1. Reincarnation

"Yawn!"

"Haha! Makito, have you been sleeping properly?"

"As much as the next guy. Doing five all-nighters is a pain, I tell you. You have it lucky. If you want, join my team, and you can experience paradise."

"Ha... Yeah, I'll take a pass on that. Man, your team has it rough! The project is finally completed, so you'll have a couple of weeks to sleep in."

"Are you kidding me? There is an event holding this week... I can't miss it!"

"(Sign) Still playing that game, huh. When are you going to stop?"

"Never! It's the best game in the world. How about you play it for a month, and you'll see the wonders."

"Again, no thanks. Well, we better head out."

"Yeah, oh, wait... Sorry, go ahead of me. I have something to finish up."

"Oh, okay. See you later then..."

My coworker bows and then leaves the room. He had a sullen look on his face. I bet he wanted to invite me out again.

Even so, I have plans tonight, or rather for the upcoming week. As I told him, a new event is coming out with brand-new monsters. I must get one! They might be rare, but I'll stay up for the whole event to try to obtain one...

My name is Shinya Makito, and I'm an office drone at a somewhat big company. My profession is technically programmer but not isn't necessary. Athough I work for money, my life isn't centralized on work. I'm no workaholic. Though, my life does revolve around one game, Monster World.

This game is a typical RPG where players run around taming monsters. You use the monsters to fight; however, monsters can also give you special buffs. Different monsters give different buffs. The power of the buff is dependant on the level and number of those monsters.

I don't mean to brag, but I'm one of the number one players in that game. I have collected all of the game's monsters so far. Today, a new event starts, which introduces new breeds of monsters. I have already prepared myself to stay up all week until I get this monster; that is how much I love this game. So, I need to hurry on home and start grinding...

I finish up the work I was currently doing before closing my station. I say goodbye to the other workers who were still inside the building and then left. I walk down the street, going past bars and stores. As I walk, something breaks into my mind.

'Monsters, cursed beasts who rampage the world to survive. Adventures, people who hunt monsters for money, food, and protection. They exist in a world where a system blesses those with skills and abilities. What if a world existed?'

Huh, who talking? I suddenly stop and look around, but I don't see who spoke. Maybe I heard things? I ignore the sign and continue on walking, but it breaks into my mind again.

'What if you could travel to such a world? Would you be interested?"

I stop again and look around me, but I still don't see the person. Who in the hell is speaking?

'Would you be interested?'

"Interested in what!?" I screamed. Everyone around turned to me with expressions of seeing a crazy man. I bowed and apologized. The voice came back.

'Interested in leaving your world and joining another. A world filled with promise. Are you interested?'

Is this person talking crazy? Monsters don't exist, nor do adventures. What are they talking about? I mean, it would be fantastic if such a world did exist.

'Acknowledged. Sending vessel into the realm.'

Huh, what? Suddenly a black dot appears in front of me. No one else seems to notice it. As I question the mysterious object, it starts sucking me in, as if it was a black hole.

I start screaming and calling out for help, but no one reacts. They continue walking by me as if I was nothing but thin air.

Then one of my legs enters the hole—pain envelopes throughout my body. I scream louder. I could feel my bones in that leg break and dissolve as my other body parts get sucked in; the pain increases. It feels like death; maybe this is death?

Soon only, my head was left. I don't know if I was still considered alive, though my conscious was still here. Pain has overridden and couldn't be described. It is as if I was eternally feeling death.

Then my vision went black as the hole suck my head in. The pain suddenly stops, as well. I was in the void and couldn't feel anything. Then, words appear as they did before. There was also a voice...

'Welcome... You will be transferred shortly, but first some words...'

The female voice paused, then continued.

'The new realm holds a unique system that is controlled by the Gods. It is mysterious and absolute. Once completed, please think or say 'System Open.' This will show your stats, skill, and other things.'

The voice disappeared and left me with many thoughts. I was unsure what all of this meant; my vision starts to fade. Then I fell asleep...

When I awoke, bright lights shined over my eyes. I open them to see the blue sky and the orange sun. I sat up and looked around.

"Where am I? Is this the other realm?"

Everything around me was thick trees. It seems as if I was put inside a forest. Well, at least I'm safe at the moment.

As I say this, however, a blue blop hopes in front of me.

"So, this is a magical world..."

In front of me lays a legendary beast known in all types of RPGs, the slime...