the first few chapters are not that good Grammar wise but I strive to do better going on.

also, this is a prologue if you don't like this kind of stuff skip to chapter 5.

And there some plot points that you gonna read about soon will be retconned later in the story so don't get too angry about.

Enjoy.

(¬‿¬)

________________________________________________________________

The year was 2027, the fourth of April, 2:48 PM, in front of a convenience store.

"Damn it! Since when did a pack of cigarettes become so expensive? $12.34 for a box!" Noah exclaimed.

He fumbled with his lighter, frustrated. "Work, you stupid thing," he muttered.

After a few more attempts, the lighter finally sparked to life, illuminating the area. Noah's face became visible under the light.

Noah Alexander, a 22-year-old man, stood at a solid 6 feet tall with a skinny build and an average face. His dark hair reached his neck, tied up in a ponytail. He was an ordinary-looking guy from an average family. His parents, Jackson and Mary Alexander, both worked at a well-known law firm, placing the family comfortably in the high end of the middle class. Life was good overall.

With everything he needed, Noah headed back to his parents' house. He planned to spend the night playing video games, even though he knew he wasn't particularly skilled at them.

"If scientists could teach a gorilla how to play games, the gorilla would beat me in almost every genre. Mobas? Gorilla wins. Shooters? Gorilla wins. Uno? Is there even a chance? Gorilla wins," Noah chuckled to himself. "But there is one game genre I excel in."

He paused dramatically, mimicking a drumroll. "Fighters," he declared proudly. "I'm a god in the mortal body when it comes to fighting games. Tekken, Street Fighter, Soulcalibur... you name it, I'm the top dog. But the game I truly rule in, the one where I'm undefeated, is Dragon Ball Fighterz."

Noah was known as the undefeated Zen-oh, a rank created specifically for him. The developers even made a raid boss based on his playstyle, and only 0.01% of players managed to beat it. It turned out that the only person to defeat the raid boss was Noah himself, on his second account.

But despite his gaming glory, Noah suddenly disappeared from the gaming scene. Rumors circulated about his fate, ranging from terminal illness to swatting incidents or finding love. In reality, he simply quit because he no longer found joy in anything. His daily life had become monotonous, leading him to drop out of university. His decision didn't sit well with his parents, straining their relationship and putting him at risk of being thrown out soon.

Lost in his thoughts, Noah walked home from the convenience store. As he strolled, he couldn't help but notice a few odd things.

"I'm pretty sure the cashier at the convenience store had no face," Noah muttered to himself.

He pondered for a moment before dismissing it as hallucinations from sleep deprivation. "Every gamer experiences those once in their lives," Noah the mad reasoned, trying to convince himself that he wasn't going crazy.

"Also, I have this nagging feeling that someone is talking smack about me," Noah added, his paranoia growing.

But then, he heard an aggressive dragging sound coming from behind him.

"Karen?" Noah whispered in horror, turning his head towards the source of the sound.

To his shock, he saw an 8-foot-tall pale and skinny humanoid creature approaching him. Its rib cage was visible, and its smooth head lacked eye sockets. Tusks protruded from its ears, and its mouth housed four sets of long, sharp teeth. Its long arms had three blade-like fingers, and as it dragged its feet, it slowly advanced towards Noah.

(Keeeee Rrrrrrrrrrrrr) The monster roared

Terrified, Noah sprinted with all his might, hearing the monster roaring and chasing after him.

"What the hell is that thing? I need to find a way to lose it! I can't lead it back to my parents' house!" he exclaimed, desperate to escape the creature's pursuit.

"think, think, is there a place I can dump him in? or maybe even kill him."

Noah's mind raced as he desperately sought a solution while fleeing from the pursuing monster. The screeches and roars grew louder behind him, fueling his sense of urgency.

"Think, think! Is there a place I can lure it to? Or maybe even eliminate it," Noah pondered, scanning his surroundings as he ran.

"A creature like this must mean one of a few things," he mused to himself, considering the possibilities amidst the chaos of the chase.

"One: I must be trapped in a nightmarish paralysis demon scenario, experiencing the most extreme version ever recorded."

"Two: I could be stuck in some drug-induced haze, surrounded by hallucinations that are shockingly vivid, even down to the senses of touch and smell."

"Three: Perhaps I've stumbled into a parallel dimension, an eerie replica of my own neighborhood, devoid of any other living soul. So it seems I'm completely isolated with this monster right now."

"...." "Fuck me, I am in trouble."

Noah's thoughts raced, his fear growing, but then a glimmer of hope sparked within him.

"Wait, I have an idea. If it doesn't work, at least I can try to take the creature down with me."

"There's a gas station nearby. If I can lead it there, I might be able to burn or blow up the monster."

"Okay, I have a plan. Let's hope it works."