The End and the Beginning

The bustling streets of Tokyo faded into the background as Akira Nakamura walked home from high school. His head hung low, his thoughts a jumble of insecurities and mundane worries. Akira, a high school boy with average grades and a knack for avoiding social interactions, found solace in his knowledge of the world around him. Chemistry, physics, and random facts about how things worked were his comfort, his shield against the loneliness that crept into his life.

As he passed a jewelry store, a sudden commotion erupted. A thief, eyes wild and desperate, burst out of the store, clutching a stolen necklace. Before Akira could react, the thief collided with him, and a gunshot echoed through the air. Pain seared through Akira's stomach, and he crumpled to the ground, his life bleeding out onto the cold pavement.

As the world around him dimmed, Akira's mind drifted. "Is this how it ends for me?" he wondered, a sense of resignation washing over him. "Well, it is what it is. I don't think my presence or absence will make any difference. God decided it for me, and I'm okay with it." His body grew colder, the light in his eyes fading. Darkness enveloped him, pulling him into its depths.

Suddenly, a brilliant light pierced the darkness, drawing him upward. Akira shielded his eyes, the brightness overwhelming. He struggled to move towards it, but the distance remained unchanged. Frustration mounting, he finally called out, "What is all this?"

A voice, deep and resonant, answered, "We have given you another chance at life. You will be transported to another world, a world of magic and fantasy, different from your current one. For the pain you faced, we will grant you three things. First, we will remove the physical and magical limits from your body, but you must work hard to attain and maintain these powers. For now, you will have above-average physical power. Second, you will have a skill in alchemy, allowing you to craft anything based on your knowledge. Lastly, you may choose one thing to take with you."

Akira's heart raced. "Can you reincarnate me back to my original world?" he asked.

The voice was firm. "No."

"Then can I have more magical power?"

Again, the voice declined. Akira sighed, accepting his fate. After a moment of thought, he began to ponder his third wish more carefully. "I need something that will give me an edge in this new world," he thought. "It has to be something convenient, something incredibly useful, and something that can be hidden from everyone else. I could ask for a powerful weapon, but that would draw too much attention. Maybe a magical artifact? No, it would still be visible and could be stolen."

As he considered his options, a sudden idea struck him. "What if I had something that could help me in any situation, something that couldn't be taken away? An advanced AI... Yes, that would be perfect! It could gather information from my senses, help me analyze situations, and always be there when I need it. And the best part is, no one else would even know it exists."

His mind made up, he asked, "Can I have an advanced AI in my brain that can gather information from my senses and obey my commands?"

The voice agreed, and a sensation like electricity coursed through Akira's mind. "Hello, Master Akira," a calm, digital voice greeted him.

"Alfred," Akira named the AI, feeling a strange sense of companionship. The godly entity continued, "You will be able to read, write, and speak the language of the new world." Medieval clothes materialized on Akira, and a bag of ten silver coins appeared at his side. With a final flash of light, he was transported to his new life.

Akira's eyes opened to the sight of a vast forest. He stood at its edge, a medieval city looming in the distance. A wide grassland separated him from the city, the sky above clear and inviting. He took a deep breath, feeling a sense of freedom he had never experienced before. "Thank you, God," he whispered, realizing he had always yearned for a world of magic and adventure.

"Alfred," he called out, testing the AI.

"Yes, Master Akira?" came the immediate reply.

"What can you do?" Akira asked, curiosity piqued.

"I share your senses and can control your body upon command. I possess all the knowledge from your previous world and can store new information as well."

Akira nodded, impressed. Pointing to the city, he asked, "How far is it?"

"Approximately one kilometer," Alfred responded instantly. With newfound determination, Akira began his journey toward the city.

As he approached the city gates, the towering walls and bustling activity filled him with a mix of excitement and anxiety. The guards at the entrance eyed him suspiciously. "Halt! Identify yourself," one demanded.

"I'm from a small village far to the south," Akira replied, trying to sound confident. "This is my first time in any city."

The guard's eyes narrowed as he inspected Akira's bag, finding the ten silver coins. "Where did you get this money?" he asked, suspicion lacing his voice.

"My grandmother left it to me," Akira explained, his voice steady. "She passed away recently, and I sold everything to move to the city."

The guard's gaze softened slightly. "Alright, you can enter. Register for an ID in that building over there," he instructed, pointing to a nearby structure.

Akira followed the directions, entering the registration building. An employee greeted him, asking for his name and age. "Akira Nakamura, seventeen," he replied.

"Place your hand in the hole beside the table," the employee instructed. A soft light emanated from the hole, warming Akira's hand. Moments later, the light faded, and the employee handed him a new ID. "To use it, infuse a bit of magic into the ink on the back of your hand," the employee explained, demonstrating. The ink glowed, displaying Akira's name, age, occupation, and city.

"Can you tell me where the library is?" Akira asked, eager to learn more about this world.

The employee gave him a curious look. "Most people here are traders or adventurers. Not many seek the library. Are you a scholar?"

"Something like that," Akira replied with a smile. Armed with directions, he made his way to the library, feeling a sense of purpose.

As he stood before the grand library doors, Akira took a deep breath. "This is it," he thought, determination burning in his chest. "A new world, a new life, and endless possibilities."