Beginning of a new life

A boy lay sprawled across a thin mattress, staring blankly at the cracked ceiling above him. The dim light from the lone bulb in his room flickered, casting uneven shadows on the stained walls. The place reeked of instant noodles, sweat, and the unmistakable staleness of neglect.

His dark hair was unkempt, strands falling over sharp eyes dulled by exhaustion. His face, neither particularly handsome nor ugly, carried a permanent look of indifference. A hoodie—once black, now faded to a worn-out gray—hung loosely over his lean frame, the sleeves frayed from years of use. His jeans weren't in any better shape, with small tears around the knees and dried stains that he never bothered to wash out.

This was his world.

A shitty apartment, an empty fridge, and a life that felt more like a waiting room for death than something worth living.

Seventeen years old. A high school dropout. No future. No money. No real reason to exist.

Not that he particularly cared.

People worked their asses off just to get by, grinding through school, jobs, relationships—all for what? A stable life? A family? None of that had ever appealed to him.

He had long since stopped believing in hard work. In fairness. In anything, really.

The world had already made it clear—people like him didn't get to "succeed."

He let out a slow breath, shifting his gaze to the window. Outside, neon lights flickered, painting the night in artificial colors. Cars honked. People laughed. Somewhere, life went on.

Not for him.

His hand reached for the half-empty cup of ramen beside his bed. Cold. Stale. He grimaced but took a bite anyway.

This was his life. This was all it would ever be.

…Unless.

The thought came uninvited, creeping into his mind like a whisper.

What if this wasn't his world?

He had always been obsessed with fantasy worlds—the kind where weak nobodies like him could rise to the top. Where harems were normal. Where beast girls actually existed.

Yeah. That would be nice.

He exhaled through his nose, smirking at his own ridiculousness.

"As if that would ever happen," he muttered.

Still.

Just once, he wished it could.

"God, if you're real, send me somewhere else," he said under his breath.

"Somewhere better."

Somewhere where he, Chris, wasn't just another worthless nobody.

Silence.

Then—

A sharp crack split through the air.

His entire body tensed as a blinding light erupted from the ceiling, swallowing the room whole.

His breath caught. His vision blurred.

And then—

The world vanished.

------------------

Chris slammed onto solid ground, pain shooting up his back. His vision spun, the sky above too bright, too vivid.

The scent of grass filled his nose.

What the hell just happened?

He pushed himself up, eyes darting around. Open fields stretched endlessly. No buildings. No cars. No people.

Not Earth.

His breath hitched.

Did I… actually get isekai'd?!

A rush of excitement flooded his veins.

Yes! This is it! My new life!

He braced himself, waiting for the divine voice to announce his overpowered abilities.

…Nothing.

No system message. No status screen. No legendary weapon magically appearing.

Chris's grin wavered. "Wait… where's my cheat skill?"

Silence.

He patted himself down. Same hoodie. Same jeans. Same empty pockets.

Oh, come on.

An hour passed. Then two.

His initial excitement turned to dread. His throat burned with thirst, his stomach ached, and his legs felt like lead.

Reality hit him hard.

This isn't a game. No tutorial. No free items.

Just him. Alone.

Then, in the distance—walls.

A town!

Chris forced himself to run, energy returning at the thought of food and shelter.

As he neared, he spotted two armored guards at the gate, inspecting every person who passed.

'Shit.'

A glance at the other travelers confirmed his fears. They all wore medieval-style tunics and cloaks.

Meanwhile, he was dressed like a lost tourist.

If he walked up like this, they'd stop him. Ask questions. Maybe even lock him up.

Chris scanned the entrance, looking for an opening.

Then he noticed something.

The guards checked adventurers and travelers carefully. But merchants? They barely glanced inside their wagons before waving them through.

That's my way in.

Chris moved toward a slow-moving merchant cart. As it passed, he slipped underneath the canvas, heart pounding.

A guard's voice rang out. "Inspection."

Chris held his breath.

The merchant groaned. "Come on, I've been through here a hundred times."

A pause. Then—

"Fine, move along."

Chris waited until they were deep inside before slipping out into a side alley.

Step one: Enter the town – success.

Now, step two: Blend in.

A few feet away, a man lay slumped against a wall, reeking of alcohol. His clothes—a rough brown tunic and pants—were exactly what Chris needed.

He crouched beside him. "Hey, you awake?"

The man groaned.

Perfect.

Chris swapped clothes, stuffing his hoodie and jeans onto the drunk.

The tunic was itchy as hell, but at least he looked like a local now.

Step two: Blend in – success.

Now came the real problem.

He had no money.

His first stop was the library.

"Entry fee's three copper," the librarian said, barely looking up.

Chris forced a smile. "I'll, uh… be right back."

Next, the adventurer's guild.

He stepped inside, eyes immediately locking onto the receptionist.

Holy…

She was gorgeous. Long silver hair, curves in all the right places, and an outfit that barely covered anything.

Chris swallowed, pushing down his perverted thoughts.

He approached the desk, flashing his best "totally-not-broke" smile. "Hey there. I'd like to register as an adventurer."

She smiled back. "That'll be five silver."

Chris froze.

Shit.

Lending money was out of the question. What if he couldn't pay it back? Adventurers were strong. He… wasn't.

But he couldn't admit he was broke. Not in front of her.

He forced a chuckle. "Oh, right! I, uh… left my money at home. I'll be right back!"

He walked out with the most casual pace he could manage.

Once outside, he sighed.

Okay. Options.

1. Steal money.

2. Enter a dungeon and find treasure.

Stealing was risky.

But dungeons?

He glanced at the guild's notice board, scanning the rules.

Only registered adventurers could enter dungeons.

And only adventurers could sell monster drops.

Chris grinned.

"If I can sneak in and find something valuable, like treasure, it should atleast give me enough money to have a place to sleep and some food to eat."

The dungeon entrance seemed to be empty.

Perfect.

He slipped inside, greeted by dimly lit stone walls and an eerie silence.

The deeper he went, the more confident he felt.

"This is it. This is where my fortune begins—"

Slash

A distant sound caught his attention.

A battle.

He rounded a corner and stopped dead.

A beautiful woman fought against two monstrous beasts.

She was fast, her sword slicing through the air with precision, but she was struggling.

Chris's mind raced.

If I save her, she'll be grateful. Maybe even join me.

It was the purest thought he'd had since arriving.

Mostly.

Without thinking, he charged forward.

"Hey, ugly!" he shouted at the nearest beast.

It turned.

Chris swung his fist with all his might.

His knuckles met fur-covered muscle.

The beast didn't even flinch.

"Uh-oh."

A massive claw swung toward him.

Chris barely had time to react before it struck his chest, sending him flying.

He crashed into the stone wall, pain exploding through his body.

The last thing he saw before darkness took him—

The woman's shocked expression.

Then—nothing.