Silence and light... No matter where one would look, in the white roomー no, it would be more appropriate to call it a vast field of nothingness. And in that field of nothingness, nothing but silence and light could be observed, or so one would think in a quick glance.
Like an islet situated in a vast blue ocean, a man stood out like a sore thumb as he sprawled unconscious in the field of nothingness as he basked in the light from all dimensions.
"Huh?... Where am I?" ［???］
When he came to be, all he saw was light and nothingness which seemed to be stretching endlessly in all directions.
"Ugh... My head hurts... What just happened?" ［???］
After recollecting himself, despite the sharp pain he is feeling inside his head, the man tried to calm down and recall the events that occurred to him.
The harder he tried, the more recollection of images flashed inside his head and he was finally able to recall the events that happened to him before he came to be in the field of nothingness.
Apart from the stormy weather, it was just a normal day for the 27-year old Matteo. He just finished his work and was on his way home until a truck lost control over its brakes and ran recklessly on the highway.
Matteo almost saw life flash before his eyes. Luckily, he was able to move out of the way before it had the chance to run over him. It was the first time in his life where he had such a strong adrenaline rush.
"And then... huh? What happened after that?" ［???］
Matteo tried as hard as he could to remember what happened after such an event, but try as he might, it was all fruitless. If there was a effect from his efforts, it would only be that his headache worsened from how hard he tried to remember,
Having given up, Matteo once again scaled the vast field and tried to think of where he might be, but just like his previous actions, it was all fruitless as all he saw was pure white nothingness.
"Aaaagghhhhhh!!" ［???］
Out of frustration, Matteo was able to do nothing but yell as loudly as he could to vent his irritation. He was about to start walking at random when suddenly...
"Oh, you're awake already?" ［Voice］
"!!!" ［???］
A husky voice resounded throughout the field of nothingness, leaving Matteo to jump in surprise from the sudden voice.
Matteo looked left and right, above and under in search of the voice's source but was not able to find anything.
'Ah, I've finally gone crazy...' ［???］
"Young man, you aren't hearing things." ［Voice］
Just as Matteo thought he was imagining things, the voice reverberated throughout the field once again, as if trying to reply to Matteo's strange actions.
With that reply, Matteo was able to confirm that his hearing was still fine, but despite that, he was still dumbfounded as to where the voice came from. He tried to search for hidden cameras thinking that it was a prank but all he saw was, well... nothing.
"Rest assured, young man. This situation is very much real." ［Voice］
After searching the field once more, Matteo was unable to do anything but give up. After all, what kind of crazy person would do so much just to prank a salaryman. Pranks of such magnitude cost a lot of money, after all.
"Do you finally believe me?" ［Voice］
"What other choices do I have? Anyway, who are you and what is this place?" ［???］ "Oh! How could I forget to introduce myself." ［Voice］
Cough cough
As if he was preparing himself, the voice faked a cough twice and cleared his throat, even though there was no throat to be seen. In fact, there was only a voice but no body to be found.
It was such a surreal experience that ended up making Matteo think that he was actually dreaming, which is of course very much plausible.
"I am god!" ［Voice］
Along with the voice's declaration, strong gusts of wind hammered down to the field of nothingness. And while there were no grasses nor loeaves to be seen, a rustling sound could be heard along the wind.
But despite all the supernatural events, Matteo's face was the most surreal of all. It was the face of someone who seemed to be listening to a crazy person.
"Hey, what's with that look!? Are you doubting my divinity!?" ［Voice］
The voice rebelled as it noticed the face Matteo was making. Truly, it was a face that would irritate anyone no matter how timid one was.
"No it's just... everything's happening so fast that my mind couldn't keep up with all of it." ［???］
"Well, it does not matter if you believe me or not. What's important is that you're finally here." ［ Voice］
"And where exactly is 'here'?" ［???］
"Oh right. I still haven't told you... You, Matteo Alcantara, at the young age of 27 have lost your life in an unfortunate incident! And this is the afterlife!" ［Voice］
The voice declared as grandly as he could and once again, gusts of wind accompanied his bold declaration.
But rather than being surprised or mortified, Matteo on the other hand was puzzled by the voice's declaration. Some things just didn't add up with his memory.
'Hm? Wasn't I able to dodge that out of control truck?... Was I mistaken?' ［Matteo］
"No, you are right. You were able to survive that incident." ［Voice］
"Eh? Then how did I die?" ［Matteo］
Hearing the voice's reply made Matteo puzzled. Not only because he was able to ensure that his memories were right, but also because the voice was able to reply to his thoughts even when he hadn't voiced them out.
"Well, right after you survived that incident, you were struck by a lightning bolt. The passersby tried to bring you to the hospital but you lost your life even before the ambulance arrived." ［
Voice］
No matter how one would look at it, there was no denying that it was just due to Matteo's bad luck. Even Matteo himself was mortified due to how bad his luck was at that moment.
'Ugh... Just how terrible is my luck' ［Matteo］
It might be an overstatement but winning a lottery might even be more possible than getting hit by a lightning bolt, and right after surviving a deadly incident no less!
If Matteo was able to survive that incident along with the lightning strike, it would be no doubt that Matteo would end up in television for surviving 2 unfortunate accidents successively. That just goes to show how rare his before-death experience was!
"Don't feel too bad about it, Everyone has had their luck betray them one way or another. That's just how life is." ［Voice］
"Thanks for consoling me, but you sure do enjoy reading other people's minds without their permission, don't you?" ［Matteo］
"Hahahaha, I apologize for that." ［Voice］
Seeing how the voice was able to read his mind, Matteo was more or less convinced that the voice really was a god. And hearing him apologize for his mistake made him a reasonable person in Matteo's book.
"Anyways, what am I supposed to do now?" ［Matteo］
"In normal circumstances, you should be sent back to the circle of life and get reincarnated as a new being on Earth." ［Voice］
"Normal circumstances, you say,,." ［Matteo］
Upon hearing those words, a sudden and inexplicable excitement welled up inside Matteo's heart. It was a feeling he hasn't felt for a very long time.
"Haha... You're quick on the uptake, and for that, I have a once in a lifetime offer that you wouldn't be able to resist." ［Voice］
Despite not having a physical body, just from his words alone, Matteo was able to infer that the voice was grinning widely. In his mind, the voice was making a grin akin to that of a merchant who's about to profit big time,
Before the voice told Matteo what his proposition was, he first told Matteo about his current circumstances and a quick glance into what the universe really was.
In the voice's words, the universe where Matteo was from is a resource dimension where all gods take the resources they needed to improve their own dimensions. And those very resources are "souls".
Unlike anything else, souls are mysterious things that only dwell inside highly intellectual beings. They could be interpreted as a form of energy which has unique properties from person to person. It could be said that souls are the most important form of energy in existence.
With their unique properties, souls can be reborn in another dimension and do things no one else can. Be it defeating demon lords, producing tremendous amounts of mana, or other whatnots, it is guaranteed that there is a soul for the job.
The universe as it is is a cradle which serves to nourish those souls and ready them when gods need them. Of course, they couldn't take too much, or else, the warden which guards the universe will punish them.
The voice itself was a young god who just ascended into a higher plane and as he is too attached to the first world he created, he wanted to protect it just in case something bad happens, but just as he was about to finish up, a problem occurred.
It has already been far too long since he ascended and he can no longer meddle directly in that world, thus he needs someone to finish up what he started and activate the devices he made.
In that circumstance, he was left with no other choice but to select someone from Earth, the planet which resembles his creation the most. It has been a few decades since then and corruption is about to spread in an uncontrollable state.
"So, what you're saying is that you need me to reincarnate and activate those things you made?"
"Well, that's the gist of it. So what do you think?" ［Voice］
Hearing the voice's story, Matteo was left to think what's best for himself. Of course, he wasn't an idiot who would blindlessly offer help to anyone who needed it. He also needs to know what's in for himself. After all, it was a negotiation.
"That world... can you tell me more about it?" ［Matteo］
As per Matteo's request, the voice summarized what the world he created was all about. Although he said before that it was similar to Earth, in another point of view, they are completely different.
The world was called Merusia, apart from the difference in the continents, oceans, and its smaller size, it was very similar to Earth. It has continents whose areas are covered from green to brown and oceans vast and blue.
But its most notable difference was the presence of mana. Swords and magic on a day to day basis, beasts larger than houses roaming the lands, and a society where knights and adventurers exist. In simpler terms, it was a medieval-fantasy world.
From start to finish, hearing the voice describe the world he created, Matteo's blood boiled in thrill and excitement as his eyes sparkled brighter than diamonds.
'Yes!' ［Matteo］
Hearing all the things he had dreamt of when he was a teenager, Matteo wasn't able to help himself from clenching his fists in excitement. In fact, he was so excited, his face could barely hide it.
After all, which hot-blooded person who longs for adventure wouldn't want to experience such a world. If there were no further disadvantages to it, Matteo would take up the offer right then and there.
Thankfully, because of his experiences as a salesman, Matteo was able to compose his excitement and think straight once again. After all, he wouldn't be able to do those adventures he dreamt of if he dies just right after he reincarnates.
"Knowing that there is magic, will I also be able to use it?" ［Matteo］
"Hahahahaha! What a pointless question! Would I even choose you if you wouldn't be able to?" ［Voice］
It was then when the voice said those words that something hit Matteo. He never really thought about it, but...
"Why, me?" ［Matteo］
From the billions of people living on Earth, it couldn't have been by chance that he was chosen to be the one to protect Merusia.
It is not worth bragging but Matteo is just your average person. There was nothing really special about him, other than his skills in cooking and knowledge in random topics he found on the internet.
It would have been more understandable if the ones he chose are those with great intellect or those that have superhuman abilities. After all, if it was their souls' unique property, then it would be carried on in Merusia.
"Don't bring yourself down. Did you know how hard it was to find a soul with such great adaptability to mana such as yourself? Forget about being special, if we include the whole universe, there would only be a handful of people as good as you!"
From the voice's words, there was no trace of flattery nor consolation. They were words which contained nothing but genuine truth.
In reality, souls of Matteo's caliber were often fought out by many gods. And as a young god, one wouldn't be able to imagine the trouble he had to go through to secure Matteo's soul.
After all, adaptability to mana was an innate ability which determines how fast one grows while surviving harsh environments or by training. The better one's adaptability is, the faster one's mana will increase so that they can survive in that harsh environment.
The only way to describe that competition was "hell".
After realizing how special he actually was, Matteo's mood improved significantly. It was one of the rare times in his life where he actually felt special. Of course, the other moments will be kept to himself only.
Matteo then quickly sorted out his thoughts and made a mental checklist on what to ask for from the voice pertaining to be a God.
It took him some time to formulate a checklist, and within those times, the voice did not bother him nor distract him. It made Matteo think once again that he really was a reasonable person.
"Hey, in Merusia, does special talents or abilities exist?" ［Matteo］
It was an absolutely necessary question, since all his plans revolve around them. While he might still be able to go about without them, it will be more convenient if he possesses them.
Having a special ability is akin to having an extra pair of limbs. With it, one can perform tasks they can only imagine before. Thus, it was an absolutely necessary question.
"If you're talking about innate abilities that people have like being able to meld into shadows or having immunity to poison or being able to identify things in a single look, then it does have it. As long as they're not too overbearing, then I can grant those to you. Only 3 though, that's my limit since I can't interfere too much with Merusia anymore" ［Voice］
Happiness. That was the only thing in Matteo's heart at that moment. His plan didn't go in vain, after all.
More than that, the voice itself said that there are abilities which allow the user to identify things in a single glance. In other words, appraisal!
In an unknown world, information is absolutely necessary to survive. And what better ability than appraisal will give such information? In Matteo's book, there was none! Hence the reason for his uncontrollable excitement.
In addition, he can have 3 abilities! It was more than what he had anticipated. In his eyes, although he can't see him, the voice who proclaims himself to be God was a very generous being.
"Then I'd like an ability where I can judge the true nature of a thing, a storage ability, and an ability where I'll be able to communicate easily and learn common sense. Will that be alright?" ［ Matteo］
Riding in the momentum, Matteo requested the skills he needed the most. While he could have requested more powerful abilities, it might end up getting rejected as it is too overbearing, No matter where one is, one must practice moderation, after all.
And listening to Matteo's request, the voice mumbled in a low voice and gave the okay sign to Matteo, which of course made the latter extremely happy.
After discussing the abilities, they then discussed how Matteo wants his body to be and what kinds of characteristics he wants. Apparently, even if the soul stays the same, one can have different natural characteristics.
In the said matter, Matteo decided that he wanted to be an adult so that he can move more comfortably. As for the looks, as long as he didn't look weird, he was fine with it. Looks won't be able to help in battles after all.
Next, they then discussed about the place where Matteo will be reincarnated, and it was decided to be in the middle of a large forest where no one will be able to disturb Matteo as he trains.
It was decided that before Matteo could venture out into the world, Matteo would train in a special dungeon "God" created to strengthen himself. As the person in question, Matteo did not oppose to it as according to him, it was an experience that he also wants to explore.
After discussing what will be what and where will be where, Matteo and "God" finally settled down on the matter and were able to reach a wonderful conclusion. An arrangement which benefited both of them.
"Well then, I think it's time to say my farewell." ［Matteo］
"Hahahaha, indeed it is. While it may be short, I enjoyed the time we had together, young man. And remember! While you may enjoy your life there, don't forget about your main objective, all right?" ［Voice］
"Sure." ［Matteo］
In the short time the two of them accompanied each other, they have created a bond strong enough where they have started addressing each other in a very casual way.
As soon as the two bid their farewell, a light enveloped Matteo and he was sent into a state of slumber. Soon after, his body slowly vanished as the light faded and the vast field of emptiness was filled with silence once more.
"Have a good life, Matteo Alcantaraー No, Grey Silverdrake." ［Voice］
The voice mumbled to himself with a lonely smile as he saw the young man vanish from his sight. While it was a lonely smile, it was full of satisfaction. It seemed like he fancied the new name he gave to the young man.
In a distant place, far far away from Earth, sounds of birds chirping, leaves rustling by the wind, and streams gently trickling down could be heard like a symphony of nature. It was a serene place which could only be described by one word... "Paradise".
In that paradise, a man could be seen sprawling unconscious once again, but rather than a field of nothingness, he was sprawling on a bed of leaves by the forest floor, silently basking by the meager sunlight which passed through the canopy.
"Hm?" ［Matteo］
As the sounds of the birds chirping echoed in the large forest, the man awoke from his slumber. As he opened his eyes, irises which could be mistaken for a deep and rich colored amethyst were revealed.
The man, who was once known as Matteo Alcantara, gently stood up as he stretched his arms into the sky, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.
'Merusia, I have arrived!' ［Matteo］
CHAPTER 1 END