1 Chapter 1: Awakening in a New World

I woke up with a big yawn, sunlight streaming in through the window, telling me it was Saturday. Stretching, I mumbled, "Saturday, huh?" My name's Mike, Mike Daniel, a regular 22-year-old fresh out of a local college. I stood at 181cm, which is pretty tall for my country, and weighed 90 kg.

But on this Saturday, my mom's irritated voice interrupted my peaceful morning routine. "MIKE DANIEL, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET UP?! IT'S ALREADY NOON, AND YOU'RE JUST WAKING UP. WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO?"

"Yeah, I'm getting up now, give me a minute," I replied, still half-asleep.

"NO MORE 'MINUTES'! GET UP RIGHT NOW. WASH YOUR FACE, BRUSH YOUR TEETH, AND ALL THAT. LUNCH IS READY. DON'T BE LATE. DO IT NOW!"

As usual, this exchange happened daily. I grabbed a towel and went to the bathroom. A while later, I was dressed and headed to the living room for lunch.

Even during lunch, my mom didn't hold back. "Mike, what's going on with you? Sleeping in so late every day. You're broke, and you still won't get a job. You do realize that you need money to get married, right?"

I nodded. "Yes, Mom, but you know I've applied for further studies. We can discuss this. As for getting married, who's in a rush anyway?"

"Your choice, Mike. I'm just reminding you."

After lunch, I washed up, and before I could leave the house, I asked about my dad.

"Hey, where's Dad? I haven't seen him," I inquired.

"Your father got a last-minute call from the office. He had to go," my mom explained.

"So, what's your plan for the day? You're not just going to stay in your room, are you?" my mom asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know, Mom. I don't have any plans for now. Maybe in the afternoon, I'll meet up with some friends."

"Good. Since you're free right now, could you please take this food to your younger sibling's apartment? I've given you some spending money."

"Seriously? Okay, Mom. Let me grab the motorcycle keys."

"The food is on the dining table," she reminded me.

So, I rushed to my room, got the motorcycle keys, picked up the food, and started the engine.

Honestly, I was pretty lazy at this point in my life. Despite being 22, I hadn't started working yet. I preferred lounging at home, reading novels, and watching anime with my high school buddies. My days were all about these simple pleasures.

As I drove through the city, I couldn't help but let my mind wander. Suddenly, a strange creature on the roadside caught my eye. At first, it looked like a rhinoceros, but then it transformed into a truck right before me.

My heart raced, and I couldn't explain what I'd just seen. It was weird, and I was sweating, but I decided it must be exhaustion. I moved forward as the impatient driver behind me honked.

Eventually, I reached my destination and called out, "Mom, I'm back! I helped with your errands."

You see, I was a big anime fan. My journey into this world began with childhood favorites like Doraemon and Shinchan, and later, I fell in love with epic adventures like Naruto. Thanks to the internet, I could easily access my favorite shows.

But that strange creature I'd seen still bothered me as I tried to watch the latest episode of Boruto. It began as a rhinoceros and turned into a truck. I couldn't forget it. So, I opened my laptop, searching online for any similar creature, but I found nothing. I chalked it up to fatigue, closed my laptop, and rested on my bed, hoping the odd image would fade away.