Darkness. A black void was all that could be seen, or more accurately, felt.
I was dead.
It's hard to think about, knowing that you are no more. You'll never see those you loved again. You'll never know living again.
My senses were nonexistent just like how my body was. Darkening blackness was all I could feel, as if I was slowly drifting towards a horizon of eternal slumber.
Was this truly the end?
Was this truly death?
Is there no more meaning beyond the physical world? Why am I so helpless?
Eternity is a long time, yet it is insignificant compared to the length of absolute nothingness.
As what one would perceive as time, slowly, but also quickly passed by, I soon gave up on consciousness. Consciousness was useless if you couldn't do anything with it anyways. It was time to sleep.
I was tired. Tired of others. Tired of worrying. Tired of trying to do what I can't and doing what I would rather not.
It's time for my eternal vacation.
As soon as I started to relax into the comfort of the endless void of death, the darkness was soon replaced by a blinding light.
What the heck?
The light soon wrapped around my astral body and violently pulled. My very being was being kidnapped!
I was unwillingly pulled towards the source of the light. It was seemingly a large spiraling circle.
As I was finally pulled inside, my consciousness was once again fading.
As I came to myself again, my head ached and my body felt as if it had slept on cement for the last few years.
Wait a minute! Body? A body?!
As I slowly opened my eyes and looked down, I was met with a naked body with an ample pair of breasts! My legs were smooth and my arms were as well. Beautiful silver hair flowed down from my head onto my shoulders and back.
I was a girl! And a hot one at that!
I tried moving, but immediately, my body fell. My wrists, ankles, and my neck were all stinging and cramped. As I looked more closely, multiple chain marks could be seen tainting the otherwise perfect pale skin.
When I stopped appraising my new unexpected body, I finally noticed the circumstances I was in.
"Ahem"
I quickly looked up in the direction of the cough and was met with an unexpected sight. Two men dressed in highly decorated military uniforms were standing in front of me, and around us were over 400 people lying on the ground. The large circular platform underneath me was raised higher than the floor of the room and had a large familiar pattern on it.
A magic circle?!
Before I could continue my investigation, it was soon interrupted.
"I gave you 400 of some of my most valuable men as well as the sacrifice of tens of thousands. Did you know how many soldiers we lost in order to gain just a single hostage?! 70,000!! And now you used her in a single experiment as if she was cattle. Dr. Boris, if you don't show me good results soon, I will guarantee that I will put your career as well as your head into the gutter."
The taller man's face was red with anger and had veins popping out of his forehead.
"But Major General Holland!! Just wait! Once the appraiser uncovers her skills, you'll see that this wasn't a waste! Just wait for a few minutes! Appraiser! You may come in!"
"We'll see."
As the two stopped their bickering, a slightly frightened soldier came through the iron door behind them.
"Y-Yes! James Charles reporting for duty!"
After he let go of his salute, the young soldier slowly came up to me and eyed my body. Even though I was only recently male, I still felt uncomfortable and quickly covered my body.
"Damn, if I only I could talk to her."
After the soldier cursed under his breath, I finally realized, they didn't know that I could understand them!
Should I talk? But if I do, I don't know how they'll react. I should probably wait.
The appraiser started to gently hover his hands over me. Warm light started to flow out of his palms and into my body.
As the light finally stopped flowing, the appraiser suddenly had a look of surprise, and then fear.
"Appraiser!"
"Y-Ys General Holland!"
"Now, tell me appraiser, what are her skills?"
"Umm sir-"
"TELL ME!"
"Yes sir. She has two, sir. The first is {Akashic Records} and the other is… {Manipulation}..."
The appraiser put his head down in shame while the General was once again burning with red hot rage.
"So what you're saying is that we sacrificed 400 top tier battle mages, along with THE PRINCESS OF DROSIA, JUST FOR A GOD DAMN BLACKSMITH WITH RECORDING SKILLS?!? FUCK!!"
*SLAM*
After banging his hands on the table, he calmed down just a little."
"And you're positive there weren't any mistakes?"
"Yes, sir."
"Doctor, I'll go tell the president about your catastrophic failure. To think that this is all the proud Merikanian weapons development division has to offer. Such a pity. You will pay for this folly with your life unless you somehow can come back from this. Until we meet again."
*BAM*
With a disdainful expression the general slammed the iron gate behind him. The appraiser left as well. All that was left was me, and the doctor with a pair of intimidating glasses currently glaring at me.
"YOU!"
*SLAP*
"You were supposed to be my way OUT of this filthy place. You were supposed to be the Republic's ultimate weapon against that damned Empire."
My cheek stung from the slap. Skills? Weapon? Ah, I see now. I must be in another world. Like those isekai light novels. But where are the hot elves and adventurers? Where were my overpowered cheats? Where were the levels, xp, and monsters? Weren't these types of worlds supposed to be game like?"
*SLAP"
"You think you can ignore me you piece of trash? Just you wait. Even if you're useless to the military, there are still plenty of ways to use you. Guards! Take her to room 666."
As soon as he called for them, four masked guards immediately came through the doors and violently grabbed me. I struggled against the four of them, but I couldn't get out of their grip as they carried my naked body away.
I guess they were right, I was weak. I was useless. I was helpless as they easily carried me away.
Can't I just go back to being dead again?
*SLAM*
The door closed, leaving only the doctor behind.
"If a human soul can already make a bomb so devastating. I wonder what a summoned soul will be like, huhuhuhu."