The air was heavy with exhaust and the dull roar of city traffic. Alex leaned against the cold bus stop pole, his worn backpack a familiar weight. Another Tuesday, indistinguishable from the last, promising only the same monotonous journey to school. His gaze traced cracks in the grimy pavement, then drifted to the endless stream of cars.
"Is this it?" he often mused, a quiet despair settling in his chest. "Is this all life is meant to be?" He ran a hand through his perpetually messy hair, a sigh escaping his lips. His existence felt like a broken record: wake up, school, home, homework, sleep, repeat. He yearned for something more, a purpose, a challenge, anything to break the suffocating predictability. He craved the extraordinary, the fantastical, anything to ignite a spark within him.
His internal monologue was abruptly shattered by a flash of vibrant red—a small, bouncy ball, escaping a little girl's grasp. It rolled, with agonizing slowness, into the street. Just as it settled, a massive, grimy truck rumbled around the corner. Its engine roared, announcing its rapid approach. The girl, no older than five, with bright pink pigtails, darted after her toy, oblivious to the danger.
Time fractured. The world around Alex stretched, slowed. The truck was now a looming shadow, its horn blaring a desperate shriek. His mind, usually a labyrinth of overthinking, snapped into terrifying clarity. There was no thought of self-preservation, only a single, undeniable imperative: She's going to die. The image of his own unfulfilled life flashed before his eyes. This was his chance to do something meaningful. Instinct surged through him, overriding every logical impulse.
"Look out!" he cried.
He lunged forward, a burst of adrenaline propelling him. His legs burned, his lungs screamed, but he pushed harder. He reached her just as the truck's monstrous grill filled his vision. With a final surge of strength, he shoved her. The little girl tumbled onto the sidewalk, a small, safe heap, her wide eyes reflecting terror.
Then came the pain. A searing, all-consuming agony erupted from his core. A crushing impact stole his breath, his consciousness. He felt himself falling, not through space, but through existence. The last thing he saw was the bright blue sky, fading to black.
. . .
Darkness. Absolute, suffocating, endless. Alex floated, or simply existed, within the terrifying nothingness. He was a consciousness adrift, untethered from a body, from time, from reality. The silence was deafening, the emptiness chilling. He felt... nothing, yet everything. A strange calm settled over him. So, this is it. Death. The thought wasn't as terrifying as he'd imagined. There was no pain, only this vast, quiet expanse.
He replayed the last moments: the little girl's face, the truck's roar, the impact. I saved her. That single thought resonated through the void, a beacon of warmth. He searched for regret, but found none. Only a quiet satisfaction. The mundane life he'd left behind seemed insignificant compared to the selfless act that had ended it. At least I didn't go out without making a difference.
Then, a shimmering, ethereal blue screen materialized before him, its luminous glow cutting through the black. Text scrolled, forming with magical precision:
[SYSTEM ALERT: HEROIC DEED DETECTED. SACRIFICE FOR AN INNOCENT LIFE.][GRANTING: SECOND CHANCE PROTOCOL INITIATED.]
Alex felt a phantom jolt. A second chance? What in the world...? Hope, fragile and unfamiliar, flickered within him.
More text appeared:
[WELCOME, NEW HOST. YOU HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE GACHA SYSTEM.][EXPLANATION: THE GACHA SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH QUESTS. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION, YOU WILL RECEIVE A GACHA TICKET (RANK 1-6).][EACH QUEST WILL OFFER A CHOICE: ACCEPT OR DECLINE. CHOOSE WISELY.]
A gacha system? Like in those mobile games? Disbelief warred with exhilaration. This is beyond surreal. This is like something straight out of a web novel! He felt a surge of adrenaline, a spark of the wonder he had craved.
A glowing gacha ticket materialized.
[FIRST GACHA TICKET GRANTED: For Saving Little Girl]
"Well, don't mind if I do," Alex thought, a phantom grin spreading. He willed himself to reach out, and the ticket dissolved into a cascade of light. A spinning wheel, adorned with arcane symbols, appeared, rapidly accelerating. His heart pounded with anticipation. The wheel slowly decelerated, finally landing on a symbol depicting a stylized, jagged rock.
[GACHA RESULT: EARTHBENDING (AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER)]
Alex's jaw, if he had one, would have hit the void's floor. Earthbending! Holy cow! I can manipulate earth and stone with sheer will! This is beyond incredible! Pure joy washed over him. His mind raced with possibilities.
The blue screen reappeared, displaying a large, glowing button: "SELECT WORLD."
[PRESS THE BUTTON TO DETERMINE YOUR NEW REALITY.]
With newfound eagerness, Alex "pressed" the button. The screen flickered, a dizzying array of world names flashing: Naruto, One Piece, My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Bleach, Fairy Tail, Konosuba, Jujutsu Kaisen... His heart pounded. The screen juddered to a halt on one name:
[WORLD SELECTED: HIGHSCHOOL DXD]
"Highschool DxD?!" Alex exclaimed, a mix of shock and exhilaration. No way! Are you serious?! Devils, angels, fallen angels, sacred gears... This is going to be absolutely wild! This was a world brimming with power, danger, and unpredictable possibilities. This is going to be amazing. Or terrifying. Probably both!
[TRANSMISSION INITIATED IN: 3... 2... 1...]
A bright, blinding light enveloped him, warm and inviting, pulling him out of the void. He braced himself, a potent cocktail of thrill, anticipation, and nervousness bubbling within him. His new life was about to begin.
The New Reality
A gentle breeze, carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers and damp earth, rustled leaves. The warmth of sunlight kissed his face. Alex squinted, his eyelids heavy, adjusting to the sudden brightness. He blinked rapidly, instinctively pushing a pair of familiar glasses up his nose. He was under a large, leafy tree, the rhythmic chirping of cicadas a pleasant backdrop.
He pushed himself up, feeling the solid, uneven ground. He was no longer a disembodied consciousness; he had a body. And it felt... younger, lighter. He looked down at a pristine white shirt, a neatly pressed black blazer, and dark trousers—a school uniform. Kuoh Academy's uniform.
Then, it hit him. A torrent of memories, images, sensations, and emotions flooded his mind—a dizzying download of a life that wasn't his, yet now, irrevocably, was. A boy named Motohama. His incessant obsession with girls, his perverted antics, his boisterous friends Issei and Matsuda. The familiar hallways of Kuoh Academy, the strict teachers, the tantalizing glimpses of girls' uniforms, the stern student council, the mysterious Occult Research Club. It was a lifetime of experiences, thoughts, and habits, crashing into his own consciousness.
He clutched his head, a guttural groan escaping his lips as the sheer volume of information settled. Motohama... I'm Motohama. The name echoed, both alien and intimately familiar. The guy who's always with Issei and Matsuda, the background pervert.This is insane! He couldn't help but inwardly cringe at some of Motohama's embarrassing recollections.
But this isn't just about being Motohama. This is Highschool DxD. He chuckled, a slightly unhinged sound that was more Alex than Motohama. I'm in an actual anime! And not just any anime, but one with literal supernatural battles and a whole lot of fan service! This is going to be wild. And dangerous. A shiver of pure excitement ran down his spine.
A wide, slightly manic grin stretched across his face. This was his second chance, far more extraordinary than he could have imagined. The beige, predictable life he'd once loathed was gone, replaced by a vibrant, dangerous, and utterly thrilling reality.
Earthbending! I have Earthbending! He wiggled his fingers, a strange tingling sensation sparking in his palms. Right, probably need to actually practice. He grinned wider. Could I really move the ground? Bend the very earth beneath my feet? This isn't just some game ability; it's real power! And the gacha system... quests, tickets, more powers? What else could I get? Firebending? Super strength? Magic? The possibilities are endless! He felt a surge of purpose, a burning desire to explore, to learn. He was no longer just Alex, the bored kid. He was Alex, the transmigator, with a system and superpowers, ready to take on a world of devils.
"Motohama! There you are!"
His grand, internal thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a familiar, boisterous voice. He looked up to see Issei Hyoudou, grinning widely, with Matsuda trotting faithfully by his side. The perverted trio, reunited, completely oblivious to the cosmic shift that had just occurred within their friend.
"Come on, we're going to be late for class!" Issei yelled, pulling Motohama back to the mundane, yet now infinitely more interesting, reality of his new life.