It happened one year ago.
Kyoto was as peaceful as it could be that afternoon. The sun streamed lazily through my window, spilling golden light across the room as I sat at my desk, gaming. The headset was on, fingers moving across the keyboard with the precision of someone who'd spent hours perfecting the art. Top 100 in the world, ranking in some of the highest eSports tournaments. Nothing was ever enough, but today, it didn't matter. Today was supposed to be like any other.
Then it happened.
The lights flickered.
My screen froze. I thought it was just the connection—maybe the game was bugging out. But then… the room seemed to darken.
I looked up from my screen. The sunlight wasn't right. Shadows stretched unnaturally across the walls. The air felt heavier, like something was pressing down on it.
I opened the window, but the street outside… was empty. Silent. Not a single person walking. Not a single car driving.
And then I saw it.
A giant eye.
It was hovering above Kyoto, massive and unblinking, like something out of a nightmare. Its iris swirled with dark, ominous colors, and its grin… it was wide, too wide, full of malice and amusement. It looked down at us like we were nothing more than bugs beneath a magnifying glass.
I couldn't breathe.
And then… it blinked.
The world trembled, like a deep, resonating rumble shaking the very core of the Earth. Everything around me went black. Not night, not clouds—just pure, suffocating darkness. The sky itself seemed to be erased, replaced by a cold, unfeeling blackness.
I staggered back from the window, my heart racing. My legs felt like jelly, and panic clawed at my throat. What the hell was happening?
Suddenly, a voice. Not from the speakers. Not from anywhere physical. It came inside my mind, a cold, distant tone that sent chills down my spine.
"System Initialization Complete."
"Distributing Classes…"
"Binding Roles…"
"Welcome, Players."
What? Players? I looked around, but no one was there. I wanted to shout, to move, but my body was frozen. A cold sweat broke out across my forehead.
Then, the classes came.
Swordsman. Mage. Healer. Tamer.
I watched, numb, as the names flashed in my mind. Some of these people would get lucky. Sword skills. Magic abilities. But there was nothing exciting about the Healer. I could already see their pathetic faces, like "Oh, I'm here to heal you guys while you all fight and die in front of me." Ugh.
And then, it appeared.
"Class Assigned: Hero."
My heart skipped a beat. Hero?
I stared at the glowing words in front of me, my eyes wide. I was frozen for a moment, unsure if I was dreaming. This can't be real, I thought, but the symbol was there, glowing in my palm, burning into my skin like a brand.
Hero. The term alone was so cliché, so overdone. Was this a joke? Was this the role they gave to every main character in a cheesy fantasy novel?
But then the voice continued, explaining my class, and it felt… real.
*"Hero Path Activated:
Versatility: You can access any class path at will. Choose a subpath and unlock its abilities permanently.
Stats:
Strength:100
Agility:60
Intelligence:70
Charisma:100
Luck:50
Skills: [Hero's Aura]—You gain an aura that increases your physical strength, speed, and charm.
Special Abilities:
Hero's Resolve: Boosts your resistance to mental and physical stress.
Leadership: Gain a passive ability to inspire and lead others.
Indomitable Will: Unlock the potential to never give up, no matter the odds."*
Just when I thought it was over, another message seared itself into my mind like a brand:
System Notification: Skill Unlocked — [Hero's Awakening]
[Hero's Awakening]
Type: Active (Transformation)
Effect: Transforms the user into their true Hero state.
Permanently enhances all physical and magical stats while transformed.
I read the details, still processing the flood of information. This was no joke. The Hero class wasn't just some title—it was a goddamn powerhouse, and it had a path with real benefits.
Choose Your Subpath:
1. Bladeheart
A warrior who channels raw emotion into swordsmanship. Swift, deadly, and relentless in close-range combat.
"The heart sharpens the blade. Strike true."
2. Spellbreaker
A hybrid fighter who dominates magic users. Breaks, disrupts, and counters spells with sheer force and precision.
"Magic is a crutch. Shatter it."
3. Vanguard
The immovable shield on the battlefield. Built to endure, protect, and lead the charge.
"Stand firm. Others will follow."
4. Heavensworn
A holy warrior blessed with light and purity. Wields sacred energy to heal, smite, and protect.
"Let judgment shine through steel."
5. Shadowflare
A swift killer cloaked in illusion and speed. Fights from the dark, strikes when least expected.
"If they blink, they die."
6. Starcaller
Master of astral forces and long-range devastation. Bends gravity, stardust, and cosmic energy.
"Call upon the heavens, and they will answer."
7. Warden of Balance
The rarest of all. A keeper of harmony who manipulates energy flow, battlefield control, and support magic.
"Too much power tilts the world. You bring it back to center."
8. Stormbringer
Commands the fury of the skies—lightning, wind, and thunder. Unpredictable, destructive, and wild in combat.
"The storm does not ask. It takes."
9. Dragonsoul
Inherits the essence of ancient dragons. Gains draconic strength, elemental breath, wings, and scale-like defenses.
"Blood of flame, breath of ruin."
10. Chronowalker
A rare temporal warrior who manipulates time. Slows, rewinds, or accelerates perception and actions.
"A moment can become forever—or never."
11. Ghostblade
Blends the physical and the ethereal. Walks through walls, phases through attacks, and strikes from beyond.
"You can't kill what isn't truly here."
12. Infernal Oath
A cursed path drawn from hellfire and wrath. Trades stability for overwhelming dark power and berserker fury.
"I burn, and so will the world."
13. Soulbinder
Links souls to wield both healing and devastation. Can drain, share, or sacrifice life essence in combat.
"What is yours… can become mine."
14. Beastheart
Fused with primal beasts. Gains enhanced senses, strength, and can partially transform into animalistic forms.
"To fight like man is good. To hunt like beast is better."
15. Mirageblade
A master of deception and reality manipulation. Uses visual illusions and mind tricks to dominate foes.
"What you see is never what you get."
Etc..
I almost couldn't believe it. I could choose my path. But the part that caught my attention most was the fact that I had the ability to access every path permanently. This wasn't just some "pick one and you're stuck with it" situation. I could be a Warrior who threw fists and blades one moment, a Mage the next, and if I needed to, I could switch to Tactician and control the flow of the battle.
This was ridiculous. In a good way.
"Alright," I muttered, feeling a smirk tug at my lips. "I guess this is my destiny, huh?"
My mind raced, trying to decide. The potential was endless.
And then, I noticed something else.
Along with the class stats, there was a mysterious line of text at the bottom of the screen.
"Path of the Hero: Access all subpaths at will. Choose one to specialize in, unlocking its full potential. Gain skills, stats, and power from each chosen path."
Holy shit. I wasn't just stuck with one thing. I could keep adding on. Keep growing. And with the Hero's aura boosting my strength, agility, and luck… I was going to make sure no one got in my way.
I could feel it deep in my bones. The world had changed, and now… I had a chance to become something more than I ever imagined.
"Alright, let's do this."
The moment I processed everything—Hero class, subpaths, skills—the voice returned. This time, it was different. It wasn't just explaining my new class. This one felt… urgent.
System Warning: Brace for impact.
I blinked, my heart skipping a beat. Impact? I quickly looked around my room again, panic starting to bubble in my chest. My hands gripped the desk as I looked toward the window. Everything outside was still, but the air was thick with tension, like something massive was about to break.
"What impact?" I whispered, my voice barely a breath.
Then—everything went black again.
I gasped, my body jerking upright. I could feel the shift before my eyes even opened, a distortion in reality itself. The familiar weight of my room was gone. The sounds of the world around me disappeared. All that remained was the void.
When my eyes opened again, I didn't see the room. I didn't even see Kyoto. I was… somewhere else.
I was floating.
In the distance, I saw them. Planets.
Massive, looming orbs, coming straight toward me. The sheer size of them made my stomach churn. I wasn't sure if it was a trick of the mind or if I was actually seeing them, but they were too close. And they were coming. Fast.
"What the fck?!" I shouted out loud, my voice echoing in the black abyss, but there was no one to hear me. My heart pounded in my chest as the planets grew larger and larger in my vision. Was this some kind of cosmic disaster?
Suddenly, the familiar voice from the system rang through my mind again, more urgent than before.
System Notification: Fusing other worlds into Earth. World expansion occurring at an unbelievable rate.
"What?" I stammered, my head spinning. My breathing quickened. Fusing worlds? What does that even mean?!
System Notification: Worlds are colliding, merging with Earth. The process is irreversible. The fabric of reality is expanding.
My stomach sank, and my knees nearly gave out, but I was weightless, floating in nothing. A sense of dread crawled under my skin, creeping through my veins. I didn't know what this merging of worlds meant, but it couldn't be good. If these planets… no, these worlds were colliding with Earth, what did that mean for all of us? For me?
"You're fusing our world into others?" I demanded, my voice shaking in disbelief. "What the hell is going on?!"
But the response I got was no better than the last.
System Notification: Fusion in progress. Prepare for world expansion. All inhabitants must adapt to the new reality. The Hero path has been activated. Choose your subpath for optimal survival.
I clenched my fists, the sensation of helplessness beginning to creep in. The system didn't give me answers, just more vague instructions. But this… this wasn't just a class-upgrade or some game. This was real.
I didn't know what kind of catastrophe was unfolding, but one thing was certain: the Earth I knew—Kyoto, Japan—wasn't going to survive this unscathed.
The planets continued to race toward us, their gravitational pull warping the space around me, pulling everything toward the collision. I could feel the weight of the worlds closing in on me, their mass, their energy—a force beyond comprehension.
And then, everything froze.
For a moment, time itself seemed to stop. The darkness, the planets, everything went still. I held my breath, waiting, unsure of what was going to happen next.
But then… the worlds collided.
An explosion of light and sound filled the space, the shockwave rippling through reality itself. I felt the force of it in every fiber of my being. I could hear it, feel it vibrating in my chest, but it was all happening at once, as if the very air itself had shattered.
And in the heart of that explosion, I heard it.
The System.
"World Fusion Complete."
The words echoed in my mind, leaving me trembling. The chaos around me faded into a strange new stillness. I opened my eyes, and the world around me had changed—Kyoto, my room, the very fabric of existence—had shifted. I could feel the change in the air. The atmosphere felt... different.
The planets, the worlds—they were here, merged with Earth. And I wasn't just some bystander anymore. I was part of it.
The voice rang out once more.
"The Earth's reality is now unstable. Survivability rates are in flux. You must adapt, Hero."
I gulped. This wasn't just about getting stronger or picking a class path. This was about surviving a world that no longer made sense.
I was a Hero. But I didn't feel like one.
"Survive… how?" I whispered, my heart racing.
And just like that, a new world had begun. But I had no idea where it was going.
The sky hadn't even cleared when the next wave hit.
They came right after the worlds fused.
First, it was monsters—real ones. Hulking trolls the size of buildings. Wolves with flames for fur. Slimes, wyverns, goblins, minotaurs—every creature you'd expect to see in an RPG suddenly started crawling out of subway tunnels, rivers, and craters torn through the earth.
But it wasn't just beasts.
Humanoids appeared too.
Elves.
I blinked. "No way…"
I sat there, half-breathless, watching my monitor as my stream chat exploded. Someone had zoomed in on an elf who stepped out of a shimmering portal onto a cracked Kyoto street.
Tall. Radiant. Long ears. And wow… that body.
I wasn't the only one stunned. The entire internet collectively forgot to blink.
Stream chat was going nuts:
"Ayo rewind that???"
"Elves got that god-tier model buff fr."
"Bro zoom in again I SAID ZOOM."
"This is NOT a drill!!"
My mouth hung open. "That's… that's a f**king elf. A real one."
I couldn't decide if I was terrified, turned on, or just having the most high-definition psychotic break in history.
Then I heard it.
A scream. Sharp, panicked.
"Mom! MOM!!"
My little sisters.
I bolted from my chair, headset flying. My heart slammed in my chest like a war drum as I thundered down the stairs. The whole house shook—something outside was moving, something big.
"System—ACCESS!" I yelled mid-stride. "Subpath! Open subpath menu!"
A glowing interface snapped into existence, floating in front of me as I leapt the last few steps. I didn't even pause.
> Choose a Subpath:
Swordmaster
Elemental Mage
Spirit Healer
Shadow Rogue
Arcane Sniper
"C'mon, c'mon—just give me something strong—!"
Then more options flickered in:
> Beastheart
Stormbringer
Chronowalker
Dragonsoul
Soulbinder...
The list kept growing.
I glanced toward the living room. The window shattered inward. I could hear snarls now—inhuman and close.
I reached out to scroll—and stumbled.
My finger smacked one of the options by accident. The screen flashed gold.
> System Notification:
Subpath Unlocked.
Class: GODHAND TYRANT (Legendary Fist-Class)
"What!?" I blinked, mid-sprint. "I didn't—"
Too late.
A surge of heat rushed through my body like lightning in my veins. My fists tightened on instinct. I felt my skin hum, my muscles pulse—and something ancient roar awake inside me.
My screen flickered again as I crashed through the hallway:
> Passive Unlocked: Every Strike, A Prayer.
Skill Learned: Heavenfall Combo.
My fists lit up with golden energy.
And then I saw it—something hulking outside, already breaking into our home.
"Alright," I whispered, my voice shaking.
"If this is the class I got... let's see what these hands can do."
System Ping:
Stone Golem (lvl 10)
A hulking creature made entirely of stone, with thick, rocky skin and massive, powerful arms.
It stood there—towering, menacing. And yet, I didn't freeze.
I stepped forward.
"Hero's Awakening."
The words left my mouth on instinct. The moment I spoke them, the world shuddered.
A wave of energy erupted from deep within me, exploding outward like a shockwave. Crimson light surged across my body, scorching the air with its heat. My clothes were consumed, replaced instantly with gleaming armor of light and metal. It formed around my limbs, chest, shoulders—each plate locking into place with a deep, echoing clang.
Power—raw and infinite—poured into me.
My hair lifted from the force of the energy storm raging around me. Red arcs of lightning crackled in the air as the transformation wrapped itself around my soul.
The earth trembled beneath my feet.
Spikes of glowing metal formed along my arms and back, etched with symbols I didn't recognize but felt ancient. My eyes ignited with light—no pupils, no whites—just the burning mark of a force awakened. A cape unfurled behind me, forged from pure energy, whipping violently in the winds that surged from my presence alone.
I wasn't breathing. I didn't need to.
For a moment, the entire world seemed to pause… as if holding its breath.
Then came the voice.
> System Notification: Hero's Form Activated. All stats boosted.
And I stood there—transformed, empowered, unshaken.
The golem took a step forward, but it didn't matter.
Because now, I wasn't just some gamer caught in a cosmic glitch.
I was a Hero.