After a tragic accident, a 20-year-old man is reincarnated in a fantasy world as a Spirit, a powerful, ethereal being composed of shimmering energy with the ability to absorb the properties of beings around him, granting him unique skills and transformations.
My life was never an exciting one, anyone would say that it was a poor life. But I love my life, all I do was to play a game and I can eat the next day.
Sure it's not the healthy way to live but who cares anyway. My family abandoned me when I failed my collage, I need to stand on my own two feet to buy the games I loved.
I don't care about anything other than my games.
"Heh, I finally beat the final boss. Now I just need to get something to eat and then I can proceed to another game."
I stand up from my couch and walk towards the kitchen, I open the ref but there's nothing in there.
"The hell, I have no food left?"
I sigh as I closed the ref.
"Welp, I'll just buy something in the store."
I grabbed my worn-out jacket and headed out the door, the familiar chill of the evening air hitting me. As I walked through the quiet streets, my mind buzzed with thoughts of the next game I wanted to dive into.
But the nagging hunger in my stomach reminded me that I needed to focus on more immediate concerns. The local convenience store was just a few blocks away, and I could already picture the instant noodles and energy drinks lining the shelves.
Just as I crossed the road, a light emitted beside me. I turn my head and saw a truck closing in on me, I tried to run away but the truck was faster.
In that split second, time seemed to stretch. My heart raced as I felt the ground shift beneath me, my instincts screaming to move. But before I could react, everything went dark.
...
When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on soft grass beneath a vast, blue sky. Confusion washed over me as I sat up, taking in the surreal landscape around me. Lush greenery stretched as far as the eye could see, punctuated by vibrant flowers and distant mountains that loomed majestically.
"Where am I?"
I rubbed my eyes to ensure I wasn't still dreaming.
The a soft rustle in the bushes drew my attention, and I turned to see a shimmering figure materialize before me. It looked like a character straight out of a fantasy RPG, with flowing robes and glowing eyes.
"Oh, I see... I have a visitor."
The figure smiled warmly, its ethereal presence making the air around me feel charged with energy.
"Welcome to my realm, visitor."
"Realm? What is this? Am I dreaming?"
The figure chuckled softly, a sound that resonated like wind chimes. "Not a dream, but a new reality.
"Who are you anyway? I have another game to finish tonight, so if we're done here, get me back to whatever my reality is."
The figure tilted its head, a glimmer of amusement in its eyes.
"You're here for a purpose."
"A purpose? Look, I just wanted to grab some food and play. I don't have time for whatever this is."
"You're already dead in your reality, you can't go back there."
My heart sank at those words. "Dead? No, that can't be right. I was just about to grab dinner!"
"I understand your confusion."
"Really? Well, I don't care anyway. If I'm dead, then let it be."
"Wait... That's it? You're not afraid of dying?"
"I mean, I guess it's hard to be scared when my life wasn't much to begin with."
Then the figure stare at me for a moment before bursting to laugh.
The figure's laughter echoed through the serene landscape. "You truly are unique. Most would panic at the thought of their existence ending."
"I just played games and waited for food. Not much to miss, really."
The figure floated closer, its glowing eyes studying me intently. "You have a chance to start anew, to find purpose and adventure beyond the confines of your old life."
I crossed my arms, skeptical. "Adventure? Right. Sounds great, but what does that even mean? Am I just supposed to battle monsters or something?"
"Precisely! You will explore this realm, uncover its mysteries, and gain powers unlike anything you've experienced."
"So... What if I refuse? Do I just get to hang in here?"
"Yes, but soon... This place will become monotonous. So, I'm granting you a second chance to live in a world where magic is real."
"Magic, huh? Sounds a lot better than my old life of instant noodles and gaming marathons. But what's the catch?"
The figure smiled knowingly. "No catch. I'll just give you a system to help you progress and make you a spirit that can absorb anything."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued but wary. "A system? Like in a game? How does that even work?"
The figure nodded, its glowing eyes shimmering. "Yes, a system that will notify you of your new abilities after absorbing a creature."
"So, every time I defeat something, I can absorb them to gain new abilities? That sounds awesome. But what if I mess up? I've never fought in real life before."
"Nothing will happen, you're spirit no one can hurt you If you're in that form."
"W-W-Wait... What kind of spirit form are we talking about here?"
The figure grin widely and held his hand in front of me. Then a flame emits from it.
"A ball of flame."
"Whaaattttt?! I don't want to be like that! I don't even have a hands or feet in that!"
"But you're invulnerable, no one can hurt you. And besides, after you reach a certain mana you will be able to create your own human form."
"Wait, so I'm stuck as a ball of flame until I level up?" I frowned, crossing my arms again.
"Basically, yes. But think of it this way, invulnerability and the ability to absorb skills from creatures you defeat. You'll become powerful."
"So, I can become stronger by defeating monsters and absorbing them... and then I get to take on a human form? That does sound kind of fun."
"Exactly! You'll have limitless potential. You just need to embrace this new life," The figure said with a knowing smile.
I sighed, realizing that while being a ball of flame wasn't exactly my dream form, the idea of endless growth and power did have its appeal.
"So when do I start?"
"Right... First I'll transform you into this ball of flame, then I'm gonna transport you to another world. Easy right?"
I hesitated for a moment, still wrapping my head around the absurdity of the situation. Becoming a ball of flame? Getting transported to another world? It all sounded like something straight out of one of my RPGs.
But what did I have to lose?
"Alright, fine. Let's do this,"
The figure's grin widened. "Good choice. Now, just relax."
Before I could react, a wave of warmth surged over me. My body felt like it was dissolving, not in a painful way, but more like being enveloped by a blanket of soft, glowing energy. I glanced down as my hands and feet began to fade away, replaced by flickering tendrils of flame.
"Huh, so this is it?" I muttered, looking at my new form. I was... a floating fireball.
"Perfect!" The figure exclaimed. "Now, go forth and discover your potential!"
Before I could ask any more questions, the world around me twisted and swirled, like a vortex pulling me into a new dimension. My vision blurred, and I felt myself being hurled through space, faster than anything I'd ever experienced.
Suddenly, everything went still. When my sight returned, I found myself hovering over a dense forest, surrounded by towering trees and the sounds of unfamiliar creatures. The air was thick with magic, and I could feel a strange energy pulsing around me.
"So, this is it," I said to myself, trying to get used to my flame body.
A soft chime echoed in my mind, followed by a text prompt appearing before me, just like in a game.
[System Activated]
Current Form: Spirit Flame
Abilities: Absorption (Lvl 1), Invulnerability (Passive)
I stared at the floating text, a grin spreading across my nonexistent face. "Alright... game on."
Then I stop on my track to look around the forest.
"Wait... That figure didn't even tell me where I can find any monster." I sighed, "Well, I just have to travel this forest until I find one."
As I drifted through the forest, the landscape around me seemed to hum with life. The trees whispered in the wind, their leaves shimmering in hues of green and gold, and strange, glowing plants dotted the ground, lighting up the dense underbrush. The air was thick with magic, a palpable force that made my flame flicker slightly with every movement.
"Alright, so I just have to find a monster and absorb it. How hard could that be?"
Suddenly, a rustling sound caught my attention. I turned towards the noise, half expecting to see some fearsome beast. Instead, a small creature emerged from the bushes—a rabbit, but not like any rabbit I'd seen before. It had glowing red eyes and its fur shimmered like silver.
"Huh. Well, this is a start, I guess."
I floated closer, unsure of how exactly I was supposed to fight it in my current form. The rabbit turned its head towards me, twitching its nose. Then, without warning, it launched itself at me with surprising speed, its red eyes glowing brighter.
"Whoa! Not a normal rabbit at all!"
But, just as the figure had promised, the rabbit passed right through my flame body without doing any harm. I couldn't help but chuckle.
"So, I really am invulnerable in this form. Nice!"
The rabbit landed and skidded to a stop, confused by its failed attack. I floated closer again, feeling the strange urge to absorb it.
"Alright, let's see how this works."
I focused on the rabbit, and suddenly, a wave of energy pulsed out from me. The rabbit froze in place as it was slowly drawn toward me, its body glowing with a faint light. In a matter of moments, the rabbit dissolved into pure energy and was absorbed into my flame.
[Absorption Complete]
[Ability Gained: Enhanced Speed (Lvl 1)]
A wave of exhilaration washed over me as the system prompt flashed before my eyes.
"Enhanced speed, huh?"
I'm already feeling the newfound agility coursing through my flame form. It was like my body had become lighter, and I could move faster than before.
The process had been surprisingly easy, but I couldn't shake the thought that the creatures I'd encounter next might not be as simple as an aggressive rabbit.
"So... if I absorb more, I get stronger,"
I glance at the dense forest ahead. It was a thrilling idea, a mechanic ripped straight from a game, except now I was living it.
I floated forward, zipping between the trees with my enhanced speed. The wind whistled softly through the leaves, and the air was thick with the unfamiliar sounds of wildlife.
I couldn't help but wonder what else was out there waiting for me. Monsters, surely. But what kind of monsters? And how far could this system really take me?
A new chime echoed in my mind, and a system message appeared.
[Quest Initiated: Forms] Objective: Reach Absorption (Lvl 5)
"Forms?" I muttered to myself, staring at the new system prompt floating before me. "So I need to level up my Absorption to get stronger. I guess that means more monsters to hunt."
I was already curious about what kind of abilities I could unlock as I leveled up.
I floated further into the forest, my movements smooth and quick, the speed upgrade already making me feel untouchable. Trees blurred past, and the forest floor stretched out like an endless maze of greenery and shadow.
As I drifted, another sound reached me, a low growl reverberating through the trees. Instinctively, I slowed down and scanned my surroundings. In the distance, I saw a figure, large and hulking, lurking in the shadows. It wasn't like the rabbit, this was something bigger, something far more dangerous.
From the darkness, a massive wolf emerged, its fur a deep, dark blue that almost blended into the shadows. Its eyes glowed with a predatory light, its sharp teeth bared as it growled low in its throat.
"Well, here we go,"
The wolf growled louder, its muscles coiling as it prepared to lunge. In the blink of an eye, it leaped at me, fangs aimed straight for my flame body. I held my ground—or, well, floated—and sure enough, the wolf's jaws snapped shut, passing right through me.
I grinned. "Too easy."
The wolf landed heavily on the ground, momentarily disoriented by its failed attack. I didn't wait for it to recover. I focused on it the same way I had with the rabbit, willing it to be absorbed.
A surge of energy rippled from me, and the wolf froze in place, its body glowing faintly as it began to dissolve. Slowly, it disintegrated, its essence being pulled toward me, until nothing remained.
[Absorption Complete]
[Ability Gained: Enhanced Strength (Lvl 1)]
[Ability Level Up: Enchanced Speed (Lvl 2)]
I could feel the new power immediately, a rush of energy that made my flame flicker brighter. Strength. Speed. The pieces were coming together.
"Not bad," I said, testing out my enhanced speed once more, zipping through the forest like a blur. "But what's next?"
Suddenly, a soft chime echoed in my mind again.
[New Form Unlocked: Minor Flame Beast]
Requirements: Absorption (Lvl 5)
My eyes widened. "Wait, a new form? So I don't have to stay as a floating ball of fire forever? Nice!"
But it looked like I'd need to keep leveling up Absorption to unlock it. That meant more monsters, more fights, and more power. The thought made me grin again.
"Alright, time to grind."