"Maybe you just hit your head too hard, that's why you have insomnia. Don't worry about it. Maybe you'll remember later and unlock your powers or something." Bob waved the whole issue off like we were just talking about forgetting to buy milk.
"You mean amnesia. I don't think so. I still remember exactly how much debt you owe me."
Bob flushed.
"You think forgetting that you were granted magical powers is normal? Have you ever seen that happen in an anime?" I asked, irritated.
"Nope. You're the first. As far as I know, you're a 100% original concept."
He nodded with mock wisdom and crossed his arms like a philosopher.
"It's fine, dude. I'm sure we'll figure out your power eventually. Maybe it'll be even better than mine, haha."
Maybe Bob was right. Maybe I had some hidden skill just waiting to awaken. Or maybe I really was the one guy without magic powers in a world full of goblins, monsters, and possibly dragons.
Great. I started this campaign on nightmare mode.
"Anyway," Bob said, grinning, "let me officially say this: Welcome to another world! I believe we've officially been isekaied."
He spread his arms wide like he'd just been knighted.
Awesome. My best friend is the chosen one, and I'm just the guy who woke up powerless.
Bob kept grinning. "Cheer up! Every great hero needs a best friend. The loyal companion. The emotional support NPC."
I gave him a long, slow stare.
"I will punch you, Bob."
He didn't even flinch. "That's the spirit!"
He laughed.
And I smiled too. Come to think of it, I'd never really had a long conversation with Bob that wasn't anime-related. Maybe this whole adventure wouldn't be so bad after all.
"So, now what?" I asked, looking around. Only endless greenery stretched out as far as the eye could see.
Bob clapped his hands. "Let's get out of this forest. But before that, let me check something."
He pulled out a small notebook, no bigger than his palm, from his pocket with the elegance of a bureaucrat. I tilted my head, suspicious.
"What's that?"
"It's called... the Isekai Protocol," he said proudly.
He flipped it open like it was some sacred text. Curious, I peeked over his shoulder. Scribbled across the front page in thick permanent marker was the title:
'In Case of Emergency: Teleported to Magical World Survival Checklist v12.4 (Beta)'
Beneath it, a numbered list in handwriting that looked like it had been rewritten and revised a dozen times:
1. Find nearby town
2. Sleep at inn
3. Register at adventurer's guild (get cool badge!)
4. Farm beginner monsters
5. Begin harem journey (optional but highly recommended)
6. Watch out for red flags like "Did we succeed?" or "Do we won?"
7. Always—always—make sure you kill the boss. If not, expect them to return in another arc.
And the list went on… getting more detailed—and progressively stupider.
I blinked. "How the hell do you have this? And who even wrote it?"
Bob gave me a side-eye like I'd just asked why fish swim.
"Me and my small group of Isekai Dreamers have been preparing for this moment for years. It's always in my wallet."
"You keep that folded next to your driver's license?"
"And behind my Yu-Gi-Ho! card. Priorities, Alan."
He carefully returned the notebook to his pocket.
I had so many questions right now. None of them were going to make me feel any better.
——————————————————————————————————————————
On the other side of the forest, a group of men dressed in black gathered beneath the shade of a massive tree.
"Today we caught a big one, eh? Hahaha!"
A bald man wearing a bandana laughed as he rummaged through the bag in his hands. He looked about thirty, with a rugged face full of scars. He pulled out a shining object the size of a large rock, glowing bright red.
"And this is the icing on the cake," he grinned.
"Keep it low, Quill. Put it back in the bag. What if someone sees us?"
A younger man standing nearby scanned the forest nervously, eyes darting.
"Chill, fresh guy. I'll cut off the hands of anyone who dares disturb The Black Eagle," said the third man, lounging on the forest floor with a leaf stuck in his mouth. He wore only black pants, his long black hair loose, and his chest bare.
"Don't be a pussy, Kiwi," Quill said, mocking the nervous one.
"I'm not scared, Quill. I just want us to be vigilant," Kiwi retorted.
"What, you think someone's gonna come steal the treasure from us? Don't insult us, brat," Crow growled, irritation seeping into his voice.
Kiwi sighed. "I'm not insulting anyone. It is just, that treasure came from the palace vault. You know, the place full of guards and knights. Once they realize it's missing, they'll be on high alert. They will start searching."
"Alright, alright, I'll keep an eye out. Happy now?" Crow responded with a shrug.
"I can't wait for the feast back at base. Big Sis is gonna be so happy," Quill cut in, his eyes gleaming at the thought of food, wine, and women.
"Damn right. This is the biggest job we've ever pulled. We're gonna celebrate like kings," Crow agreed.
They laughed, unaware that their entire conversation had been overheard.
Just a few meters away, two men lay hidden in the bushes. One with a normal build. The other… not so much.
"They're definitely bandits, right?" I whispered to Bob.
"Yup, totally agree. And that shiny jewel? Smell like a quest item."
A quest item—an object that usually triggers an event or mission. That's what I understood from all those games and anime.
"But… you think we can take them? That topless guy looks strong," Bob said, squinting.
"What do you mean 'we'? I don't even have a weapon. You expect me to wrestle them barehanded? Nope. You're our only hope. Go, Bob, go."I offered him my most sarcastic support.
Bob smirked. "Such a loyal companion. Alright, just keep an eye on me. If things go south, we run that way."
He pointed, and I nodded. Then he slowly started circling around, trying to flank the bandit group.
He was the chosen one, after all. Surely he could handle a few low-level bandits, right?
That's what I thought. That's what I hoped.