[Excerpt from Transmigration 101: A Guide for Your Second Life, Module 1 Continued & Module 2 Preview]
...So, you've confirmed you are, in fact, somewhere else, and likely in someone else's (or a freshly fabricated) body. Congratulations on surviving the transition! Now for the crucial second step: The System Check?.
In 99.9% of documented transmigration cases (statistical margin of error +/- plot convenience), you will be granted access to some form of System. Why? Don't question it. It's easier than the universe actually developing consistent rules. Accept this Deus ex Machina; it's probably your only lifeline.
Systems come in various flavors:
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The RPG Classic: Stats (STR, DEX, INT, LUK - expect LUK to be absurdly high or hilariously low), Skills, Levels, Quests, Inventory. Familiar, intuitive, prone to grinding. Expect quests like "Kill 10 Slimes" or "Collect 5 Unobtainium Herbs."
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The Cultivation Companion: Tracks Qi/Mana levels, Cultivation Realms (Body Tempering, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Plot Armor Transcendence), Pill Recipes, Heavenly Tribulation Warnings (usually late). Often involves meditation and absorbing suspiciously glowing rocks.
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The Gacha Gambler: Roll for skills! Roll for items! Roll for waifus! Highly addictive, financially ruinous (even if the currency is 'Karma Points'), results may vary wildly. Hope you have good LUK (see RPG Classic).
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The Vague Benefactor: Offers cryptic advice, occasional skill-ups for dramatic tension, and generally acts like a poorly programmed chatbot. Least helpful, most likely to lead to philosophical debates with yourself.
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The Overlord OS: Grants godlike powers immediately. Usually indicates you're in a power-fantasy crack-fic. Enjoy responsibly.
Regardless of the type, your first interaction will likely be a Status Screen and possibly a Tutorial Quest. PAY ATTENTION TO THESE. That initial quest might seem demeaning ('Survive the Next Hour,' 'Drink Water,' 'Breathe Manually'), but failure can sometimes result in penalties ranging from 'Mild Stat Decrease' to 'Instantaneous Cessation of Second Life Subscription.' (We're still working out the bugs on that last one).*
Once you've gawked at your probably underwhelming starting stats, the next step is World Assessment. Where ARE you?
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Look around: Pointy ears? Magic sparkles in the air? People throwing fireballs? -> High Fantasy.
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Listen: Talk of meridians, sects, elders spitting blood? -> Cultivation World (Wuxia/Xianxia).
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Smell: Gunpowder and steam? Strange metal contraptions? -> Steampunk/Magitech.
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Feel: Are you wearing a ridiculously frilly dress or an overly tight military uniform? Do handsome men with color-coded hair keep bumping into you? -> Otome Game/Romance Novel setting. Brace yourself for flags.*
Your immediate goal: Blend in or find a safe spot. Avoid attracting attention until you know the basic rules. And for the love of all multiversal constants, DO NOT immediately declare yourself the Chosen One. It rarely ends well.
(Next Module Teaser: Basic Survival - Food, Shelter, and Not Getting Shanked for Your Slightly-Used Rags)
[Kevin's Story: Part 2 - The Budget System Blues]
Kevin stared at the flickering blue screen hovering mockingly before him. "Budget Isekai Starter Pack v0.8 Beta"? That didn't exactly inspire confidence. And "Sub-Optimal" body compatibility? "Fragmented" memories? This felt less like a power fantasy and more like inheriting a used car with a dodgy engine and no service history.
"Okay, System," Kevin muttered, deciding to interact. "Show me... Status?"
Ding!
[Status: Finnian 'Finn' O'Malley (Host Override: Kevin Lee)]
Level: 1
Class: Uninitiated (Potential Paths: Thug, Beggar, Corpse)
HP: 7/15 (Injured)
MP/Qi/Stamina: 5/5 (Untapped Potential? Or just empty?)
STR: 6 (Below Average Citizen)
DEX: 8 (Surprisingly Nimble Fingers - Previous owner might have been a pickpocket?)
INT: 9 (Slightly Boosted by Host Soul Resonance - You're welcome!)
LUK: 3 (Statistically Unfortunate)
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
Skills:
[Basic Street Brawling] (Lv. 1) - Flail wildly, hope for the best.
[Petty Theft] (Lv. 2) - You can palm a coin... sometimes. Requires DEX check.
[Urban Navigation (Slums)] (Lv. 1) - Knows a few shortcuts through garbage heaps.
[Foreign Language Comprehension] (Passive - System Provided) - Understands local tongue. Speaking might sound weird.
Equipment:
[Ragged Tunic] (Defense: 0, Charm: -5)
[Torn Trousers] (Defense: 0, Slightly Breezy)
[Worn Leather Wraps (Hands)] (Defense: 1, Gripping Bonus)
[Empty Coin Pouch] (Holds... air?)
Active Quest:
[Tutorial: Survive & Diagnose!]
Objective 1: Identify Current World Type (0/1)
Objective 2: Find a Safe Place (Temporary) (0/1)
Objective 3: Consume Sustenance (Non-Poisonous) (0/1)
Reward: 10 EXP, [Basic Healing Potion (Crude)], Title: [No Longer Utterly Clueless]
Failure Penalty: Permanent LUK decrease (-1), Status Effect: [Existential Dread]
Kevin blinked. LUK 3? Failure penalty resulting in more bad luck and existential dread? This system was actively hostile! And the potential class paths... Thug, Beggar, Corpse. Inspiring.
"Okay, okay," he mumbled, pushing down the rising tide of panic (and potential existential dread). "Focus. Objective 1: World Type."
He cautiously peeked out of the alleyway. The street beyond was bustling. People in tunics, leather armor, robes. Stalls selling strange fruits, smoking meats, and dubious-looking potions. A blacksmith's hammer rang out nearby. He saw a flash of green skin on a burly figure haggling over vegetables – an orc? And further down, someone with definitely-not-human pointy ears elegantly examining a dagger. No cars, no electricity pylons, just flickering gas lamps (or were they magical?) starting to light up as dusk approached.
Ding!
[World Type Assessment: Standard Medieval Fantasy with Low-Level Magic Integration Detected. Common Races Present. Congratulations, you're a cliché!]
[Objective 1 Complete!]
"Gee, thanks for the commentary, System," Kevin grumbled. "Alright, Objective 2: Safe Place." This alley felt decidedly unsafe, especially with the lingering memory of getting clocked on the head. He needed somewhere less... murder-y.
He scanned his meager surroundings. A pile of refuse nearby looked potentially concealing. Further down, a boarded-up doorway. Not ideal. His eyes fell on a rickety wooden ladder leading up the side of one of the leaning buildings. It looked unstable, but maybe the roof? High ground was usually good in games.
Testing the first rung, which groaned ominously, Kevin started to climb. His new body felt weak, his arms trembling with the effort. The "Below Average Citizen" STR wasn't kidding. Halfway up, a rung splintered under his foot. He yelped, clinging desperately as his feet scrabbled for purchase.
Dexterity check, maybe? he thought wildly. Come on, Nimble Fingers!
He managed to haul himself up, heart pounding. The rooftop was flat, grimy, and littered with debris, but offered a panoramic view of the sprawling city under a sky with two oddly colored moons beginning to rise. More importantly, nobody else was up here.
Ding!
[Temporary Safe Zone Acquired: Grimy Rooftop. Provides minimal shelter and excellent brooding opportunities.]
[Objective 2 Complete!]
Kevin slumped against a crumbling chimney, catching his breath. Two objectives down. Now for sustenance. His stomach growled, a painful reminder of his low HP and general state of patheticness. He scanned the streets below. Food stalls were plentiful, but his coin pouch was mocking him with its emptiness. Petty Theft (Lv. 2) wasn't exactly a reliable grocery plan, especially with LUK 3.
He eyed a discarded, half-eaten apple core near the edge of the roof. It looked... questionable. But the system did specify "non-poisonous."
Just as he was contemplating the nutritional value of garbage, a glint caught his eye. Tucked away near the chimney base, almost hidden by soot, was a small, waterskin-like pouch. He picked it up. It felt cool to the touch and sloshed slightly. Tied to its neck was a small, folded piece of parchment.
Curiosity overriding caution, Kevin untied the note. The handwriting was surprisingly neat, almost instructional.
Found yourself in a new world with a headache and questionable fashion choices? Typical.
Rule #1: Hydration is key, especially after blunt force trauma or unexpected soul-swapping.
This contains purified water. Probably.
P.S. Check your System. It's likely garbage, but it's your garbage.
- A Concerned Veteran
Kevin stared at the note, then at the waterskin. Was this... help? From who? And how did they know? Before he could ponder the impossibility, his thirst and the promise of completing the quest took over. He uncorked the pouch and took a cautious sip. Clean, cool water. Heavenly. He drank half of it greedily.
Ding!
[Sustenance Consumed: [Purified Water (Questionable Origin)]. HP +1]
[Objective 3 Complete!]
[Tutorial Quest Completed! Calculating Rewards...]
[+10 EXP! Level Up Not Achieved.]
[Item Acquired: [Basic Healing Potion (Crude)] - Smells faintly of swamp water.]
[Title Acquired: [No Longer Utterly Clueless] - Grants +1 INT during tutorial phases (Phase Ended).]
Kevin let out a sigh of relief, feeling marginally better. He had a system (albeit a budget one), a slightly less critical HP level, a possibly dodgy healing potion, and a title that was already useless. And... a mysterious note-leaver?
He looked back at the parchment. A Concerned Veteran. Was someone else like him here? Someone who knew the ropes?
As the twin moons cast long shadows across the fantasy cityscape, Kevin clutched his crude healing potion and the mysterious note. Maybe, just maybe, this second life wouldn't be a complete disaster.
Or maybe the Concerned Veteran was just messing with him before the real monsters showed up. With his luck, it was probably the latter.