Chapter 1: The Awakening
In a luxurious first-class hotel room, a young man in his early twenties sat comfortably in a leather chair, swirling a glass of wine in his hand while laughing triumphantly. The faint glow of city lights flickered through the vast glass windows, illuminating the lavish interior with an ambient glow.
"Hahaha! What a day! I finally made it!" he exclaimed, lifting his glass in a self-congratulatory toast. "They all said I couldn't do it, but look at me now!"
He stood up, walking toward the floor-to-ceiling balcony doors, his silhouette reflecting in the glass before he pushed them open. The crisp night air brushed against his face as he stepped onto the balcony, gazing down at the sprawling metropolis beneath him. The city sparkled like an endless sea of stars, a sight befitting his mood of accomplishment.
Crow Blake—the author of many novels—had finally reached the pinnacle of success. After years of struggle, rejection, and relentless criticism, his dream had materialized. His latest work, Hero's Chosen, had skyrocketed in popularity, cementing his name among the best-selling authors of the decade.
It wasn't an original premise—monsters, mana awakenings, humans gaining supernatural abilities—yet despite the oversaturation of the genre, his storytelling captivated readers worldwide. It was the product of sleepless nights, countless edits, and unwavering perseverance.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone and opening the novel's statistics.
"Thanks to this, I can finally move forward. This proves that I was never going to give up." His voice brimmed with determination.
[Ding!]
A sudden notification interrupted his thoughts. He looked down at his phone, furrowing his brows. A strange, golden glow emanated from the screen, the text on the notification unlike anything he had ever seen.
"What the hell is this? Some kind of prank?" he muttered, tapping on it.
[The god of $&€£{€~£ has sensed the strong will of your soul. You have been chosen for a new destiny.]
A gust of wind swept through the balcony as the phone vibrated violently in his hands. Before he could react, the screen exploded with light, expanding into a swirling golden vortex. The air crackled with energy as the portal surged forward, pulling him in. His startled scream was lost within the void as the portal collapsed, leaving the hotel room eerily empty.
Somewhere in a dimly lit, cramped studio apartment, a boy, appearing to be around fifteen, lay motionless on a rickety bed. The musty scent of old wood and damp walls clung to the air. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
"What the heck just happened?"
His voice trembled as he sat up, blinking at the unfamiliar ceiling. His mind raced, struggling to make sense of his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was standing on the balcony of his hotel suite. But now…
"Where am I? Is this a joke? Am I dreaming?"
He reached up, pinching his cheek hard.
"Agh! That hurt! So this isn't a dream..."
As the reality of the situation settled in, his confusion deepened. The body he now inhabited felt unfamiliar—his limbs smaller, his frame leaner. He scrambled off the bed and rushed to a cracked mirror mounted on the wall. His reflection stared back at him: a boy with dark, tousled hair, wide golden-brown eyes, and a face that was unmistakably not his own.
"No way… Don't tell me I… transmigrated?"
Panic surged through him as he clutched his head, trying to piece together what had happened. Then, as if responding to his turmoil, a soft chime echoed in his ears, and a translucent blue screen materialized before him.
[Hello, student. Please do not forget that in two weeks, you are required to attend the orientation at Oasis Academy.]
His breath hitched.
"Oasis Academy?! Wait… isn't that the academy where Lucas Sear, the protagonist of Hero's Chosen, attends?!"
His grip tightened on the edge of the desk beside him. His mind reeled. If Oasis Academy existed, that meant—
"I'm inside Hero's Chosen?!"
He stumbled back, taking deep breaths to calm himself. But then another thought struck him. Whose body was he in? He scoured his memories, but found nothing. His mind was blank—no past, no history, no name attached to this body.
As he grappled with this unsettling realization, another notification appeared before him.
[Soul Synchronization Completed.]
A new message followed:
[Message from the God of $&€£{€~£ Loading…]
[Hello, Crow. Welcome to the universe inspired by your novel. While this world may seem familiar, it is not identical. You have been reborn—this body was created specifically for you, so do not worry about possessing someone else's existence.]
[Oh, and if you're wondering why you're here… well, you'll have to get stronger and reach the end of the story to find out. ;)]
Crow exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples.
"Great. So I've been thrown into my own world with no explanation and no clue what's different about it. Just perfect."
The message continued:
[Now that my introduction is done, I've left you a few gifts to help you get started. Enjoy!]
As soon as the words disappeared, a series of new notifications flooded his vision.
[System AI Loading… Please Stand By.]
[Complete.]
[Loading Gifts…]
[Complete.]
[User Status Initialization…]
[Complete.]
[Welcome, Host. You have unlocked the Time System.]
Crow blinked. Time System?
Another window expanded, revealing a sleek, watch-like device on his wrist. Its surface shimmered as intricate runes faintly glowed.
"Wait, I don't remember ever writing about a Time System in my novel…"
More text appeared:
[The Time System allows you to manipulate time-based abilities, granting you advantages in battle, crafting, and survival. Use it wisely.]
Below it, a list of new functions popped up:
Time Rewind (Locked) – Allows a short rewind of time in critical moments. Unlock conditions unknown.
Temporal Acceleration (Locked) – Temporarily speeds up actions, including crafting, training, and combat. Unlock conditions unknown.
Chrono Perception (Locked) – Grants enhanced reflexes and perception of time flow. Unlock conditions unknown.
Time Store (Active) – Stores time spent performing specific tasks for later use.
Crow's mind raced as he skimmed through the list. His heart pounded.
"This… This is completely new."
If the world was different, did that mean the plot had changed too? Did the protagonist, Lucas, still follow the same path? And if Crow himself wasn't just an observer but an actual participant in this world…
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Well then, if I'm stuck in my own world, I might as well take control of my fate."
With two weeks until Oasis Academy's orientation, he needed to prepare. He had written every detail of this world, but if the god's message was anything to go by, he couldn't rely on everything playing out exactly as he had planned.
One thing was certain: He wasn't just a writer anymore.
He was a player in his own story.
And he was going to rewrite his fate, one chapter at a time.