NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1: "Awakening in a Parallel World"
Today is Sunday, August 4, 2024. I am walking towards my neighbor's house to borrow some sugar, which is a bit unusual. Normally, it's my neighbor who asks to borrow things from us, not the other way around. But today, it's my mother's request. She's been busy in the kitchen, preparing sweets to celebrate my younger brother's achievement of winning the top spot in a quiz competition. Honestly, it was mostly my brother pestering my mom to make it, but I guess that's how it works in our family. You don't usually celebrate something as small as a quiz win, but my mother was happy to do it for him.
However, my father forgot to bring the groceries home. I guess he got distracted by something, so now I'm tasked with fetching the sugar from next door. We have everything else – flour, butter, milk – but somehow, sugar slipped through the cracks. So here I am, walking down the street to our neighbor's house, which isn't far, just a couple of blocks away.
But as I'm walking, something strange happens. A sharp pain suddenly shoots through my chest, so intense that I feel like I'm having a heart attack. I stumble for a moment, clutching my chest, the pressure overwhelming. My legs feel weak, and I fall to my knees, gasping for air. It's like every breath is harder to take than the last. My vision blurs, and the world around me seems to spin, a dizziness creeping in, as though I'm about to faint. My body feels cold, and I begin to lose control over my senses. I try to scream for help, but the words don't come. The last thing I remember before everything fades away is the taste of iron in my mouth. The next moment… darkness.
The Awakening
When I awaken, the first thing I notice is the absence of pain. I should be dead, right? The last thing I remember was my body giving out, but here I am, feeling strangely alive. My head is throbbing, but I don't feel the crushing pain I thought I would. Slowly, I open my eyes, unsure of where I am. My surroundings are unfamiliar – and far too beautiful for a hospital room. I can feel a gentle breeze on my face, the scent of fresh grass and earthy soil filling my nostrils. I'm not in a hospital; I'm outside, somewhere vast and open.
As my mind begins to clear, I sit up, surveying my surroundings. I see mountains in the distance, lush greenery, and a peaceful landscape. This isn't anything like the city I know. The air is fresh, untainted by pollution or the noise of modern life. I touch my chest, expecting to feel the weight of a hospital gown or the cold sterile touch of medical equipment. But instead, I feel my own body. I'm not hooked up to anything. There are no IV drips or oxygen masks.
Curious, I get to my feet, slowly, testing my balance. I notice something immediately: my body has changed. I'm taller – a full six feet now, compared to my old five-foot-nine-inch frame. My limbs are longer, and I feel leaner, more muscular. Gone is the softness of my previous physique. I feel stronger, more capable. It's like I've been completely transformed. Was it the trauma that caused this, or something else? I'm not sure, but I do know one thing: this isn't my body anymore.
As I take a few steps, I try to get my bearings. I can't recognize any of the terrain around me. The place doesn't seem like anything from Earth, or at least not anywhere I've been before. I turn in circles, looking for something, anything familiar, but there's nothing. Panic starts to set in, but before it can take hold, a thought crosses my mind – the novels I've read. The stories about people waking up in other worlds, the ones where systems are involved, the ones where the main character is given a second chance at life. Could I have been transported to one of those worlds?
I swallow my rising anxiety and decide to try something. "Hey, system, are you there?" I mutter, half expecting it to be a crazy thought.
Suddenly, a notification flashes in front of my eyes, though I can't see the source. It's like the world itself is speaking to me.
[SYSTEM INITIATING: 10%... 40%... 80%... 100%]
[SYSTEM INITIATED SUCCESSFULLY]
[THE SUMMONING SYSTEM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY INSTALLED]
I blink, feeling a rush of adrenaline. So it's real. This isn't just some fever dream or delusion. I've actually been summoned to another world, and it looks like this "system" is a part of that process. But I don't have time to process all of that yet. My survival comes first. I need to understand this new world and figure out what I'm dealing with.
[HOST STATUS]
NAME: (Undetermined)AGE: 20SOLDIERS SUMMONED: 0BUILDINGS SUMMONED: 0EQUIPMENT SUMMONED: 0COMMANDERS SUMMONED: 0PRESTIGE POINTS: 0SHOP: UnavailableINVENTORY: Novice Gift Bag *1 + Memory of the Relevant World with Politics
I stare at the screen, taking in the details. There's a gift pack, and a memory of the world that's been integrated into me. I'm not sure what that entails, but I know I need to retrieve it. "System, open the novice gift pack," I command, feeling a strange sense of urgency.
The system responds instantly:
[NOVICE GIFT PACK OPENING...]
[NOVICE GIFT PACK OPENED SUCCESSFULLY]
[YOU GOT 1000 SOLDIERS + 2 COMMANDERS + 20 ARMORED VEHICLES + 1 LEVEL A BUILDING CARD + 10 SPIES + 1 COMMANDING VEHICLE + 10 TRANSPORT VEHICLES + 20 ANTI-TANK VEHICLES]
I blink at the list in front of me. Soldiers, vehicles, commanders? This is starting to feel like a game, but I can tell it's all real. These resources are now mine. My hand instinctively reaches for the "Memory of the Relevant World with Politics." If I'm going to survive here, I need to understand this world's politics and power structure.
The moment I activate the memory, I feel a flood of information pour into my mind. It's overwhelming, yet somehow, I can absorb it all.
The world I've been transported to is a parallel one, much larger than Earth. Its size is comparable to Jupiter, a planet so massive that entire continents could fit within it. The number of countries has increased from 193 to 200, with the United Nations now consisting of seven permanent members. These nations possess nuclear weapons, and the balance of power is different from what I know.
A significant event in this world's history occurred in 1999, when India annexed Pakistan after reclaiming the Kargil sector. The war lasted just 15 days, with Pakistan surrendering over 100,000 soldiers. It's hard to imagine such a fast conflict, but it didn't escalate to a nuclear war, thanks to India's strategic military leadership. I'm thankful for that.
The political landscape is also vastly different. Instead of North Korea, this world has a two-headed government. One faction is pro-American, the other is pro-Russian, and they operate under a fixed quota system that keeps the balance.
But what stands out the most is my current location: Bakhmut, in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine. In five days, Ukraine will attempt to recapture the city. This knowledge hits me like a ton of bricks. I know what happens here. I remember reading about it in the news in my previous life. The battles that raged in Bakhmut are legendary. But now, I'm a part of this world, and I have to survive it.
I shake myself from my thoughts and focus. It's time to make decisions. The system has given me resources, but I don't know where to begin. I need to build a base, establish defenses, and figure out a way to communicate with the Russian President. But how? I don't even have a proper identity yet.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. The first step is to assess my subordinates. As I look around, I see the battalion that was summoned before me, standing at attention. They're divided into six companies, each commanded by a captain, and their overall commander is none other than Stanislav Petrov.
Petrov. The name sends chills down my spine. This man, a hero of the Soviet Union, saved the world from nuclear catastrophe during the 1983 Soviet nuclear false alarm. But the fact that he hasn't been in combat for decades raises concerns. He may have been a brilliant officer in the past, but will he be able to handle modern warfare?
I push these doubts aside. I'll need to assess his abilities soon. For now, my priority is to establish a base and start planning our strategy. If we play our cards right, we might not just survive; we might expand our territory.
But for that to happen, I'll need more than just soldiers. I'll need to build morale, secure allies, and figure out how to navigate this new, complicated world.
And for all that, I'll need every advantage I can get.
I take one last look at the troops in front of me, feeling a sense of responsibility settle on my shoulders. It's not just about surviving. It's about thriving, taking control, and carving out a place for myself in this new world.
"Alright, let's move out," I say, my voice steady. "We have a lot to do.