– We’re giving you...
– What, what?! Spit it out already! – I shout, unable to contain my impatience.
– A second chance! – the girl blurts out, her cheerful tone almost mocking the weight of her words.
– What do you mean, a second chance? – I ask, still not fully grasping her point.
– You get to live in another world, but not just any world, – she claps her hands excitedly, drawing out her words for emphasis, – a-ma-zing! It’s full of magic, kingdoms, and everything else you could imagine...
Her grin widens as she leans in dramatically.
– ...just like RuneVale!
The word RuneVale hits me like a bolt of lightning.
– RUNEVALE?! The place i just got annihilated by a dragon?! BUT STILL!! – I leap to my feet, my eyes blazing with excitement. – You’re saying I’ll be able to use magic? I can slay goblins and monsters without holding back? And I’ll get some insanely powerful ability like in manga?!
The girl places a finger on her lips, tilting her head.
– Well… I wouldn’t call it insanely powerful, but it’s something you’ll definitely enjoy.
Intrigued, I ask, – What could possibly be better than RuneVale?
She grins mischievously.
– Your power is called... LIVELINK. – She sighs and sits back in her chair as if preparing for a long explanation. – Here’s the deal: you’ll be able to stream your life to your original world. Viewers there can watch your adventures live, and based on the number of viewer hours you rack up, you’ll earn points. Those points can be used to improve your stats—strength, stamina, stuff like that. But you can’t buy physical items; it’s strictly for stats. Got it?
She twirls her hair around her finger, waiting for my response.
– Not really... – I mumble.
– Perfect! As long as you understand something! – She hops up from her chair, clapping her hands. A glowing pink circular table materializes out of thin air.
– Come here! – she beckons, pointing at the table with exaggerated gestures.
I clench my fists. This goddess is seriously starting to get on my nerves. I approach the table with a resigned sigh.
– Alright, what’s this? Why is it glowing pink?
– It’s ma-gic, duh, – she says in a sing-song tone, as if I should’ve known all along. The table is covered in cards—thousands of them, scattered in every direction.
– Pick one. – She leans on the edge of the table, still twirling her hair.
Great... Cards. Thousands of them. I need to find something powerful.
15 Minutes Later
– THIS IS RIDICULOUS! – I shout in frustration. – THERE’S NOTHING HERE!
The goddess jolts upright. – What’s with the yelling? Did something attack?!
She turns around and sees me slumped over the table, glaring at the cards.
– Oh, it’s just you... Still haven’t chosen? – she teases with a sly grin as she saunters over.
– HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE?! – I slam my fists on the table. – These powers are garbage! Take this one, for example. – I grab a random card. – “Eternal Thirst”? What the hell even is that? How is that a power?!
I drop the card dramatically and collapse onto the floor, defeated.
– Honestly, I’d rather just... die again.
The goddess bursts out laughing. – Wow, you’re having fun, huh? Well, I’m going to take a nap. Wake me when you’re done.
Yawning, she heads back toward her chair.
– Wait! – I shout, stopping her in her tracks.
She turns, surprised. – Found something?
I shake my head. – No... but I realized something.
Her confusion deepens. – Uh... what are you talking about?
I clench my fist, a spark of determination lighting up my face.
– If all these powers suck, there’s only one way to fix this. – I point dramatically toward her.
– Huh? – She tilts her head, genuinely puzzled.
– Yes! – I exclaim, my eyes gleaming. – I CHOOSE YOU!
Her face turns beet red. – W-what?! You can’t pick me! I’m a goddess, not a random trinket on the floor!
She fidgets nervously, covering her face with her hands. – I mean... unless you’re saying you want to marry me or something...
I interrupt her before she can finish. – No! I meant... never mind. Let’s just keep looking.
- maybe we'll talk later about it.
With a sigh, I turn back to the table, scanning the cards again.
– “Color Identification”? Useless. “Sock Teleportation”? Huh, that sounds... interesting. Let’s check the description:
What it does:
The user can teleport their socks to any visible location.
Drawbacks:
This power only works with socks—and only their socks. They cannot teleport themselves, items, or other people. Also, the socks always land in a messy pile.
I stare at the card in disbelief.
– What the hell is this garbage? – I mutter.
Finally, my eyes land on another card: “Awkwardness Manipulation.”
Curious, I read the description:
What it does:
The user can control awkward moments, either making others feel even more uncomfortable or slightly reducing the tension in a situation. This means they can ruin conversations, make silent moments painfully awkward, or mildly improve the vibe (but never completely fix it).
Limitations:
Minimal effect: The power is weak and cannot resolve conflicts, only nudge emotions slightly.
Awkwardness backlash: Overusing this power on others makes the user feel doubly awkward.
I sigh. – Well, it’s weak as hell, but it’s the best I’ve seen so far. – I glance at the goddess. – Alright, what now?
– Now...
