Rion Hale, a college student from the UK wasn't anything special. He read a lot of Murim-style manhwa and other genres, drifting between classes and stories without much ambition. He was studying Computer Science because he was good with computers, not because he loved it. His family wasn't poor, but they weren't rich either. He did his best to get into university to build a different life, even if he didn't know what that meant yet.
He had slightly above average looks, decent grades, and an addiction to manhwa, his favourite one being: The Path Of The Lonely Hero. It wasn't popular, mostly because the author had a sadistic habit of killing off nearly every character. Despite its graphic art style and endless complaints, it somehow hadn't been taken down.
Then came the day everything changed.
On his way to his final class presentation and he gets caught up in an argument with a couple blocking him on the staircase
He was somehow dragged into it by the girl who asked him screaming "Isn't it right to compliment your girlfriend when she gets her hair done" The boyfriend then replied screaming back "I already told you it looks nice!", "Nice isn't good enough." she replied.
They went on back and forth for a while and he sighed and said with low tone
"Nobody really cares what you look like, can i just get to class" Frustrated not realizing what he had said.
The girl burst into tears and her boyfriend reacts, he gets mad punches Rion, Rion gets hit and pushed back, he tries to regain his footing but he trips and falls, he hits his head and starts bleeding out, vision blurry but he notices the couple running away instead of helping.
"That's one way to go out" He thinks to himself
System appears: do you want to live [Y/N]
…
When his eyes opened, the world had changed.
Wooden beams. Paper walls. The faint scent of herbs and incense. His vision blurred as pain surged through his body.
**Reincarnation Complete.**
**New Identity: Raon Han of the Blue Pearl Sect.**
He stared at the floating words. "Reincarnation?"
"Raon Han... that's... a side character from my favourite Manhwa"
**Yes.**
"I died... and came back?" he laughed bitterly. "This has to be hell."
Of all the places to end up, it had to be the world of The Path Of The Lonely Hero. Where everyone dies. Worse, he wasn't the hero. He was the guard of the hero, who the only survivor of the original story.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"What is this?"
**A fresh start... ish**
"Wait... I died in the weirdest way possible, at least going by a truck would have been more memorable!. Are you kidding right now!." he said to himself.
**Yes and yes... I guess**
Just then, the door slid open. A young woman stepped in. Her black hair was tied neatly, and she wore light blue robes with golden embroidery.
"Raon, why are you screaming at the wall?" she asked, raising a brow.
He froze. 'Crap. No one can know I'm not him.'
"Just... practicing my lines," he blurted out.
She sighed. "That hit from the Young Master really scrambled your head, huh?"
'Young Master... Jin Seoryun. The protagonist.'
A genius in the original story, The Blue Pearl sect was faced with destruction and Jin The Young Master of the sect was one of the few survivors of the yet to come calamity in the first arc.
And possibly the key to surviving the Heavenly Demonic Alliance.
The Heavenly Demonic Alliance a powerful organization that has waged war against the Murim sects for centuries.
Their goal is to destroy all cultivators and erase martial arts from the world, believing that true balance can only come through complete destruction.
"Uh, what day is it?" he asked quickly.
She frowned. "You really did lose it, didn't you?"
"Just answer the question!"
Startled, she yelled, "Doctor! Doctor!" and ran off. Raon sighed, rubbing his temples.
**Perfect start, idiot.**
"Huh!!" he shouted
Moments later, the doctor arrived an elderly man with calm eyes. "Hello Raon."
Raon smiled nervously. "Morning!"
"It's noon," the doctor said flatly, kneeling beside him.
He pressed two fingers to Raon's wrist, and a faint warmth spread through his arm, some kind of Qi diagnostic technique. The old man's brow furrowed. "Strange. Your meridians show signs of disruption, but they're... stabilizing?
Almost like your Qi flow was interrupted and is now rebuilding itself." Raon's heart skipped.
"Was that from the reincarnation? Did body swapping scramble his Qi?" Raon thought to himself."
**Relax. Minor side effect.** Is what he heard from the system in his head.
"Is that... bad?" Raon asked.
The doctor shook his head. "Not necessarily. Rest for today, light training tomorrow. Your body needs time to adjust." He stood, dusting off his robes. "The Young Master's strike must have shocked your system more than expected." After the checkup, Raon excused himself and wandered out
The sect grounds stretched before him, tiled roofs, training courtyards, disciples practicing sword forms. Signs written in symbols he couldn't read decorated every building.
Then, a familiar blue glow appeared before him.
**Skill Unlocked: Language Comprehension.**
"I didn't even ask for that," he muttered. "System, where am I exactly?"
**System:** Blue Pearl Sect.
The Blue Pearl Sect is a mid-sized water based martial sect known for its calm and fluid fighting style.
It's techniques focus on adaptability and flow, teaching disciples to move like water.
It was once one of the respected sects in murim but has declined over the years due to weak leadership and internal corruption, but still holds a deep foundation of martial wisdom waiting to be revived.
"Why am I here?"
**This world is destined for destruction.**
"So I was brought here to die again?"
**Dumbass.**
Raon blinked. "...What did you just call me?"
**For someone who's read half the world's manhwa, you really are a dumbass.**
"Excuse me?!"
**You think you'd get sent you here just to die? Another world is collapsing, and since since there's no way to interfere directly, We have YOU... an unmotivated otaku with zero ambition whatsoever. Even the readers could have guessed that.**
Raon screamed, "How the hell was I supposed to know that?!"
**Isn't it obvious?**
"No, it isn't!"
"I don't know anything about swordsmanships and chakaras!!"
**Chakaras!?**
**Then why don't you just Rasen-Go back to your world, dumbass?**
He clenched his fists. "What was that supposed to mean?!"
**You read too many shounen manga, Baaka. Ask questions if you don't understand something.**
Raon sighed. "Fine... What season is it?"
**Spring.**
"That means about six months before the Heavenly Demonic Alliance attacks, and about 5 years to stop the oncoming calamity," he muttered. "First of all if the Blue Pearl Sect doesn't get stronger, history repeats itself."
**correct**
He paced in thought. "I might be in the guard's body, but I don't know swordsmanship."
**Would you like to access the guard's memories?**
He froze. "Wait, what?"
**I said, would you like to access the guard's memories?**
"That sounds way too broken."
**Not really. Only limited fragments will unlock swordsmanship basics, sect knowledge, and names. Full access risks memory overlap or insanity**
"Right... split personalities sound bad."
**You're surprisingly calm about this.**
"Would you shut up already?... We need to strengthen the sect before the attack."
He looked over the mountains surrounding the Blue Pearl Sect, the morning sun glinting off the rooftops. Somewhere beyond, the Heavenly Demon Alliance was gathering. And he was just a side character.
"Well," he muttered, rolling his shoulders, "time to defy fate, I guess."