Chapter1: Today is my day
"Aaaaahhh... This is so boring!"
Ayato Taoguru groaned as he lay sprawled on the floor, surrounded by open manga books. His summer vacation was the same as always—watching anime, playing games, reading manga—but today, even that felt dull.
He rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "Why wasn't I born in a different world?" he muttered. "I want my wish to come true..".
The 17-year-old boy, Ayato Taoguru, spent most of his time mesmerized by anime worlds and their thrilling, action-packed stories. He wished he could live in one of those worlds instead of this mundane reality.
As Ayato lay there, lost in thought, the door to his room slowly creaked open. A figure stepped inside, moving silently, unnoticed by him.
Without warning, a sudden impact struck Ayato from behind.
"Take thisss…!" the attacker shouted while hitting Ayato with a newspaper sword.
"AAAAAH—!" Ayato yelped, flailing as he felt a sharp jolt of pain. "W-What the hell?! Who are you?!"
"Hahaha!" A familiar laugh echoed through the room. "I am Herafaza Zrukaku, age 17, proud friend of Ayato Taoguru! My hobby? Enjoying life, doing what I want, eating what I want! And, of course… messing with you!"
Ayato groaned, rubbing the sore spot where he had been struck. "Damn it?! I know all that! What I'm asking is—why the hell did you hit me?!
Herafaza smirked, crossing his arms. "Before I answer your question, you should first answer mine. What were you thinking about? You should always be prepared for what happens to you." His voice carried a hint of curiosity.
Ayato took a deep breath, calming himself before speaking. "I was thinking… like I was born in the wrong world. What do you think about that?"
Herafaza froze, his smirk vanishing as his expression turned into one of pure shock. "You… You seriously think you were born in the wrong world?"
Without another word, he pulled out his phone, his face turning unnervingly serious. Ayato watched him, confused by the sudden shift in behavior.
Then, in a flash, Herafaza started dialing emergency services, his voice rising in panic. "Help! Help! My friend Ayato has reached stage 3 of mindless delusions!"
"SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT!" Ayato lunged at him, trying to grab the phone before he could actually call for an ambulance.
"So, Herafaza, what did you want to tell me this morning?" Ayato asked, curious about his friend's unusual excitement.
Herafaza tapped his chin, pretending to think deeply. "Hmmm... The reason is..." He suddenly grinned and threw his arm around Ayato's shoulder. "Today, I planned something amazing! A love-gathering chat!"
Ayato blinked. "A what?"
Herafaza nodded proudly. "Since we're living alone like two lost souls, I booked a chat to find our destined girls!" He burst into laughter, overflowing with joy.
Ayato sighed, unimpressed. "And what if they all say no?"
Herafaza's smile twitched, his face darkening. "Don't kill the dream before it even starts, Ayato."
At the same time, something strange was happening in this seemingly ordinary world.
"Commander, we are ready..." a soldier reported, his voice steady yet tense. He stood at attention, clad in a protective suit decorated with multiple stars—marking his rank. Black gloves covered his hands, gripping a sleek firearm. His boots pressed firmly against the damp ground as he awaited further orders.
"Let's see what happens next," a middle-aged man muttered, his voice filled with intrigue. He adjusted his headlamp, its narrow beam illuminating a deep, shadowy pit before them. Slowly, he stepped forward, his team following close behind.
The air was heavy, charged with an eerie silence as they prepared to uncover something hidden deep within the darkness...
On their way to the meeting place, Ayato turned to Herafaza. "So, what kind of girls are we going to meet?"
Herafaza grinned. "Both are good, but one of them is the perfect match for you, Ayato, because she is your childhood friend," he teased.
Ayato blushed. "What?!?!? I have a girlfriend?!!?"
Herafaza smiled—"Do you forget about her? If so, I will try her." Ayato's face turned red as he flailed his hands up and down in a panicked motion. "N-No, no…! I know her!
Herafaza's expression suddenly shifted, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Oh? Alright then… I'll help you talk to her; I have a secret weapon."
Ayato blushed and made a smile on his face—"Will" you? Then I will believe you.
With that, they continued toward the arranged meeting spot. However, when they arrived, there were no signs of the girls. They waited. Then waited some more. The designated time for the chat had already passed, yet no one showed up.
Ayato, now visibly irritated, sighed and stood up. "I'm leaving; maybe she forgot about me," he declared.
Herafaza, though slightly disappointed, nodded. "Alright, go home and rest. I'll stay a little longer."
Just as Ayato turned to leave, a soft voice called out, "Excuse me...?"
Herafaza quickly nudged Ayato. "Look back, is she?..." he whispered.
Ayato turned—and was instantly speechless.
A girl stood there, one of the chat attendees. She had soft pink hair that cascaded past her shoulders and deep black eyes that held an unspoken mystery. To Ayato, she looked like an angel descending from the heavens. His heart skipped a beat—love at first sight.
Herafaza, noticing Ayato's dazed expression, smirked mischievously. As Ayato stepped forward, Herafaza swiftly kicked his leg, making him stumble forward.
Herafaza praised himself—"Ayato, now your turn."
The girl's eyes widened in surprise as Ayato fell toward her.
Just before they collided—
A blinding white light engulfed the entire area.
Ayato crashed onto the ground with a thud. Groaning, he slowly opened his eyes—only to be met with an unbelievable sight. His eyes widened as they reflected the glowing lights of towering skyscrapers and the hum of futuristic flying machines soaring above. The entire world around him had changed—it was a high-tech metropolis, unlike anything he had ever seen before.
Herafaza, however, had a different concern. He quickly looked around, his voice filled with worry. "Umm... where is she?! Where did she go?! What do you do, Ayato?
Ayato shouted, "Don't be dumb??!!"
The people surrounding them also seemed confused, murmuring amongst themselves. "What is this place?" "How did we get here?" Panic and uncertainty spread through the crowd.
But Ayato? He wasn't scared. He wasn't confused. Instead, his heart pounded in excitement. His hands clenched into fists as a single thought echoed in his mind—
"This... This is it. This is my time."
A blinding white light engulfed the world. It wasn't just Ayato and Herafaza—every human on Earth felt their surroundings blur, their bodies being lifted as if gravity itself had vanished.
In an instant, entire cities disappeared, leaving behind only empty landscapes. People from different countries and different backgrounds all found themselves suddenly standing in an unknown world.
Massive floating skyscrapers towered above them, glowing with neon blue lines that pulsed like veins of energy. Advanced flying vehicles zipped through the air, leaving behind shimmering trails of light. The roads beneath them were made of a smooth, metallic material that seemed to shift and reshape itself.
Cries of confusion and panic filled the air. "Where are we?" "Is this a dream?" "What happened to Earth?!" Some clutched their loved ones, while others frantically checked their phones—only to find no signal, no internet, nothing.
Among the summoned, people from all walks of life stood together:
Students, office workers, soldiers, scientists—all thrown into this unfamiliar world.
Some tried to remain calm, observing the futuristic city in awe.
Others broke down in fear, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Large holographic screens suddenly flickered to life above the city, displaying mysterious symbols and words in a language no one could read. A deep, mechanical voice echoed from all directions—
"Welcome, humans of Earth. Your new beginning starts now."
As the humans stood frozen in shock, the air shimmered above the towering structures. A colossal holographic projection flickered to life, displaying an alien figure with an elongated head, luminescent skin, and glowing symbols etched across its form. The being spoke in an unknown language, its voice a series of strange harmonic vibrations that sent chills through the crowd.
Then, suddenly, the language shifted, morphing into something recognizable. The alien's body flickered and reconfigured, adopting a humanoid appearance and adjusting to Earth's languages—a voice now clear and powerful rang through the air:
"Our technology was designed to sustain civilizations… But our own life force was not enough to protect us."
A massive screen appeared in the sky, displaying images of devastated worlds, ravaged by monstrous entities beyond human comprehension. Towering beasts with writhing limbs, mechanical horrors, and shapeless terrors roamed across planets, consuming everything in their wake.
"We sent our technology to countless worlds, seeking those strong enough to aid us. Your kind is the first to fully initiate the system, and now—
You are here."
Murmurs spread through the crowd, confusion and fear battling curiosity.
The alien continued, "This is the Main Center, the heart of our defense. You were summoned because you activated the final stage of our call for help. Now, humanity must decide—
Will you fight?"
The city hummed with energy. The skies above shimmered as unknown forces began their approach. The fate of the world had changed forever.
The alien's voice echoed through the air, reverberating in the minds of all present.
"But understand this—those who refuse will not be permitted to remain in this world. Accept, and you will witness wonders beyond your wildest dreams."
As soon as those words were spoken, the sky above shimmered, splitting open with cascading waves of golden light. Countless orbs of energy descended from above, streaking toward every human present.
The moment the light touched them, a surge of warmth and power coursed through their bodies. Their vision blurred, and suddenly, a translucent holographic interface materialized before their eyes:
[ /--SYSTEM--/
/--Will you accept this world? --/
/--[Yes] / [No]--/ ]
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd as everyone saw the same panel. The choice before them was clear—this was no longer their world. This was a new reality.
Some hesitated, hands trembling. Others, like Ayato, stared at the screen, a spark of excitement in their eyes.
"So... this is it," Ayato whispered, his fingers hovering over the option.
What would humanity choose?