The soft creak of the floorboards outside his room faded as Martha's footsteps disappeared down the stairs. Ryan lay still on his bed, his arms crossed behind his head, staring at the ceiling. The dim light of the moon filtered through his window, casting long shadows across the room. His thoughts were a whirlwind of uncertainty, contemplation, and a growing sense of responsibility.
He was in the world of Fast & Furious—a world full of fast cars, dangerous criminals, and a near-constant threat of violence. He had no idea what he was supposed to do here. How was he supposed to fit in? The memories of his previous life, of his past choices and mistakes, still lingered in the back of his mind.
I've been given a second chance. But what am I supposed to do with it?
As his thoughts swirled, a sudden, strange feeling washed over him. It wasn't an external presence, not a hand on his shoulder or a whisper in his ear, but something inside his mind. The air around him seemed to grow thick for a moment, and then—ping—a soft blue screen flickered into view in front of him. It was transparent, but the letters were unmistakable, clear in the quiet of his room.
He sat up quickly, his eyes widening in surprise. A message from God?
The words on the screen materialized one after the other, filling his vision:
"Greetings, Ryan."
The words felt strangely intimate. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"First of all, let me acknowledge that I may have made a mistake. I know I already granted you the wishes you asked for still, consider it a favor, one I've done for you, as compensation for the the mistake we made. Think of it as a safety net, a way to ensure your survival in this world. It would be hard for someone to just drop into such a reality and not have the means to protect themselves."
Ryan's lips parted as he absorbed the words. Compensation? Safety net?
The message continued.
"The first skill I granted you was Great Sage from the anime Tensura. You'll find that it works in much the same way as it did for Rimuru in that world. A sentient AI that will assist you, analyze situations, and give you advice. It will never betray you, as it is bound by the very core of its programming—your safety and success are its goals. In this world, you won't have to worry about it turning on you. That much is certain."
Ryan felt a small sense of relief. His mind was a little more at ease knowing that his AI companion would be loyal.
But the message didn't stop there.
"Now, for your other skills. Unfortunately, not all of them can work as they did in Tensura. I've had to adjust them to fit the limits of this world. Some are sealed or downgraded to prevent them from being too much of an advantage. I'm sure you'll understand when I explain."
Ryan's brow furrowed. His hopes of becoming some unstoppable powerhouse started to feel like they were being slowly chipped away. But he was still willing to listen.
"Your Degenerate skill, the one from Shizue Izawa, has been degraded. In this world, it will only allow you to synthesize knowledge you learned or asked great sage to learn, not create magical abilities. As for the Demon Lord Seed, it's currently dormant and cannot be awakened unless you gather 10,000 human souls. I do not recommend trying to rush that process. P.S. we don't want a genocidal maniac now do we?"
Ryan sighed, a mix of frustration and acceptance. That was a lot of work for something that might not even come to fruition in the near future. But he had hoped for more... or perhaps less. He wasn't sure what to feel, but he did know this: He would make do with what he had.
The screen flickered again.
"For the Naming ability, I've modified it based on your request. There is no limit to how many people you can name. And there is no need for Magicules to activate it, as you originally thought. Instead, the process now depends on a loyalty bar—a measure of how loyal the person is to you. This bar must be filled to at least 80% in order to activate the Naming and grant them the benefits that come with it. So, be mindful of how you treat others, as it will directly impact your ability to form bonds."
Ryan's thoughts swirled again. A loyalty bar? That's... unexpected.
But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He'd need to build trust with the people he named if he wanted them to be loyal and powerful allies. It was more work, but it was also a more human way of interacting with others. Ryan wasn't about to take it lightly.
The screen continued, the words now almost appearing faster.
"For your Haki ability, I've also placed restrictions. It is currently limited to the Vice Admiral level, which is far below the full potential, and Conqueror's Haki, sealed for now it's too op in this world. You'll need to grow and experience more before you can unlock its full potential. But don't worry—you'll get there."
Ryan felt his heart sink a little. The powerful abilities he had hoped to wield so easily were not as accessible as he had imagined. Still, the Vice Admiral level was no small feat. It would give him strength, just not the overwhelming power he had dreamed of.
But there was more.
"Lastly, about your ability to travel between worlds: it will be available to you after the events of the first Fast & Furious movie. The catch is, you can only bring those you have named with you, and after leaving the world, only one year will pass in the real world, no matter how long you stay in other universe. Additionally, all abilities you acquire there will be yours to keep, but they will be downgraded or sealed upon returning to Fast & Furious to maintain balance. I cannot allow you to destroy the world by mistake."
Ryan blinked, reading the words twice. "Wait, only after the first movie?" He had expected the world-hopping ability to be available immediately. But no, it was tied to the timeline of the world. Still, the ability to travel and take people with him was a huge advantage in the future.
The last part made him chuckle, though. "Destroy the world by mistake." That sounded so ridiculously Ryan—getting caught up in some cosmic power struggle and breaking everything in the process.
The screen blinked one last time, and the final words appeared.
"P.S. Enjoy your new life, Ryan. You have the freedom to do whatever you want in this world. Just remember—don't destroy it. I'll be watching from afar. Good luck, and goodbye."
The screen blinked out of existence, leaving Ryan alone in his room once again. His mind buzzed with everything he had just read. There was so much to process—so much more than he could've anticipated.
He laid back down on his bed, running his hands through his hair. The world wasn't going to hand him everything on a silver platter. He couldn't just breeze through and become a god. But, strangely, that didn't bother him. He had the capital, the ability to shape his own future.
And that felt... right.
He chuckled softly to himself, his thoughts already shifting towards the future.
"Guess I'm gonna have to work for it," he muttered. "But it's gonna be one hell of a ride."
His eyes grew heavy. The day had been long, and now, with the weight of the message from God still swirling in his head, his body demanded rest. The future was uncertain, but he would meet it head-on.
With a sigh, Ryan closed his eyes, letting sleep take over.
The road ahead might be long, but it was his to walk.