As John Michael stepped into the unfamiliar realm, a radiant figure appeared before him. The goddess bore a striking resemblance to Athena, exuding an aura of wisdom and grace.
"Welcome, Taiyo Satone," the goddess greeted him with a warm smile.
"Uh, hi. But actually, my name isn't Taiyo Satone. It's John Michael," he replied, slightly puzzled.
"I must have made a mistake. Ugh, this is so annoying!" the goddess exclaimed, her expression filled with concern and frustration. She nervously tugged at her hair, clearly flustered by her error. "I can't believe I messed up! I'll probably get scolded for this!"
I'm John Michael, and I want to clarify that I'm not Japanese. Seriously, what's with the idea of exclusively reincarnating Japanese people? Is this some kind of gag? I'm proudly American, and trust me, we don't all look the same. I hail from New York, and let me warn you, don't you dare disrespect my hometown. Yeah, it may have its flaws, but it's still where I call home, so don't you dare insult it. Anyway, enough with the rant. Why am I even narrating all this in my head? It's a strange thought, to say the least.
"Uoooooohhhh, what should I do? I need to call in some help," the goddess fretted, her voice tinged with concern.
In response to her distress, the goddess pressed a button, causing a dazzling pillar of light to manifest. As the light subsided, another goddess emerged, bearing a striking resemblance to the first but with an air of refinement that set her apart. Her white robe accentuated her elegance, and her presence commanded attention, especially in the more, shall we say, bust.
Meanwhile, here I am, just sitting on the ground, contemplating the situation. It's quite tiring to stand, you know? So, let's keep the conversation going and see what unfolds.
"Ummm, I'm really sorry for what happened," the older goddess said, taking a step forward and bowing respectfully. "We'll look into it and make things right. So, for the meantime, can you please wait a little longer?"
"Sure," I replied, slightly taken aback by her display of respect.
"You're surprisingly calm," she remarked, straightening up.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
Well, what other choice do I have? I never expected reincarnation to be a real thing. I always thought it was just some fantasy concept from novels. I've come to accept the grim reality that there's nothing beyond this life but darkness.
The older goddess nodded, her expression understanding. "There is such a thing as reincarnation, though it's incredibly rare, like one in a billion every year. But here's the twist—all the summoned individuals are Japanese. Every single one of them, without exception."
'Wait, did she just read my mind?' My eyes widened in surprise.
I recalled the petite goddess blurting out something earlier that aligned perfectly with my thoughts, but I remained unfazed. It seemed these divine beings had some uncanny ability to tap into people's minds.
"You're sooo rude! I'm still growing! Big sister, uwaahhh!" the petite goddess exclaimed, her voice filled with both annoyance and a hint of childishness.
"There, there," the older goddess cooed, her gentle touch caressing the petite goddess's arm, trying to comfort her.
I couldn't help but wonder what this scene was all about. It seemed there was some sibling-like relationship between these two divine beings, with the older one taking on a sisterly role.
"You're rude," the petite goddess pouted, directing her remark towards me. "But I'll forgive you. So, just wait a little while longer."
"Okay," I responded, finding a comfortable spot to position myself. Strangely, an overwhelming feeling of sleepiness washed over me. I had an inexplicable desire to sleep, even though I couldn't understand why.
"This person really is weird. But he's different from those Japanese people who are usually excited about reincarnating," one of the goddesses commented, seemingly perplexed by my demeanor.
I was certain that I had this peculiar feeling before. It was as if my cravings took over my thoughts. First, I longed for a bagel, then a pizza, and oh, ice cream! Lost in my reverie, I eventually drifted off into a deep slumber, unaware of the passing time.
"Umm, yeah. But he's still our responsibility. So, let's get back to work," the older goddess said, refocusing her attention on their duties.
As I started losing consciousness, my mind began drifting into a hazy state. It felt as though I was slowly falling asleep, surrendering to the realms of dreams.
Oh, I suddenly remembered! I'm originally from New York. My family is quite wealthy, and I have a wonderful sister. At one point, I was even hailed as a genius for something I did half-baked. I managed to get into a prestigious college and eventually landed a job as a financial manager, which required me to relocate to Japan. I spent around four years there. However, due to a financial error, I found myself in a situation where I had to go without sleep for a week to avoid being fired. But eventually, the exhaustion caught up with me, and I collapsed right there in a store. Looking back, I realize how foolish I was to push myself that hard. Well, it's not really worth mentioning anymore.
"Wake up! I said wake up!" a voice called out, cutting through the fog and shaking me forcefully.
Ugh, someone's shaking me so vigorously. It's frustrating, really.
"No! It's me! Aren't you ashamed?" the voice exclaimed with a tone of pure frustration.
In my half-awake state, I questioned whether I should feel any shame at all. After all, I believed my life had already come to an end, and with it, any remnants of shame were discarded.
"Ughhhh! Uryaaaaaah!" the goddess grunted, hurling me to the side.
"Aghhhh! Ouch! Wait, no... it didn't hurt?" I complained, surprised by the lack of pain.
"Of course it didn't. Physical attacks don't work on spirit bodies," the goddess stated the obvious.
Ah, so that's why.
"Wake up from your dream already. We have decided what to do with you," the voice beckoned, urging me to rouse from my slumber.
"Am I going to be disposed of? Well, I'm already prepared. Please let it end painlessly," I responded, resigned to my fate.
"No! The council has decreed that we must reincarnate you," the voice exclaimed, countering my assumption.
"Ohhhhhhh," I uttered, caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events.
"Ehem! Let me introduce myself. I am the Goddess Athena, the deity of love and fertility," the voice proclaimed, attempting to make a grand impression.
'Uhh, a Greek rip-off?' I retorted in my mind, unable to suppress my skepticism.
"I'll ignore that remark. But first, I must inform you of a few things. You will be reincarnated in a world called Lorsa. And yes, as most individuals ask, it is a world filled with swords and magic," Athena explained dutifully, despite my apparent lack of enthusiasm.
"Uhhh, is that really necessary? I just want to sleep. It's quite refreshing," I replied, expressing my desire for a peaceful slumber.
"You're really weird, you know? Most people get excited by hearing about such adventures," Athena remarked, clearly puzzled by my nonchalant attitude.
As she mentioned it, I couldn't help but notice her beauty. Her flawless, silky-smooth skin and cascading untangled blonde hair were truly captivating. She truly resembled a goddess.
"Are you even listening? It's only natural for me to be a goddess, a crystallization of beauty!" Athena exclaimed, her confidence shining through.
Quite the cocky goddess indeed, I thought to myself, amused by her self-assured demeanor.
"Ughhh! Control yourself, Athena. I won't let this get the better of me!" she muttered, her frustration beginning to show.
It seemed like she was about to explode with irritation.
"Continuing on, as a reincarnated individual, we will provide you with a bag that offers basic support until you can reach a nearby town and start earning money. The bag includes essential items like food, gold, a tent, a sword, and armor. Additionally, you'll enjoy perks as a reincarnated individual, such as an experience boost," Athena explained, detailing the provisions I would receive.
I recalled reading in the past that many individuals simply reincarnated without any support or belongings.
"We're not like that! And we certainly aren't foolish. I can't fathom why they would do that," Athena remarked with a hint of annoyance.
"Ehem! In this world, the currency is based on coins. Copper is the lowest denomination, followed by silver, gold, and so on, with platinum being the highest. This is the general standard, although there may be some exceptions in certain regions," Athena explained, providing information about the currency system.
"Wait, why are you rushing through this?" I interjected, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
"Because I'm running late! There's another individual waiting for reincarnation, and you've been sleeping for a whole year while we processed everything!" Athena replied, her voice filled with urgency.
"I understand. Please continue," I said, accepting the situation.
"I won't go into the specifics of the topography, but I can assure you that this world is not currently at war. I'll provide you with a copy of my book that contains valuable information about this world. You're the exception here, as we're really rushing things," Athena added, acknowledging the unique circumstances.
"That's just fine."
"Then this is the part where most individuals get excited. We are granting you a blessing. State what you want, and I'll consider it," Athena explained, her annoyance evident.
"[Immortality], please," I replied, my apathy coloring my request.
"Quite fast. Granted. Hmmm, I'll also add [Self-Sufficiency]. But it's not enough. State another one," she demanded.
"Ummm, how about a skill that puts me into a deep slumber?" I suggested.
"Are you a somnophile? I won't question it further. Granted. And here's another exception: [Experience Gain] skill," Athena granted, seemingly unimpressed.
"Oh, thanks," I muttered, my disinterest apparent.
"Lastly, you can view your status by saying [Status Open] in your mind. You can do that once you're there. Now, please step into the magic circle," Athena instructed.
I stepped into the peculiar-looking magic circle, but before fully entering, I remembered something.
"Uh, can I ask you a favor?" I hesitated.
"Hmm, we usually don't entertain such requests, but I'll hear you out," Athena acquiesced, her curiosity piqued.
"Can you teleport me to a place where I can sleep undisturbed? A secluded place, away from people and nuisances, just pure darkness," I pleaded.
"Fine. I'll throw in [Dark Vision] as well. It's a minor skill, after all," she granted with a snap of her fingers. "I can imagine what you'll do there."
Suddenly, the magic circle flooded with blinding light, and I found myself floating in mid-air.
"Well then, I hope I never see you here again, but good luck!" Athena said, a smirk gracing her face.
Whoa... Whoa.. WOAAAAAAHH!
As I descended, I braced myself for the impact, preparing to meet the ground.