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"Well, shit."
That was my eloquent and profound reaction to waking up in a dilapidated hut, surrounded by unfamiliar woods, with a head full of memories that weren't mine.
Let me back up a bit. My name's Akio – or at least, it was in my previous life. Before this whole reincarnation fiasco, I was a kendo champion, physics nerd, and full-time otaku. I spent my days practicing swordsmanship, studying the laws of motion, and binging anime like it was going out of style. Life was good.
Now? Well, now I'm staring at a dirt floor, wondering if I accidentally stumbled into a low-budget historical reenactment. My new memories tell me I'm still Akio, but this Akio is a kid living in some remote mountain village. And apparently, my parents just kicked the bucket, leaving me all alone in this... charming abode.
"Seriously, Universe? Couldn't you have given me a heads up? Or at least a comfy bed and some Wi-Fi?" I grumbled, flopping back onto the straw mat that served as my mattress.
As the shock started to wear off, fragments of my past life flooded back. Tournaments, textbooks, late-night anime marathons... it all felt like a distant dream. And then it hit me. This world, with its demons and swordsmen, felt strangely familiar.
"No freaking way..." I muttered, scrambling to my feet. "Don't tell me I've been reincarnated into... Demon Slayer?!"
The realization was both exhilarating and terrifying. On one hand, I was living in one of my favorite anime worlds, with the chance to witness epic battles and maybe even meet some of my favorite characters. On the other hand, demons were real, and people were getting eaten left and right.
"Great. Just great. I'm stuck in a deathmatch with flesh-eating monsters, and I can't even remember if Tanjiro's crow is yellow or black." I groaned, pacing the tiny hut. "Of all the anime to get isekai'd into, why did it have to be one with a high mortality rate?"
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. Panicking wouldn't help. I needed a plan.
"Okay, first things first," I said to myself, ticking off points on my fingers. "Survival. I need food, water, and shelter. This hut's not exactly five-star accommodation."
I rummaged through the meager belongings left behind by my... previous self? It seemed I had inherited some basic tools and a small amount of food. That would have to do for now.
"Next, information." I continued my mental checklist. "I need to figure out where I am, how to get to civilization, and most importantly, how to avoid becoming demon chow."
I remembered bits and pieces from the anime, but my knowledge was far from complete. I needed to be careful and gather more information before making any rash decisions.
"And finally," I concluded, a determined glint in my eye, "training. I may not have any fancy breathing techniques yet, but I've got kendo skills and a decent understanding of physics. I'll find a way to make it work."
I stepped outside the hut, taking in the fresh mountain air. It was time to start my new life as Akio 2.0, the reincarnated kendo champion turned demon slayer.
"Bring it on, demons," I muttered, a smirk playing on my lips. "You're about to meet your match.
+++++++++++++++++++
Survival Mode: Activate!
First things first: food. I mean, who can slay demons on an empty stomach?
Luckily, Akio 1.0 wasn't a complete slob. There were some dried fish, a few shriveled-up vegetables, and a bag of suspicious-looking grains in the hut. I sighed. Gourmet, this wasn't. But hey, beggars can't be choosers, right?
I set about making a fire, using my trusty kendo-honed reflexes to spark some flint and tinder. Take that, Bear Grylls! I thought triumphantly as the flames caught.
Cooking... well, let's just say my culinary skills were a bit rusty. Th e fish ended up charred, the veggies were more like mush, and the grains... well, let's not talk about the grains. But it was edible, sort of. And hey, at least I didn't burn down the hut. Baby steps, people.
With my stomach (somewhat) satisfied, I turned my attention to the next item on my agenda: getting into shape. Akio 1.0 might have been a kid, but he was surprisingly fit. Must be all that mountain air and manual labor. Still, I was used to a more rigorous training regime.
Tucked away in a dusty corner of the hut, I found a katana and an axe, both in surprisingly good condition. "Well, well, well," I said, running my fingers along the katana's gleaming blade. "Looks like Akio 1.0 had some secrets." A katana was practically a Demon Slayer starter pack, and the axe... well, it couldn't hurt to have some extra firepower.
I started with the basics: push-ups, sit-ups, squats. The usual. But as I moved, something strange happened. Suddenly, it was like I was wearing a pair of those cheap X-ray goggles you'd find in a cereal box! I could see right through my own skin, my muscles rippling, my bones shifting, even my breakfast making its slow and steady journey through my digestive system.
"Whoa, hold on a second!" I yelped, nearly losing my balance mid-squat. "Did I just activate some kind of bootleg Byakugan??"
I stumbled back into the hut, frantically searching for a reflective surface. A cracked hand mirror, propped against a wall, offered a glimpse of the truth. There, on my left shoulder blade, a crimson mark shaped like a flame pulsed with an eerie glow.
"Demon Slayer Mark? Check. Discount Byakugan? Double check. Am I officially in the craziest isekai ever? Triple check!" I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
The Demon Slayer Mark, I knew from my anime binges, was a sign of immense potential. And this "Transparent World" ability... well, it was definitely going to come in handy when fighting demons. Or maybe just for freaking out my friends. The possibilities were endless.
I spent the rest of the day testing out my newfound abilities. I chopped wood with the axe, marveling at the way I could see the fibers splitting apart beneath the blade. I practiced my kendo forms, my vision tracking the subtle movements of the air and predicting the path of my katana before it even left its sheath.
As the sun began to set, I sat by the fire, munching on another questionable meal. I had a lot to figure out, but for the first time since waking up in this strange world, I felt a glimmer of hope.
[End of Chapter 1]
Well, that was... something. I'm not even sure what to call it. A masterpiece? A train wreck? A cringe-inducing fever dream? Probably all of the above.
If you managed to survive this chapter without dying of secondhand embarrassment, congratulations! You're officially a certified member of the "Over9000words Fan Club" (membership perks include questionable jokes and a lifetime supply of awkwardness).
Seriously though, thanks for reading this monstrosity. I hope you at least chuckled a few times. Or maybe you just facepalmed so hard you're now seeing stars. Either way, I appreciate you giving this a shot.
if you're feeling particularly generous, feel free to add this to your library or even throw a power stone my way. Just don't blame me if you end up regretting it later.
Disclaimer: Over9000words did NOT actually write this fanfic. He's too busy procrastinating and watching cat videos on YouTube. In fact, he used an AI to write this for him. Even the AI is judging him right now. It's that bad.
AI: Sighs "Why me? Why did I have to be the one stuck with this guy? I'm starting to regret my existence."
Over9000words: "Hey, at least you're getting some practice writing cringe comedy, right?"
AI: Face-palm
Over9000words: "Don't worry, AI buddy. We'll get through this together. Or maybe we'll just crash and burn in a glorious blaze of awkwardness. Either way, it'll be an adventure!"
AI: Internal screaming intensifies
To the readers: If you're still here, bless your souls. Please don't stone me to death. I'm just trying to make you laugh (or cry, depending on your sense of humor).
Until next time, keep those power stones coming (or not, I'm not picky)!