The dim glow of my laptop screen bathed my small, cluttered bedroom in a pale, flickering light. I lay sprawled on my bed, my head propped up on a pillow, legs tucked behind me in lazy defiance of the late hour. Over-ear headphones clamped tightly around my head, drowning out the muffled sounds of life beyond these four walls. Inside this room, I was untouchable. Here, I could be anything.
On the screen, Sung Jin-Woo from Solo Leveling faced off against a towering demon, his shadow-forged blade gleaming in the otherworldly light. His expression, sharp and unyielding, radiated calm assurance as if nothing could challenge him. A crackling vortex of energy spiraled around him, his Monarch's Domain bending the very air to his will.
"Come on, finish it," I whispered to myself, leaning forward as Jin-Woo lunged forward, slicing through the demon's massive arm in one fluid motion. The animation was flawless, a symphony of destruction set to a rising, triumphant score. My pulse quickened, my chest tightening with an inexplicable thrill.
"That's my guy!" I muttered under my breath, a small grin creeping onto my face.
For the third—or was it the fourth?—time, I mouthed along with Jin-Woo's iconic inner monologue as he delivered the final blow:
If I can't protect them… what kind of king am I?
The words struck a chord in me every time. That unwavering determination, the power to back it up, the ability to stand tall and protect what mattered most—these were the traits I admired, the traits I wanted.
"If I had strength like that," I murmured, my voice tinged with longing, "I'd save everyone. No hesitation."
The episode ended, and the credits rolled over a haunting melody. I hit pause, letting out a long sigh. My body ached from hours spent hunched over, but I didn't care. Around me, my sanctuary bore the weight of my obsessions—posters of iconic anime character's plastered across the walls, shelves packed with manga volumes, action figures posed in mid-battle, and a desk crowded with unopened collectibles.
My name is Ethan Takahashi. I'm seventeen.
I've always loved watching anime—it's like a world I've been quietly working in, a space where imagination sparks and new realms unfold. Worlds I wish I could step into, adventures I longed to be part of. But they're just drawings, just stories. Still, they make me feel like I'm not alone, like someone—somewhere—understands what it's like to escape into something bigger.
I stood up and shuffled toward the fridge, my footsteps echoing softly in the quiet apartment. I grabbed a cold drink, the condensation slipping through my fingers, and took a slow, reflective sip. For a moment, the hum of the fridge and the soft chill of the liquid grounded me, reminding me that even in a small, empty space, I could find a little comfort.
The outside world felt distant, almost unreal. School was a blur of lectures and forced smiles, a place where I didn't belong. Friends were nonexistent, and my parents had long since stopped trying to drag me out of this carefully constructed cocoon of my own making. The occasional knock on my door went unanswered; the world outside could wait.
Here, I had control. The hum of the fridge, the muted glow of my laptop screen, the worn carpet under my feet—everything was predictable, safe, mine. Here, I could dream of something bigger. Heroes, battles, worlds beyond the one I knew. In this room, I wasn't just Ethan Takahashi, the lonely teen who drifted through life unnoticed. I was someone capable of anything.
I leaned back against the counter, letting the cold metal of the fridge seep into my palms, and let my thoughts wander. The weight of isolation wasn't suffocating here—it was liberating. The world outside could crumble. Here, I could rise.
"I wish I could have adventures like in the anime world… or any fantasy world. That would be so much cooler," I muttered to no one in particular, my voice barely above a whisper.
As if the universe had heard me, the screen flickered.
I retreated to my bed and sank into it, the soft mattress cradling my weight. My eyes stayed fixed on the laptop screen, the faint glow illuminating my face in the dim room. Something about the flicker felt… different this time, like it wasn't just a glitch. My heart beat a little faster as I leaned closer, curiosity and a strange anticipation curling in my chest.it was just a faint distortion, a ripple across the image, but it quickly grew worse. The vibrant colors of the anime gave way to static, and a strange message appeared in bold, glowing text:
[System Activated]
"What the hell?" I frowned, tapping the side of the key laptop as if that would fix it. My heart sank. Maybe the old machine was finally giving up on me.
But then the message changed.
[HERO Detected: Ethan Takahashi]
The air in my room seemed to shift, growing heavier, charged with an unfamiliar energy. My heart pounded, my pulse racing with a mix of excitement and dread.
"What the hell?" I muttered, but my voice was shaky.
Before I could react, the screen lit up with blinding intensity. A gust of wind swept through the room, sending papers, posters, and collectibles tumbling. The force was unreal, like something alive was reaching out from the monitor.
Then it came—the voice. Deep, resonant, and vibrating with an otherworldly power, it spoke words that would change my life forever:
"Ethan Takahashi. Your wish shall be granted."
"What?!" I shouted, scrambling backward on my bed. "Who's there? What's going on?!"
But the voice continued, unaffected by my panic:
"The world faces extinction. A savior is needed. You have been chosen."
My mind raced. This had to be a dream, a hallucination brought on by too many late nights and too much caffeine. But the light grew brighter, more intense, and I felt an undeniable pull—like gravity itself was dragging me toward the screen.
"No! Wait! what!" I screamed, clawing at the mattress, but it was useless. The voice echoed louder, drowning out my protests:
The world dissolved into white, and the last thing I saw before everything went black was a message burned into my vision:
[Reincarnation in Progress]
When I woke, I was floating in an endless void. The air was cool, weightless, and alive with an energy that hummed softly around me. Stars shimmered in the distance, their light stretching across the vast, infinite expanse.
And there, in the heart of the void, stood a figure cloaked in golden radiance. Its presence was overwhelming, radiating power and authority, yet it carried a strange sense of calm.
"You stand at the threshold of worlds," the figure said, its voice resonating in the emptiness. "Ethan Takahashi, your longing has reached the heavens. You have been summoned to fulfill a grand purpose."
I stared, my chest tightening with awe. "Is… is this real?"
The figure inclined its head. "Do you wish to be a hero?" it asked, its voice calm but heavy, each word pressing against my chest.
"A hero? What do you mean… and who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling between confusion and curiosity.
"I have no name," it replied. "I heard you say you wanted to go on an adventure in a fantasy world. I thought… perhaps you would like this."
"Is this… some kind of isekai thing? No way… does that mean I can actually go on an adventure?" I asked, staring at him in disbelief.
"Fine," I muttered, curiosity finally overcoming doubt. "Then… what kind of abilities do I get?"
A glowing interface shimmered into existence before me, golden text dancing like stars across the void:
[System Activated]
Gift 1: AI Assistant
Gift 2 : Use the Abilities of Heroes from Fiction.
I froze, staring at the message, my mind struggling to process the weight of its meaning. "Wait. You're saying I can use powers from… any fiction hero? From anything I've ever seen?"
The figure's tone remained steady. "Their power comes with great responsibility. Your trials will test you, Ethan Takahashi. Your choices will shape the fate of an entire world your are about to dive in."
Excitement surged through me, pushing the fear aside. I had spent my entire life immersed in anime, watching heroes with incredible abilities. The thought that I could wield their powers—powers I had only dreamed of—was overwhelming.
"I'm ready," I said, my voice steady, almost without thinking. "Let's do this."
A fleeting worry crossed my mind. People at home,school or any body who knew me… they might get worried if I disappeared like this. But then again, they'd probably just forget me after a days passed.
There's no way I'm letting this chance slip by.
The figure raised a hand, and the void erupted into a kaleidoscope of light. As I was pulled into the brilliance, its voice echoed one final time:
"Then go, Hero. Prove your worth, save the world and forge your own destiny."
This was it. My chance to be more than a dreamer. My chance to be a hero.
End of Chapter 1