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Darkness.
A low hum echoed in Rex's ears. Then a cold breeze brushed his skin, snapping him out of unconsciousness.
"Ugh… what the hell?"
He sat up with a grunt, palms pressed against the bare wooden floor. His vision was still blurry, but the glow in front of him was unmistakable. A soft blue screen hovered in the air, casting eerie light across the shadowy corners of his tiny room.
> [WELCOME, HOST.]
You have been selected by the Legendary Rockstar System.
Rex blinked.
"Nope," he muttered. "No way. I'm either still dreaming, dead… or going completely insane."
He staggered to his feet, staring at the floating screen. It was translucent but solid, like a video game HUD made real. His heart pounded.
This isn't possible.
But the words remained. Clear. Steady. Real.
> Your soul has been successfully bound.
Scanning Host…
Name: Rex Kade
Age: 18
Status: Newcomer to Parallel Earth #412-A
World Condition: Divergent Music Timeline Detected
Legendary Rock History: Absent
"Parallel Earth?" he muttered. "Divergent music timeline? What does that even—"
> "Congratulations, Rex Kade. You are now the sole inheritor of rock and metal's greatest legacy."
The voice wasn't loud, but it echoed inside his mind with weight and rhythm, like the first strike of a bass drum before a concert.
> "All of Earth's legendary songs… are yours alone."
He froze.
"Wait... You mean… no Metallica? No Nirvana? No Ozzy? No Queen?"
> Correct. This world never developed your timeline's iconic rock music. Your knowledge is exclusive intellectual property.
Silence.
Rex stood there, eyes wide, mouth slightly open, brain still buffering the cosmic scope of what he'd just been told. Then—like a fuse reaching the dynamite—he exploded.
"HAH! I knew something was off! No 'Bohemian Rhapsody'? No 'Enter Sandman'? No 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'?" His voice rose, wild and ecstatic. "I'm sitting on gold! A platinum mine!"
He spun in a circle, laughing.
"I'm gonna be rich. I'M GONNA BE A LEGEND!"
But the system's voice returned, cutting through his euphoria like a cymbal crash.
> Main Quest Unlocked
Project: Obsidian Saints
Goal: Become the world's greatest rock band frontman
Reward: [Title: The First Rockstar] + System Shop Access
> First Objective:
🎸 Recruit your first band member
Time Limit: 30 Days
Reward: [Beginner Music Pack]
Failure Penalty: System Lock for 6 Months
Rex blinked. "Thirty days?! That's it?! What kind of twisted gacha-game timer is that?!"
> Reminder: Music is war. Greatness isn't handed—it's earned.
He groaned, dragging a hand through his long, dark hair. "Okay, okay… So I have thirty days to find someone who wants to form a band with a total stranger claiming to be the next Kurt Cobain. Great."
Still… a flicker of something stirred in his chest. Excitement. Purpose.
He hadn't felt this alive in years.
His mother's overdose. The nights sleeping under bridges. The rejection from every band and studio he tried to join. All of it had left a hollow in him. A hunger that never stopped gnawing.
But now?
Now the universe had thrown him a lifeline. Not just any lifeline—a stage spotlight.
He squared his shoulders and spoke to the floating screen. "Alright then, System. Show me what you got."
The interface shimmered and expanded.
> New Functions Unlocked:
🎵 Song Archive – [Locked]
🧠 Talent Scan – [Active]
🎯 Quest Tracker – [Active]
🛒 System Shop – [Locked]
📈 Fame Meter – [0/100,000] Rookie
A small glowing UI followed him as he moved around the room, like a futuristic pet. He tapped "Talent Scan" with trembling fingers.
> Scan Activated. Searching Local Area for Musical Potential…
[Searching…]
[Match Detected – 0.8 km away]
🎸 Name: Kai Wolfe
Skill: Lead Guitar
Compatibility: 92%
Status: Practicing solo near Riverstone High's music building.
Rex's pulse spiked.
"Kai Wolfe… 92% compatibility?"
That wasn't just luck. That was destiny shredding a solo straight into his life.
He reached under the bed and pulled out his old guitar case. Inside was a battered acoustic, missing a string, but still alive with memory. It had been his lifeline in his previous world. Now it was his sword in this one.
"I've got a name. I've got a target. And I've got thirty days." He grinned. "Let's go make some noise."
Without another word, he grabbed the guitar, flung on his worn leather jacket, and rushed out the door. No plan. No map. Just fire in his blood and a song in his heart.
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