In a laboratory somewhere, a middle-aged man with dark circles under his eyes and an unkempt beard stared at the data on a computer screen.
When he finished reading, he burst into laughter.
His voice, filled with emotion, echoed throughout the lab.
The researchers around him paused their work and approached curiously.
"I did it! I finally did it!"
The man's eyes grew glassy as he began to cry from sheer joy.
Disbelief filled the room, but as his colleagues read the data on the monitor, their astonishment turned into celebration.
"Congratulations, Dr. Astaros! You finally did it!"
"Congratulations!"
"Congratulations!"
"Congratulations, Mr. Noah!"
"Thank you, everyone. I couldn't have achieved this without your help."
Applause filled the laboratory as Dr. Astaros nodded, deeply moved.
Noah Astaros had devoted his life to this research since childhood. At eight years old, he watched his father wither away from cancer. At fourteen, he lost his mother to the same disease. From then on, his life revolved around a single obsession—finding a cure.
He gave up friendships, relationships, and any semblance of a normal life. While others partied or built families, he locked himself in his lab, drowning in books and formulas. Even the few friends he had in college drifted away over time. Love was also a fleeting illusion; no partner could endure his extreme dedication, and his relationships never lasted more than a few months.
He had no children either, as he was sterile.
The only joy in his life was his protégé, Sara, an orphaned girl he had adopted and cared for with all his heart.
He often regretted not enjoying life when he had the chance, but now that he was an old man, there was nothing he could do about it except focus on his calling.
Beyond his desire to help the world, he also wished to be immortalized in the history of science—like Tesla, Einstein, or Oppenheimer.
After all, the title of "the man who discovered the cure for cancer" was one highly coveted by scientists seeking glory, just like him.
But despite his sacrifices, Noah was no fool. He knew that curing cancer didn't just mean saving lives—it meant destroying one of the world's most profitable industries. He had seen other scientists come close to similar discoveries, only to vanish, die under suspicious circumstances, or be imprisoned on fabricated charges.
And he would be no exception.
Years ago, he discovered that his computer had been hacked. His research was being monitored by a hidden IP address. Changing labs or using different computers made no difference; he was trapped in a game he couldn't win.
So, he devised his own plan.
Turning his back on his colleagues, he wiped his tears and, with steady hands, downloaded the data onto a USB drive. At the same time, he sent a copy to an encrypted email. If something happened to him, the information wouldn't die with him.
His face, which had moments ago been filled with emotion, hardened. The entire celebration had been a carefully staged act. Now that his discovery was public, eliminating him would be more difficult… or so he thought.
Ironically, his assumptions were completely wrong.
One of the researchers—a thin man with glasses—pulled out a gun from under his lab coat and, without hesitation, pulled the trigger.
A sharp crack interrupted the celebration.
BANG!
The gunshot echoed through the lab.
Noah's body collapsed, a crimson stain spreading across the back of his head.
For a brief moment, there was silence.
"KYAAAAAA!"
A female researcher's scream was cut short by a second shot. Then a third. A fourth.
Without hesitation, the assassin eliminated the remaining six researchers within seconds.
The lab, which had been a place of joy moments ago, was now a graveyard.
The killer approached Noah's corpse and pried the USB from his still-warm fingers. With a grimace of disgust, he glanced at the blood staining his shoes before turning away and walking out calmly, lighting a cigarette.
A moment later, fire began to consume the laboratory.
---
Hours later…
Heavy rain poured over a lonely cemetery.
In front of a black coffin, a young woman in her twenties stood still, her face drenched by both the rain and her tears.
Sara clenched her fists. Her father was never an emotional man, but when he spoke of his research, his eyes burned with passion. He had lived for it… and now, he had died for it.
But his death wouldn't be in vain.
Wiping her tears, her gaze hardened.
"Father… I swear your legacy will reach the world."
She clutched a small USB device in her pocket. The encrypted email had arrived.
---
"Where am I?"
White stretched endlessly in all directions. In a vast, blank space, a soul floated in nothingness. There was no ground, no sky, no horizon. Just an infinite abyss of whiteness.
The entity that had once been Noah Astaros blinked—or at least, it felt like he did—as his essence wavered with unease.
"This is strange…"
He didn't remember how he had arrived there, but something told him he had been in this void for a long time. He simply floated, letting time pass without urgency.
After what felt like an eternity, the endless white was disturbed when a massive blue cube appeared before his soul, startling him slightly.
"What is this?" Noah wondered aloud.
"I am what humans refer to as the World's Consciousness."
"The World's Consciousness? Like in those novels I used to read in my youth?"
"Correct."
"That's… interesting."
After a moment of silence, Noah asked again.
"Why am I here exactly?"
"Noah Astaros! You died exactly 12 hours, 30 minutes, and 27 seconds ago.
Because of your significant contribution to the world, your karma has accumulated enough to qualify."
"Karma? Qualify? For what?"
"Karma is a causal force that measures the impact of your actions. Your discovery will change the fate of humanity, so your karma has risen to exceptional levels. Over the past hours, it continued to grow as your research spread."
Noah's thoughts halted for a moment.
"Does that mean… Sara?"
If his karma had continued increasing, there was only one explanation.
"Haha… that girl really did it."
His soul seemed to glow more brightly. Even though he had died, his legacy lived on.
"So… what does this mean for me?"
"Your accumulated karma grants you the right to reincarnate."
"Reincarnation, huh? Tell me more."
"Since you originate from the Primordial Earth, you cannot reincarnate here again. The souls of this world are too powerful and retain their memories, which could create instability."
"Then… I'll be sent to another world?"
For the first time, the idea of the isekai anime and novels he used to read in his free time didn't seem so ridiculous.
"Correct. You will be granted a number of Karma Points (KP), which you can exchange for skills, items, and your identity in the world of your choice."
A translucent blue screen appeared before Noah.
Karma Points: 10,000 KP
His eyes scanned the interface, which resembled a video game store. There were four main sections: Items, Skills, Worlds, and Identity.
Noah entered the Worlds section and was immediately shocked.
"It can't be…"
The list contained names he knew all too well.
Naruto, Highschool DxD, Tensura, Harry Potter…
Numerous anime, video game, and movie worlds were available. His mind went into analysis mode.
If he could choose a world and bring abilities or items, he needed to make his selection strategically.
"10,000, this is the amount of karma points I've accumulated so far? Seems like quite a lot."
"First, I need to check if the item I want is available."
He opened the Items section and typed a name into the search bar.
The item had no specifications or description, but Noah didn't care since he knew exactly what it did.
Still, he decided to ask just in case.
"If I choose a gene, how do I implant it into my body?"
"The gene will integrate into your DNA as your new body forms inside your mother's womb."
"That's a relief. I wouldn't want to buy it only to have no idea how to implant it later."
Noah no longer hesitated and directly purchased the Elder Blood Gene.
"Now, before choosing a skill, I need to check which worlds I can enter with my current points."
After some searching, Noah decided on a world and an identity.
World: Naruto (Shinobi World)
Level: Intermediate World
Price: 1,500 KP
His identity also had to be carefully chosen. He needed one with potential but not too much relevance in the main storyline.
Identity: Nawaki Senju
Importance Level: Low
Price: 100 KP
He still had 1,400 KP left. It was time to invest in skills.
One, in particular, caught his attention.
Skill: Superior Intelligence
Type: Passive Skill
Price: 300 KP
Noah selected it without hesitation. Despite his achievements in his past life, he was never a genius. Everything he accomplished was due to hard work, but now he could enhance his cognitive abilities.
"This will be invaluable."
With 1,100 KP remaining, Noah felt like something was missing. Then, an idea crossed his mind, and he navigated to the Items section.
After a quick search, he found what he was looking for.
Item: Kemoyin Pupil Technique
Type: Soul Training Technique
Price: 1,000 KP
It was a soul cultivation method from a novel he had read years ago. Although it required the bloodline of the Giant Kemoyin Serpent, he believed he could use it as a reference to create his own soul training technique.
"Perfect."
With 100 KP left, he chose something small but useful:
Item: Concealment Ring
Effect: Invisibility for 5 minutes (3 uses)
Price: 100 KP
With all his choices made, the World Consciousness spoke.
"Reincarnation process initiated."
The massive blue cube shone brightly, and a pillar of light enveloped Noah's soul.
"A new world! Here I go!"
With an excited laugh, Noah disappeared from the blank space.