NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: 2
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In the depths of darkness, a small soul floated aimlessly, unsure of where it was headed. There was nothing in this place but infinite emptiness.
Suddenly, fluctuations of energy occurred within this soul, and it opened its eyes.
"Huh? Where am I?" Ethan woke up from his unconsciousness to find himself in this desolate place. He looked around but saw nothing but darkness.
"Am I dead?" he asked, expecting someone to answer, but no response came. Ethan thought about his situation, and the only explanation that came to his mind, being an avid novel reader, was:
"Was my soul pulled into this place to be reincarnated after my death?"
With this thought, a feeling of excitement and anticipation overwhelmed his heart. Like any seasoned web novel reader, he confidently said, "System."
He waited for the expected response, but it was delayed.
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"Hello, System, are you here?" But, like the previous attempt, no response came. Silence filled the void.
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However, Ethan didn't give up easily. Time passed, and Ethan tried every method he knew. He was on the verge of going insane, alone in this endless void. Silence dominated the place. Ethan, who had spent an unknown amount of time here, struggled to keep his sanity. Numerous questions flooded his mind: 'Where am I? What is this place? Where is my system?' Time passed, and he remained stuck in the same cycle of questions.
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After an unknown amount of time, Ethan was almost driven mad by loneliness. He closed his eyes and immersed himself in his imagination, picturing how his life would be with his system. He lived out adventures in his mind.
Without realizing it, in the dark void, a bright light ignited out of nowhere near him. Ethan opened his eyes and was greeted by an interface he had dreamed of his entire life.
]
- Name: Ethan Riddle
- Race: Human
- Innate Talent: Creation (Click for more)
]
"System!" Ethan shouted excitedly. He looked at the simple interface that had appeared before him, surprised by the lack of information. He thought about closing it, and it disappeared. Then he thought about opening it, and it reappeared. Ethan felt happiness. He thought he might be hallucinating, but now it was time to get the answers he wanted.
"System, where am I currently?" Ethan asked, then silence filled the void.
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"System?" He didn't get the expected response. Ethan was disappointed, thinking he might be hallucinating due to his excessive thoughts about the system. He checked the system interface again, and to his relief, it wasn't an illusion—it was real. He fell into deep thought as he looked at the system interface. He turned his attention to the innate talent: Creation?
He clicked on (Show more).
]
Creation:
You can create anything you desire, whether real or born from your imagination, without any imposed limits. You are only bound by your imagination and the amount of energy you possess.
[
Ethan looked at the information. Despite the few words, it provided a lot of insight. He pondered over the information carefully.
"Doesn't this mean that I created the system?!" Ethan thought for a moment, then said, "The system appeared after I imagined its existence. Well, there's only one way to find out if this is true." Ethan closed his eyes and imagined himself talking and interacting with the system. He opened his eyes and said, "System."
[How may I assist you, sir?]
"It worked!" Ethan felt overwhelming joy.
He began asking questions, "System, where am I?"
[You are inside your mental realm, sir.]
"So, I'm not dead?"
[You are still alive, sir.]
Ethan felt relieved at the thought of not being dead, then continued with his questions.
"What does this realm represent, and what is its purpose?"
[It represents the energy storage area within a living being... and also represents the limits of the being's potential.]
Ethan thought about the information, then continued questioning.
"So, do I have no energy?" Ethan looked at the endless void around him and said.
[On the contrary, sir, you possess a vast amount of energy as a creator. However, it is scattered throughout your field. You need to think about gathering it.]
Ethan did as the system suggested and watched as a glowing blue sphere appeared before him, growing rapidly. It continued to grow until its radius reached a meter, then stopped.
Ethan was amazed by the amount of energy he had. After a few moments of contemplation, he continued with his questions.
"System, you said the field also represents the limits of the being. So, what are my limits?"
[Sir, your field has no limits. It is an endless void with no beginning or end.]
Ethan was stunned by the system's answer, then felt a surge of euphoria. This meant he could do anything he wanted. Then he arrived at the crucial question.
"System, how do I leave this place?"
[Think about leaving, and you will leave, sir.]
Ethan did as the system instructed, then felt himself fading away.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes to find himself lying on a hospital bed, bandaged all over, with his leg suspended on a sling. Ethan looked around and saw a girl sleeping to his right, her eyes red—clearly, she had been crying. It was none other than my beloved sister, Olivia.
I placed my hand on her head, and she woke up, looked at me, then hugged me and cried. "I thought you were going to die, you idiot! Why do you put yourself in dangerous situations, you fool? If you die, what will happen to me without you?"
~Ah, she continued to cry and sob on my chest. I patted her back to comfort her, and after a few minutes, she stopped crying and wiped her tears while looking at me. Then I asked her,
"What happened after I passed out?"
She answered in a weak voice, "I don't know what happened. The hospital called me and told me you were in an accident resulting from a fight. I rushed here to find you unconscious. It's been two days since then."
I thought for a moment before replying, "Well, it doesn't matter. I'm here now, so don't be afraid. I'm still with you."
We continued talking for a few minutes before the nurse came in to check on me. She was surprised that I had recovered so quickly—even the stab wound had left only a small scar. Then I asked her if I could leave now, and she replied that she needed to consult the doctor. She left the room and returned after fifteen minutes with the approval.
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Outside the hospital, night had already fallen. I hired a car, and Olivia and I went home. She dragged me into my room and left, claiming she would prepare food for me.
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I lay on the bed, then said in my mind, 'System.'
[At your service, sir.]
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