It was raining. The kind of rain that blurred the edges of the world, as though the universe itself were smudged and tired. Drops cascaded down in endless streams, drumming against the pavement, soaking through clothes, and chilling to the bone. He didn't mind the rain. In fact, he loved it. It was one of the few things that felt alive in his monotonous world.

His earbuds were in, a playlist of soft, melancholic tunes filling his head as he walked home from his thankless job. Life wasn't exciting, but it was predictable, and predictability was comforting. At least until tonight. The flash of headlights came first. Bright, blinding. Then the screeching of tires against the wet asphalt. He barely had time to turn before the world exploded into pain—a crunching, grinding impact that rattled through his entire being.

Time seemed to slow. The world spun as he was hurled through the air, the rain soaking his limp body before he crashed onto the cold pavement. For a moment, everything was quiet. Then came the darkness, an endless void that swallowed him whole.

When he opened his eyes again, he wasn't in the rain anymore.

The sky above was painted in hues of lavender and gold, with floating islands drifting lazily across a horizon that defied logic. He blinked, his mind sluggish, unable to comprehend what had just happened. He looked down at himself. His body… it wasn't his. Slimmer, younger, and—he realized with a start—much stronger. His hands were unfamiliar, his voice felt alien as he muttered, "What the hell?"

A voice echoed in his mind. No, not a voice. A presence. Cold, detached, and unnervingly artificial.

[System Initialized.]

[Welcome, User. Your journey begins now.]

[Details unavailable.]

He opened his mouth to question the cryptic message, but the words wouldn't form. Instead, a strange heat flared in his chest, like a spark searching for kindling. It spread quickly, igniting every nerve, until his vision swam with vibrant colors. Pain, sharp and sudden, lanced through his temples.

"Stop it!" he shouted, clutching his head. But the system didn't respond.

His surroundings began to shift. The floating islands and lavender sky bled away, dissolving into a kaleidoscope of shapes and shadows. He stumbled backward, his senses overwhelmed by the shifting scenery. It was like the world was rebuilding itself around him, brick by brick, pixel by pixel. The hum of energy filled his ears, a low vibration that resonated deep in his bones.

Then, just as abruptly as it started, the chaos ceased. He was standing in a vast, empty field under a sky that seemed impossibly wide. The grass beneath his feet was unnaturally green, each blade sharp and distinct. In the distance, mountains loomed, their peaks shrouded in mist. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of something unfamiliar yet oddly comforting.

"This can't be real," he whispered. But the weight of the soil under his boots and the chill of the wind on his skin felt all too genuine.

Before he could make sense of the situation, a panel of light materialized before him. It hovered midair, translucent and glowing softly. Lines of text scrolled across its surface:

[System Log Updated.]

[Objective: Survive.]

[Rewards: Unknown.]

[Penalties: Immediate Termination.]

Termination? His pulse quickened. He glanced around, half-expecting some kind of enemy to appear. But the field remained silent and still, a serene backdrop to his rising panic. The system didn't elaborate. It simply hung there, its stark directives a grim reminder that he wasn't in control.

"Why me?" he asked aloud. His voice cracked, carrying into the empty expanse. The system, of course, didn't answer.

Before he could dwell on it further, the horizon darkened. A shadow swept across the field, vast and oppressive. He looked up, his breath hitching. Something enormous was descending from the sky. Its shape was indistinct, shrouded in flickering light and twisting tendrils of smoke. But its presence was undeniable, a suffocating weight that pressed down on his chest.

The system chimed again:

[Survival Mode Engaged.]

And with that, his new life began.

Chapter 1: A New World