Chapter 1
In a dimly lit apartment complex, a maze of identical doors and faded wallpaper. The hallway is eerily quiet, with only the distant hum of traffic breaking the silence. One particular door, where the young man in question resides.
Augus, a young man with short, tousled blonde hair, piercing grey eyes, and fair skin, is slouched in his worn-out gaming chair. His boredom is palpable as he mindlessly scrolls through his computer screen, searching for a game that might capture his attention. He grumbles to himself, lamenting the state of the gaming industry.
"Man, these days, it's all about cash grabs. No good gameplay left," he mutters, frustration tinging his casual and informal speech.
As his cursor hovers over various game icons, his eyes catch the familiar Roblox logo. He shrugs and clicks it, logging into his old account, 'Augus.' With a nonchalant attitude, he begins to browse the games, looking for something to alleviate his boredom.
"Alright, let's see what you've got, Roblox," he says with a hint of skepticism in his voice, his tone reflecting his boredom.
His cursor accidentally lands on the sponsored game "Cursed Battleground." Augus groans in annoyance as the loading screen appears, but he can't help but be impressed by the game's stunning graphics. With a shrug, he decides to give it a shot.
"What's this? Might as well check it out," he mutters, curiosity piqued.
What was meant to be a quick three-minute distraction turns into hours of immersive gameplay. Augus is hooked. Despite encountering a few bugs initially, he's impressed by the game's lenient and beginner-friendly leveling system. He silently grumbles about the lack of a PVP toggle but continues to play, engrossed in the experience.
"Whoa, this game's grind is surprisingly chill," he remarks, his eyes glued to the screen as he levels up.
Hours pass, and Augus finally reaches the max level. He carefully selects the skill tree that best fits his playing style and can't help but praise the game maker for the unique and diverse options.
"Props to the devs for this skill tree. It's got real depth," he comments, his voice filled with genuine admiration.
As he explores further, he discovers there are two races in the game: Curse Hunters and Curse Fiends. Augus is curious about the latter and checks the requirements. To become a Curse Fiend, one needs at least 10 thousand coins and to find a curse mark. Intrigued, he scans the available Curse Fiends: The Void, The Flame, The Calamity, and The Violent. The prospect of becoming one of these mysterious entities excites him, but he knows it's all up to chance.
"Okay, this is where it gets interesting," he says, excitement creeping into his voice as he reads about the Curse Fiends.
Excitement coursing through him, Augus embarks on a server-wide quest to find a curse mark. Hours of searching finally pay off when, by sheer luck, he stumbles upon one.
"Score! Got it!" he exclaims, his voice filled with triumph.
Without hesitation, Augus equips the curse mark and sends his game avatar to the in-game hospital for the implantation process. What follows is a chilling cutscene that sends shivers down Augus' spine. The NPC doctor appears eerie, his words dripping with an unsettling tone.
"Do you wish to be no longer human?" the doctor asks, his question hanging heavy in the air.
Augus, not thinking too much of it, hits the 'yes' option. In that moment, a grotesque hand reaches out from the computer screen and grabs his face with a sickening crack. Augus is forcibly pulled into the game world, disappearing from his apartment with a mysterious disturbance that goes unnoticed by his neighbors.
[Page Break]
Augus slowly regains consciousness, his surroundings blurry and disorienting. He's lying on the cold ground in a dimly lit alley. Confusion swirls in his mind as he wonders if he's been kidnapped or if this is some sort of bizarre dream.
"Where the heck am I?" he mutters, pushing himself up.
With uncertainty, Augus stumbles out of the alley and onto the bustling streets of Tokyo. But what he sees leaves him utterly shocked and bewildered. The world around him has transformed into an anime landscape. Colorful billboards, vibrant characters, and exaggerated architecture surround him.
Augus can't believe his eyes. He looks down at his own hands, and even they have taken on an anime-style appearance. His casual clothes have morphed into a stylish tuxedo.
"What the...? Is this real?" Augus mutters to himself, trying to make sense of the surreal situation.
Gathering his thoughts, he decides to head to the nearest clothing store. With a hint of disbelief, he pretends to browse the racks, all the while examining the world around him. His voice, as he asks a passing woman for directions to the dressing room, surprises him.
"Hey there, miss. Mind pointing me to the dressing room?" he inquires with a charismatic grin, his voice oozing confidence.
The woman, caught off guard by his suave demeanor, blushes and stammers out directions.
"Uh, just, uh, follow that aisle and it's on your left," she stutters, her eyes still locked on Augus.
"Thanks, gorgeous," Augus winks before striding off towards the dressing room.
Inside, as he gazes at his transformed appearance, Augus can't help but strike a pose and say to himself, "Well, I'll be darned. Looking sharp, Augus."
Exiting the dressing room, he catches the eye of a passerby, a young man who can't help but stare.
"Hey, dude, you alright?" Augus asks with a playful smirk.
The young man stammers, "Y-You... You look incredible!"
Augus chuckles, "Tell me about it."
As he continues to explore this surreal anime version of Tokyo, he can't help but strike up conversations with various characters he encounters along the way.
"Hey, where's a good place to grab some grub around here?" he asks a friendly-looking anime girl.
She blushes and stammers out directions to a nearby ramen shop. Augus thanks her with a wink and heads in that direction.
"Whoa," he breathes, his fingers lightly tracing his now-perfect features. "Well, this is quite the transformation, I look like... like a bishounen," he says, admiring his new appearance.
Exiting the dressing room, he returns the clothes he'd picked up neatly to their racks, garnering the attention of a few shoppers.
A young woman approaches him, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "Excuse me, you're so handsome! Are you a model?"
Augus chuckles, playing along with the role he's been thrust into. "Oh, you're too kind! But no, not a model."
The woman giggles, clearly charmed by his response. "Well, you stand out here, that's for sure!"
"Hey, where's a good place to grab some grub around here?" he asks a friendly-looking anime girl.
She blushes and stammers out directions to a nearby ramen shop. Augus thanks her with a wink and heads in that direction.
As he slurps down a bowl of ramen, he strikes up a conversation with the chef, who has an exaggerated mustache and a twinkle in his eye.
"This ramen's the real deal, huh?" Augus remarks with a thumbs-up.
The chef beams with pride, "Ah, you've got good taste, my friend! It's my secret recipe!"
Augus continues to interact with the vibrant characters of this anime world, each encounter leaving him more intrigued and curious about the reality he now finds himself.
[Page Break]
After his meal, Augus realized he hadn't checked if he had any money to pay for his ramen. Panic gnawed at him for a moment, but then he felt something unusual on his suit. His fingers found a hidden pocket, and when he pulled out his wallet, he couldn't believe his eyes. It was packed with a stack of 1,000 and 500 yen bills.
"Whoa, this is like a dream," Augus muttered to himself in disbelief.
Curious about the cost of his meal, he turned to the chef and asked, "How much do I owe you for that amazing ramen?"
The chef handed him the receipt with a friendly smile. Augus checked the amount and handed over the exact yen with a grateful nod. "Thanks for the meal, it was fantastic!"
With a full stomach and newfound currency, Augus decided it was time to find a place to stay in this surreal anime world. As he strolled down the animated streets, he accidentally bumped into someone and quickly apologized.
"Sorry about that," he said with a polite bow.
But as he turned away from the person, he heard a faint ding, like a notification. Curiosity piqued, he glanced around and noticed something he hadn't seen before. In the top right corner of his vision, there were two bars. One was green, and one was red.
Augus blinked, then muttered to himself, "Wait a minute, are those... HP and BP?"
He quickly ducked into an alley, hidden from the public's view, to inspect these bars further. To his amazement, they were still there, hovering in the corner of his vision. It was like something straight out of a video game.
"This is insane," he whispered to himself, still trying to process what was happening. "Did I get isekaied into a game world or something?"
As the reality of his situation sank in, Augus couldn't help but marvel at the bars and their implications.
"I've got stats... like a character sheet in an RPG," he mused, his excitement building.
But the real shock came when he remembered his weapon - the Cursed Nail. Augus focused his thoughts on it, and to his astonishment, he felt a weight on his left arm. Slowly, he reached for it and found the weapon he had only imagined a moment ago.
The Cursed Nail was a remarkable sight. It resembled a sword-like nail with a handguard, but its blade looked more like a drill than a nail. Augus couldn't help but admire its intricate design.
With newfound confidence, he decided to experiment further. Augus focused on a nearby trash bin and thought about his second ability, "Ghost Grab." As he did, a ghastly, transparent hand manifested and mimicked the movement of his own hand. With a clenched fist, the ghostly arm grabbed the bin and began to crush it.
Augus could hardly believe his eyes as he tested his newfound powers. The bin crumpled under the ethereal grip until he dismissed it with a thought.
His heart raced, and he muttered in awe, "I've got the powers of my game avatar now."
[Page Break]
Chapter 1 (Continued)
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Tokyo transformed into a dazzling sea of neon lights. Augus continued to explore the animated city, marveling at its vibrant nightlife. It was a world unlike anything he had ever experienced, and every moment was an adventure.
He found himself on a rooftop, effortlessly reaching it using his Ghost Grab ability. The view from up high was breathtaking, with the city's lights stretching out endlessly.
"Man, this place is incredible," Augus murmured to himself, gazing at the mesmerizing skyline. His eyes reflected the awe he felt, and a smile played on his lips as he soaked in the breathtaking view.
But the allure of his newfound powers beckoned him further. Augus couldn't resist the urge to push the boundaries of this surreal world. He decided it was time to test the Curse Mark, to see just how far his abilities could go.
With a sense of determination, he activated his Curse Mark. The transformation that followed was nothing short of grotesque, and Augus couldn't help but react with shock and fascination.
His body expanded like an inflating balloon, and then it seemed to explode. Augus felt his very being undergo a horrific metamorphosis. His once familiar form was distorted and nightmarish.
"What... What's happening to me?" he gasped, his voice now distorted and unnatural. The terror and confusion were palpable in his words.
But the surprises didn't end there. Augus heard a distinctive snikt, and two large saw blades jutted out of his forearm and wrist. The sight of these gruesome appendages left him both horrified and oddly intrigued.
"Whoa," he muttered in awe, his voice tinged with an eerie fascination. He flexed his new arm, the saw blades spinning menacingly. "This is... unreal."
Unbeknownst to Augus, his little test had not gone unnoticed. Others in this anime world had sensed the disturbance caused by his transformation. In the shadows, hidden figures watched with keen interest, their motives shrouded in mystery.
Augus, now a creature of both wonder and horror, stood on the rooftop, fully aware that his journey in this fantastical world was only just beginning.
[Page Break]
Somewhere in the vibrant heart of Tokyo, a figure strolled into a dimly lit room with the kind of swagger that could only be described as effortless. He was the epitome of casual cool, and his appearance reflected that attitude perfectly.
Gojo Satoru, a man of undeniable charisma, took center stage. His hair was a wild, unruly mess of pure white locks that seemed to have a mind of their own. These striking locks framed his angular face, adding to his already captivating features. His icy-blue eyes, framed by long, dark lashes, held a mischievous glint that hinted at the playful personality lurking beneath his confident exterior.
But the most distinctive feature of Gojo Satoru's appearance was the black eye mask that covered his eyes. It gave him an enigmatic air, making him an unforgettable presence in any room he entered.
As Gojo entered the room, his senses were immediately assaulted by an overwhelming surge of curse energy. It was unlike anything he had ever encountered. His usually composed demeanor gave way to a raised eyebrow and a faint smile that betrayed his intrigue.
"Well, well, well," he muttered to himself, his voice low and dripping with curiosity. "This level of curse energy... it's almost intoxicating."
He couldn't help but wonder who or what could generate such an immense power. Gojo had faced countless cursed spirits and formidable opponents in his time, but this was on a whole different level. The mischievous glint in his icy-blue eyes intensified as he considered the possibilities.
With a confident stride, Gojo activated his unique power, known as "Infinity." In an instant, he vanished from his current location, leaving only a faint afterimage behind.
As he pursued the mysterious beacon of curse energy, his thoughts raced. He mused to himself, "Is it a rogue sorcerer? Or perhaps a new breed of cursed spirit? Whatever it is, it's got my attention."
Gojo Satoru, the enigmatic sorcerer with an insatiable appetite for the extraordinary, was on the trail of this astonishing disturbance in Tokyo, ready to face whatever awaited him with his trademark charisma and unmatched power.