Note: This is my first fanfic, and I'm not sure if you'll like it or not. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to let me know!
Mael was a nineteen-year-old university student—or almost; his birthday was just a few months away. His days were spent juggling engineering classes, part-time shifts at a café, and late-night marathons of anime and video games. He wasn't a genius, nor a loser; just... ordinary. Why is everything so hard? he often thought, walking through the rainy city streets with headphones on and his gaze lost in the distance.
That night, the routine ended forever.
A delivery truck skidded at the intersection. The driver, distracted by his phone, didn't see the red light. Mael only caught a glimpse of the blinding headlights before the impact. Twisting metal, searing pain... and then nothing.
So I died? Dying in an accident? How cliché...
When he opened his eyes again, he wasn't in a hospital, heaven, or hell. He floated in a starry void, surrounded by luminous entities—ethereal forms like living constellations—watching him in silence.
Voices echoed directly in his mind, cold and neutral, like a narrator from some cosmic documentary.
[You have died, mortal. Your existence in that world has ended.]
Mael blinked—or at least tried to in his incorporeal form. Damn, right when I finally got into university. Strangely, he felt no panic; he was oddly calm. Perhaps it was the post-mortem shock.
[As compensation for your untimely end, we offer you a second chance. Choose a world from your knowledge and make three reasonable wishes. We are cosmic observers; we do not judge. We simply... find it entertaining to see how events unfold with new variables.]
Mael smiled inwardly. He'd read and watched enough isekai stories to recognize a jackpot when he saw one.
He recalled a game he'd played obsessively years ago: Honkai Impact 3rd. A universe full of Valkyries, epic battles, destructive beasts, and cosmic threats. Dangerous, yes—but exciting. There, he could live an interesting life, save those doomed in the canon, and change the world's fate.
"First wish: Reincarnate in the Honkai Impact 3rd universe, right at the start of the Third Honkai Eruption in Nagazora City, February 2014. With a sixteen-year-old body, healthy and in peak condition."
The entities pulsed in approval.
"Second wish: A progression system based on the techniques and abilities from Jujutsu Kaisen characters, starting with Suguru Geto's Cursed Spirit Manipulation, adapted to work with Honkai energy."
"Third wish: The exact physical appearance of Suguru Geto from his second-year student version."
[The entities seemed... amused. The void swirled violently, and Mael felt an irresistible pull.]
The world reformed around him.
Nagazora City – February 15, 2014
The Japanese coastal city was hell on earth.
Sirens wailed, buildings collapsed, purple clouds of Honkai energy descended like toxic rain. Civilians ran in terror as the first zombies—glowing eyes, purple veins—attacked stragglers. In the distance, cracks in the asphalt spewed colossal beasts.
Mael materialized on a cracked street with a subtle blue flash. He wore modern casual clothes: a long black trench coat, dark cargo pants, and sturdy boots. He looked at his hands—younger, stronger—and then at his reflection in a puddle: long black hair tied in a bun, sharp eyes, face identical to Geto's, though a bit younger.
A translucent blue screen appeared in his vision.
[System of Legacy activated. Welcome, Host: Mael.]
[Initial Stats:]
-Level: 1
-Cursed Energy: 100/100 (Base reserves)
-Unlocked Skill Templates: Cursed Spirit Manipulation (Level 1: Absorb weak Honkai beasts).
-Passive Abilities: Honkai Block (Cursed energy neutralizes Honkai radiation; automatic conversion of Honkai energy to cursed energy reserves).
[System Notification: User has acquired Suguru Geto's technique: Cursed Spirit Manipulation, adapted to absorb and control Honkai beasts as if they were cursed spirits. (Does not work on humans, Valkyries, or Herrschers.)]
[Initial Mission: Survive the Eruption and absorb 5 Honkai beasts. Reward: +50 Template Points.]
[Template Progress: 0/1000] [Template Level (1)] [Points for Template Level (2): 0/100]
A few meters away, a zombie lunged at a crying girl huddled beside an overturned car.
Mael acted on instinct. He extended his hand.
"Exorcise and Absorb."
A cold black aura enveloped the zombie. The body twisted, dissolved into a dark sphere, and flowed into his palm. He didn't have to swallow it; it simply integrated.
The zombie's Honkai radiation was blocked and converted into a pulse that filled his cursed energy reserves.
[Honkai Beast (Zombie Grade 4) absorbed. Converted to Cursed Spirit #1: Controlled Zombie.]
[Cursed Energy +20. Current: 120/120 (Limit increased by Honkai conversion).]
It seems Honkai beasts are classified like cursed spirits in Jujutsu Kaisen, based on destructive power and resistance.
System: [Conversion Classification]:
Zombies / Chariot-class = Grade 4 to Grade 3
Knight / Templar / Seraph-class = Grade 2 to Semi-Grade 1
Emperor-class (Ganesha, Parvati, young Benares) = Grade 1 to low Special Grade
Judgment-class (adult Benares, Vishnu) = mid to high Special Grade
Vipralopa-class = top Special Grade (Sukuna-level)
The girl looked at him with wide eyes.
"Th-thank you, mister!"
"Run. Find shelter," Mael said calmly but firmly.
He moved toward the heart of the chaos. Lesser beasts—flying Seraph-class—attacked a group of evacuees. He summoned his first spirit: the zombie emerged from a shadow and rammed one of the beasts, giving him time to absorb two more in quick succession.
[Mission Progress: 3/5]
A deep roar shook the street. A Chariot-class charged, crushing vehicles. Trapped civilians screamed.
Mael frowned. "I'm barely Grade 3... This could get complicated if I'm not careful."
He summoned his three zombies to distract it, leaped with cursed energy-enhanced agility, and landed on its back. Punches infused with black-and-blue energy pierced the armor. The beast released a wave of Honkai energy, but instead of harming him, Mael felt it convert into fuel.
[Honkai Conversion successful → Cursed Energy +50]
As the beast tried to recover, he extended his hand once more.
"Exorcise and Absorb."
The Chariot collapsed into a dark mass that flowed into him without resistance.
[Chariot (Grade 3) absorbed → Cursed Spirit: Controlled Chariot] [Mission completed → +50 template points]
[Cursed Spirit Manipulation → Level 2]
[Cursed Energy limit increased to 200]
Mael panted lightly, feeling the power surge within him.
He helped a dozen civilians escape down a side street. In the distance, purple flashes lit the sky: thunder controlled by a solitary figure atop a building.
Raiden Mei had just awakened as the 3rd Herrscher.
"The main event has started... I won't interfere yet. Too risky."
He absorbed another wave of minor zombies as he advanced, filling his reserves to the brim.
"If I keep this up, I'll complete Geto's template in months. And after that... who knows." He knew the canon. He knew what Otto was plotting, what Anti-Entropy hid, the tragic fates of the protagonists—and he knew he could change them.
A massive Honkai pulse shook the entire city. Stronger beasts began to emerge.
Mael summoned his Chariot spirit to block a side attack.
Suddenly, a colossal shadow rose before him: an Emperor-class (Grade 1), roaring with fury.
Mael smiled coldly. "This is getting interesting."
Before he could react, a female voice shouted from a nearby rooftop:
"Watch out!"
A secondary Valkyrie—white uniform torn, blood on her arm—tried to intercept, but she was gravely wounded.
The Emperor charged.
[System Alert: Honkai exposure exceeding current limit detected. Risk of severe cellular damage.]
Mael gritted his teeth.
"I'm not ready for Grade 1 yet... but I'm not running either."
End of Chapter
Note: I know the Honkai Impact story fairly well, but I'm not a lore expert, so there might be errors in how events unfold. If you notice anything like that, comment and I'll fix it. Thanks for reading! :)