'What is the difference between life and death?
Life is a sweet truth. It is something that people enjoy having. Death is a bitter truth. It is a truth similar to life. If there's life, their is death. Many try their absolute best to defy it. And even after millions of years, humans still believe death to be distant from life... how?
Life brings happiness & sadness, wealth & poverty. While death brings the greatest freedom from the negative side of life.
*****
Or at least that is what I believe.' Haruto told himself as he pondered about the difference between life & death.
Haruto Ito was like a dream. He was and had everything. Good looks, smart, talented, kind, and realistic.
As he looked out the window, he could see the tall concrete buildings that still stood, even after he left eight years ago.
'My parents divorced when I was eight. My father was unfaithful, and my mother had a multi-billion dollar business in Tokyo. My mother's family had never approved of my father, so when they heard the detailes, divorce was only a matter of time...' Haruto exhaled slowly as he placed his back on the seat of the bus he was in.
'My father spoiled my sister rotten, with both his and my mother's wealth. And so, my sister decided to stay with him, while I came along with my mother.
She gave me more than I ever needed. Money, education, toys & games, and most important of all, freedom.'
He looked at the letter he held in his hands.
"Haruto Ito, we are overjoyed to inform you that your admission to Yokosuka High-school has been approved. The term starts on 30th April 2025 at 8.00 in the morning. We await your arrival with anticipation." Was the basic summary of the letter's content.
'When my mother learnt about the school, she immediately suggested sending me to a prestigious school.
But with the need to meet my father, sister, and childhood friends again, I declined.' He put the letter back into his book bag, which was already stuffed with books.
He slowly exhaled. As the bus arrived in the city, he picked up his luggage and walked out of the bus.
He took a breath of fresh air. Birds chirped as though inviting Haruto to come and sing with them. The leaves and flowers of the trees had decayed and were gradually falling onto the ground.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his smartphone. '11:30' the phone displayed the time in bold characters.
He called a taxi, and within a short time, they reached the major tourist attraction spot, the sea cliff of Raijin.
*****
'This brings back memories...' Haruto told himself as a warm smile tugged on his lips. He recalled the memories he spent here, the memories with his sister, his childhood friends, and his parents.
He felt a cold breeze as the memories of the good time of his life flashed before his eyes. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
He turned around, and his gaze was met with a black haired girl with black eyes, who seemed to be the same age as him.
It might have been eight years, but Haruto instantly recognised the girl. Suzuki Amane is one of his childhood best friends.
Haruto tried his best to keep his composure as her gaze never left Haruto.
"I'm sorry," Amane spoke in a soothing voice. "But have we met before?"
Realization dawned on Haruto. He might have remembered Suzuki, his sister, and his other childhood friends. But what guaranteed that they remember him even after eight years?
"Sorry," Haruto bowed his head. "You reminded me of a friend of mine."
Haruto then proceeded to walk past his childhood friend to his taxi. As the taxi drove off to the distance, Suzuki couldn't help but ponder...
"He looked familiar... I wonder why?"
*****
"Have a nice day," Haruto thanked his driver as he got off of the taxi. He looked back at the house his mother had rented for him. As he picked up his luggage once more, he heard a strange sound of a whistle.
But the whistle was not sharp like the ones he had often heard before. It was slow and seemed to bend the air around Haruto.
He looked around him to see who was giving off this strange whistle. No one was there. The world itself seemed to silence itself just so that Haruto could hear this eerie toon.
The whistle soon died out, and Haruto stepped into his new rental house.
*****
Haruto made himself comfortable by sitting on the sofa. He had unpacked his bags the moment he'd arrived.
He closed his eyes, keeping his head on the sofa. Suddenly, he felt a shiver run down his spine as the eerie toon from before rang out yet again. This time, it was close... too close.
Haruto slowly opened his eyes and, in front of him, stood a thin, tall person. He wore a black robe that covered his face. He resembled a ravaging spirit from ancient myths.
"If I may, who are you?" Haruto asked, his words calm with no hint of fear or astonishment.
"Haruto Ito, I have been sent here by the divine council in order to retrieve your soul..." The person replied in a dull, dried voice as he pointed a finger at Haruto.
Haruto looked at the man, from head to toe.
"And why?" Haruto questioned. The strange man took a few breaths of air, as if having a problem with breathing.
"As they said, your soul does not belong in this world... it belongs somewhere far away," the person's last words were traced with a hint of excitement.
Haruto placed one of his legs on the other.
"What do you mean?" Haruto continued. The man waved his arm, and it seemed like the world around them shifted, the ability to bend reality in his finger tips.
A translucent image of a strange blue energy appeared in front of them. The image shifted into one where people were shooting fire, striking others with lighting, and opening rift in space-time itself.
"As I and the divine council said, you were destined to be born into a different world," the man finally broke the silence with his raspy voice. "One where people use Mana to fulfil their everyday tasks. A world where there are Gods, Demons, Angels, Beastkin, and Monsters...
The goddess of reincarnation, goddess Liona, had misplaced you on accident. And she hadn't awakened to her mistake until six minutes. But the concept of time is different in both the divine realm and this world
So six minutes to us, was sixteen years to you..." With another wave of his hand, the images in front of them reverted back to how they were supposed to be.
Haruto, who was still in shock at what he had just heard and seen, was taken to even more shock when the man in front suddenly bowed at him.
"On behalf of the Divine Council and the goddess Liona, I sincerely apologise for taking sixteen years of your time," Haruto quickly adjusted the situation.
"It's quite alright!" He said.
But the man had not heard him. He continued to review the speech he was asked to give to Haruto by the goddess of reincarnation, goddess Liona.
"And thus, the goddess Liona has decided to give you freedom to choose a set of skills as a sincere apology. As well as an advanced version of the systematic progress screen," the man continued.
Haruto was a person who admired fantasy anime, manhwa & novels. And so, he found his interest taken away.
A smirk tugged on his face as the man finally stood up from his former position.
"And I can not stay here, no matter the cost?" Haruto asked to confirm.
"Yes," the man answered. "Your soul is to be immediately put before lady Liona."
Finally the smirk Haruto had been keeping in bay, revealed itself.
"Then shall we go?"