The screen of Hoshigaki Ryuuto's gaming rig flickered as the stream chat bombarded his feed with a sea of emotes, all caps, and the occasional demand for his next move.
"Alright, alright! This is it, boys! The hardest boss in the game is right in front of me!" Ryuuto grinned, tapping away at his keyboard with the precision only an elite gamer could possess. His stream was live, and the chat was buzzing.
[KappaMaster123: LET'S GO RYUUTO, YOU GOT THIS!]
[GachaGoddess: THIS BOSS IS INSANE, ARE YOU SURE YOU CAN BEAT IT?]
[SuperJellyfish69: OMEGALUL, THIS IS GONNA BE LIT!]
Ryuuto adjusted his headset and leaned in, a smile tugging at his lips as he prepared for the big showdown. "You guys don't know the half of it," he said with mock seriousness. "This boss is a joke for someone of my caliber. Watch this."
He activated a special buff, his fingers a blur on the keys, each movement synced perfectly with the characters on screen. The colossal boss appeared, a hideous, towering monstrosity dripping with glowing red symbols. Its massive, gnarled hand reached down, and just as it began its attack, Ryuuto's fingers flew across the keyboard, inputting a series of rapid combos that would make most players' heads spin.
The chat erupted with excitement as the massive boss's health bar started to dwindle at an alarming rate.
[GamerGal123: HOW IS HE DOING THIS?!]
[ProGamerX: THIS GUY IS A GOD]
[UnbeatableHero69: THIS IS UNFAIR LOL]
Ryuuto grinned, his eyes glinting with the familiar thrill of a challenge. "Alright, now watch this! Glitch casting for the win!" he muttered under his breath.
With a couple of keystrokes, the screen flashed, and a glowing word appeared in the corner of his HUD: "REWRITE". For a moment, the world around him seemed to warp, and the game's code bent at his will.
[ChatHacker69: WHAT DID HE JUST DO?!]
With an explosive roar, the boss's health bar plummeted, and the massive creature fell with a dramatic crash, disappearing in a flurry of pixelated sparks.
[GachaGoddess: WHAT WAS THAT?! A GLITCH?!]
[NoobMaster99: THAT WAS INSANE, RYUUTO!!!]
Ryuuto leaned back in his chair, stretching as the "Victory!" screen flashed across his monitor. He swiveled to face the camera, a cocky smirk on his face. "As expected. That was nothing."
[KappaMaster123: WHAT A LEGEND]
[GamerGal123: WHEN'S THE NEXT RUN?]
[TheRealProGamer: Ryuuto, are you even human?]
With a quick wave to the camera, Ryuuto clicked the "End Stream" button, the screen shifting to a "Stream Ending" screen with a cute fox logo.
"Alright, that was fun. See you all next time for more 'unbeatable' runs," he muttered, shutting down his rig with a satisfying click. His stomach growled in protest, reminding him that while he'd just conquered a virtual world, his real-world hunger was still very much alive.
Ryuuto groaned, rubbing his stomach. "Man, I can't eat another bowl of ramen. I swear, if I see another packet of instant noodles…" He trailed off with a sigh, reaching for his jacket. "Guess I'll go out and get something real to eat."
The evening air was cool as Ryuuto made his way down the street, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. It was a peaceful night, the city bustling with the usual lights and sounds. He passed a few shops, not really paying attention to his surroundings, until something caught his eye.
A girl, no older than twenty, was walking briskly down the road. She was engrossed in her phone, her back turned to the oncoming traffic.
Ryuuto's eyes narrowed, noticing the headlights of a truck speeding towards her.
A blur of motion.
Without thinking, Ryuuto's body moved on its own, adrenaline surging through him. He dashed forward, shoving the girl to the side just as the truck swerved out of control, its tires screeching against the pavement.
The girl let out a surprised scream, but Ryuuto didn't hear it—his focus was on the truck now. The impact was inevitable.
The truck slammed into him with brutal force. Pain shot through his body like lightning, and everything went black.
---
When Ryuuto opened his eyes, he expected to be in some kind of hospital, the pain lingering. But what he saw was... something else entirely.
He stood in a vast, endless expanse of clouds, soft golden light spilling from an ethereal source above. There was no sound, no sensation of time passing. It felt... peaceful. Almost unreal.
Is this... heaven? he wondered, feeling strangely detached from his body.
As he tried to collect his thoughts, a soft presence filled the air, and before him appeared a woman. She was tall, radiating an aura of calm grace, with flowing robes that shimmered like moonlight. Her face was serene, her eyes a soft golden hue that seemed to pierce through to his soul.
She gazed at him with kindness, the faintest of smiles playing on her lips.
"You are in no heaven, young one," she said, her voice melodic and warm. "I am Soteria, Goddess of Protection, Healing, and Judgment."
Ryuuto blinked. "Wait, so I'm not dead? This isn't heaven?"
Soteria chuckled softly. "No. You are not dead. But you were... chosen. I have tasked you with saving the world, not from a demon king, but from the brink of war." Her golden eyes glimmered with purpose. "The kingdoms of Eldoria stand on the edge of chaos, and only you can guide them to peace."
"Wait a minute," Ryuuto interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "You're telling me this is some kind of isekai situation?"
She nodded. "Indeed. I shall reincarnate you, but you will not have the status of a hero. You will begin as a peasant."
Ryuuto scratched his chin thoughtfully. "A peasant, huh? I can live with that, as long as it's interesting. But... I want a challenge. Don't hold back. No hand-holding, no easy rides. Make it hard for me. I'm not here for some boring, easy life."
Soteria's smile deepened, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "As you wish. You shall be reincarnated as a peasant in Eldoria. The world will be as challenging as you desire."
Before Ryuuto could respond, everything around him seemed to dissolve, the clouds swirling into nothingness.
---
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
[Transporting to Tutorial Realm... Please prepare for your journey.]
Ryuuto closed his eyes as the world shifted again, anticipation building in his chest. Whatever awaited him in this new world, he was ready.
This was going to be fun
[End of Chapter]