Chapter 2: The World Reshaped

Sunlight filtered dimly through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the room. Hiro hunched over, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped tightly. His wide, disbelieving eyes were fixed on the cracked ceiling above him.

His brow furrowed as he whispered, barely audible, "Resetting the world, converging possible universes... let the new realities reshape the world."

The words echoed in his mind, their weight pressing down on him as if thinking them made them real. Slowly, Hiro straightened, his hand instinctively covering his mouth. He sank into his familiar pose of deep thought, a frown etching itself into his face. "It's real," he murmured, his voice trembling. "I remember it vividly—those exact words appeared before the accident. But what do they mean? What's really happening?"

His brow furrowed further as he grappled with the cryptic phrase. "Resetting the world...does it mean returning everything to its original state? No, that doesn't make sense. Things outside might be different now, and modern buildings might be damaged or destroyed, but they're still there. This building, for example. That doesn't sound like a complete reset."

He shook his head, frustration creeping into his voice. "Whatever is happening... it's far beyond logic. I need to think outside the box."

Leaning forward, he gripped his knees, grounding himself against the storm of his thoughts. "Resetting the world..." His mind flashed to stories he had read before. "Wait... isn't this kind of thing common in manga? The world gets wiped out and rewritten into something new. Maybe it's not about erasing everything but replacing the old reality with something different. But what kind of new reality? Who's behind it? Could it be a constellation? Or maybe... a god?"

The more he thought about it, the more tangled his thoughts became. He exhaled slowly, his breath shaky. "No," he muttered, shaking his head. "I don't have enough information. Guessing now could be dangerous. If I start expecting the wrong things, I might make everything worse. I need to stop here—for now."

Hiro leaned back, his gaze drifting toward the ceiling. Closing his eyes, he let the stillness of the room envelop him. The only sound was the soft rustling of the curtains as the breeze stirred them. The faint gust brushed his hair as the curtains fluttered, drawing his attention.

"Menu."

The word escaped his lips, tinged with nervous anticipation. For a moment, there was silence.

A soft pop echoed as a burst of light filled the room. A translucent, light-blue interface materialized before him, floating midair. It cast an ethereal glow across Hiro's face and the surrounding room.

Hiro stared in stunned silence, his breath caught as the light dimmed, leaving the interface fully visible. His lips trembled as he absorbed the undeniable proof: this was real.

Main Menu

Name: Hiro Yui (22 Years Old)

Level: 2

Title: First blood (+25% Experience points )

Abnormal Status: None

Stats:

Strength: 7

Magic: 0

Agility: 10

Vitality: 5

Dexterity: 10

Sense: 8

Luck: 5/10

Unique Ability: Soul Phase (Level 1)

Skills: None

Magic: None

A nervous laugh escaped Hiro's lips as he leaned closer to the glowing screen. His trembling hand reached out, but his fingers passed through the window like mist. The realization jolted him, and he chuckled softly, shaking his head in disbelief. "Every gamer, every otaku around the world would lose their minds over this," he murmured, a faint grin tugging at his lips despite the weight of the situation.

His eyes scanned the screen again, tracing every line and number. His breath grew heavier under the mounting pressure, his body wavering.

"It's... not much different from what I imagined," he murmured, his voice steadying slightly. "Rather... the interface is similar to the anime i watched."

"My stats..." His brow furrowed as he examined the numbers. "I'm not sure if they're good or bad, but they seem... low. Still, this unique skill... it might be the key to surviving whatever this is."

His gaze locked onto the text:

Unique Ability: Soul Phase (Level 1)

As he focused on the ability, another window popped up.

Unique Skill: Soul Phase (Level 1)

"Soulbound Eyes"

Details:

Effect: Reads the opponent's soul to trace their movements, making it easier to counter, evade, or replicate their actions.

Mana Required: 0

Usage Limit: 10 seconds

Cooldown: 24 hours

Experience: 1/100

Hiro stared at the screen, his thoughts racing. "Ten seconds... a full day of cooldown..." His voice trailed off as he read the description again. "It's a gamble," he muttered, his fingers twitching. "But if used correctly... this might just save my life."

He leaned back, letting the reality of his situation sink in.

For now, the questions outweighed the answers, but one thing was certain: the rules of the world had changed. And so had he.