Chapter 1: The Awakening

Alex Tsujuro never expected to die on a Tuesday. It was a day like any other; he had gone to work, attended meetings, and returned home to his small apartment in the city. As he was crossing the street to get his favorite takeout, a blinding light engulfed him, followed by the screeching of tires. Everything went black.

When Alex opened his eyes, he found himself in an endless void. The darkness stretched infinitely in all directions, and the silence was deafening. Panic set in as he realized he couldn't feel his body. Was this the afterlife? Was he dreaming?

"Welcome, Alex Tsujuro," a deep, resonant voice echoed through the void.

Alex tried to locate the source of the voice but saw nothing. "Who's there?" he called out, his voice trembling.

"I am a god," the voice replied. "And you are dead."

The words hit Alex like a sledgehammer. Dead? How could that be? He had so much he still wanted to do, so much he hadn't experienced. "Is this...the afterlife?" he asked hesitantly.

"In a manner of speaking," the god responded. "But you have been given a unique opportunity. I can grant you three wishes before you move on."

Alex's mind raced. Three wishes? Like a genie in a bottle? "Anything I want?" he asked cautiously.

"Anything within my power," the god confirmed.

Alex took a deep breath, or at least imagined he did, given his lack of a physical form. He needed to think carefully. "For my first wish," he began, "I want a system that allows me to become any character in any fiction I choose. I want to be able to create them and enter their worlds or be directly one of the fictional characters."

"Granted," the god intoned. Alex felt a strange sensation, as if a weight had been lifted from his non-existent shoulders.

"For my second wish," Alex continued, "I want to have infinite currency within this system, whatever form that may take."

"Granted," the god said again, the void seeming to shimmer slightly as he spoke.

"And for my third wish," Alex said, a sense of determination filling him, "I want the power to wish for any knowledge about something, and then I will instantly gain that knowledge."

"Granted," the god's voice echoed, final and absolute. "Your wishes have been fulfilled. Use them wisely, Alex Tsujuro."

There was a pause before the god spoke again, "Now, tell me, in which world would you like to begin your journey?"

Alex's mind swirled with possibilities. He could go anywhere, be anyone. The excitement of infinite choices filled him. He took a moment to consider, then with a confident voice, he replied, "I want to go to..."