It was a bright, beautiful day—the kind that felt perfect for a vacation. A day meant for beaches, games, and lying around under the warm sun. No one could have guessed that such a normal day would change a life.
Or rather… end one, and start another.
His name was Ren Fujiwara.
At least, it had been in his previous life.
Back then, Ren was just a normal otaku living in Tokyo. His days were boring and repetitive. He spent most of his time doom-scrolling or reading manga, especially Kingdom by Hara. He had no idea that fate was quietly lining something up for him.
As he flipped through the pages, his thoughts wandered.
Damn… Shin's finally starting to show some instincts. He's growing.Still an idiot, though.
At least now Shin could be called a commander. Even so, Ren felt Shin still fought more like a human battering ram—charging forward and surviving everything through pure toughness. How someone like that would eventually become a Great General of the Heavens was still hard to believe.
His thoughts shifted again.
Kanki, though… I kind of feel bad for him.A villain created by love and suffering.
Ren leaned back and sighed, a small smile on his face.
If only I'd been born in the Warring States era instead of this boring one.Battles, glory, adventure…
Lost in thought, he opened his fridge.
"Oh… damn."
Empty.
Looks like I have to go shopping.
Later, grocery bags in hand, Ren walked back home. The streets looked the same as always—ordinary and dull. As he crossed the road, his mind drifted again.
Then—
Crash.
Pain exploded through his body as he was sent flying.
Oh damn… is this really it?Am I dying right now?
As the world spun, regret filled his thoughts.
I still had so many things I wanted to do.I don't even know how One Piece ends.Damn you, Oda.And JJK season three just came out too…
A weak laugh echoed in his mind.
Why am I thinking about this now?I really am hopeless… even at the end.
Then everything went black.
It felt like he was drifting through an endless void. There was no sense of time, no feeling of a body.
Then a voice echoed around him.
"Oh child, I apologize. This was the mistake of one of my Shinigami. You still had fifty years left to live."
Ren frowned.
What the hell? Is this some isekai cliché?
"I cannot return you to your original world," the voice continued. "As compensation, you may be reborn in any world you choose."
Ren snorted.
"You guys are seriously careless. Do you know how much that truck hurt?"
"I deeply apologize," the voice replied.
Ren sighed.
"So this is the part where I get reincarnated with powers, right?"
"Yes. However, you may only choose three abilities that exist within the world you enter."
Ren clicked his tongue.
"Cheap."
Then he smirked.
"Whatever. I don't need broken powers. I want fun."
He thought for a moment.
"First, I want battlefield instincts sharper than Duke Hyou's."
A faint ripple passed through the void.
"Second, I want Shin's combat ability at its absolute peak."
Another pause.
"And third," Ren said, excitement rising, "I want a complete battlefield view in my head. A full 3D image—every unit, every formation, all in real time."
Silence followed.
"These abilities are acceptable," the voice finally said.
Ren grinned.
"One more thing," he added. "I don't want a random body."
The voice paused.
"I want to reincarnate inside Shin."
The void stirred.
"You will share his body," the voice said slowly. "Your soul will merge with his, influencing his instincts and thoughts."
Ren's grin widened.
"Perfect."
"One final question," the voice said. "When shall you arrive?"
"After Hyou's death," Ren answered instantly. "And put me in during the time Shin is heading toward Sei's secret hideout."
"…Very well."
Light burst around him.
"Your wishes will be granted," the voice declared. "Your new life begins now."
Ren felt himself falling.
Then—
Pain.
Cold water splashed against his face.
His eyes snapped open.
The sound of a river filled his ears.
A wide river stretched before him, calm and steady, flowing through the land.
At the same time, memories flooded his mind—not his own.
A poor village.A dead friend.A burning desire to rise above everything.
Ren staggered.
No… not Ren.
Shin.
He clenched his head as two sets of memories overlapped.
So this is Shin's body…This is his life.
The river.
Ren—now Shin—recognized it instantly.
This was the river leading to Sei's secret hideout.
"So this is it…" he muttered.
His body felt powerful. Tough. Alive.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"I'll live this life properly," he said. "Not just as Shin… but as myself too."
He looked down the river, toward the turning point of history.
"And this time," he added quietly, "I'll become the greatest General of the Heavens."
The river continued to flow.
And thus—
A different legend began.