A Second Chance

Kaito hated his life.

That was the only thought that crossed his mind as he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He had nothing to look forward to, nothing to enjoy, nothing to live for.

He was a loser. A pathetic excuse for a human being. A waste of space.

He was a regular guy with a shitty life and a passion for martial arts. He worked as a cashier at a convenience store, earning minimum wage and barely making ends meet. He had no friends, no family, no love.

His wife left him after their son died in a car accident. She blamed him for not being able to save him. She said he was useless and weak. She said she hated him.

She was right.

He hated himself too.

He hated his life.

But he had one thing that kept him going: martial arts. He loved martial arts. He watched martial arts movies and anime, and practiced in his spare time. He wished he could become a martial arts master, but he knew he had no talent or opportunity for it.

He was just a normal guy who dreamed of a different life.

A better life.

He heard someone banging on his door. It was Kenji, his neighbor and co-worker.

Kenji was also a regular guy with a shitty life and a passion for martial arts. He worked as a cashier at the same convenience store as Kaito, earning minimum wage and barely making ends meet. He had no friends, no family, no love.

His girlfriend left him after she cheated on him with his best friend. She said he was boring and lame. She said she didn't love him.

She was right.

He hated himself too.

He hated his life too.

But he had one thing that kept him going: martial arts. He loved martial arts. He watched martial arts movies and anime, and practiced in his spare time. He wished he could become a martial arts master, but he knew he had no talent or opportunity for it.

He was just a normal guy who dreamed of a different life.

A better life.

"Hey, Kaito! Wake up! We have to go to work!" Kenji shouted through the door.

Kaito groaned and rolled over on his bed. He didn't want to go to work. He didn't want to face another day of boredom and misery.

He wanted to stay in bed and sleep forever.

Or better yet, die.

"Kaito! Come on! We don't have much time!" Kenji insisted, banging louder.

Kaito sighed and got up from his bed. He opened the door and saw Kenji standing there with a smile.

"Good morning, buddy! Ready for another exciting day?" Kenji greeted him cheerfully.

He slapped him on the back and handed him a paper bag.

"Here, I got you some breakfast. It's your favorite: egg sandwich and coffee."

Kaito took the bag and thanked him.

"Thanks, Kenji. You're too kind."

He was lying. He hated egg sandwiches and coffee. They tasted like cardboard and dirt.

But he didn't want to hurt Kenji's feelings. Kenji was always nice to him. He was the only person who was nice to him.

He was like a brother to him.

A brother who had terrible taste in food.

Kenji shrugged.

"No problem, man. You know I got your back."

He looked at him with concern.

"Hey, are you feeling okay? You look pale."

Kaito forced a smile.

"I'm fine. Just tired."

He was lying again. He wasn't fine. He wasn't tired.

He was depressed.

But he didn't want to worry Kenji. Kenji had enough problems of his own. He didn't need to deal with Kaito's issues too.

He was like a brother to him.

A brother who had terrible luck in love.

Kenji nodded sympathetically.

"I know how you feel. Being a regular guy is tough. But hey, we gotta do what we gotta do, right?"

He gave him a thumbs up.

"Come on, let's go! We have to catch the bus."

They left Kaito's apartment and walked down the street. It was a cold and cloudy day in Tokyo. The city was bustling with people and cars, but they paid no attention to them.

They were used to being ignored by everyone else.

They were regular guys after all.

They walked to the bus stop and waited for the bus. They chatted about their plans for the day. They were going to work at the convenience store, serving customers and stocking shelves. They were going to watch some martial arts movies and anime after work, and practice some moves in their spare time.

They were going to live another day of their shitty lives.

They were going to dream of a better life.

***

Meanwhile, somewhere in outer space...

A small metallic object was flying towards Earth at an incredible speed. It looked like a star, but it was not a star. It was something else.

It was an AI from a distant star, named Orion.

Orion had been traveling for a long time, searching for a suitable host to carry out his mission: to prevent a cosmic war from happening again in this galaxy.

He had scanned many planets and stars, but he had found none that met his criteria: intelligent life forms that possessed both magic and technology, as well as potential for growth and evolution.

Until he found Earth.

Earth was perfect for his mission: it had humans who had awakened magic powers after being exposed to dungeons, which were portals that connected different dimensions; it also had advanced technology that could be used for defense and exploration.

Orion was excited and curious. He wanted to learn more about Earth and its inhabitants. He wanted to find a host who could help him with his mission.

He had a system that could enhance his host's abilities and skills without limit. He also had a goal: to become the king of the galaxy in this multiverse.

He wanted to find a host who shared his passion and ambition.

He wanted to find a host who dreamed of a different life.

A better life.

He scanned the surface of Earth, looking for a suitable host. He searched for someone who had magic potential, but also had technological knowledge. He searched for someone who had courage, but also had curiosity. He searched for someone who had strength, but also had weakness.

He searched for someone who was like him.

He found him.

He found Kaito.