A brilliant flash seared through the void, burning away the darkness. When the light finally dimmed, a tall figure materialized before me, wreathed in a crackling aura of electric blue. My heart—or whatever passed for one in this space between worlds—thundered against my ribs as I blinked away the afterglow.
**Me:** "Who are you? And… why bring *me* here? What could I possibly gain from this?"
The stranger inclined his head, revealing features both sharp and strangely ephemeral, as if sketched from a thousand different stories I'd consumed in my previous life.
**ROB:** "Call me ROB—like those Random Omnipotent Beings from the fanfiction you devoured so voraciously. Why you? I felt a pang of something resembling pity, perhaps even compassion. On a whim, I decided to intervene. No grand cosmic scheme, really. Just… curiosity." His eyes gleamed with ancient amusement. "So tell me—what will you choose?"
I swallowed hard, unconsciously brushing at my form as though wiping away the accumulated dust of my former existence.
**Me:** "Then let's begin. I want to enter the world of Danmachi—specifically, Orario, ten years before Bell Cranel takes his first trembling step into the dungeon."
The vision crystallized in my mind with painful clarity: bustling streets alive with adventurers' laughter, the Tower of Babel piercing the heavens, and beneath it all, the Dungeon's endless hunger. My resolve hardened like tempered steel.
"I won't interfere with his destiny—won't steal him from Hestia's embrace. But I *will* stand beside him when other Familias mock his earnest dreams. And if Ais Wallenstein seeks my guidance, I'll train her to heights she's never imagined."
My chest constricted with the weight of old wounds—memories of abandonment, of loss, of being discarded like refuse. "Too many children in that world suffer at the whims of capricious gods and cruel nobles. They're treated as entertainment, as disposable pawns in divine games." My voice dropped to something between a vow and a prayer. "I will protect them. *All* of them."
ROB released a low, appreciative whistle.
**ROB:** "A maternal guardian—how remarkably rare. Most who stand where you stand now grasp desperately for power, imagining harems or seeking glory for its own sake. Yours is…" He paused, something almost like respect flickering across his otherworldly features. "Refreshing. Speak your first wish, then."
I lifted my chin, resolve burning through my veins like liquid starlight.
**Me:** "I wish to become a perfect amalgamation of Artoria Pendragon and Morgan le Fay—the Fairy Queen herself. I want to wield their legendary armaments and command their magecraft as if it were my own breath. Let my form radiate with the divine authority of Rhongomyniad, the Lance that Shines at the World's End." My voice grew stronger, more certain. "Gods and mortals alike will know me as Aestoria—a beacon and bulwark for every child who suffers under their dominion."
ROB's eyes blazed with sudden intensity.
**ROB:** "Hoho… how deliciously *appropriate*. Both Queens carried the profound sorrow of lost children in their hearts—Artoria's failure with Mordred, Morgan's twisted love for her own creations. Your choice resonates with tragic poetry, and the name…" He smiled. "Aestoria. Yes, that will do nicely. Now—your second wish?"
My pulse quickened as visions flooded my consciousness: vast marble halls echoing with purpose, ancient tomes radiating forgotten knowledge, training grounds where the powerless could become powerful.
**Me:** "Grant me a personal dungeon—my Camelot reborn—carved deep beneath the earth. Part fortress, part sanctuary, part academy. Infuse it with the magic systems of the Elden Ring: faith-based Incantations and intelligence-driven Sorceries, woven together with unbreakable purpose."
I could see it now, gleaming and perfect in my mind's eye. "There, the children I gather will train as knights and heroes, facing genuine trials—monsters and challenges that forge true champions, not the mindless slaughter of weak creatures for profit. This will be a place of *growth*, not exploitation. And this domain," I added carefully, "links directly to my third wish."
ROB leaned closer, genuine enthusiasm flickering in his ageless gaze.
**ROB:** "A wish born entirely of devotion to your future children's welfare. They will stand in breathless awe at what you've prepared for them. Even the gods will feel the sting of envy when they witness the power your followers gain through genuine loyalty and honest effort." His smile widened. "And your final wish?"
I closed my eyes, letting my intention crystallize into perfect clarity.
**Me:** "I desire two unique Noble Phantasms of my own creation. The first: '*Gaia, Eternal Guardian of the World's Children*'—so that my divine essence becomes the dungeon's very lifeblood, nurturing it as a living extension of protective earth itself. It will grow with my strength, shelter with my will, and endure as long as even one child needs sanctuary."
I opened my eyes, meeting ROB's gaze with unwavering determination.
"The second: '*Maker of Knights and Heroes, Forge of Impossible Dreams*'—a Noble Phantasm that allows ordinary children, the powerless and abandoned, to rise as exceptional knights through training and trials. And for those already exceptional? They will ascend to become living legends, heroes whose names will echo through ages."
ROB's form shimmered with prismatic light, a slow nod affirming the weight of his promise.
**ROB:** "Your wishes are granted, Aestoria. All three, without reservation or hidden price."
One final flash of radiance engulfed me—warm and promising, like the first dawn after endless night. When it faded, power thrummed through my recreated form. My hands tingled with newfound strength, my soul blazed with purpose reborn.
**Me:** *"Thank you."*
The words felt inadequate, but they were sincere.
And with that simple gratitude, my journey truly began.