1 Chapter 1
The chirping of birds and the gentle breeze of a sunny day greeted two figures walking down the sidewalk, holding hands and chatting, each with an ice cream in their free hand.
"-And so, Dokja looks at me weirdly after I told him I'm also an avid reader of web novels. You should've seen his face! He was shocked that I like web novels too!" The guy chuckled, closing his eyes to picture the scene he had just described to his girlfriend.
His girlfriend, Yoon Soo-Ah, hummed as she licked her ice cream, her gaze filled with gentleness and kindness as she looked lovingly at her boyfriend of four years, Kim Min-Jun.
"Ah, maybe we should invite him to join us on a vacation one of these days? I kinda like the guy," Min-Jun said, pausing his chuckle to take a lick of his cookies and cream flavored ice cream, which instantly pleased him.
"Hmm~, whatever you want. Oh! Look at that! I want one!" Soo-Ah gasped, her gaze landing on a plushy inside a store, right behind the glass window that allowed passersby to peer inside the shop.
Min-Jun turned his gaze in the direction she was pointing with her ice cream and smiled a little after seeing the Hello Kitty plushy she was referring to.
Well, buying it won't be much of a problem. I just got paid today, so spending this much isn't going to be an issue.
He glanced at the price tag: ₩39,000 ($29 USD). Considering that the average amount of money an average person makes per month is around ₩3,700,000 - ₩4,000,000 ($2,789 - $3,015 USD), Min-Jun, with his weekly salary of over ₩7,000,000 ($5,277+ USD), didn't seem to care much about the price of the plushy.
With a nonchalant expression, he walked into the shop after finishing his ice cream almost instantly. Holding the door open for a mother and daughter duo who were leaving, they thanked him politely.
Soo-Ah entered the store first, followed by Min-Jun. The immediate change in temperature made them pause for a second before they walked towards the large plushy.
"This one, correct~?" he asked teasingly, looking at Soo-Ah with a small grin. He loved to tease her about her fondness for pink plushies—especially Hello Kitty ones.
With a small, embarrassed nod from Soo-Ah, Min-Jun chuckled softly before picking up the plushy, which was supposedly 60cm tall.
"Well then, I suppose the great me shall get this for you~," he said with a teasing grin, striking a pose while making sure nobody saw him do it. Soo-Ah simply pinched the side of his stomach, her face blushing at the embarrassing scene.
"Mou~ stop acting like that," she half-whispered, looking around the small shop to make sure nobody saw him do that.
"Hehe, there's no way I would stop embarrassing my cute girlfri—"
*BOOM*
Instantly, everything within Kim Min-Jun's vision turned white, as the figure of his girlfriend right before him crumbled.
Huh...? Wha...?
ﾟ･:,｡★＼(^-^ )♪줄 바꿈♪( ^-^)/★｡,･:･ﾟ
Within a white expanse, two figures lay on the ground, which seemed to reflect the sky of Earth, with clouds forming beneath them.
Slowly, the male figure awoke from his slumber. A groan escaped his lips as his eyes snapped open, and upon realizing his last memory, he immediately bolted up into a sitting position.
He gasped, eyes wide with fear, as he looked around. Soon, his gaze landed on his unconscious girlfriend lying next to him.
He released a sigh of relief upon noticing that she didn't appear to be hurt. Then, he gazed at his palms, which he had brought up close to his face. His thoughts ran wild, flashing back to the events at the store.
I... I was shopping. Right. I was shopping with Soo-Ah, and then... then... an explosion? I remember my vision blurring before everything turned white.
Right. I remember Soo-Ah disappearing right in front of me...
A cold shiver ran down his spine as he swallowed, his gaze returning to his girlfriend. It was only then that he realized she seemed to be awakening.
Her eyes snapped open as she bolted up, gasping for air. Her gaze roamed around the place they found themselves in before landing on him.
Before he could properly register what had happened, he was engulfed in a tight hug by Soo-Ah, who seemed to be trembling.
He instinctively reached out his hands and patted her back as he heard small sniffles and felt the wetness of her tears on his shoulder.
"There, there. Everything is alright now," he said in a reassuring tone.
It's better I don't panic; otherwise, she'll panic even more and might even faint. Now... where the hell are we?
His gaze hardened as he looked around the white space. Small amounts of fog lingered around the area, and before he could realize it, a figure appeared about ten feet away from them.
Min-Jun's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he watched the figure raise its fog-covered hands in a surrendering posture. Before he could even get a few words out, the figure began to speak.
"Ah, ah. Sorry for the interruption. I suppose I should have come a bit later, after your girlfriend had calmed down."
The figure gave a deep, gentlemanly bow, as 'his' fog-covered hand reached for the black hat sitting atop 'his' fog-covered head. Upon closer inspection, the figure's body, except for its clothes, was covered in a thick layer of white fog.
Soo-Ah turned her terrified gaze towards the fog-covered man, shaking profusely as she shut her eyes and began to recite words out loud.
"This is a dream, this is a dream, this is a dream..."
Her hold on Min-Jun tightened even more, causing wrinkles to form on his clothes from the tight grip Soo-Ah had on him.
Min-Jun regained his composure almost instantly, as his gaze inspected every minute detail of the fog-covered figure. His hands held Soo-Ah tighter and protectively.
"Who are you?" Min-Jun managed to utter after a few seconds of awkward silence between them, as Soo-Ah slowly calmed down and stopped uttering the words that had unconsciously spilled from her mouth.
The fog-clad figure gave a low chuckle of amusement before snapping 'his' fingers. A singular gigantic wheel with numerous names appeared behind 'him'. The names seemed blurred at first glance but were so small that one would need to be really close to see them clearly.
"My true name is of no importance to you two. However, for the sake of things, I suppose you may call me 'ROB'. You both are in the gap between realities, somewhere that isn't of your concern at this moment in time."
'ROB' paused as 'he' contemplated 'his' next choice of words before continuing.
"You have both died, a death that was not meant to happen. And now, as compensation by Karmic Fate, you have been bestowed the chance at going to an entirely different reality."
'ROB' snapped 'his' fingers, and multiple images of realities appeared before Min-Jun's eyes. One reality showed a blonde child with whisker marks on both cheeks holding a scroll half the size of his body, cheekily running through the night towards a forest.
In another reality, a man with black hair and red eyes snapped his fingers, and the opponent opposite him was instantly killed, with blood spurting everywhere.
Yet again, in another reality, a small blob of blue bounced across a cave, sometimes killing monsters that approached it before absorbing them. At other times, it seemed to absorb minerals and plants.
...
So many realities were clearly visible to Min-Jun, as his gaze curiously wandered through the different images of the nearly infinite realities before him.
Some he recognized, others he did not.
With another snap of 'his' fingers, the images instantly disappeared. The figure was now seen sitting upon a fog-covered chair of sorts.
"As compensation for the untimely deaths of both Kim Min-Jun and Yoon Soo-Ah, you are hereby granted three wishes each, along with the chance at either reincarnation, transmigration, or summoning to another world."
With a tone of finality, 'he' crossed 'his' legs, gazing curiously at what the two 'humans' would wish for.
"Ah... ehh...."
Kim Min-Jun uttered random sounds as his brain scrambled to catch up with the situation at hand. And before long, after less than a minute of thinking things through, he calmed down and fully recovered from his shock.
Yoon Soo-Ah opened her eyes after listening to the words of 'ROB'. Although she could be absent-minded in most situations, she was still quite intelligent for her age.
She caught on to the situation almost as quickly as Kim Min-Jun. This was expected from two people who read web novels and manga in their free time.
Soo-Ah, though seemingly terrified by the events that unfolded, didn't take long to regain a cohesive thought process, quickly understanding the words 'he' said.
Taking a deep breath, Min-Jun instantly shed his nervousness and began to speak.
"Did you say we died an untimely death? Do you mean we were supposed to die far in the future, and not when that... explosion, or whatever it was, went off?"
'ROB' simply nodded, confirming Min-Jun's inquiry, which only made the latter sigh in exasperation.
Mom, Dad, little brother... it seems I won't be seeing you all for a while, eh?
He thought bitterly, as his mind adjusted to the situation so far. Having read numerous web novels, especially those of the 'Isekai' genre, he could conjure up a few ideas about his, no, their situation.
The same went for Soo-Ah, as her face took on a sour expression upon seeing 'ROB' nod at her boyfriend's inquiry.
"But, I don't understand why 'Karmic Fate' or whatever would give us this chance. I mean, we're nobodies... right?"
'ROB' merely chuckled for a bit before replying to Kim Min-Jun's question.
"There are certain things that mortals shouldn't question. I'm sure you've heard of the quote, 'Ignorance is bliss', have you not?"
Min-Jun merely nodded absentmindedly as his thoughts raced. Before long, he released a sigh and his gaze turned determined.
"I am ready to give my wishes, and also to spin the wheel to choose the world we will be going to," Min-Jun concluded. As a 'cultured' individual, he, of course, understood what the wheel with numerous names on it behind 'ROB' was for.
Soo-Ah simply stayed silent for a few seconds, listening to the conversation between the two while thinking. When she heard her boyfriend declare his readiness to state his wishes, she immediately jolted out of her thoughts.
"I am also ready to give my wishes," she said in a soft voice, eyeing the fog-covered figure with suspicion.
"Good, good! Now, tell me what you both wish for. Also, heed my words... make sure not to bite off more than you can chew."
'ROB' spoke, 'his' tone taking on a threatening edge towards the end of 'his' statement, causing the couple to gulp nervously.
"T-Then... my first wish. I wish for my girlfriend and me to be soul-bound, in the sense that we can share knowledge, abilities, experience as well as talk telepathically through a link between our souls. This link cannot be interfered with by anyone, regardless of the gap in power, and we can share any abilities, regardless of restrictions or anything of the sort."
'ROB' hummed and nodded, confirming his wish.
Good, with this foundation, any subsequent wishes we make will be even more beneficial. My girlfriend can wish to gain abilities she likes, and I'll also be able to use them, just as she'll be able to use any of mine.
"My second wish... I wish to have a custom ultimate skill from the 'Tensura' universe."
—
[King of Darkness, Erebus]
- **Chant Annulment**: This ability eliminates the need for chanting when using magic, after a spell is analyzed or successfully cast. The spell is stored in the user's mind and can be instantly cast just by thinking about its activation.
- **Future Attack Prediction**: The ability to predict attacks in the form of light trails.
- **Shadow Manipulation**: The ability to control and manipulate shadows to create weapons, shields, or even to envelop areas in darkness.
- **Darkness Absorption**: The user can absorb darkness from their surroundings to strengthen themselves, heal their wounds, or power up their spells.
- **Regenerative Night**: This ability enhances the user's natural healing capabilities in darkness or at night. Wounds heal faster, and even serious injuries can recover overnight, provided the user is in a completely dark environment without a single ray of light.
-**Growth of the Abyss**: This skill will be able to grow alongside the user, being able to gain more sub-skills as the user grows in strength. Growth is unlimited, similar to the depths of the abyss.
—
While I could have wished for two or even three ultimate skills, I didn't want to 'bite off more than I can chew,' as 'he' put it.
Min-Jun thought deeply, feeling slightly sour about not wishing for a few more ultimate skills. Then, he sighed for the umpteenth time before stating his last wish.
"My last wish... I wish for Soo-Ah and me to have increased comprehension, adaptability, and talent. By 'increased,' I mean it should be raised to the safest human level possible, one that will not cause harm to us."
Min-Jun paused, reflecting on his wishes. Although they might not have been the best, they were still useful regardless of the place they would go—or at least, that's what he believed.
Asking for inhumane levels of comprehension, adaptability, and talent might lead to serious mental problems for us. Having too much of something isn't always beneficial.
'ROB' gave a slight chuckle before snapping 'his' fingers. "Very well, wishes granted. Now, onto you."
As 'he' finished speaking, 'his' gaze shifted to Soo-Ah, who flinched under 'his' scrutiny. Soo-Ah paused to think about her wishes, and it didn't take long for her to come up with two out of three of her wishes.
"Erm... my first wish is for Min-Jun and me to have infinite potential, in the sense that we do not have a limit for growth. My second wish is to have a custom Ultimate Skill from 'Tensura,' much like my boyfriend. And my final wish is... hmm~"
Soo-Ah paused, as if considering whether this wish would be possible or not, before shrugging her shoulders and stating her final wish aloud.
"...My final wish is for both of us to have a gamer system. This system will be similar to the ones from 'Solo Leveling' and 'The Gamer,' featuring a Shop (which contains all items in existence, even if fictional), Status Board, Inventory, Skill Section, and Quest Section. However, unlike the system from 'Solo Leveling,' it will not have any penalties for failing to complete a quest."
Soo-Ah finished, curious about whether her wish would be granted, as it seemed too overpowered to her.
'ROB' gave a low chuckle before opening 'his' mouth to speak, only to stop and remain silent for a few seconds. 'He' sighed before turning towards the two 'mortals.'
"Alright, wishes granted. Now, finish telling me the Ultimate Skill you wish to have."
Soo-Ah and Min-Jun were confused at first, before deciding not to question 'him' about 'his' sudden change in reaction.
Ignorance is bliss, huh?
Min-Jun thought self-deprecatingly, chuckling inwardly at the events unfolding before him.
"Ah, well...
—
[Queen of Beauty, Aphrodite]
- **Lover's Choice**: Allows the user to heal their loved one to perfect condition, completely healing any wounds on their physical or spiritual body, as well as restoring any lost energy or vitality to perfect condition. Activation is by copulation.
- **Charm of Eros**: Bestows the user with very attractive features from birth, making them irresistibly charming to those around them.
- **Eternal Grace**: The user maintains an ageless appearance, embodying the pinnacle of their personal beauty and health indefinitely. This skill also grants a mild regenerative effect, being able to slowly heal minor wounds over time. (Agelessness begins at the age of 25)
- **Gaze of Adoration**: A look that can momentarily mesmerize or pacify anyone, rendering them incapable of attacking the user under any circumstances as they are filled with admiration and awe.
—
I think that should be good...?" Soo-Ah said, bringing her finger to scratch the side of her head, thinking hard.
'ROB' merely sweat-dropped, before snapping 'his' fingers again, a translucent light coming out of 'him' and being absorbed into Soo-Ah's and Min-Jun's bodies.
"Now, spin the wheel to select the world you will reincarnate into. Then, you will tell me the method in which you wish to go into that world."
'ROB' paused, looking at Min-Jun standing up from his seated position on the floor. Stretching his body, he released a contented sound, before moving towards the wheel in slow strides.
"Soo-Ah, I'll be the one spinning." He said, not turning to look back. Once in front of the wheel, he grabbed its side, and with newfound strength that he didn't have before, the wheel begun to spin.
[Aincrad]
[Earth (DB)]
[Death City]
[Spirit Realm]
..
..
..
[Earth (TWD)]
[Fallout]
[Marvel]
[DC]
[Dark Souls]
[Doom]
[Berserk]
[WH40K]
>[Mushoku Tensei]<
Min-Jun released the breath he had been holding upon seeing the significantly less dangerous world compared to the previous ones he'd seen on the wheel.
Holy f*ck! I almost landed on Warhammer 40K!
He shivered at the thought.
He turned his head towards 'his' direction, took a deep breath, and then described his method of entering the other world.
"I want to reincarnate into the Six-Faced World, in the body of Rudeus Greyrat. Of course, with minor appearance changes, that should be possible since I'm choosing the vessel I want to be in, right?"
He inquired, hoping he would be able to alter some aspects of his appearance for his next life.
"Ah, there is no need for appearance changes. The Gamer System will grant that to you afterward. Now... what about you, young lady? Reincarnation, Transmigration, or Summoning? Oh, and just a small note, if you choose summoning, you will appear during the Metastasis Event alongside that Nanahoshi girl."
Metastasis Event? Ah! That event teleported the main character and many others to a different place. It's been a few years since I last read Mushoku Tensei... not to mention I dropped it before finishing due to focusing on work and other things.
Min-Jun rubbed his chin with narrowed eyes, trying to recall most of the significant events he could remember, and making an effort not to forget them.
"I also choose reincarnation, specifically in the body of Sylphiette, the childhood friend of Rudeus."
Min-Jun was snapped out of his thoughts by his girlfriend's voice.
Right. Soo-Ah watched a few episodes of Mushoku Tensei before dropping it due to Rudeus being a bit of a creep and all that.
Min-Jun thought, amused, before focusing on the matter at hand.
"Then, I wish you both good luck in your next lives. Ah, and make sure not to come here too quickly! Adiós~!"
A small beam of electricity and light instantly struck the two 'mortals', causing them to disappear to the Six-Faced world, where they would reincarnate and begin their journey.
A journey that would go down in the annals of history as the birth of something far greater than anyone could have imagined.
"You still haven't left? Well, it doesn't matter. Just keep me out of that mess next time, alright?"
'He' said, looking in my direction, a small smirk tugging at 'his' foggy lips.
"Well then, goodbye, author-san."
Instantly, a void appeared within the white space, and the figure moved into it and disappeared, never to be seen again...
Or maybe he will be?
It is up to [Karmic Fate] to decide that.
ﾟ･:,｡★＼(^-^ )♪마무리 노트♪( ^-^)/★｡,･:･ﾟ
• I know the character dialogue seems a bit dry and all, along with characters not being described showing their emotions all that well, but I am trying not to make the chapters too long and descriptive to the point it will bore readers. Unless you all want chapters to be more descriptive, then I'll stick to doing 3rd POV like this.
Thoughts? Questions (I will not spoil)? Advice?
Three Fun Facts about the author:
•Loves reading.
•Knows Spanish (Intermediate), English (Advanced, almost Expert), Mandarin (Novice), and Korean (Novice).
•Has two dogs.
