A sharp, burning pain seared through his skull, forcing him awake. His body felt unfamiliar—stronger, taller, and somehow… different. As his vision adjusted to the dimly lit room, memories flooded his mind.
He clutched his head as fragmented images of two lives clashed inside his mind. One was his past life—a normal person from a world without quirks, a fan of My Hero Academia and Mortal Kombat. The other belonged to the person he had now become.
His name was Reiji Kurobane.
A wealthy orphan. The CEO of Kurobane Enterprises, a multinational conglomerate. His parents had died in a mysterious accident, leaving him their entire fortune. He had been raised in luxury, trained in self-defense, and educated to lead a corporate empire.
And yet, none of that mattered anymore.
Because this world—the world of heroes and villains—wasn't just fiction anymore. It was real.
Reiji exhaled, taking in his surroundings. He was in a penthouse overlooking Musutafu, the city where U.A. High School was located. His place was modern, sleek, and filled with the finest things money could buy. But material wealth meant nothing now. Strength ruled this world.
And strength was what he lacked.
Just as he was about to get out of bed, a metallic voice echoed in his mind.
[System Activation Complete.]
[Welcome to the Mortal Kombat System.]
His eyes widened.
A translucent screen materialized before him, revealing lines of text.
[The Mortal Kombat System grants you the abilities of legendary warriors from the Mortal Kombat universe.]
[Your first unlockable fighter is: Scorpion.]
[Abilities Unlocked:
Hellfire Manipulation (Limited)Kunai SpearEnhanced Strength & Speed]
Reiji's lips curled into a smirk. "Scorpion, huh?"
Before he could process further, his muscles burned with power. He clenched his fists as a surge of unholy fire coursed through his veins. His body felt different—faster, stronger, deadlier.
The system wasn't just telling him he had Scorpion's abilities. It was awakening something primal inside him.
He extended his hand toward a nearby candle. With a mere thought, flames flickered to life in his palm. The heat didn't burn him. Instead, it felt like a part of him, an extension of his will.
A wide grin spread across his face. "This… is going to be fun."
The streets of Musutafu were relatively quiet at this hour, but Reiji needed to test his powers outside. He took the elevator down from his penthouse and stepped into the cool night air.
As he walked through a dimly lit alleyway, the faint sounds of struggle and shouting reached his ears.
He turned a corner and saw a woman cornered by two men. One had a mutation quirk that gave him elongated claws, while the other had a more standard build, likely with some physical enhancement. They weren't small-time thugs—these guys knew what they were doing.
"Hand over everything, lady. Don't make us ask twice." The clawed man grinned, extending his sharp talons toward her.
Reiji rolled his shoulders. Perfect timing.
"Hey," he called out, stepping forward. His presence alone made the two men pause. Golden eyes with an eerie glow locked onto them, his expression unreadable.
The clawed thug sneered. "The hell do you want, punk?"
Reiji smirked. "You're standing in my training ground."
The thug lunged at him. His claws gleamed under the streetlights, aimed straight for Reiji's throat.
Reiji didn't move—until he did.
The moment the clawed hand reached striking distance, he sidestepped with inhuman speed and grabbed the man's wrist. With a flick of his fingers, a burning kunai materialized in his free hand.
"Get over here."
The kunai shot forward, piercing the thug's shoulder before the chain yanked him violently toward Reiji. His knee met the thug's gut, sending him crashing onto the pavement.
The second thug cursed and charged at him, but Reiji exhaled a breath of Hellfire, scorching the ground between them. The sheer heat forced the thug to stumble back, screaming as his clothes caught fire.
Reiji stepped forward, staring down at the two groaning criminals. He could end this in a single move.
One fatality. That's all it would take.
But he didn't.
Instead, he turned to the terrified woman. "Call the police."
She fumbled with her phone, nodding frantically.
Reiji glared down at the two thugs, his voice laced with quiet menace. "If I ever see you two again…" He let a flicker of Hellfire dance between his fingers. "I won't stop at burning your clothes."
The criminals scrambled to their feet and ran for their lives, leaving behind the scent of charred fear.
Reiji watched them go, then turned back to the woman. She hesitated before nodding. "T-Thank you."
He said nothing and walked away.
As he disappeared into the night, he felt something stir within him. This world was about to change. The heroes, the villains…
They weren't ready for him.
End of Chapter 1.
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