Chapter 12: Recreating a New Body

"So where do I make my character? Can't I just use that one?" The robot pointed at the pristine, motionless goblin in the tube.

"Nope. No way!" The Sage got up from his seat, stored the chair, and slowly stepped toward the corner corner opposite the contained constructs. "What's the point of me offering you a customized body if you just pick a pre-existing one?"

Rizz followed the Sage's every step. He crossed his rod-like arms and tilted his chin to the high-up ceiling. Ignoring the tables of schematics, odd tools, and unknown machines surrounding the resting table, Rizz had lost all of his trepidations.

"Why not? That's the body I know best. So I want that one, or I'll just end up making the same one again anyway."

The Sage stopped walking and nodded. "That's fine. So long as we make it from scratch. Now, go ahead. Make your character."

In front of Rizz was a wall of holograms. It was the iconic character creator from the game!

"This… is really happening. I get to make a new body, and live in it." Rizz the robot spun through a revolving holographic list.

"Mhm. Get to it. And pay close attention, because there will be no edits after the transmigration," the Sage reminded the robot.

Rizz didn't need to be told twice. In under thirty seconds, Rizz had already input his name, height, and race. "Hey? What gives with the affinities? Why can't I pick my first three?"

"Because you'll only start with one."

Jolting his can-like head around, Rizz scoffed, "Unfair! We got to start with three when we made characters in-game."

"And now you won't be experiencing the worlds of Trodar as just a game," retorted the Sage. "So pick your first affinity and just unlock more as you level up."

"It's still unfair," Rizz reasoned.

To which, the sage shrugged, "And here I thought I had found an achievement junkie, someone in search of the ultimate thrill and accomplishment?"

"Hey! You have no right to complain!" Rizz pointed his twiggy hand at the Sage's hidden face. "You're the one that hid your quest behind all of those stupid achievements anyway!"

"Exactly. Because I was searching for one," laughed the Sage, leaning back against the side wall. "I thought you'd be after a true challenge, an adventure only an achievement junkie could pull off. But maybe I was mistaken. Perhaps I should take you back to your old body before they bury you–"

"NO!"

Rizz gripped the sage's shoulders and shoved back against the wall. "I want this! It's just stupid that I only get one affinity if you're offering me all this in the first place."

The Sage shrugged off those robotic hands. "So what? Just look at it like the ultimate gauntlet. The greatest set of challenges and achievements you can ever accomplish. Of course, that includes earning more affinities on your own. I'm sure you'll have a blast while you're at it! If not, then I've invested a lot of time and resources in the wrong person."

Moving along with the character creator, Rizz didn't waste more time with the affinity dial. He chose Darkness without another word.

"... Where are the classes?" Rizz inquired next, failing to find the list of options.

"Don't worry about that. Just keep going through the character creator."

Rizz glanced at the Sage once more, squinting harshly. "Are you really the Sage? The great and wise being behind all the tutorials?"

"The one and only." Bowing, the robed man spoke with a smiling voice, "I already told you that I'm not like any gods you're imagining. So stop assuming I'm some stereotypical deity that will offer you some sort of cheat system.

"I'm not giving you a smartphone. You won't start your new life at max level. And there's little to no chance of you starting with any busted skills. Everything you accomplish will be by your own hands and wits. I'm just setting your new life in motion, that's all."

Rizz was in the middle of adding minor embellishments to his new body.

He recreated his infamous goblin to a tee. Three rings were piercing his right ear, two gold with one silver ring in the middle. Rizz carefully tweaked the skin color, sliding the bar away from the odd default of dark turquoise to find that perfect goblin green. And Rizz added the finishing touch. A single tuft of thick, red hair atop his head.

"In other words, I'll be on my own?" Rizz asked, keeping his eyes on the holograms. "Then why do all of this? Why go through all this trouble if you don't give a shit about me?"

"Oh, I give a few shits about you." The Sage stood up straight and chuckled, "But only if you're a true achievement junkie. And that's yet to be seen."

The robot tilted his head back, looking away from the holograms for a moment. "Oh no, you've caught me. I only beat your silly game because I was bored, after all…"

"You've proven enough to be given this much," the Sage stated with an amiable voice, placing a hand on the robot's shoulder. "Now, you'll truly be put to the test. Because only a true achievement junkie will throw themselves through ringer after ringer without the hope of free respawns."

Rizz halted his finger mid-air. "... No respawns? As in, if I die, then I just die?"

"That's what it means to live in the worlds of Trodar instead of just playing the game." Whistling, the Sage strolled to the other side of Rizz. "If that's too much to scare you, then I'll take you back to your old world, Rico–"

"The name's Rizz! Rizzio McKlank Von Thong!" declared the robot.

He poked the Sage in the chest. "And there's no challenge I can't conquer, no achievement too difficult. Because the Rizz is undeniable!"

Next, the Sage threw an arm around Rizz's shoulders. He laughed while inspecting all of Rizz's character choices. "Good! Then I hope to witness your climb through the worlds and see you on the other side! Who knows, maybe you'll find a way to reach out even sooner. If you can even figure out how to do so in the first place."

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