Bab 1: CHAPTER 1: The Accident That Started It All
The day began just like any other for Haruto Kuroda. As the sun peeked through the cracks in his heavily curtained windows, casting a dim light on his cluttered apartment, Haruto groggily reached out to silence the blaring alarm on his phone. It was 11:00 AM—an ungodly hour by his standards, but he had set the alarm for a reason. Today was an errand day, an event so rare in his life that it filled him with a sense of dread.
Haruto was what society often labeled a "NEET"—Not in Education, Employment, or Training. To put it bluntly, he was a shut-in. His days were spent in the confines of his tiny apartment, immersed in the virtual worlds of video games and anime. It wasn't that Haruto disliked the outside world; he just found it cumbersome, full of expectations he wasn't keen on fulfilling. Life was simpler behind a screen, where he could be anyone he wanted, free from the judgment of the real world.
But even a NEET couldn't avoid reality forever. His mother, bless her heart, had called the night before, reminding him that his food supply was running dangerously low. Haruto couldn't ignore the fact that his cupboards were nearly bare, save for a few instant noodle packets and a half-eaten bag of chips. The thought of running out of food was terrifying enough to motivate him to venture out.
With a heavy sigh, Haruto dragged himself out of bed, his body protesting every movement. He shuffled into the bathroom, glancing at his reflection in the mirror. Unkempt black hair fell over dull brown eyes, and his pale skin bore the marks of too many nights spent awake in front of a screen. He splashed some cold water on his face in a half-hearted attempt to wake up, then threw on a wrinkled hoodie and a pair of jeans that had seen better days.
As he stepped outside, the midday sun assaulted his eyes, forcing him to squint and mutter a curse under his breath. The bustling streets of Tokyo were a stark contrast to the quiet solitude of his apartment. People hurried past him, absorbed in their own lives, paying no attention to the disheveled young man who looked out of place.
Haruto quickly made his way to the convenience store a few blocks away, his mind focused solely on completing this errand as quickly as possible. He grabbed a basket and began to fill it with the essentials: instant ramen, snacks, and a few ready-to-eat meals. As he reached for a bottle of soda, his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a notification from one of his mobile games, reminding him that his stamina was full and ready to be used.
"Great," Haruto muttered. "Just what I needed."
He glanced around, searching for a quiet corner where he could quickly burn through his stamina points without drawing too much attention. He spotted an alleyway next to the store, partially hidden from view. Perfect.
With his basket in hand, Haruto ducked into the alley and pulled out his phone. He tapped away furiously, battling virtual monsters and collecting loot. He was so engrossed in the game that he didn't notice the small figure that had wandered into the alley from the opposite direction.
"Hey, mister, what are you doing?" a high-pitched voice suddenly asked.
Startled, Haruto looked up to see a young girl staring at him with wide, curious eyes. She couldn't have been more than eight years old, with pigtails and a bright red backpack slung over her shoulders. She looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for an explanation.
Haruto blinked, struggling to process the situation. "Uh, just… playing a game," he mumbled, feeling awkward under the child's scrutiny.
"Why are you doing it here? My mom says playing outside is better for you," the girl said matter-of-factly.
Haruto scratched the back of his head, unsure how to respond. "Well, I'm not really an outside person…"
The girl tilted her head, as if trying to understand this foreign concept. "That's weird. Outside is fun! You can run and play and—"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Haruto cut her off, feeling his social anxiety creeping in. "But I'm kind of busy, so maybe you should—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the sound of a truck horn blared in the distance, growing louder with each passing second. Haruto's heart skipped a beat as he realized that the noise was coming from the street just around the corner from where they stood.
The girl, oblivious to the danger, continued to chatter away. "My mom says I shouldn't talk to strangers, but you don't seem like a bad guy, so I think it's okay—"
"Kid, wait!" Haruto shouted, his voice laced with panic.
But it was too late. The girl, seemingly fascinated by the noise, had darted out of the alley and onto the street. Haruto's blood ran cold as he saw the truck barreling down the road, the driver frantically trying to swerve but unable to stop in time.
Without thinking, Haruto dropped his basket and sprinted after the girl. His mind was a blur, a mix of fear and adrenaline. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't even particularly brave. But something deep within him, some primal instinct, drove him forward.
The girl stood frozen in the middle of the street, her eyes wide with terror as the truck bore down on her. Haruto reached her just in time, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her out of the truck's path. The force of the move sent them both tumbling to the ground, and Haruto braced himself for the impact.
But the impact never came.
Instead, there was a sensation of weightlessness, as if the ground had vanished beneath them. Haruto's vision blurred, and a strange, tingling sensation spread through his body. The sound of the truck's horn faded away, replaced by a strange humming noise that resonated deep within his bones.
For a moment, Haruto thought he had died. Maybe the truck had hit them after all, and this was what it felt like to pass on. But as the tingling sensation subsided and his vision cleared, he realized that something far stranger was happening.
The world around him was different. Gone were the familiar sights and sounds of Tokyo, replaced by a vast, open landscape that stretched out as far as the eye could see. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds. Tall, ancient trees towered above them, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. In the distance, Haruto could see rolling hills and a sparkling river winding its way through the valley.
"What… where are we?" Haruto stammered, his mind struggling to comprehend what he was seeing.
The girl, who had been clinging to his arm, looked around in awe. "Wow, this place is pretty! Are we in a dream?"
Haruto pinched himself, wincing at the sharp pain. "Nope, not a dream…"
Before he could process anything further, the sound of footsteps crunching on the grass caught his attention. Haruto turned to see a man approaching them, his face pale and his expression one of utter disbelief. He was wearing a uniform—a delivery driver's uniform, to be exact.
"Are you two okay?!" the man called out as he jogged over to them. His voice was shaky, and his hands trembled as he looked them over, as if checking for injuries.
Haruto stared at the man in confusion. "Who are you?"
The man blinked, seeming just as confused as Haruto. "I'm… I'm Takashi Saito, the driver of that truck. I… I tried to stop, but then there was this bright light, and now we're… here? Wherever here is…"
Haruto's mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. A NEET, a kid, and a truck driver, all mysteriously transported to a strange, new world. It sounded like the plot of a fantasy novel or one of those "isekai" anime he used to watch.
But this was real. This was happening.
Haruto looked down at the girl, who was still holding onto his arm. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice softer now.
The girl nodded, her eyes still wide with wonder. "Yeah, I'm okay. But what about you, mister? And what about this place? Is it safe?"
Haruto glanced around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. He had no answers, but he knew one thing for sure: they were far from home, and they would need to stick together if they were going to figure out what was happening.
He let out a long, slow breath, trying to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in his head. "Okay, first things first. We need to find out where we are and if there's anyone else around. Maybe someone can tell us what's going on."
Takashi nodded in agreement, though he still seemed to be in shock. "Yeah, that sounds like a plan. Let's just… let's just stick together for now, okay?"
Haruto nodded, feeling an odd sense of responsibility for the two people beside him. He wasn't used to taking charge, but in this strange new world, he had no choice.
As they began to walk, Haruto couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the landscape around them. The air was crisp and clean, the sunlight warm
on his skin. Despite the surrealness of the situation, there was a certain peacefulness to this place that put him at ease.
But deep down, Haruto knew that this peace wouldn't last. They were in a world of magic and swords, a world where danger could lurk around any corner. And if his years of gaming had taught him anything, it was that they would need to be prepared for whatever challenges lay ahead.
As they continued on their journey, the reality of their situation slowly began to sink in. Haruto couldn't help but wonder: was this a second chance, a fresh start in a new world? Or had they been thrown into a nightmare far worse than anything he could have imagined?
Only time would tell. But one thing was certain: this was only the beginning of their adventure.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone