A powerful mythical creature rose into the skies, and with a single beat of its wings, terrible hurricane-force winds lashed across the entire region. The clouds that filled the heavens were violently swept aside, as if dropping to their knees before its sovereignty.
On the ground, a black-haired young man brandished a massive sword, cutting through the raging winds. A powerful aura burst from the blade, and the young man let out a confident smile.
There was a brief clash between the two beings, and inevitably, the ancient creature of immense power and millennia of life fell defeated. The young man didn't even break a sweat.
When the battle ended, a group of girls from different fantastical races rushed toward him to congratulate him on his victory.
On the other side of the screen, in the bed of a small bedroom, a scruffy-looking old man began celebrating.
"You showed the Dragon King who's boss! That's how it's done, Kakaichi!"
The shout woke up a boy who had been sleeping peacefully on a piece of furniture beside the bed. Opening his eyes, he saw the old man sitting upright, staring at the television.
"Grandpa, don't tell me you stayed up all night."
"It's just that right when you fell asleep, it started getting really good, Teo."
With a sparkle in his eyes, the old man pointed at the TV screen. A sensual girl dressed in light clothing, with octopus-like features, appeared on it.
"Look, there's a new waifu. Isn't she gorgeous?"
Getting up from the furniture in his dinosaur pajamas, the boy yawned, shook off his drowsiness, and glanced briefly at the screen.
"Mmm… not bad. So it got good the moment I fell asleep?"
When the old man nodded confidently, Teo narrowed his eyes.
I doubt these trashy shows where the protagonist gets sent to a medieval fantasy world, is handed overpowered abilities, and has a bunch of beautiful girls throwing themselves at him ever get good at any point.
"Hey, Grandpa, you should get some sleep."
The old man waved a hand dismissively.
"I will later."
This old otaku is hopeless. Damn it. The worst part is that these terrible stories are his favorites.
Shaking his head, Teo searched for his phone to check the time. He had an important outing that day and couldn't be late—it would look really bad—but apparently, while keeping his grandfather company, he had forgotten to set an alarm. Still, he wasn't worried.
How long could I have slept?
He looked at his phone screen, and his eyes flew wide open.
Oh shit, it's insanely late. I'm supposed to meet them in twenty minutes. I have to text my friends, I need to change right now, I still have so much to do. No way—today I'm finally seeing Samira again. I can't miss this.
Teo bolted toward the door but stopped in front of it and turned back with an eager smile.
"Hey, Grandpa, I wanted to ask you something. So, Samira likes that anime we watched last time. The old one—the one with the pink-haired protagonist who can fly. I saw you had a pin from that series somewhere. Could you give it to me?"
The old man's eyes turned distant and melancholic as he remembered his late wife. He thought about it seriously for several long seconds before finally shrugging.
"If it's for your waifu, then fine. Take it. It should be in one of those drawers over there."
He gestured with his head to indicate where to look. A few seconds later, Teo found the pin.
"Thanks a lot, Grandpa. Remember to sleep. See you later."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Good luck with the girl."
Those were the last words his grandfather said before Teo hurried out of the room. He ran to his own room, still wearing his dinosaur pajamas, which he needed to change out of quickly.
"Damn it, how could I forget to set the alarm?"
…
A rich aroma filled the kitchen. A lovely woman wearing an apron moved skillfully from one side to the other as she prepared lunch. At some point, she heard her son's voice coming from upstairs—the boy was looking for his father. Speaking loudly, she let him know her husband wasn't home, as he had gone out to buy something.
"Mom, Mom, I'm hungry!"
The woman glanced at her daughter. The thirteen-year-old girl was slumped over the table, staring blankly ahead.
In a gentle tone, the woman said, "Just a few more minutes, Azula."
"Ahhh. But I'm starving. It feels like I've got a black hole in my stomach."
As she flipped the meat, the woman thought her daughter was a bit dramatic. Then, cutting through her thoughts, a swift shadow rushed down the stairs and headed for the front door.
"Where are you going, Teo? It's Saturday."
The swift shadow stopped abruptly and peeked into the kitchen.
"I've got plans with some friends, and I'm late. I told you yesterday."
The woman frowned, trying unsuccessfully to remember.
"Mom, he's going out with Samira," Azula said.
The woman arched an eyebrow.
"Wasn't she in another country?"
She asked, confused—but judging by the silly smile spreading across her son's face, after several years, the girl had finally come back.
Understanding the situation, she adjusted her apron with a smile and turned back around.
"You haven't eaten anything. Wait a moment, the food's almost ready."
"Don't worry, I'll grab something outside. Have a nice day. Bye, Mom. Bye, Azula."
He said as he stepped out of the house. Only after the door closed did the girl at the table suddenly sit up.
"Good luck, Teo!"
After that late burst of energy, Azula collapsed back onto the table with her empty stomach. In front of her, the woman who was supposed to feed her was shaking her head.
"He didn't even comb his hair. How does he expect to make her fall for him like that?"
Azula looked at her mother with a blank expression.
"Mom, you have terrible instincts when it comes to love. Samira's been in love with Teo this whole time."
Sparks of curiosity lit up her mother's eyes.
"What? How do you know that?"
"Besides the fact that it was obvious? Samira told me herself when she was younger."
The woman staggered slightly, stunned. Something clicked inside her mind. In hindsight, it had all been so obvious. How had she not noticed?
While her mother processed the information, Azula began to notice a subtle smell—like something was burning. She tried to snap her mom back to reality, but the woman refused to return from her thoughts.
With teary eyes and an empty stomach, Azula watched the meat she had planned to eat turn into charcoal.
…
Teo ran out of his house at full speed. Then he remembered he had to look both ways before crossing the street. He slowed down a few steps from the road, and a truck passed right in front of him, leaving behind a gust of wind.
That was close. I need to be more careful.
He didn't feel like dying in a stupid way on the very day he would see the girl he liked again. In fact, he didn't feel like dying at all—much less getting run over by a truck like in those bad series he watched with his grandfather.
Still, for some reason, he had the feeling that something was slightly off.
"What nonsense am I thinking about? I'm late. I need to hurry."
After running through the chaotic city streets, he stopped at a street food stand, ordered a hot dog, and while waiting, heard a cat. Turning along with the people around him, he saw it. The cute animal was in the middle of the road.
The seconds seemed to slow down as cars threatened the animal's life. Out of nowhere, Teo felt a strong and irrational urge to run and save it.
No way. Not a chance. Sorry, little guy. Besides, who told you to walk out there?
To everyone's eyes, a fast car passed right where the animal had been. The crowd gasped, but their shock faded when they saw that somehow, the cat had made it safely to the opposite sidewalk.
Genuinely relieved, Teo let out a sigh.
At that moment, the cat turned around, and for an instant, Teo felt like it was staring directly at him—with something like… resentment.
What are you looking at, you ugly thing? I'm just as guilty as everyone else here. Why are you staring only at me?
With a subtle reproachful gesture, the cat turned away and continued on its path. Soon after, a kind girl handed Teo his hot dog, and he stopped thinking about the strange animal.
Cars moved in both directions. The pedestrian light was red. Among the people waiting to cross, Teo ate his hot dog eagerly.
"How much longer? Come on. Just change already."
The seconds passed, and Teo thought he saw the light change color. He stepped forward, and the next instant, had to jump back as a truck sped past in front of him.
What's wrong with these people?
Indignant, Teo looked at the traffic light, and a confused expression appeared on his face.
"What the hell? I swear I saw it change."
He was starting to seriously doubt what was going on in his own mind. Maybe it was just the excitement of seeing Samira again? He shook his head, trying to calm himself.
Nevertheless, the strange sensation that something was wrong had grown far more oppressive—as if something higher up were starting to get frustrated.
It feels like the world is trying to send me to an isekai.
The thought alone sent chills down his spine.
"Nonsense. I'm thinking nonsense."
Tired from all the running, he slowed down as he neared the plaza where his friends were waiting. The path he took passed by a somewhat old shop and a nearby baseball field. Then, almost magically, the shop's roof gave way.
Hearing a strange sound above him, Teo leaped forward, barely avoiding steel beams that crashed down behind him. Lying on the ground, he stared at the beams for several seconds before turning his gaze to the sky, unable to endure the absurdity any longer.
"Damn it, universe! Are you trying to kill me or what?"
There was an awkward silence. Then, nothing.
Teo stared at the sky in disbelief. When concerned people approached, he stood up, assured them he was fine, and continued on his way.
His pace was now frantic, almost desperate. Cold sweat ran down his body, and he stopped worrying about being late.
Something is definitely trying to kill me.
He covered his mouth with his hands; his breathing became rapid, as if he couldn't get enough air. His eyes darted around, searching for possible dangers.
Out of his sight, someone swung a baseball with great force. The ball soared through the air on a faulty trajectory, as if manipulated by something else.
The feeling that something was wrong with the world intensified so much that it paralyzed him. Teo couldn't take a single step.
I'm going to die.
The moment he thought that, and without time to dwell on everything he would lose, a hand shot past him and caught a baseball headed straight for his head.
"Whoa, that was close!"
Teo felt the projectile stop just inches away. He turned around and saw a boy his age rubbing one of his hands. The moment he saw his friend, the oppressive sensation vanished instantly, and he let out a deep breath.
The other boy raised an eyebrow.
"Wait, were you crying? Are you okay?"
His tone turned concerned when he noticed his friend's slightly glassy eyes.
Composing himself, Teo wiped his eyes with a grin.
"It's nothing. Just a mix of two things. Something got in my eye—and Manuel, you're really ugly to look at. God, my eyes!"
"Hey, idiot. This thing almost smashed into that thick skull of yours and I stopped it. You should treat me better, you know? I just saved you from going to see Samira with a huge, ugly bump."
Teo nodded.
It's over. Whatever was happening to me, it's finally over.
Relieved, he put on a confused expression as he looked at his friend again.
"By the way, Manuel, what are you doing here? I thought we were meeting at the plaza."
The boy tossed the ball back toward the baseball field nearby.
"Oh, that. I'm late. What about you?"
He stepped forward, draped an arm over Teo's shoulder, and they started walking.
"I overslept."
"I see, I see. So you decided to follow Antony's advice and make the girl wait. Nice move. Though I don't think you need it."
"What are you talking about, idiot? I wouldn't do something that dumb… intentionally."
The conversation quickly became mundane again. Teo was able to forget what had been happening and focus on what truly mattered.
The rest of the day will be normal. I'll hang out with the guys, we'll watch a movie, go to an amusement park, then grab something to eat. When the perfect moment comes, I'll get Samira alone and ask her to be my girlfriend. If she says no, I'll offer her the pin from her favorite anime to bribe her… Well, not that last part. I'll just give it to her before we say goodbye. By then, we'll already be dating.
The plan sounded a bit simple, but it had taken him ages to come up with it. And yes, maybe there were better ways to confess than during a group outing, but he had promised he would tell her how he felt the next time they saw each other.
The last time he had tried to confess was four years ago. But before he could do it, the girl had interrupted him to deliver the fateful news that she would be moving to another country.
They were both incredibly shy, so even though they had known each other since they were little, neither had confessed their feelings—no matter how obvious it had been.
At the entrance of the plaza, Teo's lips curved into an excited, nervous smile.
Today, everything would change.
And as if echoing his thoughts, he heard a beautiful, celestial voice.
"Welcome, my beloved chosen one."
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer at the entrance of the plaza. His friend was nowhere in sight. Everything around him was a white so pure it surpassed purity itself. The ground looked like water, and in the distance, a heavenly symphony could be heard.
A few meters away stood a breathtaking woman wearing a strange outfit that perfectly outlined her figure. Fabric wrapped around her body and hands, and a couple of strips even floated around her hips.
Most surprising of all, the beautiful woman had something like a halo with prism-like shapes above her head.
What the hell? I just blinked. Where am I supposed to be now—and who is this woman?
Before he could think further, the celestial-voiced woman walked toward him, creating ripples across the water-like floor with every step, moving her arms dramatically.
"Marvel, my young chosen one! Before you stands the great and beautiful goddess Erézmia. Delight in my presence."
Teo took a step back, overwhelmed by the urge to run—but there was nowhere to go. White stretched endlessly in every direction.
"Excuse me… E-Erézmia. Will this take long? I actually have something important to do."
It was all he managed to say while a deep fear born from a foolish idea began growing in his mind.
A goddess. She said she's a goddess. Oh no… Isn't this exactly like those shows Grandpa likes? No, no way. I didn't die.
The beautiful woman hesitated for a moment, but then her smile turned gentler.
"Oh, dear chosen one! I believe you'll have to change your plans."
She stopped a few steps away and raised a hand toward the sky.
"Today, I shall send you to a new and wondrous world filled with magic and adventure."
Those words crushed Teo. The idea he had feared was coming true—he was about to be sent to an isekai.
You've got to be kidding me. Universe, do I look like some kind of tragic loser to you?
He took a deep breath and forced himself to push aside his fear and anxiety. He wasn't going to allow this. He lifted his head and put on a pleasant smile.
"I see. That sounds amazing (how generic). But you'll have to excuse me—I'm not interested. So could you please send me back to my world, great goddess Erézmia?"
The beautiful woman tilted her head slightly with her eyes closed, her smile turning strained. Her celestial tone shifted subtly, as if hiding a manipulative intent.
"But you were chosen as the hero destined to defeat the Demon King and bring peace to the world."
Erézmia puffed out her chest, certain those words would convince him completely—a confidence built on years of experience. Yet the boy didn't even flinch, almost as if he hadn't heard her.
"In my world, we've got people just like Demon Kings. You know—politicians, businessmen, streamers, drug lords. Truly, truly evil people. You can send me back, and I'll do my best there. Bring peace and all that."
She stared at him, stunned, as if something she had never imagined possible was happening before her eyes. After a few seconds, she stepped forward, waving her hands.
"But don't you care about the suffering of all these people who need a hero?"
Her dramatic tone was nearly heartbreaking, but Teo didn't waver at the guilt-laced words.
Well, she doesn't seem to care about the fate of people in my world either.
He maintained his pleasant smile, though it was getting harder to keep.
"I'm not going to throw away my entire life for people I don't even know."
He stepped closer and took her hands, lowering his head slightly in supplication.
"Please, great goddess Erézmia, send me back to my world."
As his hands held hers midair, her frantic movements ceased as if someone had cut her performance short. A faint blush appeared on her immaculate cheeks.
Teo tried to glance at her reaction from up close—and only then did he notice something unsettling. Her eyes weren't round; they were shaped like diamonds. He didn't have time to dwell on it, however, because she averted her gaze shyly and said:
"Well, about that… I'm sorry, but I can't. Because you're dead. You can see for yourself."
Her diamond-shaped eyes glowed faintly, and a floating screen appeared behind Teo.
What is that woman talking about? Sure, the world was definitely trying to kill me—but I'm certain it didn't succeed.
He released her hands with a bad feeling and turned around—only to freeze.
He saw himself. Or rather, his body. It lay on the ground, eyes vacant, a pool of blood around his head. Kneeling beside him, his friend Manuel was desperately trying to make him respond. A few steps away lay a baseball stained with blood.
The beautiful woman's celestial voice rang out.
"By sheer coincidence, you were struck in the head by a baseball. You fell, hit your head again, and died instantly. Such a shame, really."
Despite her words, her attitude couldn't have been more indifferent. With that same indifference, she added:
"Anyway, are you ready to go to the other world now?"
Perplexed, Teo slowly turned to look into her unsettling diamond-shaped eyes.
"Wait, wait—that never happened. My friend caught the ball before it hit me, and then we headed to the plaza. I remember it perfectly."
The pleasant tone vanished from his voice.
Erézmia forced an awkward smile and avoided his gaze again.
"Heh, heh. About that… I started getting desperate when you didn't jump into the street to save that kitten. You didn't fall for my illusion, and you even dodged those steel beams. To top it off, that annoying friend of yours saved you at the last second. And since I couldn't find any other way to bring you here…"
Nervously, Erézmia began playing with her hair and the floating fabrics around her hips.
"I might have turned back time just a tiny bit to make sure your nosy friend didn't catch the ball."
Teo's mouth fell open. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Hey—did you rewind time just to kill me? What the hell?!"
Erézmia ignored his piercing glare but shuddered slightly at his last words.
"Don't mention that guy. He's incredibly troublesome."
After saying that, she straightened up and finally looked him in the eyes again. With a tone completely devoid of guilt—one that reeked of superiority—she spoke.
"I was merely doing my glorious duty. Besides, why are you so obsessed with going back to your stupid world?"
He couldn't believe the indifference with which she asked such an obvious question.
"What do you mean, why? My whole life is there! My family, my friends—everything I know is there!"
He paused briefly, clenching his teeth.
"I don't have some miserable life where I'm dying to run away to fulfill some stupid fantasy."
He made a face, as if the very idea of such escapism disgusted him.
Confused and unsteady, Erézmia took a few steps back and stopped several meters away. When the last ripple reached Teo, she raised a finger and pointed at his pants with a relieved expression.
"But that pin there says otherwise. That object channeled your desires. That's why I chose you."
Confused, Teo pulled the gift for Samira from his pocket and stared at the old anime design.
Grandpa… You've got to be kidding me. It's because of this? Because of this stupid thing…?
He covered his face with his hand.
Actually… I kind of get it. The old man would absolutely love being in this situation.
He shook his head, looked back at Erézmia, and waved the pin.
"This—this belongs to my grandfather, not me!"
The woman staggered again. Her diamond-shaped eyes deepened as realization dawned on her.
Don't tell me… This so-called goddess didn't mess up over something that stupid, did she?
The so-called goddess grabbed her head, her celestial tone turning completely frantic.
"Oh shit! I messed up. No, no, no, not again. I don't want another punishment!"
You've got to be kidding me. This idiot really did screw up over something that dumb.
Hiding the resentment he felt toward the so-called goddess for rewinding time to kill him, Teo spoke in a calm, pleasant voice.
"Don't worry, great goddess Erézmia. Just send me back to my world. You could rewind time again and leave everything as it was. I promise I won't tell anyone about this."
Hopeful that this unfortunate incident would end so he could return and continue his life, Teo waited for the answer from the idiot who had brought him here.
The beautiful woman was still clutching her head, countless chaotic thoughts racing through her mind. Then one of those thoughts offered a solution. She lifted her gaze, determined.
"I know what to do. Everything will be fine. I can still fix this."
Teo let out a sigh of relief—too soon. In the next instant, Erézmia moved her hand, pointed at her own head, and a myriad of rays shot from her fingertip.
When the rays stopped striking her head, Teo watched in confusion as she swayed, her eyes rolled back. After several unbearable seconds, the diamond-shaped pupils returned.
"What the hell did you just do?"
She looked slightly disoriented. When she noticed Teo, she smiled and, in a celestial tone, said:
"Welcome, my beloved chosen one. Today your new life full of adventures in a fantastic world begins."
As she spoke, her eyes lit up and she began making strange gestures with her hands. A circle of ethereal light appeared around Teo.
Don't tell me… This lunatic just erased her own memory.
Teo trembled as he understood what had happened—and worse, what was about to happen.
"No, no, wait! Send me back to my world!"
He tried to run toward her, but for some reason couldn't step outside the circle.
Erézmia didn't seem to care and simply continued speaking.
"So go forth, hero. Use the powers that shall be granted to you for good. Defeat the Demon King and bring peace to the world."
Teo punched the air, trying to escape as the light intensified and his body began to fade.
"Hey! Please, don't do this to me! I'm begging you, damn it!"
His voice and thoughts began to blur.
"You are blessed by the heavens. I wish you luck on your journey."
Finishing her speech with one final hand gesture, Erézmia finally looked into Teo's eyes. The boy was almost completely gone, unable to utter another word.
Erézmia, stop. Please. I want to go home.
The woman didn't seem capable of reading minds. She looked at him with a sweet, innocent smile.
When he vanished completely, the pin he had been carrying fell to the ground, resting atop the water-like surface by some strange force.
Erézmia walked over and stared at it silently, an odd glimmer dancing in her eyes. The foreign glow faded, and she picked up the pin curiously.
"The desire channeler should've gone with him."
She narrowed her eyes.
"I don't remember what ability I gave him, but without this, he'll be missing his powers. What a shame! I should've at least given him a weapon."
She shook her head, not understanding what had gone wrong. Shrugging, she tossed the pin behind her without looking.
"Riori, take care of that."
Another woman appeared within the endless white landscape. She caught the pin midair and bowed slightly.
"As you command, my lady."
"Dispose of that without the others noticing. Then bring me something tasty to eat. By the heavens, doing this job properly is exhausting."
…
Teo could no longer scream. He couldn't see anything either—or maybe there was nothing around him at all. His consciousness didn't seem to function properly. Time and space didn't seem right either. Everything was confusing.
It was as if he were passing through a thousand stars. Along the way, without him knowing, a drop of celestial blood reached his heart—and then his soul began to change.
It was breaking apart and rebuilding itself at the same time. The sensation was strange, but it felt good, as if he now possessed far greater potential. As soon as that process ended, something else happened.
Teo still couldn't see anything, but suddenly he felt as if his body were being used as a canvas, marked all over. Whatever was being written onto him felt incredibly vast and complex. It also felt rushed—almost as if every second were worth gold.
When that unpleasant sensation faded, Teo was still there, traveling toward a new place through infinite stars.
Very, very far from his world.