Chapter 1: Awakening

Shane Evangelista Buron gasped as his eyes fluttered open. His body felt strangely light yet overwhelmingly strong. The first thing that registered in his mind was the unfamiliar ceiling above him—white, sleek, and lined with neon blue circuits resembling an advanced digital interface. The room was vast, lined with monitors displaying various streams of data—schematics of Jaegers, Kaiju biological profiles, and even high-energy plasma reactor readouts. Everything in this room screamed one thing—technology far beyond what he was used to.

He slowly sat up, his senses sharper than he had ever known. A strange rush of vitality coursed through his veins, his body responding faster than he anticipated. He clenched his fists, feeling the sheer power in his grip. It was then that memories came flooding back.

The terrorist attack. The university under siege. The screams of his fellow students. His decision to hold the line, his final sacrifice. The bullet piercing his skull. Darkness.

And then…

The voice of God.

His encounter with the divine being was still fresh in his mind. The explanation had been surreal—his life had ended prematurely, his purpose left unfulfilled. Yet, because of some cosmic force, he was given a second chance. Not in his original world, but in one that mirrored his own, except for one terrifying difference—Kaiju.

Shane let out a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "So it wasn't a dream…"

He took a moment to assess himself. Looking down at his arms, he noticed something was off—his muscles were more defined, his skin free from the scars he once bore. He stood up and caught his reflection in a nearby mirror. His face remained the same, but there was something undeniably different. His body was… perfect. Enhanced.

His mind raced back to what God had said.

'You will be reborn in your counterpart's body in this world. You'll have the capabilities you desire—to control a Jaeger alone and a body that can endure it.'

It made sense now. The neural load of piloting a Jaeger required two pilots due to the immense strain. But if his body was enhanced to handle it alone, then he had truly been given a game-changing gift.

Turning to the room once more, Shane walked toward one of the screens, eyes scanning the data.

NAME: SHANE EVANGELISTA BURONAGE: 23

DESIGNATION: JAENGER PILOT CANDIDATE

CURRENT ASSETS: BURON HEAVY INDUSTRIES – JAENGER DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

His jaw nearly dropped. Buron Heavy Industries? His family in this world was rich enough to develop Jaegers?

God had mentioned this, but seeing it confirmed in writing made it more real. His counterpart in this world was not just any random civilian; he was born into one of the most powerful industrial families capable of constructing war machines.

Shane turned to another screen, which displayed a blueprint of a unique Jaeger.

MODEL: RAJAH

HEIGHT: 78 METERS

POWER SOURCE: DUAL FUSION CORE REACTORS

ARMAMENTS:

Plasma Castors

Hypervelocity Gauntlets

Tactical Rail Cannons

Adaptive Energy Shielding

Shane let out a low whistle. This wasn't just any Jaeger—this was a high-speed, high-mobility combat unit, tailored for a lone pilot. Unlike traditional Jaegers, which were built for two-pilot Drift compatibility, Asura Striker's neural interface was optimized for a single-user neural load.

It all made sense now. His body was designed to withstand the neural strain of single-pilot control. His new life came with all the tools he needed to fight.

As he took everything in, a notification beeped on the main console. A holographic AI appeared before him, its female voice cutting through the air.

"Good morning, Pilot Buron. Your scheduled neural synchronization test begins in one hour. Please proceed to the hangar."

Shane exhaled. No time to dwell on his past life.

He had a new mission now.

Stopping Kaiju.

And piloting a Jaeger alone.

With that, Shane clenched his fists, determination flashing in his eyes.

His new life in the Pacific Rim had begun.