I abruptly awoke from my dream in a cold sweat, my body was still shaking. This was the first time I had experienced a dream like that. Ever since coming to this world, too many strange things have happened to me.

“Man, what was that? It said it was the Void. Could it be what brought me here?” I spoke to myself out loud and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I couldn’t make sense of it, but it had to be something related. That was definitely not a coincidence.

After sitting up in the bed, I began my new morning routine, something I had just started.

“Jessie, your daddy is doing okay. I’m still alive anyway, hehe. I don’t know much more than I did yesterday but I’m still thinking of you. I won’t ever forget, I promise. Today starts my new life as an adventurer and I’m going to do the best I can. There isn’t much else out there for me right now and there is someone I met who I think needs me. She is alone in a dangerous world where her kind is persecuted and she’s brave and kind. Yeah, that’s about it for today. I’ll talk to you again soon, I love you baby.”

My daughter couldn’t hear me of course. She was who knows how far away, on a completely different planet but I didn’t want to forget her, even if she forgot me. This was all I could do right now for her.

Now that I had said a few words to my daughter, I was ready to head over to the Adventurer’s Guild and was somewhat excited. I bet Ainz felt this way when he joined the adventurer’s guild as Momon! I hope I won't be as disappointed with it as he was though. Overlord was one of my absolute favorite light novels and I always thought it was funny how he joined the guild and pretended to be a hero even though he was a skeletal overlord.

I would need to go through some basic training first, but the thought of joining the Guild and taking on quests was something I was always interested in doing ever since I first started watching anime. Well, part of my enthusiasm was dampened by my circumstances. It wasn’t like I had forgotten about where I came from or the people I left behind.

Training with Reia had been grueling, but I got through it and I was in better shape than I had been previously, although I still had some ways to go. For some reason, I didn’t feel stronger even if my body had become a little more thin and lean. It was only a week of training, can’t expect too much I suppose.

Enough wasting time! I got dressed, gathered my equipment and headed down for breakfast. There wasn’t anyone of note within the inn as I had woken up earlier than usual and most were still sleeping. I wanted to get the Guild as quickly as possible so I ate my breakfast and ran over there.

When I arrived at the Guild, there were only a handful of adventurers present in the guild hall. I assumed they must be those who wanted to get an early start on a request. This was my first time inside the Guild, so I took a good look around. It looked exactly how I had pictured it would in my mind. Of course, I had played many role-playing games and also read many light novels and such in my time, so I had a lot of examples to draw upon. It gave off a sort of lodge feeling, like the ones I used to go to when I was younger.

The walls of the Guild had various animal heads stuffed and mounted on them. It had a tavern type feel to it as well. There were long wooden tables and benches where I supposed adventurers would sit and drink while planning out a mission. They even had a notice board just like I imagined they would with requests plastered all over it. My expectations were definitely on the rise. I am feeling quite excited, but I should calm down. I don’t want to look like some newbie fresh from the farm or something. I was from a big city back on Earth and I wasn’t about to act like some wide eyed tourist going sightseeing.

There was only one receptionist standing behind a counter over in one of the corners of the Guild. There were spots for other receptionists to work as well but no one was manning them currently. It was most likely due to the fact that I had come here so early. This place would soon become lively, so I didn’t want to get caught up in the commotion of the morning guild rush. I walked over to the receptionist, who appeared to be a young and cute looking woman. She was probably in her late teens or early twenties. She seemed fresh faced despite it being so early.

“Welcome, are you here to place a request?” Her voice was quite lovely and friendly.

You never know what you’re going to get in these types of situations, so I didn’t want to have too high of expectations. In some light novels I read, the main character would either be treated roughly or respectfully so I wasn’t sure what kind of treatment I would get on my first day here. Thankfully there weren’t too many adventurers around. It wouldn’t do to have some veteran adventurers pick a fight with me for no reason. Always happens to the new guy.

“Good morning. Actually I am looking to join the Adventurer’s Guild. I was recommended by the adventurer Reia, she told me to speak with Orban.” I wanted to make a good first impression so I spoke as polite as I could.

“Ah I see, hold on a moment please, I will go speak with Orban.” The receptionist left me there and disappeared up a flight of stairs.

I was only waiting for a short time when the receptionist returned with a large, dark skinned, muscular man in tow. He was surprisingly big compared to the other people I had seen and he was completely bald. I was getting nervous, he kind of reminded me of some crazy army drill sergeant. No, I shouldn’t judge him based on appearances, that is what I used to do. I have decided to change, but this guy is intimidating.

“So, you are the one Reia told me about. I don’t know what she sees in you. You don’t look like anything special to me.” Wow, I was just thinking I shouldn’t judge someone based on appearances and that’s exactly what this guy does to me. All I could do was sigh and ignore his belligerence.

“Yeah, thanks. Anyway, I am Peter and I am here to join the Guild.” I didn’t know what to do so I bowed my head slightly to the man.

“Do I look like some noble to you? No need to bow to me, let me take a good look at you!” The man had quite a booming voice which only made me feel even more on edge. Orban was currently scrutinizing me while walking around me. He lifted up my arms and poked me in my ribs for some reason which made me grunt.

“Hmph. You got a bit of muscle on you, but not much. Your arms could use a little bulk to them, you any good with a sword?” Was he appraising me like a fresh cut of meat? I wondered if this was what an animal must feel like before being slaughtered.

“I have some basic training and Reia helped me with my form, that’s about it though.”

“Is that all? Any other martial training? How are you with a spear or an axe? Can you use magic?“ Orban kept drilling me question after question and I did my best to answer, his eyebrow shot up when I mentioned I could use magic.

“Interesting! Now that is something I would like to see!” He slapped me on the back pretty hard, knocking me forward.

“Alright, enough of this, come follow me, now!” Why does this guy feel the need to yell at me when he is standing right next to me? I followed Orban into a back room and down a short hallway.

“Do you know what a divination crystal is?” Orban pointed to a strange crystal ball that was on a table in the room.

“No, what is it?” Just looks like a crystal ball that a fortune teller might use, to me.

“Go ahead and put your hand on that, it will speak for itself. I will give you some privacy, come see me when you are done.” Orban left me alone in the room and I sat down at the table with the crystal ball on it.

Orban had called it a divination crystal. I looked it over and saw nothing special about it. He told me to put my hand on it so I guess I will try that out. I put my hand on the crystal ball and it began to glow dimly. At first nothing else happened, but then my eyesight became hazy and displayed before my sight was a status screen, just like straight out of a video game.

Damn! So this is how it works! Hah! I can’t believe it, a real status screen. This is incredible, but what’s with my stats? Wait a second…. I’m Immortal!? What the fuck is this?

The following was displayed in my view:

[Level: -1 EXP: 0/0]

[HP: 12/12]

[Health Regen: 0.01/min

[VP: 15/15] [Void Threshold: 15 Next level 30]

[Void Regen: 0.1/min]

Strength: 8 ( Modifier -1, Representation of your attack power as well as your physical strength)

Dexterity: 9 (Modifier 0, Representation of your reflexes, movement, agility, and evasion)

Constitution: 9 (Modifier 0, Representation of your resilience and affects health/health regen)

Charisma: 10 (Modifier 0, Representation of how others perceive both your physical appearance and personality as well as your skill at social interactions)

Intelligence: 137 (Represents intellectual capacity, Affects skill growth)

Wisdom: 150 (Represents an accumulation of life experience and common sense)

Acquired Proficiencies: Sword (Level 2/10 beginner)

Blessings: Blessing of the Void (?)

Special ability: Molecular absorption (Absorbs dark matter contamination, strengthening host)

Inherent status: Immortality (Immortality grants agelessness, your body and soul will no longer age)

Affinities: Void (Your natural and innate magical affinity, Void Element)

Void Element: Void Flame (5VP - 1VP/min) (Manipulate flames from the Void for both attack and defense)

I am level negative one? 0 experience? I can’t believe I am immortal, that’s just crazy.

Hmm, some standard stuff and some things I don’t recognize. I see HP, but then there is VP. Void Power, I guess. No MP? Does that mean I can’t use magic, but I used those black flames and I see that at the bottom. I have 15 VP and using ‘Void Flame’ requires 5 VP with a sustained cost of 1 VP a minute.. That makes sense, I can use it three times, that is probably when I will get exhausted. Oh, I didn’t know ‘Void Flames’ could be used for defense too, I will have to test it. Maybe that is what the sustained cost is for?

I have a blessing and a special ability. Blessing of the Void? No information on that yet, I wonder why? Molecular absorption must be when my body absorbs the black mist. That black mist must be ‘Dark Matter Contamination’. It strengthens me, it might have something to do with the threshold listed at the top. It says next level will be 30, so if I absorb more of the black mist and reach the threshold, it will strengthen me. It’s like an alternative way to level, interesting. I wonder if it has something to do with me not being from this world. My Affinity is ‘Void’ and pretty much everything else is connected with the Void one way or the other, but what is the Void?

The rest of the menu seems pretty standard. It has my intelligence and wisdom, as well as all my other stats which seem pretty low. Not sure how exactly the modifier affects me but they are almost all negatives. Can’t be good. I think I get it, most of it anyway. Let me go see Orban and I will keep this to myself for now.

Heading back down the hallway and into the main hall of the Guild, I saw Orban waiting for me by the reception counter. I wasn’t too happy at my low base stats but I am most likely starting at the bottom. This was the norm for any beginning adventurer in many of the stories I read.

“Ha, I can see the depressed look on your face! You are only a beginner with no experience, were you expecting something else?” I don’t think experience is going to make a difference for me Orban, I wasn’t about to correct him and kept my thoughts to myself.

“Don’t worry too much Peter! You will get stronger if you train and kill monsters. Let’s head to the training ground at the back of the Guild. The rest of the trainees should be arriving soon and then we can begin.” Orban was ready to head to the training ground but I stopped him for a moment.

“Hey Orban, can I ask you a question before we go out?”

“What is it?”

“You ever heard of something called the Void?” I wasn’t about to tell him everything, but an offhand question like this was most likely alright.

“Never heard of it, now hurry up and stop wasting my time Peter, get your ass out there already!

When he said that, I realized something. I don’t think I want to be called Peter anymore. I never did like the name to begin with, but it was the name my parents gave me. Maybe I will change my name in the near future. New name, new identity, that kind of thing.

I followed Orban expectantly and was excited about showcasing my new power and the idea of choosing a new name. This is a fantasy world after all, might as well as have some fun with it.