[Earth, 2099]
*BOOM*
Another bomb was dropped on the tattered city of Newtropolis. The soldiers within ran getting behind cover trying to get the location of their enemy.
"WHERE ARE THOSE CLANKERS DROPPING BOMBS FROM?!" Sgt. Man yelled at his troop. A woman with a tablet that displayed multiple red squares spoke up.
"Sir! They are 3 clicks northeast! I won't advise charging in as they have Heavy and Mech troops deployed!" The woman yelled and she was slapped by her sergeant.
"We will fight soldier! We are the last resistance! Our mission is to eliminate their fabricator so that our men can advance! We will follow through with that mission even if it means all of us will die, understood?!" He yelled in her face. She had tears forming in the corners of her eyes but she saluted.
"YESSIR!" After that, Sgt. Man formed a plan. He made ten soldiers distract the automaton compound while the rest of the troop attacked the compound. Their numbers were 21 in total.
"ADVANCCEEEEE!!" He yelled and the plan was put into motion. Ten of the soldiers distracted the compound by unloading their guns aimlessly. Once the compound was focused on eliminating them, Sgt. Man and the rest of his troop moved forward. They charged into the compound and took down every automaton in their way.
"FIRE!" He yelled and a plasma bazooka was fired at a Heavy automaton. It melted a huge hole into it and they continued on until they reached a huge garage. It was steaming and had red lights inside of it, this was the automaton fabricator.
Everything was going well until a dropship appeared above them, carrying hundreds of automatons. Once they landed, they tore through the attacking squad leaving one person alive, the girl from before.
She silently cried as she hid behind the fabricator holding a black football-shaped bomb. She armed it and cried, "I'm sorry Mom and Dad, I didn't come back home. Please forgive me..."
Just as the bomb exploded, time stopped.
[Do you wish to live?]
"W-What?"
[Do you wish to live?]
The girl answered yes and then time resumed. The bomb exploded annihilating the entire compound and creating a mushroom cloud. Everyone who wasn't dead was killed, except the girl holding the bomb.
She was currently floating inside of a black liquid. The liquid seeped into her veins and turned everything it touched black. Her brown hair turned into an inky black, her brown eyes turned black, and her tan skin turned incredibly pale. Her organs turned black, and even her blood became black. The liquid reached deeper and turned her soul black. Once she was transformed, the remaining liquid coalesced into a black dress covering her naked body.
She now laid on the ground for a moment until a red magic circle appeared beneath her and transported her to a forest. Soon she opened her eyes and they widened in surprise.
"I-I'm alive?!" She sat up and looked at her arms, "I'm so pale…and my hair is black now. I guess not dying in that situation came with a tradeoff."
Suddenly the same black screen appeared in her vision.
[Transformation and transportation complete.]
[Welcome to the Ultimate Mage System, host!]
"Ultimate mage system? Is this some sort of high-tech augmented reality?" She asked as she tried to touch the screen.
[No host, this is reality.]
[Please enter a name for your new existence.]
"Wait so I was saved by you? Why did you save me?" She ignored the request and asked her questions desperately.
[I did not save you. The origins of my existence cannot be disclosed at the moment. Know that the person who created me has your best interest in mind.]
[Please enter a name for your new existence.]
"I'll accept that answer for now. A name? I'll just use my old name, Lilith."
[Thank you!]
[Quest: Enter your name. Complete!]
"A quest for my name? Really?" Lilith asked stupefied.
[Quest rewards: One level up or mystery gift box.]
[Which will you choose?]
"I'll take the level up thank you." Lilith said and a red outline glowed on her body.
[Level up!]
[+3 SP!]
"This is really like those video games Dad talked about. Can I see my status?"
[Name: Lilith
HP: 100/100
MP: 100/100
Age: 18
Race: Human
Class: Witch
Level: 1
SP: 3
Stats -
STR - 12
INT - 10
END -10
AGL - 12
PERS - 5
Skills -
[Hex: Curse anything or anyone that isn't immune. The more complex the curse is the more mana it will cost.]
[Decaying Bolt: A powerful bolt of decaying magic. It will only decay those weaker than you.]
[Magic Resistance: Very resistant to most forms of magic and status effects.]
[Curse Immunity: Immune to all curses.]
"This is so cool! Thank you whoever gave me this second chance, I promise I won't squander it!" Lilith clenched her fists in determination.
"Now I wanna test my skills," She looked around for a target and decided on a nearby tree.
"[Decaying Bolt]!" A black magic circle appeared in front of her palm and fired a black bolt of magic. Once it hit the tree it quickly shriveled up and turned into dust.
[MP: 75/100]
"Incredible! That was so quick!" Lilith had a wide grin on her face. Her celebratory mood was quickly washed away as she heard the cackles of a group of creatures behind her. When she turned around, a troop of around 10 goblins was coming her way.
[Emergency Quest: Kill all the goblins or die!]
She clicked her tongue, "My first battle and I've been alive for ten minutes. Bring it on you green weirdos!"
The goblins arrived and a few of them chucked spears at her. Lilith instinctively ducked and caught one of the spears.
"Another opportunity to test my skills! [Hex: Curse of Rot!]" A black magic circle enveloped the spear and made it leak a black miasma.
Lilith wielded the spear with great control. She weaved between the goblins and cut them down with the primitive spear. All those who were cut suddenly felt their skin being eaten alive until they were turned into a clump of goop.
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[+6 SP!]
[Emergefy Quest Complete!]
[Quest rewards: Two level-ups or two mystery boxes.]
"Hmm," Lilith tossed the spear and pondered about her rewards, "Let's do the two mystery boxes!"
[Two mystery boxes received!]
[Would you like to open them?]
"Yes!" At her confirmation, two black boxes appeared in her hands.
[Congratulations! You have received a rare item: Ring of the Shadow King (A)]
[Key of the Underworld received!]
A black key and black ring with a red gem in the middle of it appeared in her hands.
"Do I have an inventory?" Lilith asked and her question was quickly answered by her items vanishing. She smiled and brought the ring out.
"Hey system, what does this letter by the ring mean? I assume that's its rank right?"
[Correct.]
[Item rankings go from E-SSS.]
"Okay, thanks! Is it possible for me to see the stats on this ring?"
[Sure thing.]
[Ring of the Shadow King (A) -
A mysterious ring worn by the previous shadow king. It's said it granted him great magical and evasive abilities.
+20 INT
+10 AGL
[Stealth] skill granted when worn.]
"Neat." Lilith put it on and felt her mana pool grow massively and felt her body get incredibly light.
"While I'm at it, system put three points into INT, STR, and PERS, please."
[Affirmative!]
[-9 SP]
Lilith felt her hearing and sight get slightly better along with her muscles becoming tighter. She clenched her fists and smiled, "Alright! I've made big gains and I've only been alive again for less than an hour!"
"Hey, system, where exactly am I? I got so wrapped in everything else I forgot to ask where I was."
[You're in a C-rank dungeon located in the Solo Leveling universe.]
"Solo Leveling? I think I've heard of that before, my dad had a few copies of the books. I guess even fictional universe exists huh?" Lilith shrugged her shoulders and walked in a random direction.
"So, to leave this place I'm assuming I have to kill the boss right?"
[Correct!]
"Alright!" Lilith began picking up the pace and soon she found a small village full of goblins. She looked down upon them from a tree and a smile spread across her face.
"Exp." Lilith jumped out of the tree and hit the first goblin she saw with a [Decaying Bolt] killing him instantly. She then picked up his spear and used [Hex: Curse of Rot] to imbue it with rot magic.
"KRAAAAHHH!!" A bigger tan goblin roared at her. She felt a wave of magic wash over her and it almost made her stop in fear until her passive skill [Magic Resistance] kicked in.
"That guy must be the leader of these little rats," Lilith smiled. She dodged a spear and slit the goblin's throat. She killed her way through the village until she was standing before the tan goblin.
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[+6 SP!]
The tan goblin stood over her a bit and stared her down. He was wielding a giant stone sword and he swung it with all of his might. Lilith easily dodged it and threw her cursed spear at him. He was quickly turned into a pile of goop along with the rest of his village.
[Level up!]
[+3 SP!]
"Delightful!" Lilith looked at the carnage and felt a sense of joy envelope her, as if this was her true calling.