"I can do this," I said looking at the null crystal in front of me.
It was a crystal which was retrieved by killing a null monster, every null monster have a 10% chance of dropping this and within just hundred years, this has become one of the most sought after material... Even a very expensive currency infact.
Anyways, once you crush a null crystal, it opens up a portal to the null world, good enough for one person to pass though.
'I can do this,' I thought as I looked at the person incharge of the ceremony, "You may begin." He said finally as some people beside me already crushed thier crystal, are they that easy to crush?
'Well, let's try and know...' I thought as I crushed the crystal in my hand.
A small crack spread across the crystal in my hand. Then, with a sharp sound, it broke completely.
Suddenly, a bright light flashed.
Whoosh!
A portal appeared right in front of me. It was swirling with blue and white colors, like a spinning storm.
I blinked. My heart was beating fast. "This is it," I whispered to myself.
Without waiting, I stepped into the portal.
The moment I did, everything around me changed.
It felt like falling through a tunnel of light. I couldn't see anything clearly, but I could feel the wind rushing past me.
Then, after just a few seconds...
Thump!
I landed on the ground. It was soft grass.
I looked up.
The sky was purple. Two suns were shining above me. Strange trees with glowing leaves surrounded the area.
I stood up slowly.
"Where... am I?" I said out loud as I looked around me.
Null world is said to be big, unbelievably so.
It is so vast that not even 1% of it is explored, but fortunately or unfortunately, Earth still hasn't cleared the tutorial quest and and it is his first time visiting null world.
Which means that... He is here for the trails to awaken.
[New Entry Detected.]
[Creating New Account.]
[Begining Appraisal.]
[Appraisal Completed.]
[Finding Suitable Trail according to Appraisal.]
[1593668 Trails Found.]
[Short Listing Trails.]
[Short Listing Trails.]
[Short Listing Trails.]
[Suitable Trail Selected.]
[The Trail 'Disciple of the Clown' Begins!!]
.
.
.
When you first enter the null world, it will help you awaken your identity, with which you can finally take your first step towards the evolution.
Now, there are many different trails, each being a little unique d different than others, but they are broadly divided in 3 types.
One, Monster Hunting, it can either be a single monster kill trail, a dungeon clearance trail, or any thing of that sort which can lead to a direct combat with a null monster.
Those who are given such trails are mostly Combat related awakeners, as thier identity is related to combat directly with few non combatant having this kind of trial.
The second one is mission type, it can be either to find a particular item, do some random quest or errand, anything.
From killing someone to protecting someone, finding something or even stealing, literally anything.
Last and least preferred choice is the Life Simulation.
In this one, you don't fight, hunt, or explore... Or maybe do all that, or something completely different.
In this, you're dropped into someone else's life... No one knows who they are, but most scholars says that they are probably the residence of Null World when it wasn't ruined or even the world this realm of null have destroyed like earth.
Anyways, in this type of trial, you inherit the identity, memories, emotions, habits... everything of the person you become losing yourself for all that while... Slowly becoming them.
They are someone who have probably died a long time ago and you live as them, feel as them, make choices as them, and you live a life which has probably ended long ago, as a shadow of that person.
You can be anything, sometimes you're a king sometimes you're a beggar. Sometimes you're a sick kid in a hospital, or a dying old man with regrets.
The objective? Never losing yourself and the bonus one? Unknown.
Some say it's to change the life for the better, fulfil the regret the real person have, achieve thier dream but the main purpose for Trial is always clear have always been, Never losing yourself completely.
Of course it will change you, for better or for worse as you just live as them… and somehow lose yourself and somehow don't.
Most people dread this type.
Not because it's just hard in difficulty, but also because of many other reasons, like you can't hide and refuse to complete the trial, not dying but also not gaining anything out of it.
But also because it changes you... The life you lived, it leave a permanent mark on your self... And change your...
Forever.
[The Trail 'Disciple of the Clown' Begins!!]
[Trial:- Disciple of the Clown
Objectives:- Main-
1. Survive that night.
2. End the trail with sync rate of "less than 100%" or as "Yourself".
Bonus Objective- ???
(One of the Main objective have to be completed.)]
[May you succeed your trial!]
"Where am I?" I said aa I look around, the bed seemed bigger, the room too, or should I call it a hall?
All around me were bed, in this big room with around 10 beds, around 50 kids were cramped in, somehow.
"Wait, kids?" I said looking at them again. Yes, they were all kids with 5 to 10 years old, sleeping soundly, "Why am I... With kids?" I said out aloud as I looked at my hands.
They were small, so small that I was holding onto the glass of water with both of my hands.
As the moonlight peeked in the window and wind caused curtains the flutter, I looked at my face... An adorable boy, more like kid around 5 yr old with eyes as red as blood and hairs as black as night.
As I look at that face... My face to be exact, only one thought crossed my mind... "I am... Liam..."
[Sync Rate:- 1%]