Chapter 1 Reincarnated into anime universe

Darkness enveloped me, shrouding my senses. I couldn't perceive anything—no sight, sound, or touch. It felt as though I was adrift in an abyss of blackness.

"How long have I been here? How did I even end up in this state?"

When my consciousness returned, I found myself in a hospital room. The sterile scent of antiseptics lingered in the air, and I noticed the hospital gown I was wearing. As I turned my head, I saw old man Dun sitting beside me, his head nodding in a drowsy state.

"Old man," I called out, rousing him from his slumber. He jolted awake and looked at me lying on the bed.

"Oh my god! Zerk, you're awake. Wait, I'll fetch the doctor." He hurriedly left the room in search of the doctor. Soon, he returned, accompanied by a middle-aged man in a doctor's coat.

"Hello, I'm Doctor X," the man introduced himself. I nodded in acknowledgment.

"You were brought in unconscious, and we ran tests on your blood and conducted an MRI. I'm afraid it's not good news, son. You have stage 4 brain cancer, and it's progressing rapidly. We need to initiate treatment immediately."

The doctor's words fell upon deaf ears. My body turned numb, and it felt as though my entire world was crumbling.

"How severe is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"It's quite serious. Even with treatment, I'm afraid time is not on your side," the doctor responded with a grave tone.

I was at a loss for words, suffocating under the weight of the revelation. All I could hear was the pounding of my own heart.

"I need some fresh air," I murmured, slowly rising from the bed.

"Zerk, I..." Dun began to speak, but I interrupted.

"Doctor, I require a moment alone. Please."

The doctor looked at me with concern before nodding. "I'll be in my office if you need me." He left the room, leaving me to my thoughts.

I walked to a nearby window and gazed outside. It was nighttime, yet the world beyond was alive with activity. Tears streamed down my face silently, without a sound.

I stood there for several minutes, observing the outside world through tear-filled eyes. Then, I turned my attention inward, surveying the room. I noticed my school uniform neatly folded on a nearby table.

"To hell with this. I won't stay here," I declared, anger surging within me. I discarded the hospital gown, determined to break free from my confinement. "I need to get out of here."

Swiftly, I donned my school uniform and left the room. Dun, bewildered by my actions, called after me, "Zerk, where are you going?"

"Out for a walk," I replied, leaving him with that single answer. Dun rose from his chair, his concern evident. "It's too dangerous. You should stay here."

Ignoring his plea, I ran. I reached the hospital entrance and swiftly departed the premises, my destination unknown. After a few minutes, I arrived at what appeared to be a park. I slowed down, approaching a bench.

I sat down, my entire body trembling. With nightfall, there were no other souls nearby. I began to whimper, tears streaming down my face once more. Gradually, my sobs grew softer. I was in denial, but soon, anger replaced my despair.

"D*mn it, d*mn it, d*mn it!" I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth.

"d*mn it, Zerk! Get a hold of yourself!

Don't let this be your end," I shouted, urging myself to find strength amidst the turmoil. Gradually, my outburst subsided, and I regained composure. Startled, I felt raindrops fall upon my face, as if nature mirrored my inner turmoil. It began to rain heavily, the storm raging around me. Yet, amid the downpour, I noticed a shadow moving between two trees ahead.

Under different circumstances, I might have paid it no mind, but curiosity gripped me. Slowly, cautiously, I approached the trees, my eyes fixed on the shadow. To my surprise, I discovered a plump black cat with mesmerizing golden eyes. Its gaze pierced through the darkness, as if harboring a wisdom far beyond my own.

As the winds howled and rain poured down relentlessly, both the feline and I stood motionless, locked in a silent exchange. In that moment, a peculiar bond formed between us. Without fully comprehending why, I decided to pick up the black cat and take it home. There was an inexplicable sense of guidance emanating from those enigmatic eyes.

Drawing near the chubby black cat, I gently lifted it into my arms and began my journey, soaked by the relentless rain. As I stood by the roadside, drenched and shivering, a sudden explosion ruptured the air. I turned to witness tire fragments scattering and a car careening out of control, hurtling toward me.

"Oh, no!"

My eyes widened in fear, my instincts urging me to evade the impending disaster. Before I could react, the cat in my arms leaped away, narrowly escaping the oncoming vehicle. In an instant, I found myself airborne, flung back by the impact, crashing onto the pavement. Tumbling several times, I came to a stop, blood seeping from my wounds, my consciousness fading.

As my vision dimmed, the last image etched into my mind was the black cat drawing near, gently touching my hand with its paw, its golden eyes peering deeply into my own.

!!!

Am I alive or dead?

Where am I?

How long have I been here?

These questions echoed in my mind, shrouding me in confusion and uncertainty. Suddenly, a voice resounded within me.

"[You have obtained the right to become a player. Do you accept?]"

Becoming a player? Accept?

The situation bewildered me, but one thing was clear—my impending death.

"[Your time remaining is limited. Should you refuse, your heart will stop in 3 seconds. Do you accept?]"

Regardless of whether this was a hallucination or not, the specter of my mortality loomed before me.

[2 Seconds]

At that moment, I surrendered to resignation. I yearned to live, to grasp a second chance at the life that was slipping away.

[1 Second]

"I WANNA LIVE. I ACCEPT!"

Though my lips remained motionless, my inner voice screamed those words. And then, a response reached me.

"[Welcome, Player]"

Suddenly, a transformation commenced. It felt as if I were struggling to awaken from a dream, desperately attempting to pry open my eyes. "Come on, wake up. d*mn it, WAKE UP." In an instant, my eyes snapped open.

The first sight that greeted me was a translucent hologram suspended before me.

"You have slept for enough time. Your [status] has been fully restored."

"This... This can't be real. I must be dreaming or something."

As I surveyed the majestic green mountains, the breathtaking dense forest, and the flowing river, a surge of panic coursed through me. My breathing quickened, and my heart pounded fiercely within my chest. Trembling hands conveyed the realization that I had been inexplicably reborn in a fictional world—a world teeming with both danger and opportunity.

"What the hell? Why? How? Who?"

Taking a deep breath, I attempted to calm myself. "Okay. Calm down, Zerk. No need to panic."

"Okay... Small reason to panic."

As I stood there near the window, on the verge of freaking out, an unexpected calmness washed over me. I felt as if everything would be alright.

"Wow. What was that?"

I placed a hand over my chest, feeling the steady rhythm of my heartbeat. The frantic pounding that had plagued me earlier now subsided, replaced by tranquility.

"Okay, man. Pull yourself together. Think this through. What's the last thing you remember?" I interrogated myself.

I sifted through my memories, searching for answers. "I remember now. Old man Dun. The hospital. My incurable disease. The park. The cat. And then the car that crashed into me." As the memories of my demise flashed before my eyes, a tinge of sadness gripped me.

"Okay, if I was in an accident, shouldn't I be in the hospital right now? Or am I hallucinating, trapped in a coma, and this is my brain's way of coping? Okay, think. What else happened?"

Then the recollection of the dark void rushed to the forefront of my mind. I sucked in a cold breath as the moments spent in the abyss and the voice that spoke to me flooded back.

"I remember someone saying I was selected... and to accept. What were the last words?" Suddenly, I recalled the enigmatic voice's final utterance.

"Welcome, player."

The words escaped my lips in a hushed tone. I turned my gaze toward the bed, remembering the blue box notification that had been in front of me. Though it had vanished, I vividly retained the holographic message inscribed within.

"If I'm not mistaken, yeah, that..."

I murmured to myself.

"That's definitely what I saw. I've only witnessed such a phenomenon happen to one person before—in a comic. Wait a minute, if that notification appeared before me, does that mean I've become like those reincarnated MC into fantasy world?" I pondered, questioning the possibility. "That can't be. It's impossible..."

Suddenly, I halted my train of thought and surveyed my surroundings. The picturesque scenery of the vast mountain range, the dense forests, and the flowing river captivated my gaze. I knelt down, placing my hands on the rough ground, feeling the texture against my skin. Then, I pinched my cheeks with both hands.

"Ow."

"I can definitely feel pain. It all feels too real," I affirmed. Recounting the events that had transpired once again, I reached a conclusion.

"This is either a hallucination, and I'm trapped in a coma... or this is my second chance. All the evidence points to the latter, and I want to believe it as such." A smile gradually formed on my face as I embraced the notion.

GRSKSK!

"What was that?" I jolted in surprise as an abrupt noise emanated from a dense bush nearby.

Emerging from the bushes was a large wolf, baring its menacing fangs and staring at me as if I were a free lunch descending from the sky.

"Grrrr..."

"Fuah! Are you kidding me?" I grumbled, unable to contain my frustration. "I'm grateful for this second chance of being reincarnated in my favorite fictional universe, and yet the moment I wake up, I'm already facing danger! Oi!"

Having no experience in combat or any survival training on Earth, I could only curse and complain to whoever had sent me here.

"Oi! System! Do something!" I suddenly remembered the system that had integrated with me and commanded it with a sense of panic.

....

On an island, a 13 year old boy lay limp on the ground. He has spiky black hair. He was wearing a set of white clothes that looked too big for his body. Coupled with a headband with a strange symbol on his head. His condition was very apprehensive, his body covered with wounds. Apparently, he had fought against something. Whatever it was, what was clear was that what he was fighting was out of balance with him.

"Oy! Ace! Sabo! Look what I found!"

Now, it appears that 3 children are surrounding the child who fainted earlier. Their stupid faces looked at the boy who had fainted with interest.

"Oy! Ace, do you know him?" Ask a boy in a straw hat to his friend who is known as Ace.

"I don't know Luffy, it's my first time seeing him. What do you think, Sabo?" Ace asked a boy in a hat called Sabo.

"It's my first time seeing it too." Answer Sabo.

Who's he? Where does he live? Why are the clothes so big? Why is his body covered in wounds? Is he an alien? Various questions started spinning wildly in the brains of the 3 innocent boys.

Sabo found movement in the boy's body, "It seems he is still alive. How about we take him home?" he suggested.

"Are you crazy!? Dadan definitely won't allow it! At most we'll get beat up again." Ace said disagree.

"Yeah, but what can I say... How can we just leave him here?"

"He seems to be in pain."

"Sabo is right. It's already dark after all. It might rain soon." Luffy made a thinking pose.

"But…"

"Never mind. Let's take this child." Sabo said while holding the spiky-haired boy.

[Dadan's House.]

"Pwuahhh! Dogra, get some more sake!"

"Okay boss!"

At this time, a man tu… Eh! That's a woman..! Etto… A rather big woman who seems to be the boss of the house is waiting for the sake that one of her men fetches. she had drunk 10 bottles of sake today. It looked like she was waiting for someone.

"Why haven't they come home yet? It's about to rain again..." muttered the woman or better known as Dadan.

Apparently Dadan's muttering was heard by Magra, one of his men, "Are you worried about them, boss?" he asked trying to tease his boss.

"Yeah, Eh! APPAAA! NO! Why would I worry about thugs like them!?" Dadan argued.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"WE ARE BACKK!"

"Longevity. Just talking about it has appeared." Magra said.

"Oh, you three have gone home? What did you bring today? And Sabo, who was that in your arms?" Dadan asked.

Sabo lowered the boy in his arms, "We got 2 crocodiles and 20 sacks of firewood. And this kid? I don't know either. We found him lying in the middle of the forest." he replied.

Magra and Dogra who had returned from the kitchen watched the child carefully, "Wow, that's really bad." Dogra said, "You're right Dogra. Has he been attacked by a monster or something?" Ask Magra.

Luffy shrugged "I dunno, when we found him, he was already like that."

"We decided to bring him here." Add Aces.

All eyes turned to Dadan.

"Why are you guys looking at me like that!? I don't agree!" Deny Dadan.

"But boss, he's dying. How can you leave him in the forest? It's going to rain soon." Magra said.

"I don't…"

JDERRRRR! JRESSSHHHHHHHH…..

"See…"

Actually Dadan doesn't have the heart either, but he is already quite stressed with the presence of 3 little monsters in his house. If this kid wasn't dying, Dadan would probably kick him out right away. But there was no other choice, "Yes. Fine. But remember, I'm not responsible. The child is your responsibility!" Dadan finally agreed.

"Hooray! Dadan, you really are kind. Not like the other mountain bandits." Said Luffy, Ace, and Sabo then they took the boy to their room.

'What was that!? They say that I am good?' Dadan thought and subconsciously shed tears.

"Hey boss, are you crying?" Ask Dogra.

"No, I'm not crying!"

"You're crying... Look at your tears flowing profusely."

"Huhuhuhuhu, Eh! I DON'T CRY!"

.

"Hey! He's awake!"

The spiky blond haired boy started blinking his eyes, trying to neutralize the amount of light that suddenly entered his eyes. He tried to sit up but his body was still limp. Taking the initiative, Ace helped the blonde boy sit up, "How long have I been unconscious?" asked the boy.

Instead of answering, Luffy introduced himself, "I'm Luffy! The one who will become the king of the pirates! Now, the one who wears that hat, Sabo." Sabo, waving his hand, "and that stupid face, Ace!" continued Luffy.

"HEY!" Ace shouted offended.

"So, what's your name!?" asked Luffy regardless of Ace's tantrum.

"Zerk"

Deciding to meet Dadan, Luffy, Ace, and Sabo brought Zerk to the living room. However, when they opened the bedroom door and were about to enter the main room, how shocked they were when they saw Dadan suddenly appear with a fierce face. For, Luffy, Ace, and Sabo, it was normal for them and they weren't surprised anymore. But things are different for Zerk. With extreme shock, by reflex, the Zerk jumped towards Dadan then kicked her face really hard.

TWOHHHHHH!

"How dare youuuuu!"

.

.

"Excuse me."

I don't know how many times the Zerk said sorry. Now in front of him, Dadan was sitting with a very annoyed face, "Why did you kick me!?" she asked angrily.

"Sorry. I was very surprised earlier, you suddenly appeared in front of me with that psychopathic face of yours. And that was just a reflex." Zerk said regretfully.

"Psi.. Psi.. Psychopath! YOU SAID MY FACE LIKE A PSYCHOPOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Yeah..." Zerk looked down.

"Huuhuhuhuuuhuuu!" Dadan burst into tears then pulled Dogra and Magra's collars.

"HUHUHUHUHU! DOGRA, MAGRA! DO YOU THINK THIS FACE LOOKS LIKE A PSYCHOPATH!?" Dadan asked while shaking Dogra and Magra.

"He.. Hey! Calm down Boss!"

"What he said was not wrong!"

Wrong speech.

Dadan stopped shaking Dogra and Magra. The atmosphere became silent for a moment. A dark aura suddenly emitted from Dadan's body. Zerk, Luffy, Ace, Sabo, Dogra, Magra, and the other Dadan's men who saw this could only be Sweatdropped for example. Unpleasant atmosphere and Eve hit them. Everyone has a bad feeling.

"Psychopath huh?" Dadan's cold voice broke the silence.

"B.. Boss?"

"I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT A PSYCHHOPATH IS CALLED!" Dadan then lunged at everyone in Dadan's House, without exception.

She ransacked all corners of the house.

"GKYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

.