I took a quick look around the room and spotted the bustling metropolis outside the window. It was late at night, and the sky was dark and starry, but the city was alive with light. The night seemed vibrant and busy, with various colors of lighting illuminating the streets. The technology appeared to be far more advanced than anything I was familiar with, with holographic advertisements flickering in the air and sleek, futuristic vehicles zooming past. The buildings were tall and sleek, their surfaces adorned with neon signs and digital displays. It was like stepping into a cyberpunk dimension, where the line between reality and technology blurred.
I gazed into the mirror inside the apartment, and my reflection was a stark contrast to what I was accustomed to. Normally, I had black hair and an ivory skin tone, but now my physique was athletic and muscular, and my skin tone was almond. This was a significant departure from my previous life.
I looked at the unfamiliar face staring back at me in the mirror. My hair was now dirty blonde, and my height was 5 feet 10 inches. The muscular build suggested that whoever this body belonged to had put a lot of effort into maintaining it.
The face was rugged, with a strong jawline and piercing dark brown eyes. It wasn't the kind of face that would turn heads in a crowd, but it had a certain charm and manliness to it.
I tried to concentrate on my last memories, but a part of my memory was crystal clear, as if someone had forcefully made it so that I couldn't forget about it.
It began with the perspective of a man, a demon king, sitting on a throne in a place that resembled a castle. The door opened, or rather, was slashed into pieces. A lone figure appeared, holding a shining, bright sword. The demon king unsheathed his sword, and the two figures clashed.
Their swordsmanship was otherworldly, and sparks flew everywhere. But in the end, the outcome of the battle was decided. The demon king was killed by the one called the "Sword Hero."
As the life ebbed from his body, he felt a strange sensation, a pull, a tug from beyond the veil of death. He achieved transcendence after death, wanting to be reborn, but was dragged to some other place, a realm unknown, a fate unforeseen.
"So, now I am inside a novel," I mused.
I tried to think this through simply.
I had a dream that felt extremely clear. In that dream, I died, I was trying to reincarnate myself. But sometimes things went wrong. My destination changed as someone or something altered my reincarnation's path. Then I was reincarnated into a world of novels. In order to make sure I didn't die meaninglessly, I broke some chains. When I was in the middle of breaking the third chain, the time was already over. And I woke up in another body.
I think I have almost every memory from my first life. I am slowly remembering the remaining things about my past life. But no matter how hard I try, I can't remember anything more about my life as a Demon King.
But even without all my memory intact I can atleast realise this much, I died , I was reborn, I became a demon king, I was killed and now I am in another world. Doesn't that mean this is my third life? I am a reincarnator aransmigrator, or a possessor.
[Host..?]
And there is this blue screen that is continuously speaking in my mind.
"Who are you?"
[Oh, you must be confused. Allow me to explain. You've passed away, and...]
"And transmigrated into another world into the body of another person. That I am aware of. Tell me who you are."
[ I am your one and only Cheat System. And I will accompany you on your adventure through this new world.]
Man, it's like one of those crappy Chinese novels where everyone gets a system, right? You get a system, he gets a system. Plunder system, hoarding system, cultivation system, evil system, and demon lord system. Kill him to get a reward and level up. Grab her ass and smack his ass to get a reward. Screw the heroine and her parents to complete the mission and collect your reward that pops out from god knows where. Face slap some random young masters and steal everything they have. Those cheap systems that always make fun of you and criticize you even when you're in a critical situation? Also brings out lingering memories from a previous life and places them in front of the readers?
And let's not forget about those ridiculous missions that come out of nowhere. "Save the world from destruction," they say, but what do you get in return? A measly level up and a pat on the back. It's like the system is mocking you, dangling these impossible tasks in front of you just to see you squirm. But hey, at least you get to show off your badass skills and impress the ladies, right?
But you know what's the worst part? The worst part is when the system decides to throw in some random twist, like giving you a new power or revealing a hidden talent. It's like, "Oh, by the way, you can also control fire now. Have fun with that!" And you're just left standing there, scratching your head and wondering what the hell just happened.
So yeah, having a system might sound cool at first, but trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Sure, you get some perks and bonuses, but at what cost? Your sanity, your dignity, your sense of self? It's a tough pill to swallow, but sometimes you just have to roll with the punches and hope for the best.
[.....]
"...."
[.....]
I waited for the system to counter my statement. But it never came.
"System, you can't read my mind?" I asked, my voice echoing in the empty room.
[No. However, if you try to communicate with me in your thoughts, you can message me simply by thinking about it. And as long as you think of anything that concerns the system, I will be able to hear it.]
'Like this?'
[Yes.]
'Then can you read my memory?'
[ No, I can't interfere with memories from your past. But I will be able to record everything from now on.]
Wow, this is one-of-a-kind. A system that won't give me any trouble and will actually do its job well? Maybe I've been reading too many novels in my past life. I should cut back on that. But...
'Is there anyone else out there with a System?'
[No, this system is unique to you, and you're the only one who can benefit from it.]
'Then are you sure there isn't another transmigrator?'
[No, but I'm only connected to you and no other transmigrator.]
'Does that mean that there could be multiple transmigrators, each with their own system?'
[.....]
[.....Possible.]
'Anyway. Show me how I might benefit from you.'
[Ding]
[The main quest begins.]
[Main quest-
Attend the academy's opening day.
Time limit: 3 Days, 12 hours, 34 minutes.
Reward: Besic System Update
Failure Penalty: ??? ]
Okay. That's a more game-like system that I know. Now, let's see what academy we are talking about.
***
I've been trying to gather as much information as I can about this world and the academy where I'm supposed to go. From what I've managed to find, it seems my current name is Kardama Drogo, and I'm supposedly 15 years old. Now, I must admit, at first, I was utterly shocked. Even though my face looked young, I couldn't fathom that this tall and muscular body could possibly belong to someone who's only 15 years old.
But that's not what shocked me the most. It turns out that this guy belongs to a Hero Academy. A freaking Academy that exclusively admits people with superpowers.
In my dreams, I shattered three chains. From the foreign memories that I received , I realised that the result of breaking those chains will bring three penalties, but I'm uncertain of their nature. These penalties are supposed to be random negative effects that I'll carry for life. I'm eager to uncover them as soon as possible.
The penalties can be anything. Sometimes so powerful, sometimes not even worth mentioning.
From the foreign memories, it's a typical occurrence in reincarnation. A human Magician, for example, opted to reincarnate as a vampire for his next life to achieve their longevity, boundless stamina that can be used to research countless hours without being tired, and their ability to live a long time without consuming any foods.
However, the reincarnation was messed up due to not being sufficiently balanced. He was able to reincarnate as a vampire; everything was okay, but he lacked the vampire's super fast healing power, which is a vampire's major weapon. So, from the perspective of a vampire, that's a huge penalty. But from the magician's perspective, he has already achieved his goal.
I am also hoping my penalties will be something that won't affect me much. Right now, I am in a new body that in no way resembles me. If the reincarnation was successful, I was normally supposed to be reborn as a baby who is an identical clone of myself.
In order words reincarnation is equivalent to rebirth into a clone body of yours. Transmigration, on the other hand, is the processing of another person's body. You are enslaving a soul , stealing his body, and depriving him of his life, freedom, and identity. That's what demons do. That is why they are so despised.
It could also be the worst penalty at the wrong time. You don't want to be burned alive just because some people mistook you for a demon processing a human .