"Wait, this is a joke, right? It can't be real, right? This has to be a dream! Yes! A sad, twisted nightmare! Yeah, calm down, Ren! Calm down and observe your situation again," muttered Ren Weiss as he floated along a glowing white tunnel, staring down at his translucent, ethereal form.

To be more precise, Ren was no longer a man, but a soul.

"What the fuck! What the actual fuck! Did I really die? This is how souls are supposed to look when they die, right? I can't believe it. I actually died! And in such a sad, pathetic way too!" Ren thrashed about, trying in vain to turn around and return to wherever he came from, but it was useless.

After a long while of fruitless struggles, he finally gave up and calmed down. He gazed at his incorporeal body one last time before sighing in deep regret.

"There's no doubt about it now. I died, and my soul left my body. Now I'm in the tunnel to the afterlife. Hah, I never thought I'd actually get to say this, but I can literally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Feels like I'm in some kind of supernatural novel," he said, laughing hysterically at the absurdity of it all.

"You know, now that I think about it, my life was really sad," Ren said, staring at the distant light, reminiscing about his years on Earth.

---

Born into the prestigious Weiss family, Ren was the son of a lineage that prized power, wealth, and martial prowess above all else. However, from a young age, it was clear Ren wasn't like the rest of his family. His body was frail, his reflexes slow, and his natural talent for combat was virtually nonexistent.

At the age of three, his parents died in a tragic car accident, leaving him under the care of his grandfather, the stern and unyielding patriarch of the Weiss family. Despite endless training sessions and harsh criticism, Ren couldn't meet the family's high expectations. By ten, he had become the family's outcast, bullied by his cousins and abandoned by his grandfather, who saw Ren as nothing more than a failure.

Desperate to escape his family's oppressive shadow, Ren ran away at twelve, wandering aimlessly until he was found by Reid Hawke, a retired martial artist and master blacksmith who had once been a close friend of Ren's father. Recognizing the pain in the boy's eyes, Reid took Ren in, offering him the warmth and understanding that had been missing from his life for so long.

Under Reid's tutelage, Ren discovered a natural talent for blacksmithing, an art that became his solace. He threw himself into the craft, mastering the intricacies of forging and eventually pursuing metallurgy in college. By the time he graduated, he had transformed his skill into a thriving business, taking over Reid's company after his mentor passed away.

Despite his success, Ren's personal life remained empty. Haunted by his past and the fear of rejection, he kept everyone at arm's length, never allowing himself to be vulnerable. It wasn't until his mentor's dying words—"Live your life without regrets. Don't let the past define you. Forge your own path, and don't be afraid to take risks, even in love"—that Ren realized how much he had missed out on.

But by then, it was too late. At 36, in a moment of desperation, Ren decided to try living life on his terms. He went to a bar, hoping to find some semblance of connection, but fate had other plans. The woman he approached that night turned out to be a serial killer, ending his life in the most tragic and ironic way imaginable.

And like that, he died… a virgin.

---

"I can't believe I actually died like that. And I never fulfilled Reid's request," Ren said, downcast as memories of his lonely, unfulfilled life washed over him.

But then, his eyes widened as if struck by an epiphany. "Wait, according to one of those novels I read, this should be the path of reincarnation. Thank goodness I wasn't sent to some kind of judgment up in heaven. I've done nothing truly terrible, but my browsing history alone would probably land me in hell. Thankfully, I cleared it last time... I think."

His eyes then shone with determination. "Thirty-six years without any real interaction with a woman, dying a virgin, and being killed by one. All of this happened because I allowed my fear and self-doubt to rule me. But not anymore. I'm going to fulfill Reid's request in my next life. I'll live without regrets, and this time, I'll forge my destiny, no matter what."

As Ren's resolve solidified, he noticed the light at the end of the tunnel growing brighter, signaling that he was nearing its end.

"Finally, the tunnel is ending. I can finally see what the afterlife looks like," said Ren with a slightly excited expression. After all, it wasn't every day one got to witness the afterlife firsthand. The most important part was that he was naked, which meant there was a 99.9% chance that everyone else would be naked too, including the ladies. And he was not disappointed.

When he passed through the opening, he saw other souls floating out of different tunnels, converging toward a moving platform. Ren grinned broadly; just as he suspected, every soul was naked. Before him floated a group of women with alluring bodies. For once in his life, things seemed to be looking up.

The women looked confused, speaking in a language Ren couldn't understand. 'They must be from another world,' Ren thought, amused as he continued to observe them. After a moment, the women noticed Ren and the other men watching them with interest. Embarrassed, they tried to cover themselves with their hands, but to little avail.

"Come on now, there's no need to hide the goods, we're already dead," said a bald man standing behind Ren. Ren turned in surprise.

"Noah! What are you doing here? How did you die?" Ren asked, astonished to see a familiar face among the dead.

The man looked equally surprised. "What the heck! Ren, is that you? How the hell did you die?"

"That's the question I was asking you! Let me guess, one of your deals with the mafia went wrong, right?" Ren replied, shaking his head.

Scratching his bald head, Noah sighed, "Well, more or less. I do all I do for my wife, you know."

'Another one brought down by a woman,' Ren thought, pitying Noah.

Noah then asked with great interest, "But how on earth did you die?"

Ren released a long sigh as he explained the tragic and ironic way he had met his end. By the time he was done, Noah was laughing so hard he was rolling on the floor.

"What are you laughing about? It's not funny at all!" Ren said, a little upset by the reminder of his sad demise.

"Hahaha! It's hilarious, man. You've been a virgin for 36 years, and the moment you decide to change that, you get killed by a psycho! That's the saddest thing I've ever heard in my life!" Noah continued to laugh.

"Fuck you!" Ren snapped, annoyed.

"Okay, okay, sorry, I was just messing with you. So, what are we supposed to do now?" Noah asked, looking around.

Ren shrugged. "Do we really have anything to do? We're dead. What else can we do? Let's just go with the flow, or do you think you can escape death?"

"Yeah, you're right. Why should I care?" Noah replied, giving up his concerns.

As they floated on the platform, they soon reached some sort of checkpoint. Whenever souls passed through, a ray of light would wash over them. Ren and Noah were talking when they passed the checkpoint, but after crossing it, Ren noticed that Noah had gone silent. When he turned to look, he saw Noah's eyes were dull, and he was moving mechanically. The women who had been acting uncomfortably were also still, exposing their bodies without care. Ren glanced around and noticed that everyone else had the same dull expression.

After a moment of thought, Ren realized what had happened. 'That checkpoint must be where they wipe memories and consciousness from souls,' he concluded. But soon, he became confused.

'If that's the case, why wasn't my consciousness wiped too?' he wondered.

Then, as if struck by another epiphany, Ren's confusion turned into shock, and then from shock into excitement. 'Wait, doesn't this mean I'm going to keep all my memories of my previous life? In my next life, things will be completely different. I can use my experience to finally live the life I was meant to. Hahaha, this is amazing!' Ren thought, bursting with excitement.

After some time, he noticed strange beings that looked human but emitted a pure white light. They wore white clothing and moved with an eerie precision, performing their tasks in silence. 'They must have been at this forever. It's so deathly silent here. These must be some kind of soul caretakers,' Ren thought, observing the beings.

There was a division where these beings used some sort of energy to move souls to different platforms, where they could enter various gates, each set up for individual souls. Whenever a soul passed through a gate, words would appear on a screen above it. Although Ren didn't recognize the language, he understood the meanings perfectly. He saw words like 'normal,' 'useless,' protagonist,' 'antagonist,' and so on.

Normal souls were common, "useless" souls less so but still not unusual. However, "protagonist" and "antagonist" souls were incredibly rare. Of the millions of souls that had passed through the gates, Ren had only heard the term "antagonist" used seven times and "protagonist" just four.

When it was finally his turn, the word "misfit" appeared before him.

The white beings managing the gate froze, their expressions shifting from serene detachment to confusion and concern as they stared at Ren. One of them, seemingly perplexed, took him aside and ran the scan again. The result was the same: "misfit." With an uneasy glance at Ren, the white being left its post to consult with others.

Ren's mind raced with questions. Why were they looking at him like that, with a mix of curiosity and pity? He didn't have to wonder for long. The white being returned, accompanied by another figure who shone brighter, exuding an air of authority. Ren guessed this one held a higher rank.

"Human, can you understand me?" the higher-ranking white being asked, scrutinizing Ren closely.

"Yes," Ren replied, his voice steady despite his growing unease. After hearing his answer, the being stepped aside to confer in hushed tones with the others. The white beings cast furtive, sympathetic glances at Ren, deepening his sense of foreboding. 'What the hell is going on?' Ren thought, his anxiety mounting.

The higher-ranking being soon returned, its expression grave. "According to our laws, all misfits must be eradicated," it declared. Without hesitation, it raised its hand, a swirl of blue ethereal energy gathering in its palm, aimed directly at Ren.

Panic seized Ren as he tried to flee, but he found himself rooted to the spot, his escape futile. Just as the energy in the being's palm intensified, ready to be unleashed, a spatial tear ripped open above them, sucking away all the gathered energy in an instant.

A playful voice echoed from the tear, "A misfit, huh? Interesting." A young man, appearing in his early twenties, stepped through the rift. He was strikingly handsome, with a well-defined face, jade-like skin, and silver hair. Dressed in a white robe and wielding a white spear, he exuded an aura of effortless power.

The high-ranking white being's face drained of color at the sight of the newcomer, and it, along with the others, dropped to its knees. "Greetings to His Greatness, Lord Zen," they intoned in unison.

Zen, unfazed by their display, spoke with a casual air. "You know, to save you all the trouble, you can just hand over the misfit to me. Save your strength." With a snap of his fingers, Ren was instantly pulled to Zen's side.

The high-ranking being stammered, "Lord Zen, I'm not sure if my lord will agree to this…"

"Don't worry, I'll have a word with him," Zen replied with a dismissive wave, turning to leave.

"I don't think so," a voice boomed, reverberating through the space.

A man materialized in midair, his presence commanding. He appeared to be in his late thirties, with a muscular build and clad in dark armor that radiated an ominous energy.

The white beings immediately knelt again, this time addressing the newcomer. "Greetings to His Magnificence, Lord Faust."

Zen offered a casual smile. "Yo, Faust. How's it going? I hope you're well."

Faust ignored the pleasantries, his tone cold and unyielding. "Release the misfit. He must be eradicated."

Zen's demeanor remained light as he responded, "But I need him for a very important experiment. Can't you make an exception?"

Faust's expression hardened. "I'm sorry, but no. Hand him over… or I'll take him by force." Twin battle axes materialized in Faust's hands, their edges glinting with lethal intent.

Zen sighed, his smile fading as he raised his spear and pointed it at Faust. "Ah, well, you leave me no choice."

For a moment, the air was thick with tension, both powerful beings poised to strike. Then, in a flash, Faust lunged at Zen. In the same instant, Zen shoved Ren back through the spatial tear, sealing it shut before clashing with Faust. The collision of their immense powers sent shockwaves through the very fabric of reality, their battle's devastation immeasurable