Class Assignment

In a dark landscape, a single boy with gray hair and a scar line across his cheek appears instantly out of thin air.

"....This is…"

Then, like the boy another presence appeared.

"Hahhh, let's see who this applicant is."

The sudden voice jolted the boy from where he stands. He looked behind him where the voice came from, and saw a desk with a large metal file cabinet that's like an endless wall. He looked to the right, the file still continues, the same were to the right and even upward.

"...Oh?"

Finally, the boy notices the person. A man with no face, just a blank black head. He wore a very expensive-looking suit, black from up to down with some sort of emblem of a skull on his right chest. The inside shirt was red with diagonal gold lines that had the buttons perfectly in the middle.

"You're… hmm, alright, alright. This is a severe and special case."

The entity, possibly a male from his deep voice, clapped his gloved hands together. He turned around, and with that the file cabinets started to shake and then rearrange themselves.

"Questions… First, your file."

He pulled open the first drawer in front of him, and flipped through its contents rapidly.

"No."

He closes it not even after three seconds. He continues this dizzying process while the boy is left dumbfounded.

"....Ah! Finally, alright. Alright, alright, let's start this Meeting, shall we? Sit."

A chair came from the dark ground. It was a chair with a wooden frame and leather seat, backrest and armrest. One also appears for Charles to sit on.

"..."

The boy was skeptical, still unable to cope with the suddenness of the situation. But, after a few seconds and a deep breath, he came forward and sat on the chair before the unknown entity.

"You can call me Charles. I will handle assigning you with a Class, even a Race if it suits you. However, you won't choose, I will. So, sit tight, and answer me a few questions."

"....Uhm."

The boy nods in approval, his eyes unsteady for unknown reasons.

"From the files I just pulled out, it says that you died. Is that correct?"

"...Yes."

"Then, this will be brief. How strong is your mentality?"

"...Yes?"

"...Hmm, it seems like you don't understand the question. The files said you went to human school, but it seems like you aren't very familiar with words. I'll ask again but this time it will be different. How strong do you want to live?"

"....."

This question was the first question, but it was also an important question that left the young boy in deep thinking.

"...I want to live."

But, his English vocabulary was very restricted. He paid attention in class in the past, but it's always hard for him to memorize and understand the things he's taught. It was also one of the reasons for his mistreatment.

"A brief… but satisfying answer. Good enough, next, how do you see yourself? I've read through the file, but I want to hear your opinion."

"...Myself… My, life?"

"Well, yes, if you'd like to put it that way."

"My life… It's bad. It's the worst."

"And you don't understand me again."

Charles put his hand on his blank face, shaking it slowly from side to side.

"I ask that, judge your life. Judge it, and then give me what you'd like to be like in this Tower?"

"Judge… Want to be. I want to be better, stronger… and to not be underneath anyone."

"Hoh? A bold answer for someone who died so pathetically. But anyways, the final question. Are you aware of existences known as Gods?"

"Gods… what is, a God?"

"Gods, someone or something that's given a concept to rule over within this Tower. I can be called a God of Judgement, since I 'judge' people like you, but that'll just anger someone needlessly. Does that make it clear?"

"...Yes?"

"...Then answer my question, are you?"

"No… not that I know of."

"Well great, since you'll be meeting them a lot if you answer this final question correctly. Tell me, for someone to die at such a young and tender age. Why is your will to live so strong? Is there any motivation?"

"Motivation… I want to live, it's just that."

"Can you elaborate?"

"Elaborate…"

"I mean, explain more. Why is it that you want to live? Why even live any longer? You could've died when you're disowned, you could've committed suicide when those bullies pick on you to bodily harm, you could've consider dying peacefully when you're just a burnt mess. But, you held out to the end, and now you're here because of that. Why?"

The boy pauses. He digests the sentences that Charles had just said, and mull over them carefully. After a few minutes of Charles sitting patiently, the boy finally spoke again.

"I wanted to live, because I wanted to live as long as I can."

"...That, you know what? Fine, alright. This concludes the first stage. Now, let's pick your destiny."

Charles stands up and returns to the file cabinet. The large wall became active once more as it shuffled through drawers. Charles opens one and flips through them again. This time, it took him until the third drawer to find what he wanted.

Charles takes out three files, holding them between his fingers as the cabinet becomes active a second time. The second drawer, he took a bunch of files from it onto his palm.

"Alright, here we go."

Charles sat back down and placed eight files on the large wooden desk. He flips through them wordlessly as the boy watches. Charles cycles through all eight files before setting them on one tower pile.

"Now, from your answers, I've narrowed down eight. Out of those eight, three are the most compatible with you. Want the ones that aren't compatible, or are we moving to the point?"

"...To, the point, please."

Charles nodded, feeling quite pleased since he doesn't need to go through five more long files. He takes the three upper files of the tower pile and places them separately on the table. He turns them around for the boy to see their names.

"...I, can't read."

"Well- wait, what?"

"I can't, read."

"...You're joking, right?"

The boy shakes his head with a frown. He's been able to write when he's still alive, but his handwriting was so terrible that even he couldn't read it. And also, he knows the basic alphabet but never did he know many words to begin with. He could understand simple things spoken to him, but he can't comprehend it if it's in written form. It's been called a disability exclusively for him, and another reason that leads to his young death.

"Hahhh… what a drag, but, fine. I'll read it for you."

"Can you, make it simple, as well?"

"Sure, why not."

[Your Class is currently being assigned]

[First Class, Deathless Soldier, one who charges forth with determination to live another battlefield. You are just a pawn in the battlefield, but insignificant pawns can promote themselves into Queens if they try hard enough. You will be rewarded through your determination. You will generate the Special Stat, Valor, for deeds the System deems commendable.]

[Second Class, Monster of Regression, a pathetic monster that has the unique ability of escaping Death with nothing but itself. It is a disgusting and weak Class with no massive benefits. However, you can live numerous lives, even if they're only brief, short intervals.]

[Third Class, Chosen Undead, a warrior which hails from a Race known to be just rotting, reanimated flesh and old bones. You are a nobody, an entity with no name, however, you are unique amongst your kin. You can overcome Death through hardship, and you can reach the levels of even this Tower's Absolute Death.]

[This concludes the brief overview of each Class, please make your choice.]

These holographic windows appear before the boy, similar to the one he first encountered on death's door. He mulled over them, deeply considering each one as he looked at the three remaining windows.

"...I'll choose, the third one."

"Can I ask why?"

"Because… I want to become strong."

The boy doesn't know why. But for some reason, when he looked at the last part of the third window, he could feel as if it was urging him. Something deep inside, it was forcing his decision to pick the third Class.

"Absolute Death… who, is that?"

"No one of importance for someone like you. For now, just take note of that name."

"Okay… thank you, Mister Charles."

"...Heh, don't mention it, kid."

[You have selected the Class, Chosen Undead]

[All preparations have been completed]

[You will now be transported to the designated location on the Tower]

[A System will be assigned to you upon your materialization]

[We hope you can reach the expected margin]

[Have a great new life, challenger Seichi Kurotachi]