My name is Yuki Haze. Strange name, right? I was named after the doctor who saved my mother's life when she was struggling to give birth to me—or so I've heard.
And yes, if you're wondering, the doctor was a woman. Hence, I've been blessed with the incredibly feminine name of Yuki.
Not that I care much. As long as people use it properly, they can call me whatever they want.
My life was pretty ordinary. Just a typical college student aiming to take over my fathers business… who also happened to be a kenjutsu prodigy. I'd won multiple competitions, not that I liked to brag.
Oh, and let me make this clear—I'm definitely male. I was born ridiculously handsome, inheriting the best features from both my parents. Honestly, I could probably pull off being either a guy or a girl if I felt like it.
But this isn't about my face.
It's about how I ended up standing in this pure white space. Or… should I call it a void? Anyway, let me explain how I got here.
It was a rainy day, and—as usual—I'd forgotten my umbrella at home. Like any sane person, I waited for the rain to stop. But then, out of nowhere, a 'gentleman' offered me his umbrella.
I accepted the kind gesture and made my way to campus. That morning, more eyes than usual were on me.
At first, I didn't think much of it… until I stopped by the bathroom to dry off. The mirror revealed a breathtaking girl with wet, black hair and piercing azure eyes staring back at me.
Because of the rain, I looked just like my mother in her younger days—extremely beautiful and enchanting.
Anyway, fast-forward to later that same day.
I was heading home after a set of draining lectures. The rain had cleared, and the sun now shone proudly, basking the streets in golden light.
That's when some guy approached me. Dyed hair, a face full of piercings, and a suspicious grin.
"Hey, girl. Wanna take a ride with me?" he said, gesturing toward a motorcycle.
Is this dude actually trying to pick me up?
Naturally, I ignored him and kept walking. But he was persistent—calling out to me, following behind.
Eventually, I snapped. I turned around and glared at him like a lion ready to strike.
"Hey! Fu—wait! Aren't you the guy who gave me the umbrella earlier?"
On closer inspection… it was him. Though he looked totally different now. If I hadn't looked into his eyes, I wouldn't have recognized him.
His gaze darted around nervously like he was searching for something. Suspicious didn't even begin to cover it.
Then, confirming my instincts, he suddenly threw a punch at me.
A right jab.
Of course, I dodged it by tilting my head to the left and retaliated with a solid thrust of the umbrella straight into his gut.
He collapsed, unconscious.
Do I really look that harmless...?
I sighed and called the police, gave them my location, and resumed walking home. I was crossing at a pedestrian walkway when I heard it:
Honk. Honk. Honnnnk—
I turned just in time to see a truck barreling toward me.
And just like that… I died.
Like a deer in headlights.
Or at least, that's what I thought.
Instead, I woke up in a strange place.
"Where even am I…?"
Everything around me was white—completely white. I couldn't even tell if I was standing on ground or floating in midair.
I took a step. Then another.
Did I die? Of course I did. That was a dumb question. Getting hit by a truck like that? Definitely leads to instant death.
I walked on for what felt like minutes, my chest heavy with unease. Fear crept in.
What if I'm walking toward h-he…
I couldn't even finish the thought, if I were to think of that place of fire, I would probably have lost my mind.
But just as panic started to swell, a strange wave of calmness washed over me. Then a holographic screen flickered to life in front of me.
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[Choose Your Legacy Line]
• Japanese
• Norse [Locked]
• Greek [Locked]
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"Eh? Some kind of interface? Does it want me to click on Japanese?."
I tapped it. Another screen followed.
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[Japanese Mythology]
[Choose One]
Amaterasu [Already Chosen]
Susanoo [Already Chosen]
Tsukuyomi [Already Chosen]
Inari [Available]
Raijin [Already Chosen]
Fujin [Already Chosen]
Izanagi [Already Chosen]
Izanami [Already Chosen]
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"How ironic. Of course I'd get Inari."
Inari—the deity of rice, fertility, and foxes. Said to be both male and female. Just like how I felt at times.
I sighed, then blinked.
"Wait… If all the others are taken, does that mean people were here before me?"
I pondered for a few seconds and then decided there was no point in thinking too hard about it.
I selected Inari. The screen shifted again.
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[Preparing Soul Class based on talent...]
[Choosing most proficient talent...]
[Kenjutsu...]
[Proficiency: 99.9%]
[Transforming Kenjutsu into suitable class...]
[Success]
[Granted Soul Class: Swordmaster]
[Warning! This cannot be changed—it is tied to your soul!]
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"A soul class tied to my talent, huh?"
I smirked.
"Sometimes I even amaze myself."
My moment of pride was short-lived. Another screen popped up.
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[Soul Interface]
[Personal Information]
Name: Yuki Inari Haze
Race: Divine Fox
Title: Descendant of Inari
Soul Class: Swordmaster
[Legacy Skills]
{Harvest Blessing}, {Fox Fire},
{Soul Infusion},
{Shapeshifting}, {Fertility Blessing},
{Fox Summoning},
{Instant Blacksmithing}, {Wealth Infusion}
[Soul Class Skill]
{Technique Creation}
[Tip: To view your soul in the future, learn "Soul Gazing"]
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"These skills… They're just like in a game. But what's this 'Soul Gazing' thing?"
Before I could think further, a gentle ding echoed in my mind. Then came a soft, elegant voice—like an angel's whisper.
[< You shall now undergo the process of transportation and relocation. The world you are about to enter is filled with war, monsters, and beings of unimaginable power. >]
[< I shall grant you a beginner's guide in the form of a book. Good luck on your journey, young deity. >]
"Huh...? Wait—!"
Another screen appeared before I could say anything.
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[Preparing location for relocation...]
[Success]
[Granting Beginner's Guide...]
[Success]
[Destination: Town of Small Beginnings]
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The screen vanished. The white space around me grew unbearably bright. I shut my eyes.
When I opened them again, I was standing at the edge of a distant village beneath a moonlit sky.
Stars twinkled above.
But something was wrong.
A foul stench hit my nose—rotten flesh… and something worse.
Then, behind me, I heard it.
Clink... clink...
Footsteps. Metal against metal.
I turned slowly—too slowly.
Pain.
A burning sensation tore through my shoulder.
I looked.
"…Huh?"
"…What… just happened?"
Where my arm should've been, there was nothing.
Blood poured. The night's chill sank into the wound.