The light turned green.
I stepped off the curb, phone in hand, scrolling through the latest Tower of God chapter.
Bam had just unlocked a new power-up the community was going crazy in the comments. People arguing about power scaling, debating whether this made him stronger than a Ranker, theorizing about Rachel's three wishes.
I smiled, typing out my own comment:
"Honestly, if I got isekai'd into ToG, I'd just speedrun it like Urek and crush everyone along the way."
I hit send.
Then I heard the horn.
Time slowed.
I looked up from my phone.
A truck massive, white, horn blaring was already too close.
The driver's eyes were wide with panic. He was slamming the brakes. It wouldn't matter.
Oh.
Oh no.
My brain processed it with strange clarity:
I'm about to die.
I'm about to die because I was reading Tower of God while crossing the street.
The internet is going to make fun of me forever.
That was my last thought before impact.
Pain.
Darkness.
Nothing.
I floated.
No body just my consciousness, drifting in endless dark.
Am I dead?
The thought echoed without sound.
That's it? Nineteen years old and I got killed by Truck-kun like some cliché isekai protagonist?
If I had a body, I would've laughed.
At least I finished the chapter first.
I drifted for what felt like hours. Or seconds. Time didn't exist here.
Then
Ding.
A transparent screen popped up in front of my face if I had a face.
My gaze fixed on it. What is this?
But I didn't have to wonder long. I was an avid reader of manhwa, webtoons, and novels. I knew exactly what this was.
{Host soul stabilizing…}
{System integration in progress…}
{Loading 1%}
{Loading 2%}
{Loading 10%}
{Loading 100%}
So this is a system. The kind I'd always read about in fanfics.
That means I'm going to a new world. Hope surged through me.
Please let it be the Tower of God universe.
{Welcome, Host. The Strongest System of All Time welcomes you.}
I would've groaned if I could.
What kind of dramatic name is that?
Like it was reading my thoughts
Ding.
{The Host can change the system name if desired.}
Yes. Change it to just 'System.'
Ding.
{New system name: System.}
Alright. What are your functions? Can you communicate?
Ding.
{The System does not have full emotional intelligence. Communication and answers are bound by compatibility restrictions.}
Okay. First question who sent you to me?
{The person who sent me to you is £%^* }
{Error. Cannot answer that question at this time.}
{Upgrade the System to unlock.}
So there's a higher power involved.
{That is correct, Host. But you will not know right now.}
If I had a physical body, I would've facepalmed.
Okay. What now?
Ding.
{Congratulations, Host. You have received a Gift Package.}
{Do you want to open it?}
{Yes / No}
Yes.
{Congratulations, Host. You have received the SSS-Rank Attribute: God of Combat.}
{Perfect battle IQ, prediction, and reaction in combat.}
God of Combat. Even the name sounded overpowered. And it's SSS-Rank… is that the highest?
Ding.
{Correct, Host. Rank classifications are: F, E, D, C, B, A, AA, AAA, S, SS, SSS.}
Then I checked the next notification.
{Congratulations, Host. You have received the SSS-Rank Attribute: Absolute Shinsu Authority.}
{Complete and unrestricted control over Shinsu at all levels.}
Wow. Another SSS-Rank. A grin spread across my non-existent face. I'm truly overpowered. And it's going to be the Tower of God universe, right?
A question popped into my mind.
Hey, System how will I be reincarnated?
{Host will know when you arrive.}
Its tone was emotionless as ever.
Fine. If I want to go now, how do I?
{Just say, "I'm ready."}
I took a metaphorical breath.
I'm ready.
My body or what passed for it began glowing with radiant light, dissolving into nothing.