Rebirth of a Lost Soul
Opening my eyes felt strangely difficult, as if my eyelids had gained weight overnight. A blinding light poured down from the sky, hotter and brighter than anything I'd ever felt before. It wasn't just the light—it was everything. The air felt heavy, the sounds were muffled, and the world seemed... off.
"What the hell...?" I mumbled to myself.
The last thing I remembered was sitting at home, playing some trashy game while knocking back cheap alcohol. It was supposed to be a normal, uneventful night—just me, the screen, and the slow dulling of my senses. And now... now everything felt wrong.
I tried to move my hands, but something felt off. They were too small. Fragile. Soft. I glanced down in a panic and nearly screamed.
"My body… it's tiny! Like a damn newborn's?!"
Terror clawed its way up my throat. My breathing quickened, my chest tightened, and in that moment of overwhelming confusion and fear—I wet myself.
"Am I... dead?" I whispered. "Is this it? Is this what comes next? Am I really never going to see my family again?"
A voice echoed around me, loud and jarring, but I couldn't see anyone.
"Who the hell said that?!" I yelled, suddenly angry. "Creepy bastard, show yourself! Don't mess with me, I'm not in the mood!"
A deep, commanding voice boomed from nowhere and everywhere at once.
"Ummhmm... listen, mortal. And mind your manners. I am giving you a chance to change your fate."
"Oh, how generous," I spat sarcastically. "You're giving me a chance to die again, huh? Screw you! Who are you, anyway? Just let me out!"
Silence.
Then the voice responded, colder this time.
"You idiot mortal. Speak to me like that again and you will bypass reincarnation entirely—and descend directly into hell."
I froze.
"For your information," the voice continued, "I am the mighty Agron—middleman between your pathetic existence and the divine will of the gods. I preside over the souls of the lost and judge their worth."
Agron's voice thundered with the weight of countless lifetimes. I gulped, a bead of sweat forming despite the celestial light.
"You died last night, slumped over your keyboard, stinking of beer and shame. A fitting end, really. But lucky for you, I am in a merciful mood. You will be reincarnated into a new world."
"A new world?" I asked cautiously, my fear slowly giving way to curiosity. "Wait, wait, does this mean I'll get cheat skills? Like in those isekai anime? Will I be a hero? Kill the demon king? Become famous or some OP magic dude?"
There was a long pause.
Then, Agron exploded.
"SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU WORM!"
His voice cracked like thunder across a stormy sky.
"I offer you a miracle—a second chance—and you dare pester me with fantasies from cartoons? Do you think this is a game?"
I shrank back, now fully aware of the god-like presence I was speaking to.
"You will not be granted some 'cheat skill,'" Agron said with venom. "You will be born anew, like everyone else. If you are lucky, the world may grant you blessings. Maybe even a decent family. But make no mistake—your fate will be earned, not given."
The sky darkened slightly, as if his words drained the light from the heavens.
"You will be reincarnated. And this time... try not to waste your life."
With a final booming roar, Agron's voice faded into silence. My tiny body began to feel heavy again, as if something was pulling me away—dragging me through space, time, and reality itself.
And just before everything went black, I heard a final whisper, one filled with equal parts warning and promise:
"Good luck, ugly mortal."