Ray thought as he stared at the list of five skills.

This wasn't a choice about how to fight a mini-game; it felt like a choice about who he was going to be for the duration of this twisted trial.

A cold sweat broke out on his brow as he thought about the woman who had been burned alive, her screams still echoing in his mind.

He read the first skill, Holy Vow. The words "faint holy aura" and "weakens night-creatures" were new to him.

This wasn't a skill he would have found in the normally. It was a skill unique to this place, to this kind of fight.

He considered it for a moment. He had no real experience with "holy" abilities, but the idea of a skill that could evolve and weaken his enemies just by being near them was appealing.

It felt safe, versatile, and different from anything he already had.

If he could survive and make it his own, it could prove invaluable in the outside world, where night-creatures like zombies were a constant threat.

Though he still had to see on yet.

He quickly skimmed over the next two. Vigilant Hunter and Blade of Dusk were both hunter skills, one a bow, the other a sword.

He had never been a fan of close-quarters combat. He preferred to keep his distance, to analyze a fight and take his shots from afar.

A sword was good for a quick burst of damage, but a bow could kill from a distance, and that was a massive advantage.

He couldn't use his gun right now, so a bow would give him a much-needed weapon to fight.

He felt like this was a safe bet, a skill he understood. Between the two, the bow was the clear winner. He settled on a mental top two: Holy Vow and Vigilant Hunter.

Then his eyes fell on the next two skills, "These skills felt even more amazing than the other three" he thought about Blood Thirst and Lunar's Rage.

They sounded powerful, tempting even. He could get a burst of strength and speed from Blood Thirst, or incredible power from Lunar's Rage.

But the warnings underneath them were a chilling red flag he couldn't ignore.

"May cause the user to develop an unquenchable thirst for blood,"

"May cause the user to lose control of their mind."

It was a curse.

The thought of losing control, of becoming a mindless monster, was a terrifying one.

And the second part of the warning—that he would be targeted by both humans and night creatures—was a simple suicide note.

Why would he risk becoming a monster and having the entire world, both human and not, hunting him down?

The goal of this event was to survive. Taking a skill that made him a target was the most idiotic thing he could possibly do.

He mentally put those two skills in a category of their own: completely off-limits.

With the night-creature skills gone, his choice was down to two: Holy Vow and Vigilant Hunter. But as he looked at the choices again, his mind went back to the system notification.

"You have been tasked to live the life of Hellsing."

That single phrase bothered him. He just watched a woman get burned alive by a mob of seemingly normal people.

If this was a simulation, and it was about "living the life of Hellsing," what did that mean?

Still he chooses to first select the skill, then think of other problems.

He sighed, the weight of the choice a heavy burden.

"To be honest, I can't be sure what's coming for me," Ray muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on the glowing screen.

"Who are allies and who are not? But from the circumstances of this world, and what I've seen... it's better I choose this one."

He reached out and tapped the first option.

…

[You have chosen skill: Holy Vow]

[You can now use Holy skills]

[Holy Vow: level 1]

…

A unique energy, cool and pure, entered his body with a gentle rush. It felt like a cleansing river, washing away the dirt and weariness he had felt.

It was a new, peaceful sensation, unlike any he had ever experienced.

"This feeling..." he thought, a sense of wonder filling him. "It feels like I'm reborn."

The subtle light of the holy aura that now surrounded him caught the attention of the crowd.

The people who had been watching the end of the woman's life turned to him, their faces shifting from a hateful glare to one of pure awe.

"Holy light!" one man shouted, his voice a mix of shock and reverence.

"God's man!"

"God's man is here!"

They began to shout and cheer, falling to their knees in respect.

Ray's eyes scanned the crowd, and he saw the two men who had executed the woman.

Their expressions had changed. The self-righteous anger was gone, replaced by a sudden, terrifying dread.

As no one was looking at them, they began to run, shoving people out of the way.

Ray's speculation was true. The woman was innocent, and these men were just murderers playing dress-up.

But the real problem was the people now surrounding him, revering him like he was a god.

He didn't want this kind of attention. "I should leave," he thought, and he began to run, pushing past the bowing crowd.

His holy aura, which had drawn the attention, began to subside as he distanced himself.

There were a few who tried to follow him, but with his aura now normal, Ray ran into a quiet alley where there was no one.

"I didn't expect this reaction," he muttered, catching his breath.

He had just escaped a mob of reverent followers when something unexpected happened.

…

[You have chosen a skill: Vigilant Hunter]

[You can now wield an enchanted longbow and a quiver of normal arrows.]

[Your skill precision has unlocked: Every shot will hit its target.]

[Vigilant Hunter: Level 1]

…

Before he could understand what was going on, a burning sensation flared in his left hand.

He looked down and watched as the image of a simple longbow appeared on the back of his hand, a black tattoo etched into his skin.

"What's going on?" he cursed as the pain subsided.

Just then, he was hit with another notification.

…

[You have chosen a skill: Blade of Dusk]

[You can now wield a magical sword of dusk.]

[Your skill precision has unlocked: Every strike will connect with its target.]

[Blade of Dusk: Level 1]

…

The same burning sensation returned, this time in his right hand.

A moment later, the tattoo of a broadsword was permanently marked there.

Ray's mind reeled. He had only chosen one skill. Why was the system giving him all of them?

The chaos in his mind was just beginning. The next notification was different.

There was no tattoo, no gentle burning. Instead, a wave of cold, consuming hunger hit him with such force that he gasped, pressing his hands to his temples.

…

[You have chosen a skill: Blood Thirst]

[Your body has been altered to accept the hunger of a night-creature.]

[Blood Thirst: Level 1]

…

He felt a primal change in his body. His heart pounded with a desperate need, and his senses screamed at him to find a victim.

He felt like he was no longer human, but a monster in human skin.

This was the same bloodlust that the skill warned against.

Just as the terror of it began to set in, the world around him went back to normal, the hunger fading as if it had never been there.

Ray let out a shaky breath, but before he could even question what had happened, another notification appeared.

…

[You have chosen a skill: Lunar's Rage]

[Your body has been altered to accept the rage of a night-creature.]

[Lunar's Rage: Level 1]

…

A new kind of power surged into his muscles, raw and untamed.

It felt like a wild beast was clawing its way up from inside him, making it impossible to even think straight.

What was going on? The system was giving him all the skills, even the dangerous ones. Just when the chaos of it all began to settle, Ray was hit with a new, final notification.

…

[Your skill Holy Vow is clashing with Blood Thirst]

[Your skill Holy Vow upgraded]

[Holy Vow: Level 2]

[Your skill Holy Vow is clashing with Blood Thirst]

[Your skill Holy Vow upgraded]

[Holy Vow: Level 3]

[Your skill Holy Vow has evolved into Holy Heart]

[Holy Heart: Level 1]

[Your skill Holy Heart has taken control over the Blood Thirst]

[Your skill Holy Heart is clashing with Lunar's Rage]

[Your skill Holy Heart has taken control over the Lunar's Rage]

…

Ray stood in the quiet alley, his heart pounding in his chest.

His mind was a full of confusion. He had been given all five skills, even the ones with terrifying warnings, and he didn't even choose them.

Then, in a flash of light, his holy skill had upgraded and suppressed the other two.

He could feel the latent power of the vampire and Lycan skills within him, a dark, pulsing energy, but it was being held in check by a calming, golden warmth coming from his Holy Heart.

He felt both the light and the darkness, yet the light was in complete control.

"There must be a reason for this..." he muttered, his voice barely a whisper in the silent alley.

But No one was there to answer.

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