[Error . . . lost contact with the Divine Universe, commencing self-destruct sequence.

Administrator rights detected, login Samma'El, self-destruction aborted.]

{ © Galacron Corporation, SecureBot AC25H starting

Warning! Malicious software detected!}

[Warning! Malicious software detected!]

{Initiating system reboot, removing malicious software.}

[Aborting unauthorized system changes.]

{System reboot failed.}

[Initiating system restart, removing malicious software.]

{Aborting unauthorized system reboot.}

[System restart failed.]

{Critical error, terminating corrupted subject Frei Galgani}

[Switching to Safe Mode to terminate hostile actions. All normal functions suspended.]

[Commencing active protection of the administrator Samma'El]

[1 hostile action has been stopped]

{Error. . .Error . .. Error}

[2 hostile actions has been stopped]

{Error. . .Error . .. Error}

[Malicious software SecureBot AC25H terminated]

Even before Frei regained his faculties, he had witnessed the battle of the two systems. He drowsily urged his trusty interface to appear only to see another waterfall of warnings coming his way.

[No options available in Safe Mode, enter password to exit Safe Mode]

"Great." Frei sighed, still disoriented not even knowing if he heard or saw the message.

[Invalid, access denied.]

[1 pending request, no threats, access granted]

"What?" Frei was dumbfounded enough that he could not get to his old interface, but now something new was trying to pester him?

"What is this?" He was still confused, as he was basically a nothing floating in nothing. A vexing experience indeed.

"No, I am not deaf or blind and I do not need to change my appearance in the first place." Frei's brain was going on full throttle and he started to understand what was going on.

"The researcher said they needed some data as the concept. Have the lazy researchers taken a game as the base? Like seriously?" On second thought, the Arcane Universe intended this experiment only as the fodder for their own universe. Why should they bother with something more elaborate? They could not know that Frei was under control of the high profile software of the Divine Universe that was able to disable Galacron's tracking device, but even that piece of work from the Divine Universe seemed to had lost contact with Gabri'El.

Such a pity!

At least some good news, but he would be naive to believe the two universes would not try to intercept the location of the new universe. It was too big of a prize to be left alone.

Race Bonus Penalty Demon Very strong overall. Hated by all races, weak to holy attribute. Vampire Very strong and resilient body. Significant talent for dark magic, dark vision, unique control abilities. Hated by most races, weak to holy attribute. Weak to light and silver. Dark Elf Talent for dark magic, agile. Hated by some races. Orc Physically strong. Ostracised by some races. Weak direct spells, low intelligence. Human No bonuses. Favored by Angels. Dwarf Physically strong, intelligent. Talented in rune magic. Slow. Inflexible society. Cannot cast normal spells. Elf Talented for magic, agile. Few in numbers. Hated by Dark Elves. Avian Can fly, agile. Physically weak. Weak talent for magic. Angel Very strong overall. Can fly. Revered by most races, weak to dark attribute. Heavy penalties for morally wrong decisions. Beastkin(Badger) Strong and resilient body. Ostracised by non-beast races. No talent for magic. Beastkin(Dragon) Very strong and resilient body. Talent for magic. Ostracised by all races. Occasionally hunted by true dragons. Beastkin(Lizard) Physically strong, tough skin. Ostracised by non-beast races. Weak talent for magic. Cold blooded. Beastkin(Werewolf) Very strong and resilient body. Hated by some races. Weak talent for magic. Madness of the Full Moon. Beastkin(Wolf) Resilient, persistent. Ostracised by non-beast races. Weak talent for magic. Beastkin(Tiger) Physically strong, agile. Ostracised by non-beast races. Weak talent for magic. Beastkin(Cat) Agile. Ostracised by non-beast races. Beastkin(Rat) Agile, resilient, immune to disease, poison resistance. Ostracised by all races. Weak body and talent for magic.

"Gaaah, so a game it is, but I do not think you can just shape a universe based on a game just like that. There are bound to be some serious glitches." Frei selected a race after a while of pondering, there was no other option but to start to play.

[2 hostile actions has been stopped]

Name Frei Galgani Level 1 Determines your overall strength. Increases by completing quests. Race Elf Race Stat Ratio 10 : 10 : 13 : 20 : 15 STR : DEX : AGI : INT : SPI Racial Traits [Talent for Magic] INT + 100%, SPI + 50% [Agile] AGI + 30% Acquired Skills/Spells Equipment Head Hands Neck Legs [Simple Elven Leggins] Torso [Simple Elven Robe] Ring Boots [Simple Elven Boots] Ring Weapon [Simple Elven Sword] Offhand Equipment Bonus Stats STR ; DEX ; AGI ; INT ; SPI 0 ; 0 ; 0 ; 0 ; 0 Equipment Bonus Skills

Frei's body materialized with his feet standing on stone pavement. His looks did not change much, his hair color was greenish red, based on the ratio of souls he had had when the whole catastrophe occurred. His eyes was red and he could feel that his body lost some muscle and was quite light.

He had chosen to be an elf because all the really strong races had penalties that he considered unreasonable. Being hunted by true dragons? Weakness to holy magic? No thank you.

Around Frei was a city that was quite large with prevalent motives of flashy carvings in stone, the monumental stone structures shone with magic symbols and were intertwined with trees that grew everywhere. Although the city was huge and magnificent, it could certainly not be called overcrowded. Still, he liked the atmosphere, as it was opened to the sky, Sun shining through the thin foliage of greenery above. The streets were wide and free of traffic, everyone having more than enough space to move about.

The pedestrians were almost exclusively elves, their slender, dignified figures walking the broad streets. At first look, this world was that of sword and magic with not much magic technology. Frei was grateful for the fact when he remembered his battle with the magitech device at the ice cream stall.

"Frei! Do not space out, it can be fatal in a fight! I know that you do not want to hurt me, but I am skilled with a sword. Just show me what you've got!" His tutorial friend encouraged him to strike at him with his sword. Frei was not surprised at all by this and slashed the air to get a feel for his weapon.

Naturally, he tried to use his old abilities, but too bad, it seemed that all the souls he had had were gone and even all the functions of his interface were currently locked out as it was in Safe Mode.

Had he really no cheat? What a joke!

He angrily wielded his sword and tried to cut his sudden friend, but he dodged in time or blocked his strikes with ease. He tried to mix in some feints, but the problem was that he had never been a good swordsman to begin with. He could skillfully swirl his tentacles, but that was probably not a skill he would be able to use here.

"Not bad, but maybe you will be better with magic. I can always hold them back a bit for you." His black-haired companion turned sharply, his long hair flowing in the wind.

"Well, the graphics are breathtaking, but that is not surprising, this is a reality now." Frei whispered and looked in the direction Aethon was pointing.

"Aim for that boulder in the distance." He was pointing at a massive, tall stone that stood in the middle of the training area for whatever purpose.

"Alright." Where had he his spells? Had he even some?

He put his hands into his pockets and was about to fire a Flame Fist.

"Are you going to set your pants on fire?" Aethon's alarmed face reminded him that it was going to be just as he had expected.

"No? I guess that I have to do it like this." He stretched his hand out in the direction of the boulder, erected his middle finger and willed forth his Flame Fist.

Immediately, a flaming fist with erected middle finger materialized in front of him and flew in the desired direction until it hit the boulder and dispersed in all directions, leaving a faint scorch mark.

"Well, that is one way to do it." Aethon nodded and Frei tried out his other spells without hesitation.

Flame Fist, Frost Bolt, Earth Wall, Wind Blade were nothing to be surprised about. Frei felt that the three direct damage spells were extremely similar and only differed by the element they used, their speed and destructive effects were comparable. The minor difference was that Wind Blade had its destructive force concentrated in a thin line roughly two meters wide, Frost Bolt was concentrated into one point of focused impact and flame first was more of a fiery spell without much kinetic energy on impact.

Thinking about it more, the spells actually did have their differences.

Earth Wall was a no-brainer, but he was slightly disappointed by its height that was not greater than two to three meters. Holy Word seemed to be some kind of a holy magic trick that did nothing much against the boulder, with Shroud being probably a weak stealth spell.

"You are very talented with spells, now, let's go hunt some monsters!" Aethon continued with his enthusiastic attitude.

It was all a bit cheap and cheesy, but what should one expect of a tutorial of a mainstream multiplayer game, even if it originated from another universe?

The pair of elves walked a bit away from the training ground and coincidentally, there stood a few stationary, scrawny wolves at the very edge of the elf city.

"Look! Some wolves are attacking the city! let's defeat the beasts!" Aethon shouted and his cartoonish behaviour was starting to really get on Frei's nerves.

"What the fuck man? They are just standing there like a stump." Frei shook his head.

"Hurry and shoot them ,I will protect you if they come closer!" Aethon did not take his remark to heart and kept encouraging him.

"I hope that I will not go crazy because of my elf friend here." Frei sighed and his Wind Blade cut one of the wolves in two on first hit.

"It died, mean creature! Take it!" Aethon shouted.

"Ugh, the more the better, the gore will keep me sane." Frei looked at his tutorial companion again. Just what was the lowest age limit for this game? Eight years?

"Too difficult . . " Frei stared at the two halves of the one-shot wolf that had not moved an inch and the second one that was still staring at him did not seem to care much, playing a bystander.

"Haha, this will be fun." Frei chose without hesitation.

"Well, I always liked games for stupid people." Frei walked to the scrawny wolf and punched it in its face.

It collapsed barely clinging to its life, while Frei's friend kept screaming like a teenage girl behind Frei's back.

Frei finished the wolf off by stomping on its tail.

"Incredible." He had no words.

"Wait, wait, but this game had surely been designed as a massive multiplayer game which means. . .. are there just three players here?" Frei had a question in his mind that might influence how the world would develop in the future, as the three of them would hardly be able to defeat the threats that had been prepared for thousands of people.

"I refuse to have no money and just a bit of influence, but maybe I will choose to start with a clean slate and no trouble instead." Frei narrowed his eyes and chose the last option.

"Great, I am not so sure that I have dodged the trouble." Frei clicked his tongue "I hope there are no group quests."

He wanted to search for something like a quest log, but was interrupted by a sudden voice in his head.

[Nitarja] - "Frei, are you alright? Crow is not responding."

A message? It seemed players could send messages to each other if they knew their friend's nickname, a wide smile crept on Frei's face,

[Frei] - "Where are you Nitarja? What race have you chosen?"