Klein's consciousness fragmented, scattered across dimensions like light through a prism. He experienced the sensation of existing everywhere and nowhere simultaneously—stretched across infinite space while compressed to a singular point. Colors that had no names. Sounds that predated language. The fundamental hum of reality itself.
Then, abruptly, he was… somewhere.
Not quite anywhere, but no longer nowhere. A space of perfect gray—neither light nor dark, neither empty nor full. It reminded Klein of thick fog on a Manila morning, except instead of obscuring vision, it seemed to sharpen his awareness.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Transportation complete. Welcome to the Liminal Space, the configuration interface.]
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Initiating post-transit diagnostic... Status: Stable. Emotional Dampening: Optimal.]
I'm okay, Klein thought, the assessment automatic. Disoriented, but functional.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Confirmed. Now, let's talk about your new life. You're being sent to one of the abandoned worlds—specifically, Tertius, the third world God created.]
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: It's a high-threat environment. Magic exists, monsters roam, and the laws of physics are... flexible.]
Flexible how?
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Reality in Tertius responds to will, belief, and accumulated power. The hail system works because these gifts provide a framework for souls to interact with that malleable reality.]
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: One important note about your new form—you'll have a bio-spiritual vessel that perfectly mimics biological function. You'll need food, water, and rest. You can feel pain, pleasure, and everything in between. Think of it as your original body, just in a different reality with different rules.]
Klein absorbed this. So I'm not just a spirit?
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Correct. The abandoned worlds require physical presence. You're as real there as you were in Manila. Which means you can die just as permanently.]
And my hail does what exactly?
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: We'll get there. First, let's address the immediate concern: your physical form. In your previous life, you died at age 24. Your body was malnourished, exhausted, and frankly, not optimized for survival. Would you like to:]
[Option 1: Restore your original body to peak human condition (age 24, optimized health)]
[Option 2: Customize a new body (within human parameters)]
[Option 3: Wait for race selection before deciding]
Klein considered. His old body, even at peak condition, hadn't been particularly impressive. He'd been thin, average height, nothing special. But there was a comfort in familiarity…
Option 3. I want to understand my race options first.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Acknowledged. Calculating available races based on your Neutral status...]
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Standard races available:]
Elf: High magical affinity, enhanced perception, natural archery talent. Weakness: Physical fragility, vulnerability to iron.
Dwarf: Enhanced strength and endurance, affinity for earth/metal magic, master craftsmen. Weakness: Low magical capacity, slow movement.
Beast kin: Animal traits (feline, lupine, avian, etc.), enhanced physical abilities, natural weapon proficiency. Weakness: Susceptible to instinct override during stress.
Undead: Immunity to disease/poison, dark magic affinity, no need for sleep/food. Weakness: Extreme vulnerability to holy magic, sunlight sensitivity.
Demon: High physical and magical power, fire/shadow affinity, intimidation factor. Weakness: Holy magic weakness, social stigma.
Human: Balanced attributes, high adaptability, no specific weaknesses. Weakness: No specific strengths.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Special race unlocked due to Neutral Status:]
[???]: Unique to The Neutral. Classification locked pending authorization.
Klein focused on that last option. What is it?
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Requesting authorization from the Godfather protocol...]
[AUTHORIZATION GRANTED]
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: [???] = Metamorphor]
Metamorphor? I've never heard of that race.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: You wouldn't have. It is the first race—the original, universal blueprint for a soul that existed before God created the specialized ones like Elves and Demons.]
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: When the "good vs. evil" system was put in place, this original blueprint was locked away because it was too adaptable, too balanced to fit into either category.]
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: The Godfather did not design it. His function is to find this locked-away blueprint and grant it to a soul that proves it can handle such perfect balance. That soul is you.]
[RACIAL ABILITIES - Metamorphor:]
Metamorphic Adaptation: Can temporarily copy observed racial traits through understanding. Maximum 3 active adaptations.
Trait Synthesis: Can combine copied traits to create hybrid abilities.
Balanced Existence: No racial weaknesses, but also no inherent racial strengths until traits are copied.
Evolution Path: Grows stronger through understanding rather than pure experience.
This is incredibly powerful, Klein thought, his dampened emotions preventing overexcitement but allowing cautious optimism. What's the catch?
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: The catch is that you start with NOTHING. No special abilities, no racial bonuses, completely baseline. You'll need to observe, understand, and copy traits from other races you encounter.]
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Also, copying traits requires genuine comprehension—you can't just look at an elf and steal their magic. You need to understand HOW their magic works, WHY their physiology enables it.]
So it's a growth-oriented race. Weak at first, potentially powerful later.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Exactly. Analysis of your previous life data indicates extensive experience with structured progression systems and resource management paradigms. This cognitive framework is advantageous.]
Klein considered the alternatives. Elf would give immediate magical power. Demon would provide raw strength. Human was safe but boring. But Metamorphor… it offered something unique. The ability to define himself through understanding rather than being locked into a preset category.
It reminded him of his life in Manila—always adapting, always finding ways to survive with limited resources. Using intelligence and observation rather than inherited advantages. Six years in the call center had been a stranger training ground for this moment than he could have ever imagined.
I choose Metamorphor.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Confirm selection of METAMORPHOR as your race?]
[WARNING: This choice is permanent. You cannot change races after finalization.]
[YES] / [NO]
YES.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Confirmed. Initiating racial transformation...]
Klein felt his consciousness shift, his non-existent body restructuring on a fundamental level. It didn't hurt, but it felt profound—like rewriting source code while the program was running.
[TRANSFORMATION PROGRESS: 15%... 34%... 56%... 78%... 92%... 100%]
[TRANSFORMATION COMPLETE]
[RACIAL STATUS: Metamorphor (Active)]
[TRAIT SLOTS: 0/3 (Empty)]
[EVOLUTION POTENTIAL: Unlimited]
Now what?
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Now we configure your physical appearance. Since you're a Metamorphor, your base form is entirely customizable within humanoid parameters. Height, build, features—all adjustable. However, I'd recommend keeping some connection to your original appearance. It helps maintain identity integrity.]
Klein thought about it. Give me my original face and general build, but optimize for health. Make me look like I would have if I'd never been malnourished. Average height—I don't want to stand out. Build... lean but functional. Not bulky, just capable.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Processing... Complete! You'll be 175cm tall, lean athletic build, optimized human baseline. Your face remains recognizably "you" but healthier. Hair black, eyes dark brown. Basically: what you could have been with better circumstances.]
Perfect.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Configuration logged. Now, let's discuss your Neutral System abilities. As the first balanced soul, you have access to unique functions:]
NEUTRAL SYSTEM ABILITIES:
STATUS SCREEN: View your current condition, traits, and abilities.
EVALUATOR MODE: When faced with choices, analyze probable outcomes and hidden options. This is a passive effect of your "The Evaluator" title.
SYNCHRONIZATION POINTS (SP): Earned through achieving understanding and balance. Used to unlock system functions, enhance traits, and evolve abilities.
[Current SP: 0. Note: Progression initializes from a baseline state. All enhancements must be earned.]
TRAIT LIBRARY: Stores comprehended racial traits for copying. Currently empty.
BALANCE METER: Tracks your spiritual equilibrium. Maintaining balance grants bonuses. Extreme actions may temporarily unbalance you.
Wait, balance meter? So I can lose my Neutral status?
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Not permanently, but yes—you can temporarily unbalance if you commit extreme acts. The system will warn you before you do anything that would cause significant imbalance.]
That's... actually helpful. So I need to act in ways that maintain equilibrium.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Correct. Which doesn't mean being passively neutral about everything. You can take strong actions, make hard choices, even kill when necessary. The key is motivation, consequence, and context. The system evaluates the entire ethical vector, not just the action. Simple choices are clear. The difficult ones... will require your Evaluator trait.]
Klein nodded mentally. It made sense—consequentialist ethics balanced with intentionality. Not that different from how he'd lived in Manila, actually. Making hard choices while trying to stay on the side of... not good or evil, but practical morality.
Understood. What else do I need to know?
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: A few important things:]
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Death is permanent: Unlike some hail systems that grant resurrection abilities, the Neutral System does NOT include revival mechanics. You die, you're dead. Forever.
Pain is real: The abandoned worlds aren't VR simulations. When you get hurt, you HURT. The Neutral trait will keep you from panicking, but it won't dull physical pain.
Magic requires understanding: You can't just wave your hands and cast spells. You need to comprehend the underlying principles. This applies to copied traits too.
The Void Hunters: While they can't perceive the Neutral Zone, they CAN perceive you if you enter their hunting grounds. Stay away from reality fractures, dimensional tears, and anything that feels "wrong" on an existential level.
Other souls: Tertius is being populated with other transported souls—some with divine hails, some with demonic. They'll have their own agendas, abilities, and biases. Your lack of visible hail will confuse them. Use this to your advantage.
That's a lot to process.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: You're handling it remarkably well. The Neutral trait is doing its job. Now, final question before we transport you: starting location preference?]
[LOCATION OPTIONS:]
1. Frontier Village - Small settlement, relatively safe, good for learning basics. Boring.
2. Dungeon Outskirts - Near ancient ruins, dangerous but resource-rich. High risk, high reward.
3. Wildlands - Untamed wilderness, no civilization nearby. Maximum freedom, maximum danger.
4. Random - Let fate decide. Could be anywhere from a peaceful meadow to a dragon's lair.
Klein considered. In his old life, he'd always chosen the safe option because he couldn't afford risks. But this was a new existence, and the Metamorphor race required him to observe and learn from various sources…
Option 2. Dungeon Outskirts. If I'm going to learn and grow, I need access to diverse encounters. Plus, ruins might have information about this world.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Acknowledged. High-risk strategy selected. Note: If a threat exceeds your capacity, tactical withdrawal is the optimal function. Do not mistake calm for invincibility.]
Noted.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: Excellent! Finalizing configuration...]
[CHARACTER CREATION COMPLETE]
[PROFILE SUMMARY:]
Name: Kahiramura Klein
Title: The Evaluator (Unique)
Race: Metamorphor (Unique)
Status: The Neutral (Unique)
Level: 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 100/100
SP: 0
Traits: Neutral (Passive), Evaluator (Passive), Metamorphic Adaptation (Active - 0/3 slots)
[BEGINNING TRANSPORTATION TO TERTIUS - DUNGEON OUTSKIRTS]
[ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: 10 seconds]
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: All systems operational. Prepare for reality integration.]
Your encouragement needs work.
[NEUTRAL SYSTEM: I was programmed for functionality, not optimism. Now hold on—dimensional transit in 3… 2… 1…]
Reality folded.