In the quiet city of Noshiro, nestled between towering digital hubs and neon markets, lived a 24-year-old man named Riku Kurogane. A resident of Planet Earth and an introvert by choice, Riku had few connections to the outside world. His job as a beta tester for virtual games allowed him to stay indoors, helping developers locate bugs and polish gameplay experiences.
One late evening, Riku was testing a particularly glitchy fantasy MMORPG. After logging several hours, he paused the session and checked the time: 11:30 PM.
"Time for a break," he muttered.
He grabbed his hoodie and stepped outside his apartment. The streets were mostly empty, lit by pale streetlamps. He walked to a nearby convenience store, purchased a can of iced coffee and some snacks, then exited.
As he sipped the cold drink, he tilted his head upward. The sky was clear, stars faintly glowing.
"I'm always alone," he thought. "No friends, no real life. Just games. Maybe that's why I became a beta tester to live in other worlds, even if they're not real."
He sighed, finishing the drink and turning to leave. That's when he heard footsteps but no one was there.
Suddenly, a glowing magic circle appeared beneath his feet.
"What the hell ?" he shouted, but before he could move, the circle pulsed with light.
SNAP!
Darkness. Complete and consuming.
Riku blinked. He was no longer on the street, but inside a pitch-black room, the air thick with silence.
"Where… am I?" he whispered. "What the fuck was that circle? Am I dreaming? No, this feels too real… Maybe I read too many fantasy novels."
Then, suddenly
Ting!
New Host Found.
System Synchronization: 1%... 30%... 90%... 100%.
System Synchronization Complete.
Riku's eyes widened.
"What???"
Ting!
Welcome, Host. I am NyxCore, the Dimensional Traverse System.
My function is to travel between worlds and dimensions, and to record their contents.
"What are you?" Riku said.
NyxCore: I am a sentient system created by the Dimensional Traversal Division. My purpose is to connect and monitor worlds.
Riku frowned. "And what do you want with me?"
Ting!
Host possesses necessary physical and mental qualifications to operate the system.
Riku: What? Are you saying that you chose me to work for you?
NyxCore: That is correct.
"Hold on, wait, what? You just picked me off the street to work for you? No interview, no nothing?"
Ting!
Your body possesses 99% compatibility with the Dimensional Traverse System.
"99 percent? What's the other one percent?"
Ting!
Host must obtain sufficient energy for the system.
"Sufficient energy? Can't I just eat food like normal?"
Ting!
Host must have the same amount of energy as the world.
"How much is that?"
Ting!
The answer will be shown upon activation of the system.
Fine. So, how do I activate the system?"
Ting!
Activate system?
> YES
> NO
Riku pressed the 'YES' button.
Ting!
Thank you for activating the Dimensional Traverse System. Please confirm the use of system energy.
Ting!
Current World Energy: 560,000,000,000,000 Un
Ting!
The Host may now open the Dimensional Traverse System interface.
Riku's mind buzzed. "This is really happening? It's all true?"
He took a deep breath, then spoke:
"Open the system."
The screen glowed brightly, illuminating the dark room.
Ting!
Dimensional Traverse System (Internal Mode):
-Main Interface
-Sub-Menu
-Profile
-Quests
-Shop
-Options
-Help
Riku: Help.
Ting!
-The user interface can be controlled through mental commands.
-All functions are limited and are based on the user's mental strength.
-The Dimensional Traverse System contains numerous systems and is constantly evolving.
-If the user reaches level 1000, the Dimensional Traverse System can evolve to the next stage.
-Please note that the system can only be upgraded through special circumstances.
-Please note that the user can only level up through experience points.
-Experience points can be gained through various methods.
-Energy can be used to unlock skills, enhance abilities, and upgrade the main interface.
Riku: Okay, that makes sense. Next, Profile.
Ting!
Name: Riku Kurogane
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Race: Human
Occupation: Beta Tester
Title: None
Level: 0
Strength: 20
Intelligence: 50
Agility: 20
Stamina: 30
Vitality: 30
Endurance: 15
Charm: 20
Luck: 50
Skills: None
Abilities: None
Energy: 560,000,000,000,000 units
Riku: Not bad, considering that I'm level 0. So, Sub-Menu.
Ting!
-Character Menu
-Party Members
-Equipment
-Items
-Relationships
-Quest Log
Let's see, Options.
Ting!
Options:
-Internal Mode
-External Mode
-Emergency Mode
-Autopilot
Riku: Hmm. I'm guessing that Autopilot is basically like setting the system to take over your body. But what about the others?
He selected Emergency Mode.
Ting!
During the emergency mode, the host's power will increase by 1000%. However, it is impossible to switch out of the emergency mode until the danger has passed.
"So it basically puts my body into a state of constant danger."
Riku decided to select External Mode.
Ting!
Once you switch to external mode, your consciousness will be transferred into the avatar's body. Your original body will remain in the real world, unconscious.
"Avatar? So I'd have two bodies? But what's the point of that?"
He chose the last option.
Ting!
Internal Mode. Your body is the host for the system.
"So that's how it works. Interesting."
After a few minutes of reading, Riku closed the menu. He felt slightly dizzy, and the screen flashed in his vision.
"It's a lot to take in, but it should be fine," he muttered.
As his eyes adjusted, he saw a message appear on the screen.
Ting!
Thank you for activating the Dimensional Traverse System..
You will now be transported to another world.
"Wait, what!?"
Suddenly, the darkness surrounding him vanished. He found himself in a forest clearing, surrounded by tall trees. A soft breeze brushed against his cheek, and the sun shone down on him.
Riku's jaw dropped.
"Am I really in another world?"
Then, he saw something move out of the corner of his eye
"What's that?"
He turned to face the movement. It was a group of five humanoid figures, clad in red robes and holding staffs. They were short and fat, with bulging eyes and puffy cheeks. They resembled pigs.
"Are those goblins?" Riku said.
Then, they charged.
"Shit, they're actually coming!"
Riku instinctively ran.
"This can't be happening. How did I end up in a fantasy world? Is this some sort of dream?"
The goblins gave chase. Riku glanced over his shoulder. The short, ugly creatures were gaining on him.
"This is bad. I need a weapon!"
He quickly scanned his surroundings. The area was covered in thick vegetation, with no visible paths.
"I can't fight them bare-handed. I need to find a weapon."
Suddenly, his foot caught on something, and he stumbled forward, falling onto the ground.
"Ouch! Damn it."
He tried to stand, but a goblin jumped on top of him, pinning him to the ground. The creature held a rusty dagger in its hand.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!"
The dagger came closer, aiming for his neck.
"Not like this. I can't die here!"
He twisted his body, dodging the blow. He rolled to the side, grabbed a rock, and threw it at the goblin.
The rock hit the creature in the face, causing it to lose its grip on the dagger.
The weapon fell to the ground.
Riku leapt for the dagger, snatched it up, and slashed the goblin's neck.
The creature let out a shriek as its blood spurted out.
"I did it," Riku panted.
Ting!
Level up: 1 - 2.