Chances

Luck woke up in a space devoid of any objects, an expanse of complete emptiness. The ground was a smooth territory of white marble, occasionally punctuated by black craters. The sky, bright despite the absence of a sun, was clear of clouds. Floating around were large dice, hovering slowly up and down, adding to the surreal atmosphere.

"A fitting soul realm indeed."

Luck quickly turned his head towards the familiar voice and saw the same lady from the cabin. She was sitting in mid-air, her hand caressing her chin, casually defying gravity as if it were normal.

"My soul realm, huh." Luck didn't need an explanation; the name was self-explanatory—a realm that represented his soul.

"I took the liberty of looking through your memories while you were knocked out," she said casually.

"You can do that?" Luck asked, more curious than upset.

"Well, of course. I am your avatar. And before you ask, I'll explain everything. I planned on filling you in on the stuff you didn't know for a few minutes, but you really know nothing. Your whole life was incredibly boring and straightforward. Wake up, eat, do chores, barely talk, eat, do chores, eat, then sleep. You did the same thing every day. No wonder you wanted to die."

Luck squinted his eyes at her, thinking, 'You already know that I know this. Why are you telling me? Are you trying to patronize me?' She ignored his gaze, maintaining her neutral expression, and continued.

"Anyway, let me fill you in on the wonders of this world. The trial was designed to see if you were fit to inherit the AI known as the system. A pretty cliché name if you ask me, but whatever. If you weren't fit, the AI would just dispose of you as trash. After qualifying, you would receive a system that helped you progress not only your Resonance but your overall strength. Since you failed the trial, you didn't receive the system made by the humans, but you'll receive mine. A bootleg version of the system, one could say."

"You can just make your own system?" Luck asked, incredulous.

"Yes. The system granted by the trial wasn't just made from human technology but was manufactured with the help of The One's brain cells—the neurons of an existence that created all life forms. The One has long since been dead, but everything you know is connected to his existence. The Earth is one of its many soul realms, made sustainable for the life he wanted to create. Your race recently discovered some truths about its origin and created the trial to produce strong enough candidates to explore The One's body. There are creatures in its body that go beyond your understanding. Much like humans have bacteria and white blood cells, The One's body has 'micro-organisms' capable of squishing humans and any other race for that matter. The system I am granting you was created through the power of my past life and the knowledge I borrowed from the original system."

"I don't get it. How does the trial make someone stronger? Maybe mentally, but I don't think mental strength alone could defeat these monsters."

"The trial grants the system, which unlocks human limiters, allows you to possess an avatar, and defines your soul so that you can unlock your Resonance if you don't already have it. By unlocking human limiters, you can train yourself to reach new levels of power. Though it would be faster to just kill creatures and extract their soul essence."

Luck looked at her in confusion. "But wait, I thought that the micro-organisms could crush humans."

She sighed. "I jus- whatever, there are many that are capable of that, but after going through the trial, a person is able to fight on par with the weaker ones. There are seven levels to these creatures. The weakest of the lot are known as Nascents. They serve as the first challenge for those who have completed the trial. Despite their lower status, they're still incredibly dangerous to anyone who hasn't undergone the transformation. As you progress, you'll be able to encounter the higher levels of these monsters as you define your soul more. You can train your body to kill these creatures but defining your soul is more important as defining your soul will cause your body to be stronger. Similar to the levels of creatures, there are also seven levels to your soul. The level at which you unlock your resonance is called the Core Soul. You should have reached that level already. Check your hand."

Luck raised his hand for inspection and, lo and behold, a small glowing tattoo of a dice with one dot was imprinted there.

"Each Resonance is different, and so is the mark of definition. It seems your mark resembles a dice," she noted.

"Interesting..." Luck absentmindedly exclaimed.

"Well that's all from me, I'll be with you through your journey but please refrain from asking anymore questions. See you back at earth."

***

"GUH" Luck gasped as he opened his eyes. He was in the same chair in the same plain room as if nothing at happened. Although he didn't notice too much difference he felt a slight itch on his right hand.

"So it wasn't a dream huh?"

Suddenly, the door opened and a figure of a man appeared, walking in the door begrudgingly.

"Ugh I can't believe I'm on clean up duty again- What?!"

He tripped on himself and fell on the floor while he pointed his hand at Luck with eyes wide open in shock.

"Y-y-your supposed to be dead. The system said you failed!

Luck shrugged and stood up, still feeling the odd sensation from the tattoo on his hand. With a deep breath, he passed the man out of the room and walked down the corridor towards the reception area. The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with sharp features and an air of authority, looked up from her desk as he approached.

"You should be dead from failing the trial," she said bluntly, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Luck held up his hand, showing her the glowing dice tattoo. "But I didn't."

The receptionist's eyes widened in shock. "There must be some mistake in the system. If you did pass, then you would be the fastest person to finish the trial—only six seconds."

Luck shrugged, feeling a mix of confusion and curiosity. "I just did what I was told."

The receptionist shook her head, still in disbelief. "Follow me. We need to get this sorted out. You'll be interviewed about your trial experience."

She led him through a series of winding hallways until they reached a door marked "Interview Room." She opened it and gestured for him to enter. Inside, a group of stern-looking officials sat behind a long table, their expressions a mix of skepticism and interest.

"Sit down," one of the officials ordered, pointing to a chair in the center of the room.

Luck complied, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach. The officials began firing questions at him about the trial, his experience, and how he managed to complete it so quickly. He didn't answer any of them, fearful of revealing something that he shouldn't.

One of the officials, a tall man with a stern face, leaned forward. "You need to cooperate. We need to understand what happened during your trial and how you cleared it so fast."

Luck stared at his hands, the glowing tattoo still visible. "I... I don't really remember much. It all happened so fast."

The officials exchanged glances, their skepticism growing. "We'll need to conduct further tests," the tall man said, his voice cold and authoritative. "This is highly irregular."

The receptionist, who had been standing by the door, stepped forward. "Perhaps he needs more time to adjust. The trial can be disorienting, especially with such an unprecedented outcome."

The tall man nodded reluctantly. "Very well. We'll give you some time, but we'll be watching you closely."

Luck was led out of the room, his mind racing with questions and doubts. He had survived the trial, but it seemed his journey was far from over.

***

As Luck left the room, the atmosphere among the officials shifted from tense scrutiny to startled disbelief. The door closed behind him, and a heavy silence filled the room, each person processing the unprecedented event they had just witnessed.

"How is it possible?" one of the men finally broke the silence, his voice tinged with frustration. "The system never makes mistakes. How could it register a failure and yet produce a resonance mark?"

The tall man, who had led the questioning, shook his head slowly. "It's not just the system's error. The fact that he completed the trial in six seconds—it's unheard of. No one has ever done that before. We need to understand what exactly happened."

Another official, a woman with sharp eyes and a meticulous demeanor, leaned forward. "It's not just about the speed. Look at the resonance mark he bears. It's unique, resembling dice. It's as if his soul realm is tied to luck itself."

The room buzzed with murmurs of agreement and speculation. They had seen countless candidates, but none had ever presented such an anomaly.

One of the younger men, with a look of awe on his face, spoke up. "This kind of talent... it could be revolutionary. If he truly has such a unique resonance, his potential could be immense."

The tall man nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed. His abilities could surpass our current understanding. We need to keep a close eye on his progress and ensure he's given every opportunity to develop his skills."

The woman with sharp eyes spoke again, her voice firm. "He's a week late for the Academy's intake, but we cannot afford to let this talent slip through our fingers. We should enroll him in the best Academy for Trial of One candidates this year."

There were nods of agreement around the table. The decision was made. Despite the initial shock and confusion, the officials recognized the potential greatness in Luck. They knew that nurturing his abilities could lead to unprecedented advancements.

"Make the arrangements," the tall man said decisively. "Ensure he is given the best training and guidance. If what we saw today is any indication, Luck could be the key to unlocking new heights of power and understanding."

As the officials dispersed to carry out their tasks, a sense of anticipation filled the room. They were on the brink of something extraordinary, and Luck was at the center of it all.