Takumi Nakamura walked along the sidewalk of Shibuya as a fine rain soaked his cheap suit.
He had his headphones on, even though the music had ended a long time ago, and he thought about how little his life had changed over the past few years.
Twenty-four years old, an office job that barely paid the rent, a small apartment where the only things waiting for him were silence and a pile of half-read light novels.
It wasn't a bad life, really. Just empty. No partner, no friends to go out with on weekends, no grand ambitions.
That was why he spent his nights reading stories about other worlds, where ordinary protagonists ended up becoming someone important, someone powerful.
He crossed the street absentmindedly, convinced the traffic light was green. The truck's horn came too late. The brakes screeched against the wet asphalt, and in an instant, everything turned white.
He felt no pain. Just a ridiculous thought that floated through his mind as he fell:
'Seriously… a truck? What a stupid cliché'.
Then, only darkness.
He didn't know how much time passed in that void. It could have been seconds or hours. Suddenly, he felt as if he were opening his eyes, even though he had no body. He floated in a white space that seemed infinite.
In front of him appeared a figure made entirely of soft light, its contours blurring like illuminated mist.
"Takumi Nakamura," said a calm voice that resonated directly inside his head. "Welcome. I am what you would call a god, and I owe you a sincere apology."
Takumi tried to respond, and to his surprise, the words came out without needing to open his mouth.
"An apology? For the truck?"
The luminous figure seemed to shrink slightly, as if uncomfortable.
"Not exactly for the truck. Your death was an administrative error. It was not scheduled. According to the records, you were meant to live until the age of eighty-three, marry at thirty-two, have two children, and die peacefully of old age while watching television. The accident… was a subordinate's oversight. Unacceptable. We are reviewing our procedures."
Takumi remained silent for a moment, processing what he had just heard. Then he let out a dry laugh that echoed through the void.
"So what happens now? You give me my body back? Undo everything?"
"Unfortunately, that is impossible. The body is already… irreparable. However, as fair compensation, I offer you reincarnation in another world with one reasonable wish. Most ask for wealth, physical strength, or powerful magic. You decide."
Takumi didn't think twice. He had read hundreds of stories exactly like this. He knew what he didn't want: being born as a weak baby, spending years learning basic magic, suffering humiliations from nobles, or having to struggle for decades just to reach something decent.
"I want maximum potential," he said firmly. "The highest possible level in magic and abilities. So that when I grow up, no one can stop me. SSS rank, or whatever they call it there. Absolute potential, without limits."
The god remained silent for a few seconds, as if consulting something internally.
"Granted. Your soul will carry a Soul Core with an SSS rating. In that world, no one has been born with that potential for over a thousand years. You will be a unique anomaly. But remember: potential is not immediate power. You will need effort, experience, and… deep bonds with others to fully awaken it."
"Bonds?" Takumi asked, intrigued.
"They are secrets of the world you are going to. You will discover them in time. Do you desire anything else?"
Takumi shook his head.
"No. I just want to be the strongest. That's all."
"Very well. May your new life be long, prosperous, and full of purpose."
The light intensified until it blinded him completely. He felt himself falling into a deep vertigo, as if the entire universe were spinning around him.
And then, he felt cold. A damp cold that reached his bones. Takumi opened his eyes abruptly.
He was lying on a hard, moisture-soaked straw mattress. The ceiling was made of old wood, with leaks dripping into a rusty bucket.
It smelled of poverty, wet earth, and something he couldn't identify. A small window let in a gray light; outside, thatched roofs and chimneys releasing smoke could be seen under the overcast sky.
He tried to sit up, but something was wrong. Very wrong.
His arms were thin, fragile-looking, with smooth skin and not a single hair. His hands… small, with fine, delicate fingers. He lowered his gaze slowly, his heart pounding harder and harder.
A worn, dirty nightgown covered a body that wasn't his. His chest was no longer flat. Two small bumps were visible beneath the thin fabric. His hips were wider, his legs shorter.
'No. This can't be'.
He brought his trembling hands to his face. His cheeks were soft, his lips fuller, his nose small. A lock of long black hair fell over his shoulder and brushed against his skin.
He ran—or rather, stumbled—toward a bucket of stagnant water that reflected like an improvised mirror. The reflection hit him like a punch.
A girl. No, more like ten or eleven years old. A delicate face, large light-violet eyes that shone even in that poor light, messy black hair reaching down to her waist. Pale skin, marked by dirt and hunger.
A fragile beauty that stood out despite everything.
Takumi opened his mouth and only a choked, high-pitched, childish scream came out.
'The god said reincarnation… but he didn't say anything about this'.
Deep within his mind, a cold, mechanical voice resonated for the first time:
[Soul Core detected.
Latent rating: SSS.
Current status: Sealed.
Effective rank: F-.
Owner: Aria (unregistered orphan).
Welcome to Elyria.]
Takumi—now in Aria's body—collapsed to his knees on the damp straw, his hands shaking.
'This wasn't what I asked for'.