Did I die? He thought, his mind foggy and disoriented, as if emerging from a deep, unnatural slumber.
He had been just sitting there, holding his mobile phone, engrossed in a new novel after finishing a very long one.
The metro car rattled along its familiar path, carrying him home from his daily grind at work.
The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, and the hum of conversations blended with the rhythmic clack of the tracks.
Then, suddenly, everything went silent too silent.
It was the kind of deafening hush that follows a massive blast, where your ears ring with an annoying chime, blocking out the world.
In an instant, everything exploded. He, who had been sitting without a care, his body relaxed against the worn seat, felt a searing wave of heat that disintegrated him before he could even register the pain.
No one in the metro could fathom what had happened they all perished in that blinding flash, lives snuffed out like candles in a storm.
He jolted awake, his eyes snapping open as his body tumbled forward, crashing onto the cool, hardwood floor with a thud.
His heart pounded erratically, adrenaline surging through his veins. He blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the remnants of the nightmare.
The room around him was small, neat, and impeccably clean white walls gleamed under soft morning light filtering through a single window, the bed tidy except for the blanket that had fallen with him.
At first, he didn't notice the strangeness; his mind was still reeling from the dream.
He opened his mouth, his voice coming out hoarse and confused.
"What kind of dream was that? Did I drink too much? When did I even get home?" He pushed himself up, standing on steady legs that felt surprisingly light and invigorated.
No usual tiredness weighed him down, no hangover symptoms clouded his thoughts.
His body buzzed with an unfamiliar vitality, like he'd just woken from the best sleep of his life.
"What's going on? Why does my body feel so... Light?"
As he spoke, his eyes finally darted around the room, and a wave of unease washed over him.
"Huh? Wait, whose room is this?" His mind raced, pulse quickening as he scanned the sparse furnishings: a simple desk with a few books stacked neatly, a wardrobe in the corner, and no clutter anywhere.
It was nothing like his cluttered apartment back home.
Panic rising, he frantically searched for a mirror or his mobile phone, patting his pockets and rummaging through the bedside table.
Nothing. His breath came in short gasps now, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
Spotting the door, he bolted toward it, yanking it open to reveal a small bathroom. There it was the mirror above the sink.
He froze, staring at his reflection with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"Who... is that? No, no, wait what is happening?"
The face staring back was round and extremely ordinary, the kind you could find on any street corner in the world: dark hair tousled from sleep, a bit of redness around the edges of his dark, unremarkable eyes.
His body was small and pale, skin plain and unblemished, lacking any distinctive features.
He leaned in closer, touching his cheek tentatively, feeling the smooth texture under his fingers.
Then, like a tidal wave crashing over him, memories flooded his mind not his own, but those of this body.
In that overwhelming rush, he knew exactly where he was.
This was the novel he had just finished reading the one where the protagonist reincarnates, levels up to become a god, and builds himself a massive harem.
And now, he was in the story. "Why? How did I die?" he whispered, his voice trembling as he leaned against the mirror, his reflection distorting slightly from the pressure of his forehead.
The memories pieced together: he was just an NPC in this world, a minor character with a normal class mage and only one basic skill.
But why was this guy in the academy of all places? The academy was the epicenter of the story, where most of the plot unfolded.
With a mere mage class, no one should even get a chance to enroll, but he had thanks to his sister being a member of the student council.
That connection, plus his hidden talent, had secured his spot.
He paced the small bathroom, his bare feet cold on the tiled floor, piecing it together.
"I don't think anyone in the novel had a 10000x output multiplier. Is this guy some secret powerhouse?
The novel was supposed to get a second part; I'd only heard rumors and gossip in the online community."
He paused, a grin tugging at his lips despite the chaos in his mind.
"But isn't 10000x too overpowered? Even with just a normal mage class and one skill, if the damage is multiplied like that..."
He trailed off, imagining the potential: a simple mana missile amplified to catastrophic levels.
From the memories, he recalled that the original owner of this body had never revealed his full 10000x output.
During the academy interview, he'd claimed only 10x, and confided 100x to his sister. "He really was smart about it," he muttered, admiring the caution.
A knock on the doorframe snapped him out of his thoughts, followed by a soft, gentle voice from outside the room.
"Kieran, get ready! You'll be late for the orientation. And don't forget to meet Kiara there she's expecting you."
The voice belonged to this body's mother, warm and a bit older, laced with that familiar maternal concern.
Kieran's eyes widened. "Kieran... and Kiara? Isn't Kiara one of the novel's protagonist's harem members?" Without realizing it, he clenched his fists, a surge of protective instinct bubbling up inside him like the reflexive urge of a little brother guarding his sibling.
He shook his head, bemused. "Is this the body's instincts kicking in?" Glancing back at the mirror, he realized the implications: "So, I'm the brother of one of the top students in the third year, huh?"
He stripped off his sleep clothes, stepping into the shower, the hot water cascading over him like a soothing balm.
It was strange how his mind was settling into calm acceptance.
Just moments ago, he'd died in a horrific blast, reincarnated into this world, and now he possessed a talent that could level a whole building with his entry-level strength and a basic level 1 skill like mana missile.
As the steam filled the room, he let out a shaky laugh, the sound echoing off the walls. "This is insane... but maybe it's my second chance."