The dim glow of my computer screen bathed my small, cluttered bedroom in a pale, flickering light. I lay sprawled on my bed, my head propped up on a pillow, arms tucked behind my head. My headphones, large and over-the-ear, clamped down on my ears, drowning out the world beyond. The familiar sounds of an intense anime battle filled the room—the clash of swords, the roar of demonic beasts, and the triumphant music that always accompanied the hero's victory. My eyes were locked on the monitor, where a character stood tall against a hulking, monstrous demon.
On the screen, Sung Jin-Woo from Solo Leveling raised his black blade, a glowing weapon forged from the shadows, as his army of eerie figures materialized around him. The swirling energy of his Monarch's Domain crackled, creating an aura of unstoppable power. His face was cold, determined—no fear in his eyes.
"Yes! This is it!" I whispered, my voice trembling with excitement. My pulse raced as Jin-Woo launched himself forward, slicing through the demon's massive arm like it was made of paper. The animation was flawless, the combat choreography smooth and intense. Every movement of Jin-Woo was pure power, raw and controlled.
"That's my guy!" I cheered, raising my fist in the air. My room echoed with my excitement, but it didn't matter. This was my world—this was where I belonged. I'd seen this episode at least three times already, but it never got old. The thrill, the sheer overwhelming strength of Jin-Woo—it was everything I longed for in life. The kind of power that could change everything.
The demon roared in pain, stumbling back, and I felt my heart race. The screen cut to Jin-Woo's iconic inner monologue, the words forever etched in my mind:
If I can't protect them… what kind of king am I?
I mouthed the words along with Jin-Woo, feeling a sense of deep connection. The hero's desire to protect, his inner strength, was something I admired—something I wished I could embody.
"If I had powers like that," I murmured, staring at the screen with a sense of longing, "I'd save everyone. No hesitation. Just wreck everything standing in my way."
The Dream of a Hero
The credits rolled, and I hit pause. The haunting soundtrack faded into the background as I stretched out my arms and legs, my muscles sore from hours of sitting in one position. I glanced around my room, eyes scanning the carefully curated chaos. Posters of Solo Leveling's Jin-Woo, Sword Art Online's Kirito, and One Piece's Luffy were plastered across the walls. Shelves overflowed with manga volumes, some stacked neatly, others precariously leaning to one side. Action figures in pristine boxes rested along the edges of my desk, and unopened limited-edition collectibles sat untouched, serving only as a testament to my obsession.
Life outside this room felt... irrelevant. School? A drag. Friends? Nonexistent. My parents? Always nagging me to get out more, but I didn't mind. I liked my space, my world. A world of anime and manga, where anything was possible. Heroes didn't need to be strong because of some arbitrary fate—they made their own. And that's what I admired most.
"If only I could live in a world like that," I muttered, staring at my glowing monitor. "I'd be just like Jin-Woo. I'd save everyone. No hesitation."
I grabbed a half-empty can of energy drink and took a long sip, savoring the sugary taste as my eyes drifted back to the screen. The clock on the wall ticked past 2:00 a.m., but I didn't care. I was lost in the fantasy, my mind swirling with the possibilities of another episode, another adventure, another victory.
But then, just as my finger hovered over the mouse to click Play, something strange happened. The screen flickered. The vibrant colors of the anime faded into static.
"Hey, what the—?" I frowned, tapping the side of the monitor, wondering if it was a simple glitch. But when the static didn't clear, I sat up in my bed, squinting at the screen. A strange, glowing message appeared in the center of the display, its text bold and out of place.
[System Error Detected]
"System? What system?" I muttered, perplexed. My computer wasn't a top-of-the-line gaming rig—it was an old secondhand machine held together by duct tape and prayers. There was no way it should be malfunctioning like this.
The screen flickered again, and the static cleared to reveal a new message:
[Player Detected: Ethan Takahashi]
My heart skipped a beat, and my hand instinctively went to my throat. "Wait… what?" My pulse quickened. This was no normal error message. Who the hell was detecting me? Was this some kind of joke?
Before I could think further, a bright, blinding light erupted from the screen. I froze, eyes wide, as the wind in my room kicked up, sending my posters flapping violently. My room, my safe space, seemed to be coming alive, the energy pulsating from the monitor like an ominous force. I tried to shield my eyes from the light, my heart pounding in my chest.
A deep, resonant voice echoed through the room, and I could feel the words vibrating in my bones:
"You wished for a world of heroes, Ethan Takahashi. Your wish shall be granted."
"What the hell is going on?!" I shouted, scrambling back on my bed, fear creeping into my voice. "This isn't real, right?"
But the voice continued, unaffected by my panic:
"Humanity faces extinction. A savior is needed. You have been chosen."
"Chosen? Me?" My voice cracked. "I'm just a guy who watches anime all day! I'm not a hero!"
The light grew brighter, almost blinding, and I felt myself being pulled toward the screen. My body felt weightless, as if the very gravity of the room was shifting, pulling me in. My fingers clawed desperately at the edge of my bed, trying to hold on, but it was useless. There was no escaping this strange, unreal force.
"Wait! I'm not ready! I didn't mean it like this!" I shouted, panic flooding my chest. "Please, no! Not like this!"
The last thing I saw before everything went black was the final message flashing across my screen:
[Reincarnation in Progress]
Into the Void
When I opened my eyes again, everything was different.
I found myself floating in an endless void, the darkness stretching out in all directions, broken only by the swirling light of distant stars and galaxies. The air was cool and carried a strange sense of weightlessness. A soft hum filled the silence, echoing in the vast space, and then, from the deep shadows, a figure emerged.
The figure was radiant, its form cloaked in a golden light. Its presence was overwhelming—everything about it screamed power and authority. But its face was obscured, hidden behind the blinding glow.
"Who... who are you?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.
"I am the one who oversees balance," the figure responded, its voice soothing and powerful. "You are dead, Ethan Takahashi. But your love for heroism has earned you a second chance."
My mind reeled. I blinked, my heart racing. "I… I'm dead?"
"Indeed," the figure replied, its tone steady, as if it spoke of something as simple as the weather. "You desired a life where you could be a hero, did you not? You shall have it. But know this: the world I send you to is one of chaos. Humanity suffers under the rule of powerful beings. Save them, or they will perish."
A chill ran down my spine. "But I… I'm just a guy who watches anime!" I laughed nervously, my hands shaking. "How the hell am I supposed to save anyone?"
The figure's hand rose, and a glowing square window appeared in front of me, like some kind of hologram. The text inside the window shimmered:
[System Activated]
Gift: Use the Abilities of Heroes from Fiction.
I stared at the window, mouth agape. "No way… This is like Solo Leveling… You're serious?"
The golden figure's voice was soft, but its words were heavy with meaning. "Your journey begins now, Ethan Takahashi. Save humanity, or their extinction will be on your hands."
Before I could react, the void shattered like glass. The golden light expanded outward, and I was pulled into it, a vortex of power and sensation swallowing me whole.
End of Chapter 1