The dimly lit room was silent except for the rhythmic clicking of a controller.
The glow of a computer screen cast long shadows across the walls.
A boy with long black hair and dark, tired eyes sat hunched over the desk, his fingers moving furiously.
His face, pale and shadowed by heavy circles under his eyes, was a mask of exhaustion.
"Fuck this shit! I'm done! I'm done with this stupid game!" he shouted, slamming the controller onto the desk.
His voice echoed in the small room.
"Why is the final boss so damn impossible?!"
He had been playing Shattered Rings, a notoriously difficult souls-like action RPG.
For six hours straight, he had battled the final boss, only to be defeated every time.
His frustration boiled over as he leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his messy hair.
His stomach rumbled, snapping him out of his anger.
"Ugh, I'm starving," he muttered, glancing at the clock. 6:35 PM.
With a sigh, he stood up, stretched, and grabbed his jacket before heading out the door.
"Please come again!" the shopkeeper called as the boy left the convenience store, a plastic bag of snacks swinging from his hand.
He trudged down the sidewalk, still grumbling under his breath. "Stupid game... stupid boss... I'll beat it after I eat. No way I'm giving up."
Lost in thought, he didn't notice the headlights bearing down on him until it was almost too late.
A truck horn blared, and he instinctively leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding being hit. His heart pounded as he scrambled to his feet, shaking his fist at the retreating Truck.
"Hey, asshole! I'm not getting isekai'd today, you hear me?!" he shouted
Just as he turned to walk away—
Another truck slammed into him from the opposite direction. His body was thrown into the air, and for a brief moment, time seemed to slow.
'You've gotta be kidding me...' he thought, before everything went black.
Somewhere deep within ancient ruins, a young boy lay motionless on a stone platform inside a grand cathedral.
The air was thick with the scent of incense and the faint hum of magic.
His eyes shot open, and he bolted upright, gasping for air.
His hands trembled as he frantically patted himself down, checking for injuries.
"I... I'm alive?" he whispered, his voice shaky.
He looked down at his hands.
His skin was milky white—no, wait, it was brown before.
He blinked, confused, and quickly pulled out his phone.
Unlocking it with his fingerprint, he opened the front camera and stared at his reflection.
He had long bluish-black hair and striking heterochromatic eyes—one deep black, the other a vivid electric blue.
A small mole sat near his lips, adding to his ridiculously handsome face, the kind that looked like it belonged on a movie poster.
He stood up, taking in his new body. He was shorter now—5'10" compared to his previous 6'1"(....okay, fine, 6'0". Everyone adds an extra inch, right?).
But despite the height difference, his body felt... stronger. Lighter. More agile.
He stretched, testing his limbs, and a smirk crept onto his lips.
"Did I... really get isekai'd?"
Pinching his arm hard, he winced. "Ouch. Okay, this is real."
He touched his face, half-expecting to feel a mask, but it was all him.
"Not a mask either. Huh."
His smirk widened. "Now this is interesting."
Taking a deep breath, he decided to test something.
If this really was an isekai, then... "SYSTEM!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the cathedral.
He frowned. "S-Status?" he tried again, this time quieter.
A translucent blue screen materialized in front of him.
===========[STATUS]=============
[Name]: Kyle Valemont
[Blessing]: Echoes of the Roaming Storm
[Mana Core Rank]: Iron
[Mana Core Grade]: Grade 1
[Affinity]: Lightning, Wind, Ice, Water
======[STATS]=========
======[MASTERIES]=======
Swordsmanship: Apprentice - 28%
Lightning Magic: Apprentice - 0%
Wind Magic: Apprentice - 0%
Ice Magic: Apprentice - 0%
Water Magic: Apprentice - 0%
========================
Kyle's initial excitement faded as he scanned the screen. His expression turned grim.
He recognized this status screen.
How could he forget? It was from a novel he had read—a cursed story where every major character died, one by one.
Even the protagonist hadn't survived. The world had fallen to demons, and the ending was nothing but despair.
His stomach churned. "No... No, no. Why did it have to be this novel?!" he groaned, gripping his hair.
"Why couldn't I have been isekai'd into something peaceful? Like Pokémon or Harvest Moon or something?!"
Panic surged through him, but he forced himself to take a deep breath. 'Calm down. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's not that novel.'
He quickly checked his phone. No signal. Swallowing hard, he opened his mailbox and clicked on the latest email.
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to participate in the Solvayne Magic Academy Entrance Exam, a crucial step toward joining our esteemed academy of magic and mysticism.
Date: 1st April, 2550
Location: Solvayne Magic Academy, Grand Hall of Trials
This is a rare opportunity to prove your potential and earn a place among the finest practitioners of the mana arts...
Kyle's grip tightened on his phone. His eyes darted over the email again and again, but the words didn't change.
Solvayne Magic Academy, academy of the protagonist of "Path of Transcendence" this was it.
This was that novel. Kyle's name was never even mentioned in the novel. That means he either died before the novel or he didn't pass the entrance exam.
He ran a shaky hand through his hair and muttered softly,
The cathedral was silent except for the faint rustle of wind. Kyle stood there, staring at the status screen, his mind racing.
He had no idea what to do next, but one thing was clear: survival in this world wouldn't be easy. And if the novel's events played out as he remembered, he was in for a hell of a ride.