Darkness.Pure darkness.
That was all Lucas could see.
It was all so confusing—and scary. He found himself floating in some strange place with nothing but pitch-black emptiness around him. There was no sound, no floor beneath him, no sky above. Just... void.
"What happened?""Why am I here?"
He struggled to remember the last thing he had done. His mind felt foggy, as if buried under layers of static. But then, like a crash of memory, it all came rushing back to him.
He remembered—the street, the groceries, the bag tearing open... and then—
Wait. Did I really die?Or am I in a coma?
"Shit. Shit. Shit."
I can't die. Not now. I still have so much to do.
His thoughts spiraled.
What about my parents?What about Eric?What about my baby sister?
What'll they do without me?Damn... I can't even imagine the pain they'll be in if I'm really gone.
"Why?" he whispered to no one. "Why me? Why now?"
Why did I have to pick up those damn onions?Why did that damn truck have to hit me?
"WHY!?"
He shouted into the void, but nothing responded. The silence was unbearable.
His emotions were spiraling—sadness, fear, regret. His mood turned sour, heavy. And more than anything… he felt tired. A deep, dragging exhaustion, like his very soul was worn out.
So he floated. Quietly. Alone.
There was no way to tell how much time passed. Minutes, hours, days—maybe even longer. Time didn't seem to exist here.
All he knew was that he was in this strange, dark place for what felt like forever.
And then—something changed.
He felt it: a strange force tugging at him from somewhere far off. At first, it was faint, like being slowly drawn toward a magnet. But it grew stronger. More urgent.
The darkness around him began to shift. A white light appeared in the distance—soft at first, then brighter and brighter until it became blinding.
He didn't resist. Couldn't resist. The light consumed him.
And then—he opened his eyes.
He was no longer floating. No longer in the void.
He was being held by someone.
A middle-aged woman with a warm smile looked down at him.
"My lady, it's a boy!" she said, her voice filled with excitement.
Lucas blinked.
Wait—what?
He was confused. He couldn't move properly. His body felt... small. Weak. The woman's arms were huge compared to him.
Before he could process anything, he was gently passed into someone else's arms.
"Let me see him," said a soft, sweet voice.
He looked up—and was stunned.
A young woman with long silver-white hair and glowing red eyes was smiling down at him with such gentle love that it made his chest ache.
"Fufufu~ What a lovely expression you have, my baby," she said playfully, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Are you already amazed by your mom's beauty?"
Lucas stared, wide-eyed.
Okay… where the hell am I?
I thought I died. Did I reincarnate?
He glanced around as much as his newborn neck would let him, trying to gather more information. The room was clean, dimly lit and quiet. It felt warm and soft, but strange— it feels like a hospital but it's definitely not an hospital.
Is this… really happening?
Just as the questions started piling up in his head, something else happened.
A glowing blue panel suddenly appeared in front of his eyes.
It was translucent, like a screen from a video game.
(Welcome to the world of Aldoria, host.)
Lucas froze.
Aldoria? That name sounds familiar... but from where?
He tried to remember, digging into his past memories. Then it hit him.
Aldoria… wasn't that the name of the fantasy world from that one anime?What was it called again...? Chūgal na Tensei or something?
He groaned mentally.
You've got to be kidding me. That garbage anime? The one Eric kept bugging me to watch? So my dumb luck reincarnated me into that cliché-filled show?
The screen didn't go away. Before he could think more, another line appeared.
(Hello. Welcome to the Dragon System, host.)
"Dragon what?" Lucas thought. "You've got to be kidding me."
(The Dragon System. and i'm not joking host)
Lucas blinked again.
Okay... What does that even mean?
"Wait. Hold up. I'm totally confused here. Do you mind explaining what the hell is happening?" he asked in his mind.
(Certainly, host. To explain simply: you died in your previous world and have been reincarnated into the world of Aldoria. You may recall this world from the anime 'Chūgal na Tensei,' which you watched before your death.)
Lucas stared at the panel.
"So it's official. I really did die. Got isekai'd into an anime I didn't even like… and now I've got some system in my head?"
He sighed mentally.
What a mess.
The moment was broken by something warm brushing against his lips. His new mother had pulled him close, offering her breast for feeding. His instincts kicked in, and before he could protest, he found himself reaching up with his tiny hands and suckling.
The milk was surprisingly good—sweet, comforting. He was still confused, yes, but the warmth of his mother's arms, the taste of the milk, the calm heartbeat he heard in her chest… it all soothed him.
Fine. I'll figure this out later, he thought. For now, I'll just go on with the flow.
He drank quietly, letting the milk fill his tiny belly. After a while, sleep pulled at him again. Exhausted—physically and mentally—he let himself drift off.
His mother looked down at him with a tender smile. She'd been silent the whole time, simply holding and watching him.
"He's asleep," she whispered.
The midwife nodded. "Shall I put him in his cot, my lady?"
"Yes, please," she said softly. "He needs to rest."
Lucas was lifted again, gently placed into a small crib made of polished wood and soft cloth. His tiny chest rose and fell slowly, the peaceful sleep of a child.
His mother lingered for a moment longer, then lay back and closed her eyes as well. Her breathing slowed as she, too, drifted into rest.
The room grew quiet again.