The last thing I remembered was going on a night ride with my lovely Royal Enfield Bullet 350, enjoying the cool wind of the rainy season. The road was mostly empty, and despite the season, the sky was surprisingly clear. I could see it filled with stars in the distance, feeling so free—like I was the only one alive on this massive rock floating through space.
And in the very next moment, I was on the ground, lying in a pool of my own blood.
It took me some time to get my bearings, to process what had happened. I had collided with a truck. Or rather, the truck had collided with me. It came out of nowhere from a small side road hidden behind tall trees, right in my blind spot. I only managed to process that much before the pain hit me.
And that fucking bastard had already run from the scene—not even stopping to check if I was alive, let alone calling an ambulance.
The pain was... indescribable. Like someone had taken a sledgehammer to every bone in my body, then set the pieces on fire. My left leg was bent at an angle it definitely wasn't supposed to bend, and something warm and metallic was filling my mouth.
My vision kept swimming in and out of focus, and I could hear a weird whistling sound with every breath I took.
This is it, I thought, staring up at the same stars that had looked so beautiful just moments before.
This is how I die.Alone on an empty road because some coward couldn't check his blind spot.
I tried to move, tried to reach for my phone, but my right arm wouldn't respond. Every movement sent fresh waves of agony through me, and I could feel my consciousness slipping away like water through my fingers.
The irony wasn't lost on me. I'd always imagined going out in some dramatic way, maybe saving someone, or doing something meaningful. Instead, I was just another statistic. Another name in tomorrow's accident report that people would forget by the time they finished their morning coffee.
The stars were getting dimmer now, or maybe that was just my eyes giving up. Either way, the darkness was creeping in from the edges of my vision.
And honestly?
I was almost grateful for it.
Grateful, my ass. Ugh… just remembering it makes my blood boil. How could that bastard just run like that? Fuck. I really hope his dick falls off.
Sigh. I do feel a little sad, though. Not because I died—okay, that's a lie. I wanted to live a bit longer. There was so much I still wanted to do. But there's nothing I can do now except float here in this vast expanse of space.
Surprisingly, it didn't make me feel nervous. Back when I was alive, the idea of being in space used to make me uneasy. Don't get me wrong—I was always curious about space. Stargazing was one of my few favorite things. My top favorite was reading fiction—escaping reality for a while. It always made me feel free.
But being in space itself? That used to sound terrifying.
Now? It just feels... warm, like being wrapped in a blanket on a cold winter night. Maybe it's because I'm a spirit or soul now.
No, it's more like... I am part of this space. Or maybe this space is part of me.
I don't know how long I was floating there, lost in thought. Wondering what really happens after death. Maybe it's a weird thing to think about after dying, but I was starting to accept it. Truth is, other than wanting to experience new things, I didn't leave much behind. No family. No partner. No one waiting for me.
It's not like I was bad at socializing or anything. I was a working member of society. But when it came to romance, I wanted something serious. A real connection. Most people my age were just dating casually—because everyone else around them was. I wasn't bad-looking. I knew that. I even got a few confessions in my 21 years of life. But I turned them down. I wanted something real.
Sigh. I wish I could go to those fictional worlds.
I didn't even get to see the ending of DanMachi. It was one of my favorite works. I really wanted to see more of Ryuu, Riveria, Ais, and Asfi. They were such interesting characters. I wanted to know their stories.
Man, I probably sound like a weeb simping for fictional characters. But I don't care. I do find them attractive, and that's that.
"That's absolutely right. I knew it—you/I have the same thoughts."
I froze mid-thought.
What…?
I blinked and looked ahead. The voice had come from directly in front of me—and what I saw only made things more confusing.
Standing there—or rather floating, like I was—was someone who looked exactly like me.
Well, maybe a little better looking. His face was smoother, cleaner. No scars from puberty, no small marks left by years of stress or acne. But the bone structure? Identical.
"…What the hell?" I muttered under my breath, blinking again, as if that would clear things up.
He smiled. "Hmm hmm, you can praise me a little more, you know."
I narrowed my eyes. "You're reading my mind?" I asked, more as a rhetorical question.
The guy—me-but-not-me—chuckled, a little sheepishly this time. "Ah, my bad. I wanted to make a strong impression, but in my excitement I forgot that you—I mean, we aren't exactly fans of people poking around in our heads. I remember that used to irk me as well."
He raised his hand, like he was taking an oath. "No more mind-reading. I promise."
"…Thanks. I appreciate that," I said, crossing my arms more out of defensive instinct than arrogance. "But I gotta ask—why are you talking like we're the same person?"
"Because we are," he replied casually, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
I frowned. "Wait… What do you mean? Like one of those hive mind things?"
He shook his head. "No, not quite. Hive minds are different. They're multiple individuals sharing one mind. We… we are the same. Fundamentally."
"That still sounds pretty hive mind-y to me," I muttered. "Though, not like I know that much about them anyway."
"You don't need to overthink it," he said gently. "In time, you'll understand. For now, just know this—I'm a part of you, and you are a part of me. I mean you no harm, just like you mean no harm to me."
His voice was calm, almost soothing. Like someone talking to a version of themselves that's having a breakdown. And somehow… I felt myself relaxing a little.
I exhaled. "Okay… So, uh… what now? Do I get absorbed into you or something?" I asked, mostly joking.
Mostly.
He laughed at that, not mockingly, but genuinely amused. "No, no. Like I said, I mean you no harm. You're not getting absorbed or erased or anything."
I raised an eyebrow. "Then?"
"I actually have a plan for you," he said, grinning a little like a mischievous child.
Yeah, just like I used to before I lost my family.
"I'm going to send you to the DanMachi universe."
My brain short-circuited for a second. "Wait. wait, wait, wait!—Really?"
I could feel my heart rate rise—or at least, I imagined I could. I wasn't even sure I had a heart anymore, but excitement was definitely building in my chest. My mind started racing.
Does this mean I'll get to meet Ryuu? Riveria? Ais? Asfi? And all those amazing characters?
"Hold on," I said suddenly, lifting a finger. "Is DanMachi even a real universe?"
He looked thoughtful for a second. "Well, the multiverse—or the omniverse—is literally infinite. So yes, in some reality, it does exist."
I blinked. "That… actually makes sense. Kind of."
"But," he added, "don't misunderstand. Just because those universes are real doesn't mean everything is set in stone. The people there make their own choices. Those stories we see? They're just possibilities. Future paths they might take."
He paused, his eyes sparkling a bit. "And who knows? Maybe even now, someone is writing these very words I'm saying to you."
I stared at him. "What…?"
"But," he continued with a shrug, "they're still my words. I say them because I choose to—not because someone compels me."
I was silent for a moment, processing all that. My head felt a little foggy from the implications, but honestly? It didn't matter.
"So… you're sending me to DanMachi?" I asked again, just to be sure.
He nodded. "Yes. We could talk for years if we wanted to—literally—but we've got more important things to do, right?"
I nodded back, feeling a strange mixture of nervousness and anticipation. "Right."
"So…" I hesitated, rubbing the back of my neck. "Am I getting some cheats or a system or something? You know, like the usual stuff?"
I looked at him hopefully. And he
.
.
.
Just smiled.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note:
Hey everyone!
This is my first time writing fiction. I recently got into reading DanMachi fanfics, but I noticed that there aren't many completed stories where the main love interests are Ryuu, Riveria, Ais, and Asfi. Some stories feature them individually or as part of a harem, but most of those are either incomplete or abandoned. So, I decided—why not write one myself?
I know my English isn't perfect (it's not my first language), but I'll do my best to keep improving as I go. I'm learning with every word I write, and constructive criticism is always welcome.
I've only watched the DanMachi anime, so I'll be relying mainly on the wiki and other available resources for information. If any of you know a good place to get detailed lore, character backstories, or world-building info, please let me know!
For some time now, I've been reading fanfiction from all kinds of fandoms, but recently, I've found myself obsessed with DanMachi fanfiction. I wasn't that big of a fan before—maybe I just couldn't see the beauty of the anime back when I first watched it as a teenager. (Though even then, I found characters like Ryuu, Riveria, Ais, and Asfi really interesting and attractive.)
Lately, I binge-watched the first four seasons and read at least a dozen fanfictions. Sadly, pretty much all of them were incomplete. And I noticed something that really stood out to me—there wasn't a single fanfic where all the girls I liked were present together and given equal importance. Usually, either one heroine got the spotlight while others were ignored, or Hestia was overly focused on, while the others felt like afterthoughts.
Don't get me wrong—I don't hate Hestia. I just don't like her that much. So in my story, I will do my absolute best to give each of the heroines equal love and attention. And if I ever decide to expand the harem with more characters in the future, I'll make sure they're not treated like collectibles but like people—with emotions, growth, and screen time.
I know this won't be easy. Even experienced and talented authors struggle with balancing large casts, but I'm committed to trying my best. This is my first time writing a story, so all I can promise is to give it my all.
If you've made it this far, thank you. Thank you for picking up this novel and giving it your time. I truly hope this story is worth your while. But I won't lie—I'm writing this more for myself than for anyone else. There might be aspects you won't agree with, and that's okay. I just hope you enjoy the journey regardless.
I recommend that you push through the first 20 to 30 chapters. The grammar and phrasing improve later on. In the future, I would also edit these chapters.