Luis was halfway through a sad microwave burrito when the air around him ripped apart.
One second, he was in his apartment. The next—
FWOOOM.
—he stood in an endless white void, a towering figure looming before him.
"HOST LUIS MENDOZA," boomed a voice like a collapsing star.
Luis craned his neck. And kept craning.
The being calling itself Forwin stood as tall as a skyscraper, its six wings made of floating geometric shapes rather than feathers. Its face—if it had one—was a shifting mosaic of light.
"WELCOME TO THE ASCENDANT REALM," Forwin intoned. "HERE, YOU WILL CHOOSE."
The void twisted, revealing hundreds of statues arranged in a vast circle. Each depicted a different warrior—some clad in futuristic armor, others wielding archaic weapons, a few not even humanoid. Beneath them, glowing plaques displayed titles:
[DRAGON SLAYER]
[VOID ASSASSIN]
[STORM LORD]
[WILD RIDER]
[SHADOWBREAKER]
Luis's head spun. "What the hell is this?"
Zyx materialized beside him, uncharacteristically quiet. "The Class Selection. Every Host gets one."
Forwin's voice echoed:
"YOUR CHOICE SHAPES YOUR PATH. YOUR PATH SHAPES YOUR POWER. CHOOSE WISELY."
Luis swallowed. "I have to pick now?"
"YOUR TIME IS LIMITED."
Zyx immediately started pointing. "Okay, listen—see that one with the flaming sword? Sunreaver. Perfect for countering Valen's frost crap. Or—ooh! Soulbane Executioner. Nasty debuffs, pairs great with my misfortune schtick. Or—"
Luis ignored him, walking past statues of berserkers and spellblades until—
He stopped.
The statue wasn't impressive. No glowing weapons, no dramatic pose. Just a figure in a grease-stained jacket, tools strapped to its belt, kneeling beside a half-disassembled machine.
[ENGINEER]
Zyx groaned. "Oh come on."
Luis tilted his head. "What's wrong with Engineer?"
"It's a support class, kid! You don't win Battle Royales by building things!"
Forwin's voice thundered:
"DO YOU CHOOSE THE PATH OF THE ENGINEER?"
Luis hesitated. Then, defiantly: "Yes."
The statue moved. Its hand snapped out, seizing Luis's wrist. Blue fire raced up his arm as knowledge flooded his brain—circuit diagrams, structural formulas, the atomic weight of celestial brass—
"CLASS SELECTED."
The void shattered.
Luis gasped as he slammed back into his apartment, the taste of ozone on his tongue. His hands itched with new understanding.
Zyx facepalmed. "Unbelievable. I get the one Host who picks crafting in a deathmatch."
Luis flexed his fingers, grinning. "I can make things now."
"You can die now," Zyx grumbled. "But fine. Let's see what garbage skills you unlocked."
A new notification pulsed in Luis's vision:
[CLASS: ENGINEER - LEVEL 1]
Active Skill 1: Soul Forge
"The Engineer sees what others cannot—the lingering essence of the fallen."
Allows the extraction of Monster Souls from defeated foes (Iron-class and above).
Souls can be used to craft or upgrade equipment.
Active Skill 2: Divine Blueprint
"From raw essence, creation blooms."
Consumes Monster Souls to forge weapons, armor, and accessories.
Gear quality depends on soul tier (higher-level monsters = better materials).
Gear Rarity Tiers:
Scrap Gear (Level 1) – Basic, low level speacial effects
Forged Gear (Level 2) – Minor stat boosts, mid level special effects.
Enchanted Gear (Level 3) – Gains one random attribute (e.g., fire resistance), high special effects.
Celestial Gear (Level 4) – Significant power spike, unique effects.
Divine Artifact (Level 5) – Legendary-tier, game-changing abilities and stats.
Passive Skill: Hammer Modem
"The right tool makes all the difference."
+25% damage when wielding hammer/blunt weapons.
Attacks with hammers have a 10% chance to stagger enemies.
Zyx floated nearby, arms crossed, looking unimpressed.
"So, let me get this straight," he said, rubbing his temples. "Instead of picking Dragon Slayer or Void Assassin, you chose the class that makes you a glorified blacksmith?"
Luis flexed his fingers, feeling the hum of potential energy. "I don't know, man. Something about this just… feels right."
"Oh, fantastic. My Host is following his heart in a death game." Zyx groaned. "You realize we're going to have to kill a lot of monsters to make anything useful, right?"
Luis smirked. "Guess we better get started."
[NEW OBJECTIVE: GATHER SOULS]
[RECOMMENDED TARGET: IRON-CLASS MONSTERS]
Outside, the distant roar of a Silver-class echoed through the streets.
Zyx sighed. "Fine. But if we die because you wanted to play crafting simulator, I'm haunting you in the afterlife."
Luis grabbed a nearby wrench—+25% damage, baby—and grinned.
"Let's go loot some souls."