Gabriella struggled to process this.

The alley felt like a narrow crevice between towering giants of concrete and steel. The buildings that loomed on either side didn't bear the slightest resemblance to the architecture she had known. Instead of stone walls adorned with intricate carvings, she was surrounded by cold, impersonal surfaces marked by angular lines and the cold gleam of reflective, dirty glass. 

The ground beneath her was no longer the dirt that had acted as an arena for her final battle. Nor was it the familiar cobblestone streets she had trodden in her previous life. Instead, it was a mixture of concrete and asphalt, unyielding and devoid of the quaint charm of well-worn pathways.

The clothes being worn by the men and women surrounding her were not the rich fabrics and vibrant hues of her world but rather a mosaic of worn-out, ragged garments that spoke of hardships and struggles.

The air was different, tainted with a sharp, heavy scent.

Beeping sounds, strange whirrs, and sirens punctuated the atmosphere, a stark contrast to the distant echoes of birds' chirps and the rustle of leaves that once filled Gabriella's ears. 

Nothing was familiar.

Gabriella felt like she was in a dream. One that, again, smelled awful. 

[What is going on? Didn't I die? Did... Did the demon transport me somewhere? But... i'm pretty sure it died.] 

Slowly, Gabriella stood up. Her bewildered look drew some eyes to her. Or, more likely, her black sorceress robes, which she'd been sent to this place with. 

Just as she was about to ask someone where she was, some words appeared before her. 

{Greetings, Gabriella} 

Gabriella froze in place. 

{No, this is not a dream.} 

{You died.} 

[... Oh.] 

Gabriella couldn't help but sulk a little. Her defeat was real. She'd stood her ground and lost. That was all that had happened. 

And then, she ended up here. 

{This world is named Eden.} 

{You are currently standing in its capital city, titled the same way. Eden.} 

{Due to your exceptional achievements in your past life, you are being granted another chance to live.} 

{Congratulations!} 

"Ahh..." Gabriella walked to the left, planting her back against the side of the building. "So, that's what's happening." She was quiet. So much so, that no one around her heard those words. "Is Clara doing alright? How long has it been since-" 

{This work functions differently from your previous one.} 

"Hm," she rolled her eyes. "So, you either can't tell me or won't tell me. Very well... I just hope she's going to be okay." 

{In your past life, you wielded great power. We will give you that power back, however, giving you exactly all of your previous abilities would break this realm. Instead, we will give you that same amount of physical power you held but change your Skills, Spells, and Traits to fit Eden.} 

Knowing that she wouldn't be told about her lover, as much as Gabriella hated it, she decided to focus and listen intently. 

[Alright. What does my new skillset look like, then?] 

On cue, a new Status screen appeared. 

Gabriella Deathwind

EP: N/A

EXP: N/A

---

Attributes:

Augmentation: 40

Durability: 50

Finesse: 50

Speed: 60

Intelligence: 100

---

Skills:

Technomancy - Level 1

{Manipulation and control of electronic devices, hacking skills, and understanding of cybernetic systems. Additionally, allows you to create an electric shield around yourself or another, hack others' neural networks, and camouflage your body.} 

Psychokinesis - Level 1

{Manipulate psychic energy and matter with your mind.} 

Digital Spellcraft - Level 1

{Ability to create and develop new spells by harnessing the digital energy of the cybernetic world.}

Nanomachine Reconstruction - Level 1

{Use nanomachines to repair your own body or someone else's.} 

---

Traits:

Otherworldly Awareness

{Enhanced cognitive functions and sensory perception, allowing Gabriella to process information rapidly and react with precision.}

Cybernetic Resilience

{Increased resistance to digital attacks and manipulation, protecting Gabriella's mind and body from cybernetic threats.}

Supernatural Potential

{Innate skills can grow and evolve. Additionally, due to your prolific past life, gaining new mastery over this world's utilities will be made significantly easier.} 

Gabriella read through her status a few times.

She had to, as doing so just once left her pretty much exactly where she started. 

"Cyber- what?" She squinted. 

The System popped up again. 

{We gave you your same physical strength, but giving you the same powers would, again, break the realm. Therefore, unfortunately, you must begin with your Skills all at Level 1.} 

{Additionally, we have removed Mana from you to compensate for taking away the powers you were familiar with. This world has its own mana called "Energy Points", but this will not apply to you.} 

{Despite these benefits, we suspect that it will still take time for you to adapt.} 

{Good luck.} 

The System then popped out of existence. It did not return. 

Gabriella sighed, closing her eyes and letting all of her weight fall on the wall behind her. 

[Well... Shit. I suppose this is simply my life now. Wonderful.] 

---

Gabriella stepped out from the dimly lit alley, her senses bombarded by an unfamiliar world that seemed to pulsate with an artificial rhythm.

The buildings in this place looked like they were trying to reach the heavens themselves, adorned with strange signs and displays that painted the night in a dazzling array of colors. The air hummed with the distant whirr of hovering vehicles and the constant chatter of electronic devices.

As she emerged into the bustling cityscape, Gabriella felt a disorienting mixture of awe and confusion.

[Where does the concrete end in this place?] Gabriella wondered. There was not a single tree or a patch of grass in sight. 

A passing pedestrian, engrossed in some strange, projected image being created by his headset shot her an annoyed glance as he ran by.

"Aye, get the hell out of the way!" 

Gabriella just stood there, watching on, confused. 

[I... apologize?] 

The ground beneath her feet wasn't the familiar soil of Gelmora; instead, it was a sleek and polished surface that reflected the vibrant glow of signs above.

Pedestrians hurried by, some of them projecting Statuses that Gabriella could see, each lost in their own world.

Strange symbols and advertisements danced through the air. Images of people holding things up were drawn onto them. Metallic birds zipped overhead, capturing the city's perpetual activity.

Gabriella's eyes widened as she took in the amalgamation of grey, bulky architecture, artificial lights, and the constant flow of people, moving from one place to another. 

She looked down at herself with a wry smile. 

[Hm. Am I still fashionable?] 

Her clothing, once a sorceress's black robes, now seemed out of place amidst the ragged, baggy, loose fashion that surrounded her.

With each passing moment, Gabriella felt a growing sense of displacement and urgency. 

[You could have at least given me a map, System. I'm stuck in a maze with no way out.] 

Gabriella, feeling the need for a moment of solitude amidst the urban chaos, sought out a secluded spot away from the prying eyes of the city's locals. After a brief exploration, she discovered another hidden alley, one that wasn't occupied and smelled marginally better, that provided a modicum of privacy. 

Once there, Gabriella took a deep breath, grounding herself in this unfamiliar realm.

[... First, let's just take stock of what we can do.] 

The hum of the city's machinery surrounded her like a constant melody, and she felt a cool artificial breeze against her face.

Something in the corner of her eyes caught her attention. 

From where she sat now, far, far to the distance, was one more tower like the ones around her. This one, however, looked like it actually stood a good chance of touching heaven. 

[Ulysses?] She read the sign proudly stuck to it. [What's that supposed to mean?] 

Shaking her head, she focused back on the matter at hand. 

She decided it was time to explore her newfound abilities, eager to unravel the depths of her new... level 1 prowess.

[I hate that I have to start over again like this, but I suppose it is understandable if my abilities are unheard of here... Of course, that implies that the abilities they gave to me are present. I shouldn't have anything that's exclusive to me. Anyway, let's try it all out.] 

With a focus on her Technomancy skill, Gabriella extended her awareness to the digital currents around her. 

A couple of odd displays and electronic billboards seemed to flicker in response to her latent connection.

{Manipulation and control of electronic devices, hacking skills, and understanding of cybernetic systems. Additionally, allows you to manipulate psychic energy, create an electric shield around yourself or another, hack others' neural networks, and camouflage your body.}

Gabriella blinked. 

[I have no idea what half of that meant. More than half, actually.] She stared at those words for a little while longer. [But... I can feel an innate knowledge in me. Perhaps it was planted in my subconscious in between worlds. Let's try something.] 

With a mental command, she initiated her Technomancy.

The electric symphony of the city responded to Gabriella's beckoning call.

The fixed lights lining the alley dimmed and flickered, casting intermittent shadows across the polished pavement. As her influence extended, some of those strange signs that adorned nearby buildings displayed momentary glitches, their vibrant advertisements momentarily disrupted by an unseen force.

Nearby, one such sign, a long-since abandoned electronic billboard, forgotten and lifeless, sparked to life with renewed vigor. Holographic projections shimmered as if reanimated by her magical touch, casting vibrant images into the urban space.

Gabriella took a shaky breath, letting go of it all. 

[Alright... I see.] 

Satisfied with those results, Gabriella shifted her attention to her other skills.

[Psychokinesis. What is that?] 

She tapped into her Psychokinesis. 

{Psychokinesis, the psychic manipulation of matter, grants you the ability to move and control physical objects with the power of your mind.}

[Oh,] Gabriella [Well... That's quite literally just my Telekinesis skill. I guess I did bring one thing with me.]

Because this was an ability she was familiar with, attempting to move small objects around her with the power of her mind was easy.

Hovering a discarded can in the air, she tossed it aside and kept going. 

Next on the list was Cybernetic Spellcraft.

{Cybernetic Spellcraft epitomizes your ability to adapt to the world around you, allowing you to craft new spells based on what you learn.} 

Gabriella's immediate, first instinct was to think of her old magic. 

[Maybe I could recreate it all somehow.] 

Finally, she went and checked Nanomachine Reconstruction. 

{Nanomachine Reconstruction empowers you to wield the microscopic wonders of nanotechnology for the purpose of repairing and restoring biological and cybernetic entities. This skill allows you to mend your and others' wounds, enhance cybernetic systems, and ensure the seamless integration of both in the pursuit of your goals.} 

"Ahh," Gabriella nodded. "Healing. Got it." 

Thankfully, she had at least a few pieces of familiarity to fall back on. 

But, overall, she still felt as though she were in a dream. 

Gabriella couldn't shake the sense of melancholy that enveloped her. The weight of her past accomplishments in Gelmora felt like a distant echo, leaving her feeling overwhelmed. 

Sulking in the quiet solitude of her thoughts, Gabriella took a moment to process the vast chasm between the world she knew and the bustling labyrinth she found herself in. The unfamiliar hum of these odd lights, the distant chatter of pedestrians who all knew this world so much better than she did, and the constant flow of harsh noises through the air, all contributed to a sense of isolation.

"Oh, Gelmora, how I miss you already," she mumbled to herself, a touch of nostalgia coloring her words.

Despite her initial despondence, Gabriella did understand that there was no going back.

She'd died. Now, the best she could do was... move along. 

With a reluctant sigh, she pushed herself to her feet.

[Eh, my head did feel heavy many times back home as well. Maybe taking a little stroll will help.]