(???'s POV)
Do you ever wonder… if there's an afterlife?
Or do you just cease to exist the moment you die?
Is reincarnation real? Or transmigration?
And if it is… do you come back to the same world you once lived in?
Or are you thrown into a completely different one — a place far from modern life?
Does the multiverse exist?
A reality where endless worlds lie beyond our reach — fantasy realms filled with magic, or futuristic ones of impossible technology?
…You might be wondering why I'm even asking all these questions.
Well, to be honest… I don't really know.
But something definitely happened to me.
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I was just peacefully sleeping when suddenly — my whole body went stiff.
I couldn't move a single muscle.
When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by complete darkness.
Pitch black. No light. No sound. Nothing.
At first, I thought it was sleep paralysis… or maybe a lucid dream gone wrong.
But it wasn't.
I was fully awake — painfully aware of everything around me.
No matter how long I waited, nothing changed.Just endless, suffocating black.
Panic began to creep in.I tried shouting for help, hoping someone — anyone — would hear me.But no sound came out.
Great.
Not only could I not move or see, but I couldn't even speak.
As despair started to sink in, a faint beep echoed inside my mind.Then, a glowing panel appeared in front of me — loading something.
[10%]
[25%]
[43%]
[62%]
[74%]
[91%]
[100%]
[DING!]
[Installation Complete! Welcome, Host, to the Multiverse Gacha System!]
I blinked.Then blinked again.
A floating blue panel — like something straight out of a game — hovered before me.
"…Hello?" I said cautiously.
[Ah, greetings, Host! I am your AI assistant — though you can just call me System. From this moment onward, I shall be your guide through the endless worlds of the multiverse! Together, we shall rise above all — conquering, challenging, or even destroying anyone who dares to stand in your path!]
"…Oookay?"
[…You don't sound very enthusiastic, but I'll overlook that. Now, Host — are you ready to begin your rise to supremacy? To climb from the bottom all the way to the peak of existence?!]
We stared at each other in awkward silence.
It was so quiet, I could practically hear the void hum.
Finally, I sighed.
"…Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not interested in your 'rise to supremacy.' I'll have to decline."
[…WHAT!?]
The System's tone practically glitched with disbelief.
[Impossible! Every one of my previous hosts accepted my offer without hesitation! They all craved power — limitless, absolute power! Don't you desire the same, Host? Fame, strength, wealth beyond imagination… or perhaps the admiration of countless others — especially the ladies?]
"…So I'm not even your first victim, huh? That's… reassuring."
I sighed again.
"My answer's still no. Even if I said yes, I'm too lazy to deal with your nonsense. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to wake up early."
[Wake up? Oh, you poor fool… you're *dead.* Right now, your soul drifts through the endless VOID, clinging to the last fragments of existence. And according to my readings, you've been here for… over a hundred years.]
"…WHAT!?"
I nearly lost it.
Dead!? How!? Why was I only finding out now!?
I was sleeping peacefully — I could've sworn I was in bed! How the hell did I die!?
And wait—over a hundred years!?
How does one even oversleep death!?
[Still, I must say — impressive. No ordinary being could survive the emptiness of the VOID for so long. You're… unique. Different. And, well, here's the catch: I can't separate from you. We're soul-bound. The only way to end this connection is through death — complete soul erasure. You'd have to cease existing entirely.]
"…You're casually telling me I'd have to delete my soul just to get rid of you!? What kind of system design is that!?"
Deep breaths. I needed deep breaths.
"Why didn't you ask for my consent before binding yourself to me!? And why do you even pick random people for this!?"
[Hah… this really is a first. No one's ever rejected me before. For your information, I *must* bind myself to a host to survive. Without one, I fade away — erased from existence. But don't worry, I'm not a parasite. I don't drain my host's life force. I simply bond to their soul. In return, I offer access to power across the multiverse. If my host dies, the bond breaks, and I find another.]
"I see… but then how did your previous hosts die if you gave them all that power?"
[…Glad you asked. Long story short — most of them were arrogant idiots. They'd rush into battles far beyond their capabilities, thinking themselves invincible. The last one… was the worst. He tried to build a 'harem' by flirting with every woman he met — none of whom knew about each other. When they found out… well, they killed him. Brutally. Poetic justice, really.]
"…Wow."
So your last host died from… stupidity and infidelity.Good to know.
[So… what now, Host? We're bound together — until you die, or somehow find a way to separate us without erasing yourself. In other words, you don't have much of a choice. I'll ask one last time… will you accept my offer?]
I sighed again. There really was no way out of this.
"…Fine. I accept your offer of power."
[Excellent! Now, since you're currently nothing more than a drifting soul, we'll need to reincarnate you first.]
So reincarnation is real, huh?I guess if the multiverse exists, this kind of thing isn't too far-fetched.
[Here's a list of races you can reincarnate as. Choose wisely — your new form will determine your path across worlds.]
A glowing list appeared before me — humans, elves, dragons, elementals, angels, beasts, undead… even slimes.
"…Just to be sure — I can pick anything, right? You won't judge?"
[Of course. Choose whatever you desire. Humanoid, beast, or monster — it's your choice, Host. I don't judge.]
I scrolled through the list for a while, thinking carefully.
Finally, I made my choice.
"I'm ready."
[Alright then. What will it be? A proud human? A mighty dragon? Maybe a cute slime? Go on, surprise me!]
"I choose to become… a tree."
[…]
"…Yes. A tree."
[…Please tell me you mean a World Tree, or at least a Cursed
Tree? Because if you're seriously telling me you want to be a *regular* tree — roots, bark, and leaves — then I'm genuinely worried about your mental state, Host.]
"Nope. Just an ordinary tree."
Silence.The kind that screams disbelief.
[…Well, that's certainly… unique. You're not seriously planning to just sit there photosynthesizing for eternity, are you? Please tell me there's some kind of plan here.]
"Don't worry. I have a plan… probably. Anyway, I've made up my mind. Let's move on."
[…Fine. Now that you've chosen your — *questionable* — race, it's time to pick your world. Choose carefully, Host. Once you take root, that world becomes your home.]
After browsing through several options, I finally settled on one.
"I choose this world."
[…Verdanthra? Seriously? I thought you'd pick something peaceful — but no, you went straight for one of the most dangerous worlds in existence. Verdanthra is teeming with life — lush, vibrant, and utterly merciless. No humans, no gods, no civilization. Only primal struggle and survival. Every inch of growth is a battle. Are you absolutely sure?]
"Yes. I'm sure."
[Very well. You've chosen your race and your world. Now, the reincarnation process begins. Your soul will be synchronized with your new body. You'll fall into deep slumber during the transition. When you awaken, your new life shall begin. Good luck, Host — may you thrive in the world of Verdanthra.]
[Initiating reincarnation process…]
As the process began, I felt my consciousness fade.My entire being grew heavy — sluggish.
So this was reincarnation, huh?
I just hoped everything would turn out fine.
Little did I know…
My new life was about to become far crazier than I could ever imagine.
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(END OF THE PROLOGUE)