Young Shipment Company Manager Dies After Working Slave Hours For Years And Eventually Get Reborn As A Panda

"Ahhh... Where is it?"

In the dimly lit room, shadows moved across the walls as a young man frantically searched through the clutter of his wardrobe.

Dark circles were etched beneath his weary eyes, betraying the exhaustion that weighed heavily on him.

His phone rang relentlessly in the background, its continuous noise doing more harm than good as it caused his actions to become more clumsy.

"I could have sworn I washed it," he remarked as he hastily donned his crumpled suit, which he found tucked away in a corner of dirty clothes.

Each of his movements was punctuated by a deepening sense of urgency.

While attempting to fortify himself with a cup of coffee, his fatigued state betrayed him, causing the cup to slip from his grasp and its contents to spill onto the floor, much like his dwindling energy reserves.

He let out a resigned sigh as he gathered his laptop and prepared to depart.

But as he moved to leave, he felt a searing pain shoot through his skull, forcing him to recoil and seek support from the nearest wall. It was a harsh reminder that his strength had completely faltered.

Desperation etched his face as he struggled to maintain composure, but his resolve was greatly tested by the relentless assault of pain.

Despite his best efforts, he knew he was teetering on the edge of collapse. After working slave hours for years, this was his body fighting back.

Summoning the last vestiges of his strength, he opened his laptop with trembling fingers and his vision swimming as he tried to navigate through the fog of exhaustion.

He knew it was finished when he couldn't even see his laptop's screen clearly, but he still managed to forward the crucial presentation to his boss's email.

"I might not be able to present it myself, but at least I sent it. Even though this is going to get me in a lot of trouble, there's nothing more I could do," he thought as the pain intensified, causing him to crumple to the ground. His body wracked with spasms as he clutched his head in agony.

Darkness quickly encroached on his vision, and with a final, futile attempt to reach the safety of the door, his world dissolved into blackness. His consciousness slipped away into the abyss.

The name of the unfortunate young lad was Akaji.

Akaji's journey began in the city of Kyoto, Japan, where he pursued his education with unwavering determination.

Upon graduating from college with flying colors, he embarked on a career path that promised success and stability. Landing a job in a prestigious shipment company, he approached his work with much diligence.

His tireless efforts did not go unnoticed, and within a mere four years, Akaji ascended the ranks to assume a managerial position.

This promotion brought with it a sense of accomplishment, but it also ushered in a new era of relentless demands.

His executive manager, driven by ambitious goals and bottom-line targets, pushed Akaji to the brink, demanding more from him with each passing day.

With no respite in sight, Akaji found himself caught in a vicious cycle of overwork and exhaustion.

Days blurred into nights as he toiled tirelessly, sacrificing his own well-being for the sake of meeting unrealistic expectations.

His once-vibrant spirit began to wane under the weight of incessant pressure, his passion for his work overshadowed by the crushing burden of burnout.

Despite his remarkable resilience, Akaji soon found himself teetering on the edge of physical and emotional collapse.

The relentless pace of his professional life exacted a heavy toll, leaving him depleted and disillusioned in its wake.

In less than a year after his promotion, Akaji found himself confronting the harsh reality of burnout, a shell of the ambitious young man who had once dared to dream of a brighter future.

But alas, where did all that hard work lead him? An early grave, as you must have guessed.

Akaji slowly opened his eyes, his vision still a bit hazy as if he had just awoken from a deep sleep.

From his lying position, he could see several small grasses in front of him, and as he adjusted his vision to look forward, an amazing scenery unfolded before him.

It was as if he was in the heart of a fantasy realm, with a breathtaking landscape. Towering bamboo stems stretched skyward, their heights surpassing imagination and reaching into the very clouds that drifted lazily in the sky.

Alongside these majestic pillars, clusters of small mushrooms sprouted from the fertile ground, each imbued with a radiant glow of otherworldly hues - blues, reds, greens, and yellows - casting an ethereal light that danced among the verdant foliage.

Massive rocks, weathered by eons of time, stood as silent sentinels amidst the vibrant flora, their surfaces adorned with intricate patterns carved by wind and rain.

Crystal-clear streams meandered through the landscape, their waters sparkling like liquid diamonds beneath the warm caress of the sun's rays, weaving a tapestry of light and shadow across the land.

In this enchanted realm, the gentle breeze stirred the leaves of ancient trees and carried the sweet scent of exotic flowers.

And amidst this natural splendor, small birds with feathers of iridescent hues flitted through the air, their melodic songs blending harmoniously with the symphony of nature.

Akaji blinked several times, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

His mind raced as he tried to recall the events leading up to this moment, but everything was a blur.

He tried to get up when he realized he was heavier than usual. He raised his arms and was greatly shocked by what he saw in front of him - small black paws with six-digit fingers, each holding a claw.

Panic surged within him as he examined his new body, his heart pounding in his chest.

He staggered towards the river, moving on two legs like a human would. With trembling anticipation, he leaned over the water's edge, peering into the reflective surface.

There, staring back at him, was the unmistakable image of a panda.

His fur was a stunning contrast of black and white, with distinctive markings around his eyes.

His ears, adorned with fluffy tufts of fur, twitched in bewilderment atop his wide head.

But what truly caught his attention was the size of his stomach, round and full.

Akaji's mind whirled with questions, each one more perplexing than the last.

How had he become a panda? Was this some kind of dream or illusion? And most importantly, was I transmigrated? If so, how am I going to navigate this strange new world? Those were some of the thoughts lingering in Akaji's mind, however, he wasn't completely lost in the dark.

Being from Japan, he naturally had heard of transmigration, not to mention all those isekai he used to watch during his younger days when he still had a little free time.

As he pondered his predicament, a sense of calm washed over him.

Despite the uncertainty of his circumstances, it also meant he wouldn't have to go to work ever again, and compared to that, this was more like obtaining freedom from the prison that was his previous life.

He could now live his life free from work and responsibilities.

Both his parents had died a year ago before his promotion, and since he didn't have any siblings, that meant he didn't have to worry about leaving any family behind in his other life.

Akaji's plantigrade foot padded softly against the rich earth as he roamed the expansive landscape.

With each step, he embraced the freedom of his new existence, relishing the simple pleasures of the natural world.

The gentle sway of bamboo, the rustle of leaves in the breeze - every sensation was a symphony of life that he savored.

'As long as there are other intelligent life, I can start a new life and form new relationships... hehe,' Akaji thought. But he realized, what if there were no intelligent life other than himself? What if they were just mindless animals? And even if there were humans, how would he interact with them since he was just a panda? The whole idea made Akaji sigh inwardly. Maybe his rebirth wasn't as optimistic as he had thought.

Akaji thought about his past life and how all his struggling and hard work eventually led to his demise. It was at that moment when he vowed to cherish this new life, no matter what.

Suddenly, the forest echoed with an ominous growl, jolting Akaji from his reverie.

His senses sharpened as he scanned the rustling bushes, feeling tense all of a sudden.

And before he could react, a massive tiger burst forth from the bushes, its emerald fur rippling with predatory intent.

Akaji's instinct kicked in, propelling him into a frantic sprint, his panda body lurching clumsily over the uneven terrain.

His heart pounded as he dodged and weaved, his muscles straining against the unfamiliar weight of his new form.

But the tiger's relentless pursuit closed in as its fierce snarls drove Akaji to the brink of panic.

With a desperate surge of adrenaline, Akaji pushed himself to the limit, each labored breath a testament to his determination to survive.

Yet, despite his efforts, his unsteady footing betrayed him, sending him tumbling to the ground in a flurry of fur and leaves.

The tiger lunged, teeth bared and claws slashing through the air.

"I'm dead," Akaji shrieked inwardly.

But in a stroke of fortune, Akaji's fall diverted the predator's path, sending it crashing into a nearby tree with a resounding thud.

Seizing the opportunity, Akaji scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding in his ears as he bolted down the steep incline.

Gravity became his ally, propelling him forward with newfound speed as the tiger struggled to regain its footing.

With a final burst of energy, Akaji reached the safety of level ground, his breath ragged but triumphant.

As he gazed back at the distant roar of the pursuing tiger, his face contorted in a frown.

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Author's Thought: welcome loyal readers, and if you are wondering why I started writing this novel then it is as you must have imagined, I was really held at gunpoint and forced to write it ~ someone please save me ಥ╭╮ಥ