First Step [3]

Before my eyes, there was a holographic-looking screen, coming from the source in the form of a crystal ball. On the screen, there was a lot of weird information, information that I had a very hard time figuring out what it meant. 

===Status===

Name: Ray

Level: 10

Class: Null

Strength: 4

Agility: 6

Stamina: 8

Intelligence: 5

Mana: 20/20

Skills: Null

Talents: [Temporal Synapses]

Awakened elements: Null

==========

'Hey... Mrs. God... what is this?'

"-That is your status. Although it is a bit flawed it is to a large degree an accurate visual representation of your power, your strength."

'Okay... so... is it good?'

"-Your status? I don't know. Let me take a look."

Although it was a bit weird that a god would have to look at the holographic screen to know about my power, I didn't say anything and just allowed her the time to investigate a bit. 

"-This...?! How can this be!"

'Ooh! Am I that strong?! Am I gonna conquer this world through my epic strength?!'

As I was hyping myself up, clenching my fists in victory it didn't take long until the goddess spoke again. 

"-No, it's not that. It was just unbelievable that someone could be this weak in this world! For the record, the average stats of a level 10 is 10."

'The average is 10? Wait... 4+6+8+5 divided by 4 is...'

"-Yes, your average stat is below 6. More than 4 integers below the average individual in this world. Which is a lot lower than the youths that get to be a part of the Academy. It is probably a side-effect of transferring your body over from the other world. Even if you got strengthened by my blessing it was not enough to completely get rid of the sorry state you used to be in."

'So... I even in this world I am weak....'

I couldn't stop my body from trembling from all the emotions that came surging in, unable to stop the very slow shakes that overtook my physical form. 

"-I am sorry. If I knew that this would happen, I wouldn't have..."

"Kuuuu, kuuuu, kuuu, kuuu!"

"-Wait, are you...?"

"Haaaaaaa, haaaaa, haaaa, haaaa! Whooooo caaaareeees iiiiiiif IIIII aaaaaaam weeeeeaaaak nooooow, IIIII...."

"-Stop! I get it! You are excited but please don't talk. Just think it instead or time will run out!"

With a verbal slap on the wrist, I quickly collected myself again in time to listen to the goddess once again. 

"-Huuuueee... At least it's good that you are in high spirits but it will take more than that for you to survive in this world. Luckily enough, even though your stats are bad right now, you still have room for growth. And you also have another weapon that might be useful."

It didn't take long for me to realize what she was talking about. I had already seen it on the status board, one singular line of text that made me realize exactly why the world felt strange to me. 

'Are you talking about the Temporal Synapses?'

"-Correct. Although it's my first time seeing it, I am assuming that that's the reason why you feel as if time has slowed down. In reality, it isn't that time has slowed down it's that your..."

'My brain has sped up!'

It all made sense now. The world around me hadn't slowed down at all, it was just that my brain had sped up to the point where the world seemed slow due to my personal, subjective perspective. However...

'I know what synapses are, but what does temporal mean?'

"-It refers to time. More specifically it refers to time as a disjointed force apart from the world concerning the subjective view of the individual. So instead of assuming time to be an axiomatical definitive phenomenon that engulfs all, it's more accurate to call it..."

'That's enough! It's not like I am going to understand even if you try to explain it... So, time has literally sped up for my brain? That's incredible! But...'

"-But?"

'How can I live like this?! I have already spent what felt like multiple lifetimes with time going so painfully slow that I just wanted it all to end. So that's just going to continue into this life?'

"-Well, yes. But this time there is a difference. In this life, you can move."

Raising my hand towards the ceiling of the room that I had now realized was likely a student dorm room, I allowed my back to relax, permitting my upper body to fall back onto the bed. Despite it taking a lot longer than it should, I had nothing to say that could dispute the goddess' words. 

'Thank you...'

Once again I could for some reason make out a shift in expression on the goddess' face, only this time I sot of knew that she was wearing a warm smile. 

"-Now we just have one last thing to do before I leave you."

'Hmm?'

"-You need a class. In Abas anyone who reaches level 10, which is more or less everyone as they grow up, receives a class from Abassi that symbolizes the kind of power the individual wields. In your case, however, you cannot receive a class from Abassi as you are not an original resident of this world. Instead, I will be awakening you right here and now."

'Wait a minute... class? What does that mean?'

"-Have you never played a video game before? You know a class like an archer, knight, and mage?"

'I haven't! That would be wasting precious time that could be used to train to become a boxer!'

"-Figures... Let me put it this way; is every boxer the same?"

'Absolutely not! They all have different styles, strengths, and weaknesses! Like Ali might have been extremely fast but his punches weren't as powerful as Tysons! Or like Marciano who...!'

"-Please stop. But yeah, classes are like that but even more different from one another. A magic-based class for example often suffers in close-quarter combat but can use powerful spells, while a swordsman would have a hard time fighting at range but excels in physical close-quarters combat, and so on."

'Oh! Like an in-fighter against an outboxer!'

"-...sure. Anyway, I will now awaken your class and after that, I'm afraid that you will have to take care of yourself. Now, close your eyes."

Closing my eyes, I still didn't really understand what this whole class thing meant, but if it could make me stronger, then I had nothing to complain about.

As my eyes closed, a strange sensation washed over my body. A stream of warmth, slowly but surely engulfing my body... no, my entire being, almost as if I was being hugged by the goddess herself.

"-This is my final gift to you, the unfortunate soul that unmistakably will have a lot more trials to overcome. I pray that you find what you have been looking for in this world. Goodbye, Ray Flowers."

And just like that the warmth disappeared, signaling the end of the awakening.

'Goddess? You there?'

Silence. No answer came despite my efforts meaning that she had already left, leaving me alone in this new world to fend for myself.

However, instead of feeling dejected, I got up from the bed and rose to my feet, enjoying the sensation of the wooden floor beneath my soles.

In this room, filled with nothing but a bed, desk, and a chair, my second chance would begin. A second chance that I absolutely wouldn't allow myself to squander.

So, I began to move, trying all kinds of general movements while trying to get used to the perceived sluggishness of my body.

Jumping, squatting, leg raises, push-ups, and more were all part of my "workout" as I slowly started getting used to my condition.

'This feels... this feels great!'

Even if everything felt like it was going in slow motion, I could still sense just how much more strong this body was in comparison to how weak I used to be.

'It's fun! Moving is so fun!'

Up and down, forward and backward.

I had no idea how much time had passed when I decided to lay myself down on the cool floor, slowly relishing in the pleasure that was exhaustion.

At the same time that I was enjoying the moment, a few rays of sunlight started to light up the room from a window.

'Ah, it's morning already?'

Forcing myself up to my feet again and lightly stretching my body, I calmly started to organize the small of information I had.

'So I'm joining something similar to a military academy in another world and if I don't manage to make a big splash, I will never be reincarnated again.'

To do this, I had no choice but to become strong as I would have to fight, though I still had no idea what I would fight against.

'And to become strong...'

I took ahold of the crystal ball still lying on the bed and tried to remember the sensation of circulating my mana. Luckily enough it didn't take all too long before I could feel my blood vessels heating up.

In response to this my mana, the crystal ball once again shone in a bright light, and from it, my status appeared. And on it, a new line of text had been added, proving that the awakening had been a success.

'A class, huh? I guess I can work with this!'