From Loser To Legend!

It was a balmy coastal breeze that greeted Ken Tetsumura as he stepped out of the terminal of Haneda International Airport. Bags in hand, it was a mercifully quick baggage claim, and despite the intense jet lag Ken was in a chipper mood. Though he was half-Japanese on his father's side, he'd never stepped foot in his ancestral homeland before today. In fact, he hardly traveled at all, content as he was to spend all day in his bedroom watching anime and playing videogames. He was fully aware that it was an unhealthy and entirely unproductive lifestyle, but compared to the effort of going out and enduring the many thankless trials of the so-called "real world," he was prepared to embrace this character flaw to his grave. Yes, he was clearly running away from his problems, but escapism was the only place where failure and disappointment didn't follow in his wake like a rotten stench.

He took another deep breath, clearing his head. After all, it wasn't every day your family sent you on vacation to a foreign country! According to his father, he had relatives in Yoshikawa, so he was to go spend time with a traditional Japanese family, ostensibly to both ground him in his heritage while broadening his horizons. Of course, the only thing on Ken's horizon was the tiny little pit-stop on his journey known as Akihabara. He was perfectly prepared to arrive late in order to take in all the sights and sounds (and shopping) of the greatest otaku hub on the planet, and he let out a creepy chuckle as he imagined the authentic merchandise of his favorite 2D waifus... 

Regaining his composure, he double checked the map and texted his relatives to let them know he'd landed safely. 
"Ojichan! Obachan! I just arrived in Haneda! See you soon!"
They responded with heart emojis. 

Ken chuckled to himself and slipped his phone into his pocket. The crosswalk signal changed and he began to stride across, not a care in the world. He never saw the truck whose brakes had failed, careening at high speed toward a crowd of high school students. The driver, panicking and struggling to gain control of his vehicle, saw two targets in his path: the crowd of teenage students whose lives he was about to cut short, and a single tourist in a nearby crosswalk. He did a quick cost-benefit analysis, then decided it was time to solve the trolley problem once and for all as he yanked on the steering wheel and swerved away from the screaming students, his truck tilting dangerously as the cargo threatened to topple him then and there. 

Ken heard the screams, and he glanced up just in time to read the last word to cross his mind:
"Suzuki."

…

White light. Endless void. Comforting stillness. Slight breeze between the legs. Ken sneezed and looked around, but there wasn't much to look at except his own naked body and the blinding brightness of the infinite. Then he saw a figure, bathed in rays of gold and framed by silver clouds. It was a woman, tall and gorgeous, wearing white robes and a shining golden sash. Behind her a pair of glittering wings flapped gently in the expanse, scattering plumes of pure white feathers all around. Above her head was an ornate halo, and she had a gentle smile on her face, calm and serene. As she came into focus the void turned blue, with fluffy clouds drifting by. Far below was a wild green landscape, dotted with mountains and broken up by azure rivers and lakes. The angelic figure extended her arms as if to embrace Ken, and she began to speak, her voice echoing from all around with regal authority and maternal kindness.
"Welcome, Ken, to the land of Phantasm. You have suffered a cruel and ignoble fate, therefore heaven has decided to summon you to another world, where your untapped potential can bring peace and prosperity."

Ken flinched as he gazed around at the land far below, noting the flocks of birds and the many herds of strange-looking animals. The air seemed to vibrate with menace as a massive dragon soared past, its mighty wings kicking up a miniature hurricane in its wake. It roared loud enough for Ken to feel it reverberating in his chest, and a chill ran up his spine. 
"Um... are you sure you have the right guy? I'm no one special, I'm just a geek from Florida."

The angel shook her head, her hands clasped in front of her with a pleading gesture. "You are special, Ken. You are a wellspring of unrealized greatness. You were destined to stand at the apex of all mankind!"

Ken blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Aw, shucks lady! I don't think I'm all that..."

The angel gave a bemused grin. "My goodness, and so humble too? Heaven is truly blessed to have a champion such as yourself walking among the people! As a reward for your honesty, we hereby bestow upon you fabulous magic powers greater than any mage that has ever lived! You will be blessed with infinite mana and access to every spell ever written. We also bestow upon you this golden armor of absolute protection, guaranteed to nullify any attack! You will carry this magical sword into battle, capable of slaying any foe in a single swing, and to ensure the success of your holy mission, we will send you into the world at level 99!"

Ken grunted as his naked body suddenly became buff and chiseled, his muscles bulking as unfathomable strength possessed his limbs. The skinny, flabby bits of his torso tightened, and his non-existent butt suddenly became toned and shapely. He ran his fingers along his six-pack abs before his body was suddenly encased in the most ornate golden platemail, with silver chainmail covering the gaps and a soft, plush gambeson padding the interior, providing Ken pillowy comfort while granting total freedom of movement. A billowing red cape fluttered from his shoulders, and a massive sword with a jewel-encrusted guard appeared at his hip. Sparks crackled at his fingertips, and with a simple gesture a storm of lightning, ice, and fire raged all around, only to vanish just as quickly with a snap of his fingers. 

The angel's expression changed to one of smug satisfaction. "Perfect! You are indeed the chosen one! The Demon King won't know what hit him! Now go forth, mighty hero! Slay the darkness and save the world! We'll send you to the starting town of Origin, the birthplace of heroes, where you can meet your destined companions and begin your journey to the Demon King's castle!"

Ken raised a gauntleted finger. "Wait! If I'm already max level, can't you just send me straight the final boss?"

The angel shrugged, her demeanor shifting from regal to strangely casual. "Nope! No shortcuts! You have to walk there like everyone else! Good luck!"

The angel suddenly became gigantic, reaching out with her delicate hand to grasp Ken's body. He felt himself being raised high above the angel's head as his stomach felt like it was dropping out of his feet, then a maelstrom of violent wind and a sonic boom rocked the sky as the angel pitched him like a baseball, sending the new hero rocketing over the horizon with a sonic cone trailing in his wake. His cheeks billowed and his eyes squinted shut until he could barely see the landscape flying past. Seconds later, he began to rattle in his invincible armor as the air resistance slowed his body to sub-sonic speeds. He never even saw the mountain before crashing into it, burying himself in several meters of solid rock and creating a massive crater.

Of course, his new armor protected him perfectly, and he was able to extract himself from the rocky mountainside having suffered no injury from his crash landing. He traveled to the nearby small town and began introducing himself to the locals. "It's the hero!" They exclaimed. "The hero has come! Praise the gods, our salvation is at hand!" Of course, everyone in Origin knew who he was and what to expect, and in less than an hour he was surrounded by beautiful women and adventurous men all asking to join his party to fight to Demon King. Ken selected 3 random women to join him on his quest: a human ranger, a halfling thief, and an elven priestess.

His companions acted more as cheerleaders than meaningful combatants as Ken tore through every enemy with a single swing of his mighty sword. A flick of his fingers would send lightning and meteors raining down on giant monsters, annihilating them with heavenly judgement. Entire armies of undead soldiers would scatter before his unstoppable end-game character build. Days turned to weeks, and all 3 of the women in Ken's party fell deeply in love with him, charmed by his charisma and humility. They competed amongst each other for his love and attention, and all 3 of the women vowed to become his bride one day.

Ken met the monarchs of the realm, tales of his heroic deeds having traveled far and wide, and he was offered all the treasure in the royal vault if he could slay the Demon King. The Princess Roselyn, a young naïve girl who just turned 18, also offered her hand in marriage. (Much to the chagrin of the hero's party.) Ken accepted the quest and made a beeline for demon country, leaving piles of monster and demon corpses in his wake. Entire cities added his name to their calendars to celebrate the anniversary of his arrival as a local holiday. Everywhere Ken went, everyone would cheer for their savior, meanwhile every demon he met would tremble and curse his name.

Along the way he encountered the Elven Forest, isolated from the outer realms and the ongoing conflicts by an ancient barrier. Ken tried to take a little peek inside, but with a flick of his pinky finger he accidentally dispelled the entire barrier. This turned out to be the right move as the Elven General Lady Gwen was on the run from a massive internal coup from the Elven High Council, who intended to join the Demon King's Army. Together with a brigade of human soldiers, he formed an alliance with Gwen's banished soldiers and overthrew the Elven High Council, saving the kingdom of Elves in the process and securing their allegiance in the battle against the demons. During the fighting, Gwen was smitten by Ken's unstoppable prowess in battle and his keen-edged tactical mind, and though Ken pretended not to notice, she secretly vowed to become his wife when the fighting was over.

Many more cities and villages came under the protection of the coalition army led by Ken, who chased every lead and sniffed out every plot of demon corruption in his path. During his quest to destroy the Demon King, he saved countless lives and charmed countless beautiful women. He was a paragon of ingenuity and excellence, the shining pinnacle of humanity's most outstanding virtues. Everyone he met loved him dearly, except for the demons and their allies who cringed in revulsion at the very mention of his name. Evil was not difficult to find, for it always made itself known by standing in the way of Ken's pure and righteous quest for world peace.

Finally, the day came when he would confront the avatar of ultimate sin, the final boss, the Demon King himself, sitting atop a blackened throne at the peak of the highest tower of the gothic citadel at the edge of the world. Ken was joined in his final battle by Lady Gwen and Princess Roselyn, and the three starting companions whose names he later realized he never actually bothered to learn. Behind him were the hosts of humans and elves whose lives Ken had improved in passing, all singing his praises and prematurely celebrating his victory. The Demon King was an ugly creature of shadow and gnarled features, like a rough-hewn gargoyle with glowing eyes and mottled, scaly skin. He stood no taller than the hero, apart from his enormous bat-like wings whose span covered the entire throne room and darkened the halls with a hurricane of wind that snuffed out every candle in the castle. Somewhere in the far corner of the hall a pipe organ was being played while elsewhere a choir began to sing in Latin as the Demon King began monologuing his evil plan to all the gathered usurpers. Of course Ken, clever and quick-witted as he was, used this opportunity to land a decisive opening strike, catching the arrogant demon off-guard and severing his torso from his legs in a single decisive blow. A shocked expression was frozen onto the Demon King's face as the two halves of his carcass slumped to the floor in a puddle of blackened blood. The Demon King was no more.

A great shout rose up around the castle as everyone celebrated the ultimate victory of good over evil. There was music and dancing as everyone raided the Demon King's larder and distributed delicious food and fine drinks. The treasury was broken open and many glittering trinkets were passed around, generously shared by Ken who had every right to keep all the treasure for himself. Ken's generosity was added to his list of saintly virtues as the gathered hosts vowed to sing of his deeds for thousands of years. Ken was mobbed by hordes of beautiful women who all wanted to kiss him and confess their undying love and desire to become his wife, many expressing their willingness to be his second, third, or twenty-fifth wife if needed. Polygamy was openly practiced in the kingdoms of Phantasm, so Ken need not commit to a single lover. 

Drowning in treasure, wine, and desirable women, Ken felt like this was heaven. He'd finally arrived at the place where he belonged, where everything went his way and he no longer failed or disappointed anyone. His previous life was like a distant dream, and he vaguely wondered what he would accomplish next now that the demon king was a stain on the floor. As the wine robbed him of his senses, Ken drifted into a deep sleep from which no sensual female voice could wake him...

There was a beep. Then a second. Then a third.
A constant rhythm, steadily ringing in his head in time to the blood pounding in his ears. Vaguely he wondered if someone was casting some sort of spell, but Ken felt paralyzed, unable to lift a finger or even open his eyes. A strange smell, long-forgotten yet familiar, tickled his memory as he struggled to overcome his sense of vertigo. At some point the word "hospital" entered his thoughts, but he quickly banished the notion. There were no modern hospitals in Phantasm. Finally, after much struggle, he mustered the will to open his eyes.

Stark white fluorescent lights in a tile ceiling. Plain white walls and a table with a single flower in a vase, long since withered from lack of water and sunlight. In the corner, a plain-looking nurse in teal green scrubs was scribbling something on a clipboard. The beeping noise came from a heart-rate monitor, which let out a strange noise as the beeping increased in tempo. The nurse finished scribbling her notes and stepped over to examine the machine, her expression turning to confusion as she pressed a few buttons and cycled through some settings Ken didn't understand. She then turned to look at Ken, and the two of them made eye contact for the first time. Her expression changed instantly from confusion to shock as she jumped, seemingly startled by Ken's waking gaze. Ken groaned, and the Nurse slapped a call button on the wall. "Doctor! Someone get Doctor Briggs in here! It's the Tetsumura kid! He's awake!" 

With a gloved hand, the nurse grabbed Ken's eyelids and began shining a pen light directly into his eyes. "Pupils are dilating! He's conscious!" Ken felt the back of the bed being raised with the sound of a muffled motor, and his view changed to include the wooden door to his room, which burst open as a man in a a white lab coat rushed in. The Doctor and the nurse both poked and prodded Ken, examining his limbs and testing his responses. The doctor spoke in an authoritative tone as he explained, "My name is Doctor Briggs. While visiting Japan you were hit by a truck. You've been in a coma for the past year. You were stabilized in a Japanese hospital, then your family had you flown back to the United States. You're currently in a long-term care unit in San Francisco. Do you remember your name and birthday? Can you move your limbs?"

Ken groaned again as he felt the pillow suffocating his head from behind, the bed now becoming a vile prison. He robotically answered the doctor's questions as feeling slowly returned to his extremities, and a terrible soreness seemed to creep into his muscles. He wanted to scream, cry, throw a tantrum, but everything felt dull and pointless, and he couldn't muster the emotional energy.

It was nothing but a dream.
There was no land of Phantasm.
There was no goddess and no hero.
There were no beautiful women pining for his affections.

Ken was a loser once more.