Chapter 1: Past Life and Present Life

My name is Takashi Akihiro, and I am as ordinary as an ordinary young man can be. After graduating from university, I became a typical nine-to-five worker like most of my peers.

My life was simple and monotonous, a straightforward routine—commuting between home and the office every day.

Although such a life might seem a bit dull, I genuinely enjoyed the peace and tranquility it offered.

I relished this simple and pure lifestyle, free from excessive stress and worries, where I could freely manage my time.

However, fate seemed unwilling to let me live in such serenity forever.

A sudden war shattered my previously peaceful life and altered the destinies of many others.

In these turbulent times, everyone had to make choices.

I was no exception. I was drafted as a volunteer, assigned to logistical duties.

This meant leaving the familiar city I called home and venturing into unknown lands, embarking on an entirely new journey.

Sometimes, I couldn't help but fantasize: What if life could remain this plain and unremarkable forever, without grand dramatic plots, without thrilling adventures, just filled with the mundanity and tedium of everyday life? While such days might seem ordinary, they offered a peculiar sense of reassurance.

But reality is always cruel. The shadow of war loomed over our world, filling people with unease and fear.

Countless lives were lost in the flames of war each day, innocent people enduring immense suffering and torment.

I longed deeply for it all to end, to usher in true peace.

But war seemed endless; each conflict brought about even more destruction and casualties.

As for me, I was utterly drained—physically and mentally exhausted. Perhaps death was the ultimate release.

It was an ordinary day, with the sun hanging high in the sky, illuminating the earth with warmth and brightness.

Yet for me, this day was destined to be anything but ordinary.

As a logistics transport worker for a top-secret research facility, my life was usually calm and predictable.

Every day, I drove a truck, delivering supplies to the facility as scheduled.

But today, as I traveled the familiar road, I noticed something unusual—a dazzling white light flashing in the distance, as if something was exploding.

The light was so blinding that I had to squint to avoid hurting my eyes.

At the same time, a strong curiosity surged within me, compelling me to figure out what caused this phenomenon.

Just as I was trying to make sense of it, a deafening explosion erupted, shaking the world like a thunderclap.

It was an eerie sound, accompanied by a powerful shockwave that swept over in an instant.

I felt an immense force, like a car speeding straight into me, hurling me violently into the air.

Then everything blurred, my consciousness fading into darkness.

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When I opened my eyes again, my vision was hazy, and it took a moment to clear.

I saw a surgical light above me, emitting a piercing glare that seemed to burn through my eyes.

My body felt as if it had been thrown into a raging fire—scorching and unbearable. Every cell in my body trembled in agony.

I tried to move my fingers but found myself entirely immobilized, as if bound tightly by some invisible force.

Surveying my body, I noticed blisters and burns covering my skin, evident signs of severe damage.

I tried to calm myself, but the fear and unease within me only grew stronger.

My body was riddled with tubes, each connected to various liquids, surrounded by medical equipment emitting faint noises, seemingly working hard to save my life.

"You're awake."

A man, who appeared to be a doctor, looked at me with a steady and serious gaze.

"You're fortunate not to have died in the first wave of the nuclear explosion. Most people outside the base didn't survive," the doctor said gravely, his voice heavy with regret.

I lay silently on the hospital bed, surrounded by machines, my face pale as a sheet.

An overwhelming sadness and despair welled up within me, as if my entire world had crumbled in an instant.

"But you're also unfortunate," the doctor continued, his gaze tinged with pity. "Due to the nuclear radiation, your entire genetic structure is collapsing. Current medical technology cannot save you."

I listened quietly, my heart heavy with pain and frustration.

I had thought I'd escaped death's grip, only to find myself in an even more terrifying predicament.

My body was disintegrating, and modern medicine was powerless to help.

Memories of my past life, those beautiful moments, now felt distant and surreal.

I once had dreams and hopes, but now they all seemed to vanish like smoke. I didn't know how to face this grim reality or what the future held.

In that moment, I felt utterly alone and helpless. I knew my time was running out, yet there were so many things I hadn't accomplished.

But what could I do? Simply accept this cruel fate? No! I refused to give up.

Even with death looming, I would strive to find a glimmer of hope.

Even if there was only a one-in-a-million chance, I would fight against this despair.

I wanted to leave something meaningful behind in my life, no matter the cost.

"Have you heard of digital life technology?"

Digital life technology? The kind that transfers human consciousness into a computer? Wasn't that still a concept confined to science fiction? Could it already be in practical use?

"You mean transferring human consciousness into a machine?" I asked.

"Precisely. I'm a researcher in digital life technology. Given your current condition, your body won't last long—your DNA is fragmenting. In a few days, you'll die a painful death due to genetic collapse. The only way to save you is to upload your consciousness. Are you willing to join the Digital Life Program?"

"Do I have any other choice? The only path to survival lies before me, doesn't it?"

"I'm willing to participate in the consciousness upload experiment!"

"A wise choice," the researcher said with a faint smile, a trace of excitement and anticipation in his voice.

He understood the significance of this decision for the participant but also knew this would be a process fraught with challenges and unknowns.

Yet he believed in the power of science, confident that this experiment could bring new hope and possibilities for humanity.

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