Ren stood on the rooftop, his cheap suit flapping around him like a distressed flag in the bitter wind. Below him, the city lights blurred into a smeared canvas of indifference. He wasn't crying. He was just tired.
"They say that the moment you're born into this world," Ren spoke into the empty air, his voice hoarse, "that's when your luck begins, and your luck count starts from that exact moment." He ran a hand through his perpetually messy hair. "Well, I wasn't so lucky. I was born into an abusive family. I didn't have many friends. I was bullied, and the only thing I had going for me—good looks—didn't get me anywhere that mattered."
He stepped to the very edge, tilting his head back to look at the cold, grey sky. He was about to jump. He felt the sickening pull of the void, the dizzying height. His breath hitched. He wasn't brave enough. He stumbled back, collapsing onto the rough, tarred surface of the roof. "This is stupid," he choked out, staring at the sky with impotent rage.
Just then, his phone, which had been silent for months, began to ring. It was his boss. He answered, already knowing what was coming.
"It's about the client files," the boss's voice crackled, already sounding annoyed. "Frankly, you're useless. You've had three weeks, and this lack of initiative, this poor performance—your lack of drive—" The boss's tirade was a litany of failures he had heard a hundred times.
Ren simply cut the call mid-sentence, dropping the phone to the ground. "Nobody has time for this shit," he whispered.
He stood again. This time, there was no doubt, no fear, only exhaustion. He walked back to the edge and jumped, falling into the dizzying blackness. "Till my eternal slumber," he murmured as the ground rushed up to greet him.
But the ground did not greet him. Instead, there was a ridiculous WHOOMPH and a dull bounce. He felt a soft, cushioned give beneath him, followed by the smell of synthetic foam. He opened his eyes. He had landed perfectly in the bed of a delivery truck carrying a load of mattresses.
He lay there for a long moment, staring at the sky.as the truck Is driving past a building and a man who was also trying to kill himself jumped but was not as lucky as ren. " Well aren't you a lucky guy"
His phone, which had miraculously survived the fall, rang again. He picked it up, his voice flat. "Why does everybody choose to call me at this time?" he answered. Then, a dark, final thought settled over him. He spoke to the caller: "If you want to talk to me, tell me in the afterlife."
He rolled off the truck just as it took a sharp U-turn, falling a few feet onto a neglected patch of flowers in a nearby park. He scrambled up, covered in petals, and roared his frustration at the sky. "How can a man try to die in one day and fail twice?!"
The person on the phone, still somehow connected, spoke again. "It's me, old friend. It's been a while." He holds it to he's ear.
" shikoru, that you?"
" yh, long time no see"
" not long enough. Listen. If your not going to say anything I'm really busy. I just saw quite the view of a lake that I'd like to see what it would look like on the inside." Stars shimmered on the lake at that moment.
"Well whatever your doing drop it, you know I work in the entertainment industry. and I was looking at our old school photos and the photographer is obsessed with you now, I have a job for you."
" I'll take it" " are you sure, that was easier than I thought. Thought you'd hate me for bullying you in school"
" that's the past. Im unemployed, tired. And frankly more luckier with staying alive than dying. What more do I got to loose" " Uh, well that's great. I'll see you then"
He narrates.
"The next fifty-five years were a dizzying blur of competence and joy to me . The job led to success. My good looks finally paid off in a career as a famous model. I found love, even married a beautiful, cute idol. I had children. found friends. lived a good life, a happy life, a life where i was loved and respected. I was 80 years old and waiting for my second grandchild. I was content.....
That was until."
the street was dim , lited by street lights.
He was walking across the street, his mind on the baby shower, when he stepped into the crosswalk. He didn't hear the warnings. He didn't see the flash of metal.
The last he saw was a truck. Before he could understand what was happening.
He woke up in a serene, shimmering, vaguely gold-colored void. Before him stood a weary-looking, elderly being with eyes that seemed to hold entire galaxies. He looked rather Old.
"Ah, you're welcome, Hero," the God said, waving a hand tiredly. "You have been summoned to the land of Azra to help your other mates who have been struggling with the aftermath."
Ren frowned, picking his ear and flicking the earwax from his pinky finger. "What the heck are you talking about?"
"Sorry?" the God replied, bewildered.
"Aren't people normally summoned when they've had a bad, tragic life?" Ren asked.
The God checked a shimmering, outdated ledger. "I think you mistake yourself. You were clearly trying to die."
"I wasn't trying to die," Ren insisted, growing annoyed. "I was murdered by a truck."
The God squinted at the ledger. "Summoned, murdered... they all sound the same in the grand scheme. But you were surely trying to die twice."
Ren glared. "I told you, I lived a happy life! I was a model, I had kids, I married a cute idol, and I was about to have my second grandchild!.
" no no I'm certain that you. Where a sad soul. Truck- chan never fails in he's summoning."
"Do you have earwax in your own ear, old man?!!. I told you-. Wait hang on did you say I tried to die twice"
The God checked the ledger again. "Yes, yes, twice. You remember, now. Hurry and go meet your mates."
"Yeah, that's not going to happen," Ren said, folding his arms and laying down unbothered on the floor of the void. "Because that was fifty-five years ago."
The God visibly panicked" I'm sorry. I didn't get that "
" Haa... what a bother. I said it was 55 years ago I tried to die. Sorry old dude but your system is broken."
shuffling through the pages he finds out . "My system... it's outdated! It didn't upgrade! The summoning was useless!"
" woww, so I was killed for nothing.
The old God talked beneath he's breath. " how could this happen. And its summoned you ignorant full. And who are you calling old if I were human we would have been the same age. But what to do.i can't let the other gods find out about this. Especially not that love obsessed God Lumina. Huh, that's it "
He looked back at Ren, shamefaced. " mhm..As compensation, I will give you your own system."
"The world your about to enter is a world of sword-knights, magic, and monsters," the God began to explain, reading off a new screen.
Ren cut him off. "So, the typical cliché reincarnation shit. Yeah."
"Yes. However, since the Demon Lord was defeated, and fifty-five years on your planet is one hundred and ten years on Azra, I don't know the current situation or even how developed it is. I'm sorry I can't help in that direction. But I can give you your own system that can be updated. I'll only bestow you three abilities that can be upgraded. At a price, that is. Either by giving me a few drops of your blood or—"
"Can I upgrade my skills with money?" Ren asked immediately.
"Well, yes, but you'll need to get the money using experience points, or what I like to call Good Points. Do a good deed and you get points; the 'gooder' the deed, the higher your points. Which can be converted to money, but to upgrade a skill with money is pricey—you'll need to be a saint to afford—"
"All I'm hearing is money, so it works for me."
The God sighed. "Very well. As soon as you are reincarnated, you will get your system. You are the only person to get a system in that world, but that is the least I could do for the mishap. Now, before you go, you can choose the life you want there."
"What I want is a peaceful life," Ren said simply. "Something I could not have as a model in my past life."
"Very well. You may go. I wish you luck, renounced hero, as of the moment I summon you for nothing."
The God watched him vanish, utterly exhausted. He reached for a mug of tea, but his hand shook, and he accidentally spilled the hot beverage directly onto the central control panel of his outdated system. The circuits flashed wildly, operating by themselves, overriding the previous settings and confirming the complete and utter failure of the ritual.
" this.. doesn't look good"
A boy awoke with a splitting headache and the feeling of heavy, expensive sheets around him. He was in a large, gaudy room. The feeling of the new body was utterly miserable, filled with despair and failure.He looked around, disoriented.
The sudden, brutal realization hit him: he was inhabiting the body of someone else.
A maid, who looked genuinely distraught, rushed over.
"Master! Thank the heavens! .You were out for a whole week after... after you took those pills," she sobbed, clutching his hand. "Please, promise me you won't leave me!"
Ren, reeling from the transmigration, felt the genuine, suffocating despair of the body's previous owner. He needed air. "Balcony," he rasped. "Show me the balcony."
The maid grew immediately scared but led him to the terrace. Ren needed answers on the way.
" sorry, but could you explain my situation "
She, looked unsurprised to the request.
" Well the doctors did say you might loose your memory ... let me tell you short. For starters, my name is worben ligsha, and your name is Hikaru Kashiko. A descendant from the four heroes who saved our land from the Demon Lord. Your father is sir Kashiko . You have one brother , an is known everywhere as the Lout of the Kashiko family."
" I see. Interesting..."
As she was distracted, trying to reprimand him . " Yes and I have to tell you what you did was quite reckless. Please try to be more- what the hell are you doing!!!"
Hikaru stepped onto the edge.
The maid shrieked and ran to grab him crying. " Why would you do this!,please get down!.
But Hikaru, filling the body with his own cynical energy, his mind racing rambled the gravity of his new existence." Let me be beautiful maiden. I've had it up to hear with my joke of a life. First I try to die twice 55 years ago and ti turns out death was to busy reincarnating hero's but skipped me. And now it kills me off , all fine and good.but I asked for a peaceful life. Not to be hired as a hated lout, that is the opposite of not getting attention. Ah what a bother. And here I am ones again staring death in the face. Is this a joke!!"
" what are yo talking about. Just get down please young master"
"Love! " " huh,love!!.where did that come from"
Why not join me in death?" Hikaru suddenly said, spinning around to hold her hands with the most exaggerated, in-love expression he could muster. "I mean, dying alone is the problem; then we can die together!"
The maid, stunned by the sudden use of the word 'love,' stammered, "Well, when you put it like that... it's almost tempting."
"Not so fast."
His older brother walked onto the balcony, perfectly handsome and radiating magical power, like a knight in shining armor.
Hikaru sighed, releasing the maid's hands. "Tsk, not this again. Why is it always when I'm about to die?"
" I see you are energetic just after escaping death. That shows you got resilience, brother." He gives the most widest smile.
" Master Ayata.. we where just."
" hahahaha, about to jump."
" no well, I was.."
" falling for my brother tricks,I see"
" tricks!. No that can't be right... right young master" she turns to him in an endeavour to get a confirmation. But he turns away trying to avoid the answer. Instantly crushing her.
" brother. Its been far too long. Even though you -"
" I'm not interested in this.im in quite the bitter mood. Worben I need to return to my room "
" Yes, right away young master" he walks past him.
" wait!" as Hikaru stops.
" father is calling you, I don't know why but I might have an I dea. Try to be nice to him okay." Hikaru walks away. Leaving
Ayata behind"
In Sir Kashikos room. The place was dim and the air was tension all round. Sir Kashiko sat on a chair sipping some of Azras best coffee. Leaving Hikaru standing.
" you called , father."
Taking one more sip of he's coffee he speaks. " I heard you caused troubles immediately you awoke."
" I wouldn't call it trouble. More like a long overdue work out"
As Kashiko gives a menacing glare. Hikaru slightly rattled tries to leave.
" Well then if that's all" turning away to leave." I'll be on my way - argh! "
Was th last sound he made before falling flat on the ground.
What I this emence pressure. It feels like gravity is acting on me. He tuns to look at he's new father unharmed and okay. Sipping hes coffee. As he remembers the God saying this is a world of magic.
So this is magic. Its so intense. I feel like my whole body is being flattened.
" you turn your back to leave on me. I see I raised quite the case of a son. But then again, i see no reason why you should be like this . Endeavour to be more like your brother."
" wow, that's nice. Aren't you meant to ask me how I am - argh!" He increased the gravity pressure.
" and why would i do that. You brought this on yourself. Let me tell you this now, talking to you is a pain. You are to return to four Saviors Academy at once. The semester has just begun and I don't want unnecessary rumours to occur. Do you understand. Looking at him with a killer glear.
" argh. Read you loud and clear "
As he released him from he's spell.
" you are dismissed . Immediately "