Darkness.
That was all Kael could see. Endless, absolute, suffocating darkness.
His stomach lurched as though gravity had abandoned him. His arms flailed instinctively, but there was nothing to grab, no ground beneath him, no walls to steady himself. Only the sensation of falling, falling forever.
Then came the light.
It began as a pinprick in the distance, sharp against the void. It grew rapidly, stretching, swelling, until it became a blinding flare. Kael squinted, covering his eyes with his forearm, but the brilliance seared through his lids.
And then—
BANG!
The world slammed into him. His back hit solid ground with bone-rattling force.
"AHH—shit!" Kael gasped, rolling onto his side. Pain lanced through his spine.
Groaning, he pushed himself up on trembling arms, coughing as dust filled his lungs. He blinked rapidly, eyes adjusting to the new brightness around him.
And froze.
"This… isn't my room."
The ceiling fan, the laptop, the familiar four walls—gone. In their place stretched an open sky tinted with strange hues, a vast horizon where rolling plains of green met jagged mountains in the distance. The air was sharp and fresh, carrying scents of soil and wildflowers.
Kael's heart thundered. "Where the fuck… am I?"
That was when he heard it.
A voice. But not from outside. Not from any direction. It was inside his head. Cold. Mechanical. Perfectly clear.
[System initializing…]
Kael jolted. "What the—who's there?"
[Host found.]
[Completing process.]
[System installed.]
The words weren't spoken. They were delivered directly into his mind, vibrating like code written across his thoughts.
Kael clutched his head. "What the hell is happening? Am I losing it?"
Then, finally:
[Welcome to the World of Nythhera.]
Kael's eyes went wide. "Nythhera…?"
Recognition sparked in him. He knew that name. He had seen it countless times in the game's lore.
"The same Nythhera? The one from Dominion of Desire?"
[Yes. You have been transmigrated here.]
Kael stared blankly at the sky. The words rang in his ears, absurd, impossible—and yet undeniable.
"Trans…migrated?" He laughed weakly, though his voice cracked. "Like those main characters in webnovels? You're telling me I just… woke up in another world?"
[Correct.]
Kael dragged his hands down his face. "Oh my fucking god. Am I seriously… the main character now?"
[Designation: Host. Objective assigned.]
Kael braced himself, pulse quickening. "What objective?"
The voice replied, calm and detached:
[Your goal is to survive. Build your own kingdom from nothing. Dominate the world of Nythhera. And—]
The pause was slight, but Kael felt it like a blade pressing against his chest.
[—conquer women to strengthen your dominion and expand your legacy.]
Kael froze, his mouth hanging open.
"…What did you just say?"
[Survive. Build. Dominate. Conquer.]
The words repeated, each one echoing in his skull.
Kael staggered to his feet, glaring at the empty air. "What the hell kind of mission is that? I just— I just got sucked through a portal! I don't even know if I'll make it past today, and you're telling me to… to dominate the world? And what's this about conquering women? What kind of messed-up system are you?"
His voice cracked into the empty plains. But the system did not answer his anger.
Only silence.
Then a faint ping sounded in his head.
[Newcomer Bonus and Survival Package received.]
Kael froze. "Wait—what?"
Before his eyes, something shimmered into existence. The air rippled, bending like heat haze, until a glowing box formed in front of him. It floated inches above the ground, golden light radiating from its surface.
Kael stared. "…Holy shit. It's real."
He reached out with trembling fingers. The box was warm, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat. For a moment, fear held him back. What if it exploded? What if touching it killed him?
But curiosity—and desperation—won.
He pressed his palm against the surface.
The box dissolved into motes of light, scattering like fireflies.
In its place lay several items neatly arranged on the grass:
A leather satchel.
A small pouch of coins that jingled faintly.
A dagger with a plain hilt, gleaming sharp.
A rolled parchment sealed with red wax.
And a waterskin filled with cool liquid.
Kael dropped to his knees, staring.
"This is… this is exactly like those survival starter kits in the game."
His hands trembled as he picked up the dagger. It was heavier than he expected, real and solid in his grip. He swallowed, the reality of his situation pressing down on him harder than ever.
He wasn't dreaming. He wasn't hallucinating.
He was here.
Kael sat back on the grass, dagger across his knees, staring up at the alien sky.
His mind raced. Just a few hours ago, he had been in his shitty apartment, playing this very game. Now, he was inside it. Transmigrated. Given a system. A mission.
It was everything gamers and novel readers fantasized about.
And yet— Kael's throat tightened. He wasn't excited. He wasn't grinning or celebrating.
He was terrified.
"This isn't some light novel," he whispered to himself. "This isn't… fun. This is real."
He looked at his hands, at the dirt under his nails, at the faint ache in his back from the fall. Every sensation screamed reality.
"How am I supposed to build a kingdom? Survive? Dominate a whole world?" His laugh cracked, bitter. "I can't even survive a day in my own life back home."
The system remained silent. Cold. Watching.
Kael dropped his face into his hands. "Why me? Who told you to bring me here?"
No answer.
Only the faint breeze over the plains, rustling the grass around him.
And the notification still lingering in the corner of his vision:
[Newcomer Bonus and Survival Package received.]
Kael exhaled shakily, forcing himself to breathe. He couldn't afford to fall apart—not now.
"Okay," he muttered, gripping the dagger tighter. "Okay. I'm here. I don't know why. I don't know how. But if this is real… if this is really happening…"
His eyes narrowed, a flicker of something burning through the fear.
"Then I'll survive. I don't care what I have to do. If this world wants me to fight, then I'll fight. If I need to build, I'll build. And if I have to dominate just to live—"
He clenched his jaw, teeth grinding.
"—then I'll fucking dominate."
The system chimed once more, as if acknowledging his words.
[Survival phase begins.]
Kael's heart pounded. He looked at the horizon, at the mountains in the distance, at the vast unknown stretching before him.
This was no longer just a game.
This was his life.
And it had only just begun.