In a quiet corner of the world, a young man sat engrossed in whatever he was reading on his phone. So deeply absorbed was he that the howling storm outside didn't faze him in the slightest. Still, one could tell from the spotless, neatly arranged room that he was a meticulous person.
"How much longer must I endure this dull, meaningless life? How lucky would I be to be reincarnated... or even just granted the power to travel between worlds? Haha, how foolish of me," he muttered, a wistful smile tugging at his lips. "But if there really is a God out there, please hear my thoughts and bless me."
After that, the young man set his phone down and stared at the ceiling in silence. After a moment, he rose to prepare his bed so he could sleep, unaware that, somewhere in the vast universe, someone or something was watching him at that very moment.
*****
Unknown Location,
Judging by the current state of the surroundings, it was clear that something catastrophic had occurred. Countless fragments of unfamiliar debris floated aimlessly through the void of space. The area, silent and seemingly devoid of life, held a single anomaly, a strange figure resting atop the shattered remains of a massive statue.
"Sigh… That would-be successor of mine," the figure muttered, a trace of amusement in his voice.
"I always knew he bore some malice toward me, but I didn't expect him to go so far as to try and kill me. How naive of him to think that I could be brought down so easily" He trailed off, turning the weapon in his hand with curiosity. "Still, for all his impatience and darkness, his skills were undeniable. But someone like that could never be trusted to protect my creation."
His form was cloaked in a divine aura so intense that his appearance was impossible to discern. Even so, a flicker of interest lit his eyes as he studied the blade—an exquisitely forged weapon unlike any other.
"Where did he even get this? It's a masterpiece..." he murmured, almost admiringly.
Then, with a chuckle, he straightened up. "What a shame. Looks like I'll have to search for a new successor... Hm? Oh… now this is interesting."
Something—someone—far away had caught his attention. He laughed softly, then raised a hand. In an instant, he vanished, leaving only silence and the ruins behind.
*****
In a completely white room with no doors, no windows, and with no visible way out, a young man screamed at the top of his lungs, desperately calling for help. But as the echoes of his voice faded into the emptiness, he stopped, realizing how useless his cries were.
"Where… am I?" he whispered. "I remember… I was just getting ready to sleep. Then… that bright light blinded me. And before that, the storm. I clearly recall that it was very intense. Did I… get struck by lightning?"
Trying to steady his breathing, the young man attempted to piece things together. But the more he thought about it, the more fear crept into his heart as anxiety bloomed into dread.
"Am I dreaming... or am I d-dead?" he stammered, the weight of the possibility pressing down on him.
He wasn't particularly afraid of dying but the thought of those he left behind, the people who mattered, struck him like a blade. He clung to the hope that this was all just a strange dream otherwise everything was just too painful for him to bear.
***********
—Thirty minutes later—
"Hello, young man."
A voice echoed through the white room, and before the youth could react, a man appeared seemingly out of nowhere, standing directly before him. The young man froze, his wide eyes filled with awe at the stranger's sudden appearance.
"H-Hello... and who are you?" The young man stammered, still trying to process the impossible. His gaze remained fixed on the smiling figure in front of him, though his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 'How did he get in here? The room had no doors, no windows, nothing whatsoever.'
"Ah, what a letdown," The strange man remarked with a playful grin. "I was expecting a more... exaggerated reaction. This is getting more interesting by the second. Boy, for a human, your mind is surprisingly strong. I like that. Heh."
The young man couldn't help but feel uneasy. The man's smile, though friendly, seemed almost… off, as if it didn't quite belong to a normal human.
"Your smile kind of creeps me out," The young man muttered with his voice wavering. "I don't know who or what you are, but seeing how you just appeared and your... unbothered attitude... you must be G-God, right? I mean... are you really God?"
There was a hesitation in his voice as the weight of the question settled over him. The idea of God, a force so far beyond his understanding, was almost too much for him to grasp, but after thinking it through carefully, it felt like the only possibility. Still, uncertainty lingered on his mind.
"I just... I just want to know," The young man continued, his voice barely a whisper, "Am I really dead?"
"Hahaha, you're quite amusing," the strange man chuckled, his voice echoing with an unearthly resonance. "Well, you're not dead, but I've used a little trick to bring you here for a reason. Young man, listen carefully: I AM THE FATHER OF CREATION. I HAVE NO NAME, FOR I AM THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD. I am offering you a single opportunity to become my successor. DO YOU ACCEPT IT?!"
As the words left his lips, an overwhelming godly aura radiated from his being. It's an aura so powerful that any creature would instinctively kneel in worship, utterly in awe of his divine presence.
The young man, taken completely off guard, stood frozen, his eyes wide as the True God's aura swept over him. For a brief moment, he felt the overwhelming urge to fall to his knees, to bow before the deity before him. But just as suddenly, the sensation vanished when True God withdrew his aura, offering the young man nothing but a serene smile.
"T-This is incredible," The young man muttered, still dazed. "But if I'm not dead, then maybe I'm dreaming right now. How silly... Maybe reading too many novels and manga has really gotten to my head. I should probably stop and try something else for a change."
With a frustrated sigh, the young man flopped back onto the floor. Despite the bizarre situation, his mind remained surprisingly clear. It was as if the clarity of reality refused to waver, even in the face of the impossible.
True God's laughter echoed again, a deep, melodic sound that reverberated through the very fabric of the room. "This is truly amusing. Hahahahaha! It seems I've found quite a candidate after all. You'll understand soon enough, young man. For now, return and see for yourself."
True God's amusement was palpable as he regarded the youth. In all his eons of existence, he had chosen many to inherit his power, but this one, this particular young man, was different. There was something about him, something that intrigued the deity in ways none of his past candidates ever had.
With that, the young man's final memory within the white room was the sensation of True God's finger gently pressing against his forehead. Followed by a blinding light filling his vision, everything then was gone.
On the other hand, True God stood still for a moment, his piercing gaze now fixed on something far beyond the white room, somewhere in the cosmos.
"Hmm... Now that I think of it, the world this boy came from... quite intriguing. The ability to manifest the existence of another universe, a power both weak and yet potent. Perhaps that's why his mind is so extraordinary." True God smiled softly, as though amused by his own thoughts.
Then, with a flicker, he disappeared, leaving the room in perfect silence, empty and untouched.