Easy mode is lame.

Going to work everyday is just part of my routine. I do it to live and support my lifestyle, I never really thought much of it. Of course I don't like my job, who does?

Waking up alone. doing my own thing... it was liberating.

No one bothers me, and I have the final say in all the decisions in my life. So when my ex-finance and I finally reached a tipping point... I felt relieved.

I was free to do what I want whenever I want. Having a relationship is hard.

I respect those who can do it. But me? I don't think relationships are for me. I rather be alone. Of course I don't like to be alone all the time, so how do I connect with people?

Video games was an easy answer early in life.

I could play whenever I want, any game I want, and talk whenever I want.

It's so liberating to go from single-player to multiplayer any time I want. I could chat with random people whenever I want or not at all. This is why I am a gamer, always will be.

This morning was different however. I woke up, got ready and went to work. I worked for the government as part of track maintance, maintaining the railroad. Today was a total disaster. One of the trains carrying some explosives derailed and blew up and killed the school that was on base.

I just so happen to be on my way to lunch when train derailed. Instant destruction of the school building.

Shards of metal and broken glass flew towards my vehicle piercing the window and right into my neck. It was like I couldn't register what was happening. My eardrums ruptured, My neck was cut and it was becoming difficult to breathe. Losing feeling to my body didn't help and I lost control of my vehicle, then BAM! I ran right into another vehicle... I don't remember what happened after that.

It didn't really matter I guess. What does matter is I was in a space filled with a bunch of random kids.

A ball of light was hovering around in the front everyone and speaking gibberish.

"!^#%#_#^@%!" The mysterious light said.

"What's it saying?" said one of the kids.

"Is it God?"

"Where are we!?"

"Does this mean no school?"

Watching this unfold I began to ponder if I was isekai'd, or if this was reincarnation. I was in my old body so I didn't know which one.

"Hello? Sorry for the confusion, my name is Spark. I will be your guide into a new world" Spark said. Speaking perfect English instead whatever the heck that was.

We all fell silent, I mean I wasn't talking anyway...

"First of all congratulations. You all reached the afterlife sooner than expected." Spark said.

"So I'm creating your new bodies based on your current ones. I only need your input on one thing then you can celebrate your newfound life elsewhere.

This thing left all it's care in some other dimension.

"Wait! What about my family!?" One of the girls screamed.

"What about them? They are alive you aren't." Spark said without a shred of remorse.

"I'm not your caretaker, I'm not your messenger, I'm your creator for the next phase of your life after death."

Crying insued amongst some of the teens, some were happy, some were crying.

Me? I was mad, I wanted to play the new game that was gonna be released next week. It was gonna be a extremely difficult game.

God damnit.

Here I am in heaven or some shit, never gonna play those amazing games.

As I was contemplating my predicament one kid spoke up.

"What if we die in this world?" He asked.

"OH? interesting question human. There is no penalty for dying except for the pain and respawn timer." Spark said. "Giving up and going to easy mode will remove any and all memories, so bear that in mind."

Easy mode? My ears perked up.

"Easy mode?" Kid A asked.

"There are many modes to make your life easy or as hard as possible. Feel free to take a look."

I sprung to action and made a mad dash to the screen that appeared.

Some of the kids were in awe of how a semi looking adult could look so stupid.

Not that I cared about them.

I made it to the screen and read them.

----------

EASY.

YOUR LIFE WILL BE A LONG AND EASY ONE.

ANY DIFFICULTIES WILL BE ERASED.

RETAIN NO MEMORIES.

NO ABILITIES

-----------

NORMAL.

LIFE IS NOT EASY, NEITHER IS IT DIFFICULT.

YOU WILL HAVE YOUR UPS AND DOWNS.

BUT WITH A LITTLE EFFORT YOU'LL BE FINE.

LEVELING UP IS CAPPED, BUT EVERY LEVEL WILL UNLOCK NEW ABILITIES WITH YOUR JOURNEY.

MONSTER DAMAGE IS NORMAL.

ENEMY PLAYER DAMAGE IS NORMAL.

BOSS DAMAGE AND HEALTH SLIGHTLY INCREASED.

NO ALTERATIONS TO APPEARANCE.

-----------

HARD MODE

EVERY FIGHT WILL TEST YOU.

MONSTERS AND ENEMY PLAYERS WILL SHOW NO MERCY.

MONSTER DAMAGE IS 1.5x MORE THAN NORMAL.

ENEMY PLAYER DAMAGE IS 1.5x MORE THAN NORMAL.

BOSSES REQUIRE SPECIAL MEANS TO DEFEAT.

A MARK ON YOUR HAND WILL BE INSCRIBED.

NEW ABILITES ARE AVAILABLE.

ALL ENEMY ENCOUNTERS WILL CHOOSE THE PLAYER OF THE HIGHEST DIFFICULTY IN THE GROUP.

I.E.

1 NORMAL, 2 HARD, AND A CRITICAL PLAYER ARE PARTIED UP. CRITICAL PLAYER DIFFICULTY WILL BE CHOOSEN AND ENEMIES WILL GET CRITICAL LEVEL DIFFICULTY.

NO OTHER ALTERATIONS.

----------------

CRITICAL MODE.

NO EXP GAINED FOR WORKING WITH OTHERS.

HEALTH CAPACITY IS PERMANENTLY HAVLED.

MAGIC CAPACITY IS PERMANENTLY HAVLED.

DEATH IS NOT A ESCAPE.

ALL ENEMIES DO 2x THE DAMAGE.

YOUR EYES WILL BE PERMANENTLY ALTERED, EXP WILL NOT BE CAPPED, NO ABILITES AT THE START.

STARFALL WILL ACTIVATE WHEN CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT.

YOUR ONLY HOPE IS TO CLING TO OTHERS AND BEG FOR THE SWEET RELEASE OF DEATH.

IF THE PLAYER GIVES UP THEY WILL BE PUT INTO EASY MODE.

------

NOTE

ALL PLAYERS WHO GIVE UP WILL BE PUT INTO EASY MODE.

--------

I automatically picked Critical mode. I didn't even think about it.

ARE YOU SURE?

---> I'M SURE!

---> WAIT MY MISTAKE! I DON'T WANNA DIE!

Just before I hit the button to say I'm sure, a girl grabbed my hand. She was like 17 or something and said, "What are you doing? Are you crazy!?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You can't just run off! You know what happened right? How did we die?" She pleaded with red eyes, with a shaky grip on my hand.

"Come to think of it how did we die?" Random kid A asked.

I turned to all the kids and gazed upon them all.

"A train derailed next to the school and killed you guys, it was carrying explosives. I don't know anything past that." I said simply.

Random girl A- That's her name now. Was void of all hope. She looked down and mumbled.

"What about my sister? She was with me..."

Spark chimed in with impatience.

"Can you people hurry up? I got a whole other class I need to reincarnate."

"My sister might be there! Can I wait here til I see her!?" Rando Girl A asked.

"Sure! Just pick your difficulty and wait at the door!" Spark said with the most enthusiasm I ever heard from a glowing ball yet.

"But I don't know what difficulty she'll pick!"

Spark tired of all this nonsense yelled, glowing quite red, " IF YOU DON'T HURRY THE HELL UP AND PICK YOUR DIFFICULTY I'LL FORCE YOU ALL INTO EASY MODE WITH NO MEMORIES! THEN YOU CAN KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE BECAUSE YOUR AS GOOD AS DEAD THEN!"

Losing oneself or memories was in my opinion probably as close to killing somebody without actually killing them... gruesome.

Random Gurl A yelped, and the rest of the class started hauling their ass to the difficulty setting screen.

30 kids later they all were over at the door waiting on me, I didn't wanna go last, but I ended up going last anyway. How did I go first, but end up choosing last?

Anyway I clicked Critical mode.

"Interesting." Spark said.

I clicked I'M SURE.

Nothing happened yet, so I walked over to the door, eager to start my adventure.

"Humans! The time has come for 5 Easy, 15 Normal, 9 Hard, and 1 Critical mode players to make the great pilgrimage to the unknown! Remember this! You can always quit!"

Before anyone could complain about Sparkey's terrible advice, a force pushed me and the rest of the class into the door.

Little did I know... That you get a title with Critical mode.