Forced Dimensional Shift

"Boy, I am a Death God. If you hadn't pulled me back just now when I was crossing the street, I would have been hit by a car and lost my life."

"Huh? Mister... are you being serious right now?"

"Look into my eyes. I am one hundred percent serious."

"Who do you think you're fooling? A Death God dying? And from being hit by a car while jaywalking on a red light?"

"You're still young, so you probably don't know. Of course a Death God can die. Moreover, if a Death God dies, the price to pay... would be beyond your imagination."

"Ah, sure, sure. I get it. I'll believe you. Then can you tell me what kind of price follows if a Death God dies?"

"Naturally! If a Death God dies, no one in this world will ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ever die again."

"That makes no sense... Ugh, of all the people to save at a crosswalk, it had to be someone mentally ill."

"I see you don't believe me. Regardless, I must repay you for your help."

"Repay me? With what?"

"I shall give you this smartphone."

The year 8888 of the Bright Era.

Dongdo Jinju, North Sea Empire, Pungeo Province.

The 3rd Junior Swordsman Academy, located in Unmong City.

It was a warm early summer day, with balmy breezes drifting through the air. This was the time of year when Unmong City enjoyed its most pleasant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and radiant weather. Warm, golden sunlight spilled through the windows, illuminating the spacious classroom.

In the middle of a lesson for Class 9 of the second year, Im Bukjin, sitting in the very front row, was basking in that beautiful sunlight.

The fourteen-year-old boy was exceptionally handsome. Beneath eyebrows as sharp as well-forged blades, his eyes sparkled like distant stars. His features possessed an overall air of nobility, further enhanced by his thick, raven-black hair.

Bukjin had both hands raised in front of his face, staring at his palms with intense concentration. He moved his hands back and forth, examining them as if flowers were blooming right out of his skin.

He had maintained this posture since the beginning of class, barely moving except to adjust his gaze. Despite sitting in the most conspicuous seat in the front row, he was shamelessly absorbed in his own world. To any onlooker, he appeared incredibly arrogant.

The man currently standing at the podium teaching Senior Sword Arts was none other than Jeong Sam-seok. If anyone else had been slacking off like this, he would have unleashed his signature basic technique, the Close-body Triple Link, to teach them a harsh lesson. However, he couldn't bring himself to do that to Im Bukjin.

'Don't get angry, don't get angry. He's the one with a problem in his head; I'm the sane one. Nothing good comes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from getting involved with a lunatic like him.'

Jeong Sam-seok was famous at the 3rd Junior Academy for his explosive temper. Yet, he was currently doing his absolute best to restrain himself, choosing to ignore the boy who was ignoring him. This was because the boy before him was the scion of the most prominent noble family in Unmong City.

The other students in the classroom were ducking their heads, struggling to stifle their laughter. Seeing the notoriously violent Jeong Sam-seok desperately suppressing his rage was simply too hilarious. However, there was one thing that neither Jeong Sam-seok nor the other students knew.

Im Bukjin wasn't staring at his hands because he had lost his mind. He was looking at a smartphone!

It was a smartphone that no one else but Bukjin could see.

'That damn scammer...' Bukjin muttered inwardly as he stared at the screen.

How did things end up like this? All he had done was save a crazy person who was about to be flattened by a car while jaywalking. The result, however, was shocking. The man, who called himself a 'Death God,' had tossed him a smartphone of unknown make. Along with that single device, Bukjin's soul had been ripped from his world and thrust into another dimension!

And so, Bukjin had arrived in this bizarre world known as Dongdo Jinju. He had become the legitimate son of Im Geun-nam, the War God and one of the 'Ten Great Generals' of the North Sea Empire. He was the son of the most powerful and prestigious family in Unmong City!

How was he even supposed to explain this situation?

Three days had already passed since his dimensional shift, yet Bukjin still couldn't fully wrap his head around it. In this world, martial arts were incredibly advanced. It was a place filled with miraculous feats, where powerhouses straight out of legends existed in abundance. These were people who could fly through the sky and upend the earth—there was seemingly nothing they couldn't do. Moreover, their lifespans were so long they were practically immortals.

But... none of that mattered to Im Bukjin.

Whether or not he had the talent for martial arts was irrelevant. In his previous world, he was just an ordinary guy who stayed home and played games. Even if he did have talent, he doubted he had the persistence to endure the training. In this world, one had to endure daily agony, survive freezing winters and scorching summers, and emerge from blood-soaked battles just to become a master. To reach the top, one had to face immense hardship and cross the threshold of death countless times.

Bukjin had enjoyed a lazy life, lying down with the air conditioning on full blast while ordering delivery food on his phone. The path to becoming a powerhouse was far too distant from his reality!

A powerhouse? He didn't need that. He much preferred hunting monsters in a game while waiting for his food to arrive so he could watch funny videos. Besides, his family and close friends weren't here. Because of that, Im Bukjin absolutely hated this forced dimensional shift!

'Damn this transmigration! I want to go back to Earth!'

Bukjin pondered the cause and effect of everything that had happened. Theoretically, he concluded that the only way to return to his original world was linked to this bizarre smartphone. Since the phone had brought him here, it had to be capable of sending him back.

He began to study the device in his hands like a madman, discovering several strange properties.

First, the smartphone could be absorbed into and stored within his body. This weird device would automatically manifest in his hand whenever he wanted it, and conversely, it would disappear back into his body when he felt he didn't need it. It was an absurd function. What kind of normal phone could do that?

Second, no matter the situation, no one but Bukjin could see the smartphone. They couldn't even sense its presence. It was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the same right now. Bukjin was clearly holding the phone and studying its functions, but to the teacher and students, it looked like he was staring blankly at his empty palm as if he'd lost his marbles.

The device was a wide-screen smartphone with a sleek silver metal frame. Currently, the battery level was at 21%. From what Bukjin could see, the signal appeared to be LTE, though it only showed a single bar.

'But how do the phone charges work? Hmm...'

Bukjin tried calling 911, directory assistance, and every number for his family and friends he could remember. However, all he heard was an automated voice informing him that the number did not exist.

Calls wouldn't go through, and messages wouldn't send. In reality, Bukjin's only hope was the App Store. But no matter how many thousands of times he tapped on it, there was nothing inside. Not a single application existed in the store.

'How the hell is this an App Store?'

Bukjin felt like chewing this useless piece of junk into bits. Just then...

Ding! Dong! Dang! Dong!

The bell rang, signaling a break.

Jeong Sam-seok finished his sentence and took a sip of water to moisten his throat.

"You all know, don't you? In three days, our academy's annual competition will be held. I shouldn't have to emphasize how important this event is. For the next lesson, I've prepared my signature technique, the basic sword style Close-body Triple Link, so look forward to it."

As he spoke, Jeong Sam-seok glanced toward Im Bukjin. Seeing the noble scion still seemingly possessed and staring into space, the teacher shook his head in disappointment.

"Im Bukjin, you would do well to focus during the next hour. The Close-body Triple Link I'm going to teach is the most suitable technique for a student like you who lacks basic foundations."

Jeong Sam-seok finally couldn't help but snap at him. However, Im Bukjin remained as still as a stone statue, offering no reaction whatsoever.

'Sigh... He really is a hopeless case.'

Feeling he had nothing more to say, Jeong Sam-seok turned and left the classroom. At that moment, Bukjin didn't care at all about the teacher's contemptuous gaze. He felt zero sense of belonging or connection to this world. Furthermore, he felt no excitement about the new identity he had acquired here.

The only thought filling his mind was how to return to his original world. The annual competition, Elementary Mystic Energy Condensation, and basic sword techniques were of no interest to him. Thus, Bukjin continued to focus solely on deciphering the smartphone.

While Bukjin ignored everything happening around him, the other students in the class were different. They couldn't hide their excitement for the upcoming annual competition.