I expected pain. I expected my bones to feel like melted wires or something awful like that. Instead, I opened my eyes and found myself lying on something soft, maybe a cushion or a strange pillow. The surface bounced a little when I pushed my palm against it.
"Where am I?"
My voice echoed in every direction. The echo came back slow and stretched like someone repeated me with their mouth half full, and I sat up, rubbing my chest. There was no burn and my shirt didn't have a hole. I touched the area where the lightning hit and found warm skin.
"Okay this is weird," I said, and I looked around.
The place was just empty white space. Not bright white, but like a blank room where the walls forgot to exist. No floor line, no ceiling. Just endless soft light.
"Hello," I called out. "Anyone here."
My voice took a moment to bounce back again. I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted louder. "Hey, if this is a hospital or something, bring me a drink, I'm thirsty."
A cough answered me.
I jerked around and saw a glowing silhouette standing a few steps behind me. It shimmered like a person-shaped nightlight and the edges shifted every second.
"Finally," the silhouette said with a shaky voice. "You woke up. Thank goodness."
I pointed at him. "Who are you?"
"Well," he said, then his glow dimmed a bit, "this might sound silly."
"That doesn't help," I said. "Tell me who you are."
He straightened his back. "I am a god."
I stared at him for a few long seconds. "A god?" I repeated.
"Yes," he said. His hands moved in nervous circles. "A divine, uh, overseer. Keeper of balance. Guardian of mortal fates. Manager of clouds."
I tilted my head at the last one. "Manager of clouds."
He coughed again and looked away. "It's complicated."
I stepped closer. "Are you the one who threw lightning at me?"
He froze. His whole glowing body flickered in panic like a broken signboard. "Ah… that… thing…"
"Yes, that thing."
He raised both hands. "It was not intentional."
"I didn't think it was," I said. "Clouds normally don't chase me."
He scratched his glowing cheek. "You were walking under a storm calibration zone. My assistant handled the schedule, and I thought the spot was empty. I adjusted a few settings, and then the whole console lagged, and the bolt landed on you."
I blinked. "So you pressed the wrong button."
He flinched. "I pressed a correct button at the wrong time. A divine delay happened. Technical issue."
I sighed and rubbed my face. "So this wasn't fate or karma or whatever dramatic stuff people love to say."
"No," he said, shaking his head, "fate had nothing to do with this. You just happened to be in the wrong spot."
"And you erased me," I said.
He hunched his shoulders, and the glow dimmed again. "Yes."
I folded my arms. "Okay then, what now?"
He raised one finger. "Compensation."
"Compensation," I repeated.
"Yes," he said. "You were not meant to die today, so I will offer you a rare deal. Reincarnation with three wishes."
I stared at him again. "Three? Really?"
"Yes, three," he confirmed. He spread his arms like he was presenting some huge prize. "Any improvement, any ability, any special gift. Even the kind that mortals should not normally receive."
"That sounds suspicious," I said.
"It is not suspicious," he said. "It is a sincere apology."
I walked around him a little. His glowing outline wobbled each time I passed behind him, almost like he didn't know how tall he wanted to be. "So I can pick anything?"
He nodded. "Anything within reason."
"What counts as reason?" I asked.
He tapped his chin and spoke slowly. "No instant universal domination, no changes to the world's core rules, no wiping out species, no infinite loops, no mind-control of gods, and nothing that directly breaks the natural cycle. You can ask for everything else."
"That still sounds like a lot," I said.
"It is a lot, but I am very generous," he said with a proud smile.
I rubbed my hands. "Alright then, I already know what I want."
He blinked. "That was fast."
"Yeah," I said. "I always wanted something like this."
He tilted his head. "Interesting. Mortals usually spend hours thinking about their wishes."
"I'm different," I said. "I had this kind of fantasy since I was a kid."
He waved his hand. "Go on then."
I held up my finger. "One. I want a full game system."
He lowered his head a little. "Define full."
"Like in RPGs," I said. "A complete interface with a proper status window, inventory, map, skill lists, party tab, quest log, and system alerts. Everything."
He nodded slowly. "That is possible."
I lifted my second finger. "Two. I want the Skill Creation ability."
His glowing eyebrows jumped. "That one is advanced."
"I can handle it," I said.
He didn't look convinced, but he nodded anyway. "Very well. As long as the system regulates the limits, you should be safe."
I raised the third finger. "Three. Item Creation."
He froze. "Item Creation too."
"Yes," I said. "If I'm going to be isekai'd, then I want fun tools."
He pressed his fingers to the side of his head. "You want system, Skill Creation, and Item Creation. That is a dangerous combination."
"Is it allowed?"
"It is allowed," he said with a sigh. "It is simply very unusual. Most souls ask for superpower or talent, not a full custom interface and creator abilities."
"I like simple tools," I said. "They sound useful."
He looked at me with a strange expression. "Useful is one word for it."
I shrugged. "You offered."
"I know," he said, "and I shall grant your choices."
He snapped his fingers, or at least I thought he did. The glowing outline flickered once, and three icons appeared in front of me like floating stickers.
One icon shimmered with numbers and tabs.
Another pulsed like a small blueprint.
The last one spun like a tiny gear.
"Well," he said, "go ahead, touch them."
I reached toward the first one and tapped it. It dissolved into my hand, and a dull shock ran up my arm. "Ow."
"Sorry," he said. "First calibration always stings."
I touched the second icon and felt a warm pulse echo across my chest. My fingertips tingled. "That felt better."
"Good," he said.
The third icon felt light, almost weightless. It merged into my palm like it wanted to hide under my skin. A faint spark escaped it, and I flicked my hand. "That was weird."
"That one has a slightly unstable effect," he admitted.
"So now I have system, Skill Creation, and Item Creation," I said.
"Yes."
"And I get sent to a fantasy world," I said.
"Yes," he replied again. "A world with levels and classes. Each person has a basic status display. Not a full one like yours. Only level, class, and simple skills."
"So mine will be different."
"Very different," he said with a sigh. "I hope you won't cause too many problems."
"Hey, I'm a nice guy," I said in retort.
He stared. His glow flickered once like a warning light. "Please try."
"I'll try," I said and grinned.
He lifted his hand toward me. A small hole opened behind him, like a doorway made of soft light. The edges stretched when he pulled at the air.
"This leads to your rebirth," he said. "You will awaken in a safe area. The rest is up to you."
"Can I ask one thing before I go?" I said.
"As long as it is not another wish," he said.
I pointed at him. "Fix your cloud system. Someone's going to get hurt."
He closed his eyes and groaned. "I will update the interface."
"Good," I said. "I don't want someone else getting roasted."
I stepped toward the portal and placed a hand on the glowing frame. The surface felt like soft gel, and the light bubbled around my fingers. I took a breath, not nervous, just curious.
He spoke again. "Yuto Asakura."
"Yeah."
"I truly am sorry."
I looked back at him. His glow dimmed a little, and the shape of his face stretched downward like guilt pulled at it. I scratched my cheek.
"Well, I'm dead already, so the apology helps."
"Your new start shall be better," he said.
"I'll make it fun," I replied.
He nodded once. "Then step forward."
I placed both hands on the light and leaned into it. The surface swallowed my arms and pulled my body through. I felt air shift around me, and my vision twisted.
"Hey, wait, which direction is–"
The floor disappeared under me.
I stumbled forward with no ground.
My stomach dropped.
"Hold on," I yelled as my foot kicked at nothing.
Gravity took me and spun me around. My limbs flailed, and I gasped as I slipped fully through the portal. The god reached out, but he was too slow.
"Ah, no," he said, "I forgot to stabilize the exit."
"You what?" I shouted.
The world blurred into streaks of color. I tried to grab onto something, but my hand grasped empty air. I spun once, twice, then the light sharpened into a tunnel. The tunnel shook, and the speed dragged me along like a slide made by someone who didn't think about the landing.
The god's voice echoed faintly behind me. "Sorry about that."
I slapped my hand against my face as the tunnel twisted again. "You're killing me twice," I yelled.
"Don't worry, it won't hurt," he called.
"It better not," I yell back.
The end of the tunnel widened, and a bright opening flashed ahead. The wind tore around me, and I felt my shirt flap wildly.
I kicked my legs as if that would help. "Slow down," I yelled.
The portal didn't slow.
The light swallowed me whole.
Then I dropped.
I fell, and the air roared past my ears. I had just enough time to yell, "Wait, what is down the—"
And then the chapter ends.
End of Chapter 2