Daniel had just leveled up. It seemed like a little victory, but it mattered in the desperate war he was fighting.
Each monster he cut down got him a step closer to getting the power he needed to rescue his younger sister from those who had kidnapped her and rescue his mother from the stronghold of slavery.
The Academy uniform he wore was ripped open in several places. Its fabric has been hardened with dried stains and darkened by the blood of his enemies.
He sat on a stone, properly placed at the base of a giant tree whose old branches stretched out, reaching towards the sky.
Every single muscle in his body hurt so badly, the fatigue of his countless, never-ending encounters, settling deep in his bones.
He was hurt, hungry and above all, exhausted.
Daniel closed his eyes firmly, allowing the harsh reality of his present world to fade away, as he held tight to the only memory that still gave him comfort.
First, the memory of his mother's comforting embrace while she cooked soup in the kitchen appeared in his mind.
The small kitchen became filled with the delicious soup scents of herbs and her loving presence during that moment.
Her perfect dentition made her smile even warm and perfect.
A new vision appeared before him which brought the same amount of joy as the previous one showed his younger sister.
The house became their playground as they created disturbances for their neighbors while spending holiday afternoons watching movies and playing games in the sitting room.
The memories of his past life became his most precious possessions because he would sacrifice everything to retrieve them.
A loud alarm from his Nexus interface interrupted the quietness of the vast clearing . The past disappeared instantly when he sat up and touched his face with his palm.
A blue translucent display appeared from his Nexus interface, in front of him. This was no ordinary notification, as it doesn't resemble his typical system alerts.
The message delivered a heavy feeling that made his body shiver with fear.
[Universal Imbalance Detected]
A voice without emotional tone spoke directly to his mind instead of using his hearing. The voice delivered its message with complete detachment from all feelings.
[Primary Mandate Violation: You have created a cosmic debt. The scales are broken. The universe demands equilibrium through balance restoration.
Daniel's blood ran cold immediately. The Primary Mandate?
Back at the Academy, he had been taught some fundamental laws of the universe. They bounced of his mind like waves crashing against a cliff.
"Fuck it! Laws don't win fights against Monsters". He had said.
Now, it looked like he was about to get a crash course.
"What… what did I do?" he whispered, his tired voice a growing sense of dread.
[A debt of life has been incurred. Only death can pay for life.]
The words lingered in the air, and even though he didn't fully understand them, they still sent a chill through him.
Before he could even process the terrifying verdict, the Nexus interface flashed and two options appeared, both staring at him with the same cold indifference.
[Option One: Power Nullification. All levels, all abilities, all skills acquired since stepping into the Portal will be stripped. You will be returned to the state of a Level 0 human.]
Daniel's heart skipped a beat. A Level 0 again? Helpless, powerless, just another face in the crowd of the oppressed? That would be a fate worse than death!
Going back to level 0 would be the end of everything he was fighting for, and the hope to reunite his family someday would be totally lost. His strength wasn't just something he possessed, it was what defined him.
Losing his strength would feel like losing himself.
The interface flashed, drawing his attention to the other option, a choice that seemed to offer a little bit of hope in the whole chaos.
[Option Two: Face the Trials of Redemption. Seven trials to restore the balance you have destroyed.]
A spark of courage lit up inside him. A trial means a chance to fight, to prove himself, to make up for a sin he didn't even know he'd committed. But as he read the rest of the text, that spark almost died.
[Warning: The Trials of Redemption are designed to test beings far above your current level.
Each trial is considered Impossible. Survival is not a guaranteed outcome. Failure at any stage will result in a fate even worse than Option One.]
Fear wrapped its claws around his heart as the word 'impossible' resonated in his mind.
According to this System's cold logic, he was going to fail. It was a crazy game where the odds were so against him that even trying seemed insane.
It was never meant to be a choice, it was simply a death sentence in disguise.
Suddenly, a wave of unyielding rage rose up within him, burning the grip of fear he held.
He had given up everything for the power he now held. From the very bottom, he found his way up, spending every waking moment to get strong enough to reunite his family.
And of a sudden, the System was threatening to take it all away, to throw him back to the very beginning or even a fate was than that, one he couldn't even imagine.
He wouldn't let it happen. Daniel clenched his hands into tight fists, veins popping out in his arms.
He got up on his feet, his tired body aching, but his spirit burned with unyielding determination.
No! He would not give up without a fight, if not for himself but for the sake of his family.
"I accept the trials," he roared, his voice a mix of grit and determination that surprised even himself.
The Nexus interface pulsed, then the two options faded, leaving just one final message
The System spoke one last time in a deep baritone, slow, calm, and completely void of any emotion.
[So be it. The First Trial begins now.]