Enzo revered manga in the same way that Catholics and Christians revere the Holy Bible. That is why, when he saw a similar scenario from these works of art unfold in front of him, he felt a sense of awe and reverence wash over him and instantly recognized what was going on, as if he were a prophet who had seen an omen manifest as a miracle before his eyes. He realized he was witnessing something absolutely spectacular.
That's why he was so happy; he had to walk back inside his room, then outside again, to be sure this was genuine and not just another delusional episode of escapism.
"Huff... Huff..." Enzo was getting too
"Isekai? Another world!? Am I really in another world!?!"
Enzo's heart raced with excitement as he took in the sights around him. As he processed this realization, a sense of excitement and adventure bubbled up inside him. The thought of exploring a new world, with its own set of rules and possibilities, filled him with a sense of wonder. He took a deep breath, feeling the cool breeze on his face and the warm sun on his skin.
The forest was completely foreign to a city boy like him, with the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze and birdsong filling the air. Sunlight filtered through the canopy above, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor below. Enzo could hear the babbling of a nearby stream, its melodic flow adding to the tranquil ambiance. The earthy scent of moss and pine enveloped him, grounding him in this moment of pure serenity. It was as if time had slowed down in this enchanted place, allowing him to fully appreciate the beauty of his surroundings.
Isekai. This was a subgenre of fantasy that transported characters from the ordinary world to a parallel universe. Something close to that of a miracle. That is what is happening to him right now.
With a smile on his face, he took his first step into the unknown, eager to face whatever difficulties and adventures awaited him in this new world.
He then made a rapid step backward.
"Wait, I don't need to die or something?"
Usually, people need to get run over by a truck or get stabbed trying to protect someone, but Enzo doesn't have an idea what moral act have he done to be getting this this. He doesn't have any recollection of dying either.
"Am I just lucky as fuck, or have I turned retarded with that stay-awake-for-48-hours-straight marathon? I get to experience isekai..."
This was his chance to start again, to abandon the routine of his former existence and embrace the unknown. But Enzo understood that nothing in life was—
"For free?"
— [Good morning to your first day in another world, host.]
"Oh, what the fu... FUCK YOU!"
Suddenly, a female robotic voice spoke in front of him, and at the same time, a translucent blue virtual screen popped up before Enzo's eyes, scaring the shit out of him. A system pop-up message—almost similar to the experience of an NSFW advertisement popping up during office hours while you're sharing your computer screen with a co-worker. A classic Isekai jumpscare.
"You… are you a system? The hell?"
The words on the screen shared what was recently spoken by the robotic voice earlier. Then the text changed.
— [???]
— [Are you a
— [The system is impressed.]
— [System
Enzo's heart raced as he attempted to make sense of what was going on. The text on the screen and the repetitive female voice appeared to be conversing directly with him, which made him uneasy. A woman...
"What the hell is going on?" he asked himself, unsure how to react to the sudden change of events. After all, even if he understood what it was, he had never encountered anything like it before. Scenarios in manga have a different impact not only in anime but also in real life, right?
A
They were extremely diverse, with authors portraying them in vastly different ways in their webnovels and mangas.
Typically, systems take the form of a symbiotic artificial intelligence that gives the protagonist power in exchange for "fulfilling" a specific demand, such as a
Some of them also exist with the intention of extorting their host, forcing them to
A system can also be a
— [Welcome to the tutorial.]
The problem here is that Enzo had no idea what fucking version this system was.
"Tutorial?"
Though, for now, the
"What do I need to do?"
Enzo was nervous. Not only was this his first time being isekai'd, it was his first time in the span of three months talking to the opposite gender! He felt a rush of panic as he tried to remember the advice his friends had given him about interacting with women. Enzo took a deep breath and reminded himself to just be himself. After all, if he wants to survive being transported to a different world, he must at least be able to handle a conversation with a girl.
— [Well, I shall start introducing this world to you then.]
"Yes, please!"
— [Firstly, we are in the world of Astora, the world of monsters and magic...]
Yadda, yadda, yadda... Enzo nodded with each detail of the information given, listening intently as the robotic female voice yapped about the world. Enzo could summarize the lengthy information in these shorter details.
1. The name of this world is Astora. Astora, the world's only inhabited continent, is a megacontinent resembling the Pangaea continent. Divided into areas, Astora is ruled by diverse humanoid species, including humans, elves, dwarves, beastmen, and demonkin.
2. Each race has its own culture and traditions, and these races often interact and form alliances. The humans of Astora are known for advanced technology and powerful kingdoms, while the elves are skilled in magic and deeply connected to nature. Dwarves are renowned for their craftsmanship and mining abilities, while beastmen are known for their strength and connection to the animal kingdom. Demonkin are the most discriminated race, feared for their violent tendencies and evil.
3. These societal problems perpetuate cycles of discrimination and inequality, creating barriers for individuals to achieve true equality and justice. To create a just and inclusive society, discrimination barriers must be dismantled, and exploitative practices within the hunting culture must be addressed.
4. Magic exists in this world. Mana, the spiritual energy present in all beings, is believed to be a source of power and magic. The manipulation of mana has led to powerful magic wielders and advancements in technology, creating a unique blend of ancient magic and cutting-edge technology.
— [Wow. You listened to everything I said! You're a good host.]
— [The system is very satisfied.]
— [System intimacy: 0.6/100]
"Yes, but I have a question to ask."
Enzo held his chin, staring at the panel of light hovering in front of him. Then, look at the forest behind the system screen. Look at the system again. It was a very important question he had to ask.
Enzo: "Does manga exist in this world?"
Then the breeze blew into his face. It felt particularly chilly.
— [If you're talking about the forms of art that narrate stories through drawn images, then no.]
"Oh." The screen on his retinas displayed a clear "
— [While civilization and technology are advanced in Astora, there are no such artists who have attempted to create such a book.]
"Oh, fuck me." No, you idiot, not that way. You gay?
Enzo's exhilaration chilled as quick as an old man's dick limping. He stepped back, slammed the door shut, and looked at the sandwich on his hands, crumpled with the sauce spilling because of his grip for getting too excited earlier.
— [After all, people are too busy killing each other. Fine arts in this world isn't too advanced. Literature in this world mostly consists of folklore, historical records, poems, and folk songs. Of course, novels exists, but something like telling a story through images aren't something that exists in this world yet.]
— [Why do you ask, host?]
"Can I go back to my old world—"
— [Nopeeee.]
"..."
Enzo looked at the sky above, feeling nothing but emptiness. His legs lost its strength, and he dropped on his knees.
Isekai didn't look so fun anymore.
===
Meanwhile, in a different location within the continent of Astora, far from Enzo's reincarnated apartment room, to be more specific, on the capital of Lacnova—the demon kingdom. The demon king's castle stood tall and imposing, a stark contrast to the rest of the city. And on the throne room of the castle sat the current generation's ruler of the Demons.
The 7th demon king is Demon Matriarch Ixtalith!
The demonkind revered her for creating the 9th-circle dark-element spell Oblivion, which allowed her to form a massive orb of concentrated dark-elemental energy that, when dropped on a landmass, would shatter and explode within a 2-kilometer radius, destroying everything in its path. It was notorious for rendering the area it erupted in 57 years ago entirely uninhabitable, becoming infested with curses that would detoriate and corrupt an organism's mana, gradually deconstructing the organism's physical form within hours, and converting it to a blob-like form of flesh…
The aftermath of Oblivion's destructive power was a chilling reminder of Matriarch Ixtalith's formidable abilities. Despite the devastation it caused, some demonkind saw it as a necessary evil to maintain their dominance over other realms. The cursed land left in its wake served as a haunting legacy to Ixtalith's reign, a cautionary tale of the consequences of delving too deeply into dark magic. As the years passed, whispers of her dark legacy continued to echo through the demonkind community, a reminder of the power and danger that came with wielding such formidable magic.
However, despite casting such a destructive and terrifying spell that none of its rival races had come to trouble their kingdom for this reason, this unrivaled force of nature was, at this point, nothing more than a troubled mother.
After all, her only daughter, Estelle Leviana Ixtalith, wanted to leave the palace!
The reason?
A 2 meter tall woman with a lean, muscular build was being held down by multiple gargoyle soldiers, her hair a wild tangle of dark curls and her eyes a fierce shade of green. Her skin, similar to her mother's, was dark but also radiant, glistening like polished obsidian under the moonlight. Despite the chaos surrounding her, there was a certain elegance and beauty in her features that captivated all who dared to look upon her. And on her temples protruded a magnificent pair of horns.
However, such a charming woman complained loudly, and her frustration was palpable. Estelle, the only daughter of the unparalleled demon matriarch, cried, "It's too boring in the palace, Mama!" She struggled against the iron grip of the gargoyles, her strength evident even in her captivity. The young woman's defiance only grew stronger as she continued to plead for adventure and excitement beyond the confines of the palace walls.
In response, the demon queen stared at her with a darkened, agitated expression. Suddenly, the queen walked down her throne, and when she stood in front of her daughter, Estelle gulped, nervous.
"UWOHHHHHHHHHH!" (╥﹏╥)
The demon matriarch dropped down on her knees, crying like a baby: "My baby has become such a grownup; she's trying to leave me now and find herself a husband!"
Everyone in the palace: (;´∀｀)
"What the fuck?" Estelle accidentally blurted out.
After all, the reason she wanted to leave was because she felt suffocated by the strict rules and lack of freedom within the palace walls. Finding a mate wasn't exactly at the top of her priority list.
However, fate had other plans for her…