<{1}> A Reader's Obsession
It was a bright morning, the kind of day where the sun shone warmly but not too harshly. A perfect day to take a quiet stroll to the bookstore.
Kane Brawn had always been fond of reading. Books were more than a hobby for him, they were his comfort, his escape, and the one thing he never grew tired of.
At twenty-two, fresh out of college and still searching for a stable job, reading was one of the few things keeping his mind at ease. Work was scarce, and without his elder siblings' support, he wouldn't have managed to get by. Thankfully, they had settled into jobs earlier, and that safety net allowed Kane to chase his own little routines without starving.
Today, like most days, he decided to visit the local bookstore. The small shop wasn't the fanciest place in town, but it was where he always found his treasures.
Sure, it would have been easier to just use his phone. With technology, anyone could binge thousands of novels online without leaving their bed. There were apps, websites, and services filled with stories from all over the world.
But Kane disliked them.
The problem with most online novels was simple, they all felt the same.
Overly saturated system stories. Predictable "weak-to-strong" main characters. Endless clichés. What bothered him most was how shallow they had become. The main character's abilities always took center stage, while the plot, the world, and the side characters were left to rot.
They lacked soul.
Kane had tried reading them. He even attempted bingeing a few like others did. But every time, it ended the same way, he grew bored, drowsy, and eventually fell asleep with the story half-read.
But books from the bookstore? Now those were different.
Physical novels carried weight, not just in his hands but in his heart. They were carefully crafted, edited, and layered with detail. Among them, there was one series that had completely captured him, Goblin Supremacy.
Unlike typical fantasy novels where humans, elves, or noble warriors took the spotlight, this story had a monster as its protagonist. A goblin, of all things.
At first glance, it sounded ridiculous. Who could relate to a goblin? Who would cheer for a creature normally slaughtered at the beginning of every hero's journey? But as Kane read, he found himself pulled into the raw struggles of the monster's rise.
The goblin fought, bled, evolved, and climbed from nothing into a force that threatened entire civilizations. Each evolution changed him, granting new abilities, but also new burdens. The story didn't just show his strength, it showed his hatred, his grief, and his thirst for revenge. His tribe had been exterminated, and his war against humanity was a saga unlike any Kane had ever read.
Volume after volume, Kane devoured the tale. From the goblin's first bloody battle to his conquest of the Human Dynasty, the oldest civilization in the world, the story had grown grander, darker, and more thrilling. Now, in Volume 4, the goblin's army stood against the mighty Kahrindral Confederation, an alliance of five nations. The stage was set for an explosive clash.
Kane couldn't wait to get his hands on it.
Excited, he arrived at the bookstore and hurried straight to the fantasy shelves. His eyes scanned eagerly, searching for the familiar title.
But it wasn't there.
He frowned and looked again, moving from one shelf to the next. Still nothing. His heartbeat quickened.
"No, no, no…" Kane muttered as panic crept in.
He rushed to the counter and leaned forward. "Excuse me, but where's Goblin Supremacy, Volume 4? It should've been released by now."
The clerk gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. There's been a delay. The release date has been pushed back."
Kane's heart sank. "Do you know when it'll be out?"
The clerk shook his head. "I don't. The author hasn't confirmed anything yet."
Kane clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling inside. He forced a small nod. "I see… thanks anyway."
It wasn't the clerk's fault, but that didn't make the disappointment sting any less.
On his way home, his mood darkened. His thoughts kept circling back to the unfinished story. He wanted, no, he needed to know what happened next.
That evening, he sat in front of his laptop and reluctantly searched online. He disliked online platforms, but desperation left him no choice.
"Goblin Supremacy…" he typed.
Most results were unhelpful, forum discussions, speculation threads, fan theories. None of it gave him a real answer. But then he noticed something buried in a thread.
An email address.
The supposed Gmail handle of the author himself.
Kane's eyes widened. His fingers itched. Without hesitation, he clicked.
<{2}> Reader's Curse
Kane's hands hovered over the keyboard. He hesitated for only a moment before typing.
Good evening, sir. My name is Kane Brawn, and I'm an avid follower of your novel, Goblin Supremacy. May I ask when the fourth volume will be released?
He read it over, nodded, and hit send.
Minutes passed. He didn't expect a reply. Authors rarely responded directly to fans. But then, ding! His phone buzzed.
A reply.
Ah, that novel? Sorry pal, but I won't be releasing any more of it.
Kane blinked. His chest tightened. He hadn't expected that.
Taking a deep breath, he typed back. Uhm, is there a reason why?
The response was blunt.
What's the point of writing a novel without readers to support it?
"…I get it," Kane muttered. He could understand. Writing without support must be hard.
But still…
He typed again. But sir, I am a reader. I've supported the story from the start. It means a lot to me.
The reply came sharp and cold.
What's one reader going to do? It's canceled. Final. Don't disturb me again.
Kane's patience snapped. His fingers flew across the keyboard, fueled by anger.
You are one hell of a shitty author, you know that right! Caring more about monetary gain while forgetting there are those with expectations for more
Kane was frustrated. Very much so. How could this author be so selfish and how could he not even give a damn about his reader.
He hit send.
The author replied almost mockingly.
Hey, if you like it so much, why don't you go live in it? Experience the story for yourself.
He growled, slamming his fingers down. If only I could! In fact, I'd probably steer the story in a better direction than you ever could.
Oh… is that a challenge?
Damn right it is. Kane didn't even think. His frustration spoke for him.
Then came the message that chilled him.
Fine. Your wish is granted. Kane Brawn, you shall be reincarnated into the world of Goblin Supremacy. Try your hardest to survive.
Kane stared at the screen, then scoffed. "This guy's definitely on something."
He tossed his phone aside, unwilling to waste more energy.
That night, he drifted off to sleep still annoyed. But when his eyes opened again…
The ceiling was gone. The bed beneath him had vanished.
Instead, a cozy, unfamiliar room with a sparkly chandelier stared at him from above the white and gold plated ceiling.
Kane's heart raced.
"Wait… did I just… reincarnate? Like that shitty author said?!"