Abyssborn Journey

Sometimes, I wonder why I even bother living in this world.

Work, eat, sleep, play games, repeat. The monotony of it all.

And then there are days like today-days where everything feels like a cruel joke.

The day she left me. Betrayed my heart for the boss's wealthy relative.

The day that bastard had the audacity to kick me out of the company as if I were trash.

Now? I'm jobless, with barely enough money to scrape by while I look for something new. No family to lean on either. My so-called "relatives" beat and threatened me when I dared to ask for the money they borrowed from me. My money.

"Goddamn thieves." I mutter into the empty room.

I hate this world.

And yet, as I lie on the bed in my house, staring blankly at the ceiling, something unexpected happens.

"Are you bored with your life?"

The voice is cold, smooth, and distinctly inhuman.

"What the-" I jolt upright, scanning the room.

"Who's there?!"

"Do you want to become more than you are now?" the voice continues, ignoring my question.

"Show yourself!" I demand, my voice trembling despite my bravado.

"You don't need to know who I am," the voice replies. "Just answer the question."

I pause. My life has been nothing but a series of disappointments. My parents are gone. My relatives are leeches. My so-called friends? Some of them don't care enough to check in. Not since my closest buddy-the only one who could cheer me up, even on my darkest days-died in that accident.

I've got nothing to lose.

"Sure, why not?" I say, crossing my arms. "What's the catch?"

"Wonderful," the voice purrs, almost too eagerly. "No catch. Just a new beginning."

Before I can react, the world dissolves around me. The bed, the walls, the peeling paint-all of it vanishes in an instant, swallowed by an endless, inky void.

I float, weightless, suspended in nothingness.

"What the hell is this?!" I yell, my voice echoing back at me from the vast emptiness.

"Your new life begins now," the voice says, its tone ominously final.

And then, the void begins to shift.

Farrel floated in the darkness, weightless, his senses overwhelmed by the infinite void. He clenched his fists, panic creeping into his chest.

"Where am I?" he demanded, his voice echoing endlessly.

"Where you are is not important," the voice answered, calm and unyielding. Then it added, "Tell me, boy, do you believe in God?"

Farrel blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. His lips twisted in a wry smile as he shook his head. "Not much," he admitted. "I'm... maybe what you'd call a Christian in name only. I haven't prayed in years, and even then, it was just out of habit. Why does it matter?"

"I see," the voice replied, its tone unreadable. "Interesting... Now, let's move on to something more immediate."

"Move on to what?" Farrel shot back.

"To your reward, of course. By sheer luck-or rather, due to a certain idiot's careless trade-I am authorized to grant you a boon."

Farrel squinted into the darkness, confusion evident on his face. "A boon?"

"Yes," the voice said, now tinged with amusement. "You'll be given three spins from the Roll of Fate. And a special bonus reward... because someone rather foolishly sold this one to me."

Before Farrel could question the absurdity of it all, a strange sound echoed in his mind-a mix between the whir of machinery and the chiming of a bell.

[System Notification: Gamer System installed!]

[Welcome, Host]

Farrel clutched his head as an influx of information flooded his mind. Strange symbols, glowing menus, and prompts swirled before his eyes, overlapping his vision like a HUD in a video game.

"What the hell is this?" he muttered, stumbling backward-or at least, he thought he was. The void made orientation meaningless.

"The Gamer System," the voice explained, a trace of pride in its tone. "A tool that will help you transcend your pitiful existence. You're now the protagonist of your own story, boy."

Farrel's lips twitched, part of him tempted to laugh. "Are you serious? This is insane!"

"Insane or not," the voice replied, "it's yours now. Embrace it, or squander it. The choice is yours. Now, shall we proceed with the spins?"

Farrel hesitated, his heart pounding. Something told him there was no turning back from this moment.

"Fine," he said finally, his voice steady despite the chaos swirling within him. "Let's spin this... Roll of Fate thing."

Farrel stood in the void, heart pounding, as the voice chimed again.

[Roll of Fate initiated]

[Spinning...]

A massive, glowing wheel materialized before him, floating in the darkness. It was divided into countless sections, each marked with strange symbols and names he couldn't understand. The wheel began to spin rapidly, colors blurring together into a hypnotic kaleidoscope.

[First spin result: Fire Trailblazer - Honkai Star Rail]

Before Farrel could react, an overwhelming heat surged through his body. His vision flared as fiery cracks ran up his arms, glowing like molten lava. He gasped, his hands instinctively clenching, only for a blazing greatsword to materialize in his grip.

"What the hell is this?!" he exclaimed, watching as flames licked harmlessly at his skin, their heat oddly comforting.

"The essence of a Trailblazer," the voice explained. "A warrior capable of harnessing the power of destruction itself. Do try not to burn yourself."

[Second spin result: Divine Protection - Reinhard van Astrea, Re:Zero]

This time, a soft golden light enveloped him. He felt an almost divine presence settle over his being, as though an unshakable shield had been placed around his soul. His body pulsed with newfound strength, and he knew instinctively that no ordinary weapon or force could harm him now.

"You now possess the blessings of a Sword Saint," the voice said. "Reinhard's Divine Protection will make you nigh invincible against mortal threats."

Farrel smirked, confidence growing. "Now we're talking."

But the wheel wasn't done.

[Final spin result: The Abysswalker - Artorias, Dark Souls]

Farrel felt the void around him pulse as his new powers settled into his being. His heart raced as he flexed his hands, feeling the weight of power-the flames of destruction, the divine shield of protection, and the eerie pull of the Abyss.

Suddenly, a new question echoed in his mind, the entity's tone sharp yet oddly thoughtful:

"Tell me, do you wish to keep your current face? Or would you prefer a new identity to match your rebirth? Consider this a bonus."

Farrel froze. His face. His identity. The reminder of the man he used to be-the man who was betrayed, beaten down, and discarded. A surge of bitterness filled his chest, but it quickly gave way to a burning resolve.

"No," he said firmly. "Farrel is the name of my past. The name of someone who was nothing but a victim. I don't want to carry that anymore."

The void seemed to hum in approval. "And what shall your new name be?"

Farrel thought for a moment before a name surfaced in his mind, one that felt powerful, untethered from his old life.

"Astrea," he said. "From now on, my name is Astrea."

The entity chuckled, the sound reverberating through the void. "Very well, Astrea. Your choice is made."

The darkness around him rippled, and he felt his body shift. His face began to tingle, his features reshaping themselves into something unfamiliar yet strong, sharp, and regal. When the transformation was complete, the entity's voice returned, brimming with finality.

"Now, one last gift."

Before Astrea could ask what it meant, the shadows of the Abyss coalesced around him, encasing his body in sleek, otherworldly armor. It was the Armor of Artorias-a masterpiece of dark steel and intricate designs, carrying the weight of both power and tragedy. The Abyss pulsed through it, but he felt no fear.

The armor fit perfectly, its weight balanced as though it had been forged for him alone. He raised his arms, the faint clink of the dark metal echoing in the void. His reflection briefly shimmered in the polished surface of his gauntlet. A stranger stared back at him-a man reborn.

"You now wear the mantle of the Abysswalker," the entity intoned. "A symbol of strength and resolve. But remember, Astrea, the Abyss is a test of will. It will whisper to you, tempt you. Should you falter, it will consume you."

Astrea smirked, gripping the hilt of his flaming greatsword. "Let it try."

The void cracked and shattered, blinding light pouring in as Astrea was pulled into a new world.

To be continued...