Long night

Chapter 1: Long Night

From Another World: Occupations

"Good job, everyone. See you tomorrow," James said as the group began to disperse.

He turned to me.

"Robert, you wanna go out for drinks?"

"Sure," I replied. "Let's hit the usual place tonight."

---

Later at the bar, the server came by with a practiced smile.

"What'll you have, sir?"

"I'll take a beer," I said. "And James will have a whiskey. Thanks."

The night dragged on in the warm haze of neon lights and chatter. The drinks were strong, and I'd definitely had one too many — my low alcohol tolerance didn't help.

James leaned over, slurring just enough to turn heads.

"I'm serious, Robert. If you could do anything else — anything besides this life — what would it be?"

I stared into my glass, the amber liquid swirling gently.

"I don't know, man," I said with a tired smile. "I'd still want to be human, if possible."

A loud laugh rang out beside us.

"HA HA HA! A new world would be nice. I'd like to stay human too!"

I turned toward the voice. It was Steven Cross — a famous chef, and my best friend since childhood.

"Maybe we could be like… the primordials. The first humans or something," Steven added, half-joking.

"Hey, Steven, don't encourage him," James muttered, chuckling. "He's just drunk."

"But it would be nice, though," Steven said.

"Yeah," I said softly.

"Us too."

"Count me in."

Others around the bar had started listening in — and now, they were joining the conversation.

"Okay, I'll bite," said a girl in glasses next to us. "If I could change something, I'd want different eye and hair colors."

"That's the spirit!" Steven grinned. "There'd be new foods to cook and eat!"

"Maybe some new plants with cool designs," the girl added with a dreamy look.

"Exotic materials would be great for crafting," said a pale guy who'd silently slid into the group.

"A world with new skies and planes to fly?" said a muscular woman in a leather coat. "Sign me up."

"Mountains to climb. New places to explore," added a free-spirited girl from across the bar.

The alcohol had fully settled in now, making everything feel like a dream.

I looked out the window, imagining it all.

"Yeah... seeing a new star would make me happy."

---

BOOM!

BOOM!!

BOOM!!!

"What was that?!"

"It's coming from outside!"

Lightning tore across the sky. Rain crashed against the windows. The world itself seemed to shudder.

And then—

DING.

DING.

DING.

A strange, digital chime echoed in my ears.

> [Conditions met. Initiating transfer of 6 selected individuals to the realm of Anniekes.]

[Locating Planet: Earth. Transfer confirmed.]

"What the hell is going on?!" I shouted, eyes wide.

Outside, the storm howled — but inside, something stranger happened.

A glowing screen appeared in front of me, hovering in midair.

> [Download of necessary tasks completed. Transfer in T-minus 10 seconds.]

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No one ever thought it would actually happen.

But then, the sky split open.

A great cataclysm tore through the night, and in an instant, everything changed.

Six strangers from Earth awoke in a world unlike anything they had ever known — the ancient realm of Anniekes, where magic rules, strength shapes destiny, and forgotten prophecy stirs once more.

They had entered a world beyond imagination.

And their wish... had been granted.