Chapter 1: Rejected, Run Over, RebornPart 1: The End of Arata KisaragiThe cold evening air stung Arata Kisaragi’s face as he sat on the empty sidewalk, his back against a metal fence. His school uniform was disheveled, his tie loosened, and his bck hair a mess. He barely noticed the distant hum of cars passing by. All he could hear was the echo of ughter—the cruel, mocking ughter of his cssmates.

  "Did he really confess after two years? That's so pathetic!""I can't believe he thought he had a chance.""She didn't just reject him—she made sure everyone knew about it!"

  Arata clenched his fists.

  Two years. Two years of waiting, of gathering the courage to confess to the girl he had loved since his first year of high school. And in just a few seconds, everything had come crashing down. Not only had she rejected him, but she had done so in front of everyone, making a joke out of him. Now, he was the ughingstock of the entire school.

  He wanted to scream. He wanted to disappear.

  But more than anything… he wanted to stop feeling this emptiness inside.

  He stood up, barely registering his own movements, and stepped onto the road without thinking. Maybe a long walk would help clear his mind. Maybe he could just keep walking until—

  A bright light fshed in his vision.

  A loud horn bred.

  Pain.

  And then… nothing.

  Part 2: Awakening in a Strange WorldArata’s eyes snapped open. His body jolted upright, and he gasped for air. His heart pounded, and for a moment, he thought he was still lying on the cold asphalt, dying.

  But no. The sky above him was not the one he knew. Instead of city lights and towering buildings, there was an endless blue sky, stretching across a ndscape of green fields and distant forests. A warm breeze brushed against his face, carrying the scent of fresh grass and earth.

  “What… the hell…?” Arata muttered, his voice hoarse.

  He looked down at himself. His school uniform was gone. Instead, he wore a simple, rough brown tunic and pants, like something out of a medieval fantasy. His hands felt different—smaller, younger.

  Then, a strange sensation washed over him.

  A faint, glowing screen appeared before his eyes, like something out of a video game.

  [Status Window]

  Name: ArataAge: 15Level: 1HP: 100/100MP: 50/50Strength: 5Agility: 6Endurance: 4Intelligence: 7Skills: [Borrow] (Lv.1)

  Arata blinked.

  "...What?"

  This had to be a dream. Or a hallucination. He waved his hand, but the glowing screen stayed in pce. When he focused on [Borrow], more text appeared.

  [Borrow] (Lv.1): Allows the user to borrow one skill from another person for 10 minutes. The borrowed skill disappears afterward.

  Arata's mind raced. Was this some kind of game? No, this felt too real. The wind on his skin, the scent of grass, the faint ache in his body—it was all too vivid.

  And then it hit him.

  He had died. That car had killed him.

  And now… he was here. In a world where he had a status window and a skill called [Borrow].

  Arata let out a shaky breath. He should have been scared. He should have been freaking out. But instead, something strange happened.

  For the first time in a long while… he felt something other than misery.

  Maybe this was his second chance.

  Maybe, just maybe… this time, he wouldn't be a loser.