My eyes crack open.
Pain explodes through my skull instantly.
"NYARRRGGGHHHH!!!"
A scream rips out of my throat as a piercing ring floods my ears, drowning out every other sound. My vision twists into a chaotic blur of colors and warped shapes, spinning so violently that I can't even tell which way is up anymore.
"What the fuck is happening?!"
I roll sideways and slam hard against something solid. The floor—probably. Pain shoots up my spine before I tumble again and crash down with another brutal thud.
My hands clutch desperately at my head.
Please… make it stop.
Every nerve in my body feels raw and exposed, screaming in agony. Panic overtakes me completely, and I slam my forehead against the ground in a blind attempt to escape the pain.
It doesn't help.
My thoughts are a mess, sinking beneath wave after wave of confusion and panic.
Then, little by little, the pain begins to recede.
Not all at once, but slowly. The sharp agony dulls into a heavy throbbing ache that pulses behind my eyes. It still hurts like hell, but at least it's bearable now.
I drag in a shaky breath.
Then another.
My lungs burn as my chest rises and falls unevenly.
Tears blur my vision. I reach up to wipe them away, only to smear dirt directly into my eyes instead.
"Ghhk… perfect."
I let out a frustrated groan and grab at the fabric I'm wearing, using it to scrub my face clean. After blinking several times, my vision finally begins to settle.
Slowly, I push myself upright. The room sways around me, and my pounding headache flares with every movement.
Then the memories hit me.
The truck.
Right—the truck!
I got hit by a truck.
There's no way I should've survived that. So why the hell am I still breathing?
And the girl—the catgirl cosplayer!
What happened to her? Did she survive?
The questions barely have time to form before a much larger realization crashes into me.
I have no idea where I am.
I stare around the room, trying to make sense of my surroundings.
The place is small and simple. Wooden floorboards creak beneath me, while rough wooden walls and ceiling enclose the cramped space. A narrow bed sits in the corner, its stiff blanket half hanging off the side—apparently where I just fell from. Nearby stands a modest wardrobe, along with a plain wooden table and chair beside the window.
But the strangest thing in the room is the massive chest tucked into the far corner.
It's wrapped in enormous chains and secured with a ridiculously oversized padlock, like someone sealed a monster inside and wanted to make absolutely sure it never escaped.
Everything feels old-fashioned. There's no electricity. No lights. No outlets. No television. None of the modern conveniences I've spent my whole life taking for granted.
The only illumination comes from the moonlight streaming through the window.
And even that feels wrong.
The moon is enormous.
It's far larger than it should be, hanging low in the sky like an impossibly bright lantern. Its pale glow floods the room so vividly that it almost looks edited, like someone cranked the brightness and saturation to unrealistic levels.
…Weird.
I blink several times. Then another realization hits me.
Wait!
My eyesight! It's perfect!
I reach instinctively toward my face, only to realize my glasses are gone. But somehow, I can still see everything clearly.
No—not just clearly.
Perfectly.
Even in the dim moonlight, I can make out every grain in the wooden walls and every speck of dust floating through the air. It's like I suddenly upgraded from blurry human vision to ultra-HD night mode.
Curiosity begins gnawing at me.
Slowly, I stagger toward the window and push it open, hoping I'll finally get some clue about where I am.
Instead, I'm met with complete confusion.
"What… the heck is this?"
A bustling medieval town stretches out before me.
The streets below are alive with noise and movement despite the late hour. People wander through the roads carrying goods, chatting loudly, playing music, and pushing wooden carts through the crowded streets.
But it's the clothing that catches my attention first.
Everyone looks like they walked straight out of a historical drama.
Some wear simple tunics in muted earthy colors. Others have heavy cloaks draped over their shoulders. Women pass by in flowing linen dresses that look straight out of medieval Europe.
And then there's the armor.
Not cheap cosplay armor.
Real armor!
Heavy steel breastplates scarred with dents and scratches from actual use.
And I see weapons everywhere. Swords of every shape and size hang from belts or rest across people's backs, while one man casually carries a gigantic two-handed hammer over his shoulder like it weighs nothing at all. The thing is nearly as long as he is.
I blink hard.
This has to be some kind of elaborate prank.
Right?
Then, as if the universe decides it hasn't messed with me enough already, a carriage rolls past the street below.
Not a car.
Not even a horse-drawn carriage.
No.
A gigantic white bird is pulling it.
The creature is absurdly oversized, all fluffy feathers and plump body, looking less like a majestic fantasy beast and more like someone crossed a chicken with a minivan.
My jaw slowly drops open.
And just when I think things can't possibly get any weirder, a girl strolls past with a tail swaying behind her.
A real tail.
Not a fake cosplay accessory or one of those clip-on costume tails people wear at conventions. An actual fluffy raccoon-like tail moving naturally with every step she takes. Her round animal ears twitch occasionally at the surrounding noise, just like a real cat's would. Walking beside her is a black-haired guy carrying a massive green shield, looking so much like an anime protagonist that it almost hurts.
My heartbeat pounds violently against my ribs.
Everything is starting to click into place.
The medieval town. The strangely dressed people. The giant bird pulling carriages. The girl with real animal features. The anime protagonist-looking guy.
None of this should be real.
And yet…
It makes terrifyingly perfect sense.
Like every fantasy novel, manga, and isekai anime I've ever consumed.
I think…
I really died in that truck accident.
And somehow, I've been reincarnated into a fantasy world.
****
But if I've really been reincarnated… then what happened to me?
Am I still myself? Still the same twenty-five-year-old corporate drone who worked seventy-hour weeks until his soul nearly evaporated?
I slowly turn around.
Then I freeze.
Something catches my eye on the wall.
My shadow.
Except… That definitely is not my normal shadow.
Perched atop its head are a pair of cat ears, and behind it sways a long tail that moves awkwardly from side to side like it has a mind of its own.
My breath catches in my throat.
Slowly, I lower my gaze toward my hands.
These are not my hands!
My arms are far too slender, and my skin looks absurdly smooth. Even worse, the muscles I spent years building in the gym are completely gone.
Gone!
Every last one of them!
All those years of protein shakes, deadlifts, and suffering erased in an instant.
A horrifying realization crashes into my brain.
Wait…
Does this mean I'm a girl?!
My mind spirals instantly into chaos, then I look down at myself again and spot the white dress I'm wearing.
Okay.
That definitely feels like an important clue.
But if I'm a girl…
Then why is my chest so flat?!
Seriously, what am I? A girl? Or just a femboy?
There's only one way to know for sure.
My heart pounds harder with every passing second as I prepare myself for the ultimate test. With trembling hands, I slowly reach downward, my fingers hovering hesitantly as my thoughts swing wildly between hope and dread.
Please…
Tell me lil bro survived the transfer!
****
A few moments later, I collapse onto the floor and clutch my head.
"Ohhh shieeettttt!"
Yeah.
Little bro is gone.
In his place is little muffin.
I stare blankly at the ceiling, trying and failing to process what just happened.
I got isekai'd.
Actually reincarnated.
Not as myself.
Not as some overpowered fantasy hero.
But as a catgirl.
A literal freaking catgirl.
Holy shit.
And honestly?
I still don't know how I'm supposed to feel about this.
On one hand, this is kind of amazing. I mean, cute ears, fluffy tail, fantasy world, new body—this is basically peak wish fulfillment for every degenerate anime fan alive.
And honestly, being flat probably isn't even that bad. Less back pain sounds like a pretty solid trade-off.
But on the other hand…
What now?
What the hell am I supposed to do in a world like this?
Everything happened too fast.
In the span of a few moments, I lost everything.
My family. My friends. My games. My waifus. Every comfort of modern life.
No internet.
No anime.
No late-night pizza deliveries.
Now I'm stranded alone in a world I don't understand, with no clue what's waiting for me next.
Fear slowly tightens around my chest.
For the first time since waking up here, I genuinely feel terrified. Because I have absolutely no idea what happens now.
--------------------------
Catgirls fun fact #1:
Catgirls are Night Vision Pros. Their eyes are so good, they can easily read manga in the dark.