The last thing Rhen felt was pain. A sharp, crushing sensation, then there was a blaring horn. The screech of brakes. And then—nothing.
When he opened his eyes, the world he knew was gone. No asphalt beneath him. No city lights overhead. Instead, he floated in an endless void, surrounded by swirling colors that flickered between shades he couldn't name.
Before him stood a figure, its presence overwhelming. It wasn't just something he saw—it was something he felt, pressing against his very soul.
"Ah, finally awake."
The voice echoed, not in his ears, but directly in his mind. Calm. Almost amused.
"Where… am I?"
"Between places," the being said. "And there's a problem."
A chill ran down Rhen's nonexistent spine. "What kind of problem?"
The being sighed. "Your soul is headed somewhere it was never meant to be."
Rhen frowned. "Where exactly is that?"
Then, he saw it. An oppressive skyline of gothic spires. Titan-sized cathedrals stretching into smog-filled heavens. A planet-sized machine of unrelenting industry, choking on incense and blood.
His breath—if he even had one—caught in his throat. "That's just a game."
The being's gaze sharpened. "For you, perhaps. But for the people who are living there, it's reality."
Rhen felt the weight of that statement settle over him like chains. His mind raced. "Then… can't you send me somewhere else? Like Fairy Tail! That's a good place!" His voice rose in desperation. "I don't want to die in some trench, get turned into a servitor, or be possessed by a daemon!"
The being raised a hand, and silence pressed down on him like a vice.
"That is not something I can decide after I am not the one who is sending you there ." The voice was patient, measured. "But I can grant you a gift."
A message formed in Rhen's mind:
[Dimensional Assistance Program Initialized.]
Rhen exhaled sharply. "Even with a system, I'll probably be corrupted before I can even use it."
"You don't have to worry about that," the being said. "The moment you are reborn, the system will adjust to your situation. Consider this a gift from me. But whether you survive or not… that depends on you."
Before Rhen could ask something else, the being's presence faded.
Then—a sudden force yanked him. The colors around him blurred and twisted, folding into themselves. The last thing he saw was the void collapsing into pure darkness.