The last thing Ryu remembered was the blaring sound of a car horn. He had jumped in front of a speeding truck to save a little girl. His body had been crushed. But there was no pain. Only peace.
Then, darkness.
A voice echoed in the void. Calm. Powerful.
"You have passed the test. Your soul is worthy. Reborn, you shall wield the power of the Shadow Monarch. Rise, Ryu Takashi, and carve your path in a new world."
Light returned. Cold air hit his face.
Ryu opened his eyes and found himself lying on snow. The sky above him was gray. Tall pine trees surrounded him. His breath formed mist in the air. He was alive—but this wasn't Japan.
He slowly stood up. His clothes were black and made of leather and fur. Warm, but foreign. He felt… different. Stronger. Faster. His body moved with ease. No pain. No tiredness.
He looked at his reflection in a frozen pond nearby. His face was the same—sharp black eyes, dark hair, calm expression—but his eyes now had a faint glow, like burning embers.
He noticed something on his right hand. A mark, shaped like a black crown with long shadow-like lines. It pulsed softly.
He closed his eyes and focused.
And the system appeared.
---
[Shadow Monarch System Activated]
Name: Ryu Takashi
Title: Shadow Monarch
Level: 1
Skills: Shadow Extraction (Locked), Shadow Storage (Locked), Monarch's Authority (Locked)
Quests: Survive and Grow
---
Ryu stared at the words floating in the air. It felt just like the Solo Leveling game he loved. But this was real.
"Westeros," he whispered.
He had read every book. Watched every episode. He recognized the trees. The cold. This had to be the North.
Suddenly, growling came from behind. Three direwolves—large, wild, and hungry—emerged from the woods. Their yellow eyes locked onto him.
Ryu didn't flinch. He raised his hand.
"Rise."
From the ground, black mist formed. A shadowy figure rose—tall, armored, with glowing blue eyes. A knight of darkness.
The wolves snarled and leapt.
The shadow knight moved fast, slicing through the first wolf with ease. The other two turned to flee, but Ryu's hand moved again.
Two more shadows burst from the ground, catching the wolves and ending the fight.
Ryu stood calm. Not a scratch on him.
The system chimed again.
---
[Shadow Extraction Successful]
You have gained 3 Shadow Soldiers.
Shadow Wolf (x2)
Shadow Knight (x1)
---
Ryu gave a small smile. "Looks like I've got some help."
He looked toward the east. Smoke rose in the distance. A castle.
"Winterfell," he said. "Time to start the game."
He walked forward, silent and calm, his shadow soldiers vanishing into mist behind him.
The cold wind blew, carrying whispers of fate.
The game of thrones had begun.