Darkness. An endless void stretched in every direction, swallowing everything in an abyss of nothingness. There was no up or down, no left or right. Just emptiness.
Then, suddenly, a voice.
"Ah, another one. You mortals are quite fragile, aren't you?"
The voice was deep, resonant, yet strangely amused. I turned—or at least, I thought I did—toward the source, and there, in the middle of the void, sat a figure. It was impossible to describe; every time I focused on its form, it shifted. One moment, it was an old man with a long beard, the next, a swirling mass of cosmic energy, then a featureless silhouette radiating power beyond comprehension.
"Who… who are you?" I asked, my voice strangely steady despite the absurdity of the situation.
The being chuckled. "You may call me R.O.B—Random Omnipotent Being. A title given to my kind by those who have stood where you are now."
I swallowed hard. "Am I… dead?"
R.O.B waved a hand dismissively. "Your original life? Yes, quite over. Don't bother asking how it happened; it's boring. What's important is what comes next."
I should have been panicking. I should have been screaming. But instead, a strange calm settled over me, as if my mind had been wrapped in a warm, comforting haze. Maybe it was a side effect of standing in front of an omnipotent entity.
"What… what do you mean, 'what comes next'?" I asked hesitantly.
R.O.B leaned forward—at least, I think it did. "You mortals love your stories, don't you? Tales of second chances, grand adventures, worlds filled with magic, gods, and power. Normally, death is the end, but for you, it's an opportunity."
My eyes widened. "You mean… reincarnation? Like in those novels and anime?"
Another chuckle. "Exactly. I'll even be generous and grant you some wishes. Within reason, of course. No omnipotence—can't have you stealing my job."
This was insane. Absolutely insane. And yet… if this was real, if I truly had a chance to be reborn in another world with power beyond imagination… how could I say no?
I took a deep breath. "Alright. What are the limits?"
R.O.B gestured vaguely. "No outright omnipotence, no reality-breaking nonsense. Keep it interesting. Other than that? I'm feeling generous."
A thousand ideas flooded my mind. Super strength? Magic? Immortality? This was my one shot at something extraordinary.
I looked at the being before me, determination settling in my chest. "Alright. I have some wishes."
R.O.B smirked, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Now we're talking."
"I want 3 Essence."
"You should know which."
R.O.B smiled, looking more interested than ever before. "Of course! I can see your future."
"One Essence is free but the other two requires a cost."
I swallowed hard. I don't know how but I did. I don't exactly have a body here.
"The first cost is your name and second is not being to return to your original world."
I accepted this. It's not like everyday you got a R.O.B willing to grant you wishes.
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