Waking up I found myself naked and in a pitch-black world... No matter how many times I rub my eyes, all I could see is nothing but complete and utter darkness...

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“Am I... Blind? And why am I naked?”

I asked, hoping the feminine voice would enlighten me of my current situation.

“You aren't blind. It's just that, the world... Or rather, the realm you are currently in, is this world's Hell.”

She ignored my question about why I am naked and proceeded to state her sudden bombshell of a claim that we are currently in Hell. And like any normal calm individual thrown into such a peculiar predicament, I replied.

“Wait, what did you just say?”

I asked back, and to my imagination, I probably looked like a native citizen being called by a foreigner who doesn't the native language. 'This is one of those lucid dreams, isn't it? If it isn't, she could even be lying. I mean, let's look at it rationally. She said a whole lot of stuff that doesn't make sense. This world. This world's Hell. Either I wasn't able to completely comprehend her English, or she is bluffing, right? Yup, that is the case. I couldn't even remember anything, let alone anything that would send me straight to get me into Hell. And I am pretty sure I would remember doing something like that. And wouldn't you have like a spiritual body in Hell? Wouldn't people have like photographic memory because they have spiritual bodies? How could anyone have amnesia in the afterlife? Wait, is amnesia limited to only physical bodies?' I asked myself, trying to rationalize what the voice had said.

“I'll tell you later. Look to your left. See that light on the horizon? That's a lesser demon. You can't make out its form since it is so far out. But it is there, and the lesser demon is drawn to the crater you are standing on. Why? Because that crater is emitting heat. Hell is a pocket universe made only to keep the souls of the damned. Hence there is no light nor warmth. Only darkness and blood ice await the damned souls who live here, and because of that, every single resident here, have night vision and are capable of finding any form of heat. So they will find you if don't move now.”

She began talking a whole lot, and her voice felt alarmed to me despite her sounding so... Calm... By now I am utterly confused by it, so I instinctively, or dumbly, asked back.

“You can't be seriou-”

“Dead serious. Now move. Don't run to the opposite direction of the lesser demon. Instead, turn around, leave the crater and dive into the snow. Don't forget to cover yourself well. Don't worry you will feel cold but you won't freeze nor suffocate. You can ask all the questions you want after you hid. You would be able to talk to me just by thinking about it. I can read your mind and don't worry, I have no physical  body so it cannot find me.”

Normally, any normal person would talk back and defy them by saying 'Why on Earth should I trust you?' but what she says makes sense. Hiding, for now, seems to be the most logical course of action, plus I would also know what I am up against. Deciding to trust her for now, I've turned around and began to walk to the direction of the pile of snow. As I walked, the ground gradually got steeper and the air getting colder. 'Maybe trusting an unknown voice, in a pitch-black environment was crazy?', I thought as I began regretting my decision.

'Yes, it is crazy and I apologize for not giving you more reasons to trust me, but there was just not enough time to establish a proper greeting.'

I paused from being slightly surprised by her voice suddenly echoing in my mind. But I've decided to accept the strange fact and just focus on getting to the snow. The path has gotten even steeper and so I began to crawl out on all fours. By the time I was out, the light was halfway here. I stationed myself nearby the supposed crater and lied down on the ground. I felt the snow around my fingertips and tiredly clawed at the snow, gathering them to form a blanket to me. It was insanely cold, and I was shivering to my spine, but oddly enough my hands weren't going numb nor were they hardening from the cold. It took a bit of time but I was able to properly conceal myself in the cold. Now it's time for some answers.

'How come my body isn't going numb!? And how come I am not getting any frostbites from this degree of coldness!?'

I asked telepathically. The cold keeps seeping in my body and robbing me of warmth. At this point, my mind is in total disarray and all I can do to ease myself is to yell at the female voice for answers.

'You don't feel numb nor getting any frostbites despite it being ridiculously cold is because you do not possess a body that can. What you are feeling is akin to a spiritual cold or a certain phantom cold. You can turn those senses off by thinking it since you can change your spirit form by thinking it in your head.'

'That is utterly ridiculous! Do you have something to prove to me that I do not have a body?!'

'I know you aren't thinking well due to the cold. So I will ignore that you are yelling at me despite me helping you for some time now. And yes, I do have something that can prove to you that what I say is true. I want you to think of these words [OPEN STATUS] while imagining a character menu appearing out of thin air like those you see in a video game.'

'You better not be lying otherwise this is the last time I will listen to you!'

I yelled back angrily. It was so cold, I instinctively thought to crawl back to the crater where it was warm regardless if there was a supposed demon coming towards me. Tiredly, I gave it shot and did what the voice to me to do.

---

[ENTITY STATUS MENU VERSION 0.1.1 - BETA]

NAME: NAMELESS

SPECIES: LIVING DISEMBODIED SOUL

TITLE: OTHER-WORLDER, BACK-DOOR USER, UNKNOWN TO THE GODS, LIVING UNDEAD

LEVEL: 0

OTHERWORLD ENERGY: 150

SOUL CAPACITY: 100/100

SOUL PARTICLES: 10/100

CORRUPTED SOUL FRAGMENT: 1

PARAMETERS:

Agility: 0

Strength: 0

Endurance: 0

Intelligence: 0

Dexterity: 0

Magic: 0

SKILLS:

Composure (Lv. 10/0), Running (Lv. 3/0), Stealth (Lv. 1/0), Magic Control (Lv. 1/1), Soul Control (Lv. 1/1), Memory Control (Lv. 1/1), Mathematics (Lv. 20/0), Speach (Lv. 20/0)

UNIQUE SKILLS:

Godly Sacrifice, Soul and Memory Magic (Lv. 1/1)

TRAITS:

Hero System Beta, Back Door User, Bodiless, Not-Quite Undead, Soul Chimera Abomination, Memory Error

---

A menu window appeared in my head just like how I imagined it. The window was strange, it was like I had just gained a third eye and that eye was looking at the menu window while my real eyes were looking at what's ahead of me. But that was just the start of it. There were a lot of questionable things that came out of it rather than answers. Like 'Not-Quite Undead' and all the other strange traits and titles. Just looking at this is hurting my brain. I mean take a look at 'Living Undead' how on God's green Earth is there any undead let alone an undead that's is alive?

'... Just what am I looking at?'

I asked the voice. Hoping she could explain just what am I looking at.

'I do not know much, so I am only able to tell what I do know. What you're looking at is the system that was bestowed to you from a certain God. That system is known as the Hero System Beta. It is a variant system of the native entity system of this world. This system was supposed to be placed onto summoned heroes or apostles of gods. You have the title LIVING UNDEAD because you had undergone an incomplete reincarnation. Supposedly, when heroes are summoned to this world by any of the gods, the summoned hero will be given a new body. Here, in this world, what constitutes a living being is that living beings must have life energy and a body that can sustain life energy. You were summoned from your original body before it died, thus your soul still contains life energy. But since you were not given a body, you are considered to be the embodiment of a strange paradox. So it explains your inability to feel numb and suffer from frostbites here. Next, I'll explain the system a bit.'

[Level: Number of enhancement soul core. Increases each time the entity has collected enough soul particles. Multiplies parameters with itself, enhancing the entity.]

[Soul Particles: Foreign offshoot of soul cores that forms the spiritual body. These are obtained from kill entities with souls. Using the system, soul particles can be converted to a soul core to increase the entity's current level provided there is enough soul particles for the conversion and the energy needed to conduct the conversion.]

[Agility: Affects reaction speed. Increases mental processing ability in real-time.]

[Strength: Unleashes body limitations. Increase muscle/body power and speed. Warning, if endurance is lower than strength, there is a possibility of self-destruction directly proportionate to the difference between strength stat and endurance stat when using full strength.]

[Endurance: Affects the hardness of one's body. Warning, if endurance is higher than strength, movement speed and muscle output decreases directly proportionate to the difference between strength stat and endurance stat.]

[Intelligence: Affects memorization ability. Increases memory recollection speed and detail.]

[Dexterity: Affects body control. Increases skill proficiency, skill capabilities, entity finesse, and understanding to object details.]

[Magic: Affects magic system. Increases magic capacity, recovery, cast speed, control, and power.]

After she had explained the system to me, albeit a little bit. I had felt relieved to know I could get strong enough to defend myself using this system.

'Sorry to interrupt you when you're thinking of the possibilities of the system, but you should know that it is close by now.'

She was right and I opened my eyes wide as I saw it coming closer. It really was a demon. Rather it can't be described as anything but a demon. It was massive, about five times my height. It stood on a pair of hind legs and had arms like those of apes. Its head was station at its chest and had burning horns on its back. It slowly walked towards the center of the crafter. And once it got there, I stiffen from the horror of what it actually looked like up close. Its entire body was made up of human corpses, horns were actual bony arms clutching screaming burning souls, and its head wasn't a single head. It was composed of heads of children shaped into a single head and each was softly wailing in agony. It was so soft you could only hear it up close. At this point, I no longer wanted to go back to the warm crater. Rather I wanted to and run like hell regardless of the darkness that surrounded me.

'Do you believe me?'

'DO.YOU.EVEN.NEED.TO.ASK.'

I angrily answered back. If I know where she was, I would either glare at her or strangle her for putting me in this situation.

'Right. Sorry, It would be easier if you knew I wasn't lying so I told you to hide near here.'

'A sorry doesn't cover it! I could die at any given moment now!'

As unreasonable as I may be right now. All that's keeping me from running away screaming with my tail between my legs is by angrily blaming and being unreasonable to her. And I do not care if that doesn't make me a gentleman anymore, because between not being a gentleman and being ripped to shreds, I choose the latter.

'You won't die and even if you could die, I won't allow you to.'

'Hearing that from an unknown incorporeal voice doesn't assure me in the slightest!'

I snapped back.

'If it helps, let's have a little introduction. Hello, I do not have a name but you can call me Inanis or Anis for short. What can I call you.'

'Call me whatever you like! I don't have a name! Just make yourself useful and get me out of this mess!'

What exactly does she want in a situation like this?! To hell with names! All I want is to get out of this literal hell!

[Anis]: 'In that case, I'm calling you Klein. Well then Klein, you must not move until the Corpse Golem leaves. It will leave once it has absorbed all the heat from the crater.'

Anis said as she ignores my plight.

[Klein]: 'That's Suicidal! I got to-'

I said, ready to run but was cut off with Anis' stern voice.

[Anis]: 'I've been truthful so far. You must trust me, you can go once the Corpse Golem Leaves.'

She had a point. So far she hasn't lied and supplied me with cold hard facts... Literally... Reluctantly, I psyched myself up and go along with what she asks...

[Klein]: '... Okay. I'll only for a little while longer...'

[Anis]: 'Glad you have gotten to your senses. Speaking of which Klein, are you still cold?'

[Klein]: 'Deathly cold.'

[Anis]: 'Then while we wait I will teach you to turn off the cold.'

Anis began explaining about my spiritual body. She states that my body is mimicking my original living body and thus creating phantom nerves that are capable of feeling the blistering cold. She says the key to controlling it is imagination and imagining not being able to feel cold will stop it, but sadly easier if I didn't already feel cold, Anis said.

[Anis]: 'Oh Klein I just remembered. You should avoid fire while touching this snow.'

[Klein]: 'Why?'

[Anis]: 'Look at the Corpse Golems feet.'

I looked at its feet and saw a pool of liquid glowing red from the flames of burning souls.

[Klein]: 'What about it? It's just water from the snow melting.'

[Anis]: 'That isn't water, it is blood.'

After what Anis said. It had reaffirmed my suspicion that I am definitely in Hell...

[Klein]: '... It rains blood here?'

[Anis]: 'It doesn't rain blood here... Well, it does when demons make it rain blood. But that is not why the snow is blood. The snow is blood because of the victims dragged onto hell by the demons. Due to the cold, the makeshift winds, and some unique demons, the blood crystallizes and scatters in the makeshift wind. Therefore, yes. The snow you covered yourself with is actually blood.'

[Klein]: '... Good to know...'

[Anis]: 'That is all you have to know about that for now. Let's resume training your spirit form.'

Anis steered the conversation back to training and after a little while.

[Skill leveled Up: Soul Control (Lv. 2/1)]

My soul control skill leveled and I was able to stop feeling cold after a while.

[Anis]: 'That should do it. How is it? do you still feel cold?'

[Klein]: 'No, I am alright now thank you... On second thought... I would still need some clothes...'

As much as I want to accept that I am in Hell and that such luxuries do not exist, I cannot help but wish I had clothes even if it is enough to cover my manhood at least...

[Anis]: 'Sorry I can't help you with that at the moment. This realm's environment doesn't any normal plants or animals... The best you could do is to turn weak souls into clothes... I don't know if the wailing and the fact that those souls can feel your private parts makes it better than being in the nude...'

[Anis]: '...'

[Klein]: '...'

Anis had gone speechless from the previous topic and so to pass the time I just continued to practice my soul control skill until the Demon leaves. After an hour of training, I am now completely familiar with my spirit form when suddenly.

[Corpse Golem]: "Aaaahhhhhh!!.... Thunk! Thud!"

The demon's body jerked to the sky and all its heads screamed in unison and then the demon dropped to its knees then ultimately falling to the ground. The flames of burning souls on the demon's back slowly dimmed, looking about to go out. Did it just die?! My head was racing. I began to get up and run in the opposite direction when Anis said.

[Anis]: 'Wait, it's dead now but it'll-'

[Klein]: "All the more reason to run-!"

I screamed physically as I got up and was about to run when a quick boom echoed followed by a rattling then-

[Sfx]: "KaBoom! Rattle! Schlick!"

[Klein]: "Agh!!!"

I screamed as I was stabbed through the chest and lifted in the air. I looked to where I was stabbed and realized I was stabbed by a spear-like bone tail. And down my line of sight, I noticed that this tail was the tail of the shorter demon that emerged from the Corpse of the Corpse Golem. The new Demon looked more humanoid but was still composed of corpses. It had burning wings of bone and skin surrounded by wailing ghosts. Its head made of an assortment of bones forming a beastlike skull and it had horns and multiple eyes in each hollow crevice of the skull.

[Sfx]: "Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!"

The demon's tail began to wrap around me and pulling me closer. By the time I was close to the demon's face, its head unhinged and opened tall and wide. Noxious gas came out and then with a chunk, the demon had swallowed me whole.