I'll never forget the night I was transported to Nova to save the world.
In a dingy flea market on the south side of town, I peruse a few stands looking for collectibles and good deals. I come here maybe once a month to buy cheap manga and light novels from one of the vendors. It's an oasis for local manga fans like me. I know most of the stalls around here, and most of them sell nerdy stuff that you can't find in the department stores. Today however, there was an odd stall draped with a dark red curtain in front. The sign said "Journey to Another World". I couldn't believe my eyes, is this the legendary and fabled pop up Isekai shop toted as otaku heaven! This legendary location never announces where it is or where it's going, only the deepest darkest of the otaku websites ever have its location an hour before it moves again. Theo, you must be the luckiest otaku in the world
I push past the golden lettering on the heavy velvet curtain, and am utterly disappointed. Inside the stall is a single wooden counter, barren of any merchandise. There is a beautiful young woman behind the counter. She has the black eyes and hair of a Japanese girl, although there is a single streak of pink down the side. She is dressed in a short black skirt and a black corset. She looks up from her manga with a knowing smirk, popping her gum irritatingly.
"I know what you are here for, and I know what you are thinking"
"I was looking for a place I heard about online, but this isn't what the reviews talked about at all."
"This is the place you seek...but we ask our customers not to talk about how we actually work. We are a very exclusive place, only for those who are deemed dedicated to the genre. we don't do the normal kind of shopping here. Here, I choose the manga and you take it or leave it. I promise on our reputation it will be an experience like no other, you'll be transported to a whole other world"
She pulls a single volume, wrapped in black paper, out from under the counter. I'm a bit nervous about buying something without even seeing the cover, but when I look a bit closer....Theo Hall is written in the cute handwriting of a teenage girl. The O and A were even in the shape of hearts. My heart starts being out of my chest. How in the world did this girl know my name.
"How Much?"
"For you…..well you look like you need it so how about ten bucks!"
That is a fair price for most manga or light novels, I hope it isn't something I've read before. I know that the reviews always said that the work was an original story… but she said I couldn't trust reviews.
"Alright I'll buy it"
"It isn't quite that fast. You have to promise to never share this store's location OR our method of selling to anyone as long as this little baby fulfills my promise of transporting you to another world. You also can't talk about the specifics of the book itself, as its an original just for you. If you accapt these conditions, we shake and the book is yours"
I look at her with a furrowed brow. Those are some odd conditions but I guess they aren't too weird. Although she makes it sound like this thing will literally transport me into a Isekai, but that isn't possible.
I hand her the cash, shake her hand, and leave with the book. I'm excited to get home. I rush through the traffic and into my apartment.
I drop the book onto the table and cut the cord that keeps the paper wrapped around it. I look at the Manga for the first time and am amazed...it looks like me. The cover is dominated by a man in sparkling armor, with a huge jewel in the center of the chest plate. He has a rather plain face, brown hair and eyes, and even the noise is spot on. If I didn't know better the equipment looked exactly like I used to incision my Dungeon Diver Character from our old TTRPG game.
I'm beyond excited. I don't even know how this is possible. I open the book and smell the fresh paper. What, no way! It's blank!! I can't believe that skank swindled me! I'll head over right now and give her a piece of my mind!
a familiar voice in a condescending tone comes from behind me
"Fufufu, you can tell me right now!"
Suddenly bright light envelopes me, the pages of the book begin to ripe off and fly around the room!
the shopkeeper's voice can be heard from all directions now!
Welcome to the true 'In another world' shop hero! prepare yourself for the adventure of a lifetime! Initiating Isekai transfer!"
"what? wait! no stop! what do you mean!"
"HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTT!! system start!" says the girl
I feel myself falling.
A mechanic voice speaks from the bright void as I fall
[Searching for profile.... Profile found "Cornelius Alexander Rex"]
I speak into the darkness "What? that's just a character I made up with my friends"
[Loading...Appearance loaded, stats loaded, powers loaded, magic... error magic is not compliant with world system.... override complete "wizard" class added to world system.... "Spell slot" system augmentation added to world...magic loaded....prepare for upload and spawn]
"Wait! WAIT! WHAT DOES ANY OF THAT MEAN!!"
The light begins to flash a barrage of colors and my body begins to itch and BURN. It burns and burns until I think I'm going to die.
The light begins to flash a barrage of colors and my body begins to itch and BURN. It burns and burns until I think I'm going to die.