"Hard work pays off"
That's what they always say, right?
Back when I had a future friends, family, even decent abs. I thought that was just bullshit people liked to tell themselves to feel better. Like a motivational bandage slapped over a bullet wound.
Turns out, I was wrong.
People do.
They betray you hard, fast, and without warning. And when they're done, all that's left is the echo of what you once were.
…Anyway.
My name used to be Aoto Kure. I had a life. Then a girlfriend accused me of things I never did. My friends disappeared, my family died under the weight of rumors and lies, I got fat, depressed, and dropped out of college.
Then I started writing stories.
My latest? "Nova System Level Up." Classic underdog with a system, quests, girls, all the usual crap. The protagonist, Nox. he was everything I wasn't. Handsome, clueless, kind-hearted, he got all the luck.
Then I died.
Heart attack. No dramatic final words. Just a cold cup of ramen and a blinking cursor on Chapter 76.
I thought that was the end.
But when I opened my eyes, I was staring at a system window:
[Name: Kyo Atsuko]
[Rank: G-Class]
[Student ID: 1825 / 2000]
[System Status: Corrupted]
[Adola: ERROR // GLITCH DETECTED]
Kyo Atsuko?
I blinked. Looked down at my hands, Pale, Frail. Definitely not the guy who'd been writing a best-selling novel.
I shuffled to a cracked mirror.
Black hair, messy like I hadn't combed it in days. Eyes… black with a weird tint of purple flickering like static. Hands a little too thin. A face that was decent not ugly, not particularly handsome, just… forgettable.
I stared, wondered where I was, why I appeared here.
I was inside my own goddamn story.
But not as the hero.
Not even a named character.
No. I'm the side character who never had a single line.
And now? The story is starting to unravel.
"If im in my novel… then where am I?"
I turn around and notice a sleek and clean red envelope on a desk in the corner of the room.
I walked over and grabbed it.
"What's this? An envelope? From who"
I open the envelope. It's a letter.
"Hey kyo it's your mother. I just wanted to write and ask how your doing now that you have to attend citadel soon"
"Citadel?"
I blink in surprise.
"Citadel is a academy for the gifted and it's very difficult to get into"
"The chances of getting into citadel is below 5% so with those chances how did a side character like me get in…"
I look down into the envelope once more.
"What's this?"
In the envelope there is a key of some sorts.
Since I didn't know what it's for I decide that the best decision is to keep reading the letter.
"Here is the key to the spatial storage system.
Just open your system and say spatial storage open then put your key inside"
"System?"
The system is a reflection of the soul made into a usable construct and it allows you to see your stats, profession, skills and even storage
[Name: Kyo Atsuko]
[Rank: G-Class]
[Student ID : 1825 / 2000]
[System Status : Corrupted]
[Adola : ERROR // GLITCH DETECTED]
==Statistics==
Strength : G-
Agility : G
Stamina : G-
Intelligence : G
Mana Capacity : G
Luck : F
Charm : G
==Profession==
[REDACTED]
Touch [REDACTED]
=============
Laughing bitterly at my status. I say "spatial storage open" and a key hole appears to which I place the key inside and I turn it.
WHOOSH
Suddenly cold air rushes out and hits my face as a sword appears into my hand. "A sword? Is that what that woman- no my mother sent as a gift?"
A small pain of static hits my hand which the sword is in. I look down at my hand and to my surprise my hand and sword seem to be glitching
"W-what is happening? My hands glitching? Is it my adola? But there wasn't any glitch adola type in my story"
Then out of nowhere and without my command the Status window suddenly opens to the profession window.
==Profession==
[Swordsmanship lvl.1]
The profession for wielding a sword.
Swordsmanship may level up in due time with experience using it. Swordsmanship can get stronger with Manuel's
=================
I blink in surprise whilst looking at the status window. "My profession changed by touching the sword? That shouldn't be possible is it due to my adola being glitched?"