A completely dark and closed room, trash scattered everywhere, a nauseating smell, moldy walls with bloodstains, pervasive and dangerous humidity. The only light source comes from a computer, and the only sound is the clacking of keys and heavy breathing.

Suddenly, the typing stops. The man, who is barely visible, sits curled up on a wooden chair, his head between his knees, rocking back and forth while biting his nails.

??????: I can't let him die... I can't... I can't!!!!! Let him die!!!!!!

He bends forward, closer to the screen, extends his arms uniformly, and starts typing rapidly without stopping.

??????: Don't worry, you'll be there but not really!!! (types even faster) You won't die, I promise!!!!!!

He strikes the keys even more violently and quickly, and as he gets lost in his frantic typing, a hair floats in the air, slowly descending until it gently touches the floor. It wasn't a long hair; it was quite short and white...

**POV Wan**

I was walking through empty corridors. The reason? I was late. The reason for my lateness? I was too preoccupied with the "ethereal arc" I saw this very morning. I recognized it immediately because this "ethereal arc" comes from "I'm top 0%" or "IT0" for short—the work I've been enjoying for the past two years. It's a romcom harem where the protagonist is an idiot relying solely on his physical abilities and lacking the decency to use his brain... Well, it's understandable in his case since he is a literal living weapon, with physical capabilities that no one in his world can handle. I often fantasized about his existence and was almost preoccupied with this idea. The main character is a "good person," etc., but he is so annoying that if I were within 15 meters of him, I'd insult him so much that even his saint-like behavior would falter... Anyway, it would be a huge problem.

Wan: (muttering to himself) I just dreamed... °My brain must really be fried after everything I've watched..° I'm really going crazy....

(I'm really going crazy)

I forgot to mention that I spent so much time in the United States for my assassination work that I speak English without realizing it. It doesn't change much in my daily life since I don't talk much. In fact, I talk so little that most people think I'm mute. They call me a "loner," which doesn't have a real equivalent in French, so there you go.

???: Hey Wan.

Wan: Oh Ama-ne.

Ama-ne: ... Still with that dead expression, huh...

Wan: Every time you see me... you always say that... and my expression is just monotone...

Ama-ne is one of my only two friends. She writes novels with an illustration every ten pages, which is a lot over time, and recently she's started doing manga. This information is superfluous and useless, but I just felt like mentioning it.

Wan: And I really don't think I have a "dead expression," I'd say more like I have a stoic face, so a monotone expression.

To put it simply, it means I never show any facial expressions other than indifference. My facial expression never changes; I don't smile, I'm never scared, never happy, never sad or anything related to emotions on my face. Of course, I have emotions; I just don't show them on my face.

Ama-ne: By the way, I've never asked you, but what's your percentage?

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Wan: ...

Percentages..., here we go. Percentages are a system in IT0; the lower the percentage: the fewer people in that percentage and the more elite you are considered. For example, the top 1% consists of 9 people, the top 2% has 18. Of course, there are also 2.1%, 2.2%, 2.3%, etc.—but fractional numbers are generally impossible to count. The percentages aren't necessarily based on physical abilities or IQ. For instance, Einstein wouldn't surpass the top 46% because he only had his intelligence. Of course, if someone with an IQ of 400 appeared, it would be different as they'd have surpassed human limits in any era. The same applies to almost everything; the more versatile you are, the better, or you can focus on being the best in a single category. The system might seem odd, but with reflection, it's quite ingenious.

Wan: 64%.

I lied. To be honest, I don't even know what my top rank is, but if I calculated correctly, the top 64% includes 576 humans. I know that considering the entire humanity, it's not a lot, but if we add the 63% ahead of "mine," we end up with 5 billion 40 million people (5,040,000,000).

Ama-ne: Oh... Be careful... You know what happens to those below 60%... (worried)

In IT0, bullying is even more prevalent, especially for those below 60%, and society can't do anything about it because that's just how it is. Conversely, those above 25%—2 billion people—are considered global elites.

(° . . . ° = thought)

Wan: hmm... °I don't know what's going on, but... it's bad° we're late.... (On est en retard) we should hurry.

Ama-ne: It's okay; I'm used to being late.

Wan: I see... "If we're late, might as well be fully late," it's a good philosophy.

I arrived in front of my class.

Wan: This is where we part.

Ama-ne: See you at the club during lunch break. (walks away, making a small hand movement)

Wan: Yes, at the club...

I took a deep breath, organized my thoughts, and opened the door.

Wan: Sorry for being late.

Teacher: Oh Wan... And why were you late?

This teacher is my homeroom teacher, and I hate people like him. He prioritizes disruptive students and sidelines the calm ones who don't cause trouble. The real problem isn't his friendliness with the troublemakers but his partiality towards others.

Wan: ....

Every day, I hold back from being rude, hitting, and... killing everyone who bothers me.

Teacher: So?

Wan: I don't know... I'm late because I wasn't on time, it's just logical.

Teacher: Wait, what's with that condescending tone!

Wan: °I just spoke as usual...°

I then opened my mouth to say something and stayed like that for two seconds before closing my mouth and shrugging my shoulders.

Wan: p-... °Why should I apologize?... I just said what I thought...° You know what... I'll go to detention (leaves).

Teacher: Wait, stay here-..!

I had already closed the door behind me and left - leaving the class whispering and the teacher taken aback - not to detention, of course; it was just a lie. I went to the roof and sat on the edge, my legs hanging in the air.

Wan: (looking at the ethereal arc) I get the feeling that I'm really in IT0... No, it's not possible; otherwise, how are Ama-ne, the teacher, and all the other students who were here before today... still here... I haven't transmigrated, I can confirm that.

I took out my phone.

Wan: Moreover, it seems that for Ama-ne, percentages and the ethereal arc are not something new, ..... Now I can say it but ..... I'm so cooked... (I'm so screwed)

IT0 is a romcom harem, I'm up to date with 653 chapters. The main character is... rather dumb regarding romantic feelings. The proof is that even after 653 chapters and the 6 heroines present, he still considers them just friends and hasn't even thought of love as a possible feeling... even after they confessed.

I opened the app where I read IT0 and... it wasn't in my recent list. So, I went to my follows, and it wasn't there either. I typed its name in the search bar and... nothing found. I did the same for the author but couldn't find him either. Just as I was about to turn it off, it started vibrating, making me jump, and I fell forward into the void... IT0 is cursed... No, being in IT0 is a curse. Well, I caught myself with one hand and held onto the edge of the roof. Luckily, I didn't drop my phone because it seemed like something had appeared on it when it vibrated.

Wan: I'm not in IT0, ... but was this world constructed similarly to IT0?...

I was going to climb back onto the roof, since I was hanging in the air, but I heard the door to the roof open.

Wan: when I say I'm cooked... (When I say I'm screwed...)

I was convinced it wasn't a 'coincidence' that someone came to the roof during class time when the roof is off-limits... It was clearly a scene from IT0, the scene where the first heroine was discovered at that moment. A person with a hood and a black jacket would appear right after as she was resting her brain and taking a break since it was her first day at this school.

Wan: °why it happens... now° (Why is this happening... now)

I couldn't see her, but I knew exactly what she looked like. She must be a few centimeters shorter than me, with naturally blonde hair and beautiful light green eyes. She has long hair that reaches the bottom of her back when untied, She is really beautiful. Her great beauty is accompanied by fine and elegant features. To put it simply, she is quite good at almost everything—physical abilities, intelligence, grades, and all other possible fields. Because of that, she was in the top 8%, a top that includes 72 people of which she is a part, making her an elite among elites. In the IT0 reader comments section, she is often criticized for being too kind. Once, when she was pushed off a four-story roof and the protagonist— or rather the human weapon—saved her at the last moment, she apologized to the stalker who did it, claiming she was partly responsible, and then forgave the stalker even though he was about to kill her.

Wan: °I'll stay like this for a long time...°

2-3 minutes had passed, and I was still hanging in the air, holding onto the edge of the roof with one hand. Meanwhile, Mia—the first heroine's name—was talking with the hooded person, or rather the stalker. But something was bothering me... The scene wasn't exactly like in IT0. I don't know how to describe it, but... this scene clearly came from IT0, that's for sure, and Mia's presence confirms it, but there were some differences. First, the heroine's words. Normally, she would speak naively and act like the greatest saint, but here, it seems like no.

Wan: (hears footsteps approaching quickly to the edge) Oh... damn.

_________________________

End of the chapter one|