"Do not expect greatness from the ancient gods.
Their only desire is to rise above all, using the myth-gods as their ladder.
To them, we humans are nothing but material for their dreams.
Thus, believe in yourself—
even to the point of delusion—
for that is the one thing that separates humans from the divine."
— Marcesveil Lysorian
Marcesveil Lysorian once proved that between life and death, there is delusion. You are either half-dead and half-alive, or neither dead nor alive. A world where delusion runs wild. Neither the myth gods nor the ancient gods can have control over it.
Space. Time. These two are the most delusional in that world. As the first one to break out of it, Marcesveil Lysorian said,
"Delusion is the one and only thing that truly has no bound."
The place I am in is one called the Outerline, an entry part of the delusional world—Etherlamenthia.
…
Water poured from the sky. He saw no bound to the end of the Outerline. He turned around, scanning the Etherlamenthia entrance. It fell like rain, resembling the lives of humans who once died and reincarnated.
The stars struck the ground and returned to the sky, repeating it all again and again.
Unlike the usual sky, dark clouds were all over the ground, floating above the waving water. The Outerline had only one light source—the reflecting water, and the stars themselves.
The water started sucking his legs as it twisted around them. He stood firm, gazing at the unknown source of light. There was no sun, no trees—nothing—except water flowing, even beneath where he stood.
Fixated on a distant light, he began to mumble,
"I feel a divine presence…"
He clenched his fists and spoke louder toward the light.
"Why did you summon me?"
As the water pulled his legs, it dragged him closer to the light. Yet the nearer he got, the more he felt it was forbidden for him to see it.
The light figure had six wings, and eyes that seemed to see straight through his soul. Fear and awe washed over him.
He stood firm instinctively, though his hands trembled and sweat drenched his back—a sweat that should not even exist.
The light shone so brightly that his eyes could barely comprehend it, and perhaps they were never meant to.
The star-like figure smiled. Though he could not see it clearly, he felt warmth settle in his heart.
Suddenly, he could see the full figure of the light. Its face was more human-like, but its skin looked fictional, almost otherworldly. Its wings were exactly as he had read in novels—angelic and majestic.
The figure spoke with a gentle smile as it walked toward him.
"Wandering soul, may you rest in peace with your other life.
Welcome to Etherlamenthia."
He frowned, thinking about his life. Thoughts ran through his mind like background music as he tried to control his uncomfortable body.
He murmured,
"Of course I hate it when I died without achieving anything…
But above all, it was thanks to Truck-kun that I'm here…"
Despite learning he had died, he felt no fear. He had never taken life seriously; the more he did, the more he realized he was an empty shell, nothing to boast of except the body he was born with.
The light figure paused, allowing him to digest its words.
"You have been chosen by the Angel Numbers—the River Paths.
The paths want to revive you alive in another world.
The world you came from, Earth, is special.
The paths revive souls into new shells with new lives."
The man looked bored. He had read enough novels to know this kind of exposition.
"So, in short," he said, raising an eyebrow,
"you want to transmigrate me or reincarnate me."
The angel smiled again.
"Call it what you like. I am a Guidancer.
I guide lost souls; that is my duty.
Before you go, you may ask any questions that trouble you."
"First question," the man said.
"Where are you guiding me, and why am I chosen by the path?"
The angel's smile softened.
"Those are two questions.
I am guiding you to Etherlamenthia, a world where souls reincarnate.
What awaits you there is not my duty.
The reason you are chosen relies on your past life, which I do not know."
The man's face grew serious.
"Second question. What are the paths?"
The Guidancer noticed the shift in his mood.
"Every human is born under a path. There are twenty paths.
Each path has a god ruling it, with significant influence over reincarnation.
I know what you're going to ask next…"
He closed his eyes, absorbing everything.
"I expect nothing less from a Guidancer.
Of course I would ask about the gods.
No one is stupid enough to step into a world full of mysteries without knowing them."
"It will be long," the Guidancer said.
"So brace yourself."
000 / 0000
000: The Nullborn – God of the Void, guardian of emptiness.
0000: The Absolute Silence – God of Erasure.
111 / 1111
111: The Trinity Flame – God of Creation.
1111: The Pillar of Origin – God of Foundations.
222 / 2222
222: The Dual Moon – God of Harmony.
2222: The Mirror of Infinity – God of Resonance.
333 / 3333
333: The Trickster's Tongue – God of Expression and Chaos.
3333: The Chorus Eternal – God of Unity through Speech.
444 / 4444
444: The Stone Sentinel – God of Order.
4444: The Eternal Fortress – God of Stability.
555 / 5555
555: The Wanderer's Star – God of Freedom.
5555: The Cosmic Nomad – God of Transcendence.
666 / 6666
666: The God of Desire – God of Temptation.
6666: The Devourer of Worlds – God of Consumption.
777 / 7777
777: The Hidden Seer – God of Wisdom.
7777: The Veil Unbroken – God of Prophecy.
888 / 8888
888: The Iron Crown – God of Dominion.
8888: The Empire Eternal – God of Legacy.
999 / 9999
999: The Final Requiem – God of Endings.
9999: The Omega Ascendant – God of Rebirth.
"These are not the only gods," the Guidancer said.
"But knowing this much is enough."
"No," the man replied.
"I want the others too. Let me guess—they're setbacks."
The Guidancer stiffened.
14: The Balancer — God of Temptation and Consequence.
16: Fall and Rise — God of Humility and Catastrophe.
19: The Cycle Ender — God of Finality and Reckoning.
They are simply karma.
"I know it's a lot," the Guidancer said.
"Any questions left?"
He knows too much for a Guidancer…
How does he not know Etherlamenthia? Was there a mistake?
He tilted his head.
"How many people are entering Etherlamenthia?"
The Guidancer forced a faint smile.
"No idea.
And you only have one question left."
He sighed and stepped closer to the light.
"How long are you going to keep acting high and mighty, filthy soul?
You really suck at acting."
The light panicked internally.
Did he find out? Who is he?
"What are you saying?" it asked.
But the man had already seen the truth.
"Such a shame," he muttered.
"What a pathetic author I am…