The headlights came too fast.
Nash only had enough time to register the blinding light cutting through the rainy night before the sound followed: screeching tires, glass shattering, metal grinding against metal. His chest slammed into the steering wheel, and pain, hot and sharp, tore through his body.
The world spun. His breath caught, then vanished completely.
Everything went dark.
For a brief moment, he thought, so this is it. So this is how it ends.
But when Nash's eyes opened again, it was not darkness that greeted him.
The first thing he noticed was the smell. A rank, foul stench of damp garbage and rot filled his nose. His palms pressed against rough stone, his cheek against cold ground. Slowly, he pushed himself up, blinking rapidly.
A long, narrow alley stretched around him. The walls were cracked brick, smeared with grime. Overflowing trash bins lined one side, and puddles of black water reflected faint slivers of light from a single flickering lamp at the alley's mouth.
"What the hell…" Nash muttered, rubbing his chest instinctively. No pain. No broken bones. Not even a scar.
He touched his face, his arms, his legs. Perfectly fine.
"No way," he whispered, stumbling to his feet. "I… I died... I definitely died."
As if to confirm his confusion, a chime rang out. Soft, digital, artificial.
A glowing screen appeared before his eyes, suspended in midair. Its faint blue light contrasted harshly against the filthy alley. Words scrolled across the translucent display.
> [Welcome, Nash.]
[System initializing…]
[Your unique ability has been determined.]
[You have acquired: Indestructible Summons.]
Nash blinked at the screen, jaw hanging open.
"You've got to be kidding me," he said. "A… system? Seriously? This is straight out of a novel."
For a second, panic and relief clashed inside him. He should have been terrified, dying and then waking up in some strange place with floating words. Yet a part of him laughed.
He snorted, then chuckled, until finally a laugh burst from his chest. The sound echoed weakly in the narrow alley.
"Hah! Of course. I get hit by a car, and instead of heaven or hell, I wake up with a system. What's next, dragons? Magic swords?"
The UI pulsed faintly, as if acknowledging his words, but offered nothing more. Nash rubbed his face, muttering.
"This is insane... but this is also fucking great. A lot better than lying dead on the road."
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to step forward, out of the alley.
The city that greeted him looked familiar.
Tall buildings with glass windows, neon signs, cars zipping past on wide roads. People walked in coats, carrying bags, talking on their phones. Skyscrapers loomed in the distance, glowing with advertisements. It was Earth, or something very close to it.
Nash's eyes darted across the streets. Billboards displayed brands he did not recognize. The cars were sleek, but not the models he remembered. Even the language on signs was familiar letters, but twisted into names and words he could not place.
And then there was the money.
He stood awkwardly at the corner of a shop, pretending to look at the display window while watching a man pay at the counter inside. The bills exchanged were bright, colorful slips of paper, covered in strange symbols.
His stomach twisted.
"Not dollars. Not pesos. Not even yen. Great... Just great," Nash muttered under his breath. "No money, no ID, no house, no family. Fantastic start, Nash. Ten out of ten."
For hours, he wandered. He tried asking questions, only to be met with strange stares when he fumbled with his words. Most words he understood perfectly. Others blurred together, unfamiliar yet oddly interpretable. The system, maybe?
Eventually, exhaustion gnawed at him. His legs ached, his head spun, and his stomach rumbled.
With no destination, no plan, he slunk back into another alley. It was narrower and quieter than the first. A discarded cardboard box leaned against the wall, damp but usable. Nash sat down with a groan.
The glowing screen appeared again as if sensing his despair.
> [Would you like to summon your first puppet?]
Nash stared at it. His lips twitched.
"You're seriously going to tempt me with this now?"
The screen remained.
For a long moment, he hesitated. Then curiosity won.
"…Fine. Show me what you've got."
The interface shifted.
> [Summon Customization Activated.]
A new screen appeared, filled with sliders, models, features he could adjust. Height, body type, hair color, eye color. Everything customizable.
Nash's eyes widened. Then slowly, a grin crept across his face.
"This is just like character creation in a game," he whispered. "Oh man. Don't do this to me. You're making this too fun."
His tiredness seemed to vanish, replaced by giddy excitement. Fingers twitching, he began sliding options, tweaking features. His childish side took over.
He chuckled. "Alright, let's see. Six feet tall, slender but curvy, long hair, smooth, with bangs. Make the legs long. And yeah, boobs and butt... definitely can't forget those."
His grin widened until he laughed again.
"Damn. No man could resist her. I'm terribly sorry, my first creation, but I need to survive and beauty opens doors."
He pressed [Confirm].
The alley air shimmered. A faint light coalesced before him, twisting and solidifying into shape.
And then she stood there.
A woman. Six feet tall, skin flawless, body voluptuous yet elegant, her hair cascading down her back like silk. Her legs seemed to stretch forever, and her face was perfect symmetry, lips soft, eyes mesmerizing. She wore a simple black dress that hugged her form, as if the system itself dressed her for allure.
Nash's breath caught.
"…Holy shit."
She opened her eyes.
For a moment, silence stretched. The woman tilted her head, blinking at him with an expression both curious and calm.
Nash swallowed hard.
"Uh… hi."
The puppet did not answer and she did not move, only silent and obedient, waiting.
Nash sighed, rubbing his temple.
"Alright." he muttered. "We've got a world to figure out and a work to do."