When Soda Soichi die, the moment when everything surrounding him turn dark, he expected to at least go to heaven. To his consideration, is the least thing god or gods could do for him, given the shitty life that he had endure for the 21 years that had to suffer in bed, with his weak body, a blind eye and a disease that had tormented him for years, a curse for him to carry. Soda didn't consider himself a bad person, maybe a bit cold, but he didn't think he was 'bad' Although, a whole life confined to a bed, with little exposition to the outside and real relationships didn't allow much karma to build in. At least, he could say he didn't wish any harm to anyone…Well, maybe a bit, but he never acted with bad intention.
The young Japanese man tried to recall the moment when he died. Maybe it was his body just giving up, after battling the disease for 21 years. He just knew that his life was over. It was like entering a deeper slumber, one that couldn't be achieved through morphine or exhaustion. One that he understands to be the end of his life. One that he felt welcoming.
But he finds himself waking up, and a figure threw confetti at him.
"Welcome to the afterlife!" The mysterious figure starts to clap. It appears to be an androgynous person. It had long, white hair that reached his back, and it was wearing some casual, modern clothes (Jeans and a white shirt). Ones that he could have given his life to wear, instead of the usual hospital gown.
He looks down at his body... Which turns out to be completely healthy.
"What?" He lets out a loud gasp, staring at the body that he deserved to have.
He moves his left arm slowly, trying to comprehend the fact that he had one. It responds just as he wanted. He then moved his legs. Soda could feel the wooden board against the soles of his feet. He then moves his toes and then his knees. Soda's body is completely okay. He covered his mouth and then realized that his right eye is fine, he could see with it. Tears start to appear in his eyes as he take a good look at his body. He's skinny, but everything else is in order. His hips, his belly, his chest, his elbows, his cock, everything was fine. He cries out of happiness, he never thought that he could get to see himself in a healthy body. He's so overwhelmed that he almost lost track of what the white hair person is saying.
"Okay, I'll need you to give me a moment, I usually don't get the newcomers. And It's been a while, i just came back from my vacations, I'll recommend that world, nice people, greater food! It is perfect for souls that just want to have a blast in their new life" The person sit down on a comfy chair and invited him to do the same. "Have a sit! We have a lot to talk about!"
Soda almost didn't notice that he was in an office. It's a very simple one, a desk, two chairs, a couple of heavy books and a strange door behind the white-haired person. He was naked, yet he didn't feel embarrassed. With tears still on his face, he accepts the invitation of the mysterious gal and happily sits down at the chair, feeling the soft cushion of it. He tried to understand the person in front of him, yet, he couldn't. His mind couldn't even completely interpret whatever that guy or girl is. His voice reflects its excitement, but it was difficult to guess its gender due to his strange factions, a mix of feminine and masculine factions that could be seen across its body. But Soda finds it amusing. It is probably the most interesting entity that he had ever witnesses…not that he had seen a lot. A life restrained to a bed in a hospital didn't leave many options to witness many beauties.
"So... I'm dead?... Is this heaven?"
"Yes, and no, you didn't appear to have a particular faith, so you were conducted to us. And since you weren't that terrible of a person, and couldn't do much in your past life, you will be rewarded! As a way from us to apologize from the misfortunes of your life" It says as it then extended its hand towards him "Oh, sorry, My name is -"
It then pronounces an unknown sound, Soda could see its lips move, but he couldn't understand what it says. He only hear an harmonic sound, that came from its soft lips "But you can call me La, Novice Shepherd, at your service, Soda Soichi"
Muttering his obvious confusion, Soda just asked another question.
"Novice Shepherd?"
"Yeah, In the universe where you lived, the more similar image to us are angels. So, you can say that I'm an angel in a way. We shepherd guide souls to the afterlives and universes and protect them from any harm. Some of us have the power to judge with the Authorization of the Great Will, our boss. And since you were a good soul and, overall your life has been very unfair, you had the chance of reincarnating and I'll even give you a special system to help you in your new life"
'No shit' Soda thinks, the bitter memory of his life coming back to him. Soda's life was coated with pain and suffering. A disastrous accident which killed his parents left him in bed, with him losing his legs and left arm when he was just a 6-year-old child. On top of that, A painful, unknown illness aggravated the rest of his life. An illness that not only heavily weakened his immune system, which made him susceptible to several diseases, but also rotted his flesh. It was slow, but he could feel his own body turning against him, extinguishing the flame of his life. All his life, he had to endure several exams and use several treatments to keep himself alive. He didn't have any family to rely on, and all the cost of his treatment were supported by the hospital where he lived, since his illness was unknown, the administration was interested in studying it, so at least he didn't have to worry about that… But he was alone, doctors and nurses only see him as a piece of study, most of them didn't even try to even make a connection with him, to make him feel human, to make him feel that he was fighting for something.
There was only one… A kind doctor that accompanied him during a part of his childhood. His name was Ishida, and that man was the only person to make him feel like a human. He was funny and could talk with him for hours. The doctor gift him his only and most precious possession, a small laptop. With the device, Soda could see beyond the walls of his bedroom. Surfing the web opens a world of possibilities, knowledge and fun. During all his life, he enjoyed using the laptop for all kinds of things…specially for not so holy purposes in his last years, like watching porn. Although it also opened, a certain kind of pain in him. He could see other people living his life, enjoying the benefits of a healthy body, their relationships… And he wanted to have that, he desired a life beyond the bed.
But Soda couldn't have that… Instead, he had a sick body, and a grand solitude that made everything worse. He had to live the tests that the doctors did on him, the pain of the illness, the sting of needles, the harsh touch of nurses, who look at him with disgust, and the fear of dying… Even his relationship with the doctor Ishida ended soon, when the doctor had gone overseas, and mysteriously had seized every contact with him. The solitude could be even more unbearable than the pain… So he searched for refuge on the web, trying to fill the void. Soda tried to make some relationships online, yet he couldn't completely maintain them. He was afraid of them, of getting to know people and eventually having to reveal something of his reality. Soda thought that no one would accept him in that shape, if the doctors and nurse in the hospital didn't even bother to show any sympathy with him, why would someone accept him with that condition?
During a lonely night, he discovered the term Isekai. And it was a match made in heaven. For a man who had lived all his life in bed, alone, he fell in love with countless stories in which different people reincarnate in a new world, full of magic, monsters, adventures and of course, harems…harems full of sexy women, sometimes full of sexy men. Soda saw this genre as a dream and enjoyed all of those stories of people who got a second chance to live in a new world, where the possibilities were endless. He wished to have a healthy body, to live adventures, to explore the world…and of course, to have a big harem, full of women and men. Soda Shoichi was a bisexual man, whose always kept his identity inside of him, accumulating with his sadness. But his desire for a harem is not driven by lust. The truth is, Soda desires to love and be loved. He wanted to feel that. Have a family, have his lovers, be with them, protect them, make love to them… During his life on earth, it was impossible. Who would love an ill man?
If La is telling him the truth... Then, he finally has a chance. Soda could finally have a life beyond the screen.
"I don't care what it takes! I accept it!" Soda jumps out of the chair, staring directly at La.
"Alright hehe, I like your enthusiast but calm down. " La then took one heavy book in his desk "This is an important decision, who knows if you ever got a chance like this again. You better accumulate some good karma if you want to choose again the next time"
La give him the heavy book. It's made from clear leather, one that Soda took his time to feel, to understand the sensation of it. He didn't have much chance to feel things, so even if he's in the afterlife, he wanted to enjoy the feeling of the leather, soft and majestic. Then he read the titles on the book, written in a perfect calligraphy, with golden letters.
Catalog of Worlds, VOL.14
"So... I can choose the world and the system that I want to use in my new life" He asks to be sure.
La nods.
"Yeah, you have a great amount of choices, take your time, don't rush it" She says as he starts to explore the different options that the books provide him. He begins with the one about the world. The options feel almost infinite. There were classic isekai worlds, worlds stuck in different time periods, worlds that defy the laws of physics, alternative history worlds, etc. He searches for fantasy worlds. There, he looks at several different of these realities. He would like to have a unique experience. He likes the classic settings, but he would also prefer if they possess special qualities or challenges. A mix between the two is what he needed. And after reading for what feels like an eternity, he chooses one.
Telrian. A World full of magic, Monsters, adventure and Lust… where humans don't exist.
Its characteristics caught his interest. The classic fantasy races were the inhabitants of it, along with different monster races and even new fantasy races that he never heard of. The world possesses multiple biomes, and it's formed by 5 different continents. The use of magic was quite common, and technological development had reached gunpowder in some areas of the world. It could also be seen that there was a particular increase in the "Sexual" nature of this world. And people seem to fall in love more easily than in earth, apparently due to the creator of this world wanting to give an easy, smutty, romantic, kind of pornography adventure to the souls who choose this world. Soda imagines that people here were hornier than your standard fantasy world…if that could be possible. But it was perfect. He imagines himself finally living the life he always had wanted to live. To have adventures, to explore the world. Even, to love and have a big harem.
"I'll choose this one" He pointed to the page where the Telrian world is described. "This is perfect! This is all i want!"
Then he sees that La look nervous at him, forcing a smile. She has a much smaller book in her hands. For the first time, he notices its strange eyes. They didn't have just one color on their iris. They were rainbow like, reflecting thousands of colors. He looks down, it's almost hypnotic, amazing.
"Okay, what's wrong? You seem tense" Soda stands up. The feeling of his feet on the ground feel…nice, his body supporting his weight gave him a strange sensation, but a welcome one.
"Well, yes sir, the thing is… I see that you want to enter Telrian, Great choice! But we have run out of Magic Systems. I apologize for the inconvenient"
Soda stared at the shepherd, confused by the revelation.
"Wait, how can that happen? I mean, I don't quite understand how those works. I have an idea from how Isekai's media present some of them… How could they have run out?" He asks, interested.
"You see, the power of the Systems is an ancient way to make souls from one universe adapt to another world with no problems. Systems are fused with the soul of the one who chose it, its purpose is to assist the souls and help them to survive through their life, we suggest the souls to make good acts, to thank the Great Will for the gift. It's made out of pure universal energy that canalizes and adapts to the universe where the soul arrives to." La seems really excited about those themes, as it raises its voice " Which means that we can only retrieve the energy of the system where the current user dies, and next, it has to be separated from the soul in a long process, so we can guarantee that the soul and the system had been divided perfectly, so the soul could continue his travel through the afterlives and the System can be used again for another soul. If not, the soul of the next user of a system might encounter some problems… It's quite difficult to explain, but imagine someone invades your body, a presence that fights you constantly and you can't get rid of it, because it's fused with your soul"
"Can't you make a new one?" It's not that Soda wanted specifically a Magic System, but he wanted to have plenty of options for his new life. After all, this was a new world that he's heading into.
"Systems are made from time to time, adjusting to the advances of the universes and the discovery of mankind and other societies… To create a new one from scratch, it would take a long time, and I'm just a novice! I don't know how to make one" The entity look sad and puts its hands on the desk
Well, that is a turn-off, but Soda prefers to see it as an opportunity… While he would have love to have magical powers, he wanted to also have something unique and that could open more options of what he can do
"I understand… It doesn't matter, I want to see the other options"
La nodded and gave him the System catalog. Soda begins to read it and explore the different options. They were an extended number of systems that he could have never thought off. System that transforms the user into a machine, Systems that make the user a giant, even evolving systems, where the user start as small bacteria… Weird options.
Soda wanted his system to give him a variety of options, he could go for an Evolution or transformation system, but it didn't satisfy him, as he thought that it would bring more troubles than anything. He keeps reading until one that caught his attention.
"I'll choose this one" He pointed to the page describing the system that he wanted, and La raised one of its eyebrows.
"Psychic System?" La takes the catalog and reads the description.
The Psychic System
The Psychic system brings the user psychic abilities. Telepathy, Telekinesis, Teleportation and many more. It also brings the opportunity to make use of "Kinesis" Which are special powers of the System. The possibilities of the Psychic System are endless! Take it and begin your life as a Psychic!
"So, you want this?" La smile, looking more relax and close the catalog.
"Yeah, sounds like a great alternative to Magic, I wonder why no one had choice it before. In fiction, Psychic powers sound like a great options!"
"From what I have heard, people go to the Magic systems since they seem less difficult to use. Mental powers…have a certain complexity on them. You must work hard to became stronger with them" La says as she leans back on her chair.
"I mean, I want an easier time in this new life, but I also want to enjoy some hard work" He says. After being in bed all his life, he wanted to experience the different goods of the world.
"Perfect, now, Do you want to be a male human in this world too?" La asks as she looks at him.
"I don't think so. I'll check some of the information on Telrian, Maybe I'll choose one of the races from it"
"Okay, just tell me when you are ready"
Soda nods as he starts to read about the different races and species of Telrian lands, in the pages following the descriptions of the world. But after a while, one caught his attention.
"I'll choose this one." He declared, pointing out the section talking about the Otlan's. A tiefling like race of this world.
Otlans
Descendants of Angels and Demons, Otlan are divided into 18 tribes, the first nine tribes represents the nine sins of the old teachings and the latter nine represents the virtue of the old teachings. Sons of both Heaven and Hell, the Otlans were born after Heaven's supreme victory over hell, millenniums ago, when Hell forces were defeated after what was called "The last Rebellion" a forgotten yet important conflict in the history of this universe, since it shapes the path for Telrian's future. Hell got closed and the surviving demons were left behind, with their lord sealed, demons roamed across the new world without a goal. A few angels took it upon themselves to try and help them to reform and hope for a better goal. They were successful and after some time, The Otlan's were born, bearing both the blood of angels and demons in them. Yet eventually, the races were divided in the 18 tribes, nine tribes bearing the power of sins with them, and the other nine with the power of the virtues.
Their characteristics vary depending on the tribe yet they ultimately possess the natural beauty bestow by angels and some characteristics of demons like horns, tails. Some of them even had wings. Ultimately their skin color, form of their horns, tails and other characteristics of their bodies depend on their ancestry and tribe. And the Sin/Virtue of their tribes brings them a special ability, the result of the mix between blood of Heavens and Hell. For the Otlans of the Wrath Tribe, their rage turns them into invincible warriors for a short period of time, while Otlans of the Envy Tribe can easily copy other people abilities and magic. Otlans from the Temperance tribe aren't affected by external sorceries and have a natural protection against magic while Otlans from the Humility tribe are great sages and their humble nature makes them great leaders. They have a neutral alignment, leaning more to a more neutral good or neutral evil side according to their ancestry. They are omnivorous and can be nomads, traveling all around the world.
"I guess if I reincarnate as an Otlan of the Lust tribe, I have some special properties related to lust, I'm I right?" Soda ask, giving a soft smile to La. It's an attractive idea, to be a strange kind of incubus, it can make things easier regarding sex (although he hadn't thought of doing something like hypnosis... He didn't enjoy that kink) and their appearance is attractive. The different tribes that conformed to this race possess some interesting traits, yet the lust clan is the only one that he is interested in. Can you blame him? He is a horny soul.
"Yeah, that's true. High libido and stamina, you will be more attractive, You'll have an special touch…and it might improve some of your mental powers, after all, they are the descendants of Succubus and Incubus." She guessed as she writes it all down in a small piece of paper. Its letter is unreadable.
Soda thought about it for a brief second. To be honest, he wanted to just have a healthy body. One that is in perfect space. He could have chosen an elf's or an orc, even a dwarf. But if he is going to be part of a brand-new world, to be from a new race to him could be a interesting experience. He contemplated himself to be human, but it would attract way to much attention to his new life, Soda wants to have at least some peace for a while.
"Great… I'm ready, let's do it"
La smiled and offer him its hand, Soda take it and walk with it to the door on the other side of her room. As he walks to the door, he wonders what could wait for him behind that door. One part of he wanted to ask so many questions, to read more about the world in that book... Yet he also wants to fill the thrill of adventure, to confront this new life.
"How can I thank you for all of this?" Soda asks. "This opportunity is something that I 'have always wanted, i mean, i have been relegated to be on a bed through all my life, not being able to have real relationships, a real life. I had teachers, doctors, yet, i always felt so alone… Now I can change that. I want to thank you somehow"
"That's very sweet of you" La says, with a radiant smile that makes his soul feel warmer. Its eyes reflect thousands of bright colors, like an endless rainbow. "You can dedicate me and the Great Will a good prayer every now and then."
He didn't know much about praying, but he'll do an effort.
"Of course, I'll be a pleasure"
They reach the door.
"So, now?"
"Very simple, You'll just enter right here and I'll do the rest. I'll mix your soul with the system and prepare a body where your Soul will land. Ah, and sorry, but you will reincarnate in a body that has the same age that you had when you die. You might experience some kind of side effects as your soul and body integrate between each other, at least for the first few days"
While this last thing sound something to be worry about, Soda is so excited that he just nodded enthusiastically, mildly ignoring her advice.
"It's okay!" Soda says as he looks at the door. La opens it and he can see a void inside. Pure darkness. He gulps some saliva and turns to La.
"Then, have some fun, and try to live a good life"
"You bet"
They shake hands and Soda Shoichi enters through the door, ready to start his new life. La close the door and then turn around, getting to her desk.
"Okay… Let's get to work!"