Disgusting.
That was the first word that seeped into Ryuji Takahara's mind the moment he opened his eyes after a night of very unpleasant and restless sleep. His surroundings were completely dark, so he could not tell where he was at the moment, but from the tight chains his two hands were bound to, there was one thing he was sure of.
He was a prisoner.
Three days.
It had been three days since he transmigrated into the body of this prisoner, and it was hell.
No matter how much he thought he had tried to put into it, there was no denying it. He had transmigrated into the body of a condemned criminal.
Ryuji let out a defeated sigh as he struggled to make himself comfortable on the moist and muddy floor of the unkempt prison, his chains clanking loudly as he shuffled around, making the atmosphere even heavier.
As a devoted and avid fan of novels, manhwas, and manga, Ryuji was not unfamiliar with the concept of transmigration. The thrill of new worlds, the joy of special abilities, the grand adventures, and of course, the jade beauties. It was not a stretch to even say that he longed for it. Nonetheless, lying in filth and dirt, it seemed that he had taken the saying 'be careful what you wish for' too lightly.
"Fuck!" Ryuji hissed angrily as he felt a sharp pain on his exposed thigh. It must have been the result of an insect bite, but he couldn't even be sure. The prison was completely dark, and not even a stream of sunlight or moonlight passed through. He could not even tell if it was daylight or nighttime.
"I know I wanted to experience what the MCs in the novels I read experienced, but this is simply too much!" Ryuji cursed loudly to no one in particular.
"This is utter bullshit!"
"Fuck!"
"Why can't I have reincarnated as an emperor in a fantasy kingdom, surrounded by luxury and having countless jade beauties to my left and right?!" Ryuji cursed angrily, rage rising in his heart at his terrible luck.
"One moment I am being bullied by my seniors in school, and the other moment, I am in a stupid prison for crimes that I can't even remember!" Ryuji cried out, his tone filled with rage and resentment.
"I don't even have a system to help me! No superpowers! No magic! No chi! Nothing!"
"What kind of twisted and sick joke is this?!" Ryuji continued to bellow, the echoes of his words bouncing off the thick walls of the prison.
"How unfair!" Ryuji cussed, but that was the end of it. Unlike the popular tropes he had read in his novels and manga, no system popped out and bound itself to him.
Ryuji sighed, his disappointment evident, the fire in him dimming to a dull ache. He had thought that after his outburst, a system or something else would happen, but nada.
"Useless." Ryuji sighed once more and shuffled again to make himself more comfortable, the chains he was bound to clanking loudly with each movement he made.
Ryuji thought back to his former world. He thought about the beautiful sunlight he once disregarded, his father's loving stare, and his mother's warm tofu. He thought about his best friend Kaito and his depraved collection of ero-manga.
Now, he was in a goddamned prison, without any memories of the body he transmigrated to, except his name, which was coincidentally Ryuji Takahara as well.
A bitter laugh escaped his lips.
Now, he was Ryuji Takahara, a criminal whose only future seemed to be death. He didn't know what the previous Ryuji had done, but judging from the way the guards treated him—with disdain and cruelty—his crimes must have been serious. Each day, they threw him a small, mouldy loaf of bread and a bowl of stale water, barely enough to keep him alive.
The sounds of faint footsteps approaching his prison cell became louder with each passing second.
Ryuji dragged himself upright, his chains clanging loudly and interfering with his movement as the prison guard approached. His body was severely malnourished, so he just plopped down to the muddy and moist floor, ready to receive his daily portion of a dirty loaf of bread, which was not bigger than his fist by the way, and a bowl of equally dirty water. Still, it wasn't like he had much choice as the prisoner he was.
The jingle of keys and the creak of the iron door opened, and the prison guard walked in. However, for the first time in the three days that he had been in this cell, the prison guard wasn't alone.
Ryuji tensed, his heart pounding in his chest. In the dim light of the flickering torch, he saw the silhouette of another man behind the guard—someone unfamiliar. This new figure moved with a sense of quiet authority and importance, his presence far more unsettling than the brutish guards.
The guard who entered was as rough and unkempt as ever. His dirty kimono barely fit his muscular frame, and a deep scar ran down the side of his face. He had been the one throwing Ryuji's daily rations into the cell with a sneer of contempt. But this time, he stepped aside, making way for the cloaked figure behind him.
Ryuji's gaze shifted to the newcomer. He was tall, his face partially hidden beneath a wide-brimmed straw hat and a dark cloak that seemed to swallow the light. His presence was unnerving, his eyes sharp and calculating as they studied Ryuji from beneath the brim of the hat.
"Stand up," the guard barked, his voice gruff and commanding.
Ryuji hesitated, but then slowly rose to his feet. His legs wobbled under his weight, weakened from days of captivity.
The cloaked man stepped forward, scrutinising Ryuji like a merchant inspecting goods at the market. He said nothing at first, simply taking in Ryuji's dishevelled state.
"What… what do you want with me?" Ryuji rasped, his voice hoarse from thirst and his rage outburst from earlier.
The cloaked man remained silent for a moment before turning to the guard. His voice was soft, yet cold and deliberate.
"This one will do."
The guard grunted in response, stepping forward to grab Ryuji by his chains and drag him out of the cell.
"Wait! What do you mean by 'this one will do'?" Ryuji protested with his feeble strength, his voice rising in panic as he stumbled after the guard, the chains cutting into his skin and adding to his numerous injuries. Nonetheless, his gaze was fixed on the face of the brutish guard.
Still, the guard offered no explanation, dragging him out of the dark, filthy cell and into the unknown.