Clap!
The old man clapped his hands, and the glowing portal to my original world vanished, sealing shut like it was never there.
"If that is your choice, then so be it," he said, making a sweeping gesture with his right hand as if throwing something into the air.
Suddenly, the starry sky around us began spinning rapidly. The entire realm twisted and twirled so fast that I grew dizzy, barely able to keep my balance.
After several disorienting seconds, the spinning came to an abrupt stop. I staggered, nearly falling from the dizziness.
When I looked up, the scene had changed.
We were now standing beneath a red blazing sun, its intense light directly in front of us. I raised my left hand to shield my eyes, it was blinding.
"The sun?" I asked.
"The sun, star, morning light...whatever you people call it," he replied while casually walking ahead of me. "It's the light that shines on everyone in the world."
He then stopped and pointed forward.
"That's your friend, Bob. The fat one."
I blinked.
"He is the light, the chosen one, the hero of the world he's in now."
Slowly, I lowered my hand and looked ahead. The red sun radiated intense waves of energy, pulsing with life and purpose.
"And that" the old man suddenly pointed behind me.
I turned around.
Behind me was a massive, black sphere. Its sheer size rivaled the red sun, but it emitted no warmth, only a faint, eerie glow from within the shadows.
"That is your star" the old man said, his voice softer now. "Though it's dim... for now."
The dark, black sun began to rotate around us in a counterclockwise direction, while the blazing red sun spun clockwise on the opposite side.
"The truth is," the old man began, his tone heavy, "and I'm ashamed to admit this, I made a mistake. You were never meant to enter that world, Alan."
He paused, locking eyes with me.
"That world rejected you. That's why you have no skills, no abilities. Even if you train hard, it won't come naturally to you."
I felt a chill run down my spine.
"But... the heavy lifting part? I could lift heavy things," I said, clinging to the faint hope that he was wrong.
Although I wasn't fond of that fantasy world, I had made my choice. I chose to go through it with Bob. If I had no powers, then what chance did I really have?
I looked back at the dark sun.
Please, let him be mistaken.
"Hmmm..let me check" he then summon another paperboard to his hand. He wet his left thumb with his tongue as he flipped the page.
I waited for answer.
"Aha! Found it." The old man snapped his fingers, eyes lighting up.
"It's actually a trait you carried over from your original world. Not really a skill, to be fair, everyone technically has it." He squinted at the paperboard, then grinned.
"So… your trait name is, erm… Burden of the Loner. Yes, that's it."
With a dramatic flourish, he tossed the paperboard into the air where it promptly vanished into sparkles.
"L-Loner?! What kind of terrible naming sense is that?!" I shouted, eyebrows twitching.
What's the deal with that title? Sure, I didn't have a bunch of girlfriends or a massive social circle, but I had Bob, didn't I?
…Wait. Does Bob even count as a friend?
My brain short-circuited for a second.
"I,I mean, he's annoying sometimes, but come on. We've been through a lot!" I blurted, half trying to convince the old man, half trying to convince myself.
The old man shrugged.
"Hey, I don't name these things. This realm just auto-generates based on your life history" he continued.
"You should've gone out more."
I nearly exploded.
"I went to the grocery store!"
...
I then inhaled deeply… then slowly exhaled. Relax, Alan. Not the time to get mad. This is the time for… enlightenment or something.
"Good anger control," the old man said, nodding approvingly as he raised his right thumb at me.
"Unlike those brats who think being the chosen one gives them a license to brag and act like royalty."
Yeah, maybe putting up with Bob every day toughened my patience. I mean, I did read on the internet that people who get angry easily age faster, and I refuse to look forty when I'm barely early thirty.
I took another breath and asked, "So… what mistake did you mean?"
"The mistake is… I forgot to meet you before you entered the new world."
He scratched the back of his head and gave an apologetic laugh.
"You know, the classic 'mysterious old man gives advice before the big adventure' kind of deal. Totally slipped my mind. I'm really apologized."
Then he bowed deeply, like really bowed, from the waist like he owed me five lifetimes of apologies.
Honestly, I wanted to be mad. I mean, come on, how do you forget something that important? That's like forgetting to put water in instant noodles.
But… seeing him bow like that, I felt like he was genuinely sorry.
"It's okay… really," I muttered.
Then I perked up, hope bubbling in my chest. My eyes practically sparkled.
"So, now that we're finally meeting, does that mean you'll give me a power too? Like Bob's? Something cool, maybe?"
"That part… I also need to apologize for."
He bowed again, even deeper this time.
Okay, what's going on here? Why is he acting like I'm his boss and he just missed a deadline? It's kind of making me uncomfortable.
"What do you mean?" I asked, cautiously.
The old man slowly straightened up, rubbing his neck awkwardly.
"Well… the thing is… all the skills and abilities...yeah, they've already been taken."
"All of them?" I blinked.
"All. Of. Them." He nodded solemnly, as if announcing a national tragedy.
And just like that, poof! My dream of becoming an overpowered main character shattered like a cheap mug dropped on concrete.
With a deadpan look and the weight of crushed expectations, I muttered,
"Looks like I'll be the sidekick till the end."
"And that… is where you're wrong," the old man said, a sly smile curling on his lips.
I instantly snapped out of my despair, blinking at him with a flicker of hope.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, both suns in the sky, Bob's blazing red one and my weird dark sun, began drifting closer together, as if pulled by some cosmic magnet.
"The skill Bob chose , Dual Abilities, is a unique one," the old man continued.
"Even though he's strong now, that fat boy still doesn't use it properly." He clenched his teeth.
"It actually can go far beyond that."
Wait… was he angry at Bob for being inefficient?
"The skill was meant for one person only," he said. "But since I created it… I have the power to tweak it a little."
With a grin, he raised his hand and cast something. A surge of energy pulsed out, forming a glowing magic circle beneath me.
I looked down.
This array… it feels familiar. Where have I seen it before…?
Before I could remember, the array burst to life, spinning with alternating waves of blue, purple, and black light, swirling around me in a mesmerizing dance.
"The ability that Bob chose is unique," the old man said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"It's the only skill I ever made that allows me to create a link to another individual. Huh… maybe that guy's wiser than I thought."
I squinted.
Wise?
Yeah, right. He probably picked it just because it looked the flashiest.
I'd bet a week's worth of lunch money on that.
"Nevertheless!" the old man suddenly raised both hands like some ancient prophet making a divine announcement.
"Through this link, one person can enhance the other's abilities based on the strength of their bond."
He turned to me with a knowing look.
"Especially you, Alan. I can feel the connection between you and Bob. It's strong. With your presence… I believe you can unlock the true potential of this skill."
The two suns behind the old man finally closed in on each other, merging into a breathtaking display. His silhouette stood tall against the radiant backdrop, like some majestic figure from a myth.
The red sun shifted in color, turning from deep crimson to warm yellow, and finally to a brilliant white, glowing with blinding intensity.
The dark sun cracked its outer shell. Pieces of black flaked away, revealing a vivid purple light from within. Then, slowly, it shifted into a bright, steady blue.
It was... beautiful.
I stood there, stunned, lost in the sight.
So this is my sun.
This is Bob's.
Together, side by side.
Finally... I can shine too.
In this new world.
Then, a massive light array appeared in the sky above me, pulsing with power.
"Do you remember how you came to this realm, kid?" the old man asked, his voice calm and firm.
I looked at him...and suddenly, it all came crashing back.
The rage.
The beatings.
The wounds. The blood.
The faces of those bandits.
Phoenix's cold, distant expression.
My friends' helpless eyes.
Every moment burned into my memory like fire.
I clenched my fists tightly, my hands trembling.
This time… I will save them.
The light above me began to shine brighter, as if drawing something from deep within me, pulling my resolve, my pain, my determination upward.
The old man raised his voice, shouting above the rushing wind and light.
"Go, Alan! Save your friends! Make bonds with others! The stronger your bonds, the stronger this ability will become!"
And then, in a matter of seconds, I was engulfed by the light. My body floated for a brief moment,weightless, suspended, before being pulled upward into the array glowing in the sky.
And then… everything turned to darkness.
---
Ding!
[Dual Abilities has evolved into Limitless Bond!]
...
[New Host: Alan — Registered!]
...
[Link to Limitless Bond— Successfully Established!]
...
[Welcome, Alan]