Fuck! Looks like this is where I finally die.

Elias leaned against a black monolith, panting heavily, his clothes stained red from his blood. Mustering all his strength, he retrieved a grey metallic sphere with a button on top.

At least I can finish this... Elias pressed the button, and it began flashing red and beeping. He grunted, trying to move his arm, and pressed the sphere onto the side of the monolith. It immediately stuck and started glowing.

Having accomplished his objective, Elias finally got a chance to inspect his surroundings. As he gazed around the eerie expanse enveloping him, he found himself amidst an ethereal void stretching endlessly in all directions. The fabric of reality seems distorted, with shifting hues of cosmic blues and purples swirling in the distance alongside strange celestial objects, creating an unsettling yet mesmerizing spectacle.

How mesmerizing. He couldn't help but sigh. Turning his gaze back to the monolith, he slowly raised his hand, running it over the hard, metallic, and smooth surface. The monolith, about 10 meters high and shaped like a cylinder with a diameter of 10 meters as well, almost merged into the black void. The only hint of color on its surface was in the form of a logo shaped like the head of a white mecha, with a character resembling 'A' below it. His gaze stayed on the logo for a second before moving on to inspect the rest of the monolith.

"They didn't even tell me what this is," he muttered, turning his gaze back towards the void, "Or what this place is."

The beeping suddenly intensified, and Elias closed his eyes, feeling his memories flashing by.

I am going to meet you soon, Masa, mom, d-

There was a loud bang, and Elias felt a strange pull before his consciousness faded into oblivion. 

.....

Ouch! It hurts!

My head hurts so bad!

Elias felt like he was awoken from a long peaceful slumber with a throbbing pain in his head as if someone was poking needles in his brain.

In his stupor, Elias tried to move his body and get up, but he felt powerless to move his limbs.

Goddamit! Why does it hurt so much?!

All Elias could do was curse and try to endure the pain. After a few moments, he felt the pain subside a little and got a chance to collect his thoughts but he still failed to move his body.

What's happening?! What was I even doing?

Oh right, I was in that place—wait, didn't I die?!

There's no way I could have survived that explosion... right? Maybe I survived somehow...?

Or is this the afterlife? But why does it fucking hurt so much?!

Maybe I am in hell for being an atheist. Fuck you, you shitty petty god.

The pain finally subsided as Elias heard some wooshing noise. He felt some strength return to him as he was able to slowly open his eyes, breaking free from his reverie.

His vision blurred before regaining focus after a few seconds. All he could see was a white ceiling, giving him a strange sense of a déjà vu. That feeling was further amplified by the sensation of a soft mattress under his back.

Am I... in a hospital?

He was a frequent visitor to hospitals since every mission always ended up with at least a few injuries. If it weren't for the sudden advancements in healthcare, he might have ended up disabled after just a few missions.

Elias slowly raised his upper torso, but he still felt a sense of powerlessness, and his movement also felt uncoordinated. He looked around the room, and it looked like a standard hospital ward, except for one thing. He turned to look at what he could only assume to be the medical equipment, but it looked very different from what he was used to seeing.

Did they make some new advancements? Well, it isn't that surprising.

But what's with this weakness? Is it atrophy? Maybe I was unconscious for too long.

He looked at his body to inspect his condition and was stunned. He quickly pulled away the blanket over his body and what came into sight was the body of a skinny kid.

What the fuck!

Before he could process his thoughts, he heard the sound of a door opening. Three young adults entered the room, two male and one female. Elias instinctively started sizing them up.

The white-dressed should be a doctor... probably. Maybe he just looks young. But what's with the weird hair? The presumed doctor was wearing a white medical suit, but what was peculiar was his hair. It looked like snakes were growing out of his head.

"Rayan! Thank the stars you're alright!" Before he could size up the other two people, the young woman exclaimed with a relieved expression on her face.

The three quickly approached his bedside and the woman tried to hug Elias before she was stopped by the doctor, "Mrs Hallock, his body is still weak. You can talk to him while I run some diagnosis but avoid contact before I make sure he is no longer infected."

The doctor quickly got busy with the machines while the other two stood by his side looking at him worriedly.

This scene coupled with his young body gave Elias another feeling of déjà vu and he couldn't help but feel dazed.

Is this ...isekai? Reincarnation? Transmigration?

He couldn't help but remember his young self in college before the invasion. He had read similar stories in high school and college and fantasized if something similar would happen to him when he was at his lowest dealing with suddenly becoming an adult, even though he knew it was just a fantasy.

Things had finally gotten better. My file was turning around but those bastards!!!

He couldn't help but tighten his fist as he recalled those painful memories.

I wonder if we finally succeeded. Did my death accomplish anything?

A voice quickly brought him back from his stupor, "Rayan! Son! How are you feeling? Are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?"

It was the man's voice. He was a handsome-looking man in his early 20s. He had tanned skin, brown hair, green eyes, and was thinly built.

He should be this body's father.

Then she should be the mother.

He turned to look at the body's mother. She was a good-looking woman in her early 20s. She had white skin, red hair that fell to her shoulders, red eyes, and was well-endowed in all the right places.

This body's name should be Rayan. But I don't have any of his memories.

Fuck my head hurts again.

Elias quickly held his head in pain as memories came flooding.

Rayan Hallock, 6 years old, a citizen on the colonial plant TRES-7926, TRES-792 star system, TRE-79 star cluster, Taraqah Roshan(TR) star zone, Sklonlya Galaxy. A citizen of the Njam Dynasty, one of the seven members of the United Federation of Stellar Nations(UFSN).

Holy shit! An interstellar civilization?!

While Elias tried to digest the bombshell of information he had just received and come to terms with his new reality, Rayah watched with growing concern as her son held his head in pain. "Rayan! Are you alright? Please, answer me," she pleaded, her voice laced with worry and urgency.

Elias, now Rayan, quickly came to his senses and gave a weak smile to his parents, "I'm fine, Mom. My head just hurt a little."

Rayah and Jayan, Rayan's dad, exchanged relieved glances before looking at the doctor, who had finished looking at the diagnosis results, in anticipation.

"He should be fine. His body is just a little weak. The headache should be because of the drugs. You don't have to worry; just let him rest for a while." The doctor briefly reassured the parents before leaving the room.

Letting go of her worries, Rayah breathed a sigh of relief and leaned in to hug Rayan gently, her eyes brimming with concern and affection. "We were so worried about you, Rayan. Just rest for now, and we'll be right here."

With that, Rayan closed his eyes, still grappling with the overwhelming flood of information and confusion swirling in his mind. For now, he needed some sleep as the mental and physical exhaustion was kicking in.