Brooklyn, NY — June 12, 2019.
It had been three days since Rex woke up in this parallel world — a world familiar but strangely offbeat, where Nirvana never changed music, Metallica never melted faces, and Ozzy Osbourne never became the Prince of Darkness.
And yet, Rex felt more alive than ever.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE: Quest Unlocked – First Step to Immortality]
🎸 Objective: Acquire Professional-Grade Instrument
💻 Bonus Objective: Set Up Basic Home Recording Studio
💵 Available Funds: $1,000.00 (Reincarnation Compensation Package)
"Compensation package, huh?" Rex muttered to himself. "Guess Truck-kun has a conscience."
He stood outside a music store downtown — a modest, dusty place tucked between a laundromat and a fried chicken joint. The neon sign above the door simply read: "Tony's Strings & Things."
Inside, the air was thick with wood polish and dreams. Guitars of every shape and color lined the walls, some gleaming under spotlights, others clearly second-hand — well-loved, well-played.
"Need something special?" came a gruff voice.
Rex turned to see an older man, wiry and bearded, leaning over the counter.
"I need a guitar that can carry a revolution," Rex said without thinking.
Tony blinked. Then grinned. "I like you."
---
Two hours later, after playing a dozen different models, Rex settled on it: a black Schecter Hellraiser C-1. Glossy, aggressive, beautiful. The kind of guitar that looked like it could summon lightning when plugged in.
It felt right in his hands. Like it had been waiting for him.
> [SYSTEM UPDATE: New Weapon Acquired – Schecter Hellraiser C-1]
🎵 Tone Quality: A-
🎯 Live Performance Multiplier: +12%
⚡ Solo Potential: High
Tony threw in a used hard case and a few picks for free.
Rex paid $750. That left him $250.
"Got enough left to eat?" Tony asked.
Rex smirked. "I'll live on riffs."
---
The next stop was a tiny pawnshop where Rex found an old Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface, a Shure SM57 mic, and a set of used studio headphones. Combined with a free DAW and the borrowed laptop from his new apartment, he now had everything he needed.
> [SYSTEM UPDATE: Home Studio Activated – Quality: Basic]
🖥️ Recording Functionality: Enabled
🎚️ Track Export Option: Yes
💽 Mastering Support: System-Aided Available
By nightfall, Rex sat in his room — a small second-floor space overlooking a fire escape, the city humming outside like a giant amplifier. His new guitar rested on his lap, plugged in, armed and ready.
This was it. The first real step.
He cracked his knuckles, opened a new project on the DAW, and took a deep breath.
Then, with fingers both nervous and excited, he began to play.
---
The opening riff of "Come As You Are" echoed through his headphones — haunting, hypnotic, perfect. He played it slow at first, letting his muscle memory guide him. Then faster, more confidently.
He layered the guitars. Then the vocals.
He didn't try to sound exactly like Kurt.
He just let the feeling take over. Raw. Emotional. Real.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE: Legacy Track Recording in Progress]
🎧 Track Sync: 88%
🎙️ Emotion Resonance: High
🟢 Potential Rating: A
By midnight, he had recorded three demo tracks:
Come As You Are
Paranoid
Enter Sandman
He leaned back in his chair, sweat on his brow, eyes glowing.
This wasn't just music.
This was alchemy.
This was stealing fire from the gods and striking a match under a world that had never heard thunder like this.
> [Quest Complete: First Step to Immortality]
🎁 Reward: Track Export License Unlocked
🆕 Next Quest: Build Your Band (Status: In Progress)
Rex exhaled deeply, his fingers still tingling.
It wasn't much. A cheap mic. A second-hand guitar interface. But for the first time in his life — in either life — he had the tools to shape his destiny.
And with every chord, every scream, every crash of imagined drums in his ears, he was building a bridge between worlds.
He smiled at the screen.
"Let's see what happens when I upload one of these."
He clicked EXPORT.
And the countdown to legend began.