NOVEL WEB Chapter 1: Prologue: The Final Breath
Ethan Reyes wasn't the type to sit still. Whether it was hiking up treacherous trails, practicing makeshift survival techniques, or tinkering with old camping gear, his life was an endless quest for self-reliance. Half Southeast Asian, half American, he was a product of two cultures, both shaping his passion for adaptability and resilience.
Yet, for all his preparation, the end came like a punchline to a cruel joke.
He was riding his motorcycle late at night, the city lights blurred in the drizzle. The roads were slick, and his helmet visor was speckled with rain. He hadn't meant to stay out this late, but losing track of time was a specialty of his.
The truck came out of nowhere.
Bright headlights filled his vision, the horn blaring too late to matter. Ethan swerved, but the tires betrayed him. The crash was sudden and absolute. He barely registered the pain as his body slammed onto the asphalt, skidding to a stop in the middle of the road.
His vision blurred, the cold rain soaking through his jacket. He could hear distant voices shouting, feel the vibrations of people running toward him.
So, this is how it ends, he thought bitterly, his mind scrambling for anything meaningful to latch onto. His plans, his dreams, all his effort to live self-sufficiently—it didn't mean a thing now.
As his consciousness began to fade, a strange sensation washed over him. Warmth. Comfort. And a voice, calm yet authoritative, echoing in his mind.
[Subject: Ethan Reyes]
[Cause of Death: Vehicular Collision]
[Initiating Multiverse Survival Program.]
[Reincarnation: Approved.]
"What the hell…?" Ethan muttered, his voice barely a whisper as the world around him dissolved into darkness.
The last thing he felt was a pull—like being yanked through a current of roaring water—and then, nothing.