Light rain fell, each drop tapping gently on the shining concrete streets of the city. A damp, cold air blanketed the neighborhood. In the darkness of the night, under dim streetlights, Richard—a seemingly ordinary young man in the modern world—was sprinting toward a deserted road.
Suddenly, from the shadows, a car lost control and sped toward a child standing in the middle of the street. Without thinking, Richard reacted instinctively: he dashed forward, grabbing the child and pulling them out of the way. The car slammed into them at terrifying speed.
Then, everything fell into a deathly silence.
⸻
When Richard opened his eyes, everything around him was filled with radiant light—not the light of street lamps or the sun, but a strange, warm glow, as if he were inside a dream.
A man stood before him, wearing a long white robe. His eyes were gentle but held a greatness within them, as though they could see through the entire universe.
"You have died, Chosen One."
Richard looked up at the man, his mind still hazy, as if he couldn't quite grasp what had just happened. He shook his head, murmuring,
"Chosen One? What the hell does that mean?"
The man smiled kindly.
"You shall be Richard. Richard the Lionheart. You have been chosen."
Richard glanced around, trying to make sense of the situation. Suddenly, strange images flooded his mind—a radiant sword: Excalibur. Then scenes of battle, knights, and a strong, determined young man. The man before him continued, voice deep and steady:
"I grant you the body and strength of one of the greatest knight-kings. But you also have a mission: protect mankind."
"The world you're about to enter is not the one you once knew. It is full of supernatural forces: devils, angels, and ancient creatures. Wars rage in the shadows, and humans are nothing more than pawns."
Richard nodded, still dazed by the overwhelming reality. Then, he felt his body begin to change. Everything sharpened—his senses, his strength—as if he had trained as a warrior his whole life.
"I have created a system, based on the game you loved, to assist you on this journey."
⸻
Not long after, Richard felt himself being pulled through space. When his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realized he was in a gloomy, unfamiliar forest.
It took him a moment to piece together everything that had happened. He had died—and now he was reborn, with the body and strength of a character he deeply admired.
"I was really reborn as a king?" he muttered, gazing at the exquisite armor he now wore.
But he quickly pushed the thought aside. What drew his attention wasn't the forest—it was a strange feeling in the air. A sense of unease, a disturbance nearby. He stood up and walked toward the source of the strange energy, each step firm and confident, as if ready to face anything.
Soon, Richard stopped. In front of him was a girl in a kimono with long black hair, being chased by a group of devils. They looked human but had black wings sprouting from their backs. Their red eyes gleamed with lust as they stared at the girl.
———
Kuroka cursed her luck. She had just been on her way to visit her little sister when she was ambushed by a group of devils.
She glared at her attackers. If she hadn't been injured or caught off guard, taking them down would've been easy.
One devil raised its hand, forming a magic circle, and hurled a fireball at her. Kuroka prepared to dodge—but suddenly, a figure appeared in front of her, effortlessly batting the fireball away with his bare hand.
Kuroka's eyes widened in surprise. A blonde young man in gleaming armor had appeared out of nowhere, like something from a fairytale. The stranger turned to her and smiled.
"I'll help."
⸻
Standing before the cat-eared girl, Richard had easily deflected the fireball, leaving the group of devils stunned by his sudden appearance. He stepped forward with a confident smile and spoke:
"Bullying a girl isn't something a gentleman would do."
Hearing that, one of the devils stepped out, raised its hand, and launched a wave of lightning-charged magic at Richard. But he didn't flinch. With a swift sidestep, he dodged the attack and charged at the nearest devil.
As soon as he got close, Richard grabbed its arm, spun around, and slammed it into the ground. The devil let out a pained cry as it was thrown aside. The others didn't hesitate, launching spell after spell at the golden-haired young man—but with his powerful and agile body, Richard easily dodged and counterattacked.
One of them lunged with a long black sword, trying to slash at him, but Richard simply sidestepped and countered with a powerful punch to its face, knocking it out cold. He moved like the wind, swiftly and smoothly defeating each devil.
For Richard, it was all too easy. He didn't need magic—just the sharp martial techniques granted to him by his new body. Every strike he delivered carried power and precision, leaving the devils helpless to respond.
When the last of the devils fell, Richard turned to the girl with golden eyes, who had been watching in astonishment—then her expression shifted to delight.
Now she could finally get a good look at the mysterious young man. He had a handsome face, golden hair with a few strands of red, and his refined armor made him look like a true king.
Kuroka smiled and stepped closer, waving enthusiastically.
"Thank you, handsome nya~! I'm Kuroka," she said in a playful tone.
"I was just on my way to see my little sister, but these guys showed up out of nowhere. Lucky you were around!"
Richard looked at her, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but he kept calm. He sized up the cat-eared girl before replying.
"It's nothing. I just did what needed to be done."
Kuroka giggled and shook her head.
"Nya~ You're fast and strong! Can I know your name, mister knight?"
Looking into her golden eyes and sensing the mischievous spark within them, Richard replied:
"My name is Richard. Nice to meet you. Next time, be more careful, alright?" he said as he turned to leave.
"Nya? You're leaving already? Can't we chat a little more?"
But before he could answer, another figure emerged from the shadows.
"Kuroka's right. There's no need to leave so soon."
————-
Author's note: This is my first time writing a fanfic, so there will definitely be some mistakes. It's a wish-fulfillment type of story, so please don't expect too much.