The dull shifts I work at Bal-mart never cease to make me regret my life choices. I graduated high school and kept the same dead end job for two whole years going no where.

“Jason, did you zone impulse yet?” My manager snapped me out of my momentary dissociation. “I forgot, I’ll go do that real quick.” I turned off my register light and walked out from behind the counter.

“Oh and I forgot to mention.” She takes a folded up wad of paper out of her vest and thrusts it towards me. “We had another supervisor position open up for mornings, you should really consider applying.”

“I’ll consider it.” I don’t even bother to take the paper from her hand and continue to my destination.

“Hey, you’ve been in the same position for years, you should really be more ambitious.” Her tone switches to one of maternal concern. It really irks me that she tries to act like she cares when shes in this position of authority over me.

“I’ll consider it.” I reiterate, signaling that I’m done with the conversation.

“Yeah, you should…” She sighs in defeat. “By the way, its about time for you to clock out.” She puts the paper back in her vest pocket.

I don’t know why she cares so much about this, I’m fine just coasting in front end. “Okay, I’ll see yah Thursday.” Home was fine too, but there isn’t much for me to do; besides play WoW.

“Yeah, I’ll see you Thursday.” She replied.

I take off my vest head for the door.

“Hey Jason.” The voice was Michael, he was my coworker/roommate, who just came in from covering for a cart pusher. We usually just drink, smoke, and play fighting games. Wish he’d play WoW with me.

“Whats up, dude? We gonna play the Jojos fighting game tonight? Maybe, more CK3?” He was pretty picky on what he wanted to play.

“Yeah sure man, I’ll be home a little later.” He went back to work.

The night air was cool and dry. “Where did I park—“ I was interrupted by a sharp pain behind my left eye. Confusion washed over me. I double over and land on my knees, holding my hands to my head. Then, it all went black.

///

“He has been summoned, Kronus.” The elementals voice sounded sad.

“Thank you. Your cooperation has been invaluable to my work.” I set down the book I was reading about the topic of reality warping. “Well as you know Grand Elemental, I can’t have anyone know about what just happened.”

“Why a human from a system-less world, such a boring one at that?” The Elemental spoke plainly. It was odd, like it didn’t care that it was about to die.

“Such an interesting question, I guess only time will tell.” I respond.

“Very well.” It says.

“Goodbye.” It’s mana core shatters like Ice at the flick of my finger.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

///

My head is pounding less now and a new sensation lie under me. “Where am I?” I open my eyes and see I’m lying in a field of grass. “This doesn’t make sense.” I sit up and look down to see I’m wearing simple clothes from an older time, European maybe. “What was that image in my mind, looked like a terminal output.”

I slap my hands against my face. “Holy shit am I in a coma or something, did I die?” Waking up in a new world, could be a weird coma thing. I’m too aware it could be a coma, so its probably not. I stood up and dusted my clothes off. “Guess I’ll do a little exploring.” I scan the horizon for any signs of civilization, and there it was, a castle on a hill.

“City on a hill.” I mumble.

///

After walking for a while I end up walking through the gate of the city, shops and stands lined the sides of the street that split into a market square. It is bustling and simple. I could catch bits and pieces of conversations.

“Best fruits in all of Faendal.” A fruit saleswoman shouts.

I guess thats the name of this city or holding.

“You there! You look hungry!” She waves me over and holds an apple towards me. “I’ll give you your first one for free, you look famished.”

I am shocked by the random act of kindness. Though it was probably because I look like a lost traveler who could be good word of mouth for her fruit stand. “Thank you I appreciate it.” I walk up to the stand and take the apple.

“No problem, just make sure to come back tomorrow and buy one.” She smiles and nods her head.

Do I even have money?

A Screen appears, but it seems I’m the only person who notices it. Wait am I in a game world? In my life before I woke up here I used to read and watch isekai. Maybe I was Isekai-ed. “Hey uh, do you have this weird thing that pops up sometime? What do you call it?”

She looks confused for a moment. “Do you mean the system?” She asks. Apparently it was normal enough the shopkeep knows about it.

“Uh yeah.” I stutter. That confirms it I’m not crazy after all.

“Everyone has one, you should have learned about that as a kid.” She adds

“Well, my family is not well educated.” I was really trying not to reveal to much info about myself, in case being summoned from another world was a taboo around here.

“I see, well basically you can gesture in front of you and just think about the window you want to open. You can try by opening your skill page first.” She waves her hand in the are swiping left to right. “Others cant see your window.” She elaborates.

Okay, open skills. I copy her swiping motion and a screen appears.

No stats either, damn. I bite my lip in frustration.

“Skills are one of the things you can access, another screen is your gold amount.”

“Yeah, thats what surprised me earlier.”

“If you gain access to spells or abilities thats another screen you can pull up.” She pauses. “You really are kind of lost in general aren’t you?”

Her words hurt a little. “Well, I am just trying to get my bearings.” I need to find a way to make some money. I swipe the screen to close it. “Would you happen to know where I can find work?”

“Oh, if you want to be an adventurer you can always go register with the guild.” She points up the road to an ordinary looking building. “They have all sorts of quests ranging from letter delivering all the way up too monster den raids.”

Raids! Shit, I wonder how far behind I am on gear and leveling. I bow deeply. “Thank you for your help today I owe you one.”

She blushes and laughs. “What kind of shopkeeper would I be if I didn’t help someone who is lost?”

The question doesn’t really make sense to me, but I’m grateful nonetheless.

I walk down the road and arrive at the guild office. I reach to open the door when it swings open and knocks me down.

“Come on henry why cant we do the goblin slaying quest? I’m tired of doing D rank quests.” The little girl looks down at me and scowls. “What are you in my way for dumbass.”

“What the hell do you mean, I’m the one on the floor here?” I yell back

“Whatever, why don’t you just watch where you’re going?” She retorts.

“Enough don’t embarrass the party Lisa.” A man steps through the door behind the rude girl. He has a really long greatsword strapped to his back. His armor is a full set of battle hardened iron armor. “Are you a new adventurer by chance?” He asks.