"Hey, you finally woke up?" The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a rat-like man staring at me and two people with their hands and arms tied. This rat-man was truly a rat—or more precisely, a rat-human.
I tried to speak, but my mouth was bound. My eyes widened with worry as I stared at this disgusting-looking rat, wondering where I was.
"Don't bother trying to talk, friend. Considering what you've done, you're a major criminal," the rat-man said to me with a grin that made me cringe. I looked at him reproachfully, not understanding what he meant.
'Who is this rat? And... where am I?' My thoughts were interrupted by the rattling of the wagon. This damned thing was annoyingly bumpy. The road was rocky and poorly maintained. There was no sign of the modern world here.
"I can guess what you're thinking," the rat-man said, drawing my attention again as he squinted his green eyes. "You don't even remember how you got here, do you?"
I stayed silent, unwilling to respond to this creature for a while. I racked my brain for an answer, but it was hard… as if something was actively preventing me from remembering.
If I were to describe this feeling, it was like having a leash on your will. Whether I liked it or not, I was reliant on the rat—at least for now. Once I got the answers, the rest didn't concern me.
"You're a criminal. And not just any criminal—the worst criminal in existence." The rat-man spoke harshly, condemning me. I didn't understand why he was so angry at me, but I didn't care. All I needed were answers.
"The entire realm hates you. They even speak your name with disgust," the rat-man said with contempt. "Even demons fear your name. I hope you're happy with what you've done."
I narrowed my eyes, irritated by his words. Why was this scum lecturing me? If my hands weren't tied, I'd make him pay for his insults.
The rat-man sighed, his expression returning to its former calmness. He turned his gaze to the wagon driver. "How much longer until we get there?"
I shifted my eyes to the man driving the wagon. As I turned my head, I was met with the sight of a half-armored man with a pair of wings on his back. My eyes widened, and I involuntarily gasped.
'Damn, is this guy an angel?'
His wings were a faded white, almost gray. Other than the wings, he looked like an ordinary man. Before I could continue my thoughts, the man turned to the rat and growled, "Shut your mouth, rat. You talk too much."
The rat-man pouted but didn't respond. Instead, he turned to me with that disgusting grin forming on his face again. "Don't be surprised by what he said. We're actually best friends."
"We're not," the wagon driver replied simply. The rat-man waved his hands mockingly. "Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that."
The wagon driver stayed silent, merely grumbling as he sped up, clearly wanting to be rid of the rat as soon as possible.
When my eyes shifted to the horses pulling the wagon, I was shocked again. Th-these horses had wings. Pegasi? No, they might have been angelic horses.
Still, my brain couldn't fully accept it. Had I fallen into a fantasy world? How could such scientifically impossible things exist?
Even though I didn't understand, a voice inside me reassured me that I would learn everything soon. I trusted this feeling. It had never let me down before.
"We're taking off; hold on tight," the wagon driver said indifferently. Before I could respond, the horses flapped their wings and took to the sky. The two tied-up people nearly fell off but somehow managed to stay seated.
My heart raced as I gazed at the view from above. I didn't know where this place was, but from the looks of it, Hell was a possibility.
It seemed endless. Strangely, it looked like it had been ravaged by a massive war. Huge craters, still-burning trees, a sky blanketed with smoke, and stormy clouds…
The reason for the ruined roads was clear. The entire realm had been devastated. Even from here, the stench of burning corpses lingered. Swallowing hard, I wondered what kind of Hell I was in.
I had suddenly been transported here, seemingly in another person's body. And now, I was being treated like a criminal.
"Surprised by what you see?" the rat-man said calmly. Not even flying through the sky seemed to excite him. He looked at me with disgusting eyes filled with amusement. "Even Lucifer couldn't bring Heaven to this state, but you did. Be proud. If I were you, I'd be brimming with pride."
I was stunned by the rat-man's words. What was he talking about? Did he call this place Heaven? Sorry, but this place was nearly identical to Earth. There was even a sun. I always thought Heaven was a place covered in white.
Besides, what could I have done that was worse than Lucifer's deeds? It didn't make sense. I was just an ordinary man—unless I had killed God or something.
"The First Heaven was nearly destroyed. The other six heavens also suffered from this calamity," the rat-man said with boredom. He looked into my eyes and continued, "More than half the Seraphim were killed. Most of the Archangels were gravely injured. The Third Heaven experienced an irreparable technological regression."
The rat-man then laughed. "I truly must congratulate you. After all, not even Lucifer could have done this. You really did bring ruin to this place."
The rat-man suddenly trembled as white lightning coursed through him, making him scream in agony. As he wailed in pain, I watched with wide eyes. I quickly learned the reason.
The wagon driver was glaring at the rat-man with dark blue eyes that seemed to kill. Unconsciously, I felt a weight on my body.
It wasn't fear—no, it was something else. It felt like a mysterious force was threatening me. Strange but mysterious.
"Rat filth, stay silent before I take your disgusting head," the driver snarled, looking like he was about to explode with rage. Despite the rat-man's cries of pain, neither I nor the other humans felt any pity for him.
Three minutes later, the punishment ended, and the rat-man finally stopped screaming, half-conscious with his eyes closed. "Ugh, I almost died! Old man, how could you do this to an old friend?"
Suddenly, the Mouse-Man, whining with anger, screamed in his shrill voice. The coach driver's lips curved into a thin but threatening smile.
"Seems like you want more, huh?"
The Mouse-Man paled and sighed, retreating slightly. Yet, there was an expression of pain on his face.
"Mate, I thought we were friends."
"A friend? With your filthy kind? For an Angel to consider that would be an insult to my lineage, Mouse," the driver said with disdain. My eyes turned to the Mouse-Man. Judging by his earlier calm and playful demeanor, I thought he was a decent fellow. Apparently, I was wrong.
At first, his eyes softened, but he soon fell silent with disappointment. Though he maintained a good expression, sadness lingered underneath. I didn't know how he felt, yet I could sense it.
Flying horses, Angels, even a Mouse-Man—I had seen them all. I was a smart man, and accepting this quickly wasn't much of a problem for me. Simply put, I had reincarnated into a notorious criminal.
Not just any criminal, but one so heinous that even Lucifer would have applauded. I was someone who had nearly destroyed the Seven Heavens. Yet, I had no idea what he—no, I—had done. Hell, I didn't even have his memories!
All that remained were fragments of memories from the modern world. This body's memories were gone too. I didn't know what to do. The expected outcome was simply to wait for my inevitable execution.
My eyes narrowed as I contemplated the possible escape routes, but it was pointless. Even if I could somehow get rid of these magical collars, how would I escape from the skies? I sighed, pushing my brain to its limits.
"Requesting permission to enter the Sixth Heaven," the driver called out emotionlessly into the void. I frowned, watching curiously to see what he was doing.
After a moment of waiting, a response came.
"You may pass. Please proceed promptly."
As a large portal opened and a robotic, emotionless voice echoed, I held my breath. Beyond the portal lay a true Heaven.
Lush gardens lined the paths. The sun shone brightly in the sky, but the more I looked at it, the better I felt.
Rivers, floating islands, lakes, even the houses radiated a sacred aura. They were simple, clean, comfortable, and inviting. Not luxurious, but far more elegant than any home I had ever seen.
The expected overwhelming whiteness wasn't there. Instead, a nature-themed aesthetic was everywhere. White was only present on the roads and some of the houses.
Apart from that, it was simply divine—a place where anyone would be willing to die just to glimpse. I'm not joking. This was a place that truly embodied the essence of Angels.
"You'd do well to be careful, mate," the Mouse-Man looked at me and grinned seriously. It was refreshing that he hadn't lost his sense of humor.
He then shifted his gaze to the sky, where five-winged Seraphim watched me intently with hatred.
"Those Angels hate you quite a bit. After all, you reduced their population by two-thirds."
I listened to his words without taking my eyes off the Seraphim. I seriously considered his warning. It seemed I was being taken to some kind of trial.
As the carriage slowly descended, the Seraphim began surrounding us. Some were clad in armor, while others wore simple, modest robes.
When the carriage landed, the driver approached me and removed the device that prevented me from speaking. He also took the gag off the other prisoners.
Taking a deep, relieved breath, I stepped down slowly, planting my feet on the ground. My balance was off, and I staggered as I walked. Behind me, the Mouse-Man and two humans were led elsewhere.
"Stop," a Seraphim, armored and seemingly of high rank, commanded. His eyes flickered with anger when they met mine, but he quickly regained his discipline and turned to the Mouse-Man.
"The Mouse-Man species, from Earth-968. His father was a half-dwarf, half-mouse; his mother, a prostitute. He stands accused of stealing an important artifact from Heaven. Name: Jolger."
The Mouse-Man, now identified as Jolger, merely rolled his eyes. When it was my turn, a flicker of sorrow appeared in the Commander Seraphim's gaze but vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by fury.
Coldly, he spoke:
"Former Commander of Heaven, the strongest Archangel, the one who defeated Lucifer, the undefeated, the most mighty fallen Archangel—Michael. Today, you stand accused of betraying the Goddess, leaving an unforgettable scar on Heaven, and annihilating two-thirds of the Seraphim."
As the Seraphim finished speaking, my eyes widened, and my thoughts spiraled into chaos. But before I could process it, I felt my consciousness slipping away, my body weakening.
Before I could understand what had happened, my vision faded. The last thing I saw was the ruthless look in the Commander Seraphim's eyes.