Drake Curtis.
That was his name. Red hair, green eyes, six feet tall, and heavy enough to make every staircase in school feel like a boss battle. He wasn't popular, wasn't athletic, and wasn't normal by any stretch.
What Japanese people would call him?
An Otaku.
When he wasn't at school, he was glued to a screen — anime marathons, figure unboxings, and waifu tier lists. He didn't just like anime girls; he worshiped them. Real women? Nothing. No spark, no pulse, no excitement. Somewhere along the way, he'd crossed the line into a world only he could understand.
Lunch break.
"Hey, you fucking pervert!"
Brad — the school's golden boy, quarterback, king of every locker room — kicked him hard, sending him sprawling onto the cafeteria floor. The laughter followed immediately, echoing off the walls like a victory chant.
"When are you gonna start a diet, huh?" Brad sneered.
His football buddies joined in, circling like hyenas.
"Bro, look at his face, man!"
He heard it all. He always did. The words didn't hurt anymore — not the way they used to. Being an otaku meant giving up on society a long time ago. He'd been everyone's favorite punching bag since fifth grade. At some point, he just stopped caring.
Then someone said it.
The one thing he couldn't ignore.
"And what's that cheeky-ass anime girl on your shirt?" one of the jocks jeered, squinting at the orange-haired print. "Don't tell me—"
He didn't finish.
A fist crashed into his face.
"Don't you dare slander Nami with that disgusting mouth of yours!" Drake roared, and before anyone could react, he was on top of the guy, fists raining down like a storm.
"Crazy bastard!"
"Holy shit, he's hitting him!"
Blood splattered on the floor tiles. The laughter turned to shouts.
"Ohi, ohi—somebody stop him!" Brad yelled, rushing forward.
The football team pried him off their friend and slammed him back against the table. Plastic trays went flying. The next moment, fists and feet came down on him in retaliation.
"You outta your mind?!"
"You stupid, perverted otaku!"
Every punch felt like thunder. Every kick like a truck. He could taste iron in his mouth. The world blurred. The pain, though — the pain felt realer than anything he'd watched, read, or dreamed.
Somewhere in the chaos, he started laughing.
"Ha… haha…"
Brad froze for a split second — just long enough to see the cracked grin beneath the bruises.
Then another kick came, and the world went black.
...
"Curtis, you'll be suspended for a week for breaking Harper's nose."
The principal's voice was cold but steady.
Drake sat across the desk, still bruised from the earlier fight. His knuckles were bandaged; his eyes, distant.
"And I'm being nice," said Mr. Nash, leaning forward, his voice lowering. "If Harper's parents press charges, there's nothing I can do."
Drake didn't argue. He didn't defend himself. He just sat there quietly, staring at the floor.
"To defend Nami," he thought, "I would've even accepted expulsion."
When the meeting ended, he rose without a word, took his bag, and left the office.
---
The walk home was silent. The world around him blurred — the laughter of students, the honking cars, the sky burning orange in the distance.
He lived alone.
No family, no parents. Just a guardian who traveled overseas more than she stayed home. The house he returned to each night wasn't a home — just a place to exist.
He sighed, digging for his keys as he reached the door. That's when it happened.
A light flickered before his eyes.
Then — shoom! — a bright blue screen appeared in the air, glowing faintly.
[The perfect host has been found!]
"Huh? What's this thing?"
He blinked, waving his hand through it. It didn't disappear.
"Wait…" he murmured, eyes widening. "Is this… a system?"
[Starting binding process…]
Drake froze. "A system! I have a system—"
He didn't finish.
A crushing wave of agony surged through him. His knees hit the ground, breath catching in his throat.
"Ghh—ahhh!!"
Every nerve screamed. It was like his body was being torn apart, shredded, and rebuilt at once.
Seconds stretched into eternities. Then—
[Binding successful!]
[Healing the host…]
Warmth flooded his body, spreading through every cell. His vision steadied. His breathing slowed. The pain vanished, replaced by a strange calm.
He looked down at his hands — trembling slightly — then clenched them into fists. They felt stronger. Denser. Alive.
"Wow…" he whispered, then caught himself before shouting again. "This is…"
He grinned wide, almost laughing. "Amazing!"
[Host, welcome to the Animeverse System!]
"Animeverse System?" he repeated, his heart hammering. "Wait—don't tell me… I can travel into anime worlds?!"
[Exactly.]
[The host will be able to enter any anime universe, master their powers, and meet the characters within.]
For a moment, he just stared at the screen, speechless. Then—
"This is… this is everything I've ever dreamed of!" Drake screamed, his voice echoing through the quiet street.
Two pedestrians passing by gave him weird looks.
"Is that guy crazy?" one of them whispered.
To be continued...
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Guys, RedEagle here, how was the first chapter of this fanfiction? I hope you enjoyed it.