William Carter was led from his cell by an officer and escorted outside, where a van and a swarm of reporters awaited him. One reporter lunged forward. "Is it true? Did you really trigger the collapse that slaughtered three million people? How could you do such a thing?" He finished speaking and stared at William with a mix of curiosity and a visible shudder.
Instead of an answer, William simply smiled.
Another, older reporter approached with a simpler query. "Mr. Carter. Do you feel regret for what you did?"
William regarded the man with the clinical detachment one might reserve for a laboratory primate. Being a well-educated scientist, however, he chose to answer.
"No! Everything I did was for the evolution of humanity. The HHA-225 experiment was on the verge of changing the world." William's eyes shone with a manic light. "But the experiment was stopped by traitors who reported a master plan as a crazy whim—inferiors who surrendered to the delusions of 'conscience.'"
Instead of applause, he was met with a wall of disgust.
Before another question could be lobbed, officers shoved him into the black van. Two police officers climbed in after him, their gazes heavy, hands tight on their weapons. As the vehicle sped toward the courthouse, William remained preternaturally calm. Why should he worry about a life sentence? He had already achieved everything he set out to do. The "unintelligent monkeys" had stopped the experiment, but they couldn't undo his personal triumphs.
One of the policemen, Jackson, bristled at the criminal's smirk. William observed the man's tightening jaw, laughing internally. 'It is fascinating to witness the neural system transmit such predictable impulses to the facial muscles'
William opened his mouth to speak, but the vehicle shook violently. The asphalt groaned and tore like parchment. The heavy prison van wasn't just shaking; it was tossed like a toy by a giant hand. It was clear that this was an earthquake of a magnitude the world had never seen.
The driver slammed on the brakes, muttering about something "rising from the ground to the clouds." Jackson and his partner kicked the doors open, dragging William out into the chaos.
William looked around with a rare flash of shock. His green eyes scanned the fleeing crowds and the half-destroyed buildings. He ignored the cries for help from those trapped in the rubble; his attention was fixed on a colossal tower made of black shadows. It reached into the heavens, an apocalyptic monument that had appeared from nowhere.
A purple light materialized just thirty centimeters from William's face. Symbols formed within the glow. William's heart hammered—a surge of pure euphoria. He forced himself to stay analytical as he read.
[You have been given the choice to enter the Shadow Tower. Would you like to become an adventurer of the Tower of Shadow? Yes/No]
I don't know what this phenomenon is, William thought, his hand rising toward the 'Yes' prompt, but it is an opportunity to transcend the limited resources of this planet.
Nearby, Jackson and the other officer had already forgotten their prisoner, rushing to pull a civilian from the debris. When Jackson finally turned back, he saw William staring into space with an expression of manic happiness. William raised his handcuffed hands and pressed a finger against the empty air. A blinding white light enveloped him. When it faded, only the empty handcuffs clattered to the cracked pavement.
William opened his eyes. The chaos of the city was gone, replaced by a vast, endless white room. A large mirror stood four meters away.
[In order to pass to the next stage, you must first change your appearance for your avatar. Touch your reflection and imagine your perfect appearance.]
"This civilization... if I use the Kardashev scale, is theoretically Type II," William whispered, his scientific mind reeling. He touched the glass. He saw no reason to alter his facial features; his current vessel was efficient enough. However, he imagined a slight shift. His short blond hair turned a stark, snowy white, and his green eyes shifted to a piercing, light blue.
He stepped back and admired his "fantasy novel" aesthetic. Immediately, multiple purple panels flooded his vision.
[Scanning adventurer William Carter... 100%. Information gathered. Karma calculated.]
[You have 3,000,000 Evil Karmic Points and 50 Good Karmic Points.]
[Because the adventurer has surpassed 300 Evil Karmic Points, Superior, Supreme, and Exclusive rank skills have been restricted. Your ten skill slots have been reduced to seven. As compensation, you may choose four skills from your personal window.]
William analyzed the list with clinical fascination. He greedily craved this unknown knowledge, but suppressed the desire with his well-trained will. After a moment of calculation, he pressed four options.
[Congratulations. You have chosen your four personal skills: True Seeker Eye, Evolution, Paradox Time, Fast Mastery.]
[Additional Bonus: Because you are the first adventurer of humanity to enter, you have gained the skill: "Mind Link".]
"Oh my. What a bonus," William murmured. The white room dissolved. He was suddenly standing in an open field, feeling the brush of green grass against his ankles and the warmth of a foreign sun on his skin.
[Welcome to the tutorial, Player William Carter. Finish the Main Quest to move to the next floor.]
◇ Main Quest: Eliminate 50 Shadow Slimes ◇
Progress: 0/50
Reward: Weapon Choice Box
Truly fascinating, William thought, his face contorting into a grin of pure excitement. This system provides the illusion of choice to mask its cruelty, using the dopamine of a fantasy world to bypass one's survival instincts.