Chapter 1: The Last Goodbye
Mark's eyes gazed out the hospital window, watching the sun set behind Tokyo's skyscrapers. His thoughts drifted to the life he once knew.
"Mark, don't give up," his mother whispered, clutching his hand.
Shawn smiled weakly. "I won't, Mom. I promise."
His father stood beside him, tears streaming down his face. "We're going to find a cure, son. You'll beat this."
Shawn's gaze shifted to his friends, gathered around his bedside. Their faces etched with worry and sadness.
"Guys, don't look so down," Mark said, attempting to lighten the mood. "I'll be back to playing blox fruits with you in no time."
His friends forced smiles, but Mrk saw the truth in their eyes – he was running out of time.
Mark is a 16 year old boy who was diagnosed with a terminal illness two months ago. He was told there was no cure and he didn't have long to live....but he still held on to hope that a cure would be found.
While on his hospital bed, he decided to check out the latest chapter of his favourite novel, Shadow Slave.
"Sunless you crazy bastard" he chuckled as he read on the misadventures of the short saint.
The doctor entered, somber-faced. "Mark, we've exhausted all treatment options. Your condition is...critical"
"you...you have at most 2 days to live" the doctor said hesitating to say the last part.
Mark's world crumbled.
In a daze, Mark heard the doctor discuss experimental treatments and clinical trials. His parents' desperate pleas, his friends' tears – it all faded into the background.
Mark's s thoughts turned to his bucket list: visiting Paris, learning to play the guitar, and becoming a programmer. Now, those dreams seemed impossible.
His parents tried to talk to him and console him but all he could hear were their murmurs.
Under the recommendation of the doctor, he decided to take a late afternoon walk to help him digest things.
' I'm going to die... I'm going to die... I'm going to die...' these words kept repeating inside his head while he absentmindedly try to cross the street.
He didn't notice the truck until it was too late.
"Oh shi-" Bam!!
He got hit by truck Kun. He felt as if all the bones in his body had been broken.
'Da-mn... I guess I don't even have to wait 48 hours' were his last thoughts.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Mark closed his eyes, letting the darkness wash over him.
---
Mark's vision blurred, colors bleeding together. He felt himself being pulled apart, his consciousness torn from his body.
A strange sensation enveloped him, like being submerged in icy water. Mark's thoughts slowed, his memories fragmenting.
When his vision cleared, he found himself in a new, unfamiliar body. The body was smaller than his but it was stronger.
He stood in a small room with thick armored walls when he tried to move he felt like he was strapped tightly to a bed.
"Where... where am I?" Mark stammered.
Mark explored his new body, marveling at the differences. His hands were smaller, his senses sharper. But he felt a bit stronger unlike his sick body.
All of a sudden he felt extremely sleepy.
"Oi brat! Don't fall asleep" a man wearing what seemed like police uniform started yelling.
"At least don't die too early... try your best to survive and don't forget to check your attributes the minute you get there". The man further yelled.
'Huh?...what the hell is this man yelling about?' Mrk thought drowsily.
'W-wait, what he's say can wait, lemme just take a short nap' he thought.
That was when he heard a somewhat familiar voice whisper into his ears:
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your first trial...]
'W-wait, am I in shadow slave world??'
All of a sudden he heard the same familiar voice in his ear but this time, it felt a bit off.
[Glitch!... glitch!... Nightmare s-spell glitch!]
'I don't remember any of this happening in the novel!' Mark exclaimed.
[System initializing... 5%...25%....75%....100%...]
[System destroyed nightmare spell seed on host... System synchronized successful.]
[Host! Prepare for your first trial]
"WHAT!!"