Alex was a brilliant young man, his genius-level IQ setting him apart from others. However, his life had been overshadowed by a relentless illness that confined him to the sterile walls of a hospital for as long as he could remember.
Despite his limitations, he found solace in chess, mastering its complex strategies, and spent countless hours lost in anime. But it was the manhwa Castle that truly captivated him.
The intricate power dynamics and the interplay between politics, business, and crime drew him in, igniting a longing within him to experience that world firsthand, to fight like the characters he admired.
As the darkness closed in around him, Alex thought it was the end. After years spent in the sterile confines of a hospital room, his body had finally given out. There was no more fighting it.
He felt no fear, just the dull exhaustion of a life lived on the sidelines. His mind drifted to the countless chess games he'd played, the anime that kept him company, and most of all, Castle—the manhwa that had captured his imagination like nothing else. How he wished he could've been part of that world, where power, politics, and crime collided in thrilling ways. But reality had never been kind to Alex.
With his final breath, he closed his eyes and prepared for the end.
But instead of slipping into nothingness, he found himself floating in an endless void. He wasn't alone for long.
A figure appeared before him, not quite human, yet not completely unfamiliar either. The being radiated an otherworldly energy that Alex couldn't quite comprehend.
"You weren't supposed to die like this," the figure said, its voice echoing through the void.
Alex blinked, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. "What... who are you?"
"I'm what you might call a ROB—a Random Omnipotent Being," the entity replied casually, as though this was a perfectly normal conversation. "And I'm here because there's been... a mistake."
Alex's brow furrowed. "A mistake?"
The ROB nodded. "That illness of yours? It wasn't supposed to happen. One of my underlings messed up big time, and as a result, your life turned out the way it did. But don't worry—I'm here to make it right."
Anger flared inside Alex. Years of suffering, of being trapped in a weak and dying body, and now he was being told it had all been an accident? "So what now? You're just here to apologize?" he spat.
The ROB let out a soft chuckle. "Not quite. I'm here to offer you a second chance. Three wishes, anything you want. And I'll even throw in a new life, in a world of your choice."
The words hung in the air, almost too good to be true. But the ROB's gaze remained steady, as if waiting for Alex to decide.
It didn't take long. "Reincarnate me into Castle," Alex said firmly. The world he had spent so much time admiring—the political intrigue, the battles for power, the chance to rise above it all—he wanted to be a part of it.
The ROB nodded. "Done. Now, what are your three wishes?"
Alex's mind raced. He knew exactly what he needed if he were to not just survive but thrive in Castle.
"My first wish is the Copy ability of Johan Seong," Alex began, his voice steady. "I want to be able to replicate the skills and techniques of anyone I meet."
"An interesting choice," the ROB remarked. "What's next?"
"My second wish," Alex continued, "is Daniel Park's perfect body. No more weakness. I want to be strong, resilient, and capable."
The ROB's eyes glinted with amusement. "And your third?"
Alex paused for a moment before speaking. "I want Passive Calm. I need to be able to stay calm, no matter the situation—whether I'm facing death or killing someone. I can't afford to lose my composure."
The ROB was silent for a moment, as though weighing his requests. Then, with a wave of its hand, it spoke. "Granted. You'll wake up in Castle, with all the powers you've asked for. No more sickness, no more wasted potential. This time, you'll be in the thick of it."
Alex felt a surge of excitement. This was his chance. No more hospital rooms, no more feeling helpless. In the world of Castle, he wouldn't just watch from the sidelines—he'd be in the game, fighting, strategizing, and winning.
As Alex was pulled into the new reality, the shimmering void dissolved into fragments of light. The ROB gave him a faint smile, its voice calm.
"Good luck, Alex."
With a flick of its hand, the ROB disappeared, and Alex felt himself being drawn into the world of Castle. His new life was about to begin.
Yet, as the void settled into silence, the ROB mused to itself. "Oh... I forgot to tell him. His memories will only awaken ten years before the events of Castle, not from birth.