Blinking, I stared at the table in front of me. Huh.
Where did that come from? One moment I was sleeping and then- …
"Is this a dream?" I muttered.
No... No, it's not a dream. There's a big difference between dreams and reality itself, a really really big difference. I had often heard people mistake dreams with reality, but that was just not possible.
For example, when you dream, everything around you is hazy, a blur almost like a hallucination, and your own thoughts are a mess. I, myself know this since I did have a few dreams that felt very real before….
Yet, none of them is like this... None so clear like this. Right now my mind is certainly not a mess and everything around me is clear, very clear. This is too real for a mere dream, so no, in conclusion, this is not a dream.
To reassure myself further, I began to pinch my hand and like I expected I felt a stinging sensation from it. I can feel pain, which means this is clearly not a dream.
That leaves me with one question.
"How the hell did I get here?" I whispered once more taking a look at my surroundings.
White... as far as the eye can see, everything is white... No matter how my eyes roamed around, all I can see is white... a very large white space... Nothing but white space, a table and chair that right now I sit upon.
...
I don't like this... I really don't like this... I mean, this is not a dream, clearly not since I can feel pain. And the last thing I remember was being back in my bed to sleep then suddenly now I'm in... Wait just, where the hell is I?!
"Yo!"
Out of nowhere someone appeared in front of me making me jump as he spoke. Oh God. Yes, I really did the jump. Well, not like the ones in anime you see, I frantically sat up in surprise from my chair resulting in my fall to the ground!
"W-What the fuck?!" I yelled as I landed on my butt, my eyes practically glued to the being that out of the blue appeared in front of me. My heart rate began increasing due to the surprise and for a moment I can feel my heart beating faster as the seconds ticked by.
He... looked old... I would guess he was around his forties. He was clad in a gentleman's suit with a black billowing cape, having spiky grey hair and a greying beard. He stared at me with his eerie red crimson eyes and a smirk forming on his face. I have no doubt taking amusement from my fall.
For some reason... He looked familiar...
"How rude, do you swear at everyone you meet?" He asked me.
I narrowed my eyes, slowly pushing myself to stand and inwardly gulping. There... There's something about him that makes I feel uneasy. You know the feeling when you sit on the side of stranger that looked like a wanted criminal? Yep, that's what I currently feel.
"W-Who are you?" I asked, trying to be brave "And where am I?!"
Blinking his eerie red eyes at me, the smirk on his face still remained as he spoke "Well, you're clearly a bit more polite than the previous one. Normally, they instantly say 'Where the fuck am I old man?' things like that."
Previous one? I don't know what he's saying, but... It made my spine chill for a moment. What did he mean by a previous one? Just who the hell is this guy?!
"I guess I should introduce myself. Surely you had heard of me before, my name is... Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg."
And I felt myself freeze the moment he declared his name...
Kischur... Zelretch... Schweinorg...?
I'm not a fan of Fate Stay/Night. And while I found the film amusing and fun, I never tried to dig in deeper. All my knowledge about it only came from fanfictions I read on the internet.
And from all Fanfiction I read, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg is someone only used for one reason...
Dimension travel...
"No way..." I murmured before taking a few steps away from him "Hell no! Hell, no way! There's no way you're Zelretch! No way you're that Zelretch! He's only in an anime! A fictional World! Fuck his Kaleidoscope! It's just things that people use as a reason to make crossover fanfiction and things like that." I said to him.
Well..." 'Zelretch' mused, showing nothing but amusement at my reaction "When you say it like that, it's rather strange but... I'm not in the mood to make for pleasantries or long introductions since you already know me so..."
Then all of a sudden I felt myself get yanked by something. My body flung upward, enough to make me let out a yelp as my eyes widened before crashing back to the chair that now somehow already stood once more.
As this happened, my mind was left frantically trying to process just what occurred, the fear and panic sensation started to grow further. This is not happening, this is not happening! This is not happening! I mean, he couldn't be real! This couldn't be real! This is probably some sick joke, right? Like that or-
"Calm down."
And I was calm...
It was very strange... One second my mind is a bumbling mess, but now I feel... Clear... You know the sensation when you feel very nervous and afraid, but suddenly all of them were gone because what you fear proved to be nothing.
"Well... While you are more polite than the other, you certainly are the first one that almost collapsed just because of meeting me." 'Zelretch' spoke, his voice still laced with amusement as he grinned and by the Gods, I can see his fangs! "I don't know if I should feel flattered or offended but... I guess I will take the first one." He chuckled to himself.
Because my mind is now calm, I can feel parts of my logical brain starting to work again. Say what you wish about me, but I'm a logical person, so when I no longer felt panic like that...
Regarding him as dream will only deny the reality, and that only does nothing but make you look like a moron. He's not a dream, but they'rere a chance... Perhaps I'm hallucinating? That was actually possible when you're hallucinating you still feel pain.
But the problem is, I'm not an illegal drug user, yes, I smoke one or two times, but I never touched such drugs even when offered one. So... Did someone drugged me? But who? I mean...
Keeping that aside, for now, I have another matter at hand.
"Okay. Let us just assume that you're real." I started, my eyes still lingering on him, who just snorted in his place. "I can list a few things why you'd come to me and I would like to say that I REFUSE all of what you offer."
Zelretch blinked at me, then he pouted, Gods! He actually pouted! Do you know how strange that is in the face of an old man?! It's... Disgusting! Ewww! No offence!
"But I still haven't offered you anything!" He exclaimed petulantly.
"Your offers are along the lines of 'giving memories of an alternate version of someone whose life goal is to be a transvestite circus clown and then implant them into your victim's personality, or replacing someone's personality with their opposite gender counterpart, or sending someone to a world where monster girls who survive through man's sperm exist just for the sake of your fun," I said dryly, remembering one of Gabriel's blessing fanfic where he changed Miya Asama's personality and sent Shirou to a Monster Girl World. If that wasn't insane then I don't know what else is it called and, "What kind of sane man would accept your offer?"
"Hey! There many men who would love to take the last offer you know!" Zelretch defended himself.
Doesn't change the fact that it's still considered as the insane level of funny.
"Hear me first." Zelretch cleared his throat before he gives me a pointed look "I already travelled to many places, and changed many things. However, I realize after I did that, all of them is... it's now a bit dull." He said.
"Dull?"
"Yes! They're all amusing and fun, make no mistake, but they all mostly have one thing in common!" Zelretch raising his index finger to me "To be a Hero." He stated, "And like I said before, all of them are fun to see but I want something different!"
"And you picked me..." I narrowed my eyes. Truthfully, I admit I'm not a good person. I, maybe won't hesitate to help in one case, but I'm not in Hero criteria. I... I'm kind of selfish actually, if there's an opportunity to make my own life better, then I will immediately take it, I mean, why not? Life with a bag of money I can laze around while getting anything is a good life.
"Aaron Blaze, second child of Hendry Blaze and Lily Blaze. Born on 17 April 1999 at Novena from Singapore, age seventeen and now currently working under your father's shop." Zelretch stated my bio data "I would like to say more, especially about your porn fetish secret but it will take more time than we have. So here's my offer!
I will send you to one of alternate realities. I won't send you to a completely different place like Naruto or One Piece rather, I would send you to a similar one like here. But in there, Heroes and Villains are everywhere! Which means, your life would be in danger!
But have no fear! I won't leave you without strength! I will provide you the necessary skills so you can survive! Whatever path you take is up to you! I don't care if you turned into a serial killer or something equally disturbing! Just go on your life like and of course, amuse me-"
"I humbly refuse." I cut him off instantly, having no intent to hear his rambling any further. This made Zelretch pause on his track and blinking at me owlishly "While the idea of living in a fictional World is very tempting, I'm fine by myself at the moment." It is true, right now I'm pretty much content with how I live my life, true I wish to improve it perhaps, getting richer and such things, but none of them includes the supernatural aspect.
I have a father and mother who loves me, a big brother who's an asshole, but cares about me as well, and a very cute little sister. I don't want to leave them all, especially for a World like that... a dangerous one like Zelretch described and risking my life.
I'm already contented with what I have so... Right now I just want to get out of here wherever this is and continue with my current life, I'm satisfied with it after all.
Though... I doubt Zelretch is going to accept this, from all those fanfics I read, Zelretch is anything but nice in accepting refusals. The man is insane and I won't be surprised if he refuses my refusal and send me directly to wherever he wished...
"Well, okay."
Which is why this is a surprise to me when he said that.
"Okay?" I blinked at the acceptance. That... That was really surprising. But since I'm not one to be left with a gift in horse's mouth "Then, I wish to get out of here and-"
"And you will die." He added, prompting me to a stop.
"Die?" I asked, my voice a bit dry as I stare at him in disbelief. Did... Did he really just...
"It's not me who's going to kill you." He voiced out as if knowing what I was thinking "But you will die because right now your cell phone that's only a few centimeters away from your head will explode, burning your head instantly and therefore killing you."
"My cell phone... explodes?" I croaked out.
"You do realize lately your cell phone battery started getting errors right?" Zelretch pointed to me nonchalantly "Until now you refuse to change it because you thought it a waste of money... Well thanks to that, you are going to die because of it. Apparently there's a short circuit in your electrical cable and….. Boom."
"... You..." I gulped, the feeling of dread began crawling in my stomach once again "You're lying! You must be lying! There no way that could-"
"If you think I'm lying then by all means, walk through that door." Zelretch gestured to our right, and I noticed there a door appearing out of nowhere in the corner "It will take you back to your world, just when the explosion is about to happen and I warn you, it is not painless. When it explodes it'll melt your face, your skull is fine but your organs? Eyes, ears, mouth, nose and your entire face? Oh, trust me, it will hurt."
I stared at the door with an obvious sickened expression across my face. Just imagining it... It's already enough to make me cringe, that's certainly not the way I imagined myself dying, having my face melted while I'm still alive? Great Jesus! That was...
But for all I know, Zelretch could be lying... He is not sane, I'm aware of that, the way he thinks is very different from normal people, perhaps it's because he already too old, his age above four hundred if I recall... So I won't be surprised if he did this so he could make me take his offer...
However, until now I never read a fanfic where Zelretch portrayed as the bad guy, he trolled, being the king of pranks, but never once did his pranks resulted to the person's death. Losing sanity and being traumatized for the rest of life? Yes, that's the worse, but death? No... Zelretch never made people die...right?
But if I accept his offer... It means I'll leave everything behind... My parents... My siblings... My friends... Everyone... Though if I am indeed going to die then it means the same thing...
And I'm not one of those types who aren't afraid of death, oh no, I am afraid to die, I clearly am. Only a moron doesn't fear death, especially at a young age, like me! I'm not even twenty yet, dammit! Heck! I'm still a virgin!
But moreover... I fear that if I die... I will go straight to Hell...
Seeing Magic itself is real and the person who has it is in front of me, I have no doubt Heaven and Hell also exist. And I'm not a religious person, I have often read about mythology, but I'm not that devoted and I also did pretty much things for myself rather than others...
No... The risk is too big... It's not just my life in line, but my soul as well... I can't go back...
Gods... I...
"Can I at least see and hug them one last time?" I asked Zelretch, my voice sounded dry and filled with bitterness even to my own ears.
Despite the smirk still present, I can see Zelretch features softening a bit "I'm sorry, but I can't let you touch them, it will make things very suspicious. But see them? Yes, you can. You also can leave a message through me if you wish..."
Gods...
I couldn't do anything but stare at him. My eyes started to hurt and I can feel tears slowly merging out from there. My vision has become blurry as my tears shrouded them now and I held my face in my palm to wipe them off.
Just thinking that I will leave them this soon... I... I mean me...
I'm not ready... Not at all... Especially not without saying goodbye or touching them one last time...
"You can mourn later." Zelretch abruptly spoke, breaking me from my tears "For now I have a schedule! So are you going to accept my offer or not?!"
"... You really ruin the mood, don't you?!" I drawled out while glaring at him.
"I don't care." Zelretch deadpanned at me simply continues "You can mourn after I'm done with you. Anyway, I will get to the point since I am eager to see how you will amuse me. Here, eat this."
I blinked at the pink pill that he gave, the pill was small like a normal pill, aside from the three white stripes in middle of it. I scrunched my face on it before give look at Zelretch "What is this?"
"Super Pill." Zelretch answered "Albeit it a depowered version of it."
"Depowered version?" I blinked "I thought you said you'll give me something to survive!"
"If I give you the full one it will make people question you and trust me, it will bring nothing but very big problem and also it's boring to watch." He said nonchalantly "Don't worry, you still can make a car dent just by punching it and also you can break steel if you want, like it's made of nothing."
I don't know how to respond to that... That was pretty much a huge boost power. I mean, hello! If I punch a door it would be my fist that would be hurt! But if I can make a dent on a car...
Just what kind of place will I be going to?
"You... You're not going to send me to Dragon Ball, are you?" I asked, a bit freaked and horrified at the idea alone. Just so you know, even if I can break steel and flip cars, that still mean nothing but SHIT in there! Add the fact Dragon Ball is the worst Anime to live in.
I mean, come on! Every ten years there would be a monster coming to disturb the peace! Piccolo, Saiyans, Frieza, Cell! And FUCKING MAJIN BUU!
Just what kind of insane guy would want to live in there?! In a place where they can be killed with nothing but a flick! And people who are able to blast the hell out of planets!
"Ha? No, no, I won't send you to that monkey World." Zelretch reassures me with chuckle "That place is too strange for my taste, trust me. The place where you are going to go would be…. tamer." He said.
For some reason I still did not feel safe... At all.
But still, I found myself swallowing the pill. What? It's not like I have any choice anyway! I have already decided in the first place!
And when I did, I fell into silence for minutes. I expect there would be some strange sensation, something that would make my body burn or something like that, like that look in movies but...
Nothing happened.
"In case you're wondering, you won't burst like that monkey boy or those people in anime." Zelretch voiced with amusement lacing his voice, making me flustered a bit "Though, the idea turning you into Magical Girl does sound tempting."
"FUCK YOU!"
Not bothering to hide my anger anymore. While I did enjoy watching Fate Kaleid/Linear where Illya and Miyu acted like Magical Girl I have no intention to become one! I'm a guy! And there definitely something WRONG when with a guy wearing a skirt! EEEEWWWW! No offense to any guy or transvestite, but... EWWW! Imagining myself in a skirt is enough to make me puke! Gross! Grossssss! Super grossss!
... Now I feel like I have to apologize to all transvestites... Maybe I overdid it? But... Eww...
"Anyway! Now that is done, the next procedure is giving you this!" Zelretch raise his hand and my eyes widened upon seeing what was there.
Class-cards...
"You have strength, yes, but you don't have any skills, and trust me, you would be dead in less than month in that condition so this will solve your little problem." Zelretch told me, his mouth curled to wide grin while speaking.
Staring at the seven cards that he placed on the table. Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Berserker, Caster, Assassin along with the Extra Cards They all look exactly like how they were in the anime or the Type-Moon Wikia from the internet.
"Does Archer contain Gilgamesh or EMIYA? If it's a yes, then I choose them." I instantly said. There's no need to ask any of the others, it wasn't a secret that EMIYA and Gilgamesh's powers are the most wanted in Nasuverse
"Who knows?" Zelretch said to me before all the card hovered in front of my body.
"Brat. Make sure you stay alive during the the process of all the cards entered your body. A reminder, this will hurt a lot." He is to me before all the card entered my body and I gritted my teeth.
"Fuckkkkk!" I cursed in my head.This is really hurt.
" Remember kid, with great power comes great responsibility." He said to me making me rolled my eyes hearing that catchphrase. Why the hell he said that phrase that Tom Holland did not said in his Spiderman Movies.
It feels like many ants are biting me from inside my body and yet at the same time being stabbed by many swords.
Minutes passed before the process stopped. I shake my after the process and take a deep breath. Whew. I am still alive.
"Congrats kid for managing to stay alive. Now you have Class Cards in your body with Magic Circuits. " The vampire said to me.
"So what does heroes these cards contain?" I asked him who just smirk hearing this.
"That is for you to figure out brat. Now you will take over the place of the other " you" in the universe that I will send you to." Zelretch said to me before a kick is sent to me.
"You shitty vamp---" I did not managed to finish curse that vampire as a portal apparred behind me and I dissapeared from that room.
"Now Aaron Blaze, wonder how you will fare in that universe?" He thought to himself while smirking.