or end.”
He paused, eyes narrowing.
“But then… there’s your path. You are neither whole nor entirely broken. You exist in between. Spirits shackled by the weight of your own actions, bound by the chains of negativity. To escape, you need something greater than regret. Tremendous desire. The knowledge of how to wield it. And for what.” His tone darkened. “That is why the Underworld was created. Not as a prison, but as a crucible—for spirits like you to repent, to cleanse.”
A sigh.
“But without your full commitment, the process takes time. And without the positive energy of the living, you lack the strength to awaken. You remain trapped in there—pathetic remnants of what you once were.”
The shadowy figures stilled. Their frenzy faded into eerie silence. As if, in some distant corner of their lost consciousness, they understood.
“But unlike you,” Eden continued, “when I reached my breaking point, I didn’t hesitate. I threw myself into chaos, headfirst. I refused to be chained by morality, remorse, hate, or anything that could bind me. I craved for something greater.”
He rose to his feet, fist striking his chest.
“What I was willing to do for freedom, none of you even dared to consider. You were afraid. Afraid to change. Afraid to lose yourselves in the process. You let your egos trap you in life, and now your fear chains you in death.”
This time, no throne appeared. No illusion of comfort. Eden sat on the ground, his fingers brushing against something that hadn’t been there moments ago—a picture. Or rather, a fragment of memory materialized into form.
He stared at it.
His grandmother. His mother. His little brother. And behind them, Elly—his girlfriend.
A bitter smile touched his lips.
“I lost myself on the road,” he murmured. “Because what good was it to remain who I was… if I had nothing left to exist for? And now… now I can have anything I want. But I am no longer myself.”
Eden let the fragment of memory slip from his fingers, watching it dissolve into nothingness. Then, in a burst of anger, he extended his arm. A sudden pull of force seized one of the wandering spirits, yanking it into his grasp.
“Do you know what I can do?”
The spirit trembled, its form flickering at the edges as if ready to unravel—preferring dissolution over answering.
Eden’s grip tightened.
“I can materialize anything I imagine into the physical world. I have the potential to learn and master any technique known to existence… and beyond. I can tap into the very source of creation itself, reshaping reality as I see fit. Even if I can't fully wield that power yet, one day, I will.”
His voice lowered, turning almost introspective.
“Because that’s what I gained when I reached the depths of my being in that breaking moment.” A pause. “But do you know what I lost?”
The spirit remained silent.
Eden’s patience snapped.
“Answer me!” he roared.
The damned soul quivered violently, but still, no response came.
“Oh… right.” A cold chuckle escaped Eden's lips. “You can’t. I forgot you lost that ability.” He released the spirit, watching it drift back among the others.
“Well, I lost my identity. My self. My persona. Every trait that made me who I was. Technically, I still have them—but I have no control over them. I can do, learn, and become anything… except the one thing that matters most.” His jaw clenched. “Myself.”
A sigh. Then, shaking off the lingering bitterness, 'The Found' took control—shifting the personality in charge of the body.
“Anyway. The customization…”
Open Customization Panel.
A translucent interface materialized before him.
[ Character Customization ]
Points: 9
- Head
- Neck
- Upper Limbs
- Torso
- Lower Limbs
This was a rare feature of the system, only accessible at specific milestones in an entity’s evolution. Through it, one could reshape not only their physical form but also the form of their spiritual being.
Of course, there were limits. Even with enough points, certain modifications remained locked until the required level of evolution was reached.
Eden scrolled through the options.
Arm. Appearance. Hair. Found it.
Color? Doesn’t matter. Thickness? Who cares. Length? That’s it.
Almighty ‘minus’—make it shorter. Eden made the selection.
He then examined his body through the system’s projection and gave a satisfied nod.
[ Cost: 1 Point ]
[ Accept ]
One down. Next, he made the same adjustments for his legs, back, neck, and—most importantly—his crotch. There was no way he was dealing with an overgrown forest in those areas.
The total cost? Five points.
He could have spent them on muscle definition or even changed his skin tone—but that wasn’t necessary. Muscles could be built. Skin could be kissed by the sun.
That left him with four points.
And, naturally, there was only one place to allocate them. A choice most men would make without hesitation.
Two points in length. Two in girth.
It wasn’t a drastic change. But it was an improvement. And that was all that mattered.
A notification chimed.
[ 05:00 ]
The system’s voice echoed in Eden's mind.
I realized I only had five minutes remaining. I needed to finish quickly.
Open Stats!
Soulmancer Attributes:
Points Available: 127
Mental Aspect:
- Cognition:
- Perception:
- Willpower:
- Creativity:
- Identity:
Physical Aspect:
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
- Speed:
- Strength:
- Dexterity:
- Endurance:
- Adaptability:
Spiritual Aspect:
- Spiritual Potency:
- Authority:
- Awareness:
- Control:
- Flux:
Alright, let's see...
First, I need at least 10 Spiritual Potency to safely use Astral Projection and improve Awareness to avoid getting lost there.
- Spiritual Potency: [+ 10]
- Divine Authority: [+ 10]
- Awareness: [+ 10]
- Control: [+ 10]
- Flux: [+ 7]
Next, I require at least 10 Willpower for Telekinesis and 15 Cognition to unlock the secrets of the Akasha Library.
- Cognition: [+ 15]
- Perception: [+ 10]
- Willpower: [+ 10]
- Creativity: [+ 5]
- Identity: [+ 5]
For physical stats, I have to bolster everything since I need combat power and defense.
- Speed: [+ 10]
- Strength: [+ 10]
- Dexterity: [+ 5]
- Endurance: [+ 5]
- Adaptability: [+5 ]
That’s more to my taste. Let’s hope there’s nothing poisonous in this trial, or my flimsy Endurance won’t keep up.
Activate Profile!
[ Loading Ethos’s Current Life Profile... ]
Profile: BD-37029
- Name (Current Life): Eden del Richo
- Age: 16
- Fragment: Broken Control
- Job: Hollow Seraph
- Race: Human - Virean
- Class: Soulmancer
- Combat Rank: C
Ethos:
- Rank: Sky 2
- Element/Concept Mastery: Mind, Spirit
Sky 1: +10% Energy Absorption from the environment.
Sky 2: Passive skill that increases stamina and flux regeneration by 5%.
STATUS EFFECT: Shattered Consciousness → Split Personalities
Mental:
- Cognition: 15
- Perception: 10
- Willpower: 10
- Creativity: 5
- Identity: 5
Physical:
- Speed: 10
- Strength: 10
- Dexterity: 5
- Endurance: 5
- Adaptability: 5
Spiritual:
- Spiritual Potency: 10
- Divine Authority: 10
- Awareness: 10
- Control: 10
- Flux: 7
- Whispers of the Forgotten (Tier 1):
Grants the ability to perceive ethereal entities, lost memories, and secret knowledge.
Effect: +10% to all perception-based stats
- 8 in 1 (Curse): Random shift between eight personalities — The Madman, The Ruler, The Sage, The Warrior, The Healer, The Lover, The Found, The Lost
- Stamina and Flux regeneration + 5%
Mental:
- Telepathy
- Telekinesis
- Mind Games
Spiritual:
- Astral projection
- Spirit Manipulation
- Ethereal Vision
Physical/Flux:
- Energy Blade
- Burst
- Three Shades: Sword Technique
- Ivra Norde: Close Combat Style
- Luxeus Shooting Style: Dual Pistols
- Tiger's Bite
Job Abilities:
- Abyssal Chains
- Eternal Pursuit
- Hollow Gaze
- The Devouring Silence
- Karmic score
- Rahaeta-Gate of the Underworld
Curse Abilities:
- Personality based distribution of points
- Personality Based abilities
- Random Personality Shift
Hmmm, haaaaa. Hmmm, haaaa. Soo refreshing…
Calm mind, calm spirit. Calm mind, calm spirit.
1 minute remaining…
Fuck it. Just take me already. You know the suspense is killing me.
[ Preparation for teleportation… ]
[ Scanning subject… ]
[ Another entity detected — Vex. ]
[ Multiple unnamed entities detected. ]
[ Species: Damned Spirits ]
Notice: The subject must complete the trial independently. Outside assistance is not permitted.
All entities will be forced to remain behind.
"Patron," Vex called to me, his voice steady despite the inevitable separation.
But I was powerless. What was I supposed to do against a system capable of deciding my fate before I could even process it?
We can at least be grateful for one thing: we still have free will. For better or worse, the system isn’t entirely against us. If anything, its goal is to push us to evolve. Though the same can’t be said for those who exploit the system—beings from other worlds who use it as a tool to rob, enslave, and conquer.
All in the name of "evolution."
10 seconds remaining, 9…
"Vex, my dear friend—see you soon."
8—I took a deep breath. 7—Placed my hands behind my head. 6, 5, 4—Relaxed. 3, 2…
"TAKE IT EASY ON ME!"
1.
[ Destination: World Fragment Saria ]
[ Protocol: Core Examination ]
[ Sequence: 09-MO ]
I barely had time to adjust before the world shifted violently around me. My feet nearly gave out as the terrain beneath me solidified.
"What is this?" I murmured, lowering my stance, steadying my breath, ready for whatever came next.