Cherreads

Chapter 3 - First Blood on Panfracta

The scene opens with a flash of light as the Broadcaster emerges from a portal and reappears at the very top of a massive obsidian tower. The structure pierces the clouds, and from its peak, the view reveals a breathtaking panorama: an enormous continent sprawling in every direction. Panfracta.

"Dear viewers," the Broadcaster declares, arms outstretched and his voice echoing across the screen, "I present to you all: Panfracta! The one and only Super Continent, forged from shattered pieces of different realities across the multiverse. You can think of it as a giant puzzle... and the pieces? Slices of countless worlds, sewn together into one chaotic masterpiece."

The camera pans across Panfracta—snow-covered mountains bleed into molten wastelands, enchanted forests brush against cyberpunk city ruins, and oceans glitter with alien bioluminescence.

"In this place, our dear contestants will face dangers of every shape and form. From monstrous beasts and supernatural beings to rogue enhanced humans... and yes, even your everyday wild animals. But that's not all!" he grins, eyes gleaming. "I've taken the liberty of placing secret locations filled with helpful items, mysterious artifacts, and side quests that could tip the scales of fate."

With a flick of his hand, the Broadcaster vanishes from the tower and reappears mid-air, floating above an ancient forest filled with towering, vine-covered trees.

"Now then, how about we check in on one of our lucky contestants, shall we?"

The screen shifts to follow a lone figure making his way cautiously through the woods.

[Name: Hector Loiton]

[Power: Kamen Rider Build]

[Points: 0]

The Broadcaster hovers unseen above Hector, speaking to the viewers.

"Ah yes, this one seems focused. For those wondering—he can't see, hear, or sense me or the camera. None of the contestants can. But enough talk—let's see what he's up to."

---

POV: Hector

Branches snap softly underfoot as Hector crouches low, a tense look on his face. A toy-like belt is strapped to his waist—his henshin device.

"Man... I have to be more careful," he mutters, scanning the area. "Having powers is cool as hell, but the amount of monsters around here... it's just too much."

He stalks silently through the underbrush, searching for a safe spot to rest—until a sudden roar cuts through the air.

Another roar. Louder. Closer. Followed by the crashing of trees.

"What the hell...?" Hector whispers and creeps forward.

Through the foliage, he spots a massive yellow reptilian beast with a mane of tangled hair—a Great Jagras. It snarls and struggles against the crushing bite of a larger predator—a red-skinned dinosaur-like monster with wild fur down its back—an Anjanath.

"Holy shit..." Hector gasps as the Jagras lets out a final gurgle and goes limp. The Anjanath snorts and begins tearing into the carcass, feasting without hesitation.

"No way... am I in the Ancient Forest? From Monster Hunter World?" Hector whispers. "Shit. I gotta move. Quietly."

He turns, only to step directly on a dry stick—CRACK.

The Anjanath lifts its head. Snorts. Then it sniffs the air, nose twitching.

"Ah, fuck me..." Hector breathes as the creature locks eyes with him and unleashes a roar, charging forward with terrifying speed.

He bolts.

Branches snap. Leaves scatter. Hector sprints through the jungle-like forest, gasping for breath as the thunderous footsteps of the Anjanath shake the earth behind him.

"Shitshitshit—too fast, it's too fast—"

The Anjanath barrels through the undergrowth like a living bulldozer, jaws gnashing. Just as it lunges—

"Wait—powers—right! Henshin!"

He fumbles with the strange device on his belt — the Build Driver. Instinct takes over. He pulls out two bottles from his pouch: Rabbit and Tank. They glow faintly in his hands.

"Rabbit! Tank! Best Match!""Are you ready?!"

"No, but screw it!"

He cranks the lever. A vortex of blue and red energy engulfs him. In seconds, his body is armored — red on one side, blue on the other, mechanical plates locking in place. The transformation hits like a punch, and he staggers slightly.

"Build up: RabbitTank! Yeah!"

The Anjanath charges again. Hector moves, but awkwardly—his footing is off, and the suit's power is disorienting. The beast slams into him, sending him crashing through a thick tree trunk.

"AGHH—what the hell!? This thing hits like a damn truck!"

Groaning, he drags himself up. The armor holds. Testing it, he leaps—and soars ten feet.

"Woah—I can actually jump like ten feet?! Okay, let's go!"

He lands on a boulder and kicks off, launching a flying Rabbit Kick at the Anjanath's face. The kick connects—the beast flinches—but then whips its tail around and smashes Hector into a rock wall.

The Anjanath's crest glows red. It's enraged. Flames puff from its maw.

"You can breathe fire!? When did THAT happen—?"

A jet of flame erupts. Hector rolls behind a log, barely avoiding it. His armor smokes.

"Think, think—this isn't just cosplay, this is science! What did Sento say? Rabbit is speed, Tank is power…"

He plants his feet. Focuses. As the Anjanath charges again, Hector zigzags forward with dazzling speed and slides under it—then punches its gut with Tank-enhanced strength.

The beast staggers.

"Ready?!"

"Let's try this—Voltech Finish!"

His leg glows. He jumps, spins mid-air, and slams a Rider Kick into the Anjanath's back.

A shockwave ripples out. The beast drops to its knees—but gets back up, growling, blood dripping from its jaws.

Hector pants, exhausted. Sparks flicker from the suit.

"One more shot. One clean hit..."

The Anjanath roars and breathes fire as it charges. Hector runs up a tree, leaps, and lands on its back.

It thrashes violently.

"Ready?!"

"For real this time—Voltech Finish!"

He leaps once more and drives a final, devastating Rider Kick into the creature's skull. The forest shakes. The Anjanath collapses, unmoving.

Silence.

The suit flickers and deactivates, vanishing in a shimmer of energy. Hector stumbles, breathing hard, covered in sweat and dirt.

"Holy shit... that was... insane..."

He drops to the ground, staring at his trembling hands.

"I could've died… but I didn't. This power… it's real. And I better start learning how to use it right."

---

---

"Hahahahaha. Yes. Yes.YES!NOW THIS is a REAL SHOW!"

The Broadcaster's voice erupts with manic glee as the screen flickers with static, then cuts back to his glowing form hovering high above the forest canopy. His grin stretches unnaturally wide, eyes alight with chaotic energy.

"This is the type of stuff I want to see—the type of thrill I want you, dear viewers, to witness!" he declares, arms thrown wide like a ringmaster basking in the aftermath of a perfect act. "Struggle! Strategy! RAW INSTINCT SURVIVAL! Beautiful."

He claps his hands once—an echoing thunderclap—and the camera begins to zoom out from the wrecked forest floor where Hector lies panting beside the smoldering Anjanath corpse.

"But wait... we're just getting started."

He leans forward, as if peering directly into the camera.

"There's so much more to see. What are the others up to, hmm? Are they having battles of their own—fighting monsters, fighting each other? Or perhaps…" he lowers his voice into a mock whisper, "some lucky few have already stumbled upon my secret zones... unlocked ancient powers... gathered mysterious relics?"

He laughs again, a gleeful cackle that sends a ripple of distortion across the screen.

"But we won't know unless we look, will we?"

The camera pans swiftly across the vast landscape of Panfracta—racing over vast deserts, crashing waves, tangled ruins, high-tech cities stitched into broken skies, and shadowy dungeons nestled deep within alien jungles.

The Broadcaster's voice continues, brimming with excitement.

"Contestant Hector may have had a thrilling encounter... but he's just one of a hundred humans now cast into this ever-shifting crucible. Somewhere out there, more stories are unfolding—more choices, more danger, more delicious chaos."

He snaps his fingers.

"Let's not waste another second. It's time to see what another contestant is up to."

The screen begins to blur, static creeping in at the edges. A digital roulette of contestant profiles flickers past in rapid succession—each flashing a face, a name, and a power—until the feed suddenly locks onto a new target.

[Searching for Signal…]

[Contestant Located.]

[Name: ???]

[Power: ???]

[Points: ???]

"Oooh… now this one's got mystery written all over it."

The static clears.

A new scene fades in.

---

[Naruto World – Hidden Leaf Village]

Inside the Hokage's office, a projection floats above the table—streaming the battle between Hector and the Anjanath.

Naruto (Hokage): "That transformation... it's just like a jutsu, but mechanical. He didn't even use chakra."

Shikamaru: "And that beast... it looks like nothing in our Bingo Books. Massive, fire-breathing... It's like a tailed beast, but dumber."

Boruto: "That was so cool! I wanna fight something like that!"

Naruto: "You're not going anywhere, believe it."

---

[One Piece World – Thousand Sunny, open sea]

The crew watches on a floating screen while eating.

Luffy: "WHOA! He just kicked that big lizard in the face! I wanna fight that thing!"

Franky: "Did you see that armor?! It was SUPER mechanical!"

Nami: "I don't care what kind of island that is—we're not going near it."

Zoro (grinning): "Reminds me of that giant dragon on Punk Hazard... except this one fights back harder."

---

[Bleach World – Soul Society]

Captains and lieutenants gather in the First Division hall, staring at a hovering feed.

Yamamoto (serious): "This is not spiritual pressure. These powers are alien... artificial."

Hitsugaya: "That beast gave off no reiatsu—but it still felt like a living hollow. Something... primal."

Kenpachi (grinning): "Who cares what it is?! If it hits that hard, I wanna fight it!"

Byakuya: "Their world is chaos. Unrefined. But fascinating."

---

[Jujutsu Kaisen World – Tokyo Jujutsu High]

Students and teachers observe the footage in silence.

Gojo (smirking): "Now this is entertainment. Reminds me of first-years trying not to die."

Yuji: "That guy's like me during my first few curses—panicking and punching hard."

Megumi: "He's improvising, but he learns fast. He'll survive... barely."

Nobara: "Can we talk about how cool that armor was? Mechanical sorcery!"

---

[Attack on Titan World – Inside the Walls]

A group of Survey Corps members watch the broadcast projected onto a stone wall.

Levi: "If we had suits like that... maybe fewer people would've died."

Hange (fascinated): "Did you see the transformation?! There's tech in that belt beyond anything we know!"

Eren: "That monster... it felt like fighting a Titan, but more alive."

---

[Demon Slayer – Butterfly Estate]

Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke watch the glowing image in stunned silence.

Tanjiro: "That armor… It's like his own version of Total Concentration Breathing."

Zenitsu: "HE FOUGHT A FIRE-BREATHING MONSTER OH GOD I WOULD'VE DIED INSTANTLY"

Inosuke: "THAT GUY'S FIGHTING SPIRIT IS WILD! I WANNA DUEL HIM!"

Shinobu: "Hmm... very flashy. He clearly has no idea what he's doing, but his instincts are sharp."

---

[The Legend of Zelda – Hyrule Castle (Breath of the Wild era)]

Link and Zelda watch from a Sheikah Slate projecting the footage.

Zelda: "Those transformation relics… almost resemble Sheikah technology."

Link:[Nods silently, gripping the Master Sword tighter.]

Impa: "That jungle creature... even the Hinox don't compare to such brutality."

---

[God of War (2018) – Midgard]

Kratos and Atreus watch from a mystic mirror Mimir conjured.

Atreus: "He's using science to turn himself into a warrior! That's... kind of awesome!"

Mimir: "Aye, lad. That armor's got the strength of dwarven runes, but not the grace."

Kratos: "Hmph. He fights like one with no training... but a strong will. That will either save him—or kill him."

---

[Monster Hunter World – Research Commission Camp]

Hunters gather around the table, studying footage.

The Handler: "Is that... the Ancient Forest!? How the heck did that guy get there!?"

Field Team Leader: "He fought an Anjanath solo... and lived. With no armor set. What is that transformation?"

Aiden (Ace Cadet): "He did a dropkick off a boulder and survived! I LOVE THIS GUY!"

---

[Street Fighter Universe – Metro City]

Chun-Li and Ryu observe the footage from a World Tournament stream.

Ryu: "He lacks discipline... but his spirit is strong. That final kick had power behind it."

Chun-Li: "He's clearly improvising. But he adjusted quickly. I hope he learns control before that power kills him."

Ken: "That flying kick? Style points: 10 outta 10."

---

[KAMEN RIDER BUILD – Alternate Dimension (Watching from his lab)]

Sento Kiryu (Kamen Rider Build himself) watches from his lab screen, blinking in confusion and curiosity.

Sento: "Wait a second... That's my Build Driver. Who is this guy?"

Ryuga Banjo: "Dude barely knows how to use it. He's flailing like a rookie."

Sento: "But he adapted on the fly. Not bad for someone who has no idea what Fullbottles even are."

Misora: "Should we... do something?"

Sento (grinning): "Nah. Let's see how far he gets. Science is about trial and error after all."

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