Prologue

You know, everyone's got their own theories about death.

Christians think it's a ticket to Purgatory with a final destination of heaven or hell, depending on whether your rap sheet is saintly or scandalous. Buddhists believe in the cosmic recycling program – you die, get reborn, maybe level up if you were a decent person. Atheists, well, they're convinced it's just lights out, end of the show, and into the infinite void you go.

Dark, right? But hey, who am I to judge?

So, let me introduce myself.

I'm Ethan Drake, living the dream in the city of normalcy and apathy.

My life? A rollercoaster of above average mediocrity – graduated with grades that could make a parent proud, enrolled in a fancy university, and landed a cashier gig at a minimart, all to fund my nerdy obsession with anime.

I've got the classic family setup – an older brother, a younger sister, and parents running a successful family restaurant. Money was never a problem, thanks to the family business. Think of it like the [Golden Rule] at E rank – no money issues, even if you're not rolling in dough.

Now, my older brother was slaving away in some big software company. Don't ask me the name; I didn't care enough to remember. As for me, I chose to live solo in a cozy apartment. Why? Well, let's just say I had my reasons. Maybe I just didn't want my mom doing my laundry, okay?

So there I was, cruising through life at twenty, single and not particularly hideous. Call it a life choice or sheer bad luck, but I hadn't found that special someone worth sacrificing my Netflix and chill for.

"Hey, Ethan, I'm out! Lock up, will ya? Someone will pick up the keys tomorrow!" That was my boss, Caroline Fernandes – a foreign beauty with wavy ginger hair and, let's face it, the title of a certified MILF.

As Caroline vanished into the night, I flipped the sign, locked up, and threw the trash out. Little did I know, this was the night my life would go from 'meh' to 'what the heck just happened.'

Now, the journey from my workplace to my apartment was a leisurely ten-minute stroll. Why burn cash on public transport when you're on a tight budget? But this particular night, the fate decided to spice things up.

"Aaaahhh!"

Screams.

Chaos.

Gunshots?

What in the actual heck was happening?

"Move! I'll kill you!" I swiveled around just in time to see a dude sprinting my way, knife in hand, and a handbag in the other. Was this a mugging or a twisted episode of a reality show gone wrong?

Even faced with a knife-wielding maniac, I couldn't help but think, "Man, this feels like Satoru Mikami's intro and assention to Rimuru Tempest, doesn't it?"

My anime brain never quits.

Dodging the knife like a ninja (thank you, years of anime training), I decided to play hero. A twist of the wrist, a dropkick on chest, and bam! Captain Criminal was down for the count.

"I am not some stupid protagonist, asshole!"

I declared to the unconscious dude. Seriously, who tries to mug someone with a knife in real life? Step up your game, buddy.

But my superhero moment was short-lived. Out of nowhere, a furious voice yelled.

"You motherfucker! What did you do to my brother? I'll kill you!"

Phew!

And then, I fell on the ground.

Bamm!

Blood was pooling around me. A burning pain raced through my body. As I lay there, I thought, 'Seriously? Shot by a random dude and not even a cool villain or a truck-kun? Lame.'

"Shit, he's bleeding! Call an ambulance!" someone yelled.

My vision blurred, and I started pondering the afterlife – heaven, hell, or maybe a quirky isekai world?

"Hang on! Where the heck is the ambulance?!" someone else shouted.

My consciousness flickered, and all I could think was, 'Well, this sucks. I won't even know how those awesome anime and manga end.'

And then, just before drifting into unconsciousness, a mysterious voice echoed.

You are worthy!

If this was my audition for some cosmic talent show, they sure had a twisted sense of humor.

***

Darkness surrounded me, an impenetrable void.

Where was I?

What had transpired?

I recalled leaving work, a chaotic scene, and then...

My identity surfaced as if pulled from a foggy memory. Ethan Drake, a twenty-year-old student at a prestigious university.

The details started to crystallize—I had returned late from work, encountered a knife-wielding man, and somehow met my end. A peculiar situation to find oneself in, no doubt, but at least my mind seemed intact. No need to panic; keeping a cool head was my forte, or so I thought.

The last time I had felt the sting of panic was during a tragic loss at a Black Hanekawa swimsuit figurine bidding. The trauma of that defeat lingered, but alas, life goes on. Catgirls for the win! Now, back to my current predicament.

Memories blurred as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. I found myself trapped in this seemingly endless void. Atheists had a point, it seemed; death brought forth a desolate abyss.

No time, no space—just nothingness.

It was maddeningly lonely, and so I began to converse with the emptiness.

"Hey! Wassup, buddy! Wanna play something, chess? No? Then how 'bout something physical like basketball? No, huh!? Let's talk about life...still No! Then screw you!!! I will go and... oh wait, I forgot that I don't have a dick anymore."

Apologies for the outburst; it's a side effect of the prolonged isolation. Talking to the void became a bizarre comfort, a way to fend off the madness.

My desire for life's simple pleasures intensified—a gentle breeze, a warm embrace, the satisfaction of a hearty meal. Basic needs became insatiable cravings in this void of nothingness. But, alas, I was dead.

A human turned loner turned ghost—fate had a twisted sense of humor.

As an unknown amount of time passed, a peculiar crack in the emptiness caught my attention. An ethereal light emitted from it, inviting me to explore. I reached out, touched it, and found myself consumed by its radiance. Suddenly, I was one with the void, one with everything.

In this newfound state, I could perceive all possibilities.

Every action, every inaction, the past, present, and future across multiple realities.

I developed a routine, if you can call it that. My favorite pastime? Watching reruns of my life with a twist – different possibilities, alternate choices, and, believe it or not, some utterly bizarre scenarios. I mean, who knew pooping in front of a public place could lead to such wild outcomes?

Don't judge; it was just an interesting experiment, okay?

Picture this: there I am, watching versions of me doing things I'd never dream of. Friends with people I never met, habits I never had, and yes, a surprising number of new, ahem, acquaintances. In one particularly eyebrow-raising possibility, I even... let's say, got cozy with Caroline.

Lucky me, right? It turns out, in this corner of the infinite, dreams do come true, even the steamy ones involving your sexy milf boss. I never thought that would be a potential plot twist, but here we are.

Now, before you start thinking I spent all my time on R-rated daydreams, let me clarify. I explored every avenue of possibility – the good, the bad, and the utterly absurd. It was like binge-watching a cosmic sitcom with endless seasons, and trust me, the writer was on something otherworldly.

It's time you move on!

A voice resonated out of nowhere.

Move on? But what about that ahegao fa—

The void shifted. Power surged through me, a connection formed. I was being freed from the shackles of Akasha.

My mind swirled with possibilities. Yet, before I could protest the abrupt interruption of my favorite imaginary scenario, silence embraced me.

And with that, the void relinquished its hold. I was poised to embark on the life I'd always yearned for—a life beyond the abyss, beyond endless possibilities, and perhaps, just perhaps, beyond the amusing 'what ifs' of my peculiar pastime.