I FOUND A DOOR TO TENSURA AND BECAME BROKEN IN THE REAL WORLD TOO-Chapter 3: Playing Hero

After that, I tried to tidy up all of the weapons scattered outside, when I suddenly remembered that I had acquired the [Item Box] skill earlier. Since it seemed like the perfect opportunity to test it, I decided to give it a try.

However, when I attempted to activate it, I quickly realized that I didn't actually know how to use it. I stood there awkwardly, feeling a bit stupid, wondering if I was supposed to say it out loud like some magic spell or simply think it. After a moment of deliberation, I focused my mind and chanted [Item Box] internally.

To my surprise, the very next moment, a black void-like space suddenly appeared in front of me.

"W-whoa!?"

I instinctively took a step back, startled by the sudden manifestation. The space was pitch black, almost like a swirling hole in reality itself, devoid of any light or reflection. For a moment, I just stared at it, unsure whether it was safe to approach.

Cautiously, I extended my hand toward the void and willed it to disappear. To my amazement, the black space vanished instantly. With a simple thought, I made it reappear again, confirming that I could freely summon and dismiss it with my mind.

Wanting to test it further, I grabbed a ballpoint pen that was lying on the desk inside the cabin. With a mixture of excitement and apprehension, I tossed the pen into the black space.

Fwip.

The pen disappeared without a trace, swallowed by the void. Curious, I summoned the [Item Box] again and reached into the blackness. The moment my fingers touched the space, information about the ballpoint pen suddenly flowed into my mind—its shape, size, and exact location inside the storage.

"Incredible..."

The [Item Box] wasn't just a storage space—it also categorized and organized the objects within it, making retrieval effortless.

Feeling more confident, I returned outside and began tossing the scattered weapons one after another into the black void. Swords, spears, bows—everything went in smoothly. The weapons disappeared into the infinite darkness as if being swallowed by a bottomless pit, but I could sense that they were all safely stored inside.

After confirming that I could freely store and retrieve items, I couldn't help but grin.

"Man... if I showed this off back on Earth, people would lose their minds."

The idea of casually pulling weapons and items from thin air on Earth made me chuckle. It would look like something straight out of a fantasy movie.

Once I finished organizing the weapons, I felt mentally drained from all the testing. With a heavy sigh, I dragged my feet back through the mysterious door, returning to my grandpa's hidden room.

As I stood there, looking at the door from a distance, it finally hit me.

"It's... not a dream..."

I stared at the wooden frame, half-expecting it to disappear into thin air, but it remained. Solid. Real. My heart thudded in my chest as the reality of the situation settled in.

Suddenly, my stomach grumbled loudly, snapping me out of my thoughts. I glanced at my wristwatch and realized that it was right around lunchtime.

I furrowed my brows.

"Wait... if it's lunchtime here, does that mean...?"

I quickly recalled that the time on the other side of the door had seemed perfectly synchronized with Earth. The same timeflow... That was a relief—it meant I wouldn't be constantly out of sync with the real world.

Still, the hunger pangs were relentless. I walked over to my kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and stared into its empty depths.

"Aw, man... I could've sworn I bought groceries... but apparently not..."

I sighed. The realization that I had no food was a real drag, but ignoring my hunger wasn't an option. With a resigned groan, I grabbed my wallet and decided to head to the nearby convenience store.

As I stepped outside, I was immediately hit by the intense sunlight, which was surprisingly strong despite it still being early spring. Within moments, sweat began to bead on my forehead, and my clothes clung uncomfortably to my skin.

"Ugh... I'm already sweating... just great..."

I muttered to myself, grimacing. Being overweight made the heat even more unbearable, and I was already feeling tired just from the short walk.

By the time I reached the convenience store, I was wiping sweat from my brow, cursing my lack of physical fitness. However, as I approached the store entrance, an unpleasant scene unfolded before me.

A group of three men, dressed in flashy, gaudy outfits, had surrounded a girl near the store's entrance. She looked to be about the same age as me, with shoulder-length dark hair and a slender figure. Her eyes were filled with clear distress.

"Hey hey, it's okay, isn't it? Come have tea with us."

"I already said no! I've refused you so many times already! Please, let me go!"

"Don't say that, darlin'~"

The girl tried to back away, but the men persistently cornered her, ignoring her repeated protests.

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I scanned the area, hoping someone would step in.

But instead, the people passing by deliberately averted their eyes, pretending not to see what was happening. Even the store employees inside did nothing, despite having a clear view of the situation.

Then, one of the men grabbed the girl's wrist.

"Hey, come on, let's go."

"It's okay, nothing bad's gonna happen."

"I don't wanna! Let go of me, please!"

Without thinking, I stepped forward.

"E-excuse me!"

All three men turned their heads toward me, their gazes sharp and filled with disdain. Their eyes narrowed, sizing me up.

"...Huh?"

The leader of the group—a tall, muscular man with bleached blond hair and a sneer—glared at me.

"What is it, fat-ass? You got business with us or something? Huh?!"

Their mocking tone made my stomach churn, but I forced my trembling voice to speak.

"N-no... uh... she... I don't think she likes you."

The moment the words left my mouth, their eyes darkened with hostility. They completely ignored the girl and turned their full attention toward me.

"You making fun of us, huh? You little bastard."

"No, that's not what I—"

"Shut the hell up!"

Before I could finish, the blond man's fist slammed into my face, sending me stumbling backward.

"Ugh—!"

I barely had time to process the pain before the others joined in, delivering a brutal rain of punches and kicks.

"You mess with us, you die!"

"Disgusting piggy! Die, you fucker!"

I curled into a ball, trying to protect my head, but their vicious kicks hammered into my ribs, my stomach, and my legs.

And yet, strangely, I remained conscious.

My vision blurred from the pain, but I didn't black out. A thought flashed through my mind—

"Could it be... the [Endurance] skill activated...?"

Just as I realized it, I heard a sharp voice in the distance.

"Hey! Police are coming!"

The men immediately stopped, their eyes widening.

"Shit! Let's scram!"

"Someone reported us!"

Without hesitation, they fled the scene, leaving me bruised and bleeding on the pavement.

The girl from earlier rushed to my side, her eyes filled with concern.

"Are you alright? I'll call an ambulance right away!"

"I-it's okay... I'm fine..."

Though my body ached, I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stand.

The girl insisted on helping me, but I declined.

As the police arrived and questioned us, she suddenly turned and bowed deeply.

"Thank you for your help!"

I was taken aback but managed a weak smile.

"No... don't worry about it... I couldn't really do anything."

But still... she was safe.