***** Somewhere in another part of the Hollow Layer. ****
Charlie appeared standing. For a brief second, everything was still.
Then the world tilted.
"What…"
His balance vanished without warning. His vision blurred, the ground shifting unnaturally beneath him, and before he could steady himself, his knees gave out and slammed into the stone floor.
"Ugh!"
He caught himself late, one hand hitting the ground, the other clutching his stomach as a wave of dizziness crashed over him.
Nothing felt right to him. His head spun violently, thoughts scattering before they could form, his senses lagging behind his body like they weren't syncing properly.
"Wait… wait….what's-"
His stomach turned. He leaned forward just in time before it hit him.
He threw up violently.
His whole body jerked with it, one hand gripping the ground while the other pressed against his stomach as if trying to hold himself together. It came in waves, each one worse than the last, leaving him gasping between heaves.
When it finally slowed, he stayed there on his knees, hunched over, breathing hard, his arms shaking from the effort of holding himself up.
"…This is not… normal…" he muttered weakly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, though his hand trembled noticeably.
He tried to lift his head.
Instant regret.
The world lurched again, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut as another wave of dizziness hit, not as strong as before, but enough to make him sway.
"Okay… okay… just….just stay still…"
He took a slow breath.
Then another.
Gradually, the spinning dulled, though it didn't disappear completely. Everything still felt slightly off, like his body was a step behind his mind or maybe the other way around. He shifted, dragging himself back until he was sitting on his heels, one hand still pressed against his head.
He blinked hard, trying to focus on something….anything.
That's when he noticed the darkness around him.
A cave.
Uneven ground.
A smell that made his face twist again.
"…What a rotten smell…" he muttered, swallowing hard.
Minutes passed. Eventually, he managed to lift his head fully, his breathing steadier now, though his body still felt weak.
"…Okay," he said quietly. "Not dead."
That was something.
Then, a blue window snapped into existence right in front of his face.
Charlie flinched hard, nearly losing his balance again.
[Planet: Earth (Codename: XXXX-69) has been successfully integrated into the Royal Dominion.]
[Based on individual achievements and contributions, select individuals have been chosen to represent their planet in the upcoming Arena.]
[Welcome, Donn Miller.]
[You have been selected as one of the Champions of Earth.]
[This round of integration includes five planets. Your performance, along with the other Champions, will determine Earth's starting rank within the Dominion.]
[Current Location: The Hollow Layer]
[Objective:]
Survive the Hollow Layer Drink the Poison of Rebirth
[Progress: 0 / 2]
[Once both objectives are completed, you will be transferred to meet the surviving Champions of Earth.]
[Further instructions will be provided at that time.]
[Good luck.]
Donn stared at it.
Then rubbed his eyes with both fists, hard enough to see spots.
The window was still there when he stopped.
"…Alright," he said hoarsely.
His eyes were in search of Jupiter and Moon but it was clear he was the only one there.
Donn exhaled slowly through his nose.
"Right. Twenty-five people. That was what the window said. Twenty-five, scattered across wherever the hell this was. Jupiter could be anywhere. Moon too," he muttered and checked himself.
He patted his hoodie pocket, his jeans pocket, every available surface on his body with great speed but there was nothing even the emergency bag was gone.
He was left in the same clothes he had been standing in when the light took him - jeans, a grey t-shirt, and a black hoodie.
Donn Miller — Charlie to the underworld, sat there for a moment in complete silence.
He was thirty-two years old, former special military. He had done multiple tours and come out the other side discharged with a bad knee and a very specific set of skills.
Standing at 6'5", he had a commanding presence, his dark skin and close-cropped fade giving him a sharp, disciplined look. He was built like someone who had never stopped training, broad through the shoulders, thick through the arms, the kind of frame that made doorways feel slightly narrower than they were.
"Okay," he said aloud, to nobody. "Okay. We're doing this."
He pushed himself to his feet, knees protesting. The bad one more than the other, as always. A minute later, as he moved deeper into the cave, a strange sound reached him from ahead.
"Khikhikhikhi…"
Donn slowed. His head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing as he focused on the darkness in front of him.
"…Yeah," he muttered under his breath. "That doesn't sound friendly."
The creature stepped into view.
[Imp – Level 1]
[Type – Monster]
He looked it over once, quick and assessing, then let out a faint breath.
"…That's it?" he said flatly. "They couldn't send something my size?"
The imp let out another shriek.
Without waiting Donn rushed in. The imp grinned and thrusted its trident forward. Donn stepped to the side just as the attack came in, the trident missing him completely as his hand shot out, grabbing the creature's wrist mid-motion. His other hand followed instantly, clamping around its throat.
Momentum did the rest.
He lifted it almost effortlessly. The imp shrieked, thrashing, its limbs flailing as Donn raised it high above his head, his grip firm, controlled.
Then he brought it down hard.
The impact echoed through the cave as the creature slammed into the ground beneath him. Before it could recover, Donn twisted its wrist sharply, forcing the trident out of its grip, and in the same motion drove the weapon straight down through its head.
The body jerked once.
Then went still.
Donn held it there for a second, making sure, before pulling the trident free and stepping back.
"…So demons are coming alive now," he said, glancing at the corpse with mild interest.
He rolled his shoulder once, as if loosening up.
"…It was weak."
And just like that, he turned and continued walking. The second imp he came across went down even faster, one kick to knock it off balance, followed by a knee that drove its head straight into the wall with a dull crack.
A sharp chime echoed in his head.
[Level Up!]
[Level 1 → Level 2]
A window opened up in front of him.
[Status]
—----------------------------------------------
Name: Donn Miller
Rank: E
Level: Level 2
Class: N/A
Trait: N/A
Titles: N/A
Stats:
Strength: 8
Agility: 6
Vitality: 7
Perception: 8
Intelligence: 5
Unused points: 0-> 5
—----------------------------------------------
"Good god… where in the hell am I?" he muttered, staring at the status screen.