Ethan, a 22-year-old who had just graduated from college after completing his dream degree to become a physical education teacher, was on his way home to share the happy news with his parents. He hummed the songs he loved, feeling a sense of joy and accomplishment. Suddenly, shouts erupted from the people around him. When he turned to see what was happening, his heart dropped—a girl was about to collide with a truck speeding toward her.
Without a moment's hesitation, his feet moved on their own. He rushed to her, pushing her out of the way just in time. But he couldn't save himself; the truck rammed into him with a sickening thud. In that moment, excruciating pain coursed through his body, and he rolled like a ragdoll as the truck crashed into a nearby building. Ah, so this is the last moment of my life,he thought, his life flashing before his eyes.
The last sounds he heard were the frantic voices of bystanders—some were catering to the driver, asking what had happened, while others surrounded him, calling for an ambulance and the police. The girl he saved ran to him, crying and expressing her gratitude, but Ethan barely registered her words. He knew he was going to die. His body felt numb, and he was growing sleepier by the second. Yet, he felt a sense of happiness; at least he had saved someone before he died. It was an honorable way to go. He didn't want to die, of course—there was so much he wanted to do—but it wasn't in his hands. Fate had other plans. The last thing he uttered before slipping away was a simple, frustrated, "FUCK."
THE VOID
In a dark place where nothing existed except for an endless void, a small being composed of pure light floated aimlessly. This was Ethan, now stripped of his physical form, lost in contemplation. So, I died, he mused, reflecting on his life. The only thing I regret is that I died a virgin. Well, what can I say now? I can't do anything. Let's see where I go—hell or heaven? I think probably heaven. I didn't do any crazy shit in my life. I was a normal guy, a good guy. My friends, the women, everyone respected me. I was kind of a gentleman, I would say. Normal-looking, even. Some women proposed to me, and now I regret not accepting. I was too focused on my studies and other stuff. Also, I wasn't ready. I think in today's generation, you can't trust someone to be in a relationship. But let's leave it; it doesn't matter now.
If someone heard him, they might think, Why is this guy so chill in a situation like this? Well, he had always been the chill guy, calm-minded, always dealing with every situation with a level head. While he was lost in these thoughts, suddenly, he heard a voice—a voice so deep and profound: "CHILD."
In the darkness where Ethan couldn't see, an old man smiled sinisterly, looking at his prey.Haha, finally the time has come. Look at this ant—ugh, an inferior being. I don't even want to be in his presence, but I have to. We have prepared for a long time, and he, along with people like him who are naive and stupid, is perfect for our plan. Let the grand plan begin—for the glory of our lord.
Ethan jolted, looking around in the void, unsure of where the voice was coming from. Fear gripped him. Am I going to disappear from existence? But suddenly, that voice came again: "DON'T BE AFRAID. I WON'T HARM YOU, CHILD."
That voice felt benevolent, like a father speaking to his child, wrapping him in a warm hug within the void. Yet, he sensed something sinister lurking beneath it—a very faint feeling. He thought it was just his imagination, but he began to be cautious.
Suddenly, pure rays of light pierced through the darkness. He squinted his non-existent eyes, trying to adjust, and then a huge humanoid figure of light appeared before him. It began to shrink to ten feet and transformed into a kind-looking old man with long black hair and a moderate beard, his black eyes holding a chaotic depth.He was wearing black wuxia type Eastern clothes.Despite his gentle appearance, Ethan felt a strange mix of awe and apprehension. Is he what I think he is? No way...
Laughing, the being replied, "Do you think I am a ROB? Haha, well, somewhat. I am not that powerful, but I am one of the strongest beings in existence, you could say. Now, leaving that aside, I know you are very confused about what is going on. Don't be afraid; I am here now. Let me tell you everything. Please, sit and listen."
Suddenly, two chairs and a pure black table appeared. The moment he said "sit," Ethan found himself able to move, and he sat down with him.
"Who are you? How did I end up here?" Ethan asked, the questions bubbling to the surface.
The being laughed again."Calm down, child. Let me first introduce myself. I am the primordial of darkness, Tenebros. People also call us constellations or gods. Now, to answer your second question: the god of death from your world made a mistake. You were not supposed to die that day; it was the girl who was supposed to. But because of your bravery and your kind heart, and seeing your life as a good person, I decided to take you away from the cycle of reincarnation and give you another chance to live."
"Wait, so you mean to say that...?"
"Yes, child. I am going to transmigrate or reincarnate you to another world—with some perks, of course."
Ethan's heart raced. No way! My dream, or every fan of novels, anime, and fanfiction is coming true! I am going to another world! My dreams of losing my virginity will be completed! I will become the strongest, and I want to do so much!
Tenebros laughed."You know I can read your face, right?"
Ethan suddenly felt embarrassed. But he had one question in mind."Why me? Why did you choose me? What do you want from me?"
"Child, beings like me provide this second chance to people who have good karma and who were killed unjustly. People like you, who died from a mistake, disrupt the balance of the universe. Because of this error, we give you another chance." Hehe, stupid people like you are perfect for us to use. Hahaha! Oh, I shouldn't get ahead of myself; I should focus.
"I know, but there must be something you want in return. I know people just don't give you anything for free; they want something in return."Is this bastard being careful, or is he smart? Well, I must be overthinking a filthy ant like him can't be smart, especially him from a lower world. Haha, he can't outsmart me Tenebros thought.
"Well, child, it's just that you will be there like my envoy, like an apostle. Through you, I will be saved from eternal boredom and I will enjoy watching your adventures don't worry I won't invade your privacy."We are going to make you start a cult for our plans and our Lord."So it's a win-win situation for both of us. "Yeah, the chaos that will happen through you will benefit us. Haha, this will be fun—all that fear, dread, and chaos energy will be delicious.
"Okay then, I am ready. Can you tell me what kind of perks you were talking about and what kind of world I am going to?"
"Haha, child, don't worry. The world you are going to is a higher world. You should be grateful that you are going there. Higher worlds are the top worlds. The world you are going to will be like the isekai novels you read—a magic fantasy world. But there are also strong beings in that world and gods, higher existences who control that world like me. But don't worry; I will give you perks so you can survive and thrive."
"Now, the perks I was talking about are these."The moment Tenebros said that, four shining golden steles and one completely black-colored stele came into existence behind him."These are the powers that will help you survive and potentially become one of the strongest—or the strongest—in that world, if you use them right. But don't worry; each of these powers is top-notch. To help you understand more, hmm, in your weeb language, think of this power as skills. They are ranked from F to A, then they go S, SS, SSS, and then Ex rank. These are the strongest a mortal can possess. Ex rank skills can help you even become a demigod. The highest rank is divine rank; the only people who possess them are gods or higher beings like us."Well, divine is not the highest rank, but haha, this stupid human doesn't have to know.
"So you mean to say that I can select skills from these shining steles?"Ethan asked, his excitement bubbling over. Wow! I will become so OP if I can get those skills! If even one can help someone reach the rank of demigod, then what can two or three do?
"Cough Child, sorry to break your dream, but you can only take one. These are all EX rank skills; even one can help you become strong, so don't get greedy." Even I want to give you more, but this stupid human is weak and can't take more. But I need him like that—easier to manipulate."Your soul will explode if you take more than one."
After listening to that, Ethan shivered. Welp, there goes becoming OP from the start. I knew this wouldn't be too easy."Okay, I am ready to choose." He started going through the skills, knowing he had to select one that would help him become strong. He could only select one, so he had to choose wisely. His eyes darted to a skill called {IMMORTALITY}. He focused on it, and it showed him the description:
{IMMORTALITY}—Become nigh impossible to kill. Makes your body highly regenerative, gives you unending stamina, and allows you to live without food or water, living eternally.
"Wait, isn't that too strong? If I have that, I can become the strongest being, the fastest!"
"Child, sorry to break your bubble again. I forgot to mention something: this skill will not be that strong from the start. It will be weak, but it will eventually reach its final destination. The more proficient you are—hmm, to help you understand, think of it like a skill with a growth type. Let's say you start from F rank; the skill is weak, but the more proficient you get, the more you use it, and it starts to become E, D, and then upgrades through the ranks, becoming stronger in the process, finally reaching Ex rank. This will help you understand what I am saying. Just like this {IMMORTALITY} skill you were thinking about: if you take this, at first it will just give you good stamina—not strong, but still good, above average compared to normal humans—and low regeneration. You will be able to survive without food and water for two to three days max. But the more you grow in strength, the more proficient you become, and the skill will grow with you. I know you are thinking it's not a cheat if you can't have the strength from the start, but it is. You should know that Ex rank skill possessors are very few; they are very rare, and you have the chance to reach demigod rank."
"Okay, I understand. Let me see other options, then I will choose one." After that, he started seeing other skills:
{GREAT SAGE}—Have an incredibly strong assistant who can help you analyze, fight, strategize, and much more.
{Wise}—Become a black hole of knowledge; you can absorb any kind of knowledge faster than anyone and become proficient in it very quickly, no matter the occupation.
{LOVER OF MANA}—Become loved by mana, the energy that revolves around supernatural beings and resides in the universe. It is one of the strongest energies, ranked just below a few.
"Well, these skills are easy to understand," he thought.
There were many more, but he only focused on these. These four were very good; they could help him become super strong, and they were long-term skills that might even assist him in the early stages. These were good. Wait, I haven't checked the skills on that black stele. But why is it black? The other four are shining gold.He asked Tenebros, "Why is that stele black?"
"Oh, that one? Even I don't know why that is; I just have it." Well, they were provided to me. What did those fanatic followers even give me? Welp, this black stele is just useless. I should destroy it after this one reincarnates; no one even takes them."Well, the ones before you didn't choose these skills, and also because even I don't know the ranks of these skills. They might be F rank, E rank, or Ex rank; I don't know. That's why they also weren't chosen; they were abandoned."
"What? There are more like me?"
"Haha, child, don't tell me you think you are the only one. Yes, there are more reincarnators like you. Maybe the world you go to will have some, or there were some before, but there are very few. It's not easy to give them skills and also a second chance at life; it takes a lot of energy. Also, do you think the constellations or gods will like it if an outsider arrives in their world and wreaks havoc? They don't like it, nor does their creation. So take this secret to the grave; don't tell anyone about you, no matter what. Now, coming to the point, select a skill, child. We don't have enough time." Stop wasting my time! Aarrgh! I will not do it the next time. I only wanted to do it once to see how the process goes, but this is getting annoying. I would rather have the organizations or other lower constellations do the job. I am one of the heads; I won't take this shit!
Ethan looked at the black stele, he spotted only these skills: **CRITICAL THINKING**, **REGENERATION**, **MIND MANIPULATION**, **SIXTH SENSE**, and many more. There were no descriptions like the shining steles. He thought maybe there was a good skill here, but he was disappointed. He thought, like the anime or novels he read, there would be an OP skill here. Just as he was about to leave the black stele, he suddenly spotted a skill: {LUCK}. It was just called luck, but he didn't know why that thing called to him like it was desperate, lonely, and like it was its last call to life. His hand started moving toward that skill, but suddenly Tenebros panicked, looking at that. This fucker is going to ruin our plan. This takes a lot of energy, and this fucker is going to ruin it by taking a useless skill. Well, we can also reincarnate others, but this guy thinks he is worthy of that usage of energy. Sigh. If I was not trying to practice staying calm-minded, I would have obliterated this guy.
"Child," hearing that word, Ethan suddenly jolted awake. Tenebros said, "You know what you are taking, right? I know this skill, LUCK, might be tempting, but luck is fickle. It will just give you a bit of luck, or if it is a higher rank skill, good luck. But I am sure these are not Ex rank skills; this can at most be S rank, or it might be F. Why do you want to risk it? Take the others; they are really strong. You can't get those skills easily. Well, you might obtain skills through hard work or by making your own, which is very hard, but you are already getting a strong one. People born in that world who have SSS rank are very, very rare, so think about Ex rank." I have tempted this shit so much; if he doesn't listen, so be it. I will just send him to a lower world. I can't kill him already; it is hard to snatch souls under a god's nose.
Ethan stayed silent. He didn't know why, but he felt that skill called to him, or it was just his mind playing games after experiencing all of this. But he trusted his instincts. He also loved gacha games where you just gamble away. He knew that people might think luck, compared to other skills, is not worth it, but he didn't. He thought luck was strong—super strong. Luck is something that can even change destiny and fate, which cannot be changed even by the strongest beings. They are chained to it; they can't escape it. Luck is something that holds that kind of power. Just imagine someone having an extreme kind of luck, like those heaven-loved main characters from wuxia novels—everything goes their way. Plot armor, fans say; they become so strong in the end, supreme rulers. He felt a strong urge to select it, to gamble away. I won't get a chance like this again. I already lived a good life; no regrets except one Hehe.
After his inner monologue, he decided to do it. Gambling on the most important decision in his life felt absolute batshit crazy and also fun. At this time, he felt fear and dread because what if something went wrong? But he also felt anticipation—what if it went right? He looked at the skill that was calling to him and touched it...