"Your endurance impresses me, Tristan Moore. I'd expect someone like you to have shattered your soul after this encounter. It seems I have underestimated you. Now, are you ready for your second round?"
"I plead of you, just release me already. I don't care about the consequences, even if you send me to the depths of hell. I just can't bear losing any more dignity like this."
The Creator remained silent for an extended period, before bursting into laughter.
"You amuse me, young man. I've spent hours breaking down and reconstructing your entire physical being, yet you plead for dignity rather than an end to the pain?"
"Listen carefully. You've managed to entertain me during this conversation enough that I'll grant you some choices. First, you can enter hell, serving as an eternal servant under the Demon Lord in his underworld kingdom. Second, I can obliterate your soul, leaving you in a state of eternal nothingness. Thirdly, I can allow you to return to Earth, but as my plaything. Your life will be significantly more arduous than others, but the rewards will be greater if you're willing to risk it all."
"So, which will it be?"
Ignoring his question, I asked, "What do you mean by increased difficulty?"
The Creator smirked. "Your opponents will have double the stat points than normal, there will be increased enemy count, and more. It just merely depends on the situation."
Feeling a bit exasperated, I sighed and said, "I suppose I'll go with Choice 3. What other option is better?"
"Very well, I shall send you back to Earth. Along with that, I'll grant you a unique bonus to provide me with actual entertainment. You've certainly became an interesting case. Now, choose from the following rewards."
And with a snap, the same holographic screen before my untimely death showed up in front of my eyes, except this time there were three new options.
[Choose a Reward]
-Universal Class: King of Organisms
-Mythical Item: Infinitive Wallet
-Systemic Upgrade: Pantheon Extension
Contemplating my options sent chills down my spine. Each choice seemed gamebreaking, and I wanted to carefully assess the pros and cons.
The Lord of Organisms interested me with the ability to control all living beings, but it most likely required immense leveling-up to unlock its full potential, which made it impractical. I might not survive long enough to harness its devastating power.
The Infinitive Wallet held great promise, but the uncertainty of what items it could provide made it feel like a risky gamble. My lack of skills might also undermine the advantage of having powerful items.
As for the Pantheon Extension, the idea of recruiting gods to my side excited me, but its apparent early-game weakness raised doubts, much like the special class.
Yet, the potential it offered was too incredible to ignore. The chance to recruit a starting god shouldn't be underestimated, and I found myself leaning towards this option despite its initial weaknesses.
After this long period of contemplating, I gave the man my choice.
"I choose the Pantheon Extension as my gift."