Chapter 1: In the Void

(At an Unknown Time in the Void)

'.....'

'.....'

'Wh....'

'Wher...'

"WHERE AM I?" Ryota shouted hysterically, barely able to keep his consciousness. Panic surged through him, his mind racing with confusion and fear.

"Where is this place?" he thought, struggling to make sense of his surroundings. Darkness enveloped him, a void so complete it felt suffocating. The last thing he remembered was cheerfully heading to the Crossing Cafe at Nissan Crossing to meet his friends. They had planned to volunteer at the orphanage, a noble cause he was excited about. He was supposed to go with Hayato, Maki, Takeshi, and other club members. Most importantly, he was supposed to meet Fumino, the most beautiful girl in their club—a perfect opportunity to get to know her better.

"But then I crashed with the truck," he recalled, the memory hitting him like a tidal wave. The sound of screeching tyres, the blinding headlights, the unbearable pain—all vivid and fresh in his mind.

Grief washed over him. Memories from birth to death flashed before his eyes like a short movie, each scene more poignant than the last. His childhood, family, friends, dreams—everything he cherished was slipping away.

As he pondered, his consciousness slowly faded. "I am feeling so sleepy," he thought, his thoughts growing muddled. "Is this the end?"

Darkness embraced him, pulling him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

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(After a Few Years in the Void)

"Hmm... Yawn... I had a good sleep," he thought, stretching as if he had just woken up from a long nap. But something was off. His surroundings were still the same oppressive void. "Where am I? Oh, right! I died, crushed by a truck."

His mood plummeted. Tachibana Ryota was an ordinary Japanese college student with no notable features. At 5'7", he had the average height of a Japanese man and didn't think he would grow any taller. His face was plain, barely distinguishable in a crowd, and his thin, lean figure appeared weak at a glance.

He was from Nagoya City in the Aichi prefecture of Japan. He remembered growing up there, a city famous for its automobile industry and historical sites. This unique city blended the old and new, with historical sites like Nagoya Castle and Atsuta Shrine providing a tranquil contrast to the bustling car workshops, garages, and factories. He often visited the city as a child, enjoying the view and eating Hitsumabushi (grilled eel) and Misokatsu (breaded pork cutlets) with his family.

"Family, huh," he mused, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips.

He remembered his family—a family of four: his father, Koji Tachibana; his mother, Keiko Tachibana; and his cute little sister, Emi Tachibana. His father, despite his strict appearance, was a doting parent. His mother was the best mom he could ask for, and his sister, despite being naughty, was a ray of sunshine who brought happiness to the family. The thought of them mourning his loss filled him with sorrow. "I didn't even get to say goodbye," he thought, tears welling up in his eyes. "I hope they can move on without me."

As he reminisced, he recalled his precious childhood memories spent at Nagoya Shiritsu Hirata Elementary School with his childhood friend, Miki. They had drifted apart when she transferred to Kanazawa due to her father's job. Their tearful goodbye was still fresh in his mind. "I wonder what happened to Miki," he pondered, lost in the memories of their adventures together.

His fun times in middle and high school with his best friends, Yuto, Ren, and Kaito, also came to mind—their arcade visits, karaoke sessions, and pranks on their P.E. teacher were some of the best memories of his life. They had promised to meet up after finding girlfriends. "I guess I won't be able to keep that promise," he thought, a pang of regret piercing his heart.

He also remembered being a huge fan of anime and comics, enough to call himself an otaku. He had read all the big three—DBZ, Naruto, and One Piece—though he never saw the last chapter of One Piece and wasn't a big fan of Naruto's sequel, Boruto. He read The Eminence in Shadow, Bleach, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, and many more. "I guess I'll never know how One Piece ends," he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "But at least I enjoyed the journey."

And with that, his thoughts paused as he fell into a deep sleep again.

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(After a Few Years in the Void)

"...and after that, Vegapunk declared the truth about the void century to the entire world," he recited as if trying to keep the story alive in his mind.

"Now finished. With that, I have completed the 2341st remembering of One Piece. What should I do next, Bleach or Death Note?" he wondered, trying to keep himself entertained. "Hmm. That's a difficult question. I bet my family would be laughing at my antics right now."

"Family, hmm. WHO IS MY FAMILY?" he suddenly questioned, panic rising within him. "I remember, I remember. I am Tachibana Ryota."

"Tachibana Ryota," he repeated, desperately clinging to his identity.

And with that, he fell asleep, terrified at the thought of forgetting his family.

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(After a Hundred Years in the Void)

"TACHIBANA RYOTA."

"TACHIBANA RYOTA."

"TAKAHASHI Ryuchi...."

"Wait, who am I?"

"WHO AM I?" he screamed internally, the realization of his fading identity hitting him like a ton of bricks.

He thought with complete devastation, feeling his sense of self slipping away.

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(After a Thousand Years in the Void)  

"Who am I?"

"Who am I?"

"I..."

"God, please save me!" he cried, utterly devastated as he lost himself completely.

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(After a Million Years in the Void)

"God."

"God."

"...."

As he was about to lose his mind and become one with the void completely, a hole suddenly opened in the void, sucking his soul and then vanishing as if it had never been there in the first place. Nobody knew how the hole appeared, but it certainly marked the beginning of a new journey for the soul.

As Ryota's soul was drawn towards the light, fragments of his past flickered within him. His father's stern but loving face, his mother's warm embrace, and his sister's infectious laughter. The promises made, the dreams unfulfilled, the life lived and lost—all flashed before him one last time.

"Is this salvation?" he wondered, feeling an unfamiliar sensation of hope.

The void began to feel distant, its grip loosening as he was pulled further away. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he felt a sense of direction, a pull towards something beyond the emptiness.

"Maybe this is a second chance," he thought, daring to hope. "Maybe there's more to my story."

As the light grew brighter, a sense of peace washed over him. The memories of his past life remained, but the despair that had once consumed him began to fade. He didn't know what awaited him on the other side, but he was ready to face it.

"Goodbye, void," he whispered, embracing the unknown. "Hello, a new beginning."

With that, Tachibana Ryota's soul was reborn, embarking on a new journey filled with endless possibilities.