"I can't believe I'm here in magnolia."
Is what I said after taking a good look in my surroundings. The cobblestone streets wind like old stories, each turn revealing something new: the chatter of shopkeepers, the scent of fresh bread, laughter spilling from open windows.
"And to think that this all started because of old man God's fault....." I muttered, shaking my head with a half-laugh.
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*2 Hours prior, somewhere in the astral plane*
"So, let me get this straight… I'm in some sort of weird plane because of a mistake you made?" I said, eyeing the old man with the comically large beard
""It is indeed as you said!" the old man wailed, dropping to his knees. "Please, find it in your heart to forgive this old god! It wasn't my intention to suddenly spawn a wormhole under you!"
Tears sparkled in his eyes—big, dramatic anime tears.
I blinked.
Great. I get banished to this some sort of astral plane and my only guide is a crybaby God who dressed up as Gandalf.
Sigh — "So… what happens now?" I asked, trying to come to terms with the fact that even gods like him could screw up sometimes. Sure, eternal beings probably slip up now and then...
But accidentally spawning a wormhole under my my apartment while drunk?
That was a low blow. And the more I thought about it, the more it irritated me. Good thing I was alone in that apartment—otherwise, I would've exploded with curses right to his face.
"I understand your frustration, truly." His voice was calm now, the slur gone, replaced by a heavy sense of guilt. "This… this was my mistake. I should've been more careful."
He looked me in the eye, beard trembling slightly as he sighed.
"To make amends, I will offer you something—a chance at another life. In another world."
"The destination may be… somewhat unpredictable, but I give you my word—it won't be a place beyond your ability to survive."
A small, almost hopeful smile tugged at his lips.
I was slightly surprised by the arrangement, but not entirely clueless. After all, I've read way too many anime, comics, and novels to not recognize what was happening here.
So this is basically one of those "cliché" isekai moments, I thought. Granted, mine was the result of a divine mistake… but hey, it still counts.
"So… is this the part where you bestow some kind of divine gift or blessing?" I asked, trying to sound respectful—y'know, just in case—but the curiosity definitely leaked through. Might as well see if I get the deluxe package.
The old man chuckled softly, stroking his beard like it helped him think.
"Ah, yes—of course. A blessing." He straightened up, suddenly looking very official, like he just remembered he was still a god.
"It's customary in these sorts of… situations."
He waved his hand, and a gentle golden glow shimmered in the air. I stared, wide-eyed, as the light drifted towards me—countless stars swirling within it like a miniature galaxy.
And then, slowly, they began to converge… sinking into me
" The gifts I bestow upon you will reveal themselves once you've successfully traversed the plane and entered the new world."
He cleared his throat, and continued. "The gifts will correspond to your will and whatever it is needed to aid you in the world you will be in—though, naturally, nothing too extreme. No planet-destroying powers, sorry."
I contemplated what he said for a moment, then hesitated before speaking again.
"So… would there be, like, a system interface or something? Y'know, one that talks to me and manages all sorts of things once I'm in the other world?"
I couldn't help it—the idea had been stuck in my head since he started talking.
I mean, it wasn't that unreasonable. Worth asking, right?
The old man nodded thoughtfully, as if I'd just asked a very reasonable, very modern question.
"Ah, yes—the interface. That seems to be quite popular these days."
He raised a hand, and a faint flicker of light danced across his fingertips.
"It's included among the gifts I've granted you," he added.
Then, with a small, knowing smile,
"I trust you already understand what this system implies… don't you?"
I gave him a slight smirk and nodded.
"Yeah… I think I've got the idea. Stats, skills, quests—probably a cool name for it too, right?"
I shrugged.
"Let's just say I've done my homework. Fictional or not, this kind of setup isn't exactly new to me."
Still, part of me was buzzing. Knowing and experiencing were two very different things.
"Well, I'll minus the quest part, actually…" the old man said, waving a hand dismissively.
"The way things are, I'd rather not burden you with quests. You've been through enough already."
He looked at me, his expression now taking on a bit more gravitas.
"And as for the gifts I've granted you—don't get too comfy. They're not your personal magic cheat codes. The system will help you manage your abilities and assist you further in fully understanding them and the world around you however you'll still have to hustle for every step forward. And just to remind you… have fun, young Zack. Really. Enjoy yourself. You might not get another chance."
There was a long stretch of silence between us. Before quickly adding
"Well then, young lad… Are you ready?"
The old man God asked, his voice carrying a weight of finality, as though this was the last moment of calm before everything changed.
He gave me a look—part curiosity, part expectation—waiting for me to make my move.
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my cool.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
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Back in the present...
I stared up at the unfamiliar sky, the weight of everything slowly settling in.
"And to think… this was all that old man God's fault," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck and shaking my head with a half-laugh.
One moment I was in my apartment, minding my business. The next? Wormhole. Astral plane. Divine apology.
Now I was here—wherever here was—with gifts I hadn't figured out yet and a system that better not start talking to me in riddles.
I sighed.
"Yup… definitely not how I planned my afternoon."
The breeze was warm, carrying the scent of wildflowers and something faintly sweet—like a bakery was just down the road. I blinked a few times, adjusting to the light as the landscape came into focus.
A wide, cobblestone path stretched out before me, leading to an enormous set of gates. Beyond them, I could see buildings stacked neatly together, a river cutting through the town, and at the heart of it all… life. People laughing, talking, moving about like magic wasn't anything special.
A sign near the gate caught my eye: "Welcome to Magnolia."
I stared for a moment.
"No way… this is Fairy Tail Magnolia, isn't it?"
I let out a short breath and looked around again, more alert this time.
It felt so real. The colors, the air, the faint magical hum in the background—it was like stepping into a page of fiction.
"Well... now I know what world I ended up in." A surge of excitement rushed through me, sharp and electric—only to be smothered moments later as I began to truly assess my situation.
I thought over my knowledge of the anime Fairy Tail, and apparently, I only knew a few things. Here's hoping it would be enough to strengthen me for whatever big bad comes my way.
He did say I should enjoy myself. Sure, I'm in Fairy Tail... the actual Fairy Tail. I've always wanted to meet the big, beautiful baddie waifus and badass characters in this world, but this is reality. They're not just digital characters like when I used to watch them. They're actual, living, breathing people in this world now.
I need to stop thinking of this like some kind of television show, or it's going to mess with my head. Right now, my priorities are figuring out what year I'm in, locating the Fairy Tail guild, and, of course, checking out the gifts the old man God bestowed upon me.
"But first... let's see what gifts He gave me. I just hope they're enough to help me down the line in this world."
I smiled helplessly, knowing this wasn't some laid-back world I'd just stepped into."