How it all began

Exhausted from a long day's toil, Helios sauntered back to his room. The familiar musky scent of his living quarters assaulted his senses, engulfing him in a comforting embrace. Helios lay down on his bed, his mind involuntarily reminiscing the 'events' that transpired that day.

He wasn't the real Helios Raum.

He was Raven, an ordinary low-paid high school teacher living a mundane life devoid of excitement. Every day of his life was the same. Blatantly ignore the blaring alarm clock and continue to sleep on until the piercing sunlight would make his eyes itch, forcing him to wake up and turn off the alarm.

By then he would already be late.

Washing up and getting ready in five minutes, he would casually stuff a sandwich in his mouth before jumping on his motorbike and heading off to school.

Then preach the laws of physics to a bunch of disinterested sleepy teens who would talk nonstop in his class, and crack an occasional vulgar joke.

Not the he blamed his students. They were just like him, only much younger. They too were dissatisfied with their lives but had no means to change their present.

And strictly speaking, he didn't dislike the vulgar jokes. In fact, he had a sneaky suspicion that the jokes were meant for brightening up the mood of everyone present, him included. And so, he sometimes spat out a few snarky replies, and the teens would not give him an opportunity to teach any more. The entire class would drown in laughter.

Yes, his jokes were that funny.

There was another aspect. He was twenty-six years old, average looking, had moderate income and hailed from a middle class family. And no, he did not have a girlfriend.

To sum it up, his life was... just average.

Then truck-kun struck.

Returning home after doing an endless stream of tuitions on a foggy night, a drunk truck driver slammed his massive vehicle on his frail motorbike.

Death was swift and instantaneous. He didn't even feel any pain.

After an endless interval of time, he opened his eyes.

He could see nothing except darkness everywhere. An oppressive pressure from all directions kept him in place, hindering any movement.

" I'm dead, right? I definitely died. Then this must be ... afterlife? So what the heck is this place? This definitely isn't hell, is it? I don't sense any oppressive heat, no valleys of flowing lava, nor do I hear the anguished screams of sinners undergoing purging. And this can't be heaven, I'm not qualified to go there–"

His ramblings were cut off by a deep but melodious voice.

"At least you are honest."

Raven, surprisingly, didn't flinch. After all, you can't hang a dead man.

The voice, unperturbed, continued in a robotic drawl.

[Suitable host detected. Initialising setup.]

[Setup paused. Current host body too weak.]

Raven couldn't help but be indignant. Who the heck was a formless voice calling weak?

[ Initiating backup. Host's mental and physical condition repaired.]

"Hey, hey am I a machine that you are repairing me?", screamed Raven, but no to avail.

[Re-initiating setup. Setup completed.]

[System interface integrated.]

[Searching suitable world and character.]

[Suitable world found. Suitable character detected.]

[Character name: Helios Raum Ignaz]

[Integrating host with character]

[Success. Host has become one with said character.]

Before Raven could process all these bizarre statements, his consciousness was violently jarred, and he woke up as Helios Raum Ignaz, the end result of an illicit affair between His Majesty the Emperor Vasilios Valentine Ignaz and a slave, Florence.

Then whatever happened, happened.

Just thinking about his long day made Raven feel exhausted. But it also lit a spark of excitement in his heart. His current situation intrigued him, and he felt extremely curious about his second chance. Excitement thrummed in his heart, a satisfying sensation he hadn't experienced so long. He was curious as to how great heights he would be able to scale in this world.

Suddenly jolting out of his musings, he screamed.

"Oh shit. I'm just so stupid. How could I possibly forget?"

"System, are you there?"

[Congratulations host, for finally remembering my humble existence.]

A robotic voice sneered.

Raven did not mind.

"Status", he screamed.

An iridescent ultramarine blue virtual screen appeared in front of him out of thin air. Bold red letters were intricately sculpted on it. Raven read...

Host name: Raven Black

Character name: Helios Raum Ignaz

Immediate family:

Vasilios Valentine Ignaz(father)

Florence (mother, deceased)

Eric Von Ignatius (sworn blood brother)

+ Innumerable step mothers and half siblings

Stats:

Strength: 150

Agility: 146

Stamina: 200

Endurance: 210

Intelligence: 160

Mana: 500

Traits:

Sapphire eye of revelation and subjugation: Reveals information regarding every object, and allow user to brand willing subjects as slaves. Currently at Level 1

Crimson Eye of Bloodlust: Increases all stats tenfold in battle. Time limit: 20 minutes. Currently at level 1

[???]

[???]

Inventory: Currently inaccessible

Shop: Currently Inaccessible

...

Raven gave way to exhaustion after reading upto this, falling into a deep slumber. The system, however snarky, kindly turned off the status window and went to work.

[Successfully activated two traits: Initiating Shop, Inventory, System Currency]

[Successfully evaded death: Calculating Reward]

[Successfully avoided murder: Calculating Reward]