No.

I was wrong.

I am, in fact- NOT. DREAMING.

Instead, I’m having a nightmare.

How long has it been?

A minute? An hour? Day? A week?

It doesn’t seem to matter while I’m here.

A void of infinite nothing.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t feel like anything to me.

It was like my capability of experiencing paranoia and fear was deleted from my brain.

In this dark place, it was as if staring at the abyss was usual for me.

But I know it’s not the truth.

What was it again?

Right.

23-year-old Jaeden Kanemoto- college otaku who was previously having a fit over the crap ending of his favorite novel.

However, these facts feel like distant memories- as if I’m having nostalgia.

Now, I began to use my memories as a way to cope with the fact that I’m stuck here.

But as I sifted through my memories looking for entertainment, I noticed a very recent one.

The interaction between me and an author over the ending of that novel I was crying over.

That’s right. 

I remember now.

He’s the reason I ended up here.

Whatever he did got me in here.

But just now something caught my eye.

What he had said.

-Now, it is time for you to reopen your eyes and experience your reward…

Reopen my eyes?

Were my eyes closed?

Surely it couldn’t be that dumb.

“Huhu- there’s no way-”

...

I opened my eyes.

The surrounding walls of darkness that were plaguing me were now gone.

Fuck. It really was that simple.

“The hell?”.

Another curse escaped me as I woke up.

But this time the reason was different.

The familiar environment that had been my childhood home was gone.

And in the abyss’ stead was now the modern setting of a city apartment.

It was clean and new and not a part of a suburban neighbourhood.

I was now in a city.

A very large-looking one.

But those weren’t the main reasons why-

but the pop-up window that appeared on my face.

The one that displayed the words:

[Welcome to Old Earth! Act I- 

Dawn of The Swordsman- will begin soon!]

After staring at the blue hologram, I stared at the view outside- the glistening high-rise towers of the futuristic metropolis made it hard not to.

As I continued to blankly stare in awe, a single question flashed across my mind- and before I knew it I said it out loud.

“Where the fuck am I?”

***

It was only after a good ten minutes that I stopped staring at the city that I took some time to think.

“Huu. Just how did I end up here?”, I defeatedly asked myself.

Just what the hell did the author do?

Despite being completely estranged from this new world, I sort of had an idea of what to do first.

First I need to figure out where exactly I am.

If my guess is correct, then I’ve most likely reincarnated into my favorite novel.

The first thing I did after I got out of my room was head outside to look for a cafe.

I checked the fridge for food but noticed the lack of full meals and the abundance of instant ramen, so I decided to have a proper meal.

I dressed in what seemed like appropriate clothing for going out. 

I was at least grateful that this world didn’t have some weird fashion sense.

I unlocked the door to the entrance of my apartment complex, and as I stepped out I could already tell how entirely different this place was.

I felt like I didn’t belong.

As if I was lost in a city other than my own.

I decided to head in one direction in hopes of looking for an internet cafe until I eventually found one.

‘Black Boar Cafe’, the advertisement read.

After taking my seat by a window, I decided to order the “Heroes’ Stew”, a stew made from what you would usually put in most kinds of stew.

After I ordered I opened up my laptop which I discovered I owned.

I first looked up my location and confirmed my suspicions:

“Black Boar Cafe, New Tokyo, Japan.”

I really am in the Hero Division novel.

New Tokyo is the name of the futuristic city where the majority of the story takes place, and the setting I’m currently in.

Now that I’ve confirmed the identity of this world, I need to take some time to figure out my ownidentity. 

Was I a significant character in the plot? Or maybe a completely irrelevant extra?

I needed to know for the sake of my future.

I figured I was at least somewhat involved with the story.

The author mentioned that I would be able to see the true ending of the novel, so that meant I at least had to be someone who could survive to the end.

Thinking back now, when he said I would be given a reward- being transmigrated into this novel is probably the reward itself.

After taking a few minutes I discovered something huge.

I was a member of the Hero Division.

The same program that was the central focus of the first act of the novel.

It was basically a high school solely made on training youth into becoming full fledged heroes later on.

As well as helping them find a career with their abilities.

During their time at Hero Division, the main cast would experience various challenges and struggles that would give rise to their statuses and abilities until they became official Heroes later on in the story.

Considering that I was a part of the program, then I must be someone with the potential to become strong.

The realization excited me.

Now I seriously wanted to know who I was.

Maybe I’m some hidden overpowered extra who could become a part of the main cast.

After taking some more time to research I finally found my identity:

I was indeed 16 years old- the same age as the main cast now- and I’m still Japanese.

For some reason, my name has made its way here as well so I don’t need to use another name.

All and all, it was going well until I saw my picture.

My face.

It was extremely familiar.

I rubbed my eyes to see if they were playing tricks on me- but unfortunately, they didn’t seem to be.

I paid my bill and rushed home so that I could confirm my worst suspicions alone.

By the time I got back, I was trembling as I scrambled to the bathroom mirror and stared at my mug.

Lo and behold- I realized I was in the worst-case scenario.

My face looked exactly like one of the major characters in the novel.

This would be something I should be happy about, but there was a problem…

My face…

It’s the face of the novel’s antagonist.

That’s right.

I’ve transmigrated into the biggest villain of the novel.

***

“Haaa.”, I exclaimed to myself.

I examined my face for a good few minutes before I came to my senses.

I was the spitting image of the most hated villain of the next decade.

To most, I may have looked like a typically weak and nerdy-looking otaku.

But what only I know, is that this very person would grow to become one of this world’s greatest evils, second only to that of the Underworld King himself. 

This face would go on to traumatize the protagonist and commit mass genocide.

Just remembering the name made me disturbed.

Yet.

I was this man.

I am the man that would come to commit those atrocities.

I am Tatsuya Yosuke.

Otherwise known as the Knight of Black.

Advocate of Darkness.

Devil King.

And the eventual ruiner of both this world- and the story.