After entering the Path, Yuin stepped into an all white expanse. It stretched wide and endless with seemingly no start.
Before confusion could kick in, a voice rang out.
"You've now entered the customization space."
It was a familiar voice that brewed eeriness. The same one from that peculiar day.
The voice of a Celestial.
Customization space? Yuin echoed in his mind.
Is it a game?
"Here, a space to each their own, you customize your looks and appearance. An avatar to keep your real identity discreet. You also get to set a codename," the voice explained curtly.
"Now, you all have two minutes. Get started."
A large screen materialized before them. It contained all their personal information such as their names, ages, heights and so on.
It also contained the customization settings, where they'd input their codenames and at the bottom end of the screen, the time limit counted.
Yuin stared at the big screen, scrutinizing all the words.
Thankfully enough, they weren't some big words he couldn't read.
He shut his eyes, chuckling softly.
I should pay more attention when Bummie teaches me from now on.
His heart was full of gratitude toward the youngest of his brothers.
He turned his attention back to the screen, ready to customize his avatar.
Hmm? What hair color should I opt for? He wondered as he stared at the varying shades and styles on the screen.
He rested his chin in between his thumb and index finger, giving the screen a surveying look.
"I don't want black since I'm already black haired. And I've always wanted to try platinum blonde since Hoonie and Bummie are, but…. that would be too close to home."
"I don't want to draw any attention or suspicions to us, nor do I want to endanger them in any way."
Yuin shook his head, canceling out that choice.
His eyes swept through the other shades but they were either too bright or too dull. Not just to his liking.
He decided to keep his black hair instead and moved on to the next customizations.
Eye color…
"Grey."
Skin tone…
"Same."
Hairstyle..
"Over-the-face."
He continued on with the customizations, keeping it simple and ordinary to not appear flashy, but made sure they differed from his real self and his siblings.
Although his hair was still black, he chose a style that was a bit different from his real one.
An 'over-the-face' style which poured the hair over his face.
His eyes swept over to the next one, and when he saw it, his eyes lit up like a child that was offered candy.
'Height'
His height wasn't impressive since he was 19 and barely over 170 cm. His siblings had almost already caught up to him.
I can customize my height here?!
Finally!
He eagerly tapped in the height he wanted, all smiley as he touched the input button.
But—
No matter how much he tapped the input button, it wouldn't register.
TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP!
He tapped again and again, but the screen still wouldn't register his height.
What's wrong with this thing? It's been working fine since.
Yuin's body flared up with heat.
It was a chance to finally break free from the shackles of his seemingly short height, even if it meant in a fake world, yet it wouldn't work.
Again, he tapped, his frustration mounting.
He was too engrossed with this that he didn't notice the time limit reaching its end.
Then the Celestial's voice came again.
"Time over. Get ready for the next phase."
Huh?! What?! I haven't chosen a codename yet.
Yuin snapped to the area where he would input his codename, and attempted to type in. But it was too late.
The time limit exhausted and the screen faded away, leaving his hand hanging.
He went stiff, mouth slightly agape in shock and despair that you could hear his sorrowful cry of regret if you listened close enough.
Before long, the endless expanse itself began to fade.
Yuin broke away from his despair and got ready for whatever was coming next.
At the corner of his heart, he feared, nervous that his real name would be inputted since he was unable to input a codename.
The outset hadn't even begun yet he had already messed up.
The endless white expanse completely faded and Yuin, along with the other thousands of Chosen, found themselves staring at a vast expanse of greenery.
It stretched wide and vast, like a gigantic field, rolling into slopes and hills, with forests scattered about.
But far beyond this open space, a thick wall of fog stood like a giant veil, hiding the other side.
No matter how hard they peered, the fog was impenetrable, almost like it was hiding something and didn't want them to see what was beyond that point.
Yuin swept his gaze around the multiple people present, noticing the clothes they were all clad in.
A simple tunic and trousers, bound at the waist with a sash, and plain black boots.
They were a bit disoriented and checking themselves out. Because they were, after all, seeing themselves in the customization they made.
And the scenery was too great a sight to ignore. They couldn't help but gawk.
"We are really here."'
"It's starting after so long."
"I wonder what they'll make us do here."
"I'm a bit nervous."
Some of the chosen who knew their friends well enough to recognize them through their avatars and code names reunited, and decided to stick together.
Above everyone's heads, their codenames floated.
Seeing this, Yuin raised his head, attempting to check his own. But from that angle, he couldn't see it.
And he couldn't possibly go ask someone to check it out for him, so he relented.
Soon, a Celestial appeared.
A tall man draped in the same ancient robe as the first time they appeared. A himation that reached the length of his ankles, draped over one shoulder while the other was left bare.
He floated on the same black, circular board.
His hair was a pale blond, and his eyes were a vivid amber that gleamed with a sharp edge.
As he stared down at the Chosen from above, his cold gaze silenced and stilled them in place.
The energy radiating from him was warm, but in an unsettling way.
As calm as a lake, his body barely even budging, he said.
"Welcome to the realm that will decide your fate and that of your world."