"You'll never amount to anything."
"You're just a worthless piece of shit!"
"Honestly, it would be better if you just died..."
The words echoed through the hollow chambers of Xavier's mind, lingering like ghosts in an empty house. His consciousness drifted aimlessly, untethered, lost in the vast abyss of nothingness.
Then—
"Arise."
A single command, spoken with an authority that reverberated through eternity. It tore through the void, jolting Xavier awake.
He floated, weightless, in an endless expanse. The space stretched infinitely in all directions, a tapestry woven with stars and galaxies. It was beautiful—terrifyingly so.
"Huh...?"
Before him, a face emerged from the cosmos itself—an entity of burning suns and swirling nebulas, its gaze all-knowing.
"Boy."
The voice thundered, shaking Xavier to his core.
His eyes shot open. "Wha—where am I?"
The question hung in the vastness, but even as the words left his lips, he wasn't sure if sound even existed in this space.
"You are everywhere and nowhere."
"Nowhere?" Xavier pondered the response, oddly calm despite the absurdity of it all. A stillness had settled over him, a peace so profound it was almost unnatural.
"Oh... that's right," he murmured, his memories slotting into place. "I died."
"Indeed."
The celestial being's voice boomed once more, resonating through his very existence.
"Xavier Grey, your life was both pitiful and disappointing. Your potential—squandered. Never fully realized. And now, you stand before the system which governs all."
"A second chance," it continued. "For a hapless soul such as yourself."
Xavier's breath hitched. "Wait... this is—reincarnation?"
"Indeed."
Excitement and unease warred within him. Was this real? Was this a trick? It was all too surreal, too much like the web novels he used to binge.
"Though your life was unremarkable," the being continued, "some among the administrators of the Eternal Hall found your struggle... compelling. They have granted you another opportunity."
The air itself seemed to hum with finality as the entity spoke its decree.
"You are to be reborn."
A streak of light hurtled toward him, descending like a comet. As it neared, Xavier instinctively shielded his eyes, expecting the burning intensity to sear his very soul. Instead, the radiance softened, dimming to a gentle glow.
And then—she appeared.
A woman, ethereal and breathtaking. Her form was sculpted from pure light, her presence commanding yet soothing. She radiated warmth, an unspoken serenity woven into her very existence.
"Hello, Xavier," she greeted, her voice liquid honey.
"U-uh... h-hi...?" Xavier stammered, immediately hating himself. Seriously? He was face-to-face with a literal divine being, and this was how he played it?
She giggled, a sound like wind chimes in the breeze. "I know this must be overwhelming. Take your time. After all, we have all the time in the universe."
His eyes flickered around the endless void, witnessing stars birthing and dying, civilizations rising and falling in the blink of an eye.
"Where... is here?"
"That's difficult to explain," she admitted, tapping a finger against her chin. "But what I can tell you is this—the universe has acknowledged your suffering. And it offers you a choice."
"A choice?"
She nodded. "Return to your previous life with all your memories... or be reborn into a new world, free to carve your own fate."
Xavier's stomach twisted at the thought of going back. Back to that place. That life. That endless, suffocating misery.
"Yeah, no thanks." His response was immediate, carrying a bitterness that left a foul taste in his mouth.
She smiled knowingly. "Then... would you prefer a world of magic and adventure? A world of heroics and mystical creatures? Perhaps even... bunny girls?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously.
"...Weirdo," Xavier deadpanned.
"Hey!" she pouted, tiny angry emojis popping up around her. "I can literally hear your thoughts, you know."
"Oh, right. Uh, sorry."
He cleared his throat, growing more serious. "Honestly, all I had in my last life were video games and webnovels. They were the only things that kept me going. But knowing what's ahead? Having everything mapped out? That doesn't sound like living—it sounds like waiting."
A pause. Silence stretched between them as she observed him, weighing his words.
"I understand." Her voice softened. "Very well. Fantasy world it is."
With a flick of her wrist, countless glowing screens materialized around them, each displaying an array of powers and abilities. They hovered in the void, illuminating the space like constellations.
"These are—"
"Skills," Xavier finished, eyes scanning the options. "Or... Divine Arts?"
She grinned. "Correct! The ability you choose will be your lifelong partner in this new world. So choose wisely."
Xavier barely hesitated. "Can you filter these to only show abilities related to time?"
"Time? Hm... sure, I guess." She twirled a finger, and all but one of the skill windows vanished.
[Divine Art: Whisper in the Wind] [Skill Rank: E] [Description: See five seconds into a future 'determined.']
"Huh. E-rank?" She tilted her head. "I can bring up the S-rank skills if—"
"Nope. This one."
Her expression twisted into one of sheer horror as Xavier let out a slow, deranged chuckle.
"Hehehe..."
A shiver ran down her spine. "Uhm. Are you okay?"
"Perfect." His eyes gleamed. "I choose that one."
"O-okay...?" She flicked her wrist, embedding the ability into his being with a chime. "Well, that's settled! Time to send you on your way."
A swirling vortex of color erupted beside them.
"Wait!" Xavier blurted. "Aren't you gonna give me some grand, wise parting words or something?"
"I was going to," she sniffed, "but you grossed me out, so now I just want you gone."
"What do you—"
The portal yawned open, and Xavier was yanked into the abyss.
"Wake up!"
The voice was urgent, breaking through the swirling haze of Xavier's consciousness.
"Please! Please, wake up!"
A violent explosion rocked the space, jerking him fully awake.
His eyes flew open. He was submerged—trapped in some kind of pod filled with viscous liquid. He gasped, panic surging through him as he clawed at the walls. Then—
A hand.
Someone yanked him forward, dragging him out. He collapsed onto the cold, metallic floor, coughing up fluid. A towel was thrust into his hands.
"I know you just woke up, and there's a lot to explain, but we don't have time!" A girl's voice, sharp with urgency. "We need to get out of here. Now."
Another explosion thundered. Xavier's vision cleared just in time to see—
Rows upon rows of pods. Thousands of them. Each one housing a figure submerged in eerie, yellowish green tinted liquid.
His breath caught in his throat.
"What the hell...?"