Avatar (1)
<Those who awaken their abilities are transported to another world, and can return to Earth by fulfilling certain conditions. It was an expression that epitomized the modern era. It was the fundamental cause of the current societal confusion.>
-A fire has broken out in a commercial building in Jeonnam, and the fire department is currently carrying out firefighting operations.
-The arsonist fled the scene and disappeared, and the Bureau of Ability Management suspects them to be a clandestine criminal before the inter-world transfer of the awakened individuals.
"These days, the polarity seems to be particularly intense."
I turned my head while watching today's news blaring on the TV. These days, incidents and accidents seem never-ending everywhere. It's completely unrelated to me, as I sit cooped up in my corner.
"The low survival rate before inter-world transfers leads to selfish crimes. And the ensuing chaos caused by their return…"
Disregarding the apocalypse theory that the world would end in the year 2000, more than twenty years have passed, and the world is still intact. "No, it's not intact, it's a mess." The world didn't end, but humanity had to adapt to new changes. And I was a victim of that transitional phase.
"..."
The sound of the bell suddenly rang. I limped towards the intercom, discomfort still lingering in one of my legs due to the accident.
"Already that day...?"
A person with a composed expression stood at the door.
"Hello. I'm from the Bureau of Ability Management's Transfer Investigation Department. Are you Mr. Hansung-hyun?"
As I opened the door and faced the official, I heard the formal voice again. We've met a few times, but that's always the tone they use.
"Yes... Well, as you can see."
The investigator didn't flinch at my blunt response. After checking my face with an electronic pad, they bid me farewell promptly.
"Yes, you're confirmed. If you awaken, please report to the Bureau of Ability Management. Have a good day."
Click.
My interaction with the outsider after half a year ended in less than a minute.
"Random awakenings and transfers make it impossible to know who disappeared when, isn't that the problem?"
"Legally, reporting after awakening is the principle, but can anything in this world really go according to the rules? We need a more systematic and fundamental solution!"
I left the noise of the TV panels behind and headed to the kitchen.
"Oh, come to think of it, are we out of food?"
But even so, I opened the cupboard in hope, only to be met with emptiness.
I picked up my smartphone to order groceries but put it down soon after.
"...Forget it. I'll just order delivery later."
The accident not only took my family and my leg but also my courage. Since that day, I've been cooped up at home, communicating with the world only through my one remaining friend and the internet.
Well, that's why I have to endure the monthly check-up calls and biannual visits.
"So, the transfer investigation is ineffective! It's just a product of desk work..."
"But we can't just sit back and do nothing..."
Back in the living room, I used the noise from the TV as background, continuing the routine I'd followed for two years.
"Whoosh, grunt!"
Various types of exercise equipment were arranged in one corner of the living room. They were items I'd used daily for rehabilitation training for my leg.
"...No matter how much I do, it's been futile."
While my body had become healthier, that was about it. There was no sign of progress towards my initial goal of recovering my leg.
Despite knowing it was futile, I couldn't stop, repeating the routine out of habit. If I could overcome the disability, I thought I could also conquer the trauma.
If I gave up on that, it felt like there would be nothing left for me.
"Phew..."
Overwhelmed suddenly by self-doubt, I put down the dumbbell and stared at the ceiling lost in thought.
How did it come to this? There must be others as unlucky as me in the world, so why couldn't I endure it? Why did my whole body tremble with fear at the mere thought of stepping outside?
If I had more courage, would things have been different? If I had stepped out of this corner and gone anywhere...
That's when I fell into the swamp of self-blame.
"Detection of a dimensional turning point. Accessing the Akasha system."
The sentence suddenly appeared before my eyes, and I sprang up from the chair.
"I'm... what's happening all of a sudden?"
And soon, I was engulfed in panic.
The awakening of abilities was synonymous with inter-world transfers. But could I really survive in that world with this newfound ability if I couldn't even step outside the door?
However, such considerations seemed irrelevant as the text continued to appear as if my circumstances didn't matter.
"Awakening complete. Unique skill 'Avatar' has been awakened."
"24 hours left until transfer."
And with that final message, I lost consciousness.
"Ouch... my head..."
My head was throbbing with pain. When I came to my senses, it was already dark outside. Overcome by a parching thirst, I struggled to my feet and gulped down water from the kitchen before realizing something.
"Huh? My leg is healed?"
I slowly moved my leg back and forth. It hadn't fully recovered, but it was much better than before.
"Physical enhancement after awakening? Could complete recovery be possible if this continues to progress?"
I stopped my train of happiness and faced reality. With the existing issue of not being able to go outside, what were the odds of surviving and growing in that world with an uncomfortable leg, and then returning?
"Who cares about the odds. I'll probably die somewhere soon anyway."
Considering the many athletes and special forces who couldn't return, what could I possibly do?
Of course, that didn't mean I could just sit and give up.
"Avatar... even so, it's too unfriendly..."
No, I already knew. There was no intuitive and friendly status screen like in games, no detailed skill descriptions. I had to physically move my body to understand my physical abilities and status, and the information imprinted in my mind was all I had about the skills. The direction of my growth was entirely up to me.
"Let's try using it once. I have no idea what I can do with this clone."
Using the ability wasn't difficult. I closed my eyes and used it as imprinted in my mind.
I realized that my unique skill had properly activated.
Slowly, I opened my eyes.
There I was in front of me. Clad in loose workout clothes, messy hair, eyes wide open as if observing.
I checked myself over for any abnormalities. It was undoubtedly me, no matter how I looked at it. Even moving my head around felt like looking in the mirror.
When we extended our right hands for a handshake, I could feel the warmth. It was a clear sign that it wasn't an illusion but a tangible entity.
However, I suddenly felt a sense of disorientation in my vision.
Though we had been focusing on each other like looking in the mirror, I hadn't noticed that our vision was overlapping.
It became even more apparent when we stood facing each other. I could now see both in front of and behind me at the same time!
But with a separate body to consider, moving became even more challenging. With two bodies moving separately, my arms and legs got entangled, and the extended field of vision was dizzying. It felt very alien, as if additional parts of my brain were sharing a separate body.
"Why do I have two brains now?"
But I had no choice but to get used to it. It was the only way I could survive.
Gro~wl...
...Come to think of it, I fainted today without eating anything.
Let's start by tearing into the chicken. It's a survival thing to eat and live.
***
A few hours later.
"Oh, this isn't going to work."
As expected, it was too much. I had gotten somewhat used to it. I could now summon and dismiss adeptly, and if one body was stationary, the other could move as usual. But when I tried to move both bodies simultaneously, I stumbled intermittently, and even then, slow movement was the best I could manage.
"Will I even be able to move properly outside before that...?"
If I had enough time, I might have become more accustomed to using my abilities. However, I didn't have much time left now.
"Now I need to get ready for the transfer..."
I took out the items from the house and the things I had ordered before practice, and organized them. I packed survival items such as a fire steel and a multi-tool, a portable utility knife, and easily consumable preserved food and water bottles into a large bag. I couldn't bring any real weapons. Somehow, weapons were restricted for inter-world transfers. Attempts to bring firearms had failed in foreign countries, and I learned that even a knife was the limit among the cold weapons.
Safety gear like an open-face motorcycle helmet that wouldn't obstruct my vision, knee pads, elbow guards, and a protective vest.
I put on the things my parents had prepared before they passed away, which I had bought and stored in the warehouse in case they were needed someday.
"I never thought I'd actually end up using these."
I realized that I hadn't contacted my only friend and tried calling, but there was no answer. I remembered he had mentioned being busy for a while, so it wasn't unexpected. I sent a text expressing my gratitude despite feeling a bit disappointed and put the phone down.
Lastly, I calmed my mind while browsing through the information on the website that I had prepared about this other world. The world to which I would be transferred was random, and the number of places discovered so far was well over a hundred. I couldn't exactly know where I would end up, but it was better than knowing nothing.
The uncertainty about my abilities, which were not yet proficient and lacking. Concerns about whether I could adapt in a dimension that wasn't the outside world. Nevertheless, the determination to somehow survive and endure in that world was unsettling my mind.
As I was trying to calm my mind with a deep breath, a blue light appeared under my feet.
"10 minutes left until transfer."
I looked down at the transfer marker under my feet. I would stand on it and be transferred to another world in 10 minutes, where I would struggle to survive without knowing where I was.
"Wasn't it said that the aging of the body doesn't follow Earth's time while in this other world? If I only manage to survive, it will definitely be an advantage."
The flow of time varies for each transferred world but averages around 1:10.
"...It's said that it usually takes one year to return, and you have to survive for about ten years in this other world. Ten years... It's not a joke."
Thinking about that, I took a step back and unintentionally stepped off the transfer marker. As a result, the blue light began to emit a red glow. The red glow of the transfer marker was practically a warning. If time passed in that state, it would forcibly send the awakened individual to this other world. Leaving all my well-prepared luggage behind, I stood there in my bare body. As the situation unfolded before my eyes, my mind became restless again.
Suddenly, I remembered that I hadn't reported my awakening to the Ability Management Agency, but I realized it was too late to do anything about it in this situation. I immediately erased the thought from my mind.
"Ah... If only someone else could go up there instead of me..."
Of course, it was just a meaningless thought. Twenty-something years had passed since the awakening and inter-world transfers began, and it was no exaggeration to say that people all over the world had tried everything they could. Even if someone else went up, the transfer marker would remain red, and it would forcibly send the person who went up, ignoring them.
The inter-world transfer marker only recognizes and operates for the awakened individual. Then, suddenly, a thought grazed my mind.
"Perhaps... No, that's unlikely. But still, what if?"
I immediately used "Avatar." The summoned avatar was dressed in the same loose workout clothes as before, armed with all sorts of items, unlike me. Recalling the sensations I had practiced, the clone clumsily climbed onto the transfer marker. Then, the color of the transfer marker began to change.
"It's working! It's wo... huh?"
Just when it seemed like the light of the transfer marker was turning blue, it stopped in the middle. I sighed with disappointment as I looked at the violet light emanating from the transfer marker.
"Well, I guess so. It wouldn't be that easy, after all."
I was curious about what would happen if time passed in that state, but I didn't intend to experiment with it personally.
If things go wrong, the already minimal chances of survival will converge to zero. So, it was more of a 'try it if it works, if not, move on' kind of situation, but it seemed like I was expecting a lot without realizing it.
Overwhelmed with disappointment, I lost strength in my legs and slumped down in place, glancing at the clock. There were only 5 minutes left now. There really wasn't much time left. Now, I had to steel myself and go up.
I tightly closed my eyes, took one final deep breath, and in my 'sight,' I saw myself, heavily armed, sitting with my eyes closed. With one side of my vision restricted, my focus naturally shifted to the other side, and unknowingly, most of my consciousness was concentrated on the avatar.
Then, the transfer marker began to emit a blue light.