Chapter 1:The Day I Died
That day marked the beginning of everything… The day I died.
I was walking home from my part-time job. It had been a long, exhausting day. My legs ached, my body felt heavy, and my mind was foggy from sheer fatigue. I didn't have much energy left, and I was barely focusing on anything other than wanting to get home and collapse.
The streets were unusually quiet. The kind of silence that feels almost eerie when you're too tired to even notice it.
As I passed the construction site near the old library, my steps slowed. My eyes caught the glint of sunlight reflecting off some metal beams piled up above. I barely registered it before—clang!
Suddenly, a heavy piece of iron fell from the scaffolding above.
Before I could even react, it struck me squarely.
Darkness engulfed my vision. Pain flashed briefly through my body before everything went cold.
I was dead.
Or… at least that's what I thought.
Lying there, barely conscious, I wondered: What happens after death? Is there really an afterlife? Is this "end of the world" scenario true? Or is everything just nothingness?
Honestly, it didn't matter anymore. Maybe death was a relief—a peaceful escape from all the struggles and disappointments of life.
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"Huh? Where am I?"
I blinked, confused, as the world slowly came back into focus.
I was in a large, crowded place. A massive hall filled with hundreds of people, all bustling around and chatting noisily.
But something was strange.
Why did everyone's hair come in such wild, unnatural colors? Shades of pink, blue, green, purple — it was like some bizarre fantasy world.
"Forget the weird hair," I thought. "Where am I, actually?"
I tried to stand but stumbled, still dizzy.
Then I heard a familiar voice from beside me.
"Oi, Simon! Why are you spacing out again? You're hopeless, you know that?"
"Huh?"
"Hey, Simon! Are you listening?"
"..."
"..."
I turned to see a guy next to me, glaring with mild irritation.
"You okay, Simon Graham Forgers?"
The name hit me like a lightning bolt.
Simon Graham Forgers? SIMON GRAHAM FORGERS?!
I yelled, shocked, and the guy next to me jumped back, startled.
My heart was pounding wildly.
I'd transmigrated.
But not as just any character—I was inside the body of Simon Graham Forgers, the narcissistic, hated minor character from the light novel Kyros The Flame Hero.
How unlucky could I get?
I mean, sure, being transmigrated into a character is usually considered a lucky break in stories like this, but Simon? Of all people?
Simon had a handsome face, no doubt about it — white hair that shimmered under the light, piercing yellow eyes that could make anyone uncomfortable with their intensity, and flawless pale skin. But beneath that pretty exterior, Simon was an arrogant jerk. He was despised by everyone at the academy.
In fact, he was probably one of the most hated characters in the entire Kyros The Flame Hero novel.
Why me? Why did I have to end up as Simon?
---
"Oy, Simon! Why are you shouting all of a sudden, you damn idiot?"
"Ah, sorry, I was just spacing out… thinking about something creepy."
"You're hopeless! Whatever, it's not important anyway."
The guy beside me grinned and shook his head.
His blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin were instantly recognizable.
Kyros. The protagonist of the story.
The illustrations in the novel made him look handsome, but seeing him in real life? Damn, this guy was actually handsome.
I swallowed my surprise and tried to calm down.
What could I possibly do now?
I whispered to myself, "Okay, Simon, think. What happened to you in this story?"
I dug deep into my memory of the Kyros The Flame Hero novel.
Ah, right.
During the academy invasion arc, Simon was stabbed through the heart.
I remembered how glad I had felt back then when Simon died.
He was supposed to be comic relief, but his personality made him unbearable to me. Now, ironically, I was trapped inside his body.
This was bad.
If I wanted to survive, I needed a plan.
"Damn my life," I muttered.
---
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts.
Alright, Peter Ploswki—that was my real name before all this happened.
I was a child prodigy, someone with immense potential who had chosen the corporate life path.
But now, that was all gone.
Here I was, stuck in the skin of a narcissistic, hated minor character in a fantasy world I barely knew.
But maybe, just maybe, this was a second chance.
A new life.
A new story.
I clenched my fists with determination.
I had to survive no matter what.
I wasn't going to die in this world just because the original Simon did.
No, I was going to live.
I shouted internally, "Alright! Time to start a new life in this world! No matter what it takes, I will survive. Uraaa!!"
---
As I tried to gather my bearings, the crowd around me began to clear slightly. The sounds of chatter and laughter faded into the background as my mind focused on survival.
Simon's reputation was toxic. If I wanted to avoid the same fate, I would have to change everything about how people saw me.
That meant suppressing his usual arrogance and charm and learning to navigate this world carefully.
I had to learn the rules of this academy, find allies, and most importantly, stay alive until I could figure out how to get back to my old life.
---
Looking around, I saw the other students in the academy were not just colorful in appearance — they all radiated a kind of power.
I could sense magic, strength, and untapped potential in almost every person around me.
It was a world of cultivators, warriors, and heroes — and I, Simon Graham Forgers, had to fit in here somehow.
But with my knowledge as Peter Ploswki, the prodigy from another world, maybe I could find a way.
Maybe I could rewrite Simon's story.
Maybe I could become a hero instead of a villain.
---
The thought excited me and terrified me all at once.
What if I failed? What if I ended up just as hated, just as doomed?
No, I couldn't think like that.
I needed to be smart. Careful.
I had to be patient and watchful.
If I could change just one event — maybe then I could break the cycle.
---
I felt a tap on my shoulder.
It was Kyros.
"Simon, you coming to training? You better not chicken out today."
His blue eyes locked on mine, challenging me.
I smirked—well, the smirk was Simon's, but the feeling behind it was mine now.
"Yeah, I'm coming. Wouldn't miss it."
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As we walked side by side, I realized this was only the beginning.
The world I had entered was complicated, dangerous, and full of secrets.
But I was ready.
Because this time, I was in control