Legend has it that every human has one moment when their life shines the brightest before finally fading out.
For Julius Caesar, it was the moment he crossed the Rubicon.
For Neil Armstrong, it was his first step on the moon.
For me—Rian, 24 years old, a professional unemployed with a specialization in finishing RPG games in under 24 hours—that moment happened in aisle three of a convenience store.
Today's mission was an SS+ rank quest:
Saving my dying wallet by exploiting a flash sale on instant noodles, soto flavor—Buy 1 Get 2 Free.
This wasn't just grocery shopping.
This was a fight for survival.
"Only one pack left!" I screamed internally, my eyes locked onto the target.
The instant noodles glowed on the lowest shelf, as if calling out to me with a heavenly aura.
But I wasn't the only hunter.
At the other end of the aisle stood a woman—an auntie in a leopard-print house dress, hair rollers still attached—staring at the same prize. Her gaze was sharp. Assassin-level sharp.
We ran.
My steps were fast. My worn-out sneakers screeched against the freshly mopped ceramic floor. I was two steps ahead. Victory was within reach. My hand stretched forward, ready to claim the sacred MSG treasure.
Then fate decided to tell a bad joke.
My left shoelace—carelessly tied that morning—came loose. My right foot stepped on it. Physics showed no mercy. My body pitched forward, balance lost.
In dramatic slow motion, I saw the auntie's expression change from competitive to horrified.
Not because I was falling—
but because of where I was falling.
I didn't fall toward the noodles.
I crashed into a tall metal rack to my left.
The rack shook violently.
At its top were neatly stacked refillable water gallons, each weighing 19 liters.
One gallon wobbled.
And fell.
The last thing I saw wasn't a happy childhood flashback or my parents' faces—
but the blue plastic bottom of a water gallon hurtling straight toward my head.
BAM!
The world went dark. The faint sound of cracking bones echoed, then silence.
My final thought before losing consciousness was:
Damn it. The cashier is totally going to accuse me of damaging store property.
"Am I in hell? Why is it so cold?"
I opened my eyes—or at least, I thought I did.
There was nothing.
Just a boundless white void stretching endlessly in every direction. No sky. No ground. No horizon.
My body felt light. I looked at my hands and feet—they were transparent, glowing faintly blue.
"So this is what being a ghost feels like? Not bad. At least my back doesn't hurt anymore from sitting too long gaming," I muttered while floating around.
Suddenly, a deafening voice echoed from everywhere at once. Flat. Monotone. Like a fusion of a smartphone assistant and a bored news anchor.
[Ding!]
[Inter-Dimensional Reincarnation System Activated.]
[Scanning Soul…]
[Subject: Rian.]
[Cause of Death: Blunt force trauma to the cranium caused by a water gallon.]
[Death Classification: Extremely Embarrassing.]
"Hey! Show some respect!" I protested.
[Analyzing Karma… Neutral.]
[Life Achievements Analysis:]
[Completed 'Dark Souls' without taking a hit (Points +10)]
[Never had a girlfriend his entire life (Points -50)]
[Died for instant noodles (Points -100)]
[Total Karma Points: Negative.]
"Hold on! Why does being single reduce points?!" I shouted.
"And hey, instant noodles are a source of life!"
[System Decision: You are not qualified for Heaven.]
[Hell is currently full due to an ongoing Sin Discount Event.]
[Remaining Option: Transmigration to a Fantasy World (Isekai).]
My ghostly heart pounded.
Isekai?! Seriously?!
This was every gamer and weeb's dream! Becoming a hero, surrounded by beautiful girls, wielding world-ending magic!
"My luck finally turned!"
"I accept! I accept!" I yelled.
"Send me now! Give me an overpowered ability! I want to be a Demon Lord or a Holy Hero!"
[Request accepted.]
[Initializing 'Fate Gacha System'.]
A massive roulette wheel appeared before me, floating in midair. Thousands of colorful reward slots covered its surface.
[Due to your extremely low Luck stat (-999), you cannot choose your class or weapon.]
[All rewards will be determined via Gacha.]
I swallowed.
"O-Okay. Gacha. I'm used to this. It's usually trash, but this time will be different. Spin!"
The wheel spun.
Woooooosh…
Excalibur (0.001%)—passed.
Merlin's Staff (0.001%)—passed.
Dragon Blood (0.01%)—passed.
The wheel slowed near a dazzling golden zone.
"Come on… stop at Grimoire of Destruction… come on…"
The pointer shifted one millimeter further—
past the gold—
and stopped on a tiny, rusty brown box barely noticeable on the wheel.
CLICK.
[Ding! Congratulations!]
[Gacha Complete.]
[You have obtained a Class Item: Common (Trash/Used Item).]
[Item Name: Ancestor's Used Frying Pan.]
Silence.
"…What?"
[Description: A black iron frying pan with a heavily burned bottom.]
[Handle slightly loose—tighten with a screwdriver.]
[Passive Effect: 'Tetanus' when injuring enemies.]
[Active Effect: 'Bonk' (Loud and humiliating sound).]
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I'M SUPPOSED TO SAVE THE WORLD WITH A FRYING PAN?!"
[Transfer Process Initiated.]
[Good luck, Pan Hero. Try not to die on day one.]
The nonexistent floor beneath me opened up.
"SYSTEM YOU PIECE OF—!!!"
Wind roared past my ears.
The sensation of free fall was terrifyingly real.
Below me, a vast green forest spread out—rivers winding, mountains towering.
Beautiful.
Except for the part where I was plummeting toward the treetops at terminal velocity.
CRASH! SNAP! THUD!
I smashed through branches before landing with a wet, disgusting SPLAT.
Strangely, I wasn't in much pain.
I felt… squishy.
I opened my eyes.
I was sitting on a massive, transparent blue gelatinous mound.
The size of a compact car.
"…Slime?" I whispered.
The gel trembled.
Two glowing red eyes formed, followed by a wide mouth lined with floating fangs.
This wasn't a cute anime slime.
This was a monster.
[System Alert: Enemy Detected!]
[Name: Acid Slime (Level 3)]
[Status: Hungry and angry after being sat on.]
[HP: 150/150]
The slime hissed.
I slipped, panicked.
In my right hand—
A frying pan.
"Okay, Rian. Calm down. This is just a tutorial," I muttered.
"Though tutorials usually give wooden swords—not cookware!"
The slime launched acid.
I dodged.
The tree behind me melted.
"Okay. Very dangerous!"
It attacked again.
Now or never.
"TAKE THIS! STIR-FRY SPECIAL MOVE!"
CLANG!
The sound echoed through the forest.
Amazingly—
It worked.
[Ding! Critical Hit!]
[Passive Effect 'Kitchen Echo' Activated.]
[Damage: 45]
"…It actually hurts?"
Confidence rose—slightly.
I charged.
"FRYING PAN BUTT SMASH!"
BANG! CLANG! THUD!
The final blow shattered its core.
Victory.
[Ding!]
[Level Up! Level 1 → Level 2]
[Title Obtained: 'Street Cook'.]
"…What kind of title is that…"
Then—
Danger.
A woman emerged.
Golden hair. Blue eyes. Full plate armor.
A greatsword pointed at my throat.
"Identify yourself, Outsider," she said coldly.
"Why did you fall from the sky and slaughter a forest guardian with… kitchenware?"
"I—I'm Rian," I stammered.
"…The Pan Hero?"
[Nama: Elena von Aethelgard]
[Kelas: Saintess Knight]
[Level: ???]
And flashing briefly—
[Future Role: Your True Love / Your Executioner]
"…Follow me," she said.
"To where?"
"To the Capital. My horse was eaten by a Wyvern."
"…I'm not a pack mule!"
"Two choices," she replied calmly.
"Come with me and eat—or stay here and be eaten."
"…Okay. But my name is Rian. Not Pan Hero."
As I followed her—
A hidden meter appeared.
[Corruption Meter: 0.01%]
[Seal 'The Calamity': Locked.]
The story of pans, laughter, and tragedy had begun.