Disclaimer: I don't own Tensura so don't sue my ass.
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{Earth 2030 Dimension}
In the bustling city of Los Angeles, the heart of California, stands a luxurious hospital, its structure towering like a giant. Yet, beneath its elegant exterior lies more than a typical facility; it is a place dedicated to hosting and studying the physical abnormalities of an individual. Deep within the structure, a young boy lies wrapped in many types of medical apparatus meant to save lives. His eyelids flutter open, displaying a reddish-purple tinge, but his face appears pale and drained, as if he has not eaten in days.
The rhythmic beeping of the monitor echoed through the room, a constant reminder of the boy's fragile existence.
His name is Jamie Hollow, a teenager dressed in an aqua-colored hospital gown, his bare feet exposed to the crisp air.
By Jamie's side sits his father, Mike Hollow. In his early thirties, he possesses a striking appearance; though casually dressed, his masculine features give his outfit an undeniable quality. He acts as the master of the great Hollow family.
Next to him stands their butler, Robert. An elderly gentleman with dignified posture, he is impeccably attired in his traditional black uniform.
"Hey son, how are you holding up?" Mike asks, genuine concern etched on his face. The pain of potentially losing his son, not long after the loss of his wife, nearly brought the man to tears.
Jamie, trembling hands gripping his father's, tries to reassure him. "I'm alright. Don't cry, Dad. Don't be such a baby," he replies playfully, maintaining his spirit despite his grave condition.
Incidentally, Jamie was born into an exceptionally wealthy family in the country of the United States of America. He is a mix of American and Japanese descent but mostly his Japanese features are visible. He inherited his mother's exceptional beauty and talent.
Nevertheless, no amount of blessings can save one from the cruelest foe; desease. Jamie has been ravaged by desease since the tender age of eight; the same day he lost his mother to presumably the same illness. Till this day the finest experts in the world have been unable to identify a cure. The sickness appears to stem from the heart, a relatively grey area in the long study of human physiology that has happened across time. One might expect that in this day and age, humanity would have made significant breakthroughs, yet they are still faced with the unforgiving reality of their circumstances. Their overwhelming greed halted such progresses and even if some banded together, in the end, it's results would not bare any significant impact if the status quo is not altered.
'I suppose money doesn't solve everything,' Mike mused, holding tightly onto Jamie's hand.
'Son…'
"Dad, how's Chika and the others doing?" Jamie asked, his curiosity piqued about his beloved maid. Jamie and Chika grew up together in Japan, and he deeply missed her whenever she was absent.
"She's at home. She needed to take a break and recharge since she's been looking after you for quite some time. Oh, and she mentioned she'd be bringing you a surprise," Mike responded.
"That's awesome! I can't wait. What about my friends?" Jamie pressed, eager to know about those close to him. His eyes gleamed with curiosity and excitement, as he further leaned in to discern his father's words.
"They're doing okay. They started school again and mentioned they would stop by after class to check on you."
"That's good to know…. I often get bored and feel extremely lonely in here," Jamie responded, looking away from Mike in utter sadness. Although Jamie's illness was never identified, steps had to be taken in order for it to not spread. Well at least that was how the government said it had to be, despite Jamie's contact with his family and friends.
'If only there was someone I could talk to while you guys are away. Heck, i'll take a robot at this point instead of sitting here doing well…nothing.' The boy pondered, hiding his selfish thoughts from his father. Jamie was originally able to perform minimal actions but as the sickness worsened, so did the rest of his other functions.
Jamie noticed the package in Robert's hands from the corner of his eyes. "Oh hey, Robert! Did you bring something for me?" he asked, his voice growing weaker with each word, though ever lively.
"Indeed, Young Master Jamie. As you requested, I've picked up the new Grand Theft Auto 6 video game," Robert replied.
"Would you like me to play it fo—" he began to ask, only to be cut off by Mike.
"Why would you bring that in here? Can't you see what kind of shape my boy is in?!" Mike exclaimed, frustration evident in his tone.
"It's alright, Dad. I asked Robert to get it for me," Jamie said, managing a smile.
Seeing the smile on Jamie's face made Mike soften, despite his concerns. He struggled to maintain his stern demeanor.
"Well… fine. But I'll be the one playing it."
"That's okay, Dad, as long as you let me watch."
———
Hours slipped by as Jamie watched his father engrossed in the most anticipated game of the decade, GTA 6. However, reality soon struck harder than ever before.
As Jamie sat observing the screen, he felt an unexpected cough surge up. When he pulled his hand away from his mouth, he was shocked to see blood smeared on his palm. In the blink of an eye, he collapsed backward onto the bed, grabbing his chest and father's attention. Mike's face drained of color as he exclaimed in horror.
"JAMIE!!"
He rushed to his side, cradling his son in his arms, tears streaming down his face.
"Please, son… hang in there. I can't lose you too."
As Jamie fell, Robert dashed out of the room to get the doctor.
On the other hand, Jamie was going through a bizarre experience. His mind accelerated during the last moments of his life or more precisely the world seemed to slow down around him.
'Whoa, that crap about people having their lives flashing before their eyes when they die is actually true? Am i really gonna die here?' He thought.
«Confirmed. False flashing of visuals via autobiographical memory has failed due to insufficient information. As an alternative measure, Extra Skill: [Mirage] acquisition failed.»
His mind rushed with past emotional memories and at the same time he mentally went through excruciating pain.
'My throat is hot, it's burning.'
«Confirmed. Heat Resistance acquired. Successful.»
'My body feels worse. It hurts so much… my chest… no, wait… my heart?'
«Confirmed. Pain Resistance acquired. Creating a body that does not require a heart. Successful.»
«Additionally, Blunt Force Resistance acquired. Attached is Paralysis Resistance. Successful.»
'Great, I'm hearing voices now.'
"D-d-dad, please don't leave me," Jamie said, his voice trembling.
"It's okay, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere," his father responded gently.
"I-I'm probably going to die, aren't I?" Jamie whispered.
"Stop saying nonsense. You will pull through this."
'But why? Why me? I want to know the truth, goddammit! I've always tried to be a good person. I never lied or scorned anyone. I believed in kindness, in treating others how I wanted to be treated. Now look at me, dying not even aware of the cause. If anything, i should be compensated for all the suffering I went through. Why was i born this way? Why?! I guess it's too late to study philosophy, isn't it?'
«Extra Skill: Truth acquisition successful. Continuing, Truth will transform into the Unique Skill: Philosopher. Successful.»
Looking at his father and remembering how he also suffered, Jamie spoke with determination.
"D-D-Dad…, promise me you'll find love again. I-I know you loved Mom, but you need to be happy too. It's… what Mom would have wanted for you. Forget about finding a cure for me and live the life you deserve. Live… for the both of us."
"Jamie…."
"G-go get yours-self some…b-bitches Dad."
"…There you go again…Acting all freaky and shit. You're talking nonsense, be quiet and save your strength." Mike said, trying to hold back tears.
"Where the hell is that doctor?!!" Mike shouted like a maniac but unbeknownst to him, his son had different priorities than worrying about his life. Besides, Jamie had long steeled himself for the moment he would pass on.
The seemingly endless torrent of pain ravaged his body, day in and day out. To Jamie, dying didn't seem so bad. It would at least put him out of his misery.
'Freaky, eh? Assuming I had a healthier body and a better grip on my life in this cruel world, I would have definitely lived up to that description. Although, looking back, I do agree. I was a bit of an oddball, you could say; no one ever matched my freak.' He thought.
«Unique Skill: Freak acquisition successful.»
'Damnit, it's so cold all of a sudden!'
«Confirmed. Cold Resistance acquisition successful. Acquisition of Heat Resistance and Cold Resistance results in acquisition of new skill, Thermal Fluctuation Resistance.»
"Dad, t-ell Layl-a, Bea-trice.., Li-sa, and Chika th-at i lo-ve them," He said while a hand full of blood escaped his mouth. A copious amount of blood trickled out of his eyes, nose, and ears all at once. The boy's face further grimaced as he struggled to breathe.
'It might be a selfish illusion but I don't want to have any regrets in whatever afterlife I'm heading to.'
«Confirmed. Unique Skill: Greed acquisition failed.»
"I-I… als-o love y-ou… dad…"
Mike watched as his precious son weakly spoke, gurgling on his own blood. His face, a mixture of so many emotions—fear, anger, grief, and distress though he still prayed for a miracle. "No, no, no! Just stop that. You're going to pull through this. You can tell your girlfriends all that corny shit later," Mike said, his voice frantic as he struggled to accept the harsh reality.
In the next moment, the doctor burst in with Robert, closely followed by a group of nurses. But despite their efforts, there was nothing they could do; Jamie's consciousness was already slipping away.
"Step aside!" the doctor shouted as he and the nurses rushed to help. Robert and the nurses tried to restrain Mike, but all their faces paled watching Jamie's fleeting facial expression.
'Mom… wherever you are… wait for me…' He thought, a faint smile crossing his lips as he was drawn into the dark abyss of death. His eyes slowly shutting.
{ECG FLATLINING}
"SON? JAMIE! JAMIE!!!" Mike yelled, shaking his son's lifeless body but it was all too late for the boy. He had already been isekaied.
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A/N: Hello there, I'm the author. I just wanted to say I haven't written anything in years and even the things I wrote were subpar so please cut me some slack. I really tried to highlight Jamie's wealthy status growing up as a kid before his spiral into sickness as I believe it would give him some character development when he decides to take up some responsibility. But overall he's still going to act like his usual self, a reckless teen. Sorry about the short chapter. I plan on making them longer as I get better and more comfortable writing. I would appreciate it if you commented as I lose motivation to keep writing really fast. It's so bad, I have to listen to playlists of NEFFEX songs just to write. So please say something and help me get better at writing. Thank you bye.