The steady beep of a machine tracking my heartbeat gently pulled me from unconsciousness.
As I opened my eyes, my suspicions were confirmed: I lay in a small hospital room, tucked into a bed.
To my left stood a striking young man, no older than twenty, with short, glossy black hair and pale blue eyes. He greeted me warmly.
Tears streamed down his face as he clutched an empty, intricately decorated bottle in his hands.
"Anna! The Elixir… It worked!"
What in the world was happening?
Anna? That’s not my name.
I didn’t have a brother—at least, not that I could recall.
And since when had I been admitted to a hospital?
As I struggled to make sense of it all, a torrent of memories from two entirely different lives surged into my mind, blending together to forge a new identity—the me of this moment.
Then it hit me. My old name was Julia Martinez. I’d been a web novel writer, though not a successful one. An orphan with no family to speak of, I’d always turned to books for solace.
Reading had been my escape from life’s harsh realities, and eventually, it inspired me to write web novels to pass the time.
I even managed to earn a few cents from it, convincing myself that with enough effort, I could make it as a full-time writer.
I churned out romance story after romance story, but nothing resonated. I barely scraped together 100 collections, my views were dismal, and hundreds of chapters sat unread.
Desperate for inspiration, I racked my brain for fresh ideas, but despite my love for reading romance, I was terrible at writing it.
Then an online friend suggested I try a new genre: Action, Adventure, and System.
So there I was, foolishly devouring novel after novel until I stumbled into the most popular one of all—a titan of this overdone, predictable genre.
It was as bland and uninspired as you’d expect.
The usual formula: monsters spill from gates, hunters with powers push them back, society adapts, and a weak, ridiculed main character emerges, awakens a unique system, levels up, gains abilities, and so on.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
It was one of the most generic stories I’d ever read, yet I could see why the genre had a following. I even enjoyed it, uninspired as it was!
Right in the middle of obsessively reading on the street, en route to buy instant ramen.
A truck plowed into me.
I couldn’t believe I’d met such a clichéd end.
"Can you talk? Anna, do you recognize me?"
As this supposed brother’s voice reached me, memories of another life—this life—began to surface, eerily reminiscent of the novels I’d been reading as Anna.
A sheltered, innocent girl, overly protected by her parents, with a big brother who handled everything, leaving her a bit spoiled.
Life had been good. My parents were wealthy, and a happy future seemed assured.
But then, like a scene ripped from my favorite novel…
Gates to dungeons! Monsters! Hunters!
Our parents perished in a horrific accident just as the Gates appeared.
And me? While fleeing, I was attacked.
My big brother somehow shielded me, but I’d been in a coma ever since.
It was utterly bizarre to realize my past life had been a woman who’d read this life as fiction, but I supposed I couldn’t complain.
Ugh, big brother, can’t you hold off? I’m in the middle of a full-on personal monologue here!
Give me at least ten minutes to process this flood of information—it’s overwhelming.
"Brother… Big brother?"
Exhausted by his chatter, I was still grateful he’d woken me from the coma with that Elixir. Deep down, I wasn’t shocked; I’d known this would happen.
Yet the Anna in me rejoiced at finally being awake, and tears welled up in my eyes despite myself.
"I was so worried, Anna!"
My big brother enveloped me in a tight hug, and I pressed a kiss to his cheek. His warm embrace soothed my heart, instantly lifting my spirits.
Ahhh~ I could get used to this!
Then it dawned on me.
My big brother’s luminous blue eyes met mine, brimming with confusion.
"I used an Elixir I’d been crafting to wake you up. You’ve been in a coma for three years…" He sighed. "A lot’s happened. Our parents… they died when the Rifts started. There’s so much to tell you, but I know it’s hard to take in, so I’ll spare the details for now."
His face, that commanding presence radiating from him!
My big brother is the protagonist of Solo Player!
"You should rest now. I’ll let the doctors know you’re awake, alright? Just relax—everything’s going to be fine," he said with a gallant tone, striding out of the room.
As I tried to gather my thoughts, a blue holographic window flickered into existence before my eyes, nearly stopping my heart.
[System Seed has been successfully implanted inside of the user’s Soul.]
[Congratulations! You’ve been selected for Transmigration by []!]
As if things weren’t strange enough, a system window hovered in front of me—unseen by my brother.
Selected for transmigration? Was someone else behind this?
[The Cosmic Throne {Butterfly That Flies Across The Universe} is wondering why so many gazes are fixed on you… She finds your bewildered expression rather amusing.]
[Due to the entertainment you’ve provided, she has tipped 10 Plot Points (PP)!]
[The Cosmic Throne {Monkey That Dances in Chaos} is curious why this clumsy fool is drawing the Nebula Stream’s attention.]
[He admits, though, your ridiculous face is pretty hilarious.]
[He has tipped 5 Plot Points (PP)!]
What was happening? Constellations?!
But Anna wasn’t even supposed to become a Player…
[By the Command of [], a Constellation will be sent to clarify your situation.]
[The Cosmic Throne {Jester Filled With Lies} has chosen to manifest an illusion avatar before you!]
[The Nebula Streaming Services have been temporarily suspended in your vicinity; no Constellations can observe you or your surroundings.]
A thick cloud of white smoke erupted into the room, sending me into a coughing fit.
From the haze emerged a jester, chuckling softly. His face was obscured by a mask split between joy and sorrow, impossible to read.
"It seems you’ve awakened. Welcome to your new life, Anna."
This felt like a scene plucked from my wildest dreams.
If this was a dream, someone, please, wake me up!