Xavier grabbed Calypso by her waist and spun her around the void, his laughter echoing through the Liminal Space. Her silver hair whipped around them both, trailing stardust and rose petals.
"I knew it!" he shouted, completely forgetting his earlier fury. "I never doubted myself!"
Calypso's cheeks flushed pink, matching her wide eyes. The glow from her skin intensified, bathing them both in soft light.
"Um, you can put me down now," she mumbled, looking anywhere but at him.
Xavier set her down, completely oblivious to her blush as he rubbed his hands together and licked his lips. "Alright, super powers, come to daddy."
He snatched the first card—the gold one—and flipped it over.
The card revealed a sprawling futuristic cityscape built on three connected islands, surrounded by endless ocean. Crystal spires reached toward the sky while mag-lev trains curved between buildings.
[SR-RANK WORLD: NEXUS POINT]
A hunter metropolis built on essentia after the Cataclysm, housing the prestigious Catalyst Hunter Academy and serving as humanity's foremost gate management center. Technology level: crystal-powered futurism. Contains: humans (common), Awakened (rare), gate monsters (variable). Political climate: corporate oligarchy with hunter celebrity culture. Opportunity for adventure: extreme. Danger level: extreme.
"Nexus Point..." Xavier whistled, studying the holographic city rotating above the card.
"You'll be transmigrated, not reincarnated," Calypso said, back to her bubbly self.
"What's the difference?"
"Reincarnation means being born as a baby, living a whole new life from scratch. Total memory wipe, new parents, the works."
She turned to Xavier. "Transmigration means you'll appear as you are now—well, a version of you adjusted for that world—with all your memories intact. No awkward diaper phase."
"Thank fuck for that," Xavier muttered. "I'd make a terrible infant."
He reached for an emerald card next, which rippled like sunlight on water.
[SSR-RANK ABILITY: LONGEVITY]
Grants immunity to diseases, poisons, and status-affecting abilities. Your natural regeneration exceeds human baseline by approximately 400% and increases exponentially during sleep cycles. Fatal wounds and dismemberment remain permanent, however.
Xavier's eyes lit up. "So I'm basically immortal?"
"Not quite," Calypso corrected, peering over his shoulder. Her scent enveloped him as she pointed at the card. "You can still die from fatal wounds. Decapitation, heart destruction, that sort of thing. But you won't age, get sick, or die from poison."
Xavier tapped the card against his chin. "No more hangovers?"
"None."
"No food poisoning from sketchy street vendors?"
"Nope."
"Immune to STDs?"
Calypso rolled her eyes. "Yes, you horndog. Though I wouldn't recommend testing that immediately."
Xavier grinned and reached for the card crackling with pink energy.
[UR-RANK ABILITY: SOUL BONDS]
A unique Essentia ability that forges metaphysical bonds between you and those who develop genuine emotional connections with you. These bonds enable mutual benefits that scale with emotional intensity—romantic partners receiving the strongest effects—including accelerated ability development for your companions, temporary Essentia exchange in critical moments, and an intuitive awareness of bonded companions' emotional states and wellbeing regardless of distance.
Xavier read it twice, his eyebrows rising higher each time.
"So... I get stronger by making friends?" He sounded almost disappointed.
"Not just friends," Calypso pointed at the card. "Emotional connections. The deeper the bond, the stronger the effect. Especially romantic ones."
Xavier's expression shifted from disappointment to calculation. His fingers drummed against his thigh as a slow smile spread across his face.
"Let me get this straight—I get stronger by seducing people?"
"That's oversimplifying it," Calypso huffed. "It has to be genuine. You can't fake the emotional connection."
Xavier waved her concern away. "Details, details. I've never had trouble forming 'genuine connections' when motivated."
His purple eyes glinted as he reached for the next card. This one crackled with black lightning that seemed to tear at reality's fabric.
[SR→L-RANK ABILITY: INPUT BUFFER]
The description flowed into his mind rather than appearing on the card—a complex system of combat mechanics, technical precision, and resource management.
"This is..." Xavier's voice trailed off as he absorbed the information.
"Legendary potential," Calypso whispered. "That's extremely rare. The ability can grow from SR to Legendary rank."
Xavier's lips curved into a predatory smile. "A fighting game system. Execution-based combat. The better my technique, the stronger I get."
He made a swift punching motion, muscle memory from his past life flowing through him. "Perfect. This I understand."
Calypso watched him, head tilted. "Most people would be overwhelmed by such a technical system."
"Most people haven't spent their lives perfecting the art of killing," Xavier replied, rolling his shoulders. "Timing, precision, reading opponents—that was my bread and butter."
He reached for the final card, still crackling with black lightning. "Last one. Let's see what price I'm paying for all this power."
[L-RANK FLAW: DIVINE ENTANGLEMENT]
Your soul has become mysteriously tethered to another entity, forcing an unexpected companion to manifest alongside you in your new world. This cosmic bond severely limits your companion's original power while creating a shared fate neither of you can escape through conventional means. The only path to freedom lies in completing this world's trial. Only when the trial is completed can the divine anchor be removed and your companion return to their rightful place in the cosmic hierarchy. Until then, you're stuck with each other—a forced partnership neither of you chose, with challenges neither of you fully understand.
Xavier's brow furrowed. "Divine Entanglement? What does that—"
He looked up to find Calypso had gone pale, her usual radiance dimmed to a dull glow.
"Calypso?"
"That's... that's not supposed to be there," she said, voice uncharacteristically small. "I didn't add that to the gacha."
"What do you mean you didn't add it?" Xavier's eyes narrowed. "Then where did it come from?"
"I don't know!" Her hands fluttered nervously. "Maybe it's a special event? Or a system glitch?"
"A glitch." Xavier's voice flattened. "In the divine reincarnation system."
Calypso forced a laugh that sounded more like a hiccup. "It's probably nothing serious! You'll probably be paired with some mythical warrior or legendary mentor. That happens sometimes."
"Does it."
"Yes! Like... like a wise old master who teaches you secret techniques. Or a spirit animal with ancient wisdom." Her words tumbled out faster with each suggestion.
Xavier relaxed slightly. "As long as they're not an asshole. Though with a Legendary flaw..." He shrugged. "I'll deal with it."
He studied the five cards floating before him, then looked at Calypso. "So what happens now?"
Calypso didn't answer. She stared into the void, her pink eyes unfocused.
"Calypso?" Xavier waved a hand in front of her face. "Hello? Goddess of reincarnation? What's the next step here?"
She blinked rapidly, focusing on him again. "Oh! Right. You just... drop into that portal over there." She pointed to a swirling vortex that definitely hadn't been there a moment ago. "It'll download your new background directly into your mind—family history, education, whatever context you need for this world."
Xavier rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the portal. "That's it? Just jump in?"
"Yep! Super simple."
He took a step toward it, then paused. "Wait, what about my old abilities? Can I at least keep some of the good ones from the earlier rolls?"
Calypso shook her head. "Sorry, only your final roll counts. But hey, you got some amazing abilities! That's what matters."
Xavier sighed and walked to the portal's edge. Swirling energy rippled below, showing brief glimpses of the world waiting for him—crystal towers, strange monsters, people fighting with powers he couldn't comprehend.
"Well," he said, turning back to Calypso. "Goodbye, I guess. Hope I don't see you for a very long time. I'd at least like to make it past twenty-one this time."
"Yes! Long life! That's the goal!" Calypso's smile looked strained. "Good luck, Xavier Valentine! Make it interesting for me!"
Xavier gave her a salute and stepped into the portal.
Time to start my new life.