Chapter 36

The lion-headed man left the humans to experiment with and explore the interface on their own. Among them was Ali, who promptly customised his interface to display black with white text. He then willed the interface to close, and it disappeared instantly. Ali opened and closed the interface several times, attempting to measure how long it took to respond to his commands. However, the reaction was too fast—each time he thought of it, the interface appeared immediately. He also minimised the interface's size so it wouldn't obstruct his vision if it opened accidentally.

Ali was the first among the group to fully grasp how the interface worked. 'Now, let's see if there's any worthwhile competition,' Ali thought as he carefully observed the others, most of whom were too engrossed in their interfaces to pay attention to their surroundings. His sharp eyes scanned the thousands of people, and relying on his experience and instincts, he began a process of elimination.

'In the end, there are three. That big guy over there is definitely military,' Ali mused as he scrutinised a six-foot-five man with brown hair, a military haircut, boots, and an intense focus in his eyes—all clear signs of military training.

'The second one is more unusual—he looks way too excited, like this is a dream come true for him or something,' Ali thought as he glanced at an overweight man in his early twenties, grinning broadly and clearly excited by the situation he was in.

'And the last one—definitely the most dangerous out of all this trash—the vixen over there,' Ali observed, locking eyes on a striking young woman with purple hair and violet eyes. She wore a revealing dress that showcased her ample cleavage, attracting many admiring glances from the men around her. Her outfit, paired with her perfect figure, left little to the imagination.

Ashley, the purple-haired woman, closed her interface and sighed. 'It looks like the games my little brother used to play,' she thought as she scanned the room, her gaze lingering on the distracted men she'd soon target. Then her eyes landed on the most handsome man she had ever seen—Ali. 'He's perfect. His face, his jawline, and he looks so muscular. I want him so badly,' Ashley thought, biting her finger seductively as she gazed at Ali.

But then Ali turned his head and locked eyes with her, his midnight-coloured eyes piercing hers. The moment Ashley made eye contact with Ali, her entire body shivered, and she instinctively lowered her head in fear. 'What is this feeling? Why did I do that? Why am I so scared?' she wondered, keeping her head down until Ali finally looked away. Only then did she slowly raise her head, careful not to glance in his direction again. It was the first time in her life that she had felt such primal fear, but Ali hadn't named her the Vixen for no reason—her panties were soaked at that very moment.

"You've had enough time to experiment with your interface or status screen," the lion-headed man announced, breaking the silence. "These will be an essential part of your life here in Reincarnation Paradise. The categories are separated into six types: Body, Strength, Speed, Luck, Intelligence, and Spirit," he explained in a professional tone, pausing to let the humans absorb the information.

"Body affects your overall durability and your body's ability to heal from injuries. Strength is straightforward; it simply determines how much power you can generate from your muscles. Speed influences how fast you can move and how quickly you can react. Luck is the chance of finding fortuitous opportunities in the many worlds you will enter. In most cases, Luck is what helps you avoid encountering powerful enemies," the lion-headed man continued, pausing once more.

"Intelligence enhances your ability to make quick, calculated decisions and improves how fast you absorb information. It also sharpens your memory. As for Spirit, I advise none of you to invest in it until you obtain an ability that requires the use of magic. Think of Spirit as a small pond—most supernatural abilities you acquire will draw water from that pond. Raising the Spirit attribute expands the pond's size and shortens the time needed for it to refill."

The lion-man paused again as the crowd silently processed his words. "As you've likely noticed, all your attributes are set to zero. The interface doesn't account for your own personal strength or any abilities you might gain outside the reward system of Reincarnation Paradise. In each world you enter, you'll have both personal missions assigned to you by the interface, as well as world missions given to everyone who enters that world with you. Depending on your performance in those missions, Reincarnation Paradise will reward you accordingly. Do poorly, and you'll receive little to no rewards. Excel, and you'll be granted free attribute points, which you can distribute among your attributes to improve instantly. If you really outperform, you'll also receive an additional reward—the interface will present several options from the world you completed your mission in, and you can choose your reward."

Different thoughts swirled through the minds of those present. Some were still too overwhelmed to fully comprehend the lion-man's explanation, while others, more open to the situation, processed it more easily. Those familiar with games or stories of otherworldly travel understood the attribute system quickly.

'It's tailor-made for me. This way, I can go all out in every world,' Ali thought, a smirk forming on his lips.

"I advise you to accept your situation as quickly as possible—the faster you do, the better your chances of survival. That's right, if you die in another world, there are no second chances. Once you're dead—you're dead. However, don't be afraid to put your body on the line. No matter how severe your injuries are, they will heal once you leave that world," the lion-headed man said, his mention of death sending waves of murmurs through the crowd. Many were now terrified, especially those who had lived normal lives and never even experienced a fight. Now, they were being asked to risk their lives.

"What if I don't want to go, huh? I don't want to die for you or this hellhole—LET ME OUT!" a middle-aged man shouted at the lion-headed figure. The people around him quickly stepped away, not wanting to provoke the lion-man's wrath.

"You do not wish to be part of our great home? You do not want to claim your second chance at life?" the lion-man asked coldly, staring down at the man.

"Yeah, get me the hell out of here! I don't want to be part of your nonsense," the man retorted.

CLICK.

The lion snapped his fingers, and the middle-aged man exploded into a mist of blood, leaving no trace behind. Many women screamed in horror, and the crowd instinctively backed away, terrified.

Ali watched with interest. 'I need to avoid them at all costs,' he thought, as he witnessed someone evaporate at the mere snap of a finger for the first time.

"This is a warning to all of you. You will be sent to other worlds, whether you agree or not. What you do in those worlds will decide your fate. It is all in your hands. If you want power, you can earn it. If you want death, then follow your friend's example," the lion-man declared. His words spread silence through the room. For many, it was their first time witnessing death, a jarring shock to their understanding of life.

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