The rain poured heavily over the city, soaking the streets and turning puddles into fragmented neon mirrors. The scent of blood mixed with the wet asphalt. My body trembled, but not from the cold.
So this is how it ends?
I wasn't a hero. Nor a villain. Just someone who made the wrong choices at the wrong times. The bullet had pierced my stomach, and the pain burned like liquid fire. Every breath was a knife driving deeper, and the metallic taste of blood spread through my mouth.
The sound of the shooter's footsteps faded into the distance. He didn't even bother to check if I was still alive.
Around me, the city remained indifferent. No one rushed to help. No one screamed. Only the pale glow of the streetlights bore witness to my end.
The pain was unbearable, but my mind clung to the last spark of consciousness. Then, something changed. The world went… silent. No rain, no echoes of cars on the avenue. Just emptiness.
"What a meaningless end for someone who tried so hard to survive."
My mind should have been fading, yet the voice was crystal clear. It came from everywhere and nowhere at once.
That's when I saw her.
A silhouette wrapped in shadows, golden eyes glowing like embers. The figure hovered over me, tilting its head with curiosity. It had no shadow. It didn't seem real. But its voice was sharp, cutting through the rain like a blade.
"You really have no luck, do you" The voice was calm, almost amused.
"Who… are you…?" My voice came out weak, barely audible.
"Someone interested in giving lost causes a second chance. Dying like this, just like that… Don't you think it's unfair?"
I tried to laugh, but only more blood spilled from my lips. "Death… was never fair."
The figure tilted its head as if pondering my existence for a brief moment.
"And what if I told you it could be?"
A different kind of chill ran down my spine. Even on the verge of death, my gut twisted in pure instinct.
"What… do you mean…?"
"There was a mistake in your fate. Or perhaps… just an opportunity. You can reincarnate. In another world."
My mind was already hazy, but those words pulled me back.
"And… what's the price? My soul?"
"None. Just entertain me. In return, you'll have the right to a wish. But there are limits — something reasonable."
My eyes, once heavy, widened slightly. A new life? And a wish? It was surreal. Ridiculous. But… if it was true…
I had to choose wisely. Something powerful enough to guarantee my survival, but subtle enough not to draw suspicion. If I asked for "immortality", this entity would probably deny it. If I said, "I want to be a god," I'd be done for before even reincarnating.
I thought about all the anime, manga, and manhwa worlds I knew. Many had absurd powers, but any obvious wish would raise alarms. I needed something that seemed weak… but was actually a monster waiting to awaken.
There was a way. A request that masked its true grandeur. A faint smile touched my lips.
I took a deep breath, my voice trembling but firm: "I want to have… the abilities that Tanjiro Kamado obtained at his peak."
The entity blinked, surprised. "The protagonist of Kimetsu no Yaiba?"
I weakly nodded.
"He wasn't one of those heroes who won just through effort and perseverance? No divine powers, just hard work and talent. Sounds… reasonable." The figure fell silent for a long moment.
Then, it smiled. "A modest wish… you're quite clever." The entity chuckled, low and satisfied.
Tanjiro Kamado was an incredible warrior. A master of sword techniques, one of the most skilled users of the Sun Breathing Style. A marked Demon Slayer. But none of that was what truly interested me.
His peak… was as the Demon King.
When he became a demon, he surpassed human limits. Absurd regeneration. Strength and speed far beyond what any mortal could dream of. An immortal being who could fight even with a destroyed body and held the greatest potential of all.
And I… asked for all of it.
If I had said I wanted to be a Demon King, they would have probably refused me on the spot. But by disguising it as "Tanjiro's abilities"… how could they deny it?
It was a camouflaged wish, hidden under false humility. It seemed weak, but in reality, it was something monstrous. And the best part? No one would suspect.
My vision began to darken. But before I completely faded, I heard its final words: "Now, reincarnate in the world of The Beginning After The End."
My mind froze.
That world… A place where magic and martial arts coexisted, filled with kingdoms, powerful beasts, and beings capable of reshaping destiny.
A setting where weakness meant death.
"Good luck."
And then, everything disappeared.