A World with Gods
When I opened my eyes, a vast, lush grassland stretched out before me.
As a gentle breeze caressed my skin, I looked up at the sky, where a beautiful, cloudless blue expanse unfolded.
Directly overhead, a dazzling sun was rising, and a short distance away, despite it being daytime, a crimson moon glimmered.
My senses were sharpened, and my body moved freely.
It seems that I…
As the god had said, I had arrived in another world—
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I—had died.
Before reaching the age of 25, I fell into depression due to a certain event, became paralyzed from the waist down due to a certain accident, and died in despair of this world.
Fortunately, my parents had passed away young, I had no siblings, and I had no close friends, so I had no regrets.
If I died, I would be free. That was all I thought about as I endured painful days, and finally, I managed to die.
"Live, and there will be hope." I hated such irresponsible words. I feel guilty for what I did to the hospital where I was admitted, but more than that, I wanted to be free.
And when I opened my eyes—there was a white, empty space stretching out endlessly.
"Wh-where… is this…?"
Looking around, there was nothing. Just an expanse of white filling everything, with an endlessly flat path stretching into the distance.
"That's right… I died, didn't I…?"
My memories were somewhat hazy, and I couldn't recall the cause of my death. Still, the sensation of having definitely died lingered in my body.
So, this must be the afterlife, right?
Heaven, hell, or… I don't know, but it's definitely not the real world.
"Oh, oh, oh. A rare guest, aren't you?"
"…!"
A voice came from nowhere.
Before I realized it, a mysterious figure whose gender I couldn't discern stood before me. I couldn't determine their gender because their face was shrouded in a white haze.
Their voice was neutral, and while their body had a masculine frame, it was toned and slender, making it seem like that of a delicate woman.
If I thought of them as a man, they looked like a man; if I thought of them as a woman, they looked like a woman. They were that kind of enigmatic figure.
"You are… Yukiya Tojo, right?"
"! H-how do you know my name…?"
"Well, I can tell just by looking at your face. Your name. Your personality. Your hobbies and preferences. And… your life."
That's impossible. There's no way someone could know personal details just by looking at a face. I wanted to believe that, but…
Being stared at by the figure in front of me felt as if they were peering into the depths of my heart, making me feel strangely uncomfortable.
"Oh, I haven't introduced myself, have I? To put it simply… yes, that's right. I'm a god."
"A… god…?"
"Yes. The god worshipped in your world. That said, you shouldn't exist in the worlds I manage. But due to some mistake or some coincidence, you ended up in the interstice of the worlds I oversee. This is an event that happens maybe once every few thousand years."
…The figure before me—self-proclaimed "god"—was saying things I couldn't comprehend.
Managing worlds, the interstice of worlds—it made no sense. It was like something out of an anime or manga.
But the self-proclaimed god spoke as if it were only natural. That, strangely, made me feel as though their—no, her?—words were true.
"I could let you pass on as is… but there's a slight problem with that."
"A… problem…?"
"Yes, a problem. You're a resident of a different world. In other words, your existence isn't registered in the worlds I manage. If I sent you to the afterlife in that state, you'd be treated as a criminal who illegally crossed worlds."
"What… would happen then…?"
"You'd be confined eternally in a void. Nothing exists there. You'd feel nothing, see nothing, hear nothing. A truly empty space where you can do nothing, locked away forever. Since you're already dead, you can't kill yourself or go mad. You'd remain sane, unable to die or reincarnate, conscious for thousands, tens of thousands, billions, or trillions of years. Illegally crossing worlds is a capital crime. The suffering awaiting you would likely far exceed your imagination. In short, an endless, infinite life sentence."
"What… is that…!"
Just thinking about it made me nauseous.
I thought death would bring freedom. I thought death would release me from suffering.
To think that what awaited was an endless, infinite life sentence where even death wasn't allowed—I hadn't been told about this.
Sure, I died, but I never intended to cross worlds. This was a complete accident. And yet, and yet.
"Wh-what should I—"
"Now, hold on. I don't know why you ended up in this world, but I don't want to subject someone who wandered here unknowingly to such a pitiful fate. Besides, I saw your past. It seems you've had quite a tough life, haven't you?"
"…!"
"So, if you wish, I'll let you walk a new life in my world. How about it? Not a bad offer, right?"
A new life, huh.
I'd never considered it. But if I could start over, if I could take a step forward again, that might not be a bad choice.
However, I had a slight lingering concern.
"Um, if I live a new life and die, won't I be subjected to that capital punishment…?"
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that. I'll use my divine authority to slightly alter your soul. It's not a big deal—just like adding a line or two. Your existence, the essence of your soul, won't change. It'll simply make you compatible with my world. That's all."
The explanation was complex and hard to grasp, but it seemed that if I lived a new life in this world and died, I wouldn't face capital punishment.
That alone made my heart feel considerably lighter.
"Now then… To you, who's lived an unfortunate life, I'll give you a gift.-when I read your memories, I learned about 'isekai reincarnation'. It seems that in those stories, gods grant gifts to those reincarnating into another world. This time, I'll follow suit and give you a special skill as a present." (T/N: A Japanese pop culture trope where a person is transported or reborn into another world, often with special abilities. Everyone should know this I think.)
"Wha—really!?"
"Yes. Well, even though it's not my fault, this issue is a problem among us gods, so I'd like to make up for it at least this much."
"Then… please, I'd like that."
"Good. Honesty is a virtue."
The god nodded, seemingly satisfied.
So, isekai reincarnation, huh. To think I'd experience the kind of plot I used to read in novels during my free time.
Meeting companions, adventuring, fighting powerful enemies, or falling in love and getting married… those are the highlights of isekai reincarnation.
But what I want is…
"Um… for starters, I'd like a healthy body."
"…Meaning?"
"Like, not getting sick or injured. In my previous life, I often fell ill, and my weak heart led to depression… Also, in the new world, I want to live a slow, relaxed life. So, I'd like a healthy body for that."
I don't know much about the world I'm reincarnating into, but it's probably not like the one I'm imagining.
The god mentioned giving me a special skill based on the isekai reincarnation concept in my memories.
That means there's a high chance the destination is a fantasy world of swords and magic, like the ones I've imagined.
In that case, being a hero or sage might seem appealing, but I don't like fighting, and I hate pain. Killing animals to survive is one thing, but I'm hesitant about anything beyond that.
That's why I want to live a slow, relaxed life. That's what I thought.
"That's an easy request… Hmm, you're quite selfless, aren't you? Is there anything else you want?"
"…I don't want to be unable to talk to the locals, so I'd like something like an automatic translation function."
"That was already part of the plan. Anything else?"
"Hmm… I'll probably need to make tools to survive, so I'd like to be dexterous, or something like that."
"…Are you sure? I'm a god, you know. With my power, I could give you the strength of a hero who saves the world or even the power of a demon king who conquers it. You don't want those?"
I can't say I don't want them. I do want things, and being a hero who saves the world sounds exciting and intriguing.
But as I said, I hate pain. And even if someone like me gained immense power, I don't have the confidence to bear the responsibility of saving the world.
In cases like this, choosing something that suits your measure is the right call.
"Also… maybe a slightly longer lifespan or slowing down the aging process… something like that, I guess."
"Hmm… how do I put this? That's kind of boring. But if that's what you want, I'll do my best as a god."
"Yes, thank you."
"Now, about the new world… I've actually already decided on it."
"Huh, really? I thought I'd get to choose."
"No, I can probably pick a world better suited for you than you could. I know everything about your life—everything, even the things you've forgotten. That's why entrusting yourself to the world I choose will make you happier. Absolutely."
This is my life I'm about to live.
So, I should be the one to decide the world I'm reincarnating into.
Normally, I'd object, but for some reason, I couldn't help but agree with the god's words, as if they carried an inexplicable, absolute trustworthiness.
It was almost as if I could entrust everything to them.
"Based on your hobbies, preferences, and your previous life… the world you'll reincarnate into is this one."
When the god waved their hand, a black hole appeared before my eyes.
It was just the right size for a person to pass through. But peering into it, all I saw was an endless abyss staring back, sending a chill down my spine.
"In this world, you'll be able to live your life to the fullest. Oh, and by the way, even though it's reincarnation, your appearance and the shape of your soul won't change. Or would you prefer to start over as a baby? That's another option."
"…No, starting over as a baby sounds tough, so I'll pass. Please, let me stay in this body."
"Got it. In that case, I'll send you to a place suited for your body. Whether that's in a city or out in nature, I don't know. That's something the essence of your soul will decide. I hope you understand."
"…I understand."
In the end, there's still a part of me that doesn't fully grasp this situation.
Even if this is a dream, even if it's all a lie, there's a part of me that wants to cling to it.
I'm done with that kind of life. This time, I'll change my life with my own hands. I'll make it happen.
"Well then… God, thank you for everything."
"Yeah, there'll be a lot to deal with, but do your best. I'll be cheering for you from the shadows."
The god waved lightly, their expression still unreadable. But their tone sounded somewhat happy, and perhaps intrigued.
And so, I stepped into the black hole.
"…I've prepared some wonderful special skills for you. How you make use of them is up to you."
In the end, I heard only the god's slightly cryptic voice.
And then, I was sucked into the black hole and lost consciousness.