1 PROLOGUE (1/2)

Blinking, I stared at the table in front of me. Huh.

Where did that come from? One moment I was sleeping and then- …

”Is this a dream?” I muttered.

No... No, it's not a dream. There's a big difference between dreams and reality itself, a really really big difference. I had often heard people mistake dreams with reality, but that was just not possible.

For example, when you dream, everything around you is hazy, a blur almost like a hallucination, and your own thoughts are a mess. I, myself know this since I did have a few dreams that felt very real before….

Yet, none of them is like this... None so clear like this. Right now my mind is certainly not a mess and everything around me is clear, very clear. This is too real for a mere dream, so no, in conclusion, this is not a dream.

To reassure myself further, I began to pinch my hand and like I expected I felt a stinging sensation from it. I can feel pain, which means this is clearly not a dream.

That leaves me with one question.

”How the hell did I get here?” I whispered once more taking a look at my surroundings.

White... as far as the eye can see, everything is white... No matter how my eyes roamed around, all I can see is white... a very large white space... Nothing but white space, a table and chair that right now I sit upon.

...

I don't like this... I really don't like this... I mean, this is not a dream, clearly not since I can feel pain. And the last thing I remember was being back in my bed to sleep then suddenly now I'm in... Wait just, where the hell is I?!

”Yo!”

Out of nowhere someone appeared in front of me making me jump as he spoke. Oh God. Yes, I really did the jump. Well, not like the ones in anime you see, I frantically sat up in surprise from my chair resulting in my fall to the ground!

”W-What the fuck?!” I yelled as I landed on my butt, my eyes practically glued to the being that out of the blue appeared in front of me. My heart rate began increasing due to the surprise and for a moment I can feel my heart beating faster as the seconds ticked by.

He... looked old... I would guess he was around his forties. He was clad in a gentleman's suit with a black billowing cape, having spiky grey hair and a greying beard. He stared at me with his eerie red crimson eyes and a smirk forming on his face. I have no doubt taking amusement from my fall.

For some reason... He looked familiar...

”How rude, do you swear at everyone you meet?” He asked me.

I narrowed my eyes, slowly pushing myself to stand and inwardly gulping. There... There's something about him that makes I feel uneasy. You know the feeling when you sit on the side of stranger that looked like a wanted criminal? Yep, that's what I currently feel.

”W-Who are you?” I asked, trying to be brave ”And where am I?!”

Blinking his eerie red eyes at me, the smirk on his face still remained as he spoke ”Well, you're clearly a bit more polite than the previous one. Normally, they instantly say 'Where the fuck am I old man?' things like that.”

Previous one? I don't know what he's saying, but... It made my spine chill for a moment. What did he mean by a previous one? Just who the hell is this guy?!

”I guess I should introduce myself. Surely you had heard of me before, my name is... Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.”

And I felt myself freeze the moment he declared his name...

Kischur... Zelretch... Schweinorg...?

I'm not a fan of Fate Stay/Night. And while I found the film amusing and fun, I never tried to dig in deeper. All my knowledge about it only came from fanfictions I read on the internet.

And from all Fanfiction I read, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg is someone only used for one reason...

Dimension travel...

”No way...” I murmured before taking a few steps away from him ”Hell no! Hell, no way! There's no way you're Zelretch! No way you're that Zelretch! He's only in an anime! A fictional World! Fuck his Kaleidoscope! It's just things that people use as a reason to make crossover fanfiction and things like that.” I said to him.

Well...” 'Zelretch' mused, showing nothing but amusement at my reaction ”When you say it like that, it's rather strange but... I'm not in the mood to make for pleasantries or long introductions since you already know me so...”

Then all of a sudden I felt myself get yanked by something. My body flung upward, enough to make me let out a yelp as my eyes widened before crashing back to the chair that now somehow already stood once more.

As this happened, my mind was left frantically trying to process just what occurred, the fear and panic sensation started to grow further. This is not happening, this is not happening! This is not happening! I mean, he couldn't be real! This couldn't be real! This is probably some sick joke, right? Like that or-

”Calm down.”

And I was calm...

It was very strange... One second my mind is a bumbling mess, but now I feel... Clear... You know the sensation when you feel very nervous and afraid, but suddenly all of them were gone because what you fear proved to be nothing.

”Well... While you are more polite than the other, you certainly are the first one that almost collapsed just because of meeting me.” 'Zelretch' spoke, his voice still laced with amusement as he grinned and by the Gods, I can see his fangs! ”I don't know if I should feel flattered or offended but... I guess I will take the first one.” He chuckled to himself.

Because my mind is now calm, I can feel parts of my logical brain starting to work again. Say what you wish about me, but I'm a logical person, so when I no longer felt panic like that...

Regarding him as dream will only deny the reality, and that only does nothing but make you look like a moron. He's not a dream, but they'rere a chance... Perhaps I'm hallucinating? That was actually possible when you're hallucinating you still feel pain.

But the problem is, I'm not an illegal drug user, yes, I smoke one or two times, but I never touched such drugs even when offered one. So... Did someone drugged me? But who? I mean...

Keeping that aside, for now, I have another matter at hand.

”Okay. Let us just assume that you're real.” I started, my eyes still lingering on him, who just snorted in his place. ”I can list a few things why you'd come to me and I would like to say that I REFUSE all of what you offer.”

Zelretch blinked at me, then he pouted, Gods! He actually pouted! Do you know how strange that is in the face of an old man?! It's... Disgusting! Ewww! No offence!

”But I still haven't offered you anything!” He exclaimed petulantly.

”Your offers are along the lines of 'giving memories of an alternate version of someone whose life goal is to be a transvestite circus clown and then implant them into your victim's personality, or replacing someone's personality with their opposite gender counterpart, or sending someone to a world where monster girls who survive through man's sperm exist just for the sake of your fun,” I said dryly, remembering one of Gabriel's blessing fanfic where he changed Miya Asama's personality and sent Shirou to a Monster Girl World. If that wasn't insane then I don't know what else is it called and, ”What kind of sane man would accept your offer?”

”Hey! There many men who would love to take the last offer you know!” Zelretch defended himself.

Doesn't change the fact that it's still considered as the insane level of funny.

”Hear me first.” Zelretch cleared his throat before he gives me a pointed look ”I already travelled to many places, and changed many things. However, I realize after I did that, all of them is... it's now a bit dull.” He said.

”Dull?”

”Yes! They're all amusing and fun, make no mistake, but they all mostly have one thing in common!” Zelretch raising his index finger to me ”To be a Hero.” He stated, ”And like I said before, all of them are fun to see but I want something different!”

”And you picked me...” I narrowed my eyes. Truthfully, I admit I'm not a good person. I, maybe won't hesitate to help in one case, but I'm not in Hero criteria. I... I'm kind of selfish actually, if there's an opportunity to make my own life better, then I will immediately take it, I mean, why not? Life with a bag of money I can laze around while getting anything is a good life.

”Aaron Blaze, second child of Hendry Blaze and Lily Blaze. Born on 17 April 1999 at Novena from Singapore, age seventeen and now currently working under your father's shop.” Zelretch stated my bio data ”I would like to say more, especially about your porn fetish secret but it will take more time than we have. So here's my offer!

I will send you to one of alternate realities. I won't send you to a completely different place like Naruto or One Piece rather, I would send you to a similar one like here. But in there, Heroes and Villains are everywhere! Which means, your life would be in danger!

But have no fear! I won't leave you without strength! I will provide you the necessary skills so you can survive! Whatever path you take is up to you! I don't care if you turned into a serial killer or something equally disturbing! Just go on your life like and of course, amuse me-”

”I humbly refuse.” I cut him off instantly, having no intent to hear his rambling any further. This made Zelretch pause on his track and blinking at me owlishly ”While the idea of living in a fictional World is very tempting, I'm fine by myself at the moment.” It is true, right now I'm pretty much content with how I live my life, true I wish to improve it perhaps, getting richer and such things, but none of them includes the supernatural aspect.

I have a father and mother who loves me, a big brother who's an asshole, but cares about me as well, and a very cute little sister. I don't want to leave them all, especially for a World like that... a dangerous one like Zelretch described and risking my life.

I'm already contented with what I have so... Right now I just want to get out of here wherever this is and continue with my current life, I'm satisfied with it after all.

Though... I doubt Zelretch is going to accept this, from all those fanfics I read, Zelretch is anything but nice in accepting refusals. The man is insane and I won't be surprised if he refuses my refusal and send me directly to wherever he wished...

”Well, okay.”

Which is why this is a surprise to me when he said that.

”Okay?” I blinked at the acceptance. That... That was really surprising. But since I'm not one to be left with a gift in horse's mouth ”Then, I wish to get out of here and-”