Finally, Kishida managed to escape from his friends' pursuit, and now he found himself on the roof of his school with Natsumi. When Kishida glanced at her, Natsumi's face grew even redder, and her expression showed signs of embarrassment.
As Kishida approached Natsumi hesitantly, suddenly Natsumi pushed him forcefully. A sly and mysterious smile crossed Natsumi's face as she pushed him, and Kishida could only stare at her in confusion. Losing his balance, his body began to slip backward and fell from the school roof.
As his body plummeted downward, a soft and mysterious voice filled his ears before everything turned dark. After a while, light suddenly returned to illuminate his surroundings, and Kishida found himself in a vast place, far from school and his friends.
Then, the voice reappeared, this time revealing its extraordinary entity. A man with brownish hair and a draped scarf that made him look elegant walked towards Kishida slowly.
"Welcome, Kishida. Allow me to introduce myself; I am the Dragon King, one of the kings among others. Right now, you are at the border between the world of death and life. The reason you are here is that you have died, and I have chosen you to be the vessel of my power."
"Wait, so am I actually dead right now?" Kishida asked, feeling a mix of sadness and confusion.
The Dragon King nodded and then conjured a thin mirror displaying some moments before Kishida's death. In the mirror, it was clear that Natsumi pushed him without any hesitation, as if she did it intentionally.
The Dragon King removed the mirror, glancing at Kishida, whose expression instantly transformed into a mix of anger, sadness, and confusion.
"Why? Why would Natsumi commit such an act of murder against me? What have I done to her that she would have the intention to kill me?"
The Dragon King recreated the mirror and displayed a visual of office workers. In the visual, Kishida's father appeared with a happy and joyful expression. Kishida looked at the Dragon King seeking an explanation.
"Why is my father in this visual?" Kishida asked, with tears still staining his face.
"That visual was when your father got a promotion in his office. Do you know who was the manager before your father? It was Natsumi's father. Natsumi's father was ousted from his position as manager because of your father."
As Kishida tried to process all the new information, he slumped down, his expression a mix of confusion, frustration, and sadness.
"Kishida, this world is filled with hatred and ambition. Natsumi might feel that her family was humiliated by your father's promotion, and it created resentment within her."
Still bewildered by the situation, Kishida stared at the mirror showing his last moments in the human world. Sadness enveloped him as he witnessed his father's happy expression, and he imagined how his parents would feel upon learning of their child's death.
"Do I have to accept this fate?" Kishida muttered to himself.
The Dragon King understood Kishida's uncertainty, and he then created a transmigration screen displaying various races that Kishida could choose. With a gentle touch, a voice explained the characteristics of each race.
[Race Selection: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Cat Human, Dog Human, Demon, Undead]
[Race Levels]
[Human: Level A. Strongest Model: Hero]
[Elf: Level B. Strongest Model: Elite Elf]
[Dwarf: Level D. Strongest Model: Dwarfgon]
[Cat Human: Level C. Strongest Model: None]
[Dog Human: Level C. Strongest Model: Werewolf]
[Demon: Level A. Strongest Model: Demon King]
[Undead: Level B Strongest Model: Dark Undead]
Note: Each race has its own strengths and weaknesses. Each race will be supported by the inherent powers of their nature. The Strongest Model represents the evolution of each individual race that has surpassed its limited boundaries.
"Now, choose the race that you feel you can live well with. You will also be granted powers and support from a powerful system as your companion in your new life."
Kishida scrutinized the screen carefully, contemplating each option before him. The Dragon King didn't rush him, understanding that this decision weighed heavily on him.
After what felt like an eternity, Kishida finally made his choice. "I will stick with the human race, but I have an additional request before that."
The Dragon King smiled warmly and allowed Kishida to express his wish. "I want to transmigrate as an ordinary villager. I want to enjoy a peaceful life without disputes over positions or power."
The Dragon King nodded in satisfaction, and with a gesture of his hand, Kishida suddenly felt engulfed by blinding light. As the light subsided, Kishida heard the sound of a woman crying. When his eyes began to open, he was utterly bewildered to find a woman crying beside him.
As Kishida attempted to rise, the weeping woman immediately hugged him tightly. Her eyes were teary, and her sobbing continued. Trying to make sense of the situation, when the woman mentioned the name "Rangga," Kishida became even more perplexed.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not Rangga. I'm Kishida," said Kishida, filled with confusion. The woman looked at him, her eyes teary, yet a glimmer of hope ignited within them.
"Enough, Rangga. Don't play with my feelings like this," the woman said, continuing to embrace Kishida.
While Kishida was still flooded with numerous questions about his situation, suddenly a blue screen appeared in front of him, and a system message broke through the confusion.
[Welcome, Kishida. In this world, you are known as Rangga. You can lead the routine life of an ordinary villager. May you live your new life as a villager happily.]
Kishida read his status and realized that he was now in the body of someone named Rangga.
Subsequently, a small blue screen with the name "Evelyn" appeared above the woman who was currently still embracing him.
A few moments later, Kishida realized his transmigration situation. Gently, he released himself from Evelyn's embrace and tried to look at her tenderly.
"Evelyn, can you explain what happened to me? I can't remember anything about what happened before."
Evelyn wiped her still-moist cheeks from her tears before providing an explanation to Kishida. "This morning, you went to the forest to search for herbal plants with other villagers, but you were attacked by a horde of monsters, and you sustained injuries from their assault."
"What happened after that? I genuinely don't recall any events during or before the monster attack."
Suddenly, Evelyn hugged Kishida while stroking his hair. "It's okay if you don't remember. It's an experience best left forgotten. Just seeing you awake is enough for me."
"Evelyn, would you like to accompany me outside? I want to see the surroundings of the village, maybe that will help me regain my lost memories."
Evelyn nodded quickly and assisted Kishida in standing up slowly. As they exited the house, the warmth of the sun radiated in the middle of the village filled with the daily activities of its residents.
Just a few steps from his home, the villagers' eyes were immediately drawn to them. Then, a villager approached with a friendly smile, inquiring about Rangga's condition after the incident in the forest.
"Rangga, how are you? Have your wounds healed?" asked a concerned villager.
Kishida felt a bit awkward because he hadn't fully grasped the situation of the original owner of his current body. Nevertheless, he politely replied, "Thank you for your concern. I'm fine now; these wounds are getting better."
The villager gave Rangga a friendly smile and excused themselves to continue their work. Evelyn and Kishida then continued their journey around the village. As they walked, Evelyn continued to gently hold Rangga's hand, providing support and comfort.
During their village tour, Kishida met many villagers. Everyone offered warmth and kindness, helping each other. Slowly, Kishida began to understand the village's situation and his status as Rangga.
As the sun began to set, they returned home happily. Inside the house, Rangga sat on the sofa in the living room. He felt very tired after a day of exploring the village while seizing opportunities to gather necessary information.
"Then, how do I check my status?"
Rangga casually touched the air, and a blue screen appeared in front of him. "Oh, so this is how I can check my status."
"Rangga, would you like me to make tea for you? I'm currently boiling water for a bath, so it's more efficient with firewood." Evelyn asked from the kitchen.
Rangga dismissed his status screen and walked to the kitchen. There, he saw Evelyn, who looked very beautiful with a feminine and motherly aura. Her neatly tied brown hair, the simple dress she wore—they both created a positive aura, and she always appeared cheerful. Besides, being 19 years old, it would be easy for her to find a handsome and kind-hearted partner.
Evelyn, busy preparing hot water in the kitchen, was surprised and puzzled by Rangga, who was observing her from the kitchen divider. "Rangga, is there something strange about my clothes?"
Rangga gently slapped his face, then approached Evelyn and stood beside her. "There's nothing strange about your clothes; in fact, you look beautiful and very fitting in them."
Evelyn chuckled, probably returning to preparing warm tea for the two of them. "I'm very grateful for the gods' kindness. After seeing your body brought in by the villagers, I couldn't think of anything to heal you."
"But fortunately, there was a healer visiting the village, and he promptly provided treatment for you. You were unconscious for a few hours, but now you're back on your feet in front of me, healthy."
Evelyn hugged Rangga tightly, feeling relieved to see someone very special to her now recovered and standing beside her. However, Rangga didn't share the same sentiment; instead, he felt like he was committing a significant lie.
In Evelyn's embrace, Rangga looked at her with a sense of guilt overwhelming him. "Evelyn, forgive me. The man you're referring to isn't me; I'm just using the body of someone you consider very special." Rangga whispered in his heart.