Setting: Multicross


Chapter 01


I guess one thing you can say about death is that it really does release you from your earthly concerns.

Believe it or not, I really did die, and in a really messy way too. Gas accident. It was easier to tell what parts of my body didn't burn, I think. That saying about your whole life flashing before your eyes is bullshit, I only saw brightness, fire, some brief flashes of what I believe was the hospital and the ambulance that took me there, and then darkness.

Despite all of that, however, I'm not freaking out, I'm not even sad really. This whole 'dying' situation feels like something that happened decades ago rather than moments ago. The very concept of my life and my death feels distant, shapeless; it was honestly hard to think of them as something important.

No, what I'm most worried about is the 'now' because simply put, my current situation is defying any expectation I had about after-life.

I've become a building.

Ridiculous notion I know, but it is what it is. I'm a building now, I don't know why, but I'm rolling with it. I can't really see what I look like from the outside, but from the inside, I have two floors, the first being mostly open space with an area that could accommodate a bar and a kitchen, and the second being a single corridor with several empty rooms, one of which that was larger than the rest.

The whole place was fairly dilapidated, barren, no furniture anywhere saved for a couple of cradles on the first floor that I somehow knew were empty. Like someone had taken whatever wasn't bolted on and left the rest to rot.

I spent a few moments just taking all in with my strange, new alien senses. It wasn't anything like I had when I was human; less 'perceiving the world with your five senses' and more like 'being aware of everything on it'. Every grain of dust, every crack in the wall, every hole in the woods was something I was perfectly aware of. This by itself was a pretty incredible experience. I somehow knew that a human brain wouldn't have been capable of processing even a fraction of this data.

Perhaps it was me pondering about the differences in the ways I used to perceive the world that made me realize that I could 'shift' my awareness to something similar to what I had before.

A remote point of view was the best I could describe it; I could 'look' in one direction and move the source of vision around like I was walking. Of course, the first thing I did with this new ability was giving myself a tour, even though I was familiar with this place down to the cellular level.

The place looked just as spacious and dilapidated to my 'human perception mode' as it did to my 'omniscient awareness mode'. To my surprise, however, I actually noticed something new on human mode that hadn't on omniscient mode.

No… it wasn't like I hadn't noticed; it's just that it didn't look like something important to me, just another part of the building. But with a human perspective I could actually 'see', and while it still wasn't anything special it was certainly eye-catching.

A large billboard that took most of the space of the earthen wall of the first floor. Like the rest of the building, it looked old, broken, and rotted, and only God knew how it was still hanging in place. There was, however, a certain quality to it. Something about the cravings on the frame, the rusty color in the center, and even the sight imperfection that made it tilt to the right… Everything about it seems to be constructed in a way that would draw attention to itself, even in its current state, it didn't fail to do so.

I approached it, taking in the shape of the most interesting thing in the building. It was the first thing I really focused on it since my death.

Then a quick *bip* echoed in my non-existent ear, and the billboard gained a white contour as if to mark it as the object of my attention.

Quest Board. (Unavailable) (Adventurer Required)

For a long minute, I did nothing but contemplate the hologram-like text that had appeared between the billboard and me.

… Oh hell no! That kind of thing only happens in trashy fiction—

No, I died and became a building: the world doesn't make sense anymore, nothing is real, everything is possible, shut up and move on.

Right, I'm assuming Gamer-like qualities to this place from now on, or at least something similar to that. What's the next step?

Status… Ok, nothing. What about… Menu.

Guild Points (GP): 1000
Adventurer Points (AP): 0
.Level.
.Perks.
.Layout.
.Expansions.
.Repairs.
.Adventurers.

Now we're getting somewhere.

-0-0-0-

What followed next was a bit embarrassing.

What I had meant to do was to carefully examine each category, finding out what I could about them, and then spent these 'Guild Point' in a logical, rational manner.

What ended up happening was that as soon as I read the words 'repair' I was hit with the most powerful urge I've ever felt. It caught me completely by surprise, so much so that it practically blinded me to every other option other than 'repair everything I can, right fucking now', so I ended up burning more than half of my budget doing exactly that, only managing to stop myself when I began furnishing and decorating the place.

My new 'building instincts' are far more powerful than I imagined, it seems they don't want me to stay damaged for longer than I need to. They are also, like, actually a thing, apparently. One more aspect to add to my new, non-human existence, I guess.

In the end, I don't regret spending my point this way, how cloud I? The place looks brand new, like, literally shining under the light of its new candle-based illumination.

And it's not like I didn't learn anything during all of that:

'Repairs' are what the name implies, you literally dump points in it and watch the place go from old and run down to shining and new, but because of the options of what to repair, I learned that I'm composed of a Main Hall, a Kitchen, a Bar, a restroom, five 'normal-sized' Bedrooms, and one 'Guildmaster Bedroom'. Nothing I hadn't deduced myself of course, but it was nice having confirmation.

'Expansions' is also what the name implies; options for new open spaces or new rooms. No idea how would that manifest visually. It also had a giant list of… stuff for me to buy; everything from simple objects to complex sets of construction that came fully furnished.

'Layout' opened up when I purchased the large candle chandelier now hanging on the main hall as its main source of illumination — incidentally, I only noticed it was pitch black before the candles lit up, funny that — As far as I can tell, it works by letting me pay a small price to move things around like one of those Sim games. It also works for moving the internal walls, but to create new walls I had to purchase them in 'Expansions' first, and as far as I can tell I can't simply erase a wall from existence.

'Perks', now Perks are really interesting. According to the text, they are like little superpowers that can affect the place in a number of different and fun ways; things like increasing the gravity, placing a rule the everyone inside had to obey, or telekinetically move objects around are all available for me to buy from the absurdly long list, though they were a bit pricier than the options from the other categories.

Lastly, 'Level'. Well, Level only said that I was 'Bronze Tier', whatever that meant. And gave me the option of upgrading it for a whopping 10.000 Guild Points. As for what that did… Well, both in the list of Perks and the list of Expansions there were are options that are grayed out or completely blacked out, the graying out options meant that I don't have enough points to buy them, given the way they multiplied as I started spending, the blacked-out options were completed inaccessible from the get go, so I'm hoping upgrading my level will unlock these type of options.

That was what I learn during this brief period of time, and I must say, I like this system so fair. It's simple and direct, not at all like those Gamers and dungeons stories I used to read back when I was human.

Now though, I'll have a look at the 'Adventurer' part of the menu — And, yes, apparently I'm an Adventure Guild, it was obvious from the text… I admit had to take a minute after this realization — I'm really hoping for a way to gather more Guild Points because I hadn't found it in any other category.

Pushing my musings to the side, I open the Adventurer category.

Adventurers available:

None

Call Adventurer (100 AP to update.)

Call Bronze Adventurer (Free)

Call Silver Adventurer (Locked)

Call Gold Adventurer (Locked)

Call Diamond Adventurer (Locked)

Call Platinum Adventurer (Locked)

Okay… just like with the Guild Options, it was simple and easy to understand.

It seems like this category ran by the Adventurer point economy, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to provide a way to earn neither Guild Points nor Adventurer Points, which is a bummer. Still, there was a 'free' option.

I guess is time to 'call a bronze adventurer' whatever that means — There is literally nothing better to do and I don't want to burn my last Guild Points when I have a free option— so here goes nothing.

I selected the option. It immediately grayed out, and the (Free) part became a 24 hours countdown.

… Nothing happened. Is the countdown the activation time? Should I wait for 24 hours?

My thoughts were interrupted by a *click*. It was very faint, almost inaudible, really, but it dragged on over the silence of the main hall. I shifted my point of view around to see the front door creaking open.

Green, that was my first thought when I saw him, light green clothes – Pajamas? Really? – Dark green hair, emerald green eyes, fluffy green slippers… So much green that it hurts. He walked inside with gingerly steps, his hand rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, it was only when the door clicked close behind him that he seems to noticed where he was.

I, meanwhile, was too busy staring at the hologram words that appeared when I focused on him.

Midoriya Izuku
Level: 1
Obligation: Complete one tutorial quest.

Well… That's something.

-0-0-0-

"Hum. Hello?" Thank you my years of obsessive anime watching; you have made me a weeb that can understand basic Japanese. "Is… Is anyone here?"

As expected, Izuku was nervous. I don't really know the context before his arrival but if I had to guess by the way he was acting, I think he was about to walk into a room in his house, maybe his own room, and then ended up right here.

What does this means, though? I mean, I've just died and become a fucking Adventurer Guild so my beliefs are a bit flexible at the moment, but even I have limits, and randomly summoning manga characters is pretty close to it. Moreover, why the hell did he appear? I called for an adventurer, like, a dude or a gal from a fantasy setting, not the main character from a superhero shounen manga.

Let's see…

Adventurers available:

Midoriya Izuku, lvl 1

Call Adventurer (100 AP to update.)

Call Bronze Adventurer 23:57:30

Call Silver Adventurer (Locked)

Call Gold Adventurer (Locked)

Call Diamond Adventurer (Locked)

Call Platinum Adventurer (Locked)

Apparently, he is the adventurer; that certainly raises some interesting implications.

He tries the door with predictable results, I knew it was locked before his hand even touched the handle— no, it was more than simple 'locked'; it feels like nothing in all of existence can force this door open.

He tried pushing and pulling about four times before giving up. He didn't even try throwing his weight against it, as he was smart enough to know his scrawny form wouldn't do anything against heavy oak. Hm, this Izuku is definitely from before he bulked up, maybe before meeting All Might even, or perhaps soon after he met him?

Izuku left the door and took a few steps into the hall; I followed behind with my perspective over his shoulder. I could practically feel his confusion turning into apprehension. He began to he looked around, his arms subconsciously rising to his chest, body curling around itself as his shoulders slumped. Yep, I can see this turning into panic pretty soon.

"K-kidnapping?" His muttering was pretty quiet, but like before, the only other noise in this place was the flickering of the candles above, so the sound carried. "But why? It doesn't make sense, my family is not well off and I don't have any quirk. No not kidnapping. Teleportation quirk? Illusion quirk? Was that a villain attack…"

Oh, I don't understand him because of watched anime, I just understand him in general. Neat.

Leaving the boy to his thoughts, I began considering my options. Taking care of him would be problematic, I'd have to spend points on getting a bed, equipping the kitchen, restocking the said kitchen, maybe put some more illumination around the building… Yeah, lot of work, lot of points, and no way to replenish them in sight. It's better to think of other ways he could… I'm an idiot.

I know a way where he can leave.

Quest Board.
(Activate?)

Yes, please!

There was a… very weird, admittedly very gross noise, and a piece of paper… sprout out, for the lack of a better word, right in the middle of the billboard; a yellowing piece of paper with Japanese scribbles and a hand-drawn rendition of an ugly midget with a knife in it.

…Okay?

The noise at least managed to attract Izuku's attention, plus the billboard was even more eye-catching now that it was in pristine conditions so it was only a matter of time anyway. He got closer and began reading the paper about the same time I focused on the hologram popping off from it.

Tutorial Quest:
Goblin Hunt.
Details: None.
Objective: Kill one goblin.
Location: Gilberia Forest, Pascal Kingdom
Time Limit: 3 hours
Rewards: 100 Exp, 100 GP, 10 AP.

The piece of paper… quest notice, said basically the same thing, but with an overly flowery language and no mention of Guild Points and Adventure Points in the rewards, I guess that part is for my eyes only.

"Tutorial Quest?" Izuku read it out loud; he looked away from the quest notice for a second and cast his gaze around the room, perhaps finally noticing the whole tavern aesthetic I got going on. "…A game?"

He focused back on the notice and hesitantly reached for it. As soon as it was torn out of its pin, a soft *bip* echoed in my mind, signaling an opportunity for me to deny him this quest. After this moment, it turned into a more concrete 'Quest Accepted'.

Izuku didn't hear any of this. What he did hear was the front door locks softly unlocking on their own behind him.

"… I can leave." He said mostly to himself. And after exchanging a brief look between the door and the quest notice in his hand, he moved to do just that.

Now, now, hold on!

He's not leaving to wherever he was before, I'm pretty sure about that somehow; he's leaving to complete the quest he just accepted, and also I'm pretty sure about that. Each step he took towards the door raised more red flags within my mind, almost as if there was something I was missing… Then, it dawned on me; he's about to do a quest with no weapons and only flimsy pajamas for protection, how the hell did he expect to kill a goblin in that state!?… Unless he doesn't know he's leaving for the quest—oh fuck, he's gonna die!

He's really lucky I remember what I read from the Expansion's list, and he's even luckier that I like him enough to give him a chance.

As Izuku's hand grasped the door's handler a loud *crack* echoed from the side, nearly making the boy jump out of his skin. On the western wall, the wood almost seems to pulse as it broke apart and folded in on and over itself before rapidly expanding to the sides, the cracking and creaking noises it produced echoing loudly across the place. Izuku let out a short shriek and tripped backward, falling on his ass and crawling away from the event Understandable, it would scare the shit out of me too if the walls of an otherwise silent room started breaking apart and reshaping itself out of nowhere.

That aside, the expansion I burned my last 300 Guild Points on finally finished manifesting, leaving only a normal-looking oak door in what before was a blank wall.

The rest is up to Izuku.

… Please go in, I didn't accord for the scare, but still, I'm trying to help you out, kid.

Please, please don't leave, I will be genuinely sad if you die, and I don't want the death of an innocent kid weighing on my consciousness, so come on man just help me help you.

… Fuck, not being able to communicate is frustrated.

Fortunately, Midoriya Izuku had the instincts of a horror movie victim and the curiosity of an overly inquisitive cat, so he eventually decided to check out the mysterious door before leaving. If I had a body I would have sighed in relief.

He gingerly pushed the door open and popped his head in; thankfully, the 'set' I bought came with illumination included so it was actually brighter than the main hall. As soon as he saw what was inside he gasped, letting the door open the rest of the way.

Yeah, take in kid, the last of my guild points. You totally owe me for this.

Basic Armory set (300): a chamber fully equipped with various sets of basic weapons and armors. Free to all adventurers.

The room was filled to the brim with weapon stands and miscellaneous equipment; swords, dagger, spears, lances, axes, basically a medieval aficionado's wet dream. And quite well presented if I say so myself, the system knew how to position the weapons a certain way that made everything pop.

"W-Wow. This is…" Izuku walked in fully, his fingers twitching in what I assume was an urge to take notes. "But how? It doesn't make…" Suddenly, he blinked, turning his gaze to the quest noticed he still had in hand. "Like a game." He mumbled.

Smart kid.

He took his time after that. His first choice was a shield; there wasn't much variety there, just wooden disks with a metal center, the only difference was in size. They were relegated to a cradle by the corner, Izuku chose one that fit his arm and didn't impaired his movements and moved on.

He dismissed spears and polearms outright, presumably because he was more likely to poke himself than the enemy. He sent a confused look over the table with what appeared to be a series of oddly shaped sticks with coiled strings on the side before realizing they were actually unprepared bows and left it at that. He tested each of the swords and made me think he would move on to the daggers before settling in with a smaller one that he liked. I still think he should take a dagger anyway but he either didn't noticed or didn't care for it.

The armors proved to be a bit of a problem. There were six of them, made of leather and some thick material for the joins, and none of them fit Izuku's short, skinny form.

He settled from a compromise rather than leave unprotected like a smart lad he was. He stole the boots that were closer to his size from one of them, and from another, he took the breastplate — He fumbled around a bit with the straps doing his best to secure it around his torso — it fell a bit under his waist and he looked horribly uncomfortable but it was something at least.

"Ok… ok…" He shifted his weight around, trying to get used to the bulk of his equipment. "I'm…" He gulped. "I'm ready."

A with that, he opened the front door.

-0-0-0-

Izuku took me with him on his quest.

That was a surprise, I genuinely thought I would have to settle in for a long wait while wondering if he'd survive or not. But no, as soon as he stepped outside a piece of my awareness followed him; it wasn't anything like the inside of the guild, where I could control my point of view or have areal omniscience, I was bound to him, or at least to his position, and could perceive what was happening to him and around him, but in much shallower level than my normal awareness, and I couldn't manipulate it in any way.

Izuku had stepped out into the grassy ground of a large clearing surrounded by forest at all sides. He had turned around to look at the doorway he came from but found nothing there, that had freaked him out a little but he quickly got over it and now he's walking around the forest, looking at everything and anything while occasionally delving into murmuring rants about the impossibility of what he's experiencing and his theories about the subject.

Watching him was an amazingly monotonous experience after the thrill of seeing a manga character come to life had passed, despite this, however, I did not become bored, in fact, I feel like I could watch him for ages without feeling any strain. This made me look back on the way I was acting since my death and made me deduce I didn't have the capability of being bored anymore. Perhaps it was a human thing, and now that I'm not human I didn't have to deal with it anymore. I wonder how much my thought process has changed.

Hmm, looks like Izuku finally found a goblin… Oh…

There was a dirt road cutting through the forest, and a large colonial wagon appeared to have swerved to the side and crashed on a tree. A layer of arrows lingered all over the structure, along with blood, viscera, and bodies. A group of horrible little green men stood over the carnage; dancing, laughing, breaking wooden containers to get to the meat and dry fruits. Three of them congregated to the side where they were fornicating with what was either an unresponsive woman or a corpse.

Izuku slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his scream. His whole body was trembling now, his eyes staring fixedly at the scene of the bloodshed from his position among the trees. He took a hesitant step back, and I wanted to wince when his foot snapped a butch of dry sticks.

The silence that followed as the unoccupied goblins turned to look at Izuku's direction and met his terrified eyes was like a flickering ember sneaking into a powder keg. And it exploded with the goblins shrieking in delight and Izuku screaming in terror.

Did I mention how frustrating it was nothing being able to do anything? Yeah, I could only watch as Izuku took off through the forest in a mad dash, the goblins giggling and cackling on his tail. He had some advantages that I could see; his legs were longer and he's generally faster, but the goblins seem to know how to navigate the terrain better, so they started gaining on him.

One of the fuckers, I don't know if because he was away from the group the pursuit started, or simply took another route, managed to flank Izuku and jumped in to block his way. The Goblin and the teenager crashed violently, luckily, Izuku managed to raise his shield just in time to catch the dagger blow that would gorge his neck. The boy's superior weight made them both tumble to the side, falling down a steep incline and rolling their way down the hill until they crashed on the rocky bed of a shallow river.

Both the monster and the teenager groaned in pain almost in unison. But the goblin recovered faster. It lunged in the direction of the fallen boy, daggers in hand. Izuku, for his part, barely managed to raise the shield to intercept.

The goblin had Izuku pinned down, so it started railing blows on the shield with wild abandon. Izuku screamed under the relentless attack, eyes frenetically searching for something he could use.

When the shield started cracking and splintering Izuku realized he couldn't afford the stalemate anymore, so, with a shout of defiance, he bashed the shield against the goblin's face, timing it in a way that would catch it by surprise. He used the goblin's dazed surprise to pick a rock from the riverbed and struck the monster in the forehead with it.

The goblin was thrown to the side, but not before yanking Izuku's ruined shield with it. The boy immediately lunged for his sword, which has been thrown to the side in the confusion. The goblin shook its head and, fueled more by anger than rationality, jumped at the boy's unprotected back.

Just in time for Izuku to turn around, sword in hand.

There was a grotesque, wet sound as the goblin impaled itself on the blade and fell over Izuku. It did not die immediately, it wailed and screamed and basically went crazy. Thankfully, its daggers had flown out of its hand in the shock, so it was incapable of getting past Izuku's breastplate and seriously injure the boy.

After what felt like an eternity, the monster started to slow down. Its screams and snarling turning into wet whines of a dying animal. It fought and trashed to the last of its strength, trying to leave at least some lasting damage to its killer. Until finally, it stopped.

Tutorial Quest Completed!
Midoriya Izuku leveled up!
Recall adventurer?

Okay, wasn't expecting that last bit, but it's a nice surprise and Izuku… Hum, Izuku wasn't moving, he's just lying there with a dead goblin over his chest, staring at the sky.

I should probably… yep; the other goblins just broke from the tree lines. Recalling him now.

-0-0-0-

There was no fancy visual effect or anything like that; Izuku just disappeared from where he was and appeared on the floor of the guild's main hall.

For a few moments, he just laid there, unmoving. His hands gripping tightly at the handle of his sword, his upper torso drenched with dark, goblin blood.

Then, in a burst of movement, he turned around and spewed the content of his stomach on the floor, again and again until he was left dry heaving. After that, he fell on his side and screamed into his hands, his mess of sobs reverberating across the room.

… Frustration… so much frustration…

-0-0-0-

Midoriya Izuku
Adventurer, Bronze Tier.
Level: 2
Points: 5
Strength: 1
Endurance: 1
Dexterity: 1
Agility: 1

Abilities:
Basic Sword Proficiency – Bronze Tier.
Basic Shield Proficiency – Bronze Tier.

Just staring at Izuku's new gamer-like status screen gave me information about it, something I'm grateful for because I won't have to work on assumptions anymore.

Firstly, his stats are unrelated to his base characteristics; meaning that while he can get stronger, tougher, faster, or more dexterous with training, he won't gain more points this way. The points are less of a gauging mechanic and more like a Meta Investment; they give instant benefit to a specific stat and, as far as I can tell, can only be gained by leveling up.

Secondly, the new abilities; Izuku himself manifested them during the level up. According to my ingrained knowledge, there are many different ways to gain new abilities, but the normal one is kind of similar to the Elder Scroll Game series: they will manifest according to Izuku's actions before his next level up, but will only activate after the fact. In this case, Izuku made use of his sword and shield for the duration of the Quest, prompting a sword and a shield ability to appear during the level up process.

And lastly… it appears Izuku does not have access or control over his status screen, I doubt he can even see it. The only one who can see his abilities or distribute his point is me.

That's a scary level of control over an Adventurer's strength… and a deliberate one, I quickly realized: a tangible growth in strength is a great incentive for completing Quests, and the mystery surrounding this mechanic will only make it more enticing.

For now I just… distributed Izuku's point in a manner he could use, the system was simple and direct so it didn't take long. Not many options to play around with, yet.

Yet… Implying that he would do it again after what happened. No, this was something he had to decide himself.

I closed down the status screen and focused back on the boy.

He was still lying on the floor, his body now curled into a ball. His wrecked sobbing had been replaced by the steading breathing of his exhausted sleep.

I can't really do much for him beyond making him a little stronger. Can't even properly convey my apology. Still, an option literally opened up when I focused back on his form without opening his status screen

Midoriya Izuku
Level: 1
Obligation: Fulfilled.
Send back Adventurer?

It was something at least, certainly better than letting him sleep on the floor. Would I be able to get him back if I send him back, though… no, no I owed him this much, can't keep him around forever just because I'm still not sure about all my new mechanics

Besides the 'Call Bronze Adventurers' option still in the countdown, so it's not like I won't have access to more adventurers.

And so, I selected the option to send Izuku back to wherever he came from and watched as the body disappears from the floor to a place beyond my perspective. Leaving me alone with a puddle of his puke.

… Ew.

-0-0-0-

"Izuku! Breakfast is ready."

"Izuku? Are you up?"

"You going to miss school if you don't wake up!"

Midoriya Izuku's eyes snapped open as he felt his body being shaken. He immediately screamed, slapped the hand of whoever was shaking him, and nearly fell off the bed trying to get away.

His mother gasped, bringing her hand to her chest in shock. He blinked at her, mouth opening to apologize but failed at it, the only sound he could produce were loud, uncontrollable wheezings. His chest contracting and expanding mighty with each breath, his heart thumping in his ears.

His mother was quick to realize something was amiss. "W-What's wrong Izuku!? Do anything hurt!? Can you talk!?"

"I'm ok." He managed to croak out between his wheezing, "It's just a—" Blood, death, fear, rotting smell, forest blurring around him, heavy equipment tapping against his body, villain, monster, monster!

He slapped his hand over his mouth it was all he could do to avoid throwing up.

He heard his mother's words through the ringing on his ears but couldn't make any sense of them. He definitely felt her hands feeling around his face and neck though.

"—'m getting the thermometer, don't move, I'll be right back!"

He watched her leaving his room, knowing she would be back quickly. Meanwhile, he closed his eyes tried to calm himself down.

He's back at his bed now, which means everything that happened was just a stupid dream! No matter how real it felt, how tangible it was how… how horrible it became! It was not real. Not real. He'd let himself be frightened by something like that and had even worried his mother needlessly. No wonder Kacchan calls him Deku, he bet he could blow away those things in seconds.

True to her words, his mother barely took a minute before coming back.

"Here Izuku, just hold on—"

"I'm ok!" He chocked out, forcing his breath under control. "I'm ok, I'm sorry for scaring you, mom. It was just a nightmare."

His mother frowned, her wide, emerald eyes, a perfect mirror of his own, searched his expression.

"You're burning up, Izuku. I've never seen you so pale."

"I'm fine," Izuku shook his head, trying to push the memories to the back of his mind. The weight over his chest, the relentless assault against the wood of his single lifeline, a truly rancid breath near his face. Not real. "I just need—"

He made to stand up from the bed, but a sudden wave of dizziness knocked him back.

"You're certainly not fine!" His mother insisted, "I'm calling the school, you're staying home today."

"But—"

"No, Izuku!" She asserted, but Izuku could see her starting to break down, she was never one to put a strong front for too long. "Please Izuku, j-just let me take care of you."

Izuku didn't think there was a way to make him feel worse, but he'd just found it. Great, now he's causing even more stress to his mother as if he didn't do that enough on a daily basis.

"Alright. I still think it's nothing, but I will stay." He finally conceded.

After that, the tension that was building between them finally receded. His mother fussed over him for a few more minutes before leaving him to his thoughts. She would come back with breakfast and medicine very soon, he knew it.

Izuku sighed, placing a hand over his forehead. The memory of his nightmare still fresh in my mind, but now that he was more composed, it no longer threatens to send him over the edge. Still, he frowned at the horrible experiences that replayed in his mind.

But there was more, wasn't it? A place, of some kind, before the forest, before the monsters … a tavern of shorts, empty, odd but surprisingly homely… warm…

Feeling a familiar itch, he reached to his side to pick up one of his notebooks for some quick annotations, only to find… something else, something that wasn't there the night before. His fingers curled around it even though the rest of his body had become numb. Once again, his heart began to throb so much he could hear it in the base of his ears. It took… a while before he found the strength to turn his head a look.

A familiar-looking iron sword leaned innocently against the wall between his bed and the nightstand, his fingers white around the handle.

Izuku let out a long whine; it was all he could do to keep from screaming.


And of course here is the proper light novel title:

"I reincarnated in a weird dimensional node as a magical Adventurer Guild, so I'll make various characters from various different settings into my adventurers for fun and profit!"