The World of the Heavenly Gateway

[Start of Third Person POV]

Under the blue morning sky, a boy sat deep in thought.

This boy's name was Ethan Cross, a time traveler who died in a workplace accident in his original world, only to find himself transmigrated into a strange, parallel reality.

This world was unlike anything he had known. Instead of technology dominating society, it was ruled by a mysterious, emotionless entity called the Heavenly Gateway.

This enigmatic being had thrown the world into chaos, disrupting its balance by abducting nearly a billion humans during its first operation. These abducted individuals were sent to otherworlds, causing mass panic across the globe.

The motives of the Heavenly Gateway were unclear, but one thing was certain: every time it activated, it transported humans to new, unfamiliar worlds and forced them to complete dangerous tasks.

Those who succeeded returned to their original world, often retaining the powers they had acquired during their ordeal. But for those who failed—whether through death or an inability to complete their mission—it was game over. They either remained trapped in the otherworld or faced permanent death.

Adding to the horror, the Heavenly Gateway broadcasted the participants' struggles in these otherworlds for everyone to see, further fueling fear and chaos in an already crumbling world.

[End of Third Person POV]

[Start of Ethan's Thoughts]

Here I am, trying to make sense of this strange world and its implications for my existence. Since my transmigration, I've been reliving life as a 15-year-old. Between teenage hormones and the ever-present stress brought on by the Heavenly Gateway, my mind has been in turmoil.

Every year, when the Heavenly Gateway activates, crime and chaos skyrocket. Riots erupt, and starvation runs rampant. It's a grim reminder of how fragile human civilization has become.

I used to think I could be a protagonist in my own story—a hero. But reality is far harsher. While some are gifted with overpowered abilities and luxurious lives, I'm left scrambling for basic necessities like food and water in this hellish environment.

When I first regained consciousness as a child, I was optimistic. That version of me—innocent and hopeful—would probably scorn the person I've become. But that naïve child hadn't seen what I have. At the age of five, I watched my parents, the loving family of my new life, get abducted and brutally murdered. And I saw it all on a screen.

From then on, I was thrown into a world of cruelty. The orphanage where I grew up was a breeding ground for despair. Food and water were scarce, and human life held no value. I've witnessed the darkest sides of humanity—rape, murder, cannibalism—all within the first few months of the Heavenly Gateway's operation.

Even as things started to stabilize, life never truly improved for me. Hunger gnawed at me constantly, and I did unspeakable things to survive. Murder, theft—it became my reality. Yet I adapted because that's what humans do: we endure.

Still, I wouldn't willingly participate in the Heavenly Gateway's death games if I had a choice. But what choice do I have? My life is already a nightmare. The slim chance of obtaining powers and changing my fate is my only hope, no matter how small that chance might be.

If I have any advantage in this life, it's the memories of my past world—anime, books, and comics. These stories have become an unlikely guide. The worlds we're sent to often mirror the plots of these fictional works. It's both fascinating and terrifying.

But even this "advantage" doesn't guarantee survival. The Heavenly Gateway has a penchant for throwing ordinary humans into extraordinarily dangerous worlds. Many of these worlds make acquiring superpowers nearly impossible, and even surviving as an ordinary human is a Herculean task.

Take World 1, for instance. When I was five, the Heavenly Gateway operated for the first time, abducting a billion humans. The world they were sent to was an alternate version of Earth from the Dragon Ball universe.

At first, it seemed like a dream. But within a year, Frieza—a planet-destroying alien—arrived and annihilated the planet, killing everyone, including the participants. Later, Goku resurrected the planet using the Dragon Balls, but none of the abducted humans were revived.

The reason? It was theorized that because we weren't native to that world, the Dragon Balls couldn't bring us back. That realization shattered me. I had hoped—begged—for my parents to return. But my pleas fell on deaf ears.

That was the day I broke. I stopped crying, stopped pleading. My face became indifferent, my voice cold. All that remained was a burning determination to destroy the Heavenly Gateway.

[Present Day: September 1st, 2024]

Today is a pivotal day. Not only does the Heavenly Gateway activate today, but in my original life, this was also the day I died.

Oddly, I'm not nervous. The years of preparation—training my body and mind—have given me confidence.

Then, I heard it.

(Ding Ding)

(Congratulations, participant Ethan Cross. You have been chosen for world travel. Preparations will begin in one hour.)

Finally, my moment had come.

I took a deep breath. My fate was now sealed, and my only option was to face whatever lay ahead.

But before I left, I returned to the orphanage to say my goodbyes. As I approached, I heard screams.

Hank Xander and Levi York, two of my closest friends, were comforting Hank's younger sister, Rosalie, who was panicking.

[Dialogue Exchange]

Ethan: "So, were you guys chosen?"

Hank: "Unfortunately, yes. All three of us were. What about you?"

Ethan: "Same here. But think of it this way—it's our only chance to gain the power we need to fight back against the Heavenly Gateway."

Rosalie: "Easy for you to say, Ethan. What if we don't even get a chance to gain power? What if we just... die?"

Ethan: "That's a possibility. But just because no one has done it before doesn't mean it's impossible. We're human—adaptable and resilient. We'll find a way."

After an hour of preparation and final goodbyes, the group stood ready.

(Ding Ding)

(World travel commencing in 10 seconds.)

As the countdown began, Ethan's resolve hardened. No matter the challenges, he would survive. He had to.

(1… Ding! Best of luck in your world travel.)

Author's Note's:

They only get to keep their clothes when they go through a world travel.