1 Chapter 1

- Xenon -

What happens to you after a truck smashes you to death?

A question I've asked myself a thousand times, as I read stories or watched animes involving Truck-kun. I'm sure many of you would have the same answer as me: 'You get reincarnated silly.'

Or even those who'd say: 'You meet an ROB and get a zillion wishes and go to your favorite world to build a harem and have cock measuring contests with everyone who looks wrong at you, DUH.'

I was surprised when I got to test it first hand. Scratch that, the only thought on my mind as I faced the enormous monstrosity, if there was any, was that I didn't want to die, while my body thought it would magically solve the solution if I pissed and shat myself. Turns out that men shit themselves when they die, who knew?

There was no void, no waiting for a thousand years to be noticed by some deity, no afterlife whatsoever, and that thought scares the shit out of me. I just opened my eyes to this new scenery, meaning if I did wait however long I did, I was not conscious of it. Which means that I didn't exist as far as I'm concerned, as the only way I'd be able to justify my existence is by thinking, which I am currently doing. The moral of the story? Don't die.

What greeted my eyes was trees and soil filled with fallen leaves, almost golden in color. Perhaps it was the autumn or summer season? I wasn't sure. The clear blue sky above and the light of the sun made it quite the beautiful sight. Until you factor in the human right in front of me, or what resembled one.

Eyes bloodshot with a crazed look on 'his' face, it had its hands extended towards me, even though I was quite a few meters away from it. His belly was leaky his intestines, making his lower half bloody. Not to mention the dirtied state of his clothes, if it even mattered. I almost vomited at the sight.

I didn't need to think twice to know it was a zombie. But when I think about the fact that I vividly remember being isekai-ed by Truck-kun, I can only conclude it's unlikely.

But what puzzles me the most is: Why is the world on PAUSE? The zombie wasn't moving, and I couldn't hear a single sound, nor feel anything for that matter.

< Greetings, Xenon! >

Xenon? Oh yeah, that's my name. Weird, was that my name before I died? Doubtful. How do I know, you ask? Because I can't fucking remember. I don't remember who my parents were, hell, I don't even remember if I had any family at all. I do remember a few things, but most of the things that define who I was before aren't there anymore. I do remember a lot of social interactions I had before though, along with all the things I've read or watched, which cannot be a coincidence.

< +1 WIS Gained! >

Huh, definitely not weird.

< You have transmigrated to the world of : The Walking Dead. >

'Fuck me sideways.'

< In order to move on to the next, you have to meet certain conditions that shall not be revealed to you. >

( AN: I'm still uncertain about whether to make the system robotic or sentient. Tell me what you think in the comments!)

'Phew! Dodged a bullet there. Good to know. Imagine how fucking dumb it would be transmigrated to a world where there isn't even any magic. At least, I can go to other worlds in the future.'

< Please keep in mind that your current situation is temporary, and that as soon as the world 'resumes', the creature in front of you will attack you. >

'The fact that you can pause the world is pretty disturbing, you know…'

< No, you are not in a video game. This is your new reality. >

'That's what a system would tell me if I was inside a video game though…'

< Does it even matter? Would you prefer if you just ceased to exist, or perhaps I should "convince" you that you are not inside a game? >

'Touché'

< The system was designed to make you stronger, while you will do all the necessary hard work, so it is from henceforth the reason of your existence. I will not hesitate to manipulate the world to your disadvantage if you ever start stagnating intentionally. >

'Well, I'm glad you've informed me beforehand. There are no such thing as a free meals…'

< As you are right now, you only have access to your Status and Inventory. You can unlock more 'System Functions' when the conditions are met. >

I suddenly found myself aware of it, as in it was now a part of me. Do you ever notice how your arm (No offense for armless people) is just there? You feel it, you feel you can move it as long as you order it to? Well, the same happened to me, except now I was aware of another 'limb' for the lack of a better word. I could feel the system, I could feel I could access it whenever I wanted, I wouldn't even need to say 'status' like a dumbass, or even think it. I just have to will it and it would answer my call.

Regrettably, I didn't have anything in my inventory just yet.

< When you are ready, your new journey will begin. Good luck. >

'Status'

< Status >

Name : Xenon

Level : 1 | Progress : 0%

Race : Human

Age : 16

-

Stamina (SP) : 200/200

-

STR : 12

DEX : 8

DEF : 7

CHA: 14

WIL : 2

INT : 20

WIS : 6

LUK : 8

<>

( AN: I'm still looking for suggestions of stats I could add or modify. this isn't the final format. )

I noticed there was a mirror sitting on a tree for some reason. What are the odds of finding a mirror big enough to show your whole body sitting against a tree in the middle of a forest, where there is no signs of life? Practically non existent. Which leads me to believe whatever brought me here did it to make me aware of how much I've changed.

Standing at 1m75, I had short smooth chestnut hair, hazel eyes staring deeply at their reflection. There was no more traces of baby fat I used to have on my face, giving me a more masculine look. I was pretty tall, considering my age, which meant I still had a window to grow. And unlike my previous bushy eyebrows, something that had been bothering for a while, they hardly drew any attention to them. I suddenly find myself pretty handsome, which I now realize is a pretty narcissistic on my part.

It's weird I don't actually remember how I used to look like… I somehow just know few facts about my previous looks. Not that it matters, really.

I was dressed in a single black shirt and short, a pair of unbranded but comfortable sneakers. I was never for brands. Not that I lacked the money, mind you, but I just prefer cheap and practical.

I could feel I was wearing a backpack around my shoulders, which filled me with joy. I was worried about being left here without any food or water. Or when I think about the zombie about to ponce on me, I remember that I also need a weapon.

Thankfully, I already had one in my hand: a metallic baseball bat. It was very light, weighting only about kilogram, but the I have no delusions about the destruction it can cause when used correctly. I also had a knife attached to my belt, a 20 inch D2 Bowie, perfect for my situation as it gives me enough range to stay safe, not as much as the bat, but they both have different roles. Either way, I wasn't complaining.

I would need to 'unpause', though I'm pretty sure this is a one time thing, in order to check what I have in my backpack. It was pretty big and heavy, from what I can tell. But it works in my favor. Why? I had the Inventory.

That doesn't mean I can just put items there willy nilly. There are apparently some limitations, most of which I cannot ascertain just yet, but quite a few I'm already aware of. For starters, I had a very limited space I can put in. The items I put there are always each in an individual box in the interface, so I can draw anyone I want. But each would take a certain space in my inventory. For example, right now, I had about 300 INV (for Inventory Point), and storing my full backpack would take 97 INV.

Other such limitations are the fact that I need to touch the object to be able to store it, and I can't store just any object. I can't store any living beings, obviously, but I also can't store anything that has been activated with harmful intent, apparently.

I spent a few minutes to come up with examples in my head, so I don't rely on it in the heat of the moment, but I eventually came up with a few. If a hand-grenade is about to off, I can't just send it to my inventory, where time is frozen, to dodge it. I guess I also can't store any cursed object with myself as a target, in a fantasy world setting.

I took a few calming breaths, then I realized I couldn't, since I can't move. And somehow, my brain doesn't run out of oxygen. Food for thought.

Ideally, I'd want to put my backpack in my inventory, since it would allow me to see what's inside, so I won't have to waste time on it later. But I need to be 'ready' to use my inventory, which means I'll have to store it as soon as the world resumes. I can't fight the walker with my backpack on.

My plan to confronting it was simple. Find a good opportunity to hit it as hard as I can on the head to crack its skull. It should be enough to kill it. I think. What do I know, I just came here…

What I do know is that I don't want that thing anywhere near me with my stats. Why? Superhuman strength. There is a reason why zombies are so feared, even in this world where they can walk at most. Once they get a hold of you, it's extremely difficult to escape, and in most cases means you'd get bitten. Thank god for small mercies, imagine if those things could run. I shudder at the thought.

Bracing myself, I gave the signal that meant I was ready. It was just this feeling at the back of my head, some sort of inexistent button I could press, and the effect were immediate.

Quickly leaping to action, I stored my backpack in my inventory, and back up a little bit, to give me enough space to maneuver. The walker was staggering slowly in my direction, extending his arms in a grabbing motion, even though I was a solid ten meters away from it, making gurgling sounds in the process.

I took a deep breath, and readied myself for my next action. I was about to take my first kill in this new world. Or at least try to. Drawing my arms to my limit, I opted for a large swing for maximum damage, especially since the zombies had their backs to me, so I could take my time preparing. Putting every fiber of my being into my next swing, I hit it on the head with the loudest bonk I've ever heard in my left, hearing an audible sickening crack as I plunged my bat into his skull. It fell it the floor dead, making me sigh in relief. If that didn't manage to kill it, I don't know what would.

< 1 EXP Gained ! >

< Skill Gained! >

[Empowered Strike. (Active)] LVL 1

Empower your next attack, increasing its speed and damage.

( Speed & Damage increase based on DEX and STR )

<>

'Sweet!' I got a skill out of the ordeal, even though I didn't do much. I hoped it was as easy to get the rest of my skills. The more OP I was, the more chances of survival I had. Alas, those were the thoughts of a naive boy, and I would soon learn just how hard it is to acquire them.