My name? Not important. What I looked like? Average. Just another faceless nobody in the crowd, a die-hard weeb with dreams of power and glory in fictional worlds. Life was boring, mundane, and painfully normal.
Until Truck-kun decided it was my time.
One moment, I was walking home after buying the latest volume of my favorite light novel. The next? WHAM. Metal grille. Blinding pain. And then… darkness.
When I opened my eyes, I wasn't in a hospital—or wherever dead people go. Instead, I was floating in some endless void, staring at a man who looked like he had just stepped out of a dollar-store cosplay of a wise old sage.
"Welcome, mortal," he said with a smug grin that made me want to punch him. "I am God."
I raised an eyebrow. "...You don't look like a god. You look like my grandma."
He ignored my insult, crossing his arms like he was presenting some grand prize. "You've been chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I'll reincarnate you into a world of your choice, as any character you desire."
My brain short-circuited. "Wait. For real? Like, any world? Any character?"
"Yes, yes," he waved impatiently. "Now hurry up. I don't have all day."
The possibilities ran through my mind. I could be Goku in Dragon Ball, or Rimuru in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. But no. If I was going to do this, I was going all in.
"I want to be Cid Kagenou from The Eminence in Shadow," I declared. "And send me to My Hero Academia." A world of heroes, villains, and quirks? Perfect playground for me to play the Eminence in Shadow.
The god's smug grin widened. "Oh, you're going to regret this, but sure. Have fun."
Before I could ask what he meant, a blinding light consumed me.
When I woke up, I wasn't in the void anymore. I was lying on a cold concrete floor. The air smelled of rust and oil, and flickering fluorescent lights buzzed overhead.
A warehouse?
I stood up and took in my reflection from a cracked mirror leaning against the wall. Same face. Same body. I was Cid Kagenou.
"Master, we're ready to proceed," a voice called out.
I turned to see a group of figures clad in black, kneeling before me.
Shadow Garden. Even they are here??
Holy shit.
This wasn't just some joke from that smug god. This was real, and I was about to live my best life