In the midst of a dazzling and magnificent burst of colors, a Soul was floating.
The Soul was translucent yet remarkably striking, appearing as a flawless fragment of the universe.
"Ahhh... how relaxing. It feels like I've never truly slept before. What happened to me?" the Soul thought, opening its eyes, fearful that this comfort might fade away.
When the Soul finally looked around, the scene left it awestruck, its mouth agape—even though it technically no longer had a mouth.
"Where am I?" it shouted into the void, but there was no response, not even a movement.
'Where am I? Did I die?... Or is this a dream?.. But if it's a dream, I don't want to wake up...' mused the Soul, who is our main character.
~A long time later~
"Ahhhh... I'm so bored... There's nothing to do!!!... WAIT!! I just had an idea. Can I absorb this colorful atmosphere like in those cultivation novels? It's worth a try. What could go wrong? Besides my soul exploding... Oh well, there's nothing else to do anyway."
After floating in the void for an indeterminable amount of time, the Soul finally began conducting experiments to relieve its boredom.
It closed its eyes and tried to sense its surroundings. At first, it couldn't feel much, but over time, it began to sense ripples within itself, and its form gradually became more relaxed. The Soul enjoyed this state for a long time, savoring the passing seconds, minutes, and hours. Or so the Soul thought; in reality, so much time had passed that its appearance was slowly changing colors due to this meditation.
First from pale gray to white, then from white to red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and finally to purple. The Soul didn't notice this transformation until a voice suddenly broke its concentration.
"Interesting!" a Divine Voice boomed.
The void seemed to groan, as if unable to bear the weight of the Voice.
The Soul was terrified and wanted to find a hole to hide in, but unfortunately, the environment was entirely open space.
Hesitantly, in a weak voice, it asked, "E-ex... excuse me, sir, who are you?"
'Oh no... what if it's a GOD!!! What if He destroys me or uses me as a slave!!!' The Soul thought, trembling with fear. Even though it believed in the wonders of existence, it couldn't ignore the frightening aspects of the cosmos—especially considering it was a being weaker than a mere speck of dust.
"HAHAHA... Don't worry, kid. I'm not going to do any of the things you're afraid of. And yes, you're right about the vastness, except for the part where you see yourself as ordinary. There are things about yourself you might not have noticed," said the Voice, seemingly signaling the Soul to look at itself.
The Soul felt somewhat relieved by the Voice's words, although it knew the relief was compelled by the Voice's aura. It started to comprehend what was said.
It didn't notice any difference at first, but then it realized something—it was glowing.
The Soul wondered, 'What's happening... is it because I absorbed that energy?'
"Exactly as you're thinking. That energy is very special, but very few souls think of using it like you did. Of course, maintaining consciousness here is quite rare in itself, so I commend you," the Voice continued.
"Really? Do many souls come here first?" the Soul asked with curiosity.
'So, does that mean the beliefs on Earth aren't true? Or maybe they could be, considering how vast the universe is...' the Soul pondered internally.
"Indeed, this is a common place where most souls arrive first, but this is a very special sector of the universe. It contains the purest energies. Only souls with certain mentalities can maintain their consciousness for a while. Eventually, they too become purified and move on to places determined by their beliefs. So, actually, all beliefs come into existence the moment they are believed and are judged by the soul's own conscience."
Hearing this, the Soul wasn't too surprised, as it had always suspected something like this. However, it was once again awed by the scale of reality.
"CHUCKLE You're really peculiar, but in a good way," the Voice said with a hint of affection.
Although the Soul tried to play it cool, it retained a childlike sense of wonder and couldn't help feeling the excitement any normal person would feel.
"Thank you... So, what happens now?" the Soul asked, a bit embarrassed.
"Well, I'm about to offer you a choice. It might sound cliché, and I'm doing it not just because it amuses me to see you make choices like in the novels you read. I'm doing it because I want to. Think of it as a reward for your purity and your perseverance in seeking answers from the universe," the Voice said warmly.
Hearing this, the Soul couldn't help but feel emotional. Whether a figment of imagination or reality, the tenderness in the Voice was palpable.
"Alright then, I'm offering you two choices:
The first choice is to send you to a paradise according to your beliefs, where you can live a peaceful life forever.
The second choice is to send you to a world of your choice with one wish and one advantage," said the Voice, eagerly awaiting the response.
The Soul thought deeply.
'I've always dreamed of this happening, never thought it would actually come true… maybe there is hope…' Something stirred within the Soul. It could almost hear a phantom heartbeat. But it knew it had to calm down.
'Let's see… the first option doesn't suit me. Eternal peace sounds boring, or unrealistic. I don't know what happens there—brainwashing? I don't want that. So, the second option. But what should I wish for? A system? That might be too OP. I don't know if He would accept that... Telekinesis? Also maybe too strong. UGH, all I can think of are overpowered abilities.'
Seeing the Soul pondering for a long time, the Voice interrupted:
"I have an idea. How about I decide everything, and you just enjoy the ride? Don't worry, you won't be disappointed. What do you say?"
The Soul thought for a moment and then asked a few questions.
"Okay, but I have conditions: will I lose my memory? And can I choose my appearance?" it asked hesitantly.
"HAHAHA... Don't worry, you'll keep your memories, and yes, you can choose your appearance," the Voice laughed.
Although the laughter was intimidating, the Soul was happy with the answer.
"Then I choose the Marvel Universe, and I'd like my appearance to be somewhat like Justin Timberlake's, if that's okay," the Soul asked, filled with anticipation.
"Marvel Universe, huh?... Hmm, good choice. Alright," the Voice said with interest.
Suddenly, the Soul had another worry.
"By the way, can something be done to prevent the all-powerful beings there from discovering me immediately?" it asked nervously.
"Don't worry, I'll handle that. Goodbye, kid. I hope you enjoy your life," the Voice said affectionately.
"Thank you so much. I can't thank you enough, but maybe someday I'll have the chance to meet you again," the Soul said with a virtual smile.
"CHUCKLE Maybe. I'm looking forward to that time, kid," the Voice replied divinely.
As the Soul heard this, the surroundings grew blindingly bright, forcing it to close its eyes. Everything faded into darkness.
~MC POV~
Before my head felt like it was going to explode, I opened my eyes in what seemed like a dormitory. I sat up, trying to process my surroundings.
"AHHHH... What's going on?...." I exclaimed involuntarily, causing the boy in the bottom bunk to flinch.
"Matthew, what happened? Why are you shouting? You scared me," he said.
As the pain in my head gradually eased, I turned to the boy, who was looking at me with annoyance.
Seeing him triggered a memory—his name. Necessary information flooded into my mind.
"Sorry, John. I had a nightmare, so I shouted," I said, crafting a quick excuse with an apologetic expression.
'Sorry, John, but I couldn't tell you the truth,' I thought, relieving my conscience slightly.
"Hmph... It's okay, just don't do it again. It's 4 in the morning," he grumbled, annoyed by being woken up.
I nodded, and recalling that I had some money in this new life, I smiled slightly.
"Okay, okay, I already apologized. I'll buy you some pastries tomorrow morning on the way to school, deal?"
Seeing his eyes light up, I chuckled internally. 'He really loves pastries.'
He nodded and lay back down. "Good night, Matthew," he said, turning away.
"Good night, John," I replied.
'Ahhh... I think I should rest a bit. I've been feeling tired since I arrived; it must be the side effect of syncing with a new body. I feel heavier. I'll decide what to do when I wake up again,' I thought, looking forward to the future with hope as I allowed myself to drift into the warm embrace of sleep.