The arena roared with life, waves of cheers cascading like thunder through the packed stadium. Thousands of fans filled the seats, banners waving and voices shouting one name above all:
"Neo Carter! Neo! Neo! Neo!"
On the center stage of the grand martial arts tournament, Neo Carter stood, poised and confident. At twenty years old, he was already a four-time martial arts champion, his reputation as a master fighter growing like wildfire. His black hair swayed slightly in the breeze, and his brownish-red eyes blazed with sharp focus as he gripped the hilt of his sheathed sword. Around his waist was a staff—his other weapon of choice—but for now, his hands were free. Today's battle required only his fists, his feet, and his years of hard-earned skill.
Across from him, a new contender entered the stage, an opponent no one had seen before. The crowd murmured in anticipation as the unknown fighter stepped forward, matching Neo's piercing stare with equal determination.
The referee stepped into the center, raising his hand.
"Final match, competitors ready?"
Neo's voice rang clear and confident. "Yes."
His opponent echoed, "Yes."
The referee dropped his arm. "Fight!"
The crowd exploded. In an instant, both fighters dashed toward each other, colliding with a flurry of fists and kicks that echoed like drumbeats. Neo's reflexes were sharp—he blocked a punch with his forearm, twisted, and aimed a spinning kick toward his opponent's side. The other fighter countered with a quick side sweep, forcing Neo to leap back.
The exchange continued, faster and faster. Every punch, every strike, every sweep was met with expert counters. The crowd's excitement grew wild—two fighters, perfectly matched, testing each other with everything they had.
But Neo was patient. He watched, waiting for his moment.
Then his opponent rushed forward, faster this time, aiming for a decisive blow. Neo feigned a leg sweep, baiting him. The opponent saw the move coming and leaped to dodge—but then froze.
Neo was smiling.
Before his opponent could react, Neo twisted into a perfect roundhouse kick, his foot slamming into the opponent's face. The impact echoed like a crack of lightning.
The fighter hit the ground hard. Motionless.
The arena fell silent for a split second… then erupted into chaos.
"Neo Carter wins!" the announcer's voice boomed, barely audible over the roar of the crowd.
The referee raised Neo's hand high into the air. "Winner: Neo Carter!"
Neo smiled, breathing heavily but triumphant. As the crowd chanted his name, he scanned the sea of faces, waving briefly before heading off the stage.
In the locker room, Neo was alone, the noise of the arena muffled by the thick walls. He stripped off his tournament gi and changed into his casual clothes—a simple black shirt and cargo pants. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he exhaled slowly, the adrenaline finally starting to wear off.
"Another win in the books," he muttered to himself.
Opening the locker room door, Neo stepped out… and was immediately blinded by an unnatural light.
"What the…?" He blinked, rubbing his eyes against the sudden glare.
When he opened them, his heart nearly stopped.
He wasn't in the arena hallway anymore.
In front of him stretched cobblestone streets lined with medieval buildings. Stone houses, bustling shops, and colorful market stalls crowded the area, with people dressed in tunics and cloaks walking by, chatting casually. Children ran through the streets laughing, while merchants shouted prices for bread, fish, and fruit.
"What… what the hell?!" Neo stammered, spinning around.
Behind him, the doorway he'd just come through was still there… but it wasn't a locker room anymore. Instead, it was a wooden bar entrance. Inside, a strange man with cat ears—actual cat ears—wiped down a counter.
"Welcome to my bar, sir," the man said cheerfully. "How can I help you?"
Customers inside turned to look at Neo with curious eyes, whispering amongst themselves.
"What… is this some kind of joke?" Neo muttered, backing away. He turned to look at the bustling medieval street again. Rubbing his eyes, he slapped his face lightly.
"Okay, okay. Wake up, Neo. This isn't funny."
But the scene didn't disappear. It was real.
Suddenly, the sound of hooves clattering on stone filled the air.
"Watch out!" someone shouted.
Neo turned just in time to see a horse-drawn carriage barreling toward him. His instincts kicked in. He leaped to the side, hitting the ground hard as the carriage rolled past, the driver yelling, "Watch where you're going, idiot!"
Before Neo could even process what just happened, a sound echoed inside his head.
Ding!
Neo froze. A glowing green screen appeared in front of him, hovering in the air. Words scrolled across it.
Welcome to the World.
Neo blinked. "What…?"
The screen changed again.
World Name: Eldoria.Kingdom: Draconis.
The glowing letters were followed by another chime, and suddenly a detailed status screen appeared before him.
STATUS SCREEN
Name: Neo Carter
Age: 20
Species: Human
Gender: Male
Level: 1
Class: Summoner
Occupation: None
Nickname: None
Attributes:
Health Points (HP): 200 / 200
Magic Points (MP): 250 / 250
Strength: 18
Agility: 22
Attack: 19
Defense: 16
Intelligence: 24
Dexterity: 20
Luck: 12
Skills:
Martial Arts Mastery: Proficient in unarmed combat techniques.
Weapon Mastery: Skilled in swords and bo staffs.
Quick Reflexes: Enhances reaction speed and evasion.
Combat Focus: Sharpened focus during battles, increasing accuracy.
Trickster's Feint: A deceptive maneuver to bait enemies into a counterattack.
Magic Skills:
Fireball: Cast a blazing sphere of fire at a target.
Wind Blade: Release sharp, slicing wind currents.
Lightning Strike: Call down a bolt of lightning to strike a single foe.
Earth Wall: Summon a defensive barrier of solid rock.
Summoning Magic: None
Unique Skill:
Summoner's Insight: Grants the ability to see and understand the stats and abilities of summoned creatures and enemies.
Equipment:
None
Weapons:
None
Items:
None
World Data:
World Name: Eldoria
Kingdom: Draconis
Region: Eastern Plains
Neo's jaw dropped as he read through the glowing screen."Summoner? Magic? Skills? What is this, a game?"
The screen flickered once more.
Connecting… Complete.
Neo stumbled to his feet, eyes darting around at the impossible world around him. His heart pounded in his chest.
"This… this is real," he whispered, his voice shaking. He looked back at the medieval street, the strange bar, and the glowing screen still lingering before him.
"What the hell is going on?!"
And so it began—Neo Carter, martial arts champion, now found himself thrown into a strange world of magic, creatures, and summons.
But this was only the beginning…