Chapter 2: I Choose You!

Rey Skylar.

A regular 16-year-old boy of average height, average build, and an overall look that blended into the crowd.

He wasn't a stranger to his classmates, but he wasn't exactly the life of the party either. Grades? Nothing exceptional. Friends? A few acquaintances, but nobody close enough to call a true friend.

In school, Rey embodied the essence of average. Even his... well, let's say his 'gear' down there? Yup, average too. And truth be told, he had pretty much gotten used to that status quo after living his whole life that way.

However, now that he was standing beside the two giants of his class, he was beginning to feel a little inferior—perhaps even less than average.

'This whole thing is a fluke. I didn't even raise my voice when I asked that question. How did I end up here?'

It felt surreal to be one of the first chosen to pick their Skills and Classes.

Having played quite a few games himself, Rey knew how crucial these choices were in shaping a character's journey.

'Well, it's not like I was able to be more than average in gaming even with that knowledge,' Rey thought, knowing that Skills and Classes in games always aimed for a balance, ensuring fairness for all players.

But this wasn't a game; this was real life, where unfairness was as common as breathing. Rey was a living testament to that fact.

'If I can snag a solid Class and a few decent Skills...' His thoughts drifted into a hopeful realm, a flicker of possibility shining through.

Perhaps, just maybe, he could break free from the chains of his average existence.

Suddenly, Seraph's captivating voice pierced through his thoughts, pulling him back to the incredible reality playing out before him.

Amongst the boundless clouds, there they stood - Rey and his classmates - face to face with the stunning Angel, Seraph.

Her pure white countenance was accentuated by intricate golden patterns on her attire, and her wings added a divine allure to her presence.

Her gleaming golden eyes held an otherworldly beauty, resembling the most precious of gems.

Rey, like the rest of his classmates, found himself utterly captivated by just a single glance at Seraph.

His thoughts raced as Adonis stepped forward, prompting Rey to focus keenly on the unfolding selection process.

He hoped to gain some advantage by closely observing Adonis's choices for his Class and Skills. After all, Adonis was the class's golden boy - popular, good-looking, athletic, and genuinely kind. He effortlessly connected with everyone, including Rey, in the few conversations they'd shared.

'Will I really get a peek at what Adonis picks?' Rey mused internally, a glimmer of hope flickering within him.

But his hopes were dashed when, at the very moment Adonis reached for Seraph's hand, a blinding light enveloped them both.

In that shower of light, Rey couldn't make out a thing, realizing that the same shroud of light must have obscured the view of the rest of his classmates.

"Damn! Guess it won't be that easy," Rey muttered in disappointment, understanding that the path ahead wouldn't be as straightforward as he'd hoped.

Despite being a little disappointed, Rey was also quite relieved. This way, even his choice would not be revealed to everyone else.

It would have been awkward if that was the case.

~FWUUUUUSSSSSHHHH!~

Just a few seconds after the blinding light shrouded the two of them, it dissipated.

"Congratulations on choosing your Class and Skills, Adonis. You may move to my far right since you've now chosen."

'In just a few seconds? Maybe time moves faster within the dome of light.' Rey had many questions, but he decided to observe whether it would be the same for Alicia.

Adonis gracefully moved to Seraph's far right as instructed, and Alicia walked closer to Seraph for her turn.

'She's as pretty as always,' Rey mused to himself, a soft smile forming.

Alicia White was a name known to every guy in their class, if not the entire school. Regarded as the pinnacle of beauty, her long, lustrous brown hair and a face that seemed carved by the gods captivated anyone who glanced her way.

But now, standing in the presence of Seraph, perceptions might shift.

Alicia remained stunning, yet against Seraph's ethereal presence, her beauty seemed to pale in comparison. Despite this, she held her own charm.

'She earned the spot of our Class Representative through popular vote,' Rey recalled. 'And she's been incredible in fulfilling her duties.'

Rey held a genuine fondness for Alicia, liking her as a person. Her inquisitive nature and persistence while questioning Seraph had earned Rey's admiration.

He wasn't obsessively crushing on her or anything, but he definitely thought very highly of her.

'I bet Bill still sees her as a goddess. He's been crushing on her since middle school,' Rey mused, spotting his best friend, Billy McGuire, still fawning over Alicia. Some things, it seemed, never changed, and Rey couldn't help but smile at the familiar sight.

Just like with Adonis, a beam of light shrouded Alicia, and both she and Seraph were shielded from everyone's sight.

This lasted for a few seconds as well.

'My theory must be true. Time flows differently within the light field.'

As the light faded, Rey felt his heart thumping hard against his chest.

It was his turn now.

"Next," Seraph announced, her gaze fixed on him.

Rey's heartbeat raced the instant he locked eyes with Seraph. It wasn't his norm to hold prolonged eye contact, but he felt it would be impolite to look away. Luckily, she averted her gaze first, granting him a moment of relief as he approached her.

'Whew!'

With each step nearer, his heart thudded faster in his chest.

"Give me your hand," her voice, like a melody, reached out to him.

As Rey extended his hand, he caught a whiff of Seraph's scent - an intoxicating blend that surpassed the most captivating aromas.

She seemed to embody an aroma beyond perfection, momentarily leaving Rey dazed.

"Your hand," her voice broke his trance, and he hastily complied, feeling awkward for his earlier hesitation.

"Sorry..." Rey stammered, berating himself internally for his embarrassing slip-up.

'I'm so stupid! What was I thinking?!'

Sneaking a glance at Seraph, he sought her reaction, fearing he'd offended her.

To his relief, she seemed unbothered, almost indifferent, displaying no emotion on her face. It was as if his presence barely registered with her, leaving Rey feeling both embarrassed and relieved at the same time.

~VWUUUUSSSHHHH!~

As the radiant light encased them both, Rey felt his heart race even faster, now that it was just the two of them.

The closeness intensified the allure of her scent, and her touch felt as soft as a whisper against his skin.

'What am I doing...?'

Rey's mind raced, aware that he shouldn't entertain these thoughts—it might come off as creepy. But he was a guy after all, and he reasoned that anyone in his shoes might think the same way.

However, before he could rationalize further, a jolt of shock surged through him at Seraph's unexpected words: "I can hear your thoughts, you know?"

"E-eh...?!" Rey's response was instinctive, his gaze meeting the disapproving glare of the Angel before him.

A heavy, uncomfortable silence hung between them, stretching into unbearable seconds.

"I-I'm sorry..." Rey finally managed to mutter, the weight of the silence pressing down on him like a heavy burden.

"Let's just get this over with," Seraph sighed, her words hitting Rey like a blow. It felt as though he were nothing more than an inconvenience, a throwaway piece.

'It's fine. I deserve it. Besides... I'm used to this.'

Rey, accustomed to being met with disinterested or disconcerted gazes due to his averageness, found this treatment nothing out of the ordinary.

"Before I show you the list of Classes and Skills, there are a few things you should know."

Seraph resumed her official tone, as if the previous exchange had never occurred—or maybe she simply didn't care.

It seemed she had already forgotten everything that just happened.

"All Skills and Classes are given Tiers based on their potency. This ranges from SSS-Tier to F-Tier. Naturally, SSS-Tier is the best, and F-Tier is the worst."

Rey understood this much. However, just as with everything in life, there had to be a catch.

"SSS Tier Skills and Classes are the most expensive, and F-Tiers are the cheapest. The value is measured by Karma Points."

Seraph further broke it down for Rey, and it ended up looking something like this when it came to Skills;

SSS Tier: Primeval

SS Tier: Divine

S Tier: Absolute

A Tier: Grand

B Tier: Greater

C Tier: Mid

D Tier: Lesser

E Tier: Low

F Tier: Lowest

"As for Classes, the higher the Tier, the more unique and the more special privileges come with it."

Rey realized he needed to make the right choices on Classes and Skills within his allotted Karma Points from his life on Earth.

"So... how much Karma do I have?" Rey interrupted, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"I was getting to that," Seraph responded, her slight frown indicating her displeasure at the interruption.

Rey instinctively recoiled at her glare, immediately apologizing, "S-sorry."

"Haa... whatever." Seraph's dismissive response left Rey feeling like she was being unnecessarily sassy.

Any attraction he might have had toward her began to dissipate rapidly.

Finally, Seraph revealed, "Your total Karma Points are 57. That's pretty average, all things considered."

'57? But it was a hundred at birth... How?' Rey's mind raced with questions.

According to Seraph, Karma Points were reduced based on the negative perceptions people held towards a person.

'But I've been pretty cordial with everyone.'

Was this yet another unfairness of life? The fact that people could hate a person or hold negative impressions of them for just existing.

'Will 57 Karma be enough for decent Skills and a good Class?' The worry gnawed at Rey, looming large in his mind.

"Now then... I will show you the list." Seraph's voice cut through his thoughts, summoning a massive translucent board.

It displayed a lengthy catalog divided into two sections: Skills on the right and Classes on the left, neatly categorized by their Tiers.

Observing the abundance of Skills compared to Classes, Rey deduced, 'Skills outnumber Classes, probably because we can choose only one Class but multiple Skills.'

Taking his time to scrutinize the vast System Window before him, Rey noticed Seraph wasn't hurrying him along.

His theory about time slowing down within this realm seemed to be spot on. This realization eased his nerves, allowing him to focus on the daunting task ahead.

'Now that I've reached this point... which one should I choose?'

Rey mulled over his options, starting from the bottom of the list, well aware of his limited 57 Karma Points.

'Okay, F Tier Skills are just 1 or 2 Points. E Tiers won't exceed 5 Points. D Tiers cap at 10 Points. C Tier stops at 15 Points. B Tier is at 25 Points, and then A Tier jumps to 30 Points. S-Tier is... whoa! I can snag one for 45 Points!' Rey was surprised at the possibilities within his reach. He realized that even an S-Tier Skill was attainable if he strategized.

'But that'd leave me with a lousy Class,' Rey realized. Conversely, opting for an S-Tier Class would mean weaker Skills, creating a dilemma that begged for balance.

'Balancing both is the smart move for a good build,' Rey acknowledged, recognizing the need for equilibrium between Class and Skills.

'SS Class starts at 60 Points. Out of my league,' Rey sighed. The most expensive S Class was about 59 Points. He knew chasing after something beyond his reach was futile, but curiosity compelled him to explore further anyway.

'SSS-Class is 80 Points upward. That's insane! Some of them even require all your Karma Points. Who would choose them?'

Rey marveled, eyes scanning the dazzling options before him

He could see a lot that was really cool and tempting. The power to obliterate anything, that was seriously tempting.

And invulnerability against any harm? That was hard to resist. Rey mused, maybe that invulnerability was worth everything else; at least he'd be safe, right?

'But it costs 85 Points. I can't afford it...'

In the end, he settled for the B-Tier selections. Perhaps even a dip into the C-Tier for a broader range.

Being a one-trick pony wasn't really what he wanted, but Rey figured having multiple Skills for versatility was the smarter move.

'I'm pretty average at everything anyway. It would be nice if I could do a bunch of things instead of just one or two.'

His gaze drifted downwards, ready to explore, until it snagged on something amid the SSS-Tier Skills.

'Hold on... this is...'

It was a Skill.

'T-this is...!'

The Skill was incredibly expensive. It seemed impractical, as it would demand absolutely everything from anyone who dared to acquire it.

"I have a question, Seraph," Rey ventured, his gaze locked onto the Skill before him.

He noticed a faint frown crease on her brow when he summoned her without the usual reverence, skipping any honorifics in his address.

At this point, Rey couldn't care less. His focus was solely on the answer he sought.

"What's your question?" Seraph responded, barely hiding her irritation.

At this point, Rey wasn't concerned about appeasing her.

In the end, she couldn't hurt him.

'There's no need to be like Adonis and suck up to her.'

"This Skill..." Rey gestured toward the SSS-Tier Skill in question.

"It mentions costing 100% of initial Karma Points. Does that mean it doesn't matter how many Karma Points I have? Whether it's one or ninety-nine?"

Among the array of SSS-Tier Skills and Classes sharing the same description, Rey's eyes remained fixed on one for a singular reason, a reason that set his heart pounding fiercely.

"Hm? What? It says that there? That's likely a... ah, I understand," Seraph's tone hinted at an unsettling realization.

Suspense hung heavy in the air for a fleeting moment.

However, before Rey could hold his breath in anticipation, Seraph continued, "Indeed. However, since it refers to initial Karma Points, the moment you make a purchase, those points are no longer accessible.".

In that instant, relief and excitement collided within Rey, causing his eyes to widen in sheer revelation. What Seraph said aligned perfectly with his suspicion.

'Even someone with an average Karma Point can get an SSS-Tier Skill!' Rey's mind raced, his concern about the accompanying Class taking a back seat to his burning desire.

'As long as I can wield this Skill... that's all that matters!'

With a near-manic grin, he pounded the selection with such fervor that his fingers trembled.

"I choose you!"

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Thanks for reading!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

This is a story about how an average guy, an ordinary boy, gets an ability that changes his life.

It should be fun.