In the Woods

"Shit…Shit…Shit!"

Vincent cursed repeatedly as he absconded away from the pursuers in his Bell 206 helicopter. He could hear the bullet from an M2HB machine gun impacting at the fuselage, producing sparks and sending shards of glass around him. 

[Fuel Low!] 

[Warning: Tail Rotor Failure!]

Vincent's heart lurched as the helicopter's warning system blared, his eyes darting to the flashing red lights on the dashboard. 

The world outside blurred into a dizzying swirl of greens and browns as the forest spun wildly around him. Vincent struggled with the controls, fighting to stabilize the helicopter, but the damage was severe. The spinning increased, the centrifugal force pinning him against his seat, making each breath a Herculean effort.

[Pull up! Pull up!]

"I'm pulling up, shut up!" Vincent caused once again as he pulled the collective control in an attempt to stabilize the helicopter. His efforts barely managed to slow the descent as the ground rapidly approached.

[Warning: Impact Imminent!]

Vincent braced for impact, his mind flashing back to his last mission—how it was supposed to be a simple extraction. But when an insider betrayed him, he ended up in this deadly chase that was now about to end in a fiery crash.

The helicopter hit the ground hard, skidding through the mud and underbrush until it finally came to a shuddering halt against a cluster of trees. The world went black as Vincent was knocked unconscious.

When he awoke, the sun was setting. His head throbbed painfully, and it took him a moment to remember where he was. He was lying on the forest floor, not far from the mangled remains of his helicopter. Vincent struggled to his feet, his body protesting every movement.

[Host Health: 40%] 

Vincent blinked and stared at the floating holographic interface before his eyes.

"Host Health?" Vincent read. What the heck is that? He tried touching it but his fingers simply went through it but the sensation was akin to dipping your hands into the water. 

"What the…" 

Before he could investigate further, another holographic screen flickered to life.

[Welcome host! Congratulations! You have received a system from a mysterious god!] 

Vincent read the line, and tilted his head to the side confused.

"What nonsense is this?" Vincent complained. Is he hallucinating or something? He remembered not eating anything prior to his mission. 

[Host has already been synchronized!] 

[You may now use the features of the Military System!]

"Hah?!" Vincent had enough of those nuisance holographic interfaces. He swatted it in an attempt to remove it but instead of that happening, the interface exploded into more parts, each displaying a unique text.

[Host: Vincent Strider] 

[Health: 40/100]

[Armor: 0]

[Equipment: Black Polo (Tattered), Khaki Pants (Tattered), Boots (Tattered)]

[Level 1]

[Gold: 0]

[Exp: 0/400]

[Mission]

[Inventory]

[System Shop]

[General Information] 

Vincent blinked again, and to be honest, it is getting creepy for Vincent. This is not the first time where he had near-death experience and soon thereafter an holographic interface would appear. They are quite persistent and he really wanted to get rid of it but he just doesn't know how. 

If only knew how to do it, he would remove it in an instant.

However—curiosity got the best of him. He slowly approached the floating holographic interface with a displayed "System Shop" on it and then tapped it.

Suddenly—the System Shop exploded and multiple floating interfaces appeared.

[Personnel]

[Weapons]

[Vehicles]

[Facilities]

[Raw Materials] 

Vincent hesitated, then reached out and tapped on the [Personnel] tab. The interface shifted, showing a list of personnel, ranging from combat soldiers to logistics and medical staff. Each entry included a brief description and skill level, but most were locked, requiring him to level up before he could access them.

Curious, he then tapped on the [Weapons] tab. It opened to a detailed catalog of firearms, melee weapons, and heavy artillery. Each weapon was listed with its origin, model, and specifications. There were handguns, rifles from various countries, and even some exotic weapons that seemed out of place in his world. Again, many were locked and required him to level up to access them.

Next, Vincent navigated to the [Vehicles] tab. Here, he found everything from armored personnel carriers to advanced combat aircraft. Each vehicle was represented by a detailed image and a list of specifications, including armament and armor thickness. Like the other tabs, most of the high-end gear was locked, indicated by a grayed-out icon and a padlock symbol.

He moved to the [Facilities] tab, where various military buildings like headquarters, barracks, and support structures like water towers and radio towers were listed.

Lastly, Vincent explored the [Raw Materials] tab. It was a marketplace where he could theoretically purchase materials like crude oil, copper, and wood. 

Of course, there are similarities. Those that are available for purchase can't be obtained due to him lacking gold. There are prices but their price was highlighted in red, indicating that he couldn't afford them yet. Inventory is simple, it's where he can store things. 

Vincent then noticed a new icon blinking softly in the corner labeled [Missions]. Curious, he tapped on it. Then a description about the tab appeared.

[This is where you will receive your mission. Completing a mission will get you experience points, gold coins, unique rewards, et cetera.]

[No mission available for you at the moment]

Now the last tab, the [General Information]

He tapped on it and a description appeared.

[Vincent Strider, unfortunately, you have died in your previous world due to a helicopter crash. You may not believe it because you are reading this but that is the truth. But fear not, you have been reincarnated into another world, far different from your world. This will be your new home now, and this power you have received is a blessing from a mysterious being.] 

After reading that, the tab disappeared and no longer appeared in the interface. Vincent sat back against the boulder, his eyes wide with disbelief. He had died? And now reincarnated in another world? It was a lot to process. He couldn't shake the surreal feeling, as if any moment he would wake up back in his old life. But the persistent throbbing in his head and the cool night air brushing against his skin were too real to ignore.

He looked up at the sky, seeking a moment of peace, when the sight above caught him completely off-guard. Not one, but two moons illuminated the night— one green and the other red.

Their ethereal glow bathed the forest in a strange light. The sight was so alien, so bizarre, it cemented the reality of his situation. This was no dream; he was truly somewhere else, not just another place, but another world entirely.

"Why me?" Vincent whispered to the uncaring moons. "Why was I chosen?" The idea of being selected by a mysterious entity was overwhelming. What was expected of him? Survival, yes, but to what end? The interface, with all its military trappings, suggested conflict, but with whom—or what?

"I guess I'll have to suck it up," Vincent chuckled.