Vol. 1 Chapter 1 - Reincarnation

After a brief doze, my eyes opened wide.

 

Checking the time, it was already close to noon.

 

I slept well today too. Having enough sleep is evidence of being young and healthy.

 

Getting out of bed, I began to change clothes.

 

Once dressed, I went downstairs and opened the door.

 

“You’re still sleeping in, huh? It’s already noon.”

 

“In a long life, what’s the rush? Sleep when it feels right, wake up when it feels right. Isn’t that wonderful?”

 

“Well, when you put it that way, maybe.”

 

I’ve gotten used to the exchanges with the big lodger.

 

But originally, I wasn’t born and raised in this world.

 

There were quite a few twists and turns before living this kind of life.

 

Suddenly, the circumstances of how I got to this world crossed my mind.

 

It’s quite an old term, but was it a drama or something that was broadcasted in Japan originally?

 

Thinking back, I’ve come a long way.

 

—

 

When I became aware, I felt like I was floating and being gently carried away by something.

 

Where is this? What on earth is happening??

 

I couldn’t recall how things ended up like this, what led to this state.

 

As my consciousness cleared, I looked around. It seemed like I was being slowly carried through a tube-shaped passage, probably close to 100 meters in diameter, by some force.

 

As someone who likes games, I couldn’t help but think of a warp zone in a certain demon fusion game.

 

What’s this? I looked at my own hands and they were translucent blue. Surprisingly, my whole body was also translucent blue.

 

If my eyes are translucent too, there’s no way I could see anything…

 

Wait a minute, does that mean I’m dead and turned into a ghost?

 

Is this giant tube the Sanzu River or something?

 

It feels too clear to be a dream, is this reality?

 

Looking around carefully, I saw many translucent blue humanoid beings floating around, all being carried in the same direction.

 

However, unlike me, there was no one else looking around. Everyone seemed to be floating without moving, with their heads down.

 

For now, I tried to swim against the flow like a breaststroke, but it seemed futile as the speed of flow and my position remained unchanged, so it seems hopeless.

 

Hmm, if there’s a concept of the Sanzu River, does that mean if I continue like this, I’ll go to heaven where I can eat unlimited ramen and drink unlimited cola?

 

I haven’t done anything bad, so there shouldn’t be hell, I hope. Or is it reincarnation??

 

As I pondered various things, a giant shining palm suddenly appeared in front of me.

 

Before I could even be surprised, my whole body was grabbed by that palm, pulled out of the giant tube with tremendous force.

 

Being pulled like this continued for what felt like tens of seconds. When the pulling stopped, the palm opened.

 

Cautiously looking around and down, I found myself being held up on both palms of a giant. The head-like part was prostrating.

 

With this size of palm, the whole body seemed to be a giant shining figure tens of meters tall? Maybe it can emit beams too?

 

Looking around, I could see huge lights scattered in the pitch-black space.

 

How many of these shining giants are there?

 

Suddenly, a loud voice echoed around.

 

“Oh, great Lord. I humbly request your audience.

 

There is a great discrepancy in the body of the child created by the great Lord. Although the body is robust, the soul has already perished.

 

While it is a minor discrepancy, there is a fear of distortion of all life veins due to abnormality.

 

To resolve this discrepancy, I would like to ask for permission to supplement it with the soul of another world.”

 

After the voice stopped, a few seconds passed, then suddenly everything in front of me was engulfed in a huge light.

 

Upon closer inspection, far away, there stood a giant shining figure with an amount of light so huge and abnormal that it seemed like a baby.

 

Then another loud voice rang out.

 

“Very well, I permit you to supplement with that soul.”

 

“I appreciate your consideration.”

 

After the exchange, I heard a small whisper.

 

“O little child of the foreign stars, if you are conscious, praise the great Lord.”

 

The shining giant holding me seemed to be whispering towards me.

 

I don’t really understand what’s going on, and I have a bad feeling about what they’re saying, but I’m already dead (probably), so I might as well try to flatter them. It might even get me to heaven.

 

“Great Lord, this humble being cannot help but be moved by your great kindness. I am deeply grateful for your blessings.”

 

After a moment of silence, a loud voice echoed again.

 

“Hmm, a soul with consciousness even though it has become just a soul, and furthermore, such admirable attitude. Truly a soul worth seeing.

 

I’m pleased, so I’ll grant you my special protection. Who is this person?”

 

“Before death, it seems you were studying pharmacy.”

 

“Very well, I bestow upon you the protection of our pharmacist. O small child of man, you should fully savor and accept my greatness.

 

With this, the matter is concluded.”

 

As that voice resounded, the surroundings instantly turned completely dark, and I felt myself being rapidly pulled by something.

 

I’ve been tossed around without any explanation since earlier.

 

They mentioned studying pharmacy, but I didn’t major in pharmacy at university, nor was it my job…

 

Suddenly, it occurred to me, could it be about the studying and examination I started for becoming a registered seller a while back?

 

I vaguely remember passing the exam.

 

Since my major in university was chemistry, perhaps the protection of chemistry would have been better, I thought casually as I continued to be pulled along.