Chapter 1 — A Goddess, a Truck, and a Really Bad Decision
There were three things Zach Grace knew for certain.
One: college was exhausting.
Two: he had an exam tomorrow that he probably wasn't prepared for.
Three: watching anime at two in the morning was probably not going to help him pass it.
Zach stared at his laptop screen, rubbing his tired eyes.
The room was dark except for the glow of the monitor.
On the screen was an episode of KonoSuba.
He had already watched it several times, but he couldn't help himself.
There was something strangely comforting about watching a group of idiots repeatedly make terrible decisions.
Especially when compared to his own life.
"One more episode," Zach muttered.
He yawned.
"Then I'll study."
His phone displayed 2:17 AM.
Zach stared at the time.
"…Tomorrow."
He closed his laptop and fell onto his bed.
Five minutes later, he was asleep.
When Zach opened his eyes again, he was standing in an enormous white room.
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then he looked down at himself.
His clothes were exactly the same.
His phone was gone.
His laptop was gone.
His bed was gone.
His room was gone.
"…Okay."
Zach slowly turned around.
Nothing.
Just an endless white space.
"Am I dreaming?"
"No."
A woman's voice answered from behind him.
Zach froze.
He slowly turned.
A beautiful blue-haired woman was sitting behind a desk.
She wore a white-and-blue dress, and her expression was one of complete confidence.
Zach stared at her.
The woman stared back.
He narrowed his eyes.
She smiled.
He pointed at her.
"…Aqua?"
Her smile disappeared.
"Excuse me?"
"Aqua."
"Yes, that's my name."
Zach covered his face with both hands.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
Aqua stood up.
"Why are you reacting like that?!"
"Because I know who you are!"
"Then you should be honored!"
"That's exactly what I'm worried about."
Aqua's eyebrow twitched.
"You know, most people are very excited when they discover they've met a goddess."
"Most people probably don't know what you did to Kazuma."
Aqua went silent.
"…How much do you know?"
"Enough."
She looked away.
"I see."
Zach folded his arms.
"So I'm dead?"
Aqua immediately regained her confidence.
"Correct! You have unfortunately passed away."
"How?"
Aqua smiled.
"Well…"
She paused.
"…It's a little embarrassing."
"How embarrassing?"
"Extremely."
Zach stared at her.
"Did you mess something up?"
"No!"
"Are you sure?"
"I am a goddess!"
"That didn't answer my question."
Aqua slammed her hands on the desk.
"You died, and that's all that matters!"
Zach sighed.
"Fine. So what happens now?"
Aqua pulled out a sheet of paper.
"Normally, I would explain your reincarnation options and send you to another world."
"Another world?"
"Yes!"
She smiled proudly.
"A world filled with magic, monsters, adventure, and powerful Demon Kings!"
Zach's eyes widened.
"…Wait."
He looked at her.
"What world?"
Aqua tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
"What's the name of the world?"
Aqua shrugged.
"I don't think it has a name."
Zach stared at her.
"Is there a city called Axel?"
Aqua's expression changed.
"How do you know that?"
"There's a Crimson Demon village, right?"
"…Yes."
"And a Demon King."
"Yes."
"And you're going to send people there to fight him."
"That's generally how reincarnation works."
Zach slowly rubbed his forehead.
"This is KonoSuba."
Aqua blinked.
"What is KonoSuba?"
Zach stared at her.
"Nothing."
He couldn't exactly explain that her entire life was an anime.
Aqua crossed her arms.
"Well, regardless, you're going to be reincarnated into a dangerous fantasy world."
"Do I get a cheat ability?"
"Of course!"
Aqua smiled.
"This is where things become interesting."
She leaned forward.
"Normally, I allow reincarnated people to choose one special ability, weapon, or item to take with them."
Zach thought carefully.
Aqua waited.
He thought about magic.
He thought about powerful weapons.
He thought about immortality.
He could ask for almost anything.
But then another thought entered his mind.
Dragon Ball.
Zach had always loved the idea of training from nothing and becoming stronger.
Not being handed unlimited power.
Not instantly becoming some unstoppable god.
Training.
Breaking limits.
Pushing past what should be possible.
Zach looked at Aqua.
"I have a request."
Aqua smiled.
"Go ahead."
"I want a training system."
Aqua blinked.
"A training system?"
"Yes."
"What kind?"
Zach grinned.
"Something based on Dragon Ball."
Aqua stared at him.
"…Dragon Ball?"
"Exactly."
"What is that?"
Zach's grin disappeared.
"Never mind."
He took a breath.
"I want a system that lets me train my body and learn ki."
Aqua's eyes narrowed.
"Ki?"
"Energy manipulation. Martial arts. Gravity training. Techniques. Transformations."
Aqua's expression slowly became more interested.
"Transformations?"
"Eventually."
"How powerful would this system make you?"
Zach shrugged.
"That depends on how hard I train."
Aqua looked suspicious.
"So you don't want me to simply give you overwhelming power?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because that would be boring."
Aqua stared at him.
"…You're strange."
"Thanks."
"I wasn't complimenting you."
"I'll take it anyway."
Aqua tapped her finger against the desk.
"Fine."
She stood.
"As a goddess, I can grant your request."
Zach's eyes widened.
"Seriously?"
"Of course!"
Aqua raised one hand dramatically.
"By the authority of the great goddess Aqua—"
"Wait."
She stopped.
"What?"
"Can the system have limitations?"
Aqua frowned.
"Why would you want limitations?"
"So I don't become ridiculously overpowered immediately."
"…You're asking for a power that makes you stronger, but you're specifically asking me not to make you too strong?"
"Pretty much."
Aqua stared at him.
"You're an idiot."
"Maybe."
She smiled.
"Very well."
Light surrounded Zach.
For a moment, the entire room became silent.
Then—
DING!
A strange electronic sound echoed through the white room.
Zach froze.
A translucent blue screen appeared in front of him.
[DRAGON BALL TRAINING SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
Host: Zach Grace
Age: 19
Race: Human
Power Level: 5
Ki: 0
Ki Control: 0%
Combat Ability: Beginner
Current Status: Healthy
Zach stared at the screen.
"…It worked."
Aqua looked over his shoulder.
"I don't see anything."
"You can't?"
"No."
Zach smiled.
"Perfect."
Another notification appeared.
[SYSTEM FUNCTIONS UNLOCKED]
• Ki Cultivation
• Physical Training
• Martial Arts Training
• Ki Control
• Training Missions
• Power-Level Detection
• Skill Development
Additional functions will unlock as the host progresses.
Zach's excitement grew.
Then another notification appeared.
[IMPORTANT SYSTEM RULE]
The system will not directly grant the host combat power.
Strength must be earned through training.
Pain, fatigue, injury, and failure cannot be bypassed.
The stronger the host becomes, the greater the required training.
Zach nodded.
"That's exactly what I wanted."
Aqua looked at him strangely.
"You're happy about this?"
"Absolutely."
"You're going to have to exercise."
"I know."
"Every day."
"I know."
"You could get hurt."
"I know."
"You could die."
Zach paused.
"…You didn't have to say that part."
Aqua smiled triumphantly.
"Then perhaps you should reconsider."
Zach looked at the system.
Then he looked at Aqua.
Then he looked back at the system.
"No."
Aqua sighed.
"Stubborn."
"Determined."
"Stupid."
"Motivated."
"Idiot."
"You're running out of insults."
"Moron."
"Okay, that one was good."
Aqua groaned.
"I've already decided I don't like you."
Zach smiled.
"Great. We're getting along."
Aqua returned to her desk.
"Now that your ability has been decided, it's time to send you to your new world."
"Wait."
"What?"
"Do I get anything else?"
Aqua stared at him.
"What else do you want?"
"Money?"
"No."
"Equipment?"
"No."
"Food?"
"You'll have to buy that yourself."
"A map?"
"No."
"A place to stay?"
"No."
Zach stared at her.
"You're really sending me into a fantasy world with nothing?"
"That's the point!"
Aqua proudly pointed toward the enormous door behind Zach.
"Your adventure begins now!"
Zach looked at the door.
Then back at Aqua.
"One last question."
"Yes?"
"How dangerous is the area I'm being sent to?"
Aqua smiled.
"Not very!"
Zach relaxed.
"Really?"
"Well…"
Aqua looked away.
"There are monsters."
"How strong?"
"Some are harmless."
"And the dangerous ones?"
"They can kill you."
Zach's smile disappeared.
"That's not reassuring."
Aqua waved dismissively.
"You'll be fine!"
"You said that way too confidently."
"Because I'm a goddess!"
Zach sighed.
"Right."
He walked toward the door.
Aqua called after him.
"Zach!"
He turned.
"Yeah?"
She smiled.
"Try not to die."
Zach stared at her.
"…You really are Aqua."
"What does that mean?!"
The door opened.
A blinding light swallowed him.
Zach hit the ground.
Hard.
"OW!"
He rolled onto his back.
For several seconds, he simply stared at the sky.
Blue.
Clouds.
Sunlight.
Birds.
Zach slowly sat up.
"…I'm actually here."
He looked around.
A dirt road stretched into the distance.
Beyond it were green fields and mountains.
It looked exactly like a fantasy world.
Then the system appeared.
[WELCOME TO THE FANTASY WORLD]
Main Objective: Survive.
Secondary Objective: Become Stronger.
Optional Objective: Defeat the Demon King.
Training Mission #1
Complete:
100 Push-ups
100 Sit-ups
100 Squats
10 Kilometer Run
Reward: Ki Control
Failure: No reward
Zach stared at the mission.
He slowly stood.
"One hundred…"
He looked at the road.
"…push-ups."
Then the sit-ups.
Then the squats.
Then the ten-kilometer run.
Zach's confidence began disappearing.
"Whoever designed this system is a psychopath."
A voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Hey!"
Zach turned.
A young man was standing several feet away.
Dark hair.
Green tracksuit.
Confused expression.
Zach stared at him.
The young man stared back.
Neither spoke.
Then Zach's eyes widened.
"…Kazuma?"
Kazuma's expression became suspicious.
"How do you know my name?"
Zach smiled.
"That's a long story."
Kazuma narrowed his eyes.
"…Are you an enemy?"
"No."
"Are you a noble?"
"No."
"Are you rich?"
"No."
Kazuma relaxed.
"Then we're probably fine."
Zach blinked.
"That's your criteria?"
"Pretty much."
The two stood silently on the road.
Neither knew it yet.
But the arrival of Zach Grace had just changed the story.
And somewhere far behind them, in a white room between life and death, Aqua suddenly realized something.
She had forgotten to ask Zach one very important question.
What exactly was Dragon Ball?
End of Chapter 1