Chapter 4: Awakening and System

"In death, I expected nothing. Instead, I was given a second chance. A new world, a new system, and a purpose I never had before. If this is fate's way of restarting my story, then I'll make sure to play the game right this time." – Mysterious Isekai Character

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"Y'know, I never thought I'd die this way."

Famous last words, right?

But seriously—who expects to get isekai'd by getting beaten to death over a dumb misunderstanding?

I thought people actually talked things out.

One moment, I was minding my own business, maybe looking a little too lost in thought.

The next?

Shouts.

Accusations.

Fists flying before I could even get a word in.

No dramatic farewell, last-minute realization about the meaning of life

— and just pain, a blur of faces, and then… nothing.

For a moment, I thought that was it.

Just emptiness.

And then—

I woke up.

Not in the afterlife.

Not in some holy realm with pearly gates.

Just...a dimly lit room that smelled of antiseptic and old furniture.

An old-school alarm clock ticked beside me, its rhythmic sound the only thing anchoring me to reality.

I wasn't on the streets anymore.

My body felt strange—lighter, smaller.

I sat up, then rubbed my head wincing. "Ow."

Wait. Why does my voice sound...off?

Panic bubbled in my chest as I scrambled to my feet.

Wobbly legs. Tiny hands. What the hell?

There wasn't a mirror in sight, but I had a gut feeling something was wrong

—scratch that, everything was wrong.

My memories were hazy, fragmented, like pieces of a puzzle I couldn't quite put together.

"Ow," I muttered, rubbing my head.

My life had been pretty dull up until this point

- gaming all day, feeling like a failure, and now, well, this.

Whatever this was.

"Where am I?" I asked aloud, hoping for an answer from someone, anyone.

No one responded. Of course not.

So much for an exciting afterlife.

I pushed myself off the ground and took a few unsteady steps forward.

If this was some kind of purgatory, it wasn't exactly what I'd imagined.

It looked more like a storage closet than anything else.

"Hello?" I tried again, my voice echoing slightly.

"Ugh, maybe I should just go back to sleep," I grumbled, running a hand through my jet-black hair. My gray eyes scanned the room, searching for any clues about where I was or why I was there.

Then, as if on cue—

The air shimmered, and a holographic grid materialized before him, a shimmering network of icons and data streams that pulsed with an ethereal light.

A dazzling rainbow of colors bursts to life before my eyes, momentarily blinding me.

As I blink furiously, trying to make sense of what's happening, a holographic interface appears in front of me.

Suddenly, a message materialized before him, glowing with an ethereal light:

『Ding! Transferring host consciousness to nearest compatible player in this world』

『Random World No#153 : Unknown Realm』

『Installing Sub-system to the player!』

『1%...26%...56%...100% Installation Complete!』

『Status, Scan, Storage function, is online

Map, Task and Store function is offline』

『Status』

『Name: Belial Scarlet

Age: 10

Height: 148cm (4'10 ft)

Weight: 38kg (84 lbs)

Blessing: Gamer System

Class: Omni-Gamer

Subclass: Player』

『HP: 20/20 | SP: 10/10』

『Attributes:』

『STR: 1』

『AGI: 2』

『DEX: 3』

『PHY: 2』

『END: 1』

『INT: 3』

『WIS: 2』

『PER: 1』

『SPI: 4』

『CHA: 1』

『LUK: 1』

『Items: None』

『Talents: None』

『Evaluation: A fledgling newcomer who don't even know nothing about basketball but has extraordinary talent』

But the system also revealed a harsh truth: he was now a ten-year-old boy, frail and weak.

"So, this is a new world, hah," I sighed, resigned to the fact that I might be stuck here for a while.

But then again, who knew what awaited me outside of this dimly lit room?

Maybe this new world held the answers I'd been seeking all along...or maybe it would just lead to more questions.

'Wait... Basketball, huh? I see.'

My brain stalled for a second.

Of all the things I could be OP in—swordsmanship, magic, martial arts—why basketball?

I mean, don't get me wrong, I liked watching games, but I was never athletic.

He had also dreamed of playing basketball when he was a kid, but his body had never been strong enough. He had also watched countless games, mesmerized by the athleticism and skill of the players, but he had never dared to dream of being one of them.

My idea of "working out" was grinding late-night gaming sessions with snacks and soda.

And now, I was in a world where my supposed talent revolved around hoops?

Now, he had a chance to experience the game in a way he never thought possible.

He could feel a surge of excitement, a feeling he hadn't experienced in years. He had a chance to pursue his passion, to prove himself, to finally find his place in the world.

"Alright, Belial, time to figure this out," I told myself, determination coursing through me. I had no idea what lay ahead, but I couldn't let fear hold me back.

Then a new message popped up:

[System]

『Congratulations to you for successfully reincarnating inside a universe that I made, the [Newbie Package] has been successfully delivered to your storage. Do you want to open your [Newbie Package]』

『[Yes/No?]』

The message assured him that he could open the package at any time, but Belial hesitated. It felt like opening a Pandora's box, and he wasn't ready to face the consequences. His priority was understanding his new surroundings.

I hesitated. It felt like opening a loot box in a gacha game—either I'd hit the jackpot, or I'd get some useless common-tier gear. And knowing my luck stat? Yeah, probably the latter.

"...Pass for now." First priority? Figuring out where I was.

Taking a moment to adjust to his unfamiliar surroundings, Belial's eyes fell upon a glowing [!] in the corner of his eyes.

Fueled by curiosity, he cautiously approached it with his finger and he reached out, the [!] pulsed with light, then it split open, revealing a holographic interface that shimmered with energy.

[System]

『Welcome, Belial Scarlet, to the Otherworld, Please enjoy your stay in the new world』

A robotic voice announces. My eyebrows shoot up in surprise – this is definitely not something I'd ever seen back in my old world.

"Uh, hi?" I say hesitantly, unsure if I should be talking to this...thing.

"What exactly is the Gamer System?"

[System]

『Think of it as your golden finger in this new world, The Gamer System will grant you special abilities and provide assistance as needed』

The voice replied.

"Golden finger, huh?" I smirk, feeling a mix of curiosity and excitement. Maybe this new world wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Okay then, Gamer System, let's get started! What's the first order of business?"

[System]

『A Direct Message from God has arrived!』

『[Do you Accept to Open]』

『[Yes/No?]』

The voice echoed.

A glowing prompt hovers before me, the text crisp and clear. My heartbeat quickens, but curiosity overrides hesitation.

"Sounds simple enough," I murmur, reaching out and selecting [Yes] without a second thought.

[System]『Message Opened.』

『[ Sender: God

As a result of your sincere wish, you were selected.

Congratulations! Clap, clap, clap!

Your wish has been heard, and you have been chosen. Isn't that wonderful?

However, the world you find yourself in is not the game world you love.

No, this is a world under my management—an entirely different reality.

From now on, you will live here.

Of course, I wouldn't just throw you in without a fighting chance.

As a special gift, I've granted you a System—your very own power.

There are also other surprises waiting for you.

Good luck!]』

The message faded.

The air felt different now—charged with something unseen. A warmth settled in my chest, like a hidden energy waiting to be unlocked.

Then—

『Initializing…』

A surge of power flooded my veins.

I stumbled, gripping my chest as an unfamiliar sensation coursed through me.

It wasn't pain— it was something else.

Something awakening.

I exhaled, steadying myself.

'Alright…'

I clenched my fist.

"Gamer System," I said, my voice firm. "Guide me through this brave new world."

『Affirmative.』

The robotic voice responded. Was that... amusement in its tone?

Shrugging, I turned toward the door.

The robotic voice responded, almost... amused?

I shook off the thought and took a deep breath. No use overthinking things.

"Sounds simple enough." With that, I stepped forward, cautiously easing the door open.

Sunlight spilled through the trees outside, casting shifting patterns on the ground. A breeze carried the scent of fresh air—so different from the stale, artificial world I once knew.

The unknown stretched before me, vast and full of possibilities.

And yet, for the first time in a long time, I wasn't afraid.

I felt alive.

No more wasting chances. No more looking back.

I stepped forward.

The game had only just begun.