"Wake up."
Jesus, can't you tell I'm sleeping, Uncle Haru?
"Wake up."
I continued keeping my eyes closed, it's the summer holidays, let me sleep in will you?
"Wake up."
Hmm? Now that I listen closely, this voice doesn't sound like my uncle Haruto's.
Who could it be?
"I'm trying to be nice since you had a really bad ending but you're testing my patience."
She has a very nice voice, it's better than most singers or actors I know. Rich, smooth and mellow like honey.
Wait, did I do it!?!
Did I lose my V-card to an extremely beautiful, sexy and rich woman with a nice personality!?!
I eagerly opened my eyes and saw…
Nothing, it was an empty white void. A blank canvas.
"Over here, behind you."
I turn around and uttered the first thing that came to my mind.
"Goddess."
A tall white-haired and gold-eyed woman wearing a greek-style toga and sandals that hugged her long beautiful pale legs that peaked out from the slits of the toga.
The woman had a cute bewildered expression as she asked.
"How did you know!?"
I struck a cool pose.
"As a detective, it comes with the skill. I have already deduced from the surroundings, the situation, yourself and I have come to the conclusion that you must be a Goddess."
That was only the half-truth, I honestly don't know if this gorgeous woman is a Goddess or not, but given how I'm currently floating mid-air in an endless white void and am completely naked. She can't possibly be an ordinary person, especially with that odd fashion choice of hers.
The Goddess(?) nodded, convinced by my answer.
"I see, you truly do live up to your namesake, Shin Chihiro, or should I say, The Modern Teen Sherlock."
Mhm! Yup! I knew you were a Goddess from the start! There's no way I struck that cringe pose and made everything up on the fly! Totally not! It isn't like everything was made up to impress you.
Hopefully this Goddess can't read my mind, otherwise I'm going to dig a grave to bury myself in.
The Goddess smiled and introduced herself. It seems she can't read my thoughts, what a relief!
"I know of who you are, so it is only proper for me to tell you who I am. My name is Siera, and as you have deduced, I am a Goddess."
Siera gave a curtsy before continuing.
"Pure and righteous mortal of Earth, I have witnessed your noble deeds of bringing criminals to justice and the intellect and cunning you use to expose them. I have also witnessed your tragic premature death at the hands of higher corrupt and evil powers.
Therefore, I am here to offer you-"
"The chance to be sent to another world of swords and magic!?!"
…
What!? I'm not some weird NEET Otaku okay!? I bet if you were in my shoes, you'd probably behave the same!
Siera looked surprised, albeit a little less than when I guessed her identity to be a Goddess.
"Why yes. That is precisely the offer I was going to make. How did you-"
"Through my skills of observation."
"I see."
The silver-haired Goddess nodded along at my answer.
After seeing I wasn't going to interrupt her, she continued speaking.
"As I was saying, after witnessing your noble deeds and tragic end. I decided to give you the offer to be reincarnated to another world.
The world you will be going to is called Gaia, it's as you said, a land of swords and magic."
Here comes the part where I'm tasked with slaying the Demon King and saving the world.
"It is a world of peace with the greatest threat to its existence, the Demon King, having perished several years ago."
Damn, here I thought I'd get the chance to go on an epic adventure, obtain great powers and land myself with a harem of beautiful fantasy world girls.
"However, because of this peace, various long-forgotten or lesser evils who've all gone into hiding in the face of the Demon King threat have begun to arise. If they were to be left unchecked, an era of war and chaos will ensue and ruin the world."
Okay, so I still have to save the world, but how am I going to save it when I don't know who my enemies are?
"Your task, noble mortal of Earth, is to reform the world of Gaia's Judicial System and bring those who dare threaten the peace to justice."
Say what now? My job is to be a pencil-pusher sitting behind a desk doing paperwork!? I haven't even finished high school and you're telling me to run the Judicial System of several countries!?! That's the equivalent of asking a toddler to solve several Calculus problems within an hour!
Hey Goddess, don't you think you're expecting a little too much from me!?!
Goddess Siera continued speaking, ignoring my inner thoughts and turmoil.
"I ask of you, Shin Chihiro, to please use your skills to save this world from impending doom and disaster."
She then performed the move no man could possibly resist.
ARGH! TOO CUTE!
CAN'T
RESIST
PUPPY EYES!
Alright! I'll agree to her request!
Besides, if I dare say no, she could snap me out of existence.
Wait, back up a minute, did she say my death?
"Um, excuse me, but what did you mean by my death? Last I remember, I was preparing to go on a trip to Japan."
Siera blinked, then lightly smacked her head in realisation.
"Right! Of course! I forgot dying can make the memories of souls get scrambled a little! Let me explain to you how you died."
For the next several minutes, I quietly listened to her witness account of how I died.
After arriving in Japan, I was greeted by one of the local politicians who invited me for dinner over at his house.
Apparently, during my brief stay over at this politician's place, I discovered incriminating evidence that could have led to the politician being sentenced to life imprisonment or worse.
Just as I was about to hand over the evidence to the authorities, the corrupt politician caught wind of my actions and hired several yakuza assassins to take me out, and that was how I died in the streets of Tokyo, the homeland of my ancestors I barely got to know and stayed a week in.
A truly pitiful ending.
"Geez, that sucks, I was looking forward to watching the upcoming Nantendo Movies coming out and seeing how the Jonathan Wicker franchise ends. Oh, well it's not like I have any serious regrets besides not having the chance to give one last farewell to my uncle."
The Goddess seemed surprised by my lack of emotion.
"Do you not wish for revenge, Shin? You were killed by a corrupt and greedy politician for simply trying to bring justice. The way you died was tragic and unbecoming of someone who had done so much good in the world."
I scratched my head and explained.
"Well, I am quite mad about dying at the hands of a corrupt evil bastard, but I knew what I was getting myself into.
I've ruined many lives, even if they were criminals, some of them were involved in the underworld because they had no choice or circumstances forced them to. All of them had their own lives, families or loved ones they needed to take care of.
By catching them and bringing them to justice, I have deprived their families of their sole source of income, causing the impoverished families to be in dire straits.
Of course, regardless of whether they're justified in wanting revenge on me or not, I knew from the moment I solved my first case there would be people after my head.
I could've stayed on the down-low and lived a cosy life, remembering that first case I solved as a childhood misadventure, or I could go onto the world stage and risk my life for fame, fortune and success.
I chose the latter and what happened next was entirely my responsibility. If I died, it simply meant I was biting off more than I could chew."
Siera smiled and gave a nod of approval.
"You are wise and experienced for someone so young. It truly is a shame you died. However, I know that you are the perfect person to be sent to rescue Gaia from the corruption that is slowly beginning to take root.
To ensure you do meet the same end as you did on Earth, I shall bestow upon you special powers."
Yes! Let's go! Give me the cheats!
The beautiful silk-haired Goddess clasped her hands together in prayer.
A storm of golden particles surrounded and whirled around us, my body also started to emit a golden glow.
Several moments later, the particles went away and my body stopped glowing.
"Your body has now been blessed. Once you reincarnate, the details of your blessings shall be revealed after going through the Status Giving Ceremony at age five.
After you receive your Status at age five, I'll be able to communicate with you and offer you advice if you are struggling.
Do you have any questions before I send you on your journey?"
Holy crap! Is this Status what I think it is!?!
"Yes I do have a question. What is a Status?"
The Goddess lightly smacked her head again.
"Right! I keep forgetting you're from Earth and don't know some of the concepts I'm talking about! Sorry, this is completely my fault and negligence.
The easiest way to explain things would be in those adventure and quest RPGs your world's youths like to play.
A status will show you your skills, levels, class, strengths, weaknesses, condition as well as other information.
Let me show you an example of a regular C-rank adventurer's status.
Siera snapped her fingers and a blue screen appeared in front of me, displaying numbers and information about a random guy.
Will Fergson
Level: 38
Age: 23
Race: Human
Class: Magic Swordsman
Title: C-rank Adventurer
Condition: Normal
Strength: 154
Constitution: 120
Agility: 137
Intelligence: 103
Luck: 85
Regular Skills: Cooking (Level 7), First Aid (Level 5), Appraisal (Level 3)
Class Skills: Swordsmanship (Level 6), Imbued Attack (Level 3), Body Strengthening (Level 5).
Subclass Skills: Wind Slash (Level 3), Wind Blade (Level 4), Flurry Slash (Level 2), Air Step (Level 3)
Passive Skills: None
Items: Iron Sword, Leather Armour, Loved One's Locket, 3x Health Potion, 1x Mana Potion, Tent, 5x Torches, Sturdy Rope, 3x One-Day Rations
F Rank Stat Points: 10 to 25
E Rank Stat Points: 25 to 50
D Rank Stat Points: 50 to 100
C Rank Stat Points: 100 to 500
B Rank Stat Points: 500 to 1000
A Rank Stat Points: 1000+
S Rank Stat Points: I don't wanna talk about it.
Holy crap! Am I seeing things correctly!?
This is just like a game! A real status screen!!!
It's even displaying the person's class and class skills' like in that game made by Snowstorm Studios with a fiery Demon on the front of the game app!
This is so freaking amazing!!!
I want to go to this world right this instant!
It'll be a blast!
Monster slaying, dungeon delving, treasure hunting, endlessly levelling up, raunchy and passionate nights with my harem.
Yes! Truly paradise!
For the next fifteen minutes as Siera explained how the Status works, what the numbers like Constitution or Intelligence mean, the Class System, Skills and all that stuff. I was busy immersing myself in my own fantasy.
Later on, I would regret having not listened to a single word she said.
"Alright, I think I've explained everything. Do you have any questions or are there any parts of my explanation you would like to have repeated?"
I broke out of my daydream and responded.
"Nope, I think I've got the hang of everything, your explanation in everything in game terms made it easy for me to digest and understand."
"Excellent! I shall now perform the spell to send you to Gaia. Also, don't be worried if you'll be born into an abusive or impoverished family. I've already selected the perfect family for you to be born to and raised."
The Goddess raised both of her hands outwards, countless circles of light with strange patterns appeared and surrounded me.
This must be magic! Truly a fantastical sight! Soon, I'll be able to accomplish such feats as well with the cheats bestowed upon me!
As the magic circles glowed, so did my body.
Then, my body slowly dusted away like the superheroes in that one movie where they fought a purple giant for six cosmic gemstones.
The light from the circles and my body grew too intense, forcing me to close my eyes and wait for the spell to be completed.
Strangely, when more than half my lower body disappeared, I felt as if my legs were still intact. I guess this must be similar to phantom limb syndrome.
Several seconds passed by.
Man, getting isekai-ed to another world takes a lot more time than I thought it would be. In the shows and manga, some higher power would instantly zap the protagonist to another world with a snap of their fingers or something similar.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
What on earth? I'm pretty sure isekai rituals don't involve explosions that sound like cannons bombarding a city.
SHRIEK!!!
"Back off! You foul beast! How many times have I told your kind that you're not welcome here!"
I'm also definitely sure isekai rituals don't involve whatever it was that I'm hearing.
Should I open my eyes and check? There's the saying that curiosity killed the cat, but I'm already dead aren't I?
I decided to risk it and see what's going on.
Holy ****!!!
I immediately regretted my choice.
What I saw before my eyes, the culprit behind that blood-chilling scream, was a Lovecraftian monstrosity.
A giant gooey black mass the size of several apartments flailed about with countless thick tree-trunk tentacles writhing about.
Countless tentacles on a squirming giant black goop is already horrifying and disgusting enough but to crank the horror metre to the max, several dozen glowing crimson eyeballs and large unnervingly human mouths of varying sizes inconsistently decorated its body.
I don't think I'll ever be able to wash the image of such a disgusting creature out of my memory.
As if reading my thoughts, the abomination shrieked and swung one of its tentacles at me.
At the sight of the massive, thick, wire-like limb bearing down on me, I tried to run. When I saw the distance between the oncoming tentacle and me having only grown closer. I looked down and saw all that remained of my body was my chest, even that was slowly dusting away.
With no foreseeable way out of my predicament, I resigned myself to be squashed like a fly.
This is it I guess, dying pathetically a second time, before I could even start my newly reincarnated life.
Wait, I'm in the afterlife right? If I get hit by that tentacle, would I die or just experience intense pain and still be fine?
Before I could figure out the answer to this question, a white blur intercepted the tentacle that was a hair's width from slamming me head-on. The blur sliced the tentacle and the Lovecraft monster recoiled screaming.
The blur stopped in front of me and I took a good look to see who or what it was.
Tall, long white hair, clad in awesome white and gold armour that tightly hugged her body and emphasised her buxom figure.
"Don't you dare lay a finger on him!"
Ah, yes! A beautiful charismatic voice that made her scream female protagonist!
The white-haired warrior turned around to look at me with concern in her radiant gold eyes.
"Are you alright, Shin Chihiro!?"
Holy!
"Goddess Siera!?!"
Damn, I honestly took her for the soft pencil pusher type that would sit in the backlines offering support and buffs.
I tried to tell her that I was alright but was interrupted by several more tentacles.
Siera summoned a glowing white spear of light in her hand and sliced them all apart. The Lovecraft monster screamed even louder than before.
If I still had my hands, I would have plugged my ears by now.
Goddess Siera, in her stylish fantasy equipment, turned to look at me with a serious face.
"Listen, Shin. Something has gone wrong with the ritual. I don't know how this thing managed to break into my Sanctuary but it did and it has messed up the reincarnation spell.
Luckily I managed to route its coordinates to Gaia in time but the family and place you'll be born into will be entirely up to chance.
With the current state of things, I'm unable to perform the spell myself or else you'll be at risk of having your soul consumed by the 84r*$(j02."
Oh, so it turns out I can still die even if I'm already dead, and what the hell was that garbled up word at the end of her sentence?
Several tentacles lashed out at us again, this time they were accompanied by malevolent, dark reddish-black beams of energy shot from the abomination's eyes.
Instead of using her spear, Siera raised her hands in front of her, deploying several golden magic circles, forming a domed barrier that fended off the tentacles and beams of energy.
Her face began to sweat as the Lovecraft monster continued its onslaught.
"Shin, I can't keep this barrier up forever, so listen closely."
After listening to what she said, my eyes widened in shock.
"What!? You can't be serious! There's no way you can win after you do that! You're already struggling with this thing as is! After doing this, you'll barely be able to hold out for five minutes!
I can't let you do this! You can't risk your life to give me a second chance! The life I lived may be short and full of regrets but I have lived it to the fullest!
You can't risk yourself for someone as pathetic as me who died from his own pride and vanity!"
Siera gently smiled.
"Shin, I believe from the bottom of my heart that you'll bring about great and wonderful changes to Gaia.
I don't care if you're a brilliant crime-solving prodigy or not.
I know that you are a kind soul of virtue who will rescue the world from the oncoming darkness that approaches.
The words you just spoke prove that I have picked the right person for the job.
Go, Shin, I promise you this will not be the last time we meet."
With tears trickling down my eyes, I yelled.
"I promise you! Once I save Gaia, I'll come looking to rescue you!"
Siera chuckled.
"Then I'll be waiting,
my Hero."
The abomination stopped firing energy blasts and lasers. We soon found out why.
The hideous black mass of tentacles and eyes suddenly split open half its body like a door on a hinge, revealing one giant blood-red eyeball, which started to glow and swirls of evil energy gathered.
"He must be done playing games, Shin, it is time. You know what to do."
I gave a simple nod, time was running out.
Siera dispelled her barrier and dashed toward the abomination in an attempt to stop it from fully charging its devastating attack.
While she bought time for me, I spoke the prayers that would activate the spell and send me to Gaia.
"The laws that govern the balance
of life and death, grant this mortal
the chance for rebirth.
Let the earth create the vessel.
Let the wind breathe air into the lungs.
Let the water flow and help retain its form.
Let the fire burn in its heart.
May the light guide it
and banish all evil
and harm coming its way.
May it be blessed and stand
on the path of justice and virtue.
May it help those in need
and punish all who seek harm."
I mustered up everything I had and yelled out the last line with all my might.
"Resectio Livera Novora!"
With that, a giant magic circle the size a football field appeared beneath me, whisking me away to my new life.
I promise you, Siera, I will come back to rescue you and repay you for everything you have done for me.
The silk-haired Goddess in white and gold attire glanced over her back as she sensed the reincarnation spell used.
She smiled seeing the Hero she summoned safely whisked away by the magic circle. Her mana reserves were extremely depleted after forcefully lifting some of the restrictions on the spell but she didn't regret it one bit.
Then she turned her full attention to the Lovecraft horror she's about to clash with.
Goddess Siera leaped into the air, charging her light spear with as much mana as she could muster before releasing it straight at the abomination.
BOOM!
The spear struck the abomination's still-charging attack head-on, creating a mushroom cloud.
She holds a small light of hope in her heart that that attack would have been enough to do it in but she knew better.
SHRIEK!!!
Out of the dust, the abomination appears unscathed.
Instead of retaliating, its body closed around its giant eye like an oyster, then spoke from its many mouths, a cacophony of different voices that can drive any normal feeble-minded mortal insane.
"Do you think you can stop me? I already know you used up nearly all your power on that spell.
I suggest if you wish to live, you should retreat at once and let me do what I have come to accomplish."
Siera angrily responded.
"Do you take me for a fool!?! I know what you and your kind will do if left free to your own devices! You'll-"
The Lovecraft horror cut her off.
"We provide Salvation! Everything is doomed to cease! It has been prophesied since the Beginning!
Through us, everything shall be eternal!!!"
"Salvation!?! Your idea of salvation is to slaughter and enslave! I won't let you lay a single one of your nasty tendrils upon this world!"
"You are foolish, if you wished to challenge me, you shouldn't have wasted your energy on that mortal."
"I know full well what I'm doing! You might be smart and strong for an Abyssal but in the face of a God, you are no match!"
"An Abyssal!?"
The abomination proceeded to laugh.
"HAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHA! Don't compare me to the likes of those brainless failures! I am something far more Complete!
Regardless of whether I'm driven away or not, I have already accomplished what I need to do.
Say your farewells to your champion and world."
Siera's eyes widened in realisation. She turned around to see the sight of several smaller black tentacle entities like the abomination she was fighting, wrapping around a small ball of light that was slowly corroding to black.
"What!?! How did you manage to hijack my spell!"
The Lovecraft horror arrogantly replied.
"As I've said, I am a existence close to Completion. The likes of one High Goddess isn't enough to stop me.
You are not a part of the Plan. Therefore, I'll give you the opportunity to leave and if you let me do what I have come to accomplish in that world."
"Like hell I will!"
The abomination looked at Siera with disdain.
"Foolish, what can you possibly do?"
Siera gave a resentful smile of hatred and spite.
"I can do this."
The silk-haired Goddess conjured a dagger and stabbed herself in the region of the chest where a human's heart would be.
After the blade plunged into her chest, countless golden chains sprung forth from the white void, trapping the abomination and making it scream in pain. When the abomination became trapped, its smaller copies clinging onto the small ball of light vanished.
The ball regained some of its glow but it was far less bright than it was before.
"YOUR RESISTANCE IS FUTILE! SOON I SHALL BREAK FREE OF THESE SHACKLES!!! DESPAIR BEFORE THE INEVITABLE! YOUR SACRIFICE WILL ONLY DELAY ME FOR LESS THAN TWO DECADES!!!"
Siera grinned.
"Two decades? That's more than enough time for him to grow up and foil your plans."
"HA! Arrogance! I have already stripped away the majority of your champion's blessings! What can he possibly do as a mere mortal fated to die and fade to nothingness just like all the others!?"
The silk-haired Goddess laughed while coughing and bleeding golden fluid.
"Did you think I picked him by chance? If you think he'll only be able to stop you with borrowed power, you are sorely mistaken.
That child will stop y-
Blargh!"
A thick spear-like tentacle punctured her chest and left a deep gaping hole that bled profusely.
"I've grown weary of your delusions. Before I'm sealed away, I'll at least ensure you cannot interfere with the Plan any further."
With those parting words the Lovecraft monstrosity vanished, taken away by the golden chains to wherever it'll be trapped.
Meanwhile, Siera lay down on the ground with only several moments left before she perishes.
The Goddess mumbles some incoherent and ancient spell, causing the small ball of white light to vanish.
Then she took her last breath.
Her eyes closed, her body lay limp.
The white void world shattered into pieces like glass, revealing the cosmos, stars and universes hidden behind it.
Everything was silent, save for four balls of light streaking toward a beautiful lush planet greatly resembling Earth.