Kazuki Satou slumped at his desk, staring blankly at the computer screen. The office was dim, the overhead lights buzzing in the silence. Most of his co-workers had already left, the lucky ones who had a life outside this prison of paper and endless spreadsheets. But Kazuki wasn't one of them.
"Gloom, aren't you going home yet?" a voice interrupted, dragging him back to reality. It was Tanaka, his boss—a pudgy, balding man with a smug grin. "You've been here all day. Go on, get some rest. We need you back bright and early tomorrow."
Kazuki forced a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm just finishing up…"
Tanaka laughed. "You? Finishing up? Come on, you look half-dead already. Don't work yourself to death."
If only it were that simple, Kazuki thought, his face returning to its neutral, uninterested expression. "I'll leave soon. Just a few more things."
"Whatever you say. See you tomorrow, Gloom," Tanaka chuckled as he walked out, the sound of his footsteps disappearing down the hall.
Kazuki stared after him, then glanced at the clock on the wall. 10:45 PM. Another late night. Another wasted day. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the weight of everything press down on him.
"I really need to quit this job," he muttered to himself, though he knew it wouldn't happen. This was his life now—endless work, no meaning, no escape.
When he finally dragged himself back to his tiny, cluttered apartment, Kazuki collapsed onto his bed without bothering to change. His eyes felt heavy, his mind dull. As sleep overtook him, his last thought was a simple, bitter one.
"I wish I could just…start over."
The next time Kazuki opened his eyes, something felt off.
It wasn't the usual gray ceiling of his apartment above him. Instead, he saw blue. Bright, endless blue. And the air—it smelled…fresh? He blinked, his vision clearing. Trees towered above him, sunlight streaming through the branches.
"What the hell?"
He sat up, heart pounding as he took in his surroundings. He was lying on soft grass in the middle of a forest—one that looked straight out of a fantasy novel. The kind with towering trees, flowers that glowed faintly, and an atmosphere that didn't belong in any city he'd ever known.
Kazuki rubbed his eyes and stood up, brushing off his business suit—wait, his business suit? He was still wearing his work clothes, the same ones he had collapsed in back home. He turned around, half-expecting to see his apartment behind him, but there was nothing but more trees.
He stared, frozen in disbelief.
"I…died?" The words left his mouth before he even realized it. "Wait…no, this has to be a dream."
Just as he was trying to rationalize it, a soft rustling in the bushes nearby snapped his attention to the surroundings. His muscles tensed up. He didn't know what was out there, but he didn't like the idea of meeting it unprepared.
"Well…if I'm stuck here," he muttered, glancing down at his useless office attire, "I guess I'd better find out where here is."
Kazuki had been walking for what felt like hours, his mind racing through possibilities. If this was a dream, it was incredibly detailed. But the longer he stayed in this world, the more real it felt—the crunch of twigs beneath his feet, the cool breeze on his skin, the distant sounds of wildlife.
"This isn't right," he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. "Why am I here? Did I really die? Did I…get reincarnated?"
It was a ridiculous thought, one straight out of the light novels he used to read in his younger days. But the more he considered it, the more it made sense. He didn't feel sick, or weak, or tired—far from it. In fact, his body felt lighter, stronger. He couldn't explain it, but somehow, this didn't feel like a dream anymore.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the forest.
Kazuki froze.
"Okay…that didn't sound friendly," he muttered under his breath, slowly turning toward the source of the noise. Emerging from the shadows of the trees was a large, wolf-like beast with dark fur, glowing red eyes, and jagged fangs. It stared at him hungrily.
Kazuki's heart pounded in his chest, but surprisingly, he didn't panic. His mind sharpened, his instincts taking over. Without thinking, he picked up a sturdy branch from the ground, gripping it tightly in both hands.
I don't want to fight, but I don't think this thing's giving me much of a choice.
The beast lunged at him with terrifying speed. Kazuki rolled to the side, dodging its fangs by inches. The creature snarled and charged again, but Kazuki swung the branch with all his might, striking the beast's side. The impact was far stronger than he expected—enough to send the creature stumbling back with a yelp.
"Whoa…" Kazuki stared at his hands, shocked by his own strength.
The beast growled, clearly more angry than hurt. It lunged again, but this time Kazuki was ready. He sidestepped the attack and delivered a powerful kick to the creature's side, sending it crashing into a nearby tree. The sheer force of the kick surprised him again.
"Did…did I do that?" Kazuki whispered, still holding the branch in a defensive stance. The creature lay still, defeated.
For a long moment, Kazuki just stood there, panting lightly as he processed what had just happened. It wasn't just the fight—it was the fact that he had felt no fear, no hesitation. And his body…there was something different about it. Something far beyond normal.
"Well, whatever this place is…I'm not useless here, at least."
He tossed the branch aside and continued walking. The encounter had only confirmed his suspicions—this was no ordinary place. A fantasy world? Another dimension? He didn't have enough answers yet, but there was one thing he knew for sure: he needed to find other people, and fast.
Eventually, after what felt like hours of walking, Kazuki emerged from the forest. In the distance, he could see a town—a medieval-looking settlement with high stone walls, bustling streets, and people going about their day.
"A town, huh?" Kazuki squinted at the sight. "Maybe someone there can explain what's going on…"
He started down the dirt road, his mind still swirling with questions. As he walked, something strange appeared in front of him—a floating window, like a game notification.
[Congratulations! You have been reincarnated as a Hero!]
[Objective: Slay the Demon King!]
Kazuki groaned, rubbing his temples. "Reincarnated as a hero? Seriously?"
The window vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
"Great," he muttered sarcastically. "A hero. That's exactly what I needed in my already stressful life."
Despite his complaints, Kazuki kept walking toward the town. Whatever this world had in store for him, he wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of becoming its savior. All he wanted was a normal, peaceful life—something he hadn't been able to get back home. And if he had any say in it, that's exactly what he'd find here, hero or not.
But deep down, he had a sinking feeling that things weren't going to be that simple.