I slouched deeper into my gaming chair, headset crooked on my head, as the Twitch chat spammed emojis faster than I could read.
> **Chat:**
> *"Whale Killer strikes again!"*
> *"Kenji OP! Teach me your ways!"*
> *"LOL dude, you broke another pay-to-win player."*
"Ladies and gentlemen," I said into the mic, my voice dripping with smug satisfaction, "this is why you never pay. Money is weakness. Patience is power."
My character's avatar posed triumphantly over the corpse of a boss that most players needed $300 worth of shiny premium gear to kill. Me? Full free-to-play. Always.
"Another whale down," I continued. "The secret? Discipline. Determination. And watching every damn ad they throw at you."
The chat exploded with laughter. I grinned, tapping the screen of my phone as a familiar pop-up appeared.
> **"Watch this ad for a FREE Legendary Chest!"**
"And that, my friends, is how a true god eats," I said, hitting the button without hesitation.
The screen faded into a loud, colorful trailer for some garbage gacha RPG. Half-naked elf girls, fake five-star drop rates, and the classic slogan: *"Play for free, but spend to win!"*
"Yeah, right," I muttered, reaching for my charging cable. My phone was at 3%, and this ad wasn't skippable. Classic.
I leaned forward, snatched the cable—
—and knocked over my half-empty can of energy drink.
The liquid cascaded down the desk like a sugary waterfall, splashing into the tangled mess of wires behind my PC.
**Spark.**
**Pop.**
**Pain.**
It hit like a thunderbolt. My whole body seized, muscles locking as electricity shot through me. I opened my mouth to scream, but all that came out was a pathetic wheeze.
The last thing I saw before everything went black?
Chat spamming "LMAO" in all caps.
My last thought?
*At least… I didn't… spend a dime…*
---
I woke up to blue skies.
Not the bluish tint of a monitor. Not the LED glow of my room. Real, endless sky stretching above me.
"Am I… outside?" I muttered, blinking against the sunlight.
I pushed myself up, grass tickling my arms. Wind ruffled my hair. A bird chirped overhead like it was mocking me.
"What the hell…"
Rolling fields stretched out in every direction. Trees dotted the landscape, swaying in the breeze. No buildings, no cars, no Wi-Fi. That last part hit me like a sucker punch.
Before I could panic, a sound chimed inside my skull. A *ding* so cheerful it made me flinch. Then—pop!—a floating holographic screen appeared in front of me, bright and obnoxious.
> **WELCOME TO ADVENTIA!**
> *A world of magic, monsters, and monetization!*
"…What the actual f—"
Another pop-up slid in, animated like a mobile banner ad:
> **Congratulations, Adventurer!**
> **Unique Skill Unlocked:** *Ad Surprise!*
> *'Watch ads to gain incredible rewards! Limited time offers every day!'*
I just stared at it, mouth open. "No. Nope. No way. Even in another world, I can't escape ads?!"
The system wasn't done.
> **Starter Pack Claimed!**
> *Basic Equipment Added: Wooden Stick (Attack +1)*
A stick—an actual stick—materialized in my hand. Not even a sword. A stick.
"…Wow. Peak isekai experience," I muttered. "Other guys get magic swords and overpowered skills. I get… AdSense."
Before I could spiral further, a low growl rumbled behind me.
I turned slowly.
A wolf stood about ten feet away, gray fur bristling, yellow eyes locked on me. Its lips peeled back in a snarl, strings of saliva dangling from its teeth.
"Oh, great," I whispered. "First day in fantasy land, and I'm already the special on the lunch menu."
I gripped my stick like a baseball bat and backed up a step. "Nice doggie. You don't want to eat me. I taste like… unpaid subscriptions."
The wolf lunged.
I swung with everything I had. The stick connected with its snout—*crack!*—and snapped in half like a breadstick.
"Oh, come on!" I yelped, tossing the useless splinter away.
The wolf crouched again, ready to pounce. My heart hammered in my chest. I had no weapon. No armor. No clue how to fight.
And then—*ding!*
Another holographic screen popped up in front of my face, bright red and flashing like a slot machine.
> **LIMITED TIME OFFER!**
> *Watch this 30-second ad to receive a Random Weapon and SURVIVE!*
"…Are you serious right now?"
Another pop-up appeared, counting down in big, bold letters:
> **Hurry! Offer expires in 10… 9… 8…**
The wolf snarled, muscles coiling.
I slammed my finger against the button so hard I nearly punched the air. "Fine! Play the damn ad!"
The world froze. The wolf hung mid-leap, suspended in the air like a glitch in The Matrix.
A cheery voice chirped in my ears:
> *"Download Dragon Clash today for amazing rewards!"*
I stood there, panting, as cartoon dragons danced across the screen in front of me. Bright colors, fake promises, obnoxious jingles—the works.
"Yeah, sure," I muttered, glancing at the frozen wolf. "This is my life now."
Thirty seconds later, the ad ended with a triumphant *ding!*
> **Congratulations! Reward Received:**
> *Iron Dagger (Attack +12)*
A dagger materialized in my hand, gleaming in the sunlight. I grinned despite myself.
"Okay," I said, gripping the handle. "Maybe ads aren't so bad after all."
The world resumed. The wolf's leap finished.
And I lunged to meet it.