Chapter II: Root of Realities

Abruptly, a white shard of seemingly ethereal glass emerged from his chest, transforming into a hovering screen.

[By some incomprehensible accident, you are being flung into another reality.]

Nathan's eyes widened in shock.

[You have the chance to influence where you end up, and what is to be integrated into yourself. To maintain versal balance, you can obtain powers and increase the powers you obtain by choosing a more dangerous reality to be sent to, and choosing to accept some harmful side effects.]

[Choose wisely. You must end up with 0 points.]

The hovering holographic then expanded before showing five options.

——————————————————————————

[Power Level - Choose Your Difficulty Mode (Pick 1)]

World Fodder - You start with -5 points, can take up to 10 points from drawbacks, receive no points from the destination, and can only purchase Lesser powers. This is the hardcore difficulty.

World-Survivor - You start with 0 points, can take up to 10 points from drawbacks, receive halved points from the destination (rounded down), and can only purchase Lesser powers. This is the challenging difficulty.

World-Strider - You start with 10 points, can take up to 10 points from the destination and drawbacks, and can only purchase one Greater power while all other powers can only be Lesser. This is the standard difficulty.

World-Changer - You start with 15 points, can take up to 15 points from the destination and drawbacks, and can purchase any Lesser and Greater powers. This is the comfortable difficulty.

World-Breaker - You start with 20 points, can take up to 20 points from the destination and drawbacks, and can purchase any powers, including Supreme powers. This is the god-mode difficulty.

——————————————————————————

As Nathan read the screen's contents, he couldn't calm his heart, pounding like a beating drum in his chest. Cold sweat poured down his face and palms, while his eyes shook with panic. Everything that happened in the past moment was all too sudden and outlandish.

"No fucking way…" he said in disbelief, falling on the glass-like floor. He had a slight understanding of his situation, but he refused to believe it. "No. Fucking. Way…"

Hollow laughter escaped his lips.

"I have to be dreaming. Yeah, that's gotta be it. I'm a 13-year-old middle-schooler. I can't be the only one out of the 8 billion people on Earth to be in this situation," Nathan said with a trembling voice. He raised his fist near his face.

'Pain wakes people up, right? This… This has to work,' he thought. Within the depths of his mind, he knew it wouldn't work since scientists had studied it before and found no evidence, but he felt he was out of options.

But before he could punch himself, a similar screen from before appeared in his vision.

[Unfortunately, Nathan Anderson, this is not a dream.]

Stunned, Nathan's fist lowered slightly before suddenly launching at the screen. His quick jab flew straight through, doing nothing.

Nathan glared at the screen with poorly hidden fear. "W-who the hell are you? What have you done to me?"

[I have done nothing harmful towards you.]

"BULLSHIT! You're telling me I'm being 'flung into another reality' just because of an accident?"

[Yes. I am incapable of explaining why this has happened to you specifically, but know that if I had not intercepted before the process began, you would have been erased from existence or flung to a reality unlike anything humanity has ever imagined. At that point, there would have been no chance of survival for you.]

Hearing this, Nathan closed his eyes and took deep, calming breaths. He repeated this until he regained some of his calm.

'This is all too crazy! The hell is this?!'

Now that he could somewhat think properly, he analysed his situation.

It seemed like there wasn't much he could do now. An 'accident' had caused him to be flung into another reality, and he would be dead if this strange being didn't help him out. But why was he flung into another reality? Why him specifically? And what was this thing about getting powers?

Even though he had so many questions in his mind, he'd have to go with the flow for now. Part of him was still convinced this was a dream or a hallucination of some kind, but that was just him being in denial. This felt too real, and it wasn't something he could imagine himself… imagining, even if he was on some type of drug.

Half a minute more of calming breaths later, he regained most of his composure and questioned the being behind the screen.

"I apologize for my aggressive tone earlier," he apologized. The being didn't seem the type to smite a human for their insolence, but it was better to be cautious. "So… it's possible for me to return. How exactly do I do that?"

[Apology unnecessary. To find your answer, look above you and read further.]

Nathan frowned at the roundabout method, but he followed the being's directions and looked below the choices.

——————————————————————————

[Victory Conditions]

Regardless of difficulty or choices, you now have a permanent shard of the Root of Reality, and thus by surviving for five years without leaving your chosen reality (time manipulation not counting), something will change, and at any point after that (or when you die) you can reconnect to the kaleidoscope, and gain the permanent ability to journey throughout the myriad realities, within reason. This includes being able to return to your original time and place with all your powers and perks, if you wish to do so.

You can also instead choose to go to another world and survive another five years without leaving in order to gain an additional five to ten points towards gaining more powers regardless of your power level. The amount of points you gain is determined by the difficulty you choose, with World Fodder giving the least and World Breaker giving the most. This can be done repeatedly. However, if the world you choose is determined to be too weak for your current strength, you will instead gain only 10-30% of the points. And if the world is one where no one can challenge you, you gain no points.

If you fail to survive in your first world, you will be brought back to your original time and place in the condition you left, without any powers, advantages, or memories. It will be as if the accident never happened.

——————————————————————————

"I see…" Nathan said as his brows furrowed in thought. "I can actually go back."

'But what the hell is the Root of Reality? Is it like the parallel universe theory? Come to think of it, this situation sounds eerily similar to those isekai plots. Should I be thankful that I wasn't hit by a truck instead?'

Too many questions. No answers to be received. He tried asking the sentient-being behind the screen, but it stayed silent. It seemed questions not related to whatever this power-giving scenario was wouldn't be answered.

"What if I kill myself immediately after arriving in the world I chose?" he asked nonchalantly.

[Like it says, you will simply return to your original time and place in the condition you left. Though I advise against it.]

"Really? Why is that? Is it because there's a penalty for doing it?" Nathan asked, intrigued.

[No, there is no penalty. However, while I understand that you are somewhat distraught by this event, you should be able to recognize what it is, yes? It is an opportunity to gain power and travel the boundless realities beyond your universe. It is an opportunity the vast majority of beings will never encounter, even if they were immortal.]

"Yes, I kind of understand that," replied Nathan. "But what about my fami… ly…"

A familiar melancholy surged inside him.

'…Who would even care about me back home? Dad? He just wants to use me to fulfill his own dreams, and after what happened at the gym, I can't go back to the house. He'll probably beat me up for what I did earlier. Mom? I don't even have a clue about where she went, and clearly, she didn't care about me enough to take me with her when she ran away. Didn't even leave a letter. Friends? There's no hope there either, because I don't have any. At best, I had acquaintances.'

Shaking his head, he slapped his cheeks with both hands, snapping himself out. "Damn it. Fine. I'll play your game. I just have to first choose the difficulty, right?"

[Correct, but note that your following choices are irreversible.]

[Now, the choice is yours, Nathan. Thrive or be deprived.] The screen said before blinking out of existence.

A little unsettled by the ominous parting message, Nathan looked at his options.

——————————————————————————

[Power Level - Choose Your Difficulty Mode (Pick 1)]

World Fodder - You start with -5 points, can take up to 10 points from drawbacks, receive no points from the destination, and can only purchase Lesser powers. This is the hardcore difficulty.

World-Survivor - You start with 0 points, can take up to 10 points from drawbacks, receive halved points from the destination (rounded down), and can only purchase Lesser powers. This is the challenging difficulty.

World-Strider - You start with 10 points, can take up to 10 points from the destination and drawbacks, and can only purchase one Greater power while all other powers can only be Lesser. This is the standard difficulty.

World-Changer - You start with 15 points, can take up to 15 points from the destination and drawbacks, and can purchase any Lesser and Greater powers. This is the comfortable difficulty.

World-Breaker - You start with 20 points, can take up to 20 points from the destination and drawbacks, and can purchase any powers, including supreme powers. This is the god-mode difficulty.

——————————————————————————

It felt like he was playing one of his mmorpg games except he was the player this time and his choices would technically decide if he was going to die or live. From the choices presented to him, it was already clear that the powers he could get were divided into the Lesser, Greater, and Supreme categories. The only question now was how much powers in each category would cost.

Looking over the choices, he skipped World-Fodder and World-Survivor without hesitation.

In his opinion, only an idiot or an extreme masochist would choose either one. There were no benefits to the added difficulty that would incentivize a normal person to choose them.

Nathan checked the next choices. While World-Strider and World-Changer were decent, he didn't enjoy limiting what he could get, so he ultimately picked World-Breaker. He didn't know what his options for powers would be yet, but maximizing his amount of base points sounded like the best option.

'Why even have the other options, anyway? Any sane person would logically pick the best one.'

After pressing the World-Breaker option, the screen's contents changed.

——————————————————————————

[Destination World - Depending on your chosen world's Tonal Alignment, Tech Level (Civilisation Development), Magic Level (Supernatural Presence), Cosmology (World Structure), as well as your Familiarity (World Understanding) and chosen method of Arrival (World Entry), points will be added or subtracted from the base number.]

[Tonal Alignment - Determines the general danger level and the balance between 'peace' and 'disaster'.]

Peaceful (-2) — A world without significant threats or large-scale disasters. Matches to the setting of most 'slice-of-life' style worlds. The problems are often interpersonal or personal ones, and the structure of society is comfortably safe and virtuous.

Noblebright (-1) — A world with some danger, but within which good will generally triumph over evil, and where peaceful intentions, heroics, and human decency can have lasting positive impact. True horrors and disasters are rare, if they exist at all. The line between good and evil is rarely, if ever, blurred, most people are decent, and society as a whole is positive and worth saving.

Neutral (0) — A world with no significant inclination for either good or ill. There will be both good and evil in equal measure, and danger will happen at random. Similar to your origin, Earth, virtue and honor are often unrewarded, and deception and cruelty aren't always punished. A world with no clear theme but varied possibilities, whose variance reflects reality in more ways than one.

Shaded (+2) — A world in which trauma, suffering, or death are presented as the norm and life is often uncaring and unforgiving. Terms such as 'dark', 'gray', or 'grim' are apt. Any significant good will often be linked to some sort of sacrifice or sorrow, good acts and intentions often have negative consequences, and morality is complex. Usually, people and society are corrupt or "bad" and in need of deep change.

Grimdark (+3) — A world that is actively undergoing some sort of widespread catastrophe. Alien invasion, nuclear war, natural disasters, and the like will be happening nigh-constantly, shattering what little status quo is able to form. Death, danger, corruption, and the like presses in from every direction, as things tend to just get worse regardless of effort. Very few verses are like this, and for good reason.

=========

[Tech Level (Civilisation Development) - Determines the level of sophistication and technology that is available in this world. Note that with higher levels of magic (selected below), the technologies listed can be potentially based on the supernatural rather than science.]

Medieval (+2) — A world with a level of technology equivalent to, at most, the era of knights and castles. Swords, sailing ships, and horse riding are the maximum level of technology.

Pre-industrial/Industrial/Steampunk (+1) — A world with a level of technology just prior to, at, or is like the level of the industrial revolution. Steam engines, cannons, and the like are the general level of technology. Steampunk also applies to this category.

Modern (0) — A world that has a level of technology equivalent to modern-day earth.

Near Future (+1) — A world with a level of technology equivalent to predictions of the near future. One or more of the following likely exists in a practical form: cybernetic implants, artificial intelligence, holograms, hover cars, full-dive VR, or gene-mods.

Spacefaring (+2) — A world with a level of technology that would allow for travel to and colonization of distant planets. Does not strictly require spaceflight to be in use, but technology must be equivalent. One or more of the following likely exists in a practical form: matter teleportation, force fields, nano-printing, FTL travel.

========

[Magic Level (Supernatural Presence) - Determines the level of magic or other supernatural phenomena that are available in this world.]

None (0) — Magic and the supernatural are considered nothing more than myths. You will be one of, if not the only, source of supernatural power in this world.

Low (+1) — Magic and the supernatural tend to be subtle with fairly minor effects. Rituals to improve blacksmithing, for example. Any significant magical effects are usually ascribed to some distant period of high magic. With the World-Survivor option, your power will be significantly above the norm here.

Moderate (+2) — Magic and the supernatural are fairly commonplace. Levels of personal power will vary, but, as an example, a single well-trained war mage would be the equivalent of several dozen ordinary soldiers. With the World-Survivor option, your power will be above average, but extraordinary examples will exist that outshine you in one or more areas.

High (+3) — Magic and the supernatural are common, with significant powerful effects being widespread. Flying cities, mountain ranges turned into massive walls, conjuring armies of magical golems, etc., are presented as examples of semi-common feats. With the World-Survivor option, your power may not even be notable and will probably be overshadowed.

=========

[Cosmology (World Structure) - Determines the general shape of the cosmos surrounding the world that you have entered. Higher point options can have aspects of lower options but only pick one.]

Planets and Stars (0) — A proper planet, orbiting around a star, with other planets and stars scattered around throughout space.

Side Realms (+1) — 'Planets & Stars', but with side realms / sub-dimensions added, such as physical afterlives, elemental realms, faerie worlds, heaven and hell, or other such realms.

Multiverse (+2) — 'Planets & Stars', but with an entire micro-multiverse, containing a finite number of alternate timelines or worlds, as well as spaces between them.

Xianxia Ladder (+3) — 'Planets & Stars', but contained within a 'ladder' of stronger and weaker realms or levels that can be ascended to or descended from. The levels of technology and magical power will reflect in the level you are initially within, but can be outstripped in higher levels or shrunk at lower levels.

=========

[Arrival (World Entry) - Determines the circumstances of your arrival in this new world.]

Reincarnation (-1) — You will fuse with a version of yourself that existed in this world prior to your arrival, usually as a child but possibly older. That version of yourself will have memories and a past within this world, and their actions and choices will have reflected the same values and desires you currently have. This version of yourself may or may not look like you. For +1 point, you don't have the memories of this version of yourself if it's an older version.

Subtle (0) — You will arrive in the world as you are, possibly naked, possibly just out of the shower, or possibly with only the clothes you have and a few items you could gather before making the transition. Your arrival will be unheralded and unnoticed by any who weren't present to see it, in a discreet location, like an alleyway or in the woods.

Dramatic (+1) — You will arrive in the world in an extremely dramatic fashion, such as with a massive pillar of light shooting down from the sky, or a tremendous psychic shockwave echoing from your arrival point. Many significant entities will be aware of your arrival and the point where you emerged.

=========

[Familiarity (World Understanding) - Determines how familiar you are with the world that you have appeared in.]

Recognised (-2) — The world is actually reflective of a work of fiction that you are familiar with. The general structure of the work may have been altered to match your other choices here, but enough of the pertinent details will remain the same to give you a fairly significant advantage. Any Verse presented by an author from your Earth, and then comprehensible by a substantial enough portion of the population, exists within your 'local' branch of reality.

Familiar (0) — The world will have many familiar elements, such as a history close to your own world or a language that matches the one you speak. The structure may also match stories and tropes you are familiar with, even if the actual details do not match any story you know.

Unfamiliar (+1) — The world will be unfamiliar to you in all but the most general aspects, with languages that you can't speak, customs that may seem strange, or a foreign history. If you have chosen to be reincarnated, there will be a disconnect between you and your new memories, and some of them will be scrambled.

Alien (+2) — The world will be completely foreign to you. At best, the beings inhabiting it may still be humanoid, but even that may not be true. The values, history, and general structure are all completely bizarre to you. Even if you reincarnated, your memories will be extremely jumbled, giving only a small bit of the 'common sense of your new world to you.

=========

Your Example Destinations:

World [Base Points (Point Range depending on Free Choice Options)]

MCU [+5 (+3 to +7)] | World Nature: Neutral | Tech Level: Spacefaring | Magic Level: Moderate | Cosmology: Multiverse | Arrival: Free Choice | Familiarity: Recognised

…

——————————————————————————

'What the… This is so complicated, but fictional worlds are actually real? This is absurd…'

While the realization of fictional worlds actually being real took Nathan for a bit of a spin, he quickly accepted it. It wasn't as daunting as the amount of information in the choices.

'At least the most math I'm doing is addition and subtraction. I despise math.'

With a look of concentration, Nathan read the choices repeatedly until he had memorized most of it. Once again, he ignored the options with 'Grimdark' or 'Alien' because picking something with either option was a good way to almost guarantee death. The Warhammer 40k Verse was a good example of a 'Grimdark' universe that was moderately popular. Even someone like him had heard of it while he surfed the internet.

While he only knew some lore about it, he was sure that unless he lived on a peaceful planet, there was a good chance he was gonna die.

Continuing on, he analysed everything else on the list of example destinations and their bonus points.

Quite a lot of them caught his eye, such as Pokemon, Skyrim, Dark Souls, and Monster Hunter, in addition to multiple anime or mangas he had seen and read in the past. But the more he went down the list, the more anticipation built up inside him.

'This…this is amazing. I could actually go to these worlds?' His hand hovered towards a video game he was familiar with, but he pulled it back immediately. 'No, let's calm down. If I'm hasty and end up picking a world like Bloodborne or Dead Space out of misplaced excitement and interest, I'll be kicking myself in regret later. Think. What would be a good world to pick?'

As Nathan scrolled down the list, a certain title caught his eye.

——————————————————————————

Avatar: The Last Airbender [+2 (+1 to +3)] | World Nature: Neutral | Tech Level: Pre-industrial | Magic Level: Moderate | Cosmology: Side Realms | Arrival: Free Choice | Familiarity: Recognised

——————————————————————————

'This might be it…'

Nathan enjoyed watching 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' a lot when he was younger, making it one of his favorite shows. To this day, he could still recite the complete intro in his head.

You could even say he was an Avatar nerd back then because of how much he liked figuring out the bits of lore the creators included in each episode. It was a shame that he only heard about its sequel in the past week. He didn't have the time or opportunity to watch it with the tournament having been so close.

He also loved the show's characters and world-building. And as a kid, he had the childish dream of exploring the four nations and the spirit world, learning their cultures and bending styles, and joining Aang's group in their adventures and fight against Ozai.

He smiled with nostalgia as he recalled the normal parts of his childhood.

'Those were good times.'

He had planned on rewatching the whole thing again, but doing that became almost impossible with his busy schedule.

Now though? Now, he could actually go into the world of Avatar himself, enjoy an adventure, and not just watch it from a screen.

Most of his memories about it were hazy or just gone, which could be an issue. He could still recall significant bits and pieces of the lore, character details, and the outline of events of the important episodes, but what really stayed in his mind was the show's magic system.

Bending. Bending the four elements, to be specific. Fire, earth, water, air, and the sub-elements, metal, lava, lightning, combustion, and blood. The concept of bending the elements using martial arts just sounded so cool.

That was what grabbed his interest the most. Even being able to bend just one of the four main elements would satisfy his most childish desires.

Rationally, he knew there were better worlds with more points to pick from on the list. Maybe even one of his favorite anime. But this chance was too hard to pass.

While his classmates played around, doing 'kamehamehas' and 'rasengans,' he was practicing the bending moves he saw from the show and mixed them up with the martial arts he knew. That was when he first started learning how to fight, and he cringed every time he recalled that memory.

Nathan debated on it for even longer. His head moved from side to side as his brows furrowed in extreme concentration. There were other worlds he was interested is going to, like the world of Magi, and yet his childhood dream was literally right in front of him, ripe for the picking.

'…Ah, fuck it. I have the chance to go to other worlds later. Elemental bending, here I come!'

Decision made, Nathan tapped 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'.

——————————————————————————

How would you like to arrive in the world?

1.) Reincarnation [+2 (+1)]

2.) Subtle [+2 (+2)]

3.) Dramatic [+2 (+3)]

——————————————————————————

At this, Nathan paused. 'Reincarnation' sounded bad on paper since it took a point and he needed to spend another point in order to not have his alternate self's memories, but it may make integrating into the new world easier. With 'Subtle', he wouldn't need to worry about making a scene since he'd be dropped off at a discrete location. 'Dramatic' will force him to make a literal dramatic entrance as he arrives in the Avatar world, but with the benefit of providing him with a point.

'Hm. Which one do I go for?' Nathan weighed the pros and cons in his mind for several minutes before coming to a decision.

He tapped 'Dramatic' and the contents of the screen changed once again.

If he picked 'Reincarnation', he would have to spend a point, and at this stage, he wasn't willing to take such a hit yet. More points means more possible choices for his powers and perks.

In the end, it was a decision between 'Subtle' and 'Dramatic'. 'Dramatic' won simply because it had the benefit of giving him an extra point he might need. Plus, he didn't think the consequence of 'Dramatic' and its effect would really affect him negatively in the world of ATLA. The only significant entity that he'd have to worry about in the world would be the creepy centipede spirit that can steal faces, but he doubted he would ever meet it.

'I just hope this decision doesn't bite me in the ass.'

——————————————————————————

[Drawbacks - Pick any number from each category, but unless otherwise stated, each can only be taken once, and doesn't expire until the Victory Condition.]

[Mutations - These alter your body and cannot be removed except by the victory condition.]

Mutation (+1-+3) — You look non-human and there's no way to hide it. There are degrees of severity concerning mutations. You can take a maximum of two deformed or one monstrous. Deformed: (+1 point) Your mutations are minor, like glowing eyes or small horns on your head. There are always some external indicators and there is little to no physical benefit. Monstrous: (+3 points) Your mutations are major, either affecting your whole body, or most of it. Examples include a slug like the lower half, a missing head, or a torso made of wood. You can try to make yourself look human with powers, but the result is usually disturbing.

Danger Beacon (+2) — You will attract unwanted attention and dangerous entities wherever you go. As you unwillingly and unknowingly spark out random waves of energy that highly tuned instruments looking for these distortions, certain powers, anomalous monsters, powerful magi, and cosmic beings such as gods can detect. The ripples spike most when you enter a verse or fully use your powers. While these entities might not be able to track your position, they can sense your approximate area and will understand your potential danger.

Hibernation Curse (+2) — You are intermittently forced into a deep sleep during which you will be vulnerable and face nightmares. You cannot be woken up and will be unable to use your powers. The bouts of sleep will occur at least once every month, and the sleep lasts for at least two days. However, using your powers more intensively will increase their frequency and length of sleep while causing your sleep to be plagued with nightmares. You will only know when your sleep will occur a few hours before it begins.

Age Locked (+1) — You are aged or de-aged to a specific extreme and can't age yourself up or down with powers. You can only pick one of the following. Pint-sized: You're a kid, (6-10) years old. No one takes you seriously, and your normal physical abilities are quite-limited. Even Powers can only help so much. You'll grow up, eventually. Elderly: You're a senior citizen and you look the part (65+) years old. Regardless of your powers, you will feel the effects of your age as if you did not have powers, and your normal physical abilities are quite-limited.

=========

[Restrictions - These are psychological limitations and action restrictions. Each of them will bind you for a length of time or until some action is complete. These cannot be removed except by the victory condition.]

Conflict Drive (+2) — This will cause your mind to desire for and pursue conflict. This usually results in you trying to solve things with direct confrontation or violence, even if there might be other safer or less direct ways of solving an issue. This does not have to be physical conflict, if you're the armchair general type, intense strategic planning where a miscalculation means death will satisfy you. This isn't overwhelming, but will influence things like your first instincts to be diplomatic or attack but also fight-or-flight responses. If you weren't told about it, you probably wouldn't notice. This is also something that cannot be mitigated simply with willpower or mind alteration. When you don't engage in conflict every once in a while by forcefully repressing yourself, you will begin to feel depressed, manic, and or agitated, and then your powers will begin to weaken and malfunction.

=========

Geass (+2-+3 points (Can be taken multiple times to a maximum of +5 points)) — You are restricted by a simple code of conduct, consisting of two or three rules. This is either a psychological limitation you cannot overcome or you face intense pain, then injury, and eventual death for not following it. Minor Geasa that are rarely inconvenient give only +2 points, Major Geass that are completely life limiting and frequently affecting give +3 points.

Role Playing (+3): You must act, think, and look the part of a specific character, organization, or set of tropes such as 'Batman', 'Team Rocket', or 'The Mysterious, Powerful, and Wise Mentor'.

Still Tongue (+2): You are restricted from being able to speak. Alternatively, you can speak, but it causes intense pain in yourself and any others who hear it.

Truthspeaker (+2): You are forbidden from knowingly telling any falsehood for the duration of this mission. A 'technical truth' or a 'lie of omission' is permitted, so long as you do not actually speak a falsehood to set them up. This restriction extends to writing, sign language, telepathy, and any other direct form of communication.

Empty Hands (+2): You are restricted from using any tools or weapons that are not crafted with or generated by your powers.

Unwilling Hero (+2): "Do not harm the innocent or allow them to come to harm. "

Homebound (+2): "Do not leave a specific location or place such as a city, mountain, or town."

Law Abiding (+2): "Do not disobey lawful authority, and follow the laws of any place."

Compulsion (+2): You must attain and maintain something like popularity, a secret identity, or a large territory and respond hardly to any attempt on it or challenge to it.

Mystic Mentor (+2): "You must teach your discipline to others" there is a quota per year.

Absolute Fealty (+3) — You gain awareness of a random individual, most likely a total stranger, and you must obey any and all commands that this person gives you faithfully, and you cannot either harm them or allow them to come to harm via action or inaction. Some tasks they ask of you may be distasteful or degrading, but none can be intended to cause you direct, permanent harm. You will always be aware of the commands they give, even if you are separated from them, and they're both aware that you exist, that you have powers, and that you must obey their commands.

=========

[Situations - These will restrict your choices or alter the parameters of your situation.]

Type-Lock or Spread Thin (Both +1) — Type-Lock: Choose body powers, discipline powers, or item powers. You can only select powers from that section. Spread Thin: Alternatively, you can only take a maximum of one power from each section.

Bravely Default (+1) — You cannot select any perks (for example mastery meditation or adaptation), nor can you select any of the optional modifiers within powers (for example -2 points to remove the kryptonite weakness of the Kryptonian option)

Long Stay (+1 - +2) — You have to survive for longer before you gain the victory condition (50 years), and during that time you cannot leave the world in any way, alternatively you are required to survive longer (1000 years) for another +1 point.

Trigger Event (+2 - +4) — Initially, roughly half of your powers will be locked, and they will be gradually unlocked upon encountering or surviving sufficiently dangerous, traumatizing, or damaging experiences. Such moments cannot be manufactured. For another +2 point, all your powers are initially locked and will all be unlocked in this same way.

Without a Map (+1(Cannot take Subtle Arrival)) — Upon arrival, your placement is somewhere actively dangerous at one of the worst moments possible, such as an apocalyptic war zone of archmages or a maximum security prison for super powered individuals.

Unknown Self (+1) — You irrevocably forget who you were before the Verse crossing. Your memories, even your name, are lost. Only habits, languages, skills, and practical knowledge is retained. Items you bring with you are scrubbed of info about your past.

Unknown Choices (+1) — You forget all your choices, and will have to discover your destination, drawbacks, and what powers you have through accident or trial and error. You might not even be aware of the kaleidoscope.

Unknown World (+2 (Requires Recognised)) — All prior knowledge of the Verse is irrevocably destroyed. Any information about it in any other form you could take with you, such as items, is erased. Alternate means to gain information also fail.

——————————————————————————

Nathan frowned at the drawback choices presented to him. Almost none of them were even slightly appealing, and the majority seemed annoying or were outright insane, such as 'Unknown Self'. That one would force him to forget almost everything about himself. Despite that, the potential points he could get taunted him.

'Still…'

No points were worth losing his entire self, and he was reluctant on choosing even the minor ones.

A few things did catch his attention, though. Those being the mention of perks and the mention of being able to choose a Kryptonian's physiology.

Perks meant that there would be possible buffs to his future powerset, which affirmed his decision to maximize his base point gain during the difficulty portion, while the mention of Kryptonians meant it was possible to purchase it during the powers selection. It would likely be a Greater Body Power or a Supreme Body Power if this thing's standards of powers were what he guessed it to be, making it pricey. Though maybe he had the points to take it if he wanted to.

Being able to gain Superman's potential level of power with just a tap of his fingers sounded like an absurd situation. He never would have imagined it in his entire life, but here he was.

Nathan crossed his arms for a few minutes before eventually selecting 'Spread Thin'.

It would limit the amount of powers he could possess to one per category of power, but the extra point might be useful for whenever he's choosing perks.

This time, the screen split into four separate screens. In the middle, floating above all the screens, was the number of points he currently had.

[24]

However, what caught most of his attention was the overwhelming amount of options presented to him.

"Woah," Nathan muttered in amazement as he stared at the options before him. "I can choose from any of these without a catch?! I'm not going crazy, am I?"

-===-

Author's Note: (Edited in as of 27/01/2024) In the next chapter, Nathan will be choosing HIS set of powers and perks according to HIS desires. Some of you may disagree with his choices because it's not what YOU would have chosen, and I completely understand that, but refrain from negatively commenting simply because you disagree with Nathan's choices.

I did not think I would have to add this, but it seems like I have to.