People have theorized a lot about death—what happens afterward, where the soul goes, if there's heaven or hell, reincarnation or eternal sleep. Fear of death is ancient. Maybe it was fear of pain, or fear of the unknown. Or just fear of… nothing.
Now that I'm here, I can say: most of them were wrong.
No lights. No judgement. No gods standing before me.
Just a void.
Cold. Silent. Eternal.
It's strange—I can't move. Can't speak. Can't feel my body. But… I know I'm here. I'm still me. Somewhere in this colorless, soundless place, I float. Maybe in space. Maybe not. Maybe this is what the soul really is—consciousness stripped of everything else.
I try to open my eyes. But were they ever closed? I try to scream just to break the silence, but nothing comes out. My mouth's shut tight. Not because I'm resisting—just… because that's the nature of this place.
Ahh… but you know something?
I think I'm starting to like it here.
It's peaceful. Tranquil. Cold. Just the way I liked my life, honestly. I hated heat. Couldn't even enjoy hot soup in winter. Everyone said I was strange. But this void? This cold serenity? Maybe this is my version of heaven.
I could stay here forever.
But, of course, forever never lasts.
Without warning, the stillness breaks. The void shivers. Cracks form in the darkness like glass splintering under stress.
And then—a voice.
"I see you have accepted this place, Raphael."
I can't see who spoke, but I feel it. The voice didn't echo from around me. It came from the cracks. As if reality was splitting and something—or someone—was looking through.
"You have been blessed by a certain angel, you see. So, you've earned reincarnation in another world."
Blessed? Angel? What are you talking about?
I try to think clearly, but the void has dulled me. I'm slow, sluggish. Like half-waking from a dream. I can't ask questions. Can't argue. Just float and feel the words.
"Don't worry," the voice continues, like a narrator too used to the script. "You'll have privileges. The new world is somewhat like those isekai worlds your kind imagines. You'll keep some of your skills, gain others, fight monsters, maybe even demons. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?"
The cracks widen. Light pours in—dim at first, then blinding.
"I think it's starting. May luck be with you, Raphael."
Then—silence again. The voice is gone.
I'm left alone in the collapsing void.
So, I'm reincarnating, huh?
Maybe as a child. Maybe an adult. A noble? A peasant? A beastkin? Ahh—I can't contain it. My curiosity's exploding. A grin spreads across my face—though I don't even know if I have one anymore.
Then darkness again.
Sleep wraps around me like a warm fog.
And then—
[Reincarnation Successful]
A different voice. Systemic. Robotic. Familiar in the most surreal way.
Warmth. Light. Weight.
I open my eyes.
This time, I know they're open.
The world looks so… different. So vivid. The colors are sharper. Edges clearer. I raise a hand—small, soft, pudgy.
Tiny.
I'm a baby.
I blink, look around. Room's elegant—carved wooden walls, silky drapes, golden trims. Definitely not poor. Maybe I got lucky?
But wait—my hands move with surprising control. I can flex my fingers, move my arms a bit. Not newborn level. Maybe a few months old?
Where are my parents? I want to see them. I want to understand this place better.
I cry—instinctively. It's not faked, but it's calculated. A tool to summon them.
The door opens quickly.
A woman enters—slim, uniformed. Maid?
She rushes to me, gentle hands lifting me up. Her touch is calm, practiced.
"Sleep, little master. Mistress has gone outside, so please wait," she says, patting my back softly.
Master? So I'm from a noble family? Huh. Interesting.
She hums a lullaby. My brain registers it, tries to memorize the melody, even as my eyes close.
Sometime later…
Noise stirs me from sleep. Gentle cleaning. Cloth on wood. Then footsteps.
I open my eyes again.
The maid notices and smiles. She glances up at a clock. "It's feeding time, little master," she says and walks toward the door.
She steps out.
And then—I hear it.
A whisper in my mind.
[Confirmed]
[No problems occurred during transmigration]
[Initiating skill harvest…]
[Obtained Skills:]
• Endure
• Poker Face
• Martial Arts: Technique of Hand and Palm
• Mind Palace
A translucent blue panel materializes in front of my face. Not imagined. Not symbolic. A real, floating system window.
These are my skills. The ones I trained in my previous life.
"Wow…" I mutter quietly, my baby voice barely a whisper.
I stare at the panel. I feel something bubbling inside me—not fear, not anxiety.
Excitement.
This world just became very interesting.