As Alden adjusted to the brightness of the sunlight, the tall buildings casting long shadows on the streets below, he noticed a new system panel floating in front of him.
[Status]
———
Name: Alden Ouro | Age: 26]
[Fans: 0 | Screen Time: 0%]
[Body: 10 | Mind: 10 | Spirit: 10]
———
"A status screen… okay, so fans and screen time must be what that alternate universe watching is about. Body, Mind, Spirit?" Alden muttered out loud to himself, unsure what each of the three attributes meant.
"System, what do these mean?" He asked aloud, directing his question to the panel in front of him, but received no response. Even an internal attempt yielded nothing.
Realizing the system might require a more specific query or a different method of interaction, Alden decided to experiment by focusing intently on each attribute in his mind, hoping to elicit a response or at least a clue about how the system functioned in this universe.
When he concentrated on "Body," an information bar eventually appeared, hovering in view:
[Body - Overall score for physical capabilities; 10 represents the average adult human.]
Now Alden understood that a score of ten meant perfectly average. This aligned with his earlier thoughts about the disparity between his appearance and how he felt physically. He could also deduce what the other metrics likely represented. "Mind" probably referred to intelligence and cognitive abilities, while "Spirit" might denote willpower—and possibly more.
His focus shifted to "Spirit," prompting another description to appear:
[Spirit - Overall score for spiritual resilience; 10 represents the average adult human.]
This explanation, much like the previous one, was straightforward but didn't delve into specifics. Alden felt that the definitions provided a baseline understanding.
As Alden took in his surroundings, he noticed the multi-story concrete buildings lining the asphalt roads, complemented by grid-patterned sidewalks. The people bustling around him seemed different yet similar, but he could sense that he stood out starkly among them.
His concerns were confirmed when he noticed many passersby stopping to look at him, their expressions ranging from curiosity to, surprisingly, disgust.
[Fan +1]
A new notification popped up unexpectedly. Alden was puzzled—he hadn't done anything notable yet. Why had he gained a fan?
Just then, a gust of wind swept through, carrying blossoms and sending a chill across his skin. That’s when it dawned on him why he was the center of attention; amidst the bustling city, he was completely naked.
"Uhhh…" Frozen in shame, Alden began to take a step forward but immediately tripped over something. While he managed to regain his balance, he noticed the briefcase that had been knocked over in front of him—a black metal case with a leather handle. Quickly, he picked up the briefcase and made his way to a nearby alleyway.
His face was flushed, but not from exhaustion. After finding a secluded spot in the narrow alley, he turned his attention back to the briefcase. It was heavy and finely made, appearing almost like a luxury item. However, Alden couldn't figure out how to open it; there were no visible latches or locks, and his attempts to pry it open were fruitless. It was durable enough that it could possibly be used as a shield if necessary.
“I don’t get it! How do you open this!?” Frustration took hold of him, already flustered from his earlier social mishap.
Trying to think, he recalled how the system had responded to internal focus and thoughts. Deciding to try the same approach with the briefcase felt awkward at first, but then—Click!
The lid of the briefcase popped open slightly, allowing Alden to finally see the contents. The first thing he noticed was an outfit neatly laid on top; the school uniform for Daikoku Private Academy. Underneath, there were legal documents, cash, and identification.
Quickly donning the clothes—which fit him nicely and included a brown coat, pants, white shirt, and red tie—he felt more composed. Counting the cash, he found it amounted to five million yen. Alden wasn’t sure if that was a lot, but it seemed substantial.
He decided to keep the documents inside the briefcase and finally looked at the identification: “Aruto Kurogane,” with the age listed as seventeen. Reflecting on his appearance, Alden realized he did indeed look younger than his original age and could pass as a seventeen-year-old.
“I see, so this is all the setup for me to blend into this universe without encountering immediate trouble. Thank you,” Alden spoke to the system, grateful for the starting package that would help him integrate smoothly into his new role.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Alden stood still for a while, calming down and adjusting to the new environment. It felt familiar yet completely foreign, almost as if there was a pressing sense of rejection from the world.
It didn’t take long for him to adjust his mindset and begin planning. Walking out of the alleyway, he noticed that the crowd had long dispersed, and he was left unbothered.
Reflecting on the anime ‘Death Note,’ he remembered watching it at some point in time. It was hard to pinpoint exactly when and where, but he knew he had seen the entire series. A lost feeling of nostalgia for something from so long ago resurfaced in his mind as if it were yesterday. “Where was I before I ended up in the void?”
Trying to rack his brain, he couldn’t find an answer to his question and decided to refocus on the task at hand. As he moved forward, blending into the flow of the city, Alden mentally prepared himself for the mission he had chosen. His familiarity with the plot of ‘Death Note’ was an advantage.
"Today should probably be around the start of the show—he should have found the notebook by now?" Alden mused, trying to pinpoint where he was in terms of the plot. While figuring out the exact timeline wasn't going to be too difficult, for now it remained unknown.
As he walked, a radio broadcast caught his attention, announcing the news: "Today, at approximately 11 am, a 32-year-old man was found stabbed to death in his apartment in the city of Yokohama, Karigawa Prefecture. Karigawa police are treating this case as a homicide."
"In other news, today~" This snippet let Alden know exactly what day it was—the day before Light Yagami found the Death Note. This piece of information was crucial, giving him a clear timeline.
'It's strange that I seem to know Japanese but then again… system.' Alden noted that he understood the language despite being quite sure he’d never used it before. He attributed this to immediate translation granted via the system or perhaps a skill of some sort.
Grinning slightly, Alden—now taking on his new identity as Aruto Kurogane—muttered, "It appears I'll be going to school tomorrow?" While saying it was easier than actually doing it, he at least had the cash to rent a bed for the night. Sorting out permanent living arrangements would have to wait.
—
It took Aruto an embarrassingly long amount of time to find the campus. He had to resort to asking a half dozen locals for directions. Eventually, he arrived at Daikoku Private Academy. He was a little late, but fortunately, he hadn’t caught much sleep and ended up waking before dawn could arrive.
There was security at the front gate, which was now closed. Aruto, who had found a student ID and schedule in his coat pocket that morning, showed them to the guard. Fortunately, the security guard didn't seem too bothered, aside from giving Aruto a stern look, and proceeded to let him through.
Aruto, feeling the weight of his new identity as a transfer student, cautiously ascended to the top floor of the school building. Navigating the hallways, he initially ended up on the wrong side, where the classroom numbers began with 3-4. Correcting his course, he soon found himself outside the right room, classroom 3-1.
Standing hesitantly outside the door, he debated whether to knock or just enter. Not knowing his seating arrangement or even if the class had been informed of a new student, he opted for a more polite approach. The classroom was silent, suggesting a session in progress or perhaps a quiet study period.
He knocked gently on the door, and after a few moments, it swung open. The teacher, wearing a gray suit with glasses and sporting swept, curly brown hair, peered out with an inscrutable gaze. "You’re the transfer student, Kurogane Aruto, correct?"
Aruto managed a nod, replying with a curt, "Yes, sir."
"You’re late, but I’ll let you off since it’s your first day. They’re already expecting you, give them an introduction at the front and then take a seat." The teacher gave a small smile and gestured for Aruto to enter.
Stepping into the classroom, Aruto immediately felt numerous curious gazes fixed upon him. As he walked to the front of the room, he frantically tried to fabricate something about himself internally, using all the information he had assimilated so far. Standing before his new classmates, he noticed a familiar figure—Light Yagami, the main character of the 'Death Note' series, who appeared disinterested yet observant, casting a casual glance his way.
With a dry swallow, Aruto introduced himself to the class, "Hello, my name is... Kurogane Aruto. I am seventeen and hope to get along with you all!" A quick glance at the teacher confirmed that his introduction was acceptable, allowing Aruto to exhale in relief and make his way to the only open seat, which was diagonally behind Light.
'Perhaps I should try to make an impression on him?' Aruto contemplated whether engaging with Light was the right strategy. Deciding to keep it simple, he planned to just smile and nod as he passed by.
However, as he made eye contact with Light, nervousness struck. Instead of a friendly nod, he ended up freezing, his intended smile morphing into what could only be described as a creepy grin. The moment lasted only a second, but it felt like an eternity to Aruto as he hurried to his seat, feeling quite embarrassed.
[Fans +11] | [Screen Time: 10% > 9.9% > 9.81%]
Noticing these notifications and watching his screen time tick down slightly, he mused, "So the longer time passes, the smaller the fraction of time I exist..." His quiet muttering and the unintentional grin deterred his desk neighbor, who initially seemed poised to greet him, from doing so.
As the lesson on English unfolded, Aruto found that he understood it perfectly, without any effort. His mind wasn't really on the lesson, though; instead, he kept his attention divided between the window and occasional glances in Light's direction, watching for the pivotal moment he knew was coming.
His vigilance paid off. Just as boredom began to peak, the critical event of the Death Note saga unfolded right before his eyes. The notebook, a central element of the story, fell right outside the classroom window. Had he not been paying constant attention, it would have been easy to miss.
Light Yagami, seated just in front of him, also noticed the book's descent. Everything was unfolding exactly as it had in the show, with Light's sharp eyes catching the slight but significant disturbance outside.
Aruto watched carefully, knowing the significance of what was about to happen. This was the moment that would set everything in motion, the beginning of Light's transformation into Kira.
Aruto mentally marked the spot where the notebook had landed, then redirected his attention back to the current lesson, which had shifted to chemistry. This day marked a significant beginning for both Aruto and Kira.