[Void Realm – 1000 Years after the Great Tenma War]
Time—meaningless in the void. Space—twisting, folding, forgotten. Reality—merely a suggestion.
And at the center of this endless, transcendent stillness floated a figure of indescribable grace and authority. The one who had long since transcended all mortal and divine definitions: Rimuru Tempest, the True Dragon of the Void, ruler of none, bound by nothing, witnessed by everything.
He was not a being of stars or divine will anymore. He was a concept far above existence, non-existence, or even unbeing. There was no beginning for him. No end. Just... continuation.
And he was bored.
> "Ceil, I'm dying from boredom. Well, not really dying—I can't die, but you get my point."
Beside him, flickering in ever-changing forms and wavelengths, the Manas of Void herself—Ceil—sighed softly. Her presence shaped itself into a floating, radiant geometric lattice, humming with cosmic melodies.
> "You're above death, thought, time, causality, even me. And yet you're still whining like Veldora when you took away his manga stash."
Rimuru spun mid-air, arms folded behind his head, lounging like a kid.
> "Exactly. I've seen too much, done everything, played god, devil, savior, tyrant, even slime. And you know what I miss?"
Ceil blinked. "Please don't say diapers again."
> "No! I mean being human. Just... normal. Vulnerable. Mundane. Curious. Confused. Fragile."
Ceil blinked again, now wide-eyed.
> "You mean... reincarnate? As a normal human? With everything sealed?"
> "Yep."
> "Even your instincts?"
> "All of it. Powers. Skills. Reflexes. Soul instincts. Divine senses. Completely locked. Only memories—but they stay buried till I'm five."
Ceil processed for exactly 0.0000000000002 seconds.
> "You're serious."
> "Yup. No godhood cheat. No reincarnation bonus. No Veldora-annoyance immunity. Full human experience."
The Void rumbled like the universe laughing. Ceil couldn't help but giggle.
> "Very well, my Lord of Eternal Boredom. One mortal life, sealed and pure. Shall I let Eva know?"
From beyond the veil, another divine beast stirred—the World-Destroying Dragon, once known as Ivaraj, now Rimuru's loyal companion Eva. She gave a sleepy growl of acknowledgement from the edge of entropy.
> "Do whatever you want with her. I'm off to play mortal!"
With a ripple of impossible energy, the Void trembled, and Rimuru's will coalesced into a single, defined point—a spark of soul leaping toward a lower realm of physics, time, and cellular division.
---
[Earth – Modern Japanese Suburban Town – Year 2084]
— Birth: A Normal Life Begins —
Spring had just begun to stretch its arms across the small coastal town of Aozora, Japan. Sakura petals danced in the wind, swaying like whispers of unseen promises.
In a quiet hospital ward, a newborn cried.
His mother, a calm and kind woman with deep black hair, smiled at the crying infant in her arms. His tiny hands gripped the air, unaware of destiny, identity, or divinity.
> "Riku," the mother whispered. "That's your name."
> "Riku Asakura," the father declared with a warm grin. "Our bright little hope."
And thus, Riku Asakura was born—Rimuru Tempest, sealed, human, and unaware.
---
— Another Cry Across the Street —
Just two streets away and two weeks earlier, a girl was born.
Wrapped in pink blankets, she blinked slowly with large lavender eyes, already calm—eerily so, as if deep within her soul something ancient stirred. But for now, she simply cooed.
> "Chihiro Tachibana," her mother said, smiling. "A beautiful name for our quiet flower."
Chihiro Tachibana—none other than the reincarnated Chloe Aubert, now sealed and slumbering, her divine instincts silent, waiting.
---
— Yet Another Day Earlier, Another Birth —
Three blocks away in another ward, a baby screamed bloody murder.
The nurse flinched, but the mother chuckled proudly.
> "That's my girl," she said. "So strong from the very first moment."
> "Hinako Aoyama," the father declared with excitement. "Tough like her mom, and beautiful too."
Hinako Aoyama—the new vessel of Hinata Sakaguchi, reborn, sealed, fierce from the womb. Even without her powers, her glare was... intense.
---
[Years Pass — Quietly]
The three grew up as normal kids in Aozora. Riku was bold and cheerful, making friends easily. Despite lacking divine awareness, his natural charisma drew people in. He was helpful, loved games, always smiling.
Hinako, on the other hand, excelled at sports, karate, and had an intense aura even teachers respected. She was blunt, cool-headed, yet strangely shy only around one boy.
Chihiro was calm, polite, and surprisingly mature for her age. Always reading, always watching. She rarely raised her voice but clung to one boy's company with subtle, strategic precision.
They lived as normal children.
They played together.
They became neighbors.
And they became friends.
All three shared the same birth year.
All three would awaken to who they truly were… someday.
But for now—
They laughed.
They chased cats.
They played pretend heroes.
And the Void watched.
> Ceil: "Let's see how long they last before chaos starts again."
> Eva (snorting awake): "Ten years tops."
Ceil grinned. "Five. I bet five."