"Welcome, Hero. Our savior," said one of the robed figures, eyes filled with desperate hope. "Please… save us."
Adrian blinked, confused. "Me? …Fuck—am I drunk?" he muttered, swaying slightly.
The last thing he remembered was pain—sharp, electric pain. His nerves had screamed, his vision had gone dark, and then… silence.
Now? Two moons hung over his head, glowing like silent witnesses to his confusion. The sky shimmered in hues he didn't even know existed—purple clouds with gold-tinted edges drifted slowly across a peach-colored dusk. The air smelled like wildflowers and something sharp, almost metallic, like magic.
Surrounding him was a group of robed strangers who looked like they'd just stepped out of a high-budget fantasy anime. Flowing capes, silver embroidery, staffs glowing faintly at their sides. The floor beneath him was stone, etched with glowing runes forming a massive circular pattern—a summoning circle, if his games and anime knowledge were to be trusted.
What the fuck is going on?
Just moments earlier…
Adrian sat on the floor of his rundown apartment, holding his head.
"Fuuuuuuck," he groaned. It throbbed—badly.Blood trickled down his scalp. He didn't need a mirror to know it was swelling fast.
"Shit… it's bleeding," he muttered. "Fucking bastards. I told them I'd pay… I just needed time."
The loan sharks didn't care. He had borrowed $1,000—half for rent, half for the new RPG that had just dropped. A month later, they wanted $1,500. And they came to collect—with fists and a bat.
If he had worked out, if he wasn't so damn pathetic, maybe he could've fought back—gone full John Wick on them. But Adrian was no action hero.
He was just… Adrian.
A fucking nobody.An orphan with dreams too big and a bank account too small.
He had always believed he'd make it big. Get rich. Get all the girls. Prove everyone wrong. But life had slapped him down at every turn. In school, he was a walking joke—a "bread shuttle" bullied by classmates, invisible to teachers. In college, things didn't improve. No support, no money, no miracles. Eventually, he dropped out when tuition became impossible.
Since then, it was just part-time labor, instant noodles, and rejection after rejection.
Life was brutal when you had nothing.It was worse when you were nothing.
"Screw it," he had muttered. "Let's just drink and play some goddamn games."
Adrian cracked open a warm beer, leaned back in his chair, and powered on his PC. The game booted with a beautiful, heroic soundtrack. The title glowed in golden letters:
"The Hero's Awakening: Rise or Fall."
He chuckled. "Yeah, rise my ass."
He didn't notice the beer pooling on the desk until it was too late. A few drops slid into the side vents of the PC tower. There was a sharp snap, a crackle, then a flash of white light.
Pain like he'd never felt before surged through his entire body.
And then—darkness.
Now...
Adrian stood motionless inside a massive shrine. The stone floor glowed beneath him. Candles flickered around the edges of the chamber.
He was surrounded by at least a dozen robed figures. Some old, some young, and all staring at him like he was a literal gift from the heavens.
"Um… if you don't mind, can you tell me what the heck is going on?" he asked, voice cracking slightly.
A stunningly beautiful woman with silver hair stepped forward. Her eyes were violet, glowing faintly, and her expression was calm, almost too calm for someone speaking to a complete stranger.
She gave him a graceful bow. "Please allow me to explain. You were chosen by the Moon Goddess to be our hero. The one who will bring salvation to our world. You are the one who will defeat the Demon King."
Adrian blinked. "Come again?"
She continued with complete sincerity. "You have been summoned from another world. It is a sacred ritual, only performed when our land faces destruction. The Moon Goddess chose you."
Adrian stared at her. Then at the circle. Then at the moons. Then back at her.
Holy shit—it's real. It's fucking real.It's like those transmigration novels. The ones where the loser MC gets summoned, defeats the Demon King, and ends up with a harem of elf girls.Is my life finally turning around? Is this it? My reset button?
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. For once, someone was actually looking at him with hope instead of pity or annoyance. Someone actually wanted him—needed him.
His heart pounded in his chest.
His name was Adrian.He was a loser.
And now, apparently…He was their goddamn hero.