The Successor System

A young man, about 23 years old, stood amidst a grisly scene—several bodies lay lifeless around him, their blood pooling on the cold, desolate ground. The crimson stains on his own clothes and skin told a story of violence, desperation, and betrayal. It was deep into the night, and the eerie silence of this desolate area cloaked the horror from prying eyes.

He staggered slightly, struggling to remain conscious, his breaths shallow and uneven. His eyes, heavy with exhaustion and disbelief, locked onto the woman he had once loved, the woman he had hoped to marry.

But she had betrayed him.

Drugged, bound, and handed over to the people who sought his life the most, he had been nothing more than a pawn in her game.

His family’s wealth and influence were known far and wide, striking fear into anyone who dared oppose them. Yet, behind the scenes, an internal war raged between his father and his uncle. Though uninterested in the power struggles, he had always been vigilant, aware that his status as the firstborn son—the heir—made him a target.

What he hadn't foreseen was betrayal from the one he trusted the most.

The day had started innocently enough, a date with his fiancée. But it had ended in a nightmare. Drugged and dragged to this forsaken place, he awoke to find himself surrounded by armed men, with her smirking beside them. Torture followed, knives cutting into his flesh, pain threatening to steal his sanity.

But they had underestimated him.

Through sheer willpower and the martial arts training instilled in him since childhood, he broke free of his bonds and fought back. Now, the lifeless bodies of his captors bore testament to his desperate struggle. Yet his victory was hollow. His body was broken, riddled with cuts and bruises. Blood seeped from his wounds, his life slipping away with every passing second.

The worst of his injuries were the two gunshot wounds in his chest—courtesy of his uncle, who had shown up to ensure his demise.

'This is a joke,' he thought bitterly. 'I was such a fool... trusting her, falling for her lies. I should’ve seen this coming.'

As his vision blurred and darkness began to creep in, he saw the smug faces of his enemies. His uncle stood over him, gloating.

“Hmph. You’re tougher than I thought,” the older man sneered. “Not bad for a coward’s son. If only you weren’t his brat, I might’ve made you useful.”

His fiancée stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she examined the bloodied dagger he had hurled at her in his final act of defiance. He had missed by mere inches.

“What a waste,” she murmured before turning to her truw lover with a sadistic smile. “Say, why don’t we give him a parting gift?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” his uncle replied with a chuckle.

The last thing he saw before darkness claimed him was the two of them, locked in a passionate kiss over his broken body.

---

‘So this is death, huh?’

His consciousness drifted in an endless void. There was no pain now, only a deep, gnawing regret.

‘I was played like a fool by the person I loved the most. What a pathetic way to go.’

He thought of his parents. How would they react when they discovered what had happened? Would they mourn him, or would his death only fuel the chaos within his family?

‘I didn’t even accomplish anything in my life… I died at 23, just another victim of this wretched world. I couldn’t even take those snakes with me.’

He sighed—or at least, he imagined doing so.

‘If I could do it over, I’d make them pay. I’d live my life differently. I wouldn’t trust so easily. But second chances don’t exist, do they?’

Just as despair threatened to consume him, a golden screen appeared before him, illuminating the void with its radiant light. Words in bold white letters flashed before his eyes.

[Potential successor found]

[Do you wish to accept? If you do, you will be transmigrated into a new world.]

[Yes] [No]

[You have 10 seconds to decide.]

His thoughts ground to a halt.

‘What the hell is this?’

[8]

‘A successor? Transmigration? This is straight out of a fantasy novel!’

[6]

‘Wait… is this real? Or some kind of trick?’

The timer continued to count down, and a feminine voice—melodious and otherworldly—resonated within his mind.

‘You must decide. Accept, and you will live again. Decline, and your existence ends here.’

‘What happens if I choose “yes”?’ he asked, still skeptical.

‘You will enter a new world with a new identity. Your fate will be yours to shape.’

[3]

He hesitated for only a moment longer before making his decision.

‘I accept!’

[Congratulations! The transmigration process will now begin.]

[Searching for a suitable realm...]

[Found.]

[Searching for a suitable planet...]

[Found.]

[Searching for a suitable body...]

This part took longer, and anxiety began to creep in.

‘Please, not a girl… or an animal. Definitely not something weird like a broomstick!’

Finally, the screen updated.

[Found.]

[Fusing host soul with new body...]

[Complete.]

[Initializing system...]

[Complete.]

[Welcome to *The Successor System.*]

[You will be transmigrated shortly.]

A blinding white light engulfed him, erasing all doubts, fears, and regrets as he hurtled toward his second chance.